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SIMONE J. SMITH/TORONTO CARIBBEAN “I was thinking that there was no way that COVID-19 was going to steal Christmas from my family, or from the Niagara region.”
It was Christmas time; the times for feel good stories, about people helping others. You would hear about soup kitchens feeding thousands of people, homeless people being fed by perfect strangers, toys being given to
children. For some reason, 2020 was different.
plemented? This went on and on, and on.
Every time I turned on the television, I would hear about press meetings by our Premier that would keep everyone on high alert; what was going to be locked down? How long were we going to be on lockdown for? Were the kids going back to school? What new COVID-19 rules were being im-
We watched the numbers rise; we were told that we would not see our families for Christmas or New Years. Day after day it was just more bad news. Continued On Page 8
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PAGE 2
FEATURE
Toronto Caribbean News | www.TOCaribNews.com | Wednesday, January 6, 2021
SHONTELLE DUBOIS The transformation specialist
“What happens to a dream deferred? Does it dry up like a raisin in the sun? Or does it explode?” Langston Hughes
As a woman in her mid-50s, our Woman Empowered never thought that she would be in the middle of a $4 million effort to put the characters of a children’s book series on the big screen. That is the funny thing about dreams deferred; if you do not let them dry up, they can explode and create a life for you that you never thought possible. I had an amazing time speaking to the incredibly talented Karen Frank. She has a powerful story, which is why she was chosen as our first Woman Empowered of 2021. She knows what it is like to have that “pinch me is this happening” feeling, especially after going after a dream that she did not see possible only a few years before. From the very start, I could feel her youthful energy over the phone. We chuckled with each other after we compared what she was seeing out of her window at home in Bermuda, with what I was seeing out of my window in Toronto. I will tell you this; her blue skies, and clear water definitely beat our grey skies, and barren trees. This brought us to her story where she revisited a passion she had when she was younger. “ You know Simone,” she began. “I was in between jobs. I had worked in banking and real estate for years, but somehow I knew that there was something else out there for me. I began to ask myself questions: where do I need to be? What is my next step? I remember sitting under my grandmother Mary Daniels’s piano, and reading her National Geographic Magazines. I would get excited when I saw beautiful children from around the world. My wish was that I could jump inside the pages and be there with them. I truly believe that this was connected to my love for writing. I remember that I used to write a lot. I had such an imagination. I used to go on walks, and I fell in love with nature: the beautiful sand, the clear waters, the lush greenery; it was all so beautiful to me. As I matured, I forgot most of the joy that I had for adventure, for writing. I got married, and had two beautiful sons: Matthieu and Jonathan. I began working in the corporate world and gained some real life experiences, here in Bermuda, and during my time living in Canada. These experiences allowed me to hone my skills, and develop my entrepreneurial savvy.” Something was missing in Karen’s life, and it was during her time off that she began to
recall her adventures as a child. The memories motivated her to start writing, and this was the birth of Abigail. “I remember that I began taking online courses to refine my writing skills. In one of the courses, they asked me to draw upon childhood memories. It all came rushing back, and I wanted to bring my childhood adventures to life. Abigail could become a powerful icon. Stories about Abigail could fill a void within the industry of accessible multi-cultural reading, and be made available to the world. In 2015, I wrote the manuscript, and published it not long after. I didn’t know what to do with it, so I sat on it for a few months. The publishing company liked it. They thought it would look great on the screen. A year later, after attending a book-to-screen pitchfest in New York, I realized how television and digital media could also promote Abigail’s values of literacy, diversity and dream building. I had no idea that this was going to launch the most important career of my life. I realized I wanted to do more with this. I know that I did not want to write a book and have it just sit on the shelves. It had to provide value to the readers and stimulate creativity.” Well, Karen got exactly what she had hoped for. The book was a tremendous success. The initial book series has brought Abigail to consumers around the world. Abigail is a bright girl who has wonderful adventures in her dreams while she is sleeping with her multi-dimensional dream pal Pearl. The adventures are vast and they are with children of different cultures and ethnicities. “It was our way of bridging the gap of racial divide,” Karen shares with me. “It is actually the mission of my company ADA Group Holdings Limited. The characters change within each dream; readers get to meet children of different cultures and ethnicities, all the while having extraordinary adventures. When I had the opportunity to share the stories with CBC, they loved the concept. They loved it so much that they encouraged me to do more with it. There was something about Abigail and friends; her message resonated with people. I couldn’t believe that there were over 27 languages in some of the schools that Abigail’s adventures reached, and that they were all excited to learn more about Abigail’s message of inclusion. This of course launched other great opportunities for me.” Karen appeared on Wendy Williams, and this was when she had her magical moment with John Amos (father from Good Times), who loved the book.
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“You have to think about the things that you love to do,” Karen tells me. “Now at 55 years old, I am doing something that I never thought I would be doing. It’s not about settling anymore. I was a housewife for over seven years. After my divorce I had to figure out where I belonged. I had to take courses, and learn things again. You never really lose it; sometimes you take a back seat to yourself. The important thing is that you do find yourself.
We have to start thinking outside the box. I love being uncomfortable. It takes you to the next level in life. The process of change is difficult. You have to be open to it. Once you get through the tough parts, and know that you are still whole, and valuable, you know that you can do it again.”
Embrace where you are. Turn down the noise, and focus on where you want to be. Ask yourself questions: • • •
Who do you want to encourage? Who do you want to make an impression upon (vision boards are good for that)? What kind of impression do you want to make in the world in 2021?
Written by Simone J. Smith Toronto Caribbean News
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NEWS
PAGE 3
Censored, and Cyber attacked; what did they not want you to see or hear at The Awakening World Truth Summit? SIMONE SMITH simone@carib101.com
TC REPORTER
“Your post will not be seen in the United Kingdom” (Facebook & Instagram) “What!” I said to Amanda, our communication handler for the day. “What do they mean that this post will not be seen in the United Kingdom.” “That is what I said to myself Simone. What do they mean by that? How can they block our post from being seen in another country? When did that start happening?” The Toronto Caribbean Newspaper/MyTCNTV Network team had started the year off with a bang. The phone was ringing off the hook; all of our phones were pinging with messages from people wondering why they couldn’t get onto our live stream. Trish Browning had sent us all messages saying that she had to be fielding messages from people wondering what was going on. Our Facebook messenger was quickly filling up, and Amanda could not keep up with the chat that was live on the Awakening website. If I had not been there, I wouldn’t believe what I was seeing. In our country of Canada, a country that is envied for the fact that we have a Charter of Rights and Freedoms, I was witnessing censorship at the highest level. I would like to take this time to thank everyone who brought their positive energy, and enthusiasm on Saturday, January 2nd, 2020, and I would like to re-welcome you to the Expose the Great Reset; The Awakening World Truth Summit. I will never forget it. We were almost done filming for the Friday show, and Grant Browning (Founder of the Toronto Caribbean Newspaper/ MyTCNTV Network) called me into his office excitedly. “Simone,” he be-
gan, “Something came to me last night and I wanted to run it by you.” I sat down quickly. I had seen this look in Grant’s eye before. He had this look right before he transformed the Carib101 Radio studio into the MyTCNTV Network studio. “The Awakening. It came to me last night. I want to put on a summit that will bring together all of the leading experts that have been censored by the media. I want to provide a safe space for them to share their knowledge of what is happening in the world. I am not sure how we are going to do it yet, but I have some ideas brewing. The first thing I am going to have to figure out is how to get this on our own stream, otherwise they will censor and block what we are trying to do.” This discussion happened, just a little over a month ago. From that discussion we began to think about who would be hosting it, the speakers we would have, and how we were going to market it. It wasn’t too long before we got to work; I believe it might have been the next day. Each week we kept adding pieces to the puzzle: first we gathered our hosts for the day, which would be: Kerry Lee Crawford (re-owned media personality, and Founder of the LOVE Project), Jerrold Johnson (a consummate professional, and a man known for his ability to connect with people), and myself Simone Jennifer Smith (Founder of Hear 2 Help and Operations Manager at the Toronto Caribbean Newspaper). We then had to decide on a date that worked for everyone. That was the tricky part. We finally decided on January 2nd, 2020, and from there we began to gather our speakers. The first person to say yes to us was David Icke. We knew we were off to a great start. “Those that refuse to think for themselves are buried in the program. People do not want to face the reality that this so-called pandemic is not meant to have an endpoint.” David Icke Each week, the team met up secretly. We wanted to keep our dialogue limited on technology. We had only a month to plan this, and it was going to be a lot of work. In each of
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our meetings we discussed strategies, along with who would be most suited to speak at the summit. Before long we had a list of desirables. Now, we just had to get them to be part of it. We had been watching the media, and we saw how they had systematically begun to censor and put out hit pieces on certain individuals, two of which were speakers MPP Randy Hillier, and Pastor Henry Hildebrandt. Pastor Henry was one of the few pastors who had not adhered to the no church restrictions and continued to preach to his supportive flock. Media had a field day with him, accusing him of anything that they could. They really went after Randy Hillier. We even received an email from someone asking us if we knew that Randy was affiliated with racist groups. We did not respond because we knew what was happening. The person then put out a piece attacking not only Randy, but us for doing what we were doing. I guess they thought this would stop us. They thought wrong. We added to the roaster Dr Rashid Buttar, and Constable Vincent Gircys, a retired member of the Ontario Provincial Police. Unfortunately, Dr Buttar was unable to make it on the day of, but Officer Gircys was able to come on and speak about the oath that he had taken as a police officer. “I truly find what is happening in our province disturbing at all levels.” Constable Vincent Gricys As the weeks quickly passed, we continued to strategically build our speakers for the summit. It was in the last week that we were introduced to the fact that Prime Minister Trudeau’s brother Kyle Kempler had been speaking out on what was happening. This was huge, and Grant immediately reached out to him. We didn’t hear from him until about four days before the summit, but when we did it was the answer we wanted to hear, “Yes, of course I will come on and speak.” “Truth is treason in an empire of lies.” Kyle Kempler
I really enjoyed my dialogue with Kyle at the summit. When the attacks started on the website he sent us an email; “I’m assuming you’re getting DDOS attacked and the stream isn’t working. If you need any tech help let me know and I can call in some pros. I know that Jitsi is a good platform for streaming broadcasts.” He verified what we had thought. We were being cyber attacked. This was why no one was able to get onto the stream, and if they did it was choppy, or it stopped working. What is interesting about the whole thing is that Grant and our IT team had been working on this stream for weeks. They had done their testing and run it days in advance. They had prepared it for the load that was expected that day, but we were not prepared for what was actually done. I had never seen anything like it. A stream that was flowing perfectly before, all of a sudden was not working. After listening to our last speaker Dr Zev Zalenko, I completely understand why there was such disruption. “I am prepared to die standing, then living in fear on my knees.” Dr Zalenko Although Dr Zalenko is currently undergoing chemotherapy, this man came with information that I can understand people would want silenced. There were a couple things that he pointed out that I really want the world to hear. One topic in particular was about vaccines. First thing he noted was that he was not against them. “I am not against vaccines, as long as they are safe. It takes 20 million doses to verify efficacy of a vaccine. There has not been 20 million doses, so how can we call it safe.” Such a powerful day, and at the end, we all just sat there in amazement. We had to take a minute to process what we had just undertaken, and figure out how we were going to get it out, uninterrupted to the world. On Saturday, January 9th, the replay will be available, and don’t worry, this time we are not coming with swords to a gunfight. View the entire day of interviews on Saturday, January 9th 2021 exclusively on www.ExposeTheGreatReset.com
NEWS
Wednesday, January 6, 2021 | www.TOCaribNews.com | Toronto Caribbean News
PAGE 5
“You’re not allowed to talk about your experiences with disability if you’re black!â€? •
Learn what to do after your child has been diagnosed with autism. Download our 100-day kit for families of young children or school-age children. These kits offer guidance and helpful resources for families Find out about treatments; there’s no one-size-fits-all approach Use our school-based resources; like our new digital Guide to Individualized Education Plan Get involved
PAUL JUNOR
paul@carib101.com
•
TC REPORTER
•
The launch of a Black Parent Support for children with autism could not have come at a better time. Sherron Grant initiated this group to address issues, challenges and needs of black parents. She and her husband, Clovis, the CEO of 360° Kids, has a son, Isaiah, who was diagnosed with autism at age four. According to www.autismspeaks. org autism refers to “a broad range of conditions characterized by challenges with social skills, repetitive behaviours, speech and nonverbal communication.â€? Often times when talking about autism, it refers to autism spectrum disorder (ASD) which according to the Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (cdc. gov) is “a developmental disability that can cause significant social, communication and behavioural challenges. There is nothing about how people with ASD look that sets them apart from other people, but people with ASD may interact, learn in ways that are different from most people. The learning, thinking and problem-solving abilities of people with ASD can range from gifted to severely challenged. Some people with ASD need a lot of help in their daily lives; others need less.â€? Janet Williams is the Outreach Director for Autism speaks whose mission is, “to promote solutions across the spectrum and throughout the life span for the needs of people with autism and their families.â€? She openly has shared her own personal story. As a black single parent with a child on the spectrum, she knows what it is like to live life a little differently than other parents. She knows that it is difficult for parents in our communities to reach out for help because they have trust issues. We talked about what some of her suggestions are: •
Learn the signs of autism, and use the two-minute autism screening questionnaire
•
Sherron Grant was persistent in seeking help for her son. She recalls, “I was pretty much the only person of colour in the support group rooms. I pushed through because I focused on what we had in common. I had a child with autism. Autism doesn’t know colour, religion or anything like that. I really took as much from it as I could. However, there really is a connection you have with people of your culture.� A Toronto Star’s article refers to the work of Sadoea Asefaw, who researched the experiences of black families with developmental disabilities. She states, “Disability organizations in general don’t talk about race, and specifically, racism and anti-black racism.� She states further, “In Canada, what we see is you’re allowed to talk about disability if you’re white. You’re not allowed to talk about your experiences with disability if you’re black, or if you’re a black mother of a child with a disability and what that experience is like... Everybody’s looking for a place they can control as their full selves, have agency and where they belong.� The Black Support Group had their first meeting in November, 2020. Meetings will be on the first Tuesday of the month using the Zoom platform. It is intended that there will be a hybrid of in-person and virtual meetings. Sherron is administer of the private Facebook group: DPSG: Black Parents of Children and Adults with a Disability Support Group. The purpose of DPSG is to, “provide a safe space for families of African descent to come together to net and connect; share resources, expertise and needs, inspire and support one another through our unique and often challenging and isolating journey of raising black children, or supporting a sibling of any age, with a disability.�
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Wednesday, January 6, 2021 | www.TOCaribNews.com | Toronto Caribbean News
Get lost 2020; Four things we shouldn’t bring into the new year JANIECE CAMPBELL janiece@carib101.com
TC REPORTER
Now that we’re in 2021, I think it’s safe to say that last year sucked. However, it’s a new year! Let’s start it off with a clean slate and a fresh perspective. Even though the previous year was filled with many shortcomings, we’re eagerly entering a new season with new opportunities. It’s crucial that we self-reflect on every area in our lives in order to be our best selves all 2021. Besides the most obvious thing, COVID-19, here are four things I’d like to see left in 2020. The term ‘new normal’ First of all, this phrase will always give me a good laugh. What exactly was ‘normal’ about the world before all of this mess anyway? Politicians are still corrupt, people are still dying and there’s still a debt crisis. A global pandemic was just the cherry on top. I don’t like this term at all, because it gives the idea that the present is okay simply because normal means regular. Can we all agree that absolutely nothing about 2020 was normal?! It’s not normal for society to be isolated. It’s not normal that this eerily contagious disease is deemed ordinary. It’s not normal that many people have and will continue to lose their loved ones but are forced to accept that this new morbid reality is now standard. Unfortunately, there’s no return to whatever ‘normalcy’ was. We shouldn’t be forced to assimilate into this altered life and view it as a regular blip in the system. The way we live and our daily routines may be different now, but it’s extremely far from normal. Let’s stop calling it that. Pessimism I get it. We ended off 2019 on an optimistic high. Everyone prophesised that 2020 would be their year, that we’d all begin this decade with an abundance of success, growth and prosperity. Boy, the majority of us were incredibly wrong. It’s truly disheartening to see how much damage, death and destruction the entire world has faced in 366 days. Sometimes, your mind might question, “could this get any worse?” Though the year was far from what we thought it would be, so what? Sadly, but true, things can’t always go the way we want it to. And that’s okay. How about the fact that you’ve been fortunate
to see another year, an opportunity that a lot of people didn’t get? You’re already walking in blessings! FYI, according to a study of over 71,000 male and female heart patients by Boston University, pessimism can lead you to an early death. In fact, the optimistic patients demonstrated an 11-15% longer lifespan and had far greater odds at reaching 85 years old in comparison to the pessimistic patients. Do yourself a favour, rid yourself of the negativity. Be hopeful and live longer! Remote jobs and learning Face it, remote work is NOT it! At first, it seemed perfect. Saving on gas, finishing your work in your pajamas, not having to make small talk with classmates or colleagues. It was just you and your own four walls. It was good until it wasn’t. For those of you that found no problems with working from home, I applaud you! You have a type of strength that I yearn for. For others like me, having your alarm go off at 8 a.m. just for you to lounge in bed, power up that laptop and get to work was not a fun way to begin your day. In between poor Wi-Fi connectivity issues and an overall lack of motivation, this alternative needs to go! Obviously, due to lockdown and various restrictions, it will be making a comeback in 2021… but hopefully for a much shorter period of time. Conspiracy theories Rumours, hoaxes, fake news, whatever you want to call it! 2020 was THE year of misinformation. From 5G antennas being implemented into surgical masks to aborted fetuses as an ingredient in the COVID-19 vaccine. If I hear another false headline, my head might explode! A fatal flaw of social media is how quickly things tend to spread. It’s like an international game of broken telephone, but less fun and more fear. Sometimes it can be hard to differentiate what’s real from what isn’t, especially on the internet during a global crisis. And especially when it’s coming from a rage-tweeting world leader. But sometimes, all it takes is a simple Google search to find out if these theories have been debunked. Often times, they are. Spot cyber propaganda by verifying the sources and doing your own research! Listen to me: don’t you dare open those forwarded ‘informative’ Whataspp videos this year! Your mind will be at peace without the fake scandals. Now, let’s collectively move on from the year-that-must-not-be-named. It’s a new year to free yourselves of bad habits and thrive! Let’s ring in 2021 with more compassion and less criticism.
NEWS
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NEWS
Toronto Caribbean News | www.TOCaribNews.com | Wednesday, January 6, 2021
A Christmas tale that was never told SIMONE SMITH simone@carib101.com
TC REPORTER
Continued From Page 1 -- It was why when I heard about a story that was happening in the Niagara region, I had to share it with the global community. I was curious; how did a story this big miss the mainstream airwaves. How did we not know about a special group of people, who put themselves out there for their community? I am exceptionally happy to present to you the wonderful staff at Shadow Auto Dealer, and how they put the spirit back into Christmas. December 21st, 2020 – 11:49 am (Shadow Auto Facebook Post) “Hi guys! The team at Shadow Auto is giving away the following items from now until Christmas Eve: Gifts for kids of all ages. Food items including: turkey/ham/stuffing/sauce/ gravy - If you or anyone else you know needs help this Christmas, please come by and see us so we can help you. And we really do mean ANYTHING! Please share this so others can see!” I jumped on a call with Kurt Wohler, the owner of Shadow Auto, Winner of CaraGurus 2018/2019, and a Readers Choice Awards. Shadow Auto is located at 520 Niagara Street, and was home to one the most extraordinary events of 2020. Kurt started by sharing a little bit of his experience as a resident and business owner in the Niagara region. “It is a lot easier out here. I feel like we are in a different world. We only got locked down on Christmas Eve. Until then, life felt pretty much the same as before. It was business as usual, beside the fact that we received six visits from public health. I received fines for not wearing masks. They fined me under the same
by-law for partying.” “Can you believe it Simone,” he continued. “I couldn’t be next to my wife in the workplace, the same woman that I go home with every day. Does that make any sense?” Of course it didn’t, but nowadays, what does? He let me know about how he was handling some of the other restrictions. “Test drives were limited to 10 minutes and all four windows have to be down, even if it is -20 degrees outside. I haven’t complied with a single thing. We had to hang signs, so we did, upside down on the bottom window.” This of course rubbed enforcement the wrong way, so public health officers continued to visit the dealership. On one occasion, a Public Officer came in to ticket them all for not wearing masks. While he was serving citations, Kurt asked him a question, “How is your sleep at night, knowing that you are fining people for trying to make a living?” When Kurt told me what the Health Officer’s response was, I was a little shocked. “I sleep very easily, I lie down and I close my eyes.” I found that interesting, and a little sad. What exactly is happening in our world when people are able to be so callous about our current situation? December 21st, 2020 – 3:28 PM (Shadow Auto Facebook Post) We have been holding up Niagara Street, but it is for a good cause. The turnout is amazing. We are trying to help as many families as possible.
Kurt had been paying attention to what was happening on mainstream and social media, and he stumbled across a video of a man picking up Christmas pyjamas, but for some reason, he was not allowed to buy them. A sales associate had told the man that he could not purchase any Christmas items. Many of the items in the video were taped off. Kurt saw this and was deeply disturbed. This sat with him that night and the next day, he made a
decision. “I was stewing this up in my own mind. I arranged a nice lunch for my staff, and I said to them ‘Guys, we are going to do a great non-reset. We are not selling a single car. This is what we are doing.’ We started to buy presents. This was 100% personal. We were raiding stores, buying up all the turkeys we could find, toys, food, ham, potato, and stuffing. Monday morning I asked our receptionist to start calling all the women’s shelters in the region. Within twenty minutes people started showing up in tears. They were overwhelmed with gratitude. I had my wife put out a Facebook post, and within an hour, we had about 300 – 400 people lined up. I had two families bring toys that they wanted to contribute. Another nice gentleman came back with a loaf of bread for each of my staff members. I spent about $35,000 on toys and didn’t even think about it until after it was all done.” With all of this happening in such a small town, you would think that the media would have caught wind of this. Staff members actually contacted the local media and nothing. No one showed up, except the police and of course, Public Health. “They didn’t come the first day,” Kurt shares, “And I didn’t want to fight the system. It was hard to see families coming through the door. Most of them looked sad and upset. It was very heavy to see, and experience.
December 22nd, 2020 – 1:30 PM (Shadow Auto Facebook Post) If you don’t know where to go for great prices and for great customer service, I want you to go see Giant Tiger on Fonthill. They helped us with several trips to go get Christmas toys and make suggestions. One of the store attendants helped me push a few carts and helped me shop. The store owner/general manager Joe, ended up giving our team a total of 10% off all of the gifts due to the nature of our purchases. The cashiers were amazing to deal with. All in all a great service! Thank you for your help in keeping the kids’ belief in Santa intact!
Kurt told me that they were a little more organized the second day. A lot of people were coming in so they had to slow it down. They wanted to ensure that they continued their mission, so that would mean that they would have to be more organized. They could tell that some people were uncomfortable with the idea of a group of people in one place not wearing masks, but they received the food, and gifts nevertheless. On Wednesday, they had three visits from the police and Public Health: one was for storage of food, and two calls were for masks. The officers didn’t really bother them that much, and there is a video of Kurt thanking the police for allowing them to do this without too much disruption At one point in the interview, Kurt became emotional. He told the story of an event that truly had an impact on him. “I had a young lady from St Catherine’s with nowhere to go, so I paid her first and last month’s rent. There were a lot of hugs and tears. She shared with me her story of abuse and how terrible it had been that year for herself and her four children. She left with a trunk and a half full of toys and food. The whole team had goosebumps. We wrote about six checks totalling up to $5,500.00. These checks were written for different expenses: hydro, food, you know basic necessities.” The Shadow Auto team served just fewer than 1,000 families, and not a word about it on the news. I am curious. There are still a lot of good people in the world, and we all know that one kind act leads to another kind act. Kurt’s hope is that the kindness his staff showed will lead to more acts of kindness. December 24th, 2020 – 3:11 PM (Shadow Auto Facebook Post) Merry Christmas! We have wrapped things up now. A big thank you to all those who helped with: volunteers, monetary contributions, gifts, deliveries, and donations. We are humbled to help make Christmas a little easier on people who really needed it.
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NEWS
Toronto Caribbean News | www.TOCaribNews.com | Wednesday, January 6, 2021
110, Strong-willed, and independent; Celebrating the life and times of Ms Dora Skeen SIMONE SMITH simone@carib101.com
TC REPORTER
“Do not resent growing old. Many are denied the privilege.” Author Unknown She sounded light and lively, her jubilant laugh echoed through the phone. I was speaking to Ms Dora Keen, a long-time resident of Scarborough, Ontario, Canada who turned 110 on December 29th, 2020. What makes that so remarkable is that she has witnessed another life changing event that has affected the world, and survived it. Ms Dora survived the COVID-19 pandemic of 2020. Dora Skeen was born on December 29th, 1910 in St. Elizabeth, Jamaica. Back home, Dora made a living working on her family’s farm. It was hard work, but it
was the way of life back then. It was during the harvest that Dora would take the family crops and sell them at the market. She moved to Canada in October 1980 and worked as a nanny until she retired at the age of 80. She is the proud mother of eight children (six that are still living); twenty grandchildren, twenty-one great-grandchildren, and six great great grandchildren, one who was welcomed to the family most recently. Statistics Canada reported that in 2017, the life expectancy was 81.5 years with males at 78 years old and females at 83 years. When someone makes it to 100 years old, we marvel at the thought. To think that Dora has gone ten years beyond an age that we marvel is exactly why it was important to highlight her momentous birthday. Attitude is key to optimal health, and research continues to show that people who have a positive outlook live longer. This can definitely be said about Ms Dora, and was made very apparent when I had a chance to speak with her step-granddaughter.
“She is a very happy person,” she began. “She has a certain way of answering the phone, and if I call her and she does not answer the phone with that spark in her voice, I will head right over to her house to see if everything is okay. She is very jovial. It has always been nice to talk to her. She is a short woman, but very powerful. Her strong will is what keeps her independent, and people are surprised by how active and opinionated she is, even at her age. She has an impeccable memory. During the summer she looks forward to corn. If I walk in without the corn, she will remind me of it. She will eat two to three corn, and she loves to cook her cow foot soup.” At that point, she gave Dora a call. The woman on the end of the phone sounded strong. She gave a throaty laugh over a personal joke between them. You could feel the joy in her laughter. She started making them laugh. I could tell when listening to her that Ms Dora had mastered the art of upholding a positive attitude. I learned that she keeps fit and eats healthy. Her dialogue
expressed how engaged she was in living a full life. I was curious; was it this attitude that had allowed her to develop resilience to the challenges that are associated with growing older? During COVID-19, Dora kept herself safe by following the guidelines prescribed by the government: social distancing, washing her hands, and staying isolated as much as possible from others. Her family would still visit her, but they were mindful because of her age. She was not happy at the beginning of the lockdown, but over the time she resigned herself to the circumstances. In 2021, she is looking forward to whatever the Lord has in store for her. Elders hold an important position as the head of the family and of their communities. They are key to our cultural development as they are the ones who share their wisdom, help guide the youth, and pave the way for generations to come. It is important that we honour them and respect them for all that they have done for us. We celebrate you Ms Dora. We wish you many birthdays to come.
TDSB approves the Long-Term Program and Accommodation Strategy (LTPAS) for 2020-2029 PAUL JUNOR
paul@carib101.com
TC REPORTER
As 2020 comes to an end, and 2021 is ahead, the Toronto District School Board (TDSB) looks ahead. The past ten years have been interesting. The appointment of Chris Spence, as the first African-Canadian Director of Education in 2019 triggered lots of hope. He launched the “Vision of Hope” as a mission statement. In 2013, he abruptly resigned when allegations of plagiarism arose. Donna Quan, was appointed Acting Director in 2013 but left soon after. This led to the appointment of Dr John Malloy, who came from the Ministry of Education in 2015 and announced his retirement in June, 2020 . Dr Molly was di-
rectly involved in the development of the Board’s Multi-Year Strategic Plan (MYSP). Carlene Jackson, as the first female AfricanCanadian Interim Director in TDSB’s history, replaced him. She took over on July 15th, 2020 and left on October 15th, 2020 to become Ontario’s first ever Comptroller General. Subsequently, Dr Kathy Witherow, was appointed Interim Director of Education in November, but she indicated in December that she would be retiring. This prompted the TDSB’s trustees to appoint Karen Falconer and Andrew Gold as Interim Acting Directors. In news releases on November 23rd, 2020, TDSB revealed that its Trustees had approved the Board’s Long-Term Program and Accommodation Strategy (LTPAS) for 2020-2029. It is in alignment with the MYSP and it, “outlines program and student accommodations studies to be conducted over the next ten years, allows the TDSB to develop plans to balance enrollment and increase programs and opportunities for all students.” In addition, Trustees approved the final report of the Secondary Program
Review, which is in alignment with the LTPAS. It “laid the groundwork for creating a system of strong neighbourhood secondary schools that provide rich programming and increased access to courses that support all pathways.” There are challenges that the TDSB currently face. The first has to do with capital priority projects. Grants and revenues obtained from the sale of properties are used to find new projects. However, “since the opportunity to submit capital grant applications is at the discretion of the government and very few TDSB projects are approved, many projects cannot move forward.” There were significant challenges that Toronto District School Board faced with the adoption of Virtual School in respect to hiring qualified teachers. It was delayed until September 22nd, 2020. In addition, many boards are able to collect Education Development Charges (EDCs), but the TDSB does not qualify and is not able to. The TDSB is currently in discussion with the provincial government with respect to EDCs. It had launched legal
actions, “challenging the EDCs regulation (Ontario Reg 20/98), which does not permit it to collect these critical funds.” According to Alexander Brown,Chair of the TDSB,”while this longterm plan looks at program and accommodation reviews, as well as capital priority projects, it’s about students and making sure that we’re supporting them through access to programs.” Dr Kathy Wilterow notes, “whether it is challenging demographics or enrollment fluctuations, the TDSB’s TTPAS looks at a number of different factors that are critical in planning for the future. At its core is ensuring that all students have equitable access to great programming wherever they may live.” The TDSB has acknowledged that systemic racism; especially anti-black racism exists and has taken steps to address it. It’s MYSP’s states, “we will effectively integrate the voices, choices, abilities, and experiences of our students into our school programming and be more responsive to the: strengths, interests, gifts, and lived realities of our students as we create and design our schools and classrooms.”
NEWS
Wednesday, January 6, 2021 | www.TOCaribNews.com | Toronto Caribbean News
PAGE 11
New year, same generosity; Diddy is a gift that keeps on giving! JANIECE CAMPBELL janiece@carib101.com
TC REPORTER
Nearly one week after gifting his mother a brand new Bentley and a $1 million check, millionaire mogul Sean “Diddy” Combs announced that he would provide financial relief for families in Miami that are struggling amid the COVID-19 pandemic. A resident of Miami himself, the “I’ll Be Missing You” rapper chose to give back to a local organization, which will then pay rent for 175 households throughout the current public health crisis. If you thought that was kind, that’s not all! On the same day that Diddy announced the grant, he collaborated on a project with his own non-profit organization, the Sean Combs Foundation
alongside Teens Exercising Extraordinary Success (T.E.E.S.) and music festival and nightlife organizer Michael Garner. Dressed in a clear face shield and black gloves, he personally visited Miami’s Overtown neighbourhood to distribute $50 supermarket gift cards as well as bags with essential hygiene products amongst community members. He was also joined by his children, handing out cash amid a crowd of hundreds. This is not Diddy’s first clash with kindness at all. For decades, the altruistic Bad Boy has performed numerous charitable acts, even earning the respect of Chicago Major Richard M. Daley who officially appointed October 13th, 2006 as “Diddy Day” in honour of his charity work. In 1995, he founded Daddy’s House Social Programs, an organization to help inner city youth with a variety of activities including tutoring, life skill classes and an annual summer camp. Later in 2005, along with fellow rapper Jay-Z, he pledged $1 million to support victims of Hurricane Katrina. Additionally, he donated clothing from his Sean John line to victims. From donating computers and books to schools, to eventually establish-
ing a scholarship fund for students unable to pay their tuition, this wellendowed entrepreneur gives another meaning to being selfless. Another non-necessarybut-needed gesture from the artist came around the same time as his benevolence, where he chose protecting the public over his anticipated end of the year affair. A few days before the new year, he took to Instagram to announce the cancellation of his annual, starstudded New Year’s Eve celebration in Miami. He shared the news via a post, writing: “In efforts to keep everyone safe and healthy… unfortunately, we are not having a NYE party this year! I hope everyone had a blessed holiday and wish you all the best for the new year.” His random act of kindness is one of the first to carry over into the new year, and we’re excited to see what philanthropic acts Diddy will bring to 2021!
We are all stressed out; Parents cyber bullying teachers has now become an issue PAUL JUNOR
paul@carib101.com
TC REPORTER
“This harassment is a whole other level.” Did you hear the report by CTV News on Thursday, December 13th, 2020 about the harassment of an elementary teacher? The teacher who has twenty years of teaching experience told CTV News about her online experiences. She explained that parents would show up online to raise issues with respect to the daily lesson, or the way something was taught. She states, “They come on camera with hostility,” in addition to raising their voices and yelling. She reported
that as a result of the abusive treatment, she ended up taking a medical leave. She stated, “This harassment is a whole other level.” Many of the school boards in the Greater Toronto Area have policies in place to prevent the bullying not just of students but also teachers. The Ontario Ministry of Education mandates that school boards have policies in place to address the issue of bullying. According to the Ministry of Education, “Bullying is aggressive behaviour that is typically repeated over time. It is meant to cause harm, fear, and distress or create a negative environment. The different forms include: physical, verbal, social, written, cyber bullying or electronic.” Cyber bullying is one of the most insidious which: • •
Is used to upset or threaten; it embarrasses another person Uses emails, cell phones, text messages and social media to threaten, harass, embarrass, exclude or dam-
•
age reputation and friendship Includes put downs, insults and can also involve spreading rumours, sharing private information, photos or videos or threatening to harm someone
Bruce Campbell, communications manager of DPCDSB told CTV News on Thursday, December 17th, 2020 that, “Not everyone complied with direction or suggestion. Reminders and other measures may need to be taken to ensure that people comply.” He states further, “the behaviour is despicable. I know that people are on the edge, but the teachers are really trying the best they can. They are trying to make lemonade out of lemons. Parents need to realize this is a new situation no matter how you look at it.” This behaviour does affect students who witness it. Some see this attack on teachers and may think that it’s allowed. “If my mom is doing it, and dad is doing it, then I can do it too.” Jamie Thom, vice-president
with the Elementary Teachers of Toronto states, “in some cases there are unwarranted interruptions that detract from the lesson which the teacher is trying to engage in, and in some cases the behaviour is abusive and harassing. We’ve had teachers call us in tears.” The Ministry of Education has not taken steps to address the online abuse of teachers. It has left it up to the school boards to remind parents of their online code of conduct. This is not good enough. The fact that so many teachers are facing additional stress because of the demands of virtual learning/online schooling has made cyber bullying an extra stressor. The emotional health, mental wellness and psychological safety of teachers are crucial to ensure that students are able to learn in an environment free from abuse of their teachers. We have to always remember; teachers’ working conditions have a direct impact on students’ learning conditions.
PAGE 12
NEWS
Toronto Caribbean News | www.TOCaribNews.com | Wednesday, January 6, 2021
Helping Hands Jamaica Foundation honours Jamaican Canadian Icon Denise Jones MICHAEL THOMAS michael@carib101.com
TC REPORTER
Sadly, Canada’s entertainment industry lost a giant in the person of Denise Jones of “Jones and Jones Entertainment” who passed away on December 3rd, 2020 after a battle with cancer. Jones was not only a promoter of musical talent but she wore many hats and one of them was a founding board member to her beloved Helping Hands Jamaica Foundation that was based in her home parish of Portland Jamaica where she grew up. As a result of this devastating news, HHJF has chosen to dedicate the money raised during their “Lend a Helping Hand” capital campaign to construct
the Goodwill Early Childhood Learning Center in Portland Jamaica, where Denise Jones grew up, in her memory to commemorate her incredible spirit and dedication. Once complete, the Center will create a lasting and meaningful legacy of Denise Jones, where she grew up and carry on her vision of eliminating the barriers to education for children Toronto Caribbean Newspaper spoke with Natasha Borota whose company (The It Factor) manages the administration of the HHJF and has known Denise Jones for the better part of a decade about her drive, determination and how her legacy continues to stand tall. Borota told Toronto Caribbean Newspaper, “She was a champion for education for the children of Jamaica. She was always thinking outside of the box, to bring people on board, to spread the word. She gave opportunity to people in the music industry from Jamaica who came to Canada.” “She drove me to be better,”
Borota said. “She tested me always and that definitely made me better at what I do.” Borota told Toronto Caribbean Newspaper the school in honour of Jones, would be ready to accommodate children in the fall of 2021. “This school is our 24th school. We provide access to education in a safe place for learning. A lot of the schools that we build are in areas where the schools are not equipped for learning. Sometimes they might not have running water, no lunchroom, no rooms for professors, no washroom facilities or a safe playground, so we actually add all of those things on every one of our school builds.” Borota said that the schools also serve the communities in more ways than one. “The schools can be a community gathering place for elders if they have community projects and allocate food. We are open to those things to make sure that there are strong communities.” The foundation which has been
around for over fifteen years now specializes in lending a helping hand to the disenfranchised communities and children of Jamaica. “Ninety to ninety-five per cent of the money raised by Helping Hands Jamaica Foundation in Canada goes directly to the community in Jamaica. Every one of the people on the board are volunteers as was Denise Jones. We execute a few events during the year in order to raise funds to do these projects,” Borota explains. “We have had people come on our volunteer bills from the UK, France and the U.S.A, It is important to have people here in Canada knowing what we are doing in Jamaica and every dollar counts.” When asked how Jones would be remembered? Borota answered, “Everything that she has done has facilitated things ongoing. I feel that through her spirit her work will continue and I just think that her blessings will continue to be upon us.”
New Year! New COVID-19 Variant! TVISHA MISTRY
tvisha@carib101.com
TC REPORTER
COVID-19 has a new variant that mutated in United Kindom. The variant of the virus is known as B.1.1.7 and spreads increasing faster as a result of its genetic coding. The variant has spread to several countries including France, Sweden, India, Australia, Germany, the United States, and Canada. Canada registered its first two cases of the B.1.1.7 variant in Ontario on Saturday, December 26th. The case confirmed included a couple from the Durham Region with no known travel history, exposure, or high-risk contact. Both individuals have been informed and are currently in self-isolation as per the guidelines of the Ministry of Health, Ontario. After the outbreak of the variant, the health officials cautioned all residents
to limit physical contact with others. “This further reinforces the need for Ontarians to stay home as much as possible and continue to follow all public health advice, including the provincewide shutdown measures,” said Dr. Barbara Yaffe, Ontario’s associate chief medical officer of health. According to the U.K researchers, the B.1.1.7 variant is up to 70% more transmissible because it has 22 coding changes to the virus genome. Although more contagious, U.K scientists state that there is no evidence that it is more lethal. Nonetheless, British authorities state the new variant is the cause of the spike in hospitalization. As a result of increasing transmission rates, more people are likely to become ill and the number of COVID-19 cases are expected to rise. While the variant is still in its preliminary stages, it’s “not something we should dismiss,” said Dr. Isaac Bogoch, an infectious disease expert based out of Toronto General Hospital. “Just because it doesn’t seem to be more deadly doesn’t mean it’s not a problem,” said Bogoch. “It’s still not entirely clear to what extent it’s
more transmissible, but, even so, a more transmissible virus would be challenging. It would pose significant challenges to a population.” Experts confirm that there has been no reason to believe that the vaccines being given now won’t be effective against the variant, and the current COVID-19 vaccination is predicted to be effective. “[There is] no evidence to suggest, nor reason to believe, that it would evade our vaccines that we have right now,” comments Assistant Secretary for Health Admiral- Dr. Brett Giroir. “This particular variant in the UK, I think, is very unlikely to have escaped the vaccine immunity,” said Moncef Slaoui, the head of Operation Warp Speed. Additionally, at a press conference Saturday, British Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced, “There’s no evidence to suggest the vaccine will be any less effective against the new variant. Our experts will continue their work to improve our understanding as fast as we can.” The UK’s chief scientific advisor agreed. “Our working assumption at the
moment from all of the scientists is that the vaccine response should be adequate for this virus,” Dr. Patrick Vallance said at the press conference. To prevent the further outbreak of the COVID-19 B.1.1.7 variant, Canada has posted a travel ban on the United Kindom; suspending all flights from the U.K until January 6th, 2021. Additionally, to protect Canadians from the COVID-19 outbreak, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced travel restrictions. Until further notice, most foreign nationals will have limited travel to Canada, regardless of their visa or electronic travel authorization. As noble citizens of Canada, it is also our responsibility to ensure that we practice the health and safety protocols that have been set in place by the government. Our compliance with the guidelines will help stop the spread of COVID-19. It is strongly urged that you along with all members of your family abide by the COVID-19 guidelines to help contain the pandemic within our communities, cities, provinces, helping reduce cases in our country.
NEWS
Wednesday, January 6, 2021 | www.TOCaribNews.com | Toronto Caribbean News
PAGE 13
It takes guts to have good health W. GIFFORDJONES MD DIANA GIFFORD-JONES TC HEALTH REPORTER
Why is it that some people eat to their heart’s content and never gain a pound, while others gain weight with a glance at the plate? As Bill Gates said, “Life is not fair. Get used to it.” But fair or unfair, is there a complex, unseen system that plays a role in weight management for each of us? Your ability to maintain a healthy weight involves factors beyond diet and exercise. Some people’s metabolism, or operating system, is faster than others, requiring more energy to run. But there is more than speed and efficiency. The gut microbiome contains microbial cells, including bacteria, that outnumber the cells in the body. Having
evolved with us for millions of years, they all serve important functions, using us as hosts and interacting with our environment. The conditions of our environment and our interactions with the world affect the microbiome and thus our performance. It’s a mistake, therefore, to think about weight gain and obesity in simple terms. Similarly, it’s a mistake to equate poor mental health or neurological conditions like Alzheimer’s or depression solely with problems located in the brain. The gut and the brain are intricately connected. A growing body of research demonstrates that the gut microbiota is a significant environmental factor contributing to obesity, diabetes, and metabolic syndrome. This is the basis for recommendations in favour of diets rich in fruit and fibre. Apples and other fruit contain prebiotics, compounds that support the growth and function of healthy bacteria in the gastrointestinal tract. These prebiotics can change the speed and efficiency of your digestive engine, in turn affecting the performance of other systems and or-
gans. These alterations in your gut microbiome are important because bacteria regulate how much fat you absorb, thereby affecting your weight and susceptibility to problems such as non-alcoholic fatty liver disease. Changes in the environment, and thereby in the microbiome, may be an important part of the explanation for the obesity pandemic. Increased use of antimicrobial soaps and sanitizers are killing good and bad bacteria alike and we have become increasingly exposed to environmental pollutants. Furthermore, studies show that stress triggers changes in the circuits between the gut, the nervous system and key organs such as the brain, heart and lungs. When you are feeling stressed, your body is programmed to focus less on the work of digestion and more on fight-flight or freeze-hide response – the former involving high energy and the latter like a shut down. Chronic stress can result in sustained poor digestion. It should be no
wonder that our systems get out of whack, leading some to gain weight more readily or to suffer other unhealthy consequences. This is why we’ve recommended in past articles that supplements like AppleSlim can help with weight management. There’s a growing body of research showing that apple polyphenols and other prebiotics can assist with the functions of a “good gut.” One study showed that apple polyphenols could help to improve the composition of our gut bacteria towards a ratio that reduces inflammation and the likelihood of obesity. This microbiome “renovation” is believed to account for ability of apple polyphenols to reduce dangerous visceral fat and improve cardiovascular health markers. Bill Gates understands how to build an operating system. Had he done for medicine what he did for computers, he would have created integrated health systems with gastroenterologists, dieticians, and other nutrition specialists working with doctors who care for your nerves, heart, head, and all other parts.
Congratulations you survived! Now What? •
JONELL PANTLITZ jonell@carib101.com
TC JR. REPORTER
Congratulations! You survived! With 2020 now at an end, it wasn’t what a lot of us had planned, but look at us. We made it. Small recap of some events that took place in 2020: • • • • •
Australia faced devastating fires; which later California joined Tensions between the United States and Iran reached an all-time peak The United Kingdom left the European Union Basketball legend Kobe Bryant and his daughter died in a tragic helicopter accident Breonna Taylor was shot eight times while she was asleep
•
The brutal killing of George Floyd, which lead to the awakening of the Black Lives Matter movement Last but not least the COVID-19 pandemic.
That and so much more took place right on many of our electronic devices. Nevertheless, what does 2021 have to offer? That is the question on everyone’s mind. So let me shed some light. Astrological According to astrological predictions for 2021, the outlook for 2021 is much more optimistic; in fact, experts predict that we can expect healing, mending, and progress. Aliza Kelly a New York based astrologer and host of the Stars Like Us podcast says, “Within the span of a single year, multiple major planets were forming rare alignments that hadn’t been experienced in years.” she continues, “Suffice to say, the astrology of 2021 is a direct reaction to the cataclysmic changes brought forth by 2020.” Kelly adds, “And while there are many influential transits to watch — namely the connection between Jupiter, Saturn and Uranus — it is a much more
‘normal’ year than the one we have just experienced.” SpaceX Some exciting news to look forward to since later in this year, SpaceX is planning a fly a mission for Axiom Space, a Houston-based company that has purchased a trip to the International Space Station for a crew of four. Michael López-Alegría, a former NASA astronaut who currently works for Axiom, will accompany three private citizens for the mission, among them Eytan Stibbe, an Israeli former fighter pilot. Axiom is expected to announce the other two tourists sometime in the future. This mission will allow the crew to live aboard the ISS and experience at least eight days of microgravity and views of Earth that can only be fully appreciated in the large, venerable station. According to Axiom CEO Michael Suffredini, “This history-making flight will represent a watershed moment in the march toward universal and routine access to space.” Sounds like there will be a new destination trip in some of our futures. After all, eight days away from earth might do me some good.
Retailers The majority of us are still planning to spend at least a part of 2021 as we did in 2020, switching out those suits and ties for pyjamas and joggers while living on Zoom. However, for many retailers in Canada, while more closures are likely, the COVID-19 pandemic offers silver linings for some businesses. “Retailers weren’t prepared for March. It happened all so quickly, nobody could have prepared for it,” said Lisa Hutcheson, a managing partner with global retail consulting firm, J.C. Williams Group. “The ones that have pivoted very quickly and adapted are weathering this new storm out and therefore will be even better positioned for next year. So, I think it will be better.” There you go folks; some of the things to look out for this year, but really, no one truly knows what this year has in store for us. However, I predict that everything related to the COVID-19 pandemic will be over and we will live in a world where masks and social distance are nonexistent. What about you? Happy New Year everyone!
PAGE 14
NEWS
Toronto Caribbean News | www.TOCaribNews.com | Wednesday, January 6, 2021
Digital Health Certificates; what are they, and how will they become part of our current reality? SIMONE SMITH simone@carib101.com
TC REPORTER
“We need to further harmonize policies and standards and establish ‘fast tracks’ to facilitate the orderly flow of personnel. China has proposed a global mechanism on the mutual recognition of health certificates based on nucleic acid test results in the form of internationally accepted QR codes.” President Xi Jinping We are coming upon a time where our daily routine may be entirely dependent on a smartphone app. Everything from: leaving your home, taking the subway, entering restaurants and shopping malls, going to work, all your movements dependent on the colour that appears on your phone: green you are free to proceed. Amber or red, you can’t pass go. This is the life for hundreds of millions of people in China, and if the world governments decide, this might be the life for people all over the world. The Chinese government is now using a colour-based “health code” system to monitor people’s movements and in their words, to stop the spread of the coronavirus. Authorities have not made the health codes compulsory,
but if and when they do, citizens without the app will not be able to leave their residential compounds or enter most public places. Let’s take a look at how it works. To obtain a health code, citizens have to fill in their personal information including: their name, national identity number or passport number, and phone number on a sign-up page. They have to report their travel history and whether they have come into contact with any confirmed or suspected COVID-19 patients in the past fourteen days. They also need to tick the boxes for any symptoms they might have: fever, fatigue, dry cough, stuffy nose, running nose, throat ache or diarrhea. Authorities then verify this information; each user assigned a QR code in red, amber or green. If you have a red code, you have to go into government quarantine or self-quarantine for fourteen days. If you have an amber code, you are quarantined for seven days. Users with a green code can move around the city freely. The health codes also serve as a tracker for people’s moves in public areas. Residents have to have their QR codes scanned as they enter public places. They do this so if a confirmed case is diagnosed, authorities are able to quickly backtrack where the patient has been and identify people who have been in contact with that individual. The health app is not perfect; it can make mistakes and assign users the wrong colour code that forces the wrong people into quarantine. In Hangzhou (the city where the Alipay health codes were
first introduced) some residents have complained on social media that they were given the red code for the wrong reason. If they complained about any symptoms: stuffy nose or fatigue on the sign-up page, it was designated red despite the fact that they are also symptoms for the common cold and flu. There are also some concerns about privacy. The health codes rely on data the authorities have collected from individuals including their: personal information, location, travel history, recent contacts and health status. How will this information be utilized in the future, is the question to be asked by concerned citizens. President Xi Jinping has called for world leaders to introduce COVID-19 health passports using QR codes, as a way to restart international travel. According to President Xi COVID-19, “has exposed the deficiencies of global governance.” Singapore launched a contacttracing smartphone app, which allows authorities to identify people who have been exposed to COVID-19 patients, and the Japanese government is considering the adoption of a similar app. Moscow has also introduced a QR code system to track movements and enforce the lockdowns. The U.K. government is planning for a digital code that will allow people to access public events, based on whether they have received a COVID-19 vaccine or not. The U.S. Government and drug companies are planning to track vaccine recipients in case they report any serious
side effects. It is their way of replacing some testing safeguards. The CDC has established coronavirus monitoring measures, which include surveys tracked through a smartphone app developed by the Centres for Disease Control and Prevention. The CDC plans to send daily texts to people who get vaccinated, send them to web surveys to self-report other potential symptoms following vaccination. The World Economic Forum also launched the Common Trust Network in collaboration with a broad voluntary network of public and private stakeholders. According to the World Economic Forum, The Common Trust Network is designed to: 1. Empower individuals with digital access to their health information 2. Make it easier for individuals to understand and comply with each destination’s requirements 3. Help ensure that only verifiable lab results and vaccination records from trusted sources are presented for the purposes of cross-border travel and commerce. So this is it everyone; the future is upon us. The plans for worldwide surveillance have been enacted, and once again we have a choice. Is this how we want to live our lives? Do we want our lives dictated, and monitored by a set of individuals who for the most part are not even following their own rules?
NEWS
Wednesday, January 6, 2021 | www.TOCaribNews.com | Toronto Caribbean News
PAGE 15
SIU clears officers in the tragic death of D’Andre Campbell nosed with schizophrenia and bipolar disorder since he was 17-years*old and suffered with this mental illness for nine years undoubtedly took its tool on his family. It was D’Andre who decided to call Peel Regional Police (PRP), the evening of April 6th, 2020 according to the SIU report. He was concerned that his parents, “were trying to start an argument with him� He wanted the police to provide immediate help to him. D’ Andre’ s home in Brampton was known to PRP. The SIU reported that on five separate occasions from 2011 to 2014, they were called to the house in response to D’Andre’s mental health crises. On one occasion, he was taken in under the Mental Health Act after a family member called police because he was acting strange. Another time, he was taken into custody in 2014 after another family member called police. It was what ensued after the two PRP officers arrived at D’ Andre’s home that led to his untimely death. When they arrived, he had a knife in his right hand and was fighting with his mother. He was told to drop it but he refused and walked to the officer. The SIU’s report states that the officer fired his Conducted Energy Weapon (CEW), which caused him to fall. The officer tried to accost D’Andre but failed, and the other officer discharged her Taser. D’Andre was not subdued and still armed with the knife. It was then that one of the officers discharged his weapon, which struck the fatal wound.
PAUL JUNOR
paul@carib101.com
TC REPORTER
The release of the SIU report on the fatal shooting of D’ Andre Campbell which exonerated the cops has caused alarm. The release of the report on Monday, December 14th, 2020 came six months after he was killed (April 6th, 2020) in Brampton. Many unanswered questions remain as the family continues to grieve in the aftermath of this senseless loss of another black life. According to its website, “the Special Investigative Unit (SIU) conducts criminal investigations into circumstances that have resulted in serious injury, death or allegations of sexual assault.� (siu.on.ca) Its mandate is, “to maintain confidence in Ontario’s police services by assuring the public that police actions resulting in serious, injury or death or allegations of sexual assault are subjected to rigorous independent investigation.� It is the Director of the SIU (Robert Martino) who, “decides whether or not the evidence leads to the reasonable belief that a criminal offence has been committed.� The fact that D’ Andre was diag-
According to SIU director, “there is strong case to be made that the [officer] reasonably believed that he needed to fire his gun to protect himself against imminent risk of a knife attack at the hands of Mr Campbell.� He states that the officers are not criminally liable because Section 34 of the Criminal Code, “provides that a person may use force to repel a reasonably apprehended attack, actual or threatened.� It is unfortunate that the subject officer who was directly involved was not interviewed or asked to present his notes. The SIU director acknowledged that without this information it is hard to know the state of mind of the officer, and he may
be justified in his actions. He wrote, “ I am unable to reasonably conclude with any confidence that the [subject officer) acted without legal justification when he shot Mr Campbell. On the contrary, the evidence suggests that the (subject officer) credibly believed at the time that he was confronted with a real and present danger to life and limb, and that his use of force was reasonable in the circumstances.� PRP’s Chief Nishan Duraiappah states that this incident was a “rare and tragic situation. Our officers deal every day with people, and the overwhelming majority of cases are resolved safely and peacefully.�
What’s causing rare allergic reactions to Pfizer’s vaccine? and celebrating those who are taking the shot. I am curious as to if anyone else had seen anything about this. I thought this might be a good opportunity to present information for those who may have concerns about this vaccine. Around mid-December, six people who received the vaccine shot in the U.S. developed anaphylaxis, a severe allergic reaction that can be life-threatening if left untreated. Basically, it is an overreaction of the body’s immune system In the earlier part of December, two people in the U.K., both with a history of severe allergies, developed anaphylaxislike symptoms after receiving the Pfizer vaccine. With these reactions popping up internationally, the U.K.s regulatory agency advised people who have previously had “significant� allergic reactions to vaccines, medicines or food to avoid the vaccine. The National Institute of Health is also starting to investigate what is causing these allergic reactions to Pfizer’s coronavirus vaccine. CDC put out a report “COVID-19 Vaccines and Allergic Reactions� (updated Dec. 31st, 2020), revealing that some people had experienced non-severe allergic reactions within four hours after getting vaccinated (known as immediate allergic reactions), such as: hives, swelling, and wheezing (respiratory distress). A top U.S. official advised Americans with known severe allergic reactions that they might not be candidates for Pfiz-
SIMONE SMITH simone@carib101.com
TC REPORTER
“Any person with a history of anaphylaxis to a vaccine, medicine or food should not receive the Pfizer BioNTech vaccine.� June Raine (Chief Executive, MHRA) Over the last few weeks, we have heard reports of several severe allergic reactions that have been detailed in hundreds of thousands of people vaccinated with the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine. So, I am going to stop you before you go any further. Please let us read this again. Several severe allergic reactions have been detailed in hundreds of thousands of people vaccinated with the PfizerBioNTech vaccine. I was reading an article on the Life Science website “What’s causing rare allergic reactions to Pfizer’s vaccine?� It intrigued me because first of all, I had not seen it discussed readily on mainstream media. All I have seen is people clapping RY 10TH
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BY
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There has been research done investigating one ingredient in the Pfizer vaccine that is under suspicion for causing these reactions. A compound called polyethylene glycol (PEG) could be the culprit according to Dr. Peter Marks, the Director of the Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) Centre for Biologics Evaluation and Research. This compound is also present in Moderna’s vaccine, which has a similar makeup to
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“People that do report those types of anaphylactic reactions to other vaccines or injectable — they can still get the vaccine, but they should be counselled about the unknown risks of developing a severe allergic reaction and balance these risks against the benefit of vaccination.� Sarah Mbaeyi (Medical Officer with the CDC’s National Centre for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases)
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er’s COVID-19 vaccine until more was understood about what had happened. Finally, Canada’s health ministry said it would look at the reported adverse reactions in Britain. Our government also stated that adverse events were to be expected and would not necessarily change the risk/benefit of the shot, after the country approved the vaccine. I guess the questions to ask would be: are these events truly allergic reactions to the vaccine and if so, what is causing them?
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Pfizer’s, and was given emergency approval in the U.S. on December 18th. The reaction to PEG is rare, but not unheard of. According to Science Magazine, some drugs that contain PEG have occasionally caused anaphylaxis. Any prior exposure to the compound may have led some people to develop high levels of antibodies against it, putting them at risk of anaphylaxis The CDD is advising that people who have a history of allergic reactions to any of the ingredients listed in the vaccine should talk to their doctors first before taking the vaccine. If you have had an immediate allergic reaction—even if it was not severe—to any ingredient in an mRNA COVID-19 vaccine, CDC recommends that you should not get either of the currently available mRNA COVID-19 vaccines. Naturally, if you had an immediate allergic reaction after getting the first dose of an mRNA COVID-19 vaccine, you should not get the second dose. The full list of ingredients — which includes sodium chloride, potassium chloride, and a number of lipids — can be found at, www.fda.gov/media/144413/ download I have always advised readers to do their research, and information provided in this article is the reason why. Stay healthy, and stay safe
NEWS
PAGE 16
Toronto Caribbean News | www.TOCaribNews.com | Wednesday, January 6, 2021
New Caribbean-themed children’s short story series hits the floor running MKUU AMANI
mkuu@carib101.com
UK TC REPORTER
UK -- A new Caribbean-infused take on short story-telling is here in the form of a series of audiobooks produced by Rapper and record producer Mark Anthony aka Blak Prophetz. Launched on December 24th, 2020, ‘No Competition’ is the first of the Pickney Dem series and an exciting new venture for the renowned artist, also known in the rap game as Sure Shot and for his works as an artist/producer under his Blak Prophetz moniker. The audio-story, which offers a humorous take on a classic tale about an overconfident, fast-running hare, aims to encourage more youngsters to read books and enjoy audio stories. The episode enlists Anthony’s vocal talents, the versatile artist performing all of the character voice overs, including the hare’s role, a character with a distinctly Caribbean personality. “The Jamaican patois is very funny, and I have a very strong dislike for how they speak it on British TV.” he told the Toronto Caribbean Newspaper.
“It seems like another dialect or an extremely watered-down version of something that was so originally pure. The nicest of phrases can be said in Jamaican patois, yet sound incredibly harsh, and it is this edge that makes the language so interesting to play with.” This is how we spoke at school and is a clear reflection of my upbringing. I’m very proud of the way we speak and would not stop speaking it for anything. It is our culture.” “Furthermore, there’s not enough of it,” he added. “I’m not saying that it’s a reason why black kids may have such a disinterest in books, but the western educational system is very biased and does not cater for black children enough.” West Midlands based Mark Anthony is an original member of the booming 80s rap group Audio Kings and the even more successful band The Blak Prophetz which released tunes on the Kold Sweat and Fatt Jointz record labels. His forty years experience in the music industry includes a passion for creating cutting edge joints like his 2005 ‘The Second Coming,’ (also the name of the album), and a penchant for the ambience of the soul and funk flavours so solidly acquainted by his funk and soul-jazz outfit Funk Division. He’s also worked with a wealth of recording artists including Joyce Simms, Justin Timberlake and reggae artist Dawn Penn to name a few. Speaking about the colourful new audio story series, he said, “There are two rea-
sons why I felt this was necessary. The first is that when I was about 11 years old, I discovered that I could record my voice on my father’s portable tape device. Being young, energetic and creative was a great opportunity for me to experiment. I would come home from school and re-enact situations that had occurred from that day onto tapes. You could call it my very own diary, only that it was in audio.” It wasn’t long before he began to experiment with sound effects. He would use slippers and shoes to make punching and slapping sounds and started including the atmospheric sounds of old records in his recordings. Like his father Levi Duffus, a soundman, DJ and vinyl collector, Mark Anthony also enjoyed buying music. “I would buy records that contained drums, percussion and or vocal speech, which helped build my stories on tape.” Pursuing his passion, he eventually went to college to complete a Radio Studio and Broadcasting course and learned new skills like reel-to-reel editing. He gained technical knowledge, learning about signals, recording and compression. “After the course, life and work took priority, and for many years my tapes sat in the loft.” His return to creating and editing audio stories seemed almost accidental. He was already heavily involved with the music industry, and he’d signed a publishing deal with BBC Worldwide, after providing voice overs for Hasbro kids’ games. Then; “On the 4th birthday of my niece’s
child, she asked all his Godparents (which included me) to record a story and send it to him.” What began as simple recording, soon developed into more as Mark Anthony’s old recording habits were reignited and resurfaced. “Before I knew it, I was back doing what I did when I was ten years old, only more full-on. When they heard it, my friends and family went crazy for it and demanded more. So as owner of a record label and having a direct distribution deal with Sony Music, it was clear what had to happen.” What to expect from future episodes currently remains a closely guarded secret so listeners will have to await the surprises to arrive. The talented artist and producer would only say that; “They are absolutely entertaining and even funnier. We have an entire series ready which shall be released approximately every 90 days.” His daughter Alicia Duffus is also very involved in writing the new stories and part of the Pickney Dem production set-up, which her father describes as “growing to a full-on team of professional voice over actors and actresses.” “We have a whole series already,” he said, “And as we have our own fully digital recording facilities these will all be released via Sony’s distribution, which means that it will now reach a wider global audience.” Pickney Dem is available on Itunes, Amazon, EMusic, and Worldwide.
Reggae superstar “Maxi Priest” nominated for a Grammy in early 2021 MICHAEL THOMAS michael@carib101.com
TC REPORTER
“It All Comes Back to Love” is the name of Maxi Priest’s latest album and this album has gained him a Grammy nomination for best Reggae album at the Grammys in 2021. The album, which was executive produced by Reggae Superstar “Shaggy” has numerous stars collaborating with Priest. Stars like dancehall (Badman) , Bounty Killer, Shaggy, Estelle and Anthony Hamilton. This album like anything else that Priest touches,
it is on fire and is lighting up the airways in a big way. Here is a brief history of the legendary singer. Priest was born Max Elliott on June 10th, in the early sixties in the Lewisham area of London. He is the eighth of nine children born to Jamaican parents who migrated to England before he was born. Priest’s mother was active in the Pentecostal church where he and his siblings all sang gospel songs together. He would later convert to Rastafarianism, at which time he changed his name to Maxi Priest. Priest at a young age worked as a carpenter, at which point he was contracted by the famous Saxon Sound System to build speaker boxes for them. Besides building fine speaker boxes for Saxons, it was discovered that he could also sing and this led him to participate in live dance hall shows conducted by Saxon Sound System. By 1984, Priest and Paul “Barry
Boom” Robinson co-produced Phillip Levi’s “Mi God Mi King,” the first U.K.-born reggae single to hit number one in Jamaica. Priest released his first single on the Virgin Records label in 1985 called “You Are Safe” and like the story says the rest is history. in 1986 he followed with Intentions, which featured two, more U.K. successes in “Strollin’ on” and the Van Morrison cover “Crazy Love.” All things considered it was the “drum and bass Gods of Reggae” Sly Dumber and Robbie Shakespeare that really created a serious opening for Priest. Priest’s top 30 cover of Cat Stevens’ “Wild World” gave him his first American hit, and another cover, Robert Palmer’s “Some Guys Have All the Luck,” kept him rolling as a hit maker in the UK. Things just kept getting better for Priest who in 1990 recorded what would become his biggest hit album “Bonafide.” Never one to confine himself to one genre, Priest has collaborated with dancehall DJs like Shabba Ranks making “House Calls”
and American artists like Roberta Flack who always made sure that he “Set the Night to Music.” If one were to change Maxi Priest’s name the only befitting name that would go well would be “Versatile.” Priest once said in an interview with Reggae Lover podcast, “I love music. I love all kinds of music. I have such an appreciation for the art of singing the art of playing music I hate being pigeonholed in anything.” When you suppress it and say well this is the genre it only must be like this. We hold ourselves back while others take our culture and manipulate it.” Christened “The king of lover’s rock” by his fans, Priest is one of the most recognized faces in the business since Bob Marley His charisma and stylish vocals know no limit. All the best is what friends and fans alike wish Maxi Priest at the 2021 Grammys.
Extended school closures after the winter break PAUL JUNOR
paul@carib101.com
TC REPORTER
As the number of COVID-19 cases continues to increase in Ontario, the provincial government announced on Monday, December 21st, 2020 that there would be a provincewide shutdown starting December 26th to January 11th. There have been calls by education stakeholders for an extended winter break and the PC-led government has finally complied. Elementary kids will get one more week of winter break and will commence in-person learning on January 11th, while high school students will commence remote learning on January 4th with in-person learn-
ing restarting January 25th. In a news release from the government on December 21st, Premier Ford states, “the number of daily cases continues to rise putting our hospitals and long-term-care homes at risk. We need to stop the spread of this deadly virus. That is why on the advice of Dr Williams and other health experts, we are taking the difficult but necessary decision to shut down the province and ask people to stay home. Nothing is more important right now than the health and safety of Ontarians.” Minister of Education, Stephen Leece states in the news release, “while our schools are not a source of rising community transmission; we can play an important part of the solution to save lives from COVID-19. During this period, students will pivot to teacher-led online learning, with childcare provided for our frontline workers. We are taking proactive and preventative action to protect schools following the holiday break to ensure kids can continue in-class learning, something we believe is so important for the remainder of the year.” In anticipation of the possible extended closure of schools, the Ministry of
Education had advised school boards to prepare for this possibility a week before the Christmas break started. In a letter released by the Toronto District School Board, on Friday, December 18th, 2020, informed stakeholders of this possibility. The letter states, “as we head into the winter break, we wanted to share a brief update with request of a pivot to remote learning in the new year and what this might look like.” The letter informs stakeholders that elementary students will follow their regular school schedule, while secondary students adjust their schedule to a synchronous, asynchronous, independent learning model. After Premier Ford’s announcement on Monday, December 21st, 2020, TDSB released a letter to staff, which outlined the changes that were released. Elementary students will stay at home an extra week and return for in-person learning on January 11th. Students who are enrolled in TDSB virtual school will not be affected by the changes. All grade 9-12 students will learn remotely at home. There will be some adjustments to students’ timetables to accommodate the following two requirements:
• •
150 minutes of synchronous learning/ online learning 75 minutes of asynchronous learning/ independent learning
It will be up to the professional judgement of the individual teacher how to schedule synchronous and asynchronous times. Teachers will start their Period 1 class with synchronous learning/online learning from 8:45 a.m - 12:30 p.m. Parents with children in special education programs are concerned. The TDSB’s letter states, “please note that as part of the government efforts to protect the most vulnerable, school boards will where possible, provide in-person support for students with special education needs who cannot be accommodated through remote learning based on student needs.” The letter indicates that if educators are “unable to provide quality education remotely, boards are required to provide alternate arrangements such as access to schools or school boards offices.”
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PAGE 18
NEWS
Toronto Caribbean News | www.TOCaribNews.com | Wednesday, January 6, 2021
Connecting Jamaican children to the world Holy Infant Primary School gets donation from PWC Jamaica LA SHAWNA GRIFFITH lashawna@carib101.com
BARBADOS TC REPORTER
BARBADOS -- Christmas came a bit earlier for 121 grade six students of Holy Family Infant and Primary School. They received a donation of 45 tablets from past student Bruce Scott (a partner at PWC Jamaica) and his fellow partners. The donations were made on Friday, December 11th, 2020. This donation allowed the school to be 100%
tech accessible. According to the Principal of Holy Family Infant and Primary School Christopher Wright, the cohort of grade six students had a participation level of approximately 30% at the initial stages of the COVID-19 protocols. Following this contribution of tablets for the students of the Programme of Advancement through Health and Education (PATH) the figure increased to approximately 43% and then rose to 52% as parents began to take their own initiatives. Since the donation from PWC Jamaica the school anticipates that Grade six students’ participation will rise to 100%. Even before the lockdown that has resulted from the pandemic, technology was beginning to appear in the classroom. Some teachers viewed tech-
nology as a distraction, but now it has become a part of life. Teachers have now had to harness the power of digital devices, apps and tools to increase engagement, encourage collaboration, and enhance student learning. Principal Wright said the school administration had to forge partnerships in the community in order for this initiative to be successful. “Strong partnerships ensure the children can get some of things they are unable to access; and so, I am very elated at this time. We are looking forward to the many things that will be made possible with this partnership. It warms my heart even further as it’s led by somebody [Bruce Scott] who can intimately relate to a school like this and the children who are struggling finan-
cially.” Wright explained that outside of the need for tablets, one of the major issues the school has had is student’s Internet access. “Some persons have issues at home as it relates to connectivity. And we have tried to rectify that to the best of our ability as a school, but there are children that live a bit of a distance away from here and that poses a challenge with connectivity and so forth. So, we hope that parents will take advantage of this initiative to provide what is needed and necessary at this time for the children. It is important to be connected, and to not only have a tablet as a toy but as a tool.”
Ancient DNA retells the story of the Caribbean’s first people, with a few plot twists JONELL PANTLITZ jonell@carib101.com
TC JR. REPORTER
Humans settled in the Caribbean over 6,000 years ago and now three to four thousand years later, the history of the original Caribbean islanders has come into perspective with a new study that combines decades of archaeological work with advancements in genetic technology. An international team led by Harvard Medical School’s David Reich analysed the genomes of 263 individuals in the largest study of ancient human DNA in the Americas to date. The U.S. Genetics traces two major migratory waves in the Caribbean by two distinct groups, thousands of years apart, revealing an archipelago populated by highly mobile people whose distant relatives often live on numerous islands. Reich’s lab also developed a new genetic technique for estimating
past population size, which showed the number of people living in the Caribbean when Europeans arrived was far less than previously thought; it is estimated to be about 10,000 to 50,000, rather than the million or more reported by Columbus and his successors. Archaeologist William Keegan, whose work in the Caribbean spans for more than 40 years, confirms, “This moves our understanding of the Caribbean forward dramatically in one fell swoop,” said Keegan. “The methods David’s team developed helped address questions I didn’t even know we could address.” Researchers extracted and analyzed DNA from 174 people who lived in the Caribbean and Venezuela between 400 and 3,100 years ago, combining the data with 89 previously sequenced individuals. The team, which assisted in this study consisted of Caribbean-based scholars, who received permission to carry out the genetic analysis from local governments and cultural institutions, that acted as caretakers for the human remains. The authors also engaged representatives of Caribbean Indigenous communities in a discussion of their findings.
According to Keegan, “the genetic evidence offers new insights into the people of the Caribbean. The islands’ first inhabitants, a group of stone toolusers, boated to Cuba about 6,000 years ago, gradually expanding eastward to other islands during the region’s Archaic Age. Where they came from remains unclear – while they are more closely related to Central and South Americans than to North Americans, their genetics do not match any particular Indigenous group. However, similar artifacts found in Belize and Cuba may suggest a Central American origin.” Approximately 2,500-3,000 years ago, farmers and potters related to the Arawak-speakers established a second pathway into the Caribbean. Using the fingers of South America’s Orinoco River Basin, they travelled from the interior to coastal Venezuela and pushed north into the Caribbean Sea, settling in Puerto Rico and eventually moving westward. Their arrival ushered in the region’s Ceramic Age. Over time, nearly all-genetic traces of Archaic Age people vanished, except for a holdout community in western Cuba that persisted as late as European arrival. Intermarriage between the two groups was rare, with only three individuals in the study show-
ing mixed ancestry. During the Ceramic Age, Caribbean pottery underwent at least five marked shifts in style over 2,000 years. Some archaeologists pointed to these transitions as evidence for new migrations to the islands. However, DNA tells a different story, suggesting all of the styles were developed by descendants of the people who arrived in the Caribbean 2,500-3,000 years ago, that they may have interacted and taken inspiration from. Genetics even reveal family connections across islands. There was a study of male X chromosomes that uncovered nineteen pairs of “genetic cousins” living on different islands. These are people who share the same amount of DNA as biological cousins, but may be separated by generations. In the most striking example, one man was buried in the Bahamas while his relative was laid to rest about 600 miles away in the Dominican Republic. All information in this article is reported from the Florida Museum. For more information visit www.floridamuseum.ufl.edu
PAGE 20
FEATURE
Toronto Caribbean News | www.TOCaribNews.com | Wednesday, January 6, 2021
the the poetic poetic word word Circle Of Life BY GLORIA O’KOYE Pillars of destruction Built on bodies That holds guilt. Our forefather’s lust for power Spill on children, Until vengeance Has its fill. Families prepare their young For battle, And that’s the way it goes Depending whose womb You came out from. It doesn’t matter If it was by choice Because that’s how mankind Seem to process. Where on earth Do people see progression? Only repeated actions But it’s becoming more evolved. Tend to wonder if those Who sacrifice their lives Even know why they dying for their Cliques and blocks Crumbling family foundations Because of different turfs, Leaving families torn apart and in distraught. If they really love their community, Why they hail up intersections Just to attract harm. If people really knew what goes within, Instead of getting information from instigating blogs Our youth claims to be more savage, When generations before Just sprinkled a bit more of Harmful thinking... Trickling down the trauma game, The only difference Is the disintegration of moral codes And what it’s like to be human. Trends come and go In less than few weeks, But the price of life can never come back. Final destination by emotional decisions Now everyone feels the pain, Back and forth Till white flag waves... But we know the problems deeply ingrained. Just a cycle of life doing its thing But these outside voices continue To speak on tempered brains... Where to start Stopping this cycle?
BAJAN DIGITAL CREATIONS INC.
Creating Meaningful Programmes In Barbados LA SHAWNA GRIFFITH lashawna@carib101.com
BARBADOS TC REPORTER
Bajan Digital Creations Inc (BDCI) is a Barbadian company that was founded by S. Antonio Hollingsworth a Chemical and Process Engineer, and his Co-Founder Stacy Phillips who is Brand Strategist with over twenty years of experience in communications. Together they focus on using innovation and design to provide corporate solutions for their clients. The company was the winner of the UNDP Accelerator Lab for Barbados and the Eastern Caribbean Blue Tank Challenge with their proposal for “The Blue-Bot Project.” In our interview, Hollingsworth stated the company began organically due to the passion his Co-founder Stacy Phillips and he had for technology and design. BDCI began organically out of a passion for technology and design. Both founders were already in careers focused on expanding knowledge and providing solutions. The company’s revolution began when Hollingsworth decided to use 360 VR underwater photography. As new ideas emerged, he would speak to his co-founder Phillips. Her response was simple but effective as she asked how the initiative would grow and be useful. Her response has pushed both of them to look deeper at what could be done to make an impact in their lives and the lives of those around them. Hollingsworth, who is a developer in Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning Solutions, designed artificial intelligence software because the company
was not able to afford to hire a secretary. The programme he designed Hiyaro was nominated for a World Summit Award for innovative use of digital technology in culture and tourism. “In an attempt to make all of our content more accessible, we included all the content into this digital agent. Someone noticed Hiyaro and nominated Bajan Digital Creations Inc to the World Summit Awards for innovative use of digital technology in culture and tourism. As a result, Barbados had the first voice-activated and Caribbean specific digital ambassador which is embedded in Google Assistant,” Hollingsworth further explained that anyone using Hiyaro should be able to talk and interact with her easily and naturally. The programme was deployed globally and was one of the firsts for the company. It is now a global entity that has a Caribbean personality and directs users to immersive content and old Barbadian proverbs. The Co-Founder of BDCI stated that one of the company’s highlights to date was when their Blue-Bot video was featured on the manufacturer’s Facebook page promoting the robot as well as Barbados. “The video demonstrated to the world that Barbados utilizes advantage technology. Bajan Digital Creations Inc is the first company to use this model of underwater robot in the Caribbean. It was a huge honour for us to be recognized by the Chinese manufacturer praising the underwater footage our company did of Barbados.” Hollingsworth added that over the past year, their company has been working with Youcan Robotics and they regard Youcan highly for their support and more importantly maintaining a friendship during the COVID-19 pandemic. Founded in 2016, Youcan Robot is an integrated company in the world of underwater robot products and underwater
video content exchange social platforms. The Youcan Robot team is driven by the concept of “Endless Exploration,” and they continue to innovate and develop in the field of underwater intelligent robots. Doing so will provide users with comprehensive underwater solutions. What they have discovered is that the United States is the world’s largest consumer market for underwater robots. Now they are focusing on the United States in order to establish themselves as a leading underwater robot brand. BDCI, being a leader in technology applications, created a machine-learning algorithm called Hiemdhal that gives a seven-day prediction of COVID-19 cases. Hollingsworth said he found Hiemdhal to be an invaluable piece of software as it has 90% accuracy and an uncanny way of detecting ‘anomalous’ reports. Hollingsworth stated that one of the misconceptions persons have about artificial intelligence is that it was malevolent, but he explained artificial intelligence has been used for years in Barbados and that it could be a useful mechanism for businesses that are looking to cut expenditure as they navigate COVID-19. “BDCI is proof that an investment in artificial intelligence gives your business a competitive edge. Using enterprise-level solutions may be expensive to some businesses, but smaller models that are specific to the problems unique to their businesses really do have returns on the initial investment. It will continue to pay dividends in the long term and not only the short term.” There are many assumptions made about the capabilities of intelligent software, but fight it or not, AI is going to change the world more than any other invention in the history of mankind. Whoever becomes a leader in this sphere will become the ruler of the world. It is amazing to know that we will have some Caribbean representation there.
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PAGE 22
FEATURE
Toronto Caribbean News | www.TOCaribNews.com | Wednesday, January 6, 2021
DAVID GREEN Persevering to the top
“On this journey, I was told on many occasions that I wouldn’t amount to anything, but I have risen above that.” We think we know someone really well because we may work with them for a few years, or we are witness to their success. What I have always found fascinating are the stories that these people have to tell. Stories that for many of them are hidden, or only spoken within their small circles. To start our year off powerfully, I want to introduce a man who I believe does not need an introduction. He has served as a trustee for Brampton Wards One and Five for over twelve years. He has served as: Chair of the Peel Board’s Physical Planning & Building Committee, Board member of Brampton Safe City, Vice-chair for the Ontario Public School Boards’ Association (Central West Region), and a board member of the Peel Youth Violence Association. He worked in law enforcement and security administration for over thirteen years, and held positions in Metro SIS, Toronto Police Services and the Airport Authority. He was a tribunal adjudicator with the Ministry of Health for six years and a union representative for the CAW for nine years. Over the last few years, he received several community awards including: the Franklyn Parker Community Award, numerous Black History Awards, a Community Leadership Award from the Windsor University, and a Mayor Hazel McMillion award for his work in the community. This evolving intellect has achieved degrees in: Aboriginal education, Good Governance, Anti-Racism, Human Rights in Education, Master’s in Divinity, a Ph.D. in Theology, and a Ph.D. in Christian Education. It cannot be denied; Our Classic Man has put in the work, and his achievements are a result of that, but what is his story? Time to tell the tale of David Green. He was born in Portland Jamaica, and is one of four: two brothers and one sister. His mother left them in Jamaica at a young age; her goal was to make a better life for them, so first she went to England, and then moved to Canada. Unfortunately, she didn’t know that this
decision was having dire effects on her children. David and his siblings moved from family to family, and on one occasion a family member took advantage of them. When his mother would send food or clothes back home, the family member would take the things and give them to her own children and grandchildren. There were nights that the four of them did not have food to eat. Fortunately, his grand aunt learned about what was happening, and immediately went for the children. She took them in, and contacted his mom to let her know what was happening. Life was better for them at this point, and finally they were able to join their mom in Canada. “My challenge was to do something that was empowering others around me. I recall when the teacher told me that the prison door would be closing behind me.” You would think at this point it would be happily ever after. Nope! Life took a turn that was not expected. His mother worked as a domestic worker, and making ends meet was not always easy for a black woman in the 70s. To add to the societal difficulties, she also happened to have a gambling addiction. David shared with me memories from that time. “Sometimes there was no money to pay the rent. Neighbours would have to feed us, and we were always hiding from landlords. Of course, back then you couldn’t say anything about it to mom. We couldn’t talk back; that was a sure slap. It got so bad that CAS took my sister. Things were not easy for us. I remember I had one pair of running shoes. I would have to sew the bottom to the top of the shoe.” David chuckled. “I got them from Woolco. I would have to put plastic bags around my socks so they would stay dry. School was also difficult for David. Teachers would tell David that he wouldn’t go anywhere in life. One teacher actually told him that the prison door would be closing behind him in the future. The school administration would choose his classes for him, and for some reason, they were always shop classes. Once again, there were times that David
would go to school without lunch money. This seemed to be an unwelcome repeating trend in David’s life; little did he know that his life was going to change thanks to two incredible teachers. There is always a point in the hero’s journey where he is sent aides to help with his quest. In David’s case, his aides could not have come at a better time. “Things got so bad; we lost the apartment, and didn’t know what to do. Mr Shyman, one of our school’s Guidance Counsellors, saw something in me. He helped me fill out the application for Ontario Housing. Interesting part of this story is he helped me forge my mom’s signature. She was furious, but grateful at the same time. She realized that I had done it for us, for the family. In Grade 11, an officer came to the school, and that was when I decided I wanted to be a police officer. There was this one teacher, Mr Taylor. He called me Mr Green, and he set in on me. I hated him, but now I realize he was setting me up for the future. I was not doing very well in math, so he enrolled me into summer school without telling me. I came out with a 79. In grade 12, I had a teacher named Mr Robertson. Mr Taylor would come and check on my work all the time. It was because of them that I even considered college and university. I started looking for summer jobs to pay for school. My brother had to quit school to work at sixteen because of the conditions at home, so he introduced me to his boss. I got a job working with my brother, so I would leave from school straight to work. My job was cleaning up cat shit. I did it, and I did it willingly. I knew I wanted better in life so I did it. I stayed at that same job until I finished high school. After my first year, they took the broom and shovel away and gave me a real job. I got to college, and I took it seriously. I ended up graduating with excellent marks. I had family who helped me out during my college life. I had better years in college. I wanted to make sure that I broke the cycle in my family.” “I want our young black men to know they need a great education. I want to show our young black men that there are other careers. I want to empower them to see things differently. You can be a doctor too?”
After four years of trying, David finally got into the Toronto Police Force. He saw the struggles in Chalk Farm, Jane and Finch, and this is when he began to focus his attention on young black men. When he was appointed as a pastor, he learned more about what was happening in the community. He eventually moved to Brampton, but continued to run programs in Toronto. His first program in Brampton was started in his basement. That was the genesis of the Free for all Program. More and more programs came. When you have accomplished so much and you are in the public eye, people will have things to say about you. He has been accused of not being teacher friendly, and the teacher’s federation actually endorsed a candidate to run against him. He shared that he has even come under attack from the community that he has spent his life serving. “My own people have come out against me. I was attacked on Twitter. I was called a monkey, a nigger, an Uncle Tom. I was down and out for a while. I have been through it. I thank the people who attacked me because they challenged me. They taught me perseverance. Some battles are not mine. I let God deal with it” Always the advocate, David did not let the pandemic slow him down. He began running a food bank in the community, and has recently become an investor and developer in several properties in Brampton and Toronto. He just started development in Jamaica on properties that will become Airbnb’s. It looks like there is no slowing down for David. Regardless of difficulties, persecution or hardships, this Classic Man continues to prove in his actions that perseverance will always take you to the top.
Written by Simone J. Smith Toronto Caribbean News
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PAGE 26
FOOD
Toronto Caribbean News | www.TOCaribNews.com | Wednesday, January 6, 2021
Eating Healthy
Without Excessive Restrictions aigrette that is super easy to whip up and adds a just-right sweet and sour blend to any salad and of course the NOEL star of the dish is the crispy chicken CUNNINGHAM that was season with salt and pepper and fried in an air fryer. You can noel@carib101.com also pan fry your chicken strips if you don’t have an air-fryer. For the CULINARY EXPERT dressing, you can store it in an airtight container and use it on just about any salad of your choice. With the start of the new year comes changes and ideas to better our- Crispy Chicken Salad with Honey selves and our bodies. One of the top Mustard Vinaigrette ten new year’s resolution is to start a diet, get fit or eat healthily. The truth Ingredients is oftentimes this goes through the ¼ cup kale, washed and chopped window by the end of January. We ½ cup Romaine Lettuce, washed and all know that dieting can be a strug- chopped gle for a lot of people, and any fit- ½ apple, thinly sliced ness guru can tell you that a fit body 1 small tomato, sliced consists of 70% dieting and 30% of ½ cup cucumber, sliced what you do in the gym. As a chef, I ½ small avocado, sliced believe that we use the word dieting ¼ cup pecans loosely and create it to be a monster. 3 tbsp feta cheese, crumbles In nutrition, diet is the sum of food 1 cooked chicken breast, cut in strips consumed by a person or other organism daily. On the other hand, Di- Dressing eting is the practice of eating food in ½ cup olive oil a regulated way to decrease, main- ¼ cup vinegar tain, or increase body weight, or to 3 tbsp mustard prevent and treat diseases such as 1 tbsp honey diabetes and obesity. So now that Salt and pepper, to taste we are clear on the difference, when approaching a new eating style don’t look at it as a burden or some- Directions thing strange. Living a healthy lifestyle can be done without partaking For the dressing: In a blender comin excessive restrictions, and rules bine all the ingredients and blend that take over your life. until the liquid emulsifies. This week I’m sharing with you a healthy salad that can be served as an entree on a day of low carbs. This salad is packed with all the essential nutrients that your body needs to keep you going. To take things up a notch I’ve used a honey mustard vin-
To combine your salad, toss together the kale, romaine, apples, cucumbers and tomatoes in a light amount of dressing then put on the plate then top with pecans and avocado, then drizzle with 2 ounces of dressing and enjoy.
Wednesday, January 6, 2021 | www.TOCaribNews.com | Toronto Caribbean News
Two healthy turns to remember HRISHIKESH DAS GUPTA hdg@carib101.com
CULINARY REPORTER
I was not familiar with seamoss, also known as “Irish Moss’’ and its numerous health benefits until I met team Seamoss N Tingz at a Caribbean food festival. Seamoss has always been a part of the Caribbean household. The vegan superfood contains 92 of the 102 mineral nutrients that our body requires daily and 15 of the 18 essential elements that make up the human body. Karen Blackman Stewart and Michael Stewart, founders of Seamoss N Tingz worked very hard to prepare the real wildcrafted seamoss gel and establish their seamoss brand. The birth of “Seamoss N Tingz” is truly inspiring. Micheal and Karen’s daughter used to get a cold easily during flu season and become extremely congested. Michael and Karen introduced plant-based sources (almond/coconut milk) to their daughters’ diet and noticed a vast improvement in her health condition. After that, Michael and Karen switched to a plant-based diet and incorporated seamoss into their daily routine. The family realized a significant improvement in their metabolism and immune system after adapting seamoss in their daily routine. Karen no longer has menstrual cramps and Michael also overcame his overweight issues. They decided to introduce their new family member to the community who would enjoy the healthy
benefits and name it “Seamoss N Tingz”. All their seamoss is naturally harvested from the ocean and they prepare all the orders in their vegan kitchen. A lot of customers observed a vast improvement in their inflammation, excess fat, acne, weakened immune systems after adopting the product. During the holiday season, they donated $5 from every purchase to the Pinball Clemons Foundation. “Leaf is life. Your health is your priority, and a plant-based lifestyle can heal all your negativity. Food is not what we see, food is what we feel. Great food gives us true strength and heals all our inner pain to make us feel better.” Norris, Founder of Leafy Green Juice Bar I visited Leafy Green Juice Bar located at 2466 Eglinton Ave E #9, Scarborough to taste plant-origin food and left with so much positivity and life lessons. Norris, the founder of Leafy Juice Green bar, works every day from 11 am - 3 pm to offer the greatest food and drink to their customers. He is pushing all the boundaries to provide us the BEST plant-based food. He spends a significant amount of time sanitizing the bar and purchasing fresh fruits and vegetables. He is also a wellness coach, fitness trainer and Leafy Green brand ambassador promoting green lifestyle. I found a lifestyle in the healing juices and energetic foods. You will find life in each of their wide variety of juices. The positive energy and sincere desire of Norris is to help customers make this place one of the leading plant-based juice bars in Scarborough. Plant-based food and seamoss were only dictionary words to me, but my food exploration helped me to learn more about those healthy living lifestyles. Thanks, Norris and team Seamoss N Tingz for the lifestyle education.
FOOD
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HEALTH
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PAGE 29
Take our True or False quiz. What did you learn in disastrous 2020? W. GIFFORDJONES MD DIANA GIFFORD-JONES COMMON SENSE HEALTH
How carefully have you been reading our column over the past year? Take our True or False quiz. 1. The liver converts excessive amounts of fructose into fat. Glucose, the other component of sugar, is burned up as energy by all cells. 2. It’s prudent to brush the tongue after eating, not just your teeth, as this removes bacteria, fungi, and even protozoa from deep fissures with benefits for your overall health. 3. Magnesium found in dark leaf greens and whole grains helps to dilate arteries and lower blood pressure.
4. The World Health Organization and 15,000 scientists have signed a petition warning humanity to cut back on eating meat, citing the environmental harm of methane-emitting cattle. 5. Light therapy releases morphine-like substances, helps with the formation of new blood vessels, and cures 60% of patients with degenerative changes in the lumbosacral region of the spine and compression of spinal nerves. 6. Artificial intelligence developed by a Canadian company is assisting in early diagnosis among the 425 million patients worldwide that has diabetes, complicated by retinal atherosclerosis, and stand to lose their sight. 7. Men suffering from chronic obstructive lung disease are more often correctly diagnosed than women with the same problem who are more likely to be labelled as having a psychiatric problem. 8. There may be 2,000 ticks in an acre of forestland. A classical tick bite rash looks like a bull’s eye with a clear center, but only three people in ten get
What are the health risks of vaping? Electronic cigarettes are devices designed to heat a nicotine-based liquid into a vapour, which can then be inhaled. Here’s a look at the known health risks associated with vaping.
• Lead to addiction • Affect memory and concentration • Cause behavioural problems • Alter brain development
EXPOSURE TO OTHER CHEMICALS The main liquids found in vaping products are vegetable glycerin, propylene glycol and chemicals used for flavour such as diacetyl. When these substances are heated in a vaping device, they create a carcinogen called formaldehyde. Other toxins that can be found in e-cigarette vapour include nickel, tin and aluminum. HEART AND LUNG DISEASE Inhaling the harmful chemicals found in e-cigarettes increases the risk of cardiovascular and lung disease. Health experts are also currently investigating the rise of a severe and potentially fatal
lung disease referred to as vaping-associated pulmonary injury (VAPI). While the potential long-term effects of vaping are still unknown, there’s no doubt that the use of e-cigarettes is hazardous. The best way to avoid the health risks associated with vaping is to not start or to ask a health-care professional for advice on how to quit.
THE HAZARD OF BATTERIES Vaping devices can be dangerous if they’re not properly used or stored. The lithium-ion batteries in electronic cigarettes can overheat, catch fire or explode in your pocket if they come into contact with metal objects like loose coins or keys.
type 2 diabetes and the complications of blindness, kidney failure and amputation of legs due to atherosclerosis (hardening of arteries). 13. For baby boomers (born between 1945 and 1965) having hepatitis C, it most likely was transmitted long ago through contact with contaminated blood before robust controls were in place. 14. A study at Boston University showed that cortisone injections for knee arthritis should be limited to 2-3 a year to decrease the risk of cartilage damage. 15. International viral experts report that 1,000 milligrams of vitamin C taken three times a day, 3,000 international units (IU), 400 milligrams of magnesium and 30 milligrams of zinc daily will decrease the risk both of developing coronavirus and of dying of it. The answers? All items are true. We close out this disastrous year of 2020 with a wish to all readers for your good health and a better year ahead.
Poisons in your home There are numerous household products, some of which might seem harmless, that can poison a child if your back is turned. Here are some everyday items that are toxic. CLEANING PRODUCTS Bleach, drain cleaners and other household cleaning products should be locked away in a cabinet. Dishwasher and laundry detergent pods are particularly attractive to young children because they look like candy. Unfortunately, if these pods burst, the toxic liquid can get in the child’s eyes, throat and lungs.
EXPOSURE TO NICOTINE According to Health Canada, vaping is a less harmful option than smoking if you already smoke. However, since most e-cigarette liquids contain nicotine, they pose a number of health risks. Among other things, vaping can:
It should be noted that adolescents are particularly susceptible to the dangerous effects of nicotine. This is why it’s illegal to sell or give vaping products to anyone under the age of 18.
this rash. 9. Keep the toilet seat down when flushing. A report in Physics of Fluids advises it’s better to keep viruses in the bowl. Spray, they say, can fly as high as three feet and in public toilets even higher. 10. Dr. Charles Matthews of the Nutrition Cancer Institute in the U.S. pooled data from nine studies which analyzed how activity affected fifteen types of cancer. Those who engaged in 7-15 hours of physical activity a week showed significantly lower risk of seven of the fifteen cancers. 11. Authorities say that the safe limit for canned goods such as acidic foods like canned tomatoes and other fruit is eighteen months. For canned vegetables, beans, meats and poultry, it’s two to five years. A dented or rusty is a red flag. A swollen can means harmful bacteria are present and the can must be thrown away. 12. A Gifford-Jones Law states that one degenerative disease often leads to another and another. This is why the epidemic of obesity often leads to
MEDICINES If swallowed by a child, prescription drugs and pills used to treat fevers and headaches, such as acetaminophen and ibuprofen, can cause symptoms of overdose and trigger organ failure. Never leave medication lying around on a bedside table, bathroom counter or any where else a child could find it. PERSONAL CARE PRODUCTS Many beauty and personal hygiene products can be dangerous if swallowed, inhaled or splashed on the skin or in the eyes. These include: • Antiperspirant • Mouthwash • Toothpaste • Body lotion • Nail polish remover • Perfume Store all of these products in a locked cabinet or out of the reach of children.
PLANTS Some types of common houseplants are poisonous including poinsettia, cyclamen, peace lilies, caladium and English ivy. Identify the species in your home and move toxic plants out of reach or give them away. From alcohol to mosquito repellant, there are many other products throughout your home (including in the garage and shed) that can be harmful to children. The best way to avoid an accident is to ensure all poisons are safely stored.
If a child in your care has swallowed or been in contact with a dangerous substance, call your provincial poison control centre. In an emergency, dial 911.
Stop the Spread COVID-19 can be deadly. Stay home. Stay strong. Save lives.
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Wednesday, January 6, 2021 | www.TOCaribNews.com | Toronto Caribbean News
The ‘helper’s high’: why volunteering makes you happy Common wisdom tells us that by giving, or giving our time, we receive something in return — tangible or otherwise. True to this principle, very often volunteers affirm that volunteering makes them feel happy. This positive effect of volunteering has been called the “helper’s high.” But what causes this feeling? The field of positive psychology provides a compelling explanation with their research on happiness. Martin Seligman, the field’s leading figure and past president of the American Psychological Association, maintains that there are three types of happiness, or rather three kinds of happy lives: • Pleasant life or life of enjoyment • Good life or life of engagement • Meaningful life or life of affiliation
Seligman outlines these modes of happy living in his books Authentic Happiness (2002) and Flourish (2011). The first mode of living involves the pursuit of pleasure and affords us only transient happiness. The second involves engagement in tasks in which we feel adept and is a source of durable happiness. The last involves participation in something larger or more permanent than ourselves and is also a source of durable happiness. It’s the third type of happiness in Seligman’s model, that which derives from a “meaningful” mode of living, that is relevant to volunteering. For Seligman, this happiness stems from a sense of belonging, meaning and purpose. According to both a large body of research and volunteers themselves, volunteering frequently generates these very effects. Volunteers obtain a sense of belonging from engaging with their community and expanding their social network, and a sense of meaning and purpose from their perception that they’re making a positive difference. Hence the sense of happiness, or this “helper’s high,” that so many volunteers report feeling.
COMMUNITY
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Five benefits of employee volunteering programs What if planting trees, running a 5K or preparing a meal for a homeless shelter was all part of a day’s work? Employee volunteering programs give staff the chance to escape the office for a day and help out in the community. Such programs benefit employees, employers and the community. Here are five key advantages they offer. 1. Boosting morale. Employee volunteering programs provide employees with rewarding experiences, allowing them to simultaneously feel proud of themselves and their company. Teams that partake in such initiatives together become stronger and more cohesive. 2. Developing skills. Volunteering is an effective way of building leadership,
teamwork, collaboration, communication and problem-solving skills. 3. Enhancing company image. Customers and clients appreciate companies that make a positive difference. Increased visibility in the community is an excellent way to encourage new business. 4. Attracting the best talent. Companies that volunteer in their community become more attractive to potential employees. This is especially true of the younger generation, who highly value volunteerism. 5. Making the community better. Whether the initiative is cleaning up litter, improving the lives of those less fortunate or making an elderly person’s day, employee volunteer programs make communities better. When companies adopt employee volunteer programs, they reap major rewards for themselves and their employees. Making a positive impact on the community at large is just one of the many advantages of these programs. A recent Gallup poll found that companies who took part in employee volunteering programs increased profitability by 16%, general productivity by 18% and customer loyalty by 12%.
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LIFE
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PAGE 33
The Power of Goal Setting you leave the outcomes of your life to luck and random chance. Life should be lived intentionally and decisively. Goal setting does not only give you a sense of direction, it also helps you decide what your priorities are. I couldn’t agree more with the former United States Secretary of States, who once said, “Education is of no value and talent is worthless – unless you have an unwavering aim. Never find yourself without a compass.” Brian Tracy has rightly said, your life only gets better when you get better. And sometimes, it always starts by sitting down and deciding what you want out of life. To make 2021 a year of significance and meaning, start by deciding what exactly you want out of it. Start by setting goals. A goal is not a goal, if it’s not written down, there’s power in documenting what you want. Don’t have it in your head, have it written out. An undocumented goal is only a wish, and if wishes were horses, even beggars would ride. Life doesn’t answer to wishes, life answers to goals. Goals are well-defined
DANIEL COLE
daniel@carib101.com
PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT
Zig Ziglar was right when he said, “If you aim at nothing, you will hit it every time.” Goals are like a compass that guides us through life, without goals, we only go through life drifting. A life with no sense of direction is not worth living. The truth is, if a riverbed remains unchanged, the water will continue to flow along the path it always has since that is the most natural route for it to take. If the underlying structure of your life remains unchanged, the greatest tendency is for you to follow the same direction your life has always taken. If you don’t set goals,
objectives with timelines and actions steps. Stephen Kellogg has rightly said, “The moment you put a deadline on your dream it becomes a goal.” If you are not in the habit of setting goals, make 2021 a starting year. The American Author, Augustine “Og” Mandino once wrote, “The victory of success is half won, when one gains the habit of setting and achieving goals.” You need to focus your time, energy, resources, and emotion towards a well-defined, and clear objectives. And that is why you need to start setting goals. There are different areas in your life, I’d recommend you start setting goals in. Namely; family, career, financial, health, personal development, spiritual, and social goals. Life requires balance, hence why you need to focus on different areas of your life while setting your goals. In the new year, make a promise or commitment to yourself that you will not drift through the year. Set goals that are daring. Set goals outside the bounds of your accessible resources, be realistic but don’t hold yourself back. Your life
will expand to the degree of your expectation. Decide to make the new year your best year ever. Dream new dreams, expand your horizon. Start that business. Go for the degree, make a down payment for that new home. Write that book. Take steps towards that wedding you have been putting aside. Make that proposal. The reality is, we never know what is possible until we try. Push the boundaries of your own limit. Don’t be passive. Remember that time is all you have in exchange for everything you want in life. Make 2021 count. As you set your goals for the coming year, do not be overly concerned about the How. Life demands we take risks to live it to the fullest. Faith is not needed if you can accurately predict all the outcome of your choices. What will really make the year new is the new you coming into the new calendar. Let the world meet the new you. I wish all the readers a prosperous 2021. Remember, it’s never crowded at the top.
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LIFE
Toronto Caribbean News | www.TOCaribNews.com | Wednesday, January 6, 2021
For me; it was the longest night in the world; reliving my past trauma
Cleaning up for the New Year BY MAKAYLA B. 12 YEARS OLD TC JUNIOR CONTRIBUTOR This year has been very different than last year, and the new year will be different too. With all the things that have happened this year, whether it was for the good or the bad, have affected us all. One way that I can start to make adjustments is to try and help out around the house more, even though that is pretty mundane. I guess you could say my mom is a clean freak. She is almost always cleaning and gets really mad when someone makes a mess, or if even one crumb of food falls on the floor. Well, maybe I’m over exaggerating, but you get the point. My mom usually gets me to help out around the house by doing chores like: washing the dishes, emptying the dishwasher and refilling it, sweeping, vacuuming, folding laundry and other small jobs around the house. I usually try my best to help out with all of those chores, but this year I am going to try my best to help out more than I ever have. Both my mom and dad work from home, though my dad goes to the office to work probably three out of the five days in the week. Apart from helping keep the house clean and occasionally helping to make something for us to eat, there isn’t really that much I can really help out with at home. This best thing that I can do is help my parents out as much as possible and try to make their lives easier.
EMPOWERING OUR YOUNG MINDS OF TOMORROW TORONTO CARIBBEAN NEWS INC.
SIMONE SMITH simone@carib101.com
HUMAN SPECIALIST
I grabbed what I had, which was a head tie, and I think that I had some type of cleansing solution, either soap or body wash. Since I have been retelling this, I have found that there are parts of the story that I do not remember. I don ‘t know; maybe there are parts of this story that I am repressing. I had been allowed to bring a towel, which I wrapped around my breasts and midsection. I made my way to the line up that was at least ten people longer than it was three minutes ago. It seemed to move fast. The girls had established a rhythm that I knew I had to learn quickly. This was not the place to do anything that could piss someone off. I took my place in line, and listened to the chatter, hoping to pick up anything that I recognized. I felt comforted knowing that at least there were people who spoke English. Now, I just had to find them. I had
found a couple, so that made me less anxious. I had rounded the corner and was about three girls from the showers. There was so much happening at once, and I was doing my best to adjust to this new routine. When it was my turn, I walked into the shower stall that was available. It was narrow and dark. There were no lights except for the ones outside. I had no idea how the shower’s floors looked, and to be honest, at that point I didn’t want to know. I turned on the tap, and instinctively knew it was going to be cold. Freezing. I was right. I quickly did a semi-shower that entailed me quickly splashing myself with water. I knew I couldn’t stay in the shower long, but I also understood why no one would want to. I turned off the water and towelled off. The line was starting to quiet down, and I saw Andrea at the end of it. I walked over to her and she gestured towards her bunk. “You can dry off and get ready for bed there Simone. We still have to figure out your bedding situation. I think that there are some extra mats for you. Just let me finish bathing, and I will take care of it.” I shook my head in gratitude. I really appreciated the fact that this woman had decided to take me in under her wing. I have always felt indebted to her, and this
is why when I found out two years ago that she had died of cancer, my heart was saddened. I never had the chance to say goodbye and thank her for what she had done. I always wanted her to know how much what she had done meant to me. Thinking about it right now brings tears to my eyes. She was such a special soul. I went out into the main atrium and saw some girls laying out their mattresses. The mattresses were stacked neatly in a room on the opposite of the kitchen. Each of the mattresses had been pre-prepared; it looks like from the night before. I leaned on the wall and continued observing the night ritual. Guards had come in and were making their rounds. They checked out the kitchen, and went into each room in the house. I was going to get used to these nightly rounds and how invasive they were. I saw the officers going through some of the girl’s stuff. I wonder what they were looking for: drugs, weapons. I pulled my eyes away from what was going on, and looked towards the doorway hoping to see Andrea come out. I was feeling tired, and wondered if I was going to get any sleep. The girls were laughing and joking around with each other. For them, it was just another night. For me, it was the longest night of my life.
Get out your feelings and into your power; do the Bloodcl@t Work! GARCIA AKUA
garcia@carib101.com
COSMIC CORNER
With the Moon in alignment in its home sign of Cancer, we had a lot of placements in Capricorn, the opposite sign. Saturn was at home in Capricorn along with Jupiter and Pluto for most of the year. While the moon was telling us to get our emotions in check, Saturn, Jupiter and Pluto were teaching us about our boundaries, how we expand under restriction and limitations and cycles of power, death and rebirth. These were pretty heavy lessons to learn in addition to all the planets retrograding at some point this year. Now we are entering Aquarius energy. Saturn and Jupiter met up on December 21st, the day the Internet said we would all get super powers, lol! Can I tell you that alignment was no joke! I am still trying to process
my downloads, body aches and changes. When Spirit says yes, I’ll go live to discuss but whew! That alignment hit different!! Okay! Back to the point, lol! Saturn and Jupiter have entered Aquarius, which many have noted as the official start to the Age of Aquarius. Aquarius is about your unique energy. You can’t copy energy, you can’t filter energy, and you can’t mask authentic energy. Your lessons are unique, your gifts are unique, your vision is unique, and your healing is unique. As we close out 2020, you may find yourself in reflection mode. Going through the different moments of this year. Thinking of your accomplishments, your goals you were able to push through and smash. However you might also think of things that brought you hurt, pain and disappointments. Emotional triggers may come to surface once again for you to face and release as we move into new energies. Observe rather than absorb. Remember emotions are signified by the water element. Absorbing too much water will drown you. Feel it, reveal it, heal it and release. There is no need to be carrying all that water and all those bags (someone play Bag Lady by Mama Badu please). 2021 is
all about learning new things, doing new things and creating new things. You can’t have one foot in the past trying to step into the future. What is it that you want out of life? What do you need to release so you can make room for what you need? If it is not in alignment let it go! Wash yourself clean of the illusions. Like we have been saying, only YOUR truth will set you free. Ready to level, up or not? For 2021, I will be focusing a lot of my offerings around Shadow Work and inner child healing. We are moving into a time of fast paced ideas and innovative thinking. We can no longer be hindered by what’s in our past. We can no longer be trapped in past trauma and fear. The Age of Aquarius is about healing and freedom. How can we articulate new thoughts of healing if we are still stuck in dis-ease? How can we think of freedom when our Spirit is trapped in bondage? The pieces I create, sessions and workshops moving forward will be centred on manifesting things money can’t buy. So when you align with love and money, you will have the capacity to hold, maintain to evolve. That’s the Bloodcl@t Work!
LIFE
Wednesday, January 6, 2021 | www.TOCaribNews.com | Toronto Caribbean News
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Reflections and predictions on education for 2021 PAUL JUNOR
paul@carib101.com
YOUTH EDUCATION
In many ways, 2020 will go down in history as the year when the COVID-19 pandemic had its greatest impact on public education in Ontario. The closure of all publicly funded schools after March break 2020 for two weeks and the adoption of virtual schooling was significant. The Ministry of Education released a “Learn at Home Portal” at ontario. ca on March 27th, 2020 with resources for parents, guardians and caregivers. It is continually updated. Many school boards were forced to adopt contingency plans that try to ensure that students were equipped with devices, equipment and Internet access so that their schooling continued seamlessly. The start of the school year was
rocky as labour unrests from 2019 spilled over into 2020. As the COVID-19 pandemic challenges public education, all four teachers’ unions were able to settle. This left a lot of bitterness and resentment as pay increases were capped at 1%, two e-learning courses were mandated and there was a loss of many teacher-related jobs. 2020 will be remembered for what transpired at the Peel District School Board (PDSB). The board has been under the radar for years because of concerns about systemic racism, especially anti-black racism. The subsequent firing of its former Director, Peter Joshua and appointment of the first black female, Colleen Russel-Rawlins brought hope to the embattled board. It has initiated proactive steps to address these concerns. The Toronto District School Board (TDSB) went through many changes. The abrupt retirement of its director, Dr John Malloy in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic in June 2020 was a shock to many. The appointment of Carlene Jackson, as the first black female Interim Director was welcome. Her departure on October 15th has forced the TDSB to conduct a search for a new Director. Hopefully, one is found in
2021. It was on June 20th, 2020 that the province released its revised elementary Math curriculum with an emphasis on rote learning, coding and social-emotional skills. It was expected to roll out in September. Many felt this was poor timing given all the pressure placed on school boards. The decision was made to suspend EQAO testing in Grade 3 and 6 to give boards time to align the curriculum with teaching. The release of the province’s backto-school plan in August with an investment of $900 million to: hire new teachers, supply teachers and acquire personal protective equipment were considered not enough by the teachers’ unions. They wanted at least $3 billion to be spent. The issue of racial equity in public education will continue to be front and centre in 2021. The Ministry of Education has taken steps to address anti-black racism in schools. Advocacy groups such as Parents of Black Children will continue to put pressure on the government to live up to its promises with concrete actions. There is much anticipation of what the provincial anti-racism policy will look
like when it is released in 2021. The COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated racial inequities, educational disparities and has increased the achievement gap for many racialized communities. The decision by the Ministry to suspend hiring by seniority in 2020 has been met by mixed reaction. In addition, the addition of racist remarks as a reason for professional misconduct of teachers by the Ontario College of Teacher will be finalized. This is important to BIPOC communities who are often targeted. The issue of the pros and cons of virtual learning/online schooling will be heavily debated in 2021. Ministry’s data revealed that about 70% of high school students opted for hybrid learning in the current school year. There is much that needs to be improved in this delivery mode. In addition, issues related to the de-streaming of Grade 9, introduction of a new Grade 9 Mathematics curriculum as well as the role of EQAO testing will continue to be important. I will be sure to keep the community caught up to date on everything that is happening in the education sector. Until then, Happy New Year!
An incredible life, and mysterious death; the boy who ruled as King Pt. III DAVE RANKIN dave@carib101.com
AFRICAN HISTORY
Up to this point, Tutankhamun had made considerable effort to restore the confidence of the nation. Moving the capital city back to the southern capital of Thebes was the first order of action. Next, he dismantled the devotion to Aten and changed his name to what we now know it as. He even attempted to rebuild diplomatic relationships that were severed by Akhenaten. Things were almost back to normal and the “boy king” was on the way to living a long and prosperous reign. However, “King Tut’s” life was mysteriously cut down only after nine years on the throne.
There are a few accounts surrounding the death of nesew Tutankhamun. The first story I had heard is best described by the Egyptian scholar, Moustaffa Goudalla. From his book Historical Deceptions, Mr. Goudalla writes the following. “In his year nine, Tutankhamun, accompanied by Aye (his chief advisor), went to Sinai to try to urge Akhenaten and his followers to return to Egypt. However, instead of his pleas being accepted, he was accused of betraying his faith and was killed.” Like you, I do have a few questions. For starters, Akhenaten is said to have passed a number of years prior to Tutankhamun’s rise to the throne. Then the next logical question is to ask, if Akhenaten was dead then whom did Tutankhamun go see? Another question surrounding his death is centered on the violence that occurred. After Howard Carter had found “King Tut’s” tomb in 1922, the examination that followed in 1968 divulged that “The mummy was found to have many broken bones and joints,” including a fatal blow to the head. This alone would support a part
of Moustaffa Goudalla’s claim that “King Tut” was beaten. However, we still do not have sufficient evidence for it to be completely true. Another account surrounding the death of Tutankhamun was conducted in a scientific experiment around 2006. A team from the Cairo University led by radiologist Ashraf Selim discovered that Tutankhamun’s death happened because of a severe infection from a broken leg, probably from a chariot accident. In the team’s eyes, this closed the investigation to the passing of the nesew. “I think it is the end of the investigation. We can close this file,” said Ashraf Selim proudly. However, a study published in 2010 offered another perspective on “King Tut’s” passing. Archaeological evidence tells us that the nesew suffered from a number of illnesses, including “Malaria and Kohler disease (a rare bone disorder of the foot).” There were various canes found in Tutankhamun’s tomb that could support this. While these ailments may have contributed, it doesn’t provide a clear and definite picture.
What we do know is that Tutankhamun lived a short life passing around 1323 BCE at the age of 18. By then, he and his wife Ankhesenamun had twin daughters who were still born. Thus, producing no surviving heir. I had read somewhere that he liked to hunt ostriches for sport. This action is said to show the nesew’s power over nature. Howard Carter’s documented history of the tomb advises us an “ivory fan trimmed with ostrich feathers” was found in Tutankhamun’s tomb. The preservation of the tomb very much catapulted Tutankhamun into fame, giving him the name of “King Tut.” One article wrote, “While the treasures were incredible, the tomb was unusually small.” But the emphasis should be that Tutankhamun’s wooden sarcophagus had thick sheets of gold layered around it. Making it the most expensive coffin valued well over one million dollars. Above everything else, this made Tutankhamun’s final place of rest priceless.
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LIFE
Toronto Caribbean News | www.TOCaribNews.com | Wednesday, January 6, 2021
Ditch resolutions and create a mission plan RALPH BRYANT
ralph@carib101.com
BLACK MINDS MATTER
What if I told you there is one thing that is almost guaranteed to fail, and yet billions of us do it every year? Yes! I am talking about New Year’s Resolutions. In fact, many resolutions will have been crumpled up into the garbage can by the time you read this in the middle of January. Is there a different way to set a course for 2021? Yes, and it’s a simple idea called mission planning. But why do we create resolutions in the first place? Resolutions are not a new idea - the practice dates back over 4,000 years to the ancient civilization of Babylon as a way to ask the Gods to look favorably upon the upcoming harvest. (Babylon is in what would be modern-day Iraq - and yet another innovation created in Africa for the world to enjoy). Today, resolutions are about taking personal responsibility; about making exciting lists that ultimately fail. According to a study in U.S. News and World Report, as many as 80% of all resolutions fail. Worse, many of them fail before the end of March. Why do we collectively obsess over something of our doing that is doomed to fail? With every changing of the calendar, also springs the possibility of hope. I can finally do the thing I have failed to do, over and over and over again. It is a fresh start, a clean slate. It is the same insanity that allows me every training camp to think that my favorite football team can make the Super Bowl, even though my 12-year-old son has never seen them in the playoffs. For most people, the resolutions get discarded and tossed into the garbage with the rest of them. There is a greater concern for those that are vulnerable and already struggling with depression and anxiety during the holidays; feeling guilty for missing a resolution
could be difficult for their stability. Here’s why resolutions fail: they are not actionable. The resolution is the goal, sure, but it is not tied to a plan of how to achieve the goal. For example, if your resolution is “Put back on my skinny jeans,” there are no strategies on how to lose the weight so the jeans will fit. We get so excited about writing down the result we want, yet we do not focus at all on the behaviors that we need to change to get there. Nonetheless, the opportunity to take stock at the beginning of the New Year is important. The practice is critical to both reflecting on the prior year, as well as setting goals for the new towards becoming a better you. Here is a simple way to create your new mission plan: • • •
•
•
Take a sheet of paper and draw a line down the center On the left side of the page, write “reaction” and on the right side, write “action” Recap 2020 on the “reaction” side. Take this moment to celebrate yourself for your accomplishments, as well as things that did not go as planned. Be as detailed as possible on the major moments of the year. If you’re thinking nothing went right in 2020, there is one thing that did: you’re still here On the “action” side, take an item from the “reaction” side and list as many goals as you would like to achieve this year. These should be both personal and professional goals. Dream big here, but make sure your goals are using the SMART system (specific, measurable, attainable, relevant, and timed) Keep track of how you are doing by reviewing the plan monthly; celebrate any successes, check off your progress, and eliminate any items to which you are no longer committed
Every year, corporations present their mission plan for the upcoming year to their board of directors. Instead of resolutions this year, take that same initiative to create your mission plan for where you were, and importantly, where you want to be.
Living with a disabled child Discovering that one’s child has a disability or a serious illness can come as a terrible shock for parents. It means that all the dreams they had previously imagined for their family will no longer be valid. When a diagnosis comes in, the lives of all involved are forever changed in ways no one could have planned for. On learning the diagnosis, and for years after, parents might experience deep sadness, denial, anger, and guilt as they try as hard as they can to adapt to the situation. They might feel conflicting feelings toward their child, veering between helplessness and compassion and resentment. Daily life, filled with worries and challenges, can be so hard to bear that some couples are unable to rely on each other for support, and their relationship suffers or falls apart. And, if eve-
rything wasn’t already complicated enough, the often embarrassed or intrusive looks of others reminds parents loud and clear that their child is different. The great gift in all this is the discovery and acceptance of the fact that these children are complete human beings with strengths, interests, qualities, as well as faults. They have favourite games, they might love to laugh and be silly, and they can have their own unique talents and ways to touch the hearts of those around them. This is what family and friends must discover. Above and beyond the prognosis, these children must be allowed to spread their wings as wide as they are able to. Like any child, they want to blossom and surpass themselves, and they want to be loved and accepted for who they are, the way they are.
Wednesday, January 6, 2021 | www.TOCaribNews.com | Toronto Caribbean News
A time to reflect TARA MYSHRALL tara@carib101.com
COMPELLED TO CHANGE
As 2020 comes to an end, many people are simply ready to move on. Without a doubt, 2020 has been a year of great intensity that has been felt by everyone around the world. We’ve all had our own unique experiences with COVID and the way that it affects us personally and professionally, locally and globally. Dealing with uncertainty has been a daily habit that we continue to practice, whether in lockdown or not. Many people have struggled throughout this year. Yet, many people have equally demonstrated unprecedented resilience. I’ve read mixed reviews about looking back on this year, some people taking the time to examine what they have learned, where others are insistent that looking forward is more important, that we must just keep going and somehow return to life as we know it. The promise of a vaccine is providing many with hope, but the reality of the rollout still has much uncertainty. I think that as 2020 comes to a close, it is important to take some time to reflect on the year, on your life and of course, on 2021. Taking time to examine both the shadows and the light, makes us better people, more equipped to understand the totality of life. Looking at the range of emotions and experiences that 2020 presented us with as humanity reveals our resilience, but equally so, the plethora of areas where we still need to grow, to develop, to change and to work together. From racial injustice, to income inequality, to global warming, the pandemic has revealed the cracks in our society. Additionally, it’s important to take time to look at the impact of 2020, not just on a global level, but on a personal level as well. I find that it’s easy to re-
sist this, it’s easy to overlook the small accomplishments and the large victories that actually did take place in my own life. When I stopped to pause, to think back, and to invest some time in acknowledging where I’ve been, what I’ve accomplished and how I showed up in the world, I realize that I’ve done so much more than I initially anticipated. I bet that it is the same for you. So often, we rush on, moving so quickly, we forget to take the time to acknowledge ourselves, to feel the wins, to grieve the sorrows, to look into the face of uncertainty, with a belief in ourselves and our ability to navigate difficult circumstances. We are much stronger than we think. This season encourages us to take some time to slow down. The days are getting shorter, the temperatures are dropping and the desire to curl up and spend quality time with our loved ones, both in person or virtually, is getting louder and louder. As I surrender to the longing of this season, it is only natural to reflect. It is also natural, that in this time of winter, this new year, to start planning for 2021. To me, the two go hand in hand, you can’t create the new, without first acknowledging where you have been. You can’t blindly plow forward, without softly surrendering to the reality of now. And, by taking the time to reflect on the past, you start to see the patterns emerge, the victories reveal themselves, the areas calling out for attention also appear. This knowledge informs your vision for 2021, it guides you to the future, it gives you the opportunity to examine the life you want to create. When I actually took the time to look at this year, I realized that I’m extremely proud of myself. And I bet that the same is true for you. I encourage you to take some time to reflect on your life, to acknowledge your wins, to acknowledge the areas that you grew, to recognize your contributions, your healed relationships, your ability to persevere, to keep going, to put one foot in front of the other. Your ability to see the big picture and the details at the same time. I wish all of you an incredible new year, filled with strength, resilience and purpose.
A single mom starting a family? As we’ve seen in the changing social tendencies over the last 30 years, women today typically delay starting a family until their careers are established. The ominous sound of the ticking biological clock gets loud eventually, though, and so more and more women are deciding to have children even if they do not have a life partner. Unthinkable just a few years ago, this is now a route taken by many single women who prefer to experience motherhood alone rather than not at all. Fertility clinics, sperm banks, and surrogates are some of the many resources that they can now consider. Wanting children is one thing, but raising them is quite another matter. Raising a child alone requires good financial standing, as surviving on just one salary is not easy these days. Will some important things have to be sacrificed so the child won’t be deprived? Will the child be able to have positive male role models, quality childcare, or a comfortable home to live in? Women who are lucky
enough to have a good job and strong family relationships will not have to spend a lot of time with these questions. For others, however, the financial aspect must be assessed realistically before taking any other steps. Even more than money, women preparing to become single moms must be sure they will have lots of support. Do they have access to help from family, friends, or help groups? Who will be there to break their isolation and help them out when they need it most? It’s essential that a single mom be able to count on an effective network to help her in her daily life. A sick child, a time of stress, and childcare all take plenty of organization and support. Luckily, a single woman can now start a family all on her own, but before taking the leap the whole experience must be considered very seriously. With the right kind of support and adequate financial resources, having a child can truly be a dream that will last a lifetime.
LIFE
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HOME
Toronto Caribbean News | www.TOCaribNews.com | Wednesday, January 6, 2021
4 tips for homeowners upgrading their garage door Replacing your garage door is a home renovation project with a high return on investment. Here are some things to keep in mind if you’re making this upgrade.
the number, the better the door prevents heat transfer. Garage doors insulated with polyurethane are the most efficient.
1. Use manufacturer websites. Choose a door design you like by perusing your options online. Many manufacturers have software on their website that lets you upload a photo of your home and try on different garage door styles.
3. Opt for the best springs. Springs are what hold the weight of your garage door and allow it to effortlessly move up and down. Standard torsion springs are rated for about 10,000 cycles, but those rated for 20,000 cycles are only a little bit more expensive and well worth the extra cost.
2. Invest in good insulation. The effectiveness of a garage door’s insulation is referred to by its R-value. The higher
4. Buy an opener at the same time. If your opener is showing its age or you want one with the latest features, this is the perfect time to replace it. You can save on installation costs by having your con trac tor put in the door and opener at the same time. Finally, make sure you hire a professional to install your ga rage door as this job can be complex, time-consuming and dangerous.
5 hardwood floor finishes and what they’re best for Do you need to refinish your hardwood floors? If so, here’s a brief guide to five common types that are available. 1. Water-based polyurethane is ideal for floors in need of a quick-drying, clear finish. This is a product that’s low in VOCs and ages without yellowing. However, it does little to hide scratches. 2. Oil-based polyurethane is best for floors in high-traffic areas. It’s highly durable and easy to maintain. On the downside, it’s slow to dry, high in VOCs and yellows over time. 3. M oisture cure urethane is well suited to floors that require a very tough finish. It resists moisture, scratches, stains and general wear. However, it has high levels of VOCs and applying it requires you to vacate your home. 4. Wax is great anywhere you want a low-sheen finish. Unfortunately, it’s not very durable and tends to darken over time.
It can scuff and scratch easily and doesn’t mix well with water. 5. Penetrating oil sealer is ideal for subtly highlighting the natural grain of wood, especially in a historic home. This product needs to be reapplied every few years and requires a wax topcoat. You’ll find these products at your local hardware store. For top-notch results, consider hiring a professional to strip and sand your wood floors and then expertly apply the finish.
Foundation cracks: when to worry The best way to ensure a crack in your foundation doesn’t threaten the structural integrity of your home is to consult an expert. However, some general guidelines can help you determine if you have a serious problem. HAIRLINE CRACKS Concrete shrinks slightly as it cures, and hairline cracks (about the width of sewing thread) are a normal result of it settling. They pose no structural threat and tend to appear within a year of construction. However, you should take steps to patch them.
WIDE CRACKS Any crack that’s wider than 1/2 an inch should be inspected by a professional. In particular, those with a bulge may indicate structural problems. Additionally, a crack in your foundation that’s horizontal rather than vertical or diagonal presents more of a risk. If you have wide cracks, horizontal cracks or cracks that are getting worse, be sure to call a foundation contractor or structural engineer.
NARROW CRACKS Vertical or diagonal cracks that can’t be classified as hairline but are no wider than 1/4 of an inch are unlikely to be a serious problem. However, this is only the case if the cracks are stable and aren’t continuing to expand. Thin cracks can be filled with grout, and slightly wider ones should be filled with a caulk that’s compatible with concrete.
Exterior siding: how long do various types last? Siding protects your home from the elements but inevitably takes a beating in the process. Your choice of material, however, will determine how long this part of your house endures. • Vinyl typically lasts 20 to 40 years and is easy to maintain. The grade and thickness of the panels will impact their durability. If damaged, vinyl panels are easy to repair or replace. • Wood siding (usually cedar) can last anywhere from 15 to 40 years. It offers unrivalled beauty but also requires much more maintenance than other types of siding. The wood should be resealed every five years and inspected annually to stave off potential rot and pest infestations.
• Aluminum has a lifespan of about 30 to 50 years. However, expect the paint to peel after about 15 years. Fortunately, aluminum siding can be repainted. Though it’s possible for aluminum panels to be scratched, dented or pitted, they can usually be fixed or replaced • Fibre cement planks have a lifespan of about 25 to 40 years. Their colour may eventually fade but the planks can be repainted. Fibre cement can resemble wood but is resistant to termites and rot. This type of siding requires little maintenance. Siding should always be replaced when it can no longer protect the internal structure of your home. However, it may deteriorate long before this and should be replaced once it becomes shabby, brittle or discoloured.
FUN
Wednesday, January 6, 2021 | www.TOCaribNews.com | Toronto Caribbean News
PAGE 39
WEEK OF JANUARY 3 TO JANUARY 9, 2021
ARIES
The luckiest signs this week: SAGITTARIUS, CAPRICORN AND AQUARIUS
Watch out: it wouldn’t be surpri-sing if a misunderstanding with some one close to you disrupts your routine. You’ll need to take special care when dealing with certain people, and you’ll feel like you’re walking on eggshells.
TAURUS
You can’t put off cleaning any longer. The holidays are over, and you need to move on to serious matters. At work, you’ll land the position of your dreams follow-ing the unexpected departure of a colleague.
PUZZLE NO. 726 ANSWER TO PUZZLE NO. 726
HOW TO PLAY : Fill in the grid so that every row, every column, and every 3x3 box contains the numbers 1 through 9 only once.
GEMINI
Now’s an excellent time to em-brace self-care and learn to respect yourself. You’ll also disco-ver something you’re passionate about and take the first steps to steer your life in that direction.
CANCER
Each 3x3 box is outlined with a darker line. You already have a few numbers to get you started. Remember: You must not repeat the numbers 1 through 9 in the same line, column, or 3x3 box.
Whether you have time off or not, you’ll spend the week with your family or at least at home. Use the next few days to reas-sess your de cor and move around some furniture to help clear your mind.
LEO
PUZZLE NO. 16 42. Diner’s choice 45. Naughty 48. Ungainly 51. Pain 53. This girl 54. Cherry or mince 55. Highway 56. Pig 57. Grass 58. Memo taker
ACROSS 1. “____ We Dance?” 6. Hippie’s home 9. “On My ____” 12. Chilling 13. Previous to, in verse 14. Court amorously
15. Kind of role 16. Snacked 18. Make an effort 19. Fiesta item 21. Citrus quencher 22. Curtain holders 26. Apprehend 29. Frees
31. ____-jerk reaction 32. Go to extremes 34. Biceps, e.g. 36. Ivy 37. Skinny 39. Nightmare street of film 40. Says further 41. Plumbing joint
DOWN 1. Religious faction 2. “I ____ a Symphony” 3. Land force 4. Tall tale 5. Spotted cat 6. Wrote 7. Opera feature 8. Red-ink total 9. Night bird 10. Great distress 11. Show sleepiness 17. Dog sounds 20. Fool 23. Previously 24. Secluded valley
25. Look like 26. PBS science show 27. Enthusiastic 28. Fold 30. Happy face 33. Darn again 35. Forget 38. Rounded up 43. Afternoon snoozes 44. Peter, Paul & Mary, e.g.
45. Boxing contest 46. Gambling stake 47. Tinter 48. Charcoal residue 49. Reporter’s question 50. Minibarrel 52. Muck
ANSWER TO PUZZLE NO. 16
You’re facing a lot of pressure or too much stress. It’s hard to find balance. When you want solitude, you’ll be surrounded by people, but when you’re alone, you’ll be wishing your friends were around.
VIRGO
You’ll take the opportunity to re-turn or exchange items in stores. You’ll also come across a bunch of great deals, and you’ll decide you can afford to treat yourself.
LIBRA
If you’re still off work, take the opportunity to spend time out-doors with family or friends. You’ll also feel the need to move. Even if it’s a solo trip, you’ll go on an adventure to satisfy your in-trepid spirit.
SCORPIO
You’ll be easily confused and dis-tracted. You’ll start to feel a build-up of fatigue. Try to take advan-tage of your days off to get enough rest. You might also have too much on your plate.
SAGITTARIUS
The party continues! There will be plenty of occasions to celebrate, and you’ll be invited to all of them. At work, you’ll feel overwhelmed by a large and demanding group of clients.
CAPRICORN
Time will be in short supply, and you won’t be able to ignore any of your responsibilities. Your boss might also ask you to come into work when you were supposed to have time off.
AQUARIUS
A getaway might be planned at the last minute. You’ll also be in-credibly excited about the idea of a new learning opportunity. For example, you might seriously con-sider going back to school.
PISCES
You’ll head into the new year fee-ling very emotional. In both your personal and professional life, you’ll face new challenges that mark a kind of new beginning.
CROSSWORD PUZZLE ANSWERS USE AMERICAN SPELLING
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REAL ESTATE
Toronto Caribbean News | www.TOCaribNews.com | Wednesday, January 6, 2021
The millionaire mindset JAY BRIJPAUL brijpaul@carib101.com
REAL ESTATE PRO In his classic personal finance book titled “Rich Dad, Poor Dad”, Robert Kiyosaki mentioned the millionaire mindset. Let’s look at the mindset of two siblings, Olivia and Aden. They both received $50,000 as an inheritance from their parents. The two siblings bought themselves the same vehicle for $50,000 each. Olivia paid cash because she does not like debt. Aden took dealers financing at 2% and invested his inheritance as a second mortgage at 13%. The return Aden received monthly was enough to pay for his car loan and give him additional spending money. After five years, both siblings sold their vehicle for $10,000. Aden’s net worth became $60,000 while his sister’s net worth was only $10,000. Dr. Wayne Dyer, one of America’s best authors, explained that “If you change the way you look at things, the things you look at change.” Meet Bora, a small man with a big heart. He is the owner of a banquet hall. Anytime someone needed financial help, he would assist. He lost over two hundred thousand dollars over twenty years because people failed
to repay him. He finally came to the realization that if someone does not have money in the first place, how can they repay? He told me that now, whenever anyone cries, asking for a financial bailout, he cries louder. This way they feel that they are doing better than him. Now he only lends money to strangers but at a hefty interest rate. His loan is always secure with other assets such as jewelries or real estate. “If you own a home, work hard to pay off your mortgage and when you are mortgage free, get yourself another mortgage.” Mr. Singh is 88 years and just as sharp as a tact. His net worth is over 20 million dollars. He commented that many people, once they are mortgage free, tend to relax. They don’t seem to realize that the equity in their home can be used to generate wealth. He explained that once he paid off his home, he took out a line of credit and used it to invest in a second home. By doing so, he developed a passive income source. His investments grew and he extracted the equity to buy other investments. Mr. Singh is currently enjoying a passive rental income of about one million dollars annually. “No one can invest your money better than yourself.” Bill, a retired realtor, met with a financial adviser in the mid-70s who convinced him to invest in the stock market. Bill invested $450,000, hoping to double his wealth in five years. After five years, his stocks were worth $350,000. He confessed that he knew nothing about the stock market and that was why he went to the “expert”. Had he spent time learning about the stock market before sinking his
money into it, the outcome could have been different. He noted that anyone can give advice, but it is up to us to do our research. Bill knew real estate and could have easily doubled his investment during that five years, but hindsight is wisdom. Today, Bill will not make an instant decision. He always says, “Let me study that and I will get back to you.” According to Mr. Hunter, “Hire a good accountant and use the tax system to your advantage.” Mr. Hunter has an impressive portfolio of residential and commercial properties. His accountant had explained that passive income is taxed at a higher rate compared to active income and that Mr. Hunter must employ a minimum of five persons to convert the passive rental income to active income. Today, Mr. Hunter’s wife, his two sons and his daughter-in -law are on his payroll. It’s a win-win because the children will eventually inherit his estate. By working in the business, they understand it better and, in the process, Mr. Hunter’s passive rental income becomes active. Take advantage of self-directed RRSP and TFSA. With careful tax planning, you can lend yourself your RRSP for investment. One of my client’s, Bae, emphasized that “At the end of hardship comes happiness.” Bae immigrated from South Korea to Nova Scotia in 1978. He is the owner of a potato chip factory, a printing press, potato farms, a string of hotels and many furniture stores. His life experience is vast, from an extremely poor beginning to now having wealth beyond his imagination. Bae has four children, all well-educated and
ready to take on responsibilities. When they were at university, Bae loaned them money at the then current interest rate. Later he created a bank called Bae Bank, where his children could consolidate their debts. On his 65th birthday, he wrote them each a cheque equal to the interest they paid to him over the years. He emphasized that “now, their financial muscles are strong to handle the family load.” I believe we should have three goals in life: The first is to stay healthy, then spend time with your family and close friends and then, lastly, build wealth. With these goals, my days are all organized. I exercise first thing every morning, then spend some time with my loved ones and finally focus on work. I understand that over my lifetime, my wealth may grow but my remaining time on earth is getting shorter. Estate planning is essential. It is best to transfer wealth to the children while you are alive instead of leaving it in a will. We can do so by giving them shares in a corporation or by establishing a family trust. Another option is to add their names to your property as joint tenants. Wills are subject to probate fees and the estate can be heavily taxed. It takes time to process wills and can lead to disharmony within the family. Building wealth is simple. Spend less and invest more. Over time, your wealth will grow exponentially. Dr. Earl Nightingale, one of my favorite teachers, explained that luck is when preparedness meets opportunity. Good luck!
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PAGE 44
FINANCE
Toronto Caribbean News | www.TOCaribNews.com | Wednesday, January 6, 2021
Start taking action to build your wealth; here’s how! CLEVE DeSOUZA cleve@carib101.com
WEALTH MANAGEMENT
If you’re in your 20s, now is the time to take action to build your wealth. Even during a pandemic, everything is on your side. Capitalizing on the compounding effect of time is an opportunity that works best to build real wealth. And time is a commodity that we share equally but it cannot be recovered when we miss the moment. For the most part though, people spend their 20s weaning themselves off their parent’s income. In their early 30s, they realize they need to do something different if they’re going to build wealth in time to retire. Some don’t even come to this realization until they are in their 40s and 50s. By then, though, they’ve lost decades of time and millions of dollars. Dollars invested wisely quickly add up. Taking small steps builds wealth for later. Consider the difference it makes to invest in an account that pays compound interest rather than a traditional savings account, which pays only simple
interest. Compound interest means that the interest you earn is added to the principal amount. Going forward, interest is paid on the new principal amount. Simple interest is just what it sounds like – the interest you earn on your money. Here’s how it plays out. If you put $500 per month into a compounding interest investment with 10% interest rate starting on your 20th birthday, you’ll have $5.2 million in 45 years at retirement. The younger you are, the higher your risk tolerance and the higher your potential returns if you invest wisely. What most people end up doing is spending during their young days and then trying to invest in their later years. Taking the above example, if you put $500 a month into a compounding interest account with a 10% interest rate on your 30th birthday you end up with $1.9 million in 35 years at your retirement. Yes, starting ten years later cost you over $3 million. The situation gets even more tragic if you start in your 40s. By then, you’ve most likely racked up debt and have a lower risk tolerance that drives you into more secure investments. You’re probably earning 3% interest. At that rate, your return will not outpace inflation. Taxes on top of that evaporate your investment opportunity while you sleep. Your greatest investment enemy is TIME, so the key is to start as early as possible. While your money works for you
in a compounding interest account, consider spending a little time working to build your income. The last year was rough. The economy suffered as the world battled a global pandemic. A vaccine became available at the end of 2020. As more people receive the vaccine, the economy is showing significant signs of recovery. The Conference Board of Canada predicts the economy will grow about 1.7% each year for the foreseeable future. By making some simple changes now, you can speed up your personal economic recovery. Consider creating a realistic savings plan. You did without restaurant meals and concerts for most of 2020. Create a 2021 budget that continues to preserve your savings ability. Get out of this habit of paying everyone else before you. Once you have budgeted your savings, make it your unwavering commitment to pay yourself first by actually putting that money in your investment account. Make do with the rest, but don’t compromise your wealth-building future. Be forewarned that you will have fake people and fake institutions at every step of the way to derail your focus. You’ll be offered 0% credit cards, 0% car loans, 0% furniture loans, and so-called emergent expenses. This is the trap for many young people. By the time you’re in your 30s, you’re shackled in debt. This is a death trap so don’t fall for it.
Good-bye 2020 ANDREW STEWART andrew@carib101.com
VID-19 responsible for my rates increasing? The answer is more complicated than one could imagine. Canada’s commercial insurance industry was challenged coming into 2020 mainly from the following contributing factors:
FAMILY ADVISOR
•
What a difference a year makes. The COVID-19 pandemic has radically shifted consumer’s and employee’s needs, habits, and expectations. COVID-19 has brought unexpected risks and challenges to almost every industry. Canadian businesses are facing uncertain and challenging times, experiencing devastating financial impact, and business owners continue to face new risks and costs. When it comes to commercial insurance, many business owners are seeing their premiums rise and may be finding it increasingly difficult to get the appropriate insurance to meet their needs in certain regions. There is no question that these are especially challenging times for small business owners in the hospitality sector. Business owners have asked is CO-
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An extended period of weather-related claims that were both more severe and more frequent Record low-interest rates (affecting investment income)
One uncertainty that small businesses should not have to contend with is the prospect of litigation from the inadvertent exposure to COVID-19 on their premises. In Ontario, a Bill was introduced to provide liability immunity to any person as a direct or indirect result of an individual being infected with or exposed to COVID-19. The immunity is granted so long as the person acted in good faith and accordance with public health guidance. This protection would not cover gross negligence. A vacation in 2021 could be the right medicine to feel better. The most important part of any trip you
plan during COVID-19 will be flexibility. Spending money on travel insurance should also be a priority, but you need to read the fine print. Almost all policies now consider COVID-19 a known event, and that will affect what is covered. Travel Insurance carriers successfully introduced a new COVID-19 Rider. It allows you to add $1,000,000 of coverage for emergency medical expenses that relate to COVID-19 when purchasing certain emergency medical plans. The Rider is valid for one trip only so it must be purchased separately for each trip and it covers only emergency medical not trip cancellation or interruption. The job of travel insurance is to help you build confidence as you resume some cautious amount of travel in this COVID-19 era. Air Canada, Air Canada Vacations, WestJet, Sunwing, Air Transat, and others are now including COVID-19 coverage with the purchase of certain shortterm, round-trip bookings to encourage travel. These travel suppliers are doing everything they can to try to help passengers feel safe again.
October 29, 2020 – February 21, 2021 Virtual Programming Highlights • October 29, 7 pm:
Exhibition Opening Reception • November 26, 7 pm: Art & Book Club • November 28, 2 pm: Artist Talk – The Photographers • January 28, 2021: Artist Talk – Painting and Textiles Owen V. Gordon (Jamaican/Canadian, 1946-), Extreme Social Distances, 2020, oil on paper, 55.8 x 76 cm, Courtesy of the artist, Nicholas Metivier Gallery and BAND
Visit pama.peelregion.ca to learn more
PAGE 46
SPORTS
Toronto Caribbean News | www.TOCaribNews.com | Wednesday, January 6, 2021
MMA: 2020 in Retrospect Looking back at the MMA world during our 365-day misadventure MARCEL MARIAK marcel@carib101.com
TC JUNIOR REPORTER
2020 has been quite a ride. A year that began with high hopes and punny new year’s resolutions like, “I’m going to have 20-20 vision for my life”, quickly became a veritable runaway train. This past annum was a bit like getting a new toy for Christmas as a kid: it was all fun and games until you read the ominous fine print, “BATTERIES NOT IN-CLUDED, ADULT ASSEMBLY REQUIRED.” Thankfully, while we sat in lockdown at home, watching weeks turn into months and besieging the snack cabinet, the MMA world kept spinning. And while the year might have been a disappointment, the world of combat sports never failed to entertain. Here are a few top highlights from the year we’re so happily leaving in the history books! McGregor v. Cowboy Cerrone: January 18th Remember a time before masks, quarantine, and social-distancing? Me nei-
ther. But believe it or not, this was our reality at one point. The UFC 246 main event featured the Notorious Conor McGregor stepping into the octagon with Donald (Cowboy) Cerrone. The fight took place in Las Vegas before a crowd of over 19 thousand cheering fans. In true Notorious fashion, McGregor promptly dispatched his foe in only 40 seconds. Conor came out swinging, immediately broke Cerrone’s nose with shoulder strikes, landed a head kick to send Cowboy to the ground, and finished him with precise ground strikes. Despite his famous upsets, social controversies, and uncanny proficiency at throwing dollies through bus windows, Conor McGregor continues to put on a show nearly two decades after his professional MMA debut. The Knockout Heard Around the World: October 11th If you keep up with the UFC, you’ve undoubtedly seen this spectacular KO. Typically, fighting in real-life is less flashy than the choreography in action movies. Combat is chaos; even the best fighters in the world often look clumsy in the ring. This time though, Joaquin Buckley landed a knockout that put Hollywood fight scenes to shame! When Impa Kasanganay caught his
foe’s high kick, Buckley decided to channel his in-ner dragon and unleash a spinning back kick that briefly sent his opponent to an alter-nate universe. The stunning knockout instantly went viral and was named a strong contender for Knockout of the Year! The Heartbreaking Retirement of an MMA Star: October 24th Every fighter on the UFC roster is a highly disciplined warrior. They train every day to forge their minds and bodies into efficient, agile, and powerful human weapons. De-spite this, some fighters stand out amongst their peers. They are considered the high-est echelon of combat sports athletes; names such as Conor McGregor, Tony Ferguson, and Amanda Nunes come to mind. Among the elite, though, there is one warrior who strikes fear into the hearts of his competitors: Khabib Nurmagomedov. The Rus-sian combat sambo champion and MMA fighter made an impact in the combat sports world after his emphatic victory over Conor McGregor. Instantly, he went from being a rising star to becoming a household name in MMA. His strength, resilience, and unbe-lievable grappling skills captivated fans as he conquered rival after rival. Until the pandemic, Khabib
was supposed to defend his UFC Lightweight Champion title from Tony Ferguson. Sadly, an unfortunate string of health issues from both fight-ers caused the showdown to eventually be cancelled. Ferguson would instead be fac-ing Justin Gaethje in an interim title fight. While the two fighters were preparing to face off, Khabib’s life was turned upside down by the death of his father, who had trained the young warrior from childhood. Many doubted if Khabib would ever step back into the ring, but he agreed to one final title defence against Justin Gaethje. The fight went as you might expect: Khabib dominated throughout the bout and finished the fight with a submission. The real highlight of the night happened after the final bell. Nurmagomedov broke into tears over his father’s death and announced that he would be re-tiring from the UFC. Needless to say, 2020 has been quite a rollercoaster: the type of rollercoaster that in-conveniently takes a scenic detour through the pits of fire and brimstone. Neverthe-less, we got out of it in one piece; with a couple of fun MMA experiences and enough stockpiled toilet paper to create a new form of currency. Hopefully, 2021 will be better.