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Volume 10 • Issue 26
Wednesday, February 2 2022
“I want to be very clear: We won’t give in to those who fly racist flags...” FULL STORY - PAGE 8
PAGE 2
FEATURE
Toronto Caribbean News | www.TOCaribNews.com | Wednesday, February 2, 2022
SAMANTHA-RAE Creating a space MCLEAN for great talent
Our meeting was unusual. I had pulled up to the gas station on the corner of Finch and Victoria Park in Scarborough, which was not normally somewhere I go. While I was sitting in the car, a young lady walked out of the gas station and happened to look into the car, and even though I was on the phone, I saw her do a double take, and then continue to walk towards her vehicle. After I finished my call, I stepped out, and she politely came over to me. “Is your name Simone Jennifer Smith,” she asked. “Yes it is,” I said smiling. “How can I help you?” “My name is Samantha-Rae, and what I am going to tell you is going to sound a little weird …” It turned out that she had just been introduced to me via one of our acquaintances in Jamaica, Randeen Thomas. Ironically, right after being introduced to me, she was surprised to meet up with me. We exchanged numbers, and I promised to check in on her because in our short dialogue, she shared with me some of her vision, and purpose. I did some research and found out what a powerful soul I had met. I told her that it was time to share her story with the world, and she openly obliged. “I like to be called Samantha-Rae; it speaks to my identity.” From a young age, Samantha-Rae felt compelled to be called by her whole name. “My teacher called me SamanthaRae, so I wanted my whole name. I go by Sammy-Rae. My mom wanted me to stand out, so she was very purposeful about using my full name. I lived most of my life in Jamaica, and I was a prep-school girl. My parents owned a funeral home together, but when I was eleven years old, my parents got separated and my mom opened her own business. My mom poured herself into her car business. She leased a property, fixed it up and was really doing well. At fourteen years old, my mom had surgery, and she could not work. I remember life got really hard. We had to move out the house and had to move in with my grandmother. My mom fought for her life for her livelihood. My mom was a legit gogetter.” Samantha-Rae then recalls a memory that had impacted her. “When I was in grade 5, they wrote a speech for me, and I didn’t get a permission slip. I went home with my mom and practiced the speech. The next day I asked for a chance
to read the speech. I did so well that I got the 3rd Speaker position on the team. When we went to the debate, I got the top speaking honour. What I learned here was the art of handling rejection. I knew I could do better. It pushed me to go home, and work on my talent. It is this situation that has made me the person who I am today. In saying that, I was too entitled, and after everything that had transpired with my family, I had to work really hard to get what I wanted. I applied for teachers college. I always wanted to be a teacher. I had this wild imagination; I would play with toys and make up my own stories. I didn’t know that I was training myself as an actress, creating my own stories and acting them out.” An opportunity came up for Samantha-Rae when she entered The World Championships of the Performing Arts in L.A. She entered and did very well, which launched her into her blossoming purpose. “I was accepted into the New York Film Academy, and this was the biggest YES I had ever received. I moved to New York, and began my acting career. As soon as I got my licence I decided to visit Canada, and I fell in love with the country. It was so clean and beautiful. My time in New York was over, and it was either Canada or England to study at Middlesex University. There were so many obstacles, so my mom suggested that maybe these obstacles were popping up because I was not supposed to be there. I ended up at Seneca College. I remember my friend telling me at the time to trust the process; things are working out how they are supposed to.” Sad moments were to follow, moments that could have crushed her. In 2019, she had a miscarriage and it was very devastating. “It was about 3:00 am in the morning, and I started bleeding. My family wasn’t here; it was very hard. One day at work, I had a panic attack. I was on the phone, and I just broke down. I walked off my job. I was not financially literate; I had no savings or investments. I didn’t have people in my circle to advise me, so I fell into some serious debt. My partner was in school studying chemical engineering, so things were very difficult. I moved to British Columbia to stay with my cousin, and things did not go well. When I was there, I ended up in a shelter, which was my rock bottom. I realized I would have to change everything about my life. The shelter didn’t have Wi-Fi! I walked around
trying to find Wi-Fi, and happened to walk into an office. I ended up dialoguing with a member of the agency, and they hired me to work in human resources. I started calling shelters in British Columbia to help others. I was juggling two jobs, and it was my work that I met some Jamaicans that made me feel at home. I finally made enough money to move back to Toronto.” SR (SamanthaRae) Productions was born June 17th, 2020. “We were in Jamaica when the lockdown happened. The idea for my first show was a cooking show. I found people, chefs, and just when I was going to start production, another cooking show came out. I decided to turn it into a mixology show. God worked it out perfectly that we connected with the right people and one year later we are starting production.” Samantha-Rae has managed to garner considerable interest in her show. She now has sponsorships from Tourism Enhancement Fund as a sponsor, with other influential, established organizations in Jamaica seriously considering sponsoring her production. “I thought about all those times I cried, felt lonely. I know it is so hard to grow in this industry. You have to know this person, or that person. Anything is possible, and now I know this. My business partner’s support has been amazing. He really put his life on hold for my dreams, for this production. I owe it all to him. I want to create a space where you have great talent and we can work together, grow, and learn. There are so many talented people out there, and I want people to shine.” Stay tuned to production updates by following her on instagram @therealsammieraee. I purposely have not dropped her project name, but stayed tuned for an innovative and interesting look at the lives of mixologist’s in Jamaica, with all the drama, controversy, frustration, and tea that you find on other competition shows.
Photo Credit: Everything Anthony Media
Written by Simone J. Smith Toronto Caribbean News
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NEWS
Wednesday, February 2, 2022 | www.TOCaribNews.com | Toronto Caribbean News
PAGE 3
Thirteen questions that our Government officials refuse to answer surrounding the Pandemic SIMONE SMITH simone@carib101.com
TC REPORTER
Dating back to the 1970s, research suggests that people have conversations to accomplish two major goals: information exchange (learning) and impression management (liking). Recent research shows that asking questions achieves both (https://hbr.org/2018/05/the-surprising-power-of-questions). What is interesting about this time of rapid information is that everyone thinks they are a genius because they are able to ask Google a question and have it spurt out an answer. The only issue with that is that people take this information and regurgitate it without asking pertinent questions about what they have read, or otherwise ingested mentally. Another piece to understand about this is how many people are afraid to ask questions at all. Funny enough, it’s impossible to move forward without asking questions. How are you supposed to learn anything new if you’re never won-
dering, “Does this make sense?” or “This has not been working; is it possible to do it another way?” It’s not only about asking others, you must also master the art of asking yourself the right questions. Challenging the way you think is crucial to your evolution. The kind of questions you ask yourself can have a huge impact on how you live your life. An extremely troubling aspect of this pandemic is the lack of transparency and accountability. The authorities have created mandates that we must follow, but they refuse to be held accountable, or to be questioned when their mandates are not effective. Anyone who asks questions is characterized as spreading misinformation, but mostly I believe that people are simply asking questions that authorities do not want to answer. I have some questions, and I have received questions from members of our community that are worth considering, and definitely worth asking our government officials, and most definitely our Premier and Prime Minister. I implore you; take the time to read over these questions and really think about them. Forget about the rhetoric, and attempt to push aside your personal thoughts and prior beliefs. This will be difficult, but it is the start to getting back to the normal that we all crave. All right.
Here we go … •
• •
•
•
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Facebook has removed vaccine victim support groups with over 200,000 users. Why was this done? How is removing a support group for vaccine injuries a benefit to society? Why are people trying to censor the doctors instead of debating them? When we found out the vaccines did nothing to prevent infection, the societal benefit ended at that point. Why didn’t our Public Health officials drop the mandates? Is there a cardiologist in the entire country who has seen rates of myocarditis fall after the vaccines rolled out? How come you can’t find one? There are over 5,000 significantly elevated adverse events in the VAERS system. Why aren’t we given a list of these? If they weren’t caused by the vaccines, then what were they caused by? Why has the NIH turned a blind eye to every early treatment protocol? Why is the news coverage of vaccine safety and efficacy so one-sided? Isn’t the news media supposed to report both sides and let the viewers decide? Why did the NIH suppress every single early treatment protocol using
• • • •
•
existing drugs/supplements? If the mandates are to protect society, why isn’t there a risk benefit analysis anywhere? If you want to mandate something, why not mandate that everyone with COVID get early treatment? Why won’t pharmaceutical companies accept liability for the vaccines? Since the benefits of cloth and surgical masks are zero can we please see the risk-benefit analysis that the CDC prepared to justify the mask recommendations? Where is the study showing that six feet results in a benefit?
Learning how to ask the right question is useful, because it starts you off from a place of not knowing; you don’t start with the assumption that you already have the answer, you start with a question. Each time you ask this question, it produces a chain reaction of new questions that over time and with enough patience will lead to answers. The good news is that by asking questions, we naturally improve our emotional intelligence, which in turn makes us better questioners. So go ahead; share these with friends and family, and come up with some of your own. It is time for our community to get the answers they deserve.
Human Rights Project Peel Regional Police Release Results of 2021 Community Survey on Perception of and Experience with Peel Police Half say reform needed; most call for more accountability, transparency in police interactions. People (1,102) who live or work in Peel Region completed a Peel Regional Police survey, which was developed with the Ontario Human Rights Commission and the Peel Police Services Board as part of a broader effort to help the PRP identify and address systemic racism in its organization. A full report on the results survey and details on PRP’s broader Human Rights Project can be found at https://www.PeelPolice.ca/HumanRightsProject. The survey found that 48 percent of respondents who answered the question agreed with the statement “systemic racism in policing is a problem,” and just over half (55 percent) agreed with the statement that policing in Peel Region is in need of reform. Over half (58 percent) of the question respondents also said the seven principles in the Ontario Human Rights Commission’s Policy on eliminating racial profiling in law enforcement are a suitable framework to shape the changes needed to address systemic racism and improve respect for human rights in the PRP. “Systemic racism exists across all systems and continually affects service delivery to the communities we serve,” said Chief Nishan Duraiappah. “The results of this survey and other community consultation activities are helping us develop a thorough understanding of the experience Peel residents have with police, and that will help us implement the right remedies.”
NEWS
Wednesday, February 2, 2022 | www.TOCaribNews.com | Toronto Caribbean News
PAGE 5
Parents will be informed of COVID-19 when there is a 30% rate of absenteeism; Thoughts? PAUL JUNOR
paul@carib101.com
TC REPORTER
There have been alarms raised by many in the education sector about the provincial government’s decision to inform parents about COVID-19 in schools only when there is a 30% rate of absenteeism. Ontario Education Minister Stephen Leece stated that, “We will be using the existing systems in place to capture student cases pivoting it to absenteeism. So the parents at home, the education staff and students themselves will be able to see those numbers on a school basis.” Furthermore, it was reported “Only after a school hits a 30% absent rate would the school board, principal and local public health unit consider, but not automatically require them to move back to virtual learning.” Dr. Kieran Moore, Ontario’s Chief Medical Officer of health is supportive of this 30% absence threshold, as he believes that is reflective of the extent of COVID-19 community transmission. He states, “We do not think that given the variation in absences, a threshold of 30% would most likely reflect community COVID-19 activity and be a point where we would want to acknowledge that.” The Ontario Ministry of Education is relying on masking, testing and vaccination to keep schools open rather than closing schools completely if there are only a few confirmed cases. This is different from the guidelines that were in place during the fall 2021 school term. The new guidelines have made it difficult for parents, guardians and caregivers to decide whether they should send their children to schools or not in the midst of limited information above COVID-19 cases in schools.
In light of this, the Ministry of Education announced that it would be sharing data about school closures and absenteeism. It is possible for concerned parents, caregivers or guardians to check the Ontario’s government website: www.ontario. ca to “Learn about closures and staff and student absences in publicly funded Ontario schools during the COVID-19 pandemic. Data is published every day at 10:30 a.m. excluding weekends and public holidays.” The database revealed that as of Monday, January 24th, 2022, eleven schools have been out of 4,844 schools due to operational impacts of COVID-19. It notes that the absence data that school boards report, include absences that may not be related to COVID-19. This means that there is no way of knowing for sure if student and staff absences are due to COVID-19 transmission in the schools. CBC News reported on Monday, January 24th, 2022 that “More that 300 Ontario schools reported staff and student absences of more than 30% by the end of last week, after students returned for inperson learning following the latest pandemic-related shutdown.” It states further, “The data includes all absences, not just those that might be related to COVID-19, making it tough to gauge the impact of the Omicron variant on Ontario’s school system now that the province is no longer publicly reporting cases in schools.” Marit Stiles, NDP Education critic believes that the absence rates are misleading and does not provide adequate information. “The school COVID-19 data being released by the Ford government today is laughable vague and offers little usefulness. Parents across Ontario looking at this information will be left with more questions than answers. We cannot risk students’ health, or more school closures. The goal must be to keep every school open until June. To do that, the Ford government needs to reinstate testing, tracing and actual COVID-19 case reporting, so that parents are alerted whenever there’s an infection in their child’s classroom.”
CANADA’S LEADING CARIBBEAN NEWSPAPER Selina McCallum TC REPORTER selina@carib101.com
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Wednesday, February 2, 2022 | www.TOCaribNews.com | Toronto Caribbean News
If Omicron’s not the last variant we’ll see, then why the hell-bent “So-called Vaccine” push? MICHAEL THOMAS michael@carib101.com
TC REPORTER
According to experts in the field of virology, we haven’t seen anything yet when it comes to variants and replicas of SARSCoV-2. There was Delta, now there is Omicron and God knows what next is in the bag, but these viruses and strands of viruses have one thing in common it seems, and that is their unpredictability. These experts are saying that they wouldn’t be surprised if a troublesome new coronavirus variant crops up this year. The Omicron variant, it is said, gained an edge over Delta because it is highly transmissible and because it can dodge the immune defenses of both injected and un-injected folks alike. This has allowed the variant to infect part of the population that delta can’t readily infect, Kartik Chandran, a virologist, and professor of microbiology and immunology at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine in New York City revealed. “Similarly, to compete with Omicron, future variants of concern would need to make similar gains in both transmissibility and immune evasiveness,” Chandran said. “There’s no reason to believe that the virus has run out of room, genetically,” he said. “I would expect that we’re going to see more variants, and we’re going to see similar types of wave-like behavior,” meaning a surge in infection rates following a new variant’s introduction. As I go deeper into the information and predictions presented by these doctors and scientists, I can’t help but feel that they know a lot more than they are letting the public know. On one hand, we have Premiers and Mayors taking their populations on an eternal streak of lockdowns, while on the other hand even some doctors and scientists are saying that this is not necessary. “One big question is where the next variant of concern will come from, since it may not descend from the Omicron lineage,” Chandran said. “Omicron stemmed from a different branch of the coronavirus family tree than Delta, even though Delta was predominant at the time; the next variant may have a similar origin story.”
The public is still dealing with one strand of disease, and even though there is no known cure here we have a doctor already speculating on the next version of the disease. If I were a betting man, I would be inclined to think that these diseases are being manufactured somewhere, because they seem to be rolling out with no end, nor solution in sight, but I am not a gambler. This story gets better with time, because even animals are not exempt from being suspects, and again, if I were a betting man there could already be a so-called vaccine for pets with a new strand of SARSCoV-2 coming real soon. SARS-CoV-2 can infect a variety of animals, including: mink, ferrets, cats, white-tailed deer, and various primates. Concerns have been raised that, while circulating in animals, the virus could pick up mutations that render it more deadly in humans. Here are some more suggestions from the doctor. In order for this scenario to unfold, the coronavirus would need to leap back to humans after infecting an animal, and in some cases, the virus might mutate so much that it can’t hop back into people, Chandran noted. “The genetic trajectory of the virus could be quite different in these other hosts,” he said. “For this reason, scientists should continue to track SARS-CoV-2 spread in both humans and animals, as animal reservoirs of the virus could definitely be an issue in the future,” Chandran said. As always, no matter the variant, the virus, the plague, or whatever the problem be, whether it be “gain of function” or nature, these days all roads lead to the socalled vaccine. The same so-called vaccine that was supposedly tested on ferrets with extremely good results “If you know what I mean.” Let’s end with a quote from the doctor once more. “What we need to do is reduce … the space the virus has to replicate, and the way we’re going to do that is by vaccinating people,” Chandran said. According to the New York Times, as of January 10th, 2022, roughly 4.67 billion people worldwide have received at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine, which leaves nearly 40% of the world’s population completely unvaccinated. Got the picture?
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Toronto Caribbean News | www.TOCaribNews.com | Wednesday, February 2, 2022
A look at what really happened with the Trucker Convoy in Ottawa to protest peacefully.
SIMONE SMITH simone@carib101.com
TC REPORTER
“Freedom Convoy: Truckers cause chaos in Ottawa after second day of protests” BBC “So many angry people’: Experts say online conversation around trucker convoy veering into dangerous territory.” CTV News Michael de Adder – the political cartoonist for the Washington Post – drew a convoy of tractor-trailers with the word “Fascism” written on the vehicles. As I read through the many articles written about the trucker convoy, I began to see a disturbing trend; this movement that was meant to unify Canadians, was slowly being picked apart, and categorized as something that it was not. As a researcher, and proud Jamaican-Canadian, I wanted to find out some answers: why was the mainstream media reporting so negatively on this movement, and what had caused such a turn in events? Why was a movement focused on human rights, Canadian human rights now being looked at by some with such disgust? Mainstream Reports on the Trucker Convoy For every positive article that I found about this movement, I found five to six that highlighted it in a negative way. Let’s take a look at a few examples: •
•
•
•
The Canadian Trucking Alliance spoke out against the protests in a statement issued 24 hours before a convoy of truckers was set to leave British Columbia en route to Ottawa. Ottawa police said, “several criminal investigations” were underway into “threatening” and “illegal” behaviour after monuments including the National War Memorial were defaced and demonstrators displayed “illegal” and “intimidating behavior to police and others, including staff at a soup kitchen for homeless people. When one Conservative lawmaker was interviewed on television, a Canadian flag with a swastika drawn on it could be seen in the background. Some protesters brandished Confederate flags. Wayne Eyre, chief of Canada’s defence staff, said he was “sickened” by scenes of protesters dancing on the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier and desecrating the National War Memorial.
I will be sharing the other side of the coin later in this article, but I wanted to point out the fact that for some reason, mainstream media seemed to be around when less positive aspects of the movement were occurring, but did not showcase the love, cultural unity, and elation that was on display throughout Ottawa last weekend. They also conveniently did not show all the things that were done purposely to block the convoy and make it difficult for people
The Media Buy-out; A Handpicked Few In its 2019 budget, the federal government rolled out nearly $600 million in subsidies for select media outlets that had obtained the federal government’s approval. Those outlets include: CBC. CBC Radio, TVO, Toronto Star, Globe and Mail, National Post, Calgary Herald, Winnipeg Free Press, Vancouver Sun, Toronto Sun, Calgary Sun, Rogers TV, Omni, Global, and CTV. I want readers to think about this for a minute; does anyone find it suspicious that right around the time of the pandemic, our government bailed out these larger media corporations, yet community papers like Share, Caribbean Camera, Indo-Caribbean and the Toronto Caribbean Newspaper did not see a cent of that money. It was one of the reasons some Canadian journalists were questioning the federal government’s plan to support some Canadian journalism. By handing nearly $600 million directly to select newspapers, the government wasn’t doing anything new. It just extended the control that it had over other mediums, to traditional mainstream newspapers. The Liberals had set aside nearly $600 million over the course of five years for tax credits and other incentives aimed at propping up struggling news outlets. During that week, they announced an independent panel that would recommend the news operations that were eligible for assistance under the plan. I want our readers to think about this every time you turn on your television. Our government has bought and paid for these mediums, so be mindful, and know that our government will only allow you to see what they want you to see. This is not a conspiracy theory; this is fact and has been for many years. Justin Trudeau; Our Fearless Leader “Over the past few days, Canadians were shocked and frankly disgusted by the behaviour displayed by some people protesting in our nation’s capital. I want to be very clear: those who hurl insults and abuse at small business workers and steal food from the homeless do not intimidate us. We won’t give in to those who fly racist flags. We won’t cave to those who engage in vandalism or dishonour the memory of our veterans.” Crises put the true character of a nation and its leader on full display, and the pandemic – both a public-health emergency and an economic catastrophe – is our greatest challenge since the Second World War. Quebec’s Deputy Prime Minister famously congratulated all of us Canadians for our obedience to the lockdown, and like the well-behaved citizens we are, we took the pat on our head, wore our masks, socially distanced ourselves, and stayed home. Obedience is admirable, but can also be a sign of weakness, and it does not form the basis of an entrepreneurial culture. Throughout this pandemic there has been this uncomfortable realization that Canada’s entrenched interests are adept at using institutional power to resist change and preserve the status quo. Canada’s response to the pandemic helped it contain the virus in the short run, but it is now being seen as a sign of the country’s
shortcomings in the long run. Who do we have to thank for this; our fearless leader Justin Trudeau (who is fully vaccinated and boosted), the same man who told us to trust the science and get our vaccines because they protect us from COVID-19, tested positive and tweeted, “I tested positive for COVID-19. I’m feeling fine, and I’ll continue to work remotely this week while following public health guidelines. Everyone please get vaccinated and get boosted.” This was right before the convoy was to enter Ottawa, which many found suspicious. The story suddenly changed, and on Friday, the Prime Minister told the Canadian Press he was concerned the protest would turn violent, but said the convoy represented a “Small fringe minority” who “Do not represent the views of Canadians.” Yahoo news reported that Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and his family left their home in Ottawa over safety concerns on Saturday. I thought he had to be isolated because he had COVID-19? He is triple vaccinated, but said he had to be isolated. What happened to trusting science? Prime Minister Trudeau finally came out of hiding and confirmed that he would not meet with the convoy of protestors. He stated that he had attended protests and rallies in the past, conveniently throwing in Black Lives Matter as an example. He claims that he was choosing not to go anywhere near a protest that expresses hateful rhetoric, violence towards fellow citizens and disrespect to science, frontline health workers, and 90% of the truckers who have done the right thing to keep Canadians safe. Hateful rhetoric? Violence? Time to take a look on the other side of the coin “Canadian truckers rule!” Elon Musk As I drove home from up north last week, I happened to see the crowd at Vaughan Mills, and the many communities littering the overpasses cheering on the truckers. “Go truckers go,” were some of the shouts I heard as I drove by and blew my horn in support. Starting January 15th, 2022, unvaccinated Canadian truckers re-entering Canada from the United States were required to get a COVID-19 test and quarantine themselves. The vaccine passport sparked Canadian truckers to engage in this protest against the vaccination order. Crowds cheered, waved flags and hoisted signs in Ontario on Thursday as parts of a convoy of truckers headed for Ottawa to protest the Canadian government’s COVID-19 vaccine mandate for cross-border drivers. The convoy was peaceful as it passed through Canadian towns and cities, and Ottawa police spoke with organisers, who were cooperative. People were standing in defiance in a friendly way, not a defiant way. Yet, they were being called racist, and supremacist. When you took a look at the people that were gathered there, they were from all races, cultures, religions, exactly what this great nation is all about. In a crowd as massive as the one gathered in Ottawa last weekend, you’re going to have differences of background, traditions, and opinions, but there was so much warmth in the frigid cold; there were many different people all passionately
agreeing on several key points: •
•
•
• •
They agree that the Canadian freedoms that have been eroded by government and public health overreach during the past two years are worth fighting to preserve. They agree that the bullying and coercion of those who have made a medical choice, which they are entitled to make as free Canadians, must end immediately. They agree that Canadians have a right to hold a job that feeds their family without having to submit to a medical procedure, the safety and effectiveness of which are unknown. They agree that children should be left alone and unmasked, and allowed to enjoy their childhoods, as we all did. They agree that everything Canada has been built upon, everything that has made Canada a shining beacon among nations must not be discarded and “reset” because of a seasonal virus.
Naturally, there were dissenters, and people who wanted to make trouble, but they did not represent the thousands of peaceful protesters who waved Canadian flags and acted responsibly. Did you know? Authorities blocked the roads, and the Province of Nova Scotia were banning people from waving at the convoy from the highway. A few of the organizers of the truckers’ convoy held their first live press conference, and they banned CBC and Toronto Star from making an appearance for the exact reasons I wrote about at the beginning of this article. In the conference they spoke towards the misinformation that was being broadcast by mainstream media, especially surrounding the fact the GoFundMe page (https://www.gofundme.com/f/taking-back-our-freedom-convoy-2022) was taken down. This was not true. As of January 31st, 2022, the fund was up to 9,344, 010. It is an amazing show of togetherness by our country The truckers have inspired the World The protest has caught the attention of people outside Canada’s borders, with podcaster Joe Rogan, Donald Trump Jr – the son of the former US president – and British comedian Russell Brand showing support. Australian truck drivers are planning a ‘Convoy to Canberra’ to protest Australia’s vaccine mandates and harsh restrictions forced upon communities across the country throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. They plan to meet in: Victoria, New South Wales, South Australia and Western Australia before making their way to the nation’s capital. When it comes to our movement in Canada; well, the intent is actually to stay until all the mandates are dropped. Some people are staying one day, some people are staying five days. Many are staying here until they can go back to work. The truckers were not triggered; the truckers unleashed this country. The truckers have become the physical manifestation of a peaceful protest. People no longer felt alone.
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Wednesday, February 2, 2022 | www.TOCaribNews.com | Toronto Caribbean News
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The only to take back our freedom is to take action; Five ways to protect your online information SIMONE SMITH simone@carib101.com
TC REPORTER
I want before you read this article to accept one very important fact; your internet usage is being monitored. Yep, there is big money in behavioural advertising and even the government is paying for the privilege of knowing what sites you are visiting. Cookies are one of the primary web tracking technology devices data brokers use to collect information on consumers, and behavioural marketers combine information gathered from sites that have been tracking your habits through cookies for years. With the increase in activity there has been on the internet due to the pandemic, our information is readily available to those who want to target YOU. Your name and address, lists of web pages you have visited, searches you have conducted, pur-
chases you’ve made online, videos you have watched, notes you’ve posted to social network sites, and much, much more are collected, correlated, saved and studied. What this does is allow marketers to paint a detailed picture of your online life, which in a lot of ways translates to your waking life. They now take this information and sell it to the highest bidder. Does reading this make you uncomfortable? It should. The introduction of the World Wide Web has been a double-edged sword: it is ground zero for both the greatest public awakening in our recent history, and simultaneously the central instrument of the most terrifying mass manipulative tool we have ever faced. Now that we know this, our job as your community newspaper is to present you with solutions to deal with this invasion on your privacy. I received an email from Dr.Trozzi called “The Beginner’s Guide to End Big Tech Brainwashing “ (https://drtrozzi. org/2022/01/26/a-beginner-guide-to-endbig-tech-brainwashing/), and I thought that readers might find it informative. When navigating the internet, it is important that we equip ourselves with the tools and the awareness to discern between what is true, and what is propaganda.
What can you do? Stop funding Google with Money and Data Search engines like Google make their money from advertising. It is a huge market. It is called “pay per click”. What is creepy is that when we use Google, our data is collected and stored in giant databases, monitored by AI, and based on our search history; advertisements follow us wherever we go online. The best first step you can make is to just stop using Google. Switch to non-bias search engines with a respect for privacy, like DuckDuckGo; the internet then becomes a safer place. Shake off Trackers Not only are your search phrases recorded, they also track you across YouTube, Gmail, Chrome, Android, G-maps, and all the other services they run. A substitute like Brave Browser is similar to other browsers like Chrome and Microsoft Edge, but it prides itself on blocking ads and trackers, saving you broadband and time online. If you’re using a private search engine like DuckDuckGo and a good browser like Brave or Tor, you’re already in good standing. Hide your IP address and location.
VPN (Virtual Privacy Network) When you do anything online, your IP address is bare, naked and vulnerable. The solution: use a VPN. When you use a VPN, you connect to a different server, which interacts with the host server on your behalf. The host has the impression that your IP is that of the VPN you are using, and your real IP address is concealed. Some suggestions given were either CyberGhost or Nord VPN. Secure your communications It is difficult to communicate through the internet securely. There are phone apps like Signal, Facebook owned WhatsApp, and Telegram, which promise privacy and endto-end encryption, but you need a phone number to register, which is of course tied straight to you. There are some instant messaging software that show great promise notably the Pier-to-Pier QTox. You can message; call and video chat, but since there is no central server, both users need to be online at the same time to communicate. Finally … If you found this article informative, share this with others. The only way to take back our freedoms is to take action.
It is projected that opioid and other illicit narcotics use will take an increasing number of people from us STEVEN KASZAB steven@carib101.com
TC REPORTER
Is this not a beautiful and wondrous world? I know our lives can be difficult at times, perhaps even difficult to endure. There is within humanity a need to sometimes escape our lives and daily routines, to leave an existence that can be unbearable. So, we look for avenues of escape, places that allow us to breath freely, and experience what we may truly wish to do and be. Escape can be exciting and rewarding. We can go on a vacation (if only), do things out of our routines, eat, drink and read something totally out of the ordinary. Some-
times we enter into the gambler’s world of drugs. It is a gamble you will take finding, consuming and experiencing safe narcotics. I am not talking about booze intake, unless you are the 15% of North Americans that consume illegal hooch. Legal alcohol is relatively safe so long as you control your consumption. What about weed, pills, something up the nose perhaps? Now we have a statistical problem to deal with. 68% of illegal drugs are not what they seem. Sure, their pure chemicals are formulated and made using all sorts of toxic stuff like benzine and then those who make these drugs add a product to give the drugs a kick: Fentanyl, or perhaps Oxycontin. Now that is a spice that will not only give the user that wondrous kick, but it may take you on a trip down under, six feet down under. Paramedics in British Columbia responded to 1,380 overdose calls in Abbotsford in 2021 (one city), which was a 46% increase from 2020. Vancouver had 9,993 overdoses last year. Deaths from overdoses in B.C. rose 34% in 2021. In Ontario opioid deaths and emer-
gency department visits continue to increase. 435 people died from opioid overdose between January and March of this year, a 40% increase from the same period in 2018. 3,420 emergency department visits due to overdoses from April to June of last year. These statistics are from Public Health Ontario, and with these comes a cry for help. Opioids killed as many as 14,000 Canadians in four years. Over 17,000 Canadians have been hospitalized due to opioid overdoses in the last four years. Most deaths happen because Canada’s illegal drug supply is contaminated with toxic materials. Synthetic opioids continue to be a major cause of hospitalization and deaths. Thousands of North Americans continue to have non-fatal overdoses while hundreds of thousands of your neighbours are affected by substance abuse. Our governments continue working together on societal changes including destigmatizing substance abuse, strengthening harm reduction measures, while reducing barriers to treatment. Did you know that 94% of opioid deaths in Canada in the first six months of 2021 were accidental? So, there is
something you can do to help yourself, your family and community. • • • •
All aged medication needs to be returned to a pharmacy immediately All medication and personal use drugs must be locked up to protect your kids If you are going through mental anguish, financial problems, or are addicted GET HELP If you must buy weed do so from legal and bonded agencies (illegal weed have been known to be contaminated)
Do you feel depressed, lost and seeking relief? Call someone, talk to someone. Family members and friends, open your eyes to the visual and personality marks that someone you care for needs assistance. You all live on the internet and phones so Google away and inform yourselves immediately. It is projected that opioid and other illicit narcotics use will take an increasing number of people from us. Does that not frighten you? What are you going to do about it?
Potential strike lies ahead if no deal is reached between the Toronto Elementary Catholic Teachers Union and the Toronto Catholic District School Board PAUL JUNOR paul@carib101.com
the Toronto Catholic District School Board (TCDSB) released a letter to families within the board. The letter states, “The Board is very disappointed that the TECT is choosing to disrupt student learning by threatening to go on strike over the following issues”: •
TC REPORTER
The many challenges that have become endemic in Ontario’s public education system continues as a potential strike lurks between the Toronto Elementary Catholic Teachers union (TECT) and the Toronto Catholic School Board. The union has not had a contract since 2019 and unless a deal is reached soon, there will be a strike on Monday, January 31st, 2022. On Wednesday, January 26th, 2022,
•
Absenteeism continues to be a serious issue that impacts the classroom experience for students; TECT wants to prevent the Board from supporting teachers while also improving attendance at work. The Board is responsible for ensuring that staffing levels and classroom assignments are managed in a way that reduces the disruption to students. TECT wants to limit the manner in which the Board determines this, particularly, during the commencement of the school year in September.
The letter notes, “It is inexcusable that the local union (TECT) wants to halt student learning by threatening to strike after all that students have been through during the pandemic, in order to prevent the Board from providing absenteeism support and managing staffing processes.” Stephen Leece, Ontario Education Minister, is not happy with the prospect of a strike by the TECT. He states, “These teachers union strikes are an affront to the interests of children who deserve to be in school. On behalf of tens of thousands of families who seek stability as Ontario gets through the challenges of Omicron: Call off the strikes.” The issues between the TECT and the TCDSB have been brewing for some time. There have been on-going job actions over the past few months such as work-to-rule sanctions which “Include no extracurricular activities, parent-teacher meetings, and only submitting bare-bones reporting cards.” In
the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, this has increased pressures on parents and guardians who have to deal with extra stress. Julie Altomare-DiNunzio, President of TECT stated, “This is an incredibly difficult action for us to take, but we cannot ignore the board’s bullying tactics, repeated efforts to drag out the negotiations, punitive actions against teachers engaged in lawful job action, and refusal to work together to reach a fair collective agreement.” She continued that the TECT is “Fighting for our students at the bargaining table, to maintain the current practices that ensure stability in the staffing process so there is consistency.” There is a glimmer of hope that the potential strike may be averted in a statement from the TCDSB. “We will continue to do all that we can to reach a fair and just agreement.”
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Toronto Caribbean News | www.TOCaribNews.com | Wednesday, February 2, 2022
The earlier the treatment can be started after the start of COVID-19, the better and more rapid the recovery! 2020 in the Capitol. Dr Fareed states that timing is everything when it comes to treatment and that the best time for outpatient treatment to prevent hospitalization comes when “The virus is in a period of maximum replication in the upper respiratory tract. The earlier the treatment can be started after the start of the infection, the better and more rapid the recovery (as well as the reduction in the risk of spread/contagious period). This would mean that the patient should optimally start the treatment in the first four days of the infection and within five days of exposure.” In his statement to the senate, he states that sadly, many infected people and primary care doctors and doctors in ERs follow the NIH and Dr Fauciès stipulations with no effective treatments offered. “We need to have the NIH/FDA/CDC formally acknowledge the importance of early treatment with moderately acting, safe anti-virals so readily available. When (if ever) that happens, everything would improve dramatically.” The following is the protocol Drs. Fareed and Tyson have jointly developed as most effective for their COVID-19 patients:
SIMONE SMITH simone@carib101.com
TC REPORTER
Normal! What does that even mean anymore? How have things gone so far, and how do we get things back to the way they were? What has been a question for many during this pandemic is could our government officials have done a better job of navigating this pandemic? They are now saying on mainstream media that we are going to have to live with COVID-19 for the rest of our lives, but I beg to differ, especially when I have found world-renowned doctors who say “Early outpatient treatment is an essential part of a COVID-19 Solution.” “I’m really busy, but I’m willing to help anyone.” Dr George Fareed Dr. George Fareed is an Imperial Valley frontline doctor who has been fighting against the COVID-19 pandemic, and has been fielding phone calls from across the nation since the very beginning of this pandemic. He has spent his time helping those afflicted but unable to get early treatment from their medical establishments. Dr Fareed, Dr Brian Tyson, and Dr. Zelenko, a pioneer in repurposing medicines for the virus have developed as a prophylaxis, a preventative subscription. Dr Fareed presented this information in a U.S. Senate hearing, “Early Outpatient Treatment: An Essential Part of a COVID-19 Solution” that was held on November 19th,
Fareed/Tyson COVID-19 Treatment Protocol • HCQ 200 mg tabs #16 (HCQ = hydroxychloroquine) • Zinc sulfate 22O mg (or elemental Zinc 50 mg) # 15 • Azithromycin 500 mg # 5 (or Z pack) or Doxycycline 100 mg # 10) • Ivermectin 3 mg tabs #8 Aspirin 325 mg tabs #30 Day 1 • HCQ 2 tabs twice a day Zinc sulfate tab twice a day • (Azithromycin tab one per day or doxy-
• •
cycline cap twice a day) Ivermectin 12 mg Day 1 only Aspirin 325 mg
Days 2-5 • HCQ tab 3 times a day • Zinc sulfate 3 times a day (Azithromycin tab daily or doxycycline cap twice a day) • Aspirin 325 mg daily • Ivermectin 12 mg Day 3 • If symptoms warrant Prednisone 60 mg daily x 5-7 days • Dexamethasone 4 mg bid if wheezing /SOB • Budesonide 0.5-1mg/2ml vía nebulizer bid • Vitamin D3 5000 iu daily • Pepcid 20 mg daily • Continue daily Aspirin 325 mg Over the counter prevention: • Elemental Zinc 25 mg once a day • Vitamin D 4000 iu once a day • Vitamin C 1000 mg once a day • Quercetin 500 mg once a day • If Quercetin is unavailable, then use Epigallocatechin-gallate (EGCG) 400mg once a day Dr. Fareed also included Dr. Zelenko’s (Twitter: @zev_dr) COVID-19 Prophylaxis Protocol: Prophylaxis is an action taken to prevent or protect against a specified disease. Low Risk Patients According to the doctors, young healthy people do not need prophylaxis against COVID-19. In young and healthy people, this infection causes mild cold-like symptoms. It is advantageous for these patients to be exposed to COVID-19, build up their antibodies and have their immune system clear the virus. This will facilitate the devel-
opment of herd immunity and help prevent future COVID-19 pandemics. Moderate-Risk Patients According to the doctors, patients from this category are healthy but have high potential viral-load exposure. This group includes medical personnel, caregivers of high-risk patients, people who use public transportation, first responders and other essential personnel who are crucial to the continued functioning of society. These patients should be encouraged to take prophylaxis against COVID-19 in accordance with the protocol noted below. High-Risk Patients According to the doctors, patients are considered high risk if they are over the age of sixty, or if they are younger than sixty but they have comorbidities, that is, they have other health conditions that put them at risk. These patients have between a 5% to 10% mortality rate if they are infected with COVID-19. These patients should be strongly encouraged to take prophylaxis against COVID-19 in accordance with the protocol noted below. Protocol for Low and Moderate Risk Patients: • Elemental Zinc 25 mg once a day • Vitamin C 1000 mg once a day • Quercetin 500 mg once a day • If Quercetin is unavailable, then use Epigallocatechin-gallate (EGCG) 400 mg once a day Protocol for High-Risk Patients: • Elemental Zinc 25 mg once a day • Hydroxychloroquine (HCQ • 200 mg once a day for five days, then once a week If HCQ is unavailable, then use the Protocol for Low and Moderate Risk Patients.
Stacy Clarke, the first Black female Superintendent in Toronto Police Services history under investigation reau and Intelligence, Divisional Policy Support Unit, Police College and the Primary Response Unit in the Detective Office. She was promoted in 2016 and subsequently in July 2021 she took over control of the Community Partnership and Engagement Unit (CPEU).
PAUL JUNOR paul@carib101.com
It was truly shocking when several mainstream media sources reported allegations against Superintendent Clarke that she leaked exam questions to six officers who were being mentored by her to be promoted. An email from Allison Sparkes, Director of Corporate Communications reads, “I can confirm that the Service is investigating allegations of impropriety in a recent promotional process. If the matter were to proceed to Tribunal, it would be made public in that process. Should criminal charges arise, the Service would also make those public. As of now, it is an on-going inves-
TC REPORTER
The appointment of Stacy Clarke as the first Black female Superintendent in the 183-year history of the Toronto Police Services was greeted with much community celebration. Her promotion in July 2021 to senior leadership within the TPS was an historic and ground-breaking one. She rose through the ranks of the TPS from the Community Response Unit, Youth BuRY 10TH
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Furthermore, there are allegations that she invited one of the constables, identified as H.H., to her home for three days between December 3rd, 2021, and December 6th, 2021, to mentor them on the sergeant’s interview process. It is alleged that even after she was informed in an email on November 10th, 2021, that she would terminate all communication with the officers, she still continued. It was reported on January 24th, 2022, that Superintendent Clarke engaged in a mock interview with one of the candidates using actual questions, which were part of the promotional interview package without revealing potential conflict of interest. Superintendent Clarke will have to wait until February 23rd, 2022, to find out the outcome of this tribunal.
Gray states, “While the Police Services Act prevents us from commenting further, we can also say that it is the chief’s intention to bring in an external prosecutor and adjudicator for this matter.” The notice of hearing revealed that she is accused of “Sending images of questions for the Toronto police
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TPS spokesperson, Meaghan Gray revealed that Stacy Clarke was the high-ranking officer being investigated. She faces several charges under the Police Services Act such as “Breach of confidence, discreditable conduct and insubordination.” She indicated that details of the allegations would be fully revealed on Monday, January 24th, 2022, when Superintendent Clarke makes her appearance at the Toronto Police Tribunal.
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NEWS
PAGE 11
Crimes against God and humanity by the Vatican MICHAEL THOMAS michael@carib101.com
TC REPORTER
“You are of your father the devil, and the desires of your father you want to do. He was a murderer from the beginning and does not stand in the truth. When he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own resources, for he is a liar and the father of lies.” These are words from the Bible that the Bishops Patriarch of the Byzantine Catholic Patriarchate used to describe Francis Bergoglio aka the Vatican Pope who is responsible for leading the Catholic flock completely astray in realtime. Imagine this Pope went ahead
and had the entire Vatican, except for three guards who left the corps, given the vaccination. He uses sentences like “Vaccine for all” and “It must be done,” knowing fully well that this “injection” is in serious conflict with morality and God’s law. Being from the Caribbean myself I know lots of folks who are of the Catholic faith and are not on side with this injection campaign, and the reason is simple. First of all, Caribbean people are Godfearing for the most part, and secondly, a lot of us can spot things that are wrong a mile away. This is certainly a factor when it comes to injection hesitancy in the Caribbean, as Black people who know the history of slavery a lot of us are very suspicious when folks like Bill Gates are suddenly interested in our health and safety. There are so many things that Catholics of Caribbean descent do not participate in, it is not even funny. Do you think that they would knowingly accept a satanic ritual in the form of an mRNA selfassembling Nanoparticle, DNA altering
injection hidden under the disguise of a vaccine? Hell no! What is shocking is the arrogance of this Pope. Even though the Summit held in Rome on September 12th -14th, 2021 had over 12,700 doctors who unanimously condemn this experimental vaccination, and describe it as experiments on humans, which qualifies as “Crimes Against Humanity” under the Nuremberg Code. However, this Pope continues to deceive the public and force them into receiving the vaccine. Adding insult to injury he calls it “An act of love.” This is like saying that suicide or murder somehow is an act of love. Back to the Caribbean and this time the Island of Grenada. According to stats coming out of the Islands as of September 3rd, 2021, the number of persons vaccinated (1st dose) is 26,545, and the number of persons vaccinated (2nd dose) is 19,450. As of January 22nd, the total number of cases is 11,190, with 2,609 active cases, 8,376 cures, and 205 fatalities. An island whose population is
approximately 113,000 people and depending on who you believe had just 205 deaths, was it necessary for the Prime Minister and his health minister to lock down the entire island, and have workers fired for not getting the death shot? The Catholic Church in Grenada is part of the worldwide Catholic Church, under the spiritual leadership of the Pope in Rome. There are approximately 60,000 or 36% Catholics in Grenada around twothirds of the total population. The country forms a single diocese: the Diocese of St George’s in Grenada, led by Bishop Clyde Martin Harvey. That said, it is important that all Caribbean people especially those of the Catholic faith take a serious second look at whoever is pushing injections in their church or social gatherings. Follow the money and expel these Satanist cult members from the house of God because light and darkness have nothing in common.
Celina R. Caesar- Chavannes launches MaximizingU App PAUL JUNOR paul@carib101.com
TC REPORTER
There is no doubt that Celina R. CaesarChavannes has achieved significant personal and professional goals in her rise from business consultant to the corridors of political power in Ottawa. As the first African Canadian to be elected in the federal riding of Whitby in 2015, she was appointed as Parliamentary Secretary for International Development. She left politics in 2019, and she has documented much of her personal and professional journey in her memoirs, “Can You
Hear Me Now?” released in February 2021. Her memoir highlights her early years in Grenada and her experience as an organizational strategist and equity consultant for diverse private and public institutions. Her academic journey involves the attainment of a BSc in Human Biology, two MBAs, one in Healthcare Management from the University Phoenix and the other from the Rotman School of Management. Currently, she is enrolled in the Doctor of Philosophy program at Queen’s University specializing in Neuroscience. Her personal autobiography serves a dual function as both a memoir and a leadership book. It is described as, “A funny, self-aware, poignant, confessional and fierce look at how badly screwing things up completely is truly a more powerful lesson in how to conduct a life than extraordinary success. They build an utter honesty with yourself and others that allows you to say things nobody else
dares to say - the necessary things about navigating the places that weren’t built for you and holding firm to your principles. If you do that, you will help build a world where inclusion is real. Just as Celena is now trying to do, in all her brilliance and boldness.” Celina has contributed to several publications over the years. She wrote an article for the June 4th, 2020 issue of Policy Options Magazine, in which she states, “If diversity is truly going to be our strength, and BlackLivesMatter is going to be a reality beyond the hash tag, our government needs to be serious and intentional about policy that is inclusive and funding that is sustainable. We are beyond the point of community consultations and rhetoric. It is time for accountability and action. And both need to start now.” On Sunday, January 23rd, 2022, Celina announced the launch of an app
MaximizingU on her Facebook page. She states it “Contains many of the lessons, practical tips and homework that I needed to do, in order to be a successful researcher, entrepreneur, politician and even a parent.” Individuals will be able to: • • •
Build the leadership and equity competencies necessary to pivot in a dynamic global marketplace Discover what you love doing and where you can add value Maximize your full purpose, potential and passion
Anyone interested can download the app at https:tinyurl.com/maximizingu. The first 2022 individuals to access the in-app purchase will receive the entire program for $20.22.
If all members of this health insurance policy are to be treated equally, why is there a growing popular movement to punish non-vaccinated people in Canada? STEVEN KASZAB steven@carib101.com
TC REPORTER
Universal Health Care means that all individuals and communities receive the health services they need without suffering financial hardship. It includes the full spectrum of essential, quality health services, from health promotion to prevention, treatment, rehabilitation, and palliative care across the life course. The delivery of these services require adequate and competent healthcare workers with optimal skills mix at facility, outreach and community level, and who are equitably distributed, adequately supported and enjoy decent work. UHC strate-
gies enable everyone to access the services that address the most significant causes of disease and death and ensure that the quality of those services is good enough to improve the health of the people who receive them. Protecting people from the financial consequences of paying for health services out of their own pockets reduces the risk that people will be pushed into poverty because unexpected illness requires them to use up their life savings, sell assets, or borrow, destroying their futures and often those of their children. In Canada we have a Health System which requires all participants to pay directly into a collective Health Insurance Plan, and like all insurance plans all participants are supposed to be treated equally. Is that what is happening in Canada today? Pre-pandemic many illnesses, and the medication required to assist these patients were delisted due to costs to the system. The public was often required to pay for these medications and sometimes
the procedures required. Now we are experiencing a wave of unimaginable illness due to COVID-19, with many hospitals full of patients, understaffed hospitals with no time to adjust to the increasing demands of the population. Question: If all members of this health insurance policy are to be treated equally, why is there a growing popular movement to punish non-vaccinated people in Canada? Quebec may fine individuals for not getting vaccinated, and public employees as well as employees working for corporations are being forced to comply with rigorous safety and health mandates. All members of these health insurance policies are to be treated equally, except if you are unvaccinated? The reason for this public persecution seems to be simply because some individuals will not get vaccinated, but can and do carry out other safety protocols. The demand upon the health system is the reason for this treatment of the unvaccinated. Does
the health system penalize those who are addicted, overweight, homeless, mentally challenged, those who use the system a lot? Our healthcare system is broken. The desperate situation in Canada is due to the mis-management of various governments and their agencies, all of which lacked insight and foresight about what could happen. No one listened, no one wanted to spend the revenue on being prepared, training a new generation of medical staff, building new modern medical facilities, modernizing Provincial Health Agencies, and establishing manufacturing and research facilities into virology, dementia and other common medical threats. Our healthcare system, and the healthcare insurance that props it up are damaged, and in need of a huge infusion of revenue, staff and original thought, new and better safety and health policies.
NEWS
PAGE 12
Toronto Caribbean News | www.TOCaribNews.com | Wednesday, February 2, 2022
Its going to be a long, cold winter; Seven shortages that are getting worse and services are in short supply or can’t be found at all. This is leading to higher prices, a/k/a cost-push inflation, and a general decrease in the purchasing power of all fiat currencies, be it the US Dollar, the Japanese Yen or the Euro. I thought it would be interesting to take a look at some of the items that are in shortage. This information is beneficial for our community to know, so that we can better prepare for the upcoming months.
SIMONE SMITH simone@carib101.com
TC REPORTER
“That will be $102.75.” I looked at the two grocery bags that had about twelve items in it. I asked to take a look at the bill, because I wanted to make sure that the cashier had totalled everything up correctly. Everything checked out, so I handed her my bankcard, cashed out, and walked slowly back to my car. What had just happened? What had happened was the same thing that was happening to families across Canada. Canadian grocery bills have been growing steadily and in 2022, a typical family could be stuck spending nearly $1,000 more just to put food on the table. To make matters worse, some of the products that are reaching the market aren’t as fresh as they used to, because products are spending more time on wheels or on a boat somewhere. Canadians are really noticing these changes right now. The global supply chain is in complete tatters, and tens of thousands of items
Aluminium Aluminium is yet another commodity that has gone into a supply deficit. Current shortages are unprecedented; prices keep going higher. Lockdowns and quarantines are largely responsible. There was a rise in home drink consumption with more beverage cans being consumed. What we don’t know is that a global competition for supply among soda and beer producers has broken out, and companies are searching for adequate supplies. Truck Drivers In the US and abroad, the truck driver shortage has been going on for years. They are the backbone of the supply chain, and they don’t get a lot of respect or a lot of money either. A pay squeeze has led large numbers of qualified drivers to abandon the industry. Trucking costs have been shooting higher too: fuel (up 85%), tires (up 20%), insurance (up 10%) and highway tolls, thus further
reducing wages. The only way to get more truckers on the road is by paying them higher wages. Ketchup and Condiments Oh no! Heinz is facing ketchup production shortages. The situation is so bad that it has unveiled a new roller type of packet that enables users to squeeze out the very last drop of ketchup. Since the pandemic, our favourite condiment has been in constant short supply. Supplies of other condiments, such as mustard and relish are also limited, and as expected, prices are rising and the consumer is paying more. Construction Materials Prior to the pandemic, construction supplies were already tightening. However, a recent survey found that 71% of contractors are facing at least one material shortage with lumber being the most cited, followed by steel, electrical and lighting supplies. 2021 ushered in huge steel and lumber price increases. It will be quite some time before we see a return to normalcy. Coal/Energy According to the Washington Post, coal shortages are causing some Chinese Provinces to ration electricity; Europeans are paying sky-high prices for natural gas, and power plants in India are on the verge of running out of coal. A cold winter could very well put the world into disaster mode.
Healthcare Workers Healthcare worker vaccine mandates will dramatically reduce worker availability to care for the sick and elderly. Chicken There have been chicken shortages, and the reason that the price on chicken has gone up is because the price on grain has gone up. Another reason for the price increase is due to labour shortages during the pandemic. It is no wonder that Food Banks Canada’s HungerCount 2021 (https://hungercount. foodbankscanada.ca/) report shows that visits to food banks climbed 20% nationally since the arrival of COVID-19 with one-infour locations experiencing a 50% increase in demand. The report recognizes the impact that COVID-19 has had on food bank use in Ontario, and Feed Ontario is calling on the Government of Ontario to make immediate investments that address this calamity. Feed Ontario recommends immediate steps to minimize this crisis, including connecting people to quality employment opportunities by improving labour laws and support for workers, and ensuring that the cost of living remains affordable by investing in more supportive housing options.
The historical accusations against the church cannot be denied or ignored people, many trying to find a path within our modern societies, whose world has been assaulted and ravaged by greedy manipulative Europeans and our own citizenry. Any word from them, an apology and recompense too? Answer: the church has been saddened, and has made unofficial apologies, often by a Bishop or two, but never by those in true power. No, there has been empty promises like offering the Aboriginals of Canada $30 million dollars, of which $5 million has been collected. It seems to add continual insult to those in need, who have suffered a direct assault upon their religions, culture and very psyche. Do we allow this very rich organization to continue its policy of redirection, manipulation and empty promises with the hope that each crisis will fall silent in time? I think not. The Pope will not apologize, nor the Cardinals of the Vatican (an independent state). Perhaps it is time to take this organization on directly and demand our government look into the many issues Canada’s Aboriginal peoples and our government has with The Canadian Roman Catholic Church, the Vatican and his Holiness Pope Francis. The Canadian Church is worth $5.2 Billion dollars, with a cash reserve and investments of $1.7 Billion. The Church owns large tracks of land and investment properties throughout Canada. The Vatican owns approximately 177 million acres across the globe. Estimates place its financial worth at $10 billion to $1.15 trillion dollars. The Vatican’s banks are
STEVEN KASZAB steven@carib101.com
TC REPORTER
“The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing.” Edmund Burke You’d think such a large and magnificent organization like the church would show its undying love for the people of God. If it has done something horribly wrong in the past, it would move towards some form of real apology, empathetic response to those whom it has wronged? Well it has shown lip service and empty promises to the various individuals and groups it has wronged. The Church’s lawyers have fought tooth and nail with those individuals that were abused by members of the clergy. More money has gone to these lawyers than the many people wronged throughout this world by men and women who were supposed to protect and assist the innocent. What of the Aboriginal and 1st Nations of Canada, USA and beyond into Brazil and Africa? The religious world was supposed to educate, assist and protect these RY 10TH
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a mysterious and often corrupt institution riddled with alliances to corrupt funds often linked to the Italian Mafia (proven). So you have to ask yourself, why such influential and wealthy organizations cannot pony up cash, an apology and empathetic assistance for those whose members have been injured? The historical accusations against the church cannot be denied or ignored. Or can they? The church is really good at claiming to investigate a claim or injury, and continue to investigate it forever. Promise much, do little. The church protects its members. It also claims to protect the innocent. Who comes first in line: the accused or the victims? Well if we look at how the church has responded in the past, the victims are often ignored, given passive empty words with promises, and if the passing of time does not work, there are the legal avenues the Church will take. They cannot admit guilt as an organization. They will never admit they were in part or directly responsible for the deaths of so many children in schools they maintained, or the deaths of people in many aboriginal villages throughout the globe. Both Catholic organizational and individual legal responsibilities will be protected at all costs. What should the Canadian government do? Invest money needed to assist those wronged as a group and individuals. Send that invoice to the Canadian church with the following threat should the Church fail to pay the bill immediately…
natalya@le
ndmorefina
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416-837-54 | www.lendm
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• •
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Canadian Government will freeze all the Church’s assets in Canada The charitable status of the church will be frozen also, allowing the Canadian and Provincial Governments to issue bills for the payment of all taxes due, just like an average Canadian must pay All living individuals responsible for wrongdoing towards any Canadian and the Aboriginal community will be investigated, and if found lacking, charged with wrongdoing The Vatican will be diplomatically isolated by the Canadian government, which should acquire further assistance from other nations whose citizens have also been wronged A global class action lawsuit against the church is recommended The Canadian government must demand the Church establish policies and methods that will ensure the investigation by civil police of anyone accused of a crime, no matter their status
Think I am being a bit harsh? No way. The way I see it, if someone openly claims to be something good, honest, empathetic and charitable like the church does, it must be held responsible for its wrong doings. Protect the victims at all times; bring civil justice to bear upon individuals and their organization. The global victims of the Church of Rome can forgive certainly, but never forget, and always get justice above all.
NEWS
Wednesday, February 2, 2022 | www.TOCaribNews.com | Toronto Caribbean News
PAGE 13
When you know better, you do better; Honest Reporting Canada accuses the Toronto Caribbean Newspaper of Anti-Semitic Conspiracies tensions will escalate into large-scale violence. According to the Global Conflict Tracker, the United States has an interest in protecting the security of its long-term ally Israel and achieving a lasting deal between Israel and the Palestinian territories, which would improve regional security. I say all of that to say this; I understand why Mike Fegelman, the Executive Director of Honest Reporting Canada, approached us. In his words, he feels that we have “Published an anti-Semitic conspiracy theory that has the potential to fan the flames of hatred against Canada’s Jewish community.” The article that he is referring to is one written by our Journalist Steven Kaszab, a person who I know is the furthest thing from anything anti. He joined our paper as a concerned citizen, and his volume of work has been nothing less than encouraging, engaging, and empowering to all readers of our paper. There is a line in his article “Israel, a nation that applies a system of oppression, manipulation and racial prejudice towards the Palestinians,” that can be found at (www.torontocaribbean.com/ israel-a-nation-that-applies-a-systemof-oppression-manipulation-and-racialprejudice-towards-the-palestinians/) that states, ““Canadian, American and British politicians continue to kowtow to their populations Jewish Lobbyists,” was mentioned in several of the emails. This is the line that really seems to have sparked the anger that is currently being felt by some members of the Jewish community. What this had me realize is that the tension that was mentioned earlier between the Jewish community and Palestinians is real, and alive as ever, and as watchdogs for their people, it is in their right to speak out against anyone who comes at their community, and they do this with a unity that is commendable. On Monday, January 31st, 2022, another article was published by Honest Reporting Canada, written by Robert Walker. In this article “Toronto Caribbean Newspaper Publishes Column Whitewashing Hamas Terrorism,” Robert states, “Honest Reporting Canada and its subscribers sent scores of complaints to the publication and its editors, but Toronto Caribbean has yet to respond to complaints, nor take any corrective action. A deeper look into Toronto Caribbean finds that its proclivity to publish anti-Israel misinformation is not new. In a column published on June 9th, 2021 on TorontoCaribbean.com, Omniya Ali used the Israeli-Palestinian conflict to peddle some of the most egregious and baseless, but nevertheless widely attempted slurs against Israel.” Once again, I must speak in de-
SIMONE SMITH simone@carib101.com
TC REPORTER
“It has been said that Jews are the canary in the mine. Hatred against them will eventually be transferred to other minorities. Your responsibility to the Caribbean people demands that you stand for fairness and equality for all minorities.” “I am appalled at your anti-Semitic article that appeared in your paper. Please issue an immediate apology. I trust this odious article was due to your ignorance, not any anti-Semitism on your part.” “Ya Mon, Why would you print a nasty antiSemitic article by this person, Steven Kaszab. He gets all his facts wrong!” One by one, the emails rolled in. The three of us, Grant Browning, Trish Browning, and myself sat together and read each and every emotionally driven email. We heard and felt the anger through the email, and we accepted that somehow, an article that had appeared in our publication had offended members of a community. As a team, we asked ourselves some questions; was there more about this topic that we needed to know? Yes! Did the representing community know something that we didn’t? Absolutely. What we do know is that the Israeli-Palestinian conflict dates back to the end of the nineteenth century. In 1947, the United Nations adopted Resolution 181 (www.un.org/unispal/document/auto-insert-208958/) known as the Partition Plan, which sought to divide the British Mandate of Palestine into Arab and Jewish states. It was on May 14th, 1948, the State of Israel was created, sparking the first Arab-Israeli War. The war ended in 1949 with Israel’s victory, but 750,000 Palestinians were displaced, and the territory was divided into three parts: the State of Israel, the West Bank (of the Jordan River), and the Gaza Strip. Over the following years, tensions rose in the region, particularly between Israel and Egypt, Jordan, and Syria. (www.cfr.org/global-conflict-tracker/ conflict/israeli-palestinian-conflict) Tensions remain between these two groups, and there has been worry that renewed RY 10TH
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“While the media is justified in recognizing the positive aspects of Tutu’s work, his anti-Israel agenda severely tarnished his legacy, and as uncomfortable as it may be, the media should not shy away from telling the full story of Desmond Tutu.” •
BC Spreads Misinformation About Eviction of Palestinian Family In Sheikh Jarrah By Mike Fegelman January 20th, 2022 “On the evening of January 19th, CBC Radio reported on the eviction of the Salihiyas, a Palestinian family from Sheikh Jarrah (Shimon Hatzadik in Hebrew) in east Jerusalem, but instead of providing adequate context about this controversial issue, CBC gave a platform to unfounded claims that Israel was trying to expropriate the land to give to Jewish residents.”
•
Time Magazine Gives Cover to Anti-Israel Propaganda Photo In Its Top 100 Photos of 2021 Issue By Robert Walker January 3rd, 2022 “In a year of so many important news stories, it was shameful that Time Magazine, a publication with a large Canadian and U.S. readership,
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fense of our past writer Omniya Ali. Her volume of articles written against human rights issues found around the world. She has never slandered or slurred, and it is unfortunate that members of the organization see her work in that light. Really, it is a shame. To say that we have a proclivity meaning; a natural propensity or inclination; a predisposition, to publish anti-Israel misinformation is erroneous, and I am unsure as to why such an assertion has been made. Two articles out of 1000’s of articles do not show proclivity to anything, but I digress. Honest Reporting Canada is an independent grassroots organization promoting fairness and accuracy in Canadian media coverage of Israel and the Middle East. What they do is monitor the media, recognize excellence and expose inaccuracy and bias in Canadian reporting in the region. Several news outlets have described them as a “Pro-Israel media watchdog group.” They have called out any publication that they feel reports news that speaks against the Jewish community in any way, and I have provided some examples below:
natalya@le
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ncial.ca
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chose to single Israel out for exclusive censure and condemnation.” •
SIGN OUR PETITION! Toronto Star Gives Hamas A Free Pass In Reporting On Gaza Environmental Crisis By Robert Walker December 28th, 2021
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Canada’s Media Should Hold NDP To Account For Toxic Anti-Israel Resolutions By Robert Walker April 14th, 2021
I appreciate and commend Honest Reporting for what they do for their community. It lies very similarly to the goals and mission of the Toronto Caribbean Newspaper. They show unity is such a powerful way, and I wish in many ways that we as a community were able to do this with such tenacity. During this time of division, it is sad to know that the words of our writers have been taken the way they have. What would have been appreciated is that instead of blasting us on your website and Social Medias, and throwing words like anti-Semitic at us, is to professionally contact us and discuss with us the issues that you had with the original article. We could have shared perspectives, and desires for change together, found common ground between us, or even better, new ground. We can admit, there are aspects of this conflict that no one knows except the two groups involved, and we could have worked together to highlight the discrepancies that you felt were in the article and find a way to harmonize instead of using threats, and name-calling. As news outlets from communities that have been disenfranchised for years, we must find better ways to deal with conflict that does arise. People are not always going to say the right things, and we may never line up the same way, but there are ways that we can gain a deeper understanding of our alternate points of view. What this did teach us, as a publication, is to be mindful of opinions that our writers do make in their articles. EVERYTHING that is written must be backed up with proof, so that if there is a need to defend a position, we can do so intelligently, and with confidence. Thank you, Honest Reporting and the Jewish community, for shedding light on the many sides of the conflict between Israel and Palestine. With this knowledge, we can report in a more balanced way, especially when it comes to sensitive topics such as this one. Learning is growing, and when you know better, you do better!
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NEWS
Toronto Caribbean News | www.TOCaribNews.com | Wednesday, February 2, 2022
Stand up to read this week’s column W. GIFFORDJONES MD DIANA GIFFORD-JONES TC HEALTH REPORTER
Get up on your feet. Seriously. It will be good for you. Sitting is something we have all become accustomed to doing a lot more of lately. Just prior to the pandemic, studies showed that the average adult spent about 6.5 hours a day sitting – an hour longer than had been the case a decade earlier. In 2019, teenagers were sitting for upwards of 8 hours a day, and for some much longer than that. During the pandemic, a study in the UK found that people were spending more
than eight hours a day sitting. Canadians are reportedly sitting around for 10 hours a day! Dr. Jennifer Heisz, associate professor of kinesiology at McMaster University, surveyed over 1,600 people to compare physical activity prior and during the pandemic. She found that aerobic activity was down by about 20 minutes per week; strength training down roughly 30 minutes per week, and sedentary time was up about 30 minutes per day. Why worry about it? For starters, the Canadian Cancer Society reports, “A growing body of evidence supports a link between sedentary behaviour and an increased risk of colorectal cancer.” A German study found people who worked desk jobs or driving vehicles had a 24% increased risk of developing colon cancer as compared to people who don’t sit at work. Every two-hour increase in sitting time was associated with an 8% increased risk of colon cancer. Sitting and watching television was far worse, with a 54% increased risk for couch potatoes as compared to those spending less time in front of the TV.
If that’s not bad enough, think again. (By the way, as brain scientists suggest, you’ll be better able to think about this if you are standing up.) Relaxed muscles absorb less glucose from the blood, increasing the risk of type 2- diabetes. A Norwegian study may be good news for otherwise active people who sit for prolonged periods of time, but not such good news for inactive people. The study found sitting time has little association with diabetes risk in the population as a whole. Among physically inactive people, sitting for 5-7 hours a day was associated with a 25% higher risk of diabetes compared with sitting less than four hours a day. Excessive sitting also has an impact on the brain. Less blood is pumped to this vital organ and even a very small difference in blood flow can impact on memory and create cloudy thinking. The negative consequence of sitting too much on Alzheimer’s disease is not exactly breaking news. More than a decade ago, The Lancet, Neurology reported,
“Worldwide, approximately 13% (nearly 4.3 million) AD cases may be attributable to physical inactivity.” Still sitting? Here’s some motivation to get up. The report continued, “A 10% reduction in the prevalence of physical inactivity could potentially prevent more than 380,000 AD cases globally and nearly 90,000 cases in the US, while a 25% reduction in physical inactivity prevalence could potentially prevent nearly 1 million AD cases globally and 230,000 in the US.” Dr. Heisz observed a shift in what is motivating people to get up and get active. In her recent study, participants reported less interest in their physical health and appearance and more concern for their mental wellbeing. That’s a welcome trend. The message is compelling. Reducing the amount of your sitting time improves the chances for better cardiovascular health, lowers cancer risk, diabetes risk and the prospects for Alzheimer’s. So get up from your chair! Unless of course, you are 98!
Looking to do business in Africa? There are things that you need to know STEVEN KASZAB steven@carib101.com
TC REPORTER
There is a longing within many to return to the place where humanity began. Yes, Africa. Visiting this continent will be a pleasant trip, seeing the many wondrous attractions and experiencing the large array of different cultures, languages and demographic centres. From North to South this cradle of humanity will inspire, intrigue and frighten you all at once. Visiting Africa and pursuing an opportunity to do business, there are two entirely different situations and experiences.
Long ago, many European, British and American Nations colonized Africa. A colonial power’s purpose is to take from the colony and give to their nation and so these colonies did just that. Each and every European Nation did some good and a lot of bad things while they were in Africa. Remember these same colonialists are still in Africa today, only they are known as multinational corporations, still stripping Africa of its natural resources, economic capabilities, and land, while manipulating Africans wherever they can. The first lesson to learn is to do business in Africa you must be prepared to deal with open and hidden corruption. When the colonials were present so long ago, they stole each African’s future legacy by hook or crook. Many Africans in order to survive assisted these colonials and ultimately themselves and their respective tribes also. Africa became a petri dish of social evolution, where only the strong, clever, and corrupt will advance over the greater population. This cor-
ruption still remains. A hand under the table will appear in most transactions. You must be prepared for this and know how you will respond to this traditional way of doing business here. Cultural and racial differences are very important here. Businesspeople of one region will support those they relate to. Similarity always encourages business dealings in Africa. The historic hatreds, mistrust and fears of Africa’s past are still very important and are reflected within each region of Africa. African Blacks in North Africa and South Africa still experience racism and exclusion. A person’s faith is also a tool of influence when doing business here. Understand your clients fully before approaching them. Know as much about them and the region they are located in also. Africans are shaped by the region and culture from which they come. Investing in Africa will always be a long-term situation, never a short-term fix. Why? There is no such thing as stability within the various African economies. Currencies
fluctuate like the tides off the shore of the Ivory Coast. Governments and their administrations are established and fall constantly. Since governments shape all aspects of African trade and their economies, be prepared to invest in things that will remain while these changes happen. Also be prepared to compete with Asian and EU competitors. They are everywhere, have deep pockets and have a history of doing business on the dark side. Be sure to research who, what, where and the type of business. Who are your contacts and how do they do business? There are no governmental agencies to protect your investments or from competing concerns. Approach a worthy and trusted consultant before entering the African dream. Those who live there and are bonded and trusted can and will make money for you. Their management will be expensive, but their assistance will benefit you in untold ways.
The Toronto Youth Cabinet calls on Ontario Government to allow students to take mental health days without a doctor’s note PAUL JUNOR paul@carib101.com
TC REPORTER
The Toronto Youth Cabinet (TYC) continues to bring awareness of issues with respect to a broad range of social justice, equity and health disparities involving youths in Toronto. As the City of Toronto’s official youth advisory body, Stephen Mensah who serves as Executive Director has been a strong advocate for change. According to the Centre for Urban Youth Research’s website: urbanyouthrsearch.ca, Stephen serves as a Youth Director For Youth Initiative in the York South-Weston Community. He has “Made it a priority to promote awareness to issues revolving around marginalized youth and community members’ involvement for
positive changes.” On Wednesday, January 26th the TYC released a press release titled, “The Toronto Youth Cabinet calls for Mental Health Days for students in Ontario.” The introduction to the press release acknowledged what has become widespread among parents, educators, teachers, social workers and mental health experts that the COVID-19 pandemic has taken an immense emotional, mental and psychological toll on students. In order to strengthen the case for Mental Health Days, the TYC conducted a mental health survey of 1,042 Ontario students between 12 to 19 years. The survey, results and findings can be seen at the TYC’s Twitter @TOYouthCabinet or Instagram @ toyouthcabinet.I The Mental Health Survey focuses on six specific areas with the following questions. Mental health literacy Would you be supportive of mandatory mental health literacy in the Ontario curriculum? 94.9% of the respondents were in agreement.
Mental health training Would you be supportive of mandatory mental health training for teachers and school staff? 98.2% of the respondents were in agreement. Mental health awareness What would you perceive to be the most prevalent mental health issue among youth? 56.3% responded anxiety, 30.8% depression and 8.6% suicidal thoughts/tendencies. Mental health literacy Mental health matters are considered under general health problems? 68.1% of the respondents agreed, while 31.9% disagreed. Accessibility and ease of access 1 - What would you say is your ease of access to mental health support in your school? 79% responded that they struggled to access mental health support. 2 - Does your school have a mental health worker?
56.3% responded yes, and 43.7% responded no. 3 - How important is it for you to have Black, Indigenous and People of Colour (BIPOC) mental health workers available to you? 43.4% responded, “very important”, 24.3% responded, “somewhat important” and 26.2% responded “neither/neutral.” Overall, 67.7% of surveyed students think access to BIPOC mental health workers is important. The TYC tweeted, “We are calling on the Government of Ontario to allow students to be absent from school for mental or behavioural health reasons; under an excused absence as outlined in the Education Act.” Stephen Mensah tweeted, “We’ve lost too many people due to our schools and neglect to properly address mental health. Ensuring our students are able to access Mental Health Days will not only emphasize the importance of self-care and prioritizing mental health but will aid in de-stigmatizing mental health and allow for more open conversations amongst students, parents and teachers.”
NEWS
Wednesday, February 2, 2022 | www.TOCaribNews.com | Toronto Caribbean News
PAGE 15
A look at relationships and dating during the Pandemic; 7 Questions to ask your prospective partner SIMONE SMITH simone@carib101.com
TC REPORTER
While many families have enjoyed spending more time together during the pandemic, there are some relationships that have failed to thrive during a period of unprecedented upheavals and uncertainties. There are the arguments over Covid rules and restrictions to disagreements over whether children should be vaccinated and even disputes between families and friends over the very existence of the virus. All of this has pushed relationships to a breaking point during the pandemic. People have been cooped up with their partners for months on end, shining a spotlight on both the strengths and weaknesses of their relationships. The increase in divorce is being attributed to couples having to work from home and spend more time together. Now of course, the underlying conflicts and marital issues are harder to overlook.
According to a research study “COVID-19 pandemic: influence of relationship status on stress, anxiety, and depression in Canada” “(https://pubmed. ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33441201/) relationship status during the COVID-19 pandemic has had an influence on the mental health of individuals. What this has done is open up the dating market to a new group of people who are navigating the murky waters of dating during the time of the coronavirus, or riding it out on their own. With Valentine’s Day coming up it is putting these issues into even sharper focus for many people. Valentine’s Day seems to have lost its lustre for most people during the pandemic, and this may have put you in a funk, especially if you are dealing with lost love, moving on from a traumatic relationship, or doubting if you are ever going to experience love again. We may want to deny it, but many of us think that the best way to solve our problems is to find someone new to love. The seduction of new love is powerful and for good reason. Our mood seems to improve when someone new walks into our lives, especially if you have been by yourself for a while. That honeymoon stage is all about learning everything that
you can about the new person, and you are motivated to win that person’s heart. We think things will be different with them, that things will be better. Yet, as things begin to progress, issues begin to pop up, and here you are again, alone! What we don’t realize is that the cycle of relationships is just another pattern that we as humans are drawn to. Without a significant other by our side, we can often feel lost or incomplete. So how do you change these patterns? How do you do things differently this time around?
person is for you or not. Her are some perspective question you can ask if you are face to face with a prospective partner and if asked of you, to be answered with naked honesty:
Breathe!
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Take time to process where you are in your life. Look at what you want, and begin to set up realistic dating goals for yourself. Once you have done that, and you have found that person who seems to set your soul on fire, this is when you start setting the foundation of what will be a wonderful relationship, and you do this through the art of communication. It is at the beginning of relationships that we miss finding out what we need to know about our prospective partners. It is during this time that asking the right questions can help you decide if this
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What models did you have for loving relationships when you were growing up? What did you learn from them and what did you learn from those that weren’t healthy? What did you learn about self-love? How was love expressed in your childhood? If you were a survivor of abuse, how have you done your healing work? If addiction was present in your family, how has it impacted on you? How do you want your relationship to mirror that of your parents and how do you want it to differ?
I would suggest that you pace yourself with these questions. Don’t ask them all at the same time because they are very heavy, but necessary. It can be difficult navigating this new dating space, but know that communication is key, and establishing a solid foundation will help to sustain a lasting, loving relationship.
Ontario Court rules that mandatory provincial math test for new teachers is racist PAUL JUNOR paul@carib101.com
TC REPORTER
There has been controversy generated by the Ontario Ministry of Education’s requirement that all new teachers in Ontario pass a mandatory provincial math test. This additional requirement was instituted in 2021 to ensure that teachers have a basic background in mathematics to teach in Ontario publicly funded schools. It was part of an overall provincial strategy that the government hopes would result in improvement in the performance of Ontario students on the Education Quality and Accountability Office
tests. These tests are written by students in Grades 3,6 and 9 as well as by Grade 10 students who have to pass the OSSLT test as a graduation requirement. According to the Ontario Teacher Candidates Council (OTCC), which was formed in October 2021 to advocate for teacher candidates across Ontario, “We believe that this test is not equitable, fair, justified or backed by data. The EQAO office has been rushed into creating a massive test in just months. In the past, EQAO has taken three years to roll out new tests. There is no definitive evidence which suggests that new teachers will become more effective math instructors as a result of this test, nor that students will perform better in math as a result of this.” The standardized math test for new teachers was being challenged in court due to the work of the advocacy group, OTCC. OTCC strongly maintained that the Math Proficiency Test (MPT) had negative deleterious effects on racial can-
didates. The Ontario Superior Court of Justice Divisional Court issued a ruling on Friday, December 16th, 2021 found it to be unconstitutional. The court decision states, “Racialized students benefit from being taught by racialized teachers. The deleterious effects of the (test) on the racialized teacher candidates who have been unsuccessful in the test outweighs its benefits. A declaration shall issue that the legislative provisions that created the MFT are of or force and effect.” Bella Lewkowicz, one of the founders of the OTCC reported that it is a “Huge victory,” and “It’s not often that educators can claim victory over the Ministry of Education.” Then there is the case of Richard Atimniraye Nyelade. He was born in Cameroon and has two Master’s degrees and a Bachelor’s degree, and even though he completed the University of Ottawa Teaching program, he failed the MPT two
times. The MFT consists of fifty mathematical questions with twenty-one of them based on knowledge of math pedagogy. In order to pass the MFT, the teacher’s candidate must achieve a mark of 70% or higher on both the mathematics part and the pedagogical part. Nyelade did well on the math part but failed the pedagogy component. He states, “The mathematics part is all about logic. The pedagogical part is a lot of memory work.” Chris Cowley, President of the Ontario Teachers’ Federation (OTF) is ecstatic with the ruling. In a press release on December 17th, 2021 he wrote, “OTF applauded the effort of the OTCC for pursuing this successful legal challenge. There is no research to suggest that a standardized test would improve the student outcomes or enhance teacher pedagogy. Ontario has some of the best educated teachers in the world and this decision reinforces their professionalism.”
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Toronto Caribbean News | www.TOCaribNews.com | Wednesday, February 2, 2022
Explore Canada’s largest Black History Month celebration through film; the annual Toronto Black Film Festival turns 10! JANIECE CAMPBELL janiece@carib101.com
TC REPORTER
The Toronto Black Film Festival (TBFF) is preparing for a celebratory milestone event; this year will mark its tenth installment! Commemorating Black History Month as tradition, the festival will run from February 16th to 21st, 2022 and features a wide selection of programs and films by members of the African, Caribbean, and Black Canadian diaspora. Born out of the mind of the artistic visionary and Haitian Canadian, Fabienne Colas, the TBFF’s legacy began back in 2005 with the Montreal International Black Film Festival. The first edition of this event consisted of three films in three days, which
quickly grew exponentially to become the largest black film festival in Canada, presenting hundreds of films produced by dozens of countries. Attracting close to 1 million festival goers over the years, they have welcomed countless distinguished guests such as Harry Belafonte, Danny Glover, Spike Lee, and many more far before expanding the festival to Toronto in 2013. Today, Fabienne Colas, who has been graced with the title ‘Queen of Festivals’ has created and manages nine successful international festivals throughout Canada, America, Brazil, and Haiti. Due to the nature of the COVID-19 pandemic, the annual event won’t be held in person once again, but instead will take place entirely online. Regardless, over the course of six days, the TBFF will premiere 200 films from thirty countries! Last year, they succeeded in achieving over 100,000 virtual attendees, and this year the goal is nothing less. TBFF 2022 will be showcasing the world premiere of Being Black in Canada, a program debuting 35 films from 35 emerging Black filmmakers aged 18 to 30 years
old from communities in Toronto, Montreal, Halifax, Ottawa, Calgary, and Vancouver. The program, created by the Fabienne Colas Foundation and presented by Netflix, represents Canada’s largest mentorship intiative dedicated to Black filmmakers and aims to train, mentor and empower the next generation in cinema and television. The films apart of this program are documentary shorts of approximately ten minutes each and will delve into topics such as the faults of the education system, Black Wall Street, incarceration, mental health and lack of community support. Some films will be exclusive to Canadians only. One in particular happens to be the opening film ‘ALICE’ starring Keke Palmer and Common, portraying an enslaved couple on a plantation in Georgia, Alice and Joseph, marrying in a secret ceremony while the Christian owner goes out of their way to make life harder for the young couple. After Alice escapes, she soon discovers a shocking truth – the year is 1973. With the help of a man on the outside, they work together to expose the unlawful plantation and save her family.
Whether you’re seeking feature films, documentaries or even animated shorts, there is something visually captivating for your viewing pleasure. Tickets are on sale now, ranging between $12-15 for individual film screenings as well as all access passes are available for only $99, giving you freedom to watch all 200 films. Outside of the film presentation, there will be several other events running concurrently that are completely free of charge. From live performances showcasing music and spoken word jams, to the BlackMarket organizing industry related discussions amongst expert panelists on critical issues like representation and Black wealth, be prepared for the TBFF to provide a stellar red-carpet experience without having to step foot out of the door. The final day of the festival, February 21st is Kids Day and there will be many mid-day online programs curated for children such as kid’s yoga, arts and crafts as well as story book reading. Visit www.torontoblackfilm.com to check out the films and to view all the upcoming programs available for your enjoyment in the comfort of your home!
Female Empowerment: they can be the baddest cats in the whole damn town! STEVEN KASZAB steven@carib101.com
TC REPORTER
Humanity’s history is full of badass women who did not let their male counterparts push them around. Some examples are imaginary like Sarah Connor, a woman taking on the challenge to save her son and the world from out-of-control A.I. machines (could happen). We see various examples of women taking up the challenges of policing, security, soldiering, cutting timber, firefighting, mining, truck driving and so on.
Look at the many women who have thrown their hats into the political arena: Canada’s Chrystia Freeland, Elizabeth May, or Americans AOC and Vice President Harris. What about the powerful and influential women that help rule the EU? There are many similarities found in those nations where women of power exist. Mostly democratically elected governments, growing respect for women’s rights and overall equality. If you look further, you will see that those nations that do not have powerful women in places of influence are mostly men centric dictatorships like Russia, China, Middle Eastern Nations and so on. The Eastern Church of the Catholic Faith, Islam and other religions speak highly of women; yet leave them to the nether regions of religious affairs. This historic machismo still is common throughout the world today. Africa. Yes, let’s look at an African
experience of historic importance. Hundreds of years ago in Africa there existed the true “Dahomey Amazons,” a group of approximately four thousand female warriors who battled for and protected the King and Kingdom of Dahomery. They were known as the Mino, and to most Africans and Europeans they were a force to be feared. These women often volunteered, where taken as slaves, or given by their families to be trained as a bodyguard for the King, and then a spearhead battalion for war. Excellent elephant hunters, these women learnt early on in their training to be strong and merciless soldiers. They fought other tribes, and also the French and developed an honoured reputation among their enemies. What made these women special was that they experienced an independence and freedom as the Mino that all other women in Africa did not have. They
were a group of powerful, intelligent and inspirational women in an age of horrors. The French often said the Mino out fought, and out thought their male counterparts. The French normally would not commend their enemies, but such was Mino’s reputation that Europeans also made efforts to train women warriors in the Congo years later, but these were not successful. Women are the matriarchs of villages, communities and nations, or so said Miriam Makeba, affectionately known as Mama Africa. Women are the warriors of today. Look upon progressive movements and find their leadership and most successful members to be women. Women are more progressive, more determined, more patient, more grounded than males. Women exemplify compassion, trust, stability and forethought. Women can also be protective bad asses.
New Mentorship Program to help young BIPOC athletes overcome barriers and prepare for life after sports PAUL JUNOR paul@carib101.com
TC REPORTER
The launch of an innovative and creative mentorship program geared to BIPOC women athletes will undoubtedly make a significant difference in their lives. It is part of the Anti-Racism Program, which the Government of Canada has implemented as part of its Anti-Racism Strategy. According to the Government of Canada’s website: www.canada.ca, “The Anti-Racism Action Program is intended to help address barriers to employment, justice and social participation among Indigenous peoples, racialized communities and religious minorities.” It is intended to “Prioritize projects that target online hate and promote digital literacy.”
The announcement of this cuttingedge mentorship program titled, “Athlete Women Empowered (AWE)” was made in a press release on Wednesday, January 17th, 2022 by Athlete Tech Group, which consists of over thirty Canadian industry leaders. Miranda Ayim, three-time Olympian and AWE mentor states, “Sports have many benefits, but we see that women student athletes can often face different pressures and barriers when competing in their sports at both amateur and a professional level. This includes adversities such as racism, gender bias, sexism and microaggressions. It is imperative that the next generation of female athletes have the skills and support to navigate the elite sport landscape and beyond. AWE provides tools and resources that support longevity and wellness within sport, as well as the skills needed to prepare for and thrive in the workforce.” The specific goals of AWE according to the website: www.aweprogram.ca are: Fostering community Creating safe spaces to dialogue and find support from fellow peers and mentors.
Building skills for the future of work Focus on personal and professional skills to help them thrive in a digital future.
Advancing Digital Skills Athletes prepare for the future of work exploring technology, discovering trends, and building skills.
Breaking barriers Breaking barriers and creating opportunities by building confidence and confronting bias.
Women Role Models Athletes will explore the behaviours, skills, and confidence they need to emulate success.
BIPOC female athletes who are accepted into AWE can access the program from the mobile app, “Training Ground.” It will be necessary to complete six modules over a six-month period that will “Focus on personal, social and professional development through learning and mentorship.” These include the following modules:
Thriving in Your Sport Athletes explore the values of successful sportswomen creating impact with their careers.
Life After High School Athletes focus on self-awareness exploring their identity, with and without sport. Empowering Women for the Future Athletes explore challenges and adversities women face with a focus on building selfconfidence.
Wellness to Thrive Athletes focus on mental health and wellness strategies to cope with pressures in sport, and life. BIPOC women, student athletes, parents, and coaches from anywhere in Canada can apply at www.aweprogram.ca. Applications close on February 14th, 2022, and the program starts on March 3rd, 2022.
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FEATURE
Toronto Caribbean News | www.TOCaribNews.com | Wednesday, February 2, 2022 Photo Credit: Julian Peters
STEVE’S TEA COMPANY! Providing the tastiest, richest, ethically sourced cup of tea!
SIMONE SMITH simone@carib101.com
TC REPORTER
Why do people put milk in tea? It is something that I have wondered about for years. As a young woman, I remember my mom making me tea, and adding condensed milk, or regular cows milk to my tea. At that time, it was just yummy to me, but as I got older I continued doing it, but began to question it. I had the chance to catch up with an old friend Lana Burchell and she shared with me a little about what had been going on with her during the pandemic. Naturally, there was some sadness, but what helped to lighten the time was the fact that she had stepped in and began to help grow her family’s business. I was inspired and asked her if it was okay to learn a little more. “In England,” Lana tells me, “The pipes have lead, which makes the tea taste terrible, so they added milk to temper the test. Also, they used very fine china, and extreme heat would break the china, so if you add a spoon of milk, it tempers the tea and cools it.” “Awww! Makes sense.” If you’re sipping a cup of tea while reading this, you’re supporting just about every organ in your body. Unsweetened tea is known to be rich in antioxidants, which help to prevent chronic diseases and repair cells in the body. Tea comes from the Camellia sinensis plant, which contains antioxidants known as catechins, most importantly epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG), and these help to eliminate free radicals in the body and reduce inflammation. Let’s be real though, the right tea can hit the spot, especially if you live in the Northern Hemisphere, and you experience those minus digit conditions. It is one of the reasons why Steve’s Tea Company, located at 783 Colborne St, Brantford ON N3S 3S3, Canada, has become a staple for the community in Brantford and surrounding cities. Steve is from
England and he always loved tea, whether he wanted to or not. He moved to Canada in 1969 and settled in Ontario. When he lived in London, Ontario he would go to the market and they would serve loose leaf tea. Tea Haus was a place he frequented and this was when he was introduced to loose leaf tea. He realized instead of him driving to London every other week, he would start his own loose-leaf company in Brantford. He opened his kiosk in 2008 (Tea à la Carte) and he was already offering 140 teas, placed in jars stacked. “My father has always been very entrepreneurial,” Lana says proudly. “So he got a lot of support for the idea. From the start things went really well. It started in September of 2008, which was pretty strategic because it took the company into the Christmas season. These were long days for my dad, sometimes twelve hours long, and because the kiosk was in a mall, someone had to be there all the time.” Steve’s success was immediate, and this meant expansion. He ended up opening another Carte in Mapleview Mall, Burlington in 2009 He had two Cartes, but then things took a turn when he was diagnosed with cancer. “My grandmother (Wendy) also known as the Brantford Tea Queen, stepped in like any mother would to help out. They closed both Cartes and opened up the storefront in Brantford (Sandalwood Tea Company).” I was touched by this part in Lana’s story. Family businesses still thrive in today’s competitive economy. Steve’s Tea Company exemplifies that most successful family businesses are not only well founded, but also well run. It is natural that all family members demonstrate and share a level of commitment to the growth and development of the company, since the core of any family business is a shared business vision and identity. “I think it was about 2015, after my dad had recuperated, and rejuvenated himself, he went back into the tea game 2016 he began blending his own teas. Things were changing in my life; this was right before COVID-19. There was a tragedy in my family and I had to take a break. I went away for a while, and decided that I was going to get my Masters. I had a lot of free time because I was only tak-
ing two courses. It was at this time that I thought, why not join my dad and help him out. I could run the social media, but I wanted to know what his biggest challenge was, and find ways to solve it. Things began to really take off, and we really gained an online presence. He gave me half the business in January 2021, and we became co-partners. I never recommend working with family, we just happen to be the exception not the rule. My dad and I are creative in different ways and this is what makes it work. My dad trusts me, because when I make a decision it translates into sales. We have been consistently doubling our sales every month.” I loved hearing this, because she was so transparent. Essential to all business organisations, is trust and this is evident in most successful family-owned and -run businesses. With inherent trust among her family members, they are able to talk, discuss, and disagree openly and freely. “I want to share something about us before we end this Simone. All of our teas are ethically sourced, and the tea bags are made from recycled paper. If you want the highest-quality products you must invest time and money into the labourers and creatives making those products. In our case, we always knew we wanted to bring gourmet tea to our customers. In order to provide you the tastiest, richest cup of tea we also knew that we needed to work directly with farmers for ethically sourced tea from seed to cup. By always striving for 100% traceability for our teas, we have positively impacted the lives of the farmers we work with. We support women tea farmers, and ethical farming. This is important to us.” A family business can include the next generation of members in the business’ leadership and work-and knowledgeforce, increasing competitive edge over other non-family businesses and gaining access to their youth. “My children have become involved and they are learning the business too. Last Saturday, if you came into the store there were four generations working.” During this time of division, it was wonderful to see a family come together and have such success. Looks like it is time to take a trip to Brantford.
Registration for Kindergarten classes is now open! The York Catholic District School Board provides publicly-funded JK - Grade 12 Catholic education to approximately 51,000 students in 101 schools across York Region. Parents of children born in 2018 can register online at www.ycdsb.ca for September 2022. Visit locator.ycdsb.ca to find your local Catholic school.
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The Simple Alternative is a business name of Canadian Memorial Services which is affiliated with Mount Pleasant Group of Cemeteries.
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FEATURE
Toronto Caribbean News | www.TOCaribNews.com | Wednesday, February 2, 2022
Photo Credit: UC Medical Biomedical Engineering
JAMAL S. LEWIS, PH.D. Bringing about metamorphic change from seed to fruit I was energized when the management team approved my idea of a feature section in the newspaper called Classic Man. I had observed how our African Caribbean/Canadian/American men were being showcased mainstream. They had pigeonholed them into certain roles that to me did not display the greatness of our culture. As soon as I read the short write up on this week’s feature, it reminded me of why this feature is so important. I was introduced to Jamal S. Lewis Ph.D. (Associate Professor Department of Biomedical Engineering at University of California, Davis), by one of our readers in the community. He epitomizes everything that is classic, not just because of his radiant smile, but because of what he brings to the table. He specializes in biomaterials engineering for immuno-therapy and tissue/cellular engineering applications. In his Ph.D. and postdoctoral study, he developed an immune cell targeting micro-particle vaccine for auto-immune disease therapy. As an assistant professor in the biomedical engineering department, his lab (https://www.ucdavislewislab.com/) focuses on the development of biomaterial systems that can manipulate the immune system. His unique cross-disciplinary research program in immunology and biomaterials has brought together the laboratories across the campus to enhance their research goals. Under his leadership, Professor Lewis and his team aim to design the next generation of immune therapeutics for applications in immune-related diseases. What makes Professor Lewis excel, is his ability to translate his research to clinical settings. His research efforts have led to the basis of multiple patents, the formation of a company (OneVax, LLC) and principal investigator ship on several Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) grants. One of Professor Lewis’s favourite pastimes is gardening, and what an allegory that is. For him,
there is something very rewarding about bringing about that metamorphic change from seed to fruit. It supports his life work, which is to mold the growth of his mentees. As a mentor, he enjoys seeing the growth in his mentees as they learn and progress in their academic and professional careers. Black professors, students, and staff often feel marginalized in academia, but Professor Lewis has proven that you can navigate through the methodically placed barriers, and provide the next generation of Black scientists and engineers with a “Vision of the possible.” It wanted to dig deeper into the life of a man who was obviously a genius, to see how his life had been structured. We set up a call, and just like I thought, genius! “I was born in Guyana,” Professor Lewis begins, “And, I lived there until I was eleven years old. Many of those years were spent in Georgetown Guyana, where I watched my parents lay the groundwork for my future. At that time, my dad was an agricultural engineer, and my mom was a scientist (IEST). My mom has a PhD, and my dad has a Masters, both of them are well educated. As a kid growing up, I was very playful. If you wanted me to do something, let me know that I could go play. I was a natural athlete and enjoyed playing cricket, badminton, soccer, and table tennis. Just before my 12th birthday, we moved to Jamaica. I lived my formative years in Jamaica, and actually attended a prestigious boys school. I finished high school at the age of sixteen years old, and at that point, I was more interested in playing cricket. I wanted to make the West Indies team. I was pretty good at sciences and math, so my parents had other plans for me. They decided that I would go off to school with my sister.” He realized that he had a knack for math and science. It was around this time that Professor Lew-
is was witness to some significant scientific breakthroughs: Dolly the first ever cloned sheep, and Dr Tony (Anthony Atala) one of the most celebrated research surgeons, who grew an ear on the back of a mouse. This really excited him, and he began to think, “Maybe I can do well in the science field.” His parents supported him 100%. “I started to change my focus to more so academics, and ended up in biometric engineering.” He went to HCBU, and this was a positive thing for him. It allowed him to transition into the U.S. environment, and get used to the racial climate. The environment was focused on making sure that Black students excelled in their career paths. Things were not always easy, and he admits to facing some challenges. “There were people who made it clear to me that I shouldn’t be there.” He received his Ph.D. degree in 2012, and completed a postdoctoral fellowship learning alongside Dr. Benjamin Keselowsky in the Department of Biomedical Engineering at University of Florida. In 2015 Dr. Jamal Lewis joined the Biomedical Engineering Department at UC Davis as an Assistant Professor. “I ended up doing my PhD at the University of Florida, it is where things really blossomed for me. I started my company there.” Professor Lewis turned his focus to Immune Engineering, which allowed him to work on developing new therapies and new vaccines for diseases, specifically Regulatory Vaccine – Treatment and cure for Type 1 Diabetes. “It did well with mice, so we thought we could translate that to humans.” This is how OneVax, LLC was born.” Since then Professor Lewis received the 2017 National Institutes of Health of Maximizing Investigators’ Research Award (MIRA) for New and Early Stage, as well as being named the 2019 Regenerative Medicine Workshop Young Investigator Faculty
Award recipient at UC Davis. Professor Lewis ended our discussion with some well-stated wisdom. “Any Black person who is remotely successful, is going to be in situations where they are the only one. You have to embrace that. When you are younger, it can be intimidating, but I believe that you have to face that intimidation. You are there for a reason, you are probably over-qualified than most of the people in there. We are capable of doing everything, and anything other ethnic groups can do. Our media does not communicate that message. They don’t get to see Black people outside what is portrayed on television. There is going to be added pressure to demonstrate that you are there for a reason. Confidence is key. Remain calm and show people that you have the goods. I think for young Black researchers, the formula is pretty straightforward. First figure out if science and engineering is your passion. Once you’re past that step, then you have to commit to science and be disciplined. I would also strongly recommend young scientists to find a mentor (or mentors) who is interested in their success. They should also avidly read current/popular science publications and if possible, join a research laboratory. The STEM field is the most challenging career choice but a little organization and self-discipline goes a long way in ensuring your success.” Photo Credit: Sanj P Photography
Written by Simone J. Smith Toronto Caribbean News
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Specials in Effect Thu. Feb. 3rd until Wed., February 9th, 2022. Although we strive for accuracy in both copy & illustration, unintentional error may occur, we reserve the right to correct any error. Specials Available While Quantities Last. We reserve the right to limit quantities. Danforth Food Market 144 Kennedy Road South 289-298-0399
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FEATURE
Wednesday, February 2, 2022 | www.TOCaribNews.com | Toronto Caribbean News
Five tips for finding the perfect wedding dress As the bride, you will be the focus of everyone’s attention on your big day, including all the guests as well as your beloved, of course. But in order to be the most beautiful woman in the room, the star of the celebrations must choose her dress carefully. Here are a few tips to help you. 1.
2.
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Think before you shop. It’s exhausting trying on dozens of dresses at random in the hopes of finding the perfect one. Before going shopping, be sure to browse some magazines and search the Internet to narrow down the styles you prefer. Shop well in advance. Most people get married in the summer, so dressmakers’ agendas soon fill up and the prettiest dresses fly off the racks quickly. Make sure you plan enough time for the fittings. Choose carefully who you shop with. Don’t shop with a crowd of friends who will confuse you with all their
4.
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comments and diverging opinions. Choose one or two people who know you well and who have good taste. You’ll want them to be able to give you some honest feedback. Choose a dress that you like. Your dress should make you feel good and allow you to be yourself. You also want to be comfortable walking up the aisle and dancing. Naturally, you’ll also want to choose a model that flatters your figure. Bear in mind the general atmosphere. Your outfit should harmonize with the wedding theme and the reception hall. For instance, a formal sequined dress is not really appropriate for a country setting.
One last tip: decide how much you want to spend on your dress before you begin your search. That way you won’t ruin your whole wedding budget by splurging on an expensive dress.
PAGE 25
Wedding bands and accessories Has the time come to pay a visit to a jeweler in preparation for your wedding day? Be sure to do your homework first, because several factors have to be taken into account if you want to make the right choice. Wedding bands Wedding bands are the symbols of your union and must be chosen carefully. When searching for the perfect rings, your first step should be to set a budget and determine your preferences. •
• • •
The type of ring: solitaire (one stone); three stones set side by side; eternity or semi-eternity (stones set around a portion or the entire circumference of the ring). The metal: gold; platinum; silver; titanium. The stone: diamond; sapphire; ruby. The cut of the stone: square; elongated; heart; oval.
You’ll be wearing your wedding band
for a long time to come, so above all, make sure it’s comfortable. Accessories Your choice of jewelry will depend on the style of your dress, but don’t forget that the first rule of wedding jewelry is not to overdo it. If you’re wearing a rhinestone-encrusted bustier, you’re better off opting for earrings rather than a necklace. If you decide to wear earrings, the style you choose will depend on your hairstyle, the shape of your face—long earrings for a round face, for instance—the stones that adorn your dress and your hair ornament (wear small earrings with a big diadem). If you want to wear a bracelet as well, be sure to choose something discrete. Your dress is a simple one? An extravagant necklace could look great, as long as it goes well with the shape of your neckline. Now that you’ve established your criteria, it’s time to go shopping in search of perfection.
HEALTH
Wednesday, February 2, 2022 | www.TOCaribNews.com | Toronto Caribbean News
PAGE 27
What can be done if you fear a loved one has taken the wrong medication; Grandma Took the Wrong Pill
W. GIFFORDJONES MD DIANA GIFFORD-JONES COMMON SENSE HEALTH
Unintentional poisonings are on the rise. Deaths from poisoning occur at double the rate of motor vehicle deaths. It’s a heart-breaking fact that many deaths and injuries are completely avoidable, especially when young children are the victims. Yet, it may be surprising to know this: while children under age five account for about 40% of poison exposures requiring contact with emergency services, preventable poisoning deaths are nearly entirely within the adult population. Many factors are contributing to these tragedies. The opioid crisis is one of the problems. But there are other issues arising from increased isolation and the impact this is having on overall well-being, including among
older adults. Changes in age, health status, and many other considerations can make adjustments to prescriptions advisable. Many older people are trying to limit potential exposure to COVID-19. This and other COVID-related issues have reduced doctor visits to review prescription medications. Northern winter is another powerful motivator for one less trip to the pharmacy. It’s placing older adults at risk of deviating from prescriptions. Prior to the pandemic, unintentional poisonings among seniors were largely due to drug interactions. A large percentage of adults over the age of sixty-five years are prescribed medications from ten or more different drug classes, accounting for the majority of all adverse drug-related hospitalizations. Now there is concern about seniors engaging in intentional selfharm. Even in the best of times, older adults often experience loss of purpose. Retirement, the loss of a partner, and decline in physical health and cognitive abilities are the causes. Poor mental health, resulting from the dol-
drums of the pandemic is a new cause for concern. Self-harm by poisoning should be on the radar. Past research has shown that older adults who start thinking about suicide often have relatively easy access to large quantities of potent medications. What can be done if you fear a loved one has taken the wrong medication, or if there is any other fear of poisoning? In Canada, more than 4,000 people lose their lives each year due to poisoning. In the U.S., about 6,000 people call poison control helplines every day. An estimated 4,000 to 9,000 more don’t call for help when dealing with a poison exposure. That’s a lot of people taking potentially life-threatening problems into their own hands. Why don’t they call? Some people simply don’t like seeking help over the phone. They may be embarrassed, feel judged, or worry about scaring children who overhear the discussion. Adolescents and young adults are increasingly resistant to using the traditional technology of a phone call! Despite statistics showing in-
creased cases of unintentional poisonings, poison control organizations report declines in call volumes over the past decade. So, they are developing new options. Fully automated and interactive tools may not be the same as speaking to an expert on a helpline, but these online and downloadable resources do offer a new way to get fast assistance. One example is available at poison.org. It enables people who fear a mix up in medication to scan barcodes on products, use imprinted codes on pills, or even enter descriptions of the size, shape and colour of medications. These tools can help determine if an emergency room visit is needed. Take a look at online resources for a refresher in poisoning prevention. In addition to medication, they offer reminders about the perils of household cleaners, little batteries, and the ubiquitous hand sanitizer. Helping grandma be safe can involve keeping all these risky items out of reach of her grandchildren too.
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Wednesday, February 2, 2022 | www.TOCaribNews.com | Toronto Caribbean News
COMMUNITY
PAGE 29
You can’t ask for support without first offering your time DAVID ANDERSON d_anderson@carib101.com
ENTREPRENEURSHIP
As an entrepreneur, I noticed that 98% of businesses are so focused on finances, and attracting new customers; what about your community? Have you been involved in your community? You cannot ask for support before offering your time, service or money. Money and sales are very touchy subjects for entrepreneurs and customers. The problem is that some businesses do not show that they care for social and economic issues. Consumers want to see you care about what they care about. This is why many businesses over the past ten years have incorporated more gender inclusive practices. For example, many businesses, malls and schools decided to stand for change or a cause. They decided to have gender fluid
washrooms, which is something the LGBTQ+ community has been fighting for. Some big companies such as: Apple, Facebook, Twitter, IBM and BMW changed their logo to add the rainbow colours for one month. This allowed members of that community to feel comfortable with certain brands. This translated to sales. Sadly, many of these companies’ support are limited to one month, project, resource or event. Support should be genuine and everlasting. How does a business engage with their community? Social Media Finding a social issue and targeting audiences to engage with is important to being a part of the community. Take notes on what you like once you find a community, or organization to support. Secondly, take notes on how you can support this organization. You can support by volunteering your time, mobilizing resources, donating money, cementing on post, reposting flyers on social media and content. Underserved communities Many communities are overlooked and un-
derserved. This is an issue that has not been solved yet. Organizations get funding and use a small percentage towards their community, events, food or programming. There needs to be more people like you and I willing to change this narrative. Think about it like this: If you are comfortable enough to engage with people in a community; they will feel comfortable interacting with your brand, walking into your store and reaching out to you for support, opportunities. Referrals are based upon trust. Build trust within a community and have a plan to be consistent in your commitment. Create your own Having your own community allows you to be free in posting social media content. You can create a mastermind community where entrepreneurs get together to discuss how they can support each other in business. A mastermind group is a group that consists of two or more individuals brainstorming ideas with similar goals in mind. The purpose of this group is to mobilize and maximize community/personal resources. Mastermind groups are powerful because once projects are finalized, communities grow by default. This is where people are
able to network and communicate with likeminded entrepreneurs all over the world. You can also sell your mastermind group’s sessions. For example, I can organize a mastermind group workshop on entrepreneurship and marketing. In this workshop Steve Harvey, Gary V and Drake will be speaking about what it takes to be an entrepreneur. This event will be sold out if marketed properly. Members of Drake’s, Steve Harvey’s and Gary V’s will register and participate. This joins communities together. Tip Remember to take down emails and contact information if you want to build a community. This can be a goal of yours with every interaction or networking event. Once you start to grow your community, ensure to communicate with them, mobilize resources and provide special promotions. Whether you are thinking about creating your own community or being a part of another support wholeheartedly. Support the community without any intentions. Put your best foot forward and you will receive many blessings and opportunities for yourself and business.
PAGE 30
LIFE
Toronto Caribbean News | www.TOCaribNews.com | Wednesday, February 2, 2022
Experience Is not always the best teacher DANIEL COLE
daniel@carib101.com
PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT
People who keep repeating the same mistakes over and over again are not learning from experience, and neither is experience their best teacher. One lesson learned over a period of ten years does not equate to ten years of experience, it’s just a lesson repeatedly learned for a period of ten years. Contrary to popular belief that experience is the best teacher; well, over the years, I have realized that experiences are just experiences; they are not necessarily the best teachers. Some people learn and grow as a result of their experience; some people don’t. Everybody has some kind of
experience. It’s what you do with that experience that matters. We all begin our lives as empty notebooks. Every day we have an opportunity to record new experiences on our pages. With the turning of each page, we gain more knowledge and understanding. Ideally, as we progress our notebooks become filled with notations and observations. The problem is that not all people make the best use of their notebooks. Reflection turns experience into insight; it is the application of those insights that makes an experience valuable. An experience void of reflection and evaluation is just a memory. Experience, negative or positive, only really helps us if we reflect on it, learn the right lessons from it, and change the right behaviours as a result. To benefit from our experiences, we first need to understand what lesson the experience is teaching us. However, the reality of life is you will experience more than you can ever understand. Too much
happens to us in life for us to be able to understand all of it. Suffice to say, not all experiences are useful. Smart people learn from their experience. Wise people learn from others’ experiences. You really don’t have to make all the mistakes yourself to learn the lesson of experience. True wisdom avoids many mistakes by observing and learning the right lessons gleaned from others. According to Francine & Byron Pirola, “Whether it’s our own or someone else’s experience, learning from experience is just an academic exercise if it doesn’t translate into a change in behaviour. Whether the experience was positive or negative, success or failure, if we don’t reflect on it effectively, the experience will fail to teach, or worse, teach us the wrong things.” The school of life offers many difficult courses. Some we sign up for willingly, others we find ourselves taking unexpectedly. One of the ironies of life experiences is that, while it may offer insight and lessons, it may also be a tool that holds people back
in life. A painful past experience can be a lesson or an excuse because some won’t move forward in life. This may be a good self-protective strategy in the short term, but in the long run, you will realize that life cannot be lived in a cocoon; you sometimes need to live outside your experience to move ahead. Experience may not be the best teacher. However, the lack of it may be costly. The great American novelist Mark Twain once remarked, “I know a man who grabbed a cat by the tail, and he learned 40% more about cats than the man who didn’t.” You just have to hope that the price is not greater than the value of the experience you gain, and sometimes you cannot judge what the price will be until you have gained the experience. The young must observe and learn, they should read through the stories, histories, and biographies of their heroes. Harry Golden remarked, “The arrogance of the young is a direct result of not having known enough consequences.”
Wednesday, February 2, 2022 | www.TOCaribNews.com | Toronto Caribbean News
LIFE
PAGE 31
7 activities that can improve your balance What to do if you have a nosebleed Nosebleeds can be frightening but are usually harmless. Whether your nosebleed is caused by dry air, allergies or trauma to the nose, you must take steps to stop the bleeding. Make sure you:
Are you taking blood thinners or anticoagulant medica tions? Do you frequently get nosebleeds? Do they last for more than 20 minutes? If you answered yes to any of these questions, you should consult a doctor.
• Don’t tilt your head back. This can cause blood to flow down your throat. Tilting your head back can also prevent your blood from clot ting and make it difficult to estimate the amount of blood you’ve lost. Ins tead, keep your head up right or tilted slightly forward.
You must have good balance to stand, walk, run and avoid falling. Here are seven activities you may want to try to im prove your equilibrium. 1. Yoga helps strengthen several muscle groups and there are various balancing poses that can improve your sta bility. 2. Horseback riding works your back and leg muscles to help you stay on the horse and match its rhythm.
• Pinch your nostrils for five to 10 mi nutes to stop the bleeding. Use a tissue or cotton ball to absorb any excess blood. • Sit down and rest in a quiet place for a few minutes without blowing your nose. 3. Ice skating engages your core and helps build stability in your legs. At first, it may be tricky to balance on a thin blade while gliding over a slippery surface.
The medical term for a nosebleed is epistaxis.
4. Paddleboarding strengthens your glutes and hamstrings. If you’re paddling over rough water, both sides of your body need to work equally as hard to keep you upright.
What you need to know about Botox Many men and women get Botox in jections to reduce the appea rance of fine lines. Here are some things you should know about this cosmetic treatment. What’s Botox? Botox is the trade name for botuli num toxin. This injectable treat ment temporarily paralyzes the fa cial muscles responsible for wrinkles to make the skin appear smooth.
tely resume your daily activities af ter receiving the injections. When will you see the results? You may start to notice the effects of Botox within three to four days. How ever, the full results might not be vi sible for one to two weeks. Moreo
ver, most people require touch-up injections every three to eight mon ths. Are you interested in getting Botox? If so, contact a clinic near you that spe cializes in this type of cosmetic treat ment.
5. Dancing requires muscle co-ordination. Additionally, you must learn how to maintain your balance while per forming each movement in time to music. 6. Rock climbing requires you to master proper balan cing techniques. Your sense of equilibrium will help you ascend, reach, grasp and grip when climbing.
What areas does it treat? Botox is most often used to smooth frown lines and crow’s feet. However, it can also be used to reduce the ap pearance of neck wrinkles. How long does it take? A Botox injection session usually only takes about 30 minutes. More over, once administered, the treat ment doesn’t require any recovery time. Therefore, you can immedia Did you know that Botox can be used to treat medical conditions like chronic neurological pain and muscle spasms? 7. Karate helps maintain muscle mass and improve ba lance. For example, you must have good balance to land on your feet after a kick or jump. Remember, before starting a new sport or physical activity, it’s a good idea to talk to a doctor.
PAGE 32
LIFE
Toronto Caribbean News | www.TOCaribNews.com | Wednesday, February 2, 2022
“It was just like in the movies.” Reliving my Past Trauma SIMONE SMITH simone@carib101.com
HUMAN SPECIALIST
They loaded us into a van and closed the door. It was night-time, so I was able to take in the lights of the city. It was such a beautiful sight. I knew that I had to live in this nightmare a little bit longer, but somehow, the glistening of the lights soothed me. It was about twenty minutes later that officers returned to the vehicle and started the van. We pulled off, and about five minutes later we came to a stop in front of a large grey building that had no windows. The van sat at the front of a large gate, and I saw the officer speak to the security guard who was posted at the gate. They bantered for a little, and I heard them laugh over what seemed to
be a private joke. The security guard then raised the gate, and just like that, I was escorted to my temporary abode. We came to a stop in front of two large steel doors. The officer turned off the van and stepped out. Two correctional officers who walked over to the side of the van and opened the doors greeted him. They told us to step out of the van and stand against the wall. They looked over our documents and opened the steel doors. As we were led inside, I looked around. It was just like in the movies. The buildings were a light grey with dark grey floors. The halls looked like they went on forever, and at the end of the hall were two large gates. We were instructed to stand against the wall as we were checked in. I forced myself not to look nervous, but to be honest I was. I was closer to being home but had no idea what the next two nights were going to look like. I had experienced life in Panama, was terrified and lived through it. I had survived holding, and now it was time to spend a few nights in jail. Why the hell was I so scared?
I heard a loud beep, and the gates at the end of the long hall opened. “Simone Smith; step forward.” I stepped forward and the officer gestured to me to follow him. “Good luck,” the girl who had travelled with me said. For some reason, I couldn’t remember her name. “Thank you,” I said back. It was nice of her to say, and I began to wonder; why would I need luck? As I passed through the gates, I was led to a large elevator. It was one of those shaft elevators that opened from the bottom up. We stepped in and took it to the third floor. When we stepped out there was a correctional officer sitting at the front of another gate. He was watching a small television and had a heater on beside his makeshift desk. “One more for you,” the officer said to the man. “Working the graveyard shift tonight I see,” the man responded. “This one,” the officer said, referring to me, “Was a late-night arrival. I will hand her off to you now.”
The man took my paperwork from the officer and instructed me to hold my arms up. He took the cuffs of my wrists and pushed the gates open. “Follow me.” I stepped through the gate and we walked down another long hallway, this time on each side were gated cells, each holding a young woman. Some of them were awake and the others were sleeping. The ones who were awake were just sitting there, staring off into space. There was something that was hopeless about these women: like life had stripped them of everything. The officer stopped just after one of the open cells, “In,” he said. I walked in and heard the gates shut behind me. “Lights out in thirty minutes,” the guard told me. I had no idea what time it was, so his words were meaningless. I sat down on a steel bed with a thin mattress and stared out towards the now empty hall. I just sat there …
LIFE
Wednesday, February 2, 2022 | www.TOCaribNews.com | Toronto Caribbean News
PAGE 33
Cannabis is a truly remarkable plant and one of nature’s works of art! SEAN SEURATTAN sean@carib101.com
THE HEIGHTENED CHEF Cannabis is a truly remarkable plant and one of nature’s works of art! The vast diversity of its genetics allows for a multitude of benefits, both mental and physical. However, modern science has had little chance to truly investigate and prove how these things are true. Now that legal barriers have been removed in Canada, more attention and resources will quickly change this. Until science can catch up to the leading edge of cannabis innovation, we must continue to rely upon the cannabis community’s extensive history of collective experiences. First and foremost, it must be stated that cannabis affects each person differently. Finding the benefits that specifically affect you is a process, but it does not have to be a blind journey. Drawing on the countless experiences from decades of cannabis consumption, creating The Heightened Chef has given us a unique perspective into the benefits of cannabis. Being able to get so much regular feedback over years from such a large, diverse group, using a highly controlled dosage in a relatively similar environment, affords us a special view of the spectrum of cannabis’ effects on people. Of course, getting high is
thought to be the most desired effect but this plant in its many forms can serve a much broader purpose. It may be helpful to frame these benefits within the illnesses and ailments they help alleviate. Cancer is a scourge of the human race, and it ravages the body on its course of destruction. That said, current treatments like chemotherapy often meet the disease with equal force and can have equally harsh effects. Chronic pain, nausea and loss of appetite are common side effects. Fortunately, cannabis has benefits that directly combat these symptoms reliably. Chemotherapy patients were amongst the first to receive access to medical cannabis licenses in the history of legalization. An increase in appetite is one the most common effects of cannabis use, widely known as the «munchies.» Paired with the fact that cannabis is also an excellent anti-nauseate, it gives patients a chance to have a normal diet during an otherwise very taxing experience. This gets rid of chronic pain, most likely aggravated by lack of energy from the other symptoms. Chronic pain is the leading cause of disability and drastically affects mental health over time as well. Providing an addiction free alternative to opioid pharmaceuticals will give cannabis the ability to revolutionize the space, until we can eliminate cancer completely. Another debilitating condition is epilepsy, and it relentlessly affects millions of people across the globe. Seizures and muscle spasms can be an everyday occurrence, often without notice. Once over, the body is left exhausted and sore. For most,
this is a lifelong affliction with little hope for a light at the end of the tunnel. That was until just relatively recently when it was discovered that some of the active ingredients in cannabis bond to the brain cells responsible for causing seizures and spasms and regulate their relaxation. Most famously demonstrating this was Charlotte Figi, a young girl crippled by hundreds of micro seizures per day. After pharmaceutical products left her in a vegetative state for most of the day, her mother decided to attempt another option, CBD. Though still illegal in her country at the time, she was able to receive a dosage and the results were miraculous. After one day, a new child emerged. It was such a success that the growers of her medicine refined and named the CBD heavy strain Charlotte’s Web, which continues to help hundreds of thousands even after her passing. Cannabis can also help with soreness and muscle pain externally as well! When used topically as a cream, balm or ointment on affected areas, regular feedback says that it is an effective method of pain relief. Within recent years, mental illness is finally getting the attention it so drastically deserved from the general public. It suffered the same fate as cannabis in terms of stigma and misinformation. Often misdiagnosed and under treated, people with these illnesses were left to navigate a treacherous course of opioids and antidepressants pushed by the pharmaceutical industry. Cannabis has come to their aid in a few ways. First, it can be used to help overcome addiction to those previously men-
tioned drugs. As a much safer and much less addicting alternative, it helps to ease withdrawal symptoms while providing an exit strategy from those drugs altogether. Anxiety is a disorder that can be a symptom of another problem or an affliction all to itself. Cannabis in all its forms has the incredible ability to reduce stress. The relaxing sensation it gives can take the edge off of what might be a debilitating panic attack or provide an element of stability to an overwhelming situation. Even in social situations it can be helpful to create connections with others that could strengthen mental stability and support networks. Another symptom of mental illness can be lack of sleep. Being kept awake with disturbing thoughts and feelings deprives you of energy the next day. Cannabis assists with this by triggering the brain to create melatonin, which is the chemical that tells your body it’s time for bed. Most people we’ve encountered at The Heightened Chef use cannabis as a sleep aid to some extent. The medicinal uses for cannabis are just now being fully accepted as science can begin to provide concrete evidence as to how they can help. These benefits have been far too helpful for them to be ignored until then though. Bravery is required to see the key to finding how cannabis can improve your quality of life. The Heightened Chef has been designed to be a platform to share knowledge and a beacon for positive cannabis use. We are truly excited to see how this beautiful plant can change the world!
Observe and respond to others needs; another look at our society STEVEN KASZAB steven@carib101.com
INSIGHT TO SOCIETY
I went for a long walk yesterday. It was very cold but sunny, so a brisk walk was called for. While I walked the 5.8 kilometres, I started picking up the cans and containers of beer, spirits and wine thrown from cars. I often do this, mostly because I do like my community to be clean, unpolluted. There is a public pond down the road that gets the same treatment, a good cleaning every so often. I counted fifty-seven beer cans, thirteen beer bottles, three mickeys and five large wine or spirits bottles. Since they were right beside the roads I walked on, I
can only assume they were thrown from these passing vehicles. I also walked through a residential development under construction near my home. The work place was littered with beer, spirit and wine containers also. One day I picked up eleven beer bottles and two mickeys or spirits. Is it not illegal to drink and work in a private workplace? We are certainly not allowed to drink and drive? All these empty alcohol containers tell me that many of my neighbour’s and visitors to my community do drink and drive, or drink alcohol while handling tools and machinery. I know we are living through a pandemic, and that we are all experiencing added pressures and stresses that may cause mishaps of judgement, and decisions badly made. I am not perfect. I have made serious mistakes myself, decisions I wish I could remake. Our decisions not only affect us, but also the people we care for, and all our community. Our fellow employees deserve
working beside someone who is 100% present and alert. The people driving vehicles in your community deserve to know and believe that alert, sober people drive those vehicles passing them by. The police cannot be everywhere, and if you ask them, they will tell you for every person they find drinking and driving, they miss over thirty others who may be under the influence of alcohol or drugs. What can we do about these unmentioned, secret happenings? Well if you know someone who drives or works while under the influence you should speak up. Your silence will only allow these people to carry on their way, and possibly hurt themselves or innocent people. Did you know that it is a crime to know a crime will be carried out, and you do not do something about it? Yes indeed. Now I suggest you not be a snitch, but you should speak up, telling the un-sober to not drive, or not work while they are in that condition. Enabling a criminal is illegal, and drinking and driving is a crime.
You may not think it is such a bad situation out there on the streets or at your workplace, until the painful loss; the fear and carnage touches your life directly. Your parents go for a ride and do not return. Mom or dad suffers harm at their workplace. The nice evening you’re experiencing suddenly ends with a single phone call, telling you your life is about to change. I have always thought being proactive is best, and that being up front with those you love is most effective. Start at home and at your workplace. Identify those who are in need, who need a friendly word at first, or perhaps a reprimand by the authorities. If someone is an addict or alcoholic the authorities are prepared to assist them, and your attention and empathy will be effective. Some people’s temporary anger is negated by their long-term survival, right? Go for a walk some time, and look around you. The trash and pollution of others will tell you much about your community and neighbours.
Should you “friend” your child on Facebook? With more than one billion users, Facebook is the largest social network in almost every country around the world. As a parent, you’ll find it’s difficult to escape the phenomenon. Is it better to be friends with your children on “FB” or, conversely, should you leave them this bit of privacy? To answer the question, another has to be asked first: how old are your children? If they haven’t
reached the minimum enrollment age of 13 but you let them join anyway (and lie about their age), it’s best to friend them so you can have some control over the information and pictures they publish on their walls. Be clear with your children that you’re not doing this to spy on them, but to protect them and teach them to recognize and avoid potential dangers. But be wise; being their Facebook friend doesn’t mean
you have to “like” and comment on everything they share. Be present, but stay in the background. Your children’s need for independence and privacy increases during adolescence. Unless you have reason to be afraid of inappropriate online behavior, it’s often better not to be their friend on Facebook during this stage of their lives. If they send you an invitation, then go ahead and thank them for
the privilege. But if they don’t, don’t make an issue of it. Safety should always be the priority, whatever your children’s age. Show them how they can control the privacy settings and remind them to never share personal information or compromising images. Be sure they know they can always count on you in the event of a problem.
PAGE 34
LIFE
True or false Q U
Toronto Caribbean News | www.TOCaribNews.com | Wednesday, February 2, 2022
Homework IZ
Ecoresponsibility and the environment
Are you concerned about global warming and pollution? Do you want to help protect the planet? If so, answer these questions to test your knowledge about these important issues. TRUE OR FALSE 1. Methane is more potent than carbon dioxide.
5 things that can affect your conc entration Do you sometimes find it hard to study or do your homework? If so, here are five things that may be affecting your ability to concentrate. 1. Hunger If you haven’t eaten in a while, munch on a healthy snack to give your brain energy.
5. Technology Keep your phone, computer or tablet out of your line of sight. These devices can be distracting, especially if they make loud sounds. Happy studying!
2. Thirst Dehydration can affect your memory. Therefore, keep a water bottle on hand and take frequent sips. 3. Temperature Being too hot or cold is uncomfortable and can prevent you from being able to concentrate. If you’re warm, you can turn on a fan or open a window. If you’re chilled, put on a sweater or grab a blanket. 4. Fatigue Getting enough sleep allows your brain to function at its full potential. Listen to your parents when they tell you to go to bed, and don’t stay up late watching TV or playing games.
2. You must use a reusable grocery bag at least 15 times to make it more eco-friendly than a plastic bag. 3. One bus can take 30 to 40 cars off the road.
8 ideas for mud play 4. Nearly half of a video game console’s annual po wer is consumed in standby mode. 5. Vegetables produce the most greenhouse gas emissions. 6. Becoming a vegetarian is one of the best things you can do for the environment. 7. About 10 per cent of the world’s electricity co mes from coal-fired power stations.
Playing outside in the spring can get messy. However, with the right clothes and your parent’s permission, playing in the mud can be a lot of fun. Here are eight muddy games to try this spring. 1. Decorate mud cakes using things like pebbles, small branches and dead leaves. 2. Make funny footprints in the mud with your feet or objects to make it look like a strange creature wandered by. 3. Dig channels in the mud and fill them with water to float a toy boat. 4. Walk barefoot in the mud and watch the earth crack as it dries. Make sure the mud isn’t too cold and that there aren’t any nails or shards of glass in the ground. 5. Draw patterns and characters in the mud.
6. Make a mud hill to drive your toy trucks up and down. 7. Throw mud balls at a target. However, you should never throw mud at someone unless they say it’s OK. 8. Jump into a muddy puddle with both feet and try to make a big splash. This spring, enjoy playing outside in the fresh air.
ANSWERS 1. True. 2. False. It must be used at least 35 times. 3. True. 4. True. 5. False. Animal products like beef, fish and ilk produce the most greenhouse gases. 6. True. 7. False. It’s about 40 per cent.
Wednesday, February 2, 2022 | www.TOCaribNews.com | Toronto Caribbean News
REAL ESTATE
PAGE 35
First time buyer - Get out of the cold JAY BRIJPAUL brijpaul@carib101.com
REAL ESTATE PRO
Recently, I have noticed that almost all properties on the market are selling, on average, $100,000 above asking price. Sellers have the option to choose. The market is brutal, and prices are inflated. In order to compete, buyers are giving up their opportunities to arrange financing or conduct a home inspection. If you are planning on buying your first home in 2022, here are eight suggestions to consider. If you are aspiring to buy a home sometime in the future, start planning. It’s a good time to work and pay down debts such as student loans, credit cards, car loans and other expenses. Try to save at least one or two paycheques per month. Invest in a good dividend stock for now instead of leaving your money sitting in a savings account. Know your financial capabilities. A rule of thumb is that the lender would lend about four and a half time times your gross income. Assuming a gross income of $100,000, based on this, your lender would lend about $450,000 in mortgage. Next, add your down payment to arrive at your purchase price. If your down payment is $50,000, then your purchase price cannot exceed $500,000. Put aside 2% of the purchase price to cover closing costs. Consult with a lender or mortgage broker for a pre-approved mortgage. The lender would require an application along with your job letters, and your social insurance number. This is an important step because it is analogous to an X-Ray of your financial capabilities based on your credit, outstanding debts, income, and down
payment. The lender or mortgage broker would then recommend what price range to shop. With the help of a realtor, it’s time to start looking for a property. Meet with your realtor and review your list of needs verses wants, location and type of property. Your realtor can narrow the search to accommodate for your budget. When shopping for properties, ask someone, such as a homeowner, who is familiar with properties to accompany you. They can assist with a quick assessment. Look at major elements such as furnace, electrical, windows, roof, and foundation. The seller may have a home inspection report and can share it as well. It is not cost effective to pre-inspect every home you like. An inspection can cost around five hundred dollars. In today’s crazy real estate market, a buyer can be out bidden many times and if they conduct a home inspection every time, they are essentially pouring money down the drain. When buying, choose your location first, then size and then amenities. You can always upgrade a bigger home, but you cannot always extend a smaller home. Once you find a home that meets your criteria, it’s time to give the seller an offer. Ask your realtor for a list of similar homes that were sold in that neighbourhood recently. This will give you an idea as to the market price verses selling price. Your realtor will be able to communicate how many offers are registered on the property. If you are the only one offering, then submit an offer that is lower than the asking price. If there are many other offers, give the seller your highest price along with a strong deposit and the possession date they prefer. Hopefully, the seller chooses your offer over the others. Always review the documents you are signing. One important document is called a buyer representation agreement. In some cases, you may have to compensate the brokerage for their services. Realtors are usually compensated by the seller but if your contract states otherwise, then
question it. Make the contract expiry date as short as possible. This way, you are not tied into a long-term agreement with that brokerage. Many buyers fall into traps where they are not pleased with the services of their realtor but because of the length of the contract, they are stuck. If they buy a home through a different brokerage, then the other brokerage can sue for commission. With legal fees, this cost can be substantial. As a first-time buyer, take advantage of using your RRSP towards your down payment. An individual can use up to $35,000, and a couple $70,000. If you have your down payment saved in an account but did not take advantage of your RRSP contribution over the years, then do so quickly. This will reduce your income bracket triggering a tax refund. Many families are currently renting and are despondent because of house prices. There are a few options available. Take a two-hour drive away from the epicentre
of Toronto and you can find some properties at affordable prices. If you are working from home or in a position to relocate, this is a good reason to move. If you can’t, then consider pooling your savings with another family member or close friend and buy a home. This way, you can share the monthly expenses and enjoy homeownership. Later, you can work out an arrangement to split the profits or use it to buy another home. The eighth suggestion is to ask your parents for help. With the recent increase in house prices, many homeowners are sitting on a large nest egg. Parents can give their children a boost by releasing some equity from their current home for a down payment. It is not easy to get out of a rental cycle. Start by making a conscious effort to save and pay off debts. Protect your creditworthiness and buy anything you can afford now. This way, instead of paying rent you are paying towards your home. It’s a quantum leap, but you can do it.
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PAGE 36
HOME
How to soundproof your home Are you tired of hearing your neighbours? Do you need a quiet place to work? If so, here are a few tips for soundproofing your home. • Install drywall or acoustic panels. You can soundproof the noisiest rooms in your home by installing high-quality drywall, acous tic plasterboard or acoustic panels. These materials effectively reduce noise transmission through walls and doors. Use an acoustic sealant to achieve optimal results. • Upgrade the windows and doors. Windows and doors made of low-quality, lightweight materials don’t effectively block out noise. Replace your old doors with ones made of heavy wood, steel, composite, fibreglass or particleboard to reduce sound infiltration. Make sure your
windows are airtight, and consider opting for triple-glazed or specially designed glass to maximize soundproofing. • Add furniture and accessories. Thick curtains, plush carpets, chairs, sofas and cushioned rugs can effectively dampen sound. Though these items aren’t specifically designed to reduce noise, they do help muffle sounds. • Find the source of the problem. Do your floors creak? Do you hear running water when someone flushes the toilet? If so, try to find out where these sounds are coming from to correct the problem at the source. If you need help soundproofing your home, contact a professional contractor in your area.
Toronto Caribbean News | www.TOCaribNews.com | Wednesday, February 2, 2022
How to choose a front door If you want to improve the curb appeal of your home, consider replacing your front door. Here are four things to consider when choosing one. 1. Material The material you choose for your front door will impact its strength and style. Wood doors are timeless, but they require regular maintenance. Steel doors are durable and affordable, while fibreglass doors are sturdy, energy-efficient and available in many colours. Make sure you research the pros and cons of each material before making your choice. 2. Glazing Glazed doors add a touch of elegance and allow natural light into your home. However, keep in mind that all-glass doors and those with large glass inserts must be
made of reinforced glass to remain secure. 3. Insulation If you live in a cold climate, it’s important to make sure the door you choose has good insulation. Additionally, a well-insulated door can help block out street noise. Look for an Energy Star certified model to ensure you choose a high-quality product. 4. Personalization You can customize your front door with unique hard ware and accessories like mouldings, inlays, handles and locks. You may even be able to personalize the glazing pattern. To find a door that suits your style and budget, visit your local home improvement stores.
FUN
Wednesday, February 2, 2022 | www.TOCaribNews.com | Toronto Caribbean News
PAGE 37
WEEK OF JANUARY 30 TO FEBRUARY 5, 2022
ARIES
The luckiest signs this week: ARIES, TAURUS AND GEMINI
You are surrounded by many good people in your personal and profes sional life. You’ll devote yourself to someone you love. However, you may be taken advantage of.
TAURUS
You’ll have a stressful week. However, it’ll motivate you to focus on your health or exercise more. You enjoy the finer things in life. There fore, try boosting your morale by occasionally treating yourself.
PUZZLE NO. 754 ANSWER TO PUZZLE NO. 754
HOW TO PLAY :
GEMINI
Your plans may be delayed due to unforeseen circumstances. At work, space out your meetings to avoid putting more stress on yourself. This is an excellent time to start your own business.
Fill in the grid so that every row, every column, and every 3x3 box contains the numbers 1 through 9 only once.
CANCER
Your friends will ask you to go on a spontaneous adventure. Nothing makes you happier than a change of scenery, even if it’s just a walk in the park.
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.
LEO
You may be going through an emotional time. Some people don’t deserve your friendship and are drain ing your energy. Demand the respect you deserve.
VIRGO
PUZZLE NO. 44 57. Lower joint 58. Long hair 59. Plant fluid 60. ____ Benedict 61. Peck film, with “The” DOWN
1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9.
ACROSS
1. Event 5. Sound reverberation 9. Build on 12. Customer 13. Suitor 14. Yo-yo, e.g. 15. Stern 16. Choicest
17. Poetic form 18. Light wood 20. Shaking 22. Revoke officially 25. Smash 29. Wanderer 33. High flier 34. Lounge 36. Couple
37. Suggestions 39. Neat 41. Audio system 43. Pastry shop 46. Resound 51. Pay dirt 52. Like suntan lotion 55. Superstar 56. Fruity dessert
Restrain Cruising Shut tight Is mistaken Decline Passing grade Swiftness Left in the dust Part of a molecule 10. Extinct bird 11. Colorist 19. Skill 21. Run off 23. Skinny fish 24. Earlier 25. Take to the slopes 26. Kept secret 27. Broke bread 28. Torment 30. Injure 31. Need aspirin 32. Not wet 35. Before, to
Shelley 38. Golf shot 40. Medic 42. Looking at 43. Hits 44. Opera feature 45. Withhold 47. Prom-night wheels 48. Cartwright boy 49. Zilch 50. Secluded valley
53. Voyage segment 54. Affirmative reply
ANSWER TO PUZZLE NO. 44
You may be under a lot of pressure to make an important decision. However, take the time you need to gather all the facts and weigh the pros and cons.
LIBRA
You may find yourself inundated with work. Although you feel stres sed, putting in the extra effort now will help you advance your career in the future.
SCORPIO
Although you prefer to keep a low profile, this week you’ll be put in the limelight. You’ll have to overcome your shyness and acknowl edge those cheering you on.
SAGITTARIUS
If your children no longer live with you, you may decide it’s time to sell your home to enjoy more freedom. If you’re in a new relation ship, you may discuss moving in together in the near future.
CAPRICORN
You’ll have plenty of engaging conversations this week. At work, you’ll expand your client base. Your advice will be well received and could help improve your finances.
AQUARIUS
Money is a source of stress for manypeople. Give yourself a break by taking the time to contact an expert and find a suitable solution.
PISCES
This week, you’ll feel like you can do anything. You’ll be inspired to take on a professional or personal activity that fulfills your innermost desires.
CROSSWORD PUZZLE ANSWERS USE AMERICAN SPELLING
the free
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HELP WANTED • ITEMS FOR SALE • PERSONALS • ANNOUNCEMENTS • AND MUCH MORE! FOR SALE FOR SALE FOR SALE IN TRINIDAD: 10500 Square Feet, approved by Town and Country Lights and Water. Close to Mount Irvine golf course,airport and Store Bay and Curlan Beach, Call 647-218-1333
FOR SALE COMMUNITY ART GALLERY: Swiss-HaitianFinnish artist’s first solo show in North A merica work prompted by the cultural and political activist campaign “Demounting Louis Agassiz”.Sasha Huber Feb 5 - May 1, 2022. THE POWER PLANT 231 Queens Quay West, www.thepowerplant.org ART GALLERY: Toronto-based Canadian artist transforms gallery space into an arboreal landscape with her new site-specific installation, referencing profound identity shifts that Caribbean immigrants experience when arriving in Canada. Sandra Brewster Feb 5 May 1, 2022. thepowerplant.org
FORWANTED SALE HELP GENERAL HELPER: Looking for a helper to do general labour, garden cleaning, landscaping, and winter snow removal. Cash paid weekly. Located at Morningside & Lawrence in Scarborough. Please call: (416)269-5174.
HIRING FOR CLEANING: Looking for experience people for general cleaning evenings and night. Must speak English and can drive to areas in the GTA. Call or Text 647-239-4808. Seriou calls only
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SALES REPS WANTED
FOR SALE WORSHIP SUNDAY SERVICE: Fountain of Truth Ministries Pastor: Reverend Maxine Campbell Worship Address: 2170 Kipling Avenue, Etobicoke Percy Johnson School – Cafeteria Sundays: 10.am – 2. pm Teaching, Worship, Ministering For info call: 416 748 0211 MISSISSAUGA: Mississauga Missionary Baptist Church invites you to join us at 1620 Dundas St West, each Sunday at 10am for praise, worship and in-depth Bible teaching with Pastor Sean, 416-219-9137
We are in the process of expansion and constantly looking for the best of the best! Dedicated salespeople; people interested in opportunities to help others while also being able to help themselves. For more information, please contact Trish 647-722-6298 or trish@carib101.com
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PAGE 40
FINANCE
Toronto Caribbean News | www.TOCaribNews.com | Wednesday, February 2, 2022
It seems clear that crypto is more than just hype and will be sticking around for a long time to come! CLEVE DeSOUZA cleve@carib101.com
WEALTH MANAGEMENT
Chances are you have come across the term “cryptocurrency” while browsing articles online or reading an investment blog. Or, your nephew has come bounding in one afternoon, excitedly gibbering about the latest, greatest new addition to the crypto boom. For many of us, though, the world of crypto remains a trendy mystery. So just what is cryptocurrency and why is it so popular? Here are some basics that explain the crypto “hype” and help you decide whether you should invest in it or not. What is cryptocurrency? Cryptocurrency is a form of exchange based in the digital realm. These financial transactions use cryptographic algorithms to verify that the data containing the transaction is valid. Cryptocurrency transactions take place over the internet. Cryptocurrencies use blockchain technology to keep records of all financial transactions. These blockchains are transparent to all users. That means that, unlike a traditional bank, the public can view all transaction records. So anyone who uses cryptocurrency can see on the blockchain record that their money is not being “double spent” by private institutions. Any two parties participating in a cryptocurrency transaction will be able to send and receive money digitally with minimal fees. So, again, unlike a traditional bank, cryptocurrency users can avoid any high annual fees. What kinds of cryptocurrency are there? While Bitcoin is the most famous crypto-
currency in Canada, there are in fact over 15,000 different cryptocurrencies available. And more are being developed all the time. In general, cryptocurrencies can be divided into several categories based on what they do: •
•
•
•
Currency: This is the most commonly known form of crypto. Bitcoin is a great example; you can use this type of crypto as you would use any other form of currency, from dollars to euros to pesos. Asset: Crypto coins can also be used as an asset. This means that the digital coins themselves can accrue value over time, just as the gold standard fluctuates with time. System shift: Some cryptocurrencies are designed with progress in mind. The goal of these developments is to improve or radically alter a pre-existing form of financial and/or digital exchange. Art object, joke, or entertainment: Some serious cryptocurrencies have started out as jokes. One example, Dogelon Mars (ELON), was created in order to support future “InterPlanetary Money Transactions”. The joke has paid off. Dogelon Mars is now worth over $500 million.
Just what is all the hype about? The nature of cryptocurrency and blockchain technology, crypto offers a radically new, decentralized mode of financial exchange. There is no central authority controlling the market, and cryptocurrencies transcend national and institutional boundaries. Each financial transaction is swift, secure, digital, and global. The blockchain serves as a vast international public ledger that contains sensitive data in a secure fashion. Many online retailers are now offering crypto payment options. Even major banks are working with crypto clients, or looking into developing their own cryptocurrency. So not only is crypto new and ex-
citing, but it seems that it will stick around. In essence, the core reason people are so excited about crypto is that it is a new form of currency that continues to fundamentally shift the global financial paradigm. It changes the way we conceptualize money itself. Should you invest? While crypto is popular, exciting, and on the rise, potential investors should do their due diligence before putting other forms of money behind it. The field of crypto as a whole is both complex as well as volatile, with the market fluctuating rapidly at a moment’s notice. Some cryptocurrencies are more inherently risky than others, such as joke and meme currencies. If you do want to invest, be sure that you are comfortable with the following items: •
•
•
Doing research: Understanding the intricacies of crypto takes time and requires a bit of effort as well. Since crypto currencies change very quickly, most successful investors are those who have the time and the willingness to keep up with the research. Trading online: As mentioned previously, the whole premise of crypto is that it takes place on the internet. Therefore, you definitely want to be comfortable using online platforms and apps to invest and have access to a reliable internet connection as well. Taking big risks: Since the field is still quite new, your investment may earn you huge returns, or it may leave you with much less than you started with. If you aren’t comfortable with risk, this probably isn’t the investment for you.
As you can see, crypto has its pros and cons, just like any other type of investment. While it might not be an investment option for everyone, it seems clear that crypto is more than just hype and will be sticking around for a long time to come.
3 questions to askbefore switching home insurance plans Are you moving or simply unhappy with your current home insurance policy? If so, here are three questions to ask yourself before making a switch. 1. Do you have all the relevant information? Any insurance company you approach for a quote will ask you a series of questions to determine what policy will best suit your needs. These questions will likely require you to know the size of your home, the flood risk for the property, the type of heating system that’s instal-
led, the total value of your belongings and more. 2. Will you be charged for terminating your current insurance policy? You can cancel or change your home insurance policy at any time. However, you may be charged an administrative fee if you do. Ask your current insurer about their termination fees and procedures so you know this information before signing a new contract. 3. Will you require
additional coverage? Every home insurance policy has its limitations, and it’s important to accurately assess the value of your belongings to determine whether they’re covered under the basic plan. In some cases, you may need to purchase additional coverage. For example, pricey items like tractors, snowblowers, antiques and jewelry often require specialized coverage. If you have any questions about home insurance or you want to learn more about the available policies, contact an insurance broker near you.
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AUTOMOTIVE
5 must-have safety features for family cars Are you in the market for a new vehicle to accommodate your growing family? If so, look for the following safety features to keep you and your kids secure. 1. BACKUP CAMERA Backup cameras are such an important feature that as of 2018, all new vehicles sold in North America must be equipped with one. 2. ADVANCED DRIVER ASSISTANCE SYSTEM Staying alert behind the wheel is the best way to avoid getting in an accident. However, features like automatic braking, adaptive cruise control and lane departure warnings can go a long way in helping to keep your family safe. 3. GOOD CRASH-TEST SCORE It’s important to choose a vehicle that
can keep you and your family safe if you get into an accident. Therefore, check to see if the model you’re interested in has been tested by the Insurance Institute for High way Safety (IIHS) and has a good safety score. 4. SUPERIOR AIRBAGS Look for a vehicle with good airbags that will reduce the risk of serious injuries or fatalities if you get into an accident. 5. AUTOMATIC EMERGENCY CALL SYSTEM If you choose a car with this feature, you can rest assured that you and your family will get the help you need as quickly as possible if you’re in an accident. When you’re ready to test drive a vehicle, make sure to bring your child’s car seat with you to ensure it’ll fit in the backseat.
Toronto Caribbean News | www.TOCaribNews.com | Wednesday, February 2, 2022
5 signs your suspension system needs to be repaired Your car’s suspension system consists of many parts including shock absorbers, struts and axles. It connects your car’s wheels to the chassis and allows your vehicle to absorb bumps on the road and accelerate and brake smoothly. It also keeps your tires firmly on the road when turning. Here are five signs your suspension system may need to be repaired. 1. YOUR RIDE IS BUMPY If your ride is rougher than usual and you can feel every little bump on the road, you may have a broken strut or shock absorber that needs to be replaced. 2. ONE CORNER OF YOUR CAR SITS LOW A damaged spring will cause one corner of your vehicle to sit lower than the other three. This could result in the sagging corner hitting the road when you go over bumps.
3. YOUR CAR LEANS OR TILTS If your vehicle leans to one side when you turn, or it tilts backward or forward when you brake or accelerate, it’s time to get your suspension checked. 4. TURNING IS A CHALLENGE If you find it more difficult than usual to steer, or your car pulls or drifts when you turn corners, it may mean there’s a problem with your shock absorbers. 5. UNUSUAL NOISES If you hear knocking every time your car hits a pothole, your struts are likely bottoming out and need to be replaced. Your car’s suspension system is designed to provide a smooth ride. If you think something’s wrong with it, visit a qualified mechanic as soon as possible.