Are You Prepared!

Canada’s Leading Caribbean Newspaper MORE STORIES ONLINE TOCaribNews.com PUBLISHED ONLINE DAILY

Volume 11 • Issue 5

Wednesday, April 13 2022

“We see the storm coming; The US struggles to contain a deepening global food crisis” FULL STORY - PAGE 8

PAGE 2

FEATURE

Toronto Caribbean News | www.TOCaribNews.com | Wednesday, April 13, 2022

MAXINE CHANG REYES

“Educating the youth and taking on the responsibility of being a positive role model for them will always be near and dear to my heart.”

As soon as I saw her story, I knew she would be the perfect woman of power to feature in this edition. She is a proud mother and military wife, inspirational singer, Air Force Veteran, philanthropist, author, teen mentor, certified marriage coach, mindfulness coach and University of Pennsylvania/U.S. Army certified master resilience trainer.

She has a Master’s degree in Management and Leadership, BS in Management, AS in Information Management and is currently in progress of doctoral studies.

After 22 years of honourable service, Maxine retired from the military. Her loves include singing, and storytelling on camera and on stage.

This soul-centred leader has inspired and entertained a wide range of audiences that include President George W. Bush, the dignitaries of Qatar, coalition troops in Afghanistan, and she has sang at the opening of: Orlando Magic, Miami Marlins, and Charlotte Hornets game, as well as the Wounded Warriors of the Armed Forces.

She is the Founder and CEO of Courage Grace Foundation, a 501(c) 3 nonprofit that supports Girls Confidence and Youth Education programs through scholarships, mentorship and The Arts. Many of her causes support the Military Families Community. She also decided to begin work in the corporate world and accepted a position managing a program that honours Military Veterans and first responders. As a philanthropic leader, Maxine has mentored hundreds of individuals while gaining notoriety for her exceptional leadership style and her outstanding community service.

The Greater Miami Chamber of Commerce honoured Maxine’s philanthropic and leadership excellence with their “Military Person of the Year” award.

On July 14th, 2016, Maxine’s incredible level of community involvement earned her a day, now and forever known as “Captain Maxine Reyes Day.” I was excited to sit down with this powerful woman, and she openly shared with me parts of her life, all that made sense as to why she is the woman that she is today.

“I come from a musical family,” Maxine began. “My grandfather played the banjo, my dad was an entertainer in Miami.

Have you heard of the group Innnasense?

Prince Patrick is my dad.

I was too shy to take the stage on my own, but in middle school I got braver. I

created a girls group and we would sing old country songs, R&B songs. They wanted me to sing solos, but I was like nope. I will stick to singing my harmonies. I was just way too shy.”

Maxine admits that she was a track star, and she even got a scholarship, but she put that all away when she came to America. After her first year in high school, Maxine migrated to South Florida, USA. She lived with her grandmother in Pembroke Pines for a while and attended Cooper City High. She later transferred to Miramar High where she graduated and was voted most talented at her senior prom by her peers due to her singing talents “I went into modelling, and followed up with singing. I sang a lot of country Christian songs. I loved the Grace Thrillers. I didn’t like the drama clubs in high school, because I thought they were corny.”

She chuckles. “I ended up doing a talent show and sang two songs. Wouldn’t you know it? I completely forgot the words to the song because I was so nervous. I did a duo with my friend and nailed it. We came in first place; that’s when I knew I was on to something.

I began to focus on my education, but still participated in talent shows. I got named most talented in high school, and I decided to go into the military. I didn’t have a mentor to help me navigate the educational system. I spoke with some friends who were joining the air force. I talked to my girl and said, let’s go into the marines; let’s be tough girls.”

By now, she had grown accustomed to moving and decided to join the military to serve the land she now embraces as home, further her education and professional skills and explore the world through military travels!

“My friend went first,” Maxine tells me, “And she told me not to go into the marines, so I decided to join the military.”

Maxine tells me that her life turned upside down.

“It was completely different. It was such a high level of stress. I had a “Why” so I wanted to focus on that. I had two uncles, who were in the military, but I didn’t get to hear their stories, but I was the only woman from my family to do something like that.

I got married a year after joining the military. Twenty-six years later we are still together. I was deployed to the Middle East (Afghanistan), and that was a very extreme experience. I experienced some trauma while I was there. My close aunt died of cancer while I was deployed, and because of this I didn’t get my closure. Music became a coping mechanism for me.

After 22 years later, I transitioned

back to be a civilian, and once again, music became my safe place.

I decided that I was going to follow my very costly passion. I had to hire an agent, and public relations representative. I wanted a wider audience, because my music has no boundaries. My music is inspirational.”

Maxine’s newest single “Rise Above the Storm” was written while cleaning her kitchen in the middle of a rainstorm. It was during the peak of the pandemic and the election campaigns in 2020. It was in the height of a time when the nation was going through major unrest, aggression, disappointments, murders, and betrayals. Although changes were being made, citizens didn’t see them as satisfactory and some had lost hope.

“I was sad for us! I turned to what comforts me the most and what helps me to cope: music and reading the Holy Bible.”

Peace and Love!

“God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear, though the earth gives way, and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea, though its waters roar and foam and the mountains quake with their surging.”

Psalm 46:1-3.

You can find Maxine speaking at women’s empowerment events, at teens and youth events and at schools locally and internationally. She collaborates with local businesses to serve causes that affect the youth, the military community and the community that she lives in. Maxine is passionate about Veterans mental and physical wellness, the arts, youth mentorship, girl’s confidence and education.

Maxine has paved the way for the women she has influenced and inspired over the years. She believes in speaking up for the rights of the youth and women everywhere, while removing all societal limitations. Maxine encourages others to live their lives to the fullest and leave a lasting legacy in their wake.

Acclaimed singer, philanthropic leader, and woman of service

Photo Credit: Kenneth Reyes

Written by Simone J. Smith Toronto Caribbean News

Personal Injury Accident Specialists Motor Vehicle Accident Slip & Fall Injuries Landlord and Tenant

ABRAHAM LEGAL SERVICES

Personal Injury Claims Provincial Offences Pedestrian Accidents

Contact Abraham Legal for a FREE Consultation TEL: 647-696-4898 470 Chrysler Drive Unit 1 Brampton Serving Durham Region, Peel and Halton Region and Toronto and the GTA

NEWS

Wednesday, April 13, 2022 | www.TOCaribNews.com | Toronto Caribbean News

PAGE 3

Bad News: This pandemic has left us with a generation of babies and toddlers struggling with speech and social skills SIMONE SMITH simone@carib101.com

TC REPORTER

You notice that something has been different with your child; their behaviour has changed in the last two years, or something just may seem off about their behaviour. When speaking to them, you notice that they cannot maintain eye contact, or they just stare at you. If they have siblings, you notice they may not be able to communicate how they feel, so yelling, temper tantrums, inappropriate behaviour, have become the norm.

They seem disengaged, their noses planted in their Ipad. Outings like birthday parties, or social events are no longer of interest.

Then you receive your child’s report card, and that tells a similar tale. Your child’s teacher reports that they are unable to take turns when talking to classmates.

They seem to struggle with using appropriate body language (e.g. stands too close/ far to another person). Apparently, your child is misinterpreting verbal and written instructions that they are given, and struggle with imaginative writing.

It’s a lot! I can only imagine. As

parents, all you want is what is best for them, and this is why it is important that you read this article with an open mind.

Forgo all outside and focus on what is more important; your child.

The pandemic after noise is loud, damaging and deafening. More is coming to light about the negative impact of the pandemic on children’s personal, social and emotional development.

In a report published on the UK Government website (https://www.gov. uk/government/news/strong-signs-ofrecovery-across-education-but-challenges-remain), research was conducted that finds that the pandemic has continued to affect young children’s communication and language development. Notably, the report speaks on the fact that babies have struggled to respond to basic facial expressions, which may be due to reduced social interaction during the pandemic. There were other delays including learning how to crawl and walk. It was reported that children had regressed in their independence and self-care skills. As a result, several have increased the amount of time children spend on physical activities, to develop gross motor skills.

Children’s social and friendshipbuilding skills have also been affected.

Childcare providers in the UK have reported that toddlers and pre-schoolers needed more support with sharing and turn taking.

They addressed this by providing as many opportunities as possible for children to mix with others and build confidence in social situations.

What about in school learning?

There have been noted delays in learning, and some children had regressed to a stage where they needed help with basic tasks such as putting on their coats and blowing their noses.

A study out of Germany found that the reading ability of children has plummeted compared to pre-COVID times.

They credit this to lockdown policies that led to the closure of schools.

Another scary fact, which I intended on research, is the surge in symptoms of autism.

As a parent, how can you combat these damaging effects?

Depending on the age, and level of development, it is wise to speak with your doctor to see if you can have your child seen by a specialist, or child psychologist. That list might be long, so in the meantime, here are some activities you can try at home.

•

•

Speak clearly to your child, and model good speech. This will require you wearing the mask less so that they can see your mouth. Do what makes you feel safe in whatever situation you are in, but it is important that they see your mouth forming sound.

Repeat what your child says to show that you understand. Add on to what she says. Use phrases like, “You are hungry? I have food if you are hungry.

I have one of your snacks. Do you want one of your snacks?”

•

•

• •

•

•

It’s okay to use baby talk sometimes.

Be sure to use the adult word too. For example, “It is time for pee-pee. We will go to the washroom now.”

Help your child learn new words.

Name body parts, and talk about what you do with them. “This is my nose. I can smell flowers, I can smell poo-poo (yuck), and soap.”

Sing simple songs, and say nursery rhymes. This helps your child learn the rhythm of speech.

Watch movies together on TV or a tablet. Talk about what your child is watching. Have him/her guess what might happen next. Talk about the characters. Are they happy or sad? Ask him/her to tell you what happened in the story. Act out a scene together, or make up a different ending.

Use everyday tasks to learn language.

Ask him/her to put the napkin on the table, in your lap, or under the spoon.

Talk about whom the napkin belongs to. Say, “It is my napkin.” “It is Daddy’s.”

“It is Keisha’s” Go grocery shopping together. Talk about what you will buy, how many things you need, and what you will make. Talk about sizes, shapes, and weight.

We must no longer deny what is coming to light; lockdown restrictions, and adults wearing masks all the time, has left us with a generation of babies and toddlers struggling with speech and social skills.

NATION-WIDE TALK, TEXT PLAN

$15/mo.

get a free pair of qcy ear buds *with new activation of a $40/mo data, talk, & text plan or higher

BRAMPTON Bovaird & McLaughlin 10088 McLaughlin Rd N (905) 497-6661

HAMILTON CF Limeridge Mall 999 Upper Wentworth St (905) 387-3030

TORONTO Dufferin Mall 900 Dufferin St (416) 530-0005

SCARBOROUGH Woodside Square 1571 Sandhurst Circle (647) 719-3418

NIAGARA FALLS Mcleod & Dorcehster 7000 Mcleod Rd (289) 783-9007

MISSISSAUGA Derry & McLaughlin 7070 St Barbara Blvd (905) 795-9541

Jackson Square 2 King St W (905) 523-1525

Queen & Lansdowne 1484 Queen St W (416) 530-1800

Peanut Plaza 3030 Don Mills Rd (647) 719-1999

Eastgate Square 75 Centennial Pkwy N (905) 560-4869

China Town 222 Spadina Ave (416) 915-4243

Parkway Mall 85 Ellesmere Rd (416) 666-6197

WINDSOR Tecumseh Mall 7654 Tecumseh Rd (519) 817-3560

TORONTO Dufferin & Eglinton 1818 Eglinton Ave W (416) 787-8890

Queen & Sherbourne 230 Queen St E (647) 533-729

Brimley & Lawrence 2887 Lawrence Ave E (647) 713-1113

St CATHERINES The Pen Centre 221 Glendale Ave (289) 362-3839

Wyandotte & Ouellette 45 Wyandotte St W (519) 915-3494 SARNIA Lambton Mall 1380 London Rd (519) 915-3494

Valid at participating location(s) above. Offer subject to change without notice. *QCY Ear Buds only available with new activation on a $40/mo or higher Data, Talk & Text plan on auto-pay. Get 4.5GB at 3G speed. Once you reach your 3G speed data allotment, your data speed will be reduced until your next anniversary date. Taxes extra. Visit chatrmobile.com/plans for more details. ™ Trademarks used under license ©2022

NEWS

Wednesday, April 13, 2022 | www.TOCaribNews.com | Toronto Caribbean News

PAGE 5

$10.00 a day for childcare in Ontario; What a relief! Ontario finally delivers childcare agreement that could just work PAUL JUNOR

paul@carib101.com

TC REPORTER

Ontario has finally signed a childcare agreement with the federal government after months of speculation, delay, and negotiations.

Ontario, the largest province in Canada, becomes the last one to sign the child care deal that is part of a national plan to deliver an average cost of $10 a day to every province and territory

by September 2025. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau along with Ontario Premier Doug Ford made the announcement at the YMCA child care centre in Brampton.

Prime Minister Trudeau states, “With the signing of today’s agreement, we’re making $10-a-day child care a reality for families across the country. Today’s announcement will save Ontario families thousands of dollars each year with fee reductions.

This will create jobs, grow the middle classroom, and give our kids the best start in life.”

Premier Ford has taken some criticism for his role in the delay of the agreement given that provinces such as: Quebec, Alberta, and British Columbia signed deals in 2021. Other provinces, including the Northwest Territories, signed on in December 2021.

Premier Ford stated at the press conference, “From day one, I said our government wouldn’t sign a deal that didn’t work for Ontario parents. Given how complex Ontario’s child care system is, we wanted to get this right. Today, we’re delivering a deal that will keep money in the pockets of hard-working parents.” He states further, “This deal will immediately reduce the cost of child care in Ontario and provide refunds retroactive to April 1st, 2022. It’s a great deal for Ontario parents and the right deal for Ontarians.”

Details of the finalized childcare deal were released in a press release from the Ontario government on Mon-

day, March 28th titled, “$13.2 Billion Child Care Deal with Lower Feeds for Families,” which can be seen at the website: news. ontario.ca. Ontario Education Minister Stephen Leece stated in the press release, “We have secured a deal for Ontario families that will significantly reduce child care costs for working moms and dads, and that starts today. We were able to deliver a deal for Ontario families that includes billions in additional funding and a longer agreement that respects parents and provides financial support for families.”

Some of the highlights in the press release are: •

Reduction of childcare fees through four steps of reduction to an average of $10.00 a day per child five years and younger by September 2025 Parent rebates, retroactive to April 1st, will begin in May. Protection of all for-profit and nonprofit childcare spaces, helping to support predominantly female entrepreneurs across the province who provide high-quality childcare services Creation of approximately 86,000 new, high-quality childcare spaces for children five years and younger Hiring new early childhood educators and supporting improved compensation for all Registered Early Childhood Educators (RECEs) working in licensed childcare Maintain Ontario’s childcare tax credit program that supports 300,000 families with expenses in licensed and unlicensed childcare Work with municipalities to enrol 5,000 licensed childcare centres and home childcare agencies into the program between now and September 1st

• •

• •

•

•

The investment of $13.2 billion by the federal government will be in effect for six years as well as an additional approximately $2.9 billion of funding per year.

This childcare deal is without a doubt welcomed by parents of young kids. Childcare costs have been soaring across Canada for many years. This deal will bring about a 50% reduction in this year’s fees.

CANADA’S LEADING CARIBBEAN NEWSPAPER Selina McCallum TC REPORTER selina@carib101.com

Noel Cunningham FOOD | CULINARY noel@carib101.com

Dave Rankin AFRICAN HISTORY dave@carib101.com

Jay Brijpaul REAL ESTATE jay@carib101.com

TORONTO CARIBBEAN NEWS INC. 55 Rutherford Rd. S., Suite 205, Brampton ON L6W 3J3 647-722-6298 | www.TOCaribNews.com

Simone J. Smith TC REPORTER simone@carib101.com

Dave Rankin TC REPORTER dave@carib101.com

Dr. Vikas Puri HEALTH | WELLNESS drpuri@carib101.com

Paul Junor EDUCATION paul@carib101.com

Fazaad Bacchus FINANCE SPECIALIST fazaad@carib101.com

PUBLISHER | EDITOR Grant Browning grant@carib101.com

Michael Thomas TC REPORTER michael@carib101.com

Christina Gwira TC TECH REPORTER christina@carib101.com

Errol A. Gibbs PHILOSOPHER errol@carib101.com

Brittney Channer SOCIAL JUSTICE brittney@carib101.com

Andrew Stewart FAMILY INSURANCE andrew@carib101.com

EDITOR | PROOFING Alanna Zelau alanna@carib101.com

Stephen Weir TC REPORTER stephen@carib101.com

Paul Junor TC EDUCATION REPORTER paul@carib101.com

Simone J. Smith HUMAN SPECIALIST simone@carib101.com

Christina Gwira TECHNOLOGY christina@carib101.com

Kayla Karim CARIBBEAN SPORTS kayla@carib101.com

ADVERTISING MANAGER Trish Browning trish@carib101.com

ARY 10TH

VOLUME

6 • ISSUE

JANU ESDAY, 23 • WEDN

NG EVERYTHI

2018

TO ADVE

RTISE: 647-72

2-6298

EVERYTHIN G

EVERYTHING YOU NEED IN ONE NEWSPAPER

TOCaribNews Reporters & Sales Representatives on Location in:

challenging only for the most • PRIVATE •MORTGA MORTGAGES ED AND MORE! IN 1st & 2nd • SELF EMPLOY SPECIALIZING• NEW TO CANADA 17 2019 REFINANCES SDAY, APRIL • WEDNE • ISSUE 5 VOLUME 8 Agent |

Broker Financial

CALLAPER ME TODAY! NEWSP I CAN HELP!

VOLUME 6

Group 12619

2019

IN ONE

416-875-4A REALITY! www.

I CANYOU HELP MAKE YOUR DREAMS 523 charlecharle s@bfgsayodele.ca

REALITY

s, and it’s ANCES IN 1st & 2nd especially of your mortgage, • NEW TO MOR then that our I can do for services are free.

CANADA TGAGES • you what PRIVATE • SELF EMPL the banks cannot.”

OYED •MORTGAGES AND MOR E!

• ISSUE 15 • WEDNES

POWERED

!

BY

VOLU DAY,ME SEPTEMBER 8 • ISSU20TH 2017 E2 • WEDNESD AY, MAR CH 6 2019 EVERYTHING TO ADVE YOU NEED EVE INRYT RTISE: ONE ISE: 647-722-6 SPECIALIZING IN 1st & 2nd MORTGAGES • PRIVATE MORTGAGES NEWSPAPER HING TO 647-722-62 298 • ONLINE: YOU NEE REFINANCES • NEW TO CANADA • SELF EMPLOYED • AND MORE! le.ca TORONT 98 • PER OCARIBB D IN ONE a www.charlesayode ONLI EAN.COM NE: TORO NEWSPA charles@bfgbroker.c NEWSPA NTOCARIB IN ONE PER NEED BEAN.COM VOLUME 8 • ISSUE 4 • WEDNESDAY, APRIL 3 2019 HING YOU RYT .COM EVE RIBBEAN ONTOCA TOR Mortgage Agent | Broker Financial Group 12619 INE: ONL 98 • CALL ME TODAY! EVERYTHING YOU NEED IN ONE NEWSPAPER 647-722-62 I CAN HELP! ERTISE: TO ADV www.charlesayodele.ca TO ADVERTISE: 647-722-6298 • ONLINE: TORONTOCARIBBEAN.COM charles@bfgbroker.ca Mortgage Agent

Group 12619

NEED IN ONE

SOCIAL LOVE AND STATUS HEARTS THING EVERY 2019 ARY 9

AY, JANU

WEDNESD

• E 24 7 • ISSU ISE: 647-722-6298 416-875-4523 ADVERT VOLUME

| Broker Financial

CALL ME TODAY! I CAN HELP!

COM broke “I work for you, not the banks!

From first consultation to the signing ofr.ca your mortgage, our services are free.

BBEAN. TOCARI A fee is charged only for the most challenging credit solutions, and it’s especially then that I can do for you what the banks cannot.”

: TORON • ONLINE

TO ADVERT

POWERED BY

CHARLES AYODELE

416-875-4523

The statements, opinions and viewpoints made or expressed by the writers do not necessarily represent the opinions and views of the Toronto Caribbean, or the publishers. Toronto Caribbean News Inc. assumes no responsibility or liability for claims, statements, opinions or views, written or reported by its contributing writers, including product or service information that is advertised.

CHARLE S AYODEL E

Mortgage

CHARLESE AYODEL

YOU NEED

NEWSPAPE TORONTOC I CA R ARIBBEAN.C N HELP OM MAKE “I work for A fee is charged you, YO only for the not the banks! most challen From first consult UR DR SPECIALIZ EAMS A ging credit ation to the solution ING signing REFIN

• ONLIN E:

POWERED BY

A fee is charged

WE’RE PROUD SUPPORTERS OF:

8 • ISSUE 1 • WEDN ESDAY, FEBRU

ARY 20

.COM ARIBBEAN TORONTOC A REAfree.LITY! ONLINE: R DREAMS 98 • E our services are banks cannot.”

YOUto the signing of your mortgage, the MAK : 647-722-62 do for you what RTISE HELP then that I can From first consultation I CAN not the banks! credit solutions, and it’s especially “I work for you, GES

TO ADVE

VOLUME

ER

NEWSPAP

D IN ONE

YOU NEE

HELCPLIN

R WKH H DQG LV RSHQ W XU EXVLQHVV WUHSUHQH LQJ IRU HYHU\RQ DWLRQ VRPHWKLove is UH DQ HQ ,I \RX D ÀOLDWHG RUJDQL] JUHDW an emotio VLQHVV 6RFLDO - SXEOLF XQLW\ DI and H VRPH XFn that Valentin U FRPP we all feel, Conven e’s WR PDN EAN K DQQXDO 7& %X RZQHU R H WR EH Day is aODQ IRU V brate Pearson it. The KH SODF day to cele- is completely ONTO CARIBB heartH \RXU S WR DWWHQG WKH W2018 at the FRQWLQX WKLV LV W symbol ANESHA PREMRA non-pro HVV LRQV DQG payroll for of love, is the interna MAHADEO/TOR As with every new on May 6th,in Brampton! & %XVLQtional FRQQHFW the TC Busidren J/TORONTO and there this charity.fit; there is no ALYSSA spend in the Caribbe

EXVLfunds LRQ its 4th year, CARIBBEAN are IRU O RI WKH 7 for new goals? many of us DQG tion Center 100% of serious chil- helpingraised by this Now in FUHDWHG WR SURYLGHnity to FHVV LQ an IRXQGDW 7KH JRD exthat have heart issues.

VWURQJ the manythe foundation.

New year,rolls around, charity goes neurs to SURZDV \HDU JRQH us. very get children FUHDWH D entrepre an opportu PL]H a baby Imagine LV WR with before RU in the Caribbe to that fun activities The Gala had year that the help QHVV 6RFLDO ionals with J RQ DQRWKHU HOS RSWL an 6RFLDO aand very serious sue, but one set FXUUHQW having such as was full they need. is s owners full of volunte not having an WLPH UHÁHFWLQof the new most of this year, ness profess WHFKQLTXHV WR K of a heartLQJV K RQ WKHLU through This eventSDWURQV busines is- persona UDVS LOOV DQG the RFLDO EU ers that The team is about the TCCF donated gifts, a raffle V 7KH 6 RU HVWDEOLV the surgery the promise to make the WKH potential!

SDQG YHQWXUH , it means XQLW\·V PRVW entine’s quiz that gave ly heartbr WKHU FKDQFH WR JV DQG OHDUQ VN go children l time to help dedicate their XVLQHVV business EULQJ WRJHWKHU FRPPXQLW\ MHFWHG E H FRPP must beWR toVKDUH We resolve H RI DQR eaking U GUHDP their ensure that VW RI WK WR a DJ to Day chocolate and away Vala DWHVW cialized ULHV WKH of the founda experie RI QLW\ YLVLRQD This is what nce.FH WKH OtruWDNLQJ DGYDQWDJQLWLHV FKDVH RX DERXW WKHLU WRJHWKHU WKH EH RZQHUV tion get the event wasdance the night of course medical FUHDWLYH LQWURGX two RSSRUWX LYH Founda EXVLQHVV HGXFDWH RWKHUV WKH\ RI- Childre The Caribbe spe- well-dre full of genero away. This care as PLVVHG RSSRUWX H[SHULHQFHV SURGXFWn’s LFHV DQG WKH EXVLQHVV possible. for many, ROG DQG DQG quickly tionR NHHS DQG temptin us, extrem ssed people QHWZRUN SURGXFWV DQG VHUYLFHV (TCCF) is an HPEDUN RQ QHZ as to suppor to help WKHLU EHgVW SUDFW Q KRZ W LQQRYDWLYH On Saturda Unfortunately DFN WR RXU VDPHR UH- WR ely DO at- 5 WKH

solve.

PHQWV R W Z DQG t the cause.who were proud ULJKW E V QRW GLIÀFXOW W This LQGLYLGX DOVR VKDULQJ y, Februar DFKLHYH KHU JUR G FXUUHQ ed On Page TCCF hosted y ZKLOH Continu cause that celebra a Valentin ZHHNV LQ ZH·UH W LW·V DQRWKHU DW WKH\ FDQ IXUW RUH EXVLQHVV PRGHO IUHVK DQ e’s Day 9th, FWLYH KDELWV ,W· XJK IHU ted love XQSURGX VWDUW D \HDU VWURQJ EX XQLTXH ZD\V WKUDQG WR EULQJ P and raised Gala Continued DOO\ IROORZ WKUR LV FRPfunds VROYH WR OWRJHWKHU WR DFWX HQW WR DFKLHYH WKRVH H[SDQG WKHLU E On Page 6RFLDO V QJ 7 way. %XVLQHV RQH SURYLGL PDWWHU D RPPLWP DNH their 7KH 7& Virtual Tours DQG PDNH WKDW F HYHQWV LQ

and High Quality RLQJ WR GR WR P KABRENA URQWR SULVHG RI WZR Down payment ROBINSON/T JRDOV :KDW DUH \RX J HD Photos toORONTO Loans - Cash 6SULQJ WKH 7R Attract moreCARIBBEAN In Jamaica, invites you

QW" 7KLV Back y It isBuyers a centralMortgage formall Offers* not a coinci and popular that “education WKLV \HDU GLIIHUH ONTO CARIBBEAN belief Newspaper March is tise”. dence it all starts at is the key to tans Caribbean 2nd, SIMONE SMITH/TOR that Saturd and 2019, the y Inc success” of Regga Realelementary was child’s On declar First & Second Estate Agent ay, Canad stages Friday, September life. Fraternit overwhelme Alpha of day However, a e Phi 87th 647-8 foundation Day; it hosted ed Tithat hundr 16tha. Saturd their with factors dave@seinadequate Mortgages the Alpha 67-78 the foundation d by the ongoing Equity was also hosting their 12thmemo resources archreal as draising on from such 09 eds ofgala ay night has been receivingsupport to facilitate annualration the across Delta Sigma – as they were ty.ca in educational the Loans fun- community SIMON |Conventi on the grounds dave.sea students regga the House Regional institutions, was the the sisters of E SMITH/from $5000 of great over from the Club rn GTAinfilled rchrealty e fans sentin of Donalda a comthe dream in edXFDWLRQDO IXO Toronto. Hosted g the past, and the brothin Toronto.

Debt years.

TORON downNathan g nized by .co of time artists - $500,000 ÀOOPHQW FDQ the Opera by of town Toron and has Consolidation “I TO CARIBB thisebrate Sorority Inc.,Alpha Fraternity Midweste regga CP24 am still , reprepresen Downer, the Onefirst anchor always happenin 50 VillageEH HDVLO\ GHW to this day organization e. for the very journe collaborated HUUHG what Phi popul EAN t, accomplishe did not know, it is no Theta to,the Centre amazed can be and future is little Home cornu bit fostering who y ofofone to event Pl Suite ar100 at With so much an liveofauctions, Mississaug cel- featured a much-needgenre ning ers of Alpha a mandate Refina copia For those ed city of Toronto, Regga to improve a, ON Titans t eve- together with like-mindedd when looking ncelines. we the mostentertainmen of music oratio comeof discip L4Z e. RootesÀQH artists wasacross GLQLQJ inWRSSHG &with childhood in the great there are some events Inc. ted event weekend tion Home of and nsor Good had visitors in a educaReggaa epassion to support individuals includ we island. neigh1V9 Purcha the ZLWK -DPDLFDQ orchestrate in the His collab Lesse Than with This coordina d, or unatreggae borhood,dand Hotels by like Caribana, asThethe se wonder that FXLVLQH working was an The only those inMolly musicworld Johns Eglint Delta unnotice ; BEAN positions,” U.S.A. in scene d Toless the go Good an Craig, Helping the at event at fortunate on and exquisite vibe incred and of on the withCredit CARIB & Conferhe said. ibly re- Jamaica blossomed ambiance. a wave Hands Foundation seeks that may his Mortgage Agent island Toronto TheWest Found artists took place ONTO uon Airport from all parts is why the team event brought of Culcha er andput

by Andre we have such License lanthropists, Musical considerableWynton Marsa Helping LL/TOR regga in the 1970s #12275 out hwork a contin sactivi- other time the that Hands tended. This n Newspaper takes phi- Jamaican next generationto “improve the of entrepreneur s visiting Artisti CASSE Toronto Marriot e multilives w Jamaica Direct weekend NATA lis, reputa their Theis our LQVLGH cWKH elder bersimmig tions started ofisJamaicans A-KAY of American s. Andre on and after a s and Direct other all of the LYAhim home of of the community in or ties tion as communities &RQVXO Centre.

12th and instru memronto Caribbea during and includ TONE April of encecipati or *HQHUDO herefoundation’s Anne their sFriday, w Craig menta sift through SHAUN bytime in ducer, Marie CALL ing OR creating ute to2IÀFH for our April cord amount supportdirect Y c-a to produ same unique in Toron rants on t Bonner RI made effort the education list, Harbo of a at began the time tofind the novel,ay our eman world-class the continued Quinc after is natalya@lend Sunday, TEXT ties fough system born in vocali a es Hale, who to, Ontar cause urfront’s onthis our cityfrastructure, caster who or, compo counof the who . through Page y Jones lives through Falmouth morefinancia was st, pro5 in for Nelson to deliver weekendresource Jamaica, in io, to of “building noise and education”. a holid , two l.ca416-83 us occasion Caribana 7-5460 tors ended tribOn investment events officially conceptser, | www.lendmo has had ion g as inintroduced , ances da ation and broad to support Centre momento Founder Continued materials, a Mandela perfor compellin weekend was aLee Epsilon his homeland. lished ity.

Karen III, the great It inclus manc-refinancial.ca and exper- maica, President of Helpingwork in multip andestab This 14th.

- OMNI , and music at of Sigma iaity and zaa and tt commun Maulana Kwan Karl Hale expressed Hands Jale music fortun brothers equalsays zaa Assoc Continued Television.

Dewi with activity, compothe Rogers to our Chapter im- of e was first for the is re, On

by Dr.was robust Kwan rnia. it to Page al Toronto es sition that he is 7 genres ian SIMONE SMITH/TORONTO CARIBBEAN - the ians, try,” Lambda ly invited n cultu s for Toronto in 1966, eorgand, CalifoAfrica personal 0 & Second Mortgag our own Virtual the Canad n Canad

TOARTOESNTO HTAHN ASGH OF EDTSITANS BRKEOVER ETA L E C A D CANA SCARBOROUGH A A KWANZREPRESENTING BUY - SEL

WITH CONL - INVEST FIDENCE

DAVE JOH

NSON

Powered DLC BedrockFinancial by Lic 12275

Group

BUY - SEL

WITH CONL - INV FIDENCEST E

iCanad cel- in Oakla of ili phras the Ice, - $500,00 2019, the ToursFirst Africa buildingtraditions andd we in were a weekend and Highfilled with $5000 Swah har- For from Down payment ry 1st, iation (CKA) been cooks from all “As myto rice burning, Quality tion. begin frican Loans to doors in 2004, Proper Television – have from&a of the andtoo much attend Fire HD Photos Equity nt overcooking On Januazaa Assoc the Pan-ASquare is roote ation fruits was meant salt ofLoans life.- Cash This year – along derived using, friends out who is the producer behind MAS- all walks to Attract porta customs a found ation Back asizedTERCHEF CANADA – has become with our more Buyers raltime Mortgag an Kwan Consolid gives ing, “first vance ora in the-there, Kwanzaa,n Philips mak- and to be local celebrithe come for anothemph cultu Debtsoon e Offers*Purchase zaahas ebrated e & Home n diaspns) recon er round at Natha first time; ama- mean The obser journey…” CANADA! one of Canada’s most successful ty- stands an:Refinanc and Kwan international figure of MASTERCHEF that holiday, to for the ian procl a’s vest.” the Africa Credit re. The begin favorite 7 a cyber security analyst, a companies. They have skater,Home Real culinary competiGood (pan Africa Canad lit to help Estate Than Page production n Cultu by panCanada’s in Toron Less 647-or first Canad Agent icas or more Lee. week in car search salesman, and an entrepreneur. tionOffers* is inBuyers their 6th season, andOn they strategically worked across a wide dave@ Good 867to Attract rated - Amer to their Africa HD Photos ing it theKwanzaa to 3D Sign com7809 Continued High Quality Back Mortgage andceleb they will be competing for , repre return with a two-hour premiere range of genres, and are respon- This yearrealty. ca | dave.s now Tours - Cash to world isDown Virtual tion for , and s TONEY The Toron green seven nect ay payment earchr d theLoans YAtitleholda,000 chance to beNATAL one of six of reality, on in April 8th, broadcasting on CTV. sible for over 600dhours ealty.co history.red, black and of the cer- holid ns aroun y, community Mortgage zaa MASTERCHEF 416-837-5460 ng nancial.ca - $500ers and take home the TEXT $100,000 documentary 0proAfrica in CANADA has landed lifestyle, &and -day famil 50 Village lighti OR g KwanRealssing up Estate Agent CALL Centre Pl | www.lendmorefi refinancial.ca g the g the seven ber 26th memorate First Secons from $500 Mississauga, Mortgage Agent cash prize. two nominations for the 2019 Can- gramming. natalya@lendmo Suite “Celebratins of expre sentines durin Decem License #12275 ON Page y Loan L4Z 1V9 5100 culture.a is a mean Continued On This season, over ada Screen Awards including “Best candl y held from Equit ase hrealty.co 647-867-7809 lidation a thouthe 52ndit Canad Reality/Competition Series.” It is no sand promising | dave.searc emon ary 1st.

Home Purch ce bt Conso chefs auditioned chrealty.ca marks

- INVEEST BUY - SELL CONFIDENC WITH

DAVE JOH

NSON

SON

DAVE JOHN

Powered by

DLC BedrockFinancial Lic 12275

Group

Continued On

Page 5

YOU ONLY NEED A DAY TO MAKE A FEW MINUTES A LIVING WITH STEP BY STEP

First & Secon

Equity Loan d Mortgages MENTORING AND YOU’LL BE ABLE THE USE OF A TO TRADE IN THE s from SMARTPHONE, Debt NO EXPERIENCE FOREIGN EXCHANGE Consolidati $5000 - $500 NEEDED. MARKET, ,000 LEARN FROM 10

YEAR INDUSTR

Home Refin

ance

on

Wednesday, April 13, 2022 | www.TOCaribNews.com | Toronto Caribbean News Photo Credit: CNC3

Welcome to “Reggae on Line” a place where you can jump right into Jamaican culture MICHAEL THOMAS michael@carib101.com

TC REPORTER

Yes! I mean that in every sense of the word from learning the art of drumming with Kevan Douglas, instrument making with Jeff Menzies, discussing Bob Marley with Fabian Thomas, Reggae rudiments with Gerd Beyens to coaching with founder Michael Sean Harris “Reggae on Line” has something for every member of the family.

Mr. Harris began his life on the island of Jamaica as a boy interested in music, moved his way up to the school choir, and in high school got involved in various musical productions.

For several years since 1991, Michael had been a member of The Little People and Teen Players Club, and a founding member of Ashe Caribbean Performing Arts Ensemble.

In 1996 he got accepted, on scholarship, to Berklee College of Music, in Boston. He graduated, in June of 2000 with a dual major in Music Synthesis and Contemporary Writing and Production, and like they say the rest is musical history.

He has toured around the globe, produced albums, holds a master’s in music technology and is versed in many musical genres.

Michael is a primary consultant with Digicel Rising Stars, acting as a performance coach, and can also be seen regularly on television as one of the resident judges on the High School Choir competition- TVJ’s All Together Sing.

I had the honour of speaking with this musical magician on behalf of the Toronto Caribbean Newspaper about his Reggae on Line and also his life’s work.

“The concept is,” Harris told Toronto Caribbean Newspaper “To have a place for online courses about Jamaican music and culture, language and production stuff also. It is also like a community

site where you can interact with the people who wrote the courses too.”

“Reggae Online started up last year and is slowly building, adding courses as time goes by,” Harris said. Harris sounded very excited as he told Toronto Caribbean Newspaper, “We are also teaching a Dancehall production course where people can learn to build the riddim and produce a Dancehall or Reggae track as well.”

“Ultimately,” Harris said, “What I would like to do is have people do a oneand two-week intensive course, workshops with musicians and recording studios too.”

As I listened to Harris, I got the picture that he plans to create slowly but surely what can be described as a “onestop-shopping online center” geared to all the needs of people who love reggae and Jamaica’s culture.

One of the courses offered on this platform is an intimate knowledge of the life and career of the late Right Honourable Robert Nester Marley aka Bob Marley for all interested folks.

For up-and-coming performers and singers, there is also vocal coaching, and stagecraft done by none other than the founder himself Mr. Harris.

Harris told Toronto Caribbean Newspaper he is partnering with musicians, and people in the industry, so that they can share their experiences and knowledge, and also use this platform as a place where some of the knowledge can live and be accessible to others.

“One of the things I would like to do is to have something like a Master class, where some of the Reggae and Dancehall artists can share their story, techniques, and how they went about doing things, he said.”

Another one of the soon-tocome features of Reggae on Line will be a book club featuring a variety of Jamaican and Caribbean authors. The general public is welcome and is encouraged to visit and enjoy. The Tourism Enhancement Fund of Jamaica sponsors Reggae on Line.

Get involved by visiting www.reggae-on-line.com/courses

NEWS

PAGE 7

NEWS

PAGE 8

Toronto Caribbean News | www.TOCaribNews.com | Wednesday, April 13, 2022

There is a food crisis coming; It cannot be denied, nor ignored White House is worried about famine overseas due to the Russian Crisis White House Council of Economic Advisers Chair Cecilia Rouse noted that Russia and Ukraine serve as “The bread basket,” for many countries across the globe.

“This is a big concern, We’re working with our international aid agencies to ensure there’s some humanitarian aid because we are concerned, particularly in the Middle East, parts of Africa and the Far East ... about famines and shortages in those parts of the world.”

SIMONE SMITH simone@carib101.com

TC REPORTER

“We see the storm coming; The US struggles to contain a deepening global food crisis”

German Retailers have increased Food Prices 20 – 50 % According to the German Retail Association (HDE), consumers are dealing with another wave of price hikes for everyday goods and groceries. Recently, popular retail chains such as Aldi, Edeka and Globus announced that they would be forced to raise their prices.

The information that I am about to share with you today might be hard to digest, but it is important that you know. Many people still believe that life will go back to normal, but there is an emergency unfolding right before our eyes. This generation will be facing hardships that they have never experienced before. For the first time, this generation is going to go into stores and not be able to get what they want. It is going to be hard for this generation, because many of them unfortunately are entitled and are now going to understand what it means to sacrifice.

As a journalist and voice for the people, I believe that everybody deserves to know what is truly going on, and you deserve an opportunity to get ready before this crisis gets out of control. The pace at which things are changing all over the world right now is extremely alarming. The President of the United States has openly admitted that extensive food shortages are “Going to be real,” and his officials are concerned about the prospect of a hunger crisis.

I really want our communities in Canada to start looking outside mainstream media in order to prepare. What is about to happen has been discussed over the past few years. Experts and economists have come forward to warn that this was going to happen if precautions weren’t taken, and our leaders have largely ignored those forecasts. It is because of this that conditions are accelerating, and that is why it is so important to share this message with as many people as possible because this crisis is going to affect everyone.

We are about to witness the worst food shortages in our lifetime, and we must act now given that things are getting worse with each passing day. An absolutely horrifying global food crisis is already upon us, and hundreds of millions of people are going to suffer as a result. I want to make sure you are not one of them. What I am going to do now is share with you what is going on around our globe; the writing that is clearly on the wall.

European Nations have begun Rationing Food and Fuel Several well-known Spanish supermarkets have begun rationing the amount of sunflower oil available for purchase per consumer to 5 litres. This was confirmed to be true by the European Commission during its closed-doors food security expert meeting held on Wednesday, March 9th, 2022.

With stocks running low in Italy, some national retailers such as Coop, Eurospin, Famila, and Mega have reportedly started rationing seed oil in Liguria, Tuscany, and Veneto regions. Supermarkets in Treviso and Belluno, are limiting the purchase of seed oil to a maximum of two bottles per customer as there were reported cases of hoarding behaviour.

Supermarkets in Greece are already Rationing items like Sugar Supermarket chains in Greece are restricting how much flour and sunflower oil customers can buy. The say that the step was precautionary after seeing demand rise on worries supplies will be hit due to the war in Ukraine. One store, My Market, has now imposed a limit on sunflower oil while Sklavenitis has added sugar to the rationed sales of corn oil through its online store, setting a maximum limit of four packs of sugar.

US Farmers are facing fertilizer price hikes Surging fertilizer costs were projected to continue for at least the first six months of 2022, said American Farm Bureau economist Shelby Myers. She says a variety of factors are contributing to the problem. These include: the increased global demand for fertilizer outpacing production, pandemicrelated and weather-related supply chain disruptions and increases in production costs.

Fertilizer is currently up about 35% and Roundup up nearly 90%. Farmers have encountered problems trying to source all the products they need. According to the

French Foreign Minister warns of Global Famine France’s Foreign Affairs Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian said the EU must get to grips with the prospect that the war in Ukraine could prompt an extremely serious global food crisis.

RY 10TH

ISSUE E6 •

, JANUA ESDAY 23 • WEDN

YOU NEED

EVERYTHIN G

TISE: 647-72

2-6298

• ONLIN E:

POWERED BY

most challenging

only for the • PRIVATE •MORTGA MORTGAGES ED AND MORE! IN 1st & 2nd • SELF EMPLOY SPECIALIZING• NEW TO CANADA 17 2019 DAY, APRIL REFINANCES 5 • WEDNES 8 • ISSUE VOLUME 9 2019

A fee is charged

CHARLESE AYODEL Mortgage Agent

Group 12619

RTISE:

TO ADVE

LP MAKE

Mortgage

647-7

Agent |

Broker

Financial Group 12619 M first consultation CALLtoMEthe signing of your “I work for you, not the banks! From mortgage, our services are free.

NEWSPA TODAY! BEAN.CO I CAN HELP! fee is chargedOCARIB only for the most challenging credit solutions, and it’s especially then that I can do for you what the banks cannot.” EVERYT D IN ONE ONLINE: ATORONT HING YOU www.c

416-875-4

523

TO

ADVERTI harles charle•s@bfg SE: 647-722-6 ayode SPECIALIZING IN 1st & 2nd MORTGAGES PRIVATE MORTGAGES le.ca 298 • ONLINE: broker•.ca REFINANCES • NEW TO CANADA • SELF EMPLOYED AND MORE! TORONTO

ARIBBEAN

NTOC

TORO

POWERED BY

R

YOUR DR

VOLUME

EAMS A

OYED •

8 • ISSU E

NEED IN ONE

EVERYTH

RTISE : 647-7 VOLUME 8 • ISSUE 4 • WEDNESDAY, APRIL 3 2019 22-62

98 • ONLINE:

ING YOU

TORONTOC

416-875-4523

NEED

.COM

EVERYTHING YOU NEED IN ONE NEWSPAPER

www.charlesayodele.ca

IN ONE

ARIBBEAN

Mortgage Agent | Broker Financial Group 12619

CALL ME TODAY! I CAN HELP!

GAGE AND MORES !

2 •

HELCPING LAS

TO ADVERTISE: 647-722-6298 • ONLINE: TORONTOCARIBBEAN.COM

charles@bfgbroker.ca SHQ WR WKH HVV YHU\RQH DQG LV RXU EXVLQ RQ QJ IRU H WUHSUHQH JDQL]DWL DO VRPHWKLLove is UH DQ HQ OLDWHG RU RPH JUHDW ,I \RX D an emotion HVV 6RFL QLW\ DIÀ and & %XVLQ Conven- SXEOLF Valentin that we XF PDNH V U FRPPX AN e’s Day all feel, WR EH WR RZQHU R brate WKH WK DQQXDO 7 is aODQ IRU V CARIBBE it. The KH SODFH day to cele- is complet at the Pearson heartH \RXU S FRQWLQX WKLV LV W symbol ANESHA PREMRA ely O/TORONTO every new WR DWWHQG V 6th, 2018 n!

LRQV DQG of love, is the internat MAHADE %XVLQHVional payroll for thisnon-profit; there on May the TC Busidren in Brampto J/TORONTO and there As with ALYSSA spend in the Caribbe EXVL- FRQQHFW charity. 100% is no for funds RQ IRU its 4th year, CARIBBEAN are O RI WKH 7& new goals? many of us DQG tion Center serious chil- helpingraised by this the foundat Now in FUHDWHG WR SURYLGH nity to FHVV LQ an IRXQGDWL 7KH JRD exof the that have heart issues.

VWURQJ New year,rolls around, charity goes \HDU JRQH us. many neurs to SURZDV ion. very get children FUHDWH D entrepre an opportu L]H a baby Imagine LV WR with before RU in the Caribbe to that fun activities The Gala had year that the help QHVV 6RFLDO onals with HV WR KHOS RSWLP an 6RFLDO J RQ DQRWKHU aand very serious sue, but one set FXUUHQW having such as owners they need. is professi WHFKQLTX full of voluntee not having an aboutwas full of donated WLPH UHÁHFWLQof the new most of this year, RQ WKHLU a raffle heart JV FLDO EULQ through This eventSDWURQV business DVS ness isVW persona LOOV DQG the means 7KH 6R the TCCF rs that The team is entine’s RU HVWDEOLVK the surgery, the promise to make the LW\·V PR potential!

WKH SDQG YHQWXUHV FRPPXQ that gavegifts, a quiz G OHDUQ VN ly heartbre WKHU FKDQFH WR JU go children l time to help dedicate their XVLQHVV it must beWR toVKDUH business EULQJ WRJHWKHU FRPPXQLW\ MHFWHG E UHDPV DQ We resolve H RI DQR aking their W RI WKH ensure that WR LHV a trua DJ to Day chocolate and away ValWKH DVH RXU G HVW cialized of the foundat WKH EHV experien YLVLRQDUce. H WKH ODW WDNLQJ DGYDQWDJ RSSRUWXQLW\ RZQHUV RI RWKHUV DERXW WKHLU WRJHWKHU This is what ion get the event wasdance the night of course medical SSRUWXQLWLHV FK FHV V YH FUHDWLYH LQWURGXF EXVLQHVV HGXFDWH The WKH\ RI- Children spe- well-dre full of generou away. This care as PLVVHG RRQ QHZ H[SHULHQ for many, two EXVLQHV possible.

Caribbe SURGXFWL ’s Foundat FHV DQG DQG OG DQG temptin VHUYLFHV quickly an NHHS WKH ion (TCCF) ssed people s, extreme HPEDUN Unfortunately FN WR RXU VDPH R H- WR QHWZRUN SURGXFWV DQG LQQRYDWLYH DQG WKHLU EHgVW SUDFWL as to support to helpKRZ WR is at- 5TCCF On Saturda QG ly WKH HQWV RQ solve.

FXOW WR U HU LQGLYLGXDO ULJKW ED the cause.who were proud U JURZ D This VKDULQJ y, Februar FXUUHQW DFKLHYHP hosted ed On Page QRW GLIÀ ·V DQRWK y 9th, ZKLOH DOVR WKH\ FDQ IXUWKH H EXVLQHVV PRGHO IUHVK DQG Continu cause that celebrat a Valentin ZHHNV LQ ZH·UH JK IHU FWLYH KDELWV ,W·V J EXW LW ed love and e’s Day Gala XQSURGX VWDUW D \HDU VWURQDOO\ IROORZ WKURX VH XQLTXH ZD\V WKDW QG WR EULQJ PRU Continued raised funds FRPVROYH WR OWRJHWKHU WR DFWX QW WR DFKLHYH WKR H[SDQG WKHLU EUD On Page 6RFLDO LV V J 7 way. %XVLQHV RQH SURYLGLQ PDWWHU D H WKDW FRPPLWPH H their 7KH 7& Virtual Tours DQG PDN HYHQWV LQ LQJ WR GR WR PDN R and High Quality KABRENA RI WZR Down payment ROBINSON/TO JRDOV :KDW DUH \RX JR SULQJ WKH 7RURQW HD Photos to RONTO Loans - Cash you SULVHG Attract moreCARIBBEAN W" 7KLV 6 In Jamaica,

Back Mortgage Buyers a central GLIIHUHQ per formally invites Offers* and popular belief that “education WKLV \HDUan Newspa NTO CARIBBEAN is tise”. it all starts at is the key to success” and Caribbe SIMONE SMITH/TORO Inc the Realelementary child’s On Friday, First & Second Estate Agentstages of a life. Fraternity Alpha However, Phi 87thfactors 647-8 foundation hosted September 16th the overwhelmed by the their with dave@se inadequate EAN Mortgages the Alpha 67-78 ongoing such hosting foundation their resources archrealt as n support It CARIBB Sigma Equity the 09 12th draising gala to facilitateisstudents not y.ca |Conventio in educational ONTO of Delta u– as they were on the grounds annual fun- community has been receiving from Loans dave.sea Regional institutions, March a coincid from $5000 the sisters contin Club ence

by LL/TOR rchrealty over the years. the broth- Midwestern of Donalda the in Toronto. the dream is a XFDWLRQDO IXOÀ nized and in Toronto.

CASSE Debt Consoli g A-KAY .co of 2nd, Inc., timeOOPHQW FDQ EH that Hosted by CP24 - $500,000 tans 2019, on and Nathan was “I Sorority our elders Fraternity for the very of edDowner, Saturd Onefirst HDVLO\ GHWHUUH dation Thetacipati always happenin 50 Village this organization Regga ay, Canadanchor what can beam still to this dayHome s ofAlpha the event is no eman did not know, G ning for our itSHAUN Centre amazed at e of live declar bita day fostering Alpha who effortPhi accomplished Pl Suite With so much that ed Ti-featured ana.eveMississauga those ed ais little mandate Refinance & much-needthe fought counauctions, 100 hundr Day; it was y our ers city of Toronto, together with Saturd when we come of of to improve from looking events , ON L4Z entertainmen memotration event For wasacross also the holidada GLQLQJ ay night like-minded individuals childhood 1V9 across ÀQH eds in the great thereasare ationInc. ed er Home Purcha a some tors whocoordinat and a passion Good of WRSSHG had visitors SIMONE ion in this weekend tion the we island. reggaeZLWK Houseeduca- the that or Found -DPDLFDQ was a those sentinFXLVLQH andGTA of great to support , or unatLess inclusLee with This SMITH/T reggae lished III, and ances Hotels se wonder The only ia- by like Caribana, asThe Than music in fans g the past, com- in less na Karen filled Delta unnoticed positions,”artists ORONT ity and zaa t the zaa Good an exquisite ebrate in downt Helping at ToAssoc the of reggae vibe of the U.S.A. mayDr.goMaula he said. first estab own ambiance. team O CARIBB CreditEAN a reKwan Hands &isConfer, repre- and fortunate Foundation Dewitat that Mortgage Agent island presen the journe all parts imhas took TorontTheOpera Jamaica e, equal Airport

by This is why . havetosuch rnia.the says place popula i- was1966, t, andHands weseeks License brought lanthropists, Helping o, toevent ian Kwan “improve cornuc collaborated activi- from #12275 y of one entrepreneurs ians, it own the that n culturr takes tended. r genres future Canad next generation the lives s visiting cel- andTitansout phi- LQVLGH Newspape e try,”the Marriot Jamaica CanadToronto opia NATA nd, CalifoAfrica of bers of with artists Regga our12th and other time of the most The weekend started n Canad ofisJamaicans cel- in of American oration other memWKH &RQVXO *HQHUDO all of the LYAines. inof discipl li phras of ence Africa thesift Swahi communities the incommunity 2019, the ronto Caribbean during in Oakla amount TONE Rooted of music in to ande.their April building Anne Marie Bonner sCALL “As Centre.

Regga includ bytime neighb a through 2IÀFH ry 1st, iation (CKA) the world;in support orchesofofthe creating traditions Y in a unique on Friday, Molly April cordcityeducation in the Eglinto the harRI OR His collab frican e was e workin at the same orhood,foundation’s novel, the time world-class to begin continued t tion.ties trated born d from Johnso natalya@lend TEXT with system through ascene ntbegan s and On Januazaa Assoc the Pan-ASquare is rooted ation to on Sunday, our an incred after Hale, causeCraig, in Falmouth find theof lives event put deriveand morefinancialg 416-83 of “building and who was n and the Toront ended porta 5 blosso n West investment to deliver frastructure, weekend. occasion Caribana was mean Jamaica, his consid a foundusasized and noise education”.

Founder 7-5460 zaa, Philips artists “first fruits .ca | www.lendmor ibly Musica On Page al custom Wynto officially concept toon in in- med through resource materials, g events introduced an Kwan wave in the- cultur gives of ing, vance o momento by support a makContinued emph n d Kwan n Culcha reggae a and in efinancial.ca ora erable compellin weekend, Andre zaa President was of his homeland. and experand Jamaicmaica,the 1970s of Helping Artisti y. This recon 14th. hworks. w tions l Director ebrate y, at Natha first time; ma- mean KwanIt journey…” reputa Marsalis, their of Sigma Epsilon n diasp The obser multi-i an immig of Hands communit home here Karl Haleafter tion as Andrew c Direct Continued Jaties nstrum withe.activity, to our the brothers includ The toand expressed for that holida to for the ian procla a’s vest.” the Africa Africans) rants a Page 7ing Harbohim to produ Toronto Chapter7 es a ducer, Craig is or ute On begin thatdirecto in Toront (panrobust SIMONE SMITH/TORONTO CARIBBEAN made he is entalist, vocalis invited to Quincy Canad lit to help Mortgag orwas Toronto Page n Culturby pan in Toron Lambda - the a first Canad ccas personally caster who r, compo Ontario,- $500,000 week in orga-Lee. Africa were ued On First & Second o, $5000 t, pro- es for Nelson Jones, twourfront’s tribwe Ameri ated and weekend their ser, ing it theKwanzaa to 3D Sign a comContin has to Ice, to celebr to and perfor & Centre from had the For all my rice burning, too much doors in 2004, Proper Television – have been filled Fire , repre Loanswith cooks from work in multip manc, and Mandela at and tion for great broadEquity y is nowd the world The Toron green seven nectattend the Rogers ages salt behind MAS- all000 walks of life. This year le musica fortune OMNI Televis music compo in using, overcooking friends out who is the producer tion – along history.red, black andg of the cer- holidans aroun , community, d Mortg Consolida ion. sitions l genres – has become with our to be local celebriDebtsoon Kwanzaa there, the time has come for anoth- TERCHEF &CANADA up in g the lightin seven-day 26th Africa rate family for $5000 - $500, rating expressing e & Home Purchase First Secon Virtual the

ESNTO BRARTO CELETO

H VER HTAHNEDTSI OF KAEO A TA Z T N SCARBOROUGH A KW REPRESENTING ANS

CANADA

BUY - SELL

DAVE JOH

NSON

Powered DLC BedrockFinancial by Lic 12275

- INVEST BUY - SELL CONFIDENCE WITH

Agent Mortgage License #12275

7809archrealty.co 647-867a | dave.se Pl Suite 100 realty.c

search

dave@

Centre 50 Villagega, ON L4Z 1V9 Mississau

BUY - SEL

WITH CONL - INV EST FIDENCE

one of Canada’s most stands an:Refinanc international figure from successful ty-Down Tours Home and production companies.on They have skater, a High cyber analyst, a Good Credit Qualitysecurity payment Equity Loans Than ase HD Photos Less orand lidatiacross a wide Purchcar - Cash to Attract strategically worked salesman, an entrepreneur.

GoodLoans Back Conso more Buyers Mortgage & Home rangeDebt of genres, ance and are responyear they will be competing for Offers* CreditaThis TONEY sible for overRefin 600 hours of reality, chance to beNATALY one of sixA titleholdGood Home 416-837-5460 ancial.ca RealOR Less Than TEXT lifestyle, and pro- ers and take home the $100,000 Estate CALL 647-867efinancial.ca dave@s prize.

Agent| www.lendmorefin Good or documentary Mortgage Agent EY cashearchre gramming. natalya@lendmor #12275 7809 60 alty.ca 37-54 l.ca This season,ALYA overLicense aTON thouContinued | dave.se On Page 5 orefinancia 416-8 NAT archrea sand promising chefs TEXT | www.lendm lty.co ORauditioned ancial.ca CALL ndmorefin18 spots for only 18 spots; these 50 Village natalya@le

SON EST DAVE JOHN L - INV E Y -HSEL FIDENC BUWIT CON 50 Village Quality Back L4Z 1V9 and High Loans - Cash Mississauga, ON Tours payment N VirtualDown NSO Estate Agent BUY - SELL - INVEST DAVE JOHReal

DAVE JOH

NSON

Powered by

DLC BedrockFinancial Lic 12275

Powered

l Group

by

Lic 12275 DLC BedrockFinancia

Group

Mississau Centre Pl Suite 100 ga, ON L4Z 1V9

There will be Soaring Grocery Prices No, it is not your imagination: food is getting more expensive. Grocery prices have jumped 5.7% over the past year, the sharpest increase in a decade. Bacon prices are up 19%. Condiments have risen 10%, and fresh fruit is up 5.6%.

These increases in food prices will likely continue, and should remain above the historical average for the rest of the year.

What I care about ultimately is how bad this can get, how it will affect my community and myself. Just as you prepare for natural disasters and societal unrest, community, you also need to prepare for hyperinflation. Many of the steps you take to prepare for hyperinflation are similar to those you’d take for other emergencies.

The difference is you are prioritizing your financial stability amid economic upheaval. I want you to be prepared for what you are going to see and hear in the next year.

Elected Officials with dress and time their Policies to win Elections Governments are highly sensitive to anything that puts votes away, and our current economic state is one of the biggest because it impacts our day-to-day lives.

LEARN FROM 10

YEAR INDUSTRY

CALL 1-800-377-41

DAVE JOHNSON Real Estate Agent 647-867-7809

dave@searchrealty.ca | dave.searchrealty.co

NATALYA TONEY

Mortgage Agent License #12275 Powered by

DLC BedrockFinancial Group Lic 12275

CALL OR TEXT 416-837-5460 natalya@lendmorefinancial.ca | www.lendmorefinancial.ca

EXPERT MIKE

REID

48

Mortgage Agent License #12275

First & Secon Equity Loans d Mortgages Debt Conso from $5000 $500,000 Home Refinlidation Good or Lessance & Home Than Good Purchase Credit NATALYA TONEY CALL OR TEXT

DLC BedrockFinancial Powered by Lic 12275

Group

POWERED

Y!

BY

MARC

H 6 2019

NEWSPAP

ER

FIND THESE ARTICLES AND MORE ONLINE www.TOCaribNews.com

Group

YOU ONLY NEED ued On MINUTE A DAY TO MAKE A FEWContin Page S 5 A LIVING

WITH STEP BY STEP MENTORING YOU’LL BE ABLE AND THE USE OF A SMARTPHONE TO TRADE IN THE NO EXPERIENCE , FOREIGN EXCHANGE NEEDED. MARKET,

First & Second Mortgages Equity Loans from $5000 - $500,000 Debt Consolidation Home Refinance & Home Purchase Good or Less Than Good Credit

WITH CONFIDENCE

Virtual Tours and High Quality HD Photos to Attract more Buyers Down payment Loans - Cash Back Mortgage Offers*

50 Village Centre Pl Suite 100 Mississauga, ON L4Z 1V9

Bird Flu Pandemic is killing millions of Chickens and Turkeys An outbreak of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza in chicken and turkey flocks has spread across 24 U.S. states since it was first detected in Indiana on February 8th, 2022.

Better known as bird flu, avian influenza is a family of highly contagious viruses that are not harmful to wild birds that transmit it, but are deadly to domesticated birds.

When domesticated poultry, such as chickens and turkeys, come in direct or indirect contact with feces of infected wild birds, they become infected and start to show symptoms, such as: depression, coughing and sneezing, and sudden death.

LIKE > COMMENT > SHARE > JOIN THE COMMUNITY

WITH CONF- INVEST IDENCE

er round of MASTERCHEF CANADA! memoe. “Celeb ber sentines during s of Decem cultur a is a mean Canada’s favorite culinary competicandl y held from more the 52ndit Canad tionOffers* is inBuyers their 6th season, and they to Attract emon ry 1st.

HD PhotosMortgage marks QualityCash Back and HighLoans return with a two-hour premiere to JanuaThis year Kwanzaa since Virtual Tourspayment Down of on April 8th, broadcasting on CTV. MASTERCHEF CANADA has landed Anniversary Agent Real Estate two nominations for the 2019 Canada Screen Awards including “Best -7809 realty.co 647-867| dave.search Reality/Competition Series.” It is no more Buyers hrealty.ca to Attract dave@searc Suite 100 since opening its surprise Centre Plbecause HD PhotosMortgage Offers*

REALIT

NEWSPAPERWEDNESDAY,

CARIBBEAN.COM

TO ADVE

CHARLES AYODELE

2019

NEWSPAPE

“I work for A fee is charged you, only for the not the banks! most challeng From first consulta SPECIALIZ ing credit solutions,tion to the signing REFINANCEING IN 1st and it’s especial of your mortgag VOLUME & 2nd MORT 6 • ISSUE S •15NEW ly then that e, our • WEDNESD TO CANA GAGES I can do for services are free.

AY, SEPTEMB • PRIVA DA you what ER 20TH • SELF EMPL the banks TE MORT 2017 cannot.”

NEWSPAPER NEED IN ONE

SOCIAL LOVE AND STATUS HEARTS

VOLU

NE: • ONLI 22-6298

SDAY, FEBRU

IN ONE

IBBEAN.COM

CHARLE S AY DREAMS THING YOU ELE A REALITY! EVERY I PER CAN HELP MAKE YOUR OD

WEDN 24 •

NEE 6298 • 416-875-4523EVERYT ISE: 647-722HING YOU TO ADVERT .COM

| Broker Financial

CALL ME TODAY! I CAN HELP!

.ca a www.charlesayodele charles@bfgbroker.c

• WEDNE

YOU NEED

TORONTOCAR

I CAN HE

ARY

JANU ESDAY,

• ISSUE ME 7

8 • ISSUE 1

ARY 20

TO ADVER

98 • E YOU the banks cannot.” your mortgage, MAK : 647-722-62 to the signing ofthen that I can do for you what RTISE HELP From first consultation I CAN not the banks! credit solutions, and it’s especially “I work for you, GES

TO ADVE

VOLUME

ER

NEWSPAP

IN ONE

EAN.COM

A REALITY! R DREAMS our services are free.

NTOCARIBB

TORO ONLINE:

Russia is limiting Food Shipments to Countries that they deem as being Friendly “We will only be supplying food and agriculture products to our friends. Fortunately we have plenty of them, and they are not in Europe or North America at all.” Dmitry Medvedev (Deputy Secretary of Russia’s Security Council) One of President Vladimir Putin’s allies warned that Russia, a major global wheat exporter, could limit supplies of agricultural products to “friendly” countries only, amid Western sanctions imposed on Moscow over the Ukraine crisis. I wonder if Putin considers Canada as a friendly country?

2018

VOLUM

NG EVERYTHI

USDA, three kinds of fertilizer have dramatically increased in price over the past year: the cost of urea is 149% higher, liquid nitrogen is 192% more expensive and anhydrous ammonia is up 235%.

This is discouraging millions of farmers from doing what they do best; produce food.

natalya@le

ndmorefina

ncial.ca

416-837-54 | www.lendm

60

orefinancia

l.ca

They will strategically dress and time their policies with the objective to win elections or gain support during specific moments.

Be aware, and let’s put people in office who actually mean well for us.

Beware the Propaganda In the next few months coming up to our Federal Elections, you are going to hear terms like “temporary,” “freeze,” “control,” “tax increase,” and the like. These are red flags for coming hyperinflation. Be wary of the propaganda and official narrative pushed by our mainstream media. The government will always try to sell these and other nefarious measures as “Good for the people,” “Necessary,” and “Important for the cause.”

Easy-selling solutions and measures like “Tax the rich” are also greatly favoured by bureaucrats and politicians. The population may not be aware, but the ruling classes are extremely mindful of “the power of divisiveness.” Expect every trick to be deployed to manipulate opposition and social tension to achieve their goals.

What do we do now?

I have listed a few things that you can consider doing to prepare yourself for the economic apocalypse: •

•

•

•

Pay off any debt that has an adjustable interest rate as quickly and as soon as possible. Unsecured credit card debt, in particular, is vulnerable to increased interest rates that would demand more and more of a family’s income.

Consider ways to decrease your transportation expenses. As gasoline prices soar out of control, you might want to consider selling that second or third vehicle and pocket the savings in gas, upkeep, and insurance? It is wise to be strategic when deciding which vehicles to keep, sell, and/or purchase.

If you never thought of it, it is important to have a backup plan for every major appliance in your home. If electricity prices become outrageous, do you have everything necessary for drying clothes on a clothesline, washing clothes by hand, and an old-fashioned dish-drainer or two?

Continue stocking up on food and household supplies. When prices increase, this will give you a much-needed cushion of time. Add multi-purpose, versatile supplies like vinegar, bleach, and baking soda to your shopping list, along with your canned goods, flour, and pasta.

This might be scary to hear, but with hard times comes violence. It is wise to stock up on tools or weapons for security. You will need to protect yourself, your family, and your stockpile. Make plans today to keep your loved ones safe.

There is a food crisis coming; it cannot be denied, nor ignored.

NEWS

Wednesday, April 13, 2022 | www.TOCaribNews.com | Toronto Caribbean News

PAGE 9

The growing salaries of our paid, elected officials will come from the pockets of workers and small-business owners; We are not all in this together!

SIMONE SMITH simone@carib101.com

TC REPORTER

“Taxpayers have struggled through two years of revolving government lockdowns, pay cuts, job and business losses and we can’t afford higher taxes to pay for raises for bureaucrats that already receive big sixfigure salaries.

We don’t need more bureaucrats with bigger salaries, taxpayers need our government employees to be willing to share in the tough times and take a pay cut.”

Federal Director of the Canadian Taxpayers Federation (CTF) I am going to start this piece with a harsh fact; not a single federal or provincial government had a reduction in pay during lockdowns. This is according to research from Secondstreet.org.

While many of us have been figuring out how to make ends meet, worrying about whether we are going to have jobs, and dealing with the on-going financial stress of this pandemic, there are a group

of Canadians who seem to be benefiting from all of the suffering.

What the pandemic has done is lay bare the divide between the haves and the have nots. It seems that the haves were shielded from financial reality and the taxpayers are now on the hook to pay the growing tab. Do you think it is fair that Canadians who took pay cuts or lost their jobs or businesses are responsible for paying these raises? I have more questions for you, but I want to lay out all the facts first.

So here is the ludicrous thing; a record number of public sector executives making six-figure taxpayer-funded salaries have complained they are not being paid enough for having worked through the COVID-19 pandemic. According to the Canadian Taxpayers Federation, over half a million federal and provincial government workers benefited from pay raises during the COVID-19 pandemic at the expense of the taxpayer.

These taxpayer-funded executives have complained of a $7,000 pay difference among some employees. Entry-level executives can make up to $132,100 a year, while some higher-level policy analysts get paid up to $140,571.

Undisclosed to many of us, on April 1st, 2022 senators and MP’s received a scheduled pay raise, with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau earning an additional $21,604 this year, raising his total salary to $379,404.

We have 338 MP’s here in Canada.

These MP’s are out here shaking hands and taking pictures, you would think that just one of them would be willing to take a stand against universal raises. Sorry! At the height of the pandemic, as the debt ballooned to the $1-trillion mark and beyond, Ottawa assigned new contracts for thousands of its employees — and not a single MP objected. I want you to think about this when they come to you asking for your vote.

I did a little more digging (because I have learned to live in the rabbit hole), and I came across a document called the “Sunshine List.” The Ontario government publishes the income data of employees who earned at least $100,000 in the preceding year from organizations that receive public funding. The “Sunshine List” aims to promote pay transparency in the sector in line with the Public Sector Salary Disclosure Act. What I learned is that the highestearning public servants last year mostly came from the energy sector. Six of the top ten earners work for Ontario Power Generation: • •

Kenneth Hartwick, President and Chief Executive Officer, Ontario Power Generation – $1,228,517.00 Dominique Miniere, President, Nuclear, Ontario Power Generation – $1,131,767.04

• • • • • • • •

Sean Granville, Chief Operations Officer and Chief Nuclear Officer, Ontario Power Generation – $901,606.32 Michael Martelli, Chief Projects Officer, Ontario Power Generation – $850,332.27 Kevin Smith, President and Chief Executive Officer, University Health Network – $844,992.20 Randy Lockwood, Senior Vice President Pickering, Ontario Power Generation – $818,891.74 Dietmar Reiner, Senior Vice President Nuclear Projects, Ontario Power Generation – $817,862.24 Mark Fuller, President and Chief Executive Officer, Ontario Public Service Pension Board – $797,474.68 Stephen Rigby, President and Chief Executive Officer, Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation – $797,308.55 Timothy Rutledge, President and Chief Executive Officer, Unity Health Toronto – $776,412.00

I want to be very clear here; the growing salaries of our paid, elected officials will come from the pockets of workers and small-business owners, many of whom took pay cuts during lockdowns, lost their jobs or were forced to close their doors.

We are not all in this together!

Militant: marching onwards for a better world EUGENE PITTER eugene@carib101.com

ENTERTAINMENT REPORTER

JAMAICA -- “We are the world We are the children We are the ones who Makes a brighter day So let’s start giving.”

These are the magical lines that seem to put the whole world under its spell - from those who live in Africa, Europe to Asia and North America.

This song, USA for Africa brought together some of the most talented entertainers, including Lionel Richie, Tina Turner,

Stevie Wonder and the electrifying Michael Jackson.

That song, more than any other had me pondering very hard about one thing; what would this world be like without children? There are some 100 million homeless children living on the streets around the world, while 250,000 die each day from malnutrition.

So, when deejay Militant spoke the same language as that mega song, USA for Africa, I suddenly stopped for a moment and asked him, what would you say about this world?

“We need more than peace; we need to make this world a better place for our children.”

“So where do we start?” I continued.

“Each one of us needs to make this world one without discrimination, inequality and disunity. Inequality leaves many having too much and too many having too little,” he explained.

In America the top 1% now own more wealth than the bottom 92%, and the 50th wealthiest Americans own more wealth than the bottom half of American society - 165 million people.

The world’s Inequality Report produced by the World’s Inequality Lab found that wealth and income inequality remain

pronounced across the globe. More so, the COVID crisis has exacerbated inequality between the very wealthy and the rest of the world.

The world’s small elite of 2,755 have seen their fortunes grow more during COVID-19 than they have in the last fourteen years combined. This is the biggest annual increase since records began, and it is taking place on every continent.

It is enabled by skyrocketing stock market prices, a boom in unregulated entities, a surge in monopoly power and privatization, alongside the erosion of individual corporate tax rates and workers’ rights and wages.

Deejay Militant is quick to walk anyone through more than fifteen years of stalk poverty.

“I lived between two communities: Maxfield Avenue where my grandmother lived and Whitehall in Kingston, Jamaica, the latter being my father’s parent’s home.

We never had running water, and unlike many kids, had to help in sending myself to school. This was by selling snacks like biscuits. It was all about survival. ‘If you want good yu nose affi run,’ meaning a lot of good comes through suffering, and sacrifice.”

Militant (given name Cedric

Moodie) wanted a better life, and this he felt could be realized through music.

“I knew I had to work twice as hard getting my songs recorded at the studio. I found myself hustling anywhere between $2,500 and $3,000 weekly. Half of that money would go to my mom to help with bills, including food. If I was short (in cash), I could easily depend on some kind-hearted adult to help.”

The foreign bug hooked Militant, because like many poor struggling families, this was one of the easiest ways of escaping the severity of poverty. After his mom left Jamaica and settled in Philadelphia US she sent for him.

“I met new friends in Philadelphia, US and a much improved life without the daily stress. I continued on a musical path writing more songs about life struggles which I have encountered.”

His first recorded song was “Volume,” released on Real Youth Music label in 2018, five years after migrating to Philadelphia. Among his other songs are “Wah Rich,” “Clean and Outdeh,” “Life Still Keeping,” “Secret,” and “Feel Nice.”

On his journey towards stardom the echoes of the mighty song, We Are The World continues to ring like a chiming doorbell.

PAGE 10

NEWS

Toronto Caribbean News | www.TOCaribNews.com | Wednesday, April 13, 2022

Toronto, Ontario, Canada, a hotbed of Caribbean Cuisine, customs, and music; Introducing Rhythms and Resistance at the Friar’s Museum SIMONE SMITH simone@carib101.com

TC REPORTER

It has been a long, cold, grey winter, and when people think about Canada, they associate it with the snow and the cold. What some people may not know is that Canada is full of culture. It is a mesmerizing mix of people, customs, language, cuisine, and music. The Canadian cultural mosaic is colourful, and there is one group of people who bring the pallet to life, the people of the Caribbean.

They are a people rooted in their rich heritage, shaped by a long history of colonization, and moulded by waves of immigration. The culture is an intriguing blend of colonial and native elements; shaped by each country’s socio-cultural experiences. It may have a cold climate, but Toronto, Ontario, Canada has long been a hotbed of Caribbean cuisine, customs, and music.

By the 1980s, the city was known as the second-biggest source of reggae on the planet, second only to Kingston, Jamaica.

Outside of Eglinton West, Toronto’s Yonge Street was alive with the sounds of Jazz, R&B, and Reggae. From 1947 when Toronto “The Good” issued its first liquor licenses to the hotels of Yonge Street to the mid 1970’s before the Eaton Centre and the strip clubs, music is what set Toronto apart from all other cities in Canada.

I had the pleasure of being invited to the opening of a global legacy now being showcased in Rhythms and Resistance at the Friar’s Museum. It is the first ever exhibition of its kind, celebrating a wide range of Caribbean sounds in Toronto, the many artists who produced them and the cultural soundtrack they created. Rhythms and Resistance is on permanent display at the Friar’s Museum. Located in the Shoppers Drug Mart south of Yonge - Dundas Square, the exhibit is now hosted in a legendary building that housed the Hard Rock Cafe and famed nightclubs The Friar’s and The Nickelodeon.

This triumphant tribute to Reggae music was no easy task. I want to recognize the team that brought this all together: the Downtown Yonge Business Improvement Area, Klive Walker (Curator), Downtown Yonge Chief Operating Officer and Executive Director Mark Garner, Nicholas Jennings (Curator, Musical Journalist), The Toronto Music Museum, and The Friar’s Museum.

They had to go against some tough odds to get this exhibit up and going. For them, it is all worth it.

“Caribbean music has been vital to Toronto’s cultural development over the course of a century,” says Downtown Yonge Chief Operating Officer and Executive Director Mark Garner. “The exhibition’s name reflects the history of Caribbean music in this city as one of resistance to injustice.”

When I arrived downtown, I was welcomed into the exhibit by Mark Garner and Curator Klive Walker. Klive is an author, cultural critic and music historian specializing in reggae culture, its origins in Jamaica and its adventures in Canada, the United States and the UK. His book, Dubwise: Reasoning from the Reggae Underground, was

published in 2005. He has written for CBC Music and the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) Review.

The only person I was not able to chat to that day was Nicholas Jennings.

Nicholas Jennings is one of Canada’s leading music journalists, a music historian, curator, cultural heritage preservationist and author of several bestselling books. His passion for Caribbean music found an outlet in the Toronto Star and eye weekly newspapers, where he often wrote about reggae artists.

Upon entering, I was transported back to a time; for those few moments, I was reminded about how proud I was to be of Caribbean descent. As I looked at the vast collection of artifacts, I was immersed into the memories of diverse rhythms, melodies and lyrics – all underpinned by a burning demand for equality. There are hundreds of photographs, posters, handbills, recordings, videos, instruments, costumes, clothing and assorted ephemera related to calypso, reggae, soul, funk and hip-hop musicians in Toronto, dating back to the first arrival of Caribbean immigrants in the 1940s, ’50s and ’60s.

Bob Marley, Lillian Allen, Jackie Mittoo, Louise Bennett, the Mighty Sparrow, JoJo Bennett, Leroy Sibbles, Michie Mee, pictures that I had never seen were on full display. The exhibition features images by such prominent photographers as Boris Spremo, Joan Latchford, Rick McInnis and Isobel Harry. There are rare photographs of Bob Marley, Jamaica’s greatest superstar performing and playing soccer in Toronto.

Nostalgically I admired an authentic Bob Marley autograph, concert tickets and a vintage “Natty Dread” t-shirt, similar to the one he wore onstage at Massey Hall.

I was happy to see display cases

prominently featuring hip-hop and R&B. Michie Mee, Maestro Fresh Wes, Dream Warriors; with their Caribbean-influenced sound, these artists were the hip hop pioneers who first put Toronto on the map and paved the way for global superstars like Drake and The Weekend.

Music lovers from around the world; this exhibit will tantalize your musical taste buds and resurrect your love for great music. I want to share a little bit of what you can expect: •

• •

•

the illuminated sign for the Record Nook, the music store at 1400 Bathurst Street run by reggae legends Jackie Mittoo and Lord Tanamo the flugelhorn of the late JoJo Bennett, the beloved bandleaders of award-winning reggae band the Sattalites.

The original hand-painted sign advertising the first Caribana, which began in 1967 and grew to become one of the largest annual Caribbean carnivals in the world a rare recording by JoJo & the Fugitives, one of the scarcest 7-inch 45 r.p.m. discs in Canadian music. The recording of “Chips-Chicken-Banana Split” was featured on the acclaimed compilation Jamaica to Toronto: Soul, Funk & Reggae 1967-1974

The Toronto Music Museum, the Downtown Yonge BIA, have done an excellent job of collecting and protecting cultural artefacts, instruments, recordings, documents and other materials related to the artists, venues and events that shaped Toronto’s deep, diverse music history. Head down and explore the deep rich history of Caribbean music in Toronto. Admission is always free.

The Canadian Godfather of Calypso and Soca has taken his final bow MICHAEL THOMAS michael@carib101.com

TC REPORTER

On March 29th, 2022, “Mister Calypso” himself and the only Canadian calypsonian to

win a Canadian Juno Award transitioned.

John “Jason” Perez was an artist with a signature attached to his songs, meaning once you heard a Jason Calypso, you unmistakably knew it was his. Jason had a way with words that made you laugh even though his calypso had a serious message.

He was an accomplished musician, composer, and recording artist whose passion and love for his art were exceptional.

Jason was crowned calypso king at least four times here in Canada and has a list of hit songs a mile long.

From songs like “Angela” in which

he describes the true power of Calypso and carnival on a particular woman, “Drunken Sailor” with his portrayal of an American sailor revelling at Trinidad carnival in uniform, but drunk, to his smash hit named “Mash It Up” in which he played an unruly cab driver misinterpreting his female customer’s directions. Jason always had his audience’s attention.

He was also not afraid to share his talent with many fellow artists, writing songs for multiple-time winners like Tara Woods aka Macomere Fifi and Michael Moore aka Lord Beginner, and in later years for the chil-

dren singers of “Pass the Torch” a group he co-founded with the late Dick Lochan.

From his native land in Trinidad and Tobago to the shores of Canada, Jason has left his musical footprints on the sand of time, and no one can deny that.

He is survived by: his wife Brenda and daughter Tanya not to mention the entire calypso family of Canada, and The Organization of Calypso Performing Artistes (OCPA.) Alongside the Kaiso community, I join in saying Nuff Respect to you Jason you really “Mash it up.”

How has gentrification affected your community? Tiffany Ford reminds people about what is being taken away from the Jane and Finch community PAUL JUNOR paul@carib101.com

TC REPORTER

The Jane-Finch Forgrove-Grassways Community is one of the most well-known in the City of Toronto. For an area that has been highly stigmatized and marginalized, there have been positive success stories that have been highlighted in the media. This community like many in Toronto is undergoing gentrification and there have been many concerns about the implications of these changes on the present residents and what may occur in the future.

Tiffany Ford, CEO, and Strategist of The Ford Global Group Inc. shared with me information about the social housing (TCHC) projects that are currently being demolished and the revitalization of condos that are currently planned. She sent me the link to the website: www.firgroveconnections.com, which states, “After 50 years, the Firgrove-Grassways community as we know it will be demolished. This website keeps the community we love online to be shared, celebrated and memorialized.” In addition, it is, “A work in progress, a future online museum curated by present and former members of the community.”

The website provides important details about the Firgrove-Grassways community. It was built in 1971 by the Ontario Housing Corporation, which was overseen

by Metro Housing in Toronto. Subsequently, many described it as the “Connections” due to the fact that it was a direct link to the Grassways building. This community

extends to the larger Jane-Finch community, which over the years has been home to many multicultural and multiracial families.

The Firgrove-Grassways community consists of three blocks of 2-story and 4-story town homes with 236 units built in 1971, a twelve-story high-rise building (5 Needle Fairway) with 137 units built in 1975, and 15-unit adjacent two-story. In addition, there is: a community centre, child-care centre, basketball court, playground, and an outdoor pool.

It was in 2016 that the TCHC decided to examine aging buildings that were structurally unfit after conducting a revitalization project. On the basis of health and safety concerns, several of these units were not occupied by tenants and remained empty. Subsequently, on December 8th, 2016, TCHC deemed Dune Grassway and Blue Grassway unsafe. By 2017, after a relocation process was conducted, residents were given the option of moving to alterna-

tive units in the city and returning after the revitalization process. Later on, Turf Grassway and Cane Grassway were shuttered and tenants who remained were moved to areas away from the community.

Tiffany has taken it upon herself to single handedly launch this project to ensure that memories of this once vibrant community stay alive. According to the TCHC, when the Firgrove-Grassway Community development is finished in 2023, there will be approximately 600 market units added to this market at about $500,000 per unit.

Details can be seen at the website: myinvestmentbrokers.com with all the perks. Tiffany informed me that there are over 100 followers of former residents in 3 days at www.instagram.com/jfconnections.

There is a call for former residents to come forward.

Wednesday, April 13, 2022 | www.TOCaribNews.com | Toronto Caribbean News

NEWS

PAGE 11

Yep! You have been Hacked; the increase in Phishing on Instagram SIMONE SMITH simone@carib101.com

TC REPORTER

I was sitting down to dinner with a friend on Saturday evening, and I felt my phone vibrating. I ignored it; because when I am relaxing, I usually don’t take calls. My phone kept vibrating, so I decided to answer it.

A good friend of mine Evangelist Janel was on the phone.

“Simone. I think that someone has hacked your Instagram. They are sending messages out about bitcoin, and I know that this is not you.”

“Are you serious!”

“Yep,” she said. “Go and check right now.”

I hung up the call and headed to my Instagram page. I tried to log on, and the message I received was “Unable to Login. Please try again later.” Yep, just like that, I had been hacked.

Being the victim of a hacked Instagram account is what many of us fear. Imagine, losing all your pictures, all the memories, gone in one second.

This can happen to any Instagram or social media account through a malicious scam known as angler phishing, also known as Instagram phishing. If you have an email address or phone number or anything, they want it. But what exactly is Instagram phishing, and what are the signs of it? Let’s take a look.

Instagram phishing is a scam done by sending a DM (Direct Message) or a phishing email impersonating Instagram. In my case, my brother’s girlfriend’s account had been hacked, and I received a message from her. In the message she shared how she had started investing in bitcoin, and how she had made a profit in a short amount of time.

What was interesting about that is the fact that my brother is heavy into cryptocurrency, so receiving an email from his girlfriend about this actually made sense. Just like that, they had tricked me to click on the link, which instantly gave them access to my Instagram.

Some of the DM scams pretend to be Instagram support warning users about fake copyright violations. I did a little investigation and Instagram notes they will never DM about account issues. They recommend not opening or replying to phishing attempts like this. The platform will also never ask for personal account details like your password.

This leads to stolen information, fake promotions advertised on your account, or loss of your account. Hackers for one main reason use it: to monetize your personal information.

I handled this all-in stride because to be honest, that page was shadow banned,

censored, and no one could find me, so in a sense, the hackers did me a favour.

Now, this may not be the case for some of you; your pages are the way you connect with your followers, business associates, friends, and family, so here are some more ways you can secure your account and ensure that your details aren’t sold or distributed over the Internet: Create a strong password Ideally, a strong password includes 14-16 characters minimum (letters, numbers, punctuation marks). Please do not do 12345, as a password. You can use a password generator from a reliable source like LastPass, or 1password, which can also help create one for you.

To keep your information extra secure, make sure to update all your passwords regularly.

Activate Two-factor Authentication Two-factor authentication is a feature that adds an extra layer of security to your account. It does this by asking for a code when logging in to a new device. You can either receive a code via SMS or generate unique ones with a third-party authentication app. Instagram recommends using either Duo mobile or Google Authenticator.

To get started go to Settings > Security > Two-factor authentication > Select Text message or Select Authentication app.

Don’t Share your Personal Information with Anyone Don’t give out any data to anyone – to be

safe, that even includes friends or followers on Instagram.

Be wary of messages and emails Any messages or emails that require you to re-enter your account details for whatever reason should always be carefully inspected, and now, you have to be careful even if it is someone that you know.

Make sure to check the legitimacy of every email at Settings > Security > Emails from Instagram.

If you do end up clicking on a link that redirects you to an Instagram login page, do not log in. Just to be safe, open instagram.com on a separate browser window and login through there or through your app.

Refrain from using bots (auto-follow services) We all want 1M followers, but it’s best to gain these followers and comments organically.

So, I suggest staying away from using external services. It isn’t safe in terms of keeping your data secure.

Be careful when authorizing access Sometimes, apps that we use ask us to authorize access to our photos, contacts, microphone, etc. Whenever you receive these requests, double-check to see that it’s from an app you use and not some suspicious app or website.

Well, that’s it! I wanted to share this information with you, because although this was not a big deal to me, it could be a big deal to you.

What do you mean we are not having sex?

Canadians are just not having enough SEX! STEVEN KASZAB steven@carib101.com

TC REPORTER Are Canadians having sex while they are home during this pandemic? Many of us think so, but statistics show Canadians are having far less sex then you may think. Stress due to the pandemic may be the cause, along with employment and relational issues. In fact, there is no presumed baby boom during the pandemic.

Are Canadians getting down, gettin

jiggy with it? Canadians between 46-60 are having sex 1.36 times a week. Canadians also do not enjoy spontaneous sex like other nations.

Couples in the Caribbean are far more sexually spontaneous than Canadian couples. Who knew? Younger people claim a more active sex life, but Statistics Canada projects a similar decline in sexual activities among 24-30+ populations. What’s up here?

Have Canadian’s sexual desires declined? Well sex workers in Canada have had a 22% increase in activities, particularly with new clients during this pandemic. The number of sex clubs in Canada has increased during the pandemic by 11%, Mostly in Quebec (randy bunch).

The popularity of pornography has exploded in North America, so Canadians and Americans are at least thinking about sex. What about our cousins across the pond in Britain? Apparently Canadians have the better sex lives, while the British the worst.

Three out of ten British men have not had sex for over a year. 70% of British men have had sex over a year, and 60% of British women have been sexually active. 80% of Canadian, American and Australian men claim to have been sexually active, getting down with it at least once a week. 41% of British males and 33% of their female counter parts within the same sex community claim to be very sexually active.

Only in New Zealand were women far more sexually active then their male counterparts. Good for them.

Why am I writing about this issue you may ask? Well if sex is the spice of life, then our society needs some major drizzling of spices.

Canada’s population is declining, and with that all the economic and social problems that arise.

We have fewer young people in Canada, many more elderly. Our population is greying before our eyes. America has had a large input from the ethnic and Hispanic population, where the

challenges of having children are considered differently compared to American White’s perceptions. Family is always more important than careers, economic advancement and materialism.

Sex makes you feel good, is excellent for relationship management and development. The endorphins flow, and you feel great.

1% of all Canadian couples are same sex, so the remaining 99% of Canadian adults need to expand their sexual horizons, open up with their partners and discuss this issue freely among yourselves. Your personal and communal state of mind can use a little sassiness now and then.

A new generation is waiting to be brought into an amazing world of possibilities.

Your mission, if you wish to accept it, is to make love and not war.

Why is reading so important? Kavin Selvan challenges children with the “Big Little Books Battle” PAUL JUNOR paul@carib101.com

TC REPORTER Reading as a tool to improve the literacy of kids has been recognized by educators worldwide. Many parents, caregivers, and guardians know the value placed on reading to children at a young age to ensure that they become independent readers and thinkers. The power of literacy to develop critical skills, independent thinking, and creativity is even more important in our technological world.

Undoubtedly, the past two years have been very challenging for young people, many

of whom were restricted to online learning due to COVID-19, as studies have shown that their reading levels have been deeply affected. Kavin Selvan, the founder of the “Big Little Books Battle” trivia competition, is empowered to change the lives of youth through the power of reading.

His non-profit organization, “Big Little Books” (BLB), started in May 2021 at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, will be hosting its first-ever book-based trivia tournament on June 12th, 2022, for children in the Greater Toronto Area.

The purpose of the competition is to gamify reading and encourage youth to continue reading books and improve their literacy skills. This is an essential skill that will help youth to develop fully.

In my interview with Kavin, he shared his aim to make a difference in the lives of underserved youth in the Greater Toronto Area.

Kavin states, “We were inspired by our youth and also our community partner from the Barrie Public Library, who helped flesh this out; the library first ran an event similar to this in Barrie over 20 years ago. We will be the first to do this

in a virtual format in Toronto.”

On the Big Little Book’s website: www.biglittlebooks.ca., it states that their mission is to inspire a new generation of young Ontario readers in this current age of social media.

Through friendly tournaments and thoughtprovoking workshops, we hope to increase youth engagement with reading by creating memorable moments with their fellow peers.

Working with schools and libraries across Ontario, we hope to support underserved communities and their youth.

The motto of Big Little Book is “Empowering the youth for a brighter future, one book at a time.” This shows the commitment to changing lives through the power of reading and creating an informed, engaged, and educated citizenry. Aside from improving literacy rates among youth, the vision is to have fun, engaging, competitive team-building events and skill-based workshops.

Kavin told me that he was able to start Big Little Books after receiving a seed grant from #RisingYouth and further funding from

the Temerity Faculty of Medicine at the University of Toronto. His team has already reached out to schools in the GTA, and he anticipates that there may be 5-10 schools involved, with approximately 30 students in total. The tournament is geared to kids aged 10-13, and there will be opportunities for participants to attend events and workshops prior to the tournament.

The competition involves multiple challenges, an oral battle, and a lightning round. The registration link is on Big Little Book’s website, and any interested teachers or parents can register their children/students.

Each participant will receive $25 for lunch and a certificate of participation. A certificate of achievement will be given to the first-place winner along with more than $50 in books. In addition, there will be a raffle draw where participants can place one ticket for each book they read. Books will be given to raffle winners to encourage students to continue reading.

Anyone interested in learning about BLB can follow them on Instagram: instagram-com/biglittlebooks-canada.

PAGE 12

NEWS

Toronto Caribbean News | www.TOCaribNews.com | Wednesday, April 13, 2022

Save yourself some money; top 10 things to avoid flushing stuff down your toilet!

SIMONE SMITH simone@carib101.com

TC REPORTER

As you drive down your street, you pass by the gas station cringing as you see the gas price.

“Those won’t be going down anytime soon,” you say to yourself.

You have to stop by the grocery store to pick up a few things. As you are checking out, the clerk tells you the total price with taxes.

“That will be $65.58 please.” You look down at the five items in the bag trying to figure out how five items can cost so much.

Shaking your head, you jump back in your car and head home. You walk through the door with your bags, kick off your shoes and step into a puddle of water.

“What is going on here?” You walk over to the bathroom and open the door.

There it is. Your toilet has stopped up and it

has been running for some time. Now you have to call a plumber, deal with cleaning up the toilet water (possible water damage), and spend more money.

Contrary to popular belief, toilets are not trash compactors. They don’t ‘swallow’ whatever you flush down them. Surprisingly, not everyone knows what seemingly harmless items don’t belong in the toilet, and how flushing these items could cost you!

Looking at how your last few months have been, one thing you must avoid is costs.

Alex Gouin, Plumber at Reliance Home Comfort, contacted me. More than 1.8 million Canadian homeowners now trust Reliance Home Comfort to deliver quality heating, cooling and plumbing and water filtration systems. Alex thought that it would be a great idea to find ways that we can save ourselves money by avoiding unnecessary home repairs. He provided us with a top 10 list of things you should never flush down the toilet.

Flushable/baby wipes “Flushable” and baby wipes are incorrectly named and do not disintegrate in water as quickly as toilet tissue does. They can lodge in sewer pipes and clog the toilet.

Cell phones Hear that? That’s the sound of your cell phone getting stuck in the bathroom plumbing. If you flush your phone, you will be calling the plumber, guaranteed. Nearly one in five people drop their smart phones in the toilet.

Condoms Condoms will clog your toilet and should be disposed of in the trash. Period. They are non-biodegradable.

Dental floss Tossing seemingly harmless dental floss in the toilet seems like no big deal, but floss is a) not biodegradable, and b) bunches up and causes clogging.

Hair Brushing your long, beautiful mane or trimming your hipster beard over the toilet will form balls, cause clogs and trap odours. Always clean brushes over the trashcan. This goes for pet hair and fur as well.

Cotton swabs and cotton balls They seem so small and innocent, but they gather in pipes and cause frustrating clogs.

Food That ‘special’ bologna sandwich you pack

for your child’s lunch five days a week? It might not be so special to them and being fed to your toilet. I unfortunately see food clogging toilets much more often than I should.

Fish/small pets Please find a home for unwanted pets.

Flushing them down the toilet is not only inhumane, it’s irresponsible. There’s no way they’re going to disintegrate in the toilet water and there’s a good chance they’ll create a clog.

Cat litter Cat litter is made to clump in contact with moisture. This means it clumps up your toilet. So, from now on, bag up your litter — poop and all — and dispose of it in the garbage.

Cigarette butts Despite their small size, cigarette butts are not easily flushable. Toilets were made for your butt, not a cigarette.

Hopefully this article has been helpful to you. Any way that we as a publication can help you save money, and resources, we will. Thank you Reliance Home Comfort for sharing this useful information.

It seems that those who have acquired our information will do anything to hold onto it STEVEN KASZAB steven@carib101.com

TC REPORTER

Your family member was treated by someone in the hospital or passed away. Can you get information regarding their treatment, who treated them and the particulars needed for their treatment and ultimate death?

Families whose parents resided in senior homes cannot get essential information such as how their family member was treated, who treated them.

Governments make decisions that influence and directly affect our lives every day. Who makes those decisions and why?

What are the particulars that lead to these decisions?

Our police make calls every day that affect our lives, yet there are no real ways to find out why, where and how police actions occur. Police rely upon a Blue Line that protects their fellow officers. Police authorities do not share information to the general public.

Individuals attempting to find out about their financial situation, their histories and that of their families often receive little or no information from the public authorities or the corporations that manage their information and finances. Errors occur, yet try to find out whom, why and when these happened? It seems that those who have acquired our information will do anything to hold onto it. Their privacy is

protected and more important than ours.

Secrecy surrounds us. We are influenced and directly affected by the policies, decisions and desires of others and we cannot get the information necessary to point out why, how and by whom these decisions are made. The Access for Information Legislation that almost every nation on this globe has passed is often manipulated or ignored by the very authorities that passed it. Are we free enough to know secrets about ourselves? How about our governments, and the corporations we offer our personal information too?

When you allow a doctor or Red Cross to take your blood for whatever reason, ask if your D.N.A. is safe and not to be shared. Seemingly, since blood samples have been taken and studied, corporations have been able to hold onto our D.N.A. and even patent it as their own. Our personal freedoms, and privacy has been taken ad-

vantage of since time memorial. If you do not ask the proper questions of your corporate and public associations you will be open to all sorts of secret, unannounced actions. High profits are found within the sphere of secrecy. Try to find out how much your leaders are worth financially. Yes, you will find out what they make annually, but not their true financial worth. It’s a secret and their privacy is protected, while yours, not so much.

If you attempt to find out what information the public authorities have on you, be prepared to spend a great deal of money and time, and don’t be surprised when you receive an information pack that has been redacted in many places. Information is power, and those whom we share our information with can shape our lives, and not as we would have it.

Community Reacts! Brampton North MPP Kevin Yarde ousted at an NDP nomination meeting PAUL JUNOR paul@carib101.com

TC REPORTER

The news that well known and popular Brampton North MPP Kevin Yarde was ousted at an NDP nomination meeting on Friday, April 8th, 2022, caught many people by surprise.

MPP Yarde won the seat to represent Brampton North in the 2018 provincial election with 14,877 votes of 39,624 total votes which translates to 37.55% of the votes. He won by less than 500 votes, com-

pared to Ripudaman Dhillion who received 14,380 votes or 26.29%.

Brampton North covers the areas from Bramalea-Gore-Malton, BramptonSpringdale, and Brampton West. There have been many speculations as to why the nomination was conducted. With the Ontario provincial election scheduled for Thursday, June 2nd, 2022, and thus less than two months ago, Sandeep Singh who won the nomination battle will have a lot of work to do. Singh mentioned that he won 88% of the vote in the nomination process.

The NDP currently holds three seats while the Conservatives hold two sets in the Brampton ridings.

MPP Yarde has been an active part of the Black Caucus since he was elected.

The other members are; Dr. Jill Andrew, Toronto-St. Paul’s MPP, Dr. Rima Bems-McGown, Beaches-East York, MPP, Dr. Laura Mae Lindo, Kitchener Centre, MPP and Fais-

al Hassan, York South-Weston, MPP. There have been diverse reactions to the removal of MPP Yarde as the Brampton North NDP candidate for the upcoming provincial election. Idris Orughu, community organizer and social commentator tweeted on Friday, April 7th at @IOrughu.

“Wow!! No matter what you think of @KevinYardeMPP, this was a slap on the faces of the Black community, from a party that purports to support us.@OntarioNDP, a terrible precedent for other parties to use.” In a subsequent tweet, “ Our community is in shock, mentally processing the removal of @KevinYardMPP by @AndreaHorwath & @OntarioNDP.” Andrea Horwath, head of the NDP and leader of the Official Opposition in the Ontario legislature stated that the NDP allowed a challenge for a nomination

by MPP’s as long as potential candidates satisfy a vetting process. She states, “Our

process is wide open and very democratic.

As a leader, I really have nothing to do with that.”

MPP Yarde told the Toronto Star in an interview, “I was surprised like everybody else that I lost. It’s politics. You have to be ready for anything.”

He tweeted on Friday, April 8th at @KevinYardeMPP, “I am deeply honoured to have represented my constituents of Brampton North for the last four years.

While I am disappointed at the results of the contested nomination battle, I will continue to advocate for fairness and equality.

Thank you for allowing me to be your voice at Queen’s Park.”

The loss of political influence at Queen’s Park will not stop Kevin from continuing his fight against all forms of systemic racism.

NEWS

Wednesday, April 13, 2022 | www.TOCaribNews.com | Toronto Caribbean News

PAGE 13

Black Business and Professional Association announces eight winners of the Second Annual Rise Up Pitch Competition for Black female entrepreneurs PAUL JUNOR paul@carib101.com

of the Rise Up Pitch Competition, there were about 600 applicants. There were certain specific eligibility criteria that had to be satisfied, some of which are listed below: • •

TC REPORTER

The Black Business and Professional Association (BBPA) has been at the forefront of fulfilling its mission to provide support and resources to empower Black businesses.

Rise Up is one of the programs which is uniquely geared to Black women. According to the website: risepitch.ca, it is “designed to help Black women entrepreneurs develop key skills, build their networks, and receive the support they need to succeed.” It basically, provides a platform for these women, “at any stage of business, to shine and pitch for the chance to win thousands of dollars in financial rewards and resources.” In this second year

• •

Must be a for-profit business A Founder and majority shareholder of a business registered and operating in Canada Applicant must hold the most senior executive title and/or be the chief decision-maker Applicant must be the founder of the business and/or have had a significant impact on the company if acquired

Successful applicants participated in business workshops over two days on March 8th and 9th. On the first day, they learned about, “Understanding Your Motives and Purpose” from Olutoyin Oyelade and the “Business Model Canvass” by Tka Pinnock.

This workshop on the BMC is an integral part of the Black African Caribbean Entrepreneurship Leadership (BACEL) Master Class series. It helps the participants to at-

tain the following goals:

•

• •

•

• • •

Rethink their business objectives Create their business plan and pitch to inventions Understand their business collaborate with consultants and have direction Think deeply about who they serve, what they do, and their value proposition Realize their business should be profit-making

The first day wrapped up with a workshop on, “Branding, Digital Marketing, and Social Media” by Brendan Boy, of Marketing w/BrandEQ Agency. On the 2nd day, they learned “Design Thinking,” “eCommerce 101 and Planning, and “Financial Literacy.”

On Thursday, March 31st, 2022, twentyfour of these Black women entrepreneurs participated in a final pitch to a panel of judges. They were selected after careful scrutiny by business experts of over 200 business plans that had to be submitted

by Friday, March 18th. The 8 winners in 8 categories are:

• • • • • •

Business Services - Michele Williams, Being Here, Human Consumer Goods and Services -Kadeesha Lindsay, Untainted Bath & Body Care Creative Arts and Culture -Chelsea Nyomi, Vagus Creatives Hospitality and Food -Britney Charlton, Ohh! Foods Innovation /Best Pivot During COVID-19- Sheneice and Shanoira,Queer Queens Travel Startup - Tamara Whilby, Women & Children Precious Shelter Teach and Manufacturing- Michelin Khan, Althea Therapy Youth Entrepreneur - Sabryna Parkin, Haus of Injexs Injectibles

Black women entrepreneurs who are interested in pitching their business to receive funding for 2023 can check the website:riseup.ca to see all the eligibility criteria.

The fog of the pandemic has hidden much; protecting the public’s purse STEVEN KASZAB steven@carib101.com

TC REPORTER

Whether you live in North America, the Caribbean or Central-South America we taxpayers must be diligent and aware when protecting our futures.

Seems our local and regional governments can afford to give themselves pay raises, but certainly will not vote to give back to taxpayers a financial incentive, or rebate. The Niagara Regional Council’s sunshine list gave several of its top bu-

reaucrat’s hefty pay increases.

The Regions acting Chief Medical Officer Dr Mustafa Hiriji earned $450,420.45 in 2021, a raise of $153,351.28 compared to 2020. The Niagara Chief Administrative Officer Ron Tripp earned $313,001.55 in 2021, an increase of $81,520.48 compared to 2020.

In contrast the City of Toronto, with a population of 2.8 million, only paid its Chief Medical Officer Dr Eileen DeVilla $321,835.53, while the City of Mississauga with a population of 718,000 paid its C.A.O. Paul Mitcham $284,855.50.

In the last six months, The Niagara Regional Council has increased property taxes, increased user fees, and awarded hefty pay hikes too.

It seems that the taxpayer needs to lock its attention upon their elected officials and public bureaucracy. The medium

pay raises in America have risen from 3%3.5%, the UK from 2.5%-3% and Canada an increase of 2.5% followed by a 2.7% increase in 2023.

The pandemic has acted much like a mass fog event, hiding the many actions of our elected officials and their underlings. We see them carrying out the business of the government and protecting the population, while we do not see their hands going into our pocket books enriching themselves. A mask can be made for less than a dollar, yet our governments have paid as much as five dollars for these.

Inflated wages, prices and unconfirmed costs to the public purse cannot be acceptable.

Public officials taking advantage of the public is criminal, unethical and must be stopped. The public purse must be respected and protected at all times.

Many of our public officials seem to have forgotten this fact.

Well what was hidden must come into the light, I say! Taxpayers, live with your eyes wide open, questioning those elected to be fair, transparent and accountable. This fog, which has hidden much from us, has allowed the possible to become the probable.

What has been misappropriated, stolen, mismanaged, over paid? Perhaps the public offices of the Attorney General and Ombudsmen need to become involved, strictly investigating our government of any possible wrongdoing. While this is done, the rats of wrongdoing will surely abandon the public ship. Those who remain most certainly are the public officials we wished to elect and work for us.

“It is not enough!” Waterloo Regional Catholic School Board; Do better for our students PAUL JUNOR paul@carib101.com

TC REPORTER

Media attention has been directed to the Waterloo Regional Catholic School Board (WCDSB) in the wake of its handling of a four-year-old Black boy, who the police were called on to deal with after an altercation.

The Ontario Ministry of Education initiated a third-party investigation on February 25th, 2022, in order to get to the roots of what occurred at John Sweeney Catholic Elementary School. The report is intended to provide an objective analysis of the circumstances surrounding this event, and

with the mandate to recommend actions to the board to ensure it never happens again.

The family has since received the report, and it was discussed at a board meeting on Monday, April 4th, 2022, in a report by the Director of Education to the WCDSB’s board. It provided background with respect to what occurred on Monday, November 29th, 2021, after a 911 call was made in response to a four-year-old Black boy in crisis. Subsequently, on Wednesday, February 23rd, 2022, a complaint was lodged against the WCDSB regarding the incident, and the media was informed of the details.

After extensive coverage on social media, the decision was made to launch an inquiry on Friday, February 25th, 2022.

A subsequent media release by Minister Leece states, “Under no scenario should police be called to remove a four year old.”

Director of Education, Loretta Notten released a statement on March

31st, 2022 that states, “We deeply regret the obvious hurt and distress caused to this young child in our care, and to his family, and indeed the Black community.

I want to assure the family, and the community, that we are committed to doing better. We will do what needs to be done locally. We will also highlight the changes that need to happen provincially to support students in crisis.”

Some of the 14 recommendations include the following: •

•

Hiring Black consultants to work with Black families to navigate school board conversations and processes for special education, discipline, academic, and well-being Hiring and working closely with Black special education experts to come up with culturally reflective and responsive procedures and supports to address school-identified behavioural

•

•

•

concerns, including clear notification, appeals, and complaint procedures for families at each stage Making it a policy that 911 calls only be for ambulance services and the last resort for kids from kindergarten to grade three, including a clear and mutually-agreed-upon timeline by the school and families when emergency support should be used after contact with parents/guardians is not possible More rules around school exclusions, like collecting demographic data and accountability for school administrators Develop local protocols for: designs, regulation, and content of containment/ calming rooms

The advocacy group, Parents of Black Children (PoBC) has expressed dismay with the report as it feels it does not go far enough to affect systemic and long-lasting changes.

PAGE 14

NEWS

Toronto Caribbean News | www.TOCaribNews.com | Wednesday, April 13, 2022

Don’t disregard a lump in the breast; Men, we are talking to you!

W. GIFFORDJONES MD DIANA GIFFORD-JONES TC HEALTH REPORTER

Few findings cause women as much fear as discovering a breast lump and being left wondering if it’s cancer. What about men who notice a mass and pain in the breast?

Male breast lumps are not commonly discussed in the locker room, but confusion and embarrassment can delay diagnosis of a malignancy.

Breast cancer is not entirely a woman’s disease. Although it occurs in males in less than 1% of cases, diagnosis tends to be late. In 2022, 2,710 American men are expected to be diagnosed with breast cancer, and about 530 will die.

Male breast lumps are not always

dangerous. There’s a condition called “gynecomastia” derived from the Greek root for female and “mastos” for breast. In fact, studies of King Tut’s mummy reveal that Egypt’s Boy King had enlarged breasts.

About one third of males will eventually develop this condition!

What causes gynecomastia? Hormonal changes decreasing testosterone in relation to estrogen are at the root of the issue. Puberty can enlarge boy breasts, lasting one to two years. It’s also common in males between 50 and 70 years of age.

For these older men, a diagnosis of why hormones become imbalanced is not easy. Gynecomastia can be the result of a long list of medications, such as steroids, antibiotics, and antidepressants. Drugs for treating heart and stomach conditions, including ulcers, can trigger the problem.

Too much or too little thyroid medication may be the cause. Recreational drugs can have a role as well.

The long list of possible causes doesn’t end here. For instance, obesity also increases estrogen levels and increases fat-

ty material in the breast. Even an enlarged prostate gland and bacterial and fungal infections are listed causes of this condition.

Last, but not least, is aging.

Males who develop enlarged breasts face one difficult dilemma. That is, increased breast tissue is associated with the other sex. Psychological distress is an unfortunate consequence for men who then try to hide the condition, but like it or not, they should not ignore breast lumps and must consult a doctor.

Faced with so many possible causes, what is a doctor going to do? The first step is to rule out the possibility of cancer. This done by: two non-invasive procedures, a mammogram and an ultrasound examination of both breasts. Both breasts are done because a malignancy could have spread to the other breast.

Regarding the psychology of gynecomastia, one male patient had this to say, “I found myself the only male sitting in a room occupied by women all waiting to have mammograms. It was an unusual experience, but I felt a connection with ev-

eryone in the room, all hoping to get the news there was no cancer found.”

How long will it take to get the results of these procedures? It depends on the facility that performs them. Some fortunate patients will be referred to clinics where ultrasound technicians and radiologists immediately examine the tests and offer reports to patients before they leave – hopefully, with the diagnosis of gynecomastia, not cancer.

In some cases, gynecomastia becomes so pronounced that steps are taken to remove breast tissue. This can be done by either surgery or liposuction.

In most cases of swollen and tender breast tissue in men, confirmation that cancer is not detected is reassurance enough. From there, the best treatment is patience while time and nature heal the problem.

The most important message for men and women alike; screening for breast lumps saves lives. Don’t neglect to do it.

An unforgettable and dynamic sound; introducing El Paso’s next up: Matt U Johnson JANIECE CAMPBELL janiece@carib101.com

TC REPORTER

Music is universal, a power that stretches to all corners of the globe. This edition, we’re introducing you to rising star Matt U Johnson, a multi-dimensional artist bringing a well-rounded sound and a worldwide understanding of the art to the industry.

Born in Staten Island, New York, Matt U offers a musical experience far beyond the realms of his hometown. He has moved around quite a bit, living in Ontario from 2018-2020 and now currently residing in El Paso, Texas, a few places that have exposed him to various cultures and connections. His remarkable talents have

allowed him to open up for reggae superstars including Buju Banton and I-Wayne as well as Canadian rapper Jazz Cartier.

Matt U is a lyrical force to be reckoned with, bringing a uniquely seasoned musical style to the table. With roots in Jamaica, as a native of New York and as an avid traveller, he flawlessly fuses solid elements of Pop, R&B, Hip-Hop, Reggae and EDM to make an earth-shatteringly irresistible sound that compels you to move.

“What I do is take a little bit of my cultural background, the West Indian culture, and I blend it with the world music sound. I’ve been to so many places around the world, I bring the things that I’ve learned from England, Canada, Jamaica, the stuff I got back home on Staten Island and the EDM from Jersey Shore. My style is a world eclectic pop island vibe,” he says.

Matt U adored music from a very young age. Growing up with it all around him, he witnessed his father in action as a promoter and spoken words activist in the 80’s and 90’s. He would attend many of the reggae shows that his dad produced,

as well as many other live concerts with his family. He knew all along that it was something he wanted to pursue for the rest of his life, and eventually studied music as well as psychology in New York and England.

“I’ve always loved music since I was around 10 years old. I had to wait until I was 13 to pursue it professionally and get a manager, but I always liked to sing, go to shows with family, and watch entertainment shows on MTV. Those kinds of things always caught my eye and my ear, that’s what drew me in. Soon, I went for vocal training and music theory and continued that into college.”

Matt U has received a lot of positive reception for his latest released single “Pon Fire” featuring iconic appearances from American rapper Snoop Dogg and Canadian singer Karl Wolf. The high-energy tune has captivated the attention of numerous dancehall and hip-hop fans around the world and is proving to be a successful hit on streaming platforms.

“Working with Snoop was amaz-

ing,” he says. Matt U explains that he met Snoop Dogg in 2013 and continued to see him at industry parties and music festivals. After a few collaborations with other artists, a buzz was generated around his name which led to Karl Wolf following him on social media and showing interest in creating music together. “From that, friendships started to build and the rest is history.”

Matt U has plans to do a few shows in Toronto in upcoming months, potentially around the same timeframe as TDOT Fest and the Toronto Caribbean Carnival. Until then, he continues to work towards putting an EP together and hoping to collaborate with different producers. He also recently started to create vlogs on YouTube under the channel name, “JaMerican Life.”

To fellow emerging artists, his final piece of advice is: “be yourself and be unique to you. Be genuine. Never give up on your goals and aspirations, no matter how long they take.”

How can we bring together the private, public and community sectors to reduce gaps in economic prosperity? There is an initiative for that PAUL JUNOR paul@carib101.com

TC REPORTER

There has been attention in the news recently regarding the lack of skilled trade individuals in Ontario. This has prompted the Ontario government to invest millions of dollars to attract high-school graduates to enter the skills trades. The Inclusive Local Economic Opportunity (ILEO) led by the United Way Greater Toronto has facilitated one of the avenues that will provide entry to the building trades. According to the website: www.unitedwaygt.org, the ILEO Initiative brings together the private,

public and community sectors to find innovative ways to reduce gaps in economic prosperity at the neighbourhood level.

ILEO is in partnership with the United Way Greater Toronto and the Bank of Montreal (BMO). It was in 2018, that a made-in-the GTA initiative was launched in response to the rise in inequality in certain neighbourhoods in Toronto. BMO has invested since 2015 in these neighbourhoods, and by partnering with the United Way’s resident-led work initiative; there will be an expansion of these opportunities. The ILEO galvanizes the strengths and levers of all sectors and industries to drive economic opportunity at the neighbourhood level. It is a deliberate place-based approach to catalyse specific opportunities and enable the community, corporate and public sectors to work together for a common goal.

One of the first neighbourhoods that was involved in this initiative is Scar-

borough’s Greater Golden Mile. The formation of this pilot project along with others involves the collaboration of leaders from diverse sectors and local residents. These pilots are tailor-made to respond to the strengths, needs and desires of residents in the Greater Golden Mile.

What has emerged from this collaboration is a multi-sector approach focusing on reducing gaps in economic prosperity in the Toronto region and creating lasting inclusive economic vitality at the neighbourhood level.

The Greater Golden Mile was selected as the first neighbourhood due to the following three characteristics: • •

Opportunity to leverage public and private investments that would be a part of its upcoming revitalization Timing of investments coinciding with the timeline of the initiative

•

Need in the community. Greater Golden Mile residents had also identified economic opportunity as a key priority and were keen to catalyse ILEO in their neighbourhood.

Participants who live in the Greater Toronto Mile based on postal codes: M4A, M1J, M1K, M1L, M3C (Golden Mile, Victoria Village, Flemingdon Park, Ionview, Kennedy Park) will be given priority. The Labour Education Centre (LEC) is one of 10 community partners with the Centre for Inclusive Economic Opportunity (CIEO) that has joined up with Aecon Group to start Aecon Golden Mile (AGM). AGM is a construction and maintenance company that will recruit local residents to fill officerelated jobs as well as in the construction trades.

NEWS

Wednesday, April 13, 2022 | www.TOCaribNews.com | Toronto Caribbean News

PAGE 15

Air Buds; what should we know about them, and are they harmful?

SIMONE SMITH simone@carib101.com

TC REPORTER

Last year, Apple sold 28 million pairs of its tiny, white wireless earbuds. The year before, they sold 16 million pairs. With a new design reportedly on the way, the technology company is set to profit even more on sound.

It is no wonder that everywhere you turn, you see people talking to themselves. It is weird, but strangely normal. The only issue is, these devices could be pumping more than beats into wearers heads.

Now, there are concerns that ear buds might actually be harmful to the wearer’s health. Let’s take a look at what has been reported, and what has been researched.

Scientists are growing increasingly concerned over the potential health risks of wireless technologies, which they say national and international regulations ‘fail’ to limit. There are 250 scientists from over

40 countries who have signed a petition to the WHO and UN to warn against radio wave radiation from wireless technologies.

Dr Moskowitz, a University of California, Berkeley community health professor who focuses on cell phone exposures, says there isn’t even research on what this could do to the brain yet, let alone regulations to limit the potential effects.

The most obvious and well-researched risk of radio waves is that, at high levels, they can generate heat and cause burns. Scientists are still working out the effects of long-term exposure to lowerpower radio waves.

Scientists have exposed animals to this form of radiation. Reproductive, neurological and genetic damage has become more common in those animals than would be expected in a normal sample of the same animals.

What we do know is that the strength of radiation released by Bluetooth headsets is significantly lower than other forms of radiation such as cell phones, Xrays, or ultraviolet light. Wireless devices produce non-ionizing radiation, meaning that radiation is too weak to remove electrons from atoms.

Okay, so we are not sure if the radiation is going to affect us in the long run; are there other concerns that wearers

should have? Great question.

The use of headphones has been thought to cause infection in the ear canal.

In one study (https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih. gov/pmc/articles/PMC3406203/), scientists wanted to determine the prevalence of ear canal infection and other related diseases of the ear, nose and throat. Their hearing thresholds were also determined using the Amplaid 309 Clinical Audiometer.

They found no incidence of infection of the external ear canal amongst the subjects.

There were 4 cases of chronic middle ear infection and 4 cases of impacted wax.

Hearing impairment was found in 25 subjects (21.2%). However, there was no significant association between hearing loss and the exposure to sound from headphone usage because the high frequencies were not predominantly affected.

There was also no association between hearing loss and duration of service.

Now, everyone is different, so if you or your child have been experiencing ear infections, here is what you can do to prevent them: • • •

Avoid skin contact with materials you are allergic to Clean new headphones or earbuds before you use them for the first time Regularly clean your headgear; at least

• •

once a week and after each sweat-inducing chore or workout Avoid sharing earbuds and clean headphones before and after sharing them Limit your use of headphones and ear buds to a couple hours per day

In another study conducted by the World Health Organization, “IARC CLASSIFIES RADIOFREQUENCY ELECTROMAGNETIC FIELDS AS POSSIBLY CARCINOGENIC TO HUMANS,” (https://www.iarc.who.int/wpcontent/uploads/2018/07/pr208_E.pdf) they classified radio frequency electromagnetic fields as possibly carcinogenic to humans, based on an increased risk for glioma, a malignant type of brain cancer associated with wireless phone use.

We can go back and forth on this issue, but the real danger is that not enough is known on EMF radiation or wireless devices to understand the adverse effects fully. Yes, wireless headphones do emit EMF radiation, but the amount is so small that it is considered negligible.

However, these devices are near the brain, which may increase the negative effects.

This remains a topic of debate, and all we know for now is that there is some risk, and though it is small, it is not entirely clear what the damage could be.

Why are people of colour still facing discrimination in the workplace?

Amendments to the Public Service Employment Act are needed!

PAUL JUNOR paul@carib101.com

TC REPORTER

It has been less than a year since the federal government launched the review of the Employment Act. This review was part of the mandate that was presented in the federal Budget 2021. This mandate states, “The Government of Canada has also amended the Public Service Employment Act to address barriers for equity-seeking groups in public seeking groups in public service staffing. These amendments represent foundational work that will help departments take measures in their staffing actions to reduce barriers, and encourage more inclusive recruitment

practices.”

Since it was announced on July 14th, 2021, the thirteen member Task Force has been having meetings since July, 2021 to “Identify ways to make work environments more inclusive and representative, we must recognize the lived experiences of women, LGBTQ2 Canadians, Indigenous peoples, Black and racialized Canadians, persons with disabilities and other under-represented in workplaces.”

The members of the Task Force intended to be independent of the government arms include: • • • • • • • • •

Chair, Professor Adelle Blackett Vice-Chairs Professor Marie-Therese Chicha and Dionne Pohler, Tao (Tony) Fang, Kari Gaddings Helen Kennedy Raji Mangat Fo Niem Kami Ramcharan Sandra Sutter Josh VanderVies

• •

Marie Clarke Walker Ruth Willaims.

It was in 1986 that the Employment Equity Act was introduced and is, “An important tool for Canada to promote fairness, equality, and diversity in federally regulated workplaces.” It is specifically made for designated groups covered by the Act. These groups include: women, aboriginal peoples, persons with disabilities and members of visible minorities.

There are expectations that the Task Force will come up with some meaningful recommendations as it studies issues related to: equity, diversity, and inclusion in the workplace. They will be seeking input from diverse stakeholders, committed partners, and Canadians from diverse backgrounds, experiences, lived social realities and positions.

The Black Class Action Secretariat has been fighting for justice for Black workers in the federal civil service. They sent an email to the members on Wednes-

day, April 6th, 2022 as an Urgent: Call to Action for them to “Call for a separate designated category for Black workers, apart from the visible minorities category.” The email describes what usually takes place when there is a gap in the workplace for visible minorities and it is necessary to hire based on employment equity.

The email notes, “The employer can select any of the groups in the visible minority category for hiring and promotional opportunities. The selected candidates are usually non-Black visible minorities members. As a result, Black workers are excluded from these promotional opportunities in the public service. The majority of class members that signed up for this legal action have never been promoted throughout their careers, despite being well-qualified.”

The deadline to provide feedback to the Task Force is April 28th, 2022.

PAGE 16

NEWS

Toronto Caribbean News | www.TOCaribNews.com | Wednesday, April 13, 2022

Will Smith is BANNED, T.I gets a slice of humble pie, Bennifer is BACK and Hot New Shows JANIECE CAMPBELL janiece@carib101.com

TC REPORTER

Will Smith banned from attending Oscars for the next 10 years In case you missed it (though it’s nearly impossible that you could have), viewers and attendees of the 94th Academy Awards were rattled after witnessing Will Smith slap Chris Rock following an insensitive joke made about Jada Pinkett-Smith. In the subsequent days, Smith resigned from the academy and apologized to Rock, calling his own behaviour “unacceptable and inexcusable.”

Recently, the academy announced that Will Smith would be banned from attending the Oscars and other related events for 10 years. In a statement, the academy’s president, David Rubin and its CEO Dawn Hudson deemed Smith’s actions “unacceptable and harmful,” but the decision has sparked reaction amongst online users who think otherwise.

With many reflecting on the past indecent actions of other academy members without any repercussions, there are some that seem way more unjustifiable in comparison to the open-handed smack. Several examples have arisen such as Woody Allen marrying his adopted daughter, Mel Gibson facing accusations of antisemitism and domestic violence, and Casey Affleck who won an Oscar after being accused of sexual harassment by multiple women. Many have chalked up the academy’s harsh decision to blatant racism, and an attempt at making an

example out of a Black man.

Despite the attendance ban, Smith is still eligible to be nominated and win Oscars.

Perhaps the one person everyone would love to hear from is Chris Rock, but he’s publicly said that he refuses to break his silence on the matter until he’s compensated for his account.

T.I. gets booed of stage days after a verbal clash with another comedian Atlanta rapper T.I.’s recent venture into the world of comedy has had its ups and many downs lately.

Taking the stage amongst a heavyhitting lineup at Power 105.1’s April Fools Comedy Jam, circulating videos on the internet show T.I. getting booed on multiple occasions throughout his set. In one clip, he tells a joke about determining whether or not a date is “for the streets.” It doesn’t go over well with the crowd and is met by boos and silence. Later on, he tells a joke about having sex with someone’s mom. The crowd didn’t respond well to that joke either.

This situation comes only days after getting in a heated exchange with a female comedian during an open mic comedy event.

Footage shows T.I. getting irate after comedian Lauren Knight mentioned the sexual assault allegations against T.I. and his wife, Tameka “Tiny” Harris. She claims her bringing up the allegations was a direct result of the rapper repeatedly heckling her during her set, calling her expletives and telling her to take her wig off.

A day later, a video surfaced of T.I. offering Knight a million dollars if she has proof of the alleged heckling, specifically when he apparently calls her a “bitch.” Sure enough, Knight indeed posted a video in which he appears to do exactly that.

The following day, T.I. posted a caption with a renewed energy, promoting

“THE STREAM ADVANTAGE!” York Catholic District School Board curates creative and innovative pedagogy ing.

PAUL JUNOR paul@carib101.com

TC REPORTER

As school boards across Ontario think of creative and innovative ways to teach the curriculum, the York Catholic District School Board (YCDSB) has taken a leap ahead.

On Thursday, March 28th, 2022, they released a press release that announced the launch of its ‘ STREAM’ Centres of Excellence, which is a “Unique, inquiry-based learning experience grounded in Catholic values and Social Justice.” It will be located at the following schools across York Region: • • • • •

All Saints CES (Markham) Corpus Christi CES (Richmond Hill) Divine Mercy CES (Maple) Our Lady of Grace CES (Woodbridge) St. Stephen CES (Woodbridge)

The acronym STREAM stands for Science, Technology, Religion, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics. It will be integrated into the K-12 curriculum. The press release notes that far beyond linear tech-based learning, STREAM looks broadly at enriching society using its core disciplines as practical access points for guiding: inquiry, dialogue, critical thinking, collaboration, and problem-solv-

In preparing YCDSB students for emerging pathways and careers, STREAM creates and supports a learning environment that is fluid, relevant, and caring. It is this approach that differentiates STREAM from many tech-based or alternative education offerings currently available to students and families. Families of children who are K-12 and are interested in this unique program will be able to maximize their learning as well as empower their faith guided by Catholic teachings.

The following Catholic virtues will be emphasized; Empathy, Solidarity, and Responsibility as well as the five universal principles of: Social Justice; Equity, Access, Participation, Diversity and Human Rights.

The learning theme will focus on the following areas: Design Thinking, Robotics, Coding, Virtual Reality, Experiential Learning, and 3D Printing.

Elizabeth Crowe, Chair of the YCDSB states in the press release, “These centres are strategically located throughout York Region, with transportation funded centrally, so as to ensure equitable access to these state of the art resources. STREAM teachers will work with classroom teachers to ensure a continuity of learning and build capacity within the system will deliver programming. In an increasingly complex world, our students, as Catholic global citizens, will need to rely on a diverse set of new skills, an advanced way of thinking, applying knowledge, and problem solving. Each of our STREAM Centres of Excellence will engage students from an early age to spark interest, and a lifelong love for inquiry-based learning.”

Knight’s work and later posting a 9-minute video where the two appeared to settle their differences. Though the beef is squashed, Knight notes that she never received that $1M. Jennifer Lopez and Ben Affleck are engaged – again!

There’s a saying that goes “absence makes the heart grow fonder.” This may prove true for Jennifer Lopez and Ben Affleck. After nearly twenty years apart and several relationships later, the two are engaged once again!

Lopez announced the engagement in a short video via her fan newsletter, On the JLo, in which she tearfully admires the greenhued diamond ring on her finger.

The couple first started dating in 2002, and were affectionately dubbed “Bennifer” by fans and the media. Within the year, Affleck has proposed to her with a 6.1 carat pink diamond worth $2.5M. Unfortunately, excessive media attention led to the couple postponing and eventually cancelling their wedding. In early 2004, Lopez completely called off the engagement, and subsequently married singer Marc Anthony by June of the same year.

Affleck also moved on, marrying Jennifer Garner in 2005.

However, both of their marriages eventually ended in divorce.

Their engagement announcement comes a year after Lopez’s called-off engagement to former baseball player Alex Rodriguez. Affleck smoothly swooped in and reconnected with the singer, both getting a second chance at their love story. The pair have been going strong since their 2021 reunion and have even purchased a $50M BelAir mansion together.

Let’s cross fingers and hope they

make it down the aisle this time!

What’s on TV? Upcoming shows that should be added to your list!

Feeling like you’ve watched everything on TV? Well, there are quite a few shows and movies coming soon to your big screen that you should tap into!

• Choose or Die (premieres April 15) is described as the tale of a broke student who plays an obscure 1980s survival computer game in pursuit of an unclaimed $100,000 prize. Following a series of unexpectedly terrifying moments, she soon realizes that she’s no longer playing for the money, but for her own life.

• Selena (premieres April 17) is the rerelease of the 1997 biographical film about the life and career of Tejano music star Selena Quintanilla, following her rise to fame and tragic death at the age of 23. The release is to commemorate what would have been her 51st birthday one day prior.

• Selling Sunset: Season 5 (premieres on April 22) is a reality show about the dayto-day life of real estate agents selling highend homes within the elite Los Angeles market. The series focuses on how cutthroat it can be to fight over rich and famous clients and expensive properties, and it showcases the drama within the real estate group.

• Oprah + Viola: A Netflix Special Event (premieres on April 22) is a 48-minute special centered around former talk show host Oprah Winfrey and Oscar-winning actress Viola Davis. The special will discuss Davis’s upcoming new memoir, Finding Me, and will give fans an inside look into the actress’s upbringing, career and more.

Rent Relief is Here If you are a Toronto resident and are behind on your rent, or need help with your first and last month's rent for a more affordable or suitable residence, you may be eligible to receive a Toronto Rent Bank grant.

You may be eligible for a Toronto Rent Bank grant if: • • • •

you are living in Toronto you are within low income guidelines and not receiving social assistance* you are paying market rent you meet all other program requirements

*Social assistance recipients can contact their Ontario Works (OW) or Ontario Disability Support Program (ODSP) office to ask about the Housing Stabilization Fund.

For more information, go to toronto.ca/rentbank

PAGE 18

FEATURE

Toronto Caribbean News | www.TOCaribNews.com | Wednesday, April 13, 2022 Photo Credit: Stephen G. Make Up: Lejoun B Artistry

URBAN READS BOOKSTORE – BALTIMORE Sharing all of the stories that go untold SIMONE SMITH simone@carib101.com

TC REPORTER

“I have often reflected upon the new vistas that reading opened to me. I knew right there in prison that reading had changed forever the course of my life. As I see it today, the ability to read awoke inside me some long dormant craving to be mentally alive.”

Malcolm X It was about time for our interview and Tia Hamilton; owner of Urban Reads Bookstore was taking me through her day. She switched on the television, put her breakfast in the microwave, and sat down for a moment to speak with me. Usually in that hour she would spend it catching up on the news, doing her daily mediation, or just taking the time to set up for the day, but today, she had made some time for me.

Her energy was intense as always.

It is one of the reasons why I enjoy speaking with Tia. This is my third interview with Tia Hamilton. We originally featured her on our sister station MyTCNTV Network a few years back, and I was instantly captivated by her.

She has a relationship with the streets, which inspires her to advocate for people caught up in the system. She has never hidden from her past. If anything, it is her history with the streets that have helped her become the business mogul she currently is.

Writing under the moniker “Mz.Konnoisseur,” Tia Hamilton is the founder of State v. Us, which was nominated in 2018 and 2019 for the Titan Arts Award for Magazine of the Year, and won the 2019 Publisher of the Year (Middle River, MD). State v. US is a unique outlet that highlights high profile cases, wrongful convictions, and speaks up against corruption in the current system. She balances this coverage by showcasing success stories of individuals who have made it out of prison to the streets of success. Her articles share information on how to handle encounters with the law, advice on financial literacy, real estate, legal advice, and Black empowerment.

She has taken on a new venture, one that was inspired by State Vs Us. Urban Reads Bookstore, located at 3008 Greenmount Ave. Baltimore, MD, has become a source of in-

spiration for the community. Open TuesdaySaturday from 11:00 am - 6:00 pm, it has become the spot where people can come, relate, commune, and learn from each other.

Urban Reads is not just another bookstore; it was designed with a purpose, one that is focused on the upliftment, and betterment of the African American community.

Not straying far from her original purpose, Tia realizes that books are precious materials within prisons, which are environments of isolation and deprivation. The ability to source books inside these facilities is scarce. A library, if it even exists, is minimally stocked and inaccessible — a condition that was exacerbated during the pandemic. Yet, the stories that are written behind those walls tell us everything that we need to know about the human condition.

Tia thought about that. She thought about all those stories that were going untold. She wants to share the often-tragic stories of African-American men trapped in the gritty realities of urban culture, and the women who love them and become victims of vicious cycles. It is real life stories like this that captivate the Black community. With the success of street literature, many AfricanAmerican authors have been transformed from street-savvy hustlers to literary inspirations and millionaires. Tia knows the importance of using life experiences to fuel your passion and words.

“Other bookstores would not put my magazine on their shelves, so I just bought a store,” Tia tells me. “I opened up in December 2019, and the reception from the community has been beautiful. I wanted to provide a space for the creative, the Black storytellers, give them a space where they can share their stories, and not have to worry about if their stories would be censored, or banned.”

I learned that banning books like Malcolm X is part of a widespread pattern of censorship by prisons that selectively and intentionally target books by Black authors containing criticism of the treatment of Black people in the United States. Recent bans have included Michelle Alexander’s “The New Jim Crow: Mass Incarceration in the Age of Colour blindness” by prisons in Florida, Michigan, New Jersey, and North Carolina; a ban on Paul Butler’s “Chokehold: Policing Black Men” by the Arizona Department of Corrections; and bans by the North Carolina Department of Public Safety on “The Bluest Eye” by Toni Morrison and “I Am Not Your Negro” by James Baldwin.

I was curious about how difficult it was opening a bookstore, especially at the very start of the pandemic.

“Finding a location was easy,” Tia

tells me. “I bought all these books, all genres except I have to get more books featuring Hispanic American writers. We have a lot of nonfiction, novels, and children’s book.”

“Imitation is the highest form of flattery.” Tia shares with me that with every great business idea come the imitators.

“What I am doing, it can be duplicated, but it won’t have the energy and drive behind it.

We have the imitators that have tried to do what I do, but it can’t be done. It is not just about having a bookstore; it is what you can do for the community with the bookstore.

We have a literacy camp coming this summer. My goal is to get them while they are young. We teach the youth how to read or write. We have to get them before they turn 18. Illiteracy is a significant contributor to the school-to-prison pipeline. The school-to-prison pipeline was not built in a day, so it is not easy, but we have to get it done.”

In a 2017 survey, it was found that across the U.S., 43% of adults read at a grade 8 level or lower. Broken down, 29% can only read at an eighth-grade level, and 14% can only grasp material at a fifth-grade level or lower. Adult illiteracy begins in early childhood, which suggests that young children who lack access to adequate early literacy experiences either at home or in a childcare/ preschool setting are often set on a troubling path.

I also found out that the vast majority of young people who come into contact with the juvenile justice system are functionally illiterate. Data from the Prison Policy Initiative reinforces the connection between illiteracy and incarceration by indicating that imprisoned people are far more likely to struggle with basic reading, writing, and computation skills.

During our interview, Tia showed the famous Urban Reads Wall. On the wall are our heroes including: Malcolm X, the Honourable Marcus Garvey, and Reverend Martin Luther King Jr. On the Urban Reads Instagram page and Facebook page are pictures of children, parents, community leaders and patrons who proudly show their purchases.

“Everyone who comes in to buy a book takes a picture by the wall,” Tia states proudly. “This is only the beginning for us. I want a mobile bus that goes through the hood, playing hip-hop. It will be The Bookstore on Wheels, and I am giving incarcerated and formerly incarcerated people a chance to be part of it.”

It takes one person, and in this case, one woman to break the mould and set a new course for our future generation.

Human Rights Project

o t t n a W ce Peel PoliFrom You Hear Have your say on addressing systemic racism in Peel Police by registering to join our community engagement session on

Tuesday, April 19 Register at PeelPolice.ca/HumanRightsProject The Peel Regional Police (PRP), with its civilian governing body the Peel Police Services Board (PPSB), and the Ontario Human Rights Commission (OHRC) are holding community engagement meetings to get input on the measures required to address systemic racism in Peel policing as part of the Human Rights Project.

The community engagement process will help the PRP and OHRC identify needed changes and possible corrective actions that will become part of the PRP’s legally binding commitment. Anyone who lives or works in Brampton and/or Mississauga is welcome to participate in the online community engagement meeting.

Meadowvale

Cemetery, Cremation and Funeral Centres

Serving Brampton, Mississauga and neighbouring communities 407 since 1981

Our staff is familiar with the diverse traditions of the customers we serve. Let us help ensure that your unique preferences are accommodated. Talk to us today and we’ll explain all your funeral options and help you through your immediate or pre-arrangement needs.

w

so n

M

Ra

y

La

H

cL

M

M e Ce ado m wv et al er e y

St

ee

le

B o u l ev

ar

d

sA ve n

ue

427

av

is

Ro

ur

au

on

gh

410 ta

lin

rio

Ro

St

re

et

ad

ad

407

401

Vehicle Entrance

7732 Mavis Road | Brampton | 905.451.3716

w w w. m o u n t p l e a s a n t g r o u p . c o m

Meadowvale Cemetery, Cremation and Funeral Centres is a business name of Mount Pleasant Group of Cemeteries. Cemetery and cremation services are provided by Mount Pleasant Group of Cemeteries.

Funeral services are provided by Canadian Memorial Services which is affiliated with Mount Pleasant Group of Cemeteries.

PAGE 20

FEATURE

Toronto Caribbean News | www.TOCaribNews.com | Wednesday, April 13, 2022

WAYNE DAWKINS

Changing lives through basketball, from the Elite 1 himself “Building a community and supporting youth and underserved children was something that was always on my heart to do. It’s been challenging but I think that’s what makes the journey so much more sweet.” Wayne Dawkins This edition’s Classic Man is someone who dares to stare directly at the face of adversary. Overcoming several obstacles in life with his faith at the centre of it all, Wayne Dawkins has earned his deserving spot in Canadian basketball history. Over a span of 25 years, he has helped hundreds of young men and women build their confidence, receive scholarships and has even witnessed many student athletes venture into the NBA or NCAA. Through the development of community teams, programs and events, he aims to advance youth sports tourism on a worldwide scale, especially within underprivileged countries.

Wayne was born in Kingston, Jamaica. Around the age of three, his family migrated to Canada. They spent eight years in Montreal before moving to Calgary for another six years. It was there that he started excelling at basketball, taking home a city championship as well as winning a gold medal for Alberta’s provincial team. In his final year of high school, he relocated to Toronto, where his skills and further accomplishments earned him a full scholarship to Eastern Michigan University.

Eventually transferring to American International College, Wayne graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Secondary Education with a concentration in Sociology. He spent nearly 15 years as an educator before officially retiring in 2012 to become a social entrepreneur.

In his new role, he focussed on community building and making a change within disadvantaged youth, utilizing the talent he knew best.

“Basketball was a lifeline for me. I was a troubled child. When I discovered basketball, all the positive encouragement I got from it, the focus and discipline it gave me helped keep me out of trouble and on track. Shortly after graduating from university, my brother passed away, and that was what sort of cemented me saying “I’m going to take basketball and I’m going

to use it as a tool to help as many young people that may be at risk. Without this game, they may stray from bigger goals or get caught up in other things.”

In the early 90’s, Wayne cofounded many community basketball organizations. Next Level, Prep Stars and Toronto Elite Development were a few projects that he had his hand in, however, his assistance in the creation of Grassroots Canada proved to be the most prominent one. The organization has grown to be one of the most influential basketball clubs in the country to date. This development program led to the first wave of successful Canadian professional players in the NBA, with many recognized alumni such as Tristan Thompson, Corey Joseph, Nick Stauskas and Andrew Wiggins, as well as hundreds of NCAA athletes.

Eventually separating himself from Grassroots Canada, he founded his own youth development organization in 2002: P.H.A.S.E. 1. The acronym stands for Potential, Heart, Attitude, Skills and the sum of those attributes brings you to E meaning Elite 1.

“What we wanted to do was take the word elite which represented more of a place of arrival and turn it into elite one which was more of a journey as opposed to a destination. The elite one is anyone trying to commit to achieving major goals. The idea of being elite seems to be out of reach for kids, so we wanted it to be something attainable.”

P.H.A.S.E. 1 has both non-profit and for-profit divisions. The non-profit end is heavily focussed on fundraising for scholarships and developing programs for at-risk youth, while the forprofit side offers sports programs and academies. Wayne goes on to explain the purpose of founding the organization.

“We wanted a holistic program that focussed on the education, plus social and the physical aspects of a child’s development. The idea of our academies is to offer a year-round place where we can work with and develop student athletes as opposed to where some teams are seasonal. Our academies are year-round because we want to be able to have kids in our programs for

12 months of the year, where we can really support them and their goals and provide them with whatever guidance they need.”

With academies in the GTA based out of Scarborough and Thornhill, as well as opportunities based out of Phoenix, Arizona, Wayne was eager to expand into familiar territory. To date, he has opened about six academies in Jamaica, scattered throughout Montego Bay, Ocho Rios, Spanish Town and Kingston. With this opportunity, P.H.A.S.E. 1 is able to supply youth athletes with uniforms, balls, equipment as well as paid staff, which consists of high-level coaches like 2004 Olympian Jermaine Gonzales and Jamaican director of basketball, Dave Black. Funding also goes toward the development of two professional men’s teams in the country that participate in competitions against other Caribbean islands.

P.H.A.S.E. 1’s latest achievement lies within the East African country of Burundi. Originally wanting to visit Tanzania, Wayne was given an opportunity to go to Burundi, where he would eventually establish another academy.

Currently, there are 80 athletes there and they recently partook in their first competition against a group of athletes from the Congo.

Of all of P.H.A.S.E. 1’s accomplishments, Wayne says the thing that he is most proud of is the fact they’ve been able to continuously scale and grow their programs internationally, despite not being sponsored by any major athletic corporations or basketball federations.

“We’ve been able to successfully fundraise, pull community leaders together, establish programs and service hundreds of kids, and that’s very challenging to do. Most organizations will piggyback off of sports companies or bigger successful entities and sort of fall in line with whatever blueprint they have in place, but we’ve been able to chart our own course and it’s been great.”

As P.H.A.S.E. 1 looks to expand into different locations in the future, their mission remains true throughout.

“Promoting sports tourism is

our big thing that we’re working on in order to help Africa and the Caribbean.

We want to break the cycle of poverty by bringing that $24B youth sports industry into those countries. Living in North America, we really are entitled.

Yes, there are a lot of people struggling with things here, however, youth sports are something where there’s a lot of options, support and resources available for families whether that’s in terms of recreation or variety of sports. We feel the bigger need for us is globally. Young people and families are really limited in resources and how they can keep their kids in structured activity, so the future for us is based on that.”

Wayne continues. “In our 20 years, P.H.A.S.E. 1 is very fortunate to have pioneered a lot of the success that happened for young people in basketball by structuring the game and being able to connect them with high-level competition in the US. The result of that was what we’ve seen as the explosion of Canadian basketball. That same success is what we’re looking to bring to the Caribbean and Africa by working to open up youth sports tourism. Not only will it bring dollars into the economy through tourism, but it will also bring a greater level of talent into the Caribbean and Africa. It will raise the level of competition which will in turn raise the level of skill and open up some of the same opportunities we see successful Canadian basketball players getting today.”

For further information on P.H.A.S.E. 1, visit phase1global.com and follow them on Instagram @phase1academy for updates and game highlights.

Photo Credit: Sanj P Photography

Written by Simone J. Smith Toronto Caribbean News

www.danforthfoodmarket.com We’re simply the best West Indian store in town.

Peardrax Sparkling Pear Drink 300 ml

Rubicon Mango or Guava Nectar 1L

Campa Baking Powder 400 g

Grace Vienna Sausage assorted 113 g

2

$

2/

each

2/

3 5

Xtra Ground Black Pepper

$

2/

28 oz

Wonderfarm Coconut Water

$

89

¢

each

6

99

Honey Bun Easter Bun

310 ml

2

20 3/

5

$

2/

300 g

2

20 3/

Grace Sardines In Tomato Sauce with chili 155 g

each

1

$

Carita Chicken Noodle Soup

2/

50 g

Tastee Cheese Now Available Large Assortment of Easter Buns Available in Store

50 2/

Tang Crystals Orange Mango

3

5

Pickapeppa Original Sauce

2

2

Mr Goudas All Purpose Flours

3

Shavuot Cerasee or Peppermint Tea Bag 24’s

$

Benjamins Vanilla Flavoring

2/

480 ml

$

Cedar Green Pigeon Peas

2/

425 ml

561 g

148 ml

8 kg

99 each

99 each

7

99 each

F

A

Grill Time Charcoal 4.2 lb

4

99 each

Heavy Duty Aluminum Foil 25 SQ FT

89

¢

each

99

Fresh “O” Bowl Toilet Bowl Cleaner 85 g

¢

each

Old Dutch Bleach 1.89 L

1

79 each

Delicious Jamaican Dish Frozen US Grade AAA Easy Cook

5

Fresh Beef Liver

Oxtail

$ 99 lb

89.95/15 lb Box Frozen Headless Bangamary

3

$ 99 lb

1

Burned Cow Foot

Burned Cow Face

2

5

Salted Boneless Beef

5

99 $ 99 $ 99 $ $ 49 lb

9

13 Equal

ea

lb

Jamaica's Choice Double Smoked Turkey

Frozen King Conch Meat

Frozen Headless White Shrimp 500 g

$ 99

lb

4

99

$ 99 lb

lb

69.95/5 lb Box

lb

Fresh Chicken Leg Quarters

39

99

18 kg box

with purchase of 2 cases or more Friday to Sunday Only

Fresh Seafood Catches Fresh Brazilian Red Snapper

7

2

6

6

Frozen Herring Sprat

Fresh Parrot Fish 1 to 2 lb

Fresh Doctor Fish 1 to 2 lb

Fresh Atlantic Whole Salmon 8 to 10 lbs

4

99 99 99 99 $ $ $ $ 99 $ lb lb as is lb as is lb as is lb as is Fresh Large Eddoes

Fresh Jamaican Cooking Bananas

1 1 1 Five Locations To Serve You Better 99

99

99

¢

29

lb

lb

Fresh Cassava

Fresh Cho Cho (Chayote)

lb

lb

Store Hours

Monday-Friday 9 am to 9 pm Saturday 8 am to 9 pm Sunday 9 am to 7 pm

Store Hours

Monday-Friday 9 am to 9 pm Saturday 9 am to 9 pm Sunday 9 am to 8 pm

Lawrence Ave. E .

Store Hours

Monday-Friday 9 am to 9 pm Saturday 9 am to 9 pm Sunday 9 am to 7 pm

Dundas St. E.

Store Hours

Mond-Thurs 9:30 am to 9 pm Fri.-Sat. 9 am to 9 pm Sunday 9 am to 6 pm

Stafford Dr.

Rutherford Rd. South .

Finch Ave. W .

Dixie Rd.

d

Bloor St. E.

Danforth Food Market 1225 Dundas St. Dixie & Dundas Missisauga 905-949-9990

Cawtra Rd.

Roa

Danforth Food Market 651 Markam Rd. 416-439-6397

Markam Rd.

ion

Martin Grove Rd.

Danforth Food Market 301 Silverstone Dr. A l b 416-740-9870

D r.

Keele St.

Sheppard Ave. W .

Sheppard Ave. E .

Steeles Ave. W.

Si lv er st on e

Finch Ave. W. Danforth Food Market 3701 Keele St. 416-398-8123

Kennedy Rd. Soith

Specials in Effect Thu. April 14th until Wed., April 20th, 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

Glidden Rd.

Store Hours

Monday-Friday 9 am to 9 pm Saturday 8 am to 9 pm Sunday 9 am to 7 pm

Wednesday, April 13 , 2022 | www.TOCaribNews.com | Toronto Caribbean News

Creamy broccoli salad This delicious summer broccoli salad makes eating your greens a breeze.

Ingredients Servings: 6 • 1 cup mayonnaise • 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar • 3 tablespoons sugar • 1/2 teaspoon celery salt • Salt and pepper, to taste • 2 heads of broccoli, cut in florets and gently blanched • 1/2 red onion, finely chopped • 6 slices cooked bacon, chopped • 1/2 cup sliced almonds • 1/2 cup red seedless grapes, cut in half • 1/4 cup dried cranberries Directions 1. In a small bowl, combine the mayonnaise, vinegar, sugar and celery salt. Add the salt and pepper and set aside.

2. In a large bowl, combine the broccoli, onion, bacon, almonds, grapes and cranberries. Add the dressing and mix well.

FEATURE

PAGE 25

5 tips for hosting a vegetarian barbecue During summer, the smell of barbecued food wafts through all the backyards in the neighbourhood. If you’re a vegetarian or want to offer meatless options to your friends and family the next time you grill, try some of these tips.

1. Take care with your vegetables.

Wash and dry your veggies and cut them into uniformly sized pieces to ensure even cooking. Coat them with heat-resistant oil to prevent them from burning or sticking to the grill.

2. Choose local, in-season produce. Your guests will ap­preciate the extra freshness and flavour of locally- grown veggies. Plus, you’ll feel good knowing you’ve supported producers in your community.

3. Vary your cooking methods. If sliced thick enough or threaded on skewers, many foods can be cooked directly on the grill. However, you can cook small food items en papillote by wrapping them in parchment. You may also want to consider adding a grilling basket or wok to your outdoor cooking arsenal. Use a cast-iron griddle on your barbecue to cook a la plancha.

4. Diversify the flavours. In addition to serving a variety of vegetables, you can include meat substitu­tes like lentil patties, tofu burgers and sausages made with tempeh or textured vegetable protein (TVP). Cheeses like brie and halloumi are also delicious when grilled.

5. Prepare a dessert. Serve frozen treats combined with succulent fruit grilled on skewers. Pineapples, melons, bananas and peaches are excellent choices.

Visit a home supply store in your area to stock up on barbecue accessories and find the freshest produce at your local farmers’ market.

FREE EVENT

There are many

opportunities to start or grow

your business. Act today.

at select City of Brampton recreation centres.

Saturday, April 2 | 1 pm – 4 pm Gore Meadows Community Centre Saturday, April 9 | 1 pm – 4 pm Save Max Sports Centre Sunday, April 10 | 1 pm – 4 pm Cassie Campbell Community Centre Saturday, April 16 | 1 pm – 4 pm Chinguacousy Park

Take advantage of these options An effective business plan or proposal can take your business to the next level.

Call: 416.915.4277 • 437.913.9000 Email: sales@dpbglobal.com • info@dpbglobal.com Website: www.dpbglobal.com Black-owned and operated.

• Easter egg scavenger hunt • Games and entertainment • Pictures with the Easter Bunny • Carnival-style games and activities • Crafts • And much more!

Generously sponsored by

brampton.ca/recreation

See www.clorebeauty.com for the our COVID-19 Response

SCARBOROUGH

Markham Rd

Elegance-caribbean news.pdf 1 2022-04-09 5:17:38 AM

Sheppard Ave E

RUBYKISSES

BLOOR WEST

• INSPIRING BEAUTY •

Dufferin St

5085 Sheppard Ave East Unit 30

Bloor St W

1126 Bloor St West tel: 416.588.2800

Nail treatment #RTR01-08

Gel fantasy 24 nails long ready to wear gel #KGN50 -55

Reg$14.99

11.99

Dundas St W

$

Hurontario St

1.49

$

MISSISAUGA

Reg$2.49

Y

7

.99

CMY

30 .99

Reg$5.99

$

4

10

.99

Donald St

$

Dr E

997 St. Laurent Blvd tel: 613.742.5673

HAMILTON

Upper James St

OFF

K

St. Laurent Blvd

Reg$9.99

$

Professional gel nailled insta lamp #UV01

Stone Church Rd W

14.99

Reg$19.99

14.99

$

SHOP AT WWW.CLOREBEAUTY.COM OVER 11,000 PRODUCTS ONLINE

WIG

SALE

TWIST & TURN now $59.99 BRINA now $59.99 ELENA now $139.99 EMILIA now $99.99 * PRODUCT IMAGES ARE FOR ILLUSTRATIVE PURPOSES ONLY AND MAY DIFFER FROM THE ACTUAL PRODUCT.

Eglinton Ave E

8 Lebovic Ave, Unit B8 tel: 416.755.5673 Hwy 7 Colossus Dr Eglinton Ave E

Hwy 407

VAUGHAN VAUGHAN

2.26oz, 5.64oz,12oz -Silk therapy -Silk therapy lite

Edge styler

EGLINTON

from

$

Warden Ave

1400 Upper James st, Unit 5 tel: 289.674.3000

Warden Ave Hwy 400

CY

Reg. $36.99

$

Vitabond nail glue #KVBG01

OTTAWA

MY

Gel glam gel effectmanicure 24nails #GFC02-06

Weston Rd

CM

Bo va ird

10 y4 Hw

M

BRAMPTON

C

55 Colossus dr, Unit 124A tel: 289.657.0530

HEALTH

Wednesday, April 13, 2022 | www.TOCaribNews.com | Toronto Caribbean News

PAGE 27

Urinary incontinence in women; Shameful, but important to understand W. GIFFORDJONES MD DIANA GIFFORD-JONES COMMON SENSE HEALTH

Some women say, “You only know a place well if you know where the restrooms are located.” They are suffering from urinary incontinence (UI). They know if they delay too long, there will be an accident. But there are ways to correct this nerve-racking problem.

A report from the University of California claims that only one in four women with this trouble seek help.

This is due to embarrassment and the common but illogical notion that it is part of aging.

Another account from the Journal of the American Medical Association is hard to believe. It says that

17% of women ages 20 and older have moderate or severe UI. This number doubles for women over 60 years of age!

There are two main types of UI. Urge incontinence is an overwhelming desire to urinate immediately. As goes the old saying, “If you don’t go when you’ve got to go, by the time you go, you’ve already gone!” The other type, stress incontinence, occurs due to increased abdominal pressure from lifting a heavy object, coughing, or exercising. The muscles of the urethra, the small tube that carries urine to the outside, are too weak to stop the flow of urine.

So how can women with UI prevent this embarrassment? One prime treatment has stood the test of time.

In 2019, a study reported in the Annals of Internal Medicine analysed 84 clinical trials on both urge and stress incontinence. It found that changing lifestyle and behaviour was more effective for these disorders than medication.

An exercise known as the Kegel exercise builds up muscles surrounding the urethra. Patients are advised to squeeze their muscles as if they want to stop the flow of urine for 10 seconds, done ten times, three times a day. How long it takes to get results depends on the degree of damage to the muscles.

If made part of the daily routine, results should be seen in two months.

But Kegel exercises must go along with timed voiding. This means that during the day, trips to the bathroom to void must be made every two or three hours. It’s also necessary to keep drinking water. Cutting back on alcohol and caffeinated drinks is helpful.

Losing excess weight is good advice as well. A report in the New England Journal of Medicine showed this pays dividends. Obese women who enrolled in a weight-loss program enjoyed a 47% improvement in UI compared to 27% in the control group.

And stop smoking. Good sense tells us that coughing can’t be helpful for fighting UI. Plus, studies show

smokers lose 20 years of life!

If all fails, your doctor will suggest drugs that can help to reduce bladder spasms. Some of these drugs cause constipation, in which case, use of high-dose vitamin C can ease it. The use of a vaginal pessary that repositions the urethra may also be an option.

Many women with UI suffer from thinning of the vaginal lining due to a lack of estrogen. So, ask your doctor if he or she would consider adding a vaginal estrogen gel for a few months.

Surgery is the last resort. Bulking agents can be injected around the urethra to thicken the area and help to control the leakage.

Several different operations can be done. Some require an abdominal incision, or a small incision in the vagina to insert synthetic material underneath the urethra to change its angle.

Remember Rome was not built in a day. Nor will weak bladder muscles be rebuilt without consistent daily efforts.

3 common nail conditions and their causes Are the nails on your fingers and toes strong, smooth and uniform in colour? If not, it’s important to identify the problem, as it might be serious and require medical attention. Here are three common nail conditions to watch out for.

1. Brittle nails If your nails are thin, soft and prone to splitting, peeling or breaking, you likely have onychoschizia. This issue tends to be the result of aging, but sometimes an un-

derlying condition such as hypothyroidism is the cause.

Additionally, brittle nails can also be caused by external factors such as repeated hand washing and frequent exposure to nail polish, detergents and household cleaners.

2. Discoloured nails A variety of mild to severe problems can cause your nails to develop spots or take on an abnormal hue. Here’s what the different types of discolouration may indicate: • White suggests you may have low albumin or possibly vitiligo • Blue is likely to be a side effect of taking an oral medication • Purple suggests bruising or bleeding under the nail

• Brown may be the result of smoking, frequent nail polish use or chemotherapy • Yellow could be a sign of lymphedema, nail psoriasis or lung disease • Black is evidence of a bacterial infection, bruising or possibly a melanoma • Green points to a Pseudomonas bacterial infection 3. Fungal infections Toenails are more often affected by fungi that cause infections such as athlete’s foot and onychomycosis.

People who sweat heavily or walk barefoot in damp communal areas such as swimming pools and public showers are at greater risk of developing a nail fungus.

If you’re concerned about the health of your nails, speak with a doctor or dermatologist.

If you want strong, beautiful nails, be sure to protect them from impact, excessive moisture and harsh products such as cleaners and nail polish. Additionally, you should apply a hydrating hand cream daily, paying particular attention to your nails and cuticles.

Wednesday, April 13, 2022 | www.TOCaribNews.com | Toronto Caribbean News

HEALTH

PAGE 29

The huge difference between dieting & healthy living 2018).

RACHEL MARY RILEY rachel@carib101.com

HEALTH & FITNESS

My overall fitness journey has given me profound insights throughout the years about the benefits, the pros, and cons of dieting and healthy living. I firmly believe that diet limits you if you’re trying to reach your ultimate fitness goal longterm. Healthy living becomes a part of your lifestyle after doing a period of dieting, however, the question I always ask myself and my clients is how do you transition from diet to healthy living and not just quickly lose the weight and gain it back?

The definition of a balanced diet is to eat the widest variety of nutritious foods you can while maintaining a reasonable calorie count (Brynne Chandler,

So what are the pros and cons of dieting?

Pros: • A balanced diet offers you the full range of nutrients your body needs to function at its peak performance level while an unbalanced diet is generally lacking in nutrients and are full of harmful ingredients (2019) • A healthy diet provides the body with proper nutrition, which contains all the vitamins, minerals, nutrients, and calories your body needs for healthy functioning. A healthy diet usually includes lots of fruits and vegetables, lean protein, healthy fats, whole grains, nuts, other nuts, and water (2019) • A healthy diet is essential to maintain a strong immune system and protect you from certain diseases such as diabetes, cardiovascular disease, certain cancers, bone disorders, and obesity.

It also promotes proper energy levels and a sense of well-being (2019)

Cons: • Weight loss is often unstable because the diet itself is not stable. Even though people may lose weight, especially at the beginning, they often gain weight back (2019).

• Losing weight can cause health problems. Some of the health issues caused by dieting are: • Malnutrition • Dehydration • Fatigue • Headaches • Irritability • Dizziness • Constipation How to create balance between eating healthy and dieting: Having a long term steady weight is key.

It is okay to do a 14 to 30 day challenge, but have breaks in between. Many people (including myself ) have fallen back into patterns of losing and putting on weight.

I want you to understand that it is okay to go through this struggle.

Carbs do not make you gain weight, it is the amount you eat that

cause the weight gain. The trick to losing weight and balancing your weight is knowing your food type and calorie counting (Katz, 2005; Yumuk, 2015).

Any diet where the person successfully loses body fat will be due to the fact that the individual was in a net calorie deficit (negative energy balance) over a sufficient period. If a calorie deficit is not in place, fat loss will not occur, regardless of the method.

No matter the exact approach, current evidence indicates that a healthy diet is one based on vegetables, fruit, whole grains, lean meats, fish, eggs, nuts, seeds, dairy, and legumes. For body composition specifically, calorie intake and macronutrient intake will be the main drivers of change. Food type/quality has a very minor role in impacting body composition from a physiological perspective (Katz, 2005; Yumuk, 2015).

Enjoy life as it is, including the food that is presented to you when attending special occasions. Do not restrict yourself, but balance and let healthy living become a part of your daily goals.

PAGE 30

LIFE

Toronto Caribbean News | www.TOCaribNews.com | Wednesday, April 13, 2022

How to recognize and maximize opportunities DANIEL COLE

daniel@carib101.com

PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT

You’ve probably heard the saying, “An opportunity once lost can never be regained.”

Well, that’s not entirely true. Opportunities are always around us whether we recognize them or not. They come in seasons, and they come in different forms.

The opportunity you missed five, ten years ago will come again but in a different pattern or form. The challenge we often have with opportunities is our lack of readiness, recognition and not making the most of it when they arrive. While it is believed that opportunities hide in problems, the truth is, not all opportunities present themselves as problems. However, we must be able to recognize opportunities

when they come knocking, irrespective of the form they present themselves.

It is better to position for an opportunity than to run after it. The great Abraham Lincoln once said, “I will study and prepare myself, and someday my chance will come.” And indeed, his chance came. The American Civil Rights leader, Whitney Young was right, “It is better to be prepared for an opportunity and not have one than to have an opportunity and not be prepared.” Sometimes in life, it is not those who chase after the ball that score the goal, it is those who are rightfully positioned to get the passes. Readiness and right positioning are the key.

Did you know that one person’s problem is another person’s opportunity?

Doctors exist because people are sick.

Educators exist to teach literacy. Police exist because of the lack of lawlessness. The point is most of the problems in our society are opportunities in disguise. If you give yourself wholly to solving problems, your opportunities are limitless. Your ability to solve problems will bring tremendous opportunities to your life.

A few of the thoughts I will be sharing may not seem conventional or somewhat appealing, but these are proven principles that have worked overtime. How can you recognize an opportunity?

When you have the privilege to serve or work for a person with good social standing or a person who has more influence than you, that’s an opportunity. Opportunities hide in service to people. The key to greatness is service. Don’t underestimate the power of one single recommendation from a person of influence. Sometimes in life, people don’t rise to the level of their brilliance or ingenuity they rise to the level of the quality of relationships around them. Life will reward you with opportunities if you have diligently served people of worth or your organization. So, when you have the privilege to serve, to give your best, don’t take it for granted. Seize that opportunity and maximize it.

Also, opportunities hide in giving. I understand this idea may not seem sensational or appealing, but as previously mentioned, these principles may not be mainstream ideas, but they’ve been tested

and proven to be true. The Good Book, the Bible says, “Giving a gift can open doors; it gives access to important people!” Proverbs 18:16. Gifts are seeds you sow into people’s emotional bank account. Sometimes, it can be materials and sometimes it can be a kind gesture. When you have the privilege to give, do it, it always opens doors of opportunity.

The ability and the discipline to learn new skills prepare and position you for better opportunities later in life. Learn new languages, learn how to drive, learn how to swim. You may not see its usefulness at the moment, but don’t forget, readiness is the key.

Avoid places and people without opportunities. Life is too short to spend your waking hours in places that do not advance your dream. When the season of an opportunity is over, move on. Remember, while we look forward to “That Opportunity” we often forget that every waking hour of our life, is an opportunity to right the wrongs of yesterday. Make each day count.

Today is an opportunity.

LIFE

Wednesday, April 13, 2022 | www.TOCaribNews.com | Toronto Caribbean News

PAGE 31

SURGICAL INTERVENTION

The impacts of smoking on recovery Have you been instructed not to smoke for days or weeks before an upcoming surgery? This is for your own good and is intended to optimize your chances of a full recovery.

Toxic substances Smokers’ surgical wounds don’t heal as well as those of non-smokers. According to the World Health Organization, the toxic substances found in cigarette smoke affect the body’s ability to heal and fight infections.

For instance, the nicotine in tobacco reduces blood circulation and limits available nutrients in the blood, which are essential for healing. It also hinders the production of collagen, which is essential for skin reconstruction. Moreover, carbon mo­ noxide decreases the amount of oxygen that rea­ ches the organs, impairing blood circulation and compromising wound healing. Finally, the hydro­ gen cyanide in smoke also restricts the movement of oxygen throughout the body.

What to do if you’ve been scratched or bitten by an animal Dog and cat bites and scratches can transmit serious infections and diseases, including rabies, cat scratch disease, tetanus, osteomyelitis, pasteurellosis, tenosynovitis, septic arthritis, septicemia and endocarditis.

Here’s what you should do if a dog or cat scratches or bites you.

Treatment Depending on your situation, you may be referred to a local hospital or medical clinic to receive care for your wound. This treatment may include preventive antibiotics or a tetanus vaccine.

First aid Immediately wash the affected area with mild soap and run it under water for at least 10 minutes.

If your pet is frightened, surprised, hurt or anno­ yed, it may lash out. To avoid being bitten or scratched, don’t touch your pet while it’s eating or sleeping and don’t tease it by running after it, pulling its tail or poking it with an object.

Assessment Call 811. You’ll be asked to provide details about the wound, like the size, depth and location of the lesion, to assess your risk of infection. They may also ask where the event took place and request you to provide information on your medical condition and the animal involved.

Additionally, smoking negatively impacts the movement of white blood cells, which help fight infection and disease. As a result, smokers have a weaker immune system than non-smokers, which increases their risk of developing an infection after surgery.

In short, quitting smoking can help you recover more quickly from surgery. If you need support and advice, don’t hesitate to talk to your doctor or pharmacist or consult online resources.

2022 hair trend: liquid hair Do you want a new look? If you follow fashion trends closely, you already know that liquid hair is one of the most popular styles this year. Here’s a rundown of what it is.

Liquid hair 101 Unlike the popular slicked-back hairstyle that looks like you just stepped out of the shower, the liquid hair trend is all about having ultra-smooth, shiny hair that resembles the surface of water.

Treatments and care Do you have dull or damaged hair? Fortunately, many professional salon treatments can help restore your hair’s glossy shine. Moreover, the effects often last several weeks. Here are a few treatment options.

• Hair botox. This treatment penetrates all three layers of the hair to moisturize, repair and bring out its natural beauty.

• Tanninoplasty. Keratin and tannin oil in this smoothing treatment soften the hair and make it shiny.

• Glossing. This treatment coats the hair with a tinted or transparent protective shield to reveal remarkable brightness.

Do you prefer DIY hair care? If so, you can purchase specialized hair products like serums and masks to help you achieve stunning results. However, for the best results, see a hair care professional.

PAGE 32

LIFE

Toronto Caribbean News | www.TOCaribNews.com | Wednesday, April 13, 2022

I have met people who have changed the way that I view those who have been in and out of the prison system SIMONE SMITH simone@carib101.com

HUMAN SPECIALIST

“10 minutes Simone.”

“Alright. Thank you.”

I quickly turned off the shower, and reached for my towel. I dried myself off and smoothed the lotion that they had provided me with on my quickly drying skin. I could tell it was fall, because even though I was inside, I could feel the crispness in the air.

Today was the day. I was getting ready for my bail hearing. As I looked at my reflection again, I did my best not to break down like I had before. This time, I used elastic to put my braids in a ponytail. I put on the African dress that I had worn home from Panama, and stood back away from

the mirror.

“This is going to have to do,” I said to myself. I turned around and walked towards the washroom door.

The guard was patiently waiting for me outside. He put the cuffs on my wrist, and led me back down the hall to the elevator. We took the elevator that led us back to the entrance of the building.

For some strange reason, I recognized the route. I didn’t realize how much I had been paying attention the night that I came. We exited the building, which led us to the building that looked like it was the courtroom.

It was a bright sunny day, and I took a moment to breathe in the fall air. I had missed it. It was November, so the cool morning air caught me off guard. It was only for a moment because the walk took three minutes. I was escorted into a grey room, which was occupied by a woman.

She looked Indigenous to me; she was leaning back against the wall with her eyes closed. When the door closed behind me, she looked up acknowledging my presence.

“Greetings,” she said. “How are you

The psychology of power applied against us; the transition from Newspeak to No-speak!

STEVEN KASZAB steven@carib101.com

INSIGHT TO SOCIETY

In his political satire, 1984, George Orwell famously developed a notion of an official language for the authoritarian state, called Newspeak. The purpose of Newspeak was "To diminish the range of thought...by cutting the choice of words down to a minimum." Newspeak was a constructed language that reduced the range and scope of meanings available to a bare minimum, thus controlling thought.

Many authoritarian and democratic nations with established National Intelligence Services redirected them into State Security Agencies; semantically reframing the role these agencies play, thus allowing ruling parties and their henchmen to identify their own interests within their nations.

This has happened throughout Africa, Central and Latin America, the Caribbean and some believe in North America too. The ruling party's endless pursuit of redefining their nation's agenda suggests a variation called “No-Speak.”

As opposed to Newspeak, which restricts meaning to an authoritarian minimum, the aim of No-Speak is to say nothing while appearing to say something. This tactic seems to assert something definitive and accountable while in fact leaving the communicator with room to say whatever they like. The intention of the messenger is to undermine all systems of belief except for what is being presented.

There are three approaches to undermining meaning. Silent No-Speak has government ministers and their officials ignoring legally mandated requests by establishing controlled Access for Information

Acts of Law. The second form is described as Lying No-Speak. This is an act that appears to support democratic principles of governance, all the while actively subverting them. A Minister appears to be supportive of open government, while in fact is actively working for the opposite goal.

The third form is Noisy No-Speak, which occurs when Ministers undermine the meaning of a society's commonly accepted terms, perverting their understanding. The words most used are "transformation and reshaping," referring to perhaps a department of the government that needed to be cleansed of corruption and mismanagement. A Minister would say the said department would go through an aggressive reshaping that will transform it. Of course the opposite will happen. Corruption will possibly continue in the shadows while the impression of change is publicly seen.

Authoritarian regimes manipulate language in an attempt to control the narrative, presenting to the public a created illusion of what reality really is within the community, neighbourhood or nation itself.

Within every well tuned dictatorship lies an effective marketing agency, a group of savvy agents of psychological groups, advising Ministers of what, why and how to present themselves and the government they serve.

By understanding NewSpeak, Silent No-Speak, Lying No-Speak and Noisy No-Speak, an educated individual can realize the national farce being presented to them.

In democratic nations like Canada and the US, these manipulative language patterns persist. Is their public language seemingly empty of answers or concrete information? Is presentation more important than the message? Do your government officials promise the something will be transformed or reshaped for the betterment of us all?

Read Orwell's 1984, and come to your own conclusions.

this morning?”

One thing that I have learned from my experiences is that the people who we look down on, the people who we think deserve to be where they are, they all have experiences. Some of their experiences have placed them in their current situations, but it does not mean that they are horrible people. I have met some great people; people who have changed the way that I view people who have been in and out of the prison system.

“I am good,” I responded. There were metal seats that were bolted to the wall, so I sat on one of the seats facing her.

“You have your hearing today,” she asked?

“I do! I hope that it goes well. How about you?”

“Yeah, I have to face the judge again today. I was assigned another lawyer, so let’s see how it goes. Are you excited, nervous?”

“I’m a little nervous,” I admitted.

“It has been a hell of a month, so I am just happy that it will be done soon. Well, not done because my lawyer just took on my case. I missed my parents and I know they

will be here today.”

“Well, I wish you the very best.

This system was built to keep us where we are. I hope that you don’t get caught up in this rat race.”

“I hope not either. Good luck to you too!”

“Sister, I don’t need luck right now.

I need a prayer.”

“I hear that!” We both fell quiet, becoming lost in our thoughts.

The door opened, and another officer came in.

“Simone Jennifer Smith. Your hearing is starting in 20 minutes. We are going to get you processed and bring you into court in 10 minutes. Please come with me.”

I stood up and looked back at the young woman.

“All the best to you!”

“Same to you Simone.”

I was ready to end this fraction of my experience. I was so looking forward to seeing my mom and my dad.

LIFE

Wednesday, April 13, 2022 | www.TOCaribNews.com | Toronto Caribbean News

PAGE 33

What is the difference between cannabis edibles and cannabis beverages?

SEAN SEURATTAN sean@carib101.com

THE HEIGHTENED CHEF

Cannabis can be consumed in many forms. The preferred method of consumption has been through smoking. More than likely this is because it is the easiest and most accessible way for an average person to consume. However, this is rapidly changing with the advent of cannabis infused foods and beverages. It is extremely important to note that even though it is the same substance, inhalation and ingestion of cannabis affect the body very differently. Here we will discuss those differences.

While historically smoking cannabis has been the consumption method used by most, there is no way around the fact that inhaling smoke is offensive to

many and harmful to everyone. The only real benefits are the ease with which this can be done and speed of this method affecting the body. Cannabis smoke or vapour enters the body through the lungs and then immediately enters the bloodstream, interacting with your endocannabinoid system to produce its known effects. In most cases, this process takes place rapidly within minutes of consumption. This is NOT the case with ingestion.

Ingesting cannabis through food and drink opens the door to a great many more consumers who find smoke intolerable. In many cases, infused food and beverage can also remove undesired tastes and smells associated with cannabis while still providing the helpful benefits. Of critical importance is the fact that each person processes cannabis differently based on his or her metabolism and endocannabinoid systems. This process also changes based on whether cannabis is ingested as food or drink. The main difference between infused food and drink is the speed of onset effects and their duration within your body.

The best way to infuse cannabis

Garden shed considerations Do you need storage space for your barbecue, patio set and gardening accessories? If so, it’s time to get a shed. There are many prefabricated models made of synthetic materials, metal and wood. Here are a few tips for making the right choice.

SYNTHETIC MATERIALS Plastic, vinyl and PVC sheds are resistant to water and insect damage. Moreover, they re­quire very little maintenance. Although avai­lable in a wide variety of designs, they tend to have a commercial look that may not suit everyone.

METAL Metal sheds are lightweight, affordable and easy to assemble. If made from aluminum, the shed won’t rust. However, metal sheds are easy to dent and come in fewer designs than those made of synthetic materials.

WOOD Wooden sheds are sturdy and can complement the outside of your home. However, they require considerable maintenance and are more vulnerable to insects and rot than metal and synthetic sheds.

If you’re handy, you can design and build your own shed. This way, you can choose its size and appearance. Furthermore, you can insulate the walls to create a workshop. But keep a close eye on your budget. This type of project can easily cost several thousand dollars.

Whether you choose to buy a prefabricated shed or build your own, make sure it’s strong enough to withstand inclement weather. Finally, check the laws and regulations in your municipality for building this type of structure.

into food is through some type of oil or butter. This is because THC molecules are able to bond to the fat molecules in the chosen medium. Therefore mediums with a higher fat content can retain a higher THC dosage. The preferred medium of most people is often coconut oil because it has the highest fat content of all ingestible oils and is the most versatile for cooking and baking.

The key to using infused food in order to get the desired effects is to understand how it enters and leaves your body. All food must be digested for cannabis to have its effect. Simply put, food goes from your stomach into your lower intestine and then into your bloodstream.

The length of this process can be anywhere from 30-90 minutes depending on your metabolism. Regardless, this is a much longer process than inhalation and must be taken into consideration for responsible use. Once in your bloodstream as this form, effects can last hours (1-4 hours) before your body naturally removes the THC. Consuming cannabis through a beverage is slightly different, mostly be-

cause infused drinks are done so with water soluble THC/CBD. This requires more processing and technology to be done correctly. Currently there are nano technologies that allow THC and/or CBD to become even more available through water based beverages. This in turn changes how your body receives cannabis. Once entering your stomach, it can be absorbed directly through your stomach lining into your bloodstream. This allows for a much faster onset of effects (15-20mins) and a much shorter duration (30-90mins). The effects of an infused beverage are more in line with alcohol in this manner minus all the negative side effects.

No matter which way you choose to ingest cannabis, this is the natural and logical progression of consumption. An individual can consume without affecting anyone in their vicinity. Also, they have much more control over how much they consume. Without the downfalls of inhaling smoke, cannabis reveals a whole new universe of benefits and enjoyment to people.

When to prune your trees and shrubs Although trees and shrubs can grow very well without intervention, occasional pru­ ning helps promote optimal health. Here’s what you need to know.

FLOWERING Shrubs like rhododendrons and lilacs bloom from last year’s stems, whereas others, like roses and hydrangeas, bloom from new growth. It’s best to prune shrubs that flo­wer from old wood immediately af­ter blooming. However, shrubs that bloom on new growth should be trimmed in the spring.

DORMANCY In general, shrubs and trees go dormant in the spring before their buds open.

This is the best time for pruning because the plants heal faster. Late fall is also appropriate. However, pruning in the winter should be avoided.

Furthermore, mid-summer is ideal for pruning trees that produce a lot of sap in the spring, like maple, birch and willow.

Lastly, pruning large trees and fruit trees should be left to the experts. For the best results, contact a professional tree pruner in your area.

PAGE 34

LIFE

Toronto Caribbean News | www.TOCaribNews.com | Wednesday, April 13, 2022

Are you using too much drinking water?

If you’ve decided to adopt environmen­ tally responsible practices at home, you may need to adjust your purchasing and energy consumption habits. However, have you considered how you use your drinking wa­ter? Here’s what you need to know.

Bad habits Water flows from the faucet on demand, gi­ ving you the sense that it’s an infinite re­ source. But wastewater treatment is costly, both economically and environmen­ tally. Eliminate some of the following bad habits to reduce your daily water consumption.

• Cooking vegetables in a whole pot of water rather than steam cooking

Clothes mending: an eco-friendly practice

• Waiting for the tap water to run cold before filling your glass • Letting the water run while brushing your teeth or shaving • Using tap water to clean the yard • Taking frequent baths or long showers • Flushing with just a little urine in the toilet • Using drinking water on your trees, flower beds and vegetable garden Sensible solutions There are many strategies to reduce your water consumption. Use a rainwater col­ lection system to reduce tap water usage in your garden. In addition to limiting your shower time, you can install low-flow toi­ lets and faucets in your bathroom. For cold drinking water, simply keep a full pitcher in the refrigerator. A front-loa­ ding washing machine is another water-saving solu­ tion.

DID YOU KNOW? The average Canadian uses more than 450 litres of potable water per day.

That’s nearly three times the European average.

Food waste: a self-assessment

Tons of barely damaged clothes are thrown away every year worldwide. Do you tend to discard items with slight im­ perfections without batting an eyelid?

Wouldn’t you rather find a way to kick this environmentally unfriendly habit? Here’s a short guide to mending your own clothing.

Get the gear Create a small kit with everything you need for simple clothing repairs. Stock your se­ wing kit with these essentials: • • • •

Different sized needles Yarn and thread in several colours A thimble A selection of buttons, including two-hole, four-hole and snaps • Fabric glue or mending tape • Iron-on fabric patches

Despite best intentions, few individuals can boast of never wasting food. To im­ prove your food usage balance sheet over the next few weeks, here are some ques­ tions to help you take stock of how much you throw in the trash or compost.

• Have any of your unopened perishables become wilted or mouldy?

• Do you have to scrape food like uneaten spaghetti or milk-soaked cereal from your dishes before washing them?

• Do you dispose of food as soon as it passes the expiry date on the packaging?

Once you’ve evaluated what foods you throw away, you’ll have a clearer picture of your household’s habits. You may find you’re serving oversized portions or buying more pe­rishables than you can eat. With these insights, you’ll be able to adjust your practices accordingly.

Before throwing away any food, ask your­ self if it can be used in another dish. For

Learn the techniques If you don’t know where to start with dar­ ning a hole or sewing on a button, don’t worry. You can learn basic techniques on­ line or pick up a mending guide at a book­ store or library. Moreover, asking a skilled friend or relative to teach you a few tricks can be a fun bonding activity. With prac­ tice, you’ll gain confidence, along with the satisfaction that you’re giving your clothing new life.

However, complex repairs like a broken zipper may be beyond your skill level.

Look for a tailor shop in your area that offers clothing repair ser­ vices. It’s best to trust a professional with com­ plicated fixes or valua­ble clo­thing items.

example, leftover vegetables might work in an omelette. Additionally, you can turn a slice of dry bread into breadcrumbs. If you’ve prepared too much food that can’t be frozen, offer the extras to friends or co­ workers. You can reduce your waste and make others happy at the same time.

BEST BEFORE Remember, the expiration date lea­ ves room for flexibility. According to the Canadian Food Inspection Agency, this date isn’t a guarantee of the safety of a product. Rather, it’s an index of the freshness and potential shelf life of foods that ha­ ven’t been opened. This means that after the date indicated, the food may no longer have the same freshness or nutritional value but may neverthe­ less be edible. Of course, sure signs of deterioration, like a foul odour or mould, don’t lie. You just need to be cautious.

Wednesday, April 13, 2022 | www.TOCaribNews.com | Toronto Caribbean News

REAL ESTATE

Real estate and retirement

JAY BRIJPAUL brijpaul@carib101.com

REAL ESTATE PRO

A senior citizen called me the other day. His name is Andrew, and he is 85 years old with all his faculties in tack. Andrew’s home is paid for. He has some savings in his bank account, but he is scraping by with a pension of two thousand dollars, using it to pay for property taxes, utilities, and food. “What would happen to my home and my bank account when I die?” Andrew had asked.

“Should I sell and move to a retirement home? What are my options?” Many seniors at that age are not as fortunate as Andrew.

They may have health complications or suffer from depression and are confused. Here are some ideas I advised Andrew.

A will is important. This way you can express your wishes. When choosing an administrator for the will, choose someone neutral. You can choose two administrators who are close friends or relatives. Some seniors use the services of a lawyer or a financial institution as their administrator. This is better when there might be conflict. For example, second marriages. There might be children from the first marriage and a spouse or other children from the second.

In such cases, it is best to hire a professional administrator. They may charge around 1% of the value of the estate as their fees.

In lieu of preparing a will, consider adding the children’s names to the property as

joint tenants. Joint tenancy in real estate means that the property will automatically go to the survivor when the other one dies. You can have more than two people as joint tenants. This way, the family can save substantially by avoiding paying probate fees. Any real estate lawyer can assist.

With a will, it may take a year to settle the estate. The only downside is that when you add someone as a joint owner, they have access to your wealth. You must have absolute trust in that person to add them as a joint tenant.

Seniors need care. Better care can be obtained in senior homes. Many seniors are still active and do not want to give up their independence. In cases where most of their wealth is tied up into a home, it is better to sell the property and invest in a senior condominium. With a senior condominium, seniors can choose to cook and entertain.

They can choose to step over to the condominium’s dining hall as well. With this arrangement, they can have daily housekeeping. Help is available around the clock.

There are many activities such as daily bus trips or other events to engage seniors. It is a great environment where seniors can socialize. Here, seniors can have enough money to supplement their lifestyles. They also own valuable real estate to pass on.

A reverse mortgage is another option available. Lenders will lend up to 55% of the equity in one lump sum payment or in monthly instalments against the property.

When the home is sold or changes hands, lenders will recoup their money plus compound interest. With the recent pandemic, more seniors are choosing this option.

This is a good option if house prices keep climbing because the homeowner is build-

ing more equity with time. If the market changes direction, the financial blow can be fatal. Some seniors prefer to sell and rent instead. This is good provided that the proceeds from the sale are reinvested into more liquid assets such as bank stocks.

Some seniors choose to sell and move to smaller cities where prices are much more affordable. A client of mine recently sold their condominium in Etobicoke for $600,000 and bought a small cottage in Thunder Bay and a home in Arizona. The two investments cost them $375,000. They invested the remainder in good dividend stocks, and now spend their winters in Arizona and their summers in Thunder Bay. If there are multiple assets such as rental

PAGE 35

properties, then it is best to dispose of them. This can be done by either selling them or passing them on to the ones you were hoping to give it to. This will trigger taxation. It’s best to deal with it while you are still around. Consult an accountant for proper tax planning strategies. With multiple assets, a family trust can be established as well.

Retirement can be the golden years if planned properly. It is best to do your own research, consult your close friends and family and never think that you know it all.

At this age, one financial slip can cause a fatal fall.

We’ve got your

BACK AND SO MUCH MORE - Chiropractic - Physiotherapy - Massage Therapy - Spinal Decompression - Acupuncture - Counselling - Natural Medicine - DNA & Cancer Testing - Custom Orthotics - Compression Stockings Personal Injury, Rehab and Wellness Experts We Accept All Insurance Plans Contact Us Today For a Free Consultation

57 Mill St. N. Unit 102 Brampton ON L6X 1S9

110 Brickyard Way, Unit 10 Brampton ON L6V 4N1

647-499-1444 • info@intelligenthealthgroup.ca

PAGE 36

HOME

3 questions to ask when choosing a window treatment Window treatments can add warmth and style to your home. However, before buying new curtains, drapes or blinds, you should ask yourself these three questions.

1. What’s your objective?

Make sure you know what purpose the window treatment will serve. For example, do you want it to be primarily stylish or functional? You should also determine if you want a look that’s contemporary or timeless.

2. What’s your budget?

If you can afford it, consider hiring a professional designer or decorator to help you choose the right window treatment. If you have a tight budget,

look for inspiration in decorating magazines and websites for reasonably priced options.

3. What are the dimensions?

Make sure you measure your windows. This way the treatment you choose is sure to effectively block out light and provide the right level of privacy. Additionally, make certain your curtains, blinds or shades are the right length and won’t hang on the floor.

Before making your choice, visit home decor stores in your area for inspiration and advice

Toronto Caribbean News | www.TOCaribNews.com | Wednesday, April 13, 2022

4 tips for lighting a room The right lighting can enhance the style and functionality of a room. If you want to update a space in your home, here are four tips for choosing the right lighting.

1. Complement the existing style First and foremost, you should choose light fixtures that match the style of the room. For example, recessed lighting and pendant lights are great for modern and contemporary homes.

2. Analyze the room It’s important to think about how you use the room. You should also take into account the furniture arrangement and amount of natural light to determine if the space needs bright, general or directional lighting.

3. Use different types of lights Every room should have a variety of light sources. It’s a good idea to have one main light source like a ceiling light, a secondary light source like a table lamp and a decorative lighting feature like string lights.

4. Choose the right light bulbs Choose warm, neutral or cool lighting to put the finishing touches on your space.

If you want to be able to vary the intensity of the light, install a dimmer switch.

Lastly, don’t hesitate to ask a lighting specialist for advice or hire an interior decorator to help brighten your space.

FUN

Wednesday, April 13, 2022 | www.TOCaribNews.com | Toronto Caribbean News

PAGE 37

WEEK OF APRIL 10 TO APRIL 16, 2022

ARIES

The luckiest signs this week: SCORPIO, SAGITTARIUS AND CAPRICORN

At work, you’ll have to handle many emergencies and unsatisfied customers. Fortunately, you’ll have a positive outlook and easily diffuse any tense situations..

TAURUS

You’ll accomplish a brilliant feat. You’ll be applauded for your actions and placed on a pedestal. You may also save someone from a disaster.

PUZZLE NO. 759 HOW TO PLAY :

ANSWER TO PUZZLE NO. 759

GEMINI

If you live with other family members, you may get into a disagree ment. Establish and explain the rules of the house to keep the peace.

Fill in the grid so that every row, every column, and every 3x3 box contains the numbers 1 through 9 only once.

CANCER

You’ll speak your mind and verbally express what others are thinking. Your new phone will take some getting used to and may be more difficult to use than your old one.

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

Make certain to look over your invoices and receipts to ensure there aren’t any errors. If there are, you’ll be able to prove there was a mistake and get your money back.

VIRGO

PUZZLE NO. 49 43.

46.

50.

52.

54.

55.

56.

57.

58.

59.

60.

ACROSS 1. Leap headfirst 5. Literary work 9. Fore’s opposite 12. Point-scoring serves 13. Volcanic liquid 14. Recognize

15.

16.

17.

18.

20.

Golf-ball stands Bone-dry Female fowl Catch Allowed to borrow 22. “____ So Cold” 24. Abilities 27. Yellow-pages fillers

30.

31.

32.

33.

35.

36.

38.

39.

40.

41.

Hard wood Separated Say yes to Wrecks Senate vote Overhead Kind of room Studio decor Garble Pairs

Fling Gooey Owed Object Naught Beast of burden Body of knowledge Got taller Ante Unbarred ____ out (barely manages)

DOWN 1. Computer fodder 2. Froster 3. Swerve 4. Roadway hazards 5. Raised flatland 6. Rowing implement 7. “____ Woman” 8. “____ in Heaven” 9. Smokers’ receptacles 10. Toll 11. Years in a decade 19. Brief 21. Afternoon sleep

23. Kilt, e.g.

25. Shade source 26. At once, to a doctor 27. Cry of dismay 28. Small valley 29. Plumpest 31. Neckwear 34. Correspondents 37. To’s counterpart 42. Burn, in a way 44. Farm

structure 45. Eight-sided sign 47. Bulletin-board material 48. Place for a jeans patch 49. Some evergreens 50. Pinch 51. Put to good ____ 53. Before, to Shelley

ANSWER TO PUZZLE NO. 49

Patience may not be your greatest virtue over the next few days. Your financial situation will improve overtime. Sit back, and let things sort themselves out.

LIBRA

You’ll feel very tired and need to rest. You’ll have a revelation that allows you to reach your professional goals.

SCORPIO

You’ll organize fun activities for a group. Stress may wear you down, and you’ll need to take time to rest before the end of the week to keep your spirits up.

SAGITTARIUS

Much to your surprise, you’ll fill in for your boss this week because they’re suddenly absent from work. Trust yourself, and demonstrate your great leadership skills.

CAPRICORN

When dealing with a foreign client, you may worry about speaking in an other language. Don’t worry, you’ll surpass your own expectations. You may also participate in a short training course to become more fluent.

AQUARIUS

If you’re considering a career change, you may decide to go back to school. Your patience and determination will get you out of a precarious financial situation.

PISCES

You’re not the kind of person that hesitates when faced with an im portant decision. However, this time you need to weigh the pros and cons. You’ll be given new information at the last minute.

CROSSWORD PUZZLE ANSWERS USE AMERICAN SPELLING

the free

Classifieds Your destination to buy, sell and post!

LIST UP TO 30 WORDS FOR FREE! CALL 647-722-6298 *Some Restrictions May Apply - Subject To Space Availability

HELP WANTED • ITEMS FOR SALE • PERSONALS • ANNOUNCEMENTS • AND MUCH MORE! FOR SALE FOR SALE SHIRT JACKS: Shirt Jacks all sizes all colour call 416-474-3454 LAND IN TRINIDAD: 10,500 Square Feet. Approved by Town and Country.

Edward.647-218-1333.

FOR SALE COMMUNITY 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

FOR SALE SERVICES HOUSE CLEANING: Looking to take on new client for house cleaning or office cleaning in the GTA. Call Yvonne 647-701-4930

HELP WANTED PART TIME DELIVERY DRIVERS: Approximately 4-6 hours commitment every second Wednesday.

Drivers needed for: • Scarborough/Pickering/ Ajax • North York/Rexdale/ Malton • Brampton/Mississauga Driver must have SUV or Van. Call 647-722-6298 to apply.

FOR RENT FOR RENT: Furnished Room For Rent! Sharing Kitchen & Washroom. Located in Scarborough, Toronto, Morningside Avenue & Kingston Road. $850.00/month including utilities. Please call (416)459-6155.

FOR RENT: Furnished 1 BedBasement Apart For Rent! Separate Entrance, Private Kitchen & Washroom. Located in Scarborough, Toronto, Morningside Avenue & Kingston Road. $1,550.00/ month including utilities. Please call (416)459-6155.

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

SALES REPS WANTED

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

business

Classifieds Help support local business!

GET 3 MONTHS (6 EDITIONS) FOR $300! CALL 647-722-6298 *Subject To Ad Space Availability

SALONS • RESTAURANTS • REAL ESTATE • MORTGAGE • LEGAL • SHIPPING • AND MANY OTHER SERVICES!

TEL: 705-291-1100

PAGE 40

FINANCE

Toronto Caribbean News | www.TOCaribNews.com | Wednesday, April 13, 2022

How to turn your home’s equity into an investment property down payment reduction, this amount continues to grow over time.

CLEVE DeSOUZA cleve@carib101.com

WEALTH MANAGEMENT

Have you ever thought about buying a Toronto area commercial building, condo, or vacation home to use as an investment property? Many people like the thought of real estate investing, but immediately shut down the idea because they believe that it isn’t financially obtainable for them.

While buying an investment property does require up front capital, it can be doable with the right strategy. One great way to get started is by cashing in on the existing equity that you have in your home!

What is equity?

Equity is the difference between what your home is currently worth and what you currently owe on it. For example, if your home is valued at $650,000 and you owe $300,000 on your mortgage, you have approximately $350,000 in equity. As real estate values increase and you make monthly mortgage payments that include principal

How people use equity Many people choose to just leave their equity alone, allowing it to accumulate and grow over time. Others cash out some of their equity from time to time to pay off higher interest debts, make big purchases for their family, or improve/upgrade their home as needed. While there is nothing wrong with these uses of equity, there is another way to utilize it that could reap bigger financial rewards in the long term.

Down payment potential One of the biggest challenges of buying an investment property is obtaining a sizable enough down payment. Unlike mortgages on a home you will live in, most lenders will not lend as close to the full purchase price amount on investment properties. This means that a larger down payment is required, usually around 20%-25%. One way to meet this requirement is with a home equity loan or a cash out refinance.

How much cash can I expect?

While every lender is a little different, most will loan you up to 80% of the value of your current home. In our example above with the home that was worth $650,000, a likely cash out loan amount would be about $520,000. Subtracting the $300,000

mortgage owed and several thousand dollars for refinance fees leaves approximately $210,000 in cash available that could be turned into an investment property down payment.

How much can I buy?

Now that you see the cash potential for a down payment, you probably are wondering how much of an investment property this down payment amount would allow you to buy. This number is often a moving target, because there are so many factors (like repair costs, property type, personal credit, etc.) that figure into the final calculation. However, a good place to start is about three and a half times your down payment amount. In this example, your investment property budget should be around $735,000. This allows for a sufficient down payment (up to 25%) and still leaves cash available for closing costs and small repairs.

The bottom line If you have been dreaming about taking a leap into buying an investment property, and have some equity built up in your current home, then this might be a viable strategy to employ. Discussing the idea with a financial advisor or financial strategist is a great place to start and will give you a better idea of how this strategy could work with your personal situation.

Identity theft: prevention and intervention How many times over the past year have you entered your name, address, phone number, email address, birthdate and other sensitive information into a sign-up form?

Unfortunately, this information can be used by fraudsters to usurp your identity, allowing them to obtain credit in your name or perform other criminal acts.

Here’s how you can reduce the risk of identity theft, and what you should do if it happens to you.

Prevention While a large proportion of personal information is leaked through corporate data breaches, it’s still important to exercise caution. Here’s how to minimize your risks:

statements for suspicious activity.

• Only use trusted and protected websites to make payment transactions.

• Don’t use password auto-fill features, as these store all your passwords in one place, which could be disastrous if someone gains access to it.

• Shred documents containing sensitive information when you don’t need them anymore.

• Never give sensitive information (like your credit card or social insurance number) over the phone or by email.

• Leave your passport and social insurance number at home unless you absolutely need them.

• Consult your credit report once a year.

• Always check your bank and credit card

Intervention If you think you’re the victim of identity theft, contact the police immediately and then notify the relevant governmental authorities, your financial institution, the credit companies you have accounts with and any other organization who could be affected by the incident.

Additionally, you should ask for your credit report and close any fraudulent accounts. You’ll also need to cancel all unauthorized transactions individually by contacting the affiliated creditors directly.

Rebuilding your credit after someone steals your identity may be challenging. Some experts recommend investing in identity theft and fraud insurance, which is sometimes offered by financial institutions.

6 ways to pay less for auto insurance A host of factors can influence the amount you pay for your automobile insurance premiums. Here are six ways you may be able to lower them.

1. Shop around. Prices can vary significantly between different insurance providers. Make sure to work with an experienced broker who can help you find the most affordable plan.

2. Use affiliation discounts. Unions, profes­sional associations and alumni associations often have special agreements

with particular insurers. You could be eligible for a better price via the organizations you’re already a part of.

3. Negotiate. Don’t hesitate to ask for a discount. Some companies offer them to full-time students or young people whose parents have policies with them.

4. Combine. If both your car and home are insured by the same provider, you’ll likely receive a discount. In some cases, it could be substantial.

5. Pay a higher deductible. If you can afford it, committing to a higher deductible in case of an accident usually means you’ll pay a lower premium.

6. Drive safely. A good driving record means cheaper insurance. Accidents, driving infractions and prior insurance claims all contribute to higher premiums.

Finally, don’t hesitate to reach out to an insurance broker. Oftentimes they have access to policies that aren’t availa­ble to the general public.

Peel Regional Police News Your access to the latest alerts, media releases, crime statistics, podcasts and more.

PAGE 42

AUTOMOTIVE

Toronto Caribbean News | www.TOCaribNews.com | Wednesday, April 13, 2022

Autonomous car classifications Car spoilers: truths and myths Spoilers are a popular accessory for many car enthusiasts. On top of being stylish, many people believe they can improve a car’s speed and aerodynamics. Here’s what the science says.

HOW SPOILERS WORK The spoiler’s effect comes from the same physical laws that drive aviation, but it works in the opposite direction. While an airplane wing lifts the aircraft as it accele­ rates, the spoiler on a car exerts a downward force, pressing the vehicle into the asphalt and improving traction. It also decreases the drag arising from air tur­ bulence at the vehicle’s rear.

SPOILER EFFECTS The spoiler’s aerodynamic effect is in­ disputable. But its effectiveness is pro­ portional to speed. For example, a Formula 1 racing car benefits most from a spoiler because it’s lightweight and frequently exceeds 300 kilome­ tres per hour.

Cars intended for consumer use are much heavier and subject to legal speed limits. For these types of ve­ hicles, the downward thrust effect of a spoiler is ne­ gligible. However, spoi­ lers reduce drag, which helps reduce fuel consumption.

This effect is especially true if the manu­ facturer installed the spoiler and tested it in a wind tunnel, which is often the case for high-end cars.

Autonomous vehicles are becoming in­ creasingly popular around the world. Le­ gislators are modernizing laws to regulate this new reality. Some have ad­opted a clas­ sification system developed by the Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE). Here is a summary of the six-tier system.

• Level 0 cars have limited driving support functions like automatic emergency braking, blind-spot warning and lane departure warning. Drivers must constantly supervise these support fea­ tures and perform all driving tasks like steering, braking and accelerating.

• Level 1 and 2 cars are equipped with ad­ vanced steering and/or braking and acce­ lerating supports like lane centring and adaptive cruise control. The first tier may have one of these functions, while the se­ cond tier can include both functions si­ multaneously.

• Level 3 vehicles are at the level of auto­ nomy that legislators are more con­cerned with regulating. Drivers must be prepared to assume control if the system can’t exe­ cute the task. How­ever, the car does most of the driving.

• Level 4 and 5 cars are fully autonomous.

They can perform all driving tasks wit­ hout human intervention, so steering wheel and pedals are unnecessary. The autonomy in Level 4 cars is limited to cer­ tain conditions. Level 5 vehicles offer complete and unconditional driving auto­ mation, regardless of the location and road conditions.

Fully autonomous cars are still being tested in many parts of the world. They aren’t yet available on the consu­mer mar­ ket.