In an industry where there are not too many people of colour, one empowered woman is taking the correct steps toward standing out. Chibie Louis-Okoye is a thoughtprovoking Nigerian Canadian film producer who has received many accolades throughout her career.
Born and raised in Nigeria, Louis-Okoye’s upbringing had its good and bad moments, but she was happy for the most part and provided with everything she needed. Her parents encouraged her and her siblings to go to school and take on a professional path that would lead to a career with a stable income and go on to have a family.
“My parents worked very hard to take us to the best schools they could take us to,” said LouisOkoye, whose parents wanted both her and her siblings to become something great in the future.
Louis-Okoye studied at the University of Windsor as an international student, where she received a Degree in Communication. Afterward, she went to Queen’s University, where she studied innovation and entrepreneurship.
Her inspiration to be a film producer came from wanting to take back the power to create worlds and stories that can influence pop culture and people’s perspectives on how they see things on subjects they don’t know. With a gap in the content of African stories, Louis-Okoye realized the industry needs producers and storytellers to help close the gap.
“Producing is all about honing the business side of the creative,” said Louis-Okoye, whose goal is to centre the African diaspora on the world stage through her company COLO Studios.
What Louis-Okoye enjoys the most about producing is the transformation of raw ideas into materialized content. Yes of course
there are other elements of her work that she enjoys (hiring a team, and raising funds), but her heart remains with the creative process. She describes it as making a dream come true. “I believe a film is a tool for activism,” said Louis-Okoye. Activism, politics, spirituality, the monarchy, and the impact of colonialism are some of the thoughtprovoking content people can find in films and television series produced by Louis-Okoye.
Her latest film, KOFA, is inspired by how the world has moved on after kidnappings in Nigeria and surrounding areas. The film also focuses on how it remains precarious in Nigeria. KOFA (Louis-Okoye’s favourite project to date) is a psychological thriller that deals with people being locked in a room and waking up nude with no memories.
From the beginning, the plot beckons the watcher to question every character, understand motive, and question what will happen next. With elements of betrayal and finger pointing the film keeps viewers intrigued as they watch the group try to figure out how they ended up where they were. Throughout their drama, a male character continuously enters the room and takes them out one by one. Scared for their lives, the group tries to piece together their memories.
Louis-Okoye loves those topics, because she feels the viewers can put themselves in the character’s shoes and feel their emotions and what’s at stake for them. She describes this as a human condition, because sometimes people may feel trapped. It may not feel like a physical trap in a room, but it can be a physical trap in a career they don’t love and are only doing for economic purposes. “People can feel trapped mentally as well.” Louis-Okoye shared.
KOFA won the Best Feature
Film at the African International Film Festival, and received two African Magic Viewer Choice Awards nominations.
The film’s trailer also received an award for the best trailer in the African region at the 2023 World Trailer Awards in Portugal.
LouisOkoye’s current project is a television series called The Third Coming, and she’s having the time of her life on the project. The series centres around what can happen if colonialism and imperialism were to come back to Africa in the present and how that would look.
Louis-Okoye would like to see her career take her back to Africa, where she can continue to tell stories relatable to Africans and have the world look at things through that lens. She also wants to collaborate with others to help tell those stories and provide a technical process for creating a film and television series. She also wants to collaborate with the greats in Hollywood and take some of their lessons and experiences. Her dream is to have COLO Studios maintain its vision of centring the African experiences on the world stage.
As Africans living in the diaspora, we have a strong, and notable impact on this planet, and creatives like Louis-Okoye are the ones who will stamp our impact in the minds of people for generations to come.
The verbiage that they are now using is convincing, enough to manipulate, and redefine the use of a digital vaccine, and why it is necessary. According to WHO, they have learned from the COVID-19 pandemic response, and recognized an existing gap for a global mechanism that can support bilateral verification of the provenance of health documents for pandemic preparedness and continuity of care. Do you see what I mean about verbiage; I have to commend their writers.
WHO already has with Member States. The trust network is operationalized through software infrastructure that enables Member States to bilaterally verify the authenticity of digital records and health certificates through an interoperable trust architecture, without WHO participating in any verification processes but acting as a “trust anchor.”
records are linked to authorized institutions, within and between countries.
We knew this was coming. As a paper, we have been talking about digital passports since they were first introduced to the public in 2021. Countries have been employing different testing requirements to navigate domestic as well as international travel and the digital vaccine passport is now the means to an end (additional instrument to allegedly make travel safer).
World governments caught on that their present system of paper-based vaccine cards were not working; there was an increase in cases of black marketing, fake certificates etc., so of course the next step was the development of digital documentation. Now that it is going digital, they believe that they can authenticate documents, like you know, your vaccination status.
According to the WHO one of the key tools used by many Member States in reopening economies during the COVID-19 pandemic was the digital COVID-19 test and vaccine certificates. As the directing and coordinating authority on international health work, at the onset of the pandemic, WHO engaged with all WHO Regions to define overall guidance for such certificates and published the Digital Documentation of COVID-19 Certificates: Vaccination status and Test results in 2021 and 2022, respectively.
They claim that the GDHCN can be used as an infrastructural building block to support additional use cases, which may include, for example, the digitisation of the International Certificate of Vaccination or Prophylaxis, verification of prescriptions across borders, the International Patient Summary, verification of vaccination certificates within and across borders, and certification of public health professionals (through WHO Academy).
To meet this need, in line with the global strategy on digital health priority actions, WHO has established the Global Digital Health Certification Network (GDHCN). The GDHCN builds upon the experience of regional networks for COVID-19 Certificates and takes up the infrastructure and experiences with the digital European Union Digital COVID Certificate (EU DCC) system, which has seen adoption across all Member States of the EU as well as 51 non-EU countries and territories.
I want you to take a moment to recognize the clear steps to bringing the world under the power of a created government, and they are using WHO as the humanitarian face.
The GDHCN claims to be a trust network that is a digital reflection of the trust
All right! Let’s stop all of this right here. Who voted WHO as a trust anchor? Is it safe to say that in a way, many of us did. If you voted for Prime Minister Trudeau, then yes you did. No judgment, but realized that what happens next does affect you.
As the trust anchor, WHO is implementing an onboarding process to establish technical and governance procedures for digital trust between WHO and each Member State, and thus, between Member States participating in the trust network. WHO will not hold or otherwise have access to any individual data. Participating Member States voluntarily submit public keys into a directory managed by WHO, so they are shared in a trusted manner with other Member States. These public keys then can be used to verify that digitally signed health credentials (e.g. Immunization cards, health records) were issued by a recognized authority in the GDHCN.
They do throw this word trust around an awful lot.
According to WHO, the benefits of establishing a GDHCN include:
• Individuals obtain agency over their own health information
• Health providers can more easily verify health records to support continuity of care
• Governments can provide standards and mechanisms to issue and verify that
Let’s address the elephant in the room, from the beginning of the discussion of digital certificates, one of the most critical and worrisome steps involved in the development of vaccine passports is the need to create a system collecting and storing extensive data relating to individuals so as to facilitate effective working of the passports. There is always the likelihood of privacy violations, especially in countries that either have a weak data protection framework, or even worse, none at all.
In the absence of a proper system of checks and balances, there is nothing holding back the big tech conglomerates such as Microsoft, Oracle etc. leading the development of digital vaccine passports from exploiting the information made available to them for purposes such as product development, marketing, selling it to thirdparties, surveillance etc. Furthermore, given that data protection regulations in most of the non-EU countries are inadequate, crossborder sharing of such highly sensitive data could prove to be a nightmare for both the authorities as well as the general public.
The other obvious thought is the amount of CONTROL the government will have over your life. African-Caribbean community, Canadian citizens, do we really trust our government to have our best interest at heart? I want you to be honest with yourselves here.
When we are voting for people to represent our interests, it is time that we research, look at what they stand for, and turn to trusted information that will allow you to make educated decisions. Do this if not for yourself, for the next generation.
need to ensure that there’s sustainable predictable funding earmark for things like social assistance and social housing or else we are going to talk about this for a long time.”
It has been nineteen years now since the non-profit and multi-partisan organization, Operation Black Vote Canada (OBVC) has been committed to increase civic engagement and public participation of African Canadians in the electoral process. According to its website: www. obvc.ca, OBVC: educates, motivates, and advocates for Black Canadians to participate in Canada’s: governments, agencies, boards, commissions, civil service and Canada’s political process at all levels. Over the years, it has conducted workshops, seminars, training and meetings to ensure that the larger African-Canadian community is aware of Black candidates.
On Tuesday, June 6th, OBVC held the Toronto Black Mayoral Town Hall at the Luna Local 183 in North York. The confirmed candidates include former city councilor, Rob Davis, former Scarborough-Guildwood MPP Mitizie Hunter, former Chief of Police Mark Saunders, community activist, lawyer, Knia Singh, policy analyst Chloe Brown, former MP Celina Caesar-Chavannes, and former city councilor Olivia Chow.
The purpose of the town hall was to allow the Black community to engage with mayoral candidates and discuss issues that affect them. Organizations supporting the town hall included: the Coalition of Black Trade Unionists, Black Business Professional Association (BBPA), Promoting Education and Community Health (PEACH), Little Jamaica, and The Neighbourhood Group Community Service.
The town hall was moderated by Ashley Okwuosa who asked the six panelists to introduce themselves. Rob Davis states, “My campaign is about making Toronto safer, cleaner, and kinder, because we can’t have a safe city unless we have a kinder city.”
Celina states, “Toronto is facing an unprecedented financial crisis. We
Chloe Brown notes, “It is time that we have the funding resources and infrastructure to carry out the future that we know needs to happen. It is time for communities to be at the table with more than just an empty plate. It is time for you to have a piece of the meal created by your labor.”
Knia Singh states, “This city needs a representative who can relate to all people, all walks of life who has experience in the arts, academia, and the criminal justice system and I vowed to do my best for the city of Toronto for all races.”
Mitzie Hunter states, “I am running to be mayor of Toronto, so we have a city that works for everyone, everywhere in the city. I want to fix the six: transit, housing, services, and make sure that everyone feels that they belong, and that they are included in our city.”
Mark Saunders states, “My role is to get to the decision-making table. When we can get to the decision-making table, better decisions are going to be had at City Hall.”
Olivia Chow mentions her involvement with members of BADC such as: Charles Roach, Dudley Laws and Sherona Hall in the fight for racial justice. There were lively discussions, debates and dialogues as they discussed their positions on vital issues to the people of Toronto.
On Friday June 9th, 2023, Adanette Frederick sent a message to attendees at the town hall. It reads, “Your participation and engagement made the event a resounding success. We want to thank you for taking the time to attend the town hall. Your presence demonstrates your commitment to our community and your eagerness to stay informed about the upcoming mayoral election. The insightful questions and thoughtful comments that you shared during the event added immense value to the discussions, creating a productive and inclusive atmosphere for all attendees.”
Anyone interested in learning about OBVC can check obvc.ca/news/
MICHAEL THOMAS
michael@carib101.com TC REPORTER
“The world is at acute risk for devastating regional or global disease epidemics or pandemics that not only cause loss of life but upend economies and create social chaos,” the 2019 report stated. Later that year, in December 2019, a local scientist identified a mysterious pneumonia-like illness in Wuhan, China. Four months later, in March 2020, the WHO declared a pandemic from what is now known as COVID-19.
If this opening statement by The Global Preparedness Monitoring Board GPMB means anything to you, just remember Bill Gates told us (if we thought that the so-called COVID-19 was bad, the next pandemic will get our attention this time.) What was this man trying to tell us? That he and his team have a bag of pandemics ready and waiting to unleash on human-
ity at a moment’s notice; it’s called “Gain of function.”
Let us take a closer look at the MO (aka method of operation) of the WHO (aka World Health Organization), GPMB (aka Global Preparedness Monitoring Board), PPPR (aka Pandemic Prevention Preparedness and Response), and what their next move might be.
As almost 200 countries and Islands continue to work on drafts of pandemic agreements that would give more authority to those mentioned in the paragraph above, a body masterminded by the WHO has called for a worldwide pandemic simulation to be carried out by the end of this year to test the effectiveness of the new terms before member nations sign them in 2024.
The last time this happened, we the people were left holding the bag and by that I mean: losing our businesses, losing our rights, being treated as three-yearolds, repeatedly lied to by mainstream media day in and day out, lied to by our doctors, and millions were knowingly poisoned by a fake vaccine all cooked up by Big-Pharma, this same group and those that called themselves elected politicians.
People, are you going to let this
happen again? What this group of shysters is trying to pull off is called “Crimes against humanity Part 2.” By the people sitting on our hands, we are unwilling accomplices to this mass murdering of our: families, children, and ultimately ourselves.
Did the politicians of the 194 countries who signed on to this plan consult us the people. Hell no! This tells you that they are working for someone else, not the people who elected them. Even a blind man can see exactly what the result will be, not to mention allowing the 194 so-called heads of government to seal this pandemic treaty.
What this group is trying to pull over on us is for all the countries to give this one group of liars and crooks the monopoly to say when there is a pandemic, and from their track record in 2020 that would be every day for the rest of your life, and the treatment will be simple: more Injections, lockdowns, mask-wearing and eventually death as a result of the treatment, or if you object toeing the line.
Here are a few quotes from the people who think that they own you, as you read, I hope you realize that to them you are just a product to be experimented on at will.
“We feel very strongly that we cannot wait for the next emergency to find out how well the pandemic accord and the IHR amendments will work; we need to know now,” Joy Phumaphi, co-chair of the GPMB, stated on May 22nd. “We therefore suggest that Member States, together with other key stakeholders, carry out a simulation exercise based on the draft accord and draft IHR amendments later this year, before they are finalized and adopted.”
“They are already putting in place a very broad surveillance mechanism,” Bell said. “They’re talking about two and a half billion dollars a year, which is three times the WHO budget just to run this.
This will look for any threats such as viral variants, which is [part of] nature, I mean, these happen all the time. Then they’ll be able to say essentially, that these are potential threats, therefore we need to lock down a population.”
Who is Bell you might be wondering? David Bell is a public health physician and former WHO staff specializing in epidemic policy.
The time has come for us as humans who love life, and family to reject this bunch of Satan-worshiping scammers and their scams once and for all.
all of the work and extensive consultations that had been undertaken in deciding the name “Kola Iluyomade Centre for Black Excellence,” according to communication from Peel Black Collective.
There was optimism expressed by the Black community when the PDSB promised to name its newly created Centre for Black Excellence after Kola Iluyomade. Many saw this as a fitting tribute and recognition of his many years of: tireless service, emotional investment, intellectual commitment and physical toll in his social activism and racial and educational advocacy work.
PDSB’s Trustees voted in favour of a policy that excludes the naming of schools after individuals. No provisions or considerations were made to account for
Black Community in Peel Express Bitterness on Peel District School Board Failure to Name Centre after Activist Kola Iluyomade. It is almost two years now since the untimely passing of social justice warrior, educational activist and change agent Kola Iluyomade. His death on June 24th, 2021, left a great void in the Black community in Peel. As founder of Advocacy Peel, he was known for his unwavering commitment to: fairness, equity, justice and love.
Peel Black Collective described him as a staunch fighter for Black students and their rights, and a fierce advocate in the fight against anti-Black racism in education. He gave everything for Black families and students until he was ultimately consumed by the fight.
Kola is best remembered for his advocacy work championing the: rights,
dignity and lived experiences of Black students in the Peel District School Board. As a long time resident of Brampton, he gave frequent: deputations, presentations, support and affirmation to issues that were dear and close to his heart. He witnessed and was present at many of the changes that PDSB went through: from the firing of former Director Peter Joshua, appointment of the supervisor, Bruce Rodrigues, presentation of the Ministry directives, review of its implementation and the recommendations that ensued from it.
This was an unfortunate occurrence and many in the Black Community see it as a betrayal. “The naming of the Centre of Black Excellence after him is the most appropriate tribute that the PDSB can pay to his legacy, what he stood for and his impact. To remove his name in this way is an affront to Black communities, anti-racism advocates and to those who benefited from his work in dismantling anti-Black racism in the PDSB.”
In order to force the Trustees of
the PDSB to change their minds, Peel Black Collective started a petition directed to David Green (Chair of the PDSB). As of Monday June 12th, 2023, there were 718 signatures with a goal of 1,000. The petition requests that the PDSB of Trustees approve the Kola Iluyomade Centre of Black Excellence as the official name of the centre.
In a further communication to its subscribers on Wednesday June 14th, 2023, Peel Black Collective expressed disappointment after the new policy came into effect on May 26th, 2023. This policy change ensured that the original proposed name change for the centre would not occur. Peel Black Collective notes, “The result of the policy and the Trustee’s interpretation is that existing disparities are locked in for all diverse identity groups. Of the 250 plus PDSB schools and buildings, very few are currently named after people with diverse: gender, sexuality, ability, ethnic, racial, or religious backgrounds.”
The WHO has called for a worldwide pandemic simulation to be carried out by the end of this year
Peel
I am not sure why this has not made front page news, but I suspect that it was not meant to. Parents, what I am about to tell you might trigger you, and I want you to know that the reaction you have, whatever it is, is perfectly acceptable, and we would love for you to share your thoughts after reading this.
There may be a lot of parents in Ontario who are being kept in the dark about their child’s gender identity. I spoke with a parent last week, and she was the one who first let me know what is happening throughout the province behind parent’s backs.
There are a number of Ontario school boards who have quietly implemented directives that a school not tell parents when a child asks to “transition” to another gender at school. So, you can have a five-year-old boy, or a seven-year-old girl who is thinking about switching genders, or that they want to be another gender, and the board says that the teacher can’t tell the parents. In the case of the parent who reached out to me, she told me that her daughter’s friend goes by her female name at home, and her transgendered name at school, and of course, the guardian knows nothing about this.
According to the school boards who have implemented these policies and procedures accommodating transgender students explicitly direct the school not to tell parents a child has “transitioned” to another gender at school, without the child’s express permission. According to them, some students who identify as transgen-
der are not open at home, because of safety and/or other reasons. Therefore, a school shall not disclose a student’s gender status to the student’s parent(s)/guardian(s) without the student’s explicit prior consent.
To think that this has been going on since 2017, and there are many of us who had no clue. The school boards at that time who had implemented this include:
• Toronto District School Board
• Thames Valley District School Board
• Greater Essex County District School Board
• Upper Grand District School Board (505-C)
• Waterloo Region District School Board
These school boards, amongst the new ones, instruct teachers to willfully deceive parents by withholding information about a child’s self-declared gender identity and change of name and pronouns.
In guidelines for the Accommodation of Persons who Identify as Transgender which came into effect in March 2017, and was updated in March 2021, teachers are told to keep a student’s transgender identity a secret, even from the child’s parents.
“There is no age limit on making an accommodation request, and young students have the same rights to privacy and to have accommodations made on their behalf with or without their guardians’ knowledge.”
With this mandate, when a school staff contacts the home of a student who identifies as transgender, the student should be consulted first to determine an appropriate way to reference the student’s gender identity. According to them, not doing so can potentially put a student’s well-being
and safety at risk.
If students have first disclosed their gender status to staff, it is strongly suggested that staff privately ask transgender students at the beginning of the school year how they want to be addressed in correspondence to the home or at meetings with the student’s parent(s)/guardian(s) What this does is encourage an us-and-them situation, that positions school staff in the compassionate, understanding role (good cop), and the parents as untrustworthy, abusive (bad cop) and therefore undeserving of being privy to their child’s self-declared transgender identity.
In November 2021, it was reported that the Ottawa-Carleton District School Board (OCDSB) informed staff that students will have the option of being referred to by their chosen name and pronouns, and will be able to change their names on all non-legal documents used by the school. The OCDSB gender identity and gender expression guidelines also instruct teachers not to inform parents of a child’s self-declared transgender identity.
It is understandable and natural for parents to want to know personal details about their children. Often, the motivation is well-meaning, such as wanting to better protect their children. Our children are already subjected to gender identity theory in schools at too young an age. These policies will leave young kids without the protection of their parents against gender theory ideologues. The harm to a child could be irreparable, including increased risk for depression and suicide.
We have to also consider the emotional fatigue and trauma of a child who is living two lives — at school presenting one gender, at home another, or the confusion of a parent who knows something ‘isn’t right’ but can’t get to the bottom of it and hits endless brick walls in talking to their child and/
or the school.
The school boards might think that they are doing these children a favor, but by maintaining secrecy, they are underscoring the shame that the child may already be feeling. Assisting a child to open up the dialogue with their parents actually empowers the child. With the support of caring school staff, children who might be nervous about telling a parent can begin the conversation that needs to happen with their parents.
Parents now that you know what can be done. Well, the first thing you need to know is the rights that you have. Parents have a number of common law custodial rights that have been “elevated to constitutional rights” by various court decisions since the 1982 Charter came into force. These include directing and controlling the education and medical treatment of their dependent children.
The “accepted rationale” for recognizing these rights is that it’s “irrational and fundamentally unfair” for the state to impede parents’ ability to do what it legally obliged them to do. Under the Family Law Act, Ontario parents have the legal duty to support their children up to age 18, or age 16, if the child then voluntarily withdraws from the home.
So, a school board’s “authority over a child has been delegated to them by the child’s parents” according to common law. As the parent’s agent, the school and the teachers have a “legal duty” to tell parents all they “reasonably” need to know to meet their support obligations “even if the child says he or she does not want the parent to be told.
Like they say, anything done in darkness must come to light; parents, now that you know, it is time that you start paying more attention to what is happening with your child at school, if not, they certainly will.
Parents in Ontario are being kept in the dark about their child’s gender identity
It seems like Tucker Carlson killed two birds with one stone: first he was taken off the Fox News platform and now Egale Canada is petitioning the CRTC to get Fox News removed from Canada’s networks on account of what they are calling his hate speech towards transgendered folks.
However, anyway this verdict goes down here in this country, Canadians are the losers, and here is why. Let us find out if there is any merit to this argument by Egale Canada, or if there is more to this than meets the eye.
Egale Canada argues that
Tucker Carlson made “False and horrifying claims,” against the transgendered fraternity which in turn insights hate and violence against them. What did Tucker say that was false and horrifying?
According to Egale’s Canada executive director Helen Kennedy in her open letter to the CRTC, she is claiming he labeled them “Violent and dangerous.” I have listened to the video in question and what I took away was easy. Carlson made a series of observations on what was happening in America, and he produced his receipts; here is why I believe so.
He spoke on the targeting of a Christian school in Nashville in which a Trans person named Audrey Hale murdered three 9-year-old young children as well as three adults. He spoke about how NPR (aka National Public Radio) had a history of opposing citizens owning guns, yet they encourage Trans people to get and use guns. Carlson also pointed to the fact that
the mainstream media trivialized the shooting to make it look as though it was not the shooter’s fault.
It gets personal now. Tucker in the same video accused Egale here in Canada of putting out a statement that ignored the children’s murder completely while instead claiming, “There has been an expediential rise in anti-trans violence.” For that Tucker called Egale liars. The big picture here is not Tucker Carlson, nor even Fox News; however, I believe that this is an attempt to suppress free speech and journalistic freedom.
It seems like the enemies of freedom have plans to use the socalled passing of Bill C-11 as a catalyst to silence everyone in Canada who does not agree with them. Canadians have to realize that this one-sided agenda cannot stand the test of time, and if the people don’t stand against it, it is going to be their funeral.
Today it may be Fox News, but have you thought of whose turn it will
be tomorrow if we condone this totalitarianism? No one will be exempt. It is very easy to pick your victim off one by one, but unity is strength in Canada.
Now for a very important message from CitizenGo. “For anyone willing to make a difference here is where you can go and sign the petition, please remember this. Public consultations with the CRTC are closing on June 2nd. However, signing our petition will apply continuous pressure on Vicky Eatrides, Chairperson and Chief Executive Officer of the CRTC, and the CRTC as a whole to reconsider their decision.”
We must act now before it is too late: Sign the Petition Today! Together, we can make a difference and protect our freedom to choose. Don’t let the voices of a few dictate the choices of many.
There is no doubt that the advocacy group, Parents of Black Children (PoBC) has made a significant difference in the lives of Black parents and children since it was launched in 2019. The overall goal is to be a voice for all parents of Black children so that no parent stands alone in their fight for a: just, safe and equitable education for their child.
Some of the programs include:
The Student and Family Advocate Program
A Black community-based program designed to support Black families and students as they engage with the education system.
The PoBC Mental Health Fund
Support Black youth and parents of
Black children by connecting them with professional therapists and funding their sessions.
School Racism Reporting Tool
An online tool for educators and school boards across Canada to anonymously report incidents of anti-Black racism they experienced, witnessed or seen.
Navigating the Education System
This document serves as a way to empower parents with knowledge about the education system. It is designed for all parents of Black children. It is a navigation tool that you can keep and use with you every step of the way to support your child’s (ren) education.
Education System
Navigation Support System Navigator will provide support as you interact with your child’s school and board.
Navigating the Child Welfare System Support
This booklet will offer support and guidance about how to navigate and interact with the system.
The OMO Virtual
Africentric Virtual Campus
It offers free drop-in virtual tutoring where students can get homework and assignment help in real-time.
PoBC Knowledge Exchange Centre
A non-profit organization dedicated to sharing and exchanging knowledge and resources as they work to dismantle anti-Black racism. Their mission is to facilitate training and knowledge sharing that will create transformational change, accountability and a peaceful existence of Black people.
Edge Tutoring Program
Offers free tutoring twice a week to students during the school year and summer.
Earlier this year, PoBC launched a petition to “Demand the OHRC include Black community advocates in their upcoming round table.” Along with other advocacy groups they demanded an explanation and account of why they were excluded from this roundtable, and that they expect an action plan of inclusion for any further plans of addressing and discussing antiBlack racism in education.
PoBC announced on its Facebook page that it had been granted
charitable status. This means that they will be able to issue receipts for donations, cash and other gifts and it will be exempted from paying income tax. The announcement stated, “The growth of our grass-roots organization is truly a testament to the strength of our backbone, which is you: our community, our parents, volunteers, and the hardworking PoBC family who are dedicated to serving parents of Black children across Canada.”
Shannon Liverpool, communications specialist for PoBC states, “With this charitable status, PoBC gains access to expanded resources, enabling the organization to reasonably broaden our programs and initiatives. This means a stronger commitment to providing comprehensive educational materials, programs and extracurricular activities tailored to meet the unique needs of Black children.”
PoBC launched a capital campaign on May 16th, 2023.The goal of this campaign is to help Parents of Black Children create a physical community hub to empower Black children and families, fostering a safe and inclusive environment where we can all thrive.
Parents of Black Children look to expand work after obtaining charitable status
sexualized, and pedophiles are now supposed to be referred to with neutral, not disparaging language. Multiple states in America have removed measures that exclude pedophilia from being considered a “sexual orientation,” opening up the path to providing protected class status to “Minor Attracted People.”
“Pedophilia is something that a person is born with — a sexual orientation like heterosexuality or homosexuality — and has no cure,” Klaus Beier
Before I go any further, I am curious about readers’ thoughts on this quote? Is pedophilia something that a person is born with?
Pedophilia as a recognized sexual orientation has gained relevance with a rising number of organizations and academics. The advocates of child-like sex dolls, and the sexual depiction of minors in drawings and cartoons regard pedophiles as a class that should be protected against the enormously popular punitive laws designed to punish child sex offenders.
According to RAINN, the nation’s largest anti-sexual violence organization, law enforcement databases house hun
Sexual fantasies relating to children typically occur in the context of secrecy, but peer support groups and social media have changed this. Pedophiles now openly indulge in fantasy enactments, ritual, fetishization, and drawings that depict children in sexual motifs, and they no longer need a dark web chat room to do it.
Let’s take the now famous “Little St. Jeff,” aka “Epstein Island,” aka “Pedophile Island.” The guests to Epstein’s islands came from across the world and from the highest ranks of society: celebrities and scientists and members of royal families, touching down in a private jet and then boarding a helicopter to the island.
A criminal complaint from the attorney general of the US Virgin Islands described it as “The perfect hideaway and haven for trafficking young women and underage girls for sexual servitude, child abuse and sexual assault”.
Media sensationalized this story, and now it has become modern pop culture. What many don’t know is that before there was an Epstein, there was a man named Alfred Kinsey hailed as the “father of the sexual revolution.” His open and
curious attitude about sex brought the subject into the mainstream. He wrote two unprecedented and in-depth explorations of human sexuality known as the Kinsey Reports and has been credited with paving the way for the sexual liberation and gay rights movements of the 1960s and 1970s.
What was controversial about Kinsey is how he conducted his research. Indeed, there is a far darker side to Alfred Kinsey’s legacy.
Kinsey declared that one of his goals was simply to show that “Nearly all the so-called sexual perversions fall within the range of biological normality,” or that no matter what sexual urge one may experience, this is natural, normal, and acceptable.
Alfred Kinsey ultimately collected around 5,300 “sex histories” from his subjects which he published in the first of his two-book series known as the Kinsey Reports, the explosive 1948 Sexual Behavior in the Human Male.
He further asserted this claim with 1953’s Sexual Behavior in the Human Female, which was also so successful that Kinsey made the cover of Time that year. This attention came with great criticism, and for good reason. He allegedly encouraged his research associates to engage in sexual activity with each other and pressured students and team members alike to engage in that activity with him. It was reported that Kinsey’s assistant, Clyde Martin, even engaged in a sexual relationship with his
city council member is doing exactly what Doug Ford did to achieve an electoral win. She is saying absolutely nothing except for what has been canned for her by her handlers. Once a screaming symbol for the working person, and wineglass population of Toronto, Olivia says little, shows little emotion when she does speak, and her message to Torontonians is so generalized it hurts.
If I am elected Mayor, “We will make Toronto better, more efficient, but it is only possible if we do this together.” Almost sounds like a message we all know coming from America, like “Let’s make Toronto Great Again.” Problem for many is that Toronto, with its inferiority complex, has never been “Great!” Forever: growing,
expanding like a virus outward, without a plan, without direction. Geez! It now seems like Olivia Chow and Toronto make a perfect union, a perfect match. Ask someone what Toronto stands for, what makes it special among large cities, and you will not hear many sound answers. Toronto the good never was, Toronto the privileged, Toronto the hopeful, Toronto the congested, Toronto the mismanaged, Toronto the bankrupt; that you will hear and experience.
Progressives want a carless city, everyone walking and biking about. Olivia wants more homes; more services, more space, but has absolutely no answers to the questions like how the hell are you
wife.
Kinsey kept recorded video and image evidence of sexual intercourse between subjects, assistants, and friends. Some of these he even participated in. He collected erotica from around that world which was deemed illegal by the U.S. Customs Service.
Here is the part that we need to pay attention to, because I truly believe that this was the genesis of what we are seeing in modern day society. Kinsey went so far as to research sexual stimulation in children as young as five months old.
One of the subjects he interviewed for Sexual Behavior in the Human Male was a 63-year-old pedophile named Rex King who had attempted “To bring boys to orgasm who were between the ages of 2 months and 15 years.” It only recently emerged that this data around sexuality in children came from one single man in Kinsey’s research, rather than from the several that Kinsey had initially claimed.
Behind all behavior that we see in our current society, there is a catalyst, and although pedophilia has been around for centuries, witnessed in certain cultures and religions, what needs to be examined is how this is intricately restructuring healthy sexual expression.
So again, I ask readers, Is pedophilia something that a person is born with, and should it be considered another sexual orientation?
going to accomplish these goals? Who will pay for it? Meanwhile Olivia promises to not raise property taxes to the levels needed to pay for her progressive utopia. Common sense in Toronto is truly lacking, missing and publicly oppressed into the shadows as politicians continue to promise the world to Torontonians. How can Olivia accomplish all that progressives want, when Toronto parks and corner stores still cannot have beer sold or drunk within?
Why can’t hapless city politicians come to realize when their time is over, and like the song they should fly away from this city, Bye-Bye-Bye!
“Higher rents are on the horizon with interest rates at a 22-year high, rising home prices and record immigration. Gen Z could become the ‘Boomerang Generation’ moving back in with the parents or the ‘Roommate Generation’ splitting rent as it’s unaffordable for many Canadians to pay rent on their own. Governments at all levels need to come up with creative solutions to increase housing supply.”
Matt Danison, CEO of Rentals.ca Network
Last week I received the latest National Rent Report, and what I read was not only shocking, but perplexing. According to the Rentals.ca and Urbanation latest National Rent Report, the average asking rents in Canada rose 6.5% in May, the lowest percentage annual increase since December 2021, but
average rent for all property types on the Rentals.ca Network was still up 19% over the past two years. Toronto finished second on the list of 35 cities for the highest average monthly rent in May. Can you believe that the average rent for a one-bedroom is currently at $2,538 and the average monthly rent for a two-bedroom is $3,286?
Eight other Greater Toronto Area cities and areas were on the list:
• Mississauga came in fourth on the list of 35 cities for average monthly rent in May for a one-bedroom at $2,312 and fifth for average monthly rent for a twobedroom at $2,727.
• Vaughan finished fifth on the list for average monthly rent in May for a onebedroom at $2,251 and eighth for average monthly rent for a two-bedroom at $2,650.
• Burlington came in sixth for average monthly rent in May for a one-bedroom at $2,244 and 10th for average monthly rent for a two-bedroom at $2,514.
• Etobicoke finished seventh on the list for average monthly rent in May for a one-bedroom at $2,240 and fourth for average monthly rent for a two-bedroom at $2,872.
• North York came in eighth for average monthly rent in May for a one-bedroom at $2,192 and sixth for average monthly rent for a two-bedroom at $2,711.
• Scarborough finished ninth on the list for average monthly rent in May for a one-bedroom at $2,125 and 11th for average monthly rent for a two-bedroom at $2,506.
• Brampton came in 14th on the list of 35 cities for average monthly rent in May for a one-bedroom at $1,969 and for average monthly rent for a two-bedroom at $2,469.
• Oshawa finished 21st on the list for average monthly rent in May for a onebedroom at $1,836 and 23rd for average monthly rent for a two-bedroom at $2,082.
• Oakville was not included on the list, but average monthly rent in May for a one-bedroom home was $2,522, and average monthly rent for a two-bedroom was $3,656.
• Richmond Hill was also not on the list, but average monthly rent in May for a one-bedroom home was $2,059, and average monthly rent for a two-bedroom was $2,506.
Fifteen Ontario mid-sized cities and areas
on a list of 25 saw the fastest rising rents year over year for condo rentals and apartments in May. Scarborough topped the list of mid-sized cities and areas with rents up 29% annually in May to an average of $2,527.
Several GTA and surrounding midsized markets had double-digit annual increases in May: Brampton, up 23%; North York, up 22%; Guelph, up 19%; Markham, up 18%; Hamilton, up 16%; Vaughan, up 15%; Mississauga and Burlington, both up 14.6% and Etobicoke, up 11.5%.
Oakville continued as Canada’s most expensive midsize market in May with an average rent of $3,373 for purpose-built and condominium apartments.
Ten GTA mid-sized cities and areas were in the top 14 most expensive on the list of 25, with rents ranging from $2,634 in North York to $2,527 in Burlington.
Ontario had the highest increase in average rents in May at 12.4% year over year to $2,409 for purpose-built and condominium apartments.
It is no wonder Gen Z could become the ‘Boomerang Generation’. These circumstances have made it harder for young adults to achieve financial independence and establish their own households. Are these trends going to change, or get worse? I guess only time will tell.
licize the next event and as donations came in, many more kids were able to receive toys and enjoyed cooked meals.
Free Town (located in Clarendon, Jamaica) has a long cultural history and tradition. Over the years, the population in Free Town has grown significantly to where the community lacks basic social services. Thanks to the non-profit, charitable organization Free Town Foundation, which started over seventeen years ago, the lives of youth in the community have been greatly enriched. From a small church-based event it has expanded to include back-to-school supplies and scholarships for the local kids.
The website (freetownfoundation. org) outlines the origin of this charitable organization and the work that it does in the community. It began as an extension of the Miracle Tabernacle Free Town Church of God of Prophecy as a means of making a visible impact in the lives of those in the community. Cecelia Campbell Livingston, who as a member of the congregation became aware of the church’s outreach and pledged to continue the work beyond just a mini treat with only sandwiches and toys for the kids. She took it upon herself to pub -
Cecelia is a trained journalist and currently worked as the Clarendon correspondent for the Gleaner. She previously worked for The Jamaica Observer. She is active in her community and has served on several committees in the parish of Clarendon. Cecelia witnessed first-hand the growth and development of the annual events and was aware of the financial costs that members were carrying as they carried out the event. In addition, although the donations were free, there were costs involved in clearing and transporting the donated items. This prompted her to collaborate with Pastor Aiken on the possibility of obtaining charitable status for the organization, which helps to defray their clearing cost.
Subsequently, a management consultant visited Jamaica from the US and saw firsthand the work that was being done by the outreach organization, and the decision was made to register it. This culminated with the granting of charitable status and a formal name change from the “Free Town Church of God of Prophecy Outreach Foundation,” to the “Free Town Foundation.” There was the adoption of bylaws, policies and a board of directors was installed that would provide: leadership, governance, guidance, and direction to the foundation as it seeks to fulfill its mandate and expand its role.
The mission of the Free Town Foundation is to support and inspire chil-
dren, strengthen families, and impact the Free Town and neighboring communities by providing food, clothing, educational assistance, and other community assistance.
Its vision is to become a dependable and sustainable nonprofit which is nationally recognized as a vital part of the surrounding communities for its history of supporting and inspiring children, strengthening families and impacting communities.
The foundation’s core values are:
• Faith and works
• Accountability
• Integrity
• Trusted partnerships
• Healthy communities
Cecelia serves as Director of the foundation and other board members include:
• Chair: Dr. Sylvanus Thompson
• Vice Chair: Lorraine Anderson
• Treasurer: Andrea Shakespeare
• Secretary: Carol Officer
I interviewed the new chair. Dr. Thompson (aka Dr. T) on Thursday, June 15th, regarding his involvement with the Free Town Foundation. Dr. T is well known in the JamaicanCanadian community in Toronto and served on its board for over seven years. He is a Fellow of the Canadian Health Service Research Foundation and retired in 2021 as Associate Director of the Toronto Public Health. He is the recipient of many awards over the years and in 2021 he received the
Governor-General Jamaica Diaspora Award of Excellence and the Jamaican Diaspora and Friends Champion Award in Health and Mental Health. He is a committed volunteer in many local organizations.
Dr. T told me that he first became aware of the Free Town Foundation when he participated in a health fair in Jamaica two years ago. He grew up in Thompson Town in Clarendon and attended the well-known school Clarendon College. He has been active in mobilizing resources and technical assistance in Jamaica’s fight against various diseases and has been able to ensure that the Ministry of Health receives infrared thermometers. His extensive work in many areas of public health in Jamaica provides him with a deep understanding of the complexity and challenges that Jamaica faces.
Dr. T is excited to be part of the Free Town Foundation’s back-to-school event scheduled for Friday, August 18th, 2023. He told me that he wants to promote awareness of the event through his extensive community contact and network. The goal of the event is to fill at least 300 backpacks with supplies and award ten scholarships.
Dr. T is committed to the growth of the foundation as it is meeting the practical and social needs of the youth in the community which will lead to a greater quality of life.
Anyone interested in learning about Free Town Foundations can check www.freetownfoundation.org
Gen Z could become the ‘Boomerang Generation’; the prices are too high you need to cut it!
aspects of law teaching, research, practice, judging, and the public’s access to justice.
“This beautifully written book makes a compelling case that law as we know it will change dramatically, and that justice will be the biggest beneficiary of that change. The opportunity that singularity presents is the chance to deliver – finally – on law’s promise, a promise it has so far left unfulfilled.”
Lawrence Lessig, Roy L. Furman Professor of Law and Leadership, Harvard Law School
As people of color, we know that the justice system is an uneven playing field. Calls to reform it routinely focuses on how the law is antiquated, cumber
Benjamin Alarie and Abdi Aidid contend in their book “In The Legal Singularity: How Artificial Intelligence Can Make Law Radically Better,” that artificial intelligence (AI) technologies currently being used in the legal sector can be harnessed to not only streamline the judicial process, but make it more: equitable, efficient, and accessible.
Abdi Aidid is an expert in civil procedure, torts, and law and technology, and serves as an Assistant Professor at the Faculty of Law, University of Toronto. Beginning his career as a litigator at Covington & Burling LLP in New York City, Professor Aidid later became the VP of Legal Research at Blue J, leading the advancement of machine learning powered legal research tools. As a Faculty Affiliate at Toronto’s Centre for Ethics and a member of the Ethics of AI Lab, he actively engages in examining the ethical considerations surrounding technology in the legal domain.
Benjamin Alarie is an esteemed expert in tax law, machine learning, and law and technology, and holds the Osler Chair in Business Law at the University of Toronto. As a scholar, Professor Alarie
is affiliated with the Vector Institute for Artificial Intelligence and the SchwartzReisman Institute for Technology and Society. Complementing his academic activities, Professor Alarie is co-founder and CEO of Blue J, a pioneering Torontobased legal tech firm at the forefront of creating AI-driven software for interpreting and understanding law, revolutionizing global tax and legal research.
Before AI can be fully integrated into the legal system, Alarie and Aidid point out that we must rigorously consider the ramifications and regulations for doing so. Let’s take a look at the benefits; AI can drive reforms that redress key shortcomings of today’s legal system. AI-based legal representation, for instance, will almost certainly be more affordable than human lawyers. Also, AI-driven judicial decisions can reduce the number of defendants who receive an unfair trial, since verdicts will be based on facts with no contamination from personal biases. These scenarios are clearly preferable to recent miscarriages of justice, but Alarie and Adid remind us that they are still figuring out all the potential challenges associated with giving AI a larger role in legal proceedings.
For example, regulations on
and facilities across Ontario. Most of these homes were managed by private concerns, funded by huge corporations and banks. Were they prepared for this pandemic and the threat it held towards the seniors? Hell no. When profit is the centre of an organization’s requirements, the human element will always be secondary.
Not enough: nurses, masks, or equipment. No real-life training for such an experience. Not enough medical staff to serve the elderly. Where was the customer service? These were private facilities who say they pride themselves upon their customer service right? Money was the concern. Management did not order materials and equipment fast enough, ending up relying upon the provincial government’s attempt to save the day. Thousands died in our senior homes, and not one fat cat, misguided manager has paid for this criminality.
Now our provincial government has reacted like most would, trying to serve the public and themselves in turn. Feathering their caps, their nest egg for the future, our elected folk put their reliance upon medical services onto private concerns once again. Clinics carrying out services our hospitals are supposed to do, at three to five times the cost.
You see, businesses exist to make as much money as they can, and everyone knows that doing business with a government means you are guaranteed profits, profits and more profits. Business greases the political parties’ donation wheels, and a way you go to profit land. What will hospitals do now?
Dividing the medical health portfolio endangers it as a whole financially. Where do you think medical professionals will come from to staff clinics? Our hospitals. Their wages will be much higher than public hospitals. Profit for everyone it
search engines can protect the privacy and the safety of individuals involved in an AI-driven hearing. Moving forward, the legal sector needs to collaborate with the technology industry to make sure that emerging AI technologies are designed to be used effectively and ethically.
“AI will not replace lawyers,” says Alarie. “But lawyers who embrace AI will replace lawyers who don’t.”
“Critics have expressed delight in this powerful and important book. The deep learning, systematic breadth, and crisp clarity with which Aidid and Alarie prosecute their argument makes The Legal Singularity essential reading for legal theorists.” “In The Legal Singularity: How Artificial Intelligence Can Make Law Radically Better,” releases in hardcover on July 18th, 2023.
“This book will become a leading source of insights and measured judgments on profound issues imminently confronting all aspects of the legal profession as an information-intensive industry.”
Michael J. Trebilcock, University Professor Emeritus in the Faculty of Law, University of Torontoseems.
Very soon now, you may go to a hospital for assistance only to be sent to another, more well-staffed one. That is what happens in America. The rich and well toothed go to one hospital, the average unwashed citizen to another.
Soon enough, Ontario’s government - with the backing of the Federal Liberals - will allow the introduction of private insurers to act as alternatives to OHIP. So private facilities will charge OHIP, but we don’t know what the difference that is being charged. Is it much higher than the present charges for a medical procedure? So much for Transparency in Ford’s Ontario; first there was no accountability for the horrors we experienced during the pandemic, with no managers, decision makers falling upon their swords. Now, we have entered a medical healthcare zone we are unfamiliar with, and unprepared to deal with.
simone@carib101.com
Stunning landscapes, pristine beaches, crystal-clear waters, lush forests, attractive travel packages/exclusive deals, breathtaking photos and videos, there is a reason that millions of people all over the world have a love for the Caribbean. With so many islands to choose from, as a newspaper, we always want to present an a la carte, if you will, for our readers to indulge in. On the menu this edition is what is new and happening on the islands of Bahamas.
This June, dive into the rich history, authentic culture, and crystalclear waters of the Bahamas, which will be gearing up for its 50th Independence Anniversary on July 10th, 2023. Throughout the month, visitors will find increased flight options, traditional festivals and events, and new resort openings to complete their itineraries. Let’s go through the menu together:
The Bahamas Gears Up for 50th Anniversary of Independence Celebrations
The Bahamas welcomes travellers to join it in celebrating its milestone 50th Anniversary of Independence on July 10th, 2023. Commemorative events including Junkanoo rush outs and cultural festi-
mas.com.
Nassau Cruise Port Debuts $300 Million Renovations
After three years of construction, the Nassau Cruise Port opened its doors. Those cruising to The Bahamas’ vibrant capital will now be welcomed by a brand-new terminal, Junkanoo Museum, shops, and more, all providing a taste of authentic Bahamian flair.
Silver Airways Launches Two Nonstop Flights to The Abacos and Eleuthera
Some of us forget that the Bahamas is made up of over 700 islands, and now getting to the untouched shores of The Abacos is easier than ever: Silver Airways introduced two new nonstop flights out of Orlando, Florida (MCO), to North Eleuthera International Airport (ELH) and Leonard Thompson International Airport (MHH).
Cat Island Rake ’n Scrape Festival Celebrates Local Music
Cat Island’s signature cultural event, the annual Cat Island Rake ‘n Scrape Festival took place from June 2nd to 3rd, 2023, during The Bahamas’ Labour Day weekend. Visitors were treated to live performances by local and national artists, Bahamian cuisine and authentic crafts.
SLS Baha Mar to Premiere Neo-Noir Cabaret Show in Partnership With Faena
In partnership with renowned Miamibased theater Faena, SLS Baha Mar will produce a one-of-a-kind cabaret experience from June 30th to July 1st immersing guests in a sizzling performance of dance, music and entertainment. The show will be held at Bond, Baha Mar’s
premiere nightclub, which is being transformed into an old-world theater.
Long Island Regatta to Host Annual Sailing Competition
Visitors enjoyed watching The Bahamas’ newly established national sport at Long Island Regatta, one of the largest sailing regattas in The Bahamas. From May 31st to June 3rd, 2023, locals and visitors alike were invited to watch sailing sloops compete on the water while indulging in local cuisine and local performances.
Runners Welcomed to Register in the 12th Annual Marathon Bahamas
On January 14th, 2024, Marathon Bahamas will host its 12th annual marathon in Nassau. Boasting miles of beauty, scenery and an ocean view from start and finish, participants can register now to compete in one of four events including the marathon, a half marathon, a four-person relay and the new “Pink Run 5K”.
Grammy Award-Winning Artist Lionel Richie to Headline Concert at Atlantis Paradise Island
In partnership with Vibee, Lionel Richie will host a “Dancing on the Sand” concert series at Atlantis Paradise Island from November 30th to December 3rd, 2023. Along with performances by: Sheryl Crow, Niles Rodgers and Vanessa Carlton, guests will also be able to relish Atlantis Paradise Island’s amenities and white sand beaches.
You see, this visit to our Bahamian a la carte provided you with a wide range of travel options and choices, and you can mix and match to create your own unique experience. Have fun, overindulge in fun, and enjoy the sun!
steven@carib101.com
TC
populations have changed, reflecting a more conservative attitude towards how school boards should respond to: gender-based issues, financial respon-
sibilities, religious learning, language preferences vs. traditional French-English language policies and much more. Many school boards cannot withstand the impact they are feeling from various lobbyist-influence barring organizations and family based focal points.
Is it now the time to change our education system, which has failed in so many ways due to pandemic demands these past three years? Unit Catholic and secular school boards eliminate the costly multiple school boards across the province and put all things educational under a provincial centred umbrella?
2019 - 2021 the school boards cost more than $29.8+ billion dollars not including Catholic boards expenditures. One can only imagine that uniting the two boards into one, under the audit and management of a centralized education ministry, would improve our students’ education, universalize our cultural and moral social commitments, and make decision making easier, quicker and more efficient.
Transparency without the prej-
udice of religion, ethnicity and political influence may very well be acceptable to all citizens in Ontario. Quebec’s example of universal secularization of education may become a uniting facture in Ontario also. Religious prejudice toward other religions and their expression of their faith within a set policy that promotes one faith over another can be very divisive in an organization. Faith based education and governmental policy cannot be well founded. One cannot be open to gender-sexual equality when an organization such as the Catholic Church looks upon these equal rights as blaspheme and morally wrong.
Having a multitude of school boards makes for a divided education and social agenda. The Ontario Constitution, while unmodified and unwritten, must reflect Ontario’s forever evolving social, and cultural citizenship. All governments must move toward a simplified, less costly, more transparent governmental model if social peace be maintained and promoted.
School Boards are inefficient educational models of the past
DIANA GIFFORD-JONES
TC HEALTH REPORTER
For cat lovers too, this column may prove a disappointment. A health risk assessment of household cats might be all you need to recommit to a dog.
Cats are the darlings of the internet, and that may be the safest way to enjoy them.
There can be no doubt that cats provide crucial companionship for many people. Their entertainment powers rival dogs, but here are a few thoughts on the ways cats can have an impact on human health.
First, the killer instinct of cats has a startling effect on biodiversity. About a decade ago, the journal Nature published
a study that estimated domestic cats kill 1.3-4.0 billion birds and 6.3-22.3 billion mammals annually! More recently, in Australia, a study found that the hunting success of feral cats, especially in areas affected by wildfires, has contributed to the collapse in population of small mammal species.
While charming household cats may not be successful in killing larger prey, that doesn’t stop them from trying. It’s amazing to learn that nearly half of house cats have physically attacked their owners!
Most of these incidents are not serious, but when provoked, cats know to direct their sharp teeth and claws to the face of their victims. These are the injuries that result in emergency room visits.
What are some of the other perils of living with cats? Cats, including bacterial infections, can transmit numerous diseases. Eating contaminated raw meat usually infects the cats. When humans touch their cats, their food, toys or bedding, handle cat poop and neglect to wash their hands, salmonella can be caught this way.
Flea bites can cause other bacterial infections, or fights with other infected cats. Cat scratch disease, for example, can be transmitted to humans by the lick of a cat. It’s normally not serious, but infection can lead to: fever, eye infection, and more severe symptoms in children and people with weakened immune systems.
Hookworms are another concern.
These tiny worms are found in cat feces and in the soil and sand used by infected cats. Humans walking barefoot in contaminated areas can pick up the worms. The larvae penetrate the skin causing red, raised tracks that are very itchy. Fortunately, the worms can’t survive in their human host, so the problem goes away without treatment within a few weeks most of the time.
Ringworm is an infection caused by fungus spread by touching an infected animal. Roundworm is a parasitic disease transmitted by swallowing the eggs, something children can easily do when playing in sandboxes and then not washing their hands.
Thanks to laws requiring vaccination, rabies in cats is rare, but watch out for feral cats that may have come in contact with infected wildlife.
Toxoplasmosis may be the greatest concern. It’s caused by a parasite found in soil, water, meat, or poop from an infected cat. Most commonly, people become infected when they do not wash their hands after cleaning a cat’s litter box. There can be serious health consequences for people with weakened immune systems, including neurological disease. Pregnant women need to stay away from the litter box and any other areas exposed to cat poop due to the risk of birth defects associated with toxoplasmosis.
With such disparaging commentary on cats, we are certain to receive a ton of reader mail reminding us about dog attacks, dog-borne diseases, and other dog drama, but long-time readers will know that for us, there is no contest.
The announcement that the Ontario government is revamping the Grade 10 Career Studies and replacing it with a compulsory Mental Health curriculum caught many education stakeholders by surprise.
It was announced in a press release and by Education Minister Stephen Lecce at a press conference. There will be the introduction to compulsory Mental Health resources for teachers and students on mental health literacy in grades seven and eight.
The press release states the decision to strengthen mental health learning and support for students was made after a motion in the Ontario legislature by Natalie Pierre, Member of Provincial Parliament for Burlington. Stephen Lecce, Ontario Education Minister states, “We
know that strengthening mandatory mental health literacy in the curriculum is the right thing to do. Natalie is a strong advocate and MPP, but most of all she is a mother driven to ensure we prevent tragedies and save lives. That is why it is so important that all students learn healthy coping strategies, stress management and better recognition of the early signs. We want children to have the tools and confidence to succeed in the classroom and to always know that they are not alone.”
The press release mentioned that the new compulsory mental health literacy will include:
• New learning materials for grades seven and eight students that are aligned with the and physical education curriculum
• Mandatory learning on mental health literacy for Grade 10 students will start in the fall of 2024, and will include how to recognize signs of being overwhelmed or struggling, as well as where to find help when needed
Michael Tibollo (Associate Minister of Mental Health) notes, “Improving mental health literacy in schools is a critical part of building the resiliency skills that our children and youth need to grow up to be happy adults. There is no health without mental health. By providing schools with these resources, we can lower stigma and improve connections to the community sector where students and their families can access Ontario’s curriculum.”
MPP Natalie Pierre states, “The Mental health and well-being of students continue to be a priority for our government. I am beyond thrilled and proud that our government is introducing mandatory health education in our schools. Mental health literacy can be taught just like any subject in school, and we know that students who receive appropriate support have improved academic success. Our government is getting it done by leading the way in Canada making mental health education a required part of elementary and secondary school education.”
Theresa Kennedy (Associate Director, School Mental Health Ontario) tweeted, “School Mental Health Ontario welcomes these additional investments
to promote student mental health. The important new curriculum offers to enhance mental health literacy in grades 7 ,8, and 10 with help to equip every student with identity-affirming, researchbased knowledge, skills and strategies to support their mental health and wellness.”
Minister Lecce tweeted, “No parent has to see their child suffer in silence. We are stepping up mental health support in the classroom with new investments and practical tools designed for students. It’s a message of hope and a reminder that you are not alone.” He notes further, “The mission is to create a personal toolbox of skills that a young person can utilize in their life, in their jobs, and in the classroom.”
Stephan Mensah (Director of the Toronto Youth Cabinet Executive) is supportive of the mandatory mental health training for school staff. He stated in an email statement, “The announcement by Minister Lecce is a win for students who have long called for this, more specifically last year in our province wide survey where over 94% students indicated support for such an initiative.”
simone@carib101.com
“Welcome back to Toronto Mr White and thank you for taking some time to speak with the Toronto Caribbean Newspaper.”
I was on a Zoom call with Donovan White Jamaica’s Director of Tourism. Mr White, along with Angella Bennett (Regional Director, Jamaica Tourist Board Canada) and other members of the JTB team were hosting a trade event last at Cirillo’s Academy in Toronto.
“I can only imagine how many times you have answered some of the questions I am going to ask.” “Well yes,” Mr White replied jokingly. “This is part of my job after all.”
“So let’s jump right into it; what exciting new developments do travellers have to look forward to when visiting Jamaica this year,” I questioned?
“As you know Simone, the pandemic hit Jamaica very hard; it hit the entire tourism industry hard, but our recovery has gone considerably well. We are thankful, and elated that we have achieved some of the milestones we have hit.
Jamaica had 3.4 million visitors last year, and that is exciting news, because we overdid our destination numbers. Our numbers from Canada were phenomenal; 256,000 visitors from Canada, and from January 2023 to March 2023
we had 177,000 visitors from Canada to Jamaica.”
Jamaica is projected to have 120,000 visitors for the summer months, and this has the Caribbean island sitting pretty with an estimated 290,000 visitors from this market by the end of August. That represents 15% market share from Canada for Jamaica. With stats like that, Donovan White couldn’t be happier.
“The numbers are extremely good,” Mr White said proudly. “It is clear that the Canadian market has responded to the efforts of our team. The tourism team led by Angella Bennet has done a fantastic job. The strong numbers from the Canadian market show good adaptability as Canadians went from not travelling to suddenly, wonderfully, travelling. It shows that demand for Jamaica has always been there, and that we are definitely on the come up.”
In 2017, Jamaica’s Minister of Tourism, Edmund Bartlett, launched Jamaica’s ‘5 by 5 by 5’ program, targeting five million visitors and US$5 billion in revenues in five years. The end date for those goals, in the wake of the pandemic, has been reset to 2024 and “We’re well on our way,” said Mr White shared. “In the next three to five years, Jamaica will also add 15,000+ new rooms to its hotel and resort offering.
Ocean Eden Bay, sister property to Ocean Coral Springs, opened during the pandemic. Meanwhile there have been ground-breaking for both the new Princess Hotels & Resorts property in Negril, with the first phase expected to open in February 2024. The Prince Hotel is in construction with 2,000 rooms being prepared for visitors in Hanover.
Meanwhile RIU is working on its
new RIU Aquarelle resort in Trelawney, with a projected 700 rooms opening in April 2024. The Hardrock Group (Unico Hotel Brand) are working on an 1800 room resort in Montego, prepping for late 2024, and Sandals reclaimed Dons River as part of their portfolio. They have this new swanky hotel that is sure to draw the elite of the elite.
There are also Secrets in Saint Anne, and Charisma in Saint Anne’s that are all on dock for 2024,” Mr. White discloses. “There is just so much happening, and we are anticipating a large influx of visitors in the next few years.”
“How about tourist attractions? Jamaica is known for their variety, I am curious as to how tourist attractions have evolved.”
“Well,” Mr White explains, “Tour companies numbers are increasing. There is active participation in the community. One thing that I want people to know about Jamaica is that it is not just an all-inclusive enclave. Jamaica is evolving and maturing. The island is doing very well, and this is attracting investors who see Jamaica as a commodity.”
Times have changed, and there are some people who go on vacation who prefer to call themselves travellers. These are people who want to fully experience every new location they visit. This means leaving all the luxurious amenities of their hotel, or the cool rustic comfort of their bohemian getaway to explore all Jamaica has to offer, and that’s quite a list.
There is no need to head to the hills for that homey feeling; now visitors can head to the smaller communities and former fishing villages along the coast and wake up to views of the multi-hued
Caribbean Sea before they head out for a stroll along the main road.
Trips up the Blue Mountain have become a popular attraction, Kingston has surged with the addition of: Kingston Creative, The Rock Hotel, and The Water Lane Development (art district). In places like Drapers in the area by Port Antonio you can head to the local ice cream spot to hob knob, or drive right into town where everyone hangs out in the streets and you can possibly catch a good game of dominos, or dance the night away.
Central Ocho Rios is noisy and extremely pedestrian friendly where you can rub shoulders, feel the heartbeat of the day-to-day life of the town, and still retire to all the comforts of your hotel at the end of the day.
What I really appreciated was this push to encourage entrepreneurship, utilizing tourism as the foundation.
“What we want is producers of fruits and vegetables to see the business opportunities that come from people visiting the island. We want entrepreneurs to see tourism as a way to expand their business. We are actively finding ways to enable business people in Jamaica to be involved in the tourism industry. There is an even stronger focus on buying local. Tourists are giving back to Jamaican locals, and this is amazing for our economy,” Mr White tells me enthusiastically.
It is not a surprise to me at all that Jamaica continues to be one of the world’s top destination choices. It is amazing that the tourism industry now taps into the creativity of the island, and is providing an opportunity for everyone to get a piece of the pie.
on Canadians compared to Canada, as well as more on drugs per capita. In addition, it has far more: health care capacity, with more specialists, nurses, hospital beds, CAT scanners, MRI scanners, PET scanners, and radiotherapy treatment units per capita than Canada. This higher capacity can be useful, but it costs a lot of money.
Most Overpaid CEOs among the companies in the S&P 500 index. It analyzed the voting practices of large financial managers, mutual funds and pension funds and noted that shareholder votes on CEO packages provide a critical and underutilized tool for restraining the worst excesses.
ratio: 205:1
Alex Gorsky (Johnson & Johnson)
$26.74 million with a CEO-to-worker pay ratio: 297:1
Canadian citizens and permanent residents have access to free public healthcare, while private healthcare can be obtained by anyone with the financial means to pay for it. This universal coverage for medically necessary healthcare services ensures that it is freely available to anyone on the basis of need and not on financial capability.
On the other hand, the United States is considered the world’s most expensive healthcare system according to an article by David J. Stewart titled, “A stark contrast between American and Canadian health care,” (2022). The article outlines some stark differences between the profit-driven American system and the government-funded Canadian system.
Dr. Stewart notes in the article that the U.S spends 200% more each year
Furthermore, medical procedures in the U.S are higher, which increases healthcare spending and the amount of administrative work in the system drive up costs to nearly five times higher. The fact that insurance companies have to ensure that non-emergency tests, procedures or treatments are approved before they are carried out creates additional costs.
An article in the Canadian Medical Association (2022) reveals that Canada spends more than $300 billion annually on health, which translates to about 13% of GDP; that is the second highest among OECD countries. According to a report from Peter. G. Peterson Foundation (January 2023) the U.S spends about $4.3 trillion, which works out to about $12,900 per person.
In its annual report on February 15th, 2023, “As You Sow” identified 100
In a follow-up article by Moly Gamble titled, “10 Overpaid’ CEOs in Healthcare,” (2023) it analyzed CEO pay relative to total shareholder return to calculate excess pay and enumerate the ratio of CEO pay to that of the median employee.
The ten lists of the healthcare CEOs who made You Sow list include the following:
Ari Bousbib (IQVIA Holdings)
$28.61 million with a CEO-to-worker pay ratio: 205:12
Rosalind Brewer (Walgreens Boots Alliance)
$28.3 million with a CEO-to worker pay ratio of:1,084: 1
Ari Bousbib (IQVIA Holdings)
$28.61 million with a CEO-to-worker pay
Robert Ford (Abbott Laboratories) $24.91 million with a CEO-to worker pay ratio: 254:1
Richard Gonzalez (AbbVie) $23.91 million with a CEO-to-worker pay ratio: 160:1
Marc Casper (Thermo Fisher Scientific) $21.23 million with a CEO-to-pay ratio: 254:1
Karen Lynch (CVS Health) $20.38 million with a CEO-to-pay ratio: 458:1
David Cordani (Cigna)
19.87 million with a CEO-to-pay ratio: 297:1
Marc Miller (Universal Health Services)
$14.02 million with a CEO-to-pay ratio: 309:1
Do you want a fun way to refresh your look and express your personality this summer? Take inspiration from some of this year’s trends.
Discoloured eyebrows. Dark, thick eyebrows are out. Trendy brows are now nearly invisible. To adopt this bold style, make the most of your eye makeup.
Long bangs. Worn straight, to the side or as a curtain, the long fringe is back to cover the entire forehead. Get your shears in gear!
Natural complexion. In 2023, give your skin a breath of fresh air. Light foundations, tinted moisturizers and serums are all the rage.
E-cigarettes are gentle and safe, right? Wrong. Despite what many say, vaping isn’t an ideal alternative to smoking. Since it’s a relatively recent trend compared to traditional cigarettes, the long-term effects haven’t been studied. If you’re curious about this gadget or know someone who vapes, know the facts.
Although the nicotine contained in many vaping products isn’t associated with cancer, e-liquids and e-juices are highly addictive. They’ve also been shown to:
• Impair concentration and memory
• Cause behavioural problems, especially in adolescents
• Predispose users to dependence
Vaping products contain several ingredients that may seem safe, such as dietary glycerin, propylene glycol and artificial flavours. However, when heated, these substances can create cancer-causing chemicals, such as formaldehyde and acrolein. In addition, contaminants like toxic heavy metals can end up in inhaled vapour.
Additionally, studies indicate that vaping worsens lung disease and asthma, and inhaling harmful chemicals can cause irreversible lung damage and cardiovascular disease.
Do you vape and are struggling to quit? Consult a health professional for help.
Vinyl Lips. This year, vinyl is a trending lipstick finish. Your pout won’t go unnoticed with this ultra-chic style.
Full eyelashes. Give your upper and lower eyelashes extra drama with new “faux lash” mascaras. Your glances will be irresistible!
Blorange. A blend named for blond and orange or blood orange, this flamboyant mix of orange, pink and red is sure to warm up your hairstyle.
Fade haircut. This short cut requires you to shave your hair so that it’s heaviest at the top of the head and gradually thins towards the nape where it barely grazes the scalp.
What trends will you try this year?
Do you need to get your blood pressure checked? If it’s your first experience, here are a few things to keep in mind to create optimal conditions for a reliable reading.
Before
Avoid consuming stimulants like coffee, tea, energy drinks or decongestants one hour before testing. If you smoke, have your last cigarette at least 15 minutes beforehand, and rest for about five minutes. These precautions help prevent skewed results.
During
The following guidelines will help you get an accurate blood pressure reading, regardless of whether you take it yourself or have someone else do it for you:
• Sit comfortably with your back straight
• Leave your legs uncrossed with your feet flat on the floor
• Roll up your sleeve or wear a sleeveless top
• Don’t speak, watch TV or look at your phone
• Rest your arms on a flat surface like a tabletop
• Set the height of the cuff at heart level
• Place the cuff three centimetres above the bend in your elbow
Blood pressure 101
Blood pressure measures the force in your arteries as your heart pumps blood. If your reading is 120/80 mmHg (mmHg stands for millimetres of mercury), the number 120 represents the pressure exerted when the heart contracts, called systolic pressure. The number 80 is diastolic pressure, which indicates the lowest pressure reading when the heart relaxes.
This data is essential for determining whether you have high blood pressure, a major risk factor for heart disease and stroke. If you have concerns about your blood pressure, don’t delay seeing your doctor.
He held his first gun at 11 years old. Someone handed him a gun and it was still hot. The person told him to hide it for him. His granddad had a garden, and he placed many things in that garden. In his book, he talks about seeing a body, putting a shotgun on his handlebars, and simply riding home.
Our Classic Man has won six boxing titles including a National Championship. He made The Top 40 Radio across the United States, he is a professional actor, with his last lead role in a show called “Fear Thy Neighbour,” He is an international motivational speaker, author, Vvsionary and most recently became a Senior Pastor at 306 Eddystone in Toronto.
His most recent and proudest achievement is his first book entitled “Think Fearlessly.” Isaac Mitchell (aka, Just Isaac) experienced seeing his dreams shatter right before him. He was offered an opportunity to host an international television show in the United States, which would mean he would have to fly back and forth from Toronto, but as you know, the pandemic put a halt to those plans.
Everything seemed to crumble right before his eyes when the pandemic hit. He felt down for about a week, and then his evolution began. He decided to use that energy, the disappointment he felt, and channel it into writing a book. Naturally, there was some apprehension because he knew that it would mean being vulnerable, and he almost aborted releasing the book because of what people might think of him.
Thankfully, he realized that protecting his image was not more important than encouraging someone else to be the best that they could be. Out of adversity was the conception and birth of the book “Think Fearlessly.”
As I listened to Isaac’s story, I couldn’t help but reflect on the stories that other boxers had shared with me. To operate and function on a championship level, in the sport of boxing is a very lonely life. The intense mental and physical training cannot be ignored. Overcoming the voices of fear in the mind is especially important in relation to achieving a: goal, dream, or vision, and it takes a level of fearlessness to really push through what one might initially feel. As he spoke to me, I couldn’t help but to be drawn into his story.
“I was born and raised in western New York. I am a kid from the projects; I am from the gutter, a place of poverty and crime. By the age of 12 I was in a gang, so I missed a lot of my childhood, but this is why I can relate so well with children. My objective in life is to help and protect children. I was 18 years old when I first started working with children.”
Issac was told from a young age that he was going to be nothing in life, and that is what he saw in the media. “I defied that ideology. I believe that we are builders, we are scientists, we are authors, we have so much to offer, but society has hidden many things from us.
I knew that I was born to impact the world, but I did not have an understanding of how it was going to happen. When purpose was revealed to me, there was a clearer understanding of destiny, and that was the unveiling of my vision, which is to use every avenue, every platform, as an opportunity to empower individuals to be the best that they can be. To reveal who God is, the great “I AM!”
As a child Isaac admits that he was bullied. “I was a loner, and even though I did have friends, I felt alone. I was in a classroom and there was an assignment given by the teacher. He asked everyone to share what he or she would like to do with their life. There were the common responses of: fireman, doctor, hockey player, dentist, and auto mechanic. As each child revealed their desired goal, they were given praise, until it was my turn. I said that I wanted to be a champion boxer one day. The teacher turned to me and said, ‘It will never happen; you have to be rough and rugged to be a fighter. You are too soft, too gentle, you are too much of an intellectual, you think too much.’ Then he said, ‘IT WILL NEVER HAPPEN.’
Everyone was laughing and pointing at me. The student sitting next to me fell off his chair, he was laughing so hard. Everyone thought it was hilarious. My heart dropped and I felt so alone, yet determined. I learned that it is more important what I think about myself than what people think of me.”
There was something different about him, and this is what pushed him into fighting. He started with mixed martial arts and was coached by Harald Howard (founder of the UFC). He then had greats like Sugar Ray McGibbon (Mike Little took over from Sugar Ray McGibbon), Hank Boone (National Coach for Canada), and Floyd Mayweather. Sr (Trainer) worked personally with him. He respectfully remembers fighting against Lennox Lewis as an amateur. “Then there was Hector and Ricky in Buffalo, I can’t forget them,” shared with me nostalgically.
“I was watching a lot of my friends dying, or ending up in prison. Even though I didn’t have the understanding of God’s greatness, I believed that my dreams had been divinely inspired. All that I am and all that I have is because of God. My greatest desire is to allow my light to shine in the dark places of the earth, to dig into people’s difficult situations until the greatness within them begins to flow, through divinely inspired strategies. Everyone needs encouragement, including myself.
One of the challenges that I have faced and will mostly continue to face is overcoming the whispering voices of discouragement or fear. It is when our internal dialogue is invaded with negativity, that we must have the awareness of how to combat these projections with the wisdom of God, which supersedes the wisdom of man. In the book there are principles as agents to propel the reader to “THINK FEARLESSLY.”
Let me be clear that at this point in my life, titles mean nothing. I just have a desire to serve God and to serve men. God placed this within my heart to serve. I was broken, my life was in shambles, I was messed up. I was not cultivated through protocol; it was his word. The hands I used to use for knocking out people, were transformed to hands that healing, deliverance and helping people. This is my calling.”
Alongside everything else that Isaac has on the go, he also runs his own training company called Mobile Boxing; it offers private and semiprivate boxing lessons that enhance a person’s offensive and defensive skills. “We will help you reach your fitness goals,” JI tells me. “We have multiple Niagara locations, and also provide in-home training. We come to you, or you come to us.
There is one more exciting piece of news that I want to share with you Simone,” JI says enthusiastically. “Mobile boxing will be donating half of the profits towards the Church Building Fund. Churches often serve as community centres, providing various services and support to the local population. By contributing to the building fund, you help ensure that the church can continue to offer these services and be a hub for community activities. It creates a space for people to come together, find solace, build relationships, and support one another.
This donation will help cover these costs, ensuring that the church remains a safe and welcoming place for worship, education, and community events. We want to provide a comfortable environment for its members and visitors.”
Written by Simone J. Smith Toronto Caribbean News
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.
Albert Einstein wrote, “Everything is a miracle.” Is it possible that a new class of drugs is finally providing a miracle in the fight against diabetes? Ozempic and Trulicity, produced by Novo Nordisk and Ely Lilly, are examples of the brand-name prescription drugs gaining attention for fighting type 2 diabetes and showing success. Type 2-diabetes is among the leading killers globally, but information about these drugs is running wild. The hoped-for miracle needs a measure of grounding.
Consider Ozempic, a prescription drug, injected weekly by pen. It’s approved in Canada and the U.S. to treat type 2 dia-
betes, a lifestyle disease linked with obesity and a major risk factor for: heart attack, blindness, kidney failure, and gangrene of the legs with possible amputation.
The active ingredients in this class of drugs, marketed under a variety of names, are also getting attention for effectiveness in reducing obesity. The respected journal, Lancet, predicts a revolution in the treatment of obesity.
How do these drugs work? Ozempic reduces blood sugar level while providing a feeling of fullness and satisfaction after eating, delaying emptying of the stomach, and curbing the appetite for further food. Managing food intake is essential in the fight against type 2-diabetes.
Weight loss is proving a beneficial side effect of Ozempic. People can expect to lose about 20% of their weight over a 72-week period. When Ozempic is stopped, however, weight tends to return. So, the current trend is for people to maintain a regular routine of use.
What about complications?
Ozempic users complain of the usual ones such as: nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, con-
stipation, and stomach pain. In rats, tests show an increase in thyroid and pancreatic cancers. In humans, research to date suggests extremely low risk.
People may ask, why take the chance of developing thyroid or pancreatic cancer? Wait a minute. These are relatively rare forms of cancer driven by other risk factors.
Type 2-diabetes and obesity are far more significant hazards, triggering fatalities for millions. Weight reduction and management of type 2-diabetes are smart investments. The better question is, could these drugs help millions who die annually from cardiovascular disease and heart failure? We could add renal disease, liver disease, and pneumonia, as well as additional, but harder to count problems such as the surgical complications associated with diabetes and obesity.
Type 2-diabetes should be labelled “the great pandemic”. Why? The COVID-19 pandemic lasted just three devastating years. Many people died due to it, but nothing has been able to slow the progress of the globally mounting lifestyle
disease of type 2-diabetes. We live at a time when there has never been greater medical communication. Yet there has been failure in convincing people that the key to good health and longevity is a sound lifestyle, started early in life and maintained. There is an extraordinary opportunity at hand with drugs like Ozempic to address the awful consequences of this failure, but as was evident with COVID, social media has the upper hand over medical experts in the public discourse, especially among the young, and the information is not always to be trusted. Where do we expect people to turn when they are having such difficulties accessing a family doctor? Beyond misinformation, the social media buzz has caused two other concerns: over-prescribing and drug shortages. There is enormous power and wealth in the hands of the pharmaceutical companies producing these products. The ultimate question is, can they produce the miracle of motivating people to lead healthier lives?
Type 2 Diabetes should be labelled “The great pandemic!”
W. GIFFORD-JONES
MDCOMMON SENSE HEALTH DIANA GIFFORD-JONES
TRISHA SMITH
trishas@carib101.com
SAKRED SYNERGI
I think by now it’s quite obvious and safe to say that “Black don’t crack”. We as Black people age not only gracefully, but with poise and style! All is well on the outside of course, but unfortunately, we age and face the same symptoms and challenges as any other race. As Black women, it is important to remember that we are not invincible and being aware of how your biology shifts as it gracefully moves into menopause will be the difference between unbearable hot flashes and taking the grandkids out for ice cream with ease.
Menopause is a transformative phase in a woman’s life, accompanied by various physical and hormonal changes. Alongside maintaining a healthy lifestyle, incorporating essential vitamins, mineral supplements, and herbs into your routine can help support your well-being during this transition. In this article, we will explore the key supplements and herbs that every woman should consider during menopause and the specific benefits they offer.
As women age, the risk of osteoporosis increases, taking calcium and vitamin D are crucial for maintaining bone health. During menopause, the decline in estrogen levels can accelerate bone loss, this is why bone problems are so common amongst older women.
To support bone health, ensure that you are getting around 1200-1500 mg of Calcium per day to maintain bone density. This can be in supplement form along with Magnesium, or from dietary sources
tervals, and jab sidekicks (The 7 Best Boxing Workouts, n.d.).
RACHEL MARY RILEY
rachel@carib101.com
HEALTH & FITNESS
Do you know these pump activities help you to burn calories and maintain a lifestyle? Other cardio activities benefit your weight loss lifestyle including resistance training. Let’s dive into the benefits, pros and cons of boxing and kicking weight loss into lifestyle. According to research, when you’re pressed for time in your fitness rou-
These heart-pumping activities not only burn a lot of calories and help you achieve the recommended 2.5 hours of aerobic exercise per week. You’ll also gain strength-training benefits, depending on
Boxing workouts can be done with or without a bag, and they can also incorporate free weights and other equipment. Boxing routines are more than what you see on a televised match. While still based on martial arts-inspired movements, the variations in this exercise can
Below are seven of the best boxing workouts to consider incorporating into your own exercise routine. A basic boxing workout involves a combination of punches and kicks performed at a quick pace, but first, you have to learn these moves and get the hang of the proper techniques before you can pick up speed and endurance.
Some of the basic boxing movements to learn include:
• Jabs
• Crosses
• Uppercuts
• Hooks
• Roundhouse kicks
• Front kicks
• Sidekicks
As you get these movements down, you can build your way up to combinations that will also work your core with each twist, such as: double hooks, jab cross in-
For weight loss
With an estimated average of 350 to 450 calories burned per hour, cardio boxing can be a great addition to your weight loss plan.
Since it takes 3,500 calories to lose one pound, you need to burn an additional 500 to 1,000 calories a day through diet and exercise to lose the recommended one to two pounds each week. Doing boxing workouts a few times per week could very well help you achieve this goal.
If you’re carrying extra weight, you must be cautious about working out due to the excess pressure exercise can put on your knees.
Nevertheless, it’s still possible to get a good boxing workout safely so you can lose weight and keep your workout low impact. This can involve lower kicks, slower jab-cross motions, and more (The 7 Best Boxing Workouts, n.d.).
Cardio
The best boxing workouts that are cardiofocused typically come in the form of highintensity cardio kickboxing. You’ll learn the same basic boxing techniques, such as jabs and roundhouse kicks, but cardio routines tend to be faster paced.
You may have a brief period of “active” resting in between circuits, but you’re expected to work your hardest when the circuit starts back up so that your heart rate stays at an intense level.
Cardio kickboxing may be offered with or without bags at a gym (The 7 Best Boxing Workouts, n.d.).
As you become more accustomed to your boxing routine and are ready for another challenge, consider adding weights to your workout. You can use light dumbbells for jabs and crosses. Other options include doing weighted exercises during your active rest periods, such as squats with dumbbells, kettlebell swings, and basic bicep curls.
Boxing workouts with weights offer strength-building opportunities without having to do a full separate workout from your cardio routine (The 7 Best Boxing Workouts, n.d.).
that include fresh leafy greens, almonds, broccoli and oranges.
Vitamin D is not only a mood stabilizer that lifts the spirits, but aids in calcium absorption, overall bone health and immune function. Around 800-1000 IU daily will help to maintain bone density which can be retrieved through sun exposure or supplementation.
Magnesium is an essential mineral that plays a role in hundreds of biochemical reactions in the body. During menopause, it can help to reduce common symptoms of mood swings and irritability. Magnesium coupled with Calcium as mentioned earlier, is essential during menopause to reduce the risk of osteoporosis and maintain strong bones.
B vitamins, including B6, B12, and folate, are vital for this transitional stage in life. They: support energy and mood, reducing feelings of fatigue and low energy commonly associated with menopause. B vitamins, particularly B6 and B12, help maintain healthy cardiovascular function (heart health), which becomes increasingly important as women age. Keep in mind that B vitamins are water soluble, which means that your body does not store excess, but will rather secrete it in the form of bright yellow urine. This makes it essential to ensure that B vitamins are taken on a daily basis at 100mg daily or through dietary sources like cabbage, kidney beans, chickpeas, leafy greens like spinach, nutritional yeast and fortified breakfast cereals.
Black Cohosh, a herb native to North America, has been used traditionally to alleviate menopausal symptoms. It is
the main ingredient in my Estro Elixir for menopausal women as it helps to balance estrogen levels which alleviates hot flashes, mood swings and irritability that are usually associated with hormonal fluctuations.
Evening Primrose Oil is derived from the seeds of the evening primrose plant, which contains gamma-linolenic acid (GLA), an omega-6 fatty acid. It helps maintain healthy skin, reduces dryness and improves elasticity which is often affected during menopause. Evening Primrose oil is also great for breast pain, mood swings, and overall support during hormonal changes.
While these supplements and herbs offer valuable support during menopause, it’s essential to consult with a healthcare professional before incorporating them into your regimen. They can assess your specific needs and recommend appropriate dosages based on your health profile.
Menopause is the age of the wise woman. As we age gracefully, do not forget the essential: vitamins, mineral supplements, and herbs that can provide additional support during this transition. Calcium and vitamin D promote bone health, magnesium aids sleep and mood, B vitamins boost energy, black cohosh alleviates hot flashes and mood swings, and evening primrose oil supports skin and hormonal balance. By combining these supplements with a healthy lifestyle, women can nurture their health and embrace menopause with confidence.
megan@carib101.com
For decades, pork ribs have reigned supreme at ribfests across Canada, but a delicious tectonic shift is happening in the world of outdoor grilling events: the ascendancy of beef ribs, and if recent trends are any indication, beef ribs are soon to become a staple protein at these culinary festivals.
The transformation is particularly evident in Toronto’s vibrant ribfest scene. Data from the Halal Ribfest Toronto indicates a notable upsurge in beef rib consumption over the past few years. This surge in popularity appears to have taken some by surprise, as evidenced by one amazed vendor at the recent Ribfest Ajax event who declared, «We didn’t realize how popular beef ribs were here!»
It is not just at ribfests where this trend is gaining traction. The growing demand for beef ribs has also infiltrated the barbecue business. Take, for example, Biggs BBQ, a local enterprise whose staple product is his well-seasoned beef ribs. In fact, he doesn’t sell any pork ribs at all!
Their success is emblematic of a broader cultural shift, reflecting the rise of a more inclusive, diverse, and adventurous food culture. For many like me, who prefer not to eat pork, the inclusion of beef ribs has completely transformed the ribfest experience. I still remember the first time I was handed a Dino rib, the size of it was nothing short of shocking, but the flavour was a game-changer.
The question that arises with this newfound popularity is whether it will increase the cost of this premium food item. While there might be some cost implications due to the higher price of beef compared to pork, vendors could offset this by the increased sales volume. Furthermore, as more people become aware of and demand these succulent alternatives, economies of scale could potentially help maintain affordability.
As for me, I eagerly anticipate the Durham Halal Ribfest this coming August. Not to mention the tantalizing Ribfest happening at Downsview Park in July. These events are not just about the food; they’re about celebrating diversity, inclusivity, and the joy of shared culinary experiences.
The rise of beef ribs in ribfests, while surprising to some, is a welcome shift for many. It is a testament to the ever-evol-
ving food scene that continuously seeks to cater to diverse tastes and preferences. So, this summer, let us not only attend these festivals with an appetite for delicious food but also a spirit of culinary adventure. And who knows, maybe the next game-changer is right around the corner, waiting for us to take a bite!
Sweet and Spicy Summer BBQ Sauce with Fresh Ingredients
Ingredients:
• 2 cups store-bought BBQ sauce
• 2 tablespoons garlic powder
• 2 tablespoons onion powder
• 1 tablespoon smoked paprika
• 1 tablespoon all-purpose seasoning
• 1 cup packed brown sugar
• 2 cloves fresh garlic (optional)
• 1 medium onion (optional)
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter (if using fresh garlic and onion)
Instructions:
If you have fresh garlic and onions, finely chop them. Over medium heat, melt the unsalted butter in a medium-sized saucepan. Add the chopped garlic and onion, and sauté until they become soft and fragrant, about 5 minutes. If you don’t have fresh ingredients, simply start with the store-bought BBQ sauce.
Pour in the BBQ sauce. Heat over medium heat until the sauce begins to simmer gently.
Add the garlic powder, onion powder, smoked paprika, and all-purpose seasoning to the saucepan. Stir until the spices are fully incorporated into the sauce. Slowly add in the brown sugar, continually stirring the sauce as you do so. The sugar should dissolve completely into the sauce, enhancing the sauce’s sweet flavour.
Allow the sauce to simmer on low heat for approximately 20 minutes. This process allows all the flavours to meld together, enhancing the overall taste of the sauce. Remember to stir occasionally to prevent the sauce from sticking to the bottom of the pan or burning.
After simmering, remove the sauce from the heat and let it cool down. Your homemade sweet and spicy BBQ sauce is now ready to use! Slather it on your beef ribs or favourite grilled meats for an irresistible summer feast.
Any leftover sauce can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to a week.
This recipe is an excellent opportunity to get creative and use what’s available in your pantry. Whether you stick to the basics or add your own twist, the key is to create a BBQ sauce that you love. Happy grilling!
Although relationships can have their good moments, no one should let those good moments fool them.
Inspired by Oxygen’s Bad Girls Club, Blueface created his show, Blue Girls Club, and aired episodes on his OnlyFans page. The Blue Girls Club featured a cast of young women spending a month in Blueface’s house. During their time in the house, the women would be involved in drama, fights and enjoy parties. Unlike the Bad Girls Club, the women competed
for the love and affection of Blueface.
Chrisean Rock, who appeared on the show, won the series because her aggressive demeanor and showed endless affection toward Blueface stood out. The two would then begin what would be a highly toxic relationship afterward. Throughout their relationship, we would see them get into messy Twitter arguments and several physical altercations that have led to legal involvement.
Whenever I hear about another altercation happening between the two, it makes me hope I never find myself in a situation like that.
I’m glad many find their relationship very toxic, as people will refer to any relationship as “goals” nowadays. Even Chris Brown would call out former 3LW and Cheetah Girls member Kiely Williams for finding entertainment in their relationship when Williams called out Brown for his domestic violence incident with Ri-
hanna.
Blueface and Rock are not together at the moment. However, Rock is pregnant with the rapper’s child after going through three abortions. Originally, Blueface went from denying the unborn baby to taunting Rock as she is doing her own thing now.
Blueface and Chrisean’s relationship is not the first relationship people have idolized.
When NBA YoungBoy was in a relationship with ex-girlfriend Jania Meshell, many saw what they had as relationship goals and expressed sadness when their relationship ended. When I came across a video on their relationship, I was shocked to see people saying they looked good together, and even went as far as to say they wished the couple never broke up. Now I’m pretty sure the former couple has made a lot of great memories together, but their relationship is also not
one that should be called goals.
In February 2018, a video leaked of Youngboy putting his hands on his then-girlfriend in a hotel hallway. After a video appeared of Meshell sleeping in the hallway, several reports leaked on social media claiming that YoungBoy made her sleep outside so he could hook up with other women. Meshell took to Instagram Live to defend Youngboy and claim it’s not what people thought it was.NBA Youngboy also denied assaulting Meshell on Instagram Live. The two would eventually part ways before the birth of their son, Kacey.
Seeing people in love with their significant other is beautiful, but don’t call anyone’s relationship “goals.” We’re on the outside looking in and don’t know what goes on behind closed doors.
BY ADRIAN REECECreativity is the cornerstone of a progressive society, which drives innovation from hardship into the transition of ease of simple tasks. In this era, everyone flexes their creative juices to construct lives that suit them while also impacting the communities they are a part of. Many young people aren’t satisfied with the paths that people tell us are available, so we have taken it upon ourselves to forge new directions that yield different fruit, but can also be more satisfying. Especially since nowadays, people are much more focused on life satisfaction than anything else.
Education is the driving force
you to work for a thriving company in the area of expertise you have become familiar with while gaining the skills necessary to thrive in environments made by big businesses. Graduates today are opting to put their knowledge to use for themselves and create their businesses. These innovations are taking traditional university education and widening the scope of what having a degree means.
These days a journalism degree can be used to start a successful online blog, and a background in psychology can be used to create an independent consulting company on what drives social media trends. In contrast, a degree in Kinesiology can be used to build a health and wellness program to improve your overall lifestyle habits and quality of life, all through an app. These are some ways this generation of young people uses their knowledge to tap into the world in unique new ways that we haven’t seen
before. All these different paths are defining traits that separate the old from the new and make you realize we are headed in a completely new direction than our predecessors. We’re taking our destinies into our own hands by finding new ways to use our minds and create our sources of income.
Where does this desire to follow a different path come from? Opportunities are around every corner in a world full of technological wonder. That and social media inspire new ideas daily for young and impressionable minds with more ways of using their skills than their parents did. So, as a result, their minds churn with new and innovative ideas of how to be the best they can be and how their years of hard work can be used to make something out of nothing.
With the increase in degrees being earned, it is only natural that a person needs to be highly creative in using
their skills, seeing as hundreds if not thousands of people with similar backgrounds and education are all doing the same. So what separates one alumnus from another? It is the desire to succeed, and the creative discipline to make it happen without losing faith in you. This gives rise to many different industries being created and added to in the most fascinating ways.
A person’s mind is their most significant asset, and as a result, they are forced to be innovative or get left behind in the wake of a sea of similar backgrounds. This need pushes independent thought on exploring a person’s strengths and weaknesses beyond school and mixing passion and marketability into a unique means of creating income, impacting people and leaving a mark in ways that we haven’t seen too often in the past.
to be identified and then treated? You need to be patient, selective in the services you require and investigate which hospital to besiege. It may be up to you to do the necessary work.
steven@carib101.com
So you have a question, concern. What to do? So you call but no one answers. You email and get a response in two months. You go to an emergency and are turned away, sent to your family doctor if you’re lucky enough to have one. I sent a letter to three of my doctors and got a response in three to four weeks with no answers to my questions and concerns.
Have a question for a doctor, don’t show up with a photo of an aliment, it will piss them off. With the present day legal issues at hand, no doctor or nurse wants to be sued for guessing, suggesting or alluding to what they see on a picture, and yet there is no room at the inn per say to get answers. Perhaps these patients will go to one of the Premier’s private clinics for immediate assistance? Hey! That can be where the emergency doctors have gone, to make some extra money on the side perhaps. Double dipping by medical staff is a common issue in Ontario. People have to live.
in the dermatologist field: 9-14 months. Need elective surgery? Hope you are patient. Have a serious ailment that needs
Teaching hospitals are the best, with the most modern equipment, most ambitious and learned young doctors and the most senior staff. Emergency rooms across Canada are full of patients, but where are the medical staffs, particularly doctors? Going to a hospital on the weekend is foolish, unless it is necessary. Doctors are taking weekends off, and the remaining staff is overburdened with patients already in the hospital, let alone those trying to get admitted and treated.
Ontario and other provinces throw money at the Health Ministry, but actual auditable plans on how these funds will be managed are often not revealed. The Health Ministry remains one of the most secretive within our governments, disallowing us to see who receives the majority of contracts, what hospitals will be expanded and how. Where will the needed doctors and nurses be found now and in the near future?
Our healthcare system has failed
in many ways, but the shortage of doctors and nurses can fall upon one powerful sector; the medical associations that dictate and manage these needed people. Professional associations are responsible for holding back the hiring and training of skilled migrant doctors and nurses, forcing them to basically retrain with the belief that those doctors trained in: India, Pakistan, Brazil and other parts of the world are not prepared to service us. Prejudicial discrimination? Perhaps. Like other labour organizations, these professionals fear the medical newbies will be willing to do their jobs for less money and benefits.
I know a professional engineer who has built hospitals, and subways in Iran, who was told he needed to basically return to school for years. Crazy eh? Our systems of government are never prepared, often performing in a lacklustre manner. How can bureaucrats charged with managing departments like: healthcare, senior care, policing, and others carry out their jobs when the governmental administration lacks policy focus?
Young people have taken it upon themselves to forge a new direction
simone@carib101.com
It was official! I had been diagnosed with clinical depression. I wasn’t surprised really; I knew that what I had been feeling was not normal. Now that I knew, it was on me to decide what I was going to do. This week, I thought that it would be a good idea to take a look at depression, and really flush it out for readers.
Depression is one of the most common mental health conditions in the world, so having a true innerstanding of how it manifests has major consequences for a large number of people. Unfortunately, our recognition of the condition has been murky until recently. The intricacies of the condition are becoming clearer because it has become more of a hot topic. We now have a better idea of what people experience and how their condition progresses over time.
Depression is surprisingly complicated. People with depression experience different symptoms, with different levels of severity, at different times in their lives, with
episodes that last different lengths of time. When you personally think about the word depression, what images come to mind?
If you were raised in the Western culture, images of Eeyore may come to mind. For those who don’t know who Eeyore is, Eeyore is a donkey from a beloved children’s story called Winnie the Pooh by A.A. Milne. He is a melancholy misanthrope who is generally characterized as a pessimistic, gloomy, depressed, and anhedonic. Eeyore is known for frequently making bitter, selfdeprecating comments that make him an excellent foil for Winnie-the-Pooh the affectionate, bumbling bear of very little brain.
Yes, depression is characterized by deep sadness and a loss of interest in the activities that someone usually enjoys, but depression is complicated and it’s difficult to define what it means in a cultural and objective way. This is because depression is a condition of the mind: it is diagnosed based on people’s psychological symptoms and behavior, not from a brain scan or markers in their blood or DNA.
When diagnosing depression, physicians and psychologists have to rely on people to recall their own symptoms. When you go to your doctor feeling a certain way, you have to trust that your doctor will observe and probe your symptoms reliably. What we have to acknowledge is that the experience and expression of depression can
vary across different cultures due to various factors, including social, cultural, and individual differences.
In some cultures, individuals may emphasize physical symptoms such as headaches or digestive problems, while in others, psychological symptoms like sadness and loss of interest in activities may be more prominent. Cultural beliefs and norms can influence how individuals communicate and express their distress.
Again, unfortunately, in the African-Caribbean culture mental health issues like depression are highly stigmatized, leading individuals to avoid seeking help or openly discussing their experiences. “Depressed. What do you have to be depressed for? You have food in your belly, a roof over your head, and you live in one of the richest countries in the world. Depressed my foot!” If you are West Indian, I am sure that at some point in your life, you have heard someone say this, and that right there is the problem. Another thought to consider is that men often express depression differently than women. Societal expectations, gender roles, and cultural factors influence how individuals, especially men, experience and communicate their emotions. Men express their depression through anger, irritability, or aggressive behavior. This is a result of: feeling overwhelmed, helpless, or frustrated, and it may serve as a defense mechanism to mask underlying emotional pain.
Some men who suffer from depression experience various physical symptoms such as: headaches, digestive issues, sleep problems, and general body aches. These physical complaints can be a way of expressing or manifesting their emotional distress. They may turn to alcohol, or drug use as a coping mechanism for dealing with their depression. Substance abuse can temporarily mask or numb the emotional pain, but it often exacerbates the underlying issues.
While both men and women may withdraw from social activities when experiencing depression, men may be more inclined to isolate themselves and become socially withdrawn. This can be due to the societal expectation that men should be strong and independent, making it challenging for them to seek support or express vulnerability.
Like I said at the beginning, depression is complicated and at times a convoluted issue. Thankfully, all that money that my parents had spent on my education was paying off. The nudge from my doctor to take the Beck’s Depression Inventory brought clarity to my situation.
“I am going to set you up with some sessions with our onsite social worker. Are you open to that, Simone?”
“I sure am?” I replied. “I had to start taking back control of my life, and I was open to anything that would allow me to do so.”
was such that it attracted pirate attacks, including those by Francis Drake (1585) and Jacques Cassard (1712).
When it came to trans-Atlantic human trafficking from Africa to the Caribbean the allure wasn’t prestige but profit. Many cities across Western Europe experienced a boom based on the wealth generated from the trade as well as providing the supplies used by the ships and the dungeons on the African coast. As the cities prospered, so did the states. For example, trans-Atlantic human trafficking of Africans made Cidade Velha (founded in 1460), Santiago, Cape Verde Islands the second richest city in the Portuguese realm. The wealth of Cidade Velha
The United Kingdom of Denmark and Norway entered into it enthusiastically in 1733 when the kingdom established Fort Christiansborg on the West African coast as their base of operations for holding kidnapped Africans awaiting transportation to their Caribbean colonies under the auspices of the Danish West India Company established in 1670. It is estimated that between 85,000 -120,000 kidnapped Africans were transported by Danish ships with Norwegians making up about 10% of the crew to the Caribbean between 1733 and 1807.
Danish colonizers in the West Indies aimed to exploit the profitable triangular trade, involving the export of firearms and other manufactured goods to Africa in exchange for kidnapped Africans, who were then transported to the Caribbean to work on the sugar plantations.
The other Scandinavian state Swe -
den was not left out. In 1650, Sweden established trading stations along the West African coast and Swedish merchants became involved in trans- Atlantic human trafficking. In 1786, the Swedish West India Company was established on the island of Saint Barthélemy and was granted the right to traffic humans between Africa and the Caribbean.
Since it was a freeport, traffickers from all the European colonies in the Caribbean came to traffic kidnapped Africans. The colonial administration charged a small export duty on kidnapped Africans re-exported from Saint-Barthélemy to other colonies. This duty was halved for kidnapped Africans imported directly from Africa on Swedish ships, generating increased profits for the West India Company and other Swedish traders. There is no reliable estimate of how many kidnapped Africans were trafficked to the Caribbean in the holds of Swedish ships.
So great was the enticement of the
profits from the trans-Atlantic human trafficking enterprise that even Ireland, while being an English colony, attempted to get into the business. Merchants in Ireland’s ports and towns were very cognizant of the importance of the trans-Atlantic human trafficking and the slave colonies to Ireland’s economy. In 1779 the Irish were able to get Britain to repeal constricting mercantile regulations and allow free trade for Ireland enabling Irish ships to sail direct to West Africa—in other words, to enter into trans-Atlantic human trafficking.
By 1784 Limerick and Belfast had drawn up and published detailed plans for the launching of slave-trade companies. However, these plans no longer proved economically sound as by the 1780’s more accessible and attractive opportunities were emerging nearer home as Britain industrialized, so the projected companies never launched.
I had to start taking back control of my life, and I was open to anything that would allow me to do so
tion it is now, Lift Toronto has become the defining cannabis expo. Was it worthy of this title? A further delve into the ethos of the event would reveal more.
After a few years of trying to find its place and a couple years of a pesky
pandemic, in 2021 a team of titans had been assembled with their sole purpose being to take the event towards a new horizon. Lisa and that team envisioned something bigger and better for cannabis trade shows and perhaps even just trade shows in general. “Where most events are very nuts and bolts, we wanted to be more heart and soul,” she stated. Having a dedicated team devoted to cannabis alone affords them the ability to have every single aspect of the show reflect an inviting, inclusive and currently relevant environment. From the types of exhibitors and the events down to even just the shows general aesthetic, every detail had been highly curated to create a specific experience.
When asked about how a primarily business-to-business show was bridging the gap between the corporate world and the consumer world, she referred to the 3rd day of the convention, which was the only day open to consumers. She explained how giving visibility to the supply chain of cannabis was beneficial to both parties. It could generate interest in areas where perhaps there was none before simply because the consumer was un-
aware. With the lion’s share of more than 3,000 attendees over the weekend there on that day, it was obvious that the regular Joe was interested in a peek into the world of their favourite plant.
Equally important is to have an event as influential as Lift Toronto fostering a symbiotic relationship between the licensed market and the Legacy Community. Understanding how much the Legacy Community informs and shapes the licensed market, Lisa was able to confidently outline clear, meaningful connections forged between both sometimes-adversarial parties. Lift team members are embedded in each city they host an event at, which allows them to be in constant communication with that city’s local cannabis community.
On a stage as large as Lift Toronto, it is paramount that everyone is given an equal opportunity to shine. When looking at the current composition of the cannabis industry, it is glaringly obvious that diversity is needed. I inquired about how Lift was attempting to change this towards a more inclusive make up. Lisa was explicit in illustrating how diversity and inclusion were proudly and purpose -
fully at the core of the organizations decision-making. Utilizing capital from larger corporate partners, Lift is able to provide more accessible and affordable exhibitor packages for smaller businesses including those often from marginalized groups. Also grants given by the OCS through Lift Toronto were allotted with priority to members of the BIPOC & LGBTQ+ community.
With so many moving parts happening at once, it can be challenging to gain an objective perspective from which to view the event while helping to manage it. Yet when I asked Lisa what makes Lift different from all the other cannabis conventions, without blinking, she said “The fun. Other shows make you feel like you have to go, but Lift is the show you WANT to go to.”
So is Lift Toronto worthy to wear the mantle of Best Show? You’ll need to attend next year to decide for yourself, but I was undoubtedly convinced when Lisa said “Cannabis isn’t just about getting high. It’s about elevating the community and its economic standards. It’s about elevating our relationships with each other.”
”Cannabis isn’t just about getting high!”
A sit down with Lisa Petty the Marketing Director of Lift Toronto
Are you ready to introduce your child to the joys of fishing? Keep these tips in mind to ensure your first fishing trip together gets them hooked.
Before you make the trip, educate your child about safety. Practicing in your backyard will help familiarize them with safe behaviours — it’ll also help you prepare for having your child come along with you. Safety education doesn’t have to scare your child. Showing them the right way to handle a hook and cast a line will empower them, foster a sense of pride and build their anticipation.
When it comes to fishing spots, focus on quantity over quality. You may love long quiet hours waiting for “the big one,” but your child may not fare well without frequent stimulation. Scout out a place where you’re likely to get lots of nibbles, even if the quality of catch isn’t up to your usual standard.
Are you getting eager for your first day on the lake? As you gather your rods and reels, use these lists to get your tackle box fully stocked for your first fishing trip.
Fishing essentials
Get these items from a local fishing outfitter:
• Hooks of varying sizes
• Lures and flies
• Floaters
• Weights
• Fishing line
• Line swivels
• Leaders
• Stringer
• Ruler
• Scale
• Needle nose pliers
• Utility knife
Little extras
A successful fishing trip depends on catching fish, having a good time and staying safe. Look for these items
Rather than overwhelm your child with a display of all your favourite flies and lures, it’s best to stick to simple equipment. Your local outfitter can advise you on a good starter rod and tackle.
Create a happy memory
Quality time with your child is your goal. If you’re a highly focused angler, you may need to remind yourself that your child’s first fishing trip isn’t the time to set challenging goals. You may have to sacrifice peace and quiet for more childlike fun. Bring along snacks to keep them occupied. Be willing to take a break from fishing to do other activities, like swimming or exploring.
Don’t forget to stress the importance of cleaning up your litter, including broken tackle and other trash. Fishing is a wonderful opportunity to help your child learn to value and care for the natural surroundings.
at a nearby department store, craft shop or drug store:
• Flashlight. Don’t forget the extra batteries.
• Firstaid kit. If you already have one, ensure it’s well stocked with BandAids and alcohol pads.
• Insect repellant. Try a portable ultrasonic mosquitorepelling gadget if you don’t want to apply chemical repellant.
• Sunscreen. Add a lip balm for complete sun protection.
• Craft scissors. You’ll need these — or nail clippers — to cut your fishing line.
• Unscented soap. It’s best to handle bait with clean, fragrance free hands. Multisurface glue. It’ll come in handy if your rod breaks.
Don’t forget to keep a photocopy of your fishing licence in your tackle box for easy access.
Becoming a landlord requires a certain mindset where the landlord operates a business. According to Canadian law, an owner of a residential property has a bundle of rights which are the right of possession, right of control, right of exclusion, right of enjoyment, and the right of disposition. When an owner rents a property, the owner compromises these rights in exchange for rent. The landlord and the tenant have certain rights and responsibilities, as explained in the Residential Tenancy Act (RTA).
Landlords must now use a standard lease for tenants who have entered the unit on or after April 30th, 2018. If a landlord does not give a tenant a copy of the standard lease agreement in 21 days, the tenant can withhold one month’s rent.
Under the act, it is illegal for a landlord to:
• Get vacant possession without following the proper process
• Take a tenant’s belongings without following the protocol
• Evict a tenant by being untruthful
• Change the locks without giving the tenant new keys
• Evict a tenant to renovate without compensation or the right of first refusal at the original rent
• Prevent a tenant from getting their belongings within 72 hours after eviction
It is an offence for a landlord to cut vital ser-
vices for hot or cold water, fuel, electricity, natural gas, and heat. A landlord can enter a rental unit by giving a tenant 24 hours written notice before entering. The landlord may gain access to the rental suite between 8:00 a.m. and 8:00 p.m. The landlord can only enter the rental suite for a reason allowed under the act. It is illegal for a tenant to change the locks without the landlord’s consent and to deny entry when the landlord gives proper notice.
It is unlawful for a landlord:
• To demand more rent than the act allowed
• Force a potential tenant to buy anything, such as window coverings or furniture from the landlord or the current tenant
• Denying a former or current tenant’s request for rent receipts
• Charge additional fees such as damage deposit
• Use a tenant’s last month’s rent deposit for another reason
• Pay the tenant yearly interest on the rent deposit
Here are some reasons to evict a tenant:
• Not paying rent
• Paying rent late
• Damage to the rental property
• Illegal activities in the unit
• Affecting the safety and well-being of others
• Interfering with other tenants
• People not on the lease and are living there
• The property needs significant repairs or renovations.
• Personal use by the landlord or a new purchaser
Tenants can break a lease early if they have experienced domestic or sexual violence. In such a case, a landlord cannot advertise
the availability of the rental unit before the tenant moves out and must keep the notice and any supporting documents confidential.
It is not legal for a tenant to assign or sublet a unit without the landlord’s consent. Assigning a rental suite means the tenant moves out permanently and transfers their tenancy to another person. Subletting is when the tenant moves out for a specific time but wants to return before the end of the residence. The person who moves in is called the subtenant and pays the rent to the original tenant, who then pays the landlord.
Suppose the landlord denies the tenant the right to assign or sublet or does not reply in writing to the tenant’s request within seven days of receipt. In that case, the tenant can end the tenancy by giving the landlord a tenant’s notice to terminate the tenancy (Form N9). If a tenant assigns
or sublets a unit without the landlord’s approval, the landlord can apply to the rental board to evict the tenant and the subtenant.
A landlord can refuse to rent to someone with pets (except service animals). However, once the tenant moves in and the pet surfaces, a landlord cannot evict a tenant even if both parties agree that the tenant would not have a pet. There are exceptions to this rule when the pet is dangerous or damages the property. You can evict a tenant if the rental unit is in a condominium that does not allow pets.
The relationship between landlords and tenants is like a marriage; if one party is abusive, it can become dangerous. My advice is to meet each other before committing. This way, you can gauge different personalities. For a marriage to work, there must be some give and take on both sides.
Are you thinking about adding a pool or hot tub to your backyard? Do you want a stylish and modern solution? Here’s what you need to know about stainless steel pools and hot tubs.
Numerous advantages
Although stainless steel residential pools and hot tubs are relatively new in North America, they’re commonplace in Europe. For example, they’re popular in municipal and public settings for hygienic reasons.
Bacteria and other germs can’t penetrate the surface of stainless steel, which ensures better water quality and simplified maintenance. Moreover, all the pool and hot tub accessories are made of the same material, so they don’t discolour, making them look new for a long time.
Unlike most pools and hot tubs, stainless steel ones are environmentally friendly because they’re entirely recyclable. They’re also ideal for cold climates as they’re frost resistant. Lightweight and free-standing, they’re quick to install and can be customized to suit your needs.
Stainless steel pools and hot tubs are more expensive than their concrete, plastic or vinyl counterparts. However, you don’t have to pay as much for upkeep, maintenance and repairs. For example, you’ll spend far less on water treatment products, cover replacements, paint and more.
Stainless steel pools and hot tubs are top-of-the-line, long-term investments. Contact a specialist in your area to make your project a reality.
Are you looking for a way to refresh the look of your kitchen without completely gutting it? Resurfacing your cabinets might be the perfect solution.
What is it?
Resurfacing, as the name suggests, involves giving the surface of your kitchen cabinets a makeover. Unlike a complete remodel, this process allows you to keep your existing cabinetry by updating its look. For example, you can apply a decorative veneer to the doors, remove them to expose your dishes or replace them entirely.
The advantages
Since resurfacing allows you to change the style of your kitchen by reusing the existing cabinetry, it creates less waste and is, therefore, an environmentally friendly choice. It’s ideal if you like the layout of your cabinets but no longer like how they look. Finally, resurfacing is affordable since the work is less labour-intensive and quick to complete.
You can also resurface cabinets in other rooms, such as the bathroom. Ask a company specializing in this type of work about how you can improve the appearance of your home.
Leaky roofs are, unfortunately, a common occurrence. If not dealt with promptly, water seeping into your home can cause various short- and long-term problems. Here’s what to do if you see or suspect your roof is leaking.
• Confirm that the leak is coming from the roof. Several signs can help you determine whether the water leak is coming from your roof or another area of your home, such as the windows. Water stains on the ceiling, high humidity in the basement, mould in the attic and swelling paint are telltale signs that water is leaking from the roof.
• Locate the source. If possible, try to locate the source or cause of the leak. Pay close attention to areas with excess condensation or where water spots grow after heavy rain, for example. It’s OK if you can’t find the exact source of the leak. Your observations will help guide the professional in carrying out the necessary repairs.
• Take immediate action. Use a bucket or several towels to catch or absorb the water. Ventilate the area to dry out the
wet materials. In addition to contacting a professional roofer to correct the situation, you should reach out to your insurance company to find out how much you’ll be compensated.
If neglected, a roof leak can quickly damage the structure of your home and increase the risk of you or your family developing health problems. Act now.
ANSWER TO
Fill in the grid so that every row, every column, and every 3x3 box contains the numbers 1 through 9 only once.
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.
ARIES
One of your children may be worried about losing their friends this summer. You may need to devote more of your attention to them and take time off work. An elderly relative may also need your help.
TAURUS
If you’re planning a holiday or long drive, make sure you also give yourself plenty of time at home to rest. A good friend will keep you on the phone for hours.
GEMINI
You may have to claim a refund or price adjustment after a transaction. You’ll register for a short training course this summer, which will benefit your career.
CANCER
Your family and friends need you. You’ll have no choice but to devote yourself to them. Fortunately, they’ll show you their appreciation and gratitude.
LEO
You’ll dedicate the next few weeks to a new professional or personal project. You’ll surround yourself with inspiring people that will help you make your dream come true.
VIRGO
Your energy levels will fluctuate wildly this week. You’ll receive good news about the health of someone close to you. You’ll throw together a last minute party to celebrate.
The luckiest signs this week: LEO, VIRGO AND LIBRA PUZZLE
LIBRA
You’ll feel short on time this week. You must improve your organiza tional skills to complete everything you have planned. You’ll attend a lastminute party that will be a lot of fun.
SCORPIO
If you’re looking for a job, someone close to you will steer you toward a surprising career. You’ll be involved in a fascinating project, possibly involving travel or starting a business.
SAGITTARIUS
You’ll make time to go on a holiday this summer if only to relax. You have the tools you need to start your own business. You’ll also have the support of several professionals
CAPRICORN
It’s time to restore peace and bury the hatchet if you’ve been in conflict. You’ll find ways to settle a debt or renovate a property.
You’ll be involved in an important negotiation or transaction that’s been dragging on and on. Rather than fearing change, embrace it; it can only benefit you.
You’ll be the focal point this week, much to your surprise. You’ll be congratulated for your selfless actions, even if it’s just for listening to someone.
*Some
LAND FOR SALE IN TOBAGO:
10500 Square feet near Mount Irving Golf course. Approve by Town and Country Edward 647218-1333.
2009 JEEP CHEROKEE: 4x4, extremely great condition, certified in January, keyless entry. Asking $7000 selling as is. Call 647-8584660
FOR SALE: Homes for saleLange Park, Chaguanas, Trinidad - 3 bedroom, 2 bathroom, fully a/c 400k CAD. 437-929-6750
Homes for sale Felicity, Chaguanas, Trinidad - 2 storey main road property, 3 bedroom, 1 bath, 2 attached apartments 400k CAD. 437-929-6750
HIRING: Looking for a live out housekeeper and Caribbean cooking for family at Bathurst and Wilson call 416-729-4772
SIN number required.
HIRING: 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.
LIST UP TO 30 WORDS FREE!
647-722-6298
Some restrictions may apply. We reserve the right of refusal.
Laparkan is looking for a Warehouse Associate in Shipping and Receiving.
No experience necessary. Will train on the Job.
Send Resume to hrca@laparkan.com or call 416-292-4370
SHARED ACCOMADATIONS:
1 Bedroom available in basement apartment with Side entrance Shared accommodation, Male only , No parking, no smoking or drinking Everything included. $900. Medowvale and Sheppard Call 647-447-2377
LOOKING FOR A JOB: 29 years old male looking for a looking for a job. Sanjay 437-484-5151
SUNDAY SERVICE: Fountain of Truth Ministries Pastor: Reverend Maxine Campbell Worship Address: 2170 Kipling Avenue, Etobicoke Percy Johnson School – Cafeteria Sundays: 10.am – 2. pm Teaching, Worship, Ministering For info call: 416 748 0211
MISSISSAUGA: Mississauga Missionary Baptist Church invites you to join us at 1620 Dundas St West, each Sunday at 10am for praise, worship and in-depth Bible teaching with Pastor Sean, 416-219-9137
We are in the process of expansion and constantly looking for the best of the best! Dedicated salespeople; people interested in opportunities to help others while also being able to help themselves. For more information, please contact Trish 647-722-6298 or trish@carib101.com
In today’s gig economy, it’s becoming more common to have a “side hustle” — a flexible second job that’s done in addition to a full-time position to generate extra income.
The emergence of gig-based companies like Airbnb, Uber and Etsy has made it easier than ever for people to have a side hustle. Some popular side gigs include renting out apartments, driving for rideshare companies and selling handmade products online. Additionally,
freelance writing, editing and designing for the web are prevalent types of side hustles.
While side hustles are often associated with making a hobby into a source of income, most people turn to them because they need the extra cash. Many people working side hustles are millennials struggling to find well-paying jobs and pay off student loans. However, studies also show that older Americans are starting to use side hustles to boost their
retirement savings.
If you’re thinking about taking on a side hustle, be sure to choose something you enjoy doing. This way your motivation to work during your free time will be high. In most cases, however, you shouldn’t depend on what you earn from your side hustle. The availability of freelance work tends to fluctuate, making it a source of income that’s unreliable.
The earlier children develop good spending habits, the better. Here are four ways you can teach your kids about saving money and living frugally.
1. Pay in cash. Using cash instead of cards when shopping with kids will help them better understand how money works. Consider giving them the cash to count out when it’s time to pay — they’ll get to practice their math skills.
2. Show the benefits of comparing prices. Encourage kids to look for the lowest prices at the store and figure out if you’ll get a better deal by spending more to buy larger quantities. Make it into a game to see who can spot the best deal first.
3. Set tangible goals. Let kids know that you’re saving as a household for something they want (such as a trip to Disney World or a pool for the backyard). This will help teach them about cutting out unnecessary ex-
penses to save for something bigger down the road.
4. Let them do the grocery shopping. If your kids are older, have them choose their meals for the week, then make an ingredients list, find the items needed at the store and pay for everything in cash.
Taking the time to teach kids how to spend money responsibly will help prepare them for a lifetime of good financial habits.
Living with student debt can be demoralizing, but it doesn’t have to take over your life. Here’s how to take charge of your student loans.
Knowing the value and interest rate of each of your loans will help you figure out how to pay off your loans efficiently. Use a student loan calculator to find the best repayment strategy for your situation, ta¬king into account loan interest rates. Avoid paying only the monthly minimums. It’ll take longer to pay the loans and cost more in interest.
The avalanche method for tackling debt involves making the minimum payments on all your loans and then putting left¬over money toward your loan with the highest interest rate. Once that loan is paid, focus on the loan with the second-highest interest rate.
The snowball method works similarly except instead of prioritizing loans with high interest rates, you start by paying off loans with the lowest balances. You’ll save more money and time with the avalanche method, but the snowball method is often more effective
because the relief of paying off one loan motivates you to continue making payments.
As long as you make payments part of your budget, you’ll be living within your means while slowly but steadily paying off your loans. Consider finding other ways to supplement your income (a roommate, a second job, etc.) and try to maintain your frugal student lifestyle to keep living costs in check.
This year, Global Entrepreneurship Week (GEW) takes place from November 14 to 20. Observed in more than 160 countries, it’s the world’s biggest celebration of entrepreneurship. Futurpreneur Canada, GEW’s official Canadian host for the eighth consecutive year, will be organizing and promoting a variety of events across the country with the goal of helping participants connect with potential mentors, collaborators and — who knows — investors.
Are you an entrepreneur? To help you prepare for this year’s Global Entrepreneurship Week, here are a few tips and
tricks you can use to manage your time — a precious resource that money can’t buy — like a pro.
• Plan all of your meetings (weekly, monthly, quarterly, etc.) at the beginning of the year. This will allow you to look back on the previous week to figure out where your budget discrepancies are coming from or to update your strategic plan.
• Organize your calendar: keep a to-do list and schedule time for each specific task. Set some time aside for emergencies as well.
• Dedicate a specific time (the first 15 minutes of each hour, for instance) to returning phone calls and checking your email. This keeps interruptions and distractions to a minimum so that you can concentrate on the task at hand.
• Use mealtimes to learn more about the people who are important to your business. A business lunch can go a long way to strengthen ties with employees, suppliers, clients and potential partners.
Vehicle security has evolved over the years. Unfortunately, so have strategies for stealing cars. It’s therefore important to keep your car’s anti-theft protection up to date. Here are some of the top security devices available.
1. Immobilizer
Immobilizers prevent cars from getting hot-wired by enabling them to start only when the vehicle’s authorized key is within range. Immobilizers have been mandatory on all cars manufactured in Canada since 2007. However, if you have an older car or an imported vehicle that doesn’t have an immobilizer, you should consider installing one. They’re effective and affordable.
2. Steering wheel lock
Steering wheel locks aren’t entirely foolproof. However, it takes a pretty skilled and determined criminal to remove one. In addition, a steering wheel lock may act as a deterrent, since would-be thieves are likely to think twice if they see one in your car.
3. Car alarm
Car alarms are meant to send thieves running. However, because they frequently go
off accidentally, bystanders tend to pay them little attention. That said, they do represent an extra layer of security and can deter would-be thieves in some cases.
4. Anti-theft marking
Anti-theft marking involves etching a uni¬que serial number into the various components of your car. This makes it harder to sell your car’s components on the black market and easier to catch thieves who attempt to do so.
5. GPS tracker
While it won’t prevent your car from getting stolen, a GPS tracker can allow you to locate it. However, some tech-savvy thieves have discovered ways to outsmart car trackers, especially older devices, so make sure to get a newer, high-quality product.
Some other anti-theft devices are tire clamps, brake locks and key fob bags (which pre¬vent signal hacking). To re¬duce the like¬li¬hood of your car get¬ting stolen, your best bet is to use a combination of top anti-theft devices.
Many cars have made a name for themselves in film and television, including Lightning McQueen, the Batmobile, the General Lee and the Mystery Machine. Here are seven kinds of cars that became famous on the big screen.
1. The 1963 Volkswagen Beetle
Since making his first appearance in the 1968 feature film The Love Bug, the sentient race car Herbie went on to star in several sequels and remakes, garnering adoration from fans of all ages.
2. The 1959 Cadillac Miller-Meteor ambulance
With lights flashing and sirens blaring, the Ectomobile, or Ecto-1, sped down New York City streets in search of paranormal activity in the original Ghost¬busters films.
3. The DeLorean DMC-12 This pop culture icon is known for reaching speeds of 88 miles an hour during its stint as the retrofitted time travel machine in the Back to the Future movie trilogy.
4. The 1976 Ford Gran Torino
Nicknamed the Striped Tomato because of its bright red paint job, this car featured in the
1970s action-crime drama Starsky & Hutch and made its big-screen debut in 2004.
5. The Aston Martin DB5
This weaponized luxury vehicle is one of the most iconic cars in cinematic history, first driven by Sean Connery as James Bond in the 1964 film Goldfinger.
6. The 1993 Toyota Supra
One of many vehicles featured in the Fast & Furious franchise, this flashy orange race car was driven by Brian O’Conner (Paul Walker) in the final showdown of the original 2001 film.
7. The 1968 Ford Mustang GT
Bullitt star Steve McQueen gunned this green muscle car through the streets of San Francisco and sent it, tires screeching, into one of the most iconic car chase scenes in film history. Of course, there are many other famous Hollywood cars including the 1961 Ferrari 250 GT SWB California Spyder fea¬tured in Ferris Bueller’s Day Off and the 1973 Ford Falcon XB GT from the original Mad Max movie. All these ve¬hicles have inspired car culture and continue to influence collectors of all ages.
