Eco Christmas Gift Ideas

By Larraine Roulston Contemplating homemade Christmas gifts? November is a good month to begin the preparation before the December panic sets in. While thinking about your own family and close friends, making Christmas gifts for those less fortunate makes the holiday season even more special. In November, do some of your Christmas gift shopping at a local craft or church bazaar event. This not only saves delivery transportation, but also keeps money circulating within the community. Some businesses and retailers display a Christmas tree with clothes pegs to donate homemade socks, mitts, and toques, for organizations like the Salvation Army. If you are a novice knitter, now is a good time to get started. Wool is often found in thrift stores or can be unraveled from a worn sweater that you no longer wish to wear. Several years ago, a friend of mine baked decorative fruit breads to give to each of her neighbourhood friends and acquaintances, which included her letter carrier, garbage collectors, and milk man - who were all pleased to be on her list. To keep textiles that are unsuitable for donations, and even ripped fabric grocery bags from being trashed, cut them into strips. Braid strips together, then with another strip weave them to make a small rag rug for pets. Rag rugs are not sown and should be washed gently. Pet rugs are welcomed at animal shelters and at thrift shores. They are also useful around the home. Homemade jars of jams, jellies, or pickled veggies make wonderful gifts and are always appreciated. Dehydrated fruit also makes an ideal gift as they are high in fibre, vitamins, and complex carbohydrates. My grandmother always sent me a Christmas box of her dried apples. To make them, remove the cores and slice evenly into rings across the core centres. Immerse in water, adding a little salt or lemon juice to prevent them from turning brown. To oven dry, preheat to 120 F. Pat dry, arrange in a single layer on a baking sheet, leaving the oven door slightly open, and bake for 1 hour. Occasionally move the pieces around. Turn up the oven to 140 F for 3-6 hours until completely dry. An alternative is to air dry on a thin pole in front of an open fire. If you compost indoors using a vermicomposter, you can bag the red wigglers’ castings. These hardy little worms are champion recyclers and can consume roughly half their own weight in organic material each day, producing nutrient-rich castings that help build healthy soil. In their ‘sea’ of damp cellulose covering, they transform both this bedding and veggie/fruit peelings into nitrogen-rich castings (worm poo) known as the ‘Cadillac of Compost’. The castings contain beneficial bacteria and other microorganisms that help make nutrients more available to plant roots. These little industrious workers, with 5 hearts, love to give the gift of their ‘black gold’. This year, if you are not already doing so, escape the modern-day commercial Christmas financial pressures, and enjoy a simpler way to celebrate.

Invisible Danger in Your Home

Common Sense Health – Diana Gifford-Jones “An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.” That advice applies to smoke detectors, carbon monoxide alarms and the care needed to avoid a myriad of household accidents. But don’t neglect to protect yourself and your families from another avoidable problem and a leading cause of lung cancer. Radon is an invisible, odourless, tasteless radioactive gas that can accumulate inside our homes. It’s a simple test that determines if you need to take action. It’s tragic when someone learns that radon exposure may be the cause of a lung cancer diagnosis. But thousands of deaths annually are attributed to it. It is the leading cause of lung cancer among non-smokers and the second-leading cause overall after smoking. Yet many have never tested their homes. Why are we neglectful when the cause of the problem is well understood? In the sixteenth century, a mysterious respiratory illness was evident among miners in Europe. Georgius Agricola, a German physician and mineralogist, wrote about it in his 1556 work De Re Metallica. In 1879, physicians studying miners in Germany identified lung cancer as a possible explanation for the unusually high death rate. It took decades more for scientists to uncover the full dangers of radon. The connection between exposure and lung cancer became firmly established in the 1950s, and subsequent research demonstrated that it was not confined to miners. The same naturally occurring gas could enter ordinary homes from the ground beneath. Radon is produced by the natural breakdown of uranium in soil and rock. It seeps through cracks in foundations, gaps around pipes, floor drains and other openings. Outdoors, it disperses into the atmosphere. Indoors, particularly in enclosed lower levels of buildings, it can accumulate. Many homes have some radon, but concentrations vary. Your neighbour's reassuring test result tells little about your own house. Neither the age of the building nor its price is a reliable indicator of safety. A new, expensive home can have elevated levels just as an older house can. The danger is not that a person breathes radon once or twice. It is prolonged exposure. As radon decays, radioactive particles can be inhaled and damage cells lining the lungs, increasing the risk of cancer. Smoking compounds that risk. The first step is to test your home. Do-it-yourself radon test kits are available, or you can hire a measurement professional. Testing is best done over a period of at least three months, ideally during the fall or winter, when closed windows and heating patterns can make the results more representative of indoor exposure. Follow the kit's instructions carefully and place the detector on the lowest level of the home that you regularly occupy. Next, understand the result. If a properly conducted long-term test exceeds acceptable levels, you need to take corrective action. There is no “risk-free” level, so the objective should be to reduce exposure as much as reasonably possible. If levels are high, contact a certified radon mitigation professional. The most common solution involves installing a system that draws radon from beneath the foundation and vents it safely outdoors. The home should be tested again after mitigation to confirm that the system is working. Buying a house? Ask whether a long-term radon test has been done and request the results. Renovating? Consider radon testing as part of the project, particularly if you are finishing a basement or changing how the home is ventilated. And if you have a private well, ask a qualified professional whether radon in the water warrants attention. “Better safe than sorry.” Another easy, well used line. But you must walk the talk. .

Benedict Arnold

By Wayne and Tamara While visiting his family six days before our 20th anniversary, my husband sent me an email saying we weren’t happy together and he wanted a separation. But he never moved out. We lived day by day. The last five months he’s emotionally and financially abandoned me and our three children. He blames all our marital problems on me. Needless to say after digging around I found out he’s been having an affair for nine months. Days he was supposedly taking trips to our tree farms, he was with her and never called our kids. He even took her to our family vacation spot. I think she represents freedom and absence of responsibility since her kids are grown. They can take off anytime and do whatever. I’m hoping she’s just a booty call, but how do I deal with this home-wrecker if he’s stupid enough to marry her? My husband’s first wife cheated on him and he was a basket case from it, so why would he do it to me? My lawyer will serve him in three days for divorce due to adultery. My heart is shattered, my soul broken forever. How do I move on and trust another man again? What about my 10 and 14-year-old daughters? He looked them in the eye last month and told them women are evil and he would never get in a relationship again. Do I let them know what a lying, cheating, dishonorable man he is? Carissa Carissa, you have to tell your children the truth because an adulterer will tell them a lie. Your husband not only deceived you, he set up a new life for himself while stringing you along. You can’t do that to your kids. How can you teach them honesty if you allow lies to stand in the middle of the family? Who can they believe if you start lying to them, too? There’s another reason to tell the truth. Women who aren’t forthright with their children, while their former husband is telling them whoppers, are often abandoned by those children when they grow older. Dad becomes the good guy while mom is labeled the one who broke up the family. Calling his daughters evil is a vile act. It is psychological abuse of the first order, and it damages all three children. Your husband is eating away at his daughters’ self-esteem and encouraging his son to demean women. A man who says things like that needs to be out of the house and away from young lives who need nurturance, not cruelty. Your husband has not learned or grown from the experience of his first marriage. Notifying you by email was a cowardly act. It gives us his character in a nutshell. It invalidates his claim about your failings. But there is an obvious psychological explanation. He knows he is in the wrong. Good recycles good, just as bad recycles bad. Honesty in relationships promotes more honesty; dishonesty promotes dishonesty. You must provide your children with what is right, but how can you do that when your heart is shattered? The answer is simple. What you are going through follows a predictable pattern. If you try to find your way out by yourself, you are likely to flounder. But if you take the guidance of those who have been there before, you will recover more quickly than you can now imagine. Depression, anger, denial, and grief are only a few of the emotions cycling through your head. An excellent way to recover from this trauma and begin your new life is by reading “Rebuilding,” a book by Bruce Fisher and Robert Alberti. And let your children know the facts. Their father got a girlfriend, and when you are married, you are not allowed to do that. If a person wants out of a marriage, the honorable course is divorce, not deceit

“The Simple Question Process”

By Bruno Scanga Appointing an executor may be one of the most important decisions related to an estate plan. Being trusted as an executor to carry out someone’s wishes after they’ve passed can be one of the biggest responsibilities an individual can take on. Estate administration is ever evolving and is more challenging today than ever before. Understanding what may be in store for a future executor can be helpful for those choosing one and those being chosen for this critical role. An executor is usually a person but can also be a trust company named in a will. The executor collects and oversees estate assets, pays the deceased’s debts, and divides what remains of the estate among beneficiaries named in the will to inherit the estate. There can also be more than one named executor (co-executors or alternate executors). Duties and liabilities of an executor The duties of an executor can be broad and span multiple years. As a starting point, provide a robust list of tasks for your reference to help keep you on track. The process starts when a person passes away. The executor may be part of making funeral arrangements and collecting important documentation such as the deceased’s will and tax returns.1 Assets—including financial, physical, and personal effects—will need to be accounted for and safeguarded on behalf of the estate’s beneficiaries. Contacting various third parties can be important and time-consuming to make sure all bills are paid, accounts closed, and insurance claims are made. Before distributions can be made, it’s important for the executor to address the deceased’s creditors and complete all tax returns. Should any claims be made against the estate (for example, dependent’s relief), the executor must remain neutral when working towards a resolution. Generally, the executor is not personally liable for the deceased’s debts or any financial obligations of the estate. However, an executor can be found personally liable if the estate assets are distributed to beneficiaries before payment of all estate debts. In such cases it’s important to resolve all outstanding estate debts before making a final distribution to beneficiaries. At various points in the estate administration process, the executor may find that professional help is required. Where appropriate and necessary, the executor can enlist the help of an accountant or lawyer to help with tax returns or legal issues that may arise. Such professional services are expenses for the estate and not for the executor personally. Finally, after the assets of the estate are collected, all debts and taxes are paid, and claims against the estate are settled, the executor can distribute the remaining value of the estate to the beneficiaries according to the instructions in the will. Insolvent estate and declining to act What happens if the estate doesn’t have enough assets to cover the deceased’s liabilities? When an estate is insolvent, provincial legislation may dictate the order of distribution from the estate, including prioritizing the payment of various expenses. Given the significant challenges that come with an insolvent estate, an executor may consider simply declining to act. An executor can decline to act for solvent estates as well. It’s important for an executor to make this decision prior to acting in any capacity for the estate. The process for declining (or being removed as an executor after acting) can be difficult and costly. This can be avoided by having a frank discussion with the person considering naming you as executor while that person is alive. Executor compensation An executor is entitled to compensation, which would be taxable income for the executor. Generally, this compensation is a percentage of the estate’s assets, ranging from 1% to 5% of the deceased’s estate. Fair compensation for an executor’s services is based on many factors, including (but not limited to): Gross value of the estate Complexity of the work involved mount of skill, time, and specialized knowledge required. Clarifying executor compensation in your will can avoid potential conflicts with beneficiaries and may help reduce the tax burden for the executor. Considerations for choosing an executor When deciding who should be your executor, consider these questions: Do they have the time to devote to estate administration? Are they willing and able? Do they possess integrity, objectivity, and good judgment? Are they financially and administratively inclined? Are they familiar with your affairs? Ideally, your chosen executor will be a resident of the same province as you. Having an executor living in another province or country can add delays, complexity, and costs to your estate administration. It can also make the already difficult role of executor even more challenging. Individuals such as a spouse, family member, or friend may be cost-effective choices, but consider whether they have the skills to administer your estate and manage the expectations of your beneficiaries. A lawyer, accountant, or trust company may cost more, but they may have the skills and resources necessary to manage all the tasks before them. The role of the executor is growing in scope and complexity. Estate administration may take years to complete. Assets of the estate may be numerous and located in multiple jurisdictions around the world. As such, care should be taken when naming an executor (including co-executors and alternate executors) who’s willing and able to see your wishes through. Executors, you’re not alone. You can enlist the help of professionals to guide you through the challenging aspects of the estate. Remember, the role of the executor is a critical one; at times rewarding, but not without its challenges. Understanding what may be in store for a future executor can be helpful for choosing one and for being chosen for this critical role.

Your Job Search Demands Unapologetic Self-Awareness

By Nick Kossovan Most candidates fail because they don't know who they are professionally. Instead of honestly assessing their capabilities, aptitudes, preferences, triggers, and tolerances, they pitch a fantasy version of what they think employers want to hear, while ignoring what they can consistently deliver. Instead of addressing this delusional personal-branding trend, self-proclaimed career coaches and resume writers peddle quick fixes. They tell you to tweak your resume margins, spray buzzwords across your LinkedIn profile, and even how to trick automated tracking systems. (You can't.) Most job-search “advice” is pure BS that ignores the root cause of prolonged job searches: a lack of self-awareness. Your job search isn't dragging on because your resume margins are off by half a centimetre or your LinkedIn profile isn't perfectly optimized. It's dragging on because you're bringing self-delusion to your resume, your LinkedIn profile, and interviews, where your interviewer spots the disconnect. Nothing undermines your credibility faster than claiming you thrive under pressure while you look nervous, stumble over your words, and respond with rehearsed platitudes. The most effective way to build job-search momentum is to honestly assess your professional strengths, how you handle pressure, difficult coworkers, and change, where you thrive, and what you can consistently deliver. 1. Professional Delusion Will Cost You Every hiring manager, me included, has made the mistake of hiring someone with an inflated self-image. A candidate promises to be an independent self-starter, yet six weeks into the job, they refuse to make decisions without three confirmation emails, slowing the department's pace and agility. They're not just a poor fit; they're an expensive mistake. Costly hiring blunders like these are why employers, frustrated by job seekers who can't substantiate their claims, are adding interview rounds. When you apply for roles based on who you wish you were rather than who you are, everyone loses, especially you. Vanity pitching might get you hired, but operational reality catches up quickly. I’ve seen new hires let go more than once for failing to deliver on their promises. Unapologetic self-awareness isn't a soft skill or a feel-good virtue; it's a pragmatic look in the mirror that gives you a significant competitive advantage, keeping you from applying for jobs you'll hate or, worse, from landing a role you can't handle and getting fired. When you're genuinely self-aware, you target environments where you fit and are likely to excel, rather than praying that a bad-fit job somehow "works out." At the end of the day, you are who you are, and fighting your own nature never works out in the long term. 2. Four-Point Internal Audit Cultivating unapologetic self-awareness begins with auditing yourself across four areas: 1. Stress Thresholds: Workplaces are increasingly stressful due to rapid economic shifts and technological change. How do you respond when things go sideways? Do you navigate ambiguity naturally, or do you need structured, explicit parameters? Honestly assess your tolerance for chaos, miscommunication, overtime, and the inevitable operational friction. 2. Work Temperament: Are you genuinely an autonomous self-starter, or do you need clear, established processes? Taking on a hands-off role when you need consistent direction is a recipe for anxiety and frustration. 3. Aptitude Versus Effort: Stop claiming you excel at everything. At best, we excel at a handful of things. What are they for you? You won't regret focusing your job search exclusively on roles where your natural aptitude shines. 4. Value Creation: Self-aware candidates know why an employer should hire them. ("I'm good at what I do" isn't a reason.) Specifically, how do you influence an employer's profitability? If you can't clearly explain how your work saves time, cuts costs, or generates revenue, don't expect an employer to hire you. 3. Evaluate "Will I fit in?" Self-aware candidates don’t try to please every interviewer. They assess mutual fit, a quality every hiring manager appreciates because it signals you aren’t desperate. When asked about a weakness, they avoid canned answers like “I'm too much of a perfectionist.” Instead, they set clear boundaries: “I excel at turning chaotic projects into structured workflows, but if you need someone to sit in back-to-back brainstorming meetings all day without execution, I’m the wrong person for the job." Knowing yourself inside and out keeps you from overpromising and underdelivering. 4. Self-Awareness Check Before you send out another resume, run this internal audit: 1. Audit your wins: Write down your last three major workplace accomplishments. Identify the specific skills that produced those results and set aside any self-assumed skills until you have hard evidence to back them up. 2. Purge the fluff: Remove generic buzzwords such as "detail-oriented," "results-driven," and "team player" from your resume and LinkedIn profile. Replace them with outcomes, increases, decreases, and concrete capabilities. 3. Define your dealbreakers: Know which work environments trigger your burnout and refuse to apply to companies that display those red flags. As harsh as this may sound, as a job seeker, you're offering yourself as a product. If you don't know your own specifications, you have no business trying to sell yourself to an employer. Being honest with employers about who you are, what you can do, and what you can deliver will make your job search much easier.

Freedoms Are at Stake

By Dale Jodoin Columnist                                               I wish this were a conspiracy story. Unfortunately, the laws themselves are real, and your freedoms may be at stake. Something is happening in Canada, Great Britain and Australia that deserves a serious conversation around the coffee table. All three governments are bringing in similar rules about the internet. They say these laws are needed to protect children from harmful material online. Protecting children is important. Nobody is arguing otherwise. But I believe Canadians deserve to know what else these laws could mean for them. Australia has already passed laws restricting social media accounts for children under 16. Britain has its Online Safety Act. Canada has proposed its own Safe Social Media Act. Three countries moving in much the same direction. Is that a coincidence? Not entirely. International online safety regulators openly work together and share ideas about how the internet should be controlled. But here is where I become concerned. When governments pass laws, they do not always settle every detail in Parliament. Some decisions are left to regulations, government agencies and the courts. That means the rules people live under can change without Parliament voting on every detail. Think about your own life. You wake up, pour your coffee and open your phone. You check the news, read what your friends are saying and perhaps leave a comment about something your government has done. Nothing unusual. Millions of people do it every morning. Now imagine being asked to prove your age before entering certain websites. Depending on the system, that could involve identification documents, facial scans or other personal information. Who collects that information? Where does it go? How long is it kept? And who can demand access to it? These are not foolish questions. Canada has also proposed separate legislation dealing with the retention of certain telecommunications information. Britain has its own data retention powers. Australia already requires some telecommunications records to be kept for two years. The laws differ, but the privacy questions are similar. And this brings us to something even more troubling. Information collected for one purpose can become valuable for another. Imagine a future government wanting to identify people who attend protests, criticize its policies or support an unpopular cause. Could information gathered through online systems help it do that? That is a risk worth examining, not proof that these new laws already authorize such political spying. History teaches us that government powers deserve limits, regardless of which political party holds office. Then there is the news. Britain has considered giving recognized news organizations greater visibility online. Supporters call it a way to help people find reliable information. But who decides what makes a news organization reliable? What happens to the small newspaper that questions the government? Or the independent journalist who asks uncomfortable questions? A free press must be able to challenge those in power. We are also told that freedom of information laws keep governments accountable. Yet anyone trying to obtain public records can face delays, exemptions and pages of missing information. That hardly builds public trust. I am not claiming these three governments have secretly agreed to spy on everyone. The evidence does not establish that. What we do know is that they are creating similar systems with new powers over online services. And once those powers exist, future governments may seek to expand them. So before we accept another law in the name of protecting children, we should demand clear answers about adult privacy, independent journalism and government accountability. Because freedom is not something we should have to prove we deserve. If these laws are really about protecting children, why shouldn't governments have to prove that our freedoms will be protected too?

Don’t leave your home security to chance

By Tom Reimer As Christmas approaches, city streets brighten with decorations, shopping bags fill hallways, and families prepare to celebrate. Behind those welcoming front doors, however, security deserves serious attention. A home invasion can shatter more than property: it can destroy the feeling of safety that makes a house a home. Imagine an ordinary December evening. Dinner is cooking, children are watching television, and someone knocks. The visitor claims to have a delivery requiring a signature. Opening the door without checking may seem harmless, but that moment deserves caution. Speak through the locked door, verify unexpected visitors independently, and teach children to call an adult. Prevention starts with the entrances people use every day. Keep exterior doors locked, even when everyone is home. Strong doors, quality deadbolts, reinforced frames, and properly installed security strike plates can make forced entry more difficult. Remember the door connecting the garage to the house. A strong lock needs a strong frame behind it. Windows, patio doors, and basement openings also need attention. Repair damaged locks and secure sliding doors with suitable locking devices. Consider professionally installed security screens or other protective glazing where appropriate. Any protective installation must preserve required emergency escape routes. Walk around the property and look for overlooked access points. Make it harder for someone to approach unseen. Illuminate entrances, pathways, and driveways. Trim shrubs that conceal doors or windows, lock gates, and secure ladders and tools. Cameras and monitored alarms can add useful layers of protection, but equipment needs maintenance, working notifications, and consistent use. Technology cannot replace everyday habits. Christmas preparations deserve their own security routine. Keep gifts and expensive purchases away from street-facing windows. Break down electronics packaging before recycling it. Arrange prompt collection of deliveries. When travelling, have a trusted neighbour collect mail, check the property, and arrange snow clearing. Use lighting timers and share holiday photographs after returning. In apartments and condominiums, protecting the building entrance matters too. Never buzz in an unknown visitor simply because they mention another resident. Report broken entrance locks and doors that fail to close. Avoid letting unfamiliar people follow you through secured entrances, and involve building management when access controls need attention. Neighbours can help without putting themselves in danger. Notice unusual activity, share practical concerns, and report suspicious behaviour rather than confronting anyone. Discuss a household emergency plan before an incident occurs. If someone attempts entry or threatens your family, call 911 as soon as safely possible. Prioritize escape and personal safety over possessions. No precaution guarantees that a home invasion will never happen, and responsibility always belongs to the offender. Nor should a seasonal increase in crime be assumed without local evidence. Nevertheless, Christmas is a sensible deadline for addressing weaknesses that already exist. Check the locks tonight. Review who can access your home. Talk with your family. Arrange qualified advice where improvements are needed. The goal is practical: reduce opportunities for intrusion and give everyone inside a better chance of staying safe. Peace of mind starts with consistent, thoughtful preparation.

DURHAM’S NEW POWER ALLEY

By Mr. ‘X’ ~ John Mutton, Former Mayor of Clarington Three Mayors, Three Nuclear Communities and 55% of the Region The political landscape of Durham Region is changing. And if Queen’s Park pursues further reforms to regional governance, the balance of power could shift dramatically. For decades, Durham Region has operated under a political structure that often places its eight municipalities in competition for infrastructure dollars, servicing priorities, transportation investment and economic development opportunities. But something significant is happening. The 2026 municipal election has produced new leadership, and three municipalities in particular deserve attention: Oshawa, Clarington and Pickering. Together, they represent approximately 55% of Durham Region’s population. They also form the heart of Ontario’s nuclear energy economy. That combination could make them a particularly influential alliance over the next four years. THE NUMBERS DON’T LIE Durham Region’s December 2025 population estimates place its population at approximately 815,105 residents. Oshawa, with 213,265 residents, represents 26.16%; Pickering, with 120,770, represents 14.82%; and Clarington, with 114,600, represents 14.06%. Together, those three municipalities account for 448,635 residents, or approximately 55.04% of Durham’s population. That is more than the other five municipalities combined. Now imagine a Regional Council where each municipality’s voting strength is allocated exactly according to its share of the population. Under that hypothetical arrangement, the mayors of Oshawa, Pickering and Clarington could collectively command a simple majority. Three mayors. Eight municipalities. More than half the population. That is a political equation worth examining. THE GOVERNANCE QUESTION Ontario has shown a willingness to reconsider how regional governments operate, including the roles of regional chairs and the possibility of weighted voting. That opens an important conversation about representation and accountability. Let’s be clear: Durham does not currently operate under the mayors-only, population-weighted system illustrated in the accompanying graphic. The 55.04% figure describes a hypothetical model, not the legal voting strength of those mayors today. But if the province moves further toward streamlined regional decision-making, Durham should be part of the conversation. And in a population-based model, the arithmetic would be impossible to ignore. THE NUCLEAR POWER ALLEY I have long argued that Durham’s nuclear industry represents one of the greatest economic development opportunities in Canada. Pickering hosts the Pickering Nuclear Generating Station. Clarington is home to Darlington Nuclear Generating Station and the development of Ontario’s first grid-scale small modular reactors. Oshawa hosts Ontario Power Generation’s corporate headquarters. These are not simply three neighbouring municipalities. They are three communities whose economic futures are closely connected to nuclear energy, skilled trades, engineering, manufacturing, infrastructure and major capital investment. Think about what coordinated leadership could achieve: better transportation links, water and wastewater infrastructure, housing for skilled workers, industrial development, and stronger post-secondary education and technical training. A unified voice at Queen’s Park and in Ottawa could help turn that potential into action. This is where economic geography meets political geography. THREE MAYORS AND A HISTORIC OPPORTUNITY The election of Tito-Dante Marimpietri as Mayor of Oshawa and Tom Dingwall as Mayor of Clarington, alongside Kevin Ashe in Pickering, creates an interesting political dynamic. Each mayor has different local priorities. Yet all three lead communities with direct ties to Ontario Power Generation and the broader nuclear economy. Their ability to cooperate could become enormously important. Imagine what could be accomplished if these municipalities approached major regional issues with a common agenda—not to exclude Whitby, Ajax or the northern municipalities, but to strengthen Durham as a whole. A stronger nuclear economy benefits the entire region through jobs, procurement, housing demand and investment. WHAT ABOUT THE REST OF DURHAM? Whitby and Ajax together represent approximately 37.36% of Durham’s population. Both remain essential partners, facing their own pressing housing, transportation and servicing challenges. Scugog, Uxbridge and Brock bring equally important concerns involving agriculture, rural roads, environmental protection and responsible development. No governance model should diminish those interests. But representation and voting power are not necessarily the same thing. Under the illustrative weighted-voting scenario, Oshawa, Pickering and Clarington would be a decisive bloc on simple-majority questions—assuming their mayors voted together and no special voting thresholds applied. THE REGIONAL CHAIR FACTOR Durham’s next Regional Chair will have an important responsibility to build consensus among municipalities while advancing regional priorities. With enormous infrastructure needs, housing pressures and economic opportunities ahead, the region cannot afford to be distracted by old divisions. The real question is whether Durham’s leadership will continue operating through traditional municipal rivalries or recognize the advantages of greater cooperation. THE REAL POWER IS ECONOMIC Political voting strength is one thing. Economic influence is another. And this is where the nuclear communities have an even greater advantage. Ontario’s electricity expansion, Darlington’s new nuclear development, the future of Pickering and the broader supply chain represent investment opportunities measured in billions of dollars. These projects will influence where people live, where businesses locate, where roads are built and where municipal services must expand. Durham has an extraordinary opportunity to position itself as the centre of Canada’s nuclear renaissance. But that requires leadership that looks beyond municipal boundaries and treats infrastructure and economic development as connected priorities. MR. X’S FINAL WORD I spent years around municipal and regional council tables, and I learned something important: political power is rarely determined by population alone. It is determined by relationships, leadership, preparation and the ability to bring people together around common objectives. But numbers matter. When three municipalities represent more than half a region’s population, their potential influence cannot be ignored. The mayors of Oshawa, Clarington and Pickering have an opportunity to establish a powerful working relationship—not simply because of politics, but because their communities share an economic future If Durham ever adopted a mayors-only, population-weighted voting model, those three municipalities could collectively hold approximately 55% of the vote using these population estimates. That is a hypothetical scenario, not today’s voting law. But the economic alliance is available right now. And that may ultimately be far more important. The power alley is no longer just about where Ontario generates its electricity. It may also be about where Durham’s political influence is heading.

WHY IS IT SO DIFFICULT TO FIND A LANDLORD WILLING TO HELP THE HOMELESS?

By Margaret Eskins Executive Director DARS — Dedicated Advocacy Resource Support A community that talks about compassion must also be willing to make room for it. I have a question that I genuinely struggle to understand: Why is it so difficult for DARS, to rent commercial space in Pickering? At DARS (Dedicated Advocacy Resource Support), we have been actively searching for suitable rental space to expand our services and better support individuals experiencing homelessness, food insecurity and housing instability throughout Durham Region since last April. We are not looking for a handout. We are not asking for free space, discounted rent or special treatment. We are prepared to pay fair market rent, meet our lease obligations and be responsible tenants. Yet, time and time again, we encounter the same frustrating experience. A landlord is happy to show us a property. The conversations are positive. There is interest in our organization, our ability to pay rent and our plans for the space. Everything appears to be moving in the right direction. Then we explain one important part of our operation: from December through March, we intend to operate a warming space overnight. NOT a shelter but a space that saves lives. Suddenly when a landlord hears the words homeless and overnight, the enthusiasm disappears. Conversations change. Concerns emerge. The willingness to move forward seems to evaporate. What initially appeared to be a promising rental opportunity becomes another closed door. I have to ask: Why? What is it about providing a warm, safe place for someone to spend a freezing winter night that makes us an undesirable tenant? DARS is so much more than a warming space. Our organization provides a range of services that address the very real and interconnected challenges faced by people experiencing homelessness. We work with individuals to access housing, connect with community resources, obtain essential goods, improve their circumstances and regain stability. We provide meals, outreach, support services and opportunities for individuals to move forward. Our work is not simply about providing somewhere to sleep. It is about helping people rebuild their lives. We have demonstrated that this approach works. Our transitional farmhouse has become a functioning home for seven individuals who are being supported through a continuum of care. Eighteen individuals have regulated and managed to make positive changes in their lives. We have helped individuals transition from homelessness into more stable housing situations. We have seen people regain confidence, develop routines and begin imagining a future that once seemed impossible. These are the outcomes we should be celebrating as a community. Instead, we find ourselves struggling to secure a commercial lease. We now have less than a month. I recognize that landlords have legitimate concerns. They have properties to protect, businesses to operate and responsibilities to their other tenants. We understand that operating an overnight warming space requires appropriate planning, security, staffing, insurance and clearly established operating procedures. We are prepared to address those responsibilities. We are willing to document expectations, establish appropriate safeguards and work collaboratively with property owners. Heck, we will even accept a probationary timeframe. But there is a difference between asking reasonable operational questions and simply deciding that people experiencing homelessness are not welcome. That distinction matters. Pickering is a growing community. We regularly hear about the importance of inclusion, community safety, affordable housing and supporting those who are struggling. Municipalities, service organizations and residents all speak about the need to address homelessness and for the most part are very positive. Businesses also saw this as a huge issue during the very recent Municipal Election. Yet when an organization attempts to put practical solutions into action, where is support from the very entities that want change? It is easy to support homelessness initiatives in principle. It is considerably harder to support them when they involve sharing a commercial property, welcoming vulnerable individuals into a building or acknowledging that homelessness exists in our very own neighbourhoods. Perhaps that is the uncomfortable truth we need to discuss. Homelessness is not an abstract social issue. It is happening on our streets, in our parks, in vehicles and in places where people are trying to survive another night. During the winter months, the consequences can be devastating. A warming space is not a luxury or an optional community amenity. For someone without shelter, it can be the difference between surviving the night and suffering serious injury or death. We are not asking landlords to solve homelessness. We are asking them not to stand in the way of organizations that are actively working to address it. To the business community in Pickering, I would ask you to consider what kind of community you want to be part of. One that welcomes organizations doing difficult but necessary work, or one that supports those initiatives only as long as they happen somewhere else? DARS is willing to be a good tenant. We are willing to pay market rent. We are willing to work with landlords, address concerns and establish clear expectations. All we are asking for is an opportunity. There is something profoundly discouraging about being told, through actions rather than words, that the work we do is welcome until the people we serve become part of the picture. Our most vulnerable residents deserve better. They deserve dignity, compassion and a community that recognizes their humanity. And perhaps it is time for some landlords to ask themselves a question: If not here, then where? Winter is coming. The temperatures will drop, and people will once again be forced to find somewhere, anywhere, to escape the cold. Some will survive another winter night. Others may not. While landlords continue to weigh the inconvenience or perceived risks of having a warming space in their building, the people we are trying to help are weighing something far more serious: where they will sleep tonight, whether they will stay warm and whether they will make it through until morning. DARS has done the work. We have built the programs, developed the partnerships, demonstrated the outcomes and put ourselves in a position to pay our own way. We are not asking anyone to carry us. We are simply asking for the opportunity to do what our community so desperately needs. At some point, we have to stop talking about compassion and start demonstrating it. Because a business community that welcomes a charity but rejects the people that charity serves is not a particularly compassionate one. And to those landlords who have turned us away, I would ask one final question: When you lock your doors at night, do you ever think about the people who have nowhere to knock? We do. Every single night.

Congratulations Tito-Dante Marimpietri

By Joe Ingino Congratulations Tito. It took you 20 years but you made it. Now it is time to put those 20 years plus as a politician to some good use. Now it is time to show your experience and work some political magic for the good of the people of Oshawa. Save us on taxes, improve quality of life. Finally get rid of all social services from downtown Oshawa. Restrict pot shops and drug related businesses from opening any place near downtown. Bring the family essence back to downtown. Cut all the waste in future plans including the 70 million going to expand the GM Center... From me to you. Personally I believe that you can do it. Here are a few of the immediate things you should address. 1. Deal with the out of control bylaw department. Stop the Harassing of businesses and land owners in the downtown core. As for a while it appeared as though bylaw, the City was attempting to intimidate land owners with fines if they did not take the responsibility of doing something with the homeless that slept on doorways they owned. This is an outright disgrace.... and someone at the City should be disciplined. How dare the City turn the tables on taxpayers and demand they do something the city created. Stop the harassment as many land owners seen it as an attempt by the city and the Carter administration to force land owners to sell cheap so that developers may walk in and erect million if not billion of dollar projects. Shame on you Carter. We the downtown core merchant and land owners ask you to put a stop on this practice.  It is wrong, disrespectful and shows the lack of support by Carter for the downtown. Put the downtown merchants minds at ease and send a signal that you are pro- local businesses and not developers tactics to rape and pillage what is left of our core. 2. Create some sort of program for those that have owned their single family properties for over 30 years... Some sort of property tax break. Many of those today are finding it hard to pay the exuberant property taxes. People need your help. 3. Work with the hospital to create special mental health wards in the many wards the hospital has closed off due to what they claim no funding. Help the hospital open those wards and send over any one on the streets openly using drugs... Or any one requiring mental health help. This is not costing the taxpayers anything. I wold suggest cutting the millions on the books to be spent on future projects. Use that money to invest in a very serious problem. 4. Use residual city owned properties as make shift shelter for the homeless. Moving them from our streets, parks and ravines and give them an opportunity to get back in society. 5. Give huge tax breaks to any land lord that would turn their empty wharehouses into make shift sleeping centers. Use bylaw as security. Use the 1 million dollar a year tax payers paid security company to keep the peace at these facilities. Work with the police to prosecute all that come for help for all the wrong reasons. 6. Introduce a new program for all downtown landowners. A 30% property tax break as long as they abide by a rent rate ceiling. You need to address the needs of those mechants in our core. Our core keeps emptying out. No one is addressing the reason. Tito you now have a golden opportunity to make a huge difference. If you need me I am here to help you as the ‘INGINO’ Shop local initiative is the only successful downtown program operating since 2018. 7. Create a special OPUC rate for all downtown mechants. For many downtown merchants the carpelling factor includes. High rental rates, high utility bills, no walk in traffick due to parking. Tito - support your local downtown businesses. Support your local downtown city newspaper. We need your help.

Canada–Europe Summit: Turn Diplomatic Promises into Canadian Strength

by Maj (ret’d) CORNELIU, CHISU, CD, PMSC FEC, CET, P.Eng. Former Member of Parliament Pickering-Scarborough East The Canada–European Union summit concluded in Montréal on October 30 with an ambitious declaration and a practical challenge: turning a closer transatlantic relationship into greater Canadian strength. Prime Minister Mark Carney, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and European Council President António Costa launched an “Alliance for the Future,” setting out a broader partnership in trade, technology, resources and security. The meeting produced positive results. However, Canadians should judge its success by what follows: investments completed, exports expanded, industrial capacity strengthened and vulnerabilities reduced. A summit can establish direction. Governments and businesses must deliver the benefits. Canada needs this initiative to succeed. The case for diversifying our economic relationships is compelling. Maintaining a productive relationship with the United States remains essential, while expanding our options would give Canadian businesses greater resilience and our government more room to manoeuvre. Europe offers a serious opportunity. It brings sophisticated manufacturers, research institutions, investment capital and substantial demand for secure supplies. Canada brings resources, engineering expertise and considerable technological potential. Those complementary strengths deserve a disciplined strategy. Among the summit’s tangible outcomes was the conclusion of negotiations on a digital trade agreement. Ottawa also announced Canadian participation in the European High Performance Computing Joint Undertaking, opening access to advanced computing infrastructure. These measures could help businesses reach customers and researchers undertake work requiring computing capacity beyond their individual institutions. Their value will depend on accessibility. A smaller Canadian company needs clear instructions, manageable compliance costs and practical assistance entering European markets. Universities and emerging technology firms need to know how access will operate, what it will cost and how intellectual property will be protected. Trade policy succeeds when an entrepreneur can use it. The same principle applies to the Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement. The final statement reaffirmed effective implementation while acknowledging that member-state ratification processes remain underway. It also committed both sides to addressing trade barriers and improving regulatory cooperation. That work deserves sustained political attention. Negotiating agreements attracts headlines; resolving technical obstacles requires patience. Governments should identify the barriers causing the greatest commercial harm, assign responsibility for removing them and publish the results. Canadian exporters need predictable access and workable standards. Critical minerals offer another important opening. Canada signed a treaty framework allowing the European Investment Bank to invest in Canadian critical minerals projects. The two sides also announced work toward a framework involving raw materials investment and stockpiling. These are useful steps toward connecting Canadian production with European industrial requirements. However, financing opportunities must lead to operating projects. Canada should seek investment across extraction, processing, refining and manufacturing. The strongest outcome would combine export revenues with skilled employment, technical expertise and greater domestic industrial capacity. That requires electricity, transportation, credible project schedules and effective engagement with Indigenous communities. Governments must make sound decisions within predictable timelines. Investors cannot build a business case around indefinite uncertainty. Energy cooperation requires equal realism. The joint statement included a long-term feasibility study on liquefied natural gas exports to Europe, examining a potential expansion of the relationship. A study is a preliminary step; commercial commitments and infrastructure decisions will determine whether additional trade becomes viable. Canadian policy should therefore connect energy ambitions with engineering and economics. What supplies are available? Which routes are competitive? What infrastructure is required? Who will purchase the product, and under what terms? Clear answers would make the next stage more useful than another general declaration. Defence cooperation also produced evidence of commercial opportunity. Ottawa announced a contract worth more than $44 million for Montréal-based Galvion to provide military helmets to Latvia through the SAFE initiative. Such contracts demonstrate how international partnerships can generate work for Canadian industry. From a military engineering perspective, the broader objective should be dependable capacity: equipment that arrives when required, supply chains that withstand disruption and maintenance arrangements that keep systems operational. Canada should use cooperation with Europe to strengthen its own ability to produce, sustain and replenish essential equipment. The summit also advanced discussions on space cooperation, including negotiations concerning access to Galileo services and exploratory talks involving the IRIS secure communications system. These initiatives remain at different stages of development, but they address capabilities with clear civilian and defence relevance. For Canada, reliable navigation and communications have particular importance across vast distances and in the Arctic. Cooperation should expand operational options while supporting Canadian expertise and infrastructure. Sovereignty becomes meaningful when a country can maintain essential services and act effectively under pressure. The language surrounding the future political relationship requires care. Ottawa described a path toward associate membership. The joint statement committed the parties to defining an ever-closer association by the 2027 summit. The substance of that arrangement remains to be negotiated. Canadians deserve a clear explanation of any proposed obligations, financial commitments and regulatory consequences. Parliament should examine those details. A stronger partnership will command greater public confidence when its practical advantages and responsibilities are understood. The immediate task is implementation. Ottawa should publish a concise delivery plan identifying what was concluded, what requires negotiation, which departments are responsible and when Canadians can expect progress. Provinces, industry and research institutions should have defined roles where their participation is necessary. Success should be measured through completed investments, additional exports, usable research opportunities and stronger defence production. Promised affordability benefits should face the same scrutiny: Canadians will assess them through their household finances. Montréal established a promising direction. Carney and his European counterparts deserve credit for advancing a relationship with considerable strategic potential. The responsibility now rests with those charged with carrying it forward. Canada has secured an opportunity to broaden its markets and strengthen its independence. The next test is whether we can build, produce and deliver.

Pickering has found room in its priorities for a wooden sculpture with a spending allowance of $30,000.

By John Meloche Pickering has found room in its priorities for a wooden sculpture with a spending allowance of $30,000. Residents should take a good look. It offers a revealing picture of how comfortably City Hall spends money that belongs to everyone else. The artwork hangs inside council chambers renovated under an approved project cost of approximately $3.3 million. Its polished wooden forms curl into two loops, joined by twisting, leaflike shapes. From a distance, it resembles an elongated figure eight. The city calls it Je Me Souviens and describes themes of memory, growth and time. I see an expensive flourish that council should have had the discipline to question. The authorized maximum was $30,000; the final invoice should be public. But the spending decision itself deserves criticism. Council looked at a room already receiving millions in renovations and decided an additional artistic centrepiece belonged on the shopping list. Why? Accessibility improvements have a practical purpose. Working microphones have a practical purpose. Security has a practical purpose. Council should explain exactly what justified this decorative purchase and why a less expensive option would not do. “Art is valuable” is an argument for appreciating art. It is an inadequate explanation for a particular public expenditure. And the sculpture is only one example. Council endorsed Heritage Tree for the Dorsay Community & Heritage Centre at a net project cost of $112,566.43 in September 2025. A year later, it endorsed another artwork for the centre’s west garden at the same stated net project cost. Two commissions. More than $225,000. Somebody is doing well out of these investments. But is it the city? Residents deserve more than descriptions of cultural identity and attractive gathering spaces. They deserve evidence that the benefits justify the price.The approval rules make this spending even more troubling. A 2023 city report identified $25,000 as the threshold above which public art required council approval. The current purchasing policy sets that threshold above $100,000. Council’s answer to expensive art purchases should have been stronger scrutiny. Instead, the threshold for requiring its approval has quadrupled. Management approvals and budget controls remain. But individual purchases up to that higher threshold can proceed without the separate council approval previously required. That means fewer occasions when elected representatives must publicly defend these purchases. I consider that a retreat from accountability. If council is proud of this spending, let councillors explain each substantial purchase in public. Let residents hear the alternatives, the costs and the reasons for proceeding. Dorsey James, the chamber sculpture’s creator, also has several other works listed in Pickering’s public art collection. The city should publish a complete history of its paid commissions and restoration work, including payments to him and other artists. Residents should be able to assess the whole bill. A Public Art Reserve does not make spending painless. Money already set aside still requires judgment before it is spent. I lost the election. I have not lost my voice. Returning elected officials can expect me to keep examining these decisions. Winning an election does not turn wasteful spending into good judgment In my view, this is precisely where council needs to cut back: discretionary purchases whose public benefit has not been convincingly demonstrated. Publish the invoices. Disclose the maintenance costs. Restore stronger oversight. Defend the spending. City Hall can admire its sculpture. Residents should examine the bill.

The value of naming a beneficiary!

By Bruno Scanga Using a insurance contracts to reduce estate expenses naming a beneficiary is an important part of your estate planning process. When you name someone other than the estate as beneficiary of an insurance contract, the insurance company is obligated, under the Insurance Act, to pay any death benefit proceeds directly to the named beneficiary on record, avoiding the estate. Having the death benefit proceeds avoid the estate provides many advantages. This can avoid the delays of settling the estate, including estate litigation (such as will challenges), and bypass probate (probate fees vary by province) and other estate administration fees. Other estate administration, accounting, and legal fees could add up to another five per cent or more depending on the complexity of the estate—money not going to your loved ones. Market risk/liquidity settling an estate can be lengthy, frequently taking months or even years if the will is challenged or there’s other estate litigation. During this time, the investments are often frozen and exposed to market risks (e.g., a market correction). Instead, when a beneficiary is named, the death benefit proceeds are usually paid quicker upon receipt of proper documentation. This puts money in the beneficiary’s hands quickly to use as they see fit and significantly reduces exposure to market risks. Having even a portion of your estate with an insurance company can provide beneficiaries with much needed cash, alleviating the stress of having to pay any outstanding expenses and incoming bills while they wait for other funds from the settlement of the estate. Assets not subject to the deceased’s creditors When assets flow through an estate (which generally occurs when non-registered assets are paid by financial institutions other than insurance companies), they may become vulnerable to the deceased’s creditors. Beneficiaries could receive a substantially smaller inheritance if assets are not protected. Having the death benefit proceeds bypass the estate offers potential protection from estate creditors. To control this concern you can use the annuity settlement option to automatically transfer fund proceeds upon death into an annuity and specify scheduled payments for the beneficiaries. This is useful if you are concerned about your beneficiaries’ ability to manage money and prefer to have the proceeds and future interest paid out to them gradually over time. Ease the burden on the executor. While being an executor can be very rewarding; it’s also a big responsibility that comes with the risk of personal liability. By having assets dealt with outside of your estate so your executor doesn’t have to manage them, you can ease the burden and reduce the risk for your executor. Privacy Bypassing probate also preserves confidentiality as probate is a matter of public record; payments made by insurance companies are generally a private matter. This can be beneficial in situations where you and want to keep your wishes private and undisclosed between family members. When you name a beneficiary with insurance segregated fund contracts and guaranteed interest accounts (GIAs), you can keep more of your money in your family. Remember no question is to silly as one question can save you and your family substantial amounts of money!

The Emergency

By Gary Payne, MBA At North House in Uxbridge, the new food pantry offers something you might not expect to need when picking up groceries. An appointment. Clients register, then book half an hour to choose from shelves stocked with food and household essentials. If they can’t get there, staff can help them choose by phone or video and arrange delivery. When the pantry opened in September, its staff explained why that mattered. In a small town, you can run into somebody you know almost anywhere. Executive director Nathan Gardner mentioned the possibility of meeting someone from school or work while asking for help. Jennifer MacKay, North House’s housing services manager, said the appointments offered a degree of privacy that wasn’t always possible elsewhere. I’d never given much thought to that part of visiting a food bank. Needing the groceries is difficult enough. Then there’s the possibility of everyone knowing you need them. On Jan. 16, 1981, the Edmonton Gleaners Association became Canada’s first food bank. Its founders had noticed two things: people were going hungry, and perfectly edible food was being wasted. They wanted to connect the two. Food banks spread through the recession years that followed. In 2001, Edmonton’s Food Bank published a history to mark its 20th anniversary. Eleanor Boddy, chair of its board, acknowledged the contributions of volunteers and donors, but also wrote, “It is unfortunate that the need for a Food Bank in Edmonton continues.” That was 25 years ago. Even then, the anniversary wasn’t entirely a celebration. On Oct. 21, Food Banks Canada released its latest HungerCount report. It describes a system designed as a temporary emergency response, now being asked to provide long-term support. Temporary is an odd word for something that turned forty-five in January. Across Canada, food banks recorded more than two million visits in March. Here in Durham, Feed the Need’s network of food banks and other community food programs recorded more than 880,000 visits over the past year. Those are visits, not different people. Nearly one in five food bank clients nationally reports employment as the main source of income. Feed the Need says one in four Durham households experiences food insecurity. Having work, it seems, no longer guarantees having enough for groceries. I wouldn’t put any of this at the feet of donors. North House’s pantry came together through community donations and partnerships. It isn’t intended to replace Loaves and Fishes, but to work alongside it. The problem is that even the best-stocked pantry can’t make rent cheaper or stretch a paycheque any further. Back in Uxbridge, North House has made room for people to choose their groceries without worrying so much about who might see them. It’s a thoughtful thing to do. We keep finding thoughtful ways to live with an emergency that was supposed to be temporary.

Under The Influence

By Wayne and Tamara I'm hoping you can help me discover the moral answer to a dilemma I recently encountered. I know I am not the only woman who has and will face this question, so I do hope you will print an answer. I recently met a very nice man (I thought) who lives about 40 miles away. We had a very nice date and he was a perfect gentleman. I eagerly accepted a second date with him in my locale. We had drinks, and he drank more than he should have, which is where my question comes in. As we drew the evening to a close he asked if he could hang at my house for awhile so he wouldn't drive 40 miles under the influence. I did not like this because I'm used to guys using this ploy to try to become intimate, and because people should be responsible and not drink too much when they need to drive. If I said no, that meant I could be putting him on the road to, at best, get a DWI and, at worst, kill someone. (I don't know how intoxicated he was; he seemed fine to me.) Against my better judgment, I allowed him to come into my home, where he almost immediately set on the path to become intimate with me. When I tried to send him home, he said he still was in no position to drive. I allowed him to stay and kicked him out in the early a.m. I'm still angry because I had laid out my boundaries very clearly. I didn't want him in my house, and I did not want to be intimate. But he obviously cared little about my feelings. In the future, what are my moral obligations in this situation? Do I tell him to drive home, make him sleep in his car (which means he'll drive home), or allow him to sleep on my couch (which puts my safety in danger and simply isn't what I want)? Jill Jill, Gavin de Becker once remarked, “The best cons make the victim want to participate,” and that explains this situation. This man tried to use your own niceness and sense of responsibility against you. de Becker calls the strategy “forced teaming.” In forced teaming one party tries to create a predicament which requires both parties to solve. The goal is to make the innocent party feel “we are in this together.” But that is never the case. Moral responsibility is not assignable. Someone who says “Stop me or I’ll do something bad” produces no moral obligation in you. It is simply the strategy of a person running a con. If there is a moral lesson here which applies to you, it is this. It is not right to allow a person to trick you and get away with it. Instead of getting you drunk so he could take advantage of you, he got himself drunk—or so he said—so he could take advantage of you. That may be a reversal of an old ploy, but the intent is identical. In relationships, people with bad intentions often pull good people off their path. An old adage says, a teaspoon of sewage will spoil a barrel of wine, but a teaspoon of wine will never improve a barrel of sewage. If this man had achieved intimacy with you, you might be tempted to think of this as a relationship and him as a possible husband. That would have you living in his world. But even if we assume he didn’t scheme this out and simply has a problem with alcohol, it doesn’t put him in a better light. Dating a budding alcoholic is of no advantage to you. It still makes him a man you don’t want. We don’t have the right to change others and seldom do we have the power.

What Does Consent Mean Now?

Common Sense Health – Diana Gifford-Jones Children learn the rudiments of consent long before anyone uses the word. We teach them to ask before taking another child's toy, to distinguish common from personal spaces, and to understand that not everyone wants a hug or a kiss. People have boundaries, and we must respect them. As adults, we learn the principle is considerably more complicated. And these days, it’s getting hard to follow. Sexual consent is now understood as an ongoing, voluntary agreement rather than something implied by a previous encounter, a relationship or even a marriage. In health care situations, patients are expected to participate in decisions about their care instead of simply deferring to professional authority. And in our digital lives, we are asked to consent to the collection, storage and use of personal information, often without much idea of what we are agreeing to. Informed consent has long been central to medical ethics, grounded in the idea that people have a right to make decisions about their own bodies. Yet the shift away from medical paternalism has been significant. A patient should understand the proposed treatment, its risks, the alternatives, and the consequences of refusing it. Signing a form is no substitute for a meaningful conversation. Now consider what happens when artificial intelligence enters the consulting room. AI can assist with interpreting medical images, identifying patterns in patient records, producing clinical notes and informing treatment recommendations. Patients may not know when AI is involved, what role it plays in a decision, or how much weight a clinician gives its conclusions. In a September 2026 editorial in The American Journal of Bioethics, Harvard Medical School researchers Marina Hovhannisyan and J. Wesley Boyd raise concerns. Traditional consent assumes that a patient is authorizing a reasonably defined intervention. AI systems, however, can be updated, retrained and used in new ways after that initial agreement. The authors argue that meaningful consent in AI-assisted care needs to be an ongoing process, with greater transparency about the technology's role and significant changes in its use. Consent given today cannot apply to a technology that changes tomorrow. Nor should patients be expected to understand the technical workings of a complex algorithm before they can make a reasonable decision about their care. Health institutions have a responsibility to explain what matters in terms ordinary people can understand. Think of the routine click on “I agree” that allows us to use an online service. We may be authorizing the collection of location data, the analysis of our behaviour or the processing of photographs and messages. How long the information will be retained? Who else might gain access? How might it be used in the future? Refusing permission invariably means losing access to a needed service. Is that meaningful consent, or the price of admission? There is also a question of power. A patient may feel unable to refuse a recommended procedure. An employee may be reluctant to challenge an employer's request for personal information. A consumer may have little practical choice if every available service demands the same permissions. A formal yes does not establish that a person understood the implications or felt free to refuse. None of this means that consent has become an obsolete idea. Quite the opposite. As technology gives institutions and companies greater capacity to collect information, influence decisions and act on our behalf, the principle of personal autonomy becomes more important. But the responsibility for protecting it cannot rest solely with individuals. These are questions for doctors, technology developers, lawmakers, educators and the public – not just for the person clicking the “I agree” button.

Oshawa Once Helped Change Canada. Why Can't It Do It Again?

By Dale Jodoin Columnist                                               Have you ever wondered how many inventions began with somebody sitting in a little workshop, scratching their head and saying, "There has to be a better way"? We tend to imagine inventions coming from expensive laboratories, universities or scientists with impressive degrees. But sometimes history tells a different story. Take Oshawa, Ontario. Most Canadians know Oshawa for General Motors. But long before the automobile assembly lines, this community was already making a name for itself through craftsmanship and innovation. In 1880, Robert McLaughlin patented an improved steering mechanism known as the McLaughlin Gear, helping establish his reputation as a carriage maker. Imagine Oshawa back then. Dirt roads, horses pulling wagons, blacksmiths hammering away and craftsmen building things by hand. Nobody was talking about electric vehicles or artificial intelligence. Yet the foundation of an automobile industry was taking shape. By 1907, the McLaughlin company was experimenting with automobiles. In 1908, Oshawa craftsmen were building bodies for McLaughlin Buick cars. One generation built transportation powered by horses. The next helped put Canadians behind steering wheels. Then there was the Pedlar company, manufacturing metal roofing, decorative building materials and prefabricated structures that travelled beyond Oshawa. Not everything was invented here. Sometimes innovation means taking an existing idea and making it better. But here's something we forget. We remember the wealthy industrialists. Their names appear on buildings, streets and historical plaques. What about the ordinary workers? The machinist who improved a piece of equipment. The carpenter who discovered a better way to build something. The factory worker who had an idea nobody bothered to listen to. How many inventions never saw daylight because somebody lacked the money or connections to develop them? And that brings me to Oshawa today. We hear plenty about economic development, innovation and attracting investment. City plans are filled with impressive language. But what does any of that mean to the ordinary person sitting at a kitchen table with an invention? Someone who has built something different but doesn't know where to take it? Are we helping that person, or simply waiting for another large corporation to arrive? Here's an idea for Oshawa's next city council. Why not hold regular public invention fairs? Not expensive conferences where everybody wears a suit and talks about millions of dollars. I'm talking about opening a community centre or public building and inviting ordinary people to bring their inventions. A retired mechanic with a new tool. A grandmother who designed something useful for the kitchen. A student with a simple mechanical idea. A tradesperson who figured out how to make a difficult job easier. Give them tables, demonstration space and an opportunity to show what they've created. Invite local manufacturers, machinists, business owners and people who understand patents and product development. Let inventors meet people who might help turn their ideas into something real. Universities and colleges could participate, but they shouldn't control the event. This should belong to the people. And participation should be affordable, preferably free. Perhaps one invention becomes a business employing five people. Another becomes a product manufactured locally. A third might never succeed, but its creator learns something valuable. Isn't that how innovation begins? Oshawa doesn't need another impressive report sitting on a shelf. It needs opportunities where ordinary people can walk through the door and be taken seriously. We cannot bring back yesterday, but we can give tomorrow's inventors a chance. And this isn't just about Oshawa. Every community across Canada has people with ideas, skills and imagination. So the next time you're sitting around the coffee table, ask yourself something. What did your little community invent or improve that helped change Canada? And perhaps the bigger question is this. How many inventions that could change Canada tomorrow are sitting in somebody's garage today, simply because nobody has opened the door?

Five Truths Job Seekers Keep Refusing to Accept

By Nick Kossovan Punching a brick wall will fracture your hand. Yelling at the rainstorm you got caught in won't keep you from getting soaked. Fighting realities you can't change isn't a how-to-live-life strategy or a job-search strategy; it's self-sabotage. Yet many job seekers waste time and energy raging against ingrained hiring realities, growing bitter and angry when their expectations aren't met, which prolongs their job search. Job seekers who refrain from complaining about how employers hire and adopt the AAA approach land jobs faster than those who complain about hiring practices. · Acknowledge the unyielding realities of hiring and the wisdom to know what you can't control. · Accept that you can't change them and find serenity in letting go of what's beyond your control. · Adapt your strategy and have the courage to change what's entirely within your control: your actions. AAA mirrors Reinhold Niebuhr's Serenity Prayer, "God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, courage to change the things I can, and wisdom to know the difference," and acknowledges the fundamental truth that employers control their capital, workplace, and hiring process. Succeeding in today's job market requires letting go of misconceptions about "fairness" and any sense of entitlement you may have, and embracing the following five truisms: 1. The Law of Supply and Demand As a job seeker, you're offering labour, a commodity governed by supply and demand. When hundreds of job seekers have qualifications similar to yours, your market value declines. Expecting top-dollar compensation when employers are flooded with applications is like selling sand at the beach; no amount of self-importance can change the law of supply and demand. Positioning yourself as a rare commodity is how you overcome supply and demand. Generic qualifications in a job market full of them don't show what every employer wants: measurable results that boost profitability. Present yourself as a value proposition by quantifying past achievements in dollars, percentages, or time saved. 2. Job Searching Is a Winner-Take-All Competition A job search is a winner-take-all contest with one trophy: a job. Finishing second is no better than finishing last: no job. You don't win by regurgitating job descriptions; you win by treating every application like a title fight. Find where the company's bleeding, show performance metrics proving you've stopped that bleeding elsewhere, and make the hiring manager say, "I've got to meet this person!" 3. Hiring Is a Process of Elimination Recruiters and hiring managers don't scan resumes for reasons to hire you; they look for reasons to rule you out. Consider the math: 500 people apply, and only one gets the job. That means 499 were eliminated at some point in the hiring process. While there are countless reasons you could be eliminated, the four main ones are: · Mistakes and Errors: Typos, spelling and grammar errors, or a chaotic layout suggest you'll deliver low-quality work. · Lack of Alignment: Your resume and LinkedIn profile don't explicitly reflect the core skills the job posting requests. · Unexplained Employment Gaps: Employers view employment gaps as a red flag and can easily avoid candidates with gaps by not interviewing them. · Overqualification: Many employers see overqualified candidates as flight risks, expect higher compensation, and are harder to manage. You significantly increase your odds of avoiding elimination by ensuring your resume and LinkedIn profile are error-free, skimmable, and laser-focused on the position's required qualifications and experience, and by explaining any employment gaps. 4. Perception Is Reality In hiring, perception is the deciding factor. While your resume and LinkedIn profile create the initial impression that either compels the recruiter or hiring manager to reach out to you or eliminates you, the vetting phone call, video interview, and face-to-face interview are all important for shaping perceptions and, fingers crossed, preventing elimination. Every word you say, every shift in your tone, and every visual cue contribute to your interviewer's impression of you. For example, saying you want a "stable" environment often comes across as "can't handle change." (What workplace is stable these days?) How you dress, read the room, project confidence, and handle tough questions trumps your qualifications and experience. Show up underdressed or overdressed for their culture, and you signal that you don't fit in. If you get defensive or deflect blame when asked about a past failure, you'll be labelled arrogant and unmanageable. At the risk of sounding philosophical: you don't own how others interpret your actions; you only own the evidence of your choices. 5. Your Lifestyle Overhead Is Your Responsibility, Not the Employer's I've never known an employer who hires candidates to help fund the lifestyle they created. Your mortgage, car payments, and debts are irrelevant when a company sets a role's pay baseline. Employers determine your value by what you contribute to the bottom line. Show that contribution while taking personal responsibility: either shrink your lifestyle or expand your skill set. Getting angry at hiring realities won't change them; you'll only deplete your stamina and prolong your unemployment. You can't force employers to change how they hire. Accept what you can't change, use the AAA approach, and land your next job.

When it comes to providing security for my home and or business, what type of security is most effective?

By Tom Reimer Protecting a home or business requires more than a single security product. Criminals often seek the weakest point of entry, making a layered security strategy the most effective approach. Security alarms, locks and doors, security film, security screens, and security glass each provide different forms of protection. Understanding their advantages and limitations can help property owners choose the right combination for their needs. Security alarms are among the most common security measures. Modern alarm systems can detect intrusions, motion, glass breakage, smoke, and other threats. Their primary advantage is immediate notification. When an alarm is triggered, the owner, monitoring center, or authorities can be alerted quickly. However, alarms do not physically stop a break-in. A thief may still gain access before police or security personnel arrive. While highly effective as a deterrent and early warning system, alarms are best paired with physical security solutions. Locks and reinforced doors provide the foundation of physical security. High-quality deadbolts, commercial-grade hardware, and steel-reinforced doors can significantly slow forced entry attempts. Strong doors create an important barrier that can discourage criminals looking for an easy target. Their weakness, however, is that they only protect designated entry points. If windows or glass storefronts remain vulnerable, intruders may simply bypass the door altogether. Even the strongest lock is only as secure as the frame and structure surrounding it. Security film offers an affordable way to strengthen existing glass. Applied directly to windows or doors, the film helps hold shattered glass together when impacted. This can delay entry, reduce injury from flying shards, and increase the effort required for a break-in. Security film is often used in homes, offices, and retail environments because it is relatively inexpensive compared to replacing glass. However, the glass itself can still break, and determined attackers may eventually penetrate it through repeated strikes. Security screens add another layer of protection by covering doors and windows with reinforced mesh and durable frames. They provide excellent resistance to cutting, prying, and kicking while still allowing ventilation and visibility. Security screens are popular in residential applications where airflow and comfort are important. Although effective, they work best alongside strong locks and other protective measures rather than as a standalone solution. Security glass provides the highest level of protection among these options. Unlike ordinary glass, security glazing is designed to resist impact, remain intact after repeated strikes, and significantly delay or prevent forced entry. Laminated and high-security glazing systems are commonly used in jewelry stores, pharmacies, financial institutions, and other high-risk environments. Unlike security film, which strengthens existing glass, security glass is engineered from the ground up to resist attack. Ultimately, the strongest security strategy combines multiple layers of protection. Alarms provide notification, locks secure access points, security film reinforces existing windows, screens add another physical barrier, and security glass delivers superior resistance against forced entry. When used together, these solutions create a comprehensive defense that protects people, property, and valuable assets while greatly reducing opportunities for criminals to succeed. For businesses facing smash-and-grab risks and homeowners seeking maximum protection, security glass remains the most powerful physical barrier, while alarms, locks, film, and screens work together to form a complete security solution.