STUGOTS $1.80

STUGOTS $1.80 By Rosaldo Russo Allow me to begin this column by thanking the Oshawa/Central newspaper for allowing me the opportunity and access to the press. Not to many if any allow an average person like me to tell the world what I see and think. In my opinion. The Editor/Publisher is a real upstanding type of guy. He shoots from the hip and hold traditional core values. My name is Rosaldo Russo. I came to this great country to make a better life for myself and my family. I thank Canada for everything it has allowed me to do and earn. I worked construction all my life. I know the value of hard work and honesty. I remember as a boy my father always telling me to work hard and buy land. So I did. I remember days when I did not have enough to eat. I go to work... but I did not wait for hand outs. I rounded up my pride my skill and my determination to succeed and went to work. In those days the only benefits we received was the fact we were employed. Before retiring I was the owner and operator of local material supply company that allowed me to retired without worry. Now that I have time to enjoy life. I look around me and have some concern for future generations. I see that the world is finished. Before anyone gets offended. Let me explain what Stugots means.... Stugots is Italian mob slang lingo - Italian term that refers to the male genetalia. It is used to describe an idiot or a jerk. Now, I think that later is more descriptive of how our government treat us. The first more like those we elect to office. I read a report on Monday warning me that by the end of the week the gas could go up as much as fourteen cents. Managia, fourteen cents... Che Fai, then they tell us on Wednesday that lucky us we may see gas prices drop as much as four cents. Now am I blind, stupid or plain retarded? They raise 14 on Friday, the following Monday they drop four cents... They still stuck it to us for ten cents... But this is not the worst. This mathematical conundrum is an open license for grocery stores to jump their prices in the name of high fuel costs. I say, Bull dingy. This is an outright rip off. Not only is it bad that people can’t pay for the inflated food prices. Now they will not be able to afford gas to go to work and make the little they make to pay for groceries. Come on people. Where is the Canadian red blood? Is it not time for Canadians to grow some grapes and call the government out. We can send millions if not billions to fight loosing foreign wars. We can’t take care of young families wanting to start a new life but can’t due to the outrageous house prices. Now they can’t even afford to drive to work. They surely will not be able to pay for food. $14.00/lb for beef at some stores. Hamburger almost $10/lb. Are you kidding me. But wait. We the apologetic people of Canada may go hungry and homeless before we figure it out. WE ARE GETTING SCREWED AND FORCED TO LIKE IT. Let’s send a clear messages that those Stugots we elected will not treat us the hard working tax paying Stugots like a bunch of Stugots. Oh Canada... Our home and native Stugots.

Safe streets act

Safe streets act By Dale Jodoin In a significant legal development, the Ontario courts have partially overturned the Safe Streets Act, specifically targeting provisions that have long been a cornerstone in regulating public solicitation. The court struck down sections related to "aggressive solicitation" and location-based restrictions, such as near ATMs, public toilets, and transit stops, deeming them unconstitutional. These sections were criticized for violating the freedom of expression and the presumption of innocence. The ruling has not completely dismantled the Safe Streets Act. Certain elements, like the ban on stepping onto roadways to solicit funds from drivers and engaging in solicitation aggressively, still stand, highlighting a compromise between public safety and individual rights. However, this decision stirs a complex debate about the impact of panhandling on local businesses and public safety, particularly in downtown areas. Before this ruling, it was rare to enforce the now-overturned restrictions rigorously, yet they offered a sense of security to businesses and pedestrians. The presence of panhandlers around sensitive areas like banks and businesses historically created a tense atmosphere, with incidents of aggression when panhandlers were refused money. This, understandably, sparked fear and discomfort, contributing to a perception of insecurity that could drive businesses out of downtown cores. Critics argue that the relaxed restrictions may lead to a "free-for-all" situation, where increased panhandling could negatively affect local commerce. Business owners, who contribute significantly to municipal taxes, feel particularly aggrieved. They argue that their taxes help fund social services that assist the homeless and other vulnerable populations, yet their businesses suffer from the very issues they help address. Furthermore, the economic strain on everyday citizens is palpable. With taxes rising to accommodate social programs and the cost of living increasing, the public’s capacity to give charitably is stretched thin. The frustration is evident as people feel pressured into giving directly on the streets, while also contributing through taxes. This scenario creates a double-edged sword: there is a desire to help those in need, but resentment builds as personal financial burdens grow. The court’s decision h

as opened a can of worms regarding the balance between individual rights and community welfare. The question arises: were the judges and policymakers out of touch with the daily realities of downtown businesses and safety? The original intent of the Safe Streets Act was to protect both the public and the vulnerable, yet its partial repeal raises concerns about whether true balance can be achieved. As Ontario grapples with these changes, the future of downtown safety and economic stability hangs in the balance. It remains to be seen how this decision will affect the dynamics of charity, business, and public welfare in the long term. For many, this ruling is not just about constitutional rights but also about maintaining a quality of life that keeps downtown areas thriving and safe for everyone.

Side Hustle Culture: Extending Our Working Hours to Keep Up Appearances

By Nick Kossovan I'm sure you're aware of all the side hustle evangelists online touting that everyone should have a side hustle, peddling their "side hustle formula" and "get-rich-quick" schemes. They portray having a side hustle as a glamorous pursuit of ambition, masking the fundamental motivator: additional income to keep up appearances. Having said this, I can't make this assertion without acknowledging that the workplace has become an existential nightmare. AI, automation, and robotics eliminating jobs, social media's emergence and CEOs creating headline-making layoffs every time the economy sneezes are partially fueling the side hustle culture; however, these aren't the primary reasons for the trend. The reason is the implied social contract—never promised—of working 40 hours per week in exchange for enough money to live on defaulted long ago. Nine-to-five has become an existential nightmare. Many millennials and Gen Zs, enough for employers to make sweeping generalizations about their work ethics, have come to feel that nine-to-five offers little in return for all the demands they feel it places on them. Putting in an eight-hour workday, plus commute time, is unappealing—downright distasteful—when carrying the sense of entitlement narrative "I'm better than this." What is appealing is the "Image is everything" lifestyle social media influencers and marketing propaganda promote. Having a second, sometimes third, job to supplement one's income to pay the bills and make ends meet has always been common. However, our consumerism—bills—have dramatically changed since the advent of the Internet and social media. Today, our consumerism revolves around looking rich and impressing. What ends—what bills—are those with a side hustle trying to meet? Based on my observations, I'd say that most people who claim they have difficulty making ends meet prioritize having the latest iPhone, wearing designer clothes, and living in a house larger than they need over being prudent with their money. Most North Americans could downsize their lifestyle by half and live far more comfortably than most worldwide. Contrary to our first-world lifestyle, characterized by financial waste and its multitude of negative environmental impacts, according to the World Bank Group, half of the global population lives on less than $6.85US a day. Westerners live a lifestyle most of the world's population doesn't come close to living. Easy access to credit makes it possible to make $60K a year and appear, by your spending, to make $120K a year. However, credit requires interest-bearing repayment. Instead of cutting back on using credit (read: downsizing your lifestyle), many start a side hustle—Grind! Grind! Grind!—to keep their facade of prosperity visible. Thanks to constantly evolving psychologically penetrating marketing techniques and social media, a godsend to marketers, keeping up with the Jones has never been more prevalent. Apart from lottery winners and those who received an inheritance, rich people are rich because they've adopted the habit of prioritizing saving and investing BEFORE spending. (Paying yourself first, while not sexy, is stoic money management advice that, when followed, significantly benefits your financial health.) Your only glimpse of the rich is how they spend money on things you wish you had. Unseen: Most of their income goes towards savings and investments. They only spend a portion of their income. Many people have a hard time managing their money because they copy the spending style of those with money rather than how they earn and manage their money. Many will cite that the side hustle culture offers an opportunity to "pursue one's passion." What does this even mean? Is making money from one's passion a requirement? A person who says they're passionate about ceramics certainly doesn't mean they're passionate about spending several hours a week researching social media trends, handling paperwork, and marketing their hand-made pottery business. Turning your hobby into a side hustle is turning your hobby into work. Furthermore, if the money generated from that work is to help finance keeping up appearances, is it still a work of passion? We need three things to survive: food, water, and protection from the elements (shelter and clothing). Everything else exists for comfort; hence, most things only exist for us to buy and for someone to make money. The side hustle culture trend didn't arise out of survival necessity, to make financial stability (read: savings, investing) fashionable or because people have become more ambitious. It emerged because someone saw, and many others followed, they could profit from our fear of how others will judge our lifestyle. Ultimately, the side hustle culture reflects a broader societal problem: our obsession with appearances and materialism. Our pursuit of material wealth comes at the cost of being trapped in a cycle of consumerism, constantly chasing the latest trends and accruing debt. Our respective finances and the environment would greatly benefit from starting and embracing a new trend that celebrates contentment and financial prudence over keeping up appearances. Let's call it aligning your lifestyle with your income. _____________________________________________________________________ Nick Kossovan, a well-seasoned veteran of the corporate landscape, offers advice on searching for a job. You can send him your questions at artoffindingwork@gmail.com

Go Generals Go

By Joe Ingino Editor/Publisher ACCOMPLISHED WRITER/AUTHOR OF OVER 800,000 Published Columns in Canada and The United States “I live a dream in a nightmare world” Always Remember That The cosmic blueprint of your life was written in code across the sky at the moment you were born. Decode Your Life By Living It Without Regret or Sorrow. - ONE DAY AT A TIME - What great news. The Oshawa Generals hockey team is on a roll. They are having an awesome season. One would think that with the Oshawa 100th anniversary that the City would be on fire in celebration. Or at the least the Region celebrating it’s 50th anniversary. The City and or the Region would be capitalizing on the great achievements of the Oshawa Generals and use this opportunity to bring tourism to the region. No, instead we get the same old same old. Instead of painting the City of Oshawa red white and blue in support of the Generals. What do we have. A bunch of street banners promoting a college. Come on people, who is doing the thinking at City hall? No wonder the City of Oshawa is in such condition. Nothing, but hookers, drug addicts and the homeless. To ad insult to injury. The City does not promote any of it’s events. No notices are being published. Road closures, construction, community events, important notices, facility closures, 100th celebration events. Nothing. When was the last time you seen a notice or event published in your community newspaper. The Durham Region is having changes to garbage collection. Have you seen it published? The Region is having a battery recycling event, road closures, and many important events that you should know about.... have you seen it published any place? I know that if I had been elected to office. I would have used this 100th opportunity to unite our community. To host events every week that catered to family interests. We have 2 million dollars to waste on a quasi militia security firm... for whose benefit? We have bylaw and the police. Why do we need 2 million wasted on a private firm. I would use that money to host events. To create programs for the homeless so they do not have to sleep on our streets. Give them opportunity. I would promote the Generals efforts by encouraging local business to give discounts to people coming in to their stores wearing Generals wear. I would use the momentum to raise money that would go to children programs and to feed those in need. We have a great opportunity on our front doors and the door of opportunity is being shut. So, sad to see such opportunities come and go. Well, In my opinion we should all be behind the accomplishments of the Oshawa General and wish them the best of luck in their next series. The road to success is a long one. GO GENERAL GO.

Canadian Federal Government Announces New Rules on Capital Gains Tax

By Daryl Ching, CFA | Managing Partner Vistance Capital Advisory The recently announced changes by the federal government to the capital gains tax rules are terrible news for SMEs in Canada who are ultimately looking to sell their businesses. In accordance with the 2024 federal budget unveiled yesterday, the taxable portion of capital gains increases from 50% to 67% for capital gains in excess of $250,000, and tax is subject to personal income tax levels, which we all know are one of the highest in the world. Most small businesses that I work with certainly expect to sell their businesses for much more than that. By comparison, the long-term capital gains tax rate in the US for assets held for more than a year is 15-20%. Assuming you hit the top income tax bracket, Canadians will effectively pay 33.5% on capital gain upon selling an asset, which may potentially be more than double what a US citizen would pay. The capital gains tax impacts a number of parties: · Business owners selling their businesses · Individuals or corporations that make investments in stocks · Real estate investors · Individual employees that opt for stock options when they take a position in a startup firm When you consider the recent triple whammy from the federal government, this puts considerable strain on SMEs that are still struggling to survive in the post-COVID world: · $40K CEBA repayments in January · Shut down of CDAP - grants for digital adoption · Increase in capital gains tax rate The ripple effect from this announcement can be massive. Investors who put their capital into private businesses looking for a return will be deterred from continuing to support SMEs in Canada. For those business owners that were thinking about moving their business to another jurisdiction, this announcement is yet another push in that direction. If they decide to pack up and move their headquarters elsewhere, we will see job losses and a loss in economic activity. Canada already provides a challenging environment for a startup company with insufficient sources of capital at an early stage. This will be yet another deterrent for that entrepreneur looking to take a substantial personal risk to start a business. For those who believe this is simply taxing the rich to redistribute wealth to those more in need, I believe that opinion is oversimplified. I would support that argument if the federal government implemented an inheritance tax or a wealth tax, which taxes the net worth of wealthy individuals, a concept that has been floated around by politicians like Elizabeth Warren in the US. However, the effective capital gains tax rate was intentionally set up to be lower due to the recognition that activities that generate capital gains involve capital expenditures where individuals or businesses take on risk that may at some point in the future yield a large return. These individuals are not necessarily wealthy today and theoretically should be rewarded for taking that risk. Individuals taking risks lead to greater innovation, better products and services for consumers, more jobs for Canadians, and higher overall productivity in the country. This is a sad day for Canadian SMEs.

Pickering Council In a 6 to 1 vote On Board For a Way To Expel Members

By Lisa Robinson - Pickering City Councillor Lately, there has been considerable talk surrounding municipal governments endorsing recommendations of the Association of Municipalities of Ontario (AMO), to call on the Provincial Government to amend the Municipal Act to have the power to remove a sitting elected official from Municipal office, prioritizing the interests of municipal elites over those of ordinary citizens. This is a blatant disregard for democratic principles and the rights of elected officials to represent the diverse views and interests of their constituents. This proposal by way of a motion has been circulating from municipality to municipality with the hope of granting Integrity Commissioners and City Councillors the power to remove a fellow sitting council member based on their subjected interpretations of their conduct, rather than objective criteria. This development should raise serious concerns not only among municipal elected officials who resist conforming to the status quo or willing to engage in political posturing, but also among the electorate who voted for them. It presents a worrisome scenario wherein council members could potentially abuse their power and manipulate the system to target colleagues with differing views or whom they perceive as threats. Granting municipalities the authority to apply to a member of the judiciary to remove a sitting member, based on the recommendation of a “CITY PAID Integrity Commissioner”, lacks transparency and accountability. It also 100 percent creates a system where the removal of elected officials could be influenced by political motivations by either municipal staff, council, or a biased Integrity commissioner rather than genuine concerns about misconduct. If that wasn’t enough, the proposal also includes a clause to prohibit a member if removed from office, from sitting for election in the subsequent term which further raises a huge red flag for me, making me suspicious of ulterior motives. By effectively disqualifying individuals from seeking re-election, this provision could be used as a tool to silence dissenting voices and maintain the status quo within municipal councils. This is a direct threat to the democratic principles of fair competition and equal opportunity in elections. This loophole opens a whole new breading ground to enable incumbents to wield their positions of power to safeguard their own political interests, thereby distorting the democratic playing field and diminishing the rights of potential challengers to participate in the electoral process. AMO’s recommendation cannot persistently define and establish clear and objective criteria for determining what constitutes misconduct or disrespectful behavior warranting removal from office. Without such criteria, there is a risk that the process may be manipulated to target councillors who hold opposing views or challenge the status quo. If the AMO and all those supporting these recommendations genuinely prioritized the well-being and accountability of its municipal members, would it not also encompass provisions for the removal of councillors and/or mayors in cases of dishonesty, or lying? In my opinion, this too raises concerns about the consistency and fairness of the proposed measures. Lying or dishonesty by elected officials can be equally be damaging to public trust and the integrity of municipal governance as other forms of misconduct, if not more so, and failing to address this as a form of misconduct creates a selective approach to enforcement that may serve to protect certain council members while targeting others. Furthermore, this lack of seriousness in addressing these types of unethical behavior, sends a strong message that certain forms of misconduct may be tolerated or overlooked. By neglecting to address lying or dishonesty as a form of misconduct, the motion misses an opportunity to strengthen public confidence in municipal governance and ensure that elected officials are held to the highest ethical standards. There is also a lack of consultation with the electorate, which further undermines the legitimacy of the proposed legislative changes. It suggests a top-down approach to governance that prioritizes centralized control by a few and undermines the role of the electorate by diminishing their voice in the democratic process. This would erode the trust and confidence of voters who elected the representative to advocate for their interests, only to see that representative removed without their consent. By providing municipalities with these expanded powers to remove elected officials based on subjective interpretations of their conduct, the motion risks undermining the fundamental rights to free speech and expression enshrined in the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms. This would have a chilling effect on elected officials' willingness to express dissenting opinions or challenge the status quo, for fear of facing punitive action or removal from office. Overall, this recommendation appears to be driven by political obedience rather than genuine concern for workplace safety and respectful discourse. It raises serious questions about the motives behind the proposed changes and the potential consequences for democracy and accountability within Ontario's municipal governments. In my humble opinion, any municipal members of councils who vote in favour of sending such a motion to be heard by the Provincial Government hold a blatant disregard for the democratic process, confirming the undeniable truth that the voices of the electorates do not matter. We are currently witnessing a worrisome demonstration of potential abuse of power through this authoritarian attempt at governance. This is not a democracy. "Strength Does Not Lie In The Absence Of Fear, But In The Courage To Face It Head-On And Rise Above It"

Canadian Federal Budget 2024

by Maj (ret'd) CORNELIU. CHISU, CD, PMSC, FEC, CET, P. Eng. Former Member of Parliament Pickering-Scarborough East As expected after the big spending Ontario 2024 budget with its 9 billion deficit, the Liberal’s big-government budget ups spending. It raises taxes, promising Canadians the world by spending their hard-earned money, to the tune of a 40 billion dollar deficit. The federal budget confirms the Trudeau government’s ongoing fiscal trajectory of higher program spending, more deficits and debt. It also sets out significant new tax increases, including a higher capital gains tax rate, intended to raise revenues to match the government’s higher levels of spending. Years ago, when the Trudeau government first took office in 2015, federal spending was roughly $250 billion (about 12.5 percent of GDP) per year. Although the incoming government intended to increase spending on the margins based on “modest,” short-term deficits, its overarching fiscal policy message was generally in continuity with its predecessor. Once in office, the Liberals’ first budget increased program spending by 6 percent and it never looked back. Program spending was up by 36 percent over just five years even before the pandemic hit. This trend of higher spending, systematic use of deficit financing that balloons the deficit, has continued in the post-pandemic years and is strongly reaffirmed in the new budget. This year’s projected spending is nearly double what it was in the Harper government’s final year in office. It’s projected to hit $534.6 billion for 2023-24 and set to increase every year thereafter. Spending as a share of GDP is now roughly three percentage points higher than it was when the Trudeau government was first elected, and the highest in 30 years. The budget’s tax increases start with the rich and end with the poor, in order to finance politically motivated projects. Using deficit financing this government has driven up government spending so high that it now needs to raise taxes to pay for its public expenditures. Rising borrowing costs and the government’s own spending habits will force taxes to increase more broadly to sustain the Trudeau government’s inexorable spending ambitions. Let’s look in detail at some of the major provisions in the 416 page recently tabled budget. Overall, the 2024 federal budget includes $52.9 billion in new spending plans, some of which is loan-based and reliant on provincial buy-in as well as an estimated $20 billion in new tax revenue, including tobacco and vaping taxes. Aiming to give Canadian millennials and Generation Z "a fair chance at a middle class life”, the budget outlines the Liberals’ plan to allocate $39.2 billion in net-new spending, while upholding the intended fiscal guardrails. Promising to build 3.9 million homes by 2031, the housing strategy includes a bevy of measures. Much of this spending is spread over the years ahead. Among the biggest ticket housing commitments are a $15-billion top-up to the Apartment Construction Loan Program; $6 billion for a Canada Housing Infrastructure Fund; as well as $1 billion in loans and $470 million in contributions for a new rental protection fund. The budget also includes $400 million to top up the Housing Accelerator Fund, plus $600 million for a series of new homebuilding innovation efforts aimed at scaling up modular and prefabricated homes. There are a series of chapters in the 2024 federal budget focused on various efforts to expand elements of Canada's social safety net. This includes $1.5 billion over five years to launch the new national universal pharmacare plan. The first phase, as pre-announced, will help cover diabetes and contraception medications starting this fiscal year. It includes funding for the Canada Disability Benefit: $6.1 billion over six years and $1.4 billion ongoing, with the first payments issued in July 2025. The budget includes more than a dozen new initiatives connected to the Liberals' longstanding commitment to Indigenous reconciliation. Among them: a promise to spend $927 million over five years on new on-reserve income assistance; $1.8 billion to help Indigenous people exercise their jurisdiction; $5 billion in loan guarantees related to energy projects. Further, the budget includes $1 billion over five years to fund a new national school food program intended to provide meals to 400,000 more kids. It earmarks $500 million for a new youth mental health fund; $1 billion in loans and $60 million in grants to build or renovate child-care centres; and $48 million to extend student loan forgiveness for early childhood educators. As part of a new small business-focused package, the budget earmarks $200 million over two years, starting in 2026-27, to increase access to venture capital for "equity-deserving entrepreneurs," and those outside of major hubs. Further, the Liberal budget promises a new "Canada Carbon Rebate for Small Businesses" that vows to rapidly return the proceeds from the federal pollution price from 2019-20 to 2023-24 to 600,000 businesses with fewer than 500 employees through a new refundable tax credit, estimated to cost $2.5 billion. A further, $3.5 billion is promised for strategic research infrastructure, investments in modernized facilities, including $2.4 billion for core research grants and to foster homegrown talent through improved scholarships and fellowships. The budget also includes $2.4 billion to build capacity in artificial intelligence, largely for computing capabilities and technical infrastructure. Lastly, the federal budget includes the promised billions in defence spending over the long-term. However, defence spending does not reach the NATO goal of 2% of GDP. On the safety front, the government notes it plans to move ahead with "additional penalties under the Criminal Code for those who commit an auto-theft related offence" and is earmarking $30.4 million for the buyback of assault-style firearms. Further, the budget includes $273.6 million for Canada’s Action Plan on Combatting Hate, and $16 million to help "create a safer and more welcoming sport environment" for all athletes. Related to the yet-to-be-passed online harms legislation, the federal government proposes to provide $52 million over five years, starting this year, to Canadian Heritage and the Royal Canadian Mounted Police to fulfill their obligations regarding protecting children, ensuring major online platforms are abiding by the coming new regulations, and to set up the promised Digital Safety Commission. An additional $7.5 million will be going to the Public Health Agency of Canada to support the Kids Help Phone over the next three years, while Public Safety Canada is getting $2.5 million to support the Canadian Centre for Child Protection. There are other provisions in the budget to finance foreign aid for up to 3 billion dollars. However, there is no projected budget balance and forecast deficits get bigger than previously projected, each year. The budget titled "Fairness for Every Generation" notes that federal public debt charges are on track to balloon to $64.3 billion in 2028-29. Canada’s total debt will reach more than $1.2 trillion this year. When Prime Minister Justin Trudeau took power in 2015, the total debt was $616 billion. So the debt has doubled during his tenure. It is time to better administer taxpayers’ money! Don’t you think?

Empowering Workers and Navigating Legal Changes

Empowering Workers and Navigating Legal Changes Tahir Khorasanee, LL.M. Senior Associate, Steinbergs LLP Empowering Workers and Navigating Legal Changes: What Ontario Employers Need to Know In the ever-evolving landscape of employment law, Ontario businesses find themselves at a crossroads. The recent passage of the Working for Workers Four Act, 2023 signals a seismic shift in workplace regulations around recruitment and selection strategies. Employers, buckle up – it’s time to adapt or face the consequences. The Key Changes AI Transparency: Employers must now disclose the use of artificial intelligence (AI) during hiring processes. No more hidden algorithms – candidates deserve transparency. Salary Ranges: Job postings must include expected salary or wage ranges. It’s a small step toward pay equity, but a giant leap for workplace fairness. Canadian Experience Myth: Ontario becomes the first province to ban Canadian work experie

nce requirements in job postings. Let qualifications speak louder than passports. No More Unpaid Trials: Service and restaurant workers rejoice! Unpaid trial shifts are history. If you test skills, you pay for them. NDAs Under Scrutiny: Consultations loom on restricting non-disclosure agreements (NDAs) in workplace sexual harassment cases. Employers, tread carefully. What Lies Ahead These changes aren’t isolated incidents; they’re harbingers of a new era. Here’s why: AI Accountability: AI bias is real. Employers must now grapple with transparency and liability. Discrimination? Prepare to answer. Pay Equity: Public salary ranges hint at a fairer future. Compensation secrets are out – skeletons, meet daylight. Takeaways for Employers Embrace Transparency: Be forthright about AI use and salary expectations. Trust builds stronger teams. Update Policies: Review your practices. Banish unpaid trials and understand NDAs’ risks. Stay Informed: The legal landscape shifts – stay ahead. Seek counsel when needed. Employers, the winds of change blow fiercely. Adapt wisely, and your workforce will thrive. Ignore them, and you’ll find yourself in a legal storm. The choice is yours.

In nothing we find everything and in everything we find nothi

In nothing we find everything and in everything we find nothing By Joe Ingino Editor/Publisher Much like the truth is out there. In nothing we can find everything and in everything we find nothing. Truth is the absolete understanding of nothing through interpretation and understanding of everything. Something that is not achievable by the human mind as the constant struggle between nothing and something rage on through one’s existence. This confusing the mind in a web of moral entanglement based on environmental divide. Look at the human animal. From nothing we evolve to something, that constantly changes to everything around us. From our molecular structure to our interactions. Evolution in it’s ongoing expansion and disclosure of everything clouds our minds in a romantic coccon of confusion. The more we evolve the more we see nothing. Our confusion mounts to such levels that compromises logic and common sense. It challenges natural laws and impedes natural growth of the mind and body. Love and hate become one, entangles in something that gives meaning to people’s everything. This passion translates to the understanding of nothing in claim of everything. The human mind is limited to know nothing, yet profess to know everything. An impossible feat as one can’t exist with the other. We look around the world and bring to question. How is it that the people of a Nation can turn on each other. How can such acts of horror be committed towards another? The answer lies in confused minds that profess to know everything when in reality they know nothing. Some may claim that nothing is in part pure innocence. Others may deem it as pure ignorance. But everything could not exist without nothing. If this stands true then, we as humans may never achieve full knowledge of everything as we fail to understand nothing. Now, what is nothing. Nothing is existence and the need for the human mind to evolve. To create a reality that is governed by everything around us and rooted in nothing or as stated, ignorance and innocence. Look in a dark room. What do you see. Do you seen nothing or do you see everything. The darkness in the room is just a measure of our perception of nothing.

Equal Rights under the Law

By Lisa Robinson - Pickering City Councillor As I've said 100 times before we should not be segregating or discriminating against any member of the public because of the color of their skin, their religious beliefs, or their sexual preferences. This is a crucial statement that should also apply when dealing with offenders who have broken the law. Instead, it has become evident that in many cases, the law has demonstrated leniency and has been influenced by such factors when dealing with certain individuals. Numerous special interest groups raise concerns and claim unfair targeting when a member of their group is charged with a crime, or it simply goes unnoticed by the authorities. While I do agree that such situations do occur occasionally, it is important to note that they are more of an exception rather than the rule. This disparity in treatment has resulted in a lack of equality under the law for certain individuals even though Section 15 in The Charter of Rights and Freedoms in Canada specifically addresses equality rights. It states: “Every individual is equal before and under the law and has the right to the equal protection and equal benefit of the law without discrimination and, in particular, without discrimination based on race, national or ethnic origin, colour, religion, sex, age, or mental or physical disability.” In my humble opinion, to ensure this principle of equality under section 15 is effectively upheld, all police officers and individuals within the judicial system must be committed to its reinforcement. A crime is a crime regardless of one's racial ethnic background or sexuality and I believe it is crucial to treat all individuals equally under the law. As politicians representing all levels of government, Municipal, Provincial, and Federal, it is our primary responsibility as community leaders to ensure the safety and well-being of the people. It is imperative that Municipalities in partnership with the police establish a comprehensive data collection system that captures relevant information about criminal behaviour, including demographics, recurring patterns, and modus operandi (method of operation – M.O). and make it accessible to the public so they are aware of what is happening in their neighbourhood’s. This can better prepare citizens by increasing their awareness and understanding of how they can be more vigilant and proactive, able to recognize the warning signs in reporting suspicious activities to the authorities. Pickering is becoming a cesspool for crime, and I believe it's time that we as leaders in the community initiate a formal review examining potential patterns and implement targeted strategies to protect our community from the devastating impacts due to crimes. Pickering has seen an influx not only in white collar crimes (non-violent offenses), but in juvenile crimes, organized crimes, drug crimes, property crimes, and violent crimes. We have homicides, shootings, attempted murders, violent gun crimes, car thefts, break and enters, robbery, gangs, drug trafficking, and human trafficking and it's time that we develop an action plan and awareness plan that will put an end to this. Now is also a good time to ask our governments to review our current bail reform and mandatory sentences, so we can restore faith in our justice system as this “catch and release” so to speak program is clearly not working. It is essential to implement or reinstate stricter laws that not only will act as a deterrent to potential offenders, but it will also help ensure that those who have committed multiple offenses face appropriate consequences for their actions. Our current program allows many offenders to be released back into the community the same day they were arrested, without adequate consequences. Without consequences, some of the individuals who are released continue to engage in criminal behaviour, including an escalation to more serious and violent crimes. This process potentially undermines the principles of justice and fails to provide any kind of deterrent for many, leaving our communities vulnerable to further violence that could have easily been avoided. I humbly ask elected officials at all levels of government, to join in demanding that offenders be treated equally under the law regardless of their skin colour, religious beliefs or sexual preferences. To review the current bail reforms and mandatory sentences, and that all Municipalities in partnership with the police establish a user-friendly comprehensive data collection system that captures relevant information about criminal behaviour, including demographics, recurring patterns, and modus operandi. And lastly, to make this information accessible to the public every month so that not only the people of Pickering are aware of what's happening in their neighbourhoods, but people throughout Durham and the GTA as well. I truly believe that better communication and awareness between law enforcement, municipalities, and the public, will lead to faster response times, increased apprehension of offenders, and ultimately, create safer communities for everyone. "Strength Does Not Lie In The Absence Of Fear, But In The Courage To Face It Head-On And Rise Above It"

7 REASONS

By Rosaldo Russo Allow me to begin this column by thanking the Oshawa/Central newspaper for allowing me the opportunity and access to the press. Not to many if any allow an average person like me to tell the world what I see and think. In my opinion. The Editor/Publisher is a real upstanding type of guy. He shoots from the hip and hold traditional core values. My name is Rosaldo Russo. I came to this great country to make a better life for myself and my family. I thank Canada for everything it has allowed me to do and earn. I worked construction all my life. I know the value of hard work and honesty. I remember as a boy my father always telling me to work hard and buy land. So I did. I remember days when I did not have enough to eat. I go to work... but I did not wait for hand outs. I rounded up my pride my skill and my determination to succeed and went to work. In those days the only benefits we received was the fact we were employed. Before retiring I was the owner and operator of local material supply company that allowed me to retired without worry. Now that I have time to enjoy life. I look around me and have some concern for future generations. I see that the world is finished. When are we going to stop paying for politicians mistakes. You would think that with more people coming to the area. We would have more tax money coming in and taxes would go down. Not at the region. It appears that they took it upon themselves to increase the Regional tax by 7%. This means that a guy like me on a pension. I have to further bleed my income. I did not get a 7% pension increase. Then how is the government setting such a rate. They do not care. They make their 100k plus. This is not right. Not only are people starving and living on our streets. But these pricks think they can ignore the need and go 7%. The real bad thing is that the Region sits on 2 Billion or reserve. Here are 7 reason why the tax should not go up. Reason: 1. People can’t afford to pay mortgages, put food on the table. Every dollar is stretched to the max. They don’t get 7% increase in wages. 2. The minimum wage just went up a few cents. No,7%. How are people working 3 four jobs suppose to make it? 3. How is a 7% increase going to improve the quality of life? So far we paid 5% increase last year and have you seen any improvement? People still live on the streets and the number increasing. 4. How is it that the region can pass such a high tax without public inquiry. This is wrong. I say they should take a pay cut equal to the increase. 5. Why does the region sit on a 2 Billion dollar reserve? Are the taxes not to go for what they are sitting on? 6. A 7% this year, what next 10%. Is there a regulatory body or are we riding on a run away train? 7. People to many. 7% might as well be a financial death sentence. We the people are being treated like slaves. We are not part of the equation. The modern day slave has no recourse. What you don’t pay your bill. They cut you off. Life is not fair. I feel for future generations. This is not right and this is not the Canada I love. Politicians must be held accountable. Democracy is failing and politicians keep getting richer. Sad.

What Makes My Spidey Senses Tingle With a Job Candidate

By Nick Kossovan Call it my spidey senses—a feeling that something, or someone, is risky or dangerous—or "Professionally Ingrained Cynicism;" when someone doesn't feel right, they just don't "feel right." When you've been hiring for as long as I have, you develop an innate sense that tells you when a candidate is exaggerating or lying outright. Consider these scenarios as a hiring manager: 1. A candidate claims to be a cutting-edge CPA. You ask them for their opinion on how blockchain may affect the corporate accounting function and related staffing. They look at you as if you've got three heads. 2. A candidate's cover letter promotes themselves as a lead-generating digital marketer. However, when you Google them, you learn that they only have a few hundred X/Twitter followers, haven't posted on LinkedIn in months, have barely any presence on Instagram, and aren't on TikTok. An experienced hiring manager will walk through a candidate's digital footprint to determine if they're interview-worthy. If deemed to be, they'll ask probing questions for their opinions on or a "tell me a time when you" story to expose candidates who aren't what they claim to be, such as the CPA not being cutting-edge or the digital marketer not practicing what they preached. I've interviewed enough candidates to conclude that many have an overinflated sense of their skills and value to employers. "I have advanced Excel skills" is often untrue when given a test to assess Excel skills. "I speak French fluently" often becomes questionable when I conduct the interview in French. Fake candidates—candidates who grossly overstate their competencies—are becoming increasingly prevalent, prompting employers to scrutinize a candidate's background more deeply than ever before. Your verbal responses and evidence of ability must be aligned. Today, the hiring process of many employers, not all, presents job seekers with a Catch-22. In today's job market, employers seek the "perfect candidate." Searching for a unicorn often makes lies more attractive than truths. Consider how many people buy into get-rich-quick schemes. People tend to believe someone if they can believe they can serve their self-interests, such as making them rich. Lies and exaggerations are unethical attempts by candidates to tell hiring managers what they believe they want to hear, hoping to convince them they're the unicorn candidate, hence why my spidey senses tingle when a candidate is excessively polished. The adage "too good to be true" is an adage I live by. I can tell when a candidate is talking to me straight or is rehashing verbiage some self-proclaiming career expert said would influence an interviewer. Having hired my share of Jekyll and Hydes, all tough lessons, I want to avoid a candidate who, once hired, is unrecognizable from the person they were during the hiring process. In addition to being excessively polished, my spider senses tingle when a candidate is: 1. Not giving me straightforward, concrete answers. Dodging my questions or not giving straight answers is evasive, a major red flag. A candidate who's being evasive irritates me, sometimes to the point of ending an interview early. Besides being aggravating, evasiveness makes me feel the candidate is hiding something or is reluctant to admit they don't know the answer. During an interview, you must communicate clearly, straightforwardly, and, above all, honestly. 2. Not managing their emotions. For many candidates, their emotions or being easily triggered (read: offended) are their own worst enemies. During an interview, if a candidate can't control their emotions or maintain their composure, including nervousness, an indication of an inability to cope with stressful situations, I wonder how they'd handle an angry customer yelling. An interview isn't the place to bring up your financial and personal struggles. Instead of trying and hoping to make your interviewer feel sorry for you, focus on using examples and numbers to demonstrate why you'd be a great hire. 3. Unable to convincingly (keyword) explain why they're looking to leave their job. If you're currently employed, your interviewer will ask, "Why are you looking to leave your job?" My spidey senses go off if a candidate's answer doesn't feel right. As someone who's changed jobs more than most, when asked why I'm looking to leave, I've given answers along the lines of: · Company reorganization or downward trend in the industry. · Shorten my commute. These are reasons everyone can relate to. When a candidate says, "I'm looking for more responsibilities and career growth," I ask myself, why isn't their current employer giving them more responsibilities? Why aren't they being promoted? 4. Unable to explain job changes. As I mentioned, I've changed jobs frequently. Changing jobs to achieve career goals is often necessary, such as when I wanted to experience working overseas. However, your job changes need to make sense. They need to be supporting an end goal. It's your responsibility to connect the dots and create an overarching career story in your resume, LinkedIn profile, and certainly during an interview. A candidate without a compelling career story makes my spidey senses tingle. I look for candidates looking for a job that'll contribute to their career story, as opposed to just wanting a paycheck.

THE X FACTOR

By Joe Ingino Editor/Publisher ACCOMPLISHED WRITER/AUTHOR OF OVER 800,000 Published Columns in Canada and The United States - What a week it has been. First, I thought it was an isolated problem. All week dealing with technical issues. It all started with our email service Microsoft ‘Outlook’. Pictures that would come in as attachments did not open properly. We tried every remedy, including the re-install and re-install. We ran the latest spyware software. The latest virus software. Nothing came up. The problem persisted. Then, someone reported problems with our social media platform. One problem after the other. Then, we had a transmission issue that only part of the server response was active. Now we had a four way fight. We could not receive attachments. We could not communicate internally. Our social media platforms compromised. We did not receive or could communicate with our server. Normally, when this happens. The rule of thumb is take a deep breath and watch how it develops. We have had numerous hack attempts on our systems in the past so we knew where to look and what to do. This was different. There was no clear evidence that anything or anyone was attempting to hack. As the day progressed. We found out through the news wire that other companies in the area experienced similar problems. As the day progressed, more and more cases appeared to surface. People on social media kept asking if anyone else was having problems. The problems included. Poor or no internet service. Lack of ability to send and receive emails. The inability to send files through social media. Other reports included ATM issues. Clients of various banks would put their cards in and the services requested would not be granted and their card returned to them. In one case, a woman reported that she attempted to call someone from her phone only to be connected to someone else. Another person reported the inability to save pictures and files to their computer. According to the report, the kept getting an error message. When these type of occurrances happen. We treated as a network problem. We called Microsoft, they claimed there was no report of outages and or problem on their systems. They did mention that the last issue they had to deal with was months ago during an upgrade on their servers. We spent Saturday and Sunday monitoring our systems. We made some upgrades and modifications only to have the same problems persist. On the eleventh hour we decided to create a new environment afar from our operating systems. All new equipment, all new software. After all that work. It took three hours and the problem persisted. At that time we decided to just waited it out. Something in the internet world was not right. Normally our IP is safeguarded. Our outgoing mail and in going have been with us for over 30 years. We suspect that somehow with technology not know to us. Someone or something is attempting to control all in and out data. This is alarming and dangerous. As a precaution. We pulled all accounts information and all personal data pertaining to clients and suppliers. We left the new system as vacant of any crucial information as we could. The more we look into the source. The closer we come to learning this new hacking technique. We will keep you posted. Let us know if you are experiencing similar issues.

Canada's Economy Needs a Complete Reorientation

by Maj (ret'd) CORNELIU. CHISU, CD, PMSC, FEC, CET, P. Eng. Former Member of Parliament Pickering-Scarborough East In my humble opinion, Canada needs to make fundamental structural changes to its economy to remain a competitive country. I see that other countries are doing quite well. China for example, has become a hunting ground for election interference in Canada, instead of being considered a shining example of how to achieve a flourishing economy and build great infrastructure for the benefit of the country’s citizens. Instead of concentrating on important issues such as how to improve our economy, our politicians are losing taxpayers’ money on many futile projects. I look in wonder at what China has achieved in the last 30 years; building cities and important infrastructure in record time, to develop their country. In contrast, what have we done in Canada in terms of infrastructure in the last 30 years? That should be the main preoccupation of our politicians rather than dealing with ivory tower projects and wordsmithing useless legislation. It is time for Canada to wake up and become an engine of the world economy once again. We need to rethink our approach to the economy with a view to making the most of our natural resources, and undertaking a complete overhaul of our society. Lately, too much of the economy appears to be concentrated in the hands of a few, who have our politicians in their pockets. In order to benefit the people, it is important for strategic industries of the country to remain in the hands of the government, because the government represents the people and their interests. Two prime examples of strategic industries are energy and steel. There are others as well, but the LCBO is certainly not one of them. Our steel industry is gone. It was subject to foreign takeovers, following the sale of steel giants Alcan, Dofasco and Inco. The current practice of the government farming out expertise to private consultants is detrimental to our economic welfare. The government needs to have expertise in-house. We have a huge public service. Wouldn’t you think that it would include knowledgeable people? I am suggesting, that as a government, you cannot rely on self-interested others to decide on your nation’s future, and you need in-house expertise to be able to ask the right questions when experts advise you. As a responsible government, you need to have the power to outline the future of the country with no interference from interest groups. This also means a complete restructuring of our thinking about combining private enterprise with state owned enterprises. This might be a new way of thinking about capitalism; let’s call it “sociocapitalism”. Considering our daily issues in Canada, we have seen that the Ontario 2024 spring budget forecasts a big deficit. We can probably expect the federal budget to be equally depressing. These budgets tend to bring forth a torrent of words without saying anything meaningful. 200 pages, 400 pages etc. and the result is basically a big nothing. Canada’s major issue today is waning productivity. On this item the federal government’s performance has been lacklustre at best, and clueless about solutions for the future. Productivity has fallen in six consecutive quarters and is now on a par with where it was seven years ago. Add a lack of business investment to this lack of productivity, probably due to many restrictions and non-business friendly legislations enacted, and the national economy faces serious problems. Government incentives and regulatory approaches that change year to year do not inspire confidence. The government’s most recent contribution to the competitiveness file is a case in point. Bill C-56, which made a number of competition-related changes, was aimed at cracking down on “abusive practices” in the grocery industry. Accusations that no one, including the Bank of Canada in its own study, has been able to substantiate. Rather than encouraging investment, it added a political actor — the minister of industry — to the market review process. The Business Council of Canada called the move “capricious”. While blatant price-fixing is rare, the lack of investment is a result of the paucity of competition in many sectors, where Canadian companies protected from foreign competition are sitting on fat profit margins and do not feel compelled to invest to make their operations more efficient. In every sector, monopolies and oligopolies reign supreme, resulting in lower investment, lower productivity, higher prices, worse service, lower wages and more wealth inequality. The cost of cell phones and phone service pricing is a prime example. Canadians pay among the highest prices for their cell phone services, and Rogers, Telus and Bell are the priciest carriers in the world. Would not it make sense for the government to take over the administration of this area? After all, communications is a strategic field. The airline industry is another example. Two airlines in this country control 80 per cent of the market, even though Air Canada was ranked dead last of all North American airlines for timeliness. Finally, six banks control 87 per cent of Canada’s mortgage market, while five grocery franchises — Sobeys, Metro, Loblaw, Walmart and Costco — command a similar dominance of the grocery market. In fixing the economy, we do not need government intervention; we need government ownership in strategic industries. To achieve this, we need revised capitalistic thinking, “sociocapitalistic” thinking to take place and be implemented; innovative, forward-looking and out-of-the-box thinking. In conclusion, we need to act now and we need to act fast, to maintain our standard of living, and that of future generations. Think about it. Get involved

CITIZENS OF PICKERING BEWARE, ONCE AGAIN YOUR MAYOR USES HIS POWER TO SILENCE YOU, HIS CONSTITUENTS!

At the 7:00 pm March 25th., 2024 Pickering City Council Meeting things started with the Mayor making the usual opening remarks, So good so far ... But then things changed ……The Mayor quickly stated “there is a motion to amend the agenda to bring 12..2 and 14.5 up first” a citizen in the gallery called out “excuse me sir”, the Mayor was quick to shut him down saying “that’s not how it works here, if you’re on the delegation you’ll get a chance to speak”, and called for the vote. Hmmm …. The Mayor must be hearing voices, he had been the only one speaking since he opened the meeting, one of the councilors would have had to speak up to make the motion he Mayor spoke of, but, that didn’t happen. Note the 5 councilors, Brenner, Butt, Cook, Nagy and Pickles never batted an eye when the Mayor said there was a motion, it’s almost as if they knew about this before the meeting. Hmmm … I wonder don’t you? The vote to bring the items to the top of the meeting passed 6 - 1. During the debate that followed Councillor Robinson put forward a question to the Mayor, “if we pass 12.2 does that mean the citizens who showed up to speak at the Open Question Period would not be able to speak? The Mayor carefully dodged the question saying “he didn’t see any requests to speak to the agenda that if they did they would be allowed”. Councillor Robinson quickly pointed out it was refer-ring to the Open Question Period and the Mayor had to admit that Councillor Robinson was cor- rect, the citizens that showed up to speak in the Open Question Period would not be allowed to speak. Councillor Robinson commented that that didn’t seem very democratic. The Mayor in a huff was quick to answer “No, Council makes the rules”, resulting in a bit of a low moaning from the citizens to which the Mayor called out “Order folks, I will not stand for people speaking out of place” .… “and want a respectful and safe space” …. ”Please refrain from speaking” … “SIR, we do not allow hand raising if you want to speak make a delegation”. Councillor Robinson brought up more important questions but failed to get proper answers. The vote to pass 12.2 and 14.5 passed 6 - 1. Note in the agendas,12.2 and 14.5 referred to reports & ref #’s of bylaws etc. . The average citizen had no way of knowing it was regarding the “Open Question Period”. It truly does seem that the Mayor, Brenner, Butt, Cook, Nagy and Pickles do not want the people they are suppose to represent, to have any say or input unless, it is something they are promoting. Hmmm … could it be that the Mayor and the other 5 councilors, Brenner, Butt, Cook, Nagy & Pickles wanted to silence their constituents? As the meeting continued The Mayor showed his contempt by the disrespectful way he introduced the delegates that defended Councillor Robinson, which he did again in his posted report following the meeting, saying that most delegates were not from Pickering, however he failed to mention that most of the delegates that he backed in the February Council Meeting were also from outside of Pickering. Hmmm …. It seems the Mayor’s definition of respect is a one way street. He is constantly yelling at Councillor Robinson when he doesn’t have the answers, yelling at the citizens when they object to his quick by passes of rules etc and he, the Mayor, even went as far as having a city approved delegate, a senior woman, who refused to be silenced when speaking over her allotted time, removed, arrested and charged with trespassing. It appears that this Mayor believes he is above all others and not to be questioned. His version of truth is embellishing the half to his benefit. An example is how he made it sound that the 8 or 9 delegates made it a long meeting that had to continue another day while failing to mention the number of other items, recommendations, motions, by-laws, new business etc on the agenda. Anyone can watch the videos of the council meetings, past and present. on youtube DON’T BE PART OF THE SILENT MAJORITY THAT WAKES UP ONLY TO FIND IT’S TOO LATE. STOP THE SILENCE ~ START THE CONVERSATION ~ SPEAK UP FOR WHAT IS RIGHT OH CANADA, WE STAND ON GUARD FOR THEE

Tackling Homelessness through an Agricultural Lens

By Maurice Brenner Regional Councillor Ward 1 Pickering With the help of TACC, who owns the property at 690 Third Concession (Greenbelt-Agricultural Lands) and DARs, along with the financial support of Pickering Council through a $50,000 grant paid for from Casino revenues, Mayor Kevin Ashe myself and Councillor Shaheen Butt joined Margaret Eskins and numerous community volunteers for the Official launch of one of Canada's first transitional housing entrepreneurship projects that will provide affordable transitional housing for up to 7 residents. The residents will have an opportunity to be part of a model through an Agricultural lens that includes farming and production of fresh produce and eggs for consumption. Excess produce will be donated to the Pickering FoodBank, as well as being sold at the Farmers Market. Creating a sense of home is part of this model with residents Having an opportunity w to transform this century farmhouse into their home with the assistance of qualified contractors. Watch for further updates with a ribbon cutting scheduled for October 10, International Homeless day Awareness.

The Erosion of Democracy in Pickering and Beyond

By Lisa Robinson - Pickering City Councillor In the heart of Pickering, a troubling trend is unraveling – the systematic erosion of democratic principles. The very foundation upon which our society thrives, the democratic process, is under attack, leaving citizens disenfranchised and their voices silenced. The Corporation for the City of Pickering seems to be on a rampage, spearheading changes to policies and procedures that chip away at the rights of its citizens to engage in their governance. Fundamental to any democratic society is the ability for people to ask questions, seek transparency, and hold their elected officials accountable. However, these pillars of democracy are crumbling in Pickering. Questions posed to staff and/or Council go unanswered, or their responses are veiled in half-truths, leaving citizens in the dark and fostering an environment of distrust. Time limits on speaking are arbitrarily slashed, question period removed, stifling of dissenting voices and undermining the principle of free speech. Microphones are muted at the whim of those in power, censoring viewpoints deemed unfavorable or inconvenient. The recent banning of public video recording last Monday night, grants the Corporation of the City of Pickering the unchecked authority to shape its narrative. I, and others have personally witnessed glitches and time jumps when reviewing the City’s previous meetings. Not having accurate recordings makes it impossible for those to see and/or hear the truth of public meetings that are held within Council Chambers. This move potentially provides the city with a tool to manipulate its narrative at will, easily eroding the public’s trust in its government. Bullying and intimidation for years have always played a part within Pickering Council. With Councillor’s now presenting opposing views on hehalf of their constituents, these tactics of bullying, intimidation, and now name-calling, have also begun to run rampant, in lockstep with the censoring. Opposing views of Councillor’s on behalf of their constituents are met not with dialogue or debate, but with threats of referral to integrity commissioner and character assassination, all of this is just a distraction, while issues that challenge the status quo or expose political posturing and corruption are swept under the rug. Residents of Durham, Pickering, and beyond are not only being silenced but have also been facing trespassing charges or even arrests for simply refusing to halt their speech when instructed by the mayor, or worse, for expressing their feelings. I, in no way, condone threatening behaviour, however, it is important to distinguish between actual threats and mere feelings of threat. Just because someone feels threatened does not necessarily mean a genuine threat exists, and we must avoid conflating the two. This alarming trend illustrates a dangerous shift where individuals' feelings seemingly trump basic democratic rights. This underscores the urgent need to confront and challenge the erosion of democratic values, ensuring that the rights of citizens are upheld and protected against arbitrary suppression and intimidation tactics. Governments at all levels, not only Municipal, continue to widen the gap between themselves and the people, fueling frustration by spending taxpayer's money with reckless abandon, as if it were their own, without true community engagement or accountability. The days of consulting “the people” and putting their interests above all else seem to be a distant memory. Sadly, Pickering is not alone in this assault on democracy. This death of democratic values reverberates across many municipalities, signaling a pervasive and insidious threat to the very essence of our society. Councillors and School trustees have been resigning amidst bullying and intimidations from colleagues with some tragic cases resulting in loss of life, while governments preach mental health advocacy and boast of code of conduct policies yet permit group targeting of individuals simply for carrying out their duties for the constituents. In the face of such adversity, we are beginning to see a rise in citizens standing united in defense of democracy. Demanding accountability, transparency, and the restoration of our fundamental rights. We the people have a right to be heard, respected, and valued. The democratic process is not a privilege reserved for the few but a right belonging to us all. I stand in solidarity with our Charter of Rights, the people of Pickering, and the preservation of the Democratic process. I believe in upholding morals, truth, and integrity, and prioritizing the needs of the people above all else. "Strength Does Not Lie In The Absence Of Fear, But In The Courage To Face It Head-On And Rise Above It"

SWEET BITTER REALITY

By Joe Ingino Editor/Publisher It breaks my heart to drive by Memorial Park and witness all the homeless sleeping along door ways and in the park. The other day I decided to pull over sit on one of the benches and just watch. One particular man caught my attention. A male in his 50’s. Sitting there rocking back and forth. As I looked at him, I could not help mentally become him. I pictured in my mind sitting there cold, hungry with no place to go. My body aches from sleeping on the floor or behind dumpster. I once had a home a family. Time slowly took that away from me. The economy forced me to foreclose. My wife left me. My kids live far away. I sit here all alone. No one to turn too. The only thing I have left are my memories. Memories of a loving mother and father. Memory of my wife and her gentle touch... the smile of my children as I came back from work. The joy I felt when we were a family. Watching them grow up only to leave me to start their own lives. My heart aches as once I was everyone’s crutch and rock. Today I am nothing but an old man. Broke, with no place to go. I wonder where my next meal will come from. I go to the local food bank and the local kitchen. Even though they are nice there. The smells, the people make it hard at times to enjoy the food even though I am starving. I see how people look at me sitting here. Thinking what a bum. As probably did when I had a home and family. As I look back. I can’t help to notice them in me. As anyone can become me. I do not want to on the street. I tried applying for menial jobs. I have no phone. No home. Hard for employees to get back to me. I know I have rags for clothing and I smell from being outdoors all the time. My Canada has become a harsh place to live. I seen people relieving themselves at the park. I see how people stare. As this even disgusts me. I can appreciate that when you are on the street. We don’t have a bathroom we can just walk in. In most cases I try to use a restaurant bathroom only to be kicked out. I tried going at the City Hall. Only to be tossed out. My life has no value. I can understand the many around me hooked on drugs. Specially the younger ones. There is nothing for them on the street. Except loneliness and despair. I don’t know what my future will bring. All, I know is that I am surviving from day to day. Life is hard. I never thought it would get this bad. Even in the worst of times. I never experienced such loneliness. I feel like an animal trapped in a human body. At the least with an animal they round you up and put you to sleep. The many shelters are not sufficient in getting people like me off the streets. My mind is slowly going as my fears wether real of my mind tricking me are becoming more intense. I need help to get me back on track. I want my life back. I want a second chance. I feel as my government has let me down. After all the years of paying taxes. For what? Festive seasons come and go. I sit here watching it all pass by. Easter is a time to enjoy a sweet in the name of a holiday. Remember while you enjoy a sweet. I be out here enjoying a sweet - bitter realty that could happen to all of us.

Ontario 2024 Spring Budget

by Maj (ret'd) CORNELIU. CHISU, CD, PMSC, FEC, CET, P. Eng. Former Member of Parliament Pickering-Scarborough East The 2024 Springbudget, titled “Building a Better Ontario” and released on March 26, 2024, builds on provincial promises made over the last year. It places a focus on infrastructure and healthcare spending while ensuring that taxpayers do not have to reach into their pocketbooksjust yet. Budget day is important for the government, but more so for the citizens that the government’s choices will affect. Cushioned in a lot of appropriate verbiage that we arenow usedto from the Ford government and Minister of Finance Peter Bethlenfalvy, the budgetlooks promising on the surface. "These investments and more are a signal to Ontarians of our commitment to keep building Ontario while retaining a prudent, targeted and a responsible approach to public finances," Bethlenfalvy said at a news conference. "We're not backing down from investing in what matters most and we are not going to increase costs on our people." Total budget spending has surpassed last year’s, making it the largest in the province’s history at about $214.5 billion. Close to $194.5 billion of that is for programming. With spending up for various projects, this is a real wish list of good intentions,however without any concrete anchor in reality. It is concerning that as a resultof this budget, forecasts for Ontario's deficit will more than triple from $3 billion last year to $9.8 billion in 2024-2025. This is the highest non-COVID budget deficit since former premier Kathleen Wynne's 2014 spending plan.The government justified the deficit increase as caused by slowing economic growth projections leading to lower tax revenues. Here we go again, experiencing the kind of overblown budget the architects of the current budget criticized so vehemently when it was a liberal budget. What remarkable memories eh? Last year's budget predicted Ontario would be back in the black with a modest surplus of $200 million by 2024-2025. Now, the expected return to balance has been pushed to 2026-2027 — the year of the next election — with a projected $500 million surplus.Do you believe in Santa Claus? So let’s take a look at the promises made in the budget. In total, the province is forecasting $205.7 billion in revenue in the coming fiscal year, and $214.5 billion in spending, up from $207.3 billion spent last year. Base spending on health care, the largest slice of the budget pie, will increase from $74.6 billion to $75.6 billion. This represents a below-inflation increase of only 1.3 per cent, amid an ongoing family doctor shortage and a growing population. To address the shortage of family doctors, the province will establish a medical school primarily focused on family medicine at York University in Toronto. With Ontario also suffering major nursing shortages, the government promises to invest an additional $128 million over three years to boost nursing student enrolment at universities and colleges. Key health spending initiatives include $564 million over three years to connect approximately 600,000 people to primary health care teams and a $155 million construction subsidy to fast-track the construction of long-term care homes. New money in the budget includes an additional $2 billion over three years for home and community care, a $200-million community sport and recreation infrastructure fund and more money for autism therapies. The government is also planning a big increase in spending to improve high-speed internet access across Ontario, with $1.3 billion allocated this year, up from $300 million in each of the previous few years. To help Ontarians cover increased costs, the province will extend the tax cut that reduces the gas tax by 5.7 cents per litre and diesel fuel tax by 5.3 cents per litre, until December. The cut, scheduled to expire on June 30, has saved households an annual average of $320 since it was introduced, the province estimates. More Ontarians will be eligible for subsidies that reduce their electricity bills, a move that will push the cost of that program above $7 billion. To support the province's housing plans, the government is investing more than $1.8 billion in two funds that will help municipalities build "housing-enabling" infrastructure, including roads, bridges, drinking water, waste-water and storm-water infrastructure. The province will also allow all single and upper-tier municipalities to impose a tax on vacant homes. Currently, only Toronto, Ottawa and Hamilton have that authority. A new policy framework will also encourage municipalities to set a higher tax rate on foreign-owned vacant homes. Municipalities will be allowed to lower their property tax rates on new purpose-built rental housing to encourage construction of those types of units. These moves are intended to speed up the construction of homes to meet the goal of building 1.5 million new homes by 2031.However, figures in the budget show the province is way behind schedule.There were 89,300 housing starts in Ontario in 2023, with 87,900 projected for 2024, 92,000 for 2025 and 94,400 for 2026, when at least 150,000 per year are needed to achieve the province's goal. The budget advances existing spending plans for highways and roads, without new cost breakdowns for the government’s flagship projects like Highway 413 or the Bradford Bypass. About $37.6 billion will be spent on the education sector and $40 billion will be put into “other programs” …and let’s not forget that Interest on debt takes up about $13.9 billion of provincial spending. This quick overview of the budget clearly indicates that the Ontario government needs to provide better information to the public on service improvements and when capital construction projects will be completed. This year’s budget leaves many questions unanswered,consistingas it does, of general statements on improvements needed and broad comments on what is being planned. On a detailed level, it is impossible to decipher how taxpayer money is being spent relative to prior years. It does not say what that planned spending will accomplish in the short, medium and long term, nor whether that will meet the public’s needs. The budget indicates that “Ontario’s Plan to Build” includes the most ambitious capital plan in the province’s history, with $190.2 billion over the next decade to support growing business, families and newcomers. However, additional information on expected in-service dates and projected costs for each major project over a certain threshold would provide more useful information. How will the government address identified public service gaps, program waiting lists, health service wait times, school class sizes, deferred capital maintenance expenditures, etc.? Rather than practical solutions, this budget has focused on the discussion of revenues, expenses, capital investments, economic indicators and general plans presented in charts and narrative form. This must change to put the emphasis on how precious taxpayer dollars are spent, and what results will be achieved, for which the government will take responsibility. This element is completely missing from the current budget. So now, let us see if we can expect something better from the upcoming federal budget. Keep your fingers crossed!

Does AI help level the playing field for SMEs?

By Daryl Ching, CFA | Managing Partner Vistance Capital Advisory Artificial intelligence has dominated the news with pundits suggesting that this could be biggest game changer in business since the invention of the internet. To what extent have SMEs been adopting AI and is it a game changer to the extent it levels the playing field against larger businesses? My name is Daryl Ching and I am the founder and CEO of Vistance Capital Advisory a fractional CFO, accounting and capital raising firm. I am a big believer in adopting technology to create efficiencies in processes. Working with SMEs, I am constantly researching the capabilities of AI and how it can help our clients and ourselves. Many SMEs have adopted AI into their marketing content. Andrew Crook runs PC275 Realty, a real estate brokerage and business advisory firm and has used AI to create graphics and manage marketing performance data. He spends about $1,000 a month for AI tools for services that would normally cost about $5,000 per month through a marketing agency or hiring internal staff. He also uses AI to generate content for business strategy sessions through his consulting practice. While AI has not necessarily transformed his business, it has freed many hours of time which has improved his quality of life and allowed him to spend more time with his family. Many SMEs have figured out how to use AI to perform administrative tasks. Ilya Peskov, CEO of Focus 21, an IT software company has used AI to generate transcripts of meeting notes, review grammar and spelling and review legal documentation to ensure all clauses are captured. As a result, Ilya’s team has been able to spend their time on less administrative and more value-added work. Olga Pawluczyk, CEO of P&P Optica has developed a unique smart detection imaging system to detect foreign materials in food processing. The entire premise of the business required machine learning and AI to create the product. Had it not been for AI, the task of analyzing a lot of information to detect foreign materials on a production line, at line speed, would be impossible. P&P Optica is an example of an SME that couldn’t deliver a product at all without the use of AI. While I feel the advance of AI technology is a net positive for SMEs, it is worth discussing some of the risks. AI is only as good as the information it is fed to make decisions. As more information is fed into the system, it becomes more and more difficult to validate the accuracy and source of information. I also fear the possibility that AI will have the effect of reducing critical thinking by individuals as they take results from AI as gospel. Ilya Peskov believes that AI has generated about a 30% savings in time for his coders using Microsoft Copilot and Google Gemini. However, he recalls his early days in IT education where he used Stack Overflow and was required to learn grass roots coding. With AI, he is cognizant of a risk that at some point in the future developers will lose the rudimentary skills of programming and coding. As AI evolves, we believe that it can be a game changer for SMEs. However, it important to ensure that we keep AI in check, question the results, validate the sources and make sure people do not turn off their critical thinking. However, if used correctly, it can certainly help level the playing field for SMEs.