Judging an Employer by Their Hiring Process is a Mistake

Judging an Employer by Their Hiring Process is a Mistake By Nick Kossovan "People are so quick to judge and make decisions for themselves about situations they know absolutely nothing about." - LeAnn Rimes, American singer and songwriter. LinkedIn would be eerily quieter—I'd estimate 30% fewer rants and significantly less nonsensical drama—if job seekers stopped perpetuating the false narrative that their experiences with a company's Director of Talent Acquisition or Human Resources Manager reflect the company's culture. It's perplexing that many job seekers judge a company based on just a few interactions. This shortsightedness does not do their job search any favours. Many job seekers like to proclaim, "A company's hiring process is a reflection of its culture." This is a limiting belief. Just because Mary in HR is having a bad day doesn't mean all her colleagues are equally miserable. Terrance, your interviewer and potential boss, ghosting you after a second interview says everything about him and nothing about the company itself. One, two, or even five employees' behaviours—especially within a large company—don't represent the entire company. Assuming that being ghosted—as off-putting or even hurtful as the behaviour is—is indicative of the company's culture demonstrates a failure on the job seeker's part to grasp the wisdom behind the adage "Never judge a book by its cover." If I have a poor customer experience in a department store's sporting goods section, does that mean I'll face the same issues in their shoe or toy departments? Of course not! My negative experience with a specific employee isn't a reflection of the entire store. A company is essentially a group of individuals under one umbrella. Every person approaches their job differently, influenced by their own agendas and priorities. One nuance that few job seekers understand, which they should at least try to, is that an employee's human dynamics dictate their priorities and, consequently, their behaviour. An employee aiming to become the VP of Customer Experience will engage with their role considerably differently than someone who's coasting along, which arguably is a large percentage of employees. It's unrealistic to expect that every interaction within a large company—between employees and customers or within the company itself—will accurately reflect the company's culture. Just as you wouldn't judge a restaurant by one dish—though we all know people who do—you shouldn't judge an employer solely based on your experience with an HR employee or the hiring manager. Instead, take a more comprehensive view of the company. Anyone who's spent time in the corporate world knows that every workplace has its share of "less than ideal," bad apples, so to speak, including some in recruitment roles. A negative interaction with an HR employee at a multinational pharmaceutical company doesn't necessarily reflect the company's overall professionalism or work ethic. Referring back to the adage, "Never judge a book by its cover," when job searching means looking beyond the gatekeepers of the hiring process. Conduct in-depth research into the company's culture and values. This could involve speaking with current and former employees, reading the company's most recent annual report, which outlines its financial performance, operational activities, and future prospects, and even visiting the company's premises. Learn as much as you can to gain a clear understanding of what to expect as an employee. It's worth noting that I've learned from experience that an employer can have a stellar hiring process, all nice and shiny, yet their workplace resembles a dumpster fire—again proving the wisdom behind not judging a book by its cover. Never assume! Dismissing a potential employer based on one or two negative interactions could mean missing out on a position that may lead to significant career growth and satisfaction. The key to a rewarding career is to maintain an open mind and assess opportunities from a broad perspective. Some of the best companies to work for have frustrating hiring processes. Throughout my career, I've landed several jobs I've enjoyed, even though I faced an aggravating hiring experience with the HR manager, who seemed determined to "test" my patience and tolerance level. Career-minded individuals take the time to understand the companies to which they are applying. They don't allow one negative interaction to shape their entire perception of a company. Being easily influenced is lazy. Those serious about their career know that human resources personnel are known for frequently moving around, making it myopic to judge a company solely based on its hiring or interviewing practices or a person's attitude. You don't need me to tell you that job opportunities are scarce, particularly desirable ones. As artificial intelligence and automation continue to infiltrate workplaces, providing employers with increased efficiencies and significant payroll savings, well-paying white-collar jobs are becoming scarcer. Judging an entire company based on the behaviour of a few employees or a department is shortsighted. Don't let a single bad experience close the door on your future. Always keep in mind that recruiters and HR personnel are merely the front of the company—of course, this isn't the case when you're being interviewed by the person you'd be reporting to—hence the truism in the second century AD, the Roman author Juvenal words, "Fronti nulla fides" which translates to: "Never have faith in the front."

Due Diligence

Due Diligence By Theresa Grant Real Estate columnist Most people know that when you are looking to purchase something, especially something of real value, you want to do get as much information about that product or service as you possibly can before laying out large sums of money. There are many ways that people gather their information. Some people live by online reviews. I am constantly being asked by Google and Amazon to review products and services that I have used. It begs the question then, when it comes to purchasing a home, why don’t people do a little research before they purchase a home in an area they know nothing about? There is a house on Celina street in Oshawa that was sold in 2020, at the beginning of the pandemic. It sold then for a ridiculously high price but that was just a glimpse into the craziness that would ensue regarding house prices. A year later the same style of house on Celina street would be selling for $150,000 more. Unbelievable was a common word to hear from long-time residents of the street. So, this house, on Celina street was purchased by people from out of town. The purchasers used an agent from out of town, who did not know Oshawa. The new owners set about to improve the property as many new homeowners do. After spending many thousands of dollars putting in a second full bathroom on the main floor and covering both the upstairs bathroom and the new one downstairs in beautiful Italian marble, with all the extravagant finishings the home looked completely different. There were also some very nice improvements to the kitchen which would have cost a pretty penny. A massive wooden garden shed in the picturesque backyard looked like something out of a storybook. Where the homeowners went wrong here, is that not too far from their potential new home was a large corner lot that had visible signs of active construction on it. Without asking any real questions of the owner who was selling the property, they went ahead and made an offer that was accepted and the deal closed without incident in 2020. Fast forward three years, what was under construction was the Durham Outlook for the Needy. While the resource is much needed for the community who relies on it, it plummets the value of the homes in the immediate neighbourhood. So, here we have a home that was purchased at an inflated value due to the pandemic, that has now had many thousands of dollars in upgrades done to it, that is sitting in the shadows of the Outreach for the Needy. The home has been listed for sale numerous times to no avail. The homeowner would like to recoup his investment of course, but that seems impossible given the location and the money spent on improvements. Although extremely unfortunate, there is a very valuable lesson here. The purchaser’s agent should have looked into what was being built on that lot. If the purchasers asked their agent and the agent could not give them an answer, the easiest thing to do would be to place a quick call to City Hall. Anyone in Building/Planning could have told them what was going up on that site and they would have then had the opportunity to make an informed decision. Before you make an offer to purchase any type of property, always do your homework. Ask the questions, knock on the doors, get your answers.

Unelected, Unchecked, and Unaccountable: The Rise of the CAO in Pickering

Unelected, Unchecked, and Unaccountable: The Rise of the CAO in Pickering By Councillor Lisa Robinson In any democratic system, elected officials are chosen by the people to represent their voice, advocate for their interests, and provide oversight of public administration. In contrast, a Chief Administrative Officer (CAO) is an unelected civil servant - the head of municipal administration - hired to carry out policy, manage operations, and support the implementation of council decisions. They are not supposed to be the face of political leadership. They are not supposed to hold power over elected Councillors. Yet in Pickering, that’s exactly what’s happening. The City of Pickering’s CAO, an employee - not an elected representative - has emerged as one of the most visible, vocal, and politically influential figures at City Hall. She routinely attends events and photo-ops as if she were a member of council, appearing in media announcements and staging herself as a public figure, despite holding no mandate from the people. Now, with renovations underway in council chambers, we’ve learned the CAO will sit in the centre of the new dais with the Mayor and City Clerk - a place traditionally reserved for elected officials - while actual councillors are pushed to the sidelines. This is not symbolism. This is a loud and clear message: power is no longer held by the people’s representatives; it is centralized under one unelected bureaucrat. The CAO’s control extends far beyond optics. Councillors are now being told they must ask permission to bring forward motions. Communications with City staff - whether directors or lower-level employees - are restricted. I cannot have a basic conversation with City staff without her being notified. This creates a climate of fear and manipulation, where honest governance is obstructed and transparency is avoided. It is now impossible to conduct a neutral, independent investigation involving the CAO, because she oversees the very staff who would be involved in such an inquiry. She controls internal communications, manages the optics, and maintains influence over all internal administrative processes. In essence, the CAO is both the subject of the complaint and the gatekeeper of the investigation - a textbook conflict of interest. Let’s be honest: the majority of complaints against me have come directly from the Mayor and the CAO. And it’s no coincidence. I’ve made my position very clear - if I were Mayor and had access to strong mayor powers, I would use them to clean house. I would get rid of the CAO, the City Solicitor, and several Directors because I believe corruption starts at the top. I’ve said openly that I would tear it down, build it back up, and give the City back to the people. This isn’t just politics - it’s personal for them. Over $250,000.00 a year personal for the CAO. And that’s why we’re seeing retaliation disguised as integrity enforcement. Their vendetta is thinly veiled behind “code of conduct” complaints, most of which are nothing more than attempts to silence, shame, and discredit a dissenting voice on council. The CAO’s unchecked authority is eroding the democratic structure of municipal governance. Instead of being accountable to elected council, the CAO is manipulating council to be accountable to her. She shapes the agenda. She filters information. She positions herself as the gatekeeper between councillors and the rest of the corporation. This isn’t how local government is supposed to function. This isn’t public service - this is administrative authoritarianism. The bottom line is the people of Pickering didn’t elect the CAO. They elected a council to serve them - to be their voice, to ask hard questions, and to hold staff accountable. But that’s impossible when the person running the show controls the flow of information, suppresses dialogue, and uses her position to silence opposition. It’s time we asked the hard question: Who really runs Pickering? The councillors we elected - or the CAO we didn’t? Because if the answer is the latter, then we no longer have a representative democracy - we have a bureaucracy on a power trip. And the people deserve far better than that. I am Councillor Lisa Robinson, “The People’s Council” Strength Does Not Lie In The Absence Of Fear But In The Courage To Face It Head On and Rise Above It

ONTARIO’S BILL 5 RECEIVES ROYAL ASSENT ** RADICAL OPPOSITION ASSURES US IT’S A GOOD THING **

ONTARIO’S BILL 5 RECEIVES ROYAL ASSENT ** RADICAL OPPOSITION ASSURES US IT’S A GOOD THING ** THE LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR OF ONTARIO, the Honourable Edith Dumont, granted royal assent to the Ford government’s new mining legislation on June 5, officially passing it into law at Queen’s Park on Thursday. Bill 5, known as Protect Ontario by Unleashing our Economy Act, will create special economic zones where certain projects can bypass various provincial laws. The bill is a positive step forward for this province as it will permit major infrastructure and resource extraction projects to happen faster by reducing delays and eliminating duplication in the approvals process. Most observers see this as an urgent response to the economic threats posed by U.S. President Donald Trump and his tariffs. In addition, the bill will reduce the regulatory shackles that hinder many companies from operating effectively within northern Ontario. Premier Doug Ford has said the province must focus on accelerating infrastructure projects, particularly mines, as it finds itself in a "critical time" against U.S. tariffs. "We just want to get projects moving forward as quickly as possible," he said at Queen's Park last week. "There's no longer time to sit around and wait 10 years as we do an environmental assessment and everything else." He assured Ontarians that his government is "going to make sure that we always do environment assessments” but went on to say, "I'm not against it, I'm just against taking five years to get one done.” Ford has cited the need to move more quickly on mining places such as the mineral-rich Ring of Fire in northern Ontario in order to strengthen the province’s economy. Of course, the need to anticipate pushback from radical interest groups and others is paramount, and when asked as to whether he would use the Notwithstanding Clause in the face of any future court decisions that might try to deem Bill 5 as unconstitutional, the Premier said he would “cross that bridge” when he comes to it. As part of the process still to come, the Province has committed to consult with Indigenous leaders over the summer months, and not designate any areas as special economic zones until that process is complete. Three First Nations have signed various agreements already in an effort to help the province build roads to the affected regions, and to develop the areas that connect to the provincial highway system. Of course, as one might expect, a host of other First Nations leaders have said they won’t cooperate whatsoever under any conditions. Dozens flew in from the far north to Queen’s Park for the purpose of watching the Legislature pass Bill 5, and to rain down jeers upon politicians as they passed the bill into law. Many were forced to leave the chamber as a result. Of course, the opposition doesn’t stop there, as radical environmentalists and those claiming to champion what they see as civil liberties attempt to capture as much air time as they can among national and international media outlets. Shouts of sanctimonious outrage could also be heard from various unions who see certain labour laws as somehow under threat due to the desire by the Province to simply speed up necessary approvals. A glance at the Op-Ed pages among major newspapers will show letters-to-the-editor that offer up typical opposition party talking points that try to accuse the Ford government of overriding all the rules – meaning whatever the opposition parties are demanding on any given day. Apocalyptic pronouncements of so-called underfunded schools, crumbling higher education, hallway medicine, and even the proliferation of what has become known as ‘homelessness’ are being used to create an atmosphere of what this columnist identifies as simple comic relief. Ontario’s Minister of Energy & Mines, Stephen Lecce, described the intent of Bill 5 in very clear terms when he told the Legislature, “We have a ‘one project, one process’ framework. It’s designed to deliver coordination…because it takes thousands of days to get to yes. We brought forward this bill to introduce benchmarks on government, and government alone, to set service standards and certainty…There are billions of dollars of investment that left Ontario, businesses that stalled or projects that never got off the ground because the Opposition designed a system to halt it to ‘no’ …We know 15 years is too long. We know 15 years to open a mine is unacceptable. We know it as amongst the slowest in the world.” On the matter of Indigenous participation, the Minister went on say, “Many Indigenous nations and chiefs have said to us, “Look, we want to buy in, but not many entities or people or businesses or First Nation governments have access to hundreds of millions of dollars to buy into these equity projects,” which is a fair concern, and which thus disabled their ability to be equity partners or to own the project. So, in this most recent budget our Premier and Minister of Finance tabled a plan to put $3 billion for equity participation on the table.” In contrast, perhaps the most glaring example of comic relief came from the Green Party’s Aislinn Clancy, who offered these intelligent remarks, “I’d like to say a few words about what this bill means to me, my community, the people who care about the planet, because there is no planet B. We try to go to Mars all the time and see what it’s like up there; we haven’t found life, so we have to really work hard to protect the planet that we have. And as Justin Bieber would like to say to the Premier, it’s not too late to say sorry and rescind this bill.” But she didn’t end there. “I think this is our Amazon rainforest. This is our Avatar movie. Too many movies have been produced right now that show that when we put a price on the minerals without consideration for the future of humanity and the destruction caused in the pursuit of excess profit. So this is not about trying to survive; these are not people who are just trying to make do; this is about excess profit of the super-wealthy who are going to be capitalizing on this.” One could be forgiven for thinking those comments were in fact written by a preschooler rather than an elected member of the Legislature, however I can assure you they came right out of Hansard. In the meantime, expect a lot of saber-rattling from various Indigenous groups within the province, as well as a host of creative fiction coming from environmentalists attempting to forward their de-growth agenda. Let the summer follies begin.

THE TOKEN SQUAD (The Oshawa Community C.D.E.I.C)

THE TOKEN SQUAD (The Oshawa Community C.D.E.I.C) B.A. Psychology Editor/Publisher Central Newspapers ACCOMPLISHED WRITER/AUTHOR OF OVER 800,000 Published Columns in Canada and The United States Excuse me for my ignorance.... but how are we all to be equal when we practice such discrimination though forced acceptance committees. This week a online post read: Share your voice to create a more inclusive and equitable Oshawa The City of Oshawa is recruiting community representatives to join its Community Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Committee (C.D.E.I.C.). The C.D.E.I.C. includes individuals from all backgrounds who are dedicated to creating a welcoming and inclusive environment for everyone. Whether you have experience in advocacy, community organizing, program or policy development, or simply a passion for social justice, we welcome your unique perspective and talents. Are you kidding me... ‘create a more inclusive and equitable Oshawa’. The same Oshawa that is so discriminatory to the bone. The same Oshawa that favors one company over another. That discriminates against it’s own City Newspaper for not following the City political agenda. The same City that patronizes supporters and all other are openly ignored and discriminated!!! The City is not recruiting community representative to join no committee. What the City is recruiting is people with a chip on their shoulder that like to champion race. Tokens, that will align to the City political correctness agenda. There is no Diversity and Equity or Inclusion. Then why have a committee of racial tokens. They have no real voice at council. They have no real agenda other than that of the City political interest. I feel for it’s members as they are being used due to the color of their skin. We should not have to have a committee to treat each other with respect and dignity. There should be no governing body or committee forcing us to comply with politically correct agenda. That in itself is oppressive and prejudice. If anyone has a problem with that concept. It is simple. You can’t be accepted to anything if you keep claiming you are different and you expect those around you to make special provisions for you difference. You can’t expect to be a diverse community when everyone wants to be accepted with special provisions and acknowledgment. True diversity comes through a united people respecting the difference but conforming to the national social status quo. The city can’t expect ‘EQUITY’ when they openly practice such discrimination toward their own city newspaper for example. Imagine all the others they discriminate against of not such magnitude. Bye definition Inclusion: the practice or policy of providing equal access to opportunities and resources. Really, Oshawa..... I feel for the members of this so called committee. They are being used as tokens for political gain. And for those ignorant amongst us... blinded by hate. Put the pitch fork down. There is nothing prejudice for bringing forth questioning of the system. So save it. Educate yourself on the reality that is forcing you to believe something that is not true. Stop letting them use you as a token for their gain. I like to see how the (C.D.E.I.C.) will help me get through the City of Oshawa to support a local small Canadian business operated by a minority. Or do I not qualify for the same diversity, equity and inclusion? I will await the CDEIC reply... waiting... waiting... waiting...waiting...waiting...waiting... Thank God I am not going to hold my breath on hearing from this TOKEN committee.

D-Day anniversary 2025

D-Day anniversary 2025 by Maj (ret’d) CORNELIU, CHISU, CD, PMSC FEC, CET, P.Eng. Former Member of Parliament Pickering-Scarborough East In Canada today, we are at war with, uncertain economic times, strained relations with our neighbor to the south and international tension due to the continuing war in Ukraine and the Middle East. We therefore need to remember as never before, and reflect on the sacrifices that our ancestors have made for us. They should not have fought in vain to secure our freedom, to keep democracy alive in our country and the comfortable standard of living that we have enjoyed for generations. It is time to cherish their memory and learn from their patriotism. We need to ensure that their efforts to win over the evils of fascism were not in vain. Particularly during this new dark period that threatens our very existence, we need to keep up our courage and stand up against our adversaries as our ancestors have done. We need to stay strong in the face of today’s unprecedented challenges. We are currently facing a crucial time in our history in fighting the evil of an unknown upcoming new world order and related societal malaises. In combination, the consequences of the past pandemic and social dysfunction are similar to fighting a new kind of world war with worldwide implications and yet unforeseen effects on Canadians. On 6 June we are marking the eighty-one anniversary of D-Day, the beginning of the Battle of Normandy, along a 100 km stretch of French coastline across the English Channel from Great Britain. This was the largest seaborne invasion in history and a crucial day in winning the war against evil; Nazi Germany. The assault on the beaches of Normandy by British, American, and Canadian troops on the 6th of June 1944, who would then fight their way across Western Europe, has gone down in history as a memorable event. The codenames of where the troops landed — Omaha and Utah for the Americans, Gold and Sword for the British, and Juno for the Canadians — remain familiar today. The Normandy landings, Operation Overlord, marked the beginning of the end of six long years of conflict between Adolf Hitler’s Nazi Germany and the Allied forces. The development of the role for Canada in the D-Day invasion has a history going back a few years. Following the Dunkirk evacuation Canadians began to come over to Great Britain. They were well-prepared and took on the role of defending the British Isles. They built up around the south coast of England and operated in a defensive and anti-invasion role from May 1940 to July 1943. At that time the 1st Canadian Division was detached and sent to Italy, but the bulk of Canadian forces remained in Britain for all those years. Canadian sailors, soldiers and airmen played a critical role in the Allied invasion of Normandy, beginning the bloody campaign to liberate Western Europe from Nazi occupation. Nearly 150,000 Allied troops landed or parachuted into the invasion area on D-Day, including 14,000 Canadians at Juno Beach. The Royal Canadian Navy contributed 110 ships and 10,000 sailors and the RCAF contributed 15 fighter and fighter-bomber squadrons to the assault. Total Allied casualties on D-Day reached more than 10,000. By the end of the Battle of Normandy, the Allies had suffered 209,000 casualties, including more than 18,700 Canadians. Over 5,000 Canadian soldiers died. From the D-Day landings on the 6th of June 1944 through to the encirclement of the German army at Falaise on the 21st of August this was one of the pivotal events of the Second World War and the scene of some of Canada's greatest feats of arms. Juno Beach was the Allied code name for a 10 km stretch of French coast. It fell to more than 14,000 volunteer soldiers from across Canada, under Major-General Rod Keller, commander of the 3rd Canadian Infantry Division, to storm the Juno Beach coast line. They seized the beach and its seaside villages while under intense fire from German defenders — an extraordinary example of military skill, reinforced by countless acts of personal courage. The 3rd Infantry Division took heavy casualties in its first wave of attack but took control of the beach by the end of the day. There were 1,074 Canadian casualties, including 359 killed. All things considered, the Canadian troops did very well on D-Day. The Canadians and the British in the Gold and Juno sector made it farther inland than any of the other invasion forces. They had managed to link up their forward units some distance inland, which was a measure of success. At the end of the day, the Queen’s Own Rifles had actually captured its objective, which was short of the overall divisional objective but goes to show that some of the Canadian units were quite successful in the first hours. Their sacrifices will not be forgotten even though their generation is starting to fade into the fog of history. For the time being D-Day still seems to be in the Canadian public’s consciousness. Their memory must be preserved for the millennials and generations to come in order to eliminate the root causes of further conflagrations. D-Day embodied the courage and determination to prevail in that war. It was fought over issues that are still alive today — such as ideology, globalism and injustice. It was an exceptionally difficult and hazardous military operation. It was an operation in which Canadians took a major central role in the war to preserve freedom and democracy. For these reasons and more, it’s important to keep the memory of D-Day alive. The dead, along with scores of other Canadians killed in the fighting during the weeks that followed, are buried in the serene and beautiful Canadian War Cemetery at Bény-sur-Mer, just behind Juno Beach. This, and numerous other memorials throughout Courseulles, Bernières and St. Aubin-sur-Mer, commemorate Canada’s sacrifice on D-Day. A private museum, the Juno Beach Centre, overlooking the beach at Courseulles, also tells the story of Canada’s role in the invasion of Normandy. Every year on the 6th of June, the people of the villages along Juno Beach pay tribute to the men and women who fought and died there. They parade through streets festooned with maple leaf flags and hold services and vigils along parts of the seawall, in memory of their Canadian liberators. Long live their memory! Long live the courage those men and women demonstrated. May our current generations and governments show just as much courage in our current hour of need. We can’t afford to wait for someone else to fight for our rights and freedom. We must all take a stand against the tyranny of incompetent leadership, political correctness at the expense of merit, and the stripping away of our individual freedoms in the name of political expediency. Wake up Canada

Christians Told to Stay Quiet: Why Free Speech Feels One-Sided

Christians Told to Stay Quiet: Why Free Speech Feels One-Sided By Dale Jodoin Across Canada, the United States, the United Kingdom, and Europe, many Christians feel like they are being told to sit down, be quiet, and not speak their beliefs. People say, "You can go to church. You can pray. Just don’t talk about it in public." That may sound fair to some. But for those who believe deeply in their faith, this is not freedom. It is silent. Christians are allowed to worship privately, but if they speak up on issues like assisted suicide or abortion, they are called far-right, hateful, or even dangerous. This double standard is hard to ignore. In England, a woman was arrested for standing silently and praying near an abortion clinic. She didn’t block the entrance. She didn’t shout. She just stood there. The police said she was breaking a law. But how can silent prayer be a crime? This is not the freedom people fought for. In Canada and the U.S., Christian charities run food banks, addiction centres, and shelters. They help anyone in need, no questions asked. But the Canadian government is now considering removing their charitable status. If that happens, it will cost the country millions. It would also hurt the poor, the hungry, and the homeless who rely on these programs. Is this about fairness, or about punishing Christians for their beliefs? Christians are not the only ones facing problems. Today, Jewish people are being attacked more often in many countries. In the past, Christians were often the ones to speak up for them. But now, many Christians are afraid to speak at all. They worry about being called names or targeted for simply having a different view. When people on the political left protest, they sometimes damage buildings or take over streets. Still, the media often says, "They are passionate. They care about justice." But when Christians hold a sign or speak at a peaceful rally, they are called bigots or extremists. That’s a double standard. The government says we have free speech. But it doesn’t feel that way when one group is told to stay silent while another can say or do almost anything. Free speech means everyone should be able to share their views—even when we disagree. Many people forget that most of the soldiers who fought in World War I and World War II were Christians. They believed in freedom, in God, and in standing for what was right. Today, those voices are fading. Fewer people stand up for their beliefs, especially if they are Christian. Some fear losing their jobs. Others fear attacks online. Some just feel alone. Jesus once said, "Give to Caesar what is Caesar's, and to God what is God's." This meant that governments have power, but not all power. Our beliefs, our hearts, and our souls do not belong to the government. They belong to God. But today, it feels like the government wants everything—including your faith. Christians do not want to control others. They want the same rights as everyone else. They want to help their neighbours, speak their beliefs, and live with honesty and love. They are not trying to hurt anyone. They are trying to live true to their faith. If Canada takes away Christian charity rights, thousands of people will suffer. The homeless won’t get meals. Addicts won’t get support. Families in crisis will be left without help. These charities have been serving the country for decades. And now, they’re being told they might not be allowed to do so anymore. This is not about one religion being better than another. It’s not about pushing faith on others. It’s about fairness. It’s about letting Christians speak, serve, and believe without fear. We live in a time when people say they want equality. But real equality means protecting everyone’s voice—even the ones you don’t agree with. Christians are not perfect. No group is. But they deserve the right to speak without being punished. The sad truth is many Christians now stay quiet. They go to church. They go home. They keep their faith private. But that’s not how it used to be. Christians used to speak for those who had no voice. Now, they are being told they have no right to speak at all. So what happens next? Will we keep quiet out of fear? Or will we speak with kindness, with care, and with courage? Christians are part of this country. They work hard, pay taxes, raise families, and help neighbours. They are not asking for special treatment. They are just asking to be heard. Isn’t that what free speech is really about?

The benefits of home ownership

The benefits of home ownership By Theresa Grant Real Estate columnist Some of the benefits of home ownership are obvious. Investment purposes alone is one of the biggest ones. The freedom to do what you want within the bylaws of your area, decorating as you please, pride of home ownership etc… However, there are some things that many people never think about that can be of great advantage to the homeowner. I was having a conversation with a friend last week, and she was talking about her two sons. One of which owned a house and the other whom she felt may never have that opportunity given the prices of today, along with the stringent requirements to qualify. My friend and her husband were thinking of helping her one son out with a downpayment, but she was concerned that given the interest rates he may have difficulty covering the mortgage on a monthly basis. It was then that I decided to point out what I was always told growing up. If you own something, you always have something to sell. You are in a position to leverage assets. While most people are aware that if you own a house, you can always sell it, and in most cases, at least you’d hope you would be in a position to make a profit. While that is not the objective for most, there are several other ways to benefit financially. For one, if you have a spare bedroom, you can always look at renting it out. If you are not keen on having someone live with you on a full-time basis, you could look at renting to a student or perhaps a worker who is just in town for a few days a week or on a contract basis. Generally, those type of renters are pretty self sufficient and really in need of the basics, a bed, a shower, and somewhere to make food. They often prefer to keep to their room as well. Other than having a room in your home to rent out, there are many other opportunities as well. If you have a back yard for instance, many people will pay to have a little section of a yard to garden in. This has been done for years. Many people don’t have the means to have a garden where they live but they have a real desire to plant a garden and be able to pick their fresh vegetables on a daily basis. If you have a shed or a garage, many people are interested to have a workshop. That may be something you could think about. Along that same vein, if you have a driveway, you can rent someone a parking spot. As more and more people come into an area, there are only so many parking spaces available and there are often people advertising that they are looking for a parking spot on a regular basis. These are just a few ideas to generate a little extra cash from your home. Think about it. Where there’s a will there’s a way.

OSHAWA’S SIMCOE / MILL ST NEIGHBOURHOOD NEEDS HELP ** CAN THIS TRADITIONAL WORKING CLASS AREA BE SAVED? **

OSHAWA’S SIMCOE / MILL ST NEIGHBOURHOOD NEEDS HELP ** CAN THIS TRADITIONAL WORKING CLASS AREA BE SAVED? ** FROM MY DAYS AS A PRE-SCHOOLER right up to the time I was hired for my first full time job, the neighbourhood surrounding the intersection of Simcoe and Mill St. was practically a second home to me – my grandparents having lived in the area since building a house there in 1951. Over the course of the next 35 years our family would cultivate many great memories within that community, from the days when my uncle played midget-league baseball at Storie Park right up to the time my parents were married at the now-closed Albert Street United Church. My dad attended Holy Cross School, itself now put to alternative uses, and my parents even bought their first television set at Falcon TV, which was located along Simcoe St. S. The neighbourhood I can recall enjoyed access to a branch of the Toronto Dominion Bank as well as various retail food outlets including Kentucky Fried Chicken, Mermaid’s Fish & Chips, and later on, Halenda’s Meats and even a Swiss Chalet restaurant. Well, those days are gone, and what you will see there now bears much more resemblance to a weekly episode of Hill Street Blues than it does a family-friendly neighbourhood. Ward 5 Regional councillor Brian Nicholson offered these comments on social media with regard to what many see as the almost-complete social collapse of the area: “Despite continued efforts to mitigate the negative activities in the Mill Street-Simcoe Street South-First Street communities, the situation continues to deteriorate as individuals continue to abuse the neighbourhoods with drug use, intimidation, debris and nuisance activities. As a result of this deteriorating situation, Mayor Dan Carter, my fellow ward 5 Councillor John Gray and I are setting up a coordination meeting… to review the status of area concerns and to develop a go forward plan to address this situation.” The initial list of those expected to attend such a meeting read like a ‘Who’s Who’ among municipal and other civic leaders in the community – which lent an air of political grandstanding to the idea being floated by the ward councillors. Since that time however, an incremental approach has been established, starting with a recent gathering together of several commissioners within city hall to begin discussions. Those in attendance are responsible for bylaw enforcement, public works, and the zoning that allows for the existence of social service agencies at locations throughout the city. One such agency is DUO, or Do Unto Others, which started as a grassroots volunteer organization seeking to establish the collection and distribution of food and clothing supplies directly to the homeless. They have since evolved into a Regionally-funded operation based at a small store-front location just north of Mill Street. I met with the volunteers who started DUO during a tour of their operation in 2021, and to this day they continue to provide what can only be described as a vital service to people in need, including a place of refuge where those who live on the streets can share in some much needed fellowship. Unfortunately, as their location continues to draw together those experiencing a variety of drug dependencies and mental health issues, the effects on the surrounding neighbourhood have been nothing less than severe. The statistics don’t lie: Within the last 30 days there have been approximately 250 inquiries submitted to city hall with regard to area residents’ concerns, and this includes no less than 58 complaints over human excrement, and 178 for the general cleanup of garbage and personal belongings left strewn about. During the last two months, the neighbourhood has seen a 200% increase in what municipal staff refer to as calls-for-service. This represents $45,000 in staff time and resources coming directly from city hall. A total of approximately 750 inquiries, or complaints, have been filed with the City over the course of the last year. The annual cost to local taxpayers has reached a staggering $3million to basically clean up the mess left by the homeless and others as they congregate downtown and at various social service agencies. The total number of complaints city-wide reached 12,000 and most of those were in the downtown area. What is seemingly even more difficult to accept is the confrontational attitude by many who frequent the area around DUO, with some residents describing what they see as an all-out war against them, including excrement being left on vehicles, and at one point, a fire having been set at the back of a building. Verbal threats, vandalism to property, and constant urinating in public spaces have all worked to create a hostile environment in a once safe, working-class neighbourhood. Another important statistic continues to show the uphill battle being faced by municipal officials, and that is the fact that approximately 80% of those seeking some sort of social service support within the city of Oshawa are in fact from out of town. Councillors I have spoken with describe a scenario where individuals have literally been bussed into the community, with one councillor suggesting they be given a meal and some clothing – and a bus ticket straight back to wherever they came from. There are limits to all things, and that includes the degree to which a community can continue to offer ongoing compassion to those in need. Whatever spirit of goodwill still exists should be directed towards the 4000 area residents who have been suffering so much at the hands of so few in a community some still refer to as part of “traditional Oshawa.” Locals must surely hope for a day when they can walk to their local restaurant, laundromat, or convenience store without the prospect of being accosted or having to witness an act of public indecency. Meanwhile, a second meeting among civic leaders is to be held in the coming days, with representatives of the Region of Durham in attendance. Following that, a public meeting will be organized so residents can meet with their members of council who are expected to outline a practical plan of action. That plan will likely involve a few carefully thought-out improvements towards local law enforcement and a municipally led initiative to crack down on certain landlords and others who appear to be part of the problem. One thing is certain – and that is, the current situation did not develop overnight, and local leadership at all levels has so-far appeared unable or unwilling to fully address the problems being faced. Perhaps the next few months will show some tangible results that will make life better for all concerned.

If the Federal and Provincial Governments Refuse to Use Internet Voting, Why Is Pickering Charging Ahead?

If the Federal and Provincial Governments Refuse to Use Internet Voting, Why Is Pickering Charging Ahead? By Councillor Lisa Robinson If the Federal and Provincial Governments Refuse to Use Internet Voting, Why Is Pickering Charging Ahead? On May’s Monday night Council Meeting, I stood alone - once again - as the only Councillor voting to protect the integrity of our elections. Despite handing out six pages of hard evidence to the Mayor and fellow Councillor’s of real-world failures, court-ordered recounts, and documented examples from across Ontario, Canada, and the world - Council still voted 6 to 1 in favour of using a hybrid electronic-paper voting system for the 2026 municipal election. Let me be clear: electronic and internet voting systems have failed before, and they will fail again. In fact, they already failed right here in Pickering. In 2018, the system went down. Voters were locked out. People lost their democratic right to vote. Candidates demanded recounts and were told: “There’s nothing to recount, I just have to push a button, and I will get the same result” Why? Because there were no paper ballots. No backup. No proof. Just numbers on a screen - and a shrug from the system. So what did City staff put in the report for this agenda item? Not a single mention of the 2018 bandwidth failure. Not a word about people being denied their democratic right. No accountability. No transparency. Instead, staff downplayed the entire issue by saying some residents “found phone voting cumbersome.” That’s not just misleading - that’s an insult to every voter who got locked out in 2018. And then came the sales pitch: “In 2022, over 70% of voters used electronic voting - so clearly, it’s the preferred method.” Let’s talk about that. Yes, in 2022, voters had both options: paper and electronic. But this was still during a time of fear, uncertainty, and residual pandemic panic. Many residents were still nervous about public spaces, and many believed online voting was the safer, easier choice. That’s not informed consent. That’s fear-based compliance. People were still recovering from lockdowns, vaccine mandates, job losses, and just trying to get through. Of course they chose the “convenient” option. But how many of them were told the truth about what happened in 2018? How many knew that if the system failed, their vote would vanish with no recourse? How many were told that federal and provincial governments refuse to use internet voting - because it’s not secure, hackable, not transparent, and not verifiable? Pickering staff and council are now using pandemic-era data to justify moving forward with a method that even Elections Canada won’t touch. That’s not leadership. That’s a cover-up. If the truth about these voting systems were made public - And maybe if people understood how many elections have been overturned, how many systems have failed, and how many court challenges were needed to fix what software broke - maybe nobody would use them again. So here we are, possibly marching straight into another digital disaster - eyes wide shut. And the scary part is, we will never know, unless someone challenges the system. Let me ask this again: If Queen’s Park and Parliament Hill don’t use internet voting, why is Pickering acting like it knows better? Why are we gambling with democracy, after already losing public trust? The 2018 system crashed. The 2022 numbers are misleading. The 2026 plan is a risk. This isn’t innovation. It’s arrogance. And it’s already cost us more than we know. The people of Pickering deserve a voting system they can trust, verify, and believe in - not a digital black box they’re told to just accept. I will continue fighting for full paper ballots and real polling stations in 2026. Because if your vote can’t be verified, it doesn’t count. And if council isn’t willing to defend that truth, then what are we doing here? Councillor Lisa Robinson The People’s Councillor. Still Fighting. Always Will. Strength Does Not Lie In The Absence Of Fear, But In The Courage To Face It Head On and Rise Above It.

Integrity Commissioner With Bought Integrity

Integrity Commissioner With Bought Integrity B.A. Psychology Editor/Publisher Central Newspapers ACCOMPLISHED WRITER/AUTHOR OF OVER 800,000 Published Columns in Canada and The United States An integrity commissioner is a municipal accountability officer responsible for upholding ethical standards and addressing misconduct within local government. They are tasked with applying the rules governing the conduct of municipal council members and local boards, including codes of conduct, and providing advice and education on those rules. This would normally sound great. WRONG - As in many cases municipal so called ‘INTEGRITY’ Commissioners are paid by the municipality they are to investigate. Therefore, guess the outcome of most of their “INTEGRITY” commissioner decisions. Like the old saying, “DON’T BITE THE HAND THAT FEEDS YOU”, well it could not be ever more true in this scenario. They don’t. Here's a more detailed look at their role: - Investigating complaints: - Integrity commissioners investigate alleged breaches of codes of conduct and other relevant policies. Providing advice and education: They offer guidance and training to council members, local board members, and the public on ethical conduct and related legislation. Resolving disputes: They work to resolve conflicts and complaints related to potential ethical violations, either through informal resolution or formal investigation. Wow, that sound like the ultimate in accountability and transparency tool for anyone requiring and expecting some sort of governing body over your municipal government. WELL WRONG - In many if not most cased. These “Integrity Commissioners” favor the municipality that pays their bill and keeps them coming. Therefore the intent and purpose is lost in the wash. There is no integrity or point of law. But their decision can possibly affect someone pay, career and or mental health. Their decision is biding through sophisticated policy and by-law. In other words. You complain. You get reprimanded. You don’t pull your political weight. You may be persecuted. In other words. The so call tool to keep municipalities in check has been weaponized against anyone stepping out of political line and complains about the status quo. What is the role of the integrity Commission? To combat corruption through the development, implementation and enforcement of Anti-Corruption legislation, policy and initiatives, through our highly competent staff and efficient systems, processes and procedures. Is this not a kicker.... He who is entrusted to maintain fair play is the one that is most legally corrupt. Think about this. These commissioners do not need any special training. No real background. Just the basic understanding of municipal policy. Who can act as a commissioner in Ontario? A notary public has all the powers of a commissioner for taking affidavits and, can verify that signatures, marks and copies of documents are true or genuine. Notaries are governed under the Notaries Act . Every lawyer and paralegal in Ontario is also automatically a commissioner for taking affidavits. In another word. Anyone with a legal shingle. Anyone that is willing to play along with the munciipalities agenda. Why is it that anything government comes up to make them accountable to the people. Through policy and bylaw they turn it into a tool against the people. Don’t believe file a complaint against members of any council and see the outcome. Look at the fiasco taking place in Pickering against one of their own. The integrity commission in my opinion should be jailed for failure of duty and public theft or corruption.

World Fatigue: Blame the People

World Fatigue: Blame the People By Dale Jodoin There’s a quiet illness spreading across the Americas. It’s not the kind you can cure with a pill or vaccine. It’s called world fatigue, and it’s affecting millions of people—especially the regular, everyday folks who work, pay taxes, and try their best to live honest lives. World fatigue isn’t about being tired from work or chores. It’s a deep emotional tiredness. A kind of sadness mixed with frustration. It builds up every time you turn on the news or look at your bills. It’s the feeling of being blamed, day after day, for problems you didn’t create. And it’s wearing people down. Ask anyone around you, and they’ll tell you the same thing: “I’m just done. I don’t care anymore.” But they do care—they’re just overwhelmed. That’s world fatigue. And it’s growing. So where is this coming from? Part of it starts with the government and the media. They say they’re trying to inform us, but more and more, it feels like they’re trying to guilt us. We’re told that everything wrong in the world is somehow our fault. There are too many homeless people? It’s our fault. Is the planet changing? It's our fault. Minorities aren’t treated fairly? Again, our fault. The list goes on. The message is always the same: if you don’t feel bad, if you don’t do more, then you’re part of the problem. And while it’s important to care about others, what about us? Who’s looking out for regular Canadians—people who are barely making it through the month? Who’s caring for the seniors, the young families, the people who never ask for much? Instead, we’re called selfish. We’re told we’re the problem. But the real problem is this: people are burning out. Not because they don’t care, but because they’ve been pushed too far. Even schools are becoming places of confusion. Kids don’t learn basic life skills anymore. Many can’t read a map, balance a budget, or understand how taxes work. Teachers say their hands are tied. They spend more time explaining political ideas and social movements than they do teaching reading, writing, and math. Our kids are growing up with strong opinions—but no tools to live in the real world. And again, who gets blamed when test scores drop? Parents. Taxpayers. Regular people. One of the biggest signs of world fatigue is how cold people are becoming. Neighbours don’t talk. Families drift apart. People don’t wave hello anymore. It’s not that people have lost all compassion—it’s that they’re tired of always being told what to feel, who to support, what to say, and what to believe. And if you don’t follow along exactly, you’re labeled as hateful, old-fashioned, or worse. Even the gay community, which once stood for love and understanding, has now become a political symbol in many ways. Regular people aren’t anti-gay—they’re just tired of being told they’re bad people if they don’t cheer loud enough. We used to give more to our neighbours, to strangers, to people in need. But now, everything costs so much that people are forced to pull back. Groceries have doubled. Rent has tripled. Hydro bills climb while wages stay the same. People aren’t being greedy. They’re in survival mode. Meanwhile, the government sends billions to other countries. Billions more go to foreign aid, international programs, and global projects that have nothing to do with the average Canadian. By the time they finish giving it all away, there’s nothing left for us. Our roads crumble. Our hospitals are full. Our veterans sleep on the streets. And when we ask why, we’re told to be more generous. More kind. But what’s kind about ignoring your own people? World fatigue shows up in our minds and bodies. People are more anxious, more depressed, and more isolated than ever before. Psychologists are starting to talk about it, even if the media doesn’t. They say the human brain can only take so much pressure, so much bad news, and so much guilt before it shuts down. That’s what’s happening now. People aren’t angry because they hate—they’re angry because they feel powerless. They’re tired of being told they’re the cause of all suffering in the world. They’re tired of politicians pointing fingers. They’re tired of media stories that divide instead of unite. At the root of it all is one big truth: most people just want their lives back. They want to go to work, raise their kids, enjoy their weekends, and not feel like they’re under attack all the time. They don’t want to fight with neighbours. They don’t want to argue about politics. They don’t want to be called names just for speaking their mind. They want peace. They want fairness. And they want someone to finally say, “We hear you. We see you. And we’re sorry.” But that hasn’t happened yet. Instead, the government pushes more rules. More taxes. More lectures. And every time a new problem comes up, they say, “If only the people had done more.” But we have done more. We’ve carried the weight for too long. We’ve stayed quiet. We’ve played along. Now we’re tired. Not because we’re cruel—but because we’re human This is the truth about world fatigue. It’s not a lack of love—it’s too much heartbreak. It’s not that we stopped caring—it’s that no one cared for us. And it’s time we said it out loud. We are not the enemy. We are not the problem. We are the people. And we want our lives back.

The Hoarders House

The Hoarders House By Theresa Grant Real Estate columnist Every house has the ability to present its own unique challenges when it comes to getting it sold. A hoarders house however is a horse of a different colour. I remember many years ago shortly after moving to Oshawa, I rented the lower unit of a house in the Rossland and Ritson Road area. When I moved in the landlord told me that there was a gentleman who lived on the second floor who had been there for several years. I crossed paths with the fellow from time to time in the driveway. He seemed nice enough. For some reason, and I surely cannot remember now, but I needed to speak to him, so I went and knocked on his door. I knocked and waited, finally he came to the door but only opened it enough to stick his face between the frame and the door. About eight or nine inches. I said what I was there for, and he told me to come in. I stood there while he tried to maneuver the door open enough for me to be able to step inside. When I was actually able to enter, by turning sideways, I was horrified. He stood there looking at me and I stood there with a look of shock and disbelief on my face for sure. We were in the small entry area where one side of the wall housed the staircase to go upstairs and there was a small closet directly in front of the front door. So, we were in a landing basically of about 4 feet by 6 feet. From floor to ceiling were stacks of decades old Toronto Star newspapers. I could not believe what I was seeing. A person could not move. I was shocked to say the least, but my thoughts turned to things like, what if the fire department needed to get in here? They simply couldn’t. I spoke with the landlord regarding the situation, and he advised me that he was aware and had asked the tenant several times to get rid of the newspapers. He also told me that what I had seen was the tip of the iceberg. Keep in mind this was long before TLC made programs depicting this type of living and what it involved. When I started looking for a place to purchase years ago, I went to see a house on Ritson Rd, near Athol Street. The house was completely full of tools and huge pieces of equipment inside of every room in the house. You could barely get around, in fact I was warned about a particular area of the house. The owner was present and insisted that everything would be gone when the house was sold but it was hard to imagine. I asked the realtor how long it had been on the market, and to no surprise it had been listed for several months with no offers. Hoarding is not a healthy way to live and is often indicative of someone needing serious help beyond the organization of their home. There are many resources available to people now, and I strongly advise anyone who may need some guidance to reach out and seek professional help.

Job Seekers Stop Talking About Your Past. Employers Do Not Care!

Job Seekers Stop Talking About Your Past. Employers Do Not Care! By Nick Kossovan We all know the adage, "What's done is done," which savvy hiring managers cite to themselves as a reminder that a candidate's past achievements do not guarantee future achievements. From experience, I'm now cognizant that while a candidate's past behaviour and results offer insight into their likely future actions, they aren't a foolproof predictor of performance, hence why I don't ask behavioural questions. Such questions complicate the hiring process, favour candidates who can easily conjure up stories—true or not—and don't reveal what I really want to know: how the candidate thinks and their career aspirations. Most job seekers mistakenly position themselves by referring to their past achievements instead of painting an "I want to deliver the results you need" picture for their interviewer. An underused interview strategy is to not dwell on where you've been (water under the bridge); instead, talk about where you're going career-wise and how you'd like the employer to be part of your journey. I call this future-oriented anchoring a powerful narrative strategy that puts you in control of your career story. Frame your trajectory in terms of where you're headed, not where you've been. When you only discuss your past, you anchor yourself to what you've already been paid for and the roles you've already had. However, when you talk with enthusiasm (key) about where you see yourself in the future, you create a positive 'future you" impression, influencing how your interviewer perceives your potential and value. Trying to gauge a candidate's potential is why interviewers often ask, "Where do you see yourself in five years?" Instead of dismissing the 'five-year question' as a cliché, acknowledge its significance. Your response to this question, when answered with precision and backed by your current actions, can speak volumes about your ambition, work ethic, and if you have any sense of entitlement. A meticulous approach to answering the 'five-year question' will set you apart from other candidates. "Five years from now, I see myself overseeing the social media team at a major film entertainment studio such as DaVille Studio. I'm currently pursuing a Digital Strategy and Communication Management certificate from the University of Toronto School of Continuing Studies. Additionally, I read as much as I can about social media management. I just finished The Art of Social Media: Power Tips for Power Users by Guy Kawasaki, a book advocating purposeful engagement, which I wholeheartedly agree with." Since you know you'll likely be asked, "Where do you see yourself in five years?" there's no excuse not to have a prepared answer in advance, something along the lines of the aforementioned, that’ll make your interviewer sit back and think to themselves, "[You] is serious about their career." One of the most common complaints I hear from job seekers is, "Employers aren't seeing my potential!" Here's the thing: you can't expect employers to see (read: envision) your potential if you don't provide a narrative that conveys your potential. It's your responsibility to help employers recognize your potential and value instead of expecting them to perceive it magically. Future-oriented positioning communicates to an employer that your most significant contributions lie ahead. Consider these two statements 1. "I successfully led our company-wide cloud migration, reducing costs substantially." 2. "I'm focused on enterprise-wide digital transformation that proactively, as opposed to reactively, prepares companies for the next decade of technological change. I want to be part of keeping Burns Industries ahead of the digital curve and deliver no less than an annual 30% cost savings due to adopting an early adoption approach." The first statement merely reiterates what the interviewer already knows from your resume and LinkedIn profile; the second statement is much more compelling. The first statement limits your value to your past, while the second offers the interviewer insight into your potential future contributions to the company. A candidate's potential future value is a significant factor that employers consider when making hiring decisions, which highlights a harsh reality: a candidate's "future" (read: remaining working life) is one reason employers sometimes take a candidate's age into account when hiring. Talking about your career aspirations and how you plan to get there is how you sell employers your potential and value. While employers need to know what you've accomplished, what is more important for an employer to know is how your experiences are influencing your future actions. I don't know a hiring manager who doesn't want to know—better yet, feel— whether a candidate is ambitious, proactive, and ready to take on challenges. If you've executed a successful marketing campaign, don't just stop there. Expand on how that experience influences your vision for future campaigns. You might say, "The marketing campaign I led last year for Jojo's Ice Cream's newest flavour, Banana Karenina, taught me the importance of data-driven decisions. My goal is to leverage this insight to develop even more engaging strategies that boost brand loyalty." When interviewing, don't just discuss your past or career aspirations; an interview isn't solely about you. Interviews are your opportunity, one that few job seekers capitalize on, to showcase your potential value-add, which, as I mentioned, is your responsibility to ensure your interviewer sees and feels. ___________________________________________________________________

DURHAM REGION TO ENTER INTO A GOVERNMENT-TO-GOVERNMENT COLLABORATION WITH SCUGOG FIRST NATIONS

DURHAM REGION TO ENTER INTO A GOVERNMENT-TO-GOVERNMENT COLLABORATION WITH SCUGOG FIRST NATIONS This week’s column will delve, briefly, into the complex realm of First Nations involvement in Canadian civic affairs, but first, I thought it best to provide some background as to the relationship between governments and Indigenous communities in Canada and within the province of Ontario before arriving at home base, being Durham Region. THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT has tripled its annual Indigenous spending, from $11 billion to over $32 billion, since The Trudeau Liberals took office in 2015. During that time, Canadian taxpayers have been made to support several significant settlements between the federal government and First Nations, totaling well over $57 billion. The Province of Ontario has also settled claims with First Nations, paying out a total of $14.9 billion in compensation, and has reached 65 land claims and other agreements, settling for close to $11.1 billion up to March 2024. Significant funding has been committed to reforming First Nations Child and Family Services, including $8.5 billion in a landmark agreement to reform the program here in Ontario. With regard to ongoing treaty negotiations, a proposed $10 billion settlement was reached to compensate for unpaid past annuities, with the Ontario government contributing $5 billion. Additionally, the Province has committed over $3 billion for loans, grants, and scholarships to encourage Indigenous participation and ownership in the mining sector, and also funds various programs and initiatives through Crown-Indigenous Relations and Northern Affairs Canada. That’s a lot to take in, and the dollars involved are nothing less than staggering. But it doesn’t end there. CLASS ACTION LAWSUITS have been filed, including a $1.1 billion suit by a northern Manitoba tribe, the Shamattawa First Nation, over access to clean drinking water which the federal government claims is the responsibility of the Indigenous communities. Another class action lawsuit against Canada has been filed by the St. Theresa Point First Nation in Manitoba and Sandy Lake First Nation in northwestern Ontario for failing to provide adequate housing on First Nations land. That class action is seeking $5 billion in damages. In 2023, an alliance of First Nations in northern Ontario argued they were owed upwards of $100 billion over certain aspects of a 173-year-old treaty. Future such actions on the part of Canada’s indigenous population seem highly likely. LAND ACKNOWLEDGMENT AT COUNCILS AND ELSEWHERE have become the norm. The Region of Durham started incorporating land acknowledgments, which recognize the traditional territories of Indigenous peoples, in 2020, based on the Truth and Reconciliation Commission report. Specifically, Pickering adopted a land acknowledgment statement in November 2020, and the Region of Durham began reading land acknowledgments at its meetings in January 2021. The City of Oshawa also began incorporating a land acknowledgment statement, which is now delivered at the start of every city council meeting, every standing and advisory committee meeting, and has been mandated for delivery at every City event with opening ceremonies, such as the Tribute Communities Centre when fans gather together for the purpose of watching a hockey game. The investments made by Canadians, both financial and ceremonial are beyond dispute, and are quite considerable. MEMBERS OF DURHAM REGIONAL COUNCIL will be meeting on May 28th to consider a report by the Region’s ‘Chief’ Administrative Officer in which a bilateral agreement has been proposed in an effort to establish a “Government-to-Government Collaboration” between the Mississaugas of Scugog Island First Nation and the Region of Durham. Among the goals set out in the report is a plan for the Parties to meet quarterly, as well as the establishment of an ‘Indigenous advisory committee’ to ensure Indigenous input on a range of Regional initiatives. Further, there is a proposal to co-ordinate service delivery for what the report identifies as “investments in poverty prevention, housing solutions, and homelessness supports.” Finally, there are provisions to ensure an “accountable and transparent” decision-making process in order to serve community needs, while responsibly managing available resources. As justification for these measures, reference is made to the 1923 Williams Treaty, which the report says resulted in the denial of rights and a “lack of proper compensation and additional lands.” The area encompassed by the Treaty includes lands that stretch from Lake Ontario's northern shore all the way to Lake Simcoe. A 2018 Settlement Agreement with the Crown facilitates the addition of up to 11,000 acres to each of the seven First Nations in the area covered by the Williams Treaty. KAWARTHA FIRST NATION which identifies itself as Member 62 of the ‘Alliance of Indigenous Nations’ recently issued a press release in which they state their intention of “actively reclaiming 15,000 square kilometres of unceded land and waters – an area roughly the size of Georgian Bay.” They assert the territory and its resources include The City of Kawartha Lakes, Minden and all of Durham Region. GOVERNMENTS AT ALL LEVELS in this country appear ready to continue enacting policies with regard to ever-increasing claims for land, money, and oversight on the part of Canada’s indigenous population. I wrote in a previous column about Olivia Chow, the Mayor of Toronto, having formed the opinion that the affairs of her community may be better served by adding an unelected indigenous member to serve on city council. A motion was brought forward by the Mayor that would see Toronto’s City Manager look into opportunities to ‘deepen meaningful representation of the Indigenous community in City decision-making… including through advisory bodies and other mechanisms.’ Those ‘other mechanisms’ are seen by many Toronto councillors as an attempt to add one or more members of council who would be appointed based on their ancestry, without having been given a mandate by the electors. There is unquestionably plenty of evidence to show mistreatment of this country’s First Nations communities dating back to the arrival of the first Europeans, and there is certainly justification in expecting financial and other supports to continue up to and including the present day. To say otherwise is to deny history. At the same time, the sheer magnitude of the resources expected to be transferred in this ongoing effort is staggering, and in this columnist’s view, unsustainable. Readers must judge for themselves what may be deemed as necessary or otherwise unreasonable in terms of where this is all going, and what it means for our nation, our culture, and our economy. Is there a point at which one can say, enough is enough?

If Nothing Is Something. Then He Is An Accomplished Leader…

If Nothing Is Something. Then He Is An Accomplished Leader... B.A. Psychology Editor/Publisher Central Newspapers ACCOMPLISHED WRITER/AUTHOR OF OVER 800,000 Published Columns in Canada and The United States A recent quote from Mayor Carter of Oshawa regarding crime, drugs, and the homeless read, We’ve done everything we can: Oshawa mayor calls for aid from senior levels of government in the wake of a gun tragedy. Well, if EVERYTHING is to be taken to mean NOTHING, then he is truly an accomplished NOTHING. This is exactly what he has done. All of the programs he has attempted to implement have ended up making matters worse. He cries that we don’t have the money to invest in our own people, that it is the Provinces' and the Feds' responsibility. WRONG, Mr. Mayor. It is your responsibility to ensure that every citizen has a humane level of quality of life. People sleeping on our streets is not doing everything he can. People shooting up drugs in our parks and on our streets is not doing everything he can. Crime is at an all-time high, with people getting shot in our downtown park. That is doing everything he can? In his two terms, he has destroyed Oshawa. He has let GM walk out without any benefits for Oshawa, leaving our City in an environmental mess. Carter cries he has no money to help those living on the streets. Yet, he has 2 million dollars for personal and city staff security contracts. Yes, you are paying for his personal bodyguard. Why would he need a bodyguard if he is doing such a great job and the people appreciate him? He and his staff needed one due to the fact that Oshawa’s quality of life is at an all-time low. People are pissed off... But let’s continue on the premise that there is no money for programs that will assist the poor. Yet, there is 50 million to give to a local hockey team. Or how about wasting 30 million on a park next to a park that no one visits (Lakeview Park next to Broadbent Park)? There is no money for the poor, but there is money for a 20 million dollar (Rotary Park) pool. An outdoor pool in Canada. Really! And we don’t have 20 million to fix the homeless problem? What is more bothersome is the fact that the Mayor was a former homeless drug addict himself. One would have thought that he would understand the needs of those living on the streets. No, I guess the drugs he used to be on fried his brain, as the quality of life for those living on our streets is getting worse. Downtown businesses are closing at an alarming rate due to the fact that people do not want to park their cars downtown for fear of being attacked. My question to Mr. Resilience: How do you sleep at night, knowing that fellow citizens are sleeping on the street? I guess, knowing his character, he just shrugs his shoulders and makes some politically correct comment. It is shameful what is going on. The problem can be solved with very little or no money. What you need is real leadership that can negotiate partnerships with industry, trade, and commerce to create real programs that will open the door to housing to accommodate their no-income needs. To work with the local hospital to have special units for anyone caught overdosing or using drugs... a treatment center paid by OHIP. But what am I saying? We have an achieve NOTHING running a corporation, something that he is not qualified to do. We get what we get: despair, suffering, and a lot of resilience make-believe. Sad. We keep voting for the status quo. We keep slipping in standards. It is evident on the quality of our lives. We need real change...Wake up, people.

Canada Post in trouble

Canada Post in trouble by Maj (ret’d) CORNELIU, CHISU, CD, PMSC FEC, CET, P.Eng. Former Member of Parliament Pickering-Scarborough East Once a revered Canadian institution, Canada Post is now on the brink of bankruptcy. Years of bad management and unrealistic union demands have resulted in soon relegating this institution to the pages of history books. The combined effects of the Covid-19 pandemic, the decline of the letter as a primary means of correspondence, and the rise in popularity of the parcel have not been kind to the postal service. Despite the bleak outlook for its business future, Canada Post employees will be in a strike position next week, threatening to suspend mail and parcel delivery across the country. The Canadian Union of Postal Workers, which represents 55,000 of the service's employees, threatens to have its members walk off the job if there is no progress on a new collective agreement. If that happens, no new mail will be accepted and any items already in the system will be held until the strike is over. So why are we facing another strike when we just had one last November-December that lasted 32 days and deeply disrupted everything from Christmas gifts to passport delivery. The reason is that that the labour dispute was never resolved. The fact is that the financial situation of Canada Post has been in very bad shape for years. Here are the facts on why it is so bad. The last time Canada Post made a profit was 2017. Since then it has lost $3 billion. The annual loss in 2023 was $748 million, even worse than 2022 when it lost $548 million. Until recently, Canada Post funded its operations without any taxpayer money. That changed in January this year, when the federal government loaned it $1 billion to stay afloat. This summer, Canada Post will have to refinance other loans worth $500 million and, it says, by 2026 it will need $1 billion a year from the government just to meet its financial obligations. Canada Post hit peak letter delivery nearly 20 years ago. In 2006, it delivered 5.5 billion letters. In 2023 it only delivered 2.2 billion letters, and that included a lot of bills and other official correspondence. Times have changed and electronic mail has become the norm. Many people in this country have grown up never knowing the practice of writing a letter to someone and putting it in the mail. With the advent of AI, another new technology, which is on the horizon it is difficult to see how Canada Post will be able to adapt in due time to these new challenges. It is clear that the physical distribution of letters to households has become a problem through natural attrition. Since 2006, Canada has added three million new addresses as the population has grown. Canada Post has to serve them all. However, it is delivering in excess of three billion fewer letters. The mismatch of revenue and expenses is now so bad, that it amounts to an existential crisis. When it comes to parcel delivery, there is no monopoly, there is no set price, and the competition is fierce. It is easy to recognize the big name competitors: FedEx, UPS, DHL, as well as other players who are contracted by the likes of Amazon. Canada Post admits it is being beaten badly. In 2019, it delivered 62 per cent of the packages in this country. In 2023, their delivery rate was down to 29 per cent. What makes that figure even more devastating is that Canada Post continues to lose its share of a rapidly expanding market. Millions more parcels are being delivered every year in this country, but Canada Post is getting less and less of the action. Canada Post says part of the reason it cannot compete is that it does not deliver on weekends, while many private companies do so. It wants to hire more part-time staff to work those days, but the union says that amounts to gig work, and won't accept it. Canada Post claims most of its employees cannot be laid off under any circumstances, which it characterizes as "jobs for life." Indeed the collective agreement says "there shall be no temporary or permanent lay-off of any employee (excluding term employees)" who have been employed for more than five continuous years, in the case of older employees. Hires that are more recent need 10 years of experience to avoid layoffs. Clearly, the situation cannot continue like this. If it is not dealt with, and promptly, Canada Post will become bankrupt and taxpayers’ money should be not committed further to a crown corporation that can no longer manage itself sustainably. With negotiations between management and union continuing and the union ready to go on strike, it will soon become evident how things are evolving. In the meantime it is clear that this situation cannot continue as before and drastic measures need to be taken in order to serve Canadians better and save taxpayers’ money. It seems that this is now a government problem so let us see how they deal with it. What do you think?

The Sad Truth About Canada's Military: From Proud Force to Forgotten Joke

The Sad Truth About Canada's Military: From Proud Force to Forgotten Joke By Dale Jodoin There was a time when Canada’s military stood tall. Our soldiers were respected across the world. They were trained, ready, and proud to serve. But today, something has changed. Our military is no longer what it used to be. It’s been left to fall apart by the very governments that were supposed to protect it. Today, many Canadians are starting to ask: Why did our leaders let this happen? From One of the Best to a Shell of the Past Canada once had a strong, trusted military. We played a big role in World War II, in peacekeeping missions, and in NATO. But now, we’re barely hanging on. Much of our military equipment is older than the people using it. Some of our tanks and vehicles date back to the Vietnam War era. Our planes are so old they need parts that are no longer made. Instead of giving our troops the tools they need, governments—both Liberal and Conservative—have cut budgets, delayed upgrades, and let morale fall. It’s become a clown show, where the military is rolled out only for show on Canada Day or emergencies, but rarely respected or taken seriously the rest of the year. Troops Are Leaving in Record Numbers Our men and women in uniform are quitting. Not because they don’t love this country—but because they feel abandoned. The equipment is old. The pay is low. The training spaces are crumbling. New recruits, especially women, often leave within a year. Why? Because the military isn’t what it used to be. It doesn’t support them the way it should. Many feel disrespected. They see that the government cares more about politics than protecting its people. That hurts. It tells our troops: “You don’t matter.” And so, they leave. Liberals Won’t Fight for This Country Let’s be honest. A Liberal government has never shown the heart to fight fully for this country. They act like defence is someone else’s job. They’d rather put money into social programs and global issues, not national defence. They expect other countries—like the U.S.—to carry the weight for them. When Canada went to Afghanistan, we didn’t even have the right gear. We had to borrow equipment from the United States. Later, we gave away some of our own outdated stuff to Ukraine—not because it was helpful, but because it was all we had. That’s embarrassing. A country as big and rich as ours should be able to supply its own military. The NATO Joke Canada is a member of NATO. That means we’re supposed to help defend not just ourselves, but our allies too. But let’s be real—every other NATO country sees us as the weak link. We don’t spend enough. We don’t send enough. We don’t prepare enough. We’re a joke. And every year we fall further behind. Countries half our size—like Poland or Finland—are building strong, modern forces. Meanwhile, Canada shrinks and shrinks. The Will to Serve Is Still Here But here’s the hopeful part: Canadians still want to serve. We have brave men and women from coast to coast who would give everything to defend this land. That includes new Canadians—immigrants—who would gladly join the military if it helped them earn citizenship. Imagine a program where someone could earn full Canadian citizenship after 5 years of military service. The response would be massive. Thousands would sign up. We have the people. We just need leadership. But that’s what we don’t have. Our Fallen Soldiers Deserve Better Every year, we honour the memory of the soldiers who gave their lives for Canada. But with each year, fewer and fewer people show up. Fewer parades. Fewer moments of silence. Fewer stories told. It’s like the government would rather forget. But we won’t forget. We remember their sacrifice. And we know they would be ashamed of what the military has become. The Rich Don’t Have to Care In this new Canada, the people in charge don’t worry about defence. They have private security. Their kids don’t go to war. They live in safe homes, far away from any danger. So they don’t think about rebuilding the army. To them, the military is just another budget line. But for the rest of us—for the families with someone in uniform—it’s personal. We know the truth. Other Countries Are Passing Us By Here’s something scary: smaller countries now have more powerful militaries than Canada. Poland, Israel, South Korea—even Norway and Estonia—have more modern gear and better-trained troops. Why? Because they take defence seriously. Canada does not. And until that changes, we’ll keep falling further behind. Rebuilding Is Possible—But Will Anyone Try? We can rebuild. It’s not too late. But we need a government with courage. One that understands that national defence matters. One that doesn’t treat the military like a circus act to be dragged out during disasters and then locked away again. We need real investment in equipment. Real care for our troops. Real training and recruitment. And most of all, real respect. Because the people who defend this country deserve more than old trucks and broken promises. They deserve a country that believes in them. Canada has some of the finest people in the world. Strong. Brave. Loyal. Willing to stand up and serve. But they need a reason to stay. They need leadership that doesn’t see them as leftovers or extras. They need support that lasts beyond one photo-op. If we don’t act soon, we may not have a military left to fix. And when the next emergency comes—whether it’s war, natural disaster, or terrorist threat—Canada may not be ready. And that, sadly, will be on us.