Showing posts with label COVID. Show all posts
Showing posts with label COVID. Show all posts
Friday, June 13, 2025
Know Your Numbers
Know Your Numbers
By Theresa Grant Real Estate columnist
I want to tell you about a story that was relayed to me through a friend. I came to know this by way of dinner conversation with this friend when I inquired about a mutual acquaintance. I was shocked but not surprised. We both knew this couple that were looking for a house to purchase. They had an agent and were actively looking. After seeing many houses this couple found a house they really loved so they put an offer on it. What happens when someone puts an offer on a house is, the listing agent sends out a message to anyone who has viewed the house either through an open house or a personal tour. The message is to let those people know that there has been an offer registered on that property in case they may have been mulling it over. It essentially brings everyone to the table. If you had walked through and were thinking about it, now was the time to make an offer and everyone gets a chance. It’s also how agents whip up bidding wars. That is exactly what happened in the case of this couple. They ended up losing the house to someone who bid higher than they could afford to go. This actually happened not once, but a couple of times. The couple grew somewhat despondent, thinking that they may never be able to purchase a house if this was the process with every offer. The couple were drawn to this beautiful house that had absolutely everything they wanted in their new home. They put a offer on the house knowing there would probably be at least one more coming in. They had a plan. When the agent came back to them and asked if they’d like to improve their offer, they said yes. They had launching into the bidding war. The problem being that they could only afford a certain number. They were just so desperate to get the house, they kept raising their offer. Eventually the agent informed them that they had won, and that the sellers were going to work with their offer. They were thrilled. Now came the real problem. While they had been approved for a certain dollar value in terms of the mortgage, the bank ordered an appraisal of the house. That is common in most cases. The appraisal came back far below the offer price on the house. That left the couple in a real bind. They could either come up with the difference between what the bank said the house was worth and what they had offered to pay for the house or, the sellers could sue them. This is a situation that played out during Covid-19 far too often as people got caught up in desperately trying to purchase something for fear they would not have an opportunity down the road. In this case the couple was able to come up with the difference, but in most cases the situation winds up in court. The whole process of house hunting can be an emotional roller coaster but my advise to everyone is to never panic, and always know your numbers.
The Endless #OpenToWork Banner Debate is Tiring
The Endless #OpenToWork Banner Debate is Tiring
By Nick Kossovan
A straightforward belief: A person's results speak for themselves. Making excuses for being a "victim of," "not having the same advantages as," or blaming your parents, the government, and the stars not being aligned doesn't change this. A person's results are influenced by how they respond to their circumstances, their actions—playing the hand they're dealt—and the amount of effort—strategic effort—they put forth.
When it comes to job search results, such as landing interviews, your results are a testament to the effectiveness of your job search strategy.
I'm sure you've noticed that many job seekers on LinkedIn harshly and venomously critique the job search strategies of other seekers. It's no one else's business how a job seeker conducts their job search, who ultimately must live with the results their job search strategy achieves. This supposed "concern" for what other job seekers are doing is why LinkedIn has become a digital hub for juvenile debates, the most prevalent being whether to use LinkedIn's #OpenToWork banner feature, adding a green circle frame to your LinkedIn profile picture to inform LinkedIn members you're seeking a new job.
My initial take: "Care about what other people think, and you will always be their prisoner." - Lao Tzu. Why do so many people give a f*ck about what others do on social media? An incessant need "to be right" (You're right, everyone else is wrong.) hinders personal growth. What prevents us from following the harmony principle: you do you, and I will do me? Basically, mind your own business!
My second take: Before LinkedIn became the dumpster fire it is today, where job seekers congregate to bash employers, essentially biting the hands they want to feed them, and self-proclaiming "experts" offering pseudo job search advice, followed by a pitch for their overpriced, never-guaranteed service, LinkedIn was the go-to platform for announcing you were looking for a new job. Why LinkedIn? LinkedIn was where your current and former colleagues, friends, hiring managers, and recruiters hung out. These days, many managers, directors, executives and even recruiters avoid LinkedIn. They no longer see LinkedIn's value or want to spend their time wading through the victim mentality drama that dominates the platform.
Once upon a time, you could concentrate all your job search efforts on LinkedIn. Today, LinkedIn should make up only a small part of your job search activities. The #OpenToWork banner is merely one tool in your job search toolkit. It's unlikely that the banner alone will significantly influence your job search, either positively or negatively; however, every little bit helps.
The #OpenToWork banner debate generally centres on whether the green banner makes a person seem "desperate." The banner is simply a sign that you're open (available) to opportunities, serving the same purpose as a red neon 'vacancy' sign in the window of a roadside motel, indicating to travellers that rooms are available. Is the owner of the roadside motel making it known they have rooms available "desperate"?
· If I owned a retail store, I'd display a sign that tells people what I sell.
· If I were selling my house, I would put a sign on my front lawn.
· If I were opening a new dental clinic, I would advertise on billboards.
· If I were looking for a job, I'd...
What LinkedIn's #OpenToWork doesn't do is help you establish your value proposition. It's your responsibility to demonstrate how you can contribute measurable value to an employer's bottom line. Hiring managers filter LinkedIn profiles by skills, experience, and other factors related to their search criteria. Filtering by "Open-To-Work" won't bring up LinkedIn profiles of those who possess the skills and expertise they're seeking. However, if your profile appears in an employer's or recruiter's search and you've toggled on the "Open to Work" setting, which is unrelated to the #OpenToWork photo frame and, while visible to everyone, isn't something recruiters and employers can search for, it makes sense, at least I think so, to contact you first since you're advertising that you're available and therefore are more likely to be open to discussing an opportunity than someone who's currently employed and will need to be persuaded to leave their current position.
Advertising your availability doesn't make you appear desperate; it removes ambiguity, making it easier for recruiters and employers to recognize candidates who are actively job searching. You're not pleading for a job; you're helping employers find you, which reflects a proactive mindset. I don't know any recruiter or employer who holds a candidate's proactive job search against them. However, it's crucial to recognize that being easy to find on LinkedIn and the impression a recruiter or hiring manager gets from your profile are two entirely separate influences on your job search. Unless your profile clearly states, using quantifying numbers, the value you've added to your previous employers, your #OpenToWork banner's effectiveness is almost nonexistent. One last note: if you're participating in the #OpenToWork banner debate, stop it! It's not your concern how others conduct their job search. Keep your focus on what you need to do to achieve your desired job search results, which speak for themselves.
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Nick Kossovan, a well-seasoned corporate veteran, offers “unsweetened” job search advice. Send Nick your job search questions to artoffindingwork@gmail.com.
Stop the Spin: Pickering Is Not the Fastest-Growing City - And Here’s Why That Matters
IN THIS MODERN AGE…
IN THIS MODERN AGE...
By Dale Jodoin
In this day and age, it’s become popular to point fingers at Boomers. You hear it everywhere—“They had it easy,” “They ruined the economy,” “They’re the problem.” But no one ever stops to ask what happens when seniors lose everything. When a lifetime of work, bills paid, children raised, and pride kept turns into nothing more than a shopping cart and a park bench. You don’t see many headlines about seniors becoming homeless. But it’s happening. Right now. Every day. Quietly. People in their 50s, 60s, even well into their 70s, are sleeping on sidewalks and shelter mats, not because they made bad choices—but because life, plain and simple, gave them the short end.
Here’s the part we don’t want to admit: the longer you work, the harder your body breaks. The wear and tear shows up in every joint. The knees swell. The hips grind. The spine stiffens. The hands curl with arthritis. And when the body gives out, the job usually goes right with it. Maybe they’re let go. Maybe they can’t physically keep up. Maybe their boss just wants someone younger. And once that paycheck stops, things fall apart fast. Rent is missed. Groceries are skipped. The car gets sold. The next thing you know, a man who spent forty years working is standing in a soup kitchen line wondering how he got here. But even then, even standing there with his life crumbling, he won’t ask for help. Because pride is the one thing he still has left.
That pride, the kind that built homes and raised families, becomes a curse when you’ve got nothing. It keeps seniors from reaching out. It keeps them quiet, curled up under a worn-out blanket in minus thirty weather, just trying to survive another night. Now picture this: your hips are gone, bone-on-bone. Your hands barely open. You haven’t slept right in weeks. You’re in a crowded shelter, surrounded by strangers. Some of them are angry, some violent. If you speak up, you might get beaten for it. If you say nothing, you might lose your only blanket. So you make yourself small. You find a corner. You try to disappear.
But not everyone in those shelters is cruel. Some of the young people in there—those who’ve also lost homes, jobs, families—see the older folks and step in. They give them a spot in line. They pass over a sandwich. They keep an eye out while the senior rests. These young ones don’t do it for thanks. They do it because they still understand what respect looks like, even in places where respect is usually long gone. And that matters. A lot.
Still, most seniors don’t make it to shelters. Many can’t. The beds are limited. The places are dangerous. Some have wheelchairs with dead batteries and no place to charge them. Others can’t walk the blocks to get there because their joints scream in pain. Health nurses are posted miles away, and they won’t come to the person—they expect the person to come to them. But how do you get there when you can’t even stand?
And what about money? The pensions supposed to come every month, right? But where do they send it? You don’t have an address when you’re living in a tent behind the strip mall. You don’t get phone calls when your battery’s dead and your charger got stolen. You fall through the cracks. Then you fall even further. Until you’re invisible. And most people just walk by, assuming the worst.
And even the little jobs they used to count on—like working part-time at Tim Hortons or McDonald’s—those are gone too. There was a time when an older person could stand behind a counter, move a little slower, greet customers with a smile, and still feel like they mattered. It wasn’t glamorous, but it gave them purpose and dignity. Now? Those spots are filled with foreign workers brought in on contracts, paid less, expected to move faster, and told not to question it. Seniors don’t even get looked at anymore. They’re too slow, too stiff, too “in the way.” So they get nothing. Not even a chance.
But you know what? Even then, the heart still beats. I’ve seen an old man with a limp and a split lip put himself between a junkie and his girlfriend because he couldn’t stand to see her hit again. He didn’t have a home, didn’t have clean socks, but he had enough strength to take a beating for a stranger. That’s who these men and women are. They’re not a problem. They’re the people who once built this country with their hands. And now they sit in doorways holding a paper cup they can barely grip. They don’t beg. They just ask. And even then, some can’t reach out to take the coin because arthritis has locked their hands shut.
Meanwhile, we’ve got months for everything now. Black History Month. Pride Month. Heritage days. Every culture gets recognition—and rightfully so. But where’s the month for seniors? Where’s the public funding to make sure they have warm food and a safe place to sleep? Where’s the respect? Because when they were younger, they had it. We gave it. But now? Most people look away, mutter something about pensions, or worse, joke about how they should just “get with the times.”
It’s sickening, really. These are the same people who fought wars, built roads, stocked shelves, cleaned schools, raised kids, ran farms, and did every job that younger folks now scoff at. “Let someone else do it,” the new attitude says. Well, these seniors were someone else. And they did it without complaint. So now that their hands can’t lift anymore and their legs barely carry them—what, they’re supposed to just disappear?
This isn’t just a sad story. It’s a warning. Because we’re all heading there. If we’re lucky, we grow old. And if we’re really lucky, we grow old with dignity. But that dignity is vanishing. Fast. And once it’s gone, good luck getting it back. You laugh at the elderly now—until you're them. You brush them off—until it’s you on the bus with no one offering a seat. The difference is, when they were young, they had respect for their elders. Now, they are the elders, and all they get is silence.
So what can we do? Start here. Don’t look away. If you see a senior on the street, don’t assume they’re an addict or a lost cause. Look again. That could be a retired carpenter, a grandmother, a war vet. Someone who paid rent for 45 years before one bad turn knocked them over. If they hold out a hand, don’t overthink it. Just help. Not because they asked—but because they shouldn’t have to.
The seniors of today were the workers, soldiers, parents, and builders of yesterday. Their pride was earned, not given. And while it may keep them quiet, it’s still there, holding them together, even when everything else has fallen apart. They are not a burden. They are not the past. They are us—just a few years ahead. And the way we treat them now is the exact way we’ll be treated later. So maybe it’s time we stop blaming them and start honouring them—before it’s too late.
Ontario Courts to Employers: Update Your Contracts or Pay the Price
Ontario Courts to Employers: Update Your Contracts or Pay the Price
By Tahir Khorasanee, LL.M.
Senior Associate, Steinbergs LLP
Ontario employers are being put on high alert: outdated, vague, or improperly drafted employment agreements are increasingly being rejected by courts, often at great cost to the employer. A wave of recent decisions, including two in June 2025, has reaffirmed that poorly worded termination and layoff clauses can leave employers on the hook for significant severance obligations.
In one case, the Ontario Superior Court awarded 16 months' notice to an employee who had been placed on a temporary layoff during the COVID-19 pandemic. The employer assumed it had the right to lay off the employee due to the pandemic's exceptional circumstances. However, the court found that because the employment agreement did not contain a valid and enforceable layoff clause, the layoff constituted a constructive dismissal.
In another high-profile decision, the Township of Ignace was ordered to pay damages in a wrongful dismissal suit after failing to comply with contractual and statutory obligations. The employee was dismissed without sufficient cause or notice, and the municipality's failure to adhere to the Employment Standards Act (ESA) requirements proved costly.
These rulings underscore a broader legal trend in Ontario: the courts are scrutinizing employment contracts more rigorously than ever, and any clause that fails to comply with the ESA may be deemed unenforceable in its entirety.
Why Contracts Are Being Struck Down
Under the ESA, employees are entitled to minimum protections regarding termination, notice, severance, and conditions of layoff. If an employment agreement includes language that even potentially denies or undercuts those entitlements, it risks being void.
One common example is a "just cause" termination clause that defines cause more broadly than the ESA. Because the ESA has a higher threshold for when notice can be withheld, these overreaching definitions can lead to the entire termination provision being invalidated.
Similarly, layoff clauses must explicitly authorize the employer to place an employee on a temporary layoff in accordance with the ESA. If the agreement is silent or ambiguous on this right, any layoff may be interpreted as a constructive dismissal, triggering full common law notice obligations.
Key Clauses That Must Be Updated
Legal experts now urge employers to review the following clauses in all employment agreements:
Layoff Clauses: Must expressly permit layoffs under ESA terms. Without it, employers risk exposure to constructive dismissal claims.
Termination Clauses: Must clearly state that employees will receive at least ESA minimums, and must not attempt to contract out of those minimums either directly or indirectly.
Just Cause Provisions: Avoid overly broad language. Limit definitions to what the ESA recognizes.
Severability Clauses: Although helpful, they will not save a termination provision that violates ESA minimums.
Real-World Impact
When a contract is struck down, courts do not revert to some "middle ground." Instead, they fall back on the common law, which typically awards one month of notice per year of service, and sometimes significantly more depending on the employee's age, position, and job market conditions.
For example, in the COVID-related case, the terminated employee had a relatively short tenure but was still awarded 16 months of pay because the court found the layoff unjustified and the termination clause unenforceable. This is a stark reminder that employees don’t need decades of service to be awarded lengthy notice periods.
Broader Context: Uncertain Economy, Increased Scrutiny
These decisions come at a time of economic uncertainty, where layoffs, restructurings, and cost-cutting are common. Employers that rely on outdated contract templates are particularly vulnerable.
The pandemic shifted the legal landscape. It exposed just how many employers failed to include valid layoff language in their contracts. Now courts are closing the door on those arguments.
Moreover, the courts are showing less willingness to "blue pencil" or fix flawed clauses. Instead, they are invalidating entire sections, resulting in greater liability than many employers anticipate.
Practical Tips for Employers
If you're an employer in Ontario, here are steps to reduce risk:
Audit Your Existing Agreements: Especially for long-standing employees. Even minor language issues can render termination clauses void.
Use ESA-Compliant Language: Clauses must reflect the exact language and requirements of the ESA. Courts look at technical accuracy.
Clarify Just Cause and Termination Rights: Ensure your contracts don’t appear to waive ESA rights or exaggerate your grounds to terminate without notice.
Include Layoff Provisions: If you foresee needing flexibility during economic downturns, ensure temporary layoffs are explicitly permitted.
Consult Employment Counsel: Generic templates downloaded from the internet may not be valid in Ontario. Legal review can save six-figure payouts.
The Bottom Line
In both the COVID layoff and Ignace cases, employers relied on outdated or unenforceable agreements. The result? A common law windfall for the employees and avoidable legal costs for the employers.
As more employment cases arise post-pandemic, courts are sending a clear message: contracts must be clear, compliant, and current. A few pages of well-drafted language can mean the difference between a manageable notice payout and a six-figure judgment.
For Ontario businesses, the time to act is now. Review your employment agreements, revise your contracts, and protect your business before it becomes the next cautionary tale in a courtroom.
Because in 2025, ignorance of contract law is not just costly—it’s entirely avoidable.
Saturday, June 7, 2025
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.
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?
Friday, May 30, 2025
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. 
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.
Saturday, May 24, 2025
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.
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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?
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