THE MAYOR’S TALE - A CHRISTMAS STORY IN RHYME

THE MAYOR’S TALE - A CHRISTMAS STORY IN RHYME So now it begins as I sit down to write The tale of council, on Christmas Eve night. I decided to type in the Chaucer style, In rhyming couplets that will for a while Amuse one and all who take time to read That which may grow from a writer’s seed. To plant a young tale, and have it mature Is its own just reward as you may be sure. Wish me well and Godspeed my friends, For I hope to reach a successful end. It is better this way, and I will go so fast To create a memory that is sure to last. My mind is keen and my heart is fit, So stay tuned for the rest of it! ***** THE MAYOR’S TALE ***** ‘TWAS THE NIGHT BEFORE CHRISTMAS AND ALL OF COUNCIL WAS THERE…… A short story written by Dean Hickey One night in December, as the snow did fall I found myself with councillors, one and all. We sat round the chamber on Christmas Eve To discuss a matter you must surely believe Was important enough that we had no choice But to do as a council, what no-one enjoys; To remain together long into the night To consider that which to me seemed right! What follows is as much as I can recall Of the contributions made by us all As we argued, debated and got worked up Like actors on the stage of a drama club. But in the end as you will soon see Council would in fact agree with me. So without further ado, I will recount Those obstacles we came to surmount. MAYOR DAN CARTER Please find your seats, my councillor friends For there’s miles to go before this night ends. I trust you’re all well, and I have to say The fact most are here has made my day! I see Councillor Neal has again stayed home To join in our quest, on his telephone, But that is his loss, for he is not near To enjoy the punch I have brought to cheer Those who have acted on a different scale, By venturing to where friendship prevails. And now that you’ve each taken your seat I’ll move a motion that’s an absolute treat. It’s a sort of pledge on the part of us all, To take stock of ourselves, and to stand tall As we show the world who we really are By casting away old habits to places afar, And in taking on a fresh state of mind The likes of which is often hard to find. Therefore with the power I now possess, I as Mayor do here and now profess To offer up a motion by myself alone Without a seconder, as may be shown By the Strong Mayors legislation I do willingly use without hesitation. COUNCILLOR NICHOLSON Mr. Mayor, I do object to what you say, For I have been here many a day And never have I seen a Mayor so keen To ride all over that which even he Must surely admit is our democracy. I rise on a point of order to firmly object To the methods being used to project Whatever has brought us all down here, On this most precious night of the year. I have served for forty years now, And never have I seen just how This type of unilateral action That seems to now be in fashion, Could possibly help us in our quest To make decisions that are the best. MAYOR DAN CARTER Councillor Nicholson I beg you consider All that has in the past served to hinder The progress we need to move beyond The stalemates and debates so very long! I ask you to open your mind and to see That this is the way my motion should be. We need to move on and you look tired, Too much discussion will see us mired In ways too numerous even to count, As a pedestal we will all try to mount. But wait… I hear a voice call out to me, So just one moment as I look to see Who it is that wants to interject As we try to act with complete respect. COUNCILLOR JOHN NEAL Yeah, Mr. Mayor it’s Councillor Neal. I know I’m not there, but I really do feel That Brian has a point beyond dispute As he is a man who is quite astute. From him I have learned so very much, Though some may see me as out of touch Cause I like doing this stuff by remote Although it won’t cost me a single vote. For I have built a reputation And Ward One is now Neal Nation! So what I wanted to say may be harsh But a motion by you is a farce. And although we are still in the dark Whatever it is you want here to mark The very first time you have acted as such, I have to say it really is far too much! COUNCILLOR ROSEMARY MCCONKEY Mr. Mayor I support John from Ward One And I request a recorded vote be done, And at the right time I have an amendment To present to council as I intend it. DEPUTY MAYOR BOB CHAPMAN Mr. Mayor I rise on a point of order As any amendment now would border On fantasy, as there has been no motion, And this debate is causing commotion. I have tried to educate everyone here On matters of process, year after year, And yet to some it remains a mere game. To go outside the rules is a total shame. I therefore request councillor McConkey Do the right thing - that in all honesty She should have done, and that is to wait. Council would see such behaviour as great. COUNCILLOR JOHN GRAY Mr. Mayor I rise on personal privilege As I have always tried to encourage Co-operation and some mutual respect Which as Mayor I came to reflect As I rebuilt this city from the ground up, Without the help from laws that usurp The rights of every councillor here From due process year after year. Did I miss the memo Mr. Mayor? The rules are now totally in your favour? COUNCILLOR BRADLEY MARKS Mr. Speaker I rise in this House as one Who knows how legal issues are done. As I listen to my learned friends And their confusion that knows no ends. I am reminded of the fact things change. The Mayor’s request is not at all strange Given the fact that the Province has done What they see as good for everyone. So with those exhaustive remarks, I remain yours in service, Bradley Marks. COUNCILLOR TITO-DANTE MARIMPIETRI Mr. Mayor I see our friend from Ward 3 Thinks he is well above you and me, As he seems to think he’s in Parliament With all the status it may represent. But I must remind him if I may That he’s still on Council as of today, And our city is worth fighting for! As a councillor, I seek nothing more. I find the debates we are now into Will only hinder all that we must do To keep our city ahead of the game! My best currency still is my name, And I wish the question could be called On the phantom motion that has stalled, As this seems to me a total waste of time And why am I still talking in rhyme? MAYOR DAN CARTER Members of council let’s move on, But wait, I believe we have a delegation; A certain Mr. Lee would like to speak to us. So before anyone else makes a fuss I invite Mr. Lee to come forward now. He has ten minutes to show us how What he wants to say will help us traverse The issue into which we are immersed. COUNCILLOR JIM LEE Mr. Mayor I am not a delegation as such, And I would thank you sir, very much To support me when I say it is true That I was in fact elected in Ward Two. I am the one who always takes action. I live in the big sprawling mansion That is among the noblest of homes Where the fashionable people still roam. Just because I sit so far away from you Doesn’t mean I don’t say what others do. So let me comment as you sit and ponder That I feel we need every first responder To be reflected in any motions you make, Because these guys really take the cake! COUNCILLOR RICK KERR Mr. Mayor, if I may be permitted to speak. I am here as one who always tries to seek A better way so that I can understand Just what makes us work hand-in-hand? And I sincerely hope you have not forgot I have been asked to play someone I’m not, As my role in The Trespassers is definite, And I hope everyone comes out to it. Mr. Mayor I see my ward-mate over there Has been sitting with both hands in the air, So I guess he has something to say And I wish you the very best of the day! COUNCILLOR DEREK GIBERSON Mr. Mayor I’ve thought of this intrinsically And I really believe this council to be Way off the mark on the environment, And I see only one way to deal with it. So I therefore ask your motion to go far To take a stand that we abolish every car! Other than that very important request I’ll vote as a socialist would think best. MAYOR DAN CARTER Members of council are you all done? Listening to each one of you has been fun But I have yet to present my motion. And regardless, if anyone has the notion To challenge me over this - somehow, I will override you, both here and now. So let’s not put the cart before the horse, But listen to my motion, which of course Will make you very much surprised And might even bring tears to your eyes. Whereas with Oshawa Council, it’s a fact Our deepest fear is for us not to act In meaningful ways beyond compare, As there’s so much good we can share. And, whereas this council must ask itself How can we place pride upon the shelf And accept that there is room to grow As only members of our council can know? And, whereas we need not wonder How divergent views can come together. For we each bear the glory of God within And with that in mind we’ll soon begin A brand new year - a new opportunity To be the best we were made to be. Therefore, be it resolved this Christmas Eve, Whether or not we truly believe, That Council seek guidance from one Who has the power to see good will done, As we strive to let our collective light glow Over a city that we’re all proud to know. MOTION CARRIED.

Put Some Perspective In The Christmas Stocking

Put Some Perspective In The Christmas Stocking By Diana Gifford Put Some Perspective in the Christmas Stocking How many times in 2025 did you complain about something? And with good reason! But this is the time of year for setting aside our thoughts about the issues driving us crazy. Take a step back during the holidays and reflect on what really counts. Health and happiness. That’s the bottom line. My Christmas wish to all is a generous dose of perspective. The year 2025 brought a long litany of disasters. Deadly heat waves. Catastrophic flooding across parts of Europe and Asia. Wildfires forcing mass evacuations in North America and Australia. Powerful earthquakes striking without warning. And humanitarian crises that deepened, driven by conflict, hunger, and climate displacement around the world. I don’t think I would be alone to say that 2025 brought bad news to family members and dear friends. We suffered setbacks. We lost loved ones. Our hearts ache for those who have been dealt a terminal illness, at no fault of their own. It’s likely the year ahead will bring more trouble. Though, I hope and pray for less. Don’t we all. Every year, my husband and I stuff four stockings for our children – now all of them grown up, but still we love the tradition. And every year, I try to find that little something that instills a sense of faith. But faith in what? It’s hard to say. Faith in our common man? After all, we’ve watched neighbours shovel each other out after storms, while strangers raise millions overnight for people they will never meet. Faith in our country? That’s harder, when public trust feels thin and institutions seem slower to protect the vulnerable than to protect themselves. Faith in artificial intelligence? It promises efficiency and answers at the click of a button, yet it still can’t teach compassion, wisdom, or when to pause before doing harm. I’d like to have more faith in a greater God. But aside from the humility of knowing that we just don’t have all the answers, religion has not been kind to the world. I have decided to put luggage tags in the stockings this year. The message is, get out in the world. Go far enough away to see how small your own assumptions are and how much we all share once borders blur. When you get to know distant people by being up close, it’s a lot easier to love one another. In fact, though, one needs not go far. Just down the road is often far enough to come across people who are perfect strangers, and yet, neighbours. There is nothing wrong about trying to “do unto others” with the people right around the corner. Perspective doesn’t just broaden the mind. It teaches gratitude by showing us how much we have compared with how much we truly need. And gratitude is the hardest thing of all to put into a Christmas stocking. We are now a quarter century into the 21st century. We have more information than at any time before, more comfort, more choice, and yet remarkably little patience for uncertainty or inconvenience. But gratitude has not kept pace with innovation. And we are slow to learn it. This is the first year I must wish readers a Merry Christmas without my father alongside. I can hear his voice, lamenting that over all his many years, people have not learned from history. But hope springs eternal, I prefer to think. Let’s make the year ahead a better one. If you catch yourself complaining, just stop. Have perspective. Be well. Be happy. —————————————————————————————————————— This column offers opinions on health and wellness, not personal medical advice. Visit www.docgiff.com to learn more. For comments, diana@docgiff.com. Follow on Instagram @diana_gifford_jones

Year-End Tax Planning Ideas

Year-End Tax Planning Ideas By Bruno M. Scanga Happy Holidays and a Happy New Year to all our readers!! The following are some ideas for individuals and business owners to reduce income taxes as 2025 draws to a close. Individuals should consider doing their RRSP contributions before the RRSP rush in the first 60 days of 2026. You can get better values by buying today than when all the last-minute procrastinators rush to buy their RRSPs in the New Year and temporarily push up market values. Another idea is to remember to top up any RESP contributions to take advantage of the 20% educational grant before year-end. While there is no technical deadline, it is best to spread your contributions out annually to a maximum of $2,500 to generate the maximum $7,200 in Federal education grants (plus any applicable provincial grants). If you have children in college or university, start looking at their earned income and whether they will have any unused tuition or other credits that can be used by the parents. Remember also to keep track of all receipts for expenses related to moving expenses to get the children to school as well. Consider delaying the purchase of any mutual funds in open or non-registered accounts until the New Year. Many funds pay year-end tax distributions in December and any purchases late in the year will get the same taxable distributions as those made in January. So check with your Advisor on the possible taxable distributions if any, on all such purchases before year-end. Finally, keep track of and gather all medical and dental receipts to see if you can get any tax credits for large expenses incurred during the year not covered by insurance. Business owners have a wider range of tax planning strategies available to them. Proprietorships can consider incorporating for 2025 if they are having a year of higher than normal income. The goal would be to reduce personal income taxes by having some of the business income taxed at the much lower corporate tax rate. Business owners can also reduce their taxes by income splitting with spouses or even teenage or adult children. The key is to make sure they are doing work for the corporation whereby the compensation is reasonable for the work being done. Consult your tax accountant for the CRA guidelines in this area. You can also start planning your income mix between earned income and dividend income. Some shareholders can receive dividends only and pay little or no tax on up to a certain maximum if they have no earned income. Recent Federal Budget tax changes to tax rates on retained earnings will affect this strategy so consult your tax specialist for their advice. Make sure you deduct as many of your medical expenses as possible in the corporation for those businesses that have Heath Spending Accounts. The medical expense is a deduction to the company, and the reimbursement is tax free to the individual with the savings being equal to something close to your personal marginal tax rate. Some other tactics to consider include taking or repaying shareholder’s loans from the corporation and making sure you pay the interest on any outstanding shareholder loans. The key is to get started before year-end to reduce your taxes.

The Menu

The Menu By Wayne and Tamara My husband and I are working on 12 years of marriage. We have relocated several times for jobs, but are finally settled down (we hope!). My mother-in-law says we are keeping her grandchildren from her by taking this job and moving where we are. We live nine hours away from his parents, which is closer than we’ve been in years. Last year because we were unemployed we went to their house for Christmas. This year, now that things are financially mended, we are hosting the Christmas shindigs. The family will be here Christmas Eve and Christmas night, and I planned on taking care of everything as hostess. My mother-in-law told me she is bringing Christmas dinner. Then a couple of days later she said she is going to bring the meal for Christmas Eve as well. Now, I am in no way incapacitated, ill, unable, or unwilling to cook. I had reserved a prime rib and a ham and planned on all the fixings to go with them. Now both will go unused, so she can bring lasagna and a small pork loin roll. That’s not enough to feed everyone. My husband says let her, but I don’t feel it’s right. As a hostess I feel insulted. As a daughter-in-law I feel encroached upon. I don’t want to set a precedent for future holidays or visits. I also don’t want to offend her. Is she being helpful or overbearing? And how do I tactfully discuss this with her so as not to make matters worse? Sara Sara, in your own home you never give in. Because if your home is not your haven, your castle, and your refuge, then you are homeless. You are right about setting a precedent you cannot live with. In a situation like this the hostess tells the guests—whether they be family or friends—what will be served and when. If someone wishes to bring another dish, it can be placed as a side dish to the main fare the host and hostess provide. Your mother-in-law can rule the roost in her own home, but she doesn’t get to rule the roost in yours. As in dealing with children, be firm, fair, and consistent. Simply state what the meals and mealtimes are to be. That is your absolute right as a hostess. Wayne & Tamara Willow In The Wind Two years ago I met the love of my life. He is sweet as can be. We love each other’s families, share secrets, and laugh until our stomachs hurt. We have an amazing sexual, emotional, and spiritual connection. I feel as if I’m looking into my own eyes when I look into his. I care for him like I would my child. But something has gone terribly wrong. His best friend just moved across the street, and this friend has a younger brother who lives with him. They make my fiancé a different person. He makes rude comments to me in front of them for entertainment, and ditches our plans to hang out with them. They want to start a rock band together, something my fiancé said he would never waste his time on. Now he is considering it. I dropped friends for him, but he refuses to drop these men--excuse me, boys--for me. Frances Frances, we get letters from women who are angry when another woman mimics their dress, hairstyle, or interests. Because your fiancé is the opposite sex you don’t see a connection to that behavior. When with his friends, your fiancé mimics their behavior; with you, he mimics you. He doesn’t wear your same dress, but he takes on your opinions and outlook. If it is his nature to be malleable, this can happen with anyone. Ask yourself if your communion with him is genuine, or only present when you have sole custody of your “child.” Wayne & Tamara

Christmas is coming

Christmas is coming By Dale Jodoin Columnist Christmas is coming again, and every year it hits me a little differently. It feels heavier now. Not only in the wallet, though that part hurts all of us. Not only in the stress, though you can see it in tired faces everywhere. The bigger weight is the sense that the heart of Christmas is slipping out of sight. The lights go up earlier. The music starts before the leaves finish falling. Stores push sale after sale. Yet the quiet truth of the season gets harder to hear. Somewhere between the noise and the shopping carts, people stopped saying what Christmas is. It is the birthday of Jesus Christ. That is the reason for the day. You can celebrate something else. You can ignore the story. That is your right. But the day comes from one place and one place only. You can see the shift in schools, stores, and even in government offices. Schools call it winter break. Employees are told to say happy holidays. Some folks look offended if you say Merry Christmas, as if speaking the word Christmas is forcing a belief on them. It is not. It is just being honest about the history of the day. The first Christmas did not take place in a mall. It happened in a stable, while a young couple tried to get through a night with no room to sleep. The first gifts were not toys or gadgets. They were given to a baby who people believed would bring hope into a broken world. You do not have to believe in that baby. But it is unfair to ask others to pretend that the story is not the foundation of the season. All of this would be easier to shrug off if life today was not so hard for so many people. Rent is climbing. Groceries cost more every time you walk in the door. Parents are juggling bills and wondering which one can wait another week. People who used to donate to charities are now the ones standing in line at food banks. Yet at the same time, the pressure to make Christmas perfect keeps growing. Bigger gifts. Bigger meals. Bigger everything. But the first Christmas was not big. It was small and plain. It was a night where hope arrived quietly and without comfort. It was a moment where tired shepherds finished their shift and heard news that changed them. That simple story feels more real than anything you can buy. Joseph is a part of the story that gets pushed aside. The man who raised Jesus was not wealthy or powerful. He was a carpenter. He worked with wood. He had calloused hands and a steady heart. He stepped into a difficult situation and stayed, even though the child was not his. He taught Jesus how to work, how to treat people, how to be a good man. He is proof that quiet love can shape the world more than any rich king ever could. Today many kids grow up without that kind of steady man in their lives. Many parents never saw it themselves. Christmas could be a time to rebuild a bit of that strength and kindness. People inside the church sometimes forget the point too. We argue about tiny details. We split into groups and fight about who is right. Meanwhile the main teaching of Jesus is simple. Love God. Love your neighbour. That is it. He did not say win arguments. He did not say prove your faith online. He did not talk down to people who believe differently. He said help. Help in real ways. Help with food when someone is hungry. Help with company when someone is alone. Help with kindness when someone feels ashamed. Help does not need money. It only needs attention. So what do we do now? The world has changed. The government has its own plans for the season. Stores will keep pushing hard for bigger sales. But none of that removes our choice. We can still decide what the season means. We do not need to win a cultural fight to honour Christmas. We do not need to shout louder than anyone else. We just need to live the story. If you believe it, show it. If you honour it, let your actions carry it. Be patient with people. Be gentle when someone is struggling. Be decent even when it feels like the world has lost its grip on decency. Christmas does not have to be complicated. This year you can choose something small and have it matter. Call someone who has not heard their phone ring in a while. Drop off a meal to a neighbour who is having a rough time. Shovel a walkway for someone who cannot do it. Bring a warm drink to a person working outside. None of these gestures cost much. They stick with people longer than anything that comes wrapped in shiny paper. These moments are the real gifts. The noise of the season will keep trying to tell you that you need more. More stuff. More decorations. More money spent to show your love. But the truth is simple. The heart of Christmas is not loud. It sits in the quiet. It sits in the story of a love that came in the most humble way. It sits in the idea that ordinary people can carry hope into each other's lives. So when you say Merry Christmas, say it without fear. Say it with a smile. If someone answers with something else, let them. There is no need to fight over greetings. You know what you mean when you say it. You are talking about hope and peace. You are talking about a kind of love that does not back down, even in hard times. You are talking about a story that has been told for more than two thousand years and still means enough for people to argue about it. Then make it real. That is the purpose of the season. It pushes us to look up from our routines and notice the people around us. It reminds us that the best things in life are not things at all. They are moments of care. They are small acts of courage. They are the choice to be kind in a world that often forgets how. The true heart of Christmas is not hiding in any store. It is sitting right in your hands. It is waiting for you to reach out. This year, let that be your gift. Let that be your way of celebrating. Let that be your way of keeping the old story alive. Because the truth is still the truth. Christmas began with love coming into the world in a simple way. Our job now is to pass that love on. That is what Christmas is for. And that is enough.

My 2026 Job Market Forecast

My 2026 Job Market Forecast By Nick Kossovan Take a deep breath. Exhale. Repeat a few times. A relaxed mind is the best tool against your challenges. While I don't have a crystal ball to predict what the 2026 job market will look like, I do have insights from numerous conversations with recruiters and hiring managers, coupled with a strong gut feeling that leads me to believe the following factors will continue to influence the job market: · Geopolitical self-interests causing economic friction between countries. · Companies investing in AI productivity tools, data processing technology, and automation instead of hiring new employees. · Employers will continue to lay off employees who don't contribute measurable value to their profitability or whose roles can be automated, outsourced, or performed by AI. The job market implications: 1. Technological advancement—economic conditions are a distant secondary factor—is the single most significant macroeconomic trend shaping job markets, and it's not going to slow down or reverse anytime soon. 2. As technology improves productivity, companies find themselves with a surplus of redundant, 'do the bare minimum,' and underperforming employees. Therefore, employers are trimming payroll fat; consequently, I expect payroll growth in 2026 to slow down further or, at best, remain unchanged. 3. Tension between job seekers and employers will escalate further. Needs to be said: AI isn't on track to create enough jobs to replace the ones it's displacing. AI is a 24/7/365 digital employee that employees and job seekers are competing against, an employee that never gets tired, sick, takes a holiday, or demands more (read: is easy to manage), and works much faster—all for no salary, perks, or ongoing overhead costs. AI isn't a productivity enhancement tool; it's a human replacement tool. The job market is reorganizing around revenue, efficiency, new technology that offers to increase productivity, and onboarding technological skills. Hiring booms or busts will not define 2026—there won't be a January hiring spike—it'll be defined by employers not willing to keep on payroll employees who don't deliver visible, measurable outcomes that contribute to their profitability. Choosing to be a 'good enough' employee is choosing to risk termination. A September 2025 article from Staffing Industry Analysts reported that 58% of US companies expect layoffs or cutbacks in 2026. 2026 will have job seekers contending with fewer job opportunities, along with a shift in hiring practices: employers increasingly relying on referrals, processing applications more slowly with greater due diligence, and using AI to determine which candidates are worth interviewing. The new hiring mantra: Smarter, not faster. Moreover, skill-based hiring is replacing degree requirements, with companies prioritizing certifications, project portfolios, and proven outcomes over job titles. Internal mobility is also gaining importance, as employers recognize that retraining existing staff for new roles is quicker and more cost-effective than hiring externally. As employers prioritize revenue and productivity improvements, they'll only be hiring for essential positions. Job seekers who've established themselves as top performers in their fields and industries—visibility is a job seeker's most valuable currency—and don't feel entitled, have unrealistic expectations, and most importantly, can clearly demonstrate how they'll contribute to an employer's bottom line will be the ones who succeed in their 2026 job search. Furthermore, return-to-office mandates will continue as companies transition their employees from remote work and flexible schedules to more stringent office attendance policies. Productivity data, promoting collaboration and engagement, and strengthening company culture are influencing employers' decisions about where the work they're paying for is done. Job seekers who are willing to work onsite will have a shorter job search compared to those who insist on working from home. In 2026, the growth of interim and project-based hiring, known as fractional work—offering your skills to multiple companies or clients on a part-time or project basis, often in strategic, high-impact roles—will continue. Full-time employees without a steady workflow are seen as a financial burden, prompting employers to leverage contract professionals who provide flexible talent solutions—especially at the leadership level—for time-limited projects such as implementing an enterprise system or a cybersecurity initiative, or as a part-time Product Manager. Employers expanding their use of fractional workers instead of hiring full-time staff means that in 2026, more employers will freeze their headcount while increasing service agreements to take advantage of the financial benefits of: · No long-term salary commitments · No benefits packages · No onboarding cost · No managing employee risks How can an employer not love fractional workers? They're a straightforward P&L line item, a strategic service when needed. From a job seeker's perspective, fractional work is easier to secure than traditional work (40-hour workweek, benefits, PTO); however, fractional workers are self-employed, which requires an entrepreneurial mindset that most job seekers don't have. In 2026, job seekers need to prioritize showcasing their intent and providing evidence of the impact they've had on their previous employers. View your resume and LinkedIn profile as strategic tools, not afterthoughts. Cultivate professional relationships long before asking for referrals. Know your career story and value-add to an employer. More than ever, employers want to hear value stories with quantifying numbers and specific outcomes. Above all, remain flexible—whether that means working onsite, doing fractional work, or taking a step back. The mindset I'd bring into 2026: a paycheque is better than no paycheque.

Kindness at Christmas Time

Kindness at Christmas Time A Candid Conversation By Theresa Grant Real Estate Columnist We have wonderful organizations around us all year long that require the help and donations of everyday people to keep their doors open and to keep serving the public that need them. We all know the big ones like the Salvation Army and the Red Cross and of the Daily bread food bank, but there are several smaller ones that help locals on a regular basis. As I go along, I learn more and more about different and new ones right here in Oshawa. Oshawa has many people that need help but there are also several places to receive the help needed. I was dismayed to hear a story on the news just this week that only 30 per cent of Ontarians plan to donate something this year to the food banks. That’s very sad when we think about how much food waste is reported every year. For as many people in our fair city that need help, there are many more that do not, they are the ones that are able to provide some assistance. There are many different ways to help and if you’d like to actually get involved with sorting and boxing food, serving up Christmas dinner, handing out care packages, those opportunities are there as well. I hope that at this time of year anyone in a position to help others will look up these organizations and see how they can help. It really makes your heart happy to know that as you celebrate Christmas with your loved ones, that you have done a little something to make someone else’s Christmas a little brighter. I hope all of our readers enjoy a Merry Christmas and the very best of 2026! Please remember, a little kindness goes a long way.

Durham Families Are Being Pushed to the point of no return— and Council Knows It

Durham Families Are Being Pushed to the point of no return— and Council Knows It By Councillor Lisa Robinson Durham Region residents are facing yet another property tax increase — and once again, families are being treated as an unlimited source of revenue rather than people already at their breaking point. The Region’s original proposal was a 6.04% property tax increase. That hike comes on top of everything households are already paying: municipal taxes, education, utilities, insurance, fuel, clothing, groceries — all during a cost-of-living crisis and at a time when interest rates remain painfully high. Mortgages are doubling on renewal. Rent is soaring. People are running out of room to absorb “just one more increase.” On December 11, I addressed Regional Council directly during a delegation to Committee of the Whole. My message was simple and urgent: people cannot afford this. A 6% hike is not a rounding error — it is the difference between stability and financial distress for many families. For some, it would push them past the point of no return. Those who follow my record know I have been consistent. I have voted against non-urgent projects, against excessive consultant spending, and against unnecessary expansions at a time when residents are drowning. A clear example is the Seaton project, currently estimated at $266 million, but projected to cost closer to $300 million by the time construction begins. Pickering residents alone are staring down an additional 11.71% tax increase from this project within the next 380 days. These are not abstract numbers. These are real financial blows landing on households already under strain. Following my delegation, Committee of the Whole debated a motion to reduce the increase to 3%, using reserve funds to bridge the difference. That motion passed. It was a responsible compromise that recognized both fiscal pressures and economic reality. But then, on December 17, everything changed. Just as Council was set to ratify that 3% increase, Mayor Kevin Ashe introduced a new motion raising the increase to 4.8% — and it passed. The 3% option was effectively erased. During that same meeting, the Mayor went further, publicly dismissing councillors who supported the lower increase by calling it a “get-me-elected budget.” That comment matters, because it reveals a mindset: protecting residents from financial harm is being framed as political opportunism, rather than responsible governance. Now, staff have been directed to return in January with a report assessing whether a 4.8% increase is feasible — or whether Council should revert back to the original 6.04% increase or higher, based on the budget they are reviewing. Let me be absolutely clear: nothing is final. The January meeting could result in property taxes climbing right back toward 6% or more, depending on staff recommendations and Council’s vote. Residents should not be lulled into thinking this fight is over. It is not. This is the moment to pay attention. Decisions made in January will affect every homeowner, renter, and family in Durham Region. Once those votes are cast, the damage is done. I urge residents to contact their regional councillors and mayors now. Make your voices heard before this budget is locked in. Demand accountability. Demand restraint. Demand that Council recognize that people are already stretched to their limits. Budgets are moral documents. They reveal priorities. Durham families deserve a Council that understands the real-world consequences of its decisions — before more people are pushed past the point of no return.

Christmas 2025 and the World Today

Christmas 2025 and the World Today by Maj (ret’d) CORNELIU, CHISU, CD, PMSC FEC, CET, P.Eng. Former Member of Parliament Pickering-Scarborough East Christmas has always been more than a holiday. It is a moral and cultural pause, a moment when societies slow down—however briefly—and take stock of who they are and where they are going. In 2025, that pause feels unusually heavy with meaning. The world arrives at Christmas marked by conflict, uncertainty, and deep social strain, yet also sustained by quiet resilience and enduring hope. The international landscape remains unsettled. Wars that many assumed would be short have become grinding tests of endurance. In Europe, the consequences of prolonged conflict continue to reshape security thinking, energy markets, and political alliances. In the Middle East, cycles of violence persist, exacting a terrible human toll and destabilizing entire regions. Elsewhere, tensions in the Indo-Pacific and beyond remind us that the post–Cold War assumption of a steadily converging world has long since faded. Christmas 2025 arrives in a world where peace feels fragile and often secondary to power calculations. Economic anxiety compounds this insecurity. While inflation has moderated in some countries, the damage of recent years has not been undone. Housing affordability, food prices, and access to basic services remain pressing concerns for millions. Younger generations, in particular, face a gnawing sense that the social contract is weakening; that hard work no longer guarantees stability, let alone prosperity. Christmas lights may glow brightly in city centres, but behind many doors the season brings stress rather than ease. Within democracies, social cohesion is under strain. Public debate has grown sharper and less patient, driven by polarized media ecosystems and the relentless pace of online life. Political disagreements increasingly become moral judgments, and compromise is treated as capitulation. Institutions meant to foster trust—parliaments, courts, even universities—are questioned or dismissed when they produce inconvenient outcomes. Christmas stands in quiet contrast to this climate. Its message insists on dignity, restraint, and humility—values that feel almost countercultural in an age of permanent outrage. At the same time, Christmas 2025 exposes widening inequalities. For some families, the season is marked by abundance: full tables, generous gifts, and the comfort of time off. For others, it is a period of calculation—how to stretch paycheques, which expenses can be delayed, how to shield children from worry. Charitable giving peaks in December, a testament to enduring generosity, but it also highlights a troubling reality: too many people rely on seasonal kindness to meet year-round needs. Christmas challenges societies to ask whether compassion should be episodic or structural. Globally, the season underscores the human cost of unresolved conflict. For refugees and displaced families, Christmas is often spent far from home, in temporary shelters or crowded camps. Traditions are reduced to memories, and celebrations are tinged with grief. History contains moments when Christmas truces briefly halted violence, reminding us that even in war, restraint is possible. While such gestures are rare today, the season still poses an uncomfortable question to leaders and citizens alike: when conflict becomes permanent, what happens to our moral limits? Beyond geopolitics and economics lies a quieter, less visible crisis, which is loneliness. Despite unprecedented digital connectivity, many people feel isolated. Elderly individuals, migrants, and those separated from family experience Christmas not as a time of togetherness but as a sharp reminder of absence. The season exposes a paradox of modern life: we communicate constantly, yet often struggle to truly connect. In this sense, Christmas places responsibility not only on governments or institutions, but on individuals. A visit, a call, or a simple invitation can matter profoundly. Yet it would be a mistake to see Christmas 2025 only through the lens of crisis. The world is also sustained by countless acts of care that rarely make headlines. Parents invest patiently in their children’s future. Teachers, health-care workers, and volunteers continue their work despite fatigue and uncertainty. Communities gather; not out of denial, but out of determination to preserve meaning and continuity. Faith traditions, civic rituals, and family customs endure because they offer orientation in unsettled times. The enduring power of Christmas lies precisely in its realism. It does not promise that the world will suddenly become just or peaceful. Instead, it affirms that compassion is not naïve, that restraint is not weakness, and that hope is a discipline. Its message is demanding: peace begins locally, dignity is indivisible, and prosperity carries responsibility. As 2025 draws to a close, Christmas offers the world a choice. It can be treated as a brief interlude; an island of warmth before returning unchanged to division and distraction. Or it can be taken seriously, as a reminder that the future is shaped not only by grand strategies and global summits, but by everyday decisions to listen, to include, and to care. In a world marked by uncertainty, that reminder may be more necessary than ever. Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas and Thank You

Merry Christmas and Thank You By Joe Ingino BA. Psychology Editor/Publisher Central Newspapers ACCOMPLISHED WRITER/AUTHOR OF OVER 800,000 Published Columns in Canada and The United States What a great nation that we live in. A place that are blessed with great opportunity and all kinds of freedoms. Freedoms such as being able to celebrate traditional holidays such as Christmas without the fear of persecution and or prosecution. Persecution is the systematic mistreatment, harm, or oppression of an individual or group by another, often based on religion, race, political beliefs, or identity, involving severe discrimination, violence, threats, torture, or denial of fundamental rights like freedom and equality, and can range from social ostracism to being a crime against humanity. It's more than just unfairness; it's a deliberate campaign to subjugate, drive out, or exterminate people, as seen historically with religious groups or currently with political dissidents, and it can involve physical harm, psychological violence, or legal injustices like trumped-up charges. Prosecution is the institution and conducting of legal proceedings against someone in respect of a criminal charge. Canada is rich in its history in the championing of rights and freedoms. So much so that many of our forefathers gave their lives in the preservation of being able to speak freely. Christmas season brings us face to face with what is important to us. At the Central we could never have been able to achieve number one without the help, support, and assistance of our readers, our advertisers and all our supporters, associates, collaborators and contributors. Our columnists, like my good friend Cornelius Chisu, who has contributed to the Central for many years. A scholar and a true gentleman. His insights and his opinions on matters that are important to Canadians are enjoyed by millions. Without his contributions the Central would not be your favorite regional newspaper. Men, like Dean Hickey go way out of his way to uphold industry standards. A man that has earned my respect through his intellectual appetite to become part of an industry that he has so rightly earned. An outsider to the trade that has made the outmost effort to reach for the stars and actually reach them. Thank you for your ongoing efforts and contributions. Just recently John Mutton joined the Central team, or as he is known, Mr. X. True Durham royalty as there are few that have accomplished as much as he has in one lifetime. Welcome to the Central home. Then there are notorious names like Lisa Robinson, Pickering councillor. Or, as she is best known.... “The People’s councilor”. A very unique human being with a mission to champion right from wrong, and to expose all that is wrong in politics and society. One other person that really sticks out when it comes to exceptional contributions is my good friend Nick Kossovan. Here is a man that appears to have never-ending work-related topics to write about. I look so forward to his columns. Thank you, Nick. You are the best. Then we have Diana Gifford, daughter of a great medical mind, a medical journalist Dr. Ken Walker (who writes under the pseudonym of Dr. W. Gifford-Jones, MD. He was a true scholar and gentleman... his legacy continues today through his daughters writing. We are very appreciative of your contribution from yesterdays, today and tomorrow. Dale Jodoin, one of our most interesting columnists. His contributions have made legendary strives across the region and online. People writing and calling wanting more. Exceptional work my friend. Among the great there is world followed, syndicated writers Wayne and Tamara. Writing on issues that touch the heart. They always present topics that are for everyone. Thank you. Newly joined to the Central: Theresa Grant, our real estate columnist. Her local insights are very well read and commented on. Thank you for your contributions. In a similar arena we have our good friend Bruno Scanga. His contributions are eye opening and very informative. Thank you. Camryn Bland, in my opinion a young lady with a lot of potential. Her columns on young minds topics are a fresh welcome. Wishing you the best. Thank you all for reading the Central. For writing for the Central. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year.

The Faint Of Heart

Longevity Isn’t For The Faint Of Heart By Diana Gifford I have been lucky as my parents aged past 90. My father, Dr. W. Gifford-Jones, stayed vibrant longer than most people dare hope. In his nineties he was still hopping on planes, giving talks across Canada, researching and writing his next column, and scheming about the next promotion or the next stunt that would amuse him – like rappelling down Toronto’s 35-storey City Hall to raise money for the Make-a-Wish Foundation. He relished a challenge. Growing old, for him, didn’t mean slowing down. It meant a development of new priorities. He was well past 95 when I offered to help with the computer work involved in distributing his weekly column to editors. He suffered too much frustration from IT. I should have helped sooner. But once I did, I grew closer not just to the logistics of his writing, but to the writing itself. Wouldn’t it be fun, I proposed, to write together? He agreed and the collaboration took off. We talked through ideas, shaped arguments, laughed (and feuded) over opposing ways of seeing the same thing. It was an era of our long relationship I will forever hold precious. As the youngest of his children, born when he was 44, I was still relatively youthful as he extended his extraordinary longevity. I had a lot of energy to give. But not everyone’s story looks like this. In many cases, people find themselves in their seventies caring for parents in their nineties, pushing eighty supporting centenarians. A close look at what is happening in those situations reveals scenes that are anything but easy. Not everyone ages as healthily as my father did. Most elderly seniors are wrestling with chronic diseases. Add dementia into the mix and the loving commitment to care shifts to an exhausting, sometimes heartbreaking, endurance test. The problems are varied: refusing to eat; resisting walkers or other safety supports; forgetting medications; making unsafe decisions; losing the ability to manage finances or medical appointments; neglecting property or household tasks. There are those who get very angry and sometimes violent. These issues often begin quietly and seem manageable – especially to children who are themselves aging and determined to respect their parent’s independence. But over time, the strain mounts. The risks mount. And the emotional toll mounts. What would my father advise? He was never hesitant to speak plainly. When writing, he would use a quote, as from Will Rogers, who said, “Good judgment comes from experience, and a lot of that comes from bad judgment.” My father would say, “Don’t kid yourself. No one gets it perfect, but don’t make foolish mistakes.” He would remind people that caring for aging parents requires equal measures of compassion and practicality. He would urge families to plan early, before a crisis, and to involve physicians, trusted friends, and community supports. He would insist that safety is not a betrayal of dignity. And he would encourage caregivers to look after their own well-being too, because no one can pour from an empty cup. Now it’s my turn to offer counsel. I can speak to the matter of love. And I can attest that it doesn’t always look like those old greeting cards. Sometimes love is repetitive, tiring, and unglamorous work. Sometimes it is stepping in sooner than you expected. Sometimes it is saying “no” to someone who once taught you to say “yes.” But it is still love. And if my father taught me anything, it’s that the hardest work we do for the people we love often becomes, in time, the work we treasure most. —————————————————————————————————————— This column offers opinions on health and wellness, not personal medical advice. Visit www.docgiff.com to learn more. For comments, diana@docgiff.com. Follow on Instagram @diana_gifford_jones

Criticizing Consumption How Overconsumption is Affecting our Daily Lives

Criticizing Consumption How Overconsumption is Affecting our Daily Lives By Camryn Bland Youth Columnist In 2025, it can be easy to get caught up with material objects, fast-fashion purchases, and trendy items. Whether it be clothing, technology, or interior design, North American citizens constantly find themselves spending more and more money on things they simply don’t need. Overconsumption, or hyperconsumerism, is the purchase of goods and services far beyond what is necessary for a happy and healthy life. It’s purchasing the same shirt in five colors, it’s buying coffee in a plastic cup every morning. It is often hidden within fast-changing trends, influencing people to buy in an attempt to keep up with never-ending consumerism. What starts as harmless quickly forms consequences on individual bank accounts, socioeconomic inequality, and global climate. Everyday, countless Canadians spend dollar after dollar on purchases which seem mundane. They buy a plastic water bottle, and say it’s only a dollar, it’s okay. They pay for a new sweater, claiming they need more clothes, so it’s a necessity. Or, they choose an update to the newest tech gadget, arguing they need the newest addition to keep up with a modern lifestyle. Tight budgets are disregarded in the name of one impulse purchase, with many Canadians living paycheque to paycheque when they don’t have to. Within a week, a month, a year, all the money seems to have disappeared from chequing accounts, stolen by the silent thief of consumerism. Personal bank accounts aren’t the only issue present due to consumerism. Most purchases are first mass produced in large factories, which are a major form of pollution due to resource extraction and greenhouse gas emissions. Soon, these items are viewed as outdated, overused, or broken, and so they get thrown away without a second thought. Every item you’ve ever bought stays in the environment, often in toxic landfills and unimaginable waste dumps. They form mountains of trash which outlive us by centuries. It is easy to forget what it takes to create everyday items, and what happens after they’ve been neglected. The irony is, many people understand these difficult consequences, and continue to purchase without thinking. One reason is the strong, impulsive urges to buy something new. It’s exciting to use something new and shiny, but that special feeling quickly fades. This just leads to more purchases in an attempt to sustain the unreasonable joy of a new thing. This issue is only increased by the media. Practically all content includes advertisement, whether it be for a physical product, a lifestyle, or an idea. This intensifies the need to purchase, as they need to keep up with the unrealistic standard being portrayed online. Consumers buy and buy, but most often don’t understand what it is they want in the first place. Stanley cups are one example among many of an unnecessary product becoming desirable due to hyperconsumerism. These simple water bottles were trending for months on end, for no specific reason. The issue isn’t with the bottle itself, it’s with the individuals who bought ten in different colors, or the celebrities who collaborated with the brand to make their own, limited-edition bottle. Individuals will choose anything to grasp onto, regardless of budgeting or practical use. A water bottle example seems silly at first, but when it’s really analyzed, it shows just how conditioned we are to consume. As sad as it is to admit, Christmas celebrations are also an overused excuse for hyperconsumerism. There is nothing wrong with buying presents for loved ones, but when you take into consideration the wrapping paper, decorations, and single-use gifts, it is clear the holidays can morph into a season of excess. An issue as detrimental as modern hyperconsumerism is conveniently one with a relatively simple solution, however it requires commitment and consciousness. The solution itself is to think. Consider what you’re spending your money on before you impulse purchase it. How will it affect your own bank account, and the global community as a whole? Before you buy the trendy water bottle, remind yourself of the many you have sitting unused in your kitchen. Enjoy the Christmas festivities, but keep an eye out for unnecessary waste. A lack of purchasing isn’t the only way we can reduce hyperconsumption. Repurposing items, such as old clothes and decorations, is an efficient way to get the new-purchase excitement. Additionally, thrift stores act as an opportunity to purchase without guilt. They act as a great guide to new favorites for an affordable choice. Since the items are second hand, it acts as an opportunity to purchase without worrying about a pricey receipt or the landfill which the thrift store saved it from. Overconsumption is a silent thief, affecting both individuals and global pollution without being noticed. It comes in the form of trendy water bottles, an expensive holiday, and many daily purchases we would never think to consider. In the end, this issue, which may seem so mundane, is a major issue for all Canadians. We need to limit our impulsivity, and instead purchase with intention and awareness. Only through this will we be able to fight the beast of hyperconsumerism.

The Illusionist

The Illusionist By Wayne and Tamara I am a faithful reader of your column and would like to hear your answer. I used to date a guy who claimed he liked me. He is a nice person, and I feel I can trust him. During one of our conversations defining what we had between us, he told me he couldn’t forget the previous girl he liked. He is a reasonably successful man who has liked this woman for the past four years. He assured me he liked me more, but as this was not something I wanted, I decided we would remain just friends. I still care for him, but I have no romantic feelings left. What I want to know is this. I can understand his reaction if they had been together once, but they hadn’t. It was a completely one-sided love from the beginning. In fact, this woman indicated she only wanted to be friends with him, and she has been in a happy relationship with another man for two years. He says he is happy that she is happy. Why do you think he tortures himself so? It almost makes me think he enjoys being the martyr. To be fair, he told me he would like to move on and has been trying the past four years, but is not able to. Is there anything I can do to help? Johanna Johanna, many people nurture a fantasy because it confers a mental gain for them. It may not be a productive way to live, but they reap a psychic benefit from doing it. In Jane Austen’s “Pride and Prejudice” there is a noblewoman named Lady Catherine de Bourgh. Lady Catherine is a laggard whose only accomplishment in life was being born to a wealthy family. In one scene in the novel, during a discussion about playing the piano, Lady Catherine remarks, “If I had ever learnt, I should have been a great proficient.” Lady Catherine’s fantasy allows her to overlook her own laziness and to pretend she owes her lofty position to intrinsic merit rather than an accident of birth. In a similar way, we once knew a woman who adopted a little boy named Kenny. When Kenny was five, he wandered into traffic and was struck by a car. A few years after Kenny’s death this woman and her husband adopted another little boy, Steve. As Steve grew up, his adoptive parents constantly told him how remarkable Kenny had been. In their memory Kenny was a child with a natural ability to charm animals. He learned to read before other children and possessed unusual athletic abilities. No matter what Steve accomplished, he could never measure up to Kenny. When Steve married, his adoptive mother remarked, “Kenny would never have dated a woman like that.” It is almost too cruel to add that, though Steve cared for his parents in their old age, they secretly left all their assets to another relative. Their fantasy of Kenny was the tool they used to justify their abuse of Steve. Your friend’s devotion to this woman also must confer a psychic benefit. Perhaps he is afraid of intimacy and afraid of women. If he acknowledges this as a problem, he can go to therapy. Or he can nurture this fantasy all of his life. That’s for him to decide. But if his devotion is a ploy, it is simply his method of dating. He has no real intention of getting married, so he tells women: jump through this hoop and try to win me. When you are tired of trying and want to move on, remember that I warned you I loved someone else. If that is the case, he definitely won’t seek help because there is nothing to cure. Frankly, we suspect if he genuinely wanted this woman, he wouldn’t be so happy for her. He would be hoping she’d give him a chance. Wayne & Tamara

BOYS!!!

BOYS!!! By Dale Jodoin Columnist People keep asking why so many boys today seem lost. The answer is not hard to see. Boys want to grow up to be men. They want someone in their life who can show them how to carry themselves. They want someone who tells them that strength and kindness can live in the same body. Real men know how to be polite. They know when to stand firm and when to show care. Yet the mainstream treats this like a danger. Some politicians and groups speak as if masculinity is a problem. Some activists act like boys who want to be men are a threat. Many boys feel pushed aside. They feel like the world wants them to stop being who they are. For years boys have been told to sit down and be quiet. They have been told that their nature needs to be fixed. There is something else going on. Most schools do not have many male teachers anymore. Boys spend their days with adults who may not understand how boys move or think. Many teachers care and try their best. This is not about blaming every woman who teaches. But boys also need male teachers. They need someone who understands the way boys joke, test limits, and learn through doing. Without that balance boys feel unseen. For a long time, boys who struggled in class were placed on medicine. Many were restless because they needed movement, not pills. Instead of giving them space to run they were told to stay still. Instead of giving them more recess they were told to calm down. Instead of letting them play rough they were told to be gentle at all times. Over time boys learned that the world did not want them as boys. Since boys cannot find male guidance at school, they look for it online. They search for voices that speak in a clear and direct way. Some find public figures like Charlie Kirk or others who talk about strength and discipline. This makes the establishment nervous. They want to control who boys listen to. They wonder how to stop boys from reaching out for guidance elsewhere. They will not be able to stop it. Boys will always seek someone who teaches them how to stand tall. There is also a push to convince boys that being a girl will solve their confusion. This message does not work for most boys. Boys know they are boys. Girls know they are girls. Every child deserves kindness. But boys also deserve the right to grow into men. They should not feel pressured to change their identity to please adults. A male teacher can show a boy how to control his strength. He can show him how to respect his elders. He can show him how to treat women with care. He can show him how to calm anger before it becomes trouble. Women can teach boys too, but the impact is not always the same. Boys need at least one strong man in their life who sets an example. Society also has a strange way of treating men. Some activists want men to act only in the style they approve of. They want men to be calm when they need help and loud when they want support. There are stories of men who step in to help during danger and then face complaints for acting without permission. This sends mixed messages to boys. They grow unsure of what men are allowed to do. You would think male politicians would stand up for boys. Many stay silent. They fear pushback from loud groups. Boys see this. They watch grown men who do not speak for them. It leaves boys feeling like they have no defender. The long attempt to weaken boys has failed. People tried to make boys softer by telling them their nature was wrong. They tried to shape boys into something quiet and easy to manage. It did not work. Boys still want to climb, run, wrestle, laugh, and test their limits. These are normal parts of growing up. This is why we must bring more male teachers into schools. Not teachers who judge boys. Not teachers who see every loud moment as a problem. But men who can guide boys with a steady hand and a firm voice. Boys need men who show them how to control their strength, not hide it. There is something simple we can do right away. Create boy groups. Give boys a space to learn from responsible men. Teach them respect, honesty, strength, and self control. Teach them how to shake a hand. Teach them how to speak for themselves. Teach them how to handle anger. Teach them how to help others without fear. These are lessons boys search for. Many teenage boys today are fed up with how they are treated. They feel like everything they do is wrong. They are told masculinity is something to fear. They are told they are too rough, too loud, too wild, too bold. When boys feel trapped like this, they push back. They lash out. This is not because they are bad boys. It is because no one gave them a clear path toward becoming good men. We also need to protect boys' sports. Boys should play with boys and girls with girls. This keeps competition fair and safe. Both boys and girls deserve this. Some people claim there is a conspiracy behind all of this. There does not need to be one. The truth is simple. Society has forgotten what boys need. Boys need men who guide them. They need room to grow. They need real expectations. They need chances to succeed. They need recess and sports. They need praise when they try hard. They need correction when they go too far. If we want strong and respectful men in the future we must stop tearing down the boys we have today. We must give them teachers who understand them. We must give them lessons they can follow. If we do not, we will see more angry young men left on their own. This is not about taking anything from girls. This is about giving boys what has been taken from them. It is time to stop feminizing boys. Boys will grow into men. They deserve guidance, not shame.

NEEDING HELP!!!

A Candid Conversation By Theresa Grant Real Estate Columnist We’ve all heard for some time now that downtown Oshawa is in desperate need of help. If you’ve driven or walked through the downtown in the last few years you have probably seen firsthand the very sad decline of a once beautiful and vibrant area. I was making my way home from grocery shopping the other day and I turned left onto Simcoe from John St. I no sooner made my left-hand turn when traffic came to a complete stop. There was no visible reason for this abrupt halt in the middle of a beautiful sun-filled day but there we were, several cars behind a big orange school bus stopped dead in the street. I immediately assumed that the school bus was the reason we were going nowhere fast. In a way I was correct. However, after what seemed like an eternity people started getting antsy and pulling to one side or the other to try to get going, someone naturally laid on the horn a couple of times. Finally, the school bus which had been the vehicle blocking traffic, started to veer to the left and in doing so actually exposed the real issue that had traffic at a standstill. There, in the middle of Simcoe St. was a man looking very statuesque, half bent over at the waist with one arm seemingly bent as if posed. Truly looking like a stone statue. It was as though he was in midstride and then just froze. I have never seen this to this degree before. I have witness people in odd positions and have been told that it is the effect of particular drugs. I have seen many times groups of people in the downtown core either stooped or in a questionable pose, but I have never witnessed this in the middle of a major street and being able to bring traffic to a complete stop. It made me wonder, how is it that if this is happening in broad daylight in the middle of our downtown that the powers that be and I mean the Mayor and the Councilors are not witnessing this on a regular basis? Are they seeing it and ignoring it? Surely, they are aware of the state of our downtown. I know they like to say that they are not responsible for any of it and that the drug addiction and homelessness problems that Oshawa faces are the problem of the Region and or the Province, but does that mean they walk by it or drive by and just continue on their way? I would really like to know what, if anything at all the Council of Oshawa does on a daily basis in regard to this matter. I think it’s a question every citizen of Oshawa should be asking themselves.

THREE STORIES FROM CLARINGTON, WHITBY, AND PICKERING THAT TELL A TALE OF CHRISTMAS HUMBUG

CHARLES DICKENS PENNED HIS CHRISTMAS STORIES every December for an eager public. It was a years-long effort that would eventually culminate into a 508-page volume of tales using all manner of story lines – a copy of which is included in my personal collection. Well, I’m no Charles Dickens, but after having studied municipal politics for four decades, I’ve often thought of penning a short story of my own, or perhaps even a full-scale novel. Like modern-day writer Arthur Hailey, the British-Canadian novelist known for his meticulously researched, best-selling thrillers that delve into the inner workings of various industries, I thought I could capture the public’s attention with a story line about the fundamentals of life at City Hall. Of course, I would also imitate the style of certain writers who deliberately exaggerate their characters for a bit of comic effect. In that regard, there are a handful of elected officials at city halls right across Durham Region who would make it downright easy to portray real people and actual events under the disguise of fictional names. I’d begin with Oshawa’s Derek Giberson, and I’d cast him as the odd man out – a character who starts off as a political underdog but manages to successfully navigate the corridors of power thanks to a mayor who becomes his political benefactor. Of course, by the end of the novel Giberson’s character would prove to be entirely ego-driven and self-destructive, as his hopes for the future are crushed by sheer incompetence. My friend Brian Nicholson, a man now of a certain age, would also find a prominent place in my cast of characters. If you read Dickens’ novel Bleak House you may well recall the character named Grandfather Smallweed, a man physically dependent on others for most of his mobility, and often described as a "clothes-bag" who needs to be "shaken up" by his caregiver. Well, Brian can still walk on his own – at least for the time being – but after 40 years at city hall he’s certainly earned the name “Grandfather Smallweed” or one very much like it. Oh, the fun I could have creating a character who ends up being the perfect compound of geriatric statesmanship. As enjoyable as all that would be, there are a few real-life sub-plots that are playing out right now at city halls in Clarington, Whitby and Pickering that one doesn’t have to somehow create as a writer. The circumstances of each appear to have been perfectly arranged, not only as part of a potential best-selling novel, but to qualify for a series of nail-biting reality-TV shows. The top of the list is the drama over at Clarington City Hall where Ward 3 Councillor Corinna Traill was recently arrested and charged with two counts of uttering threats after a three-month police investigation. What we know is that the charges stem from an alleged voicemail left for Tom Dingwall, a former Durham Regional Police officer and potential mayoral candidate. Dingwall alleged the message contained threats to kill him and to sexually assault his wife if he did not withdraw from the next mayoral election. I know… it sounds like a script right out of an end-of-season episode from the 80’s television show ‘Dallas’. Traill, for her part, denies leaving the voicemail and claims artificial intelligence was used to manipulate her voice. She was released on an undertaking and is due in court in January 2026. As one might expect, Tom Dingwall has called for her resignation from elected office. What makes this story unusual is the fact Ms Traill is a graduate of Osgoode Hall Law School and now runs her own law practice specializing in – among other things – civil litigation. Second on the list of local real-life political dramas comes from the darkest shadows over at Whitby Town Hall. Here, taxpayers have already come together to contribute a heart-warming $100,000 just to pay for investigations of various sorts involving a dispute surrounding Mayor Elizabeth Roy and Regional Councillor Steve Yamada. The plot in this story wastes no time in capturing even the most casual of observers, as one of the main characters decided the only way to keep the dispute alive was to march straight over to the Ontario Human Rights Commission and file a complaint. Now there’s a real page-turner for you. Councillor Yamada has set his sights against Mayor Roy, the Town of Whitby, the Town’s integrity commissioner, Regional Councillor Rhonda Mulcahy and Ward 3 Councillor Niki Lundquist – who is, as it so happens, a human rights and labour lawyer by profession and a Senior Director of Equity and Education at Unifor National. I suppose the rest of us can feel somewhat fortunate to have escaped getting caught in Yamada’s big net. This latest twist in the Whitby storyline could cost an additional $150,000 to $250,000. The total contribution needed from the caring and compassionate taxpayers since the start of the dispute could amount to as much as $350,000. That ought to help make their Christmas merry. The Roy-Yamada feud began late in the autumn of 2023 when it became clear the Mayor didn’t want councillor Yamada to serve as her Deputy, and she even sought a legal opinion on the issue at the time. Perhaps prayer would have been more effective – who knows? The last item on my short list of literary-style dramas emanates right out of Pickering City Hall. To draw a parallel to the ongoing war of words between Mayor Kevin Ashe and councillor Lisa Robinson, one need only look to my favourite 19th century author Anthony Trollope. The first novel in his famous ‘Palliser’ series was ‘Can You Forgive Her?’ which was the start of a six-volume journey through the intricacies of British political life - first written and published in serial form starting in 1864. The way things have progressed over there in Pickering, any attempt to somehow chronicle the lengthy dispute between councillor Robinson and, well, most of the rest of the world, would take at least a dozen such volumes to complete. But think of the television rights. I may have finally discovered a way to support myself in my old age.

Karmageddon By Mr. ‘X’ ~ John Mutton CENTRAL EXCLUSIVE So we've all heard about the new new strong mayor powers that have come into play across Ontario. I remember a few years ago prior to the passing of the legislation to create a strong mayor that I had several meetings at the bequest of Municipal Affairs and Housing. My position was that strong mayors can only work where first of all, you have someone that's willing to accept the powers and second of all where you've got a mayor that uses them properly.. Let me explain this a bit. And almost every major city in Canada and the USA, the largest cities lean to the left. Case and point is the city of Toronto and Mayor Olivia Chow. The mayor's socialist agenda mixed with wokism and soy boy culture creates a super mayor where everything on her agenda gets passed through the budget. Just take a look at the tax rate increases in the city of Toronto. Take a look at the street renaming because of certain people not accepting certain historic names on streets and buildings and you will see that the strong mayor power is a very dangerous piece of legislation in the wrong hands.. Strong mayor powers were put in place to initially expedite planning approvals and get housing built faster in Ontario and it has failed tremendously from market conditions, development charges and the insanity of mass immigration. So initially, when the strong mayor powers spread to other communities that were growth related communities that they wanted to include the powers and to expedite housing, many of the mayors said that they would not partake in this. They would do traditional budgets and so on and so forth.. Well, there are still some of the strong mayors that do not use their powers. There are some that have become strong mayor power drunk in the fact that the budgets have moved forward without proper debate and councils moving and seconding motions to decrease the budgetary number and therefore decrease taxes.. Now one of the other powers that the regular reader will not know is that the chief administrative officer or city manager of a municipality is now hired and fired by the mayor. This gives the mayor unprecedented power over staff were previously the mayor would generally have to enjoy a pretty regular vote of the majority of council to even come close to that power. So just a couple of weeks ago I spoke on the Mr. X-Files about the ReWorld/Covanta operators of the Durham York energy from waste facility hiring the President of the PC party s lobbing firm to lobby the provincial government for incineration expansion. We have learned and I've released the information through the Mr. X-Files breaking news that the Mayor of Clarington and his CAO are in Vienna for a nuclear conference, but they just so happened to be at the home of a 250000 metric tonne incinerator that provides district energy and district heating to 60,000 residents of Vienna. That is the same number of metric tonnes that the next phase of the Durham York incinerator is to go to. Back in the day, we used to always announce where we're going for whatever conference. I remember that I had announced every trip that had anything to do with the former International thermonuclear experimental reactor project or anything nuclear and we would let the Council and the public know that we're going to be attending these events and what our agenda was. We would even come back and the CAO would put together a public report of what we had done. That was the accountability of yesteryear whereas today the Mayor of Clarington flies around the world by stealth, not letting anyone know where he's going, why he's going and this is a total affront to democracy as well as what I call sneaky mayor powers. Bottom line, The public and the councils need to hold wayward, strong mayors accountable or we're going to have a system that continues to have the public business done by stealth.

Karmageddon By Mr. ‘X’ ~ John Mutton CENTRAL EXCLUSIVE So we've all heard about the new new strong mayor powers that have come into play across Ontario. I remember a few years ago prior to the passing of the legislation to create a strong mayor that I had several meetings at the bequest of Municipal Affairs and Housing. My position was that strong mayors can only work where first of all, you have someone that's willing to accept the powers and second of all where you've got a mayor that uses them properly.. Let me explain this a bit. And almost every major city in Canada and the USA, the largest cities lean to the left. Case and point is the city of Toronto and Mayor Olivia Chow. The mayor's socialist agenda mixed with wokism and soy boy culture creates a super mayor where everything on her agenda gets passed through the budget. Just take a look at the tax rate increases in the city of Toronto. Take a look at the street renaming because of certain people not accepting certain historic names on streets and buildings and you will see that the strong mayor power is a very dangerous piece of legislation in the wrong hands.. Strong mayor powers were put in place to initially expedite planning approvals and get housing built faster in Ontario and it has failed tremendously from market conditions, development charges and the insanity of mass immigration. So initially, when the strong mayor powers spread to other communities that were growth related communities that they wanted to include the powers and to expedite housing, many of the mayors said that they would not partake in this. They would do traditional budgets and so on and so forth.. Well, there are still some of the strong mayors that do not use their powers. There are some that have become strong mayor power drunk in the fact that the budgets have moved forward without proper debate and councils moving and seconding motions to decrease the budgetary number and therefore decrease taxes.. Now one of the other powers that the regular reader will not know is that the chief administrative officer or city manager of a municipality is now hired and fired by the mayor. This gives the mayor unprecedented power over staff were previously the mayor would generally have to enjoy a pretty regular vote of the majority of council to even come close to that power. So just a couple of weeks ago I spoke on the Mr. X-Files about the ReWorld/Covanta operators of the Durham York energy from waste facility hiring the President of the PC party s lobbing firm to lobby the provincial government for incineration expansion. We have learned and I've released the information through the Mr. X-Files breaking news that the Mayor of Clarington and his CAO are in Vienna for a nuclear conference, but they just so happened to be at the home of a 250000 metric tonne incinerator that provides district energy and district heating to 60,000 residents of Vienna. That is the same number of metric tonnes that the next phase of the Durham York incinerator is to go to. Back in the day, we used to always announce where we're going for whatever conference. I remember that I had announced every trip that had anything to do with the former International thermonuclear experimental reactor project or anything nuclear and we would let the Council and the public know that we're going to be attending these events and what our agenda was. We would even come back and the CAO would put together a public report of what we had done. That was the accountability of yesteryear whereas today the Mayor of Clarington flies around the world by stealth, not letting anyone know where he's going, why he's going and this is a total affront to democracy as well as what I call sneaky mayor powers. Bottom line, The public and the councils need to hold wayward, strong mayors accountable or we're going to have a system that continues to have the public business done by stealth.

Canada Needs a Real Immigration Reset—One That Matches the Country’s Actual Needs

Canada Needs a Real Immigration Reset—One That Matches the Country’s Actual Needs by Maj (ret’d) CORNELIU, CHISU, CD, PMSC FEC, CET, P.Eng. Former Member of Parliament Pickering-Scarborough East For decades, Canadians have taken pride in an immigration system admired around the world—rules-based, humanitarian, and economically grounded. Immigration has shaped the country’s identity, supported its growth, and replenished a labour force too small to sustain a vast nation. But as Canada enters a period of economic uncertainty, housing scarcity, strained public services, and shifting global realities, it is increasingly clear that the current immigration model no longer aligns with the country’s real needs. A serious, evidence-based review is overdue. Not a politically charged fight about whether immigration is “good” or “bad,” but a sober assessment of how to ensure immigration strengthens Canada rather than overwhelms the systems that must support newcomers and citizens alike. The core issue is not immigration itself—it is the misalignment between Canada’s intake levels and the country’s actual capacity to absorb newcomers. Over the past several years, Canada has admitted more than a million newcomers annually through permanent immigration, temporary workers, asylum seekers, and international students. This is the fastest population growth in the G7 by a wide margin. Yet the infrastructure needed to support this growth—housing, transit, schools, health care capacity—has lagged far behind. Municipalities from Halifax to Vancouver warn that they cannot keep up. Even the Bank of Canada has acknowledged that infrastructure constraints are now limiting economic productivity. The result is a system where immigration remains a national strength in principle but a source of strain in practice. Newcomers face record housing costs, long wait times for services, and difficulty integrating into jobs that match their skills. Canadians, in turn, feel the pressure in their daily lives: competition for rentals, crowded hospitals, and rising local taxes to fund expansions happening too slowly. Canada does not have an immigration problem. It has a planning problem. Meanwhile, the country’s labour market tells a more complicated story. Canada desperately needs more workers in key sectors: skilled trades, health care, agriculture, transportation, advanced manufacturing, engineering, and technology. These shortages are not abstract. They directly slow down construction of housing, delay energy and infrastructure projects, limit food production, and reduce competitiveness across the economy. And yet large numbers of immigrants—especially highly educated professionals—continue to find themselves underemployed. Many cannot work in their trained field because of fragmented credential recognition and slow provincial licensing systems. Employers complain of shortages while thousands of qualified newcomers drive taxis, stock shelves, or work far below their skill level. In other words, immigration is high, but labour-market alignment is low. Part of the issue lies in the explosion of temporary and semi-temporary immigration streams, especially the international student program. Designed as a tool for attracting talent, it has grown into a revenue engine for private colleges and cash-strapped universities, often without ensuring real educational quality or job-market alignment. Tens of thousands of international students pay high tuition for low-value programs with minimal oversight, while housing shortages worsen and employers continue to struggle to find workers with needed skills. The Temporary Foreign Worker Program, meanwhile, has become a patch for chronic shortages that should be addressed through long-term workforce planning, not perpetual dependency on temporary labour. In some sectors, employers rely on temporary workers not because Canadians refuse certain jobs but because employers have not invested in training, apprenticeships, or improved working conditions. This patchwork approach—high immigration intake on paper, low integration capacity in practice—undermines the credibility of the system. Canadians remain broadly supportive of immigration, but that support is not unlimited. It must be earned through effective planning and visible results. The way forward requires a modern immigration framework built around real-world needs, not political slogans or economic wishful thinking. First, Canada must adopt a national labour-force strategy that brings federal and provincial governments together to determine actual needs. This means identifying how many workers are required each year in essential sectors, how many students can realistically be housed and educated, and what regions require population replenishment. Immigration must be tied to this analysis—not to arbitrary growth targets. Second, credential recognition needs a complete overhaul. It is unacceptable that engineers, nurses, medical technologists, and other trained professionals wait years to obtain recognition, even as provinces lament shortages. Canada should establish national licensing standards for key professions, accelerate testing and evaluation, and fund “bridging programs” that directly connect newcomers to employers. Provinces and regulatory bodies must justify any barriers that stand in the way of qualified immigrants entering their field. Third, Canada needs a dedicated Skilled Trades Fast Lane, with pathways designed to recruit electricians, plumbers, carpenters, heavy-equipment operators, welders, and other technical workers essential to national growth. Without a surge in trades, Canada will simply not build the housing, transit, and energy infrastructure required for the next generation. Fourth, the international student program must be realigned with national priorities. Institutions should be required to demonstrate that they can support students with adequate housing and high-quality programs. Study permits should be linked to labour-market outcomes, not institutional tuition revenue. The federal government must also curb abuses by low-quality private colleges that profit from vulnerable students while contributing little to Canada’s long-term prosperity. Fifth, settlement and integration services must be strengthened. Successful immigration does not end at the airport. It requires affordable housing, language training tailored to professional needs, rural immigration incentives, and partnerships between employers and municipalities. Integration reduces social tension, builds community cohesion, and ensures newcomers can contribute their full potential. Finally, Canada needs to treat immigration not as a short-term fix for temporary labour shortages or a tool for population growth statistics, but as a national strategy. One that balances economic opportunity, humanitarian commitments, and social cohesion. One that recognizes that welcoming immigrants is not enough—Canada must set them up for success. A modern immigration policy should be grounded in three principles: sustainability, alignment, and integration. Sustainable levels that match Canada’s housing and service capacity. Alignment with real labour-market needs, not institutional interests. And integration that ensures newcomers can thrive rather than struggle on the margins. Canada’s future prosperity depends on getting this right. Immigration will remain essential to the country’s economic health and demographic survival. But for immigration to continue as a national strength, Canadians must see that the system works—for newcomers, for communities, and for the country as a whole. A national immigration reset is not a step backward. It is a step toward the kind of thoughtful, strategic, nation-building immigration system that Canada has always aspired to—and that it urgently needs now. What do you think?