Showing posts with label Duher. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Duher. Show all posts
Saturday, August 9, 2025
Going Natural for Male Vitality
Going Natural for Male
Vitality
By Diana Gifford
Mark Twain said, "Age is an issue of mind over matter. If you don't mind, it doesn't matter." But for many aging men, it matters a lot when their prized male organ starts to lose the vitality of youth. One of the most common yet often unspoken challenges is the decline in testosterone levels, a natural part of aging that can significantly impact physical and emotional well-being.
Starting as early as the mid-30s, testosterone levels in men begin to decrease by approximately 1 percent per year. This gradual decline can lead to symptoms like fatigue, reduced muscle mass, irritability, and perhaps most distressing for many, a diminished libido.
Not everyone aspires to be Don Juan. But for many, having sufficient upbeat libido is what drives life’s most intimate joys. Plus, having positive and healthy intimate connections can be an indication of broader good health. How many readers know that erectile dysfunction (ED), for instance, is often a precursor to cardiovascular problems? The healthy performance of the male organ can be an indication of the healthy performance of the heart. And when the former declines in prowess, one may surmise the heart is also losing vitality.
But here’s the rub. Many men have trouble discussing their sexual health – with their partners and their doctors, both. The personal relationship with their partners suffers needlessly as a result. Those who do act make two common mistakes. The first is to leap immediately to pharmaceutical solutions that come with potential side effects. The second is to scour the Internet for promising products, nearly all of which are dubious. Searching the Internet causes another problem – the invitation for algorithms to send more and more trashy content that will certainly embarrass when popping up on the screen as someone else is watching!
There’s a Gifford-Jones law that says, “Try natural remedies first.” Fortunately, there are some products available at natural health food and supplements stores that are tested and proven solutions to reignite men’s testosterone production and renew sexual interest. One example is Testo Charge, produced by Certified Naturals, a firm that specializes in clinically studied ingredients, uses no artificial additives, and packages capsules in the dosage scientists have tested in trials.
Testo Charge is made using patented LJ100 tongkat ali, an extract derived from a Southeast Asian plant having a long tradition as a natural aphrodisiac and vitality booster. Studies have demonstrated its effectiveness in boosting testosterone levels, improving sexual performance, and enhancing mood and energy.
There’s something to be said for another natural approach to macho manhood. Don’t forget that a little romance can a powerful aphrodisiac. Build a menu of loving options, each one of which is priceless – a kiss, a caress, a lasting cuddle. There need not always be a main course when the appetizers are filling enough. It’s perfectly natural for intimate relationships to evolve as the years go by.
What’s often underestimated is the importance of talking about how personal abilities change. Yet being the one to open up such discussions is often very, very hard. Years ago, we told readers that bananas go well with hanky-panky. That’s because bananas are loaded with potassium, a nutrient that lowers blood pressure. Bananas also contain magnesium and calcium, nutrients that can help to ease strained muscles. We recommended putting a banana on the bedside table as a fun way to signal romantic intentions to a partner.
Since laughter is such good medicine too, why not write to us with your stories of the amorous effects of your own bedside banana? We’ll print the best ones in a future column.
_________________________________________________________________________
Sign-up at www.docgiff.com to receive our weekly e-newsletter. For comments,
contact-us@docgiff.com. Follow us Instagram @docgiff and @diana_gifford_jones
8 Stoicism Principles for Job Search Success
8 Stoicism Principles for Job Search Success
By Nick Kossovan
Stoicism is an ancient school of Hellenistic philosophy that teaches us to focus on virtue, reason, and living in harmony with our circumstances. It encourages us to concentrate on what's within our control—our thoughts and actions—while accepting what we can't change, such as being ghosted. Applying Stoic principles to your job search will give you the mental resilience needed to navigate today's fiercely competitive job market and improve your chances of hearing "You're hired!" sooner.
1. Focus on What You Can Control
By focusing on what you can control and influence, you're taking the reins of your job search. You can't control the job market, the number of applicants, or the whims of hiring managers. As Seneca said, "We suffer more in imagination than in reality."
Your energy goes where you focus, so focus on what you can control:
· Your resume · Your LinkedIn profile and activity · Your networking efforts · Your digital footprint · Your interview preparation
Whenever you apply for a job and don't hear back, don't dwell on it. More importantly, don't post on LinkedIn a rant about employers not knowing how to hire. Anti-employer posts are public displays that potential employers will read, showing that you can't control your emotions.
2. Accept What You Cannot
Rejection is an unavoidable part of job searching. Accept that many factors influencing a hiring decision are beyond your control, such as how an employer structures their hiring process, rude behaviour, interviewers who are indifferent, and that there's always someone younger, more skilled, and hungrier than you. Then there's the "I'm a victim of [whatever]!" narrative job seekers often use, which hopefully you aren't participating in. Accepting what you can't control isn't a sign of weakness, but a wise choice that frees up crucial mental space to focus on your job search. Not getting the job, being ghosted, not receiving feedback, and other job search irritations aren't gross injustices as many would have you believe.
3. View Adversity as an Opportunity for Growth
When it comes to job searching, you must overcome—either positively or negatively, the choice is yours—the many 'you can't win them all' challenges you'll inevitably have to deal with.
Instead of expressing your frustrations publicly, damaging your job search, think of these setbacks as learning opportunities. Ask yourself, "What could I have done better?" Perhaps, when networking, you should try offering value first (TIP: When you meet someone for the first time, ask yourself, "How can I help this person?") or focus on quantifying your achievements on your resume and LinkedIn profile. Viewing adversity as a growth opportunity is key to keeping your job search moving forward.
4. Live Virtuously
A virtuous job search approach fosters the crucial element for hiring a specific candidate: trust.
Desperation has led many job seekers to exaggerate and lie on their resumes, hence making honesty and integrity a competitive advantage, which is a sad commentary on our times. As the number of 'bad actors' populating the job market rises, being transparent about your experience and skills sets you apart, since candidates who are transparent are becoming increasingly rare.
5. Practice Gratitude
Your mindset is essential for making your job search more effective and sustainable, rather than scattered and hopeless. It's easy to be overwhelmed by negativity, especially from other frustrated job seekers. Practicing gratitude shifts your focus to the positive aspects of your job search journey, and establishing the faith that, ultimately, you'll find yourself in a better place, as I've experienced several times. A daily practice that'll keep you motivated and resilient is maintaining a gratitude journal. Every morning, write down what you're thankful for, whether it's supportive family and friends, the recruiter who accepted your LinkedIn connection invite, a new skill you've learned, being healthy, having tomatoes in your garden, or any of the countless other reasons to be grateful for being alive and having another day to experience life.
6. Embrace the Present Moment
You can't control the past (what happened) or the future (what will happen). While planning is important, obsessing over what's next distracts you from the present, which is within your control. Embracing the moment means fully engaging with your current tasks, whether it's networking, applying for jobs, or preparing for an interview. Focus entirely on the task at hand and trust that the results will follow.
7. Cultivate Wisdom
Cultivating wisdom involves the ability to discern what's truly important in life, which, as a former chaser of the almighty dollar, I can tell you isn't money. Practically every job seeker I speak with talks about getting paid what they're worth, hence they're chasing their "supposed" worth, which is highly subjective and entirely at the employer's discretion. From experience, chasing happiness is much easier and more rewarding than chasing after your "supposed" worth.
8. Treat Others with Kindness
In a world that often feels self-centred, showing kindness sets you apart. Never mimic the bad behaviour of others and childishly justify your behaviour with "Well, if they can act this way, why can't I?"
The Golden Rule—treating others as you want to be treated—applies throughout your job search and in all areas of life.
_____________________________________________________
Nick Kossovan, a well-seasoned corporate veteran, offers “unsweetened” job search advice. Send Nick your job search questions to artoffindingwork@gmail.com.
OXYMORONIC!!!
OXYMORONIC!!!
B.A. Psychology
Editor/Publisher Central Newspapers
ACCOMPLISHED WRITER/AUTHOR OF OVER 800,000
Published Columns in Canada and The United States
City of Oshawa may think it is drinking from the fountain of youth when it comes to their pereception of the City. In reality we all can see through it and realize that the toilet they are attempting to have the rest of us drink from is far from the fountain of youth.
Just look at the crap they post on their own City web page, as to give themselves some sort of journalistic creditability. The hypocrites that claim they support local small businesses when they far from support any local business unless they are one of the chosen brownosers in their inner circle. Look at the state of the core. Yes, they support local small businesses... Keep drinking the Cool-Aid, Mr. Mayor. Does he know where the core is? On the City own web page they post:
For the latest City news and factual information
Subscribe to City News & Alerts and follow us on - LinkedIn, Instagram, Facebook, (Twitter) X. This is the same City that likes to think they are inclusive,diverse and equitable?
What a joke. Instead of supporting a local business that has been serving for over 30 years. They rather have taxpayers go to a public toilet for censored releases by the City. This is type of posting lacks any journalistic integrity. It lacks the essence of reporting as it is far from arms length and heavily censored by the municipality. This is not news. To boot they post these ‘factual information’ on social media posts. The ultimate modern day information public toilet forums. At least on a public toilet they make it clear. Male/Female. On social media posts they call the ability to defecate a whole array of catching names like FB and the many others. What disgrace that they city is so cold to force tax payers to buy computers, to pay for internet services to read their censored information passed as ‘factual’. What a disgrace.
As not to confuse anyone with the title:
"Oxymoronic" describes something that contains or uses an oxymoron, which is a figure of speech that combines contradictory terms. Essentially, it's when two words with opposite meanings are used together to create a new meaning or highlight a point. (factual/information) (censored by the city, not arms length).
In this case we can leave the OXY out and the City own admittance of factual is far from factual but censored and bias. They do not hold the expertise or experience to deem their censored material as news. Leaving them looking like a bunch of morons. This is why our taxes keep going up. Our businesses empty out and our street turned into drug addict heaven. Shame on you City of Oshawa for the deception.
SUPPORT YOUR LOCAL DOWNTOWN BUSINESSES
Saturday, August 2, 2025
WARRING NATURES
WARRING NATURES
By Wayne and Tamara
I recently moved in with a man I love deeply. We’ve been together almost two years, and the only problem we haven’t worked out is the amount of affection I want. I have a higher sex drive than him, and I think that may be part of it. Whenever he is around, I want to throw my arms around him and give him kisses.
While he has never outright denied the affection I want to give him, I can tell sometimes it may be too much for him. I find myself lying awake nights wishing he would put his arms around me without me having to initiate it, or hoping he would want to spend more time alone with me cuddling.
Sophie
Sophie, Timothy Treadwell, the subject of the movie “Grizzly Man,” lived among brown bears for 13 summers. Treadwell believed he loved brown bears and sometimes even crooned “I love you” as he approached a grizzly. In the end, the bears loved him back; they loved him to death. He and his girlfriend were eaten by bears.
Timothy Treadwell’s life illustrates the nth degree of wanting what we cannot have. Treadwell thought because he loved bears, bears should love him. You think because you want cuddling, your boyfriend should want to cuddle. You and Treadwell act as if there is no will on the other side. What about the bears? What about your boyfriend? What if it is not their nature?
The amount of physical affection a person desires depends on many things, including the nurturing they received or failed to receive in the opening years of life. It is a pattern etched into the brain. You can berate, torture, or soothe your boyfriend into sometimes giving you what you want, but that is not his natural state.
You seek a way to get what you desire because you won’t acknowledge what he is like. Acknowledging what he is like implies change on your part, and perhaps, ending the relationship. If you stay with your boyfriend, either you will be sick of pushing him, or he will be sick of your demands. When a fox and a hare try to share the same den, they are in for a lifelong battle.
Wayne & Tamara
Bound To Fail
My fiancée and I have a difficult relationship. I entered the relationship with lingering feelings for my previous girlfriend. It came down to ultimatum time, and I told the woman who is now my fiancée to move on. We carried on as before except for physical intimacy.
She started dating another but told me, “He’s just a friend.” I believed her. As the prospect of losing her for good became real, I panicked. I opened up to her in ways I never had. I proposed and she said yes. We began planning the wedding, but under pressure from me she started dropping bombs about being sexually intimate with him. Can I trust her?
Gregg
Gregg, tit for tat, measure for measure, a taste of one’s own medicine. Is that what this is about? You pushed her away after being intimate with her. You wanted another woman who didn’t want you, and you let her know it.
She dated someone else and lied. Why? Because she hoped you would come around. She didn’t want to be left with no one, if you continued to shove her away. When you decided she was better than nothing, you proposed. Part of wanting her was someone else wanting her. Now you’ve interrogated the truth out of her—so you can shove her away again.
You don’t want to be with her, and you don’t want the insecurity of trying to find another. If this engagement goes to marriage, one day you will be standing at the altar, while your friends in the pews take bets on how long the marriage will last.
Wayne & Tamara
Nature, Nurture, and Neuroplasticity -The Key to Understanding What Influences the Person You Are Today
Nature, Nurture, and Neuroplasticity -The Key to Understanding
What Influences the Person You Are Today
By Camryn Bland
Youth Columnist
Every morning, you wake up, brush your teeth, and get ready for the day. Then, you head out the door, and live your daily life as you choose. But the question is, what made you choose that life? Why did students choose the courses they did, and what impacts an adult's career choice? Why did an individual choose to eat that for lunch today, and what inspired their outfit? Every detail of your life is related to the unique per son that you are, but what influenced that personality?
Many people frame these philosophical questions as nature versus nurture. The big question has always been, are we born who we are, or do we become ourselves due to the world around us? Science has proved both to influence our identity; genes and physical traits play a large role in human behavior, but so does childhood, education, and socioeconomic status. When it comes to these two components, I have always found myself more interested in nurture, how our everyday choices affect our identities. I believe that although our DNA and inherited traits influence us, our complex nurture ultimately decides who we are and what we do.
I am a teenager who loves to write, read, bake, debate, and act. I have strong morals, I spend most of my time studying, and I tend to overthink everything. When I analyze my identity, I realize I may not be the same person I am now if just one small thing about my past was different. If my mom didn’t encourage me to read when I was younger, I may not be the bookworm I am today. If I didn’t transfer schools in the seventh grade, I may not be interested in theatre, as I wouldn’t have known about the arts school I now attend. If I didn’t force myself to attend debate tryouts, I wouldn’t have developed the research and critical thinking skills which I gained from hours of tournament preparation. I am the person I’ve become due to my experiences, and I know my identity will continue to develop as I experience more of what the world has to offer.
Our nurture is not just one isolated influence, it is made of many components which each affect us in different ways. These factors include, but are not limited to, our friends, pastimes, socioeconomic status, and cultural expectations. Childhood and early family life both have a large impact on your characteristics and personality. If an individual is exposed to violence as a child, they may develop a tendency to physically lash out at others when angry, they may become passive in an attempt to cover their negative emotions, or they may turn to friends and romantic partners with similar abusive habits. If parents are too controlling of their child, then they may not develop independence, however if they are too permissive, children may not understand
boundaries or follow rules. Small, seemingly insignificant details from our childhood or adolescence may seem inconsequential, however, they may influence us for the rest of our life in ways we do not realize.
Childhood and adolescence are not the only times when our identities are influenced; our everyday actions have a large impact on our character, regardless of our age. The human brain has neural pathways it is accustomed to using, which are formed by our daily routines. When we begin to practice new routines and habits, the brain creates new pathways. This is known as neuroplasticity, which is formally defined as, “the ability of the brain to form and reorganize synaptic connections, especially in response to learning or experience.” Scientists have proven that with time, we are always able to grow, learn, and adapt, regardless of past conventions. Every time we think, feel, or do something, the communication between our nerve cells are stimulated; the more we do that thing, the stronger the nerve connections, and the easier the activity becomes. As individuals, we are always changing, even if we don’t realize it. If we act
consciously, we are able to do anything we put our minds to, regardless of how challenging it may seem at first.
Neuroplasticity can be seen in our everyday lives, especially in relation to the media. We are constantly consuming information from news companies, social media books, movies, and even musical artists. The average person spends over two hours a day consuming media; therefore, the perspectives of the media we consume are ones we are constantly practicing, which causes the brain to adopt that thinking style. For example, if we are constantly exposed to media discussing the disasters of our society, we are constantly going to feel anxious and upset. However, if we watch media which is uplifting, inspirational, and enjoyable, we will more often feel confident and hopeful.
Being mindful of our media consumption is a necessary step in understanding what influences our attitude and behavior, and it may be the solution to changing habits from ineffective to productive.
As individuals, our identities are constantly being influenced by many components, such as our daily experiences and the media you consume. Your past and present affect you in ways you may not realize, from intelligence to your favorite color.
For hundreds of years, philosophers have been debating whether we are made of our nature or nurture, but they’ve been asking the wrong questions. We now understand we are products of both, but we’ve also realized each component is far more complex than we thought. Nurture isn’t just our early childhood, it’s made of everything in our daily lives, from the moment you are born to the day you die.
The key to understanding yourself comes from analyzing every experience, everything you consume, and everything you practice. Only through this reflection can you begin to truly understand what makes you, you.
Employers Are Not Responsible for Your Chosen Lifestyle
Employers Are Not
Responsible for Your
Chosen Lifestyle
By Nick Kossovan
Recently, I came across the above picture of a man during the Great Depression wearing a sandwich board advertising that he was looking for work. Aside from the number of people who'll see it, his sandwich board doesn't differ much from the 'I'm now available' posts I see on LinkedIn.
The picture made me think, '90 years ago, job seekers made the same mistake as they do today, saying what they want instead of explaining what they can do. Did he expect employers to stop and ask him what the three languages and trades he speaks and knows are? Did he think broadcasting that he'd fought for three years and has three children would motivate employers to hire him?
Today, job seekers have the Internet and social media, especially LinkedIn, to broadcast (advertise) that they're looking for work—no need to wear a sandwich board—and are making the same mistake that the man in the picture made.
Like me, you probably see the many 'Open to Work' posts on LinkedIn from newly minted job seekers sharing what they want—remote work, a six-figure salary, unlimited PTO, benefits to start immediately—when they should be touting their skills and sharing quantifiable achievements that demonstrate the value they can bring to an employer, such as:
· Willing to work on-site. (Don't underestimate how attractive this is to employers.)
· Speak English, French, and Spanish fluently.
· Certifications (e.g., Project Management Professional (PMP), AWS Certified Solutions Architect, Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP), Certified Ethical Hacker)
· Managed a portfolio of projects valued at $47 million, ensuring a minimum ROI increase of 25%.
· PMO head with over 15 years' experience managing portfolios ranging from $50 to $100 million and leading global IT teams of up to 100.
· Over the course of 12 years, I sold 513 Corvettes in Las Vegas. (A candidate actually told me this, and I ended up hiring him. Within three months, as part of an inside sales team of 39, he was leading in POS sales.)
· In 2018, I secured over $85 million in mortgage loans for clients.
· I'm the person behind the EcoBrew "Sip Sustainably" campaign.
· Answered between 60 and 80 calls daily. Since 2022, I have consistently maintained a client satisfaction rate of 95% or higher.
· Delivered over 30 keynote speeches at national banking conferences and industry events, engaging audiences of up to 1,500 people.
I believe most people are willing to help job seekers if they can, which is good news since companies are comprised of people. Therefore, right now, there are job opportunities all around you attached to people (employees), illustrating the importance of networking. The caveat is that you need to make it easy for people to help you, starting by giving them more context than "I'm looking for a job."
Do you think someone, especially someone in a position to hire you, takes unsubstantiated opinion statements like "I'm a team player," or "I'm detail-oriented" seriously? Is using statements such as "I have rent and bills to pay" or "I'm running out of savings" an attempt to guilt employers into hiring you?
When posting an 'Open to Work' announcement, include the essential information—context, clarity—that hiring managers, recruiters, directors, executives, and an employee needs to evaluate whether you can add value to their company. To further reduce friction and boost your chances of receiving help, follow my one rule—a goal to aim for—for writing bullet points for a resume, LinkedIn profile, or an "Open to Work" announcement: Write each bullet point so that the reader thinks, "I must meet this person!"
At the risk of sounding overly blunt, each of us freely created our respective lifestyles or bought into marketing propaganda that influenced us to create it. Employers didn't create your lifestyle, so why would you expect employers to be responsible for it? Your worth to an employer isn't determined by your lifestyle or the cost of living.
Your worth, from an employer's perspective, is solely based on the value they believe you can bring to their business. Therefore, the more specific value you can demonstrate—and provide evidence of, such as "Grew TikTok followers from 0 to 10,000 in four months with creative video content," [link to video added]—rather than just saying "Managed social media"—the more likely your 'Open to Work' post will generate engagements that could lead to your next job.
An employer-employee relationship, as anyone who has been in the corporate trenches should know, is a business relationship, not a personal one. Thereby, not an employer's concern:
· The lifestyle you choose to live. · The cost of living going up. · Your career.
If you want your "I'm looking for a job" broadcasting efforts to pay off, then start hyper-focusing on showcasing your value to employers. The more you demonstrate your value add, whether when posting your 'Open to Work,' throughout your resume, LinkedIn profile, while networking and interviewing, the shorter your job search will be. Job searching isn't about making employers guess what you can offer; it's about communicating your value without expecting employers to be responsible for your lifestyle.
_____________________________________________________
Nick Kossovan, a well-seasoned corporate veteran, offers “unsweetened” job search advice. Send Nick your job search questions to artoffindingwork@gmail.com.
*** A CONVERSATION WITH ROBERT BELL ***
THE THIRD OF MY SUMMER SERIES COLUMNS
*** A CONVERSATION WITH ROBERT BELL ***
THE HERITAGE OSHAWA COMMITTEE continues to be well served by my friend Robert Bell, a man who truly cares about the history of his community. His photographs on social media number into the tens of thousands, and he has long been regarded as the unofficial photographer of all things Oshawa. This is his story.
Born at Oshawa General in 1959, Robert has made it his mission to share all that makes his hometown a great place to live – and for him the reason is simple: “Our collective experiences form the basis of the human condition.” In this regard he has become a sort of pioneer, seeking to put on record all that may represent the best examples of community bridge-building among those he likes to call “connector people”.
Robert’s father was a postman, and Robert himself attended the University of Toronto, graduating in 1983 with a 4-Year BA Honours in Economics and Political Science. When I asked him as to the key to his success in such a rigorous program, he said with confidence “I was required to read many books, and in every instance I would try to become one with the author, taking on his mindset to the point where I could write my own quotations on his behalf.”
The costs of his education were met through creative means, and his summer jobs included a stint at Dupont in Whitby, however the bulk of my friend’s income was derived through furniture refinishing. “In point of fact, most of the raw material came from local landfills.” Robert explained it this way: “I would venture out to the dump each week, and always come back with more than I went out with.”
Unlike most, my friend can boast local political ties within his own family, being a descendant of Abel Wilder Ewers, an early Ontario County politician, and a radical of his time. Ewers was a Reach Township man, much given to the ‘cause of the people’. Further such family political ties include a connection to Ruth Bestwick, who served for 14 years on Oshawa Council. As to his possibly running for office, he said his penchant for always reaching a consensus is reason enough for his disqualification. “Elected officials are duty bound to ultimately reach a decision, even when the facts are perhaps less than clear, and I can’t see myself making such a commitment when there exists even an element of doubt on my part.”
The two of us then discussed Oshawa’s future, and I asked him to provide a few insights on the subject. He instantly delivered: “One should always start with a historical perspective, and an appreciation of history by linking our future to our past.” he said. “We were a community long before we became a city, and it’s people that make the difference.”
In his view, we must always seek to modernize, and he illustrated this point by referencing the renovation of the Genosha Hotel, a historic building that maintains its outward identity, but with a focus on the future and new opportunities.
Robert obtained his real estate license in 1986, at the urging of those who knew of his buying and selling antiques. Looking back, he says “My friends thought I was a natural born salesman, and that gave me the necessary encouragement to take the plunge and get into the world of real estate.”
Among those who played a major role in the development of his career was Lloyd Corson, a well-known Oshawa realtor who started Guide Realty in 1961, and who passed away at the age of 95 in 2012. Also prominent in his career was Keith Peters, another well-known realtor who passed away in 2018. Fast forward to today, and you’ll see Robert’s name on Coldwell Banker signs, as he enjoys a productive business relationship with his colleagues.
When not at work, my friend spends his time collecting books and antiques, chatting on social media, and enjoying his time as a member of the North Shore Amateur Radio Club. His collection of radio equipment is impressive, and the work of a serious enthusiast, however, it is his interest in photography that has gained him a significant presence on social media and throughout the community.
At the age of five, he was given his first camera, a Kodak 127 model. After years of taking photos on family outings and during special occasions, it was Robert’s entry into real estate that caused him to purchase a professional camera, eventually upgrading to digital.
What he calls “the biggest transformation” occurred in 2012, when he purchased a Cannon 60D. From that day on his interest in photography exploded. To illustrate this, he looks to his Facebook and Twitter accounts, and talks of having uploaded many thousands of photos, with almost two million views.
He has attended too many local events and gatherings to count, and the number of people who have been captured by Robert’s lens is staggering. According to my friend, his experiences have shown most people to be naturally drawn towards the camera, wherever he may be, and for him that’s a good thing.
At this point in what amounted to a very long and interesting conversation, we decided to venture out to one of Robert’s favourite spots for a fish and chip takeout, and as usual my friend was immediately recognized by one or two regulars, and a hearty conversation began. I moved over to the counter where the owner of the shop was gently wrapping fried fish in newspaper – a tradition I had thought long gone. She told me of the many people who have come to know “the man in the suit” and how customers look forward to chatting with my friend about whatever may be happening around town.
As Robert and I made the journey back in a car filled with the aroma of fish and chips, I told him he was certainly liked and respected by the people in the restaurant, and I suspect this is true wherever he may venture throughout the city. He laughed modestly and told me of a book he was reading, a book about the power of families and neighbourhoods.
With a grateful tone, he said, “the author writes about communities, and how all of us bear a responsibility for each other, and I think that’s true.”
They’re Turning Pickering Into a Nuclear Dump — And They’re Doing It Quietly
They’re Turning Pickering Into a Nuclear Dump — And They’re Doing It Quietly
By Councillor Lisa Robinson
Something is happening in Pickering, and most people don’t even know it.
The federal government — through the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission (CNSC) has quietly approved a new nuclear waste storage structure at the Pickering Waste Management Facility (PWMF).
You weren’t notified. You weren’t consulted.
And unless you’ve been tracking federal regulatory bulletins, you probably didn’t even hear about it.
But make no mistake — it’s happening.
This facility is located right on the Pickering Nuclear site, just steps from the shoreline of Lake Ontario, and directly adjacent to residential neighbourhoods, schools, and parks.
It’s operated by Ontario Power Generation (OPG), and is already used to store low- and intermediate-level radioactive waste — things like contaminated tools, filters, and building materials from inside the reactors.
So what’s the big deal?
This new structure is being built to handle waste from two sources:
The decommissioning of Reactors 1 to 4 — which are already offline or being phased out.
And — this is key — the possible future refurbishment of Reactors 5 to 8.
Now here’s what they don’t want to say out loud:
The refurbishment of Units 5 to 8 has not been approved.
The formal application won’t even be heard until 2026.
And yet — they’re already building the storage site for the waste it would create.
This is what happens when decisions are made before the public has a chance to speak.
The hearing is still a year away, but the groundwork is already being poured — physically and politically.
Let’s talk numbers:
Out of a city of over 100,000 people, just nine members of the public submitted feedback on this waste facility.
Nine.
There was no mailing. No town hall. No door-knocking.
No real attempt to inform or involve the community.
That’s not public consultation — that’s engineered silence.
And while all of this is happening behind the scenes, look who’s suddenly setting up shop in Pickering:
SNC-Lavalin — now rebranded as AtkinsRéalis — the same company tied to one of the biggest political scandals in Canadian history.
They now own CANDU Energy, the engineering firm that handles nuclear refurbishments.
They’ve worked on reactors at Bruce and Darlington — and now, they’re clearly positioning themselves to take on the refurbishment of Pickering’s Units 5 to 8.
So let’s put it all together:
A new waste facility has already been approved.
A refurbishment that hasn’t been approved is being prepared for.
A company with political ties is moving in early.
And the people of Pickering have been completely cut out of the process.
They’ll tell you this is about energy, progress, and modernization.
But when radioactive waste is being stored beside homes — for reactors that haven’t even been given the green light — and residents aren’t even told?
That’s not modernization.
That’s a betrayal of public trust.
Let’s be absolutely clear:
This is not a done deal.
The future of Units 5 to 8 is still subject to public hearings.
But what’s being built — and who’s moving into town — tells you how little they care about what you think.
So here’s what I’m asking you to do:
Demand a public meeting. Ask OPG and the City why you weren’t consulted.
File a Freedom of Information request. The paper trail matters.
Talk to your neighbours. Most people still don’t know this is happening.
Share this op-ed. Get the truth out before it’s too late.
Make it clear: Pickering is not Canada’s nuclear dumping ground
Email me your thoughts at lrobinson@pickering.ca
“Strength Does Not Lie In The Absence Of Fear, But In The Courage To Face It Head
On And Rise Above It” - Lisa Robinson 2023On And Rise Above It: Lisa Robinson 2023
DID I GET IT WRONG? MUST I BE 17!!!
DID I GET IT WRONG?
MUST I BE 17!!!
B.A. Psychology
Editor/Publisher Central Newspapers
ACCOMPLISHED WRITER/AUTHOR OF OVER 800,000
Published Columns in Canada and The United States
Excuse me... Has my mind gone south so badly that I am getting it wrong. You work hard all your life to feed your family. You sacrifice day in and day out all while keeping a smile on your face.
You teach your children to be good people.... only to pick up local newspaper and read how 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17 year olds are getting busted for drugs and weapons possession.
1st question. Do I really want these types of youth next to mine? Do, I want them in my tax paid school system?
2nd. I am driving home in my paid for car on my paid for road. Having had to pay for insurance, gas and repairs only to be pulled off the road by a police office checking if I am wearing my seat belts.
Now don’t get me wrong. I have nothing against police officers doing their jobs. But when teens are running around our streets with guns dealing drugs. I have a problem with the way justice is being dispensed.
Not only that. If I want to buy a gun to protect my property and family. I must spend thousands of dollars. Go to courses, get licenses and the God’s know what other obstacles I will be made to jump.
How did these individual, these kids get guns?
I know the old cry.... Oh they come from broken homes. They are lost souls in a society that pushes them to crime.
I say bull. Children are children. Crime is crime. Let’s not cross the line and then blame it on the child’s upbringing.
I think police services should hold parent or guardians responsible for their kids actions. No soft love.
Bring discipline to the family. Now I do not mean abuse. I mean structure, where everyone has a responsibility and a role. A family institution that has worked. In past generations there have been many that come from broken homes. From homes with abuse, substance issues and yes drug use.
Many of those victims managed to have the enough sense to get out and make a life for themselves. What has gone wrong from then to today?
The answer is simple. Event though homes may have been broken. The family structure was still the root of social development. Today, with all kind of violence found in games, television. Children are brought up without discipline and the believe that they have special rights to do as they please. This compounded with crime. We have what we have today.
Let’s take charge of our families and work on improving our future generations.
A Short History of the Canada US Tariffs War
A Short History of the
Canada US Tariffs War
by Maj (ret’d) CORNELIU, CHISU, CD, PMSC
FEC, CET, P.Eng.
Former Member of Parliament
Pickering-Scarborough East
We are fast approaching a difficult deadline in negotiations in the tariff war between Canada and United States. In a couple of days we may be in for a shattering awakening. The United States has recently made preliminary agreements with Japan and the European Union
for a tariff of 15%.
However, for the moment, Canada is still being threatened with a 35% tariff and no signs from President Trump that he may eventually lighten the load. Was he deliberately mocking us when he stated a few days ago that Canada is not a priority for him? Surely, he jests. The 2025 Canada–United States tariff war marks one of the most serious trade disputes in the modern history of the two countries.
As two of the world’s closest trading partners, Canada and the United States have long benefited from free trade agreements such as NAFTA and its successor, the United States–Mexico–Canada Agreement (USMCA). However, the return of Donald Trump to the U.S. presidency in January 2025 set the stage for a dramatic shift in American trade policy.
President Trump campaigned on a strong protectionist platform, promising to revive American manufacturing and reduce dependence on foreign imports. On February 1, 2025, he signed executive orders imposing sweeping tariffs: 25% on most Canadian imports and 10% on Canadian oil, gas, and potash. He justified these measures on the grounds of national security and unfair trade practices, invoking sections 232 and 301 of U.S. trade law.
The tariffs officially took effect on March 4, 2025. Canada responded immediately by imposing 25% tariffs on approximately CA$30 billion worth of U.S. products, targeting politically sensitive sectors such as steel, aluminum, household appliances, and certain agricultural goods. Both governments adopted an increasingly confrontational tone, with President Trump threatening even higher tariffs if Canada did not agree to new trade terms.
In the following months, the U.S. introduced increasingly stringent measures. Tariffs on steel rose to 50%, and auto parts not fully produced in North America faced 25% duties. Canada expanded its retaliation, increasing tariffs on additional U.S. goods and filing challenges at the
World Trade Organization. By mid-spring, the trade dispute had disrupted key industries, particularly in the automotive, steel, aluminum, and forestry sectors.
On May 28, 2025, a U.S. trade court ruled that some of the new tariffs exceeded the president’s authority under emergency powers. However, tariffs imposed under national security (Section 232) and unfair trade (Section 301) provisions were deemed fair, and were therefore upheld. That left most of the measures in place.
The tariff war caused immediate economic disruption. The automotive industry, deeply integrated across the United States–Canada border, reported billions of dollars in losses. Stellantis, a major automaker, alone projected a US$1.7 billion hit in 2025 as shipments fell by about 25%. United States tariffs on Canadian lumber were increased to an effective rate of around 35%, pushing up housing and construction costs in the United States. Canadian aluminum producers began diverting exports to Europe and other markets to reduce reliance on the U.S.
For consumers, prices of imported goods rose on both sides of the border. Small and medium-sized businesses reported difficulties claiming USMCA exemptions, meaning that they were paying full tariffs even on qualifying goods.
The Canadian public reacted strongly to what many people perceived as United States economic bullying. Consumer boycotts of American goods and travel to the United States gained widespread support. Politicians from across the spectrum called for Canada to diversify trade relationships, deepen ties with Europe and Asia, and reduce its economic dependence on the United States.
Through mid-2025, trade talks between the two countries remained deadlocked. Trump set an August 1, 2025 deadline for a new bilateral trade deal, threatening to impose 35% tariffs on Canadian imports if no agreement was reached.
At the same time, he floated the idea of a universal “world tariff” of 15–20% on imports from all countries, which could further harm Canadian exporters.
Canadian officials, led by Prime Minister Mark Carney, describe the current talks as being in an “intense phase,” but they acknowledge that a comprehensive deal before the deadline is unlikely.
Canada has continued to prepare new retaliatory measures and pursued formal disputes through the World Trade Organization.
The 2025 Canada–U.S. tariff war has underscored the fragility of even the closest trade relationships when political priorities shift. While the two countries remain bound by the USMCA, the conflict highlights the limits of trade agreements in constraining unilateral tariff actions.
As of late July 2025, the outcome of the negotiations—and the future of North American trade integration—remains uncertain, with significant economic and political consequences looming for both nations.
Let us hope for the best, and good luck to Canada in making the best possible deal
for its people!
Terminations by Employers for Off Duty Conduct
Terminations by Employers for Off Duty Conduct
By Tahir Khorasanee, LL.M.
Senior Associate, Steinbergs LLP
When an employee’s misconduct occurs outside of office hours, employers must tread carefully between protecting their reputation and respecting individual privacy. Striking that balance has become a pressing challenge as social media and public visibility blur the line between personal life and professional role.
Legal experts agree that discipline for off‑duty behaviour is only justified when there is a clear connection to the employment relationship. An employer needs to show that the conduct undermines its business interests, damages its reputation, or directly impacts workplace harmony. Without that link, disciplinary action risks violating privacy laws and human rights protections.
Certain positions carry an elevated duty of public trust, making off‑duty discipline more readily defensible. Police officers, teachers, health‑care professionals and high‑level executives are held to a higher standard because misconduct outside work can erode public confidence and impede effective job performance. In one recent British Columbia case, a special provincial constable was terminated after an off‑duty altercation that received local media coverage. The court upheld the dismissal, noting the incident’s serious damage to the constable’s credibility and the force’s integrity.
By contrast, employers should think twice before disciplining rank‑and‑file employees for private‑life choices. Courts have ruled that social media posts or lifestyle decisions, however distasteful, warrant discipline only if they are illegal or if they create a foreseeable risk in the workplace—such as disclosing confidential information or harassing co‑workers online. Employers need very strong, narrowly tailored policies to intervene in off‑duty conduct.
To reduce legal exposure, organizations are advised to adopt clear, accessible off‑duty conduct policies that define the scope of prohibited behaviour, outline potential disciplinary measures, and provide examples of real‑world scenarios. Regular training for managers ensures consistent application and guards against unconscious bias. “A well‑drafted policy is your best defense,” says HR consultant Laura Patel. “Ambiguity invites disputes.”
When an incident arises, fair process is essential. Employers should investigate thoroughly, afford the employee an opportunity to respond, and apply progressive discipline where appropriate. Immediate termination without warning may be defensible in extreme cases—such as violent or criminal acts—but risks being overturned if the employer cannot show prior guidance or if the conduct bears no direct link to the workplace.
Beyond legal risk, off‑duty discipline carries reputational stakes. Public perception of an employer punishing someone for harmless personal conduct can prompt social‑media backlash, harming morale and consumer goodwill. A well‑known retailer learned this lesson after briefly suspending an employee over controversial political views expressed on social media. Public outcry prompted a swift reversal and a costly public apology.
Experts also note the importance of proportionality. If an employee’s off‑duty conduct has no tangible effect on job performance, a verbal reminder may suffice; more serious infractions might call for written warnings or temporary suspension. In determining an appropriate response, employers should weigh factors such as the nature of the misconduct, its frequency, the employee’s disciplinary history, and the potential impact on co‑workers and clients.
For companies operating across multiple jurisdictions, local legislation adds another layer of complexity. Privacy statutes in Canada, for example, protect employees from overly intrusive inquiries into personal social‑media activity. Employers must ensure that any monitoring or investigation of off‑duty conduct complies with provincial privacy laws and applicable human rights codes.
As the boundary between personal and professional lives continues to blur, balancing organizational interests with respect for individual rights grows ever more complex. Employers that invest in clear policies, manager training, and fair investigative processes position themselves to respond effectively when off‑duty issues arise—protecting both their brand and their employees’ fundamental rights.
In an era where a single social‑media post can reach thousands within minutes, the question is not whether off‑duty conduct will come to light, but how employers will respond. The answers lie in thoughtful policy design, consistent enforcement, and a measured approach to discipline that respects both the workplace and the private sphere.
Are Regular Canadians Racist or Just Tired of Being Ignored?
Saturday, July 26, 2025
The EV Mandate Is Not About the Environment It’s About Control
DEAL BREAKER…
Job Search Rule #1: Know and Accept What You Can
Job Search Rule #1:
Know and Accept What You Can
By Nick Kossovan
Attributed to Tony Robbins:
"What you focus on is where your energy goes."
Maintaining steady progress towards your goals, such as securing a job, is straightforward: Always focus on what is within your control. Feeling frustrated or angry usually means you're trying to influence or control someone or something over which you don't have authority.
The most effective job search strategy I know is to identify what you can influence and control and then focus your efforts on these areas.
What You Can't Control
Employers' Decisions: It's their business, not yours. Rightfully, employers make hiring decisions that benefit their interests; your interests, or circumstances, aren't part of their hiring equation.
The Job Market: You have no influence or control over the main driving force of the job market, the economy, or the many other factors that shape it, including shifts in consumer demand, automation, AI adoption, changes in age demographics, and government policies.
Other People's Behaviour: Job seekers spend a significant amount of time and energy deluding themselves that they can control the behaviour of recruiters and employers. You have no control over disrespectful behaviour, such as ghosting. All you can control is ensuring that a recruiter's or hiring manager's behaviour doesn't derail your job search efforts. Focus on your behaviour, not those of others, and refrain from judging others for sinning differently than you do.
What You Do Control
Your Behaviour: How you behave publicly, especially on LinkedIn and other social media platforms, impacts your job search. Understandably, job seekers can feel frustrated; however, posts criticizing recruiters and employers show you can't control your emotions, making you someone employers will avoid hiring.
Your Resume and LinkedIn Profile: The career story you share on your resume and LinkedIn profile, using quantifying numbers to demonstrate how you added value—employers hire results, not opinions—to previous employers, is entirely within your control.
Your Networking Efforts: If you're not actively networking, then be prepared for a lengthy job search. Reach out to those whom you believe can assist with your job hunt. Offer value upfront! A simple networking tip: When you meet someone for the first time, ask yourself, "How can I help this person?"
How you interview: An interview is a sales meeting; therefore, treat it as such and avoid the common mistake of spending too much time talking about yourself and too little time learning about what the employer is looking for.
Because most job seekers don't focus on what they can control, they fail to understand that they're in complete control of the crucial determining factor of whether they get hired or not: how employers interpret them.
As a job seeker, you're responsible for how employers perceive you. If you want a quick job search, then adopt the mindset of hyper-focusing on managing the aspects that employers use to interpret (read: evaluate) candidates.
Admittedly, in a world where media and social media platforms design algorithms that support their business models, requiring your attention and eyeballs to benefit their advertisers—their revenue—focusing on what is in the best interest of your job search is easier said than done.
Focusing on what's in our best interests is why my wife and I got rid of our TV 15 years ago and made a conscious effort to limit our social media scrolling. We decided we no longer want the media, influencers, and digital strangers telling us what to focus on.
Today, I don't start my day like many others, doom-scrolling on LinkedIn and other social media platforms, or reading and watching the news. No checking layoffs. No reading rants. No listening to pundits talk about tariffs or foreign wars.
Avoiding other people's panic in the mornings has significantly improved my ability to focus on my goals. Before coffee, I was absorbing fear, dread, and large amounts of negativity and drama from mostly strangers. Unsurprisingly, starting my days with a digital toxic diet led to me not fully engaging in my work, and my cynicism was at an all-time high. I kept having "What's the point?" conversations with myself, which wasn't conducive to doing my best work.
So I stopped.
My mornings are now sacred, dedicated "me time." I start my day with my priorities (read: what I control)—exercising, journaling, reading, outlining my next column, creating a to-do list for the day, and replying to emails over coffee—that serve my interests. Avoiding negativity that I can't control has noticeably boosted my energy. Just as eating healthy involves choosing nutritious foods, focusing on what's in your best interests means selecting what will mentally nourish you and help you reach your goals. There's a reason negativity is called "a downer."
You'd be surprised how much time you free up when you're not focusing on what doesn't serve you.
Make two lists regarding your job search:
1. What you can control. 2. What you can't control.
Make peace with what you can't control and commit to focusing only on what you can influence or control. Ultimately, you're steering your job search. Only by taking steps in the right direction will you get closer to your next job.
_____________________________________________________
Nick Kossovan, a well-seasoned corporate veteran, offers “unsweetened” job search advice. Send Nick your job search questions to artoffindingwork@gmail.com.
$250 Why Not A Million?
$250 Why Not A Million?
B.A. Psychology
Editor/Publisher Central Newspapers
ACCOMPLISHED WRITER/AUTHOR OF OVER 800,000
Published Columns in Canada and The United States
Municipalities across Durham Region like to go around filling their mouths with... Diversity, Equality and Inclusion.... On how they support local businesses....
Yet, their downtowns are emptying out just as quick as they can roll the hypocrisy off their tongues.
The bottom line... they support no one and the only diversity the practice is patronage to those that support them. Equality to those of obvious minority that they use as political tokens to further their political careers. And Inclusion only to those that don’t question and are good brown nosers.
Just this week I received a post on social media from Clarington that stated:
We’re Reimagining the Waterfront — And We Need You
Share your feedback by July 28, 2025, for a chance to win a $250 VISA gift card
Take 10 minutes today to help shape the future of a place we all care deeply about — our stunning 34-km waterfront along Lake Ontario.
This is the same municipality that is full of controversy when it comes to their water front. This is the same municipality that has fallen victim to their own ignorance of thinking that posting important municipal information on line is the same as having it published in their only in print newspaper.
Yes, they tell the few that actually read Clarington posts online that they have a chance to win a $250 VISA gift card. Why not make it a million?
If I had to bet. Clarington has already selected the names, designs and contractors. This post online is nothing but a formality to ease their conscious.
This is the same municipality that it’s Mayor. Mayor Adrian Foster, did not return phone calls during the recent fired downtown to his only in print municipal regional newspaper. This is the same mayor that ever since “Stong Mayors” power came in affect. He has become and island in himself. I am truly disappointed in you Adrian. The days we would run in to each other at the local service club we belong to. You appeared to be genuine and down to earth.
What happened?
Did you bite from the same apple all the other municipal leaders?
Has COVID got to you? How is it you have stopped supporting your local businesses? Your local media? You are supposed to unite the community under one common goal... To better the quality of life of all citizens. Posting on a technology you do not understand is not pro- business. Alienating seniors and forcing them to go to a computer to see important information is not inclusive. Forcing those less fortunate that can barely put food on the table and pay rent to purchase a computer and or internet is not inclusive.
Adrian... how can you be so cold. This from you that you do not return phone calls to your local media. Open your eyes. Get away from the pack and come back to the people.
To all the people. Not just the brown nosers that push your agenda. I hope I am wrong about you. Prove me wrong call me and tell me how wrong I am... Oh and where do I fill out that ballot to win that Visa gift card... as I am one of the many working hard to feed my family. As I am like many that are being kept in the dark by your municipal post online.
Why Are Canadian Jews Under Attack for a War They Didn’t Start?
Why Are Canadian Jews Under Attack for a
War They Didn’t Start?
By Dale Jodoin
A wave of threats, attacks, and hate crimes is sweeping across Canada. Synagogues are being hit with gunfire. Jewish schools are on lockdown. Community centres are being evacuated over bomb threats. In some cities, Jewish students are being harassed and doxxed. Let’s be crystal clear: these attacks are not against a foreign army. They are not acts of protest. They are acts of terrorism targeting innocent Canadian citizens, most of whom have no connection to Israel, its government, or its military. And Canada is not doing nearly enough to stop it.
It’s a dark day when Canadian Jews your neighbours, doctors, teachers, classmates are being blamed for something happening half a world away. This isn’t political disagreement. This is hatred, and it’s being fed by a dangerous crowd of radicalized youth hiding behind protest signs and university lanyards. When a schoolgirl can’t walk safely in Toronto because she’s wearing a Star of David, that’s not free speech. That’s terrorism. And when it comes from a foreign student who’s only here on a study permit, the answer should be simple: they should be deported. If they act violently they should be charged. If their goal is to intimidate Canadian citizens based on religion, they are not protestors. They are foreign operatives, plain and simple.
And what about the systems that allow this to happen? The colleges that don’t expel these students. The city councils that make excuses. The police that issue warnings but not charges. The school boards that downplay it. At what point do we stop pretending these institutions are neutral? If they let hate spread unchecked, if they choose silence when Jewish families are threatened, then they are no longer protectors. They are participants. And participation in terrorism whether direct or passive is still terrorism. No badge or bureaucratic title should shield them from that truth.
Here’s the ugly double standard. If the same kind of violence were happening to Muslims, LGBTQ people, or any other group, the media would explode. There would be press conferences, candlelight vigils, and wall-to-wall outrage. But when it’s Jews? Suddenly, we get “context.” We hear “It’s complicated.” We get lectures on colonialism and maps. That’s not justice. That’s justification. And it’s shameful.
Blaming an entire group for the actions of a state is how the worst chapters in history always begin. It’s scapegoating. And we know where that road leads. But instead of standing against it, some universities hand out flyers. Some unions pass motions calling Jewish businesses “Zionist collaborators.” And some teachers, the very people trusted to educate the next generation, are openly supporting the same groups who call for violence. That’s not activism. That’s organized hate. And if Canadian services public or private aid or excuse this in any form, then they are no better than the ones throwing the rocks. They are terrorists in suits.
We’ve seen foreign students in Canada chanting “death to Israel” in the middle of downtown. We’ve seen threats called into Jewish old age homes. We’ve seen Molotov cocktails thrown at synagogues and then watched as police issue vague statements about “ongoing investigations.” No results. No arrests. No charges. So let’s call this what it is: failure. And not by accident. When justice is this quiet, it’s because someone’s turned down the volume on purpose.
If someone threw a firebomb at a mosque, or threatened to blow up a Pride parade, we’d rightly demand action. But when it’s a synagogue, the debate shifts. We’re told not to make it worse. We’re told to be careful not to offend. But silence is not peace. Silence is surrender. And the Jewish community is being forced to accept that silence from the very country they trusted to protect them.
Canada must wake up. The government’s job is to protect its citizens. All of them. No matter who they vote for, what they wear, or which God they pray to. And when that duty is ignored, when Jewish children are made to feel unsafe walking to school, that is not a small oversight. That is state failure. If that failure continues knowingly it is state-sponsored terror. We would never say it about ourselves, but we must. Because it's the truth.
And let’s be honest: if a Canadian citizen threatened a mosque or LGBTQ event, they’d be in jail by dinner. But foreign students, radical professors, and cowardly administrators get a free pass as long as the hate is pointed at Jews. Why? Because we’re used to it? Because the government is afraid of backlash? That is not leadership. That is complicity. And in the case of Canadian services that continue to protect or excuse this, yes, that is terrorism, too.
Canada is not Gaza. Canada is not a war zone. We are a nation of law, of citizenship, of responsibility. If someone commits a hate crime here—Canadian or not they face consequences. If they are a foreigner, they are sent back. And if an institution enables that hate, they should be named, investigated, and stripped of public funding.
This isn't a call for chaos. It's a call for equal justice. You do not get to target Jews and call it activism. You do not get to burn down a community and say it's a movement. You do not get to hide behind student visas and taxpayer-funded salaries while helping fuel the oldest hate on Earth.
If this country cannot stand up for its Jewish citizens, then we have already failed. The test of a democracy is not how well it treats the majority. It's how fiercely it defends the minority. And right now, Canada is flunking that test. There is still time to turn it around. But only if we stop excusing hate and start calling it what it is.
Terror.
Saturday, July 19, 2025
Losing a Father Is a Bundle of Hurt
Losing a Father
Is a Bundle of
Hurt
By W. Gifford-Jones MD and Diana Gifford
I was 6 years old when I first calculated how many years I could expect to have with my father. He was 44 when I was born; and therefore 50 when I turned 6. I decided I would be lucky if I got to 35 and still had him. That would be 79 for him, and I felt that was an old age.
Can you imagine how lucky I feel to have had him until 101? I’m grateful beyond words.
Now, I am taking up the responsibility of writing the Gifford-Jones column – not as a doctor, but as a communicator. The immediate necessity is to say something helpful, something important, about an experience many of us will have during our lives: losing a father.
I investigated the research. No two ways about it, we take a physical and psychological hit. From cellular level aging brought on by the physical impacts of grieving (sustained stress, disrupted sleep, poor diet) to the cognitive effects of loss (depressed mood and outlook, more substance abuse behaviours, anxiety), the death of one’s father is a bundled package of hurt.
What would my father say about it? This is a question I will be asking myself every week going forward.
I know what he did when I was hurt as a child – the kind of hurt that had me crying, a bad scrape on the knee or the sting of a bee. He’d touch me in the affected spot and let his touch linger. “Now,” he said, after a time, “doesn’t that feel better?” I got his point. Readers will hear echoes of his constant mantra. “Don’t be a wimp. Don’t take pills when there is an effective, natural alternative.” He practiced what he preached.
When my father turned 90, I started to prepare for the day he would slow down. But he didn’t. He was launching another phase of his crusades. And what for? To fight big pharma. To demand better pain management and end-of-life care. To advocate for natural health. And most of all, to call on all humanity to improve our increasingly lousy lifestyle.
You may recall, he wanted to throw rotten eggs at the Parliament buildings! And he had a few choice words for the newspaper editors who ceased publishing his column.
For the past six years, it’s been an extraordinary collaboration writing this column with my father. He told me, “Don’t be a journalist if you are going to sit on the fence.” On some issues, we had some heated discussions!
But the interviews we did together, the visits to natural health food stores, and the talks in communities increasingly closer to home, these are the occasions I enjoyed the most.
Going forward, I plan a few crusades too. I will have my own opinions, and they may not always line up with his. I have a Harvard degree like my father, but even better, I have one from Wellesley. I’ve worked alongside global health experts at the World Bank and in the most impoverished places you can imagine. I am an advisor to the presidents of universities. I know where to find the research and who to talk to. You can count on me to simplify the complexities, identify what’s important, and cut out any baloney. And yes, the advice will be sharp – because some things, thankfully, are hereditary.
For now, like many of you, I am grieving the loss of my father. But I take comfort in knowing how lucky we are to have had him in our lives. Thank you for all your messages, tributes, and personal stories that are pouring in.
Sign-up at www.docgiff.com to receive my weekly e-newsletter. For comments, diana@docgiff.com. Follow on Instagram @diana_gifford_jones
_________________________________________________________________________
Sign-up at www.docgiff.com to receive our weekly e-newsletter. For comments,
contact-us@docgiff.com. Follow us Instagram @docgiff and @diana_gifford_jones
** REMEMBERING COUNCILLOR JOHN AKER ** THE FIRST OF MY NEW SUMMER SERIES COLUMNS
** REMEMBERING COUNCILLOR JOHN AKER **
THE FIRST OF MY NEW SUMMER SERIES COLUMNS
I WRITE THIS COLUMN in memory of my friend and one-time colleague, John Aker. John served his community for 33 years - on both City and Regional Councils, as well as a decade at the Ontario Municipal Board. John said his final goodbye on Thursday February 4th, 2021, at the age of 78. This is his story.
One meaningful event can make a world of difference for a young man who might be trying to navigate his way into the world of politics. For 29 year old John Aker, it was the decision by a close friend not to seek re-election. That announcement would lead to John putting his own name forward for a seat on Oshawa Council. The year was 1972.
When I spoke with John in summer of 2020, he enjoyed recalling his first election win, an event that would set the stage for many such victories during his career. The ‘72 election was a watershed – not only for him but for the entire council. That year saw an incredible turnover, and John described it as an “exciting time”. When I asked him to share his memories of those with whom he served, John responded without hesitation, telling me his years on council were shared with “good spirited people” who tried to do the right thing for everyone.
John was born in Edmonton, and came to Oshawa with his parents at the age of two, attending St Gregory School and O’Neill Collegiate. He would eventually go off to Queens University in Kingston, obtaining a Bachelor of Commerce degree, which he said held him in good stead.
It was during his university days that John was fortunate enough to gain yearly summer employment at the William Street offices of General Motors. While many of his friends from school were doing manual jobs they didn’t like, he found himself wearing a jacket and tie, doing work he always felt was interesting.
Over time, he would join Schofield-Aker Insurance in 1970, a firm bought by his father Reg Aker in 1954, eventually taking over the business in 1985.
We talked about how different city council was back in the 1970’s, and he reminded me that most, if not all of those on council, did the job part time, as they were already fully employed. City hall staff were the full-time career professionals who held the most influence in those days.
Since then, the number of full-time councilors (the term ‘alderman’ having been abolished) has increased significantly, and as such, the influence of municipal staff has - to a degree, waned. Long term, career politicians with a lot of experience are now more common.
The formation of the Region of Durham in 1974 was the first major issue John would encounter as a city alderman, and we discussed the long debates and the intricacies involved with the amalgamation of policing, and the creation of various regional departments.
He was proud of his involvement in helping to bring further growth by way of the Oshawa hospital expansion, as well as the establishment of the University of Ontario Institute of Technology, which he said helped transform this city from a one-industry town into a place where careers are now developed in many walks of life.
Looking back, I encouraged John to recall some of the good times shared with those among his colleagues he most enjoyed working with. His first thoughts were about his friend Jim Potticary, who spent eight years as mayor. John told me everyone used to call Mayor Potticary “Gentleman Jim”, and that he’d never seen anyone enjoy a job quite as much.
John did, however recall some difficult moments in his career, one of which took place a little too close to home. In 1992, a foster home for young offenders was proposed in his own neighbourhood. When residents became aware, they sent flyers door to door, and John would receive at least 65 telephone calls from concerned residents.
The foster home never did receive approval, however the memory of that day remained in John’s mind, describing it to me as a daunting moment to stand in front of a group of angry residents that were also his neighbours.
There were many significant issues over the years that John had to wrestle with, including Sunday shopping, the implementation of Oshawa’s first ward system, the ongoing battles with the Port Authority, downtown revitalization, and the debate over ‘transparency’ in government.
John’s second stretch as a member of council (his first being 1973 to 1997) was probably the most challenging. His election in 2010 marked an incredible eight year, two-term comeback for a man who had years earlier decided to close the book on an honourable career. John showed everyone he had an important role to play as an ‘elder statesman’, bringing a voice of experience and reason to an otherwise unwieldy council.
A September 2014 Article in the Globe and Mail described Oshawa Council at that time as a ‘political circus’ with elected members shouting each other down, citizens protesting and being tackled by undercover police, and a serious division among councilors.
Still, John was able to stand on a solid footing and survive the melee, as the scenes that played out month after month went against his own desire to work with others to find common ground.
John used to tell me with confidence that Oshawa will remain a prosperous city in the decades to come due to its geographic location between Toronto and Kingston.
He said the amazing network of new highways will ensure further new development, the likes of which Oshawa has never before witnessed, and although something of the size and scope of General Motors may never be seen again, Oshawa definitely turned a corner in its pursuit of higher education that will meet the needs of generations to come.
To quote my friend directly, “Whether we knew it or not, Oshawa long ago began a worthwhile transformation from a one industry town into a modern, cosmopolitan community where new opportunities exist.”
John Aker gave as much as one man could to the community he truly loved.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)