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

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.

Karmageddon

Karmageddon By Mr. ‘X’ ~ John Mutton CENTRAL EXCLUSIVE As I write my column from my second home in Croatia, it is impossible not to see the horrible events happening across the world. The total landscape change in the United Kingdom, Australia, and Canada proves the age-old theory that if you “import the Third World, you become the Third World.” Christian values have been established for centuries, and those who think they can be watered down—or that politicians can bring the wrong type of people into our country without causing a clash of heritage and culture—belong in Fantasyland. True leadership is necessary, like that shown by my friend Tommy Robinson in the UK, who arranged the Unite the Kingdom rally with Polish legislator Dominik Tarczyński. What is causing extreme violence is extremism or radicalism from both the left and the right. Closer to home, Olivia Chow has introduced a luxury tax on homes over $3 million, which in Toronto is not difficult to reach. However, her quote was that people who own $20-million homes can afford the tax. What about those who are additionally taxed under $20 million Sharpie? I must admit, this year’s budget process at the Region and in some of the local municipalities has brought about some of the most interest and activity I’ve seen in years. Some great debate from the anti–tax-increase side was led by Regional Councillors Brian Nicholson, Tito-Dante Marimpietri, Maurice Brenner, Steve Yamada, and Chris Leahy. The need to change the governance of Regional Council has never been more evident, given the plethora of non-mandated services we are providing. I have said it before: tax decreases can be achieved when we focus on what we are supposed to fund and exit funding and taxation for services we are not mandated to provide under the Municipal Act. The sooner we turn the Region into a services board—drop the regional councillors and make the Chair a Speaker of the House with no voting power—the better. Let local municipalities purchase only the services they require from the Region. At the provincial level, Doug is “Captain Canada,” taking on Florida Governor Ron DeSantis by claiming tourism in Florida is down. Ron pointed out that tourism has actually increased. I don’t think this one was researched by the kids running Doug’s communications—much like the flow regulator that wasn’t removed from the Crown Royal bottle during that stunt. Listen folks, I know both Doug and Ron, and I consider them both good people looking after their electorates. That said, if I had to bet on either one in this debate, I’m taking Ron DeSantis. He is brilliant, and his staff would not make rookie mistakes like Doug’s. So this week I was thinking about which rock stars our local politicians resemble. Here’s what I came up with: John Henry looks like Henry Rollins Olivia Chow like Yoko Ono Dan Carter like David Lee Roth Brian Nicholson like Chris Stapleton Jennifer French like Katy Perry.

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

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?

Karmageddon

Karmageddon By Mr. ‘X’ ~ John Mutton CENTRAL EXCLUSIVE I'm back mo**er fu**ers and it's Karmageddon time. I last wrote a column for the Central on June 16, 2018. Back then I was running for Durham Regional Chairman and cancel culture was all the vibe. I remember the false accusations and some of the cancel culture soy boys like Ajax Councillor Sterling Lee would condemn and the rest of the socialists (commonly known as NDP) would follow up and call employers, clients and anyone attached to myself or anyone they wanted to cancel. Oh the good old days. Since 2018, I have been extremely busy on several fronts. My business has moved into actually developing our own projects, married a beautiful Croatian lady, I became Mr. X and I won quite a few Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Gold medals along with that World Championship this year. I am friends with celebrities, pro athletes and leaders literally around the world, we may hear some super interesting stories along the way. Life has provided me with a plethora of experience in several areas and I look forward to sharing some of them with you. One of the more recent highlights after the Integrity Commissioner)/Lobbiest Registrar named me Mr. X, I started a podcast called the Mr X Files with my co host Ben Fudge. Just last week we registered over 30000 views on our latest podcast. What to expect in the future is a factual missile into anything fraudulent or just not passing the smell test in Federal, Provincial or Municipal politics. The podcast will be more of a Nationalist approach, while I may delve into local topics in my column here. If you like the truth, you will enjoy the Mr X files and my column. If you don't like the truth and the facts, too bad for you haha. Some of the items we have covered are The Skills Development Fund Scandal, the upcoming Infrastructure Funds Scandal, the Federal mass immigration affront to Canada and my personal favorite...the Greenbelt. I will curse and I will swear, but I will bring you the facts and what I believe to be the truth. Credit will be given to intelligent legislation and good representation of any politician and party.

What We Got Wrong About Independence

What We Got Wrong About Independence By Diana Gifford What’s happened, that we feed our children a single definition of success? Grow up and leave home, climb the ladder, buy a house, and live an “independent” life. At the same time, aging parents assert they must never become a burden on their grown children. These aspirations for self-reliance are ingrained in our concept of good living. But I wonder if we have it wrong. Personal conviction, self-directed decisions, accomplishing goals on one’s own – these are all powerful elements of autonomy that come with the reward of feeling accomplished and satisfied. But interdependence – begin together and relying on others – is what keeps people healthy. We are a social species, and in social groups is how human beings are best suited to live. In our modern ways of organizing ourselves in society, we have forgotten that multigenerational households were the norm for most of human history. It’s been a relatively recent development that we have measured success by dispersing the family into multiple homes, each behind its own closed door. The social experiment is not going well. Loneliness has become a public-health epidemic, increasing the risk of premature death at rates comparable to smoking and obesity! Meanwhile, the housing data tell a striking story. While the buzz is loud about lack of housing, in fact, our communities are full of empty bedrooms. Literally millions of them, most in the homes of older adults living alone. At the same time, young people are struggling to find an affordable apartment, weighed down by debt, and postponing milestones like starting families because rent consumes too much of their income. We have a structural surplus of space and a structural deficit in seeing solutions. What if the answer is not more construction, but more connection? Small but powerful examples are showing the benefits. Home-share programs match seniors with university students. Cohousing developments arrange single older adults in private suites around shared kitchens and gardens. Some young people, groups of friends, are going in together on the purchase of a jointly-owned first home. In these settings, researchers find better mental health, greater life satisfaction, and fewer emergency-room visits by older residents. Togetherness is good medicine. As for the fear of being a burden, it deserves reconsideration. Studies show that adult children who help care for a parent often feel more purpose and emotional closeness, not resentment. Older adults living with family tend to stay healthier and independent longer. Ironically, the determination to avoid burdening anyone can lead to the very outcome people are trying to avoid. And more good news, as there are environmental benefits. Multigenerational households use far less energy per person. Three generations under one roof leave a much smaller environmental footprint than three separate homes. Living together is climate friendly. But the biggest factor is economic. A large body of research has shown that one of the most significant determinants of health is economic status. Yes, studies on the health impacts of living alone, of single parent versus traditional family structures, or of communal living, offer insights. But the research is clear that these factors are less important to health than the mighty dollar. So, if living together will improve financial wellbeing, then it’s an excellent investment in health. Multigenerational living isn’t right for every family. But for many, it could be exactly the right antidote – to financial stress, and to today’s fractured social landscape. We would do well to create more well-designed cohabitation, with vetted roommates, seniors paired with students, and shared community spaces. As a result, we could expect stronger family ties, improved housing utilization, reduced loneliness, and better health. —————————————————————————————————————— 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

Eco-Friendly Holiday Gifts

Eco-Friendly Holiday Gifts by Larraine Roulston ‘Protecting Our Ecosystem’ In December, we use more resources than during any other month. Often they do not get reused, recycled, or composted. When giving Christmas gifts, there are many ways to be gentler on the earth. Although shopping online may be convenient, try to support your community’s small businesses. If purchasing a bicycle or other sports equipment, for example, local sports retailers are better equipped to help you with your selection, accessories, as well as any ongoing maintenance issues. Check out thrift stores for board games, toys, and unique gifts. Everything is generally in mint condition. Jewellery as well, sparkles elegantly in a thrift shore’s small showcase. Buy in bulk! From a bulk food store or special area in your supermarket, select nuts, dried fruits, candy or other holiday treats. If you take your own small bags or other containers, you may even receive a discount. Bulk stores can weigh empty jars prior to your filling them. From the resident chef, Christmas cheer can take the form of homemade cookies, mincemeat pies, chocolate squares, and braided fruit breads. Even liqueurs like Baileys, can be whipped up in a few minutes. The recipe is simple. Using a blender, add 3 eggs and 3 tablespoons of chocolate powder mix. While this is blending, include a few drops of almond extract, 1 pint of whipping cream, 1 can of Eagle Brand milk, then top with 1 cup of inexpensive rye whiskey. Bottle, add a bow, and refrigerate. Experienced knitters are able to create doll clothes, stuffed toys, toques, slippers, mitts, and finger puppets. The season offers an opportunity to teach a child how to knit a scarf or a hot pad. Simple gifts such as these are treasured forever. Older children can have fun crafting personalized stationery in art, or using a computer. They can also create word search puzzles. If sourcing scented herbs or other ingredients, one can find recipes on how to make homemade lip balm, soaps, shampoos and other personal care products. Your time can also be appreciated. Just as much thought and effort can go into practicing a favourite song on a musical instrument. Library books can become a gift when accompanied by an offer to do more household chores so that your recipient has time to read them before their due date. Gifts also can include repairing or up-cycling. Enjoy giving a memorable experience such as theatre tickets or dining out. Be creative wrapping gifts with magazine pages, newsprint, tea towels (a gift within a gift), or other fabrics. If you do buy wrapping paper, avoid glossy and metallic ones that cannot be recycled. Generally, eco-friendly ideas and do-it-yourself crafts will help people stay within their budget. This year, have fun making your holiday season easier on our fragile ecosystem Christmas clean up as well, requires reusing, recycling, and composting. Think about World Soil Day that is celebrated on December 5th. To have healthy soil for a healthy future — Compost! Larraine has been an environmental freelance writer since 1988 and authors children’s books on composting.

Why You Need a Solid Financial Strategy

Why You Need a Solid Financial Strategy By Bruno M. Scanga In recent years, the F.I.R.E. movement—short for Financial Independence, Retire Early—has gained traction among Canadians looking to leave the workforce decades ahead of the traditional retirement age. While the dream of stepping away from work in your 40s or 50s is exciting, it also raises a big question: how do you make your money last when you could be retired for 30, 40, or even 50 years? Over the past century, Canadians have seen their lifespans stretch—many now live well into their 80s—yet the age at which they stop working hasn’t shifted much. That extended retirement phase can put a serious strain on your finances. According to a recent Reddit survey, Canada’s average expected retirement age is around 64, with nearly half planning to retire before 65—but many also lack confidence in being ready when the time comes. In fact, the average actual retirement age climbed from 64.3 to 65.3 between 2020 and 2024. Imagine retiring at 55—or even 64—and living into your 80s or 90s. You could be looking at 20 to 40 years of retirement to fund. That’s great for personal fulfillment, but less so for your wallet. Planning Pays Off Here’s the hard math: the longer your retirement, the more money you need—either by saving more, investing wisely, or a bit of both. Chasing high-risk investments might seem tempting, but it often backfires. Conversely, saving too much now could mean sacrificing your quality of life today. Balance is key. Have you chatted about this with your partner? Retirement planning is a team sport. A recent Investment Executive study found that just 23% of couples have fully discussed all aspects of retirement, while 55% only have a general idea, which means most “canoes” are paddling off in different directions. A financial advisor can help you crunch the numbers to see how even small boosts in your savings—especially when started early—can compound into significant long-term gains. Plus, they can help you navigate retirement vehicles like RRSPs and TFSAs: · RRSPs: Contributions are tax-deductible now, but withdrawals are taxed later. · TFSAs: No tax deduction upfront, but money grows and comes out tax-free. · CPP & OAS: You can start CPP as early as age 60 (at a reduced amount) or defer past 65 to boost benefits. OAS generally begins at age 65. The Reality Check Here’s the real concern (according to Pension Pulse) nearly 49% of Canadians worry they’ll outlive their retirement savings, and 66% expect to keep working even after retirement age just to make ends meet. Successful retirement planning isn’t an impossible task if you start with a good plan and good advice.

Let Him Lead

Let Him Lead By Wayne and Tamara I ended my marriage after 15 years. I’ve been separated for five years and haven’t dated anyone. I really had no interest in dating. In July I met the father of my son’s friend. He, too, is separated and has been for four years. In his case his wife ended the marriage. He was devastated. He indicated at one time he could never go through that again. His son lives with him, and since the boys are together all the time, we talk often. We’ve become good friends and enjoy talking to each other. I’m becoming attracted to him. He has all the qualities I look for. He has a wonderful personality, a sense of humor, and a closeness to his family. He is interesting and kind. I find it hard to decide if he is attracted to me but afraid of getting involved with anyone, or not attracted to me at all. We have not yet gone on a date. He did invite my two boys and me to his camp this summer for the day, and had the boys and I to his camp for Thanksgiving dinner with some of his family. While talking to him the next day, I told him the boys had a great time, and he asked if I had as well. I’ve invited him to my office Christmas party, which he accepted. It is a large event with dinner and dancing. This will be the first time we will be out alone. What should I look for to determine his feelings toward me? Elaine Elaine, don’t make a problem which doesn’t exist. A relationship between the two of you has been slowly building. You understand his fears and concerns. So how do you address that? By letting him lead. If you force the relationship, he will feel threatened. When he senses this is a relationship he wants, he will move forward on his own unless he sees you only as a friend and the parent of his son’s friend. Since there is no problem here—you are not dating him—act like a single, available woman. Imagine you are a fisherman. There is a big trout in the water and you’d love to land him, but all you can do is throw your lure out there. You can’t make the fish bite, but there are other fish in the stream. Making yourself available will make you less disheartened and desperate about this one fish. The more you try to force your lure on a fish, the greater the chance you will scare it off. Be relaxed, patient, and open to all possible relationships. Not only does that give you the greatest chance for success, it creates a desirable aura around you—the kind of aura which will attract others, including this man, to you. Wayne & Tamara Approaching Storm After 10 years of marriage is it settling to be with someone who says they love you but aren’t in love with you? What if that person thinks being “in love” is a childish fantasy and grownups don’t need to be “in love” to have a happy marriage? Is being “in love” really that important? Kim Kim, let us assume the person who says this is your husband. Then the question for him is, how do you keep sailing once you’ve thrown out the star which guides you? What is the foundation of your captaincy? Financial security? Personal advantage? Convenience? Circumstances change. Sickness, a business failure, or an ill wind can alter any of the reasons for being together. So can unexpected success. But love holds people together both on calm seas and when things get rough. Without love you have to keep changing why your contract should still be valid. A marriage without love is like sailing in the Bermuda Triangle. At any time one of you might disappear forever. Wayne & Tamara

Employers Weigh the Risks of Hiring a Candidate, Along With Their Qualifications

Employers Weigh the Risks of Hiring a Candidate, Along With Their Qualifications By Nick Kossovan Strategically appearing as a low-risk candidate is one of the most effective ways to stand out from your competition. Many job seekers love to spend their time and energy criticizing how employers eliminate and hire candidates, which is easy to do when you're not the one bearing the many risks that come with hiring. When I hear or read job seekers "venting," I think to myself, "Easy for you to say, you're not the one taking the hiring risk." An employer's hiring process revolves around reducing hiring risks. Employers aim to hire low-risk candidates. A job seeker who understands and empathizes with the employer's point of view recognizes that showing they're a low-risk hire with high potential for success greatly increases their chances of getting hired. Keeping in mind that the hiring process is inherently a process of elimination, which candidate comes across as low-risk, A or B? Post interview: Candidate A: Their LinkedIn profile lacks a banner, a headshot, measurable achievements, a compelling career summary, and recommendations. Candidate B: Their LinkedIn profile is fully optimized, clearly demonstrating the value they can add to an employer's profitability. Candidate A: Their resume contains grammatical errors and/or typos. Candidate B: Their resume is error-free. Candidate A: Doesn't include a cover letter. Candidate B: Includes a well-written cover letter that offers three strong reasons why they're qualified for the position. Candidate A: Has held three jobs in the past five years. Candidate B: They've been with their current or former employer for over eight years. Interview: Candidate A: Arrives a few minutes late. Candidate B: Shows up 10 minutes early. You find them in the reception area, engaging with the receptionist or reading one of the industry magazines on the table. Candidate A: Limited eye contact and facial expressions. They avoid small talk and don't appear enthusiastic about the job or the company. Candidate B: Offers a firm handshake, smiles, builds rapport, maintains eye contact throughout the interview, is conversational, and asks thought-provoking questions. Political strategist Lee Atwater once said, "Perception is reality." Be mindful of how you present yourself to recruiters and employers. Although it's impossible to be a 100% risk-free hire, focus on appearing as low-risk as you can in these three key areas. Frequent Job Changes / Employment Gaps Turnover is expensive and disruptive, so employers understandably hesitate to hire candidates with a history of job-hopping, without clear career progression, or with significant employment gaps. Generally, employers see this as an indication that the candidate is unlikely to stay long or that they struggle to adapt to new work environments. For any short-term position (under three years), include on your resume and LinkedIn profile whether it was a contract, resulted from a layoff, relocation, career progression, or other reasons. (e.g., "Project Manager (1-year contract)," "Software Engineer (part of a company-wide layoff).") Providing context for why your job(s) duration was short is an essential part of sharing your career story, which employers consider when evaluating your candidacy. Similarly, when a hiring manager notices an extended period of unemployment without explanation, they tend to assume (perception shaping their reality) that you were either fired, unable to find work (employers rejecting you), or "taking it easy." Provide context for any employment gaps you may have. If you took time off for education, caring for a family member, personal growth, or any other reason, mention it in your resume and LinkedIn profile. Negotiating Compensation / Asking for an "Exception" This and the following truism might lose some of you, but they need to be said. At some point during the hiring process, you'll learn about the compensation package being offered for the position. You've three choices: accept what's offered, walk away or try to negotiate a better deal. Negotiating carries the risk that the job offer might be rescinded; it can also make you seem like you'll always want more, which can make you appear difficult (read: risky) to manage. If you're willing to walk away, you have nothing to lose by trying to negotiate. However, if you need the job, focus on securing it! Don't risk losing it over $10,000, which is significantly less after taxes. Furthermore, asking for "an exception" can also make it seem you'll be difficult to manage. The team's harmony, business policies, and processes are already established, and the employer's working hours and clients' expectations are set. Requesting an exception, such as working from home when the team works onsite, suggests a lack of fit; thus, you'd be a risky hire. Overqualified Being overqualified means you possess more skills and experience than the job requires or that it's reasonable to pay for. Overqualified isn't code for ageism or that you'll be a threat to your boss; these are comforting lies job seekers tell themselves. When you apply for a job, you're clearly overqualified for, it's natural for the employer to question your motivation and assume you'll be a flight risk, making you a risky hire. Overcoming the challenge of being overqualified can be tough. Begin by being honest with yourself: are you applying because you genuinely want to take a step back, or because you're desperate? If it's the latter, don't blame employers for not hiring you. Would you hire someone who's desperate? My advice for overcoming being overqualified is to trim unnecessary information from your resume and LinkedIn profile; some things are better left unsaid. Think about the job you're applying for and highlight the specific experiences that demonstrate why you're a good fit. If any experience isn't relevant to the position, leave it out; now's not the time to showcase all skills and experience.

When Common Sense Dies A Nation Dies With It

When Common Sense Dies A Nation Dies With It By Dale Jodoin Journalist and Columnist Some mornings I sit with my coffee and wonder how the world slipped so far off its track. It did not happen in one big moment. It happened in small steps until regular people woke up and felt like strangers in their own country. The pressure grew. The rules changed. The words changed. And the truth started to feel like something you had to hide. When I grew up, the big fear was nuclear war. It was a real worry, but at least people spoke honestly about it. At least you knew what the threat was. Today the fear comes in soft waves. Every few years someone says the world will end in five years. They repeat it to kids who barely understand life yet. You cannot grow hope on fear. You cannot build a strong country on doom. Kids today do not have the anchors we had. We had parents who worked hard. We had grandparents who carried old lessons. We had aunts and uncles who taught us how to stand up and make our own way. How many young people only hear warnings? They hear that everything is broken. They hear that nothing will get better. They hear that the climate is falling apart and that they might not have a future. It leaves them empty. While this fear fills the air, the Liberals and NDP tell people to trust them. They promise that more spending will fix everything. More programs. More rules. More taxes. They treat the country like a bank card that never runs out. But money always runs out. Bills always show up. And regular families always pay in the end. People feel this every day. At the grocery store. With rent. With gas. With heat. They feel it when taxes climb while services fall apart. They feel it when the government says everything is fine even though nothing feels fine. Leaders keep saying this is progress, but nobody living a regular life agrees. And underneath it all there is a message. Keep quiet. Do not speak up. Do not question anything. If you protect your family, people call you selfish. If you point out a problem, people say you are dangerous. If you disagree with a popular idea, they use names as weapons. They use fear to control the conversation. This pressure hits young men the hardest. Many grow up hearing that everything wrong in the world is their fault. Some are told they should stop being who they are. They are confused before they even start their lives. They feel like they have to apologize for being born. It wears them down. At the same time, the government keeps bringing in more people who also need help. This is not an attack on newcomers. It is simple math. If a boat is sinking you cannot load more passengers on it. But the Liberals and NDP do it anyway because it looks good in a headline. They ignore the fact that hospitals are full, housing is gone, and schools are stretched thin. They want to be seen as kind, even if the country snaps under the weight. University was supposed to teach young adults how to think. How many walk in hopeful and walk out bitter. They come home speaking like the country is an enemy. They talk about ripping everything down and building something new with ideas that never worked anywhere else. It is not learning. It is training. And it leaves them lost. Hate has also grown in ways many older people never expected. The sudden rise in hostility toward Jewish Canadians and Jewish people around the world has shocked those who remember real history. They thought the world had learned. Now they watch crowds chant angry things while leaders stand back and mumble. It shakes something deep in the soul. And through all of this, regular people are just trying to survive. They wake up tired. They go to work. They try to raise kids in a world that feels loud and mean. They try to stay out of trouble. But every step feels like thin ice. If they speak up, someone attacks them. If they stay silent, nothing gets better. This is where your line fits, Dale. A country cannot find itself if the people inside it are too scared to tell the loud confused voices to sit down. We have people now who try to kill common sense on purpose. They twist words. They spread lies. They demand we stop thinking. And if you dare to use your own mind they beat you with nonsense until you doubt your own eyes. It reminds me of a poet I like. If a boy with a simple slingshot can stay calm, the world can bend. A whisper is enough to set people free if they hold on to it long enough. So what do we do when the country feels like it is heading into a fog. The answer is not smooth. It is not pretty. But it is simple. People need to vote for someone who will do the hard work. Not someone who makes us feel good. Not someone who hands out money we do not have. A leader who tightens the belt. A leader who says no to public unions when needed. A leader who puts the country first instead of politics. It will upset people. It always does when someone tries to clean up a house that has been ignored. But if we keep going the way we are, nothing will improve. Kids need hope again. Families need stability again. The country needs a spine again. The world is loud right now. It tells people to sit down. It tells them to obey. It tells them to stop thinking. But a country cannot survive if the people inside it feel unwanted. Canada cannot grow strong if its citizens are treated like problems. Real change starts with a whisper. A simple voice saying I want a life that makes sense again. That is how a country finds itself.

It’s Immoral Derek Giberson Has To GO in 2026

It’s Immoral Derek Giberson Has To GO in 2026 By Joe Ingino BA. Psychology Editor/Publisher Central Newspapers ACCOMPLISHED WRITER/AUTHOR OF OVER 800,000 Published Columns in Canada and The United States Is it just me? I drive down our downtown core and my heart aches. Watching people sleeping on the street. Temperatures hovering around - 2. Watching this injustice. This suffering in Canada puts my mind in a state of panic. I look at these people and can’t believe that we are allowing this to happen. These people could be any one of us. To think that when a fellow citizen falls that low in their luck and there is no support... It is wrong and immoral. I ran for office in 2018 and 2022 to put an end to this. I was not successful. Maybe I should be more like those elected and be cold and uncaring.  How can any elected official take a taxpayers dime in payment knowing the suffering that is going on right on our streets... In Oshawa we have two representatives. What have they done in the two terms they served? NOTHING. It appears that ‘NOTHING’ in todays society is and accomplishment. Yet, people are defying on our streets from the cold and from drug over usage. This is unacceptable. For example. We have the likes of wanna be rock star, City councillor Derek Giberson. What has he done for the downtown in the two terms he has served. I can tell you. He has spent your taxpayers resources in persecuting local downtown merchants like this newspaper and failed. He has spent your tax dollars on hearings and procedural mumbo jumbo against citizens. He has failed. I would estimate to the tune of over $300,000. Money that should have gone to shelter people living on the street. No instead this councillor chooses to push for ‘safe site’ injection sites. This in my book is unacceptable. This local councillor does not belong in municipal politics as he is directly responsible for the poor condition of our core. He in my opinion is directly responsible for all the failed business in our core. This councillor has failed us so much... that he allowed millions to be wasted on ‘Veterans Park’. A newly erected park smack downtown. A property that could have been turned into a much needed indoor garage. A facility that could have housed thousands of people from the cold until a more concrete solution is found. Giberson in my opinion is a disgrace to our City. He had the opportunity to do great things and he wasted them on persecuting those he does not like. He uses your resource to make go no place points... and he has failed on his attempt time and time again. HE HAS TO GO IN 2026. The homeless problem is not going to go any place. If anything it is going to get worst. This new economic Pandemic takes no prisoners. When we see one person on the street. There 10 others that are living with friends, family or in their cars. I have spoken to many of them. Their stories have resemblances as the outcome is unfortunate. Most of them never thought that they would end up on the street. Many have lost jobs, have little or not family. Others suffered/suffer some sort of disability decease. Just this week the Federal government gave millions to the Ukraine to fight a never ending or impossible war to win. Why has the government not used that money to fight our home front war of hunger and the homeless. Here is what I would do with just a million: 1. Secure a place to in-houe at least 1,000 people. It can be done. Look at most bomb shelters. A facility that would offer shower, cafeteria and medical assistance. 2. Partner with the University to have their health student practice at the shelter. 3. Make it mandatory that all grocery store send over their almost expired foods. Partner with industry and trade to fund the purchase of staple foods. 4. Create work programs through the City in the works department and other. 5. Create un-used hospital wards as treatment centers for those with addictions and or mental health. 6. Partner with the Provincial and Federal Governments for hands on programs that would be directed to special squads to get people off the streets and into these ‘rejuvenation’ facilities. The homeless situation can be managed. Stop voting in nose drips like Giberson. We need real leadership. For real problems. In 2026 make the right change and stop rewarding failure.