Hernias Are An Age Old Problem

Hernias Are An Age Old Problem By Diana Gifford Hernias are an ancient ailment. And modern medicine still debates the best ways to repair or live with them. One of the earliest references appears in the Ebers Papyrus, an Egyptian medical scroll from around 1550 BCE. The treatment for hernias was to push them back into place, in techniques described by Hippocrates. Galen, a Greek physician to gladiators and Roman emperors, had a preference for treating “surgical conditions by means other than the knife.” One can only imagine. An enduring piece of hernia lore is the truss. A truss was essentially a belt with a pad designed to apply pressure to the protrusion. Trusses were made of leather, metal, or fabric. Some people wore them for decades. Apparently Benjamin Franklin, suffering from a hernia, customized the design of his own truss for improved comfort. Look no further than to Medieval Europe to find the most absurd so-called cures. Some believed that passing through a split tree trunk – literally crawling through it – could cure a hernia. The tree would then be bound shut, as though healing the patient by analogy. Odd times. Early hernia surgery was crude, painful, and often fatal. Before the late 19th century, the combination of infection, lack of anesthesia, and poor anatomical knowledge made abdominal operations deeply dangerous. The turning point came with Eduardo Bassini, an Italian surgeon who, in the 1880s, meticulously studied the groin’s anatomy and introduced a systematic way to reconstruct it. His technique, though modified many times since, is widely regarded as the first reliable hernia repair. The 20th century brought the introduction of surgical mesh. Using mesh allowed surgeons to reinforce weakened tissue and reduce recurrence rates. It was heralded as a breakthrough, though in recent decades it has also sparked debate and litigation. Mesh can be enormously effective, but as with many medical advances, its success is not guaranteed. Today, many people delay treatment out of fear, embarrassment, or the hope that the problem might resolve itself. They can result from lifting, chronic coughing, pregnancy, or even genetic predisposition. They are democratic: they affect the young, old, athletic, sedentary, cautious, and risk-takers alike. In the internet era, the ancient impulse to treat hernias at home has been revived by self-proclaimed experts posting videos of DIY abdominal wraps, self-reduction tutorials, and miracle cures. Some echo centuries-old remedies – compresses, belts, or herbal treatments. Others are newly imagined, drawing on the vast creativity of people in online forums. The fact is, hernias can occur in many different parts of the body, from a variety of causes, and with a wide range of implications, sometimes inconsequential and sometimes fatal. So go and see a doctor to determine the best treatment for you. Readers often write requesting information about what the take of Dr. W. Gifford-Jones was on one medical issue or another. He had a much appreciated “no nonsense” philosophy. From reading his column for years and years, he was known and trusted. Well, you can still find what he had to say on topics like hernias. Go to www.docgiff.com and type the keywords of interest into the search engine (a little magnifying glass icon in the top right of the page). For example, type “hernia” and you’ll get access to columns on “how to decrease the risk of large bowel hernias”, “if it’s partly broken, should you fix it?”, and advice to “think twice about hernia surgery”. Columns since around the year 2000 are posted. I’m posting more and more of the older archive of columns too. Among them, some gems! —————————————————————————————————————— 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

2025 Year in Review: Staying Financially Strong in Uncertainty

2025 Year in Review: Staying Financially Strong in Uncertainty By Bruno M. Scanga As we wrap up 2025, it’s a good time to pause and reflect on what the year has brought—and more importantly, how to position ourselves for success in 2026. This year has been another reminder that global uncertainty is here to stay. Trade tensions, fluctuating interest rates, and uneven economic growth have all played a part in shaping Canada’s financial landscape. The good news? Despite all the noise, there are solid, practical steps you can take to stay financially strong. A Look Back at 2025 Inflation continued to cool through 2025, allowing the Bank of Canada to begin cautiously lowering rates after several years of tightening. While this offered some relief to borrowers, many Canadians renewing their mortgages still faced higher payments than before. Growth remained modest—around 1%—as global trade pressures and slower exports weighed on the economy. For investors, markets were mixed. Canadian equities were steady, U.S. markets showed resilience, and bonds regained some traction as interest rates eased. Overall, it’s been a year where patience and diversification paid off. What This Means for You Periods like this call for a thoughtful financial strategy. Here are a few strategies to carry into 2026: 1. Revisit your budget and cash flow. Higher living costs and mortgage renewals can tighten monthly budgets. Take time to review spending and look for ways to increase your savings margin—even a small monthly surplus can build valuable flexibility. 2. Strengthen your emergency fund. If 2025 has taught us anything, it’s that uncertainty can show up quickly. Aim to keep at least three to six months of essential expenses in a readily accessible account. 3. Stay invested, but be strategic. Trying to time the market rarely works. Instead, focus on maintaining a diversified portfolio that matches your goals and risk tolerance. If interest rates continue to drift lower in 2026, both fixed income and equity investments could benefit. 4. Use registered plans wisely. Whether it’s topping up your RRSP, maxing out your TFSA, or contributing to a RESP or FHSA, these accounts offer powerful tax advantages. Every dollar sheltered from unnecessary tax is a dollar working harder for your future. 5. Plan for the long term—no matter the headlines. Economic slowdowns, trade issues, and market swings are part of every cycle. The key is having a plan that adjusts with conditions, not one that reacts to fear or hype. Looking Ahead to 2026 Most forecasts suggest a slow but steady recovery next year. If inflation stays near target, the Bank of Canada could trim rates further—good news for borrowers and markets alike. That said, it’s still wise to prepare for volatility. The bottom line? Focus on what you can control: your savings habits, spending discipline, and investment strategy. Global uncertainty may persist, but a well-built financial plan is still your best tool for confidence and stability. Here’s to finishing 2025 strong and stepping into 2026 with clarity and purpose.

I Smell A…

I Smell A... By Wayne and Tamara I was in love for the first time with a man for five years while he was a student at an elite university. We were secretly engaged to be married quietly. During the last year he was away for other training. Two months before the wedding, he called it off. A year later, on the same day we were to be married, he married another woman. Four years later I married, and today I am divorced from the man I settled for. Forty-three years later the first man contacted me. We met and he told me this story. He claims he is happily married. The reasons he did not marry me were he thought I was smarter than him, he did not want to take me from my family, and he did not think I would like the travel involved in his career. None of these things were told to me at the time. He said he thought about me for years and would not come to our home city for fear of seeing me. He said he checked to be sure I was divorced before contacting me. I am so angry with him for reentering my life. I still cannot believe him. Plus, how dare he say he is happily married and was still thinking of me, even while making love to his wife! After talking awhile following our brief reunion, we stopped all communication. Have you ever heard a crazier story? Ursula Ursula, plane geometry involves proving propositions from axioms. When Wayne was in school, he had a geometry teacher who often grew impatient with the illogical reasons students offered as proof. When students threw out any old thing they could think of, the teacher would interrupt and say, “You’re just throwing manure at the barn wall in hopes that some of it will stick.” That seems to describe this man’s reasons for breaking your engagement. What woman wants a secret engagement? She wants to shout it from the rooftops and show the ring. So I would surmise secrecy was his idea, and if the promise of marriage changed the nature of your relationship to his benefit, that’s the proof. Oliver Wendell Holmes said, “The character of every act depends upon the circumstances in which it is done.” Forty-three years ago this man engaged you in secret, and when he was out of town, he broke the engagement. Then he rubbed your nose in it by marrying another woman on the same date the following year. Forty-three years later, in another act of disloyalty, he comes to you without his wife’s knowledge, and shares a vulgarity about their lovemaking which you didn’t want to know. It appears he stirred the pot and is waiting to see if it starts simmering. If you go forward, then it’s all on you. It’s too bad more things in life are not like a hot stove: touch it once and you learn the lesson of getting burned forever. This man said I love you, I love you, I love you, and then in a way which would satisfy even Wayne’s old geometry teacher, he proved the opposite. But women often cling to memories of their first love, especially when the relationship involves physical intimacy. You are no longer the innocent girl you once were. You are a mature woman who can see that actions are the proof of character. You cannot project that a life with him would have ended well simply because your need for the right partner was never fulfilled. When we think of things in our own head, we don’t have to phrase them charitably or in shades of grey or in psychologically correct terms. We are free to think in terms which express both the situation’s reality and our legitimate anger. You are free, for example, to think the moral of this story is: once a rat, always a rat. Tamara

Job You Want Is on the Other Side of the Work You Are Avoiding

Job You Want Is on the Other Side of the Work You Are Avoiding By Nick Kossovan "The life you want is in the work you're avoiding," - Sahil Bloom, American writer. Bloom's words hit because they're true. During my early adult years, I was eager to find shortcuts. As I matured and shed my sense of entitlement, while observing those who achieved the success I aspired to, I realized that I could only attain the fulfillment, success, and personal growth I sought by confronting and completing the difficult or uncomfortable tasks I'd been avoiding. Landing a job in today's highly competitive job market requires more than just talking about it, which is all many job seekers do; you need to do the work you're avoiding. Now more than ever, you have to roll up your sleeves and tackle the unglamorous tasks that'll benefit your job search. The Habit of Networking The importance of networking can't be overstated. As I've mentioned in past columns, right now, there are job opportunities all around you. The catch: they're connected to people; therefore, start talking to people! Learn to initiate meaningful conversations. The best networking tip I know is to ask yourself, "How can I help this person?" when you meet someone for the first time. Who can you introduce them to? What can you suggest? What can you offer in terms of sharing knowledge, expertise, or 'tricks of the trade'? Applying to online job postings is essentially gambling; you're depending on a stranger to hire you. Yes, strangers do get hired; however, they aren't hired as frequently as those who are known to employers and recruiters. Networking builds familiarity, which recruiters and hiring managers rightfully believe mitigates hiring risks. Indeed, cultivating a professional network can be uncomfortable, and rejection is inevitable. Networking is most effective for people who already have established connections or strong social skills; thus, identifying two actions you should take if you're committed to your job search and career management. 1. If you are currently employed, start building and maintaining a professional network. Networking only when you need a job is asking a stranger for a favour, which you're not entitled to, and often comes across as begging. 2. Develop your social skills, which'll serve you well in both your professional and personal life. Hiding behind the limiting belief that you're an "introvert" does you a huge disservice. We live in a world built by extroverts for extroverts; therefore, you need to adapt to this reality, as it won't adapt to you. Four books that'll level up your social skills: 1. How to Win Friends and Influence People, by Dale Carnegie (If you only read one book, read this one. It's foundational and covers all the essential social skills that are crucial to becoming socially adept.) 2. How to Have Confidence and Power in Dealing With People, by Les Giblin 3. Crucial Conversations: Tools for Talking When Stakes Are High, by Kerry Patterson, Joseph Grenny, Ron McMillan, Al Switzler 4. The Laws of Human Nature, by Robert Greene Optimizing Your LinkedIn Profile Your LinkedIn profile is active 24/7/365. In contrast, your resume only makes an impression when someone looks at it—likely just a quick glance—making your LinkedIn profile more influential in your job search than your resume. Yet, many job seekers avoid fully optimizing what is essentially their digital handshake and naively believe their subpar profile isn't hindering their job search, or, with many feeling entitled, think it shouldn't be. Spend a day with your LinkedIn profile and nail down the following: · Professional Photo: A high-quality headshot where you look approachable (smiling helps). · Background Image: A custom background image that reinforces who you are and what you do. · Keyword-Rich Headline: Use the 220 characters to highlight your expertise, unique value, and the problems you solve. · Story-Driven "About" Section (Summary): Write in the first person and share your professional journey, motivations, and skills through a compelling story. · Detailed Experience Sections: Use bullet points to highlight your achievements and outcomes in each role. (Simply listing your duties doesn't demonstrate your value.) Include links to projects, presentations, or publications to create a visual portfolio of your work. · Relevant Skills & Endorsements: List at least 10 relevant hard and soft skills, prioritizing the top three as the most important. · Recommendations: Ask current and former colleagues, managers, and clients for testimonials to show social proof of your work ethic and skills. · Customized URL: Customize your LinkedIn URL to boost visibility, appear more professional, and strengthen your online presence. (e.g., https://www.linkedin.com/in/nickkossovan). · Completed Profile: Complete all relevant sections, including education, licenses, and certifications, to enhance your profile's visibility in searches. Boosting Your Visibility The job market isn't a contest of experience and skills; it's a contest for attention. You're invisible if: · You're not active on LinkedIn. · Your resume is generic. · You don't follow up. · You don't show your personality. You don't attract attention by remaining in the background. You attract attention by being noticed, so: · Post and comment confidently, with conviction. · Message with assertiveness. · Follow up with purpose. · Broadcast what your value add (read: show evidence) would be to an employer. When you avoid doing the necessary work required for a successful job search, you surrender the right to expect results. The job you want is on the other side of networking, LinkedIn profile optimization, and increasing your visibility.

The Wonder in Adulthood

Why We Lose Childlike Wonder as We Age, and How to Gain It Back By Camryn Bland Youth Columnist As children, our world consists of learning, playing, and experiencing. We spend our days in the park with friends or playing with a new toy, free of all responsibility and stress. Everything seems surprising, new, and exciting. Everything sparks a sense of wonder. Yet, as we grow older, perspectives shift, and that same wonder dies out. Everything which sparked familiar j0y is replaced with the burden of adulthood, a transition which seems impossible to fight. Although the transition to adulthood may feel inevitable, there are specific childhood memories which survive, never to be forgotten. Learning to ride a bike, early birthdays, and the first day of school are moments that feel engraved in our memories. These times feel more colorful, bright, and emotional than the current days. Something just felt special, something which is impossible to describe and unfeasible now. One of my most prominent, bright memories is from third grade, when my class visited an old schoolhouse museum in North York. I remember dressing up, and walking with my class to the schoolhouse. We did lessons on small chalk slates, after we played with wooden toys during our break. The weather was gorgeous, my friends were happy, and the lessons were interesting; it was the most perfect day. When we had to walk back to our real school after lunch, I was devastated, as the day seemed far too short. To me, this was the best field trip, which I will never forget. The interesting aspect about this memory is not the enjoyment, but what happened afterwards. I recently found out I threw up immediately upon returning to my elementary school. According to my mother, I got sick during the day, and she had to come pick me up before we got dismissed by the bell. I have absolutely no recollection of this turning point of my favorite trip, no memory of sickness that same day. I can confidently say if this happened to me today, the key memory would be my sickness, the embarrassment of vomiting in school and being forced to leave early. However, as a child, my mistakes were completely irrelevant and forgettable. I cared only about new experiences and enjoyment, and so almost all recollections from my childhood bring warmth and laughter. I believe this positivity is founded from the wonder which is engraved in every child. Everything is new and exciting, whether that be a schoolhouse, a toy, or a person. Our stress is insignificant, limited to external attention and learning to share. New foods taste bolder, new songs sound louder, and new places seem brighter than they do currently. Sometime while growing up, the perfection of childhood transitions to the melancholy of adulthood. This can be mostly attributed to daily burdens. As we grow older, our sense of responsibility increases, replacing childlike wonder with adult anxiety. Things which were once interesting are now insignificant, everyday experiences duller, and routines formed by necessity instead of enjoyment. When everyday is planned due to efficiency and responsibility, it feels impossible to incorporate the creativity and open mindset which was so abundant just a few years prior. Although balancing this wonder with responsibility may be difficult, I believe it is far from impossible. One way to relive this nostalgia is through choosing old favorites. Whether that be listening to an old album, binge watching a classic TV show, or eating a childhood food, these relived moments come with a forgotten sense of peace. To me, this could mean playing Just Dance, eating chocolate pretzels, drawing new characters, or reading a book in the Geronimo Stilton series. Each individual will have different nostalgic choices, which makes it even more special. Achieving the joy of childhood is just one step away, and it doesn’t require the disregard of any aspects of the current routine. Instead, it simply involves the addition of nostalgia in everyday life. The next time you’re feeling stressed, listen to your favorite band from your youth, or eat food you were obsessed with in the past. Engage in new experiences to surprise yourself, and recreate favorite memories. Regardless of your age, these simple actions will bring back the joy and wonder which disappeared after youth. This may not remove all the negative of current responsibilities, however it may bring back an emotion long lost.

Pickering being Treated like an Island

Pickering being Treated like an Island By Maurice Brenner Regional Councillor Ward 1 Pickering There has been a flow of information recently about lack of transparency and failures to communicate with impacted parties. This week I am sharing my views on how the City of Pickering and by extension the community are being treated and being cut off from our borders to the West, with no transparency and no communication. Lets first explore what happened on Twyn Rivers Drive a key connection between Scarborough and Pickering. Initially a large part was closed in mid-2024 due to structural concerns involving Stott's bridge. Initially the lines of communication were open and Toronto agreed to work with the City of Pickering on a plan that would ensure a temporary overpass was in place to minimize the glaring commuter impacts it would have on the flow of transportation between the two Cities an ensure there was access to the Rouge Park. Temporary crossings are nothing new, and have been constructed in other locations. In good faith the City of Pickering offered to work with Toronto and offered to provide some cost sharing, recognizing that our City already has limited access to the West and it takes very little to shut down our road network system putting commuters into total gridlock. Fast forward, 2025, with no discussion, the City of Pickering learnt through the media, that the City of Toronto has changed its plans and will no-longer be considering a temporary crossing and the bridge/border crossing would remain closed until a new bridge was constructed. The projected commencement of the work would start construction in 2027 and an undefined completion target. Today a year later, every attempt to influence Toronto to reconsider has failed, and Pickering and Durham Residents remain cut off, left looking for alternate access routes and modes of transportation. Still licking our wounds over the Twyn Rivers/Sheppard closure, residents in South Pickering now find themselves being cut off again, this time losing access to the Pedestrian Bridge that links Pickering to the Rouge Hill Go Station until Spring 2027. The first residents heard of the closure was waking up in the morning finding their access to the Go Train Station closed. Residents were not party to any discussion leading up to the closure. Was it a decision of Toronto, Metrolink or Parks Canada? Having no information to share with residents, I reached out to City of Pickering Staff as well as conducted some research via the Internet and found that it was Parks Canada this time who failed to consult and engage the impacted City of Pickering. According to a post by Parks Canada which took time to locate, the bridge was closed to enable Parks Canada to complete 2 projects in the Rouge Park. 1. Revitalization of the Rouge Beach Day Use Area - This work includes improved infrastructure to address climate change impacts, flooding, erosion, species at risk, invasive species and overall ecological restoration. The project aims to enhance environmental protection and support safe access to the Lake Ontario shoreline and Rouge Marsh. 2. Formalized trail and boardwalk connection - A proposed new trail and raised boardwalk will create a continuous connection from Rouge Beach to the broader Rouge National Urban Park trail network. This route will extend toward the Twyn Rivers. Day Use Area and ultimately toward the future park visitor centre near the Zoo Road Day Use Area. The trail is designed to provide a safe, low-impact experience in this ecologically sensitive area. While the projects could have been a good news story, it is unfortunate that Parks Canada closed the pedestrian bridge over Rouge River abruptly while the City of Pickering staff in good faith waited for a meeting to discuss measures that would keep the pedestrian crossing open. Such a meeting was in the process of being set to discuss Pickering’s concerns and the need to find options that would keep the crossing open between Bella Vista Drive and the bottom end of Dyson Road to enable Pickering residents to continue to have a pedestrian access route to the Rouge Hill GO station. Who ever made the decision and designed the detour route, did not know the area and why the pedestrian bridge was important. While not a stakeholder nor the project owner and does not control construction timelines, detours or project-related communication, we are impacted and will continue to reach out to Parks Canada in an hopes of finding a way to open up the access enabling residents to cross the border and access the Rouge Hill GO Station.

DOES THIS MAKE SENSE?

DOES THIS MAKES SENSE? By Joe Ingino BA. Psychology Editor/Publisher Central Newspapers ACCOMPLISHED WRITER/AUTHOR OF OVER 800,000 Published Columns in Canada and The United States This week a headline read: Ontario Investing $16.5 Million to Protect Tariff-Impacted Workers and Businesses Projects will support $120 million in total investments while protecting and creating 1,500 jobs across Ontario November 17, 2025 Ministry of Economic Development, Job Creation and Trade VAUGHAN —The Ontario government is supporting companies and workers impacted by U.S. tariffs by investing $16.5 million through the Ontario Together Trade Fund (OTTF) to help them increase resilience, build capacity and re-shore critical supply chains to Ontario. The announcement marks the first round of funding under the OTTF program, with the eight recipient companies’ projects amounting to over $120 million in investments that will create over 300 new, good-paying jobs and protect nearly 1,200 more across the province. I am no economist, no banker nor a financial scholar. Do the math on the investment vs the return. Does it make sense to plunge 120 million to create 1,500 jobs. The math tells you it is $80,000/job. On the surface one may say. Great. In reality, one has to wonder who will the 120 million be really going to. I know the old thinking. Something is better than nothing... the government is famous for putting out cash and ending up in someone bank account that had nothing to do with the initial intent. I believe that our society is falling and about to fall even harder. We elect officials that do not have the business understanding to make the decisions that they make. So what do they do... they bunch up. Spend millions on expensive consultant to give them a series of choices. From these choices they engage in all kinds of paths. Good or bad. It does not matter. As it is not their money. They make a bad decision. They truly do not care as they are not accountable to no one. Think about it... the article read: The Ontario government is supporting companies and workers impacted by U.S. tariffs by investing $16.5 million through the Ontario Together Trade Fund (OTTF) to help them increase resilience, build capacity and re-shore critical supply chains to Ontario. The question I have for the government.... do they really have an understanding on how tariffs work and or how it will impact industry. I ask this question because tariffs in my opinion should only cause a shift in consumer buying... At the manufacturing level it should produce a shift to newer suppliers. If this stand to be true then where are all these millions going? Who are they politically paying off? Will the average worker really benefit... and if so for how long...

The Strange Power of Fake Pills

The Strange Power of Fake Pills By Diana Gifford I have been sorting through unpublished Gifford-Jones columns. Among them, I found a dusty clipping from a Reader’s Digest article by Robert A. Siegel and a rough draft of this week’s column. In it, we find a glimpse into a lecture hall at Harvard Medical School 75 years ago, and the teachings of Dr. Henry Beecher, the Harvard anesthetist who challenged the medical establishment’s views about truth and healing. Beecher had stunned his class of medical students when he asked, “Is it ethical for doctors to prescribe a dummy pill – a pill that does no harm, never causes addiction, and yet often cures the patient?” He was speaking of a placebo. The lecture shocked his students who’d been taught that honesty was an unshakeable tenet of medical ethics. And yet Beecher showed that sometimes, deception can be powerful medicine. Siegel’s Reader’s Digest story echoed this point. He described meeting Dr. John Kelley, a psychology professor at Endicott College who studies the placebo effect at Harvard. Curious, Siegel asked whether a “phony pill” might help him overcome his chronic writer’s block, insomnia, and panic attacks. Kelley obliged with a prescription: 100 gold capsules – Siegel’s favourite colour – costing $405. Each one contained nothing but cellulose. And yet, Siegel found that the more expensive they seemed, the better they worked. The gold capsules helped him focus and stay calm. Even when drowsy, another capsule kept him writing. Beecher published his groundbreaking paper “The Powerful Placebo” in 1955. He argued that all new drugs should be tested in double-blind trials so neither doctor nor patient knows who receives the real drug. The results were unsettling. Hundreds of supposedly effective drugs were found to be little more than expensive illusions. Many were pulled from the market. Placebo therapy itself is ancient. And there’s proof that belief predates biochemistry. In the medical lore, we’re told doctors once prescribed crocodile dung or powdered donkey hoof, and sometimes they worked! Later, physicians injected sterile water to relieve pain, and to their surprise, many patients improved. One study in 1959 found that when surgeons tied off an artery to increase blood supply as a treatment for angina, some patients reported relief. But when surgeons merely made a skin incision and did nothing else, the results were just as good. Ethics boards today would never allow such sham surgeries, yet they taught medicine an unforgettable lesson. The mind can profoundly influence the body. Even more astonishing was later research at Queen’s University in Kingston, Ontario. Placebo pills improved urinary flow in men with enlarged prostates. Some of these same men also developed side effects so real that they had to stop taking the dummy pills altogether. There is a popular account of a 26-year-old man who swallowed many capsules thinking they were antidepressants. But he was actually in the placebo arm of a trial. His blood pressure plummeted, his heart rate soared, but he stabilized when told the pills were placebos. How do placebos work? The colour of the capsule, the cost, the trust in the physician, all play a role. Our expectations can spark real physiological change, from heart rate to pain relief. Beecher’s lecture appalled some medical trainees. Others were intrigued. But all got the lesson. The placebo didn’t deceive patients; it revealed the self-deception of medicine itself. Of course, no placebo will mend a ruptured appendix or stop internal bleeding. But in an era when so many unnecessary prescriptions are written, perhaps it’s time to remember the wisdom of Voltaire, who wrote, “The art of medicine consists of amusing the patient while nature cures the disease.” —————————————————————————————————————— 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

I can’t believe I’m writing this but here we go

I can’t believe I’m writing this but here we go By Councillor Lisa Robinson Next time you’re at the grocery store, ask yourself: is the meat and dairy you’re purchasing real… or is it cloned? Most Canadians have no idea that our federal government has quietly opened the door to cloned animals in our food supply. Health Canada has reclassified cloned beef and dairy so they are no longer considered “novel foods.” That single decision removed the requirement for pre-market safety reviews, public notification, and labeling — leaving the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA), the very agency responsible for enforcing food safety and labeling, with almost no authority to intervene. The CFIA is the same agency that didn’t hesitate to kill healthy ostriches — no tests, no proof, no concern for whether the animals were sick or healthy. And now? With cloned meat, they don’t even need to approve whether it’s safe for humans to eat. Think about that. The very agency that treated living creatures like disposable objects is now deciding what we put on our plates — and they don’t have to show us a single shred of evidence that it’s safe. If they couldn’t care about birds, why should we trust them with people? If Health Canada doesn’t require labels, then the CFIA can’t enforce them. Let me be very clear: cloned beef and dairy products from cloned cattle — and their offspring — can now legally enter our grocery stores. There are no labels, no warnings, and no way for Canadians to know what they’re buying or eating. And the most disturbing part? We don’t even know if it’s already on our shelves. Health Canada has not told the public when the change officially took effect — and since there’s no labeling or tracking, there’s no way to verify what’s already in circulation. They say it’s “safe.” But this isn’t about safety anymore — it’s about transparency, ethics, and trust. Cloning is not natural. It’s a laboratory process that copies an animal’s DNA to create a genetic duplicate. Many cloned animals suffer from deformities, reproductive issues, and shortened lifespans. Even the surrogates that carry them face complications. So instead of increasing oversight, our government quietly removed it. Instead of warning Canadians, they decided we didn’t need to know. WTF Canada — time to start paying attention. Do you think this is transparency? I bet the majority of Canadians — maybe 60 to 70% — have no idea this is even happening. And a good chunk would probably call it a “conspiracy theory” while reading this post. Year a little research will prove it’s truth. This is deception, plain and simple Canadians deserve to know what we’re putting on our tables and feeding our families. Health Canada made the decision. The bullies, I mean the CFIA will enforce it. And the Canadian people are left completely in the dark. Time to open your eyes and start paying attention my friends, Because no government should ever decide that the truth belongs to them — and not to the people. Kind regards, Lisa Robinson “The People’s Councillor” City of Pickering“Strength Does Not Lie In The Absence Of Fear, But In The Courage To Face It Head On And Rise Above It” - Lisa Robinson 2023

Why Flying Is Safer Than Surgery?

Why Flying Is Safer Than Surgery By Diana Gifford Many of us have the experience of boarding a plane with a prayer that the pilot has had enough sleep. With your surgeon, it’s a similar problem. Few people get to choose who will do their surgery. Even if you’ve gone to the trouble of arranging a referral to the best, how can you know the doctor hasn’t hit a rough patch? Maybe a crumbling marriage? Or a punishing work and travel schedule that simply has your surgeon fatigued? What can you do? As individual patients, not much. In fact, wait lines are often so long there’s a disincentive to jeopardize that precious surgery date. But as for airline pilots, health care systems have safeguards to ensure surgeons are in good working order. But they are a looser and more opaque. Working hours for pilots are strictly regulated by law. Residents in training often work 24-hour shifts despite known fatigue risks. Fully trained surgeons often have no legally mandated work-hour limits. Schedules are set by hospitals and departments. Is there a culture of bravado among doctors, that they tolerate this? When there’s a near miss in an airplane, the pilot faces the same consequences as passengers. When a surgeon makes an error, there no co-surgeon to prevent or correct it, and reporting of incidents is rare for fear of lawsuits. Physicians are trained to diagnose and to treat. They are not trained to admit vulnerability. Yet, the profession is showing serious strain. More than half of Canadian doctors report feeling burned out, with many contemplating early retirement. In the United States, the numbers are similar. Across Europe, countries have begun to notice alarming levels of depression, addiction, and even suicide among doctors. Why then does the public know so little about existing programs that support doctors and their families. Even healers need help when the going gets rough. We should be broadcasting the programs that care for doctors. And they do exist. The Ontario Medical Association offers a confidential Physician Health Program for doctors, residents, and medical students dealing with mental health challenges, addictions, or professional stress. Other provinces in Canada have comparable services. The U.S. has the Federation of State Physician Health Programs. In Europe, the NHS Practitioner Health service in England, the Practitioner Health Matters Programme in Ireland, and programs in the Netherlands, Norway, and France provide support. Spain offers a particularly sobering example. In the 1990s, several high-profile physician suicides shocked the medical community there. The profession realized that denial and silence were killing their own, and that patients, too, were at risk. In response, the medical colleges created the Programa de Atención Integral al Médico Enfermo, or “Comprehensive Care Program for the Sick Doctor.” It has become a model across Europe, combining confidentiality with structured monitoring to ensure doctors get well and return to practice. The model is strikingly consistent across jurisdictions, offering confidential support, separate from licensing bodies, to encourage doctors to step forward. Where risk to patients is clear, reporting obligations to regulators remain. But the central aim is prevention: address problems before they spiral into impairment, mistakes, or withdrawal from practice. Should the public know more about these programs? My answer is yes. Not to fuel distrust, but to build confidence. A doctor who seeks help is not a doctor to be feared; quite the opposite. Still, it is easy to see why some bristle. Shouldn’t the system be stricter, not gentler, with impaired physicians? Isn’t there a danger these programs “protect their own”? Such suspicion misreads the design. These programs are protective, for doctors and patients. Alas, medicine clings to its culture of invincibility, and that’s why flying is safer than surgery. —————————————————————————————————————— 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

The True Rise of Evil

The True Rise of Evil By Dale Jodoin There is cancer spreading through the Western world. It doesn’t come with tanks or uniforms. It spreads quietly through words, through fear, and through the silence of people who should know better. At first it looks like anger. Then it grows into protest. But before long, it becomes hate. And hate, once it takes root, is almost impossible to remove. Right now, that cancer shows up as antisemitism. Jewish people in Canada, the United States, Britain, Australia, and across Europe are being blamed, harassed, and attacked for a war they didn’t start. Students are bullied in schools. Jewish athletes and artists are targeted online. Shopkeepers and families are threatened in their own communities. These aren’t soldiers or politicians, just people trying to live their lives. We promised “Never Again” after World War II. Those words were meant to stand for something permanent, something sacred. But promises mean nothing if they aren’t defended. What we’re seeing today feels like the early stages of what our grandparents fought to stop. Silence, excuses, and political cowardice are letting that same darkness grow again. In some cities, people march in the streets chanting for the destruction of Israel and even the death of Jewish people. They call it free speech. But there’s nothing free about it. It’s not a debate, it's poison. And the most shocking part is how many governments stand back and do nothing, afraid of being called names by the loudest voices. That poison has started to seep into our schools and institutions, the very places meant to teach fairness and respect. The National Education Association (NEA), the largest teachers’ union in the United States, recently made headlines after removing references to Jews from its Holocaust education materials and distancing itself from groups that train teachers to fight antisemitism. Jewish teachers and students spoke out, saying they felt erased and betrayed. When a national education union does something like that, it doesn’t just rewrite history, it opens the door for hate to return to classrooms under a new name. Once hate enters education, it spreads faster. It shapes how young people think. It tells them who is safe to hate next. And that’s what worries me. Today, the target is Jewish people. But you can already see who might be next. Christians are being mocked and excluded more often in the U.S., Britain, and parts of Europe. Italian Catholics are starting to see similar treatment. After them, it could be anyone, any group that refuses to go along with the mob or disagrees with the loudest crowd. That’s how hate works. It doesn’t stay contained. It grows and consumes everything in its path. We need to start calling things by their real names. The Muslim Brotherhood, banned in several Muslim countries for its violent activities, operates freely in Canada and the West. Antifa, a movement that claims to fight oppression, often spreads its own version of it. These groups don’t just protest; they intimidate, threaten, and sometimes call for destruction. When an ideology pushes violence or calls for death, it stops being political. It becomes terrorism. And terrorism should never be tolerated, no matter what mask it wears. Our governments need to wake up. If an arts group, festival, or publicly funded organization denies Jewish people participation because of their faith, it should lose every dollar of public money. Immediately. Public money is a public trust, and when that trust is broken, it must be cut off. Any teacher, professor, or administrator who bullies or excludes students based on religion should be fired and charged. Schools should be safe for learning, not breeding grounds for hate. And the public must do its part too. Every citizen has a responsibility to speak up. Hate doesn’t just happen “somewhere else.” It starts in small ways a joke, a post, a shrug and before long it’s something no one can control. If you think it won’t reach you, you’re wrong. History has shown again and again that once hate begins, everyone becomes a target eventually. We can’t pretend this is just about one conflict overseas. This is about the soul of our countries about whether we still believe in fairness, freedom, and equal protection under the law. When we turn away from one group being attacked, we give permission for others to be next. If our leaders lack the courage to act, then it’s up to regular people to remind them what this country stands for. Canada, and the Western world, were built on freedom and respect. Those values mean nothing if we only defend them for some. Either we protect all people equally, or we become the very thing we claim to fight against. Hate is lazy. It finds a reason to blame someone else instead of fixing what’s broken. It hides behind politics and faith to excuse cruelty. It grows slowly at first, then all at once. That’s why I keep calling it cancer because you can’t wait it out. You have to cut it out before it spreads. So let’s be clear: anyone calling for genocide, anyone denying others the right to live in peace, anyone using public money to divide people they are part of the problem. If we keep funding them, we are part of it too. This isn’t about left or right, Jewish or Muslim, believer or atheist. It’s about right and wrong. Humanity or hate. The choice is still ours, but not for long. If we don’t act now, if we don’t stand shoulder to shoulder against this rising darkness then one day soon, we’ll look back and wonder when it was that we stopped being the good guys. About the Author: Dale Jodoin is a Canadian journalist and columnist who writes about freedom, faith, and social change. His work focuses on the moral challenges facing modern society and the importance of protecting human rights in an age of growing division.

Lest We Forget — And Lest We Surrender What They Fought For

Lest We Forget — And Lest We Surrender What They Fought For By Councillor Lisa Robinson Every November, I make my way to Pickering’s cenotaph — my favourite place in this city. It’s quiet there. Sacred. A place where gratitude replaces politics and pride replaces excuses. We’ve built something special there — the Poppy Walkway, lined with vibrant red, and the Remembrance Sidewalk, guiding every step toward reflection. They’re more than beautification projects — they’re symbols of a Canada that once stood for courage, duty, and sacrifice. I have family who served. Their stories of honour and love of country shaped who I am. And maybe that’s why this day means so much to me — because I’ve spent my own life standing for the same freedom they fought to protect. But lately, I’ve watched those freedoms — of speech, conscience, and expression — being chipped away, piece by piece. Freedom doesn’t vanish overnight. It fades when good people stop defending it. And that’s what I fear most — that too many are afraid to stand anymore. The only thing necessary for evil to triumph is for good men to do nothing. And right now, too many good men and women are doing nothing. We used to have Canadians who would run toward danger — even lie about their age — to defend their families and their freedom. Today, too many won’t even risk criticism. They’d rather fit in than stand up. Even here in Pickering, I’ve watched the change up close. Councillors proudly wearing lanyards and pins for special interest causes, but nothing of the Canadian flag — unless it’s Canada Day. Not on their jackets. Not in their offices. Not on their hearts. And some of these same councillors have even liked posts on social media that the Canadian flag is a “symbol of colonial violence.” Yet they still work part-time at our local Legion — the very place built to honour the men and women who fought under that flag. I can think of nothing more hypocritical, or more disgusting. And when I tried to bring back something as simple, as sacred, as our National Anthem before Council meetings, not one councillor would second my motion. Not one. For seven long months, I fought for something that should never have needed a fight — a simple act of respect for our country and for the veterans who died so that we could stand in that chamber and debate freely. And what did the Mayor do? Instead of allowing my motion to stand, he used his Strong Mayor powers to bury it inside a package of unrelated measures that stripped away even more of our local freedoms — measures I could never support in good conscience. He forced my hand — deliberately — so that I’d be made to look like I was voting against the very thing I had begged for for seven months. And make no mistake — the only reason that anthem finally returned wasn’t because of patriotism. It was because of political optics. The Mayor folded it into his “Elbows Up” movement — a show of defiance against President Trump, not a show of love for Canada. It had nothing to do with honouring our veterans, our flag, or our freedoms — and everything to do with opportunism. That’s the kind of leadership we’re dealing with. Even this week, when we raised the poppy flag at City Hall, I looked around the crowd and saw it plain as day: the Mayor and other members of Council stood in silence — I couldn’t hear a single voice singing. I couldn’t even see their lips moving. That silence broke my heart. Because silence is how freedom dies — not with violence, but with indifference. We have politicians who will bend our flag-raising policy to appease every special interest group under the sun — but won’t lift a finger to honour the men and women who died under the one flag that unites us all. We have veterans sleeping in tents while photo-op patriots boast about inclusivity. The same people who claim to “care” about justice can’t be bothered to care about those who gave everything for them to speak freely. This is not who we were meant to be. We used to be a proud, unapologetic, united country. Now, too many are afraid to even say the word Canadian. Well, I refuse to be one of them. I will not apologize for standing up for my country. I will not be silent to spare the feelings of those who’ve forgotten who they serve. Because remembrance isn’t a ceremony — it’s a duty. It’s not about wearing a poppy once a year. It’s about living the values that poppy represents: courage, integrity, and the will to stand when everyone else bows. This Remembrance Day, I’ll be at that cenotaph again, beneath the flag they fought for, surrounded by the spirits of heroes who never came home. And I’ll make the same promise I’ve always made: That I will stand for freedom. That I will speak the truth. And that I will never stop fighting for the Canada they believed in. Because I will never forget. And I will never surrender. Lest we forget — and lest we surrender. With gratitude, Councillor Lisa Robinson “The People’s Councillor” "Strength Does Not Lie In The Absence Of Fear, But In The Courage To Face It Head-On And Rise Above It"

ANOTHER LOOK AT THE NEED TO ELIMINATE INDIVIDUAL SCHOOL BOARDS ALTOGETHER

ANOTHER LOOK AT THE NEED TO ELIMINATE INDIVIDUAL SCHOOL BOARDS ALTOGETHER LAST WEEK IN THIS SPACE I said Ontario’s individual school boards are basically out of control and that it’s long-past time to eliminate them altogether. If I needed any reassurance that I was right about that, it came by way of a few social media responses to my column. One person I’ll refer to as Jenn had this to say, “Just like the Ministry of Education and its Minister, you have no idea what goes on in a public school or in the realm of public education. I welcome you to spend a week in my school.” Aside from the unlikely prospect of gaining entry to her classroom, I responded by saying the issues I highlighted are in fact, mere ‘drops in the bucket’ as to what's been going on in the current system of school administration. When I suggested that she offer up at least some form of defense as to the examples I chose – those I still believe to be the most indicative of a radical agenda – she doubled down on rhetoric without specifics, suggesting “The system is broken, and it starts with the Ministry.” I see. So, instead of sharing with me the potential benefits of local school boards focusing more on race and gender politics than on basic education like reading, writing, and arithmetic, her finger points directly to the very Education Ministry that is attempting to make some sense of it all. I get the fact that an educator with over two decades of experience will likely feel caught in a trap. If they try to defend what many see as entirely indefensible, they’ll be seen as radicals. At the same time, should they publicly oppose the mandate set by what I’ll call Marxist educators, their likely chance of promotion within a ‘broken system’ will be almost non-existent. Getting back to the social media responses, a fellow I’ll call Jeffery told me, in his infinite wisdom, that my position on the issue was “moronic”. Well, with that kind of diction, surely Jeffery possesses a unique member ID which he now uses to access all the benefits and resources of the Toastmasters Club. Way to go, little man. One person, who preferred to remain cowardly – that is to say ‘anonymous’ on Facebook, actually had the comical fortitude to suggest I was somehow in a homosexual relationship after having read my column. I hope that wasn’t a subtle invitation, whoever you are. I’m seriously not interested. As to being serious, I can tell my readers with certainty that my references in last week’s column undoubtedly form the basis of a collective attack on our local student population. The reasons for that are the controversial policies established by the Durham District School Board that have focused on so-called human rights issues related to gender identity, race, and the content of school libraries. All of which has ignited a fierce public debate as well as protests from concerned parents, and rightly so. What is happening in the debate over whether the classroom is the proper place for discussions about race and gender identification is that school boards are now tossing around references to the Canadian Human Rights Code as a means to do two things – justify teaching children about very sensitive issues that have noting whatever to do with a well-rounded education, and to basically get away with literally forcing a radical social agenda onto students without parental consent. Here’s just one example. In 2023, then-chair of the Durham District School Board, Donna Edwards, stopped a meeting twice during a question period that had quickly grown heated over concerns about gender identity, the appropriateness of school reading materials, and so-called discrimination issues. Her comments to concerned parents wishing to express their views were less than inspiring. “We do welcome and value diverse community perspectives and questions, we appreciate that these can help support our learning and shape different ways of thinking, however; questions, interactions and discussions within our classrooms, schools, workplace and boardroom must be respectful and free of discrimination. Questions or comments that erase or demean identities protected under the Canadian Human Rights Code or that perpetuate stereotypes, discrimination or assumptions are not acceptable.” Remarks such as those appear manifestly arranged to cast the shadow of a legal noose over the heads of anyone who dares to exercise their own rights of free speech – something too many Boards appear to have little time for, unless it be to support their own social and political agenda. At the same meeting, things again became heated when trustees were questioned on the appropriateness of school reading materials, specifically the graphic novel “Gender Queer” by Maia Kobabe, which includes a sexually explicit illustration. A question that was submitted for the purposes of discussion was ultimately censored by the Board to remove the term “pornographic illustrations.” In answer to the question, a senior administrator advised those concerned that the book had been reviewed by the board following a complaint from a parent during the previous school year – and that a review committee made up of educators, administration, superintendents and students found the novel aligned with the board’s “education policy”. There’s the rub. Is it acceptable School Board policy to potentially institutionalize a form of disrespect toward parental rights? How about the consequences of overstepping legal boundaries by acting in a manner more suited to a court of law when providing self-serving interpretations used to counter any opposition? It is widely observed and frequently reported in local media that there are low levels of public awareness and engagement regarding School Board elections and candidates. This is a recognized challenge, with several factors contributing to the issue. School Board elections are held concurrently with Municipal elections every four years, and historically, they tend to have significantly lower voter turnout compared to other levels of government. That shows a clear and dangerous lack of engagement. Voters often report difficulty finding information about individual candidates, their platforms, and the specific role and responsibilities of a school board trustee. One of the more intelligent social media comments I received came from someone named Jake, who had this to say: “…this proposal by the Ontario government is a bid to centralize power, so how would you feel if the (NDP) were removing trustees and appointing supervisors? Because the provincial Conservatives will not be in power forever, but this Bill will still be law whenever they're gone.” Good point, and my reply must focus on what I see as the need for consistency throughout the province. Regardless of which political party holds the reins of power, it would be a far better thing to have a single entity – not only responsible for setting policies, but to be accountable to the public. The days of individual domains controlled by radical School Boards must be brought to an end. Quickly.

STOP NEGOTIATING

STOP NEGOTIATING By Joe Ingino BA. Psychology Editor/Publisher Central Newspapers ACCOMPLISHED WRITER/AUTHOR OF OVER 800,000 Published Columns in Canada and The United States This week the International headlines read: Trump announces 10 per cent tariff increase on Canadian goods U.S. President Donald Trump says he is raising tariffs on Canadian goods by 10 per cent, after accusing Canada of airing what he called a “fraudulent” advertisement that misrepresented former president Ronald Reagan’s stance on tariffs. In a post published on Truth Social at 4:30 p.m. Saturday, Trump wrote, “I am increasing the Tariff on Canada by 10% over and above what they are paying now.” Trump’s post cited his frustration over an advertisement produced by the Ontario government that used clips of Reagan warning about the dangers of protectionism and praising free trade. “Canada was caught, red handed, putting up a fraudulent advertisement on Ronald Reagan’s Speech on Tariffs,” he wrote. People, people, people. Am I the only one that sees this? Our so called leaders are playing right in to Trumps strategy. If I was Prime Minister. I would not negotiate a thing. Let Trump have his Tariff. Let’s regroup Canada and not worry about the American power trip. As it stand our markets look good to Americans due to the currency exchange. The more we seem desperate to negotiate the harder he presses. Ford has no business getting in the middle of an International economic threat. Trump is way smarter than any of our so called leaders. He knows he can do anything he wants.... so he sets people up. Let’s take this scenario. Trump will impost Tariffs on Canada. Do we really benefit from the fight back? Has it been working so far? NO. It’s a fight you can’t win and eventually will put you at a bigger disadvantage. People are quick to blame job loss to tariffs. Bull. The problem with job losses is poor management and greedy corporate bulls in board rooms. COVID.... The Chinese, Russia, Trump. There is always an excuse for corporations to look for ways to shift corporate interest in the name of making billions. Look at GM. I have been calling it for your the past 20 years. No one believed me. Remember not to long ago. The automakers cried wolf that they would be pulling out and the billions they took in aid? As a nation we need to stop being so gullable and so ignorant of the writings on the wall when it comes to our economy. Remember not to far away... when car companies turned to the Canadian government for assistance in the fear of bankruptcy? The Canadian government once again negotiated with the car automakers and the Canadian taxpayer lost big time... as the money that was to go to Canada to keep jobs ended up paying for new plants all over the world. I say to our Prime Minister... Stop being a fool to Trump. Let him do his thing and you do yours. Canadians are suffering... on our streets. Focus on that first.

When Democracy Becomes Propaganda

When Democracy Becomes Propaganda By Councillor Lisa Robinson When a sitting provincial premier in Canada produces a 60-second commercial using disembodied clips of Ronald Reagan speaking about tariffs — with the clear intent to influence U.S. political opinion — we cross a line. That’s not diplomacy or persuasion. It’s propaganda. Ontario’s government, led by Doug Ford, has spent millions on a U.S. TV ad blitz that features Reagan’s 1987 radio address, edited to criticize tariffs. The ad warns Americans that protectionism will cause retaliation, job losses, and economic collapse — extracting excerpts of Reagan’s voice to serve a modern political purpose. On the surface, using an iconic conservative figure to broadcast a message to Republicans sounds clever. But if you dig deeper, the ad is not an honest “Reagan speaks” piece — it is cherry-picked, decontextualized, and weaponized. The Ronald Reagan Presidential Foundation has already stated that the Ontario ad misrepresents Reagan’s full speech and that the province did not secure permission to edit or repurpose it. By stripping away context, selectively choosing sentences, and presenting Reagan’s voice as an argument tailored to this moment, the ad turns Reagan himself into a tool — not a historical figure. That is propaganda, not persuasion. And it’s fair to ask whether this kind of political theatre should be paid for by Ontario taxpayers at all. What Doug Ford’s government did with Ronald Reagan’s words isn’t an isolated stunt — it’s part of a larger pattern. We’ve seen the same tactics right here in Pickering. Our own mayor used taxpayer dollars to produce a propaganda video — not to inform residents, but to attack and discredit an elected colleague who dared to challenge the status quo. The intent was the same as Ford’s Reagan ad: distort the narrative, confuse the public, and weaponize perception. Both rely on emotional manipulation instead of honesty. Both use the public purse to protect political power. And both demonstrate a dangerous trend: government officials using the machinery of public communication to silence dissent and reward loyalty. It’s no coincidence that Doug Ford and the Mayor of Pickering have become close political allies — buddies with mutual friends in the development world, often benefiting from the same cozy network of insiders who profit most when the public stops asking questions. When propaganda replaces truth, those friends get richer, while the people get poorer — in trust, in transparency, and in representation. In an age of AI, deepfakes, and micro-targeted messaging, citizens can no longer assume all “endorsements” are authentic. When governments use history’s icons — or public platforms — as political props, democracy suffers. Whether it’s a province meddling in U.S. politics or a mayor weaponizing City Hall communications, both cross ethical lines. The public should never have to fund propaganda against itself. Ford’s ad campaign and Pickering’s political videos both show how far officials will go to control the narrative. When governments use public money to attack the truth, the people must push back. Because once manipulation becomes normalized, it spreads. Today it’s Reagan’s voice; tomorrow it’s your tax dollars funding hit pieces on local opponents. The same playbook — just a different stage. History and truth belong to all of us. When leaders manipulate one and erase the other, they’re not governing — they’re performing. Doug Ford’s Reagan ad and Pickering’s propaganda videos are not about communication. They’re about control. And when politicians form alliances built on deception, backed by money and developers, the people lose their voice. The antidote is simple but powerful: call it out. Every time. Everywhere. Because once the truth is gone, democracy doesn’t stand a chance. "Strength Does Not Lie In The Absence Of Fear, But In The Courage To Face It Head-On And Rise Above It"

Canada’s Balancing Act: Slow Growth, Soft Inflation, and the Long Road to Confidence

Canada’s Balancing Act: Slow Growth, Soft Inflation, and the Long Road to Confidence by Maj (ret’d) CORNELIU, CHISU, CD, PMSC FEC, CET, P.Eng. Former Member of Parliament Pickering-Scarborough East As 2025 draws toward its close, Canada finds itself walking a fine economic line, not in crisis, but not quite in comfort either. Inflation, the ghost that haunted households through the pandemic years, is largely tamed even thought it has lately shown a tendency to rise again. Growth, however, remains tepid, leaving policymakers at the Bank of Canada facing a familiar dilemma: how to keep the economy moving without reigniting the price pressures they fought so hard to subdue. The latest figures from Statistics Canada show annual inflation rising to 2.4 percent in September 2025, up slightly from 1.9 percent in August. The jump resulted mainly from smaller declines in gasoline prices and persistent increases in rent and food costs. On the surface, the number still sits comfortably within the Bank of Canada’s 1-to-3 percent target band, but the upward movement hints at inflation’s stubborn core. Core measures of inflation, those that strip out volatile items like energy, hover closer to 3 percent, a level that keeps central bankers cautious. “We’re seeing encouraging signs, but underlying price momentum hasn’t fully cooled,” a senior Bank economist noted in a recent policy briefing. “It’s premature to declare victory.” For consumers, the relief is relative. Grocery prices are stabilizing but remain high compared to pre-pandemic norms, and rents continue to outpace wage gains in many metropolitan areas. The psychological fatigue from years of price turbulence is evident: Canadians are spending less freely and saving more defensively, even as inflation moderates. While inflation shows signs of normalization, the broader economy has yet to regain its stride. The Bank of Canada’s January 2025 Monetary Policy Report projected real GDP growth of around 1.8 percent this year, edging up modestly in 2026. Independent forecasters, including the OECD, are less optimistic, predicting growth closer to 1.0 percent. The reasons are structural as much as cyclical. Business investment remains soft, productivity growth is flat, and global demand for Canadian exports is lukewarm. Even the housing market, once the engine of national expansion, has cooled under the weight of past rate hikes and new immigration policies slowing population growth. “Canada’s productivity problem has reached emergency status,” warned a recent Wall Street Journal analysis citing senior central-bank officials. Despite record immigration levels earlier in the decade, per-capita output has stagnated, leaving Canadians poorer in relative terms. Households, still burdened by record levels of debt, have become far more cautious. Mortgage renewals at higher rates continue to strain disposable incomes. Many families are postponing major purchases, from vehicles to renovations. Consumer confidence surveys show a population anxious about the future wary of job security, skeptical of government spending, and uncertain about when relief might arrive. The Bank of Canada’s own business outlook surveys echo that mood. Firms report weaker sales and shrinking profit margins, with hiring intentions moderating across most sectors. Exporters, particularly in manufacturing and energy, face the double challenge of slower U.S. demand and global trade frictions. Yet there are pockets of resilience. The service sector hospitality, tourism, and professional services has recovered faster than expected, buoyed by pent-up demand and a rebound in travel. The labour market, while easing, remains relatively tight, with unemployment hovering just above 6 percent. Wage growth has softened but continues to run near 3 percent, roughly matching inflation and preventing a return to real-income declines. For the Bank of Canada, the task now is calibration rather than correction. After an aggressive tightening cycle between 2022 and 2024, which pushed the policy rate to 5 percent, the central bank has cautiously shifted toward a holding pattern and markets are speculating about when cuts will begin. The September uptick in inflation may have delayed that timeline. “They’ll be in no rush,” says Avery Shenfeld, chief economist at CIBC. “The Bank wants to see several months of consistent 2 percent-range inflation before pulling the trigger on rate reductions.” Still, pressure is building. Borrowers, from homeowners to small-business owners, are eager for relief. Federal and provincial governments face rising debt-service costs. A premature cut could risk reigniting inflation; a delay could push the economy closer to stagnation. It is, in Governor Tiff Macklem’s words, “a narrow path to soft landing.” Fiscal policy has little room to maneuver. Ottawa’s deficit remains high, and new spending commitments, from housing initiatives to climate-transition programs, are straining the federal balance sheet. The fall economic statement due in November 2025 is expected to emphasize restraint, though targeted tax incentives for investment and innovation may appear. Provincial governments face their own pressures. Ontario’s infrastructure ambitions and Alberta’s energy transition costs collide with the limits of provincial borrowing. Across the country, municipalities are pleading for more funding to expand affordable housing and transit networks, both crucial to restoring productivity and controlling inflationary housing costs. Meanwhile, the immigration recalibration announced earlier this year — tightening the inflow of temporary foreign workers and international students — is beginning to cool demand but also reduce the labour-supply growth that sustained GDP gains. Economists warn of a demographic “whiplash” if policy swings too sharply. Canada’s challenges are hardly unique. The U.S. economy, while still expanding, is also showing signs of fatigue. Global trade remains subdued, and geopolitical tensions from Europe, the Middle East to the South China Sea threaten to destabilize commodity markets. For a resource-exporting nation like Canada, volatility in oil and metals prices can quickly ripple through the national accounts. Yet Canada’s relative stability remains an asset. The banking system is sound, public institutions are trusted, and the inflation-targeting framework continues to anchor expectations. The Canadian dollar, while weaker against the U.S. greenback, has steadied after last year’s slide, helping exporters regain some competitiveness. Most forecasters expect 2026 to mark a modest turning point; a year of slow but steady recovery, provided global conditions hold. The Bank of Canada projects inflation converging toward 2 percent, with GDP growth inching higher as investment recovers and interest rates gradually decline. Still, the structural questions persist: How can Canada lift productivity? How can it make housing affordable again? And how can it ensure the next generation sees rising living standards, not just stable prices? The answers will not come from the central bank alone. They will require a mix of education reform, technology investment, infrastructure renewal, and immigration strategies that balance economic needs with social capacity. Without these, low inflation may be achieved, but prosperity will remain elusive. Canada has, in many respects, passed the inflation test. What lies ahead is the harder exam: restoring economic vitality. The numbers, 2.4 percent inflation, 1 percent growth, tell a story of stability on paper but stagnation in spirit. Whether policymakers can turn this “soft landing” into a genuine takeoff will define the next chapter of Canada’s economic story. Let’s see what the upcoming Liberal Government budget will produce. Hope for the best for the country.

A Candid Conversation

A Candid Conversation By Theresa Grant Real Estate Columnist Without question, it is a very different world today than the one I grew up in. I remember being a child living in what was then called uptown, it was actually the Yonge and Eglinton area of Toronto. It was a very modest upbringing. My parents worked hard to give their three daughters what they could. We all helped around the house, took turns doing the dishes and things to help our mom. We were respectful and obeyed the rules set out by our parents. We had one bathroom, one television and therefore had to agree on what to watch. Our parents set out most of the viewing schedule and I remember the whole family sitting around the living room watching Carol Burnett, The Waltons and many other entertaining programs. We as children didn’t use the phone much,we waited for someone to come knocking on the door to see if we wanted to play or we went door knocking ourselves. It was simple, stay close, come home as soon as the streetlights came on. At the time, we could not have imagined it being any different than it was. Progress to us (and to our delight), was returning to school in September to find a new piece of equipment added to the playground. For the many that grew up as I did in the sixties and seventies it is very hard to fathom what is going on with our youth today. Years ago, we thought that older people were looking to recruit the younger ones for their crimes and misdemeanors by telling them that they could not get into any serious trouble due to the young offender’s act.It would often be the case that a couple or a few named young adults would be arrested and we would see on the news that there was a young offender involved who could not be named. It seems that that is not even the case anymore. We see on the news on a regular basis, children as young as eleven and twelveare involved in horrific crimes and there are no older adults involved. Which begs the question, what the hell is going on with our youth?Where are the parents is one of the biggest questions that I hear posed when these stories hit the news. What is going on in homes across our region that would make these children think that it is okay to go out and commit the crimes they do? The most recent that comes to mind is the smash and grab at the Oshawa Centre involving a group of boys aged from 13-19. Then there are the 8 kids involved in the armed robbery of another youth on William Lott Dr. in North Oshawa. Here we had12-, 13-, and 15-year-old girls and boys. Back in the summer there was the swarming of a Pizza worker in south Oshawa that involved an 11-year-old boy and 3 girls aged 13,14, and 15. Most heinous of recent youth criminal acts is the elderly woman killed in frontof her home in Pickering by a 14-year-old boy in an absolutely unprovoked attack. Something needs to change. Now. People need to speak up.

It’s Flu Season But It`s Not the Flu

It’s Flu Season But It’s Not the Flu By Diana Gifford “The superfluous,” said Voltaire, the French philosopher, “is a very necessary thing.” Alas, his thinking predated our understanding of the norovirus. The norovirus is one of the most common viruses on the planet – yet it seems to be doing nothing useful, let alone necessary. It’s just making hundreds of millions of people worldwide sick in any given year. A lot of people made sick by norovirus think they have the flu. The symptoms are similar. But norovirus isn’t the flu at all. It’s a tiny, highly contagious virus that infects the stomach and intestines. It spreads through contaminated food, water, surfaces, and most usually, dirty hands. The virus is found only in humans, not animals, and it doesn’t need much help to make trouble. A microscopic particle is enough to make you sick. Once ingested, it multiplies rapidly and exits just as quickly, shedding billions of copies that can infect others. It’s so efficient that it’s been called “the perfect pathogen.” Most outbreaks emerge in familiar places like restaurants, daycare facilities, cruise ships, or long-term care homes. The virus is so hardy that it survives freezing, mild heating, and many cleaning products. Even alcohol-based hand sanitizers, so effective against most bacteria, don’t reliably stop it. Soapy water is the best prevention. Symptoms of infection include sudden nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and stomach cramps. It comes on fast but is usually over in two or three days. Most people recover without lasting harm, though the elderly, very young, or those with weakened immune systems can become dangerously dehydrated. Unlike other viruses, getting it once doesn’t make you stronger. You might think that exposure would at least give your immune system a workout and lead to lasting protection. Unfortunately, norovirus doesn’t play by those rules. Your body does mount a defense and produces antibodies, but they fade quickly – usually within six months to two years – and only protect you from the exact strain that made you sick. But norovirus keeps changing. It mutates its surface proteins just enough to fool your immune system the next time around. That’s why you can catch norovirus again and again. There is literally nothing good about norovirus unless you count that it makes victims better appreciate good plumbing. Scientists have been working for years to develop a vaccine. But so far, the virus’s habit of constant reinvention has stymied efforts. There are dozens of strains, and new ones emerge every few years. Norovirus often strikes just after a family dinner. Within 24 hours, one person starts feeling queasy, another rushes to the bathroom, and soon everyone is apologizing or looking for culprits in the cooking. But it’s not the food. It’s norovirus that came uninvited on unwashed hands. What can we do? The answer is old-fashioned but effective. Wash hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds, especially before preparing food and after using the bathroom. Keep kitchen surfaces clean. Cook shellfish thoroughly, since oysters and clams can carry the virus if harvested from contaminated waters. And if someone in your home is sick, disinfect using a bleach-based cleaner and handle laundry and dishes with care. Norovirus may be hard to kill, but it doesn’t like hot water, chlorine, or good hygiene habits. The larger lesson in all this is about humility. For all our medical advances, a virus invisible to the naked eye can still level us for days. Immunity isn’t always cumulative, and strength doesn’t always come from exposure. Sometimes, health depends less on what we can endure and more on what we can avoid. —————————————————————————————————————— 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

SHALL WE DANCE?

SHALL WE DANCE? By Wayne and Tamara I just happened to bump into you guys virtually, and must say it was a pleasure! While reading through questions posted online, I realized I had one myself! So here I go. I hail from India, and as you may know, Indians have a concept of arranged marriages, which I don’t really feel comfortable with. But I am 25 now, and though I’ve been in relationships in the past, I am single at present. So, my parents are on the lookout for a suitable guy for me. I don’t have much choice because falling into a relationship is kind of slow here in India. People here are very different with regard to relationships as compared to the West. But I would like to find someone for myself rather than going into an arranged thing. A few days back I met a friend’s friend via a social networking site. I had heard a lot about him from my friends, so I initiated things by sending him a message. He was sweet and prompt and asked me how I knew our mutual friend. We’ve been communicating via short messages ever since. My question: how can I initiate a deeper relationship with him, though not necessarily too fast? I need to get to know him more as I think he is a great guy. I am by nature a little conservative, so I can’t really take bolder steps like asking for his number. Also, I would prefer not to involve our friend in this. I don’t want to come around too strong. Should I continue messaging for a few more days? In his last message he said on business he quite often passes by the area where I live. Daya Daya, shall we dance? That’s the question posed by a song in the musical “The King And I.” Shall we dance…knowing there are usually many entries on a woman’s dance card before she finds the perfect partner? Shall we dance…knowing that many dances end with the thank you which means goodbye? Shall we dance…knowing that the dance always brings uncertainty? Yes, let us dance. Let us dance, because the dance may end with us in the arms of the one we can dance through life with. Let us dance, says the song, “on the clear understanding that this kind of thing can happen.” This man, with a little prompting, noticed you across a crowded dance floor. Your eyes met, and now you wonder, what next? You are a little reserved. He may be, too, because no male seeks to be rejected by a woman. That’s why a woman waiting to be asked might gently sway her shoulders to the music, indicating she would love to dance. A small signal, perhaps, but enough to make a man start forward. He may still pass by, she knows, but most likely he hopes to take her hand and lead her to the floor. An inner thing moves two people who can dance happily and comfortably together for the rest of their lives. That’s what dating seeks to learn. A man has said, “I often pass by where you are.” Can you come forward a little, too? Can you mention the café where you take coffee or that you like Chinese food? Can you make an opening so he can ask? You need not say much or be bolder than your nature, but gently let him know what you may welcome as the next step. Just as you know you look good in certain colors, throw a soft focus on your approachability quotient. Make a small inroad. Give yourself a chance. That’s not pursuing or chasing. It’s being available and open. It’s being able to acknowledge you are willing to dance. It’s coming forward so another can come forward, if he is drawn to you. Shall we dance? Yes. Wayne & Tamara

Tax Efficient RRSP Withdrawal Strategies

Tax Efficient RRSP Withdrawal Strategies By Bruno M. Scanga Deposit Broker, Insurance & Investment Advisor Many Canadians diligently contribute to their Registered Retirement Savings Plans (RRSPs) throughout their working years, aiming for a comfortable retirement. However, when it comes to withdrawing these funds, the strategy isn’t always straightforward. For some, tapping into their RRSPs earlier than traditional retirement age can offer significant tax benefits and financial flexibility. Why Consider Early RRSP Withdrawals? The conventional wisdom suggests deferring RRSP withdrawals to delay taxes as long as possible. Yet, this approach might not be best for everyone. Withdrawing funds during years when you’re in a lower tax bracket can reduce your overall tax burden. This strategy, sometimes referred to as an “RRSP meltdown,” involves strategically drawing down your RRSP before mandatory withdrawals kick in at age 71. By accessing your RRSP funds between ages 60 and 70, you can decrease the account’s size before it’s converted into a Registered Retirement Income Fund (RRIF). This proactive approach can lead to smaller mandatory withdrawals later, potentially keeping you in a lower tax bracket and preserving more of your retirement income. Early RRSP withdrawals can also influence government benefits. For instance, the Old Age Security (OAS) pension has a claw back mechanism for higher-income retirees. By reducing your RRSP balance earlier, you might avoid or lessen this claw back. Additionally, for lower-income individuals, early withdrawals could help in qualifying for the Guaranteed Income Supplement (GIS), which provides added support to those who need it most. Another advantage of accessing RRSP funds early is the opportunity to transfer them into a Tax-Free Savings Account (TFSA). While you’ll pay taxes upon withdrawal from the RRSP, once the funds are in a TFSA, they can grow tax-free. This setup offers greater flexibility for future expenses, such as medical costs or helping family members financially. For couples, early RRSP withdrawals can be particularly beneficial. Imagine both partners have large RRSPs. If one partner passes away, the surviving spouse inherits the RRSP funds, potentially resulting in a significant tax liability due to higher mandatory withdrawals from a larger RRIF. By each partner drawing down their RRSPs earlier, they can manage and possibly reduce the combined tax impact in the future. While there are clear benefits to early RRSP withdrawals, it’s essential to approach this strategy thoughtfully. Withdrawing funds means paying taxes sooner and potentially missing out on the tax-deferred growth those funds would have enjoyed. Therefore, it’s crucial to assess your current financial situation, future income expectations, and retirement goals.