Showing posts with label Facebook. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Facebook. Show all posts
Saturday, December 20, 2025
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.
The New Age Trojan Horse
The New Age Trojan Horse
“Ethnic Laundering...”
By Joe Ingino BA. Psychology
Editor/Publisher Central Newspapers
ACCOMPLISHED WRITER/AUTHOR OF OVER 800 ,000
Published Columns in Canada and The United States
With the current violent events across the globe stemming from religious indifferences. One has to stop and wonder. What is going on? What every happened to loving thy neighbor. Living by law founded on the 10 commandments? What has gone wrong in western psychology that our good nature is being compromised in such ways.
The question that lingers is how are we being infiltrated and how is this being funded?
They say that the best predictor of the future is understanding our history and or past.
So lets take a trip down history lane:
The FBI, along with numerous international agencies, uncovered the "Pizza Connection" money laundering scheme through meticulous, long-term investigative efforts including extensive surveillance, undercover operations, analysis of thousands of phone calls, and international collaboration.
The investigations, which spanned over four years in the 1980s and involved agents across multiple continents, utilized a variety of techniques to dismantle the complex Sicilian Mafia operation that laundered an estimated $1.6 billion in heroin profits. Something that was crippling society.
Crucial intelligence was initially provided by FBI agents who had infiltrated the Bonanno crime family in 1976 and set the case in motion.
Authorities conducted round-the-clock physical surveillance on key players across multiple countries. Investigators traced and analyzed thousands of telephone calls, often made from remote public pay phones to avoid detection. The case was a massive multi-agency and multi-national effort, involving law enforcement from the New York Police Department, DEA, U.S. Customs, and international authorities in Italy, Switzerland, Spain, and many other countries. This cooperation was vital for tracing the flow of drugs and money across borders.
A mountain of records and evidence was gathered and analyzed to track the illicit cash profits as they moved through a web of banks and brokerages in the U.S. and overseas.
The FBI applied the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations (RICO) statute to attack the criminal organization as an ongoing enterprise, which allowed for a more comprehensive case targeting the entire structure rather than isolated incidents.
These combined efforts allowed the agents to prove that the pizza parlors were being used as fronts for a vast heroin distribution network and subsequent money laundering operation, leading to the conviction of all but one of the final 19 defendants, including top boss.
The connection between the mob and pizza joints isn't just a stereotype; it's rooted in reality, with Mafia families historically using legitimate-looking businesses like pizzerias as fronts for money laundering, drug trafficking (famously in the "Pizza Connection"), and other illegal activities, while some former mobsters later opened pizza places as a legitimate venture, like Michael Franzese with Slices Pizza. Pizza itself came from Naples, Italy, and became popular in America, but its association with crime stems from Italian-American organized crime using these popular, cash-heavy spots for illicit operations.
Pizza shops, like other small businesses (laundromats, restaurants), were perfect for cleaning dirty money by mixing illegal profits with legitimate earnings. The famous "Pizza Connection" trial (1980s) exposed a massive heroin smuggling ring using pizzerias across the U.S. and Europe as distribution points, run by the Sicilian Mafia and American families.
During the mob years, the system was being used to infiltrate society with a hidden agenda. Money. Today, with the religious over tones shown on the media. One can say that laundering money to fund socio-political causes may not that be far out.
Take for example - ethnic cleansing, not "ethenic laundering". Ethnic cleansing is the systematic and forceful removal of a particular ethnic, racial, or religious group from a given territory by a dominant group to make the area ethnically homogeneous.
Is this not what we are witnessing today by all these immigrants all of a sudden opening up business and taking over industries much like restaurants and pizza joints? Interesting parallel that in theory could be the fuel for secret agendas much like the Mob did years prior. Have you been at any Tim Horton’s? Or triedd to order a pizza locally?
Wether it is money, ethnic or other. Money is the root of
operations... What do you think? 
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! 
Sunday, December 14, 2025
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.
Saturday, December 13, 2025
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.
Friday, December 12, 2025
Canada Needs a Real Immigration Reset—One That Matches the Country’s Actual Needs
Saturday, December 6, 2025
Karmageddon
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.
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. 
Monday, December 1, 2025
Queen’s Park
Queen’s Park
By Theresa Grant
Real Estate Columnist
If you’ve been paying attention to the recent news out of Queen’s Park, you’ll know that the extremely controversial Bill 60 has passed. But what exactly does that mean for the people of Ontario?
Well, I guess that depends on whether you’re a landlord or a tenant. Believe it or not, even people that are neither have very strong opinions on this Bill. I guess it goes back to the fact that the vast majority of us at one time or another were tenants and almost everyone has had to deal with a landlord at some point.
For as much as the opposition is shaking their fists and saying this is far too aggressive on the part the landlords’ rights, it really is just leveling the playing field somewhat. For many years the pendulum swung far too much to one side and that side was the tenant’s rights.
For years now landlords have had their rental properties held hostage in a sense by tenants that won’t pay rent and won’t move out. All the while, the landlord has to fill out mountains of paperwork, meet strict deadlines for filing that paperwork and then sit back and wait.
As usual, many people are reacting to headlines before they get the actual meat and potatoes of the story. I would say there have been adjustments more than real changes when it comes to the Landlord and Tenant Board.
For example, the landlord now only has to wait 7 days after nonpayment of rent as opposed to 14 to file for eviction for nonpayment of rent (N4).
In a lot of cases, if you are a good tenant and always pay your rent on time, your landlord will hold off on this procedure anyway. The key here is your past behaviour and your relationship with your landlord.
Another notable adjustment has been the procedure for eviction when it comes to having a family member move in or if the landlord needs the unit themselves.
The landlord no longer has to compensate the tenant and no longer has to provide alternative housing. The landlord absolutely still has to give the proper notice to the tenant though.
The bill also states that if you are a tenant and you are not up to date on your rent and you choose to raise issues about your landlord during a hearing with the Landlord Tenant Board, you will have to pay at least half of the back owed rent prior to being able to raise those issues.
I would say overall, this has been a recalibrating of power between landlords and tenants in the province of Ontario which has been lopsided for far too long. At the end of the day, there are red flags for bad tenants and bad landlords. Look for them and heed them when you see them. 
Saturday, November 29, 2025
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.
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)