Canada and soaring food prices

by Maj (ret'd) CORNELIU. CHISU, CD, PMSC, FEC, CET, P. Eng. Former Member of Parliament Pickering-Scarborough East We have had been assaulted with the budgets and endured the glowing predictions of the politicians in power. Now let's get back to reality. While green energy infatuated politicians continue to abuse taxpayers' money by pouring it into pie-in-the-sky futuristic projects, everyday Canadians are concerned with what they will put on the family dinner table. An example of these futuristic projects and major failures on the part of both politicians and the public service is the case of the two electric "green" ferries built in Romania, the Amherst Islander II and the Wolfe Islander IV. Built using the latest high technology available in the world, and delivered in the fall of 2021, they are still waiting to be put into service, because the clients operators lack the technology for charging their batteries. It seems that the high technology of the ferries surpassed the technology available in Canada. So, who cares that there was a major delay in the construction of the specialized dock, a landing platform providing a charger of 6MW necessary for recharging the ferries' batteries, currently expected to be ready by 2025. And why have we heard nothing about this in the official media, or from the Ministry of Transportation of Ontario, or the Federal green gurus in the Canadian government? With public money being spent so wisely, let us see what Canadians can expect in terms of food prices, which are closer to their hearts than politicians' green mania. According to a December 2022 report Canadians won't be getting a break from soaring food prices any time soon. The report forecasts that it will cost over $1,000 more to feed the average family of four in 2023. After a year of skyrocketing prices and grocers raking in profits while denying price gouging allegations, Canadians are set to see food prices rise by five to seven per cent more this year, the report found. Even a study by a parliamentary committee did not find or even recommend a solution. Canada's Food Price Report 2023, released in December 2022, estimates that price increases will mean an average Canadian family of four will spend around $16,288 per year on food, a jump of $1,065 compared to the yearly cost of food observed in 2022. The biggest increases are expected to be in the price of vegetables, dairy and meat. Vegetable prices are predicted to increase by six to eight per cent in 2023, the largest price jump for any one category of food. The smallest change is expected to be in the price of fruit, which is anticipated to increase by three to five per cent. This prediction of an overall increase by five to seven per cent for food prices in 2023 is the same prediction researchers made for 2022 - a prediction that turned out to be far too low. The food price increase recorded as of September 2022 was 10.3 per cent, the report admits, much higher than had been anticipated. At the time, the report's prediction of an increase of seven per cent "was considered by many to be alarmist," the new report stated. And yet, prices spiked even higher than expected. In 2022, Canada saw the highest rate of food inflation since the 1980s, according to the report. In 2022, vegetable prices increased by more than 12 per cent, while bakery items increased by nearly 15 per cent. Meat prices increased by 7.6 per cent, far above that category's predicted two per cent increase. In 2022, there were also nearly 1.5 million visits to food banks, with the usage in March 2022 being the highest of all time for that month. Food bank usage has been increasing since June 2020, the new report notes, and rising food prices are expected to keep this trend going as more and more Canadians find they can't afford to buy food. Is there anything that the average Canadian can do? Researchers recommend, motherhood advice as usual. Apparently, it's a good time to become a "smart shopper" and start using coupons and consulting flyers for specials, as well as finding cheaper alternatives to expensive brands. "We haven't seen food prices increase thismuch in Canada for over 40 years and based on our findings, the increases we have predicted are still quite high but not as high as the increases for 2022," Simon Somogyi, University of Guelph campus lead, said in the release. "That may be cold comfort for Canadians, as food prices are already high, but if inflation can come down, it's possible that we could see price increases for 2023 at or below 5 per cent." How likely is that, based on the recently published budgets and their dewey-eyed spending? Predictions are a dime a dozen. We need immediate and effective action to bring about solutions. Canadians need relief now. Ask your elected politicians of all stripes for their solutions.

A Game-Changing Factor to Job Search: Your Ability to Make Human Connections

By Nick Kossovan This column will be a departure from my usual job-searching topics to focus on something crucial to a successful job search and your career momentum, especially when networking and interviewing: making human connections. "The most important things in life are the connections you make with others." - Tom Ford, American fashion designer. Genuine human connections lead to positive energy exchange and trust building. Since most job search activities involve interacting with people, projecting positive energy and being seen as trustworthy greatly benefits you. According to American psychologist Abraham Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs, love and belonging are the most essential needs we must fulfill, besides food, water, and safety. We are more fulfilled when our needs for love and belonging are met. We live busy lives, juggling work, family responsibilities, self-care, side hustles, and more. Therefore, often our social connections fall by the wayside. You might not think connecting with others is important, but it is. Social connections can lower anxiety and depression, help regulate emotions, increase self-esteem and empathy, and improve your immune system. These are huge pluses when job hunting. Sadly, we live in a time when there is a great deal of disconnection. While technology gives the appearance we are more connected than ever, the screens around us disconnect us from nature, ourselves, and those around us. Rather than using technology, especially social media, to enhance our human connections, we use it to replace them. Being brave, proactive, and taking chances is often required to make human connections. Striking up a conversation with a stranger can be intimidating, requiring you to step out of your comfort zone. Your lowest-hanging fruit is to reconnect with current friends and family. Then venture out and try new activities, such as joining a club or taking classes, to meet people to build a relationship with. Putting yourself out there will ultimately pay off in the form of a rewarding feeling that comes from building human connections. Here are six simple ways you can create human connections. 1. Surround yourself with people with shared interests. It is easy to bond with people who share your interests and hobbies. Identifying commonalities between your interviewer and yourself is the most straightforward way to bond with your interviewer, which will give you a competitive advantage. Do you love reading? Join a local book club. Are you a runner? Join a running club. Go where people who share your interests and beliefs are, such as clubs, volunteering, sports, taking classes, church or sitting on an advisory board. 2. Overcome your resistance. Building relationships is often intimidating because of a natural fear of rejection. However, to make human connections, you must overcome your limiting beliefs causing your resistance to change and embrace situations outside your comfort zone. The best way I know how to lower your anxiety when meeting new people is to remember showing interest is a massive gesture to anyone you meet. Therefore ask open-ended questions about the other person and make your discussion all about them. TIP: When meeting someone for the first time, ask yourself, "How can I help this person?" 3. Smile and give off a positive attitude. People prefer positive emotions to negative ones when forming a social connection; therefore, first impressions count. A positive demeanour and a genuine smile will naturally draw people to you. Before spending time with others, I find doing a gratitude exercise and taking a few minutes to reflect on the good things in my life helpful in creating a positive attitude. Putting your best self forward will maximize your chances of being a people magnet. 4. Open up. If you want to make friends more easily, allow yourself to be more vulnerable with others. This does not mean dropping all filters or boundaries. Too much, too soon, can put people off. On the other hand, you do not want to be an overly edited version of yourself and thus coming across as not being authentic. People can sense whether or not someone is genuine, so let them see the most authentic version of you. Your vulnerability will also prompt them to feel comfortable around you and connect with you on a deeper level. 5. Do not hide behind your phone. In social situations where you are uncomfortable, hiding behind your phone is easy, preventing you from making real-life connections. Being on your phone during a party or networking event makes you less approachable. Whenever you are out, focus on being present and engaging with the people around you. 6. Stay in touch. Human connections need to be nurtured. Regular contact deepens your connections. If you make a new friend, keep in touch with them and grow your friendship. Likewise, maintain your existing relationships with friends, family, and colleagues by keeping in touch. Making and maintaining human connections is an activity you should prioritize if for no other reason than the fact that opportunities (e.g., jobs, friendships, love) exist all around you; the only caveat is they are connected to people. Therefore, the more people you are connected to, the more opportunities you will be exposed to. ___________________________________________________________________________ Nick Kossovan, a well-seasoned veteran of the corporate landscape, offers advice on searching for a job. You can send him your questions at artoffindingwork@gmail.com

Ontario Increasing Minimum Wage to $16.55 an Hour

By Joe Ingino Editor/Publisher ACCOMPLISHED WRITER/AUTHOR OF OVER 800,000 Published Columns in Canada and The United States “I live a dream in a nightmare world” Always Remember That The cosmic blueprint of your life was written in code across the sky at the moment you were born. Decode Your Life By Living It Without Regret or Sorrow. - ONE DAY AT A TIME - Someone please help me. I can’t stop shaking my head. Who is doing the thinking around here. The economy is a horrible state. Just about every corporation is openly ripping off consumers. Not to mention grocery stores. They all blame it on COVID, the war, the supply chain. Small to mid size employers are struggling to keep people on pay rolls due to the poor economic climate. Then the government announces this: Ontario Increasing Minimum Wage to $16.55 an Hour. Hurray for the common worker working on minimum wage. Chaos for the employer that could barely pay the minimum wage as it was. It is no secret that big business does not care about you me or their consumers. Try calling them. They have these pathetic automated answering systems that are rigged to benefit them. You as a consumer have no say and no way to rebut the messages they spew. When you actually get someone to pick up after wasting 20 minutes in their automated system. You get some foreigner with an accent that you can barely make out. These corporation pay these foreign call centers a fraction of what they would have to pay if the call center was in Canada. The question is why do we do business with these companies. Well that is a topic for another column. The real question here is what is our government thinking? They raise the minimum wage as a great thing but fail to alleviate the problem. High cost of living. How is anyone living even with the increased minimum wage to pay for an apartment on the average $1,000 plus $300 food, cell phone $60, a car, insurance, hydro, gas and other daily expenses? When you do the math at 40hr/week they only make $2,648 before taxes... These renters will never be able to buy a home. One they don’t make enough for a down payment. Two, they don’t generate enough income to qualify to pay the monthly mortgage. Ok. Let’s assume they have two jobs and are a two income home. Still they would not have enough to save for the down payment and or afford the monthly mortgage payment. In some magical way. The government believes that by pressuring employers to pay more that it will address the economic problem of average Canadians. Wrong. All the government is doing is assuring less hours to work due to the extra cost of doing business by small to medium businesses. Here is my suggestion: 1. Take control of gasoline prices. (NO MORE GAUGING) 2. Assure that any supply chain issue have priority one. 3. Invest in local small businesses by offering grants based on business productivity and performance. The $20,000. they gave out during COVID was a great model. Every business should receive $20,000. every quarter if they can prove productivity increases of 40% plus the hiring of at least 5 new people per quarter. We waste money fighting foreign wars. Let’s invest in our people first. Do you not agree? REMEMBER ALWAYS Hope for the Best. PREPARE FOR the worst.

Canada and the critical minerals saga

by Maj (ret'd) CORNELIU. CHISU, CD, PMSC, FEC, CET, P. Eng. Former Member of Parliament Pickering-Scarborough East Just last week, close to 25,000 people convened in Toronto for the Prospectors & Developers Association of Canada's annual convention, one of the largest mining events in the world. The mood was optimistic, with many issues discussed. However, the critical minerals issue dominated the discussions, and rightly so. The event saw multiple Federal Liberal cabinet members in attendance. In obvious attendance, were Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland, Innovation, Science and Industry Minister François-Philippe Champagne and Natural Resources Minister Jonathan Wilkinson. The ministers, as politicians do, stressed the federal government's commitment to critical minerals development. We will see how strong this commitment is, when the federal budget is tabled on March 28. Budget 2023 has the opportunity to place a high priority on the urgent need for critical minerals development. Supports in last year's budget, the most recent Fall Economic Statement, and the Canadian Critical Minerals Strategy are positive, although silent on recycling nuclear spent Candu fuel, which is rich in critical minerals, specifically, rare earth elements. Canada has accumulated 50,000 tons of spent Candu nuclear fuel by now. We are sitting on a rich resource of materials from which the country can benefit immensely in multiple areas, including rare minerals. This can be considered a non-conventional mine of critical raw materials. I just wonder when the Laurentian political elite leading this country, will finally put the interests of this wonderful and great country at the forefront. In their wisdom, however, they have put the carriage before the horse. They do not seem to realize that the critical mineral supply chain needs to be assured before trumpeting and chest pummelling to attract new investments for electric vehicles and battery manufacturing. The sustainability of the electric battery ecosystem is contingent on the availability and supply of more critical minerals. Put simply, Canada needs to attract more investment into the critical minerals sector, or Canada's position in the race for advanced technology manufacturing and the benefits that flow from that will be significantly diminished. Looking at sourcing of critical minerals in the world today, we note that the rare earths elements market is characterised by enormous country concentration on the supply side. China's share of production has recently been above 90%. It has also mastered processing, refining and metals alloying technologies (downstream capacity). China gained this monopolistic position in the 1990s, thanks to its geological reserves of good quality, and the wide range of its rare earths elements products. Since 2010, China has tightened its production and export limits. This triggered ongoing trade disputes and brought the geopolitical aspects of the critical minerals market to the forefront. China's restrictions consequently acted as an impetus for developing strategies to diversify the critical minerals supply sources. New providers entering the market include the US, South Africa, Brazil and Russia. Long term projects to rebalance trade have been launched, but as usual lately, Canada is missing the action. In 2020 China produced 58%, USA 16%, Myanmar 12% and Australia 7% of the world total of 240,000 tonnes, which is double the amount produced in 2014 (Statista). In rare earths elements alone, China has 45 million tonnes (37.5%) of the world's 120 million tonnes of reserves, followed by Brazil with 22 million tonnes (18.3%) and Russia with 18 million tonnes (15%). In considering the importance of this sector to the wellbeing of our country, there are some applications we need to shed light on. These need particular attention from Canadian politicians who are infatuated with green technologies without knowing anything about them. Examples of industrial uses of critical minerals: - In magnets in electrical and electronic components, wind turbines, hybrid and electrical vehicles and in medical devices (e.g. magnetic resonance imaging (MRI); - In some phosphors, used for example, in screens, energy efficient lighting and laser devices; - In glass for absorbing ultraviolet radiation, colourising and decolourising, polishing or altering refractive index (e.g. camera lenses); - In protective coating used for example, in catalysts; - In alloys in metals used in rechargeable batteries; - In ceramics to improve strength and toughness (e.g. semiconductors, microwave dielectrics); - In nuclear energy and defence applications; and - Research on speed and satellite communications, magnetic refrigeration, energy storage (fuel cells) and water treatment (filtering). Just to give an idea of the need for these critical minerals, here are some examples of quantities used in various applications: - a 1.5 megawatt wind turbine includes some 350 kg of rare earths elements (REEs) (mostly neodymium), - an electrical vehicle contains REEs in the motor, up to some 30kg, in batteries (with 10-15 kg of lanthanum and 1 kg of neodymium), in glass and mirrors, in fuel and catalytic converters and in electronics. - smartphones include estimated quantities of 50 milligrams of neodymium and 10 milligrams praseodymium (in loudspeakers). Given the fact that minerals and metals mined in Canada use less carbon intensity than almost any other mining jurisdiction, Canada should be the leading supplier of these critical materials to meet our national needs, and then the global strategic demand. Announcements from auto manufacturers, including companies like Volkswagen, which recently chose Ontario as host to its first North American Electric Vehicle (EV) battery plant, will only come with increased frequency if investments are made into our critical minerals sector. Why do they choose Canada? For its potential supply of critical minerals and secure and responsible environment. So it is time for Canada to stop hesitating and start prioritizing a secure, sustainable and long-term supply of domestic battery grade materials, including expanded production of the raw inputs essential for their manufacturing. As time is of the essence, we cannot afford to wait another year for the government to prioritize the minerals and metals, particularly critical minerals, essential to the battery and EV supply chain. Let us hope the leading elite in Canada will finally act. What do you think?

Negotiate More Than Just Your Starting Salary

By Nick Kossovan If you do not ask, you do not get. While we all know money is not everything, most job seekers only negotiate salary when negotiating a job offer. Presuming the hiring manager says, "$85K is the best I can do," then your next words should be along the lines of: YOU: "Okay, I understand $85K is your best offer. I would be more comfortable if it were slightly higher, say $95K. With that in mind, could we discuss adding extra benefits and perks and revisiting the salary later, say in six months? HIRING MANAGER: "Sure, what did you have in mind?" Before I delve into "adding extra benefits and perks," I want to discuss salary-the reason we hold down jobs. Salary discussions should always take place at the end of the hiring process or, better yet, after receiving a written job offer. When "What compensation are you looking for?" is inevitably asked, I will say, "If you do not mind, I would rather leave the money discussion when you make me a job offer." (Note I do not say, "If you make me a job offer." Throughout the hiring process, I assume I will get the job.) Never start to negotiate salary in the midst of the hiring process. You are not negotiating before the employer has said: "We want to hire you," you are putting a price tag on yourself, which means that your interviewer is now going to ask themselves, "Is Bob worth the $75K he is asking?" When negotiating salary, think about these three "Ws": 1. Wish: A salary you open with and wish to receive. (e.g., $100K) 2. Want: Your actual salary target, which is lower than your wish. (e.g., $85K) 3. Walk: The salary you will not go below. (e.g., $75K) It would be great if all employers were upfront in the job postings regarding salary. However, for many reasons, many that are understandable, it is common for employers to refrain from posting salary information. If they do, it is a salary range. Therefore, during the hiring process, you will be asked what your salary expectation is. In the first five minutes of an initial conversation, which is usually the interview vetting stage, regarding an opportunity, I will ask, "So we do not waste each other's time, do you mind my asking what the salary for this position is?" Usually, I will be given a salary range and then asked what I am looking for. Unless the salary is in my "walk" range, I will answer, as I mentioned before, that the range works for me at this point and that I would rather discuss salary when I get a job offer. If you do not feel comfortable with the salary range, do not continue the interview. In addition to your "want" salary, seriously consider negotiating "extras" such as: - Bonus Ask what the position expectations are, then propose a bonus plan that says when-believe in absolute success, not "if"-you achieve XYZ, then you receive a bonus of X. Employers love it when they are able to give something in return for receiving something. On the other hand, they do not like negotiating for the sake of negotiating. The key to a successful bonus conversation is understanding what a win is for the company. - Your hours A flexible work schedule can be invaluable. Discuss how you are most productive when you work slightly different hours. (e.g., you are a morning person or an afternoon person). Maybe you have kids you want to take to school every morning or are looking after an elderly parent. - Paid time off Employers offer a set amount of starting paid vacation time, usually 2 weeks. If you are coming from a company with more weeks, say three, ask your potential employer to match that number. - Job title Depending on where you are in your career, now may be an ideal time to negotiate a title with your prospective employer. By negotiating a higher title, even if you are not getting paid more, your pay comparable will be higher at your next employer. This is because you have created the illusion of a higher-paying job. - Professional development Professional development and training should be a part of your career management activities, regardless of your profession or position, and should align with your long-term career goals. Negotiate a budget for career-enhancing activities such as classes and conferences. The above are just a few suggestions on what you can negotiate besides your starting salary. The list is endless, from money for grad school to childcare reimbursement to subsidizing your commuting costs. I once had a candidate ask if their industry magazine subscriptions, four in total, could be covered. Remember, if you do not ask, you do not get. Above all, only accept a job if you are completely satisfied with the compensation package. Do not be one of those employees who complain about their agreed-to salary. Lastly, always get everything you have negotiated in writing; otherwise, it does not exist. ___________________________________________________________________________ Nick Kossovan, a well-seasoned veteran of the corporate landscape, offers advice on searching for a job. You can send him your questions at artoffindingwork@gmail.com

WE ARE NOT LAZY WE ARE CANADIAN KUNTZ

By Joe Ingino Editor/Publisher ACCOMPLISHED WRITER/AUTHOR OF OVER 800,000 Published Columns in Canada and The United States “I live a dream in a nightmare world” Always Remember That The cosmic blueprint of your life was written in code across the sky at the moment you were born. Decode Your Life By Living It Without Regret or Sorrow. - ONE DAY AT A TIME - Have you heard the latest? According to our beloved Canadian government we in some magical place have more jobs than people. With this fallacy they are attempting to sell us the idea that we need to bring more foreigners to our beloved land. What they are not telling us that by doing so the Liberal party is buying future votes. It happened before and it is happening now. How dare the government come out and make such statements that there is a shortage in Canadian laborers. That is insulting. Then they go as far as making assumptions that we are lazy. That many rather live off the system then be employed. I find that utterly insulting. If the government is going to insult us. Let them at the least get it right. We are not lazy. We are proud lazy Kuntz. Now that is more aligned with reality. After all is it not the government that wants us to work the Costcos, Walmarts of the world... paying such great wages of minimum wage. Of course we don’t want to work those jobs. We want good paying jobs. We want jobs that at the end of the week we can afford groceries, rent and the odd beer. I can just telepathically sense the many of the anal readers fuming on how dare he call us Canadians Lazy Kuntz. Ok let me explain, the word Kuntz as per dictionary: Kuntz is a German surname. The name originated as a short form of Konrad meaning "bold adviser", or being "crafty" in German. In Yiddish the word is associated with a clever trick. Now that we got that out of the way. Are you not feeling foolish and lucky I did not call you a Canadian, cock or pussy? As by any grade 1 student would quickly recognize one a rooster and other a cat. Anyway. The point I am making here is simple. We as Canadians are privy to technology. Most of us educated in one way or another. We are very crafty at whatever we profess to be experts in. We are bold adviser on just about any topic. As some go as far as claiming status on opinion and obtain academic accreditation. With this said. We as Canadian Kuntz, have learned to enjoy curtain comforts. It is not that we shy away from hard work. Sacrificed and or hardships. The problem with modern Canada is that our beloved government is openly violating us Canadian Kuntz and forced to like it. They go as far as call us names and force us to accept or face replacement by some foreigner that can barely say “HELLO” in the English language. We Canadian Kuntz want good paying jobs. We want our government to assure us god paying jobs. We want to be able to afford homes and cars as we once use to. The question that lingers who are the bigger Kuntz here? We the people that allow to be constantly violated by a government that has truly proven to be master Kuntz. I feel for future generations as little Kuntz will be forced to become third world. Sadly we live in the land of OZ. We have no real choice when it comes to Canadian politics, all parties are infected with the gree virus and there is no antidote. No matter how hard we click our heels Dorothy. We will always be Canadian Kuntz. REMEMBER ALWAYS Hope for the Best. PREPARE FOR the worst.

The Chinese Are Not Our Enemy - We Are

By Joe Ingino Editor/Publisher ACCOMPLISHED WRITER/AUTHOR OF OVER 800,000 Published Columns in Canada and The United States “I live a dream in a nightmare world” Always Remember That The cosmic blueprint of your life was written in code across the sky at the moment you were born. Decode Your Life By Living It Without Regret or Sorrow. - ONE DAY AT A TIME - What is wrong with modern society. We want to appear as we are so advanced. Yet, by our own design we are becoming a civilization of ignoramus. One would think that with the overwhelming amount of information circulation online that we all be geniuses by now. In reality this proves a the theory that we all profess to know everything and in fact know nothing. That we the masses are nothing but sheep to a habitual go around that is controlled by misinformation, too much information and or information overload. The media plays us like a social fiddle. Just this week it hit the news.... The headline read, “Was there foreign interference in the 2021 election? What a new report says”. Followed by, “Overall, the system in place to alert Canadians of foreign interference threats to the 2021 election worked well but there are areas for improvements.” In other words they know something is up, but the power in the clouds can’t prove a thing. It appears that we go from one war right in to another. Covid kept us in fear for almost 3 years. Then came the Russians. Now the Chinese. I am sure that the Chinese are laughing about us. Saying things like, “Ha, they worry about balloons. Those are just distractions.” Think about it for a moment. Without knowing it we have slowly been invaded for the past 40 years. From our industry, to our commerce not to mention our manufacturing to our financial economies. China, owns a large part of Canada. Both in hard assets and finance. Then why worry about balloons, electronic tampering when they are basically already running the show. To boot we have a Federal government that admires the communist regime. Why should the Chinese waste a bullet. They have won the war without a single fight. Now deaths are a different thing as their negligence in the release of the COVID virus took out people all across the world. If it had been an oil spill would we the world not wanted retribution, some sort of compensation. Why should we not demand retribution for the COVID spread? Well, the Chinese are obviously smarter than we are and know how to push our social buttons. How are we Canadians with more social hang ups then the Chinese have grains of rice compete with a regime that is calculative, organized and focused on winning at all cost. We the Canadian people that would gave up our lives during world wars to protect the integrity of Canada are already dead. They hit us with vaccines that till today are truly unproven and unknown. They hit us with the control of our internet and our media. They control our financial institutions and buy lands at large. We the people are our own worst enemy. We have to awaken to the reality that China is our master and there is nothing we can do. Or can we. I would say. We need to devaluate their currency. Stop depending on their goods. And make Canada first and once in for all bring back what worked in Canada. What am I saying. This is Canada. REMEMBER ALWAYS Hope for the Best. PREPARE FOR the worst.

The Next Elections will likely occur under a new Election Boundary Map

by Maj (ret'd) CORNELIU. CHISU, CD, PMSC, FEC, CET, P. Eng. Former Member of Parliament Pickering-Scarborough East It is well known that every 10 years the federal election map of Canada is updated to reflect growth and shift in the population. The number of seats in the House of Commons is also modified accordingly. As the country moves from 338 electoral districts to 343, new seats are created. Overall, of the existing 338 ridings, 271 will see their boundaries changed. Three of the next electoral map's five new seats are going to be in Alberta. British Columbia is getting one more seat; a seat carved out of southern B.C.'s interior. Ontario gets one more seat but Toronto itself loses a seat, dropping from 25 to 24. It is worth noting that the system of independent provincial commissions re-drawing riding maps has been in place in Canada since 1964. After each decennial census, Elections Canada makes a recommendation on the adjustment of the number of seats to be added to the House of Commons, a recommendation which must be approved by the House of Commons. After that, though, it is up to three-person commissions in each province to re-draw existing maps to account for those new seats or redistribute existing seats based on population shifts. The head of each provincial commission is a judge appointed by the chief justice of each provincial court. The other two members of each provincial commission are appointed by the Speaker of the House of Commons and tend to be academics or retired civil servants. So far, at least, the Canadian system of re-drawing electoral districts has avoided the gerrymandering controversies of the United States where state legislatures get to re-draw electoral maps and often do so to obtain a partisan advantage for the party in control of that legislature. The "final reports" of each provincial commission are put forward after public consultations and after an initial report is tabled with a first draft of new riding boundaries. At this stage, the discussion on the boundary changes in many ridings continues in the various provinces and territories, carried on by the respective election commissions with input from the public, parliamentarians and other communities of interest. 'Communities of interest' refers to concerns that are relevant to the people of the particular region. It could be urban versus rural, it could be linguistic minorities, or even racialized minorities. The commissions are supposed to take those factors into account in trying to keep communities together, or at least avoiding the division of their voting power in a way that's harmful to those groups." Trying to keep communities of interest together when re-drawing riding boundaries is a concept that may appear sound, but can be quite tricky to implement. The commissions have to consider all factors and to make many tough choices. It is clear that we will see some changes in the future and the political parties are fully engaged in examining and defending their future election chances. It is a fact that realignment of the electoral boundaries creates new issues for both sitting MPs and future candidates. A new reality is being established. The commissions are expected to make their final decisions in April. By law, the new boundaries would then be in effect for any general election that occurs seven months after the finalization of boundaries. As things slowly develop across the country, it is interesting to see how the Province of Ontario deals with electoral boundary realignment. Not only because we live in Ontario, but because the sheer number of MPs elected in this province, represent a sizable portion of the House of Commons. The Ontario commission had a tendency to make changes in the electoral boundaries based on many factors, but essentially taking into consideration an argument based on urban-rural splits and communities of interest. Proposed changes in the Durham region are especially interesting, and the riding of Pickering Uxbridge, where I was a candidate in the past, stands out in particular. The Ontario commission took the Toronto-area riding of Pickering-Uxbridge and divided it up along urban-rural lines. The southern half of Pickering-Uxbridge, currently held by Liberal Jennifer O'Connell, becomes the riding of Pickering-Brooklin, picking up some polls from the northern part of the riding of Whitby. While those northern Whitby polls tended to vote Conservative, Pickering-Brooklin, because it is now more urban, should be more favourable to O'Connell's chances of re-election. The rest of the former riding of Pickering-Uxbridge, the northern, rural half, moves to a new riding to be called York-Durham that contains a much higher proportion of rural areas than urban or suburban areas and, as a result, would likely lean Conservative based on previous voting patterns. In conclusion, I ask you to follow these changes in the electoral boundaries, especially here in the Durham region. As the situation stands today, the next election will operate based on these new electoral boundaries. Be aware and be informed!

Turbocharge Your LinkedIn Profile to Generate Job Opportunities

By Nick Kossovan "The power of visibility can never be underestimated." - Margaret Cho (American comedian) Welcome to 2023! I hope this is the year you find an employer where you feel accepted and at home. A job seeker's best compass is to prioritize finding where they belong. Think: "I'm not looking for a job; I'm looking for my tribe!" Imagine how much more efficient (NOTE: I didn't say "easier") your job search would be if employers were contacting you about their open positions-asking if you'd like to join their tribe. (Throughout the hiring process, you can determine whether you'll fit in well with the employer and feel welcomed.) Your LinkedIn profile plays a crucial role in achieving this aforementioned efficiency. It's common knowledge that a well-thought-out, complete LinkedIn profile attracts attention. Truism: Visibility is essential to success. Ask yourself: "Am I missing out on opportunities because I'm not visible enough?" Odds are the answer is "Yes." Here's how to turbocharge your LinkedIn profile to generate job leads. 1. Upgrade your profile picture. Fair or unfair, your profile picture forms the first impressions of you. Hence, make it a good one! - Upload your profile picture to Photofeeler.com. - Analyze the feedback. -Based on the data, reshoot/edit your picture. Not having a LinkedIn profile photo is "damaging" and will likely prolong your job search and hinder your employment prospects. Lack of a LinkedIn profile photo can result in the following adverse effects: - It'll seem you lack a basic understanding of how LinkedIn works. There's even a possibility some viewers will presume you're incapable of uploading a photo. - Fake LinkedIn profiles abound. Most people will assume, rightfully so, a profile without a photo is fake. - Your profile is incomplete without a photo. In search results, complete profiles appear higher. According to LinkedIn Help: "Members with profile photos can receive up to 21 times more profile views than those without profile photos." - When a LinkedIn profile doesn't have a profile picture, it suggests that the person isn't committed to professional networking. If you're going to a networking event, you can't hide your face, so why are you hiding it on LinkedIn? 2. Take advantage of keywords. Recruiters and employers use keywords to find candidates. By using the right keywords, you'll appear in more searches. You can find keywords that'll help you appear in searches by following these steps: - Find 10+ job descriptions for target roles. - Paste them into Cultivated Culture's job description scanner. - Save the top 15 skills. (These are your keywords.) - Integrate these skills (keywords) throughout your profile. 3. Create a compelling headline. Your LinkedIn headline is a public one-sentence resume that tells the viewer who you are, what you do, and what you bring to the table. Using the following formula, you can write a compelling headline: [Keywords] | [Skills] | [Results-Focused Value Proposition] For example, a medical device salesperson's LinkedIn headline might look like this: Medical Device Salesperson | B2B, Cold Calling, Capital Equipment | I cultivate high-value prospective clients, thus having increased my territory's sales by 28% 4. Write an 'About' section that makes the reader say, "I must meet this person!" A great 'About' section has three parts: 1. A short paragraph that speaks to your job, years of experience, and value proposition. (Include your keywords!) 2. Five bullets that showcase specific (READ: qualified, measurable) achievements. 3. Your email address so the reader can contact you. 5. Leverage your 'Featured' section. It's hard to convey your value on a resume or LinkedIn profile, thus why LinkedIn provides a 'Featured' section where you can upload your work and demonstrate your expertise. Showing your work to employers is the best way to convey your worth. Hence in your 'Featured' section, share examples of your work, upload certificates, awards, links to your content etc. Speaking of content, create it! Content (e.g., articles, eBooks, videos, polls, charts and infographics, memes, podcasts) is networking en masse. It's possible to reach more people through one post than through your entire network of connections. Posting content, instead of simply uploading it to your 'Featured' section, illustrates what you can offer employers and your communication style and personality. Yes, it's uncomfortable and frightening to put yourself out there, which is why only 2 to 5% of people do it. However, when done strategically, the return on creating and posting is substantial. 6. Skills have an impact. LinkedIn uses a profile's 'Skills' section to rank profiles. Boost your ranking by: - Add every keyword from your Cultivated Culture scan. - Pick the five most relevant skills. - Ask colleagues, friends, family, & classmates for endorsements regarding your five most relevant skills. 7. Support and engage. The more comments you leave, the more views you get! Try this: - Find ten thought leaders in your area of focus. - Bookmark their post feed. - Every day, check their feeds. - Leave a supportive, insightful comment on new posts. If you need an additional reason why you should give your LinkedIn profile lots of love, besides turbocharging it to attract job opportunities, keep in mind that employers will review your LinkedIn profile to determine whether you're interview-worthy. _______________________________________________________ Nick Kossovan, a well-seasoned veteran of the corporate landscape, offers advice on searching for a job. You can send him your questions at artoffindingwork@gmail.com

Canada and Christmas 2022

by Maj (ret'd) CORNELIU. CHISU, CD, PMSC, FEC, CET, P. Eng. Former Member of Parliament Pickering-Scarborough East Barely out of the Corona virus pandemic, Canada has entered into a dangerous area of high inflation. The politicians and the Bank of Canada are trying to resolve the problem but there is only a faint hope that they will succeed. So, here we are, trying to celebrate Christmas in an optimistic way and hoping for the best for the New Year, 2023. The World, including Canada, has finished 2022 grasping for some kind of relief in view of the war in Europe and a worsening economy. The year 2023 will be decisive in giving us the highly desired optimism for finding the road that will get us back to a new palatable normal. By now most countries' economies are in shatters. Such an insecure global outlook hardly makes for a secure context for economies to make a quick recovery. However, let us hope that the strongest economies will continue to show a resilience in the midst of the worsening geopolitical environment as government relief programs continue to offer some kind of support. How long this support will be in place is hard to predict. On the positive side, financial markets have done better than expected despite the earlier doom and gloom pronouncements prophesied nine months ago. Certainly, some things in the present world have clearly changed, and perhaps permanently. The global job market has been ravaged by COVID, especially in the service and tourism sectors, where typically low wages left millions vulnerable and highly dependent on government stimulus measures to survive. The prospects in this area are not very optimistic at present, with the war in Ukraine entering a new and more dangerous phase. The chances of small to medium sized businesses having to close their operations for good are strong and worrisome, as this is bound to create unprecedented hardship for many people and their families. The future doesn't look good, as the World Bank contends that Covid-19's wide-ranging effects will result in an increase of the poorest by up to 150 million people. The success of the past 30 years, where the numbers of the world's poorest declined from 36% of the 1990 global population to 8% just prior to the pandemic, has now been devastated. This is a tragedy of significant proportions. Yet we are still optimistic that the Western economies, including Canada's, are capable of rebounding despite a new insecure world which is devastating much of their productivity, just as we looked for recovery to commence. Unlike the Great Recession of 2008-2009, when economists felt they understood the ground and how to rebuild, our current predicament has left these same financial experts scratching their heads. They are aware the unemployment numbers will remain stagnant for perhaps decades. Our present economic challenges are on a global scale and the reverberating effects will remain unknown for years to come. Health concerns and the recent war in Ukraine have paralyzed us and have transcended everything as civilization seeks to survive something it can't even see. Our recovery will take much more than we actually think. Just when trust and cohesion are required at the societal level to wade through this calamity, increasing numbers of citizens and businesses are deeply concerned about where the economy is going. The wobbly decisions made by governments both provincially and federally add ferment to a badly deteriorating situation. The societal unease and fragmentation arising from this uncertainty could become an element for endless partisan divisions in upcoming provincial and federal elections. There will certainly be positive global changes on the societal scene and new trade opportunities with Canada's traditional allies in America, Asia and Europe. Let us hope we will have a new vision with the ability to focus on Main Street, not only on Wall Street. Canadians will look forward to effective and fair societal changes in line with their values and traditions and a more collaborative form of politics at all levels of government. This will be our life in 2023 - more uncertainty, slow economic recovery, rising divisions within the temporary hegemony caused by COVID, increased tensions with Russia and China, and the ever-present politically motivated climate change challenge. But for now, let's focus on enjoying the holiday season, look forward to the traditional Christmas festivities with our families, and hope for a better and more optimistic future. Will Canada remain a reasonable and reasoning country? The answer to that question is within our control, although much of our fate in 2023 will be determined elsewhere. How it will unfold and how drastically these external forces will influence us remains to be seen. So shall it be 'Bah, humbug!' or 'Merry Christmas!' Your choice.

A Spoonful Of Sugar

My husband and I have been married only 11 months. We always had problems, but our relationship was never this bad before. I am wondering if I should stay with him. Since the beginning, we've had arguments almost every day. I admit I start most of them. I get mad at him so easily when he doesn't do what I want, or leaves me home to go with his friends to nightclubs. Yesterday I found out he is posting saying he is not married. This is not the first time he has done this, and some of these women he's called. He says he does this because I hurt him, get mad so easily, and don't let him do what he wants. Today he said, "I love you, but I'm not in love with you." I still love him and want to be with him. I want to repair our marriage, but I'm scared. Maybe we should separate since we've tried to make it work and failed so many times. Courtney Courtney, learning the meaning of the word "but" can clarify your life. Everything which comes before the "but" is sugar to make the medicine go down, everything which comes after is the medicine. Too often we hear both parts of the statement and end up confused. "I love you, but I'm not in love with you" means "I am not in love with you." That is the message your husband lacks the courage to say plainly. Whenever you hear "but", remember the second part is what the speaker means. We tell people the word "but" should go off in their head like a gunshot. Pay close attention to what follows. It is the part which matters. You wanted to get married, but you had problems in your relationship from the beginning. You ignored the "buts" while you were dating, but it is not possible to ignore them now. Wayne Simple Arithmetic I am single, never married, have a good career, and hold four academic qualifications through a university. I enjoy working with people at a professional level. Five years ago, I met Mr. X while traveling to work, and we became friends. At first, he did not tell me he was married. A friend told me. When I questioned him, he admitted it, saying they were separated. I was also told the wife keeps coming and going in his life. After about a year, I had no more calls from Mr. X. When I investigated, I found the wife was back again. I decided to move on, and when I was fine, received a call from Mr. X saying she moved out. He promised not to take her back, so again we got together. However, he refused to go out in public. All he wanted to do was book a room and chat about his situation. After much complaining by me, we went to a movie. He would not walk alongside me, and even in the cinema, he sat as if being watched. He forgets my birthday, and when I am writing exams he does not even inquire about the result. In May, he stopped calling. Now he wants to come back to me as his wife is moving out again. I am tired of this situation, but I do not know what to do. Serena Serena, some things in relationships are as clear as the multiplication tables. You say three things about Mr. X. He won't take you out in public, he won't introduce you to friends, another woman keeps appearing in his life. Any number multiplied by zero is still zero. Three times zero is zero. If this was a question on an exam, you would have the answer. Wasting time trying to revise the multiplication tables prevents you from finding the correct answer and the correct man. Tamara Wayne & Tamara are also the authors of Cheating in a Nutshell, What Infidelity Does to the Victim, available from Amazon, Apple and most booksellers. Wayne & Tamara write: Directanswers@WayneAndTamara.com

The Innocent Party

Ten years ago, I am ashamed to say, I had an affair with my husband's best friend. My husband and I stuck it out, and I am happy to say we are still together. The problem is this. A few months ago my husband went to this former friend's house to have a beer with some men from work. When I found out, I was very upset. After talking it over, my husband said he understood why I was upset and promised not to do it again. Tonight, on the way home from picking up our son at daycare, I drove past this friend's house. Who did I see sitting at the picnic bench in his yard? My husband, the former best friend, and another man. I am upset all over again. I told my husband I do not want this man in our lives, and that he is pouring salt in the wounds. He said he won't do it again, but that is what he said last time. I don't get it. Isn't this weird behavior on his part? I should mention about six years after the affair, this friend took it upon himself to "clear his conscience" and tell my husband. That is how my husband found out. However, his best friend did not feel compelled to tell his wife at the time about our liaison. Viveca Viveca, there is nothing weird about your husband's behavior. His best friend was forcibly expelled from his life. He wants things back as they were before. This man's presence reminds you of the affair, but his absence from your husband's life reminds your husband about the affair. You want to punish your former lover for telling, but paybacks don't work when you are the one in the wrong. It is your husband's choice. You are trying to turn the tables on him for the very thing you benefited from, staying in a relationship. Are you afraid the bond between the two men is stronger than your marriage? Two terms are being used loosely here. A "wife" doesn't sleep with her husband's friend, and a "friend" doesn't sleep with his best friend's wife. Wayne & Tamara Still In Love I am dating Bud, a 52-year-old widower. His wife, Bianca, dropped dead of a heart attack on the ski slopes 18 months ago. He told me psychologically he is ready to move on, but the house has been left exactly the same. Her clothes are still hanging in the closet, her perfumes and brushes still on the dresser, her sunglasses still on her desk. Pictures of them abound, and the urn with her ashes is somewhere in the house. I didn't ask where. I haven't said a word about any of this, but I think it is a little bit strange. Recently we went boating, and the inside of the boat is the same as the house. I met Bianca's best friend Ava. In 48 hours she mentioned Bianca at least ten times, and even asked Bud to bring out pictures of one of their last vacations together. I thought this insensitive and thoughtless on Ava's part. Am I overly sensitive? Is Bud still grieving? I am not sure I want to meet any more of Bud's friends if they are going to spend the entire time talking about a man's dead wife. I don't know what to say except that I have lost loved ones too. Laura Laura, if I lost Tamara the opening would not be there for another woman. Our lives are that tightly interwoven. Bud's house is a testament to his love. It may take years or decades for him to move on. Or Bud may never love another woman as he loved Bianca. The connection he lost was his alone. It is not for you to set a timetable for him or for his friends. Wayne Wayne & Tamara are also the authors of Cheating in a Nutshell, What Infidelity Does to the Victim, available from Amazon, Apple and most booksellers. Wayne & Tamara write: Directanswers@WayneAndTamara.com

When in oshawa please don’t drink the water

By Joe Ingino Editor/Publisher ACCOMPLISHED WRITER/AUTHOR OF OVER 800,000 Published Columns in Canada and The United States “I live a dream in a nightmare world” Always Remember That The cosmic blueprint of your life was written in code across the sky at the moment you were born. Decode Your Life By Living It Without Regret or Sorrow. When in Oshawa, please don’t drink the water. How else do you explain the recent municipal election results? Can there be that many stupid people in one city? The City is offered a golden opportunity to improve the quality of life for everyone and the people appear to be happy with people living on our streets. With people over dosing and dieying on our streets at an alarming rate. People are ok with our parks and ravines being turned into make shift home for the homeless. Or that our parks and ravines are not safe to go for a walk. It appears that people are ok with being harassed when visiting the core. Or that the quality of service keep going down while taxes keep going up. How do you justify the huge number of homes being built and the tax that they bring to expenditure, waste and relation to any tax increase? There is none. Tax increases are money that municipal officials use to grease palms. To solidify support during elections. How else do you explain the results? The status quo is acceptable? First only 18% actually cared enough to turn out and vote. This means that like in most global democracies. The majority is made up of a minority. A minority that has proven to lack any sense of knowledge of what is taking place in our city. Out of the 11 municipal positions in Oshawa. The people only changed 1. I blame the other 82% that did not even bother to turn out. It has to be the water... Please explain it to me. Could it be that the same people keep coming out every election? Think about it. Last election it was a 22% turn out. Are voters that care about democracy actually dieying? In the downtown core alone. The same two councillors win!!! Councillors that are directly responsible for the homeless and the poor safety/health condition of our core. We reward failure with another term and thank them by forking over taxpayers money for them to continue doing nothing positive for the core? People always wonder. Why is it that we do not have more professionals put their name forward during municipal elections. Well, these results make it obvious why. Why would anyone want to put their name forward when people do not vote on credentials. The vote on name recognition. Look at what took place in the Mayoral race. On the eleventh hour. A nobody, clerk looking to up her pay and job title puts her name forward as the vote by sex vote. She came second. A person with no real accomplishments. Limited education. No real business life experience. No real interest or understanding of the issues of the City. Did we not learn from voting Carter in... that the pity vote is not in our best interest? Don’t get me wrong. I am not bitter, but disapointed that society is failing and we are on course to self destruct. Look at the COVID situation. Were we ready for disaster? Socially we are heading towards dangerous times. Democracy led by a majority made up of minority is not democracy. Everyone is quick to complain about tax increase and the cost of living. Yet, no one is prepared to make the right changes to bring positive change. Please when in Oshawa. Don’t drink the water. Better safe than one of the 18%

How Pathetic

By Ahmad Formuly Ward 1 City Councillor Candidate for Oshawa I like to begin this column by thanking The Central for inviting me to write a weekly column to all readers. This I believe is a great service to the community at large. Most voters when faced with an election know very little about those running. Specially the new candidates. From now until the election I hope to take advantage of this feature and address many of the issues that matter to Oshawa and the ward I will be representing. Just this past week I have been out in full force putting out my signs. As such and on a limited budget as most new candidates have to carefully place my signs strategically. Sadly I received a call from a local man by the name of Stephen LaForest. He was very friendly but forceful. He informed me to remove my signs as they were on private property and that if I did not removed them that he would take them and that I could go pick them up from his house. I thought this to be odd. The man claimed that he represented the land owner. When asked the names of the land owners he refused to provide. This seemed a bit strange. I consulted a good friend of mine that has extensive knowledge in this matter and he informed me that no citizen without authorization can remove signs from any property other then that of their own. That anyone removing election signs from any property other than that of their own is in breach of federal law. Furthermore. No person shall act as a bylaw officer and or practice such practices. If my signs were on private property and the land owner selected not to have them there they have two options. 1. To contact City bylaw. 2. Contact me directly. The fact that a third party calls me without proof of authorization in working as an agent for any land owner is one a fraud... as this Mr. LaForest is misrepresenting himself. Secondly, this Mr. LaForest has no legal right to touch, tamper, alter and or remove any municipal signs as that is a break of federal law. RCMP across the country are reminding people that it’s still a criminal offense to tamper with election signs. Tampering with or stealing/moving/storing election signs is an offense under the Criminal Code of Canada and the Canada Elections Act, and anyone caught doing so can be facing charges, including mischief to property or theft under $5,000- which has a maximum penalty of two years in prison. I further had discussions with Mr. Russo that is also running in the same ward. He expressed concern that many of his signs have gone missing in the past weeks. He was also contacted by the same individual. According to Mr. Ingino running for Mayor. In discussion with Theresa Anne Corless, she disclosed her concern over stolen signs. In Mr. LaForest message on Mr. Ingino phone stated that on two of the properties that LaForest demanded for signs to be removed. Rosemary McConkey the third candidate of that ward according to LaForest she had permission. Question 1. How does LaForest know that McConkey has permission. Could this be a ploy by McConkey? What a coincidence that in Ward 1 for City Councillor. Theresa and myself are having signs disappear. That this LaForest is not responsible for making our signs go array. This is cheap politics. If McConkey is involved. Shame on you. After careful discussions with Mr. Ingino and since Mr. Ingino has over 130 signs gone missing. He has a clear message for LaForest. You have no authority to touch any signs or demand the removal of the same. You will be persecuted to the full extend of the law if you continue to attempt to coherce, intimidate or misrepresent yourself in any way. I share the good advice of Mr. Ingino. LaForest govern yourself accordingly.

Ghosting Not Hearing Back is Your Answer

By Nick Kossovan Back in the day, maybe still today, at the end of an audition, Hollywood producers would say, "Don't call us; we'll call you." If you didn't hear back, you didn't get the gig. Not hearing back was your answer. Maybe hiring managers should end their interviews with, "If you don't hear from us by Friday, presume we've moved on to other candidates." I'd prefer to know the interviewer's communication context rather than assuming I'll hear back either way or worse, being told I'll hear back in a few days and not hearing anything. The term ghosting-not hearing back from the company after an interview-was born in the dating world. Recruiters, hiring managers, and candidates are increasingly abruptly ending communication. (Ghosting is happening both ways.) Even though ghosting is considered "unprofessional," I believe it'll eventually be integrated into our social norms, just as many other social norms we accept today were considered unacceptable just a few years ago. Think about all that we accept or tolerate today that weren't accepted or tolerated 20 years ago. I can't recall the last time I wore a tie to an interview, funeral, as a keynote speaker, or meeting with "the powers that be." Visible tattoos aren't frowned upon, and the usage of profanity doesn't raise eyebrows. Today, manners are less pronounced, and people are more prone to being offended, causing everyone to walk around on eggshells, which is why ghosting is increasing. Additionally, a sense of entitlement is prevalent today. Many candidates raised on the idea that "everyone is a winner" react negatively when not chosen. Due to having been verbally bitten several times, it's understandable that employers avoid reaching out to rejected candidates. More than one hiring manager has said to me, "It's easier to not have the conversation than to have it." For better or worse, I'll let you decide. It can't be expected that the downgrading (READ: becoming more casual) of our social mannerisms wouldn't find its way into the workplace. The 20 or 30-something HR manager has an entirely different set of values and definition of what it means to be a professional than the 48-year-old job seeker. Generational clashes are happening. Hiring managers are swamped with applications. Replying to everyone, aside from an automated "We've received your application and will contact you if we feel there's a match," would take more time than they have. Technology one of the reasons recruitment is becoming increasingly discourteous. Here's some straightforward talk: Nobody wants to spend their lifeblood on someone else's business. A person has a job to make a living. For most people, their job is purely transactional. Having a transactional mindset is why movements such as "quiet quitting" and the "F.I.R.E. movement" (Financial Independence, Retire Early), where Gen Z adults extreme save 50% to 75% of their income so they can retire by their 40s or 50s, exist. Therefore, it shouldn't be a surprise that social niceties are being dropped as employers and employees are rapidly moving towards a relationship where each party views the other as a means to an end. Like every job seeker, I've been ghosted. Since I tend to keep my expectations low, sometimes having none, being ghosted has never really bothered me. I'm serious! I don't feel a recruiter or hiring manager owes me a reply after an interview. When I get a follow-up call, which I usually do, it's nice, but it's not something I expect. I attribute my assumption that no one owes me, coupled with my belief that business is never personal, to why I'm motivated to energetically help myself. I believe having the expectation of "I'm owed" is why many job seekers are frustrated with how employers design their hiring process. Most of your job search will involve dealing with strangers who, let's face it, owe you nothing. A fact of life: You can't control someone's behaviour or actions, especially that of a stranger. Acknowledging this fact of life is how you "discipline your disappointment" when someone fails to meet your expectations. Always end your interviews knowing the next step and when to expect to hear back if you're green-lighted to move forward in the hiring process. ("I really enjoyed our conversation. What is the next step, and when can I expect to hear back if I'm selected to move forward?") Once I'm told what to expect, I'll say, "If I don't hear back from you by the end of Friday, I'll presume you've moved on to other candidates." If the get-back-to-you deadline passes, reach out once and then let it go. Some advice I learned in the job search trenches: Always have several pokers in the fire throughout your job search. Don't become dependent on a particular employer offering you a job. Having other job opportunities in your pipeline will help you move on from being ghosted. -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Nick Kossovan, a well-seasoned veteran of the corporate landscape, offers advice on searching for a job. You can send him your questions at artoffindingwork@gmail.com

For Your Cover Letter to Do Its Job Don't Commit These Faux Pas

For Your Cover Letter to Do Its Job Don't Commit These Faux Pas By Nick Kossovan Not including a cover letter is lazy-employers don't hire lazy. (I certainly don't.) Regardless of how you apply for a job, whether through a referral or online, you must show how your skills, experiences, and personality set you apart from other applicants. It's for this reason, you should always include a cover letter. Including a well-written cover letter tailored to the job, and addressed to the hiring manager, offers several competitive advantages: - It shows your enthusiasm and that you researched the job requirements and the company. (You're not lazy.) - You're addressing the hiring manager directly and therefore bringing your relevant skills and experiences directly to their attention. - You're selling how you can add value to the company. - Your personality is conveyed to the hiring manager. - Your cover letter shows off your writing skills. (Employers value above-average writing skills.) Your cover letter has one job; to get the reader to read your resume. (It's your resume's job to get you an interview.) Imagine how much more likely you'd get an interview invite if you applied for jobs with a great cover letter and a resume that WOWs. Therefore, you don't want to make the following mistakes that'll hinder your cover letter from doing its job. 1. Attaching your cover letter to your email. To ensure your cover letter is read, don't send it as an attachment. Instead, write it within the email body. When the recipient opens your email, your cover letter will be immediately visible, increasing the likelihood that they'll read it. 2. Providing irrelevant information. Cover letters should be concise. Only offer details directly relevant to the job or that illustrates you have the skills and experience the employer is looking for. When I'm looking for a sales-oriented call center agent, I'm not looking for someone who's been providing "world-class" customer service or who's, in their opinion, "detail-oriented." These things don't matter in terms of reaching sales goals. A person who knows how to ask a prospect discovery questions to uncover their wants and needs and then offer them the appropriate product or service is whom I'm looking for. I'll lose interest if someone goes on and on about their customer service skills. I want them to tell me about the biggest sale they ever made, along with their passion and methodology (e.g., discovery questions they usually ask) for making sales. Hiring managers aren't responsible for connecting the dots regarding why you're a great fit for the position or how your skills are transferrable. Connect the dots in your cover letter. "Having sold life insurance for the past 15 years, I'm comfortable selling an intangible product, and therefore, I don't anticipate not being successful selling registered RESPs." (Registered Education Savings Plan) Think about what the reader of your cover letter would like to see and what'll convince them you're worth interviewing. Sentences like, "I see you need someone who's available to work nights and weekends. I enjoy working these hours and I'm available to do so," or, "Along with my resume, I've attached several samples of my writing." goes a long way. 3. Not including requested information. The most common application mistake I see is not following instructions. Based on my experience I'd estimate 7 out of 10 applicants fail to address every stipulation listed in a job posting, which indicates an inability, or unwillingness, to follow instructions. Name an employer who'd hire someone who can't follow instructions. Be sure to read the job posting in its entirety! It's common for employers to ask candidates to submit examples of their work or portfolio, link to their LinkedIn profile, their availability, a video, or their salary requirements. In your cover letter, include anything you've been asked to include or mention that it's attached (e.g., portfolio, writing sample, video, certificates). Failure to follow instructions is a sure way to get rejected. 4. Closing with a cliche statement. "Thank you for taking the time to review my resume. I look forward to hearing from you," shows a lack of creativity and hustle. (Name an employer who dislikes employees who hustle.) Conclude your cover letter with something like, "I look forward to discussing what I can bring to the Social Media Manager role at Pendant Publishing. I'll call you Thursday morning to schedule a time/date for us to meet." This shows initiative, that you want the job and aren't afraid to go after what you want. (Be sure to make the call.) I once received a cover letter that closed with, "Call today, don't delay." The closing was aggressive, which I tend to gravitate towards. It grabbed my attention. Additionally, her cover letter outlined everything she could bring to the table as an employee. Her boldness impressed me, so I called her. -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Nick Kossovan, a well-seasoned veteran of the corporate landscape, offers advice on searching for a job. You can send him your questions at artoffindingwork@gmail.com

IT IS OFFICIAL AND I DID IT FOR OUR CHILDREN

IT IS OFFICIAL AND I DID IT FOR OUR CHILDREN By Joe Ingino Editor/Publisher ACCOMPLISHED WRITER/AUTHOR OF OVER 800,000 Published Columns in Canada and The United States “I live a dream in a nightmare world” Dear People of Oshawa. allow me to take this time and explain my recent decision to run for the office of Mayor. I am a hard working local business man raising a family like most of you. I work hard for what I have and know the true value of a dollar. I drive through our downtown and my heart aches. How can we live in such a rich nation and have our own country folk living on our streets. Many call the homeless a ‘problem’. When in reality it is more a circumstance. A circumstance that we are all having to deal with. Many blame it on social services. Others on drug/alcohol addictions. Some point the the lack of affordable mental health services for Canadians, not to mention the lack of affordable housing. To me these are all parts of a bigger picture. Many wise men have said that the solution to a problem lies in the problem. Well this is not a problem but circumstance of various factors. I say this because in order to deal with the homeless we must understand it’s parts and create a clear path/vision that we can follow. As it stands many of the services available are fragmented. They are scattered and restrictive. In part this is why even though making an impact are not effective. We have the services but not the vision to align them to the needs of those in need. We can drive by those in need and snub our noses up. Just remember we at any given time for an array of reason can become homeless or substance dependent. Not to mention suffer from mental illness that may causes us to become homeless. With this said. I can’t beyond me come to terms to on how our elected officials can go to sleep at night knowing people in need are sleeping out in the cold. On our downtown businesses doorways and our alleys. How can in good consciousness our municipal elect collect their pay when there are so many in dire need. You would think that the city elect would make it priority one to find a solution. Four years have passed and the problem has been getting worst. We are now to the point that the drug trafficking and sales are an all time high. Prostitution has shot up by 60%. People are dying of overdose at an alarming rate. Our parks and ravines are full of disposed needles. The real worrisome thing is that there are no real plans on how to deal with it. DO WE WANT OR NEED ANOTHER FOUR YEARS OF THIS? My decision to run in this election is one to clean up our city. I don’t need the job nor the money. I am doing it out of civic duty. I can write about it. My staff can report on it... at the end of the day. Nothing changes. For this reason I decided that I must put my words, my expertise and my knowledge to good use and do something about it before it gets worst. I pledge to fix our city homelessness and related issues. I am a man of my word. To prove it I will not take a penny of reenumeration until I achieve this objective immediately as it needs the outmost attention. I promise that I will work with the mind set that the tax dollars you entrust me to work with, as if they were my own. I will cut expenses. I will assure to freeze taxes for at least the four years I will serve in office. I will negotiate with major investors/industry/trade and the like to bring Oshawa opportunity and good paying jobs. This will help offset to pay for any increase in cost for services rendered. My four year forecast will be one that will transform downtown Oshawa to world standards. Bring developers and investors to offset the population expansion from Toronto. Stop allowing the use of prime farm lands for ‘stick and drywall’ type of developments as we see to the North of Oshawa. Other municipalities have done it why not Oshawa. Use the Mississauga model to tailor our own path forward. We need leadership not managers. Carter he did what he could with his limitations. Now it is time to make the right changes and take Oshawa back from the dark cloud of despair it has been under for the past four years and make it shine across the region, the province and Canada. Working with the Regional Chair to bring prosperity and opportunity to Oshawa. The Regional Chair has had many milestones and is doing exceptional work to attract business to Durham. We must align ourselves and our future growth with the efforts put forth by the Region. My administration with the help of staff and council will work to assure that no opportunity is overlooked. That all citizens have a voice and that all ideas and consultations are not brushed off to committee. I will dissolve many committee that are only a layer of red tape. I promise to make myself available to all citizens much like I am now as your editor and publisher of the Central newspapers. People of Oshawa should feel as if they can walk into my office any time and vent their ideas, concerns and opinion... Something that the current administration has failed to do. People in Oshawa feel marginalized, discriminated against and made to feel as second class citizens. THIS WILL STOP. Soon I will have a full detailed platform available for view. My 2022 plan of action. You may visit www.ingino.org At the current moment my 2018 platform stands.... and if you take the time to read it. Many of the issues presented are still applicable today. As the current administration has done nothing to improve our quality of life. Soon you will be able to read in full. We need to operate the City of Oshawa as the corporation that it is. We must stop relying on tax dollars and look for investment and partners to create revenue to infuse into programs and service for the people of Oshawa. TOGETHER WE CAN MAKE IT HAPPEN. Oshawa is for us to take back. It is for us to really elect real leadership. Now is the time to make a difference. Don’t make the same mistakes we have made in the past. We, our children can’t afford to pay for our mistakes. Use your vote wisely this election. 2022 Hopefully will be remembered as the year for change in Oshawa. If you like to volunteer or donate please call me at any time 905-441-2657 or sent cheques to 136 Simcoe St. N. #4 L1G 4S7.

NOW IS YOUR TURN TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE

By Joe Ingino Editor/Publisher ACCOMPLISHED WRITER/AUTHOR OF OVER 800,000 Published Columns in Canada and The United States “I live a dream in a nightmare world” GREAT NEWS!!! As of May 2nd, 2022 we the people can do something about the marginalization practiced by City of Oshawa elect. ((of a person, group, or concept) treated as insignificant or peripheral). Marginalized groups include women, people with disabilities, people of color, LGBTQ+ folks, Indigenous peoples, people of a lower socio-economic status and so on. These groups have been historically disempowered and oppressed by influential and discriminatory groups such as those elected to represent us in Oshawa. The culture at the City of Oshawa is one of hypocritical nature. Pretend you are doing something when in reality very little gets done. The Mayor boasted on 1Billion in development, but failed to point out the poor planning by the City in allowing ‘sticks and cardboard’ subdivisions to be built on prime farm lands to the north of Oshawa. A mistake that will cost the city billions in the future in policing, public health and standard of living in the area. The City is very unfair and bias. If you are not to directly benefit someone on council or follow the City political arrogant and pretentious ways. You are black balled as an outsider and nothing you suggest even gets consideration. For example during the height of COVID a local downtown business owner offered the city $100,000. in subsidy. The businessman was refused at committee and at council. The City elect including the Mayor showed poor judgement and lack of professionalism as not even a notice was sent back to the businessman with a reason of why the very generous offer was declined. Only that through the mouth of some council, stated that they just did not approve or like the particular business person. More recently. C.A.M.P - Community Assisted Meal Program. A volunteer based program that fed hundreds every day were denied a permit to continue it’s services. Once again. The denial was never explained nor any formal reason was given to the organizer. According to the organizer. Once again. The City has a prejudice/bias towards him as it was not a City or city councillor initiative. THIS HAS TO STOP. How can anyone on council go to bed at night knowing that hundreds of people are sleeping in tents and on our s treets. How can any council member with a good conscious cash their pay cheque knowing the need of our city and the poor state that it is by their reluctance to get things done. People are constantly asking me to run for the office of Mayor. Many state that the people of Oshawa can’t afford to make the same mistakes again. If I was to run for office. I would pledge that until I find a solution to the homeless problem in Oshawa. I would not collect one penny in renumeration. The money that would have come to me I would donate it to a worthy cause and or set up a program funded with those dollars. I could not in good conscious and rooted morals take the people’s money when the people of Oshawa are suffering. As your Mayor, I would cut back all wasteful expenditures. I would personally work with developers, business people and those of like minds to create a real development plan of action. Not one that would take year to accomplish. Instead one that would be implemented right of way and come to fruition before my term in office was up. This would entail a very aggressive and decisive plan that can be done and has been done in other municipalities. I would address the assessment values of properties, restructure the property tax system. To give special incentives to those that have owned their properties for a long time vs those that are just purchasers. We need to find a balance so that the core of our system is maintained while the developing aspect of Oshawa contributes for a better future for all. This will include an aggressive campaign in the quest of bringing good paying jobs. Oshawa is for us to take back. It is for us to really elect real leadership. Now is the time to make a difference. Don’t make the same mistakes we have made in the past. We, our children can’t afford to pay for our mistakes. Use your vote wisely this election. 2022 Hopefully will be remembered as the year for change in Oshawa.

When Job Hunting Find a Job Fast with these Methods

By Nick Kossovan No job seeker wants a prolonged job search, especially if they're unemployed. Holistically the most efficient way to land a job is to stay focused and determined-persevere! Create a daily job search schedule with daily job search activity goals (e.g., Number of applications and reach outs to companies you'd like to join.). Constantly be networking. Ask your contacts to introduce you to their contacts. Nothing will get you into an organization faster than having an inside person vouching for you. Set up job alerts-lead generation-on job boards such as Monster, Indeed, ZipRecruiter, companies you're interested in and LinkedIn, so opportunities land in your inbox. Follow up on every lead. Finally, constantly look to improve, especially when it comes to interviewing. After every interview, evaluate yourself and tweak your answers and questions for the next time. Besides having these job search habits and tools in place, focus on the following: 1. Search for your tribe. Those who read my column know my fundamental job search advice: Search for your tribe! Looking for your tribe is the best compass you can use when searching for a job. Don't look for a job; look for where you belong and will be accepted. Trying to fit into a company where you don't belong will frustrate you and extend your job search. Think: "I'm not looking for a job; I'm looking for my tribe!" 2. Be realistic about your worth to employers. Labour costs are a business's enemy. No doubt you've heard about the "Great Resignation," also being called the "Great Reshuffle," and how companies are having a hard time hiring. I'm going to throw some cold water on this narrative. Job seekers are now trying to negotiate a high compensation package, benefits, perks, flex hours, WFH, etc. Employers are making concessions (for now) to candidates' demands because they're in a bind. Job seekers aren't considering what will happen when the job market turns around, which it inevitably will. When the job market turns expensive employees who aren't providing a healthy ROI for their salary will be the first to be downsized. Don't let today's "employees are in the driver seat" feel-good story make you an expensive hire. Know your market worth and aim for compensation amount. (There are many online resources such as Glassdoor.com. Payscale.com and Salary.com that offer salary comparisons.) Yes, you can benefit from an employer's current hiring struggle, but beware, you'll become a liability if their revenue slumps. Remember, economies are constantly expanding and contracting; therefore, think long-term. Keeping your compensation package realistic gives you a better chance of getting hired over more qualified candidates who expect, because the media keeps reporting there's a labour shortage, employers to grovel to hire them. Be humble, be realistic regarding your salary expectation. 3. Present yourself as the solution to the employer's problems. Jobs exist to solve an employer's problems. Whether we're an accountant (Problem: Keeping track of revenue and expenses.), a sales representative (Problem: Revenue generation.), or an HR manager (Problem: Hiring the right employees, retaining current employees.) presenting yourself as the answer to an employer's problem is the best way to convince an employer you're the person for the job. The next time you come across a job opportunity you want to pursue, ask yourself: 1. Why does this job exist? 2. What problems is this job supposed to solve? 3. How do my skills and experience make me the person to solve the problems this job exists to solve? Then, whether you're applying to a job opening or you're a referral, focus on communicating to the employer reasons you're the best person to solve the problems the job is supposed to solve. 4. Make your LinkedIn profile SEO-friendly. These days, a great deal of hiring is done via LinkedIn, where recruiters and hiring managers search for and approach potential candidates to fill their open roles. Therefore, in order for your LinkedIn profile to appear in searches it must be SEO (Search Engine Optimization) friendly. The following 3 SEO tips will increase your odds of appearing in searches: 1. Research and include throughout your profile relevant SEO-boosting keywords. 2. Complete your profile in full, including a current profile picture. 3. Regularly share keyword-rich content, using relevant hashtags. A clear plan and staying focused are essential if you wish to avoid a lengthy job search. Above all, believe in yourself! Employers are attracted to confidence stemming from candidates knowing their skill set and experience are precisely what the employer needs. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Nick Kossovan, a well-seasoned veteran of the corporate landscape, offers advice on searching for a job. You can send him your questions at artoffindingwork@gmail.com