Not Far Right. Just Fed Up. A View From Regular Canadians

Not Far Right. Just Fed Up. A View From Regular Canadians By Dale Jodoin Columnist I want to write this the way people actually speak when the microphones are off and the cameras are gone. Not as a lecture. Not as a warning. Just as a person who has listened long enough to notice a pattern. Something is shifting, and it has nothing to do with secret symbols, coded music, or hidden messages in culture. It has everything to do with trust being broken. Lately, large left leaning newspapers keep telling us the same story. They say the far right is quietly creeping into everyday life. They say it hides in jokes, fitness videos, clothes, online influencers, and casual conversation. They say regular people do not even notice it happening. They warn us to be afraid of our own culture. But that story does not reflect what people are actually living through. What I hear from Canadians is not fear of one another. It is frustration with a system that no longer feels fair. People feel talked down to. They feel managed instead of represented. And when they try to speak honestly, they are immediately labeled. That label is always the same. Far right. The term used to mean something serious. It described real extremism. Today, it is used as a shortcut to shut down debate. If you disagree with government policy, you are far right. If you question new laws, you are far right. If you worry about your children, you are far right. Once that word is applied, discussion ends. That is not journalism. That is social pressure. Most of the people being described this way are not radicals. They are parents trying to raise kids in a confusing world. They are workers watching prices rise while services fall apart. They are seniors scared to get sick because health care is overwhelmed. They are immigrants who came legally and feel angry that fairness has been replaced by chaos. These are not people being pulled into some dark movement. These are people paying attention. The idea that everyday culture is being infiltrated suggests that citizens are passive and easily fooled. It assumes people cannot think for themselves. It assumes they need to be protected from their own thoughts. That attitude alone explains why trust in the media is collapsing. Canadians know when something feels off. They know when the rules apply differently depending on who you are. They know when crime is explained away while victims are ignored. They know when speech is policed more harshly than violence. Young people see this clearly. They are not being radicalized. They are watching adults argue while institutions fail. They see fear used as a tool. They see words redefined. They see silence rewarded and honesty punished. Many of them are stepping back, not because they believe something extreme, but because they do not trust the system to treat them fairly. That is not dangerous. That is rational. Immigration is one of the clearest examples of how honest discussion has been poisoned. Canada has always welcomed newcomers. That has not changed. Most Canadians still believe in immigration done properly. What people object to is scale without planning, promises without infrastructure, and rules that no longer apply equally. Mass immigration without enough housing drives prices up. Without enough doctors, it overwhelms health care. Without honest expectations, it creates tension. Saying this is not hatred. It is reality. Yet if you raise these concerns, the response is not discussion. It is an accusation. Parents face the same problem. Many feel they have lost their voice. They are told not to question schools. They are told concern is harm. They are told to trust systems that refuse transparency. When parents push back, they are treated as dangerous. This creates fear, not progress. Across Europe, citizens are expressing the same frustration. They are not marching for hate. They are voting for change. They are asking for borders that work, laws that apply equally, and leaders who listen. When they do, media voices warn the public to fear them. That reaction reveals more about power than about people. What is really happening is not a rise of extremism. It is a collapse of patience. People are tired of being blamed for problems they did not create. They are tired of being told silence is kindness. They are tired of being managed by narratives instead of served by policy. This is no longer about left versus right. That argument is outdated. This is about citizens versus systems that forgot who they exist for. The people being called far right do not share one ideology. They share a sense that something fundamental is being lost. Fairness. Balance. Common sense. The ability to speak without fear. They stand against real antisemitism and real racism. They stand with Jewish Canadians who feel unsafe. They stand with Muslim Canadians who came here for freedom and peace. They stand for freedom of worship and equal law. They do not want chaos. They want stability. Calling people names will not fix housing. It will not fix health care. It will not protect children. It will not reduce crime. It only deepens resentment and destroys trust. The real danger is not culture being influenced. The real danger is citizens no longer believing those who claim to inform them. When people stop trusting media and government, society weakens. People withdraw. Conversation dies. People know when headlines do not match their lived experience. They know when fear is being sold as concern. They know when power is protecting itself. That awareness is not frightening. It is necessary. Canadians are not far right. They are not far left. They are tired of being bullied by language and ignored by policy. They are simply asking to be treated like adults again. That is not extremism. That is a country quietly but firmly asking to be heard.

Only Child Dreams - The Transition from Being an Only Child to One of Four Kids

Only Child Dreams - The Transition from Being an Only Child to One of Four Kids By Camryn Bland Youth Columnist Growing up as an only child, I spent my days hoping for a sibling. I was always looking for someone to talk to, play with, or go places with. I hoped and prayed for a brother or sister to accompany me through my boring days, and for over fifteen years I was disappointed. As I got older, I stopped hoping, adjusting to independence in place of reliance. However, just as I accepted my life as an only child, I was introduced to three kids who would make every dream come true; my future step siblings. In February of 2025, my mom and I moved in with her boyfriend and his three kids. The move felt very sudden, and confusing. We originally planned for us to move together in late 2026 or early 2027, when I was in grade 12 and could drive myself to school. Now it was early 2025, and my mom decided we were going to move soon. It felt like I blinked, and all of a sudden I was packing everything into big boxes. By late February, our two person basement apartment had been replaced by a chaotic home, inhabited by six people and three pets. The biggest adjustment for me was my new role as a sister, a role which I’d never been exposed to before. Time which was once spent reading alone was replaced by helping with homework, time to bake was now used to pick up after others and do chores that were never mine to begin with. Although I had known the kids for almost three years, always being surrounded by them felt new and unfamiliar. Every boundary I knew had changed and I found myself struggling to adjust to the simplest things. I worried about what to talk about during meals, where I could be in the house without bothering anyone, and when I could go out without causing scheduling issues. At first, the new dynamics felt like a maze. However, over time the change got easier, and now it feels almost normal. I’ve realized my step-sisters are like built in best friends, who make sure there’s never a dull moment in my day. I’ve accustomed to my step-brother, who always has an honest opinion, even when I don’t want to hear it. They’re an aspect of my day that feels so normal, yet so special at the same time. I know it would leave a gap in my life if they left. I think what made the transition, and even my time now, easiest was the time apart. My step-siblings only spend half of their time at my house, and the other half living with their mom. These rotating weeks act as a break a lot of siblings don’t have. They’re my time to see my friends, focus on my own work, or do personal projects. By the time my week alone is almost over, I miss my step-siblings and I’m excited for them to come home. It’s a system that I’m lucky to have in place, as it made it easier to adjust to a new family, and it helps even now. With my step-siblings, I’ve not just adjusted to them, but also feel like I belong among them. Despite the fact I came into their family late, I don’t feel excluded or different from them. The four of us laugh like siblings, fight like siblings, and share like siblings. Even when I’m arguing with them, or getting annoyed at something they said, I appreciate them the same. In the span of 10 months, I have found a family which I always wished for, and it feels right. I will forever be grateful for that. Despite my gratitude, not everything is perfect. There have been many doors slammed and voices raised which have made me wish things were back as they used to be, back as I grew up with. However, that feeling doesn’t last, and we always make up, as family does. The imperfections don’t just come from others; I know I also have room for improvement as a sister. I need to be more patient and understanding. I’m quick to get annoyed when my step-siblings are bothering me while I’m working, even if they just want to spend time together. I get upset when they don’t clean, even if they don’t notice the mess in the first place. Sometimes, I get upset over small jokes they made and make a big deal out of nothing. Over time, I hope to fix these habits so I can be a better sister, a fitting member of the family. For fifteen years, I wished to have a brother or sister to spend time with. Now I have three of them, and it’s so much different than I imagined. Our household is one of chaos and arguments, but also of gamenights and laughter. I try to appreciate every second of it, because I know my younger self would be thrilled to spend time with my new family. Most days, I’m thrilled to spend time with them too.

A LOOK AT THE ROOT CAUSES OF CANADA’S DECLINE BETWEEN 2015 AND 2025

A LOOK AT THE ROOT CAUSES OF CANADA’S DECLINE BETWEEN 2015 AND 2025 NATIONAL POST COLUMNIST TRISTAN HOPPER released a short work of roughly 164 pages last April entitled ‘Don’t be Canada: How the Great White North did Everything Wrong all at Once.’ In it, he says Canada has mismanaged several critical issues compared to other developed nations, including drug and crime policies, euthanasia, health care, transgender policy, the judiciary, and housing. “We just sort of became wildly complacent and got into a headspace that we were special, we were Canadian, we had a functioning society, and ... we didn’t have to defend it,” Hopper said in an interview with the Epoch Times. His work makes for interesting reading, and it reminded me of an earlier volume penned by author and journalist Kenneth McDonald, a copy of which I bought during my time as a college student in Toronto. McDonald’s work is entitled ‘His Pride Our Fall: Recovering from the Trudeau revolution.’ It’s a critique about Justin Trudeau’s father, Pierre, and the damage that resulted from 16 years of Trudeaumania when, as prime minister, the elder Trudeau made himself a nuisance by inserting the tentacles of government where they had no place to be – in the private lives of ordinary citizens. Once a thriving nation, Canada has seen a steep erosion in prosperity and security since 2015 as a direct result of self-inflicted policy failures. My column this week will highlight some of the philosophical extremes from the first Trudeau ‘legacy’ which ultimately gave rise to the disastrous sequel, during which time Justin Trudeau aggressively pursued a vision of Canada that has left us with a crippling debt, an ever-expanding government, and a variety of misguided policies on immigration, justice reform, and gender issues – just to name a few. Let’s begin by identifying the state, or what I like to refer to as Big Government, for what it is; a massive regulator of all things – a sort of untamable master exercising full dominion over its people. Those are my words, however Kenneth McDonald offers the following analysis: “The secret of (the state’s) power lies in its very remoteness. “It is one thing to refrain from advising the man next door, whom we know. “It is another thing altogether to compose a set of regulations for people collectively…not in order to create wealth, but to regulate the private citizens who are engaged in wealth creation.” When the growth of the state passes beyond control, as ours has, it becomes a law unto itself. Justin Trudeau enjoyed a powerful opportunity to bring forward a self-satisfying process of dismantling a nation that he described in a 2015 interview with The New York Times as “a country with no core identity, no mainstream…" which he said made it the "first post-national state". As ludicrous as that sounds, it has its origins in Pierre Trudeau’s own policies - most notably official multiculturalism and the Charter of Rights and Freedoms – both of which were manifestly created to shift the Canadian identity away from its traditional Eurocentric and Common Law heritage towards a more civic framework based on universal liberal values. In 1971, Trudeau introduced official multiculturalism within a bilingual framework. This policy was revolutionary because it decoupled state and culture, and It asserted that no single cultural entity could (or should) define Canada. It was an attempt to actually delegitimize – in his view - the idea of a "core" national identity. As most of us now realize, encouraging diverse ethnic groups to preserve their own heritage has not resulted in a peaceful Canada enjoying some sort of fictional mosaic. Rather, we have become a series of politically armed cultural camps – each one jostling the other in an attempt to gain power and control. On the matter of our economy, or more to the point, what’s left of it, we can look back to 1971 when the prevailing wisdom among Trudeau’s inner circle suggested that, to one who sees some people as poor while others are rich, it may seem obvious that the rich should share some of their wealth – and if they are at all reluctant, surely a just society would require (force) them to do it. From this rather frightening inclination sprung the idea within the Liberal Party – one that remains central to their manifesto – that state socialism is, in itself, part of the ‘age of miracles’. Pierre Elliott Trudeau's premiership (1968–1984) marked a definitive shift toward structural deficit spending in Canada. The federal government had carried debt since Confederation (1867) to finance nation-building and wars, however, Trudeau oversaw a period of nearly continuous and rapidly increasing budget deficits – a tradition carried on by his son and political heir, Justin. Trudeau the elder’s first budget ran a deficit of $667 million, and as a result of his spending habits, Canada's national debt increased from approximately $18 billion to over $200 billion, representing a more than tenfold increase, or roughly 700% in nominal terms. Not to be outdone by his father, Justin Trudeau’s first budget saw a deficit of $19.0 billion after accounting adjustments, and during his ten years in office, the total debt in Canada nearly doubled, reaching approximately $654.2 billion by the end of the 2024-2025 fiscal year. Like father, like son. Of course, one cannot attempt to highlight the more disastrous aspects of the Trudeau-x2 legacy without referencing the 1982 Charter of Rights and Freedoms, a legal instrument that has caused significant damage to our justice system by having shifted too much power to unelected judges, allowing them to overrule the will of democratically elected legislatures. Charter challenges can be lengthy and complex, contributing to delays in the justice system - but more importantly, certain judicial interpretations of the Charter have made it much more difficult to secure convictions for serious crimes. Now isn’t that just great. Once again, not to be outdone by his father, Trudeau the younger made his own legal mess through a determination to eliminate mandatory minimum sentences for drug and firearms offences, and to codify a ‘principle of restraint’ into law which encouraged granting bail at the earliest opportunity. Fast forward to today and we all know the results of his "soft-on-crime" ideology and the disastrous outcomes that have allowed repeat offenders the freedom to commit more crimes. And yet, in spite of the damage left by these two men, there exists an element within Canadian society who refuse to accept certain realities, preferring instead to hold on to a collective dream where peace and love and good intentions are all that is needed. God help them – and indeed, the rest of us.

A FEW PEOPLE AND EVENTS THAT APPEARD IN THIS COLUMN IN 2025

A FEW PEOPLE AND EVENTS THAT APPEARD IN THIS COLUMN IN 2025 HOW WE PERCEIVE THE ACTUAL SPEED OF TIME will very likely be influenced by our attention, emotions, and the inevitable series of events - whether good or bad - that conspire to shape our memories year after year. The age-old saying ‘time flies’ has never been more real for me, personally, since I began writing a weekly column for this newspaper. Constant research and the reality of having to meet a deadline every Friday has created a sort of whirlwind of activity that goes far beyond just keeping up with the news. Writing what has amounted to 55 essays on the issues of our time has definitely been a rewarding, if daunting task. For the purposes of what will be my last column for 2025, I decided to look back at some of what has transpired in local and regional politics. I now invite you to tag along with me for a short while as we consider the merits or otherwise of what amounts to a brief ‘Year in Review’. January began with Oshawa’s Mayor Dan Carter literally walking out of a committee meeting in a huff following repeated exchanges with the chair, councillor Derek Giberson. Up to that point, the Mayor had been acting as councillor Giberson’s political benefactor, and to see them at odds was a defining moment that foreshadowed a deteriorating working relationship for the rest of 2025. Meanwhile in Pickering, the new year kicked off with the publication of a YouTube video dedicated to exposing what Mayor Kevin Ashe described as “…a growing infiltration of alt-right individuals, ideologies, and influences” within his municipal arena. The video, aimed at Ward 1 city councillor Lisa Robinson, was created in a style similar to a television docudrama, complete with background music and a narration by staff. 580 days of docked pay so far haven’t been enough to put the brakes on the Ward 1 councillor’s determination, and she and her opponents still seem to be headed for some kind of final showdown. A real nail-biter, to be sure. Also in January, Durham Region councillors were seen to hold their noses and actually vote in favour of investigating the construction of a $1-Billion gondola transit system along Oshawa’s Simcoe Street corridor, extending from Lakeview Park right on up to Durham College. “We understand the public is going to be skeptical and council is going to be skeptical. It’s a new technology,” said Durham Region’s David Dunn, who gave the update on the Transit Study. “A large part of our plan moving forward will be in educating people so they can make informed decisions and they don’t just see this as a novel approach.” Good luck with that Dave, however, I for one can’t wait for the inevitable CBC documentary entitled “Gondola Apocalypse – An Oshawa Nightmare.” Should they in fact turn this story into a television movie, I can envision Dave’s character being played by Mike Myers of Austin Powers fame. Remember the famous line, “I hope I didn't just say that all out loud just now”? Alfred, Lord Tennyson, in his 1842 poem Locksley Hall, gave us the line, "In the Spring a young man's fancy lightly turns to thoughts of love.” Well, in Oshawa, Mayor Carter’s thoughts turned heavily towards flexing his own muscles as he warned Council that, “At this particular time, I have embraced the Strong Mayor Powers, and I just want to remind everyone of that.” Those comments were made as some councillors had the apparent audacity to challenge a few key components of his tax-and-spend agenda during a springtime debate. Undeterred, councillor Nicholson went on to move a motion that “Council recommends a budget increase target of not more than 4% in 2026.” This proposal was ultimately successful, but without the support of the Mayor and certain councillors apparently unwilling to rule out another major tax increase, including Derek Giberson, Jim Lee, and Rick Kerr. Fast forward to Christmas Day and you’d have seen councillor Nicholson on social media still enjoying his success in having given every Oshawa taxpayer a present containing a more moderate increase of 3.89 per cent. As to councillor Jim Lee, he was ultimately joined by his colleague Derek Giberson – both of them donning a Grinch’s hat while steadfastly refusing to abandon their career-ending desire for higher spending on the backs of Oshawa taxpayers. “You’re a mean one, Mr. Grinch…” Spring soon turned into summer, and things got quite heated as to proposed changes to a municipal by-law governing the number and location of social services within Oshawa’s city limits. One councillor took his colleagues to task on social media by suggesting, “If tomorrow's Zoning By-law amendment passes…it will prevent any new social services operated by a non-profit or charity from opening anywhere in the City of Oshawa within an 800 metre radius of an existing social service…” Well, the amendment did pass, and a degree of sanity has been added to an issue that still wreaks havoc on the entire downtown. Of course, the By-law as it now stands is being challenged by one or more representatives of the alt-Left who enjoy a bit of theatre, however that’s not likely to sway anyone of good sense. Also occurring in the early days of summer was a memorable ‘epic fail’ over at the Heritage Oshawa committee, as certain members decided it was in everyone’s best interest to remove an architecturally significant home from a list formulated by volunteers in 1998 identifying properties that showed built-heritage value. What was most remarkable was the flippant manner in which committee member Sarah Smale apparently came to her decision. To suggest, as she did, that a mere drive-by glance was either in whole, or in part, a suitable method of deciding the fate of a historically unique structure was tantamount to a betrayal of her role to work at preserving Oshawa’s built heritage. For his part, councillor Jim Lee was nothing less than adversarial towards the committee itself, and I foresee many more unique properties being threatened by the wrecker’s ball as a result. So that brings us to the end of 2025 as we look to the year ahead. Time alone will reveal just how the ongoing saga over at Whitby Town Hall plays out between the Mayor and councillor Yamada – who has filed a human rights complaint in his ongoing attempt to become a political dramatist. What better than to act out your own screenplay? He may want to take notes as to the drama playing out in Clarington where a lawyer - who just happens to be an elected official - was arrested and charged with uttering threats. I used to enjoy making predictions about the people and events likely to make the news, however, as time moves on I have come to expect the unexpected. You know what they say – a week is a long time in politics. Happy New Year!

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.

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?

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.

Canada Needs a Real Immigration Reset—One That Matches the Country’s Actual Needs

Canada Needs a Real Immigration Reset—One That Matches the Country’s Actual Needs by Maj (ret’d) CORNELIU, CHISU, CD, PMSC FEC, CET, P.Eng. Former Member of Parliament Pickering-Scarborough East For decades, Canadians have taken pride in an immigration system admired around the world—rules-based, humanitarian, and economically grounded. Immigration has shaped the country’s identity, supported its growth, and replenished a labour force too small to sustain a vast nation. But as Canada enters a period of economic uncertainty, housing scarcity, strained public services, and shifting global realities, it is increasingly clear that the current immigration model no longer aligns with the country’s real needs. A serious, evidence-based review is overdue. Not a politically charged fight about whether immigration is “good” or “bad,” but a sober assessment of how to ensure immigration strengthens Canada rather than overwhelms the systems that must support newcomers and citizens alike. The core issue is not immigration itself—it is the misalignment between Canada’s intake levels and the country’s actual capacity to absorb newcomers. Over the past several years, Canada has admitted more than a million newcomers annually through permanent immigration, temporary workers, asylum seekers, and international students. This is the fastest population growth in the G7 by a wide margin. Yet the infrastructure needed to support this growth—housing, transit, schools, health care capacity—has lagged far behind. Municipalities from Halifax to Vancouver warn that they cannot keep up. Even the Bank of Canada has acknowledged that infrastructure constraints are now limiting economic productivity. The result is a system where immigration remains a national strength in principle but a source of strain in practice. Newcomers face record housing costs, long wait times for services, and difficulty integrating into jobs that match their skills. Canadians, in turn, feel the pressure in their daily lives: competition for rentals, crowded hospitals, and rising local taxes to fund expansions happening too slowly. Canada does not have an immigration problem. It has a planning problem. Meanwhile, the country’s labour market tells a more complicated story. Canada desperately needs more workers in key sectors: skilled trades, health care, agriculture, transportation, advanced manufacturing, engineering, and technology. These shortages are not abstract. They directly slow down construction of housing, delay energy and infrastructure projects, limit food production, and reduce competitiveness across the economy. And yet large numbers of immigrants—especially highly educated professionals—continue to find themselves underemployed. Many cannot work in their trained field because of fragmented credential recognition and slow provincial licensing systems. Employers complain of shortages while thousands of qualified newcomers drive taxis, stock shelves, or work far below their skill level. In other words, immigration is high, but labour-market alignment is low. Part of the issue lies in the explosion of temporary and semi-temporary immigration streams, especially the international student program. Designed as a tool for attracting talent, it has grown into a revenue engine for private colleges and cash-strapped universities, often without ensuring real educational quality or job-market alignment. Tens of thousands of international students pay high tuition for low-value programs with minimal oversight, while housing shortages worsen and employers continue to struggle to find workers with needed skills. The Temporary Foreign Worker Program, meanwhile, has become a patch for chronic shortages that should be addressed through long-term workforce planning, not perpetual dependency on temporary labour. In some sectors, employers rely on temporary workers not because Canadians refuse certain jobs but because employers have not invested in training, apprenticeships, or improved working conditions. This patchwork approach—high immigration intake on paper, low integration capacity in practice—undermines the credibility of the system. Canadians remain broadly supportive of immigration, but that support is not unlimited. It must be earned through effective planning and visible results. The way forward requires a modern immigration framework built around real-world needs, not political slogans or economic wishful thinking. First, Canada must adopt a national labour-force strategy that brings federal and provincial governments together to determine actual needs. This means identifying how many workers are required each year in essential sectors, how many students can realistically be housed and educated, and what regions require population replenishment. Immigration must be tied to this analysis—not to arbitrary growth targets. Second, credential recognition needs a complete overhaul. It is unacceptable that engineers, nurses, medical technologists, and other trained professionals wait years to obtain recognition, even as provinces lament shortages. Canada should establish national licensing standards for key professions, accelerate testing and evaluation, and fund “bridging programs” that directly connect newcomers to employers. Provinces and regulatory bodies must justify any barriers that stand in the way of qualified immigrants entering their field. Third, Canada needs a dedicated Skilled Trades Fast Lane, with pathways designed to recruit electricians, plumbers, carpenters, heavy-equipment operators, welders, and other technical workers essential to national growth. Without a surge in trades, Canada will simply not build the housing, transit, and energy infrastructure required for the next generation. Fourth, the international student program must be realigned with national priorities. Institutions should be required to demonstrate that they can support students with adequate housing and high-quality programs. Study permits should be linked to labour-market outcomes, not institutional tuition revenue. The federal government must also curb abuses by low-quality private colleges that profit from vulnerable students while contributing little to Canada’s long-term prosperity. Fifth, settlement and integration services must be strengthened. Successful immigration does not end at the airport. It requires affordable housing, language training tailored to professional needs, rural immigration incentives, and partnerships between employers and municipalities. Integration reduces social tension, builds community cohesion, and ensures newcomers can contribute their full potential. Finally, Canada needs to treat immigration not as a short-term fix for temporary labour shortages or a tool for population growth statistics, but as a national strategy. One that balances economic opportunity, humanitarian commitments, and social cohesion. One that recognizes that welcoming immigrants is not enough—Canada must set them up for success. A modern immigration policy should be grounded in three principles: sustainability, alignment, and integration. Sustainable levels that match Canada’s housing and service capacity. Alignment with real labour-market needs, not institutional interests. And integration that ensures newcomers can thrive rather than struggle on the margins. Canada’s future prosperity depends on getting this right. Immigration will remain essential to the country’s economic health and demographic survival. But for immigration to continue as a national strength, Canadians must see that the system works—for newcomers, for communities, and for the country as a whole. A national immigration reset is not a step backward. It is a step toward the kind of thoughtful, strategic, nation-building immigration system that Canada has always aspired to—and that it urgently needs now. What do you think?

Karmageddon

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

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

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.

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.

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.

The Wonder in Adulthood

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

DOES THIS MAKE SENSE?

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

A Candid Conversation

A Candid Conversation By Theresa Grant Real Estate Columnist A Candid Conversation By Theresa Grant Real Estate We have always had three markets when it comes to real estate in Canada. The buyers’ market, the sellers’ market and a balanced market. Awhile back, I coined a new term for the market we seem to be in. The Trump market. What exactly is the Trump market you ask? Well, it’s a market where the interest rates have really come down nicely considering where they were a year ago, house prices are down 22% from their peek during Covid-19, in fact some absolutely stunning homes that would normally be on offer for well over a million dollars are now being offered well below a million dollars. It’s truly astonishing to see what some of the more palatial mansions of old Oshawa are going for in this market. Why is this the case? In a word, tariffs. Donald Trump’s Tariffs have cast a cloud of fear over Canadian workers to the point that those who were thinking about buying when the interest rates dropped, seem to have completely abandoned the idea. So, while we would have called this a buyers’ market a few years ago. There is definitely something that keeps the buyers from buying. That is the underlying fear of losing their jobs in this very uncertain time. I have heard many stories over the years of people who signed the mortgage papers one day and were laid off or let go the next. Nerve wracking times to be sure. Some real estate agents are reporting zero traffic through their open houses on weekends. That in and of itself screams volumes because even when you’re not necessarily looking to purchase immediately, it’s always been something that people who are intending to purchase at some point enjoy doing. They get out and look. The news is full of reports that housing starts have collapsed, prices are down, the volume of sales is down. Interest rates will continue their downward trend over the next year, but will that make any difference whatsoever? It will help the homeowner who is renewing their mortgage next year, but it will not do much to convince the would-be homeowner that the water is fine and to jump on in. I will admit I have never seen a market like the one we are currently experiencing. That being said, the observance of human nature never disappoints. I find it truly fascinating to see how people behave in different environments, and this is no exception. One thing that stays with me and has since I was a child is a saying that my uncle had. He always used to say, “this too shall pass”. I have brought that to mind many times over the years and firmly believe that it is something we can take comfort in when things are uncertain.

The True Rise of Evil

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

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

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