Economic dangers ahead

Economic dangers ahead

ahead by Maj (ret'd) CORNELIU E. CHISU, CD, PMSC, FEC, CET, P. Eng. Former Member of Parliament Pickering-Scarborough East As we embrace the closing days of summer and activities start again in full swing, including back-to-school, it is worth looking at what the immediate future holds for us. The Parliament of Canada will start its fall session in a couple of weeks and new legislation will be brought forward. It will be interesting to see if and how the governing liberals deal with the economy, which is not looking very promising. Increasing taxes, skyrocketing government debt, expanding regulations, soaring inflation and rising interest rates. This may sound like we're describing Canada today, but in fact these were the policy decisions and circumstances that defined Pierre Trudeau's liberal government in the 1970s and early 1980s, which eventually culminated in a near crisis. In my opinion this is clear evidence that the study of history is a worthwhile endeavor. Unfortunately, nowadays the study of history is a thing of the past, so how can we learn from it to avoid repeating the mistakes of our ancestors? So here we are, 50-some-odd-years later, and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's liberal government is repeating his father's policies and pitfalls. Like father like son, as the English say? So let's take a closer look: Embracing new and expanded futuristic programs, and spending significantly more than the government collected in revenue, Pierre Trudeau recorded a budget deficit every year excluding a small surplus in 1969-70. Total federal debt (inflation-adjusted) grew from $262 billion in 1967 to $700 billion in 1984-an increase of 167 per cent. Two generation later, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, notably, recorded the highest levels of per-person (inflation-adjusted) spending to-date in 2018, 2019 and 2020. Similar to his father's tenure, borrowing has financed much of Justin Trudeau's new spending. Indeed, Justin Trudeau has recorded a deficit every year since taking office while total federal debt (inflation-adjusted) has grown from $1.2 trillion in 2014 to $1.9 trillion in 2021-an increase of 51 per cent. As he is likely to remain in the office for another three years, is there a chance that the deficit might increase even more? In both cases, higher spending by Ottawa accompanied by an expanded money supply led to increasing rates of inflation. In Pierre Trudeau's time, inflation reached more than 12 per cent by 1981. It took double-digit interest rates-which triggered a recession-to eventually break the Pierre Trudeau-era inflation and begin returning to price stability. Under Justin Trudeau, inflation has surged to 8.1 per cent, the largest year-over-year increase since the early 1980s under his father's government. In the past four months, the Bank of Canada has increased its key interest rate by 1.25 percentage points and sold significant holdings of government debt in an effort to reduce inflation. Moreover, the bank has clearly signalled that tightening will continue until inflation is brought under control, adding to the risk of a recession, which some financial institutions are already forecasting for 2023. Changes in taxes now similarly impair the economy as they did under Pierre Trudeau. Both Trudeaus introduced changes that hampered Canada's investment climate and competitiveness. In 1972, Pierre Trudeau introduced a tax on capital gains tied to personal income tax rates. Capital gains taxes-which apply to the sale of assets (such as a business or investment) when the sale price exceeds the original purchase price-are found to be among the most economically damaging taxes. Similarly, Justin Trudeau raised the top marginal income tax rate on entrepreneurs, professionals and business owners from 29 per cent to 33 per cent, with more economically damaging tax hikes on the horizon. Finally, both Trudeaus made a concerted effort to curtail the western-based oil and gas sector, which has heightened regional tensions. Pierre Trudeau introduced the National Energy Program, which sought to maintain domestic oil and gas prices below the international market price and tax more profits from the sector, creating animosity and distrust of Ottawa, particularly in Alberta. Justin Trudeau introduced a national carbon tax, under the climate change excuse, a cap on greenhouse gas emission that only applies to the oil and gas sector, and other regulations (namely, Bill C-69 and Bill C-48) that further constrain energy development. These policies have sparked significant animosity in the West, to the point that a "Fair Deal Panel" was appointed to review Alberta's role in the federation and this saga continues. The last decade or so of Pierre Trudeau's reign as prime minister was defined by high inflation, slower real economic growth and heightened regional tensions. Unfortunately for Canadians, the father's unsound policies that the son has followed are producing the same results. As we have seen, history is giving us important lessons. But if we do not learn from them, we will continue to make the same mistakes. However, these mistakes will be costlier with unforeseen circumstances in the current turbulent world. I leave you with these thoughts to reflect on the future for us and future generations. Let us hope for a brighter future and pursue a positive attitude and actions that can help bring it about. You decide.

Ageism: Does it Exist or Is It a Form of 'I'm a Victim!' Mentality? [ Part 4]

By Nick Kossovan How you think is everything. This is the fourth and final column of a 4-part series dealing with ageism while job hunting. The standard advice given by "experts" to overcome ageism revolves contorting yourself to "fit in," "be accepted," "be invited." Essentially, their advice is to conceal your age and hope the employer throughout the hiring process won't figure it out and hire you. It takes a lot of time and energy to be accepted into places where you aren't welcome, and it can be heartbreaking. Finding an employer who accepts you for who you are, regardless of age, gender, race, or whatever, is the key to happy employment. There's no better feeling than feeling you're welcomed. Therefore, my advice to job seekers: Be your best self and let the chips fall where they may. Doing your best and accepting the outcome will give you a Zen-like sense of freedom. An attempt to infer someone's biases based on their actions is usually just an assumption based on what you want to believe. If it benefits you to think someone is practicing ageism (e.g., a convenient excuse), then you'll believe you're the victim of ageism. The fact is you don't know what the hiring manager's behind the scene looks like. The entire company's leadership team judges their hiring decisions. Your fit with current employees needs to be considered. Budget constraints exist. Let's not forget the biggest hiring influencer, their past hiring mistakes, which they don't want to repeat. While reviewing resumes for a senior accounting position, the hiring manager thinks, "The Centennial College graduates I've hired didn't last six months. While Bob has plenty of experience, he's a Centennial College alumnus. Hiring another six months quitter won't look good on me." "Karen has worked for FrobozzCo International. If I recall, the company reportedly funnelled money into offshore accounts to avoid paying taxes. I wonder if Karen was involved." Association experiences contribute to most biases. You know the saying, "If it looks like a duck, swims like a duck, and quacks like a duck, then it probably is a duck." If you met five rude red heads in a row, the next one will also be rude, right? The human brain is wired to look for patterns and predict future behaviour based on those patterns. Call it a survival skill. When we first meet someone, we try to predict what behaviour to expect from them using past experiences. This quick assessment is why hiring managers decide, withing as little as two minutes, whether a candidate is worth their time. While it's important to try and make a good first impression (READ: image), you have no control over how others interpret it. Bottom-line: You can't control another person's biases. Based on how I hire, and conversations with hiring managers, I believe the following to be true. An employer is more interested in the results you can deliver for them than your age or whatever "ism" you believe is against you. Can employers afford to pass up qualified candidates who could contribute to their bottom line? Of course not! (Okay, it's "unlikely.") You'll be in demand if you can demonstrate a track record of adding value to your employers. Having the belief that your age prevents you from finding the employment you want is a paralyzing belief. Ageism exists for all ages, which I think many people use as a crutch. - They said I was overqualified. That's ageism!" - They hired someone younger than me. That's ageism!" - They said I wasn't experienced enough. That's ageism!" Get over yourself! Employers can hire whomever they deem to be the best fit for their business. It's self-righteous to judge someone else's biases (READ: preferences), especially when their biases don't serve your interests. Let's say, for example, you're 52 years old, and the hiring manager prefers candidates between 45 and 55 (Yes, I know such hiring managers), and they hire you. Would you call out the hiring manager's bias that worked in your favour? If you believe your age is an obstacle, here's my advice: Break the fourth wall. If you sense your age is the elephant in the room, put your age on the table and see what happens. When interviewing, I always mention, early in, that I've been managing call centers since 1996. I then let my interviewer do the mental math and wrestle with any age bias they may have. As I mentioned in my last column, the employer most likely Googled you and has a good idea of your age. Therefore, since you were vetted to determine if you were interview-worthy, tell yourself that your age is irrelevant. When interviewing, don't focus on "isms." Doing so makes them your reality. Instead, focus on the problems the position you're interviewing for is meant to solve. -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------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

Snakes in the grass

By Rosaldo Russo Allow me to begin this column by thanking the Oshawa/Central newspaper for allowing me the opportunity and access to the press. Not to many if any allow an average person like me to tell the world what I see and think. In my opinion. The Editor/Publisher is a real upstanding type of guy. He shoots from the hip and hold traditional core values. My name is Rosaldo Russo. I came to this great country to make a better life for myself and my family. I thank Canada for everything it has allowed me to do and earn. I worked construction all my life. I know the value of hard work and honesty. I remember as a boy my father always telling me to work hard and buy land. So I did. I remember days when I did not have enough to eat. I go to work... but I did not wait for hand outs. I rounded up my pride my skill and my determination to succeed and went to work. In those days the only benefits we received was the fact we were employed. Before retiring I was the owner and operator of local material supply company that allowed me to retired without worry. Now that I have time to enjoy life. I look around me and have some concern for future generations. I see that the world is finished. You can’t even trust those that call you friend. What is wrong with people? I remember in my upcoming days... worked like a horse. No one even gave me a second look. Today I am running for office a self made man. Everyone wants to be my friend. I am made like the virgin at a perv convention. Ok stop laughing. People are not genuine anymore. They sneak and hide and pass judgement and on the same breath shake your hands and smile. Sad. This is why our society if falling. Politicians and their cronies are horrible human beings. In part this is why I am running. I want to bring municipal government back to the people. It breaks my heart to see how people in our city are being treated. It disgusts me to see that we the taxpayers are treated with disrespect at city hall. The elect that are supposed to represent us don’t return calls. This is not right. I will bring you 100% representation. I will as I have all my life work hard to assure you have the best services possible. I will get tough on developers that keep raping our lands. I will work with the new mayor in order to control planning and development in order to assure citizens that their interest will come first. We will not be bought or sold. We will not play the cronies game. We will not be influenced. Our future depends on solid planning and execution. I ENDORSE JOE INGINO FOR MAYOR OF OSHAWA IN 2022 VOTE INGINO

Ageism: Does it Exist or Is It a Form of 'I'm a Victim!' Mentality? [ Part 3]

By Nick Kossovan Your age is irrelevant. This is the third column of a 4-part series dealing with ageism while job hunting. Career coaches and job search experts claim you can fool employers about your age and beat ageism. The truth is, regardless of your age, nobody can "beat" ageism. Say you land an interview by concealing your age using experts' tips and tricks. When you meet the hiring manager, will your age not become evident? Deflecting your age until an in-person or Zoom interview is pointless. At some point during the hiring process, your age will be revealed. Then there's the Internet, which "experts" never mention. Employers Google candidates to determine if they're interview-worthy, which'll turn up many ways to assess the candidate's age: - Your graduating years. - The years you played minor league baseball. - The picture your son, who tagged you, posted on Facebook, in August 2004, of you dropping him off at university. - The whitepaper, Advancing Asian Markets Are Undermining Globalization, you wrote back in 1994 for the brokerage firm you were working at. - Last March, you tweeted you were celebrating your 25th wedding anniversary. There's plenty of information on the Internet, either placed by you or not, that employers can use to determine your age. The Internet has made attempting to hide one's age from employers futile. Employers can easily determine, even find, your age outside of your resume and LinkedIn profile. Hence, the advice to leave off dates, etc., seems illogical to me. It's actually telling that you're trying to hide your age when you leave off dates. Employers can find almost anything about potential candidates thanks to the Internet. (e.g., age, place of birth, your social media posts). Consequently, employers won't schedule an interview if they see something they don't like about a candidate. The Internet allows employers to exercise their biases, right or wrong, before contacting a candidate. When you apply and don't hear anything, the reason(s) is unknown to you. It's a guess-a pacifying belief-to say you're not getting interviews because of your age. An employer invites you to an interview because you have the skills, experience, and qualifications they're looking for, and your digital footprint has passed their scrutiny. If you're not hired, it's not because of your age. Assuming you didn't arrive late, dressed professionally, built rapport with your interviewer, and didn't knock over the picture of their dog, you weren't hired because (the two most common reasons): - You didn't sell yourself as the solution to the problem the position was created to solve, or (brace yourself) - There were better candidates. Obviously, candidates get rejected for various reasons, not just the ones I mentioned. However, rejected candidates often use excuses, such as ageism, to justify why they weren't selected rather than evaluating their interviewing skills. You're not owed friendship, love, respect, health or making a living. Everything in life-everything worthwhile-must be earned. No matter how old you are, you need to earn (READ: prove) why you deserve to be on an employer's payroll. Now that you know you can't beat ageism, what can you do? As regular readers of my columns know, my first advice to jobseekers is to find their tribe. Look for where you belong and will be welcomed. Pursue the right employers! My advice to "find your tribe" applies not just to ageism but to overcoming all perceived "isms." An undeniable fact: As humans, we prefer to be around people we feel comfortable with. When you focus on where you belong, your job search will be much more successful. I'm confident there are just as many employers who value the experience a seasoned candidate will bring to their company as there are employers who prefer less seasoned candidates for what they'll not bring to their company. (I know, this is a bit of a mind pretzel. Flip it around in your head for a few minutes. Slowly it'll make sense.) Regardless of whether you consider yourself young or old, you can make your age irrelevant by: - Demonstrating your ability to generate revenue, save money, improve processes, improve safety, etc. (Share your expertise and track record of delivering results.) - Adopt a consulting mindset. (Treat interviews as consulting conversations. Show curiosity and a learning mindset.) - Communicating your confidence in your ability to hit the ground running. (This isn't your first rodeo.) - Show you're energetic and enthusiastic. Look at that; I provided ways to negate your age over which "older candidates" have more leverage. Whatever your age, remember, an interview isn't about you. It's about convincing your interviewer you're the best solution to their problems. Remember, you were vetted before getting the interview; your age isn't an issue. Next week, in my final column of this series, I'll discuss having the right mindset to cope with ageism during job searches. -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------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

Prevent Over Development

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. Municipal elections are upon us. As such we must weight our choices wisely. The future of our city is on the line. As a young man in Oshawa living in Ward 1. I have first hand recollection on what matters to those living in our ward. It appears that election after election the same faces sit in council. Taxes keep going up and quality of life appears to slowly slipping. For these and many other reasons I decided to put my name in and with your help make a difference. I want to bring municipal government back to the people. I have heard from many of you the hardships of getting anything done or even a phone call from the current councillors. My heart goes out to all of you that are left waiting. I can assure you that when I am elected to office. Your phone calls will be priority one. Your concerns will be at the top of my agenda. If I can’t find an answer or solution I will assure to consult with my colleagues and get the result you require. A real concern for many is the rapid development happening north bound. This type of development needs to be revived. We can’t get into allowing our prime farm lands to be abused in such way. Many of these homes are erected out of a cement foundation by two by fours and plywood. Many of these homes do not even have basements. It appears that people are purchasing over priced motor home type of housing. I have grave concern over this type of development. On the first, it is wasting prime land to build what in my opinion is nothing short of future ghetto. As a responsible member of council I will look to assure that any development brings property values up not down. Furthermore, I do not believe that the municipality should be left to deal with the aftermath of the sale of these home to individuals. Individuals that are purchasing these properties have no clue what they are purchasing paying top dollar and expecting unrealistic services. We must address this huge problem and we must assure that these developments don’t leave us with millions in social problems in the long run. I also strongly believe that the existing neighborhoods, hamlets and pockets of development that have been around for hundred of years are protected and not become an obstacle for future developers. Our community is the last frontier before we are amalgamated with Port Perry. We need to maintain that distinctive country culture and atmosphere. I know that for many farmers the sale of the land assures them a comfortable retirement. We must not be selfish in our development and our lands. We must think of future generations and what the future will look in years to come. We must consider building up instead of further north. We must seriously entertain high rise development with the emphasis on affordability. We as a city should be able to negotiate with a land owner and have City own high rise with controlled rent and prescribed standards. It is not about giving things away. Instead it is about finding ways to accommodate the need of our people in a controlled fashion. I am that person to assure quality life for all citizens.

I AM SHOCKED

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. For the past two weeks the number of calls I have received have surged beyond words. For every plea my heart breaks, to think that people in our community are in such suffering. Many after asking the government for assistance and turned down have given hope. They turn to the Mayor office to only be either ignored or given the usual, “It is not my jurisdiction”. The word through the years on the street has been that I help people out of tight spots. For the last two weeks the calls have ben overwhelming. Out of the 9 families in desperate need of housing. I managed to assist 7. One is pending and the other have made temporary arrangement with a family member. Out of the 28 calls on complaint against by-law. I have managed to assist on 19 so far. 3 may be having to go the civil route. 2 gave up and decided to move out of Oshawa. 4 are still pending. What is wrong with people today. Our municipal government is out of control. The disrespect accounts is overwhelming. The way the City hides behind bias and wrongfully worded by-law is disgusting. I know one of the things I look forward to achieving is the untangling of the mess that previous administrations have weaved. I want by-laws to be simple and direct. No confusing or misleading language. I want the city of Oshawa to employ a new customer first mentality. A customer service that is people friendly. One that serves the people that pay their wages. Some of the most heart breaking calls. A woman dependent on social services, with a sever illness. A pet lover. She gets a knock on her door. A by-law demands to see her dog. According to reports someone had complaint on the condition of her aging dog. The lady scared and not knowing her rights. Allows them to come in and inspect the animal. The animal a senior by dog years had suffered numerous veterinarian conditions. Subsequently the dog had a skin condition. Without much understand and or compassion. By-law calls animal services. Animal services without any compassion informed the lady that she needed to have the dog looked at. Subsequently, she was served an order to have the dog looked at. At her cost. The woman in tears calls me. They threatened that if she did not have a vet inspect the dog that they will take it away. The woman has no money. That dog is her life companion. How dare they threaten and demand. Where is compassion. Under INGINO administration. I would send someone from animal control to check the dog over. To assure that the dog was old but in good health. To assist the poor woman and assure that her pet would not be removed. That is service. Since our conversation. I have contacted a group that may find a way to pay for the vet. Worst comes to worst. I will pay myself.

The sad state of the Health Care System in Canada

by Maj (ret'd) CORNELIU E. CHISU, CD, PMSC, FEC, CET, P. Eng. Former Member of Parliament Pickering-Scarborough East In the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic, Canada's health-care system appears to be crumbling. Canada is already one of the biggest spenders in the OECD when it comes to health care, yet it seems that our system was not designed to handle a massive crisis like a pandemic. Ontario, and indeed Canada, are in a protracted health system crisis marked by waiting lists, ER shutdowns and shortages of critical health care professionals. Despite decades of fierce public debate and escalating budgets, Canadian wait times continue to get worse. For "medically necessary" treatment, patients wait an average of 20.9 weeks from referral to treatment, in addition to the wait time to see the family doctor in the first place. In less populated areas, wait times can stretch dramatically longer. By one estimate, over one million Canadians-3% of the entire population-are waiting for medical treatment at any given moment. These waiting lists can average six months, and often much longer in areas that suffer from such extreme staff shortages that many cannot even find a family doctor. With one million waiting, many Canadians turn in desperation to health care in the US and other countries, where Canadians who are prepared to pay can get very high-quality care without waiting. In 2017 alone, Canadians made 217,500 trips abroad for health care, paying out-of-pocket to skip the queue. Beyond rationing care using waiting lists, Canada's monopoly health care also underinvests in equipment and staff. Canada has 35% fewer acute care beds than the US and one-fourth as many MRIs per capita-indeed, it has fewer MRIs per capita than Turkey, Chile, or Latvia. As a result, Canadian MRI waits average over 9 weeks, adding months of diagnostic delays to months of treatment delays. Even routine diagnostic exams like ultrasounds have almost four-week waiting lists. Canada's underinvestment in medical staff and doctors, ranks it 29th out of 33 high-income countries for doctors per 1,000 populations. Having half as many specialists per capita as the US, should the lengthy wait times for specialty treatment be surprising? One recent trend in Canada is for medical providers to initiate "One issue per visit" rules that force patients to make multiple appointments, not only inconvenience the ill and suffering, but extend waits as patients work through their medical issues appointment by delayed appointment. As one doctor who follows this practice recognized, such tactics raise "a big ethical question about rationing health care in a public system" and whether patients are denied treatment as a result. Solving the acute problems of the health system has electrified Canadian politics - whether or not there should be more privatization in health care. The perennial debate over privatization has been accompanied by the other usual approaches to improving the system, including additional resources and reorganizing delivery to improve efficiency. One might argue that this time the rhetoric must lead to action, given that staff shortages have worsened working conditions for doctors and nurses and longer shifts are burning out staff. At the same time the call for more resources should be weighed against the experience of the aftermath of the "Romanow Report" that led to the six percent Canada Health Transfer Escalator that was supposed to buy transformative change in the health-care system. Yet, two decades later, we are facing a lot of similar issues - overcrowded ERs, lack of after-hours access to family physicians, waiting lists. So really, we need to rethink the administration of the health care system; we probably need a new design. But after two years of pandemic burnout and a backlog of surgeries combined with COVID-19 resurgences, how do we press water from a stone? At the same time, many health sector workers are seeking better work-life balances though not necessarily reduced compensation. The administration of health care rests with the provinces by law. The federal government provides funding but is not involved in the administration and does not have the tools to verify how the money is spent provincially. Another major problem left unaddressed is the licensing of medical professionals. The provinces make the decision on licensing the practice of professionals, including health care professionals, through the regulatory bodies. Limited licensing is now putting a brake on providing adequate health care by limiting the number of doctors and nurses. The universities, in consensus with the regulatory bodies establish the number of yearly places available in the medical schools. This may seem like a fair process, but I see it as a way of protecting the market in limiting the number of doctors performing work, thus assuring high remuneration. In practice, they make it extremely difficult for foreign trained doctors to be licensed, propagating a monopoly on the health care market by eliminating competition. If this is to change, as it must, we need the political will, understanding of the problem, and the competence to act meaningfully, both at the federal and provincial levels. The tools to do so are provided in legislation, but they must be acted on soon. Across the country Canadians are struggling with inflated wait times at hospitals, closed emergency departments, shrinking access to ambulances and long-term care, among other impacts, as the health-care system limps along. Data from the Canadian Institute for Health Information shows admitted patients across Canada waited 38.3 hours in emergency rooms in 2019-2020, up from 29.3 hours five years earlier. The total number of visits spiked to nearly 1.6 million during that time, up from just over 1.1 million. Across the nation, five million Canadians lack a primary health-care provider, when primary health care is key. If individuals can't take care of themselves, how do they avoid ending up in hospital? "We don't have enough doctors or nurses to be able to take care of all the Nova Scotians and Canadians that need access to care," Dr. Leisha Hawker, president of Doctors Nova Scotia, recently told CTV News. Doctors and nurses coast-to-coast are saying they can't keep up with the demand. Morale is at an all-time low, according to Tim Guest, president of the Canadians Nurses Association. "I would say that nurses are exhausted, they're burnt out, they're demoralized," he told CTV News. So isn't it time to reshape our health care system? Are our politicians ready? You decide.

By-law The Paradoxal Axymoron Conundrum

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. By-laws in most communities come out of necessity to mitigate between neighbor disputes. Common sense, Civic duty and respect should be the vehicle by which resolve is dispense without the need of enforcement or coercer someone into compliance. In other word. By-laws guide us to civility. In a homogeneous community, (Definition of homogeneous 1 : of the same or a similar kind or nature. 2 : of uniform structure or composition throughout a culturally homogeneous neighborhood.) Unfortunately, due to social changes, and many other influences the essence of a traditional homogeneous community is no longer the case. For this reason municipal governments create an array of by-laws to force the population to comply with basic civic responsibilities in many cases. It appears that in Oshawa. According to the wording of many of these bylaws, we have a population made up of savages, criminal, irresponsible, uncaring, illiterate according to the number of by-laws written. This in my book is wrong. 1. In most cases the by-laws on the books are confusing, set out to benefit the city and taxpayers second. 2. Most of the by-law today are antiquated, wrongly written, and very vague. Not even by legal interpretation are most of the by-laws binding. But guess what. We the ignorant eat up the threats and the orders eat it up and don’t question. I remember in conversation with Nancy Diamond over parking meters. The old mechanical ones were a municipal sham. 90% did not work. I asked Nancy. Why don’t you have them fixed. She laughed. Oh we do. But those are a million dollar cash cow for the city. Most park get a ticket and for the hassle we put them through for $20 bucks. Most people pay. We the City win. This is in principle is how the city operates when it comes to by-laws.Did you know that by-law officers can enter your property without a warrant? Did you know that by-law officers can peek in your private property windows? When I become your mayor I can assure you that we will respect your privacy. That no one will enter your property without a warrant or just cause. No one will peek in your windows. You the taxpayers will be treated with dignity, the best customer care and respect. By-law will change from an aggressive animal to an assisting and maintenance machine. Promoting civic order across Oshawa. This is our city. We must take care of our people. Look around...is it working for them? It is time for change.

Canadian National Exhibition (CNE) 2022 The Ex

by Maj (ret'd) CORNELIU E. CHISU, CD, PMSC, FEC, CET, P. Eng. Former Member of Parliament Pickering-Scarborough East Canadian National Exhibition (CNE) 2022 - The Ex With the summer winding down; quickly coming to an end, it is time to reflect on some positive things after much bad news in a world that seems to be rapidly changing for the worse. Finally, after two years on pause due to the pandemic, the Canadian National Exhibition "The Ex" is back to the delight of the people. Between August 19 and September 5, people can again enjoy the feast and relaxation before Fall starts. The fair expects to have more than 1.4 million visitors this year. The Ex has a venerable history and it is one of the most famous fairs in North America. Historically, The Ex started on September 3, 1879, and lasted for three weeks (Sundays excepted) as the Toronto Industrial Exhibition. An attendance in excess of 100,000 paid admissions and 8,234 exhibits, spelled success for the exhibition. The fair continued to grow and prosper and soon came to be known as the "Show Window of the Nation." Starting with just over 50 acres (20 ha) in 1879, the fair, situated on a parcel of land which has become known as Exhibition Place, now stretches from the Gardiner Expressway (north end), to Lake Shore Boulevard and Lake Ontario to the south, and from Strachan Avenue (east end), to the Dominion Gates (west end), covering 196.6 acres (0.796 km2) of land. In 1912, the Toronto Industrial Exhibition changed its name to the Canadian National Exhibition (CNE) to better reflect the scope and reach of the fair. In fulfilling its mandate, the CNE has featured exhibits on the latest technological advances in industry and agriculture. CNE patrons were introduced to electric railway transportation in 1883, to Edison's phonograph in 1888, to the wireless telephone in the 1890s, to radio in 1922, to television in 1939, to plastics and synthetics in the 1940s. In 1937, Conklin Shows was awarded the contract to provide amusement rides and games for the CNE midway. The company built the "Flyer" wooden roller-coaster on site as well as delivering rides and games each year for the duration of the CNE. The company continued to provide this service until 2004, at which point it merged with other leading midway operators to form North American Midway Entertainment, which continues to supply the CNE. During the Second World War, as during the First World War, the CNE grounds became home to detachments of the Canadian military. In 1939, the Royal Canadian Air Force moved into the Coliseum building the Canadian Army took over the Horse Palace and the Royal Canadian Navy converted the Automotive Building into HMCS York. During the summers of 1940 and 1941, most of the troops stationed at the CNE were re-located. Those troops remaining either continued their regular administrative duties or participated in CNE displays and events aimed at promoting the Canadian war effort. CNE officials had hoped to continue the annual fair throughout the years of the war. In the spring of 1942, however, the CNE agreed to turn the grounds over to the Canadian military for use year-round. During the military occupation of the grounds, virtually every CNE building, large or small, was put to use by the Canadian armed forces. The CNE grounds remained closed and under the control of the Canadian military until 1946. Between 1945 and 1946, Exhibition Park acted as a demobilization centre for returning soldiers. The CNE resumed in 1947. Canadians returned to the CNE to see the latest in consumer goods and agricultural advancements. The fair also remained a major hub for sporting events and entertainment. Over time, the CNE moved away from its country-fair heritage toward an increasingly modern, cosmopolitan look and feel. In recent years, the CNE has changed extensively to meet the needs of the growing and changing demographics of Toronto and Southern Ontario. The first year that the CNE was allowed to open on Sundays was 1968. In 2003, the CNE celebrated its 125th anniversary, despite the first four days of the exhibition being hampered by the Northeast blackout of 2003. In 2005, the CNE introduced a Mardi Gras parade. In 2007, the CNE was announced as a host location for Ribfest. In 2010, the CNE became the first fair in North America and the first large-scale event on the continent to achieve EcoLogo Certification. On May 12, 2020, the CNE and all associated in-person events were cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic-the first time the CNE had been cancelled since World War II. The CNE reported that this caused a loss of over $35 million in potential revenue, and $128 million in economic impact on Ontario. On May 14, 2021, due to the continued pandemic, the city of Toronto cancelled all city-led and permitted outdoor in-person events through at least September 6, 2021, therefore cancelling the CNE and all associated in-person events for the second year in a row. As revenue from previous editions are reinvested into subsequent editions, the CNE stated that "the cancellations and financial losses of 2020 and 2021 will have a consequential impact on the future of the CNE." With great relief The Ex has come back in full force for 2022 and will have many new events, that the public will enjoy after two years of isolation. The CNE this year has a very interesting program and the Warriors Day parade is worth mentioning here. It was held for the first time in 1921, extending the work of the Canadian National Exhibition, which had been hosting military parades and demonstrations since 1879. In honouring the service of Canadian men and women in the armed forces the parade is often planned to commemorate specific events. In 2015, the parade commemorated veterans of World War II. In 2017, the parade was designed to commemorate the Battle of Vimy Ridge and the Dieppe Raid. So enjoy The Ex and have a good time!

GOOD MORNING NEAL

By Rosaldo Russo Allow me to begin this column by thanking the Oshawa/Central newspaper for allowing me the opportunity and access to the press. Not to many if any allow an average person like me to tell the world what I see and think. In my opinion. The Editor/Publisher is a real upstanding type of guy. He shoots from the hip and hold traditional core values. My name is Rosaldo Russo. I came to this great country to make a better life for myself and my family. I thank Canada for everything it has allowed me to do and earn. I worked construction all my life. I know the value of hard work and honesty. I remember as a boy my father always telling me to work hard and buy land. So I did. I remember days when I did not have enough to eat. I go to work... but I did not wait for hand outs. I rounded up my pride my skill and my determination to succeed and went to work. In those days the only benefits we received was the fact we were employed. Before retiring I was the owner and operator of local material supply company that allowed me to retired without worry. Now that I have time to enjoy life. I look around me and have some concern for future generations. I see that the world is finished. I am in. I am in... Yes, I am in the municipal election. Running against a sleeping careered incumbent. It was a hard decision but one that needed to be taken. When I win I will be your Ward 1 Regional & City Councillor. A councillor for the people. Not like the current councillor that has sat idelded for God knows how many years. What has he really done for Ward 1. I was not going to run... But I seen come friday and no one was going to step forward and do what was right. I made a life of doing what was right. I don’t mind paying my taxes when I see that it is going for the good of the people. I look around me and all I see is despair. From the public health, safety, security issues to the ongoing waste of taxpayers dollars. This will stop. This City is a run away circus. It is operated like they have no common sense. Council is over opinioned, when they have no real knowledge or experience to make the decisions that they make. John Neal has had term after term to do something and has sat on his hands collecting tax payers money in the form or reenumeration. Come on buddy. I had to break my back all my life to earn what I have. I know hard work. I know what it takes to make it. I will bring this work ethic to municipal government. Wake up Neal.

Ageism: Does it Exist or Is It a Form of 'I'm a Victim!' Mentality? [ Part 2]

By Nick Kossovan Understand the employer's side. This is the second of a 4-part series dealing with ageism while job hunting. There are two sides to every story and every issue. When it comes to hiring, there's the employer's side and the job seeker's side. - Employer's side: Find the best candidate with the least perceived risks, willing to accept the compensation package being offered. (Risk aversion is why long hiring processes and numerous vetting steps exist.) - Job seeker's side: Obtain a rewarding and satisfying job that pays well. As you can see, each party is looking out for their own interests, resulting in a contradictory situation. In John Hughes's 1985 film The Breakfast Club, Andrew Clark (played by Emilio Estevez), in the library scene, sums up the end goal I'd say most job seekers and employees have: "What would I do for a million bucks? Well, I guess I'd do as little as I had to." In recent years job seekers and employees have been creating unquantified narratives that attempt to justify doing the least amount of work-and to work on their terms-for the most money. (e.g., The current 'get paid what you're worth' movement.) I find employees today are promoting the view that employers are responsible for their well-being-they expect their employer to act as their nanny. Employee-employer relationships are rarely discussed in terms of finding a middle ground, which I believe exists, in which employees look out for their employers' interests and vice versa. Where's the brainstorming on how to form a healthy "you scratch my back, I scratch yours" employer-employee relationship? Until we reach a point of balanced co-dependency, the current, growing tug-of-war between employer and employee will continue. Often, this pulling in opposite directions results in workplaces that neither the employer nor the employee(s) is happy with. Employee-employer relationships will never be 100% equal because employers create jobs and sign the paychecks for those jobs; thus, employees are income dependent on their employer. In employee-employer relationships, this dependency gives employers more leverage. (I know, this truth hurts.) Consequently, it's in the job seeker's best interest to understand the many risks employers want to mitigate when hiring and how their biases were formed. Embracing the employer's perspective will help you succeed more efficiently in the job market. Business survival requires companies to primarily focus on creating and distributing products and/or services as profitably as possible. Profits, which are needed to survive, will always remain the ultimate objective of companies, despite their efforts to disguise the profit-seeking motive through less capitalistic language. No profits = No company. The more profits, generated with the least amount of friction (READ: headaches), the better. An employer's biggest headache is managing its employees, especially with employees' growing sense of entitlement, keeping them from focusing on profit creation. It's common knowledge that payroll is the largest expense employers face. Ironically, an employer's biggest expense is also its biggest headache. Profitability is an employer's ultimate goal, while minimizing headaches and risks. Hence, employers prefer candidates who can deliver the greatest ROI for their compensation and who'll not create "too many" headaches and risks. In my last column, I wrote that hiring is choosing, a process requiring discriminating against those not chosen. Regarding a candidate's age, a hiring manager may have many risk assumptions (READ: biases). - Older candidates: Set in their ways, overqualified (Yes, you can be overqualified, which makes you a flight risk.), won't fit with the current demographics of employees/customer base, don't possess the latest-technology skills, have health issues, expect a higher salary. - Younger candidates: Don't have a proven track record of achieving results, flight risk (Always seeking better opportunities.), lack a solid work ethic, will be demanding, have a sense of entitlement. Do the presumptions mentioned above have merit? In the eyes of the employer, yes. Human psychology explains how biases are formed: Our brains are trained by our experiences. A hiring manager may be more inclined to hire candidates over 40 if they've had several "bad experiences" hiring candidates under 40. If the hiring manager has had several bad experiences hiring candidates over 40, the reverse will probably be true. Truth bomb for all job seekers, regardless of age: Never think you're "the best," you're not. Instead, aim to be the least painful option, which is a much easier target to hit than claiming and trying to prove you're "the best." Contrary to conventional psychology, most of your biases don't come from what your parents, teachers, or friends have told you, taught you or adopting their biases. Your biases come from what you've personally experienced. By understanding how an employer's hiring experiences may negatively impact their view of your age, you can take proactive steps towards addressing how your age is irrelevant, even advantageous. How? Check out my column next week. -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------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

The revival of the 'Great Reset' socialism in Canada

The revival of the 'Great Reset' socialism in Canada by Maj (ret'd) CORNELIU E. CHISU, CD, PMSC, FEC, CET, P. Eng. Former Member of Parliament Pickering-Scarborough East Sadly, I am more and more convinced that the concept of socialism in new clothing, inspired by the principles of the "Great Reset" promoted so relentlessly by the World Economic Forum (WEF), is well and thriving in Canada. This newly promoted leftist view of government differs radically from western democracy and the balanced capitalism which emphasizes limited government power, greater individual liberty and religious freedom. Besides the essentially totalitarian political nature of socialism, history has repeatedly proven it to be a philosophy which destroys economies and impoverishes people, owing mostly to its deprivation of individual freedom and private property and the creation of bloated government bureaucracies. If implemented, it will certainly bring dramatic changes to our economy and our way of life. It seems that the economic goal of the Great Reset is a two-tiered economy, with profitable monopolies and the state on top and newly coated socialism for the rest; the majority of people. The recent Covid pandemic in Canada helped to entrench this concept in our society by allowing and increasing state control over the lives of people and the economy. In the process small businesses were dramatically damaged in favor of large businesses, increasing their monopoly. Draconian government lockdown measures, purportedly for the safety of the public, in fact destroyed businesses and eliminated competitors of corporate monopolists. These policies were a dream come true for corporate socialists. Sadly, I must say, this new form of socialism is becoming increasingly popular among all ages, especially among the young in the West, who have not experienced the disasters of the socialist and communist regimes' experiments in the former East Europe. Countries where the freedom of several generations was sacrificed to two-tiered socialistic mores. In practice, this new form of socialism is a revival of a socio-political-economic philosophy closely related to Marxism and communism; in lay language, it is the wolf in sheep's clothing. It is anti-capitalistic in essence and proposes that a utopia of human prosperity can be achieved when the state assumes control of most aspects of the population's economic and social life, thereby enabling it to redistribute wealth as it sees fit to those who need it most. In Karl Marx's words: "Take from each, according to his ability. Give to each, according to his need". In Canada too many young people have not been taught what socialism really means and the dismal history of its failures wherever it has been tried. Certainly this is a result of the Left's "long march through the institutions" including colleges and universities, public schools, and the media. Marxist-inspired critical race theory is a prime example. Once confined to the classrooms of Left professors, critical race theory has infiltrated every level of government, as well as school boards and even the military with the unique scope to undermine the values acquired through centuries of our civilization. It is evident by now, that it is in our schools, where the effects of critical race theory-which teaches young Canadians to categorize their fellow citizens according to race-are most dangerous. Instead of preparing young people with a solid knowledge of science and healthy social skills in respect of building a modern and vibrant society, the elites in this country are concentrating on the science fiction of new found socialist principles in order to maintain their control and dominance over the country at all costs. In fact, it is not difficult to see that the Liberal government of Canada is daily unveiling a clear orientation for building the foundation of a strongly socialist society. The new socialism, heralded by its 'building back better' buzz words, in essence means the joint control of the state and multinationals over our lives. It bodes of a new form of a symbiotically managed economy and the replacement of markets by an administrative economy. The growing omnipresence of the state in the life of its citizens is clearly an indication of more sinister things to come. Legislation enacted for the sole purpose of curtailing basic individual freedoms is in the making in Canada at an alarmingly elevated rate. Most of our elected representatives and unelected, unscrupulous, senior public servants are willing to sacrifice our country and our sovereignty, for a globalist socialist entity in which they can continue to control the people. The mainstream media sings the praises of the doings of the Liberal government and adores socialist inspired values. This media has waged an indoctrination war on us for years, unlike any other. It is aided by our own government bureaucrats, academia, schools, and social media platforms in vilifying our history and traditions. We are clearly on our way to an Orwellian inspired society dominated by a repressive and omnipresent government, soon to be guided by a Ministry of Truth. In practice, the new, rediscovered socialist believes that the most enlightened people in society are those who are 'liberated' from 'ignorant' traditional, historically based ideas. This, they believe, makes them naturally more compassionate and therefore best-suited to redistribute wealth and justice to the people. In this new socialist's view, voting only ensures the undesirable outcome of an "unenlightened" populous being given the opportunity to put forth its inferior ideas and religious beliefs. With all this said, it is a time for a change in Canadian politics. If not derailed, I believe a Conservative government led by Pierre Poilievre will be able to change this course of events. It is time to return to our well established Canadian values for the sake of our future generations. What do you think?

Pasta Fasul

By Rosaldo Russo Allow me to begin this column by thanking the Oshawa/Central newspaper for allowing me the opportunity and access to the press. Not to many if any allow an average person like me to tell the world what I see and think. In my opinion. The Editor/Publisher is a real upstanding type of guy. He shoots from the hip and hold traditional core values. My name is Rosaldo Russo. I came to this great country to make a better life for myself and my family. I thank Canada for everything it has allowed me to do and earn. I worked construction all my life. I know the value of hard work and honesty. I remember as a boy my father always telling me to work hard and buy land. So I did. I remember days when I did not have enough to eat. I go to work... but I did not wait for hand outs. I rounded up my pride my skill and my determination to succeed and went to work. In those days the only benefits we received was the fact we were employed. Before retiring I was the owner and operator of local material supply company that allowed me to retired without worry. Now that I have time to enjoy life. I look around me and have some concern for future generations. I see that the world is finished. For the Italians reading this. You know what Pasta Fasul is all about. Most us Italians had Pasta Fasul at one time or another. For non Italian. Pasta Fasul is what we all are. Basic Italian comfort food. The most basic things in life teaches us the most important lessons. In modern times it appears that fancy dress, fancy cars and fancy talk makes a person. In reality it does not. The one’s that truly have wealth are normally the cheapest and dress the most modestly. Society treats us as if we all belong in a huge human plate of Pasta Fasul. No matter the ingredients and their individual flavors. At the end of the day we are what we are. A basic staple. Humans. When the elite disagree across borders they call on the Pasta Fasul to go fight their wars. When there is a national tragedy or catastrophe who bares the brunt of the impact the Pasta Fasul. Sure that it take more than one bean to make Pasta Fasul. And it takes many different ingredients to make it savory. Unfortunately, Pasta Fasul is just that Pasta Fasul. Numbers in a sea of numbers, awaiting for that all mighty bingo caller to pull our number and then. It is up to the gods to eat us and digest us. Transform us to a bigger plate of Pasta Fasul in some cosmic heavenly body. Government love Pasta Fasul. As they know how to feed it to us and how to manipulate our taste (opinion) our flavors (thoughts). We can simmer all we want. We can even attempt to blend in with other ingredients to make a difference. At the end we are nothing but Pasta Fasul’s on the wall. To recite/assimilate Pink Floyd . Salute. By Rosaldo Russo Allow me to begin this column by thanking the Oshawa/Central newspaper for allowing me the opportunity and access to the press. Not to many if any allow an average person like me to tell the world what I see and think. In my opinion. The Editor/Publisher is a real upstanding type of guy. He shoots from the hip and hold traditional core values. My name is Rosaldo Russo. I came to this great country to make a better life for myself and my family. I thank Canada for everything it has allowed me to do and earn. I worked construction all my life. I know the value of hard work and honesty. I remember as a boy my father always telling me to work hard and buy land. So I did. I remember days when I did not have enough to eat. I go to work... but I did not wait for hand outs. I rounded up my pride my skill and my determination to succeed and went to work. In those days the only benefits we received was the fact we were employed. Before retiring I was the owner and operator of local material supply company that allowed me to retired without worry. Now that I have time to enjoy life. I look around me and have some concern for future generations. I see that the world is finished. For the Italians reading this. You know what Pasta Fasul is all about. Most us Italians had Pasta Fasul at one time or another. For non Italian. Pasta Fasul is what we all are. Basic Italian comfort food. The most basic things in life teaches us the most important lessons. In modern times it appears that fancy dress, fancy cars and fancy talk makes a person. In reality it does not. The one’s that truly have wealth are normally the cheapest and dress the most modestly. Society treats us as if we all belong in a huge human plate of Pasta Fasul. No matter the ingredients and their individual flavors. At the end of the day we are what we are. A basic staple. Humans. When the elite disagree across borders they call on the Pasta Fasul to go fight their wars. When there is a national tragedy or catastrophe who bares the brunt of the impact the Pasta Fasul. Sure that it take more than one bean to make Pasta Fasul. And it takes many different ingredients to make it savory. Unfortunately, Pasta Fasul is just that Pasta Fasul. Numbers in a sea of numbers, awaiting for that all mighty bingo caller to pull our number and then. It is up to the gods to eat us and digest us. Transform us to a bigger plate of Pasta Fasul in some cosmic heavenly body. Government love Pasta Fasul. As they know how to feed it to us and how to manipulate our taste (opinion) our flavors (thoughts). We can simmer all we want. We can even attempt to blend in with other ingredients to make a difference. At the end we are nothing but Pasta Fasul’s on the wall. To recite/assimilate Pink Floyd . Salute.

Ageism: Does it Exist or Is It a Form of 'I'm a Victim!' Mentality? [ Part 1]

By Nick Kossovan Get over your victim mentality. Be honest with yourself. This is the first of a 4-part series dealing with ageism while job hunting. Many job seekers, young and old, play the ageism card. This card, sometimes along with others, is used to avoid accountability. People look for excuses when they don't get what they want or feel entitled to. "This happened to be because…" "I'm not getting opportunities because…" Egos sabotage job searches. Egos kill careers. Egos create narratives that create limiting beliefs and that biggest turnoff of all, a sense of entitlement. The truth is everyone has an "ism," sometimes several, which either needs to be overcome, spun as a strength, or simply accepted. Another truth: Employers have the right to do what they feel is best for their business-to protect their self-interest. When you lose any sense of feeling entitled-that you're owed-most of your self-limiting beliefs disappear. As a result, you see there are opportunities all around you, with one caveat-you must earn them. Your age, gender, sexual orientation, political ideology, religion, race and what you believe doesn't play as significant a role in an employer's hiring decisions as you've been led to believe. However, this doesn't mean the workplace is a level playing field. In a holistic sense, the workplace was never intended to be a level playing field. How can it be when every employer's survival depends on generating and maintaining revenue? Every employer-employee relationship is based on what every business needs to survive: creating a profit. Thus, understandably employers place a higher value on employees whose work directly impacts their revenue (generates, reduces costs, increases efficiency, retains customers) than on employees whose ROI isn't easily quantifiable. Since all employers are profit-seekers, job hunters who demonstrate an undeniable track record via their result-oriented resume and LinkedIn profile of influencing their previous employer's bottom line rarely encounter perceived "isms." As regular readers of my column know, I base my pragmatic job search advice on four truisms: 1. Employers don't owe you anything and aren't responsible for keeping the workforce employed. 2. Employers own their hiring process. Employers define their culture and therefore have the right to hire whomever they want. 3. Applying to job postings is equivalent to playing the lottery; you're expecting a stranger to hire you. 4. Job seekers tend to overestimate their value to employers. (Rare is the employee who can quantify their value to their employer.) All "isms" exist because of a perceived risk. When it comes to ageism, which undoubtedly exists for ALL AGES, a candidate's age isn't the issue. (READ: concern) The various "risks" that are believed to come with the candidate's age, whether 33 or 53, is the issue. A hiring manager may assume older candidates are less technologically savvy, want a higher salary, or have health issues. In contrast, the same hiring manager may assume younger candidates, especially recent graduates, don't have enough experience, are too demanding of employers, or don't have a strong work ethic. There are hiring managers who prefer young candidates, and there are hiring managers who prefer mature candidates. Long overdue is a non-judgmental conversation if perceived "age risks" are valid. Job seekers conveniently forget that when the hiring manager green lights a candidate, the entire company sees their hiring decision. From the hiring manager's perspective, you can see that minimizing hiring risks and being seen as competent when it comes to hiring are reasonable goals. Hiring managers are human and therefore, without exception, incorporate their biases into hiring decisions, hoping to minimize hiring risks. Hiring is choosing. Choosing requires discriminating against those not selected, which means there's an architecture to all "isms," especially when it comes to an across-the-board "ism" such as ageism. We all have one undeniable commonality, everyone gets old. This human fact makes ageism ironic. One day, the hiring manager practicing ageism will be the candidate's age or was once the candidate's age looking for a break. Aging is a natural part of life. It's not a problem to be solved. It's a blessing to grow old gracefully while enjoying relatively good health. Who doesn't hope to live a long and healthy life? What's never discussed is what's keeping ageism alive-other "isms" have their own reasons for staying alive-and what, if anything, can be done about it. Such a discussion requires looking at the employer's side of the hiring process, which I'll discuss in my next column. Maybe it'll start that long overdue conversation I mentioned earlier. For now, I'll leave you with the following truism: Employers are risk averse (more so these days). Therefore, when job hunting, no matter your age or whatever "ism" you believe you have against you, always present yourself as the least risky hiring option.

WE WON

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. I know it may be a little premature to claim a win... but practice makes perfect... One thing for sure, good will always prevail over evil. The Good vs Bad complex has been with us both in society and within our own psychological being since the beginning of time. I call it a win for the people of Oshawa. Ever since we published that front page expose, with a huge ‘ZERO TOLERANCE’ sign as shown in the picture here. The city has dropped the automated message that warned of the same and possibly dropped the use of such exclusive, aggressive and anti-customer service. There are many positive changes that with your help we can achieve. We the people should always come first. Our city will change from and institution ran by staff. To a corporate entity ran by the CEO and his upper manager/board members. Primarily Mayor and council. We have to restructure. Regroup and develop a clear vision of where we are going to go. We will take back the OPUC. An entity that has ran away from the people of Oshawa. Our rates are out of reach for some. Yet, the board of management at the OPUC feels they can invest our money without consultation. WE THE PEOPLE OF OSHAWA OWN THE OPUC. We are over paying millions a year so that the OPUC can have reserves. So that then they can turn around and invest on whose authority? Our current mayor. Don’t think so. Doubt he knows where the OPUC is. WE THE PEOPLE OWN THE TRIBUTE CENTRE. Why are we forced to pay almost $650,000. a year to keep that place going? Was it not bad we wasted through the OPUC 50 million to erect one of southern Ontario biggest white elephant. But now we are forced to pay for the mistake of city official for upkeep and maintenance. I can assure you. That these are two of the many issues that we need to address quickly as out of those to entities we the people of Oshawa can save millions. Millions that can be used to create program for downtown business so that they may save on their hydro bill. Create program for those less fortunate and charge them according to what they can afford. No, in Oshawa we paint everyone with the same brush. Who gets hurt? You and I. As for the Tribute Centre. Let’s turn that into a cash cow or look at selling it. We don’t need a deficit of that king for years to come. What has the Centre management been doing all these years? Jobs, will be on the line. Produce or step aside and let someone who can get us out of the debt. NO MORE DEBT. NO MORE WASTE. NO MORE EXCUSES.

China's economic rise and the specter of a new world order

by Maj (ret'd) CORNELIU E. CHISU, CD, PMSC, FEC, CET, P. Eng. Former Member of Parliament Pickering-Scarborough East As we bask in our few precious months of summer sunshine, it might benefit us to take a moment to look at China and the rapid rise of its ambitions to replace the hegemony of the dollar. China is a new hotspot in the world economy, and it has achieved this status in a few short decades by transforming itself from a poor planned economy to a gigantic market-oriented economy. It has enjoyed continuous rapid economic growth resulting from a combination of domestic economic reforms and open trade policies. China seems to have learned quickly from the collapse of the Soviet Union and adopted a new form of communist rule; let's call it market communism. China's GDP per capita passed the US$10,000 benchmark in 2019; and two years later reached US$12,551, surpassing the world's average (estimated at $12,100) for the first time in 2021. As the world's second largest economy, China's gross GDP is on the way to overtaking the US by 2030 at the latest, according to the International Monetary Fund (IMF). It is important to note that China's economic development has produced several hundred million middle class consumers, an important driving force in consumption of quality goods and services. China has become the world's largest trading nation, the largest goods trading partner for over 130 countries and economic entities and one of the largest investors. In 2020, China became the largest global investor for the first time-accounting for 20.2% of global foreign direct investments. Along with economic power comes political and military power, and China, being well aware of this, has a plan. Over the years we have seen the rise and fall of the British Empire and the Soviet Union as superpowers with only the United States still clinging to superpower status. There are indicators that define the characteristics of a country as a superpower. Today, China is seen as a candidate to unseat the United States as the world superpower because of the remarkable progress it is making, culminating in dominance in the international arena. China's economic boom and the expansion of its military have caught the attention of the world. Its recent closeness with Russia and cooling relations with the United States are indicators that something will soon happen on the international scene. In my personal opinion China's rise to relevance on the international scene will certainly result in a global hegemony challenge as it competes with the United States in expanding its global reach. The question is, will China's rise wreak havoc in the United States and the World as we know it, and will the United States be able to counteract it? This is a good question to which we do not know the answer. Let us hope that cooler heads prevail and a potential global conflagration can be avoided. Where does Canada find itself amidst these global upheavals? Certainly, it is sandwiched between these two powers. Furthermore, recent developments indicate that under political pressure from the US and the latest political tensions with China, Canada is not in an enviable position. The ability to change our situation will require a good deal of political skill which seems to be absent from our political leadership at the moment, as internationally, it is focused exclusively on the war in Ukraine. China is now Canada's second largest trading partner in goods, with recent annual trade (imports plus exports) valued at around CAD$75 billion. However, that economic relationship has been under considerable pressure since Canada-China diplomatic relations went into a downward spiral after December 2018. Despite the increasingly securitized nature of international relations in a multipolar world, evidenced most recently by the Trudeau government's decision to ban Huawei from its 5G network, for the moment China remains an important economic partner for Canada. Developing an effective Canadian strategy for future engagement with China would be desirable, constructive and indeed necessary for Canadian businesses. Such a policy would allow for making long-term decisions with respect to the soon-to-be-largest world market in a region that is fast becoming the global geo-economic centre of gravity. To achieve this, one must have an informed picture of China's global economic outreach, the current state of Canada-China economic linkages, and a savvy political skill. Pursuing a superficial strategy centred on eventually decoupling with China based on fake factors appears fanciful at best and counterproductive at worst. It is certainly short-sighted considering that both Canada and China have avidly participated in and benefited significantly from global trade in the past. China's economy is targeting a growth rate of 5.5% in 2022, which is much higher than many other developed countries that will eventually face a recession due to the energy crisis generated by the conflict in Ukraine. China's ability to cushion through global economic disruptions has proved to be an important skill, unmatched by any of the group of 7 most developed countries. China will continue to be the world's largest trading nation, with its economy projected to overtake the United States in a few years. More parts of the world will see China's footprint more strongly than ever before, and its large middle-class population will continue to present good business opportunities to the world's intelligent businesses. The world is rich with different paths for governance and models for economic growth. Differences in culture and tradition manifest themselves in various social norms and value systems. While the existing common regulatory standards provide the foundations of a rules-based international order, navigating and managing inevitable cultural differences remains very important for bilateral economic engagement. The ongoing high inflation in the West, including Canada, and the negative economic effects caused by the sanctions on Russia pose a real threat for an imminent global recession. As the world's second-largest economy, China's relatively stable environment to produce and grow in today's world will continue to be an important mitigating factor. Although new and unforeseen concerns exist regarding the closeness of China's relationship with Russia following the war in Ukraine and the recent tensions with the US in relations with Taiwan, it remains important for Canada to maintain relations with China. Canada needs to show resilience in today's international order by maintaining open and deepening trade linkages, which would have the added benefit of mitigating the risk and the magnitude of a global recession. Having a productive and healthy engagement strategy with China will remain important for Canada for economic opportunities. The future will tell if Canada will be able to do so. What is your take on it?

THE WINDFIELD FARM PARADOX

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. Municipal elections are upon us. As such we must weight our choices wisely. The future of our city is on the line. As a young man in Oshawa living in Ward 1. I have first hand recollection on what matters to those living in our ward. It appears that election after election the same faces sit in council. Taxes keep going up and quality of life appears to slowly slipping. For these and many other reasons I decided to put my name in and with your help make a difference. I want to bring municipal government back to the people. I have heard from many of you the hardships of getting anything done or even a phone call from the current councillors. My heart goes out to all of you that are left waiting. I can assure you that when I am elected to office. Your phone calls will be priority one. Your concerns will be at the top of my agenda. If I can’t find an answer or solution I will assure to consult with my colleagues and get the result you require. Recently, It has been brought to my attention the concern over the development wave coming from the south. Primarily the wave of town homes and cookie cutter developments. As your ward representative I will fight hard to assure you that development plans will assure that our farm lands are protected. That our privacy as homeowners are at the forefront of any consideration of future developments. Traditionally, poor planning and the political desperation for statistical gains has rapped our farm lands. Look at the fiasco with the Windfield farm lands alone. A property with significant historical value. Tored down. Plowed over and a mega city erected. I think this was a huge mistake. I would have opted for a more beneficial outcome. I would have kept Windfields farm property as a major tourist attraction. Maintain the integrity of the historical importance. Bring in tourist and allow them to race on actual horses. To build a hotel facility in order to accommodate tourist. I would have had a track built on the property in order for people in the industry to come and enjoy the splendor of a great historical asset. No, instead our municipal government has allowed for some petty developers to come in and build developments that will only become a liability to the city. A liability, due to the fact that we the people will have to pay for fire trucks, equipment to cater to these close developments. Not to mention the cost of policing. Close proximity housing has proven to become heavens for crime. Not to mention the ongoing battle with rodents. In the last five years the rodent problems has hit a fever pitch. The sighting of coyotes. These are not a problem that will go away. These are signs of the poor planning by the city we call home. I as your new councillor will assure you that can count on me to find solutions to these and many other problems. I will listen to your concerns and addressed them accordingly. My phone will always be open. We can’t function as a municipality if we can’t work together. Problems are only problems if we fail to find solutions. We need change in Oshawa. We need change in our ward. With your help, I will bring the right change to our ward and our city. Thank You.

Moving on Requires Letting Go of Your Ex-Employer

By Nick Kossovan Moving on quickly from being let go is essential to maintaining your career trajectory. It is a waste of time, and mental energy to dwell on the past and wish what happened didn't happen. Everyone has a few "ex-employer." I don't know anyone who hasn't lost a job involuntarily. Many of my friends have lost more than one job. The government's handling of the pandemic led to millions of Canadians losing their jobs they considered reasonably safe. The pandemic taught all employees, regardless of how they weathered it, these hard truths: - You don't own your job. - Without any notice, your job could disappear. With the pandemic slowly receding in June, Canada's unemployment rate reached a historic low of 4.9%. However, even with a buffet of employment opportunities to pick and choose from, many job seekers still find themselves unable to secure the employment they desire. This can be due to poor communication skills, lack of a professional network or an unprofessional image. It can also be due to a mental barrier I often see among unsuccessful job seekers; an ongoing emotional attachment to their former employer(s). Holding onto the expectations built around your experience with your previous employer(s) hinders you from moving on-to minimally disrupt your career trajectory. There are 6 steps to moving on after being let go. 1. Accept the fact that your job is over. 2. Give yourself time to mourn. 3. Reflect. (Perhaps your ex-employer did you a favour.) 4. Forgive. 5. Decide to be happy. (Happiness is a choice.) 6. Adopt a mindset of being open to new possibilities. Many job seekers will disagree with the following statement because it doesn't fit their "I'm a victim!" narrative: Being let go is rarely personal. Whatever the reason, showing you the door was a business decision-you were no longer needed. When fresh out of a romantic relationship, it's not wise to compare your dates with your previous relationship. You'll prolong the process of finding a good match if you evaluate your dates against your ex. If you didn't initiate the breakup, then comparing a potential future partner against your ex is being closed-minded. You're seeking someone who emulates the person who once played an important role in your life, which will at the very least frustrate you. The same can be said for finding your next employer. Since no two employers, or bosses, are alike, it's counterproductive trying to replicate your ex-employer/ex-boss. Not letting go of your ex-employer can lead you to ignore jobs outside the industry you've built your career in. As well, when job opportunities don't match your previous employment's schedule, compensation structure, or brand cache, which you were proud to be associated with, you'll tend to pass over them, thus not exploring "the possibility." Job seekers who secure their next job quickly have put their previous employer behind them and are open to trying something new. All of us have heard stories about relationships spawned by, "He wasn't even my type but-." The word "but" tells us that unexpectedly good things can happen in unexpected places. When you apply "but" to the job market, you click on those job posts with an unfamiliar job title and give the post a good read. For every person who scrolls past a job posting because they feel unqualified, another equally unqualified person will apply. They understand they'll have to prove (sell themselves) that they can do the job. If this doesn't sound like the employment version of approaching someone out of your respective "dating league," I don't know what does. In our ever-hyper-changing world, where you and I as consumers keep demanding cheaper, job loss is inevitable. Though the signs that your employer will soon be conducting layoffs are often visible, it's difficult to predict with certainty if and when it'll happen. All you can hope for is that you have a good run with your employer. (In 2022, 5 years with the same employer is considered a "good run.") Certainly, nobody expected to lose their job due to a worldwide pandemic. Involuntary departures are never easy, especially if you enjoyed your boss, job, co-workers, and that oxymoron called a "steady paycheck." The trick is to manage these lapses in employment, which will inevitably occur throughout your career, confidently and strategically. (TIP: Keep your LinkedIn profile up to date and network constantly so that when the inevitable happens, you can start job searching ASAP.) Compared to your previous employer(s), your next employer will: - Look and feel different. - Have different expectations, policies, and procedures - Have a different "culture." - Probably take you out of your comfort zone. As a job seeker, you'll be in a great frame of mind if you accept these points and leave your ex-employers in the past, where they belong.

PASTA - BREAD & WINE

PASTA - BREAD & WINE By Rosaldo Russo Allow me to begin this column by thanking the Oshawa/Central newspaper for allowing me the opportunity and access to the press. Not to many if any allow an average person like me to tell the world what I see and think. In my opinion. The Editor/Publisher is a real upstanding type of guy. He shoots from the hip and hold traditional core values. My name is Rosaldo Russo. I came to this great country to make a better life for myself and my family. I thank Canada for everything it has allowed me to do and earn. I worked construction all my life. I know the value of hard work and honesty. I remember as a boy my father always telling me to work hard and buy land. So I did. I remember days when I did not have enough to eat. I go to work... but I did not wait for hand outs. I rounded up my pride my skill and my determination to succeed and went to work. In those days the only benefits we received was the fact we were employed. Before retiring I was the owner and operator of local material supply company that allowed me to retired without worry. Now that I have time to enjoy life. I look around me and have some concern for future generations. I see that the world is finished. The most basic things in life teaches us the most important lessons. Take for example the relationship between Pasta, Bread and Wine. Simple foods. Staple foods that work together to bring about a great culinary experience. Who does not enjoy a good plate of pasta with a fresh piece of bread and a drink of wine. Ah, that is what life is all about? When you look at these three things. They in their own are just three foods. But together they become a great culinary experience. Hu. Why can’t we as people be the same. Even though we are all equal. We all come from all kinds of different backgrounds. I remember a time when all the bread stayed with the bread, the pasta with the pasta and the wine with the wine. In modern times it appears that in our quest to blend one in to the other that we have lost the value of each. As a society we need to acknowledge bread, pasta and wine. We need to work together to make life a worth while experience for all. We must keep in mind that even though our differences. Together we are great. When you look at the youth of today. In the all me, me, mentality. They are missing the essence of the bread, pasta and wine experience. It is sad to think that in our quest for something we loos the flavors of that of which is the root to our being. Humanity can’t go on as it is. We need to bring appreciation for the pasta, the bread and most importantly the wine. Salute. I ENDORSE JOE INGINO FOR MAYOR OF OSHAWA IN 2022 VOTE INGINO