It Starts with Your Cover Letter's First Paragraph

 It Starts with Your Cover Letter's First Paragraph
By Nick Kossovan
  You may recall in an earlier column I stated whether requested or not, not including a cover letter is lazy. Most hiring managers don't hire lazy, thus the importance of including a cover letter.

A cover letter is a one-page letter (no more than 250 words) whose job is to get the reader to read your resume, as well as persuade why you should be interviewed. At this stage of your job search, focus on getting interviews, not on getting a job offer. Job hunting is a step-by-step process.

Warren Buffett gives the following advice in Gillian Zoe Segal's book "Getting There: A Book of Mentors" - "Focus on your communication skills." His reason, "What's essential is being able to get others to follow your ideas." Persuasive writing displays strong writing skills; a skill employers value. Above all hard skills, I value communication skills the highest. I gravitate to candidates who show such skills.

Remember, the reader will not be reading; they'll be skimming. It's paramount you start with how you can add value to the employer.
TIP: Paste your cover letter into Hemingway App (www.hemingwayapp.com). This free app will assist you in making your writing concise and clear. As well, it'll highlight lengthy, complex sentences and common errors.

After you greet the hiring manager (by name), you'll begin your cover letter's first paragraph. This is where the rubber first meets the road - you'll be introducing yourself. Either you'll grab the reader's attention, and they'll keep reading and open your attached resume, or they'll click on the trash icon.
I've read more than my share of boring cookie cutter cover letters. Most didn't inspire me to keep reading after the first sentence.
Your opening paragraph doesn't need to be extravagant. Keep it simple and straightforward. State why you're writing, the position you're applying for and how you found out about the job opening.

Almost all job seekers start their cover letter with, "I'm applying for X job I saw posted on Y place." This is a waste of a cover letter's most valuable real estate. Lead with a strong opening sentence!

EXAMPLE 1 (simple, to the point):
"I'm an IT professional with more than 15 years of experience looking for an opportunity to apply my skills in new ways. I'd love to bring my expertise and high energy to your growing development team at Sirius Cybernetics Corp."

EXAMPLE 2 (show enthusiasm):
"I'm excited to see Clampett Oil is hiring an event manager who's skilled at increasing brand awareness and driving growth with high-traffic events. I've attended several of your company's speaking events. Their high calibre impressed me. With five years of experience coordinating events in the corporate world, I'm confident I'd be a great fit for the role."

EXAMPLE 3 (show your results):
"Last quarter, I increased Gringotts Instagram followers from 6,377 to 11,633. I also executed two successful ad campaigns that generated over $28,000 in revenue. I'd love to bring my social media expertise to Oscorp as your next social media manager and expand your social reach and deliver above-average ROI."

EXAMPLE 4 (mutual connection):
"When Alex Johnson, a former colleague, told me you were hiring for a Director of PMO, I knew I had to apply. Alex and I have worked together for many years, most recently on a complex data analysis project at Oceanic Airlines. He believes I'd be a good match for this position on your team."

TIP: It's worth the effort to find or create a connection within the company you're applying to and bring it to the hiring manager's attention. Mentioning a connection will set you apart from the other applicants. This is the reason why those who understand the value of networking land the plumb jobs.

An eye-catching first paragraph will be descriptive and robust. Action words such as "generate," "deliver," and "execute" will make your opening stronger.
Next week I'll discuss your cover letter's second paragraph, which is your sales pitch. I like to start with, "Let me draw your attention to two reasons why I'd be a great addition to (your team, your department, ABC Inc.)." For now, list 5 - 6 reasons, qualified, why an employer should hire you.
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

CAN WE AFFORD TO GIVE AWAY 17.7 MILLION?

 

CAN WE AFFORD TO GIVE AWAY
17.7 MILLION?
By Joe Ingino
Editor/Publisher

“I live a dream in a nightmare world”   

    I don’t know about you.   But I keep seeing and hearing of all the people undergoing economic hardships across the region.  Stores keep closing, people keep loosing jobs, mortgages and hope.  
  It seems as the gloom and doom cloud can’t be shaken.   On top of that we could be yet be facing another wave of the Delta variance.
How much more can the people of Canada take.   I must admit that the Federal government has been quick to respond by extending numerous plans to assure everyone in need gets some sort of assistance.
Sadly many people I talk to do not know that they are entitled to apply or for that matter even know how to.
Others get entangled in red tape only to become discouraged and given up.
This week a news item came across my desk.  It read:  Canada donating 17.7M AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccines amid global disparities.
Canada continues to rapidly ramp up vaccinations against COVID-19 but there remain stark inequities in vaccine access globally, the WHO has warned.
  Now don’t get me wrong.  Nothing wrong with being generous and giving.... but should we not be thinking about our people first?
We have a record number of homeless people walking our streets.  We have a record number of people loosing their homes, jobs.   Should we not invest that money in our people?
I know the cry.  The government is doing all they can to assure people do not go without.
I can respect that.  My question is then why the need to give away 17.7 million that could go as a top up to those in need?
This covid thing is not over.  The number are being managed but the threat is still very real.   
I must acknowledge that in th covid model it appears that we found a magic bullet with possible two outcomes.  On the one.  It appears to have an impact on the spread of the virus.  On the other we are yet to uncover the true and real side ramifications of all jumping in front of the silver bullet.
 Will it hit its mark or will it end up killing us.   Did we just prolonged life only to come to realize that the cure is worst than the infection.
The theorist amongst us are already ramping up all kinds of things from the coincidence of the G5 network implemented across north America at the same time as everyone is being forced through fear of illness to vaccinate with nano-tech activator as inhibitors.   The reality of it is.  That we need to assure we Canadians lives quality of life is preserved and that before we give away any money in the name of charity or humanity to other nations, that we Canadians are taken care.

Canada's long hot summer

 Canada's long hot summer

    by Maj (ret'd) CORNELIU E. CHISU, CD, PMSC,
FEC, CET, P. Eng.
Former Member of Parliament
Pickering-Scarborough East
   As election rumors are becoming more and more persistent from the appointment of a new governor general to a flurry of spending announcements, an early Canadian federal election is now quite a foregone conclusion.

The polls are looking good for the governing liberals and NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh can ask the prime minister to hold off for another two years, but no one is ready to listen.  Across the country, parties and candidates are gearing up for the fight that's palpable in the summer heat. Apparently out of the Covid-19 pandemic scare, it seems that temptations are running high for a federal election.

The only question is when the election will be called. As parliament is not sitting non confidence votes are not on the horizon and only the Prime Minister can call the election.

Still there are many factors at play besides looking good in the polls.  There is the vaccine rollout, and regional issues including the Alberta referendum on equalization, scheduled for Oct. 7 and an imminent election in Nova Scotia.

The rules in Nova Scotia for an election campaign are, first, the vote will be held on a Tuesday and, second, the campaign must be at least 30 days long. So, if the Premier of Nova Scotia, Iain Rankin, drops the writ any time up until and including this week or the next, that implies an election day of August 17 in Nova Scotia at the earliest. His decision is almost certain to have an impact on any decision Prime Minister Justin Trudeau might make about the timing of the country's 44th general election. Trudeau and Rankin, both leaders of Liberal parties, are very close to each other and in close contact.

Let's assume then that Trudeau will call the general election at his first available opportunity after Aug. 17.
The rules for the federal campaign are, first, the vote will be held on a Monday and, second, the campaign must be a minimum of 36 days long.
So that implies that the earliest date for a federal election would be Sept. 27, with the federal writ drop sometime between Aug. 18 and Aug. 22.
Regardless of what he ultimately decides to do, the Prime Minister isn't going to announce his intentions until he's en route to Rideau Hall.

Another issue working in favor of an early federal election is the fact that Alberta Premier Jason Kenney and Ontario Premier Doug Ford, both deeply unpopular at present, may dampen federal Conservative Leader Erin O'Toole's support. Having Kenney preaching the evils of equalization while O'Toole is trying to drum up votes in Quebec is a real Liberal dream, as is reminding Ontario voters of their government's chaotic and ill-received pandemic response.

To add to the cause is the implosion of the Green Party, which is still busy playing knife-the-leader. Even if the party gets it together, much damage has been done, with voters potentially turned off and turning away. The question is who will benefit most if their 6.5 per cent of the 2019 vote slips away: the NDP or the Liberals?

So as the politicians speculate and the Prime Minister weighs all these considerations, seeking to score a coveted majority, Canadians are busily getting back to their almost-normal lives. In politics, as in post-pandemic life, it seems, everything old is new again.

While the liberals are basking in all these good news for them, the official opposition, the conservatives, are not doing so well.
The official line in Conservative circles is: Don't panic. Campaigns matter, a week is a long time in politics, remember what happened to David Peterson, etc…
However, it is becoming clearer by the day that the Conservatives are lacking leadership. Certainly Erin O'Toole's approval numbers must be dismaying to Conservative supporters. Just 14 per cent of respondents in the latest Nanos poll picked him as their preferred prime minister, versus 37 per cent for Justin Trudeau - and 18 per cent for Jagmeet Singh. With a rudderless party and a weather vane leader what can you expect?

In terms of policy on many of the most important issues of the day, Conservatives have either had nothing to say or have really actively just antagonized voters they might otherwise have reached. You cannot lead by issuing only motherhood statements. You need to have new and innovative ideas and take a strong position on what you believe to be traditional conservative policies - free markets, lower taxes, balanced budgets - and promoting and defending it with vigour. More broadly, under Erin O'Toole's guidance the Conservative party seems to have lost its nerve becoming an amorphous entity in danger of losing badly in the next election; reminiscent of the Liberal loss in the 2011 election under the leadership of Michael Ignatieff.

Moreover, while the Liberals, have always been able to recruit individuals with a record of accomplishment in other fields, the Conservatives unfortunately tend to get stuck with the lifers, people who have never done anything but partisan politics and are motivated by nothing other than hatred of the Liberals and detached from the real life and concerns of citizens. That attitude has given a bigger opportunity to the new nascent People's Party of Canada to stand up to the real conservative values.

So the imminently upcoming federal election will be an interesting one and do not forget to vote for the best people to represent you.

Have a wonderful and covidless summer

Turning Point

 Direct Answers
from Wayne & Tamara

Turning Point
Q I am a 36-year-old woman. I purchased a home with my husband five years ago. Shortly after, things went downhill, just like my first marriage. He didn't pay attention to me, I was lonely, and I felt so unloved and unwanted.

     My husband’s son from a previous relationship was living with us at the time ,and he had friends who would frequent our house. One in particular I became close to. Eventually we started spending a lot of time together.

     I thought I was crazy because I felt more than I should have, seeing as he was only 16 at the time and I was 32. The age of consent here is 16.

     We began to flirt, then the big thing happened. We started to be intimate. I fell for him and he fell for me, and we have been together since. Until recently that is. He started saying cruel things about our age difference.

     He doesn’t want to let go, and I definitely don’t want to either. I hurt so bad inside because I really do love him. I have been separated from my husband on and off through the last four years. I don’t believe I can save my marriage due to the strong feelings I have for this young man.

     I need advice because all the people I know wouldn’t know what advice to give. I am confused and feel so all alone.
Debbie
A Debbie, forty years ago V. C. Andrews published Flowers in the Attic, her first novel. Critics were not kind. One called the book “deranged swill.”

     Andrews specialized in tales of forbidden love, forbidden acts, and family secrets. Some of her characters were without conscience, without morals, and without character. Some of her stories leave you with a feeling of yuck. But the books were page-turners.
     Your story has the potential to be a page-turner, too. It also has the potential to leave you with a feeling of yuck.
     The plot of your life is simple. A lonely young woman seeks love. She marries twice, but neither marriage gives her what she wants. She wants to be the center of a man’s world. Perhaps she was so hungry for love she thought each day would be like the day she got engaged.
     But new car smell doesn’t last forever, especially with the wrong man.
     Still craving to be loved, she starts looking at the boys who come into her home. Deep down, she knows that is just convenience.

     But she goes forward with one of them. He goes forward too, not because he loves her but because he loves having sex with her. He is too immature to think beyond that.
     Now, like a vintage V. C. Andrews novel, your plot is stretching toward the forbidden.
     Debbie, perhaps the level of attention you need cannot be sustained by a man. But the bigger question is what are you doing to make yourself feel important, valuable, and useful?
     The plot of your life has the potential to make you a villain. And while it is true that every good story needs a villain, there will be little comfort for you in becoming one.

     Then again, maybe you are the victim in the story, because you were never schooled in the right routines of life. But being a victim will not give you comfort either.

     We want you to be the heroine of your own story. However, every good story must have a turning point, where the heroine takes a stand and alters the course of her life. The turning point in your story entails divorce, separating from a young lover, and getting professional help.
     There is a memorable story told about Mohandas Gandhi. Gandhi was on a train at a station. As the train began to pull out, a reporter came to the window and asked Gandhi for a message he could give to his readers.

     As the train moved slowly away, Gandhi wrote something on a piece of paper and handed it to the reporter. On the paper, Gandhi had written, “My life is my message.”
     What message do you want to send with your life?
Wayne & Tamara                                             write:  Directanswers@WayneAndTamara.com

Finding Truth in Science is a Moving Target

 Finding Truth in Science is a Moving Target

 W. Gifford-Jones, M.D. and Diana Gifford-Jones
Having a good debate about matters of your health is not a bad thing. As has been said, “It is better to debate a question without settling it than to settle a question without debating it.” But recently, having a difference of opinion has become too closely associated with the polarized politics that is endemic in many countries. People have lost their sensibilities amid noisy pundits arguing nonsense about facts and fake news.
So if you do not know who to turn to for the “truth”, you are not alone. And maybe you are chasing in the wrong direction.
In the old days, there were fewer authorities holding credible and accessible medical knowledge. Research was bound in books, and it was the “good doctor” who held a monopoly on the practice of medicine. Well trained, experienced and distinguished, it was customary that the doctor could explain disease symptoms and treatments with confidence, clarity, and compassion. Patients could trust the doctor for medical expertise and outstanding judgment in the face of difficult decisions.

Today, even the wisest polymaths on the planet cannot compete with the computing powers that effortlessly generate big data, crunch statistics, run algorithms, and deploy artificial intelligence that can predict problems before they occur. The volume of published research is growing exponentially. To boot, an upheaval in communications has multiplied the sources of good and bad information for patient and doctor alike.

Some old lessons stick. In 1902, Henri Poincare, the French mathematician published Science and Hypothesis in which he argued the absolute truth of science is non-existent. He wrote, “Experiment is the sole source of truth. It alone can teach us something new; it alone can give us certainty.” To appreciate his point, one needs to understand the purpose of research.
The Lancet, one of the world’s leading medical journals, stated nearly a decade ago, in a 2012 editorial on medical research, “Truth in its purest form is rarely apparent. Results are presented not as facts, but as probabilities and uncertainties. The job of medical researchers is to ensure that these probabilities and uncertainty margins are robust—a task that is contingent on the pursuit, not of truth, but of methodological rigour.”

Still, people want answers to their questions. But before jumping to conclusions based on the latest YouTube video or Facebook post, or even the statements of esteemed public health authorities, have a look at the objectives of the research they cite, the questions that have been posed, the quality of methodology, and the communication of findings.
Be cautious about interpreting findings from medical research as rigid facts. The perspective of a statistician will differ from an ethicist when looking at the same experiment. Ask the director of a clinical trials unit if the objective is finding truth. The response will be an emphatic no. Clinical trials are about evaluating an intervention to weigh effectiveness in a controlled experiment.

Reviewing the detailed parameters of research is not a practical pursuit for most. Selection and synthesis is the job of the journalist – and now the public too. People need to be far more discerning in their assessment of information. This means, don’t expect absolutely certainty in the answers to medical problems. Rather, accept that finding truth in science is a moving target. Bertrand Russell, a British Nobel laureate and a champion for freedom of opinion, wrote, “When a man tells you that he knows the exact truth about anything, you are safe in inferring that he is an inexact man.”

For comments, contact-us@docgiff.com.
Follow us on Instagram @docgiff and @diana_gifford_jones
Sign-up at www.docgiff.com to receive our weekly e-newsletter.

Are You Missing Life's Moments Because of Social Media?

 Are You Missing Life's Moments Because of
Social Media?
By Nick Kossovan

Recently my wife and I watched the movie Before Sunrise [1995], starring Ethan Hawke as Jesse and Julie Delpy as Celine. While travelling on a Eurail train from Budapest, Jesse, an American, sees Celine, who's French. It's Jesse's last day in Europe before returning to the US. Jesse strikes up a conversation with Celine, and they disembark in Vienna to spend the night wandering Austria's capital city.
Summary: Before Sunrise is a back-and-forth conversation between a romantic [Celine] and a cynic [Jesse].
During the closing credits, I turned to my wife and said, "That wouldn't have happened today. Jessie and Celine would have been staring at their respective smartphone throughout the train ride, which in 2021 would have free Wi-Fi, not noticing the passing scenery, their fellow passengers or each other, let alone start a conservation."
How much of real life are we trading to participate in the digital world?
I have this problem; actually, it's more of an addiction I need to keep in check constantly. I suffer from FOMO [Fear of Missing Out].
You've probably heard of FOMO. Odds are you suffer from it to a degree. FOMO is that uneasy feeling you get when you feel other people might be having a good time without you, or worst, living a better life than you. FOMO is why social media participation is as high as it is. FOMO is why you perpetually refresh your social media feeds, so you don't feel left out-so that you can compare your life. FOMO is what makes social media the dopamine machine it is.
FOMO has become an issue, especially for those under 40. More and more people choose to scroll mindlessly through their social media feeds regardless of whether they're commuting on public transit, having dinner in a restaurant, or at a sports event. Saying "yes" to the digital world and "no" to real life is now common.
Your soulmate could be sitting a few seats over on the bus (or Eurail train), or at the diner counter, or in the doctor's waiting room. However, you're checking your social media to see if Bob's vacationing in Aruba with Scarlett or if Farid got the new job and may now be making more money than you. Likely, your potential soulmate is probably doing the same.
Look around. Everyone is looking down at the screen in their hand, not up at each other.
We all know Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Snapchat, et al. [even LinkedIn] doesn't provide a very well-rounded picture of people's lives. Most of what people post is cherry-picked to elicit self-affirming responses, such as likes, thumbs-up and hand-clapping emojis, retweets, shares, and those coveted comments of "Congratulations!", "Way to go!", "You're awesome!", "Looking good!"  
The Internet, especially its social media aspect, equates to "Look at me!"
Sometimes I wonder, if bragging and showing off were banned on social media sites, how much would posts decrease?
"Stop paying so much attention to how others around you are doing" was easy advice to follow pre-Internet (the late 90s). Back in the day, it would be only through the grapevine you were a part of that you found out if Bob was in Aruba with Scarlett and that be without pictures. Evidence of how others are doing, strangers included, is pervasive because undeniably, most of us care about status. In 2021 how people are doing is in the palm of our hands, so we tend to give more time to the device we're holding at the cost of neglecting the real-life happenings within our immediate surroundings.
Social media has made us a restless, anxious bunch underappreciating the present moment. With lockdown restrictions lifting and more social activities taking place, people will be hunkering down on their smartphones more than before to see what others are doing. They'll see the BBQ they weren't invited to or people they consider to be friends having a few laughs on the local pub's patio or camping or at the beach without them. Loneliness, questioning self-worth, depression will be the result.
Trading engaging with those around you to feed your FOMO angst is what we've come down to. In my opinion, Guildwood is the GTA's most walkable neighbourhood. You can choose to take walks around Guildwood, getting exercise, meeting people or stay addicted to the FOMO distress social media is causing you.
Instead of catching up with an old friend or colleague in person over lunch, coffee, or a walk in Guild Park & Gardens, people prefer to text or message each other on social media platforms eliminating face-to-face interactions. Instead of trying to reconnect with old friends verbally, people would rather sit at home with their technology devices and learn what their friends are up to through social media platforms, thus the start of a slippery slope towards anti-social behaviour.
Social media's irony is it has made us much less social. How Jesse and Celine meet [you'll have to see the movie] and the resulting in-depth conversation they have as they gradually open up to each other, thus beginning a postmodern romance wouldn't have happened today. They'd be too preoccupied with their smartphones feeding their FOMO addiction to notice each other.
Social media will always nudge you to give it attention, but that doesn't mean you have to oblige. Take it from me; there's more to be had in enjoying life's moments outside of social media.
Nick Kossovan is the Customer Service Professionals Network's Director of Social Media (Executive Board Member). You can reach Nick at nick.kossovan@gmail.com and him on Instagram and Twitter @NKossovan.

INTEGRITY COMMISSIONER HAS TO GO

 INTEGRITY COMMISSIONER
HAS TO GO
By Joe Ingino
Editor/Publisher

“I live a dream in a nightmare world”   

    I been following city hall now for 25 years.    To me it appears that the more times passes, the less representation we seem to have.   Politicians sit in office term after term and nothing seems to really improve in our daily lives.
   Since the acquisition of an integrity commissioner.  It appears that even less gets accomplished by elected council... as the commissioner appears to be the inhibitor of progress due to the lack of understanding of what it truly means to be a councillor is for new inexperienced elected councillors.
   Councillor turn the integrity commissioner for advice and for direction.   That should not be the role of the commissioner.   Rookie councillors that have no real municipal experience and no real understanding of what their responsibility in that  job is are in my opinion mislead and directed to do nothing in the fear of reprisal by the commissioner.
   As it stand the City of Oshawa is run by staff.  Staff that does not have any interest in the development of the City other then keeping the status quo and their good paying jobs.    They hide behind the integrity commissioner when challenged or asked to do something outside of their job description.  This is wrong.  Staff are staff that should be there to assist and make the process go faster for citizens.  Councillors are mid managers that represent the interest of the Citizens.  The Mayor is the Chief Executive Officer and has the responsibility and power to over turn staff without consultation.   Council is like a public toilet.  They bring the issues there because our city elect have in many cases no clue what to do.  So they kick issues around ask for staff input and in a half wit way they vote... not on projected plans or ideologies but on what everyone else thinks is good.  This is wrong.
The Commissioners role as specified:  While the Integrity Commissioner’s independent investigative role is extremely important, it has been observed that the investigation of potential contraventions is a last resort.  Ideally, members should act ethically and in compliance with codes so that a contravention never occurs.  To this  end, the Integrity Commission plays a vital  “proactive” role, providing advice and guidance to promote ethical compliance across  the Region and the local municipalities.   As it stands and in my opinion.  Councillor are the under the impression that they have no power other then the vote on council.  citizens have turned to councillor for help.  Only to not have their phone calls returned... and or referred back to staff.  That is  not the proper protocol.   The practice protocol is implemented due to the fact these particular council members have no clue on the importance and power in their positions.  So they refer folks back to staff that truly do not go out of the way of ratepayers as they will not jeopordize doing anything other than their jobs.  This has got worst year by year.  The Commissioner needs to go and council members need to pull up their boots and represent citizens in a positive way.

Challenging times for Canada's democracy

 Challenging times for Canada's democracy
    by Maj (ret'd) CORNELIU E. CHISU, CD, PMSC,
FEC, CET, P. Eng.
Former Member of Parliament
Pickering-Scarborough East
  The latest accelerating events connected to the residential school generated crisis, amplified by toppling and destroying statues of historical figures and the churches burned down represent a new trend on the political landscape of Canada. All these atrocities are happening with the political establishment closing their eyes to recent events and the total absence of law enforcement.  How is democracy served or protected by the selective application of democratic rights already curtailed by the erratically established Covid -19 pandemic legislation?
Our nationhood is under threat by recent events. Instead of uniting the nation the political establishment is dividing it in pursuit of selfish and power hungry personal interests. They are interested only in keeping power at all costs.
The globalist declaration of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau that: "Canada has no core identity" is already infamous.   
As a reaction of this declaration many of the political establishment found it imaginative, evocative, even dangerous.  It was, in effect, telling the world that the Canada everyone thought they knew was going through a transformation. What kind of transformation is the big question.
It's clear we are in a dangerous moment, one where a new direction is entirely possible under a reincarnation of newly found Marxist values and where going back to learning from the past seems unacceptable.  
Trudeau informed the New York Times that this "new" country is no longer defined by our history or European national origins but by a "pan-cultural heritage," he ran the risk of overlooking much of what made this country one of the most respected in the world and the results were seen recently in events that rapidly evolved in a divided nation.
We might be heading in a new direction, but where we have come from, despite our many failures, has helped prepare us to preserve a society for inclusion and respect for our fellow Canadians.
We have been more open than closed and more accommodating than militant and the world noticed and respected it.
Recently the term "identity" has morphed into numerous meanings, including "identity politics," and the outcome is more dangerous and dividing than tried to be defined.  
The ideals that once held this country together are now under increased threat.  It's not wrong or unpatriotic to ask how Canada will fare with so many groups seeking recognition and redress, all seeking action at the same time. Is this new identity politics going to push us past the national breaking point?
The main political parties in Canada, with the exception of the emerging Peoples Party of Canada, seem to embrace this dangerous threat to democracy. There is a general acknowledgement that the issues surrounding the residential schools, gender inequities, the casual acceptance of racism, even the trivial manner in which we treat the nation's poor can no longer be accepted and have tainted the very history we have come to accept.  But this does not mean that we should extirpate our history instead of learning from it.
All of these artificially amplified injustices actually give support to Trudeau's claim that Canada is now a "post-national" state, a globalist one, one seeking to transcend its history and supersede the nation-states.  But that sounds more like we are trying to run away from our history rather than accommodating these new directions with our abiding long applied resiliencies.
Until recently, our political world was viewed as a giant struggle between the left and the right.  The left concentrated on wealth disbursal, meaningful work, equity and equality, and democratic reform.  The right rallied around smaller government, fewer restrictions in the marketplace and moral rigour in decision-making.
Suddenly, a new concept has entered the picture, seeking to eliminate past experiences and rejecting the very foundation of this nation called Canada.
Identity is now the great pursuit of the moment and dominates the thoughts of people seeking something different, something more equal.  It makes some sense, given that all these identity-driven forces were most often ignored in our past pursuits of prosperity and respect.  
The confluence of greater indigenous experience and wisdom integrated in our future evolution can only be a good thing since they are a constituent part of our nation. Greater recognition of women's rights and proper place in the workforce is long overdue, as is the acknowledgement that the discrimination of various types that had been present in our past need not be embedded in our future.
But the fact remains that we should remain a nation a special one where we continue to live in peace and prosperity.  We have a story to tell and a world in which to tell it. Should we become a land of opposing factions seeking recognition, we can risk being motivated more by anger and pride than reason and compromise.
The Canadian experience, while never complete, can be torn apart in a time of ill motivated political ambitions. So it is time to have an intelligent political management in paying due respect from all Canadians towards each other if we are to navigate the unchartered waters ahead.
The recent identity politics is becoming more and more a disturbing and manipulative element in a democracy with its competing ideas.  It remains every group's right to seek equal recognition for the groups that have been neglected in our history. However great care must be taken that such a desire not morph into a sense of superiority and ruin the democratic pursuit of our nation.
Democracy has been improved and enhanced the more egalitarian it became which required those in privilege and power to open the access to such things to the marginalized.  But it can become toxic when those seeking inclusion then seek power to delegitimize the state.
So for of the potential challenges we live at this moment in time and, if we are not paying attention as citizens, it can quickly become one of the most dangerous moments in our country's journey, where our hegemony declines and our divisions rule our actions.
What do you think?

The Foibles of Money

 Direct Answers
from Wayne & Tamara

The Foibles of Money
Q I am a career banker with a nice little sideline as an investor. My style is not high risk with bitcoins, penny stocks, and the like. I try to buy the best companies when they temporarily stumble.
 I try to advise others. When my aunt would call and ask, “What do you have for me, son?” I was able to help her make some money.  I have not had results that were as good with my best friend. I was helping him run some money, and at the one-year mark, he had a 95% return; $8,000 turned into $15,600. His portfolio was doing better than mine on a percentage basis, because he was far more aggressive and less risk averse than me. Even so, we could have done better if he had listened to me.  The thing is I advised him to sell one position, or at least one part of it, in which he had a big gain. He and his wife love the industry and she would not let him.

 This stock is down. One stock he bought without us talking, and another he bought against my advice. Now, the $15,600 is down to $13,800. At one time, he was holding cash from a stock sold for a gain. I said sit tight until we find a bargain, but that cash was burning a hole in his pocket. Why?  I advised my younger cousin to buy a pot stock that I have a huge gain in. He researched the industry, and told me he bought another one just like mine. But he lost his ass on the one that was “like mine”. Why? It reminds me of an old episode of The Mary Tyler Moore Show (showing my age here). Lou Grant was losing on football bets with his bookie. Then, he began winning using Ted Baxter’s system but it wasn’t any fun anymore.

Lou then bet his entire  bankroll on the Super Bowl, even though Ted’s system did not allow for any bet on the Super Bowl. Lou lost but was happy. It was fun again.
What part of human nature is this? Is it just a guy thing, because my aunt did not have it?
Cameron

A Cameron, let’s talk about your aunt first. Her attitude is, “Money is good, it makes my life more secure, and listening to Cameron is way easier than laying bricks for a living.” She doesn’t care if she is betting on the guy with the hot hand or betting on a guy smarter than the rest. She just wants the money. We would call her a realist.

Then there are your cousin and your best friend. We have a general comment about them. When you realize people usually act from their most base nature, it becomes easier to understand their behavior. Your cousin wants a sense of mastery. He wants to control something. Investing successfully will give him that feeling, the feeling of a do-it-yourself project done well.
He’s also troubled by FOMO, the fear of missing out.  “Cameron had fantastic success betting on a Canadian marijuana stock. How hard can it be? The sector is booming. I don’t need due diligence. I simply need to throw my hat in the ring so I don’t miss out.  “But I want my own pick, so when I get my big win, it isn’t due to Cameron.”

     In addition, if he felt you were bragging, he feels envy (he wants to possess what you possess), threatened (my mastery is in doubt), and competition (I’ll show that smarty pants Cameron). Then there’s your best friend; money burns a hole in his pocket. That sounds like the itch of the gambler. It’s the excitement! Your friend and his wife “have a good feeling” about an industry, the way some people have a good feeling about “sectors” in a casino. They prefer poker to blackjack or craps to slots. Much of their preference is simply good, old-fashioned greed. They want to take advantage of your advice, but they still want more. However, your best friend and his wife haven’t made any money yet. Their chips are still on the table. It won’t be money until they cash out.   
  And honestly, if you examine your own motives, you feel possessive about their winnings, as if they are losing your winnings. What would you like? You’d like your little ducklings to follow you and thank you for their success.
     People are funny about money. Some are more likely to tell you about their sexual life than about how much money they make. When it involves money…money often doesn’t have a bonding effect on relationships, it has a breaking the bond effect.

     What’s in it for others in giving you credit? For most people, the answer is nothing. Your guidance becomes their savvy decision to invest their money.

     That goes back to our first premise. When you realize people usually act from their most base nature, it becomes easier to understand human behavior.
Wayne & Tamara                                             write:  Directanswers@WayneAndTamara.com

Fixing the Leak of Untold Incontinence

   Fixing the Leak of Untold Incontinence

 W. Gifford-Jones, M.D. and Diana Gifford-Jones
 Fixing the Leak of Untold Incontinence
Urinary incontinence is one of the most common problems of aging. It instills, needlessly, the prospect of embarrassment and a fear of leaving the house. Comedians quip, "If you don't know when you need to go, by the time you find out, you've already gone!" But in fact, it's no laughing matter when a sneeze, cough, or even just standing up causes urine suddenly to leak through your clothes.
Stress incontinence occurs when pressure in the urinary bladder is greater than the ability of the muscles to hold back the flow of urine. In men, it may be associated with aging, or the result of a radical prostatectomy for cancer of the prostate gland. For women, it's often due to repeated pregnancies and the strain on pelvic muscles during labour.
Urge incontinence is the issue when you feel a sense of panic. "I've got to go quickly to urinate or I'm in trouble." The sudden, intense urge to urinate is followed by an involuntary loss of urine.
The risk factors include obesity, which increases pressure on the bladder and surrounding muscles, and smoking, where continually coughing exerts stress on pelvic muscles.
Constipation is another factor. Grunting and pushing with bowel movements of hard, compacted stools further injures pelvic muscles and causes nerves to become overactive, which increases the urge to urinate frequently. Taking 2,000 milligrams (mg) of vitamin C at bedtime triggers results. If it does not, increase to 4,000 the next night. Then eat a high fiber cereal and a hot drink in the morning. A bowel movement will follow. As a cardinal rule, don't ruin your colon with laxatives.
Making changes in lifestyle can help to ease this problem. Decrease caffeine, alcohol and other diuretics. Stop smoking. Avoid acidic foods.
Remember dams that leak must be strengthened. So do exercises. Imagine trying to pick up a marble and hold it using the muscles in your pelvic floor. Do this eight times several times a day and continue daily for three months. Remember Rome wasn't built in a day. This simple procedure usually improves incontinence as it bulks up pelvic muscles surrounding the urethra (the tube that carries urine to the outside) and helps to stop dribbling of urine. If the muscles have become so weak that they fail to respond to this exercise your doctor may suggest electrical stimulation to trigger muscle response.
Artificial bulking agents made of biocompatible material are available to help improve urethral function. A cystoscope is inserted into the penis or vagina and the bulking agent is injected around the urethra. This may take two or three sessions to get the required result. But results are not as good in males who have had a radical prostatectomy.
If all this fails, surgery will be suggested. For women this usually means a vaginal operation, but some surgeons prefer an abdominal one. A sling operation is currently the most effective. The rationale behind this surgery is quite simple. By placing a sling under the urinary bladder, it will not only be lifted, but the procedure will also change the angle, decreasing the loss of urine.
For males with significance urinary incontinence who have had a radical prostatectomy, an artificial urinary valve can be inserted which closes the valve on a continual basis. But it can be opened by a small pump implanted under the scrotum skin.
Urinary incontinence is called a "closet problem". After all, who wants to admit they wet their pants. But too many North Americans suffer from this disorder in silence, when they should be getting help.
Visit www.docgiff.com for health tips and more. For comments, contact-us@docgiff.com. Follow us on Instagram @docgiff and @diana_gifford_jones
Sign-up at www.docgiff.com to receive our weekly e-newsletter. For comments, contact-us@docgiff.com. Follow us Instagram @docgiff and @diana_gifford_jones

Addressing Your Cover Letter to the Right Person Is Vital

 

Addressing Your Cover Letter to the
Right Person Is Vital
By Nick Kossovan
    A well-written cover letter, which is non-negotiable if you're a serious job hunter, starts with your header and a greeting an actual person.
Most job postings don't indicate a name to whom you send your resume. Application instructions are usually along the lines of clicking on an 'Apply Now' button or a website link. Ever-increasingly rare: "Please email your resume and cover letter to Gia at hr@tonyspizza.ca."
Personally, I think employers purposefully omit the hiring manager's name/contact information. They want to see which candidates have the hunger and ingenuity to find the hiring manager or department head's name, office address and contact information. With the Internet, especially LinkedIn, you don't require Sherlock Holmes investigative abilities to locate such information. Therefore, not doing so shows laziness and is an easy way to have applicants self-select themselves.
A clear signal of an employer wanting to have candidates self-select is when the posting mentions to whom the role reports to (Reporting to Chief Revenue Officer). This is an indicator to see which applicants will make the effort to find the person's name/contact information and reach out to who may be their future boss.
Look at hiring from the employer's view. Say a nation-wide furniture retailer posts on LinkedIn, Indeed and Glassdoor a Merchandise Planner position. The posting instructs applicants to apply on the company's website. Conservatively, given today's job market, this posting will attract between 400 to 600 applicants. What percentage of applicants do you figure will include a well-written cover letter, even if instructed to do so?  
Sadly, lazy job searching is common and what clogs up employers hiring pipelines.
As I've mentioned in previous columns, but worth repeating, you need to maximize your job-hunting activities by making sure you're stacking the odds of getting a "yes" to move forward in the hiring process in your favour.
There have been times when I posted a job online, instructing to apply through the company's website, and received around 400 applicants. Those applicants who reached out to me got my attention, and I gave their resumes a serious read. Unless detrimentally unqualified, those who reached out to me got an interview invitation - they'd demonstrated initiative, which I value in an employee. I wouldn't be hazarding a guess if I stated, "Employers like to see initiative."
With the above, the head-scratcher is I always mention my name and job title in my job postings, yet still few contact me directly which makes my which applicants to invite for an interview decision much more manageable.
NOTE: Always follow the employer's application instructions. After having applied accordingly, then reach out to the hiring manager. In your cover letter, indicate you've applied (I applied to the Principal Technical Analyst position posted on Glassdoor. This role speaks directly to my skill set and experience. I hope to be part of the hiring process, thus why I'm reaching out to you directly.) and then move into your cover letter.
You want your cover letter's heading/greeting to be:
Ms. Betty Cooper
Vice President Marketing
Gringotts Wizarding Bank
4305 Pine Street
Breton, AB T0C 0P0
Re: Customer Service Representative Opening [Ref. ID: CS300-Breton]
Dear Ms. Cooper:
Finding the hiring manager or department head's name, office address, and contact information is usually simply a matter of entering the company name and some keywords (Acme Inc., head of operations, sales) into the search bar of LinkedIn (start here). Then, after you've tried Google, try various search engines such as Yahoo, Bing, DuckDuckGo and Ask.com. Respective search engines use different search algorithms; therefore, a search of "Adrian Dobrow, Director of Finance, MomCorp" on Yahoo will yield different results than Ask.com.
TIP: When emailing your resume, your cover letter needs to be in the body of your email, not as an attachment. The purpose of your cover letter is to get the reader to read your resume. Having your cover letter in your email body will significantly increase the odds that your cover letter being read and giving it a chance to do its job.
Next week I move onto how to craft the first paragraph (introduction) of your cover letter by grabbing the reader's attention with 2 - 3 of your top achievements.
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.

REMEMBER WHEN

 

REMEMBER WHEN

By Joe Ingino

Editor/Publisher

“I live a dream in a nightmare world”

Remember when national pride stood for something? Today national pride may have you label with some sort of neurosis according to the over opinionated politico/socio correct entities in society.

Remember when you could drive in a gas station and up to two attendants would come over to service your car. One would put in the gas, the other check your oil and offer you coffee or tea. In many cases they be wearing overalls and a tie. They took pride in their work. To be a gas station attendant had some prestige. How about the days when you would go from gas station to gas station collecting the many free glasses and mugs they would offer with a fill up in the 60’s and 70’s.

What has happened that in today’s modern society. We have to pre-pay a person hiding behind a bullet proof plastic box.

Remember the days when water was free, or we thought as the cost would come out of your property tax. Until someone decided came up with the bright idea that in order to save money we should amalgamate with the region. The region turns around and cries wolf. This creating another sub tax for citizens to pay in the name of convenience and long term savings.... in reality. The Region was the seed that grew an out of control cash monster.

Look at what you pay for property taxes on your property. Then ad up all your regional bills. Water and sewage. You are paying two hefty taxes across Durham region.

The biggest mistake Oshawa has committed due to incompetent municipal elect is join Durham Region. Oshawa always the hated municipality due to it’s ignorance over the fact that they thought they could rule other municipalities out of sheer size. Smaller municipalities had no choice but to abide by whatever Oshawa wanted. Oshawa had the biggest industry. The bigger tax pool and the only City.

Well slowly inch by inch the neighboring municipalities brought Oshawa down to size by slowly imposing further and further charges.This was due to Oshawa constant surrendering of it’s essential services. Municipal elect time and time again kept getting and are still getting suckered into the thought that the region is good for Oshawa. To me the region is chocking Oshawa. Oshawa no longer has GM. The new folk moving into the area have no clue. Today the region has control over Oshawa. For Oshawa to pull away from the region it would be costly at first. A political nightmare for anyone attempting it. As it stand we have no real municipal representation. Those elected do not have the aptitude to make the changes needed. Let me ask you this. What has really changed since the last election. Our downtown is worst then it ever was. We still have no real good paying jobs. I wish I could remember when. As back in those days. We had national pride. We had true leadership. Can you remember when...

Canada Day 2021

 Canada Day 2021
    by Maj (ret'd) CORNELIU E. CHISU, CD, PMSC,
FEC, CET, P. Eng.
Former Member of Parliament
Pickering-Scarborough East

    This year is the 154rd anniversary of a country still called Canada. Mired by the dark shadows of history and still in the mist of the Covid-19 generated pandemic we need to remember that we are still Canadians and be proud of it. As we reflect on past events from the beginning of the year, we hope that this year Canada Day will finally bring the nation a glimmer of hope and a better half for the remainder of 2021.

Let's take a moment to consider the incredible contributions made by Canadians throughout our history. Their efforts have helped to make the country what it is today; a country of vibrant cities and strong rural communities. Canada is a place where cultural freedom still flourishes, and Canadians from all backgrounds are still free to express themselves and help our country prosper despite recent tendencies to deny that.

Successive waves of immigrants from France, Ireland, Germany, the United Kingdom and other countries together with Indigenous people have helped to forge our nation's unique character. Through their efforts, our communities have become a distinct part of the Canadian identity which we need to preserve rather than deny. We should honour this legacy while we also recognize that we can do better in the future. Let's be proud of our combined anglophone and francophone heritage and seek a strong and constructive cooperation with our Indigenous people for a better Canada.

Canada was not born of bloody conflict.  It emerged from a lengthy process of brainstorming about practical matters, of negotiations, proposals, and legislative ratifications.

On July 1, 1867, the Confederation of four Canadian provinces created our country and with the inclusion of Lower Canada - now Quebec - it ensured from the outset that Canada would be a blend of two nations, two cultures and two languages. The acceptance of both civil and common law systems is a factor that still makes Canada a helpful player on the international scene.  And from the outset, religious tolerance was Canada's only option.

The enactment of the British North America Act, 1867 (today called the Constitution Act, 1867), which confederated Canada, was celebrated on July 1, 1867, with the ringing of the bells at the Cathedral Church of St. James in Toronto and "bonfires, fireworks and illuminations, excursions, military displays and musical and other entertainments", as described in contemporary accounts.

On June 20 of the following year, Governor General the Viscount Monck issued a royal proclamation asking for Canadians to celebrate the anniversary of Confederation.  However, the holiday was not established  statutorily until May 15, 1879, when it was designated as Dominion Day, alluding to the reference in the British North America Act to the country as a dominion.

The holiday was initially not dominant in the national calendar; any celebrations were mounted by local communities and the Governor General hosted a party at Rideau Hall.  No larger celebrations were held until 1917 and then none again for a further decade-the gold and diamond anniversaries of Confederation, respectively.

Canada's centennial in 1967 is often seen as an important milestone in the history of Canadian nationalism and in Canada's maturing as a distinct, independent country, after which Dominion Day became more popular with average Canadians.

Some Canadians were, by the early 1980s, informally referring to the holiday as Canada Day, a practice that caused some controversy. However, with the granting of Royal Assent, the holiday's name was officially changed to Canada Day on October 27, 1982. Canada Day coincides with Memorial Day in Newfoundland and Labrador, with memorials typically held in the morning of July 1.

As the anniversary of Confederation, Dominion Day, and later Canada Day, was the date set to commemorate a number of important events.

It was the first national radio network hookup by the Canadian National Railway (1927).

It was the inauguration of the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation's cross-country television broadcast, with Governor General Vincent Massey's Dominion Day speech from Parliament Hill (1958) and the flooding of the Saint Lawrence Seaway (1958);

It was the first colour television transmission in Canada (1966); the inauguration of the Order of Canada (1967); and the establishment of "O Canada" as the country's national anthem (1980).

Other events fell on the same day coincidentally, such as the first day of the Battle of the Somme in 1916, shortly after which Newfoundland
recognized July 1 as Memorial Day to commemorate the Newfoundland Regiment's heavy losses during the battle.
.
Our nation is facing great challenges today, as never before. These include the coronavirus pandemic, the issues related to a dark spot on our history related to the infamous and ill-conceived residential schools, an economic downturn, high unemployment and social unrest. Let us again show that we support each other. This community spirit is one of the most admirable characteristics of being Canadian.

On July the 1st let's celebrate our country's achievements and use them, not our failings, as a foundation to build a better and a brighter future together.

Let's celebrate our unity and our treasured country.

Happy somber Canada Day!

Prison of Her Own Making

 Direct Answers
from Wayne & Tamara

Prison of Her Own Making
  Q I’ve never tried this before, but what the hell. A few years ago my husband of 10 years left me out of the blue. It was awful for my sons and me, though it was not a happy marriage. He was verbally and mentally abusive, and I went into an angry shell. I changed from the happy person I once was into this monster. When he left I realized it was the best thing he could have done for me. It was hard to meet people, so I tried online dating. I met two great guys. I let dating go on way too long because I couldn’t let go of either one. It was selfish of me and wrong, but I never wanted to hurt anyone.
Well, they found out. One left, never to be seen again. One stayed, but with a price. It has been over a year now and he won’t let it drop. He says he will never trust me enough to marry me. But it’s also like I am carrying his cross for the rest of the girls who screwed him over.
 I keep jumping through hoops, and nothing seems to work for him or please him. He is a hard man to deal with. He is a cop and has an awful mouth. Most of the time, it is all his way or nothing at all.
 My friends say dump him, I’m too good for him, I don’t need this, and I don’t deserve it.
 I feel I made a terrible mistake, and I am so sorry. But enough is enough. What do you think? Am I wasting my time?
Zena

A Zena, you couldn’t make up your mind between two men. The better one left, as well he should have, because he knew you didn’t see him as the right one for you.
The second man saw you as his opportunity. He judged you as not good enough. He’s a cop and he’s been around the block. You proved yourself untrustworthy, and he deals with untrustworthy people every day. He knew how to treat you, so he put you in his cuffs.
You seem to attract abusers, and this cop is your first husband all over again. Your husband did you an enormous favor by leaving you, yet now you are desperate to marry the same sort of man.
 Nothing predicts that the two of you will ever have the healthy relationship of two people in love with each other. He thinks you are not good enough for him, and you know he will never marry you. How is that not your answer? But your letter isn’t about love. It’s about trying to rescue yourself from what you did. You basked in the attention of two men, stringing them along. Now you hope to deny the reality of what you did by triumphantly landing one of them.
No one wants to be in a competition like that. That’s why people are careful their employer doesn’t find out when they are looking for another job. They know employers might fail to promote, or even fire, someone who is disloyal.
You are loath to admit that neither man was right for you. You hoped one of them would be, because that was better than the alternative—going back to the dating site and starting over again. But love is not a competition. Love is not an auction. Rewarding the highest bidder is the opposite of love.
The first man thought, how could she love me if she was trifling with him? His honest heart got a shock. The second man is a foul-mouthed bully. He wasn’t even your choice. Treat this as a lesson learned. Trust is difficult to earn. It can be lost in an instant and lost forever.
Wayne & Tamara                                             write:  Directanswers@WayneAndTamara.com

Eat Healthy Without Breaking the Bank

  

Eat Healthy Without Breaking the Bank

 W. Gifford-Jones, M.D. and Diana Gifford-Jones
 How would you like to have a cart full of healthy foods and still save money? Anyone who does the grocery shopping will tell you, it is more expensive to buy the ingredients for a healthy diet like vegetables, nuts, fruit and fish than the refined grains, processed prepared foods and meats of an unhealthy diet. Is there a way to buy healthy and keep costs down?

Dr. Dariush Mozaffarian, Professor of Nutrition at the Tufts Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy, emphasizes that it is worth spending the time to spend your grocery dollars wisely. “We have seen again and again that people who eat more fruits and vegetables have a lower risk of heart disease, diabetes, cancers and other chronic diseases.”
His colleague, Dr. Jeffrey Blumberg, notes that planning makes a big difference in the food budget. He says, decide what you need for a week’s meals and buy only those items. Try to incorporate healthy meals that advantage of store deals. Build meals around items you already have in your pantry, and plan menus that are suitable for cooking extra portions that can be easily reheated for another meal.
Blumberg adds, look into the refrigerator to make good use of the things you already have. For items that have a long shelf life, buy bulk. Remember, when buying perishable foods consider what you will use promptly and freeze the rest.
Avoid purchasing ready-made meals. They are invariably more expensive than buying the ingredients.
There’s also a myth that organic selections are more nutritious than conventional counterparts. Dr Alice H. Lichtenstein, professor of nutrition and science policy, also at Tufts, says all fruits and vegetables (whether fresh, frozen, cooked or raw, organic or conventional) are health promoting choices from a nutritional standpoint.
Another misconception is that gluten-free foods are better for health than those that contain gluten. But Dr. Mozaffarian says replacing refined wheat products with refined rice and corn products may have some health gains but also possible harms. Gluten-free diets, according to studies at Tufts, were significantly lower in protein, magnesium, vitamin E, dietary fiber and higher in calories that most people do not need.
The point is that unless you are in the one percent of the population that suffers from celiac disease or the six percent that are thought to have non-celiac gluten sensitivity, there is no need for gluten-free foods. Save your money.

A few years ago, researchers showed that, on average, it cost $1.50 a day more to choose healthy foods when shopping in a supermarket. They also wisely suggested that you could save that much by saying “no” to coffee, dessert or some other goodie. These savings translate to better health for individuals and tremendous savings for families and governments in terms of health care expenditures down the road.
Finally, consider the impact of smarter shopping in terms of food wastage and environmental concerns. It is estimated that 30 to 40 percent of the North American food supply goes unconsumed every year. That is a matter of disgraceful waste and economic inefficiency. But the amount of food and food packaging that terminates unused in landfills is also an environmental problem that industry, governments and consumers all share. As consumers, when you shop, make a point of refusing to buy products in excessive or nonrecyclable packaging.
While there are still big challenges around easy and equitable access to nutritious and affordable food, you can take steps toward smarter shopping. In this uncertain world, remember this sage advice: a dollar saved is also a dollar earned.
Sign-up at www.docgiff.com to receive our weekly e-newsletter. For comments, contact-us@docgiff.com. Follow us Instagram @docgiff and @diana_gifford_jones

Don't Underestimate What Your Cover Letter Can Do

  Don't Underestimate What Your Cover Letter Can Do
By Nick Kossovan
Hopefully, you've been reading this column religiously. If you've been implementing my suggestions, you'll now have a stellar resume and LinkedIn profile. Congratulations, you're almost ready to conduct a serious job search. Yes, I said "almost."
With fingers-crossed, hoping the answer will be "No," every job seeker asks: Is a cover letter necessary?
Do hiring managers read cover letters in 2021? Not all of them, but many, such as I, still do.
Whether the hiring manager reads your cover letter shouldn't be your focus. Your focus should be, why take a chance? In previous columns, I've mentioned there's no universal hiring methodology; thus, there's no hard rule a cover letter is essential; however, why wouldn't you want to give yourself every competitive advantage possible?
A cover letter will never be held against you by a hiring manager who doesn't read them, but for those who do, not having a cover letter can mean your resume will not be read. As much as possible, throughout your job search, you want to stack the odds in your favour of getting a "yes" to move forward in the hiring process.

A cover letter is non-negotiable if:
- the job posting instructs applicants to include a cover letter with their resume (Many job seekers will still apply without a cover letter.),
- if you're applying directly to a particular person whose name you know, or
- if someone has referred you for the position.
Cover letters have one job-to get the reader to read your resume. Suppose your resume's recipient doesn't know you (a likely case). Why should they read your resume over the hundreds of other resumes they receive, many accompanied with a cover letter?
I read cover letters to assess your writing skills, a skill I value highly, and how well you can sell yourself-it's a critical component of my decision-making process. Call me old school, but I view not having a professionally written cover letter accompanying your resume as being lazy. I don't hire lazy, and I don't know any hiring manager who does.
The power of a cover letter is such that it's worth noting there've been several times where I've granted an interview based on the candidate's cover letter, even though their resume was far from impressive. Yes, a cover letter can make up for flaws in your resume.
Most importantly, use your cover letter to tell me something that isn't on your resume that'll help me decide you're worth my time to interview-convince me!
How do you make your cover letter convince the reader to call you in for the interview? First, grab them at "Hello." Next, draw them into your professional story, making sure you're coming across as a solid "Yes" to each of these questions:
- Can this person do the job?
- Will this person be liked?
- Will this person fit in? (Are they "one of us"?)
Your cover letter is your first opportunity to explain your value proposition (What you're able to bring to the employer.) and therefore stand out from the many other candidates just as qualified as you. It's also your chance to explain the reason(s) for any gaps in your employment and what you've been doing during the gap(s).

There are 5 parts to a cover letter:
1.Header (your contact information)
2.Greeting the hiring manager
3.First paragraph (introduction) - Grab the reader's attention with 2 - 3 of your top achievements.
4.    Second paragraph (sales pitch) - Persuade why you're the right candidate for the job.
5.    Third paragraph (closing, call to action)
TIP: When writing your cover letter, get into a headspace of writing to provide the reader with a sense of who you're going to be should they meet you (presuming you're invited in for an interview). Don't be afraid to convey your personality; it's your most straightforward high yielding approach to standing out from your competition.
Next week I'll be covering the first two parts (header, greeting the hiring manager) of crafting a cover letter that'll get the reader to read your resume. In subsequent columns, I'll discuss how to write the first, second and third paragraphs. Yes, there'll be plenty of examples.
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.

PAY, PAY, PAY OR WE CUT YOU OFF

 

PAY, PAY, PAY OR WE CUT YOU OFF
By Joe Ingino
Editor/Publisher

“I live a dream in a nightmare world”   

    In an age of anti bullying, fairness, equality and the championing of rights and freedoms.    We surely have become ignorant of our realities.   For the longest time we have been paying through our nose for things like convenience, customer service and many more things that are presented as good for us the consumers when in reality they are in the best interest of the supplier.
When was the last time you took a look at one of your utility bills?  Have you noticed all the extra charges... and for what.?
Look at this natural gas bill for example:
Customer Charge $21.48 - CUSTOMER CHARGE!!!  WHAT IS THIS CHARGE FOR?  BEING A CUSTOMER.  SHOULD THIS CHARGE BE ON OUR BILL?
Delivery to You $33.25  DELIVERY TO (YOU) REALLY... IT COSTS $33.25 TO SEND ME YOUR PRODUCT OVER A PIPE THAT HAS BEEN IN THE GROUND FOR THE PAST 100 YEARS.   HOW DO THEY CALCULATE THIS DELIVERY COST?  THIS IN MY OPINION IS NOTHING BUT A MONEY GRAB.
Transportation to Enbridge $13.96  TO AD INSULT TO INJURY THE GAS COMPANY HAS THE BALLS TO CHARGE  YOU A TRANSPORTATION FEE TO ENBRIDGE.... LIKE REALLY... WE PAY TWO DELIVERY FEES FOR THE USE OF THE SAME PIPE.
Federal Carbon Charge $20.02  WOW... $20.02 FOR A GHOST TAX.  WE PAY MORE FOR THE CARBON TAX THAN THE ACTUAL USAGE OF THE GAS.
Gas Supply Charges $35.87  TECHNICALLY THIS IS THE ONLY AMOUNT THE CONSUMER SHOULD BE PAYING.... ALL THE OTHERS ARE NOTHING BUT LEGALIZED THEFT.
Cost Adjustment ($4.15)  GOD ONLY KNOWS WHAT THE ADJUSTMENT IS FOR.
Charges for Natural Gas $120.43    ON A $35.87 ACTUAL USAGE YOU PAY $100 MORE FOR ADDITIONAL CHARGES.
HST $15.66Total Charges for Natural Gas $136.09   REALLY.... IT SEEMS THAT EVERYONE GETS A PIECE OF THE PIE.
No wonder these companies make billions a year.   No wonder they have staff and new vehicles every other year.  No wonder they can look down at the ratepayers and threaten them with disconnection.  The utility companies hold you hostage with your own money.
   In this modern society we are raising people to follow and not to question.  Conformity is the norm.  You oppose you loose.  Companies are taking advantage of this and making millions in charges that they have no right to charge consumers.  Consumers have no choice but to pay.  How can we ever achieve equality when within our social systems so much goes unnoticed.  So many injustices, justified and so much wrong allowed?

Victimizing Canadian Retirees and Citizens living and working abroad

 

Victimizing Canadian Retirees and Citizens living and
working abroad
    by Maj (ret'd) CORNELIU E. CHISU, CD, PMSC,
FEC, CET, P. Eng.
Former Member of Parliament
Pickering-Scarborough East
   After mismanaging the Covid-19 pandemic so disastrously the Federal Government is still using the pandemic as an excuse to subject Canadians to medieval disease management strategies by locking down our borders for most international travel since February of this year.
Locking down when the rest of the developed world is getting the pandemic under control and is opening up, demonstrates just how ineffectively our leaders have managed. Closing the barn door when the horses have already left the barn is the saying that seems most appropriate.
The Federal Government, supported and advised by government scientist(?) - more like political lapdogs than independent and incorruptible thinkers - labelled as racist, any suggestion to close the border at the beginning of the crisis, when the pandemic was brewing in China.
After the virus arrived on our shores and was spreading rapidly in Canadian communities, excuse after excuse was made, spinning public fear and uncertainty round and round. Then came the brilliant suggestion that closing the border for non essential travel and discouraging Canadians from travelling abroad would keep out the infection that had already been allowed to penetrate and fester.
Defining non essential travel very loosely and allowing numerous exceptions resulted in roughly 40 per cent of arrivals from abroad entering Canada without screening or the requirement to enter quarantine. Is it any wonder that more variants appeared and the number of infections increased drastically?  Someone finally woke up in a woke culture sort of way and decided that now was the time to clamp down on border rules. They then started forcing returning Canadians to stay in Government designated hotels, paying excessive amounts of money for a purported three day stay in prison-like conditions, even if their COVID tests come back negative after one day and they go home to complete their unnecessary quarantine.
The people hardest hit by these draconian rules were Canadian retirees. The snow birds who, after a lifetime of working to build Canada, were finally taking the time to enjoy the sun during the harsh Canadian winter months, mostly in the United States, in Florida.
As the United States accelerated Covid-19 vaccinations, fully vaccinating a high percentage of their people as well as many Canadians, Canada fell drastically behind.  Canada's pace of vaccinations was erratic and slow, both due to lack of supply and dysfunctionality in administration by the provinces.  Furthermore, the Canadian Government has behaved irrationally in refusing to recognize that fully vaccinated returning Canadians pose no danger to the local population.  In other parts of the world, fully vaccinated individuals don't even have to wear masks. Oblivious to all, they continue to apply their draconian rules when the World around Canada is opening at an accelerated pace.
Never mind that while they ruminate in their ivory towers their delusional views are destroying the economy of this country.  The tourist industry has particularly suffered, now being held in a strangle hold for the second summer in a row.  At this rate it will take years to recover from the early grave the industry has been relegated to.
Some among the thousands of affected retirees are expressing frustration over having to undergo the federally mandated hotel quarantine - even after getting fully vaccinated with one of the Health Canada approved COVID-19 vaccines.  Is this a ploy by the Federal government to attempt to rescue the struggling hotel industry? The quarantine measures, which went into effect in late February, include additional PCR tests for those flying back once they arrive.  Remember, they already tested negative to be allowed to board the plane. And then there is the $2,000 per person surcharge, paid out of pocket, for the pleasure of being herded to an undisclosed location where you are confined to your room with limited access to food and water, and no ability to communicate with the outside world until released. The reason for the restrictions - at least according to Health Canada and several self-appointed immunology experts - is that while vaccines are effective at preventing severe illness in those who have contracted the disease, it still isn't clear whether being vaccinated prevents a person from spreading the virus.
Dithering over their initial failures to act in a timely fashion, these same ineffectual policy makers now stick to their mediaeval solutions, generating furor at the federal government's mandate among Canadians returning from popular warm destinations.
"All of us snowbirds returning to Canada will be fully vaccinated, thanks to the U.S. giving us the vaccine. And yet you still want us to hotel quarantine when we could more safely quarantine at home," wrote one snowbird.
In previous interviews with Global News, Canadian snowbirds also expressed frustration over the strict measures, saying that they shouldn't be forced into hotel quarantine with other incoming non vaccinated travelers.  
Since people were able to get the vaccine abroad, they should at least be able to quarantine at home instead of having to pay for three super expensive days at a hotel.
Ignoring the vaccination status of returning Canadians also results in incorrect statistics when reporting the number of vaccinated Canadians.  Doesn't that bother anyone who might be in a position to change the rules?  Perhaps not.  After all, as Churchill once said, 'there are lies, there are damned lies, and then there are statistics'.
The Canadian Snowbirds Association (CSA) voiced discontent over the forced hotel quarantine measures as well. "To force Canadian citizens to pay over $2,000 for three nights of accommodation in a government-approved hotel is unreasonable and will be a financial hardship for many," wrote CSA President Karen Huestis in Feb. 1 letter to Transportation Minister Omar Alghabra. While the CSA is supportive of point of entry testing for COVID-19 at all Canadian airports and land crossings, they are firmly opposed to the mandatory hotel quarantine measure imposed by the federal government.
This action from the Federal Government is a clear affront to the seniors of Canada who are responsible people. They have demonstrated that by their lifetime achievements, and they should be entitled to enjoy their well deserved retirement.
Some of them went to the United States and were vaccinated in the prescribed time, unlike fellow Canadians who stayed home and are forced to wait for months to receive their second dose of a vaccine, not even sure that they will receive the same brand, or even that the vaccine they receive has not expired. These foreign vaccinated citizens are not a burden on the Canadian health system and they feel they are being treated like criminals by both the federal and provincial governments. They deserve better.
Let's not allow the limited outlook and ability of our current leaders to cast such a giant blight over their enjoyment of a well deserved retirement.

Heading Nowhere

 Direct Answers
from Wayne & Tamara

Heading Nowhere
  Q About 16 years ago, I fell in love with an elegant, well-educated, good-looking woman. We were madly in love and became a couple. I had just stepped out of a bad separation, but her divorce was even worse.
     Our relationship soon got disturbed by strange events on her side, mostly when alcohol was involved—extreme jealousy, silence, and a domineering attitude.  Sometimes she sent me away; other times I left the scene because I could not cope.  On one Christmas Eve holiday she left me at the dinner table, took a plane, and went home.
     My attempts to get her back were amazing; I even painted messages on the walls on the way to her house.  A couple of times I tried to forget her with another relationship, but after some months I missed her so much I went back.  She always received me with open arms, and we started all over again.
     Strangely, during our separations she never tried to contact me or explain her attitude.  Last year I gave it one last try, and she coldly asked me to leave.  I left heartbroken and burned my bridges, even sending her a nasty e-mail for the first time.  Since then she haunts my mind; she was the love of my life.  How can I get over this without hurting myself any longer?
Alex

A Alex, you were in an on-again, off-again relationship for 16 years. You want to focus on the on-again part, but that is not where your attention should be. You should focus on what was wrong. You should focus on the part that wasn’t there.
     In 16 years a child could go from the first day in school to a university degree.  In that same period you could have had a 16 year marriage to the right person.  But you kept going back to something which was not working, and now, because you have not found another to be with, you focus on the good times with her.
     She was with you because of her personality quirks and perhaps her alcoholism.  Without those quirks and that habit, would she have been with you at all?  If she were sober now, would she want you in her life as a reminder of her befuddled past?
     Some people can only quit a bad habit when it goes to an extreme.  They won’t watch their weight until they need to inject insulin.  They won’t quit chewing tobacco until they’ve lost part of their cheek or gum.  They are always behind, always in arrears.  Their books are always overdue.
     If you are going to have someone for the rest of your life, be open to it now.  Life never goes backwards.  It goes forward.

Wayne & Tamara                                             write:  Directanswers@WayneAndTamara.com

Sharing a ride to health and safety

 

    Sharing a ride to health and safety

 W. Gifford-Jones, M.D. and Diana Gifford-Jones
    Sharing a ride to health and safety
  We all hope for a breakthrough in the cure for cancer. Thankfully, scientists are making progress in the fight against this and many other devastating diseases. But on occasion, an innovation well outside of the healthcare sector can make a big difference in matters of life and death. And is there one such innovation where older people are missing out?
New research shows that the introduction of ridesharing services has dramatically reduced trauma stemming from car accidents. This isn’t the first such study, but it adds to a mounting collection of studies with finding that allow for better planning and decisionmaking.
Ridesharing companies, like Uber and Lyft and another 88 or so competitors globally, have been in operation for about a decade, and the business model that depends on web applications and mobile app technology has proliferated to nearly every large city around the world.
Since the first studies were conducted to measure the impact of ride share services on human health, the results have been mixed. The great hope, of course, has been for a reduction in the incidence of drunk driving. Initial studies were inconclusive.

But with the passage of time and the growth of available data, studies from New York City to San Francisco have delved into more detailed analysis, looking not only at traffic fatalities, but also taking into account rates of tourism, access to public transportation, and timing of ride shares and alcohol related accidents.
Consumer behaviour offers another lens. Uber, the largest global company, reports that nearly 80 percent of riders claim to have avoided drinking and driving at least once thanks to the service.

What does the latest research show? A newly released study, conducted by researchers at the University of Texas and published in JAMA Surgery, used hospital trauma data, rideshare volume and impaired driving convictions to compare the 7-year period prior to Uber introduction with a comparable set of years post Uber introduction. It involved data on more than 24 million Uber rides. They found a 23.8 percent decrease in motor vehicle crash traumas. What’s most interesting is that this decrease was measured during peak trauma periods (Friday and Saturday nights).
It makes sense, as this is when the younger demographic of ride share users are heading out to socialize. It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to determine the best calculations for city managers rapidly granting permits to transform outdoor spaces into dining patios and sidewalk bars. Promoting ride share programs will help all those with pent up enthusiasm for social drinking get home safe and sound.
But who is not benefiting from these perks of ride share programs? Research shows that older adults are uninformed about how ridesharing works. The process of hailing a ride with their smartphones presents a technological gulf that is not being addressed. In addition, research has found that they are particularly concerned about their safety with regard to unknown ride share drivers.

As a result, seniors tend to be driving their own cars or not going out – neither of which may be in their best interest.
Will the arrival of fully autonomous vehicles make the difference? Perhaps not for skittish seniors. But driverless cars will solve one of the concerns about ride share programs – distracted rideshare drivers looking at their phones for information.
As we move ever more boldly into the post-pandemic new era, wouldn’t it be nice if we could harness more innovations like ridesharing to make the world a healthier place?
Where is the next big breakthrough?
Sign-up at www.docgiff.com to receive our weekly e-newsletter. For comments, contact-us@docgiff.com. Follow us Instagram @docgiff and @diana_gifford_jones