Canada and the Liberal NDP power deal

by Maj (ret'd) CORNELIU E. CHISU, CD, PMSC, FEC, CET, P. Eng. Former Member of Parliament Pickering-Scarborough East The recent agreement between the Trudeau Liberal government and the Jagmeet Singh New Democrats in the House of Commons to keep the minority Liberals in office until June of 2025 dramatically changes both the dynamic and policy options facing Canada in the next three years. With a decisively left oriented agenda we can probably expect more spending and climate change oriented pet projects with dubious costs to the taxpayers in a decisively falling economy. It takes 170 seats in the 338-seat House to have a clear majority. The Liberals are 11 short with 159. But with 25 from the NDP, the combined total of 184 gives the two parties together comfortable control in the House of Commons. So for the next tree years the conservative opposition will have little influence on the direction the country is going. This means that the Liberals have enough time to implement their plan to start an irreversible road to a "build back better" after a pandemic big reset. This deal in essence will substantially alter the way politics plays out over the next three years. Justin Trudeau is now guaranteed that he will remain as prime minister, should he choose to, until at least mid-2025. That would give him an even decade running the country. The Liberal - NDP agreement came just as the race for the leadership of the Conservative Party is heating up. Part of the excitement of the Conservative race was the possibility that the winner could be the next prime minister, and that there could be an election if the Liberal minority government were defeated in the House on a budget vote in 2023. As of this agreement, all these ambitions are put on hold and the future of the Conservative Party is not looking very promising. A demonstration that the Liberals are having a free hand, is the recent announcement that after noticeable delays and vehement denouncement of the project, the Liberal government has now announced negotiations with U.S. defence giant Lockheed Martin to purchase the F-35 fighter jets. Yet even as the end to that circuitous search appeared to finally be in sight, many unanswered questions remained: how much will the aircraft cost now? When will they start to arrive in Canada? And most importantly, were the past 12 years of debate and delays worth it to taxpayers? Procurement Minister Filomena Tassi and Defence Minister Anita Anand confirmed during a news conference that Lockheed Martin's stealth fighter beat out Sweden's Saab Gripen in a competition many had long considered the F-35's to lose. The government will now launch formal negotiations with the company this week for the purchase of 88 F-35s to replace Canada's CF-18s, with officials anticipating the talks will take about seven months and result in a final contract by the end of the year. The move into final negotiations for the F-35 has also prompted questions about whether Ottawa should have pressed ahead with its original deal more than a decade ago. Stephen Harper's Conservative government committed to buying 65 F-35s without a competition in 2010, before concerns about the stealth fighter's cost and capabilities forced it back to the drawing board. The Liberals promised in 2015 not to buy the F-35, but to instead launch an open competition to replace the CF-18s. They later planned to buy 18 Super Hornets without a competition as an "interim" measure until a full competition could be launched. But the government cancelled the plan after Boeing launched a trade dispute with Montreal aerospace firm Bombardier. Ottawa initiated the current bidding process in July 2019, at which point the Super Hornet and F-35 were allowed to compete. In the meantime, the government has been forced to invest hundreds of millions of additional dollars into the CF-18 fleet to keep it flying until a replacement can be delivered. By 2032, the CF-18s will have been around for 50 years. In the meantime, with this political waffling not only has Canada contributed US$613 million into the F-35's development since 1997, with another multimillion-dollar payment due in the coming weeks, but the stealth fighter is being used by the U.S. and a growing number of allies and Canada has been left far behind. As for the anticipated $19-billion cost, Anand has said that will be "further refined." The question still remains: Who should pay for these additional senseless costs incurred by taxpayers as a result of this political and civil service mismanagement? Another confirmation of the Liberal free hand is the recent new climate plan for Canada. The Environment Minister Steven Guilbeault tabled the new emissions reduction plan in the House of Commons last week. It is a legislated requirement under the net-zero emissions law the government passed last year. This projects the oil and gas industry will need to cut greenhouse-gas emissions by 42 per cent from current levels by 2030 if the country is to meet its new targets. The government report projects that emissions from the oil and gas sector - including production, refining, and transportation via pipelines - could be 110 million tonnes by 2030, down from 191 million tonnes in 2019. So what does this mean? Less oil production and higher price for the consumers at the pump? The legislation is also introducing a tougher schedule to shift Canadian vehicle sales to electric models, promising a requirement that one in five new passenger vehicles be battery-operated within four years, and 60 per cent by the end of 2030. Great plan again with the taxpayers on the hook "We are making some progress between now and 2030," Guilbeault said. "But there'll be even more progress to come between 2030 and 2035." The coming federal budget is expected to expand on this issue with more electric vehicle news to come soon. The government will also aim for one-third of medium- and heavy-duty vehicles sold to be electric by 2030 and 100 per cent by 2040. So in conclusion be prepared to live in a dream world for the next three years and pay heavily for it. Good luck!

Accepting Your Reality Is Important, Especially for Job Seekers

By Nick Kossovan Some "food for thought" when it comes to syncing your reality with your job search. Years ago, a defining moment for me occurred at 2:30 AM on a Friday morning in Times Square. A few minutes earlier, it had stopped raining. My friend was trying to hail a taxi to get us back to Hackensack, New Jersey. I took out a cigarette and then realized I didn't have a lighter. So, I asked a hunched-over man walking by for a light. He produced a Zippo. I commented on the beauty of the neon lights reflecting off the wet pavement. My new friend snapped shut his Zippo. As he walked away, he said, "For every lightbulb on Broadway, there are a thousand broken hearts." BOOM! a hit of reality-most people never realize their dream and move onto their plan B or C, assuming they had a plan B or C. The fact is most of us will never live our dreams-not entirely. At some point, you'll have to conclude "it is what it is" and either make the best of it or move on. The popular advice is you should always follow your dreams and passions. In a world (I'm thinking globally.) where most people are just looking to survive to the next day, we're privileged to think of "follow your dream" as "career advice." The self-help industry pushes this advice, as do career coaches. Marketing capitalizes on people pursuing their dreams, which created the Western cultural belief that anyone can achieve anything they desire if they work hard enough. "Follow your dream" advice is sticky because it implies that if you don't follow your dream, you're settling (God forbid) for less. Never is the advice to make peace with your reality. - She's not in love with you. - The world doesn't need another juggling mime. - Everyone is vying for the one (keyword) corner office. - You don't have what it takes to make it in Hollywood. - Only a handful of people make a living as a snowboarder. In my experience, much of life is characterized by, "It is what it is!" and the greatest source of unhappiness is unrealistic expectations. Putting your hopes on landing a job you have at best a slim chance of landing is a disservice to your job search and happiness. At 47, will you be able to pivot from being an accountant to becoming a sought-after fashion designer? Sometimes I'll ask a candidate, "When you were in high school, what were you hoping to become?" Most of the time, I hear the cliché "a rockstar," "a hockey player," "a police officer." I'm looking for insight into how the candidate saw themselves in their youth. Then I ask, "So what happened?" to see if they tend to blame others instead of themselves. Once a candidate, who I'd say was in their late 30s, told me his dream was to make a living as a comedian. As much as possible, he'd do open mic nights, hoping to get discovered. I hired this person and went to several of his open mics. Some people are naturally funny; most people aren't. While I give him kudos for his determination, he was most people. Clint Eastwood, as "Dirty Harry" Callahan, in Magnum Force (1973), gave what I consider to be sage advice: "A man's got to know his limitations." Sometimes you need to say to yourself, "I'm not cut out for being a (whatever)." I've said this to myself more than once. When it's in your best interest, there's no shame in quitting and trying something else. Often job seekers reach for jobs they're told by well-meaning family members and friends to go after. Or they have friends whose jobs they wish they had because these "friends" present themselves as being successful. They believe having the title of "Manager," or "Junior VP," or "Senior Operation Manager" will define them as being successful, or at least make them appear successful. Straight talk: All jobs ("What is it you do?") are a means to an end-an income. In today's expanding/contracting economic climate, it's foolish to have your identity dependent on your job, which you've seen can vanish in an instant. Today, many people are miserable and job search frustrated. They're pursuing "dream jobs," they think will make them happy and show the world they're successful. Even though it may seem counter-intuitive, waking up from the fantasy world of "the dream job" will benefit you and your job hunt in many ways. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 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

NO HONOR AMONG CROOKS

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. Much like that popular song by Men at Work - ironically entitled “I come from a land down under” sort of speaking. Many Italians are stereotyped into just because you look traditional Italian that you have some sort of Mob connection.... I wish. At least those guys have a strict code of ethics. You mess up. You pay the price. I remember reading a book where they they said that the reason why the government does not like the Mob is because government does not want competition. Unfortunately La Cosa Nostra of Oshawa (Municipal Government) messes up and lives to tell about it and do it all over again. I am disgusted on how our elected official keep wasting our money and go about their day as if nothing happens. How they make one bad decision after another. Point in case. This week it was brought to my attention the fact that at Monday council meeting. La Cosa Nostra of Oshawa denied the good people of C.A.M.P. Community Assisted Meal Program a permit to continue feeding the poor in Oshawa. Here you have a group made up of volunteers at no cost to the tax payers and the City denies them a permit... On what grounds do they do this? This group was founded by Raymond Bond and John E Walker. The City should be praising these two for the service to the City. The City is in dire need for assistance when it comes to helping those in need. Instead they play politics and favortism. I am beyond words upset at the City. I will help CAMP in any way I can. This prejudice and favortism has to stop. The City has to stop being so hypocritical and exclusive. I am beyond words on how these so called elected official can justify picking up their pay cheques every week knowing that there are people out there starving and living on our streets. This type of arrogance has to go. This is the only City that practices such prejudice. The only city that things happen and they fail to publish. Case in point. Why has the City not given any advertising to this newspaper? Politics and favortism. The City can manipulate the other media outlets so they favor them by paying them off with your tax dollar in the form of advertising. This is wrong. I have had a good life. I will do whatever I can to help those in need. Those being abused and or done wrong. La Cosa Nostra of Oshawa is about to change in the 2022 election. Do your part support C.A.M.P in any way you can.

Older And Wiser

My history with relationships stinks. I chose the wrong men because I needed to feel needed. I thought if I could fix them, they would feel so grateful they would give me undying love. I’m not making that mistake this time. The man I’m engaged to has nothing to fix. He’s perfect for me. Sounds too good to be true, right? There is one glitch. His ex-wife. They met when he was 18, and she was 23, and they had two children. In their relationship she was boss, and he did what she wanted. They fought constantly, and after seven years, she called it quits to find herself. Then I came along. We fell madly in love and became engaged. She told him he was going too fast. She tried to restrict his visits with his children. She claimed the kids needed time to adjust. He went against her restriction, and his kids and my kids get along wonderfully. After our engagement, we visited his hometown with the children. His ex-wife called ahead to warn his friends of the terrible mistake he was making. My fiancé told them he was happier than he’s ever been. When he talked to his ex-wife later, she said she’s jealous because he has become the man she always wanted him to be. He said, when he was married to her, he couldn’t be that man. Being with him has put my past in the dust. I never think of what I could have done differently because I am so happy with the way things have turned out. He’s the man of my dreams. He gives me absolutely no reason to doubt him. Why do I still feel insecure? Gail Gail, everything you say about this man shows he is now mature enough to deal with his ex-wife and the aftermath of that marriage. We don’t see anything to worry about. She is doing what jealous, controlling people always do…using the children as pawns, trying to poison his relationship with friends, attempting to deny you happiness. Share your feelings with your fiancé. The greatest joy of being with the right person--the man perfect for you--is that you can be completely honest, completely open, and completely authentic. That is what makes this relationship like no other. When you find that kind of connection, nothing life throws at you can separate the two of you. It may take a little time to get over old memories, but give your fiancé credit for learning from his past, just as you have. Wayne & Tamara Poor Odds I’ve been dating a man for three years. Rob is a great human being and I love him, but I come from a well-educated, “classy” family and his people are rather low class. His family’s ideals are very different. For example, his mother has no teeth. When his parents go to the racetrack, she walks around like that. I would spend my money on some dentures! Also, Rob and his family are big gamblers. Rob runs gambling sheets and collects bets for his bookie in football season. Even though Rob promised me he will stop working for the bookie after we marry, he fully intends to keep gambling. What should I do? I’m going crazy trying to decide. Callista Callista, don’t expect Rob to stop collecting bets after the wedding. The lament of men is, “After the wedding she changed.” In this case, my bet is he won’t change. Gambling can be an addictive and costly pursuit. Rob may use you and your income to support his lifestyle. Then there’s the difference in your backgrounds. It matters to you. Don’t deny your feelings, they won’t go away. If you go ahead with this wedding, I’ll wager 10 to 1 that it won’t work out, and I don’t trust Rob or his bookie to hold the money. Wayne Wayne & Tamara are also the authors of Age Difference Relationships, When Is the Gap Insurmountable, available from Amazon, Apple and most booksellers. Wayne & Tamara write: Directanswers@WayneAndTamara.com

Common Sense in End-of-Life Choices

Few want to think about it. But there are choices to made about death. Doing nothing is one option. Life will, inevitably, one way or another, come to an end. But making common sense decisions about personal preferences for end-of-life should not be taboo or disallowed. And politicians should get out of the way. In Canada, the would-be “just society”, the vast majority of citizens, about 80%, have repeatedly affirmed support for people who wish it to have the option of medical assistance in dying. In the U.S., over the past decade, polls have ranged from 55-75% in support. But why are there still restrictions on who is eligible? In the U.S., there is a hodgepodge legislation, as only some states have passed medical aid in dying laws. According to the U.S. group Death With Dignity, “every year, thousands of people who receive terminal diagnoses will consider uprooting their lives and moving to another state in order to avoid unnecessary suffering in death.” For Canadians in the early stages of a capacity-eroding condition, recently expanded legislation is of little help. The organization, Dying With Dignity Canada, states, “For many of these people and those without a formal diagnosis — but who fear that they will develop a serious and incurable disease after they have lost capacity — the option to make an advance request is not currently allowed under the law.” Why such nonsense when the answer is simple? It’s because vocal minorities are holding governments hostage, and politicians are lacking both courage and decency. Consider the fully competent and uncoerced person diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease, dementia, Parkinson’s, or Huntington’s disease who wishes the dignity of a managed end-of-life process. It’s a problem that does not require the intellect of Einstein. But, in Canada, Members of Parliament and Senators are dithering. Readers of this column have expressed frustration with legal restrictions. One wrote, “I do not want others to feed me, give me a cookie, and have someone play the accordion.” Or another, “Why must I suffer in bed day after day while someone changes my diapers?” Some related stories of loved ones suffering unbearable cancer pain for days, in spite of narcotics, before an excruciating death. It’s sad that 25% of doctors involved in palliative care refuse to engage in medical assistance in death. These physicians claim their mission is to ease pain, not to hasten death. But surely it is cruel when patients want an end to life. A public outcry can win the day. Right now, the minority is far louder than the majority. What’s truly sad is that permitting the majority the right to medical assistance in dying does nothing to harm the interests of the minority. No one is forcing those who don’t want medical assistance in dying to have it! The Canadian Parliament has debated the issues carefully – and endlessly. The will of the people is clear. But still barriers persist. To repeat, those who do not wish medical assistance to die need not have it. It cannot be a part of medical care for those who have not initiated the paperwork while competent to do so – and assisted death cannot proceed if there is a change of mind in those who started the process. People who wish to die naturally in spite of pain should be allowed to do so. But they should not be allowed to prohibit the path of those who think otherwise. Contact Dying With Dignity Canada www.dyingwithdignity.ca or Death with Dignity www.deathwithdignity.org in the U.S. for guidance on how to let government know you want the choice to be yours. 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

Situation Report Canada

by Maj (ret'd) CORNELIU E. CHISU, CD, PMSC, FEC, CET, P. Eng. Former Member of Parliament Pickering-Scarborough East As the world continues to fester in turmoil with the ongoing war in Ukraine and dealing with the spectre of economic uncertainties, let's look at the situation in our own nation. First of all, the liberal government is fully concentrated on the situation in Ukraine with the Prime Minister making trips to Europe, meeting with allies to see what they can do for humanity there. A lot of talk, photo ops and the usual declaration of help and committing financial resources for the Ukrainian people in need. Back home, however, the economic situation is becoming worrisome, with the Covid 19 pandemic disappearing off the radar and province after province quickly lifting associated restrictions while the federal government follows at a slower pace. Forgotten are the usual medical "professionals'" briefing, with everybody wanting to put the pandemic behind, and looking forward to living their lives. Two years of doom seems to have been enough, with the pandemic magically gone, at least for the politicians. Now there are other issues on the horizon and the economic outlook is not good. Statistics Canada says the annual inflation rate climbed to 5.7 per cent in February, its highest level since August 1991 and the second straight month over 5 per cent. Helping to drive the increase in February were higher gasoline prices that were up 32.3 per cent compared with February 2021 and 6.9 per cent from a month earlier. Statistics Canada says that excluding gasoline prices, the headline inflation rate would have been 4.7 per cent in February. So the question is, will the governments ease their taxes on gasoline or will they continue to be greedy and insist on going more green? Grocery store prices were up 7.4 per cent for the largest yearly increase since May 2009, pushed higher by rising fuel costs that are being passed on to consumers. Statistics Canada says shelter costs, which includes prices for homes and rental units, rose at their fastest pace since August 1983. The rise in the consumer price index compared with a year-over-year gain of 5.1 per cent in January, and marked 11 consecutive months that the index has been above the Bank of Canada's inflation target zone of between one and three per cent. The average of the three measures for core inflation, which are considered better gauges of underlying price pressures and closely tracked by the Bank of Canada, was 3.5 per cent for February, up from the 3.2 per cent reported in January. February's average was the highest rate recorded since June 1991. The figures point to more pervasive and broad-based pressure on prices that has left the central bank uneasy about inflation. Two weeks ago, the bank raised its key policy rate to 0.5 per cent, marking the first hike in two years, and warned of more hikes to come to rein in inflation. Economists are warning that the inflation rate could yet go higher on the back of surging prices at the gas pumps and grocery stores as Russia's invasion of Ukraine pushed up global oil and wheat prices. With that said, I am curious to know how the liberal government will deal with this situation. Continuing with their policy of printing money and spending what they do not have will definitively not be a solution for the country and its citizens. While the government busies itself with the events unfolding internationally, responding at lightening speed, in the face of our own worrisome economic outlook at home, what is the loyal opposition doing? The Conservative Party of Canada is again busy looking for a leader who can defeat the Liberals. After Erin O'Toole was deposed, a leadership contest was called, with a new leader to be crowned on the 10th of September, just in time for the beginning of the Parliamentary fall session. The candidates are lining up with Pierre Poilievre, a feisty and outspoken conservative in the lead, and several others in pursuit. Jean Charest, a former Progressive Conservative federally and a Quebec Liberal Premier provincially, is strongly favored by party elite, and Patrick Brown, a former Ontario PC leader and Mayor of Brampton has also thrown his hat into the ring. It will be interesting to see the outcome of this leadership contest, as pandemic restrictions are lifting rapidly and the new old normal is back. The unfolding of the conservative leadership campaign should be revealing, with the country so desperately in need of new ideas and strategies for dealing with economically challenging times. In conclusion it is hard not to know what comes next. Many experts and seasoned minds make their best predictions, but nobody knows anything for certain. Significant uncertainty still exists about the future of Covid or other possible pandemics, the true health of the global economy and the growing dysfunction of politics across the board. The future seems more precarious than we even imagined in the midst of the pandemic, but there is still hope.

Consider Your Interviewer's Side

By Nick Kossovan Every story has two sides. Every person has their own perspective. Every person is looking out for their self-interest. Those with above-average people skills always consider how the world looks from the other person's point of view (POV). By imagining themselves in the other person's shoes, they're in a better position to understand, empathize, and build a relationship based on mutual respect. Think of all the possible back-of-the-mind questions going through your interviewer's head as they interview you. Some questions they're asking themselves: - "Will I be able to justify hiring Nick to my boss, my colleagues and the team members Nick will be working with?" - "Will Nick be a flight risk?" - "Is how Nick is presenting himself really who he is?" - "Will Nick be able to hit the ground running?" - "Can Nick help solve our problems?" - "Will Nick be easy to manage?" Hiring is a MASSIVE risk! According to the US Department of Labor, a bad hire can cost the company up to 30% of the employee's first-year salary. Mellon Financial Corporation did a study that reported bad hires can cost a company 1% - 2.5% of their revenue due to the cost of hiring and productivity loss. An interviewer isn't going to say to themselves, "Nick seems nice. Let's pay him tens of thousands of dollars and hope he works out." Savvy candidates always take the interviewer's POV into account. Consequently, they demonstrate empathy, which is a powerful way to establish a bond with your interviewer or anyone. In addition, your interviewer has undoubtedly been burned before by, for example, candidates who had a beard, were a Millennial, had a long commute, claimed to be a team player. During interviews candidates will "say and promise." However, often once hired, they forget what they said and promised. Understandably, your interviewer's hiring experiences create biases, which you have no visibility to. Bias is an inescapable part of human nature. Despite government efforts to eliminate employers' biases, bias will always exist in some form. This fundamental reality of human nature is why my overarching job search advice is to seek your tribe. Think: "I'm not looking for a job; I'm looking for my tribe!" Looking for your tribe mitigates the amount of bias you'll encounter during your job search. "The hiring process is broken!" is something I hear from those who aren't getting the jobs they want. The truth is employers design their hiring process (Employers own their hiring process.) to guard their self-interest, which is to make the right hires. Employers don't hire with the foremost intention of catering to the job seeker's self-interests. In addition to costing money and time, unsuccessful hiring also reflects poorly on the interviewer, who I can assure you doesn't want their hiring skills questioned. I've made my share of "bad hires"; the fallout was never pretty. Therefore, I understand why employers are cautious about hiring. Your interviewer's wanting to maintain their reputation is something as a job seeker you should empathize with. The many risks associated with hiring is why most employers tend to have a hiring process that's conservative and lengthy (several interviews, personality tests, criminal background checks, credit checks) rather than liberal and fast. Wishful thinking creates the false narrative that employers being cautious in their hiring practices hinders them from hiring qualified, and most important, culturally fitting candidates. Here are your takeaways from this column: 1. Walk into your interviews with one mission: To make your interviewer believe you belong. 2. Before an interview, envision what it feels like to sit on your interviewer's side of the desk. 3. Visualize all the risks your interviewer will face if they hire you and then present yourself as much as possible as "risk-free." Your interviews will go better if you have this POV. You'll be more persuasive simply because, right from the start, you're focused outward, towards your interviewer, rather than inward. ("What's in it for me" is a turn-off.) An interview is not as cut and dry as a skill-testing question. A human being is asking you questions and judging your answers against their concerns and biases. With me, there's no right answer, only an honest one. If your honest answer doesn't get you hired, then so be it and move on. Moving on is a survival skill all job seekers should develop. When interviewing, don't agonize over trying to get inside your interviewer's head. Keep in mind your interviewer is human and probably feels as apprehensive as you feel. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 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

CHIRP - CHIRP

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. There are conflicts all over the world. It appears that when our media tries to push an agenda for support. We are exposed to all the autrocities of war. The suffering the real heart jerking media that will entice an emotion in support of one side or another. Unfortunately for the realities of life. People suffer and are suffering all over the world. Death, is all around us. It does not take much for them to become us. Look at the recent truckers situation. Our cowardly Prime Minister instead of taking the diplomatic route. He called in the boots of war to oppress the peaceful truckers. Truckers that are no different than you or I. It took truckers to put an end to COVID and it’s ridiculous mandates. Maybe it will take truckers to bring world peace. You never know. Today we are force fed through the media the autrocities in the Ukraine. Showing us on a daily basis how bad the Russians are. How is it that when we blanket bomb Middle Easter countries we are not prevy to the images of war. To the many women and children killed. But wait. Women and children are being killed all over the world and we never hear about it. Africa, South America, Middle East, Ukraine. Funny how society works. When the powers of the day want something they will use images to move us in to action. I personally want war to end for the innocent people. For the preservation of history and humanity. Have we not learned that war is not the answer to any conflict. Only people like you and me get hurt. Then again, we been fighting one war after another. Not only military. Then why is human suffering so prevelant in the human mind? Why must we always live under this tension ban that fluctuates from one conflict right on to the other. Hell, have we forgotten that China is responsible for the release of that bio-hazardous agent called COVID to the world. We live in North America in a fragile society. We are no better than a canary in a cage. The handlers have all the control. All we can do is chirp when we need something or want something. Other than that our limitations are the same. Life is for the living. Let’s all live it.

2 Interview Questions You Will Be Asked

Second Question By Nick Kossovan In my last column, I discussed the question every interviewer begins with, "Walk me through your resume." Essentially, you're being asked, "What's your career story?" If you're employed at the time you're being interviewed, the second question you'll be asked is fraught with the potential of sending the wrong message to your interviewer. Second Question: "Why are you looking to leave your current employer?" There are infinite reasons someone looks to leave their current job. I'd hazard a guess that wanting more money is the number one reason. Not getting along with your boss or the leadership team would be a close second. I'm going to tell you a secret I learned a long time ago. To have a successful interview, you need to tell your interviewer want they want to hear and see-remember, image is everything! Therefore, you must understand why your interviewer is asking you a particular question. I can't speak for all hiring managers, but when I interview a candidate, I'm trying to gauge the following: 1. Ability to articulate. (With me having above-average communication skills is paramount.) 2. Problem-solving skills. 3. Confidence and having a clear sense of purpose. 4. Likeability. 5. Are they a flight risk? The reason I, along with every hiring manager, ask, "Why are you looking to leave your current employer?" is to gauge whether the candidate is a flight risk. Although I don't expect an employee to stick around until they cut their retirement cake in the lunchroom, I'd like to feel there's a good chance they'll stick around for a while. I mentioned in my previous column that you want to be prepared with your career story to be able to tell it succinctly and without rambling. The same "be prepared in advance" advice applies to answering why you're looking to leave your current employer. You want to answer without hesitation. The key is to make your interviewer feel comfortable that you won't jump ship after 1 or 2 years just because the mood strikes you. Before crafting your "why you're looking to leave" answer, consider these two factors: 1. Length of time at your current job. A short stint (less than 2 years) is a red flag to most employers. My suggestion: Use the "tame answer" you'll read later in this column. 2. Your employer's size, brand, and reputation. An interviewer may raise an eyebrow if you wish to leave a well-known financial institution or international pharmaceutical company. Therefore, your reason for wanting to leave needs to be convincing. Possible answer: "Acme Corporation has given me invaluable experience; however, it made me realize that I would prefer to work at a smaller company, such as Stark Industries, where I can have a greater impact." You don't want to seem like you're only looking out for yourself. Employers and employees both have self-interests-it's a given that you'll look out for yours. During your first interview, focus on the employer's self-interests. Avoid mentioning you're looking for more money, better benefits, work-life balance, more challenge or furthering your career. Employers aren't in the business of growing careers. Their success depends on having the right people doing the right things. You want to come across as the right person for the job and company, who'll do the right things. The standard advice is to never bad-mouth your employer. Again, I can't speak for all hiring managers. I encourage those I interview to be completely candid with me. I've hired several candidates who said something along the lines of, "My manager and I no longer see eye-to-eye." My follow-up question, to determine whether the candidate will be a fit with my management style: "What are you looking for from your next manager?" Yes, I've hired candidates who've admitted they were fired. (I'm drawn to candidates who are honest and transparent.) My follow-up question: "What did you learn from being fired?" Good reasons to want to leave your job: - Hours - Commute - Recently received a degree or certification The tamest answer you can give: "I wasn't considering a move, but I saw your job posting and was intrigued. It seems like an exciting opportunity, and I believe it would be a match for my qualifications." (Works well if you have been at your job for less than five years.) However, being more specific, "I got my project management certification last month. Now I'm seeking my first project management position," will show you're career-focused, which is a positive. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 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

THIRD AND FINAL NOTICE

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” This past week one of our readers came to me with a very interesting problem. For those that follow The Central may have heard through the grape vine that in the past we have helped many in time of need. When we had our offices at 82 Simcoe St. south, next to the OPUC. People that had been cut off or about to get cut off would come in to the office wanting to vent their frustration over the attitude of the local OPUC. Many times we sit them down offer them a coffee and calm them down. No one should be treated rudely and or disrespect them by turning off their Hydro over non-payment. I remember good old Gord Burnette the longest sitting OPUC public appointed Chair, before Nancy Diamond decided to incorporate the OPUC and take it out of the public’s control. Gord was a rough and tough Englishman. He would not put up with much. If you thought you could put one over good old Gord. He quickly put you in your place. Staff at the OPUC feared him but respected him as he was good to clients and upheld standards like no other. I remember him always telling me. When someone comes to you for help. Look at them in the eyes. Some day those eyes could be yours. I remember him always giving extension to those that could not pay their bills. He would not dare charge surcharges, additional charges and or administrative charges. Ever since those days I used Gord’s view of the world when it came to helping others. I remember people walking in and complaining. I would call in my accountant and ask for a cheque to be made. While we talked the accountant would walk over to the OPUC and pay the bill and come back to my office with a receipt marked paid. I did this many times. The word got around and I helped many through the years. I think this in part is the reason for our success as a newspaper. People truly appreciated the gesture. People always promised to pay as soon as they had the money. I would always tell them the same. No worries, when you have it. Just this week. Someone brought me a letter from the Region. The bill was a third and final notice of non-payment. The person had medical conditions that prevented him from working. He had caught COVID and could not continue in his minimum wage paying job. He has a family of four. COVID has left him an emotional mess. He is facing a financial situation like never before. One would have thought that Durham Region would have been more compassionate. Being the third and final notice would set off red flags that this person is experiencing financial hardships. The letter threatens that if the bill is not paid by a particular date that the bill will be sent to the Municipal Tax Office and charge of $50 administrative fee. The letter also warned of possible added charges by The Municipal Tax Office for processing. My eyes teared. Gords words echo in my ears. ‘THOSE COULD BE YOUR EYES’. How dare the Region threaten added charges. THE MAN CAN’T PAY....AFTER THREE TRIES...AND THEY ARE NOT RESPONDING..DAH. No, instead the Region instead of helping rather further push the man financially by charging and additional $50 dollars. Really!!! Then they threaten to ad his bill to his tax roll. Does that sound compassionate to your? Does it sound humane? The same region that many have wondered it we in Durham are not being over taxed. We pay, property tax, we pay school tax, we pay OPUC. We pay the Region bill in the guise of a water and sewer bill. Has anyone gone through the bill? We pay a substantial amount for water and sewage. Almost the same amount we pay for property tax. Have you ever gone over your OPUC bill? Same thing. Charge over charges and surcharges that when you truly analyze them they are nothing short of a legalized rip off. Delivery charges for hydro. Maintenance charges and so on. The employees at these facilities make in excess of 60k a year up to $275,000. Plus benefits. Gord I am sure looking down and shedding a tear. Then again Gord was not one to shed tears. He would be more of the type to be haunting me through my subconscious to do the right thing. Look into people’s eyes and show some compassion some humanity as those eyes that I be looking into some day may be my own looking back for help. We strive for world peace in a sea of injustice and unfairness.

Situation Report Canada

by Maj (ret'd) CORNELIU E. CHISU, CD, PMSC, FEC, CET, P. Eng. Former Member of Parliament Pickering-Scarborough East As the world continues to fester in turmoil with the ongoing war in Ukraine and dealing with the spectre of economic uncertainties, let's look at the situation in our own nation. First of all, the liberal government is fully concentrated on the situation in Ukraine with the Prime Minister making trips to Europe, meeting with allies to see what they can do for humanity there. A lot of talk, photo ops and the usual declaration of help and committing financial resources for the Ukrainian people in need. Back home, however, the economic situation is becoming worrisome, with the Covid 19 pandemic disappearing off the radar and province after province quickly lifting associated restrictions while the federal government follows at a slower pace. Forgotten are the usual medical "professionals'" briefing, with everybody wanting to put the pandemic behind, and looking forward to living their lives. Two years of doom seems to have been enough, with the pandemic magically gone, at least for the politicians. Now there are other issues on the horizon and the economic outlook is not good. Statistics Canada says the annual inflation rate climbed to 5.7 per cent in February, its highest level since August 1991 and the second straight month over 5 per cent. Helping to drive the increase in February were higher gasoline prices that were up 32.3 per cent compared with February 2021 and 6.9 per cent from a month earlier. Statistics Canada says that excluding gasoline prices, the headline inflation rate would have been 4.7 per cent in February. So the question is, will the governments ease their taxes on gasoline or will they continue to be greedy and insist on going more green? Grocery store prices were up 7.4 per cent for the largest yearly increase since May 2009, pushed higher by rising fuel costs that are being passed on to consumers. Statistics Canada says shelter costs, which includes prices for homes and rental units, rose at their fastest pace since August 1983. The rise in the consumer price index compared with a year-over-year gain of 5.1 per cent in January, and marked 11 consecutive months that the index has been above the Bank of Canada's inflation target zone of between one and three per cent. The average of the three measures for core inflation, which are considered better gauges of underlying price pressures and closely tracked by the Bank of Canada, was 3.5 per cent for February, up from the 3.2 per cent reported in January. February's average was the highest rate recorded since June 1991. The figures point to more pervasive and broad-based pressure on prices that has left the central bank uneasy about inflation. Two weeks ago, the bank raised its key policy rate to 0.5 per cent, marking the first hike in two years, and warned of more hikes to come to rein in inflation. Economists are warning that the inflation rate could yet go higher on the back of surging prices at the gas pumps and grocery stores as Russia's invasion of Ukraine pushed up global oil and wheat prices. With that said, I am curious to know how the liberal government will deal with this situation. Continuing with their policy of printing money and spending what they do not have will definitively not be a solution for the country and its citizens. While the government busies itself with the events unfolding internationally, responding at lightening speed, in the face of our own worrisome economic outlook at home, what is the loyal opposition doing? The Conservative Party of Canada is again busy looking for a leader who can defeat the Liberals. After Erin O'Toole was deposed, a leadership contest was called, with a new leader to be crowned on the 10th of September, just in time for the beginning of the Parliamentary fall session. The candidates are lining up with Pierre Poilievre, a feisty and outspoken conservative in the lead, and several others in pursuit. Jean Charest, a former Progressive Conservative federally and a Quebec Liberal Premier provincially, is strongly favored by party elite, and Patrick Brown, a former Ontario PC leader and Mayor of Brampton has also thrown his hat into the ring. It will be interesting to see the outcome of this leadership contest, as pandemic restrictions are lifting rapidly and the new old normal is back. The unfolding of the conservative leadership campaign should be revealing, with the country so desperately in need of new ideas and strategies for dealing with economically challenging times. In conclusion it is hard not to know what comes next. Many experts and seasoned minds make their best predictions, but nobody knows anything for certain. Significant uncertainty still exists about the future of Covid or other possible pandemics, the true health of the global economy and the growing dysfunction of politics across the board. The future seems more precarious than we even imagined in the midst of the pandemic, but there is still hope.

ARE YOU READY FOR THE TSUNAMI

by Alex King

Is a Blue Tsunami coming in November? Or perhaps a Red Wave? Either way, I have a question for those who feel that one outcome is preferable to the other. If the values represented by the party system are so important that we include them in presidential elections, then why are those symbolic party letters not printed beside the names of candidates in every election? Republicans, Democrats, Independents, Libertarians, members of the Mountain Party, etc. Is that information not beneficial to know, even when it comes to voting for town councils and school boards, which are in most cases nonpartisan elections? We are concerned about which party-affiliated ideologies will guide the decisions made for us at higher levels of government. Yet somehow, when it comes to those who determine outcomes locally, it hasn't seemed important enough to know if they align themselves with a particular party. These elected officials have influence over the future of our communities and education systems, but we are content to ignore their political allegiances, which would reveal to us where they align themselves on key issues. Much of it is a guessing game, leaving us to vote for those who may base decisions on ideas that we personally oppose. I think this needs to change. I'm not taking one side or the other (although I am in favor of far more options than Republicans or Democrats). I'm only suggesting that there is a profound hypocrisy to claiming that party affiliation is important for centralized governance but not worth the trouble when determining local leadership. Why is it that such value systems-and that is exactly what the parties serve as-are not universally applied? I have heard as argument to my point that party systems are divisive. Some contend that party elections for councils and school boards would only cause a deeper divide in our smaller communities. Yet many who protest my point, who do not want a partisan system affecting them locally, also fail to push back when decisions are taken out of the hands of local leaders. We increasingly hand choices over our lives to distant forms of government that hinge on partisan politics, and then we scratch our heads and wonder how even the most mundane of topics has become so political. It may seem like a stretch to suggest that localizing the party system will help to resolve the current frictions of representative democracy. Still, I think it will be a well-played maneuver for anyone who wants to see more accountability in government. If issues are identified as partisan locally, as they are at the county, state, and national levels, then those issues will become of clearer interest to those at higher levels who are supposed to serve the ideas of that party. What we define more locally-and within closer proximity-should therefore have a greater ability to permeate other branches of government. Some who read this may oppose the idea because they despise partisan politics or already identify with a party that is marginalized in their area. However, there are other benefits to the measure I'm suggesting. Because the prominent ideologies linked to Democrat, Republican, and third-party affiliations will be tested at closer proximities, we will be able to see the results for ourselves. If the successes or failures of a community are linked to a party, we will be able to test and even challenge those party ideas locally, creating concrete examples for when and where certain methods succeed and fail. Consider just how many state officials, for instance, will have to become more invested in smaller communities because failures of a more localized party system may reflect poorly on themselves, thus hindering their own elections or reelections as a result. They will-assuming they want to succeed in their own politicized endeavors-be compelled to pay more attention to the individual communities within the districts they claim to represent. Other than writing this column, I am not yet sure how to begin the process of making that change happen. I've had several enlightening conversations with the folks at the West Virginia Secretary of State's Office, and I'm sure they will be helpful on this matter as well. I stand by the idea that an increased level of participation in our system is a way to resolve much of the tension we feel when it comes to higher forms of government. If we are to embody freedom and create a better society for those who come hereafter, then we can no longer allow the entropy and erosion of our system to continue. We must be clever, get involved, and work together on ideas to create a better system of checks and balances.

The Media Should Stay Out Of War

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” As a member of the media I strongly believe that the role of the media is to report on the facts and not to influence outcomes by swaying public opinion to a political agenda. I remember a time in history when the media out of respect for the dead and those suffering would limit what they would report when it came to human suffering. Today’s media seems to go out of their way to wait for something horrific to happen to someone so that they may splash their photos all over. This is not right. War is not a place anyone wants to be in. As media it is our duty to keep people informed of what is happening... Not to mind control our audiences through pictures and words. Sure people are going to die in a war. Sure, there are going to be crimes committed. Sure there is going to be bombings, refugees and chaos. It is a given. I feel for the people of the Ukraine. As I feel for those left behind in Afghanistan. What has come of them. You never hear about living conditions there. It appears that our attention has gone from COVID - Afghanistan to the Ukraine and the threat of a world war. Why is it that we are always combating something or someone? How can global peace be achieved when in our eyes, minds and heart all we hear is chaos. I feel that the war in the Ukraine is not (the west) war. I further think that by the west sending billions to fight Russia only makes it worst. Suckering us into a conflict that could end up in a world war. Don’t think for a moment that the Chinese will not become involved and take the side of the Russians. I truly hope that I am wrong. As it stands the U.S. is seen as weak and without might. The perfect time to finally achieve world dominance by communist regime. Even within our own democratic borders we have swayed more to the left then ever before. The media is not doing any service by taking sides. Report the facts. Report the real news not opinioned parts of it in order to justify and entice further action towards extinction. Think about it.

Interview Questions You Will Be Asked - First Question

By Nick Kossovan Every job exists to solve a problem, to respond to an employer's need. For example, the purpose of accounting is to accumulate and report on a business's financial information regarding performance, financial position, and cash flow. Using this information, the company's leadership makes business management decisions, investors decide whether to invest in the company, and financial institutions decide whether to lend it money. You should keep in mind the reason(s) the position you're interviewing for exists, and ensure you're checking off the following to have a successful interview: 1. Know the company, and ideally, your interviewer's story. 2. Prepare for the two questions you'll be asked. 3. Present yourself as the solution to the company's problem(s). 4. Have questions. In this column and the next, I'll discuss being prepared for the two questions your interviewer will surely ask you: First Question: "Walk me through your resume." or "Tell me about yourself." You're being asked, "What is your career story?" This is the most critical question you'll be asked in an interview, so know your career story and be able to deliver it flawlessly! Your career story will either turn on your interviewer or turn them off. The reason interviewers ask for a candidate's career story is to determine the candidate is worth investing time in and gauge how well they can articulate who they are. Therefore, you want to tell your career story in a way that's compelling, relatable, and, most importantly, paints a picture of your competencies. There's a scientific explanation for our love of stories: When we hear, read, or see (e.g., movie, Netflix series) a story that resonates with us, our "feel-good" hormone oxytocin levels increase, boosting our feelings of trust, compassion, and empathy. Storytelling, a skill I recommend you become adept at, builds connections. When interviewing, as I mentioned in previous columns, your primary objective is to establish a connection with your interviewer. Don't try to improvise. Since you'll be asked for your career story in every interview, it's worth investing some time writing out your career story and practicing delivering it. Your career story shouldn't take longer than 3 minutes to deliver and should provide details, along with several results-numbers are critical. Mention the number of people you've led, the revenue you and or your team generated, the savings you created. People don't have short attention spans. They have short interest spans. Make your interviewer interested in you! Here's my career story: "Years ago, I found myself working in Cantel's call center offering additional services to their customers. I liked it, and I was hitting my targets. Since I had some previous managerial experience managing a furniture store, I approached a recruiter about possibly landing a leadership role in a call center. She presented me to a manufacturer of promotional items that was expanding its outbound call center, Myron Manufacturing. Jackie, my manager at Myron, mentored me on coaching agents, understanding call statistics, and achieving revenue targets. I spent over 5 years at Myron learning the ins and outs of managing a sales-generating outbound call center. I left Myron to challenge myself by going to India for 3 years, building an inbound call center for As Seen On TV products and then managing a third-party call center with 85 agents over 2 shifts. Upon returning to Toronto, I joined The Travel Corporation, the ultimate sales-driven and customer-centric industry, where I supervised 85 agents for eight years. I then joined Crocs for two years as their Customer Service Manager. My next job was with Moneris, where I managed their inbound sales department. My annual revenue target was $47 million, which I reached every year. After leaving Moneris, I worked for 3 years at Cognizant, managing 60 agents who moderated content for Facebook and Instagram. Today I'm the call center operation manager at GFL Environmental Inc., overseeing 200 agents handling inbound call inquiries. For the past 10 years, I've been on the advisory board of the Customer Service Professional Network. Some fun facts about me, I'm a weekend golfer, an aspiring writer, and I enjoy taking drives in my '82 Corvette." Your career story should reflect your career in the way you want it to be portrayed and give an insight into your capabilities, along with a few "outside of work" interests. (You're more than just your work.) In my next column, I'll discuss the second question you'll be asked: Why do you want to leave your current employer? ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 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

MADONA

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 not one to be very religious but respect the faith as a good Roman Catholic. What are we doing here.... Madona Mia, We have our Prime minister going to Europe on a seudo vacation in the name of mustering up peace between Russia and the Ukraine. For What? Justin has difficulty keeping the peace with the good people that have paid his way to go to europe to play diplomat. It appears in Canada a so called democratic and free society that if you speak against the government the government will come down on you hard. If you demonstrate and they do not like it. They can pass, “war measures act”. Really and this is the same guy that is going to attempt to talk to Russia on backing down? Or to stand up for the Ukraine as they get slaughter. Come on people. If there is a God above us and you pick the faith. They or ‘He’. Hell to be politically correct these days, “She/he/it/her/him/it/ a fuck it. You get the picture”. Whom ever your god is. They must be scratching their head and wondering how he has made so many stupid people. How can so many follow a blind piper. Do we not see what is going on here. Our freedoms have been revoked. We surrendered our ability to exercise our right in a so called democracy. Forget the Ukraine. There is a war right here at home. A war that is silent but deeming many casualties in the form of economic ruins. People are loosing their homes, jobs, families over the condition our country is in. Here we have Justin playing premadona thinking he will make an impact on a foreign situation that he has no business being in. Justin. Wake up before the next election. We the people of Canada need you to lower our taxes. Cut back on waste. Put food on people’s table. Give people in need direct help so they may keep their homes and avoid being on our streets. Work on lowering our gas prices by developing our own Canadian gas and oil resources. Stop playing dress up in order to pretend you are doing something for the country. We live ina fragile society. We allow the state to lead us, as they have always supplied and given us a cushioned way of life. Things for many. It is getting real. We need to wake up from our comforted slumber and realize that the world is coming to us... and that we have no place to run. War is war. Peace is Peace. Let’s keep the two apart so we do not end up fighting a war for peace and or keeping the peace by having to go to war.

CIVILIANS THE ULTIMATE WEAPON OF WAR

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” I can’t put it in words on how disgusted I am at humanity. Those that read my column would think. Joe, lighten up a bit. Life is not that bad. life is great. What is truly alarming and at times overwhelming is how we the human animal prove that we are nothing but just that, ‘ANIMALS’. It appears that in modern society we are constantly in some sort of global conflict. War on drugs, war on equality, war on just about every aspect of life. We just recovered or we are so led to believe from the war on COVID. Not a week passed and we may be facing another world war. But wait, let’s put on the brakes for a moment. Government throughout history ruled through fear. From the ancient times of living in fear of all kinds of Gods. To today’s time fearing extinction from global warming. Look at how we the people are getting once again, oppressed and fooled to believe that our efforts are for a worthy cause. The Russian/Ukrainian conflict. Question one. What are we Canadians becoming entangled in foreign conflicts? How can as a responsible government rationalize sending one dollar to fight a foreign war. When our own people here in Canada are suffering. Some living on our streets and our government sends millions in weapons an other aid to the Ukraine. We Canadians are being suckered in to a war we have no business fighting. It is done through the media. We hear the constantly being bombarded with images that break people’s heart. Yet, we forget it is war. People die in wars. The media during war is used as a tool to either gather support or plea for help. I have a huge problem when governments mix patriotism with ignorant pride. I say ignorant pride due to the fact that civilians should never be used as weapons and made to be easy marking targets. Think about it. The Ukraine government has issued out large number of guns to it’s civilian population in order to have them fight in the war against Russia. Really!!! The Ukrainian government is arming civilians. Making them a target for the Russian army. Is this right. It is not about pride. It is not about nationalism. It is about out right ignorance of the facts. By arming civilians now you are giving the green flag for the Russian to blanket bomb and attack the population at large, deeming everyone an enemy. This feeding horrific images to the media for further Ukrainian support. Come on people. An old 80 year old lady with a an AK-47 is no threat to a trained Russian soldier. But she surely makes a great target and gives the Russian army reason to shoot to kill civilians. We in the west view these images and our hearts bleed. How can these bad Russians shoot innocent women and children? Old people... When your own government uses it’s population as soldiers. This is wrong. We in the west watch these images and go about our business not thinking about how we are being manipulated. We do not even consider how our own Canadian government plays on us every day. We are supposed to live in a free democratic nation. Yet our freedoms are mandated by our wealth and our ability to get away from our daily routines. Our democratic right is manipulated by public thought. The question then is, are we any different than those being attacked by the Russians? Well, we are not being shot at. But we are being manipulated by our government the same. Look at our gasoline prices? Yet, we are sending 211 million just this week to the Ukraine. We are fed the line that we must pay a carbon tax in order to save the environment... yet the tax collected goes to everything but the environment. Look at what happened when we the people attempted to complain via demonstration in Ottawa with our truckers. They were labeled terrorist, nationalist and the worst the government could come up with. Only to have the government call in the troops to put a stop to it. I say you want to champion democracy and freedoms. Drive your car to Ottawa and park it as the truckers did. Demand lowering of gas prices. Stop blaming it on imported gas from Russia. Demand accountability. Demand justice. We have a war in our own country and no one seems to see it. Look how much the truckers accomplished against COVID. It appears that ever since the truckers protested. Covid has become a secondary issue. COME ON PEOPLE WAKE UP WE ARE UNDER SIEGE. And no one is coming to liberate us from our own ignorance of the obvious oppression by our own government.

The war of our times

by Maj (ret'd) CORNELIU E. CHISU, CD, PMSC, FEC, CET, P. Eng. Former Member of Parliament Pickering-Scarborough East We are now faced with a great dilemma. As the war in Ukraine is becoming uglier by the day, making a lot of ordinary people suffer, and creating an enormous number of displaced people, the leaders of our world act helplessly and heedlessly. That is the problem with every sizeable military conflict; it can so easily get out of control. It begins with heightened interest, somewhat clear goals, and usually hopes for a quick and negotiated settlement. The world is engaged, through sincere humanitarian support or significant solidarity events, expressing empathy. The media is all over it, with many speculations mostly looking for the sensational, quoting experts of the moment. In the meantime, billions are watching, transfixed and deeply disoriented. In almost every case, as history has confirmed, the conflict gets bogged down. Talks between the two combatants are inevitably unsuccessful, and the war becomes protracted and one of attrition. Over time, those nations at a distance from the region eventually lose interest, becoming more focused on internal events. That is especially true of democracies because of their generally short attention spans. Invariably, media looking for the sensational, shifts out in pursuit of other global emergencies or domestic priorities, losing interest in issues which become a daily pattern. Such is the way of human nature. But we need to look at history because history usually repeats itself more or less. Historic agreements or alliances that commit other nations to take military actions to support one side or the other are of the norm. The world wars have drawn in other countries as the conflicts progressed. In the case of Ukraine, few such alliances were present. As the battle began, they were neither a member of the European Union nor NATO, so any support given to them by others, though significant, wouldn't draw the military might of NATO into the war yet, but one never knows. We will see how the events unfold; elements of unknown surprises might easily happen, and not in a positive way. The world of today is more complicated with undercurrents which might be toxic. Hope again for the best but be prepared for the worst. I have had some personal experiences of this in both Europe and Asia. The growing human catastrophe drew in other players to save whatever human lives they could in both situations. No-fly zones were established, coupled with humanitarian corridors to transport aid to the conflicted regions. They were always broken by one side or the other but were workable enough to keep some civilian people alive. The problem with the Ukraine situation is Russia's threat to use tactical nuclear warheads if it is cornered and faces a more hostile and provocative environment. This changes the equation completely. Do you protect airspace to safeguard humanitarian supply chains, knowing that any encounter in the air with Russia could set off something unimaginable? Or do you keep attempting other methods of funnelling supplies into Ukraine? A debate ensues in the rest of the world that becomes more complicated the longer the fight continues. This immediate and serious threat of Russia's going nuclear works to its advantage but confounds the world, as never before. As the war continues and civilian casualties increase nerves are taut, emotions high and choices become almost untenable over time. Indeed, emotions can easily result in unconsidered decisions with catastrophic consequences. How long can the world watch as this war continues? Women and children are increasingly falling victim to this conflict. In a war of attrition like this, a decision will have to be made: allow Russia to continue the civilian carnage or risk the nuclear option by protecting civilians caught in the mayhem. Or maybe a tenable solution can still be found to end this senseless war. Many children will lose their fathers, brothers, grandfathers, and sometimes even their mothers forever. Whenever this kind of conflict rears its ugly head, parents seek to get their children to someplace safe, just as the English did during World War Two. We aren't even two weeks into the conflict, and Ukrainian children are now traumatized, surrounded by mortality, and increasingly facing a future without a father, a mother, or both. Our world leaders need to come to their senses and do everything possible to end this senseless war as soon as possible in order to avoid further complications which would endanger our own existence as humanity. This is something that we need to resolve before it is too late because at present we are in the process of losing the global consensus we built, maintained, and defended following the insanity of the Second World War. We need to do a better job. All of us.

The spectre of war

by Maj (ret'd) CORNELIU E. CHISU, CD, PMSC, FEC, CET, P. Eng. Former Member of Parliament Pickering-Scarborough East As I predicted earlier in the month, February brought us unpleasant surprises both internally as internationally. When we look at our internal affairs we see a country deeply divided; emerging from a long and arduous pandemic with a clearly disoriented political leadership. As the provinces proceed to lifting the Covid-19 restrictions as they see fit, the federal Government insists on holding steadfast to them. Really the question is what is going on? Are we talking to each other? Are we united to help each other or not? This is a time of serious difficulties and great challenges in which we need to pull together in order to preserve our democracy and our country. The government continues to do whatever they like, while the loyal opposition is looking for answers and leadership to cope with these problematic times. We need unity, not political games at this time to effectively face our challenges. Are our politicians awake or sleeping? because events are unfolding rapidly and if not understood, our nationhood could be in danger. On top of our internal issues, Canada is faced with a rapidly deteriorating international situation. Russia just invaded Ukraine and the international community is on the ropes. Canada is in the middle of all of this and is taking measures as the allies in NATO are doing. This war can easily morph in a much more dangerous situation of a wider conflagration with dangerous players. As the situation is evolving rapidly with heavy costs in terms of lives and infrastructure, we the general public are just observers and hoping for the best; that the leaders of the world will come to their senses and avoid a world war. Certainly Canada is in a precarious position. Our Army at this time is small. Even if our soldiers are well trained, we are seriously lacking equipment. This is due to the years of neglect by successive Canadian governments, a lack of leadership of the general core, and a lack of understanding by scores of parliamentarians both past and present. I vividly remember when being member of the National Defence Committee I brought forward the dangers for Canada in Russia arming itself in the Arctic. I was bluntly dismissed as a person who does not know what he is talking about, despite the fact that I probably was the only member of Parliament at that time who had special military experience. Not only was I a veteran from Afghanistan, but by my previous military experience, I was probably the only serving member of the Canadian forces who understood the state of mind of the Soviet army doctrine embraced by the new Russian Army. Here we are today, facing a serious danger in the Arctic for Canada from our belligerent Russian neighbour. At his point let's be fair and recognize that our Air Force is in bad shape with outdated, second hand planes due to gross incompetence on the part of both politicians and civil servants. Our Navy is also in bad shape, with outdated surface combat elements and second hand submarines under eternal repair. Our Army is also lacking modern heavy armor, with tanks borrowed from other nations. So at this point we are heavily reliant on the United States for defending Canada. We really need to consider how our own national interests can be defended. We need to start relying on ourselves rather than others. Of course it is not only Russia's invasion in Ukraine that we should be watching. As all eyes of the European Union, European nations and the United States are focused there, China is watching carefully how events unfold. I have a feeling that China has a hidden plan that should be not underestimated. The situation with Taiwan is a dangerous one and the build up of their military in recent years is not signalling a desire for peace but instead world dominance. It is also significant that China has not condemned Russia's actions and may be waiting for an opportunity to flex its military muscles in the Pacific area of the world. That really will put the United States, Japan, Australia and others into a problem zone. In general, I see a myriad of economic sanctions imposed on Russia by a relatively united front. The results might be effective but these must be seen in the longer term. For the moment the situation on the ground in Ukraine is deteriorating in by the hour, and the supply of promised weapons from a myriad of nations might be too late. Diplomacy is not working anymore either, so the only hope is that cooler heads will prevail in the end. Otherwise, the usual rule of history is, that we know when we start the war, but we do not know how it ends. In conclusion my thoughts are with the innocent people who suffer the effects of this senseless war and we should support them with all our means to alleviate their suffering.

THEY CAN’T KILL US WITH COVID LETS TRY WAR

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” Is it just me? That sees this as a set up? Let me take you back Pre-Covid. Trump had China on a short leash. China was experiencing some of the worst pro-democracy demonstrations ever. It had got so bad that they had to deploy troops in order to oppress the uprise. Then, Covid was released in to the world. It caught one nation after another by surprise. Killing people in its path. The pro-demonstrations stopped. China accomplished its National goal of stomping the pro-democracy movement. Governments of the world due to Covid turned one against the other. Banning travel and trade in fear of infection. Causing major havoc and turning neighbour against neighbor over mask/vaccination mandate. Governments of the world had to do something. They turned to the world Health Organization for a solution. The World Health Organization turned to the United Nations. Once the magic bean was formulated in the form of a vaccine. The world had forgotten of who the responsible culprits were. All the world wanted was the vaccine in order to get the monkey off their back. Meanwhile, the world economy was under siege. The Chinese game plan was working without questions of who originated this nor any real consequences. While we the world ran looking for answers China, Russia, North Korea, Iran were working on a master plan. De-stabilize the enemy. Hitting hard and plan your next attack. The world united in the quest of finding a cure/vaccine. We walked right into their plan. We were and in part still are self destructing by design. How is it that as soon as we find the magic bean to COVID. We have an invasion in the Ukraine? Does it not seem strange to you. WE CAN’T KILL THEM BY DISEASE. We now kill them with war. Not just any war. A nuclear war they threaten. We have ‘Goofy’ as the leader of America. He can’t hold a thought without messing up. Have you heard some of his speeches? My God one would think he is insane. This is good for the Russians as they see weakness in America and the Russians are taking advantage of it. Sucker in America into a war. The same America that could not defeat ISIS. The same America that has had it’s economy turned upside down and is highly dependant on those thy are wanting to go to war with. The same America that went from being energy self reliant. To one that is heavily dependent of import. Is there no shame in this world? We have been fed ‘SAVE THE PLANET’. Renewable energy be environmentally responsible. Meanwhile our gas prices have gone through the roof. Our economy is failing. We are in trouble every place we look. Now WAR!!! You got to be kidding me. I think this is the final nail in the ‘DEMOCRACY’ empire. I think that if the U.S. - NATO gets suckered in to fight a battle that is not their. We the West will pay the consequences of looking the war. I say this because as it stands. China owns us in trade. If a war was to brake out. You think Russia would be our own enemy? Think again. We be fighting a war all over the globe. From Iran, to Venezuela, Syria, China, North Korea and most of the pacific rim countries. Including Japan as they still have it in for us. The question I have for our Prime Minister. What the hell are you doing putting Canadians at risk fighting a fight for freedom and democracy when you on your own home land call in the troops on protesters. Really, Hey Justin why not use the millions of our money to feed those in need in Canada. How about spending the millions you are wasting on weapons to fan a war in Canada. Do as Trump had done. Increase all taxes and tariffs on Chinese imports. End hunger in Canada. Help the many million of Canadians struggling to pay their mortgages. Help all Canadians by injecting direct money into the pockets of Canadians. Hell, start by lowering and controlling the out of control gas prices. How can anyone justify that during Trump administration. The world enjoyed the lowest gas prices in the last 50 years. Biden takes office and every country in the world pounces and takes advantage of the weakness including our own.... We need leadership. Not basket cases chasing rainbows riding environmental unicorns.

War ~ Peace The People Are People The Boots Are The Same Different Feet

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. What is wrong with Canada. No matter who is driving we keep going down hill. We are nothing short of lambs to the slaughter. Our attention and our emotions are controlled so easily. COVID, COVID like a ranging fire had everyone bunkered down in fear. Now we are possibly at the eve of a world war. Fear keeps us bunkered once again. Falling for the propaganda as it is spewed by the media. I seen this before in Europe. I lived in fear for my safety and that of my fellow man. War is war and you can count on death. Death at all ages. Sad that those we call our leaders do not have the common sense to realize that lives are on the line. Yet soldiers are sent to war with little regard to the death they are causing. Then again. We can’t put blame on Putin for pulling up his military boots and charge into the Ukraine. Look what our own Prime Minister is doing with the truckers, “FREEDOM MOVEMENT”. The same mentality only in a smaller scale. This is Canada. Never say it can’t happen here. Our Prime Minister in his quest to be a global player is giving out millions of dollars to the Ukraine. Millions of our tax dollars to fight a war the Ukraine can’t win. Our city streets are full of homeless people. People in our Nation are fighting their own wars when it come to paying mortgages and putting food on the table. Where are our millions to help those in need? Same boots different feet. Is it not time we put on our own boots as the truckers have done? United Canada we stand strong.