Ontario Central Focused

Ontario has always been my home and remains. I’ve been fortunate to also have deep Atlantic Canadian roots and Western Canada experiences. I’ve been exposed to various cultures and environments in Canada for so long it has no doubt shaped my adventurous spirit. In 1995 passing the welcome to Mississauga sign when moving from Toronto with my brothers and mother I recall seeing the population sign say 350,000. As of this year in 2018 Mississauga is peaking towards 1 million. The GTHA has grown significantly the last 20 years with no change of pace expected, this extends to the Waterloo Region as well, a place I equally feel and call home. 

I’m not an economist, politician or public policy professional however I’m an aware engaged private citizen. This upcoming Ontario provincial election will have a lasting impact on the policy direction on not only where Ontario is headed in the future but potentially Canada as a whole with the federal election coming up in 2019. All eyes will be on Ontario the next few weeks as the new government forms and people take to the polls. Some will care, many will not, however the results will make an impact direct or indirect on everyone’s wallets. 

Debt when properly used as a financial instrument of leverage allows our country and economy to expand at great lengths. Financing student, vehicle, consumer purchases, and housing. Debt is a tool of financial freedom and flexibility, however when mismanaged or abused it can have extreme negative consequences and become a prison. I think it is very prudent and responsible that before leveraging our future cost anymore collectively as a province and country we don’t abandon our principals of fiscal responsibility. The same responsibility that is placed on every home and individuals budget should be shared for those who govern. If Ontario’s Auditor General’s calculations are accurate we really do need to reflect and re-consider the direction we’re going and how will get back to balance or if that is something that is even valued anymore. 

Halifax Citadel: Historic Site of Canada

With the outbreak of WW1, few blacks were serving in the Canadian military because of the racial attitudes prevalent at the time. Initially, some blacks attempted to enlist in the Canadian Expeditionary Force, but most were rejected. The Department of Militia and Defense’s policy towards recruitment was to defer to the judgement of the individual commanding officer, and since many held deeply ingrained beliefs about the inferiority of blacks, very few were accepted. 
 
 via Parks Canada. http://bit.ly/24LSVEF
via Wikipediai http://bit.ly/2agvrBv

The Future of Personal Development

With every negative so comes a positive, this is the universal law of nature and can’t be thwarted. Coming to terms with this reality is extremely important and something that I’ve taken a great deal of time to research, understand and implement within my own life a system and lifestyle that embodies this sort of balance. 

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Having vision without purpose you are just a boat tossing in the sea however with Determination, Motivation and Focus you can create and cast your sail to discover wherever your heart leads. The case load of work I have is extensive and only recently have had the time to work through many of the files because of my travels the last 3-5 years  however with a more solid foundation and credibility behind me I’m looking forward to getting through and addressing each one. I’ve categorized my GTD (Get Things Done) list into 5 categories for simplicity (Legal, Business, Non-Profit, Personal, and Government). When these files are updated the real fun and adventure can start, however until then I’ll make my way through each one. Before you can explore the world, you must first build your wings with personal development so that you may fly safely to your destination.  

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I really believe the following  Jim Rohn quote below embodies the future of Personal Development and Mental Health, it strikes a great balance between self-reliance and mutual co-operation something we surely could use a lot more of. 

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UNEQUAL ACCESS: A Canadian Profile of Racial Differences in Education, Employment and Income.

This research was funded by the Canadian Race Relations Foundation. This report is a summary of the major results obtain from Unequal Access: A Canadian Profile of Racial Differences in Education, Employment and Income. The Highlights document provides statistical data in the form of graphs- from the 1996- comparing employment, income and university education rates according to racial groups. As well, the summary presents racialise peoples difficulties in obtain employment related to their field of study or expertise, as well as having recognition of their foreign earned education. Copies of this bilingual report are availalbe through the CRRF. via http://www.crr.ca/

Protecting Youth from Bullying and Cyberbullying

 May 10, 2013

Winnipeg, Manitoba – PMO Office Statment 

The Government of Canada recognizes that bullying and cyberbullying are serious concerns for many Canadian families and communities, and has reaffirmed its commitment to ensuring the safety and well-being of our most vulnerable citizens.

While bullying is not new, cyberbullying or bullying carried out by electronic means is a relatively recent phenomenon. Anyone can be a victim of cyberbullying. As with bullying more generally, young people are the most common targets of this type of behaviour. Bullying and cyberbullying can have a devastating impact on their victims and are particularly harmful to both the welfare and development of child victims.

Protecting our Youth

The Government has undertaken education and awareness, prevention, and, enforcement activities to address the problems of bullying and cyberbullying.

Education and Awareness

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  • Through the Healthy Canadians website and Facebook pages, the Government reaches out to Canadians on health issues, including information on bullying and cyberbullying, and tips for bullying prevention and intervention.
  • In February 2013, Facebook posts on bullying were seen by over 500,000 people and shared more than 6,500 times.
  • The Youth Resource Centre provides RCMP officers working in over 5,000 schools across the country with cyberbullying lesson plans to teach youth how to recognize, respond to and prevent cyberbullying behaviour.
  • Piloted in 2011, the Walk Away, Ignore, Talk it Out, Seek Help (WITS) program has RCMP officers in 50 elementary schools and has engaged over 8,800 students to prevent bullying and victimization. The program is run in collaboration with Promoting Relationships and Eliminating Violence Network (PREVNet), the Rock Solid Foundation and University of Victoria researchers.
  • The DEAL.org website is a unique by-youth, for-youth, web-based program that offers resources to youth, parents and educators on issues such as bullying and cyberbullying.
  • GetCyberSafe, the Government of Canada’s public awareness campaign on online safety, has information about cyberbullying that includes how to talk to youth about it, and how to respond to this type of incident.
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Bill 115, Putting Students First Act, 2012

Thoughts On Fight Bill 115 Marketing 

“Teachers, the people who warm our hearts and give us the gift of knowledge.” 

I finally found the time to really dig deep and look over Bill 115  after seeing the Ontario Secondary Schools Teacher Federation(OSSTF)  FighBill115.ca  Ad all over the internet. The conclusion I come to is this, the content of the bill is very strong in reason and rationality and it should be passed and accepted by the teachers this one time. Given the hard fiscal position Ontario is currently in the OSSTF marketing campaign has alienated the valid concerns some teachers actually have with Bill 115. It is overwhelming agreed within society that we need to protect our teachers, and make sure that they are cared for. However it is more important to protect the young minds of the children first.  

I don’t think the Ad campaign FightBill115 has been effective and clear with its message on why parents should side with the union vs. the Liberal government that was just re-elected a year ago. This campaign shows the OSSTF blatant position that it is holding children’s lives and extracurricular activities hostage it is an unnecessary aggressive ad campaign.

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The SDTC Cleantech Maze

Policy Publication Resources

For more background on the subject matter the following are some very important reports and publications.

Canadian Commercialization: Problems, Failure, & Research Success.

When you look at the maze of  images below you will see some of Canada’s  most proud and recognizable organizations. However, in the 2010 Sustainable Development Technology Canada (SDTC) Cleantech Report, the membership partners attained the letter grade of D for  commercialization. This is clearly unacceptable for a developed nation like Canada. The dependency we have placed on the “Crown” when it comes to “Business Development” has inhibited our country’s ability to perform and capitalize on the global growth within the Renewable and Environment sector. Continue reading

MTA Mounties Football Playoff Update

It’s playoff time and your Mounties have been invited to the party!  For the 2nd time in 3 years and 3rd time in the last 5 years, the Mounties will be playing in the AUS Semi-Final with a chance to advance to our first AUS Championship game since 1998.

This Saturday, November 3rd at 1PM, the Mounties will play the Saint Mary’s Huskies at Huskies Stadium in Halifax.  The Mounties are 2-1 against the Huskies this year, with a 16-10 victory in exhibition, a 43-7 loss in week 5 and a 25-12 victory in week 6.  We like the matchup and one thing is for certain, our boys will be well prepared to leave it out on the field and make good things happen.

We need the support of everyone we can get for our trip to Halifax.  If you are in the area, we encourage you to make the trip to Saturday’s game, wearing your garnet and gold and with your noisemakers ready to support our Mounties.  If you can’t make it to the game, you can watch it live on EastlinkTV or you can catch the webcast at www.AUStv.ca.

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The Maritimes “Brain Drain”…..Reality ?

 

Human capital flight, more commonly referred to as “brain drain”, is the large-scale emigration of a large group of individuals with technical skills or knowledge. (c) Photo Editing Curtsey @UNUSMMG

https://twitter.com/JeromeDowney/status/263313042811539456