With legal ‘weed’ readily available from licensed dispensaries in Canada, more states to the South of us are legalizing marijuana for use in America and as such, the demand is increasing.
A good example is Colorado.
The state opened the first regulated recreational marijuana market in the world. A 2014 study also showed that 30% of the heaviest “pot” users in Colorado were responsible for 87% of the demand for the drug. Judging from these stats, we can see that the demand for marijuana is steadily rising as it is becoming accepted and legalized in more places around the world. The marijuana market is getting bigger by the day as Americans spend roughly $40 USD billion annually on legal and illegal marijuana. There is so much more to these impressive figures and the rest of this article and info-graphic will discuss these factors. Let’s dive in, shall we?
Legalization
Typically, only two countries in the world allow the recreational use of marijuana – Uruguay and Canada. Although marijuana is still illegal under federal law in the United States, there are state laws that make it legal to consume under certain conditions. Marijuana is legal in 12 states for recreational use, and in 33 states for medical use. In the states where marijuana is legalized for medical use, there are licensed dispensaries that distribute it. These states restrict the number of dispensaries and they are usually non-profits. If we take into consideration the fact that the majority of Americans (62%) support legalizing marijuana, we can surely expect even more states to adopt new marijuana-friendly laws. As the public learns more about proven marijuana benefits, the support increases.
Sales and Demand
The rising demand for marijuana keeps driving it to record high sales as 55 million people use marijuana regularly. Studies show that by the end of 2022, recreational marijuana sales in the U.S are projected to more than triple. The average price per ounce of marijuana differs in the U.S by state and it may vary greatly. For example, the District of Columbia has the highest price at $600.7 USD per ounce while Oregon’s price is $210.6 USD for the same quantity. Also, research shows that the cannabis market is projected to grow at a rate of 21% per year.
Employment
With the escalating demand, there is a corresponding rise in the need for greater production, and the industry provides jobs and opportunities for investments. People with degrees in pharmacology, botany, and chemistry can be very beneficial in the industry. As for the salaries, the starting pay is $40,000 for growers and pharmacologists. The three factors above paint a clear picture of the state of the marijuana market. It is very lucrative and expected to keep thriving.
The level of consumer choice in 2023 is perhaps the highest it has ever been. This is a good thing.
Not only does it allow consumers to find a brand or company that aligns with their views and can deliver a product or service that solves a problem, but it shows positive signs for growing businesses in the economy. But as good as consumer choice can be, it can also be intimidating, especially when we want quick answers and don’t want to have to wade through reams of information. Growing with the range of consumer choice are websites that help simplify these choices for the average consumer – review sites. So, what review sites can be found in Canada?
When choosing an individual for important work – such as lawyers – it is crucial to make the right decision. At sites such as Lawyers, Best Lawyers, and Lawyer Ratingz, the lawyers are filtered by the specific type of work they do (e.g. Mergers and Acquisitions or Derivatives Law) or from where they are located from Calgary to Nova Scotia and beyond.
Choosing a lawyer is possibly one of the most important decisions – and the wrong choice could lead to trouble – so these sites are particularly useful. Specific lawyer reviews are subject to confidentiality and the outcome of a case might not be down to the lawyer’s skills (or lack thereof), so many factors should be taken into account when it comes to looking at lawyer reviews.
Review Sites for Contractors
Similarly, choosing a contractor for building work can be a dicey business. Cowboy builders are infamous, so it’s important to find one that will conduct the work adequately, safely, in time, and within budget. Sites like HomeStars and Trusted Pros work through amalgamations of reviews by people who have had work done by particular contractors. Review sites for contractors focus on experiences of those who have hired them, and importantly, highlighting work that hasn’t been adequate. But as reviews are often subjective, it’s important to take each one with a pinch of salt.
Review Sites with Added Value
Review sites aren’t just about hiring an individual for a role. There are review sites that compare tech such as new phone releases, and review sites that compare streaming platforms. With the market for reviews also growing, it’s important for review sites to stand out from the crowd.
For example, Casino Hacks offers honest casino reviews that focus on the games available and special features of particular sites. The added bonus here is that the site uses live streams and video to review games and online casino experiences. This allows people to see what they might want to engage in. When looking for a review site, one that has visual representations could more easily show consumers information.
Review sites allow consumers to make choices across a wide variety of industries. Some reviews are tailored to value for money, such as telecoms and utilities reviews, while others such as insurance reviews or bank account reviews focus on added-value benefits. With so much consumer choice, review sites are useful to help create a shortlist for possible options and to remove some of the stress and hassle that comes with these choices.
May 9, 2023 – Investor-state disputes are proliferating around the globe as business investors seek redress for government actions they deem unfair or contrary to investment agreements, according to report from the C.D. Howe Institute. In “Investor-State Disputes: The Record and the Reforms Needed for the Road Ahead,” author and C.D. Howe Institute Senior Fellow Lawrence L. Herman reviews the record of investor-state dispute settlement (ISDS) procedures, the criticisms directed at them, and the reforms required.
“Despite concerns and criticism, ISDS procedures in international investment agreements are an important development in global governance that should continue to be a part of our international fabric,” says Herman.
Herman examines both Canadian and global cases involving ISDSs, which give private parties the right to bring binding arbitration against governments under International Investment Agreements (IIAs). These rights can be invoked when investors allege a lack of fair and equitable treatment, discrimination or expropriation without adequate compensation contrary to a country’s treaty obligations.
“ISDS has become a significant feature for investments, particularly into developing countries in many parts of the world,” according to Herman.
“However, because of the rights given to private parties, these agreements have become increasingly controversial – especially in an era of increasingly expanding governmental measures on climate change, sustainability, human rights and other issues impacting foreign investors and their investments in one way or another.”
In response to these concerns, multilateral, regional and bilateral efforts are making continuing improvements to ISDS mechanisms when it comes to efficiency, transparency and aspects such as permanent appointments and a system of appeals.
“While some countries have embarked on a program of terminating their bilateral investment agreements, these agreements will continue to remain as a part of the international fabric in many parts of the globe,” says Herman. “They are an important development in global governance and, even if not perfect, they not going to disappear in spite of concerns and criticisms.”
Creating permanent rosters of tribunal members as well as adding an appellate review processes to existing IIAs would help improve ISDS procedures. Short of this, Herman says ongoing efforts could include: i) promoting model arbitration clauses to reduce legal uncertainty and enhance consistency and predictability of outcomes; ii) developing codes of conduct and best practices for adjudicators plus rules to ensure their independence; and iii) making sure appointments to tribunals are of highest quality. Governments should also publicly support the value of third-party arbitration as an objective and neutral process that leads to peaceful resolution of differences, he adds.
Ultimately, investment protection treaties are about risk mitigation with host states bound by treaty to respect obligations of fair and equitable treatment and other rule-of-law standards and providing investors with a degree of assurance, says Herman. “While there are legitimate questions about the process and whether and to what degree investment treaties accomplish these objectives, these suggestions can assist in providing ways forward,” he concludes.
There are some 2,500 international investment agreements (IIAs) in force around the world, whether as stand-alone treaties or incorporated into bilateral or regional free trade agreements (FTAs). They are a significant feature of the international business scene.
A main feature of these agreements is to allow foreign investors to invoke binding arbitration where it is alleged that the host governments have breached fair and equitable treatment and other treaty obligations towards the investors. This is known as Investor-State Dispute Settlement or “ISDS”.
The process gives foreign investors comfort that if things go wrong in host countries, they have recourse to neutral, third-party dispute resolution. It thus provides important elements of risk reduction for foreign investors and their investments, notably aiding the flow of capital from industrialized countries to the developing world.
There has been dramatic escalation of investor arbitration claims over the last two decades. This makes it timely and useful to review the situation, looking at the value of ISDS as well as the criticisms that have emerged over the years. The conclusion is that IIAs and the arbitration process are valuable parts of the corpus of international order and will remain an integral part of the international business scene for the foreseeable future. The issue facing governments, therefore, is how to respond to criticisms by improving, as opposed to abandoning, the ISDS process. This paper suggests some pragmatic ways forward.
A Canadian company, First Quantum Minerals, and the government of Panama are reported to have settled a long-standing tax dispute allowing the company to resume operations at the Cobre Panama mine in that country. Earlier reports were that if the dispute was not resolved by negotiation, the company would invoke arbitration rights under the Canada-Panama Free Trade Agreement.
Had the dispute proceeded, it would have been another example of hundreds of arbitrations that have proliferated around the globe, initiated under various international investment agreements (IIAs) that give private parties the right to bring binding arbitration against governments under Investor-State Dispute Settlement ( ISDS) procedures. Those rights can be invoked, for example, where investors allege lack of fair and equitable treatment, discrimination or expropriation without adequate compensation contrary to that country’s treaty obligations.
In addition to investment treaties, numerous free trade agreements incorporate separate investment dispute settlement provisions, including the former North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA); the Canada-EU trade agreement (CETA); the Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) Agreement; and bilateral free trade agreements, such as those between Canada and countries like Chile and South Korea, among others.
As a consequence, ISDS has become a significant feature of the ground rules for investments in many parts of the world, particularly those made into developing countries. Because of the rights given to private parties, these agreements have become increasingly controversial, especially in an era of expanding governmental measures on climate change, sustainability, human rights and more that impact foreign investors and their investments.
In light of these developments, it is useful to briefly update the ISDS record with regard to Canada, look at what lessons might emerge, both in the global and the Canadian context, and suggest some elements to monitor as we go forward.
Criticisms Of ISDS Agreements
As investor arbitrations have proliferated, so have the criticisms, making ISDS one of the more controversial aspects of global governance. Here are some of the main ones:
IIAs have given private companies broad rights to challenge host-country actions that can fall within legitimate fields of public regulation, especially now in an era of decarbonization and other national crises like COVID 19.
The process involves one-way litigation, with no corresponding right of host countries to bring arbitration cases against investors for disregarding laws, practices and standards of business conduct.
The growth of third-party financings of investor claims has stimulated, or at least encouraged, the initiation of ISDS cases.
Investment agreements bypass the customary international law norm that requires claimants to first exhaust local remedies before bringing an international claim against a host country.
The ISDS structure is defective because its ad hoc tribunals – put together to hear a particular case – make long-term, binding decisions affecting laws or policies enacted for the public interest.
Arbitrators’ decisions are final and binding with no avenue of appeal, whether on errors of fact or of law.
Because of its ad hoc nature, the system lacks institutional continuity. Public confidence in the system suffers.
Arbitrators are appointed from a small — if not closed – pool of international lawyers who are free to act for private interests as counsel in other cases, leading to appearances of conflict and adding to diminished public confidence in the process.7
There are answers to these critiques but the over-arching response, as alluded to above, is that resolving investor-state disputes based on legal norms within an accepted procedural framework remains a significant achievement in the progressive development of international law. As observed in one analysis,
“During the last decade a number of the shortcomings have indeed been addressed and remedied. It is reasonable to assume that this has been done – at least partially – based on the realisation that investment treaty arbitration is the most efficient and reliable dispute settlement mechanism for disputes between foreign investors and host States. There is simply no better, realistic alternative.”8
As already mentioned, ISDS in its various manifestations provides an important element of stability and risk insurance when investing in jurisdictions where legal rules may not be mature or respected, aiding the flow of capital to developing countries and thus presumably helping to meet the international community’s aid and development goals. The system may not be perfect, but efforts are afoot to improve it at many levels.
The author thanks Daniel Schwanen, Charles-Emmanuel Côté, Rick Ekstein, Ari Van Assche, Gus Van Harten and anonymous reviewers for comments on an earlier draft. The author retains responsibility for any errors and the views expressed.
Vancouver, B.C. – Art Vancouver, Western Canada’s largest international art fair is once again uniting the world through art, held at the Vancouver Convention Centre West on May 4–7, 2023.
Art Vancouver’s vision is a noble one that seeks to use the universal language of art to connect people from different parts of the world and to promote a sense of global community.
By bringing together artists and galleries from across Canada and around the world, Art Vancouver aims to showcase a diverse range of contemporary artwork that reflects the unique perspectives, experiences, and cultures of each participating artist.
Art Vancouver marks its 7th edition, welcoming 100+ exhibitors, making Vancouver a destination city for artists, collectors and art lovers alike. Unique to this year, is a panel discussion about the intersection of Artificial Intelligence and art, providing valuable insights and perspectives from experts in the field.
Artist talks, demonstrations and art classes are always a great way for attendees to learn new skills and techniques, and having more of them available means that more people can benefit from the educational opportunities.
Art Vancouver has put together a diverse and engaging program that offers something for everyone. Whether attendees are artists themselves, or simply enthusiasts of art and creativity, there should be plenty of opportunities to learn, engage, and be inspired.
Established in 2017, the non-profit organization was started to make art accessible to everyone, with the goal of promoting and developing Vancouver’s visual art community into a thriving international art scene. VVAF hosts their main annual event, Art Vancouver, a four-day international art fair showcasing artists from across Canada and around the world. For the Silo, Christina Ioannou.
The IMF announced today (Tuesday, April 11, 2023) in the World Economic Outlook’s press briefing that the baseline forecast for global output growth is 0.1 percentage point lower than predicted in the January 2023 WEO Update, before rising to 3.0 percent in 2024.
“The world economy is still recovering from the unprecedented upheavals of the last three years, and the recent banking turmoil has increased uncertainties.”
“We expect global output growth to fall from 3.4% last year to 2.8% in 2023, before rising to 3% in 2024, mostly unchanged from our January projections. Advanced economies are expected to see an especially pronounced growth slowdown from 2.7% in 2022 to 1.3% in 2023. Global headline inflation is set to fall from 8.7% in 2022 to 7% in 2023 on the back of lower commodity prices but underlying core inflation is proving to be stickier. Importantly, this outlook assumes that recent financial stresses remain contained,” said Pierre-Olivier Gourinchas, the IMF’s Chief Economist.
Much uncertainty clouds the short- and medium-term outlook as the global economy adjusts to the shocks of 2020–22 and the recent financial sector turmoil. Recession concerns have gained prominence, while worries about stubbornly high inflation persist.
“Once again, risks are heavily tilted to the downside, they have risen with the recent financial turmoil. Most prominently, recent banking system turbulence could result in a sharper and more persistent tightening of global financial conditions. The simultaneous rate hikes across countries could have more contractionary effects than expected, especially as debt levels are at historical highs. There might be a need for more monetary tightening if inflation remains stickier than expected. These risks and more could all materialize at a time when policymakers face much more limited policy space to offset negative shocks, especially in low-income countries,” added Gourinchas.
With the fog around current and prospective economic conditions thickening, policymakers have a narrow path to walk towards restoring price stability while avoiding a recession and maintaining financial stability. Achieving strong, sustainable, and inclusive growth will require policymakers to stay agile and be ready to adjust as information becomes available.
“First, as long as financial stress is not systemic as it is now, the fight against inflation should remain the priority for central banks. Second, to safeguard financial stability, central banks should use separate tools and communicate their objectives clearly to avoid unwarranted volatility. Financial policies should remain laser focused on preserving financial stability and watch for any buildup of risks in banks, non-banks, and the real estate sectors. Third, in many countries fiscal policy should tighten to ease inflation pressures, restore debt sustainability, and rebuild fiscal buffers. Finally, in the event of capital outflows that raise financial stability risks, emerging market and developing economies should use the integrated Policy framework, combining temporary targeted foreign exchange interventions and capital flow measures where appropriate,” said Gourinchas.
While spring brings warmer weather, sunnier days, and beautiful flowers, it also brings the reminder that it’s time to air out, declutter our homes, and do some spring cleaning. At the same time, it might be tempting to spray our homes with disinfectants, a lot of common household cleaning products are actually pretty toxic to our health. This is why we’ve provided you with some tips on how to get your home sparkling, but not at the cost of your health.
When it comes to cleaning products, we Canadians buy a lot of them.
In 2014 alone, we spent more than $641 million on products like window sprays and floor cleaners. When you break that down, we’re spending $200-$300 per household annually on products that we think help us maintain healthy homes, when in fact they could be doing the opposite.
Some of Canada’s most popular cleaning products contain harsh chemicals and fragrance ingredients that can harm you and your family’s health. (Tell the Canadian government that we need better protections from toxics in our personal care and cleaning products.)
We tested the homes of 14 volunteers and found that indoor air quality quickly deteriorates when some conventional cleaning products are applied.
The good news is that safer options are widely available. Even better, DIY alternatives for many spring cleaning items are not only easy to make, they can provide significant cost savings over store brands.
How concerned should we be about the impacts of cleaning products on indoor air?
We put some of Canada’s most popular cleaning products as well as certified green products and products that had non-verifiable green claims to the test! We sampled the air in volunteers’ homes while they cleaned their kitchens for half an hour to test for VOCs.
Things are pretty much the same in the United States.
(Volatile organic compounds, or VOCs for short, are a common type of air pollutant. VOCs are a broad category of chemicals, some of which are linked to asthma and other health conditions, including cancer. A key concern with VOCs is that some of them can react with other pollutants present in the air, and form other contaminants that are even more toxic).
So, what did we find?
For the nine homes where conventional cleaners were used, total VOCs increased by an average of 120 per cent.
For the three homes cleaned with certified green products with full disclosure labels, the VOCs increased by an average of only 35 per cent.
For the two homes cleaned with products that made a green claim on the label but did not disclose ingredients, total VOCs averaged 100 per cent.
Handy tips to keep your indoor air quality in good shape while getting the job done:
Choose green products that list their ingredients in full. Companies are not currently required to fully list their ingredients, but some forward thinking businesses offer this information to customers voluntarily.
Avoid cleaning products that list “fragrance” as an ingredient.
Keep rooms ventilated by opening windows or turning on fans during and after cleaning. This is especially important if you live in a condo or an apartment. Better air circulation will keep harmful VOC levels from building up.
Try some simple DIY recipes with two simple ingredients: water and vinegar.
Following these tips, and choosing green products, or making your own when possible, are great (and toxic-free) ways to get your spring cleaning done without dirtying the planet and your health!
For the Silo, Sarah Jamal Program Coordinator, Toxics environmentaldefence.ca
Some years ago, in 2015, I spoke with Paul Hellyer the former Canadian minister of defense, who stated he believes UFOs are from another planet and that the U.S. Government has kept it covered up.
As Canadian Minister of National Defense in 1963, Hellyer was responsible for integrating and unifying the Royal Canadian army, navy and air force into a single organization, the Canadian Armed Forces.
He is outspoken about UFOs visiting Earth and the US Banking System that he feels is greatly responsible for the present economic hard times. He feels we are naive and fail to understand we are being visited by alien life forms.
He told me he had spoken with key US government officials who confirmed aliens are visiting us and providing advanced technology.
His book, “Light at the End of the Tunnel: A Survival Plan for the Human Species” reveals that humans are hell bent for extinction unless we change our attitudes and actions with an urgency appropriate to an impending disaster. Paul Hellyer suggests that we have about ten years to wean ourselves from the oil economy and profoundly regrets that the Copenhagen Conference reflected little progress in that direction.
The whole atmosphere was one that reminded him of Emperor Nero fiddling while Rome burned. World leaders simply have to do better! The book outlines the three monumental changes required to accommodate the miracle. First, the book claims that exotic energy sources already exist. They have been developed by the U.S. “shadow government” at the massive underground “black operation” installations in Nevada and Arizona using technology borrowed from visitors from other planets. Yet they remain secret for the alleged benefit of the privileged few. Second, the money has to be found to subsidize poor nations and facilitate major changes. This can be accomplished by a fundamental re-working of the monetary and banking system. Bank leverages must be dramatically reduced and the percentage of virtual money they create as debt strictly limited so that governments can gain the financial flexibility to finance the transition to sustainability. Finally, it will be necessary for all countries, races, faiths and colors to drop their antagonisms and work together in common purpose to save the heritage they have in common.
When Hellyer was Canada’s Minister of National Defense he stated, “I got periodic reports on sightings and I looked at them very casually, and it was decided that about 80 percent of them were natural phenomena of one sort or another, and the other 20 percent roughly were unexplained, and therefore unidentified. While spending one Thanksgiving holiday north of Toronto, Hellyer and his wife spotted an UFO. “The two of us stood there transfixed for 20 minutes, looking up at this thing moving first in one direction, and then another. By process of elimination, we determined it wasn’t a star or satellite and it wasn’t the space station, so there was really no explanation for it other than it was, in fact, a UFO.”
“It looked like a star, but it maneuvered in a way that stars do not. I must admit that when I saw this one, I wondered whether it was extraterrestrial or American. And I guess the thought that occurred to me was that if it is American, then they have learned some pretty big secrets about acceleration, because it accelerated at a pace that nothing I’ve ever known about that was built here is capable of.” For the Silo, George Filer. Join MUFON.
The research by GoShorty looked at worldwide car production figures from previous years, the number of people employed in the automotive industry, and other factors to reveal which countries produce the most and least commercial vehicles in the world.
Countries with the biggest decreases in car production:
Rank
Country
Cars Produced
Commercial Vehicles Produced
Total Produced 2021
% change variation2020/2021
1
Slovenia
95,797
–
95,797
-32%
2
Canada
288,235
826,767
1,115,002
-19%
3
Uzbekistan
236,667
4,982
241,649
-15%
4
Germany
3,096,165
212,527
3,308,692
-12%
5
Serbia
21,109
154
21,263
-9%
6
Spain
1,662,174
435,959
2,098,133
-8%
7
United Kingdom
859,575
72,913
932,488
-6%
8
Romania
420,755
–
420,755
-4%
9
Czech Republic
1,105,223
6,209
1,111,432
-4%
10
Hungary
394,302
–
394,302
-3%
Slovenia’s motor vehicle production was reported at 95,797 units in Dec 2021. This records a decrease from the previous number of 141,714 units for Dec 2020. Global car manufacturers like Renault have made plans to cut production in the country. Renault has cut production in its Revoz Slovenia unit and reduced its staff by 350 people.
Canada had the second biggest decrease in car production in 2021 compared to the previous year, a decrease in production of -19%. The low production numbers, down from 1.4 million in 2020 and close to two million in 2019, came as the global auto sector was hit by a shortage of semiconductor chips caused by pandemic-related production issues and a surge in demand for electronics.
Uzbekistan had the third biggest decrease in car production in 2021 compared to the previous year, a decrease in production of -15%. In 2021, Uzbekistan produced 236,667 passenger cars. That means that compared to 2020, production decreased by 15%. Despite the reduction in production, Uzbekistan increased the export of cars by more than a third.
The countries with the highest increases in car production:
Rank
Country
Cars Produced
Commercial Vehicles Produced
Total Produced 2021
% change variation2020/2021
1
Argentina
184,106
250,647
434,753
69%
2
Indonesia
889,756
232,211
1,121,967
63%
3
India
3,631,095
768,017
4,399,112
30%
4
Kazakhstan
80,679
11,738
92,417
24%
5
Morocco
338,339
64,668
403,007
23%
6
Thailand
594,690
1,091,015
1,685,705
18%
7
South Africa
239,267
259,820
499,087
12%
7
Brazil
1,707,851
540,402
2,248,253
12%
9
Portugal
229,221
60,733
289,954
10%
10
Austria
124,700
12,000
136,700
9%
Argentina saw the highest percentage increase in car manufacturing in 2021 compared to 2020, at a rate of 69%. Argentina’s motor vehicle production was reported at 434,753 units in Dec 2021. This records an increase from the previous number of 257,187 units for Dec 2020. This year, Argentina’s Senate has approved a bill to promote the automotive industry. The initiative was spearheaded and supported by IndustriALL affiliates in the country.
Indonesia had the second-highest increase in car production in 2021 compared to 2020, at an increase of 63%. As well as being the fourth most populous country in the world,
India was the country that witnessed the third-highest increase in car production in 2021 compared to the previous year, at an increase of 30%. India’s automotive sector is benefiting from a host of improvements, which include global supply-chain rebalancing and government incentives to increase exports.
Methodology:
We started by taking the International Organization of Motor Vehicle Manufacturers’ 2021 PRODUCTION STATISTICS to get World Motor Vehicle Production figures, to find the total number of commercial vehicles and car production for each country. This data is accurate as of 01/11/2022.
Ukraine and Russia were omitted due to the ongoing conflict between the two countries.
We ranked our countries based on their total production of both commercial vehicles and cars in 2021. We were also able to rank these countries based on their % change in variation between the years of 2020/2021 to find which countries had an increase in the number of produced cars in recent years.
We used ACEA’s Share of direct automotive employment in the EU, by country, to find the total share of direct automotive employment in total manufacturing for each of the 27 member states of the European Union in 2020. We were able to rank each country by the share of automotive employment. This data is accurate as of 01/11/2022.
Further findings:
China is the world’s biggest manufacturer of cars – it produced the most cars and commercial vehicles in 2021, with a total of 26 million units manufactured.
Egypt had the second lowest number of vehicles manufactured in 2021, with a total of 23,754 commercial vehicles and cars produced annually.
Slovakia has the highest share of automotive employment in Europe – it accounts for 16.2% of employment in the country.
[This article was first published by The Silo on April 22, 2014] On June 10, 2009, the Honourable Justice Murray Sinclair, Marie Wilson and Chief Wilton Littlechild were appointed as Commissioners to the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada (TRC), a component of the Indian Residential Schools Settlement Agreement.
Canada’s Truth and Reconciliation Commission is unique from other commissions around the world in that its scope is primarily focused on the experiences of children and its research spans more than 150 years (one of the longest durations ever examined). It is also the first court-ordered truth commission to be established and most notable, the survivors themselves set aside 60 million dollars of the compensation they were awarded to help establish the TRC.
Over the course of its 5 year mandate, one of the main tasks of the Commission is to create an accurate and public historical record of the past regarding the policies and operations of the former residential schools, what happened to the children who attended them, and what former employees recall from their experiences.
It is difficult for Canadians to accept that the policy behind the government funded, church run schools attempted to “kill the Indian in the child”. The violent underpinnings of the policy challenge the way we think about Canada, and call into question our national character and values. We have been taught to believe that we are a peaceful nation, glorious and free.
The residential school legacy shines a light in our darkest corners, where we feel most vulnerable.
Over 130 Residential Schools were located across Canada, with the last one closing in 1996. More than 150,000 First Nations, Métis and Inuit children as young as five years old were forcibly removed from their families and placed in institutions that shamed their languages, customs, families, communities, traditions, cultures and history. In essence, they were not allowed be themselves and denied the love and belonging owed to all children.
While some former students had positive experiences at residential schools, many suffered emotional, physical and sexual abuse, and others died while attending these schools. Other lessons in trauma included assimilating children to gender roles, non-skilled labour and religion to prepare them for future integration. For the parents left behind, the worst lessons in shame, grief, loss and disconnection. Whole societies were undone.
In addition to creating the public historical record of the past, the survivors also tasked the Commission to reveal to Canadians the full and complete story.
What were they thinking? Why should it matter to ordinary Canadians?
Here’s why: When we tell our stories we change the world. When we don’t tell our stories we miss the opportunity to experience empathy and to cultivate authenticity, joy and belonging. (Brené Brown, 44) Through story-telling, the survivors are compelling Canadians to listen and respond with deep compassion and to re-set relationships in a big way in this country. This is our greatest opportunity to recognize shared history and our shared humanity. These stories are a gift and will help us to shape our shared future.
Thomas Moore before and after his entrance into the Regina Indian Residential School in Sasketchewan in 1874. image: Library and Archives Canada/NL-022474
Through statement gathering at national or regional events and at TRC Community Hearings, former students, their descendants and anyone who has been affected by the Residential Schools legacy, had an opportunity to share their individual experiences in a safe and culturally supportive environment. The TRC concluded its last community hearing in March 2014 and has collected more than 6, 200 statements.
Almost all of them were video-and-audio-recorded and range from a few minutes to a few hours. The statements will be stored at the National Research Centre on Indian Residential Schools at the University of Manitoba. Students, researchers and members of the public will be able to access the statements to learn about residential schools and the legacy they leave behind.
As the TRC begins to reveal to Canadians the full and complete story of residential schools and inspire a process of reconciliation across this country, ordinary Canadians seem ill-equipped to make the journey from shame to empathy. “We know the voices singing, screaming, wanting to be heard- but we don’t hear them because fear and blame muffle the sounds” (Brené Brown, 42) We need to prepare ourselves to go to the dark corners of our history, so we can stand in the light together as equals.
In my next article, I will share with you more about empathy, how to practice empathy and why its essential to building meaningful and trustworthy relationships.) For the Silo, Leslie Cochran.
(Brené Brown, 42 and Brené Brown, 44) are taken from her first book “I thought it was just me.”
The Canadian Honours Award System is a system in which citizens of Canada can be recognized for their exceptional achievements. The system comprises three levels: the Order of Canada, the Order of Military Merit, and the Order of Merit. Each level has its criteria for eligibility and its process for nomination and selection.
The Order of Canada is the highest level of the Canadian Honours Award System. It was established in 1967 to recognize outstanding achievement and service in various fields of human endeavor.
February 26, 1997, Geddy Lee, Alex Lifeson and Neil Peart were awarded the Order of Canada at Rideau Hall in Ottawa (the official residence of the Governor General of Canada).
Below is everything you need to know about the Canadian honors award system, from eligibility requirements to the nomination process.
The requirements
1- You must be a Canadian citizen or a permanent resident of Canada
When you are a citizen of another country, you are not eligible for the Order of Canada, but you may be eligible for one of our other awards.
2- You must have made a significant contribution to your community or Canada
Your contribution can be in any field, such as the arts, business, philanthropy, science, sports, or public service.
3- You must be nominated by someone else
You cannot nominate yourself. Nominations are reviewed by an independent advisory committee, which makes recommendations to the governor-general.
4- You must meet the criteria for the specific level of award you are being nominated for
The Order of Canada has three levels: Companion (CC), Officer (OC), and Member (CM). The criteria for each level are different.
How to be nominated
1- Talk to the people who know you best
Your nominator should be someone who knows you well and can attest to your achievements. They may be a colleague, friend, or family member.
2- Fill out the nomination form
The nomination form must be completed in full and signed by the nominator. It includes sections on your biography, achievements, and contributions.
3- Include letters of support
Your nominator should also include letters of support from two other people who know you well. These letters should speak to your character and accomplishments.
4- Submit your application
Applications can be submitted online or by mail. The deadline for submissions is June 30.
The current Governor General of Canada is Canada’s first indigenous G.G.
The Selection Process
1- Review by an independent advisory committee
All applications are reviewed by an independent advisory committee, which makes recommendations to the governor-general. The governor general then decides who will receive the award.
2- Notification of the decision
The Office of the Secretary to the Governor General will notify all nominees of the decision by mail or email.
3- Ceremony and presentation of the award
Award recipients are invited to a ceremony at Rideau Hall, where they will receive their insignia from the governor-general.
Recipients can also choose to have their award presented to them at a ceremony in their community.
Celine Dion was first an Officer of the Order of Canada. Awarded on: January 6, 1998 and then later made a Companion of the Order of Canada Awarded on: October 23, 2008
In conclusion, the Canadian Honours Award System is a way to recognize the exceptional achievements of Canadians. To be eligible, you must be a Canadian citizen or permanent resident, have made a significant contribution to your community or Canada, and be nominated by someone else.
August, 2022 – Business investment in Canada is so weak that capital per member of the labour force is falling, and the implications for incomes and competitiveness are ominous. Governments, particularly the federal government, need to get serious about growth to get workers more of the tools they require to compete and thrive, according to a new report from the C.D. Howe Institute.
In “Decapitalization: Weak Business Investment Threatens Canadian Prosperity”, authors William B.P. Robson and Mawakina Bafale write that since 2015 Canada’s stock of capital per available worker has been declining and its rate of gross investment per worker has been well below that in the United States and other OECD countries.
Capital= Business “bread and butter”
They examine why Canada might be lagging as well as what action to take.
“Business investment and productivity are closely related: productivity growth inspires investment by creating opportunities, and investment drives productivity growth by equipping workers with more and better tools,” says Robson. “Investment per available worker lower in Canada than abroad tells us that businesses see less opportunity in Canada, and prefigures weaker growth in Canadian earnings and living standards than in other OECD countries.”
New investment per available worker in Canada, adjusted for purchasing power, was only slightly above 50 cents for every dollar of investment per available United States worker in 2021 – lower than at any point since the beginning of the 1990s. In addition, in 2022, OECD projections show that Canadian workers will likely enjoy only 73 cents of new capital for every dollar enjoyed by their counterparts in the OECD excluding the US, according to Robson and Bafale.
The authors’ calculations from OECD projections for 2022 show $20,400 of new capital per available worker this year for OECD countries excluding the United States, compared to $14,800 for Canada.
In other words, new capital per available worker in Canada will be more than one-quarter less than in those countries this year.
Declines in the stock of machinery and equipment (M&E) and intellectual property (IPP) per member of the workforce are particularly worrisome, the authors explain, because those types of capital may be particularly important for economy-wide productivity. “Whatever special messages the recent M&E and IPP numbers may convey, the message from stocks of business capital overall is clear: the average member of Canada’s labour force began 2022 with less capital to work with than she or he had in 2014,” says Bafale.
Robson and Bafale identify a few probable causes for Canada’s dismal investment performance. These include: weak business in the natural resource industries; restricted access to finance for small and mid-size firms; a loss in Canada’s competitive edge in business taxation, notably against the United States; an uncongenial environment for IP investment; regulatory uncertainly; unpredictable fiscal policy; and governments’ in-house spending and transfers to households that are steering resources into consumption and housing rather than non-residential investment.
Is business investment capital trajectory predetermined?
“The prospect that Canadians will find themselves increasingly relegated to lower value-added activities relative to workers in the United States and elsewhere, who are raising their productivity and earnings faster, should spur Canadian policymakers to action,” conclude Robson and Bafale. “The first step is to recognize that recent trends are a symptom of threats to Canada’s prosperity and competitiveness – that low business investment is a problem that governments can and should address.”
Supplemental- Are you a small Canadian business frustrated with the difficulties involved in accessing capital? For example, our experience has shown that the multitude of Business Development Corporations operate with autonomy but without accountability, poor vision and nepotism. Essentially, gleaning business plans and strategies before revealing ‘jump through these application hoops” which include personal finance and personal life details. It is sobering to discover that they also receive a hefty commission % for every applicant they ‘certify as successful’. Do you agree or have you had a more positive experience? We want to hear from you in the comments below.
A study by Compare the Market Australia has analyzed each country around the world on their annual search volume for terms such as ‘relocating to [country]’ and ‘moving to [country]’ to reveal the world’s most desirable countries to relocate to.
The most desired countries to relocate to? Here comes a boring chart!
Rank
Top destination
Favourite in X countries
1
Canada
50
2
Japan
31
3
Spain
19
4
China
15
5
France
11
6
Turkey
9
6
South Africa
9
8
India
7
9
Australia
6
10
Greece
4
10
Fiji
4
Taking the top spot is Canada, with our North American nation being the most desired destination in 50 other countries around the world. Canada is a very welcoming country for expats, which has led to it becoming a very diverse and multicultural destination.
Second place goes to Japan, with 31 countries having it as their number one relocation destination, including Australia. Japan has one of the highest life expectancies in the world, which could explain why so many people are researching to move there.
Spain is another very popular choice, especially amongst those in other European countries, with 19 countries having it as their favourite in total. Known for its warm Mediterranean climate, Spain is also another destination that has excellent healthcare and quality of life.
The least desired countries to relocate to in the world include: Sweden, The Philippines, Bulgaria, Germany, Thailand, Egypt, Singapore, Myanmar, Italy, and Nigeria with only one other country wanting to move to each of these destinations.
Further Study Insights:
Each country’s most desired relocation destination
Check the map below to see where each country in the world wants to relocate to the most.
While the majority seem to prefer somewhere within the same continent, there are some notable exceptions to this.
As the most searched country overall, we can see that people from as far away as India and South Africa have Canada as their most searched destination.
However, there were also some definite regional trends though. For example, many African nations have South Africa as their most searched destination.
Methodology
Using Google Ads Keyword Planner, the annual search volume for each of the following terms was found for each country in the world:
Houses in [country]
[Country] property
Moving to [country]
Relocating to [country]
This process was then repeated for each country in the world, taking a total of the searches across all four search terms, to reveal where each country wants to relocate to the most.
Note that searches within the same country were removed from the results.
In addition, all searches were carried out in English, as results in native languages proved to give inconsistent results.
Study: Lots of Canadians use smartphones while on the toilet
A digital privacy expert provides tips on protecting your phone on and off the john:
A recent survey by the cybersecurity company NordVPN revealed that as much as 65.6% of Canadians bring their smartphones with them into the toilet. That’s a bit less than the average of all surveyed countries. While most Canadians (60%) scroll through social media during that time, barely anyone thinks of growing threats online and hackers’ attempts to compromise people’s phones.
“Canadians seem to need smartphones a lot.”
“Our previous survey already showed that Canadians spend a lot of time online- more than 22 years per lifetime which is a third of their lives,” says Daniel Markuson, a digital privacy expert at NordVPN. “Even though the majority (83%) name smartphones as the device that tracks their online behavior the most, Canadians still haven’t developed good cyber habits to protect their online lives,” he says.
Using social media and gaming — top activities for Canadians while on the toilet
The majority of Canadians admit that their time on the toilet is mostly spent scrolling through social media (60%), gaming (40%), and reading or listening to the news (35%). This shows that Canadians like entertaining themselves while in the bathroom.
Among other activities, Canadians also watch videos, movies, or television programs (33%) check work email and other tools, for example, Slack, Microsoft Teams (33%), and call or message other people (31.5%).
“While most of Canadians’ time on the loo is spent on social media, people also feel concerned about Facebook (80%) and Instagram (40%) collecting the biggest amount of their users’ data. Social media networks, ISPs, third-party organizations, websites, and governmental institutions regularly collect users’ personal data and track browsing habits for marketing or other purposes,” says Daniel Markuson.
Cybersecurity refresher for Canadians
Smartphones are evolving at a rate that is beyond belief, making us stay connected even while on the loo. However, Canadians are encouraged to not forget about their online safety, even while immersed in social media, conversations, games, or the news.
Daniel Markuson, a digital privacy expert at NordVPN, shares key tips on protecting your phone on and off the john:
Keep apps and the phone’s operating system (OS) up to date. Don’t skip software updates.
Do your research. Never download unknown apps — read up on them first.
Avoid unofficial app stores. They’re more likely to contain malware-ridden apps.
Avoid using unknown Wi-Fi. And always use a VPN when you do.
Be vigilant. Don’t click on suspicious links, don’t give out your number to strangers, and be wary of unknown numbers.
Methodology: The survey was commissioned by NordVPN and conducted by the external company Cint on January 19-26, 2022. The survey’s target group was residents of France, USA, the UK, Canada, Australia, Germany, Spain, the Netherlands, Poland, Lithuania aged 18+ (nationally representative), except for Lithuania (18-74) and the sample was taken from national internet users. Quotas were placed on age, gender, and place of residence. 9800 people were surveyed in total, made up of 800 people from Spain and 1000 people from each of the remaining countries.
Whether you wish to improve your living space or you are going to sell your home, a home renovation will add instant value to your property.
Many home buyers are looking for homes that are ‘move in ready’ and don’t require much or any work prior to moving in. Because of this desirability, many homeowners are deciding to make upgrades to their home to increase the resale value. If you have a number of projects in mind that are on your ‘wish list’, but aren’t sure which one to start with, you might find these suggestions helpful.
Kitchen Remodel – This is probably the biggest project that you will undergo, but the one that has the most impact. The kitchen is the most used room in a house and the central hub for most activities. Thus, it makes sense to have a kitchen that is both functional and attractive. If the cabinets are old looking and the countertops are in poor condition, it is hard to overlook. For some, a major renovation might be out of reach, but there are smaller scale options that will also work to spruce up the appearance. You can add a fresh coat of paint or even just reface the cabinetry with new wood panels and hardware. Overall, you can likely recoup 60% to 80% of the cost of the kitchen remodel.
Garage Door Replacement – A garage door makes a great design element to your home as it is one of the first things people see when they come to your home. Although it doesn’t always top the list of most popular projects, it should not be overlooked in terms of overall home value and curb appeal. Over 80% of Realtors believe a new garage door can impact home value – all the more reason to take on this project.
Fiberglass Entry Door Replacement – Nothing makes a moreimpactful statement than the attractiveness of your front door. Replacing the standard fiberglass entry door to something more stylized to your home will add to the ‘first impression’ element of your home. There are many attractive alternatives for a front door and finding a suitable design that goes with the home will add value straight away without having to undergo a major renovation. According to a recent study, replacing your front door has an average ROI of 75%.
Window Replacement – Having old windows with cracked or chipped frames greatly affects the look of your home. Potential buyers will notice them and so do appraisers. If you’ve got questions about buying new windows, get the answer from a reputable company before you buy. Replacing the windows in your home can add thousands of dollars to its market value, and with an average ROI of up to 85%, so it makes sense to consider it as a priority upgrade option, especially if you are planning on selling in the near future.
Deck Addition – A wood deck addition falls on the inexpensive side of remodeling projects, but it’s one of the more valuable. In fact, some experts claim that installing a deck can increase the value of your home significantly more than if you were to add another bathroom or living room at a fraction of the cost. The overall cost of installing a deck will largely depend on the size of the deck and material you use. However, most homeowners will recoup nearly 70% of the build cost after they have sold their home.
If you want to take on any of these home improvement projects, but don’t have the immediate cash on hand to make them a reality, then a home improvement loan might be something to consider.
What is a home improvement loan?
A home improvement loan can be a home equity loan, a HELOC loan, or any loan using home equity used for home improvement purposes. Borrowers will typically use these types of loans to access the capital they need to build on their investment.
According to a recent study, the value of residential mortgage loans from alternative lenders is steadily growing. Canadians are choosing to opt-out of traditional lenders’ extended waiting periods and paperwork and are finding that working with a mortgage broker is an easier, more streamlined process that saves time, effort and money. If you are a homeowner considering a renovation to your home, a reputable broker such as Burke Financial can help you with every stage of the process.
Rome, December 2021 – At a time when rural people in low-income countries face steep increases in food prices and the devastating impacts of climate change are contributing to a rise in hunger and poverty, Canada has announced today its commitment to support the resilience of small-scale farmers and the prosperity of rural communities by increasing its funding to the UN’s International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD).
The Canadian Minister of International Development, Harjit S. Sajjan, announced at a side event of the Tokyo Nutrition for Growth Summit today that Canada will commit an extra CA$37.5 million (about US$27.7 million) in support of IFAD’s Twelfth Replenishment – a process whereby Member States commit funds to the organization for its work over three years beginning in 2022.
This represents a 50 percent increase to the government’s initial pledge of CA$75 million (approximately US$55.5 million) bringing the total contribution of Canada to CA$112.5 million (about US$83.2 million).
In addition, Canada contributed a loan on very favorable terms amounting to CA$340 million (around US$255 million) to support climate smart and gender-sensitive agriculture approaches. Actions like this will help IFAD meet its commitment to double its impact by 2030 while making much-needed progress on reaching the Sustainable Development Goals, particularly SDG#1 (no poverty) and SDG#2 (zero hunger).
“Canada and IFAD have a long-standing partnership to end poverty and hunger in rural areas. We would like to sincerely thank Canada for stepping up its commitment to help the world’s most vulnerable people build their resilience and ability to adapt to the devastation created by climate change and other recent shocks,” said Gilbert F. Houngbo, President of IFAD.
“With this support, more small-scale producers, particularly women, will be able to increase food production, bring more nutritious and affordable food to markets and improve rural income opportunities.”
“Canada is promoting innovative, gender-responsive financing, including through our efforts to advance women’s rights, leadership and decision-making in agriculture and food systems. We look forward to continuing our work with IFAD to achieve a low-carbon, food secure, and climate-resilient future for us all—especially for those working on the forefront: rural women,” said Minister Harjit S. Sajjan.
The Canadian contribution will be used by IFAD to help finance its programme of loans and grants which is expected to total up to US$3.5 billion over the next three years. This will help approximately 110 million rural people increase their production and raise their incomes through better market access and rural financial services. It will also increase climate resilience and contribute to creating employment, particularly for women and youth, while improving food security and nutrition for the world’s most vulnerable people.
Canada is a founding member of IFAD.
Over the years, it has committed more than US$551 million to the Fund’s core resources, with a particular focus on initiatives for women’s empowerment and gender equality, improved rural livelihoods, better nutrition and climate adaptation. With Canada’s strong support, IFAD has become a leader in rural women’s empowerment, with women now accounting for a full 50 percent of participants in IFAD-funded programs and projects.
IFAD is an international financial institution and specialized agency of the United Nations dedicated to eradicating rural poverty in developing countries. It is focused on transforming agriculture, rural economies and food systems by making them more inclusive, productive, resilient to climate shocks and sustainable.
Eight out of 10 of the world’s poorest people live in rural areas, and most depend on agriculture for their livelihoods.
Renowned Canadian photographer and digital artist T.M. Glass is no stranger to the spotlight: her unique method of mixing floral photography with digital painting to produce mesmerizing physical prints has succeeded in capturing plenty of attention from the media and wider artistic community.
In collaboration with The Campaign for Wool in Canada – our country’s foremost voice on the benefits of wool as a renewable, biodegradable, and eminently versatile fibre – Glass has created this digital painting in conjunction with The Campaign for Wool to celebrate the incredible properties of wool with a packed slate of special events and collaborations with fashion designers, artists, producers, and retailers.
“Wool on Wool” by T.M. Glass
This digital painting is a divergence from Glass’s usual subject matter with a distinctly meta twist: the work is a photograph of Canadian sheep, digitally painted in Glass’s trademark style, and printed on paper produced from wholly wool.
Intent
“In approaching this piece, my intent was to communicate the beauty of the sheep and its wool both visually and tactiley” said Glass, when asked about her work. “The choice to print on wool paper was not made out of novelty; rather, I think it establishes the physical presence of the subject of the photograph, creating a sense that the sheep is within arm’s reach of the viewer.” The print is now available for purchase- contact us for further details. For the Silo, Nicolo Blazier. Featured image: close up of wool and paper yarn via paperphine.com.
Canada just moved from having enough doses to vaccinate every Canadian, into a surplus position.
This also means that Canada reached a new very problematic milestone. Doses are going bad in Canada, while desperate people, including frontline health workers in Africa, are still struggling to get access to vaccines.
None of us are safe until all of us are safe. We know this pandemic isn’t truly over until it is over everywhere. Canada MUST share more of our excess doses now. Canada MUST resist the urge to offer 3rd dose “boosters” to healthy Canadians (some of whom are getting them in order to vacation in the Caribbean) while nurses in Senegal are still unprotected.
We have more than enough vaccines, others don’t.
Africa is facing a COVID-19 crisis, cases are surging and the continent is heading towards a global catastrophe. Over the last month deaths from COVID in Africa have increased 80%. Only roughly 3% of Africans have received the first shot, and the continent is not on track to vaccinate 10% of its population by the end of the year. The WHO’s Bruce Aylward said this should be “a scar on all of our consciences.”
Canada is the country that has ordered the most vaccines per person: counting optional purchases, enough to vaccinate each Canadian 5 times. Unless the excess doses are shared right now, we could end-up throwing away millions of doses while most of the rest of the world remains unvaccinated. This is a scandal that we cannot let happen.
Vaccines being discarded is not a theoretical concern. In addition to the 300,000 doses from Johnson and Johnson that were discarded due to a manufacturing issue, thousands of Astra Zeneca doses have already been wasted in Canada because they could not be used before their expiry dates. With this vaccine barely been used in anymore, there may be thousands more sitting in freezers or the garbage, and provinces are coy about how many they may be throwing away. The same is starting to happen with Moderna, with pharmacists unable to put some of the doses they have in arms.
Figure 1: A tale of two pandemics While Canada is in a very good position, some African countries are seeing an increase in cases with a very small share of their population vaccinated.
Canada has so far committed to share 30.7 million doses with COVAX, the global vaccine distribution mechanism, including a recent pledge to donate the remainder of our Astra Zeneca orders. But there has been no confirmation of when these donated vaccines might reach countries in need.
In addition, new analysis by the ONE Campaign based on data from analytics firm AirFinity shows that at the current rate, Canada will end-up with between 16 and 42 million more vaccines piling up in freezers or thrown away by Christmas, while the pandemic continues raging on in Africa and the developing world.
We not only have a moral obligation to share doses, it is in our own best interest to stop the global spread and emergence of new variants. Until then, more preventable deaths will occur and Canada’s own recovery will be threatened by a shaky global economy. According to the IMF, failing to help the developing world defeat Covid-19 could cost the global economy US$4.5 trillion.
The time to donate more doses is now. Lives depend on it.
Africa is experiencing an increasingly urgent COVID crisis and needs at least 200 million vaccine doses by the end of September to slow the spread and prevent more needless deaths. Canada should immediately transfer all incoming vaccine orders to COVAX, beyond ensuring that there are enough for every Canadians to be fully vaccinated. This should mean at least 12 million more doses shared before the end of September, and in total 16-42 million vaccines donated before the end of the year if we want to end the pandemic and avoid unimaginable waste.
It may be tempting for the Government to keep vaccines stockpiled just in case boosters may be needed. But the evidence so far on the need for boosters is far from conclusive, and many experts have warned that it would be counterproductive to start giving third doses to healthy people in rich countries while at-risk populations have not yet had their first shot in developing countries. Stockpiling a product with a short shelf life will inevitably lead to a lot of waste. In any case, Canada has already ordered up to 60 million more doses of Pfizer a year for the next 3 years in case boosters are needed.
The excess doses we have coming in the next 5 months must urgently be shared with countries in need to stem the pandemic globally. Variants spreading around the world pose a threat to Canadians. The longer we wait to vaccinate the world, the more variants we will see and the longer this vicious cycle will continue. The time to donating more doses is now. Lives depend on it.
Up to 42 million doses could go unused in Canada by Christmas
By December 2021, Canada will have received at least 92 million doses of the four vaccines currently approved by Health Canada (Moderna, Pfizer, Astra Zeneca and Johnson & Johnson). If Medicago and Novavax post positive Phase 3 results and are also approved, total supply could increase to 117 million doses. [1]
To fully vaccinate every Canadian, including children under 12 should vaccines be approved for them, 76 million doses will be required in total. These are highly optimistic projections of actual demand, since it is unlikely that 100% of the population will want to be vaccinated.
This means that between 16 and 42 million excess vaccines risk being stockpiled or wasted in Canada by the end of the year. The higher scenario means our excess vaccines would be enough to fully vaccinate everyone in a country like Burkina Faso this year. Right now, 0.01% of people are fully vaccinated in Burkina Faso. For the Silo, Justin McAuley.
Figure 2: A growing stockpile Even accounting for the already-announced donations, Canada will have millions of excess vaccines
[1] This excludes the 30 million doses already donated to Covax.
One of the best decisions that you can make is to take a road trip across Canada. For one thing, it is a great way to see just what this great country has to offer in terms of nature and landscapes. At the same time, being on the road ensures that an adventure is just a town away. Of course, road tripping across such a large region is no joke. So, if you want to make sure that you get it right and stay safe, you should follow these tips:
Draw Up a Plan
Hitting the open road provides you with a sense of unbridled freedom. However, considering the sheer size of the area that you will be covering, you can’t really head out without a plan. Keep in mind, there can be a long distance between rest stops, motels, and restaurants.
So, to make sure that you always have a place to sleep and can stock up on some supplies, you will need to do your research. Mark out some areas between long, empty stretches of road. These will come in handy, particularly if you are driving though late at night.
Brush Up on Local Laws
Now, for the most part, the road rules don’t really change too much from one place to another. Nevertheless, there are some discrepancies. So, to avoid getting into any legal trouble, brush up on impaired driving consequences in the regions that you are heading to. You may just learn some interesting details.
If you really want to stay on the right side of the law, though, you may want to look up how to get DUI help as well. After all, on a road trip, the easiest place to make new friends is in a bar. So, it is quite likely that you will be putting away a couple of drinks away each night. It is important to make sure that you don’t get into any trouble after this.
Prepare for All Kinds of Weather Conditions
Even if your road trip is taking place during the summer, you can’t simply assume that it will be smooth sailing all the way through. Remember, rain and thunderstorms are always a possibility, so you should be prepared. Not to mention, the climate can change from one area to the next, so make sure to pack all kinds of clothes so that you will be ready for anything. In case you are going exploring during the winter, take all of the gear, clothing, and equipment you may need.
Make a List of Must-Do Items
Each city, town, or province has something interesting to offer. So, make sure that you don’t just pass through during your road trip. Make up a list of all the activities you want to try and sights you want to see. Then, try to cross off as many as you can. In the end, you will find that all of these experiences really add to your road trip.
So there you have it, the ultimate tips to follow when road tripping in Canada. All that is left for you to do is to have some fun.
In case you missed it, on June 30, France and the other Member States of the European Union adopted a recommendation on the reopening of Europe’s external borders from July 1, 2020, to a first list of fourteen countries, including Canada, Japan, South Korea, Australia [this may not be the case considering Covid developments there the past few days] , Thailand, as well as China, subject to reciprocity. This list will be reviewed every two weeks.
In view of the satisfactory epidemiological evolution on European territory, new measures have been adopted following the decisions taken on June 15 with regards to the reopening of European borders (Schengen area) and the opening of borders to international visitors after July 1.
The first countries eligible for this reopening are: Australia, Canada, South Korea, Japan, New Zealand, Rwanda, Thailand, Uruguay, three North African States (Algeria, Morocco, Tunisia), two Eastern European States (Montenegro, Serbia) and Georgia.
The United States, Russia, Israel, Turkey and Saudi Arabia are, at this stage, excluded from this list, as the situation of the Covid-19 pandemic is considered to be more serious there than in Europe. The reopening of borders with China is moreover suspended on the principle of reciprocity (China has not yet reopened its borders to European travellers).
As a reminder, the internal borders of the European Union – Schengen area reopened June 15 (and Spain’s on June 21). All health and security measures are being taken on a case-by-case basis to ensure that the border restrictions are lifted in the best possible conditions.
However, the British government (the United Kingdom being, in the post-Brexit transition period, still considered as an EU Member State) has decided to impose since June 8 a 2-week period quarantine on foreign travellers, therefore France is applying the rule of reciprocity until further notice. However, the 2-week period quarantine measure should evolve in the near-future. For the Silo, Marie-Andree.Boucher.
France was visited by 1.2 million Canadians in 2018.
More information on reopening and sanitary precaution’s in France can be found on France.fr.
Pre-Christmas debate in the Ontario Legislature provided me an opportunity to highlight upcoming changes in parliamentary protocol, and procedure with respect to the Crown. For example, a change to the Legislature’s Standing Orders will add a clause: “Following prayers on the first sitting Monday of each month, the Canadian national anthem and the Royal Anthem shall be sung in the chamber.” Although I love the concept, I can’t recall hearing parliamentarians singing “God Save the Queen” in the legislative chamber. I find this strange, considering every elected member has sworn allegiance to the reigning monarch – I would assume since the times of Loyalist Lieutenant Governor John Graves Simcoe – in the House since 1792.
Through all that, what hasn’t wavered is the admiration, respect, and affection people in Ontario feel for the Royal Family. Something else that hasn’t changed is the anticipation loyal Ontarians and Royal Watchers have each year for the Queen’s Christmas message. Our Queen’s grandfather, King George the Fifth, initiated the Christmas message in 1932. He was initially unsure about using radio in this manner, but a visit to the BBC to see their cutting-edge technology reassured him.
The first Christmas message was written by poet and writer Rudyard Kipling. The first sentence being: “I speak now from my home and from my heart to you all; to men and women so cut off by the snows, the desert, or the sea that only voices out of the air can reach them.” The first televised message was broadcast live in 1957. It allowed viewers to see the Queen in her own residence, decorated for Christmas like many viewers’ homes. As I read through my favourites of the Queen’s Christmas message, it impresses me how tied to current events – both good and bad – they are. I was touched by her humanity when she mentioned the 2018 Manchester bombing tragedy -truly a monarch with a heart and conscience. Throughout her 68-year reign, Her Majesty has demonstrated tremendous dedication to serving the public. It is a commitment that has inspired countless others to follow in her footsteps. She has been involved in the work of hundreds of organizations, charities, and causes and has met more people than any other monarch in the United Kingdom and elsewhere in the Commonwealth.
Her humanity and commitment to good causes fits perfectly into the spirit of the Christmas season, and is the main reason, year after year, millions eagerly tune in to hear her speak. Christmas is the time of year that brings us together and reminds us to appreciate those in our lives. May Christmas fill you with joy and peace, and the yuletide spirit fill your heart and home with laughter, harmony and many blessings. From my family and staff, have a wonderful Merry Christmas and a safe and Happy New Year. God Save the Queen. For the Silo, Toby Barrett MPP for Haldimand-Norfolk.
The new NHL season is just around the corner and you can’t say it’s been a quiet summer for the league. Throughout the NHL, there have been twists and turns throughout the offseason, setting the foundations for another fascinating campaign. On the back of a thrilling 2018/19 season in which the St. Louis Blues lifted the Stanley Cup after an enthralling finals series, over half the league will feel as though they have a realistic chance of going all the way this year.
So, ahead of the start of the new regular season, let’s take a look at the offseason’s biggest stories:
Fenton’s Fall
Undoubtedly, the story of the summer has to be Paul Fenton’s dismissal from his role in charge of the Minnesota Wild after one dismal year. While the decision to replace Fenton with Bill Guerin was understandable, to do so after the draft and free agency has been something many have questioned. The question is now whether or not the Wild will respond on the ice.
RFAs Still On Offer
It’s particularly strange to see so many restricted free agents still available at this point in the offseason. Mitch Marner (now signed), Mikko Rantanen, Kyle Connor and Ivan Provorov are just four unsigned RFAs, with many more still expected to hold talks with their franchises throughout preseason training, with some potentially remaining up in the air by the time the regular campaign gets started.
Devils And Rangers Set To Do Battle
The division that has caught the attention the most throughout the summer has been the Metropolitan. The New Jersey Devils and the New York Rangers could be set to rekindle their rivalry after picking up the top two draft selections as well as signing some top veterans – both now around 40/1 with the latest NHL betting odds to win the Stanley Cup. It’s been a while since these two were able to battle it out at the top of the Metropolitan, but that could change this season.
Managerial Merry-Go-Round
Having a Red Wings hero as a player, Steve Yzerman is back in Detroit this season looking to have a similar impact as a general manager after leaving Tampa Bay. The man he’s replacing, Ken Holland, will look to turn around the fortunes of Edmonton. In terms of head coaches, six teams will start the new season with a new man behind their bench. They may be two years away from joining the league but Seattle’s NHL team know former Pittsburgh, Carolina and Toronto man Ron Francis will be their general manager.
There’s no doubt the Nashville Predators needed to solve the huge power-play issues they struggled with last year but they may have taken a big risk to try to achieve that. To make room for forward Matt Duchene, the Predators decided it was P.K. Subban who would have to make way for Duchene, with the defenceman joining the Devils. Now, we will see whether swapping one of the best defenders in the league for, hopefully, a game-breaking forward pays off.
Every year, the public is swarmed with
a range of statistics, estimates and consequences of their energy
consumption. On average, most households go through their energy
supply for similar things, and despite some inconsistencies, could
resolve most of their consumption issues with the same line of
measures.
The use of renewable energy sources has been key to making private residential buildings all the more sustainable. It not only regulates their consumption, but also provides a clearer overview of how much energy is necessary to keep the household going, and ultimately allows homeowners to reduce their carbon footprint.
With so much research and preparation
made against exploitation of limited resources, it is important to
keep informed on the main reasons leading to this practice that
concern each individual homeowner, as well as the key ways to get
started with renewable energy generation.
What is Renewable Energy?
In order to get started with your
housing energy improvements, it is important to know what kind of
process you are dealing with. Renewable energy, specifically, is the
process of generating energy from renewable sources like the sun,
wind, soil, which are largely available in nature.
If done properly, this practice can be rather sustainable, meaning it will help homeowners regulate consumption, reduce expenses and contribute to a healthier environment.
Main Reasons for Renewable Energy
Housing
As noted so far, this practice resolves
some of the major concerns homeowners have, both on the micro and
macro level. Ana from safeatlast.co
has done the work for us, distinguishing a few top priorities that
cause people to turn to renewable energy:
· Cost
– Energy price soars, as well as additional expenses appearing
over the years have had detrimental effects on homeowners’ budgets;
· Climate
change – Greater awareness of the greenhouse effect has made
people more concerned about their home’s carbon footprint;
· Control
– People are alarmed by the realization that they have no idea
how much energy they need to meet their everyday needs;
· The
current state of the home – Construction characteristics,
underground waters, insulation and other features could cause major
problems, calling for a more permanent solution.
Top Ways to Achieve Renewable Energy
Housing
Nowadays, there is a range of
equipment, construction material and entire systems that can be
installed into your existing homes in order to achieve greater energy
conservation. Most of these make use of the natural, renewable
sources of energy to improve the overall quality of life.
While they may be somewhat expensive as
an investment, subsidiary programs and initiatives, as well as the
long-term payout have gotten many homeowners interested in the
following options:
1. Solar
power systems – Solar panels placed on rooftops allow
homeowners to use the sun’s heat to generate heating power for
water, space heating, or electric power generation, alternatively;
2.
Biomass boilers – Burning natural residues, these boilers help
homeowners get rid of waste and keep their homes warm at the same
time, all the while controlling their carbon emissions;
3.
Insulation – Proper insulation is just as crucial as the
systems listed above, with cavity wall, external and internal wall
insulation, as well as high performance doors being the top picks
among homeowners.
There are nowadays millions of single men, and among those, many dream of meeting a woman from Eastern Europe. Indeed, these women are known to be extremely attractive, faithful, and ready to do anything to come to live in Europe. Many dating and marriage agencies have been created to cater for this niche, specializing in so-called international marriages.
Unfortunately, many scams are hidden among these agencies. The websites use the faces of superb young women as bait. Once the vulnerable bachelor is hooked by some carefully worded emails, he is asked for money to cover the cost of a plane ticket as well as the visa fee. The sums involved can go up to 1,500 or 2,000 €, depending on the naivety of the man, and there is generally no way to fight it legally.
Anti Arnaques, the First community dedicated to fight Eastern Europe romance scams
That’s why Anti-Arnaques was created, in order to provide a reliable verification platform to any man who has doubts about the sincerity of the person he is speaking to. It includes:
A unique identity verification system in 2 steps: the Express Background Verification, through the four major Russian social networks, and the Official Background Verification, through the public and private databases of Russian and Ukrainian citizens that are reserved to the official authorities.
A black list containing names and pictures of women known to have practiced scams.
Practical advice to identify risk scenarios.
A forum to exchange ideas on potential risky encounter situations.
Testimony of a scam victim
“Hello, I am Rui, I live in Portugal and I was a victim of a scheme. Nastya or Anastasiya Vorozhnina, living at Lomonosova 97-64, 428000 Novopokrovskoe Russia, deceived me. By mere chance, I only lost 200 €, as well as 24 photos. This scheme lasted about 5 months, but I always resisted to send the full amount of money she requested, which was around 800 € to start with.
I hope to my testimony will help someone, and prevent him to fall into such scheme. These women can be very sweet at the beginning: only after 2 or 3 months she started to ask money. She was an authentic professional, who already appears in your list with other names: if I had knew Antiarnaques.org back then, I would not have wasted so much time.”
Rui, 48 years old, scammed by A.V.
The website Antiarnaques.org (which means Antiscams in French) allows anyone who wants to date a Russian, Ukrainian or Slav women to check the identity of a specific woman. Antiarnaques.org also offers the possibility to check the reliability of any marriage agency, and to consult the black list of Russian women known for fraud.
About Dimitri Berezniakov, the creator of Anti Arnaques
Dimitri Berezniakov launched UKReine.com in 1998: it was the first dating site specializing in international marriages between men from France, Belgium, Switzerland and Canada, and Ukrainian women.
This allowed him have a ringside seat to witness the rise of Russian romance scams: he used to receive emails from men victims of these scams almost daily. Because of the magnitude of the problem, he decided to create Anti Arnaques in 2010, in order to offer a reliable solution to individuals wishing to verify the identity of Russian and Ukrainian women.
Anti Arnaques, le premier site francophone de lutte contre les escroqueries sur le marché de la rencontre russe
Le site Antiarnaques.org permet à tout individu souhaitant trouver l’amour auprès d’une femme russe, ukrainienne ou slave de vérifier l’identité d’une femme spécifique. Antiarnaques.org offre également la possibilité de vérifier le sérieux de l’agence matrimoniale choisie, et de consulter la liste noire de femmes russes connues pour escroquerie.
La rencontre de femmes russes, ukrainiennes et slaves : un marché florissant mais présentant de nombreux risques
On compte aujourd’hui dans l’Hexagone de 16 millions à 18 millions de célibataires, divorcés et veufs, ce qui représente un marché attractif et porteur (CIDJ.com). Et ce nombre ne cesse d’augmenter : le nombre de seniors et de divorcés étant en hausse, de plus en plus d’individus se retrouvent à chercher l’âme sœur.
Parmi ces millions de célibataires, de nombreux hommes rêvent de rencontrer une femme originaire d’Europe de l’Est. En effet, on leur promet des femmes fidèles au physique extrêmement attractif, prêtes à tout pour venir vivre en France. Une multitude d’agences matrimoniales s’est ainsi positionnée sur ce créneau, en se spécialisant dans les rencontres dites internationales.
Malheureusement, de nombreuses arnaques se cachent parmi ces agences. Les sites utilisent les visages de superbes jeunes femmes comme appât. Une fois le célibataire vulnérable hameçonné par quelques emails soigneusement rédigés, on lui demande de l’argent pour couvrir le montant d’un billet d’avion ainsi que les frais de visa. Les sommes en jeu peuvent monter jusqu’à 1 500 ou 2 000 € selon la naïveté de l’interlocuteur, et il n’existe en général aucun recours devant la justice.
Anti Arnaques, première communauté francophone luttant contre les arnaques sentimentales d’Europe de l’Est
C’est pour cela qu’a été créé Anti Arnaques, dont l’objectif est de fournir une plateforme de vérification fiable à tout homme ayant des doutes sur la sincérité de son interlocutrice. On y trouve ainsi :
Un système de vérification d’identité unique en deux temps : la Vérification Express, via des 4 principaux réseaux sociaux russes, et la Vérification Officielle, via les bases de données publiques et fermées des citoyennes russes et ukrainiennes qui sont réservées aux organismes officiels.
Une liste noire répertoriant les noms comme les visages des femmes connues pour avoir pratiquées des escroqueries.
Une liste noire des agences matrimoniales internationales connues pour pratiquer des escroqueries.
Des conseils pratiques et concrets pour identifier les scénarios à risque.
Un forum d’entraide pour échanger sur des situations de rencontres potentiellement à risques.
Ils ont été victimes d’arnaques et témoignent
« Tout a commencé par un mail, et des conversations dans lesquelles on parlait de tout et de rien. Je lui ai proposé de venir en France pour son anniversaire, et la cascade d’ennuis a débuté : pas d’argent pour payer le passeport, pas d’argent pour payer le visa…J’ai donc payé tous les frais. Une fois à l’aéroport, elle s’est soi-disant faiteî arrêter, on lui a interdit de quitter le pays à cause du crédit de son appartement. J’ai eu moult preuves de sa bonne foi, j’ai cru en elle, je me suis senti responsable, je me suis investi à fond. J’ai donné beaucoup beaucoup d’argent, et aujourd’hui j’ai tout perdu.
Je souhaite simplement que d’autres ne répètent pas les mêmes erreurs : je l’ai donc signalé sur Anti Arnaques, s’il vous plaît allez-voir, et faites attention ! »
Joël, 43 ans, arnaqué par E. T.
“J’ai commencé une relation par email avec Anastasiya, elle m’a complétement séduit en quelques semaines. Elle était extrêmement douce au début, puis a commencé à réclamer de l’argent. Par chance, j’ai flairé quelque chose de louche et ne lui ai envoyé que 200 €. J’ai ensuite réalisé qu’elle était présente sur la liste noire d’Anti Arnaques ! »
J’espère empêcher un autre homme de tomber dans le même piège ! »
Pierre, 48 ans, arnaqué par A. V.
A propos de Dimitri Berezniakov, le créateur du site Anti Arnaques
Dimitri Berezniakov a lancé UKReine.com en 1998 : il s’agissait alors du premier site de rencontres spécialisé dans les mariages internationaux entre des hommes originaires de France, de Belgique, de Suisse et du Canada, et des femmes ukrainiennes.
Cela lui a permis d’être aux premières loges pour assister à l’essor des arnaques sentimentales en provenance d’Europe de l’Est : il reçoit alors des emails provenant d’hommes victimes de ces escroqueries quasi-quotidiennement. Face à l’ampleur du problème, il décide de créer Anti Arnaques en 2010, afin d’offrir une solution fiable aux individus souhaitant vérifier l’identité de leurs interlocutrices.
Let’s cut right to the chase: Do you know what’s in your lunch? We were curious, so we decided to investigate further.
We tested popular foods such as Cheerios, a Tim Hortons bagel, Ritz crackers and Fontaine Santé hummus and the results were overwhelming: 80 per cent of the foods tested contained the harmful chemical glyphosate. Glyphosate, Canada’s top-selling weed killer and key ingredient in Monsanto’s product Roundup, is of particular concern because of its links to cancer.
The unchecked use of glyphosate and widespread contamination of the foods that you and your children eat every day is not acceptable.
Just last month, a California court ruled that Monsanto’s glyphosate–based pesticide, contributed to an American citizen’s cancer. The court case revealed documents showing Monsanto manipulated scientific research and downplayed the risk of its products for decades. This case is just one of several thousand lawsuits against Monsanto (now owned by Bayer).
In Canada, the Pest Management Regulatory Agency (a department of Health Canada) recently reauthorized glyphosate for another 15 years. We are calling on the federal government to bring our outdated toxics and pesticide laws into the 21st century and remove harmful chemicals like glyphosate from our food. With your help, we can make this happen. For more information check out this report at whatsinyourlunch.caFor the Silo, Muhannad Malas.
The Brant Community Charity Airshow is a little gem for aviation buffs and each year, on the Wednesday before the Labor Day Weekend, fans have a chance to see and hear something unexpected either in the sky or up close on the ground. This time around I decided to walk to the eastern limit of the ground space- I hadn’t expected to find one of my personal favorites – the de Havilland Vampire Jet Fighter.
Waterloo Warbirds Team Coordinator Ramona Ostrander and the de Havilland Vampire.
Ramona Ostrander explained what makes this World War 2 era jet (the Vampire first flew in 1944) so special.
A few years ago, in September 2015, 193 countries signed up to support the UN’s 17 sustainable development goals for our planet and the people that live on it. The all-encompassing plan included promises to end poverty, feed everyone, create stability and peace, provide quality education and protect the future of our world. Every man, woman and child on the planet were invited to play their part to turn 17 goals into action and the promises into reality.
Goal 4 promised to achieve inclusive and equitable quality education for all. “OECD countries have generally been successful in guaranteeing adequate infrastructure and near-universal access to basic education,” says Andreas Schleicher, Director for Education and Skills at the OECD. But he notes that participation in education is not enough “to ensure the knowledge, competence, skills and attitudes that are necessary to increase individuals’ well-being and the prosperity of modern societies.” He adds that the OECD’s programs have a key role to play “in the achievement of – and measuring progress towards – SDG 4 and its targets, as well as other education-related SDG targets.”
“Just because poverty or pollution or climate change happen in another country far away, that does not mean that we are not part of the cause of these problems and their necessary solution.” — Thomas Gass
Since September 2015, education leaders and other influencers around the world have encouraged schools to promote all the goals. We’ve talked to teachers that acknowledge there’s nothing like real world challenges and case studies which allow students to apply the knowledge skills and dispositions they will need to succeed in an interconnected world.
How are we all doing so far? What have leaders learned from the implementation journey, and as a new school year begins, how can we build on those lessons to improve our efforts to achieve our planet’s plan moving forward?
Thomas Gass was appointed by the UN Secretary-General as Assistant Secretary-General for Policy Coordination and Inter-Agency Affairs in UN DESA and he took office on 3 September 2013. The Global Search for Education welcomes Thomas Gass.
“Educators have an essential role in making sure the SDGs become a real social contract with the people.” — Thomas Gass
Thomas, please share one or two of the most important lessons you have personally learned spearheading the SDG’s implementation process thus far? It’s simple: The SDG’s are not a run-off-the-mill development strategy for big international organisations to fix the problems in the South… The SDGs are a shared vision of humanity – they are the missing (vision) piece of our globalization puzzle! This means that they can only be implemented if everyone is involved: Governments of course, but also municipalities, private companies, schools and universities, local organisations and individuals – everyone. Now, that can only happen if the people know about them… So mobilization and advocacy are crucial. The SDGs must become a new social contract between leaders and the people.
Leaders agreed that we must change the way we deal with the weakest among us, i.e. that we take the greatest care of those who are weak. What more would you ask of the leaders of rich and poor countries in terms of being good role models for this important part of the vision?
The promise to leave no one behind is the most difficult commitment of this new social contract. It requires that we all seek to understand who the most vulnerable people are and what risks they face, and then systematically empower these people and build their resilience. Political as well as economic leaders need to understand that sustainability has been redefined: If a significant economic or social group is left behind, our development is not sustainable. By the same token, we are fooling ourselves if we think that any single country or private company can be “sustainable” by itself. The SDGs demand that we are honest with ourselves about our ecological and social footprint! Just because poverty or pollution or climate change happen in another country far away, that does not mean that we are not part of the cause of these problems and their necessary solution.
“Know your #SDGs/#GlobalGoals and hold adults and leaders accountable for them, push back if they try to make you believe that your country, language, tribe or family is greater or more deserving than the others, and look for opportunities to make a difference yourselves.” — Thomas Gass
What more would you ask of educators in the work that lies ahead?
Educators have an essential role in making sure the SDGs become a real social contract with the people. I have the highest esteem for those committed educators who are bringing the SDGs into the classrooms, and educating younger generations to become global citizens. I firmly believe that this can be done as part of any teaching subject or class. I encourage all educators to join movements and co-create resources such as teachsdgs.org, GCEDclearinghouse.org, etc., and to encourage OECD/PISA to align their Global Competency criteria to the SDGs by 2018.
And finally, perhaps most important – what is your message to youth for the school year ahead on their part in the planet’s plan?
Here is my message:This world is your world to share and enjoy. As Mahatma Gandhi said: “The world has enough for everyone’s need, but not enough for everyone’s greed.” Know your #SDGs/#GlobalGoals and hold adults and leaders accountable for them, push back if they try to make you believe that your country, language, tribe or family is greater or more deserving than the others, and look for opportunities to make a difference yourselves. Thank you Thomas. For the Silo, C. M. Rubin.
We need to take steps NOW to make sure Canada’s methane (aka Hydrogen Sulfide gas which contains up to 90% methane) emissions are being properly regulated. Methane is a greenhouse gas that is84 times more potent than carbon dioxide – and its uncontrolled emissions affect everyone.
The solutions to reducing methane emissions are actually very simple – frequent leak detection and repairs, and replacing equipment that deliberately releases methane. The industry is resisting these solutions and pushing the Canadian government for weaker methane regulations. They want longer delays before regulations come into effect, as well as less frequent monitoring so that methane leaks go undetected for longer. And, they want to be paid for reducing methane emissions – so instead of polluters pay, the industry wants it to be pay-the-polluter.
Those who live in Alberta strongly agree that regulating pollutants like methane to the strictest North American standards is the right thing to do. If the province that would be most affected by these regulations feels this way, why aren’t we doing it?
Time is running out to make sure Canada’s methane emissions are strongly regulated. For the Silo, Dale Marshall. Featured image-Les Stone /Greenpeace
Everyone knows the old saying “to know where you’re going, you have to know where you’ve been” right? This couldn’t be more accurate, and for you to truly relate to Love Powered Co. and where it came from, we feel that you might need to know a little bit about affirmation and about us first.
Our names are Anna Lozano and Lindy Sood and we would like to welcome you to the Love Powered movement. We are friends and soul sisters who realized that together, we have a powerful message to share with the world. Months ago, we started talking about what is lacking in the marketplace when it comes to personal growth products for families. How our children were most certainly gaining positive subconscious programming from stating their daily affirmations, but what about being consciously aware of the words they were speaking?
We wanted them to understand this beautiful new vocabulary. We wanted them to connect with these positive words and statements. We wanted them to link the affirmations to their own daily experiences, to their own unique feelings and emotions, and to how they interacted with others.
Our mission is to create a self-worth movement, powering the next generation of mindful leaders. A better tomorrow starts with our children, and that means we need to do the work now, healing ourselves in the process.
This is so much bigger than a product, it’s a global movement creating a better tomorrow. Welcome home, to our Love Powered family.
How Are We Different?
1. 22 POWERS
Parents & children think of examples and ‘times when’. Going even deeper, we ask ‘How did this make you feel’? By connecting their own experiences to each POWER, and remembering how they felt, it better helps our children to understand the words and statements they are saying, and connect deeper to the meaning behind them.
These are the qualities of emotionally intelligent trailblazers! The POWERS we all have within us, at times, we just need to be reminded of it.
2. CONNECTION
Instead of 1 affirmation per card, we have grouped together 3 related terms + a statement – helping our little ones to grasp the meaning of the words and how they all relate to each other. We are teaching our children a new, beautiful, positive vocabulary.
3. CONSCIOUS AWARENESS
Instead of 1 affirmation per card, we have grouped together 3 related terms + a statement – helping our little ones to grasp the meaning of the words and how they all relate to each other. BONUS! We are teaching our children a new, beautiful, positive vocabulary!
4. EXAMPLES & FEELINGS
We focus on the power of CONNECTION between parent & child. Leave the screen at the door, this is a time to be present, engaged and wholeheartedly connected.
5. AESTHETIC
These cards are so darn adorable and just oh-so-delicious, we are certain that you and your little ones will find it hard to wait to get your hands on them.
That’s why 
Here is my message: This world is your world to share and enjoy. As Mahatma Gandhi said: “The world has enough for everyone’s need, but not enough for everyone’s greed.” Know your #SDGs/#GlobalGoals and hold adults and leaders accountable for them, push back if they try to make you believe that your country, language, tribe or family is greater or more deserving than the others, and look for opportunities to make a difference yourselves. Thank you Thomas. For the Silo, 
