The Americans are presently going to hell in a handbasket. The very thoughts of nationality, freedom, democracy, and individual and family security are all being questioned. Half our continent is on a precipice of bankruptcy, conflict, criminality out of control, universal poverty, and a population with no bright future to be seen. North vs South, in conflict and competition at all times.
Financial stress is visibly seen…
Argentinian wages average @$395.00 Cdn, Chile’s average wage is $1,300.00 Cdn, and Brazil’s average wage is $575.00 Cdn.
Latin America and the Caribbean’s Inflation rate presently is @9.77% The Institute of America’s Economic Strategy suggests the inflation rate will decrease gradually until it reaches 5.66% in 2028. Bold and optimistic forecasting. The very reason many migrants attempt to enter North America is to find better-paying jobs, along with a safer environment. Poverty continues to spread throughout the continent, driving an increase in criminality, violence, and political uncertainty.
Unemployment rates in the Caribbean average 8-9.5%, with regional rates often higher. Full employment rates are down, while “informal employment” is rising monthly. Since the pandemic befell us all, employers have made changes to their employment strategies, centering upon cuts in their costs, particularly their payrolls. Full-time employment often suggests financial frills like health, vacation, and travel benefits. These have been universally set aside with corporate concentration upon the use of part-time employment greater than the usual seasonal work previously offered. While the cost of living continues to rise, employers play unionized vs ununionized employees against each other, with the attitude that a lower-paying job is better than no job at all.
The Americans are a typical example of polar opposites, prosperous vs poor, unsafe communities vs safer ones, stable political environments vs often dictatorships, healthy socio-economic growth vs stagnation and population depletion. There presently exists a grassroots movement within the Southern and Central American Regions to move northward toward a better place to live, work, and exist. This movement was created through the influences of generational poverty, lack of education and healthcare, and living in regions racked by gangland warfare and corruption. The governments in the South are controlled by political and financial influencers with clout capable of overturning an election or a government. Outright corruption and natural disasters force the poor to leave their homelands and go where? NORTH to the promised land.
America spends close to half a trillion dollars on border security(Fox Network), keeping out millions of real financial, political, and social refugees, people who could help build America. While many average Americans can look at these migrants as a financial scourge upon their taxes, there are many millions of job openings not being filled, a staffing crisis these people can help with. Transplanting these people may be difficult at the beginning, but a process can be devised to train and transport these future Americans to places where they are needed. Americans and Canadians are having fewer children, while their aged population continues to grow.
There are three options available that could solve what we all face.
1. Financially, politically, and socially invest in a massive way into our southern neighbor nations. This is not politically likely acceptable to those who rule these nations. Foreign colonialism may become the excuse for this method to not be used.
2. Open Canadian and American Borders and allow mass migration into our lands. Surely security methods will be used but the very costs of keeping these people out and be decreased and redirected towards population transplantation where needed. This is highly unfeasible due to the influences, attitudes, and power struggles found between the Right Wing Republicans and their somewhat progressive opponents the Democrats. In Canada, the Conservative Party would stand against such a method, challenging the humanitarian and right thinking process as unCanadian, and a threat to Canadian Security, with a possibility of Canadian taxes increasing.
The Third Option goes a little like this. China has spent decades creating an Asian Buffer Zone controlled by it through financial trade ties, financial investments, political alliances, and open threats(intimidation). America needed to move in a similar fashion, isolated as a continent, both Southern and Northern America could unite in an alliance similar to the European Union. I favor the Union of Canada, Central, and Latin America with the Caribbean as the largest nation on the planet. Universal suffrage, universal healthcare, universal citizenship, universal money, etc. Free movement within these nations, Canadian-American seniors transplanted to less costly areas, and business associations uniting and working together to build something never seen before, a Huge Democratic Nation. The Monroe Doctrine is just more democratic in its nature and functionality.
People with creative vision need to enter politics. Our present-day leadership is suffering from fatalism and a complete lack of vision, stuck in their alliances and history. The financial, political, and social way, our path needs to be formulated soon.
Steven Kaszab
Bradford, Ontario
skaszab@yahoo.ca
PORT ALBERNI, B.C. – RCMP say the body of a second person has been found inside their vehicle after a road washed away amid pouring rain on the west coast of Vancouver Island.
Police say two vehicles went into the Sarita River when Bamfield Road washed out on Saturday as an atmospheric river hammered southern B.C.
The body of the other driver was found Sunday.
More coming.
The Canadian Press. All rights reserved.
The B.C. Greens say Sonia Furstenau will be staying on as party leader, despite losing her seat in the legislature in Saturday’s provincial election.
The party says in a statement that its two newly elected MLAs, Jeremy Valeriote and Rob Botterell, support Furstenau’s leadership as they “navigate the prospect of having the balance of power in the legislature.”
Neither the NDP led by Premier David Eby nor the B.C. Conservatives led by John Rustad secured a majority in the election, with two recounts set to take place from Oct. 26 to 28.
Eby says in a news conference that while the election outcome is uncertain, it’s “very likely” that the NDP would need the support of others to pass legislation.
He says he reached out to Furstenau on election night to congratulate her on the Greens’ showing.
But he says the Green party has told the NDP they are “not ready yet” for a conversation about a minority government deal.
The Conservatives went from taking less than two per cent of the vote in 2020 to being elected or leading in 45 ridings, two short of a majority and only one behind the NDP.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 22, 2024.
The Canadian Press. All rights reserved.
Toronto FC captain Jonathan Osorio is making a difference, 4,175 kilometres away from home.
The 32-year-old Canadian international midfielder, whose parents hail from Colombia, has been working with the Canadian Colombian Children’s Organization, a charity whose goal is to help disadvantaged youth in the South American country.
Osorio has worked behind the scenes, with no fanfare.
Until now, with his benevolence resulting in becoming Toronto FC’s nominee for the Audi Goals Drive Progress Impact Award, which honours an MLS player “who showed outstanding dedication to charitable efforts and serving the community” during the 2024 season.”
Other nominees include Vancouver Whitecaps midfielder Sebastian Berhalter and CF Montreal goalkeeper Jonathan Sirois.
The winner will be announced in late November.
The Canadian Colombian Children’s Organization (CCCO) is run entirely by volunteers like Monica Figueredo and Claudia Soler. Founded in 1991, it received charitable status in 2005.
The charity currently has four projects on the go: two in Medellin and one each in Armenia and Barranquilla.
They include a school, a home for young girls whose parents are addicted to drugs, after-school and weekend programs for children in a disadvantaged neighbourhood, and nutrition and education help for underprivileged youth.
The organization heard about Osorio and was put in contact with him via an intermediary, which led to a lunch meeting. Osorio did his due diligence and soon got back to the charity with his decision.
“It was something that I wanted to be a part of right away,” said Osorio, whose lone regret is that he didn’t get involved sooner.
“I’m fortunate now that to help more now that I could have back then,” he added. “The timing actually worked out for everybody. For the last three years I have donated to their cause and we’ve built a couple of (football) fields in different cities over there in the schools.”
His father visited one of the sites in Armenia close to his hometown.
“He said it was amazing, the kids, how grateful they are to be able to play on any pitch, really,” said Osorio. “But to be playing on a new pitch, they’re just so grateful and so humble.
“It really makes it worth it being part of this organization.”
The collaboration has also made Osorio take stock.
“We’re very fortunate here in Canada, I think, for the most part. Kids get to go to school and have a roof over their head and things like that. In Colombia, it’s not really the same case. My father and his family grew up in tough conditions, so giving back is like giving back to my father.”
Osorio’s help has been a godsend to the charity.
“We were so surprised with how willing he was,” said Soler.
The TFC skipper has helped pay for a football field in Armenia as well as an ambitious sports complex under construction in Barranquilla.
“It’s been great for them,” Figueredo said of the pitch in Armenia. “Because when they go to school, now they have a proper place to train.”
Osorio has also sent videos encouraging the kids to stay active — as well as shipping soccer balls and signed jerseys their way.
“They know more about Jonathan than the other players in Colombia,” Figueredo said. “That’s the funny part. Even though he’s far away, they’ve connected with him.”
“They feel that they have a future, that they can do more,” she added. “Seeing that was really, really great.”
The kids also followed Osorio through the 2022 World Cup and this summer’s Copa America.
Back home, Osorio has also attended the charity’s annual golf tournament, helping raise funds.
A Toronto native, he has long donated four tickets for every TFC home game to the Hospital for Sick Children.
Vancouver’s Berhalter was nominated for his involvement in the Whitecaps’ partnership with B.C. Children’s Hospital while Montreal’s Sirois was chosen for his work with the Montreal Impact Foundation.
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This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 21, 2024.
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