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Rethinking Investment: Challenging Traditional Approaches in Public Policy, Immigration, and Economic Strategies

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Throwing money at a problem has been the method used for some time by our public authorities, where politicians do not solve problems, but they invest our earned money into various operations, programs, and organizations that also have no idea how to solve the problems we and the world now face. An empty effort gaining only opportunities for photo ops.

Example: Refugee Youth found all over the world, possibly already in Canada, or waiting for permission to migrate here. Those waiting to come here are often facing life-and-death situations, or perhaps poverty, gangland chaos, or economic-political depression and oppression. Those who are on Canadian soil face challenges too, like how they can become Canadian. Governmental Departments send money and supplies to the various camps many of their refugees live in, only to have some or all this stuff become the possession of criminal or corrupt police authorities, who confiscate and sell on the black market. Whether inland or halfway across the world, people rely upon Canadian authorities to do what is right for the destitute, homeless, and often nationless.

Statistics show us that a child’s mental-social capabilities form from a young age. So it is imperative to bring the children to Canada to receive appropriate services, education, and training in socialization within the Canadian Mosaic. Concentrate on the children first as the parents are investigated for migration approval. Children are innocent, and surely do not need to be placed in a security bubble like their parents. Furthermore, we know that it is the children who lead their parents towards a sound socialization within their new communities, so concentrate on one so that the parents can follow the process. Parents need to be essentially placed and allowed to enter Canada in Time.

Immigration: Canada’s population is shrinking and aging rapidly. Only immigration with foresight can effectively save the day. Canadians open their hearts and minds to immigration but ask questions such as where, oh where will these people live, and be housed? ***In post WW2 companies like Sears and the Bay popularly advertised in their catalogues everything including Portable Housing! If this method can be available historically why not today?
Insulated knock-down portable homes will be the answer to the prayers of new residents and present-day ones. All someone needs is a platform, and then order the house and assemble it once it arrives. It also answers the question of affordability. Whether rentals or home ownership you can build something costing less than $60,000.00 in a marketplace where housing starts are priced towards the roof. This type of housing can be domestically made, forsaking the Asian Markets and shipping costs. Made in North America makes sense.

Trade and Enterprise: Our private sector has rebounded from the pandemic not by continuing its support of domestic manufacturers but by going back to importing from Asia and elsewhere. To most of us it makes sense to support our neighbors, and not those workers far far away. The very nature of financial and economic policy has these past decades been to forsake our neighbors and buy cheaply from China, the Asian Marketplace, and elsewhere. Yes you can buy cheaply even while you complain about deliveries, the cost of transport, and their support often of dictatorial governments that are our political and economic competitors. Capitalism or just plain greed and stupidity?

Economic Finance: Over a decade ago our central bank allowed the interest rates to go lower than ever before. Business went into an upward spin spending money purchasing equipment, buying and building properties and factories. The public went to their financial institutions and established comprehensive lines of credit, getting themselves many credit cards and loans for all sorts of things. Even the governments that rule this land did the same, building and repairing infrastructure well-worn for many decades. Getting things done was the name of the game, and massive DEBT was the result. Many business people and the public could not care less, as the “live for today & do business today” motto was most popular. Small nations went into massive debt owing much to competing superpowers such as China, the USA, and the E.U. Inflation rates moved upward, as to the government’s solution the interest rates. Financial Disaster for many public and business people has been witnessed and will be a future development. Debt will be the downfall of many of your neighbors, who saw almost free money as a way to advance their personal and business plans. Much of this debt is owed to Asian and Arab Concerns. They will make a call for their money, and soon.

Foreign Policy: Have you noticed that our governments are seen to send/ Invest a great deal of money into foreign concerns, some humanitarian concerns, others supporting warring factions like Israel or Ukraine? All the while the nation back yard is often ignored or forgotten. It is not the politician’s fault, as who can resist photo ops and immediate good news? While our governments work diligently towards peace between warring factions they also sell weapons, military supplies, and assistance on how to use these weapons. One hand offers peace, while the other searches for ways to financially benefit our already wealthy weapons makers. Giving $Billions to various nations in peril while the system that placed them in this mess continues to operate. Nothing changes, everything remains the same.

Invest in us, you and me, and your neighbors too. You can see how the investment will work and benefit those you may know. Religious doctrines tell us to share our abundance but don’t tell us whom to invest in. A donation is an investment in another person. Look at your backyard, your neighborhood, and your community first. Only when we are prosperous, and well established If you cannot defend yourselves, how can you defend others in need? The world cares little about you or your business, seeing you only as a statistic, a number, a customer, or a buyer.

Jonathan Swift said, “a wise person/Government should have money in their heads, and not in their heart”. Be wise and not emotional. Act upon well-thought-out principles, not emotional responses to events and things you have no power to stop or change.

Steven Kaszab
Bradford, Ontario
skaszab@yahoo.ca

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Canada’s Denis Shapovalov wins Belgrade Open for his second ATP Tour title

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BELGRADE, Serbia – Canada’s Denis Shapovalov is back in the winner’s circle.

The 25-year-old Shapovalov beat Serbia’s Hamad Medjedovic 6-4, 6-4 in the Belgrade Open final on Saturday.

It’s Shapovalov’s second ATP Tour title after winning the Stockholm Open in 2019. He is the first Canadian to win an ATP Tour-level title this season.

His last appearance in a tournament final was in Vienna in 2022.

Shapovalov missed the second half of last season due to injury and spent most of this year regaining his best level of play.

He came through qualifying in Belgrade and dropped just one set on his way to winning the trophy.

Shapovalov’s best results this season were at ATP 500 events in Washington and Basel, where he reached the quarterfinals.

Medjedovic was playing in his first-ever ATP Tour final.

The 21-year-old, who won the Next Gen ATP Finals presented by PIF title last year, ends 2024 holding a 9-8 tour-level record on the season.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 9, 2024.

The Canadian Press. All rights reserved.



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Talks to resume in B.C. port dispute in bid to end multi-day lockout

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VANCOUVER – Contract negotiations resume today in Vancouver in a labour dispute that has paralyzed container cargo shipping at British Columbia’s ports since Monday.

The BC Maritime Employers Association and International Longshore and Warehouse Union Local 514 are scheduled to meet for the next three days in mediated talks to try to break a deadlock in negotiations.

The union, which represents more than 700 longshore supervisors at ports, including Vancouver, Prince Rupert and Nanaimo, has been without a contract since March last year.

The latest talks come after employers locked out workers in response to what it said was “strike activity” by union members.

The start of the lockout was then followed by several days of no engagement between the two parties, prompting federal Labour Minister Steven MacKinnon to speak with leaders on both sides, asking them to restart talks.

MacKinnon had said that the talks were “progressing at an insufficient pace, indicating a concerning absence of urgency from the parties involved” — a sentiment echoed by several business groups across Canada.

In a joint letter, more than 100 organizations, including the Canadian Chamber of Commerce, Business Council of Canada and associations representing industries from automotive and fertilizer to retail and mining, urged the government to do whatever it takes to end the work stoppage.

“While we acknowledge efforts to continue with mediation, parties have not been able to come to a negotiated agreement,” the letter says. “So, the federal government must take decisive action, using every tool at its disposal to resolve this dispute and limit the damage caused by this disruption.

“We simply cannot afford to once again put Canadian businesses at risk, which in turn puts Canadian livelihoods at risk.”

In the meantime, the union says it has filed a complaint to the Canada Industrial Relations Board against the employers, alleging the association threatened to pull existing conditions out of the last contract in direct contact with its members.

“The BCMEA is trying to undermine the union by attempting to turn members against its democratically elected leadership and bargaining committee — despite the fact that the BCMEA knows full well we received a 96 per cent mandate to take job action if needed,” union president Frank Morena said in a statement.

The employers have responded by calling the complaint “another meritless claim,” adding the final offer to the union that includes a 19.2 per cent wage increase over a four-year term remains on the table.

“The final offer has been on the table for over a week and represents a fair and balanced proposal for employees, and if accepted would end this dispute,” the employers’ statement says. “The offer does not require any concessions from the union.”

The union says the offer does not address the key issue of staffing requirement at the terminals as the port introduces more automation to cargo loading and unloading, which could potentially require fewer workers to operate than older systems.

The Port of Vancouver is the largest in Canada and has seen a number of labour disruptions, including two instances involving the rail and grain storage sectors earlier this year.

A 13-day strike by another group of workers at the port last year resulted in the disruption of a significant amount of shipping and trade.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 9, 2024.

The Canadian Press. All rights reserved.



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The Royal Canadian Legion turns to Amazon for annual poppy campaign boost

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The Royal Canadian Legion says a new partnership with e-commerce giant Amazon is helping boost its veterans’ fund, and will hopefully expand its donor base in the digital world.

Since the Oct. 25 launch of its Amazon.ca storefront, the legion says it has received nearly 10,000 orders for poppies.

Online shoppers can order lapel poppies on Amazon in exchange for donations or buy items such as “We Remember” lawn signs, Remembrance Day pins and other accessories, with all proceeds going to the legion’s Poppy Trust Fund for Canadian veterans and their families.

Nujma Bond, the legion’s national spokesperson, said the organization sees this move as keeping up with modern purchasing habits.

“As the world around us evolves we have been looking at different ways to distribute poppies and to make it easier for people to access them,” she said in an interview.

“This is definitely a way to reach a wider number of Canadians of all ages. And certainly younger Canadians are much more active on the web, on social media in general, so we’re also engaging in that way.”

Al Plume, a member of a legion branch in Trenton, Ont., said the online store can also help with outreach to veterans who are far from home.

“For veterans that are overseas and are away, (or) can’t get to a store they can order them online, it’s Amazon.” Plume said.

Plume spent 35 years in the military with the Royal Engineers, and retired eight years ago. He said making sure veterans are looked after is his passion.

“I’ve seen the struggles that our veterans have had with Veterans Affairs … and that’s why I got involved, with making sure that the people get to them and help the veterans with their paperwork.”

But the message about the Amazon storefront didn’t appear to reach all of the legion’s locations, with volunteers at Branch 179 on Vancouver’s Commercial Drive saying they hadn’t heard about the online push.

Holly Paddon, the branch’s poppy campaign co-ordinator and bartender, said the Amazon partnership never came up in meetings with other legion volunteers and officials.

“I work at the legion, I work with the Vancouver poppy office and I go to the meetings for the Vancouver poppy campaign — which includes all the legions in Vancouver — and not once has this been mentioned,” she said.

Paddon said the initiative is a great idea, but she would like to have known more about it.

The legion also sells a larger collection of items at poppystore.ca.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 9, 2024.

The Canadian Press. All rights reserved.



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