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15-Minute Lockdown – They are slowly introducing the New Lockdown, the New Norm

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BY SIMONE J. SMITH

No more camping holidays,

No more weekends away,

No more visiting families that don’t live close to you,

No more choosing the school you child goes to,

All of your money, shopping, travel, entertainment, daily activities are tracked and monitored by your digital ID.

If you exceed or do not abide by the rules given to you by the government you could be denied access to everyday activities and even fined, all under the guise of conserving your carbon footprint…

“Don’t judge a situation by what is happening in that moment, let it play out and see where it goes.” David Icke

If you are happy to be surveilled 24/7, and don’t mind being locked down, controlled and told what to do then this article probably isn’t for you.

CLIMATE CHANGE, CLIMATE CHANGE, CLIMATE CHANGE…

I want you to think about how many times you have heard this phrase in the last two years. Media, our world government, oligarch’s have shifted the focus off COVID-19, and now they are priming us on a daily basis with this forced notion of climate change.

Priming is a phenomenon in which exposure to one stimulus influences how a person responds to a subsequent, related stimulus. These stimuli are often conceptually related words or images. Repeating the phrase “climate change,” activates and influences how the person responds to hearing it. Yes, they have made climate change a buzzword, something that we all have to take very seriously, like COVID-19. What they are now doing is utilizing the same techniques of fear, which will turn into intimidation if we, the people, begin to stand up against climate change.

I want you to take this article very seriously, because we are about to be swept up into a future that resembles “The Hunger Games,” where people are isolated into quadrants, and the freedom of movement that we once knew will be vanquished. We have been warning about this for over a year, and surprise, surprise, they are slowly introducing the new lockdown, the new norm.

Don’t get too comfortable with your new Normal; Climate Lockdowns might be on the way. (https://torontocaribbean.com/dont-get-too-comfortable-with-your-new-normal-climate-lockdowns-might-be-on-the-way/)

Published 11 months ago on March 21st, 2022, Toronto Caribbean Newspaper

In this article, I provided a warning for our community about what might be for us in the future.

In November of 2021, India’s Supreme Court called for a lockdown in the capital, New Delhi. Supreme Court Justices ordered authorities to halt all nonessential travel on roads in the national capital region. They also told them to close offices in the area, shifting tens of millions of people to work from home. It appears that something like this could be happening in more countries around the world.

In November 2020, the Red Cross made the claim that climate change was a bigger threat than COVID and should be confronted with “The same urgency.” Of course, the one and only Bill Gates recently demanded that something be done to prevent climate change, claiming it will be worse than the pandemic.

I want to bring attention to a recent interview that Bill Gates did with BBC Journalist Amol Rajan. In the interview, he responds to criticism that he uses a private plane even though he has urged political and business leaders to act aggressively against climate change. Gates replied that he more than offsets his own greenhouse gas emissions by paying for the removal from the atmosphere of carbon dioxide, the most prevalent greenhouse gas causing global warming.

“Well, I buy the gold standard, of funding Climeworks, to do direct air capture that far exceeds my family’s carbon footprint,” Gates said.

Gates’ argument is that his own investment in clean energy and other environmental and public health programs warrants his travel for those purposes.

Hmmmm! So, because you are rich, rules do not apply to you, but they apply to everyone else.  I want readers to keep this in mind as you read the rest of this article

“Unfortunately, there are no vaccines for climate change.” Preparation for permanent climate lockdowns! (https://torontocaribbean.com/unfortunately-there-are-no-vaccines-for-climate-change-preparation-for-permanent-climate-lockdowns/)

Published 4 months ago on October 15th, 2022

In this article, I refer to the World Economic Forum and their claims that if we take the measures needed (climate lockdowns, less private car ownership, less meat), by 2030, our CO2 emissions will be greatly reduced? Meat on your dinner table will be a rare sight. Water and the air you breathe will be cleaner and nature will be in recovery. They want to take lockdown compliance and then move that over to climate change compliance. They want climate change lockdowns. That’s what’s coming.

At the end of the article, I asked readers, are you prepared?

Carbon Allowances; you can only do so much

Here we are in February 2023, and much of what we have reported is slowly coming true. Another priming word that is being propagated is carbon allowances. What is a carbon allowance you ask? Well, how it works is pretty much the same way allowances worked when some of us were children. Everyone starts with a baseline amount. Right now, that could cover how much electricity you use at home, travel budgets, and the impact of your food, but if you want to take a long flight, or have a big fancy car or something else that pushes out a lot of carbon, you may need more credits than you initially get.

(Mastercard unveils new Carbon Calculator tool for banks globally, as consumer passion for the environment grows – https://www.mastercard.com)

Trading comes in when your allotment doesn’t exactly fit your lifestyle. If a household isn’t using their full allotment, they can sell or trade to those who need more credits. Typically, people with lower incomes have lower carbon footprints than their high-income counterparts.

This concept has been brewing for a while; the introduction of personal carbon allowances (PCAs), a mitigation policy proposal was developed in the 1990s. This policy aimed to link personal action with global carbon reduction goals. A PCA scheme would entail all adults receiving an equal, tradable carbon allowance that reduces over time in line with national targets.

In its original design, the allowance could cover around 40% of energy-related carbon emissions in high-income countries, encompassing individuals’ carbon emissions relating to travel, space heating, water heating and electricity. Allowances were envisioned to be deducted from the personal budget with every payment for transport fuel, home-heating fuels and electricity bills.

Think about it readers; our governments are buying into an idea to limit your ability to move freely. That is right, the constitutional right to move around the country will be severely restricted.

How are they going to do this you ask?

The Solution; Lockdowns for all

One of the biggest urban ideas to emerge from the pandemic is the idea of the 15-minute city or 15-minute neighbourhood. The concept was developed by French urbanist Carlos Moreno, and they refer to a place where all the necessities of daily life – shops, schools, workplaces, doctor’s offices, parks, libraries, restaurants and other amenities – are located in a short 15-minute walk or bike ride from home. In this way, each neighbourhood becomes an ‘isochrone’, an area that can be explored within a given time, giving all residents access to their needs a convenient walk away.

They promote that workers can live near their offices or co-working spaces, eliminating the commute. Anyone can walk to a small, nearby park without having to hunt for parking spaces. Community building will benefit too: parceling a city into smaller units makes it far more manageable from a social point of view.

15-minute cities have been in the planning for decades but in actual fact the first mention of smart cities on the WEF site can be traced back to 2016 in an article called “4 ways smart cities will make our lives better.”

The world is buying into 15-minute Cities

Various cities around the world have begun to embrace the 15-minute city approach. For instance, Melbourne is proposing self-contained communities within an 800-meter radius. Portland’s Climate Action Plan calls for more vibrant neighbourhoods in which 90% of the residents can walk, or bike to fulfill their daily needs.

The most vocal proponent of the concept remains Paris, where the concept originated. Its mayor Anne Hidalgo has been championing the “Ville du quart d’heure,” since early 2020, and has limited car speed to 30 kilometers per hour on many streets; automobiles have been banned along the Seine one Sunday each month; and plans to include a biking lane on every street by 2024 is also in the works.

Japan (The Woven City)

Toyota Motor Corporation started construction in 2021 on a 175-acre smart city at the base of Japan’s Mount Fuji, about 62 miles from Tokyo. The city, which Toyota has dubbed the “Woven City,” is expected to function as a testing ground for technologies like: robotics, smart homes, and artificial intelligence.

These residents, who are expected to move into the Woven City within five years, will live in smart homes with in-home robotics systems to assist with daily living and sensor-based artificial intelligence to monitor health and take care of other basic needs.

United Kingdom

15-minute city zones have been proposed by Oxford City Council as part of the Local Plan 2040 have garnered significant controversy. The plan, which will see traffic filters installed on six roads as part of a £6.5m trial, is set to commence in 2024. Under these new filters, residents will be able to drive freely around their own neighbourhoods but will be fined up to £70 for driving into other neighbourhoods through the filters. The plan’s aim is to create neighbourhoods in Oxford where ‘essential’ facilities are accessible by a walking distance of up to 15 minutes.

199 Cities in Canada have Signed on to 15-Minute Cities

What is happening quietly across Canada, without a whisper on mainstream media is the implementation of 15-minute cities. That’s right people, cities across the country will have this concept become part of your regular life. Let’s take a look at some cities that have signed on.

Innisfil (The Orbit Vision)

The town of Innisfil The Orbit Vision has been developed with both the existing and future communities in mind to ensure that Innisfil grows and continues to be a great place to live. The below five goals will be at the heart of the Orbit Potential & Innovation Plan (OPIP) and will be reflected in the community to come. Creating 15-minute neighbourhoods designed with a people-first approach and integrated greenspaces. They claim it will make day-to-day life easier using technology and Smart Cities concept without losing the focus on good neighbourhood design

Ottawa (Five Big Moves)

Ottawa introduced the “Five Big Moves.” On their official website they state that the principles of 15-minute neighbourhoods are integral to the strategic directions contained in Ottawa’s Draft New Official Plan. The concept of 15-minute neighbourhoods supports a variety of objectives relating to intensification, economic development, energy and climate change (buzzword), gender equity, and culture. Additionally, planning for 15-minute neighbourhoods represents a critical means of embedding health resiliency in planning in order to achieve healthier, more inclusive communities.

Edmonton (Community of Communities)

Their district planning is a multi-year project to build The City Plan’s “community of communities”—small towns in our big city, where people can meet many of their daily needs within 15 minutes from where they live.

Infrastructure Canada

Infrastructure Canada has an interactive map of the communities that applied to the Smart Cities Challenge. When you visit the website, you can click on the markers on the map to see more information about the communities and their applications.

What is scary is that there are already 199 cities across Canada who have signed up to relinquish their freedoms and once again acquiesce to higher powers.

There is a famous saying which says that “We only retain the freedoms for which we fight.” Eventually, we are going to lose our freedoms if we do not take them seriously. Our freedom is in danger of being hijacked by the so-called political parties, ideologues, corporate groups, and those who are truly running the world from the shadows. We thought we had gained our freedom from oppressors and monarchs in the previous century, but did we really?

The new face of tyranny is so compact, so well organized, and we as Canadians must STAND UP now and defend our most basic freedoms. We, the People need to take heart and be courageous and stand against this kind of oppression.

You can do this by writing, or calling into your local MP’s and saying, “NO TO 15-MINUTE CITIES.” Let’s not wait until it is too late.

References:

The 15-minute city meets human needs but leaves desires wanting. Here’s why – https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2021/11/15minute-city-falls-short/

Smart Cities Challenge Map Of Applicants (Canada) – https://www.infrastructure.gc.ca/sc-vi/map-applications.php

Personal carbon allowances revisited – https://www.nature.com/articles/s41893-021-00756-w

The Orbit Vision (Innisfil, ON) – https://innisfil.ca/en/building-and-development/orbit-vision.aspx

District Planning (Edmonton, AB) – https://www.edmonton.ca/city_government/urban_planning_and_design/district-planning

We, as humans are guaranteed certain things in life: stressors, taxes, bills and death are the first thoughts that pop to mind. It is not uncommon that many people find a hard time dealing with these daily life stressors, and at times will find themselves losing control over their lives. Simone Jennifer Smith’s great passion is using the gifts that have been given to her, to help educate her clients on how to live meaningful lives. The Hear to Help Team consists of powerfully motivated individuals, who like Simone, see that there is a need in this world; a need for real connection. As the founder and Director of Hear 2 Help, Simone leads a team that goes out into the community day to day, servicing families with their educational, legal and mental health needs.Her dedication shows in her Toronto Caribbean newspaper articles, and in her role as a host on the TCN TV Network.

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1 Comment

1 Comment

  1. Steven Berge

    March 12, 2023 at 8:57 pm

    Guess who will get to decide what services you have access to. The rule by wealth system will not end itself, we have to organize massive protests and general strikes with a clearly written demand to end it once and for all people.

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Community News

Timeless music brought to life on stage; Welcome to the Soul Nostalgic Experience

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Photo Credit: Jose Maria Elizalde

BY SIMONE J. SMITH

“Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to the Soul Nostalgic Experience! Tonight, we’re taking a journey back in time to relive the magic of an era that continues to inspire and captivate audiences worldwide. Are you ready to feel the groove?”

The audience erupts into cheers and applause as the band launches into a classic soul tune. People start swaying in their seats, unable to resist the infectious beat. A few brave souls even start dancing in the aisles.

Imagine being transported back in time to the golden era of R&B and Soul music, where smooth melodies and infectious rhythms ruled the airwaves. Now, envision this timeless music brought to life on stage with the energy and spectacle of a Las Vegas residency.

That’s precisely what the Soul Nostalgic Experience is all about. As I stepped through the doors, I was greeted by the smooth ambiance of classic R&B tunes mingling with the clinking of glasses and the tantalizing aromas wafting from our kitchen. The atmosphere was electric, alive with the anticipation of what the night had in store.

In the heart of Toronto’s vibrant music scene, there exists a figure who orchestrates brilliance from the shadows. Steve Hollywood, a name whispered among those in the know, is the unseen force behind many of the city’s musical endeavors. Despite his significant contributions, he stays removed from the spotlight, preferring the quiet hum of behind-the-scenes influence. Regardless, his presence remains enigmatic, known only to those privileged enough to collaborate with him. It’s a rare invitation to glimpse into his world, an offer extended to a select few, beckoning them to join the symphony of creativity he meticulously curates.

On Thursday, April 25th, 2024, the Toronto Caribbean Newspaper was welcome to the Acqua Supper Club, where the heartbeat of Toronto’s R&B and Soul scene will pulsate throughout the summer. Nestled in the heart of the city, the venue is a sanctuary where men and women will be able to gather for unforgettable evenings of soulful music and culinary delights.

At the helm of this musical journey is none other than DRU, a Juno Award-winning and gold record artist with a visionary passion for bringing back the magic of the 90s and 2000s R&B/Soul era. From timeless classics to contemporary hits, his performance was a journey through the soul, evoking nostalgia and stirring the spirit. Inspired to create something truly special, DRU collaborated with the immensely talented The Recipee Band to craft a show unlike any other. The Recipee Band, comprised of musical virtuosos: Jason Larmond, Otis Williams, Juwayon Clarke, and Jonathan Kerr, bringing over two decades of collective experience to the stage.

Drawing from a diverse range of genres and generations spanning from the 50s to the present, The Recipee Band serves as the backbone of Soul Nostalgic, infusing each performance with their unmatched musicality and passion. Soul Nostalgic isn’t just a concert; it’s a collective of exceptional talent coming together to create an immersive experience that will transport you back in time.

The night brought me through a ray of emotions, from high-energy dancing to electrifying live music, every moment of the show was designed to make you groove and feel good.

As the night unfolded, I found myself immersed in a world where time seemed to stand still, where the troubles of the outside world faded away, and all that mattered was the connection between music, food, and community.

I completely co-sign on this unforgettable journey. On May 30th, 2024, they are sharing this experience with the city again, so get ready to dance, sing along, and relive the magic of an era that continues to inspire and captivate audiences worldwide. This is more than just a concert; it’s the Soul Nostalgic Experience.

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Community News

Generational survival: Can our young people survive our generation?

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Photo Credit: Dr Obotdean

BY STEVEN KASZAB

The young people of the day are often criticized for not voting or participating in our electoral and public service efforts. Called bubble wrapped by some, those who attend schools of higher learning face challenges presented to them such as: professors who are not objective but espouse various ideologies of the left or right. Professorial prejudices often place the young student in academic limbo, encouraged to choose their professors preferred political outlook.

Raised to be democratically inclined, our youth often witness the actions of our establishments, which can appear to be very undemocratic. Terms like “Do as we say, not as we do,” hypocritical actions by the administration and police often lead our youth an openness towards misguided ideologies and movements of purported social change.

Our youth are encouraged to insert themselves into local, national and international politics, only to be witness to the horrible events, misinformation and the manipulative nature of global media who present their own interpretation of said events. Media is in fact a business manipulated by corporate and politically friendly owners. So, how can our youth truly believe what is in fact real, truthful, honest and objectively presented?

Our youth will often develop a sense of “Stockholm Syndrome” like attitudes, actions and desires. Desire to change a society that is obviously unacceptable but have an attitude to accept no other message except that which is given by their governments and institutions.

Our youth find the idea of voting in a system that remains the same, changes nothing and has players who all look and act alike to be a waste of time and effort. There will always be bad guys, taxes, raising prices, and diminishing opportunities. One’s outlook can be deflated, filled with nervous tension and even fatalism. War, addiction, premature deaths, abortion, women rights, democracy while supporting and doing business with dictatorships.

To be young, means to create, grow and aspire to positive things. Our national and global experience is seen as the opposite of that approach. There is simply: too much going on, too many people being harmed, too little opportunity, too much misinformation, too much greed to allow our young to develop in a well-balanced, mentally positive manner.

Mental health concerns for not only the youth, but our own as adults challenge us to change our ways, assist each other with an: empathetic, charitable manner, open minds and hearts.

Our young people are our treasure and future hope. If they are screwed up, so too are our future expectations and future goals. We have to continue to work on getting it right.

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The Black Business and Professional Association (BBPA) scandal: Is there room for corrections and restoration?

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BY MICHAEL THOMAS

After over 40 years of upholding a legacy of integrity and excellence, accusations and allegations of mismanagement of public funds and conflict of interest have raised its ugly head at the Black Business and Professional Association (BBPA).

As I investigated the meat of information surrounding this case it is easy to see why many buzzards are circling this prey. One of the main allegations I have noticed is that BBPA management awarded contracts to companies controlled by the former President and CEO, Nadine Spencer, without appropriate due diligence. Again, if this turns out to be true, an organization that has been in business for four decades must have seen this coming.

If the rules of receiving the funds, or government grants say that you must put out tenders to hire workers, then by all means do so. We have to remember that bad news travels twice the speed of good news.

There is more; on November 5th, 2021, the BBPA’s President at the time, Nadine Spencer became the CEO where she was allegedly paid in the range of $250,000. This was used to make the comparison that a bigger organization was thriftier with their money than BBPA, here is how. As an example, the Executive Director of Tropicana Community Services, a much larger non-profit organization, earned a salary of $163,671 in 2023.

My job in this article is not to throw BBPA under the morality bus, but to shed a bit of light on how as a people we must realize that all eyes are on us. Something I quickly spot is how many mainstream media took the opportunity to jump at this alleged scandal in BBPA, yet, for over four years now Canada has been led off the cliff, and because these same mainstream media folks were paid and funded, they looked the other way.

Do I condone the misuse of public funds? Hell no! If these allegations are proven to be true, should BBPA be held accountable? Hell yes!

That said, I went to BBPA’s website to have a bird’s eye view of what this organization is all about, and after reading I must say I was impressed.

I am hoping that BBPA realizes that to whom much is given, much is required.  An organization that has kept such a sterling reputation over the last four decades need not look only in its rearview mirror, but in blind spots as well.

Misappropriation of funds is no laughing matter regardless of how big or small an organization is, nor is conflict of interest. These are tantamount to having blood stains on white garments. If proven there needs to be public apologies, and most importantly “a complete cleaning of the house.”

The Boards of Directors of the BBPA released a statement on Friday, April 26th, 2024, in response to the call for their resignation in the midst of the allegations of financial mismanagement. The statement was addressed to BBPA members/supporters. It states, “We want you to know that we have been listening to the concerns that have recently been raised. The BBPA has hired independent professionals to undertake the appropriate reviews. The current BBPA Board has and continues to proactively take steps to strengthen governance and compliance practices. We are all dedicated to learning, improving, and continuing to work together through this process. We, as Directors, also want you to know that you can reach out to us any time for a conversation.”

Now in the case of Mr. Harry Jerome’s daughter, when one engages in asking an organization that has upheld her father’s name for four decades to quit using the name. I would like to think that this individual has solid proof of wrongdoing, or if proven wrong is ready to apologize as well, but with all these wolves circling the wagon. I understand her plight.

Starting from a small gathering that honored just six Black Canadian athletes who excelled at that year’s Commonwealth Games in 1983, to an organization that built an endowment fund of close to $600,000, and in the last 24 years the fund has granted over 650 scholarships totaling close to 2.5 million dollars, BBPA has a lot to be proud of.

However, if these allegations are found to be false, I am hoping that the accusing parties will do the right thing and apologize. On the other hand, if BBPA is found to be in the wrong, then the organization should be wise enough to rock the boat and throw those found guilty of tarnishing BBPA’s and Mr. Harry Jerome’s good reputation completely overboard.

According to news sources, BBPA has categorically denied all allegations. Whichever way this cookie crumbles, BBPA, your decision should and must make your people, and the late sprinter Mr. Harry Jerome’s name and family proud.

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