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Top news of 2016

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BY JELANI GRANT

People Living In This Year Demanding Better Answers.

If sometime this year you thought to yourself, “What a world we’ve made”, you are probably not alone. 2016 has seen a number of changes to accept. To summarize, it was a year of deeper understanding; a significant number of people searching for answers to issues that weren’t clarified enough before. A new American President (arguably the most controversial election in American history), an unexpected division in Europe United, another world Olympics set into the history books, economical changes across the globe, the split-up of “Bradegelina”, the Knowles sisters both delling out empowering albums and the continuous struggles in the Middle East. These incidents and changes beg the question; have we as a society, learned enough this year to do better for the next.

The damage done by Hurricane Matthew

The predictions of damage Hurricane Matthew was to have on the Caribbean Islands was hard to prepare for, as it usually is when dealing with tropical storms. Something everyone could have predicted to come along with the storm is displacement and comedic spoofs, to make light of a very serious situation. Hurricane Matthew was the first Category 5 hurricane since 2004 and was also recorded as being the longest-lived Category 4-5 hurricane in the Eastern Caribbean, reaching wind speeds of up to 235km per hour. Despite some areas not being hit as hard as anticipated, islands, such as Haiti were devastated. More than 1,000 people were reported killed during the storm. The Rare Category 4 hurricane made landfall in Haiti, then travelled to eastern Cuba. The storm reached some southern states like Florida and the Carolinas, but Haiti is continuing to recover from the estimated $1 billion in damage costs.

The 45th POTUS

Millennials were a common predicting factor to how the latest Presidential election would turn out due to the 66% of voters under the age of 29 who voted for President Barack Obama.  This year however, statistics showed that the majority of Caucasian women who voted, were the determining factor to placing the republican candidate into the winner’s circle with 53% for Trump. Despite the numerous controversial issues that surrounded Trump throughout his campaign, the numerous sexual assault accusations, his misogynistic behaviour, racist quotes and prejudice campaign promises, America’s Electoral College favoured Trump with 306 votes for Trump and 232 votes for democratic candidate Hillary Clinton. Although Clinton won the popular vote, the results from the Electoral College vote was and has always been, the determining factor.

Though Trump’s campaign was filled with circumstantial promises, ranging from walling off Mexico from the American border, deporting residents who practice the Muslim religion or reversing everything President Obama has accomplished during his eight-year term, there is still a possibility that the policy and moral standards of America could drastically change. Some of the things president-elect Trump promised supporters included getting rid of the Affordable Care Act, which Republicans rejected from the beginning and now may get their wish with a majority senate and congress. Trump declared the threat of climate change as a hoax and vowed to stop including America in any meetings or agreements that would manage greenhouse gas emissions. The creation of religious freedom laws, which restricted the rights of the LGBT community in various ways, have been created by various republicans across the nation and could continue to grow with a majority Republican Supreme Court.

Trump nominated Senator Jeff Sessions, who is known as amnesty’s worst enemy by the Conservative National Review board, to be the next U.S. Attorney General. During his campaign, Trump made a promise of a complete shutdown of Muslims entering into the U.S. as a necessity for this country’s safety, and following his election said he would be in support of the implementing of a Muslim-based registry. Trump suggested there should be systems beyond databases that will track Muslims in America. As well, Trump has chosen Mike Pence as his Vice President, which disturbed many women and the LGBT community because of his cut of Planned Parenthood funding as Indiana Governor and support of conversion therapies, which have been scientifically proven to be useless and harmful.
While none of these changes are guaranteed to happen, as most politicians aren’t known for keeping all of their promises, the possibility is very real and even scary for some Americans.

Bolt immortalized as undefeated Olympian

Usain Bolt, the fastest man alive. No better way to describe someone who managed to make history, by breezing through each of the 100m finals, and winning three gold medals for the same event in three Olympic games in a row. Bolt won the 100m and 200m races in Brazil and is the only man to win all three sprint events at three consecutive Olympic Games.

He holds the current men’s 100m world record of 9.58 seconds and the 200m world record of 19.19s. Both were set in 2009.

Bolt was also a part of the team that set the fastest-ever time for the 4x100m relay, at the London 2012 Games. Bolt is currently building a casual diner and sports bar franchise called Tracks & Records in Ocho Rios. In honour of everything Bolt has achieved, his statue will be built at the National Stadium Statue Park along with Asafa Powell, Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce and Veronica Campbell-Brown. The statues are meant to be completed by the Independence celebration of Jamaica for 2017. Fraser-Pryce hoped to make a similar mark, winning three consecutive 100m finals but, due to a toe injury, came in third behind American Torie Bowie and fellow countrywoman Elaine Thompson, who won gold. Canadian sprinter Andre De Grasse made a splash of his own, trailing behind Bolt’s effortless 9.81 seconds with 9.91 seconds in his first Olympic appearance. Trinidadian Akeem Stewart also broke a Paralympic record this year in the javelin competition with 57.32 meters.

Bees are becoming extinct

For the first time in history, seven species of bees have been placed on the American endangered species list, which means they’re now the first US bee species to earn federal protection under the Endangered Species Act. The seven species, which live in many different habitats on the Hawaiian Islands, are named Hylaeus anthracinus, Hylaeus longiceps, Hylaeus assimulans, Hylaeus facilis, Hylaeus hilaris, Hylaeus kuakea, and Hylaeus mana. The loss of more bees will negatively impact ecosystems, such as the pollination of almond plants which could lead to a declining production of livestock or coffee beans. The bees are threatened mostly by human development and invasive species, which are both causing a loss of their vital habitat, causing bee populations to become sparse according to the Xerces Society.

The United Kingdom divided from Europe United

Of the many shocking events, changing the world ever slightly, Brexit was one which most people wouldn’t have imagined was possible. A vote across the United Kingdom, eligible to most citizens of age, to remove the UK from the list of countries within the European Union was passed. With a majority vote of only 52%, most UK citizens decided to depart from the Europe United agreement that essentially created a single market for all countries involved, following World War II, allowing goods and people to move around as if the member states were one country. The countries share their own currency, the euro, its own parliament and set rules in a wide range of areas, including the environment, transport, consumer rights. 3% of the United Kingdom’s population is of Caribbean or African decent, and this vote has the potential to impact immigration laws since the UK will be using their own currency, consumer rights and environmental laws. Nothing has been officially declared in regards to immigrant policy changes but they are possible and no doubt will migration more complicated.

Remembering their excellence

2016 streamed the losses of a number of legendary greats, as recently as December with the loss of Guyanese-born British-American novelist E.R. Braitwaithe, best known for his novel To Sir, With Love. Some of the tragic loses, included black pioneers who made history and potentially paved the way for younger generations to achieve greatness. For instance, the soul and funk singer Sharon Jones, who died at the age of 60 after battling with pancreatic cancer. She was best known for her debut album with the Dap-Kings band, Dap Dipping With the Dap-Kings, release in 2002. After beginning her music career in the 1970s, Jones struggled to build her name in the music industry and began working as a correctional officer for a few years before returning as a backup singer for Desco Records in the 90s, proving that any dream can be achieved with persistence. Other icons who passed included Earth, Wind & Fire co-founder Maurice White, 74, television psychic Ms. Cleo, 53, and former Black Panther Afeni Shakur, 69. Shakur created Tupac Amaru Shakur Foundation, an arts program for young people funded by the estate of her late son.

This year, fans across the globe mourned and celebrated the life of the iconic music artist Prince, 57, best known for his hits Purple Rain and Little Red Corvette. One of the reasons Prince will forever be highly regarded is his indifference to gender norms, because of his colourful, flourishing outfits and soft voice and stern demeanour.

Also, to be remembered is renowned actor Bill Nunn, 62, known for his role as Radio Raheem in Do The Right Thing and Tommy Ford, 52, known best for his role in the 90s sitcom Martin. Soul music legend Otis Clay, 76 and Legendary hip-hop musician Phife Dawg, 45, passed away this year. Clay’s passing was tragic as he died of a heart attack, but Phife’s death shook the hip-hop community as he was a co-founder of A Tribe Called Quest, one of the most influential hip-hop groups of its entire history. Inventor George Nauflett, 84, who is renowned for the number of patents he created, one including the nitration of organics in carbon dioxide, died this year in a house fire.

Infamous communist leader Fidel Castro, 90, who was beloved by his people for pushing the advancement and quality of Cuba’s medical community while being hated by the United States for oppressing the human rights of his citizens not backing down during the Cold War, passed away. Leading Cuba for almost fifty years, Castro is known for a plethora of ‘good’ or ‘bad’ activities, depending on who is asked. Castro had once allowed the Soviet Union to build nuclear missile on Cuban land. He was also vocal about his anti-gay beliefs, which only became an issue for most in recent years but has also granted asylum to a number of civil rights activists who were placed on America’s Most Wanted list, such as Shakur.

Legendary boxer Muhammad Ali, 74, who fought alongside civil rights leaders like Malcolm X while demolishing any competitors who challenged him in the ring, also died this year of septic shock.
The cliché phrase, “out with the old, in with the new”, is a concept which is so relevant this year because of policy and government changes. Regardless of how 2016 has turned out, the fact that more people are actively searching for deeper explanations, to issues that affect them, is a progressive step towards a better tomorrow. Traditional beliefs, that may oppress or exclude certain groups, are becoming a growing taboo thanks to documentary television channels, such as VICE, or scientific researchers like WHO (World Health Organization) and this could lead to less oppression or at the very least, stronger demands for equality.

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Before we allow more people into the country, shouldn’t we prioritize the well-being of our citizens first?

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BY SIMONE J. SMITH

Greetings esteemed citizens of Canada. I am deeply troubled by a pressing issue that demands our attention. It pertains to our immigration policies and the welfare of our citizens.

I am bewildered by the continued influx of immigrants into our country while we struggle to adequately care for our own citizens. Take, for instance, a drive through Toronto, or a drive through Hamilton—it’s a stark reminder of the dire situation many Canadians face daily. We witness homelessness, lack of access to basic healthcare, and economic hardships plaguing our communities.

Homelessness continues to be an issue in Toronto, with thousands of people experiencing homelessness on any given night. The impacts of it are complex, long lasting, and devastating for many. Homelessness affects some of our community’s most vulnerable residents and contributes to ongoing health inequities.

Toronto is also experiencing a heightened number of non-fatal and fatal opioid overdoses within the overall community, as well as within the shelter system. This is primarily due to the increasing toxicity and unpredictability of the unregulated drug supply. According to the City of Toronto, in 2023, there were 169 calls to Toronto Paramedics from Toronto shelters and respites sites in Q4 of 2023 to respond to non-fatal overdoses. Over 2023, there were a total of 796 non-fatal suspected overdoses at Toronto shelter and respite sites, representing an 11% decrease from 2022.

Higher rates of illness and premature death among the homeless population have been widely recognized, and since January 2024, there have been 28 deaths in homeless shelters. The City says that they are committed to identifying and responding in a timely manner to new and emerging issues in the shelter system.

According to Homeless Statistics in Canada, the estimated number of homeless people ranges from 150,000 to 300,000, with 25,000 to 35,000 individuals homeless on any given night. Let’s take a look at this on a national scale:

Homelessness Statistics for Canadians

  • Between 25,000 and 35,000 people are homeless on any given night in Canada.
  • Toronto has the most homeless people in Canada.
  • 62% of homeless people in Canada are males.
  • 30% of Canadian homeless come from Indigenous communities.
  • 90% of homeless shelters in Canada are in: Ontario, British Columbia, Quebec, and Alberta, and 44% of them are in Ontario alone.
  • 22% of shelters are aimed at young homeless in Canada, while 20% of people experiencing homelessness are 13-24 years old.
  • The annual cost to society is over $7 billion.
  • The Canadian Government is investing $2.2 billion over ten years to expand funding for the homeless.

Yet, for some reason, the Canadian government strongly believes that it is in the best interest of our country to continue to push for higher immigration. Yes, I overstand that immigration is a complex issue with multifaceted implications. Canada has long prided itself on its tradition of welcoming immigrants, which enriches our cultural fabric and contributes to our economic growth. The only caveat is we as Canadians need to truly understand how this is affecting us as a whole.

According to Statista, annual immigration in Canada amounts to almost 500,000 new immigrants – one of the highest rates per population of any country in the world. As of 2023, there were more than eight million immigrants with permanent residence living in Canada – roughly 20% of the total Canadian population. In a press release titled “Canada welcomes historic number of newcomers in 2022,” it is proudly written that Canada has experienced one of the fastest recoveries from the pandemic, thanks in large part to our approach to immigration.

In the press release, they state that they plan to welcome a historic number of newcomers, and IRCC has: added resources, embraced new technology, streamlined processing, and brought more processes online. They claim that these changes are all important improvements to Canada’s immigration system, which will position them well for the future. They also state that their focus is on addressing the acute labour market shortages we are facing today and building a strong economy into the future, and one thing remains certain: “Immigration is a key part of the solution.”

“Today marks an important milestone for Canada, setting a new record for newcomers welcomed in a single year. It is a testament to the strength and resilience of our country and its people. Newcomers play an essential role in filling labour shortages, bringing new perspectives and talents to our communities, and enriching our society as a whole. I am excited to see what the future holds and look forward to another historic year in 2023 as we continue to welcome newcomers,” shared Sean Fraser, Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship

I received an email from Maxime Bernier (PPC Leader), and in this email, he shared with me his thoughts. “I started talking about the perils of mass immigration years ago. The whole political and media establishment denounced me, smeared me, said I was a racist, a xenophobe, anti-Canadian. I kept telling the truth, because I care more about the future of our nation than about what these corrupt elites think of me.”

“More and more people now realize that I was right. Simone Jennifer, we need to make mass immigration the ballot box question at the coming election. When the Liberals took power in 2015, Canada’s population was only 35 million. How can we possibly integrate into our society, our economy, our housing market, our culture, the equivalent of Nova Scotia’s, or Saskatchewan’s population every few months? It’s a planned invasion. It’s a total disaster in the making.”

I understand the importance of immigration, especially because my parents are also immigrants, but before we allow more people into the country, shouldn’t we prioritize the well-being of our citizens first? How can we justify bringing more people into the country when we’re struggling to provide essential services and support to those already here?

I urge the government to reevaluate its immigration policies and ensure that they align with the needs of our citizens. We must prioritize the well-being of Canadians and work towards building a more inclusive and prosperous society for all.

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Ontario launches One Fare Program to increase accessibility and affordability of public transportation

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BY PAUL JUNOR

“We’re working with the provincial and local transit partners towards integrating transit fares across systems, making transit more affordable, and convenient as we take action to build the region’s network for the future.” (Metrolink)

Transit riders across the GTA will save $1,600 as they utilize multiple transit agencies at no extra charge. The program started on February 26th, 2024, and it allows transit riders transfer for free to commute between the TTC and other Transit agencies in the GTA, including GO Transit. All commuters need is to tap their PRESTO: card, credit, or debit in Google wallet to save money with the Ontario One Fare Program.

Ontario Premier Doug Ford states, “Our government is on a mission to keep costs down for the hardworking people of Ontario. One Fare will eliminate double fees and put $1,600 back in the pockets of transit riders. Alongside the hundreds of dollars, we’re saving for drivers by cutting the gas tax, scrapping road tolls, and eliminating the license plate sticker fee, we’re providing commuters with real tangible relief.”

The Ontario government has invested $70.5 billion in public transit that is intended to significantly improve the overall services. It is anticipated that there will be more than eight million new riders as they traverse different public transit systems. Commuters will be able to travel between: GO Transit, TTC, Brampton Transit, Durham Region Transit, MiWay, and York Region Transit.

Vijay Thanigasalam (Associate Minister of Transportation) states, “At a time when many families feel like they’re struggling to get ahead, our government is making public transit simpler, more convenient, and more affordable. Under the leadership of Premier Ford, we will continue to make historic investments in public transit and put money back in commuters’ pockets, where it belongs.”

It was in 2022 when it was announced that plans were underway between GO Transit and several transit agencies in the Golden Horseshoe Area. “The government will continue to work with municipal partners to identify opportunities to make transit more seamless for riders by harmonizing discounted fares and other measures.”

Overall, there will be an investment of $70.5 billion by the Ontario government in public transit that will go a long way in increasing affordability and accessibility of different transit systems in the GTA and Golden Horseshoe areas. The project will also involve: the Scarborough Subway Extension, the Eglinton Crosstown West Extension and the Yonge North Subway Extension, which is the largest development of any subway system in all of Canada. When completed, there will be a two-way, all-day GO train service every 15 minutes that will connect key areas in the Golden Horseshoe. It is projected to be completed by 2031.

Olivia Chow, Mayor of Toronto is totally supportive and pleased with the unveiling of the One Fare Program. She states, “Public transit should be a convenient and affordable option for getting to work, school, or running errands. Ontario’s One Fare will make it easier and cheaper to transfer between the: TTC, GO Transit, and other transit agencies. When governments continue to work together, we can make life more affordable and invest in public services families rely on, like high quality public transit that costs you less.”

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Your silence on crimes against humanity automatically makes you an accomplice

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Photo Credit: Roman-Odintsov

BY MICHAEL THOMAS

“Many people wonder: who is responsible for the process of self-destruction of human society? Today, to some extent, the responsibility falls on everyone. On some more than others, but on everyone. Why? Because people are silently accepting the current changes, which are literally crimes against humanity.”

The above is a quote from Elijah plus the Patriarch of the Byzantine Catholic Patriarchate Methodius OSBMr + Timothy OSBMr and the Secretary Bishops. Now let us examine why this quote was made using present-day society as the barometer.

A good example of this nonsense here in Canada is children having the right to choose their gender while parents are being threatened with jail time if they intervene. It’s these so-called hate speech laws, and so-called laws to keep independent thinkers from accessing worldwide news and posting it on their social media platforms.

“Parliament gets presented with an unintelligible text, which is impossible to decode. Besides, the MPs usually pass multiple laws at the same time; hence they have no possibility and time to find out what they are supposed to pass altogether,” said the Patriarch of the Byzantine Catholic Patriarchate.

Here are some of the crimes (that these so-called laws that are drafted and eventually passed) are designed to hide.

Feminization, the breakdown of family, gender ideology, and stealing children from their mothers are promoted under the term “domestic violence protection.” Make sure there are no fathers in the homes, or even if there are, he is muted, or scared of having his authority labelled as toxic masculinity.

In Norway, 70-100 stolen children commit suicide every year and the information about it is marked as confidential. In some cases, foster family is a business where children are being passed around until they are mentally bankrupt, oppressed, and eventually killed. Based on the financial status of the so-called foster parents, these cases never make the news.

We are seeing anti-discriminatory laws included in the legislation allowing mass discrimination of the majority. Systematic demoralization of children from the time they attend kindergarten is covered by the term sexual education.

“Children are robbed of their own identity by pounding in their minds that they are neither a girl, nor a boy. Consequently, they undergo hormonal therapy with a catastrophic prospect of gender-altering surgery. The society is silent about it and therefore has a shared accountability for all these crimes,” shared the Byzantine Bishops.

Some of these schools have hundreds of students. My questions are, why don’t these parents join hands and say enough is enough, instead of just one or two? Canadians, have we become a society of parents who are continually failing our children? When are we going to wake up?

Here are some of the trials our babies face daily. “Even before the child is born, mothers are forced to have it killed. Almost every mother is intimidated by having a child with so-called Down Syndrome. In reality, this is a mental terror based on lies,” said Byzantine Bishops. “As soon as the children are born, they are administered vaccines, which cause: autism, loss of immunity, loss of fertility, autoimmune diseases, cancer, etc.”

Again, where are the collective voices of our men and women saying hell no to all this? There is an enormous amount of the money that pediatricians make from the vaccines they force on these innocent children. These child doctors know full well the side effects of such vaccines, but instead, they are focused on their next: Porsche, cottage, and furnishing their high-society wives and husbands with all the luxury items, while they poison our children, and what do we do? NOTHING.

The average North American child doctor has 1,500 patients; if he or she gets most of them to take all the child vaccines, he or she is rewarded with at least $360.000. That’s way more than their annual salary. This should explain the push to vaccinate your babies at all costs. This information can be found in the BlueCross/BlueShield Doctor Incentive Booklet. Every child that gets the 24 vaccines is worth a $400 payout to that doctor.

The abuse of medicine has now become the new normal. This happens under the cover of The World Health Organization (WHO); projects are being imposed on states to reduce human population.  “We can expect the declaration of the next pseudo-pandemic followed by experimental vaccination. This not only poses a mortal danger to human life but also carries the threat of concealed chipping,” said Byzantine Bishops.

From Smartphone addiction (aka making our children braindead), the digitization of everything (aka spying on us), intervention in our food supply (aka poisoning us with GMOs), to the falsification of science for satanic agendas (aka the safe and effective COVID brew), there is no hiding place from this war that is unleashed on world citizens by corporations and so-called governments.

The big question is, are we going to give up or fight? Canadians, choose as if your life depended on it, because it does.

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