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All Things in Bloom; Fashion Art Toronto 1664 Fashion Week

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Photo By Paola Pasqualini

BY SIMONE J. SMITH

It was Fashion Art Toronto’s 1664 Fashion Week, and although I knew I wouldn’t be able to go the entire weekend, I knew that I wanted to be there on Thursday May 2nd, 2024, which was opening night.  Fashion week ran Thursday, May 2nd, 2024, through Sunday, May 5th, 2024, at Black Creek Assembly (131 McCormack St.). This year’s fashion week in Toronto channeled all things in ‘Bloom’ to bring stylish spring vibes to Toronto’s fashion scene.

Guests experienced runway shows featuring contemporary, avant-garde and experiential collections from more than 40 Canadian designers as well as an entertainment-filled Fashion Playground that boasted a 1664 Bar, guest lounge, 50-foot pink carpet, endless photo opportunities, two retail pop-ups with goods from over 25 local brands and artisans, and provocative fashion-inspired art installations.

Fashion Art Toronto’s 1664 Fashion Week Spring 2024 event provides an inclusive platform that supports and celebrates Canadian designers, creatives and artisans through: dynamic runway shows, fashion presentations, art installations and retail pop-ups.

Founded in 2005 by Vanja Vasic, Fashion Art Toronto is a multi-arts fashion organization celebrated for its ongoing commitment to providing an inclusive platform for Canada’s diverse fashion and artist communities. Fashion Art Toronto’s fashion week attracts over 8,000 guests per season.

Vanja Vasic, Founder and Executive Director, Fashion Art Toronto shares, “Our designers, models, artists and guests bring it every single season with their incredible style, on and off the runway, highlighting why Toronto is a hub for fashion innovation and trendsetting!”

My intention was to see two of my favourite designers Signed by Dahliah, and Kyle Gervacy, as well as check out the buzz on a fashion trend I learned about called Gorpcore. My Gorpcore introduction would be with Prescribed Shelter, but we will talk about that in a minute.

Signed by Dahliah creations are like whispers of springtime, delicate and enchanting. She has a keen eye for soft, pastel hues that evoke a sense of serenity and grace. Her series palette danced with shades of blush pink, lavender, powder blue, and creamy ivory, enveloping each garment in an ethereal aura.

Textured materials add depth and tactile allure to her creations. Soft chiffon floated effortlessly, while lace added a touch of intricate elegance. Silk satin draped luxuriously, catching the light in subtle shimmering waves. Each fabric was selected not only for its visual appeal, but also for its tactile sensation, inviting the wearer (and fashion enthusiasts present) to experience a moment of indulgent comfort and sophistication.

I lucked out and sat beside a beautiful fashionista and fashion journalist named Guia. As we watched Prescribed Shelter models take the runway, she broke down what the fashion trend was. Gorpcore (‘gorp’ being an acronym for ‘good ol raisins and peanuts’, AKA trail mix) is an outdoorsy fashion aesthetic that first gained widespread popularity in the late 2010s. It focuses on the modern, technical side of outdoor gear as opposed to traditional heritage stuff and blends elements of streetwear and techwear to create an entirely new look. Think: shell jackets, fleece, ripstop, pockets aplenty, wraparound shades and functional yet sporty footwear.

The trend has catapulted brands like Salomon, Arc’teryx and Hoka One One into the fashion consciousness, and inspired countless Instagram mood-board accounts that help to perpetuate its popularity.

Then of course there is the one and only Kyle Gervacy. When you encounter a Gervacy creation, there’s an instant recognition of its signature style—a perfect fusion of opulence and innovation.

His designs are not merely clothes; they are captivating narratives woven into fabric. Bold silhouettes, intricate detailing, and luxurious embellishments are his tools to craft garments that command attention. Each piece tells a story, often with a touch of extravagance that sets it apart from the ordinary.

Gervacy’s artistic vision is unparalleled, and his willingness to push boundaries knows no bounds. He fearlessly experiments with colours, textures, and shapes, creating wearable works of art that leave a lasting impression. Whether it’s a breathtaking evening gown adorned with crystals, or a daring avant-garde ensemble that defies convention, his creations always carry his unmistakable stamp of creativity and panache.

Fashion Art Toronto was also excited to announce its third year partnering with Artist Project, producing art-inspired fashion pop-ups for the esteemed contemporary art fair. Back for a second season, guests could visit and shop at the Boutique Pop-Up, also located in the Fashion Playground. This luxury pop-up shop concept featured a curated collection of Black-owned fashion, accessories, beauty and lifestyle brands.

The Fashion Art Toronto team covered everything, down to intoxicating libation, and delectable dishes. Premium beer brand Kronenbourg 1664  celebrated their first season as title partner of Fashion Art Toronto’s 1664 Fashion Week. The official beer of fashion week in Toronto, 1664 brought good taste with a twist. They engaged guests with chic brand activations, photo opportunities, product sampling, exciting contests and more. 1664 Fashion Week will also celebrate the launch of the brand new 1664 Rosé – a balanced and delicately sweet wheat beer with a hint of red berries. It was the perfect accessory to celebrate Canadian fashion!

Toronto’s premium catering company Kanvas returned as the official culinary partner, serving up gourmet bites for guests to enjoy between shows, and Toronto’s Bloom Bar Studio generously provided all the florals to fill the Fashion Playground with stylish spring vibes. Smart Water also returned as a proud event partner, refreshing guests throughout fashion week.

Fashion Art Toronto sponsored a special “The Black Designers of Canada Showcase,” on Friday, May 3rd, 2024. They featured  Black-owned brands including: Kali Works, Mufaro Mukoki, SOAP Studios and Vibe The People. Artist and musician Roney X also took to the runway to entertain guests with a special performance.

Exhibited in spaces and on walls throughout the Fashion Playground, attendees can take in experimental fashion-inspired art installations from local artists including Lindsay Anne Delaney, Nick Merzetti and Gates Tucker. In a surreal convergence of fashion and nature, the avant-garde art installations embodied the essence of “Blooming into Spring.” Cascading petals and vibrant blooms intertwined with haute couture garments, creating immersive experiences where the boundaries between fashion and art dissolved.

Guests meandered through ethereal landscapes where floral motifs and textile masterpieces merge seamlessly. Each installation was a sensory journey, evoking the rejuvenation and renewal of the spring season through a kaleidoscope of colors, textures, and scents. These experimental creations redefined the concept of beauty, inviting viewers to embrace the ever-evolving landscape of creativity and nature’s perpetual cycle of growth and transformation.

Don’t sleep on Toronto; we are here to show the world that we are a cut above the rest.

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.

Community News

Hidden Agendas – Bill C-293: The silent Bill being passed right under our noses

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BY SIMONE J. SMITH

Greetings everyone.

It is always fascinating, isn’t it? How some things dominate the news, get talked about endlessly on our social media feeds, debated over dinner tables, and dissected in countless articles and op-eds, but what about the things that do not make headlines? What about the decisions that happen quietly, in the background, while we are busy discussing everything else?

This edition, I want to shed light on something that has been happening right under our noses. A bill, being crafted, debated, and—unless we take action—soon to be passed by the Canadian government, without most of us even knowing it exists. By the time it hits the public radar, it might just be too late.

Now, I know some of you may be thinking, “What bill? I haven’t heard about any major legislation.” That is exactly the point. While we are kept busy with all the newsworthy controversies, this bill is being shaped in the shadows.

Why hasn’t this bill gotten the same attention? Why isn’t it making headlines? Is it not important enough, or is there something else at play? What this bill will do is undermine Canadian sovereignty by shifting power to unelected, non-Canadian organizations like the WHO and WEF.

You see, it is always the quiet ones, the bills that fly under the radar, that often carry the biggest consequences. The laws that: reshuffle power dynamics, alter rights, or change the very fabric of our society without any of us having a say. By the time we are aware, the decisions have been made, the ink has dried, and we’re left wondering, “How did this happen?”

So today, as I share the details of this bill, I want you to think critically. Ask yourselves why it has not been brought to our attention sooner. Why has it been kept quiet? Most importantly, what can we do as a community to ensure that we are no longer kept in the dark?

It is a move that willfully hands over control of your food, your privacy, and your rights to globalist agendas. You have likely heard of the hard work Citizengo is doing around the world to stop the World Health Organization’s (WHO) Pandemic Treaty.  A treaty that would have countries sign away their national sovereignty and become servantent states under unelected globalist rule, whenever and however the next “pandemic” is called. If this goes through we will see the World Health Organization’s “One Health Initiative” rolled out in Canada. This has dire consequences and will essentially usher in a technocratic surveillance state under the guise of safety and preparedness.

What if I told you that Canada, thanks to Justin Trudeau’s Liberals and Jagmeet Singh’s New Democratic Party, have already hatched a plan to surrender our national sovereignty to their authoritarian globalist friends. Let me introduce you to Bill C-293, the Pandemic Prevention and Preparedness Act, introduced by Liberal MP Nathaniel Erskine-Smith. Currently, the bill is awaiting its 2nd Reading in The Senate, under the very noses of every-single Canadian, and this is news for some of our readers right now.

I only just learned about this Pandemic Treaty Bill myself when the team at CitizenGo reached out to me. Shortly thereafter, LifeSiteNews released their article, and I was truly shocked by what I read. “Included in Bill C-293 are provisions to ‘regulate commercial activities that can contribute to pandemic risk, including industrial animal agriculture,’ produce ‘alternative proteins,’ and ‘enable contact tracing of persons.”

In other words, if Bill C-293 passes, The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), The World Health Organization (WHO), The World Organization for Animal Health (WOAH), and the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), and other unelected globalist international bodies will have unprecedented control over Canada’s sovereignty.

If this bill is allowed to ascend into Canadian law, the federal government would have to listen to these globalist agencies “guidelines” in regulating our agriculture industry all under the guise of something called “pandemic prevention.”

Guess what else falls under this vague label? Promoting alternative proteins like insects while phasing out traditional meat production. Even more alarming, the bill allows for contact tracing, raising serious privacy concerns and enabling government overreach. How many more digital applications are you going to have to pay for, like ArriveCAN, if you decide to travel abroad, or even throughout Canada?

Here’s how Canadian sovereignty will be lost:

  • Global Regulation of Industrial Agriculture will target meat production and give international bodies influence over what Canadians can produce and consume.
  • Promoting Alternative Proteins through the pushing of lab-grown meats and insect farms designed to devastate local farmers and meat producers.
  • Implementing Contact Tracing to intrude upon every aspect of your life. Without privacy, digital IDs and contact tracing tools grant significant power to the government to control individuals’ behaviour, including where you can go through the usage of mandatory lockdowns and “social distancing” style policies.
  • Ceding Control to Global Institutions were Canada’s pandemic response and industries would be 100% subjected to international oversight, ending our national autonomy as a democratic nation that values individuals’ Human Rights and Freedoms.

The Senate was set to resume its business on September 17th, 2024, but here is the reality: this is not an accident. Certain policies are designed to be kept quiet, tucked away, and only brought to light when there is no turning back. Whether it is the complexity of the bill, or the deliberate silence around it, it is clear—the less we know, the less we can protest.

It is not just this one bill. It is a pattern. While we are being distracted by the flashy stories, we miss the subtler, yet often more impactful, moves happening right beneath the surface. What is the strategy behind this? Silence. Secrecy. Control. Before we know it, we are living with the consequences of decisions we never had a chance to discuss, let alone oppose.

Now, I am not here to incite fear. I’m here to inspire awareness, because we still have a say. We still have time. We must start paying attention to these quieter moves by our government. We need to ask the hard questions, demand transparency, and hold those in power accountable for the decisions they make in the shadows.

If we don’t, we’ll continue to wake up to laws that we had no idea were even in the works. We’ll continue to have: rights, freedoms, and choices taken away without our consent. And that, my friends, is a dangerous place to be.

Democracy doesn’t just live in the loud, public moments—it thrives when we shine a light on the quiet ones too.

REFERENCES:

https://www.onehealthcommission.org/en/why_one_health/what_is_one_health/

https://www.citizengo.org/en-ca

https://www.parl.ca/documentviewer/en/44-1/bill/C-293/third-reading

https://em.citizengo.org/OTA3LU9EWS0wNTEAAAGVic6AghmKYA6VL35jcL7JwEYFvRucjLnneADAZGHY-8NrORLPoh1N5xgY_bNvOwh7xoMLCzs=

Bill C-293 (International Pandemic Treaty) Revisited: Concerns Raised Over Food Supply

 

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The drug manufacturer and pusher man: Off with their heads

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BY STEVEN KASZAB

Victims of the opioid epidemic have been shouting aloud to the: authorities, addiction/mental health emergency providers, and local governments for help. Asking, pleading, and when action does not happen quick enough protesting the apparent inaction of those who are supposed to be protecting society. There will always be excuses as to why those who manufacture and sell these drugs are not in prison right now. Their legal rights, the police’s inability to soundly find proof necessary to have them arrested, the federal government cannot stop the importation of these illegal drugs illegally, nor the domestic manufacturing of this poison. Aboriginal Rights, personal and privacy rights, international domains, lack of response from India and China’s Security Apparatus in stopping those in their country.

It comes down to the question, if you are addicted to drugs, are you of sound mind and body? Can you think for yourself, or must a public judicator force the addict into rehabilitative care? Often war does not have rules, and the war on drugs has been one sided for a very long time. Those nations that allow illicit drugs to be made in their territory, or transported from should feel the effects of powerful embargos. Let the Foreign Affairs Office do something useful by placing: Mexico, China, Columbia, Burma, and others on an embargo list not allowing them to ship or sell their products to Canada.

Long ago sanitariums were set aside, considered politically incorrect. Now, these same institutions of medical rehabilitation are necessary to hold involuntarily addicts for a three-to-six-month period, where their healthcare, mental health, and addiction therapy can be carried out. Inviting the church organizations to assist with their historical experience can be an asset.

Our society must take the war seriously, or hundreds of thousands of our citizens will perish. Take no prisoners, as those who manufacture and sell this poison know exactly: what they are doing, who they are harming, and what the end game truly will be.

For all those who have not seen someone dying of addiction, being poisoned long term, or it was their very first try…wake up. Decide whose side you are on, the victims and their families, the society you live in that is possibly the best that can exist, or you’re on the side of evil, people who make a living by poisoning and killing others.

Choose, and choose well.

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Canadian Congress on Inclusive Diversity and Workplace Equity 4th Annual Canada Leadership Summit and Nations Building Award

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BY PAUL JUNOR

There will be much to look forward to at the 4th Annual Canada Leadership Summit and Nations Building Award which will be held on Friday, October 4th, and Saturday, October 5th, 2024, at the Hilton Toronto Airport Hotel. The event will be hosted by the Canadian Congress on Inclusive Diversity and Workplace Equity and along with several partners such as: International School of Greatness (ISG), Diversity Institute located at TMU and other strategic partners who have been integral.

The CIDWE is described as the premier global event that gathers leaders from diverse backgrounds, all united by a shared dedication to transformational leadership and tackling today’s most urgent issues through networking, advocacy, and steadfast commitment. An integral mission of the summit is the goal of inspiring participants to rise above: personal, professional, and corporate challenges, and their aim is to ignite the spirit of leadership in everyone and transform those in positions of authority into nation builders.

On Friday, October 4th, 2024, there will be an evening of networking. It is intended to inspire critical dialogue and action on a global scale through strategic learning and networking opportunities.

On Saturday, October 5th, 2024, there will be a Business Breakfast Forum followed by the Leadership and Diversity workshops. There will be a Business Branding and Profitable Growth Workshop. Participants will learn about the Seven Laws of Exponential Growth and how to leverage the Psychology of Sales and Marketing to build generational wealth and achieve global impact.

These series of workshops will focus on: Transformational Leadership, Strategic Management, Social Justice, and Community Development. Some of the speakers include Dr. Wendy Cukier, Dr. Ardavan Eizadirad, Dr. Upiomoh Osholene, Dr. Mary Grogan, Alethia O’Hara Stephenson, and others.

The Nation Builders Award will be given to thirteen inspirational and motivational individuals who have distinguished themselves in a variety of fields such as: government, academia, business, and community service. A nation builder is understood in very specific terms as  someone who actively contributes to the development and strengthening of their country. In addition, nation builders take responsibility for their country’s future, working to create: systems, policies, and cultural practices that lead to long-term success and prosperity. They are visionaries who understand that the strength of a nation depends on the collective efforts of its people, and they work to: inspire, lead and empower others to participate in this important work.

In an email, Nosakhare Alex Ihama mentioned, “Our dedicated committee meticulously selected the 2024 nominees, ensuring that the awardees exemplify outstanding leadership and community service across our nation. With about 100: speakers, panelists, entertainers, sponsors, and strategic partners involved; we are proud to be recognized as a leading platform for national transformation. We congratulate the distinguished 2024 award recipients and eagerly anticipate learning from their insights while celebrating their collective achievements in making Canada truly North and Free.”

Participants will be able to network with the speakers and Nation Builder Award winners. They will have an opportunity to engage with thought leaders and policymakers and be part of meaningful conversations that will shape our collective future.

The titles of the awards and the names of the thirteen recipients are:

  • Nation Builders Lifetime Leadership Award: Senator Wando Thomas
  • Nation Builders Award for Excellence in Black Community Development: Dr. Winston LaRose
  • Nation Builders Legacy Award: Honorable Dr. Jean Augustine
  • Nation Builders Award for Inclusive Government & Policies: Greg Fergus
  • Nation Builders Award in Education & Academia: Dr. Gervan Fearon
  • Social Justice Icon Award: Honourable Michaelle Jean
  • Nation Business Award for Business Excellence: Harriet Thornhill
  • Nation Builders Rising Star Award for Social Justice: Nicholas Marcus Thompson
  • Nation Builders Global Humanitarian Award: Kamala Jean Gopie
  • Nation Builders Award for Inclusive & Equitable Sports: Rowan Barrett
  • Nation Builders Award for National Unity & Harmony: Senator Murray Sinclair
  • Nation Builders Award for Media, Arts & Entertainment: Patricia Babia
  • Nation Builders Award for Law and Justice: Hon. Justice Donald McLeod
  • Nation Builders Award for Youth Empowerment: Diana Alli D’Souza

There is much to expect from the upcoming Leadership Summit and Nation Builders Award. No doubt, there will be many moments of: empowerment, inspiration, motivation, and engagement.

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