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Canada; a Vassal State? Has Canada become a permissive target for China’s interference?

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2 years ago

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BY SIMONE J. SMITH

“Which nation, besides Canada, administration do you most admire and why?”

“There’s a level of admiration I actually have for China, because their basic dictatorship is allowing them to actually turn their economy around on a dime and saying, ‘We need to go greenest fastest, we need to start, you know, investing in solar.’”

This comment by our very own Justin Trudeau is going to become relevant to you as you read this article, and I will warn you now; it should worry you!

World government actions subtly shape how their citizens think, speak, and act, thereby influencing where we place our trust, hope, and expectations. The authority to enforce laws carries certain implicit powers: the power to promote certain causes, prioritize certain risks, endorse certain values and beliefs, uphold certain standards, encourage certain expectations, and define and interpret certain terms.

World governments also have the power to influence our expectations and outlook on important social questions, such as where to seek assistance for material needs; whom to blame in times of crisis; and what people are entitled to by right (privacy, great healthcare, abortions). A healthy democracy is one in which citizens give the government only the loyalty it deserves without diminishing their trust in, or allegiance to other institutions and authorities, but how can we do this if the democratic system we have built trust in is being infiltrated by foreign entities?

“This is far larger. The government of China is an existential threat to Canada on multiple levels and we need to come to grips with that.” – MP John McKay

Canadian Politicians are Speaking Out

A bombshell response was given by MP McKay after revelations of interference in the past elections. In his statement, he was not talking about the good people from China, Chinese Canadians, or even the local people who are being named in top secret documents being leaked to certain Canadian media. He’s talking about the communist party that runs China.

“I think we need as a nation to come to grips with the desire of the government of China to turn us all into vassal states,” said McKay.

When I looked up vassal state in the dictionary, It was described as a “state that is subordinate to another” where a “government is chiefly directed by the interest of an overlord and patron state.”

Hmmmmm! This doesn’t sound good.

On March 12th, 2023, MP Pierre Poilievre also spoke out against what he had been learning.

“Beijing is using police stations in Canada to intimidate and spy on Chinese Canadians. What has Trudeau done about this bullying by a foreign authoritarian regime on our own soil? Absolutely nothing. Not a single Beijing diplomat has been expelled.”

Last week, I received an email from Ontario Party’s Leader Derek Sloan’s office. In it he shared with us some interesting news.

“We now have a name in the leaked allegations of at least one candidate the Communist Chinese government helped – MP for Don Valley North – Han Dong.

According to these allegations, the Chinese consulate bussed loads of seniors and foreign students to the nomination for Han Dong, telling the students to vote for Dong if they wanted to maintain their visa status. CSIS apparently asked Trudeau to rescind Dong’s nomination due to foreign interference. Trudeau refused.”

Sloan also shared that a House of Commons committee is already investigating election interference, even though certain Liberals are blocking release of some information. These allegations are evidence of things we have known for a long time – namely that the Communist Chinese government has designs on Canada, and their influence reaches far and wide.

A greater concern beyond the actual interference is the fact that a community of residents legally permitted to be in Canada could be mobilized by a foreign government. This is an issue that must be addressed with immigration policy and issuance of student Visas.

China’s Systematic Take-over

China’s show of strength was just the latest diplomatic triumph in Beijing’s drive to sway the system of international organizations in its direction. Earlier victories put Beijing in position to shape international norms and standards, notably with air travel under the Chinese-led International Civil Aviation Organization.

Beijing is pushing its civil servants to the helm of U.N. institutions that set global standards for air travel, telecommunications and agriculture. Gaining influence at the U.N. has allowed China to stifle international scrutiny of its behavior at home and abroad. In March 2019, Beijing won a seat on a five-member panel that selects U.N. rapporteurs on human-rights abuses—officials who used to target Beijing for imprisoning more than a million Uighurs at so-called re-education camps in Xinjiang.

Let’s bring it back to the influence they have over Canada. Beginning in the 1960s, former Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau was enamored with the mystique of China’s dictatorship during the murderous Great Leap Forward, which killed as many as 45 million people. It was described by the Washington Post as the “Biggest mass murder in the history of the world.”

Most recently (November 2022), World Economic Forum Founder and Executive Chairman Klaus Schwab sat down for an interview with Chinese Communist Party-owned broadcaster CGTN. In the interview he commended China’s achievements, and suggested the nation could be a “role model” for others around the world.

“I respect China’s achievements … over the last forty years,” Schwab stated matter of factly. He referred to them as “tremendous.” He suggested that China could act as a “Role model for many countries,” admitting that in the end, each country should be left to make its own decision regarding the system it wants to adopt.

“We should be very careful in imposing systems,” he said at the end of the video, “But the Chinese model is certainly a very attractive model for quite a number of countries.”

I want to be very clear about something here; we must overstand that when important levels of governmental institutions are controlled, they influence norms, they influence ways of thinking, they influence international policy, they inject your way of thinking.

The real threat is that China is going to use multilateral institutions to advance their own initiatives and their own values as compared to the values of Canadians.

The Chinese embassy has of course denied any role in manipulating Canadian elections.

China has taken over the Caribbean

On 7th July 2022, VICE News released an eye-opening video report exposing how China’s rapidly growing presence in South America has reached Guyana.  They went undercover to expose allegations of corruption in business deals between the two countries.

China’s investment in Latin America and the Caribbean has four-folded since 2005, reaching over $16 billion, with $130 billion in loans by Chinese banks.

China has been investing heavily in infrastructure projects around the world, and one of its latest endeavors is a $760 million North-South highway in Jamaica. This ambitious project connects the country’s capital, Kingston, to the tourism hub of Ocho Rios in the north, and is expected to greatly enhance transportation and trade in the region. The project has faced criticism and concerns over the environmental impact and potential debt implications for the Jamaican government.

On The Breakfast Club, Dr. Umar Johnson spoke to the fact that Jamaica will be the first Chinese colony in the Caribbean. The Chinese run businesses in Jamaica and other Black countries, but they do not pay taxes to Jamaica. There are reports of them transferring their wealth off to China or UK or European banks like Swiss Banks.

We know that the Chinese have been residing in Jamaica for decades, but they don’t like African-Caribbean people and don’t mix with us. Who owns all of the sugar factories in Jamaica? They live among native Jamaicans, but they don’t buy from them or treat them well. They don’t buy from native Jamaicans, but the native’s buy from them.

There have been recent videos with evidence of their racist behaviors against Africans residing in China, where they have thrown them out of their homes onto the streets despite having paid their rent and mortgages for their accommodation.

They block Africans from going into their shops and refuse to serve them. These horrendous acts have been captured in many videos. The Chinese, in many African countries, have been caught on camera flogging Africans in their own countries.

Let’s not forget the fact that China also has artfully displayed offensive pictures displayed on billboards on their streets and in museums depicting Africans as monkeys and apes. Why do we continue to allow this atrocious behavior to continue?

I guess my final question for readers is, has Canada become another attractive and permissive target for Chinese interference? If so, how many of us realize that this endangers the foundations of our fundamental institutions, including our system of democracy itself?

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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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Urban Alliance on Race Relations celebrates and highlights Racial Justice Award recipients

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6 days ago

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December 19, 2024

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BY PAUL JUNOR

It has been almost 40 years since the Urban Alliance on Race Relations (UARR) has been at the forefront of: promoting tolerance, social justice, racial equity and fairness. Since it was formed in 1975, they have celebrated and recognized changemakers in the fight for racial justice in diverse sectors such as: health, labour, government, education, arts, media, environment, and justice.

On Saturday, December 7th, 2024, there was a great turnout at the 2024 Racial Justice Awards Night held at The Estate Banquet & Event Centre in Scarborough. In attendance were many community supporters, civic officials, long-time racial justice warriors, and individuals from diverse ethnic groups.

UARR is grateful for all the sponsors of the Racial Justice Awards Night Celebration. It notes in its email to its supporters on Tuesday, December 3rd, 2024, the importance of its sponsors including:

  • United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW) of Canada, UFCW, Local 175
  • The International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) Local 353
  • Unite Here! Local 75
  • Toronto & York Region Labour Council
  • Canadian Labour Congress
  • The Coalitions of Black Trade Union (CBTUL)

“Your sponsorship plays a vital role in shining a light on individuals and organizations driving equity, justice, and change in our communities. This celebration is more than an event, it’s a movement. Thanks to your support, we’re: honoring changemakers, amplifying unheard voices, and funding initiatives that break down systemic barriers.”

The categories and names of the awards and recipients were:

Racial Justice in Arts: Hannia Cheng

She is an artist and cultural worker who co-founded Unit 270, a DIY gallery and multi-purpose grassroots community hub in Chinatown Centre.

Racial Justice in Labour: Vanessa Story

She is the founder of the Black Youth York Region and co-founder of the York Communities for Public Education coalition.

Racial Justice in Education: Shannon Simpson

She is Senior Director of Indigenous Initiatives at the University of Toronto.

Racial Justice in Environment: Dr. Ingrid Waldron

She is a Professor and HOPE Chair in Peace and Health in the Global and Peace and Social Justice Program in the Faculty of Humanities at McMaster University.

Urban Alliance of Race Relations Agent of Change Award: Kirk Mark

He is the Equity, Diversity and Inclusive Consultant at KIRK Mark & Associates.

Racial Justice in Media: Amanda Parris

She is an award-winning writer, tv host and producer, and former host of CBC Arts Exhibitionist.

Racial Justice in Health: Camille Orridge

She is former CEO of the Toronto Central Local Health Integration Network (TCLHIN).

Racial Justice in Government: Amira Elghawaby

She is a journalist and human rights advocate who was appointed in January 2023 as Canada’s Special Representative on Combating Islamophobia.

Racial Justice in Justice: South Asian Legal Clinic of Ontario (SALC0)

This legal clinic supports low-income South Asian people in Canada.

The funds raised from the Awards night will be going toward the work of the Diversity Youth Fellowship Program. This innovative and creative program is directly involved in enabling racialized youth to get paid experience working in municipal governments and at various public policy making organizations across Canada.

The performers at the event included: Katheen Zaragosa (a Filipino music performer), Rithika Jeristus & Maya Jeristus (Bharatanatyam dancers) and Yasmin Said (spoken word artist)

UARR is looking forward to its 50th anniversary celebrations in 2025 and shared five of its strategic priorities for the next 10 years including:

  • Employment and economic opportunity: The goal is to foster inclusive workspaces and economic opportunities.
  • Education: The goal is to promote racial equity in education and research.
  • Communication: The goal is to expand public awareness and reach to amplify our stories.
  • Community engagement and outreach: The goal is building community capacity and convening towards change.
  • Truth and reconciliation-relationship building and supporting calls to action. The goal is to strengthen our solidarity and action towards truth and reconciliation.

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What is it about those short videos that keep us captivated? Oh! Yes! Our short attention span

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6 days ago

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December 19, 2024

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BY KAHA GEDI

As our attention spans decrease, short form videos are becoming more popular. From TikTok, to YouTube Shorts, to Instagram Reels, these “snack sized” videos have positive qualities alongside the bad. Mainly we want to know what makes them so effective, and why are they becoming the go-to choice for both viewers and marketers? In this article, I will be discussing how these videos have received such popularity worldwide.

First, we need to understand what counts as and what is short-form content. According to blog.hubspot.com, “Short-form videos are videos that are less than 60 seconds long.” However, some marketers and content creators agree that short-form videos can be up to 3 minutes. “They are videos that deliver information in a ‘digestible’ format so that viewers can quickly watch and save content if they’re in a hurry or enjoy it.” Now, I’ll talk about the main reasons why these videos are so popular.

First, our attention spans have gone down exponentially. Dr Gloria Mark has written a book called “Attention Span,” and she says her research indicates people’s attention spans have been shrinking over the last 20 years. According to the same article Dr. Mark said that “Back in 2004, we found the average attention span on any screen to be two and a half minutes on average. Throughout the years, it became shorter. So, around 2012, we found it to be 75 seconds. Then in the last five, six years, we found it to average about 47 seconds.” So, it’s notable that our attention spans started out longer but then decreased over time.

Secondly, these videos have become cheaper and easier to make. Unlike long-form videos, which require extensive: planning, editing, and storytelling, short-form videos are simpler. To the point where they can even be shot on a smartphone. For example, DuoLingo, the app that helps learn new languages, went viral on TikTok a long time ago by posting funny, low-budget videos that resonate with millions. Like a video of a DuoLingo plus being: tossed down the stairs, sitting outside on a rainy day, or being soaked by the shower with the title “When you ignore my notifications.”

Lastly, they provide valuable information in a short amount of time, and they are easily accessible. According to a recent Adobe Survey, two in five Americans use TikTok as a search engine, and nearly one in 10 Gen Zeers are more likely to rely on TikTok than Google as a search engine. This isn’t always reliable for real news because anyone can claim to be an expert, and you wouldn’t know if they’re telling the truth. So, even though they give valuable information in a short time, they can also give misinformation or mislead you.

Short-form videos have changed how we watch and learn things. They fit our short attention spans, are easy to make, and share information quickly. Even though they’re fun and helpful, they can also spread false information or leave out important details. Even with these problems, short-form videos are here to stay, so we should use them in proportion, but also enjoy the benefits.

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Dr. Edward McInnis on the Importance of Preventive Care in Family Medicine

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6 days ago

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December 19, 2024

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Photo by National Cancer Institute on Unsplash

Preventive care is a cornerstone of modern healthcare, emphasizing the importance of addressing potential health concerns before they escalate into severe conditions. By focusing on proactive measures such as regular screenings, vaccinations, and lifestyle counseling, preventive care offers individuals and communities the opportunity to achieve long-term wellness.

Below, Edward McInnis highlights the transformative potential of prevention in reducing healthcare disparities, alleviating systemic challenges, and ensuring that every individual has the tools and access needed to lead a healthier life.

Understanding Preventive Care in Family Medicine

Preventive care in family medicine focuses on proactive measures to maintain health and prevent illness before it occurs. This approach emphasizes regular health evaluations, screenings, and interventions that identify potential issues early, reducing the likelihood of severe complications. Preventive care fosters long-term well-being by addressing risk factors and promoting healthier lifestyles while minimizing the burden of chronic diseases.

The philosophy behind preventive care aligns with the idea that staying healthy is more effective and less costly than treating illnesses after they arise. Early detection of conditions such as hypertension or high cholesterol allows patients and physicians to manage these issues effectively, preventing them from escalating into more severe health problems. Beyond individual benefits, this care model contributes to healthier communities by reducing the overall demand for healthcare systems.

Benefits of Preventive Care for Individuals and Communities

Preventive care profoundly impacts individuals and the broader community by addressing potential health concerns before they evolve into severe conditions. Early detection through routine screenings can significantly lower the risk of chronic illnesses such as diabetes, heart disease, and certain cancers. This improves individual health outcomes and reduces the emotional and financial toll of managing advanced diseases.

Communities prioritizing preventive care experience a ripple effect of healthier populations and reduced strain on healthcare resources. When more people engage in regular check-ups and adopt healthier habits, the prevalence of preventable conditions drops, creating a collective benefit. Individuals who invest in their health through preventive measures often enjoy longer, more active lives, positively influencing families, workplaces, and society.

The economic advantages of preventive care are undeniable, as early intervention typically costs far less than treating advanced illnesses. Vaccination programs, such as those targeting seasonal flu or childhood diseases, can drastically curb outbreaks, saving lives and reducing medical expenses. These benefits demonstrate how preventive care is a cornerstone of sustainable and effective healthcare systems.

Core Preventive Services in Family Medicine

Family medicine emphasizes various preventive services designed to address health needs across all stages of life. Regular health screenings, such as blood pressure and cholesterol checks, are critical in identifying silent health risks. These assessments provide actionable insights that allow individuals to make timely adjustments to their lifestyles or begin treatment when necessary.

Vaccinations are another cornerstone of preventive care, protecting individuals and communities from infectious diseases. From childhood immunizations to seasonal flu shots, these interventions safeguard personal health and prevent the spread of illnesses within larger populations. Counseling services, including guidance on nutrition, exercise, and stress management, empower patients to take an active role in their long-term well-being.

The Role of Family Physicians in Prevention

Family physicians play a pivotal role in fostering preventive care through their ability to build lasting, trust-based relationships with patients. These relationships enable them to understand not just medical histories but also lifestyle factors, family dynamics, and social determinants of health. This comprehensive knowledge allows physicians to craft personalized preventive strategies that resonate with each patient’s unique circumstances, ensuring a more practical approach to maintaining health.

Beyond individual care, family physicians act as educators, equipping patients with the knowledge to make informed health decisions. Whether discussing the significance of regular screenings or addressing misconceptions about vaccines, their guidance helps patients take ownership of their health.

The continuity of care provided by family physicians also ensures that preventive measures are consistently monitored and adjusted as needed, fostering long-term well-being. Their ability to provide holistic and deeply personalized care sets the foundation for healthier patients and communities.

Challenges in Accessing Preventive Care

Despite its proven benefits, accessing preventive care remains challenging for many individuals and communities. Financial barriers, such as lack of insurance coverage or high out-of-pocket costs, often deter people from seeking preventive services. Additionally, limited awareness about the importance of early detection and health promotion means that some individuals may only prioritize preventive care once a health issue becomes severe.

Geographical disparities also play a significant role in limiting access. Rural and underserved areas frequently face shortages of healthcare providers, making it difficult for residents to receive consistent preventive services. In such regions, innovative approaches like mobile health clinics and telemedicine have emerged as solutions to bridge the gap. Expanding these efforts could help overcome logistical obstacles and ensure that preventive care reaches those most in need.

Cultural factors and mistrust of the healthcare system can further complicate access to preventive services. Addressing these challenges requires a multifaceted approach that includes community engagement, culturally sensitive care, and efforts to build trust between healthcare providers and patients. Strengthening health literacy and facilitating dialogue between healthcare institutions and the communities they serve are also critical steps in overcoming these barriers.

Promoting and Advancing Preventive Care

Advancing preventive care depends on raising awareness and fostering a culture that values proactive health management. Educational campaigns, workplace wellness programs, and school-based health initiatives encourage people to adopt preventive practices. These efforts create an environment where individuals feel empowered to prioritize their well-being, leading to healthier lifestyles and earlier intervention.

The integration of technology is revolutionizing how preventive care is delivered. Wearable devices that track physical activity, heart rate, and sleep patterns provide individuals with real-time data about their health, prompting timely action when irregularities arise. Similarly, data analytics and predictive tools enable healthcare providers to identify at-risk populations and deliver targeted interventions, improving outcomes on a broader scale.

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