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TD Leads the Way in Building Better Relationships with Black Businesses and Community Leaders

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8 months ago

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BY SIMONE J. SMITH

One of Martin Luther King Jr’s notable quotes regarding wealth in Black communities is from his speech “Where Do We Go From Here?” delivered at the Southern Christian Leadership Conferences 11th Annual Convention on August 16, 1967. In this speech, he emphasized the importance of economic empowerment and financial equality for African Americans.

Unfortunately, over the years, financial inequality has become a complex and multifaceted issue that exists in various communities worldwide, including the African Caribbean community in Canada.

Historically, systemic discrimination and racism have limited opportunities for economic advancement within minority communities. Unequal access to quality education contributes to these economic disparities, as well as limited access to financial education and resources.

There is significant entrepreneurial enterprise among the African Caribbean community, and this prevalence is met with its own set of challenges that starts with securing funding or expanding your business; this is the first hurdle.

African Caribbean entrepreneurs face barriers in accessing traditional sources of financing due to factors such as: access to generational wealth, systemic biases, which in turn affect credit history. Availability and awareness of support programs, mentorship opportunities, and business development resources may not be equally distributed, and some entrepreneurs may encounter challenges related to regulatory processes and policies that disproportionately affect minority-owned businesses.

Addressing financial inequality in the African Caribbean community in Canada requires a comprehensive approach that includes: policy changes, anti-discrimination measures, educational reforms, and initiatives to promote economic empowerment. TD recognizes the systemic barriers faced by Black communities and is aiming to address systemic bias through its Black Customer Experience Strategy.

TD has had a long-standing history of supporting minority communities dating as far back as 2004, and in 2020, TD contributed $17.5 million towards anti-racism initiatives including $12.1 million in support of Black-led and Black-focused organizations throughout 2020.

Following the murder of George Floyd in 2020, TD accelerated its launch of the Black Customer Experience segment. It was an idea that was already in the works, but ​​George Floyd’s murder gave it the much-needed impetus and the segment was launched in 2021 with the mandate of delivering the entire bank – from everyday banking, to credit, wealth advice and financial literacy – to black communities across Canada.

In 2021, TD launched the Black Community Business Development team and in 2021, they supported the Black Opportunity Fund by committing $10 million over five years, while working with: Black business, philanthropists, and foundations to help address anti-black racism. Recently, TD launched the Black Entrepreneur Credit Access Program (BECAP), which provides access to credit to Black entrepreneurs to a maximum of $250,000.

I had an opportunity to discuss some of these initiatives with Clifton Flushy, National Manager, Black Community Business Development, TD Bank Group. In our discussion, Clifton went into detail about the role his team plays in working with African Caribbean communities, and the positive relationship that TD has developed with the African Caribbean community. My first inquiry was about the dedicated approach that TD has taken to better understand the nuances of African Caribbean businesses and communities.

“TD’s approach to building a better relationship with Black communities is rooted in its establishment of a dedicated team of professionals and the desire to improve financial literacy skills and equitable access to the bank,” Clifton shares. “Regional Managers across the country are focused exclusively on supporting the banking needs of members of Black communities across Canada. We want to help. TD has provided funding to several community organizations, like the Black Opportunity Fund, who then support to Black entrepreneurs.”

“What is one way that TD empowers the Black community to make better informed financial decisions?”

“Providing access to credit is a critical component of financial inclusion. Through the Black Entrepreneur Credit Access Program, TD’s aims to improve financial inclusion by providing access to credit for Black entrepreneurs. In addition, financial literacy and access to financial advice that makes a true difference for business owners, is a core tenant of TD’s Black Customer Experience Strategy.”

I was able to follow up this informative interview with a business owner who had an opportunity to successfully engage with TD’s initiatives.

Adeola Fatuga is the Director at HommeSpaFemme (http://www.hommespafemme.com/) a full-service salon specializing in men’s: urban cuts, loc creation and maintenance, natural hair care, colour, and hair extensions. She shared with me the positive impact TD has had on her business.

“My overall experience with TD in securing financial assistance for HommeSpaFemme has been positive. TD has shown a commitment to supporting my diverse business, and their initiatives have played a crucial role in the continued success of my salon.”

“Before this experience, can you share the unique challenges, or opportunities you faced as a Black business owner in the process of obtaining financial assistance?”

“There were many disparities in having access to funding,” Adeola explains. “My prior experience in the general banking space was always one that was met with systemic bias. Whether it was just depositing a cheque, or applying for a loan, there was always a hint of suspicion as to whether my motives were above board. The bias that I was met with impacted my ability to secure financing, thus inhibiting the growth of my business.”

“Could you share with our readers how you prepared for the application process, and what advice you would give to other Black entrepreneurs seeking financial support?”

“One of the first things that I did was ensure that my business documentation  was in order. I created a comprehensive business plan that outlined a pathway to success and the impact it would have on the community. My advice to other Black entrepreneurs seeking financial support would be to talk with your TD advisor, they will give you the road map needed to successfully secure funding. As well, be well prepared to articulate the value of your business, and do not be afraid to seek out mentorship from those who have successfully navigated a similar process.”

It is extremely important for banks to actively promote diversity and inclusion within their lending practices and business support programs. Besides it being ‘the right thing to do,’ it also makes both ethical and fiscal sense to bring unique perspectives and innovations to the market. Banks can play a crucial role in empowering Black-owned businesses and building stronger communities.

TD’s support of the African Caribbean community has become integral to fostering economic growth, reducing inequalities, and building a more inclusive and resilient society. Supporting the African Caribbean community is not only an economic necessity, but also a social responsibility. TD continues to have a positive impact by actively engaging in initiatives that address social issues and promote equality.

Related Topics:

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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Community News

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

Published

2 days ago

on

October 3, 2024

By

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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Community News

The drug manufacturer and pusher man: Off with their heads

Published

2 days ago

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October 3, 2024

By

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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Community News

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

Published

2 days ago

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October 3, 2024

By

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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