Not if a group of black parents have their way. They are calling for the establishment of black-focused schools. There are some with even more radical views calling for black-only schools where all teachers, students, and staff would have to be black.

Isn’t “black-focused” or “black-only” just a pretty package for segregation? Why would we want to promote a return to segregation which as we all know was the rallying cry for racism? Whether you call the school black-focused, Africentric, or Afrocentric, the result is the same – the separation of black students from the rest of the student body. I can’t think of anything positive that can come of that. The parents who are spearheading this movement are promoting black-focused schools as a way to reach at-risk students and stem the tide of violence and criminality before it begins. It is estimated that the dropout rate for black students is approximately 40% and this is just NOT acceptable. And once these youths are no longer in school, it is all too easy for them to become part of the gang culture. No one is denying that there is a huge problem here. But is the problem really a result of black students being taught by non-black teachers?

It seems to me that families are relinquishing their parenting responsibilities and are demanding that schools play the role of parents and family. That is just not fair. Why is it the role of the school to teach black students about their heritage? Isn’t that the role of the family? Why is it the job of a black teacher to be a role model? Shouldn’t our role models be our fathers, mothers, and other family members? The schools should provide good education and prepare students to take their places as productive, contributing members of society. The fact that the schools – class size, special education, after school programming, and a host of other issues – need to be dealt with and improved is an entirely other matter.

I won’t accept that creating ghettos is the answer to deal with at-risk black students? How do you feel about this issue?

It seems that every week there is a new addition to Toronto’s convoluted and controversial tax system. The latest is the new Land Transfer Tax which will come into effect on February 1, 2008. It is expected that real estate activity will be heating up so that buyers will be able to close on their properties and avoid the new tax altogether.

You will have to pay the Land Transfer Tax if you have purchased a property with a closing date on or after February 1, 2008. However if the closing date is on or after February 1, 2008 and the Purchase & Sale agreement was executed on or before December 31, 2007 you are eligible for a full rebate. First time buyers qualify for a rebate of up to $3,725.00 for both new and existing homes. For complete details on the Land Transfer Tax Rebate Program, follow this link: Transfer Tax Rebate Program

I’ve read many descriptions about how to calculate the Land Transfer Tax and personally I find them all very confusing. I found this Land Transfer Tax Calculator that you may find helpful in that it does the work for you. Just follow the link below and plug in the numbers: Land Transfer Tax Calculator

Here’s a way to beat the Toronto tax system. The Bank of Montreal will pay the Toronto’s Land Transfer Tax for you if you arrange your mortgage with them by February 29, 2008. Bank of Montreal customers who take out a new fixed, closed mortgage with a minimum five year term will have their Land Transfer Tax covered for up to 1.5% of the mortgage amount. Is this a good deal?

Beware! Not all Cosmetic Surgeons Are What They Appear To Be!

Have you ever looked at your face in the mirror and pulled the skin back to see how you’d look without wrinkles and a saggy jaw line? How about standing in the mirror side ways and sucking in your gut to see how you’d look with a tummy tuck? Sure you have. Hundreds of thousands of you have done much more than just look in the mirror and wonder.

According to Medicard’s Statistics for 2003:

• There were over 302,000 surgical and non-surgical cosmetic
enhancements performed in Canada - an increase of nearly 60,000
procedures or 24.6% from 2002.
• Surgical procedures increased from 86,207 in 2002 to 100,569 in 2003.
• Canadian surgical procedures eclipsed the $500,000,000 in 2003.
• Liposuction procedures increased by 16% from 2002 to 24,337, which
is 24% of the surgical market in Canada.
• Breast Augmentation rose 17% to 16,973 procedures in 2003.
• Women are seeking 85.5% of all cosmetic enhancement procedures. The most popular are liposuction, breast augmentation and non-surgical facelift.
• Men seek 14.5% of all cosmetic treatments; the most popular being
liposuction, rhinoplasty, and eye lifts. 87% of all patients are between the ages of 35-50, 11% were aged 19-34 leaving 2% over the age of 50.

Would you literally die to be beautiful? You could have! Were you aware that in Ontario doctors can call themselves cosmetic surgeons without having the proper qualifications? Currently, hundreds of family physicians in Ontario advertise themselves as cosmetic surgeons without any specialty designation or training. Between 2002 and 2006 there has been a 150% increase in the number of physicians who reported doing cosmetic surgery. It’s no small wonder since cosmetic surgery is a license to print money - $210M was spent on cosmetic surgical procedures in Ontario in 2003.

As early as the 1990s there is evidence that the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario was concerned about family physicians conducting cosmetic procedures without oversight or training. Was anything done? NO! On September 20, 2007 a 32-year-old Torontonian, Krista Stryland, died tragically after liposuction. Dr. Behnaz Yazdanfar performed liposuction at her Toronto Cosmetic Clinic. Although Dr. Yazdanfar promotes herself as a premier Toronto cosmetic surgeon with credentials and experience up the wazoo, SHE IS NOT A CERTIFIED SURGEON! In spite of this she is still practicing in her clinic. WHY???? The Ontario coroner’s office is still investigating the case and as yet no decision has been made on whether there will be an inquiry into her death. As a result doctors are now being made to prove their skills and be honest about their credentials, or lack thereof. Proposed new rules include one that would not allow physicians to use the title surgeon unless they are certified as surgical specialists by recognized medical bodies. Can you believe that this is not already in place??????!!!!!!!!!!! Why have doctors been allowed to operate unchecked?

Before undergoing any cosmetic procedure PLEASE go the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario website http://www.cpso.on.ca/ and carefully read the tips on what questions you should ask about a physician’s qualifications before you undergo a cosmetic procedure. No one should have to die to be beautiful!

Not when developers are trying to cause a feeding frenzy for a new condo at the corner of Bloor & Yonge Streets. Realtors were actually paying people thousands of dollars to stand in line at the Bloor & Yonge Streets location so that they would get first crack at a unit. The place holders were mostly students who were actively recruited on Internet sites like Craigslist and by word of mouth.

I suppose that the students were a natural fit for the “positions” given their vast experience lining up for concert tickets. I can’t imagine that Bloor & Yonge Streets have ever seen anything quite as insane as this before – supposedly civilized people fighting over who is going to have the opportunity to overpay for a condo. The condos went on sale on the night of Tuesday, November 13th. Prior to the 13th the condos were listed from $300,000 - $2,000,000. The demand created by the developers reached such a pitch that the day that the units were going on sale the prices were jacked up to from $500,000 - $8,000,000. You would think that sanity and good sense would prevail and that the smart people of Toronto would just laugh and walk away. But no! People in the line started pushing and shoving in an attempt to get closer to the front.

People in Toronto, are you insane? This condo, 1 Bloor Street, is not even scheduled to be built until 2011. The condo, at 80 stories, will be the tallest in Toronto. That is unless some other savvy developer decides to trump (excuse the pun) that. Yes, Bloor & Yonge Streets is a great location. But is it worth fighting for? Toronto, what are you thinking?

Are you a cross border shopper that is rejoicing at the beefed up loonie? Well, you are not alone. Canadians are traveling south of the border in droves to scoop up bargains on everything from clothing to cars. Every day there are news reports of record breaking lines at the border crossings. But even that is not a deterrent for motivated Canadians.

Our loonie is finally worth something and we’re going to do everything that we can to take advantage of its buying power. Unfortunately, the very thing that keeps you chanting, “Go Loonie Go”, is spelling disaster for Toronto hotels.

The strong loonie is creating terrible problems for the tourism industry. As a result Toronto hotels are seeing greater losses in American tourists than the SARS epidemic caused. The weak dollar impelled the Americans to come to Canada and get a great bang for their buck. The weaker the Canadian dollar the higher the occupancy was in Toronto hotels. Now the strong loonie coupled with a weak American economy, high gas prices, and long border line-ups has kept Americans at home instead of coming to Toronto to shop, see theatre, wine and dine, and stay in our hotels. The migration of tourists has shifted. Instead of traveling north, we are now traveling south.

Part of the problem is us. As Canadians we have always been very weak at promoting ourselves. With a very weak dollar we became complacent, because that alone was enough to drive tourism here. We never waxed poetic about our fabulous theatres, incomparable wine country, magnificent restaurants, and amazing attractions – everything that makes a great city great. Let’s start getting our message out there and let’s start filling up the Toronto hotels again.

One of the great advantages of living in a multicultural city is that we have the opportunity to learn about and to explore other cultures. Remembering, educating, and commemorating important historical and cultural events are the ways that we are able to reach out to all of the citizens of Toronto.

From November 1st to December 31st we celebrate the 200th Anniversary of the Abolition of the Slave Trade Act in Ontario. It’s hard to believe that we ever had slaves in Ontario. In fact I’m sure that there are many among us who didn’t know that slavery even existed here. Well, unfortunately it did. Slavery is a shameful part of history and just one historical example of man’s inhumanity to man. British Loyalists who came to settle Canada brought African slaves to Upper Canada (now Southern Ontario) with them. In 1793, Upper Canada, under Lieutenant Governor John Graves Simcoe, became the first jurisdiction in the British Empire to limit slavery. The British Parliament passed The Abolition of the Slave Trade Act in 1807 which outlawed the slave trade throughout the British Empire and made it illegal for British ships to be involved in the trade and transportation of slaves.

The Ontario Bicentenary Exhibit is designed to educate all Ontarians on the history of slavery in our province. It also highlights the brave and forward thinking individuals who fought for the abolition of slavery from our society. This very important exhibit and educational tool is entirely FREE of charge. In addition to the exhibit there are accompanying lectures, readings, and film.

The exhibit is located on the ground level of 880 Bay Street which is at Bay Street and Grosvenor Street and is open Tuesday to Friday from 10:00 AM – 6:00 PM, and on Saturday from 10:00 AM – 5:00 PM. Sunday and Monday the Ontario Bicentenary Exhibit is closed. The exhibit is easily accessible by TTC. Exit at the Wellesley Subway Station. For more information call 416-314-7304 follow the link below.
http://www.citizenship.gov.on.ca/english/about/bicentenary/

Have you ever walked by a homeless person living in a cardboard box or sleeping over a subway grate for warmth and wondered what you could do to make a difference? Out of the Cold can make that difference. Out of the Cold is a volunteer program where churches and synagogues throughout the GTA

provide hot meals, shelter, hospitality, and a sense of community to the homeless who have no home and no hope. Volunteers cook, serve, clean up, and offer friendly conversation to the segment of the population that is largely ignored – the homeless. Below is a schedule and list of locations offering the Out of the Cold program.

Out of the Cold program Schedule

Sister Susan Moran, of the order of Our Lady of Perpetual Sorrows, founded Out of the Cold in 1987 with the students of St. Michael’s School after a group of students befriended a homeless man who had frequented the area near the school. Sadly the homeless man passed away soon after, but the impact that he had on the students was dramatic. Together with Sister Susan they tried to find away that they could make life better for the homeless of our city. Sister Susan rallied a number of churches and synagogues to organize volunteers and provide much needed hot meals and a warm place to sleep during the cold weather months. This was meant to be a short term temporary solution. The program has continued to grow thanks to the tireless efforts of Sister Susan who can still be seen dropping into Out of the Cold programs all over Toronto. Her big smile and great sense of humour are always a welcome sight to the dinner guests and the volunteers.

Out of the Cold is not a soup kitchen. The guests are served a 3-course hot meal at tables with table cloths. Thirty years later this terrific program continues to make a big difference in the lives of the homeless in Toronto and of the volunteers. For more information on how to become an Out of the Cold volunteer please follow the link below.

Out of the Cold Volunteers

In today’s highly competitive marketplace companies not only vie for clients, but for key employees as well. One of the major problems facing employers today in the GTA today is the acquisition and retention of key personnel. This problem will become even more apparent in the next few years with the impending retirement of the Baby Boomers. Things like adoption leave benefits and paternity leave benefits that were “wish list items” years ago are pretty much standard issue today.

The highly anticipated Greater Toronto Guide to the Top 50 Employers will soon be out and you can be sure that Toronto’s labour talent will be consulting this guide when making employment decisions.

Mediacorp graded companies on the following 7 factors:

• Physical workplace
• Work and social atmosphere
• Vacation and time off
• Employee communications
• Performance management
• Training and skills development
• Health, financial, and family

In order to compile this unbiased Toronto Guide to the Top 50 Employers Mediacorp examined in depth approximately 1,800 leading edge employers from more than 40 different industries and sectors. One of the areas examined that is unique to major centres like the GTA was how companies were attracting and integrating new immigrants. We all hear about the importance of corporate “green” initiatives. As a result environmental responsibility is also being taken into account. And charitable works and community involvement are also important issues that are being examined.

The days of offering better than average compensation packages, company cars, and medical/dental plans to attract the brightest and the best are long over. Companies in the GTA must compete in the employment wars in order to attract and retain the brightest and the best. What would make you want to leave your present employment? What makes you stay?

The Toronto subway system has been a sanctuary from the intrusion of cellphone use, giving commuters the opportunity to read, daydream, chat with their seatmates, or just stare mindlessly into space. Unfortunately it looks like this cellphone-free zone will be going the way of the dodo bird as Toronto scrambles to catch up with more technologically advanced subway systems.

Following the lead of some of the other subway systems around the world, the Toronto subway system may soon be wired for cellphone use. The idea is still in the exploratory phase but the likelihood is that there will be some sort of cellphone wiring in the Toronto subway within the next 5 years. And it doesn’t necessarily mean that you will be able to talk on your cellphone while traveling on the subway. In New York City the underground subway stations are wired for cellphone use, but the trains and tunnels are not. Costs are offset by a fee that is charged to the cellphone carriers for the use of the signal.

How many of you who ride the bus or streetcar have felt victimized by people who can’t live without talking on their cellphones non-stop? Why must we be barraged by the continuous mindless chatter that makes up the fabric of these peoples’ lives? Can you just imagine the sounds of a rush hour commute on the Toronto subway with everyone trying to talk above their neighbour in order to be heard on their cellphones? The New York system of wiring the stations but not the trains seems like the best of all solutions. What do you think?

Torontonians are like most Canadians – fixated on the weather. I supposed that living in a 4-season climate and dealing with grand sweeping in changes in temperature, precipitation, and wind-chill factors can make Toronto weather interesting to live in and challenging to predict

However there is one aspect of Toronto weather that is getting more and more exposure (forgive the pun) in recent years and that is our air quality – smog.

According to the Ministry of the Environment the sun creates the photochemical reaction that causes high ground-level ozone. It is estimated that 1,600 people die in the city every year due to pollution. There are no figures available on the numbers of people that are hospitalized. The current Air Quality Index measures 6 key air pollutants which are all potentially dangerous including ozone and carbon monoxide. The higher the air quality reading, the more dangerous the air quality is. People may experience irritation, difficulty breathing, and in severe cases, even lung damage. A reading of 100 or higher is very poor, 50 – 100 is poor, and 32 – 49 is considered moderate. This scale was replaced in July with a new one called AQHI for an 18 month trial. This system will take into account how ground-level ozone, particulate matter, and nitrogen dioxide can affect people, even at low levels. It will have a simple 10 point scale and an air pollution forecast will be made available 2 days in advance, giving people the opportunity to plan for their exposure on high-risk days.

Will you consult the AQHI as you would the Toronto weather forecast and plan accordingly?