Loblaws is profiting from inflation — raising prices more than they have to and hitting Canadians with sky-high grocery bills. Loblaws is raking in record profits at our expense. Last week at their AGM, Loblaws announced a banner quarter — a staggering 40% profit increase from this time last year. [1] Worst of all? Loblaws isn’t just profiting off inflation — they’re DRIVING it. A recent report from the CCPA found that Canada’s inflation rate would be at least a quarter lower if not for the profiteering of companies like Loblaws. [2] A 25% increase in grocery costs could mean the difference between putting food on the table and paying rent. Loblaw Companies Ltd owns hundreds of grocery stores across the country: their stores include Loblaws Market, Real Canadian Superstore, No Frills, Shoppers Drugmart, Loblaws Market, Joe Fresh and more. We all shop at these stores — and we’re all paying the price for their greedy profit margins. [3] Loblaws should be making sure every Canadian can access the basic necessities of life. We already know they can afford it — they boasted $12 Billion in revenue this quarter alone, and gave $437 million in profit to their shareholders. [4] Will you send an email calling on the Loblaws Board of Directors to stop profiting off inflation and bring grocery prices down while their record-breaking profits are still in the headlines? Sources [1-4] https://www.thestar.com/business/2022/05/05/critics-accuse-loblaws-of-profiting-from-inflation-as-profits-surge-by-40.html

The ongoing pandemic and skyrocketing cost of living — coupled with high inflation rates — all mean that more people than ever are relying on support from the government to help us pay rent and keep food on the table. Many single Disabled ODSP (disability benefits) clients only receive $497 a month for rent and $672 a month for their basic needs, and single OW clients currently only receive $390 a month for their rent and $343 a month for their basic needs. This is important so that homeless ODSP and OW clients have a shot at renting somewhere to live at average market rent since affordable, subsidized, rent geared to income housing is unavailable at this time and may be unavailable for the next 10 to 20 years due to a huge waiting list and zero vacancies. Clients need to eat as well as pay rent and since clients would still have to dip into their Basic Needs Allowances to cover rent because even doubling the Shelter Allowance still won't cover all of the rent at today's prices. Much needed medication and other things not covered by the MSN forms have to be paid for out of Basic Needs and some of these items are very expensive. Along with needing healthy food a huge increase in support is called for here as well.

While the rest of us struggled to get by through these last two years of pandemic and inflation, the rich have only gotten richer. It’s ridiculous that Elon Musk — who paid $0 in income tax in 2007 despite his astronomical wealth — can pay $43 billion on a whim to take over a platform that should belong to all of us. [2] Twitter is one of the largest social media platforms in the world. It’s where many of us learn about social issues that have been overlooked by major news outlets, and where activists connect and organize against injustice. With Musk at the helm, the Donald Trumps and Maxime Berniers of the world will be given the ultimate soapbox to spread disinformation and hate — but you can bet that activists, journalists, and anyone daring to challenge Musk and his ilk won’t receive the same treatment. Musk says he’s buying Twitter in the name of free speech, but the proof is in the pudding: when Black Tesla employees lodged a complaint for the racism and discrimination they experienced at work, he fired them for speaking out. [3] Musk’s takeover is nothing new — it’s just the latest in a decades-long crusade by the ultra-rich to take control of our media, institutions, and social services. The billionaire class becomes more powerful with each passing day — and the rest of us are paying the price. Sign the petition if you think public information services like Twitter should belong to regular people like us — not a billionaire like Elon Musk. Sources [1] https://www.cbc.ca/news/business/musk-twitter-monday-1.6429802 [2] https://nymag.com/intelligencer/2021/06/bezos-musk-didnt-pay-federal-income-tax-some-years-report.html [3] https://theconversation.com/if-elon-musk-succeeds-in-his-twitter-takeover-it-would-restrict-rather-than-promote-free-speech-181576

Legal professionals need clearly and easily accessible (edited and error free) bylaws, regulations and acts. They need to communicate with their governing body (CICC) easily and clearly, being able to contact anyone during hours for questions. Immigration law in particular is a specialty, and it’s personal and difficult and a process that we train in to help people. To our clients it is their attempt at starting a new life, that is courageous, the should have educated people to help them, and they should be told this in a positive way while the CICC uses its government budget to stop illegal ghost consultants. People should be told they must when they hire a representative to check and must be on the CICC registry by Registration number of the representative and see if it matches the name search can search but the R number protected. This allows legal consultants to avoid being copied or linked unknowingly, helping the CICC and the client and the case refusal rate. People who can benefit Canadian economy, contribute to job shortages and birth rates should be given a fair chance. We as professional need timely action from who governs us, who governs our clients and the Immigration Minister Sean Frazer yo ensure the system supports the plan and the plan supports the professional who are trained to know it. And know how to do it by following the appropriate Regulations, Acts and Bylaws o do so, as well as working and accessible government online platforms we can rely on and how to iron out the kinks like no in application received asking client to choose payment option automatically linking to the platform. As of now the client pays and needs to upload another document. Which causes problems if the system didn’t flag it for review. The list goes on and we hope you will want to listen to more of how we can help and work together.

While we welcome the news of free dental care for low-income communities, we wish the Liberals and NDP had more ambition — to make dental care universal and accessible to everyone who needs it. Imagine you've had tooth pain for months now but you don't have private insurance or thousands of dollars to spare for treatment. The same bacteria that causes the toothache can travel through your body and lead to serious health conditions — like heart attacks. [3,4] If you agree everyone deserves to have access to good quality dental care regardless of how much they make, add your name to the petition now. Sources: [1] https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/trudeu-jagmeet-singh-deal-government-1.6393021 [2] https://www.cbc.ca/news/health/dental-care-life-threatening-conditions-1.6397395 [3] see [2] [4] https://bc.ctvnews.ca/this-is-amazing-vancouver-dentist-likes-new-federal-program-but-questions-remain-1.5830465

Right now, we have a key opportunity to change the reckless actions of the oil and gas industry. The federal government is currently looking at a new policy — called an “emissions cap” — that could totally shift the game. [1] If done right, it could actually force oil and gas companies to wind down oil and gas production urgently, in line with the science. But only if it's done right. The oil and gas lobby is already trying to water down the cap on emissions, knowing the threat it represents to their profits. [2] We cannot stay silent. Together, we can show the government that the public demands bold and necessary action to address this climate crisis—and that the era of big oil and gas is over. Sign our petition now. Sources: [1] https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2022/apr/04/its-over-for-fossil-fuels-ipcc-spells-out-whats-needed-to-avert-climate-disaster [2] https://www.ipcc.ch/report/ar6/wg3/

The cost of groceries, bills, and rent is skyrocketing. For the millions of Canadians with disabilities who are forced to rely on an inadequate fixed income, it means that making ends meet is a struggle. Putting more money in the pockets of people with disabilities is a crucial first step to ensuring everyone can meet their basic needs, put food on the table, and keep a roof over their heads. And in 2020, the federal government promised a new Canadian Disability Benefit [1] — but so far it’s failed to materialize. Here’s where you come in: On April 7, the federal government will release its budget: a crucial roadmap that determines where to spend money over the next year. [2] It’s the exact place where the government could turn their promise of the Canadian Disability Benefit into action, but so far they haven’t indicated whether there’ll be money in the budget for the new benefit or not. As the Finance Minister is getting ready to release the budget, a flood of emails from thousands of us could send a loud and clear message that Ontarians expect funding for the Canadian Disability Benefit in the budget. It could force her to think twice about releasing a budget without support for people with disabilities — but only if enough of us speak out. Send a message now. Sources [1] https://www.thespec.com/opinion/contributors/2022/03/07/disability-should-not-equal-poverty.html [2] https://financialpost.com/news/economy/federal-budget-to-be-delivered-on-april-7

Improving children's and teenagers mental health in Ontario: Mental health has been around for century's and has continued to affect children and teenagers physical and mental well-being. Research conducted by Garcia & Elliott states that the closures of schools are impacting the learning and retention of previously taught material for children and teenagers. The closures of schools are impacting children’s and teenager’s mental health as they are feeling less confident in their work and feeling a lack of motivation which then creates children and teenagers wanting to give up on life. Perhaps enforcing schools to be open and finding different support systems within the schools, will help improve children’s and teenager’s mental health during covid-19. With schools being closed for a long period of time and now reopening has caused many children and teens feeling depressed and an increase of their anxiety as they don't know what to expect next. There needs to be better support systems for children and teenagers in our Ontario community today, if not it will continue to become worse and nothing will change but the lives of our future children and teens. Lets be the change in our community and use our voices to help support children and teenagers who are suffering in silence with mental health damage inside.

Changes in the climate have recently become more than obvious. By the end of this century, it is estimated that the Earth's surface temperature will rise by approximately 2°C, having devastating effects on our ecosystems, flora, fauna, and humans. Nature itself is already very fragile, and our attitude is destroying a whole world of living organisms and our very own home. We are residents in one of the neighborhoods within the peel region and our keen observation is that some apartments have a central waste collection point but every time you go there, there is always household waste disposed on the floor, a mixup of recyclable and non-recyclable waste items inside the same bin bag when appropriate and well-labeled refuse bins have been provided. A lot of these negative effects could be improved if humans slightly amended their behavior. By managing waste in a way that avoids landfills and reducing consumption by reusing products, we avoid the creation of unnecessary waste. Nevertheless, by separating and recycling the waste we do create, we could reduce the amount of waste ending up in landfills. The waste that remains would actually be burnt to create energy, meaning less waste or nothing at all is actually sent to landfill. The environmental benefits of a proper waste disposal system are clear. When a person doesn’t dispose effectively of a plastic product or a product that may contain dangerous chemicals, these chemicals can eventually find their way into local water sources and the soil. Proper waste disposal can help preserve our natural environment, and ensure a healthy ecosystem for the long-term future. People need to know about the importance of proper waste disposal to help induce action. The better you are aware of the value and benefits of the good waste practice, the easier and more efficient the desired behavior can be adapted.

On Monday, after weeks of uncertainty amidst the rise of the Omicron variant, BC students finally returned to school. [1] But less than two days later, two schools shut down when students and staff fell sick. [2] Omicron has changed the game, but BC’s school reopening plan doesn’t reflect that. Many teachers have not received their COVID-19 booster shots, critical equipment like HEPA filters and N95 masks are in short supply, and from now on parents won’t even be notified if their child is exposed to the virus. [3-4] BC’s current plan takes for granted that huge numbers of teachers and students will contract the virus—but that’s not a sacrifice we’re willing to accept. [5] To make sure our schools are safe for our kids, we need the government to deliver: Safer Classrooms: N95 masks should be available, and better ventilation and HEPA filters installed in shared spaces. Protections for Staff: teachers should be prioritized for access to the COVID-19 booster, and plans should be in place so they can stay home if they get sick. Better reporting: rapid antigen tests should be widely available, and cases closely monitored and reported in schools. Options for online learning: online learning needs to be available to students who are sick or who can’t risk getting infected. These calls are coming from educators, unions, students and parents [6-8]. They have been on the frontlines of this pandemic for the past two years—and they know what they need to be safe. Will you sign the petition calling on Minister Whiteside to deliver a real plan that prioritizes the health and safety of students and staff? Sources [1] https://www.theglobeandmail.com/canada/british-columbia/article-parents-in-bc-alberta-anxious-as-schools-set-to-reopen-amid-covid-19/ [2] see [1] [3] https://globalnews.ca/news/8495596/covid-bc-back-to-school-plan-friday-omicron/ [4] see [1][2] [5] https://www.theglobeandmail.com/canada/british-columbia/article-dr-bonnie-henry-says-bc-schools-must-plan-for-the-likelihood-of/ [6] https://globalnews.ca/news/8501219/bc-medically-vulnerable-parents-teachers-school-covid/ [7] https://globalnews.ca/news/8499505/covid-omicron-back-to-school-worries/ [8] https://globalnews.ca/news/8480530/covid-b-c-teachers-delayed-back-to-school-plan-omicron/

COVID cases are skyrocketing in Ontario. Our loved ones are getting sick, businesses are closing, and many Ontarians are finding themselves strapped for cash and without access to emergency benefits. [1-3] It’s winter and people are struggling to keep a roof over their heads — but instead of supporting those who need it, Premier Ford just rubber-stamped a new maximum rent increase. [4] This would allow landlords to hike rents that many are already struggling to afford. For many, this could mean the difference between keeping and losing a home. It doesn’t have to be this way. At the beginning of the pandemic, Ford instated a rent freeze and banned evictions to keep people from losing their homes. [5] Now, with COVID cases reaching record levels, a flood of public pressure could be enough to force him to do it again. Sign the petition calling on Premier Doug Ford and Housing Minister Steve Clark to freeze rents and reinstate the evictions ban. Sources [1] https://globalnews.ca/news/8483263/ontario-covid-cases-january-1-coronavirus/ [2] https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/hamilton/business-covid-measures-1.6302678 [3] https://www.ctvnews.ca/health/coronavirus/despite-new-covid-19-restrictions-no-one-is-eligible-for-the-new-federal-benefit-1.5716262 [4] https://globalnews.ca/news/6687167/coronavirus-ontario-eviction-enforcement/ [5] https://toronto.ctvnews.ca/ontario-introduces-residential-rent-freeze-for-2021-1.5109278

You’ve faithfully masked up, kept your distance, and gotten your jabs. Your family life, social life, work and mental health have all suffered. You may be facing housing and financial crises. You’ve likely not received much medical or dental care, either. By necessity, we have all ceded so much control over our lives to the pandemic. The pandemic isn’t over. The only way through it with our sanity intact is regain control over our ability to protect each other and stop the spread through informed choices. Rapid covid tests have their flaws, but the one thing that they do fairly well is let us know when we are infectious. Masks and vaccines are great and the new antivirals look very promising, but they don’t tell us what we need to know when we need to know it: before you cuddle your best friend’s newborn, or leave your elderly mother stranded at the ferry terminal because you felt a tickle in your throat at 2 am the night before. Free rapid tests are available universally in some provinces and are restricted to specific populations in others. Calls for the BC government to make these tests universally available have fallen on deaf ears for many, many months. We must redouble our efforts to put pressure on this government to do the right and infinitely doable thing. Please add your voice to others calling for free, universal access to at-home rapid Covid-19 tests NOW.