According to an article I found on the internet, Weird Al has never played "Hardware Store" live because of how intensely fast and complicated the song is. But Toronto loves Weird Al, and we can't imagine a better place for him to debut the song live. We'll be very forgiving of any mistakes - we just want to support him and sing along as best we can! Weird Al, please make history by playing Hardware Store in Toronto at your next show!

As a result of these cuts, several teachers across the board will lose their jobs. This will create a bigger discrepancy in the student to teacher ratio and fewer classes overall. Students in Mississauga have already noticed fewer course options and electives being cut (Chen). Thus, the courses students are interested in will be eliminated, preventing them from exploring a variety of interests. This will make it harder for them to gain the knowledge and skills they need to be successful. Furthermore, Diane Dewing, the president of the Ontario Teachers’ Federation, is worried about how school boards will explain certain courses moving forward (Chen). “We fear that art classes, which often have small numbers of students, will disappear because there simply won’t be the funding to have that teacher”(Dewing). Forcing teachers to take on a huge number of students whether in the classroom or via e-learning will also decrease the quality of education students are receiving. Not only does it reduce individual support for students, but also reduces the engagement of students in their classes. At a time where mental health issues are skyrocketing among young people and being acknowledged, these cuts will make it even more difficult to support these students (Durkacz). As a student myself with a post-secondary pathway in mind to eventually work in education. Being able to find a job is now a huge concern. Since it presents me with an uncertainty of whether or not I'll be able to find a stable job. This isn't only a problem that applies to me but is a problem for many young well-qualified teachers. So many educators have been waiting after many years of occasional work to get a permanent job, "only to see their hope turn to despair" (Durkacz). The purpose of improvements to the education system should be to improve the well-being and learning of Ontarians instead of doing the opposite, hurting them. If you care about the education for the youth of today, tomorrow, and the future. What are you waiting for? Sign our petition now!

Considering that : • Air pollution generated by air traffic has increased significantly above major Canadian cities ; • The quality of life and health of citizens are greatly impaired by low-level flying aircrafts; • Scientific evidence shows that air pollution generated by aircrafts brings serious health concerns and has effects notably on the pulmonary and cardiac functions of humans; • Inaction of Canadian airport authorities and their refusal to implement concrete solutions to minimize the nuisance caused by aircraft flyovers is obvious.

Attendu que : • La pollution de l’air causée par le trafic aérien a considérablement augmenté au-dessus des grandes agglomérations canadiennes ; • La qualité de vie et la santé des citoyens sont grandement affectées par le passage des avions à basse altitude ; • Les données scientifiques démontrent que la pollution de l’air générée par les avions représente des atteintes et des risques sérieux aux fonctions cardiovasculaires et pulmonaires des humains ; • L’inaction des autorités aéroportuaires canadiennes et leur refus de mettre en œuvre des solutions concrètes pour réduire les nuisances causées par les aéronefs.

• Noise pollution generated by air traffic has increased significantly above major Canadian cities ; • The quality of life and health of citizens are greatly impaired by low-level flying aircrafts; • Scientific evidence shows that noise pollution generated by aircrafts brings serious health concerns and has effects notably on heart health; • The inaction of Canadian airport authorities and their refusal to implement concrete solutions to minimize the nuisance caused by aircraft flyovers is obvious.

The U.S.is operating a system of concentration camps; it is committing grievous human rights violations against the most vulnerable population imaginable: unaccompanied children.

The Raptors took the world by storm last night. Against all odds and every doubt, your team of underestimated players turned breakout stars defeated the Golden State Warriors. Canadians cheered you on every step of the way - and it is a journey that has united a broad spectrum of diverse communities in a deafening, excited, unapologetic roar of pride. But now your team faces the traditional invitation to a meet and greet that the winning team always has with the President of the United States in the White House. The only problem is that the current president is Donald Trump - and he represents everything that the Raptors aren’t: divisive, alienating, and selfish. If the Raptors refuse to meet for a splashy photo-op with Trump, you will send a clear message to the world that your team, and Canadians at large, do not condone President Trump’s blatant disregard for the well-being of Americans. Dear Raptors, please don't visit Trump. Sincerely, We The North --- MORE INFO --- President Trump has enacted laws to separate children from parents and placed them in cages [1]. He has called Neo-Nazis “very fine people” [2] and placed a travel ban on Muslims [3], all while tweeting a steady stream of offhand racist remarks [4]. On the other hand - your captain Kyle Lowry called Trump’s travel ban on Muslims “bullshit” [5], your team President Masai Ujiri paid a visit to a First Nations community to encourage youth to be proud of their identity [6], and your whole team represents (and has unified) the most diverse city in the world. The Raptors represent equality and diversity, and a visit with Trump threatens to tarnish those beliefs. If the Raptors refuse to attend the White House, you can vilify Trump’s actions and stand in unity with the broad coalition of Torontonians and Canadians who are cheering you on. [1] https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-44518942 [2] https://www.motherjones.com/politics/2019/04/trump-defends-claim-that-there-were-very-fine-people-on-both-sides-of-white-supremacist-rally/ [3] https://www.aljazeera.com/topics/spotlight/trump-muslims-ban.html [4] https://www.mcsweeneys.net/articles/atrocities-1-to-112 [5] https://www.cbc.ca/sports/basketball/nba/kyle-lowry-donald-trump-travel-ban-1.3958633 [6] https://www.thestar.com/sports/raptors/2017/01/12/with-help-from-raptors-giant-masai-ujiri-teens-from-la-loche-learn-to-dream-big-arthur.html

"The water crisis was created by Canada and has been maintained by Canada for decades, with devastating but predictable outcomes. This form of racism has real-life consequences for First Nations. It’s time to make all those land acknowledgements mean something. It’s time to start living by the spirit of the treaties: mutual respect, mutual protection and mutual benefit. It’s time to show a real sign of good faith and end the water crisis on reserves now. It’s a matter of life and death for First Nations." Source: https://policyoptions.irpp.org/magazines/february-2019/first-nations-water-problems-crisis-canadas-making/ (Note: this petition was created by Yvonne Aburrow, quoting Pamela Palmater, Mi'kmaq lawyer, professor, activist and politician from Mi'kma'ki, New Brunswick, Canada.) Photo credit: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Lake-huron-ipperwash-beach.jpg#/media/File:Lake-huron-ipperwash-beach.jpg

It's important!

A child requiring hospice palliative care is a tragedy; a child requiring hospice palliative care and having no access is a catastrophe. 3000 children die each year in Ontario, many more children for years with conditions that will inevitably shorten their lives. For these most horrific of occasions, we must ensure that every Ontarian child in need and their family has access to high-quality care. For children with serious health conditions, a palliative approach to care can increase quality of life (joy, fun, activity, socialization) and decrease the pain and suffering associated with their condition. For the families of these children, hospice palliative care systems help support the emotional, psychological, spiritual, social, financial, and logistic burden that comes along with caring for a child with a serious health condition. Paediatric hospice palliative care aims to support families where they feel most comfortable - which is, more often than not, at home - including at the end of their child's life. However, there are times when home is not feasible or when families simply need a break from 24/7 caregiving, pediatric hospices offer a home-like environment with 24/7 access to care and a community of love and support. Paediatric hospice palliative care supports families (parents, siblings, grandparents, others) at diagnosis, through the illness course, at end of life, and beyond the child's death with the immense grief that comes with loving a child with a short life. And yet, a report from 2012 found that 81% of Canadian children who had died and could have benefitted from hospice palliative care had no access. All children and families in Ontario should have access to these supports in an equitable fashion. Bill 114, the Nancy Rose Act, sets the strategy to get us there. The Bill: https://www.ola.org/en/legislative-business/bills/parliament-42/session-1/bill-114 Sandy introducing the Bill: https://tinyurl.com/yyhc79qy News coverage: https://globalnews.ca/news/5331029/hamilton-mpp-sandy-shaw-pediatric-hospice-ontario/ https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/hamilton/nancy-rose-1.5154598 https://www.thespec.com/living-story/9397436-mpp-sandy-shaw-to-pitch-a-provincewide-pediatric-palliative-care-strategy/ https://omny.fm/shows/scott-radley-show/how-will-the-nancy-rose-act-affect-children-across

Why is this important? The Project Promotes The Following Benefits to Our Society: + Green Technology. + Jobs. + Clean Environment and ecologically clean world. + Fair Economy. + Strong Democracy.

My name is Jobandeep Singh Sandhu. I came to Canada as an international student to study Mechanical engineering technician course on 26th August 2015. Like any International student, any migrant I had dreams when I came here. I dreamt of working as a Mechanical engineer, the dream didn’t seem impossible at first. But as I continued my studies and I wasn’t able to pay my fees and support my education. I had a choice either to stop studying or work harder to support my education and my dreams. I chose the latter. It was only two weeks before I was supposed to graduate. I was happy that I was going to achieve my dreams. On 13th December 2017, when I was driving back from Montreal to Toronto on a commercial truck, I was arrested for working more than 20 hours. And now I am being deported for working hard. What is happening to me is happening to a lot of people. International students don’t get the same labour rights that everyone else gets. There is a broader structural issue in our laws that limit these rights to only a few. In my last attempt to stay in this country and work hard for myself and the society, I have applied for a Temporary Resident Permit. But it has been on hold. I have to leave this country by June 15th (update: the removal date has now been pushed to June 15 from May 31). Help me so I can stay in this country. Help me in calling on Canada so International students don’t get deported for working hard, so they get the equal labour rights and permanent status on arrival! Background * International student arrested, facing deportation for working too many hours: https://globalnews.ca/news/5269138/international-student-arrested-facing-deportation-work-permit/ ------------------ If you are an international student facing any problems, contact Migrant Workers Alliance for support at [email protected]