From:   Income Security Advocacy Centre <isac@...>

Subject:   Budget 2012: Tell Them What You Think

Date:   Wed 03/28/12 11:03 PM

Income Security Advocacy Centre

Ontario Budget 2012: Have Your Say

The 2012 Ontario Budget is deeply disappointing for the nearly 900,000
men, women, and children in Ontario who currently rely on Ontario Works
and the Ontario Disability Support Program for income and other
necessary benefits.

The Budget includes a freeze on social assistance rates and a delay in
increasing the Ontario Child Benefit to the promised maximum of $1,310
per child per year – which will also hurt low-income working Ontarians.

But the Budget also includes cuts to other social assistance benefits of
$30 million this year alone, and directions on restructuring OW and ODSP
employment supports services. These announcements severely constrain the
discussions that are currently underway through the Social Assistance
Review.

Both the Liberals and the NDP are looking for feedback on Budget 2012 –
we need to tell them that the budget deficit cannot be resolved on the
backs of the poor.

We're asking people to contact both the Liberals and the NDP, and tell
them:

      * The freeze to social assistance rates will hurt the poorest
people in Ontario – people on assistance need an increase that will let
them keep up with the rising cost of living;
      * The Social Assistance Review must be allowed to complete its work
before government makes any decisions on other changes; and,
      * The full Ontario Child Benefit should be implemented now.

Answer the Liberals' survey at:
http://incomesecurity.us4.list-manage.com/track/click?u=095b12c98935ecaadd327bf9\
0&id=9e3254fd65&e=fae5b0f927

Contact the NDP at:
http://incomesecurity.us4.list-manage.com/track/click?u=095b12c98935ecaadd327bf9\
0&id=3307a47bd2&e=fae5b0f927
==============================================

Metro - Brothels soon in your backyard?

Geisha, a prostitute working at the Chicken Ranch brothel, sits on the porch in
Pahrump, Nev., in this 2009 file photo. Residents have started ...

http://www.metronews.ca/toronto/local/article/1136492--brothels-soon-in-your-bac\
kyard

http://1click.indiatimes.com/article/0dlm6Ge5LreAW?q=Toronto

http://www.wivb.com/dpp/news/local/brothels-in-the-backyard

http://www.i4u.com/2012/03/toronto/brothels-soon-your-backyard

http://thechronicleherald.ca/novascotia/77549-brothel-ruling-means-sex-work-coul\
d-get-safer-advocate-says

------------------------------------------------------------------------

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

In 1999, the United Nations condemned Ontario for publicly funding the education
system of one faith and no other.

http://www.educationfairness.ca/ads/PrintAd1.pdf


ULC Charter
http://blog.documents.angelfire.com/ULCharter.pdf

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Indecency Rules & Profanity News
http://www.congoo.com/news/related?channel_id=1&story_id=38929965

Canadian Broadcasting Standards Council
Statement of Principles and Practices
http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNews/corp/CTVShows/20031023/corp-StatePP


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~ new age spiritual multifaith & non-denominational

http://www.omc.ca

»§«:*´`³¤³´`*:»«:*´`³¤³´`*:»§«:*´`³¤³´`*:»«:*´`³¤³´`*:»§«


Bookmark:
AngelGoddess Newsmuse
http://ca.groups.yahoo.com/group/angelgoddess-newsmuse
ProBono/PSA Newsgroups -
http://ca.groups.yahoo.com/group/aicap-aifap
                                 /activist-newsmuse
                                 /itech-cyberlaw
                                 /celebrity-busts
                                 /cfs-melatonin
                                 /psych-meds-ingredient-concerns
                                 /yogaandmeditation

   ^..^  ^..^  ^..^  ^..^ ^..^ ^..^

                            \0/
                            /|\




Friends are quiet angels, who lift us to our feet, when our wings have trouble
remembering how to FLY....

(\( )/)

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"we have to do the best we can. this is our sacred human responsibility" -
albert einstein

<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>


"Keep your eyes on the stars and your feet on the ground.
--Theodore Roosevelt".

<>--<>--<>--<>-<>--<>--<>--<>--<>-<>--<>--<><>--<>--<>-


Exercising Our First Amendment Rights!
Any attempts to intercept this message violate Title 18 U.S.C. 2511(1) of
Electronic Communications Privacy Act (ECPA). All violators subject to fines,
imprisonment or civil damages, or both!

ie. LEGAL NOTICE TO ALL CANADIANS/FOREIGNERS
INCARCERATED IN AMERICAN PRISONS
http://www.angelfire.com/mi2/aicap/aicapnotice.html

{obstruction of incoming legal mail/monthly list reminder file}



========================================================================

http://www.ChangeDetection.com
http://ca.groups.yahoo.com/group/angelgoddess-newsmuse

From:   Andrea Horwath <NDPcaucusoutreach@...>

Subject:   You spoke up

Date:   Thu 03/29/12 04:16 PM


This week the government unveiled a Budget that will affect every person across
this amazing province.

It would have been easy to make a snap decision but it's too important. That's
why I wanted to hear from people like you.

I asked for your input and you've delivered.

We've received thousands of emails and calls from everyday Ontarians like you.

This morning, I took some of your questions and concerns directly to Premier
McGuinty. I'd like to invite you to watch them here -
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=coemDfsvXDo&feature=youtu.be .

We heard that many of you are concerned about your job and whether it will be
there for you, and many people were concerned about the rising cost of life. We
also heard that people are concerned about the future of healthcare in Ontario.
From day one we've been determined to make this minority government work.
Unfortunately, it often seems like New Democrats are working alone. That only
makes us more determined. You can count on our team to stand up for you: for
your jobs, your health and the affordability of everyday life.

Your voices matter.

Thanks for speaking up.

Andrea Horwath
Leader, Ontario's New Democrats


PS: If you haven't yet shared your thoughts about the budget, visit our site
http://ondpcaucus.com/yoursay/ or call 1-855-ONT-BDGT (668-2348).

Copyright © 2012 ONDP Caucus, All rights reserved.
You checked the box 'Yes, I want to be contacted via email' when you completed
the Budget survey here: http://ondpcaucus.com/yoursay/index.php
Our mailing address is:
ONDP Caucus
Queen's Park
Main Legislative Building
Toronto, Ontario M7A 1A5
Canada

======================================================================


CBC News Alerts

Thursday, March 29, 2012

Old Age Security eligililty to rise to age 67 by 2023

  For the latest on this breaking story, visit
http://links.cbc.ca/a/l.x?t=jncickefcfmphjpeelcagpofjn&M=1&v=4

http://www.cbc.ca/news/live/2012/03/2012-federal-budget.html


---------------------------------------------------------------------



Ontario to consider hearings into OAS changes

In an interview on CBC Radio's The House, Ontario Finance Minister
Dwight Duncan calls Jim Flaherty's attacks on Ontario "little
temper-tantrums," and tells host Evan Solomon Ontario may hold public
hearings on proposed changes to Old Age Security.

Full Story:
http://links.cbc.ca/a/l.x?t=jncickegkcmlhlpjjmpmapmkaa&M=11&v=4


[full story below:]


Politics

Ontario to consider hearings into OAS changes
Finance Minister Duncan calls Flaherty's attacks against province 'temper
tantrums'

CBC News Posted: Mar 31, 2012 9:16 AM ET

Ontario finances 'badly mismanaged,' Flaherty says
Budget cuts won't leave provinces short, Flaherty says
The House - March 31, 201248:30

Ontario Finance Minister Dwight Duncan thinks his federal counterpart should
leave public attacks aside and instead focus on working together with Ontarians.

In an interview airing Saturday on CBC Radio's The House, federal Finance
Minister Jim Flaherty told host Evan Solomon that Ontario is a "badly managed
province, it's been mismanaged for eight or nine years now."

Flaherty repeated those comments throughout the day on Friday, in other media
interviews, and again during a speech to the Canadian Club of Toronto.

The luncheon speech was touted as an opportunity for Flaherty to promote the
budget he had tabled the day before, which he did — but not without criticizing
the Ontario government for its own recent budget and its fiscal track record
since Liberal Dalton McGuinty took over the premier's office.

When asked to comment on Flaherty's attacks against him, Duncan told Solomon, "I
don't know what prompts Mr. Flaherty to have these little temper-tantrums."

"I think we should leave these little fights aside and work together the way we
did during the downturn. I think that's what Canadians and Ontarians expect,"
Duncan said.

Impact of federal changes on the provinces
Proposed changes to Old Age Security and the federal guaranteed income
supplement will mean that some seniors will have to turn to the provinces for
additional social assistance starting in 2023.

Duncan told Solomon, "I'm thinking we may even have hearings across the province
to get people's input into these changes."

When Solomon asked Duncan whether there was already a system in place to
compensate the provinces, Duncan said "no."

Flaherty conceded "it is a long way out," but the federal government "will
compensate the provinces for costs they would not have otherwise incurred if we
had not changed the age of eligibility."

"We have made the commitment in the budget, in writing, explicitly," Flaherty
said.

Duncan told Solomon that what worries Ontario is "the hamfisted approach to
jails, where they are not providing us with compensation, forcing additional
costs in what I would largely call a very political step."

Duncan has been critical of the federal government's controversial omnibus crime
bill, which would see the provinces foot the bill for the building of new
prisons.

Ontario has estimated Bill C-10 will cost the province up to $1-billion in
prison costs alone.

NDP denounces proposed changes to OAS
New Democratic Leader Tom Mulcair also denounced the proposed changes to what he
called "people's retirement incomes."

Mulcair told Solomon that the work done by Kevin Page, the parliamentary budget
officer, "demonstrated clearly that the system was sustainable."

Raising the age of eligibility means the Conservatives are "taking money out of
people's pockets, money they had counted on to retire," the Opposition leader
said. "You're going to go on welfare. That's what the Conservatives are telling
Canadians who are working hard all of their lives."

Flaherty said "this has nothing to do with pensions. The Canada Pension Plan is
stable and solid for the next 75 years. This is a social program funded by
Canadian taxpayers."

"We want to make sure that it is sustainable, that it exists in the future, and
by bumping the age of eligibility we can be assured that that will happen,"
Flaherty said.


http://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/story/2012/03/31/pol-the-house-flaherty-mulcair-\
duncan.html

---------------------------------------------------------------------



Federal budget 2012: Ottawa axes National Council on Welfare
Published On Fri Mar 30 2012
Laurie Monsebraaten
Social Justice Reporter


Anti-poverty groups are shocked, but not surprised, Finance Minister Jim
Flaherty axed the National Council of Welfare in Thursday's budget.

The independent, federally-appointed body was created by an act of Parliament in
1969 to advise the minster of human resources on poverty in Canada.

But since the Harper government was elected in 2006, it has ignored the
council's research and advice on how to address growing income disparity across
the country, activists say.

"If the government actually heeded the council's advice, they'd be saving a
whole lot more than the $1 million per year they have been spending on the
council," said Rob Rainer of Canada Without Poverty.

A spokesperson for Human Resources Minister Diane Finley said the $1.1 million
council and its eight Ottawa-based staff are being cut next year to reduce
duplication.

"Many non-governmental organizations . . . provide quality independent advice
and research on poverty-related issues," said Alyson Queen.

"We continue to take poverty issues very seriously, investing in skills,
training and support for families to ensure every Canadian has the opportunity
to fully participate in the economy," she added.

However, Rainer and others said their organizations rely heavily on the
council's "excellent" research to inform their work.

The council's annual report on welfare incomes in Canada is the only
comprehensive analysis of social assistance across the country and how it
interacts with federal benefits, he said. The council has also produced
authoritative reports on child care, child benefits and low incomes in Canada.

Its latest report, "The Dollars and Sense of Solving Poverty," released in
August, showed that it would cost $12.6 billion to give some 3.5 million poor
Canadians enough money to live above the poverty line. However, the economic and
social consequences of poverty cost Canadians twice as much, the report found.

"So, I guess we don't want to know anything about poverty or how to solve it,"
said NDP MP Olivia Chow (Trinity—Spadina).

"Without the information, no one will be able to report on how many people this
Conservative government is leaving behind," she added. "It's called out of sight
and out of mind. And don't get in the way."


http://www.thestar.com/news/canada/politics/article/1154445--federal-budget-2012\
-ottawa-axes-national-council-on-welfare

----------------------------------------------------------------------



CBC's regional stations might bear brunt of cuts
Published On Fri Mar 30 2012

Jordan Himelfarb
Special to the Star


CBC executives will tell employees next Wednesday how the public broadcaster
intends to absorb the $115 million funding cut prescribed in Thursday's federal
budget.

An internal memo distributed by CBC president Hubert Lacroix says the
broadcaster will stay mum about how it will adapt to its new economic reality
until a town hall meeting next week.

Lacroix also said that, while the reduction will have a "significant impact" on
the organization and its services, management is working on a plan that "will
meet our financial reality head-on without overly compromising our strategy."

But many observers are skeptical such a plan is possible, especially just three
years after the organization let go nearly 800 employees in the wake of a $179
million advertising shortfall. "We've already trimmed the fat," said a former
CBC executive who asked not to be named. "Now we're looking at arms and legs."

The lobby group Friends of Canadian Broadcasting warned Friday that the cuts
would have a "rapid and severe" impact on the CBC, possibly including "the death
of Radio 2," the closure of international bureaus, and the addition of
advertising to radio.

The group added that the cuts could mean "reduced depth, quality, diversity and
distinctiveness of CBC News" — a problem that former CBC president Robert
Rabinovitch sees growing already.

In an interview with The Network, a new Toronto Star website dedicated to a
discussion of the CBC and public broadcasting, Rabinovitch said that "the
quality of writing and editing is depressing; (CBC News doesn't) have the staff
to produce the quality of work that they used to be able to produce."

Many observers believe that the brunt of the cuts will be borne by regional
stations, which the CBC claimed to be its top priority in the five-year plan the
corporation released in February of last year.

"These cuts pose a serious threat to the CBC's ability to provide services to
the 6,000,000 Canadians who live in towns of 50,000 people or less and who would
otherwise get no service," the former CBC decision-maker said.

Ian Morrison, head of the Friends of Canadian Broadcasting, told the Star that
while the CBC may claim that the regions are its top priority, the organization
will have little choice in the current context but to reallocate funds to
entertainment and sports television, by far its most profitable services.


http://www.thestar.com/news/canada/politics/article/1154633--cbc-s-regional-stat\
ions-might-bear-brunt-of-cuts

----------------------------------------------------------------------




SATURDAY, 31 MARCH 2012

Rogers eases son's pain with $1,500 compensation offer
By Ellen Roseman, | Fri Mar 30, 2012

It's the stuff of nightmares. Your father dies in February and you save two of
his voicemail messages to use in a video celebrating his life.
Later, you get a telemarketing call from Rogers, offering to upgrade your
wireless plan. The cost is $1 more a month.

You say yes, but you forget to ask about preserving your phone messages. Rogers
fails to tell you the messages will be deleted during the upgrade.
You realize you have no other recordings of your father's voice and you ask
Rogers for compensation. But what is the right amount?
Chris Whelehan sent his complaint to five media outlets earlier this month.
Since he works as a paralegal, he considered going to court. But he wanted to
try other options first.
"I've contacted Rogers many times about this. They say they cannot retrieve the
lost messages and they're sorry," he said.
"I asked for some type of compensation — none was freely offered — and they
offered a $70 discount over a one-year period on my iPhone service."
He declined the offer and said he'd be switching carriers. Nothing helped.
"Note that I'm a loyal and complete customer. Rogers gets about $350 of my money
every month.
"This is a clear example of a large corporation having absolutely no heart."
I often slam Rogers for its service, but I know the telecom giant can come
through for people in a jam.
I sent his email to the office of the president, which raised the offer to $150.
Whelehan felt it still wasn't enough.
Then, I asked if he'd tried the ombudsman's office. He didn't know there was one
or how to contact it.
Rogers was the first Canadian communications company to set up an ombudsman's
office in July 2009.
The mandate "is to provide an impartial and fair lens through which to view
customer inquiries, investigating both sides of an issue and assisting the
parties in reaching a fair and reasonable resolution," said the 2010 report.
(It was published last May and is available at Rogers' website.)
The first ombudsman, Don Moffatt, used customer complaints to rewrite many of
Rogers' policies. Of the 1,893 complaints he dealt with in 2010, more than seven
in 10 were wireless-related, he said in his report.
Kim Walker took over the ombudsman's job after Moffatt retired last year. She's
putting the finishing touches on the 2011 report to come out shortly.
Walker responded to Whelehan's email right away, asking for consent to review
his file. The ombudsman's office is separate from customer service and the
office of the president, though it's in the same building.
"I can't thank you enough for putting me in touch with Kim Walker," Whelehan
told me less than 24 hours later.
"She was very compassionate, as she was party to a similar situation some time
ago that stuck with her and she felt the need to make this right on an urgent
basis.
"They have offered — and I have accepted — a $1,500 credit to my account."
Who says a large corporation doesn't have a heart?
The Rogers ombudsman sympathized with a grieving son who wasn't told the
shocking consequences of accepting a telemarketing deal. And she raised the
previous offer tenfold.
Rogers is smart to create a higher level of appeal. Now it needs to broadcast
the message widely and help customers find the ombudsman without going to the
media first.
Ellen Roseman writes about personal finance and consumer issues. You can reach
her at eroseman@... or www.ellenroseman.com


http://www.mediaintoronto.com/2012/03/rogers-eases-sons-pain-with-1500.html


[fyi: rogers owes this moderator a year in credits for non-repair of half cable
channels when paying for best package - partner also died in 2006 a week after
their modem was returned and account has been under estate name since! so why
such discrimination against a disabled  academy voter suffering from domestic
abuse to top it! and don't think eroseman isn't aware of this!]

---------------------------------------------------------------------


29 Mar 2012
24 Hours Toronto
STEPHAN DUSSAULT
QMI Agency

Few phone fines despite thousands of complaints

Canada's broadcast watchdog handed out just four fines to illegal telemarketers
last year despite a record 130,656 complaints, QMI Agency has learned.
JACK BOLAND, QMI AGENCY

Canadians registered 130,656 complaints against telemarketers that violated the
National Do Not Call List. Of those, only four received fines.
The Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission says it prefers
education over punishment for companies that violate the National Do Not Call
List and bother Canadians in their homes.
By the CRTC'S own admission, 85% of all citizen complaints are legitimate.
"These (offenders) are often small businesses that were not aware of the law,"
CRTC spokesman Denis Carmel told QMI Agency. "We prefer to send notices and to
educate businesses."
The list, which debuted in 2008, requires most telemarketers to register with
the CRTC and pay a fee for the right to place calls. Businesses aren't allowed
to call Canadians who register their numbers on the list, although newspapers,
charities and political parties are exempt. Companies that have done business
with a client in the past 18 months are also exempt.
A Harris/decima survey conducted last year found 15% of Canadians on the list
said they received more calls than ever before.
"It is i mpossible to completely eliminate these calls," Carmel said.
"When they first call you, simply mention to them that you would like them to
remove your number." But the CRTC came down hard on the few offenders it decided
to fine.
In 2010, Bell Canada paid a record $1.3 million on behalf of subcontractors who
pestered Canadians on the list. Ironically, Bell Canada is in charge of managing
the list.
Some 10,656,000 telephone and fax numbers appear on the list.

http://eedition.toronto.24hrs.ca/epaper/viewer.aspx

----------------------------------------------------------------------



29 mar 2012
24 Hours Calgary
CANADIANS PRO LEGALIZING BROTHELS: SURVEY


CANADIANS ARE LARGELY
supportive of the recent court decision to allow hookers to work legally in
bordellos. A Forum Research Poll released exclusively to QMI Agency on Wednesday
showed that 47% of Canadians approve of the landmark decision to legalize
brothels, compared to the 36% that disagree. The poll of 1,638 Canadians 18 and
older was conducted on March 26, just hours a er an Ontario Court of Appeal
ruling struck down laws that prohibit prostitutes from operating out of a
brothel.


http://outside24.pressdisplay.com/epaper/da/viewer.aspx

----------------------------------------------------------------------


Toronto Star
Saturday, March 31, 2012

GTA

The State of Sex in the City

People connected to the sex trade in various ways talk about their lives and
what the landmark prostitution ruling means to them

[cannot get this printed article with google search - included an already legal
independent outcall to hotels escort who will not be affected by this law]

---------------------------------



Editorial Comments on Legalized Brothels: pros and cons
Toronto Star - Saturday

[also could not get this printed version with google search]

----------------------------------



Talking Points: Will Ontario court's brothel ruling really protect prostitutes?
Published On Sat Mar 31 2012

Retired dominatrix Terri-Jean Bedford.
LUCAS OLENIUK/TORONTO STAR
Sarah Barmak
Special to the Star

The Issue: On Monday, the Ontario Court of Appeal struck down as
unconstitutional some of Canada's prostitution laws, arguing that sex workers
should be able to ply their trade from the relative safety of brothels and hire
support staff. Proponents of the decision hailed it as a move that would protect
prostitutes. Others, including the prime minister, had different ideas.

Former prostitute Valerie Scott, who was involved in the court case: "We're
almost real citizens (now). . . . I didn't think I would see it in my lifetime,
but here we are."

From the court's decision: "Prostitution is a controversial topic, one that
provokes heated and heartfelt debate about morality, equality, personal autonomy
and safety. . . . It is not the court's role to engage in that debate."

Prime Minister Stephen Harper, reacting to the ruling: "We view prostitution as
bad for society and we view its effects as particularly harmful for our
communities and women, and particularly for vulnerable women, and we will
continue to oppose prostitution in Canada."

Former teen prostitute Katarina MacLeod: "There's going to be no (police) sweeps
(of brothels anymore) . . . . What about the girls that are trapped inside
there? There's no voice for the voiceless any more and it just disgusts me that
we're in a world where this is looked at that this is okay."

Marie (not her real name), a former sex worker in Montreal who became a
prostitute as a teen and gave it up when she was 30: "It's hypocritical — it's
merely legitimizing pimps into businessmen. . . . Prostitution is not a choice,
it is a reality. Legalizing bordellos is simply telling men it's okay to go
there. . . . The violence against women is not on the street, it's between four
walls. There are escort services, massage parlours, all operating now with
organized crime and street gangs. Bordellos will be the same."

Former Montreal prostitute Julie: "This isn't a choice and it's not a job.
There's no more security in doing this inside a bordello. . . . Minors are going
to still be in prostitution and their numbers will increase."

Bob Hughes, head of the AIDS Society of Kamloops Wellness: "Anything that
supports . . . programs and efforts to assist women to get off the street and
working in the sex trade to a safer indoor setting should be applauded . . . .
women who are out on street-level sex trade are (at) far more risk of harm than
if they're indoors."

Terri-Jean Bedford, a dominatrix and former prostitute who was also part of the
case, saying working inside a brothel protects women: "When you are out on the
street, the laws are horrible . . . and they move people into the shadows. . . .
We're not sex slaves. We're not going to give it away. We're not going to lay
down and take the beatings any more like the police and the federal government
would like us to."

Valerie Scott, before the ruling: "It's a matter of life and death. . . . In
what other legal occupation is a worker not permitted by law to take any
security measures?"

Editorial, Calgary Herald: "The ruling, however, is naive. It presumes that
prostitutes, male or female, will operate their businesses like walk-in clinics,
presumably with all the licensing prerequisites of any business. . . The grim
reality is that prostitution is mostly practised by the drug-addicted, the
mentally ill and the desperately poor. For these, a licensed brothel will matter
little."

Sarah Barmak


http://www.thestar.com/news/insight/article/1154354--talking-points-will-ontario\
-court-s-brothel-ruling-really-protect-prostitutes


[just like Orwell predicted: the government (and now the press) will support
pornography and lower class prostitution]

----------------------------------------------------------------------


Mallick: Why are we talking ourselves into Brothel City?
Published On Fri Mar 30 2012

"All women should be shown a viable way out of the sex trade," said Angel Wolfe,
whose mother Brenda was killed by Robert Pickton.
LUCAS OLENIUK/TORONTO STAR

By Heather Mallick
Star Columnist

Prostitution is a rotten thing, dangerous, filthy and soul-destroying. And yet
male customers keep it going, along with an endless PR campaign — in tandem with
activist prostitutes — about catering to its inevitability.

But is it inevitable? Throughout history, people have taken dangerous drugs,
committed suicide, raped their offspring and behaved appallingly and
self-destructively in a huge expandable array of acts, but we don't shrug and
say, "Such is life." We work with great passion to put a stop to it. As we
should.

So why are Torontonians suddenly so passive in response to the Ontario Court of
Appeal decision allowing brothels? We aren't even waiting for the appeal to the
Supreme Court of Canada. We're rolling over for the sexual small-business
mentality and considering making it easier for brutes to rent the bodies of
desperate women and men.

We are now earnestly discussing how brothels are okay really, and accepting the
self-serving advice of madams that condo towers are full of lite-whorehouses
anyway and that a red-light district is simple good sense. You know, for that
type of person, we think patronizingly. But we're being scammed.

It's patronizing reverse-liberalism. We think we're being kind to prostitutes
when in fact we're skating away from the hard work of helping them. It's too
much trouble to contemplate fixing the root problems they face: their poverty,
despair, drug addiction and sheer lack of life options. And for so little
gratitude! So we curl up like possums and pass ourselves off as humane.

If Toronto is in fact thick with mom-and-pop brothels — the implication being
that these cosy places offer butter tarts in the parlour for gentleman callers —
then we and our children are sharing the elevators with johns. We're in more
danger inside than we are outside from falling glass. If I don't want
prostitute-buyers in my neighbourhood, I shouldn't be blithe about their
marching about the neighbourhoods of the poor.

I don't like these men and I won't tolerate feeding their sexual ineptitude. Let
them wash up, buy women a drink and take their chances like the rest of us. This
is Toronto, not a Chicken Ranch.

Street sex workers have to be protected from violent men. It's up to the police
to do that. The fact that the Vancouver police aggressively ignored the
Vancouver women who disappeared at the hands of serial killer Robert Pickton is
not a reason to give the police a pass. As Angel Wolfe, the daughter of Brenda
Wolfe, one of Pickton's first victims, said tearfully and angrily after the
ruling, "I believe that all women should be shown a viable way out of the sex
trade."

Who knows better than this brave young woman? When we give up on fighting
prostitution, it means we are bowing not just to johns but to incompetent cops.

Why not fight prostitution itself? It's a great battle that should never cease.
In 1847, Charles Dickens came up with an idea for a refuge for London women
selling their bodies to survive. This "house of fallen women," named Urania
Cottage, was financed by Dickens' friend, an heiress named Angela Burdett
Coutts.

For 16 years, until Dickens' own domestic life fell apart, it provided a home,
care and feeding for street women so poor we can hardly imagine it today. It
trained them for the meagre work available to poor Victorian women — mainly
sewing and housekeeping — and also offered passage to the colonies for female
Oliver Twists wanting to escape their past lives.

Yes, it was patronizing. Yes, it was punishing. But it offered a life raft.

The magnificent Dickens always wanted to improve lives being lived, throwing
himself into causes with a scary energy and eloquence. I can't imagine what he'd
say if he heard us today saying, yes, if our daughters "want to" provide oral
sex to buy the drugs they're hooked on, who are we to deny them?

And how wearying it would be to try.

I see this fatigue in many fields now. Why shouldn't wealthy Canadians pay South
Asian surrogates to endure embryo implantations and bear them children? If
vaginas are nice earners for prostitutes, why shouldn't underperforming wombs be
pressed into trade too? By all means, buy the kidneys of the poor of Eastern
Europe. They do have two, after all.

We're sliding down the slipperiest of slopes. Every organ is a commodity.
Where's the harm?

The harm can be seen on the faces and bodies of prostitution's victims. The
damage to their heart's core is invisible, but that doesn't make it
incalculable.

http://www.thestar.com/news/article/1154464--mallick-why-are-we-talking-ourselve\
s-into-brothel-city

======================================================================



[Toronto Star Entertainment]

By Richard Ouzounian
Theatre Critic

Kelly Ripa: from All My Children to Regis Philbin to Ben Mulroney

SUPPLIED PHOTO
Kelly Ripa is bringing her popular talk show to Banff.

Mar 30, 2012


Kelly Ripa isn't going anywhere.

That's an unusual state of affairs for the popular 41-year-old host of Live!
With Kelly, seen weekdays at 9 a.m. on CTV.

Not only does her energetic interviewing style make her seem like a helicopter
always about to take off for somewhere exciting, she's getting ready to present
her show next week from Banff, Alta.

Right now, however, she's stuck in traffic and our interview is conducted on a
cellphone to the background soundtrack of Manhattan car horns squawking their
anger over the latest gridlock.

"If I let everything that goes wrong in the world bother me, I'd go crazy," she
laughs in that distinctive voice that has retained just a trace of her New
Jersey accent. "If you've got 10 things on the go one day and five of them fall
through, you're still batting .500, which is pretty great in anybody's book."

Ripa's visit to Banff will mark the third time she's broadcast the program from
Canada, the first two with her longtime co-host Regis Philbin, who retired last
November. The duo went to Niagara Falls in 2006 and Prince Edward Island in
2010, both visits yielding visible results in tourism. Banff is hoping for the
same, which is the reason Travel Alberta forked out $1.5 million to make this
happen.

"I'm so excited about going there, because I always wanted to be an outdoorsy
mountain girl, but I grew up along the Jersey Shore and never saw a mountain
except on postcards," she says.

She was born in Stratford, N.J., on Oct. 2, 1970 to a homemaker mom and a bus
driver dad who went on to be a labour union president.

"There was always a lot of love and laughter in the house, and tons of fun. My
mom and dad are the reason I am who I am today. What you see on the show is just
the way I used to act at home. Add my husband and you've got a support system
that every woman should have."

Ripa admits she's almost invariably nice on camera and that's certainly how she
comes across in an interview but credits that to the fact that "I mostly talk to
nice people and I give back what I get. That's easy. But treat me with
disrespect and you'll learn real fast that I'm from Jersey."

Ask Clay Aiken. Back in 2006, the singer-songwriter actually covered Ripa's
mouth with his hand to block a question and the whole world soon knew how
unhappy she was about it. "I'm no pushover," she says unapologetically.

She was also no actress or so she thought until Grade 6, when her school's
theatre director, Jim Beckley, got an idea that would shape the direction of
Ripa's life.

"I was not a good singer and our school only did musicals then, so I wasn't even
going to try out until Jim asked me to. He thought I was a natural performer and
so he gave me a lead in the next show."

That sounds great until you realize the show was the Gilbert and Sullivan
operetta H.M.S. Pinafore and Ripa had been cast as the soprano love interest,
Josephine, with many demanding solos.

Ripa's solution was "to turn songs like `Sorry Her Lot' into a full-blown
sitcom, with me sobbing and blowing my nose."

Gilbert and Sullivan may have done a 360-degree revolution in their graves, but
the New Jersey audience loved it.

"And I learned something very important. When you get an audience laughing, you
get them on your side. And if you can laugh at yourself, they're bound to like
you even more."

It's a lesson Ripa learned well. It also explains that while some of her
seemingly ingenuous on-air comments and outbursts of "too much information"
about her personal life may be spontaneous, that doesn't mean they're not part
of a long-term strategy.

Ripa didn't have to wait too long after school before landing her first big
break, playing the character of Hayley Vaughan on the long-running soap opera
All My Children from 1990-2001.

"When you're playing a character, you only see things from your point of view,"
recalls Ripa. "When I got the role, I thought I would be a glamorous soap star
with long nails and cascading hair and wonderful clothes, but I wore the same
outfit for a year because I was a runaway. It didn't matter. Audiences loved her
because she was an underdog."

Although she loved doing the show, it's surprising to hear her declare that "I
try never to look back because it's so painful to look at myself." I ask if
there was some emotional trauma connected with that period and she bursts into
laughter.

"No! I'm talking about looking at my bad acting! I just cringe when I see those
early shows. Thank God they were all so generous and let me learn on the job,
because I learned a lot"

She also met her husband, Mark Consuelos, who was her co-star on the program.
They married in 1996, have been happily together ever since and have three
children.

The problems of being a popular soap star helped prepare Ripa for the attention
she had to face as the host of a hit show.

"People would come up to me all the time and talk to me like I was Hayley.
They'd even call me Hayley. I don't think they knew my real name.

"I played a recovering alcoholic and so when I'd be out at dinner with my
husband, they'd see me drinking a glass of wine and turn on him for enabling me.

"It could get pretty hairy!"

Her next big role took her in totally the opposite direction and she loved it.
Starting in 2003, she spent three seasons on the sitcom Hope & Faith, playing
Faith Fairfield, a former soap star who moves in with her sister Hope (Faith
Ford), wrecking havoc on her family life.

"I absolutely loved playing that role. I could bring everything I knew about the
world of soap opera to it, but the character was so juicy! We've all met people
who are that self-involved. It doesn't really matter what you're saying. They're
only waiting for you to stop talking to tell you what they think.

"There's something very compelling about that level of narcissism and it was so
liberating to never have to be nice."

But the big job of her career had been running in tandem with these other gigs
for several years.

In 2000, she went on what was originally called Live! With Regis and Kathie Lee
as a guest host and soon became the obvious choice to share the sofa with
Philbin, which she did from Feb. 5, 2001 until he retired last November.

"I was truly a fan of Regis and Kathie Lee from the beginning, and when I got
the gig it's like everybody who watches the show got the gig as well."

There's going to be a new co-host named soon, but Ripa is mum on the subject,
preferring to talk about how much snowshoeing she plans to do when in Banff and
conveying genuine excitement about one of her co-hosts in the coming week.

"I'm going to be working with Ben Mulroney on April 5 and I hear he's just like
Canadian royalty."

Well, I told you Kelly Ripa was a nice person.

FIVE FAVE PEOPLE IN KELLY RIPA'S LIFE

MARK CONSUELOS

He's not just my husband; he's my co-host in life.

ANDERSON COOPER

He makes me more aware of what goes on in the world, near and far.

KATHIE LEE GIFFORD

If she hadn't been such a success on the program first, I wouldn't be there to
follow her now.

REGIS PHILBIN

He's not just the greatest storyteller in the world, he showed me that the bad
things that happen to me in my life aren't always bad things.

JOSEPH & ESTHER RIPA

My parents. They really showed me what a married couple should look like. Mark
and I have taken great inspiration from watching them.


http://www.toronto.com/article/720229--kelly-ripa-from-all-my-children-to-regis-\
philbin-to-ben-mulroney

======================================================================




Singer Robin Thicke honoured by Juno nomination
Singer plans to attend show on Sunday
The Canadian Press

Posted: Mar 28, 2012 6:13 PM ET
Last Updated: Mar 28, 2012 6:21 PM ET

Singer Robin Thicke performs on the Today show in December. Peter Kramer/ NBC /
Associated Press / Canadian Press


Given that he was born and raised in the balmy climes of Los Angeles, Robin
Thicke didn't exactly grow up dreaming of the day he would be nominated for a
Juno Award.

Still, the 35-year-old — who holds dual citizenship by virtue of his father,
celebrated Canuck actor Alan Thicke — was tickled to find himself among the
nominees for R&B/soul recording of the year at Sunday's show. Even if he's never
really considered himself Canadian.

"I was very honoured — it's nice to be nominated in dad's home [country]," the
personable singer said when reached via telephone this week.

"The nomination is just, it's very sweet. Very kind. When you make your music,
you want as many people to hear it and love it as possible. It's nice when your
peers — or a meeting of the minds — thinks you've made something of quality."

Oh, and just in case you were wondering...

"I definitely knew what the Junos are."

For the record, the rule of eligibility is simple: Thicke could be nominated for
a Juno because he holds Canadian citizenship and he put out music during the
right timeframe.

"We're Canadian — we like to be more inclusive," joked Melanie Berry, president
of the Canadian Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences, which puts on the Junos.

Still, the inclusion of a well-known American crooner did raise some eyebrows.

Toronto's Melanie Fiona, who is nominated alongside Thicke for R&B/soul
recording, admitted she was surprised to see his name among the nominees, even
though the two singers are friends.

"I was like, 'I didn't realize Americans are getting nominated at the Junos,"'
the two-time Grammy-winning Fiona said during a recent interview.

"But afterward, I was like, 'Oh right, he is, he's Canadian.' We actually crack
about that all the time, whenever I see him. He's like, 'Well, I'm a
half-Canadian.' So we definitely have that bond.

"I'm glad that at least when he's around me, he reps it proudly, because I rep
it proudly all the time."

Thicke, meanwhile, has only positive memories of spending time in Canada as a
child.

He remembers coming to Brampton, Ont., to visit his grandfather at Christmas and
during the summer, when the family would go boating together (his mother is
singer and former Days of Our Lives star Gloria Loring).

Thicke says he has equally fond memories of visiting relatives in Edmonton and
Vancouver.

Thicke is nominated for his collaboration with Lil Wayne, seen here performing
in March during the SXSW Music Festival in Austin, TexasJack Plunkett/
Associated Press
"I spent a lot of time in Canada," said Thicke, who's married to Mission:
Impossible — Ghost Protocol star Paula Patton.

And unlike some prominent homegrown nominees, Thicke actually plans to attend
the show in Ottawa this Sunday.

"Just for fun, [I'll] come hang out," said Thicke, who's nominated for his Lil
Wayne collaboration Pretty Lil' Heart.

"I never turn down a good party."

Still, even with his Canuck credentials, the surprising nomination mainly made
Thicke think of his father.

"My dad has total Canadian pride. My dad is ... a lover of all things Canadian."

The elder Thicke even co-hosted the Junos with Burton Cummings way back in 1983.

Like many Juno-related matters, Robin Thicke was gleefully unaware of that piece
of trivia.

"No he didn't!" he said with palpable surprise, laughing.

"I love it. I didn't even know that. See? That's my point. You can't do anything
in Canada without my dad having been a part of it."

© The Canadian Press, 2012


http://www.cbc.ca/m/touch/arts/story/2012/03/28/robin-thicke-juno-nomination.htm\
l

======================================================================

From:   Ian Morrison - FRIENDS <ian.morrison@...>

Subject:   CBC singled out for vindictive cuts

Date:   Thu 03/29/12 06:08 PM


In today's Budget, the Harper government has broken its election promise and cut
the CBC's budget by 10% - this is $115 million!

This will require CBC to cut hundreds of staff, including some of the most
famous personalities from flagship TV and Radio shows, thereby incurring heavy
separation costs, putting further downward pressure on programming.

We were expecting something like this, but it's shocking when you consider the
impact of these cuts:

The death of Radio 2

Reduced depth, quality, diversity and distinctiveness of CBC News
CBC Radio will be less relevant to Canadians
Canadian bureaus in major cities around the world will be closed
Further reductions to cultural programs
CBC Television will look a lot more like private-sector commercial channels
The Table below (Budget 2012, page 269) shows how CBC has been singled out for
cuts in the "Heritage Portfolio", where other cultural institutions, such as the
Canada Council and the National Gallery have been spared:

[graph in email received does not copy!]

We are not going to take this lying down!

Now we have to mobilize CBC's supporters – 8 out of 10 Canadians –
http://www.friends.ca/poll/10453
to hold Stephen Harper's government to account in the years leading to the next
election, when the impact of what Harper has done today will be painfully
obvious.

Thanks for standing with us as we move forward with this fight for Canadian
culture and democracy! You will hear from us again soon.

Regards!


Ian Morrison
Spokesperson
FRIENDS of Canadian Broadcasting
FRIENDS of Canadian Broadcasting is an independent watchdog for Canadian
programming
and is not affiliated with any broadcaster or political party.


Full Report
http://www.friends.ca/files/PDF/fcb-28nov11-report.pdf


http://www.friends.ca

http://www.friends.ca/press-release/10639
[no graph in news release either!]

http://www.friends.ca/files/PDF/HerComm.cbc.f28.pdf


--------------------------------------------------------------------


Bookmark!
http://ca.groups.yahoo.com/group/angelgoddess-newsmuse
http://ca.groups.yahoo.com/group/aicap-aifap

======================================================================

Table A1.11
Planned Savings - Heritage Portfolio
millions of dollars
http://blog.documents.angelfire.com/TableA1.11.pdf

I've Loved You So Long

Kristin Scott Thomas (Actor), Elsa Zylberstein (Actor), Philippe Claudel
(Director) | Rated: PG-13 (Parental Guidance Suggested) | Format: DVD
5 stars

Actors: Kristin Scott Thomas, Elsa Zylberstein, Serge Hazanavicius, Laurent
Grévill, Frédéric Pierrot
Directors: Philippe Claudel
Writers: Philippe Claudel
Producers: Sylvestre Guarino, Yves Marmion
Format: AC-3, Color, Dolby, Dubbed, DVD-Video, Subtitled, Widescreen, NTSC
Language: French
Subtitles: English
Region: (US and Canada This DVD will probably NOT be viewable in other
countries. Read more about DVD formats.)
Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1
Number of discs: 1
MPAA Rating:
Studio: Columbia/Tristar Vid
Release Date: Feb 10 2009
Run Time: 117 minutes
ASIN: B001M72J68
Amazon Bestsellers Rank:
#2 in DVD > Art House & International > By Country > France
#3 in DVD > En français > Drame > Drames psychologiques
#13 in DVD > Art House & International > By Original Language > French

Kristin Scott Thomas is brilliant as Juliette, freed from prison after serving
15 years. Enigmatic, reserved, yet ready to re-enter life cautiously, Juliette
moves in with her younger sister, Lea (Elsa Zylberstein), a literature
professor, and the latter's husband Luc (Serge Hazanavicius), who worries about
allowing Juliette into a home with two young children (related to the reason she
was convicted in the first place). Also in the house is Juliette and Lea's
father (Jean-Claude Arnaud), mute from illness. Writer-director Philippe Claudel
slowly reveals details about the nature of Juliette's crime as she takes a job
in a hospital records department and is wooed by a colleague. Other forces in
Juliette's life--people asking questions, a visit to her dementia-suffering
mother, tensions between her and Lea--slowly tease out the mystery behind her
actions and takes viewers to a conclusion that adds an element of surprise but
ties things up too tidily. Claudel cultivates an aura of naturalism and
no-frills storytelling that allows dramatic developments and revelations to
unfold easily. The film borders a bit on soap opera, but the grace and
intelligence of Thomas' performance, offset by Zylberstein's more emotional
work, is never less than compelling. --Tom Keogh

http://www.amazon.ca/exec/obidos/ASIN/B001M72J68/internatio088-20

======================================================================

whitney houston succembed to drowning, says coroner

the cause of whitney houston's death was accidental drowning, it has been
revealed.  long-term cocaine use and heart disease contributed to the
48-year-old singer's death on feb.11, according to the los angeles county
coroner's office.  the star, who was found dead in the bathtub of her suite at
the beverly hilton hotel on the eve of the grammy awards ceremony, also had
marijuana, allergy medication, an anti-anxiety drug and a muscle relaxant in her
blood, according to the toxicology report.
"we are saddened to learn of the results," said patricia houston, whiteney's
sister-in-law and former manager, "although we are glad to now have closure."

http://www.hellomagazine.ca

[printed april, 2012 - could not find one unedited version with specific
toxicology results online!]

========================================================================

No child's play
Apr. 1, 2012
Written by: Marilyn Linton, QMI Agency

Vaccines aren't just for kids, experts say. So roll up your sleeves, grown-ups!
(Veronica Henri/QMI Agency)

Except for our annual flu shot, most of us think vaccines are just for kids.

British actress and former Bond girl Jane Seymour was no different - until she
got sick and discovered her illness could have been prevented with a simple
vaccine. The actress, known most recently for her TV role on Dr. Quinn, Medicine
Woman, has since campaigned widely to raise awareness of adult vaccines,
including during a trip last year to Canada.

It's obvious public health has made great strides in reducing common illnesses
that in the past killed many children - everything from measles to polio. But as
Vancouver's public health and preventive medicine specialist Dr. Bonnie Henry
points out, there is no strong public health program for adult immunization.
"Sometimes they get neglected," she says.

Ad

Not only do adults need booster shots, but they also need to know their own
personal immunization history - something most of us assume is our doctor's
responsibility alone.
"We tend to be quite complacent," says Henry. "It's really important to know
that immunization is not just for children."

But that's what many North Americans do think - despite the fact that more than
40,000 adults die each year of vaccine-preventable diseases. The fact many
adults don't realize the benefits of vaccination do not end in childhood is what
prompted the American Academy of Microbiology to convene an expert panel on the
subject and publish a report entitled Adult Vaccines - a Grown Up Thing to Do.

Adults need to be vaccinated because the immunity we received from the vaccines
we got as children can wane over time, says Henry. "A booster for tetanus and
diphtheria, given as Td, should be taken every 10 years. And adults should also
have a single dose of pertussis vaccine."

Tetanus is all around us, she explains. "It's a bacterium that lives in the soil
and can produce a very severe illness. Luckily most of us have been immunized,
but that immunity wanes over time."

In BC in 2007, three people died from their tetanus infection and all started
out with minor cuts to the skin.

Adults over 65 and those with conditions that increase their chances of
complications should receive one dose of pneumococcal vaccine. That vaccine,
Henry explains, protects against a bacteria known as Streptococcus pneumoniae.
People die from this severe form of pneumonia every year - it's what struck Jane
Seymour a few years back.

All adult vaccines are recommended by Canada's National Advisory Council for
Immunization (NACI), a board on which Henry sits. NACI also recommends a
shingles vaccine for people over the age of 60.

"It doesn't prevent all cases, but it diminishes the severity of the disease and
reduces the probability that you'd develop the accompanying nerve pain," says
Henry. (The shingles vaccine, however, is not covered by most health programs;
it's cost, a whopping $250.)

Some physicians also recommend that adults receive vaccines against Hepatitis A
and B, especially those who travel outside North America.

As for whose job it is to remember what vaccine you had and when, Henry says
everyone should keep their own record (find one at www.immunize.ca) and talk to
their doctors about getting up to date.

"All adult vaccines are effective and safe," she adds. "In flu shots, for
instance, having a serious adverse reaction is rare compared to the probability
of getting sick."

What's a vaccine?

In Adult Vaccines: A Grown Up Thing to Do, it's explained that a vaccine is a
substance that teaches your immune system to recognize a pathogen - a
potentially harmful microorganism. Drugs like antibiotics can fight some of
these pathogens after they make us sick, but only vaccines can prepare our
immune system so certain pathogens never make us sick in the first place.
Download the report at http://www.academy.asm.org.

What and when?

* Keep track of your immunizations by downloading a card from
http://www.immunize.ca .

* For a full list of adult immunizations recommended for Canadians, go to
http://www.phac-aspc.gc.ca .

Good riddance!

Polio is on its way to being eradicated, says Dr. Bonnie Henry. India – one of
four countries where polio is still present – has been polio free for a year.
Polio is still found in Nigeria, Pakistan and Afghanistan. Smallpox is the first
disease we have totally eradicated, and the smallpox vaccine is no longer
routinely offered.

Herd this?

Herd immunity is a buzz phrase in immunization circles. It's when you have
enough immunity in the surrounding population (or herd) that it provides a
measure of immunity for people (or animals) who have not developed immunity.

Living healthy only gets you so far

Adults who shun their recommended vaccines say they do other things to stay
healthy - like eating well and exercising. But healthy living can only do so
much. Think of getting your shots as "insurance," says Dr. Bonnie Henry. And
adults who are immunized help to protect the very young around them. Adults who
are no longer immune to pertussis, for instance, can pass it to young children
who become seriously ill.

BY MARILYN LINTON, QMI AGENCY

http://chealth.canoe.ca/columns.asp?columnistid=7&articleid=32730

----------------------------------------------------------------------



Toronto Public Health worried
OxyContin addicts could overwhelm detox clinics
Published On Sun Apr 01 2012

By Megan Ogilvie
Health Reporter


One month after OxyContin was replaced with a harder-to-abuse pill, Toronto
Public Health warns treatment and detox programs are already stretched beyond
capacity.

As street supplies of the prescription painkiller dry up, public health
officials are concerned that clinics won't be able to cope with people seeking
addiction treatment.

Staff also say the switch in drugs, coupled with the province delisting both
forms of the narcotic from the Ontario drug benefit program, could cause an
increase in overdose deaths as addicts are forced to turn to more harmful drugs,
such as heroin.

And they worry people are getting hurt as they experiment with how to abuse the
replacement drug, OxyNeo.

A report, to be tabled Monday at the Toronto Board of Health meeting, will urge
Health Minister Deb Matthews to make the drug Suboxone — a drug similar to
methadone that is used to treat opioid addiction — more easily available to
patients who need it.

Currently, Suboxone is only available through the province's Exceptional Access
Program — the mechanism that allows doctors, on behalf of their patients, to
request access to drugs not listed on the provincial formulary.

"We certainly anticipate there will be more people seeking treatment from opiate
withdrawal of OxyContin," said Dr. David McKeown, Toronto's chief medical
officer of health. "For some clients, Suboxone is more appropriate … It would be
helpful if the provincial government would streamline access."

On March 1, Purdue Pharma replaced OxyContin with OxyNeo, a tablet the
manufacturer says is harder to crush, and therefore harder to abuse by snorting
or injecting.

At the same time, Ontario delisted both narcotics from the province's drug
benefit program to make it more difficult for physicians to prescribe — and
patients to get — the drugs.

The move was made to curb the number of people who get addicted to OxyContin,
which is sold on the street for its heroin-like high. The drug causes hundreds
of overdose deaths each year.

Toronto Public Health agrees provincial action was needed to curtail the
addiction epidemic. But Monday's report highlights the negative affects that
could arise from the policy change.

One concern is that addicts who are unable to get OxyContin will turn to
potentially more harmful drugs, such as heroin or fentanyl, another prescription
opioid available as a skin patch. People who abuse fentanyl cut the patch into
pieces, scrape off the drug and inject it for the high.

"Fentanyl can lead to more overdoses, it's much more potent," said Dr. Rita
Shahin, associate medical officer of health at Toronto Public Health. "When
injecting a (crushed) tablet, you know the dose you are getting. With a patch,
you don't know the dose. It's more concerning when people are not able to judge
the dose they are using."

There are also signs that people in Toronto are starting to abuse OxyNeo by
heating up the gel capsule and injecting the substance, Shahin said.

"It's a concern to us because we don't know what the impact will be of injecting
it, especially since it's a gel formulation."

Front line staff are monitoring the OxyNeo situation and are contacting U.S.
health professionals for advice on how to prepare harm reduction materials,
Shahin said. The reformulated version of OxyContin was introduced in the United
States in 2010.

Dr. Anita Srivastava, an assistant professor of family and community medicine at
the University of Toronto, said removing Suboxone from the province's
Exceptional Access Program would be a clear benefit to people who are addicted
to opioids.

"It's important to have more than one option for our patients," said Srivastava,
who includes addiction medication as part of her practice.

Right now, doctors who believe their patients would benefit from Suboxone must
go through a lengthy process to request the drug be funded by the province. In
its report, Toronto Public health called the approval process, which can take up
to three months, "cumbersome and restrictive."

Srivastava said both methadone and Suboxone are effective treatments for opioid
addiction, with each having its own set of risks and benefits. Suboxone, for
example, is less potent than methadone so there is less risk of overdose,
especially for patients who are heavy drinkers, she said.

She said many of her patients are unable to afford Suboxone on their own and do
not want to wait out the three-month approval process for the drug.

"Patients should be given a choice. The more we have in our arsenal to treat
addiction the better we can treat it."

The spokeswoman for Health Minister Deb Matthews told the Star on Friday that
the Ministry has been in touch with the manufacturer of Suboxone and is
"interested to get any information from them to help evaluate whether this drug
should be available more broadly."

On March 12, Ontario detailed its strategy to help OxyContin users find
addiction treatment. The plan was released after the government faced weeks of
criticism for not being prepared to handle mass withdrawals.


http://www.thestar.com/news/article/1154978--toronto-public-health-worried-oxyco\
ntin-addicts-could-overwhelm-detox-clinics

----------------------------------------------------------------------



New immigrants are the `hidden homeless'
Published On Mon Apr 02 2012

Anthony Rozario can smile about his subsidized apartment now, but the
Bangladeshi father and his wife used to share a small Scarborough apartment with
three adult children.
VINCE TALOTTA/TORONTO STAR
Nicholas Keung
Immigration Reporter

Anthony Rosario, his wife and three adult children shared a two-bedroom
apartment in Scarborough when they first came from Bangladesh in 1998.

At times, they also shared their already crowded dwelling with other families,
converting available space into bedrooms.

Space was tight but so was their budget, with their $900-a-month rent eating up
half the family's monthly income.

Up until February, Rosario and his wife, Mary, were still sharing their
two-bedroom apartment with his son, daughter-in-law and two grandchildren.

"It's tough to live with so many people in so little space, but you are bound to
live like this when you don't have money," said Rosario, 61, a bakery chef, who
two months ago finally moved into a subsidized seniors' apartment after four
years on the waiting list.

But a new study on immigrant housing warns that thousands of newcomers continue
to live in "hidden homelessness" — in shared, overcrowded housing — an issue
that has grown more acute, especially in Toronto, where affordable rental units
are in short supply.

The national study by Metropolis, an international network of researchers in
immigration policy, found most newcomers reported spending more than 50 per cent
of income on housing, with 15 per cent spending 75 per cent or more.

"Financial difficulties force many newcomers to share accommodations that are
often poor quality, overcrowded and unsafe," says the report.

The report is based on national housing data and surveys of 600 migrants in
Toronto, Montreal and Vancouver. In Toronto, where the average wage is $69,000,
most newcomers surveyed had incomes under $20,000.

"New rooming houses are being created in the suburbs, in locations without
rooming house regulations. Often illegal, suburban rooming houses can offer
deplorable housing," the report continued.

Newcomers also face discrimination in the housing market, with refugees,
temporary residents, single parents, large families and people who do not speak
English or French facing the greatest challenge, said University of British
Columbia professor Daniel Hiebert, the study's lead author. "The housing
situation generally improves over time for most immigrants but there's a
fraction of the immigrant population where the challenges remain and persist for
a long time," he said.

In Toronto, the vacancy rate for rental accommodation fell to 2.1 per cent in
2010, well below the 3 to 4 per cent threshold, a decline more "sustained and
dramatic" compared with other immigrant gateway cities, the report states. (The
city's vacancy rate in 2011 fell again to 1.4 per cent.)

Since the 2008 global financial meltdown, the report says, construction projects
were cancelled and the number of apartment starts fell by almost 50 per cent in
the city.

The recent supply of apartments is mostly intended for the condominium market,
which has increased from 22.1 per cent of all starts in 1996 to 44.6 per cent in
2010.

Since 2000, the Toronto Housing Databank found that units with rents between
$600 and $900 have decreased by 66,069, while those with rents between $901 and
$1,500 and over have increased by 48,760.

"With rising rents, the loss of inexpensive rental units, and disproportionate
growth in condominiums, the supply of affordable accommodation for newcomers,
particularly those with children is limited," said the study, whose Toronto
section was led by York University professor Valerie Preston.

Toronto is home to the largest stock of social housing in Canada, with 127,545
units of rent-geared-to-income housing in which residents pay no more than 30
per cent of total income before taxes on housing. However, almost 90,000
households are on the waiting list, meaning wait times of four to 21 years.

The study calls for a national housing strategy by all levels of government and
the redesigning of housing services for newcomers.

Vacancy and average rents in Toronto in 2010

Vacancy rateRent

Studio2.3%$778

1-bedroom2.4%$952

2-bedroom1.9%$1,118

3-bedroom or more1.6%$1,305

Dwelling (unit) starts in Toronto by type:

200820092010

Detached11,3088,1309,936

Semi2,3622,0321,654

Townhouse4,6122,9184,365

Apartments23,93012,86913,240

Precarious Housing & Hidden Homelessness Among Refugees, Asylum Seekers and
Immigrants


http://www.thestar.com/news/canada/article/1155144--new-immigrants-are-the-hidde\
n-homeless-hidden-homelessness-a-growing-problem-for-canada-s-newcomers

----------------------------------------------------------------------



Canuck Housewives:
The Real Housewives of Vancouver

Don't miss the 2-Hour Premiere Event Beginning at 9pm ET|PT on Wednesday, April
4th!

The world's number one lifestyle reality franchise goes Canadian. Joining Orange
County, New York City, Atlanta, New Jersey, Beverly Hills, Miami, D.C. and most
recently, Athens, Israel and France, The Real Housewives of Vancouver is the
first Canadian installment of the internationally acclaimed series.

The Real Housewives of Vancouver, the year's most buzzed about new Canadian
lifestyle reality series, takes viewers on a wild ride into the never before
seen world of Vancouver's wealthiest and most fabulous women. The first season
dives into the everyday lives of Jody, Christina, Reiko, Ronnie, and Mary,
revealing intimate and often outrageous details about their relationships,
career triumphs and pitfalls, sex lives and family drama.


http://www.slice.ca/shows/realhousewivesvancouver/default.aspx?Title_ID=273301


[note from this moderator, who is an academy voter, isn't receiving Slice TV's
digital cable signals, and apparently this is one of the few shows, along with
all the other real housewives, and the Toronto-shot Covert Affairs (as well as
Tori and Dean and Millionaire Matchmaker) that don't have back up channels!
already tried to reason with Bravo Canada, but they seem to have no interest in
audience concerns!]

======================================================================

Your Post-Federal Budget OAS and GIS Update
Low-income seniors left in the breach

Without special provision for seniors with low-income, people in need of income
support who cannot wait the extra two years for their OAS and GIS will have to
turn to provincial income support programs. Although the Government will
compensate provinces and territories for net additional costs they face
resulting from the increase in the age of eligibility for OAS benefits, these
individuals would presumably have to apply for social assistance programs, which
carry both stigma and are unlikely to match the OAS/GIS pension amounts.

The delayed and gradual changes notwithstanding, the OAS changes repudiate the
government's original reasons for going after the OAS. In the first instance,
the government stated that OAS changes were necessary in the face of the massive
Baby Boomer generation. The government argued that there were simply too many
Boomers to sustain funding the OAS. As it happens, the gradual and delayed
changes to OAS mean that most boomers will... Read more

Government ignores CARP members on OAS
Expect Poor to Apply for Welfare

OAS changes will hurt, not help next generation; vague promises to confer with
provinces to protect some low income people is not enough.

CARP members will be disappointed that the federal government ignored their call
to leave OAS alone or at least make provision for those who will depend on OAS.
Even those resigned to changing OAS spending would rather see changes to the
threshold than changing the age of eligibility. According to CARP Polls in the
past two months, CARP members roundly reject raising the OAS eligibility age and
see better ways to help younger Canadians- such as increasing job opportunities.
Read more - 
http://www.carp.ca/2012/04/03/your-post-federal-budget-oas-and-gis-update/

OR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

March 29, 2012

OAS changes will hurt, not help next generation; vague promises to confer with
provinces to protect some low income people not enough: CARP

Toronto, ON: CARP members will be disappointed that the federal government
ignored their call to leave OAS alone or at least make provision for those who
will depend on OAS. Even those resigned to changing OAS spending would rather
see changes to the threshold than changing the age of eligibility. According to
CARP Polls in the past two months, CARP members roundly reject raising the OAS
eligibility age and see better ways to help younger Canadians– such as
increasing job opportunities.

As was widely anticipated, the federal government announced changes to the
eligibility rules for Old Age Security benefits by raising the age from 65 to
67. But notwithstanding the widespread concerns, there will not be specific
measures that will protect low income pre-retirees – just some provision for
groups already on government assistance. Without special provision for them,
other people in need of income support who cannot wait the extra two years for
their OAS and GIS would have to turn to provincial income support programs.
Although the Government will compensate provinces and territories for net
additional costs they face resulting from the increase in the age of eligibility
for OAS benefits, these individuals would presumably have to applied for social
assistance programs which both carry stigma and are unlikely to match the OAS
pension amounts.

The Budget states that the government proposes to:

Gradually increase the age of eligibility for Old Age Security (OAS) and
Guaranteed Income Supplement benefits from 65 to 67. This change will start in
April 2023, with full implementation by January 2029, and will not affect anyone
who is 54 years of age or older as of March 31, 2012.

This proposed legislative change to the age of OAS/GIS eligibility will not
affect anyone who is 54 years of age or older as of March 31, 2012. Thus,
individuals who were born on March 31, 1958 or earlier will not be affected.
Those who were born on or after February 1, 1962 will have an age of eligibility
of 67. Those who were born between April 1, 1958 and January 31, 1962 will have
an age of eligibility between 65 and 67. For example, someone born in April 1960
will be eligible for OAS/GIS at age 66 and one month.

There is acknowledgement of the problem of those who would not be able to wait
the two extra years with the special provisions for certain groups but not
anyone else.

The Government will ensure that certain federal programs, including programs
provided by Veterans Affairs Canada and Aboriginal Affairs and Northern
Development Canada that currently provide income support benefits until age 65,
are aligned with changes to the OAS program. Without such an alignment,
individuals receiving benefits from these programs would stop receiving them at
age 65 and face an income gap until age 67 when they become eligible for OAS and
GIS. The alignment will ensure that these individuals do not face a gap in
income at ages 65 and 66.

The Government will discuss the impact of the changes to the OAS program on
Canada Pension Plan (CPP) disability and survivor benefits with provinces and
territories, who are joint stewards of the CPP, in the course of the next
triennial review. The Government will compensate provinces and territories for
net additional costs they face resulting from the increase in the age of
eligibility for OAS benefits.

"The prospect of waiting two additional years before receiving OAS has alarmed
especially low income earners who do not readily see how they can change their
circumstances no matter how long it takes to phase in the changes.

At the very least, eligibility for GIS and provincial benefits should have been
de-coupled from OAS eligibility or provision should have been made to replace
the additional income support for those most in need, especially single seniors.
Extending support for the very vulnerable – those already on government support
programs – is welcome but should be extended to all those in need.

Nonetheless, CARP members would rather the government look elsewhere for
budgetary savings", said Susan Eng, VP Advocacy, CARP.

The Budget also proposes to improve flexibility and choice by allowing Canadians
the option of deferring take-up of their OAS benefits to a later time and
receiving higher annual benefits. The adjusted pension will be calculated on an
actuarially neutral basis, as is done with the CPP.

This would not result in any budgetary savings and would benefit only those who
can do without the income support.

In recent CARP Polls™ the vast majority of CARP members said

They objected to the anticipated rise of the eligibility age, and said it would
affect their vote
They preferred the Parliamentary Budget Officer's assessment of the
sustainability of continuing the OAS spending as it is to that of the
government, and
They strongly believe that there were better ways to secure the future for the
younger generation – such as by creating job opportunities for them rather than
cutting OAS.
"For the most part, CARP members knew that their own OAS will not be affected
and do not see how cutting OAS spending would help future generations.  Instead,
they are calling for measures that will create job opportunities for them as a
better way to secure their future.  Rather than selfishly guarding their own
interests, as has been suggested, CARP members and other older Canadians are
defending an important part of the social safety net and do not want to see it
torn up for their children and grandchildren", added Eng.

CARP polls its members in its twice monthly e-newsletter. Over 4,000 responded
to the poll immediately following the speech in Davos at which the OAS changes
were first suggested. In the latest poll, issued Friday March 23, 2012, CARP
members continue to demonstrate their opposition to raising the OAS eligibility
age. However, those who consider the change to be inevitable wanted a softening
of the impact through a provision for single seniors or decoupling OAS and GIS.
This did not occur except for the limited category of people already on
government assistance.

While CARP members do not accept the government's argument that OAS makes the
budget unsustainable, preferring the opposite assessment of the Parliamentary
Budget officer by six fold, when asked how to reduce the OAS budget, most of the
CARP members prefer lowering the maximum eligibility threshold over lowering the
clawback threshold or raising the eligibility age.

To counter arguments that the OAS changes are necessary to help future
generations, two thirds of CARP members think that the budget should include
stimulus to provide job growth for youth, and even more support more
apprenticeships for youth or keeping high value jobs in Canada as a solution to
youth unemployment. There is wide agreement these measures will do more to
secure the future for youth than altering OAS.

One positive note is the Proactive Enrolment for OAS and GIS Benefits

The Budget  proposes to put in place a proactive enrollment regime for OAS and
GIS.

As part of the Administrative Services Review, initiated in Budget 2010, the
Government is pursuing additional standardization and consolidation
opportunities to improve the way it delivers services to Canadians while
generating operational savings. In the context of this initiative, the
Government will improve services for seniors by putting in place a proactive
enrolment regime that will eliminate the need for many seniors to apply for OAS
and GIS. This measure will reduce the burden on seniors of completing
application processes and will reduce the Government's administrative costs.
Proactive enrolment will be implemented in a phased-in approach from 2013 to
2015.

Members are most likely to support taxing the wealthy or reducing the civil
service as budget-cutting measures, and are far more likely to suggest these
than changing OAS. Both mothballing our submarine fleet and reducing our order
of fighter jets are seen as more acceptable cost-cutting measures than raising
the age of eligibility for OAS from 65 to 67



The vast majority of members think that military budgets must be subject to the
same scrutiny as domestic budgets, and that Canadians can support the military
and responsible military budgeting at the same time.

For surveys, please visit: http://www.imakenews.com/carp/ scroll down and hit
"see results" – for previous issues, see archives list at bottom of newsletter.

CARP is a national, non-partisan, non-profit organization committed to
advocating for a New Vision of Aging for Canada, social change that will bring
financial security, equitable access to health care and freedom from
discrimination. CARP seeks to ensure that the marketplace serves the needs and
expectations of our generation and provides value-added benefits, products and
services to our members. Through our network of chapters across Canada, CARP is
dedicated to building a sense of community and shared values among our members
in support of CARP's mission.

For further information, please contact:

Pam Maher 416.607.2475
Communications coordinator
p.maher@...

Michael Nicin 416.607.2479
Policy Development and Government Relations
m.nicin@...
Negin Shamshiri 416.607.2471
Researcher
n.shamshiri@...

for
Susan Eng
Vice President Advocacy
s.eng@...

CARP, A New Vision of Aging for Canada
or visit our website: http://www.carp.ca


EY FINDINGS

April 3, 2012: Both mothballing our submarine fleet and reducing our order of
fighter jets are seen as more acceptable cost-cutting measures than raising the
age of eligibility for OAS from 65 to 67

Members are most likely to support taxing the wealthy or reducing the civil
service as budget-cutting measures, and are far more likely to suggest these
than changing OAS.

Those who believe changes to OAS are inevitable (close to one half) are evenly
split between softening the impact through a provision for single seniors or
decoupling OAS and GIS. Most opt for lowering the eligibility threshold income
of $121,000 when specifying a cost-savings measure for OAS.

Two thirds agree the budget should include stimulus to provide job growth for
youth, and even more support more apprenticeships for youth or more difficult
targets like keeping high value jobs in Canada as a solution to youth
employment. There is wide agreement these measures will do more to secure the
future for youth than altering OAS.

The vast majority of members agree that military budgets must be subject to the
same scrutiny as domestic budgets, and that Canadians can support the military
and responsible military budgeting at the same time.

Members aren't convinced there is enough access to hospice care in their
provinces and the vast majority agree this should be covered under the Canada
Health Act.

While the majority of members agree only generic drugs should be covered when a
brand name is available too, they do not agree only one medication should be
covered for each condition. Thus, they want choice in types of therapies, but
don't care about brands.

The vast majority are aware of the move to stiffer sentencing for elder abuse,
close to half have seen or heard CARP mentioned in the media in the past two
weeks and four-in-ten have seen or heard mention of Susan Eng during that
period. Recall is primarily of changes to OAS, and also of stiffer sentencing
for elder abuse. This must be considered very high awareness and message
penetration and recall, even given the extremely involved audience.

The Conservative party has improved its standings, as has the NDP, while the
Liberal Party has declined in voter affection. The Conservatives still dominate,
the Liberals are in second place and the NDP are third.

To view a copy of the full report complete with Charts and Graphs, please click
here - http://www.carp.ca/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/Pre-Budget-Report.pdf

Seniors in need, caregivers in distress: What are the home care priorities for
seniors in Canada?
New Health Council of Canada Report Supports CARP's Advocacy


The report argues that we need to provide better homecare support to the growing
number of seniors who want to age at home. Using data collected on seniors who
receive publicly funded homecare in Canada, it provides a snapshot of the ways
in which homecare is inadequate and varies across the country. Read more

Ontario Budget Will Improve Home Care Delivery

Budget finally concedes that it costs taxpayers more to provide seniors' care in
a long-term care home than it does to support seniors


Older Ontarians can look forward to positive action and investment on the home
and continuing care front, amidst the reported doom and gloom of Ontario's
austerity budget. The centrepiece of last week's 2012 Ontario budget as it
affects older Ontarians is the comprehensive attention paid to "Providing the
Right Care, at the Right Time, at the Right Place". Read more

CPP Enhancement and PRPP Position

Ontario government reiterates some of CARP's pension reform concerns


CARP is encouraged by the Ontario government's renewed commitment to CPP
enhancement and investor protection on PRPPs (Pooled Registered Pension Plans).
In last week's budget, the government affirmed that Ontario will continue to
work collaboratively with other provinces and the federal government to ensure
that PRPPs prioritize the interests of members and that implementation of
pension innovation in the form of PRPPs should be tied to CPP enhancement as
part of a comprehensive approach to pension reform. Read more

Ontario LIFs Hardship Rule Change

Those under financial duress will no longer need to shell out several hundred
dollars to access their own money


In last year's Ontario budget, the government committed to a review of the rules
governing locked-in accounts as a part of a larger project to modernize
provincial pension rules. The government has completed its administrative review
of the financial-hardship unlocking program announced in the 2011 Budget, and
intends to restructure the program to create a simpler, more streamlined process
to access locked-in funds. Read more

Ontario's Drug Plan - A Canadian Outlier

CARP explains the changes to the ODB and outlines who will be affected


The 2012 Ontario budget calls on wealthy seniors to pay a larger share of their
drug costs, in a move described as "fair and efficient". Ontario is currently
among the very few provinces that do not have income testing on drug benefits.
However, seniors in Ontario pay less for drugs than seniors pay in other
provinces and will continue to receive some of the best coverage in Canada even
after the income testing is implemented. Read more

Cutting OAS hurts Country's most Vulnerable Citizens

Canadian Medical Association Professionals Say OAS Cutbacks will Hurt the Health
of Low-Income Seniors


"Cutting back on Old Age Security targets the most vulnerable citizens in our
society," said Dr. John Haggie, CMA president. "It means that many seniors will
have to choose between heating, eating and paying for their prescriptions. In
that case, they'll forfeit their drugs." Read more

Save, and save a lot, Ontario finance minister says
PRPPs are a "weak-kneed" response to the retirement income problem- calls for
CPP-enhancement

Surveys show few Canadians are saving enough money for their retirement years,
which will put more pressure on their families and provincial health and welfare
budgets once they reach old age, Ontario Finance Minister Dwight Duncan said. "I
don't think we are taking this seriously enough as a society," he said. "I don't
just mean the federal government." Read more

Caregiver's Diary: Travel Plans
Dad is extremely well-traveled - he travelled the world for work and travelled
some more with mother after he retired


My widowed 88 year old father recently sent one of his "Letters from Serenity
Towers" to the family. In it he talked fondly of traveling, and mentioned two
trips he thought he might like to take - one out west to the Rocky Mountains
where oldest brother and younger sister live. The second trip that interested
him was to St John's. Serenity Towers has a sister-residence there, and
residents of the chain get to stay free in any one of them. Read more

Scammers Love Tax Time
A friendly tax season notice from CARP

Information sharing and awareness go a long way when it comes to preventing
these crimes. We would like members should be aware of the many kinds of
internet, telephone and door to door scams. Read more

Customer Comments: Reactions to the Federal Budget
Will it be bye bye Charlie Brown for Harper come election time?


The federal budget said OAS changes will happen between 2023-2029 (six years).
The retirement age change from 65 to 67 (24 months) happens over 48 months (four
years). Seniors get screwed at a much quicker rate (fully by Jan 2027 I believe)
than the budget suggests. Read more

Published by CARP
Copyright © 2012 CARP, A New Vision of Aging for Canada. All rights reserved.


======================================================================


CARP Post-Budget Poll Results

1. Finance Minister Flaherty presented the federal budget last Thursday. How
much do you agree this budget meets the needs of older Canadians and those on
fixed incomes?
Agree strongly 87 Votes  5.8 %
Agree 267 Votes  17.7 %
Disagree 383 Votes  25.3 %
Disagree strongly 709 Votes  46.9 %
DON'T KNOW 66 Votes  4.4 %
Total 1512 Votes

2. In the budget, the age of eligibility for Old Age Security was raised from 65
to 67, starting in 2023. How much do you agree with this budget provision?
Agree strongly 228 Votes  15.1 %
Agree 310 Votes  20.5 %
Disagree 307 Votes  20.3 %
Disagree strongly 642 Votes  42.5 %
DON'T KNOW 25 Votes  1.7 %
Total 1512 Votes

3. The government has given several reasons for raising the OAS age - which of
the following do you accept as a good reason?
OAS spending is unsustainable 164 Votes  10.8 %
The number of younger workers supporting seniors will diminish from 4 to 2 246
Votes  16.3 %
Many other OECD countries have increased their age of retirement to 67 69 Votes 
4.6 %
If OAS spending is not cut, future generations will have no OAS at all 114 Votes
7.5 %
We need to help future generations 71 Votes  4.7 %
There is no good reason to raise the OAS age 792 Votes  52.4 %
OTHER 30 Votes  2.0 %
DON'T KNOW 26 Votes  1.7 %
Total 1512 Votes

4. The government acknowledged that poor seniors will have trouble waiting the
extra two years but only provided for those already on federal government
assistance or CPP disability pensions and said that they will reimburse the
provinces for additional costs for seniors who seek social assistance. What is
your reaction to this?
Good idea, those who need help will get it 281 Votes  18.6 %
Good idea, this will limit overall spending on OAS 85 Votes  5.6 %
Good idea, provinces will bear the load 13 Votes  0.9 %
Good idea, OTHER 28 Votes  1.9 %
Neither a good idea nor not such a good idea 82 Votes  5.4 %
Not such a good idea, people will not apply for social assistance 94 Votes  6.2
%
Not such a good idea, provinces will waste money on more bureaucracy 135 Votes 
8.9 %
Not such a good idea, OAS is a pension not welfare 698 Votes  46.2 %
Not such a good idea, OTHER 45 Votes  3.0 %
DON'T KNOW 51 Votes  3.4 %
Total 1512 Votes

5. There are three options for reducing the cost of OAS. Which of these would
you have preferred?
Reducing income at which eligibility ceases from $121,000 Reducing income at wh
630 Votes  41.7 %
Reducing income at which OAS starts to be clawed back from $69,000 362 Votes 
23.9 %
Raising age from 65 to 67 as specified in the budget 352 Votes  23.3 %
DON'T KNOW 168 Votes  11.1 %
Total 1512 Votes

6. The age for OAS will begin to rise gradually in 2023 for those Canadians who
are now 54 or younger. By 2029 all Canadians will have to wait until age 67 to
receive OAS. By that time, most of the Baby Boomers will have already received
their OAS. What do you think of the timing of the phase-in of the proposed
change to the OAS age?
The change should come sooner to include more Baby Boomers 188 Votes  12.4 %
The change should come later to exempt everybody older than 45 today 99 Votes 
6.5 %
The change is planned at the right time 347 Votes  22.9 %
There should be no change to the age for OAS 820 Votes  54.2 %
DON'T KNOW 58 Votes  3.8 %
Total 1512 Votes

7. Are you more likely to vote for the government, less likely to vote for the
government or neither more nor less likely to vote for the government because of
the decision to change the age for OAS?
More likely to vote for government 155 Votes  10.3 %
Would have voted for government anyway 164 Votes  10.8 %
Neither more nor less likely to vote for government 300 Votes  19.8 %
Less likely to vote for government 403 Votes  26.7 %
Would not have voted for government anyway 467 Votes  30.9 %
OTHER 3 Votes  0.2 %
DON'T KNOW 20 Votes  1.3 %
Total 1512 Votes

8. In the budget, the government committed to $2 million a year supporting the
Third Quarter program, which connects employers seeking experienced employees
with older workers seeking employment, primarily in remote or one-industry
towns. How much do you agree this is an effective way to create jobs and lower
unemployment for older workers in those communities?
Agree strongly 128 Votes  8.5 %
Agree 503 Votes  33.3 %
Disagree 146 Votes  9.7 %
Disagree strongly 87 Votes  5.8 %
NEVER HEARD OF THIRD QUARTER 580 Votes  38.4 %
DON'T KNOW 68 Votes  4.5 %
Total 1512 Votes

9. The government will continue to support the Targeted Initiative for Older
Workers (TIOW) program with $25 million a year to assist older workers in
vulnerable smaller communities. This money is given to the provinces to design
their own employment programs which vary across the country. How much do you
agree this is an effective way to create jobs and lower unemployment for older
workers?
Agree strongly 77 Votes  5.1 %
Agree 453 Votes  30.0 %
Disagree 224 Votes  14.8 %
Disagree strongly 123 Votes  8.1 %
NEVER HEARD OF TIOW 567 Votes  37.5 %
DON'T KNOW 68 Votes  4.5 %
Total 1512 Votes

10. How successful do you think the TIOW program will be at finding jobs for
older Canadians?
Very successful 24 Votes  1.6 %
Somewhat successful 343 Votes  22.7 %
Not very successful 398 Votes  26.3 %
Not at all successful 189 Votes  12.5 %
NEVER HEARD OF TIOW 438 Votes  29.0 %
DON'T KNOW 120 Votes  7.9 %
Total 1512 Votes

11. The government has also committed to bringing in legislation requiring
federally regulated employers like banks, airlines and telecommunications to
insure their employee long term disability plans from now on. How much do you
agree this will be an effective protection for employee long term disability
benefits in case of bankruptcy?
Agree strongly 194 Votes  12.8 %
Agree 786 Votes  52.0 %
Disagree 178 Votes  11.8 %
Disagree strongly 74 Votes  4.9 %
DON'T KNOW 280 Votes  18.5 %
Total 1512 Votes

12. How much do you agree this protection should have been made retroactive to
protect, among others, the Nortel pensioners?
Agree strongly 262 Votes  17.3 %
Agree 513 Votes  33.9 %
Disagree 359 Votes  23.7 %
Disagree strongly 115 Votes  7.6 %
DON'T KNOW 263 Votes  17.4 %
Total 1512 Votes

13. In the budget, the government committed to cutting the military's budget by
5% from $20 billion to $19 billion a year. How much do you agree this is a
reasonable sacrifice on the part of the military.
Agree strongly 327 Votes  21.6 %
Agree 702 Votes  46.4 %
Disagree 255 Votes  16.9 %
Disagree strongly 144 Votes  9.5 %
DON'T KNOW 84 Votes  5.6 %
Total 1512 Votes

14. The government also committed to saving $5.2 billion by 2015 through cuts to
19,000 civil service jobs, 12,000 through lay offs and 7000 through attrition.
How much do you agree this is a reasonable move in a budget which the government
says is all about job creation?
Agree strongly 374 Votes  24.7 %
Agree 465 Votes  30.8 %
Disagree 364 Votes  24.1 %
Disagree strongly 245 Votes  16.2 %
DON'T KNOW 64 Votes  4.2 %
Total 1512 Votes

15. How much do you agree that Minister Flaherty's budget will help Canada grow
and achieve prosperity, while protecting the most vulnerable?
Agree strongly 85 Votes  5.6 %
Agree 364 Votes  24.1 %
Disagree 505 Votes  33.4 %
Disagree strongly 423 Votes  28.0 %
DON'T KNOW 135 Votes  8.9 %
Total 1512 Votes

16. Are you more likely to vote for the government, less likely to vote for the
government or neither more nor less likely to vote for the government because of
this budget?
More likely to vote for government 155 Votes  10.3 %
Would have voted for government anyway 168 Votes  11.1 %
Neither more nor less likely to vote for government 303 Votes  20.0 %
Less likely to vote for government 388 Votes  25.7 %
Would not have voted for government anyway 474 Votes  31.3 %
OTHER 3 Votes  0.2 %
DON'T KNOW 21 Votes  1.4 %
Total 1512 Votes

17. Ontario Finance Minister Dwight Duncan presented that province's budget last
Tuesday. In it, single seniors earning more than $100K and couples earning more
than $160K will pay a higher deductible for their drug benefits, 3% of net
income. How much do you agree with this budget provision?
Agree strongly 470 Votes  31.1 %
Agree 767 Votes  50.7 %
Disagree 111 Votes  7.3 %
Disagree strongly 77 Votes  5.1 %
DON'T KNOW 87 Votes  5.8 %
Total 1512 Votes

18. How likely would you be to apply for a home renovation tax credit designed
to make your home more accessible?
Very likely 237 Votes  15.7 %
Somewhat likely 442 Votes  29.2 %
Not very likely 732 Votes  48.4 %
DON'T KNOW 101 Votes  6.7 %
Total 1512 Votes

19. If you were able to renovate your home to make it more accessible, would
this allow you to live in your home longer and avoid going into assisted living?
Yes 753 Votes  49.8 %
No 357 Votes  23.6 %
DON'T KNOW 402 Votes  26.6 %
Total 1512 Votes

20. How much do you agree the budgetary cost of a home renovation tax credit
like this is worth the benefits?
Agree strongly 199 Votes  13.2 %
Agree 677 Votes  44.8 %
Disagree 235 Votes  15.5 %
Disagree strongly 73 Votes  4.8 %
DON'T KNOW 328 Votes  21.7 %
Total 1512 Votes

21. The Stanley Cup playoffs will start next week. Which of the following best
describes your reaction to this?
Who cares? 651 Votes  43.1 %
I'll watch as many games as I can 200 Votes  13.2 %
Oh no, Peter Mansbridge and The National will get bumped every night! 78 Votes 
5.2 %
I'll only watch as long as my team is in it 49 Votes  3.2 %
I'll only watch as long as a Canadian team is in it 142 Votes  9.4 %
I might watch part of a game or two 305 Votes  20.2 %
I'll pretend I'm following so I have something to talk about 45 Votes  3.0 %
OTHER 32 Votes  2.1 %
DON'T KNOW 10 Votes  0.7 %
Total 1512 Votes

22. If a federal election were held tomorrow, which party's candidate would you
support?
Conservative 492 Votes  32.5 %
Liberal 336 Votes  22.2 %
NDP 355 Votes  23.5 %
Green Party 42 Votes  2.8 %
Bloc Quebecois 0 Votes 0 %
OTHER 12 Votes  0.8 %
UNDECIDED 275 Votes  18.2 %
Total 1512 Votes

23. Where do you live?
Newfoundland 11 Votes  0.7 %
Nova Scotia 56 Votes  3.7 %
PEI 12 Votes  0.8 %
New Brunswick 34 Votes  2.2 %
Quebec 42 Votes  2.8 %
Ontario 928 Votes  61.4 %
Manitoba 38 Votes  2.5 %
Saskatchewan 34 Votes  2.2 %
Alberta 117 Votes  7.7 %
BC/Territories 240 Votes  15.9 %
Total 1512 Votes

24. What is your gender?
Male 979 Votes  64.7 %
Female 533 Votes  35.3 %
Total 1512 Votes

======================================================================


Posted on Tuesday, April 03, 2012 (EST)

Katy Perry and Russell Brand were unable to live up to their marriage vows, but
Brand is certainly walking the talk over his earlier announced intent to keep
their divorce rancor free.

Katy Perry and Russell Brand at the UK premiere of his new film, Arthur Tuesday,
April 19, 2011 at the O2 Arena in London. Photo Credit: PR Photos


April 03, 2012, (Sawf News) - Katy Perry and Russell Brand may not have been
able to live up to their marriage vows, but Brand is certainly walking the talk
over his earlier announced intent to keep their divorce rancor free.

According to TMZ, Brand has relinquished all rights on a $6. 5 million house
that he and Katy bought together following their marriage.

Sources tell the website that Brand's opting out of the property is part of a
property settlement between the estranged couple.

In early February, Perry and Brand filed documents in Los Angeles Superior Court
stating they had reached a "comprehensive written settlement of all issues."

Brand, 36, could have asked Perry, 27, for $20 million as settlement as they had
no prenuptial and the law entitles him to half their combined income while
living together, a period during which Perry is believed to have made $40
million, a large part of which came from her tour.

Brand and Perry married in October 2010. Brand filed for divorce on December 30,
citing "irreconcilable differences."

http://www.sawfnews.com/Gossip/68514.aspx


----------------------------------------------------------------------




Exclusive: Kris Humphries "Doing Anything He Can" to Humiliate Kim Kardashian
Post-Split
CELEBRITY NEWS
APRIL 3, 2012 AT 6:42PM
BY ALLISON CORNEAU


Kris Humphries and Kim Kardashian
Credit: Michael N. Todaro/Getty Images
Six months after confirming the end of their marriage, Kris Humphries is still
out to get Kim Kardashian.

As the couple's divorce takes far more than twice as long as their 72-day
marriage, insiders tell the new issue of Us Weekly New Jersey Nets player
Humphries has a master plan to destroy his reality star ex.

PHOTOS: Why 2011 was a struggle for Kim

Though the 27-year-old NBA star initially tried to stall the divorce by filing
for an annulment based on fraud, Humphries has since changed his tune, doing
whatever he can to keep his name in the headlines. "He's doing anything he can
to get her attention," a Kardashian confidant tells the new issue of Us Weekly.
"She would grant a divorce in a second. But he won't sign the papers. He won't
let go."


Kim Kardashian
PHOTOS: Inside their doomed wedding

Among Humphries' tactics to get his ex's attention: making bizarre legal demands
that threaten to expose the Kardashian family, like reportedly requesting in
February that the divorce proceedings be televised.

Despite his actions, a Humphries source insists the basketball player is a good
guy. "Kris is not a conniving person; he just wants to clear his name because it
was tarnished," says the source.

VIDEO: Kim gets flour-bombed -- and returns to the red carpet!

But a Kardashian insider disagrees, telling Us that back-and-forth-fighting
plays into his plan. "Kris wants money and he wants fame."

After what she went through with Humphries, "Kim doesn't care if she never sees
another camera again," says a source of the 31-year-old mogul, who recently
launched her True Reflection perfume. "She is just a totally different person."

VIDEO: Kim has a breakdown on TV over her failed marriage

Argues Kardashian herself: "I have no regrets, as crazy as that might sound.
What you do with these experiences makes you a better, stronger person."


Read more:
http://www.usmagazine.com/celebrity-news/news/kris-humphries-doing-anything-he-c\
an-to-humiliate-kim-kardashian-post-split-201234#ixzz1r5yx1cby

======================================================================
[

From:   Ian Morrison - FRIENDS <ian.morrison@...>

Subject:   LIVEBLOG of CBC Cuts Event - 1:30 EDT Today

Date:   Wed 04/04/12 07:13 AM


Later today, CBC will announce the program and other cuts that will be made as a
result of the federal budget which slashed funding for our national public
broadcaster by $115 million.

The announcement will be made during an internal conference call, but FRIENDS
will have access to it and will be blogging the details as they are announced. I
invite you to follow our LIVEBLOG by clicking here:


http://www.friends.ca/live
The call will begin at 1:30 pm EDT.

Hope you can join us.

Yours sincerely,


Ian Morrison
Spokesperson
FRIENDS of Canadian Broadcasting

Robert Redford to make Watergate documentary

Hollywood star Robert Redford is returning to Watergate, more than 30
years after appearing in a film about the political scandal that brought
down president Richard Nixon.

Full Story:
http://links.cbc.ca/a/l.x?t=jncickegkcmopkphogoklcokfm&M=7&v=4



Charlie Sheen pranked by notorious Montreal radio duo

A notorious Montreal comedy duo known as the Masked Avengers called the
actor two weeks after the Oscars and asked him if he would like to be in
a sequel to the Artist.

Full Story:
http://links.cbc.ca/a/l.x?t=jncickegkcmopkphogoklcokfm&M=12&v=4



Feist wins Juno for artist of the year

Feist emerged as a big winner at the 2012 Juno Awards, after taking
artist of the year in last night's broadcast gala. Album of the year
went to Michael Bublé and fan choice went to Justin Bieber.

Full Story:
http://links.cbc.ca/a/l.x?t=jncickegkcmopkphogoklcokfm&M=13&v=4

Parents from Philippines may qualify for OAS
Published On Fri Apr 06 2012

By Allan Thompson
Special to the Star

Q: My husband and I sponsored my parents last year to come to Canada under the
family reunification process. My parents want to apply for Old Age Security
(OAS) and the Guaranteed Income Supplement (GIS), but as part of the sponsorship
agreement my husband and I said we would make a 10-year commitment to the
Canadian government to support my parents. Would my husband and I be penalized
or chased after by the Canadian government for return of OAS/GIS benefits? My
father thinks that these are benefits accorded to all legal residents. I must
add that Canada has a standing Social Security agreement with our home country,
Philippines. This issue is causing some division between my parents and me and
so I would like some clarity on this issue. All the government websites (such as
Service Canada and Human Resources and Skills Development Canada) are vague on
this issue. What I am trying to avoid is the government approving them upon
application and then clawing the benefits back after a reassessment.

A: The Old Age Security pension is a monthly benefit that is available on
application to most Canadians who are 65 or over. Old Age Security recipients
still pay federal and provincial income tax and those with higher incomes will
end up repaying part or all of their benefit through taxes. Typically, the OAS
pension can be paid to eligible people who are 65 years of age and have at least
10 years of residence in Canada after age 18. And it is payable regardless of
whether someone is under a sponsorship agreement or not. And you are right,
under the terms of an International Social Security Agreement — and one of those
exists between Canada and the Philippines — someone with less than 10 years of
residence in Canada and who has been sponsored may be eligible for the OAS
pension. But those who have been sponsored are not eligible for the Guaranteed
Income Supplement (GIS) until they have 10 years of residence in Canada and the
sponsorship undertaking has expired. (The GIS is a monthly benefit paid to
eligible residents of Canada who receive a basic, full or partial OAS pension
and who have little or no other income.) For more information on individual
cases, you can contact Service Canada at 1-800-277-9914.


Q: I hope that you can point us in the right direction on how to commence on
immigration papers for my fiancé to immigrate to Canada once we are married. At
the moment both he and I are living abroad. My fiancé is Swedish and I am
Canadian. We are getting married in Switzerland in August and we want to move
back to Canada.

What procedure do we need to follow and do we need to wait until we are married
to start the immigration process for my fiancé? He has a skilled trade and is
multilingual. Will this help with his immigration papers and will this in any
way decrease the time that it will take for him to be able to move to Canada?
What is the average wait time for someone to be granted permission to immigrate
to Canada? Can you tell me whether he will have to stay abroad while the papers
are processed or would he be able to visit Canada if it is an extended amount of
time that is needed? Do I as a Canadian citizen need to be in Canada while the
immigration papers are being processed?

A: Some years ago, there was an immigration class for people who were engaged to
be married to Canadians, but that category doesn't exist any more. So you cannot
start the immigration process until you are married. In some cases, it might
make sense to have a wedding ceremony sooner than planned in order to get the
immigration ball rolling. If you are married, you can begin the sponsorship
process before returning to Canada as long as it is truly your intention to
return to Canada. Alternatively, your fiancé could travel with you to Canada (as
a Swede he does not require a visa to visit Canada) and if you got married here
then you could begin the sponsorship process from within Canada.

The rules clearly allow for those who are married to Canadians and who are being
sponsored to remain in Canada while the papers are processed. But from your
letter, it seems you already have plans to get married in Switzerland. As for
the processing time, the immigration department posts a table with current
estimated processing times. (You can see it at
cic.gc.ca/english/information/times/perm-fc. asp). If you were to start the
sponsorship process while your partner is still outside of Canada, the
department estimates 55 days to do the initial processing. Then, as an applicant
in Switzerland, your file would go to the Canadian visa post in Paris, where it
is estimated processing would take an additional eight months. Alternatively, if
you submitted the sponsorship application from within Canada, it is estimated to
take about 11 months for the initial processing then a further eight months to
complete the process. So unless you are determined to get back to Canada ASAP,
it might make just as much sense for you to marry in Switzerland and launch the
sponsorship process there.

World Citizen appears every other week.

Email: immigration@....


http://www.thestar.com/living/article/1155399--parents-from-philippines-may-qual\
ify-for-oas

======================================================================




Rogers contracts push the envelope, lawyer says

Some of the conditions that Rogers Communications imposes on customers
in fixed-term contracts are legally questionable, according to an expert
at the University of Ottawa.

Full Story:
http://links.cbc.ca/a/l.x?t=jncickegniflmagjbnakljpihi&M=5&v=4



======================================================================



Search engine DuckDuckGo soars on un-Google-like privacy policy
Published On Mon Apr 02 2012

"For a couple of reasons, I could agree with the idea that search is relatively
personal," says DuckDuckGo founder Gabriel Weinberg.
"It's creepy to have the search engine tracking you."

Lesley Ciarula Taylor
Staff Reporter

The tiny search-engine darling of the hacker world is going mainstream with a
growth rate of nearly 1,000 per cent in a single year.

DuckDuckGo's 1,574,566 direct queries last Friday pale in comparison to Google's
91 million daily searches.

But it's only been around since 2008 and, until recently, was run by one guy in
his basement in the Philadelphia suburbs.

What DDG has, and why even the notorious hacking collective Anonymous uses it,
is a resolute privacy policy that, unlike Google, doesn't pass on your search
information to advertisers.

"We didn't start out that way," creator Gabriel Weinbergtold the Star.

"We had a conversation with our users and learned about all their issues in
2009. It was the right thing to do.

"For a couple of reasons, I could agree with the idea that search is relatively
personal. It's creepy to have the search engine tracking you."

When you click on a link in DDG, it strips off the search term so the
information isn't sent back to the site.

Nor does it start to personalize your search into what it thinks you want to
read, as Google does.

But doesn't that damage profits? Doesn't Weinberg want to be a millionaire?

"To be honest with you," the 42-year-old father of two said, "I already am."

Plus, he said, "it's kind of a myth that you need to do that to make money. If
you search on the word mortgage, a mortgage ad can come up without knowing
anything else about you."

DDG, he said, has no need to target users to its other products. It has no other
products.

Privacy may be comforting to Westerners, but it's life and death in some parts
of the world. Dissidents in Iran and Syria are able to use DDG more safely
because it's not traceable, he said.

It's not foolproof.

"It gets tricky pretty quickly. We're blocked in China. But there's a way around
that. If you can use tor (free software that routes data anonymously) then you
can get to us."

Weinberg, with two honours degrees from the Massachusetts Institute of
Technology, has long been a player in the tech world, even if he's never
migrated to Silicon Valley. He made his first million by selling his
NamesDatabase startup in 2006.

Technical curiosity rather than pure altruism inspired him to create DuckDuckGo,
a name he has "no good explanation for."

"I was working on technologies I was interested in and realized what I was doing
could be useful."

From the start, crowdsourcing drove the ideas: "We've kind of evolved based on
feedback" from the DDG community forum.

In fact, the criticism that its news sources are a few days old and not
necessarily the most relevant "will be fixed next week."

Weinberg's own donttrack.usonline explainer and a recent redesign of "50 little
things" have all propelled readership, but he knows it's the Google privacy and
personalization issues that are driving his numbers up.

"We use a lot of external sources and add value on top of them," he said. "We
run off Amazon infrastructures with servers across the world. I ran it by myself
for a few years, but we hired our first employee last October. He's sitting over
there."


http://www.thestar.com/business/article/1155198--search-engine-duckduckgo-soars-\
on-un-google-like-privacy-policy

======================================================================

Hawco keeps hopes high for Republic of Doyle renewal
CBC News Posted: Apr 6, 2012 6:52 AM ET
Allan Hawco is hoping there will be a fourth season of Republic of Doyle. (CBC )

Related Stories
CBC to cut jobs, programs over next 3 years
Russell Crowe adds oomph to Doyle season premiere

Republic of Doyle

Republic of Doyle finished its third season with a bang, and co-creator and star
Allan Hawco is keeping his hopes high for a fourth season.

The season finale — which featured private investigator Jake Doyle seeing his
beloved car blow up, moments before his scrappy sidekick Des gets shot in the
stomach — aired Wednesday night, just hours after CBC announced it was making
dramatic cuts to its programming, including its prime time television lineup.

"That's the hope. We haven't had official word or anything yet," Hawco told CBC
News.

"So we'll just keep our fingers crossed, and I'll keep my mother saying her
prayers, and we'll see how it goes."

Hawco said that he has been working on scripts since December for what he
described as "a dream season four," but he and the crew are awaiting word as to
whether Jake Doyle will be able to solve new cases in a fictionalized version of
St. John's.

CBC executives have said the cuts will be especially evident in the prime-time
television lineup, and that the public broadcaster will have to rely more
heavily on repeats because it will not be able to commission as much new
material.

Republic of Doyle finished its third season in a strong position. Audiences for
the 13-episode season averaged 1.2 million, "which is pretty epic," Hawco said,
particularly since it competes with U.S. juggernauts like American Idol and
Modern Family. "We're holding our own," he said.

The season launched with an episode featuring Australian superstar Russell
Crowe, who appeared as an undercover investigator posing as a criminal. Hawco,
who met Crowe years ago in Toronto, is not shy about admitting he would love to
see the character return.

"Russell is certainly one of the best and busiest actors in the world. Having
him back would certainly be a pure delight," he said.

"The great thing about somerthing like [Crowe's guest appearance] is that it
validates a show like ours to people who are non-believers, or who wouldn't
necessarily give the show a chance."


http://www.cbc.ca/news/arts/story/2012/04/05/nl-republic-of-doyle-hawco-406.html

---------------------------------------------------------------------

Republic of Doyle Season 1
http://www.amazon.ca/exec/obidos/ASIN/B00429MLZC/internatio088-20

Republic of Doyle Season 2
http://www.amazon.ca/exec/obidos/ASIN/B0050ACY68/internatio088-20

Everything You Wanted to Know About Shannon Tweed
http://www.amazon.ca/exec/obidos/ASIN/1743381824/internatio088-20

[Shannon Tweed, a Canadian actress and model, also guest starred in Republic of
Doyle Season 3's second episode.  She is married to Gene Simmons of KISS and
also appears in their reality show the 'Family Jewels'.]

======================================================================

Conscious Living
The Regulation of Psychotherapy in Ontario
by Gord Riddell and Kathy Ryndak

REGULATION HAS DEVELOPED STANDARDS FOR PSYCHO­THERAPY TO ENSURE PRACTITIONERS
ARE COMPETENT

A long time in the works, the regulation of psycho­therapy will begin in the
province of Ontario with an approximate target date of March 31, 2012. This
process was initiated in 2005 and researched by the Health Professions
Regulatory Advisory Council (HPRAC), which  made a recommendation in a document
called "New Decisions" that psycho­therapy should be regulated as a controlled
act under the Regulated Health Professions Act 1991 (RHPA). The main reasons
cited for regulation are two major sources for potential harm to the public: 1)
"the nature of the relationship between therapist and client; and 2) the failure
to properly assess or implement specific psychotherapeutic interventions."

There are currently 21 health regulatory colleges under RHPA governing 23 health
professions such as physicians and surgeons, nurses, psychologists, social
workers and more. RHPA recognizes the need for "public protection involving such
factors as quality of care, access, accountability, standards of education,
continuing competence, complaints and disciplinary processes and practice
standards." Other health care fields currently undergoing RHPA regulation are
homeopathy, kinesiology, naturopathy (currently regulated under the Drugless
Practitioner Act), and Traditional Chinese Medicine.

---------------------------

Community News – April 2012

The scope of psycho­therapy practice as defined by the Psycho­therapy Act 2007
is "the assessment and treatment of cognitive, emotional or behavioural
disturbances by psychotherapeutic means, delivered through a therapeutic
relationship based primarily on verbal or non-verbal communication."

In 2011, the Transitional Council (TC) of the College of Registered
Psycho­therapists and Registered Mental Health Therapists of Ontario went to
four cities in the province to obtain stakeholder input on their regulation
recommendations. Stakeholders were then formally able to submit their input
online to the TC who submitted their draft documents at the end of 2011 to the
Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care to whom they are accountable.

Regulation has involved developing standards for the practice of psycho­therapy,
in the interest of the public, to ensure that practitioners are competent,
ethical and accountable. Specific draft regulations on Registration, Quality
Assurance and Professional Misconduct have been submitted to the Ministry for
review and input to the TC over the next year. Since they are still in draft
form they are subject to modification.

Draft Competency Profiles have also been developed. These documents can be found
on the TC website at http://www.cprmhto.on.ca under `Resources' and `Competency
Project'.

Two Streams
Currently, two streams of membership will be available through the new college:
Registered Psychotherapist (RP) and Registered Mental Health Therapist (RMHT).
For RP's, an undergraduate degree and an educational program of at least 360
hours of training is required. For RMHT's, a minimum two-year diploma in a field
related to psycho­therapy is necessary that includes 180 hours of psycho­therapy
training. Education must lead to the development of specific entry-to-practise
competencies.

Graduates from psycho­therapy training programs will be able to apply and
practise as RP (Qualifying) under case supervision until 450 client contact
hours and 100 hours of case supervision have been completed, at which point they
become RP's. RP's will be able to practise independently with an additional 550
client hours and 50 hours of case supervision. Those who apply for a RMHT will
require 1,000 supervised client contact hours, 150 supervision hours and other
specifications for independent practice. Completion of a program in aboriginal
healing or indigenous practice that meets competencies is also part of
registration regulation.

Both designations will have to complete a Registration exam by the College and a
Jurisprudence/Professional Practice exam. The latter will probably be offered as
an e-learning module online course to make sure members understand their legal
obligations as regulated professionals.

`Grandparenting' to Become a Registered Psychotherapist
If you have been practising for a while in Ontario as a psychotherapist you may
apply for `grandparenting' status. You will need to have practised at least 750
hours within the past three years prior to applying, with 500 hours completed in
Ontario. "These hours may be comprised of direct client contact, record keeping,
preparation, research, consultation, professional development and case
supervision. It may also include teaching, supervising, conducting research and
writing in the field of psycho­therapy." Weighting and minimum and maximum
benchmarks for the above are being considered. An undergraduate degree is not
mandatory.

The applicant must provide "a portfolio of evidence of relevant education,
experience and supervision and evidence that demonstrates safe and effective use
of self in the psycho­therapeutic relationship." In order to practise
independently, 1,000 hours of direct client contact and 150 hours of case
supervision are necessary. The Registration exam is not required but the
Jurisprudence/Professional exam will be. One must apply within two years of
regulation coming into force.

Benefits of Regulation

Besides the public being protected, there are many exciting benefits of
regulation that will enhance, expand and advance the field of psycho­therapy
whether you are an existing psycho­­therapist or considering it as a career:

• The profession of psycho­therapy will be recognized by government and public;
• The recognized title of Psychotherapist reflects extensive training and
experience;
• More job opportunities will become available as psycho­therapy moves into
institutions and agencies;
• Required errors and omission insurance will be easier to obtain;
• Insurance companies will likely recognize psycho­therapy for the Employee
Assistance Programs;
• Increased earning potential;
• Recognized credentials to do workshops.

As a leader in the field of spiritual psycho­therapy training, Transformational
Arts College is excited to be part of this pioneering initiative to recognize
and regulate psycho­therapy as a distinct profession which allows for a wide
diversity of modalities. Along with the Alliance of Psycho­therapy Training
Institutes, we have submitted relevant input to the TC. All documents are still
in draft form and are subject to government amendment. We applaud the TC for the
professional and judicious work they have done. All psycho­therapists practising
in Ontario will need to be registered with the new regulatory college by April
1, 2013.

If this field is of interest to you, we encourage you to explore the many
modalities available to you to embark upon an exciting career as a Registered
Psychotherapist or Mental Health Therapist in Ontario.

-----------------------------

Gord Riddell and Kathy Ryndak are therapists and co-founders of the
Transformational Arts College of Spiritual and Holistic Training. The College
offers professional training programs in Spiritual Psycho­therapy, Spiritual
Director, Holistic Health, Coaching and psycho­spiritual courses through a
10-part program "Discovering the Total Self".
http://www.transformationalarts.com


Email: regulatoryprojects.moh@...


http://vitalitymagazine.com/article/The-Regulation-of-Psychotherapy-in-Ontario/


----------------------------------------------------------------------




Health News Briefs – April 2012
by Michael Downey


VITAMIN B12 AND FOLATE MAY HELP PREVENT COGNITIVE DECLINE

Researchers have found that daily supplementation with folate and vitamin B12
for a period of two years helps improve cognitive function, at least in older
individuals with generally higher levels of psychological stress. The dosages
indicated to produce this protective effect were 400 mcg of folic acid, or
folate, and 100 mcg of vitamin B12 per day. (Another study released December 28,
2011 reported that B vitamins, along with vitamins C, D, and E, and omega-3
fatty acids, reduced brain shrinkage and improved cognition among older adults.
Studies like these have encouraged some older adults to add B vitamin
supplements to their daily routine to keep their brains sharp.)

The 2-year randomized controlled trial included 900 adults aged 60 to 74 years,
and changes were assessed with several established tests of cognitive
performance. The greatest improvement was seen in memory performance, both
immediate recall and delayed recall. No changes were seen in several other
cognitive factors, such as processing speed, or attention. This study was
published in the January 2012 issue of the American Journal of Clinical
Nutrition.


PLANT EXTRACT INHIBITS GROWTH MECHANISM IN COLON CANCER CELLS

Researchers have found that a plant flavonoid called luteolin blocks certain
cell signaling pathways in colon cancer cells that promote their growth,
suggesting a new way to naturally inhibit colon cancer activity. (Luteolin is a
flavonoid compound, commonly found in fruit and vegetables, that has been shown
in laboratory conditions to have anti-inflammatory, anti-oxidant and anti-cancer
properties; however, specific or epidemiological studies have been less certain.
Colon cancer is the second most frequent cancer-related cause of death in the
Western world.)

Compared to normal colon cells, cancerous colon cells show increased levels of
IGF-II, a factor used by cells to communicate with each other. However, when
scientists treated colon cancer cells with luteolin, the secretion of IGF-II was
blocked, and within two hours, there was a reduction in the protein related to
signal reception. Blocking these signaling pathways stops cancer cells from
dividing, leading to cell death. Luteolin is found in numerous plant leaves,
bark, rinds, blossoms, and even pollen. This study will be published in a future
edition of the journal BMC Gastroenterology. It was posted online January 23,
2012 and can now be accessed at http://bit.ly/zv7exy without subscription or
cost.


DRYCLEANING COMPOUND LINKED TO RISK OF MENTAL ILLNESS

A study has found that prenatal or early-life exposure to tetrachloroethylene
(PCE), a solvent compound commonly used in the dry cleaning and textile
industries, increases by 80 percent the risk of bipolar disorder and increases
by 50 percent the risk of post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), confirming
previous suggested links. Until now, the link has been unclear although children
working in the textile industry were found to have a higher incidence of
schizophrenia. PCE is a neurotoxin that can cause anxiety, depression and mood
changes in people who regularly work with it. Researchers examined the mental
health history of adults who were exposed (before and shortly after birth) to
drinking water in areas of Massachusetts where piping was discovered to have
been installed that exposed drinking water consumers to PCE between 1968 and
1983. They found a significantly increased incidence of bipolar disorder among
these adults, but not depression. Because PCE is found in some consumer
products, the risk remains real. This study was released January 20, 2012 and
will appear in a future edition of the journal Environmental Health. It is
available online now at http://bit.ly/yNtI2k without subscription or access fee.


GREEN TEA LINKED TO LOWER RISK OF INCIDENT FUNCTIONAL DISABILITY

A study concludes that, aside from any link with diseases that can lead to
disability, higher green tea consumption is associated with reduced risk of
developing incident functional disability. (Incident functional disability is
defined as onset of inability to do one or more major functional tasks, such as
walking 0.25 mile, climbing 10 steps, performing household chores, shopping, or
cooking meals, no matter what the cause.) It was already known that green tea
reduces the risk of some diseases linked to functional disability, such as
stroke, osteoporosis, and cognitive impairment. Scientists set out to determine
whether green tea affects the risk of developing incident functional disability
aside from these diseases. Studying almost 14,000 Japanese women, they found
that, compared to those drinking less than one cup daily, individuals drinking
three to four cups of green tea daily had a 25% lower risk of incident
disability; and those drinking five or more cups of green tea daily showed a 33%
reduced risk of developing incident functional disability. This study will
appear in a future issue of the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.


MORE ANTIOXIDANTS IN BLUEBERRY WINE THAN MOST GRAPE WINES

Research has found that the antioxidant content is higher in blueberry wine than
in all of the white wines studied, and in all but 20 percent of the red wines
studied. (The dark colour of some fruit, such as blackberries or red grapes,
often indicates the presence of antioxidants, compounds that may protect cells
from damaging molecular garbage called free radicals.) Content of anthocyanins,
one type of antioxidant, was higher in red and blueberry wines than in rose and
white wines. Content of phenolics, another type of antioxidant, was higher in
red wine than blueberry wine, which in turn surpassed the phenolic content of
rose and white wines.

Scientists assessed the overall relative antioxidant potency of the blueberry
and grape wines using a method known as oxygen radical absorbance capacity, or
ORAC. This assessment scored blueberry wine antioxidant capacity greater than
all of the white and rose wines, and greater than 80% of red wines, indicating
greater overall health enhancement and disease prevention. This study was
published in the February 2012 issue of the journal Sustainable Agriculture
Research. It is now available online at http://bit.ly/yeW9zh


POST-INJURY MASSAGE DAMPENS INFLAMMATION, REBUILDS MITOCHONDRIA

A study has found that, following the acute muscle injury that results from
intense exercise, massage therapy works on a cellular level within skeletal
muscles to reduce inflammation and promote the growth of mitochondria, which are
the energy-producing units in the cells. The study involved the genetic analysis
of muscle biopsies taken from the quadriceps of eleven young males after they
had exercised to exhaustion on a stationary bicycle. One leg of each subject was
randomly chosen to be massaged. Biopsies were taken from both legs prior to the
exercise, immediately after 10 minutes of massage treatment, and after a 2.5
hour recovery period. This research provides evidence that massage provides a
benefit that exceeds just feeling good or inducing relaxation. The scientists
suggest that various manipulative therapies, such as massage, may provide
important regenerative function in medical practice, and may benefit a broad
spectrum of individuals including the elderly, those suffering from
musculoskeletal injuries and patients with chronic inflammatory disease. This
study was published in the February 2012 issue of the journal Science
Translational Medicine.


LOW VITAMIN D LEVELS LINKED TO ALLERGY AND ECZEMA

Researchers have concluded that people who live at higher latitudes have twice
the risk of developing food allergies and eczema, compared to those who live at
lower latitudes. Due to the greater exposure to sunlight at lower latitudes,
this suggests that vitamin D may help prevent these conditions. (Eczema is a
form of dermatitis, or inflammation of the epidermis. Sunlight provides the body
with the fuel to create vitamin D in the skin.) Also, the scientists found a
similar link between higher (or reduced-sunlight) latitudes and a greater risk
of allergies to peanut or egg. It is possible, the team suggested, that other
factors beyond vitamin D may be at work: temperature, behaviour, or infectious
diseases vary by latitude as well. Future studies will determine whether vitamin
D or some other driver is behind this allergy-sunlight relationship. As always,
caution must be exercised to avoid too much sunlight. This study will be
published in an upcoming issue of the Journal of Allergy and Clinical
Immunology. It has been made available online now at http://bit.ly/AsKkpa with
subscription or access fee.


TAI CHI IMPROVES BALANCE, FUNCTION IN PARKINSON'S PATIENTS

Scientists have discovered that a tailored program of 60-minute sessions of the
Chinese mind-body practice tai chi, twice a week for 24 weeks, significantly and
safely improves balance and other functional abilities in Parkinson's disease
(PD) patients, compared to spending the same amount of time on either resistance
training or on stretching exercises. Other than a strong effect on balance, the
benefits of tai chi to PD patients included increased walking ability, greater
directional body control, better posture, improved range of motion, and fewer
falls. Those assigned to the tai chi group were eventually better able to lean
in any direction without losing their balance, and took long strides when
walking. There were no serious side effects of the training sessions, and the
benefits persisted for three months following the termination of the program.
The tai chi sessions focused more on weight-shifting, natural breathing,
stepping front-to-back and sideways, and ankle sway. This study was released
February 9, 2012 but will not be published until a future issue of the New
England Journal of Medicine. Available online now at http://bit.ly/yey1hP with
subscription or fee.


AIR POLLUTION LINKED TO COGNITIVE DECLINE IN OLDER AGED WOMEN

Researchers have confirmed earlier research and concluded that there is a
significant association between chronic exposure to both small and large
particulate air pollution and accelerated cognitive decline among older adults.
In the large study, 19,409 US women aged 70 to 81 who were exposed to higher
levels of either fine or coarse ambient air-pollution particulate over a
four-year period showed a faster rate of cognitive decline. These results are
similar to previous studies finding a general association between air pollution
and cognitive decline, but this study is the first to determine the risk for a
specific period of time; it is also the first to show that the risk applies to
both large and small particles. Exposure to particulate air pollution is
associated with cardiovascular risk, which itself may play a role in causing or
accelerating cognitive decline. The team suggested that air pollution reduction
is a potential means for reducing the future population burden of age-related
cognitive decline, and eventually, dementia. This study was published in the
February 13, 2012 issue of the Archives of Internal Medicine. It is available
online now at http://bit.ly/wNd4jj with subscription or access fee.


Michael Downey is a columnist with Vitality Magazine, contributing his News
Briefs column every month.


http://vitalitymagazine.com/article/health-news-briefs-april-2012/

======================================================================

Alec Baldwin's alleged stalker from Quebec arrested
A Quebec woman has been charged with aggravated harassment for allegedly
stalking American actor Alec Baldwin.
Full Story:
http://links.cbc.ca/a/l.x?t=jncickegnpojmkijbhjmib&M=5&v=4

----------------------------------------------------------------------


Heidi Klum, Seal to divorce
Heidi Klum moved to formally end her marriage Friday from singer Seal a
little over two months after they separated.

Full Story:
http://links.cbc.ca/a/l.x?t=jncickegnpojmkijbhjmib&M=10&v=4


=======================================================================

Film set turns Toronto into Tokyo

A downtown Toronto street has been quietly been converted into the scene
of an epic battle  between aliens and human-piloted robots for an
upcoming Hollywood film.

Full Story:
http://links.cbc.ca/a/l.x?t=jncickegmcdlhooiebanpd&M=8&v=4

Drug injection sites urged for Ottawa, Toronto

A four-year study suggests both Ottawa and Toronto would benefit from
multiple supervised drug injection sites instead of one centralized
location.

Full Story:
http://links.cbc.ca/a/l.x?t=jncickegmbbfbkenmljhhk&M=3&v=4


-----------------------------------------------------------




Drug injection sites urged for Ottawa, Toronto

3 sites suggested for Toronto, 2 for Ottawa due to dispersed drug use
CBC News Posted: Apr 11, 2012 8:38 AM ET


A four-year study suggests both Ottawa and Toronto need supervised drug
injection sites because it would reduce both harm to drug users and the public.

View the entire drug injection site report for Ottawa and Toronto.

The feasibility study, by researchers at the University of Toronto and staff at
St. Michael's Hospital, was requested by the City of Toronto in 2008 and later
expanded to include Ottawa.

The results released this morning advise Ottawa introduce two "safe consumption"
sites and Toronto to open three sites.

The research was led by Dr. Ahmed Bayoumi of St. Michael's Hospital and Dr.
Carol Strike of the University of Toronto.

P.O.V.: Would you want a supervised drug injection site in your city? Have your
say here.

They did not recommend any specific locations but did suggest more than one
centralized location, which is what Vancouver has with its Insite program.

The study said it is "up to the communities in both Ottawa and Toronto to decide
if, when or how to proceed" with the recommendations.

Ottawa, Toronto have 'dispersed drug use'
"Drug use is dispersed in Ontario's two largest cities, unlike Vancouver where
it is concentrated in the Downtown Eastside," the report said.

Drug users and community members who were consulted by researchers also did not
want one single centre because it could be a focus of opposition and also have a
large impact on nearby neighbourhoods.

The issue became a focus in the Ottawa mayoral race in 2010 after former mayor
Larry O'Brien voiced his opinion against the sites.

The study included a simulation of the impact of running supervised sites in the
two Ontario cities and examined factors such as costs, and the impact on
infectious diseases and on nearby property values. Mobile injection sites were
also considered.

The report, believed to be the broadest of its kind, was funded by the Ontario
HIV Treatment Network and the Canadian Institutes of Health Research.

Police, health ministry responsible for reaction
Ontario Premier Dalton McGuinty told the media Wednesday he would let both
police and the Ministry of Health decide on the supervised sites. Health
Minister Deb Matthews said she needed more time to review the report.

Harm reduction advocates reference Vancouver's Insite program as a successful
example of the controversial plan.

"They save lives, they save money, they reduce sharing of equipment and disease
spread," said Holly Kramer, who co-ordinates the Toronto Harm Reduction Task
Force.

"They increase access to treatment for marginalized people and they increase
public order, so why wouldn't you have them?"

Critics, including Toronto Mayor Rob Ford and former Ottawa police chief Vern
White, believe the sites could encourage drug use, and money would be better
used in residential drug treatment centres.

The Supreme Court of Canada decided supervised drug injection sites are exempt
from federal drug laws.

CTV cuts Fashion Television

CTV has cancelled the long-running fashion series, Fashion Television,
which covered runway shows and helped launch homegrown stars.

Full Story:
http://links.cbc.ca/a/l.x?t=jncickegmggdddifjmcike&M=8&v=4


CBC cancels shows, slashes 88 news jobs

The TV news program Connect with Mark Kelley, the radio show Dispatches
and drama programming on Radio One will be eliminated as part of
cost-cutting measures to CBC English Services to cope with planned
budget cuts.

Full Story:
http://links.cbc.ca/a/l.x?t=jncickegmggdddifjmcike&M=13&v=4


Leonard Cohen to be feted at Glenn Gould Prize gala

The life and work of Leonard Cohen will be honoured May 14 in Toronto
when the Montreal musician and writer receives the $50,000 Glenn Gould
Prize for his contribution to culture.

Full Story:
http://links.cbc.ca/a/l.x?t=jncickegmggdddifjmcike&M=14&v=4

======================================================================

April 12, 2012
Justice of the Peace suspended for sexually harassing female court staff
By Staff
Torstar News Service

Errol M. Massiah, the Oshawa justice of the peace who was found guilty of
judicial misconduct for sexually harassing female court staff, will get to keep
his job.

A review panel issued four sanctions against Massiah Thursday, but did not
recommend his removal from office.

Massiah will be suspended for 10 days without pay, but with benefits, among
other sanctions. They include: a reprimand, an order to provide signed letters
of apology to the complainants, and an order to attend judicial training for
gender sensitivity and professional boundaries as a condition of continuing to
sit as justice of the peace.

"It is troubling that the comments made by Justice of the Peace Massiah were
made by an individual with his background," said Justice Charles Vaillancourt, a
member of the three-person complaint committee of the Justices of the Peace
Review Council.

"Comments regarding physical attributes by a person in authority to employees
under their watch are unacceptable, period."

Douglas Hunt, the lawyer presenting evidence against Massiah, recommended that
the panel consider issuing harsher sanctions, short of removal from office, to
"restore public confidence."

"He does not understand boundaries of appropriate behaviour in relation to women
in a workplace," Hunt said, adding that there is a "power imbalance" between
Massiah and the court clerks.

The panel acknowledged Massiah's previous efforts to address his misconduct,
including drafting letters of apology to all six complainants and attending
remedial human rights and sensitivity training in April.

"We are confident that His Worship Massiah will not engage in this kind of
conduct in the future," Vaillancourt said, adding that Massiah has had no
previous findings of judicial misconduct.

Last month, the panel upheld complaints against Massiah involving incidents
between 2008 and 2010. They include one in which Massiah told a female clerk,
"Damn, girl, where did that figure come from?"

Massiah was appointed by the province in 2007. Before that, he was senior
consultant with a firm specializing in diversity training and labour relations.
Massiah has previous experience with the Canadian and Ontario human rights
commissions.

Torstar News Service

http://metronews.ca/news/toronto/102675/justice-of-the-peace-suspended-for-sexua\
lly-harassing-female-court-staff/

----------------------------------------------------------------------


THEATRE

Prisoner of Tehran is as powerful as they come
Posted by Roger Cullman / APRIL 13, 2012

Prisoner of Tehran is a powerful production that resonates with today's
situation in Syria.

This play is the stage adaptation of Marina Nemat's international bestselling
memoir. The story details her arrest in 1980, at the age of 16, for speaking out
against Ayatollah Khomeini's regime. She was imprisoned and tortured in the
infamous Evin prison. At the moment of her scheduled execution, her interrogator
forces her into marriage — and she remains his prisoner outside of Evin.

Motifs of faith and survival remain constant throughout the story. The audience
is taken on a journey through the struggles and perseverance of a young woman
named Marina, played by the beautiful Bahareh Yaraghi.

Just two other actors fill in a variety of male and female roles, played by Razi
Shawahdeh and Mirian Katrib respectively.

Katrib is best when she takes on the role of Marina's husband's doting mother,
eager to cook for her son and his new bride, demonstrating that "Food is the way
to show love" - just as her son did for Marina while in prison, where we first
see him bringing a bowl of home made chicken soup to her in her cell.

Shawahdeh is equally adept at switching roles, from the brutal prison guard
Brother Ali to Marina's husband and later her father, among other roles.

Maja Ardal adapted and directed this memoir to the stage, often using the
theatrical device of tableaux (where all the performers on stage freeze in
position and then resume action as before) to transition between scenes.

Early on in the performance, this proves a little abrupt. But as the show goes
on it becomes more fluid and effective (when Marina recites a psalm while in
prison that transitions into a joyful childhood memory of the same psalm shared
with a childhood crush).

It's not an easy tale to tell on the stage, but it's an important one, with
similar atrocities going on in Syria today. This production is effectively done
here, helped along by Lyon Smith's appropriately chilling sound design and
Steven Hawkins' light touch with the lighting.

Prisoner of Tehran is produced by Contrary Company and the Prisoner of Tehran
Collective in association with Theatre Passe Muraille.

—

Tickets for remaining performances until April 28 are $30 (Saturday matinees are
PWYC) and are available at the Arts Box Office online or at 416-504-7529.


http://www.blogto.com/theatre/2012/04/prisoner_of_tehran_is_as_powerful_as_they_\
come/

----------------------------------------------------------------------



ENTERTAINMENT TV
2012 TV shows: Cancel or save?

BY BILL HARRIS, QMI AGENCY
POSTED: TUESDAY, APRIL 10, 2012 10:48 AM EDT |


You have to cancel some things. But you can't cancel everything.

TV audiences are more fragmented than ever, which merely means there are choices
galore. However, U.S. TV networks with under-performing schedules don't have the
option of a "clean sweep," since no one has, like, 15 or 18 good new shows in
development.

So heading into the annual "renew/cancel" period for scripted comedies and
dramas, some things might stick that don't necessarily deserve to stick. And
some of your personal favourites might get dumped, even if creatively speaking
they don't deserve to die.

It's all about numbers and time slots and potential and praying to the TV gods
and who's sleeping with whom. Consulting our cloudy crystal ball, here's a
breakdown of where things currently stand - as we perceive it, anyway - with the
big American networks:

SAFE (already renewed or a strong bet to return)

American Dad, Blue Bloods, Bones, Castle, Criminal Minds, CSI, Family Guy, Glee,
Grey's Anatomy, Grimm, Happy Endings, Hawaii Five-0, How I Met Your Mother, Last
Man Standing, Law & Order: SVU, Mike & Molly, Modern Family, NCIS, NCIS: Los
Angeles, New Girl, Once Upon a Time, Person of Interest, Raising Hope, Revenge,
Smash, Suburgatory, Supernatural, The Big Bang Theory, The Cleveland Show, The
Good Wife, The Mentalist, The Middle, The Office, The Simpsons, The Vampire
Diaries, 30 Rock, Touch, Two and a Half Men, 2 Broke Girls.

It's an odd sensation to list all these shows that either will be back, or
probably will be back, in 2012-13, and realize just how many there are. It
sometimes feels as if three-quarters of the TV schedule changes every year, but
that clearly isn't the case.

ON THE BUBBLE (could go either way)

Awake, Bob's Burgers, Body of Proof, Community, Cougar Town, CSI: Miami, CSI:
New York, Fringe, GCB, Gossip Girl, Harry's Law, Missing, Nikita, 90210,
Parenthood, Parks and Recreation, Private Practice, Rob, Rules of Engagement,
Scandal, Unforgettable, Up All Night, Whitney.

Personal favourites on this list include Community, Cougar Town and Parks and
Recreation, and it's probably too much to ask that all three would return. Keep
in mind that shows such as Awake, GCB, Missing and Scandal debuted fairly
recently, so their prospects will become clearer with a larger sample size of
episodes.

BYE-BYE (miracles notwithstanding)

A Gifted Man, Alcatraz, Are You There, Chelsea?, Bent, Best Friends Forever,
Breaking In, Hart of Dixie, Napoleon Dynamite, Ringer, The Finder, The River,
The Secret Circle.

We've written previously that we're sad Alcatraz didn't connect with more
viewers, since we thought it was a workable and entertaining mix of
serial/procedural. We enjoyed Ringer for a while, but as much as we love Sarah
Michelle Gellar, having her play identical twins just got too damn confusing.

ALREADY AXED (we hardly knew ye)

Allen Gregory, Charlie's Angels, Free Agents, How To Be a Gentleman, I Hate My
Teenage Daughter, Man Up, Pan Am, Prime Suspect, Terra Nova, The Firm, The
Playboy Club, Work It.

Some of these were on the air for such a short period of time, it's tough even
to remember them.

LAST STANDS (at least they get/got a series finale)

Chuck, Desperate Housewives, House, One Tree Hill.

One Tree Hill still was on the air this year? Who knew?

bill.harris@...

----------------------------------------------------------------------



Entertainment The Word Lisa Rinna
The Word: Did Lisa Rinna make a career misstep? It Depends!

The Word, Dorothy Robinson
NEW YORK
Published: April 10, 2012 4:46 p.m.

Maybe you've seen Lisa Rinna star in a new Depend adult diapers commercial. But
in case you haven't, here's the recap: The 48-year-old is filmed wearing a
skintight black dress on the red carpet -- but, surprise! She's also wearing
Depend's new Silhouette for Women line underneath that dress.

"I am wearing an evening gown, for God's sake!" she says in the commercial. "And
you can't tell I have it on. Check out the boo-tay!" She then commands her poor
husband Harry Hamlin to touch her tush to check it out for himself.

Surprising? Yes. Commercials for adult diapers are not the most, say, sexy of
things to star in. But Rinna swears she's not talking about  incontinence in
order to keep herself in lip injections -- she did it for charity and women's
rights.

"They donated $225,000 to Dress for Success if I tried them on in the
commercial," the actress told the Huffington Post, meaning she must have
pocketed a little extra on top of that donation. "That's why I did it. Plus, I
loved their campaign."

Rinna continues: "I don't endorse many products." (Ed note: True! The last time
she was a "celebrity spokeswoman" was for The Flex Belt Abdominal Toning Belt;
do with that information what you will.) "When I was first asked, I was
surprised," she explains. "I'm not the first person you think of when you think
of Depend. ... I believe women should feel good about themselves -- and if that
means they need to talk about their problems, then absolutely. We need to help
each other. I was not afraid to do this."

I believe that too, as should most women. And it's not wearing an adult diaper
that makes me roll my eyes — it's the fact that she used the word "boo-tay" to
describe her butt.
More about Lisa Rinna , Harry Hamlin , Depend , incontinence , Depends


http://www.metro.us/newyork/entertainment/article/1139891--the-word-did-lisa-rin\
na-make-a-career-misstep-it-depends

----------------------------------------------------------------------



Johansson went commando on set
By WENN.COM
(Reuters files)


Scarlett Johansson couldn't wait for her scenes in The Avengers movie to end
after she was forced to go without underwear to keep cool in her tight costume.

The actress reprises her role as the Black Widow in the highly-anticipated
blockbuster, which sees comic book characters including Iron Man, Thor and
Captain America team up.

However, the star admits she and her co-stars were squirming uncomfortably
during breaks because their restrictive superhero outfits left them sweating.

She tells Collider.com, "It's like 800 degrees in my costume... and it's a
unitard, and I have nothing underneath it!

"I'd say everybody has their own uncomfortable costume situation. We all have
our various things that we have to do to get comfortable.

"Everybody looks so uncomfortable until the cameras are rolling and then we all
look slick. Then 'Cut!' and we're all like, 'Arrrgh... God, this thing, get it
off me, it's awful!'"


http://jam.canoe.ca/Movies/2012/04/10/19613381-wenn-story.html

======================================================================

Group of Seven painting found at garage sale

A shopper at a garage sale in Vancouver has stumbled on the buy of a
lifetime, paying $100 for two paintings that turn out to be worth
hundreds of thousands of dollars.

Full Story:
http://links.cbc.ca/a/l.x?t=jncickegmlnkhlhmdhlmnmdm&M=10&v=4

----------------------------------------------------------------------



Telefilm cuts $1.7M in film funding, 16 jobs

Telefilm Canada will cut $1.7 million from its film-funding programs
this year in an effort to make up a cost savings of $2.7 million imposed
in the 2012 federal budget.

Full Story:
http://links.cbc.ca/a/l.x?t=jncickegmfglpkplcijhffcp&M=11&v=4


======================================================================

From:   Income Security Advocacy Centre <isac@...>

Subject:   Contract Job Opportunity with ISAC

Date:   Thu 04/12/12 03:42 PM

Income Security Advocacy Centre (ISAC)


Contract Job Opportunity: Provincial Organizer

Contract dates are June 18, 2012 to March 31, 2014, with the possibility
of renewal for one year-

ISAC is a specialty legal clinic working to better the income security
of low-income Ontarians through test case and appellate litigation,
community organizing, policy development and advocacy and public legal
education. ISAC is seeking a provincial organizer for a contract to
replace a permanent employee during a leave of absence.

Primary Responsibilities

The primary role of the provincial organizer is to work with and
coordinate low-income and anti-poverty groups to advance the interests
of the low-income community and support the low-income community to
speak for itself. The provincial organizer works with ISAC staff to
identify issues that can be advanced through an organizing strategy, and
coordinates this work with ISAC policy and litigation work. The
provincial organizer supports the community organizing work of clinics
through inter-clinic networks to advance systemic income security
issues.

Qualifications
* Community organizing experience in the anti-poverty/social justice
context
* Experience in public education and plain language writing skills
* Excellent written and oral communication skills
* Demonstrated knowledge of income security programs and issues

The salary range for this position is $58,000 to $61,000 depending on
skills & experience. The contract includes an RRSP and clinic benefits
package. This position will require travel within Ontario.

Projected start date: June 18, 2012

Please apply by Friday, May 4, 2012 to:

Provincial Organizer Hiring Committee
Income Security Advocacy Centre
425 Adelaide St. West, 5th Floor
Toronto, ON, M5V 3C1
Email: matthiel@...
Fax: (416) 597-5821

We thank all applicants that apply; however, only those candidates
selected for an interview will be contacted.

ISAC is an equal opportunity employer.

http://www.incomesecurity.org
http://www.sareview.ca


Social Assistance Review

The Social Assistance Review now underway is part of Ontario's strategy
to reduce poverty. Find out how you can get involved.

http://incomesecurity.us4.list-manage1.com/track/click?u=095b12c98935ecaadd327bf\
90&id=1a9e4a5b62&e=fae5b0f927


Resources for the Review

Visit the Resources page of our Social Assistance Review website to get
tools that will help you respond to the Review.

http://incomesecurity.us4.list-manage.com/track/click?u=095b12c98935ecaadd327bf9\
0&id=a6b31648fe&e=fae5b0f927


ISAC Public Legal Education Resources

Check out ISAC's public legal education materials on topics such as
social assistance rates, special diet supplement, Ontario Child Benefit,
and more.

http://incomesecurity.us4.list-manage1.com/track/click?u=095b12c98935ecaadd327bf\
90&id=8869c2ee89&e=fae5b0f927

======================================================================

http://www.ChangeDetection.com

or Bookmark this page!
http://ca.groups.yahoo.com/group/angelgoddess-newsmuse

Krista Stryland's liposuction doctor argues for stay of suspension
Published On Fri Apr 13 2012

Toronto cosmetic doctor Behnaz Yazdanfar is seeking a stay of her two-year
licence suspension while she appeals the College of Physicians and Surgeons of
Ontario penalty against her.
STEVE RUSSELL/TORONTO STAR FILE PHOTO
Kate Allen
Staff Reporter

Toronto cosmetic doctor Behnaz Yazdanfar has appealed the Ontario medical
watchdog's decision to strip her licence for two years and is arguing for the
right to inject wrinkle-smoothing treatments while that fight winds its way
through court.

Lawyers for Yazdanfar appeared in Divisional Court on Friday to argue that an
order from the College of Physicians and Surgeons, which prohibits the doctor
from practising medicine while the appeal is being considered, will cause
Yazdanfar irreparable harm.

The college's lawyers are fighting Yazdanfar's motion. They argue that the
college discipline committee's penalty was designed to protect the public and
any stay of that penalty would endanger patients and undermine confidence in the
system.

"To allow this physician an inch is to jeopardize public safety," said Lisa
Brownstone, a lawyer for the college.

In May 2011, the college discipline committee found Yazdanfar incompetent and
guilty of unprofessional conduct in relation to the care of five patients,
including Krista Stryland, a healthy 32-year-old Toronto woman who died after a
liposuction procedure. The anesthetist who assisted Yazdanfar during Stryland's
procedure, Dr. Bruce Liberman, was also found incompetent.

Stryland, a mother and real estate agent, died in hospital. Paramedics found her
lying in a pool of blood in the clinic's recovery room with no vital signs.

Last December, the committee ruled to suspend Yazdanfar's medical licence for
two years and prohibited her from performing surgery after her return. Her
practice will be limited to that of a surgical assistant in a hospital-based
setting.

In January, Yazdanfar filed an appeal of that decision. On Friday, her lawyer
Mary Thomson argued that allowing her client to do facial injections while her
appeal is being considered is hardly a radical proposition.

"I don't think it would shock the public to know my client is doing Botox
injections that any nurse could do," she said. Thomson said the clinic's
finances have been in a downward spiral since 2007.

College lawyers disagree, arguing Yazdanfar lacks judgment and does not
recognize her own limitations. Brownstone read out evidence heard during
Yazdanfar's disciplinary hearing regarding liposuction surgeries where the
doctor removed dangerously large volumes of fat.

The judge reserved decision.


http://www.thestar.com/news/article/1161451--krista-stryland-s-liposuction-docto\
r-argues-for-stay-of-suspension


----------------------------------------------------------------------



Saskatoon church leaders looking for trained exorcist after man `possessed' by
the devil
Published On Fri Apr 13 2012

Richard J. Brennan
National Affairs Writer

A perceived demonic possession in Saskatoon has caught the Catholic Church there
off guard since it has no one trained to perform an exorcism.

The Saskatoon Archdiocese is investigating after a priest was called to a home
in late March where a 41-year-old man had carved the word Hell on his chest and
was talking in the third person, saying, "He belongs to me. Get out of here."

Church officials told CBC the priest did his best to calm the man down,
including blessing him, before the man was taken to Royal University Hospital
for a voluntary assessment.

Bishop Don Bolen told CBC it was not clear if the Saskatoon man was possessed or
experiencing a mental breakdown.

"I would think there are perhaps more stories about exorcisms in Hollywood than
there are on the ground," Bolen said. "But the Catholic Church teaches that
there is a force of darkness, and that God is stronger than that darkness."

According to the report, church leaders in Saskatoon have been considering
whether the city needs a trained exorcist. The last person in the city with
formal training, Rev. Joseph Bisztyo, who retired in 2003.

Bill Steinberg, a spokesperson for the Archdiocese of Toronto, told the Toronto
Star Friday that every diocese is supposed to have a priest who is trained to
perform exorcisms. The Archdiocese of Toronto has two, he said.

However, Steinberg was quick to add "there hasn't been a major exorcism in the
Archdiocese of Toronto in decades."

He said every time there is a Hollywood production on exorcisms there is renewed
interest in the ancient practice, which he describes as a "very complex
procedure."

"The right of exorcism is used very sparingly…because we have come so far in
terms of understanding how to help people with mental illness…how to analyze
these things. So it is quite possible that somebody who was considered possessed
100 or 200 years ago might be receiving treatment from a medical doctor or a
psychologist today," Steinberg said.


http://www.thestar.com/news/canada/article/1161225--saskatoon-church-leaders-loo\
king-for-trained-exorcist-after-man-possessed-by-the-devil


---------------------------------------------------------------------



Rewind: the week in review
Published On Fri Apr 13 2012


Culture: Actress Ashley Judd became an unlikely crusader for women's rights this
week after she published a scathing critique of the media's harsh comments about
her puffy-looking face, saying that it showed women's bodies are under
misogynistic attack. "The conversation about women's bodies exists largely
outside of us, while it is also directed at (and marketed to) us, and used to
define and control us," she wrote in her much-tweeted essay.


Sarah Barmak


http://www.thestar.com/news/insight/article/1161470--rewind-the-week-in-review

======================================================================




FM/Osteo Workshops

Classes for people suffering from fibromyalgia, arthritis, osteoporosis and
related health issues


Gentle movements designed to improve circulation, strengthen the core, build
strength in the outer extremities, stumulate the brain and more.

Instructed by Jo-Ann James, a Medical Exercise Specialist who has over 25 years
experience in the fitness and health field. She has helped many people achieve
their fitness goals and dedicates her energy in making wellness and fitness
related education, training and advocacy a part of the public discussion on
lifestyle and health matters.

Dates: April 16, 23, 30 and May 7, 2012

Time: Mondays 1:00 pm – 2:00 pm

Place: 615 Yonge Street, 6th Floor

Cost: Introductory package – $49 + HST


http://www.jaconello.com/classes-for-people-suffering-from-fibromyalgia-arthriti\
\
s-osteoporosis-and-related-health-issues.html

----------------------------------------------------------------------



From: Clinical Research Assistant <info@...>

Subject: Fibromyalgia Study

Date: Fri 04/13/12 12:19 PM


This is intended to provide you with information about our fibromyalgia study
in Thornhill (i.e. The Wilderman Medical Clinic). This study is a
crossover study of Pregabalin (also known as, Lyrica) in the treatment
of fibromyalgia in patients who have comorbid depression and are
currently on antidepressant therapy. The intent of this study is to
identify and treat fibromyalgia patients with comorbid depression who
are receiving SSRI or SNRI primarily for their depression and to
determine whether pregabalin demonstrates improvement relative to
placebo. Due to the crossover nature of the study, each participant
will receive both the active treatment and the placebo. There will be
10 clinic visits and 4 follow-up phone calls (16 weeks in total).

Pregabalin is an alpha-2-delta (a2d) ligand that has analgesic,
anxiolytic, and anticonvulsant activity. Pregabalin, as an immediate
release gelatine capsule, is currently approved for the treatment of
patients with fibromyalgia in many countries worldwide (including
Canada).

Please let me know if you have any questions. You may choose to give
us a call today at (289) 597-0106 to get pre-screened. We are looking
forward to hearing back from you!

Best Regards,

Oksana Tounis
Clinical Research Assistant

Canadian Centre for Clinical Trials
Phone : 289-597-0106
Fax : 905-886-1648
info@...

==============


Bookmark:
http://ca.groups.yahoo.com/group/cfs-melatonin


======================================================================

Oprah brings Lifeclass to Toronto

Oprah Winfrey is being welcomed in downtown Toronto today by hundreds of
fans, some of whom began queuing at dawn to take part in the American
media mogul's touring Lifeclass roadshow.

Full Story:
http://links.cbc.ca/a/l.x?t=jncickegphpcdpnmpokmfc&M=7&v=4

------------------------------------------------------------------------




Dad takes stand against Rogers over texting charges

A B.C. father is refusing to pay a $1,400 bill from Rogers after his
16-year-old son was charged for sending hundreds of texts to his
girlfriend, despite having "unlimited" texting in Canada.

Full Story:
http://links.cbc.ca/a/l.x?t=jncickegpgclodneiceccb&M=4&v=4




------------------------------------------------------------------------

Staged reading of Tona Wilson's Stories behind Bars in Kingston
Posted by admin on April 15, 2012 in Events, Stage ·

Tona Wilson

Tona Wilson worked as a Spanish interpreter in New York State's courts, prisons
and jails as a way to pay the bills in the late 1990s; but her experience in the
legal system became the subject of her art, with Wilson making sketches and
drawings and writing descriptions of her encounters. Envisioning a book
describing the fate of prisoners in the legal system, Wilson brought her idea to
fruition during a residency at Women's Studio Workshop in 2010. Stories behind
Bars focuses on the plight of immigrants in prisons, jails and immigration
detention centers. It consists of a quartet of books, each telling a particular
story; one is about the inmate who was deported in a court hearing at which he
wasn't even present (located in a prison in western New York, he was connected
by video monitor and had to say goodbye to his family via the screen).

Resembling a graphic novel, with its combination of drawings and text, Stories
behind Bars will be brought to life through a staged reading at the Kingston
Library on Wednesday, April 18 at 6 p.m. Part of the monthlong "E=" event, which
takes Emily Dickinson's life and work as the jumping-off point for a celebration
of the culture of Midtown Kingston to commemorate National Poetry Month, the
reading will be directed by Chris Silva, executive director of the Ulster
Performing Arts Center (UPAC) and its sister theater, the Bardavon. The cast
will consist of teachers, students from Kingston High School and Bard College
and local parishioners and clergy, and will be followed by a question-and-answer
session.

Wilson, who currently does translation work for schools and occasionally town
courts, said that she produced 50 copies of her book, most of which are in
public and university libraries. But she'd like to publish it, given that "One
ironic thing about the book is, here's this expensive handmade artist's book
about a subject that most people who dealing with can't afford." She views the
reading as an important first step in publicizing its stories, which "make
visible a whole part of our society that's pretty hidden."

For more information on the project or the staged reading, call the Kingston
Library, 55 Franklin Street in Kingston, at 331-0507, or e-mail
tonatw@....


http://www.hudsonvalleyalmanacweekly.com/2012/04/15/staged-reading-of-tona-wilso\
ns-stories-behind-bars-in-kingston/

---------------------------------------------------------------------

From: "Peer Support for FM, Chronic Pain and Fatigue conditions"
<info@...>

Subject: Join 5 Members at "APR 18 - Women's Support & StretchMeeting"

Date: Tue 04/17/12 03:14 AM


TOMORROW
APR 18 - Women's Support & Stretch Meeting
Peer Support for FM, Chronic Pain and Fatigue conditions

Wednesday, April 18, 2012
12:00 PM
Private space
4 Hoppe Street, L1Z 1N5
Ajax, ON
Will you attend?
Yes
No
1 spots left!

5 Members going, including:

Marlene Woodside
I have had FM over 16 years, I want to learn ways to increase my energy level
and...

Koshala
Hi: I have lived with fibromyalgia for a long time and would welcome support....

Lynn
Hello, I have recently been diagnosed with Fibromyalgia and Myofacial Pain
Syndrome....

Linus
I have been living with Fibromyalgia (FM), chronic pain and fatigue for 12
years....

Wendy Melville

We're having a women only meeting in Ajax.
This is for women with chronic pain/fatigue who wants to stay positive and away
from "sick role"

*Please respect our members' energy and time. NO SOLICITATION!!!!
12-2pm Peer Support
2-3pm Gentle Breat...


More Meetups from this group

APR
26
APR 26(Thur) 1-3PM A meeting organized by another FM support group in Toronto
Thursday, April 26, 2012 1:00 PM · 4 attending
RSVP

MAY
08
International Awareness Day for FM, ME and MCS
Tuesday, May 8, 2012 9:30 AM · 1 attending
RSVP

MAY
24
May 24(Thur) 1-3PM A meeting organized by another FM support group in Toronto
Thursday, May 24, 2012 1:00 PM
RSVP

======================================================================



LIFE HEALTH & FITNESS
Therapy at your fingertips 3
Cyber-counselling helps the troubled among us from a distance

  BY MARILYN LINTON, QMI AGENCY
FIRST POSTED: SUNDAY, APRIL 15, 2012 02:00 AM EDT

Like actress Lisa Kudrow, who plays a self-centred online therapist of
questionable training in her hit web series "Web Therapy," online therapists in
the real world can be as poorly qualified as Kudrow's "Dr." Fiona Wallice. (HO)


Abby Linkmoller loves her therapist -- but she doesn't know if he's tall, short,
bald or bearded, or lives in Toronto or Timmins. Unlike face-to-face therapy,
Linkmoller does weekly online therapy -- on her computer by the toaster in her
kitchen. "Yes, by email," says Linkmoller, an elementary school teacher. "And
yes, it works!"

Linkmoller (not her real name) started therapy six months ago after a series of
failed relationships made her want to examine patterns that seemed entrenched.

"Doing therapy this way means I don't have to take off work, pay for parking, or
follow someone else's schedule," she explains. "It suits my life and email
allows me to say things I don't think I could say meeting in person."

Guelph's Lawrence Murphy can relate to that. He runs therapyonline.ca, a company
whose online therapists counsel Canadians coast to coast. One of the reasons for
cyber-counseling's growth, he says, is "time and money." In face-to-face
therapy, an $80 session can wind up costing $100 because of time lost at work
and travel expenses.

"With online, clients tell us they can get dinner done, take their kids to
soccer, finish their house chores, then open up the email on their terms."

Cyber-counselling is the use of the Internet to provide counselling at a
distance -- by email, chat or video or voice. Murphy, a psychotherapist who
began doing face-to-face work but has cyber-counselled for 18 years, explains
that emails from clients are reviewed by a therapist who emails back with
questions, some interpretations, and points to consider in the process of
establishing a therapeutic relationship.

"Email is an effective way of doing counselling," he says. "As a client, you get
to think and ponder and put away and come back, and think and ponder and put
away and come back to it. If I am in a room with a client asking a question,
they have to give me the answer right away, but with email you get to slow down
the process. A client can spend 11 hours a week (if he so wishes) reviewing an
email and thinking about the questions we sent and creating a reply -- whereas
if it's face to face, you have 50 minutes for the week and you are done."

Studies have shown that online counselling works as well as face-to-face. But
Murphy admits that in not being able to read body language, therapists can miss
tones of voice and non-verbal communication. In their practice, he and
co-founder Dan Mitchell have developed techniques they teach their clinicians in
order to compensate for the non-verbal.

Their company uses a variety of therapy types, including cognitive behavioral
therapy, in what Murphy explains as "trying to understand what's going on in the
person's experience, talking a little bit about the past in order to understand
the present and future." While cyber-counselling isn't exactly anonymous (names
and phone numbers are requested), many clients feel they can open up more
because they're not working face-to-face. What they wear, their size, their
shape, is not being judged.

But cyber-counselling is currently "buyer beware" territory with too few
regulations. And like actress Lisa Kudrow, who plays a self-centred online
therapist of questionable training in her hit web series Web Therapy, online
therapists in the real world can be as poorly qualified as Kudrow's "Dr." Fiona
Wallice.

So what should consumers look for?

"You want someone with qualifications, a graduate degree, past experience with
face to face work, actual training in cyber-counselling, and membership in a
professional association," says Murphy. Like in-person therapy, the bottom line
is that online therapy is about communication and connection. But consumers need
to be extra careful that the communication is secure. "Ask what kind of efforts
are in place to protect your information."

Not for everyone

Pre-screens are done by online therapists to rule out serious psychiatric
disorders such as severe depression, ongoing addiction, and schizophrenia. "If a
woman tells me she is 5-feet-9 inches and weighs 80 pounds and thinks she is
fat, she should be in therapy face to face. Someone who says he wears foil on
his head to protect from aliens needs to be seen in-person and put on
medication," says Lawrence Murphy. "Online counsellors need clinical intuition
and knowledge. You need enough experience having worked with people in dire
circumstances in order to be able to read an email and say, 'Something is very
wrong here "¦'"

Who signs on?

"Gone are the days of three times a week at $200 a session," says Lawrence
Murphy. "Most people want a problem solved. They don't want their personality
reworked. They want to improve their relationship with their teens, they want to
cut down on their drinking or get over their fear of spiders."

An evolving modality

Therapy Online has a research arm and also trains online therapists. The company
has also worked to draft guidelines for the growing industry. Until there's an
association of cyber-counsellors, consumers should ask their online counsellors
who they are accountable to. For instance, many psychologists who don online
work are members of the Canadian Psychological Association. "You need
credentials to belong to an organization, says Murphy, who adds that it also
gives consumers a way to address any complaints.

Buyer beware

Like in Lisa Kudrow's improvisational spoof of online therapists, anyone can set
up shop. "Look for someone schooled with a graduate degree as they would have
learned about ethical decision making. You don't want someone who has just
graduated with a BA and is starting to do counselling," says Lawrence Murphy.
"People should say on their website who they are and list their credentials and
it should be totally transparent."


http://www.torontosun.com/2012/04/12/therapy-at-your-fingertips


----------------------------------------------------------------------



VOICES
  COLUMN
The In-Credibility Factor

April 15, 2012

A Hollywood legend on surviving constant change
  By Teresa Kruze
For Metro Canada


Debbie Reynolds will speak at the March of Dimes gala May 3.
Debbie Reynolds' career as an actress and singer has spanned six successful
decades. Now as she turns 80 she is still entertaining and will be coming to
Toronto on May 3rd to be the guest speaker at the March of Dimes Ability and
Beyond Gala.

As she looks back on her life and career, she says resiliency and being able to
adapt are keys to long-term success.

"I think I am most proud of my ability to survive and live through each changing
decade."

"America's Sweetheart" burst onto the Hollywood scene in the 1950's after
leading roles in the musicals Singing in the Rain and Tammy and the Bachelor. As
her star rapidly climbed in Hollywood, her marriage to singer Eddie Fisher
famously dissolved after he fell in love with Elizabeth Taylor. Two more
marriages over the years would end, leaving her in financial ruin.

"I constantly had to adapt, have patience and love to get through each
challenging era and to maintain my sanity!"
She also took care of her family members as they aged and grew ill.

"My grandmother and grandfather lived with us and when I was 14, my mother
started getting ill, having seizures and heart trouble, so I began to take care
of her. I looked after my mother-in-law until she was 97 and my drama coach
until 96. If people can stay in their own familiar, loving surroundings, they do
much better than if they're feeling abandoned. And that is what March of Dimes
does for the people it serves; it helps care for people, and keeps them in their
homes.

On May 3rd we'll share our experiences and our happiness, our trials, our
tribulations and be together for that moment in life, and I think we'll all come
out better and we'll have a wonderful time."

Gala
Debbie Reynolds will be guest speaker at the March of Dimes Ability and Beyond
Gala, Thursday, May 3rd, at the  Fairmont Royal York.

For tickets. Contact Linda Yielding (416) 425-3463 ext. 7290.


http://metronews.ca/voices/the-in-credibility-factor/105285/a-hollywood-legend-o\
n-surviving-constant-change/

----------------------------------------------------------------------




Whats on > Arts entertainment >
Class is in session with Oprah Winfrey in Toronto
The Canadian Press
Mon Apr 16 2012

Oprah in Toronto Sudbury residents (L to R) Jaylene Hamilton, Tracy Hayes, Cathy
Heffernan, and Karen Hatton line up for an Oprah Winfrey show at the Metro
Toronto Convention Centre. Thousands lined up Monday morning for a chance to sit
at the pulpit of Oprah. ANDREW FRANCIS WALLACE/TORONTO STAR


TORONTO — Class will be in session this morning with Oprah Winfrey.

The media mogul is in Toronto with "Oprah's Lifeclass: The Tour."

Hundreds of dedicated fans lined up early for the first of two shows. The queue
snaked along several blocks surrounding the Metro Toronto Convention Centre.

A publicist says devotees began arriving at 5 a.m. — four hours early.

The televised event promises to share inspiring life lessons that have guided
Winfrey herself.

She's joined by a who's-who of visionaries, including speaker Tony Robbins,
spiritualist Deepak Chopra, Bishop T.D. Jakes and author Iyanla Vanzant.

The visit comes as Winfrey attempts a revamp of her struggling specialty
channel, OWN: Oprah Winfrey Network.

Tickets for the afternoon Lifeclass sold out in minutes, spurring organizers to
add a morning show that also sold out quickly. Highlights air tonight on OWN
Canada.


http://www.therecord.com/whatson/artsentertainment/article/706027--class-is-in-s\
ession-with-oprah-winfrey-in-toronto

----------------------------------------------------------------------




entertainment »
celebrity news+gossip


Lady Gaga's astrology fears for tour
Apr 16, 2012


(BANG) -Lady Gaga is taking emergency advice from astrologers over fears the
stars will be aligned in the wrong direction for her world tour.

The 26-year-old 'Poker Face' singer - who is set to kick off her Born This Way
Ball in Seoul later this month - is less than pleased after learning planet
Mercury will be travelling backwards through the sky from July 15 to August 8 -
which in astrological terms can signify bad luck.

A source told The Sun newspaper: ''Gaga is worried as she wants the stars to be
aligned when she hits the road. She follows her horoscopes closely and has been
looking ahead for when she's away.

''She's a typical Aries -- outgoing with a sense of adventure. But when she
found out Mercury is likely to go retrograde, she wasn't happy and has been
talking it through with her spiritual team.''

Tickets for Gaga's two UK dates in London and Manchester sold out in just 60
seconds on Ticketmaster last Thursday (12.04.12), and fans who missed out are
said to be fuming after they were directed to another site owned by the company,
which increased the price from £80 to £1,100.


http://www.divine.ca/en/entertainment/celebrity-news-gossip/c_50_i_bs2bs516442/l\
ady-gagas-astrology-fears-for-tour-1.html

======================================================================

4 tips to avoid smartphone 'bill shock'
Understand the application before downloading it, telecom experts say
CBC News Posted: Apr 17, 2012 5:11 AM ET


Consumers can inadvertently rack up huge bills, sometimes in the thousands of
dollars, by downloading and using mobile applications. (iStock)


Dad takes stand against Rogers over texting charges

A father in B.C. was surprised to learn his son had incurred hundreds of dollars
in text message fees despite an apparently unlimited plan, another example of
so-called "bill shock."

The term refers to racking up huge charges, sometimes in the thousands of
dollars, for using a smartphone in seemingly innocuous ways.

In that case the man's teenaged son had replied to text messages sent by his
girlfriend – who lived nearby – using a "free" messaging service that was based
in the U.S.

However, consumers can also end up owing service providers huge sums for
inadvertently going over their data usage, allowing children to purchase in-game
upgrades for real-world dollars or using their devices in foreign countries.

For Howard Maker, who was appointed Canada's first commissioner for complaints
for telecommunications services in August 2008, it is often matter of
understanding both your own phone plan and the way the given applications use
your device.

"My view always is an informed consumer is always more likely to make good
decisions," he said.

CBC News spoke to a number of telecommunication experts to come up with four
ways to help avoid "bill shock."

1. Understand the app
One of the first lines of defence against incurring a huge bill is to understand
how an application operates and often this means reading both the description
displayed on your phone before you download it as well as its longer service
agreement, said David Fewer, a director with the Canadian Internet Policy and
Public Interest Clinic at the University of Ottawa.

This information should contain whether there are any additional charges down
the road and how the app interfaces with your phone, although the language can
often be confusing if not completely undecipherable, Fewer said.

"If you really want to protect yourself, you really have to do it," he said.

And although the real problem in the B.C. case was the app used by the
teenager's girlfriend, knowing how the software works on your phone can help
save expensive charges for friends, family and colleagues.

2. Research the app
Another suggestion to help avoid unplanned charges is to do some research before
downloading the app, said John Lawford, counsel with the Public Interest
Advocacy Centre.

This can involve searching news stories or tech websites to see if a particular
type of software has been the subject of complaints, which might be an
indication to steer clear.

It's also useful to consider the company that is offering the app, according to
Maker from the CCTS. He recommends only downloading software from trusted
sources and avoiding small, relatively unknown companies.

3. Check your usage
Another option to avoid hefty fees is to monitor your usage as closely as
possible to watch for any unusual activity, said Mel Fruitman, vice-president at
the Consumers' Association of Canada.

A number of providers offer almost constantly updated information on how many
minutes or gigabytes of data a person has used. Some phones also provide a
history of usage over a certain period of time. Sudden changes in this data
could signal a potential problem.

However, being reactive is unlikely to completely prevent some unwanted fees,
Fruitman said.

"You'll get caught for some but at least you'll try to minimize the damage," he
said.

4. Make a complaint
If you do end up getting a massive bill for seemingly unexplained charges, talk
to your service provider to see if it is willing to forego some or all of the
extra charges, Fewer said.

'You can't give all the responsibility to the consumer.'
—John Lawford, Public Interest Advocacy Centre
Maker also recommends filing a complaint with his organization to see if there
are any other remedies available to you. The CCTS also issues an annual report
detailing key topics and trends in the industry, so reporting problematic apps
can bring further scrutiny.

For Lawford, bringing potential issues into the public sphere is the first step
in moving towards stronger consumer laws which could prevent the frequency of
bill shock.

One possible solution would be to institute a system where cell providers notify
customers when there is suspicious activity with their account, including a
sudden increase in expensive international text messages or a sudden spike in
data usage, he said.

"I just think at a certain level, you can't give all of the responsibility to
the consumer," Lawford said.

Although a number of provinces, including Ontario, Quebec and Manitoba, have
either passed or are working towards stronger protections in the
telecommunications market, widespread changes are a long way off, he said.

"We haven't even gotten close to talking about this," Lawford said. "It's
totally buyer beware."


http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/story/2012/04/16/smartphone-bills-tips.html

======================================================================

From:   DAWN-Ontario
To:   yahoogroups.ca

Subject:   [DAWN Ontario] Digest Number 2196

Date:   Fri 04/20/12 07:50 AM

Women with DisAbilities Issues Listserv

FW: research study on depression - please circulate
Posted by: "Marianne M. Park" gratiot21@...   deruffin13
Fri Apr 20, 2012 7:45 am (PDT

From: mnchp-bounces@...
[mailto:mnchp-bounces@...] On Behalf Of Dawson, Hiltrud
Sent: April-20-12 9:33 AM
To: mnchp@...
Subject: [Mnchp] research study on depressession - please circulate

Posted on behalf of Lori Ross.

Hi everyone, I would really appreciate your help in circulating the info
below for this research study on women's experiences with depression
treatment in Ontario.

While the study is open to all women who receive health care in Ontario, we
are particularly looking for people located outside of Toronto right now, so
please send it far and wide!

Thanks so much,

Lori

Are you dealing with stress? Do you struggle with your emotional health? We
need YOU to fill out this survey!

The "Pathways Study" is a community-based research project that seeks to
understand women's* experiences with depression as well as their use of
mental health services.

We are recruiting 900 participants of all sexual orientations, abilities and
ethno-racial backgrounds to share their experiences by filling out a
confidential and anonymous online survey that takes approximately 30 to 45
minutes to complete. About 40 of the 900 online participants will also be
asked to do a one hour semi-structured interview with a member of the
Pathways Research Team to discuss their experiences.

We are especially trying to reach women who experience multiple stressors
associated with their race, class, gender, sexual orientation and/or gender
identity. You will be compensated for your participation with a President's
Choice gift certificate, or a donation to charity.

A primary goal of this project is to find out what happens when people seek
help or treatment for their emotional or mental health. Our goal is to help
make changes to mental health services.

To participate, go to http://www.900pathways.ca

*Includes trans women.

Hiltrud Dawson

Hiltrud Dawson

Health Promotion Consultant

Best Start Resource Centre

c/o Health Nexus

180 Dundas Street West, Suite 301

Toronto ON, M5G 1Z8

Phone: 416 408 2249 or 1 800 397 9567 ext. 2250

Direct: 905 388 0181

Fax: 905 388 0181 (call first, please)

<mailto:h.dawson@...> h.dawson@...

<http://www.beststart.org/> http://www.beststart.org

----------------------------------------------------------------------




24 facts about marijuana on global pot day

Nearly 42 per cent of Canadians say they have used marijuana and some
27,000 were charged last year for pot possession. We share some
interesting numbers on April 20 (4/20), a day designated as one to
celebrate marijuana and push for its legalization.

Full Story:
http://links.cbc.ca/a/l.x?t=jncickegodphfflbahfkii&M=6&v=4




----------------------------------------------------------------------



[arts]


CBC renews 14 shows for coming season

CBC announced four new shows and 14 returning primetime shows for the
2012-13 season on Thursday, among them a reality TV show that casts the
lead for the Wizard of Oz.

Full Story:
http://links.cbc.ca/a/l.x?t=jncickegocpeenomffiood&M=5&v=4



Cronenberg, Salles to debut new films at Cannes

David Cronenberg's Cosmopolis, Walter Salles' On the Road and the latest
from filmmakers like Ken Loach, Michael Haneke and Alain Renais will
compete at the Cannes Film Festival.

Full Story:
http://links.cbc.ca/a/l.x?t=jncickegocpeenomffiood&M=4&v=4



Leonard Cohen's ex-manager gets jail sentence

Leonard Cohen's former manager has been sentenced to 18 months in prison
for harassing the 77-year-old poet and musical icon.

Full Story:
http://links.cbc.ca/a/l.x?t=jncickegocpeenomffiood&M=7&v=4


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EI recipients may face bigger push into seasonal jobs

People collecting employment insurance may be pushed to fill seasonal
jobs often done by temporary foreign workers if the federal government's
proposed changes to the system go through.

Full Story:
http://links.cbc.ca/a/l.x?t=jncickegodphfflbahfkii&M=10&v=4


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