Playing with fire: Is Canada's wildfire strategy working? York scholars debate

Playing with fire: Is Canada's wildfire strategy working? York scholars debate: Wildfires are testing Canada's emergency management framework. York researchers explore what's working, what's not and what comes next. This long-form feature explores the people, policies and science behind managing an increasingly complex threat.

Wanda's Waffle Factory - My kind of stop

https://maps.app.goo.gl/z7kerSynEkqSXT1G9 

Homicidal Behaviours and Systemic Family Therapy AAMFT notes ... continues

 The role of psychotherapy and childhood maltreatment in homicidal ideation -  Study looked at psychotherapy (lack of remorse, empathy) incarcentated, if child maltreatment had occurred.   As childhood maltreatment increased, so did homocidalology.  Men more so than women and gangs was not indicative of this. 

Leakage is the communication to a third person as an intent to harm a target. (Maloy & Otoole, 2011) Communication can vary such as email; verbal.  Reveals feelings, attitudes. It is not motivated to be stopped.  So often it has occurred in mass shootings.

Don't expect someone to actually do the harm.  Must be joking, denying it.  It is uncomfortable.  We must not be a weak link.  This is important information such as minimizing.  We need to be able to assess leakage.  eg.  one teenager communicated he wanted to kill girlfriend.

Case Study:  Caregivers.

 Mother had lost custody.  Grandfather adopted 14 year old boy and his brother.  14 year old leaked he wanted to kill his girlfriend.  Goes into the kitchen and cuts his wrists in front of his grandmother and gets gun.  Grandmother calls police.  14 year old points the gun at his grandmother and told her to move.  There was a bullet in the gun.  

     Woman complained that  boy was carrying a gun and would kill her.  Reported that she was being told she would be killed.  Male states he didn't mean it.  Male downplayed at pointing gun at her.

Domains:  Safety -  increase or decrease risk.  Emotional risk -  shame, guilt, fatal or non fatal.  Neighbourhood factors -  violence, community safety, gun presence, friends, traditions, shared commonalties, status; regret, social perceptions. 

      A clinician can be easily triggered in working with a family due to belief system.  How do they parent this child?  Grandmother - he put my life in danger.  Grandfather doesn't see it that way.

     We need to create safety and how the socialogy is.  How does the family respond when homocidal behaviours enter the room?  Lead with second order change (relational change).  Pull in first order change when needed (behavioural change).

     The boy went out to the community.  Police arrested him.

Lethal means safety counselling.  Be straight forward, practical and respectful.  Where does access occur in the community.  It only takes on bullet for someone to die.

     Talk about safer storage.  Look at pros and cons of keeping a gun in the house and changing how the gun is stored.  For some it is safety and protection of family.

Assault and Homicidal Danger Assessment Tool.  No predictable risk of assault/homicide.  Low Risk/Moderate risk - occurred within last year.  High risk.  

How do we address the relationship, so homicide is not the solution.  When child is distressed - instead of turning to the care giver, turned to a gun - homicial behaviour.   Difference of grandparents views make it difficult for child to turn to them.  Show how systematic family needs to change for behaviour of child.  How do we address the relationship so homicide is not the solution.  When caregivers are in conflict, children are in conflict.  - "When you need us, we are here for you."  That allows children to be able to go to them.

Conclued lecture.     Have a good weekend world. 

  

A full day a Niagara Falls

A large group of us went to Niagara yesterday and as soon as we departed Toronto and began to see trees and valleys, I could feel myself beginning to relax; no construction, no loud noises just peace and R&R.  People keep asking me why I want to go to Niagara.  The last comment I got was that there is no noise there (awwwww) and that tourists litter everywhere (I have not seen that).  Just before that another asked me, "Don't you like us?" I responded "yes".  He added, "Then why do you want to leave us?"  I am not leaving anyone.  Niagara Falls is about an hour and a half way.  It seems like I want to go to the other end of Canada or leave the country by the reaction I get.  I just have to make sure I buy something there for the visitors I will be getting.  However,  I am still here, waiting for the market to change, to become a sellers market once again.  Hopefully next year!  

     Our first stop was Neob Lavender, a first generation owner.  They began with nothing, living in a trailor being helped by mom and dad to now owning three stores, 20 years later.  When they bought this now purple everything it had no water nor electricity I believe.   It doesn't have a washroom people and though they said they have high end toilot cubicles that construction workers have in my neighbourhood,  and that they had been thoroughly cleaned,  mine was all wet (which was the general consensus) and the pump for water was insufficient to rinse the soap from my hands.  We went into the store and was created by lavender chocolate bites ( I bought a small bag).  Alas, there was a small sink with water and I managed to wash my hands properly.  There were all kind of smells with promises to heal but when it comes to healing, I listen to my physician.  However, one man from the group who had been hit by a car a few years back and spent 8 months in the hospital was generously spreading promised healing cream on his legs.  "You want some?"  He asked me.  "No thank you."  He had large scars on both legs and I wondered who sewed him up.  

     My niece bought me a lavender gift basket for Christmas and I always smell so nice afterwards having used it for soap and bath.  However,  I couldn't find anything to match it.   I found there was just too many smells that aside from chocolate I didn't really want anything.  Others bought for themselves and others and were quite pleased.  Me, I went to their front porch and socialized.

      Next was Caroline Cellars.  My first impression was not positive.  I went for the wine tasting with three others who wanted non-alcoholic drinks.  There were two bottles.  The first was not to my tasting and the second was a sparking wine which I thought was nice but it had 7% sugar so I decided to ask my pharmacist before buying it.  My pharmacist is worse than my physician in trying to keep me healthy.  Adjacent to the store is the Farmhouse Cafe with an outside patio and inside restaurant.  We weren't allowed to light the candles until 5 pm, the server, family member said.  "Does that mean I have to stay here until 5pm?  I asked.  It was about 11:00.  My group thought it was funny.  We had a choice of three meals and I kept telling my group that it was alcheapo, because the vegetarian option was grilled cheese.  I had planned on buying that at Tim Hortons later at the Casino.  However, Alcheapo it was not.  We had two large platters of cold cuts that my dad would have devoured had he still been alive.  I ate the olives and small tomatoes, and small cream cheeses wrapped in red peppers.  It is always nice when my comrades are there making sure there is something for me to eat.  I believe two other people chose the grilled cheese and this was no regular grill cheese.  This was the best I have ever eaten and it was definitely not a cheapo.  I was hesitant prior to the meal, because it said there was onions and honey in there but it worked.   I could only eat half and one of the men took my other half.  You won't go hungry if you go to Caralines and I fully recommend it.   We will be going back in the fall.  When we were leaving there wasn't any vacancy.  The place was packed with a line up.  Looks like the news is out.  

     Next was shopping at the Outlet and it was hot and humid.  I bought an orange pair of runners which I am wearing right now and it is super comfortable.  I bought it at Marshalls and though we have a Marshalls nearby, I like that one more.  Next I went to the Lindt store.  Even though I have one at Yorkdale, I cannot walk by a chocolate store.  So, two more small boxes of chocolate.  

    Then if was off to our last spot, the Casino.  I played and lost 20.00 of my own money and then went off to find a spot to finish off  a book I was reading.  I hated the ending.  Of course the author is a best seller.  I hate it when I am disappointed reading a book.   I remember someone telling me they were disappointed in reading my book, actually there were two.  One was Hey Guy Buy Me and the other was Ominious.  One day I will post the letter I got from the Ominous review, but not yet.  

     After losing my $20.00 and while polishing off my book,  I noticed a shadow in my peripheral and once I finished the paragraph I looked up and saw an unmarked picnic bag (I just won one last week - for my books).  There was no one nearby and I tried to get the attention of a worker.  My first thought - a bomb.  Then a man comes from a washroom, to retrieve the bag.  "I thought it was a bomb."   I tell him.  He gives me a big smile and leaves with the bag.  I can use that in one of my books, me thinks.  He was Middle Eastern but too good looking to be a terrorist.  Did you ever see a nice looking terrorist?  I am stereotyping people.  Terrorists can be nice looking somewhere in the world and not all are Middle Eastern I just finished all the chocolates and now me thinks I am going to be sick.  What's wrong with me?

     Anyhow, after all that it was about 5pm and I started thinking about eating supper.   They have a sandwich shop now so I ordered half a sub but didn't want to buy their intelligent water.  So, I went somewhere else for the water and returned.  I think it was a kiosk place before.  I took my sub outside to a bench overlooking the falls and thought about my mom.  She too loved Niagara Falls and she would wait for my call to hear all about my trip or any other trips I was taking, especially when driving down to Disney World.  She would want to hear about where I was, what it was like etc.......I missed her very much as I sat there with my sub taking a breather.  I then opened my bag and ate my supper.   It was a lovely day with wonderful people, but I always need to sneak away for some me alone time.  After a bit,  I returned to socialize until my return to Toronto.  It appears I have new neighbours.  Have a nice weekend and if you go to that lavender place, don't eat all the chocolates at once.  What do you think?

 

Homicidal Behaviours and Systemic Family Therapy AAMFT notes

 Trigger Warning:  Fire arms death age - 1 to 44 top leading deaths (in USA)

Wilful killing by one person to another.

Homicide behaviour is occurring - also suicidal behaviour and famicidal behavour if assessing one need to assess another.

Interview with one person who has lived with gun violence:  Participant seemed nervous answering questions and looking at the time.  Saw people being shot but ideology hasn't changed.  Believes people should have guns to protect themselves.  He wants to know his daughter's friends families to see how and what they believe in.  He used to carry a fire arm to his work.  He went to pick up his mother.  A few people were blocking the street.  He realized they had guns.  After that he sold his gun.  He stated, "If you carry a gun, you don't know how you are going to respond."  For a few weeks he pondered if he had made the right decision of backing away.  What is your lived experience of guns and homicide, such as community distress, past experiences, Mental Health Disorders; how to deal with anger?

Adhia et..al..2019 - Victims.  Broken desired intimacy, jealousy.  130 out of 150 adolescence were female.  66% 15 1/2 - 18.1 years of age.  102 perps were 18 years or older.  Average age - 20.

One male killed his girlfriend because of nude photos that were distributed.

to be continued with The Role of psychotherapy and childhood maltreatment in homicidal ideation.

Catholic Register - June 21, 2026 - Men struggling with Mental Health (p6)

 The National Survey of 2000 men, conducted in April 2025 by CMHC and Intensions Consulting depicted that as many as 64% of men reported having moderate to high levels of stress, 50% were at risk of social isolation and 67% reported never seeking out a professional mental health service.  In Canada men account for nearly 75% of suicide deaths.  The Government of Canada's Health Infobase states that every day, 10 men take their lives = 3,560 days per year with suicide among men occurring at three times the rate of women.

     I have recommended that men during therapy also join a men's group and some have complained that all it was doing was bashing women.   Be careful with which group you join, sometimes there is an agenda of hate.  That is not what you want.  Also, make sure that the therapist you find is registered.  

      What do you think?

Legion celebrates 100 years and of Course I am always ready for a celebration

 

What you see here is a photo of the missing Veteran.   I appreciated my gift bag which included poppy earings.  I don't have holes in my ears so I will have to find someone who can convert them to clip on.   I shall enjoy wearing them.  Who you see here in pink is Francis Nunciata, and of course I was excited to see her because she used to be Mayor in the City of York and is a councellor for the City of Toronto.  I believe she has been in elected office since 1988.  I used to read the Sun faithfully for years and she was in it often because of her work.   What struck me the most about this icon is how she stood up to city politicians and one pushing her on the stairs.  This is what women had to endure and she didn't tolerate it.   I remember a city counsellor telling me something about her which I didn't believe and so I called her and it wasn't.  How low can people get.   He is no longer in politics.  So, when I saw her, I couldn't help getting excited because I don't get to meet too many icons I respect.  Of course I went up to her to meet her.  I told her about the stairs incident that exploded the papers at the time.  She left before she could eat dessert because there was a fire at a building and she wanted to be there in case residents needed anything - an exellent role moded.  It was a fun night.