Word on The Street.................Come and say hello

 During Sat, Sun, 27/28 September, I shall be selling my books at Word on the Street. I shall be at tent #1, D zone (South East) King Street. There is supposed to be plenty of parking. I guess I shall find out. See you there!!!!!!!!!!

Poverty Report for Canada receives a D - Global News

   I was so sad hearing the Food Bank Poverty Report today on the news.  One of every four people in Canada are struggling from food insecurity.  Parents are going without food so their children can eat.  Seniors have empty cupboards and stretching a loaf of bread, for a week.  There has been a 90% growth in food banks use in five short years and it is unsustainable.    People who thought they would  never need it, now do.  How did we get into such a deplorable state?  Let's ask our politicians.  Do something about it! Now.

The Sounds of silence - nice. Animals loving.......

https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1FHF8K2zr3/ 

12 year old and adult kill homeless man - It is time for change in Canada. It is time for change in my home town. Enough is enough, is enough.

 Recently a 12 year old and adult were arrested for killing a man.  A hammer was used to beat the man.  They had attacked several other homeless men beating them with a hammer.   I believe it was just last week another juvenile was arrested for killing someone.  And of course our own children are being killed by gun shots.  Toronto the good?  No more.  They were all out on bail.  Then there was the pedophile outside Toronto in the Niagara area who broke into a home and violently sexually assaulted a little girl.  I believe he thought he had killed her, but didn't.  He had been convicted just three years earlier I believe for sexually assaulting a child.  In Niagara area a group protested and a noose was hanging for the pedophile.  That is not good either.  We don't need vigilantes.  In Niagara Falls, a  white supremacy group gathered upset with immigration who they believe are taking jobs.  A white supremacy group came to Toronto to cause problems and 10 people were arrested.  Come on Niagara Falls, I want to move there hoping to be relieved of crime.  We don't want to keep tourists at bay?   Keep it safe, safer than Toronto.  At a salon I go to a hair stylist told me that she has to keep her head low so children won't assault her as she comes close to the mall area.  I myself was a victim of crime in their parking lot, and another woman just a few weeks ago.  I only hear it from the  community.  Not all is reported to the police.  How bad is it really?  What is going on at schools, that is failing our youth?  What is going on in society that is failing their residents?  It is not good enough to say that Canada is better than other countries.  That too can be debated.  It is difficult when there is so many extreme views to come up with solutions.  We used to have carding which was removed because people felt they were being targeted and discriminated against.  But, it appeared to keep people safer.  We had police in the schools but some said that some felt uncomfortable.  I wonder why?  When I was a child we welcomed the police.  We respected the police.  Are there bad actors?  Of course.  They exist in every career.  How do we improve our state?  We need to examine what has worked in the past, what changed and how we can make changes to accomodate those negative results.  We need to be objective and conduct positive changes for the good of society.  This white supremacy garbage needs to be addressed and not tolerated.  It is simply hate due to prejudice. And what is prejudice?  It is pre-judging.  We need to start in grade school, through high school to teach what may not be automatic or taught at home.  We need to teach empathy and manners and the importance of recognizing each other as equals.  We need to teach the different religions objectively.  We need to identify extremists.  We need to understand the difference in political views objectively.  We need to see each other, and hate and criminal activity needs to be addressed.  Children can be tried as adults and when has this happened recently?  We had what, six girls that again killed a recently homeless man in Toronto, last few years?  What happened to them?  Not only are they protected because of their young age but they certainly didn't get the punishment for killing a man.  Home invasion is another top problem in the (GTA)  Greater Toronto Area.  Two residents were charged.  I would say that crime has gotten out of control.  We have the laws but not the judgement.  I don't think that any of the suspects had a first offence.  I believe they were all out on bail.  They don't have to be released on bail.  There is no doubt that the community is getting tired and scared.  We have people from other countries who come to Canada temporary as groups to steal and target the community.  Let's not waste time.  Let's start acting.  Now!  Let's adapt to the changes and perhaps increase penalties and attitudes to protect the innocent.  What do you think? 

A Ukraine Soldier

 There were quite a few festivals in Toronto and I had planned on visiting a few, but I went to the Ukraine Festival and kind of just stayed there.

I talked to a Ukraine in military uniform.  He said he was a volunteer but I consider him a courageous soldier.  More to come of the festival.

Remembering 9/11 - Difficult to watch video

 I cannot believe it  has been 24 years since that horrific day.  This may be difficult to watch.  It was for me.  Prayers for the souls, families and all who suffer as a consequence of that day when the free world was attacked.  I went on a four day tour to New York afterwards and photos of the missing and dead were posted on fences.  A school teacher was our guide at the site and I shall never forget his passion and suffering.

Canadian Veterans - pg 32, Sage (The Voice of Federal Retirees) plus my own voice.

"Nearly half of Veterans live with at least one disability, such as chronic pain, mental health conditions and operational stress injuries.  Wait times for claims is the top complaint.  Many Veterans continue to face hardship, including delayed treatment, financial strain and a declining quality of life.  It also needs improved transition services to support successful release.  Good intentions must be matched by concrete outcomes.  Supporting veterans must not be an afterthought to defence policy. " p 32.  

Veteran Affairs does provide mental health psychotherapy to Veterans.  However,  as a therapist I refuse to disclose confidential information especially to a physiotherapist whom is a manager.  When I told the manager she was unqualified to have any information of a client, she hung up on me and had an insurance company providing me with a form to sign that I would share information.  Of course I did no such thing.  Therefore Veterans wanting to see me have to pay my fee which is disgraceful.  Even with EAP, the one I was with for the beginning of my practice which I cannot identify (non-disclosure) had professional psychologists and social workers who served as medians.  Veteran Affairs need to have qualified Mental Health Professionals deal with both the Veterans and Therapists.   Veterans will not share all information if they know that their information will be compromised.   This is a problem for healing.  There needs to be trust in the therapist and what is disclosed.  Therapists have a duty to report if they believe the client will kill himself, cause harm to others and child abuse.  I would say a lot more work is required by Veteran Affairs and first they need to hire people who are qualified to do the job.  If someone puts in a claim for a disability, then send them to the appropriate physicians who have time to comply with their unrealistic demands.  Physicians barely have time to see their own patients than to meet the endless requests of paperwork.  I would suggest that right now there is too much incompetence and waste of time.  

What do you think?