Tag Archive for NEWS

Major Media Mess Up: Leaving Voices Unheard.

October 17, 2010 / Common Cents Mom / No comments

Today I am angry! I am pissed! Why?

Because newspaper editors think Torontonians need their opinions.

What Torontonians NEED are FACTS.

Let Torontians Decide who to vote for after giving them the Facts.

But wait over the last 10 months the media has not done that so why would they start now. When I arrived back in the city of my birth after 2 years away I followed the media coverage of the campaign and from what I saw it looked liked there were only 5 candidates running after all they never talked about any one else. Their coverage has been biased since day 1.

How many people even know that as of today’s date there remain 38 candidates for mayor? And do you know who is running in your Ward for councillor or trustee? Do you know what they stand for? What their records are like? What they would do?

I didn’t. I kept reading and watching and thought I could find out through typical media sources. Boy was this girl wrong. The media coverage given the candidates sucked! The debates were not even an exchange of ideas they were short sound bites with nothing in the background. There was no platform for discussion and vision. I got to here 5 debates. At each the candidates it seemed gave “canned answers until this last one at Oakwood Collegiate and that was just well how can I put it a “Who can yell the loudest contest?”

I had to go searching on my own to really read, know and understand the platforms of those running.

The Media did this city a disservice by NOT highlighting at least the top 10 candidates for mayor. They call those outside the top 5 “fringe” as if that makes them men without ideas, without platforms, without merit. Several under the top have put forward platforms and ideas that have found their way into the mainstream media after their ideas were taken by one of the top 5. Sarah Thompson’s bike plan mirrored Himy Syed’s “bike city”. Hers was released after his was already online. George Smitherman started talking about neighbourhood councils an idea first put forward again by Himy Syed in his run for council in 2006, and has been on his website since I first visited it early in the campaign. Neither Thompson or Smitherman ever mentioned where they got the ideas..hm, let me guess?? Nor was this even picked up on by the media.

Perhaps if one paper had bothered to do a weekend spread on all the candidates and there policies we would have voters ready to make informed choices, but we do not. As I walked out of the debate at Oakwood collegiate on Thursday evening many were still undecided. I heard the conversations in the hallway. I saw the people shaking their heads and wondering who they would vote for. They came because they wanted to hear an exchange of ideas, an exchange of vision but that was not delivered.

The Media has done this city a disservice this election. The Star today stated they would be TELLING us who they chose as the week progresses after endorsing Smitherman. A paper should NOT be endorsing a candidate: their job is to deliver news and inform not make choices. The men of the backrooms have decided who you would hear this election. They have chosen who to include and who to exclude. I hate that the Media have not done their job through out and in the final days have decided that they will declare the best choices that is wrong.

That is why I am an angry mom. I expected more from my media sources and they failed miserably. I will never again subscribe to the Toronto Star or Toronto Sun. Never. They have now become what I am a blogger. Not a news source.

Category: Opinion / Tags: , , , , , , ,

An Update on 200 Wellesley

October 7, 2010 / Common Cents Mom / One comment

It has been almost 2 weeks since the fire at 200 Wellesley here in Toronto. Many of the residents of residents have been able to return home yet many have not. Many remain with family and friends or in alternative housing. The needs will remain great for these residents. Most of the units have fans and dehumidifiers which are in place to battle the potential for mold. There is still much work to be done inside the building to really even bring it back up to pre-fire conditions ( and that means the bed bug and mice problem remain as well).

Donations have poured in for the residents. When I visited The 519 last week I was moved to tears as I saw large rooms with wall to wall donations of clothes, shoes, and school supplies. Thank you for opening your hearts and your closets! The 519 closed last night and will no longer be donation central for the residents. A new donations location has opened at 257 Jarvis. If you have not donated yet there is still a need. Right now the need remains for gift cards, but more importantly furniture.

The residents of 3 floors will most likely have to replace everything. Can you imagine having no insurance and a fire breaking out next door? I have been there. Much of what I had was no longer usable because of the water and smoke damage. The residents of the North Tower on the 23,24, and 25th floors will not be going home for a while. A time line has not been given.

The residents who have gone home have received a free laundry card from Toronto community housing, cleaning supplies, and grocery cards are being delivered as well. The Office of Partnership ( the city’s charity arm) is working with Toronto Community housing to make sure donations are being given out in ways that ensure all residents are treated fairly and equitably. Now some residents will need more support than others especially those hardest hit.

Fundraisers have been happening and I know of at least one other one planned. The one I helped organise last week was a success and again I want to say Thank you to those who came and gave. It was great to hear the stories and have a chance to help.

In the last 2 weeks I have met and worked alongside so many great and wonderful Torontonians, we met because of a horrid event but I hope I meet each of you again under much better cirumstances.Thanks for showing how much you care about your community.

 

Category: Opinion, Uncategorized / Tags: , ,

Wellesley Fire Fundraiser Thank You

October 2, 2010 / Common Cents Mom / No comments

They came, they shared, they gave, they went away blessed for being there. That is my take away from the  200 Welllesley Fire Fundraiser last night.

I want to thank the residents who came and shared their stories, they were stories that needed to be told.

I want to thank the volunteers who came and helped.It was more than appreciated. I also want to thank The 519 who gave us the space on short notice.

I also want to thank those who came and gave gift cards and cash.Thank you.

All donations were turned over to the city’s partnership office. They do have a means in place to see the needs of residents do get met.

Thank you again everyone!

Category: Opinion / Tags: , ,

2 Secord meet Secord II

September 28, 2010 / Common Cents Mom / No comments

As a city we have seen apartment disasters before. We have danced this dance and played this tune.

As a volunteer I responded to both events and was there for the long haul at both. Secord II or The Wellesley fire is far worse and we did not learn enough from the first.

At Secord you had an entirely different population. There were less seniors, more immigrant and most if not all had tenants insurance. That makes a big difference.

Secord residents evacuated quickly just like the Wellesley residents thinking they would be back in a few hours. I bet you that is what the residents of Wellesley thought too. I know it was early on in the eveing.Most left their units with nothing both the bare essentials some not even carrying ID.Most left pets inside the building thinking they would return to them.

At 2 Secord the city scrambled while the Red Cross and Salvation Army were first responders and taking care of the immediate needs of residents. At 2 Secord you were not dealing with the oldest seniors, the disabled, and the mentally ill. The city was slow on its response.

The city was far from prepared for this crisis. Yet they should have been, could have been after all they had enough practice.We are now a city with a refugee camp in the middle of it. After all what would you call a make shift camp of cots and blankets, no showers, and no privacy? Definitely a refuge and nothing more. Even now at the end of day 4 there is much that needs to be done to help these residents.

The city refuses right now to give a timeline for reentry. I say some may re-enter this weekend, but I am thinking it wont be to live in their unit. It may be for a grab  and go as they did with the residents of Secord. But first things first we have to find out is the building safe enough to enter. If not we are looking at a huge jump in our homeless population. Some will be told it will be months before they can re-enter their homes.

With this said the one thing that is the same on the scene is how the community comes together to  bless those who are having a hard time. They become the angels in disguise.Residents were so appreciative of the donations that came in.

But having the experience of volunteering at Secord, and of being a resident of a housing complex that had its own fire I know what is ahead. I can see it coming..just like you see a train coming.

The announcement(this is me talking not the city) some will be out for weeks and some months…Yes I said months. These will be the residents closest to the source. They literally will have not much to salvage after water and smoke damaged destroyed what they had. For these residents we want to say we are here, we cry with you and are here to stand and help rebuild.

With that said this Thursday Sept 30th there will be a fundraiser with all funds raised going to the RESIDENTS. Himy Syed and I are spearheading it and are the contacts for the events but it is basically an event for residents, where residents will share stories and where the rest of us can share by listening, help them heal,and give to help them rebuild.

The Community Fundraiser for the Residents of 200 Wellesley St. will be on Thursday September 30th at 519 Church St in the auditorium from 7-9. I invite you to come to listen and to bring your check book or a gift card


Category: Opinion / Tags: , , ,

Tears and Fears for 200 Wellesley Street

September 26, 2010 / Common Cents Mom / No comments

I feel like crying. I feel like rejoicing.

This weekend I have seen Toronto the Good first hand. I have also seen that we have far we have to go when it comes to how our city responds to emergencies.

First some Kudos and Thank Yous.

First to the many many citizen volunteers. Without you Friday night and Saturday would of been more difficult for all on the scene. Thank you to the first responder Volunteers from the Red Cross and the Salvation Army. George and Jeff your teams are amazing! It was a pleasure to work along side them.

My heart was so full as people came and continue to come to donate. The needs will remain great in the days ahead. Please if you wish to donate drop donations at 519 Church St.

Some facts that I learned this weekend: there are laws, and public health rules that must be followed even when a disaster happens. Who knew there could be so much red tape?

I also learned that the city needs to IMPROVE in how the respond and how they communicate with other agencies. In the first 12 hours there was pure chaos, fear, and frustration for many. People were nervous and upset and given little direction at first. We need so much to get better at this.  By separating the residents into multiple locations people are not all receiving all urgent communication in a timely manner. Some know and understand what is going on while others do not. There were language barriers as well. There were no interpreters except children, neighbours and friends who stepped into the gap and did the best they could.

There were also a lack of case managers on the scene to take care of and access the frailest of the frail and those with mental health issues. On Friday night I ended up even telling the city official of seniors who needed extra care. They needed more people doing assessing as people were registering for the night. Even today right now at the Wellesley Community Center there is a deaf/blind man, and a frail older woman who has a broken arm(she is 90). Both have slept on cots in the center the last 2 nights. What a shame! Dear city officials we need to do better. I pray there will be case managers on site to help these most vulnerable residents!

Now the city has set up ways to give to the city with the funds raised going to the residents. What is the transparency going to be like? How will Torontonians know the cash given gets to residents in need and not to pay for the emergency response which should be part of the budget??? Past history has shown money given to the city does not get to residents. I remember the Secord residents well. So if you wish to give, give where? The Red Cross was first responder but they do not receive cash donations except for international appeals. Did you know that? I didn’t till today. The Salvation Army and several United Way agencies have also been front and center helping in the response. This is where I would give. Physical gifts to 519 Church Street and then the rest to local agencies who work and support this community every day as they will respond better to the needs in this community.

Category: Opinion, Uncategorized / Tags: , , , ,

How to Help Wellesley Street Residents

September 26, 2010 / Common Cents Mom / 2 comments

Spent the later part of today at the Wellesley Community Center that has become the hub for helping those effected by the fire at 200 Wellesley St. Over 1700 residents are displaced as I type this. They will remain displaced until the fire marshal is able to check every nook and cranny for structural damage. This means residents can not re-enter the building or garage area. To be honest if past history is anything to go on, some of these residents will be permanently displaced from the damage I can see on the outside with the naked eye. Others may be out of there units for an extended time frame. I am basing this on helping out at other emergency scenes over the years.

Some important facts and some needs:

  • There is a phone number that residents can call for important updates. That number is 416-981-5520
  • Residents have been placed basically in 4 different locations in the city this makes communication difficult. As well again all announcements at the community center and all signs are English only. A number of immigrant families could not understand well what was being said. Translators were needed.
  • When I got there donations had started to come in for clothes, but they were not being distributed. I having done some major volunteering in past sorted and got a clothing table off the ground. It was a necessity that was not being met. As of tomorrow residents with their yellow registration ticket can take that yellow form to the Goodwill store at 365 Bloor Street East and get $25 in clothing. Although I will say this I know thrift stores sometimes do not have enough PLUS sizes.

So what is needed:

From what I saw and heard

  • a bank of batteries or chargers for wheelchairs and electric scooters.
  • a bank of cellphone chargers ( from what I saw people carrying most were cheaper brad pay to go)

Items that will be needed on an ongoing basis:

  • food, water, juice boxes, coffee, tea, ( Many businesses and organizations have done a great job so far in stepping up to the plate this needs to continue)
  • personal hygiene goods : adult and baby diapers, diaper rash cream, soap, shampoo, hair brushes, combs, toothbrushes (they have enough toothpaste), femine hygiene products especially maxi pads, and hand sanitizer
  • clothing even though some can go to Goodwill warm sweaters, and plus size clothes are a big need as are socks.
  • Toys for the kids room (there is nothing like a displaced child)

If you wish to donate cash please donate to one of 3 organizations: The Canadian Red Cross, The Salvation Army or the United Way. These 3 organizations are spearheading the relief efforts and are working with the city to help.

Category: Opinion, Uncategorized / Tags: , ,

Have I Arrived?

April 17, 2009 / Common Cents Mom / 3 comments

Have I Arrived? Okay a few hours ago Oprah tweeted on Twitter for the very first time.

Well those who know me, I am fairly new to the medium as well.

I have been tweeting a month now, and well so far have 400 followers who follow me.

One of the lessons I have learned since I started tweeting was to share great links and to participate so even though I don’t follow Oprah on Twitter( I don’t follow any celebrities). I sent her a tweet welcoming her to the Universe that is Twitter. Well my little welcome made a well respected newspaper..The NY Times. You can find the article which is on Twitter and Oprah here. Of all the thousands tweeting her I got picked as the quote, so have to say it more then made me smile. Probably the only time you will see me and Oprah mentioned in the same article.

Category: OTHER GREAT STUFF / Tags: , , ,

Fox Comedians Get It Wrong

March 24, 2009 / Common Cents Mom / No comments

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tcJn5XlbSFk]

Okay this common sense mom really doesnt ussually make political statements often but this is just WRONG!

First I must say this I personally know one of our Canadians who died in Afghanistan, maybe that is why yesterday as four more of our dead came home from this war on terror it really made me mad. As it did many other Canadians.

How many Canadians have now died in this fight on terror? 116 in Afghanistan.

Theses comedians basically mocked thier service, nice job there! Did you know Canadians basically take care of most things done in the south of Afghanistan an area hardly touched by US soldiers. Did you know the first 4 Canadians killed thier weren’t at the hands of terrorists but killed by US soldiers who didn’t know where to point thier guns.

I think before you can mock another country and thier military you need to look at the problems within your own. Perhaps these comedians should take thier acts to a local VA hospital, it might open thier eyes a bit. The US does a horrid job in how they treat past soldiers, and to me that is a shame( as the ex wife of one this is fact).

I think the show needs to go, and all of them thier that night, well let’s just say I hope none of them are crossing the border anytime soon.

Now this common sense mom will get back to what I love to do, just had to vent.

Category: NEWS, OTHER GREAT STUFF, POLITICAL COMMENT / Tags: , , ,

Roo’s Story

March 1, 2009 / Common Cents Mom / No comments

Roos StoryI read this article this morning in the Huffington Post and decided it was time I shared the story of my daughter Roo.

Roo was born in Carlsbad, New Mexico in 1998. I had a rough pregnancy with lots of stress but she came out a beautiful 7 lb, 13 oz girl. Iwas a very happy mom. I found out quite quick I couldn’t breast feed, so I had to turn to formula. Our first few months on formula well weren’t the best. Roo couldn’t keep it down. She literally could vomit across the room. I know not a nice picture. At age 2 months thanks to a wonderful nurse practitioner there in Carlsbad, Roo was diagnosed as protein intolerant. She was put on a special formula (Neutramagin).

She was growing healthy and strong, proteins were kept at bay so her digestive system would have a chance to grow and develop. She was a strong healthy little girl. When I took her for her 18 mo baby check up. By this time we had moved to Toronto, Canada and her doctor decided we would put off her vaccine because of the makeup of the vaccine and Roo’s body inability to handle it.

Well by age 4  Roo was getting ready to go to school and needed that vaccine or we couldn’t register by this time doctors thought her digestive system should handle it. Well lets just say within weeks Roo had many of the symptoms of autism, or sensory disorders.

Here is just some of the things that Roo experienced shortly after vaccination:

  • insomnia ( Roo was a great sleeper when she was little, now she wakes up at least once a night, sometimes more, until the last 6 months it was often multiple times a night).
  • sensory integration issues ( bright lights and the feel of certain textures on her skin). Getting her to wear socks is still an issue. As well Rachel has a problem with bright artificial light. Can you say sunglasses inside?
  • misunderstanding social cues
  • screaming fits , I can remember being at church and having to take my daughter out of the children’s program many a Sunday because of behavioral issues, I can remember one Sunday quite well. Roo was in the midst of a fit and I was holding her and I can remember the looks of some of the other parents. Church and Roo so far have not been a great experience. Roo often cant still for an hour, she tilts the chair she sits on, etc, and unless you have trained children’s leaders experienced with special kids it is more then a challenge, it is a nightmare for both child and parent.  Too be honest I became more and more discouraged after attending church then encouraged.
  • food sensitivities ( I think these are part of the original diagnosis)
  • loss of  small eye hand coordination. Rachel had great small finger control for a young child. Ie she has using scissors and cutting well, holding a crayon well etc.  She lost that, holding a pencil became a chore, printing well lets just say Roo still does not write in cursive and her printing is what you would see in grades 1 or 2. For her printing is a real chore. She would rather tell you the answer.
  • oral fixations. Roo for the longest time would chew on her clothes. The ends of her sleeves would quickly become a ruined mess. Can you see why most of her tops came from Value Village, or thrift stores. We went thorough alot of them!

As she got into school she had trouble from grade one on. The third week of school I had the teacher tell me my daughter was ” hell to teach” and that is a direct quote.  I quit my job when Roo was in grade 1 and took part time employment so I could be more actively there for my daughter as we tried to get a proper diagnosis.

The full diagnosis didn’t come till grade 2. Roo is very smart, tests at the 97% level which mean she borders on gifted, has an LD and walks a fine line between Asperger’s Syndrome and ADHD. Depending on the day you will get a differing diagnosis.

Roo at school until this year, had an EA for grades 3 and 4 and was integrated for most part in the regular classroom. This year when we moved to Nova Scotia she was not given an EA, and is in a split class ( gr 4 and 5). She has only been accommodated for her LD, nothing else. To this date I have yet to see an IEP in place for her. She is struggling with social issues that include bullying and isloation. She is also becoming depressed so I worry alot as she approaches the teen years. Special kids are known to have higher rates for teen suicide, dropping out and drug use.

If all of this can be linked back to one needle, maybe just maybe we can save a child from having to go through some of the hardships that Roo faces or faced. Maybe we do need to ask more questions of our doctors. I don’t know the solutions, as a mother I simply know that for me, common sense tells me I was wrong to let my daughter have that needle. But then again hindsight is twenty twenty they say.

Category: Family, HEALTH, NEWS, OTHER GREAT STUFF / Tags: , , , , , ,

Major Changes Ahead for Ontario Works

May 14, 2008 / Common Cents Mom / 12 comments

Okay some of my readers know I receive sociall assistance ( aka welfare or Ontario Works). Not that I dont want to work I do but solo parenting a special needs child with a lack of support makes the typical job not in the cards right now.

Well today I met with my worker who presented documentation to me that will change my benefits to a huge degree come August 1, 2008!

Here is what is happening:

No longer will Ontario Work recipients who are parents receive:

BASIC needs allowance for children — a loss of $211 dollars to this parent of one child per month

No Clothing Allowances– loss of $180 per year

total losses equal $2712.00 for this mom!

What do we get to replace this?

The Ontario Child tax Credit $50

and the end of the claw back the National Child Tax Supplement  $121.76 for this parent

so a gain back of only $171.76 per month

Total gainback per annum $2055.00

Total overall losses per annum $657 overall for this mom

So basically as of August 1st instead of having a $50 positive cash flow from the introduction of the Ontario Child Tax Credit there will be a $50 per month loss with the expectation that we stretch it     further to include back to school and winter clothing expenses. As one who already lives as cheaply as I can this is going to hurt. It means getting mean and leaner then lean and I thought I was already pushing the limits of creativity but this will push me to do better.

This means that us “poorer” parents in Ontario will in no means benefit by the creation of the the Ontario Child Tax Credit.

Category: OTHER GREAT STUFF / Tags: , , , , , ,
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