Passion Power

 How is a person with disabilities, mental health issues and addictions supposed to improve their lot in life when the Ontario Disability Support Program (ODSP) benefits get clawed back whenever they go out and work for extra income.  We discriminate because we don’t understand the struggle is real for so many Canadians trying to live on $1100 per month or less. Under this benefit, they can earn an extra $200 per month before the government starts clawing back the benefits. With no incentives, no encouragement, job coaching or family support such as transportation or childcare for example, how is it possible that someone can lift that boot off their neck?   It takes a toll on someone’s health trying to get basic needs met, trying to reach out to people who do not listen, trying to do the right thing and make good decisions.  Throw in some addiction, depression and violence and you have yourself a taste of what it is like living hand to mouth year after year afte...

I think it is a fabulous idea to write your own personal political manifesto. Am I the only one that gets annoyed when leaders speak,” on behalf of all Canadians or Ontarians.” How is that even possible? What I learned through the US election is that mass media is tilting society towards ‘crazy town’ and trying to throw us into separate camps. The best way to avoid group polarization is to march to the beat of your own drum, have your own set of values and a political manifesto to adhere to. Now I can focus on the issues I care about without getting lost in the weeds?  I can lay all my cards on the table because I am irrelevant. I am an ordinary, unseen member of society with the right to cast my vote and voice my quibbles. I have nothing to gain and nothing to lose. I cannot get cancelled. Just a regular schmo. I am not going to get elected or hired or fired. I will not lose my job or position. I have no coworkers to posture around. I have no power or authority. I have no group or...

Let us not open the border just because Canadians decide they do not want to be Canadians this winter. Am I the Only One? Seniors want to leave the country and travel to their summer retreats and no pandemic will get in their way. Oh, I get it, summer activities and outdoor fun have come to an end. Winter can be cold and cruel not to mention the white stuff. It gets dark by 4 o’clock and if the sun just happens to be out it is 20 degrees colder. But wait a minute. The Americans were locked out of Canada all summer. They had places to go and people to see too. Why are people acting so entitled?   As we get older and the world changes around us. We either become more accepting or we get more demanding. Then I remembered Lois. Lois was my 80-year-old neighbour who had a cute little cottage across the street. She offered no commentary on the neighbours, did not say much about current events or grumble about association fees or the price of groceries or the weather. In fact,...

Lessons from Covd-19 For many of us, the pandemic has reduced to tatters the illusion that nothing could catastrophically go wrong in the world. Mainstream media will continue to bombard us with gloom and doom reporting, misinformation, political turmoil, and social unrest. I try and maintain a healthy perspective. Perhaps this cosmic reset button will be good for us and help us align with a higher purpose. I count my blessings so that I focus on what I appreciate and value in my life. There will always be something to grumble about but during the pandemic it is important to cultivate a good mindset. Gratitude is a rediscovery of what we often take for granted and what is important to us. What else can I learn about myself and others through this experience?  My Mom always said that greed is a terrible thing. I think she was right. Maybe it is enough to have a place to call home and people to love. The comfortable homes we live in, the cars we drive, the beds we sleep in, w...

I do not like the narrative that a working Mom is essential to the economy. The Throne Speech promises a national childcare system with high standards that is accessible and affordable for all women. First, I do not believe any government can run a fiscally responsible business like that and it will be a gong show. Second, a Mother will never look back on her life and think, “I spent too much time with my kids.”  What they are basically telling us is that it is not going to be affordable to stay home and raise kids and there is something better and more worthwhile you should be doing. It is a reasonable choice for a family to have a parent stay home full-time protecting, supporting, and providing to her family. The government should support Mothers that choose to work outside the home and Mothers who do not. There are benefits to both.  Growing a child inside of us for 9 months and then giving birth is the most magical and divine experience a mother will ever have. It ...

We are too complicated for simple labels. I think we should just stop trying to put people in categories and subcategories before we get so divided, we forget which way is up. People want to cram your whole identity into a single term, “Liberal” or “Tree Hugger” “Feminist” “Transgender” “Social Anxiety Disorder” “White Supremist” “Karen” It even bothers me when parents call their kids “asthmatic”. I would not be able to breath properly if I had a label like that. Labels are a slippery slope. I read an article that said you are either a Racist or anti-racist. Those are labels. I am a nice person and a decent human being and that is good enough for me. As a young teenager I was uncomfortable in my own skin. I felt unsupported misunderstood and confused. These days you are assigned labels such as anxiety, depression, transgender, bisexual, social anxiety disorder, ADD, bipolar, etc. “Emily” showed up at camp a totally different person. They had a new name, pronouns, and a bag ...

How long must we be punished for the horrible injustices done by our ancestors? Perhaps the answer is ‘as long as it takes’. Throughout history even women had to claw their way to relevance in a world that favoured men not to mention the gay community. The word for that is progress and we must fight the good fight. Right? Watching the United States implode does not feel like progress. Am I the only one? It looks like leaderless country and the start of a civil war with no solution in sight. All over one bad cop. Progress. People are fed up. There is evidence to suggest that racism never really went away although for a time I thought we were getting better. As I watch how mainstream media and social media polarize the issue, I sit and listen to what my heart feels about discrimination and racism. It is naïve to ignore the journey of the people who have lived on the margins of our society. You cannot opt out just because society works for you. I can’t assume to know what ...