canada

Basic Income for Canadians

Basic Income Plan For Canadians

A fringe economic theory which proposes a minimum income guarantee for the society is finally becoming a mainstream discussion due to the COVID crisis. The idea of long-term economic support to low-income groups in times of uncertainty otherwise referred to as the Universal Basic Income (UBI) has gained rapid popularity & support in this global pandemic of COVID-19. For a start, UBI provides for a basic minimum allowance to everyone in the society (hence, universal) regardless of the circumstances or income. These benefits are especially needed

The main advantage is that ensures a minimum standard of income for everyone – without any costs and bureaucracy of means-tested benefits. Also, it avoids the disincentive to work that can occur with means-tested benefits. In times of crisis, a UBI can also provide a social safety net with minimum admin costs.

Universal Basic Income — Pros and Cons

A recent Gallup and Northeastern University survey found resonance for the UBI amongst 75% Canadians and 77% in the UK for workers who lose their jobs owing to AI advancements in the field. Sadly only 43% in the United States supported the call for a “government-instituted program that would provide every adult with a specific amount of money each year” despite Democratic Presidential candidate Andrew Yang advocating a UBI plan during his campaign run. AI’s imminent threat to livelihoods and the inevitable rise in class inequality isn’t out of question in the future, however, millions have been left unemployed today due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, and more would follow as long as establishments remain under strict lockdown policy. Canada’s economy lost more than a million jobs in March alone, pushing the unemployment rate to a whopping 7.8% from 5.6% in February. According to Statistics Canada, 19.2 million Canadians had paid work in February before the coronavirus hit Canada with full force. A month later, barely 18 million still had jobs. The Federal government launched the Canada Emergency Response Benefit (CERB) to help businesses and workers who have been affected by the COVID-19 outbreak — $2,000 a month for up to four months for workers who lose their income as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The CERB would cover Canadians who have lost their job, are sick, quarantined, or taking care of someone who is sick with COVID-19, as well as working parents who must stay home without pay to care for children who are sick or at home because of school and daycare closures. The CERB would apply to wage earners, as well as contract workers and self-employed individuals who would not otherwise be eligible for Employment Insurance (EI).

Government introduces Canada Emergency Response Benefit to help workers and businesses
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We’re Together In Our Fight Against COVID-19!

COVID-19

It’s been a week since Ontario declared an emergency facing increasing COVID-19 cases in the province, and largely to prevent people from gathering in large numbers. In other words, practicing ‘social distancing’ to avoid contact with infected persons, even if it’s business as usual for some of them. The tremors from the Coronavirus blowout are being felt everywhere even as I’m writing this piece. It all seems like the world has being pounded by an army of invisible invaders while it was napping, but while the governments are doing everything in their power to pushback COVID-19 the residents are clearly losing the plot. The objective to decrease the infections cannot be achieved without everyone deciding to isolate themselves voluntarily and by maintaining a strict personal hygiene routine considering that the virus has the potential to survive on various kinds of materials for days.

Since it’s a new virus our immune systems are being compromised — there is no sign of an infection for days, and moreover, there’s no vaccine or treatment which is currently available. The only way to safeguard ourselves from this brutal threat and that of our society is through preventive measures of self-isolation during infection, and through ‘social distancing’. By not following these precautionary measures, we’re only adding to the risk of an unprecedented and a catastrophic scale that could push our nations into turmoil and affect our livelihoods for several decades. We’re already seeing the economic impacts, so far – the value of gold has plummeted, oil and gas prices are at is lowest since June 2001, the global travel industry has been crippled by cancellations and nationwide lockdowns, and there have been large scale layoffs in almost every major industry worldwide as a domino effect. Besides the official postponement of the biggest event of all, the Tokyo Olympics. It’d be completely appropriate to say, that as a global community, we’re going through our worst nightmares arising out of an inconspicuous element of danger.

Heart of the matter is, we all should be committed in our struggle against COVID-19 with the rules of our involvement pretty straightforward. Get yourself informed and share the info, maintain strict personal hygiene, and avoid contact with the outside world unless if it’s absolutely, positively, necessary.

What’s ‘Social Distancing‘?

– avoiding crowded places and non-essential gatherings
– avoiding common greetings, such as handshakes
– limiting contact with people at higher risk like older adults and those in poor health
– keeping a distance of at least 2 arms-length (approximately 2 metres) from others

Coronavirus disease (COVID-19): Prevention and risks
Canada Maple Leaf

8 Mind-blowing Facts About Canada on ‘Canada Day’

What better occasion to reminisce about the glory of our great nation than on Canada Day! Well, today marks the 152nd anniversary since the creation of the Dominion of Canada on July the 1st, 1867. It was referred to as ‘Dominion Day’, until 1982 when we started honouring it as ‘Canada Day’ after the passage of the Canada Act.

On this road to prosperity and material progress, our ancestors — thinkers, sportspersons & athletes, scientists, explorers, academicians, and entrepreneurs, strived harder shoulder to shoulder to achieve higher success in their respective domains, including science and technology, medicine, business, space, in the process producing world-class knowledge base so our future generations could advance their capabilities, learn and continue to proudly and securely build the country of our dreams. This is one reason Canadian inventions, products and technologies enrich millions of lives every single day and will continue to do so. In summing up my emotion, the responsibility of safeguarding the prosperity and the diversity of our country rests upon all my Canadians working together in facing the challenges of our collective destiny. Everyone must endeavour for a strong and free Canada. That, for me, is the essence of being a true Canadian.

On this Canada Day, I thought I’d collect 8 mind-blowing facts about our nation depicting our vast diversity from coast to coast:

  1. Winnie the Pooh came from Canada. Back in 1915, there was a bear cub named Winnipeg who got transferred from Canada to the London Zoo. A little boy named Christopher Robin Milne loved visiting Winnipeg. His father happened to be A A Milne who got inspired and wrote Winnie the Pooh.
  2. Canada’s official motto is A Mari usque ad Mare, which translates as “From Sea to Sea.” It comes from the Bible’s Psalm 72:8 which the King James version puts it into English: “He shall have dominion also from sea to sea, and from the river unto the ends of the earth.” This verse was applied to Canada on the suggestion of Sir Samuel Leonard Tilley to represent the geographical reach of the country.
  3. Canada shares the longest international border in the world with the United States. And despite being invaded by the US twice — in 1775 (Battle of Quebec) and in 1812 (War of 1812), it’s the world’s longest undefended border with only civilian law enforcement present.
  4. Jacques Cartier was invited by Iroquois natives to their “Kanata” meaning “village” or “settlement” in the local dialect. Because of how often they used the term Cartier assumed it was the name of the country was “Kanata”, or Canada as we now call it.
  5. Canada is home to one of the largest national parks in the world, the Wood Buffalo National Park which traverses the province of Alberta and the Northwest Territories. It measures 17,300 square miles or 44,807 square kilometres. That area is 1360 square miles or 3522.38 square kilometres larger than the total area of Switzerland! The park is also home to one of the largest remaining populations of the wild bison and is a natural nesting place of the whooping crane.
  6. Canada has more oil than you think — an estimated 176.8 billion recoverable barrels. It’s called crude bitumen, a semi-solid source of petroleum, and it’s available in abundance in Canada’s oil sands in the provinces of Alberta and Saskatchewan. About 96 per cent of Canada’s oil reserves is located in the oil sands making it the third largest oil reserves in the world.
  7. The Trans-Canada Highway between Victoria (BC) and St. John’s (NF) is the world’s longest national highway with a length of 7,821 km (4,860 mi). Unfortunately, the highway does not pass through the Yukon, Northwest Territories or in Nunavut (nor in Newfoundland’s Labrador). And last but not least…
  8. On April 20 1980, Terrance Stanley “Terry” Fox started his east to west cross-Canada run called ‘Marathon of Hope’, from St. John’s NL to Victoria BC, to raise funds for Cancer research. He had his right leg amputated because of bone cancer in 1977. Regrettably, after running 5,373 kilometres in 143 days — he’d run the equivalent of full-marathon (42km) distance every day, Fox was forced to stop running outside Thunder Bay, Ont. because cancer appeared in his lungs. He passed away in 1981 at age 22!

Wishing every Canadian on this planet and beyond, a Happy Canada Day!


Sources:

  1. The real-life Canadian story of Winnie-the-Pooh
  2. A Mari duque ad Mare
  3. Canada-United States border
  4. Origin of the name “Canada”
  5. Wood Buffalo National Park
  6. Oil Sands
  7. Highway Overview
  8. Terry Fox

Starbucks Reserve @ Toronto

Starbucks Reserve Logo
The ‘Star’ is discomforting!

Starbucks has transformed from serving caffeine into leveraging technology to deliver a delicious cup of coffee. It’s innovating the experience of coffee consumption by combining its products with an imaginative menu of beverages and using a well-integrated service design strategy with retail design in designing stores and more. For instance, not so long ago, they ventured with an innovative concept of giving coffee connoisseurs a peek into some of the finest javas on the planet in a relaxed, informal ambience, and they rightly named this experience ‘Reserve’ for the peculiar seating arrangement that resembles…you guessed it, a local bar! The first outlet opened in Seattle in 2017 and here’s what Starbucks has to say on its exclusive ‘Reserve’ experience:

Starbucks Reserve is a selection of the rarest, most extraordinary coffees Starbucks has to offer. It’s where we push our own boundaries of craft, developing a unique roast for each individual lot before experimenting with coffee as an art form—brewing, aging [sic], infusing and blending it into imaginative and often surprising creations. Through our Roasteries and bars, we share our discoveries and the enjoyment of exceptional coffee with the world.

As I said, it’s targetted at the coffee connoisseurs, so despite the excitement, I waited and finally got the opportunity today to visit the first Starbucks Reserve in Toronto. I had passed by this area at ‘Shops at Don Mills’ a couple of times, having read that there are only a handful of these premium Starbucks coffee locations around the world, I am lucky to experience the aura personally. There’s another retail concept on the same lines which is called the ‘Reserve Roastery’ that provides an immersive coffee experience to the consumers complete with freshly roasted coffee beans and a rare set of coffees from beans that are aged in whisky barrels (whoa!). I am longing to be there sometime in the future to wallow in the aroma of roasting java. (Tokyo, perhaps?)

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(Another) Upcoming Crazy Weather System

Brace yourself, Ontarians, for one last time! Because hopefully, this could be the last crazy weather system before the spring makes its way into Toronto. Personally, just when I thought the mercury was rising, the Canada Geese have arrived and the snow was thawing, unfortunately, there’s more of it coming shortly. If one was looking for surprises in Canada, they can be rest assured, the weather won’t disappoint and would deliver on its promises pronto!

So, Environment Canada has issued an alert beginning Sunday afternoon until Monday, for a “major wind storm” this time that will sweep through most of Southern Ontario.

Weather System Alert - Southern Ontario

The winter this year has been especially onerous, over the past few days the temperatures have swung up and down like a yo-yo, not to mention there was a storm just a few weeks ago dumping tons of snow. And if you all thought all that was a result of a dreaded global phenomenon called ‘climate change’, not only are you dead right but you are free to panic as well, according to this insightful and scary article.

Not to digress from the topic, but there’s no doubt in my mind that winds gusting at 120 km/h seem likely to take some serious toll on the city damaging precious life & property. It’s a weekend too so I just hope that this oncoming dreaded weather system passes on smoothly giving the residents some much-needed breathing space from its brutality. The crazy weather, with a looming threat of power outages and low visibility, means many in the affected neighbourhoods would be sadly confined yet again to the safety of their homes. For those courageous adventurers, who would still dare to venture out and risk everything despite the clear warnings, I can only say — stay safe, stay alert, and if possible, stay indoors.