Dierks Bentley - Somewhere On A Beach (Official Music Video)

 

The Kinks - Lola (Official Video)

 

Saskatchewan, New Brunswick naming changes means 'life or death' for trans kids: Ien - CTV News [2023-08-31]

Canada's minister for women, gender equality and youth says policies in Saskatchewan and New Brunswick that require parental consent before students under 16 can have schools use their preferred pronouns and names puts transgender and nonbinary kids in a "life-or-death situation."

And while Marci Ien declined to comment on whether Ottawa sees a role for itself in any potential court challenges, the cabinet minister said the Liberal government is keeping an eye on what unfolds.

"What I can tell you is that we're watching closely as this develops," she told The Canadian Press in an interview Wednesday.

"Obviously anything is possible, but I'm not going to comment on anything hypothetical at this time."

Saskatchewan recently became the second jurisdiction to change its policy around pronoun use and name changes for students younger than 16, making it a rule that teachers must first seek permission from those students' parents. The provincial government says the change originated out of concerns from parents and a desire to apply one uniform policy across all school divisions.

Read more here:

CTV News
August 31, 2023

The Mental Illness-Violence Link: What the research shows about a complicated and uncomfortable connection - Psychology Today [2023-08-30]

The recent shooting in Jacksonville has predictably renewed the public debate on violence and mental illness. The same sequence plays out after every horrible incident: First, there is the accusation, often from right-leaning lawmakers, that mental illness is what is driving our dizzying rate of mass shootings and that more needs to be done to protect the public from dangerous people. Soon following are emphatic statements from mental health advocacy groups that no real association between mental illness and violence exists and that those with mental health problems are far more likely to be victims of violent actions then perpetrators.

These arguments vigorously bounce around for a while on the news cycle and in social media, thoroughly confusing any well-meaning individual who is honestly trying to understand the issue, until the debate just fizzles out (until the next shooting).

Is there any way we can move this discussion forward to a place of real understanding? Actually there is, but it requires a little more time than a soundbite, and a shift from more dogmatic political positions to one that requires a bit of nuance and acceptance of complexity.

Read more here:

Psychology Today
August 30, 2023

24 Sussex may be replaced with new residence for PMs, feds say - Global News [2023-08-29]

The prime minister’s problem-plagued official residence could be replaced instead of restored, though the government says its plans are not complete.

A spokesperson for Procurement Minister Jean-Yves Duclos said building a new residence is among the options being considered as the department comes up with a plan for the future of 24 Sussex, but any conversations about that are at very early stages.

The minister’s office said it is working with the National Capital Commission to develop a plan that it aims to release soon.

The historic house overlooking the Ottawa River is in dire need of repairs for everything from electrical work to windows, doors and the roof.

A 2021 report estimated it would cost at least $36.6 million just to complete the deferred maintenance on the main residence, which was built in 1868. Bringing it up to code would likely cost millions more.

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Global News
August 29, 2023

Ottawa warns LGBTQ travellers they could be hit by U.S. state laws - CBC News [2023-08-29]

Global Affairs Canada has updated its travel advisory for the United States by warning LGBTQ people that some state laws may affect them on their travels.

"Some states have enacted laws and policies that may affect 2SLGBTQI+ persons. Check relevant state and local laws," said the new advisory, posted Tuesday morning.

The advisory sends visitors to a government web page providing broad information on how members of the community could be targeted while travelling to foreign countries.

That advice tells travellers to beware of laws that criminalize same-sex activities and relationships, or target people based on their sexual orientation or gender identity.

That advice also warns travellers that laws to curb vagrancy and public nuisance incidents could also be used to target them in an effort "to criminalize 2SLGBTQI+ people."

Read more here:

CBC News
August 29, 2023

Meta's news block hits Indigenous communities harder, Six Nations publisher says - CBC News [2023-08-29]

The publisher of a First Nations newspaper based in Six Nations of the Grand River, Ont., says she's "extremely concerned" about the impact on Indigenous communities of Meta blocking news content in Canada.

"In many cases, they're in very isolated areas and for Facebook to pull a stunt like this, it can cause so many problems for our people to get information to them," Lynda Powless, publisher of Turtle Island News, told CBC Hamilton.

"First Nations are in precarious positions to begin with ... these are communities that just even have problems getting to the internet."

Meta — which owns Facebook and Instagram — began ending the availability of news on those sites in Canada earlier this summer in response to the passage in June of Bill C-18, the Online News Act, which takes effect by the end of this year. 

Now links and content shared by Canadian news outlets on Meta's sites can't be viewed by people in Canada. Users in Canada also can't view news from organizations outside of Canada.

Google has threatened similar action.

Read more here:

CBC News
August 29, 2023

Poor mental health, violence among threats to children in Canada: report - CTV News [2023-08-29]

Unintentional and preventable injuries, poor mental health and violence against children and youth have been identified as some of the top threats to children in Canada, according to a new report from Children First Canada.

Released by the national charitable organization Tuesday, the sixth annual Raising Canada report is based on research conducted by researchers at the University of Calgary, the University of Toronto and McGill University.

Researchers compiled existing data and conducted interviews with youth, parents and subject matter experts to come up with the findings.

“This last year kids have experienced unprecedented challenges due to the ‘tripledemic’ of RSV, Influenza and COVID-19, and they continue to bear the brunt of the pandemic with significant impacts to their mental and physical health,” Sara Austin, founder and CEO of Children First Canada, stated in a news release.

“There is a persistent myth that Canada is one of the best places in the world to raise kids, but the facts show otherwise.”

Read more here:

CTV News
August 29, 2023

Bruce County mayor resigns after accusing First Nation in Ontario of being 'poor and unclean' in recording - CBC News [2023-08-29]

The mayor of South Bruce Peninsula has resigned after he was caught on tape making racist comments about a nearby First Nation community, the Ontario town announced in a statement Tuesday.

Garry Michi was recorded in an audio clip posted Friday by an anonymous individual questioning the federal government's decision to fund a water treatment plant on the Chippewas of the Nawash Unceded First Nation, also known as Cape Croker. 

The comments drew immediate fire from Indigenous groups that called for Michi's resignation, which came following an in-camera meeting Tuesday at the township office.

"We would again like to offer our sincere apologies to the people of the Chippewas of Nawash Unceded First Nation and to all First Nations communities," read a statement issued by the Town of South Bruce Peninsula.

"The people from local First Nations communities are our neighbours and they are our friends. The town wants to reiterate that it does not support or agree with any of Mr. Michi's comments posted in an audio clip on Aug. 25, 2023."

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CBC News
August 29, 2023

'The minister was aware of what we are doing': St. Thomas’ affordable housing plans making noise across Ontario - CTV News [2023-08-28]

St. Thomas, Ont. is quickly making a name for itself when it comes to provincial leaders.

“That really showed this year at the AMO (Association of Municipalities of Ontario) conference,” said Joe Preston, St. Thomas’ mayor.

“Almost every minister we asked for a deputation with said ‘Yes’. Last time we got three out of eight or something. This time it was seven,” he said.

Premier Doug Ford even gave a shout out to Preston during his opening speech at AMO. Ford referred to Preston as ‘Mayor Let’s Get it Done’.

Preston and other city representatives were thrilled to meet with Steve Clark, minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing, who actually was aware of what was happening in his city. He credits local MPP Rob Flack with promoting his riding.

They spoke about new housing development ‘The Station’ and the need for funds to complete ‘Project Tiny Hope’ (PTH).

“[Clark] was well informed on [PTH], and knew where we were with The Station opening,” said Preston.

Read more here:

CTV News
August 28, 2023

Caught on tape: Indigenous groups demand mayor’s resignation following 'racist' commentary - CTV News [2023-08-28]

“I can understand to be poor, but you can be poor and clean,” is what South Bruce Peninsula Mayor Garry Michi was recorded as saying in an audio clip released to the public via SoundCloud last week.

In the audio recording, uploaded to SoundCloud by user SaubleSam, Michi is questioning the fiscal sense to build a water treatment plant for the Chippewas of Nawash Unceded First Nation along the Bruce Peninsula, who have been under a boil water advisory since January 2019.

“What I’m saying is where’s all this going to end. 20 or 25 years ago, they put a water treatment plant up at Cape Croker. It got ruined because they didn’t maintain it, now we’ve spent $65 million up there to put hydrants and a new water treatment plant, and 75 per cent of the those houses, I mean, they should be torn down,” Michi said in the recording.

As a result of the recording, which has been authenticated by the Town of South Bruce Peninsula as being from Mayor Garry Michi, the Chippewas of Nawash leadership are calling for his immediate resignation.

Read more here:

CTV News
August 28, 2023

Racism partly to blame for worse health outcomes of Indigenous women: study - Global News [2023-08-28]

Racism and the lack of primary care providers mean off-reserve First Nations, Metis and Inuit women and girls have poorer health overall compared to their non-Indigenous counterparts, says a study by the Public Health Agency of Canada.

Compared with non-Indigenous females, those in the three distinct groups reported a higher prevalence of diagnosed chronic diseases and worse mental health, including mood or anxiety disorders, says the study, which noted Canada’s colonial history of residential schools, forced or coerced sterilization and destruction of traditional lands.

Researchers used data for all females aged 15 to 55 from the annual Canadian Community Health Survey between 2015 and 2020. That amounted to 6,000 people from the three distinct groups and 74,760 non-Indigenous females, all in their reproductive years.

“Indigenous females waited longer for primary care, more used hospital services for non-urgent care and fewer had consultations with dental professionals,” says the study, published Monday in the Canadian Medical Association Journal.

Read more here:

Global News
August 28, 2023

Yale University settles lawsuit alleging it pressured students with mental health issues to withdraw - CTV News [2023-08-26]

Yale University and a student group announced Friday that they've reached a settlement in a federal lawsuit that accused the Ivy League school of discriminating against students with mental health disabilities, including pressuring them to withdraw.

Under the agreement, Yale will modify its policies regarding medical leaves of absence, including streamlining the reinstatement process for students who return to campus. The student group, which also represents alumni, had argued the process was onerous, discouraging students for decades from taking medical leave when they needed it most.

The settlement is a "watershed moment" for the university and mental health patients, said 2019 graduate Rishi Mirchandani, a co-founder of Elis for Rachael, the group that sued. It was formed to help students with mental health issues in honor of a Yale student who took her own life.

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CTV News

August 26, 2023

‘Almost died a few times’: Northern Ontario city of Sudbury grapples with opioids - Global News [2023-08-25]

Crystal Plume sits in the shade of a tree near a busy intersection in downtown Sudbury and carefully injects fentanyl into a vein on the back of her hand before licking the speck of blood left behind.

The 36-year-old who regularly panhandles in the northern Ontario city says her substance use disorder has worsened in recent years and she’s lost many friends to opioid overdoses.

“Before there used to be the drunks, the winos, but you don’t see those anymore,” says Plume.

“Everyone is using drugs now. It’s the fastest and easiest way to numb your pain. I was only smoking at first, now I smash it.”

Plume says she turns to opioids as a way to deal with past domestic abuse and other personal trauma. She lives with a friend who also uses opioids and says they’ve both come close to fatal overdoses.

Read more here:

Global News
August 25, 2023

Dierks Bentley - Drunk On A Plane

 

Calvin Harris - Feel So Close

 

Bailey Zimmerman - Religiously (Lyric Video)

 

Grab a tissue while you can: Kleenex tissues to be discontinued in Canada - CTV News [2023-08-24]

Have an issue? Grab a tissue — before they’re pulled off of shelves in Canada.

Kimberly-Clark is discontinuing its consumer facial tissue business in Canada, citing “unique complexities.”

In a written statement issued Thursday, the company confirmed to CTVNews.ca that Kleenex consumer facial tissues would no longer be sold in Canada as of August 2023.

Other products, however, such as Kleenex professional facial products, which are specifically targeted for the business market, Kleenex consumer hand towel products, along with other Kimberly-Clark brands including Cottonelle, Viva, U by Kotex, Poise, Depend , Huggies, Pull-Ups and Goodnites will remain in the Canadian market.

Read more here:

CTV News
August 24, 2023

Ontario cities watching as London rolls out first-of-its-kind homeless response - CBC News [2023-08-23]

Municipal leaders dedicated the final day of the Association of Ontario Municipalities (AMO) conference to discuss collaborative solutions to homelessness as a housing crisis continues across the province. 

AMO looked to its host London, along with Kingston — two cities that are taking the lead in tackling the situation, while also providing support to the most vulnerable.

London's soon to be implemented whole of community system response has piqued the interest of other politicians who asked questions about how to enact a similar system in their jurisdictions, according to Mayor Josh Morgan who detailed the plan to delegates on Wednesday.

"I see municipalities united on this issue," Morgan told reporters. "All through this conference, people are looking at things that London is doing and saying 'How do we bring those best practices here'? There's a commitment to supply services to communities where they're at."

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CBC News
August 23, 2023

Fail fast— make corrections— move forward: Mayor Morgan’s unvarnished take on rollout of homelessness strategy - CTV News [2023-08-23]

Some frank talk by London Mayor Josh Morgan may be aimed at managing community expectations for London’s upcoming Whole of Community Response to Homelessness ahead of a series of public meetings.

On Wednesday, Morgan co-hosted a session in front of the Association of Municipalities of Ontario (AMO) conference, along with Kingston Mayor Bryan Paterson, about their communities’ similar homeless strategies that combine low-barrier service hubs and supportive housing units.

Morgan acknowledged the political courage of city council to back a strategy that is still evolving.

“We have to accept that we are playing a game that’s never been played before,” admitted Morgan in a matter-of-fact tone. “That means we are going to make a mistake. And we are going to get criticized, fairly heavily at times, for that mistake.”

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CTV News
August 23, 2023

His brother died in an Ontario jail. Advocates say calls for reform to prevent such deaths are being ignored - CBC News [2023-08-23]

In May this year, Nathan Gray noticed his phone buzzing. His cousin was trying to reach him.

When he picked up the FaceTime call, he saw the serious look on his cousin's face and knew something was wrong. "I just had this feeling," he said.

Gray's cousin told him that his older brother, Ashton Gray, 34, had died by suicide while awaiting trial in Toronto South Detention Centre, a provincial jail in Etobicoke. 

"I dropped the phone and started crying," he said. "I was shocked, like, why the hell my brother?" 

Gray's suicide in custody sent shockwaves through his family and those who provided him with support for mental health and addictions issues they say had plagued him throughout his adult life and were sparked by a traumatic childhood characterized by abuse in group homes.

His death is part of a disturbing trend in the province, where deaths in custody have increased over the last decade, according to data published by the province and advocacy organizations. Academics and advocates say recommended reforms to the corrections system need to be carried out to save lives and provide treatment for offenders, rather than having jails serve as an expensive revolving door.

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CBC News
August 23, 2023

'Sorry, pardon me': Is London, Ont. really that polite? - CTV News [2023-08-21]

London may be known for green trees and, lately, seemingly endless road construction, but now it has another claim to fame.

A new nationwide survey has found Londoners are among the most polite in the nation, with the Forest City just squeaking into the top 10 of the 44 communities surveyed.

But is the finding accurate?

CTV News London opted to survey those who move about regularly.

The first stop was taxicab driver Youssef El-Shourafa. In his 20 years of driving in London, he found the city turns a bit rude at night.

But that changes when the sun comes up.

“You see many nice people, especially in the daytime. 99 per cent of the people are very good,” he said.

Read more here:

CTV News
August 21, 2023

Caffeine can’t replace sleep: Research shows caffeine improves attention but not complex thinking after sleep deprivation - PsyPost [2023-08-21]

There is no denying the importance of sleep. Everyone feels better after a good night of sleep, and lack of sleep can have profoundly negative effects on both the body and the brain. So what can be done to substitute for a lack of sleep? Put another way, how can you get less sleep and still perform at your peak?

As a psychologist who studies the ways in which sleep benefits memory, I’m also interested in how sleep deprivation harms memory and cognition. After some initial research on sleep deprivation and false confessions, my students at Michigan State University’s Sleep and Learning Lab and I wanted to see what interventions could reverse the negative effects of sleep deprivation.

We found a simple answer: There is no substitute for sleep.

Read more here:

PsyPost
August 21, 2023

Why People Don’t Take Your Depression Seriously - Psychology Today [2023-08-21]

Talking about your depression is extremely difficult. Sometimes, even when you’ve finally built up the courage to talk about it, nothing changes. It’s easy to assume that people don’t care about you or they don’t believe you when opening up to them doesn’t change anything, but it’s likely more complicated than that. I’ll explain some of the reasons the people you care about don’t take your depression as seriously as you want them to.

One of the reasons your friends and family members aren’t treating your depression with the respect it deserves is that…they forget. I know your depression is obvious to you and impacts how you live most of your life, but for the people around you, it’s an invisible piece of information. In their eyes, you’re doing the things you’ve normally done and talking the way you’ve always talked, so it’s very easy to forget that internally you feel like you’re drowning.

Read more here:

Psychology Today
August 21, 2023

16 Wrong Ideas About Mental Illness - Psychology Today [2023-08-21]

Mental illness may sometimes be difficult to discuss, in part because friends and family may summon the worst images from the TV and movies. But those depictions often aren't accurate or even likely.

So this post might be useful if you're hearing (or sensing) any of these common, but wrong, ideas. And if you're assuming the worst about a loved one, the good news is that you may be wrong.

1. Myth: Mental illness is rare. Reality: About one in five experience some form of mental illness in any year. About one in 20 have a serious condition, including schizophrenia, bipolar disorder or major depression.

Read more here:

Psychology Today
August 21, 2023