Rising tuition costs

Rising tuition costs and living expenses are driving post-secondary students to seek out older, richer dates.

Canada's Biggest 'Sugar Daddy' Schools
Source:   SeekingArrangement.com

20) University of Ottawa
Number of new 'sugar baby' sign-ups, 2014:   34

19) University of Alberta, Edmonton
Number of new 'sugar baby' sign-ups, 2014:   38

18) Dalhousie University
Number of new 'sugar baby' sign-ups, 2014:   39

17) L'Université Laval, Québec
Number of new 'sugar baby' sign-ups, 2014:   43

16) University of Waterloo
Number of new 'sugar baby' sign-ups, 2014:   47

15) University of Calgary
Number of new 'sugar baby' sign-ups, 2014:   55

14) University of Windsor
Number of new 'sugar baby' sign-ups, 2014:   62

13) Simon Fraser University
Number of new 'sugar baby' sign-ups, 2014:   70

12) York University, Toronto
Number of new 'sugar baby' sign-ups, 2014:   83

11) University of Victoria
Number of new 'sugar baby' sign-ups, 2014:   89

10) Carleton University, Ottawa
Number of new 'sugar baby' sign-ups, 2014:   98

9) Western University, London
Number of new 'sugar baby' sign-ups, 2014:   99

8) University of Guelph
Number of new 'sugar baby' sign-ups, 2014:   105

7) L'Université du Québec à Montréal
Number of new 'sugar baby' sign-ups, 2014:   118

6) Ryerson University, Toronto
Number of new 'sugar baby' sign-ups, 2014:   136

5) MacEwan University, Edmonton
Number of new 'sugar baby' sign-ups, 2014:

Edmonton's Grant MacEwan students sweet on sugar daddies 

4) University of British Columbia
Number of new 'sugar baby' sign-ups, 2014:   144

3) University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon
Number of new 'sugar baby' sign-ups, 2014:   151 

2) McGill University, Montréal
Number of new 'sugar baby' sign-ups, 2014:   161

1) University of Toronto

Number of new 'sugar baby' sign-ups, 2014:   195

Laws - Lao Tzu quotes

Poverty wages - Next exit

5 Things To Know About The Anti-Terror Bill

The Conservatives have tabled an anti-terror bill that will give Canada's spy agency more power to thwart suspected terrorists.

Here are 5 things you need to know.

The Power To Disrupt
The Canadian Security Intelligence Service will get new powers to actively disrupt terrorism plots, instead of just collecting information about them. CSIS would need ``reasonable grounds to believe'' there was a security threat before taking measures to disrupt it and would need a court warrant whenever proposed disruption measures violate the Charter of Rights or otherwise breach Canadian law.

Targeting Terrorist Propaganda
The spy agency will also be allowed to wage cyberwar, by disrupting radical websites and Twitter accounts aimed at impressionable young Canadians. The RCMP would be allowed seek a judge's order to remove terrorist propaganda from the Internet.

From 'Will Commit' To 'May Commit'
The new law will make it easier for the RCMP to obtain a peace bond, a legal tool that could order suspects to surrender passports or report to police regularly. In the past, the Mounties had to hold a reasonable belief that someone "will commit" a terrorism offence before they could get such a bond. Now, the threshold will be a fear that someone "may commit'' an offence.

Stay Grounded
The legislation would expand the no-fly regime to cover those who seek to travel by air to take part in terrorist activities, allowing authorities to keep would-be extremists off planes. Under current law, that can only be done to counter an immediate risk to the aircraft.

Careful What You Wish For
The legislation would make it a criminal offence to encourage someone to carry out a terrorism attack. It also would allow police to arrest someone without a warrant and hold them for up to seven days before a hearing. That's up from the three-day maximum under current law.

Upcoming election

This is what the upcoming election is really about

Harper 2015

6 deceptive stories Stephen Harper will tell you during the 2015 election

1. Stephen Harper is creating "full-time, high-paying" jobs
2. Stephen Harper is investing "big time" in infrastructure
3. Stephen Harper has a child care plan
4. Stephen Harper has a tax cut for families – just probably not your family...
5. Stephen Harper's tough-on-crime policy spree
6. Stephen Harper's leadership

David Suzuki on GMO

Stop fighting ... (1)

Canada’s veterans deserve better

After sacrificing so much, our vets shouldn't have to fight again for fair benefits

Petition: Canada’s veterans deserve better

Be Yourself

To be yourself in a world that is constantly trying to make you into something else is the greatest accomplishment. 

Annual Surplus/Deficit - Liberal vs HarperCons

Liberals will run on their fiscal record. HarperCons forced to run on their criminal record.

What's the government to do when MONEY GETS TIGHT?

They’ve put all their eggs in one basket. Now the going is tough, and they’re out of ideas. 

Harper against public Health care

Harper Oli Sands -- Oil price shock

Canada’s job market not immune to oil price shock, Poloz says
Canada’s labour market is already limping, and lower oil prices could further dampen income growth and employment opportunities, the Bank of Canada says.

“We have an oil price shock which will reduce the income flowing into Canada, and lead probably to some increase in unemployment over all,” Governor Stephen Poloz told reporters Wednesday just after the central bank unexpectedly cut rates.

Lies, Damn Lies, & The F Word

FREE TRADE - The ugly truth about secret deals that kill 
good Canadian jobs.

8:43 long and worth your time!

10 Facts About Canada's Oil Industry

Sources:
- Canadian Association of Petroleum Producers
- Canada Energy Research Institute.
- Natural Resources Canada
- Oil & Gas Journal

10. Oil And Gas Accounts For 4.8 Per Cent Of GDP

The oil and gas industries accounted for around $65 billion of economic activity in Canada annually in recent years, or slightly less than 5 per cent of GDP. 

9. Oil Exports Have Grown Tenfold Since 1980

Canada exported some 12,000 cubic metres of oil per day in 1980. By 2010, that number had grown to 112,000 cubic metres daily. 

8. Refining Didn't Grow At All As Exports Boomed

Canada refined 300,000 cubic metres daily in 1980; in 2010, that number was slightly down, to 291,000, even though exports of oil had grown tenfold in that time. 

7. 97 Per Cent Of Oil Exports Go To The U.S.

Despite talk by the federal government that it wants to open Asian markets to Canadian oil, the vast majority of exports still go to the United States -- 97 per cent as of 2009.

6. Canada Has World's 2nd-Largest Proven Oil Reserves

Canada's proven reserves of 175 billion barrels of oil -- the vast majority of it trapped in the oil sands -- is the second-largest oil stash in the world, after Saudi Arabia's 267 billion. 

5. Two-Thirds Of Oil Sands Bitumen Goes To U.S.

One-third of Canada's oil sands bitumen stays in the country, and is refined into gasoline, heating oil and diesel. 

4. Alberta Is Two-Thirds Of The Industry

Despite its reputation as the undisputed centre of Canada's oil industry, Alberta accounts for only two-thirds of energy production. British Columbia and Saskatchewan are the second and third-largest producers. 

3. Alberta Will Reap $1.2 Trillion From Oil Sands

Alberta' government will reap $1.2 trillion in royalties from the oil sands over the next 35 years, according to the Canadian Energy Research Institute.

2. Canadian Oil Consumption Has Stayed Flat

Thanks to improvements in energy efficiency, and a weakening of the country's manufacturing base, oil consumption in Canada has had virtually no net change in 30 years. Consumption went from 287,000 cubic metres daily in 1980 to 260,000 cubic metres daily in 2010. 

1. 250,000 Jobs.. Plus Many More?

The National Energy Board says oil and gas employs 257,000 people in Canada, not including gas station employees. And the Canadian Association of Petroleum Producers says the oil sands alone will grow from 75,000 jobs to 905,000 jobs by 2035 -- assuming, of course, the price of oil holds up.

Harper's war on science

Stephen Harper government confuses science for mere opinion
Despite its claims to the contrary, the federal government seems to view science as just another set of opinions.

Foreign scientists call on Stephen Harper to restore science funding, freedom

Songs that explain why the Harper economy is out of tune

10 songs that explain why the Harper economy is out of tune

Which other song(s) would you add to the list?

Tar Sands Revenue

Explain to future generations

The American Dream?

Politicians

Younger Harper

So Stephen Harper rushed through electoral reforms without due process and ...

Cost to eradicate hunger per year

Justify this!

Arms Trade #2

To politicians : Why are you allowing an increase of arms to conflict zones?

Neil Macdonald's take on Charlie Hebdo massacre

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neil_Macdonald

More state power, not free speech, the likeliest we-are-Charlie result

Biggest Risks To Canada's Economy In 2015 And Beyond

The Carbon Bubble

The carbon bubble is the idea that if the world’s governments meet targets to limit climate change to 2 degrees Celsius by cutting carbon emissions, there will be a glut of fossil fuels on the market that cannot be burned.

The concern is that when investors realize oil companies will have to leave much of the product they own in the ground, oil company stocks will collapse, leading to a crisis in the industry that could affect Canada. Among the people concerned about a carbon bubble is former Bank of Canada governor and current Bank of England governor Mark Carney.

Mark Carney Slams Bankers, Warns Most Of World's Oil Can't Be Burned

Mark Carney reckons most fossil fuels “un-burnable”

Opposition To Keystone XL And Other Pipelines

Many in Canada’s oil sector have been holding their breath to see whether the U.S. approves the Keystone pipeline,which would see tarry bitumen from Alberta’s oilsands pumped south for export from the U.S.

President Barack Obama did not have very nice things to say about Keystone in his year-end press conference, leading some to believe he’s bent on rejecting it. The lack of a functional pipeline capable of getting the oilsands crude to international markets has held back the price of crude produced there. There’s also massive domestic opposition to homegrown alternatives such as the Energy East Pipeline or Northern Gateway.

 Obama hits Keystone again but declines to threaten veto

Girling Duels Obama on Keystone Export Debate Amid Glut

Obama maintained his recent pattern of expressed skepticism about the project: He played down its job potential, said it wouldn't lower gas prices for Americans and, employing the language of pipeline opponents, said it would merely help Canadian "tar sands" companies export their product overseas.

Elections, At Home And Abroad

This promises to be a big year for elections around the world, with votes at home and abroad. The Conservatives presided over a Canadian recession that was relatively mild compared to much of the world, but after nearly a decade of Conservative rule, voters could be ready for a change.

The U.K. is looking ahead to an election in May. If the U.K.'s Conservative Party wins and follows through with its promise to hold a referendum on EU membership, it would be a further blow to the Eurozone. The U.S. is looking ahead to an election in 2016, and the year before an election in that country has proven to be an often interesting, volatile ride.

Sinking Commodity Prices

Weak demand and a glut of supply are keeping prices of commodities low, and it doesn’t just affect Canada’s oil patch. The mining sector, one of the heaviest hitters on the Toronto Stock Exchange, could see a resulting slowdown in investment in projects and hiring.

A Rise In Interest Rates

Canada, along with the U.S., is on track for an interest rate hike in 2015. It would be the first since 2010 and consumers — particularly on this side of the border — have continued to pile on debt loads and take out large mortgages in the years of low interest rates.

While any hike is expected to be gradual, it could be a shock to some households who are struggling to pay back debt. A higher interest rate could sink more Canadians into bankruptcy and could cause a slowdown in the housing sector, which has propped up Canada’s economy in the years since the recession.


Debt Loads, Yet Again

Economists have been warning consumers for years that debt loads are growing to astronomical levels, and that could be a huge risk if interest rates rise. In Canada, the household debt-to-income ratio rose to a new record high of 162.6 per cent in the most recent quarter.

And things are not much better south of the border, where consumer debt is worth a total of $3.2 trillion and where there has been a resurgence in subprime lending, the risky banking practice that helped spark the global economic crisis in 2008.

Subprime deja vu: Bank car loan lending standards ease


4 Reasons Subprime Loans Are Back (For Cars)


In One Bundle of Mortgages, the Subprime Crisis Reverberates


Global Instability And Terrorism

An increase in terrorism and geopolitical instability doesn’t inspire confidence in investors. Threats from ISIS and other terrorist organizations have dominated headlines in the past year and such political uncertainty could spill over into broader conflicts or destabilize markets.

Russia

Russia’s ruble has sunk by about 40 per cent in the past few weeks, and the country could soon find itself in recession, partly due to Western sanctions over its aggressive behaviour in Ukraine.

As a G8 country, it is a large source of demand for Canadian exports. The country already slapped retaliatory sanctions on Canada in 2014 and the lack of trade could hit Canada’s overall trade figures.

China

Chinese growth has been a massive driver of the global economy but is losing momentum, affecting the entire global supply chain. Investors are hoping that China’s GDP growth does not come in worse than the 7-per-cent rate it has predicted.

A chain reaction caused by the slowdown in China could be particularly concerning for Canada, which had been protected from the worst of the Great Recession, benefitting from Chinese manufacturing’s demand for commodities. In addition, the unrest in Hong Kong, one of the world’s financial hubs, is not over, posing a risk of more uncertainty in the region.

Greece

That’s right, Greece is still causing Europe, and global markets, some serious headaches five years after its sovereign debt crisis was first brought to light. It is again making headlines as the new year approaches, with legislators rejecting Prime Minister Antonis Samaras’s nomination for president, Stavros Dimas, triggering a snap election.

Polls favour anti-austerity candidates, which could see the country pull away from its debt obligations under its bailout plan with the Eurozone, stoking concerns for the rest of the continent, which is already struggling with sky high unemployment and a shaky financial system. A slowdown in Europe would have knock-on consequences for Canada.

Greek Parliament vote could bring back euro crisis as elections loom

Tanking Oil Prices

After five years of relatively stable crude prices, oil prices have dropped nearly 50 per cent since June to their lowest level in five years. The drop is a double-edged sword for the Canadian economy. The IMF says it could boost global economic growth by as much as 0.8 percentage points above the expected 3.8 per cent. It’s also good news for consumers, whose savings at the gas pump could translate into more spending elsewhere.

However, if oil continues to hover between $60 to $70 a barrel, it could expose weaknesses in oil-dependent countries and companies and even push some to default on debt obligations. The tanking price is bad for Canada’s oilsands, a major source of domestic economic growth and could push the loonie lower.




   

Standard Politician vs. Standard Voter

Who Wants Change?

We will never see change if we are so unwilling to change ourselves. 

Sometimes you have to accept the fact that certain things will never go back to how they used to be.

Wealth Inequality in Canada

Harper's record

Believe the Conservatives' claims about jobs?
Here's the real data:

Truth about economy under Conservatives.
Statistics Canada data helps make the point


Harper has the worst record since Bennett

Government vs. People

TPP is a Trojan horse

Should we request UN election monitors/observers for Canada?

Why this is important

A survey of 26 countries in the Americas found that Canadians’ trust in elections is relatively weak, 21% expressing "strong trust" in elections.

Read more at  Majority of Canadians worried about potential election fraud, study finds

Vimeo : http://vimeo.com/108236106

The path we are on

Stephen Harper's Cabinet

Back in 2006 Harper boasted his first cabinet was only 26 ministers, a deliberate attempt to contrast himself with former Liberal prime minister Paul Martin, whose cabinet was 38 MPs strong.

“My smaller cabinet and more streamlined cabinet structure are designed for work – not for show,” Mr. Harper said in 2006 as he unveiled his first team of ministers. 

The size of the cabinet has expanded bit by bit since then.



On Monday, Jan. 5, 2015, he became the first among equals in a cabinet tied for the title of largest in Canadian history.

The appointment of Erin O’Toole to minister of Veterans Affairs brings the size of the Harper ministry to 40 strong, matching the size of Brian Mulroney's 1984 cabinet.

He won the election with a landslide victory. And today -- Sept. 17, 1984 -- Brian Mulroney is officially sworn in as prime minister. "Today was Mulroney's day," announces reporter Jason Moscovitz in this CBC-TV clip. But today's story isn't all about Mulroney. It's also about his new cabinet. He's appointing Canada's largest cabinet ever, with a total of 40 members. The new PC prime minister hopes to have a cabinet that better represents all regions, both sexes, and a mix of veterans and rookies.

Bill Gates wants people to drink recycled poop

Poop getting boiled and treated. A few minutes later, a glass of delicious drinking water.

A project called the Omniprocessor, designed and built by Janicki Bioenergy, an engineering firm based north of Seattle.

The Omniprocessor is a safe repository for human waste.

This Ingenious Machine Turns Feces Into Drinking Water

What is the real value of the dollar?

Have you ever stopped and asked yourself, What's the dollar really worth?

It depends who you ask the question. The answer will be different.

Ask an economist, and he will try to compare its value to a commodity or another currency.

Ask a blue collar worker he’d tell you that it’s food on the table.

A white collar office drone, he or she would tell you that it’s freedom.

The politician will tell you that money equals votes (off the record of course).

So what's really worth?

Watch the two videos for the answer:

Erin O'Toole: 7 Things To Know About The Veterans Affairs Minister

Showman
O'Toole acted in a number of theatrical productions while attending Bowmanville High School, though he never played the lead. His roles included Kenickie in "Grease."

Veteran lawyer Erin O'Toole a fresh face for federal Tories (with video)

Veteran
O'Toole is one of a "handful" of military veterans currently sitting in Parliament. He was commissioned as a member of the Royal Canadian Air Force in 1991, and later did search and rescue and maritime surveillance on a Sea King helicopter.

Lawyer
O'Toole studied law at Dalhousie University in Halifax, the same school that Green Party leader Elizabeth May attended. He would go on to work for law firms Heenan Blaikie and Stikeman Elliott, and as an in-house lawyer for Procter and Gamble.

Newsmaker of the day: Who is Erin O’Toole?


Philanthropist
O'Toole played a role in founding True Patriot Love, a charity that raises funds to help veterans with issues such as physical rehabilitation and mental health. He is an honorary board member with the organization.

http://truepatriotlove.com/

Politics in his Blood
Erin's father John O'Toole is a former Ontario Progressive Conservative MPP for the riding of Durham.

John O'Toole, MPP
 

The Replacement
Succeeded Bev Oda as MP for the Durham riding in a 2012 byelection, after the former minister of international cooperation was ensnared in a scandal for charging a $665-a-night stay at the Savoy Hotel and a $16 orange juice to taxpayers.

Rising Star
O'Toole came second to caucus colleague Michelle Rempel in voting for the "rising star" award at the most recent Parliamentarian of the Year Awards, an annual distinction handed out by Maclean's magazine.

Facts About Mental Health in Canada

Canadian Mental Health Association


Number of Canadians with mental illness
20% of Canadians will personally experience a mental illness in their lifetime

Anxiety
Anxiety disorders affect 5% of the household population, causing mild to severe impairment

Bipolar Disorder
About 1% of Canadians will experience bipolar disorder (or “manic depression”)

Suicide rates
Suicide accounts for 24% of all deaths among 15-24 year olds and 16% among 25-44 year olds.

Men and suicide
The mortality rate due to suicide among men is four times the rate among women.

Major Depression
Approximately 8% of adults will experience major depression at some time in their lives

Schizophrenia
Schizophrenia affects 1% of the Canadian population

Youth depression
The total number of 12-19 year olds in Canada at risk for developing depression is a staggering 3.2 million

Going to the doctor
Almost one half (49%) of those who feel they have suffered from depression or anxiety have never gone to see a doctor about this problem

Seeking help
Once depression is recognized, help can make a difference for 80% of people who are affected, allowing them to get back to their regular activities

Youth suicide rate
Mental illness is increasingly threatening the lives of our children; with Canada’s youth suicide rate the third highest in the industrialized world

Percentage of Canadian youth affected by mental illness
It is estimated that 10-20% of Canadian youth are affected by a mental illness or disorder – the single most disabling group of disorders worldwide

First Nations youth and suicide
First Nations youth commit suicide about five to six times more often than non-Aboriginal youth. The suicide rates for Inuit are among the highest in the world, at 11 times the national average, and for young Inuit men the rates are 28 times higher

Available mental health services in Canada
In Canada, only 1 out of 5 children who need mental health services receives them

Mental illness in seniors
Rates of mental illness for adults between the ages of 70 and 89, including but not limited to dementia, are projected to be higher than for any other age group by 2041

Mental Health and the justice system
The vast majority of people living with mental health problems and illnesses are not involved with the criminal justice system. In fact, they are more likely to be victims of violence than perpetrators

Mental illness and unemployment
Among those with the most severe and complex mental health problems and illnesses, unemployment is estimated at between 70 and 90 per cent - Mental Health Commission of Canada

Cost of mental illness in Canada
The economic cost of mental illnesses in Canada for the health care system was estimated to be at least $7.9 billion in 1998 – $4.7 billion in care, and $3.2 billion in disability and early death

How The Elite Stay In Power