Markham Real Estate Today with Asif Khan

Gong Hai Fat Choi - Here's A Quick Overview On Chinese New Year

2016-02-08T14:19:02Z

This year, Chinese New Year - The Year of the Monkey - begins on February 8th and lasts until Jan 27th, 2017.

Happy Chinese New Year!

Celebrations have started around the world

A man in a monkey costume climbs one of the lion statues in Trafalgar Square in London Photo: AP Photo/Frank Augstein

People gathered at one of Hong Kong's best known temples - the Wong Tai Sin - to make their new year wishes, while dancers dressed in traditional costumes performed at Ditan Park in Beijing.

Wellwishers in the Philippines, Indonesia, North Korea, South Korea, Malaysia and Thailand have also kicked off the celebrations in their countries.

The Sydney Opera House in Australia was bathed in red light as part of city wide lumiere and lantern display to welcome in Chinese New Year

While preliminary events have been kicking off across the UK, the big celebrations in the capital won't take place until Sunday 14th February.

On Saturday, the National Gallery in Trafalgar Square hosted a free Chinese New Year-themed family day, while Chiswick House Gardens launched the UK debut of the Magical Lantern Festival on Wednesday February 3rd.

The display, which included a 66-metre long dragon, runs until March 6th.

The Terracotta Army Photo: Anthony Upton/The Telegraph

The new year, also known as the Spring Festival, is marked by the lunisolar Chinese calendar, so the date changes from year to year.

The festivities usually start the day before the New Year and continue until the Lantern Festival, the 15th day of the new year.

The Chinese symbol for monkey

Each Chinese New Year is characterised by one of 12 animals which appear in the Chinese zodiac. The Chinese zodiac is divided into 12 blocks (or houses) just like its western counterpart, but with the major difference being that each house has a time-length of one year instead of one month.

This year it's the Year of the Monkey, the ninth animal in the cycle. The next Year of the Monkey will be in 2028.

Popular Chinese New Year Greetings

1. 新年好 / 新年好 (Xīnnián hǎo)

'New Year goodness!'

In Mandarin: /sshin-nyen haoww/
In Cantonese: /sen-nin haow/

2. 恭喜发财 / 恭喜發財 (Gōngxǐ fācái)

'Happiness and prosperity!'

In Mandarin: /gong-sshee faa-tseye/
In Cantonese: Kunghei fatchoy /gong-hey faa-chwhy/

3. 步步高升 / 步步高陞 (Bùbù gāoshēng)

A steady rise to high places! — "on the up and up"

In Mandarin: /boo-boo gaoww-shnng /
In Cantonese: /boh-boh goh-sshin /

The personality of the Monkey

People born in the Year of the Monkey are characterised as lively, quick-witted, curious, innovative and mischievous, but it is also believed to be one of the most unlucky years in the Chinese calendar.

The general image of people in this zodiac sign is of always being smart, clever and intelligent, especially in their career and wealth.

In addition, their gentleness and honesty bring them an everlasting love life. Although they were born with enviable skills, they still have several shortcomings, such as an impetuous temper and a tendency to look down upon others.

Strengths: sociable, innovative, enthusiastic, self-assured
Weaknesses: suspicious, cunning, selfish, arrogant, jealous

Performers play the dragon dance during the Chinese New Year parade Photo: KeystoneUSA-ZUMA/Rex Features

Lucky Signs for the Monkey

Lucky numbers: 1, 7, 8
Lucky colours: white, gold, blue
Lucky flowers: chrysanthemum, alliums
Lucky directions: north, northwest, west

Famous people born under the monkey sign

Julius Caesar, Leonardo da Vinci, Charles Dickens, Lord Byron, Elizabeth Taylor, Diana Ross, Michael Douglas, Alice Walker, Celine Dion, Tom Hanks, Will Smith, Halle Berry, Christina Aguilera, Owen Wilson, Daniel Craig, Mick Jagger, Bette Davis, Annie Oakley, Eleanor Roosevelt, Cuba Gooding Jr., Gisele Bundchen, Kim Cattrall, Nick Carter, Patricia Arquette, Alyson Stoner, Christina Ricci, Demi Lovato, Miley Cyrus, Nick Jonas, Selena Gomez.

Your sign is derived from the year you were born in the Chinese lunar calendar.

The years below are a rough guide, but if you were born in January or February it may be slightly different as the new year moves between 21 January and February 20.

Rat: 2008, 1996, 1984, 1972, 1960
Ox: 2009, 1997, 1985, 1973, 1961
Tiger: 2010, 1998, 1986, 1974, 1962
Rabbit: 2011, 1999, 1987, 1975, 1963
Dragon: 2012, 2000, 1988, 1976, 1964
Snake: 2013, 2001, 1989, 1977, 1965
Horse: 2014, 2002, 1990, 1978, 1966
Sheep: 2015, 2003, 1991, 1979, 1967
Monkey: 2016, 2004, 1992, 1980, 1968
Rooster: 2017, 2005, 1993, 1981, 1969
Dog: 2018, 2006, 1994, 1982, 1970
Pig: 2019, 2007, 1995, 1983, 1971

What does your Chinese zodiac sign mean?

In Chinese astrology, the 12 animal zodiac signs each have unique characteristics.

Rat: Intelligent, adaptable, quick-witted, charming, artistic, sociable.
Ox: Loyal, reliable, thorough, strong, reasonable, steady, determined.
Tiger: Enthusiastic, courageous, ambitious, leadership, confidence, charismatic.
Rabbit: Trustworthy, empathic, modest, diplomatic, sincere, sociable, caretakers.
Dragon: Lucky, flexible, eccentric, imaginative, artistic, spiritual, charismatic.
Snake: Philosophical, organized, intelligent, intuitive, elegant, attentive, decisive.
Horse: Adaptable, loyal, courageous, ambitious, intelligent, adventurous, strong.
Sheep: Tasteful, crafty, warm, elegant, charming, intuitive, sensitive, calm.
Monkey: Quick-witted, charming, lucky, adaptable, bright, versatile, lively, smart.
Rooster: Honest, energetic, intelligent, flamboyant, flexible, diverse, confident.
Dog: Loyal, sociable, courageous, diligent, steady, lively, adaptable, smart.
Pig: Honorable, philanthropic, determined, optimistic, sincere, sociable.

Chinese New Year's Day Taboos

To be avoided on the first day of the Chinese New Year:

Medicine: Taking medicine on the first day of the lunar year means one will get ill for a whole year.
New Year's breakfast: Porridge should not be eaten, because it is considered that only poor people have porridge for breakfast, and people don't want to start the year “poor” as this is a bad omen.
Laundry: People do not wash clothes on the first and second day, because these two days are celebrated as the birthday of Shuishen (水神, the Water God).
Washing hair: Hair must not be washed on the first day of the lunar year. In the Chinese language, hair (发) has the same pronunciation and character as 'fa' in facai (发财), which means ’to become wealthy’. Therefore, it is seen as not a good thing to “wash one’s fortune away” at the beginning of the New Year.
Sharp objects: The use of knives and scissors is to be avoided as any accident is thought to lead to inauspicious things and the depletion of wealth.
Going out: A woman may not leave her house; otherwise she will be plagued with bad luck for the entire coming year. A married daughter is not allowed to visit the house of her parents, as this is believed to bring bad luck to the parents, causing economic hardship for the family.
The broom: If you sweep on this day then your wealth will be swept away too.
Crying children: The cry of a child is believed to bring bad luck to the family, so parents do their best to keep children as happy as possible.
Theft: Having your pocket picked is believed to portend your whole wealth in the coming year being stolen.
Debt: Money should not be lent on New Year’s Day, and all debts have to be paid by New Year’s Eve. If someone who owes you money, do not go to his or her home to demand it. Anyone who does so it is said will be unlucky all the year.
An empty rice jar: An depleted receptacle may cause grave anxiety, as the cessation of cooking during the New Year period is considered to be an ill omen.
Damaged clothes: Wearing threadbare duds can cause more bad luck for the year.
Killing things: Blood is considered an ill omen, which will cause misfortunes such as a knife wound, or a bloody disaster.
Monochrome fashion: White or black clothes are barred as these two colours are traditionally associated with mourning.
Welcoming the New Year: According to tradition, people must stay up late on New Year’s Eve to welcome the New Year, and then to let off firecrackers and fireworks to scare off inauspicious spirits and Nian, the New Year monster.
Giving of certain gifts: Clocks, scissors, and pears all have a bad meaning in Chinese culture.

Chinese lanterns are strung across a street in Chinatown Photo: Oli Scarff/Getty Images

A traditional Chinese Wishing tree

The ancient tradition of the Wishing Tree is synonymous with good luck and fortune, and the legend goes that hanging your hopes for the coming year on a Wishing Tree will encourage your dreams to come true.

Members of the public are invited to visit the tree and receive a bespoke wish written by an authentic Chinese calligrapher to take home along with a golden chocolate coin, for added good fortune.

Groundhogs vs Realtors - Signs Of Spring

2016-02-02T15:22:11Z

There is so much weight put towards groundhogs seeing their shadows at the beginning of February to determine whether Spring is around the corner, or if we are to have six more weeks of winter. Is it right for us to rely so much on a little furball to make major decisions based on weather predictions? Hmmm.

Here’s an idea. From 2017 on, we let the groundhog sleep in and call on Real Estate Professionals to advise on the arrival of spring. A Full-Time Realtor knows the signs of an early spring. The market starts to heat up, decluttering begins as our clients start preparing their homes to hit the market before the competition, AND the Part-Time Realtors come out from their holes in the ground and take up our prime parking spots at the office. From a statistical point of view, a heated market in January and February means an early spring selling season. A dormant market in the early part of the year means a few more weeks of winter to allow you to get your home ready. Let's dig a bit deeper - with apologies to all Groundhogs.

How does this year look? The market has continued where it left off in a record-breaking 2015. It is HOT! In January 2015, Markham had 473 listings and 189 sales. January 2016 showed less listings with only 453, however we had 258 sales!! 69 more sales with 20 less properties on the market. Silly groundhog! Shadows are for kids. It’s a great time to sell and I declare the Spring Market to have arrived!

If you want to get the jump on the "groundhog followers”, give us a call. Let’s get your home listed and find you a new one before everyone else figures this out. Be a leader, not a follower!

Spring has sprung, and the early bird gets the nicest house! :)

BREAKING NEWS: SECRET GOVERNMENT DEAL LEAKED? DID CANADA BUY OUT THE USA?

2016-01-06T15:12:08Z

Top Secret Government Deal Leaked? Did Canada Buy Out The USA?

Speculation over the last few years has been that Canada and the USA have brokered a secret deal that has allowed Canada to purchase the United States of America. Dating back to the bailout days of 2013, the subtle changes being made in the USA have caused an uproar with Americans, and the general public was starting to catch on. It is now becoming quite clear that the bailout money may not have come from the US Federal Reserve, and that the money was actually a deposit from Canada for the purchase of the USA.

"The signs were there from the start, we aren’t stupid" says one American that preferred to remain anonymous. "The resurgence of the housing market, the snow in California, government regulated Health Care, and more recently Gun Control and a medal in the 2016 World Junior Hockey Tournament have let the cat out of the bag. Coincidence? We think not!”.

"This has been in the works for years” said another American. "When they sent Wayne Gretzky and other hockey players over, their goal was to infiltrate the USA’s hockey system and change the style of play to a more Canadian way. This isn’t a surprise. We saw this coming.”

In Alaska, Sarah Palin admits that she "may not have seen Russia from her porch, and that it could have been Canada disguising itself as Russia by importing Russian snow."

Buffalo, NY, has been accepting the Canadian dollar at par for years. Retailers and Restauranteurs in the Niagara Falls region admit that Canada’s largest cross border purchase will have significant financial gains on their business. “Now that we will be using the same currency, it will cut down on exchange rate losses” said the retailer. “Canadian money denominations are so easily distinguishable with the different colors they use, and will make things easier for our staff who often can’t tell if they’ve received a $20 or $50 bill.”

Watch for a public outcry in the next few weeks when it becomes public that Presidential Election front runner, Donald Trump, brokered the deal that sold out the USA to their neighbour (yes, with a U). Apparently, Trump and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau have already worked out an arrangement that will see Trudeau take over the top job to run the two nations and Trump will become a Member of Parliament on the Canadian side. Americans are not pleased. “The similarities between those two are scary, both their names start with TRU” said one person”. “Is it not weird that Donald’s last name also starts with TRU, and he’s going to become an MP? This is not sitting right.”

Michigan residents believe the new bridge between Detroit and Windsor was part and parcel of the Canadian purchase. Will this "pave the way" for better hockey in the USA and cheaper oil prices in Canada? Or is this as fictitious as Sarah Palin seeing Russian snow from her porch? ;)

BREAKING NEWS: RE/MAX 2016 Canadian Housing Market Outlook via HomeSearchPros.com

2015-12-12T03:38:16Z

December 11, 2015

TORONTO - Asif Khan, RE/MAX All-Stars HomeSearchPros.com

RE/MAX has released their 2016 Housing Market Outlook for Canada. And, the future continues to look bright!

The average residential sale price increased 17 per cent in Greater Vancouver and 10 per cent in the Greater Toronto Area, to approximately $947,350 and $622,150, respectively. As demand shows no signs of waning, these markets are expected to continue to see price appreciation in 2016, of seven per cent in Greater Vancouver and five per cent in the Greater Toronto Area.

In these competitive markets, sellers want to ensure they maximize the value of their homes, while buyers look for guidance during the fast-paced bidding process.

In a recent Leger survey conducted for RE/MAX, 70 per cent of homeowners agreed REALTORs® provide value when buying or selling a home.

Regions outside of Canada’s highest-priced cities reported a spillover effect from the price increases in Greater Vancouver
and the Greater Toronto Area continuing a trend that RE/MAX reported this spring. There were significant year-over-year price increases in Victoria (13%), Fraser Valley (10%), Hamilton-Burlington (12%) and Barrie (8%).

New Canadians and foreign investors continued to be an important demographic of buyers in Toronto, Vancouver and Montreal. Attracted to Canada’s stable economy and low Canadian dollar, this trend is expected to continue through 2016.

In Alberta, a year after the sudden drop in oil prices, housing markets in Calgary and Edmonton showed slower activity but haven’t experienced significant price adjustments. The average residential sale price in Calgary saw a five per cent decrease, due primarily to a larger

proportion of sales at the lower end of the market. In Edmonton, the average price increased by two per cent despite more inventory on the market. An ongoing $5 billion development project in downtown Edmonton has stimulated the local economy and helped to keep employment levels up, mitigating the impact of oil industry layoffs. As buyers in these markets continue to feel uncertain, the average sale price is expected to decrease in 2016, by 3.5 per cent in Edmonton and four per cent in Calgary.

Outside of B.C. and Southern Ontario, high inventory continued to be a significant factor affecting the markets in many cities, including Saskatoon, Regina, Montreal, Quebec City, Halifax and St. John’s. This is primarily due to a period of increased construction. Though new construction slowed down in most of these cities, it will take some time for the market to absorb the product.

RE/MAX 2016 average residential sale price expectation for Canada is an increase of 2.5 per cent as Canadians continue to see home ownership as an important milestone as well as a good investment.

Read the full report below:

HomeSearchPros.com Toronto Housing Market Update For November 2015

2015-12-12T03:15:23Z

Record Sales in November 2015

TORONTO, December 3, 2015 – Toronto Real Estate Board President Mark McLean announced that Greater Toronto Area REALTORS® reported 7,385 home sales through TREB’s MLS® System in November 2015 – up by 14 per cent compared to November 2014. This result also represented the best result on record for the month of November. Sales through the first eleven months of 2015 amounted to 96,401.

“Not only did we see a record sales result for November, but with one month left to go in 2015, we have already set a new calendar year record for home sales in the TREB market area, eclipsing the previous record set in 2007. Sales were up on a year-over-year basis for all major home types, both in the City of Toronto and surrounding regions. This suggests that the demand for ownership housing is widespread, from first-time buyers to long-time homeowners across the GTA,” said Mr. McLean.

The MLS® Home Price Index (HPI) Composite Benchmark was up by 10.3 per cent year over year in November. The average selling price for all transactions was also up by a similar annual rate of 9.6 per cent to $632,685. Annual rates of average price growth for November and the first eleven months of 2015 were similar, with the strongest rates of increase being reported for low-rise home types, including detached and semi-detached houses and townhouses.

“Demand for ownership housing has remained strong in the GTA throughout 2015, with sales generally increasing at a greater annual rate compared to new listings. This means that competition between buyers has strengthened in many neighbourhoods in the City of Toronto and surrounding regions. The end result has been upward pressure on home prices well above the rate of inflation in most cases,” said Jason Mercer, TREB’s Director of Market Analysis.

Check out the full report below:

Canada's New Downpayment Rules

2015-12-12T03:01:47Z

December 11, 2015

TORONTO - Asif Khan, RE/MAX All-Stars

Over the last two days, the Federal Government's announcement about tightening mortgage rules for required downpayment has been making a buzz on the news.

It's being reported as "an effort to cool the red-hot housing markets in Toronto and Vancouver". Here's what the plan is:

The new regulations will increase the minimum down payment required to buy a home priced over $500,000. The initial $500,000 of your purchase will still qualify for 5% downpayment, anything beyond that will require a 10 per cent down payment. If you purchase a home for $600,000, and will be paying 5% down, you can only do so on the first $500,000; the other $100,000 will require 10% down (so an extra downpayment of $5,000).

Now before everyone freaks out and thinks this will really cool down the market, let's look at it closer. Not many people purchasing a home for $500,000 or more will qualify for the minimum 5% down, and even if they did, most choose to pay on average between 10% and 20% down. Banks are pretty tight on who they will qualify for 5% down. Secondly, IF someone really wants to put 5% down on a $750,000 purchase, they will just go out and get a second mortgage to top up their downpayment. This rule is going to open the door for lenders to make some extra dollars on second mortgages. Private Lenders that have been squeezed out of the mortgage picture, due to the low interest rates, can now jump back in and offer top-up seconds.

Will this really "cool the red-hot markets in Toronto and Vancouver"? Not at all. Demand remains high. Supply remains low, and although it sounds like a really cool idea to introduce a catalyst for negative pressure on house prices, it's not that big of a deal. People that only have 5% down should not be purchasing a home priced over $500,000 anyway. Our lending rules are already tight enough that people that can't afford a certain price point, will not qualify for that price point. I see this as a great way to increase home owners' equity in their homes, and outside of that it is nothing else. Don't "bank" on prices to drop anytime soon. The time to get into the home ownership game is NOW. Waiting for the sky to fall is just going to put home ownership farther out of reach because the market is not slowing down anytime soon.

If you'd like to discuss your home ownership plans in more detail and would like a customized equity analysis for your real estate portfolio, let's set an appointment to meet. Send me a message or find me on twitter @homesearchpros.

The 10 Countries With The Highest "National Well-Being"

2015-05-27T15:36:46Z

The 10 Countries With The Highest "National Well-Being"

It's time to get rid of GDP as a measure of a country's success.

Economic measures of success like gross domestic product (GDP) are a crude way to judge countries. They tell you about the level of economic activity, but not necessarily whether nations are bettering people’s lives.

The Top 10:
1. Norway
2. Sweden
3. Switzerland
4. Iceland
5. New Zealand
6. Canada
7. Finland
8. Denmark
9. Netherlands
10. Australia

U.S. GDP, for example, lumps together the sale of children’s books and the sale of handguns, even though one is generally good for society and the other often isn't. GDP also doesn’t account for impacts to public health or the environment. Neither does it tell you if a lot of people are doing well or just a few people.

The 2015 Social Progress Index is one of a new breed of country success metrics that take a more nuanced look at national progress. While the U.S. has the top GDP in the world, the Social Progress Index shows the U.S. in 16th place, due to its relative weaknesses in heath and wellness, access to education, and personal safety measurement categories.

Michael Green, founder of the Social Progress Index, says the main failing of the U.S. compared to top performers is its lack of an extensive "safety net." The problem isn't inequality so much as the ongoing poverty faced by a significant number of people, he says.

"There isn't a significant relationship between income inequality and stronger social progress," he says. "But we find that countries with lower poverty have stronger GDP. If you really want to advance social progress, you need to improve the lives of the poorest."

Social Progress Index Scores plotted against GDP to show where it does and doesn't correlate.

The monopolistic position of GDP in assessing how well countries are performing has real consequences. For example, international aid agencies assess whether countries should get assistance by whether they're "low" or "middle" income. Countries like India have stopped receiving money recently because their GDP is rising, even as millions of Indians are living on a pittance. Similarly, Angola has GDP per head of over $7,000, making it a relatively successful economy on the face of it. This despite having some of the worst urban slums anywhere (strangely, its largest city, Luanda, is both one of the richest and poorest capitals in the world).

Social Progress Index scores versus poverty rate.

Looking at the social progress of the entire planet, Green says the average level is somewhere between Cuba and Kazakhstan. In general, scores are higher for factors like nutrition and basic medical care than for personal safety, human rights, and the environment. The latter categories get less attention as development priorities and they're not areas that necessarily improve as economies grow.

As for the index itself, the top countries are similar to last year's list, albeit with a few minor changes in position. Norway is now top instead of Sweden, and most the top 20 are still northern European countries. The U.S. has dropped to 16th from 6th place, though that doesn't necessarily mean it's a substantially worse country than a year ago (the scores are tight). More important is the long-term trend: the U.S. isn't No. 1 overall because for important things, like health care, it's pretty average for an advanced country.

[Cover Illustration: julia_sudnik via Shutterstock/Flags: Shutterstock]

BEN SCHILLER

Ben Schiller is a New York-based staff writer for Co.Exist, and also contributes to the FT and Yale e360. He used to edit a European management magazine, and worked as a reporter in San Francisco, Prague and Brussels Continued

Vote Now in the TREB Elections

2015-04-29T14:28:15Z

View this email in a web browser

The TREB elections give you an opportunity to select the representatives who will serve your Board over the next year. This year, there are two RE/MAX Associates running for the Director-at-Large position, and we here at RE/MAX INTEGRA, Otario-Atlantic would like to show our support and encourage you to do the same by taking action and voting!

TREB 2015 DIRECTOR-AT-LARGE VOTING IS NOW OPEN!

Asif's Election Info Sheet

Online voting opens today (April 29, 2015) at 12:00 noon and will continue until May 4, 2015 at 12:00 noon. You must log into TREB in order to cast your vote online. For information on how you can submit a proxy vote, click here.

I encourage you all to take part in this vote and wish best of luck to the RE/MAX INTEGRA, Ontario-Atlantic REALTORS running in this year's TREB elections.

Sincerely,

Gurinder Sandhu, CPA, CA
Executive Vice President/Regional Director
RE/MAX INTEGRA, Ontario-Atlantic Canada

This email was sent to RE/MAX INTEGRA Brokers, Owners, Managers and Associates.

RE/MAX Ontario-Atlantic Canada Inc.
7101 Syntex Dr. Mississauga, Ontario, L5N6H5, Canada

Behind That Beautiful Smile

2015-04-28T03:59:06Z

There's something to be said about a kid that is always smiling. You look at one of them and think they are happy, fulfilled, confident, and fun. But what if the smile is a mask that is hiding something? What if deep down, there's something bothering them and they haven't told anyone? What if behind that beautiful smile, there's pain?

As a parent, wouldn't this be one of your fears? But then again, as a parent of a child that always smiles, would you even think there would be something bothering him/her?

I have a personal story about one of my kids. "Happy go lucky" kind of kid that doesn't let anything get to her. Or so it seemed until tonight. My daughter was in a tough situation during her hockey season this year. Her coaches had upset her with things that were said and done. While on a road trip for a tournament, she had broke down and cried, told me a few things. I had promised her I would address them and that she should just enjoy the game and keep doing what she does. I had told her that I would deal with the coaches, and that she should just focus on playing the game she loves - as 10 year olds should do. And so she did, while leaving the coaches to me.

There were a few more incidents that she brought to my attention during the course of the year, and as any parent of a child that was being singled out, her concerns were voiced through me. After the second meeting, issues seemed to have been resolved and Jennah's smile had returned. What was behind that smile was not revealed until tonight.

While packing her school bag tonight, my daughter's bookmark fell out of her book. I saw it had something hand written on it. She had written: "If you show fear to a bully like Bernard …".

I asked her what that was about. She said she was reading a book and there was a pig named Bernard that was a bully. It reminded her of one of her coaches. She had written it out on her book mark as a reminder. She had wanted to show me earlier but forgot.

I asked to see the book. She brought it down and read the excerpt to me. It read "They don't love me, they respect me. If you show fear to a bully like Bernard, he'll jump all over you.".

THIS was her takeaway from this coach. Her takeaway was that she needed to stand up to a bully coach. It was at this moment that I realized how much damage this one coach has caused. For a child to even think of writing a reminder on her bookmark, think of how badly her psyche had been attacked. Do coaches/teachers/parents even realize how much of an impact they can have on a child? Do they not know that even the slightest shot at a kid's confidence or mindset could damage them for life? Whenever you are in a position of influence on a child, you have the ability to influence their life in a positive or negative manner. It's a choice that YOU get to make every day. Choose positive. Build on their positives. Let a child think about what you've done to help them in a positive manner. Do you really want to be the one that they look back at with a negative point of view? Do you want to be the person of influence that ruins a child's love for a sport, or even worse, their self confidence? Do you want to damage a kid for life? It's time for everyone to wake up. Check your ego, and think about how you can impact a child.

Now, this won't damage my kid for life. Not at all. She knows what this coach did was wrong. Whichever way you slice it, this was emotional bullying. He got inside her head. She also knows to come to her parents if this ever happens again, and let us know that someone has hurt her rather than keeping it inside and dealing with it in her own little way. I'm proud of her for being brave and trying to deal with it in the best way she thought possible, however I'm a bit upset that her fear of being bullied further prevented her from coming to me earlier. We'll have to have a little chat about that. ;)

As a parent, this has been heart wrenching, yet a learning experience. I'll be sure to ask my child more questions in the future, even when the smile says "everything is just fine".

Parents: Don't let your kid's smile fool you. That beautiful smile could very well be a mask for something that is hurting them.

25 Life Hacks to Eat Better

2015-04-22T15:00:12Z

Though making time for food and preparing meals may sound like a chore, it can be one of the most important keys to the success of your health goals. If cooking at home seems overwhelming now, don’t worry. The more frequently you’re able to use the following tricks, the less overall time meal planning will take down the road. Before you know it, healthy lifestyle choices will become habits.

For everyone racing through life at warp speed, these tips can help you to make the most of your time in the kitchen.

Keep it simple. Instead of following some fad diet with lots of rules, keep your healthy eating routine simple. Eat real food that’s mostly plants with lots of color and variety. Balance every meal with high-quality proteins like lean meat, fish, tofu or beans and complex carbs like brown rice, potatoes, quinoa, and healthy fats like avocado, nuts, seeds and olive oil. Make half of your plate fruits and vegetables to meet your daily fiber needs while keeping calories in check.

Don’t bring junk into the house. If you’re easily swayed to nosh on chips, cookies and ice cream, keep the processed snacks out of the house. This simple trick makes healthy eating easy. Out of sight, out of mind.

Eat more fat. Yes, you read that right. People who snack on healthy fats like a handful of almonds eat fewer calories over the course of the day because they feel more satisfied. So don’t skimp on fat; it keeps you fuller for longer so you will, in turn, eat less. Try these 6 high-fat foods that are good for you.

Make lunch the night before. Stop telling yourself you’ll have time to pack a lunch on your way out the door in the morning. While you’re cleaning up from dinner, put together your lunch for the next day. Whether it be leftovers from dinner or a mason jar salad, planning ahead makes it easy to walk out the door with a healthy lunch.

Use Pinterest with a purpose. Make a board of “Must-Make Meals” filled with weeknight go-tos so that when you’re planning and prepping your meals you know right where to turn (or scroll to). Take it a step further and organize recipes by category like “chicken,” “fish,” “vegetarian,” to get more variety in your diet.

Carry a water bottle. Because hydration is a vital part of being healthy, make it a priority to carry a water bottle around with you and refill it throughout the day. The Institute of Medicine recommends men that drink 120 ounces and women 90 ounces of fluid per day. If you’re active, you will need to replace what you lost through sweat as well. Here are some more great tips to stay hydrated!

Eat on a schedule. A person who eats 2,000 calories throughout the day will often have more energy and tend to lose more weight than the person who eats the same amount of calories all at one meal. By skipping meals or ignoring our hunger cues, we force our bodies to run off of fumes. Listen to your body when it says it’s hungry and you will find that it’s easier to resist the temptation of overeating later at night.

Make breakfast in 90 seconds. Breakfast doesn’t need to be a large production; keep it simple for mornings when you have to be out of the house fast. Homemade breakfast burritos are a fast, simple way to grab a meal in the morning using only a microwave. Place one 6-inch tortilla in a cereal bowl and crack an egg onto the tortilla. Add toppings like green chilies, a sprinkle of cheese, onions and leftover roasted veggies from the night before. Microwave for 90 seconds or until the egg is cooked. Top with salsa and voila: breakfast in 90 seconds.

Catch some ZZZs. Getting enough shut eye at night goes a long way to protecting your body. Because hormones are regulated while you sleep, people who get quality sleep on a daily basis tend to make better food choices and have slimmer waistlines.

Stockpile healthy snacks. Say sayonara to the office candy stash or a drive through when mid-day hunger strikes. Keep healthy snacks on you at all times—pile them in your office drawer, fridge, gym bag and purse. Convenient go-tos include nuts, homemade trail mix, fruit and nut bars, apples, bananas, clementines, single-serve nut butters, dried edamame and air-popped popcorn. If you have refrigeration, stock up on Greek yogurt, cottage cheese and hard-boiled eggs for protein-packed snacks.

Choose whole grains. Make a simple swap in your eating routine by choosing 100% whole grains instead of highly processed white or enriched grains. Whole grains, like steel cut oats, brown rice, barley and 100% whole grain bread or pasta, provide greater nutrition from energy rich B-vitamins to filling fiber. Bonus: Whole grains have a lower glycemic index and glycemic load, meaning they won’t spike your blood sugar as much as simple carbs.

Create a shopping list. Plan your meals and build a list. When you shop from a list, unnecessary temptations don’t land in your grocery cart; your bill (and you) will be more fit as a result.

Grocery shop once per week. When you’re busy, popping into the grocery store on a daily basis is a waste of your precious time. Instead, organize your schedule and plan to go grocery shopping at the beginning of the week to be more efficient.

Go for frozen foods. Frozen produce can be a healthy alternative to fresh foods, and they will last longer too. Fruits and veggies are picked at their peak of ripeness and flash frozen to retain the most nutritional value. Some good staples are corn, peas, broccoli, cauliflower, edamame and spinach. Don’t forget about protein too—frozen proteins like shrimp, salmon, tilapia and even chicken can make weeknights easier. Tip: Stay away from frozen foods that are packed in sauces and syrups.

Opt for pre-chopped veggies. Trouble cutting up butternut squash? Have a crying fest when you chop an onion? Buy pre-cut veggies so all you need to do is cook and eat. Stock up on diced onions, tomatoes, bell peppers, celery, broccoli and cauliflower florets, diced butternut squash and baby carrots to make your life easier.

Shop the salad bar. If you have trouble eating all of your veggies before they go bad, or only need a quarter cup of onion for a recipe, try an alternative approach. You can buy just the right amount for you and pay by the ounce by stocking up on veggies from your grocers’ salad bar. This will save you prep time too. Try adding common salad bar items to meals like omelets, stir-fry or homemade pizza.

Shop at the farmer’s market. It’s nearly effortless to fill up on fresh local produce and eggs when you gather your food at the farmer’s market. Though farmer’s markets have a reputation for being pricey, seasonal produce is often competitively priced with what you’ll find at the grocery store. As long as you can bypass the kettle corn, you’re golden.

Prep for meals in advance. Being proactive about meal planning can save a lot of time and stress in the long run. While the upfront work may sound scary, you’ll be thankful when you find yourself running late and only have a few minutes to eat. Pick a day or a night to prepare several meals that you can simply warm up throughout the week. Or take the time to separate your snacks into portion-controlled bags that you can grab on your way out the door. Raw vegetables are always a simple, nutrient-dense option. If you’re new to meal planning, check out our great beginner’s guide, which is full of tips and tricks to get started.

Fall back on family favorites. Instead of wracking your brain and reinventing the wheel each week, have a list of (healthy) recipes that you know your family will enjoy. This makes meal planning easier and saves you time in the long run. Working with recipes that you know by heart makes cooking less of a hassle.

Plan for leftovers. If you are preparing a large meal, double the batch. Prepare one to serve and the other to put in the freezer or fridge. This way you have double the food but half the mess! You can also prepare extra chicken or steak to cut up and add to a salad to make for a filling lunch the next day.

Prep a big soup. Soups are a simple way to eat more produce and fiber-rich beans. Opt for homemade, broth-based soups instead of creamy ones. Make a big batch and freeze some of it for another week. Pour single servings into to-go containers to make it easy to grab and go for work lunches. Sip on soup for lunch to fill your body up with good stuff.

Blend your veggies. Add a smoothie or fresh juice to get a few servings of fruits and veggies in your diet. Smoothies make a great breakfast or snack. Make them yourself so that you’re in control of the ingredients. If you’re making it a meal or want a snack that lasts,blend fruits and veg with proteins like Greek yogurt, kefir or milk and healthy fats like cashews, nut butters, avocado or coconut oil.

Make mason jar salads. Not only do these look awesome, but they also make salads fun and functional. No more oddly shaped to-go containers that don’t fit right in a lunch box and never seem to get dry in the top rack of the dishwasher. Prep a salad in a mason jar by filling the bottom of the jar with a simple, vinegar-based dressing, toppings like chickpeas or grilled chicken, chopped veggies, feta cheese, apples, nuts and seeds and lots of greens at the top. Seal tightly with a lid. When you are ready to eat, just shake the jar and dump into a bowl. Once you start using the mason jar, you’ll be taking salads to work on the daily.

Batch roast your veggies. Before your week begins, line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper and roast off your favorite veggies like broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cauliflower, mushrooms, butternut squash, kale and sweet potatoes. This small step will help ensure healthy eating during the week. Toss roasted veg on a salad, in an omelet or breakfast scramble, serve on the side of grilled chicken or in a wrap. To roast vegetables, preheat oven to 425 degrees, line rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper, arrange veg on baking sheet not to overcrowd the pan, mist veg with olive or coconut oil. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and bake for 25-45 minutes, depending on toughness of the veggies, until vegetables begin to turn brown and crisp.

Stock your pantry. Pantry staples make it easy to whip up a dinner in no time flat. Convenient pantry items include low-sodium canned beans, canned tuna, diced tomatoes and tomato sauce, nut butter, mixed nuts, unsweetened dried fruit, and whole grains like oats, brown rice and whole-grain pasta.

With your mile-long to-do list, how do you make healthy eating easier?

Tags: cooking at home eating better grocery shopping tips

Kristina LaRue

Kristina LaRue, RD, CSSD, LDN is a sports dietitian in Orlando, FL and co-author of the Flat Belly Cookbook for Dummies. She writes the food and nutrition blog, Love & Zest, where she shares recipes, life, and nutrition.

2015 Spring Market Trends Report by RE/MAX

2015-04-22T04:46:46Z

Low inventory in Vancouver and Toronto continue to drive prices as buyers find themselves in competition over the low supply of single-family homes. The average residential sale price in Toronto and Vancouver at the end of the first quarter grew 8 per cent and 7 per cent, rising to $594,827 and $874,869, respectively. In both markets, first-time buyers find themselves in competition with downsizers and investors with more resources to outbid... [Read More]

GREATER TORONTO AREA

The Greater Toronto Area housing market had a busy first quarter in 2015. The average residential sale price was up 8 per cent year-over-year, an increase driven by lack of supply and low interest rates. Condos are an increasingly popular choice particularly for... Read More

Emphasise The Positives In The Tryout Process

2015-04-21T21:00:05Z

TRYOUTS TIPS: A RESPONSIBLE SPORTS PLAYBOOK via OMHA

Tryouts are one of the many experiences in youth sports that prepare us for similar situations in our adult life, such as college applications, job interviews and more

Making the minor hockey team can be on the most difficult challenges that youth athletes can face – both physically and emotionally. And making the team can be hard, no matter how talented or driven the athlete -- as the well-documented tale of basketball icon Michael Jordan not making his high school team as an underclassman illustrates.

It’s important to remember the positives in the tryout experience – and that these positives exist whether or not your young athlete makes the final cut. Tryouts are one of the many experiences in youth sports that prepare us for similar situations in our adult life, such as college applications, job interviews and more.

Here are 9 tips for you and your youth athletes as the tryout process unfolds this preseason:

Set Goals: Before the tryout process kicks off, Responsible Sport Parents can sit down and have a conversation with your young athlete about what their goals are for trying out and playing on the team. Give them positive assurances that no matter the outcome, you support them and are proud of them. Talk about other opportunities that might be available in your area if they don’t make the team. By talking about goals and outlining alternatives, the tryout process won’t feel so “do-or-die” for your young athlete.
Focus On Effort: As your young athlete enters the tryout process, remind him or her that they can’t control the outcome – whether or not they make the team. What they can control is their effort and attitude. Remind them to give maximum effort at all times, and to focus on their own effort, not what other athletes are doing.
Keep Athletes Active: The pressure to perform and the fear of failure can wreak havoc on young athletes. Responsible Coaches organize tryouts where athletes are constantly in motion, not standing around watching other players perform or getting nervous before their turn.
Have Fun: Laughing, having fun and learning new things can all be part of tryouts. Regardless of the outcome, kids should have a good time during the tryouts themselves. Laughter can also really help young athletes let go of stress and stay relaxed. Responsible Coaches never purposely create a stress-filled environment if they want to elicit the best performance from athletes.
Open To Learning: While coaches are certainly looking to evaluate players based on skill levels, coaches also look for athletes who have the potential to improve (aka a player who is “coachable”). Remind your athletes that they might make mistakes in the tryouts, but how they handle those mistakes may be even more important. Responsible Sports Coaches look for this attitude just as much as they evaluate skills.
OK To Be Disappointed: As Responsible Coaches and Responsible Sports Parents, we can help kids cope with their disappointment by reminding them that it is in fact OK to be disappointed. Empathize with them. Don’t try to make your child feel better by saying the tryout wasn’t important. Instead, consider sharing a story of when you were disappointed and how you overcame that disappointment.
“You’re The Kind Of Person”: The “You’re The Kind Of Person” statements can really help kids manage through the disappointment of not making the team. “I know it means a lot to you, but you’re the kind of person who doesn’t give up easily.” Or “You’re the kind of person who doesn’t let setbacks keep you from playing the game you love.” Use these statements to help shape your athlete’s self-image in the face of disappointment, and to begin planning how to move beyond that disappointment.
Check Your Emotions: Responsible Sports Parents keep their own emotions in check when it comes to their children’s youth sports experience. Having parents who get upset or angry, or want to challenge a coach’s decision about tryouts, just puts added pressure on kids.
Feedback: As Responsible Coaches, one of the best things you can do is give kids honest feedback about their tryouts, including areas where they can improve for next year. Feeling rejected is hard enough, but not knowing why you didn’t make the team is even worse. Try to give young athletes some direction on what they can do to improve, and encourage them to try out next year.

Take The Stress Out Of Tryouts For Kids

2015-04-21T03:02:24Z

Tryouts are always a stressful time for parents, and even more so for children. How often do you see parents adding to the stress levels of their child by telling them how bad they did, or screaming to skate harder? Here are some great tips from the OMHA for parents to make the Tryout experience as stress free as possible for children ….

7 TIPS FOR PARENTS TO MAKE TRYOUTS EASIER FOR PLAYERS

Advice to help alleviate some of the pressure your child is feeling and allow them to have a fun, positive tryout experience

There's no question that tryout season can be both an exciting and stressful time for hockey players and their parents. All players will be working extremely hard to make the team but the added pressure of tryouts can lead to nerves and jitters that players typically wouldn’t experience in a practice or game. To help alleviate some of the pressure your child is feeling and allow them to have a fun, positive tryout experience (regardless of the outcome) here are some tips.

Always remain positive throughout the entire tryout process. Acknowledge your child's effort through verbal and physical cues; a quick comment like "good job" or "well done" or a “pat on the back” can go a long way in your child’s confidence. You do not need to critique the tryout, your job as a parent is to be a support system for your child.
Keep the tryout process in perspective. Not only does your child want to make the team but he/she wants to make you as his/her parent proud. Whether your child makes the team or not do not let them feel like they have disappointed you in anyway as this can effect their self esteem.
Allow the coach to do the coaching. Leave the technical aspect of tryout to the coaches as this is what they are certified to do. Coach your child by being there for them, motivating them and making sure they are having fun.
Prepare your child for the possibility of not making the team and never fear failure.Being overly optimistic puts extra pressure on your child and if they do not make the team it can be devastating for them. Remind them there will be another team to tryout for and to use this as an opportunity to continue developing their skills and be ready for the following season.
Encourage your child to have fun. If your child is having fun and treating the tryout like a normal practice or game, their positive attitude will translate into their on ice play, therefore, giving them a better chance at making the team.
Take this opportunity to teach your child life lessons whether they make the team or not. If they make the team congratulate them and let them know it was because of their hard work and dedication. If they do not make the team teach them the lessons of acceptance, humility and perseverance.
It’s ok to seek feedback if your child does not make the team. Speaking with the coach in a constructive way allows you to provide positive feedback to your child. Try to give your young athlete some direction on what they can do to improve, and encourage them to try out again next year.

Regardless of the outcome enjoy this time with your child as it can be some of the best years you will experience together and will create the fondest of memories.

Breaking News: Disneyland® Parks International Reach Agreement In Principal To Acquire Ontario Place and Centre Island In Toronto!

2015-04-01T11:25:09Z

4/1/2015 - Toronto, Canada

Disneyland® Parks International LLC and Walt Disney® Studios, have reached an agreement in principal with the Government of Ontario to acquire the former Ontario Place lands off of Lake Ontario for their first Canadian Park. MGM Resorts had originally reached a tentative agreement to acquire these lands from the Ontario government A deal was in place for MGM to build a Casino, Convention Centre and 6 Star Hotel, however it was turned down at Parliament. In addition to acquiring Ontario Place, Toronto's Centre Island will also be part of the land deal and will be home to Walt Disney® Studios. Disneyland® Canada and Walt Disney® Studios Canada will be connected by monorail and a Disneyland® Ferry which will feature Character Appearances every hour.

The acquisition by Disney® comes as Toronto is getting set to host the Pan Am Games. A spokesperson for Disneyland® says although negotiations have been going on for about 8 months, the timing of the announcement is strategic to piggy back off the attention that will be on Toronto - Canada for the Pan Am Games this summer. "Toronto is a world class city, and Canada's premier city. We wanted our first Canadian Park to be situated in a city that was easy to get to from all parts of the world. Another deciding factor was that the disposable income in the Greater Toronto Area being significantly higher than that in other parts of Canada. Vancouver Island was in the running due to the significantly warmer weather, however the proximity to Anaheim played a huge role in Disneyland® Resorts looking to Southern Ontario. We wanted to be within a short distance of other major attractions and Toronto provides that. With the CN Tower, Niagara Falls, and Ripley's Aquarium drawing tourists from all over the world, this was a great fit."

Disneyland® Resorts originally looked to acquire the Canadian National Exhibition Grounds, however Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment nixed that deal with their refusal to relocate their professional sports outfits the Toronto Football Club (TFC) and Toronto Marlies (the farm team for MLSE's NHL Franchise the Toronto Maple Leafs). Subsequently, Disney's attention turned towards Ontario Place and Centre Island. In addition to the two theme parks, there will be nine hotels and two indoor waterparks. Disneyland® Canada will be similar to parks in Florida, California, Japan and France. The deal now has to pass in Parliament and has already received opposition from the Toronto Island Airport, Toronto Yacht Club, and the residents of Toronto Island.

The big question remains? With Disney® adding a Canadian park, will Mickey and Minnie now be forced to wear pants? A "magical" press conference is scheduled for noon today! And Happy April Fools' Day to all! ;)

Future Shop Is Now History

2015-03-28T15:48:14Z

All Future Shop stores in Canada have closed, effective immediately.

The news was delivered simultaneously to employees at store meetings across the country early Saturday morning.

“This meeting was scheduled for about two weeks,” said a Future Shop employee speaking to AM980 on condition of anonymity. “We found out that both Best Buy and Future Shop had the same meeting for 7 a.m. in the morning, so we all kind of knew something big was about to happen, we just didn’t know what.”

In a news release issued Saturday, company officials confirmed 66 Future Shop stores — including both in London — would be closed permanently. Another 65 stores will be closed temporarily and converted into Best Buy locations.

According to the employee, the announcement was abrupt.

“We had no idea this was going to happen as of today. We had a feeling something was going to happen, but we didn’t think it would be as immediate as today.”

As a result of the consolidation, approximately 500 full-time and 1,000 part-time positions will be eliminated.

Sign posted in the window of the north London Future Shop (R. Smith)

“They’re offering us employment help,” said the employee. “They had HR accompany them at the meeting.”

The affected workers will receive severance, described by the employee as “above industry standard”, employee assistance and outplacement support, according to a statement.

“Any decisions that impact our people are never taken lightly; our first priority is to support them through this change,” said Ron Wilson, President and COO of Best Buy Canada.

“I want to express my appreciation to the employees who are leaving, for their contributions to Best Buy Canada.”

All Future Shop gift cards will be accepted at any Best Buy Canada location and at BestBuy.ca. Existing product orders, service appointments and warranties will continue to be honoured and Future Shop purchases to be returned or exchanged will also be accepted at any Best Buy.

Future Shop was founded in 1982, and was purchased by Best Buy in 2001 for $580-million.

Until now, Best Buy continued to operate Future Shop as a separate division. Best Buy will now have a total of 192 locations across Canada, including 136 large-format stores and 56 Best Buy Mobile stores.

Is Your Child's Coach A "Bully"?

2015-01-31T07:24:33Z

Your kid wants to play his/her favourite sport! That's awesome right? Give up a few days a week and sit back and enjoy the games. :) Truth is that the demands of sports are pretty powerful. As a player you are nervous, anxious, worried about impressing your parents and coaches and trying to build your own identity at the same time. And then you have the parents who have concerns about their kids being successful and happy. As coaches, you believe your identity is tied to wins as you live in a culture that puts so much emphasis on wins and losses.

Now think about this ….. Are coaches putting so much emphasis on winning that they are taking the fun out of the game? Aren't the kids the whole reason to coach in the first place? Since sports will always be valued in our society, we have opportunities here. We have an opportunity to change the way people treat the children that participate in sports. We have an opportunity to guide a child's character development. We have an opportunity to instil confidence, increase self-esteem for the child and to set them up to become leaders of the future.

When you become a coach, it's important to remember that you can be tremendously influential in a child's life. Each moment can elicit strong emotions for the child. As coaches, you can derive meaning from these moments that can shape a child's life. A huge problem in youth sports today is the fact that most coaches enter into their role without proper training. They take on the role just because their kid is on the team and feel they are doing a huge service to the team by donating their time. Today's coaches have come to emulate the "win at all costs" attitude we see in professional sports because this is where they turn to for coaching strategies and styles. There are fundamental differences between professional sports and youth sports. Professional sports has paid employees - the athletes. It is all about providing entertainment value. Youth sports is all about education and development of skills, which include human skills for the "athletes". Only a handful of coaches realize this. The rest emphasize winning to the point that it encourages poor sportsmanship. Aggression and cheating are increased in this environment. Coaches will favour their "star" players in order to put themselves in a position to win. This could be to fulfill a childhood dream or vision that they had for themselves, or their coaches' unfair demands on them. You see coaches these days yelling, screaming, throwing their arms in the air to embarrass the child. These coaches don't teach on the bench, they demean. Such conduct by an adult can have serious ramifications for a child. Nancy Swigonski wrote in the Journal Of Pediatrics: “It can impair social and emotional development and cause substantial harm to mental health. When this bullying occurs in an athletic setting, those harmful effects are augmented by the stress kids often feel as a result of athletic competition.” Does a coach's tirade do anything to help with the child's confidence for next time? No, it creates anxiety and frustration. It takes the fun out of the game for the child. WIth the drop off in numbers that most sports experience around the age of 12, a key contributor is the fact that coaches have become too competitive and selective. They have successfully removed the fun from the game. Fun - the whole reason that children entered into the sport, is being taken away from them.

In the hard nosed culture of competitive sports, the human element gets lost. If the goal is to build confidence, self esteem and create young leaders for the future, then we need a culture change in how youth sports is coached. Sure, the goal of participating in sports is to win. But there's a more important goal that coaches need to focus on. That goal is teaching life lessons to the children. Help children focus on improving their own game, AND in helping their teammates improve their game. The goal as a coach is to build leaders from within and thereby improve the game as a whole, one player at a time. Will we still lose athletes year after year? Sure we will, however research has shown that attrition rates are 80% lower when coaches provide a positive experience for their young athletes.

Coaches need so stop putting pressure on children to perform and make them worry about making mistakes. They need to stop trying to give kids technical advice while they are already feeling anxious or frustrated. It's all about putting kids in a position to succeed, and not putting them in a position to fail. Children learn from trying and failing. They learn when encouraged to get right back out there and apply what they've learned. They don't learn from being "punished" for their mistake or by being yelled at. A coach has power over the players' athletic lives, and in frustration with practice or play, or just out of hostility, may bully a player. Bullying behaviours from coaches include intimidation, insulting, ridicule (making fun of bad play or lack of skill), humiliation (singling out a player), and benching. The impact of these kinds of actions on adolescent age players can be performance anxiety about making mistakes, hesitant play, loss of confidence, believing mistreatment is deserved, loss of enjoyment, and quitting the sport.

Children can control three things when they participate in sports: the effort they put forth, the experience they take away from each play, and how they respond to having made a mistake. Sports provides so many opportunities to make a mistake. These mistakes should be a coach's dream since they provide teaching opportunities. A child knows exactly when they've made a mistake, as a coach you don't need to harp on that fact. The mistake is your opportunity to get the child to get back out with renewed determination. You need to teach kids that it is okay to make a mistake. How often do you see a child look to their coach or parent when they've made a mistake? As soon as you see this happen, you know the parent or coach has been bullying the child. The role of the parent/coach in that situation is to get rid of the mistake immediately and work on rebuilding the child's confidence to get back out there and try again. This is what makes the child play better and focus on the next play. Some coaches will justify their behaviour on the bench and call it "being tough". Yelling at the child is not tough. That’s just your lack of impulse control. It drains the child's "emotional tank", making it difficult to take on challenges or perform well. Coaches need to learn to recognize this and adjust accordingly. The ideal ratio of positive to negative remarks to a child should be 5:1. Fill up the child's emotional tank. Make them feel good about themselves. Don't drain them. Why don't more coaches follow this 5:1 formula? It takes effort to do it well. It's the lazy coach's way out to "be tough" rather than take the time to become a better coach, a better person to his players. Coaches need to observe players closely so they can offer specific and honest feedback. Each player is wired differently and has differential learning styles. Learn how to communicate effectively with each player. The key is not to withhold criticism, but to deliver it in a way that is helpful. If the child is angry or sulking or defensive, he/she’s not going to be listening very well anyway.

People coach the way they were coached. This is not about you, it's not about how you were coached anymore. Let it go. By becoming a better coach, you will not only do your players a favour, but since your kids will grow up being coached with this model they will coach the way you've coached them. The impact your role has on society is huge. You're not here to develop big-league athletes, you're here to develop big-league people.

Any parent that has a child in sports knows how much of a blessing or curse a coach can be. As parents, it’s our job to protect our kids from bully coaches. Swigonski offers several tips on that front, among them: Sit in on practices and games to observe the coach; confront the coach if there are issues; and, if that’s not helpful, scrutinize the sport's code of conduct and talk to the administration. If things get really out of hand, she advises calling child protective services. Bad coaches always get into the spotlight. The good ones make truly lasting impressions amongst the children. So coaches, you have a choice to make. You can be the "bully coach", or you can decide to become a person that helps shape a child's future. It's a simple choice, choose wisely.

Bank Of Canada SHOCKER!

2015-01-21T16:20:13Z

Bank of Canada shocks market with rate cut

BARRIE MCKENNA

The Globe and Mail

Published Wednesday, Jan. 21 2015, 10:01 AM EST

Last updated Wednesday, Jan. 21 2015, 10:57 AM EST

The Bank of Canada announced a surprise quarter-percentage-point cut to its key interest rate Wednesday – a move it calls “insurance” against the potentially destructive effects of the oil price collapse.

The reduction in the bank’s overnight rate to 0.75 per cent from 1 per cent – its first move since September, 2010 – comes as a precipitous drop in the price of crude slams Canada’s oil-dependent economy.

“The considerably lower profile for oil prices will be unambiguously negative for the Canadian economy in 2015 and subsequent years,” the bank warned in its latest monetary policy report, released Wednesday.

“The considerably lower profile for oil prices will be unambiguously negative for the Canadian economy in 2015 and subsequent years,” the bank warned in its latest monetary policy report, released Wednesday.

Bank of Canada Governor Stephen Poloz is expected to explain his dramatic decision at an 11.15 a.m. news conference in Ottawa Wednesday.

The rate move, which few analysts anticipated, is an attempt by Mr. Poloz to shield highly indebted Canadian households from an oil-induced hit to their jobs and incomes – signs of which are already evident in Alberta.

The rate cut is a signal to private-sector banks to lower their own rates on mortgages and other loans.

It’s also likely to accelerate a slide in the Canadian dollar, now at roughly 83 cents (U.S.).

Cheaper crude, while good for the U.S. and global economies, is unequivocally bad for Canada.

The bank warned that lower oil prices would take a sizeable bite out of economic growth in 2015, delay a return to full capacity and hurt business investment – a trend that has already triggered mass layoffs and production cuts in Alberta’s oil patch.

But the effects could spread further, threatening financial stability as a result of possible losses to jobs and incomes, according to the central bank.

“The oil price shock increases both downside risks to the inflation profile and financial stability risks,” the bank acknowledged. “The Bank’s policy action is intended to provide insurance against these risks.”

The bank’s new forecast assumes a price of “around” $60 per barrel for Brent crude, more than $10 above where it is now. But the central bank said prices “over the medium term are likely to be higher” than $60.

As recently as June, oil was selling for $110 a barrel.

The bank also lowered its bank rate and the deposit rate by a quarter percentage point Wednesday, to 1 per cent and ½ per cent, respectively. And it removed any indication of which way rates might go next.

The bank’s decision coincides with a much more pessimistic economic forecast than the bank issued just three months ago.

Following the lead of most private-sector forecasters, the bank slashed its GDP growth forecast to 2.1 per cent this year (from 2.4 per cent), before rebounding to 2.4 per cent in 2016. The worst effects of the oil collapse will be felt in the first half of this year, when the bank expects annualized growth of 1.5 per cent, nearly a full percentage point lower than its October forecast.

The Canadian economy grew at an estimated rate of 2.4 per cent in 2014.

The bank said the economy won’t return to full capacity until the end of 2016, several months later than its previous estimate of the second half of next year. Among other things, the central bank pointed to significant “labour market slack.”

Crude’s effects on the economy will be broad and profound, the bank warned. Investment in the oil and gas sector will decline by as much as 30 per cent this year, while lower returns on energy exports will eat into Canadian incomes, wealth and household spending.

The bank also hinted at a possible spread to other parts of the country of a real estate slump already under way in Alberta. “The extent to which the downturn already evident in Alberta will spill over into other regions remains to be seen,” the bank pointed out in its monetary policy report.

“The ramifications of the oil-price shock for household imbalances will depend importantly on the impact of the shock on income and employment,” the bank added.

The bank also expressed growing angst about the impact that oil could have on inflation, which it said has been propped up by temporary effects, such as the “pass-through” effect of the lower Canadian dollar.

Consumer price increases, now running at roughly 2 per cent a year, are “starting to reflect the fall in oil prices,” the bank said.

The bank’s new forecast calls for overall inflation to fall well below its 2-per-cent target this year, averaging just 0.6 per cent. Core inflation, which strips out volatile food and energy prices, is expected to average 1.9 per cent in 2015.

Is It A Crime To Toss A Jersey? #jerseygate #MLSE #TMLTalk

2015-01-21T15:59:55Z

After the most recent debacle at the Air Canada Centre, MLSE had some fans arrested and charged with mischief for tossing their jerseys on the ice. This poor excuse for a professional sports franchise continues to embarass LeafNation! Is "Jersey Tossing" a crime?

First of all, these fans PAID for their jerseys out of love and respect for the team. They PAID to watch under-achieving, over-paid players go through the motions (as loose as they looked) and collect on a contract that is funded by such ticket and jersey sales. When you pay for entertainment, and the entertainment delivered is a sub-standard product, then I believe you have every right to let them know that you are fed up. Players whining like cry-babies about how it's disrespectful to toss the jersey are full of crap. THEY are the ones disrespecting the jersey, not the fans. The players are the ones that are handed free jerseys, the fans pay well for theirs.

In post game interviews, Leaf players provide great sound bites and put on their pouty faces while saying they are giving it their all. Well guess what? If THAT is your ALL, then you need to renegotiate your contracts and have them reflect your effort or skill set. MLSE may be okay with this for tax right off reasons, but the fans are not. For 47 years, the fans have been asked to live in the glory days of the past. Sure, if these were the glory days, then jersey tossing is disrespectful. That's when the players played for what's on the front of the jersey. Today's players play for the name on the back of the jersey. Not for the logo, not for the fans, it's simply for themselves and their current contract. Let's look at it as the fans tossing the jerseys for the names on the BACK! WIth that in mind, why is jersey tossing considered disrespectful.

MLSE and their players will bitch and complain that this group of players cannot be held accountable for the past 47 years. They are not being held accountable for anything other then their last shift. Come on, this is TORONTO!! The building will always be sold out. Real Sports will always be a cash cow through jersey sales, and the love-in will continue season after season. Players can have an awful game and touch the puck on their final shift and receive a standing ovation, sometimes that qualifies them for one of the three stars. This is Toronto, where the Leafs can do no wrong. Leafs' players know this! They try to guilt the fans for showing their true feelings. The players have developed a sense of entitlement to be able to do whatever they want and receive cheers even when they lose or shun the crowd. News Flash! Real life does not work like that. You need to dig deep and give back even the slightest bit, or at some point you will have to face the backlash. MLSE has enjoyed decades of the fans giving them unconditional love, blind faith and undying loyalty. MLSE has given NOTHING back. Every relationship is a two way street. When it's as one-sided as this has become, the giver is going to get FED UP! That's what you're seeing now. Jersey tossing is the best thing that could happen to open MLSE's eyes. This is the new reality. Get used to it MLSE. The jerseys are the new waffles. 47 years of icing a sub-standard product is the crime, NOT jersey tossing. MLSE has been Making Losing Seem Easy for years and getting away with it while raising ticket prices so that fans can witness the train wreck that the Leafs have been for almost 50 (YES …. FIFTY) years. If anyone should be charged for mischief, it's MLSE. In fact grand theft and fraud may be more appropriate charges.

BREAKING NEWS: TARGET To Close All Canadian Stores

2015-01-15T13:45:51Z

BREAKING NEWS via: CBC News

Target Canada files for creditor protection, plans to halt operations

CBC News Posted: Jan 15, 2015 8:37 AM ET Last Updated: Jan 15, 2015 8:37 AM ET

Target announced Thursday it is closing its 133 stores in Canada. (Andrew Vaughan/Canadian Press)

Target says it plans to discontinue all operations in Canada and seek protection from creditors.

In a release early Thursday, the U.S. retail chain said it will close all its locations in Canada. There are 133 stores across the country with about 17,600 employees.

The company says it is setting up a $70-million fund to ensure all employees affected by the move get at least 16 weeks in severance pay.

The stores will remain open while the company completes the liquidation process.

Save $20,000 On Your Home Purchase Next Tuesday ……. Seriously?

2015-01-13T17:07:57Z

Sometimes I find it amusing to read articles that "experts" have written about the Real Estate Market. For example, the one attached below states January 20th as the best day to save money on your home purchase. Yes, they have analyzed their numbers, and there is ONE DAY that is supposed to be the best. Apparently, you can save $20,000 if you purchase your home next Tuesday!! With that in mind, Team Khan RE/MAX will be renting a bus and doing a Buyer Sales Event next week! Haha! Buyers, don't get too excited, you're going to want to read on. Bad news for Sellers though, the article goes on to state that this is the worst time for you to sell. Now hold on a second sellers, before you contemplate hurting yourself, let's look at what is actually happening in the Real Estate Market right now.

Not only today, but since 2010, Inventory remains low. During the winter months, inventory decreases even more. According to Home Search Pros, as of noon today, there are 442 active listings in Markham. Across the Greater Toronto Area there are 9,951 listings active. Of that total, 2646 are condos, leaving about 7300 homes available for sale. The GTA sells approximately 90,000 properties per year. Therefore, we don't have much inventory at all!

What does this mean for our Buyers and Sellers? This translates to the Greater Toronto area having just over a month of supply, meaning if no new properties came on the market, in about a month we would be out of inventory. In a spring/summer market, these inventory levels will be 2-3 times higher. Demand remains at an all time high. Supply and Demand principles state that if demand is high and supply is low, the value of the commodity increases. We are seeing more multiple offers (bidding wars) over the past two years than we have in the past. Why? Supply and Demand. People will pay more to get into the home they really want. With no guarantees that the inventory will increase anytime soon, a buyer does not want to lose out on the home they love and the longer they wait, price appreciation makes home ownership that much more difficult. Is it worth it? Amortized over 25 years, and with the low cost of borrowing, this translates into a few extra dollars per month but the buyer gets the home they love rather then settling on something that isn't up to their liking. Keep in mind that the price of the home still needs to be at market value. Buyers will not pay more for an already overpriced property.

The article states that this is a bad time to sell. On the contrary. If you're a seller, this is the BEST time to sell. You have no competition. In the spring and summer, your neighbours will hit the market, similar homes in the area hit the market, and the differentiating factor then becomes what? Price!! So when the market is flooded with similar product, you will not be able to have the same return on your investment as you would when you're the only game in town. Again, it is important to remember that you cannot go out and put a ridiculous price on your property. The Buyers are well informed and your home will sit on the market if you don't price it at market value. It's at that point that you receive the most interest and the best possible chance of creating a bidding war. The other thing that needs to be taken into account is the Appraisal of the property by the bank. Just because someone wants to pay more for it, does not mean the deal will go through and you will be able to retire on a tropical island. :) Ask your Realtor about the proper way to price your property for the best possible return.

There are a lot of articles making there way around the net and through the media. Before you buy into the hype, give us a call and let us take you through the actual numbers and the current state of the market. I'd hate for one of my buyers to lose out on a home because of false expectations on price. For our sellers, waiting for the spring could cost you A LOT of money.

If you don't have a Realtor that you can trust with answers to these questions, I'd love to be your go-to guy. GIve me a call anytime to discuss your personal goals for home ownership and stay informed.

Asif

Garry Marr | January 12, 2015 4:08 PM ET

Tyler Anderson/National Post

A Toronto real estate company says its analysis of five years of data from the region says the best day to buy a home is Jan. 20.

Thinking about buying a house? Is there a perfect day to pull the trigger? How about next Tuesday?

A Toronto real estate company says its analysis of five years of data from the region says the best day to buy a home is Jan. 20.

“The savings amounts to a lot for the buyer,” said Rokham Fard, chief marketing officer of The Red Pin, adding he calculates the discount at about $20,000 on a Toronto home compared to the second cheapest month, July.

Of course, it also happens to be the worst point of the year to sell a home but as Mr. Fard says, “if you have to sell, you have to sell.”

He says his firm looked at five years of transactions and found January was the cheapest month for average price going back to 2010. Conversely, May is the most expensive month..

Looking For A Great Deal On .......?

2015-01-13T13:34:36Z

When is the best time to buy a car? A grill? A swimsuit?

Check out this handy chart to find the best deals by month and start saving money!

Top Ten Winter Driving Tips

2015-01-05T20:41:41Z

Winter Driving

Prevent problems before they occur: Top 10 tips

Get your vehicle ready for winter in the fall.
Install four matching winter tires.
Pack an emergency kit.
Learn and practice winter driving techniques before you need them.
Plan your trip, check road and weather conditions.
Remove all snow from your vehicle before each trip.
Give yourself extra travel time in bad weather.
Avoid using cruise control on slippery roads.
Travel with a fully charged cell phone.
SLOW DOWN and WEAR your seatbelt.

Prevention is better than recovery

Winter driving can be risky, so be prepared.

Tip 1: Get ready

Get your vehicle ready for winter

Winter weather is hard on your vehicle and its engine. Prepare for winter in the fall, by getting a complete check-up of your:

Battery
Your motor needs a fully charged battery to start in cold weather. Clean battery posts and check the charging system and belts. Have your battery tested in the fall and spring. Replace weak batteries before they fail.

Ignition system
Replace defective ignition wires, cracked distributor caps and worn spark plugs, since they can make starting difficult or may cause a sudden breakdown.

Lights
Make sure that all lights work and that headlights are properly aimed.

Brakes
Check or service your brakes to ensure even braking. Pulling, change in pedal feel, or unusual squealing or grinding may mean they need repair.

Tires
Check pressures often, especially before any highway driving. Properly inflated, high quality winter tires will give you best traction on winter roads and increase fuel efficiency.

A tire that has good pressure when checked in a warm garage will be under-inflated when it is below zero outside - because tire pressure goes down in the cold. That is why you should do your checks when the tires are cold. Use the maximum pressure amount shown in the owner's manual or on the doorframe as a guide, but never go above the pressure shown on the tire sidewall. Check your spare tire pressure regularly.

Since having four matching tires improves vehicle handling, don't mix tires with different tread patterns, internal construction and size.

Winter tires have been designed for use in snow. They carry a pictograph on the side-wall of a peaked mountain with a snowflake, meet high standards for winter traction performance and should not be confused with Mud + Snow (M+S) rated snow tires. Winter tires are a good idea, and may even be legally required where you live. To learn more about winter tires, visit: Transport Canada's Winter Tire Safety Tips and Be Tire Smart! Play your PART.

Exhaust system
Check for leaks that could send deadly carbon monoxide into your vehicle.

Heating and cooling system
Check your radiator hoses and drive belts for cracks and leaks. Make sure the radiator cap, water pump and thermostat work properly. Test the strength and level of the coolant/anti-freeze, and make sure the heater and defroster work well.

Windshield wipers
Make sure that your wipers are in good condition. Replace blades that streak. Purchase wipers designed for winter use. Fill up on winter washer fluid in the -40°C temperature range and carry an extra jug in your vehicle.

Tip 2: Watch the weather

It's a good idea to visit www.weatheroffice.gc.ca for local weather reports, before you leave home. Environment Canada issues warnings when it expects blizzards, heavy snow, freezing rain or drizzle, cold snaps and winds.

Blizzards are the worst winter storms. They can last six hours or more and bring: falling, blowing and drifting snow; winds of 40 kilometers per hour or more; poor visibility; and temperatures below -10°C.

Snow and ice are more slippery
at 0°C than at -20°C or below.

HEAVY SNOW can bring 10 centimeters or more in 12 hours, or 15 centimeters or more in 24 hours.

Watch for black ice at temperatures between +4°C and -4°C,
where the road surface ahead looks black and shiny. It is
often found on shaded areas of the road, bridges and
overpasses long after the sun has come out.

COLD SNAPS are rapid drops in temperature.

WINDS cause blizzard conditions, drifting, poor visibility and wind-chill effects.

Tip 3: Prepare for Driving

The safest strategy is to avoid driving in bad weather conditions. If you must drive, check weather and travel conditions before heading out. Give yourself extra time for travel and, if weather is bad, wait for conditions to improve. Always tell someone where you are going, the route you plan to take and when you expect to arrive. If you don't arrive on time, and people are worried about your safety, they will know where to search for you. If driving becomes too risky, turn back or look for a safe place to stop until it is safe to drive. Make sure you have enough fuel. Try to keep the fuel tank at least half-full.
Be alert, well rested and sober behind the wheel and always wear your seat belt. When worn correctly, seat belts save lives. Lap belts should be kept low and snug over the hips, while shoulder belts should always be worn across the chest. Learn more about seat belt safety. Children aged 12 and under should ride in the back seat, safely seated in a car seat or booster seat made for their size and age.
See and be seen. Remove all snow from your vehicle's hood, roof, windows and lights. Clear all windows of frost and fog. If visibility becomes poor, find a place to safely pull off the road as soon as you can. It's best to stop at a rest area or exit the roadway and take shelter in a building.

If you can't exit, pull off the road as far as you can. Get out from the passenger side, to reduce the risk of being hit by other drivers. If visibility is poor, put on your emergency flashers.
Stay on main roads and drive carefully: Match your speed to the road and weather conditions. Avoid passing another vehicle when weather and road conditions are bad.
Wear warm clothes that do not restrict movement.
Be prepared to make a call. Take a fully charged cell phone with you. These are very useful in an emergency or if you need help. *911 is often a free call. But don't talk and drive. Let someone with you make the call, or pull over to a safe spot to place a call.

If you do a lot of winter driving in areas with poor reception, think about getting a citizen's band (CB) radio.
Pack a winter survival kit. The Canadian Automobile Association (CAA®) recommends you:
Keep the following items in your trunk.
- shovel
- sand or kitty litter
- traction mats
- tow chain
- compass
- cloth or roll of paper towels
- warning light or road flares
- extra clothing and footwear
- emergency food pack
- booster cables
- matches and a "survival" candle in a deep can (to warm hands, heat a drink or use as an emergency light)
- fire extinguisher
- extra windshield washer fluid
- fuel line antifreeze
- reflective vest
Keep the following items inside your vehicle.
- road maps
- ice scraper and brush
- flashlight
- first aid kit
- blanket (special "survival" blankets are best)

In bad weather, put more distance
between you and the vehicle in front of you.

Tip 4: Avoid Collisions

The danger of skidding is greatest when you are taken by surprise. Since not all vehicles respond in the same way to icy, slippery roads, learn how to handle your vehicle in all types of weather. Read the owner's manual to learn about your vehicle's braking system and tire traction. You may also consider taking a winter driving course.

In extreme weather avoid using cruise control.

Having the latest safety features on new vehicles and/or knowing how to handle your vehicle are good ways to keep control.

New Safety Features

Electronic Stability Control (ESC) helps drivers avoid crashes. ESC sensors compare the direction of the steering wheel to the direction the vehicle is going. When they are not the same, and the vehicle begins to skid, ESC applies the brakes to one or more wheels, or reduces engine power, or both, to help keep the vehicle under control.

ESC is 'On' when you start your engine. If your vehicle has an ESC 'Off' switch, turn off ESC when you are stuck in deep snow. A dashboard light will remind you to turn it back on.

The only way to get ESC is to buy a new or used vehicle that is already equipped with it. If you are thinking about buying a new vehicle, ask your dealer to show you models with ESC. To learn more, visit www.tc.gc.ca/ESC.

The best way to avoid a skid is by driving at speeds
that are safe for the weather and road conditions.

Skidding

A good way to avoid skidding is to drive appropriately for road and weather conditions: SLOW DOWN. Allow extra travel time and be very careful when you brake, change lanes, make turns and take curves.

Even careful and experienced drivers can skid, so be prepared. Skidding may be the result of panic braking when you are trying to avoid an obstacle on the road. What should you do?

Learn to handle a skid. Practice the steps on pages 12 &13 in a safe location, until correcting a skid becomes a reflex - and remember that sometimes the vehicle will skid a second and even a third time before you regain complete control.
Avoid forceful braking or sudden, jerking movement of the wheel.

Electronic Stability Control helps to avoid skidding.

When driving on a snow-covered road there may be more snow/slush between lanes than in the lane, making changing lanes more difficult.

Rear-wheel skids

A skid occurs when the rear wheels lock or lose traction. To regain steering control:

Take your foot off the brake pedal, if hard braking causes the rear wheels to skid.
Ease off the gas pedal if the rear wheels lose traction.
Shift to neutral (automatic) or push in the clutch pedal (standard).
Look down the road in the direction you want the front of the vehicle to go, and be aware of the vehicle and how it is responding to your steering.
To regain control, steer gently in the direction you want to go.
Once the vehicle is straight, return to a driving gear.
Accelerate gently.
Drive at a safe speed.

Front-wheel skids

Front-wheel skids are caused by hard braking, acceleration or by driving too fast for the road conditions. You can't steer when the front wheels lose traction. To regain steering control:

Release the brake if the front wheels skid from hard braking.
Ease off the gas pedal if the front wheels lose traction.
Shift to neutral (automatic) or push in the clutch (standard).
Wait for the front wheels to grip the road again.
Select drive (automatic) or release the clutch (standard).
Accelerate gently.
Drive at a safe speed.

Four-wheel skids

Sometimes all four wheels lose traction - generally at high speeds or under poor road conditions. To regain steering control:

Remove your foot from the brake or accelerator.
Shift into neutral.
Look and steer in the direction you want the front of the vehicle to go.
Wait for the wheels to grip the road again.
Return to a driving gear.
Drive at a safe speed.

Safe Braking

Proper braking is important to safe winter driving. Since it takes longer to stop on a slippery road, you should:

Leave more distance than normal between and your vehicle and the vehicle in front of you.
Pay close attention to the road - as far ahead as you can.

If you don't have anti-lock brakes (ABS), the best way to stop on a slippery road is to brake but not so hard that your tires stop turning. If you brake too hard and cause the wheels to lock (stop turning), release the pedal just enough to get the wheels rolling. Then, brake again right away, with slightly less force than before.

ABS is a system that allows you to steer while braking hard.

ABS prevents wheels from locking and allows you to control steering during hard braking. When wheel sensors detect lock-up, the system relieves enough pressure to keep the tires rolling, while you brake hard. You will feel the brake pedal rapidly pulse back against your foot and may hear some mechanical noise. DO NOT lift your foot from the brake or pump the pedal. In an emergency stop, press the brake quickly and hard. The ABS system will NOT shorten stopping distance. For more information on ABS check out the Transport Canada site.

Practice techniques before you need to use them.

Tip 5: Stay Calm

Stay calm if you get trapped in a storm or snow bank

Don't do any heavy lifting, shoveling or pushing in the bitter cold - it can kill. Do make sure the tailpipe is not blocked by snow, to keep carbon monoxide from getting into your vehicle. Then, if your vehicle is not at risk of being hit by other drivers, stay inside so you have shelter. Going out into a storm puts you at risk of getting lost, or suffering from the cold.

You should also:

Keep a window on the side sheltered from the wind open a bit, to give you a good supply of fresh air.
Run your motor as little as possible.
Use a survival candle for heat if you have one, instead of the vehicle's heater.
Wear a hat, since you can lose up to 60 per cent of your body heat through your head.
Set out a warning light or flares.
Put on the dome light. (Overuse of headlights may run your battery down.)
Exercise your arms and legs often.
Stay awake.
Watch for traffic or searchers.

Article Courtesy of Transport Canada

TEXTING IS THE NEW EMAIL

2015-01-04T14:59:08Z

Via: FAST COMPANY

TEXTING IS THE NEW EMAIL--DOES YOUR COMPANY DO IT RIGHT?

DIGITAL DISTRACTIONS MAY BE SAPPING PRODUCTIVITY, BUT TEXTING—TO THE TUNE OF 9.8 TRILLION SENT IN 2012—IS BECOMING THE NEW MEDIUM THROUGH WHICH COMPANIES COMMUNICATE. HERE'S TEXTIQUETTE FOR USING SMS AT WORK.

BY

LYDIA DISHMAN

It’s one thing to text a colleague that you’ll be late for a meeting, but would you conduct a major business deal via SMS? Ari Zoldan did.

As CEO of Quantum Media Holdings, a technology incubator based in New York City, the company builds next-generation hardware and software for 3G and 4G end users and does a lot of business in Africa, Asia, and South America.

“More often than not, our foreign partners have a hard time getting access to Internet and are unable to conduct business via email, but they all have mobile phones and can be their primary mode of communication with my company,” Zoldan tells Fast Company. He admits that the medium may not necessarily be the safest, most secure way of doing business. “Sometimes it’s the only way to get things done,” he contends, and it's more accepted under certain restrictive situations

Global Hotspot

Like the time his partner in Africa only had access to a mobile phone during the final stretch of closing a deal. “We concluded the deal via text. It was signed, sealed, and delivered and, most important, it was binding,” explains Zoldan, “I got a confirmation text from the bank that the funds were deposited in the bank.”

No longer the exclusive domain of fleet-fingered teens and tweens, text messaging is exploding across all populations. Last year, 9.8 trillion texts were sent, according to industry group CMO Council, making texting for a mobile phone. (The first is checking the time.)

For enterprising executives like Zoldan, burgeoning cell phone use in the developing world--nearly 5 billion subscribers and three-quarters of the world with access to mobile networks--is making the technology a critical tool to communicate.

Yet while businesses are scrambling to find mobile’s sweet spot to market their goods and services to customers, texting colleagues or clients (even while poised to close a big deal) is largely uncharted territory, beyond the fact that instant connectedness dips into taboo territory on the road. Verizon, Sprint, Nextel, and T-Mobile USA joined the “It Can Wait” campaign that AT&T began in 2010 to raise awareness about the dangers of texting while driving.

Work Texting 101
Sitting at your desk or in a meeting, however, is becoming fair game --even if the phone you use is your personal mobile. “I work with a team spread out across the U.S. and Canada and often need to get in touch with people urgently when PR opportunities arise,” says Grant Greenberg, communications manager at Regus, a global flexible-workspace provider.

Like most anyone working these days, Greenberg finds he and his colleagues are “flooded’” with emails every day and unless you’re hypervigilant about checking every item in the inbox, important notes could slip through the cracks. Also, he notes, people also can’t answer the phone in the middle of a meeting. That’s when Greenberg tends to text. “Especially where there are tight deadlines, a simple text message to give me a call or a reminder to check an email has been very effective,” he says.

Though she texts her closest colleagues, bosses, and some administrative partners “fairly often,” Donna DeChant, senior manager of Organizational Development at Ryder has her own etiquette for mobile messaging. Appropriate topics for texting include, “Are you coming to this meeting? I'm on my way. We can't find someone, is he/she with you?” DeChant observes. “We get so many long emails from so many people,” DeChant adds, “When something is critical, I'll text others to say, ‘the report you need is in your email.’ That is a real time-saver.”

Sapped Productivity
Others, meanwhile, find it a time-suck. Melissa Korn at the Wall Street Journalrecently reported that after one person received her out-of-office message, they sent a text message to her personal cell phone because they thought the matter was too urgent to wait until she returned to the office. Korn writes: “It wasn’t.” but the fact that she did check the message cut into her personal time.

Indeed, a recent survey estimated that companies with more than 1,000 employees lost $10 million a year in sapped productivity from digital distractions such as texting or checking social networks and personal email.

Carson Tate, founder of Working Simply, notes that the science journalNeuroImage found managing two mental tasks at the same time significantly reduces the brain power available on either one while The Journal of Experimental Psychology found that it takes your brain four times longer to recognize and process each thing you’re working on when you switch back and forth among tasks. “Think about it,” writes Tate, “If it takes you 10 minutes to get oriented to the new task every time you switch gears, and you switch gears 10 times a day. That’s one hour and 40 minutes of wasted time.” What’s more, Tate says, if you have any of the sound features on, the dinging and pinging not only pulls you away from work, but it’s a distraction to others.

Establishing Etiquette
If you must text, Tate says it’s best to keep the message “short, sweet, and tactical” in a corporate setting. “If you can’t, there’s probably a better medium,” she emphasizes. Greenberg concurs. “Text is a great touch point, but not necessarily the appropriate place to go into too much detail,” he explains, “I tend to keep the texts broader and use it as an alert that we need to discuss a bigger topic. An example might be something like, ‘the local newspaper wants to come do a story on us this afternoon, please call back,’ or scheduling a time for a meeting.” Tate also reminds texters that if they’re concerned about retaining the information sent in a text, they need to back it up by sending an email or other method.

Watch Your Language.
If you thought email was tone-deaf and rife with misunderstood inferences, imagine how badly things could go in less than 160 characters, says Tate. “If you are limited in space and using vernacular is already an issue, eliminate misunderstanding by being tactical. Maybe an emoticon could lighten the message? Tate says some people find smileys and winks off-putting, so unless you know your audience, refrain from scouring the emogi menu in an effort to be humorous.

Set Clear Boundaries.
Both DeChant and Greenberg report that they only text during “normal business hours”--between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. “Since texts can be considered more personal than other forms of communication, I believe it’s important to use them sparingly,” Greenberg says.

Tate observes the only way to make sure your phone isn’t vibrating with urgency at 3 a.m. is to let your colleagues know when they can expect a response, right after you give them your number.

Even though she finds email overwhelming, especially when juggling several projects simultaneously, Chel Wolverton, owner of Chel Consulting, says she’s very careful to vet to whom she’ll even give her digits. “Out of all my clients, only a handful have my cell number,” she asserts. “Instant message communications weren't any better because the interruptions came during times I needed to focus, not chat,” she adds. Text serves as a go-between, but only because she’s kept the phone at arms length. “Where some people feel the need to answer calls or texts immediately, I've trained myself to answer them during certain times of day.”

Bottom Line: Texting, when done right, is an efficient new tool for businesses to communicate.

Where do you want to live? HomeSearchPros.com/guides

Ontario Bans Smoking On Patios, At Playgrounds and Sports Fields/Surfaces As Of January 1, 2015

2015-01-02T00:01:43Z

Smoke-Free Ontario

New rules

As of January 1, 2015, it will be illegal to:

smoke on and around children’s playgrounds and publicly owned sport fields and surfaces (e.g., areas for basketball, baseball, soccer or beach volleyball, ice rinks, tennis courts, splash pads and swimming pools that are owned by a municipality, the province or a postsecondary education institution)
smoke on all bar and restaurant patios, whether covered or not (with an exemption for uncovered patios established by the Royal Canadian Legion – Ontario Provincial Command before November 18, 2013)
sell tobacco on university and college campuses (this applies to buildings that are owned and areas that are leased by a postsecondary institution or student union)

On this page

Recommended for you

Public Health Ontario

Healthy choices

Healthy Canadians – Smoking and Tobacco

Smoke-Free Ontario training for retailers

About Smoke-Free Ontario

The Smoke-Free Ontario Strategy has greatly reduced tobacco use and lowered health risks to non-smokers in Ontario.

The Strategy combines programs, policies, laws and public education to:

help smokers quit
protect people from exposure to second-hand smoke
encourage young people to never start

Learn more about programs to help you quit

The law

By law, you cannot smoke or hold lighted tobacco in any enclosed workplace, any enclosed public places and specifically designated outdoor places in Ontario.

If you smoke or hold lighted tobacco in a place where it has been prohibited, you may be ticketed and charged a fine.

All employers, owners and operators of such facilities must:

post "No Smoking" signs at all entrances, exits, washrooms and anywhere signs can be easily placed and seen
make sure that no one smokes or holds lighted tobacco in an enclosed workplace, public place, or area where smoking is banned
make sure that a person who does not comply leaves the premises
remove ashtrays (or any object that serves as one)

Local public health units carry out inspections and respond to complaints to enforce the act.

Source law

You can find the complete set of rules related to the smoking ban in:

Rules on where you can’t smoke

It’s illegal to smoke in:

Outdoor patios

All bar and restaurant outdoor patios (covered or uncovered) must be smoke-free as of January 1, 2015.

If you operate a bar or restaurant and want to make sure your patio meets the rules, please contact your local public health unit for help.

Find your local public health unit

Child care facilities

Any child care facility licensed under the Day Nurseries Act must be smoke-free.

For private home daycares licensed under the Day Nurseries Act, the entire location must be smoke-free at all times – even if children are not present. This includes any outdoor spaces used by the children.

Motor vehicles with children inside

You must not light or use a tobacco product in a motor vehicle with anyone inside under 16 years of age. The law applies to both moving and parked vehicles – even if a window, sunroof, rooftop, door, or other feature of the vehicle is open.

Enclosed workplaces

The law protects employees from exposure to second-hand smoke in an enclosed workplace. The ban on smoking in these places applies at all times, even when not open for business.

An enclosed workplace means:

the inside of a building, structure or vehicle that an employee works in or frequents during the course of their employment whether or not they are acting in the course of the employment at the time
- this includes the inside of a trailer office on a construction site, the inside of a loading dock, or the inside of a delivery truck
common areas such as washrooms, lobbies and parking garages

An employer may not dismiss, threaten to dismiss, discipline, suspend, penalize, intimidate or coerce an employee who follows the act or seeks compliance with it.

If your employer takes any of these steps, you may complain to the Ontario Labour Relations Board:

call toll-free at 1-877-339-3335
visit the Ministry of Labour website

Smoking Shelters

You cannot smoke in an outdoor smoking shelter that has more than 2 walls and a roof.

Areas where home health care workers work

A home health care worker is a person who provides health care or support services in private homes that is provided or arranged by either:

a Community Care Access Centre
an entity that is funded by the Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care or a local health integration network

These workers have the right to ask clients not to smoke in their presence. If the person refuses to comply, the worker can leave. They do not have to provide services.

In these cases, the home health care worker must

notify their employer as soon as possible
follow any guidelines the employer provides
ensure the client is safe
provide information about the conditions and needs of the client over the next 24 hours

Hospitals (public, private and psychiatric)

You must not smoke or hold lighted tobacco within a 9 metre radius of any >entrance or exit of a hospital.

A hospital can choose to provide a smoking shelter outdoors if it:

has no more than two walls and a roof
is located outside a 9 metre radius of any entrance or exit

A hospital cannot sell tobacco products.

Common areas of hotels, motels and inns

The only place you may smoke in hotels, motels and inns are guest rooms designated as smoking rooms. Designated smoking guest rooms must be fully enclosed. Only registered guests and their invited guests can smoke in designated guest rooms.

Owners and employees must:

fully comply with the act if offering smoking guest rooms
follow the rules for enclosed public places in all other areas of the hotel, motel or inn

As of January 1, 2015, smoking is not allowed on or around playgrounds at hotels, motels and inns.

Multi-unit residences

You must not smoke in any common areas of condos, apartment buildings or college and university residences. Examples of common areas include:

elevators
stairwells
hallways
parking garages
laundry facilities
lobbies
exercise areas
party or entertainment rooms

Residential care facilities

You must not smoke in residential care facilities. They are considered both an enclosed public place and an enclosed workplace. However, some residential care facilities may choose to construct and operate a controlled smoking area for residents to smoke. These include:

long-term care or retirement homes or publicly funded supportive housing residences
certain psychiatric facilities
certain veterans' facilities

A residential care facility must have its controlled smoking area approved by and registered with the Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care.

Exemption: Aboriginal people

If you are an Aboriginal person and reside in a public or private hospital, psychiatric facility, long-term care home, home for special care or independent health facility, you may request an indoor area to use tobacco for traditional cultural or spiritual purposes. This area must be separate from any Controlled Smoking Area.

Schools (public and private school property)

You cannot smoke or hold lighted tobacco inside the building of any public or private school, or on any outdoor property used by the school. This includes playgrounds and sports fields.

Rules for selling tobacco

Rules for duty-free retailers

Duty-free retailers may:

show a countertop tobacco display
allow customers to handle tobacco products before they make a purchase

If you are under 19 years of age, you may not enter a manufacturer outlet unless accompanied by somebody who is at least 19.

All duty-free retailers must fully comply with the law. For example, they must:

ensure that tobacco products and accessories are not visible from outside the place of business
not allow people to enter the shop from another store
not force people to walk through the shop to access other stores

Duty-Free Retailers must post certain signs. These include:

No Smoking signs at all entrances, exits, washrooms and other appropriate places to ensure that everyone knows that smoking is prohibited
Age Restriction and Health Warning and Government I.D. signs in stores at the point of sale and where it is clearly visible to customers

To learn more about these signs, please contact your local public health unit.

Rules for manufacturer outlets

Manufacturers registered with the Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care are exempt from the prohibitions relating to display and promotion of tobacco products in a place where tobacco products are manufactured, fabricated and produced.\

If you are under 19 years of age, you may not enter a manufacturer outlet unless accompanied by somebody who is at least 19.

#2015 - The Blank Canvas Awaits

2014-12-31T13:00:01Z

2014 is now in the books. At times, it flew by, at times we thought it would never leave. There were illnesses, deaths, break ups, conflicts, crisis and missing airplanes. There were breakthroughs, births, new beginnings, resolutions, Olympic Gold, and ice bucket challenges.

From all troubles and events that caused suffering, to the exhilaration of victories and the ensuing celebrations, we learned a lot about friends, family and most of all ourselves. We learned about what could break us down, and we learned how we would dig deep and find the strength to persevere. Most importantly, through our losses and our victories, WE LEARNED!

So what does 2014 leave us with? Memories and Life Lessons. 2014, for that we thank you. We will bring those same memories and life lessons into 2015 along with our hopes and dreams for a better year, a better life, and a better world.

As with the start of every year, the slate has been wiped clean of the events that took place in 2014. Not that we will forget, just that those moments have now passed. Good, bad, or ugly, it's all over. The blank canvas that is 2015 awaits your creativity, vision and passion. Go ahead and paint your 2015! No limits, no fear! Let's make 2015 the best year ever for our health, wealth and happiness. Let's do this together. I'm in, are you?

Thank you for being a part of my 2014. I wish you a Happy New Year, and all the best for a great 2015!

Canada's 2015 Housing Market Outlook - Where The World Needs To Invest!

2014-12-11T03:13:41Z

HOUSING MARKET OUTLOOK 2015
Most regions posted modest gains in average residential sale price, despite increased inventory in many of Canada's housing markets. Residential property markets in Toronto, Vancouver and their surrounding areas, as well as Calgary and Edmonton continued to see prices and sales rise. With an increased supply of inventory on the market going into the new year, the average sale price is expected to remain stable or rise modestly in most cities in 2015... [Read More]

View Properties Available For Sale at http://www.asif.homesearchpros.com

GREATER TORONTO AREA
The residential real estate market in Canada's largest city continued showing healthy market activity in 2014, with both the average residential sale price and the number of transactions showing an increase over the previous year. Inventory continued to be very low among freehold properties...

MISSISSAUGA
Mississauga has grown by leaps and bounds over the past several decades. While its growth is typified by suburban developments, the city also boasts leafy neighbourhoods, lakefront property and a burgeoning downtown. Mississauga's real estate market picked up in the second half of 2014...

OAKVILLE
The market for residential real estate in Oakville showed strong growth in 2014. The average residential sale price rose 12 per cent over the previous year, to approximately $800,000 in 2014 from $715,000 in 2013. With less inventory on the market than in the previous year, days on the market fell from an average of 32...

BRAMPTON
The residential real estate market in Brampton is set to finish 2014 strong and carry momentum into 2015. While low interest rates have positively influenced the market, the arrival of more and more newcomers has also played a role in growing this multicultural community. The market is anticipated to calm...

WATCH THE VIDEO

SEE FULL REPORT

For a personal consultation about your Real Estate Portfolio, contact Asif Khan at 416-985-5426 or by email Asif@HomeSearchPros.com.

View Properties Available For Sale at http://asif.homesearchpros.com

9 Red Flags When Selectig A Realtor - A Must Read For All Buyers & Sellers

2014-12-10T21:26:10Z

9 red flags to watch for when picking a real estate agent

By Teresa Mears | U.S. News ‎

The proliferation of online real estate information makes it easier than ever to be an informed consumer when buying or selling a home. Yet the digital revolution has done little to lessen the importance of choosing the right real estate agent to work with you.

The right agent can help you buy your dream house or sell your existing home quickly. The wrong agent can botch the transaction, leaving you with egg on your face and nowhere to call home.

Despite the high stakes, many buyers and sellers give little thought to choosing an agent, whether they're buying or selling.

"They get dazzled by these great listing presentations," says Michael Soon Lee, regional manager of Better Homes and Gardens Mason-McDuffie Real Estate in Walnut Creek, California, who likens the relationship to dating. "It's a longtime, intimate, trusting relationship. If it doesn't start out feeling good at the beginning, it's probably not going to get any better."

Get recommendations from friends and relatives, and see which agents are buying and selling the most homes in your neighborhood. Read online reviews, but realize they don't tell the whole story, since most clients, satisfied or dissatisfied, don't write reviews. Interview three or four agents to find the one who is the best fit for you.

Most real estate agents are independent contractors who are paid a commission based on the number of homes they sell. The commission, paid from the sales proceeds, is usually split equally between the listing agent and the selling agent. Once the deal is closed, each of those agents usually has to pay a share to the broker who owns the office where he or she is affiliated.

Don't be afraid to ask questions about how many listings the agent has, how many homes she has sold in your area, how often she will communicate with you -- and in what format -- and who she will represent in the transaction.

If you're a seller, ask how the agent will market your home, who the target buyer is and how he will get your home in front of those preferred buyers.

If you're a buyer, ask how often the agent will send you listings and whether he has worked with other buyers in your situation. A transaction involving a Federal Housing Association or VA loan, for example, includes some steps that aren't required for a conventional loan. Some buyers may want to sign a buyer-broker agreement, agreeing to pay a share of the commission if the agent shows them homes where the seller won't pay a commission, such as for-sale-by-owner houses or new construction properties.

Here are nine red flags to watch for when choosing a real estate agent:

The agent suggests the highest price for your house. If you're selling your house, get listing presentations from at least three agents, who will tell you what comparable homes have sold for and how long they take to sell. The agents are all looking at the same data, so the suggested listing price should be close. Pricing a home too high at the start often means it takes longer to sell and ultimately sells for less. "If you're too high for the market, buyers will not even look at it because they know you're not realistic," says Lee, the author of eight books and a frequent speaker at real estate conferences. "The longer your property sits on the market, the more people are going to think there's something wrong with it."

The agent does real estate on the side, part time. Whether you're a buyer or seller, you want to choose an agent who is actively following the market every day. If you're buying, you want an agent who can jump on new listings and show them to you immediately. If you're the seller, you want an agent who is always available to show your home to prospective buyers.

The agent is a relative. Unless your relative is a crackerjack full-time agent who specializes in your neighborhood, he or she is unlikely to do as good of a job as another agent. That can breed resentment, as well as derail your transaction.

The agent doesn't know the real estate landscape in your neighborhood. Finding a neighborhood expert is especially important in areas where moving a block can raise or lower the value of a home by $100,000. An agent who specializes in a neighborhood may also be in touch with buyers who are looking for a home just like yours or sellers who haven't put their home on the market yet. "It's really a very local business," Lee says.

The agent charges a lower commission. In most areas, commissions are traditionally 5 to 7 percent, split between the buying and selling agent. If the commission on your house is lower, fewer agents will show it. This doesn't mean you can't negotiate a slightly lower commission if one agent ends up both listing and selling the house. Some newer companies rebate part of the commission to the buyer or seller, but don't use that as the sole reason to choose an agent. That's only a bargain if the agent is otherwise a good fit.

The agent's face shows up with online listings. The agents' faces are there because they paid to be there. They may or may not be the best choice for you. Don't accept the online portal's assertion that the agent is a neighborhood expert. Interview him or her yourself and find out.

The agent doesn't usually deal with your type of property. If you're buying or selling a condominium, don't pick an agent who rarely sells condos. If you're looking for investment property, find an agent who traditionally works with investors. Many agents have multiple specialties, but you want to make sure the agent is well-versed in the type of transaction you're doing.

The agent doesn't usually work with buyers in your price range. Some agents specialize in homes of all types in a specific area. But if you're a first-time buyer looking for a $200,000 entry-level home, you are unlikely to get much attention from an agent who mostly handles $10 million luxury listings.

The agent is a poor negotiator or fails to keep up with details of the transaction. In many cases, the most important work of an agent is not to find the home but to make sure the sale closes. That includes making sure the buyer is preapproved for a mortgage, the home is free of liens before it goes on the market, the appraisal is accurate and issues raised by the home inspection are resolved.

Where do you want to live? HomeSearchPros.com/guides

Ottawa targets U.S. retailers over ‘price gouging’

2014-12-10T04:44:01Z

Ottawa targets U.S. retailers over ‘price gouging’

Gordon Isfeld | December 9, 2014 | Last Updated: Dec 9 5:22 PM ET

Colin Perkel/The Canadian PressIndustry Minister James Moore announces legislation aimed at ensuring prices in Canada are not unfairly higher than those in the U.S., in Toronto, on Tuesday December 9, 2014

OTTAWA — The federal government may be pushing ahead with a promised crackdown on retailers who jack up their prices — and viewed as widening the gap between Canada and the United States — but a weaker dollar may have already resolved much of that disparity.

Industry Minister James Moore said Tuesday that new legislation will tackle the so-called “geographic price discrimination” between the two countries — a practice he prefers to call “price gouging.”

Mr. Moore said the Competition Bureau will be given “the tools necessary to investigate alleged cases of price discrimination and to publicly report situations where consumers are unfairly targeted with higher prices.”

The bureau will be authorized to “seek court orders to compel the production of evidence to expose discriminatory pricing practices that are not justified by higher costs in Canada and to publicly report to consumers on the findings,” Mr. Moore told reporters at a Toys ‘R’ Us outlet in Etobicoke, Ont.

“It’s called geographic price discrimination. A more blunt way of putting it is to call it price gouging of consumers — price gouging of Canadian consumers because of where Canadian live,” he said.

The legislation was first proposed in the Feb. 11 federal budget. Mr. Moore said the new act is expected to be passed in early 2015.

The legislation will enable the bureau to report cases in which Canadians appear to unfairly pay more for goods and products — both sold in the U.S. or purchased online — than consumers in the United States.

The new law does not carry fines or any other measures against companies found charging more in Canada.

“This legislation will not set or regulate prices in Canada,” Mr. Moore said. “This is about informing the consumer by empowering the competition commissioner so the marketplace can react. . . . This is, in that sense, a tool for the free market.”

Even so, there may be little the government and consumers can do about the price gap that the markets haven’t already done.

Douglas Porter, chief economist at BMNO Capital Markets, said “when we talk about the gap, we’re talking about U.S. prices in Canadian-dollar terms.”

“The gap was basically created by the surge in the [Canadian] exchange rate from the low-60s [U.S.] to over parity. And now, with the exchange rate coming back down close to fair value, it basically brings U.S. prices back closer into line with Canadian [prices] — when they’re converted at the exchange rate,” he said.

On average, international currency watchers put fair value for the Canadian dollar at around US85¢ — generally based on trading history.

“At that level, a basket of goods in Canada costs roughly the same as it does in the U.S.,” Mr. Porter said.
The loonie close at US87.41¢, up 0.32¢ on Tuesday.

“I don’t think the gap has been completely done away. But I suspect it’s just not what it used to be . . . . The currency has largely taken care of the issue, at least for now.”

10 Signs That You Might Be A Real Estate Agent

2014-12-04T22:36:14Z

10 Signs That You Might Be a Real Estate Agent

By Joe Kerouac |

1. If your career choice has ever made you question your sanity…

Via NewsCastic

…you might be a real estate agent.

2. If your passenger seat doubles as your desk (and occasional lunch table)…

Via Roman Novian

…you might be a real estate agent.

3. If you’re more lost without your cell phone than the average teenager…

Via imgur.com

…you might be a real estate agent.

4. If your “Realtor® Radar” goes off when anybody within a city block mentions anything about real estate…

…you might be a real estate agent.

5. If you know what it’s like to go from wondering where your next deal will come from… to juggling 3 buyers who want to see 17 homes by 6pm… and suddenly having to negotiate an offer on one of your listings that’s been on the market for a year… all within a split second…

Via amctv.com

…you might be a real estate agent.

6. If you’ve ever been accused of making too much money…

Via vice.com

…you might be a real estate agent.

7. If your “Ice Bucket Challenge” looked more like this…

…you might be a real estate agent.

8. If your tax write-offs almost match what you earned…

Via uproxx.com

…you might be a real estate agent.

9. If a “working vacation” is the only vacation you know…

Via internetsuccess.info

…you might be a real estate agent.

10. If technology is your best friend… AND your worst enemy…

Via 20th Century Fox | giphy.com

…you might be a real estate agent.

Bank of Canada sees 'broadening recovery,' stands firm on key rate

2014-12-03T16:08:30Z

Bank sees 'broadening recovery,' but stands firm on key rate

(Sean Kilpatrick / THE CANADIAN PRESS)

Andy Blatchford, The Canadian Press
Published Wednesday, December 3, 2014 10:04AM EST
Last Updated Wednesday, December 3, 2014 10:25AM EST

OTTAWA -- Bank of Canada governor Stephen Poloz is keeping the trend-setting interest rate at one per cent, even as Canada's recent economic performance has the look of a "broadening recovery."

In its interest-rate announcement Wednesday, the central bank cautioned that improvements to Canada's economic health have been offset by risks such as sliding oil prices and high household debt.

The bank pointed to the balance of risks as the basis for its decision to maintain the rate, which hasn't budged since September 2010 and has helped keep borrowing rates at historic lows.

Looking to the future, the Bank of Canada's outlook appeared positive thanks to an improved U.S. economy and despite disappointing global growth.

"Canada's economy is showing signs of a broadening recovery," the bank said in its statement.

"Stronger exports are beginning to be reflected in increased business investment and employment.

"This suggests that the hoped-for sequence of rebuilding that will lead to balanced and self-sustaining growth may finally have begun."

Due to the recent changes, the central bank also said the output gap appears to be smaller than it had predicted in its October monetary policy report. It noted, though, that there was still significant slack in the economy.

Signs of improvement have appeared in the data since the central bank's last interest-rate announcement in October.

In that statement, the central bank called underlying inflationary pressures "muted" and said the inflation projection was "roughly balanced."

Since then, the unemployment rate dipped to 6.5 per cent and the pace of GDP growth climbed to 2.8 per cent in the third quarter -- half-a-percentage-point higher than the bank had expected.

Fresh figures have also pointed to a faster-than-anticipated growth for inflation.

The bank acknowledged Wednesday that inflation had climbed faster than expected, but it described the increase as "temporary effects" of a lower Canadian dollar and price jumps in certain consumer sectors, such as telecommunications and meat.

Meanwhile, it said weaker oil prices pose a downside risk to inflation and household imbalances present a risk to financial stability.

"Overall, the balance of risks remains within the zone for which the current stance of monetary policy is appropriate," the Bank of Canada said.