Tax Freedom Day – For Canadian Corporations is Today, January 30th.

Corporate Tax Freedom Day, or the day that corporations will have paid their taxes to all levels of government, is today, January 30th, 2013.  But don’t feel left out, if you are not a corporation, because Personal Tax Freedom Day is also on its way – not as quickly mind you because Corporations have the ability to make much more money, much quicker than the average employee and the Corporate tax rates are considerably smaller than personal income tax rates.

From the CRA;

• 15% on the first $43,561 of taxable income, +
• 22% on the next $43,562 of taxable income (on the portion of taxable income over $43,561 up to $87,123), +
• 26% on the next $47,931 of taxable income (on the portion of taxable income over $87,123 up to $135,054), +
• 29% of taxable income over $135,054.

Then there are the Provincial tax rates;

Provincial/territorial tax rates (combined chart)

Provinces/territories	Rate(s)
Newfoundland and Labrador	7.7% on the first $33,748 of taxable income, + 12.5% on the next $33,748, + 13.3% on the amount over $67,496
Prince Edward Island	9.8% on the first $31,984 of taxable income, + 13.8% on the next $31,985, + 16.7% on the amount over $63,969
Nova Scotia	8.79% on the first $29,590 of taxable income, + 14.95% on the next $29,590, + 16.67% on the next $33,820, + 17.5% on the next $57,000, + 21% on the amount over $150,000
New Brunswick	9.1% on the first $38,954 of taxable income, + 12.1% on the next $38,954, + 12.4% on the next $48,754, + 14.3% on the amount over $126,662
Quebec	Go to Income tax rates (Revenu Québec Web site).
Ontario	5.05% on the first $39,723 of taxable income, + 9.15% on the next $39,725, + 11.16% on the next $429,552, + 13.16 % on the amount over $509,000
Manitoba	10.8% on the first $31,000 of taxable income, + 12.75% on the next $36,000, + 17.4% on the amount over $67,000
Saskatchewan	11% on the first $42,906 of taxable income, + 13% on the next $79,683, + 15% on the amount over $122,589
Alberta	10% of taxable income
British Columbia	5.06% on the first $37,568 of taxable income, + 7.7% on the next $37,570, + 10.5% on the next $11,130, + 12.29% on the next $18,486, + 14.7% on the amount over $104,754
Yukon	7.04% on the first $43,561 of taxable income, + 9.68% on the next $43,562, + 11.44% on the next $47,931, + 12.76% on the amount over $135,054
Northwest Territories	5.9% on the first $39,453 of taxable income, + 8.6% on the next $39,455, + 12.2% on the next $49,378, + 14.05% on the amount over $128,286
Nunavut	4% on the first $41,535 of taxable income, + 7% on the next $41,536, + 9% on the next $51,983, + 11.5% on the amount over $135,054

Canadian Corporate Tax rates for 2013 are;

The basic rate of Part I tax is 38% of taxable income, 28% after federal tax abatement.

For Canadian-controlled private corporations claiming the small business deduction, the net tax rate is 11%.

For the other corporations, the net tax rate is decreased as follows:

• 19% effective January 1, 2009
• 18% effective January 1, 2010
• 16.5% effective January 1, 2011
• 15% effective January 1, 2012

Provincial or territorial rates

Generally, provinces and territories have two rates of income tax – a lower rate and a higher rate.

Lower rate

The lower rate applies to the income eligible for the federal small business deduction. One component of the small business deduction is the business limit. Some provinces or territories choose to use the federal business limit. Others establish their own business limit.

Higher rate

The higher rate applies to all other income.

Provincial and territorial tax rates (except Quebec and Alberta)

The following table shows the income tax rates for provinces and territories (except Quebec and Alberta, which do not have corporation tax collection agreements with the CRA).

These rates are in effect on January 1, 2012, and may change during 2012.

Province or territory	Lower rate	Higher rate
Newfoundland and Labrador	4%	14%
Nova Scotia	4%	16%
Prince Edward Island	1%	16%
New Brunswick	4.5%	10%
Ontario	4.5%	11.5%
Manitoba	nil	12%
Saskatchewan	2%	12%
British Columbia	2.5%	10%
Yukon	4%	15%
Northwest Territories	4%	11.5%
Nunavut	4%	12%

For more information, go to Dual tax rates.

Corporations also have to pay the CRA employer share of payroll source deductions for the year for employee pay and bonuses as well as any GST/HST if they are selling more than they are purchasing and also don’t forget the dividends Corporations pay out of earning to you, your friends, neighbours, parents and grandparents.

If you read some of the mainstream, err, left-leaning media tales of Corporate Tax Freedom Day you would think that we should be taxing these evil Corporations at 50% or more because all they do is pay out insane salaries and bonuses to their CEO’s and Board or Directors while giving little back to the community or the country.

For all that, I call bullshit, and not because I agree with insane salaries, bonuses, buyouts and golden handshakes – I hate them in sports and entertainment as well – but Corporations are free to operate in whichever town, city, province or country they choose to and a raise in Corporate tax rates increases the risk that corporations will back up their belongings and flee where rates are more favourable.

So while it’s great to call out Corporations for all their flaws, it would be nice once in a while if mainstream media reported on those cities and towns left with high unemployment and no jobs because a Corporation propping up their area closed up or left for a different location.

Now there are some legitimate arguments around how accountable Canadian Corporations should be and what they do with their reserves, especially in light of the recessionary times we currently live in, and by holding on to these reserves in case the economy worsens, Corporations are keeping a nest age they hope to not have to dip in to, but this “dead money” may never see the light of day when the economy picks back up and it gets swallowed up as profits or paid out as a bonus when it should be put to work right away to invest in Canada and create jobs.

Might there be other ways to increase government revenues so that the government will need to borrow less money to finance programs – driving up the debt and deficit - possibly.  One suggestion by the head of the Canadian Labour Congress (CLC), Ken Georgetti, suggested that “the government should target tax credits to companies that invest in  machinery and increase productivity.”

With Canadian Corporate taxes are already lower than (unconfirmed) elsewhere in the G7 nations, organizations like the CLC disregard the fact that business investment had increased by 6.2% since the official start of the recession, September 15th, 2008.  If consumer confidence remains weak or if a Liberal government were to take power in Canada, look for the vultures to circle looking to pick through the remains of any and all Canadian Corporations which remain here after an increase in the Corporate Tax Rate.

Related articles

• TurboTax – What are Income Tax Rates? (turbotax.intuit.com)
• Meet Five CEOs Who Prove That Lower Corporate Taxes Don’t Equal More Hiring (thenation.com)

Reading the Signs: What to do when your Boss is Upset with you.

FULL-TIME NANNY.com

I came across a great article by the folks at FullTimeNanny.com entitled; “What Should a Nanny Do if her Boss is Upset with Her”, and I immediately saw the cross-over potential that this article brings for those new to the workforce or as a refresher to those already in the workforce for a few years.

Sometimes you know when your boss is upset with you and sometimes there will be no clue, and depending upon the severity of the situation and the potential repercussions, you may want to consider the possibility that your job could be in danger.  So once you figure it out, it’s best to get in the habit of coming clean with mistakes as soon as they happen, getting used to giving your boss the heads’ up where you think there may be a problem down the road, and documenting situations rather than waiting with bated breath for them to be found out.

This article highlights the following important things to remember when deciding to come clean;

• Realize That These Things Are Rarely Permanent – Unless you have done something on purpose with the intent on causing someone harm, or damaging the reputation of your employer of the business you work in, the chances of your employer resorting to drastic disciplinary measures are fairly slim. Provided that you’ve been an otherwise good employee, most employers would rather resolve an existing problem than take on the task of sorting through dozens of resumes and conducting numerous interviews in effort to get someone who may be better than you, or may be worse than you.  Better the devil you know, is the saying.  That being said, it’s not wise to be too secure in your position; if you’re overly cocky and consistently go against what your employer decides for you, they will let you go.
• Confront the Issue Head-On – If you know that your employer is angry but haven’t been approached with a reprimand or a request for an explanation, it’s best to take the bull by the horns and approach him or her with your concerns. It’s especially smart to make an effort to mend fences if you know why your employer is upset and agree that you are in the wrong. Letting the situation go unacknowledged for too long can cause resentment to build up and exacerbate the problem, so don’t dodge your employer in hopes that things will blow over.
• Be Honest – Should your employer confront you with questions about an incident in which you know you were in the wrong, don’t give into the temptation to cover your tracks. Admitting that you were wrong and are willing to accept any penalties as a result of your poor choices shows strong character and moral fiber; in addition to being the right thing to do, it may also impress your employer enough that they second-guess their outrage.
• Keep Your Own Temper in Check – Being accused of misconduct, whether you’re guilty or innocent, is enough to put almost anyone on the defensive. Taking this tack with your employer as a reaction to questioning or accusations will only escalate the situation, and perhaps lead to the loss of your position, which you would otherwise have been able to retain. Remember the old adage about flies and honey and realize that anger, even of the righteous variety, will get you nowhere in these situations.
• Accept Responsibility For Your Actions – Attempting to pass the buck, or blame someone else for your failure to perform properly or your momentary lapse in judgment, isn’t likely to endear you to your already-upset employer.  Instead face the consequences of a poor choice as gracefully as possible. Whining or shifting blame isn’t just ineffective, it’s often downright counterproductive.  In addition if you blame someone else and your employer decides to keep you, then you run the risk of them finding out and that relationship is damaged for good.
• Make a Concerted Effort to Make Up – It’s easy to hold your breath and hope that a tumultuous period in your relationship with your employer will pass without any attempts to mend fences on your part, but that’s almost never the case. Extending the olive branch isn’t always the easiest thing to do, especially if you feel that you have nothing to apologize for; still, preserving that relationship, and perhaps your post itself, may depend upon your ability to do just that.
• Keep the Conversation Behind Closed Doors – Never, ever, ever discuss a bad situation with friends, colleagues or staff.  They do not need to hear you air your grievances or discuss an ongoing problem you have with your employer. Even in the largest, most densely populated cities, most social circles are relatively small and people will talk. Letting news of your woes get back to your employers is a surefire way to make them give up on you altogether, so make sure that you keep any and all conversations about the state of your relationship with your employers and the details surrounding it away from the public eye.

If, after all this you notice that things are not getting better for you, then start looking for a new job – it’s so much easier when you are already employed – and approach your employer with a request for a reference letter or recommendation because not only will they give it to you if they want you out but don’t want to fire you, but also it gives them time to start the search process themselves.

How the Mighty Have Fallen: Atari files for Bankruptcy.

I just read that the US subsidiary of Atari filed for bankruptcy.

If you’re too young to remember Atari,all the way back in the early 1980′s, then you probably did not know that Atari was the absolute bomb in its day!

Lumped into the gaming mix with Coleco and Commodore 64’s, Atari had gaming consoles (like Coleco) and personal computers (like Commodore). Atari was so hip in the day, that in 1975, two nerds both named Steve went to work for Atari to develop a game called Breakout and they eventually went on to start a company you might have heard of called “Apple”.

Man, those were the days… My parents would never buy me the Atari 2600 (known as the Video Computer system) game console that I wanted and the day I decided to be a thief and take the $75.00 from my father’s wallet to buy hockey cards and gum for my class was the day he intended on using that cash to buy the system. No cash, no system. I was busted and learned a huge consequence in life. Stealing is stupid and sucks. It also taught me that I needed to get a job and earn my own money!

So instead after the failed attempts to hone my gaming skills with our Timex Sinclair (look it up folks!), and the IBM “home” computer with it’s tiny green screen and it’s only game being that boring worm game, I dug out our Radio Shack device, hauled up the black and white TV from the basement and played pong until I blew the picture tube on the TV.  Damn.

So then one day my dad came home with the Atari 800XL game machine AND personal computer and it was over.  We played a couple of cartridges to death until he joined us up to the Toronto Atari Federation where we got to try tons of video games on floppy disks.  Within a couple of months we had over 300 games on floppy disk and 15 cartridges, plus I was learning to program in DOS;

10 “Hello Urban Daddy”

20 Got to 10

End

Or something like that.

I also got us hooked up to local BBS’ and as it turned out, one was run by a neighbour of my wife’s and she was a regular chatter so we probably chatted 20 years before we met… Tell me, that is cool, right?

But for all its coolness, power and influence, Atari’s run would be tragically short.  The Atari 2600 first hit stores in 1977, sold a ton, but by 1983 they were in the middle of the North American video game crash during which time a glut of consoles from competitors and mediocre games from everyone contributed to a rapid decline in sales.

Atari itself was later sold, gutted, and passed around from owner to owner in years hence. Atari’s founder, Nolan Bushnell, went on to create the Chuck E. Cheese chain of pizza/video-game restaurants that use a rat as a mascot.

A testament to Atari’s impact can be seen in the movie Blade Runner which was shot in 1982 and set in the future, 2019. This sci-fi classic has plenty of scenes in which Atari’s logo features prominently. Back then, if you were thinking about the future, it was impossible to imagine it without Atari.

Thursday Thirteen: 13 Strange and Puzzling News Events From the Week.

President George W. Bush and Armstrong mountain biking at the president’s Prairie Chapel Ranch (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

I was going through my draft folder this evening while everyone slept when I came across a fact I needed to verify, and in doing so, I came across an article that was just so bizarre that it might be true. I researched the facts from the article and came across nothing to verify that it was true or that it was untrue, but that gave me the idea for this week’s Thursday Thirteen. I’ve got 13 stranger than strange news items which puzzle, or puzzled, this Urban Daddy.

Let’s jump right in, if you please;

13. Tonight disgraced cyclist Lance Armstrong is admitting to doping pretty much his entire career, to Oprah in a 2-part special. Lance was so ahead of the anti-doping agency that it took them years to catch up to his cheating. So what is the perfect way to treat a liar and a cheat? By ignoring him, by not watching him on Oprah and not talking about him. He wants the public confession so people can begin to forgive him and he can tour the world talking about how bad it is to dope. He’s a fraud and we need to move on.

12. Former Toronto Maple Leaf’s GM Brian Burke was fired because he is the father of Sportsnet anchor Hazel Mae’s baby. WTF?!? Both are married and I could not find anything to confirm or deny this one…

11. A very public gang-rape and murder of a young woman on a bus in India drew so much attention around the world but apparently no so much in India where there were reports of another similar incident. Absolutely disgusting and unthinkable that people in this day and age could have that much disrespect for women, the Indian government is reportedly trying to fast-track the case. This had better be a guilty verdict!

10. What the hell is going on in Syria, and how can the world stand by – heck, where are the flotilla-loving peacenicks who wanted to crash the Israeli security checkpoints aimed at keeping weapons out of the hands of those who want to destroy Israel.   They were so focussed on creating peace there, or what about the Queers against Israeli Apartheid who almost cost the entire Gay Pride parade to lose funding because they disagreed with the politics of the only democratic state in the middle east where it is not a death sentence to be gay.  Where are these now?  How come they don’t want to step in and stop this killing in Syria?  Oh, and it’s not an anti-Jewish thing, right?  Didn’t think so…

9. The NY Rangers of the NHL officially buy out the contract of defenseman Wade Redden and the Montreal Canadiens officially do the same to Scott Gomez because both teams thought they needed to add these players for the most money possible as free agents and over paid for 2 guys not worthy of that kind of money. Overpaying also meant comparable players in the league were handed pay raises throwing off the pay scale league-wide and pretty much causing the recent lock-out. Dumb.

9. Still no one cares about the NHL… Sad. Oh, wait, the NHL put a full-page ad in papers across the US and Canada apologizing for the lockout, Well, then I guess everything is okay. NOT. What are they thinking!!!

8. Went to Yorkdale mall today with my wife and walked out of numerous stores in absolute frustration at the lack of service! The staff would rather huddle by the cash and complain than actually help customers make purchases of products which would keep the stores open and the staff employed. Unbelievable…

7. Someone used the search term; “Can I stick a tampon up my ass?” to come to my blog and I don’t know how or why but I Googled the same phrase and did not see the link to my blog on any of the first 10 pages, but I did find plenty of forums and discussion boards dedicated to, umm, that. WOW.

6. Some college football player named Manti Tao either made up a girlfriend who “died” or he was subject to a hoax about this imaginary girlfriend who “died”. Either way, it’s really messed up, and I think it’s going to play out the same way as #13. Ahem… Liar.

5. Embattled Toronto Mayor Rob Ford and his arch-rival, left-leaning Adam Vaughan had lunch together on Thursday and I’m still looking into the rumour that Ford paid for the lunch, but Vaughan took that cash, gave it away, then complained bitterly about how cheap Ford was…

4. Many seem surprised that in light of the horrific shootings at the elementary school in Newton, Connecticut there has been a significant shift in the view of Americans towards stricter gun laws. What surprises me is how anyone could be surprised. Guns kill. Guns in the hand of unstable people have a great chance of killing innocent people. Stop mentioning these killers, period. See #13. Ignore. Ignore. Ignore.

3. It’s winter here in Canada and while it’s been mild the past few years, we have had some pretty chilly days. Today was chilly but that didn’t stop a couple from leaving the mall this afternoon with their 2-year-old son (who was not wearing a hat or mittens) and complaining loudly that, “this fucking weather is unbelievable. It’s so fucking cold. I cannot believe how fucking cold it is…” Yup. It’s winter, dumb-ass and if you’re cold, maybe your shivering child might need some to get in the car instead of you chatting in the parking lot and swearing up a storm in front of him, while he sits near the car’s exhaust turning into an ice cube.   Hello… child services!?!

2. #IdleNoMore has me absolutely confused, along the same lines as the #Occupy movement did last year. Apparently the current Conservative government in Canada has a bunch of proposed change to some bills, such as Bill-45 which either impact the sovereignty of Native Canadians or impact the natural resources in the country. Either way, it would be great to get the message out, have discussions and reach consensus without the muddled nonsense such as blocking highways and roads that comes with “peaceful” protests. Once someone’s own agenda infringes on the rights of others (as I’m sure Native Canadian’s feel) then it’s gone too far. As Canadian’s we’re smart enough to side with those who are wronged so give us the information and let us make our own decisions. Please.

1. Karma. At my ball-hockey game this week, we had the pleasure of playing a team which plays a very dirty game and they try to intimidate and hurt their opposition so they can win the game. It’s the third time this season we’ve played them and we were 2-0 against them. They jumped to a quick 3-1 lead in the game and started to goon it up, including running a couple of our players into the boards, two-handing our goalie across the pads during the play then challenging him to a fight and two-handing me across the knee, then spearing me in the goods later in the play. To say the game was chippy would be an understatement and a lot of their attention was turned to me after I voiced my displeasure with their play through a couple well placed whacks here and there and a lot of body contact on each play. So it was only fitting that I scored the game winning goal that game – my first goal in, geez, well over 4 years – with 1:47 left in the game.

I’m still not sure how – as a defenceman – I wound up in their zone one-on-one with their defenseman but after a quick spin move, I curled off that guy, used him as a screen and fired a wrist shot just inside the post and in between the goalies glove and right pad – just where my 8-year-old son Linus told me to put it.

Karma.

It’s a bitch, indeed.

The other team was so incensed that I scored the goal they got in an argument with their goalie and either he stormed off the floor to the dressing room or they turfed him out of the game.

Sweet.

NHLPA and OSSTF: Taking Public Relations Down a Slippery Slope

The Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

So the NHL and the NHLPA have come to an agreement that the 2012-2013 NHL season has to be saved and they have agreed to end the lockout.  Excuse me if I do not jump for joy.  This, the third work stoppage in the past, what, 10 years has done even more damage to my love for the game and more specifically for the love of the NHL.  I may (will) be back, I don’t know when, but it won’t be the same.

A couple of days prior to the ending of the NHL lockout, another labour disruption seemingly came close to an end when the Ontario Liberal government used the powers of Bill 115 to put in place a contact, for the next year-and-a-half, for the public school teachers whose union was the only union that did not reach an agreement with the government.  Somehow the union seemed blindsided by the government who told them very publically that they had until December 31st to negotiate a contact otherwise one would be imposed on them.

Hardly labour peace in both cases, eh?

Both both these labour disruptions have a common thread that is worth looking at.  In both cases, it was the unions which steered the ship for it’s members and it both situations there were members who felt that a deal should be reached but were strong-armed into line by the union they pay dues to.

Is this something new?  Of course not.  When I spent almost 11 years as a unionized member of the Canadian government I witnessed much of the same from the union representatives, the same representatives who side with you against big, bad, evil management who want to have maximum productivity at the most cost-effective price.  Apparently this could be seen as management taking advantage of it’s workforce.

Heaven forbid if you get on the bad side of the union, however… That you can never live down.  A former colleague of mine had recently divorced and with a young child, needed to be paid during one of the many labour disruptions we lived through, so he crossed the picket line and went to do his job.

As a result, he was bullied the rest of his time at the office.  The union made it known to everyone that he had done this, and yes, they called him names.  They called him “scab”.  They also threatened to sue him for the wages he earned while working and they kicked him out of the union but made him still pay his $500/year wages.

Think that is weird?

In the Ontario teachers dispute, the union, not the government, nor the teachers halted extracurricular activities, that ban came from the top brass at Ontario Secondary school Teachers Federation, even though the union currently runs ads saying the government is in the way of the extracurricular activities.

So it should come to no one’s surprise then, that an Ottawa-area teacher did just this and continued to lead extracurricular activities in class.  She stated that she was phoned and threatened by a union official with a fine.  The OSSTF also posts the information of those who violate its orders in its publicly accessible newsletter which is amount to a public shaming.  With the union putting such severe restrictions on its members, it is no surprise that very few teachers attempt to hold activities for students.

With many teacher-friends and being married to a teacher, I have come to understand a couple of things;

1) Teachers work very hard outside of the classroom marking and preparing lessons and no teacher should ever have to justify their hours they work, their well-earned vacation or how hard it is to be the educator standing in front of the students day in and day out, keeping their attention, getting the message across and helping these students learn.

2) Teachers should be marked essential services along with emergency services operations and public transit, in Toronto its the TTC.

Public school teachers work for the government.  The government pays their salaries presumably from tax dollars they collect from every citizen – except this government who are paying it through a massive line of credit.

In my life I have also learned that bullying is wrong and the more we stand up to bullying the better we will all be, but how can you stand up to your union – let them know how your really feel – when they force you to not take work home at night needed to prepare for your next day by checking your bags as you leave and threatening to fine you if something is found.

The unions have all the power and to justify their agenda they have put Ontario’s students in the middle of this labour mess.  And for what?  Because they disagree with the language in Bill 115 (Oddly called “Putting Student’s First”) which takes away the unions right to strike.  Somehow they call this bill “undemocratic” and a “violation of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms“.  They feel this way because they are used to a “negotiation” pattern with the government through which they ask for the most, threaten a work stoppage and then meet somewhere in the middle.  It’s not their fault, it’s the way unions work – getting the most for their members at the least amount of stress and output.

Surely those in unions can look at those of us in the private sector who do not get to negotiate annual raises with our employer, who can be terminated with or without cause and who work for organizations who are profit oriented and understand our frustration with their bullying of the teachers, of the government and the absolute dicking around with our children.  They know that we read the papers too and that in a prolonged recession, like the one we have been in since 2008 there is job loss, wage restrictions and bonuses or raises… lol… almost non-existent.  We understand when times are tough people need to tighten their belts and cut costs, which is why a guaranteed 2.5% annual raise makes many of us shake our heads and side with the employer.

As with every labour negotiation, especially in recessionary times, it’s best to take away the focus on the wage increase and have that attention turned elsewhere.

To even suggest that a “Day of Protest” was needed, the first week back to school for many children was a public relations disaster for the union and it made many parents who had already been subject to rotating strikes livid with the unions tactics.  Then, upon finding out that no matter what they called their forced day off, it was illegal, they cancelled it, without apology for the parents who again had to scramble to find alternate arrangements for their children, at a cost to the families.

The union’s short-sighted attempts to win public favour and shame the government is back-firing on them and like the NHLPA who claimed these labour negotiations were NOT about money but about the next generation of players who might never get a chance to negotiate their own collective agreement, the public saw right through that when the NHL players took off overseas to take jobs from players over there.

It is about the money.

It is about the power.

Getting there by whatever means necessary is no longer the way to go.  Frustrated parents are going to do what many of us already have and send their children to private schools which is going to lead to a reduction in the number of students enrolled in public schools and ultimately require a reduction in the public workforce.  Surely that cannot be the ultimate goal of the higher-ups at the OSSTF?  Or parents who would blindly trust their teachers are now going to second guess what the teacher is doing or saying because if they REALLY cared about the students, then why would they be withholding extracurricular activities from the students – especially those in lower – middle class neighbourhoods where there is no where near as much disposable income to take the children to daycamps or the Science Centre on the strike days.

So next time you look at these two labour situations and proudly proclaim that you are with the teachers / players, have a look at the organization you work at and see what they do when there is not enough money to cover expenses.  Do they ask people to cut back or do they spend themselves into bankruptcy?  Would you do that at home with your finances?

I didn’t think so.

While I disagree with the way the Ontario government handled this situation and many other situations during Dalton’s time as Premier I found a couple things very disturbing.  First, that he stepped down while this issue was festering and secondly that they used Bill 115 and then stated they were going to repeal it at the end of the month.  That does not sound like a government who were clean to it’s employees or to the public.

Should the Liberal government force it’s employees to tow the party line and take a page from the book of former US President Ronald Regan with his much publicized “negotiation” with the air traffic controllers when he fired them all, hired new ones, and then hired back select employees who would agree to accept the job outside of a union?  Probably not.  I don’t think we’re there yet.

What I would have liked to have seen is a listing of wages, costs, revenues and expenses in order to justify the actions taken to force doctors to take a pay cut and teachers into this situation, but I would also like to see the union fight this in court where they promised they would be fighting it and to stop putting the teachers, the students and the parents in the middle of their issue with their employer.

At the end of the day these games offend hard-working citizens.  When unions force teachers to cease extracurricular activities, provide the least amount of information on report cards, and not fully prepare for their classes – do the least possible work – it makes parents question the teachers loyalty.  Seeing these teachers on the picket lines dancing and hamming it up for unnecessary and embarrassing for their profession, in the same way calling an employee a scab for needing to put food on the table and paying for rent is unnecessary.

If the unions think the public are quickly going to forget this or blindly side with them they why are they running ads telling the public that the government is withholding activities or why are teachers permitted to “educate” students on this labour disruption only from a left-wing view?  Why can’t they explain both sides and let the children decide who they feel is in the right?

There are over 23,000 likes on the Facebook page called “Just Drop It” where frustrated hockey fans pledge to boycott the NHL in protest of the NHL’s treatment of them.  People are not forgetting so quickly any more…

These two unions made choices for themselves which negatively impacted everyone but them.

They want your support.

They want you to believe they are doing this for their members and that they have full support of their members.

They do have considerable support of their members but through what means have they got it and how do they keep it?

I think it’s time to take the bullying out of the schools once and for all.  It’s the only way we are going to see true labour peace.

Related Articles: 

• NHL lockout timeline: Let’s remember the whole nightmare (sbnation.com)
• Teachers’ fight belongs in court, not the classroom, says McGuinty (thestar.com)
• What the NHL Lockout Reveals About Capital and Labor (blogs.hbr.org)

The Urban Daddy’s Top 10 News Stories of 2012

Penn State Nittany Lions hit with unprecedented penalties

1.  Without hesitation has to be the Newtown, Connecticut mass school shootings.  It was senseless, disturbing and scary to think that someone could do this for fame or notoriety, or because of that much hate for another human being.  If this doesn’t lead to a ban in assault rifles, nothing will…

2. Superstorm Sandy which killed more than 70 people in the Caribbean, then moving north, with its high winds and high waters slammed into more than 800 miles of the eastern U.S. seaboard, killing at least 125 more people, and causing damage calculated at well over $60 billion — the second-costliest storm in U.S. history after 2005′s Hurricane Katrina. New York and New Jersey were the worst hit, with several hundred thousand homes and businesses damaged or destroyed – including the Jersey Shore…  Toronto also got hit hard making it the 3rd hurricane / tropical storm that we had the pleasure of being in over the past couple years.

3. Penn State – 2012 was quite the year for Penn State and its storied football program. In January, longtime coach Joe Paterno died, his legacy forever tarnished by the sex-abuse scandal involving his former assistant, Jerry Sandusky which he knew about and did not stop.  Sandusky was convicted of sexually abusing 10 boys, and sentenced to 30 to 60 years in prison, which he still denied ever happened.  In July, the NCAA imposed severe sanctions, including $60 million in fines, a four-year postseason ban on football and a reduction in football scholarships.

4. Syria - What began in 2011 as an outbreak of peaceful protests escalated into full-scale civil war pitting the beleaguered regime of Bashar Assad against a disparate but increasingly potent rebel opposition.  The death toll at the turn of the calendar to 2013 exceeded 60,000.   The U.S. and many other nations were supporting the opposition, albeit wary of outcomes that might help Islamic extremists gain power in the region.

5.  The Olympics

6. The crash of the Italian cruise ship, the Costa Concordia and reports that the Captain crashed while trying to impress some woman watching him navigate through a rough stop, then fleeing the ship as it was going under.

7.  The jump from the Stratosphere…  So very cool to watch live online and on TV.

8.  The economy – still in a recession…

9.  The NHL Lockout

10. Toronto Mayor Rob Ford’s legal issues – being sued by a business owner with ties to left-wing council, then being removed from office (again from the left) over a conflict of interest which saw him use his position of Mayor to get his football team new jerseys…

 

The Urban Daddy Year in Review, 2012: Notable Deaths.

Fraggle Rock (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Now that 2013 has rolled in, I wanted to take a look back at those we lost in 2012.  Usually these year-in-review lists contain a few shocking deaths – celebrities who died way before their time or in a tragic manner – but in compiling this list, I didn’t come across any. Yes, Whitney Houston died in 2012, but based on her much publicized battles with drugs and Bobby Brown it reminded me of the Amy Winehouse death-watch from the previous year.  Very sad, but everyone saw it coming.

Say no to drugs, kids…

So below is a list – certainly not inclusive – of notable deaths from 2012, plus a little about the person, and the date they died – based on my knowledge of after some research and this list is in reverse chronological order.

Actor Jack Klugman, died on December 24th and was best known for his roles on television as Oscar Madison in The Odd Couple and as Quincy in the show Quincy, M.E..  He was 90 years old.

Pandit Ravi Shankar, a musical icon and legendary sitar player who taught George Harrison of The Beatles to play the instrument and brought Indian music to the West over an 8-decade career, passed away December 11th at age 92.  He was the father of jazz singer Norah Jones.

Actor Larry Hagman, best known for his role as the villainous patriarch “J.R. Ewing” from the TV show “Dallas” died at the age of 81, on November 24th.   Who doesn’t remember the “Who shot JR?” cliffhanger…

Art Ginsburg, better known as Mr. Food died on November 21st at the age of 81.  You may not remember his name but if you see his picture you certainly will recognize him.

Alex Karras, the former NFL lineman who anchored the Detroit Lions’ defense in the 1960′s, who went on to an acting career in which he starred in the sitcom “Webster” and famously punched a horse in the 1974 comedy “Blazing Saddles,” died on October 10th at the age of 77.

Neil Armstrong, the first man to walk on the moon, died August 25th at 82-years-old.

Phyllis Diller died on August 20th at the age of 95-years-old and she has been credited with breaking the gender barrier in the world of comedy.  A former housewife turned mega-comedienne.

Voice actor and puppeteer, Jerry Nelson, most known for voicing The Count in “Sesame Street” Gobo Fraggle in “Fraggle Rock” and Sgt Floyd Pepper in “The Muppet Show”,  He was 78-years-old.

“Oh!  Oh! Pick me.  Pick me!”  Ron Palillo, the actor best known as the nerdy high-school student Arnold Horshack from 70′s hit TV Show “Welcome Back, Kotter,” died of a heart attack on August 14th at the age of 63.

Sherman Hemsley, best known for portraying the character “George Jefferson” on TV’s “The Jeffersons” and on “All in the Family” died on July 24th at the age of 74-years-old, either from natural causes or from cancer.  There is some confusion swirling around his estate after his will gave his $50,000 estate to his manager, but a man came forward claiming to be his brother stepped forward.  Finally on November 21st, he was buried.  Sad.

Dr. Stephen R. Covey the motivational speaker best known for his self-improvement book “The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People,” died July 16th, three months after a serious bicycle accident at the age of 79-years-old.  His book, published in 1989, has sold more than 25 million copies in 38 languages, and became one of the most influential non-fiction books of the end of the 20th Century.

Andy Griffith, died July 3rd at the age of 86.  Best known for his 1960s’ starring role as the Sheriff in The Andy Griffith Show.  He later returned to TV in the drama Matlock.  Did you know that he was also also an award winning gospel singer?  Yeah, me either.

Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Shamir who throughout his life believed that Israel should hang on to it’s territory and never trust an Arab regime, died on June 30th at 96-years-old.  Is it any surprise then, that after Fatah released their new logo it was a picture of what they believed to be the new Palestinian state and on that map there was no Israel?!?  You cannot negotiate with a party who does not want to negotiate.

Rodney King, the black motorist whose 1991 videotaped beating by Los Angeles police officers set off one of the most destructive race riots in the history of the United States, died after drowning in his swimming pool on June 17th.  He was only 47-years-old and a very unhappy man after being awarded compensation for his beating he said that neither the general public or his community believed he was a victim.

Richard Dawson, the former host of  the TV game show “Family Feud”, and an actor on the TV sitcom “Hogan’s Heroes” died on June 2nd at the age of 79-years-old following complications from esophageal cancer

Singer Robin Gibb of the Super-group The Bee Gees died on May 20th at the age of 62.  He had a long battle with cancer.

Donna Summer, the Queen of Disco and best known for hits such as; “Love to Love You Baby”, “Bad Girl” and “She Works Hard for the Money” was a five-time Grammy award winner and was the first artist to ever have three consecutive double albums reach #1 on the Billboard charts.  She died May 17th at the age of 63.

Conspiracy!   Mary Richardson Kennedy, the estranged wife of Robert F. Kennedy Jr., was found dead inside Kennedy’s home in Westchester County on May 16th. She was his second wife and they had 4-children.  Speculation is that she hung herself.  She was 52.

Celebrity hairstylist Vidal Sassoon, whose 1960′s wash-and-wear cuts freed women from endless teasing and hairspray – such as Mia Farrow’s iconic pixie cut for the film “Rosemary’s Baby.  Sassoon grew up in England and later fought in the Israeli Army during the 1948 Arab-Israeli War.  He was 84.

Children’s author Maurice Sendak, who wrote the popular children’s book “Where the Wild Things Are,” died May 8th the age of 83.

Adam Yauch, better known as MCA of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame-inducted Beastie Boys, died May 4th, at the age of 47. Youch, a hip-hop pioneer, had been in treatment for cancer since 2009.  My post about him can be found here;

Former NFL star Junior Seau, 43, was found dead in his California home of an apparent suicide on May 2nd, 2012.  Seau was a 1st round draft pick in 1990 NFL draft and he played in the league for 20 years for the San Diego Chargers, Miami Dolphins, and New England Patriots.  He left behind 3 children.  My post about him can be found here;

Dick Clark, long-time TV host and producer who changed the way we listened to pop music with American Bandstand, and whose trademark Rockin’ Eve became a fixture of New Year’s celebrations, died at the age of 82.  My post about his influence can be read here;

Mike Wallace, best known as a “60 Minutes” correspondent, famed for his tough interviews died April 7th at the age of 93.

John Demjanjuk died March 17th in a home for the aged in his native Germany – a much more peaceful way than all the victims of the Nazi concentration camps where he was a death camp guard.  He was charged and convicted of 28,060 counts of accessory to murder.  A retired Ohio autoworker, he hid in the US after WWII until he was found, tried and deported to his native Germany for his war crimes after being stripped of his U.S. citizenship.  He was 91-years-old.

Songwriter Robert B. Sherman – whom I had not heard of before his passing – wrote classic songs for movies such as “Mary Poppins”, “The Jungle Book” and “Winnie the Pooh” as well as the theme for the amazing Disney water ride, “It’s a Small World (After All)”.  He was 86-years-old.

Davy Jones of the super-group, “The Monkees” passed away February 29th of an apparent heart attack.  He was 66-years-young.

Former Montreal Expos catcher Gary Carter died February 16th from complications of a brain tumor at the age of 57.  During his career he played mainly for the Expos and the Mets where he won 3 Gold Glove awards and 5 Silver Sluggers.  In 2003 he was induced to the National Baseball Hall of Fame.

Whitney Houston died February 11th at the age of 48.  She had such a beautiful voice and he life became such a train-wreck that tabloids reported she was killed over drug debts.  In 2009, the Guinness World Records cited her as the most awarded female act of all time.

Don Cornelius, the smooth-voiced creator and former host of the hit television show “Soul Train”, which brought black music and culture into America’s living rooms committed suicide on February 1st at the age of 75.  Soul Train,” was one of the longest-running syndicated shows in television history (35 years) and it played a critical role in spreading the music of black America to the world.  The show featured musicians like Michael Jackson, Marvin Gaye, Aretha Franklin and James Brown, as well as Elton John and David Bowie.

Robert “Bobby” Hegyes, best known for playing the Puerto Rican Jewish character Juan Epstein on “Welcome Back Kotter,” died on January 26th at the age 60.

Related articles

• FAREWELL: A final roll call of luminaries lost in 2012 (timesleader.com)
• Entertainment 2012: The year of ‘meh’ (cnn.com)
• Notable Celebrity & Public Figure Deaths In 2012 (dabxblogger.com)
• Final goodbye: Roll call of some who died in 2012 (cnsnews.com)

First Movember, Now Manuary: Taking Men’s Health Seriously!

Hey men!  You have heard of, and possibly participated in Movember, but how about Manuary?

For those who cannot grow one…

Manuary is a chance to raise awareness about, and money for, Head and Neck Cancer research which is the 6th most common cancer worldwide!  Participants grow a beard for the month of January, aka “Manuary” and get sponsored to do so.  Can you think of a better excuse to grow a beard?  I know some dudes who have a full beard by noon, and some, like myself, who cannot grow a beard to save my life.

At the end of the month of “Manuary”, a “Facial Hair Face-off” awards the crown of Manuary to the person (male or female) with the most creative facial hair.

For those unable to grow their own facial hair (ahem), no problem.  They do not discriminate and all you have to do is email a photo of yourself to manuary.canada@gmail.com and they will beard your photo with some creative (and humorous) photo editing for posting to their Facebook page; Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/manuarycanada.  Head over there, “like” it and get ready to grow!

Alternatively, there are lots of beards out there for purchase!

So why Head and Neck Cancer?

Head and Neck cancer is a devastating disease as it affects some of the most personal aspects of life, including facial appearance and the ability to speak and eat. While affecting both sexes, men are 4-times as likely to be affected. In particular, this disease is rapidly becoming more common in younger patients due to newly discovered associations with human papillomavirus (HPV).

Head and neck cancer is a type of cancer that is very well treated early in the course of the disease.  Unfortunately, the majority of cases present at an advanced stage – something that could be prevented with increased awareness.

Participants can sign up by clicking on the links below, or can contact them at manuary.canada@gmail.com and how cool is this!  Any participant who raises more than $400 will receive a beardhead hat from beardhead.com.

Do you need a better excuse to grow a beard in January!?!?!

Now, Manuary is being run in London, Ontario and Edmonton, Alberta and you can sign up through the links below if you are in or near those areas, but you can also donate at any time by following the links below.

London Participants

Click here to sign up today!

Edmonton Participants

Click here to sign up today!

DONATE NOW

LONDON DONATIONS

CLICK HERE!

 

EDMONTON DONATIONS
CLICK HERE!

 

Please also follow Manuary on Twitter @ManuaryCa

 

Back after being Missing in Action

Cleaning the Toto Toilets

You may have noticed that I had gone missing in action for a couple weeks.  With only a couple posts popping up here and there, I feel like I’ve lost my mojo after all this time without blogging, and it’s not like there is nothing to write / bitch about either, but in actual fact I’ve just been tired.  Very tired actually, and it all began with our nannies vacation back home, which began November 16th and ends with her return to us on January 14th.

7 long weeks in which I thought that, since I was off, would be the perfect time to help out and instead of hiring someone to temporarily file her role, I could do it myself and spend quality time with my daughter, my wife, and with my boys.   How hard could it be, right?  I’m their dad.  I know how to clean up a house…

Mistake #1.

Not only has it been impossible for me to take care of the house and the children while also taking care of the things I would normally do in a day, but it became perfectly clear to me that going to bed at 3am every night was not going to help me get everything done.

Mistake #2.

I clearly underestimated the amount of cleaning that a house with three children under 7-years-old requires.  Thankfully my wife got them on a reward chart (a later post) so they help with making beds and cleaning up around meal time, but the laundry, dishes, taxi, drop-off and pick-up and the endless need to sweep and vacuum is too much.  I don’t know how my wife does it, and I certainly don’t know how our nanny does it – except that when there are three adults cleaning it’s much more effective than 1 1/2.

Granted I have now come to realize that my wife and our nanny are WAY more organized than I have been – Monday has always been the day to change the sheets, and Tuesday the house gets swept and vacuumed and floor washed, but drop-off and pick-up has been something we’ve helped with, and meal’s taken care of primarily by my wife, so doing them all… Yeah.  Not so good.

So obviously once I settle down at night with hopes of blogging, there is nothing left in the tank.

In addition, my daughter, Boo has finally realized now that she is 3-years-old that she can get out of her bed at night and walking into our room.  We were encouraging her to get up and pee since she has been “commando” at night for several months with only a few accidents.  The hope was that she would get up, pee, then go back to bed instead of sitting in her bed and screaming for us or crying and waking everyone else up.  What has happened in actual fact is that she now comes into our room several times at night, along with 6-year-old Stewie and that keeps up awake.  Now 7-year-old Linus is getting into the act and that means either a rough night’s sleep or I’m sleeping in one of their beds with them.

Either way, it means I am getting less than 3 hours of sleep a night and that is a recipe for getting sick.

Now before you cry me a river or blast me for doing what every other parent in the world does, hear me out… My wife is still taking care of dinner (thankfully) and it did take me a week and a bit to get used to the house-time routine from a worker perspective.  I have been working full-time for 17 years and while I am used to helping out as much as possible it has usually been in the evenings or on the weekends when there are little to no distractions.

During the day when people are actually around and a 20-minute task of changing the sheets on all our beds, becomes an hours’ endeavour full of distractions and competing priorities.  I also cannot just clean for the sake of cleaning, like when I swept the bedrooms, I ended up moving all the furniture, sweeping, putting away the toys, followed it up with a vacuum and then washed the floors and baseboard.  When I do something, I do it right, not half-assed so I’ll have to do it again.

So while it took me 3 weeks to get this post out there is always a bright side, right?  I completed this post on the 20th, but I’m backdating it to the 15th and that means as of today we only have 22 days until our nanny returns and life returns to normal, which means a clean house, happy children and my daughter can get to school in the morning on time for once!

I can see the re-posted headline for this article;  ”Working Daddy Bombs as Caregiver”.

So true.

Related articles

• Thursday Thirteen – My 13 Most Memorable Posts of my first 900 Posts. (urbandaddy.wordpress.com)
• My Oldest Son Doesn’t Like His Name! (urbandaddy.wordpress.com)

How Time Flies: Happy 3rd Birthday Boo.

Wow. Time really does fly.

It seems like only yesterday when I was trying to figure out how to gear up for a tax-reporting season with our daughter on the way and unlike our previous two children, I was in no position to take any time off to spend with my family.

Then she arrived.

Now, today, she turned three years old!

Happy birthday Boo!

… and yes, girls are easier… at this age.  :)

So, Boo had her birthday party last Thursday because our nanny, Gamay, headed off today for a 7-week vacation back home in the Philippines and we wanted to make sure she was here for Boo’s birthday. Gamay has been with us since Stewie was almost 3-years-old, or around 3 1/2 years and her and Boo are quite the team.  Boo tickles her and Gamay has taught Boo how to speak, count and sing in Tagalog.  The two of them run upstairs in the mornings only to return 20 minutes later and Boo’s hair is braided and clipped up in a wonderfully different way each time, the teachers and Boo’s school can’t wait to see what style Boo will be sporting each day.  LOL.

When asked what she wanted for her birthday, Boo replied, “Hello Kitty cupcakes, cake and green beans”.  So easy to buy for.  I baked somewhere near 120 medium cupcakes for her party which my wife decorated the day before the event,  Teamwork!

The funny thing about having a birthday party for a three-year-old before her birthday, then taking her out for her birthday dinner on her actual birthday is that she thought she had 2 birthdays this year, the party being her birthday and tonight’s dinner out being her “other” birthday.

The only hiccup today was Linus trying to explain to her that she was still 2, until after 11pm because she was born that late at night. She kept checking with us, “Am I still 2?” and the more we tried to explain, the more upset she got. So we gave up and said, “yes, today is your birthday and you are three”.

Having a three-year-old means we finally get to push through some parenting improvements her way, like getting her away from asking us to feed her when she’s lazy, or asking us to take off her shoes every now and then.  She’s 3 now.  She has been sleeping commando for a couple of month now, but we agreed when she turned 3, she could get out of her bed in the middle of the night if she needed to pee instead of calling for me and waking up the house.

That might result in sleep…

Naw.

So aside from that, it’s amazing to see what an awesome little girl she has turned in to.  Still a much smaller version of my wife, Boo loves to sing, loves the colour pink, her Hello Kitty’s, elephants, unicorns and her brothers.  She looks more and more like she’s going to be left-handed like me and I think she’s going to be my only hockey player.

She’s sweet, she’s fun, she’s awesome and she’s 3.