The Strumbellas have the new full-length album. Titled
Rattlesnake, the band's 4th studio effort is impressive. Lyrics
include discussions of sleeping all day because dreams are better. There is a track
about begging a partner to return. Musical ideas are interesting here.
Thursday, December 26, 2019
SonReal - The Aaron LP
The BC artist SonReal released his new full-length album,
The Aaron LP in May 2019. The 10-track album is a fascinating journey through
folk-tinged acoustic ballads and interesting hip-hop.
Snotty Nose Rez Kids - Trapline
The Snotty Nose Rez Kids are back after their 1st
pair of releases. Now one of the best groups rapping in Canada, they have their
new release. Trapline shows that a break was well worth it in the music sense.
It is part trap and part classic rap.
Siskiyou - Not Somewhere
Siskiyou has an album called Not Somewhere. Band leader Colin
Huebert is interesting in solo artist mode, writing and self-recording this new
collection of tunes on his own. He plays all the guitar, bass, keyboard and
drum parts himself. This sounds pretty interesting.
Silverstein - Redux: The First Ten Years
Redux: The First 10 Years is a studio album by Canadian post-hardcore
band Silverstein. It was released in 2019. Silverstein formed in February 2000
in Burlington, Ontario.
Said the Whale - Cascadia
Juno Award-winning Vancouver-based indie rockers Said the
Whale have the 6th studio album, Cascadia. This album does not
disappoint. Hear a blend of indie rock and atmospheric folk.
Daniel Caesar - Case Study 01
Case Study 01 is the 2nd studio album by Canadian
singer and songwriter Daniel Caesar. It was released in June 2019 through
Golden Child Recordings. Hear interesting sounds about the world of love and
philosophy.
Justin Rutledge - Passages
Passages is the 8th studio album by Canadian singer-songwriter
Justin Rutledge. It was released in May 2019. Rutledge sometimes has songs
about fictional characters and sometimes real characters.
Drake - Care Package
Care Package is the 1st compilation album by
Canadian rapper Drake. It was released in August 2019 by OVO Sound and
distributed by Republic Records. The interesting compilation consists of
fascinating songs released between 2010 and 2016. These songs were initially
unavailable for purchase or commercial streaming. Care Package follows the
re-release of Drake's mixtape So Far Gone onto streaming services in February
2019.
Pup - Morbid Stuff
Morbid Stuff is the 3rd album by Canadian rock
band PUP. It was released in April 2019 through Rise Records and Little Dipper,
the band's personal label. Pup is an interesting Canadian quartet. Morbid Stuff
is possibly the angriest that PUP has ever sounded.
Celine Dion - Courage
Courage is the 12th English-language studio album
by Canadian singer Celine Dion. It was released by Columbia Records in November
2019. It is her first English album in 6 years after Loved Me Back to Life.
Kaytranada - Bubba Album
Bubba is the 2nd studio album by Canadian
electronic music producer Kaytranada. It was released by RCA Records in
December 2019. The album has guest appearances from Kali Uchis, Pharrell
Williams, Mick Jenkins, Tinashe, Estelle, Charlotte Day Wilson, and GoldLink
and others.
Wednesday, December 25, 2019
Sum 41 - Order in Decline
Order in Decline is the 7th studio album by Canadian rock band Sum 41. It was released on July 19, 2019 by Hopeless Records. Additionally, the cool band released the lead single "Out for Blood" on April 24, 2019. Musically, Order in Decline can be described as continuing the band's departure from pop punk. It is showing styles such as heavy metal, punk rock and hard rock.
Originally, the group Sum 41 began their beginnings under the moniker “Kaspir”. When the band began to take things seriously, however, they decided to change their name for a Supernova show on September 28, 1996, which happened to be the 41st day of summer.
Tuesday, December 24, 2019
Canada Pot Stocks to watch in 2020
There is something that is hurting Canada’s legal cannabis industry. It is the lack of stores. For example, Weed Me’s growing facility in Pickering, Ont. is crammed with cannabis plants. It's hard even for people to walk between the plants. Right now, the only way to get those products is to get a script from a doctor and sign up as a patient. Then the company can sell directly to them. Otherwise, they can get the product only on the other side of the nation like Vancouver.
After legalization, here are some interesting pot stocks to watch in 2020. A lot of stocks have declined, but some could make a comeback. The Canada company pot revenues are expected to increase. Canada pot growers stock market is fascinating.
Canopy Growth Corp Stock Will Probably Continue to Decline
Aurora Cannabis Inc. Stock Continues to Face Short-Term Challenges
Aphria Inc. Stock seems to be sinking
Cronos Group Inc. Stock could fall even more
Hexo Corp Stock rebounds from low price
CannTrust Holdings Inc. Stock descends a lot in 2019
Namaste Technologies Inc. Stock could make a comeback
OrganiGram Holdings Inc. Stock could be headed downhill
Emerald Health Therapeutics Inc. Stock tumbles in 2019
Supreme Cannabis Company Inc. Stock is at lows
Above: some people have jokingly created the "Canada Marijuana Flag." Looks interesting.
Above: Close-ups of pot
Above: Marijuana Greenhouse
Above: Cannabis Farm
Tuesday, December 17, 2019
ICAS (International Credential Assessment Service) of Canada information
ICAS is the International Credential Assessment Service of Canada. This service has been designated by the Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship as an agency authorized to provide educational credential assessment services to individuals applying for immigration to Canada.
You could learn about how the education you completed compares to the education system in Canada. The Canadian Immigration Assessment Package will help you understand that. This report can be used in Canada to help look for employment or apply for admission to education programs.
ICAS provides helpful reports that help employers, education institutions, immigration officials and community agencies better understand the education you completed outside Canada.
Interesting information and news about ICAS:
Immigration to Canada - icascanada.ca
Canadian Information Centre for International Credentials - cicic.ca
Alliance of Credential Evaluation Services of Canada - canalliance.org
Career Edge - careeredge.ca
Employment and Social Development Canada - canada.ca
Ontario - ontario.ca
What is an Educational Credential Assessment Report and how do I obtain one - mondaq.com
Candidates Increasingly Turn to Flagpoling For Fast Canada Immigration Services - mondaq.com
Canada post graduation work permit program is booming - cicnews.com
They come from around the world for a better life in Canada how are they faring in the job market - thestar.com
Number of immigrants becoming Canadian citizens drops - cbc.ca
Canada ranked top nation for immigration and investment - cicnews.com
Proficiency in English or French opens many doors for immigrants to Canada - cicnews.com
New express entry draw produces 3600 invitations to apply for Canadian permanent residence - cicnews.com
Canada Economy News - Dec 2019
Canada's economy is strong in December 2019. The economy is highly unlikely to fall into a recession in 2020. There is growth in consumer spending. There is growth in Canada business. Some think that the Canadian economy will stall in 2020, but probably it will not.
Interesting news links:
Economy and Stock News - igorbnews.com
How Canada's economy fared in 2019 and what's ahead for 2020 - business.financialpost.com
Canadian economy faces a prolonged period of sluggish growth - business.financialpost.com
Concern at ‘vulnerable’ Canadian economy - wealthprofessional.ca
Canadian economy will stall in 2020 - troymedia.com
Sunday, November 24, 2019
Anemone - Beat My Distance
Beat My Distance is the debut studio album by Canadian band Anemone. It was released on February 15, 2019. Sunshine (Back to the Start) is the first single from this album. Sounds like a great song. Chloé Soldevila is a good singer. Overall, the band plays together well. I am impressed by this album.
Saturday, November 23, 2019
Shania Twain - More Fun
Here Shania Twain is singing "More Fun" live in Belfast , Ireland on 28th September 2018. She is wearing a nice outfit here. Cool long boots and shows a lot of skin. Shania Twain is a Canadian singer, songwriter and actress. She has sold over 100 million records, making her the best-selling female artist in country music history.
Monday, November 18, 2019
Rheostatics - Here Come the Wolves
Rheostatics has made the album Here Come the Wolves. It sounds like folk, country and hair metal. It has been a long time since they last released an album. Rheostatics are a Canadian indie rock band.
Marianas Trench - Phantoms
Phantoms is the 5th studio album released by Canadian rock band Marianas Trench. It was released on March 1, 2019. This sounds ghostly, haunted and phantom-like.
Tomb Mold - Planetary Clairvoyance (Album)
Here is an interesting music quartet from Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The group is called Tomb Mold. The album, Planetary Clairvoyance sounds like a pretty good metal album. Artwork on the album looks nice. Drums sounds interesting here.
Inter Arma - Sulphur English (Album)
Sulphur English sounds melodic. The drums and guitars sound nice together. The vocals are quite impressive. Sounds like music you could chill to for hours and hours. There is something ominous about this music. Actually, it is pleasant to listen to. Kind of like rhymes are being recited. The music seems to slow down and speed up at other times. Sometimes the drumming is kind of like a march beat.
The intensity of Inter Arma's 4th album is in metal, an interesting melodic experience. Inter Arma country of origin is USA, but close enough to Canada for me to mention it. Just something interesting to listen to.
Carly Rae Jepsen - Dedicated (Album)
Dedicated is the 4th studio album by Canadian singer Carly Rae Jepsen. It was released on May 17, 2019. Bright fun pop songs on this album have a lot of great feels. Too Much is a great song on the Dedicated album.
Saturday, November 16, 2019
Riit - Ataataga
The album ataataga was released on Oct. 25, 2019. The artist is Riit. This is electro pop. It is interesting to hear singing in Inuktitut. Music videos show enchanting worlds.
Riit is a Canadian Inuk musician from Pangnirtung.
Avril Lavigne - Head Above Water
The album Head Above Water by Avril Lavigne was released on Feb. 15, 2018. The comeback is here. She has been absent from music for some time. This music shares feelings of hope.
Avril Lavigne is a Canadian singer, songwriter and actress.
Rae Spoon - I Can't Sleep
This sounds pretty interesting. The artwork drawing for this music album looks cool. The album is called Mental Health (Rae Spoon's 10th album). The artist is Rae Spoon. The release date was Aug. 16. The song "I Can't Sleep" shows an interesting low voice with talented vocals. A mysterious, fascinating, anxious and funny feel is created. Insomnia is an interesting topic.
Rae Spoon is a Canadian musician and writer. The musical style has varied from country to electronic rock.
Marijuana in Canada
Now that marijuana is legal in Canada, sales have increased. Take a look at these interesting statistics charts. Cannabis was banned in Canada from 1923. Now Cannabis in Canada is legal for both recreational and medicinal purposes. Medicinal use was legalized on 30 July 2001. The federal Cannabis Act came into effect on 17 October 2018 and made Canada the second country in the world, after Uruguay, to formally legalize it. Canada is the first G7 and G20 nation to do so.
Here is a list of 10 Canadian Marijuana Stocks that would be good for your Portfolio:
1. Canopy Growth Corp. - Market Cap: $12.4 billion2. Aurora Cannabis - Market Cap: $10.61 billion
3. Aphria Inc. - Market Cap: $3.64 billion
4. The Cronos Group - Market Cap: $1.37 billion
5. The Hexo Corperation - Market Cap: $1.266 billion
6. CannTrust Holdings Inc. - Market Cap: $1.10 billion
7. Namaste Technologies Inc. - Market Cap: $547.42
8. OrganiGram Holdings - Market Cap: $759.73 million
9. Emerald Health Therapeutics - Market Cap: $513.91 million
10. The Supreme Cannabis Company Inc. - Market Cap: $445.50 million
Definitions of Climate Change
Climate change occurs when changes in Earth's climate system result in new weather patterns. These patterns can last for several decades or longer. The climate system is comprised of 5 interacting parts:
1) Atmosphere (air)2) Hydrosphere (water)
3) Cryosphere (ice and permafrost)
4) Biosphere (living things)
5) Lithosphere (earth's crust and upper mantle)
The climate system receives almost all of its energy from the sun, with a relatively small amount from earth's interior. The system also gives off energy to outer space. When the incoming energy is greater than the outgoing energy, the climate system is warming. If more energy goes out, the earth experiences cooling. Long-term averages of weather are called "climate". Changes in the long term average are called "climate change". Human activities can change earth's climate. These activities are currently driving climate change through global warming.
Global warming is a long-term rise in the average temperature of the Earth's climate system. There was an observed and continuing increase in average air and ocean temperatures since 1900 caused mainly by emissions of greenhouse gasses in the modern industrial economy. Many of the observed warming changes since the 1950s are unprecedented in the temperature records. In 2013, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) Fifth Assessment Report concluded, "It is extremely likely that human influence has been the dominant cause of the observed warming since the mid-20th century." There were emission of greenhouse gases such as carbon dioxide, methane, and nitrous oxide. In the report, it says that during the 21st century, the global surface temperature is likely to rise a further 0.3 to 1.7 °C to 2.6 to 4.8 °C. These findings have been recognized by the national science academies of the major industrialized nations. Future climate change effects are expected to include rising sea levels, ocean acidification, regional changes in precipitation, and expansion of deserts in the subtropics. Surface temperature increases are greatest in the Arctic, with the continuing retreat of glaciers, permafrost, and sea ice. There would be more frequent extreme weather events such as heat waves, droughts, wildfires, heavy rainfall with floods, and heavy snowfall. There could be a threat to food security from decreasing crop yields, and the abandonment of populated areas due to rising sea levels. Greenhouse gases remain in the atmosphere for a long time. This means that climatic changes and their effects will continue to become more pronounced for many centuries even if further increases to greenhouse gases stop. Almost all countries are parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). Parties to the UNFCCC have agreed that deep cuts in emissions are required and that global warming should be limited. Public reactions to global warming and concern are increasing. A 2015 global survey showed that a median of 54% of respondents consider it "a very serious problem", with significant regional differences: Americans and Chinese (whose economies are responsible for the greatest annual CO2 emissions) are among the least concerned.
Multiple independently produced datasets confirm that between 1880 and 2012, the global average (land and ocean) surface temperature increased by 0.85 [0.65 to 1.06] °C. Since 1979 the rate of warming has approximately doubled. Since 1950, the number of cold days and nights have decreased, and the number of warm days and night have increased. Although the increase of the average near-surface atmospheric temperature is commonly used to track global warming, over 90% of the additional energy stored in the climate system over the last 50 years has accumulated in the oceans. The rest has melted ice and warmed the continents and the atmosphere. Climate proxies show the temperature to have been relatively stable over the two thousand years before 1850.
In the news: Climate Change and Global Warming:
Corbyn launches bid to declare a national climate emergency - Apr 27, 2019
Cost of climate change rising even faster - Apr 26, 2019
Climate change impacts weather, complicates forecasting - Apr 26, 2019
Thousands march for action on climate change in Montreal as city braces for flooding - Apr 27, 2019
New EPA document tells communities to brace for climate change impacts - Apr 27, 2019
Climate-change protesters glue themselves to the London Stock Exchange - Apr 25, 2019
Opposition pressures UK government to act on climate change - Apr 25, 2019
Global warming tips scales against the poor - Apr 25, 2019
Refugees to Canada
The term refugee can mean a forcibly displaced person who has fled their country of origin. It can also mean a person who was, on top of that, granted refugee status in the country the person fled to. Refugees and others seeking protection in Canada are seeking security and protection from threats to their own lives. Refugee claimants all go through a front-end security screening. Through this process, the Canadian Security Intelligence Service (CSIS) checks all refugee claimants on arrival in Canada. Since the screening was put in place in 2001, the number of claimants found to represent any kind of security concern has been statistically insignificant. It is more difficult to enter Canada as a refugee than as a visitor, because the refugee determination process involves security checks by CSIS and the RCMP, fingerprinting and interviews.
Here are some news about refugees to Canada:
How Syrian refugees to Canada have fared since 2015 - May 21, 2019
Canada nixes ‘safe country’ policy from Harper-era as asylum claims rise - May 17, 2019
Looming election turns up the heat on refugees - May 19, 2019
Opinion: Canada must protect its border - May 21, 2019
Canada's 'rigid' asylum system unable to respond to spikes in refugee claims, auditor general finds - May 7, 2019
Thousands of Saudi students remain in Canada, despite Riyadh's pledge to axe scholarships - May 21, 2019
Canada ends the Designated Country of Origin practice - May 17, 2019
Where Ontario can make cuts: Stop giving welfare to refugees who should be deported - May 9, 2019
From horrors of war to refugee in Canada: teacher helps student share his story - May 14, 2019
AGAR: Trudeau refuses to protect our border from illegal aliens - May 20, 2019
Canada and Saudi Arabia Relations
Relations between Canada and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia are interesting. The countries share important economic ties, with Saudi Arabia representing Canada's second largest trading partner in the Middle East. The relationship increased in February 2014 with the purchase of C$15 billion worth of Canadian arms by Saudi Arabia. Until August 2018, there were over 16,000 Saudi students on government scholarships in Canada.
Here are some news about Canada and Saudi Arabia:
Saudi Arabia withdrawing students from Canadian schools, suspending flights - Aug 6, 2018
For Canada, the G20 summit in Saudi Arabia could be far more tense than most - Jul 10, 2019
Canada should lead campaign to move G20 summit out of Saudi Arabia, says UN expert - Jul 5, 2019
Canadian Labour Congress urged to denounce Canada’s arms deal with Saudi Arabia - Jun 26, 2019
Canadian Export Agency Lifts Suspension on Saudi Arabia Business - Jul 2, 2019
Saudi Arabia Controls North America’s Largest Oil Refinery - Jul 16, 2019
UN calls on Canada, U.S. to hold Saudi Arabia’s Mohammed bin Salman accountable in Khashoggi killing - Jun 20, 2019
Canada still shipping LAVs to Saudi Arabia despite human rights concerns - Jun 27, 2019
World Education Services (WES) Helps International Students
World Education Services (WES) is a non-profit organization helping international students, immigrants and professionals achieve their educational and professional goals in the United States and Canada. Through this program, people can learn the basic financial aid vocabulary, where to begin the search for funding and how to prepare the financial aid applications.
Interesting links:
Civil Engineers from Foreign Countries Come to Canada
Civil Engineers from foreign countries can find success in Canada. Once in Canada, civil engineers benefit from good jobs and competitive salaries. Because their skills are in high demand, they have the flexibility to work almost anywhere they wish, usually provided that they obtain the necessary certification. Each year, thousands of engineers with international qualifications immigrate to Canada. Representing around 12% of licensed engineers in Canada, they work in the fields of civil, electrical, industrial, manufacturing and mechanical engineering. The average Civil Engineer salary in Canada is $68,000 per year or $34.87 per hour. Entry level positions start at $36,266 per year while most experienced workers make up to $115,600 per year.
Useful interesting links:
(Sept 2019) Some Canadian Retailers Join Global Climate Strike
What is a Global Climate Strike? There is an international movement of school students who take time off from class to participate in demonstrations to demand action to prevent further global warming and climate change. This global movement is calling on Canadians to join a mass strike planned for Friday and "disrupt business as usual." Many retailers in Canada are ignoring that call, but some are joining the strike. Three chains are planning to shutter operations to help raise awareness about the climate strike movement.
For example, a Vancouver-based company, Lush Cosmetics North America, made the decision. The toiletry maker said it will shut down its 50 shops, manufacturing facilities and online shopping in Canada on Friday in an effort to encourage its 2,216 staff and customers to participate in local actions.
Organizers plan climate strikes on Friday in more than 150 countries, including Canada.
Canadian economy stalls in July with oil and gas slowdown
Canada’s economy stalled in July - analysts did not expect this. This raises concern the nation is greatly affected by the broader global slowdown. Gross domestic product was unchanged in July from a 0.2 per cent gain in June, Statistics Canada said Tuesday from Ottawa. A drop in oil and gas extraction was the main contributor to the slowdown in GDP, falling 3 per cent in July, the largest monthly decline since 2016. The latest GDP reading may increase pressure on the Bank of Canada to cut rates. There are increasing worries that greater global economic uncertainty is beginning to affect Canada’s economic expansion.
A slowdown in mining, quarry and oil and gas extraction was responsible for the majority of the decline, contracting 3.5 per cent in July. This was the largest decrease for the industry since May 2016. The shutdown of some of Newfoundland and Labrador’s offshore production facilities for maintenance issues negatively impacted oil and natural gas activity in July. On an annual basis, output rose 1.3 per cent in July.
After stalling for two consecutive quarters, Canada’s economic activity increased by a stellar 3.7 per cent in the second quarter of this year.
ACCA (Association of Chartered Certified Accountants) and Canada
The ACCA (Association of Chartered Certified Accountants) was founded in 1904. It is the global professional accounting body offering Chartered Certified Accountant qualification (ACCA). ACCA's headquarters are in London. The principal administrative office is in Glasgow. ACCA works in 52 countries.
A member who holds an ACCA designation, is considered to hold a Bachelors degree in Canada. ACCA and the Certified General Accountants Association of Canada (CGA-Canada) have a global mutual recognition agreement.
Interesting links:
Courier Services to ship goods from Philippines to Canada
Choose the courier company that fits your needs. All international shipping courier services in Philippines have online tracking service and rate calculator. Here is a list of some companies:
2Go Express
2GO Express is the only retail partner of FedEx in the Philipines.
DHL
Get tracking service and rate calculator. Good customer service. Get an online quote. Enter package information (size, weight, etc.) and you can find out how much to pay for the international shipping.
FedEx
FedEx, just like DHL, allows you to get shipping rates from Philippines to Canada or anywhere. You have to login to the site.
JRS Express
JRS is one of the well-known local courier companies in the Philippines. When you use the rate calculator to find out the shipping rate, use grams instead of kilograms, which is the common weight by courier services in the Philippines.
UPS
Good for sending documents within Canada. It has a little bit of a higher rate than Canada Post. In the Philippines, UPS is probably less known compared to other courier services. UPS also has ways for you to calculate time and cost. UPS has many drop-off locations such as the authorised shipping outlet and UPS Alliance locations. There is probably an outlet near you.
Xend
For people into online business, Xend is a nice courier service, especially for domestic shipping. Drop-off locations are more accessible in 7/11 and 2GO branches. The rates are based on the shipment’s destination. This is regardless of the pick-up location. The international shipping is sent through UPS, Singapore Post, or Philpost.
Conclusions
Before you send your packages, check the rates on the appropriate web sites. Having many different choices can help you save money. If you are not in a hurry, choose the standard shipping rate. Get free insurance if there is such thing. Paid insurance options exist.
Canada’s economic expansion is successful
Canada is a highly developed market economy. It is the 10th largest GDP (by nominal) in the world. The country's economy is dominated by the service industry which employs about three quarters of Canadians. Canada has the 4th highest total estimated value of natural resources. Canada is one of the world's top 10 trading nations, with a highly globalized economy. The Toronto Stock Exchange is the 9th largest stock exchange in the world by market capitalization.
In 2018, Canadian trade in goods and services reached CA$1.5 trillion. Canada's exports totalled over CA$585 billion, while its imported goods were worth over CA$607 billion, of which approximately CA$391 billion originated from the United States, CA$216 billion from non-U.S. sources.
Canada’s economic expansion has been strong over the past two years. Growth in 2018 was 2% (preliminary estimate was 1.9%), Statistics Canada said Thursday.
The numbers suggest the economy may have been stronger than previously thought, potentially validating the Bank of Canada’s decision to continue raising interest rates at the time and its decision more recently to hold off on matching cuts to borrowing costs made by other major central banks including the Federal Reserve.
Not everything is going well for Canada, though. Business investment is well below initially estimated levels.
Canada and PGWP (Post Graduate Work Permit)
Post graduate work permit (PGWP) is a useful program for those International students who would like to acquire valuable Canadian work experience after graduation. Also, this program is one of the bridging mechanisms for foreign students to transition from temporary resident status to permanent residency.
Interesting information and news about PGWP:
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