The Independent June 30 2017 The Independent June 30 2017 | Page 4

4 The Independent. the Diaspora’s Multicultural Voice June 30 2017 Our View Editorial Canada at 150 It took 150 years, but the end result is the greatest country in the world. And there’s no doubt that’s what Canada is – a country that en- joys all the freedoms of the west, and one where people from every- where in the world, including the most oppressed, can find a home. The reason Canada is number one is not because of its celebrated free heath care, one of the best systems on the globe. That, of course, makes it a desirable place to live. It’s also not because of our democratic freedom, though that too must be entered into the equation. What makes Canada the GOAT (greatest of all time) is the fact that it is inclusive; it is a place where everyone -- whatever their cul- ture, race, religion or gender preference – can call home. It is one where differences are celebrated rather than scorned, and one where every resident or citizen, no matter their country of origin, brings something to the table to add to the general quality of life. This is a country that went to all lengths to make that happen. It was by design, not accident. From its forefathers to today’s leaders, there was a general vision to create the world’s best country for all. And that’s what we are today. One hundred and fifty years after confederation, Canada is the country every other nation wants to mimic in terms of racial toler- ance and harmony in diversity. It’s because we walk the talk and don’t just pay lip service to such ideals. It hasn’t been easy. This country has seen its share of intolerance and bigotry, some of which manifests itself in murder, as in the attack on a Quebec mosque that left six people dead in February this year. The attack itself was horrendous, but our greatness as a country was manifested in our response to it. People from every walk of life turned out to grieve the show of hatred and the lives lost. It showed the world that any act of bigotry that happens on our soil will not be, for one minute, tolerated. And that’s what makes Canada great at 150. It is a shining beacon for the world. And if we may say so, she looks damn good for her age. Editorial from the Trinidad Newsday, June 22 2017 WE CALL for a speedy and thorough inves- tigation into the circumstances surrounding the Herman Silochan, Dr Susan Gosine-Herrera (NY), Rajesh Ragbir, N.D. Robert Ranjitsingh, Tony Deyal, Raynier Maharaj The Independent prefers to be contacted via email. Please send all communications to the email address listed above. The Independent is a proud supporter of schoolwork or lower grades; rebellious behav- sources they will need as they face the future to- possessions; appearing bored or distracted; writ- gether. Sadly, while the victim in this case was as- How do you kill a blue elephant? Shoot it with a blue elephant gun. How do you kill a red elephant? Strangle it till it turns blue, then shoot it with a blue elephant gun. How do you kill a green elephant? Tell it a dirty joke until it blushes and turns red, strangle it until it turns blue, then shoot it with a blue elephant gun. How do you kill a yellow elephant? What are you talking about? Yellow elephants don't exist! This is the kind of offbeat humour I tend to use as comic relief in my communication workshops and retreats be cause there are messages or links to impor- tant issues hidden in them although, I admit, the jokes are really a way of relieving the tensions gener- ated by my high-intensity, extremely interactive group sessions that have no lectures and comprise only of labs and case studies. My definition of com- munication is pragmatic and much more suited to the business environment than talk about signals and noise. For me, the basic function of all communica- tion is to control the environment to achieve or attain specific and measurable physical, economic, social and emotional rewards. Whether we know it or not, plan or don’t plan it, all communication has a pur- pose even if it is only for the other person to think or say, “Tony is a really mannerly feller you know.” What some people find hard to believe until they look closely into themselves is the importance of self- interest in communication. The fact is that if we don’t want something from other people, we will pass them straight. I once worked with a lady who every morning would refuse to return my “Good morn- it’s FREE to your smart device away from home; changes in eating habits; dra- matic personality changes in appearance (for the learned must be applied to future cases. talk of suicide, even in a joking way. any recommendations that could improve proto- to tackling mental health issues in teenagers is the 2800 and 645- 6616 — should be given adequate swiftly reviewed by Cabinet with a view to im- Mental health is a public-health concern and until available and provide a high-quality level of in- The findings of this investigation, including cols and procedures currently in place, should be if we, as a society, are to protect our most vulner- prevent his death. Whatever lessons can be One of the major challenges when it comes stigma that accompanies these issues generally. it is seen as such, we will continue to lose lives needlessly. astating blow to all those around the child. On Monday, the Children’s Authority said it was focusing on children housed at the centre, and therapeutic support was being provided to the children as well as the staff. One of the basic things we can do as a nation seriously, viewing them as temporal when they who have taken their own lives. ing their depth by finding easy explanations for cording to the World Health Organization, by As a society we must arm ourselves with Local statistics suggest the problem is on the rise Know the warning signs. These include: We must do what we can to prevent the may reflect long-term patterns and underestimat- conduct that is morose. knowledge and take this matter seriously. It is essential that therapeutic support is pro- withdrawal from friends and family members; long run. Trauma manifests itself in often insidi- ting along with others; changes in the quality of vided not only in the short-term but also in the tervention. so that no other person has to experience that day stresses. We do not treat mental-health issues 16. Not only is this a tragic loss of life, it is a dev- resources to ensure these hotlines are consistently distress amid the hustle and bustle of modern- children are treated. No child should end up dead at the age of Those who man hotlines like Lifeline — 645- is not treat suicide and mental health issues as — asked to “man up” or to dismiss clear signs of ness of a society can be judged by the way its worse); sleep disturbances; drug or alcohol abuse; Too often are people — both young and old able. To paraphrase Mahatma Gandhi, the great- ing”. I considered not saying anything to her but de- cided I had to be who I am and it was part of my own armoury meant to disarm other people. So I contin- ued. Then one morning, before I could get the “Good…” out of my mouth, the lady smiled almost beatifically and said in honeyed tones, “Good morn- ing Tony. How are you this morning?” What did that tell me? She wanted something from me (and I was proven right a few seconds later). A lot of these communication basics come from a 1985 book which was way ahead of its time (“Or- ganizations in the Communications Age” by E.A. More and R.K. Laird). Another important text, “Man- aging By Communication” (Myers, M.T., and Myers, G.) identified what I consider the four basic truths about communication. These are, you cannot not communicate; communication always occurs in a context of change; communication is irreversible and perception is reality. Put in a different way, commu- nication is not what you do but how others interpret what you do from their own unique perspectives and perceptions. This is why you cannot not communi- cate. It is not up to you but to the other person or people. Also, if you say something to someone, like my “Good Morning”, you are really trying to change that person for some reason based on your own needs. If the person responds, it means that he or she has accepted your challenge and will use the oppor- tunity to try to change you. It is a battle of wits and this is why the basic unit of communication is called a “transaction”. It is all about buying, selling, dealing SUBSCRIBE ing or drawing pictures about death; running cued by the T&T Children’s Authority. sanctioned safe house two years after being res- The elephant in the room www.tccfangels.com iours; unusual gift-giving or giving away own sessed as depressed, that intervention did not that these safe houses function at an optimal level The Independent is a digital bi-weekly newspaper for the intelligent reader and is designed to serve minority immigrants in the Diaspora on the basis of commonality of experiences and needs. Writers/Photographers: ous ways and at unpredictable intervals. These children need to be able to draw upon the re- death by suicide of a 16-year-old boy at a State- plementation as soon as possible. It is essential E-mail: [email protected] 416-278-9302 Dead at 16 trouble in romantic relationships; difficulty get- and dominance. Whether it is small beer or big bucks, communication always occurs in a context of change. One thing we learn from all the claims of being “misquoted” or being “taken out of context” is that we cannot unsay what has already been said. Com- munication is irreversible. It is pathetic to receive an email which is followed almost immediately by an- other recalling the email that was sent. Mentally and technically it cannot be done. It is like the smart lawyer who says something knowing that the other lawyer will object. The Judge sustains the objection and calls for the statement to be struck off the record. However, nobody can erase it from the minds of the Jury. So communication is irreversible. Once you send it out there you cannot take it back. In terms of perception and reality, if I think someone is a crook, when I shake hands with that person I will most likely count my fingers afterwards. I know that you cannot teach anyone anything but you can create an environment in which people, especially adults, might be tempted to learn. One of the techniques I use to create such a setting is lateral- thinking puzzles. Wikipedia explains that lateral thinking is solving problems through an indirect and creative approach, using reasoning that is not imme- diately obvious and involving ideas that may not be obtainable by using only traditional step-by-step logic. So if you wondered about the elephants, here are a few laterals thrown at you for good measure. A man uses a stick to strike a part of an elephant and the Diaspora’s Multicultural Voice taboo concerns. Talking about suicide is essential same pain and grief as the communities of people This is an issue that is not going away. Ac- 2020, there will be more than 1.5 million suicides. among our teenagers. tragic and devastating loss of life. No one should be robbed of their bright future. after a few sec- onds it disap- pears. The man is then a lot richer. Why? The man is playing billiards with balls made Tony Deyal of ivory. By pock- eting a ball with his cue, he wins the match. A hunter aimed his gun carefully and fired. Sec- onds later, he realized his mistake. Minutes later, he was dead. Explain. One of the possibilities is that he shot an elephant with a low caliber rifle not powerful enough to kill the elephant which became enraged and trampled the hunter. Then there is this one. A nobleman was extremely displeased when he re- ceived an unwanted gift from the king. Why? The King was the King of Siam and the gift was a white elephant. The story goes that the King gave the rare white elephant to those with whom he was dis- pleased and wished to ruin. The elephant was very expensive to keep but was sacred and could not be used for work. Also, as a royal gift it could not be disposed of. This is the source of the expression “a white elephant.” Tony Deyal was last seen asking how do you put a gi- raffe into a fridge? Open the door, put in the giraffe and close the door? How do you put an elephant into a fridge? Open the door. Take out the giraffe etc. E-mail “subscribe” to [email protected] Join the 50,000 people who get The Independent each issue