Health & Wellness

School is out - safety is in THORNHILL, ON, June 28 /CNW/ - The time has come for kids to trade in their books and pencil cases for outside, summertime fun. And with that, CAA South Central Ontario (CAA SCO) is urging motorists to keep a watchful eye out for kids playing near traffic.  "With summer comes more children playing outdoors and enjoying the weather," said Silvana Aceto, Media and Public Relations Specialist, CAA SCO. "Kids are focused on having fun and not always aware of cars, so drivers need to be aware of them even more." CAA SCO tips for a kid-safe summer: Watch for kids darting out into the street chasing a ball or pet. Slow down near parks, playgrounds and residential areas where kids are playing. Check for kids behind your vehicle before backing up. Leave extra space on the road for kids riding their bikes. Family road trips are popular this time of year. It's important to have a plan in place for a stress free and safe drive, wherever you go. To help get you ready, CAA SCO recommends the following road trip tips: Keep kids occupied with DVDs, books and music. Plan driving breaks for long road trips. Pack snacks and toys for kids at rest stops. If you are looking for somewhere fun to take the kids this summer, why not check out Centre Ville Toronto Islands, Canada's Wonderland, Ontario Place or the Hockey Hall of Fame where CAA SCO members can get great discounts. To see all of CAA SCO's travel partner discounts, visit www.caasco.com. CAA South Central Ontario is a not-for-profit auto club offering insurance, travel, automotive care and roadside services. There are more than 1.8 million CAA members in South Central Ontario and 5 million members in Canada. We're more than Roadside Assistance. We're Life-side Assistance.

Football replay used to fight dementia http://www.newstrackindia.com/newsdetails/165709 London | Sun, 27 Jun 2010 London, June 27 (ANI): Football can help stimulate the recollections of dementia sufferers, a project has found. In a study, researchers at Glasgow Caledonian University found that showing football memorabilia to men with the condition stimulated their memories in a 'remarkable' way. The study used match photographs and programmes as the basis for discussions. And the results showed that the men responded well to the memorabilia and were able to chat to others about their memories of players and games. The British university said that interest in the pilot initiative has already been expressed in Canada, where researchers are considering using ice hockey as the basis for a similar study. "This was a fascinating study that revealed impressive results," the Scotsman quoted Professor Debbie Tolson, director of the university's Scottish Centre for Evidence Based Care of Older People, as saying. "The men's lifelong interest in football connected them to their former selves and shared memories. There is very little provided specifically for men with dementia and this is a welcome and positive innovation. "We have had a tremendous response to this research, with Canada considering adopting the same principle with ice hockey. At the moment, I am gathering together a group of researchers to mount a proposal to roll out the concept to other European countries," Tolson added. (ANI)

Clutter leads to emotional distress for large majority of Canadians New survey also reveals some Canadians believe the value of their clutter exceeds $1,000 TORONTO, June 21 /CNW/ - Canadians experience a range of emotions, from frustration to depression, knowing that they have household clutter to clear. According to a recent survey commissioned by Kijiji Canada, more than two-thirds (71 per cent) of Canadians are bothered by their clutter. The survey also reveals the majority (77 per cent) of Canadians are able to put a price tag on their clutter. How much are Canadians holding on to? One-in-10 Canadians recognize that they are storing clutter with a collective value of more than $1,000. So, why aren't Canadians turning their clutter into cash? The survey, conducted by Ipsos-Reid on behalf of Kijiji, reveals that some Canadians are holding on to items simply because they don't know how to reclaim some of the item's value. "I spent a lot of money on an item," is an excuse that Kijiji Canada's Clutter Wrangler, Jaclyn Ray, hears frequently. As a professional organizer, she cautions clutter collectors "that it is not a good reason to hold on to the unwanted item." "Our research reveals that one-third of Canadians are so overwhelmed by their clutter that they're storing it anywhere there is space," she adds. "There's no reason to hold on to these unwanted items when it's simple to turn clutter into cash using a classifieds site like Kijiji.ca. It's easy and free to post an ad for the unwanted item and give it a second home, while recouping some of the cost." Turning clutter into cash The survey reveals that turning clutter into cash is also emotionally rewarding. The majority (66 per cent) of Canadians feel a sense of satisfaction when it comes to being clutter-free. A clutter-free home can also lead to feeling refreshed (35 per cent) and energized (24 per cent). In order to de-clutter and achieve that sense of satisfaction, Kijiji's Clutter Wrangler, Jaclyn Ray suggests the following tips: Detach in order to de-clutter. Really ask yourself: what is the worst possible thing that would happen if I didn't have this item. Group things together. Organize similar items together to help get rid of duplicates. For example, sort clothing by type - t-shirts, jeans, socks, etc. - and take an inventory of the items. Most people don't need more than a couple white t-shirts so think about donating or selling any extras. Stick to the 'use it or lose it' rule. Only keep what is useful now, not in the future or at some point in the past. Remember, unused items can be sold on Kijiji.ca. Make sure everything is in its place. Sometimes clutter is just stuff that belongs someplace else. Donate what you don't need. Almost anything can be used by someone else. Not sure who to give it to? Post the item to the Free Stuff category on Kijiji.ca. Wray also suggests de-cluttering daily. The longer someone holds on to an item, the harder it is to get rid of it. Signs of a clutter collector One-third of Canadians consider themselves to be a clutter collector and the survey reveals that there are some tell-tale signs of the bad habit: An overflowing basement or garage. Eighty per cent of Canadians store their unwanted items in these two rooms and the basement is the room that survey respondents are most likely to want to make better use of. More family arguments. Only four-in-10 Canadians say that clutter never causes arguments with other family members. Closet-content mysteries. Almost one-third of Canadians indicate that they forget about an item once it is put away. The survey also reveals that clutter collectors have a variety of reasons for holding on to unwanted items. Approximately 40 per cent of Canadians use at least one of the following excuses: They would get rid of unwanted items if there were a free and easy way to do it. They're holding on to unwanted items longer than they want to because of the hassle or amount of time it takes to get rid of the item. They've held on to an item because they simply don't know how to get rid of it. They would get rid of clutter if it were easy to find someone who needed the item. They are more likely to get rid of unwanted items if they didn't have to transport it. "Approximately 13.6-million Canadians are out of excuses for holding on to their clutter," said Zachary Candelario, general manager, Kijiji Canada. "With 99 community sites across the country and no posting fees, Kijiji is a free and easy way for Canadians to connect with someone in their neighbourhood, reducing the amount of time it takes to get rid of an unwanted item and often eliminating the need to transport it." To start turning their clutter into cash, Canadians should visit www.kijiji.ca. Methodology These are some of the findings of an Ipsos Reid online poll conducted April 5-12, 2010, on behalf of Kijiji. For this survey, a national sample of 1,041 adults from Ipsos' Canadian online panel was interviewed online. Weighting was then employed to balance demographics and ensure that the sample's composition reflects that of the adult population according to Census data and to provide results intended to approximate the sample universe. A survey with an unweighted probability sample of this size and a 100% response rate would have an estimated margin of error of +/-3.0 percentage points 19 times out of 20 of what the results would have been had the entire population of adults in Canada been polled. All sample surveys and polls may be subject to other sources of error, including, but not limited to coverage error, and measurement error. About Kijiji Kijiji, which means "village" in Swahili, is a group of classifieds-style web sites that offer a convenient, fun, and easy way for people in the same city to meet, trade, share ideas, and help each other out in areas such as housing, jobs, goods, services, cars, and personals. The entire Kijiji family includes the Kijiji, Gumtree, LoQUo, Intoko, and Marktplaats brands. Kijiji sites are currently available in over 1500 cities in more than 20 markets around the world; it is the most visited classified site in Canada with more than 8 million unique visitors per month. For further information: Media please contact: Amy Clark, Environics Communications on behalf of Kijiji Canada 416-969-2758, aclark@environicspr.com   Nicole Tuschak, Environics Communications on behalf of Kijiji Canada, 416-969-2712 ntuschak@environicspr.com   Kijiji Canada

Police Leaders Committed to Fighting "Pernicious Influence" of Racial Profiling Commitment to Protecting Front-line Officers, Children From Internet Predators, and Seeking Justice for First Nations Police Officers Among Resolutions Passed by Ontario Police Leaders TORONTO, June 21 /CNW/ - Police leaders from across Ontario have affirmed their strong resolve to combating racial bias in policing at the conclusion of the Ontario Association of Chiefs of Police's 59th Annual Conference and Global Showcase. A resolution passed by OACP members at the OACP's Annual General Meeting acknowledges that while the overwhelming majority of Ontario police service members conduct themselves professionally and perform their duties without exhibiting any form of bias, racial profiling may occurs when members of a police service inappropriately consider race or ethnicity in deciding how and with whom to intervene in a policing capacity. The resolution commits police leaders to continuing their strong resolve to implementing positive measures to prevent bias in policing and to promote harmonious relationships with all the diverse communities they serve. "This resolution affirms our belief that police must be continuously combat the pernicious influence of bias in policing," said OACP President Chief Robert Herman (Thunder Bay Police Service). "As police leaders, we need to 'lead from the front' when it comes to combating racial profiling." Ontario's police leaders also issued calls for Government of Ontario and Government of Canada to provider pension equity for First Nations police constables and called for the Ontario Government to bring together policing stakeholders in a formal working group to address post-traumatic stress disorder impacting front-line officers. The OACP conference attracted more than 250 delegates and companions as well as more than 100 exhibitors from June 13-16 in Kingston, Ontario. Members of the Ontario Association of Chiefs of Police serve their communities as the senior police leaders in municipal, regional, provincial, national, and First Nations police services across Ontario Resolutions Passed by Ontario's Police Leaders Ontario Association of Chiefs of Police Annual General Meeting June 16, 2010 Support for the Reinstatement of a Seconded Officer to the Ministry of Community Safety and Correctional Services to deal with Domestic Violence issues The Ontario Association of Chiefs of Police calls on the Government of Ontario to reinstate funding for a seconded police officer to the Ministry of Community Safety and Correctional Services. This officer would assist in coordinating the collective policing efforts with government to develop and deliver strategic programs and front-line responses to incidents of domestic violence with a view to eliminating the needless domestic violence related deaths in Ontario. Paid Duty Salary Disclosure The Ontario Association of Chiefs of Police calls on the Government of Ontario to amend the Public Sector Salary Disclosure Act, 1996, to exclude T4 earnings (box 14) that are specific to "Paid Duty" earnings for police, as they are fully recoverable from the customer, having no negative budgetary impact on the municipal rate payer, nor are such earnings derived from the tax levy in the first instance. Vehicle Licence Exemption The Ontario Association of Chiefs of Police again calls on the Government of Ontario to provide the same exemption for annual license fees for municipal police vehicles.   Racial Profiling The Ontario Association of Chiefs of Police accepts that racial bias exists in Ontario society and in its institutions, and that members of police services can be susceptible to its pernicious influence. The OACP affirms that police organizations and their individual members, especially given the unique authority bestowed on police by society, have a heightened responsibility to ensure their decisions are free of all bias, racial or otherwise. The OACP encourages police services throughout Ontario to continue implementing on-going positive measures to prevent bias in policing and to promote harmonious relationships with all the diverse communities they serve. The measures referred to above include: policy, human resources and training processes, systems of supervision and accountability as well as proactive community engagement. Ontario Police Officer Access to Ontario Ministry of Transportation Drivers License Photographs The Ontario Association of Chiefs of Police calls on the Government of Ontario to immediately prioritize and assign sufficient direct and indirect fiscal, technical, support and hosting resources, enabling timely delivery of these short and long term strategies to enhance access to Ontario Ministry of Transportation drivers license photos electronically by and for Ontario police officers, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder The Ontario Association of Chiefs of Police calls on the Government of Ontario to strike a formal working group of the key stakeholders, including the Ontario Association of Police Services Boards, Police Association of Ontario, Ontario Provincial Police Association, Toronto Police Association, Ontario Senior Officers Association, and the Ontario Association of Chiefs of Police to: explore the issues around any such proposed amendments to the Workplace Safety and Insurance Act and Operational Policy 15-03-02, and work with government officials and the medical community to develop an appropriate diagnostic tool with respect to Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, specifically for police officers and police personnel, and develop an awareness campaign with respect to Post Traumatic Stress Disorder and its effects in policing. Crime Prevention The Ontario Association of Chiefs of Police calls upon the Government of Ontario to establish and implement a general Crime Prevention Fund to provide continual support to police services within Ontario to maintain and deliver crime prevention initiatives and programs. Pension Equity The Ontario Association of Chiefs of Police calls upon the Government of Ontario and the Government of Canada to provide adequate funding to the FNPP to ensure that pension benefits for First Nation Constables are equivalent to those received by other police officers in the Province of Ontario. Increasing Standards of Effectiveness for Wireless Enhanced 911 Service for All Canadians The Ontario Association of Chiefs of Police inform the Canadian Association of Chiefs of Police (CACP) of this issue and requests that all necessary and appropriate action be taken to ensure that Canadian citizens have the same level of E911 service reliability and accuracy as do the citizens of other countries, The OACP, through the CACP, strongly advocate for a nationwide enhanced 911 standard that is fully capable of locating devices that are "roaming" on the network of a service provider other than their own. The OACP, through the CACP, advocate strongly for a nationwide enhanced 911 standard that is capable of continually relocating a 911 call from a wireless device even in the event that the device travels from one cell site to another. The OACP advocate strongly for a nationwide enhanced 911 standard that leverages best in class technology to locate wireless enhanced 911 callers as precisely as is practicably possible given current technology. Each police service is asked to track those events where the 911 centre is either not provided with any location or the precise location of a 911 call from a wireless device and report said statistics for use by this organization in the furtherance of its advocacy on this issue.  Each member of OACP is asked to inform their local Member(s) of Parliament and Member(s) of Provincial Parliament of this organization's commitment to advocate for a nationwide wireless enhanced 911 systems as outlined in this resolution. Internet Child Exploitation The Ontario Association of Chiefs of Police calls on the Government of Ontario to provide adequate funding to support the Provincial Strategy for the Protection of Children Against Internet Exploitation.

UN report finds global drug use shifting away from opium, cocaine; stimulant use up http://www.metronews.ca/toronto/world/article/560480--report-finds-drug-use-shifting Matthew Lee, The Associated Press | 23 June 2010 11:53 WASHINGTON - The United Nations said Wednesday that global drug use is shifting as demand for cocaine and heroin flattens in developed countries but rises in the developing world. In an annual report released in Washington, U.N. Office on Drugs and Crime found increases in opium and coca production in Myanmar and Peru, but not nearly enough to offset declines in the world's largest producers Afghanistan and Colombia. Although production in Afghanistan, the source of 89 per cent of the world's opium, remains high, poppy production may drop by as much as a quarter this year due to a fungus blight that has hit the biggest growing areas, the report said. Reducing opium production is key to the Obama administration's Afghan counter-insurgency strategy. Meanwhile, coca production in the Andes, which went down by 28 per cent over the past decade, continued to drop due mainly to eradication efforts in Colombia. Peru's coca crop grew for a fourth straight year, the report noted, nearly doubling over the past 10 years. As cocaine and heroin use declined, the report found that abuse of stimulants and prescription drugs has gone up worldwide, and that their use exceeds opiates and cocaine combined. "People are saying goodbye to heroin and they are nearly not so much enchanted by cocaine but they are starting to use prescription drugs by volumes which make them addictive," Antonio Maria Costa, chief the U.N. drug office, told reporters in presenting the report. More worrying, Costa said, was that as demand for cocaine and heroin stabilizes in the West, it has grown in east Asia and Africa in countries that have few resources or infrastructure to deal with it. "As a result, there is now the risk of a public health disaster in developing countries that would enslave masses of humanity to the misery of drug dependence," he said.