That is when I, and many others, knew this was serious.  So, we had to find things to do.  For me, it wasn’t a huge change, but a lot of people were, and are, struggling with not going out.  Here are some ideas of what you can do or try while in self-isolation.

Take an online course if you have spare time.

Coursera offers free courses, even some University degrees, and it is 100% online.  You can choose a course about something that you were once been interested in, or one that you can’t take at University because it is not part of your program.  For example, Instructional Design, or other computer programming courses, as well as languages, art and history.  They also offer some certificates and masters programs like machine learning and data science.  There is also SkillShare, where you can explore a new hobby or learn something new such as illustration, animation, or photography.  They have many different art projects and other interesting classes.  You can get a basic plan for free, or a premium plan (which offers unlimited access and the ability to download the classes) for 11.75/ month.

For anyone with kids, Scholastic has some online lessons for free.  Anything from pre-kindergarten to grade 9.  Another website for children is IXL.  This is a paid website, but it has a pretty good curriculum that teachers use as well.  ABCmouse.com is a paid resource for younger aged kids such as pre-kindergarten to grade 2, and it offers educational games, books, and fun, and the price is reasonable.

Reading.

When you are bored, you can catch up on your favorite book.  If you’ve already started one, now is the time to finish reading it (this includes textbooks).  You can also start a new book that you have not had time to read.  Some libraries also offer e-books.  You simply log in with your library account number and you can take out virtual books for free.

Visit a museum.

Some very large museums offer a virtual tour.  There are options such as The British Museum, The National Gallery of Art Museum, and the Van Gogh Museum.  Check out this link for the full list.  Another option is to watch some BBC or other nature shows such as the classic Blue Planet, or Deep Ocean on YouTube.  They are wonderful for adults or kids.  There are countless of BBC and National Geographic documentaries online you can watch for free or paid.

You can still get to travel while in quarantine too because some National Parks also offer a virtual tour.  Just click the “virtual tour” link under each heading to start your tour.

Do your taxes!

For anyone who hasn’t finished, or even started their taxes, with nothing better to do, why not get it done.  You can also make your budget for the year, if you do that type of planning and haven’t already made one.  Think about how much you could save if you make a plan.

Lastly, it is time for spring cleaning.

Why not do some extra work during spring cleaning.  People are organizing and re-arranging things in their homes.  It is also time for planting in a greenhouse or inside.  You can make a garden outside if you don’t already have one, and if you do, now is a good time to start planning what you want to plant.

For Those Who Are Essential

But maybe you’re still working because your employment is considered an essential service. Even so, you still cannot participate in birthday parties, get togethers, classes, restaurants, and other activities you might be used to, so why not make the most of it with some of the ideas above?

It is a good time to learn a new hobby or practice one you already know, learn something new about the world, work a little extra at home, or indulge in some virtual travel.  Whatever you do, always remember, it could be worse.

And if you are one of the people who got sick, I am sorry.  It will probably suck, but I hope you recover well.

1. Debt Collection: Someone calls and asks the victim to repay a made-up debt. They demand collection of those debts and can be harassing or threatening to their victims.  They may say they are calling from a bank and claim they are owed fees that the victim may not have been aware of.  Debt collectors usually work legitimately to collect debts owed to them but sometimes, “debt collection agencies and debt collectors…perpetrate scams on honest people who owe nothing” while others violate the law in collecting debts (CFR, online).  If someone contacts you claiming you owe a debt, you should ask for the person’s name and tell them you will call the main number and speak to someone later.  Also get the exact claim they say you owe and confirm this information with the business they are collecting for.
2. Fake Government Officials: Many people are receiving phone calls, and sometimes e-mails or letters, from someone posing as an agent of the CRA, IRS, or FBI, telling victims that there is an arrest warrant out for them for falsifying information on their taxes, or for tax evasion, or something similar, and to avoid the arrest the victim must pay them through gift cards, Western Union, or follow a link and enter information (CRA, online). This is a scary one for a lot of people because even if they believe that there has been a mistake, they do not want to go to jail and may pay the money requested to avoid being arrested while they sort the problem out.  The scammer tells them they cannot hang up the call or tell anyone, otherwise they will be arrested.  The real government would not ask for pay with any type of those methods.  Just hang up.  The CRA will never ask for information about your passport, health card, or driver’s license, so don’t be fooled.
3. Identity Theft, Phishing, and Phone Scams: In this scam, the victim gets an email from what appears to be a real bank or credit card company. They are informed that they must update their information, secure their account, or told their account will be closed if they don’t log in and they are given a link to click on.  The person clicks the link and ends up entering their information on a fake website and the scammer can then gain access to their accounts.  This is also an example of phishing, “Phishing is a method thieves and con men used to get personal information from you to steal your identity and then your money or benefits.” (CFR, online).  If you receive anything like this, do not click the links provided or enter any information in.  Go directly on a new tab and go to the legitimate website.

The phone scams in this list also include a “Your Microsoft license key has expired” scam call which involves a pop up that tells victims that their license for windows has expired, or their computer has been infected with a virus and to remove it, they must call a number (usually a fake Microsoft rep) or they may receive a phone call stating they are from Microsoft with the same line (CFR, online).  You can safely delete any e-mail asking for information like this because most companies wouldn’t ask you to click on a link.

4. Loans Scams / Credit Fixers: Here, the victim receives an e-mail or letter, usually offering them a debt consolidation loan, student loan, mortgage, small business loan, with or without any credit, or even with bad credit.  “The offer and their websites may look real, except they will quickly ask you for personal financial information, social security number, bank account numbers” (CFR, online).  This scam is designed to steal your personal information for further scams.  You can just hang up.
5. Fake Prizes, Sweepstakes, Free Gifts, Lottery Scams: The victim receives an e-mail or phone call stating that they have won the lottery, a prize,  or a gift, but to redeem it the victim is told they need to pay a “small fee” to claim it or to cover “handling costs”.  They may also claim they can only get the prize if they pay “transfer fees, taxes or provide proof of their identity and/or details of their bank accounts or credit cards in order to receive the “winnings”” (CFR, online).  Sometimes the scammers will use the name of a real lottery and they will attempt to get money from the victim.  The main thing to remember is that you cannot win a lottery or sweepstake if you did not enter and you won’t have to pay anything to collect a prize.  Also, “Legitimate lotteries do NOT use e-mail to notify their winners” (CFR, online).

What we need to remember is to never provide personal information, bank information, or credit cards numbers through by email.  Keep your access codes, passwords, and other information like this safe.  Also keep your SIN card numbers safe and don’t use it as I.D unless you know for 100% that person is legally allowed to obtain that information (such as the real CRA).  According to CTV news, Canadians lost about 130 million dollars last year in scams (Foran , online).  Don’t feel too bad if you have been scammed because it has happened to many.  There are many other scams out there, but what we need to remember is the age old saying of “if it’s too good to be true, it probably is”.

References
Consumer Fraud Reporting (CFR).  Phishing – Fake Requests for Your Personal Financial Information Retrieved from:  https://www.consumerfraudreporting.org/phishing.php
Consumer Fraud Reporting (CFR).  Debt Collection Laws and Scams. Retrieved from:  https://www.consumerfraudreporting.org/debtcollection.php
Consumer Fraud Reporting (CFR).  Phone Scam: Did you receive a Robo-call with a recording saying ‘This is Microsoft.  This call is to inform you that your Microsoft license key has expired’. Retrieved from:  https://www.consumerfraudreporting.org/PhoneScam-Your-Microsoft-Key-Has-Expired.php
Consumer Fraud Reporting (CFR).  Loan Scams: Beware that offer that regardless of credit history you’ll be approved! Retrieved from:  https://www.consumerfraudreporting.org/LoanScams.php
Consumer Fraud Reporting (CFR).  Lottery Scams – How to Recognize Them and what To Do If You Receive One.  Retrieved from: https://www.consumerfraudreporting.org/lotteries.php
Canada Revenue Agency (CRA)., “Slam the Scam—Protect Yourself Against Fraud”, Government of Canada.  Retrieved from: https://www.canada.ca/en/revenue-agency/corporate/security/protect-yourself-against-fraud.html
Foran, Pat.  Canadians lose at least $130 million in scams last year. CTV News, Retrieved from:  https://toronto.ctvnews.ca/canadians-lose-at-least-130-million-in-scams-last-year-1.4799282

With Athabasca, there is one good thing about how we function as a school, and that is, distance learning.  Athabasca University will be functioning similar to before because of its online status.  We are one of the fortunate educational centers that (aside for exams and some courses with in-class requirements) can continue studies on as normal.  In addition, at the time this is being written, cases in the western provinces are soaring, so it is important to limit your outside functions to necessity only and maybe eat some immune boosting foods.

Athabasca University, due to COVID-19,  understands that you may not be able to write your exams with an invigilator, so, “all in-person exams scheduled from March 16 until April 15, 2020 have been cancelled”  (Athabasca , online).  At a later date, they will be rescheduled; but in the meantime, Athabasca is asking that students do not request a new paper exam.  If your exam is online, then you can use ProctorU to write your exam.  On Wednesday, AUSU offered 80 students a free ProctorU exam in an email announcement, but those have since all been awarded.  However, Athabasca says they will not charge any fees such as rebooking or rescheduling fees.  (Athabasca , online).  There may still be ProctorU fees if you need to rush a ProctorU scheduling unless you do a course extension to give time to wait for invigilators to open.  Nevertheless, exams are cancelled and Athabasca is “encouraging any students with online exams to consider using ProctorU to write their exams from home”(Athabasca email correspondence).  This also gives students who have not tried writing an exam with ProctorU at home a chance to experience it.  This was sent to students via an email announcement, but bears repeating for those who may have missed it.

Another change due to the virus is that for those who are affected by COVID-19, a free course extension is being offered by Athabasca, “if you have been affected by COVID-19 and your course is nearing completion or you are unable to study due to caring for others and work commitments and need additional time to help you complete your course, AU will allow for a two-month extension and will waive processing fees” (Athabasca , online).  This announcement was emailed to students on Tuesday.  So, it seems Athabasca is responding pretty well to the situation and is helping learners out a little.

Try to keep calm, call on the elderly around your community that may need your help getting groceries at this time, limit your exposure risk and try to keep healthy everyone!

References
Athabasca University.  2020.  COVID-19 Questions and Answers for Learners.  https://news.athabascau.ca/announcements/covid-19-questions-and-answers

When it comes to students who are disabled, 1 in 4 students with a disability were bullied in school because of it.  “1 in 10 students with a disability end their education early because of their disability” and 40% of “persons with disabilities report their disability has limited their career options” (CHRC).  The report by the human rights commission uncovered that persons with disabilities still face many barriers while trying to access their education.  The four main barriers were: “lack of disability accommodation and support;  lack of services and funding; ineffective dispute resolution;  and a lack of special education and disability supports on First Nations reserves” In addition, “More than one in four persons with disabilities across Canada report being bullied at school due to their condition.  The proportion is highest (33.7%) for men with disabilities living in the territories” (CHRC,online).

This is disheartening because I believed most Canadians are respectful and would not treat people like this.  Most colleges and universities have a pretty good handle on accommodation, and so I do not think most of the numbers represent post-secondary, but I could be wrong.

So how do we speak of them respectfully?  According to the Canadian government, using the term “person” first, and then their disability is more respectful.  For example, the government guidance is that “The word “disabled” is an adjective, not a noun.  People are not conditions.  It is therefore preferable not to use the term “the disabled” but rather “people with disabilities.”(HRSDC).  They emphasize using respectful terms when writing or speaking of them.  Another example is not using the words “brave,” “courageous,” or “inspirational” because we want to emphasize the person with a disability as the same as everyone else in the population and words should emphasize inclusion.  They also request that images chosen not reinforce stereotypes about them and that people should not use references such as “suffers from,” “stricken with,” “afflicted by,” “patient,” “disease,” or “sick”, as these words suggest constant pain or suffering, as well as hopelessness.  (HRSDC).

The main message is that people with disabilities should be treated the same as everyone else.  They should not be discriminated against, refused service, or spoken of in a demeaning way.  Treating everyone with the same level of respect despite their age, gender, race, disability, and so on, is what Canadians are usually known for, and we hope that the instances when this has not been the case will disappear.

References
Canadian Human Rights Commission (CHRC). Disability Rights., Government of Canada., Retrieved from:  https://www.chrc-ccdp.gc.ca/eng/content/persons-disabilities
Canadian Human Rights Commission: 2012.  Left Out: Challenges faced by persons with disabilities in Canada’s schools. Government of Canada., Retrieved from https://www.chrc-ccdp.gc.ca/sites/default/files/challenges_disabilities_schools_eng.pdf
Human Resources and Skills Development Canada (HRSDC).  A Way with Words and Images. Government of Canada., Retrieved from:  https://www.canada.ca/en/employment-social-development/programs/disability/arc/words-images.html
Marchitelli, Rosa.  “Woman with disability banned from No Frills store after failing to pack groceries fast enough.”., Go Public., CBC., Retrieved from:  https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/edmonton/disabled-woman-banned-from-no-frills-1.5028056

The  first people to come up with this idea were “Benjamin Franklin, George Vernon Hudson, and William Willet”(Vpcalendar, online) around 1784.  Many people believe that this practice was invented by or from farmers to give them more time to work the fields, but this turns out to not be historically verifiable.  The more logical reason for daylight saving time involves using the extra sunlight to work and to conserve energy (less electricity will be used).  According to some, it was implemented during World War II, when Germans and their allies wanted to conserve coal.  Many nations seemed to think this was a good idea and adopted it.  After World War II ended, states and localities could start and end daylight saving time whenever they wanted; Time magazine called it “a chaos of clocks” (Klein, online) in 1963.  But saving power doesn’t hold much water anymore.  We all know people are going to stay up late no matter what—running electronics and other energy zapping devices all night long even if it is pitch dark outside.

There are some negative effects to this practice.  Some studies show that changes in the time quickly increase “heart attacks and strokes, cause more car accidents. and reduce worker productivity” (Ax, online).  This research seems to suggest that it is the disruption (even if minor) to sleep patterns that causes  negative effects to humans.  Data in that study found an increase of 25% in heart attacks on the Monday after the time changed.  .  Children and teens are also affected, showing signs of irritability and less energy.  Yes, they can just go to bed earlier to avoid missing that one hour, but practically no one will do that (though I used to).  The “social jet lag”, as they call it, affects people’s lives too much.

Some provinces and states want to opt out of daylight saving time changes, such as British Columbia who wants to cancel this practice of “shifting back and forth between daylight time and standard time, which could make it the first Canadian province to bring in permanent daylight time”(McKeen, online).  In addition, Yukon announced at the beginning of this week that “Sunday’s spring forward would be the territory’s last.”(McKeen, online).  In fact, many states (26 of them to be exact) and the European Union have already begun that process.  Some people are reluctant to change, but that will always be, because change is sometimes scary.  So, we may have to soon say goodbye to this old practice and embrace the new way to live.

But is it a good change? Well, according to many health experts, yes.  There are other benefits as well, forgetting to change the time can be a horrible experience, imagine having to be at work or having to write an exam.

To those who cling to the old reasons for the practice (more daylight more energy savings), it won’t be appreciated.  I guess there are pros and cons to keeping it this way and to changing it, just like everything else in life.  What really matters is that we adapt to the change and make good use of what we got.

References
Ax, Joseph.  Hate daylight saving time? You may have a point, researchers say.  https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-daylightsaving-idUSKBN16I0S6
Klein, Christopher.  8 Things You May Not Know About Daylight Saving Time.  https://www.history.com/news/8-things-you-may-not-know-about-daylight-saving-time
McKeen, Alex.  B.C.  wants to axe daylight saving time.  Will the rest of Canada follow suit? https://www.thestar.com/news/canada/2020/03/07/why-the-clock-is-ticking-on-time-changes-in-british-columbia-and-maybe-the-world.html
VpCalendar.  What Is the Point of Daylight Savings Time? http://www.vpcalendar.net/what-is-the-point-of-daylight-savings-time.html

According to some experts, the word “pandemic” is not being used only because it will illicit fear and panic.  Most believe that this virus would classify as a pandemic at this moment; however, Tedros Ghebreyesus, director-general of the WHO said in an interview that “This virus has pandemic potential” (Picard, online).

The disease has spread globally, and there are cases in every continent according to the corona virus map, but Ghebreyesus feels it has not reached that point yet.  In Canada, as of this writing, there have been 20 confirmed cases so far, but gladly, no deaths.  Those people are located in BC, Ontario, and Quebec.

So, I guess the question is, should Canadians be worried? I would say, “yes and no.”  Despite Canada saying that we are prepared, they have yet to test this theory out, and I guess now is the time.  I do not personally have too much faith in the health system, but many people believe we will be okay, I hope they are right.  According to my own research, I can still get a flight from Chinese cities next to the biggest ones affected into any major airport in Canada.  To be fair, Wuhan and other cities were placed on lockdown in early February and some in late January, which probably helped a lot.

Another problem is if the WHO waits too long to officially announce this pandemic, then it may delay the mitigation of the impact of this virus, “For Canada, that would mean preparing our health-care system for an increase in both imported cases and locally acquired cases, in addition to increasing our ability to conduct testing in order to identify and treat patients” (Miller, online).  On the other hand, Canada’s Chief Public Health officer states that not much would be changed besides for they would begin “researching a vaccine, expanding testing capabilities and managing essential supplies” (Miller, online).

Canada says we are ready for it.  But what if the whistleblower was right? What if there are a lot more cases then we ‘officially’ know about? Then in that case I would be more worried, but again, there may not be much to confirm that story as truth.  However, in 2003 Beijing had lied about and hid the full extent of SARS to avoid a panic and now there are stories that China is mislabelling deaths on certificates (there has been increases in cremated bodies with suspected deaths but only few confirmed cases, thus giving the impression that there may be more deaths linked to the virus than what is being reported) (Martel, online), and so they are either pretending that they are handling this and/or are finding it difficult to keep up due to a flood of new cases with not enough doctors to treat or even test them.  An article in the Epoch Times investigated, and reported that “of the 127 remains a Chinese funeral home director received on February 3 (116 were cremated that day), eight were confirmed coronavirus patients and 48 were suspected carriers” and that numbers “reveal a rough estimate of nearly 1,000 people incinerated per day” and which “do not align with the Communist Party policies issued on handling coronavirus remains.” (Martel, online). This is just concerning but is difficult to prove because of how hard it is getting information out of China.

Whatever the truth is, we need to be prepared. How do we reduce our chances of catching a virus? It boils down to sanitation and careful consideration. Health officials recommend washing your hands properly and frequently, keeping your hands away from your face, keep your distance from people who are coughing or sneezing, and disinfect high-touch surfaces daily (with a virus-killing product).  Prevent other people from getting sick if you are, by staying home, seeking health care, and wearing a mask while out in public. Schools and other places where a large amount of people get together, are some of the places people should be more careful in. I think we can deal with the virus if people are vigilant with what they should be doing to prevent spreading it.

References
Kahn, Joseph., “China Bars U.S. Trip for Doctor Who Exposed Sars Cover-Up”., The New York Times., July 13, 2007.  Retrieved from: https://www.nytimes.com/2007/07/13/world/asia/13doctor.html
Martel, Francis. 2020. Report: Wuhan Province Cremating Hundreds per Day While China Reports Dozens of Virus Deaths. https://www.breitbart.com/asia/2020/02/07/report-china-crematorium-funeral-homes-burning-coronavirus-patients/
Messamore, W, E. Billionaire Whistleblower: Wuhan Coronavirus Death Toll Is Over 50,000. CCN. https://www.ccn.com/billionaire-whistleblower-wuhan-coronavirus-death-toll-is-over-50000/
Miller, Adam.  Why the coronavirus outbreak isn’t considered a pandemic just yet. CBC. https://www.cbc.ca/news/health/coronavirus-pandemic-canada-world-1.5474387

I think the biggest problem is experience.  Employers look for it, and new graduates are lacking it.  Perhaps volunteering in the same area as where you’d would like to work would help a little.  Also, choosing a job that you love doing, but also is in demand.

I don’t believe that university or college degrees are becoming less in-demand, but rather they are faring well alongside of jobs that do not require degrees. The main difference is not the need for these jobs in my opinion, but the pay.

However, Mark Swartz, a writer for the job site Monster, says, “There’s a mismatch between what students are studying, and what companies are willing to pay more for” (Swartz, online).   This could be due to too many students taking the wrong courses, however it is more likely that they are not utilizing or showcasing their skills and attributes, at least, according to a Universities UK study (Steed, online). It seems that students need help from schools to define their skills and line them up with what the prospective employer is looking for. According to Monster, getting a bachelor’s degree gains you a premium of about 30% more earnings than those without degrees.  There is some evidence out there to back that, such as payscale.com. Nonetheless, it is helpful to know which jobs get higher premiums. If you’re looking at graduate programs, the top seven earning fields of study are:

1. Medicine/Physician
2. Dentistry
3. Accounting
4. Law
5. MBA
6. Public admin
7. Education

Next is the top eight earning undergraduate programs:

1. Engineering
2. Computer sciences
3. Commerce
4. Nursing
5. Architecture
6. Occupational/ Physical Therapist
7. Pharmacist
8. Education

Are these jobs in high demand though? We can compare those top earning degrees with these that are highest in demand in Canada according to Monster which separates jobs by provinces, but on average in Ontario, BC, Quebec, they are:

1. Finance and accounting jobs
2. Human resources
3. Sales
4. Marketing

For all of Canada, Canadian Business author (Brownell, online) shares their top 10:

1. Construction Manager (degree)
2. Public Administration Director (bachelor’s degree)
3. Scientific Research Manager (master’s or doctoral)
4. Engineering Manager (bachelor’s degree)
5. Pipefitting Supervisor (apprentice/certification)
6. Mining & Quarrying Supervisor (advanced positions require degrees)
7. Power Systems Electrician (apprentice)
8. Utilities Manager (bachelor’s degree)
9. Dentist (degree)
10. Nurse Practitioner (master’s degree)

Seven out of ten of the most in demand jobs predicted by Canadian Business, require a university degree. This tells me that degrees are still in high demand, if anything more than before. While some jobs may get taken over by robots, we need to ensure that we can still find a job when we are done school.

It seems also, that there are areas that would increase your earnings, but then again, you should be at least interested in that sector and love what you do, otherwise it may not be worth it.

For those jobs that do not require a degree but rather certifications, training programs, and licences, some of the highest paid in Canada include land surveyors, air traffic controllers, and firefighters.  These jobs can also be high paying and fulfilling, so make sure you decide what is right for you.

References
Brownell, Claire. “Canada’s Best Jobs 2019: The Top 25 Jobs in Canada”. Candian Business Retrieved from: https://www.canadianbusiness.com/lists-and-rankings/best-jobs/canadas-best-jobs-2019-the-top-25-jobs-in-canada/
Filon, Francine.  2014.  Youth Unemployment and Underemployment in Canada.  Retrieved from: https://www.ctf-fce.ca/Research-Library/Brief-Youth-Unemployment.pdf
Monster. Canada’s Most in Demand Positions. Retrieved from: https://www.monster.ca/career-advice/article/canada-most-in-demand-positions-and-jobs
Steed, Sarah. “Too Many Graduates are Mismatched to their Jobs. What’s Going Wrong?”., The Guardian. Retrieved from: https://www.theguardian.com/higher-education-network/2018/jan/25/too-many-graduates-are-mismatched-to-their-jobs-whats-going-wrong
Swartz, Mark.  Highest Paying University Degrees in Canada.  https://www.monster.ca/career-advice/article/highest-paying-degrees-in-canada-ca

Federal Basic Personal amounts:

The basic personal has increased from $12,069 last year, to $13,229 this year.  What is the basic personal amount? It is the amount one can earn before having to pay any federal income tax.  This is part of the Government’s proposal to increase the amount to $15,000 by 2023.  According to a news release, this is done to help to lower taxes for the middle class and people working to join it.  In addition, they claim that “When fully implemented in 2023, single individuals would save close to $300 in taxes every year, and families, including those led by a single parent, would save nearly $600 every year.  It would mean that nearly 1.1 million more Canadians would no longer pay federal income tax at all.”(Dept.  of Finance).

Home Buyers’ Plan:

The Home Buyers’ Plan (HBP) helped first-time home buyers save for a down payment by allowing them to withdraw from a RRSP to buy or build a home without having to pay tax on it.  This year, the program has been extended to those individuals who did not meet the requirements of a first-time home buyer.  In addition, the maximum amount that can be withdrawn increased from $25,000 to $35,000 for withdrawals made after March 19, 2019.  (Dept.  of Finance).

RRSP & CPP contributions:

“The 2020 RRSP deduction limit (contribution room) has increased to $27,230.  This is up from the 2019 limit of $26,500” (Kasper, online).  If you are putting money away already, you can maximize your contributions more starting this year because the CPP contribution rate for employees and employers went up to 5.25% this year (Golombek, online ).

Some other new changes that are noteworthy are the Personal Income Tax Credit for Digital Subscriptions, the Journalism -Qualified Donee Status, and new Additional Types of Annuities Under Registered Plans permitted, all of which you can find out about here.  For students, tax time is just another distraction from studies, but at least we still have the federal tuition tax credit that allows up 15% of the amount of eligible tuition paid by students to be recovered.

References
Department of Finance Canada.  “Government of Canada Moves Forward With Lower Taxes for the Middle Class and People Working Hard to Join It.”  Retrieved from: https://www.canada.ca/en/department-finance/news/2019/12/government-of-canada-moves-forward-with-lower-taxes-for-the-middle-class-and-people-working-hard-to-join-it.html
Department of Finance Canada.  “List of Tax Changes Taking Effect on January 1, 2020:.  Retrieved from: https://www.canada.ca/en/department-finance/news/2019/12/list-of-tax-changes-taking-effect-on-january-1-2020.html
Golombek, Jamie.  “These are the tax changes you need to know about for 2020.”  Retrieved from https://business.financialpost.com/personal-finance/taxes/these-are-the-tax-changes-you-need-to-know-about-for-2020
Kasper, Ryan.  “Everything You Need to Know About The 2020 RRSP Explained”.  Retrieved from: https://www.moneyaftergraduation.com/rrsp-explained/

Although some officers, and those in command, may abuse their power or think they are above the law does not mean we should remove power completely, but we must attempt to control this corruption with ethical education and trustworthy chiefs and administrators. This is hampered by “the blue curtain” or “code of silence”, which describes the unwritten rules among police officers that protect them from misconduct or crimes by forbidding their fellow workers reporting them.

I think all officers should be offered physical and ethical training as well as conflict resolution if they aren’t already.   To me, values are important and are central to decision making because they provide a standard.  This is important because law enforcement relies on these values in their recruiting practices.

The public is an important part of the justice system, and if they do not trust officers, then there can be more problems and clashes with police. As an example, if one doesn’t know the case of Rodney king, it was the case of a black male who was pulled over by Los Angeles police for a traffic violation after evading them. When they attempted to arrest him, he disobeyed orders, partly due to being intoxicated. However, instead of dealing calmly with the situation, police were filmed beating him up.  The officers, however, despite the videotape, were found not guilty. The choices made by the officers created huge questions as to the integrity of police officers in general. This started the L.A. riots in 1992. The Rodney King story was an interesting one to me because it makes clear the implications of an officer’s poor decision.

I could name countless tales of officers firing shots at people for no justifiable reason, or stories of planting evidence.  These stories have created a bad reputation, but the majority of police are not this way.  We know this thanks to body cams and other monitoring systems.  That these body-cams are often put in place by the police forces themselves means we know that most law enforcement agencies, at least, are trying to be transparent. However, in their stressful jobs, officers can become hyper-vigilant and develop a mistrust for anyone who is not on their side or in their organization.

What about what you can’t see, though, those in charge?  Those with higher positions are not being watched with cameras.  With entitlement often comes corruption, so it is easy for those in high positions to abuse their power.  For some, the end justifies the means.  Having this ideology is dangerous because the person believes that no matter what is done, if it is done reach a certain goal, it will be considered ethical.  Until we can set up a system of checks against those in charge, I think we still have a lot more way to go toward ethical and transparent law enforcement.

Being among the first Canadian Universities with open access and registration, and providing distance (online) delivery, AU has earned their reputation as a world-class institution.  They provide what most typical universities cannot: a method of access to university programs for those who live in remote areas and cannot, or do not want to, travel; those who want to pursue education while also pursuing other interests or demands in life; those wishing to finish high-school and start at university early in life; as well as people who like the flexibility of  studying online.  Our other main characteristic is in the word “open.”  AU maintains an open admissions policy.  This means you can enroll in university even if you don’t have the traditional educational background (Rainsberger & Buchanan).  I for one am very grateful for having this type of university, as I would not have been able to attempt this without the online aspect.

As part of their celebration, at the beginning of the month, they offered 50 new bursaries.  Unfortunately the deadline has passed, but there are some with a July 15^th deadline.  Termed the I-CARE Completion Bursaries, they help provide support for students who have a financial need or burden and may help them continue with their studies.  Also look out for Beyond 50 events coming up.  You can check the news section for those events, or The Voice Magazine’s event column, and anything new.  Also, you can tell your story to AU in order to be featured in the hub and get a free Beyond 50 t-shirt.  They want to find students who can give “a personal story of your history and an imagining of your potential.” (AU News).

Athabasca University’s history is indeed fascinating and shows how they had been at the head of online and distance education in Canada.  Today, they offer 950 online courses and serve over 40,000 students worldwide.  They have a been a source of access and flexibility to many students and a source of achievement for those who would may not have been able due to access and educational history.  From me, thank you, AU!

References
Sarah.  Buchanan, Marian.  Open and Distance Universities in Canada.  https://universityadmissions.ca/open-distance-universities-in-canada/