These centers provide either driver’s license and vehicle registration services to Ontarians or OHIP, however these services will now be integrated to serve residents of Mississauga and Brampton better. These services will be expanding to 300 Service Ontario Centers across the province. The goal is to have services available “under one roof,” so that the residents don’t have to travel more than 10 kilometers to access these services. 95 out of 300 Service Ontario services have integrated their services so far.

Minister Harinder Takhar demonstrates integrated services at Service Ontario centres with Minister Linda Jeffers and MPP Vic Dhillon

Minister Takhar recognizes Ms. Carrie Simpson of Service Ontario Centre at 1 Wexford Rd., Brampton

“This is one thing we really, really wanna get right,” said Minister Harinder Takhar, Ontario Minister of Government Services while making the announcement at Service Ontario Centre at 1 Wexford Rd. Brampton.

“Now people [Bramptonians] won’t have to go to Mississauga” for health cards, he said. “We’re making it convenient for people to do business with us.”

1 Wexford Rd. Service Ontario had provided services to 289,000 Ontarians in the year 2009. Since July 18^th, its computer systems have been upgraded to issue or renew health cards also.

Minister Takhar recognizes Ms. Heather Chipman & Mr. Gary Collins who manage Service Ontario Centre at 2150 Steeles Ave. East, Brampton on behalf of Trade

Minister Takhar recognizes Ms. Louise Porter of Service Ontario Centre at Mclaughlin Rd.

Integrated, better service and flexibility remained the theme of Minister Takhar’s announcement in Brampton and Mississauga.

The centers would be open late and on weekends “if needed,” Mr. Takhar said.

Ms. Linda Jeffrey, Minister of Natural Resources, was “pleased” with this integrated system, saying “residents of Brampton have been telling me for years that they needed this [integrated system].”

MPP Charles Sousa joined MPP Takhar at ServiceOntario centre at Westdale Mall, Mississauga. He said that only  45% Ontarians are satisfied with government’s customership, “so there’s quite a gap,” which would be filled by integrating the system to provide public service to people.

In addition to this, 24 hours’ service is available for people online at http://www.serviceontario.ca/

“This was the best year we ever had. Looked like the weather gods had finally decided to give us a break. A glorious sun shined all day Saturday and then when it became unbearable as the temperature hit 30 degrees on Sunday afternoon, a thunderous cloud appeared from nowhere and poured tons of water on us and brought the temperature back to twenty degrees.” Asma Arshad Mahmood, the chair for CCAI and festival director of TELUS Mosaic 2010 was gleaming with joy and pride as she talked about the 5^th annual South Asian heritage festival that took place over the past weekend.

Hazel McCallion the mayor of Mississauga came out both on the gala night as well as on the outdoor festival opening. She was all full of praise for the festival, its organizers and the South Asian community in general for bringing art and cultural activities to the downtown of her city.

Mosaic’s line up of this year was its biggest ever as well as the biggest and best in Canada this year.

I never took South Asians to be shy. I mean, face it, we are loud and sometimes, downright annoying. But when it came to a chance of their fifteen seconds of fame, many of the South Asians I bumped into in the crowd at the Pride Parade outright refused to be photographed. None of them provided a very clear reason, except that they were “only attending”, or, “We support but no pics please!” I even met these twin sisters (ironically named, Seeta and Geeta!) who just smiled uncomfortably at the mention of photographs (visual evidence of their presence!), even though they had been to the parade “several times” in the past and identified themselves as staunch supporters. I wonder whether South Asians are- Scared? Ashamed? Worried? A bit of everything?-  of being associated with the Pride Week.

Being the devious monkey that I am, I photographed a few aunties and uncles without their permission, and if you are reading this, then serves you right! If you are going to be at a public event, expect to be photographed.

However, there was this pair of enthusiastic straight South Asian males, Nimesh and Vinay, who could barely control their excitement. Nimesh said, “I came last year… It was really good! It was a lot of fun!” Vinay who was a first time attendee, like me, joined in, “[I am] very excited!” When asked if they would come back next year, “For sure!” they cried in unison. Really very excited, I tell you.

The parade, which started as a political movement in 1969 in New York City, has become a celebratory event. And a way for people to behave like children when it comes to free stuff. I was baffled by the behaviour of these 30-something couples in the crowd who were acting like immature idiots (to put it mildly) in a bid to attract attention of those who were handing out or throwing free stuff into the crowd. Useless stuff like magnets. And, stickers. And, shiny bead necklaces. Stuff that you would throw out once you got home. But, I digress.

vinay and nimesh

It was the 30^th Pride Parade for Pride Toronto, and as I sat alone gulping down ice-cold water at my favourite Vietnamese restaurant after a long tiring day at the pride parade, I wondered, if the parade is a way to celebrate one’s sexuality, where were the South Asians? I did spot a few here and there in the crowd, and a few marching with pride. But, being the fastest growing largest minority in the GTA, shouldn’t there have been more of us?

And, if you are reading this, fellow South Asians, we need you to represent the community at Pride next year! You copy that?

Author: Sanchari Sur

When Ashia lived in Pakistan, she said her family dreamed of a better life: Peace, safety, better jobs and better education.

Ashia, a college student and an employee at McDonald’s moved with her family to Canada in 2003. “Everything we’ve ever dreamed of, we found in this country,” she says. “Peace, safety, growth opportunities and good lives. My family and siblings are very happy and are in good schools with good teachers.”

So Ashia, whose family celebrates every Canada Day, says she’ll wave the flag with pride on July 1.

“In the last few years, I have been celebrating Canada Day with my children in downtown Toronto where I live. We walk around Harbourfront centre to see the lively entertainment, and we go to Mel Lastman Square, watch and enjoy all the people dressed up in the ‘Canadian spirit,’ waving flags, singing and dancing. My children love to get their faces painted, and always enjoy an ice cream cone, or ‘real lemon’ squeezed lemonade,” shares Pallavi Gupta, an employee of YMCA.

Canada Day celebrates the events that occurred on July 1, 1867, when the British North America Act created the Canadian federal government. The BNA Act proclaimed one Dominion under the name of Canada,” hence the original title of the holiday was Dominion Day. Dominion Day was officially renamed “Canada Day” by an Act of Parliament on October 27, 1982. This change reflected the policy of successive governments to down play Canada’s colonial origins.

Picnics? What better way to relax than to take the whole family to a park or conservation area and enjoy the summer sun, swimming, playing frisbee or football, and barbequing family favourites such as hot dogs and burgers.

So enjoy a family picnic in the grass, and celebrate Canada Day the old-fashioned way. With glowing hearts, play outdoor games and enjoy live music from the past.

What would Canada Day be without fireworks? Reena Saboo says that she never misses the fireworks on Canada day! We always see the sky lit up with extravagant fireworks that leaves us oooh’ing and awww’ing for days. All I can say is `its   grand and fantastic. ”A perfect way to cap off the evening. Wishing readers a happy Canada Day Generation Next gives you the list of events going on in Toronto and GTA! Read on.

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EVENTS HAPPENING IN GTA ON CANADA DAY

• Mel Lastman Square – The 2010 Canada Day celebrations at Mel Lastman Square start off  with activities that promote healthy living for kids. This is also an opportunity to meet Olympic athletes like team Canada hockey player and gold medalist Vicky Sunohara, 2010 Olympic medalist Speed Skater Kristina Groves and Gold Medal winning short track speed skaters Charles and Francois Hamelin. Around the Square see magicians, jugglers, fire-breathers, urban dancers and live music performances and more!
• Black Creek Pioneer Village – Enjoy your journey back to Toronto life in1867. Festivities run from 11 am – 5 pm.
• Caledon – Live music and family oriented activities from 11 am – 4 pm.
• Downs-view park – Enjoy free amusement rides along with tribal dance and fire works from 11 am – 11pm.
• Campbell House – A lawn party featuring strawberry cake lemonade and fiddle music from 11 am – 4 pm.
• Chin International Picnic – Begins at noon with a flag raising ceremony and includes South Asian shopping bazaar and more.
• Festival of fire – Lighting up the Ontario Place with pyrotechnics themed to Canadian music. The show begins at 10.30 pm.
• Harbourfront zcenter – Events running from noon to 11 pm include a citizenship ceremony, canoe rides.
• Streetsville- Mississauga– A candlelight celebration on Main Street includes a concert, crafts and cake. A native dance group and the Mississauga school of dance are main stage performers.
• Yonge-Dundas Square – Multicultural groups from Toronto will perform folk dances from around the world. The place also features an art, craft and food market.

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Be Leaders of University & Hospital boards and soccer leagues – MP Rob Oliphant

The Canadian citizenship means receiving and giving something back in return. Though youth is at a receiving end, they are not looking for someone to give them the opportunity; they are seizing it.

I see a shift going on. There will always be a certain percentage of people who will step up to give back to their communalities, and I see that the leadership in immigrant communities is at a higher percentage, though I see it happening in their own communities. I would like them to expand their leadership to university boards, hospital boards, soccer leagues.

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Be Engaged Socially & Politically – MPP Kathleen Wynne

Celebrations are important, but I don’t think they are the most important. If youth want to create their own celebrations, they should be welcomed. For me what’s important is to engage Canadian youth and young adults from all backgrounds into political process and in their communities in a ways that makes the most sense to them.

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Dedicate yourself to making Canada better & better & Better – Toronto Mayoral candidate George Smitherman

Canada Day is a day for us to spend time with family, celebrate the beautiful bounty of Canada  – a place that is enriched by the most educated array of people anywhere in the world and dedicate ourselves at times to making Canada better and better and better.  The pride that Canada has is very very justified and is well represented in all its diverse components and there is strength in it.

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Canada Day will be here and thousands of South Asian Canadians will be celebrating with a bash, however most will stick to their holiday routine of spending time with family, barbequing, or heading to the beach.

South Asians are Canada’s biggest visible minority, numbering over 1.3 million according to the 2006 census.

For Canada Day, South Asian Canadians, like most Canadians, will be going about their holiday routine of meeting and greeting family members, potluck parties, and as one youth put it “fireworks, fireworks and fireworks”.

The South Asian Canada Day, an annual event, will be returning on July 27 to Mississauga, and is a chance for South Asians to celebrate Canada Day with their own spicy twist. The event will be filled with food, clothes and jewellery, and of course cultural dance shows.

Another such event will be taking place at Granville Island, Vancouver, where Canada Day ceremonies will be paralleled with a South Asian styled Mela. As always, food, clothes, jewellery, fireworks and cultural shows will be the highlight of the day.

Canada has a lot to offer to the culturally rich folks of South Asia, such as freedom to practice religion, culture, and security, but celebrating Canada Day among these communities of Canada does not appear to be too common.

“I am not sure if there is a particular way of celebrating Canada Day” asked Puneet Aurora, a Markham resident and second generation South Asian.

“The routine is same as any other holiday. To spend time with family or hit the beach and end the day with fireworks.”

The attraction to Canada Day by the South Asian community is derived from a myriad of factors. Those who have been in Canada for roughly thirty years have seen the evolution of the Canadian government, from immigration policies to an increase in multicultural favouritism. These individuals have a firsthand account of the effort that Canada has put into providing autonomy to these cultural communities.

But does the Canadian government stretch itself too thin? In incorporating not only the South Asian community, but all self identified cultural groups, perhaps it is sacrificing the magnitude of a day as important as Canada Day. Does Canada Day lose its significance as each cultural community has their own specialized celebrations or festivals?

Not according to Eman Cheema. “Canada is about freedom of choices and freedom of expression. We cannot force others to follow our ways and call ourselves open minded and democratic and multicultural,” says Eman Cheema, a resident of Mississauga. Many others also share the same viewpoint.

It may be important to note that Canada Day is seen as another opportunity to indulge in one’s own customs and rituals. Essentially the idea is to practice culture and customs freely, and to not indulge in anything that seems uneasy to anyone.

There are also those who look forward to life in Canada every day, and every day feels like a blessing. They need no date to tell them when they can celebrate the greatness of this country that gave them so much.

“Every day is Canada Day for me and my family. Canada has given us a high standard education, freedom of expression, security, equality and, best of all, has accepted us the way we are.” says Rasha Muhamad, a third year Business student at York University and a first generation Canadian.

While many might not show pride by waving a flag, they sure are pleased with the freedom and choices they can make.

The notion behind Canada Day, and what Canada stands for today is being met by every individual, no matter that they do to celebrate. They are celebrating freedom, which is what Canada is all about.

Co-authored By: Qasim Ali  & Myuri S. Komaragiri

A dad they say is a friend, philosopher and guide. He is the guiding force that remains with us forever. 
“Just as mother and child, the bond between a father and a child is an important one. Children need a unique style of bonding that fathers provide. The father-child relationship becomes stronger, if both of them spend time engaging in physical, intellectual, social, and spiritual activities,” states relationship expert Mahima Mathur.

The word ‘dad’ dates back to the 16th century. It may have originated with the Welsh word ‘tad’ (father), which later mutated to dad. The word ‘father’ is derived from the Old English ‘foeder’. 

“It`s a beautiful festival that acknowledges and appreciates the important role played by a father in raising the child and consequently building a stronger society,” says Piyush, an employee of Just Energy’s.  Father’s Day story is the tale of realization of the need for a Father’s Day festival primarily by Ms Sonora Louise Smart Dodd of Washington. The story narrates Sonora’s unflagging struggle to officially set a day to honour all fathers. Thanks to Sonora, today Fathers Day is celebrated in a large number of countries around the world.

Ashish Sharma

So dads have dropped you off to school, while on the way to office, even if it meant taking a detour, pushed you on a swing, helped you with your homework, taken you out to your favorite ice cream palour when you scored an A in your exams, built your science project, made it to your dance competition on time, paid your mobile bills and fixed your first car. Today is his day so let’s talk about some ways in which we can make it special for him!

Me (Ramya)

Spend the day with him

This is the biggest thing you can gift him. You can just spend the day on the couch watching some of his favourite movies. Dig out old photo albums and reminisce on days long lost.

“I am looking forward to be with my dad, this Father’s day. I just want to spend the whole day with him, because it’s been quite some time since we have had a heart to heart conversation,” says Raj Gupta, a financial consultant.

Samir Reddy, a media professional, also has plans lined up for the D-day. “I am taking my father out for a movie, since he is a big movie lover and later end the day with a quite dinner.”

Piyush

Drop in for a surprise if you are away

Its indeed a wonderful way to surprise him. “My dad has always been my anchor, and now that I am away from home, I am going to send him a picture of us together to remind him that I adore him. I might even take a few days off from my university and just go home and play Golf to surprise him says Mayank Gupta, a student of York University. ”

Cook or take him out for dinner

Pamper him with whatever culinary ceremonies he enjoys most, whether it’s breakfast in bed, a burger-and-beer lunch at the local sports bar, dinner at his favorite four-star restaurant. Pay a special thanks to daddy by indulging in some delightful eating extravaganza. “I plan to pamper my dad, this Father’s day, since they are the ones least pampered in the family. His idea of peace and happiness is good food and wine with the entire family in tow,” shares Sumeet Pal Singh, a merchandiser.

Old-fashioned picnic

Summer is here! And if your dad enjoys barbeque then barbeque on Niagara on the lake is a great idea. “I will organize a picnic for my dad with lots of surprise gifts. I will invite all his old friends in this picnic whom he has always wanted to meet. It couldn’t be a better surprise for him on this Father’s day,” divulges Shreya Agarwal, a blogger.

A gesture as simple as a game of squash or chess at the picnic is sure to get his youthful juices going again.

Pamper him with gifts

Think what he always wanted! It might be salsa lessons, a pottery class, learning a new language or even skydiving. Now, do what you can to help him fulfill this dream. Believing in your dad’s dreams is a wonderful gift to him and to yourself when you see how happy it makes him.

“My father is an avid reader, so this Father’s day I intend to get him a book by Kahlil Gibran, that he’s been intending to buy for a long time, but has been just too lazy to get it. I love my dad for who he is and what he’s help me become,” says Shalini Mehta, Customer Service Representative at Bell Canada.

From rugged outdoor radios to a digital running coach and James-Bond-worthy hard drive, update yourself with details about latest gadgets that Dad can’t wait to unwrap this Father’s Day, if he is a techie.

You can also present your dad a gift of good health this Father’s Day by reminding him of the importance of healthy living. Ashish Sharma, a software professional, puts, “I have bought a treadmill for my father because I want him to get on a fitness track in his life.”

So he`s always there for you that you take him for granted? Perhaps it is the embarrassment of walking up to him, gift in hand and bringing yourself to say, “Dad, this is for you. Thank you for being there for me,” afraid he’ll fake a stern face even when you know he’s beaming inside.

Either way, we know we owe it to father. After all, who comes to the rescue when mom is getting hysterical about everything that seems fine to us but not to her?

So why Father’s Day you ask? Think about it. Maybe what you do to make him feel special on that one day can be an eye-opener to all the things, big and small, that he has done for you.

And with Fathers Day just two days ahead Generation Next wishes you all fathers a Happy Fathers Day!

Author:Ramya Maheshwary

With summer comes the camping season and all the items needed to camp with friends or family. While many might assume that South Asians are not too much into camping, the trend has changed with South Asian youth who love to hang out and camp with their friends. Of course TV shows like Crusoe and Lost have definitely helped South Asian youth’s minds to fancy camping.

Parents might be scared of mosquito bites, fire, wild animals in woods and so on, however with the modern and most up-to-date equipment created by Coleman and sold at Canadian Tire, camping has become safe. “Canadian Tire and Coleman want to make camping safe,” says attractive young South Asian spokesperson, Radha from Canadian Tire.

The products are available at Canadian Tire for only a day’s trip, and some of these innovative items can be used all year along. “It’s all about convenience,” Radha Bharania says. Originally from Ottawa, Radha has worked with Canadian Tire for three years.

She has been camping herself with her family and friends at Algonquin Park in Ottawa. “I enjoy camping and I’d like my friends and family to enjoy it. My parents never camped but slowly they started to enjoy it,” Radha says.

Radha Bharania, spokesperson from Canadian Tire demonstrates the use of Coleman's environmentally friedly lanterns

Given her experience with camping, Radha understands what is needed by campers and given her South Asian background; she understands South Asians’ need to be able to use products that they would be able to use all year around. Most of the items that had been set up at Dundas Square in Toronto were set up by this young lady, which says something about how easy it is to set up the tents.

And yes there were those traditional looking lanterns in a modernized version where a lantern has up to 4 side lamps and one person has to go away, he or she can take a side lamp to keep them light.

Keeping environment into consideration, solar powered lanterns have been designed by Coleman.

There is no need to be afraid of real fires going bad. Or to worry about not having fresh food if you are going away to camping for more than a day as fresh food can be cooked. Many families “don’t have appetite for camp fires and sleeping bags.”

Trio-grill gives an easy option to avoid campfire and to avoid bringing wood and coal to campsites. And such grills can be used by South Asian families at big family parties or weddings or to keep it on a patio or at back lawn to be used in lazy summer evenings.

Of course there were various size coolers available at Canadian Tire.

There are tents like instant clip that you can set up very easily. These tents can keep you safe in extreme weather conditions like rain or wind. At Dundas Square last Friday, there were three kinds of tents, one for three people, one that was set up as a kitchen tent. The inside of the third tent felt like a tent for two families with mattresses, light and built-in charging stations for cell phones.

These tents had room to let the fresh air in and not be afraid of terrible weather where you won’t be able to communicate with outside world. Because camping gear comes with technology to stay in touch with our lives, it becomes fun. On the flip side, we can probably never leave our busy lives in the city to enjoy the nature and its calm. And not to forget, some might terribly miss the smores over campfire.

“Coleman’s camping products gives a great way to spend time with families. You don’t have to spend thousands of dollars on air tickets and so on, you can invest money on something that you can use throughout the year,” she adds.

Author: Asma Amanat.

By:  Sanchari Sur.

InterNations, a “trusted network dedicated to internationally minded people living abroad”, kicked off the summer through their get-together on 27^th May at Samovar Room, a vodka bar in Cabbagetown’s historic Winchester Hotel. An event that in the InterNations ambassadors’ (Anjali Benawra and Jennifer Kelly) words “was their most successful event” attracted close to fifty InterNations members on the sultry summer evening. For many members (like me), it was their first time attending an InterNations event. However, what started as an awkward “hi, hello” quickly turned into a roomful of people who were eager to move from group to group in their enthusiasm to meet new and like-minded people. Scheduled to end at 10:30, Samover Room saw many individuals lounging around with their drinks, reluctant to leave despite the next day being a work day. As for me, having met many interesting (and some uninteresting) people on the night, I am more than eager to attend their next event.

You have been to Dundas Square many times, but if you missed it this weekend, then you missed 12-hrs of desi music. Dundas Square was vibrating with Bhangra and Bollywood beats, well not really. The way desi music has evolved in last couple of years, we could hear a fusion of RnB, hiphop, Bollywood and bhangra. My parents’ generation had a questioning look on their face as to the identity of music, whereas the youngsters were going crazy on the dance floor. Non-Desi people could hear the music from afar which sounded a bit familiar to them but the lyrics were in a foreign language.

Sharaz: “We need Events like this!”

Anand Family: “The events like this are great but if this is passing as Indian music then its not working.”

Yes, that’s right, RBC Desifest (A production of Blueband Musiq, RBC desiFEST presented by Rogers)- rocked Dundas Square with live entertainment on May 29^th to strengthen the local communities, inspire youth and support ARTS community in Canada.

Jaffer Family and Razia Davidani, “The atmosphere is lively but the music is noisy and hard to understand. AND I paid $10 parking for THIS.”

This FREE event attracted desis from all across GTA who enjoyed the aromatic desi street food, live music and an opportunity to shop on the street (something I miss dearly during winter). There were opportunities to satisfy your palate by enjoying desi snacks like our regular samosas, pakoras, dosas, the amazing pani puri and the fascinating Malaysian Mubtarak. The ones craving something hot were hallowing around the spicy rice (biryani) and the traditional Indian curries. For those with the sweet tooth, there were plenty of sweets, cold lassis and kulfi to go with the warn weather. The ladies enjoyed shopping for kurtis and traditional jewellery, whereas soccer fanatics were buying the flags of their favourite country for the upcoming world cup.

Anne: “Music sounds western but the words are different. Also, there are people from all generations. I am surprised.”

While thousands were passing through the festival, many had stopped to wait for their favorite band to play like Fatima and Kinza, “We Specifically came for the Bilz.” Suzzana and Roshmiya on the other hand were a bit bored from the continuous loud music, “ It’s getting boring now. Roach Killa was good and we waited the entire time for the Billz.”

Matthew: “I came out of curiosity. The music sounded different a sort of a fusion. I saw this on the Dundas Square website and ‘desi’ stood out.”

Akif going crazy at every beat, “ It’s AWESOME! I am the only one making noise, people aren’t supporting me. I came straight from work. The best thing is its FREE.”

Fateh Singh- desiFEST potential performer for 2011, “I come every year. It’s amazing. The parents might think its noise but it makes a lot of sense to us though the sound system could have been a lot better. But I’m here on a Saturday night so it must be worth it.”

Some other patrons were really glad for events like this. Sharaz appreciated the event and elaborated on the need of such desi get-togethers. The entertainers included dancers from Diyas academy, Jadoo entertainment, Garba team, Destiny and singers from Zameer, King Roti, Bollywood Booz, Farid, Prita Chhabra, Shweta, Shahid Ali Khan, Naomi Zaman, Luv Randhawa, En Karma, Blitzkrieg, navin Kundra, The Bilz and Kashif, Roach Killa, Parichay and Black Mahal.

Author: Saniya Zahid

Diversity in Mississauga was at its peak at Carassauga, an annual event held at Hershey Centre this weekend. Daljit Gill, an artist who portrays fertility and life, is Co-Chair of India Pavilion at Carassauga. India Pavilion has been managed by NAIC for last 25 years, she says.

Dressed in vibrant blue Japanese/Chinese kameez and Punjabi shalwar, Ms. Gill was beaming with success of India Pavilion where more than 8,000 people came in to see Indian culture and heritage. Through events like Carassauga, “people can see variety of colours and music is a universal language,” she says. “We do not want to be isolated and people have an opportunity to mingle with broader community,” she added.

India Pavilion was sponsored by Scotia Bank, and there were numerous other stalls of India Tourism, Tea India, clothes, jewelry and, food, of course.