Daily update
Variable, Open & Convertible Mortgage Rates
Daily digest from Bank of Canada
Prime business rate = 4.75%
http://www.bank-banque-canada.ca/en/rates/digest.html
RBC Prime = 4.750% (Date of Change = 2008/04/23)
http://www.royalbank.com/rates/prime.html
Wednesday, October 8, 2008
Monday, October 6, 2008
Family doctor in Mississauga, Ontario
Are you looking to register with a family doctor in Mississauga (or Ontario). The following links are good places to start:
1). The college of physicians & surgeons of Ontario
Link = Easy Family Doctor Search
http://www.cpso.on.ca/Doctor_Search/ez_srch.asp?Scr=FIRST
2). Find A Doctor - Trillium Health Centre.
Link = Family Doctors accepting new patients
Select from a list of male and female family doctors accepting new patients.
http://www.trilliumhealthcentre.org/health/findDoctor.html
1). The college of physicians & surgeons of Ontario
Link = Easy Family Doctor Search
http://www.cpso.on.ca/Doctor_Search/ez_srch.asp?Scr=FIRST
2). Find A Doctor - Trillium Health Centre.
Link = Family Doctors accepting new patients
Select from a list of male and female family doctors accepting new patients.
http://www.trilliumhealthcentre.org/health/findDoctor.html
Wednesday, October 1, 2008
Do-not-call list registration (Canada) - No more marketing calls
People can register their phone numbers in two ways. They can sign up online at LNNTE-DNCL.gc.ca or call the toll-free numbers 1-866-580-3625 or 1-888-362-5889 (for the hearing impaired).
Website, phones jammed on Day 1 of do-not-call list registration
So many people were trying to sign up their phone numbers Tuesday on the first day of registration for the federal do-not-call list, the website crashed at one point and the phone lines were busy.
The popularity of the list, whose registration went live Tuesday just after midnight, was not unexpected.
The Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission has projected that of Canada's 27 million residential phone lines, which include cellphone numbers, 16 million would be on the do-not-call list within two years.
However, it's possible the CRTC didn't expect so many people to try to register in one day.
By 1:30 p.m. ET, more than 223,000 people had registered using the phone and internet, according to CRTC spokesperson Denis Carmel. Although the website went live at 12:01 a.m. Tuesday, it crashed eight or nine hours later.
"It's way beyond anything we'd expected," Carmel said.
"On the telephone side, more than one million people tried to access the system. It's clearly over any estimation we had done."
He asked people to be patient and perhaps try registering on another day if they couldn't get through Tuesday.
Commenters to CBCNews.ca expressed frustration at not being able to register, but not all of them were surprised at the breakdown.
"It appears the do-not-call registry site was so popular it brought down their server. I am getting … page cannot be displayed errors," wrote Alienc, of Riverview, N.B.
Bell Canada, which is responsible for operating the list, worked to get the website back up, but offered projection as to when that would be.
By Tuesday night, however, the site was again accepting registrations.
Two polls Monday suggested that between 60 per cent and 72 per cent of Canadians surveyed said they intended to add their phone number to the list.
At least one commenter to CBCNews.ca questioned why the federal government couldn't build a website that could handle the high traffic.
"Come on people! With a national list everybody wants to be on being promoted on the airways as starting today, did you honestly think their servers would be able to handle the millions of hits it was bound to get today," wrote Dmiddle, of Winnipeg.
"I knew from the get go that this was going to happen, so I have no plans to sign up for at least a couple weeks."
Once it's operational, the do-not-call list may not make as much of a dent as some Canadians are hoping, since much telemarketing is done by companies that are exempt from the ban, meaning they can continue to call someone who has registered on the DNC list.
Cable customers may find themselves fielding the occasional call from a cable company about a cellphone or a bank, which may call to sell insurance or credit cards. If people have donated to a registered charity in the past year, they may receive calls for other upcoming charity events.
The CRTC said on its website that once people have registered, telemarketers have up to 31 days to update their lists and to make sure they do not call you, meaning people could still receive calls within 31 days of registering.
Telemarketers will face fines up to $15,000, however, if they call once the list is operational.
People can register their phone numbers in two ways. They can sign up online at LNNTE-DNCL.gc.ca or call the toll-free numbers 1-866-580-3625 or 1-888-362-5889 (for the hearing impaired).
Courtesy: www.cbc.ca
Website, phones jammed on Day 1 of do-not-call list registration
So many people were trying to sign up their phone numbers Tuesday on the first day of registration for the federal do-not-call list, the website crashed at one point and the phone lines were busy.
The popularity of the list, whose registration went live Tuesday just after midnight, was not unexpected.
The Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission has projected that of Canada's 27 million residential phone lines, which include cellphone numbers, 16 million would be on the do-not-call list within two years.
However, it's possible the CRTC didn't expect so many people to try to register in one day.
By 1:30 p.m. ET, more than 223,000 people had registered using the phone and internet, according to CRTC spokesperson Denis Carmel. Although the website went live at 12:01 a.m. Tuesday, it crashed eight or nine hours later.
"It's way beyond anything we'd expected," Carmel said.
"On the telephone side, more than one million people tried to access the system. It's clearly over any estimation we had done."
He asked people to be patient and perhaps try registering on another day if they couldn't get through Tuesday.
Commenters to CBCNews.ca expressed frustration at not being able to register, but not all of them were surprised at the breakdown.
"It appears the do-not-call registry site was so popular it brought down their server. I am getting … page cannot be displayed errors," wrote Alienc, of Riverview, N.B.
Bell Canada, which is responsible for operating the list, worked to get the website back up, but offered projection as to when that would be.
By Tuesday night, however, the site was again accepting registrations.
Two polls Monday suggested that between 60 per cent and 72 per cent of Canadians surveyed said they intended to add their phone number to the list.
At least one commenter to CBCNews.ca questioned why the federal government couldn't build a website that could handle the high traffic.
"Come on people! With a national list everybody wants to be on being promoted on the airways as starting today, did you honestly think their servers would be able to handle the millions of hits it was bound to get today," wrote Dmiddle, of Winnipeg.
"I knew from the get go that this was going to happen, so I have no plans to sign up for at least a couple weeks."
Once it's operational, the do-not-call list may not make as much of a dent as some Canadians are hoping, since much telemarketing is done by companies that are exempt from the ban, meaning they can continue to call someone who has registered on the DNC list.
Cable customers may find themselves fielding the occasional call from a cable company about a cellphone or a bank, which may call to sell insurance or credit cards. If people have donated to a registered charity in the past year, they may receive calls for other upcoming charity events.
The CRTC said on its website that once people have registered, telemarketers have up to 31 days to update their lists and to make sure they do not call you, meaning people could still receive calls within 31 days of registering.
Telemarketers will face fines up to $15,000, however, if they call once the list is operational.
People can register their phone numbers in two ways. They can sign up online at LNNTE-DNCL.gc.ca or call the toll-free numbers 1-866-580-3625 or 1-888-362-5889 (for the hearing impaired).
Courtesy: www.cbc.ca
Sunday, September 28, 2008
Canadian Study: University completion rates among children of immigrants
Children of immigrants tend to achieve higher levels of education than children of Canadian-born parents, but there are wide differences in rates of completing university among young people of different national origins.
Youth of Asian immigrant parents, except for Filipinos, had higher rates of obtaining a university degree by the time they were aged 25 to 34 in 2002 than most youth of European origin.
University completion rates ranged from over 65% for youth of immigrant parents from China and India to 24% among second-generation German and Central and South American youth. As a benchmark, about 28% of the children of Canadian-born parents had completed university by the time they were aged 25 to 34. Nearly one-third of youth whose parents were from the Caribbean, Portugal and the Netherlands completed university education.
The higher university completion rates among children of Chinese and Indian immigrants remained when differences among the youth in abilities in the two official languages and parental educational levels were taken into account. These are important factors that influence the likelihood of youth completing university.
Courtesy: http://www.statcan.ca/Daily/English/080922/d080922b.htm
Youth of Asian immigrant parents, except for Filipinos, had higher rates of obtaining a university degree by the time they were aged 25 to 34 in 2002 than most youth of European origin.
University completion rates ranged from over 65% for youth of immigrant parents from China and India to 24% among second-generation German and Central and South American youth. As a benchmark, about 28% of the children of Canadian-born parents had completed university by the time they were aged 25 to 34. Nearly one-third of youth whose parents were from the Caribbean, Portugal and the Netherlands completed university education.
The higher university completion rates among children of Chinese and Indian immigrants remained when differences among the youth in abilities in the two official languages and parental educational levels were taken into account. These are important factors that influence the likelihood of youth completing university.
Courtesy: http://www.statcan.ca/Daily/English/080922/d080922b.htm
Sunday, September 14, 2008
Unrest in Mangalore
Civil unrest in Mangalore on account of attacks on Christians.
Details at the links below:
- Daiji World
- First person account, Mangalorean.com
- DesiCritics
- IBNLive.com
Details at the links below:
- Daiji World
- First person account, Mangalorean.com
- DesiCritics
- IBNLive.com
Saturday, September 6, 2008
Canada parents sponsorship - Timeline and dates
Following are the processing date and timelines for parents sponsorship to Canada from the New Delhi, India visa post.
If you too have your application submitted, please post your dates and timelines in the comments section of this post and I'll add it to the main post. Thanks.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
As of Date - Processed upto (In Canada + Visa post wait upto 36 months additional)
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Nov 20, 2005 - Sep 16, 2003 (26 months)
Dec 23, 2005 - Oct 16, 2003 (26 months)
Jan 30, 2006 - Nov 3, 2003 (27 months)
Feb 27, 2006 - Dec 8, 2003 (27 months)
Mar 27, 2006 - Dec 22, 2003 (27 months)
Apr 25, 2006 - Jan 16, 2004 (27 months)
May 29, 2006 - Feb 6, 2004 (28 months)
Jun 26, 2006 - Mar 18, 2004 (27 months)
Jul 31, 2006 - Apr 17, 2004 (27 months)
Aug 28, 2006 - Apr 26, 2004 (28 months)
Sep 25, 2006 - May 26, 2004 (28 months)
Oct 30, 2006 - June 25, 2004 (28 months)
Nov 27, 2006 - Jul 15, 2004 (28 months)
Jan 29, 2007 - Sep 22, 2004 (28 months)
Feb 26, 2007 - Nov 15, 2004 (27 months)
Aug 21, 2007 - Jul 7, 2005 (25 months)
Jan 7, 2008 - Nov 24, 2005 (25 months)
Feb 4, 2008 - Jan 3, 2006 (25 months)
Mar 31, 2008 - May 8, 2006 (23 months)
Apr 28, 2008 - May 30, 2006 (23 months)
Jun 02, 2008 - Jun 22, 2006 (23 months)
Jul 02, 2008 - Jul 12, 2006 (24 months)
Jul 28, 2008 - Jul 21, 2006 (24 months)
Aug 18, 2008 - Jul 27, 2006 (25 months)
Sep 2, 2008 - Jul 31, 2006 (25 months)
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
If you too have your application submitted, please post your dates and timelines in the comments section of this post and I'll add it to the main post. Thanks.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
As of Date - Processed upto (In Canada + Visa post wait upto 36 months additional)
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Nov 20, 2005 - Sep 16, 2003 (26 months)
Dec 23, 2005 - Oct 16, 2003 (26 months)
Jan 30, 2006 - Nov 3, 2003 (27 months)
Feb 27, 2006 - Dec 8, 2003 (27 months)
Mar 27, 2006 - Dec 22, 2003 (27 months)
Apr 25, 2006 - Jan 16, 2004 (27 months)
May 29, 2006 - Feb 6, 2004 (28 months)
Jun 26, 2006 - Mar 18, 2004 (27 months)
Jul 31, 2006 - Apr 17, 2004 (27 months)
Aug 28, 2006 - Apr 26, 2004 (28 months)
Sep 25, 2006 - May 26, 2004 (28 months)
Oct 30, 2006 - June 25, 2004 (28 months)
Nov 27, 2006 - Jul 15, 2004 (28 months)
Jan 29, 2007 - Sep 22, 2004 (28 months)
Feb 26, 2007 - Nov 15, 2004 (27 months)
Aug 21, 2007 - Jul 7, 2005 (25 months)
Jan 7, 2008 - Nov 24, 2005 (25 months)
Feb 4, 2008 - Jan 3, 2006 (25 months)
Mar 31, 2008 - May 8, 2006 (23 months)
Apr 28, 2008 - May 30, 2006 (23 months)
Jun 02, 2008 - Jun 22, 2006 (23 months)
Jul 02, 2008 - Jul 12, 2006 (24 months)
Jul 28, 2008 - Jul 21, 2006 (24 months)
Aug 18, 2008 - Jul 27, 2006 (25 months)
Sep 2, 2008 - Jul 31, 2006 (25 months)
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Friday, August 29, 2008
Useful links
1). Canada citizenship test (online)
http://www.yourlibrary.ca/citizenship/index.cfm
2). Ontario Canada driving test sample tests - G/G1/G2 licence
http://www.apnatoronto.com/ontario-g1-practice-test.html
3). Home improvement and repair site
http://www.hometips.com/
http://www.yourlibrary.ca/citizenship/index.cfm
2). Ontario Canada driving test sample tests - G/G1/G2 licence
http://www.apnatoronto.com/ontario-g1-practice-test.html
3). Home improvement and repair site
http://www.hometips.com/
Sunday, August 24, 2008
Maple Leaf product recall for 220 lines of products
Maple Leaf expands recall to 220 products
Product recall list: http://www.mapleleaf.ca/pdf/BartorRdProductRecallList.pdf
Company expanded list a precautionary measure and says Listeria has not been found in products beyond ones recalled earlier this month.
As a massive recall of an additional 220 Maple Leaf Foods products continues across the country (click here for complete list of recalled products), Canadian consumers are being urged to check their kitchens and return any packages to retailers marked 97B, the "establishment" number that identifies the north Toronto plant where it was produced.
Hundreds of thousands of kilograms of ready-to-eat meats supplied to grocery stores, fast-food outlets such as McDonald’s and Mr. Sub, hospitals, retirement and nursing homes were recalled last week. This weekend, the company announced the expanded recall after the Canadian Food Inspection Agency and Public Health Agency of Canada concluded that the strain of Listeria bacteria, which is linked to the illness and death of several consumers, matches the Listeria strain identified in some Maple Leaf food products.
The move is a precautionary measure as there is no evidence of Listeria contamination in product beyond the production lines originally under investigation, McCain said.
"We expect this additional recall to be implemented swiftly," CEO and president Michael McCain told a news conference this afternoon at Maple Leaf’s Toronto headquarters.
The company estimates the recall will cost its bottom line $20 million before taxes.
Four deaths have been blamed on the listeriosis outbreak out of 21 confirmed cases. Of the 21 confirmed cases, 16 are in Ontario, three are in British Columbia, one is in Saskatchewan and one is in Quebec. An additional 30 suspected cases are being probed to confirm if they are related to the outbreak. Since a person infected with listeriosis can take up to 70 days to show symptoms, public health officials expect the number of cases to continue growing over the next few weeks.
Maple Leaf Foods' Bartor Rd. processing plant remained closed this weekend for a massive sanitization operation. It was supposed to reopen tomorrow but that’s been pushed ahead to Tuesday.
McCain said Maple Leaf is also convening a team of world experts on listeria to review the company’s sanitization processes and to advise it on ways it could reduce the risks posed by listeria.
McCain said, however, it’s unlikely that the source of the contamination linked to the outbreak will ever be known because the bacteria is “so pervasive.”
“Listeria is commonly found in our environment,” said McCain. ``There’s a large, relatively meaningful percentage of the population that walk around as carriers of listeria. It exists in our environment, in your environment.”
He said recalls related to listeria aren’t rare, though the Maple Leaf Foods recall is unique in its magnitude.
Product recall list: http://www.mapleleaf.ca/pdf/BartorRdProductRecallList.pdf
http://healthzone.ca/health/article/484765
Product recall list: http://www.mapleleaf.ca/pdf/BartorRdProductRecallList.pdf
Company expanded list a precautionary measure and says Listeria has not been found in products beyond ones recalled earlier this month.
As a massive recall of an additional 220 Maple Leaf Foods products continues across the country (click here for complete list of recalled products), Canadian consumers are being urged to check their kitchens and return any packages to retailers marked 97B, the "establishment" number that identifies the north Toronto plant where it was produced.
Hundreds of thousands of kilograms of ready-to-eat meats supplied to grocery stores, fast-food outlets such as McDonald’s and Mr. Sub, hospitals, retirement and nursing homes were recalled last week. This weekend, the company announced the expanded recall after the Canadian Food Inspection Agency and Public Health Agency of Canada concluded that the strain of Listeria bacteria, which is linked to the illness and death of several consumers, matches the Listeria strain identified in some Maple Leaf food products.
The move is a precautionary measure as there is no evidence of Listeria contamination in product beyond the production lines originally under investigation, McCain said.
"We expect this additional recall to be implemented swiftly," CEO and president Michael McCain told a news conference this afternoon at Maple Leaf’s Toronto headquarters.
The company estimates the recall will cost its bottom line $20 million before taxes.
Four deaths have been blamed on the listeriosis outbreak out of 21 confirmed cases. Of the 21 confirmed cases, 16 are in Ontario, three are in British Columbia, one is in Saskatchewan and one is in Quebec. An additional 30 suspected cases are being probed to confirm if they are related to the outbreak. Since a person infected with listeriosis can take up to 70 days to show symptoms, public health officials expect the number of cases to continue growing over the next few weeks.
Maple Leaf Foods' Bartor Rd. processing plant remained closed this weekend for a massive sanitization operation. It was supposed to reopen tomorrow but that’s been pushed ahead to Tuesday.
McCain said Maple Leaf is also convening a team of world experts on listeria to review the company’s sanitization processes and to advise it on ways it could reduce the risks posed by listeria.
McCain said, however, it’s unlikely that the source of the contamination linked to the outbreak will ever be known because the bacteria is “so pervasive.”
“Listeria is commonly found in our environment,” said McCain. ``There’s a large, relatively meaningful percentage of the population that walk around as carriers of listeria. It exists in our environment, in your environment.”
He said recalls related to listeria aren’t rare, though the Maple Leaf Foods recall is unique in its magnitude.
Product recall list: http://www.mapleleaf.ca/pdf/BartorRdProductRecallList.pdf
http://healthzone.ca/health/article/484765
Saturday, August 23, 2008
Jet airways
The following are the links at which an Indian couple have penned down their experience about the airline incident (Jet airways) in which their 5 month old son died in-flight en route to India from Toronto.
The 2nd link is the petition to request an investigation into the matter. If you support the investigation, please do sign the petition. Thanks.
Here are the links:
http://www.adityamohan.com/
http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/JetAirways_229/?e
The 2nd link is the petition to request an investigation into the matter. If you support the investigation, please do sign the petition. Thanks.
Here are the links:
http://www.adityamohan.com/
http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/JetAirways_229/?e
Thursday, August 14, 2008
Olympics Medals table (Friday, 15 August 2008)
http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/olympics/medals_table/default.stm
Rank Country Gold Silver Bronze TOTAL
1 China 22 8 5 35
2 USA 13 10 17 40
3 Germany 8 2 3 13
4 South Korea 6 7 3 16
5 Italy 6 4 3 13
6 Australia 5 6 7 18
7 Japan 5 3 3 11
8 Russia 3 8 4 15
9 France 2 7 6 15
10 Great Britain 2 2 3 7
Rank Country Gold Silver Bronze TOTAL
1 China 22 8 5 35
2 USA 13 10 17 40
3 Germany 8 2 3 13
4 South Korea 6 7 3 16
5 Italy 6 4 3 13
6 Australia 5 6 7 18
7 Japan 5 3 3 11
8 Russia 3 8 4 15
9 France 2 7 6 15
10 Great Britain 2 2 3 7
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