Volume XXVI No. 10 October 2008 www.filipinostar.org Third Philippine trade delegation tackles Canadian labor shortage Ottawa, October 3, 2008 - There were more than 40 members of the 3rd Philippine trade delegation that visited Ottawa and feted to a luncheon hosted by the Philippine Ambassador, Jose Brillantes. They were mostly in the manpower training and recruitment or placement agency business. Likewise, business owners in the same field came from Montreal, Ottawa and Toronto to meet them during a seminar moderated by Alicia Natividad, chairperson of the Canada-Philippine Business Council. It has been widely reported that Canada has a labour shortage. This trade mission is obviously an attempt to offer a solution to this problem. As the program for the day suggested, information about the Philippine Ambassador Jose Brillantes hosted the 3rd Philippine trade delegation that visited Ottawa on October 3, 2008. Seated with Ambassador Brillantes are Consul Jose Angeles, Mina Gabor, head of the delegation, and Alicia Natividad, president of the Canada-Philippines Business Council. See Page 4 3rd Philippine Trade Oriental Mindoro PAGE 6 Harper promises to lead Canada through the economic crisis be the True North, strong and free! Today, together, Canadians have cast their vote, have rendered their verdict and have charted the way Contents forward for our country. I want to begin by thanking you all once again for electing me to Parliament for the fourth time in just six years; thank you Cooperative News . .p. 3 again to the voters of Calgary Southwest. My thanks go out to Gwen Tourism . p. 6 Podborski, our long-time president and campaign manager, and the Community News . p. 8 entire local team for another successful effort. Global Perspectives . p. 10 Although official duties keep us in Ottawa and on the road for most Philippine Cuisine . p. 11 of the year, Calgary is home for Stephen Harper delivering his victory speech, October 14, 2008 Laureen, Ben, Rachel and me. And I Filstar Photo Gallery . p. 12 Good evening ladies and confidence! Because, no matter what can tell you that though we are often gentlemen, fellow Conservatives and economic challenges we face from separated from Calgary by great Showbiz Gossip . p. 18 fellow Canadians. Thank you for that abroad, this is a land where people distance, you are never far from our great Calgary welcome. from every corner of the earth have hearts. My special thanks to all the Classified Ads . p. 21 Tonight, Canadians have come together to build a peaceful and members of the Harper and Teskey voted to move our country forward prosperous country, without and they have done so with comparison. And Canada will always See Page 5 Harper’’s Speech Global Entrepreneurship Seminar Course by Professor Isaac Goodine International Educator and Author of “Leaders Leading Leaders” Register by Appointment Be a C.I.T.P. (Certified at Gilmore International College International Trade Professional) Founded 1989 Call 514-485-7861 Isaac T. Goodine www.filipinostar.org 2 The North American Filipino Star October 2008 Marché Coop Filipino The Filipino Solidarity Cooperative EDITORIAL 4711 Van Horne Avenue Montreal, QC H3W 1H8 How do we cope with uncertain Tel.: 514-733-8915 economic times? E-Mail: [email protected] Before long, we all have to our consumption of gasoline by using Come and visit us for our realize that many changes are our car less – if we can walk a block or happening in all areas of our life, not two to do an errand, we should do so IN STORE SPECIALS only physically (that is relating to the to save and to have some exercise aging process which can not be halted which is good for our health. Be a member and get a 2% but may be slowed down) but also How else do we cope with discount on your $100 purchase socially, in particular, in our chosen life uncertain economic times? A style. Probably, it is one of the most psychology professor has this advice difficult things to do is to have a drastic which seems a worthy one to pass change in the way we live. For good around: “Uncertain economic times reasons or not, it takes a lot out of an are also a good time to reconnect with individual to make a change, in your family and friends — the social particular, to go from one extreme to relationships that bind us all together. the other. Such a change can be Such connections remind us of the aggravated by what we are now facing value of life, and are things we can - uncertainties in our economy. Do we influence and enrich. Consider this a have fewer resources tomorrow than good time to volunteer some time at a today? How are we going to live with shelter or food kitchen, give blood, or less? Which ones do we give up and find some other way to give something which ones do we cut down? Can we back to others. Usually when we give count on anyone else to help us? Is of ourselves in this manner, it reminds our standard of living going to be the us of those who need our help — and same or will it go down due to factors that we can actually help out, locally, beyond our control? on our own. It can be a very Generally speaking, it is said empowering feeling.” that Canada is in a better position than Another sign of the times is the other countries and that we have a worry about a decreasing labor force. sound banking system. It therefore Baby boomers are about to retire, and implies that we are lucky to live in this birth rates are still lower than what is country. However, we still have to needed to increase our population. realize that we need to be better How does this affect us? Indirectly, it organized in our business or affects us all and the irony of it is that professional activities as well as in our not everyone knows what it means to personal life. For instance, in our our way of life. If businesses, factories, business, we should be more careful in hospitals, schools and government granting credit to our customers institutions lack the manpower because it will be more difficult to required to give the services needed collect later on in the event of layoffs, by the population, we will not be able and other calamities. We also have to to have the kind of service we may recycle a lot more in our office, in need like having our own family doctor, particular, in the paper supplies we receiving nursing care when we stay in use. We should also postpone any big a hospital, and if we have a business, financial commitment until we can we may not be able to hire qualified really have a sure income that can people to help us do our business. In support it. In our personal life, we fact, it is now a common problem that should stick to a budget and be able to some industries are adversely affected live within our means. We should also by the lack of manpower. avoid wastes which can be the result of Although we are not directly buying on an impulse, or relying on the involved with finding the solutions to use of a credit card. Perhaps, it will be this manpower shortage, we can still a good idea to avoid using more than play a role in making sure that our We can now offer you a variety of products - one credit card for it is easy to spend lawmakers do their job, or by we just received a truckload of merchandise more when we do not use cash. Even participating in the election of good eating in restaurants often is a big drain leaders who will have the vision and direct from our suppliers. on our budget. We can save money by the knowledge to preserve our Tangkilikin ang sariling atin. Patronize your own store preparing our own food, and shopping democratic way of life in a sound for our groceries wisely, taking economic system. advantage of sales of items that we really need and avoiding those that we Zenaida Kharroubi can do without, no matter how cheap they are. We should also try reducing The North American Filipino Star 4950 Queen Mary Road Penthouse SUBSCRIPTION Tel.: 514-485-7861 (5th Floor) near Snowdon Metro E-Mail: [email protected] Montreal, QC H3W 1X3 Name ____________________________________________________ Zenaida Ferry Kharroubi Hilda T. Veloso Jean Janete Aguilar Chief Editor & Publisher Address: _________________________________________________ Jerry Estrada Community News Sam Ferry Mary Joy Lizarondo __________________________________________________________ Lina V. 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Opinions, comments of writers and columnists do not necessarily reflect that of the management of Filcan Publications, Inc. www.filipinostar.org October 2008 The North American Filipino Star 3 economic goals of the Filipino Coop. business plan, and if we have a bigger Although many people have membership in the thousands, we will COOPERATIVE NEWS indicated agreement to sign up for investigate the possibility of getting a membership, or to pay up the balance franchise from the Caisse Populaire. of their accounts, they have not yet Without being presumptuous, I Making the Filipino Coop done so.