When Anja Endruweit and her family had the opportunity to move from Germany to Toronto while her husband was on a work contract, they jumped at the chance to experience a new city and culture. In 2019, they settled in Canada for a three-year stay, and Anja was eager to grow her English skills and immerse herself in a new culture. “We had never been to Canada before; it was a big change but also exciting. We were immediately welcomed into the German expat community, and appreciated what a special and multicultural city Toronto is,” reflects Anja.  “I would say I had an intermediate understanding of English at the time. I really enjoyed practicing my English skills throughout the day with people I met. But then, the pandemic hit, and my ability to connect with others, and practice my English, basically disappeared. My English skills started to decline.”

Between lock downs, social distancing, and mask protocols, Anja suddenly found herself with limited opportunities to use and practice her English. So, she decided to take her learning into her own hands. “A fellow expat suggested I look into the English for Effective Communication course in the English Language Program (ELP) at the University of Toronto School of Continuing Studies (SCS). I liked that the program was four weeks in length, with about 10 hours of learning and practice a week. I explored other programs, but many demanded a commitment of up to 25 hours a week, which just didn’t fit my life. Plus, at SCS, online classes were in the morning, so I figured it would be a great way to start my day. I went for it!” says Anja. 

At first, Anja was hesitant to learn online, and was still dealing with the disappointment of moving to a new country and not being able to fully connect with the people. “I wanted to continue meeting new people, and go to cafés and talk. I feel that’s such a great way to really learn a language. But I was so happy to find that there was a strong sense of community in my online class,” recalls Anja, who completed the course in May 2021. “Our instructor really built an online space where we felt included and engaged. He had a very individualized approach to learning, and honed-in on everyone’s specific needs. He really met each learner where they were. This course was such a positive and motivating experience. I felt part of a community, and my confidence really skyrocketed.” 

In fact, the course helped Anja connect with other learners both on -and off- line. “On top of class discussions and topical group work, we all exchanged contact information and have a WhatsApp group. My classmates and I even met up (socially distanced) in High Park; it was so great to meet everyone in person. We formed lasting connections and are still in touch,” smiles Anja. “When I started the program, one of my goals was to be able to read the newspaper and understand headlines without needing to use a translator app. I wanted to be able to sit with a coffee and a Canadian newspaper, and just read. Now, I have a much better sense of what’s being communicated, I no longer need my translator, and I am better at recognizing expressions such as ‘play it by ear’. The other day a woman used this term and I thought ‘yes! I know what that means’,” she laughs.

Today, Anja feels confident in her English skills, and plans to use her new abilities to learn more, and give back to the Toronto community. “In Berlin, I work as a biology teacher, so I’m very focused on education. The multiculturalism in Toronto really inspires me, and I’m eager to learn more about education systems and diversity frameworks in Canada,” says Anja. “I will also be volunteering at the High Park nature centre to support nature education for young kids. With my new language skills, I’m able to give back to the city that really welcomed me.” 
 

Fifty years from now, when historians look back at the COVID-19 pandemic, they will realize the unimaginable economic fall-out from it. COVID-19 has significantly transformed the North American economy. Here’s what strikes me as the three most important ways our economy has been transformed. Not surprisingly, they are interrelated.

1) When it comes to working, there’s no place like home

Recently, Jaime Dimon, CEO of JP Morgan, said that every employee was obligated to reveal their COVID-19 vaccination status by the end of June, and he expected everyone back in the office a week later. To me, this is one of those cases where the exception proves the general rule! Scores of other companies including Microsoft, Apple, and Google, have announced that there will be a mixed employment model going forward, with the majority of time spent working from of home.

There are two good economic reasons for this, one that benefits the employer and one that benefits the employee. From the employer’s perspective, it means paying for less office space. From the employee’s perspective, it means saving both time and money. The commute from one’s bedroom to one’s den is a lot shorter than from one’s house to a downtown office! And now that employee no longer has to spend money on either public transit or gas.

My prediction is that this will have the impact of reducing wage increases for what we would term “white collar workers”, as businesses recognize how much further ahead their home-based employees are in cost savings.

2) The new real estate landscape

Even before the onset of COVID-19, there was a significant shift from bricks-and-mortar retail to online channels. COVID-19 accelerated this trend. It is now estimated that roughly one quarter of North American malls are scheduled to close in the next few years. As I walk the downtown streets of Toronto – where I’ve lived for the past forty-five years of my life – I’ve never seen anything similar to this vacancy rate. My guess is that it will be getting worse before it improves, as businesses that have been hanging on for dear life realize that the rebound is going to be far less robust than many imagine.

I’ve already talked about the working from home phenomenon, and this has a tremendous impact on commercial rents. I spoke with a couple of good friends involved in that business, and what they’re seeing is a great deal of negotiation between landlords and existing tenants. However, they don’t see any uptick in demand as more and more work is done from home

This helps explain why house prices are appreciating as rapidly as they are; more people are spending more time at home than they ever have before. It makes sense that you’d want more space, because if there is a couple who both work from home, you simply need it. Unless mortgage rates tick up significantly, it looks like there will be a long-term bull market in residential housing.

3) The emergence of cryptocurrencies

To combat the government-imposed shutdown, there has been an almost inconceivable amount of fiscal stimulus, combined with the monetization of debt. By the way, what “monetization” means is that when debt is issued by the government, rather than finding a legitimate, arm’s length buyer, the Central Bank simply runs the printing presses to come up with the money. There is the belief among many that fiat currencies issued by governments aren’t reliable. In previous generations, gold would be the safe haven. But that was then, and this is now. Today, many are piling into cryptocurrencies.

Let me get something on the table: I think that crypto is a Ponzi-scheme and there will be a monumental collapse sooner or later. I don’t know what will precipitate it. But I think it’s inevitable, and my hope is that the collapse happens before there is too much “value” tied up in cryptos. I hope their demise doesn’t pull the real economy down with it.

The best-case scenario is that the developed world will find a way to flatten out its accumulation of debt. If economic growth could be 3%, while the debt would grow at a slower rate, it would restore faith in fiat currencies, and that would gradually and gently take the air out of the Bitcoins of the world. Fingers crossed that it plays out this way.

But here’s the really important economic lesson from COVID-19: If you allow an economy to efficiently allocate resources, in the short run there will be winners and losers. But in the long run, everyone wins because the machine will find a way to generate goods and services of real value.

Michael Hlinka received his MBA from the University of Toronto in 1986, became a CFA Charterholder in 2004, and is a tenured professor at George Brown. Michael specializes in industry licensing courses such as Canadian Securities, Derivatives Fundamentals and Portfolio Management. In addition to his teaching duties, Michael is a regular commentator on CBC Radio's Metro Morning is a nationally syndicated radio columnist, and writes a regular weekly column for Outreach Magazine, marketed by Toronto's homeless and unemployed. 

Michael instructs our Passing the CFA® Exam preparatory courses as well as Passing the Canadian Securities Course®.

There are many risks in life that are worthwhile! However, gambling with your finances isn’t worth it for most of us. Here are some simple tips to avoid financial mistakes that could reap unfortunate consequences. 

1. Don’t buy a house you can barely afford when Canada’s real estate market is on fire. Beware of FOMO (fear of missing out). Don’t get into bidding wars or make an unconditional offer to purchase a property.
2. Don’t gamble on growth stocks (Tesla, Canopy Growth, Gamestop), or cryptocurrency investments (Bitcoin, Ethereum ), based on tips from friends. 
3. Don’t shop at payday loan shops or alternative lenders without understanding the costs. They can be very high. The same goes for “buy now, pay later” plans. 
4. Don’t order from online goods and service providers without checking their reputation first. Use the Better Business Bureau (BBB.org) to search for consumer complaints and reviews.
5. Be smart about insurance! This is a big one. If you travel outside Canada, you need travel medical insurance. You also need trip cancellation insurance in case you get sick before you leave, and trip interruption insurance in case you get sick while away and have to return home.

If you have a mortgage, you need enough insurance to maintain the payments in case of illness or death. Shop around. The best deals usually don’t come from a mortgage lender.

Once you retire the mortgage, ask your home insurance carrier for a mortgage-free discount. A paid-off home is seen as lower risk by insurers.

Also, consider critical illness insurance, even if you’re young and healthy. You never know what life will bring. Check out Darin Diehl’s medical story and Kerry Taylor’s medical story. 

Here are some great quotes to inspire smart financial choices:

“Almost everyone wants you to spend as much as possible – your kids, friends, real estate agents, bankers, retailers, restauranteurs. When it comes to saving, you don’t have much of a support group.”

“Spending less than you make won’t be easy. People are going to fight you every step of the way. And the person who will fight you the hardest will be yourself.” 

– David Chilton, The Wealthy Barber Returns

“Run, don’t walk, to get a disability quote from an insurance agent. You insure your house and car. But what about your single biggest asset: the ability to earn an income for the rest of your life?” 

“Think of borrowing money today as negotiating a pay cut with your future self.”

– Preet Banerjee, Stop Overthinking Your Money

“I hate debt. It’s going to sound extreme, but for me, owing money is like making a deal with the devil. I would worry what would happen if I lost my job and couldn’t meet my debt-obligation payments.”

“Thinking of debt as a life-threatening, contagious disease served me pretty well. Once you’re debt-free, there’s no feeling like it.”

-Andrew Hallam, Millionaire Teacher: The Nine Rules of Wealth You Should Have Learned in School

Ellen Roseman is a personal finance columnist and former business editor at the Toronto Star. She is the author of Money 101: Every Canadian's Guide to Personal Finance, and she is Chair of FAIR Canada, a non-profit charity that advocates for investor rights. She has had a long career as a journalist specializing in consumer advocacy and personal finance. Ellen teaches our Investing for Beginners course, and our Introduction to Investing Workshop. She will be teaching The Smart Consumer course in spring 2022.

Forgiveness is anything but easy, but philosophies of the Stoics give us an antidote. 

If we hold on to unforgiveness, we become slaves to the actions of others and lose our freedom. In fact, it’s our judgement of things that truly upsets us. When we are able to focus on controlling our minds, instead of trying to manipulate outside events, we can forgive, and live the life we want to live; we can be the person we want to be. 

Join me as we explore how mindful practices and stoicism can help us forgive and take back control of our own feelings and fate. If you would like to learn more, check out my recent Knowledge Hub webinar titled Stoicism - Strategies for Resilience and Joy.

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Ranjini George Philip's work has appeared in Hamlet Studies, Peregrine, Agni, So to Speak, Room of One's Own, The Sincerest Form of Flattery: Contemporary Women Writers on Forerunners in Fiction, Modern English Teacher, Commonwealth and American Women's Discourse, The Victorian Newsletter, Write (a publications of the Writers' Union of Canada), among others. A recipient of the Arnold B. Fox Award in Research Writing (1989), a Georges and Anne Bochardt Fiction Scholar at the Sewanee Writers' Conference (2005), and the first prize winner in the Canada's inaugural Coffee Shop Author contest (2010), she holds a PhD in English from Northern Illinois University, USA, an MA in English from St. Stephen's College, New Delhi, and an MFA in Creative Writing from the University of British Columbia, Canada. Her book, Through My Mother's Window: Emirati Women Tell their Stories and Recipes was published in Dubai, the United Arab Emirates in December 2016. In 2019 she won the Excellence in Teaching Award at the School of Continuing Studies, University of Toronto. She can be contacted at her Facebook page, Ranjini George, Writer or on her website.

How has COVID-19 affected your finances? The answer will show how you rate on an important quality called financial resilience.

Has the ongoing health crisis cut back your employment income to the point you can’t manage your monthly expenses without deferring your mortgage and credit card payments? Do you worry about paying bills once the federal government’s COVID relief measures end?

If so, you fall into the category of financially vulnerable, meaning you haven’t been able to save enough to offset your lost income, and will probably cover your spending needs with borrowed funds. This can feel very overwhelming and stressful. I’m here to share some tips to help you better manage your finances during difficult times. 

The goal is to become financially resilient, so you have a savings cushion to help you achieve your goals and sustain your lifestyle despite the curve balls life throws at you.

The good news: according to the Seymour Financial Resilience Index developed by a Vancouver consulting firm, 60% of Canadian households are either financially resilient or approaching resilience. 

The latest index report in February 2021 shows that 27% of Canadians are reducing or consolidating their debt, compared to 18% in October 2020. Almost 30% are setting up or building their emergency savings funds, up from 19% in October 2020. 
When asked if they agreed with this statement, “I want to better understand my household's financial resilience and how I can improve it,” 77% of Canadian survey respondents said yes.

Here are my ideas on how to improve your financial resilience in five steps.

Step 1: Track your spending in detail

• Keep every receipt. Record expenses in a notebook, spreadsheet or free online app (such as Mint, or other top spending and budgeting apps).-Review your monthly bank and credit card statements. Ask your bank about expense items you don’t recognize.
• List your irregular expenses (such as gifts, donations, home and car repairs) that may occur only once or twice a year.
• Total your expenses and sort them into categories. Do this for at least 3 to 6 months.

Step 2: Find areas where you can save money

• Review your monthly bills. Look for mistakes, overcharges, and late charges you incurred.
• Negotiate better rates on your banking, home heating and air conditioning, telecom services internet, TV, phone) and insurance (life, health, travel, car and home insurance). Learn to compare rates online, so you can bargain more effectively.
• Calculate your food costs. How much do you spend monthly on groceries for home cooking, takeout food from stores and restaurants, meal preparation kits and food delivery apps? Try to cut down the last three categories.
• Analyze your needs vs. your wants: do you need to own a home? Can you rent instead? Buy used cars rather than new—or no cars at all? Do you need the latest high-tech gadgets? Look into your closets and drawers at home to find older “must have” gadgets now gathering dust.

Step 3: Decide how to save money in the future

• Do research before buying. Compare the prices of similar products at multiple stores. 
• Use comparison sites for financial services (Ratehub.ca, LowestRates.ca, RateSpy.com). To compare telecom services, check out this list of comparison shopping sites from Canada’s telecom regulator (the CRTC).
• Remember the little things; they add up! Track where your small change is going (miscellaneous fees, delivery costs, restocking fees, sales taxes) and look for suppliers with lower fees.
• Check the subscriptions you signed up for (Netflix, Spotify, Apple, Audible, Amazon Prime, Costco). Make sure you still use these services. Note the expiry dates and cancel well ahead.
• Avoid 1-click purchases when shopping at Amazon.ca. Remove your credit card information and shipping addresses. Creating friction will force you to stop and ask yourself if you can wait and if you really need the items.

Step 4: Invest your windfalls from reduced spending

• Set up an emergency fund. Start small, but save regularly, with the goal of putting away enough to cover your living expenses for 3 to 6 months. Keep the money in a separate account that is hard to tap.
• Pay yourself first. Make saving a top priority. Set aside part of your salary when it comes in and live on the rest. You won’t miss it after a while.
• Put your saving on autopilot. Set up automatic transfers from your chequing to saving accounts every 2 or 4 weeks. Save money from tax refunds, gifts, and salary raises. 
• Make your savings grow. Use a tax-sheltered RRSP or TFSA to save for the long term. Find the best savings rates online (Ratehub.ca, HighInterestSavings.ca, RATESDOTCA).

Step 5: Keep a tight rein on credit purchases

• Limit the number of credit cards you hold. Keep your credit limit low to avoid problems with ID theft and fraud. If offered a higher limit on a credit card, think twice before saying yes.
• Pay the balance in full each month. If you can’t, pay as much as you can before the due date. Set up regular payments from your bank account. Pay more than the minimum.
• Never skip a minimum monthly payment. Credit card issuers can hike your interest rate if you miss 2 to 3 minimum payments in a year. Call the company if you’re having money problems. 
• Check your credit report and credit score once a year to find any problems or errors. With a good credit score, you can get a better rate on loans, apartment rent, and home insurance.

Ellen Roseman is a personal finance columnist and former business editor at the Toronto Star. She is the author of Money 101: Every Canadian's Guide to Personal Finance, and she is Chair of FAIR Canada, a non-profit charity that advocates for investor rights. She has had a long career as a journalist specializing in consumer advocacy and personal finance. Ellen teaches our Investing for Beginners course, and our Introduction to Investing: A Workshop. She will be teaching The Smart Consumer course in spring 2022.

Our Academic English Program in our School of Continuing Studies’ English Language Program (ELP) attracts learners worldwide. Recently, we connected with Farhane Onifade, to learn about her unique experience with the program. Farhane, who is from Benin, West Africa, shared why she chose the Academic English Program. 

Having studied English in school, Farhane knew she wanted to enhance her English-speaking abilities. After seeing her sister participate in the program, she was impressed by how well her reading, writing, and communication skills improved. This experience inspired Farhane to go for it and enrol! 

Check out Farhane’s story.
 

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Learning English is a gateway to opportunity. The Academic English Program in our School of Continuing Studies’ English Language Program (ELP) is designed to help English language learners improve their use of academic English. Learners from all over the globe develop the skills needed to share ideas, and communicate in an academic context. Successful completion of the highest level of Academic English (Advanced - Level 60) satisfies the language requirement for admission to most degree programs at the University of Toronto, setting up learners for success in their undergraduate and graduate studies. 

What makes this online program different? First, we design and develop all our materials in-house, and they are distinctly tailored to the needs of our learners. We focus on teaching “real” English; learners gain the skills and strategies needed to understand and respond in both academic and non-academic contexts. We go beyond traditional textbook learning, and ensure our learners gain the ability to express themselves and interact successfully in a university setting. 

Our online classes attract learners worldwide. In fact, our most recent class included learners from 11 different countries: Benin, Brazil, Cameroon, China, Ethiopia, Haiti, Honduras, Iran, Korea, Kuwait, and Togo. The online format - which includes classroom learning, small group tasks and discussion in breakout rooms, learner engagement activities, and instructor office hours for one-on-one feedback and support - allows for a truly interactive learning environment.

According to Academic English instructor Catherine Lawton Donnelly, offering challenging and innovative material in her digital classroom is a top priority. “Teaching an integrated skills program allows me to change it up and use a variety of activities. This helps to keep everyone focused and motivated, and the out-of-class activities that are assigned give learners the opportunity to collaborate,” says Catherine. “My classrooms are dynamic and engaging. It’s not only me who brings energy to the classroom, but also the learners! Each learner brings their unique background, knowledge, and experience to classroom activities (and do so with great enthusiasm)! They create vibrant conversation about their varied world experiences, contributing their insights and perspectives.”

Catherine also creates an open and inviting learning space. “Many learners have commented that the online environment is a comfortable, safe place where they can voice their opinions,” reflects Catherine. “Some learners have even referred to our online classroom as our ‘living room’. This speaks to their comfort level, and the fact that they feel confident participating and trying new things in class. Time and time again, learners have expressed their enthusiasm for the program. It is one step toward fulfilling their goals.”

João Haetinger of Brazil, who successfully completed Academic English Level 60 and is now studying theology at U of T’s Regis College, agrees that the program has helped set him up for success. “Academic English has been a fantastic introduction to academic life here in Canada. It has helped me build a solid path to reach my goals,” says João. “The classes were personalized and fun. There was one-on-one and group learning, and practical exercises in pronunciation, grammar, and text comprehension. I also got to connect with other learners from around the world; this experience helped me understand how diverse and rich the Canadian academic setting is.” 

In addition to developing academic communication and presentation skills, learners use strategies and techniques to improve reading and listening, write clearly about complex subjects, and expand their vocabulary. But this program has also helped learners who are motivated to learn English to thrive outside of a traditional academic setting. “As an artist, one of the primary sources to make an income is grants and awards from different art organizations and institutes,” says Azadeh Pirazimian, an Iranian Canadian multidisciplinary artist and art instructor based in Toronto, who recently completed the program. “Before completing the Academic English Program, I did not have enough self-confidence to apply for these grants and write the proposals because my writing skills were not adequate. But the writing work I completed during the program has allowed me to improve my skills, and I recently applied to a paid exhibition with confidence. This program has opened the gate to my future.”

Regardless of learners’ future goals, the Academic English Program can help accelerate their path to success.
 

Years ago on April 14th, Catherine Fogarty was reading a “this day in history” article in the Globe and Mail. The story was about a riot that happened at the Kingston Penitentiary back in 1971. Intrigued by this piece of Canadian history she had never heard about, Catherine cut out the article, and tucked it neatly away in a folder on her desk. “One day”, she thought, “I want to learn more about this.”

That day came in 2017, when Catherine began developing a book proposal as part of her Master of Fine Arts (MFA). “Writing is a big part of my job and I really enjoy it, but I came to a point where I wanted to write for myself. I wanted to learn about writing creatively, not for a document. Something that was just for me,” reflects Catherine. “That was the impetus to come to the School of Continuing Studies (SCS). It has a diversity of writing courses, and I was really interested in learning about non-fiction.” Catherine began pursuing her Creative Writing Certificate, however her progress was temporarily paused when her Creative Non-Fiction instructor, Ken McGoogan, encouraged her to pursue an MFA after reading her work. Catherine applied to a program at King’s College and was accepted. Her primary project was to create and present a book proposal. Immediately she knew: it was time to tell the story that had caught her interest years ago, and explore the deadly Kingston riot.

The foundational skills Catherine had learned at SCS helped her thrive throughout her MFA. “SCS had given me a very inspiring but realistic view of the writing industry in Canada. My professors at King’s College reiterated these realities, and taught me two key lessons: don’t make stuff up, and don’t quit your day job,” laughs Catherine. “I knew how incredibly difficult it was to get published in Canada, and that you need to write for the love of it. SCS really helped me hone-in on my passion of writing creative non-fiction. It was like falling into a comfy sofa; I finally felt I was writing what I was meant to write.”

Throughout her MFA, Catherine was dedicated to researching the riot, and examining how a handful of prisoners attacked the guards and seized control, drawing international attention to the dehumanizing realities of incarceration. However, she quickly realized that finding information about this historical event would require an investigative spirit. “I went in naively, thinking that information would be publicly available. But doors shut in my face; I learned that I would need to dig to uncover what really happened,” recalls Catherine. “I connected with Corrections Canada, visited the prison, spent hours in reference library basements reading old newspaper articles and tracking down people involved. It was challenging but thrilling.”

Once she had completed her two-year program—and finished a draft of her book—she returned to SCS to complete her Creative Writing Certificate. “I had heard about a specific instructor, Shaughnessy Bishop-Stall, and really liked his work. I took his course, and asked him to be my mentor on my final project, which was finessing a portion of my book about the riot. His mentorship made a huge difference. I earned my certificate in 2019, and when I submitted my manuscript to publishers, it was very polished thanks to his editing and guidance; my book was picked up by the first publisher I contacted.” 

In March 2021, Catherine was awarded the Marina Nemat Award for Creative Writing for having the most outstanding final project of a Creative Writing Certificate learner at SCS. Her book, titled Murder on the Inside: The True Story of the deadly riot at Kingston Penitentiary, is now on bookshelves, and is available online. April 14th commemorates the 50th anniversary of this historic event. “Being published and winning the Marina Nemat award…I just feel so honored,” says Catherine. “When I came into the writing program at SCS, I was intimidated and so hard on myself. I figured I’ll just try my best and have fun learning. So to go from doubting my skills to where I am now is quite surreal.” 

With an MFA and SCS certificate under her belt, she is continuing her mission to tell Canadian true-crime stories. “I’m now exploring a new avenue of storytelling, and have a weekly podcast called Story Hunter Podcasts, which explores Canadian true crime through an investigative lens,” says Catherine. “Continuing education has allowed me to find my niche, and I want to continue telling great stories.”

Donna Hughes had a story to tell. 

But first, she needed to gain the skills and tools to share her story in a way that would engage young readers. After exploring various options, she decided to pursue a Certificate in Creative Writing at SCS. “I noticed instructors at SCS were top-notch published Canadian authors,” says Donna. “I saw that Michelle Berry taught Writing the Novel classes. I liked her unique voice, so I took a chance and enrolled in her course.” Online learning was new to Donna, however she was immediately engaged and appreciated the course’s clear structure and expectations. “I knew I could do it,” reflects Donna. “I admired the way Michelle found strengths in every single story.”

Learning creative writing online was far more interactive than Donna imagined. “I really liked my classmates, and was quickly drawn into their own unique stories. Workshopping our stories kept us constantly improving them as we critiqued each other’s work and received detailed feedback from the instructor,” says Donna. “We gained so much from each other that we even formed a writing group, Nine Pens, to keep the process going. Some of the members have since published, which is exciting for all of us.”

Donna has also thrived taking in-class courses. She particularly enjoyed a course on Popular Fiction taught by instructor and author Eve Silver. “Her classes were well-orchestrated and highly engaging,” says Donna. “Eve is so business savvy and has such good instincts about a story. In fact, some of us formed a writing group called After Eve to keep going with our writing.” Learning from highly skilled instructors in a friendly environment made Donna feel safe to share her story, and give and receive feedback. “The instructor creates this environment of mutual respect. It’s the quality of students that SCS attracts that ensures you’ll have classmates with amazing stories and valuable insights,” she says.

While working towards completing her certificate, Donna continues to write, edit, and finesse the story that haunts her. “In 2005, my 19-year-old niece was murdered by her ex-boyfriend who then committed suicide. We were so shocked by the events and overwhelmed by sadness,” she says. “We read about these things in the media, but I don’t think anyone expects it to happen in their family. There was just so much to piece together. What led up to this? Was it preventable? I have a background in social science, so I went that route first. But I wanted to talk to young people, not provide analysis. I realized that writing a young adult novel based on her story, exploring the underpinnings of teen dating violence, would be the most powerful way I could share her story and do my part in developing awareness.”

At SCS Donna learned the nuts and bolts of putting a story together. With vital ongoing feedback from instructors and classmates, the story developed into a page-turner. “It gave us confidence when Michelle encouraged us to submit our writing to the Penguin Random House Canada Student Award for Fiction. Being a two-time finalist was a wonderful confidence-booster,” Donna recalls. “When Eve suggested I enter the Writing for Children Competition held by the Canadian Society of Children’s Authors, Illustrators and Performers (CANSCAIP), I started submitting. Being a finalist was so encouraging.”

This year Donna was surprised and thrilled to be named the winner in CANSCAIP’s Young Adult category. “The first thing I thought about was my instructors Michelle and Eve and how I couldn’t possibly have achieved this without their instruction, and without them creating such positive classroom environments where I learned from my classmates. Having people believe in my story keeps me going. It’s a hard story to write,” says Donna.

Pursuing continuing education is allowing Donna to realize her vision of creating a young adult novel to sensitize young adults to the warning signs of teen dating violence. “I thought I’d be logging in and logging off, or attending classes and just leaving,” she says. “I didn’t realize I would make good friends, gain strong supporters, and experience this much success along the way.”

SCS: Are the events and circumstance of 2020 really “unprecedented”? 

Nick Gunz: Historians have a very high standard for this term! When most people say “unprecedented”, what they usually mean is “very surprising”. When historians say “unprecedented” they mean truly new. So, no, from a historical perspective 2020 is not unprecedented. We have faced most of these challenges multiple times throughout history. Of course, the events and circumstances are not exactly the same, but we have survived very similar challenges. History is like grief, it’s always different and yet always the same.

For example, pandemics are not new. We’ve lived through pandemics such as the Spanish flu in 1918. In fact, throughout history, there has been a crisis of some measure every 20-30 years. However, we have been living in a time of relative peace, so for many people everything that is happening right now seems unprecedented, when really we are just disconnected from events of our past.

SCS: How can we analyze crises from our past to inform smarter responses to present day challenges? 

NG: I’ll start by saying that there are some things that we are doing right in regard to the pandemic; far fewer people are dying of COVID 19 than the Spanish flu. We have evolved from that experience and are far more prepared. We have evolved scientifically and economically. For example, we are working on vaccines, we aren’t experiencing mass famine, and our economic system is more resilient than in the past. We aren’t as shattered as we were back then.

That being said, there is so much we can learn from our past; history can be used to guide our present-day thinking and capacity to problem solve. It can show us what not to do, but also remind us of our unbelievable capacity to mobilize, take swift action, and respond to crises. For example, when WWII broke out in the UK in 1939, the government evacuated 1.5 million children out of the cities in two days. 

Two days!

And when inevitable issues arose (such as children being placed with families who were not properly capable of hosting children), the Women’s Institute, which was essentially a social club with chapters in every UK village, created an entire system for monitoring, moving, and supporting these children, in only a few months. We are entirely capable of mobilizing in crisis, of making hard and bold choices to manage crisis. I think our government would benefit from analyzing past crisis situations; they can remind us what we can do. 

SCS: What should we be asking of our leaders in times of crisis?

NG: I always hear politicians and policy makers say they are engaging with economists to help navigate government decisions and crises. This is great! However, economists, and public health officials for that matter, have one very specific kind of knowledge. While their domain of knowledge is important and helpful, we have historians, sociologists, epidemiologist in areas other than infectious disease, political scientists, and organizational behaviourists who have deep wells of understanding. But they aren’t being called upon. It’s just not a part of our current political world view. Often decisions are being made based on what seems “reasonable”, without a thorough understanding of historical contexts, lessons, opportunities, and warnings.

SCS: Talk to us about historical warnings.

NG: I like to compare historical lessons to being a heartbroken teenager; remember being a teen and having your heart broken for the first time, then someone older tells you it’s not that bad and you will be ok? What’s really happening is that the teen is feeling so intense because the experience is novel. But the older person is drawing on their historical knowledge to say, “you will survive, and this won’t last forever”. History is that older person. It can provide us with a sense of hope and encourage us to be resilient. 

But history can also warn us when something is really dangerous. Back to our analogy, maybe our teen is dating someone who their elder can see is, you know, a schmuck who treats them badly. That elder warns the teen that their partner is bad news. The older person has seen similar situations and is drawing upon judgements and examples from their past. Listening to history is listening to that elder and heading their advice.

SCS: What is history telling us right now?

NG: There are things that are happening today that history is trying to warn us about. I am very afraid about certain patterns we are seeing. I’m worried American democracy is at serious risk of collapse. History shows us the risk of serious repercussions here. I’m also incredibly concerned about climate change, because this is a threat we have never faced before. Period. It’s totally new to human civilization. That said, history also tells us that we have met, and can meet, problems on a similar scale to climate change. History tells us that there are things we can and should do about COVID, but there are things we simply HAVE to do about climate change. 

SCS: It’s easy to feel helpless under the enormity of the challenges we are facing. What can we do to demand effective and history-informed responses to crises? 

NG: We need to hold our leadership to a higher standard. We must demand that political games be put aside and that our leaders act collectively to solve problems and guide society forward. We also need to hold the media to a higher standard. Our media need to be asking better, bigger picture questions. If every person demands this, things will change.

SCS: What can we learn from 2020?

NG: When darkness comes into the world, it’s an opportunity for light. We have seen this throughout history. When hardship surrounds us, we have an opportunity for heroism. Fear gives us a chance to be courageous. Difficulty and strife can spur deep compassion and connection. We are in crises our planet hasn’t seen for quite a while. That means our generation has chances big and small, that haven’t existed for a while, to be heroes.

Nicholas is a naval and intelligence historian, specialising on the link between intelligence analysis and military strategy. He did his undergraduate work at the University of Toronto before going on to graduate work at Corpus Christi College, Cambridge. Prior to returning to Toronto to teach at U of T, he spent several years teaching undergraduates at the University of Cambridge and at Yale.  

Even the most prolific writers can bump up against a case of writer’s block from time to time. Whether you’re a pro or taking the time social distancing has given you to try your hand at getting your stories down on paper for the first time, getting the words flowing can be a challenge.  

Instead of waiting for the perfect bolt of inspiration to strike, try using these thought-provoking prompts from three of our online Creative Writing instructors, Amy Jones, Elizabeth Ruth, and Michel Basilieres, to improve your craft, beat writer’s block or discover something new about a character or story you’re working on: 

Jones’ Prompts: 

1. Go over to your bookshelf, close your eyes, and pick up the first book you touch. Open that book to a random page, read the first full sentence on that page, and use it as the inspiration for a scene.

2. Write about a memory you have of being stuck in the rain.

3. Imagine your character has gone hiking in a forest on a mountainside. There is no one else around. Describe what they hear, see, smell, taste, and/or feel as they pass through different parts of the forest.

4. Write a dialogue between two characters. Character A wants Character B to move in with them, and Character B doesn’t want to. What tactics does Character A use to try to convince them? How does Character B react?

Ruth’s Prompts:

5. This exercise for writing a poem was intended for public transit but can now be modified for walking instead. Carrying a notebook, walk one block, (social distancing of course!) look up, look around, write down one sentence describing something you see or hear or smell. Continue walking another block. Stop, look around, do the same. Repeat for ten blocks. (Poetry and exercise, what could be better!) Finally, take the last line you've written and place it at the top of the page. This will become your opening line. You may also use it at the end, it that repetition seems appropriate. If you prefer your poem to have a fixed form, rather than writing free verse, arrange your lines in couplets.

6. Take a prose fiction story you have already written, but which is not in its final form. Rewrite the same story, only this time change the gender of your protagonist. What, if anything, does that do to your plot? Dialogue? Central Theme? If you made changes to the story, ask yourself why? This exercise is meant to help identify implicit gender bias in fiction.

7. For Creative Non-fiction or Memoir: What are the three defining moments of your life? Everyone has them, though we don't usually speak of them. These will be the experiences, good and/or otherwise, that make you who you are today. It could be something life altering like an immigration experience, a wedding day, birth of a child. It could be something like a sexual assault or the day you found out your parents were getting a divorce. Perhaps a key life moment was the day you decided to come out as LGBT or buy a lottery ticket, or enter medical school? Whatever your three key defining experiences in life, they will be particular to you. Next, look at your list of three and choose the one you feel most uncomfortable about sharing, most private about, and write that moment now. Be vivid and use sensory language.

Basilieres’ prompts:

8. Remember that story your parent or grandparent used to tell over and over and over at every family gathering? That had meaning for them. Tell that story.

9. Use this 19th Century Character generator and start an argument over an inheritance between two of them. I like "Bumbling Tutor Recently Returned from Abroad" vs. "Headstrong Heroine who is having an Affair with the Groundskeeper".

10. Chose a story or novel by your favourite writer, and copy out five continuous pages, by hand - with pen or pencil on paper, no typing. Pay attention to the punctuation. I guarantee you'll learn more than you imagine.

For more inspiration or writing exercises, Ruth also recommends the book Writer’s Gym in which professional writers, Ruth and a handful of other SCS Creative Writing instructors included, share advice and writing prompts. 

Amy Jones’ fiction has appeared in Best Canadian Stories and The Journey Prize Stories. Her debut collection of stories, What Boys Like, was the winner of the 2008 Metcalf-Rooke Award and a finalist for the 2010 ReLit Award. Her debut novel, We’re All In This Together (McClelland & Stewart, 2016), won the Northern Lit Award, was featured on Quill & Quire’s "Books of the Year 2016" and the Globe & Mail’s "Best Canadian Fiction of 2016”. Originally from Halifax, Amy now lives in Toronto, where she is working on her second novel.

Jones teaches Creative Writing: Introduction and Writing Short Fiction: Introduction at the School of Continuing Studies 

Elizabeth Ruth is the author of three critically acclaimed novels, Matadora, Smoke, and Ten Good Seconds of Silence. Her work has been recognized by the Writer's Trust of Canada Fiction Prize, the Amazon.ca Best First Novel Award, the City of Toronto Book Award, and the One Book One Community Program. Elizabeth is also the author of a novella for adult literacy learners entitled, Love You to Death, and the editor of the anthology, Bent on Writing. In Jan 2014 the CBC named Elizabeth one of the Ten Canadian Women You Need to Read.

Ruth teaches Creative Writing: Introduction and Creative Writing II at the School of Continuing Studies. 

Michel Basilieres is the author of the novel Black Bird, a stage play and two CBC radio plays. He is a frequent reviewer for the Toronto Star and has written for the Globe & Mail, Maisoneuve Magazine and The Danforth Review. Black Bird received widespread acclaim and honours, including the Amazon.ca/Books in Canada First Novel Award. It was shortlisted for the Stephen Leacock Medal, the Commonwealth Writer`s Prize, and included on both the Globe & Mail and Maclean`s best of the year lists. It is available in English, French, Dutch and Serbian, and is taught in schools across the country.

Basilieres teaches Creative Writing: Introduction, Writing Short Fiction: Introduction, Creative Writing II, and Writing Short Fiction II at the School of Continuing Studies. 

From growing up in a convent to becoming an activist student to a career in midwifery and a forbidden love, Joan Bismillah’s life is the stuff major motion picture plots are made of. But it wasn’t until she became a Creative Writing student in her 80s that she became convinced she should get her story down on paper. 

Now, at 91 years of age, Bismillah has not only written her story, but her memoir, A Chameleon from the Land of the Quagga, has been published as well.   

Beginning with her childhood in South Africa, the book tells the story of Joan’s early life in a convent, where she later tried to return and become a nun to escape her grandmother. “My grandmother was a Victorian tyrant,” she explains. “We were often at loggerheads. And to get away from home – nice girls those days could not leave home without bringing disgrace to their families – I went to see Mother Superior at the convent and asked her to rescue me… and she said ‘My dear to be a nun there are certain vows and you would probably manage most of them. But the final one, obedience? No, you will not be able to cope with that.’”

The theme of disobedience reappears throughout the memoir as Bismillah becomes a young activist, then a midwife and falls in love with an Indian medical student. The two are secretly married and flee to England to escape the prejudice and oppression they encounter in South Africa. They later settle in small-town Southwestern Ontario, where Bismillah once again learns to adapt to the world around her.

It was in Canada that Bismillah’s love of learning was rekindled. “We had arrived from London, England and landed in Fergus, Ontario. 4000 people turned into 380. I helped my husband out and took the children to school and there was nothing to do. I was just completely lost,” she says. 

“Guelph University was just opening its art department. Quite by chance I ran into a very kind gentleman who happened to be the Dean. And he said, we’re just opening now, why don’t you come to a meeting?” 

Joan recalls wondering at the time if she was still capable of learning at her age. “I was all of 35,” she laughs.  

“I enrolled that same evening and thought, I’ll take German - because it was close to Afrikaans - so at least I won’t make a fool of myself. I think as you age, you become very self-conscious when you’re with a lot of younger people. They’ll look at you and you think: Oh my God, what am I doing here? Anyway, it worked out and I enrolled full-term for the next four years which helped me come to terms with living in Canada.”  

It wasn’t until after Bismillah’s husband died and she was in her 80s that she began taking creative writing classes at the School of Continuing Studies. She says the writing was a panacea of sorts for her grief and that the encouragement of her classmates and instructors, particularly Ibi Kaslik, was in large part what led her to completing her memoir. 

“[Ibi] was by far the best teacher I’ve had. She was dedicated and she had our interest at heart and you couldn’t help but listen to her,” Bismillah says. 

One of the things that surprised Bismillah most about writing her memoir was how well she remembered the events of her life once she began writing them down. 

“Everything just came flooding back in a way and I could remember in detail,” she explains.

Even her own writing ability took her by surprise, but she says her SCS instructor gave her the confidence boost she needed early in her classes. 

“I was surprised at how I could write and it was all because I was encouraged by somebody like Ibi who had instilled it at the very beginning and that was it and I didn’t bother about it again.” 

Beyond those early doubts about her writing ability, Bismillah says the most challenging thing about writing her memoir was finding the discipline to get it done. “I sat down and I decided that I would treat it as a job,” she says. 

“You have to be disciplined. So I would start at nine or 10 in the morning and I would work right through until five or six in the evening most days. That I think was the most difficult thing, was to sit down and tell myself, you’ve got to finish it, you know, get on with it. It’s to be disciplined, I think.

Bismillah says she wants to encourage other people who might feel it’s too late to learn something new or to tell their own stories to think again.  

“First of all, it’s never too late. And the stories are always worth being told for the simple reason that long after you’ve gone, it’s still there and it’s an example of how people live or what people do and how we survive. And that’s the only reason I can think of for wanting to write the story,” she says. 

Bismillah also stresses the importance of sharing each other’s stories to build a more empathetic world. “Living in a multicultural society as we are, it’s important because we become more tolerant of each other if we know something about each other. Otherwise we become ignorant,” she explains.

“We all have basically the same emotions and same feelings. That is common. But there are all these other factors in life that makes our life interesting or uninteresting or sad or whatever and those are important, and I think you learn from them.”  

For information about the School of Continuing Studies Creative Writing courses, click here: https://learn.utoronto.ca/programs-courses/creative-writing

Joan Bismillah’s memoir, A Chameleon from the Land of the Quagga, is available through Friesen Press: https://books.friesenpress.com/store/title/119734000068962624/Joan-Bismillah-A-Chameleon-from-the-Land-of-the-Quagga