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Moustaches for Men’s Health – The Meaning of Movember

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It’s that time of year again! Whether it’s your least favorite month, or this is your time to shine – Movember is back! 

 While the fun is certainly in the facial hair … Movember is more than just the opportunity to fill in those mutton chops or grow a socially acceptable handlebar moustache. The meaning of this month goes further than flexing the best (or worst) facial hair fashion, it’s the chance to take part in a global movement to support and promote men’s health.


“The moustache is something of a Trojan Horse that encourages men to engage with their health and talk about the things they often don’t, but should,” says Mitch Hermansen, Western Canada Lead for Movember, “There’s no such thing as a bad moustache. They can all start conversations and save lives.” 

Founded in 2003 among four friends, Movember is now the world’s leading men’s health charity, with more than 6 million global supporters all committed to changing the narrative surrounding male health and helping men live “happier, healthier, longer lives”.


The average life expectancy of a man is 6 years shorter than that of the average woman. Movember is working to minimize this gap by focusing on the three factors that pose the greatest risk to mens health worldwide: prostate cancer, testicular cancer and suicide.  

Globally, there are 9.9 million men living with or experiencing the effects of prostate cancer. According to the American Cancer Society, prostate cancer is the second leading cause of cancer death in American men, with 1 in 9 men being diagnosed with prostate cancer in their lifetime, and approximately 1 in 41 men dying as a result.

Testicular cancer is the world’s most common cancer among men ages 15-39, and the American Cancer Society estimates 1 in every 250 males will develop testicular cancer during their lifetime. Education, early detection and effective treatments have put the survival rate for this diagnosis at greater than 95%, however the long-term side effects and impacts can have lasting negative implications on quality of life for survivors. 

The Movember foundation works to minimize the global impact of these dominant male cancers by funding initiatives and collaborating with innovative global organizations that promote education, early detection and personalized and affordable treatment. 

As a holistic men’s health organization, the Movember approach prioritizes mental health as much as physical. Globally, the male suicide rate is shockingly high, with one man dying by suicide every minute of every day, and 6 out of 10 suicides being committed by men (1).

Movember examines and addresses the complex structural factors that contribute to the male suicide rate and keep men from speaking out and seeking help. “We provide men with the tools, avenues and resources to support and engage with their own mental health,” says Hermansen, “as well as ways to support one another.” By facilitating a global conversation surrounding male health and focusing on the three top health risks men currently face worldwide, Movember aims to reduce the number of men dying prematurely by 25% by the year 2030.

This November, there are 4 opportunities to get involved with Movember and contribute to men’s health.

1. Grow your own Mo and raise funds with your face
2. Run or walk 60 km as a part of Move for Movember in recognition of the 60 men lost to suicide each hour, every hour
3. Gather a group and Host a virtual Mo-Ment, and have a good time for a good cause
4. Design your own fundraising challenge and Mo Your Own Way.

 


Visit movember.com to learn more about men’s health and how to get involved, or to create a profile and start fundraising.

For more stories, visit Todayville Calgary.

Alberta

Canada’s postal service refuses to help with Trudeau’s gun ban buyback program: report

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From LifeSiteNews

By Anthony Murdoch

According to a report, Canada’s mail service notified the Trudeau government via a letter that it would not participate in the buyback scheme, citing safety concerns for its employees.

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s federal government crackdown on legal gun owners through a buyback scheme has hit a major roadblock after Canada Post, a federal-run institution, signaled it will refuse to participate in scooping up thousands of legally purchased firearms at the bequest of the government.

According to government sources in a recent Radio-Canada report, the Trudeau Liberals were hoping Canada Post would help collect approximately 144,000 “assault” and “military-style” firearms that were recently banned by the government. Canada Post currently delivers guns via mail that are legally purchased to those with firearms licenses.

The inside source, who chose not to be named, noted that Canada Post notified the Trudeau government via a letter that it would not participate in the buyback scheme, citing safety concerns for its employees.

According to the source, Canada Post is still talking with the federal government, with one idea being to allow it to transport guns but not oversee getting them from their legal owners.

“It’s a challenge, but we do not think this jeopardizes our timetable or the government’s desire to move forward,” said one source, adding, “We want the discussions to continue.”

As for the Trudeau federal government, it continues to say that having Canada Post be involved in the gun buyback is the “most efficient” as well as “least costly” way to get the guns back from owners.

Trudeau’s gun grab was first announced after a deadly mass shooting in Nova Scotia in May 2020 in which he banned over 1,500 “military-style assault firearms” with a plan to begin buying them back from owners.

Late last year, the Trudeau government extended the amnesty deadline for legal gun owners until October 30, 2025. It should be noted that this is around the same time a federal election will take place.

The Canadian government’s controversial gun grab Bill C-21, which bans many types of guns, including handguns, and mandates a buyback program became law on December 14, 2023, after senators voted 60-24 in favor of the bill.

Alberta and other provinces promise to fight Trudeau’s gun grab tooth and nail

On the same day news broke that Canada Post said it would not participate in Trudeau’s gun buyback, Alberta chief firearms officer Teri Bryant last Wednesday issued a statement saying, “We urge the federal government to abandon this ill-advised program and meaningfully consult the provinces as we work to address the actual causes of firearms crime.”

“Canadians are still waiting for concrete details about the federal firearms confiscation program that has been in the works since 2020, and Canada Post’s refusal to participate in the federal government’s firearms ‘buy-back’ program is just one more example of how little forethought or engagement has gone into implementation of this program,” Bryant said.

Bryant noted that the buyback will not “significantly improve public safety” because it does not target those “involved in criminal activity and gun violence, and Albertans can be assured that our government will continue to advocate for our law-abiding firearms community.”

“We believe in a principled and informed approach to firearms policy that preserves public safety and recognizes the immense responsibility that comes with firearms ownership,” she noted.

Bryant observed that the federal confiscation program is not only causing uncertainty for many firearms businesses, but it is also “pulling attention and resources away from programs and initiatives that would help address public safety.”

“It is also undermining public confidence in the fairness of our entire firearms regulatory scheme,” she added.

Indeed, LifeSiteNews reported in February that despite Trudeau’s crackdown on legal gun owners, Statistics Canada data shows that most violent gun crimes in the country last year were not committed at the hands of legal gun owners but by those who obtained the weapons illegally.

Alberta Premier Danielle Smith, along with premiers from no less than four additional provinces, are opposed to C- 21.

Late last year, Smith promised she would strengthen the gun rights of Albertans because of Trudeau’s gun grab.

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Alberta

Alberta threatens to fight Trudeau government restrictions on Canada’s plastics industry

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From LifeSiteNews

By Clare Marie Merkowsky

“If the federal government refuses to abide by the constitution, we will take them to court again to defend our jurisdiction and the thousands of Albertans who work in the petrochemical sector”

Alberta has rejected the Liberal government’s “unconstitutional” federal plastics registry and production limit.

In an April 25 press release, Alberta’s Environment Minister Rebecca Schulz promised to take Liberal Minister of Environment and Climate Change Steven Guilbeault to court over his proposal to create a plastics registry, mandating companies to report their plastic production and implementation.

“If the federal government refuses to abide by the constitution, we will take them to court again to defend our jurisdiction and the thousands of Albertans who work in the petrochemical sector,” Schulz declared.

“This unilateral announcement is a slap in the face to Alberta and our province’s petrochemical industry, and the thousands of Albertans who work in it,” she continued.

Guilbeault’s plan, set to be implemented in September 2025, would mandate that businesses record how much plastic they place on the market in addition to the amount of plastic waste generated on their commercial, industrial, and institutional premises.

Companies would then report that amount to the federal government. The plan exempts small businesses which produce less than one tonne of plastic each year.

However, Schulz explained that the registry would negatively affect Alberta, as “plastics production is a growing part of Alberta’s economy, and we are positioned to lead the world for decades to come in the production of carbon neutral plastics.”

“Minister Guilbeault’s proposal would throw all of that into jeopardy and risk billions of dollars in investments. This includes projects like Dow Chemical’s net-zero petrochemical plant in Fort Saskatchewan, a $9-billion project that will create thousands of jobs,” she warned.

“If the federal government limits plastic production in Canada, other countries like China will just produce more. The only outcome that this federal government will achieve will be fewer jobs in Canada,” she explained.

Schulz’s statement comes after the November decision by the Federal Court to rule in favor of Alberta and Saskatchewan, declaring that Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s government overstepped its authority by classifying plastic as “toxic” and banning all single-use plastic items, like straws.

Essentially, the ruling overturned Trudeau’s 2022 law which outlawed manufacturing or importing plastic straws, cutlery, and checkout bags on the grounds of government claims that plastic was having a negative effect on the oceans. In reality, most plastic pollution in the oceans comes from a few countries, like India and China, which dump waste directly on beaches or in rivers.

The November ruling was only one of two recent court rulings that have dealt a blow to Trudeau’s environmental laws.

The second ruling came after Canada’s Supreme Court recently sided in favor of provincial autonomy when it comes to natural resources. The Supreme Court recently ruled that Trudeau’s law C-69, dubbed the “no-more pipelines” bill, is “mostly unconstitutional.” This was a huge win for Alberta and Saskatchewan, which challenged the law in court. The decision returned authority over the pipelines to provincial governments, meaning oil and gas projects headed up by the provinces should be allowed to proceed without federal intrusion.

The Trudeau government, however, seems insistent on defying the recent rulings by pushing forward with its various regulations.

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