Your go-to spot for Business Updates
Today, we start with words shared by former First Lady of the United States, Michelle Obama.
 
Addressing the graduating class of 2020, Obama begins her commencement speech “not as the former first lady, but as a real live person: a mother; a mentor; a citizen concerned about your future and the future of our country”.
 
“Over these past couple of months our foundation has been shaken -- not just by a pandemic that stole too many of our loved ones, upended our daily lives, and sent tens of millions into unemployment, but also by the rumbling of the age-old fault lines that our country was built on: the lines of race and power that are now, once again, so nakedly exposed for all of us to grapple with…What is happening right now is the direct result of decades of unaddressed prejudice and inequality”
 
Tapping into the emotion felt across the nation, Michelle Obama reminds us that “anger is a powerful force…when anger is focused, when it’s channeled into something more, that is the stuff that changes history”. 
 
Her speech was powerful. Let’s follow her words, and channel this anger into change.
Federal Updates
Support for Indigenous communities. Canada is working alongside First Nations, Inuit and Metis communities to help support their immediate public health response , and address community-specific social and economic needs.
  • Public health response. $285.1 million to fund community-led responses to the pandemic and provide primary health care resources for First Nations communities.
  • Income support. $270 million in further support for the On-Reserve Income Assistance Program, available for both individuals and families.
  • Violence against women. The government is building 12 new shelters supporting Indigenous women and girls experiencing and fleeing violence. Funding will consist of $44.8 million over five years to build them, $40.8 million for operational costs over the first five years, and $10.2 million ongoing. They have also committed $1 million annually to engage with Métis leaders on violence prevention and shelter provisions.
Image Credit: PA/Canadian Press
Funding for seniors. All seniors eligible for the Old Age Security (OAS) pension and the Guaranteed Income Supplement (GIS) will receive a special one-time payment during the week of July 6. This will provide nearly $900 more for single seniors, and more than $1,500 for senior couples.

Aid for Canadians with disabilities. The support will come by way of a one-time, tax-free payment to certificate holders of the Disability Tax Credit. Details on the payment are available here. NEWS ALERT. It seems this one is on hold due to politics!

And some other key updates…

Family Reunification. Immediate family members of Canadian citizens or permanent residents can now enter the country under a new limited exemption to the current border restrictions.
Image Credit: AP Photo/Elaine Thompson
Body-cameras for police. Trudeau is pushing for all police officers to wear body cameras following reports of violence against Black Canadians and Indigenous people.

CERB fraud. Trudeau is proposing new legislation that would target fraudulent applications to the Canada Emergency Response Benefit (CERB). However, the PM did say they would only target deliberate CERB fraud, not honest mistakes.

Fast-tracking provincial payments. Funding delivered through the federal Gas Tax Fund will be accelerated this year, freeing up funds for infrastructure projects in communities across the country.
  • Speaking of infrastructure projects…with Canada adding 1.75 million jobs in June and July, it is the industries dominated by men, like construction, that will see the rehiring boom.
Reopening: In Canada and Around the World
At home

Alberta. Phase 2 of Alberta’s reopening plan begins June 12 th , with places of worship, wellness services, movie theatres, libraries and more opening back up.

British Columbia. Provincial Health Officer Dr. Bonnie Henry has stated that a hybrid learning model , with a mix of online and in-class learning, is very likely for BC schools in September.
  • Don’t miss… Dr. Bonnie Henry’s glowing profile in the New York Times, titled The Top Doctor Who Aced the Coronavirus Test. No surprise, NYT refers to Dr. Henry as “one of the most effective public health officials in the world”.
Image Credit: Jackie Dives for The New York Times
Ontario. Most regions outside the Toronto-Hamilton area are moving to stage 2 of reopening on June 12 th. This will see the reopening of patios and outdoor dining, tours, and certain outdoor activities like mini-golf or camping.

In the U.S.

New York City. NYC is taking its first steps to reopen after a three-month lockdown. Stay-at-home restrictions eased Monday, allowing in-store and curbside pick-up from retail locations.
Image Credit: Youtube/CNN
Around the world

Brazil. Despite growing coronavirus numbers, more than half of Brazilian malls have resumed operations. 

New Zealand. With no new cases, New Zealand lifts remaining COVID-19 restrictions. Concerts, sporting events, restaurants, public transit – it’s all back up and running.

Spain. This July, Spain will reopen its borders to international tourists. Curious about flying? You can read about the future of the airplane’s middle seat here. Please note that this link requires a subscription to read.
New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern
Image Credt: Marty Melville/AFP via Getty Images
Beyond the Social Media Post
Image Credit: George Talusan  of Olivia Iheme
john a. powell, professor of law and African American studies at the University of California, Berkeley, described the uprising sweeping the United States as “a call for justice, a call for police accountability, for the recognition that black lives matter too”

As this call for justice unfurls, confronting a system of institutionalized racism and inequality, many of us are asking: what can we do to be more active, present and educated allies to Black communities?

Do the work . Read up on anti-racism, support black-owned businesses, uplift black leaders, donate to organizations – here’s a list of resources to learn from as you carry out your anti-racism work.
  • Watch…the full feature of Ava DuVernay’s “13th” made available by Netflix here. The film explores race, justice, and mass incarceration in the U.S.
  • Read…another anti-racist reading list, from Layla F Saad.
Image Credit: Nam Y Huh/AP
Confront white fragility & privilege. Attention white people - in this 30-minute video, “White Fragility” author Robin DiAngelo discusses how for well-intentioned white people, the first step is to recognize their fragility around racial issues and build emotional stamina.
  • See…DiAngelo deconstruct white privilege here.

Understand intersectionality. In 1989, leading scholar in critical race theory Kimberle Krenshaw coined the term intersectionality. Used to describe the ways in which race, class, gender and other social identities intersect with one another and overlap, Krenshaw stresses the urgency of intersectionality in this TED talk.
  • Hear…Crenshaw speak on racism, intersectionality, and the death of George Floyd in the times of Covid-19.
Amplify Black voices. This article features 8 educational black voices to listen and learn from right now. Take the time to educate yourself, uplift their voices, and think critically about combatting a culture of white supremacy.

Talk about race with kids. Pre-kindergarten teacher Brittany Smith has put together this essential list of books to prompt conversations around race and racial biases with your kids.

Take a look at your workplace. Laura Morgan Roberts and Anthony J. Mayo outline concrete steps that business leaders can take to create a racially just workplace. Some key points: encourage open conversations about race, combat tokenism, revamp diversity and inclusion programs, and mentor and sponsor Black employees.
Co-founder of Black Lives Matter Movement Patrisse Cullors at the United State of Women Summit in 2018.
Image Credit: Valerie Macon/AFP/Getty Images
Take political action. Sign petitions, contact government officials, engage with the push to defund the police and speak out about racial injustice. Add your name to the Black Lives Matter mailing list to join the global movement and get involved.

If there are any resources you’d like to add, please send them in – we would love to share them with the entire GYB community.
ARTWORK: Rico Gatson, “Watts Kids,” 2015. Courtesy of the artist and Ronald Feldman Gallery, New York.
Virtual Community Building
Whether you’re trying to expand your network, or looking to boost connection amongst your remote team, here are some strategies for building and connecting your online community. 

Host a virtual summit. Boost back-end sales, grow your mailing list…the list of perks goes on. But don’t take my word for it - GYB member Susan Kabani’s digital platform company Ugenie covers the benefits of virtual summits in this informative article . Convinced? They’re offering 30 days of FREE membership, allowing you to try hosting your very own online summit.
Don’t just host, monetize. Read on for a discussion on how to shift your mindset in order to attract sponsors in the digital landscape.

Games, games, games! Quizzes, photo challenges, bucket lists, word games – using the structure of a game to connect and collaborate with colleagues boosts participation and commands the team’s focus on remote meetings.

Slowing down. On your next virtual meeting, start by leading your team through a breathing exercise. Try this one-minute exercise from Headspace –engaging in breath work as a team works to foster both connection and calm.
New workplace, new tech. WorkJoys, the world’s first virtual team building software to help companies and their employees
Well well wellness
Financial wellness, sign me up! GYB member Saijal Patel penned an article featured in the Globe and Mail article titled Why It’s Time To Get Serious About Financial Wellness . In this insightful piece, Saijal highlights the need to help clients build their financial knowledge and empowering them with confident, financial literacy.
Image Credit: Google
That’s a novel approach. Google’s head of wellness discusses their approach to maintaining well-being through the pandemic. One aspect: $1,000 per employee for their WFH offices.

Bed-time rituals for better sleep. This 22-minute NPR feature covers rituals that you can implement for better sleep. One tip: keep your room cool.
GroYourBiz Spotlight:
Chantal Carter, Founder of Love & Nudes
This week, we’re spotlighting GYB member Chantal Carter , founder of Love & Nudes , a Toronto-based company making nude lingerie for women of colour. Featured in multiple TV interviews, Chantal engages meaningfully with topics of beauty, race and representation.

As she sits down with CTV , Chantal discusses how her company’s intimates are designed to reflect all the skin tones of the world. Stressing the importance of representation, Chantal explores the lack of diversity in fashion and lingerie and highlights her efforts to combat shadism through her work.

Chantal’s message is beautiful: Be Your Own Beauty.
What’s more, just last week Chantal was also featured on this segment of CBC’s The National, where she emphasizes the need for companies to engage in more meaningful solidarity with the Black community – “I would like to see more than hashtags”.

Truly incredible, Chantal!
The GYB Experience
Find the Right Franchise For You: A Business Model for Success.
  • Faizun Kumal, award-winning franchise coach, renowned public speaker, and best-selling author, joins us for an in-depth look at how to find your ‘perfect fit’ franchise. Considering individualized assessments of personal, lifestyle and income goals, Faizun guides clients to build a sustainable career that they love.
  • Join us on June 25th, 2020 at 9:00 am – 10:00 am PDT for this highly anticipated webinar.
  • You can register here.
New opportunities with our FREE Trial Virtual Advisory Board have been announced. Sign up for a time slot to challenge your current ‘blocks’, benefit from expert advice and practical information and to seize the potentials of business-to-business cross-marke ting. BONUS.  If this is not for you, perhaps you will consider participating in our  REFER and WIN $100 campaign  by recommending a WBO you believe would benefit. 

…Interested? Register here . Chairs will each facilitate some expert sessions over the course of the next two months. Here’s what’s on the horizon:

Leaving you with a laugh…

Feeling a little cooped up? Time to get reacquainted with those…what are they called again….jeans? Here’s a little comical crash course on how to get dressed again.
That's all folks.
We'll catch you next week for another round of TIPS!
Can’t wait to see you back here next week.
#togetherathome #togetherweshare #togetherstrong #excelsior

GroYourBiz Ltd.
Barbara Mowat, President
Let us know what you thought of this week's newsletter!