#Canadian citizen by investment

[argusimmigration]

SECURE YOUR FUTURE AS A CANADIAN CITIZEN BY INVESTMENT WITH ARGUS IMMIGRATION

Interested in becoming a Canadian citizen by investment? Let Argus Immigration guide you through this rewarding process. Canada offers investor-friendly programs that enable individuals to contribute to the nation’s growth while obtaining permanent residency and citizenship. Our experienced consultants ensure your application is accurate, compliant, and tailored to your goals. With Canada’s excellent quality of life and global recognition, your investment is a step toward a brighter future. Rely on Argus Immigration to make your immigration journey seamless and successful. Contact us to get started!

[disgruntled-detectives]

I’ve been gaining a lot of followers lately, so here are a few things about me and what I believe in before you hit that follow button.

1: The Jewish community is my first priority here. They are my people. My community. Therefore, antisemitism of any kind is not welcome here. Am Yisrael Chai, motherfuckers.

And because far too many non-Jews have decided to be dog whistling, This includes the term “anti-Zionism.” If you are not Jewish, or someone I know personally, or I see your comments and see that you are actually educated on what Zionism actually is and what it means, any anti-Zionism comments will get you blocked.

1A: this obviously doesn’t mean you cannot criticize or speak out against the actions of the israeli government. Israel is being monstrous in its treatment of the people of Gaza. It is reprehensible, and I personally want and yearn for a two state solution. I believe that both Jews and Palestinians have a right to safety and self determination in that land. Both groups are indigenous to the land, and both have a right to be there. We can agree or disagree on how this is achieved. I am for civil, productive conversations surrounding this. However, if you are not Jewish, Palestinian, or have family or community ties to either group, then I am giving you a lot of side eye.

1B: However, this does not give you carte blanch to go after random Israeli citizens. Do you go after random Chinese citizens for what the Chinese government is doing to the Uyghurs? Do you go after random US or Canadian citizens for their government’s treatments of their Indigenous population? No. Because that’s asinine. Same goes for Israelis. People are not their government.

1C: Hamas is a terrorist organization. They are not freedom fighters. They are monstrous as well. What they did on October 7th 2023 was the single biggest Jewish massacre since the Holocaust. They need to answer for that. They need to release the hostages. Simple as that. That being said, racism or Islamophobia of any sort will get you blocked.

Okay. That out of the way…

2: Sex work is real, valid, work and it needs to be legalized, regulated and sex workers need and deserve protection and workers rights like any other worker.

3: UBI is one of the best things we can do for people.

4: People need to be creative. And not everything has to be a side hustle. People wouldn’t need a side hustle if they could survive on their wages.

5: We don’t invest nearly enough in the arts and humanities. STEM is necessary too, but humans need art. We’ve been creating since before we had language.

6: best way to end homelessness? Give them homes. The data shows again and again and again that just giving someone a home goes an enormous way to helping them get back on their feet. It helps the economy, it helps the job force and most of all, it helps them.

7: Healthcare should be free for all.

8: Abortion rights are human rights. Abortion is healthcare. Abortion access is vital and necessary.

9: while I think that children are obviously humans and deserve and need more spaces where they are welcomed and catered to, adults need adult only spaces too. Kids do not belong at wineries, bars, concerts (that aren’t geared for kids of course) and breweries.

10: you are not a temporarily embarrassed billionaire. Wealth inequality especially in America is disgusting. The rich only got that way by exploiting the poor and the working class. Your anger shouldn’t be directed at the dentist who makes 200k a year. Your anger should be directed at the billionaire who hoards so much wealth, they or their descendants could never even hope to spend it all. They could snap their fingers and end homelessness, world hunger, etc. Eat them.

11: ANYTHING anti-trans will get you insta blocked. TERFS; go eat a knife.

12: our puritanical views towards sex and sexuality does us all a huge disservice. Everyone involved is a consenting adult? Go for it. Your kink may not be my kink, but sexual freedom and liberation are everyone’s benefit.

13: Everything bagels are the best bagels.

[decafdoodlez]

Hey I've been a fan for a while! I hope this isn't too much to ask but I love your character Rina and wanna learn more abt her.

Can you tell us some Rina fun facts? 🙈✨️

Have a nice day pookie

Aw, hi anon! <3

And it isn’t too much to ask, I love answering questions about my OCs! :D I’ll hit you with the basic facts, then some fun facts/lore, heheh.

Here are her basic facts:

Name: Marina “Rina” Kaninsen

Nationality & Ethnicity: Canadian citizen, Norwegian heritage

Age: 25 (Aquarius)

5’5” or 165 cm (She’s a bit taller than Ren, yippee!)

Rina Lore:

Marina was born into an affluent family who invested their capital into real estate and stocks. She is the youngest of 6 siblings, with a 13 year age gap between her older sister, and an 8 year gap between her youngest older twin brothers.

Rina’s father lost all of their wealth by the time Rina finished college. As a “favor,” Derek Goffard’s father proposed a deal with Rina’s father to have Rina work for him and he would give him a lump sum of money to get his business back up and running and life back on track. Mr. Goffard, the slimy gore pervert he is, did NOT have good intentions upon obtaining Rina, and would’ve acted on his impulses sooner or later if had gotten the chance to before she was kidnapped by Fox’s auctions. In a sense, Rina’s father sold Rina to the Goffards.

Marina worked at Goffard Conglomerate under Derek and his father as a business assistant for a little under a year.

Marina was kidnapped for auction after leaving alone early after a (one-sided) petty fight over drinks with her friends.

Fun Facts:

Rina’s last name, ‘Kaninsen,’ is a made up Norwegian patronymic name that means “son of rabbit.” Kind of a call back to her family having a lot of kids, haha.

Marina is fluent in Norwegian.

Rina appears to have pointed ears, though she does not possess any sort of mystical or elven heritage. (I just like pointed ears, like how Guts from Berserk has pointed ears and is just a human dude, lol.)

Before being kept by Fox, Marina preferred to dress modestly! She still does prefer to cover up, but Fox thinks it’d be a damn shame for her to just “cover up her beautiful assets.”

Rina is musically gifted, and plays piano and harp.

Marina is the most academically gifted amongst her siblings, and is quite smart.

Marina was a very career driven and “results driven” person.

Marina had NO relationship experience before being kidnapped then taken in by Fox as his “pet.”

Marina has a secret blog where she gushes over her nerdy interests. No one in her family or friend group knows of the blog.

Marina generally hides any nerdy interest from friends and family.

Though Marina is secretive about her otaku/weeb interests/habits, while in captivity in the bunker, Fox found her secret blog and read up on her interests and learned more about her want to live in a fantasy world.

Marina likes to play 18+ otome games.

Marina’s favorite eligible bachelor in her favorite otome series, Feral Fantasy, was a human-canine hybrid man with pointed dog ears and a tail, similar to Ren.

Rina learned how to knit while in Fox’s care, and sometimes tries to make him gifts, such as scarves, blankets, or sweaters. With each project, she gets better, and Fox is smitten with each gift she makes for him.

Marina is also into crafting, she even made an iron on decal sweater that says "Fox's #1 Fan," complete with the signature fox logo. (Fox thought it was adorable)

Marina rarely smiles, though she does smile a bit more after being kept by Fox, and it stops him dead in his tracks and warms Fox’s heart every time.

Marina also enjoys reading novels. Fox usually buys her a new novel each time he goes out into town, with or without her.

She can frequently be found with a book laid atop her chest as she sleeps on the couch, waiting for Fox to come home.

Fox has also designated a room in his living quarters filled with plushies, cute objects, and video games just for Marina to “play” in, especially when he’s away.

Though not falling for him immediately, Marina does eventually come to love Ren.

And I think that’s enough for now! :) If you have any specific questions about Rina, her background, or her relationship with Fox, I will be more than happy to answer! (SFW & NSFW asks are welcome!)

Thanks anon! Thank you for your curiosity about darling Rina! <3

[northern-punk-lad]

Canada would rather kill off it’s own citizens than invest in its own healthcare

Like Canada has done so much damage to assisted dying campaigns around the world like they are having to explain they don’t want the Canadian system

[mostlysignssomeportents]

How to save the new from Big Tech

This Saturday (May 20), I’ll be at the GAITHERSBURG Book Festival with my novel Red Team Blues; then on May 22, I’m keynoting Public Knowledge’s Emerging Tech conference in DC.

On May 23, I’ll be in TORONTO for a book launch that’s part of WEPFest, a benefit for the West End Phoenix, onstage with Dave Bidini (The Rheostatics), Ron Diebert (Citizen Lab) and the whistleblower Dr Nancy Olivieri.

It’s no longer controversial to claim that Big Tech is a parasite on the news business. But there’s still a raging controversy over the nature of the parasitism, and, much more importantly, what to do about it.

https://pluralistic.net/2023/05/18/stealing-money-not-content/#beyond-link-taxes

This week on EFF’s Deeplinks blog, I kick off a new series on the abusive relationship between Big Tech and the news, analyzing four different dirty practices and proposing policy answers to all four:

https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2023/04/saving-news-big-tech

The context here is that various governments around the world have taken notice of the tech/news problem, and are chasing a counterproductive “solution” — the “link tax,” where tech firms are required to pay for the links and short snippets their users or news search-tools make to news-stories. In some cases, the “tax” is indirect: tech is required to negotiate a payment to make up for other misdeeds (like ripping publishers off with ad fraud).

You can argue that this isn’t a link tax, it’s just pressure to bargain, but because these rules typically ban platforms from simply blocking publishers’ content if they can’t reach an agreement, they become link taxes: “You must carry links, and you must pay the sites you link to” isn’t meaningfully different from “You must pay for linking to those sites.”

This “must-carry” dimension — requiring tech firms to publish links to sites they don’t want to link to — has lots of things wrong with it, but in the US, must-carry has a showstopper bug: it contravenes the First Amendment and any law with a must-carry provision is unlikely to survive a court challenge. So people who care about protecting the news from Big Tech predators — like me — need to try other approaches.

But no matter where you are, requiring tech to pay fees to news is the wrong approach. For one thing, it’s a solution that only works for so long as Big Tech stays big: that means that efforts to break up Big Tech, force it to pay taxes and fines, and limit its profits (say, through privacy laws that end surviellance ads) are incompatible with link taxes and adjacent proposals.

The big risk here is that news outlets will become partisans in the fight against shrinking Big Tech, because news companies’ destinies will be linked to the tech giants’ own fate. More immediately, there’s the risk that news companies that depend on negotiating payments from Big Tech will not act as the effective watchdogs we need them to be.

That’s not just a hypothetical risk: in Canada, Big Tech entered into negotiations with the Toronto Star — the country’s widest-circulating paper — ahead of a proposed “news bargaining code” that was working its way through Parliament. Once that settlement was reached, the Star abruptly killed “Defanging Tech” its excellent critical series on the tech giants it had just climbed into bed with:

https://www.thestar.com/news/big-tech.html

Another important risk from “bargaining codes” and link taxes is that they tend to favor the largest and/or most sensationalist news companies, who have the leverage to bargain for the highest sums. In Australia, Rupert Murdoch’s NewsCorp bargained for a sizable payment from the tech sector — but then it laid off its news workers. Merely transferring money to media giants doesn’t mean an increase in investment in news. That’s especially true in the Canadian context, where a US vulture-capitalist fund bought out the National Post and its nationwide affiliates and then loaded the chain up with debt, while hacking newsroom staff to the bone and beyond. There’s no reason to think that tech payments to the Post will go anywhere except to the financial speculators who are its major creditors.

Meanwhile, the proposed US version, JCPA, has a payout schedule based on the number of clicks a news outlet generates for each platform — a metric that will see the lion’s share of money going to the far-right clickbait sites that push conspiracy theories, disinformation, and culture-war nonsense — and see floods of social media traffic as a result.

Any solution to the tech/news conflict should benefit the news, and the workers who produce it — not the shareholders of the giant companies whose short-sighted consolidation, mass firings, and sell-offs of physical plant created the hyper-concentrated, brittle news sector of today:

https://pluralistic.net/2021/10/16/sociopathic-monsters/#all-the-news-thats-fit-to-print

Luckily for the news, there’s a whole bushel of policy levers we can yank on to make the news better, stronger, and more sustainable, even as tech monopolies and the surveillance they rely on are consigned to the scrapheap of history.

In this series — which will publish weekly over the next four weeks — I’ll dig into four policy prescriptions for making a better news that is free of Big Tech, not dependent on it:

I. Break up ad-tech: Following the lead of Senator Mike Lee’s AMERICA Act, we must end the ad-tech sector’s self-dealing. Ad-tech scoops up 51% of every ad-dollar. That’s thanks to the ad-tech companies practice of offering marketplaces in which they represent both advertisers and publishers: that’s like a game where the referee pays the salaries of the head coaches for both teams. If we pare back the ad-tech tax to, say 10% and split the difference between advertisers and publishers, then every publisher will see an immediate 20% increase in their top-line revenue, without having to “bargain” for a “voluntary” payment from tech companies.

II. Ban surveillance ads: America is long overdue for a federal privacy law with a private right of action. When we finally get such a law, surveillance advertising is dead. Ad-tech has long argued that people like ads, so long as they’re “relevant,” a state that can only be attained through continuous, invasive surveillance. In reality, no one consents to surveillance — which is why, when Apple gave its users a one-click opt-out from spying, 94% blocked spying (unfortunately, Apple only blocks its competitors from spying on Apple customers; even if you opt out of spying on your Apple device, Apple will continue to spy on you).

The natural successor to surveillance ads is context ads: ads based on the content you’re looking at, not the surveillance data an ad-tech platform amassed on you without your consent. Context ads are intrinsically better for publishers: no publisher will ever know as much about a reader’s behavior than a spying ad-tech platform, but no ad-tech platform will ever know as much about a publisher’s own content than the publisher does.

That means that the benefits of a ban on surveillance ads wouldn’t just be an end to creepy internet spying — it would also transfer power from tech companies to news companies, online performers and other creative workers.

III. Open up app stores: 30% of every dollar spent on app-based digital subscriptions is claimed by two companies, Google and Apple, the mobile duopoly. This app store tax is a pure transfer from news to tech. The EU’s Digital Markets Act and the proposed US Open App Markets Act are both designed to kill the app store tax. Dropping mobile payment processing fees from 30% to the industry standard 2–5% will instantaneously make increase the revenue from every subscriber by 25% or more.

IV. Make social media end-to-end: Tech platforms’ predictable enshittification strategy always ends with publishers no longer being able to reach their subscribers unless they pay to “boost” their content. Social media companies claim to be facilitators of the connection between publishers and audiences, but in reality, they take those audiences hostage and ransom them off to publishers. An end-to-end rule for social media would require platforms to reliably deliver material published by accounts to their own followers, who asked to see that material.

The debate over news and tech starts from the erroneous — and dangerous — assumption that the platforms are stealing the news media’s content, by letting their users talk about, quote and link to the news. This isn’t theft: if you’re not allowed to talk about the news, then it’s not the news — it’s a secret.

The platforms are stealing from news, though: they’re not stealing content, they’re stealing money. Between sky-high ad-tech rakes, app store taxes, and ransom demands to reach your own subscribers, the tech companies have grabbed the majority of money generated by news workers and the companies they work for.

Ending this theft will produce a more sustainable and robust source of funding for the news — without compromising news companies’ ability to aggressively hold tech to account, and without propping up financialized, hollowed-out media monopolies at the expense of an independent press.

Catch me on tour with Red Team Blues in Toronto, DC, Gaithersburg, Oxford, Hay, Manchester, Nottingham, London, and Berlin!

If you'd like an essay-formatted version of this thread to read or share, here's a link to it on pluralistic.net, my surveillance-free, ad-free, tracker-free blog:

https://pluralistic.net/2023/05/18/stealing-money-not-content/#beyond-link-taxes

[Image ID: EFF's banner for the save news series; the word 'NEWS' appears in pixelated, gothic script in the style of a newspaper masthead. Beneath it in four entwined circles are logos for breaking up ad-tech, ending surveillance ads, opening app stores, and end-to-end delivery.]

Image: EFF https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2023/04/saving-news-big-tech

CC BY 3.0 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/deed.en

[brookstonalmanac]

Events 7.20 (before 1940)

70 – Siege of Jerusalem: Titus, son of emperor Vespasian, storms the Fortress of Antonia north of the Temple Mount. The Roman army is drawn into street fights with the Zealots. 792 – Kardam of Bulgaria defeats Byzantine Emperor Constantine VI at the Battle of Marcellae. 911 – Rollo lays siege to Chartres. 1189 – Richard I of England officially invested as Duke of Normandy. 1225 – Treaty of San Germano is signed at San Germano between Holy Roman Emperor Frederick II and Pope Gregory IX. A Dominican named Guala is responsible for the negotiations. 1398 – The Battle of Kellistown was fought on this day between the forces of the English led by Roger Mortimer, 4th Earl of March against the O'Byrnes and O'Tooles under the command of Art Óg mac Murchadha Caomhánach, the most powerful Chieftain in Leinster. 1402 – Ottoman-Timurid Wars: Battle of Ankara: Timur, ruler of Timurid Empire, defeats forces of the Ottoman Empire sultan Bayezid I. 1592 – During the first Japanese invasion of Korea, Japanese forces led by Toyotomi Hideyoshi captured Pyongyang, although they were ultimately unable to hold it. 1715 – Seventh Ottoman–Venetian War: The Ottoman Empire captures Nauplia, the capital of the Republic of Venice's "Kingdom of the Morea", thereby opening the way to the swift Ottoman reconquest of the Morea. 1738 – Canadian explorer Pierre Gaultier de Varennes et de La Vérendrye reaches the western shore of Lake Michigan. 1799 – Tekle Giyorgis I begins his first of six reigns as Emperor of Ethiopia. 1807 – Nicéphore Niépce is awarded a patent by Napoleon for the Pyréolophore, the world's first internal combustion engine, after it successfully powered a boat upstream on the river Saône in France. 1810 – Citizens of Bogotá, New Granada declare independence from Spain. 1831 – Seneca and Shawnee people agree to relinquish their land in western Ohio for 60,000 acres west of the Mississippi River. 1848 – The first Women's Rights Convention in Seneca Falls, New York, a two-day event, concludes. 1864 – American Civil War: Battle of Peachtree Creek: Near Atlanta, Georgia, Confederate forces led by General John Bell Hood unsuccessfully attack Union troops under General William T. Sherman. 1866 – Austro-Prussian War: Battle of Lissa: The Austrian Navy, led by Admiral Wilhelm von Tegetthoff, defeats the Italian Navy near the island of Vis in the Adriatic Sea. 1871 – British Columbia joins the Canadian Confederation. 1885 – The Football Association legalizes professionalism in association football under pressure from the British Football Association. 1903 – The Ford Motor Company ships its first automobile. 1906 – In Finland, a new electoral law is ratified, guaranteeing the country the first and equal right to vote in the world. Finnish women are the first in Europe to receive the right to vote. 1917 – World War I: The Corfu Declaration, which leads to the creation of the post-war Kingdom of Yugoslavia, is signed by the Yugoslav Committee and Kingdom of Serbia. 1920 – The Greek Army takes control of Silivri after Greece is awarded the city by the Paris Peace Conference; by 1923 Greece effectively lost control to the Turks. 1922 – The League of Nations awards mandates of Togoland to France and Tanganyika to the United Kingdom. 1932 – In the Preußenschlag, German President Hindenburg places Prussia directly under the rule of the national government. 1935 – Switzerland: A Royal Dutch Airlines plane en route from Milan to Frankfurt crashes into a Swiss mountain, killing thirteen. 1936 – The Montreux Convention is signed in Switzerland, authorizing Turkey to fortify the Dardanelles and Bosphorus but guaranteeing free passage to ships of all nations in peacetime. 1938 – The United States Department of Justice files suit in New York City against the motion picture industry charging violations of the Sherman Antitrust Act in regards to the studio system. The case would eventually result in a break-up of the industry in 1948.

[back-and-totheleft]

Spotlight On: Persona Non Grata (2003)

"I think right now the problem is rather emotional, rather than territorial. Rather psychological than logical. Two angry people that cannot hear each other any more. The Middle East is full of tongues and short of ears." 

-Shimon Peres, Prime Minister of Israel, Persona Non Grata (2003)

In 2003, Oliver Stone directed an HBO documentary on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict during the Second Intifada. The film follows Stone's interviews with Israeli prime ministers past and present Benjamin Netanyahu, Shimon Peres and Ehud Barak. Also interviewed are Hasan Yosef of Hamas, the (masked and anonymous) leader of the al-Aqsa Martyrs' Brigade and random citizens of both sides. There's also a Michael Moore-esque subplot about the quest to secure an interview with Palestinian president Yasser Arafat, which results in only a brief superficial meeting.

Stone's film crew arrived in Jerusalem on March 23, 2003 but spent a significant chunk of time filming in Ramallah, West Bank until Israel launched surprise attacks against the city. We watch onscreen as the shocked crew views live news coverage and a political liaison reports to Stone that Israel does not care about the safety of the crew or famous American director and will not grant safe passage. Cameras document the production unit finally fleeing through the Qalandia checkpoint, thanks to a last-minute intervention and escort from the Canadian embassy. (The U.S. "didn't do shit" for them, Stone summed up later.)

Typical of the severe cinéma vérité style of Stone's early documentaries, Persona Non Grata plunges viewers into the conflict immediately with little history or context. At this time, Stone did not make his nonfiction for beginners. There is little text onscreen, mainly just identifying the interviewees by name. Subjects are allowed to speak at length without interruption and the conversations are rarely edited into soundbites. The constellation of crew and cameras which surround Stone and his subjects are always visible. The film doesn't take obvious sides, though at points it's clear that Stone - a former soldier of the American empire who fought against a guerrilla insurgency in Vietnam - is more comfortable with the guerrilla Palestinian fighters than the pious Israeli politicians in suits. (Grunts recognize grunts.)

Oliver Stone's own Jewishness is never mentioned in the documentary, though it's interesting and somewhat fraught. According to his memoir Chasing the Light, Oliver's paternal family was full of learned rabbis (originally from Poland) who disliked leaving their enclave in New York's Upper West Side. Oliver's grandfather, Joshua Silverstein, was the wealthy owner of New York's Star Skirt Company until he sold it and invested the proceeds in the stock market shortly before the October 1929 crash. The family fortune was destroyed. Still reeling from that disaster, Oliver's father, Abraham Silverstein, was then so deeply scarred by the rampant antisemitism of the 1930's that he changed his name to the more "American" Louis Stone. According to Oliver, his father was repulsed whenever he encountered the Orthodox Jewish community in New York, believing they made themselves open targets, and he frequently told his son to hide his Jewishness identity because "the pogroms will come back" and "they" were waiting to take little Jewish children like him. 

In that environment, young Oliver was never given an education in Judaism and, in the early 1990s, he became the devout Buddhist he remains today. That was also the decade when Stone met and became business partners with Arnon Milchan, the former Israeli spy turned film producer. Milchan brought Stone on his first trip to Israel and Stone would visit the country a few more times, most recently last summer to receive a lifetime achievement award from the Jerusalem Film Festival. Milchan's ardent Zionism did not rub off on Stone, who's gotten in hot water over the years for openly criticizing Israel's foreign policy, specifically AIPAC and Israel's 2024 attacks against Gaza civilians. 

So what is Persona Non Grata? I think it's a weary reflection of its director's ongoing struggle with conflict and violence. As a two time Purple Heart recipient and Army combat veteran, Oliver Stone has devoted most of his career to grappling with himself as both a victim and perpetrator of violence. Nearly being killed - and becoming a killer - in the service of what he later discovered was a racist, colonial war in Vietnam remains his primal wound. (It's also likely why he's shown in the doc as nonplussed about being in a war zone surrounded by tanks and snipers.)

The film's title (Latin for "unwelcome person") is a deliberate choice. Is it referencing Stone himself and his attempts to interview Arafat, or to Arafat, or to the Palestinians, or to the Israeli leadership? Maybe all of the above. Of course there's no real ending to the documentary, because how could there be? Instead, old soldier Stone wanted to observe this never-ending conflict. So he came, he saw, and left without answers - just heartsick resignation. 

Watch Persona Non Grata (2003) here.

[pilawturkey]

Turkish Business Lawyer

This article seeks to examine the particular role of Turkish Business Lawyers in Turkey. Turkey is surrounded on three sides by the Black Sea, the Mediterranean Sea and the Aegean Sea. Therefore, our country is based on a critical geography. It connects three continents including Africa, Asia and Europe. There is a growing interest of foreign entrepreneurs in making investments.

What is the meaning of Turkish Business Lawyer in Turkey?

Law and its application necessitates a great deal of knowledge about the legal framework in every single country. Every single investment project needs an embracing analysis of applicable Turkish norms. Commercial activities such as company formations, opening a branch, mergers and acquisitions, franchising system must be managed through an efficient legal guidance by foreign investors. Turkish business lawyers provide in-depth services to large, middle or small scale of corporations and|or individuals for their upcoming investment activities.

What is the role of Turkish Business Lawyers for the recent achievements of Pi Legal Consultancy?

Pi Legal Consultancy is a legal consulting and business consulting international law firm in Turkey. Pi Legal Consultancy working groups aim at setting up a wide network inside and outside Turkey. Currently, Pi Legal Consultancy enjoys solution partners and lawyers based in most European and African countries as well as Canada and the United States. Additionally we have three offices based in İstanbul, Ankara and Batman. It necessarily means that Pi Legal Consultancy has a robust network around the globe. Based on a detailed overview of our client profiles, our service quality, satisfying nature of our articles and papers together with our marketing and branding efforts, we have been recently chosen by the London-based Prestige Awards Group as the international law firm of 2022/2023. Currently, we provide legal and business consultancy to leading French, British, Norway, USA, Switzerland, Denmark, Netherlands, Israel, Canadian and Kuwait companies and the Ministry of Health of Kuwait. We have also created a great collaboration with the Embassy and Istanbul Consulate General of Saudi Arabia and the United Kingdom. Pi Legal Consultancy also offers legal guidance to numerous foreigners living or working within the jurisdiction of Turkey. On one hand, Turkish Business Lawyers in Ankara are of utmost importance in meeting the growing interest of particularly individual foreigners. On the other hand, Turkish Business Lawyers in Istanbul are of great importance in offering detailed services to foreign corporations for their investment activities in Turkey.

Conclusion

Pi Legal Consultancy is very pleased to provide a comprehensive business consultancy to foreigners. Qualified commercial lawyers in Ankara and qualified commercial lawyers in Istanbul undertake paramount duties under the umbrella of Pi Legal Consultancy. They provide legal and business consulting to citizens of foreign countries. Form more information about this topic, please click to https://www.pilc.law/turkish-business-lawyer/

[canadian-immigration-legal]

Navigating Business Immigration to Canada

Business immigration is a branch of immigration law in Canada that assists foreign entrepreneurs, investors, business owners, start-ups, and high-net-worth people. Foreign nationals and their families may be granted permanent residency in Canada by bringing more foreign business to the country, investing in an existing one, or launching a new one. details

Foreign businesspeople and investors must first seek permanent resident status in Canada in order to become Canadian citizens. After physically being in Canada for three years, only those who are permanent residents are eligible to apply for citizenship.

The following steps describe how to become a Canadian citizen through company ownership:

Invest in a business

Obtain work permit

Operate business

Apply for permanent residence

Apply for citizenship

[argusimmigration]

Become a Canadian Citizen by Investment – Argus Immigration Consultancy

Interested in becoming a Canadian citizen by investment? With Argus Immigration Consultancy, we help you explore pathways that offer Canadian citizenship through investment programs. Our team will assist in understanding the eligibility criteria and investment requirements to fast-track your citizenship journey. Invest in Canada and secure your future today.

[atlanticcanada]

'We could see closures in Canada': frustrated retailers fight losing battle with shoplifters

There's evidence the growing problem of shoplifting is actually altering the retail landscape.

Walmart, the world's largest retailer, abruptly closed four of its eight stores in Chicago, Ill., last week,

Media reports cite a lack of profits, theft and security concerns as the company’s reasons for the shutdown.

Experts say it might very well happen in the Maritimes.

"I do think we could see some closures in Canada. Maybe Walmart, maybe not, but it wouldn't surprise me," said retail analyst Bruce Winder from Toronto.

"If you look at the hardest areas hit economically, you look around Canada, especially in some of the big cities, you've got the increase in housing [costs], that just went through the roof whether it's rent or mortgage payments for people that have doubled or tripled because of interest rates," said Winder.

"I think we're at the tipping point now, where people are getting a lot more aggressive shoplifting."

According to Statistics Canada, Shoplifting is at an all-time high.

Thanks to a change in reporting last year, Halifax numbers are hard to pin down, but police acknowledge the problem.

"Like many regions across the country, we have seen an increase in retail theft and break and enters, particularly since 2020, including in Halifax," said Const. John MacLeod, Halifax Regional Police public information officer, in an email to CTV News.

"We do not know all the reasons driving this increase – but we are aware and working closely with community partners to work on solutions.”

"We have had several discussions with business districts and other stakeholders recently regarding such matters, and remain engaged in ongoing dialogue to ensure business owners are aware of the proper conduits to report incidents and connect with police officers in their area.”

MacLeod said the force is also trying to be more visible in the community by conducting foot patrols and using community officers.

Jim Cormier, the Atlantic director of the Retail Council of Canada, says retailers are at their “wit’s end” when it comes to shoplifting.

"They want to be good citizens, they want to do things responsibly, but when people are brazenly stealing from them, they have to be able to have some kind of measure where they can deal with it," said Cormier, adding his group and other stakeholders plan to meet with the provincial justice minister next month to discuss the issue.

"Statistics Canada has been showing time and again that there’s a dramatic increase in shoplifting," said Cormier.

"And it's not just limited to central Canada or to the bigger cities, where we think, 'Oh, that's where these things happen.' It's happening in Halifax. It's happening in Moncton. It's happening in Saint John, Charlottetown -- you name it."

In an afternoon statement to CTV News, Walmart indicated it would be beefing-up security.

"Retail crime – including theft and arson– is sadly higher than it historically has been at Walmart Canada and across the entire retail industry," said Stephanie Fusco, Walmart's senior manager of corporate affairs.

"This is very concerning for our business, our associates, our customers and the industry."

"Canadians rely on us for our everyday low prices on the products and services they need the most -- especially in challenging economic times like we are facing now. We want to reduce theft as much as possible in order to keep our everyday low prices as we continue to help Canadians save money and live better."

"Walmart Canada uses a variety of measures to manage and prevent theft and to keep our associates and customers safe. We’re increasing our investment in these measures, including enhancing our asset protection technologies and procedures in-store," the statement concluded.

from CTV News - Atlantic https://ift.tt/706OuAl

[laviedavantgarde]

Important Fanfiction Personal Update Below!

Putting this below a Read More because it is a but lengthy and I do not want people to scroll too much!

I haven’t updated my fanfictions in awhile, and there are two main reasons why:

I’ve tinkered and refined Julien behind the scenes.

I have major writer’s block.

Back when I began to write Grand Theft Immortal, I initially wrote this fanfiction to be a mostly original parody of the infamous My Immortal fanfic. I did not take it so seriously in the first few chapters. However, with the introduction of my OC Julien, that’s when it really took off.

I stopped where I did in GTI because I did not know how the second part of the fic would play out, and after some time, I was dissatisfied with Julien’s plot. I considered his feud with the publishing head to be way more ambitious than I thought it would be. Considering that My Immortal’s protagonist is a literal Mary Sue, I subconsciously made Julien into a Gary Stu to fit the parody. Am I re-writing his canonical situation to Julien’s mother’s death? Yes.

GTI was a real-time evolution to how I saw Julien and his character at the moment in writing. I put a lot of myself in Julien’s personality at the time, because I wanted to see someone like myself represented in a fic in terms of our trans and gay identities, as well as our love of academia. Julien and I are similar, but he has a more “serious” disposition. I also tried to fix My Immortal’s overused love triangle trope to a polyamorous one, as both Julien and I are polyamorous. Would Julien be involved with Michael? Sure, but he probably would stay far away from Trevor romantically. At the time, I was very invested in trying to write and explain how I saw Michael and Trevor’s relationship.

Now, I have very different feelings about GTI. It did serve its purpose in trying to find my identity as a young scholar and academic in Julien and cultivating and working hard at a polyamorous configuration. (In real life, I have had lackluster experiences with past partners and my ex metas- a poly term for my partner’s partner(s).) The fic served its purpose in working out the nuts and bolts for Julien as an OC. However, I think it is time to “abandon” the fic. This means while I will still have it for people to read, it is certainly not 100% canonical in terms of Julien’s events.

This is still canonical about/for Julien:

He is a professor at ULSA and has a PhD in English

He is a vigilante assassin who works behind the scenes (he rarely gets on the front lines)

His mother’s unfortunate demise

June Margot is his surrogate mother

He is trans/gay/poly

He’s a dual citizen of Canada and the US, but grew up in the US.

He speaks enough French to get by and have a conversation, but he is not 100% fluent. (His mom was French Canadian - Quebecois)

This is NOT canonical for Julien (as of 5/22/23):

His mother’s killer is the publishing head.

He is personally involved with the GTA V trinity and other characters.

He did not write a script for a movie.

You can say GTI is both a fever dream and a fanfic study. I am indebted to the readers and commenters, as well as the friendships I made with others over my fic. However, due to my feelings about where I see this fic now, it is time to shelve that away. Also, with My Immortal’s foundation in being a HP fanfiction and of its series’ author being a major bigot, it feels unethical for me to continue GTI.

That also means Blue Eyes and Homoerotic Vibes is a fever dream in itself, although I still find it quite enjoyable to read. (And downright sexy.)

In terms of my fic with Julien and Juan (Éxtasis en Aguamarina), that is another fanfic case study. Julien in a million years would never associate with Juan due to his own safety in mind. At the time, I was super simpy for Juan and I wanted to write more homoerotic fanfiction.

Fanfiction will always hold a special place in my heart, and I want these stories to still be accessible because I want the guys/masc folks in the GTA V/GTAO fandom to enjoy fanfiction written by someone like me and to see themselves being desired.

I still very much play GTAO, but I have so much development in terms of Julien’s character in the works behind the scenes. If I were to upload that content, it would technically not be fanfiction. It would be original writing. Let’s see where this goes, and I will find a place to house these original works of Julien.

Is this to say I will stop writing fanfiction for good? No. My fanfiction writing comes in waves. I just have to be really hyperfixated on a fandom and have a lot of ideas. Right now, I don’t. My priorities in how I engage in fandom morphed significantly these past couple or so years. I still very much love to discuss and analyze media! I’ve analyzed both as a student and as a young adjunct. I just enjoy the nonfiction parts too. I’m that guy with an iced coffee who will sit down with individuals who want to play Operation on media and discuss, analyze, and critique media in the lens of scholarly and informal inquiry. If that sounds like you, I would love for you to join me at this metaphorical table.

I still very much am invested in Julien, other OCs, and your fanfictions! I am just taking a step back from the fanfiction writing table to focus on Julien’s world buildings.

If you read this far, then you’re a champ. Here’s a gold star!

Much love,

Avant

[widerimmigrationconsultant]

How to Apply for a Canada Permanent Residence Visa

If you’re a Canadian citizen, you already know the value of permanent residence in this country. But if you’re from another country, your journey to becoming a Canadian resident can be quite daunting. With so many forms and applications to sift through, it can be difficult to know where to begin.

But don’t worry! In this article, I’ll take you through the entire process of apply for a Canada PR visa. I’ll explain everything from eligibility criteria to required paperwork to application fees. This guide will help make your transition into life in Canada as smooth and stress-free as possible!

Determine Your Eligibility for a Canada PR Visa

An important part of your permanent residence visa application is to make sure you meet the criteria for approval. Generally, you must prove that you can become economically established in Canada. This means demonstrating that:

You have sufficient English or French language proficiency to live and work in Canada

You have relevant experience and education as determined by Canadian standards

You pass a medical exam, background check, and security clearance

You possess an employment offer from a Canadian company or be self-employed in Canada

All applicants must go through the same processes, regardless of country of origin. It is important to make sure that all the required documents are submitted with your application so that it can be processed in a timely manner. Applicants may be asked for additional documentation as part of their application process.

Choose a Canada Immigration Program

Once you decide that you want to make Canada your permanent home, the first step is to choose the right immigration program. Canada has a number of immigration programs that offer different pathways to permanent residence. You need to research each one and find the one that best fits your goals and qualifications.

Here are some of the most popular programs:

Express Entry: The Express Entry system allows skilled workers from around the world to immigrate to Canada with their families in as little as six months. This system is points-based and applicants are selected based on their skills, education, work experience, language proficiency and other factors.

Provincial Nominee Programs (PNPs): Each Canadian province and territory has its own PNP program. These allow provinces and territories to select skilled workers for immigration based on their own criteria.

Family Sponsorship: Canadian citizens or permanent residents can sponsor family members who would like to live in Canada permanently.

Take some time to research each program and determine which one is right for you. Once you have chosen a program and assessed your eligibility, you can start the application process!

Gather the Required Documents to Apply for PR Visa

You'll need to have all the documents ready in order to proceed with your application for a Canada permanent residence visa. To make sure you have everything ready, here's a checklist of the documents you'll need:

Proof of Funds

Proof of funds could come in the form of a bank statement or investment portfolio that shows enough money to support yourself and family while living in Canada. Generally, you should have enough money to cover living expenses and your family’s travel costs for 6 months after arriving in Canada.

Language Ability

You need to prove language ability — either English or French — by providing an IELTS (International English Language Testing System) test report or CAEL (Canadian Academic English Language) test report, issued within two years of your application.

Education Credential Assessment

The Education Credential Assessment (ECA) is necessary if you’re applying under the Federal Skilled Worker Program or Canadian Experience Class programs. The assessment compares your foreign educational credentials to those earned in Canada and must be issued by one of three organizations approved by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC).

Police Certificate

If you’re 18 years old or over, you need a police certificate from any country where you’ve lived for more than six months since turning 18 years old. You may also be asked to provide police certificates from other countries where you've lived since turning 18 years old even if it was for less than six months. These certificates show that you don't have a criminal record and must be up-to-date — issued within six months before submitting an application — and if not available, IRCC may accept older certificates as long as

Submit Your Application for Canada PR Visa

Getting ready to apply for your Canada PR Visa? You're in the right place! Applying for a Canada Permanent Residence Visa can seem like a daunting process, but it doesn't have to be.

Here's what you'll need to do to submit your application:

Complete the application form. This will include all of your personal information, as well as information about your family members and any other dependents who will be traveling with you.

Collect all required documents. This includes proof of identity and other documents verifying the information on your application form, such as proof of employment, education, and any other supporting papers that may be requested by the Canadian government (such as a police clearance certificate).

Send in your application package along with all supporting documents and the applicable fees. Fees can vary depending on the type of application you’re submitting and how many family members are traveling with you, so make sure you have enough funds ready to cover the cost of apply for a Canada PR visa.

Wait for an answer from Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC). You should receive an answer within six months after submitting your application - though sometimes it may take longer if CIC needs additional information or if there is any other issue that needs to be resolved before they can grant you permanent residence status in Canada.

Following these steps will ensure that you get approved for a Canada PR visa in less time!

Prepare for the Medical Examination

The next step of applying for a Canada Permanent Residence Visa is to get ready for the medical examination. This is an important part of the application process and must be taken seriously. 

Attend an Interview and Get the PR Visa Decision

The next step in the Canadian PR Visa application process is to attend an interview with a Canadian visa officer. At the interview, you'll need to provide evidence that you are eligible for a permanent residence visa and answer any questions the visa officer may have about your application.

At the end of the interview, the visa officer will make a decision on your PR Visa application. Your decision could be one of three outcomes:

Approved – if approved, you will get a letter in the mail that outlines when and how you should arrive in Canada as a Permanent Resident.

Refused – if refused, you will receive a letter in the mail that outlines why your application was denied and what steps you can take if you wish to appeal your decision.

Put on hold – if put on hold, it means that the visa officer needs more time to review your application before they make their final decision. In this case, they may request additional documents or further clarification before making their final decision.

No matter what outcome is reached at the end of your interview, it's important to remember that applying for a Canada Permanent Residence Visa can be a long process but with proper preparation and understanding of requirements it can be done successfully!

Conclusion

In conclusion, the Canadian permanent residence visa application process is complex, but you don’t have to navigate it alone. With the right guidance and resources, you can maximize your chances of success and make your Canadian visa journey easier.

By taking the time to research, consult experts, and prepare all the necessary documents, you can put yourself in the best position to obtain your Canadian PR visa. Though the process may be lengthy, the outcome could be life-changing and worth the effort.

[stromcuzewon]

despite what the internet will have you believe, there are in fact many Canadians who don't give a shit about hockey.... except when we're playing the US. then every single citizen is personally and aggressively invested.

[crossborderfinancialplanning]

Cross-Border Financial Planning: A Crucial Guide for U.S. and Canadian Expats

In an increasingly globalized world, moving across borders has become more common than ever. Among the most traveled routes for relocations are between the United States and Canada, two neighboring countries with interconnected economies and cultures. However, with these opportunities comes the complexity of cross-border financial planning, a critical yet often overlooked aspect of the expatriation process. Whether you're moving from the U.S. to Canada or vice versa, understanding tax implications, financial reporting requirements, and investment strategies is vital to safeguarding your wealth and achieving financial stability.

Why Cross-Border Financial Planning Is Essential

Relocating between the U.S. and Canada introduces unique financial challenges. These challenges often stem from differences in taxation systems, legal regulations, and retirement savings structures. Cross-border financial planning is a specialized service designed to address the nuanced needs of individuals navigating these complexities.

A well-structured plan ensures that expatriates minimize tax burdens, comply with reporting obligations, and align their financial goals with the laws of both countries. Here's why it is indispensable:

Taxation Complexity: Both the U.S. and Canada have distinct tax systems that overlap for cross-border taxpayers. The United States, for instance, taxes its citizens and permanent residents on their worldwide income, regardless of where they live. This often creates dual taxation concerns for individuals who live and earn income in Canada. Without a clear strategy, expatriates can face steep penalties and unnecessary tax exposure.

Retirement Planning: Pension plans and retirement accounts such as 401(k)s in the U.S. and RRSPs in Canada are governed by different rules. Without proper guidance, you risk mismanaging these accounts, which can lead to penalties or lost savings.

Currency and Investment Management: Currency fluctuations, investment rules, and estate planning differ significantly between the two countries. If not managed properly, these factors can erode wealth over time.

Compliance Requirements: Both countries impose strict reporting requirements for financial accounts, assets, and income. For instance, failing to report foreign assets to the U.S. government can result in heavy fines under the Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act (FATCA).

This is where the expertise of a Canada U.S. Expat Advisor becomes invaluable.

Tax Implications of Living Across Borders

1. U.S. Citizens Living in Canada

American citizens and green card holders are required to file a U.S. tax return annually, even if they live abroad. This means that income earned in Canada, such as wages, business income, or investment earnings, must be reported to the IRS.

However, the Canada-U.S. Tax Treaty provides some relief by reducing the risk of double taxation. Key provisions include:

Foreign Earned Income Exclusion (FEIE): U.S. citizens working in Canada can exclude a portion of their earned income from U.S. taxation.

Foreign Tax Credits: Taxes paid to the Canadian government can offset U.S. tax liabilities on the same income.

Tax-Free Savings Accounts (TFSAs): While TFSAs are tax-free in Canada, the U.S. treats them as taxable accounts, leading to complications if not properly accounted for.

Additionally, U.S. citizens must report any Canadian financial accounts exceeding $10,000 in aggregate to the U.S. Treasury Department using the Foreign Bank Account Report (FBAR).

2. Canadian Residents Living in the U.S.

Canadians living in the U.S. must navigate a similarly complex tax landscape. While the U.S. taxes its residents on worldwide income, Canadians who maintain certain ties to Canada may also have ongoing tax obligations there.

Key considerations include:

Departure Tax: When Canadians move to the U.S., they may be deemed to have disposed of certain assets, triggering a "departure tax." Proper planning can help reduce this burden.

Registered Retirement Savings Plans (RRSPs): Canadians living in the U.S. must decide whether to continue holding RRSPs or roll them into U.S.-based accounts. The tax treatment of RRSPs under U.S. law can be advantageous if handled correctly.

Filing Obligations: Canadians in the U.S. may need to file Canadian tax returns for specific income sources, such as rental income or investments.

Reporting Requirements for Cross-Border Residents

Understanding and complying with reporting requirements is a cornerstone of Canada U.S. Tax Planning. Both countries require detailed financial disclosures to ensure transparency and prevent tax evasion.

U.S. Reporting Requirements

FBAR: U.S. citizens and residents must report foreign bank accounts if their total value exceeds $10,000 at any point during the year. This includes Canadian accounts like TFSAs, RRSPs, and RESPs.

Form 8938: Under FATCA, U.S. taxpayers must report specified foreign financial assets, including investments and insurance policies, that exceed certain thresholds.

Income Reporting: All income, including foreign wages, rental income, and dividends, must be reported to the IRS.

Canadian Reporting Requirements

Foreign Income Verification Statement (T1135): Canadian residents with foreign investments over CAD 100,000 must disclose these assets to the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA).

Departure Returns: When leaving Canada, residents must file a final return to report income earned until the date of departure and any deemed dispositions.

Continuing Obligations: Canadians who retain property or income sources in Canada must continue filing annual tax returns for these items.

How a Cross-Border Financial Advisor Can Help

A Canada U.S. Expat Advisor specializes in navigating the complexities of cross-border financial matters. Their expertise can be instrumental in helping you:

1. Reduce Tax Exposure

Strategic tax planning is at the heart of cross-border financial planning. Advisors can leverage tax treaties, exemptions, and credits to minimize dual taxation. For example:

Proper use of foreign tax credits ensures that taxes paid in one country offset liabilities in the other.

Advisors can guide the optimal timing of income realization to take advantage of lower tax rates or treaty provisions.

2. Optimize Retirement Savings

Retirement accounts are a key consideration for expatriates. A cross-border financial advisor can help:

Transition RRSPs or 401(k)s without triggering unnecessary tax events.

Ensure compliance with both countries' tax laws while maximizing contributions and withdrawals.

3. Manage Investments and Currency Risks

Investing across borders requires careful planning to comply with securities laws, avoid excessive fees, and mitigate currency risks. Advisors can structure portfolios that balance growth potential with tax efficiency, taking into account exchange rate volatility.

4. Ensure Reporting Compliance

Navigating reporting requirements is a daunting task for many expats. A cross-border advisor ensures that all necessary forms—such as FBARs, Form 8938, or T1135—are filed accurately and on time, avoiding costly penalties.

5. Provide Peace of Mind

Perhaps the greatest benefit of working with a cross-border advisor is peace of mind. With their guidance, you can focus on enjoying your new life abroad while leaving complex financial matters in capable hands.

Choosing the Right Cross-Border Financial Advisor

Not all financial advisors are equipped to handle cross-border scenarios. When selecting an advisor, look for these qualities:

Expertise in Cross-Border Tax Planning: Ensure the advisor has deep knowledge of tax treaties, filing obligations, and strategies to reduce dual taxation.

Licensing in Both Countries: Advisors licensed in both the U.S. and Canada are better equipped to provide comprehensive guidance.

Experience with Expatriates: Look for a track record of helping expats navigate similar transitions.

Holistic Approach: The advisor should address all aspects of your financial life, from taxes to investments to estate planning.

Conclusion: A Necessity, Not a Luxury

Moving between the U.S. and Canada presents exciting opportunities but also significant financial challenges. Cross-border financial planning is not a luxury—it is a necessity for anyone seeking to protect their wealth, reduce tax exposure, and comply with reporting requirements.

By working with a specialized Canada-U.S. Expat Advisor, you can navigate these complexities with confidence. Whether you're planning a permanent move or a temporary relocation, proactive Canada U.S. Tax Planning ensures that your financial future is as seamless and rewarding as your cross-border journey.