PART A
- donbrooks777
- 51 minutes ago
- 33 min read
New BLOG – Great ARTICLES
SUNDAY 5-[24]-26
PART A
SPIRITUAL:
What Do Different Colors Symbolize in the Bible?
Borrowed Light
Updated April 23, 2026
èColours
Like Joseph’s coat of many colors, the Bible is filled with an array of colors. From the red clay from which humanity was created to the white robes of Revelation — the Scriptures employ the colors of the rainbow in their various shades. But is there any significance to these colors?
It’s wise to be cautious when attempting to determine meaning here — especially meaning which might be hidden. Yet, we can see various color themes that hold symbolic or poetic meaning. As we look at the many examples of color used in Scripture, a few patterns emerge. Even today Christians use colors within the liturgical calendar.
Photo credit: Unsplash/Jess Bailey
Examples of Colors in the Bible
èColours-1
Here are a few examples of the colors used in the Bible. This is by no means an exhaustive list.
1. Red
Isaiah 1:18 - "Come now, let us reason together, says the LORD: though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red like crimson, they shall become like wool."
2. White
Revelation 7:14 - "I said to him, 'Sir, you know.' And he said to me, 'These are the ones coming out of the great tribulation. They have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.'"
3. Purple
Acts 16:14 - "One who heard us was a woman named Lydia, from the city of Thyatira, a seller of purple goods, who was a worshiper of God. The Lord opened her heart to pay attention to what was said by Paul."
4. Blue
Exodus 25:4 - "Blue and purple and scarlet yarns and fine twined linen, goats' hair."
5. Green
Psalm 23:2 - "He makes me lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside still waters."
6. Gold
Exodus 25:11 - "You shall overlay it with pure gold, inside and outside shall you overlay it, and you shall make on it a molding of gold around it."
7. Black
Isaiah 50:3 – “I clothe the heavens with blackness and make sackcloth their covering.”
8. Silver
Proverbs 25:11 - "A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in a setting of silver."
9. Bronze
Exodus 27:2 - "And you shall make horns for it on its four corners; its horns shall be of one piece with it, and you shall overlay it with bronze."
10. Rainbow
Revelation 4:3 - "And he who sat there had the appearance of jasper and carnelian, and around the throne was a rainbow that had the appearance of an emerald."
As you can see, colors abound in the Scriptures. But do these hold any symbolic meaning?
Photo credit: Unsplash/Eberhard Grossgasteiger
A Word of Caution
èColours-2
Before directly answering this question, a word of caution should be given. While there may be some level of insight gained or helped from understanding a poetic or symbolic meaning of a color, it is not essential to the faith. It is mostly speculative. I’ve been greatly influenced by this wise caution from John Calvin:
“Is it not evidence of stubbornness rather than of diligence to raise strife over the time and order in which [angels] were created. … Not to take too long, let us remember here, as in all religious doctrine, that we ought to hold to one rule of modesty and sobriety: not to speak, or guess, or even to seek to know, concerning obscure matters anything except what has been imparted to us by God’s Word. Furthermore, in the reading of Scripture we ought ceaselessly to endeavor to seek out and meditate upon those things which make for edification.
Let us not indulge in curiosity or in the investigation of unprofitable things. And because the Lord willed to instruct us, not in fruitless questions, but in sound godliness, in the fear of his name, in true trust, and in the duties of holiness, let us be satisfied with this knowledge. For this reason, if we would be duly wise, we must leave those empty speculations which idle men have taught apart from God’s word concerning the nature, orders, and number of angels.
I know that many persons more greedily seize upon and take more delight in them than in such things as have been put to daily use. But, if we are not ashamed of being Christ’s disciples, let us not be ashamed to follow that method which he has prescribed. Thus it will come to pass that, content with his teaching, we shall not only abandon, but also abhor those utterly empty speculations from which he calls us back.” (John Calvin, Institutes, 1.14.4)
Having offered this caution, what might we discern from the Scriptures about the symbolism of various colors?
Photo credit: Unsplash/Ben White
Is There Significance to Different Colors in the Bible?
èColours-3
One of the more obvious places where color holds a symbolic meaning is between white/black or light/darkness. White (and we aren’t talking peach skin color here) is often symbolic for purity. And black (again not skin color) carries the symbolism of that which is marred and ravaged by sin. Black/darkness is also symbolic of mourning and lament.
In Isaiah 1:18 we also see red as a symbol of sin that is contrasted with the purity of white. Red is connected with the life blood of people and animals (Genesis 9:4-6) as well as fiery passion. Because of the blood of Christ, this color also has become a color of redemption.
Many of the associations which we have with colors today were also held in biblical times. Often, they are more poetic than carrying some hidden meaning. Green is often used as a symbol of life and vigor. Grass, trees, etc. come to life with a vibrant green in the spring. As with green, so also purple carried some of the same associations we have today. Purple is the color of royalty and majesty. As such it is often associated with YHWH. And shades of blue/purple were woven into the priestly garments.
The Holman Illustrated Bible Dictionary gives us a helpful summary and explanation of how colors can be used symbolically in the Scriptures:
“At times a writer may use color in a symbolic sense to convey theological truth about the subject of his writing. Color designations have general symbolic significance. For instance, white may be symbolic of purity or joy; black may symbolize judgment or decay; red may symbolize sin or life-blood; and purple may be symbolic of luxury and elegance.
Color symbolism became for the writers of apocalyptic literature (Daniel, Revelation) an appropriate tool for expressing various truths in hidden language. In their writings one may find white representative of conquest or victory, black representative of famine or pestilence, red representative of wartime bloodshed, paleness (literally ‘greenish-gray’) representative of death, and purple representative of royalty.”
We can also learn about the significance of color in how the church uses color in its liturgical seasons (both now and in days past).
Photo credit: Unsplash/Steve Johnson
The Colors of Liturgy
èColours-4
I’ll confess that I come from an SBC background. As such we don’t exactly follow a liturgical calendar. But as the years have gone by and my circle of friends has expanded, my interaction with seasons and colors within the church calendar has expanded. Color plays a significant role in providing the context of worship. Here are a few of these.
In January, during the season of Epiphany, you’ll likely see the church decorated in Green
During Lent (usually February-March) the color purple is prominent.
In some churches the color changes to Red for the week immediately before Easter.
For Easter the colors are white and/or gold
Pentecost, because of the association of fire, give red the prominence during May-June
At this point, because it is considered an ordinary time, the color moves back to green until the season of Advent.
In early December, for Advent, the color is blue and purple.
Once again during Christmas the birth of Christ is represented with white and/or gold
Conclusion
Colors are all throughout the Bible. They do carry some level of symbolic meaning, but not such that should be pressed too far. Colors can be emotive and carry associations with them. For this reason, the colors of a liturgical calendar can hold powerful reminders of the biblical truths which they represent.
SourceJames Sexton, “Colors,” ed. Chad Brand et al., Holman Illustrated Bible Dictionary (Nashville, TN: Holman Bible Publishers, 2003), 317.
Photo credit: ©Getty Images/Coompia77
Mike Leake is husband to Nikki and father to Isaiah and Hannah. He is also the lead pastor at Calvary of Neosho, MO. Mike is the author of Torn to Heal and Jesus Is All You Need. His writing home is https://mikeleake.net and you can connect with him on Twitter @mikeleake. Mike has a new writing project at Proverbs4Today.
CANADIAN:
EXCLUSIVE:
Kerry-Lynne Findlay on elections committee debacle and BC Conservative race
èBC-RACE
BC Conservative leadership hopeful Kerry-Lynne Findlay joins Clayton DeMaine to address the elections committee turmoil surrounding her candidacy, and her vision for British Columbia
BC Conservative Leadership hopeful Kerry-Lynne Findlay joins Juno News journalist Clayton DeMaine to discuss recent turmoil surrounding the party’s leadership election organizing committee.
èBC-RACE-1
The committee voted unanimously to keep Findlay on the ballot in an emergency meeting following media reports of an elections commissioner investigation into her 2025…
TRUMP:
Trump Says Iran Blockade Stays Until Deal Is Signed
The United States is close to reaching a deal with Iran that would end the war, reopen the Strait of Hormuz and see Iran give up its stockpile of highly enriched uranium, regional officials told The Associated Press on Sunday. They said details and timelines would be worked out later.
Iran has not publicly committed to giving up its uranium — a key demand of President Donald Trump — and the sides previously seemed close to a deal in recent weeks. Trump on Saturday said a deal had been "largely negotiated," after calls with Israel and other regional allies.
"The negotiations are proceeding in an orderly and constructive manner, and I have informed my representatives not to rush into a deal in that time is on our side," Trump said on social media Sunday. He said the U.S. relationship with Iran is becoming "much more professional and productive."
The strait's reopening would begin to ease a worldwide energy crisis sparked by the surprise U.S. and Israeli bombardment of Iran on Feb. 28, which led Tehran to effectively close the crucial waterway. Prices have spiked for oil, gas and several downstream products, jolting the world economy. Experts say it would take several weeks or even months for shipping and prices to recover to prewar levels.
The U.S. has blockaded Iranian ports for over a month, and Trump on Sunday said the blockade "will remain in full force and effect until an agreement is reached, certified, and signed."
Secretary of State Marco Rubio, on a visit to India, said that "significant progress, although not final progress, has been made" in negotiations, and the world would no longer need to fear Iran getting a nuclear weapon, without elaborating.
Iran's President Masoud Pezeshkian told state TV they were ready "to assure the world that we are not after a nuclear weapon." Iran's embassy in India responded to Rubio on social media, saying Tehran has an "inalienable" right to nuclear technology.
Iran has always insisted its program is peaceful while enriching uranium to near weapons-grade levels.
Under the potential deal, Tehran would agree to give up its stockpile of highly enriched uranium, according to the two regional officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss the sensitive negotiations.
One official, with direct knowledge of the negotiations, said how Iran would give up the uranium would be subject to further talks during a 60-day period. Some would likely be diluted, while the rest would be transferred to a third country, the official said. Russia has offered to take it.
Iran has 440.9 kilograms (972 pounds) of uranium that is enriched up to 60% purity, a short, technical step from weapons-grade levels of 90%, according to the International Atomic Energy Agency.
Trump has sought greater concessions from Iran than those required under a 2015 Obama-era agreement that the U.S. later withdrew from under Trump.
On Saturday, Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmail Baghaei told the state-run news agency that there are "narrowing differences" between the Iranian and U.S. positions, but that Iran is cautious after being attacked twice in the past year during nuclear negotiations.
Pakistan army chief Asim Munir, a key mediator, left Tehran late Saturday after more talks with Iranian officials.
Under the emerging agreement, the Strait of Hormuz would gradually reopen in parallel with the U.S. ending its blockade, the officials said.
The U.S. would allow Iran to sell its oil through sanctions waivers, said the second official, who has been briefed on the negotiations. Sanctions relief and the release of Iran's frozen funds would be negotiated during the 60-day time frame, the official said.
Both officials said the draft deal includes an end to the war between Israel and the Iran-backed Hezbollah militant group in Lebanon.
Twelve weeks have passed since the U.S. and Israel attacked Iran, killing its supreme leader and other top officials. A ceasefire with Iran has held since April 7, though the sides have exchanged fire on occasion.
Several countries, including the European Union and the United Kingdom, welcomed progress on a possible deal with Iran.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, in a social media post Sunday, said "President Trump and I agreed that any final agreement with Iran must eliminate the nuclear danger," and that Trump had reaffirmed Israel's right to defend itself "on every front, including Lebanon."
Science Minister Gila Gamliel, a member of Netanyahu's Likud party and part of his national security cabinet, told Israel's Army Radio that Israel is taking a "wait-and-see" approach.
Israeli officials are concerned that Hezbollah remains a serious threat to Israel and that Lebanon is ill-equipped to disarm it.
A fragile, U.S.-brokered ceasefire took effect in Lebanon on April 17, but fighting has continued, mainly in the south. Hezbollah has launched daily drone and rocket attacks on Israeli forces and northern Israel, and Israel has struck targets across Lebanon while its troops remain in large swaths of the south.
More than 3,000 people have been killed in the latest round of fighting, according to the Lebanese Health Ministry. Additionally, 22 Israeli soldiers and a defense contractor have been killed in or near southern Lebanon, and two civilians have been killed in northern Israel, according to Netanyahu's office.
According to news outlet Axios, a possible agreement would extend the current ceasefire by 60 days, during which the Strait of Hormuz would be reopened, Iran would freely sell oil, and negotiations would be held on Iran's nuclear program.
The top Republican senator overseeing defense policy, Roger Wicker, said that agreeing to a "rumored 60-day ceasefire" with Iran would mean, "everything accomplished by Operation Epic Fury would be for naught!"
Fellow Republican Sens. Ted Cruz and Lindsey Graham also voiced opposition to Iran soon gaining benefits such as the ability to sell its oil freely.
"If the result of all that is to be an Iranian regime – still run by Islamists who chant 'death to America' – now receiving billions of dollars, being able to enrich uranium & develop nuclear weapons, and having effective control over the Strait of Hormuz, then that outcome would be a disastrous mistake," Cruz, R-Texas, wrote on X.
Sen. Thom Tillis, R-N.C., said the deal "doesn't make sense to me."
"We were told about 11 weeks ago by [War Secretary Pete] Hegseth and the Department of Defense that they had obliterated Iran's defenses, and it was just a matter of time before we had the nuclear material. Now we're talking about a posture where we may accept the nuclear material remaining in Iran. How does that make sense at all?" Tillis said on CNN's "State of the Union" morning program.
Reuters and AFP contributed to this report.
© 2026 Newsmax. All rights reserved.
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GLOBAL:
Evaluation of therapeutic potential of ivermectin against complete Freund's adjuvant-induced arthritis in rats: Involvement of inflammatory mediators
èIvermectin
Abstract
Rheumatoid arthritis is a chronic systemic inflammatory disease with genetic manifestations. According to recently published case reports, patients taking corticosteroid medication for the management of rheumatoid arthritis develop strongloidiasis and are at high risk of developing associated infections. This study explored the antiarthritic role of ivermectin, a drug used in the treatment of strongyloides and to compare its results with dexamethasone.
Thirty-two male Wistar rats were randomly divided into four groups: control, diseased, dexamethasone, and ivermectin groups. Rheumatoid arthritis in all rats except the control group was induced by using complete Freund's adjuvant. After 7 days of rheumatoid arthritis induction, animals were treated with dexamethasone 5 mg/kg and ivermectin 6 mg/kg. Body weight, visual arthritic score, total leukocyte count, differential leukocyte count, proinflammatory genes, and histopathological findings were used to assess the effects of ivermectin on rheumatoid arthritis.
Treatment with ivermectin showed a significant reduction in inflammatory cells levels, body weight, and visual arthritic score, indicating an improvement in the degree of inflammation as compared with the diseased group. Treatment with ivermectin and dexamethasone significantly reduced the augmentation in the mRNA expression levels of IL-17, TLR-2, TNF, and NF-κB as a result of arthritic development.
Ivermectin treatment also showed a significant reduction in the severity of inflammation and destruction of joints and showed comparable effects to dexamethasone, a corticosteroid used for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis. Ivermectin has significant antiarthritic properties and can be a novel treatment agent for the management of rheumatoid arthritis patients suffering from strongyloidiasis.
Patrick Bestall’s INPUT:
èPATRICK
#1.
The New Architecture of Homelessness in London, Ontario
èLONDON
Read this Newsletter from Concerned Citizens Assoc of London in conjunction with the email I'm sending re mental health in London vs the rest of Ontario, Canada and the world. It's not a pretty picture for us in that email nor the one below.
Highlights are mine.
In a recent public statement, London city councillor Steve Lehman described what he called a “multi-step process” to address homelessness in the city. According to Lehman, London has moved approximately 1,500 people from living rough into permanent housing over the last three and a half years through the use of shelters, hubs, supportive housing, and affordable housing.
Lehman highlighted the opening of Coves Landing, a 50-unit supportive housing development intended for individuals struggling with complex mental health and addiction challenges. He explained that the project would serve people transitioning from highly supportive environments such as hubs, shelters, or hospital care. The project will be operated by Indwell, an organization currently managing over 250 supportive housing units in London, with another 100 expected to come online soon.
Lehman framed the initiative as a broad partnership involving federal, provincial, and municipal governments alongside private donations and developer participation. Funding reportedly flowed through the Fund for Change, which pools millions of dollars in private donations alongside matching public funds, while Developers for Change coordinated key development partnerships. Four major developers—Drewlo, Auburn, Sifton, and Tricar—were identified as instrumental in sourcing and renovating the building to create the new apartments.
According to Lehman:
“It is the community of London working together to get folks off the streets, stabilized and into supportive housing so they can eventually move into permanent housing.”
It is a compelling narrative. But “the community of London working together” is not an accurate description of what is actually happening. Behind the growing number of supportive housing projects lies an increasingly interconnected network of nonprofits, social enterprises, developers, government funding streams, healthcare partnerships, and planning systems—together forming what many now refer to as a “Whole of Community System Response.” This is not community. This is architecture.
The question is no longer simply whether homelessness should be addressed. The deeper question is how these systems are being built, who is shaping them, how public funds are flowing through them, and what long-term governance structures are quietly being locked into place.
At the center of many of these projects sits the London Community Foundation’s “Health and Homelessness Fund for Change,” operating in lockstep with a partner network known as Developers for Change. Both organizations are focused on rapidly expanding supportive housing throughout London—defined as long-term housing combined with wraparound social, mental health, addiction, and healthcare supports. Advocates argue this model is essential. What is rarely discussed is whether the rapid growth of these systems is occurring with anything resembling transparency or democratic oversight.
Developers for Change functions as a direct recipient of funding from the Fund for Change, creating a partnership model intended to fast-track supportive housing projects through renovations, retrofits, and conversions of existing buildings. Projects such as Elmwood Place demonstrate how these partnerships are being used to accelerate supportive housing expansion with minimal public friction.
What is increasingly noticeable is how many sectors are now fused together within this system: municipal governments, charities, healthcare agencies, developers, social enterprises, environmental building programs, faith-based organizations, federal infrastructure programs, and large nonprofit networks. These are not independent actors cooperating voluntarily. They are nodes in an integrated structure.
Indwell plays a central role in this evolving apparatus. The Ontario-based Christian charity has become one of the fastest-growing supportive housing developers and operators in the province. Notably, Indwell openly aligns itself with several United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (UN SDG), including Sustainable Cities and Communities, Good Health and Well-Being, No Poverty, and Social Sustainability—global governance targets being operationalized at the local level through housing policy.
The organization promotes its work as creating inclusive communities while offering residents access to nursing supports, addiction services, recreational therapy, food security programs, community gardens, and skill-building opportunities. Indwell also emphasizes environmentally sustainable construction practices such as Passive House standards and energy-efficient building methods. As of late 2025, Indwell reported operating across more than 29 communities with over 1,451 tenants in cities including Hamilton, London, Waterloo Region, Mississauga, Simcoe, St. Thomas, and Woodstock.
However, Indwell’s role extends far beyond operating housing units. The organization participates in large collaborative development alliances and consortium-style partnerships involving nonprofit organizations, healthcare systems, developers, and social agencies. One major example is the Village SoHo Alliance, where Indwell joined with organizations including Zerin Development Corporation, Homes Unlimited, Chelsea Green Home Society, the London Affordable Housing Foundation, and the Italian Seniors’ Project to pursue plans for more than 600 housing units connected to redevelopment of the former Old Victoria Hospital lands in London.
This represents a significant and under-examined shift. Nonprofits and social purpose organizations are increasingly functioning not merely as service providers, but as large-scale development consortiums participating directly in housing construction, land redevelopment, and infrastructure planning—all while retaining their charitable status and the public trust that comes with it.
Indwell has also partnered with organizations including Schlegel Villages, Mohawk College, Hughson Street Baptist Church, St. Joseph’s Health Care London, and the Canadian Mental Health Association – Middlesex. The organization is additionally associated with Flourish, a social purpose real estate development services company involved in regional housing action plans and planning initiatives.
Throughout these partnerships, a specific vocabulary appears with striking consistency: systems integration, collaborative governance, shared outcomes, social innovation, transformational change, and integrated service delivery. This is not casual language. It is the lexicon of a particular governance philosophy—one in which traditional lines between public, private, and nonprofit sectors are deliberately dissolved.
The rise of social enterprises forms another major layer within this evolving landscape. London is now home to approximately 80 social enterprises supported by organizations such as Pillar Nonprofit Network. Pillar advocates for deep collaboration between nonprofits, business, and government, stating that all three sectors working together can transform communities. The organization represents more than 340 nonprofits locally, over 1,800 nonprofits and charities in London and area, 55,000 across Ontario, and more than 170,000 across Canada.
Examples of social enterprises in London include initiatives operated by Youth Opportunities Unlimited, such as YOU Made It Café, Mushed by YOU, and youth employment training programs, not unlike the We Charity, Me to We model. These enterprises blend employment programs, social services, environmental goals, and public funding support into a single operational model.
One of the clearest manifestations of this “social innovation” framework is Innovation Works in downtown London—a 32,000 square foot community hub designed as a collaborative space for nonprofits, social enterprises, entrepreneurs, social purpose businesses, and advocacy organizations. Modeled after Toronto’s Centre for Social Innovation, the project emphasizes integrated service delivery, shared services, shared outcomes, and transformational change. Funding for Innovation Works included community bonds, corporate donations, foundation contributions, and requests for federal infrastructure investment.
Pillar publicly advocated for federal investment into community hubs through social infrastructure programs, arguing these spaces are necessary to drive social innovation and bring organizations together to address difficult social issues. What goes unstated is that these hubs also concentrate advocacy, policy influence, and service delivery under one roof—blurring the lines between charitable work, political activism, and taxpayer-funded operations.
Construction itself is becoming increasingly integrated into broader environmental and social policy frameworks. One example connected to affordable housing initiatives is Just Working Construction Inc., a Kitchener-Waterloo based social enterprise contractor specializing in green construction, Passive House building, and Net Zero housing. The company openly describes itself as socially-minded and social justice-oriented while emphasizing environmental sustainability, transparent “open-book” construction management, and newcomer employment programs. The company received a WSIB grant for training and employing newcomers to Canada and has participated in affordable housing projects connected to government-backed funding.
This intersection of housing policy, environmental policy, employment initiatives, immigration support, and public funding reflects broader federal priorities under Canada’s National Housing Strategy and related infrastructure programs. Through CMHC and various federal initiatives, billions of dollars are now being directed toward affordable housing construction, retrofits, supportive housing, green building upgrades, co-operative housing, rapid housing initiatives, and community infrastructure.
Programs include:
· Affordable Housing Fund
· Affordable Housing Innovation Fund
· Apartment Construction Loan Program
· Canada Greener Affordable Housing Program
· Community Housing funding
· Co-op Housing Development Program
· Housing Accelerator Fund
· Housing Supply Challenge
· Rapid Housing Initiative
These funding mechanisms do not simply provide money. They increasingly require municipalities and developers to align with density targets, sustainability requirements, planning reforms, carbon reduction standards, and transit-oriented intensification. The funding is conditional, and the conditions reshape local governance from above.
At the same time, nonprofit housing developments and affordable housing projects receive significant exemptions and incentives, including exemptions from development charges, community benefits charges, and parkland dedication requirements. Purpose-built rental housing projects may also receive substantial development charge discounts. Supporters argue these incentives are necessary to accelerate construction. But they also create a two-tiered system that heavily favors large institutional developers, nonprofit consortiums, and social purpose development organizations over smaller, independent builders—fundamentally reshaping neighborhoods, planning systems, and who gets to participate in local development.
Regardless of where one stands politically, one reality is becoming impossible to ignore: homelessness policy in London is no longer about shelters or emergency housing. It has evolved into a highly interconnected ecosystem involving nonprofits, charities, developers, healthcare organizations, social enterprises, and multi-level government partnerships, that push environmental frameworks and planning reforms.
Supporters see these systems as compassionate and innovative. But the evidence points toward something more troubling: an increasingly centralized network where funding conditions, institutional partnerships, and integrated governance models are quietly reshaping communities with limited public understanding and almost no meaningful democratic input.
The debate is no longer about housing. It is about governance, accountability, planning, public funding, and who ultimately decides the future structure of the community itself—elected councils and their constituents, or the network of funded organizations that has already been built around them.
Policy & Governance Series NotePart of the Policy & Governance series from the Concerned Citizens Association of London, examining how global frameworks and top‑down funding are reshaping municipal policy and weakening local accountability. Research and writing by A.A. Murray. Edited and published by the Concerned Citizens Association of London.
.PB
#2.
We have a Mental Problem, in London especially
Over a billion people worldwide are now living with a mental disorder, double the number recorded in 1990, while population increased only 54%.
The rise has made mental disorders the leading cause of disability globally, more than heart disease and cancer.
The rise is charted in a new study published in The Lancet, which notes that mental disorders disproportionately impact those aged 15-19 and women.
I asked Google AI for help to look at Canada, then Ontario and lastly here in London. Scroll down to read this first! London is the worst place for mental disorders. It's been getting worse and looks like it will continue to get worse unless we change direction.
.pb
Here’s a clear, big‑picture snapshot of what the data say about mental health trends in Canada.
Overall prevalence and long‑term pattern
· High lifetime impact:About 1 in 5 Canadians experience a mental illness in any given year, and around half will face a mental health problem by age 40. Made in CA blog.theralist.ca
· Younger people hit hardest:Youth and young adults (roughly 15–24) are consistently the most likely to report anxiety, depression, or other mental health issues. Statistics Canada Made in CA
Recent trends (last 10–20 years)
· Rising mood and anxiety disorders:Using national survey data, Canada has seen increases in major depressive episodes, bipolar disorder, and generalized anxiety disorder over the last decade (2012→2022). Statistics Canada
· Substance use: mixed picture:Alcohol use disorders have decreased, while other substance use disorders (including cannabis) have stayed relatively stable over the same period. Statistics Canada
· Post‑pandemic strain:Multiple syntheses estimate that mental health is roughly three times worse than before COVID‑19, with more people reporting distress, anxiety, and depression. Made in CA blog.theralist.ca
Who is most affected
· Youth—especially young women:Young women show the highest rates of mood and anxiety disorders in recent Canadian data. Statistics Canada Health Infobase
· Indigenous peoples:Roughly 38% of Indigenous people report poor or fair mental health—substantially higher than the general population, reflecting ongoing impacts of colonization, discrimination, and social inequities. Made in CA
· Low‑income and marginalized groups:People with the lowest incomes are 3–4 times more likely to report poor or fair mental health than those with the highest incomes; homelessness is also strongly associated with mental illness. Made in CA blog.theralist.ca
Access to care and unmet needs
· Large treatment gap:About half of Canadians who meet criteria for a mood, anxiety, or substance use disorder do not talk to a health professional about it in a given year. Statistics Canada Health Infobase
· Unmet counselling needs:Among those who do seek help, many report they needed more counselling or psychotherapy than they received, pointing to wait times, cost, and availability as barriers. Statistics Canada Canadian Mental Health Association - National
· Economic burden:Mental illness is estimated to cost the Canadian economy around $50 billion per year, through health‑care use, lost productivity, and disability. Made in CA blog.theralist.ca
Suicide and severe outcomes
· Suicide remains a major concern:Close to 4,000 people die by suicide each year in Canada, with higher rates among some Indigenous and rural communities. Made in CA Health Infobase
Direct answer in one line
Canada’s mental health trends show rising mood and anxiety disorders (especially among youth and young women), persistent inequities for Indigenous and low‑income groups, large unmet needs for care, and a heavy human and economic burden, even as alcohol‑related disorders have declined.
If you’d like, we can zoom in next on Ontario specifically or on one group (e.g., youth, Indigenous, low‑income) and map out what the numbers mean for real life.
Ontario’s mental‑health picture is clearer — and in some ways more alarming — than the Canada‑wide view. Here’s a concise, evidence‑based synthesis grounded in the most recent provincial data.
Ontario Mental Health Trends (2017–2025)
Takeaway: Ontario shows rising psychological distress (especially among youth), shifting patterns of service use, and persistent gaps in access, even as some crisis‑level indicators have recently declined.
1. System‑wide trends (all ages)
Emergency department (ED) use:
· Mental‑health and addictions–related ED visits are a major indicator tracked by ICES.
· Ontario’s ED visits for mental health and addictions show ongoing pressure, with specific categories like intentional self‑injury and eating disorders monitored closely. ICES
Hospitalizations:
· Mental‑health–related hospitalizations remain significant, with indicators such as 30‑day readmissions and ED revisits tracked up to December 2024.
· Median length of stay and follow‑up care within 7 days are key performance measures. ICES
Outpatient care:
· Many Ontarians receive mental‑health care through primary care, psychiatry, or pediatrics, but demand continues to outpace capacity. ICES
2. Children & Youth (5–24): the most dramatic shifts
A. Decline in crisis‑level visits
CIHI data show that from 2018–2019 to 2023–2024:
· ED visits for mental‑health disorders dropped 31%
· Hospitalizations dropped 23%
· This decline is partly pandemic‑related (avoidance of EDs) but continued afterward. Canadian Institute for Health Information
B. Rise in ongoing clinical care
Over the same period:
· Physician visits increased 8%
· Mood/anxiety medication use increased 18%
· Antipsychotic use increased 13%This suggests more youth are seeking help earlier, or experiencing persistent symptoms requiring ongoing management. Canadian Institute for Health Information
C. Distress levels are worsening
CAMH’s 2023 OSDUHS survey (grades 7–12) shows:
· 38% rate their mental health as fair or poor
· 51% report moderate‑to‑serious psychological distress — double a decade ago
· 19% report self‑harm
· 18% had serious suicidal thoughts in the past year
· 31% say their ability to cope is fair or poorThese are some of the most concerning youth mental‑health indicators in Canada. The Centre for Addiction and Mental Health
D. Substance use among youth is declining
· Cannabis use: 17% (down since legalization)
· Alcohol use: 36% (down over 25 years)
· Cigarette smoking: 3.2%
· Vaping: 13% (down since 2019)Girls now surpass boys in cannabis, vaping, and alcohol use. The Centre for Addiction and Mental Health
3. Parents & families
Children’s Mental Health Ontario reports:
· 1 in 2 parents have had concerns about their child’s anxiety
· 1 in 3 had a child miss school due to anxiety
· 5 out of 6 children with mental‑health problems do not receive needed treatment
· 36% of parents who sought help didn’t receive it or are still waiting
· 65% cite long wait times as the main barrier
· 76% say it’s difficult to know where to find helpThese numbers highlight a system struggling to meet demand. Children's Mental Health Ontario
4. Access to care: persistent gaps
Across Ontario:
· Long wait times remain the top barrier for children and youth.
· Many families report not knowing where to go or finding that services don’t match their needs.
· Transition from youth to adult services leads to up to 60% disengagement. Children's Mental Health Ontario
Ontario in one line
Ontario’s mental‑health landscape shows declining crisis‑level hospital visits but sharply rising psychological distress among youth, increasing reliance on outpatient care and medication, and chronic system bottlenecks that leave many without timely support.
If you want, Patrick, I can break this down next into London, Ontario specifically, or compare Ontario vs. Canada side‑by‑side.
Here’s the clearest, evidence‑based comparison of London vs. the rest of Ontario using the most recent data available from ICES, CAMH, CBC, CMHA, and Public Health Ontario.
Summary: How London Differs From Ontario Overall
London’s youth mental‑health crisis is more acute than the provincial average, with higher ER admissions, more severe presentations (self‑harm, suicidality), and longer hospital stays.Ontario overall shows rising psychological distress among youth, but London’s hospital‑based indicators suggest greater severity and complexity.
1. Emergency Department (ED) & Hospital Use
London: Higher and worsening youth hospital admissions
· London Health Sciences Centre (LHSC) reports 101 youth admitted for mental‑health care in 2024, up from 76 in 2020.
· Many of these youth were sicker, stayed longer, and showed more self‑harm, suicidality, and complex behavioural issues, especially girls aged 15–17. CBC
Ontario overall: Mixed trends
· Province‑wide ED visits for mental‑health and addictions are tracked by ICES; trends show ongoing pressure, but not uniformly rising across all regions. ICES
· Ontario’s youth mental‑health ED visits have declined since 2018–19, but outpatient visits and medication use have increased, suggesting earlier or more frequent non‑crisis care. (CAMH/CIHI data)
Comparison
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London stands out for more severe presentations requiring hospitalization, unlike the provincial trend of fewer crisis‑level visits.
2. Youth Psychological Distress
London
· LHSC reports rising self‑harm, suicidality, trauma exposure, and more complex psychiatric needs among youth. CBC
Ontario
· CAMH’s OSDUHS survey shows:
o 51% of students report moderate‑to‑serious psychological distress
o 38% rate their mental health as fair/poor
o 19% report self‑harm
o 18% had serious suicidal thoughtsThese numbers have doubled over the past decade. The Centre for Addiction and Mental Health
Comparison
London’s distress indicators mirror or exceed provincial averages, but London’s hospital data suggests more cases escalate to crisis.
3. Substance Use
London
· LHSC notes increased substance use among youth presenting to hospital, with a broader range of drugs involved. CBC
Ontario
· Long‑term decline in youth substance use:
o Cannabis: 17%
o Alcohol: 36%
o Cigarettes: 3.2%
o Vaping: 13%Girls now use cannabis, alcohol, and vape more than boys. The Centre for Addiction and Mental Health
Comparison
London’s hospital‑based data suggests more severe substance‑related crises, even though overall youth substance use is declining province‑wide.
4. System Capacity & Access
London
· LHSC reports longer inpatient stays and more complex cases, indicating strain on specialized services.
· Increased trauma cases, including youth exposed to war or trafficking. CBC
Ontario
· CMHA reports province‑wide issues:
o Long wait times
o Shortage of mental‑health providers
o Rural/remote areas underserved
o Housing instability worsening mental‑health outcomes Canadian Mental Health Association - National
Comparison
London faces the same systemic pressures, but with higher acuity, meaning the system is more strained per patient.
5. Social Determinants & Risk Factors
Ontario‑wide data shows:
· Poor/fair mental health: 26.4%
· High housing need: 18.1%
· Poverty rate: 8.3%
· Employment rate for people with mental‑health disabilities: 43% Canadian Mental Health Association - National
London‑specific socioeconomic indicators weren’t directly returned in search results, but LHSC’s rising trauma, instability, and complex cases imply local socioeconomic stressors may be amplifying youth mental‑health challenges.
Bottom Line: London vs. Ontario
London is worse on:
· Youth hospital admissions
· Severity of mental‑health crises
· Length of hospital stays
· Complexity of cases (trauma, suicidality, self‑harm)
· Substance‑related hospital presentations
Ontario is worse on:
· Overall population‑level mental‑health indicators (poor/fair mental health, housing need, poverty)
· Province‑wide shortages in mental‑health providers
Shared challenges:
· Youth distress rising
· Long wait times
· System capacity strain
· Increasing complexity of youth needs
If you want, Patrick, I can also produce:
A London‑only profile A side‑by‑side table for London vs. Toronto vs. Ontario A trend projection showing where London is heading by 2030
Which one would you like next?
You’re asking a big, future‑looking question—so I’ll give you a clear, no‑nonsense projection, then what could actually change it.
1. Baseline: where London is now
· Youth admissions rising: 76 youth admitted for mental‑health care in 2020 → 101 in 2024 at LHSC (about a 33% increase). CBC
· Cases are more severe and complex: more suicidality, self‑harm, substance use, trauma, especially among girls 15–17. CBC
· Longer hospital stays and 18‑month waitlists for outpatient child/youth services locally. CBC LHSC
That’s the starting point for any projection.
2. Simple 5‑year projection (to ~2030) if trends continue
Assuming no major policy or system shift and roughly similar growth:
· Hospital admissions:
o 2020→2024: +33% over 4 years ≈ 7–8% per year (compounded).
o If that pace continued, London could see ~130–150 youth admissions per year by 2030 (ballpark, not a precise forecast).
· Severity & complexity:
o More youth with co‑occurring issues (trauma + substance use + mood/anxiety).
o Higher proportion of cases involving self‑harm and suicidality, especially among girls, mirroring Ontario‑wide self‑harm trends that rose during COVID. CMAJ
· Length of stay & bed pressure:
o Longer stays + more complex cases → chronic bed pressure, more time in ER waiting for an inpatient bed, more transfers out of region when local capacity is full.
· Wait times:
o With current 18‑month waits and rising demand, waits stay long or worsen, unless capacity is expanded or demand is reduced upstream. LHSC
Plain language: if nothing big changes, London likely gets more kids in crisis, sicker when they arrive, staying longer, with the system constantly playing catch‑up.
3. 10‑year outlook (to ~2035): three realistic scenarios
Scenario A – “More of the same” (most likely without intervention)
· Youth admissions continue to creep upward; maybe the growth rate slows, but levels stay well above 2020.
· Self‑harm and suicidality remain elevated, especially among girls and gender‑diverse youth. CMAJ
· ER and inpatient units function as default safety nets for gaps in community care, housing, and income support.
· Staff burnout and turnover make it harder to expand services.
Scenario B – “System bends the curve” (optimistic but possible)
Requires deliberate investment and coordination:
· More community‑based and school‑based services → earlier intervention, fewer crises.
· Shorter waitlists (months, not years) for counselling and psychiatry.
· Targeted supports for high‑risk groups (trauma‑exposed youth, low‑income families, newcomers).
· Result:
o ER admissions stabilize or decline, even if distress remains high.
o Hospital stays shorten because kids are better supported before and after admission.
o London’s curve starts to look more like the provincial pattern (fewer crisis visits, more outpatient care). ICES Canadian Institute for Health Information
Scenario C – “Social stress spikes” (pessimistic)
If housing, food insecurity, and economic stress worsen:
· More youth present with complex trauma, family instability, and substance use, as LHSC is already seeing. CBC
· Admissions could rise faster than projected, and London becomes a hotspot for youth mental‑health crises in Ontario.
· System spends most of its energy on acute containment, not prevention or recovery.
4. What would actually change London’s trajectory?
If you strip away the jargon, London’s future depends on whether it can:
· Shrink the 18‑month waitlist
o More clinicians, group programs, digital supports, and walk‑in clinics. LHSC
· Catch problems earlier (schools + primary care)
o Routine screening, embedded mental‑health workers in schools, easy referral pathways.
· Address the “life stuff” driving crises
o Housing, food security, family supports, income stability—things LHSC already flags as underlying many cases. CBC
· Protect and retain staff
o Without stable teams, every other intervention is weaker.
If those levers move, London’s 2030–2035 picture could shift from “more kids in crisis” to “same distress, fewer hospitalizations, more real support.”
5. Direct answer in one line
On current trends, London is headed toward more frequent, more severe youth mental‑health crises and sustained pressure on hospital services over the next 5–10 years, unless community, school, and social supports expand enough to catch problems earlier and shorten waits.
If you want to go one level deeper, I can sketch a simple chart in words (year‑by‑year rough numbers) or build a “best case vs worst case” table you could drop straight into a slide or document.
.PB
#3.
Untold Story of Hydrogen as Medicine
Nice full page report by George Wiseman in this month's Druthers on page 11.
druthers-MAY-2026-resized.pdf Scroll down to this Article.
By-all-means... Read the other Articles
èPAT-3
.PB
PS - Don and I regret not being able to attend last Sunday's virtual meeting.
We'll see you this Sunday!
Congrats [to Jackoline] on your video posted on YouTube.
½ hour VIDEO can be viewed here: https://youtu.be/uvglEAZd-PA
.PB
#4.
Elite Freemasons exposed
èFreemasons
(LifeSiteNews) — Bishop Athanasius Schneider, the auxiliary bishop of Astana, Kazakhstan, discussed during an interview released Friday the evils of Freemasonry and its deep infiltration of the Church since the Second Vatican Council.
During an interview on the YouTube channel, Adrian Milag TV, that aired publicly on May 22, Bishop Schneider said while discussing his book Credo: Compendium of the Catholic Faith that he included a chapter on Freemasonry because it is one of the key modern evils that is not addressed in the Church’s official Catechism. The bishop went on to emphasize that Freemasonry is a form of Gnosticism and relativism that has deeply infiltrated the Church since the Second Vatican Council, especially through ecumenism, interreligious dialogue, and the “man-centered” reorientation of the liturgy.
èPAT-4-FREE
Well, Don, just as we predicted in our ten-year old Chart of the 6 Cycles of God (ATTACHED). If anyone looks at the future in the grey boxes they'll see "Freemason conspiracy exposed", right next to the Virtual Babylon Falls In One Hour (i.e. time for another asteroid and plague to repeat what happened when Europe fell into the "dark ages" and Black Death)
èPAT-4-CHART
This short time of great struggle will of course be followed by the bright yellow boxes when our Judeo and Christian faiths will flourish for awhile before Satan finally bounces back as Anti-Christ.
èPAT-4-CALM
RELATED
Well addressed
èPAT-4-possesed
.PB
#5.
S. Africa farms gone after white farmers left to escape violence
èPAT-5
The problem is, when land is seized or forced into sale to black owners, farming production reportedly collapses. That is to say, once the white farmers are gone, crop yields fail and the black owners often resell the land and leave. In other cases, the new owners allow the land to languish, using the homes for living but never cultivating the surrounding property.
.PB
#6.
Pride "Progress" Flags are Back Outside Multiple London Schools—Without Warning and With No Reason Given
èPAT-6
Meanwhile in Alberta
Alberta’s new classroom “neutrality” law—Bill 25—bans “specialty flags,” allowing only the flags of Canada and Alberta in schools. The Education Minister says classrooms should focus on education, not activism.
----- Forwarded Message -----
Subject: Pride "Progress" Flags are Back Outside Multiple TVDSB Schools—Without Warning and With No Reason Given
èPAT-6-1
Concerned Parents Association of London and Area (CPAL)An independent parent-led publication focused on transparency, accountability, and evidence-based education, advocating for age-appropriate learning environments and the rightful role of parents in public education — in London and area, and across Ontario.
You’re receiving this because you subscribed to CPAL or were invited to stay informed about developments affecting schools, students, and provincial education policy.
A sample letter and phone script you may wish to use to register an objection
CAPL
Without communicating with parents or other “communities” first, or informing them of the duration, some TVDSB schools are flying the latest version of the Pride “Progress” flag.
TVDSB is aware that many parents oppose the promotion of any ideology, or compelled speech (including compelled celebration), within schools. Perhaps they realized we would be ready for June 1st (the start of the entire month set aside by TVDSB, for the past three years to celebrate “Pride Month”), and thus hoisted flags early this year. Some might argue that TVDSB is simply “marking” IDAHOBIT Day (International Day Against Homophobia, Transphobia, and Biphobia: see our sub-stack here for more information). However, given that they have told no one they are doing so, and “IDAHOBIT Day” is not well known, how could they possibly be “marking” it by hoisting a Pride “Progress” flag, two days before the occasion occurs?
We are concerned that parents who object to any ideological flag--or any flag other than the Canadian or Ontario flags-- being flown, will be vilified as insensitive to discrimination against such people. But the Pride “Progress” flag is the only flag other than the Canadian flag flown outside these schools: objecting to any ideology in children’s secular schools is not the same as an objection to the one ideology that TVDSB uniquely flies a flag for.
TVDSB’s Procedure 2033a states in part:
... 5.0 Display of Exterior Flags5.1 With the approval of the Director of Education or designate, a principal may fly another flag at their school in accordance with this Procedure, for a specified period
...
5.2.3 School principals are responsible for communicating to their school communities the reason for displaying a flag and the duration of the display.
...
Note that “School principals are responsible for communicating to their school communities the reason for displaying a flag and the duration of the display”. At least two of our parents’ Principals did not-- did yours? (A quick tour of your child’s school might reveal even more flags inside than out. One of our parents saw no flags other than the Canadian flag in his/her children’s school in September, when many parents were invited in: This week, this parent happened to enter the school to see no Canadian flag, two Pride “Progress” flags, and one Trans flag.)
If you do not agree with this, note you can call and write to the new Student and Family Support Office today or as soon as possible. And you can share this story. If that office is flooded with calls and emails, Minister Calandra may listen. (You can find the form to complete to communicate with TVDSB’s Family Support Office-- to which we are supposed to send queries now that the TVDSB has been placed under supervision-- here https://forms.tvdsb.ca/Student-and-Family-Support-Office; their phone number is 519-452-2000 x 20222.) Despite the name of this office, note that all local taxpayers fund the TVDSB unless they have opted to fund a different school board, and the form does not require you to state that you are a parent.
Sample Phone Script:
...
Hello, My name is ___. I am a TVDSB parent/taxpayer/community member. It has come to my attention that multiple schools are flying a Pride “Progress” flag, or were last week, with at least some parents and other community members not being informed of reasons why or how long this will continue. This is despite TVDSB’s Procedure 2033a section 5. I wish to state my objection. (I object to the flying of any flag other than the Canadian and Ontario flags, anytime during the school year.) I trust you will make a record of my objection and communicate it to your superior or to the TVDSB Director of Education.
Sample Email:
To Whom it Concerns:
I am a TVDSB parent/taxpayer/community member. It has come to my attention that multiple schools are flying a Pride “Progress” flag or were last week, with at least some parents and other community members not being informed of reasons why or how long this will continue. This is despite TVDSB’s Procedure 2033a section 5. I wish to register my objection. (optionally: I object to the flying of any flag other than the Canadian and Ontario flags, anytime during the school year.) I trust you will communicate this objection to your superior or to the TVDSB Director of Education.
Sincerely;
...
Sample Exemption Letter
If you want to exempt your child from any ideological teaching or forced celebration of Pride Month, which may conflict with family beliefs-- or is simply something you do not want your child forced to participate in while at a secular school, on free speech grounds -- here is a letter that another parent successfully used, which you are welcome to modify:
Dear [Principal’s Name],
I am a parent of a child in your TVDSB school, [Name of School]. I am writing in reference to the TVDSB email with the subject line “Pride Month in Thames Valley,” dated 30 May 2023.
According to that email, Pride Month commenced three years ago on June 1st (2023). TVDSB, in that email, stated an exemption to these activities can be granted for religious or creed-based accommodations:
“... Students, parents and guardians requesting a religious or creed-based accommodation, in relation to specific curriculum expectations, are invited to speak to the administrator of the school. ...”
Therefore, today I am seeking a religious or creed-based accommodation for my child, [Child’s Name]. The board’s email did not specify what programs or activities were planned for Pride Month, and the board has not (yet) sent out such an email this year. For this reason, I would like my child to be exempt from any and all activities, events, and curricula related to Pride Month, including any based on TVDSB’s 2023 Pride Month curricular training materials (at https://docs.google.com/document/d/e/2PACX-1vTPQWq8dm3Q_IZzoKGyCZKbW6o6dFfVL-ZGt_w2x23zOvkKNAaegeYztUkfOHI25EKUukyXuD0hEeKH/pub), that may be observed at your school.
Sincerely,
...
(Are you concerned that you may be asked for your faith, if any, if you request a “religious or creed-based accommodation”? Note that one parent reports that the TVDSB recently accepted a belief system other than a religion as a “creed”. And note that Classical Liberalism, which is not a religion, holds free speech to be an inviolable right.) Need more information? See a news article on the above Pride Month Curriculum teacher training materials (obtained only via FOI application, here: https://tnc.news/2024/06/27/ontario-school-board-white-supremacy-racism/).
Feel free to leave a note in the Comments below with your own beliefs on this matter or your experience registering an objection to the new Family Support Office.
--CPAL
We welcome discussion of multiple viewpoints in good faith in this sub-stack. We provide information rather than advice.
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