Last Sunday was the final game of the Swansea Adult Community Softball League — a mix of Canadians and newcomers who've been showing up every Sunday to play and hang out. It's been one of the highlights of the week all summer.

The moment that stuck with me: Alistair, who's from New Zealand and had never put on a glove or swung a bat before this season, hit a home run in the final game. Watching that felt like the whole point of the league.

The season's not quite done — there's an end-of-season celebration at Rainhard Brewery with food, drinks, awards, and the thing that actually matters most: everyone in one room.

If you've been on the fence about joining something like this, let this be the nudge. I'd like to bring more of this, baseball or otherwise, to more newcomers as this community grows. If your neighbourhood doesn't have anything like it, that might be worth starting.

September 30 is the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, and Orange Shirt Day.

The day started in Williams Lake, British Columbia, in 2013, to honour Residential School Survivors, their families, and the children who never came home — and to recognize the lasting harm caused by Canada's Residential School system. What began as a grassroots initiative is now a national one, marked by people, organizations, and communities across the country pausing to remember and reflect.

The orange shirt represents what was taken from Indigenous children: culture, freedom, identity, self-esteem, and carries a simple message: Every Child Matters.

If you're newer to Canada, this is a part of the country's history worth understanding, not just observing once a year. Publicly acknowledging it, and its ongoing impact, is part of what reconciliation actually looks like.

Both our kids wore orange to school today. If you can find a few minutes today, even without the day off, it's worth taking some time to reflect.

To help you get together, network and socialize.

Diversity & Inclusion Virtual Career Fair | Oct 7, 2026 | Online/Virtual | A virtual hiring event connecting job seekers, including newcomers and candidates from underrepresented groups, with employers recruiting across Canada | Free | Register here.

Salon de l'emploi et de la formation continue (Fall) — with Foire Nationale de l'emploi | Fri Oct 2 (12–7 PM) & Sat Oct 3, 2026 (10 AM–6 PM) | Palais des congrès de Montréal, Montreal, QC | Quebec's largest recurring job and continuing-education fair, with 300+ exhibitors and ~20,000 job/training openings. | Free | Learn more.

Job and Continuing Education Fair – IT & Engineering Area (Fall) | Fri Oct 2, 2026, 12–7 PM | Palais des congrès de Montréal, Montreal, QC | Companion event to the main fall fair, focused on IT and engineering roles | Free | Learn more.

Job Fair Toronto – October 7th, 2026 | Wed Oct 7, 2026, 11:00 AM onward | Metro Hall, Toronto, ON | General hiring event with multiple employers on-site; open to all job seekers, including newcomers building their first Canadian resume and network. | Free | Register here.

Ottawa Career Fair and Training Expo Canada | Thu Oct 8, 2026, 10:00 AM–2:00 PM | Rogers Centre Ottawa, 55 Colonel By Drive, Ottawa, ON | Multi-sector career fair with employers, trainers, and educational institutions; part of the recurring Career Fair Canada series that regularly features newcomer-focused exhibitors. | Free | Learn more.

NB Recruitment Fair – Toronto Nursing | Sat Oct 3, 2026 | Toronto, ON (New Brunswick recruiting) | Recruitment event for registered nurses, licensed practical nurses, and nurse practitioners, including internationally educated nurses, interested in relocating to New Brunswick.| Free | Learn more.

To help you find your next role.

General Construction Labourer | Full time | Ottawa, ON | $38.85 per hour (union benefits) | Full Description

Light Duty Cleaner | Full time | Saskatoon, SK | $18 per hour | Full Description

Carpenter / Framer | Full time | Calgary, AB | $35 per hour | Full Description

Landscape Labourer | Full time | Various, BC | $20–$24 per hour (typical range) | Full Description

Food Service Supervisor | Full time | Victoria, BC | $20.15 per hour | Full Description

Retail Store Supervisor | Full time | Blairmore, AB | $20 per hour | Full Description

Long Haul Truck Driver | Full time | Surrey, BC | $37 per hour | Full Description

General Farm Worker | Full time | Richmond, BC | $19 per hour | Full Description

Housekeeping Room Attendant | Full time | 100 Mile House, BC | $18–$20 per hour (typical range) | Full Description

Kitchen Helper | Full time | Blackfalds, AB | $17–$19 per hour (typical range) | Full Description

*Every response to a poll or correct answer to a quiz gets premium members an automatic entry for our monthly prize draw.

The prize for September 2026 is a $25 gift card of your choice.

And we feel should be on yours too.

We are always looking for feedback and engagement from our community.

Let me know. I will reply to each email I receive.