Can article writers be trusted

I came across a website the other day that stated that immigrants who haven’t taken Canadian citizenship are not eligible for retirement benefits.

Since I’ve been working and contributing to the Canadian Pension Plan (CPP) ever since I came to Canada some 17 years ago, this threw me for a loop. Had I been paying into this pension plan for nothing?

Admittedly, contributing to the Canadian Pension plan is mandatory in Canada, but still, if one pays, one want something in return.

To be sure, I checked with someone who would know and as it turns out, what the writer of the article wrote is nonsense. Anyone who contributes to the CPP is entitled to benefits.

Another writer claimed that if someone, who lives in Canada, dies without a will, his or her entire estate goes to the Canadian government. This too I found a little worrying, so I checked with someone who knows about legal matters. As it turned out, this too is nonsense. In case of a death, duty fees have to be paid to the government, but they do not take the entire estate. With or without a will.

After reading these two “uninformed” articles, I started to wonder about everything else one reads online. For every question there is an answer, for every problem there is a solution, for every situation there is someone who gives advice.

But who gives those answers, solutions, and advice? Very seldom, professionals do the “talking”. Articles are mostly written by regular people, none of which are experts in the field.

So where it comes to our health, our pets’ health, skin problem, hair issues, cleaning methods and 101 other things, shouldn’t we leave giving advice to those who actually know what they’re talking about?

So my advice would be …

If you’re sick … go see a doctor.

If your pet is sick … make an appointment with the vet.

For skin problems … turn to a dermatologist.

Hair problems … talk to a stylist.

Whatever the problem is, don’t take the word of amateur, talk to a professional.