Ottawa Life Magazine Cover

Transcription

NEWS/POLITICS/FOOD/ARTS/SPORTS/FASHION/LIFESTYLE $3.95
SEPTEMBER 2012
Top 25 People
in the Capital 2012 –
Ottawa Life’s annual salute to
the city’s goers and doers and
movers and shakers
Painting Petals
Irena Sherstyuk is creating
a buzz fuelled by petal power
www.ottawalife.com
DISPLAY UNTIL OCTOBER 31, 2012
A Moving Experience * Students On Ice * Pensions and Peace of Mind * Rail On The Rise
Choose Cornwall
A city where the cost
of a house won’t break
the bank, where good
jobs can still be found,
and where fun can
be had in green
spaces along the
St. Lawrence River.
Cornwall is a place
where you can succeed...
where your family will thrive.
This is our Cornwall.
Ask for your free information package today.
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The C a ance Ass oc i
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More than 50 per cent of Canadian private-sector workers do not have a workplace retirement plan. The Canadian Life and Health
Insurance industry supports the federal government’s initiative to introduce workplace pension plans in the form of Pooled Registered
Pension Plans (PRPPs). When passed into law, PRPPs will allow small and medium-sized
businesses to offer their employees simple, low cost, pension plans. PRPPs will let all
Canadians save for retirement at the workplace in an easy and convenient way.
For more information, visit clhia.ca
TTWENTY5
30 P
26
contents
Gallery
columns
& stories
10
Irena Sherstyuk creates mesmerizing paintings of psychedelic flowers
and young lovers in abstract cityscapes. This artist’s work is attracting
attention at galleries across Canada.
In Search of Style
Publisher’s Message .....................6
Capital Clips ................................7
Thirst Impressions ........................8
Homes ........................................12
Money Matters ...........................22
Pensions and Peace of Mind ....... 24
Railways in Canada Series ...........41
Arctic Series ................................45
Pensions and Peace of Mind .........47
Moving Series .............................48
Reaching Higher Education
Series: Sam Hammond Op-ed.......51
15
You Never Know What True Happiness Is Until... You’re Married!
Finalizing the details of any wedding can be a thrilling experience.
One magical tradition is the dress fitting. Sun News Life & Style reporter
Alexandra Gunn takes us through the steps
Guys Do Make Passes at Girls Who Wear Glasses!
Technologically advanced Crizal UV lenses offer the best
protection on the market and are incredibly attractive as well.
Nav Centre in Cornwall
17
20
is close to home but far from ordinary.
Top 25 People in the Capital 2012
Public Servants/Op-ed...................54
26
Who made the list? Who didn’t? Ottawa Life Magazine is pleased to
present the movers and shakers and candlestick makers who define
what is best about Ottawa.
Greenstream
15
47
Anna May Burke explains all the fuss over the Northern Gateway
Pipeline proposal.
Education Reaching Higher
52
Alberta’s NAIT’s students & graduates are highly successful.
www.boomerslegacy.ca
o Honour our troops
45
14 30
PHOTO:DEBORAH RANSOM
PHOTO: QUAME SCOTT, Q3 STUDIOS
SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2012 VOLUME 14 • NUMBER 5
publisher’s message by dan donovan
publisher/managing editor
Dan Donovan
copy editors/series writers
Jennifer Hartley, Harvey Chartrand
associate editor/series writer
T
welve years ago when we started the first Annual Top People in the
Capital issue, JDS Uniphase CEO Jozef Straus was our number one pick.
Remember him? Do you even remember JDS Uniphase – the Halley’s Comet
of Ottawa high-tech companies?
Other picks in 2000 included then Prime Minister Jean Chrétien and hometown
chanteuse Alanis Morissette (still going strong). One of the people who made
the list in that first year was comedian Mike MacDonald – a legend in comedy
circles and every comic’s favourite comedian. This Ottawa boy is the Woody
Guthrie of Comedy whose bits are repeated time and again by other comedians
– the highest tribute in comedy land. A generation of stand-up comics from
Canada and the United States grew their craft watching Master Mike do his
thing. Saturday Night Live’s Norm MacDonald (a fellow Ottawa boy, but no
relation to Mike), Jim Carrey, Angelo Tsarouchas, Russell Peters, Chris Finn,
Jeremy Hotz and others will all tell you “their Mike story.”
Rob Cornforth
director of operations Dalal Saikali
office administrator Alessandra Gerebizza
web editor Katarina Kuruc, Stephanie Vizi
contributing writers
Anna May Burke, Harvey Chartrand, Tanya Collins,
Damira Davletyarova Dan Donovan, Glenn Feltham,
Alexandra Gunn, Jessica Huddleston, Dr.Thomas A.
Noël Michael Pinkus, Dalal Saikali, Claire Tremblay,
Simon Vodrey
cover
TIPES (Thinking in Pictures Educational Services)
team. Dr. Jeff Sherman, Deborah Wyatt and
Jennifer Wyatt Photo by: Paul Couvrette
photographers
Jean-Marc Carisse, Paul Couvrette, Quame Scott/
Q3 Studio, Gordon King, Martin Fortier,
Miv Photography, Deborah Ransom
student intern Nick Faris, Lauriane Songuissa
fashion Alexandra Gunn
This year, Mike is TOPs on our list again but the honour is not just for his
comedy career but more for his courage in facing down the juggernaut of
Hepatitis C which is destroying his liver. Mike’s story and courage in returning
home to beat down this demon is truly inspiring and he does it while not
losing his sense of himself or his sense of humour. Mike honours us because his
love for his hometown of Ottawa is what brought him here to heal. We wish
him only the best. (Be sure to read the entire 5,000-word interview with Mike
MacDonald at www.ottawalife.com.)
Our number 1 pick on our Top 25 list for 2012 is the TIPES (Thinking in
Pictures Educational Services) team of Dr. Jeff Sherman, Deborah Wyatt and
Jennifer Wyatt. TIPES is an Ottawa-based professional service providing
affordable applied behaviour analysis (ABA) therapy, social integration, family
relief services, and training courses for parents and professionals. TIPES’
success in teaching children and youth with Autism and other exceptionalities
to reach their potential in a positive learning environment by using a teambased approach, individualized program planning and recreational activities is
being recognized across Canada and internationally. TIPES’ costs are lower
than government-based programs and TIPES are excited with their progress.
Other picks this year include an athlete, a foodie, business people and a
politician. One thing never changes. Ottawa is home to some extraordinary
people! n
sales Shane Belknap
director of sales [email protected]
circulation Chelsea Larock
accounts Henschel Business Services Inc.,
Joe Colas C.G.A
design Karen Temple
web design
technical support Rob Cornforth,
John Temple
corporate advisor J. Paul Harquail,
Charles Franklin
corporate counsel Paul Champagne
advertising information
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Subscriber service is 613-688-LIFE (5433).
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recycled paper.
6 OTTAWALIFE SEPTEMBER 2012
letter
best picks
RAIL CUSTOMERS RESPOND
Rail freight customers who rely on Canadian National (CN) and
Canadian Pacific (CP) are reading with interest your ongoing
series called “Renaissance of Rail”.
The Coalition of Rail Shippers (CRS) certainly agrees that
railways are a “transportation backbone of the economy” and
that they are “indispensable to many of the most important
industries in North America transporting goods throughout the
continent.”
However, we do not concur with all the various assertions
about “fast and reliable service.” In fact, 16 industry sectors
formed the CRS because of grave concerns about inefficient
and inadequate service being provided by the railways. Many
members are resource-based shippers such as forestry,
mining, and grain producers who rely on railways to transport
their products because they have no other viable option.
CRS members know something must be done to address the
imbalance in market power that disproportionately favours
railways or the shipper’s ability to compete internationally will
continue to be hobbled.
CordCruncher
puts an end
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If you are a runner or sports enthusiast or
even just someone who likes to use headphones, the
CordCruncher is for you. The CordCruncher is the latest
innovation in headphone technology that eliminates headphone cord tangle. The
product works amazingly well and is the ultimate in listening comfort. Outfitted
with high-quality earbuds, the CordCruncher Headphone's elastic sleeve allows
you to adjust cord length anywhere from 16 inches to 3.5 feet. Finish up at the gym,
crunch the earbuds, and toss them into your bag for the next use—all tangle-free,
every single time! How to crunch? It's easy. Just zip up your headphone cords,
with just a flick of your wrist. Suit up with stylish headphones that allow for
complete freedom of movement. The CordCruncher can be worn as a necklace, or
doubled up and wrapped around your wrist as a bracelet for easy access. $24.99 n
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We are aware that the railways deny this, but the government’s
own independent Rail Freight Service Review Panel, in its Final
Report tabled in March 2011, recognized the problem of service
shortfalls and the “need for change.” It found: “The major
cause of rail service problems is railway market power, which
leads to an imbalance in the commercial relationships between
the railways and other stakeholders.” Their words, not ours.
Your article also mentioned “greater operating efficiencies.”
Unfortunately, the “efficient” operation of a railway often comes
at the expense of adequate and suitable service to customers.
CN’s record-breaking revenues and earnings are provided by
shippers who struggle to afford substantial increases in their
rail freight bills despite declines in commodity prices since
2004.
The article also references “commercial service agreements.”
A large majority of these are merely “memorandums of
understanding”, or documents without teeth that do not
contain any of the service level criteria recommended in the
Rail Freight Service Review Report.
The federal government is now preparing legislation to follow
up on the proposals outlined in this report to help remedy
shortfalls in railways’ service, including consequences for
non-performance. Railways should not fear this legislation.
If they are truly committed to improved service, as they have
stated, they cannot reasonably oppose this legislation since
the new provisions will only come into effect in the event of
service shortfalls.
Shippers remain ready to work with railways and government
on measures to ensure a truly world-class transportation
system that would, as your article states, create an “efficient
and reliable asset for Canadian exporters.” This would help
safeguard the well-being of the more than two million men and
women employed by CRS members, ensure profitable railways
and create jobs and economic growth for all of Canada.
Bob Ballantyne
CHAIR, COALITION OF RAIL SHIPPERS
playing time
88 Years is an original installation by local video artists Julia Krolik and Owen
Fernley. It offers a portrait of our community through a piano keyboard. “It really
looks amazing to see a portrait of someone born in every year from 1924 to 2011,”
Krolik says. The artists chronologically depicted 88 individuals to correspond to
each key of the piano. Krolik and Fernley (as well as the Decomposing Pianos
project team) then made Square Pegs, a six-minute film that introduces 88 Years.
The video plays every note on the piano as it runs through all the portraits. “The
piano is a natural way to sonify our musical age,” Fernley explains. “By placing
each year since 1924 on the chromatic scale, an individual can be represented by
a single key. A chord becomes a friend, a family or a relationship. A note becomes
a full life, well-lived. Both man and machine move along the same arrow of time
to which we are all captive.” The team also made a computer program called the
88 Years Interactive Tone Generator which helped them to produce the Square
Pegs movie and is also an interactive instrument that can be played on its own.
“We are hoping to get it online once we complete the design,” according to Krolik.
We can't wait. n
View the poster that includes all 88 portraits at www.decomposingpianos.
com/88years/poster.html
thirst impressions by michael pinkus
Fall back on anOR
oldFIND
favourite
A NEW ONE…
As we head into fall, we swap those light and fruity whites for the heavier, warming
appeal of reds. I like to give you the latest releases available, but it’s always good to
step back a few weeks to see if certain faves are still kicking around the LCBO.
for other countries’ wines (no surprise
here), especially Italy, the Rhone
Valley (France) and Washington State
(USA).
We’re used to the hot grape of the
day, Malbec, coming from Argentina,
but you might want to check out
what the Chileans are doing with
their rival’s signature grape: Valdivieso
2009 Single Vineyard Old Vines Malbec
($19.95 - #273987). This is hearty and
as warming as a red can get with
lovely spiced black fruit, a hint of
leather along with plum and black
cherry, plus there's some vanilla-mint
on the finish. It’s the mint that makes
it a signature Chilean wine (****+).
Another winner from the August 4
release was the Filon 2010 Garnacha
($14.95 - #280602), a real bargain wine
from a consistently good, reliable and
tasty wine country, Spain. Some of
the best values coming into Vintages
over the past few releases have been
Spanish and this wine is no exception
with its ripe cherry, plum and sweet
spice (**** ½).
A simple yet satisfying Chardonnay
comes from California, 2010 Sabastiani
($17.95 - #30791). It is juicy and toasty
with plenty of melon and peach notes
(****). Another white of note is from
the Loire Valley in France, where
Sauvignon Blanc is king. Domaine
Jacky Marteau 2011 Sauvignon Touraine
($12.95-#745349) has citrus peel
and grapefruit pith with a touch of
Sauvignon Blanc’s signature grassiness
on the finish (***½).
Here are two more wines that will
warm the cockles of your heart,
one white and one red. The red is a
perennial favourite from Wakefield,
out of Australia, another consistent
producer that doesn’t over-reach.
They know their Cab is a pleasure
to drink and they don’t mess around
with the formula. Wakefield 2009
Cabernet Sauvignon ($17.95 - #744235)
is a beauty with juicy dark fruit and
eucalyptus notes. It’s perfect for a fall
BBQ. Don’t shelve your whites away
just yet. The E. Guigal 2011 Côtes du
Rhône Blanc ($15.95 - #290296) out of
the Rhône Valley has some heft and
prettiness to make it fall-hearty and
quite sippable on its own. Notes of
honeysuckle, pineapple and apricot
give it delicacy with its heft. Plus it’s
good value. Speaking of value, go out
and spend 18 bucks on the Buil & Gine
Gine Gine 2009 ($17.95 - #67843) and
then tell me Spain doesn’t offer great
value for taste. Good fruit to spice
ratio and juicy as all get-out.
Now on with the newer wines from
the September 15 release which was
Ontario-focused. There are plenty
of home-grown wines to be had
here including Jackson-Triggs’ newlook 2011 Delaine Chardonnay ($24.95
- #623454 -***½+); Featherstone’s
amazing value 2010 Cabernet Franc
($16.95 - #64618 - **** ½) and Norman
Hardie’s 2010 County unfiltered Pinot
Noir ($35 - #125310 - ***½). The
LCBO saved some of its best releases
Moving onto those reds, I highly
recommend Columbia Crest’s 2009 H3
Les Chevaux ($20.95 - #287425). It's a
blend of four of the five main Meritage
varieties plus Syrah. Dark fruit and
mocha are just a couple of highlights
(****½). Staying in the US, Pinot
Noir lovers will get a kick from the
Cristom Sommers Reserve Pinot Noir
2008 ($43) - #942490). It might be a bit
pricey but a great wine to serve over
Thanksgiving with the spice-boxand-sandalwood-wrapped black fruit.
It’s a sheer palatial treat (****+).
Two from France will get your
mouth a-humming. The Domaine
de la Channaise 2010 Morgan ($18.95 #288068) is a Beaujolais you can really
get behind with its lush dark cherry,
along with mineral undertones. You’ll
never look at simple Beaujolais the
same way again (****+). There’s also
the outstanding La Font Des Grières
2009 Gigondas ($19.95 - #175129) from
the Rhone Valley. Intensity of red
fruit is amazing here, it also has wellintegrated wood, spice and 15 per
cent alcohol. It's a real humdinger
(****½).
Finally, there are some amazing values
out of Italy starting in Sicily with the
Morgante 2010 Nero d'Avola ($14.95
- #40816) with sweet blackberry,
chocolate, plum and cherry – all for
under 15 bucks (****+). There’s
also the Le Fonti 2009 Chianti Classico
($19.95 - #295162) with coffee and
licorice taking charge on the nose,
while black cherry, floral and mineral
ride the mid-palate to the spiced
finish. This one has better stuffing
than the simple Chianti your grandpa
drank – modern style meets classic
wine (****+).
Head back to America’s heartland of
wine, California, for that last-ditch
BBQ bruiser: Rutherford Ranch 2008
Zinfandel (~$20 - #279828). This spicy
Zin with menthol, vanilla-cola and
cherry will keep you wishing that
summer would stay forever - or that
you could BBQ forever in this cool
climate we live in. With this wine by
your side, maybe you can (****).
Next time up, it's holiday gift-giving
and receiving ... so get your wish list
and gift list ready. n
Cornwall
CLOSE TO HOME –
FAR FROM ORDINARY
Cornwall is just an hour’s drive from Ottawa. This bustling city of 46,000 on
the banks of the St. Lawrence is one of Canada’s oldest communities. Cornwall
was first settled in 1784 by United Empire Loyalists. Back then, it served as a
garrison town; it was a supply post during the War of 1812. Today, Cornwall
is in the middle of an incredible renaissance and is one of Ontario’s fastest
growing economies, with a quality of life second to none. In the past decade,
Cornwall has emerged as an important hub of Canada's supply chain sector,
as both national and international logistics and transportation companies have
located there. This growth has attracted families (many form the National
Capital Region) and lots of new small businesses. There are a number of
top-notch recreational amenities, a choice of French and English education,
a full-service hospital and a growing college. One of the most exciting trends
is the explosion in the city’s creative arts and music scene. Cornwall is home
to a growing number of musicians, talented actors, playwrights and directors,
many of whom participate in local theatre. If you are looking to take a day
trip close to home but far from ordinary, it is worth the scenic drive to catch a
show at either the Aultsville Theatre (www.aultsvilletheatre.com), a beautiful,
680-seat venue that features many professional touring artists throughout
the year, or at The Seaway Valley Theatre Company which offers musical
productions, cabaret-style plays, plays for children and summer plays (www.
svtc.ca). Or start planning now for a day trip next summer to The Upper
Canada Playhouse which is a professional summer repertory theatre, featuring
works by Canadian playwrights (www.uppercanadaplayhouse.com). For a
calendar of local shows and other events, including a more comprehensive
listing of artists and organizations, or to find out more about business and
living opportunities in this gem of a town, check out www.cornwall.ca. n
gallery by harvey chartrand
petal power
THE ART OF IRENA SHERSTYUK
Irena Sherstyuk
creates mesmerizing
paintings of psychedelic
flowers and young lovers
in abstract cityscapes.
Her work is attracting
attention at galleries
across Canada.
OTTAWA LIFE: When did you decide to become
a professional painter?
IRENA SHERSTYUK :
From an early
age, I always liked to paint and it
was something that gave me joy. I
have two professional degrees and
I worked as an engineer and as
a teacher in Ukraine. Only here
in Canada did I finally have an
opportunity to start to paint. Since
2000, I’ve been painting full time.
You can tell how happy I am here
when you look at my paintings.
They are full of optimistic, joyful
bright colours. People said to me
that my art resonates with them,
calls out on their deepest emotions
– recollections of happy childhood
memories, or an evening spent with
a loved one dreaming of the future.
My style involves using a palette knife
to create texture. It’s called impasto
(a technique used in painting, where
paint is laid on an area of the surface,
usually thick enough that the brush
or painting-knife strokes are visible).
I paint with bold strokes and I use
mixed-media acrylics.
OTTAWA LIFE: There is a fantasy element to
your art, isn’t there?
IRENA SHERSTYUK : Yes and no. To paint
flowers, I use my own photos or even
dry flowers – Mother Nature has so
much whimsy and vividness for me
to use. But for composition, I use
my imagination. Many artists paint
flowers, but not quite this way. I have
to imagine it until I can see a painting
in my mind’s eye. Every vivid detail
is created in my imagination. When I
start a painting, I can’t stop until I’m
finished, however long it takes. Once
the painting is done, it is whole and
complete and I rarely add anything
else later on.
are richly embroidered with endless
flowers. Women wear a head piece
(vinok) – a headband – covered with
flowers with long flowing ribbons
down the back.
Cityscapes with romantic clusters of
people strolling among skyscrapers
are another common theme in my
art. I also paint abstract musical
instruments where I try to fuse
beautiful melodies of piano and
saxophone and capture the essence of
music. But I like painting flowers the
most. My Ukrainian roots remind
me about our folk costumes, which
IRENA SHERSTYUK: In the future, I’d like to
OTTAWA LIFE: What about your next series of
thematic art pieces? What are you working
on now?
here in Ottawa. Sometimes I participate
in different shows. In 2011, there was a
show in Gatineau – Exhibition Images
on Canvas – and I was awarded First
Place in People’s Choice. I sold five
paintings at that show.
OTTAWA LIFE: Is it challenging to succeed as
an artist in Ottawa?
I am a member of Visual Arts
Ontario, the East Central Ontario
Art Association (ECOAA) and
the Ottawa West Arts Association
in Stittsville. My work has been
displayed in galleries – the Ambiance
Gallery and Galerie d’Art Le Bourget
in Montreal. I’m looking to expand,
to have more galleries represent me,
in Toronto, Calgary and Saskatoon. n
IRENA SHERSTYUK : It is not easy. The
Rothwell Gallery is representing me
For more information, visit www.irenart.com
TEL: 613.824.0595 E-MAIL: [email protected]
work on more abstract compositions…
flowers and cityscapes, but more
abstract than my earlier paintings.
Dream it. Live it. | mondeau.ca
Ottawa
1282 Algoma
613.746.7070
Kanata
20 Edgewater
613.831.6800
Gatineau
130 Jean Proulx
819.776.3153
homes by tanya collins
living room
T H E L AY E R E D
Looking to create a layered look in your living room? There’s no real science to it. It is really a form
of art as to which combinations of colours, paterns or textures work best together for dramatic effect.
However, there are some tips, as opposed to rules, that can help you along the way.
1. START WITH A FOUNDATION COLOUR In this client’s living room, an olive brown was used on the sofa and the walls to achieve
a neutral backdrop — a base in which to layer on colour and pattern.
2. CHOOSE ONE LARGE OVERSCALE PRINT to make a strong statement. Choose a colour that you love. In this case, the hot
pink velvet and linen damask was applied to the William birch roll armchairs. Note that the linen background colour is the same
undertone as the sofa colour.
3. CHOOSE TWO OTHER PATTERNS, at a minimum, to accent the overscale print. These patterns should be contrasted in pattern
and scale to the statement fabric. For example, with a floral and damask print, a stripe or geometric works well. A medium scale
or small print is a nice complement to the overscale print. Consider balancing the pattern around the room, as opposed to having
it all concentrated in one area.
4. ADD COLOURS OF THE SAME INTENSITY without consideration if they “match”. Pair jewel tones with jewel tones or pastels with
pastels. Don’t be afraid to mix bold colours together. For example, hot pink, sunshine yellow, azure blue all have the same weight
of colour, even though these combinations are not considered to “go” together.
5. CONSIDER THE LEVEL OF SOPHISTICATION you would like to create in your room – formal vs. casual, traditional vs. modern.
A damask tends to have a more upscale traditional feel whereas a gingham or plaid creates a more casual country feel while a
geometric offers a more modern feel.
Go ahead and be bold. Mix colours and patterns to create an eclectic “not too done” decorating effect
in your home! Have confidence and layer away! Visit Tanya Collins’ web site at www.tanyacollinsdesign.com n
PHOTO: GORDON KING
Linda Miller
of Misty River Introductions has been
matching successful attractive single people
for the last 16 years in the most confidential
professional manner. Linda meets with each
potential client individually to assess their
suitability for the service. Her natural intuitive
knack for matching people, using traditional
methods and carefully agreed upon criteria has
resulted in thousands of happy couples and
countless marriages.
Call today to arrange your
complimentary assessment.
www.mistyriverintros.com
(613) 257-3531
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in search of style by alexandra gunn
Send your fashion & style dilemmas to
[email protected]
Follow Alex on Twitter: @AlexandraGunn
Alexandra Gunn is the Life & Style reporter for Sun News
F
inalizing the details of any wedding can be a harrowing
experience. However, one tradition that remains magical is
the dress fitting. I was lucky enough to have my mom and
soon-to-be mother-in-law participate in the fun. There is
no greater feeling for any bride than to share the moment
with loved ones.
During the fitting, David McCaffrey showed my mom how
to easily get me into his creation and how to bustle the
dress for the reception. It’s trickier than you think. Some
dresses come with a bustier and need additional time and
some extra hands to cinch the bride in for the perfect fit.
If a dress is complex in design, it is often recommended to
have the mother of the bride or maid of honour attend the
final fitting to ensure that getting into the dress on the big
day is a simple and stress-free process.
Having a fresh set of eyes to help decide on the final details
made for a smooth and easy going fitting. In my case, the
mothers helped add the needed accessories to the dress:
a veil that didn’t overpower or hide the dress, a belt to
add some sparkle and a glamorous bolero for the church
service. These few details transformed the dress into a
luxurious gown all the while maintaining the timeless and
classic shape that the original design was based upon.
I will always remember seeing myself in the dress for the
first time, the intricate details and how exquisite I felt in
my wedding dress. Not only was I able to share the day
with the mothers, thanks to a Skype service provided by
the boutique, family across the country tuned in.
Working with David McCaffrey has been such an incredible
journey and although the full dress design will continue
to remain a secret till the wedding in December, you can
follow my dress updates on Twitter at @AlexandraGunn. n
HAIR & MAKEUP: Noah at facesbynoah.com • PHOTOGRAPHY: Deborah Ransom
How do you say
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eye see you series by dr. thomas a. noël
BACK TO SCHOOL
As parents, we strive to do everything we can in order to give our
children the best opportunities in life: we help with homework,
read books on child development and when required, we seek
outside help to improve their quality of life.
B
ecause children can’t always
recognize that their vision isn’t
ideal, the easiest way to provide
your child with the best chance at
success is to begin eye health care
early. In fact, eye exams can be
conducted on children as young as
six months old, and with the use of
special charts that employ familiar
shapes, even toddlers are able to
provide reliable results during a visit
to the optometrist.
It is estimated that 5 per cent of
preschoolers and 20 per cent of
elementary school-aged children
have vision problems. Early detection
of potential visual impairment is
essential to allow normal development
and learning. In Ontario, the Ontario
Health Insurance Plan (OHIP) covers
eye exams for persons 19 years of age
and younger on an annual basis.
It is recommended that children
begin regular eye health examinations
by the age of four and that schoolaged children see their optometrist
annually or biennially based on their
most recent vision health assessment.
Experts estimate that about 80
per cent of information learned
in elementary school is presented
visually. Therefore, even the slightest
vision impairment can reduce your
child’s ability to learn significantly.
A common concern that I hear from
parents is that they feel their child’s
eyes are not “working together.”
This condition, known as strabismus
(eye turn) results when one eye is
somewhat visibly misaligned with the
other. Strabismus affects 4 per cent of
the general population and the rate of
incidence increases if another family
member has strabismus. Depending
on the degree of severity of the
strabismus, your optometrist may
choose to monitor the condition or
try patching exercises (in which the
“good eye” is covered for a length of
time) in order to strengthen the eye.
In some cases, surgical intervention is
necessary.
Amblyopia (lazy eye) is a vision
disorder which inhibits normal visual
acuity (even with corrective lenses)
and often begins in early childhood.
Strabismus or ocular misalignment
accounts for 50 per cent of cases of
amblyopia. In order to avoid a double
image, the brain effectively ignores
the input from the turned eye, thus the
“lazy eye.” Under the supervision of
a qualified optometrist, the prognosis
for amblyopia, if identified early, is
very good. With the use of eyeglasses
in addition to patching, binocular
vision and normal visual acuity can
often be restored.
As with any health-care professional,
it is important that you and your child
feel familiar and comfortable with
your optometrist. Ask questions and
do not hesitate to be involved. Eye
examinations are non-invasive and
often are fun experiences for young
children. The results of the visit to
your optometrist could invariably
help shape your child’s development
for a lifetime. n
travel and convention feature by olm staff
NAVIGATE YOUR WAY TO THE NAV CENTRE
World-Class Resort in Cornwall
T
he newly updated and modernized
NAV Centre is now booking
top-notch events and conferences to
attract visitors to the thriving city of
Cornwall, Ontario. The NAV Centre
is close to Ottawa and a popular spot
for many federal departments and
agencies and other organizations that
want to have a get-away meeting or
team-building exercise in a place
close to home but where you still feel
you are “outside the bubble”.
aspects has drawn a wide variety
of events, including a bluegrass
festival, the Ontario Weightlifting
Championships and the PanAmerican
Boxing Championships.
Management Centre to offer
corporate skills training and is one of
only a handful of Canadian facilities
to be certified by the International
Association of Conference Centres.
“Having Olympic-level athletes
from 15 countries as our guests was
an incredible experience,” says CoeTurner. “They were able to train and
compete in our fitness centre and
relax along the river.“
Once a training facility for the
federal government, the sprawling
resort-type complex has been given
an extensive facelift. Says general
manager Kim Coe-Turner: “We have
upgraded guest rooms, made many
of them larger, renovated our fitness
centre and added a spa. From carpets
to light fixtures, the theme is modern,
the atmosphere inviting.”
As with any first-rate venue, the NAV
Centre boasts a group of experienced
and dedicated staff, including awardwinning executive chef Jean-Mathieu
Leclerc, fitness trainers with semiprofessional sports backgrounds, and
a hand-picked executive team with
impeccable credentials.
“The NAV Centre has evolved
into modern, versatile home for
conferences and events of all types,”
Coe-Turner sums up. “One week, we
may be hosting a small conference
of religious leaders, the next a senior
business retreat and the week after an
international sporting event. What is
important to us is that every visitor
leaves happy and with a positive
impression of Cornwall and Eastern
Ontario.”
The beautifully landscaped site
overlooking the mighty St. Lawrence
River, the extensive amenities
–combined with a comprehensive
mix of meeting room space, guest and
dining facilities – sets the NAV Centre
apart from other such complexes. The
deft fusion of business and leisure
The NAV Centre is also building
on a partnership with the Canadian
It’s a far cry from the days when the
complex was a training centre for
employees of NAV Canada, which is
now the country's private-sector civil
air navigation services provider.
NAV CENTRE AT A GLANCE
• 550 guest rooms • 50,000 square feet of meeting space • Landscaped 74-acre site overlooking
the St. Lawrence River • On-site cafeteria, pub, full-service restaurant • Renovated fitness centre,
including indoor pool, gymnasium and sport fields.
Contact Coordinates: The NAV CENTRE 1950 Montreal Road, Cornwall (Ontario) K6H 6L2
TEL: 613.936.5800, TOLL FREE: 877.832.6416, FAX: 613.936.5010 EMAIL: [email protected]
SPA
NOW OPEN
MEET ING
STANDARDS OF
EXCELLENCE
FEATURING
• 560 comfortable and well-appointed guest rooms
• 50,000 square feet of meeting capacity
(that’s equal to 2 soccer stadiums of space)
• Dining rooms and banquet halls serving top-quality meals
prepared by our Executive Chef and professional staff
• NAV FIT, our newly renovated sports centre with 25m indoor
lap pool, gyms and saunas
• New full-service spa
• All this and more, situated on 70 acres of parkland adjacent to
the St. Lawrence Seaway with 40 kilometres of recreational trails
Call us today and let us meet your expectations of excellence.
Meeting Standards of Excellence
www.navcentre.ca
Cornwall, Ontario | One hour from Ottawa|
FOLLOW
US
ON
1-877-832-6416
TWITTER
! (NAVCENTRE)
Not all Indians are polite,
hospitable and vegetarian.
www.incredibleindia.org | [email protected] | 1.866.97.India
money matters by kash pashootan
Don’t Be a Victim of Pension Discrimination:
Strategies for the Unique Needs of
Incorporated Professionals and Successful Business Owners
I
ncorporated professionals and successful business owners (and their key
employees) are victims of their own success when it comes to pension
planning. Because of the annual ceiling on personal Registered Retirement
Savings Plan (RRSP) contributions, those earning more than $127,000 (in
2012 dollars) annually can never set aside 18 per cent of their income for
retirement. As a result, their registered retirement savings will be unable
to support an annual pension of 70 per centof pre-retirement income. This
situation is known as “pension discrimination.” And quite simply, the more
successful you are, the greater the pension discrimination.
Fortunately, in Canada, there are
strategies that can be employed to end
the discrimination, namely, Individual
Pension Plans (IPPs) and Retirement
Compensation Agreements (RCAs).
However, while these strategies can
provide significant benefits, they
require careful planning, execution
and ongoing management. Below is
an overview of IPPs and RCAs.
Individual Pension Plans (IPPs)
An IPP is a defined pension plan for
one or more individuals. Unlike your
RRSP, it sets your monthly income at
retirement. In essence, it is a pension
trust fund that is sponsored and
funded by the “employer”. Funding
is based on age, income, interest rates
and inflation. It also factors in RRSP
contributions that you have made
post-1991.
Contributions to the plan are taxdeductible and maximums increase
with age and salary. Past service
contributions are allowed and the
investment options are similar to
those available in RRSPs.
The income from this pension plan
can begin any time after 55, and
can be transferred to a Life Income
Fund, Locked-in RRIF, or annuity.
Another important point is that you
can achieve creditor-proofing of your
contributions through the current
pension legislation.
Retirement Compensation
Agreements (RCAs)
The RCA allows a company to make
tax-deductible contributions to a
pension vehicle in excess of normal
pension contribution levels as with
RRSPs and IPPs. An RCA can
be an attractive part of an overall
compensation program negotiated
with a key employee (such as the
owner) of a business where a formal
pension plan is not feasible. It works this
way – business owners can have their
company contribute to a RCA on their
behalf. Half the funds are remitted to
the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA)
and held in a refundable tax account
and the other 50 per cent goes into a
trust account that can be invested in a
variety of ways or even loaned back to
the company.
RCAs feature several planning
benefits. Contributions are 100 per
cent tax deductible by the company
and the growth of the assets is taxsheltered. That means they are not
taxable in the employee’s hands until
received during retirement. The
funds are also creditor-protected and
assets inside the plan are not subject to
probate where a beneficiary is named.
As a retirement allowance, payment
out of a RCA may be eligible for
rollover into an existing RRSP.
Business owners who set up an RCA
have other opportunities too. The
RCA can be used as collateral for a
bank loan up to 90 per cent of the fund’s
value. The money can then be loaned
back to company as working capital
and paid back prior to retirement. In
addition, the RCA allows for a flexible
contribution schedule so a company
can make contributions when it wants
and when it can afford it.
For incorporated professionals and
successful business owners, it is
essential to develop a comprehensive
plan to avoid pension discrimination
and achieve a desired retirement
lifestyle. RCAs and IPPs are effective
strategies that can complement
other benefits of incorporation such
as limited liability, tax deferral on
corporate retained earnings, income
splitting,
corporate
insurance
strategies, and the ability to distribute
dividends before and after retirement.
Like your investments, your plan for
retirement and the management of
your personal and corporate finances
should be tailored to your unique
needs and actively managed. n
Kash J. Pashootan is a Vice-President and
Financial Advisor with Raymond James Ltd.
Information provided is not a solicitation and
although obtained from sources considered
reliable, is not guaranteed. The view and
opinions of the author do not necessarily
reflect those of Raymond James Ltd. Member –
Canadian Investor Protection Fund.
PHOTO: JASON MARTI
pensions & peace of mind by simon vodrey
Long-Term Care:
A Necessary and Often Forgotten Element
of Retirement Planning
I
t is no secret that a secure and
enjoyable
retirement
requires
critical thinking, strategic planning
and diligent budgeting. Many
Canadians are aware of this but are
unaware of the fact that a portion of
that retirement budgeting must be
allocated for long-term health care
costs. This may come as a surprise
to some since, for the most part,
Canada’s single-payer health-care
system has been designed in a way
that rarely requires individuals to
fund their own health-care costs.
Yet, the Canada Health Act (CHA),
which simultaneously establishes the
framework for the Canadian health
care insurance system and dictates
the conditions that the provinces and
territories must meet to receive their
maximum share of federal funding
for health-care delivery under the
Canada Health Transfer (CHT),
does not guarantee publicly funded
insurance for long-term care. What
this means is that a person who no
longer is able to live independently
due to a debilitating illness or a
chronic disease and who has to
rely on long-term care whether it
be received in one’s own home or
in an assisted living facility — may
need to pay a significant portion of
the tab.
In terms of public funding, there
are a variety of programs — most
of which are at the provincial level
—intended to help offset long-term
care costs, but these programs vary
substantially across the provinces
and territories and also the socioeconomic landscape. Yet even
with the existing limited patchwork
of provincial programs, a significant
portion of the costs must still be
absorbed by the individual requiring
care.
Over the coming decades, Canada’s
changing demographics will begin to
place an increasing level of stress on
the existing long-term care system
in Canada. There will be a dramatic
rise in the costs of long-term care
and, at current funding levels, also
a massive funding shortfall to pay
for the increasing demand for longterm care services. Why will this
happen? To put it simply, Canada’s
large population of baby boomers
is beginning to move into old age.
Analysis shows that by 2036, about
25 per cent of all Canadians will be
over 65 years of age, compared to
14 per cent today. This double-digit
expansion in the percentage of elderly
Canadians will push up the demand
for long-term health care since a
larger number of older Canadians
means that a greater number of
Stephen Frank, Vice-President,
Policy Development and Health,
the Canadian Life and Health
Insurance Association
Canadians will be diagnosed with
chronic diseases like Alzheimer’s or
other forms of dementia as well as
strokes and cancers. The consequence
will be a substantial increase in the
demand for long-term health care
services, a demand which will
quickly outstrip the current supply
of physicians, nurses and other health
care practitioners across the country
who specialize in geriatrics.
To make matters worse, if the
existing model of long-term care
remains unchanged, costs will
continue to rise due not only to
the impact of demographics, but to
the inefficiencies that also plague
Canada’s long-term care delivery
system. Often, individuals receive
care in relatively expensive settings
(like hospitals) when they could just
as easily be helped in a less expensive
long-term care facility or even in
their own homes. Stephen Frank,
Vice-President, Policy Development
and Health for the Canadian Life
and Health Insurance Association
(CLHIA) — the trade association
representing Canada’s life and
health insurers — explains
this
problem.
“Currently,
7 per cent of hospital beds in
Canada are occupied by patients
who could be more appropriately
supported in a long-term care
facility. There are also many
Canadians who move into a
long-term care facility because of
inadequate home care support.”
Put differently, because many
Canadians must currently rely on
more expensive forms of long-
term care, the costs are adding up.
A recent study by the North East
Ontario Local Health Integration
Network (LHIN) calculated that
the average daily cost of a bed in a
hospital is $842, while the daily cost
of a bed in a long-term care facility
is $126 and the cost of administering
long-term care in the patient’s home
is about $42 per day. With our current
system’s bias towards providing acute
care, we are not managing longterm care optimally, not only from
a cost-effectiveness point of view
but even more importantly, we are
not providing continuing care in
the most appropriate settings from a
patient perspective.
Structural reforms are required to
create a more efficient, cost-effective
and patient-specific approach to
long-term health care delivery in
Canada. As Frank puts it: “In order
to meet the increased demand,
all of those involved, including
health care professionals, long-
Canada have programs in place that
will cover roughly $595 billion of
future long-term care costs over the
next 35 years. Clearly, this is well
short of what is needed and leaves a
funding shortfall of just over $590
billion to be financed either through
government initiatives or individual
savings by Canadians.”
term care providers, volunteers and
governments have to work together
to find solutions.” The cost of inaction
is too high to ignore. For instance, it
is estimated that the cost in current
dollars to provide long-term care
to Canada’s baby boomers as they
pass through old age is roughly $1.2
trillion. But the current support
programs and funding channels are
not adequate to meet this need and
there is currently a massive long-term
care funding shortfall. The CLHIA
broke new ground by quantifying the
size of this funding shortfall in a recent
study which identified that “at current
levels of coverage, all governments in
While Canadians may hope that
painful individual belt-tightening
could be precluded by increased
government spending, meaningful
reform cannot be accomplished by
these means. To do so would require
permanent annual corporate and
personal tax increases that would be
unpalatable to most. As a result, the
burden of responsibility for Canada’s
long-term health care delivery system
will largely fall on the shoulders of
individual Canadians who will need
to learn the importance of allocating
a portion of their retirement savings
to cover the costs of their own future
long-term care. n
Have you outgrown mutual funds?
Active portfolio management and retirement
planning through a non-commission based
approach for executives, professionals and
high-net-worth families.
Contact us to explore further.
Kash J. Pashootan
Vice President, Private Client Group
Financial Advisor
[email protected]  613.788.2190

Raymond James Ltd., Member – Canadian Investor Protection Fund
cover ottawa life’s top 25 people in the capital 2012
Well here it is: Ottawa Life Magazine’s 2012 listing of who we think are the movers and shakers in
the nation’s capital. These people make Ottawa a great city to live in. Dr. Jeff Sherman, Deborah
Wyatt and Jennifer Wyatt of TIPES (Thinking in Pictures Education Services) are truly heroic for the
work they are doing with children who struggle with Autism. Comedy legend Mike MacDonald is in
TWENTY5 the fight of his life and has returned to his hometown of Ottawa. Veteran anchorman and political
and foreign correspondent Tom Clark was an easy pick for this year’s list. At a time when most
political talk shows have become like afternoon soaps that are painfully farcical, with anchors talking gossip to the point
where your brain starts to melt, Clark is a refreshing change. He asks the tough questions, but remains respectful and
professional with guests. Others on our list of luminaries for this year include Carleton University President
Roseann O’Reilly Runte, renowned Chef Jonathan Korecki, CFRA reporter Stephanie Kinsella, and
internationally recognized Internet and E-commerce law maven Dr. Michael Geist. It is
getting more difficult each year to select only 25, with so many talented people
accomplishing so many great things but here are our picks.
T P
by jessica huddleston, simon vodrey, harvey chartrand,
dalal saikali, stephanie vizi, damira davletyarova
TIPES Team
Creating Futures: One Child at a Time
Working in therapy or social work, it’s not uncommon to be warned about
the perils of bringing your work home after hours of hearing personal
stories and struggles. Those in the field are commonly advised to try not
to take matters to heart.
Tell that to 28-year-old twin sisters Jennifer and Deborah Wyatt – senior
therapists, co-founders and directors of Thinking in Pictures Education
Services (TIPES), a comprehensive program for children with pervasive
developmental disorders (PDD) like Autism. Leaving work at the office
just is not an option. Overseeing their growing Kanata school, things have
to get done. When the Wyatt sisters set out in 2007 to provide options for
parents toiling to acquire adequate treatment for their children outside
of regional service providers, the two were aware it wouldn’t be an easy
feat. But it would be worth every bit of effort.
“When you run a business like ours, you’re never really done,” says
Deborah Wyatt. “If I can help a parent avoid financial trouble and try to
thoroughly treat their child, I’m more worried about that than having two
hours to watch television each night.”
Five years later, the challenges of running an independent multi-faceted
service for children on the PDD spectrum haven’t ceased by any means
– nor have the numbers of children in need – but the Wyatt sisters and
their staff are powering full-force ahead to accommodate the hundreds
LEFT TO RIGHT:
Jennifer Wyatt,
Deborah Wyatt and
Dr. Jeff Sherman
of families who have sought their help. You name it, they have done it.
“The thing is, Jen and I can run into 900 different things each day –
whether it’s administrative, fundraising, a clogged toilet, a child who’s
had a bad day or a child who’s done really well,” says Deborah. “All of
that inevitably happens, but when you’re working with a child you have
to stop everything else and just be patient.”
At TIPES, a one-stop-shop non-profit organization for children with
PDDs in the Ottawa area, the service caters to specific behavioural
programs for each child who walks through their doors. In order
to develop individual programs, the therapists use the revised
Assessment of Basic Language and Learning Skills (ABLLS-R) system
– which evaluates different behavioural categories across a broad
set of skills that children should acquire at a young age. In a group
setting, the therapists use Applied Behaviour Analysis (ABA) therapy
through a team approach (educational consultants and therapists
combined) and commonly find that many children on the severe
end of the spectrum need Intensive Behaviour Intervention (IBI) – a
thorough one-on-one analysis and rehabilitation effort that entails
PHOTO: PAUL COUVRETTE
1
perseverance and a diligent investment in each child’s case.
As dictated by the Ontario Ministry of Children and Youth Services,
when a child is diagnosed as part of the PDD spectrum, the family is
given the choice of the Direct Service Option (DSO), which denotes
government-funded treatment from the regional service provider or the
Direct Funding Option (DFO), a small subsidy given to the family to seek
out the help of an independent service provider. Unfortunately, before
being able to choose either option, families are placed on a waiting list
that stretches anywhere from one to three years at most Ontario regional
service providers.
For the families sitting in the DFO waiting line, in order to seek immediate
therapy for their child during the young years when PDDs are most
successfully treated, parents are forced to pay out of pocket for the
independent service provider’s treatments. When the child reaches the
head of the DFO waiting line and is re-assessed, they may no longer
qualify for funding based on the progress they’ve made while working
with the independent service provider. If they still qualify, the DFO option
provides about $39 an hour to parents, but for treatment – which most
effectively is delivered at about 40 hours a week for children on the
severe end of the Autism spectrum – the allotted DFO support simply
isn’t enough to foot the bill.
“Our primary goal since the day we started TIPES has been to provide
more to parents, because we know how expensive treatment is,” says
Jennifer, reminiscing about her and Deborah’s early days working at
CHEO’s parents resource centre and meeting families who had to remortgage houses, sell vehicles or move altogether. “To know that you’re
waiting in line to help your child has to be the most tormenting feeling
in the world.”
With staff ranging from speech pathologists to social integration experts
and psychologists, TIPES attempts to cover all bases under one roof for
each child, as anyone who works with children on the spectrum knows –
each child’s protocol is entirely different.
“We are simply trying to keep up with the number of children who are
being diagnosed with some type of exceptionality,” says Jennifer on the
topic of the “supply and demand” challenges that their small organization
of 20 staff members faces. “We never want to sacrifice the quality of
our services for quantity of staff; we take our training very seriously by
having our own curriculum, in-house guides, extra assignments for staff
and more.”
When the Wyatt sisters aren’t providing therapy at their TIPES location,
they can be found filling out funding applications, handling their web
site, marketing and pursuing community fundraising initiatives on their
own or in partnership with Minto, their corporate sponsor.
Since 2011, the Wyatt sisters have also been occupied as founders and
principals of their newest entrepreneurial endeavour called Edelweiss –
a private academy for children on the spectrum who are integrating into
the education system. With small classes of only six or seven children,
the kids are able to receive social integration support without the
distractions of a public school setting – while following the curriculum
suggested by the Ministry of Children and Youth Services. Edelweiss’
numbers have doubled since it was founded.
“We were finding that some children would be fine academically, but
needed recess support and help with integration as they got older,” says
Deborah. “At Edelweiss, we can teach the same things and work towards
the same education system goals, but pay more attention to the children
with exceptionalities.”
It’s no surprise that the late-twenties entrepreneurs and therapists
laugh at the prospect of free time.
To the sisters, grueling schedules amount to gratifying results. When
Mohan Aravanudhan enrolled his four-year-old son in TIPES, the child’s
non-communicativeness had been insufficiently diagnosed by a regional
service provider and he had nearly “faded away” as part of a private
school that was seemingly unwilling to assist with his exceptionalities in
the classroom. After two years with TIPES, Mohan’s son is communicative,
happy and “blooming more day-by-day,” according to his father.
Jeff Sherman, a 30-year veteran clinical psychologist who helped
develop one of the first multi-faceted treatment programs for children
with Autism and other PDDs, clicked with the Wyatt sisters after
crossing paths with them in 2008 and has been providing services at
TIPES ever since. He has seen and been a part of the battles fought
to provide proper opportunities for families within this “relatively new”
field – investigating treatment options and methodology since the ABA
system’s early development while he began his career in late-1960s
Toronto, and his first implementation of the IBI program in the 1970s.
“In the early days of ABA, we realized it wasn’t just for us to teach these
kids –we had to teach their parents as well,” says Sherman. “Not only
did we find that the children needed to be worked with in small groups,
but we found that the therapy would last longer if the parents were
prepared as well.”
One of the areas Jennifer Wyatt recognized to be crucial during her early
years of study was exactly this – attention to the parents; the people
who are putting so much at stake to help their child(ren). While both
sisters went through the United States education system to receive
proper education in ABA, Jennifer ended up changing her Masters focus
to psychology as well as counseling – preparing herself to support
parents who are not only grieving their child’s diagnoses, but also the
trying times that accompany them.
“You always have to worry about the family as a whole and demonstrate
sympathy for what they’re going through,” says Jennifer. “I take time
with them to ask how they’re doing; if the parents aren’t in the right
frame of mind, they aren’t able to do their part at home, which is equally
important.”
Although the staff at TIPES always have new work cut out for them as
the numbers in Autism rise (currently, one in 88 children are diagnosed
as autistic) – it’s clear when speaking with the Wyatt sisters that they
are more sure of their mission than ever. According to Dr. Sherman,
whose four decades as a therapist have granted him a wealth of
perspective on the profession – more than the ability to deal with the
financial and systemic hardships, “success” in this field boils down to
a certain spirit and compassion.
“It’s not about just having the resources but knowing what to do with
the resources,” says Dr. Sherman. “It’s about the things you can’t
teach; it’s about seeing the glass as half full, working with people who
have a love of children, who have empathy and who try to change what
they can.”
With sentiments like this, it’s unmistakable that the Wyatt sisters are in
the right line of work. n
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Georgiy Mamedov
Dean of the Diplomatic Corps in Ottawa Is Respected
and Known for his Candor
F
Georgiy Mamedov has been Russia’s Ambassador to Canada for almost
a decade. During his tenure, he deftly managed Canada-Russia bilateral
relations to the point that the two countries, once adversaries, are
considered good friends. Among the diplomatic corps, Mamedov is an
especially popular ambassador who is known as a listener and someone
who gets things done. In recent months, he has defended Russia’s political
position on Syria, which is contrary to the Western position, but he has
done so without making excuses for or defending the Syrian government.
It is this type of leadership in explaining the Russian headspace that has
led to Canadian civil servants and politicians singing his praises. Foreign
Affairs officials in Ottawa say that because Mamedov is so candid about
Russian positions that even when they disagree with him or the Russian
government, they respect his transparency and at least know where they
stand. An academic by training with a Ph.D. in history, Mamedov speaks
fluent English and Swedish. He is recognized as one of Russia’s foremost
authorities on the United States and Canada. In the early 1990s, he
served as Russia’s chief interlocutor with the United States on such
subjects as NATO, arms control and Kosovo.
Earlier in his career, he served in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the
USSR. In 1991, Mamedov became Russia's Deputy Minister of Foreign
Affairs in charge of the relationship with the countries of the Americas,
and he occupied this position until 2003. Mamedov is recognized as the
key Russian official who helped persuade Washington to proceed with
NATO expansion slowly, and was one of the key officials who reassured
the Americans when President Boris Yeltsin sent tanks to besiege the
Russian parliament during the 1993 constitutional crisis. Mamedov
helped broker a deal under which Ukraine gave up all the nuclear
weapons it had inherited after the breakup of the Soviet Union.
Mamedov arrived in Canada prior to the U.S. invasion of Iraq and made
immediate headlines when he declared in interviews that the United
States was making a “tragic error.” “If Washington decides to ignore the
UN Security Council, to violate the UN Charter and invade Iraq, this will be
a tragic error from the side of the U.S.A. Russia categorically rejects any
ultimatums regarding Iraq. In Russia we consider that Iraq constitutes
neither a threat to the U.S.A, nor to the international community, nor
to its neighbors. Russia will not participate in a campaign of pressure
or threats, directed at changing the regime in Iraq.” When asked what
Russia would do if there were a U.S. military operation, Mamedov replied:
“We will not gloat over a tragic mistake by the United States.” With
the benefit of hindsight nine years later, Mamedov’s comments seem
prophetic. Mamedov noted that when he arrived, the big “local” issue
was the problem with Russian diplomatic plates and parking tickets and
bad driving behaviour. Since his arrival, the Russian Embassy has the
best record of no traffic violations in the diplomatic corps. Mamedov
was insistent that local police and road rules be respected. It is this kind
of leadership that has been the hallmark of his service here, whether it
is speaking up about the need for Canada and Russia to develop joint
Arctic relations, the work to bring Canadian business to Russia or his
many meetings with Canadian officials and Prime Minister Stephen
Harper to build stronger ties between the two countries. When asked
about the girl band Pussy Riot, he said that the two-year sentence the
girls received was the same type of sentence that would have been given
out by Sweden or Germany or France for similar offences. “We are a young
country and we have worked hard to respect religious tolerance and
freedom. What they did upset many Christians and Orthodox people. This
is not about Vladimir Putin or government. It is about religious respect
and not defiling a church.” When asked about the case of the Canadian
naval officer from Halifax who was arrested in 2011 for passing military
secrets to the Russians, Mamedov said “We are innocent. This is not
true. Canada is not and never is an enemy of Russia. We are friends. In
the future, these truths will come out but we are innocent. The world is
complicated and there are many challenges but I feel I am dealing with
good people in Canada. You know, we are only 20 years old as a new
country that grew out of a totalitarian regime. We are prepared to learn.
We accept that we don’t have all the answers. I have travelled all over
the world and seen many things and had a very wonderful career. But I
find in Canada an openness in the attitude of the people. I don’t feel like
a foreigner here. I don’t get lectured here. Canadians listen and they are
respectful and we try to talk things through.” n
3
F
Dr. Judy van Stralen, the Ottawa pediatrician who
runs an innovative and groundbreaking
consultancy-based practice in the southwest
end of Ottawa, says, “ADHD greatly affects a
person’s day-to-day life and has a substantial impact
on their day-to-day functioning.” About 1.2 million Canadians,
or roughly 5 per cent of the Canadian population, have been diagnosed
with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). Heredity is one of the
strongest determinants of whether or not someone will have ADHD. For
instance, upwards of 60 per cent of those who have ADHD will pass the
neurological condition on to their children. As a result of the strong role
that heredity plays in determining the presence of ADHD, it should probably
come as no surprise that ADHD remains the most common neurological
condition among Canadian children, manifesting itself through a
number of symptoms which include hyperactivity, inattention, constant
distraction, increased frustration and, sometimes, higher-than-normal
levels of aggression. Like many neurological conditions and mental health
disorders, the symptoms and effects of ADHD fluctuate as one ages. If a
child has ADHD that remains untreated, a combination of the symptoms
mentioned above have been known, by adulthood, to prevent many ADHD
sufferers from living a structured and full life. Inattentiveness and the
inability to regulate emotions may mean that a disproportionate number
of ADHD adults will face divorce, marginal employment or unemployment,
legal challenges or higher rates of incarceration. There may be a greater
likelihood of contracting sexually transmitted diseases or falling prey
to substance abuse due to a propensity for risk and erratic behaviour.
Dr. van Stralen specializes in treating children with ADHD. Unlike many
pediatricians, she sees a problem with the status quo method of treatment
for this neurological condition. Dr. van Stralen sums up the difficulty with
the traditional long-held method of treatment by stating that “when it
comes to pediatric, behavioural and mental health work, the status quo
is quite heavy on diagnostics. And therefore, treatment becomes very
focused on medication. However, medication is only a part of the picture
when it comes to working with behavioural problems.” Furthermore,
she explains that: “Diagnosis is only a tool to identify the problem; as a
pediatrician, you need to be able to get beyond mere diagnosis. There is
much more that needs to be learned about a child and his or her case in
order to be able to better treat their ADHD.” In other words, Dr. van Stralen
takes issue with the traditional approach to treating children with ADHD
which is overly diagnostically-driven and which often relies solely on
medication. She also thinks that the traditional model is ineffective
because the patient is often referred to a series of specialists for a single
visit, therefore resulting in a very superficial form of treatment lacking any
real interaction between the patient, his or her parents and the medical
practitioner. Or, as she puts it, each referred practitioner “works in a silo
with little understanding and
integration for a comprehensive
approach.” What this means
is that, in her eyes: “The current
system of treating ADHD and related
behavioural disorders really works
in a fragmented way.” After treating
ADHD children for more than a decade,
Dr. van Stralen is confident that she has
developed the tools and expertise necessary
to reshape her existing pediatric practice in a
manner which counters the current fragmented
system and offers a more comprehensive, hands-on and patientfocused approach. Beginning this fall, she will revitalize her practice by
establishing a more holistic approach for treating children with ADHD. Dr.
van Stralen will develop a personalized three-month program in which she
will work one-on-one with the child and the parents, relying on numerous
medical appointments and sessions to provide strategies on topics such
as parent-centered behavioural approaches, medication information and
education about ADHD, coping with emotional irregularities and social
skills training. And, for the duration of the child’s treatment, she will be
constantly accessible to the parents or patient for feedback and support.
Her new and interactive approach to treating ADHD in children will
culminate in the production of a detailed case-specific report that will
“highlight recommendations that could be used by the parent for further
advocating for their child” and for treating the neurological condition.
When characterizing how her approach would work, Dr. van Stralen
indicates that: “It is a very interactive approach with the goals of the
patient and their family always kept in mind and driving the treatment.”
She expands upon this by insisting that “When doing this kind of work,
you need to have a flexible approach to meet the family’s and the patient’s
goals.”
Dr. van Stralen is also deeply committed to “destigmatizing ADHD and
other neurological conditions and behavioural disorders.” She notes that:
“It is unfortunate that, in this day and age, ADHD and other mental health
conditions continue to carry a stigma.” She works hard to vanquish that
stigma through a number of avenues including her research, writing
and the Ottawa ADHD Symposium which she founded six years ago in
an effort to jumpstart the medical profession’s research and treatment
of ADHD. Dr. van Stralen also continues to provide annual public forums
to “further educate the public about this mental health issue.” These
noteworthy achievements notwithstanding, Dr. Judy van Stralen sums up
her proudest achievement as being “the instances when my work has
allowed me to put a smile on the face of a child who was unhappy or
when I have found out that a patient received her first invitation to a
schoolmate’s birthday party, therefore signaling that my patient was no
longer being ostracized by her peers because she has ADHD.”n
Dr. Judy van Stralen
Finding New Ways
to Help Hyperactive Children
4
Chef Jonathan Korecki
F Putting Ottawa on the Food Map
Look into Chef Jonathan Korecki’s eyes while he speaks, you might be blinded by his sheer passion
for the culinary arts. In hearing Chef Korecki describe the ambitions and standards to which he
holds himself, it’s difficult, even for a foodie, to imagine the depths to which the simple act of
feeding someone can be taken. Sidedoor Contemporary Kitchen & Bar’s very own head Chef
was a finalist on Season 2 of Top Chef Canada on The Food Network. His signature bright,
hand-made bandanas and his impeccable flair to extract the very best out of every ingredient in
his basket are inspiring. Chef Korecki’s favourite aspect of that experience, beyond the excitement,
is the cooking family that he now has all over the country. Having been raised in a farming family, Chef
Korecki learned all about our food sourcing from the word go. From the age of 16, he worked his way through
the kitchen roster. He then learned his technique at the Cordon Bleu Culinary Arts School and dove right
into the fire pit, crafting his experience at Susur in Toronto. What comes next for this young talent? More
exploration into the culinary world. “I just want to travel around Asia and taste everything I can.” Providing
exposure to constant learning, he believes, is a responsibility he has as Head Chef, which is why he also
intends to have more guest chefs cook with his team in the future. He sees Ottawa’s potential to be an
obligatory stop on Canada’s food circuit and will do his part to make that happen. n
Carleton University Excels under the Stewardship of
Dr. Roseann O’Reilly Runte
F
5
PHOTO: QUAME SCOTT, Q3 PHOTOGRAPHY
Dr. Roseann O’Reilly Runte is the President and Vice-Chancellor of Carleton
University. She previously served as President of l’Université Sainte-Anne in
Pointe-de-l’Église, Nova Scotia; Principal of Glendon College in Toronto; President
of Victoria University in the University of Toronto; and President of Old Dominion
University in Norfolk, Virginia. Dr. Runte is the author of many scholarly works in the
fields of French, comparative literature, economic and cultural development,
higher education and the importance of research. As well, she is a creative
writer and has received a poetry prize from the Académie française in Paris.
Dr. Runte has been awarded the Order of Canada and is a Fellow of the Royal
Society of Canada. She took up her current duties at Carleton University on July 1, 2008.
“Carleton has always enjoyed a great international reputation, but we’re probably boasting
about it a little more now than before,” Dr. Runte says. “We have the only African Studies major
in Canada. The Norman Patterson School of International Affairs is number two in the world in
international schools. And we have big programs running out of universities in India and China.”
Dr. Runte discussed the goals that were achieved in the 2009 DEFINING DREAMS strategic plan
for the university. “We have a huge interdisciplinary range of activities on the campus – and
we focused on four areas: the environment, health, digital media and globalization. We have
many new programs. In fact, in the last four years, there were more new academic programs
created than in the last dozen years. The university has gone from one that had a low retention
rate to one that is above average in retention. In fact, we’ve gone up 39 per cent since 1994.”
The spirit of innovation at Carleton has spurred entrepreneurship. In the last several years, over
200 businesses have been started in Ottawa with the involvement of Carleton University. “We
are really entrepreneurial. We will set up businesses, but we are entrepreneurs with a heart.
We want to do social entrepreneurship and social investment, not only providing donations for
people who are homeless but actually helping them start businesses.” A noble ambition. ”With
several new buildings just opened on campus, the university is prepared to serve its growing
cohort of students with an innovative mix of courses offered by award-winning faculty from
around the world.” n
PHOTO: JEAN-MARC CARISSE
Walter Robinson
F A Flair for Charitable Work
Walter Robinson is Vice-President of Government Affairs at Rx&D, the trade association
which represents the Canadian innovative (non-generic) pharmaceutical industry. Robinson
has been involved in politics and lobbying for over 20 years. From 1997 to 2003,
Robinson was the federal director of the Canadian Taxpayers Federation (CTF)
— a leading lobby group which advocates lower taxes, fiscal responsibility and
transparency in government. But it is Robinson’s extensive history of charitable
work that distinguishes him from many of Ottawa’s other lobbyists and political
insiders. Michael Allen, President and CEO of United Way Ottawa and the man
who Walter Robinson considers his role model and mentor, notes that “Walter
Robinson has been able to bring his flair and panache to Ottawa’s charitable
landscape.” Robinson explains that, “I don’t believe in giving back. I just believe
in giving.” To this end, he was the Chairman of the Board for the Ottawa Regional Cancer
Foundation (ORCF) from 2006 to 2008 and continues to serve as a board member of the
Youth Services Bureau of Ottawa Foundation, while also remaining active with the Ottawa
Hospital Foundation. Of all Robinson’s accomplishments, there is one of which he is most
proud: his work as Chairman of the Board for the ORCF, working with hundreds of others to
build the Maplesoft Centre, Eastern Canada’s first survivorship centre for cancer treatment
and support which opened its doors in November 2011. n
6
7
Stacey Bafi-Yeboa
F Designer, dancer, businesswoman
Bafi-Yeboa is the owner and designer of Kania, a women’s street-style clothing line.
Kania is an Ashanti word which means light. Bafi-Yeboa said she chose this name
because she wants all women to feel radiant in her clothes. You can find the designer
at her boutique at 145 York Street in the ByWard Market. Kania clothes are made of a
custom blend of cotton-lycra, which is custom dyed in vibrant, monochromatic hues.
This comfy stretch-fabric is turned into stand-out pieces in stylish silhouettes, such
as the ever-popular jumper, wrap sweater and maxi-dress. Bafi-Yeboa’s first love is dance, which she left in her twenties to pursue fashion,
but she said it still dictates her designs. “I’m inspired by movement, being able to be free in my clothes...to make a line that women can
always look good in.” Bafi-Yeboa stands out among Ottawa’s handful of budding designers, successful because she is business-savvy and
professional. She struggles to be recognized for her work in Ottawa. “My dad would always tell me: ‘You’re never successful in your own
city. You have to get out in order to be known.’” Bafi-Yeboa said she sometimes feels overshadowed by designers who come from outside
Ottawa to show their work. “[People say] Oh yeah, Stacey’s good, but this guy is from Toronto! I was invited to show at Toronto Fashion
Week and Montreal Fashion Week.” Bafi-Yeboa travels the craft-show circuit to sell Kania, at shows like the One of a Kind Show in Toronto.
This is where she does most of her business. If you know the multi-talented thirty-something fashion designer, you know she likes to have
a good time. Past runway shows at Ottawa Fashion Week have included Caribana-esque dancing models, headpieces and music. “When
I do a production, I do a production...I want it to be Broadway-calibre, with style and performance quality. I cannot for the life of me just
put girls in clothes and have them walk. It makes me crazy.” Bafi-Yeboa’s vivaciousness also shines at Flaunt, her biannual charity event.
Bafi-Yeboa brings the fashion, fitness and beauty communities together to pamper guests in a club-like atmosphere.This year, Bafi-Yeboa
has been working on rebranding Kania. She renovated her boutique, changed her promotional materials and, more importantly, added
sequin dresses to her design repertoire. “It’s now time to not just make clothes, but to create a brand. That entails labels, tags, boxes,
images, music and a lifestyle.” Bafi-Yeboa plans to show at Toronto Fashion Week, hinting at Fall/Winter 2013, and hopes to sell Kania
internationally. She is a testament to the potential for Ottawa’s fashion industry, insisting you have to “work it to be successful.” n
Gilbert Whiteduck
F First Nations Firebrand
A quiet confidence emanates from Chief Gilbert Whiteduck’s eyes and the way he carries
himself. His gentleness is almost startling in contrast to his tough, passionate discourse
during difficult meetings. Whiteduck, Chief of the Kitigan Zibi Anishinabeg First Nations
Reserve near Maniwaki (Quebec), sometimes appears uncomfortable with the process
that is occasionally necessary to move forward in his work: expensive flights and
endless meetings that seem devoid of purpose. Progress, however, is echoed in the
voices of those around him: “He is the most cooperative and caring Chief that I’ve ever
seen,” says one young student, “and I know that I can count on him after he’s moved on.”
Perhaps without knowing it, Chief Whiteduck is a source of inspiration for many, in and out of
the Aboriginal community. His successes provide hope for those who want to improve their lives and
the lives of others. To remain grounded in the face of frustration, he digs deep into his convictions,
secure in his identity. Belonging to a community that is independent and rooted in its beliefs gives
one the confidence to live without ever feeling below anyone else. To today’s youth, he suggests finding
balance. “Be strong and proud of who you are while embracing the tools of modern life.” With Chief
Whiteduck, it comes down to values. Seldom do we see such a man with enough courage to take a sober
look at himself and wonder: “What did I do for my community today?
Whose life will be improved as a result of my work?”– a lesson that all
community leaders would be best served by heeding. n
8
9
Mike MacDonald
F Ailing Comedian Raises Awareness of Importance of Testing for Hep C
For a 57-year-old Ottawa comic in need of a new liver, Mike MacDonald is in a good space these days. Comedians across
Canada are holding fundraisers for Canada’s legendary King of Stand-up Comedy, raising money to help MacDonald
pay his medical bills as he battles the Hepatitis C virus that he contracted in 2011 while living in Los Angeles and that
is destroying his liver. MacDonald has returned to Ottawa and is staying at his mother’s house while he is undergoing
treatment. The comedy community has come together to help him. A recent tribute at Montreal’s Just for Laughs Comedy
Festival was held as well as a national fundraiser at Yuk Yuk’s comedy clubs across Canada. MacDonald is not yet on
the waiting list for a liver transplant and so he is following a special diet and exercise program to get in better shape.
“I’m feeling great right now,” MacDonald stated. “I feel way better than I did a year ago.
I’ve been doing these intensive therapy sessions. It’s brand-new technology. The main
thing is I’m maintaining.” MacDonald is not sitting by the side lines. He is using his
experience to raise awareness about Hep C and emphasizing the importance
of getting tested. He has even done a TV spot for the Canadian Liver
Foundation. n
10
Tom Clark
F Covering the West Block in a Seriously Non-Partisan Way
Host of Global Television’s The West Block with Tom Clark, is one of a handful of journalists able to
broadcast a popular political news and public affairs program which captures viewers’ attention
and positive ratings, holds public figures to account and sheds light on complex issues that affect
Canadians, while remaining even-handed and non-partisan in its coverage. With a family history
that is closely tied to the craft of journalism as well as nearly 40 years of experience covering some of
the most significant stories that have shaped our world, Clark likens being a good journalist to being
a keen observer of others and a creative storyteller. He states that, “as a journalist, you get incredible access to history as it is unfolding,” noting that
“I have spent my professional life witnessing the achievements of others. I have been witness to some of the best and some of the worst of humanity.”
Covering the fall of the Berlin Wall from inside East Berlin and the protests in Tiananmen Square, reporting from the desert of the Persian Gulf during
Operation Desert Storm, and covering every Canadian general election since 1974, Tom Clark has seen history in the making and has reported it back to
Canadians. Yet he stresses that, as significant as these events and others may be, they would have no meaning without character. For, “in journalism,
titles do not matter. It is character that matters.” It is what is required to bring a story to life. He maintains that, “I like covering character best. It exists
in all walks of life and in all corners of the globe.” The key to being a good journalist, Clark notes, is curiosity. He argues that, “To be a journalist you have
to be curious about everything. You can’t be a cynic but you have to be skeptical. There’s a huge difference between the two.” n
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Dr. Michael Geist Probing the Legal Ramifications of the Electronic Frontier
A law professor at the University of Ottawa, Dr. Michael Geist is Canada’s foremost expert on Cyberlaw and holds the
coveted Canada Research Chair in Internet and E-commerce Law. He is an internationally syndicated columnist on new
technology legal issues with his regular column appearing in the Vancouver Sun, Toronto Star and Ottawa Citizen. He
is also a frequent guest on the BBC. Dr. Geist is the editor of several monthly technology law publications, and the
author of a popular blog on Internet and intellectual property law issues (www.michaelgeist.ca). Dr. Geist serves on the
Privacy Commissioner of Canada’s Expert Advisory Board, the Electronic Frontier Foundation Advisory Board, and on the
Information Program Sub-Board of the Open Society Institute. He was also a board member of the Canadian Internet
Registration Authority, which manages the dot.ca domain, for six years. Dr. Geist has received numerous awards for his
work, including the Electronic Frontier Foundation’s Pioneer Award and Canarie’s IWAY Public Leadership Award for his
contribution to the development of the Internet in Canada. In 2010, he was listed globally as one of the top 50 influential
people in regards to intellectual property by Managing Intellectual Property magazine. n
Thomas Mulcair The Rising Opposition Leader Who Is Eclipsing the Liberals
On March 24, Quebec lawyer Thomas Mulcair was elected Leader of the New Democratic Party (NDP), thereby becoming
the Leader of the Official Opposition in Canada’s 41st Parliament. Prior to his election to the House of Commons in 2007,
Mulcair served as a Liberal member of the National Assembly of Quebec. In the spring of 2007, Mulcair announced he
would make the transition to national politics and would do so with the NDP rather than the Liberals. As Leader of the
Official Opposition, Mulcair has had to lead a federal official opposition party which consists of many political neophytes,
while holding the government’s feet to the fire. It would be difficult to argue that Mulcair has not lived up to this task. For
now, the NDP has done a decent job consolidating the anti-Conservative vote coast-to-coast. Mulcair argues that naturalresource exports are pushing up the value of the loonie and hurting manufacturing exports. This notion has a longstanding name, Dutch disease, a concept that explains the apparent relationship between the increase in exploitation of
natural resources and a decline in the manufacturing sector. Mulcair’s Dutch disease explanation hurt the NDP’s fortunes
badly out west and turned Alberta and Saskatchewan against him. n
Stephanie Kinsella Scoop du jour
In grade three, Stephanie Kinsella carried a cassette recorder, pen and a pad of paper to her school’s career day. Today,
Kinsella, 31, has come full circle and is the City Hall reporter at CFRA News Talk Radio. She spends her days at City Hall,
attending meetings, interviewing politicians and scouring her BlackBerry for the latest local breaking news. Kinsella
works on multiple stories at a time and reports her observations every hour on the radio. “I’m pretty much of a fixture at
City Hall,” she says. It’s a role she has happily filled for four years. Kinsella began her career at CFRA in 2008, the same
year as Ottawa’s infamous transit strike. She said this story took over her life. She broke the news when the strike was
finally over. This is the journalistic scoop she is proudest of. Kinsella said the life of a journalist is 24/7. Far from City
Hall, Kinsella found herself sitting under a palm tree in Jamaica with a laptop, scrolling through Ottawa’s local news on
a recent vacation. “I just want to know. I want to keep up-to-date so that when I come back and I’m covering it again, I
don’t want to be behind the curve.” n
Calinda Brown Champion of Affordable Housing
Calinda Brown is president of the Centretown Citizens Ottawa Corporation (CCOC), a private non-profit housing
corporation and an innovative community leader. CCOC owns and operates over 50 properties in the City of Ottawa,
providing 1,500+ units of affordable housing. “CCOC makes it possible for low-income earners, as well as people facing
challenges such as health, abuse or addiction problems, to have their basic right to secure housing met. CCOC caters
to a range of circumstances, providing affordable homes for singles, seniors, families and friends. “We’re more than
a landlord. CCOC is a caring community of individuals – staff, volunteers and tenants – who participate actively in
Centretown issues like Rescue Bronson and the Centretown Community Design Plan and speak up to promote good local
transit, safe and accessible sidewalks, local food and affordable recreation.” Brown is a legislative assistant in the office
of Jean Crowder, NDP MP for Nanaimo-Cowichan. n
Chris Philips Big Rig Brewery Owner and Senators Defenceman
As one of the longest-running players for the Ottawa Senators, 34-year old defenceman Chris Phillips definitely deserves
a place in our annual Top 25 list. Born in Calgary and raised in Fort McMurray, Alberta, Phillips now lives in Ottawa with
his wife, Erin, and their three children: Ben, Zoe and Naomi. He began his career in 1993 with the Fort McMurray Oil
Barons and, in 1997, after a few stints in the Western Hockey League, joined the Ottawa Senators. He recently celebrated
his 1,000th game with the Sens. Phillips’ dedication to our city makes us proud. Let’s put it this way: if some of us are
proud to call Daniel Alfredsson the mayor of Ottawa, Chris Phillips is our very own deputy mayor. A testament to his love
for the city is his founding role in the creation of Big Rig, Iris Avenue’s Ottawa-themed brewery. The Phillips’ contribution
to Ottawa doesn’t stop there. The family is involved with local charities such as the Snowsuit Fund Golf Classic, Hockey
Fights Cancer and the Ottawa Dragon Boat Foundation. n
PHOTO: FRANÇOIS LAPLANTE/FREESTYLE PHOTOGRAPHY/OSHC
Hélène Campbell Medical Marvel
Canadian heartstrings got a monumental tug last January when a young Ottawa woman’s message went viral
worldwide, thanks to Justin Bieber and The Ellen DeGeneres Show. Hélène Campbell, age 20 at the time, badly needed
a lung transplant. In Ontario, where 1,500 people await an organ transplant, one person dies every three days as
time runs out. The fact that only 21 per cent of Ontarians were registered donors in January 2012 did not faze young
Hélène. On January 16, she launched a plea for friends to tweet Canadian pop sensation Justin Bieber to shed light on
the issue. Bieber responded and the story exploded all over the media. Talk show host Ellen DeGeneres, who surprised
Campbell by Skyping with her on live television, has promised to have her on the show for a dance. Despite the pain,
the potential outcome of her state and having the family separated while she waited for a transplant in Toronto,
Hélène did not stand idly by. Her activism to raise awareness about organ donation, which will have no effect on her
own situation whatsoever, resulted in a skyrocketing increase in organ donor registrations. This story is one of great
courage, unwavering faith and indubitable personal strength. Visit www.beadonor.ca n
Samy Metwally, who is celebrating his first year as imam of the Ottawa Mosque, the city’s main house of worship and
home to the largest Muslim community, said while many Muslims are making positive contributions to society, they
need to do more. The city’s leading imam is urging Ottawa Muslims to appreciate the freedom of religion and worship
they enjoy in Canada, and strive to be good citizens. Metwally also exhorts Muslims to become actively involved in the
life of the larger Canadian society. “"I have a mission of building bridges, helping the Muslim community to know the
moderate approach of Islam and coexist with the wider community like we have here in Canada," he says. “I am totally
against isolating ourselves from the communities in which we live, and I urge Muslims to participate actively in society.”
Metwally has also unequivocally condemned so-called “honour killings”, saying the practice speaks to a perverse sense
of honour that is alien to Islam, and has no place in any society. Metwally is an Egyptian Islamic scholar with a degree
in Christian-Muslim relations. He graduated from Egypt's renowned Al-Azhar University in 1998 and then worked as a
religious translator. n
Imam Samy Metwally Progressive Ottawa imam urges Muslims to be good citizens
His Excellency Archbishop Pedro Lopez Quintana Represents the Holy See with Affability and Charm
His Excellency Archbishop Pedro Lopez Quintana, Apostolic Nuncio to Canada since December 2009, is an ambassador
who speaks to the Canadian government on behalf of the Holy See directly representing Pope Benedict XVI, the Bishop of
Rome, and liaising with the Roman Catholic episcopate in this country. Born in Barbastro, Spain, in 1953 and ordained
to the priesthood in 1980, Archbishop Quintana entered the diplomatic service of the Holy See in 1984. In 1998, he was
appointed to the position of the Assessor for General Affairs for the Secretariat of State of the Holy See and in January
2003 was ordained Bishop. Over the years, he has served in the Apostolic Nunciatures of the Philippines and Madagascar
and as the Titular Archbishop of Acropolis as well as the Apostolic Nuncio to India and Nepal. The multilingual and affable
Archbishop Quintana has lived in numerous countries during his continuing tenure with the Holy See. He notes that: “Many
parts of my heart have been left in different countries.” Archbishop Quintana’s father was a military man and his family
moved frequently as he was growing up. He was able to learn how to adapt to his surroundings. n
Khadija Haffajee is a retired teacher, an activist and a leader in Ottawa’s Muslim community. She left her home country
of South Africa for Ottawa almost 40 years ago. Since then, she has become a figurehead for Canadian Muslim women
at home and abroad. Haffajee is the first female elected to sit on the board of the Islamic Society of North America –
the largest Muslim organization on the continent. Haffajee has given public presentations on religion, women’s issues,
multiculturalism and children’s rights. She has lectured in Malawi, Zimbabwe and Jordan. Haffajee’s activism took her
to Pakistan, where she worked with refugees. As a member of an international Muslim women's NGO, Haffajee attended
the United Nations Conference on Women in Beijing in 1995. Haffajee deeply believes that in order to see a change in the
world and to break limiting stereotypes, Muslim women must take matters into their own hands. And that is precisely
what she did when she moved to Ottawa. n
Stuart Kinmond Follows His Dream
After 25 years in the architectural business, Stuart Kinmond was successful but not fulfilled. Upon returning from the
funeral of a friend who had died suddenly, Kinmond decided that he too could go just as quickly. The following Monday
morning, at 50 years of age, he announced to his office that in the tug-of-war between his career and his heart, the heart
won. He was going to fill his time with what felt right: “doing art”. Kinmond’s most recent show, Golden Gate Variations,
held in San Francisco, is the result of his many visits to the Bay Area and his foray into the world of digital art. Although
painting still nags at him, he plans to just follow his nose to whatever is next. Despite the difficulties that are usually
present in any artist’s life, Kinmond firmly believes that he made the right choice all those years ago. When asked what
advice he would give? Just find a way to do what you truly love. n
Khadija Haffajee Driving Muslim Women’s Agenda
Bob Monette East End Councillor Sees Beyond the Needs of his Ward
Jennifer MacKinnon A Success Story You Can Believe in
There is no magic bullet solution to attain success but for one Ottawa woman, courage and positivity hold the answer.
Meet Jennifer MacKinnon – mother, survivor of the big technology bust and successful entrepreneur. MacKinnon is a
quintesential networker and in her journey has met many wonderful women in the city that others don’t hear about. So she
launched oWow (Ottawa Women of Wonder), a column where she highlights the accomplishments of these women and,
most importantly, gives other women attainable success stories they can believe in. And she balances her life brilliantly
to boot. When asked how she does it, her answer is to be the architect of one’s own life. “If, for example, working part-time
makes you happy, find a way to make it work!.” n
PHOTO: MIV PHOTOGRAPHY
Bob Monette has served as city councillor in the Orléans ward since 2006. In 2008, Monette pushed to reduce the
number of discarded needles and crack pipes in the downtown area, far from his ward. “If I’m downtown, or my children
are downtown, I want them to feel as safe as possible.” Monette said needle drop-off boxes across the city have helped
to solve the problem. Monette, 60, said he loves meeting with people and making things happen. If he gets an idea in
his head, he doesn’t take “no” for an answer. After nine months in office, Monette was re-elected with a 70 per cent
majority in a by-election. He decided during that term he would work to install an auxiliary police force. The police chief
at the time, Vince Bevan, rejected the idea. Bevan retired in 2006, and Monette joined the Ottawa Police Services Board.
The new chief, Vernon White, loved the idea and the auxiliary force is still going strong today. Monette plans to increase
employment opportunities in Orléans. He said he would like to see his constituents find work in their own backyards. “Let’s
make Orléans the destination of choice, not only for festivals and living, but for working.” n
Robyn Bresnahan Ottawa Gal is Top of the Pops
Carleton Grad Robyn Bresnahan is the popular (and new) host of Ottawa’s number one morning radio program, Ottawa
Morning. When she was in her final year at Carleton University's School of Journalism in 2001, Robyn joined CBC Radio
in Ottawa as a reporter and Ottawa Morning Associate Producer. After a year in London, England, she moved back to
her hometown of Calgary to work on the CBC afternoon show The Homestretch. She regularly filed national news stories
for CBC Radio One, and produced documentaries for The Current, Definitely Not the Opera and The Sunday Edition with
Michael Enright. For the past six years, Robyn had been working for the BBC World Service in London as a host and Senior
Broadcast Journalist. She began with World Today, and over the years has hosted every day-time show on the World
Service, including the Sony Radio Academy Award-winning Newshour. Her work has taken her to the heart of some of
the biggest stories in the world, which she reported for radio, television and online. In 2010, Robyn was nominated for a
prestigious Peabody Award for the work she did in the aftermath of the BP oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico. Since taking the
helm at Ottawa Morning, she has retained the show’s number one spot with her quirky and interesting interviews, fun
personality and obvious passion for everything Ottawa. n
Jim Watson Steady Wins the Race
Ottawa Mayor Jim Watson is having a good run. The city is being managed efficiently for a change. Budgets are in order.
Bike lanes are on track. The Light Rail Transit project is underway. City infrastructure is being repaired after years of
neglect. There is a general consensus that the city is running like a well-oiled machine. Watson makes being Mayor look
easy, which it most certainly is not. Watson is thoughtful, respectful and always willing to listen. However, he has his own
priorities which he is quietly and effectively implementing. On most issues Watson would be graded at B+ to A- rating.
The surprising exception is his record as Mayor on disability issues which gets a failing mark. The barriers to persons with
disabilities in the capital is a national and moral embarrassment. Watson should do something about this situation. n
Fortunately for thirsty Ottawans who want more than average store-bought suds, Mill Street Brewpub opened its doors
last winter in the historic space beneath the Portage Bridge. Eight months after opening, Helen Griffiths, Director of
Operations for Fab Concepts, which operates Mill Street Breweries in Toronto, still appears excited by the project. The old
Thompson-Perkins & Bronson Pulp Mill needed extensive work to match Fab Concepts’ already high standards, along
with municipal and provincial regulations. The end result is a stylish yet casual space, which can only be described as
stunning. The menu is varied, the beer is fresh and delicious. Eleven wedding receptions have already taken place in
the beautiful Brewmasters Room. Peter Chase is the brewpub’s proud General Manager. His team, which varies roughly
between 100 and 130 employees, describes him as efficient and dedicated. Chase intends to continue the Mill Street
tradition of charity: the establishment donated $10,000 to the Children’s Hospital of Eastern Ontario (CHEO) in July
through its fundraising initiative during Bluesfest. Cheers to the philanthropic foodie’s dream! n
Peter Chase Proud Manager of Hot Ottawa Brewpub
CANADA’S GENERIC
PHARMACEUTICAL INDUSTRY
Manufacturing For Export
Generic pharmaceutical companies export more than 40% of
domestic production to more than 115 countries worldwide.
Most of the pharmaceutical manufacturing capacity in Canada is
owned and operated by the generic pharmaceutical industry.
Investing In Research & Development
The generic pharmaceutical industry employs approximately
12,000 Canadians and invests $615 million annually in scientific
jobs, research and development. The industry operates the largest
life sciences companies in Ontario, Quebec and Manitoba.
Innovating For Savings
Generic drugs are dispensed to fill 60 percent of all prescriptions
in Canada, yet account for only 25 percent of the $22 billion
Canadians spend annually on prescription medicines. Between
2007 and 2011 the availability and use of generic prescription
medicines saved Canada’s health-care system $26-billion.
CGPA
GENERIC DRUGS
Canadian Generic Pharmaceutical Association
SAME QUALITY
38 OTTAWALIFE
SEPTEMBER 2012
4120 Yonge St., Suite 409 | Toronto, Canada, M2P 2B8
BETTER
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Tel.: (416) 223-2333 Fax: (416) 223-2425
www.canadiangenerics.ca
health care series affordable pharmacare by simon vodrey
Inconsistency in the Cost of and Accessibility
to Prescription Medications DRUGS
C
anada’s health care system faces
some daunting challenges. One
of the crucial inconsistencies is the
variation of access to prescription
medications across the country.
Like all other health-care services and
products, prescription medications
have a monetary value and are subject
to inflation and the effects of Canada’s
changing demographics. Let us begin
with the demographics. Recent data
from Statistics Canada reveals that baby
boomers (those born between 1946
and 1962) currently make up about
33 per cent of the Canadian population
while seniors (those who are 65 years
of age or older) account for 14 per cent
of the population. However, as baby
boomers continue to age, the number
of seniors will increase by roughly
10 per cent and by 2036, about 25 per
cent of all Canadians will be over the
age of 65. But what will the shifting
demographics mean for the high
costs of prescription medication in
Canada?
An aging population is likely to raise
the costs of all health-care services
and products for the following
reasons. Canadians enjoying a longer
old age will require more medical
services and products. And, as a
greater percentage of Canadians enter
old age, the costs of those services and
products (prescription medications
included) will increase substantially
because there will be a much smaller
pool of working-age taxpayers to
fund the Canadian health care system.
In addition, prescription medications
remain relatively expensive in Canada
due to inflation.
Canadians are also saddled with
inconsistent access to, and affordability
of, prescription medications often
because of simple geography. The
price of the same prescription
medication varies from one province
to the next because each province
is responsible for developing and
implementing its own prescription
medication program. What this means
is that the price that the Canadian
consumer pays out of pocket for a
given prescription medication is not
the same in any two provinces and
the same medication can often cost a
consumer substantially more money
in one province than in another.
Consumers in every province other
than Quebec must pay for their
prescription medication themselves
or go through their private insurance
provider. Quebec is the only
province that currently offers blanket
prescription drug coverage to all
its citizens even if they do not have
private health insurance.
Demographics come into the equation
once again but this time to determine
who gets access to prescription
medication and at what cost. Lowincome seniors and those depending
on social assistance programs receive
prescription medication regardless of
their province of residence. However,
at the other end of the spectrum,
low-income individuals who do not
rely on social assistance programs and
who are not seniors can fall through
the cracks. These individuals often
must pay close to the full cost of
prescription medication, unless they
live in Quebec or their employer
offers a private health insurance plan.
In fact, there are also close to 3.5
million Canadians who lack any drug
coverage at all.
Although the price of different
prescription
medications
varies
among the provinces and territories,
it is important to remember that
there are existing government
mechanisms in place to monitor and
compensate consumers for these price
discrepancies. The most important of
these is the Patent Medicine Prices
Review Board (PMPRB) – a quasijudicial body that “is responsible for
regulating the prices that patentees
charge – the factory-gate price – for
prescription and non-prescription
patented drugs sold in Canada, to
wholesalers, hospitals or pharmacies,
for human and veterinary use to
ensure that they are not excessive.”
And, if the PMPRB finds that “after
a public hearing, a price is excessive in
any market, it may order the patentee
to reduce the price and take measures
to offset any excess revenues it may
have received.” However, it should
be noted that the PMPRB cannot
regulate the prices of generic drugs.
Nevertheless, the reasoning for
the existing variable pricing of,
and accessibility to, prescription
medications in Canada stems from
the Canada Health Act (CHA)
which was signed into law in 1984.
The CHA establishes the guidelines
that the provinces and territories
must follow to ensure that they
receive their full allotment of federal
money which they can then allocate
within their own boundaries for the
health care of their citizens. What
this means is that the provinces
and territories, and not the federal
government, are responsible for the
delivery of health-care services and
products throughout the nation.
But it is the lack of a national
prescription drug coverage plan that
plays a crucial role in the varying
cost of prescription medications in
Canada.
The high costs and inconsistencies
of access to prescription medications
should be at the top of the list when
it comes to making the health-care
system work better for all Canadians.
However, since health-care delivery
is constitutionally the prerogative
of the provincial and territorial
governments,
any
meaningful
discussion or plan to correct these
two deficiencies must occur at the
provincial and territorial levels. n
Local • Long Distance • Canada & USA • Overseas Moving
613-728-1500
[email protected]
www.royalmoving.com
PHOTOS: COURTESY CP
rail series by harvey chartrand
Rail on the Rise
GETTING PRODUCTS TO TIDEWATER AS EFFICIENTLY AS POSSIBLE
E
nergy is a key market for Canadian
Pacific (CP) and the increase in
traffic has been particularly strong as
a result of a targeted growth strategy.
Energy-related traffic represented
about 45 per cent of this portfolio’s
revenue in 2011.
With an extensive rail network and
proven expertise in moving energy,
CP offers a competitive option
for
transporting
energy-related
products, including crude oil, to
and from key locations in North
America. CP’s successful market
development activities have enabled
it to successfully take advantage of
access to the Bakken oil formation,
the Marcellus gas formation and the
Alberta oil sands cluster.
CP has a strong position for longterm participation in the energy
play through the positioning of its
network in the Canadian and U.S.
Bakken regions (Saskatchewan,
Manitoba, Montana, North Dakota,
South Dakota), the fracture-sandproducing areas in the U.S. Midwest,
and through shortlines and transload
facilities that extend its reach.
The Marcellus Shale lies under
the states of Pennsylvania, Ohio,
West Virginia and New York. The
Marcellus is purported to be the
largest natural gas reserve in the
United States.
CP’s Northeast U.S. network,
transload facilities and shortline
partnerships enable it to participate
in the movement of drilling and
construction materials; primarily
fracture sand, steel pipe and
chemicals. The strength of CP’s
network positions it to access key
fracture sand production areas in the
U.S. Midwest.
The Alberta Industrial Heartland
(AIH) is one of the premier chemical
and
energy-related
processing
districts in North America and is
known for its concentration of oil
refineries and a major oil sands
upgrading facility. The location is
ideal for the development of future
upgraders due to its proximity to the
Alberta oil sands and offers growth
opportunities for shipments into and
out of the region by rail.
CP’s automotive business consists
of three core finished vehicle traffic
segments: import vehicles that move
through Port Metro Vancouver to
Eastern Canadian markets; Canadianproduced vehicles that ship to the U.S.
from Ontario production facilities;
and U.S.-produced vehicles that travel
cross-border into Canadian markets.
In all of these segments, CP’s business
has been built on strategic alliances
with major car manufacturers and
designing services to meet supply
chain needs.
CP’s automotive franchise is built
around strong industry transplant
production companies, such as Toyota
and Honda, sometimes referenced as
the New Domestics. CP’s relationship
and business within this segment
has grown steadily. Today, the New
Domestic segment represents almost
40 per cent of automotive carloads.
CP’s intermodal portfolio involves
the movement of freight through
multiple modes of transportation (rail,
ship, truck) and includes domestic
and international services.
Domestic
intermodal
primarily
involves
moving
manufactured
consumer products in containers
within North America. As customers’
shipping requirements evolve and
their supply chains become more
complex, CP believes there will be
a growing need for both door-todoor and more value-added services
such as Canadian Pacific Logistics
Solutions (CPLS) and co-location
opportunities. (Co-location refers to
customers constructing warehouses
adjacent to CP intermodal facilities.)
International intermodal services are
the movement of marine containers
to and from the ports of Vancouver,
Montreal, New York and Philadelphia
and into inland ports across Canada
and the U.S.
CP has been able to leverage growth
through its expanded Western
Corridor and strong network of 14
modern intermodal terminals in
Canada and the U.S.
CP’s strategy is to be proactive in
ensuring infrastructure capacity and
to that end, the railway has acquired
land for future terminal expansions
in Edmonton, Montreal and Regina.
CP also has a long-train strategy to
drive increased train lengths and
improve service. Long trains with
distributed power configurations
reduce lateral forces, enhance
locomotive
productivity
and
create safer operations. The longtrain strategy includes targeted
infrastructure enhancements and the
use of proprietary train marshaling
software, which maximizes the use
of distributed locomotive power.
Railway investments and innovative
improvements, which in the rail
business means depending on a
stable regulatory environment, have
created an efficient and reliable asset
for Canadian exporters. “Hopefully,
these improvements can continue”
said Bruce Burrows, RAC’s vicepresident of Public and Corporate
Affairs. “As more resources become
accessible in Canada, modern rail will
be an essential component providing
access to national and international
markets”.
"Building capacity at the Port of
Prince Rupert is necessary for the
expansion of Canada's trade with
fast-growing Asian economies,”
said Don Krusel, president and chief
executive officer of the Prince Rupert
Port Authority. “This investment
unlocks the sustainable development
of port infrastructure and industrial
waterfront that will benefit industries
across Canada." Canada's West Coast
ports are more than two days closer
to high-growth Asian markets than
any other ports in North America.
The Harper government is
further strengthening Canada’s
Asia-Pacific Gateway advantages
In February 2012, the Government
of Canada announced a $15-million
contribution to the Ridley Island
Road, Rail and Utility Corridor
(RRUC) project at the Port of
Prince Rupert, B.C. Together with
contributions from the Government
of British Columbia, CN Rail and
the Prince Rupert Port Authority,
this $90-million project will expand
capacity and operations at the Port
of Prince Rupert, a vital part of the
world-class transportation network
that makes up Canada's Asia-Pacific
Gateway.
Since 2006, the Government of
Canada has partnered with all four
western provinces, municipalities
and the private sector to announce
Asia-Pacific Gateway infrastructure
projects worth more than $3.5 billion,
including federal contributions of
over $1.4 billion.
“Investments in projects such as
the RRUC are strengthening
Canada’s competitive advantages and
further positioning Canada as the
gateway of choice for global supply
chains between Asia and North
America,” said Ed Fast, Minister of
International Trade and Minister for
the Asia-Pacific Gateway. “As a result
of these strategic investments and
partnerships, Canadian exports to
the Asia-Pacific region have reached
record levels."
The RRUC project is a joint publicand private-sector investment that
will provide road and rail access,
along with utility services, to 1,000
acres of multi-user heavy industrial
land that is accessible through the
deep-sea terminals at the Port of
Prince Rupert. The project features
the development of a common user
rail corridor, roads and access to port
property. Investments at the Port of
Prince Rupert will support Canada's
international trade with Asia.
The Ontario-Quebec Continental
Gateway
The Continental Gateway is a key
component of Canada's multimodal
transportation system. The central
location of the Continental Gateway
facilitates international trade through
the Port of Montreal and the
domestic inputs towards foreign trade
with the United States and other key
trading partners. The Continental
Gateway includes strategic ports,
airports, intermodal facilities and
border crossings as well as essential
road, rail and marine infrastructure
that ensures this transportation
system's connection to, and seamless
integration with, Canada's other
gateways: Asia-Pacific and Atlantic.
On July 30, 2007, the governments of
Canada, Ontario and Quebec signed
a Memorandum of Understanding
(MOU) on the development of
an Ontario-Quebec Continental
Gateway and Trade Corridor.
This event followed the 2006
Cooperation Protocol signed by
Ontario and Quebec to promote the
development of the Ontario-Quebec
Trade Corridor and to improve its
efficiency in all modes, while the
federal government was developing
its National Policy Framework
for Strategic Gateways and Trade
Corridors.
The goal of the federal-provincial
partnership is to maintain and build
upon Ontario and Quebec's worldclass transportation system so that it
remains a key driver of international
trade and economic growth for the
future.
The Continental Gateway initiative is
focused on developing a sustainable,
secure and efficient multimodal
transportation system that keeps
Canada's
economic
heartland
competitive, attractive for investment
and essential for trade.
The Atlantic Gateway: A publicprivate collaboration ensuring
seamless service worldwide
Canada’s Atlantic Gateway’s strategic
location connects North America with
global markets. An integral part of
Canada’s national system of corridors
and gateways, the Atlantic Gateway
and Trade Corridor is an efficient,
reliable and secure transportation
network developed through the
collaboration of the Government of
Canada, the four Atlantic provinces
and the private sector. It is at least
one day closer to Europe than any
other port on the eastern seaboard,
and within a three-day drive to more
than half the population of North
America. With capacity in all modes
and specialized niche services, it
provides seamless integration with
road, rail and air transportation
systems that connect to all markets in
North America.
The Atlantic Gateway is a safe,
secure and sustainable multimodal
system of specialized assets and niche
capabilities; a strategically located and
globally competitive transportation
network moving goods to and from
North America; an integrated, reliable
and efficient system of airports, border
crossings, rail connections, roads,
and ports connecting to a continental
market of 450 million consumers.
Service gains made by Canada’s
railways in recent years have
benefitted all participants in the
process of getting goods to market by
permitting the transportation of more
products, more efficiently, more safely
and at a cost levels that are among the
lowest in the world. n
Racing past drivers on congested highways. Providing an
informed choice for more than 70 million people annually,
wherever they want to travel. Moving more than 70% of all
surface goods in Canada, with hardly anyone knowing about it.
Accounting for only 3% of transportation greenhouse gas
emissions, helping Canada meet its environmental targets.
Employing 32,000 people in a growing business model right
across the country. GREEN. INNOVATIVE. VITAL.
www.railcan.ca
Helping Canadians face the impacts and opportunities
of climate change and globalization in the Arctic.
With partners from Inuit organizations, government and industry,
ArcticNet provides researchers with unprecedented access to the
Canadian Arctic and training for the next generation of experts
needed to study, model and manage the Arctic of tomorrow.
www.arcticnet.ulaval.ca
arctic series
Students on Ice
Arctic Expedition 2012:
A Voyage of Discovery and Transformation
A
s the Arctic warms and polar
sea ice continues to melt at
unprecedented rates, 75 international
high school students - including
three from Ottawa - and a team of
inspiring leaders sailed on the latest
Students on Ice Arctic expedition: A
Voyage of Discovery and Transformation.
Students on Ice is an award-winning
organization
offering
unique
educational expeditions to the
Arctic and Antarctic. Its mandate is
to provide students, educators and
scientists with inspiring educational
opportunities and, in so doing, help
them foster a new understanding
and respect for our parched planet.
Students on Ice is headquartered in
Gatineau, Quebec.
Launching from Iqaluit in Nunavut,
the ship- and land-based journey
explored the eastern Canadian Arctic
and western Greenland from July 29
to August 13. The expedition involved
Canadian and international students,
ages 14-18, and included more than 30
Inuit youth from Canada’s North. The
students joined a team of 35 worldclass scientists, historians, artists,
explorers, educators, innovators,
polar experts and Aboriginal Elders
on a once-in-a-lifetime journey that
expanded their knowledge of the
circumpolar world and gave them a
new global perspective on the planet,
its wonders, and its present and future
challenges.
Students on the expedition came
from countries around the world
including India, Russia, Germany,
Monaco, Belize, Greenland and
the United States. Through the
generosity of partner organizations,
almost all have been awarded
scholarships to participate in what is
sure to be a transformational, lifechanging experience. Joining the
Students on Ice team this year were
Mary Simon, Inuit leader and former
president of Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami;
Madeleine Redfern, mayor of Iqaluit;
and Bill “Father Goose” Lishman,
the renowned artist, inventor and
pioneer. The president and CEO of
the Canadian Museum of Nature,
Meg Beckel, also joined the expedition
along with several CMN scientists.
The themes of the 2012 Arctic
Expedition were interconnection,
discovery and transformation and
every day on board the ice-class
expedition vessel was different.
The
approach
to
expedition
learning weaved together exciting
shore landings, interpretive hikes,
community visits, Zodiac cruises and
ship-based exploration. Expedition
activities included extraordinary
wildlife encounters, educational day
excursions, visits to remote Arctic
communities and archeological sites,
and opportunities to acquire firsthand knowledge and insight into
the dynamics of climate change.
Participants explored how human
and natural systems are inextricably
connected and how personal and
societal transformation can take place
even in the harshest environments.
“There has never been a more
important time to expose the youth of
Canada and the world to the Arctic,”
said Geoff Green, the founder and
president of Students on Ice. “This
region will be front and centre in the
coming years in terms of its global
importance to a wide range of issues
– from climate change to sustainable
development. For Canadian youth in
particular, this expedition represents
an opportunity to connect with
our emerging identity as an Arctic
nation.” n
For more information,
visit www.studentsonice.com
greenstream by anna may burke
TO BE OR NOT TO BE:
The Northern Gateway Pipeline Project
T
ucked away in the March federal
Budget were significant changes
to the rules governing environmental
assessment impact study requirements
for large resource project proposals.
The idea, according to the
government, is to cut red tape (after
all there are some $400 billion in
major resource proposed investments
in energy) but also to promote
and encourage diversification of
Canadian markets to take advantage
of opportunities in Asia and to lessen
the dependence on the American
markets. Critics, on the other hand,
argue the changes will result in greatly
reduced environmental requirements
for companies wishing to develop
projects.
From either side you sit on, there
is no denying the fact that the
regulatory regime governing these
assessments remains complicated.
Frankly, it seems like you need a
Ph.D. in economics and government
policy to get it. Numerous agencies,
government bodies, and you guessed
it, lots of lawyers, are involved in the
process.
One of the larger projects that is
hot right now is the case of the
Northern Gateway Pipeline Project.
It is a proposed 525,000-barrels/
day petroleum export pipeline that
would connect Edmonton to Kitimat
on the north-central coast of British
Columbia. The proposal consists of
a 1,170-kilometre-long petroleum
export pipeline, a condensate import
pipeline and a marine terminal. And
it is controversial.
When the government encounters a
project proposal that can be somewhat
tricky to deal with such as this, it can
establish a panel to study the project.
It did just that and created the Joint
Review Panel for the Enbridge
Northern Gateway Project. It is an
independent body, mandated by the
Minister of the Environment and
the National Energy Board. The
3-member Panel (supported by a
Secretariat) is currently in the process
of assessing the environmental effects
of the proposed project and reviewing
the application under both the
Canadian Environmental Assessment
Act and the National Energy Board
Act.
It is in the midst of hearing from
interested parties including the general
public, Aboriginal communities,
environmental groups, other affected
communities, scientists, experts and
stakeholders. All have the opportunity
to participate in the decision-making
process through public hearings. The
process also includes consideration
of measures that are technically and
economically feasible to mitigate
adverse environmental effects of the
project. After this public consultation,
it will submit to the federal government
an environmental assessment report
with recommendations. It has until
December 31, 2013 to file its report.
However, at the end of the day, with
the changes the government made
in the Budget to the environmental
assessment process, Cabinet now has
the final word on whether or not to
approve the project.
That’s the official process. But perhaps
the real obstacles are not to be met
in the regulatory regime but in the
court of public opinion and possibly
the courts of law. BC Premier Kristy
Clark has taken a hard line on the
issue insisting BC get its fair share
of the proceeds from the project,
among other conditions that include
environmental
and
Aboriginal
concerns. While she no legal hand
in this, politically she has clout.
Aboriginal groups, on the other hand,
do have the potential to hit the courts
if they feel their constitutional rights
have been violated.
Environmentalists, have been very
critical of the project. In BC alone,
they argue that the pipeline would
cross more than 785 rivers and streams,
including many which are critical
fish-bearing habitat, and it would
cross through the headwaters of three
of the continent’s most important
watersheds—the Mackenzie, the
Fraser, and the Skeena. To be honest,
the fear of oil spills is real. Not only is
there a danger for leaks in the pipeline
but the increased tanker traffic would
undoubtedly elevate the risk.
However, there are huge potential
economic benefits to the project
as well. A July report published
by the Canadian Energy Research
Institute argues that construction and
operation of the Northern Gateway
pipeline will bring more than
$8.9 billion in total additional GDP
to the Canadian economy over the
next 25 years; $4.7 billion of that
amount will go to BC, $2.9 billion
to Alberta, and $608 million to
Ontario. Other estimates have much
higher numbers. This is big money.
Thirty thousand direct, indirect and
induced jobs would result during the
construction phase as well and then
settle down to 2,500 jobs during the
operation phase.
There there are the tax benefits.
Northern Gateway would generate
over $2.3 billion in tax revenues over
the 25-year period, with $1.45 billion
going to the Government of Canada,
$545 million to provincial and
regional governments in BC, $162
million to provincial and municipal
governments in Alberta, and $83
million to provincial and municipal
governments in Ontario.
There is a lot at stake on both sides.
There is no question there are
enormous costs and benefits to be
considered. The Panel and ultimately
Cabinet have a big decision with huge
impact. How they weigh the pros and
cons remains to be seen. n
moving series as told to harvey f. chartrand
r
Retiree Has
Nightmarish Experience
Moving from Large Home
to Smaller Condo
W
e wanted to sell our house and
move to a condo. We lived in
Old Ottawa South and moved to The
Glebe Annex, just west of Bronson
Avenue. The first thing we did was
attack the basement and throw out as
much stuff as we could. Then we had
a real estate agent come around. She
looked at the house and said: “You’ve
still got too much furniture!” So we
moved some of it to the basement, we
gave some of it away and we finally
decided to put some of it in storage. To
make it easy for the moving company,
we purchased all kinds of boxes and
packing materials, masking tape,
mirror boxes, wardrobe boxes, china
crates, and all the packing materials.
We did all our own packing and then
dismantled certain pieces of furniture
out of fear of having things broken
or damaged. We were all ready to go
when the moving company arrived.
OTTAWA LIFE: How did you
go about selecting a moving
company?
We called the movers we’d used
before but they had gone out of
business. Another moving company
was recommended to us on a prerecorded message. So we called those
people. Big mistake.
OTTAWA LIFE: Were you satisfied
with the service you received?
Absolutely not! There was a crew
of three people. I believe the man
in charge was the driver. As far as
I recall, they did arrive on time (at
9 a.m.). The crew came into the
house and looked around and the
driver said: “We haven’t seen anybody
as prepared for a move as you are –
ever! You’ve got everything packed
and dismantled! You’re all ready to
go!” So I suggested that perhaps the
estimate they gave could be a bit less.
No response. They started moving the
heavy stuff out of the house for about
90 minutes, emptying half to threequarters of the house. But then they
took a break that lasted 45 minutes!
Then they started to load the rest of
the stuff. They filled the truck with
the heavier items and then they took
off for a three-hour lunch! We had a
major scheduling crunch because we
were moving into a condominium.
The condo corporation has rules
governing the elevator. We had the
elevator from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. We
didn’t want to get into trouble with
the condo management, so we were
fretting a little bit because the movers
had disappeared with half the job
done.
PHOTO: SHUTTERSTOCK
Imagine This Bruiser
Being Your Mover
We were waiting for the crew at the
condo by 1 p.m. At 2:30, we started
to get worried. Where were they?
My wife called the moving company.
Understandably upset, she told the
lady who answered what she thought
of the company. My wife said she
couldn’t understand how this could
be happening – when the entire
move could have been done in the
morning and here we were at 2:30 in
the afternoon pushing up against the
elevator deadline.
The movers showed up at around
3 o’clock. The truck driver (who was
the manager) had heard about our
call. “ I don’t know if it was you or
your wife who called my company,
but you really upset the people
there.” And I said: “Well, we’re kind
of upset too.” Here I had a truckload
of stuff, a ticked-off mover and an
upset wife.
And we had to stop at a storage locker
to boot! I had to de-escalate the
situation. I managed to calm people
down. But I did want to know what
they had been doing for 3 hours.
I questioned the driver on that. He
said they took a one-hour lunch
break. Clearly he had not looked at
a watch.
We got out of there at around six
o’clock. The moving truck then went
to the storage locker, which was no
problem at all. At this point, they were
eager to get home. They didn’t do a
very good job of stacking stuff in the
storage locker. I was still angry about
the way they spoke to my wife, so I
didn’t tip them. Then I got my bill.
They billed me from nine o’clock till
6:30! What a nightmare! There I am
all alone with three guys at the back
of a warehouse. Am I going to argue?
I said, well at least you can take off the
hour for lunch. They said okay. I paid
quite a lot more than I expected and
the general lack of professionalism of
the whole crew really bothered me.
OTTAWA LIFE: Was anything
damaged or lost during the move?
I won’t know until I examine the
contents in the storage locker, which
were stacked hastily. There were
a few scratches and scrapes on the
furniture.
OTTAWA LIFE: What lessons have
you learned from this terrible
experience?
What we would do in the future is
have a written contract that says
in detail what the movers will do
and how much they will charge.
I think you just have to know who
you’re dealing with and not take a
chance on a mover based on a single
recommendation. Don’t get one
reference… get several. Or, you go
with a company that is a member of
the Canadian Association of Movers,
which I only now just found out
about. All of my previous moves
were done by large reputable firms
like Allied Van Lines and Mayflower
Canada Moving Services. But we
were only moving a short distance
(from Ottawa South to Carling
Avenue) and thought we could get
the job done more cheaply with these
guys. We learned otherwise. It was
a very unpleasant experience, a very
stressful experience. It caused stress
between me and my wife because I
was forced into the role of mediator.
We could have saved ourselves some
money by getting rid of our things
before we put it in the storage locker.
We should have just tried harder
to think things through – basically
downsize twice before a move.
The best thing I can say about the
whole ordeal is that it was a learning
experience. If we ever move again,
we’ll know what not to do.
TIPS
How to Avoid a “Moving
Violation”
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
3
Atlas Van Lines Canada (a member
in good standing of the Canadian
Association of Movers) provides
local, long distance, international,
cross-border and specialized moving
services through its 150 agent
moving companies located in British
Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan,
Manitoba, Ontario, Quebec, New
Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Prince
Edward Island, Newfoundland and
Labrador, Northwest Territories,
Yukon and Nunavut.
“We have 150 full-service national
mover agents in every province and
territory across Canada. All are
licensed, trained and equipped to
handle your move,” says Carol Davis,
Atlas’ Vice-President of Marketing &
Corporate Communications.
As part of Atlas’ ongoing quality
initiatives, Atlas agents are rated each
quarter based on customer satisfaction
ratings and claims performance.
Atlas offers a webinar on moving
locally. Learn about the services
available, understanding how local
moves are priced, what you can and
can't ship, and how to prepare and
reduce your costs. n
Visit www.atlasvanlines.ca/index.html
and select the Moving Tips pull-down
menu to get invaluable information on
preparing for a move including:
How to Choose a Long-Distance Mover
Transit Protection Plans
General Moving Tips
Moving Checklist
Don’t Forget List
Moving Elderly Relatives
Moving Plants
Moving Electronics
Holding a Garage Sale
Click on Moving Webinars for free
webinars on move-related topics
such as:
• Moving Locally
• Moving from Canada to the U.S.
• Moving from the U.S. to Canada
• Moving Long Distance in Canada
MOVING LOCALLY
Learn about the services available,
understanding how local moves are
priced, what you can and can't ship, how
to prepare and reduce your costs.
MOVING FROM CANADA TO THE U.S.
Learn about U.S Customs requirements
and paperwork, shipping vehicles into
the U.S, what you can and can't ship,
understanding move pricing, general
information.
MOVING FROM THE U.S. TO CANADA
Learn about Canada customs
requirements and paperwork, shipping
vehicles to Canada, understanding move
pricing, what you can and can't ship,
general information.
MOVING LONG DISTANCE IN CANADA
Learn about the services available on
a long-distance move, understanding
how moves are priced, how to prepare
and reduce your costs, what you can and
can't ship.
For more information, visit
www.atlasvanlines.ca/index.html.
reaching higher education series/op-ed by sam hammond
Sam Hammond is President of the Elementary Teachers’ Federation of Ontario.
Government puts politics,
not students, first
WHEN IT TARGETS EDUCATION
Ask any teacher and you will hear that teaching is a calling. That is what
drives teachers to work hard and love the work they do. With that comes
the responsibility to model values and positive behaviours for students like
mutual respect, integrity and collaborative problem solving.
Those values have been entirely
absent this year in the Ontario
government’s approach to bargaining
with teachers and other professional
educators. Despite our numerous
requests to work collaboratively to
find efficiencies that support student
success and teachers without causing
distress, the minister of education
persisted with a ‘take it or leave it’
offer, leaving no room for meaningful
negotiation.
The government demanded that
teachers do much more than ‘take a
pause’ in wage increases. Along with
reducing sick days by 50 per cent, its
conditions severely penalize younger
teachers who start at a relatively low
level of pay and spend more than a
decade working through a grid to
obtain a salary commensurate with
their expertise and qualifications.
While new teachers have always
accepted the premise that they will
be working at discounted salaries for
so long, they were at least able to take
their salary grid futures to the bank
and obtain a mortgage. Freezing
the grid throws their futures into
jeopardy.
Teachers understand the fiscal
challenges facing all Ontarians. At no
time did we ever say we would not
accept a pay freeze. What we did ask
for was a process which would lay out
ground rules for fair negotiations. We
were never accorded that respect.
As the 2012-13 school year
approached, the government tabled
legislation to take away the collective
bargaining rights of teachers and
other education workers. This
legislation goes far beyond any wage
restraint or back-to-work legislation
ever enacted in Ontario. Alarmingly,
it puts the actions of the government
above the law, and gives the Minister
of Education unprecedented power
to make decisions without consultation with school boards, the public or
school communities.
There is no real reason for this
legislation. Education Minister Laurel
Broten attempted to manipulate
parents by claiming the legislation
was necessary to save the school
year. That is simply not the case. All
teacher federations and school boards,
continued to confirm that the school
year would begin with teachers in
schools ready to do what they do bestand that is help students succeed.
The reality is that the government
manufactured a crisis to justify its
actions strictly for political gain. The
Liberals were motivated by two byelections occurring at the start of
the school year, the chance to win a
majority government, and the desire
to demonstrate to financial markets
that this government is ‘tough on
spending’.
Unfortunately, the fallout from the
Sam Hammond
government’s divisive approach will
have a deep effect on both students
and teachers. The education minister
has made conflicting claims that
ripping up collective agreements
will save $500 million or $2 billion.
Whatever the accurate figure, you
cannot take hundreds of millions of
dollars out of education and pretend
that it will have no impact on the
school system.
The government’s legislation is
deeply troubling not just because of
the impact on teachers and students.
It sets a dangerous precedent for
eroding the democratic rights of
Ontarians. It is a constitutional right
for working people to come together
and negotiate conditions of work
including wages and benefits. This
legislation effectively strips teachers
and other professional educators of
that right. Will other public sector
workers be next?
Does the quest for a majority
government, or for reducing
the deficit, justify forsaking the
democratic principles on which this
country has been built? Is that the
kind of example that we want our
government to set for students? The
deficit wasn’t caused by public sector
workers and yet this government
refuses to propose other viable
solutions, which is unfortunate for
us all.
continued >> page 53
reaching higher education series/op-ed by glenn feltham
NAIT’s students
& graduates are
highly successful.
NAIT is one of Canada’s largest polytechnics. As with other leading
polytechnics worldwide, our education and research is technology based,
and our learning is hands-on. Industry is a full partner in the educational
process. Our research is industry driven.
Our students’ experiences are
shaped by two distinct advantages
– NAIT is relevance and NAIT is
responsiveness. The relevance of our
education leads directly to our student
and graduate success, which, in turn,
leads to industry competitiveness and
workforce effectiveness. Students’
investment in education at NAIT
allows them to build meaningful
careers and contribute to the
communities around them and
Canadian society as a whole.
Our institution has four educational
pillars: science, technology and
the environment; trades; health
care; and business. Programs are
technology based and classes are
small. And we have knowledgeable
and dedicated instructors. With
three major campuses in Edmonton,
we have more than 200 credit
programs that lead to degrees, applied
degrees, diplomas and certificates.
Recognizing the demand for
flexibility, the continuing education
department offers 1,200 part-time
and distance courses. Only about 20
per cent of our students are directly
from high school, and about half
arrive with prior post-secondary
education. Nearly 80 per cent
entering NAIT do so to establish
a career, and well over 90 per cent
find employment prior to, or shortly
after, graduation.
NAIT 2021 - our long-term vision
–will guide us in the years ahead.
We will continue to build Alberta’s
highly qualified skilled workforce
by meeting current and emerging
needs for polytechnic education
and research. We will continue to
work in partnership with industry to
create enterprises that can compete
worldwide. Our partners are a
source of inspiration for beneficial
apprenticeships, practical applied
research, technology transfer and
student success. By remaining
committed to our four pillars, NAIT
will be pivotal in helping Canada
address future productivity and
competitive challenges, as these four
areas are precisely where more skilled
workers will be needed.
The role of polytechnic education in
contributing to Canada’s economy
has never been more crucial, as the
global demand for skilled workers
increases. How Canada recruits
and retains skilled workers will
determine our success in meeting
that demand, as they are needed in
emerging economies just as they are
needed here. Pressure on polytechnic
education will intensify. This is
already happening at NAIT. Between
2007 and 2011, applicant pressure
increased by 27 per cent.
With industry advisory committees
Glenn Feltham, PhD, MBA, LLB, CMA,
FCMA is the President and CEO of NAIT
for programs, as well as an
Entrepreneur in Residence, NAIT
develops solutions that strengthen
the economy and contribute to
Canada’s reputation for applied
research. Whether providing business
incubator
support,
conducting
research for the commercialization
of new technologies and products or
fostering scholarly activities NAIT
adds value. With more than 30
apprenticeship trades, NAIT is the
largest apprenticeship educator in
Canada.
While NAIT is central to building
Alberta’s economy, our reach is
national and international in scope.
We have taken our instruction
model to every Canadian province
and territory to assist corporations
with
workforce
development,
manufacturing solutions and project
management. We have delivered our
expertise to more than 60 countries,
helping businesses, government
agencies and educational institutions
address country-specific needs for a
skilled workforce.
NAIT’s ability to deliver pragmatic
programs and develop sensible
solutions is extensive. Our Alternative
Energy
Technology
program
gives students experience in solar,
wind, fuel cell and hydro energy
applications. Our Boreal Research
Institute produces plants for boreal forest and
peatland restoration, preparing students for
careers in oil and gas and helping companies
reclaim sites cost effectively and ecologically.
Through our Nanotechnology Systems
Diploma program - the first in Canada –
NAIT is planning research projects that allow
cutting-edge nanotechnology initiatives
to engage directly with our welders and
electricians. The School of Health Sciences,
which provides allied health career education,
is researching challenges faced by Aboriginal
youth entering health careers to improve First
Nations health in Canada.
As we have for 50 years, NAIT will continue
to teach for the ‘new economy’ and meet
Alberta’s and Canada’s emerging needs for
polytechnic education. The energy and
enthusiasm among students and staff reflect a
belief in NAIT by business and industry and
by government. This belief enables NAIT
to continue building on our foundation as
a relevant and responsive polytechnic for
Alberta, for Canada and beyond our country’s
borders. n
Government Puts Politics First >> from page 51
The most discouraging and demoralizing aspect of this
legislation is the shameful characterization by the government
of teachers’ intentions and professional commitment. Here
is what one of our members recently said in a letter to the
education minister.
“My work as a teacher has been the most challenging and
the most rewarding work. I am writing to express my
disappointment and dismay at your campaign to discredit and
dishonour Ontario teachers… You seem intent on creating
an adversarial and politically charged process that has made
constructive and collective problem-solving impossible.”
This teacher’s words represent the opinions expressed by
hundreds of thousands of education professionals in Ontario
about the government’s belligerent approach during
bargaining. We teach our students to respect not denigrate
others. We teach them to help each other rise up to their
fullest potential rather than bully or put others down. And
above all, we teach students to be principled and honest
in how they relate to others. One would expect that those
whom we have elected to lead the province would do the
same. n
education for the
real world
NAIT Forest Technology students are making a difference in one of the
world’s largest ecosystems – Canada’s boreal forest.
Covering 82 per cent of the nation’s total forest area, the boreal forest
is benefiting from new reclamation practices that re-establish native
plant communities in different ecological zones. An ongoing NAIT
applied research project, involving students, faculty and researchers,
is focused on reclaiming land previously used in conventional
oil and gas operations.
It’s the kind of research that defines NAIT – research
that addresses industry’s challenges with relevant,
real-world solutions.
Learn more at nait.ca/boreal.
nait.ca
opinion by gary corbett
Harper Government’s
DISDAIN FOR SCIENCE
I
n recent years, science in Canada
has come up against an increasing
disdain for evidence-based decision
making and a disappearing commitment to transparency. In brief,
evidence-based policy-making in
Canada is under attack and it is
orchestrated by our own federal
government.
In the absence of evidence, government policy is increasingly originating from ideological considerations.
The abandonment of the long-form
census in 2011, for example. No
longer do Canadians have key social
and economic data necessary to make
well-informed public policy. There
is sparse data upon which to base
government policy decisions that
involve the spending of millions (if
not billions) of taxpayer dollars. The
result is decision-making based on
incomplete information that may lead
to government waste, sometimes on a
large scale.
This month, the ramifications of
decision-making based on knee-jerk
ideology as opposed to solid facts and
figures hit home to the tune of almost
$1.5 billion. On July 16, 2012, the
Minister for Public Safety Vic Toews
announced the Correctional Service
of Canada (CSC) would return $1.48
billion in funding to the Government
of Canada. The additional number
of offenders expected to result from
the government’s new tough-oncrime legislation – including the
Truth in Sentencing Act – failed to
materialize as the Minister indicated.
While projections pegged the inmate
population at growing to almost
17,725 by June 2012, the actual
figure was 14,965. As a result, CSC
will return the funding originally
allocated to support this increased
offender population.
As worrying as the government’s
spurious allocation of a billion and
a half dollars on CSC expenditures
may be, it is in the sciences where
the government’s reliance on fiction
over fact is most glaringly apparent.
The government has made it official
policy to gag scientists. Government
scientists now have to be cleared
by public affairs officials in Ottawa
before they can speak to the media.
Scientists have been so tightly gagged
that media coverage of climate change
issues has plummeted more than 80
per cent since 2007. (Compare this to
the United States National Ocean and
Atmospheric Administration, which
adopted a scientific integrity policy in
January 2012. The U.S. government
policy permits American scientists to
speak about their work to anyone at
any time.)
Then there was Kyoto. In December
2011, Canada formally withdrew
from the Kyoto Protocol on climate
change. In doing so, the Conservative
Government abandoned the world’s
only legally binding plan to tackle
global warming and to save the planet.
This year, the federal government’s
attack on science reached a new low.
The government is now putting the
very water Canadians drink and
rely on at risk. In June 2012, the
government announced the planned
closure of the Experimental Lake Area
(ELA) research station in northwestern
Ontario that produces data critical to
combating acid rain and phosphate
pollution in lake water. The ELA is
Canada’s only outdoor laboratory for
scientists studying how to protect the
country’s freshwater lakes. Without
government funding, the research
station will close in 2013. It was of
importance not only to Canada. The
ELA was the only facility in the world
that allowed scientists to observe how
entire ecosystems are affected by
lake water pollution. Experiments at
the facility included the dumping of
acid, toxic metals and phosphorus to
observe the effects on water and the
surrounding environment. Defunding
the ELA is a loss to the world and is
a smear upon Canada’s reputation as a
world leader in water conservation.
The funding cut to the ELA is one
Canada’s scientific community can
ill afford. By G7 standards, Canada’s
investment in science was already
low. Now it is perilously low. In
2006, Statistics Canada stated that
Canada’s gross expenditure on
research and development in science
and technology was 1.9 per cent of
gross national product (GDP).
On July 10, the Professional Institute
of the Public Service of Canada
(PIPSC) attended a rally on Parliament
Hill. Thousands of scientists, academics and concerned citizens protested
the cuts to science programs. While
funding cuts at the forefront included
the impending loss of Ontario’s ELA
research station, other changes are also
cause for alarm. Last month, Canada’s
Fisheries Act – which has protected our
fish stock for 35 years – was replaced
with a new, looser regulatory regime.
The new law creates defenses for
polluters and significantly expands
the scope for discretionary decisions
by the Minister and staff of Fisheries
and Oceans Canada as they make
regulatory approvals. The changes
will significantly undermine Canada’s
ability to protect national fisheries
now and in the future.
The cuts made by the Canadian
government that protect core natural
resources on which Canada’s economy
is founded is of grave concern to
PIPSC. In less than 12 months, the
government of Canada continued
to gag its own scientists, defunded
a research facility of international
importance and failed to ratify the
world’s primary climate change
agreement. In doing so, it has not
only undermined Canada’s natural
resources for future generations
but smeared Canada’s international
reputation. n
We believe
Public education is the cornerstone of tolerance
and democracy in Ontario
To ensure student success, public education must provide –
• Equal access to a comprehensive and well-rounded education
• Class sizes that allow individual attention
• Professional resources and programs provided by school board staff
• A safe, positive and well-maintained learning environment
• Shared decision-making with parents, teachers and
education workers
A message from Ontario’s public high
school teachers and education workers.

Ottawa Life Magazine Cover

Transcription

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