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OTTAWA AND THE VALLEY’S NEWSPAPER FOR PEOPLE FIFTY AND OVER
January / February 2014 • FREE
MARY
COOK’S
Memories
of the ’30s
Youngatheart
newspaper
Mayor
Jim Watson
The man behind
the chain of
office
Tax tips
from Canada
Revenue
Agency
Nana
Mouskouri
A legend returns
to Ottawa
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YounG at Heart January / February 2014 3
EDITORIAL
PUBLISHER / V.P. SALES
Mark Rusiecki
(613) 526-0651
[email protected]
Youngatheart
newspaper
CONTRIBUTORS
Mary Cook
Randy Ray
Katharine & Eric Fletcher
EDITOR
Jayne Rooney
(613) 421-7989
[email protected]
Please direct all accounting
and general enquiries to:
1339 Mory Street
Ottawa, ON K1T 1C8
Tel: (613) 526-0651
Fax: (613) 526-0650
[email protected]
Gord Atkinson
Bud McGinnis
Marion Balla
Ottawa Public Health
Alicia Natividad
GRAPHIC DESIGN
Billie MacDonald
It’s a Fact
Inside
Q: Is it ever too cold to snow?
A: An excellent question considering
the frigid and snowy winter being experienced in the Ottawa area this year.
According to Environment Canada, to
produce snow the air must hold at least
some moisture in gaseous form. The water
vapour must be cooled beyond the freezing
point at which snow crystals form.
Because warm air holds more moisture
than colder air, the heaviest snowfalls and
large flakes occur at temperatures close
to freezing. As the air becomes colder the
flakes become finer and finer.
It is never too cold to snow, but the
amount of snowfall is usually less the
colder it is.
Mark Kearney of London, Ont. and
Randy Ray of Ottawa are the authors of
nine books about Canada. Their website
is: www.triviaguys.com
By Mary Cook
The Hon. John Matheson, who was featured in Y@H in April of 2013, passed away
in late December. John and I shared much
more than two grandchildren, we had a deep
love for our country, we were both Royalists,
and I like to think we shared a zest for life.
We met for the first time just after his
son Murdoch and our daughter Mary Jane
became engaged. He dropped by our home
on his way back to Rideau Ferry after a day
in court in Ottawa. I knew that he had been
seriously wounded in the Second World
War, but had no idea to what extent. He
came in aided by two canes, and when he sat
down, a heavy leg brace was very evident.
I remember what he had on, and that was
more than 30 years ago. He wore a natty
brown tweed suit, complete with vest, and
a tie that was obviously connected to some
military branch. Over the years I would
learn that John liked to look his best, in spite
of his severe disabilities and mobility aids.
I would also learn that, even though we
were miles apart in our political leanings,
John loved to talk politics, and when the
“debate” was long over, and I had time to
think about it, I would realize that, much
to my chagrin, he had won the argument.
John was perhaps the most generous person I have ever known. His support of charities went far beyond the norm, and he was
known as a soft touch for just about anyone
who came to him with a cause or a need.
John lived a full and courageous life. And
this perhaps is one of the reasons that I was
upset that, upon his passing at the age of
Arts and Entertainment ................ 8
Finance .......................................... 10
At Home ......................................... 13
Travel.............................................. 18 Cover story ............. 8
Nana Mouskouri returns to the Ottawa
stage as part of her Happy Birthday Tour.
The tour, which started in October 2013
in Athens, will take her around the globe
for one year, to celebrate her birthday,
as well as the composers and writers
who inspired her singing throughout the
years.
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93, little mention of his contributions to our
country were aired on either radio or television. The print media from afar did a better
job, but locally the coverage left a lot to be
desired. I was especially distressed to listen,
in comparison, to long diatribes about someone from Montreal who served jail time
for murder and was the reputed head of the
Mafia. Even his funeral got national coverage. In my opinion, this showed a profound
lack of priorities when the man who was
instrumental in bringing in the Canadian
flag, developed the Order of Canada, was a
war hero, a judge, a member of parliament,
has had a street named after him in the City
of Brockville, and received countless honours from universities, was virtually ignored
when he died in Kingston.
I am very proud to have known The
Hon. John Matheson and how we will be
forever united by two wonderful grandsons, who I pray will have inherited some
of their grandfather’s integrity, sense of
humour, and a deep urge for survival in
spite of almost insurmountable odds.
He has left Canada a much better place.
About the cover
Over The Back Fence.................... 6
Healthy Living ............................... 16
Remembering John Ross Matheson
Mouskouri will be accompanied by her
four French musicians and by her daughter Lénou, who has had her own singing
career in France since 2001.
Visiting Canada for the first time since
2007, Mouskouri will perform in Ottawa
on April 1.
For ticket details please see page 9.
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Y@Hconnectingwith
M
The man behind the chain of office
ayor Jim Watson’s office gives him a prominent
profile, and his obligations as Ottawa’s highest
elected officer are well publicized. But what of
the private Jim Watson? Mary Cook posed questions to the
Mayor to give our readers a peak behind the chain of office.
Y@H: Many of us know only the Jim Watson we read
about. What about the Jim Watson before his foray into
public life? Where were you born and raised, and where
did you go to school?
JW: I was born and raised in Lachute, Quebec and
moved to Montreal when I was 16. And then I lived in
Toronto and Sarnia, as my father was transferred quite
often. I eventually moved to Ottawa to attend Carleton
University. From there I worked for the Speaker of the
House of Commons for eight years before I decided to
run for City Council in 1991. I guess you could say I have
been in public life on and off ever since.
Y@H: What about siblings and your family today?
JW: My sister Jane lives here in Ottawa with my two
nieces and her husband, and my parents both live in a
long-term care home in the Glebe.
Y@H: How old were you when you first decided to
run for office, and was holding public office your first
career choice?
JW: It was around 1989 when I first decided I wanted
to run for City Council. It’s funny because, when working for the Speaker of the House of Commons, I was
generally concerned with federal government issues at the
time. However, once I bought a house and started getting
property tax bills, I started to pay much closer attention to
the municipal level.
My goal, graduating from Carleton, was to be a journalist, but I ended up on Parliament Hill as Director of
Communications to the Speaker, working with the Press
Gallery.
Y@H: Who had the greatest influence on you before
politics?
JW: The Speaker of the House of Commons who I
worked for was a man named John Fraser. I learned a lot
from him, including how to conduct yourself as a public
official.
Y@H: You have never lost an election. What kind
of message did you try to give the electorate when you
campaign?
The chain of office
Ottawa’s original chain of office was first worn by
Mayor Eugene Martineau in 1872, and was crafted
by Young and Radford, also of Ottawa. The original
design was remodelled in 1956 to accommodate Ottawa’s new official Coat of Arms, a 10K gold shield
suspended above the circular pendant medallion.
The names of the Mayors of Bytown between the
years 1847 to 1854 are engraved on the back of the
medallion, and those serving the City of Ottawa from
1855 are engraved on the links, making it necessary
to add links as required.
The central pendant is 14 to 16K yellow gold, and
the chain itself is 10K gold link. The enamelled shield
medallion is based on the current City of Ottawa’s
coat of arms.
Mayor Watson wears the chain of office at official
ceremonies.
JW: Above all, try to be honest.
The specific issues in each election
have been very different, but I think
generally I try to speak to people directly about what I hope to accomplish as their elected representative.
Y@H: What made you decide
to jump from local politics to the
provincial level?
JW: There was a gap there in my
history where I didn’t run for mayor
of the newly amalgamated Ottawa,
and instead took a job running the
Canadian Tourism Commission.
However, you are correct that my
next political job after being Mayor
of the pre-amalgamated Ottawa was
as an MPP. I had always had an interest in provincial politics, and was not
entirely pleased with the direction of
the province. I felt that I could make
a contribution so decided to run, and
was fortunate enough to be elected.
Photo: City of Ottawa
Mayor Jim Watson at a November 2012 ceremony celebrating Canadian
Y@H: What made you decide veterans.
to come back to Ottawa and run
for mayor?
JW: I enjoyed my time at Queen’s Park greatly, but it
was time for me to come back to Ottawa full-time. The
local issues are the ones that interest me most, and I really
love our city. Also, I can tell you I do not miss the weekly
trips to Toronto on trains or planes.
As a resident and municipal taxpayer, I was also becoming increasingly frustrated with what was happening at
Ottawa City Hall. I was tired of seeing the on-again, offagain debates about light rail and Lansdowne Park. There
was no progress being made on major files – just lots of
debates and arguments. It was time for a change.
Y@H: We never see a tired Jim Watson. How do you
keep up your energy?
JW: I do get tired sometimes, but I’m energized by going to lots of community events. I attend more than 2,000
every year. It’s definitely a demanding schedule, but if you
love what you do, you are happy to put in the long hours.
Y@H: What is the best part of being Mayor of the
Nation’s Capital?
JW: I’m enjoying being back at the municipal level,
because I think this is where you can have the most impact.
Instead of talking about housing, we’re building housing.
We’ve made a tremendous amount of progress in the last
three years at City Hall, and I’m proud we’ve been able to
work together so well.
I truly enjoy attending events in the community, whether it’s a farmer’s market in a rural village, or a downtown
cultural celebration. I try my best to make it to an event
when residents invite me.
Y@H: Now that much of the area farming community is incorporated, and has become part of the city,
how do you keep in touch with what is a truly rural
population?
JW: That’s a good question, but it speaks to how big
our city really is geographically. I actually have a map in
my office that shows how you can fit the land masses of
Toronto, Montreal, Edmonton, Calgary and Vancouver
within our borders, and we’re still bigger.
It can be difficult to spend as much time as I would like
to in our rural communities, but I try and go out as much
as I can to events like the Carp Fair, ploughing matches,
Santa Claus parades, and many smaller events out there
as well. One thing I did last year was host a Rural Expo at
City Hall that brought those great rural communities and
businesses down to City Hall to show our urban residents
how many great things there are within our city borders.
Y@H: I’m sure many of your social obligations overlap. How do you decide what to attend and what to turn
down?
JW: It isn’t easy because I get many more invitations
than I have time to attend, but I try and go to as many as
I can. I review each invitation myself, and if there is time
in my schedule to attend, I will do my best to be there.
However, the biggest reason I won’t attend an event is that
I am already booked somewhere else, either for a meeting
at City Hall, or an event off-site.
Y@H: If you have time on your hands, how do you
spend it?
JW: This is a rare occurrence, but I like to relax at
home, go for a bike ride, or see a movie.
Y@H: As Mayor, what is your proudest accomplishment?
JW: I can’t really rank the accomplishments of this
Council, but I am very pleased that we have gotten shovels
in the ground for both our Confederation Line LRT project,
and Lansdowne Park, after years of false starts for both.
When I was MPP, my proudest accomplishment was
certainly implementing the Smoke-Free-Ontario Act.
I am happy with the constructive and professional manner with which the Council has conducted itself. I heard
often in 2010, and have heard it more since, that people
want Ottawa to be run in a calm and professional manner.
I really think we have done that.
Y@H: Do you have any regrets taking on the city’s
highest office?
JW: None. Life is too short for regrets.
Y@H’s Over The Back Fence...
Volunteer Profile…
As The Classic Theatre Festival in
Perth rolls into its fifth successful year,
it will once again depend heavily on its
host of volunteers to see it through the
summer period, when it is expected that
shows will be offered about 60 times over
the season.
One of those volunteers will be Madeleine Labelle of Sharbot Lake, who
regularly makes the long trip to Perth to
help the Festival in many capacities. With
a long-time interest in theatre, it was a
natural fit for Labelle when she offered
to help in any way possible. She started
out greeting at the “front of the house,”
taking tickets, and ushering people to
their seats. She did the job so well that
she became the front manager, and it
wasn’t long until she was on the Board
of Directors.
Now Labelle has taken on the role
of co-ordinating the cast of volunteers,
which Matthew Behrens, Associate Producer of the Festival, says is so vitally
important to the smooth running of the
yearly productions. With at least seven
performances a week, a host of volunteers
is needed, and who better to co-ordinate
them than someone who has worked her
way from the ground up?
Labelle is totally committed to the
theatre and spends many hours helping to make sure each performance runs
Madeleine Labelle.
smoothly, as well as co-ordinating the
host of volunteers needed to ensure each
person attending enjoys the productions
to the fullest.
Y@H congratulates Labelle on her
dedication to the Classic Theatre Festival
as it moves to a new venue this year, taking over a renovated church at 54 Beckwith Street East in Perth.
Funny You Should Ask
What happened to the whippoorwill?
Q: Where have all the whippoorwills
gone? We live in the country and used to
hear them every night. It has been years
since we have heard one, and we wondered
where they are.
A: For an answer to this question, which
incidentally, many of us wondered as well,
we went to Cliff Bennett, Naturalist and
Citizen Scientist from Mississippi Mills.
He and his wife Lynda are avid birdwatchers and oversee the annual bird count. What
he told us is not good news.
There are still a few, but very few, whippoorwills around, and they are pretty well
confined to the area from where the limestone plain meets the outer half of the foothills in the Laurentian Mountains.
The last survey showed that there were
only 18 whippoorwills recorded in this area.
Cliff Bennett said they started to decline
in the ’80s and ’90s. They migrate to the
south, and since they capture their food “on
the fly,” the food source is gradually diminishing in the areas where heavy pesticides
are used, and the insects that the whippoorwills would feed on are diminishing
as well. Cutting off their food source has
resulted in the birds returning to Canada in
an almost skeletal condition, many of them
dying and/or unable to reproduce.
“We are seeing fewer and fewer each
year, and it’s very sad,” Cliff Bennett told
Y@H.
Contributors to Over The Back Fence include: Mary Cook, Randy Ray and Mark
Kearney. Please send us your questions and
suggestions for future pages.
Who Said What…
“If you don’t think that your country should come before yourself,
you can better serve your country by livin’ someplace else.”
– Stompin’ Tom Connors
Where Is He Now?
Julian Talbot, former Captain of the Ottawa 67’s
Julian Talbot was born on March 24,
1985 near Sudbury, where he played his
minor hockey. He played for the 67’s in
263 regular season games, scoring 83 goals
and 137 assists.
He helped the team win the Ontario
Hockey League’s Eastern Conference
Championship in 2002, and played a key
role in the team’s march to the Memorial Cup semi-finals in 2005 where Sidney
Crosby and the Rimouski Oceanic defeated
the 67’s. He was an assistant captain for
the 67’s in 2005 and was named captain
in 2006. Talbot played in the East Coast Hockey
League and the American Hockey League
and in 2007, made the ECHL all-rookie
team as a member of the Alaska Aces after
scoring 20 goals and 33 assists in the regular season.
He took his career overseas in 2011 and
in 2012 and 2013 helped lead the Eisbaren
Berlin Hockey Club in the Deutsche Eishockey Liga (DEL) to back-to-back championships. In 2013 he was the DEL playoff scoring leader.
He and his finance Janna Wilson live in
Berlin during the hockey season and spend
their summers in Ottawa, where Talbot
owns two condos. When his hockey career
ends he hopes to become a firefighter.
This Month
in History
January 20, 1953
In Toronto, the CBS Television production of Studio One is transmitted to
CBLT-TV and rebroadcast in Canada.
It is the first transmission of a TV show
from the United States to Canada.
Remember When…
Dr. Frederick Banting administers first insulin shot
Jan. 22, 1922 marked a turning point in
the health of millions of people throughout
the world. That was the day, in the Toronto
General Hospital, that Dr. Frederick Banting
injected what was considered an experimental shot of insulin into a fourteen-year-old boy
who was suffering the ravages of diabetes.
The body of Leonard Thompson was
down to 65 pounds, and was covered with
abscesses. Although the results were not
as profound as Banting would have liked,
there was an improvement in the young
boy, and six weeks later, with an adjusted
formula, Banting tried again. The results
were profound! Thompson gained weight
and his strength returned.
Insulin for the treatment of diabetes was
on its way and, as the saying goes, the rest
is history. Today, millions of people around
the world control their disease with a drug
that first saw the light of day in a Toronto
hospital, where the very first trial injection
was administered ninety-two years ago
this month.
Now that winter has truly settled in,
thousands of snowmobile fans are taking
to the many miles of trails throughout Ontario. Many of these trails intersect with
prime farm land, which often has an adverse effect on agriculture.
An Ontario Trails Strategy was developed in 2005 to plan how to manage and
promote trail use in the province over the
long-term, and is currently under review.
The trail system is managed by the Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Sport, and
that ministry will look at the current issues
relating to the eight-year-old strategy, to
determine what needs updating.
Issues to be considered will be trespassing, the use of converted and abandoned
railways (many of which pass through
prime farm land), and fencing. The Ontario
Federation of Agriculture (OFA) will be
seeking compensation, and will be asking
that the current maximum fine of $1,000
for trespassing causing damages awarded
under the act be increased to $25,000.
The OFA is requesting that a farmer’s
right to use a rail crossing to access otherwise landlocked areas of their farm be maintained, even after the rail line is abandoned.
The OFA will also be looking for the
long-term provincial stability of the trail
systems, and recommending a funding
strategy be developed for ongoing trail
infrastructure ... such as building fences,
bridges and culverts as well as on-going
trail maintenance.
The OFA reiterates that it fully supports
the Ontario Trail Strategy so that all Ontarians can continue to enjoy the outdoors
with respect.
The Farm Scene
Y@Hmemoriesofthe’30s
By Mary Cook
Learning the art of making bread
Making bread on the farm was not considered a major
chore back in the ’30s. Mother turned out loaf after loaf
as easily as she did tea biscuits, which
were part of just about every meal.
Mother was a very organized person,
and I can remember so well how the job
always had to be done on a certain day,
and in a certain corner of the kitchen.
We had a big oak cupboard where all
our baking supplies were kept. It had
a long door down one side of the front
and inside was a hanging tin container
with a sifter attached to the bottom. Each week Mother
would haul the l00 pound bag of flour out from behind
the parlour door and fill this container to the brim. And
when she needed flour she put a big granite bowl under
it and turned the sifter. I thought it was a most wonderful
invention.
In the centre of the cupboard were all of the other ingredients needed for bread baking, including cubes of yeast
wrapped in a tinfoil kind of paper.
This centre portion had a wonderful slatted door which
rolled up and vanished into some mysterious part of the
cupboard. And there was a big slab of porcelain that pulled
out to make a work surface and then pushed back when
Mother was finished using it. The bottom of the cupboard
held Mother’s special bread tins and these were as black as
a boot from constant use in the Findlay Oval oven.
Sometimes Mother would make her bread late in the
evening so that it could rise overnight. But most of the
time it was made in the morning and was still warm, fresh
out of the oven, by the time we got home from school in
the afternoon.
I remember asking Mother what made the bread rise,
and she used to say it was magic. It was an explanation I
accepted willingly since I lived so much of my early childhood in a fantasy world. I know now it was the warmth
of the reservoir on the back of the cook stove, where she
would place her tins, all in a row, and cover them with a
clean flour bag tea towel.
Just before she would pop them into the oven, she
would plug another log into the fire box so the dial on the
oven would move up to where she wanted it. Her final
gesture was a brush on top of the loaves with melted butter.
It seems to me now that we went through about a dozen
loaves of bread every week … it was a staple back in the
’30s. Father loved to use fresh bread to capture every last
drop of gravy, and breakfast wasn’t complete until he had
done away with about three slices of bread toasted on the
open lid of the cook stove.
It was always my sister Audrey’s job to slice the bread
for every meal. The fresh bread would squish down from
the pressure of the knife, and by the time it got to the table,
the slices were half their normal width. Audrey would
stack a dinner plate with a full loaf of bread for dinner and
supper and there wouldn’t be a crumb left when it came
time to ready up the kitchen.
Audrey learned to make bread long before I did, and
could turn out loaves as well as our Mother. When it came
time for me to master the fine art of bread making, Mother
Y@Hitonlyhurtswhenyoulaugh!
By May B. Nutz
took a whole Saturday and stood at my elbow and took me
through the steps ... not once but twice. After that I was
supposed to be on my own. I was eight at the time, and no
one thought I was too young to take on this task if I had to.
I remember the first loaves I turned out were flat and
hard ... not at all like the light high loaves Mother and Audrey made. And I know Mother told the brothers if there
was even one word said in criticism they would have her
to deal with. No one had to give any such warning to Father. He said he thought it was the best bread he had ever
tasted. Emerson crossed his eyes and pretended to gag
when Mother’s back was turned, and my brother Everett
faked a choking motion. I thought of telling Mother, but
knew I would pay dearly for the deed when my brothers
got me alone.
My bread making improved as the years went by, but it
was a long time before I could turn out loaves like Mother’s or Audrey’s. Sometimes I would lament that kneading
the bread was too hard on my thin arms. Mother would
have none of that, but would say the kneading would build
my muscles, a prospect that held little appeal for me.
I don’t think we made bread because we liked it. We
made it because it was cheaper than the loaves we could
buy at Briscoe’s General Store.
There was no treat in a loaf of homemade bread ... the
real treat was when Mother could find a few pennies and
come home with a loaf of store-bought bread, which was
doled out one slice at a time, and eaten with relish. Mother
had us pull straws to see who would win the crust slice,
which was considered the best part of a store-bought loaf
of bread.
What’s in your bag?
It never would have occurred to me that my purse could
actually determine what kind of a person I am, affect my
health, and show everyone who happened to look my way
if I was a good or sloppy housekeeper. Had I been aware
my purse could reveal so much about me, I might have
been more astute when buying one, and certainly I would
have paid more attention to what I put into it!
After watching one of those “feel better about yourself”
television shows, I can barely look at my purse without
wondering how I could possibly have overlooked what is
the obvious. According to this expert, because of my purse,
I may not look like the kind of person anyone would want
to call a special friend, I slump to one side and, if you took
a look inside, you would think twice before having lunch
at my kitchen table.
I look over at the purse sitting on the floor by the coat
rack … it’s too big to sit on the hall table. It has served as a
carry-on bag, a briefcase, a tote to carry my weekly supply
of books back to the library, a day’s worth of lunch in case
I get hungry, and a change of underwear if I decide to stay
someplace overnight.
Apparently, a person who has an eye for such a thing,
can tell what kind of a personality you have simply by
eyeballing your purse.
An itsy-bitsy purse could show you to be stingy, someone who squeezes every penny until it cries “foul.” A big
purse indicates that you may be generous, but it could also
mean you are a show-off, and as well have an “it’s my way,
or the highway” attitude.
Carrying a big purse can affect your gait. Well, I know
that! Why do you think I have a bad back, a numb arm,
and walk looking like the Leaning Tower of Pisa? I carry
this “mistake” over my shoulder, because if I carry it by
its straps, I drag it along the ground!
And regardless of the size of my purse, I don’t consider
myself a show-off. In fact I consider myself shy and reserved. I would rather pee behind the philodendron than
ask where the ladies room is!
And what you carry in your purse is a dead giveaway
to how you measure up as either a neat-freak or a slob.
Apparently, there is no in-between! This “expert” said
75% of what a woman carries in her purse is unnecessary.
It was time for me to see if what was deep in the recesses
of this, my travelling companion, was indeed superfluous.
I lugged it to the kitchen table, and pondered for a minute on whether I should dump it out all at once, or take out
one thing at a time. I decided on dumping. I upended it,
gave it one shake, and all hell broke loose, literally!
Putting my wallet, change purse, identification stuff and
charge-card folder aside, I surveyed the mess before me,
and decided the best attack was to handle one piece at a
time and create two piles. One: I couldn’t go a day without.
The other: how did it get in my purse in the first place?
Into pile one went my lipstick and comb and a small
notebook and pen.
Rummaging through the other heap, brought back
memories; some good, some not so, and again the question: why was THAT in my purse?
I couldn’t count the number of unused paper napkins
I had from places like KFC, Subway, and Dairy Queen. I
even had those small packets of vinegar, salt and ketchup. I put one of the several small elastics I found in the
heap around them ... they would go back in the purse.
I had enough theatre stubs to paper a wall, and church
bulletins going back before last Easter!
Ah, there’s where those knee-highs went to!
And since you can never depend on the weather, I
would have to put back the extra mitts and scarf I carry,
just in case.
I can live without the four pair of earrings, the bracelet
I thought someone had stolen, and the watch that gave up
the ghost three years ago.
And there’s that pocket novel I’m trying to finish before
it has to go back to the library, which I try to read on the
bus, or in the dentist’s office. And speaking of the dentist,
do I really need to carry the goody package of dental floss,
toothpaste and miniature tooth brush? NO!
But the fold-up slippers will have to stay, as will the rain
hat, the umbrella that folds up to the size of a pen, and the
little flashlight that more than once I have had to use to see
the keyhole when I come home at night.
I put all the “can’t live without” stuff back in the purse.
What I left out wouldn’t fill a gum wrapper! I decided
my problem was that I just tossed everything in without
giving any thought to proper arranging. It took me a good
half-hour to pack all the essentials back in orderly fashion.
When I was finished the purse still bulged, and it was hard
to close the zipper. I knew immediately what I had to do
– I had to go to the shopping centre as soon as I could and
buy a bigger purse!
Y@Hcoverstory
By Jayne Rooney
N
The legendary voice of Nana Mouskouri
ana Mouskouri has been gracing the stages of the world for over five decades. Her global success has made her the largest-selling female artist
of all time and could be attributed to her fluency in multiple languages.
With more than 300 million records sold, over 300 gold and platinum records,
and 1,500 songs in ten languages, she has touched audiences throughout Europe, the Americas and even in Asia.
Fans here in the Nation’s Capital will have the opportunity to enjoy her
distinctive voice on April 1, when she will return to the stage at the National
Arts Centre as part of her world-wide Happy Birthday Tour which kicked off
in Athens last October.
“After celebrating 50 years of my White Rose of Athens two years ago,” said
Mouskouri, in a release promoting the tour, “I realized that in 2012, it was 50
years since I worked with Quincy Jones and recorded my first album in New
York. In 2013 it was 50 years since The Umbrellas of Cherbourg with Michel
Legrand and 50 years since the Eurovision Song Festival in London with the
BBC. 2014 will mark 50 years since I worked with Harry Belafonte and had
my first stage experience in the U.S. and Canada. And since I had the chance to
come that far in my life, I thought it would be worth celebrating, singing songs
from my favourite composers and writers, for all my dear friends, the audience.”
Mouskouri will be accompanied by her four French musicians and by her
daughter Lénou, who has had her own singing career in France since 2001.
“My mother used to say, ‘where you are I was, and where I am you will be
one day,’” says Mouskouri. “So here I am looking at life with the eyes of a
mother. I am very proud and happy to share the stage now with my daughter
Lénou. It is like a dream come true.”
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Ioana Mouskouri, nicknamed “Nana” as a
child, was born on the island of Crete in October
of 1934, where her father worked as a projectionist at the local outdoor cinema. The family
moved to Athens when she was three and she
started taking singing lessons at age 12. She lived
through the Nazi occupation of Greece and the
civil war that started when she was 13. According
to Mouskouri that was the saddest time of her life.
“Singing was my first love and always helped
me to breathe,” she says, “It helped me to hope
and realize that there was love and peace all
around.”
In 1950, at the age of 16, Mouskouri was accepted into the Athens Conservatory, where she
studied classical singing, piano and harmony, and
from where she was eventually expelled because
she refused to choose one particular type of music
to specialize in.
Her career then launched as a jazz singer in
some of Athens’ most fashionable nightclubs.
And, by the age of twenty, she had memorized
over 3,000 songs – classics by Ella Fitzgerald,
Billie Holiday, Nat King Cole, Mahalia Jackson
and even Elvis.
“When she sang her first notes – hands
clasped behind her back, shy to the core – cabaret audiences put down their knives and forks
and held their breath at the sound of this heavenly voice, a flexible, ample voice that grew
hoarse and deep in the bass register, and crystalline and airy in the treble range,” according to a
biography by David Lelait. “Nana was the voice
of poets, the voice of Nikos Gatsos, the voice of
Manos Hadjidakis – the man behind the renaissance of Greek song. For Nana, these two artists
crafted Hartino to fengaraki, an emblematic
song that would be sung in unison thirty years
later by a hundred thousand people of all generations gathered together in an Athens stadium.”
Mouskouri won the Greek Song Festival twice
in the late ‘50s, and then made her first trip
abroad, winning first prize at the Mediterranean
Meet Nana Mouskouri
Colouring contests
are not just for kids!
Y@H is pleased to be able to give away
two front row tickets to Nana Mouskouri’s
Ottawa performance on April 1. This fabulous prize also includes the opportunity for
the winner and guest to go backstage for a
meet-and-greet following the performance.
But this is a contest with a twist. Inspired by
the design of the ad on page 9, we came up with
the idea of a colouring contest.
So we invite you to dig out the crayons or
markers you keep on hand to amuse the grandkids when they come to visit. Let your creativity take over and enjoy turning the black and
white ad of Nana into a colourful masterpiece.
Your creation, along with your name, address and telephone number, can be scanned
and emailed to: [email protected] or mailed to: Nana, c/o Young
at Heart Newspaper, 1339 Mory Street, Ottawa, ON K1T 1C8. Deadline for entries is
February 28. Y@H’s publisher will choose
the winning submission and the winner will
be contacted by telephone.
Song Festival in Barcelona. The young singer
was asked to sing on the soundtrack for a film
entitled Greece, Land of Dreams which won an
award at the Berlin Festival and, thanks to this
win, recorded two of the songs in German. The
subsequent release of Weisse Rosen aus Athen
(White Rose of Athens) became a smash hit and
the rest, as they say, is history.
“Nana’s voice swept across Europe like a forest fire as the new ’60s movement gained pace,”
wrote Lelait.
Continued on page 11
Y@Hshowbill
By Gord Atkinson
Remembering Hollywood’s golden year
The motion picture industry of the 21st century has developed
amazing special effects and dazzling filmmaking
techniques. From a technical standpoint the industry slogan that “movies are better than ever,” is
true. Nevertheless, the producers and directors of
an earlier era were the real magicians and wizards
of moviemaking with their limited resources and
flawless imaginations.
Film historians are in agreement that Hollywood’s golden age reached its cinematic peak in
1939. The year that was the link between the movie
capital’s most important decades, the 1930s and ‘40s, was also its most
prolific time. More memorable pictures were produced in that twelve
month period than at any other time.
When World War II began the film factories were working overtime.
The studios were overpopulated with legendary stars and directors
CONTEST
Win 2 tickets to see Lyle Lovett
and John Hiatt in concert
SOME GOOD SEATS
STILL AVAILABLE
Sunday February 2nd – 7:30 pm
Southam Hall, National Arts Centre
Trust Medipac
Tickets at the NAC Box Office, www.ticketmaster.ca
or by phone at 1-888-991-2787 (ARTS)
THE HAPPY BIRTHDAY TOUR
Tuesday, April 1 2014
DVD & ALBUM
NOW AVAILABLE
1-888-MEDIPAC
See The
Ayes and Lional Barrymore humanized the medical
profession in the hospital dramas of Dr. Kildare.
On the east coast, Broadway-acclaimed Walter
Huston’s plaintive rendering of September Song in
Knikerbocker Holiday. The Great White Way was
ablaze with a record number of hit shows, including: The Boys from Syracuse, Du Barry was a Lady,
Louisiana Purchase, and Hellzapoppin, the first
madcap review starring the zany comedy team of
Olsen and Johnson.
It was the golden age of popular music with legendary composers Irving Berlin, Cole Porter, Richard
Rodgers, Jerome Kern, Harold Arlen and Peter De
Rose at the top of their incomparable prolific form.
Both Tin Pan Alley and Hollywood had a halcyon
year with a bumper crop of hits that included songs
that have become great standards: All the Things You
Are, Deep Purple, Moonlight Serenade, If I Didn’t
Care, South of the Border, I Concentrate on You,
Beer Barrel Polka, Day In-Day Out, My Prayer, In
the Mood, the Oscar winner Over the Rainbow, and a
haunting wartime ballad by Torontonian Ruth Lowe,
I’ll Never Smile Again.
Seventy-five years ago motion pictures came of
age. In the parlance of show business, 1939 was
Hollywood’s most memorable year.
NANAMOUSKOURI
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Enjoy an evening of timeless songs and stories with two of
contemporary music’s most celebrated singer-songwriters.
Send your name and telephone number by email to: mark.
[email protected], subject line Lovett contest, or
by mail to: Lovett contest, c/o Young at Heart Newspaper, 1339
Mory Street, Ottawa, ON K1T 1C8. Deadline for entry is Thurs.,
Jan. 30 and the winner will be chosen at random and contacted by
telephone.
We’d love your feedback. Please include your comments as
to what you enjoy reading along with any suggestions for future
features.
who gave us a cornucopia of classic cinema credits.
Many of those titles still light up theatres and TV
screens today: The Wizard of Oz, Wuthering Heights,
Ninotchka, Gaslight, Goodbye Mr. Chips, Destry
Rides Again, Gunga Din, The Hunchback of Notre
Dame and that monumental movie of all time, Gone
with the Wind.
It was the year that Jimmy Stewart, alias Mr.
Smith, went to Washington; that John Ford defined
adult westerns with Stagecoach; Judy Garland, as
Dorothy from Kansas, clicked her ruby slippers and
was transported by wizardry to the land of Oz. Hollywood’s self-imposed censorship board, the Hays
Office, in 1939 relented and allowed Clark Gable, as
Rhet Butler, to boldly say to Vivien Leigh as Scarlet
O’Hara, “Frankly my dear, I don’t give a damn!”
However, the studio also had Gable substitute the
then shocking word “damn” with “darn” in case preview audiences of that gentler time were offended.
Movie “series” that inspired television programs
decades later packed cinemas around the world
with popular stars in familiar ongoing roles. Mickey
Rooney was everybody’s favourite teenager as Andy
Hardy; William Powell and Myrna Loy brought
sophistication and screwball comedy to Dashiel
Hammett’s Thin Man detective stories; while Lew
Southam Hall – National Arts Centre
Tickets: NAC box office
1-888-991-2787 | ticketmaster.ca
www.medipac.com
Back Page
8/6/2013 11:22:13 AM
Y@Hfinance
Canadians looking for “guaranteed”
investment options in 2014
A new investment poll from BMO Bank of Montreal
reveals that two-thirds of Canadians (63 per cent) expect
a market correction within the next decade and more than
half (51 per cent) indicate they will look for safer investment options in 2014.
“More Canadians are looking for ways to protect their
money,” said Ryan French, Director, Term Investments,
BMO Financial Group. “GICs provide a safe investment
vehicle that offers Canadian investors a flexible range of
investment options and competitive returns. Canadians can
have peace of mind when investing using GICs, as they
generate steady, predictable income and offer diversification for the overall investment portfolio.”
Purchasing a GIC and
return on investment
According to the survey, one-quarter (27 per cent) of
Canadians currently own a Guaranteed Investment Certificate (GIC), with 32 per cent planning to purchase a GIC
within the next year and nearly half (44 per cent) likely to
purchase additional GICs in the next five years.
Canadians’ interest in purchasing GICs increases significantly as the level of return rises. For example: At a
2 per cent/year return, 14 per cent of Canadians would
purchase a GIC and at 4 per cent, a majority (57 per cent)
of Canadians say they would buy GICs.
“With our call that the Federal Reserve will start raising rates
in the first quarter of 2016, and the Bank of Canada looking
more dovish, we predict that the Bank of Canada will hike rates
starting in the third quarter of 2015,” said Michael Gregory,
Deputy Chief Economist, BMO Capital Markets. “We believe
the Bank will move cautiously to prevent fuelling too much
Canadian dollar strength – likely no more than one rate increase
per quarter until the Feds join the tightening party.”
The survey also found:
• Respondents believe GICs are a safer investment (78 per
cent safe) than bonds (64 per cent), precious metals (46
per cent) or mutual funds (43 per cent).
Many Canadians believe GICs
help provide peace of mind and
ease of budgeting
• Compared to before the financial downturn, Canadians
are twice as likely to have become safer, rather than
riskier, investors (34 per cent vs. 17 per cent).
• Peace of mind and ease of budgeting are the primary
reasons Canadian investors own GICs (53 per cent and
44 per cent, respectively).
The survey results cited in the report conducted by
Pollara are compiled from an online sample of 1,023 Canadians 18 years of age and over between November 29
and December 5, 2013. A probability sample of this size
would yield results accurate to +/- 3.1 per cent, 19 times
out of 20.
Tax tips from Canada Revenue Agency
Workers aged 60 and over
make sure you are clear on
CPP contribution rules
Are you 60 to 70 years of age and did you return to
work in 2013 after being away from the workforce? If so,
you may not know about changes to Canada Pension Plan
(CPP) contributions that came into effect in January 2012.
The changes affect employees and self-employed workers
aged 60 to 70 (but not those working in Quebec).
Overview of the changes:
• All workers aged 60 to 65 have to make CPP contributions, even if they are receiving a CPP or Quebec Pension Plan (QPP) retirement pension.
• Workers who are 65 to 70 years of age and who are
receiving a CPP or QPP retirement pension have to contribute unless they have taken action to stop their CPP
contributions. By continuing to contribute (which can be
done up to and including the month they reach 70 years
of age), they will receive more benefits by way of the
new post-retirement benefit (PRB). For more information on the PRB and other changes to CPP benefits, go
to www.servicecanada.gc.ca/cpp.
• To stop contributing to the CPP, workers have to be at
least 65 years of age and receiving a CPP or QPP retirement pension. They must do the following:
Employees (who may also have self-employment
income) have to complete Form CPT30, Election to
Stop Contributing to the Canada Pension Plan, or Revocation of a Prior Election, send the original form to
the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA), and give a copy to
their employer. The change will take effect on the first
day of the month after the employee gives the form to
their employer.
Self-employed workers must complete Schedule 8,
CPP Contributions on Self-Employment and Other Earnings, when they file their income tax and benefit return.
The change will be effective on the first day of the month
referenced in Schedule 8.
Note: If you choose not to contribute by giving a completed copy of Form CPT30 to your employer, you have
to wait until the next calendar year before you can start
contributing again.
***
Are you a Snowbird? Know your
Canadian tax obligations
If you spend part of the year in the U.S., and you maintain residential ties in Canada – that is, a home, a spouse
or common-law partner, and/or a property, CRA usually
considers you to be a factual resident of Canada.
As a factual resident, CRA will tax your income as if
you never left Canada. You should continue to:
• Report all income you receive from sources inside and
outside Canada for the year, and claim all deductions
that apply to you.
• Claim the federal and provincial or territorial nonrefundable and refundable tax credits that apply to you.
• Pay federal tax and provincial or territorial tax where
you keep your residential ties in Canada.
• Be eligible to apply for the goods and services tax/
harmonized sales tax (GST/HST) credit and any related
provincial credits.
These do not apply to you if you are a U.S. citizen, or
if you have been granted permanent resident status by the
United States Citizenship and Immigration Services.
For more information on how Canadian taxes apply to
you when you go down south, go to the CRA’sVacationing
outside of Canada webpage at www.cra-arc.gc.ca
How U.S. tax laws apply:
As a Canadian resident who spends part of the year
in the U.S., it is important for you to determine how the
U.S. tax laws apply to you. For more information, visit
the IRS website at www.irs.gov/Individuals/InternationalTaxpayers. If you wish to contact the IRS by mail or by
phone, visit the IRS website at www.irs.gov/uac/How-toContact-the-IRS-1, for contact information.
***
Gifting tax
shelter schemes
For the 2013 tax year, the CRA will not assess taxes
owed or provide a refund to taxpayers who claim a tax
credit under a gifting tax shelter scheme until the CRA
has audited the tax shelter. However, if taxpayers make a
claim under a gifting tax shelter scheme, the taxpayers can
have their tax return assessed before the related tax shelter
has been audited if they agree to remove the claim from
their return. This procedure remains unchanged from the
2012 tax year.
The CRA continues to alert taxpayers that if they
receive a charitable donation receipt for an amount
higher than the value of property donated, the receipt
is not valid and can’t be used to claim a tax credit. The
CRA is auditing all such gifting tax shelter schemes, and
to date, none has been found to comply with Canadian
tax law.
The new legislation, introduced in Economic Action
Plan 2013, affects taxpayers who have been denied, in
whole or in part, a tax credit for donations made under a
gifting tax shelter and who have filed an objection to this
decision with the CRA or appealed it to the Tax Court of
Canada. The new legislation allows the CRA to collect
50% of the amount in dispute or to withhold 50% of the
refund of an amount in dispute, when these amounts are
related to a gifting tax shelter.
The CRA strongly encourages taxpayers to get
advice from an independent tax professional before
engaging in a tax shelter. To make sure the advice is
independent, a tax professional should not be linked
in any way to the tax shelter or the promoter of the
tax shelter.
For more information visit www.cra-arc.gc.ca. To
receive updates when new information is added to the
website, you can: Follow the CRA on Twitter - @CanRevAgency; Subscribe to a CRA electronic mailing list; or
watch tax-related videos on YouTube.
Expressed wishes in Power of Attorney for
Personal Care – do they always apply?
By Alicia S. Natividad, B.A., L.L.B.
Some of you may recall the case of a Toronto man who went into
a coma after undergoing brain surgery. Three years later his attending
physicians were of the opinion that he would never
recover and assume a normal life, and they wanted
to withdraw life support and provide only palliative
care. His wife disagreed and did not consent to the
withdrawal of life support. The matter was argued
all the way to the Supreme Court of Canada.
There were many issues that came before the
courts. For the purpose of this article only one issue
will be discussed: what is the role of prior expressed
wishes of an incapable person, that is, a person who
is unable to make a decision or to give consent to any matter regarding
his or her personal care which includes medical and health care.
A Power of Attorney for Personal Care is the official document
that may include expressed wishes of an individual on how he or she
wants to be cared for. Before the Substitute Decisions Act, 1992, “living
wills” were used by individuals to express their wishes on how they
wanted to receive medical care towards the end of their lives. Since
Nana Mouskouri continued from page 8
In 1962 Quincy Jones invited Mouskouri to America. Their partnership led to the release of A girl from Greece sings which went gold in
Germany and Great Britain and is still considered a classic today. Appearing in the Eurovision Song Contest in London in 1963, she met two
people who would be instrumental in her career: Harry Belafonte, who
took her on three tours and introduced her to North American audiences,
and Yvonne Littlewood, a BBC producer who asked her to star in a
series of television shows. These programs aired for over a decade and
were exported all over the world, opening doors for Mouskouri around
the globe.
Moving to Paris in 1963, Mouskouri would became the adopted
daughter of France. At that time she began a partnership with celebrated
composer Michel Legrand, who supervised her recording of Parapluies
de Cherbourg (Umbrellas of Cherbourg) and recorded four duets with her.
While France became her adopted country, she continued to record
in English, German, Italian and Spanish, with her records going gold
and platinum in five continents.
Mouskouri’s voice spans many musical genres, from lyrical, traditional and folk songs to jazz and gospel. Leonard Cohen and Bob Dylan
have both presented her with some of their finest work. And Dylan is
said to have been so fascinated when he heard her sing that he could not
tear himself away from a performance, despite an urgent appointment.
Mouskouri’s interests span a broad spectrum and include her involvement with UNICEF. She was named its International Goodwill
Ambassador in 1993, and in this role her mission has been to bring
attention to, and protect, children affected by war and violence around
the world. At concerts and media interviews she often urges fans to
support UNICEF. In recognition of her humanitarian actions, Harry
Belafonte presented her with the prized World of Children Award at a
1997 gala celebrating the organization’s 50th anniversary. Her UNICEF
duties took her to Vietnam, Kenya, Guatemala, and Sarajevo, Bosnia
where, in 1998, she opened an interfaith school which had been built
with the profits from her German concerts.
Elected to the Greek New Democracy party in 1994, she sat in the
European Parliament until 1999. Her bill on the protection of the rights
of artists and writers in relation to new technologies, especially the
internet, was passed by an overwhelming majority.
Not much has been written about Mouskouri’s private life; she has
managed to avoid the glare of publicity. She has been married twice and
has two children with her first husband. She currently lives in Switzerland
with her second husband, André Chapelle, whom she married in 2003.
The little girl who just wanted to sing has come a long way. Now, celebrating 50 years, the legendary Mouskouri has this message for her many
fans: “Happy Birthday to all who have given me the answer that love still
exists. And as long as there is music for me and my friends, there is love!”
1992, the concept of a “living will” has been incorporated in Powers of Attorney for Personal Care and
“living wills” do not have to be used.
A written memorandum may be included as part of
a Power of Attorney for Personal Care to keep it current without making a new document. For example,
if an individual acquires a medical condition that was
not present when the existing Power of Attorney was
made, he or she may express certain wishes to the attorney for personal care with regard to his or her medical
treatment for that particular medical condition.
So long as it is lawful for an attorney for personal care to follow the expressed wishes of an individual, and so long as these prior expressed wishes
apply to an individual’s current circumstances, the
Supreme Court of Canada has said that an attorney
for personal care must follow these wishes, insofar
as it is possible and insofar as these wishes apply
to the individual’s current circumstance.
The Court of Appeal in Conway v. Jacques
(2002), 59 R.R. (3d) 737, paragraph 31, also said
that “prior expressed wishes are not to be applied
mechanically or literally without regard to relevant
changes in circumstances.” This statement means
that, although individuals may have made prior
expressed wishes in their Powers of Attorney for
Personal Care, these prior expressed wishes may
not always apply to the current circumstances. To
apply, those prior expressed wishes must apply to
an individual’s present circumstances.
For example, if an individual has expressed a prior wish in his or her Power of Attorney for Personal
Care not to prolong his or her life through life support or other mechanical means, and an attorney for
personal care is faced with a decision whether or not
to withdraw life support, that attorney for personal
care must decide whether those prior expressed
wishes are intended by the donor of those wishes to
apply in that donor’s present circumstances.
A prior expressed wish does not have to cover
every possible future development; that is simply not
possible. For this reason, it is useful to be clear and
precise in setting out prior express wishes. Vague,
imprecise, or unclear wishes may be held to be inapplicable if challenged.
It is also useful to update a Power of Attorney for
Personal Care by a written memorandum if a new
medical or health condition arises and relate this new
condition to a prior expressed wish in an existing
Power of Attorney for Personal Care.
If an individual has not made a prior expressed
wish in a Power of Attorney for Personal Care or
has not made such a wish known to an attorney for
personal care or a substitute decision maker, then,
the attorney for personal care or substitute decision
maker must make his or her consent decision to a
medical treatment for a patient based on the best
interests of such patient, taking into consideration
the factors listed in section 21 of the Ontario Health
Care Consent Act, 1996.
These factors include the patient’s values and
beliefs, any expressed wishes regarding the treatment, and medical implications of the treatment. The
decision must be made objectively and in the best
interests of the patient.
So, if you are an attorney for personal care or a
substitute decision maker, the prior expressed wishes
of a donor in a Power of Attorney for Personal Care
may not always apply. You will have to relate it to
the present circumstances for which you are asked
to make a decision or to give consent to a treatment.
If the prior express wish does not relate to a person’s
current circumstances, then, an attorney for personal
care or a substitute decision maker must make a
decision or give consent to treatment based on the
best interests of such person taking into account the
factors listed in section 21 of the Ontario Health
Care Consent Act, 1996.
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Y@HtheABCsoffraud
Protect your debit and credit cards
By Bud McGinnis
We commented briefly on credit/debit
cards last month and the convenience they
offer when shopping. Indeed, these cards
constitute a major industry in modern society. In 2012, there were about 74 million
credit cards in the purses and wallets of
Canadians; that’s an average of well over
two for every man, woman and child living
in Canada. During 2012, those same cards were used to pay
for approximately $300 billion worth of goods and services.
This card system allows us to pay for purchases without carrying large amounts of cash. Indeed, at some outlets cash is
not accepted. Moreover, by using a card we can purchase
expensive items, such as airline tickets, or guarantee a hotel
room by making a phone call or by booking online. It’s a
great convenience for us and for the vendor as well, because
once approved, payment is assured. Our plastic card with
name, number, and expiry date imprinted on it provides that
guarantee. No time-consuming credit check by the vendor is
necessary, resulting in savings in both time and money. And
if we have not breached our contract with the card company,
any losses resulting from fraud are covered. In 2012 those
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“Maximizing area seniors investments since 1997”
losses amounted to $439 million, an indication of
how much fraudulent activity is occurring.
In early December 2013, we learned that information on some 40 million credit cards used
at Target stores in the United States had been
stolen. In other words, Target customers had been
“targeted.” Although the credit card data may
have been stolen, it is currently believed that the
passwords are adequately encrypted and that the
accounts are secure. So far we don’t know who
did it, what data was lost, or how the hacking occurred. Nevertheless, although this hacking event
has not played out fully, it does give us reason to
reconsider credit/debit card use and security. It also
demonstrates that despite our best efforts, we can
all become victims of fraud. With this in mind let’s review those aspects of
safe credit card use over which we do have control: • Your Personal Identification Number (PIN) is your
electronic signature. As such, it should be known
only to you, and designed in such a manner that
it isn’t easily guessed. In other words, avoid birth
dates or apartment numbers. Your account is most
secure if you memorize the PIN. However, if your
memory does need help, and you must record it
on paper, keep that memo widely separated from
your credit card.
• When using the card at a terminal always protect
entry of the PIN from prying eyes by covering the
terminal with your hand or purse as you press the
keys.
• If you have given your card to a cashier to
complete a transaction, check the card when it is
returned; be sure it is yours.
• Never provide credit card information over the
phone on an incoming call unless you recognize
and trust the caller. • When not being used always keep your credit/
debit cards in a safe and secure place. Do not leave
them in an unattended purse or wallet, and never
leave them in your car or office. • Keep a copy of your credit card information in a
safe place at home in the event the card is lost or
stolen. By photocopying both sides of the card one
has a highly effective record. • Save all original purchase receipts and reconcile them with statements immediately upon arrival. Report any discrepancies to the company
promptly so corrective action can be taken. • Shred all credit card documents along with other
personal and financial material before discarding
in the garbage. RFID (Radio Frequency Identification) chips
are now being installed in credit/debit cards. They
provide “tap and go” convenience but are subject
to electronic theft without ever being removed from
purse or pocket. Surrounding the card with aluminum foil seems to be effective in protecting the card
against the RFID readers currently being used, that
can capture your information from a distance. Two companies, Equifax (1-800-465-7166) and
TransUnion (1-800-663-9980), keep a running account of all requests for credit in your name. We’re
advised to check our credit report at least once a
year. Any requests for credit that you didn’t make
need to be examined further to determine why it was
made and who made it. You can then take appropriate action to protect your credit rating.
Y@Hathome
By Randy Ray
L
Urban living at Les Terrasses Gabrielle
es Terrasses Gabrielle’s unbeatable lifestyle and
prime location next to the Rideau River are catching
the attention of members of Ottawa’s 55+ community who are seeking hassle-free urban living without the
complications of home ownership.
The eight-storey luxury apartment building at 411 North
River Road offers one- and two-bedroom residences ranging in size from 700 to 1,200 square feet. The top floor has
11 penthouses.
Rents start at $1,500 per month for a one-bedroom
apartment and penthouses start at about $3,000 per month.
“Our tenants enjoy everything this exclusive downtown
Ottawa apartment rental has to offer,’’ says Les Terrasses
Gabrielle’s property manager Jason Ely. “They appreciate relaxing in their spacious, well-appointed homes and they know
if they want to stay active and healthy, this is the place to be.”
The 117-unit building is located about three kilometres
east of downtown in one of the city’s premier neighbourhoods, where luxurious accommodation meshes nicely with
the best in city living, including dining, shopping, music,
tennis, theatre and the area’s natural beauty only steps away.
By day, residents enjoy shopping in Beechwood Village,
a summer festival in Strathcona Park, or cycling the network
of bike paths that begin right outside their front doors. By
night, they dine at award-winning restaurants in the Byward
Market, attend the theatre or ballet at the National Arts
Centre, or take an evening stroll beside the Rideau River.
At Les Terrasses Gabrielle a memorable day or night
is at residents’ doorsteps no matter what season, says
Ely, who notes that the apartment development takes its
inspiration from the elegant park districts of the world’s
leading cities.
The four-and-a-half-year-old building is operated by
Globe General Agencies, a Winnipeg-based integrated
investment and real estate management company with
5,500 residential units in Canada. Les Terrasses Gabrielle
was added to the family-owned company’s portfolio in the
fall of 2010 as its first Ontario property.
Globe General Agencies has a solid reputation as a
tenant-oriented company that provides accommodations in
some of the finest buildings in Canada. Its buildings, Les
Terrasses Gabrielle included, are cared for by on-site staff;
all common areas have security monitoring and emergency
service is available 24 hours a day.
“An on-site management office means we are always
easily available to address your needs and you will be able
to meet your building management service representatives face to face,’’ says Ely, adding that the company is a
member of the Federation of
Rental Housing Providers of
Ontario.
In July 2012, the building received certification
from the Certified Rental
Building (CRB) program,
a gold standard for building management and maintenance, adopted in recent
years by the Federation of
Rental-housing Providers of
Ontario (FRPO), an industry
association of landlords and
property managers.
“It’s a program that we had
to be audited by J.D. Power
and Associates to become a
member of,” said Ely. “That
means that we are an excellent building to rent from.”
CRB certification covers
36 standards of management
and customer service, including responding to tenant
inquiries within two business days, providing emergency
contact numbers, protecting tenants’ personal information
and training building staff in safety and human rights.
Residents at Les Terrasses Gabrielle compare life in the
building to living in a high-end downtown hotel close to
all amenities, including supermarkets, parks, walking paths
and retail outlets, and where car ownership is not mandatory because of the many nearby public transit connections.
The elegant lobby sets the tone of sophistication from
the moment residents enter the building. A richly appointed adjoining lounge with a warm and welcoming fireplace
provides the perfect place to meet and greet guests. Two
beautifully selected elevator cabins in a rich maple finish ferry tenants to their homes. Hallways are tastefully
decorated in bright pastel tones at each residential level.
The main entrance vestibule door access is controlled
with the use of a security key issued individually for each
tenant to provide access to the building’s common area.
Residences feature open-concept floor plans with interior features that include nine-foot glazed ceilings, custom
blinds and panoramic windows that offer some suites an
exceptional view of the Rideau River and Riverain Park.
Kitchens feature granite countertops, under-mount sinks,
birch cabinetry and ceramic tile kitchen backsplashes.
Floors are solid ash hardwood and entrances are outfitted with ceramic tile. Bedroom floors are nylon plush
carpet and each has built-in furniture closets.
Bathrooms feature a Calypso bath with an
arched shower enclosure.
All units have six appliances, including a
stainless steel stove and refrigerator and an
energy efficient dishwasher, plus a stacked
washer and dryer in the in-suite laundries.
All residences have individual central heat
and air conditioning controls. Walls between
units are six-inch thick concrete to provide
the ultimate in soundproofing.
Housekeeping service is available for an
extra fee that can be tailored to meet residents’ needs and budget.
Fitness buffs enjoy the building’s indoor
salt-water swimming pool on the first floor
where poolside wicker chairs allow them to
relax at their leisure. There is a spacious exercise room with top-of-the-line Life Fitness
equipment next to the pool. Residents have access to a professional trainer who will provide a free fitness orientation
and design a custom program to help them reach their fitness
goals. A dedicated room provides space for bicycle storage.
All residents have access to a large exterior terrace on
the eighth floor penthouse level where there are lounge
chairs and patio furniture and a splendid view of the river.
A gas barbecue is located on the terrace for outdoor cooking. The elevators service the 8th floor and it’s three steps
to the patio.
Underground parking is available and there is a bicycle
room and optional locker space on the garage levels.
On the technical side, electrical service is individually
metered for lights and appliances, heat, air conditioning
and hot water are included in the rent; the building is
equipped with cable TV, CAT-5 cable for the telephone
system and high speed Internet. A smoke and fire detection
system protects the entire building and there is a sprinkler
system on the garage levels. The building has many green
features including Energy Star rated appliances, compact
fluorescent lighting throughout and a residential wasterecycling program.
The building is designed with limited handicapped accessibility.
For more information about Les Terrasses Gabrielle
and Globe General Agencies, please contact Jason Ely at
[email protected] or call (613) 741-4411 or visit:
www.terracesgabrielle.com and www.globegeneral.ca
Housing for older Canadians
CMHC report details various
options for the over-55 market
Adapted from Canada Mortgage and Housing
Corporation (CMHC)
The number of Canadians aged 55 years or older is
growing at a rapid pace. Canadians who are now entering retirement are also, on average, better educated, more
active and healthier than almost any other generation of
retirees in Canada’s history.
As a result, developers and project sponsors who are
interested in pursuing this increasingly diverse group of
individuals need to consider which portion of the market
they should be targeting, which type of accommodation
will appeal to that target market, and how to successfully navigate all the elements and services that form the
full spectrum of seniors’ housing today, from real estate
development to hospitality and health care.
To help developers better understand the housing options that are available to older Canadians, Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC) has released an
updated version of its in-depth report Housing For Older
Canadians: The Definitive Guide to the Over-55 Market.
This report covers the complete range of seniors’ housing
in Canada, including:
• Mainstream housing. This includes seniors who prefer to stay in the homes they’ve lived in all their lives,
as well as those who are downsizing and/or changing
tenure e.g. to condominium or rental. Many developers
(particularly in large urban centres) are starting to build
and market homes that can be adapted to changing needs
as people age. An advantage of these adaptable homes is
that they appeal not only to seniors and “empty nesters,”
but also to singles and young couples.
• Independent living and active lifestyle accommodation. Active lifestyle accommodation includes communities that combine housing with recreational amenities
such as golf courses, clubhouses or tennis courts. This
form of housing appeals most to seniors who require
little or no assistance with their daily needs, but who
want to enjoy access to a wide range of services and
amenities. Independent living accommodation can
range from detached or row houses to multi-storey
apartment buildings, but in most cases, they form part
of a larger seniors’ community. Some sponsors of independent living or active lifestyle projects offer resi-
dents the opportunity to purchase service packages as
add-ons to their regular rent or condo fees. Independent
or active lifestyle developments can also come with a
variety of tenure options, from freehold ownership or
rental to condominium, equity co-operative and lifelease.
• Assisted living accommodation. Assisted living housing generally appeals to seniors who want or need more
personal or health care services than are available in
an independent living environment. The most common
forms of assisted living accommodation are traditional
retirement residences (or retirement homes). But assisted
living developments can range from housing that caters
to seniors who are still fairly independent, to those who
require a full suite of personal and health care services,
such as meal preparation, housekeeping and personal
grooming. Modern retirement residences targeting affluent seniors can often resemble luxury hotels, complete
with beauty salons, libraries, gardens, computer rooms
and swimming pools.
• Long-term care accommodation. Long-term care
homes (also known as residential, continuing care or
special care homes) are designed for people who need
24-hour nursing care and supervision. The accommodations may be private, semi-private or shared by
multiple residents in a room. Long-term care homes can
be built, owned and operated by a variety of for-profit
and non-profit sponsors, including private corporations,
municipalities and charitable organizations. Long-term
care homes are subject to government regulation and
usually require a license to operate. In return, sponsors
receive government funding to help cover the costs of
accommodation and services. Some operators of longterm care homes also offer optional services such as
cable television, telephone or transportation to their
residents for an additional fee. These added services
can help increase profitability and attract residents who
are willing to pay a premium for semi-private or private
accommodation.
For more information visit: www.cmhc.ca.
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Please contact us to book today. Call 613-260-9566 or email [email protected]
www.pelosolandscaping.ca
Referals Upon Request
Established in 1991
Get the skinny on small spaces
While your dream bath may be a sprawling
space, the reality is that the typical bathroom is
100 square feet or less. But, a large bathroom
footprint isn’t always the answer to a better
bath. Focusing on quality products can create
a luxurious look, even in a small space.
Free-up floor and
counter space
You may not be able to create more space,
but there are many ways to create the illusion
of more space. Adding a pedestal sink or a furniture-style vanity with legs gives an increased
line of sight, making the space appear larger.
Similarly, clutter takes up valuable space. One
way to free up extra room on the countertop
is with a single-handle or wall-mount faucet.
Doors can also make a room feel constrained.
Rather than a traditional swing or hinged door,
opt for pocket doors; which frees up approximately ten square feet of floor space.
Focus on
fabulous fixtures
We all need storage in the bath, but don’t
limit yourself to the horizontal surfaces.
Make the most of your vertical space by
adding bath accessories as well.
Adding a hotel shelf, which combines a
towel bar with a shelf, offers an excellent storage spot for towels. A wall-mount hair dryer
holder, a pivoting wall-mount makeup mirror,
a curved shower rod and robe hooks are all
excellent hotel-inspired accessory options.
Dominate with
dual-function
Dual-function products are perfect for
smaller baths because they offer added
benefits without taking up more space.
Update your current toilet paper holder,
towel bar and in-shower shelves with
newer versions that integrate a grab bar.
The ABCs of Fraud
continued from page 12
As we’ve said before, the mission of the
ABCs of Fraud program is to help fraudproof seniors. Accordingly, we tread a fine
line. We don’t want seniors to become
paranoid and stop using their credit/debit
cards. Conversely, fraudsters and scam artists are continually in our midst so we want
seniors to take all reasonable precautions
Choose quality over
quantity to create
the bathroom of your
dreams
Moen® Home Care® offers stylish grab
bar designs featuring a paper holder, a
towel bar and two shelf designs; all in
a variety of finishes to help you update
these bathroom basics while adding storage, safety and style.
Swap soaking for a
sensational shower
Since we tend to shower more than
soak, creating one sensational showering
space, and possibly eliminating the tub,
is a wise use of surface area. For an easy
upgrade, swap your current showerhead
with a new, high-quality model. Or, for a
more luxurious remodel, install a vertical
spa complete with components like body
sprays and a hand shower on a single wall
to surround yourself in blissful exhilaration.
And, no matter how large or small your
shower, there’s always room to add seating, which increases safety and ease while
shaving and washing. The fold-down teak
seat from Moen Home Care is a great option since it features a unique wall-mount
design that folds down for a comfortable
and secure shower seat to avoid slips and
falls. When not in use, it folds up to a thin,
compact profile.
It’s all smoke (and light)
and mirrors
There are more benefits to mirrors in
a bathroom other than a place to check
your hair and makeup. They can actually
and use the credit card system as safely as
possible.
We conclude, as usual, with the following
offer. To learn more about frauds and scams
call 613-564-5555 and leave a message. A
Rotarian will call back to initiate arrangements for a presentation. The presentation
is free, and usually lasts between 40 and 60
minutes. There is no cost to the hosting organization, and whenever possible a police
officer participates with us.
make a room appear twice as large as the
actual size. In addition to your vanity
mirror, consider hanging a full-length
mirror on a door. Similarly, bringing in
more light will open up the space and
make your bathroom come to life. Lighting fixtures are an ideal way to brighten
the space, but don’t settle for boring
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basics. Try more stylish options, like
sconces, which can add a more designer,
upscale feel.
Remember to shop for quality over
quantity when updating your bath, and
soon you’ll enjoy the serenity of a stylish
and organized space.
– News Canada
Trusted Real Estate
Services Using Honest
& Innovative Strategies
Remi Morvan, Sales Representative
2059 Meadowbrook Rd., Ottawa
Email: [email protected]
Direct: 613-797-4120 Office: 613-744-0356
www.remimorvan.ca
1-888-MEDIPAC
www.medipac.com
8/6/2013 11:22:13 AM
Y@Hhealthyliving
Four healthy resolutions
By Jason Haug, Program and Project Management Officer,
Ottawa Public Health
Resolution: it’s a word you’re probably hearing more often at this
time of year. Year after year we make ourselves promises. We hope
to better our health, our relationships, and our finances. The question
is: how do we turn these intentions into action? We are here to help.
We have listed four simple goals for your consideration. They are all
specific – measurable, attainable, realistic, and timely – or as we like
to say, “SMART.”
1
Take the 150 minute challenge. The Canadian Society for Exercise Physiology (CSEP) recommends that you get 150 minutes
of moderate to vigorous physical activity per week. This includes
any activity that causes your breathing and heart rate to go up. Remember to ease into activities with a warm-up, and to cool down after. Try
15 small bouts of 10 minutes. You could also split it up as 30 minutes
five times a week. These both add up to your recommended 150
minutes. There are many activities to pick from such as cross-country
skiing, swimming, or maybe even joining a community urban poling
or mall walking group.
2
Make sure you consume enough vitamin D and calcium
every day. Vitamin D and calcium play an important role in
healthy bones and teeth but also in preventing falls. Eat at least
three servings of milk or fortified beverages every day such as soy,
almond, or rice milks. Check labels to make sure vitamin D was
added, as not all milk substitutes are vitamin D enriched. Include
other excellent natural sources of vitamin D such as canned fish
with bones (salmon, sardines, mackerel). All adults over 50 years
should take a daily vitamin D supplement of 400 IU daily. When
it comes to calcium, try to include good sources such as yogurts
Indoors! Teams are welcome! Walk for a
mother, father, spouse, friend. Support those
living with dementia in your local community.
Sunday, January 26, 2014 at 9 a.m.
Carleton University Fieldhouse
For more information:
www.alzheimer.ca/Ottawa
Teresa Hicks [email protected] or 613 523 4004 x132
or cheeses. Why not try some non-dairy calcium
sources such as legumes (baked beans, chickpeas),
tofu, and dark leafy greens (collard greens and
bok choy, kale)?
3
Sign up for a new activity. It is easy to fall
into routine. We are creatures of habit. But
sometimes we just need a bit of change. It
could be something like adding a yoga or tai chi
class to your schedule two times a week. Perhaps
it’s starting weight training (see www.csep.ca to
find out more about your strength and balance activity needs). It can even be something as simple as
doing a daily crossword puzzle to keep your mind
active. Health is also not just about physical health.
Increase your social health by connecting with others on a daily basis. Maybe try a sports club like
curling to give you social time while also being active. Need more inspiration? Check out the variety
of programs offered by the City of Ottawa’s Parks
and Recreation department (ottawa.ca/en/residents/
parks-and-recreation).
4
Check off all your check ups. Make a list.
Check it twice – even though some appointments aren’t so nice. They’re important. Make
a list of the practitioners you need to see this year
and set a date to book them. Some must haves on
your list would be:
• Reviewing any medications with a doctor or pharmacist every year.
• Periodic health review or regular health checks
with your physician.
• Have your eyes checked every year for changes in
their health and vision.
• Women aged 50 to 74 years should have a screening mammogram every two years. Women aged
30 to 69 years who have been identified as being at high risk for breast cancer should have a
screening mammogram and breast MRI every
year.
• Cervical cancer screening is recommended every
three years for all women starting at age 21 who
are or ever have been sexually active. Pap tests
can stop at age 70 in women who have had three
or more normal tests in the prior 10 years.
• All Ontarians aged 50 and over should be screened
for colorectal cancer. For those at average risk for
colorectal cancer, a simple at-home test – the Fecal Occult Blood Test (FOBT) – once every two
years is recommended.
• For most people dental exams are needed every
six months to catch small problems early. How
often you go for a dental exam depends on your
oral health needs.
• Meet with your financial advisor at least once a
year. Stress, including financial stress, can greatly
impact your quality of life.
If you have questions or concerns about older
adult health, please call the Ottawa Public Health
Information Line at 613-580-6744.
Menopause myths vs. facts:
What every woman
needs to know
Did you know there are over 4.5 million Canadian women, between the ages of 48 and 67, who are
or will soon be going through menopause? However,
despite the importance of understanding the changes
to their bodies, the reality is that many of these
women may still believe some of the old myths that
exist about menopause.
Dr. Wendy Wolfman, Director of the Menopause
Unit at Mount Sinai Hospital in Toronto, says it is
important for women to understand the differences
between myths and facts about menopause, so they
can make informed decisions on the best treatment
options that are available to help them live active
and healthy lives. Women shouldn’t be making decisions about their health based on outdated information, added Dr. Wolfman.
Myth: Menopause means “I’m old.”
Fact: Women can go through menopause starting in there forties and symptoms can last into their
sixties. Women of these ages are still active in their
careers and community, and the end of menses
does not mean that a woman is old and needs to
slow down.
Y@Hthenextchapter
By Marion Balla
Building strong couple relationships
Our culture is full of misinformation about couple
relationships in romance novels, movies and the internet
that perpetuate the fairy tale myth of
happily-ever-after love. We need help
and encouragement to create healthy
relationships. Knowledge, awareness
of oneself and one’s partner and the
courage to take full responsibility for
making our relationships work, are
key components of healthy couple
connections.
The month of February seems to
have two claims to fame – Valentine’s Day and the
“blues” month. Are they intertwined? Do people become depressed due to feelings that their lives do not
match up to their wishes and expectations? Are they
single or living in a difficult relationship and feel they
cannot measure up to the romantic ideology of living
happily ever after? It is a challenge to live in a society
which makes couple relationships appear easy to do and
easy to find. Few couples have the luxury of focusing
their time and energy on each other due to multiple
demands and few opportunities to recapture their sense
of wellbeing.
How it all begins
When we meet someone and fall in love, it feels like
we have found the answer to all of life’s problems. Finally
there is someone who desires to be with us and who demonstrates we are special. This kind of attention makes us
feel valued and bonded. That is the love we believe we
have been waiting for all our lives.
The basis of this early phase of relationships is onesided. I feel good because someone else thinks I am
wonderful. I feel secure because someone else is making
me secure. The reality is that we are in love with a human
being who has a full range of human feelings, behaviours
and imperfections just like us. When the novelty of the
relationship wears off, the less-than-perfect behaviours
and feelings appear. We want those good feelings back
as does our partner, but we have difficulty recreating the
magic. We move to a phase of disillusionment which may
produce conflict, power struggles and a strong desire to
change the other person.
What is love?
Love is a feeling. Love is an action. Creating lasting
love is about learning how to value myself and how to
value my partner, even when I don’t “feel” loving. Mature
love is about understanding that ultimate security and passion come from taking responsibility for my behaviour, for
understanding my partner and for taking steps together to
enrich the relationship.
Love is created by providing and receiving attention,
appreciation, affection, affirmation and acceptance. Love
is created by team work and a deep commitment to work
for the best interests of both partners. Love is created by
protecting time to communicate, to share activities and to
renew our enjoyment of one another. Love is created by
building a solid friendship comprised of trust, mutual respect and caring. Love is created by asking yourself “what
have I done to demonstrate I love my partner today?”
Relationship builders
As relationship builders, we need:
• knowledge, assistance, courage, and time;
• to respect ourselves and partners;
• to effectively communicate our needs and feelings;
• to think loving thoughts which leads to a sense of closeness;
• to treat ourselves and our partners with kindness, patience and gentleness;
• to take every opportunity to encourage ourselves and our
partners;
• to be trustworthy, reliable and committed to learning
from our partner and maturing in the relationship;
• to maintain a balance between giving and receiving; and
• to remember there is no such thing as perfection and that
every problem creates an opportunity for us to learn and
evolve as a couple.
Couple relationships pass through many stages as we
grow and develop together. There are many highs and
lows along the journey. A couple relationship could be
likened to a flowering plant. The plant requires attention,
sustenance and an ongoing awareness of its presence. It
must be tended to regularly. The plant may not bloom every day, but with proper care it remains healthy and offers
much pleasure to our lives. It changes and grows given the
proper environment. A couple relationship changes as the
individuals embrace and maintain a focus on what they
wish to achieve – a healthy and supportive team who share
the ups and downs, challenges and joys of living together,
designed for the best interest of both parties.
Marion Balla is the President of the Adlerian Counselling and Consulting Group, Inc. Further she facilitates
workshops, courses and seminars focused on constructive
approaches to human relationships in the family, workplace and community.
Please write to us at The Adlerian Centre at 1729 Bank
Street, Suite 205, Ottawa K1V 7Z5, call 613-737-5553 or
email us at [email protected] with your suggestions, reactions or ideas for this column.
Resources:
• Harville Hendrix, Getting the Love You Want
• Harriet Lerner, The Dance of Intimacy
• Patricia Love, The Truth About Love
• Patricia Love and Steve Stosny,
How to Improve Your Marriage Without Talking About it
Menopause myths vs. facts
continued from page 16
Myth: Menopause is an illness.
Fact: During menopause, all women can encounter
changes to their bodies, such as hot flashes, mood changes,
and sexual changes. But those are a natural part of life and
not an illness.
Myth: Once a woman is menopausal “it’s all downhill.”
Fact: Some things clearly decline during menopause
– estrogen, menstrual flow, egg production and vaginal
lubrication. But it’s misleading to believe it all goes downhill. According to a recent Ipsos-Reid survey, ninety per
cent of menopausal women see the upside of this phase of
life and agree that it’s a relief not to think about periods
and contraception anymore.
“My advice to women is talk to your doctor and get
the facts on menopause,” says Dr. Wolfman. “Women
need to know that there are options available to treat their
symptoms, such as non-hormone-based prescription medications, healthy lifestyle changes and choices, selective
alternative therapies, and hormone therapy. By having the
right information, women can lead healthy lives during
this phase of life.” – News Canada
Y@Hactiveadventure
Antarctica: Land of superlatives
Trip of a lifetime reveals
Antarctica’s spectacular nature
Expedition
lectures
Before landing, geologist
Steffen Biersack explained,
By Katharine Fletcher
“You’ll be stepping onto
ancient African rocks when
“Good morning, Ladies and Gentlemen. … This is your we visit the Falklands, South
Captain speaking. We are incredibly
Georgia, South Orkneys and
fortunate because today is a beautiful
Antarctic Peninsula. Moreday…”
over, Antarctica’s 2,000 meAccording to Norwegian Captain
tre mountains are the extenArild Hårvik of Hurtigruten’s MV Fram,
sion of Chile’s Andean Corall 19 days of our Antarctic expedidillera. Thirty-five million
tion were beautiful – including those
years ago major geological
22 hours when swells exceeded seven
upheavals ripped the ridges
metres …
apart, creating the Drake
Being hardy Canadians we conPassage – the most unruly
curred. After all, December to February is summertime seas in the world!”
in the southern hemisphere, where we enjoyed “balmy”
Yikes!
temperatures of +5C to -5C.
The Drake has a formidable reputation – happily
Ice rules
for us, however, anti-motionNonetheless, the trip is an “expedition” because in sickness patches saved us
Antarctica, ice rules. We selected Hurtigruten’s 19-day from being seasick.
Also, before our first landadventure because we wanted to experience not “only”
Antarctica but also the Sub-Antarctic Falkland, South ing, Friederike Bronny lectured
on birds. “You’ll see rockhopGeorgia, and South Orkney islands. And penguins.
Although MV Fram never became trapped in ice, one per penguin rookeries on New
day Expedition Leader Anja Erdmann cautioned that due Island, in the Falklands, sharto pack ice we might not make it to South Orkney, part ing space with king cormorants
of the South Shetlands. The Waddell Sea became impen- and black-browed albatrosses.
Here let’s also watch for the
etrable, so miss it we did.
Otherwise, Captain Hårvik expertly navigated ice- long-tailed meadowlark – its
bergs, growlers (baby icebergs), and pack ice, keeping scarlet breast and song are unpassengers impressed by his skill and satisfied with our mistakeable. Later, we’ll see
king penguins on South Geor-Approaching the spectacular narrows of the Lemaire Channel. progress.
Some days were entirely “at sea.” Thinking we might gia.”
March of the Penguins, which chronicles the migration
She added, “Skuas, mind you, are everywhere. They of emperor penguins amid Antarctica’s brutal conditions.
use such times to paint, write, or read, we soon realized
Hurtigruten keeps everyone occupied. Who knew the are the penguins’ arch-enemy because they eat their eggs Of the 17 species worldwide, we saw seven, including the
expedition team of eight scientists would present four and chicks.”
three other Antarctic species: Adélie, chinstrap, and gencompelling illustrated lectures every “at sea” day? Occatoo; plus three true Sub-Antarctic species: king, macaroni,
Island life
sionally, there were quiz nights or movies, which expanded
and rockhopper. The seventh, the Magellanic, lives on
Everyone was on deck while approaching New Island these islands as well as coastal Argentina and Chile.
everyone’s understanding of Terra Australis Incognita
– the first Falkland landing, where resident guardian Ian
(ancient maps’ “unknown southern land”).
Throughout the expedition penguins challenged our
Strange greeted us at the jetty. eco-intentions. They are endearing. They are comical.
“Welcome!” he cried. And they cannot read. They’re completely oblivious to the
“Take the path to your right International Association of Arctic Tour Operators’ best
to the rockhopper colony – wildlife-watching guidelines, which stipulate everyone
and don’t miss our little mu- should keep five metres from animals.
seum.”
The thing is, penguins are curious. When I sat on a
A well-known environ- rock, a rockhopper sidled up, assessed me and settled
mentalist, Strange lobbies down, dozing alongside me. I stifled my urge to touch
for the eradication of non- it because, as expedition biologist Tomasz Zadrozny
native fauna and flora such explained, “Petting wildlife puts not only you at risk,
as sheep, cats, reindeer, and but animals, too. We simply mustn’t transfer our microgorse. He encouraged us to organisms to them.”
remain on the path so we
wouldn’t trample native tusWildlife!
sock grasses en route to visitIt’s
not
just
penguins
which mesmerize. Almost everying the rockhoppers.
where – along the beaches, rookeries and grassed slopes
of these islands – wildlife find their niches. Elephant seals
Penguins…
roared else slumbered in gigantic sausage-like heaps; adult
seals barked in defence of pups; albatrosses whirled
Photos: Eric Fletcher
and protection fur
on updrafts; and in the ocean, Peale’s dolphins as well as
Rockhopper penguins on their nests at a large rookery on New Island, Falkland
Penguins are wildly popu- humpback and fin whales breached.
lar thanks to films such as
Islands.
Rentals
starting at
175
$
per night
NOW AVAILABLE... long term stay rental packages
Photo: Eric Fletcher
King penguins and chicks in the rookery at Fortuna Bay, South Georgia.
Onward!
It was hard leaving those windy green
sanctuaries in the “middle of nowhere”
with their old whaling stations such as
Gritvyken and Leith. But, Antarctica beckoned …
Before seeing the continent itself, we
passed Elephant Island with its improbable-looking bronze statue rearing from
the snow. Cutting the engines, Captain
Hårvik explained it commemorates one of
Antarctica’s luckiest rescues in the annals
of its early exploration. In 1915-16, crew
from explorer Sir Ernest Shackleton’s icebound ship Endurance somehow survived
135 harrowing days, sheltering from the
elements beneath two lifeboats right here,
before being rescued.
Finally: Antarctica itself
Marvelling, we voyaged further into this
land of superlatives. In small groups we hiked,
kayaked, some of us swam, and a lucky 19 of
us tented overnight at Neko Harbour.
Imagine breathtaking glaciers of blue
ice descending 2000-metre jagged peaks
into the ocean … icebergs the height of a
tall ship and breadth of a football field ...
pack ice floating in jigsaw patterns, some
with penguins, leopard or crabeater seals
on board, hitching a ride. Truly, Antarctica
wows the soul.
The many international Antarctic Research Stations are also intriguing, where
scientists research such phenomena as
climate change. They showed off their
compact quarters – and sold books, pins,
stamps and postcards.
Best part?
Possibly the Lemaire Channel, aka “Kodak Gap” because it’s so incredibly photogenic. With towering peaks and ‘bergs
crowding its narrow passage (1,600 metres
not including ice) whatever its mood, the
Lemaire is magical. While our misty morning voyage through it resembled an ominous
scene from Lord of the Rings, when we
arrived at Vernadsky, our southernmost destination, the day transformed. Sunlight and
blue sky, breathtakingly clear azure water,
plus icebergs, growlers and lofty mountains
jostled for attention. What an unforgettable
backdrop to our two-hour kayak.
One Norwegian on board said this was
her third Antarctic expedition with Hurtigruten. Initially, this surprised me.
Now? I completely understand.
For more information visit hurtigruten.
com; iaato.org
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8/6/2013 11:20:39 AM

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