Issue 35 - Black Business Initiative

Transcription

The Periodical of the Black Business Initiative
Bruce
Johnson
City Drug Store
Also in this Issue
• BBI Directory Launch
• BBI Wins Award
• Jam On Records
• More Successful
Entrepreneurs
Winter 2007 u Number 35
“A dynamic and vibrant Black presence within
the Nova Scotia Business Community.”
Black to Business
Message from the Board of Directors
Message from the Board
1
essage from the
M
Chief Executive Officer
2
Cover Story
3
BI 10th Anniversary
B
Celebrations
4
Saint Mary’s Student
5
Mahoganey Marcial
6
City Drug Store
Serving Customers since 1958
Awarded Rhodes Scholarship
Events Specialists
7
Kicking out music left and right
New Offering
8
CULTURE BEAT
9
Black Busines Community
Investment Fund
TroBiz Cleans Up At Awards
Oil of Life 11
Phyllistein Gibson
BBI Annual Business Awards
12
Nominations Open
BBI’s Annual Directory Launch
13
RBC Financial Group
14
Trailblazers
15
Announcement
Senior Executives – Leading the Way
New Faces at the BBI
16
Business Forum-Groups RRSPs
17
Soaps, bath products & lingerie
18
...a winning combination
People & Businesses on the Move 19
New Economic Development
Organization for HRM
21
Ask the BBI 22
BBI Stats BBI 2006 Training Schedule
BBI Wins Award Community Calander 22
23
24
25
What is Blue Ocean Strategy?
Regional Reports
Business Development
8
Central
10
Northern
17
Business is Jammin’
23
Mailed under Canada Post Publications Mail
Sales Agreement no. 1599402
Cassandra Dorrington, Chair, Black Business Initiative
ties for both levels of government, it is
incumbent upon BBI to lay the foundation for ongoing sustainability of
its operations to support and facilitate
the growth of the Black business community.
Paul Adams
In this Issue
Jam On Records
Winter 2007
What is our sustainable strategy?
Our sustainable strategy encourages
a broader base of activity to support
and facilitate the growth of a vibrant
Black community. This strategy lays
the foundation for BBI’s sustainability
through
the creation and utilization
ith the advent of 2007, the
of
a
number
of autonomous business
Black Business Initiative
entities
for
the
purposes of generat(BBI) is in its eleventh year
ing
revenue
in
support of ongoing BBI
of operations. In our first 10 years
operations.
These
entities encompass
of business, BBI achieved much sucBIJ
(Business
Is
Jammin’),
BBC (Black
cess amidst a great deal of work and
Business
Consulting),
BBE
(Black
activities from an incredible group
Business
Enterprises)
and
BBCIF
(Black
or people, including board members,
Business
Community
Investment
staff and stakeholders. Whether we
Fund) and were established last year.
are looking at the number of new
It
is our goal this year to ensure they
businesses started, the number of
are
fully functioning.
people employed, or simply the
growth of our client base, BBI can be
To date, a number of activities have
incredibly proud of the accomplishments to date. Given these statistics, been completed and BBI is well on the
way towards implementing the stratthe evolving business environment
egy.
This transition can be evidenced
and the potential of exciting things
through
a sampling of recent activito come, BBI has raised the bar for
ties.
BIJ
has
applied for and received a
its future success.
charitable number, hence, donations
As 2007 unfolds, a primary focus for received by BIJ will lay the foundation
BBI will be the successful implemen- for the roll-out of additional youthfocused programs. Under the auspices
tation of our sustainable strategy.
of
BBC, a project management comBBI was funded for its first five years
pany
has been established for the
under the Cooperation Agreement
purpose
of increasing the Black busibetween the Government of Canada
nesses
contributions
in the construcand the Government of Nova Scotia
tion
sector.
and continues to be funded by both
the provincial and federal governBBCIF is in its fourth offering and for
ments. As we look at our future of
those interested in investing in the
continued business growth, and
given the many competing priori-
W
continued on page 10>
Black to Business is the official periodical of
The Black Business Initiative and is published quarterly spring, summer, fall, and winter. Its goal is to support the
BBI as it fosters a dynamic and vibrant Black presence
within the Nova Scotia Business Community.
1575 Brunswick Street,
Halifax, Nova Scotia B3J 2G1
Phone: 902-426-2224 Fax: 902-426-6530
Toll Free: 1-800-668-1010
E-Mail: [email protected] Web Site: www.bbi.ns.ca
For Advertising Information, Rates, Submitting
Stories, Notices or Community Events,
or for More Information,
call: 902-426-2224
The Black Business Initiative
Published by: the Black Business Initiative
Editor in Chief: Rustum Southwell
Design & Layout: Design North
Production by: Mirabliss Media Productions
Cover Photograph: contributed
Black to Business
Winter 2007
Message From The Chief Executive Officer
Peter Marsman
S. I. Rustum Southwell
O
n Sunday, November 12,
2006, I stood in line at
the World Trade Centre in
Halifax, Nova Scotia, waiting to
register for the Global Microcredit
Summit. I was completely
immersed in the sense of excitement and purpose among the first
delegates to register on a pleasant
fall day. Between 2,000 and 3,000
delegates from 106 countries had
registered to attend. The level of
excitement and anticipation was
heightened by the presence of
Muhammad Yunus, Nobel Laureate
for 2006. It will be his first public
appearance since the announcement of his Nobel Peace Prize.
The Black Business Initiative (BBI)
was proud to be part of the host
committee among several others
from Nova Scotia, and we were
also pleased with the work of Sam
Daley Harris and his team from
Washington. Delegates at the conference included dignitaries and
politicians from several countries
and principalities, among them
Queen Sofia of Spain. The microcredit practitioners gathered to
support the poorest of the poor in
the world and to compare notes on
best practices and to set new goals
in the alleviation of poverty worldwide.
Wayn Hamilton of the Office
of African Nova Scotian Affairs
(ANSA) used the opportunity to
organize and facilitate a round-
table discussion to mark the occasion. The session was held in
partnership with the Council of
African Canadian Education (CACE)
and BBI with invited Community
Economic Development partners
from around the province and several delegates from the Caribbean,
West Africa and Samoa. ANSA also
hosted stakeholders in two sessions
– the first one on cultural tourism
on behalf of the Valley Africa Nova
Scotian Development Association
(VANSDA) and the second with
the African Nova Scotian Music
Association (ANSMA).
Muhammad Yunus and the
Grameen Bank in Bangladesh is
one of the larger examples of what
is now called “Social Enterprises”.
These enterprises create wealth and
spend it in a responsible way. The
movement is growing worldwide
and, although not very prominent
in the Atlantic Provinces, Western
Canada led by British Columbia,
Quebec and Ontario are seeing growth in such enterprises.
Essentially a social enterprise uses
the market economy to create profit
and reinvest it back into its community or specific cause. In a way,
co-operatives like the credit union
movement would fit in this category.
BBI by its mandate falls into
the concept of social enterprises.
Cassandra Dorrington will be leading the organization as the sustainable strategy is implemented. It is
the BBI’s number one priority during 2007. After almost four years of
design, development and planning,
we are now ready to deliver on the
strategy. The engine which will run
this enterprise is in the final stages
of implementation; it is a novel
composite structure which allows us
to use all available means to help
Black Business succeed.
The third quarter is generally when
the BBI staff and Board go on their
annual strategic retreats. For the
first time, the Chair invited several
guests to participate. Representatives
of the Office of African Nova
Scotian Affairs, Nova Scotia
Business Incorporated, Blue Water
Business Development Corporation,
Greater Halifax Partnership, and
Nova Scotia Association of Regional
Development Authorities provided
valuable input to our plans. When
these Board priorities are translated
into activities, the business plan for
the staff makes for a very busy year.
We congratulate all winners of
the African Nova Scotian Music
Association awards event held in
October 2006. In particular special
recognition goes to Yvonne Marshall
and Jam-on records the winner of
the BBI’s Development Award.
On the topic of awards and rewards,
Barbara Manning and IT Interactive
was one of eight companies in Nova
Scotia approved for funding under
the Atlantic Innovation Fund. The
project, with total estimated costs
of approximately $3.2 million, will
receive up to $2 million from the
Atlantic Innovation Fund over two
years. The objective of this project is
to develop the necessary technologies to add the personalization feature to a current local search engine
research project: Genieknows.com.
Another award is the Acadia
University President’s Entrepreneurial
Award. The recipient is an entrepreneur and innovator who has
enjoyed world-wide success. Dr.
Abdullah Kirumira has incorporated
concern for community and social
benefits with the development of his
groundbreaking rapid HIV test. He
has worked to educate society about
HIV while his biochemical companies have helped the local economy
thrive. Dr. Kirumira is currently the
President and CEO of Biomedica
Diagnostic Systems in Windsor,
Nova Scotia.
Black to Business
City
Drug
Store
Winter 2007
Carol Dobson
“Serving Customers since 1952”
“When you live in a small community, there’s lots of
opportunities to become involved,” Bruce Johnson, of
City Drug Store in Yarmouth, says. “There are more
chances to do things you really like to do and, once
you’ve become involved with a small organization,
you find yourself involved for a long time.
Johnson is finishing his final
year as a member of the Black
Business Initiative’s Board
of Directors. He’s also active
in the Community Business
Development Association, the
hospice association, the local
literacy association and, oh,
in the winter, he likes to shoot
some hoops in a local basketball
league.
“One board just naturally leads
to another,” he says.
That’s in addition to his day job
as the pharmacist/owner of the
City Drug Store in downtown
Yarmouth. The last few years
have been challenging for small
businesses in the town. The loss
of the Scotia Prince ferry for the
2004 season – cutting off a longestablished link with Portland,
Maine – meant that Yarmouth’s
Main Street became a highway
for cars landing at the dock and
leaving town immediately or
heading straight through town
to make the ferry to Bar Harbour
on time. As a result, hotels, restaurants, and retailers really felt
the pinch.
“There have been more tourists
here than last year,” he says.
“But, we’re not seeing the same
state of affairs we had 10 or 15
years ago. There’s a big difference without the Scotia Prince.
They used to bring people in
who just came over for the weekend. They’d stay in town and
patronize the local businesses.
You’d see them shopping on
Main Street.”
He says the town is fighting back
by trying to attract people from
the area to come to Yarmouth.
The town itself has a population
of 8,000 but there are 70,000
within an hour’s drive. So,
they’re holding special events on
weekends ranging from shark
derbies to ocean races.
Like many other retailers in a
downtown core, he’s also facing competition from the large
national and international
chains that have opened up
along Starr’s Road.
City Drug Store has been in
business since 1952 and, as a
result, is serving the children,
grandchildren, and even greatgrandchildren of the original
patrons. Johnson also has
contracts to serve area nursing homes. Now that the baby
boomers are starting to come of
age, he’s seeing them coming
in for their blood pressure medications and other age-related
items.
Service at City Drug Store has
moved beyond filling prescriptions and selling everything
from sunscreen and school supplies to walkers. A nurse holds
clinics twice a week to check
blood pressure and glucose levels along with foot care. People
can also come to the store for
injections of a wide variety of
drugs including the hepatitis
vaccine and Depo-Provera.
“If someone is newly diagnosed
as a diabetic, we like to work
one on one with them to help
them adjust. We’ll talk to them
about their medication, diet
and exercise routines – anything to get them back on the
road to health again,” says
Johnson.
In the middle of everything,
he took on store renovations.
But, what does he do when he’s
not serving customers or serving on a myriad of community
boards?
“Well, sometimes I like to get
out and play a little golf.”
Black to Business
Winter 2007
BBI 10th Anniversary
Celebrations
Wolfville Celebrates
Amherst Celebrates
by: Julius Kanyamunyu
by: Godfrey Frank, RBDM
Robert Ffrench and Rustum Southwell
Members from CANSA and BBI board and staff
The Black Business Initiative (BBI) held one of its
tenth Anniversary celebrations at the Old Orchard
Inn in Wolfville on November 20, 2006. Close to
40 people attended, which included a reception, a
presentation from the BBI staff, some speeches and
an award presentation and a question and answer
period.
The Black Business Initiative (BBI) in partnership with the
Cumberland African Nova Scotian Association (CANSA)
held a reception at the Wandlyn Inn in Amherst on
December 11, 2006, as part of the BBI’s 10th Anniversary
celebrations in the regions.
As the manager in charge of this region, I coordinated the event, while the presentations were made
by two of the BBI’s Regional Business Development
Managers: Evan Williams and Godfrey Frank.
Rustum Southwell, BBI’s CEO was also on hand to
talk about the progress the BBI has made over the
last 10 years. He compared the BBI’s support model to
a ladder. He said those who wanted to get to the top
need only climb and how fast they did so, depended
on them.
Paul Walter, one of BBI’s first and lifetime board
members talked about the growth of the organization
as well. Robert Ffrench, the Executive Director of the
Valley African Nova Scotian Development Association
(VANSDA), spoke about the value of partnerships and
how the BBI and VANSDA have been able to work
together. He noted that the BBI continues to support the Black community in the business area, and
supports and encourages young people through the
Business is Jammin’ (BIJ) program.
The night ended with an award presentation by
Rustum Southwell to Robert Ffrench of VANSDA for
outstanding partnership. The floor was then opened
up to questions and comments from the audience.
The presence of other lifetime board members,
Geraldine Browning and Dr. Rudolph Ffrench was
About 60 people attended including the Hon. Murray Scott,
Minister of Justice, Gerry Hallee, Mayor of Amherst, Deputy
Mayor George Baker, and local and county councilors.
The community was well represented by the Chairman
Brian Martin and board members of CANSA, business
owners, senior community members, and a representative
from the Amherst Daily News. The BBI was represented by
board members Jocelyn Dorrington and Shirley LeveringRobinson and staff members Julius Kanyamunyu, Evan
Williams and Godfrey Frank.
The room was well arranged and was decorated in keeping with the festive season. The evening took the format
of a reception followed by the formal presentation session.
Participants really enjoyed the reception and were able
to mingle and meet with friends and new acquaintances,
exchanging greetings of the season. The food and drink
were delicious. We made the best effort in presenting a very
professional presentation of high standard; Julius and Evan
really did an excellent job in making the presentation on
Black to Business
Winter 2007
Saint Mary’s Student
YOUTH ON Paul Fitzgerald
Awarded Rhodes Scholarship
THE MOVE
Story written and submitted by
Public Affairs Department,
Saint Mary’s University, Halifax, NS.
Photo Courtesy Saint Mary’s University
Political Science and Economics
and a minor in International
Development Studies (IDS).
“The Rhodes will allow me to focus
entirely on my graduate studies in
a fertile and world-renown learning
environment. I can’t wait to begin,”
he says.
Jarda’s research interests he will pursue as a Rhodes Scholar will probe
relations between developed and
developing countries in terms of foreign policy and nation building.
O
livier Jarda, a student
at Saint Mary’s University, is one of only two
students from the Maritimes to
be selected as a 2007 Rhodes
Scholar.
The Rhodes Trust Scholarship
Selection Committee made the official announcement this morning that
the 22 year-old native from Moncton,
New Brunswick (NB) has received
the prestigious award that will allow
him to study for up to three years at
Oxford University — one of the most
widely esteemed academic institutions in the world.
Rhodes Scholarships, created in 1902
by the will of British philanthropist
Cecil Rhodes, provide recipients
study at the graduate level at Oxford
University in England. Recipients are
selected on the basis of high academic achievement, personal integrity,
leadership potential and physical
vigor, among other attributes.
“For me, being a Rhodes Scholar is
an opportunity of a lifetime and I
am grateful to have been selected,”
says Jarda, who is a student completing his Bachelor of Arts (Honours)
Degree, with a double major in
He is currently working on his
Honours Thesis at Saint Mary’s,
and this lengthy research paper will
explore Canada’s foreign policy in
Haiti.
He has a 3.93 Grade Point Average
(GPA) and has been extremely
active as a student since coming to
the University in the Fall of 2001.
He currently serves as Editor-inChief of The Journal Newspaper at
Saint Mary’s, one of Canada’s oldest
student newspapers, and he is also
member of the University’s Track
and Field Varsity Team.
This year, he was named a CIS AllCanadian. In 2005-2006, he was
elected by the students to serve
as the Vice-President of Academic
for the Saint Mary’s University
Students Association (SMUSA).
He has also served as an Official
Student Representative for the Board
of Governors and the Academic
Senate. Last year, he was instrumental in the Model United Nations
Conference held in New York City,
NY, USA.
He also is the singer and bass player
with a familiar Indie rock band in
Canada, Turnstiles.
“Saint Mary’s has given me so many
wonderful opportunities, both in
and outside the classroom,” he says.
“As the University’s vision statement
asserts of its students, I see myself as
an aspiring citizen of the world. This
chance to study abroad will allow
me to gain a true international perspective.”
He credits a number of people who
were instrumental in aiding him
through the Rhodes Scholarship process. These individuals include Dr.
John Young, Chemistry Department,
Dr. Marc Doucet, Political Science
Department, and Dr. Leonard
Preyra, Political Science Department
and Member of the Legislative
Assembly (MLA) for Nova Scotia for
Halifax-Citadel.
Dr. Terry Murphy, Vice-President
(Academic and Research) at Saint
Mary’s, has congratulated Jarda on
behalf of the entire University community. “Olivier is a person who
embodies the true global citizen,”
says Dr. Murphy. “He is a promising
scholar, and is an individual who
believes in social justice and community building, and these attributes
will serve Olivier well at Oxford
University and beyond.”
Jarda indicates that while he is humbled over being named a Rhodes
Scholar, he is also pleased to now
be joining the ranks of some people
he truly admires like Rex Murphy, a
commentator on The National (CBC)
and columnist with The Globe and
Mail, and Kris Kristofferson, a widely
acclaimed international musician.
Saint Mary’s University is known
for its community outreach projects, both in Canada and around
the world. Saint Mary’s, founded in
1802, is home to one of Canada’s
leading business schools, a Science
Faculty widely known for its cutting-edge research, a comprehensive
and innovative Arts Faculty and a
vibrant Faculty of Graduate Studies
and Research.
B2B Editor’s note: Article appeared in SMU
newsletter, Dec. 2006.
Black to Business
Winter 2007
Mahoganey Marcial
Events Specialists
Shauntay Grant
Paul Adams
going to be a doctor
– that was my goal since
I was younger.”
Marcial grew up
in Saint John, New
Brunswick. She moved
to Halifax seven years
ago. And while studying kinesiology at
Dalhousie University,
she organized events on
the side.
Mahoganey Marcial
“Thank you everybody for
coming to the wedding –
however, this is by invite only.”
Event planner Mahoganey Marcial
smiles remembering one of many
demanding scenarios she’s had to
deal with in her line of work.
“If you did not receive an invitation
please kindly take the door. Thank
you for coming.”
Two years ago Marcial started
Mahoganey Marcial Events
Specialists, a company that helps
people source the things needed to
run an effective event – finding the
best venue, the best pricing, putting
together a work plan, etc. But when it
comes to event management, Marcial
says you never really know what’s in
store.
“You watch clients break down in
front of you,” says Marcial. “They cry,
and they are stressed when they see
the one or two things they have to
do.”
The resolution? “You do it for them
– that’s my job,” she says.
Managing weddings and corporate
events hasn’t always been Marcial’s
career goal. “I always thought I was
“I’ve been doing events
since I got out of high
school in ’97,” says
Marcial. “The first event I did was
a fundraiser for the Saint John
Regional Hospital – I was in charge
of helping to tally the money, and
bring in volunteers for the event.
Then I started doing the university
circuit – (organizing) events and
information sessions, things like
that. I just always thought that I
had a cool job to pay for school. But
I never thought you could actually
plan events for a living.”
But Marcial’s knack for event planning seemed to follow her at every
turn.
“I worked in disability management
for the Public Service Commission
my first year out of university, as
a kinesioligist,” says Marcial. “The
majority of my role was case management and developing a program.
I developed a program for people
to get back to work, and planned
events for the government – I
did their IWK campaign, African
Heritage Month events, Ecology
Action … and (during that time)
I also took a wedding consulting
course to start planning weddings
on the side. When it hit me that I
don’t care about blood cell counts
and what I learned in kinesiology,
but that I was more interested in
putting together the perfect presentation for your client, I realized that
I was obviously looking at the wrong
(career).”
Marcial says planning weddings and
corporate events is truly her calling.
“When it comes to weddings, I’m one
of only (a few) wedding consultants
in the city that have actually trained
to become wedding consultants. And
as an event planner, I have a state of
the art system that will help manage
tasks and timelines. I also have a high
level of registration software that’s
not available everywhere – I can put
your event online, help you generate
tickets, and I also have the capabilities to generate e-mails to your potential guests and track who opens what,
who checks what, who’s decided to
look for more information, and who
decides to register for your event.”
A lot to keep track of. But Marcial says
having excellent organizational skills
and great patience are crucial to this
line of work.
“You have to have major patience,
and great self-control. It doesn’t matter what goes wrong – you fix it, and
keep things on schedule.”
And the bonus for her clients – they
can relax and enjoy their own event.
“I like to say that they can be a guest
at their own event,” says Marcial. “Let
somebody else do the work and you
get the credit for it.”
Mahoganey Marcial
Event Specialists
P 902.404.3469
F 902.404.3468
Toll Free 877.404.3469 (outside HRM)
[email protected]
www.eventspecialists.ca
Black to Business
Winter 2007
Jam On Records
Peter Marsman
Kicking out music left and right
Chad Lucas
Beginning.” The
disc has already
met with success,
garnering Howe
three African
Nova Scotian
Music Awards for
artist of the year,
best hip-hop artist and rising star.
(See Culture Beat
feature in this
magazine)
For some performers, moving
behind the scenes
to run a label might be a daunting
task. But Marshall says it’s a comfortable role for her – though there’s
always more to learn.
Yvonne “Muzz” Marshall , Jam On Records
P
laying around in the
summer of 2005 with
some of her favourite
musicians and collaborators, the ideas flying around
the room, singer-songwriter
Yvonne “Muzz” Marshall had
a thought: It was time to be
recording these songs, on their
terms.
“We were kicking out music left and
right,” Marshall says. “We got into
a lyrical frenzy – we were up for four
days, sitting around, everybody just
doing their thing. It was from there
that I sat back and said, ‘We need to
do something with this.’”
Marshall secured a start-up fund
from the Nova Scotia Department
of Tourism and Culture. From there,
Jam On Records was born.
Marshall is the sole proprietor, but
she describes Jam On as a partnership with many of the people she’s
worked closely with over the years,
including Coleman Howe, Sebastian
“Sebby” Joseph, and hip-hop artist/
producer Tremayne “Trobiz” Howe.
The independent label released its
first recording last fall, Trobiz’s “The
“I have the knowledge to do the
business part, because of the nature
of my day job,” says Marshall, who
works in administration in the nursing department at Northwood Care
Facility. “I’m very comfortable (with
the business aspect). I know a lot
about the music business; however,
there’s always something to learn.
You don’t know it all.”
often more difficult for me in the
business world. But I have to say the
industry has been very accepting of
us.”
Marshall may be more focused on
the business aspect of music now,
but she isn’t leaving the microphone
behind. She’ll perform with Trobiz
at the East Coast Music Awards
in Halifax in February and at
Canadian Music Week in Toronto
in March, and she has her own CD
– “Soul Serious” – due out on the Jam
On label sometime in 2007.
She’s also gathering – and looking for – songs from local artists
to release a compilation. It’s her
ultimate goal with Jam On Records
to introduce Nova Scotia’s finest talent to a national and international
audience.
“I would like to leave a mark saying,
‘She didn’t just sing,’” Marshall says.
“The main goal is to get the music
heard. As a musician and a vocalist it’s always about the music first,
everything else is secondary.”
Marshall brings a wealth of experience to Jam On Records. She has
shared the stage with the likes of
Martha Reeves, Mavis Staples and
Sister Sledge. Last year, a song she
co-wrote with Coleman Howe called
“Never Too Late” placed second in
the soul/R&B category of Billboard’s
13th annual world song competition.
She says the combination of what
she’s learned from the stage and the
“nine-to-five” world gives her what it
takes to run a record label.
“I’m really pushy,” Marshall says,
only half-joking. “People tend to
like me and they don’t get offended
by my pushiness, but I need to get
things done. Being a woman, it’s
Phone: (902) 431-2011
Cell: (902) 401-1636
[email protected]
www.jamonrecords.com
Black to Business
BUSINESS
DEVELOPMENT
REPORT
Winter 2007
New Offering
Gordon Doe
Black Busines Community Investment Fund
Gordon Doe
Happy new year to everyone, and
may 2007 be a very prosperous
year for you.
It is always exciting to announce
the launch of a new share offering
in our Community Investment
Fund. It is an opportunity for all
to support a community-based
initiative that has an excellent
mandate and provides immediate
and potential long-term benefits to
Nova Scotians. Here is even more
good news; the tax credit benefit
has improved. Read more about
the fund and recent changes in this
issue of Black to Business or on our
website at www.bbi.ca.
The CEDIF helped to fund the Bin
Doctor and its bin liner products
can now be purchased in Wal-Mart
stores. This is a big achievement
and we congratulate the Bin
Doctor.
Our research on the Black
construction sector is in the
final stages. Though the level
of participation was not as much
as we had hoped for, we believe
the findings are representative of
the sector and we are, currently
formulating strategies to support
the long-term growth of the
industry. Our focus is two fold: first,
to encourage skills development
and certification, and second, to
create a strategy that promotes job
creation and proper financing.
Again have a prosperous 2007,
and call 902-426-6985 if you
wish to take advantage of the
Community Investment Fund.
Once again the opportunity
to increase your investment in
the Black Business Community
Investment Fund Ltd. (BBCIFL)
is here, and I am happy to
announce that the government’s
tax credit support for this investment has increased. Let me take
the opportunity to update you
on this.
Revised Equity Tax Credit
Benefits to Shareholders
The recent changes to the Equity
Tax Act mean that shareholders will
receive an additional 30 percent
tax credit if they choose to hold the
shares for another 10 years after the
revised mandatory five-year holding period. The tax benefit timeline
below illustrates the amount and
timing of the up to 60% tax credit
investors can expect. Visit www.bbi.ca
for additional information.
Other Changes
•The holding period requirement
for new investments has been increased to five years for new investments. Old investments still have a four-year holding period.
•The 20 percent provincial
guarantee for out-of-Metro
investments has been
eliminated.
Current Offering
Our ongoing objective is to grow the
fund to such a level that it becomes
self-sustaining and large enough
to serve average-size Black-owned
companies. So we invite you to take
advantage of our current offering.
Our target during this 2007 season
(which ends on March 1) is to raise
at least $100,000. The share price is
$100 per share and the minimum
investment is $500 for five shares.
Again, remember that the core benefits of investing in the fund include:
•You will receive up to 60 percent
NS tax credit.
•You can use funds already in your RRSP, and still receive up to a maximum 60 percent tax credit.
•Your investment is eligible for inclusion in a self-directed RRSP.
•Over the long term, you’ll receive
a return based on the performance of the ventures the Fund invests in.
•You are investing in your
community’s future.
Remember that we are available for
one-on-one or group information
sessions on this investment opportunity. So take advantage of the up to
60 percent provincial tax benefit by
investing now.
Tax Benefit
Timeline
Contact Gordon Doe at 902-426-6985
or by e-mail at [email protected] for information on
how to invest and to host one of our
home-based discussions.
Black to Business
Winter 2007
TroBiz Cleans Up At Awards
Hip-hop artist takes home three trophies from
Dean Lisk
African Nova Scotian Music Awards
Paul Adams
the organization was
founded to promote
the music industry
and award those
involved in it.
“We felt there was
not a real opportunity for African Nova
Scotian musicians,”
he said. “A lot of
them were not taking it seriously. They
were playing in bars,
TroBiz receives an award at the ANSMA Awards Show,
but they were not
October 28, 2006
recording or getting
involved
in
the
industry.”
ip-hop artist TroBiz said
H
getting any kind of recognition, let alone the three
awards he got at last night’s
African Nova Scotian Music
Awards, is enough for him.
“I was really surprised, I was more
focused on performing tonight,” said
the 32-year-old, who received the rising
star, artist of the year, and hip-hop artist awards.
TroBiz, whose real name is Tremayne
Howe, wasn’t even in Casino Nova
Scotia’s Schooner Showroom when
his first award was announced to the
audience of more than 300. It included Lieutenant-Governor Mayann E.
Francis.
“Now, this is what happens when you
try to be on time with an award show,”
said gospel singer Charla Williams,
who hosted the show with Cole
Harbour High School vice-principal
Robert Upshaw.
Took awhile
“Thank God for giving me the power
to get up and do this everyday,” said
TroBiz, when he did make it onstage
for his second award. Last night was
the ninth year the African Nova
Scotian Music Association honoured
musicians within its community.
Association president Lou Gannon said
He said the first award dinner was
attended by 100 people. Over the
years it blossomed into an award show
held at Alderney Landing. Last night
marked the first time the event was
held at the Casino.
Along with the awards show, the event
included a series of performances
by artists including Harvey Millar,
Shoulder-to-Shoulder, Asia & Nu Gruv,
and gospel group The Deep River Boys,
who had the audience out of their
seats and clapping along.
The ceremony was also an opportunity
to honour musicians from the community’s past, including Ink Spots member - and North Preston-born Roland
Simmonds.
He received the Music Heritage Award.
“Thank each and every one of you,”
said Simmonds before picking up his
guitar and singing Kansas City. “From
the bottom of my heart, many thanks
go out to you; from the top of my
heart, the same thing.”
Grateful
He took time to thank his family, who
he noted rolled out the red carpet each
time he came home to visit.
“You didn’t have to do it, but thank
you for it.”
Reprinted by Permission / Copyright © 2007 The Halifax Daily News
Also honoured last night was Carl
(Sleepy) Thomas, who received the
Music Pioneer Award for his long
career as a jazz musician.
“It is a special pleasure to have her
here,” he said of the lieutenant governor, adding she helped inspire him
to be a musician. He also apologized
for not having a six-pack, like TroBiz
- who prominently flashes his in
promo pictures.
“There is one there, under the pizzas
and donairs,” said Thomas, rubbing
his stomach.
And the Winners are:
Here are the winners of the ninth
annual African Nova Scotian Music
Awards, which were handed out at
Casino Nova Scotia;
Up and Coming Youth Award:
P. Cain
Galaxie Rising Star Award:
TroBiz
Artist/Group of the Year:
TroBiz
Best R & B Artist/Group:
Asia & Nu Gruv
Best Gospel Artist/Group:
Marko Simmonds
Best Album of the Year:
Everything, by Shane C.
Best Hip-Hop Artist/Group:
TroBiz
Best Live Performance:
Asia & Nu Gruv
Music Pioneer Award:
Carl (Sleepy) Thomas
Development Award:
Jam On Records
Music Heritage Award:
Roland J Simmonds
Black to Business
10
Message from the
Board of Directors
Message from the
Chief Executive Officer
continued from page 1
growth of the Black business community, contact Gordon Doe or the BBI
for additional information on how to
make your dollars work for you. In
BBCIF’s short history, they have made
a mark on the business environment
by taking equity positions in a select
number of Black owned businesses.
As we move through 2007, you can
expect to see continued emergence of
new Black businesses with a particular
emphasis on those in non-traditional
sectors. You can also expect to see
continued success and exposure of our
African Nova Scotian business leaders. Congratulations to IT Interactive
Services for your recognition and
funding from the Atlantic Canada
Opportunities Agency’s (ACOA)
Innovative Fund.
From an operational perspective, we
have been delighted by both the talent and the commitment of our staff
members. As BBI changes and evolves,
we continue to see evidence of exciting new talent on staff. BBI wishes to
welcome Bernard Elwin, Shawn Smith
and Dorothy Fletcher and at the same
time, we wish to thank Godfrey Frank
and Beverley Parker for their many
contributions to the organization and
we wish them well.
In closing, let me say, while it is hard
to top the successes of the past, BBI is
at a new stage in its sustainable strategy. There are new plateaus to reach
and new challenges to conquer. Given
the focus and talent of the BBI board,
staff, client base and other stakeholders, I am confident of BBI’s bright
future and look forward to another
incredible year.
Stay tuned for more exciting updates
as BBI continues to fulfill its mandate
to foster the growth of businesses
owned by members of the Nova Scotia
Black community.
Cassandra Dorrington, Chair
BBI and its partners congratulate
these hidden gems in our business
community. Let’s use their examples
to build on past successes. And keep
track of business potential in developments like the Commonwealth
Games Bid Committee and the
merger of the Halifax Regional
Authority and Greater Halifax
Partnership in our line of sight.
We ended 2006 with the Christmas
social and the release of 2007
Directory. It was special this year
because we added a little extra
celebration because of the 10
years of operations. Tenth anniversary events were also celebrated in
Wolfville (in partnership with Valley
African Nova Scotian Development
Association) and Amherst (in partnership with Cumberland African
Nova Scotian Association). Members
of the community in these areas
were given an update of results and
services of the BBI. We thank those
who attended and the Regional
Managers for putting the events
together.
On the operations front, we say
farewell to Beverley Parker, Godfrey
Frank and Melanie Clark, who have
completed contracts with us and we
thank them for their service. And
we welcome aboard new permanent staff members Shawn Smith,
Bernard Elwin and Dorothy Fletcher.
Once again, as we begin a new calendar year and end the final quarter
of our business year, we wish you
a prosperous and entrepreneurial 2007. I speak for the volunteer
Board of Directors and the staff of
the BBI when I say we are here to
help anyone interested in going into
business to succeed.
S.I. Rustum Southwell, CEO
Winter 2007
REGIONAL
REPORT
Central
Evan
Williams
I want to congratulate Muzz
Marshall, owner of Jam On Records
for hosting two successful CD launch
parties for signed artist Trobiz’s
new album “The Beginning”.
These events were well received
in Liverpool and Halifax. To learn
more about Jam on Records see
their website at www.jamonrecords.
com . You can also read the story in
this issue of Black to Business.
I was able to attend BBI’s 10th
anniversary events in Wolfville and
Amherst recently. I want to say
thank you to all for your support
and feedback. There will be events
in Truro on February 8th and Sydney
February 12th.
This will be my last Northern Report.
Bernard Elwin of Sydney will be the
new Regional Business Development
Manager for the northern region.
All inquiries from Pictou, Antigonish
and Guysborough counties and
Cape Breton should now go to
Bernard at (902) 426-8688 or by
e-mail at: [email protected]
I will now be the regional manager
for the central region. I want to
thank everyone in the northern
region for your support, guidance
and cooperation.
To book a central regional visit
please contact me at:
(902) 426-6692 or
1-800-668-1010 or by email @
[email protected].
Black to Business
11
Winter 2007
Oil of Life
Phyllistein Gibson
Carol Dobson
contributed
That led her on a journey to become
certified in colonics and to start
teaching the procedure to others.
She’s travelled extensively to Texas,
Utah, Florida, and Ontario, among
other locations, obtaining training in a wide variety of alternative
health care practices.
Phyllistein Gibson
U
sing essential oils for
healing purposes goes
back into the mists of
time. Think back to Biblical
days, to the frankincense and
myrrh brought by the Magi, to
the oils used to anoint Christ’s
feet, and to the spices which
were brought to the tomb that
first Easter morning.
Phyllistein Gibson has been exploring the magic of essential oils for
the past decade or so and uses them
in her daily life as a health care
practitioner. Since last April, she
has operated a clinic in Kentville
where she specializes in a number
of alternative therapies including aromatherapy, reike, and
colonics. She also offers courses
in colonics, ‘Vita Flex/Reflexology
and Aromatherapy’, and Rainbow
Therapy featuring essential oils. Her
quest for knowledge started when
her mother became ill.
“I happened to see something in
the paper about colonics so I went
to the local health food store and
asked about it,” Gibson says.
She uses Young Living Essential
Oils in her practice for a number
of things. “They’re beautiful oils,”
she says. “They can be used for
stress reduction, to help with cancer
treatments, for colon and prostate
problems. You can cook with them,
use them in facials or auricular
therapy.”
“My mother was the guinea pig
when I was learning. But, I believe
that without these treatments she
would be dead. So, that’s why I
named my company Oil of Life.”
“I’ve been very blessed
health care plans covering some
treatments, such as massage.
Gibson sees its acceptance first
hand from members of the medical profession. She’s trained a
Registered Nurse from New
Brunswick in colonics and has a
physician as a regular client for
either massage therapy or colonics.
But, she admits there is more to be
done.
She’s doing her part by creating
some awareness of her services
through the media. Her clinic
has been featured in articles in
the local newspaper and on both
Eastlink Cable and the CBC.
Gibson likens her experiences over
the past few years as a journey that
has been guided by her spiritual
beliefs. “I’ve been very blessed and,
whenever I’ve needed something,
the right people have fallen into
my path.”
and, whenever I’ve
needed something,
the right people have
fallen into my path.”
Currently, she has one clinic in
Kentville, located next door to the
regional hospital. She’s looking for
a site in Halifax and is also considering opening in the new Wellness
Centre near Annapolis Royal. To do
this, however, she needs staff. As
a result, she’s been talking to local
authorities, investigating whether
she might be able to offer retraining
to some of those faced with layoffs
when the poultry plant in nearby
Canning shuts down.
Alternative therapies are slowly
coming into the mainstream, with
Phyllistein Gibson
296 Lamont Road,
Kentville, Nova Scotia
[email protected]
www. oiloflife.ca
Black to Business
Winter 2007
12
Nominations open for The Black Business Initiative
A N N U A L B U S I N E S S AWA R D S
The Hector Jacques Award of Business Excellence is
awarded annually by the Board of Directors of the Black
Business Initiative to recognize demonstrated business
excellence by a company or individual within the Nova
Scotia Black Business Community.
The Black Business Initiative Society’s Entrepreneur of the
Year Award is awarded annually by the Board of Directors
of the Black Business Initiative to recognize demonstrated
business excellence by a small company or individual
within the Nova Scotia Black business community.
Who is Hector Jacques?
Who is eligible?
Hector Jacques is co-founder of Jacques Whitford, one
of North America’s largest firms of environmental
engineers, scientists and consultants focused on solving
environmental issues. He served as President and Chief
Executive Officer from the firm’s inception through more
than 30 years of exceptional growth until 2003 and is
currently Chair of the Board of Directors. An immigrant
to Canada from the former Portuguese colony of Goa,
his remarkable career as a geotechnical engineer and
entrepreneur has been an inspiration to people within
and beyond the company he nurtured.
Any established SMALL business with a minimum of
three years in operation in Nova Scotia and with at least
30 per cent Black ownership that has demonstrated a
strong business acumen and support for the community
is eligible. The award may also be made to an individual
business owner. Small business is defined as a business
that has less than $1-million in sales annually.
Among his numerous distinctions, Hector has been
awarded the Engineering Award for Distinctive
Achievement (Association of Professional Engineers
of Nova Scotia), the Beaubien Award for Distinctive
Achievement in the Practice of Engineering (Association
of Consulting Engineers), and the Canada 125
Anniversary Medal, to name only a few. He has served
on numerous regional, national and international boards
and was the first chair of the Board of Directors for BBI.
He graduated from the Indian Institute of Engineering
(Engineering) and the Technical University of Nova
Scotia (M. Eng.).
The Black Business Initiative’s vision is a dynamic and
vibrant Black presence within the Nova Scotia business community. The Hector Jacques Award of Business
Excellence serves to strengthen this goal by recognizing
the best in our business community.
Who is eligible?
Any established business with a minimum of three years
in operation in Nova Scotia and with at least 30 per cent
Black ownership that has demonstrated a strong business acumen and support for the community is eligible.
The award may also be made to an individual business
owner.
All submissions must be made by
Friday, March 30th at 5pm in writing to:
What are the criteria for consideration
for both Awards?
I. Product or service
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Description of what makes your product or
service outstanding.
Awards, honors, and recognition received.
What new approaches or technologies have been implemented?
Customer service.
Strategic direction/market position/industry impact.
Is the company a provincial, national or global player?
Made a noticeable impact in terms of job
creation, leadership and community involvement.
II. Financial performance
•
•
Revenue growth over the past three years
(as a percentage)
Projected growth plan – long-term sustainability of the business
III. Workplace excellence
•
•
Leadership/management team
Employment – jobs created, maintained, and internal promotions within your workforce,
adjusting to the demands in the market place
1575 Brunswick Street
Halifax, NS B3J 2G1
Email: [email protected]
Fax: 426-8699
BBI’s Annual Directo
by: Gordon Doe Photography: Peter Marsman
F
or the 10th year the BBI held its annual directory
launch and holiday get together. More than 150
people attended, including government, business and
community members.
The event was held on November 30, 2006, in a new venue – The
Cunard Center, Pier 23, Halifax. The evening started at 5:30, but the
networking continued past the official 8:30 p.m. end time.
Rick Cross and Starr Francis
Paul Ryan, Jason Vaillencourt, and
Jarrod Pettipas
Patricia Gallagher and Andy Rice, Global
The tenth anniversary
milestone was a big
reason for special
celebrations this year.
It was an evening of
celebrations and well
wishes. Representatives
from Atlantic Canada
Opportunities Agency
(ACOA), Nova Scotia’s
Office of Economic
Steve O’Regan, Minister Barry Barnet,
Development, Service
and Joe Parris
Canada, and the Office
of African Nova Scotian Affairs brought messages of congratulations
and encouragement. The BBI also took the opportunity to
acknowledge the support it has enjoyed from its stakeholders and
presented each sponsor of the 2006 Business Summit with a plaque.
The big and good news of the evening was when RBC announced its
$30,000 three-year support to the Business is Jammin’ (BIJ) charity.
The announcement was another vote of confidence in the BBI as RBC
positions itself as a strategic partner of the BBI. This cheque was the
first corporate donation BIJ has received since becoming a charity in
2006.
The opportunity to see and interact
with some clients who had displayed
their products was evidence the work
the BBI has been doing these 10 years.
SLIC Laser, Bin Doctor, Ruby’s Sugar
Shack, and Alysam Greeting Cards, to
name a few, were among the businesses
that displayed their wares.
Shoulder to Shoulder’s music was so
good, and to have Joe Parris, BBI’s vice
chair, add his ‘sax’ to the mix made
the sound even better. And no one
will forget the efficient services of the
caterers that evening.
Jason Vaillencourt and Robert Loppie,
The Bin Doctor
All in all, it was a very beautiful and
memorable evening. Congratulations
to BBI and all organizers of the
evening.
Gordon Doe, BBI Director
of Business Development
ory Launch
RBC Financial Group
First to Support Charity
Godfrey Frank
Geraldine Browning and Ann Divine
T
he Business is
Jammin’ (BIJ)
program of
the Black Business
Initiative received a
significant financial
boost from the RoyJoe Parris, BBI Vice-Chair
al Bank of Canada
(RBC). Greg Browning, a BBI board member and an RBC employee,
made the announcement.
The BIJ program, a flagship program of the BBI, is intended
to foster a spirit of entrepreneurship in young people so
that they can appreciate entrepreneurship as an alternative
form of employment for their skills and talent. BBI, as part
of its sustainability strategy, has created a registered charity
to assist in the raising of funds to finance its programs.
Vivian Dixon, Funmi Joseph, Tracey
Thomas, and Cynthia Dorrington
Mel Coombs (ACOA), ANSA Minister
Barry Barnet, BBI Vice-Chair Joe Parris
Shoulder To Shoulder
At the 2007 Directory Launch at Pier 23 on November 30,
2006, Greg announced that he was making the first contribution to the BIJ Charity Fund of $500, which represented
a grant from the RBC to employees who have contributed
a certain amount of time towards an organization that the
bank can assist financially. The RBC Foundation made the
second contribution. RBC strives to help successful, thriving
communities and support programs that help kids grow,
learn and prepare for their futures.
Greg said that RBC is committed to helping kids stay in
school because RBC feels it is an “investment with guaranteed returns.” He proudly said, “We look at programs
that BBI and BIJ are offering and find that these programs
provide fantastic opportunities which are in line with our
focus of helping kids stay in school so they can realize their
full potential…. Therefore, it gives me great pleasure, on
behalf of RBC and as a BBI board member, to present the
second and RBC’s donation of $10,000 to BBI and Business
is Jammin’.” He also encouraged others to give generously
to securing the future of our young people.
The donation of $10,000 represents the first installment of
a gift of $30,000 over three years from the RBC Foundation
to the Business
is Jammin’
Business
Camps.
Black to Business
Winter 2007
15
Trailblazers
5
Senior Executives – Leading the Way in Excellence
DR. JOHN MURDOCH
Juanita Peters
Paul Adams
Chief of Surgery, Dartmouth Regional Hospital
N
o one knows the meaning of hard work better
than Dr. John Murdoch. After 14 years of extensive training and many years
in the field, the Dartmouth Regional Hospital has welcomed
him as the Chief of Surgery.
Born in Antigua, Murdoch came
to Canada in 1976 and received
a bachelor’s degree from Brandon
University. He later entered
Dalhousie Medical School in 1980
and graduated in 1984. It was here
he met and married his wife, Sharon
Davis-Murdoch who was working on
an Arts Degree at Dalhousie at the
time. Today she works for the Nova
Scotia Department of Health, and
the two have one 20-year-old son
Christopher. Murdoch continued
his studies for surgical training at
Dalhousie from 1988-1993.
Dr. Murdoch says it has been a long
rewarding road. “It takes a long
time to get where you are headed
and you have to be committed at
an early age. The interaction with
patients is so rewarding. Much more
than dispensing pills. That is why I
decided to go into surgery. Having
the chance to lay your hands on
someone and change the outcome of
their disease is the most rewarding
feeling anyone could ever have.”
Dr. John Murdoch currently has an
office at 920 Cole Harbour Road, in
Dartmouth.
WAYN HAMILTON
Paul Adams
Chief Executive Officer, African Nova Scotian Affairs, Government of Nova Scotia
W
ayn Hamilton was
born in Beechville in
1960. He attended
Dalhousie University where he
received a Bachelor of Arts in
African Studies and a Bachelor
of Education with a major in
Language Arts. He also has a
Masters in Planning and Development from Guelph University.
Hamilton has spent 15 years working and living in Nigeria, Ghana
and Sierra Leone, with CUSO and
UNICEF, first as a teacher then in
community development.
When asked what his proudest moment would be, he replied,
“When I got a hug from my mom
as I was leaving for Nigeria in 1983.
She was worried but was proud of me.
Another would be when the people of
Michika in Northern Nigeria hosted a
special event to make me part of their
community. They thought after six
months I would leave, but I stayed for
three years.”
His commitment to connecting
Black Nova Scotians to the African
Diaspora is evident in his new role
as Chief Executive Officer of African
Nova Scotian Affairs. He says the
office has made great strides. A satellite office will open in Cape Breton
by the end of March with a full-time
staff of three.
“The growth strategy we are proposing is in the southwest and other
parts of the province,” he said.
Wayn Hamilton in married to his
wife Rugi and together they have an
8 year old son named Khalifa.
Black to Business
Winter 2007
16
PATRICK KAKEMBO
Director, African Canadian Services Division (ACSD)
Nova Scotia Department of Education
Paul Adams
B
orn in Uganda, Patrick
Kakembo has lived in
Canada since 1985. He
has a B.A. and B.Ed. from
Makerere University in Kampala and a Ph.D and MPA
from Dalhousie University in
Halifax.
he says. “We hope to launch the
English 12 African Heritage course
in the fall of 2008 for all schools
in Nova Scotia. Our other focus is
to work with kids and educators so
we can have better dialogue with
parents. We are currently trying to
design a program that can help parents get involved in a more positive
way to achieve success.”
A teacher by profession, it is no
surprise that Patrick Kakembo has
great plans in his role as Director
of African Canadian Services for
the Nova Scotia Department of
Education. His team has been working hard to encourage the integration of materials reflective of
diverse cultures in the Nova Scotia
curriculum. “This will help reduce
the anger that some feel from being
asked to be part of someone else’s
culture, while ignoring your own,”
Kakembo worked for the Black
Advisory Committee from 1992-1996
and says it was a very rewarding
time. “The publication of the Blac
Report during the period I think
was a huge achievement because
it became a blueprint for change
in terms of African Canadian
Education.”
Patrick Kakembo is married to his
wife Robinah, and they have three
children, Sam, Simon and Mukisa.
New Faces
at the BBI
P
lease join us in welcoming two new employees to the BBI team; Bernard Elwin, Regional
Business Development Manager for the northern region and Shawn Smith, Regional
Business Development Manager for the southern region.
Bernard Elwin
Shawn Smith
Bernard’s professional
background is in
Project Research and
Development and
Manufacturing. He has
worked for a number
of years in the areas of
Development Banking
and Electronics
Manufacturing. He
is originally from the
island of St. Lucia.
Shawn was born and raised in Yarmouth,
Nova Scotia. A graduate from Saint
Mary’s University, he received a Bachelor
of Commerce degree with a major in
marketing. Shawn has gained valuable
work experience with Service Canada
and South West Shore Development
Authority. Recently, Shawn was teaching
English as a second language in South
Korea. He is excited to begin his new
position and is eager to use his knowledge and skills to increase the Black business presence in Nova Scotia.
Black to Business
e
Business
Forum
17
Groups RRSPs The benefits for your
business and employees
A retirement savings plan isn’t just
for big companies, anymore. To
attract and retain talented people
today, it is increasingly necessary
for small-business owners to offer
a retirement savings-type of benefits plan to employees. One of the
smartest, cost-efficient ways to do
this is a Group RRSP.
Convenience – Payroll deductions make saving for one’s retirement easy and painless. Most
employees don’t even notice the
difference in their pay cheques
after a while, but love it at the
end of the year when they see
how much their savings have
grown, sheltered from taxes.
Simply put, a group registered
retirement savings plan is a collection of individual RRSPs offered to
employees by you, their so-called
“plan sponsor.”
Smarter Investing Strategies –
By offering employees a way to
invest in small amounts all year
round, you are helping them take
advantage of a key investment
tenet, dollar-cost-averaging, not
to mention the additional benefits of compounding interest over
the year versus one ill-thoughtout lump-sum payment in the
rush of RRSP season.
“One of the benefits of implementing a group RRSP is the plans are
relatively easy to administer - a
plus for the busy small-business
owner,” says Sylvia Mannette,
RBC’s Manager of Group Financial
Services for Atlantic Canada. As
a group RRSP plan sponsor (with
a minimum of 8 employee), you
arrange for employees to make
contributions through payroll
deductions.” Enrolling employees
is relatively easy: an individual
completes a form and decides how
much he or she wishes to contribute through their payroll deductions which are automatically
deposited into a designated RRSP
account using pre-tax pay.
Flexibility
Another benefit to employers is
the group RRSP is flexible, so the
plan can grow alongside your
company. Down the road, it’s
easy to expand the plan to offer
to match employee contributions
in whole or in part, it’s up to you.
Similarly, the employee-match can
be used to reward performance
and foster employee loyalty.
Employees tend to really appreciate the group RRSP plan for several reasons including the following:
Control – Because the group RRSP
payments are deposited directly
into your employees’ accounts,
they have complete control over
their investment decisions and
long-term strategies.
“There may also opportunities
to further assist your employees
through educational seminars
on a variety of investment topics,
another benefit greatly appreciated by workers of all walks of
life,” says Sylvia. “Educational
seminars on a variety of topics
are also often available through
a relationship you may already
have with your financial institution, just ask.”
More information about handling
change for small business can be
found in RBC Royal Bank’s Definitive
Guide on Managing for Growth, part
of a series of publications made available by RBC Royal Bank for our business clients.
Winter 2007
REGIONAL
REPORT
NORTHERN
Bernard
Elwin
It is indeed a pleasure to be part
of the BBI team. Over the last
three months I have had the
opportunity to interact with many
of the BBI’s client base in my
assigned area. I have also been
tremendously fortunate to meet
with representatives of many of our
institutional partners. I wish to thank
Regional Business Development
Manager, Evan Williams for assisting
in the transition process. As the
former Manager for the Northern
Region, Evan has been instrumental
in assisting a number of clients,
in addition to facilitating our ever
widening network of contacts and
regional partners.
I have worked on a number of
projects including Fashan Jewellery
and the African Canadian Art
Initiative (ACAI). I wish to take
this opportunity to congratulate
Cory Fashan on the launch of his
new business and to wish him
all the best for the future. I also
worked on the development and
implementation of our Performance
Management System; a truly
rewarding experience.
Effective
entrepreneurial
development, education, training
and the building of strong
partnerships are important tenets
of BBI’s operation. As a member
of BBI’s team I will endeavour to
adhere unwaveringly to these
guiding principles.
For more information or to
book a regional visit please
contact me @ (902) 426-8688
or 1-800-668-1010 or by email
@ [email protected]
Please be advised that during the winter
months, my regional travel will be contingent
upon weather and scheduled meetings.
Black to Business
Winter 2007
18
Soaps, bath products & lingerie
Paul Adams
...a winning combination
Carol Dobson
with natural
products and
essential oils.
“I started out in
the house making a bit of this
and a bit of that,”
she says. “Now
I have a space
that I rent in
Burnside.”
Belinda States Bezanson , Bezan
V
alentine’s Day is coming
up and Belinda States
Bezanson, the owner
of Bezan, is getting ready to
host a ‘Diva’ party a few days
before the big night.
She’s inviting a select group of customers to her shop for an evening
that includes a fashion show featuring the latest in lingerie, makeup
applications, chair massages, and
refreshments. At the end of the evening, each guest will go home with
a goody bag filled with heart-shaped
soaps and bath bombs.
When she opened
the retail store,
she decided that
mixing fine soaps and bath products with lingerie was a winning
combination. Her stock comes from
Canadian, American, and European
suppliers and includes a nice selection for hard-to-find sizes, not to
mention silicone derrieres for those
who think they might need some
enhancing in that department.
The bras and nighties for larger-figured women are just as feminine
and flirty as the smaller sized ones.
She’s not forgotten men either as
she carries a few Canadian lines of
men’s underwear by Snob and Body
Tech, including thongs.
tle less embarrassing for the men.”
She’s a person who always likes to
keep moving so her latest venture
has been to start wholesaling her
products. They’re now available at
Tatum’s in Windsor and at Ocean
Spirit in Canning. “Tatum’s carries our heart-shaped soaps – they
fit in with their bridal department
and are great as bridesmaid’s gifts.
Ocean Spirit is carrying our seaweed products because they fit in
with the store’s theme.”
Word of her products has spread
far and wide, to the extent that she
has one customer who comes from
Africa twice a year to purchase
her “Black Magic” lotion that is
renowned for its painkilling properties.
Bezanson is always scanning the
horizon for the next product she
wants to develop. But, in the
meantime there’s a party to plan,
the first of many special events she
wants to host in her store.
“I started out in the house
She’s feeling good at the end of the
store’s first year. Bezan has been
selected for the next round of the
Black Business Initiative’s television
commercials and she’s getting ready
for it to be filmed.
making a bit of this and
Bezanson admits she’s always had
an entrepreneurial bent. For 15
years, she ran a catering business
in the Kentville-Coldbrook area.
Then she operated the Coffee Barrel
Restaurant in Windsor. She started
Bezan three years ago in her kitchen
making soap using a traditional
cold process. Her soaps are all considered “food grade” and are made
that I rent in Burnside.”
a bit of that,” she says.
“Now I have a space
“I had the men’s underwear almost
hidden when I first opened but
someone came in and suggested
that I make it more prominent,” she
says. “I did and it’s been selling very
well. I think having it easier to see
makes shopping for underwear a lit-
Belinda States Bezanson
1594 Queen Street
Halifax, NS
T: 405-3593
[email protected]
Black to Business
19
Winter 2007
People & Businesses on the Move
YaNRo
DRUM has been on tour in the U.S.
for the past few months. It’s been
presented in a number of states
including Oklahoma, Arizona,
Nevada, Wyomihg, Colorado and
Florida.
When the World Microcredit conference was held in Halifax, Thelma
Borden, the owner of Big Mama’s
Cook’n and Triple S Variety in
Monastery, Antigonish Co. was
featured in the Halifax Daily News
as an example of a business which
has grown through microcredit.
Emmanuel Baptist Church in
Hammonds Plains has begun a
new entertainment series showcasing local artists on the first Saturday
of every month. So far, the series
has featured Gary Beals and
Marko Simmonds. Proceeds raised
through this series will go towards
the church’s new youth facility.
Mike Duck was one of the speakers at the Canadian Association
of Business Incubation conference held in Halifax in October.
The event was sponsored by
INNOVACorp.
The Society of North Line American
Hockey Historians And Researchers
(“Sonahhr”) has named Nova
Scotia native Craig Marshall
Smith as President of the Black
Hockey And Sports Hall Of Fame.
Smith, who is a Corporal with the
Royal Canadian Mounted Police is
one of the founding members of
the first Black Hockey and Sports
Hall of Fame Conference held in
Dartmouth this past summer. His
mandate includes working with
a Board of Directors from the
Black Hockey And Sports Hall Of
Fame to establish a permanent
Black Hockey And Sports Hall Of
Fame facility in Dartmouth, Nova
Scotia. Smith is also the author
of “You’d Better Be White By Six
A.M.”. a book chronicling African
Canadians in the R.C.M.P. This
book was launched last fall.
Charles R. Saunders was
named Vice President of Sonahhr
Boxing by The Society of North
American Hockey Historians And
Researchers. Saunders is one of
the leading authorities on boxing in the country and is also
an author of a number of books
including Africville: The Spirit That
Lives On and Sweat and Soul: The
Saga of Black Boxers in the Maritimes
from the Halifax Forum to Caesars
Palace.
The Association of Black Social
Workers held a “Night of
Recognition” honouring Frances
Mills-Clements, Maxene PrevostSheppard and Althea Tolliver,
three of the association’s founders
at the Citadel Inn in Halifax.
The Canadian Broadcasting
Corporation shot a documentary highlighting Julian Colley,
Courtney Williams and Brandon
Tolliver’s sail from Halifax to
Portland, Maine on board the
Freedom Schooner Amistad.
Reverend Dr. Lawrence Edward
Carter Sr. was in Halifax in
November to open an exhibit that
pays tribute to three world peace
activists. He officiated at the ribboncutting ceremony of the Gandhi
King Ikeda: A Legacy of Building
Peace exhibit, which was held at St.
Andrew’s United Church. In addition, he delivered a public lecture at
Saint Mary’s University.
Dr. Carter was also the special guest
speaker as the Black Cultural
Centre for Nova Scotia marked its
23rd anniversary with a gala dinner at the Park Place Ramada Inn
in Dartmouth. The theme for this
year’s celebration was “Humanity At
Heart: A Recognition of Peace”.
St. Patrick’s-Alexandra School
held a Professional Development
Day dedicated to Africentric concepts in October. The theme for
the 2006 seminar was “Celebrating
Women in Social Sciences and Fine
Arts”. The guest speakers were
actress Anne Marie Woods and
Nancy Sparks from the Halifax
Regional School Board.
Triple African Nova Scotia
Music Award winning musician
TroBiz launched his new CD “The
Beginning” at Halifax’s Seahorse
Black to Business
Winter 2007
20
People & Businesses on the Move continued...
Tavern on December 9. He was
also one of the musicians featured
in the 2006 edition of Music Nova
Scotia Week in Liverpool.
In the wake of the disastrous fire
last March, the Black Loyalist
Heritage Society has been holding an “Adopt a Book Campaign”
to rebuild its reference library. The
Society has a wish list of books it
requires and donations are being
handled through the Whirligig
Book Shop in Shelburne. The
Society has a new president –
Richard Gallion assumed the presidency at its last annual meeting.
The African-Canadian Women’s
Association marked its 10th anniversary on November 10 with a
gala dinner and dance at Mount
Saint Vincent University’s Rosaria
Centre.
Congratulations to Mason Foote.
He attended the Royal Canadian
Legion National Track & Field
Championships in Burnaby,
BC last fall, winning gold in the
Juvenile Mens 100m dash, bronze
in the Juvenile Mens 200m dash,
and bronze in the Juvenile Mens
4x100m relay.
Dr. Abi Kirumira, a former professor at Acadia University and one of
Nova Scotia’s leading biotechnology entrepreneurs was awarded
the 2006 President’s Award for
Entrepreneurship by the university.
This year’s presentation of “Share
the Dream” was highlighted by a
reunion of the A Cappella musical group “Four the Moment”
- Delvina Bernard, Anne Marie
Woods, Kim Bernard-Morris and
Andrea Currie. The popularity of
this annual event has meant that
it moved from last year’s venue
at Alderney Landing to the larger
Rebecca Cohn.
The Dalhousie Black Law
Students Society has created the
Judge Corinne Sparks Award in
Law honouring “Judge Sparks’
spirit of leadership and community
service. The purpose of the Award
is to celebrate those students who
are committed to using their legal
education as a tool for change in
their community.” A fundraising
luncheon, featuring Her Honour
Mayann Francis, was held on
February 9.
Alderney Landing Theatre on
Eastlink on December 17.
The African Canadian Transition
Program, which is being run at the
Nova Scotia Community College,
held an open house/information
session on December 12. This
program is designed to “provide a
culturally-enriched and supportive educational experience that is
based on Africentric philosophy.
The learners will be exposed to
African Canadian role models and
mentors and will learn about postsecondary educational options and
available resources as they gain
credits toward their Nova Scotia
High School Graduation Diploma
for Adults.”
Darlene Strong, of Amherst, is
one of the nominees for this year’s
Portia White Prize. Strong is an
artist and educator working to
preserve and promote the provinces African heritage especially in
Cumberland County.
The community of North Preston
was in the media spotlight on
Saturday, January 13, when members of the community and friends
from around the province gathered
for a successful Peace March.
Students in Cumberland County’s
Cornerstone Academy are participating in an ArtsSmart program
during African Heritage Month.
Their studies will focus on the
Underground Railway and they
will be creating an exhibit called
“Connections 2007”.
A conference, “Architects For
Social Justice” - Race Relations,
Cross Cultural Understanding
and Human Rights sponsored
by the Nova Scotia Educational
Leadership Consortium will be held
at the Holiday Inn Harbourview in
Dartmouth from May 9-11.
In Memoriam
The Community Health and
Wellness Centre in North Preston
was the subject of a special report
by Sherri Borden Colley in the
Chronicle Herald on November 6.
The BBI would like to extend
its sympathy to the friends and
family of:
2006 marked the 75th anniversary of the Nova Scotia Home
for Coloured Children’s annual
Christmas appeal. This year’s
version was broadcast from the
Marshall Downey, who died
Dec. 2, 2006 and
Adeline Simmonds, 68, of
North Preston, who passed
away on January 19, 2007
Black to Business
Winter 2007
21
New economic development Judge
organization for HRM
Corrine Sparks
Neville Gilfoy & Charles Savary
Award in Law
In October 2005, Halifax Regional
Council unanimously approved
the Halifax Region Economic
Development Strategy and looked
to the Greater Halifax Partnership
(GHP), the Halifax Regional
Development Agency (HRDA) and
to Halifax Regional Municipality
(HRM) staff to determine how to
execute the strategy and what it
might cost.
he Judge Corrine Sparks
Award in Law was
introduced February 9,
2007 at the University Club
on the Dalhousie University
campus in Halifax. The first
recipient of the award was
also revealed.
By May the Boards of Directors
of the GHP and the HRDA had
instructed their Chairs and Vice
Chairs to form a transition team
(Interim Board) to work with HRM
Council representatives and staff to
create a new organization from the
two existing ones. The process was
challenging but with everyone’s
focus clearly on the big prize – a
more prosperous, better educated,
safer and vibrant Halifax – vested
interests were left at the door and
the new organization was able to
come to life.
While a new name has yet to be
determined (the existing brands will
be tested and a name and brand
will be determined by the new
board and staff), there is a very
specific set of objectives.
There are many worthy goals for the
new organization but its primary
function will be to ensure economic
and community growth are taking
place throughout the entire municipality.
We can only be a great city if everyone is participating and no one is left
out.
T
Peter Marsman
By March 2006, it was apparent
that to really accomplish all the
strategy’s objectives, a new organization was required – an organization with an expanded mandate,
a broader base of stakeholders, a
new vision, greater resources and a
larger network.
•To encourage all residents to
pursue education, training and life-long learning.
There is a new board which has
members from the community, from
HRM Council and from companies
and organizations which provide
private sector investment to aid in
the growth of the region. Stephen
Dempsey has been appointed
President and CEO.
Staffs from both GHP and HRDA
have been working together for
many weeks and have been instrumental in making the two organizations one. They are motivated, professional, respectful and very patient.
Their futures were on hold during
this entire process and they should
be congratulated for stepping up to
make this new organization a reality.
This merger signals a new era of cooperation, vision, commitment, hope
and confidence for Halifax, for Nova
Scotia and, indeed, for all Atlantica.
The new organization needs and
deserves your full support. Offer it up
generously.
Some highlights include:
•Position the entire municipality Neville Gilfoy and Charles Savary
of Halifax as a superior place are the former Board Chairs of the
to do business, to locate
Greater Halifax Partnership and
business, to visit, live and work;
Halifax RDA, respectively and led the
•To anticipate and respond to Transition Board that created the new
training and provision of skilled economic development organization
labour; and,
for HRM.
Judge Corrine Sparks
and Lyle Howe
The purpose of the award is to
celebrate those students who are
committed to using their legal
education as a tool for change in
their community.
The Halifax native and Dalhousie
University’s graduate was the first
African-Nova Scotian appointed
to the province’s family court
in 1987 and the first AfricanCanadian woman to serve on the
judiciary in Canada.
22-year-old first-year law student
Lyle Howe is this year’s recipient. The award this year is in the
amount of $500, with another
$500 going to a charity of the
winner’s choice.
The reception was organized by
the Dalhousie Black Law Students
Association.
Black to Business
Winter 2007
22
Ask the BBI
Featured Expert: Bernard Elwin,
RBDM - Northern
What is Blue Ocean Strategy?
S
ince the beginning of the
Industrial Age businesses
have searched for profitable and sustained growth.
They have done so primarily
through direct competition
with each other. Their main
objective was to achieve some
competitive advantage over
other businesses in their area
of operation. They strived for
increased market share and increased differentiation. Some
experts have indicated that
these markers of competitive
strategy are not the way to
create profitable and sustained
growth in the future.
Conducting a study of 150 strategic
moves spanning 120 years and 30
industries, W. Chan Kim and Renée
Mauborgne, renowned professors
at INSEAD business school and
authors of Blue Ocean Strategy’
outlined what they call “blue” and
“red” ocean business strategies.
According to Kim and Mauborgne,
the business universe comprises
two distinct spaces – red and blue
oceans.
In red oceans, industry boundaries
are defined and accepted. The competitive rules are well understood.
Here, companies try to outperform
their rivals in order to grab a greater share of the existing demand.
As the number of competitors
increase, the chance for growth
and profit diminishes. The water
L
in which these competitors swim
becomes tainted red with blood
as the businesses battle for dominance in an increasingly reduced
market space.
The blue ocean metaphor effectively outlines the vision of an
expanding competitor-free market
that innovative companies can
navigate. Blue oceans represent
untapped market space and the
opportunity for highly profitable
growth. They refer to all industries
that are not in existence today. In
blue oceans, demand is created
rather than fought over. There is
ample opportunity for profitable
and sustained growth. Competition
is irrelevant as the rules of competition are not yet established.
The concept of blue ocean strategy represents a paradigm shift in
the way businesses have operated.
Many businesses across the world
are beginning to embrace the concept and have already begun to
reap benefits.
The basic tenets of blue ocean
strategy are:
1.Do not compete in the
existing market space. Instead you should create uncontested market space.
2.Do not seek to defeat the competition. Instead you should make the competition irrelevant.
3.Do not exploit existing demand. Instead you should create and capture new demand.
4.Do not make the value/cost trade-off. Instead you should break the value/cost
trade-off.
5.Do not align the whole system of a company’s
activities with its strategic choice of differentiation or low cost. Instead you should align the whole system of a company’s activities in pur
suit of both differentiation and low cost.
Source: “Blue Ocean Strategy: How to
Create Uncontested Market Space and
Make the Competition Irrelevant” by
W. Chan Kim and Renée Mauborgne,
Harvard Business School Press, 2005.
BBI Stats
The BBI has been involved
with approximately
1,384 clients.
• Approved
Loans
203
• Approved
Equity Loans
11
• Approved
Development Funds
49
• Withdrawals
32
Black to Business
Winter 2007
23
2007 Training Schedule for Metro
Courses
Date
Time
Web Sites that Sell
- Web Page Design for Your Business
March 27, Ap. 3, 10, & 17
6-9pm
Creating a Winning Business Plan
May 1, 8, 15, & 22
Bookkeeping Level 1 – The Basics and Beyond
Aug 7, 14, 21, & 28
6-9pm
Bookkeeping Level 2 - Understanding your Business
Finances
Oct 9, 16, 23, & 30
6-9pm
Simply Accounting
– The Essentials of Computerized Bookkeeping
Nov 13, 20, 27, &
Dec 4
6-9pm
Course Fees: BBI Client - $20.00
Non-Client - $40.00
Workshops
Date
Time
Labour Relations
March 7
6-9pm
Entrepreneurship 101
– Is Entrepreneurship Right For You?
March 21
6-9pm
Making Exceptional Customer Service Y
our Finest Asset
April 11
6pm
Canada’s Paper Money-Security Features
& Detecting Counterfeit Bills
May 9
6-9pm
May 23 in East Preston
6-9pm
July 25 in Lucasville
6-9pm
March 8 in LUHP
6-9pm
Understanding, Keeping and Retaining Credit
Sept 12
6-9pm
Submitting to Revenue Canada
Sept 26
6-9pm
The Inns and Outs of Import/Export
Oct 10
6-9pm
Human Resources Management
Oct 31
6-9pm
Closing the Deal…The Art of Negotiations
Nov 7
6-9pm
Intellectual Properties…Is your Business Protected
Nov 21
6-9pm
Basic Business Communications
Dec 5
6-9pm
in North Preston
Workshop Fees: $5.00
Registration is open to everyone.
To register for any session, please call 426-8683
Note: Courses, times and dates are subject to change.
Training &
Business
is Jammin’
Report
Julius
Kanyamunyu
Business is Jammin’ (BIJ) had a lot to
celebrate at the Black Business Initiative’s
Directory Launch and Christmas Social
this past Christmas. The Royal Bank (RBC)
announced it would contribute $30,000
to the BIJ Charity over the next three
years. I’d like to take this opportunity to
say how appreciative we are of the RBC
for their support and vote of confidence
in the BIJ programs. I encourage you all
to come out and contribute to the BIJ’s
programs through the charity. You will
be able to get a tax receipt.
The Training Department continues to
offer courses in a variety of disciplines
and/or interests. Some of the recent
more popular courses were Bookkeeping
Level 2 and Simply Accounting. Others
offered this past year included The Ins
and Outs of Import/Export , Closing the
Deal, and Intellectual Property.
Those visiting the Training Centre on
Gottingen Street in Halifax will be
greeted by a new face. I am pleased
to introduce our new Administrative
Assistant, Dorothy Fletcher. Dorothy
has taken over from Beverley Parker.
We are grateful for the support Beverley
has given us and wish her well in her
future endeavours. Godfrey Frank, who
had been with us temporarily as one
of our regional business development
managers, will also be leaving us soon.
We appreciate his contributions as well
and wish him all the best.
I encourage those of you interested
in good quality courses to keep an
eye out for our training schedule and
frequent notices. We are always happy
to work with those outside the Metro
area to assist in organizing courses. The
course schedule for those in the Metro
area is available on our website and is
always included in the Black to Business
magazine.
If you have any suggestions for training
courses to be delivered either in metro
or in the regions, please contact me at
(902) 426-8685, toll free at 1-800-6681010 or by email at
[email protected]
Black to Business
BBI Wins Award
T
he Black Business Initiative (BBI) continues to be
recognized for its efforts to create a dynamic and
vibrant Black business presence in Nova Scotia and
its contribution to the provincial economy as a whole.
Better Business Bureau
of the Maritime
Provinces
The 2nd Annual Maritime Business
Ethics Awards recognizes businesses
with high ethical and professional
standards, companies and non-profit
organizations with exemplary practices in ethics and social responsibility,
The award gala was held on
November 15, 2006, at The Westin
Hotel, Halifax.
The BBI was a finalist for the BBB
Maritimes, Business Ethics Award in
the Non-Profit Category.
To be considered for this award,
nominees had to exhibit at least four
criteria from the following:
•Have a sustained record of
providing exceptional service in the community.
•Be operating for at least two years.
•Be a leader in providing ethical guidance in the community or have a presence of ethical
leadership in the Maritime Provinces.
Celebrations- Wolfville
noted and appreciated, as was
that of Rose Davidson, a Board
Resource member from Service
Canada. Credit should be given to
•Be recognized for enhancing Geraldine Browning and Lisa Diggs
of VANSDA, who got the word out
public awareness of social/
about
the event.
ecological responsibility or serving as respected advocate.
•Have faced a recent ethical dilemma and shown integrity and ethical leadership in
dealing with that particular challenge.
The BBB is a non- profit, independent organization devoted to helping
businesses serve their customers. It
exists to promote mutually beneficial relationships between buyer and
seller based on responsible business
practices and serves as a resource
for consumer topics and issues antifraud warnings..
Winter 2007
24
For details visit:
www.bbbmp.ca/ethics_awards.html
Planet Africa
The name Planet Africa was established to reflect the best of people of
African heritage in the whole world,
regardless of where they live. It links
the Diaspora to the continent, with
the aim of ensuring harmony and
prosperity of African people as well
as communities where they live. A
project of Silvertrust Communications,
the network has various components.
These include Planet Africa Television,
Planet Africa Magazine, Planet Africa
Awards, Planet Africa Development
Forum and Planet Africa Directory.
The Planet Africa Awards gala was
held Saturday, October 21st, 2006,
at the Renaissance Airport Hotel in
Toronto. The evening celebrated leadership, excellence and professionalism
regarding people of African heritage.
The 2006 Planet Africa Community
Development Award went to the Black
Business Initiative, established to foster the growth of businesses owned
by members of the African Canadian
community in Nova Scotia. BBI Board
Chair, Cassandra Dorrington accepted the award.
For details visit Planet Africa @
www.planetafrica.net
Celebrations- Amherst
the BBI and its activities. The presentation carried the question and
answer and information sharing
session. I served as MC and moderated the evening’s proceedings.
Elizabeth Cooke-Sumbu, Executive
Director of (CANSA) made a brief
presentation on the relationship
between CANSA and the BBI highlighting the fact that BBI has been
integrally involved in supporting
a number of CANSA programs
over the years, most notably, the
“Weaving the Story” program.
She also pointed out that CANSA
has been a very good partner to
the BBI by supporting and hosting three “Business is Jammin’”
sessions. Board member Shirley
Levering-Robinson, in reply,
thanked CANSA for their continued support of BBI activities in the
region. In recognition of the BBI’s
appreciation for CANSA’s support
in its regional activities, Shirley
presented a plaque to CANSA
Chairman Brian Martin.
During the question, answer and
information sharing session, a
community member expressed
sincere appreciation for the presence of the Justice Minister, Mayor
and Councilors and said it spoke
positively to the interest of government and local officials in the
work of BBI and CANSA in the
community.
COMMUNITY
Community Calendar
African Heritage Month
CALENDAR
Harlem Globetrotters
February 1 – 28, 2007
Many events taking place during the month including
dance, film, drumming, and more
Various locations in Dartmouth, Halifax, etc.
Details in the Halifax Public Libraries LIBRARY GUIDE
To get a copy: (902) 490-5753
Thursday, April 5, 2007
7:00pm
Halifax Metro Centre
Tickets are $80, $43, $30 or $24 depending on seating.
For info: www.ticketatlantic.com
Provincial Baptist Youth Fellowship
Movie & Sports Night
Provincial Baptist Youth Fellowship
Annual Youth Advancement Weekend
Saturday, February 17, 2007
East Preston Recreation Centre
Movie & sports night for youth.
Sports and games from 6:00pm to 7:30pm
and movie from 7:30pm to 9:30pm.
For info: Paula Williams at [email protected]
or call 902-449-5905
Rev. Dr. W.P. Oliver Wall of Honour
Saturday, March 3, 2007
6:30pm
Black Cultural Centre for NS,
(#7 Hwy at Cherry Brook Road)
1149 Main Street, Dartmouth
For info: Dr. Henry Bishop at 434-6223
Employment Equity Conference
– Organized by W.A.D.E.
Thursday, March 22 &
Friday, March 23, 2007
Dartmouth Sportsplex
Theme:
Connecting Youth to Work - Employers, Job Ops,
Networking, Etc
For info: 435-4648
NSBI “Geared for Growth”
Business Conference
Thursday, March 29, 2007
WTCC, 1800 Argyle Street, Halifax, NS
8:00am – 8:30pm
Geared for Growth offers insightful panel sessions,
top-notch keynote speakers, and plenty of networking
opportunities. Four sessions facilitated by top business
leaders plus lunch and dinner.
For info: www.gearedforgrowth.com
Friday, April 13 – Sunday, April 15, 2007
Wandlyn Inn, 50 North Street, Bridgewater, NS
For info: Paula Williams at [email protected] or
call 902-449-5905; Charnelle Colley at 434-7559
Halifax Chamber of Commerce Spring
Dinner 2007
Wednesday, April 25, 2007
5:00pm – 10:00pm
For info: Melissa Hawkes at [email protected]
23rd Annual Nova Scotia Export
Achievement Awards (EAA)
Thursday, May 10, 2007
5:15pm – 9:15pm
Showcasing the successes of Nova Scotia’s talented export
companies and recognizing exceptional achievement.
For more info: www.exportachievementawards.com ;
Candace Sweet at 424-6814
E-mail: [email protected]
Annual General Meeting
Friday, June 22, 2007
Location and Time to Be Announced
Halifax Chamber of Commerce
B2B Expo 2007
Thursday, October 18, 2007
Metro’s largest business-to-business networking event.
The day includes a Seminar Series and the B2B Café
Showcase.
Info: Melissa Hawkes at [email protected]
To submit items for the Community Calendar contact Dorothy Fletcher at (902) 426-8683
Congratulations to the
Black Business Initiative on your 10th Anniversary,
from all of us at Stewart McKelvey.
Barristers, Solicitors and Trademark Agents
SMSS.COM
CHARLOTTETOWN
FREDERICTON
HALIFAX
MONCTON
SAINT JOHN
ST. JOHN’S
Scenarios
Return and Risk Profile for a $5,000 investment
(50 shares)*
Investor A
Investor B
Investor C
Tax Bracket
30.20%
38.67%
43.50%
Average Annual
Income
29,590
59,180
93,000
RRSP Deferral
1,510
1,934
2,175
Equity Tax Credit for:
5 years
1,500
1,500
1,500
10 years
2,500
2,500
2,500
15 years
3,000
3,000
3,000
5 years
1,990
1,567
1,325
10 years
990
567
325
15 years
490
67
0
Capital at risk for:
*We assume a minimum investment of $5,000 for RRSP
holdings due to service fees
Thank you for investing in us.
For information on how the Fund works and
to become an investor, call Gordon Doe at
(902) 426-6985
Lynn Jones
“Finally, I can contribute to a meaningful
investment vehicle that allows me to help
Black Business and our African Nova Scotian
Community grow and prosper. The 30% immediate
tax incentive affords me the opportunity to
personally gain too!”
Tom Boyd
“This is my fourth year investing in the
Black Business Community Investment Fund
Limited (BBCIFL). It increases the level of
economic activity and prosperity within
Black-owned Businesses. And a 30% tax credit
is a considerable reduction in payable taxes.
All Nova Scotians should consider seriously
investing in the fund.”
Caution to Investor – This advertisement is
not to be construed as an exempt offering to
the public in Nova Scotia unless a simplified
offering document relating thereto has
been filed with and its use has not been
objected to by the Nova Scotia Securities
Commission. The offering is made by the
simplified offering document only and copies
thereof may be obtained from such sales
agents and promoters as may lawfully offer
these securities in Nova Scotia.
If undeliverable return to:
The Black Business Initiative
1575 Brunswick Street,
Halifax, Nova Scotia B3J 2G1
Publications Mail
Agreement No.
1599402
Poste-publications
numéro de convention
1599402

Issue 35 - Black Business Initiative

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