Pristine - Canadian Snowbird Association

Transcription

Publication mail agreement no: 40063603
OFFICIAL NEWS MAGAZINE OF THE CANADIAN SNOWBIRD ASSOCIATION | WINTER 2014 | ISSUE 93
Pristine
Patagonia
INSIDE THIS ISSUE
Planning for the
Snowbird Lifestyle
Seven Common
Investment Errors
Protecting Public Health
Stay & Play Where you
want to be!
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Editor’s message
WINTER 2014 | ISSUE 93
Editor
CSA Editor
Vice President Art Director
Director of Sales
Account Manager
Director of Operations
Marketing Coordinator
J. Ross Quigley
Bob Slack
Chris Bradbury
Peter Prusa
Neville B. Levin
Fran Castricone
Paula McGovern
Kim Saunders
CSA BOARD OF DIRECTORS
President
First Vice-President
Second Vice-President
Treasurer
Secretary
Past President
Director
Director
Executive Director
Legal Counsel
Bob Slack
Jim Sherb
Ron Steeves
Karen Huestis
John Foster
Gerry Brissenden
James Leroux
Nancy Hopcraft
Michael MacKenzie
Wallace Weylie
Contributing Editors
Michael Coren
Jennifer Cox
Shari Darling
James Dolan
Barb & Ron Kroll
Illustrator
Dr. Robert MacMillan
Willa McLean
Andrew Moore-Crispin
Rex Vogel
Ron Bellamy
We acknowledge the financial support of the Government
of Canada through the Canada Periodical Fund of the
Department of Canadian Heritage.
CSANews© is published four times a year and is Copyright
Winter 2014 by Medipac International Communications Inc.,
180 Lesmill Road, Toronto, Ontario M3B 2T5. (416)441-7000.
Subscription Price: $ 9.95 Canada; $20.00 U.S. and foreign.
Single copy: $3.95. Prices include tax.
Published by Medipac International Communications Inc.
It has been a bit of a tough time since we last talked. My
93-year-old mother passed away peacefully last month
after a long and fruitful life helping others. Bruce White, the
wonderful husband of CSA’s former president Ellen White,
finally had his heart issues catch up to him. And we are all
praying for Joan Brissenden, Gerry’s wife and an incredible
long-term volunteer for the CSA. She has been hospitalized
for almost three months now and is currently in an Orillia,
Ontario hospital receiving care. (Needless to say, our
column “The Travels of Gerry and Joan” will not appear in
this issue.)
On a brighter note, my friend Maureen just finished her 23rd
radiation treatment following cancer surgery and is now
fine; am I allowed to say cured? She does have a radiation
“sunburn,” but that will soon fade away and the cancer will
just be a bad memory. Hopefully, a memory that is rarely
remembered. There is so much more life to live!
The one sure thing about crisis is that it will bring family
and friends together, like a wedding or a birth. It is the
natural cycle of life. And right now is the best time of year!
It is Christmas and this is the time to celebrate those loyal
friends and that wonderful family, even crazy Uncle Al. It is a
time of giving, of caring, of being the very best you can be.
It is a time to think of what you can do to make life better
for someone…for everyone. And don’t be afraid to go to
church, or to synagogue, or to mosque, if you have been
away for some time. They will welcome you with open arms.
New friends await you.
A new year is beginning. Are you ready? It will be as
wonderful as you make it, and I have every confidence that
you will make it your best year yet.
Sincerely,
Opinions expressed are those of the writers and are not necessarily
those of the CSA, Medipac International Communications Inc. or its
affiliates, their Directors, Officers, or other employees or agents.
Canadian Publications Mail Product Sales Agreement No: 40063603.
ISSN No: 1195-2393
J. Ross Quigley
Editor
CSANews | WINTER 2014
5
Table of Contents
WINTER 2014 | ISSUE 93
5 Editor’s Message
8 Bird Talk
10 Snowbird Alert
FEATURES
12 President’s Message
overnment Relations Report
13 G
14 Snowbird Events
16 Insurance by Ross Quigley
18 Opinion by Michael Coren
Travel
20 Pristine Patagonia
by Barb & Ron Kroll
Mountains, glaciers and fjords – a memorable
journey to the edge of the earth.
19 Profile
44 Health Pulse
46 Longevity by Jennifer Cox
48 Fitness by Jennifer Cox
ood & Drink by Shari Darling
50 F
R.V. Lifestyle
lanning for Retirement & the
30 P
Snowbird Lifestyle
by Rex Vogel
Preparing for retirement is a lot of work! It requires
foresight and careful planning.
54 CSA Online by Andrew Moore-Crispin
Finance
56 CSA Update
34 Seven Common Investment Errors
57 Book Review by Willa McLean
by James Dolan
Common mistakes that investors make and some
practical tips on how you can avoid them.
58 CSA Application
59 Benefits
Health
60 Fun & Games
40 Protecting Public Health
61 Grins & Giggles
62 Fast Facts
6
www.snowbirds.org
by Dr. Robert MacMillan
Be mindful of the immunization and health
protection measures you can take to protect
yourself, as well as others, from infection.
20
40
30
34
7
Bird talk
Dear Bird Talk,
I think you are doing a grave disservice
to your Canadian readers for not letting
them know which insurance company
refused to pay for the hospital that
treated the little girl in Mexico. I have used
insurance companies over the years and
had no problem until I was stranded out
west in Oregon. I had a major company
who would not help me. I had to find
someone to fly out and drive me and my
motorhome home. I later found out that
I had Lyme disease and was sick for over
two years. I paid all the expenses and had
to prove that I couldn’t get back by myself.
They eventually paid some of it, but you
can believe I dropped that company
the next year. We need to expose these
companies and they just might smarten
up when no one uses their company.
Barbara Cormack
Barrie, ON
Ed.: I agree with you, Barbara. The problem
is that big insurers have big pockets for
lawyers and, unless you get written permission from the clients and the hospitals, you
really can’t say anything. When you do, you
are in court for telling the truth. The last case
took three years to settle, but we did win. It’s
just not worth the fight, however. So now we
have two nasty insurance companies – the
one for the little girl and yours. I always
say to just buy Medipac as that is the best
option. By the way, if you had called us, we
would have helped you, for free. That’s just
who we are. Congratulations on beating
Lyme disease; it is more dangerous than
most people think.
Dear Bird Talk,
Two winters ago, I did not travel to Florida
because my wife Alma was being treated
for cancer (and passed away), so I cancelled the insurance on the automobile
that I keep in Florida. When I went to
the local licensing office in Bradenton to
renew my “tag,” I was shunted from one
clerk to the next until I demanded to
know “what is going on.” I was told “you
did not turn in your licence plate when
you cancelled your insurance, therefore
you must pay a fine of US$150 in order
to renew.” Last fall, when I turned in the
plate, I demanded that the clerk/office
inform the “powers to be in Tallahassee
that I turned in the plate.” The response
was, “oh we do not do that.” By the way,
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they do not hold the plate; it is a new one
every time you renew in that manner.
Also, you cannot just put it on a minimum
“fire & theft” as we do here in Ontario. You
can only reduce the figure by about 30%
and the insurance on the same vehicle
was twice as much in Florida as it was in
Ottawa!
I have been trying to raise this matter with
the CSA for action for some considerable
time, but to date have had no clear
acknowledgement or response!
Harry Splett
Ottawa, ON
Ed.: Hello Harry, it’s nice to hear from you
again. We have generally found that you
will get a different answer from every clerk
in one of these tax offices. They really do not
know how to deal with us, the foreigners. I
would try going to a different tax office to
see if you can get a different response. The
CSA is aware of these and many other similar issues but, for now, we are concentrating
on the Snowbird Visa.
Dear Bird Talk,
I enjoy reading your magazine, however
the fall issue no. 92 had some incorrect
information in the Low Fat Chicken
Stroganoff recipe found on page 49. The
recipe mentions that it is gluten-free and
that all you have to do is substitute the
egg noodles with any gluten-free pasta.
Firstly, the all-purpose flour is not glutenfree and canned cream of mushroom
soup is not gluten-free. People who are
gluten-free and just learning about it
would be misled by the recipe. Those of
us who are pros at staying away from
food with gluten see lights flashing when
they read items in a recipe that they know
contain gluten.
Hopefully, no one with gluten problems
became ill after trying this recipe. Perhaps
your office should proofread more closely,
especially recipes.
Carol Chippior
Ed.: We had no idea of the dangers involved
in the recipe, our apologies. We have notified
the author so that this will not be repeated
in other recipes. Thanks for catching this.
Dear Bird Talk,
I am a retired federal employee spending
each winter in Florida. I have medical
coverage under the Public Service Health
Care Plan for up to 40 days outside of
Canada. To extend this, I fly back and forth
to Ontario every few weeks to keep renewing the 40-day coverage, a rather expensive and tiring process. The alternative
would be to buy additional insurance for
the winter at a much higher cost. I wonder
if perhaps the CSA could prevail upon the
PSHCP to permit extended coverage for
snowbirds like myself, if necessary, for an
additional premium. Better this, than giving the money to the airline industry.
Wally Gordon
Ottawa, ON
Ed.: The PSHCP could sell you extra coverage, but I am afraid that the price would
be substantially higher than Medipac in
most cases. We do know other people who
fly back to a border town on a U.S. airline
(which is usually much cheaper) and then
drive their vehicle across the border for a
day or two. As you say, it’s a lot of hassle but
insurance premiums can be very, very high
if you have serious health issues. We are not
sure that this will be economical now, with
our devalued dollar. We were very happy
to see that PSHCP increased their limits to
$500,000, as people were relying on their old
plan and many experienced claims trouble
with bills in excess of the old $100,000 limit.
Dear Bird Talk,
I think it important to warn other snowbirds about my unfortunate experience
with Bell Canada.
For two years, I requested temporary
suspension of my satellite dish for the
TV while I was in Florida. This was done
and I was charged a minimal amount.
This past October 2013, I phoned them
as usual. I spoke to a young man who
took all the particulars and assured me
that the temporary suspension would
be put in place. When I received the next
bill, I saw that they were charging the full
amount. I wrote to them in December and
again in March. They did not correct their
mistake. I also phoned and spoke to two
representatives, who said that the order
for temporary suspension had not been
received. The account was disconnected
in February for non-payment. They would
not consider that the oversight was theirs.
When I returned to Canada in late April, I
determined that I could sign up with Shaw
Direct and did so. Then I wrote to Bell
Bird talk
Canada and told them to come and pick
up their equipment. They then began a
campaign of intimidation, threatening to
send a collector and to attack my credit,
calling daily. It was incomprehensible that
they would act this way. I’m sure that they
could have verified there was no signal
going from the dish to TV at this address.
I was forced to pay more than $200 which
I didn’t owe. Finally, they sent a prepaid
Purolator label to ship the equipment to
Scarborough, ON.
My experience should be a caution to
other snowbirds; document any requests
to any large corporation!
Margaret Sanders
Fergus, ON
Ed.: We get many, many letters of complaint
about the telephone, satellite and cable
companies and we do not have any real answers. I do, however, believe that you could
get your $200 back. I would call Bell and ask
for their Ombudsman and he should be able
to fix it. Another option would be to file a
claim in Small Claims Court, including extra
fees for your time and effort. My guess is that
the judge has had the same problems and
will “throw the book at them.”
Dear Bird Talk,
My question is about defining working
in the U.S. I could ask at the border, but
I’m afraid that asking will bring attention
to my situation with potential negative
fallout.
I am a contractor for a Canadian education
company providing services to Canadian
businesses only. Within this role, I provide
course facilitation to students from all
across Canada via online webinars, but it’s
a Canadian company using a Canadian
website and I’m paid in Canadian funds
deposited directly into my Canadian
account. It’s only because it’s the Internet
that I can work from anywhere and I just
happen to be in the U.S. in the winter.
Does this mean I’m “working” in the U.S.?
The best analogy I can use to illustrate this
situation is that someone from CSA will
respond to this question. If that person is
being paid for their time and happens to
be in AZ when they log on and respond to
my question – are they then “working” in
the U.S.? Any information you can pass on
will be greatly appreciated.
Dale from British Columbia
Ed.: Do NOT talk to the border guards, as
they will probably put a flag on your file.
Internet commerce is still too new to have
firm guidelines and regulations in place. Our
CSA lawyer, Wallace Weylie says, “As you will
understand, this is a matter of interpretation
and is up to the discretion of the individual
inspector. In our opinion, this activity should
NOT constitute ‘working’ – the employer
is Canadian, the services are provided to
persons outside of the U.S., no resident of
the U.S. is being deprived of the work and
payment is made in Canada. That is the best
we can do.”
Dear Bird Talk,
We are Canadian with a vacation home in
Arizona. Our AZ builder offers a trade-in
program, so we are using this and building a larger home. Our current home gets
listed by a realtor which they use for their
trade-in business and they pay 1/2 his
commission. We pay the balance and the
funds from our present home go to the
Title Agency in trust, for us, for the new
home. Are there any taxes for us to pay
and do we have to complete a U.S. tax
return when the money is going straight
into another home?
Linda Johnson
Vancouver, BC
Ed.: The sale of your current home would be
subject to capital gains tax on the difference
between the sale price and the purchase
price you paid, less any improvements. Ten
per cent of the sale price is required to be
sent to the IRS and you (and your spouse)
each have to file a U.S. tax return, Form
1040NR, for the year in which the sale takes
place. The new home is of no consequence.
Dear Bird Talk,
My wife and I own a home in Arizona.
Can you give guidance concerning the
estate tax? Specifically, circumventing it.
Should we have a separate will for the
U.S.? Should we have our children’s names
on the title? Any advice would be greatly
appreciated.
Wayne Delorme
Calgary, AB
Ed.: For persons dying after 2004, there is
no estate or inheritance tax in Arizona. For
most persons (unless you are very wealthy),
there is no federal tax. There is no need to
have a will for the U.S. – your Canadian will
Bird Talk
Featuring the letters
& concerns of our
members
SEND YOUR LETTERS TO
Bird Talk, c/o CSANews
180 Lesmill Road
Toronto, Ontario M3B 2T5
or by e-mail: [email protected]
is just fine. Adding children’s names to the
title could be done for succession purposes,
but be aware that you, thereafter, cannot
do anything with the property without their
consent. You could not sell it or mortgage it,
for instance. We know of several situations
in which this joint ownership turned out to
be a nightmare.
Two other things which you may wish to
consider are a living will and a power of
attorney. We recommend that you have one
of each in Canada and also one of each in
Arizona. An Arizona hospital and/or doctor
would be very reluctant to depend on a
Canadian document.
Dear Bird Talk,
I am a snowbird from Canada who has
purchased a single-family home in a 55+
community. I have powers of attorney for
both my estate and personal care written
in Ontario by a lawyer. Should I have a
power of attorney certified in Arizona
as well? I am sure that there are lots of
Canadians spending the winter in Arizona
who would be interested in your answer.
Richard Morrison
Peterborough, ON
Ed.: In theory, the documents prepared in
Ontario should be recognized in Arizona.
However, when the matter would arise, it
would probably be in a crisis situation and
the last thing that you would want is to have
a question arise regarding their validity.
Therefore, we suggest having documents
prepared by a local attorney such that when
the occasion arises, the persons involved
are presented with documents which they
recognize. We also suggest that these be
valid only in the U.S., so that they do not
conflict with your Ontario documents.
9
Snowbird alert
Top tips to protect your online purchases
The holidays often feel more hectic than festive with all of the preparations,
invitations and hosting duties tugging us in all directions. Braving the malls filled
with crowds just adds to the chaos, so consider the alternative: do your shopping
online.
Take a look at these top tips for safe and secure transactions, from eBay, a
leading global marketplace
Purchase from a legitimate site
Make sure that the URL address begins
with “https,” which indicates that the
purchase is encrypted and secure.
Do your research, and check the
details
Prices that are much lower than
the competition may have strings
attached, so be aware and read
Ask lots of questions
Contact a seller to ask questions about the product descriptions carefully.
Also, be sure to understand
product before you make a purchase, to
shipping costs and delivery times
avoid any surprises when you receive the
– especially during the holiday
item.
season.
Check the return policy, and look for
Make sure that payments are
guarantees
secure
Most purchases go smoothly but, if the
Services such as PayPal provide for
item isn’t exactly what you ordered,
a safe and secure way to pay for
policies such as eBay’s money-back
your purchases online. They may
guarantee will cover your purchase price
plus original shipping on almost all items. even offer additional security, such
as PayPal Purchase Protection.
Enjoy the convenience of shopping online and give yourself the gift of more
time with family and friends.
4 ways to avoid hitting the wall
when hitting the road!
Driving long distances and into the night isn’t everyone’s cup of tea (or coffee).
Whether you prefer to grab a Red Bull for the road or crank up the AC, here are
some tips to help you arrive at your destination safely:
Stay Focused: GPS devices and cell phones can be lifesavers in the event of an
accident or if you get lost, but technology can also be distracting, so remember to
pull over when using your mobile.
Stay Alert: Fighting the urge to sleep, especially after dark, is a bad idea. Pull over
and take a 20-minute nap if you are yawning or blinking. Another way to stay alert
is to get out of the car at least every two hours and walk/run around your vehicle a
few times.
Stay Energized: Drinking the equivalent of two cups of coffee can be effective
in staving off a sleep attack for as long as an hour. However, hot drinks can make
some people drowsy, so opt for something cold like a sugar-free energy drink to
keep your body and mind alert.
Stay Cool: Keep the air cool inside the car by opening a window or turning on the
air conditioning. When temperatures rise above 27 degrees Celsius, most people
experience a temporary loss of concentration and efficiency in mental alertness.
Running on empty applies to more than just your vehicle, so make sure that you
have enough left in the tank when you reach your destination.
Source: www.newscanada.com
10
www.snowbirds.org
Plan ahead before using
your credit card abroad
When you use a credit card outside of
Canada, you are often given the choice to
pay in Canadian or local funds at the point
of sale. To decide, you need to know the rate
which your credit card company will charge
to exchange currencies, so that you can
compare it to the rate being offered abroad.
Before you leave home, check your credit
card company’s foreign currency conversion
rates (not the same as the foreign exchange
rate) and associated fees. You can find this
in the information box on your credit card
agreement, which came with your credit
card in the mail.
Learn more about credit card agreements,
plus your rights and responsibilities, by
visiting the Financial Consumer Agency of
Canada at itpaystoknow.gc.ca.
New direct deposit form
easier to complete
As the deadline to apply for direct deposit of
federal payments looms, the federal government has simplified the enrolment form to
make it easier for Canadians to sign up. By April
2016, all federal payments will no longer be
issued by cheque and direct deposit will be the
preferred method of payment. Your payments
will be conveniently deposited into your bank
account, with very few exceptions, so the time
to enrol is now.
If you need help filling in the form, visit
www.directdeposit.gc.ca, call 1-800-593-1666
or ask your bank teller for assistance.
More than 80 per cent of federal payments –
such as Old Age Security, the Canada Pension
Plan, disability benefits, Employment Insurance
and tax returns payments – made to Canadians
are by direct deposit; however some Canadians
still need to enrol to start enjoying the convenience and reliability of direct deposit.
YOU’RE GOING AWAY.
MAKE SURE YOUR MAIL FOLLOWS YOU.
You’re going south for the winter or spending extended time at a second home. Forward your mail for the
length of your stay with Canada Post Mail Forwarding. You can rest assured you won’t miss any important
mail. And for shorter vacations, our Hold Mail service will keep your mail safe and help prevent people from
knowing you’re away.
Sign up for Mail Forwarding at
canadapost.ca/mailforward
CSA update
Bob Slack
CSA President
President’s
message
Lois and I have arrived in Florida just
a little ahead of the first snowstorm to
hit the East Coast and we are looking
forward to spending a warm winter with
family and friends.
Speaking of friends, we had the good
fortune of meeting many of you during our fall round of Snowbird Lifestyle
Presentations. This year, we began our
tour in St. John’s, Newfoundland. We
then headed to Halifax, Nova Scotia,
Summerside, P.E.I. and Moncton, New
Brunswick. Next up was a stop in
Montreal, Quebec before finishing the
tour in Ontario with stops in Nepean,
Richmond Hill and Lindsay. I’m happy
to report that we signed up many new
members and I would like to thank all
of the volunteers who came out to help
us put on these productions. Thanks
to all of you, the membership of the
Canadian Snowbird Association continues to grow; it’s an exciting time for
the association.
Many of you have already asked me
what the results of the recent midterm
election in the United States mean for
our retiree visa initiative. At this point,
we do not expect the JOLT Act to pass
before the new Congress is sworn in, in
January of 2015. As you may recall, the
JOLT Act has already been passed by the
United States Senate as it was included
in the controversial immigration reform
legislation of 2013.
The JOLT Act (as it exists on the House
side) is a bipartisan, stand-alone bill with
166 co-sponsors divided almost evenly
between Democrats and Republicans.
One of the biggest obstacles on the
House side was a lack of will to deal with
12
www.snowbirds.org
anything that addressed comprehensive immigration reform and that would
certainly include many of the provisions
in the senate bill of which our visa was
a part.
Now that many of the more controversial proposals found in the
original senate immigration reform bill
have been passed by President Obama’s
recent Executive Order, we suspect
that there will be an opportunity for
the JOLT Act to be reintroduced in the
Senate, either as a stand-alone bill or
as part of a less controversial package
of visa reforms. Again, it is important to
remember that, unlike comprehensive
immigration reform, the JOLT Act enjoys
strong bipartisan support from both
Democrats and Republicans. With that
level of support, we have no doubt that
it will be reintroduced early in the New
Year. We will be heading to Washington
before the new session of Congress to sit
down with some of the key co-sponsors
(who were all re-elected) to get their
feedback on a planned reintroduction
strategy.
After recently completing our fall
round of Snowbird Lifestyle Presentations, it’s hard to believe that it’s almost
time for the winter shows…but they
are right around the corner. This year’s
Florida Snowbird Extravaganza will be
held at the Lakeland Center in Lakeland,
Florida on Tuesday and Wednesday,
January 27 and 28, 2015. Our annual
Winter Texans’ Snowbird Extravaganza
will take place on Monday and Tuesday, February 2 and 3, 2015 at the
McAllen Convention Center in McAllen,
Texas. Finally, our Canadian Snowbird
Celebration will be held on Tuesday and
Wednesday, February 10 and 11, 2015
at the Mesa Convention Center in Mesa,
Arizona. As always, these shows are
free of charge and continue to include
top-flight Canadian entertainment and
exhibitors from around North America.
They are also always a great opportunity
to catch up with old snowbird friends
and meet new ones.
If you are unable to attend any of
these shows, I would urge you to attend
one of our annual Winter Information
Meetings. These meetings are smaller in
size, but allow more time for the members to interact and receive updates on
important snowbird topics of interest
from the CSA board of directors. There
is still plenty of first-rate entertainment
and, again, all of these shows are free
so why not come out and spend an
afternoon with your snowbird friends
and neighbours and catch a great show
while you’re at it?
Our 2015 Winter Information Meeting
tour begins in Lake Havasu City, Arizona
on Friday, February 13, 2015. We then
head to Indio, California on Monday,
February 16 before heading back to
Arizona for shows in Yuma and Casa
Grande on Tuesday, February 17 and
Thursday, February 19.
We conclude our tour in Florida
with stops in Punta Gorda on Monday,
February 23, Largo on Tuesday, February
24 and Bonita Springs on Thursday,
February 26. Specific venues and times
can be found elsewhere in this edition
of the magazine.
Have a safe and wonderful
winter in the sun!
CSA update
Jim Sherb
First Vice-President
Government Relations
report
As we go to press, we are about to launch
an advocacy initiative on behalf of our
members from Quebec. Across Canada,
each province and territory has a different policy related to the amount of
prescription medication that drug plan
recipients can acquire for travel purposes.
While some jurisdictions will dispense an
adequate amount of prescription drugs
for travel, others will restrict the amount
which they will reimburse at one time, forcing beneficiaries to pay out of pocket.
In Quebec, the Régie de l’assurance maladie advises residents who are temporarily
leaving Quebec to ask their pharmacist
whether they may obtain the prescription
medication which they will require during their absence from the province. At
this time, the decision regarding whether
or not a beneficiary receives an adequate
supply of medication for use during travel
is solely at the discretion of the pharmacist
dispensing the drug.
It is our view that this potentially creates
needless uncertainty and added upfront
costs for our Quebec members. If Ontario
and other provinces provide an adequate
supply of medication for their residents,
why shouldn’t Quebec? We believe that
the Quebec government should formalize a travel supply policy for those enrolled
in the Public Prescription Drug Insurance
Plan, which will allow beneficiaries to
receive at least a six-month supply of
prescription drugs for vacation purposes.
There’s a new provincial government in
Quebec and we are planning talks with
them throughout the winter and spring
on this important topic. We hope to get
this remedied for our Quebec members in
a timely fashion.
According to a recent study by the
National Association of Realtors for
Florida, Canadians are once again Florida’s
number-one international buyer of real estate. Last year, Canadians spent $2.2 billion
on Florida properties, which represents
31.6% of all international transactions.
The number-two country was the United
Kingdom, which was well behind at 7%
of all international transactions. For those
of you keeping score at home, that’s the
seventh consecutive year in which Canada
has led the pack.
Although housing prices in Florida are
not as low as they were a few years ago,
they are still attractive by Canadian standards and the falling Canadian dollar, as of
yet, has not seemed to make much of an
impact. Unfortunately, despite our strong
investment in the state, there has been little movement on the property tax front. As
our Florida members are aware, the state
employs a two-tiered system of property
taxation which means that non-residents
and businesses can pay substantially more
for similar properties than do full-time
Florida residents.
Why does Florida employ such a system? Well, I think it’s safe to say that politics
is pretty much the reason. Politicians can
provide generous homestead exemptions
for full-time residents who can vote for
them, while taxing the out-of-state residents who cannot. When you combine
this with the fact that Florida does not
have a state income tax, it’s obviously an
uphill battle. Who wants to be the politician running for office on a promise to
introduce an income tax and raise property taxes, while simultaneously lowering
them for out-of-state residents?
Fortunately, every now and then
economic reality sets in and, if winter
residents and businesses scream loud
enough, Florida politicians pay attention. It may seem hard to remember but,
in 2007, Florida real estate was at the
peak of the market and property taxes
for snowbirds and businesses were a major concern. When businesses stop hiring
and snowbirds start kicking the tires of
more attractive sunbelt states, Florida has
a problem.
In 2008, Florida voters amended the
Constitution to give businesses and snowbirds some small measure of protection.
There is now a prohibition in place that
bans the assessment of most non-homestead property from increasing by more
than 10% per year. Shortly thereafter, property values began to plummet so many
snowbirds may not have noticed but,
with Florida real estate prices on the rise,
the value of the amendment will become
more apparent. Does it go far enough to
rectify the situation? Of course not, but it
is an indication that progress can be made
despite significant political obstacles if we
keep making our voices heard.
Of even greater concern may be the fact
that, because of the political popularity of
these two-tiered structures of property
taxation, other jurisdictions are exploring
the feasibility of introducing them in an effort to appeal to their full-time residents.
When we hear those conversations taking
place in other snowbird states, we need to
be involved and point out the potential
economic dangers which this move could
bring. As always, we have a lot more to do.
Have a safe and happy winter.
13
Snowbird events
Snowbird
Extravaganza
Winter Texans’
Snowbird Extravaganza
Canadian Snowbird
Celebration
The Lakeland Center
McAllen Convention Center
Mesa Convention Center
701 West Lime St.
Lakeland Florida
700 Convention Center Blvd.
McAllen, Texas
201 N. Center St.
Mesa, Arizona
Tuesday and Wednesday,
January 27 and 28, 2015
9:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Monday and Tuesday,
February 2 and 3, 2015
9:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
Tuesday and Wednesday,
February 10 and 11, 2015
9:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
Join us at a CSA Winter Information Meeting!
Hundreds of people and sometimes even thousands attend these one-of-a-kind meetings. Join us for a taste of Extravaganza entertainment, hear
presentations from the Canadian Snowbird Association, get a Medipac insurance update and pose questions to the panel right from the audience.
LAKE HAVASU CITY, AZ
Friday, February 13
The Nautical Beachfront Resort
1000 McCulloch Blvd N.
INDIO, CA
Monday, February 16
Fantasy Springs Casino Resort
84245 Indio Springs Parkway
PUNTA GORDA, FL
Monday, February 23
Charlotte Harbor Event & Conference Center
75 Taylor Street
YUMA, AZ
Tuesday, February 17
Yuma Civic Center
1440 Desert Hills Drive
LARGO, FL
Tuesday, February 24
Largo Cultural Center
105 Central Park Drive
CASA GRANDE, AZ
Thursday, February 19
The Property Conference Center
1251 W. Gila Bend Highway
BONITA SPRINGS
Thursday, February 26
Elks Lodge No. 2753
3231 Coconut Road
All events start at 1:00 p.m. (doors open at noon). For more information or to volunteer, call the CSA at 1-800-265-3200 or visit www.snowbirds.org.
Easy Come. Easy Go.
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Serviceable areas only. Some restrictions apply. Products and price of equipment and services subject to change.
Insurance
J. Ross Quigley
CEO
Medipac International Inc.
Did You Hear What
Happened to George??
Well, he got plastered again the other
night, fell down and banged his head
on the coffee table. He was unconscious,
so Millie called 911 and the ambulance
came and took him to the hospital. He
apparently was in intensive care for five
days with severe head injuries and the
insurance company finally pulled him
out and sent him back to Canada on an
air ambulance. But that’s not the worst
of it…the insurance company denied
his claim and now he’s got a $150,000
hospital bill to pay, and another
$18,000 air ambulance bill on top of
that. Thank heavens that he’s going to
be OK, but I don’t know how he’s going
to pay those huge bills.
We should think about this a little more,
though. What if George had banged his
head in a slightly different place, or the
doctors at the hospital didn’t know how
to deal with a cerebral haemorrhage.
George would be gone, Millie would be
alone, and she would be left with these
enormous bills. This is not a legacy
which any of us would like to leave
behind.
16
www.snowbirds.org
I will be the first one to have a glass
of wine or two and, perhaps, an afterdinner Drambuie. But I can’t tolerate
those people who knock back six or
eight triple scotches and then say that
they are fine. Or the person who says
“I have only had one,” when they have
actually refilled the two-thirds-empty
glass a dozen times. They’re fine too, of
course.
When George checked into the
hospital, he was at two-and-a-half
times the legal limit of alcohol in his
blood. In other words, he was “stone”
drunk. George had been treated for
alcoholism in Canada but, once he
got to the U.S., he started drinking
heavily again. On his final discharge
from the U.S. hospital, the medical
papers outlined his severe withdrawal
symptoms (commonly known as
the DTs) and stated that he should
immediately seek help and treatment
for his addiction. Would you pay this
claim? Would you like to contribute to
George and Millie’s medical bills with
increased premiums?
This claim was not a Medipac claim, but
Medipac would not pay this one, either.
We do pay lots of claims for people who
have had a social drink or two, but this
accident was predictable…it was just a
matter of time.
Year after year we see hundreds of
claims for broken legs, broken hips,
head injuries and all kinds of other
trauma due to simple falls. At our age,
these injuries can shorten our life
expectancy quite dramatically and, yet,
they are so easy to prevent.
We all know how to prevent George’s
injuries, but I have been to dozens of
homes where there is no handrail on
the stairs. Most trailers and doublewides have no handrail. There may
only be one or two stairs, but that can
make it even more important to have
a handrail. The claims all start the same
way – “I was just leaving the house…” or
“I was just coming home with…” or
“I didn’t see the…”. Please, please make
your home a little safer; install railings
NOW, both inside and out.
Insurance
I hope that I do not have to mention
the importance of handrails in the
bathtub, do I? We all tend to think that
bathroom grab bars are for old people
(we are not old yet, no matter what they
say) and for disabled people. I have
noticed that Pat is using a different
hair shampoo; when I follow her into
the shower now, the floor is left with a
greasy residue that would topple the
best of athletes, which I am not. A grab
rail can save your life! It can save your
spouse’s life. It can extend your lives for
many years. Think like that! How can
I be safer? Probably the same person
who installs your hand railing can do
the bathroom bars, as well.
Well, perhaps one more thought. A
happy young Saskatchewan couple
was going to have a baby and they
decided to take their dream trip to
Hawaii before the baby came. So, they
bought some Blue Cross travel medical
insurance and off they went. While
in Hawaii, the expectant mother’s
water broke unexpectedly; the baby
decided not to wait and was born
prematurely. Fortunately, as a result
of excellent medical care, everything
appears to be fine now. The bill, of
course, was enormous – $950,000, to be
exact; premature babies are very, very
expensive. There was one in Bermuda a
few years ago for $1.5 million.
A last thought would be for all of
those little untrained terror dogs.
They bound around yapping and
pulling and jumping when they get
excited and often they will tie up your
legs – and over you go. You can train
your dog you know and, if not, then
send him or her off to the doggie
training camp. The change will be like
a miracle has happened. Those are my
recommendations for today.
Both of these claims were denied! Just
to be clear, Medipac would not pay
any claim related to pregnancy, either.
We have a specific exclusion related to
pregnancy. I don’t believe that any of
our clients would really need pregnancy
coverage, although a Mrs. Lohan did
have a child at the age of 74 last year.
The point to be made here is that the
president of Saskatchewan Blue Cross
stated that there were nine separate
“events” on which this claim was being
denied. I presume that means nine
different reasons for denying this claim.
Nine! Nine different reasons! Perhaps
you should read that policy of yours
again.
And, for clarity, a Manulife policy is NOT
the same as a Medipac policy unless
it says Medipac AND the Canadian
Snowbird Association on the policy, as
well as on the application for the policy.
And, if a life or general insurance agent
is trying to sell you the “snowbird” plan,
don’t be confused. That is NOT Medipac
either, and it certainly has nothing
to do with the Canadian Snowbird
Association. Medipac has no agents and
we do not pay commissions. And, while
we are at it, several companies advertise
that they represent many insurers and
many plans, and that they will find you
the very best deal out there. This is not
true, of course, because they only sell
you plans that pay commissions. They
do not sell Medipac. We are having lots
of serious claims this year – make sure
that you are not one of them.
17
Opinion
with
My new book is entitled Hatred:
Islam’s War on Christianity (Random
House/Signal). And yes, there have
been death threats and lots of abuse
and insults. It’s a book I wish I didn’t
have to write, but I really had no option. In the summer of 2012, I interviewed an evangelical minister and
activist on my television show. I’ve
hosted this nightly current affairs program for almost three years and I try to
discuss the international persecution
of Christians, especially within Islam,
whenever I can; tragically, there is
never a shortage of newsworthy and
timely opportunities. On this occasion,
my guest, who had vast experience
of the horrors faced by followers of
Christ in Muslim majority states, asked
me if he could put a Bible on the desk
in front of him.
I am always reluctant to resemble the
host of a Christian television show. I
am not criticizing what they do, but
it is simply not my mandate and does
tend to exclude many potential audience members – I politely told him
that I’d rather he didn’t. Gracious and
understanding, he said that he fully
understood. But, he continued, this
particular Bible might be of interest
to the viewers as he had been given
it by an Iraqi Christian who attended
Our Lady of Salvation Syriac Catholic
cathedral in Baghdad. The church had
been attacked during the evening
mass on October 31, 2010 by a Sunni
Muslim terrorist group known as the
Islamic State of Iraq; at least 58 people
were murdered and more than 75 injured.
18
www.snowbirds.org
The large, heavy book being held in
front of me was, I realized, almost beyond reading. Its pages were thick and
glued together in lumps, soaked and
sticky with the blood of the men, women and children who had been slaughtered that warm evening in a place of
peace, in a city where Christians had
lived and flourished before Islam even
existed. This was not a holy book to
be preached from, but a holy book of
martyrdom that preached. Its illegible
pages spoke entire volumes, its redturned-to-brown stains cried out to
a still largely indifferent, even hostile
world.
The Baghdad attack, however, was
merely one example of the Islamic war
on Christianity that has been underway for so very long. An exhaustive list
of the individual and collective acts
of terror, violence, abuse and militant
discrimination is almost impossible,
but it’s so important for us to know of
the routine, grinding nature of daily
life for Christians in the Islamic heartlands.
But what of the primary text of Islam?
The Quran 9:29 says, “Fight against
those who believe not in Allah, nor
in the Last Day, nor forbid that which
has been forbidden by Allah and His
Messenger and those who acknowledge not Islam as the religion of truth
among the people of the Scripture,
until they pay the Jizyah [religious
tax] with willing submission, and feel
themselves subdued.” 9:34 gives us, “O
you who believe! Verily, there are many
of the Jewish rabbis and the Christian
monks who devour the wealth of
Michael Coren
mankind in falsehood, and hinder
men from the Way of Allah. And those
who hoard up gold and silver, and
spend it not in the Way of Allah – announce unto them a painful torment,”
and in another passage: “O you who
believe! Fight those of the disbelievers
who are close to you, and let them find
harshness in you, and know that Allah
is with those who are the pious.”
Of course there is context and of
course we speak here now not of ordinary Muslims – often the victims
of Islamic fundamentalism – but of a
strict interpretation of Islam and fundamentalism. But the point remains
the same. Christians are being slaughtered, ethnically cleansed, forcibly
converted and murdered. If you’re not
a Christian and assume that none of
this matters to you, you’re bathing in a
false and damaging complacency.
The book is called Hatred because that
is what we are dealing with. Denial is
dangerous and, if we bury our heads
in the sand they will be, well, cut off.
Islamist terror came to Quebec in
October and it will surely not end there.
Some values and virtues are worth
standing for, and Canada is still
a land of heroes.
Snowbird Profile
Carol MacKay and Edna Rollauer
Best Friends for Life
Carol MacKay and Edna Rollauer are
best friends who share a passion
for travel. For 25 years, the two have
toured the world, visiting such places
as Portugal, Australia, New Zealand
and South Africa. “Travelling to many
different destinations expands and
broadens your horizons,” Edna explains. “We’ve learned to recognize our
good fortune, realize the plight of others and enjoy a variety of experiences,
food and customs.”
Now retired schoolteachers, Carol and
Edna met back in 1967 while working
at the same school in Etobicoke, ON.
They soon became great friends. The
two were not newbies to travel; Carol
took a solo trip in her little Vega across
Canada, Alaska and back through the
U.S. in 1976, and there were numerous
shorter trips to Arizona and Mexico.
The first big trip of a lifetime, however,
came in 1984, when Edna and Carol
made the huge trek to Asia, where
they spent seven weeks touring the
continent. Thirty years later, they’ve
got many “trips of a lifetime” under
their belts, creating the fondest of
memories. One of their beloved places to visit is Portugal where, according
to Edna, “We enjoy the lifestyle and
relaxed atmosphere, as well as the
people, food, wine and cafés.” One of
their most notable experiences was
an eight-week sojourn in the Algarve,
followed by one week in Madeira.
“Everything was in full bloom,” recalls
Edna. “It was mountainous, with terraced landscape. And the people were
lovely.” The small towns, seaside villages, beaches, excellent restaurants
and access to most “North American”
groceries beckons Carol and Edna
back to Portugal year after year.
However, they have also spent a considerable amount of time in Australia,
where they have visited every state
and formed many new friendships. In
fact, when they visit Perth, they normally stay with friends and then rent
from friends who are vacationing elsewhere. Australia has as much to offer
as Portugal, including wineries, concerts, shopping and beaches.
Although Carol and Edna spend much
of their time in Australia and Portugal,
they still find the time to explore and
enjoy other parts of the world. Another
memorable trip was a seven-week
cruise around South America, where
the friends had stopovers in seven
different countries, allowing them to
experience the highlights of many cities, as well as beautiful architecture,
different landscapes and displays of
poverty and wealth.
Carol and Edna are active travellers;
they’ve always wanted to immerse
themselves in a new culture, rather
than shy away from it. “For fun, we
explore,” explains Edna. “We take language lessons, go on tours and day
trips, and socialize with our old friends
and new acquaintances.” She advises
that new travellers to distant vacation spots should be adventuresome.
“Try new areas,” she says. “Begin with
a shorter trip before committing to a
long stay. Make a list of your expectations and investigate. Also, speak with
people who have varied experiences.”
Carol and Edna have a busy 2015 travel
schedule – at the end of January, they
leave for Portugal, where they will stay
in a rented villa in the Algarve for eight
weeks. Then they travel to San Miguel
for one week before returning to
Toronto. In June, the two will accompany three non-retired teachers on an
18-day trip to Italy, where they will visit
Rome, Tuscany, Verona and Venice.
Lots of excitement and adventure for
two retired teachers who will continue
to journey abroad for as long
as they can!
19
Travel
Pristine Patagonia
Story and Photos by
Barb and Ron Kroll
Paine mountains and Lake Pehoe viewed from
Explora Patagonia lodge
A Zodiac approaches San Rafael Glacier in
Laguna San Rafael National Park
Hiking to Grey Glacier and Grey Lake in
Torres del Paine National Park
Where in the world will you find mountains that rival the Rockies, fjords as splendid as
Norway’s and glaciers as beautiful as Alaska’s? Add cascading waterfalls, turquoise lakes,
soaring condors, breathtaking national parks and lodges with soothing spas, succulent
seafood and spectacular hiking. The answer? Chilean Patagonia.
Getting there requires two flights – the first to Santiago, Chile and the second flight
south on LAN Airlines to Punta Arenas. (Snowbirds wintering in Florida can save time and
money by flying from Miami or Orlando on Copa Airlines or LAN to Santiago.) Our winter
is summer in Patagonia, because it’s south of the equator. Jet lag? Punta Arenas is in the
same time zone as Nova Scotia.
Hiking beside Laguna Azul in Torres del Paine National Park
20 www.snowbirds.org
Travel
City at the Edge of the World
For centuries, Patagonia was the end
of the known world. From the Hill of
the Cross, we viewed Punta Arenas and
the tip of South America. Roofs, the
colour of cherries, blueberries, apricots
and grapes, brightened homes above
the steel-blue Strait of Magellan. The
island of Tierra del Fuego anchored the
horizon.
Punta Arenas was founded in 1848 as a
penal colony. After gold was discovered
in California, the outpost grew as a supply port for maritime traffic between
the U.S. West Coast and Europe. When
the Panama Canal opening reduced the
number of ships making the journey
around Cape Horn, entrepreneurs
turned to sheep-farming for their
livelihood. The wool boom brought in
immigrants from Italy, Spain, Germany,
Scandinavia, Britain and Croatia. The
Patagonian Institute’s Memory Museum
displays the imported steam engines
View from hill of the Cross of Punta Arenas, the Strait of Magellan and Tierra del Fuego
and wagons that they used to colonize
the area, as well as a reconstructed pioneer home and sheep-shearing shed.
The Municipal Cemetery speaks
volumes about the region’s history.
The extravagant mausoleums of José
Menéndez and the other wool barons
are surrounded by the much more
modest, but well-tended tombs of
European immigrants who worked on
sheep ranches.
CONTINUED 
Steam engines and wagons in the Patagonian
Institute Memory Museum, Punta Arenas
21
Travel
World Biosphere Reserve

Most tourists don’t come to Punta
Arenas to see the city. Some are in transit to Tierra del Fuego for fishing and
horseback riding. Others come to board
Beagle Channel and Antarctica cruise
ships. The most popular excursion
(and the reason most people come to
Punta Arenas) is to visit Torres del Paine
National Park. The 242,000-hectare
UNESCO World Biosphere Reserve is
the Banff of Chile. It’s named after the
park’s 3,000-metre soaring granite
pinnacles called the Paine (pronounced
piney).
Although you can rent a car to drive
north to the park, it’s easier to buy a
package that includes transfers to and
from Punta Arenas hotels or its airport.
Explora Patagonia is the only lodge
located in the centre of Torres del Paine.
Its 390-kilometre van transfer takes five
hours, with a stop for lunch (included).
Open year-round, the eco-friendly
lodge offers surprisingly luxurious
accommodations for such a remote
location. Its 49 rooms have spectacular
views of the Paine massif and pinnacles
above Lake Pehoé and Salto Chico waterfall. The lodge has a heated indoor
swimming pool, saunas, a massage
room and four outdoor hot tubs. Allinclusive room rates include delicious,
healthy meals, fine Chilean wines, an
open bar and guided excursions.
The breathtaking views and the enthusiasm of the guides, who described the
daily activities each night in the bar,
left us eager to explore. Divided into
groups of no more than eight people,
guests join one of more than 50 guided
hikes and horseback rides. They span
the spectrum from easy to challenging,
a half-day to a full-day in length. Guides
assess participants during an easy hike
to start and then encourage them to
try other activities that match their
abilities. (Although guests range from
two to 80 years old, the majority are
baby boomers.)
Our easy half-day hike was to Laguna
Azul. As we walked through swaying
golden grasses and along black sand
beaches, we constantly pulled out
our cameras to capture the splendid
mountain, lake and waterfall vistas.
Horse rides also range from easy to
demanding. Our gentle horses brought
us through pampas (grassy plains), past
the Paine River and forests dominated
by mountains near the Argentine border. Gazing at llama-like guanacos, we
felt like legendary gauchos (ranchers).
The fresh air sharpened our appetites.
You can imagine our delight when
we arrived at the quincho (barbeque
hut), where we began and ended our
rides, and encountered tantalizing
aromas of roasting chicken and lamb.
The gaucho-cooks sliced off chunks of
tender spit-cooked meat, which they
served us with grilled potatoes and
bread. As we ate, they shared their
stories of ranching in Patagonia.
Horseback riding in Torres del Paine National
Park
Aerial view of Torres del Paine National Park
Viewing guanacos in Torres del Paine National
Park
Gaucho-cook slices spit-roasted lamb in
quincho
Travel
Hiking to where the icebergs are born
Invigorated by our previous activities,
we were nonetheless skeptical when
our guides assured us that we
were capable of the 17-kilometre
Grey Glacier hike the following day.
Giovanna – a knowledgeable Explora
guide – accompanied us, as well as a
couple from England – Amanda and
Simon. Giovanna carried a backpack
containing our lunches and bottles of
Evian water. We toted only our cameras
and light packs containing extra sweaters and sunscreen.
waterproof jackets and pants swishswished as we walked, in rhythm with
the windproof clothing of our companions. But today, instead of heavy winds,
an intense sun created a greenhouse
climate under our protective gear, forcing us to peel off the rainwear and stuff
it into our packs.
We traipsed through pristine forests
and bogs, and meandered up and over
hills sprinkled with wild fuchsia and
white foxgloves. Snowy, saw-toothed
peaks towered above the alpine meadows. Giovanna bent over and picked
two tiny fruits from a low bush. “Chaura,”
she said. They looked like miniature
apples, but their size and taste were
more like blueberries.
We crossed a babbling stream bridged
with wooden planks, and ascended
to a stony lookout above Grey Lake.
Menthol-coloured icebergs wallowed
in the ashen waters. Some were as large
as three-storey condominiums, while
others were as small as doghouses. A
dynamite-like explosion reverberated
through the air as an apartment-sized
block cracked off of one of the icebergs,
creating a mini-tidal wave. Pushed
by the wind to the rocky edge of the
lake, it parked itself with the metalcompressing din of a gigantic trash
compactor.
We were prepared for the park’s notorious summer winds. (Explora sent us
a packing list prior to our arrival.) Our
Simon stretched out on a smooth
outcrop to scan the soaring peaks with
binoculars. (Explora lends Swarovski
An Andean condor soars above Torres
del Paine National Park
binoculars to guests so that they can
search for some of the 100 bird species
that inhabit the park.) Within minutes,
five tiny black dots circled in the sky
above him. One of the birds swooped
closer and closer until we could see
its white head and wing markings. It
was an Andean condor with a startling
two-metre wingspan. Simon’s prone
body invited the predatory vulture to
investigate a potential meal.
Mesmerized by the condor, we didn’t
notice the sky darkening and the lake
turning to the colour of slate. Fat raindrops pelted us as we hastily retrieved
our rainwear from our packs. Moving
quickly to a higher elevation, we looked
up and saw a waterfall cascading
down several hundred metres from the
granite cliffs above. A sunbeam broke
through the clouds, creating a rainbow
that arched over our path and ended
at an aquamarine iceberg in the lake.
Within minutes, balmy breezes dried
our clothing.
CONTINUED 
Hiking to Grey Glacier and Grey Lake in Torres
del Paine National Park
CSANews | WINTER 2014 23
Travel
Fairy tale palace

We scrambled up a rock, striated with
deep grooves by a retreating glacier.
Finding footholds on ledges carved
into a rock which was the shape of a
beached whale, we slowly inched our
way to the lookout. The view of the
colossal blue-ice castle, with its Gothic
towers and buttresses and giant gaping
doors, struck us with awe. It rose high
above us, even though we were on a
cliff several dozen metres above the
lake which lapped at its foundations.
The robin’s-egg blue palace was
actually a jagged ice wall formed by
the receding edge of Grey Glacier.
Its frozen tongue extended from the
12,400-square-kilometre Southern
Patagonian Ice Field – the world’s
third largest, after Antarctica’s and
Greenland’s.
As we absorbed the view, Giovanna unpacked a picnic: chicken and avocado
sandwiches, ham and cheese salad, trail
mix with raisins and nuts, crisp green
apples, orange juice, chocolate and
granola bars. Halfway through the meal,
the wind picked up, stinging us with ice
pellets blown off the glacier.
Grey Glacier and Grey Lake in Torres del Paine National Park
The temperature dropped by 20 degrees in an instant. We hurriedly packed
up the remnants of our feast and piled
on the sweaters that we had removed.
With flapping windbreakers, we scurried back down the slippery rock in half
the time it took to scale it. Ten minutes
later, we were striding along a grassy
plain in the sunshine. The mood of
Torres del Paine changes faster than a
dancer between sets.
Viewing Grey Lake and Paine mountains from lookout in Torres del Paine
National Park
Giovanna told us that we could continue walking for another hour around
the pebble-strewn beach, to a point at
which we could touch the glacier. The
prospect of adding another two hours
to our long trek back dissuaded us.
The return trip actually went by quickly,
except for the last kilometre, when
aching feet and muscles made every
lead-weighted step feel like a forced
march. We revived our flagging pace
Picnic on the lookout above Grey Glacier in Torres del Paine National Park
Travel
by anticipating the hot Jacuzzi and
four-course meal waiting for us at the
Explora. We passed a refuge on the
shoreline, offering dormitory rooms
and tent spaces to backpackers. One
glance at their wind-tossed tents and
futile attempts to ignite propane burners made us grateful for the comforts of
our lodge.
Explora Patagonia is a rare treat in
such a remote setting. Although its
wooden exterior is simple, its interior is
a comfortable retreat of polished wood
walls, slate floors, blazing fireplaces
and furniture made by local artisans.
Thick terry towels and robes, fluffy
feather-filled duvets and freshly baked
cookies awaited us in our room. After
hot showers, we savoured a dinner of
grilled lamb, fresh asparagus, excellent
Chilean Cabernet Sauvignon and a
warm walnut pie with whipped cream.
After hiking all day, calories were not a
concern.
Venturing outdoors after dinner, we
discovered an ebony sky filled with
more stars than we had ever dreamed
possible. We followed the wooden
boardwalk to the Jacuzzi and soaked
away our aching muscles under the
starlight. Back in our room, we fell into a
deep, restful sleep.
Tony Bennett left his heart in San
Francisco, according to his 1953 hit
song. We left ours at Torres del Paine.
We had booked a four-day package
at Explora and sincerely regretted
not booking the alternate eight-day
package. Nonetheless, other delights
awaited us in Patagonia.
CONTINUED 
Explora Patagonia lodge at dusk by Lake Pehoe below the Paine mountains in Torres del Paine
National Park
Travel
Puyuhuapi Lodge and Spa

Wilderness spa
We flew north from Punta Arenas
to Coyhaique/Balmaceda Airport.
Puyuhuapi Lodge & Spa’s all-inclusive
four-day package incorporates the
282-kilometre transfers to and from the
airport, meals with wine, an open bar,
guided excursions, use of spa facilities
and outdoor hot spring pools. Located
in the Aysén region of northwest
Patagonia, the 30-room lodge offers
tranquil views of the forested fjord and
mountains.
We arrived after dark, when amber
lights glowed from the windows and
a fire blazed in the fireplace. After welcome drinks and a four-course dinner
of crab-stuffed chicken, grilled salmon
with herb sauce and a dessert buffet
of parfaits, tortes, crêpes and pies, we
headed to our peak-roofed wooden
chalet for the night.
Singing birds woke us. Yellow dahlias,
blue hydrangeas and pink roses
surrounded our chalet. Vibrant pink
fuchsias draped themselves over the
roof, attracting squadrons of tiny hummingbirds. Mist rose from the emerald
bay. We followed a path skirting the
inlet to a waterfall that cascaded in
four tiers through a profusion of ferns,
bamboo and moss.
There was plenty to do here, from
paddling kayaks in the placid fjord to
visiting Queulat National Park, home to
Waterfall near Puyuhuapi Lodge and Spa
Travel
a hanging glacier. We hiked along fernlined trails, past picturesque lakes and
waterfalls. Guides described the area’s
plants, birds, animals and geology.
Back at the lodge, we indulged in a
massage followed by a bountiful seafood buffet. As the sun dropped like a
gold coin into the horizon, we wrapped
ourselves in plush white terry robes
and followed a stepping-stone path to
where puffs of steam rose above the
foliage. Beneath low-hanging clouds,
we found three thermal pools, naturally
heated by babbling hot springs. Our
Soaking in hot spring pool at Puyuhuapi Lodge and Spa
favourite was a romantic grotto surOnce again, it was hard to leave this
natural paradise, but another treat
rounded by elephant ear-sized tiaca
For
the
first
time
ever,
our
popular
123go!
offer
is ALL INCLUSIVE.
beckoned.
After breakfast, a four-hour
leaves and lacy ferns. Sitting on the
Go from your choice of 3 incredible offers to getting it all.
drive
in
the
lodge van along the
smoothFREEpebbled
bottom,
we
steeped
Up to $300 to
FREE Gratuities
Classic Beverage
spend on board per stateroom
for two
Packages
for
two
Carretera Austral (Southern Highway)
ourselves in the hot water. A flock
brought us back to Balmaceda Airport.
of green parrots roosted in the trees
above, while
clouds
played hide-and- Choose 1 of 3 offers
Enjoy
all 3 offers
Get 123go!
ALL INCLUSIVE mountains.
Book an ocean view or veranda
seek over the
snow-covered
CONTINUED 
OR
1
Receive a Classic Beverage Packages for two, including spirits,
valued at $98* per day, with beverage gratuities covered by
us—a 12-night sailing has a total value of more than $1,056.
3
2
Receive $100* for 3- to 5-night sailings Receive $200*
for 6- to 9-night sailings
Receive $300* for 10-night or more sailings.
Receive pre-paid gratuities for two,
value of up to $30* per day.
when you book a Concierge Class
stateroom or higher.
stateroom and choose 1 of 3 offers.
Book Europe and choose 2 offers.
Where TRUST and SERVICE are important
Plus, FREE companion airfare for suites on 2015 Alaska and Europe cruises – second guest receives
free air from top US and Canadian gateways.
EXPRESS TRAVEL IS YOUR ONE-STOP SHOP FOR THE BEST IN TRAVEL
Traveling with family or friends? We’ve got something for each additional guest, beyond the first two, in your stateroom
— free Classic Non-Alcoholic Beverage Packages and 40-minute Internet Packages.*
AIRFARES, HOTELS, RENTAL CARS, TRAINS, CRUISES, TOURS, GROUP AND INDEPENDENT TRAVEL
If you’re a Captain’s Club member, Classic level or above, you’ll also enjoy 50% reduced deposits
Special programs andOffer
pricing
preferred
tour
companies
(Trafalgar Tours) River Cruise Company
valid on with
sailings our
departing
February 2015
- April
2017.
Book our
by January
4, 2015.
(Viking River Cruise) and
cruise
partners will be available at the SNOWBIRD EXTRAVAGANZA in Florida.
R
BEST CRUISE LINE. BEST OFFER.
Enter Travel Partner Name Here
Enter Travel Partner Address Here
Enter City, State, Zip
Enter Travel Partner Telephone
Book select Europe, Canada and
New England, Bermuda, Alaska cruises
or Land+Sea Journeys and receive:
• FREE Stateroom Upgrade*
• Up to 10% off select shore excursions when
booked before April 15, 2015*
Booking Window: November 17 - December 31, 2014 • 50% reduced deposit*
Sailing Window: All open deployment, excluding
• FREE or Reduced cruise fares for 3rd/4th
all China departures, and Quantum of the Seas and
guest**
* Visit celebritycruises.com for full terms and conditions. Prices are per person, cruise only, for stateroom category 08, select sailings and based on double occupancy. Cruise must be booked 11/5/14–1/4/15 (“Offer Period”). Offer
applies to 3-night and longer cruises departing 2/2015–4/2017 booked at the non-discounted standard rate. Offer excludes Celebrity Xpedition and certain sailings. Bookings that meet all of these requirements are “Qualifying
Bookings.” 123go! All Inclusive Offer: In addition to the standard cruise, the Offer provides each of the first two guests in a Concierge class or higher Qualifying Booking with all three of the options described below. Standard 123go!
Offer provides ocean view and veranda stateroom bookings on European sailings with guest’s choice of any two of the following options and one of these options for all other sailings: Classic Beverage Package, Free Gratuities, or a
stateroom onboard credit (“OBC”). OBC amounts vary as follows: Concierge class and higher - $200 for 3-5 night sailings and $300 for 6-night and longer sailings, and ocean view and higher sailings - $100 for 3-5 nights, $200
for 6-9 nights, and $300 for 10-nights and longer. One OBC per stateroom. Third and higher guests booked in a triple or higher Qualifying Booking stateroom each receive one 40-minute internet package and one Classic NonAlcoholic Beverage Package. Free Gratuities provides prepaid stateroom, waiter, assistant waiter and head waiter gratuities in the amount suggested by Celebrity’s guidelines. OBC is not redeemable for cash and expires on final
night of the cruise. Specialty dining packages are additional, include one or more dinners in each specialty restaurant, and vary by sailing. Restaurant reservations are subject to availability. Companion Air Offer applies to double
occupancy and higher suite bookings on Alaska and Europe Qualified Bookings. Except as provided below, guests must book flights with Celebrity during the Offer Period. With the purchase of air travel from Celebrity for one person,
receive complimentary coach class roundtrip flights for a second person from the gateways listed at celebritycruise.com. Flights must be used in connection with the Qualified Booking. Airfare is based on contracted fares with
airlines, capacity controlled, air-only, subject to availability and may change without notice, subject to the terms and conditions of airline, must be booked through Celebrity and is only available with purchase of Qualified Booking.
Complimentary flights include all airline fees, surcharges and government taxes. Neither purchased airfare nor complimentary flights include checked baggage fees that may be charged by the airline. Flights are subject to availability
and subject to the terms and conditions of airline. For cruises departing when air is not available for sale, guests will be contacted when airlines open air for purchase; air must be booked no later than four months prior to cruise
departure date. Air Offer redeemable only after making a Qualified Booking at celebritycruises.com, contacting Celebrity Cruises at 1-888-305-9153 or contacting your travel agent. Travel professionals: book price promo SUITEAIR
and specify the applicable promo code for 123GO offers. Reduced Deposit Offer: Captain’s Club Classic Members and higher are eligible for a 50% reduced deposit on Qualifying Bookings made more than 70 days from departure
date. Reduced deposit must be paid by the earlier of 1/4/14 or deposit payment required due date. All Offers are applicable to new individual and non contracted group bookings, non-transferable, applicable only to the Qualifying
Booking, not combinable with any other offer. Offers not applicable to charters, incentives, meeting or contracted groups.Offers and prices are subject to availability and change without notice, and capacity controlled.©2014
Celebrity Cruises Inc. Ships registered in Malta and Ecuador. 14041338 • 10/2014
Anthem of the Seas
Offer details:
∙
∙
Vow to change the way you vacation. Vacations are precious and need to be the best they can be. Different.
Unexpected. Truly WOW. So vow to change the way you vacation and cruise with Royal Caribbean International®.
Only Royal WOWs with the best ships, greatest service and more destinations worldwide than ever. Right now
we’ve got the greatest variety of balcony staterooms in the Caribbean. Plus a variety of cruise choices in Europe
and Alaska too. For a limited time we’re offering you our richest offer of the year. Vow to WOW yourself and your
loved ones with a Royal Caribbean vacation they’ll never forget.
Buy One Guest, Get Second Guest 50% Off
PLUS up to $300 Spending Money
HURRY, THIS OFFER ENDS DECEMBER 31, 2014
“ASK ME HOW TO GET THE LOWEST AIRFARE THROUGH CHOICEAIR®”
Enter Agency Name Here
• Interior/Oceanview - $100 per stateroom
11stateroom
• Balcony - $200 per
• Suites - $300 per stateroom
Enter Contact Name Here
Enter Phone Number Here
®
BEST CRUISE
LINE OVERALL
YEARS
RUNNING
∙
Travel Weekly
Readers’ Choice Awards
2003 – 2013
PLUS 50% Reduced Deposit
Terms & Conditions: Prices are per person, cruise only, based on double occupancy, and interior stateroom. Offer applies to all sailings, excluding Quantum of the Seas, Anthem of the Seas, and all China departures. Buy One, Get One 50% applies to all stateroom categories and excludes
third and higher occupancy guests. Cruise must be booked Nov 17-Dec 31, 2014 (the “Offer Period”). Offer provides for an onboard credit (‘OBC’) of up to $300 per stateroom based on category purchased as well as 50% off cruise fare of second guest booked in the same stateroom as a
first guest who books at full fare. All other charges, including, but not limited to, taxes, fees and port expenses, are additional and apply to all guests. OBC amount is one per stateroom and based on stateroom category purchased. Refer to royalcaribbean.com for full list of OBC amounts.
OBC will be applied automatically at time of booking to all eligible reservations and displayed as per person amounts for 1st and 2nd guests, totalling the per stateroom value. The 50% reduced deposit can be applied via any automated booking tool (Cruisematch®, Sabre, Amadeus,
Galileo or Wordspan). However, the booking confirmation will not reflect the reduced deposit amount due. Buy One, Get One 50% off is combinable with the adjoining OBC offer, Crown & Anchor discounts and NextCruise offers. Buy One, Get One 50% off offer is not combinable with
restricted rates (for example, Seniors, Residents, Military, Kids Sail Free). OBC offer is combinable with restricted rates (for example, Seniors, Residents, Military, BOGO, Kids Sail Free) as well as NextCruise offers. OBC offer is not combinable with Crown & Anchor discounts. Neither offer
is combinable with any other offer or promotion, including, but not limited to, Interline, Travel Agent, Travel Agent Friends and Family, weekly Sales Events, Net Rates, Shareholder Benefits. After the Offer Period, the Offer will be removed from the booking if the guest cancels and
reinstates the booking, applies a fare change, or changes the ship or sail date of the booking; certain other changes to the booking may also result in removal of the Offer. Offer applies to new, individual and named group bookings confirmed at prevailing rates. Individual reservations
can be transferred into an existing group, assuming required criteria are met, though full deposit will be required at time of transfer. Failure to apply the required full deposit amount may result in the cancellation of the booking. The 50% reduced deposit and onboard credit offer is
applicable to on-line bookings; however, the on-line booking confirmation will not reflect the reduced deposit. Offer available to residents of the United States or Canada. Prices and Offer are subject to availability and change without notice, capacity controlled, and may be withdrawn
at any time. Refer to royalcaribbean.com for complete terms and conditions. Royal Caribbean International reserves the right to correct any errors, inaccuracies or omissions and to change or update fares, fees and surcharges at any time without prior notice. ©2014 Royal Caribbean
Cruises Ltd. Ships registry: The Bahamas. 14041346 • 11/4/2014
For the
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—
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Plus,
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airfare
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on2015
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cruises
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— free Classic Non-Alcoholic
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Packages
and 40-minute
InternetFebruary
Packages.* 2015 - April 2017.
Offer
valid
on sailings
departing
free air from top US and Canadian
gateways.
— free Classic
Non-Alcoholic Beverage
Packages
and 40-minute
Internet Packages.*
Offer provides ocean view and veranda stateroom bookings on European sailings with guest’s choice of any two of the following options and one of these options for all other sailings: Classic Beverage Package, Free Gratuities, or a
stateroom onboard credit (“OBC”). OBC amounts vary as follows: Concierge class and higher - $200 for 3-5 night sailings and $300 for 6-night and longer sailings, and ocean view and higher sailings - $100 for 3-5 nights, $200
for 6-9 nights, and $300 for 10-nights and longer. One OBC per stateroom. Third and higher guests booked in a triple or higher Qualifying Booking stateroom each receive one 40-minute internet package and one Classic NonAlcoholic Beverage Package. Free Gratuities provides prepaid stateroom, waiter, assistant waiter and head waiter gratuities in the amount suggested by Celebrity’s guidelines. OBC is not redeemable for cash and expires on final
night of the cruise. Specialty dining packages are additional, include one or more dinners in each specialty restaurant, and vary by sailing. Restaurant reservations are subject to availability. Companion Air Offer applies to double
receive complimentary coach class roundtrip flights for a second person from the gateways listed at celebritycruise.com. Flights must be used in connection with the Qualified Booking. Airfare is based on contracted fares with
airlines, capacity controlled, air-only, subject to availability and may change without notice, subject to the terms and conditions of airline, must be booked through Celebrity and is only available with purchase of Qualified Booking.
Complimentary flights include all airline fees, surcharges and government taxes. Neither purchased airfare nor complimentary flights include checked baggage fees that may be charged by the airline. Flights are subject to availability
and subject to the terms and conditions of airline. For cruises departing when air is not available for sale, guests will be contacted when airlines open air for purchase; air must be booked no later than four months prior to cruise
departure date. Air Offer redeemable only after making a Qualified Booking at celebritycruises.com, contacting Celebrity Cruises at 1-888-305-9153 or contacting your travel agent. Travel professionals: book price promo SUITEAIR
and specify the applicable promo code for 123GO offers. Reduced Deposit Offer: Captain’s Club Classic Members and higher are eligible for a 50% reduced deposit on Qualifying Bookings made more than 70 days from departure
date. Reduced deposit must be paid by the earlier of 1/4/14 or deposit payment required due date. All Offers are applicable to new individual and non contracted group bookings, non-transferable, applicable only to the Qualifying
Booking, not combinable with any other offer. Offers not applicable to charters, incentives, meeting or contracted groups.Offers and prices are subject to availability and change without notice, and capacity controlled.©2014
Celebrity Cruises Inc. Ships registered in Malta and Ecuador. 14041338 • 10/2014
Book
bylevel
January
4,beyond
2015.
If you’regot
a Offer
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stateroom
valid on
sailings
February
2015
-above,
April 2017.
Offer valid
on sailings
departing
2015 - April
2017.
Book
by January
4, 2015.February
— free Classic Non-Alcoholic Beverage
Packages
and
40-minute
Internet
Packages.*
*Terms and Conditions Apply
by January 4, 2015.
Enter
Name Here
If you’re a Captain’s Club member,Book
Classic
level or above, you’ll
alsoTravel
enjoyPartner
50% reduced
deposits
Enter Travel
Address
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Enterprocessing
Travel Partner Address
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We are a full-service agency with exceptional value on all forms of travel: River Cruising, Escorted and Independent tours, SPA Holidays, multi-generational tours, family events andEnter
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the
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plus much
more!
Partner Name Here
Offer valid on sailings departing February 2015 - April 2017.
Enter Travel Partner
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Book by January 4, 2015.
For Information or Reservations Contact: [email protected]
(305) 341-1200 ext.223 or 1-800-544-1222
ext.223
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Travel
Puerto Puyuhuapi village
During our stay at Puyuhuapi Lodge
we hired a motorboat to visit the
nearby fishing village of Puerto
Puyuhuapi. Children greeted us from
the dock as we arrived. Two men
played tejas, a game similar to horseshoes. Other villagers sang hymns in
the wooden-shingled church. A nanny
goat nursed her kid. Smoke billowed
from chimneys as dinners baked
over wood fires. It was an enjoyable
glimpse of local life.
Chile’s Inside Passage

Loberías del Sur Hotel, in Puerto
Chacabuco, tempted us with a cruise
through the fjords to another national
park in Chilean Patagonia. The hotel’s
four-day Glacier Classic Program incorporated buffet breakfasts, daily dinners,
guided hiking, a Patagonian lamb
barbecue and the two-hour transfers to
and from the airport. Its highlight was a
full-day excursion aboard the 100-passenger Chaitén Catamaran to Laguna
San Rafael.
Following the Moraleda Channel, our
ship threaded its way between fjords
and forested islands that were actually
the verdant tops of the submerged
coastal Andean range. As we ventured
into an inlet, our catamaran’s double
hulls noisily parted a flotilla of diminutive aquamarine icebergs. Farther in,
the icebergs grew more immense and
colourful. We searched for words to describe their hues: ice-blue, powder-blue,
baby-blue, mint-blue and stained-glasswindow blue.
A resounding boom and thundering
crash diverted our attention to the
source of the crystalline mountains of
ice: the San Rafael Glacier. It calved a
house-sized iceberg that slipped into
the sea, creating a cloud of spray and
undulating ripples that gently rocked
our boat. Black-backed gulls flocked to
the site to scoop up fish stunned by the
impact.
Stretching more than three kilometres
across, and as much as 70 metres high,
the glacier is the focal point of the 1.7
million-hectare Laguna San Rafael
National Park. The icy tongue is only
an offshoot of the massive Northern
Patagonian Ice Field. At the end of
the last ice age, its retreating glaciers
eroded the valley bottoms to such
a degree that the ocean eventually
flooded them, giving rise to the fjords
that now splinter the coast.
Backed by the 4,058-metre-high Monte
San Valentin, the highest peak in the
southern Andes, the glacier was an
intimidating spectacle when viewed
from a tiny Zodiac. Wearing life preservers in the rubber raft, we felt dwarfed
Travel
by the jagged fragments of floating ice.
Our Zodiac zoomed along the glacier’s
crevassed face, darting between wallowing icebergs.
A crew member used a pronged stick
to coax a punchbowl-sized iceberg
into a net bag, which he hauled into
the Zodiac before we navigated back
to the ship. As the Chaitén Catamaran
departed from Laguna San Rafael,
the bartender chopped the chunk of
30,000-year-old glacial ice to cool our
pisco sours (Chile’s margarita-like national drink made with grape brandy).
We raised our glasses in a toast to one
of the world’s most awesome cruises.
With its mountains, glaciers and fjords,
Chilean Patagonia is indeed something
to celebrate. It was a memorable way
to conclude our journey to the edge of
the earth.
Resources
Chile Tourism: www.chile.travel
Explora Patagonia: www.explora.com/explora-patagonia
Puyuhuapi Lodge & Spa: www.puyuhuapilodge.com
Loberías del Sur Hotel: www.loberiasdelsur.cl/en
Barb & Ron Kroll publish the trip-planning website: www.KrollTravel.com
RV Lifestyle
PLANNING FOR
RETIREMENT
& THE SNOWBIRD LIFESTYLE
Preparing for retirement is a lot of
work. That’s one of life’s great ironies.
2010 had less than $30,000 in their
retirement accounts.
Both financial and physical well-being
in retirement require foresight and
planning.
Aspiring to be financially independent
gives you unique choices. It allows you
to do what you want with your golden
years. But financial goals don’t just
happen; you must make them happen.
In his book, The Seven Habits of Highly
Effective People, Stephen Covey writes,
“I am not a product of my circumstances. I am a product of my decisions.”
Financial security in retirement doesn’t
just happen. It takes planning and
commitment and, yes, money. The
average Canadian spends 20 years in
retirement, yet most people aged 50
to 64 have nothing or next to nothing
in retirement accounts and thus will
rely solely on Canada Pension, OAS
and other government subsidized
programs. Seventy-five per cent of
Canadians nearing retirement age in
A financial plan is a road map helping
you navigate to your dreams. This step
requires you to assess where you want
to be five, 10 and 20 years hence. This
will answer some big questions, such
as where you want to live in retirement
and when you want to stop working.
Although far too many people fail
to plan their financial resources,
perhaps even more fail to plan how to
invest their hours and days once the
structure of the work week is removed
in retirement.
Most of us dream about retirement.
It seems wonderful to have fewer responsibilities, be on vacation all of the
time and do as we please. Retirement
can be all of these things, but it is just
as important to plan for retirement
emotionally, as well as financially.
In his book Invisible Man, Ralph Ellison
writes, “Don’t you know the quickest
way to die is to retire?”
Unfortunately, there is considerable
research evidence to suggest that he is
onto something here.
Although many complain about long
hours at work, the work week establishes a certain stability and structure
to our lives.
It may sound Utopian to be freed from
work responsibilities and to enjoy, as
Henry James in The Portrait of a Lady
RV Lifestyle
writes, “weeks and months made up
only of off-days.”
The removal of this structure, however,
without plans to invest one’s time,
often leads to boredom, aimlessness
and decline.
Although many people have hobbies
and delayed projects to fill their retirement days, others find their lives to be
suddenly empty and void of meaning.
A co-worker once told me, “I’m retiring
in a month and I never did figure out
what I wanted to be when I grew up!”
Though that’s an extreme case, I know
he’s not alone in failing to set goals or
planning how to achieve them.
How will we use our new freedom, our
unfolding spare time? How will we
convert the windfall of free time into
self-fulfilment?
In Fathers and Sons, Ivan Turgenev
writes, “There’s an empty space in
my trunk and I’m stuffing hay into it.
It’s the same with the luggage of our
own lives. It doesn’t matter what you
fill it with, so long as there’s no empty
space.”
But it does matter. Retirement
gives us control and choices as to
how we spend our time. We now
have the time to pursue hobbies
and projects of interest.
In The Chosen, Chaim Potok writes,
“I am doing things I consider very
important now. If I could not do
these things, my life would have
no value. Merely to live, merely to
exist – what sense is there to it? A
fly also lives.”
If there is no sense or meaning to it,
then Isaac Singer’s character in The
Manor is correct. “I can die, I am no
longer needed.”
For the last 17 years, we have been
making our way south, leaving the
cold northern winters behind in
favour of enjoying the warmth and
sunshine of places such as Palm
Springs, Ol’ Airy Zonie, southern
Texas, Alabama Coast, Cajun
Country and sunny Florida.
CONTINUED 
We raise
more than
a billion
dollars for
Florida
education.
Every
Year!
With an education, Florida
students can dream as big as
they want. It’s why we’ve
contributed more than $27
billion to education over the
past 26 years. That’s more than
a billion dollars to education
every year. We don’t just believe
in the future of our state. We’re
investing in it.
Visit flalottery.com/education.do
to learn more about our
commitment to education.
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responsibly. © 2014 Florida Lottery
31
RV Lifestyle

The southwest is amazing. The colours
are vibrant, the land varied and breathtaking. The way in which the Texas
countryside changes from stark desert
to prairie to juniper forests and lush
green of the hill country is spectacular.
Staying for months at a time, we enjoy
the snowbird lifestyle.
As refugees from the frozen north,
snowbirds escape winter at home by
migrating southward each year.
There is an actual bird – the common
snowbird, or dark-eyed junco – that
migrates south from the cold in
groups. John James Audubon, the
great naturalist and painter, once
wrote of the snowbird, “The migration
of these birds is performed by night, as
they are seen in a district one day and
have disappeared the next.”
Then he added, “So gentle and tame
does the snowbird become on the
least approach of hard weather that it
forms, as it were, a companion to every
child. Indeed, there is not an individual
in the Union who does not know the
little snowbird, which, in North
America, is cherished as the robin is in
Europe.”
Not all of the human variety may
be similarly cherished, but they do
become companions. As each autumn
gives way to winter, most seem to be
welcomed back – warmly – to the U.S.
Sunbelt.
The attraction of recreational vehicle
travel is to see the country, visit new
places, meet interesting people and
experience the freedom of the open
road. As we explore North America by
RV, natural beauty abounds when least
expected, and surprises wait at every
turn of the road.
Each journey which we take represents
a passage, whether it’s an adventure
to a new province or state, a day trip
to a new attraction or an outing with
friends.
Never driving our motorhome along
a prearranged route, we vary stops
along the way, often taking two to
three months to reach our southern
destinations.
Sound familiar to anyone?
Even though many consider leaving
their home constitutes a vacation,
this popular lifestyle should really be
thought of simply as being able to
enjoy life as you relocate your condoon-wheels to more desirable seasonal
locations.
Selecting your balmy snowbird roost
is when all of the fun starts. Choice is
in rich supply and, for those who like
to hop around a bit, a combination of
RV Lifestyle
Worth Pondering…
It started out a dream
A simple someday soon
But we worked hard
and made it real
This snowbird life
behind the wheel.
spots can let you sample entire regions
and states.
Perhaps the biggest consideration
should be what kind of environment
you’re looking for, as well as what kind
of activities you’d like to pursue. Do
you crave white sandy beaches and
tropical temperatures? Or dry air and
rustic frontier homesteads? Perhaps
a thriving music and arts scene? Or
maybe you’re after a balance of bigcity fun and small-town charm?
Many communities seem tailor-made
for snowbirds, complete with popular
tourism attractions that are open
year-round, spectacular national parks
and scenery. Check out the RV shows,
farmers’ markets, swap meets, festivals,
sports events and other events occurring in your prospective destination.
You’re probably familiar with the
snowbird hot spots in Arizona, Texas,
Florida and California. Keep in mind
that you can also find great snowbird
roosts in places such as Alabama,
Mississippi, Louisiana, New Mexico and
Nevada. Great snowbird destinations
thrive across the Sunbelt; all you have
to do is find the one that’s right for
you.
Hear Now,
Pay Later
For as little as $141
a month, you will
benefit from the
newest hearing aid
technology and start
enjoying life to the
fullest today!
*
Many snowbirds are north-south
creatures, meaning those from the
northwest tend to settle in Arizona,
Nevada and California; those from the
midwest flock to Texas, Mississippi,
Alabama and Louisiana; and those
from the northeast head for Florida.
Are you planning on heading directly
south from your home location? Or
will you cut across the country in a
diagonal direction, exploring a whole
new longitude?
CSA Members
Save 10%
**
Carefully plan the stops along the
way, and give yourself some time to
do some sightseeing on the
journey south.
Story and photos by Rex Vogel
Vogel Talks RVing website vogeltalksrving.com
E-mail me at [email protected] with
your comments, issues and topics that you’d
like to see addressed on this page.
CALL TODAY
877-685-5327
www.helixhca.com
* Payment amount calculated after all applicable government grants and discounts.
** Not valid with any other offer, discount or third party orders.
Full details available in clinic.
Finance
Seven common
investment errors
by James Dolan
And how you can avoid them
Let’s face it: investing isn’t easy. For most people, what we know about investing was learned through trial and error – by
making our fair share of dumb decisions, stupid mistakes, and missteps along the way.
The only problem is that investment mistakes aren’t always easy to get over – particularly for the retired (or soon-to-be
retired). While it’s possible to recover from bad investment decisions when you’re younger, making an error in managing your
retirement nest egg can have a devastating impact on quality of life during your retirement, and could permanently impair
your ability to achieve your life goals.
The best way to ensure that this doesn’t happen is to learn from others’ mistakes. To that end, here are seven common mistakes that investors make, along with some practical tips regarding how you might avoid them. No, the following list won’t
prepare you for every possible circumstance, or help you sidestep every potential financial pitfall. But if you can avoid these
critical errors, you’ve gone a long way toward protecting your portfolio – and your retirement.
Not thinking enough
about risk
Some people think that investing is about chasing down
the highest returns possible, wherever those returns may
be. They make big bets on investments with which they’re
not all that familiar, or go “all in” on speculative investments that are high-risk, high-reward propositions without thinking all that much about what could go wrong.
Then, when performance doesn’t live up to expectations,
or when the overall market undergoes a correction, they
suddenly second-guess their investment decisions and
feel the need to liquidate their holdings all at once.
The problem here is risk – more specifically, the lack of
self-knowledge about risk. Simply put, too many investors
don’t think about the downside of a given investment
until after the fact. They fail to consider the basic “what
if” questions about their holdings. What’s the likelihood
of this investment dropping by 10%, 20% or even 30% in
a short period of time? And how would you feel if it did?
What would you be inclined to do? Thinking about these
questions before you commit money to a given idea can
often solve problems before they begin.
Contrary to popular belief, the vast majority of investors
don’t have to take big risks to be successful. In fact, for the
vast majority of retirees (or soon-to-be retirees), a wellbalanced portfolio of blue-chip, dividend-paying stocks
and government bonds is usually a pretty good vehicle
for achieving retirement goals. Such a portfolio isn’t
overly exciting, but it probably won’t keep you up at night
either. For most people, that’s a good trade-off to make.
Finance
Failure to diversify
You remember the old saying about not putting all of
your eggs in one basket? It’s simple advice – and it can
work wonders for your portfolio.
Instead of gambling your entire portfolio on a single
position (or a single sector of the economy), you spread
your holdings among different assets, different economic sectors and different markets of the world. If any
one of these investments suffers a downturn (and they
will, eventually), some or all of the others should help
cushion the blow. Or, to continue our metaphor: even if
the “eggs” in one basket happen to break, chances are
that the eggs in your other baskets will be just fine.
Diversification is particularly important for stock market
investors. Despite the growing interdependence of
world markets, performance still varies from region to
region. When stocks in North America zig, for example,
stocks in Asia (or Europe, or Latin America) tend to zag.
Spreading your investments across a number of different markets at once is good practice. The same general
principle applies no matter what you’re investing in.
You can diversify between government and corporate
bonds, for example. Or among residential real estate,
commercial real estate and industrial real estate. Or
maybe between Canadian real estate and international
real estate. You get the idea.
If you’re not well versed regarding how to diversify your
portfolio, keep in mind that many investments come
with “built-in” diversification. Indeed, the entire point
of buying mutual funds and exchange-traded funds
(ETFs) is to purchase a professionally managed “pool” of
pre-selected investments so that you don’t have to do it
yourself. Keep in mind that it’s possible to diversify even
further by spreading your holdings among different
mutual funds and ETFs: for instance, rather than investing in one equity fund, you can divide your holdings
between Canadian and international equities. Or
large-cap and small-cap equities. Or a bond fund and an
equity fund. And so on.
CONTINUED 
YOUR CANADA/U.S.A.
TAX PREPARATION SOLUTION
Do you have questions or need help
filing your Canadian or U.S. tax return?
Do you have Canadian or U.S.
rental property?
Are you disclosing the proper
information to CRA and the IRS?
Do you cut your vacations short
to file your taxes each year?
Aldo Sistilli CPA Professional Corporation, based out
of Toronto, Canada and Tax Solutions Plus based out
of Clearwater, Florida USA, have teamed up to provide
their clients with Canadian and U.S. tax services for
personal, business, trusts and estates.
You are now able to visit either office where staff will
be able to assist you with processing your taxes in
either country or both if required.
ALDO
SISTILLI
CPA Professional Corporation
CATHERINE
BINDER
CPA, U.S. & Canada – Tax Solutions Plus
416.248.6411
727.791.3561
203-140 La Rose Avenue
Toronto, Ontario, M9P 1B2
Email: [email protected]
Website: www.sistilli.com
2701 Sunset Point Rd
Clearwater FL 33759
Email: [email protected]
Website: www.taxsolutionsplus.com
Finance

Investing based on
“hot tips”
Maybe it’s an uncle who’s heard about a hot stock. Or
a neighbour who’s passing along some timely investment advice. Or a business associate who read about a
brand-new technology that’s going to change the world.
Perhaps it’s an investment professional: a columnist
whom you read in the newspapers, a fund manager
whom you see on TV or an analyst who’s written a
detailed report about a specific stock or asset class or an
investment theme they believe in strongly.
No matter where it comes from, it’s a “hot tip” – an investment idea or rumour expressed in a way that makes it
sound like an insider’s secret that only a privileged few
actually know. The natural inclination with such buzz is
to act now, and put some money into the opportunity
before other people become aware of it.
Not a good idea. By itself, a hot tip does not constitute
a viable investment opportunity, even if it comes from
a source who seems to know what he or she is talking
about. Perhaps more important, even if what you hear
is legitimate, it doesn’t mean that the opportunity is
right for you. Remember: buying anything based simply
on something which you heard from someone else
constitutes nothing more than a gamble. Sure, it could
work out and you could make some money. Or it doesn’t,
and you lose everything.
So: should you simply ignore all the “stock talk” you hear?
Not necessarily. But it certainly makes sense to treat such
talk cautiously, and to gather the facts before you make
the decision to invest. If you do come across an opportunity that gets you interested, the first thing to do is
your homework. Consider the source: is it credible? Then
start doing some digging. Does the opportunity pass the
“smell test”? Or does it seem too good to be true? What
do the numbers look like? Ask your financial advisor
about the opportunity – what does he or she think of it?
Be prepared to do a lot of research and ask yourself the
critical “what if” questions about risk.
After all of that, you’ll want to evaluate the opportunity
in light of your personal circumstances. Beyond the
chance to make money, does the opportunity fit into
your “big picture” financial goals? For example, buying an
up-and-coming technology stock which you read about
might be OK if you’re a well-established business owner
who’s earning a high income and you’ve paid off your
house. For those who are trying to put together a down
payment, well, it might be best to chalk it up to a good
idea at the wrong time.
Finance
Confusing speculating
with investing
Speculating is trying to buy something with the hopes
of selling it at a higher price to someone else. It doesn’t
really matter what that “something” is – stocks, bonds,
real estate, gold coins, foreign currencies, rare stamps,
whatever – the speculator isn’t all that concerned with
what it is, how it works, what its future prospects are, or
how it fits into his or her larger financial plan. All they’re
really focused on is whether it can be quickly “flipped” to
someone else for a profit.
By contrast, investing is more focused on the fundamental merits of a given asset. Sure, every investor wants to
sell his or her holdings for a higher price at some date in
the future. But it’s not just about price. By trying to understand an asset’s future prospects (rather than simply
what it might sell for in the future), the investor hopes to
capitalize on the dislocation between an asset’s current
price and its intrinsic value. It’s a different mindset – one
that’s focused less on quick flips and more on turning
patience into profit.
Let’s be clear here: there is nothing “wrong” with speculating. And there are absolutely many people who make
money by jumping into and out of investments, quickly
buying them and selling them to the next buyer. But it’s
important to understand the difference between the
two behaviours, and to know what you’re doing when
you make a given investment.
Trying to take advantage of short-term market events
and price movements takes an exceptional amount of
market knowledge and trading skill. It also requires a
near-constant attention to one’s positions. Even then,
the most experienced of speculators or traders don’t get
it right 100% of the time. Chances are that the average
investor has neither the time nor the inclination for it.
This is not to say that you have to say no to every quick
trading opportunity which comes along. Sometimes,
such trades work out well. But the market isn’t a giant
roulette table and those who treat it that way all of the
time usually end up losing their shirts. Successful investors are able to keep speculative trades to a very small
part of their overall portfolio. Sure, they may do it from
time to time. But the majority of the buys and sells which
they make are viewed from a long-term, businesslike
perspective. They tend to leave the gambling where it
belongs: at the casino.
CONTINUED 
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Finance

The fact of the matter is, market movements are driven as
much by the psychology of investors as by any change in
investment fundamentals. And that psychology has only
grown more pronounced with the advent of around-theclock financial news and up-to-the-minute web reports.
Paying too
much attention
to market
movements
Markets move up and markets move down. Sometimes
quickly. Often unexpectedly. But such movement is
perfectly natural: the “roller-coaster ride” has always been
a part of investing, and always will be. But unless you need
to access your investments in the near future, there’s no
particular reason to let short-term market movements
influence your long-term portfolio decisions.
Ignoring costs
As much as we’d like to pretend otherwise, investing
isn’t free. There are costs and fees that come with every
buy-and-sell decision. If you invest in mutual funds, ETFs,
or other pooled products, there are ongoing annual
management fees as well. On top of it all, your wealth
advisor or financial planner may also charge a fee for his or
her services.
It’s not possible to bring these costs to zero. But keeping
them to a minimum (and making sure that you receive
good value for the money) should be an important goal of
The ability to “tune out the noise” is an important skill for
every investor to have. Rather than worrying about what’s
happening right now, successful investors learn to focus on
the long-term prospects of a given investment. No matter
how serious market events may seem in the here and now
(or how troubled you may be about them), chances are
that in several years, those specific events will be a distant
memory.
Yes, every investor needs to keep an eye on economic
events and be generally aware of what’s going on in the
market. And you certainly need to follow relevant news
concerning the specific investments in your portfolio –
earnings news, price movements, new opportunities, etc.
But remember: the more you tune into the noise, the more
tempting it can be to do something about it. Often, that’s
the worst possible thing that you can do for your portfolio.
every investor. While any one fee may be small, their effect
is cumulative: over the course of your investment life, such
fees could consume a considerable percentage of your
overall return.
The issue of costs is particularly important for elderly retirees, who tend to have more conservative portfolios than
those who have just entered retirement. As conservative
portfolios have less potential for returns, the percentage
of those returns eaten up in fees becomes greater. If you’re
not careful, a significant portion of what you earn could
disappear in management fees, taxes and other costs.
The good news: there’s no reason to put up with high-cost
investments anymore. Over the past decade or so, there’s
been considerable development of low-cost options for
frugal investors. Literally dozens of investment companies
offer entire lineups of low-cost index funds, while ETFs and
similar investments offer some of the lowest investment
management fees around. They’re worth investigating.
Finance
Never rebalancing or
reviewing the portfolio
Think of your portfolio as a garden. You can leave it alone
for a time and it will take care of itself. But if you ignore it for
too long, it will start growing in ways that you didn’t intend.
Healthy, productive plants will grow “wild” and crowd out
other parts of the garden. Other plants will become diseased
and will need to be cut back, in order to prevent them from
infecting other plants.
How do you ensure that you know which investments
need weeding, pruning or harvesting? You’ll need
to keep up with what’s going on in the markets and
review your holdings regularly. The exact schedule
depends largely on what’s in your portfolio, as well as
on your personal circumstances. But a semi-annual
check-in is probably a good place to start.
Your portfolio works in much the same way. Some investments
will need to be “pruned” and pared back from time to time,
in order to prevent them from taking over too much of the
overall portfolio. Some investments won’t perform in the way
that you want them to: there’s no reason why such holdings
shouldn’t be “weeded” out of your portfolio. Finally, if a given
investment has done the job which you’ve asked it to do
(i.e. it’s made money for you), then it makes sense to “harvest”
it and move on to the next opportunity.
Keep in mind that just because you review your
portfolio doesn’t mean that you actually have to do
anything. On the contrary: if your life goals or needs
haven’t changed all that much, or if the markets have
been “steady as she goes,” it’s entirely possible that
you might not need to do anything. But, by taking a
look and reviewing things, you won’t have to guess
about what’s going on. You’ll know.
DA L E K E N N I N GTO N
REAL LIVES: Observations and Reflections
Curated by Lee A. Gray, Ph.D.
Dale Kennington (born Savannah, Georgia, 1935), Barbershop, 1995, oil on canvas, 42 × 50 inches. Collection of The Butler Institute of American Art, Youngstown, Ohio.
THE MENNELLO MUSEUM OF AMERICAN ART
JANUARY 23 – JUNE 7, 2015
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2014 39
Health
PROTECTING
Public Health
by Robert MacMillan MD
used to be the norm. Today, however, infection outbreaks
are still affecting numerous populations in the developing
world.
There is probably nothing which we take more for
granted in the developed world than the mechanisms
and regulations that are in place for protecting public
health. Clean drinking water, waste and sewage control,
food preparation regulations, immunization programs
and medical isolation and treatment protocols all help
to protect us from disease and contagious infections.
Although there are many examples of infections still
prevalent in our society, for the most part, we no longer
have the number of epidemics and virulent infections that
The recent Ebola epidemic is one such example. At the time
of this writing, there have been only isolated cases in North
America and these have been quickly contained because of
strict prevention and treatment protocols, whereas in West
Africa, there have been thousands infected with almost half
of the persons not surviving. First discovered more than 40
years ago in Zaire and Sudan, there have been numerous
outbreaks in Africa since then, but none so overwhelming
and uncontrollable as at present. A vaccine developed in
Canada is now in clinical trials and is a promising tool for
possible future control.
Health
Over the centuries, numerous infective epidemics have occurred throughout the world. Among them was smallpox,
which probably emerged in human populations as far back
as 10,000 BC and, by the late 18th century, was claiming
almost half a million Europeans yearly. In 1796, the English
physician Edward Jenner demonstrated the effectiveness
of cowpox virus vaccine to protect humans from smallpox.
In 1980, the World Health Organization declared the illness
finally eradicated.
disease. Governments and charities are very gradually helping to improve access to clean water and proper sanitation
in developing countries.
CONTINUED 
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The Black Death, caused by a bacterium, was one of the
most devastating pandemics ever recorded and killed an
estimated 75-200 million people (30-60% of Europe’s entire
population) in the 14th century. Although variants of the
bacterium are still present, modern hygiene and antibiotics
prevent huge outbreaks.
Other diseases which many of us remember – such as
measles, chicken pox, mumps, polio and German measles
– are largely eradicated in the developed world through
extensive immunization programs.
We have come to expect clean drinking water. Until the
outbreak of an E. coli infection in the Walkerton, Ontario
tragedy in 2000, most of us thought little about the
importance of strict protocols for water treatment facilities.
Since then, even tougher water inspection regulations
have been adopted in many jurisdictions in North America,
making our drinking water very safe. In comparison, in
the sub-Saharan region of Africa where the majority have
inadequate access to proper sanitation and potable water,
more than 2,000 children die every day from diarrheal
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Health

In Canada, we are still faced with new challenges in public
health. The emergence of HIV-AIDS in the early eighties
presented many issues, in terms of both prevention and
treatment. Those efforts have been continuous but, in
spite of improved education, prevention and treatment
modalities, combating the disease remains a constant
effort on the part of public health officials and medical
and volunteer groups. As of 2011, there were more than
70,000 Canadians living with HIV, of which an estimated
25% were not even aware of their infection. As with other
communicable diseases, the vast majority of persons living
with HIV-AIDS live in low- and middle-income countries,
especially sub-Saharan Africa. Since deaths from the
disease were first reported in 1981, more than 25 million
persons have died worldwide.
The outbreak of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS)
in China in 2002 was finally attributed to a coronavirus
which had originated in bats and other animals. Being very
contagious, it killed 774 people worldwide (including 44
in Toronto) before it was contained. Many inadequacies
relating to initial reporting and screening in Asia resulted in
worldwide spread of the disease. Even in Canada, shortcomings were identified, especially the need for better
federal/provincial co-ordinated public health initiatives. As
a result, primarily from an inquiry following the outbreak,
the Public Health Agency of Canada was established with
a mandate “to contribute to federal efforts to identify and
reduce public health risk factors and to support national
readiness for public health threats.”
Although dramatically reduced in the developed world,
tuberculosis is still a rampaging infection in many populations including Canada’s aboriginal population, in which
the incidence is six times greater than the overall national
rate. Although the introduction of antibiotics in the 1950s
dramatically reduced the rate, resistance to current antibiotics is one of the main roadblocks to effective treatment.
Recent figures show that there were nine million new cases
of TB and 1.5 million deaths worldwide, mostly in Africa,
India and China. The World Health Organization is reporting
that the strategies to combat this devastating disease are
showing some recent successes.
Public health initiatives provide us with protection from
some of the common infections. Each of us is familiar
with the annual fall “flu shot,” which helps protect us from
influenza. Although the statistics are not as startling, in
42
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addition to thousands of individuals in North America
suffering from the symptoms of influenza (especially those
who have not had their annual vaccination), there were
about 325 deaths in Canada last season directly attributable to influenza. Most of these victims were over 65 years
of age. All of us should get our fall injection for influenza,
not only for our own sake, but also to help prevent spread
of the disease. If you missed out on the “flu shot” before
your winter vacation, be sure and visit a pharmacy to get
one while away.
Another infection for which there is government-provided
protection is pneumococcal disease, for which vaccination
of all adults over the age of 65 is recommended. Such
persons are at greater risk for complications as a result of
this infection, including its being the most common serious
Health
complication of seasonal and pandemic influenza. The
Public Health Agency of Canada recommends that persons
over the age of 65 receive one injection of pneumococcal
vaccine. For those with compromised immune systems and
certain chronic conditions, additional vaccinations may
be necessary. Many physicians overlook this important
vaccination for seniors. Be sure and check with your doctor
to ensure that you’ve had the “pneumonia vaccine.”
Another vaccine recommended for persons over the age of
60 is Zostavax, which helps reduce the risk of developing
herpes zoster (shingles). Although not providing full
protection to everyone, the vaccine reduces the risk not
only of acquiring the disease, but also of the complications if it does develop, such as post-herpetic neuralgia
(chronic nerve pain). Interestingly, most medical insurance
providers in the U.S., both Medicare and private cover the
vaccine, whereas in all provinces in Canada, even though
recommended, individuals must pay the $200 or more
themselves.
Prevention and treatment initiatives for many other
infections are constantly being carried out throughout
the world. These include the World Health Organization,
national and provincial governments, non-governmental
and volunteer agencies, medical professionals, researchers, pharmaceutical companies and others. The focus is
on known public health hazards that have existed for
centuries, in addition to new and emerging threats such as
Ebola. The challenges are great and there are probably no
better charities to which you might contribute than those
combating these public health threats throughout the
world. As well as appreciating the measures being taken in
protecting public health, we should be mindful of the immunization and health protection measures each of us can
take to protect ourselves, as well as others, from infection.
(Dr. MacMillan is a former assistant deputy minister of health
in Ontario. This division of the ministry is responsible for public
health, public health laboratories, community health
and AIDS programs within the province.)
Health Pulse
HEALTHY TRAVEL HABITS
Riding in a car, train, bus or airplane seat can add up to a lot
of time spent doing very little. Use that time to benefit your
health by following these tips:
`` Practising relaxation – reduce stress by focusing on your
breathing for a few minutes. Then inhale deeply through
your nose, hold your breath for a few seconds and exhale
through your mouth. As you exhale, relax your face and
shoulders.
`` Playing mind games – exercise your mind to keep it sharp. If
you have a mobile computer device, there are brain games
that can be downloaded for free. Think of math problems to
solve, or play memory games.
`` Squeezing an object – there’s some evidence that gripping
an object such as a stress ball or spring-loaded grip device
at 30 per cent of your grip strength – and holding that
grip for about two minutes – may have a positive effect on
blood pressure. Do this twice in each hand separately, with a
couple of minutes’ rest in between.
`` Eating healthy snacks – options include fruits, vegetables,
unsalted nuts, a sandwich on whole-grain bread and a lowcalorie or no-calorie beverage.
`` Moving your legs – if you’re riding for more than an hour,
gently but firmly contract leg muscles for a couple of
seconds. Begin with the lower leg muscles, then the thigh
muscles to help move blood out of the legs.
STAND UP FOR YOURSELF
Activities to reduce the amount of time which you spend
sitting don’t have to be physically strenuous. It’s more about
habit change, such as finding ways to stand up, shuffle
around, do light activity and walk around more often
throughout the day. You might try the following:
`` Getting on your feet during screen time – take a lap around
the house during a commercial or get up for a glass of water.
You can also do a chore while watching TV, stand while at
the computer, or get up and pace while you’re thinking.
`` Turning sitting tasks into walking tasks – walk around while
on the phone, read the paper while standing at the counter
and stand while doing chores.
`` Making things inconvenient – keep your TV remote in
a place that you have to get up and walk to reach. You
can also park at the back of a parking lot or get off the
bus or train one stop early or one stop late, and walk the
remainder of the way.
In addition, rather than hitting the lounge chair after a meal,
get up and do something active. About 20 to 30 minutes after
a meal, blood glucose begins to spike as food is digested.
Taking a 10- to 15-minute walk at this time puts your muscles
into glucose absorption mode, thus flattening the blood
glucose spike.
Source: www.HealthLetter.MayClinic.com, October 2014
ANTIBIOTIC RESISTANCE:
HOW DOES IT HAPPEN?
Sometimes, antibiotic resistance happens naturally but
sometimes, bacteria become resistant over time by adapting to
their environment.
Experts believe that a major contributor to antibiotic resistance
around the world is the overuse of antibiotics to prevent and
treat infections in humans, animals and plants. When antibiotics
are misused or used when they are not needed, they only kill the
weak bacteria, leaving stronger and more resilient bacteria to
survive, adapt and spread. Infections caused by these resistant
bacteria are much more difficult to treat and, in some cases, are
untreatable.
This is cause for concern but, by taking a few simple precautions,
you and your family can help prevent these bugs from getting
any stronger and contribute to efforts to eliminate antibiotic
resistance in Canada and around the world.
The Public Health Agency of Canada recommends the following
steps for Canadians:
`` Avoid getting an infection or spreading an infection to
someone else.
`` Keep your hands clean. If your hands are visibly soiled, use
plain soap and water. If soap and water are not available, use an
alcohol-based hand rub.
`` Keep your hands away from your eyes, nose and mouth
because this is where germs can get into the body.
`` Cough or sneeze into your sleeve or tissue, instead of your
hand.
`` If you vomit or have diarrhea, clean your washroom thoroughly,
avoid handling food and clean your hands.
`` Keep your vaccinations up to date.
`` Store, handle and prepare food safely to avoid food-related
illness.
`` Practise safe sex and use condoms to avoid sexually
transmitted infections.
`` Remember that, just because you are sick, it does not
necessarily mean that you need antibiotics. If you are
prescribed antibiotics, use them responsibly.
`` Even if you start feeling better or no longer have symptoms,
take your antibiotics as prescribed.
`` If you experience a bad reaction or side-effects, contact your
health-care professional. If you are told to stop taking the
antibiotics, don’t store unused medicine or flush it down the
toilet. Return any unused medication to the pharmacy.
`` Do not share your antibiotics with anyone, take antibiotics
from someone else or use leftover antibiotics from previous
prescriptions.
More information about antibiotic resistance and how to lower
your risk is available at www. canada.ca/antibiotics.
Source: www.newscanada.com
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Longevity
Longevity And Intimacy
Live Long and Love
by Jennifer Cox
Once a taboo topic and today, the subject of what seems like just about everything, sex is a popular issue,
to say the least. And when it comes to the benefits of intimacy on our overall health, it should come as
no surprise that sex can be extremely advantageous to our well-being and, hence, help us to live longer,
happier and more satisfying lives.
There is a laundry list of reasons as to
why you and your partner should stay
active in the bedroom (if for no other
reason than it’s fun!), and this includes
the effects which it has on your ability
to fight illness, as well as lose weight.
Studies show that people who have
sex 1-2 times a week experience a 30%
boost to their immune system, meaning fewer sniffles and colds. And each
love-making session could help you
burn as many as 200 calories, which
translates into a slimmer, trimmer physique (something which you and your
partner will both enjoy).
Longevity
to a study that was published in the
“Bulletin of Experimental Biology and
Medicine,” sex releases the hormone
oxytocin, which reduces physical pain
as well as headaches. Oxytocin also
fights the stress hormone (cortisol),
meaning calmer nerves and a better
night’s sleep; two important factors in
living a long life.
Sex can be a heart-healthy part of a
balanced lifestyle. It reduces the risk of
heart attack and stroke in men by 50%,
for those who engage in a romp three
times a week. As a Wall Street Journal
article cited, “One British study found
that men who reported having three or
more orgasms per week experienced
50% fewer heart attacks than those
who engaged less frequently – perhaps
because orgasm triggers the release of
the hormone DHEA (dehydroepiandrosterone), which helps with circulation
and arterial dilation.”
According to Dr. Irwin Goldstein, director of sexual medicine at Alvarado
Hospital, in an article on Healthline.com,
sex can also reduce the risk of certain
cancers, such as prostate cancer in men
and breast cancer in women.
On the contrary, staying disconnected
from people can have extremely negative effects on your psyche, as well as on
your physical well-being. Studies that
have been conducted in the U.S., Japan
and Scandinavian countries show that
people who are disconnected from
others are at an increased risk of dying
prematurely.
He went on to explain that a healthy sex
life leads to long-term happiness too –
it improves one’s mental health and
enhances their ability to communicate
honestly and intimately. Those who are
regularly sexually active can experience
higher self-esteem and overall confidence. “People who are sexually active
are less likely to have alexithymia, which
is a personality trait characterized by
Sex and intimacy are also great natural
cures for aches and pains. According
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the inability to express or understand
emotions. In other words, people having sex can express themselves better.”
In the end, research has shown that intimacy is closely related to longevity. In
fact, researchers at Queen’s University
in Belfast followed about 1,000 middleaged men for more than 10 years and
found that males with a high frequency
of orgasms lived twice as long as those
who did not experience pleasure
(naturalnews.com). Newsmax furthers
this point: “Frequent sex causes the
brain to release human growth hormone, which helps maintain youth.”
Exercise and diet can be challenging to
keep up. However, having a healthy sex
life is a fantastic way in which to enjoy
the intimacy of being with someone
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47
Fitness
A NEW SPIN ON THINGS
by Jennifer Cox
How indoor cycling studios
are luring in baby boomers.
Here are a few health advantages
to indoor cycling:
It can also help increase your
lung capacity.
Just as the “yoga craze” took hold
several years ago, with gyms offering
yoga classes and specialized yoga
studios popping up in cities from
coast to coast, today’s active baby
boomers are turning to a new fitness
rage: indoor cycling.
It’s low-impact – This is especially
important to older people, who are
hesitant to try a new exercise regimen.
Spinning is ideal for baby boomers
because a stationary bike is low-impact,
much more so than, say, a treadmill or stair
stepper than can be hard on muscles and
joints. When done correctly, indoor cycling
doesn’t put a lot of pressure on sensitive
points, such as the hips and knees.
That’s why it’s important to seek out the
guidance of a trained instructor.
Training for endurance – A lot of
baby boomers who have retired,
decide to challenge themselves
with certain workout goals, or
maybe even participate in some
sort of marathon. Spinning classes
are designed to build in intensity,
meaning that if you’re willing, you
can use this to increase your overall
endurance. In time, you will be
able to stay active for much longer
periods of time. And not only will
indoor cycling strengthen muscles,
but the joints, tendons and bones
around those muscles as well.
Studios boasting high-tech
stationary bikes that can track
myriad variables – from calories
burned to distance travelled – as
well as spaces decked out with
the latest in high-energy lighting
and sound systems are just a few
reasons why people are drawn
to this active workout. The bikes
feature a resistance knob, meaning
that you decide how hard you want
to push yourself. Classes feel more
like dance sessions and, with the
right instructor, indoor cyclists will
be motivated enough to challenge
themselves and see results quickly
with a workout that feels as if it were
devised specifically for them.
Indoor cycling, or “spinning” (as the
pros call it), is a
great workout
for young and
old, a first-timer
or a novice. “You
can come in as
a beginner and
work out at your
own pace – the
resistance knob
allows you to
make the workout
what you want it
to be,” explained
Sheryl Goldstein,
a certified indoor
cycling instructor
in Montreal.
Calorie burn and weight loss – For those
who are looking to lose some weight,
indoor cycling is a fantastic option. A
regular hour-long spinning class can help
you burn as many as 500-800 calories
(depending on how hard you work
yourself). And it doesn’t burn muscle, but
fat, meaning a trimmer, leaner figure.
Cardiovascular – Because spinning
encourages you to get your heart rate up,
it’s the ideal cardiovascular workout. This,
in turn, can help you lower your blood
pressure and cholesterol, as well as your
resting heart rate.
Improve your mood and boost
energy levels – Like any form of
physical activity, indoor cycling will
elevate your mood and give you
more “oomph” throughout your day.
A spinning class will help you release
endorphins, or “happy” hormones,
which will make you feel more clearheaded and motivated.
Spinning is a high-energy and fun
way in which to stay in shape and
improve your overall well-being.
Specialized indoor
cycling studios
allow clients to
work out in a safe,
encouraging,
professional
setting where
results can be
reached. Check
online for a
spinning studio
near you.
G
N
I
G
N
I
R
B
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A
A BO
Most US states have water bodies that harbour
species that would be invasive to Canada, like
zebra or quagga mussels. If your boat is used
in infested waters, invasive species can attach
to parts of the boat and hitch a ride back to the
uninfected waters of Western Canada.
Protect your boat and help keep our waters
free of invasive species. CLEAN off plants
and debris, DRAIN bilges and ballast tanks
and DRY the wet areas of the boat. Doing so
can prevent the spread of invasive species that
would destroy ecosystems, damage boats and
personal property and cost millions in repairs
to vital infrastructure.
ONLY BRING BACK MEMORIES
FOR MORE INFORMATION ON INVASIVE SPECIES, CALL:
ALBERTA:
1-855-336-BOAT (2628)
BRITISH COLUMBIA:
1-877-952-7277
MANITOBA:
1-87-STOP AIS-0
(1-877-867-2470)
SASKATCHEWAN:
1-800-667-7561
Food and drink
Refined Sugar and Omega-3s
After five years of fear and confusion in helplessly watching
my husband’s decline, we learned of his Alzheimer’s disease
diagnosis. Devastating was the news. Alzheimer’s disease is
not part of Jack’s genetic makeup. He also does not have diabetes. He is not overweight. He drank alcohol moderately and
gave up smoking years ago. He has eaten relatively well and
worked out at the gym for his entire adult life. But, as a former
U.S. Navy SEAL, he was directly exposed to Agent Orange
during three tours in certain areas of Vietnam. He crawled
through ‘nuked’ and defoliated jungle, drank the water and ate
the local food.
In an article entitled ‘Military risk factors for cognitive decline,
dementia and Alzheimer’s disease’ in the U.S. National Library
of Medicine National Institutes of Health, the abstract states
that, ‘The degree of combat exposure, Vietnam era Agent Orange
exposure and Gulf War Illness may also influence risk for AD.
Using available data on the association of AD and specific exposures and risk factors, the authors have conservatively estimated
423,000 new cases of AD in veterans by 2020, including 140,000
excess cases associated with specific military exposures.’
Since this diagnosis, I have researched Alzheimer’s causes and
potential remedies in staying committed to the possibility of
slowing its impact on both of our lives for as long as we can.
I’m humbled by Jack’s openness and willingness to allow me
to alter his diet and vitamin regimen, all under the guidance
of his neurologist. My goal is to continue to feed him healthier
choices of the foods he already loves. He takes a medication
called Exelon, which has cleared some of the mind fogginess.
Studies and research have shown that, through lifestyle
choices, Alzheimer’s and dementia can be prevented (if one is
not exposed to large doses of toxic herbicides). Thus far, there
are no definitive studies to prove that a healthy lifestyle and
specific food choices can slow its progression. By the same
token, there are also no studies to prove that a healthy lifestyle
and specific food choices don’t make a difference.
What has been proven through decades of hard research
is that a healthy lifestyle and specific food choices will beat
obesity, reduce and even eliminate diabetes, ultimately
nourishing the mind, body and spirit. A healthy body and
spirit go a very long way in improving and maintaining one’s
quality of life.
I’ve learned that there is overwhelming evidence supporting
the link between refined sugar and artificial sweeteners,
diabetes and dementia. Numerous studies have proven that
individuals with diabetes, especially Type 2, have a lower level
of cognitive function and are at a higher risk for dementia
than those without diabetes. These studies have revealed
a strong correlation between Alzheimer’s disease and high
blood sugar levels.
High blood sugar levels also set off an inflammatory response
in the body, worsening the symptoms of arthritis.
According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), the
average American consumes 156 pounds of added sugar per
year. This is ‘added’ sugar, not naturally occurring sugar.
(I found no evidence to date of our Canadian statistics.)
Research shows that a high-sugar diet reduces the production
of a brain chemical called ‘brain-derived nerve growth factor’
(BDNF). Without this protein, our brains fail to form new
memories and cannot learn anything new. Or, said another
way, the abundant presence of BDNF in the body and brain
predicts ease of learning and memory retention.
Studies have also shown that levels of BDNF are low in people
with diabetes or pre-diabetes. Research has also linked low
BDNF to dementia and depression. Some experts believe
that BDNF may just be the smoking gun when it comes to
preventing, slowing and perhaps playing a part in one day
curing dementia and Alzheimer’s disease.
Foods high in omega-3 fats (with an omega-6 fatty acid ratio),
regular physical exercise and high-quality sleep all improve
our production of BDNF. We can also obtain more BDNF
through omega-3 in vitamin form. I advocate that you speak
to your specialist or doctor before implementing vitamins into
your diet if you suffer from any form of degenerative disease
Food and drink
For more information on
wine and food, go to
www.sharidarling.com.
by Shari Darling
and if you take medication(s). Medications, vitamins and
natural herbs can have negative interactions.
As stated by famous neurologist Dr. David Perlmutter, author
of the bestselling book ‘Grain Brain’, “One of the key factors that
correlates levels of DHA to brain health and disease resistance is
DHA’s ability to turn on the grain’s growth hormone called BDNF.”
Omega-3 fats are part of the polyunsaturated fat family. They
are sometimes referred to as poly fats.
The most nutrient-dense form of omega-3s is found in flax
seeds and walnuts. Very good sources are found in sardines,
salmon, beef, Brussels sprouts, cauliflower and mustard seeds.
Good sources include shrimp, winter squash, broccoli, cod,
collard greens, spinach, summer squash, raspberries, kale,
green beans and strawberries, to name a few.
When shopping, do not be fooled by labels that say ‘pastureraised’ or ‘grass-fed.’ These terms are misleading. Look for a
label that states ‘organic’ and ‘100% grass-fed.’ Organic milk has
the greatest natural occurrence of omega-3. Visit your local
health food store. Talk to your health food grocer or local dairy
farmer to find out how the animal was actually raised.
When it comes to preparing Jack’s diet, I use natural sweeteners such as organic maple syrup and raw honey and also
ensure that our diet is packed with foods high in omega-3s.
CONTINUED 
If you are vegan, you can obtain your omega-3s through sea
plants, leafy greens (spinach, broccoli, kale), legumes (kidney,
navy, pinto, lima), nuts, seeds and citrus fruits, melons and
cherries and ground flaxseed. General vegetarians can get
their omega-3 fats from the same foods listed above, as well as
from dairy products (eggs, milk, cheese and yogurt). The key
is to ensure that these food items derive from animals grazing
on grass rather than on grain and corn. The old adage, ‘You are
what you eat,’ applies to cows, goats and sheep, just as it does
to humans.
For the rest of us non-vegetarians, we can also obtain our
omega-3s from all of the foods listed above, as well as from
grass-fed meats.
Depending on the breed of cow, grass-fed beef contains two
to five times more omega-3s than grain-fed beef. Grass-fed
cow’s milk comes from animals that have grazed in pasture
year-round, rather than being fed a processed diet of grain
and corn for much of their lives. Grass feeding improves the
quality of cow’s milk and makes the milk richer in omega-3
fats, vitamin E, beta-carotene and CLA (fatty acid called
conjugated linoleic acid).
51
Food and drink

I also tend to cook with local, organic goat’s milk rather than
with cow’s milk. The reason is that goats generally graze on
grass. Goat’s milk is also high in omega-3s and is lower in
lactose. Jack and I also prefer the more exotic, tangier taste.
Jack loves dessert! Here is a fast and super-easy cheesecake recipe that is free of refined sugar and uses low-glycemic natural
sweetener (maple syrup) and therefore, is diabetic-friendly.
This recipe is lactose-reduced and gluten-free. It is also packed
with omega-3s, in both the cheesecake and ice cream.
Omega-3s (EPA and DHA forms) help to prevent cardiovascular disease, hypertension, high cholesterol, diabetes, blood
clotting, Alzheimer’s disease, cognitive decline, Parkinson’s
disease, multiple sclerosis, depression and hot flashes.
Slow Cooker Goat Cheesecake with Oranges, Lime
and Homemade Goat Cheese Ice Cream
All the ingredients listed below do not have to be organic or grass fed. The cheesecake can be made with regular cream cheese
(rather than goat cheese) and regular plain yogurt and gram wafer crumbs. The ingredients listed below should also readily
available in your local health food store.
Cheesecake
Serves 4 to 6
*Organic oranges are not necessary as oranges have a
thick skin, protecting the flesh from undesirable herbicides,
pesticides, fungicides.
12 ounces fresh organic goat cheese
½ cup quality maple syrup
1 orange (for 1 tsp. finely grated orange peel and 2 tablespoons freshly
squeezed orange juice)
juice from 1 lime
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour (or gluten-free all-purpose flour)
½ tsp. real vanilla
½ cup real organic and grass-fed Greek goat’s milk yogurt
¾ cup cholesterol-free egg product (or 3 eggs)
1 cup gluten-free granola (or granola of choice or graham wafer crumbs)
1 cup of water (for slow cooker)
2 more oranges*
In a food processor or blender add goat cheese, maple
syrup, orange peel, orange juice, lime juice, flour, vanilla,
yogurt and egg product. Puree until smooth. Spray a
glass loaf pan with non-stick cooking spray (or smother in
butter). Put granola at bottom of loaf pan. Carefully pour
cheesecake mixture over granola. Fill slow cooker with 1 cup
of water. Set loaf pan inside slow cooker. Cover and cook
on high for 2.5 hours. Using oven mitts remove loaf pan
when cheesecake center is set. Cover loaf pan with plastic
wrap and set in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours. Slice
the cheesecake right from the loaf pan onto plates. Garnish
each slice with fresh orange and goat’s milk ice cream.
Homemade Goat’s Milk Ice Cream
Serves 4 to 6
1 quart (4 cups) of fresh organic goat’s milk
¾ cup quality maple syrup
zest from 1 lemon
pinch of kosher salt
4 organic egg yolks
In a food processor or blender puree together all
ingredients. Set in a food grade container in the freezer.
Every hour stir yogurt with a fork, scraping it from sides
of container and making sure mixture is creamy (rather
than rock hard).
Serve cold.
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CSA online
DON’T DISCOUNT THE DEDICATED E-READER
by Andrew Moore-Crispin
If you have a tablet or a smartphone,
you’ve got a single device that does
a lot. Some things, it does really well.
It could, perhaps, use some help with
other things.
Consider this my manifesto: Why you
should never, ever read an e-book on
your tablet, or on your smartphone, or
(heaven forbid) on your laptop or home
computer.
LCD screens, such as the ones on a tablet
or other portable device, are backlit.
That’s great when your device’s screen
is trying to compete with the sun, or in
the dark when you just want to quickly
check Facebook. However, for long
exposure, it’s much more taxing on the
eyes. If you’ve spent any time with the
type of screen that graces a tablet or a
laptop, you already know this.
The biggest benefit of a dedicated
e-book reader is just that: It’s a
dedicated e-book reader. Its screen is
designed to look and read like a more
traditional paperback’s pages. This
screen type is also much less reflective
than that on a tablet or smartphone.
same benefit), you get access to your
whole library without having to carry
along your whole library. Everything
from serial fiction to scholarly
dissertations can come along for the
ride without adding any extra heft to
your carry-on luggage.
In addition, because this display type
is much more battery-friendly than the
type which you’d find on a tablet or
smartphone, you’re looking at a battery
life that’s counted in weeks as opposed
to hours.
With the three e-readers which we’re
looking at coming in between $120 and
$200, and with the electronic versions
of books being less expensive than
their pulp-and-paper counterparts, an
e-reader might even be a money-saver
for more voracious readers. What’s more,
we’re increasingly seeing e-books being
offered at public libraries.
While not unique to dedicated e-readers
(tablets and smartphones offer this
Let’s take a look at three e-reader
options and their pros and cons.
Kindle
Voyage
Amazon
Nook
Simple Touch GlowLight
US$199 – US$289
kindle.amazon.com
Barnes & Noble
$119
barnesandnoble.com
Amazon is the e-reader elder statesman. Hard to believe that the
first Kindle came out in 2007 and cost $400. Fair to say that a lot
has changed since then.
The Kindle Voyage’s neatest trick? A beautifully uniform lighting
scheme that makes it easy to read in all kinds of lighting
conditions…including in the dark.
The Kindle Voyage’s 6-inch screen has the highest resolution of
all of the e-readers discussed here. It’s also the most expensive
of the bunch, starting at $199 for an ad-supported Wi-Fi model
that’s only available in the U.S., all the way to $289 for a 3G
(cellular data) version with
no ads. Four GB of storage
is good for as many as 2,000
books.
If you want the absolute
best e-reader on the market,
this is it. It’s debatable
whether it’s worth the extra
$80 (at a minimum) which
you’ll spend over last year’s
Kindle Paperwhite ($120),
or the price premium as
compared with the other
incumbents which we’re
looking at here.
Barnes & Noble’s Nook Simple Touch GlowLight has been
around the block and is maybe showing its age a little.
That said, it’s a relatively inexpensive e-reader that’s more
than capable of running you through your favourite books.
Speaking of which, it can carry around about 2,000 of
them.
Its 6-inch screen is lit by a series of LEDs around its front. It
manages a pretty nice and even lighting across the screen.
In other words, it’s ideal for reading in darker conditions...or
while your significant
other slumbers.
The Nook Simple
Touch Glowlight
actually has some
personality, too.
Where other
e-readers are stoic
black-and-grey affairs,
it’s available as a fun,
white package with
rounded corners that
doesn’t weigh much
more than a standard
paperback novel.
CSA online
If you’re seriously considering your first
e-reader and you just want someone to
say “get this one,” get this one.
Aura
H2O
Kobo
$179.99
kobo.com/koboaurah2o
As the name hints, the Kobo Aura H2O’s trick is that it’s waterproof.
Perfect for bath time or poolside reading. Waterproof also means
dustproof and sand-proof, so it’s the best choice at the beach, too. That
fact alone might sell it.
At 6.8 inches, it’s sporting a larger screen than the other e-readers we’ve
looked at. Its “ComfortLight” front lighting is easy to adjust and bathes
the page in a pleasant glow, so you can read in dark or dim conditions.
The Aura H2O also has the distinction of being the only recent e-reader
to offer expandable storage. If toting around about 2,000 books on
the Aura H2O’s internal memory isn’t enough, toss in an inexpensive
microSD card and carry tens of thousands more.
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55
CSA update
CANADIAN CALENDAR 2015 UPDATEs
FLORIDA
Need Placemats?
New Port Richey
Toronto Police Retirees Reunion
Wednesday, March 4, Banquet Masters Inc., 13355 49th Street North, Clearwater,
FL. Numbers must be guaranteed in advance, so please contact Hugh Ferguson or
Gary and Muriel Hooper in December or January to sign up.
Order Now!
Info: Hugh Ferguson, FL (727) 391-1083, [email protected];
Gary & Muriel Hooper, FL (727) 943-2512, [email protected]
They are FREE and make wonderful table
accessories for your Canadian event. To get
your supply of placemats, choose one of the
following options:
Port St. Lucie
●● Visit us online at www.snowbirds.org
The Canadian Club of the Treasure Coast
●● Send an e-mail to [email protected]
Luncheons: January 5, February 2, March 2 and April 6;
Potluck/Dinner at Spanish Lakes #1 Clubhouse: January 22, February 16; Picnic at
Lyngate Park in Port St. Lucie: March 12; Bob Smith Memorial Golf: March 18.
The phone number for placemat orders is
Info: [email protected]; Facebook: psl Canadianclub
1-877-888-2505
AGM Agenda
CANADIAN SNOWBIRD ASSOCIATION INC.
(A corporation without share capital under part II of The Canada Business Corporations Act)
1. Doors open at 9:30 a.m.
2. W
elcome - Call to order
10:00 a.m.
(A Florida not-for-profit corporation)
NOTICE OF ANNUAL MEETING
The annual meeting of the CANADIAN SNOWBIRD ASSOCIATION INC. (Canadian Corporation) and
CANADIAN SNOWBIRD ASSOCIATION INC. (Florida Corporation) will be held at the Lakeland Center,
701 West Lime Street, Lakeland, Florida on Wednesday, the 28 day of January, 2015 at 10:00 o’clock
in the forenoon, local time, for the following purposes:
• To receive the annual report and the financial statements of the corporations for the year ended
October 31, 2014 (and the report of the auditors thereon);
• To appoint officers and directors in accordance with procedures, as determined by the bylaws;
• T o appoint auditors for the ensuing year and to authorize the directors to fix the auditors’
remuneration; and
• To transact such further or other business as may properly be brought before the meeting or
any adjournment thereof.
Dated at Toronto this 26 day of November, 2014.
BY ORDER OF THE BOARD
3. Roll Call/Member
Verification
4. Proof of Notice of Meeting
5. Reading of Previous Minutes
6. Report of the Officers
7. Report of the Committees
8. P resentation of Financial
Statement
9. Report of the Auditors
10.Appointment of the Auditors
11.Unfinished Business
12.New Business
13.Question and Answer Period
John Foster, Secretary
14.Adjournment
(A corporation without share capital under part II of The Canada Business Corporations Act)
(A Florida not-for-profit corporation)
PROXY
The undersigned member of the above corporations hereby constitutes and appoints Wallace J. Weylie, general counsel of the corporations,
or failing him, _________________________, the true and lawful attorney, agent and proxy of the undersigned to vote and act with
respect to all matters arising at the general meeting of the members to be held at the Lakeland Center, Lakeland, Florida on January 28, 2015
at 10:00 in the forenoon local time, WITH ALL POWERS THE UNDERSIGNED WOULD POSSESS IF PERSONALLY PRESENT AT THE SAID MEETING.
DATED THIS ________ DAY OF ________________, 20___. ______________________________________________________
CSA MEMBER’S SIGNATURE
__________________________________________
CSA MEMBERSHIP NUMBER
_______________________________________________________
PRINTED NAME
Book review
A New Home for the Q’s
Willa McLean is a
freelance writer who
lives in Brampton.
Written by Yasmin John-Thorpe
Illustrated by Endrené Shepherd
Wheatmark
This is a call-out, especially to you snowbirds who winter
in Arizona. A New Home for the Q’s is a very special little
children’s book, exploring the unique desert flora and
fauna of Arizona with a charming little couple, Quinn and
Queenie Quail. They have decided to move out of their
overcrowded covey to find a new home in which to start
a family. They have to hurry and get settled before the
monsoon rains arrive (lots of terms to discuss).
The wonderful illustrations portray the different kinds
of cactus and all of the desert birds and animals that the
couple meet in their search for a safe home.
Most of the birds and animals are helpful; they can’t
share their homes, but they warn the pair about nearby
predators which would enjoy eating quail for dinner!
There are scary pictures of Cruz Coyote and Bryce Bobcat
on the hunt, and Razor Rattlesnake, who wanted the
quails for lunch.
As a teacher, I commend the author for the incisive
descriptions at the front of the book. Jaxson is not just
an ordinary jackrabbit, but an antelope jackrabbit,
developed to adapt to the extreme heat and cold of
the desert. You are not going to meet Jariette Javelina
in most Canadian children’s books. She is a peccary – a
pig-like animal native to Arizona. The comprehensive
exercises at the end of the book are another excellent
feature – a truly challenging test!
Quinn and Queenie are delightful in exposing a child
to a new desert vocabulary. They are such a captivating
couple that, perhaps, they should be introduced to Mr.
Disney or whoever is making children’s movies these
days!
Availability
In the U.S.: Published by Wheatmark Inc.
available at Barnes & Noble and Amazon
In Canada: Published by A2Z Books
available at local book stores and
through the author, Yasmin John-Thorpe:
www.yasminjohnthorpe.com
CSA application
Sign up five new members and
become a Key Member of the CSA!
Let us grow together
The CSA is constantly looking for new members, just like you. Sign up five new
members and get your next annual membership FREE. Download five applications
from our website at www.snowbirds.org or photocopy the application below. Have
five of your travelling friends become new and valued members of your association.
Your efforts will be honoured with:
•• Free Annual Membership
•• Special Key Member Pin
•• Your name published in CSANews
Canadian Snowbird Association
MEMBERSHIP APPLICATION
1-800-265-3200
www.snowbirds.org
180 LESMILL ROAD, TORONTO, ONTARIO, CANADA M3B 2T5
Membership Number (for renewing members)___________________________________Language
English
Français
Applicant’s Name____________________________________________________Date of Birth_________________
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DD MM YY
Spouse/Partner’s Name________________________________________________Date of Birth_________________
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Canadian Address____________________________________________________________________________
City________________________________________ Province________________Postal Code_________________
Telephone ( )__________________________________ Cell ( )__________________________________________
E-mail ____________________________________________________________________________________
Winter Address______________________________________________________________________________
City________________________________________ State__________________ Zip Code___________________
Telephone ( )__________________________________ Referring Member Name or Number_______________________
1 Year
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2 Year
$45
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Membership per household (maximum 2 people)
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Lifetime
$65
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$325 Credit provided for any dues paid in the last 5 years; call to confirm savings.
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$50
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Cheque (Make payable to: Canadian Snowbird Association)
Credit Card # __________________________________________________ Expiry _________________
I/we hereby apply for membership in the Canadian Snowbird Association (CSA) and, if
accepted, acknowledge and/or agree as follows:
1) M
embership dues are non-refundable and are renewable every June 30.
2) Information contained in this application may be used by the association for various
purposes in accordance with privacy legislation including, but not limited to the following:
a) Marketing purposes or research.
b) Association-approved third parties as may be necessary.
3) The association will make reasonable efforts to ensure that we are advised of the purposes for which the
information may be used.
4) T he letters patent, by-laws, rules, regulations and policies of the association are binding.
The Canadian Snowbird Association is in compliance with the Personal Information Protection and Electronic
Documents Act (PIPEDA) of the Government of Canada.
To exclude your subscription to the CSANews magazine, deduct $9.95 from the annual dues rate.
Membership dues and fees are subject to change without notice.
Signature _________________________________________ Date _____________________________________
REV. 08/2013
Source code: E93
CSA benefits
BENEFITS & SERVICES
Commitment, Service and Advocacy for Travellers
CSA INFORMATION BOOKLETS
The CSA provides members with
information booklets such as The
CSA Travel Information Guide, The
CSA Member Handbook and The CSA
Travellers’ Checklist. Within these
publications, you will find information
pertaining to border crossing, tips to help
you plan a lengthy trip and the various
benefits of being a member of the CSA.
CSANews
Official News MagaziNe Of the caNadiaN sNOwbird assOciatiON | wiNter 2007 | issUe 65
Publication mail agreement no: 40063603
THE CSA MEMBER HANDBOOK:
The Amazing
Canadian Dollar!
The official news magazine of the
is filled with valuable advice,
timely tips and informative articles
regarding issues that impact
travelling Canadians. As an active
subscriber and member of the CSA,
you will receive four issues per year.
CSA AUTO CLUB
For more than twenty years, Medipac International has
earned the respect and repeat business of snowbirds,
coast-to-coast. Endorsed by the Canadian Snowbird
Association, Medipac has proven time and time again to
be the insurance company that snowbirds rely on. Before
you travel – talk to Canada’s only “real” choice for travel
medical insurance benefits.
1-888-MEDIPAC • WWW.MEDIPAC.COM
When your vehicle is stranded by the side
of the road, you want help, fast. Joining
the CSA auto club means choosing ANY
service vehicle and getting on your
way. Just submit the claim to us and we
GUARANTEE payment within 30 business
days.
1st car…$54
2nd car…$33
Designed exclusively for members of the Canadian Snowbird Association
CSA
AUTO CLUB
No matter where your road leads,
you will never be alone.
Total Family Protection
Endorsed by the
1-800-265-3200
Snowbird Currency Exchange Program
Not only is there strength in numbers…there are
dollars in your pocket because of them! As a member
of the CSA, you can take advantage of highly
competitive rates negotiated through the CSA’s group
purchasing power. For your home, car and cottage
protection, look to the CSA.
1-800-267-8000
The Canadian Snowbird Association
offers its members a hassle free service
to convert their Canadian currency into
American funds, and it has never been
better. Every month we will deduct
the funds from your Canadian financial
institution, exchange the currency and
deposit the funds directly into your U.S.
based bank account. No paperwork, no
phone calls. Just convenience.
Designed Exclusively for the Canadian Snowbird Lifestyle
Snowbird Currency
Exchange Program
Proven by thousands of snowbirds
Exclusive, preferred exchange rates
Automatic monthly transfers
Low or no transfer fees
Save $100s each year!
Endorsed by the
1-800-265-3200
Personal Accident
Insurance Plan
GUARANTEED ACCEPTANCE LIFE INSURANCE
You are invited to take advantage of rates as low as
$12.56 per unit on up to $20,000 in life insurance
coverage. Once you enroll your rates will never increase.
There are NO medical questions and NO medical
examination, guaranteed!
No one likes to think about accidents.
Protect you and your spouse against the
severe financial hardships that accompany
sudden death, dismemberment or loss of
sight. Endorsed by the CSA.
1-877-474-0044
1-800-268-3336
Designed exclusively for members of the Canadian Snowbird Association
Personal Accident
Insurance Plan
Endorsed by the
59
01
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Fun & games
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62
Copyright
Grins & giggles
Husbands are Husbands
A man was sitting reading his paper
when his wife hit him ‘round the head
with a frying pan.
“What was that for?!” the man asked.
His wife replied, “That was for the piece
of paper with the name Jenny on it that I
found in your trouser pocket!”
The man then said, “When I was at the races last week, Jenny
was the name of the horse I bet on.”
The wife apologized and went on with the housework.
Three days later, the man was watching TV when his wife
bashed him on the head with an even-bigger frying pan,
knocking him unconscious.
Upon regaining consciousness, the man asked his wife why
she had hit him again.
His wife replied, “Your horse phoned!”
Say a Prayer
Everyone was seated around the table as the food
was being served. When little Johnny received his
plate, he started eating straight
away.
“Johnny, wait until we’ve
said our prayer,” his mother
reminded him.
“I don’t have to,” the little boy
replied.
“Of course you do,” his mother
insisted. “We say a prayer
before eating at our house.”
“That’s at our house,”
Johnny explained, “but this
is Grandma’s house and she
knows how to cook.”
The Child and his Mother
Check Mates
A curious child asked his mother:
“Mommy, why are some of your hairs
turning grey?”
A group of chess enthusiasts checked
into a hotel and were standing in
the lobby discussing their recent
tournament victories. After about an
hour, the manager came out of the
office and asked them to disperse. “But
why,” they asked as they moved off.
“Because,” he said, “I can’t stand chessnuts boasting in an open foyer.”
The mother tried to use this occasion to
teach her child: “It is because of you, dear.
Every bad action of yours will turn one of
my hairs grey!”
The child replied innocently: “Now I know
why grandma has only grey hairs on her
head.”
Ron Bellamy needs your cartoon ideas! Please send your quips,
stories and/or snowbird anecdotes to [email protected].
A New Man!
The Stock Market
61
Snowbird Currency
Exchange Program
The Snowbird Currency Exchange Program is
designed specifically for the snowbird lifestyle.
It’s that unique!
Join ranks with thousands of satisfied snowbirds who
transfer money from Canada to the U.S. at exclusive,
preferred exchange rates with little or no fees. It
works with all major financial institutions, and the
transfers are automatic.
The Snowbird Currency Exchange Program is the
ultimate in cross-border banking for Canadian
snowbirds. The program enables you to transfer
money automatically from your regular Canadian
chequing account to your U.S.-based bank account.
The rest is up to you!
You can specify which months and what amounts
you want to transfer, or you can have the same
amount transferred every month on a continuous
basis.
Proven by thousands of snowbirds
What makes this program really unique is that we
pool the funds of every enrolled snowbird and
complete a single bulk transaction. This grants us
access to bulk exchange rates otherwise unavailable
to the consumer, and we pass the savings on to you.
Unlike most exchange programs, the Snowbird
Currency Exchange Program will not subject you to
additional fees when your funds are transferred to
your U.S. bank account. It’s that good!
The Snowbird Currency Exchange Program – it’s
convenient, secure, trusted by thousands and worry-free.
1-800-265-3200
For information please call the CSA or download
the application from www.snowbirds.org
Underwritten by The Manufacturers Life Insurance Company.
LUCK ISN’T ENOUGH.
Visit medipac.com or call 1-888-MEDIPAC.

Pristine - Canadian Snowbird Association

Transcription

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