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EDMONTONIANS SPRING 2014
12851 - 56 Street, Edmonton, AB T5A 0C9
Tel: 780.454.3444 Fax: 780.454.3222
www.edmontonians.com Published by: Cedar Publishing Corporation
in this issue...
Volume XXV Number 1 Spring 2014
ABOUT TOWN VoxPop
President Moe Najmeddine moe@edmontonians.com
Marty Forbes promotes the Heroes Hockey Challenge and PPCLI.......................................................... 4
Editor Barb Deters bdeters@edmontonians.com
Barb Deters’ tribute to Muggsy Forbes................................................................................................... 6
Sales Manager info@edmontonians.com
Erin Rayner surveys Women in Business.............................................................................................. 10
Columnists Jey Arul • Ben Block • Linda Bodo Cheryl Croucher • Marty Forbes • Lynn Fraser Dana Giesbrecht • Diana J. Herrington • Nejolla Korris Norman Leach • Barbara Ashley Phillips • Erin Rayner Elissa Scott • Charles Strachey • Mark Wardell
From the Editor’s Desk Sizzling in the City
BUSINESS Business Briefs
Norman Leach highlights good news happenings................................................................................. 20
Commentary
FEATURE WRITERS Shant Chakmakian • Barb Deters
Shant Chakmakian believes men can learn from businesswomen........................................................ 15
PHOTOGRAPHERS Bruce Clarke • Cheryl Croucher Quincey Deters • Tracy Kolenchuk
Jey Arul on the challenges of pricing a business.................................................................................. 21
GRAPHIC PRODUCTION Rage Studios Inc. All rights reserved by Cedar Publishing Corporation. Reproduction or transmission of all or any part of this publication by any means whatsoever is strictly forbidden without prior written permission from the publisher. Although great care is taken to avoid errors in the preparation of advertising material and editorial content, any errors or omissions on the part of Cedar Publishing Corporation are limited and dealt with solely by printing a retraction statement and or correction in the following issue. Edmontonians Newsmagazine is a product of Cedar Publishing Corporation.
Mergers & Acquisitions You & The Law
Ben Block advises against competing with your employer.................................................................... 19
LIVELY LIFESTYLES Drop Dead Delirious
Dana Giesbrecht features the creative talent of Rachel Bingham............................................................ 8
Real Food For Life
Diana J. Herrington knows what’s good and bad about chocolate ....................................................... 14
Walking the Talk
Barbara Ashley Phillips laments workplace inequities .......................................................................... 16
OPINIONS Civil Wars
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Cedar Publishing Corporation 12851 - 56 Street Edmonton, AB T5A 0C9
www.cedarpublishing.com EDMONTONIANS SPRING 2014
Nejolla Korris cautions against posting too much on the web............................................................... 17
STREET COMMERCE
Laser Tattoo Removal........................................................................................................................... 18
VISIONARIES
Cheryl Croucher focuses on innovators................................................................................................ 22 3
With Marty Forbes
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have a deep respect for the military, mostly due
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keep your eyes and ears open for that. There will be several magnificent events held • Saturday, May 24th: Join us at 1:30 pm throughout the year in Edmonton, and one of at the Claire Drake Arena at the University of those is the Heroes Hockey Challenge 2014. Alberta for the Heroes Hockey Challenge where In late May, the NHL Alumni Hockey team will the Military will play a benefit hockey game suit up against the Canadian Military team from with the Edmonton Oilers Alumni team. Namao. This is the third annual Challenge and the It’ll be a great game—part serious/part past two, in Calgary and Abbotsford, were crazy—featuring some highly recognizable reportedly a barrel of fun as the veterans clash names from the NHL including many former with the military folk, who have special hockey Oilers playing some of the fittest military uniforms designed to look like personnel you can imagine. their traditional garb—fatigues. I’m proudly working After the game, if the on the Heroes Hockey tradition continues, the Military Challenge event with some vets meet the NHLers at centre wonderful people in the ice for a hand shake, and Military and I have learned exchange of jerseys. a ton about the Canadian 13 20 ge en Heroes Hockey Chall Funds raised during these military contribution to our two events go to benefit city, specifically and, of wounded soldiers and their families, and the course, as they serve around the world. families of fallen soldiers. More than $145,000 To help celebrate, mark these important dates was raised at the past two games. down please. The money raised is split evenly between the • Friday, May 23rd: The Right Honourable Adrienne Clarkson will be the keynote speaker PPCLI and the Edmonton Military /Family Resource Centre (MFRC) remembering that at a gala event at the Edmonton Marriott River Cree Hotel, where there will be a Yellow Ribbon many families that serve in the military have come from other locations across the country dinner, auction, and evening of expressing and often return home to those cities after living respect for the Canadian Military Families in in Edmonton while serving our country. our area. The Namao base and the former Greisbach The auction will feature many unique items site have housed military which fall under the ‘you can’t normally buy homes and operations these’ category. There also will be opportunities for the past 100 years. to play on each team presented through special Members of PPCLI are so auctions that will be held prior to the event… so
much a part of our community and deserve our utmost respect for putting their lives on the line so that we can enjoy an amazing quality of life. We can help them out—and show our respect—by attending one or both of these events. Full information will come via our sponsors, 630 CHED or read the Edmonton Sun for events surrounding the 100th celebration in town. You can purchase tickets, view a video, and find full information on the Yellow Ribbon Gala and the Alumni Game at heroeshockeychallenge.com Factoid: The PPCLI does not have an official motto; however, it has two meaningful unofficial mottos: • “First in the Field”—based on the fact that they were the first Canadian unit to deploy in the Great War; and • “Once a Patricia, always a Patricia”—a reminder that the regimental family includes retired soldiers and officers, and those who transferred elsewhere in the Canadian Forces. Come have some fun at the Heroes Hockey Challenge this May in Edmonton! √ Marty Forbes is president of Radiowise Inc. Contact: marty@edmontonians.com – and on Twitter: mjforbes
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Farewell, Muggsy
T
“I too had a first night many years ago. As I recall, it had something to do with an ironing board and a chandelier.” hat’s a genuine Norman
“Muggsy” Forbes quote. “When these words appeared in On the Lighter Side— Muggsy’s first column in Edmontonians magazine—in November 1993, readers must have known they would be in for a wild ride. The journey encompassed some 180 columns—most under the Funny, Pompous & Unfair banner—and probably about a quarter of a million words. “For 15 years, Muggsy’s life was an open book. He kept us apprised of what had happened in the previous month and told us where to go in the next month. Most of his columns included a bit of a history lesson... and quips about people who helped shape this city. “Muggsy shamelessly promoted good causes, young talent and his friends. He bravely championed justice and the City Centre Airport… boldly challenged politicians, pundits and some pretty rich folks. He openly shared his grief over the loss of many friends, and his joy at having Dr. Ollie in his life.” This was pretty much what I wrote for the 20th anniversary issue of Edmontonians in January 2009 when Muggsy retired his column. At that time, I had been his editor for almost six
years. But, he was far more to me than one of our columnists. Muggsy was a long-time friend. We met when I was still a teenager… and he was not. The hangout of choice some 50-plus years ago was the Seven Seas Restaurant, on Jasper Avenue between 105th and 106th Streets. That was where the Orion musical theatre guys—Muggsy, Johnny Kerr. Milt Walker and Paul Hebert, among others— got together almost every evening. They revelled vicariously in the success of their pal Robert
Muggsy and Dr. Ollie during their Morocco trip in 2007
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Goulet who had moved to New York and landed the lead in Camelot. Muggsy frequently shared tidbits about their enduring relationship until Bob passed in 2007. We often laughed about the time we were talking outside the Seas: I was sitting on the passenger side of my car… the door was open and Muggsy was leaning on the window. He waited until about a half-dozen people were walking past, then said loudly and indignantly, “Five dollars??!” I was horrified. But that was Muggsy—quick and clever— which made him a natural as an emcee. It was not unusual to see him at the mic at the old Yardbird Suite—the one in the basement of Mitch Klimove’s Steakloft across from the Mac. I also remember a bunch of us dancing in the alley behind the Rialto Theatre on 101st Street when alleys weren’t scary… going to poetry readings at the dimly lit Java Shoppe… shooting pool at the Press Club in the basement of the Embers. And, I remember his magnificent collection of Windsor chairs at Forbes Insurance when it was in the old house off Jasper Avenue. Recalling the early days with Muggsy is like bopping through Edmonton’s history. Most of the places we frequented are gone. Now, so is he. Muggsy passed away on January 6th. He was 84 years young. He and his wife, Dr. Ollie Triska, had celebrated their 16th wedding anniversary just days before. Although his death was not unexpected,
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Muggsy and then Edmontonians’ editor Marg. Pullishy circa 2000 when the time did come, it was a profound loss… for Ollie, his four children and seven grandchildren, his large sphere of friends and colleagues, even his miniature Schnauzer, Cue. Fittingly, the celebration of Muggsy’s remarkable life was, “filled with more laughter than tears”. The celebrant at the Connelly McKinnon memorial was Yvonne Racine. More than 300 people gathered to pay their respects and hear tributes from his son Cam, Judge Al Wachowich, Don Clarke, Sharon MacLean and Lyle Best. Sadly, I was on the Left Coast and could be there in spirit only, but Nejolla Korris graciously agreed to deliver my remarks, all of which I have incorporated here and there in this editorial recollection. Al recalled the younger years, especially their adventures hunting upland game birds… bouncing across farmers’ fields in an old Cadillac. Don regaled attendees with stories about his personal experiences with Muggsy. Ollie says, “They had far too much fun”, combining their creativity and involvement in events and festivities to help put Edmonton on the map. Lyle expressed his gratitude to Muggsy for mentoring him when he first came to Edmonton, instilling in him the importance of becoming a community-minded citizen. I know Muggsy was so proud that his influence resulted in Lyle becoming the go-to-guy for major fundraising projects. (By the way, he was well-qualified to serve as a mentor. The Edmonton Jaycees dubbed Muggsy the 1980 Citizen of the Year, and he was named a Paul Harris Fellow by Rotary International.) As the former publisher of Edmontonians, Sharon covered Muggsy’s years with the magazine… named names of some he chided… alluded to some he dissed. She concluded by saying, “Words tell a lot about a person.
EDMONTONIANS SPRING 2014
Muggsy celebrating his 80th Birthday “In Muggy’s case, I can think of, at least, three sides to his personality that I came to know and love through his style. “No. 1, he was truly funny and had a childlike wonderment about himself. He looked at life through a lens that found the comical side to many circumstances and people… “No. 2, he became an intrepid reporter. Muggsy was not a trained newsman or a journalist, but he understood life and people. Spelling and grammar? Not the point. Muggsy did continue to study his new craft: He took courses… attended the National Writers Symposium…and bonded with other hardcore journalists by crashing their professional meetings… “No. 3, Muggsy never gave up. And I take this one with me. He said this: ‘One of the things I remember in the last year was a squirrel falling out of a tree. Did you ever see a squirrel miss? I sort of made a wish to myself because it was like a falling star. The damn squirrel undershot and came plummeting down to the ground… and got up and kept going.’ “The last time I saw Muggsy in the General Hospital, his dementia had taken hold… Ollie said he would never remember that I was there. But, our conversation reminded me of the squirrel story. I could tell that he was intent on having a wonderful conversation with me. And we did.” The “magic” at the memorial came when retired Senator Tommy Banks fulfilled his promise to Muggsy and played the piano at his farewell. In his final writing for Edmontonians, Muggsy had these comments: “A few months after Dick MacLean passed away, a bunch of us were sitting in the bright sun of Earl’s patio, celebrating his life. I think it was
Muggsy with friend Robert Goulet circa 2003 Cam Allard who had suggested to Sharon that she should get someone to write an irreverent, gossipy column. Recognizing that no one could match Dick’s wit and talent in that arena, Sharon turned to me and said, ‘You know everybody in town, why don’t you write it?’ So I did—after some writing lessons that really didn’t take. “It’s been a joy and a privilege to be given an almost free rein… without worrying about offending anyone or everyone. But, even Sharon had a few intakes of breath—especially when I kept after the Mayor and his mostly merry band of isolationists. A special thanks to Barb Deters, one of the best editors I’ve worked with. “Thanks to everyone for your support, comments and scoops. Me? I’m looking for a creative outlet for my rantings.” Well, I hope Heaven and God are ready for you, Muggsy… just know that not even God can reopen the City Centre Airport. And, if you were wearing those red shoes you when you walked through the Pearly Gates, I trust you weren’t mistaken for a pope. Muggsy, you were a rare, gifted individual. It was my privilege to have worked with you… to have enjoyed your wit… to have danced in that alley. Say hi to Dick, Marg. Pullishy and John Berry for me. Luv ya! √
Barb Deters,
Editor, Edmontonians Magazine bdeters@edmontonians.com
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DROPDEADDELIRIOUS
Transforming forgotten treasures
Dana Giesbrecht
Photos by Bruce Clarke
W
ith a flair for fashion
and a brilliance for salvaging, Edmonton’s Rachel Bingham, admittedly, has terrifying nails. “My friend and I were going to go for a manicure… and I was like, oh, there’s no point.” The look of working hands is a small sacrifice Rachel endures in order to bring her creative vision to life. Rachel, the talent behind the reworked and recycled vintage line, BangBang Bijoux, has been designing her unique jewellery for more than 10 years. The hallmarks of BangBang Bijoux—long alluring necklaces, outlandish eclectic earrings, and colourful bombastic bangles—are made with “love, insanity, and a hardy dose of tree hugging.” To create her one-of-a-kind vintage recycled pieces, Rachel travels throughout the U.S. and Europe. She flies to old factories in the pursuit of deadstock—merchandise that was removed from sale and is saved to be sold at a later date. The jewellery components she looks for are pieces all made prior to 1960, when huge quantities were manufactured but never used. For decades, they would sit in enormous, 60,000-square foot, old brick building factories in a warehouse district. To find these places, Rachel acknowledges that it took, “a lot of research!”
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She paints a picture of a typical buying trip, After doing this for so many years, Rachel saying, “It’s pretty messy and chaotic (while has made connections with like-minded gem rummaging through boxes) and usually there are seekers all over the place. One of her buyers one or two other people. It’s so overwhelming goes to auctions throughout Eastern Europe and huge, you’re just rifling through and you’re and snaps up items from looking for anything that stands out—a lot of it archeological sites that are is really, really rusted and tarnished.” deemed to have no cultural What you’re a practised treasure hunter, value, such as vintage finding your next fishing lures, old buttons, pile of stock in and miscellaneous trinkets a headachefrom the late 1800s to early inducing large 1900s. warehouse is “To me, those are the no longer an most interesting because intimidating it’s unlike anything you feat. However, would see floating around Rachel always now.” keeps her mind Rachel also has people open. She only coming to her with grabs what everything from old family speaks to her. heirlooms to weird things “Honestly, they’ve fished out of the it’s for things sand, that they want her that I haven’t to turn into something used or seen special. On one occasion, before. I never she was given an old really go in with box of World War II a mental image of memorabilia—brass what I’m looking medals, badges, patches, Rachel Bingham for- I like to be pins—items she felt surprised.” uncomfortable turning
EDMONTONIANS SPRING 2014
into jewellery. She admits she just hordes these things. “I have an old World War II compass that’s just stunning… but it’s full of mercury.” She also has chosen not to incorporate religious paraphernalia into her transformations. Inspired by the colour pairings of vintage Cartier and Diane Von Furstenberg textiles, Rachel often visits museums in her travels, studying patterns and colours in paintings, vintage jewellery and fabrics. One of her favourites is the British Museum, where the extensive jewellery exhibits have held her for hours, mesmerized by head pieces and body chains from around 2000 BC. She’s also drawn to Hermes scarves from the 1960s and 70s; she adores the vivid, beautiful palette choices made by fashion’s most illustrious names Often, it’s the stories of the pieces that really speak to Rachel. She took history classes in University of Alberta and was fascinated by stories of antiquity, which is why she selects only specific pieces in her travels. “I’d rather buy something that has a story and has some history to it than something that’s new, or something where you’re detached from the process. That’s one of the reasons I love buying local. When I come face-to-face with the person that made it, it’s interesting to learn where their inspiration came from.” Walking around her studio, I run my fingers over the thousands of beads, stones, crystals (which she brings
in from Arizona), and other brightly-coloured sparklers. I begin to see the hours of labour that just go into sorting, categorizing, filing, and general management of all her pieces. “There’s never enough. It always goes so quickly. I always need more,” she sighs. Most of us would find this hard to believe, considering the sheer volume of items, until you hear Rachel’s daily schedule. After her morning coffee and answering a few e-mails, she heads straight to her studio, conveniently located a couple of blocks from her downtown condo. Then she begins her eight to nine hourmarathon day, aiming to make 10 pieces of jewellery. And, forget a two-day weekend; Rachel works six days a week. “I’ve been lectured by my fiancé to try and get it down to five and take at least two days off, but it’s a work in progress.” For a girl who spends her days locked in her dreamy little studio, being flashy and attention-grabbing is not in her nature. Rachel is getting married this summer but plans on keeping things intimate. “Perhaps I’ll wear a white dress. We’ll see… we may just elope.” To learn more about Rachel Bingham’s stunning work, you can find her on Tumblr, Facebook or bangbangbijoux.com √ Dana Giesbrecht is the host of go! Edmonton on Shaw TV and has a passion for her community, the arts, and fashion. She loves experimenting with clothes and helping to promote local designers on her blog, dropdeaddelirious. blogspot.ca
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Dana Giesbrecht Emcee of the 2012 Edmontonians’ Sizzling Gala
A Passion for Fashion
E
dmontonians is pleased to welcome Dana Giebrecht to its roster of regular
columnists. As a bubbly, hyperactive child, Dana began honing her on-air presence at birthday parties, family picnics, school recitals, and anywhere else you’d see a parent with a video camera. Many years later, she fused her love of the camera and passion for writing when she was accepted into Red River College’s Creative Communications program in Winnipeg, graduating two years later with a major in broadcast journalism. From there it was off to Kenora, Ontario in the summer of 2008, where she had the opportunity to host a nationally broadcast news and entertainment show. Dana learned how to do everything from rock climb to skijor—crosscountry ski while harnessed to a dog… difficult, she says, when you’re not that graceful to begin with—to skeet shoot—believe it or not, she’s an excellent shot— while hosting the show. For 3.5
years, Dana was submerged in the Northwestern Ontario outdoor adventure culture as she worked toward her next move in television. Today, this city girl has returned to city life, thrilled to continue her on-air career with Shaw TV as the host of its daily show, go! Edmonton. Truly passionate about sharing amazing stories about Edmontonians, Dana feels honoured that she gets to connect with so many incredible people every day. Among those she has profiled in the past two years are Edmontonians’ Sizzling Twenty under 30. Dana also emceed the 2012 and 2013 Sizzling Receptions… having interviewed the recipients being honoured, she brought a personal note to their introductions. On air and in person, Dana adds her voice and experience to various charitable causes in the Capital Region. You can catch Dana on Shaw TV’s go! Edmonton (channel 10) Monday through Sunday, and follow her fashion focused blog, also called Drop Dead Delirious. √
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Survey reveals depth of character among with Erin Rayner
O
n one hand, I love
Edmontonians’ Women in Business issue. I love hearing about the smart, accomplished women in this city who are pulling up their stylish boots—or their Michael Kors slippers!—and getting stuff done. On the other hand, I dislike it intensely. I feel that we shouldn’t be ‘surprised’ by these women and the accomplishments they make. I long for the day when it is nothing ‘special’ that a woman is at the head of a Fortune 500 company… or when it isn’t an anomaly for a woman to be a leader within any industry. I can’t wait until it’s just something that is, rather than something that is celebrated for its difference. This year, I took the Women in Business theme literally. According to Statistics Canada, in 2009, Alberta had the highest percentage of employed women in the country at 64.1 percent, an upward trend that has been recorded since 1976. I’m not a historian but, it seems to me women—like men—have always worked. Whether it was on the family farm, in shops, factories or schools… part time, full time, multiple jobs at a time… or owning companies, women at various societal levels have always worked. For this column, I wanted to hear from women working in Edmonton so I did what anyone would do, I created a short online survey, and circulated it through social media channels. It is by no means a full-scale scientific research survey—but it did yield some interesting results.
Apparently, Michael Kors is doing brisk business in Edmonton… we love our long baths, families (furry and furless)… and women work in so many places, industries and roles, it’s hard to keep count. Thanks to all the women who responded. I’m sorry we couldn’t include everyone or every answer.
TRACY HALL
Project Manager, First Foundation Twitter: @firstfoundation & @ms_thall What does your company do? …help people to own valuable assets, grow in wisdom and wealth, and protect themselves and their loved ones. What is your favourite leadership quote? “Don’t be trapped by dogma— which is living with the results Tracy Hall of other people’s thinking. Don’t let the noise of other’s opinions drown out your own inner voice. And most important, have the courage to follow your heart and intuition. They somehow already know what you truly want to become. Everything else is secondary.” ~ Steve Jobs How do you seek or find balance? … I like to find outlets for my creative energy and spirit. I love taking pictures of my daughter, making shabby chic wreaths, and decorating my home.
Where is your go-to place of sanctuary? My monthly full body massage/acupuncture treatment is heavenly… a comfy chair with a cup of my favourite green tea latte drink. Your advice for a 10-years younger you? This is it—this is your life! Today—not yesterday and not tomorrow. Today. Live it. Which fictional character would you be? Dorothy Gale from The Wizard of Oz… because, in the event of adversity or trouble, I attempt to create/follow my own path while never undermining or underestimating the contribution of others… I believe that with a great team of family, friends, co-workers, community and peers everyone can achieve great things together. Of course, a catchy tune and a great pair of shoes always helps too! What shoes are you wearing right now? Steve Madden black patent leather pumps! So comfy!
ERIN CARRIER (nee GREGG)
Acting Director of Communications Government of Alberta …specifically I oversee communications surrounding flood recovery efforts following the June 2013 floods in southern Alberta. Twitter Handle: @ms_egregg What does your company do? On behalf of the Government of Alberta, we lead the coordination of flood recovery—
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We’re an Inuit- and Inuvialuit-owned airline. We ADRIENNE PAN provide essential passenger and cargo service CBC News Edmonton Host throughout the North as well as providing Twitter handle @adriennepancbc service to a large industrial charter clientele. What does your company do? What is your favourite leadership quote? CBC is Canada’s public broadcaster. It informs, “Do what you feel in your heart to be right entertains, and promotes Canadian culture on all for you’ll be criticized anyway.” ~ Eleanor media platforms. Roosevelt What is your favourite How do you seek or find balance? leadership quote? It’s always a work in progress but Lead by example… work I am learning the “take care of hard… be firm but fair… and yourself first” principle. command respect by earning Where is your go-to place of it. sanctuary? How do you seek or find Definitely the hockey rink, the soccer balance? pitch, the squash four, the gym… My work is very stressful, Only once I have expended some precise, and deadline-driven. excess physical energy am I able to I find balance in doing calm my mind and spirit. things completely different Your advice for a 10-years younger from that… like painting, you? taking tap lessons, and You are not defined by your work. enjoying good food and You are not defined by what you do in an wine with friends and P e n n e ri d your free time. You are defined by your A family. character, your passion, your spirit. Let Where is your go-to place of go of the past. Listen to those voices sanctuary? within and let them lead you to new adventures! livingroom couch. 12851 - 56My Street, Which fictional character would you be? Your advice for a 10-years younger you? No question, it’s Princess Leia! She is respected, Edmonton, AB T5A 0C9 Be kind, generous, adventurous, and love all intelligent, has exceptional leadership ability, who are near and dear with abandon. (780) 701-3715 and has sarcasm that firesTel: faster than a Which fictional character would you be? blaster… she travelsFax: the galaxy and gets454-3222 I would be Buffy of Buffy the Vampire Slayer (780) C A P I T A L R EtoG I Oout Nwith Han Solo. And she make (tv version). She is a kick-ass heroine who was kicks major Imperial ass! charged with saving the world... and she did it What shoes are you wearing right with biting wit and impeccable style. now? What shoes are you wearing right now? I have an air cast on my left foot Near knee high, zip up, chunky high-heeled and a brown Teva flip flop on brown boots that were made in Romania. my right, just to try and balance Date: myself out! CHANTELLE TRUDEAU To Appear in: Project Coordinator/Executive Assistant Jatec Ltd. Twitter Handle: @_MissTrudeau What does your company do? Shallow underground utility installation and highway infrastructure What is your favourite leadership quote? Chandra McQuarrie I have two… “Attitude reflects leadership” and Faa Mai ~ Julius in Remember the Titans, and “Leadership means rallying people to a brighter future” ~ Michael Walsh, Kaizen Consulting
helping Albertans get back on their feet. What is your favourite leadership quote? How can I ensure every member of my team feels respected, valued and enjoys coming to work every day? How do you seek or find balance? I struggle with this every day but am learning to carve out time for dance, barre, and running. I’m currently training for my first half-marathon! Also, spending quality time with my two shih tzus—both rescues from the Edmonton Humane Society… Where is your go-to place of sanctuary? My parents’ acreage near Ardrossan… still my refuge when I need perspective and calm. Your advice for a 10-years younger you? Don’t be so hard on yourself and have patience. Be happy. Be confident. Which fictional character would you be? The title character in Le Petit Prince. The life lessons and observation from this book resonate more as time passes. What shoes are you wearing right now? Michael Kors black knee-high boots—they are my go-to, especially in Edmonton winters!
CHANDRA McQUARRIE
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How do you seek or find balance? I try to remember my “energy buckets” and do things to help replenish my emotional, physical and spiritual buckets such as reading, paddling with my dragon boat racing team, volunteering, playing guitar, spending time with my family and friends who are always supportive of me. Where is your go-to place of sanctuary? My bedroom. It’s always peaceful and comfortable. Your advice for a 10-years younger you? Don’t let doubt be a factor in your decisions.. Which fictional character would you be? Elizabeth Gilbert in Eat, Pray, Love. She had the courage to challenge herself and her life, it’s never too late to do the things you love instead of the things you think you should. What shoes are you wearing right now? Black Suede Oxfords
SUSAN McGEE
CEO, Homeward Trust Edmonton Twitter Handle: @susanmcgee What does your company do? We fund, coordinate and implement programs and projects to end homelessness in Edmonton. What is your favourite leadership quote? “We can’t do anything really big on our own” ~ participant in the Housing First program How do you seek or find balance? Time with my kids. Laughing often with friends. Hugs. Where is your go-to place of sanctuary? When I can get away, I dive. I can’t take my iPhone underwater (yet), and am completely present to what I’m doing and seeing at the time. Your advice for a 10-years younger you? Take care of yourself—inside and out. It seems so much harder to make new habits the older you get. What shoes are you wearing right now? I’m not—as is my preference.
NICOLE GAIDA
Head Mama at Cafe O’Play Twitter Handle: @CafeOPlay What does your company do? We provide parents a place where their kids are entertained and they can visit while enjoying good food and drinks. What is your favourite leadership quote? My staff has “WWND?” on their whiteboard from one of my managers that was training new staff—“What would Nicole do?” I love it! How do you seek or find balance? White wine, red wine, any wine Where is your go-to place of sanctuary? My bath Your advice for a 10-years younger you? Sleep now, travel now, read now Which fictional character would you be? Bridget Jones because she is strong, doesn’t get embarrassed easily and fights for what she wants with a positive attitude What shoes are you wearing right now? Michael Kors slippers
operating in Edmonton for 48 years in the same family… If we can’t continue to offer the best we can in product and service, I would close the doors before I would comprise that. How do you seek or find balance? We are closed Sundays and Mondays, and we have always made time for our family. We take holidays… so important. All work and no play is just wrong. We have been blessed and we only have one go-around so you need to stop and look around you. This world is spinning so fast… and I think we have lost sight of some of the more important things in life. Where is your go-to place of sanctuary? My bathtub. I love a good, hot soak. Your advice for a 10-years younger you? Remember money is not everything… and you need to put in your dues—meaning you need to crawl before you walk. What shoes are you wearing right now? Slippers. My feet are cold.
JADE PALAMAREK
Associate, Herbert & Associates CAs What does your company do? We provide financial statement preparation, KATHERINE income tax preparation, financial analysis and SCHWABENBAUER small business consultation. Artistic Bake Shop Ltd. How do you seek or find balance? Part owner operator/ Schedule down time, learning to say ‘no’ treasurer Where is your go-to place of sanctuary? ...sales person/ bench hand, Walking my dogs janitor, administrator Your advice for a 10-years younger What does your you? company do? You know that trip We are a scratch you are thinking of retail bakery. going on but Our philosophy don’t think you is quality not Katherine Schwabenbauer can afford? quantity. We Take it! specialize Which fictional in traditional character would European baking. you be? The bakery has been
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EDMONTONIANS SPRING 2014
JOCELYN ANDREWS
I don’t know—I am me! What shoes are you wearing right now? Red Nine West boots
Registered Nurse, Labour and Delivery Unit Lois Hole Hospital for Women What does your company do? We guide and support women and their families through a time of transition (and sometimes crisis) as they give birth under every possible circumstance. Frequently challenging and often beautiful, but sometimes devastating. What is your favourite leadership quote? “The challenge of leadership is to be strong, but not rude; be kind, but not weak; be bold, but not bully; be thoughtful, but not lazy; be humble, but not timid; be proud, but not arrogant; have humor, but without folly.” ~Jim Rohn Where is your go-to place of sanctuary? The shower. I drain the tank almost every time. (Apologies to David Suzuki and the generations to come.) I find water very therapeutic in general… I tend to agree with Isak Dinesen, “The cure for anything is saltwater: sweat, tears, or the sea.” Your advice for a 10-years younger you? Don’t ever assume that someone else is actually looking out for your financial future. It’s easy if you’re uncomfortable with money to abdicate the responsibility… Take the reins. Learn the basics you need to protect yourself and hire someone to do the job for you and make sure you’re looked after. What shoes are you wearing right now? I’m barefoot. Our feet are meant to move freely. Encasing them in shoes with lots of support all the time just allows all the muscles to atrophy. I’m a ‘barefoot’ runner and wear zero-drop shoes at work on the floor.
SHEILA STAUFFER
Executive Director Cornerstone Counselling Centre What does your company do? We are a non-profit counselling agency that sets fees according to the client’s household income to ensure professional services are accessible and affordable. What is your favourite leadership quote? “Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, concerned citizens can change world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has.” ~Margaret Mead How do you seek or find balance? I read, pray, and walk. I also practice self-compassion. If God can forgive me, who am I to say I can’t. Where is your go-to place ffer of sanctuary? Sheila Stau The River Valley. There is something so rejuvenating about walking by the river. Your advice for a 10-years younger you? Don’t wait, do it now. Which fictional character would you be? Lara Croft in Tomb Raider. She is cool as ice and wins every fight. But the characters I admire are far more honest and flawed. These characters are frequently reluctant heroes, and they often make mistakes. It is our imperfections that make us interesting and relatable. What shoes are you wearing right now? Sadly, black Rockports. It is a practical kind of day.
JULIANNA ARMSTRONG
Creative Director/Lead Facilitator Scene Stealers What does your company do? Scene Stealers offers creative and performing
arts workshops for children in schools, at home and in your community. We take a process-based approach to Arts Education and strive to create self-confidence and joy in our participants. How do you seek or find balance? Great friends, sunny days and dog Julianna walks Where is Armstrong your go-to place of sanctuary? Edmonton’s River Valley Your advice for a 10-years younger you? Take the leap! Which fictional character would you be? Maria von Trapp from The Sound of Music What shoes are you wearing right now? Knee high wool socks that are purple, blue and pink striped
Erin Rayner is president of ED Marketing and Communications Inc. Contact erayner@edmontonians.com
Frog Lake Career Program Business: 780-943-2411 • Fax: 780-943-2293 flfn.careers@gmail.com
780-943-2411
EDMONTON OFFICE 12603 - 123 Street NW Edmonton, AB Phone: 780.455.8929
Proudly Serving Our Heritage & Our Community
Open Monday to Friday 8:30 am to 4:30 pm
“Serving Frog Lake First Nation”
CALGARY OFFICE 1216 A - 36 Ave. NE Calgary, AB Phone: 403.250.5844
Volume 5 Edition 1
Frog Lake NORTHERNMiyo AIRPahksamowin
Womans Group
The Staff at CNCS would like to Congratulate the
FLYING FOR OVER 30 YEARS Graduating Class of 2009!!! • SCHEDULED FLIGHTS
• Provide woman and youth with training and other supportive interventions that will lead to employment • Promote the development and partnership/ integration of programs and services so that a holistic and coordinated approach is used to help woman and youth move
• PEACE RIVER TO EDMONTON • PEACE RIVER TO CALGARY • EXECUTIVE CHARTERS • CREW CHARTERS
We all long for understanding, compassion, and respect. And sometimes it’s easiest to find this among others who share our situation or outlook. That’s where the Frog Lake Womans Group comes in.
Mamnowicitotan – Lets help one other was created and Napeweaw Comprehensive School Graduates: • DEDICATED AIR AMBULANCE Chief developed by Councillor Theresa Wade with the assistance
• RECREATIONAL CHARTERS
of Frog Lake Band Departments. The principle goal of the Woman’s group is employment and eventually the reduction of income support dependency. The Objective is to maintain awareness and increase supports in Frog Lake for children and families struggling with unemployment, specifically providing mentorship to mothers with children to create opportunities and environments which will enhance culture and improve the quality of life in the homes and within the community. The Woman’s program also includes initiatives that fall into these categories;
WWW.FLYNORTHERNAIR.COM EDMONTONIANS SPRING 2014
•
forward in their lives Address youth issues, especially youth suicide
Troy Berland, Evan Cardinal, Ceara Faithful, Chantelle Quinney, Elise Quinney, Dakota Smith, Joey Stanley, Kelly Stanley
Whether you’re coping with a health issue or trying to change your life for the better, there’s nothing like sharing stories and experiences with others on the same path. The Woman’s group meets once every month at the Careers Centre, Frog Lake First Nation. Monthly food hampers are distributed at the meetings to each household to those who attend.
Hi Everyone! We just started a couple programs at the Frog Lake Careers Building.
The Chief and Council would like to congratulate all
Everyone from Frog Lake First Nation is always welcome to 2009 graduates! “As you contemplate your future joinremember the Woman’s Group. are still free.possible Parents needing that greatMeetings things are for those assistance with childthink care,positively respite or and transportation should who work hard, follow their hearts.” call in advance to make arrangements. Those planning to attend asked to callwould in advance organizers will The are Finance Staff like sotothat send congratulatory greetings the 2009 Proms & Graduates foronboth the have enough to refreshments and children’s activities hand. Napawew and Heinsburg School. ForFrog moreLake information, callSchool Theresa Wade or her assistant May you have continued success and Good Luck in your Sheila J. Quinney at 780-943-3737. future endeavors. LORETTA QUINNEY/ THE WINDTALKER We would like to say congrats to the 2009 Frog Lake Graduates!!! We are proud of all of you!! From the Lily Pad Daycare Staff
The First Youth Initiative would like to proudly say Congratulations to the Chief Napeweaw Comprehensive School Graduates of 2009!! Special Congratulations to Connie Quinney for NICHIE, Wanda Henderson with distinction from Portage College and Mary Jane Quinney for convocation from her
Frog Lake Daycare
13
REALFOODFORLIFE
Is Chocolate Good for you?
C
hocolate, I am sure,
comes from heaven. Chocolate raises serotonin and dopamine levels and gives a hormone rush that feels like the rush of love or love making. Beyond its effect on mood and sexuality, there is much research revealing how one main ingredient of chocolate, cocoa, has many health benefits!
SIX COCOA HEALTH BENEFITS: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5.
Lowers cholesterol May improve your ability to see or experience Has anti-clotting, blood-thinning properties Lowers stress levels Reduces risk of stroke by 20 percent (in women who ate more than 45 grams of chocolate a week) 6. Decreases erectile dysfunction (by triggering the release of dilating chemicals in the arteries). Problem: Chocolate is not just cocoa. The cocoa benefits research did not take into account all the sugar, poor quality oils and other unhealthy ingredients added to the chocolate. This combo of sugar and fat is toxic to the body. It can cause insulin resistance, diabetes, inflammatory disorders, lowered immunity, hypertension and cardiovascular disease. And, yes, it makes you fat! This combo is also addictive! Sugar and cocoa activate the same receptors in the brain as cocaine. This is why there are so many chocoholics. Dark chocolate is more healthy than milk chocolate due to its higher polyphenols and lower sugar content but still comes with enough unhealthy fat and sugar to negate cocoa’s good effects. When we test individuals for dark chocolate with sugar in it, it always tests as energy draining.
FIVE MORE REASONS CHOCOLATE IS NOT AS HEALTHY AS CLAIMED:
1. The serotonin and dopamine boost by chocolate is temporary. Like any “high”, it will come down. It is better to enhance your mood with overall good nutrition and lifestyle. 2. Findings show that milk may interfere with the absorption of antioxidants from cocoa. All milk chocolate has milk ingredients. 3. Most cocoa studies are funded by chocolate manufacturers. 4. The number one favourite chocolate cookie, Oreos, may be as addictive as cocaine! Eating the cookies activated more neurons in the rat’s brain pleasure centre than drugs like cocaine. 5. It is dangerous to replace healthy foods, such as fresh fruit, with chocolate. One raw apple is 52 calories with lots of health benefits. A Hershey’s Special Dark Chocolate Bar (100 grams) has 531 calories. You could eat 10 apples!
WHAT KIND OF CHOCOLATE TO EAT:
When buying chocolate, check the ingredients list. Cane sugar, brown sugar, fructose, sugar alcohol and artificial sweeteners all have toxic side effects. I make my own healthy chocolate with healthy sugars and fats in small quantities. I never buy or eat the commercially made stuff. Even the chocolate in health food stores is filled with unhealthy ingredients. Join me in making your own chocolate for optimum health benefits. Here is one of my favourite recipes. CHERRY PECAN DARK CHOCOLATE BAR This is a decadent chocolate that everyone loves. Ingredients: 4 squares (approx 112 gm) unsweetened dark chocolate 3 Tbsp organic virgin coconut oil 2 Tbsp unpasteurized honey
Diana Herrington
1/4 teaspoon liquid stevia 1/4 cup pecans, roasted and chopped 1/4 cup dried unsweetened cherries (halved) Directions: 1. Dry roast pecans in a toaster oven or frying pan (stir frequently so they do not burn). 2. Melt chocolate in a double boiler or very carefully in saucepan. 3. Oil with coconut oil a small pan, approximately 8 inches square. Evenly sprinkle the cherries and pecans in the pan. 4. When chocolate is melted, remove from heat. 5. Mix in coconut oil and stevia, and then honey. 6. Pour melted chocolate mixture over the cherries and pecans. 7. Let cool in refrigerator or freezer. 8. Once set, cut into squares. 9. Store in covered container in refrigerator or freezer, if desired. This is one of the many recipes in the Healthy Chocolate Project, an online video course. You will learn how to make an assortment of delicious chocolates using small quantities of healthy sugars and healthy oils. √ Diana J Herrington is the founder of RealFoodforLife.com and author of the GREEN means LEAN e-book. She turned a debilitating health crisis (Fibromyalgia) into a passion for helping others with healthy eating and cooking, and developed simple powerful principles which she shares in her e-books.
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What men can learn from women Shant Chakmakian
I
in the business world
n a growing and diverse
business community, I often find myself having to stop, listen and learn from all the amazing people I meet in my environment. Some of the greatest lessons I have learned have come from women in business and the diverse perspective they offer in a male-dominated landscape. What were some of the biggest lessons? I would say listening better, perceptiveness, and knowing your own strengths. The most commonly practiced lesson I have seen with female business owners is to know your strengths. There is strength in knowing what you are good at and not; there is an even greater strength in accepting those shortcomings and not trying to do something you aren’t good at. It’s something I think that businessmen can learn from our women colleagues. I see this
David Xiao MLA
problem occurring with some of the new clients we take on at SC Systems. Some are small organizations with a handful of people and some are medium organizations with sizeable operations. What’s the common problem? Many try to do their own IT from a perspective of limited knowledge and a “let’s get it working now” mentality. Some are successful, they do manage to get things working right but almost all of them place themselves in significant risk. When things break it takes more time and money to fix and now you’re feeling it on the bottom line. Some of these organizations even have IT departments, yet the IT department is extending its reach far beyond what it is capable of and the organization is bearing the risk and the cost. A growing mentality in most organizations is to outsource what you aren’t good at. It doesn’t
hurt to be resourceful… but thinking you are an expert at everything is a recipe for disaster. I’ll admit I’ve been guilty of the same problem as a man. I would try to do something myself but, when it didn’t work, I sought help to fix it. But experience has now taught me to take the other approach: Seek the professionals first. It’s a mistake we have all made and some of us have learned from. But I have definitely seen that most women in business learn from it quickly or don’t make it at all. This gives our female colleagues an advantage to move forward… and us males an example to grow from. √ Shant Chakmakian is president and owner of SC Systems, an Edmonton-based managed IT services company focused on serving small-tomedium businesses and non-profit organizations. Visit www.scsystems.ca
Proud to serve Edmonton - McClung
Constituency Office
#301, 6650 177 Street Edmonton, AB Canada T5T 4J5 Phone: (780) 408-1860 Fax: (780) 408-1864 edmonton.mcclung@assembly.ab.ca
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Phone: (587) 520 - 0727 Cell: (780) 621 - 4721
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EDMONTONIANS SPRING 2014
Contact me today and begin your Edmonton real estate experience. I look forward to serving you. Office Phone: 780-439-7000 Mobile Phone: 780-918-2102 Fax: 780-439-7248
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15
WALKINGTHETALK
By Barbara Ashley Phillips
T
he world we live in is de-
fined by men, for men and according to male norms. Only in recent years have some researchers been successful in introducing norms that include what women bring to the society. Unfortunately, in almost every area of society, we’re viewed and we view ourselves as second class. These values show up in pay gaps, as well as job segregation and failure to support adequate child care support systems that would enable more women, who are the primary caregivers of children, to participate fully in the workforce. When I first came into the profession of law, women partners in law firms were almost unheard of. Today there are a few, but nothing like a representative proportion. Even in female-dominated occupations, such as nursing, “patriarchal gender relations, which reflect a high valuation of all that is male and masculine, play a significant role in situating a disproportionate number of men in administrative and elite specialty positions.” EVAN S J. (1997) Journal of Advanced Nursing 26, 226–231 Equal pay for equal work is widely regarded as a human right. Yet, in Alberta, the gender gap in pay is among the worst, according to the Parkland Institute. “In 1987, the year before Ontario’s Pay Equity Act came into force, comparing average yearly full time salaries, women earned only 64 percent of what men earned. After almost twenty years of pay equity laws, women now earn 71 percent of what men earn.” (equalpaycoalition.org) The Canadian Bar Association’s National Administrative Law, Labour and Employment Law Section had a paper prepared for a recent conference examining the situation in Canada. It observes: “The right of women to equal pay for work of equal value and equal treatment in pay and employment opportunities are internationally recognized human rights and labour standards.2/
It’s Our Time Laws securing these rights are necessary because gender pay gaps are one of the most enduring features of world labour markets and continue to be regularly documented in Canada. As of the latest Statistic Canada data available for 2011, based on average annual earnings, Canadian women earn about 66.7 percent of what Canadian men earn. “When a full time full year measure is used, the gap is 72 percent. Disconcertingly, both of these gaps grew from the previous years. The hourly gap for 2013 is 86 percent, however this figure obscures the fact that more than seven out of 10 part-time workers are women, and are thus are in more precarious work situations. “As highlighted by the 2004 Federal Pay Equity Task Force report, Pay Equity: A Fundamental Human Right, racialized women, immigrant women, Aboriginal women and women with disabilities suffer from substantially higher pay gaps. For example, racialized women in Ontario were short-changed 53.4 cents for every dollar non-racialized men got paid for work in 2005.” The report observes: “Women are now the majority of undergraduate and master’s degree holders and constitute 58.2 percent of the labour force.” The authors point out: “the continuing pay gaps show the market is not rewarding women for their human capital contributions.” (Where to go for Pay Equity: Canadian Remedies for Gender Pay Discrimination, prepared by Mary Cornish and Jennifer Quito, Cavalluzzo Shilton McIntyre & Cornish LLP for the Canadian Bar Association Law Conference November 2013) Wherever women move under present values and norms, there are significant headwinds. While 81 percent of majority women-owned businesses were micro-businesses (fewer than five employees) compared to 79 percent for men, women still have significantly more difficulty securing financing and growing their businesses. (sbinfocanada. about.com) That’s the world we live in.
There is a place for advocacy in the courts, legislative bodies, government, the streets and the press, to correct the disparagement of women’s human rights commonplace in our society. More power to those who fight for what is right and are committed to real equality. Check out advocacy organizations such as LEAF, Women’s Legal Education and Action Fund (leaf.ca) But there is another approach. Isn’t it time we made use of the special gifts women inherently have to infuse society with a more balanced perspective? Women instinctively value caring, connection, relationship, Nature and all of life—hugely important to a self-sustaining society… to peace and prosperity… to a self-sustaining planet. So let’s stand up for them. Many of us have spent decades being more like men than men. It doesn’t work. We’re nonstandard. Instead, let’s celebrate the values we as women most deeply hold and move them out into the world in every way that we can. The world needs them. Our communities need them. Our men, our sons and our daughters need them. The winds of change are blowing. Let’s set our sails to catch the wind and end the distortions our patriarchal society has wrought on everything and everybody. If not now, when? If not us, who? It’s time. √ 2/ Pay equity is guaranteed by Convention 100 of the International Labour Organization and the United Nations Convention on the Elimination of all Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW). For more information see: International Labour Organization’s Promoting Equity Gender-Neutral Job Evaluation for Equal Pay: A Step-by-Step Guide (International Labour Office, Geneva, 2008) (ILO Guide)
Barbara Ashley Phillips was a practicing lawyer educated at Yale Law School who became a mediator, coach and facilitator. For more on her work, a free newsletter and Leadership Tips go to www.co-creating.ca. Contact: barbara@co-creating.ca or 780-465-1721
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FIRST VISIT IS FREE 780.752.8912 • Dave@goalsbetweenpoles.com EDMONTONIANS SPRING 2014
CIVILWARS
What’s on your
Facebook wall?
W
hat have you revealed
about yourself on-line? Staying safe on-line is important for everyone. No matter who you are or where you are, there are thieves waiting to steal information about you. I have been astounded at some of the things that I have found out about all my dachshund Facebook friends! One night recently, I noticed a post float down my Facebook wall which disturbed me greatly. It was probably posted with no bad intent, but the questions it asked raised red flags for me: I hope you all will let me and others get to know you better. You guys are really smart, have great jobs, and educated!! Hope to get to know many of you better! If you will play along, and I will start. Tell: 1) What your name is 2) What kind of work you do 3) What your husband or wife’s name is 4) What kind of work they do 5) What state/country you live in 6) Do you have children/grandchildren? But the biggest issue with this post was that it was public. That means anyone from anywhere can see that post and its responses. No privacy filters set whatsoever. I was astonished to see that, within two hours of her posting this, 18 people had given up their information.
WHAT HAPPENED NEXT
I cautioned my friends against posting a reply because her wall was not private and the information requested could be used against them in malicious ways—not necessarily by the person posting it but the world she made it available to.
The woman who requested the info replied to my post and fessed up to asking the questions. She said that she didn’t want people to be “paranoid”. You should be paranoid about what floats out about you on the Internet. So, don’t post it! To try and emphasize how important it is to protect privacy, I sent her a private message and showed her what I found out about her within five minutes: • Her birthday and her husband’s birthdate • Her private email address • Where she worked, what position and for how long • Her home address • The approximate value of their home • That there was an e-mail address attributed to her husband that was pimpmonkey@ popularemail.com (a tad embarrassing at the age of 50+) • Two telephone numbers: one home, one mobile • Children’s names
The next morning she told me that what I found was impressive, but that she had a high profile on the Internet because of her employer. So, I Googled her name to check out what she deemed to be “high profile”. Okay, so first I get the LinkedIn profile—no big deal: Most working professionals put something up. Then, a web address of her employer and her kennel web page. This is not high profile in the traditional sense… yet, the personal data can make you high profile to the thief who is building a data file on you. Birthdates? Home addresses? Property values? She should have been a bit more concerned than flipping me off with her high profile label. On any profile, personal information is too much information.
with Nejolla Korris Posting such detail on Facebook is the same as writing all of your vital statistics and information down on a piece of paper, and then tacking it on the bulletin board at your local grocery store. Do you really think that is okay?
TIPS TO STAY SAFE ON FACEBOOK
• Make sure your privacy settings are for friends only. • Do not post when you are away from home. • Do not post personal information such as your address or telephone number on the wall. • Look at your “About” page: remove phone numbers or other info about you. • If you post your birthdate, at least don’t include the year. • To set your privacy settings when posting, look at the bottom right corner and click on it. This one indicates only friends can see this post. • When you click on the bottom right corner, it brings up three options 1) Public, 2) Friends or 3) Only me. Make sure the “friends” option is clicked. √
Nejolla Korris is an international expert in area of interviewing skills and linguistic lie detection. She is a keen observer and fan of the human condition. Dubbed the “Human Lie Detector” by some clients, she is a popular speaker on lie detection, fraud prevention and investigation, workplace fraud, and organizational justice. Nejolla recently launched a new speaker’s series on the differing communication styles between men and women. Contact: nkorris@working-it-out.com
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STREETCOMMERCE
By Ben Alway
T
attoo removal has evolved a long way from
the days of merely blacking an unwanted piece of artwork out or having it surgically excised in a painful way that would leave a lifetime reminder behind. Even the earlier lasers were somewhat blunt in their delivery of the energy required to remove a tattoo, and scarring was often the trade-off necessary for the disappearance of a tattoo. Not so much anymore. Very sophisticated (and expensive) lasers can remove many tattoos to the point that it is often difficult to tell that there was ever anything there to begin with. That impulsive decision made on a night in Mexico after too many margaritas can now be dealt with in a safe and effective manner. Tattoo removal lasers are more accurately called pigment removal lasers. They look for colour, not ink. Lasers operate on wavelengths that determine the colour the laser is looking for. There isn’t one laser that works on all colours. Tattoos of multiple colours may require treatments with different lasers in order to achieve the optimum result. The laser will fire a very quick pulse of energy into the ink to heat it up to a very high temperature, at which point the ink will shatter into much smaller pieces. Now the body’s lymphatic and immune systems can process the ink and filter it out. T H pulses E P E(billionths RSON LITY Because the energy is fired in such quick of A seconds), the risk of scarring and skin damage has been dramatically reduced. For
most people it isn’t really much of a factor, but always still a slight risk. The heat absorption into the body can be uncomfortable but with proper cooling techniques and application of numbing creams, the process is very manageable. Tattoo removal is done with a series of treatments generally spaced eight weeks apart. The characteristics of each tattoo will determine the number of treatments, but it is extremely difficult to determine ahead of time what that number might be. Generally, older and more faded tattoos will remove faster than newer, vibrant ones. Some colours are easier to work on than others and, luckily, black is one of the easiest. Remember, not all lasers can treat all colours so it is important to find a clinic that has a strong solution for the widest range of colours. Some cosmetic tattoos and white tattoos, or colours blended with white ink, can be very challenging to treat because they contain metallic elements. For most people, the healing will take an average of seven to 10 days, with some redness, swelling and, occasionally, some blistering being the most common effects on the skin. The fading will continue to take place for at least eight weeks following the treatment—it doesn’t all happen right away. Tattoo removal is all about slow and steady. Rarely is there immediate gratification. It can be a time commitment more than anything else, but some tattoos do disappear quite quickly. O FInterestingly, B U S I Ntattoo E S removal S I N has TH E been C Alargely P I T embraced A L R EbyGthe ION now tattooing community. Having a pre-existing tattoo lasered a few times can open up all sorts of possibilities for coverup work. It changes the conversation from the original tattoo dictating what can go there next to the artist and client figuring out exactly what would make the client happy. That is often a much better conversation to have. After a few sessions of removal treatments, the tattoo will have faded enough to open up all sorts Date: of options that would have previously been impossible. In short, the technology for tattoo removal hasTo improved a great Appear in:deal over the past 20 years, and having a tattoo you dislike is no longer the lifetime sentence it once was. The important thing is to find a clinic that has invested in both proper lasers and cooling machines, and in the training for their staff. Once that is done, if someone is willing to make a commitment to the process, often really amazing results can be seen. √
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Badlands: Mile Zero Dance
Tracy O’Camera Photography www.tracyocamera.com 18
EDMONTONIANS SPRING 2014
YOU&THELAW
Planning to Compete with your BOSS?
T
here are a lot of would-be
entrepreneurs out there, toiling away at their jobs, thinking “I could do this so much better.” Though the inspiration of finding a better way is noble, if you are considering leaving your job and setting up shop, you must be cautious as you owe certain duties to your current employer. Conversely, if you are an employer and believe one of your employees is planning their departure to compete, be conscious of these same duties. You may have options if they step off-side. For simplicity, I will phrase my comments toward an employee considering a new role; employers, these rights and responsibilities apply to your staff.
DUTY OF LOYALTY
In short, an employee cannot divert their efforts for the benefit of another business (their own or a future employer) while still employed by their current employer. Perhaps this should go without saying: “Don’t work for someone else on your employer’s time”, but you might be surprised. This includes the diversion of company sales to your prospective or “side” business, attempting to recruit colleagues to depart with you, and allowing your work to suffer or duties to be neglected while you focus on your future plans. While you generally are not prevented from competing with your employer after your departure, be careful not to start doing so before your final day. You should also be aware of the terms of any formal employment agreement you may have signed. If non-competition and/or non-
solicitation clauses are included, you may have additional restrictions even after you quit. In this case, I would recommend speaking to a lawyer who can advise you on the effect and enforceability of such terms.
FIDUCIARY DUTY
The duty of loyalty is imposed by common law on all employees but, if you are in an influential position within the business, you may have an even higher responsibility. Employees with managerial control, or who act as the “face” of the company with suppliers, customers or stakeholders are in a uniquely influential position which is recognized by the court. This, of course, requires that you act in the best interest of your employer while employed, but may also prevent you from benefiting from your position after your departure. Soliciting clients of the past employer and use of confidential information in a way that harms the former are common ways this duty is violated. Indicators that you may have a fiduciary relationship include: • You have the ability to exercise some discretion or power; • You can independently exercise your discretion or power in a way that will affect the business’ legal or practical interests; and • The business is specifically vulnerable to your discretion and/or use of your power. Canadian courts have recognized a fiduciary relationship even where no managerial control is wielded by the employee such as where he/she is the “face” of the company and influences key
with Ben Block
relationships with suppliers or clients. In other words, even if your title or authority doesn’t suggest great influence, if you maintain key relationships on behalf of your employer, you may still owe this higher duty. Although our courts are slow to impede trade or an employee’s livelihood, there are limits to what will be tolerated. If you are moving on to a new and competing opportunity, be sure you have waited until you have left your current employment before diverting your efforts or accepting pay. Failing to do so can expose you to damages if you cost your employer business or other economic loss. In addition, a breach of your duty of loyalty will almost certainly entitle your employer to terminate you without notice (or pay in lieu of notice) if they become aware of your activities. And, for those of you in management or influential positions, be cautious that you may be restricted in your activities even after your departure. Be cautious of how you use your knowledge and contacts and, if in doubt, seek legal advice. The investment in a review of your plans prior enacting them may help avoid liability and law suits in the future. With good advice, clearly laid plans and proper execution, there is no reason not to set out on your own. Just be cautious that your plans for the better mousetrap don’t leave you in harms’ way. √ Ben Block is an associate with Hillenbrand Kozicki LLP, and focuses his practice on civil litigation, real estate and business law. Ben was an Edmontonians Sizzler in 2007. Call 780.809.2389 or email bblock@hklaw.ca.
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BUSINESSBRIEFS
Gold medal expertise at U of A U of A Professor at the Olympics
Engineering is one of the highest honours obtainable—now the University of Alberta’s President Indira Samarasekera holds that very honour. “I am deeply honoured and truly humbled that an esteemed organization such as the National Academy of Engineering would recognize my work with such a rare distinction,” said Dr. Samarasekera, internationally renowned as one of Canada’s leading metallurgical engineers. “As much as this honour comes with great personal and professional satisfaction, no important endeavour is accomplished in a vacuum. Throughout my career, I have had the fortune to work and learn alongside some remarkable individuals, and that includes some truly great talent at the U of A, without whom this would not have been possible.” According to the U of A, membership in the elite group recognizes “those who have made outstanding contributions to engineering research, practice or education, and who have pioneered new and developing fields of technology that advance engineering and education.” Dr. Samarasekera’s work on the mechanistic understanding of steel casting processes for improved productivity is what won her an honour that has been awarded to only 29 Canadians since 1964. Her official bio indicates that after earning her master’s in science in 1976, she went on to the University of British Columbia, where in 1980 she completed a PhD in metallurgical engineering and later entered the professoriate. While at UBC, she held the Dofasco Chair in Advanced Steel Processing and also served as vice-president of research. Dr. Samarasekera came to the U of A in 2005, becoming the institution’s 12th president and vice-chancellor. √
The chief physician for the Canadian Olympic team at February’s Games in Sochi Russia has a day job. Dr. Connie Lebrun is a professor of family medicine at the University of Alberta and a consulting sports medicine physician at the Glen Sather Sports Medicine Clinic. “People at the Olympics are trying their very best to be their best, and we are as well,” Dr. Lebrun said, adding “Regardless of your role, whether athlete or support staff, nothing beats working in a fast-paced, high-performance environment where everyone is reaching for gold.” According to the U of A, “Lebrun’s Olympic journey began when she played for the Canadian women’s volleyball team at the Montreal Summer Games in 1976, and her first foray on the Olympic medical team came in 1996 in Atlanta. But she’s been part of the Canadian medical team at numerous international sporting events over the past 25 years, including three Summer Olympics in Sydney (2000), Athens (2004) and Beijing (2008), where she was assistant chief medical officer. She was assigned to the women’s snowboarding team at the Winter Games in Torino and again in Vancouver.” In Sochi, Dr. Lebrun led a team of 10 physicians and 50 heath care practitioners. “A lot of athletes come to the games with overuse injuries, as you’d expect, but there’s also infectious diseases and so on that you don’t always think about. We tried to get everyone vaccinated against the flu so they don’t get H1N1, and we did the same thing with measles. “Once you’ve been to the Olympics, I guess it’s always a passion,” Dr. Lebrun concluded. √
New Award for U of A President
For engineers, being elected as a foreign associate of the National Academy of
SIMPLY DELICIOUS!
with Norman Leach Tom Ruth takes over at Edmonton Airports
On January 20th, Tom Ruth became the new President and Chief Executive Officer of Edmonton Airports taking over the reins from Reg Miley who retired on the same day. In his announcement, Edmonton Airports Chair Tom Redl said, “Tom joins Canada’s fastest growing air service market at a key point in our growth and development. He stood out in a very strong candidate field for his extensive experience in both passenger and cargo markets across North America and for having worked in both airline and airport environments. He has a very strong understanding of the strength of the Edmonton region air service market and the potential that exists here to leverage our economic and passenger assets to develop more flights to more places.” Ruth was most recently President and CEO of the Halifax International Airport Authority, the largest air transportation complex in Atlantic Canada. “I am very pleased to be joining Edmonton Airports during this exciting time in both airport and regional economic development,” said Ruth. “Over the last number of years, investment has been rewarded with strong growth in passengers and flights. Now I know we are poised to move to the next level by working closely with stakeholders in this region, and across Canada’s North, to offer a strong competitive case that will deliver even more success in passenger and cargo markets.” √ Norman Leach, president of Norman Leach & Associates, is an Alberta-based business consultant, university lecturer and writer who works with companies and non-profit organizations to expand both their domestic and international markets.
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780-757-8787 EDMONTONIANS SPRING 2014
MERGERS&ACQUISITIONS
Buying a Business?
with Jey Arul
A
What You Should Know
re you looking to buy a
small business? Perhaps you have seen something you are interested in: right industry, right location—but is it the right price? In today’s market, everyone is looking for a bargain. The difficulty in assessing the price of a small business is that there may not be a lot of comparisons available in the market. If you are looking to buy a business where there is a large and active market—like a coffee shop, restaurant or hair salon—the comparisons are readily available. However, when it’s an industry specific business where there is not a lot of public information, it is challenging to know what the market value is. If you need an opinion on price, be careful and make sure you get the information you are really after. When you value a small business, it is not unusual for a valuation to come in under the asking price. A normal reaction is to assume that the business must be overpriced. While this is sometimes true, it is not automatically the case. In a perfect market, price and value are the same thing… but we do not operate in a perfect market. As a result, this causes price
to trade at either a premium or a discount to value. Over the past four years in Alberta, price has traded at a premium of up to 15 percent on value for good quality businesses. To test the price of a business, you need to understand both its value and any information on the market price of the business you are looking to buy. When you ask for a valuation of a prospective business, the real question might be: “Should I buy this business?” This is a very different question compared to “What is the value of this business?” “Should I buy this business?” is about a range of both qualitative and quantitative analysis. It is as much about whether the business suits your lifestyle expectations and core capabilities as it is about the financial performance. If the business has been undermanaged with little exposure over the years and needs lots of marketing push, then it will not suit you unless you like the marketing aspect and have the time to dedicate to it. To assess all of this, you need to understand the business and the business model in operation. You then need to compare the model to your expectations, and also to your
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business strengths. None of us is good at everything. You need a business that matches your strengths. You do not want to pay too much for the business, however you also do not want to miss out on the right business opportunity just because the asking price is a bit more than you expected or more than what someone has told you it is worth. Whether or not you are prepared to pay a premium will depend on how much you want the business and what growth you can see in it. Good quality businesses with good growth prospects will almost always command a premium because of high buyer-interest. Understanding the true value of a business is understanding what it is worth now and also what value you can add to it. Once you know both these numbers, you should be ready to negotiate on price. √ Jey Arul is president of VR Business Sales in Edmonton, AB. He started the mergers and acquisitions company in 2007 after leaving his position as a senior commercial banker for a Canadian Bank. Jey holds a BA in Psychology and an Executive MBA. Visit www.vralta.com
Patricia's Play Place Inc. 18040 - 98 Ave NW, Edmonton, AB
Phone 780-489-2164 Email pmcewenl@live.ca
780-416-2700 www.vervesalon.ca 11 Athabasca Ave #152, Sherwood Park
INDEPENDENTLY OWNED AND OPERATED EDMONTONIANS SPRING 2014
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With Cheryl Croucher
SpineAccess Alberta Targets wait-times FOR Back PAIn
SUFFERERS
S
tatistics indicate 85 percent of
Canadians will suffer from back pain at some point in their lives. But getting satisfactory care in a timely manner is causing a major crisis in health care delivery. According to rehabilitation specialist Dr. Linda Woodhouse, “If we take 85 percent of Canadians, and they all feel they need diagnostic imaging—MRIs—and to see a specialist, that creates a long queue and a long wait list. And so the challenge is: How do we get people to the right health care provider very quickly?” Here’s just how frustratingly long those queues are for people suffering from excruciating back pain. Says Dr.Woodhouse, “Currently in Alberta, you see on the average about three providers about six months apart. So six months wait in each of those queues. You might get to see a specialist at two years who then says, ‘Well, you’re really not a surgical candidate.’ So you’re back to the beginning again. Except the primary care physician says, ‘Well you’ve waited all this time, now you have chronic back pain.’ What
She is currently an associate professor in the do I have to offer you if you’re not a surgical Faculty of Rehabilitation Medicine at the candidate?” University of Alberta, and is scientific director To make matters even worse, it turns out only for the Bone and Joint Health Strategic 10 percent of people with back pain actually Clinical Network, along with a number of other need serious treatment like surgery. appointments. Dr. Woodhouse explains, “We’re really She points out,“It’s actually pretty easy when trying to focus on where the gaps are in service you’re looking at backs and individuals with delivery… How can we get you in quickly to back pain to sort out which individuals are the do a comprehensive assessment and help you 10 percent and which are the 90 percent. So we to determine if you are in the 90 percent who have a team from across all don’t need anything else, of Alberta that’s comprised that you can be managed of rheumatologists, people conservatively and in rehabilitation medicine, educated to self-manage chiropractors, physioyour back pain? Or are therapists, orthopedic you in that 10 percent who surgeons. We are all really need to go on for working together to say: further interventions and ‘How do we create a model possibly surgery?“ so that we call Green Flags? When everyone is in That’s individuals who pain, how do you tell the should go down the path difference between the this way. Yellow Flags, two extremes, and how something to be cautious do you stream people about. And Red Flags, quickly toward appropriate oops, this one really needs treatment? to go quickly to see a That’s the underlying se ou specialist.’ And that’s how question to a new research dh oo W a nd Li . Dr we’re identifying and project called SpineAccess educating individuals to Alberta. get them to the right provider to get treatment.” Alberta Innovates Health The team will set up clinics in Edmonton Solutions and Alberta Health Services have and Calgary where patients will receive a earmarked $750,000 over three years to support comprehensive evaluation of their back injuries. this project which brings together a multiEach will partner with an outlying city. “We’re disciplinary team to evaluate an innovative using telehealth strategies to make sure, if we triage strategy to fast track patients toward cannot reproduce the entire team there in a rural appropriate treatment of spinal injuries. and remote area, we would create a linkage Dr. Woodhouse takes the lead on this project.
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EDMONTONIANS SPRING 2014
hypsothermal period, most of our ecosystems scenarios described by ecologist Dr. Rick shifted north by about one sub-region. In other Schneider in his recent report on climate words, the grasslands moved into what is now change. the parkland, the area around Edmonton. The Titled Alberta’s Natural Sub-Regions Under parkland that is around here then shifted into the a Changing Climate: Past, Present and Future, boreal forest and so on. In the mountain regions, it was issued by the Alberta Biodiversity everything moved uphill.” Monitoring Institute as part of a series on Dr. Schneider believes looking at what adaptation for the Climate Change and happened in the past helps validate today’s Emissions Management Corporation— climate models and what is projected to happen CCEMC. over the next few decades as a result of climate According to Dr. Schneider, average change. It also helps forecast the range between temperature changes of just two to six degrees least case and worst case scenarios. will shift southern ecosystems north. To get a sense of what that means, the “There’s a tipping point somewhere around difference in average temperature between Fort three degrees warming where we would expect McMurray and Calgary is about three degrees. a transition from forest to Dr. Schneider points out grassland. Now it is not that that all the climate models it’s going to happen all at once, suggest Alberta’s climate will but once you get a climate warm by at least two degrees. that doesn’t have enough “So even though it doesn’t moisture there anymore to seem like very much, or that it support a forest, you’ll see a would matter very much, it’s transition. First you lose the a huge difference in terms of white spruce. It’s unable to what will grow and what we regenerate without enough can expect as far as ecosystems moisture there. So aspen of the future. That’s under will hang in and we’ll see a the least-case scenario. But, transition from what we have if you average all the models, is a mixed wood forest there it’s somewhere closer to four today to a more uniform degrees. And some of the worstaspen forest throughout the Dr. Rick Schneide case scenarios suggest, if we’re north. Then if the warming T H E P E Rprogresses, S O N Aespecially L I T Y under O F B U S I N E S S I N rT H E C A Punable I T AtoL contain R E Gour ION really emissions, and the change really the worst-case scenarios, goes to the worst case, we’re even the aspen will begin to drop out and there looking at over six degrees of warming. This will be an expansion of grasslands.” would put a grassland like a Medicine Hat kind He says when it comes to predicting the of climate, up in the north part of Wood Buffalo impact of climate change on the landscape and Attention: biodiversity, we can learn a lot from the past. In Park.” Date: Dr. Schneider’s report is the first of several the report, he compares anticipated eco-region which will help government and industry changes to those of the hypsothermal period Fax: To Appear in: facilitate adaptation to climate change. It is 6,000 years ago. That’s when temperatures Date Purchased: available online at www.biodiversityandclimate. peaked after the last ice age. abmi.ca √ “It was a period when North America was about two to three degrees warmer than it Cheryl Croucher hosts Innovation Anthology is today. We have data in the form of pollen which is broadcast on CKUA Radio that dropped into lake sediments, and today at 7:58 am and 4:40 pm Tuesdays and that pollen record can be read, giving us an an you imagine Alberta with Thursdays. Download the podcasts at www. indication of what grew in every location where prairie extending all the way north innovationanthology.com and follow Cheryl on the studies have taken place basically back to into Wood Buffalo National Park? Twitter @CherylCroucher. Listen as well on the time of glaciation. What we found was that, That’s one of the worst-case CKUA Radio for Aboriginal Pathways. with the two- to three-degree warming of that
between a clinician who has been trained to do the same type of evaluation and has the backup of this whole support team to deliver care locally for individuals there.” The funding through PRIHS, Partnership for Research and Innovation in the Health System, supports evaluation of the SpineAccess Alberta triage approach. Some of the things Dr. Woodhouse will look at include changes in wait times, economic savings, volume of patients, and quality of care. “We have a framework which is six dimensions of quality. Do patients get in faster? Do they get to the right provider and how long does that actually take? Are their outcomes better? We have certain measures about how people physically can move as well as how much pain they have, quality of life and how much the new system costs. So it’s a comprehensive evaluation that is not just the individual’s self-report but whether they can actually function better. Is their back pain any less? Is it any less sooner than under the old system?” AIHS and AHS also announced PRIHS funding for nine other projects. These focus on improving care and reducing wait times for a range of medical pressure points, including reducing length of hospital stays for severely obese patients, improving outcomes for seniors after surgery, and reducing the strain on intensive care units. √
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Climate ChangeADVERTISING PRO REPORT REVIEWS
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