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he local entertainment media loved

U.S. Why? Roseline says, “Being around kids all the time and seeing… what they eat. This opportunity is a way of teaching kids to recognize proper foods. Unfortunately, a lot of kids are being left alone to fend for themselves, and [this cooking school] will help those situations.”

For more information on the Young Chefs Academy and how to enroll your child, call 780.416.1231 or Roseline’s cell 780.221.4759

her back in the day: Edmonton Week, the Edmontonian, the Edmonton Journal. Junee Whelan—attractive, feisty but fragile in many ways—carved out a meager living singing nightly in the smoky lounges of the city’s night clubs. Making it alone The Agrios name is pretty well known in these was not a new challenge: the Trocadero’s first female parts: lawyer Jack (QC, OC) chaired the organizing vocalist was a survivor. By age nine, Junee had moved committee for the 2001 World Championships of Athletics from an orphanage to Vancouver where she landed on the amongst many other things. Less known is daughter Susan streets caring for her new, baby brother. By 20, she was a Agrios who is North America’s only fitness trainer with single mother. Three years later, in 1955, Junee’s first advanced teacher training in Yoga Nidra. Yearly trips to husband Robert Gaebelhaus was killed by assailants in India and monthly trips to California enable her to study front of the Troc—it was her 23rd birthday… she was with world renowned Yoga Masters—like Gurmukh who pregnant with her second child. was featured in the June issue of Vanity Fair.

The singer performed daily on CFRN’s Noon Show and it Yoga Nidra guided meditation induces profound was her gig as Klondike Kate in Cape Breton Island that relaxation for the body and mind. inspired Don Clark to establish Susan explains that “meditation is Klondike Days in a science, a technology. Studies are Edmonton. In a Journal being done at Harvard supporting column dated December meditation as a healing modality.

13, 1963, Barry Westgate It has been successfully applied to said June Whalen and a wide variety of conditions.”

Hank Smith (no longer Susan runs Training by Agrios married to Edmontonians and found that, while clients were esteemed editor Barb getting physically fit, many were Deters) had teamed still stressed, unable to sleep and professionally, and that June just not happy… something was was excited about a missing. So she shifted gears by recording contract to be offering meditation sessions in released in England, addition to physical workouts to s, nk Tommy Ba e, ne Ju Australia, Canada and the s, irn Ca improve their mental health as y Bobb er ill M U.S. She had wanted to b Bo , gg ra well.

Sh Phil record locally with Tommy rmukh Banks but daughter Susan Having taught Yoga master Gu s Janzen—herself a Klondike Kate in 1986 and 1987— grades 1 through and Susan Agrio doesn’t know what became of that deal. Senator Banks 12 for 10 years, delivered his personal reflections last month at the funeral Susan believes, of Junee Whelan who died at the age of 73 after a long “It would be illness. He handed Susan a never-before heard CD of her wonderful to mother’s music. Said Clint Buehler in an early 1960s have meditation edition of the Edmontonian: “She has a lovely voice and a taught in the way with a song that puts her right at the top as an school system. It entertainer.” would help a lot of students deal with emotions… allowing them to be more It takes a lot of courage to quit good paying, efficient and productive.” high profile—some would say powerful—jobs to follow You can find out more about meditation classes by your dreams. But I know a couple of ladies who did just visiting Susan’s website at www.trainingbyagrios.com or that: Roseline Donaldson and Dianne Young have left the email her at sagrios@trainingbyagrios.com. security of their executive management positions with the Stollery Children’s Hospital Foundation. Dianne is just A while back, I went to the Doug Udall Gallery wrapping up a very successful stint as its president and on 124th Street for a showing of works by my favourite CEO. The duo goes back to their days at Telus. artist, Joe Fafard. His miniature statues are phenomenal— Now, they’ve signed on to open Canada’s first Young he did this one of Doug Udall about five years ago.

Chefs Academy, a successful cooking school for kids in the Hindsight can be painful: There was a time I could have

bought a little Fafard for a few hundred dollars— now they’re about $29,000. I’ve been insuring the gallery for about 40 years, since a Dutch fellow by the name of Eric Hansen started the Downstairs Gallery in a basement across from the Bay on 103rd Street.

He doesn’t just do the little statues but also big cows and horses—about 200 to 300 pieces a year Doug Udall statue with the help of seven people working for him.

He’s a great talent. Actually, I think Cam Allard has a Fafard or two at the Courtyard Block on Jasper Avenue— check it out.

For the first time in many years, I didn’t make it to the annual Night Owl lingerie “Men Only” show at Manulife Place. The mistress of the ring is always owner Gloria Barrigan. Seven models wore gowns and undies that would knock your eyes out. Gloria tells me the hit of the evening was a self demi bra in white pleated chiffon with crystal detail. I have no idea what that is, but I gather guys would score big points if they gifted one to their significant others.

I recently spotted Mike Nickel having breakfast at Ricky’s Diner with his former City Hall secretary. I’m guessing that he and Debbie Rechmey were asking each other what happened. He guesses he got caught in a left wing movement. I’ve always thought highly of his work on council. While Mike was disappointed in the outcome, don’t dismiss him from politics just yet.

I must be one of the few guys in Edmonton who doesn’t want drugstore mogul Daryl Katz to take over the Oilers. He and I don’t have warm and fuzzy feelings for each other. It goes back about three years when I tried to interview him at the opening of one of his dispensaries. My illustrious editor isn’t going to let me rehash the incident.

Let me just say this: Katz is the wealthiest guy who ever cussed me out, again and again… and all I was trying to do was what his public relations people had invited me there to do.

I understand why some of the Edmonton Investors Group guys want to sell—my goodness, a few are even older than I am. I just want them to remember why they got into the game in the first place: love for the Oilers and love for the community. You know that all that glitters is not gold… so please walk carefully.

Call Muggsy Forbes at 780.482.4545 or e-mail mforbes@edmontonians.com

EDMONTONIANS JANUARY 2008

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location, location, location. It’s not an NHL problem, it’s a civic need. Maybe Daryl Katz is prepared to kick in $100 million if he can buy the Oilers. We’d all benefit from a full service entertainment complex, that doubles as a hockey arena.

PS: Make sure the LRT goes inside the building this time.

Get the full force of the RCMP and Edmonton

I

t’s a Happy New Year! Here are the things I’d really like to see happen in our fair city this coming year:

Keep the LRT going, Mayor Stephen Mandel.

Don’t stop until it reaches the four ever-growing corners of our magnificent city, and all the way to the Edmonton International Airport. Most cities in the U.S. and Europe have direct connections to the city core via rail and this is a must… in our lifetime, please.

PS: Finish last year’s paving schedule, too: 170th Street has been a huge project and should be first on the list to be finished when the snow disappears in spring.

Get the Edmonton Oilers healthy. It seems that GM Kevin Lowe has been dealt an unfair hand for the past two years compared to most other teams.

When these kids are going full speed, it’s full value for the dollar spent. When they’re healthy, they’re still one of the most exciting teams in the NHL.

Find the money for a new downtown arena.

Northlands has always done a great job but we need a new arena for so many reasons: comfort, better parking, world class entertainment. It’s all about

Police Services working on the horrendous drug and gang problems in our city. I don’t want to be less than sensitive to EPS Chief Mike Boyd when I say this but I’m going to throw up if I read one more quote about “he’s a good kid but just hung around with a bad crowd”… or even better, “Selling drugs really isn’t a bad thing,” (source: Edmonton Journal December 4, 2007). Innocent people are being shot down, struck down. So please get these guys. Arrest them and then throw away the keys to their cells.

H

we go. What will the new year bring us?

What will we do with it? I put out the word to some of my favourite Edmontonians about their New Year’s resolutions—from a personal, civic, provincial or global view point. What I got was inspiring, thoughtful and funny. They were helpful for me personally in setting my own goals.

I hope to get more active… work toward living on a more peaceful planet… give and do more for those in need in our city… walk the walk and not talk the talk on being a better environmentalist… be a better boyfriend… and finally get my eyes tested. A tall order but I’m motivated.

Achieving a little of each would be huge for me.

I want to thank all of the people that sent me their resolutions. I hope readers can glean some inspiration from our 2008 promises. If you have made a New Year’s pact with yourself inch-by-inch, steady as she goes, give it your all. It ain’t over till it’s over… bird in the bush is better… um-er… bird in the hand is better… whatever: Good luck.

Kevin Lowe, general manager, Edmonton Oilers: “I have a couple of resolutions. Firstly, I won’t trade anybody.

Ha Ha. Seriously, I am thinking about the environment. As a member of Waterkeepers Canada, I will continue to be a spokesperson for that organization but with Kevin regards to our family, I Lowe want us and our children to be more environmentally conscience. We are going to focus more on monitoring our negative consumption. Hopefully, we can lessen our footprint on the planet.”

Janet Riopel, general manager, City of Edmonton Growth Initiatives, president & CEO of TREYL Communications Inc.: “There are always things that I know I should do less often… but here are things I resolve to do more often in 2008: Give the gift of time to those I love so much, my family and friends.

Janet Riopel Dance—wherever and whenever I can. Laugh till my belly aches. Speak the little bit of Spanish I have worked so hard to learn. Find joy in my

The EIA is starting another construction phase.

Surely, something can be done to improve the parking area: more shuttles, easier access… especially during the winter. And, how about a full service restaurant? There’s some pretty good fast food available but, with the airlines running well over schedule most days, we need a comfortable place to sit for an extended time and have a real meal.

Co-ordinate fund-raising campaigns. It would be great if United Way President Anne Smith could get every group in the city to sit down and co-ordinate their efforts. Our citizens are great supporters of worthy causes.

However, with so many new campaigns, there’s a lot of overlapping during “ask” periods; it’s hurting everybody.

The United Way started as an umbrella system many years ago… it’s time to see if we can’t do this better.

Support the world class health centres we’re

Build a dome over our city, Mr. Stantec Tony

building. The Lois Hole Hospital for Women and the Mazankowski Alberta Heart Institute will open this year and both are positive testaments to the amazing facilities we have in our city. A few dollars from each of us will help maintain and further enhance these treatment centres. Ditto the Stollery Children’s Hospital.

Fransceschini. OK, I’m joking. It’s the coldest part of the winter right now and every year we seem to forget that we live in a very harsh climate.

So, Martin Salloum, is January the best time to host a global warming conference, eh?

Finish the darned ring road system. I respect my pal in the Alberta government, Jerry Bellikka.

But, when he says the Anthony Henday is being “fast-tracked” for 2011, that’s too far down the road to accommodate the massive growth in our city. The West End is a mess and lives are being lost. Fix this problem… Go 24/7 to get it done ASAP. workouts (even just a little would be good!). Discover at least one new place in this big, wonderful world. Focus my energy and enthusiasm on things that will benefit this home that has been so good to me.”

ello, 2008, nice to meet you. So here

Ditto the International Airport, Reg Milley.

Craig Roskin

Craig Roskin, general manager, Citytv Edmonton, Rogers Media – Television: “These are personal.

Respiration… maintaining.

Frustration… minimizing.

Incubation… doodling.

Speculation… market watching.

Inflation… calorie counting.”

l Mayor Stephen Mandel: “To be Stephen Mande more diligent in working out in order to keep fit. And, to be creative in delivering the needed services to the citizens of Edmonton especially in the area of affordable housing and transitional housing for the homeless.”

Denise Carpenter, senior VP of public & government affairs, EPCOR: “…I have lots, but this one is the biggest: I’ll finish first at least once on a bike ride Denise Carpenter through the river valley with LoriAnn Muenzer (if she let’s me).”

Michael Bobroff, VP marketing, Medicine Shoppe Canada: “I resolve... to score higher marks on my eye exam tests this year.”

Muggsy Forbes, VoxPop veteran columnist: “Ok. I wish that all the peoples of the world would quit using their religion as an excuse to kill. There are a lot of different religions—too many, in my mind—but most were never created to be used as an excuse to kill your enemies and/or friends. It’s a scary world out there because of it.”

Nick Lees, Nick Lees columnist, Edmonton Journal: “How about this?

Resolution: To show Edmonton a real British eccentric by encouraging my brother Jim to come over from England. He quit law to become a probation officer on the Liverpool dockside. He can speak and write in six languages and does The Times crossword in five minutes. He now stocks shelves in a supermarket to pay for his golf habit.”

This is a great city, but many things are due for improvement simply to keep pace with the incredible demands of our burgeoning population.

They would make for many happier New Years. √ Marty Forbes is VP and general manager of The Bear, EZRock and The TEAM 1260 Sports Radio. Contact marty@edmontonians.com Graham Hicks, Hicks on Six columnist, Edmonton Sun: “My personal New Year’s Eve resolution will be ‘breaking bad habits’—those little bad habits that you’re done for 10 years and really should fix. On a bigger scale, I’m hoping Premier Stelmach tackles the issue of looking Graham Hicks after the desperately ill folks who are homeless—the mentally ill, addicts, etc.—who require 24-hour care. We can’t just leave them on the streets.”

Marjorie O’Conner, owner Fit International/Fitness Guru: “Even though I celebrate health, I have a weakness for sweets… and I tend to be heavy on the gas pedal. I’m going to slow down in 2008 and breathe more slowly… and lay off the Twizzlers.”

Lynda Steele, anchor/senior producer, Global News: “Personally?

Let’s try this one again: I resolve to spend way more time with friends and family chilling out and having fun, and way less time with my nose to the grindstone in 2008. Lynda I’ll get it right eventually.

Steele Civically? (Is that a word?) I hope the 25 Edmonton area municipalities can play nice, stop bickering, and move forward as a united, positive group focused on making the Edmonton region the best it can possibly be.”

Jackie-Rae Greening, CFCW/Big Earl operations manager: “My New Year’s Resolution is going to be learning to say ‘no’. (Though my husband says I’ve already learned the word quite well). I always vow to leave more time for myself and my family but, before you know it, my dance card is full. So, I’m actually going to block off my Daytimer with ‘sorry, you’re busy, Bucko’ reminders. Busy re-charging the batteries.”

Marty Forbes, VP/GM Astral Media Radio Group, and fellow-VoxPop newbie: “My resolution for 2008 is very simple and totally in my control: to appreciate everything I have and everything I’ve accomplished so far in life. I’ve lost far too many good friends at far too young an age over the past few years. Life is just too fragile so I’m going to spend way more time enjoying and experiencing everything that life makes available to me and my family.”

Couldn’t have said it better myself. √ Mark Scholz, owner of MES Communications Inc. offers a variety of services including production, creative and entertainment. For more information or to suggest a story idea, email mscholz@edmontonians.com

EDMONTONIANS JANUARY 2008

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CELEBRATING

Poll

19

STATION

YEARS

With Linda Banister

FOUNDER DICK MacLEAN

Vol. XIX

JANUARY 2008

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No. 1

SHARON MacLEAN Publisher and Advertising Director Telephone: 780.482.7000 Fax: 780.488.9317 e-mail: info@edmontonians.com edmontonians.com

INSIDE

68%

Percentage

LEADERSHIP Words/Hill . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5 EDMONTONIAN IN EXILE Famous Five/Edmondson . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5

32%

COVER STORY/TOURSIM Horn-blowing/McHugh . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6 Award winning programs/Deters . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10

CORPORATE ETHICS Steroids/Somji . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .12 LIVELY LIFESTYLES Menu Magic/Berry . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .14 Absolute Bodo . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .15

BARB DETERS Editor

editor@edmontonians.com COLUMNISTS Linda Banister John Berry Linda Bodo Janet Edmondson Marty Forbes Muggsy Forbes Bruce Hogle David Norwood Erin Rayner Mark Scholz Nizar J. Somji FEATURE WRITERS Barb Deters Don Hill Rick Lauber Peter Drake McHugh PHOTOGRAPHERS Terry Bourque Janis Dow SPECIAL PROJECTS Edmontonians Transformers Tom Bradshaw Les Brost Steffany Hanlen Larry Ohlhauser

Said they own a cell phone or BlackBerry

Said they do not own a cell phone or BlackBerry

To begin, participants were asked if they owned a cell phone or a BlackBerry device. A total of 68 percent of those surveyed said they did, while 32 percent said they did not. Those who did own a personal communication device were asked to name the biggest benefit of owning one. Nearly half (49 percent) referred to use in emergencies or for personal security. Other respondents emphasized the ease and convenience of communicating (31 percent), with some specifically mentioning communication with family (12 percent) and work connections (six percent). Finally, 13 percent of mobile owners surveyed felt accessibility anywhere/any time was the most valuable benefit of owning a cell phone or BlackBerry.

WHERE DON’T YOU USE YOUR CELL PHONE OR BLACKBERRY?

41% Percentage

MY E-SPACE Offshores/Rayner . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .12

do. Sixty-six percent said that they never talk on their cell phones or BlackBerrys while in quiet places such as restaurants, museums, movie theatres or elevators, and 19 percent stated that they rarely do.

Thirteen percent mentioned that they sometimes talk in quiet places, and two percent revealed that they often do.

With regards to text messaging or e-mailing while in meetings or talking with someone, 82 percent of participants indicated they never do so, 12 percent rarely do, four percent sometimes do, and two percent often do. Finally, participants were asked about “multitasking” by talking or texting while shopping, banking, waiting in line or conducting other personal business. Forty-nine percent said they never do, 16 percent rarely do, 24 percent sometimes do, nine percent often do, and three percent always do.

DO YOU OWN A CELL PHONE OR BLACKBERRY? WHY?

VOX POP Muggsy Forbes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2 Marty Forbes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3 Mark Scholz . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3 POLL STATION Cell phones/Banister . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4

hile mobile phones have been available in North America since the 1980s, personal communication devices such as BlackBerrys and cell phones are becoming more widely utilized. This month’s Poll Station asked Edmontonians about their usage of such personal communication devices, as well as cell phone and BlackBerry etiquette.

25% 2% Said they rarely talk on their cell or BlackBerry while driving

The final topic of the survey referred to the etiquette of other Edmontonians that use personal communication devices. Participants were asked their biggest “pet peeve” with the use of cell phones or BlackBerrys. Forty-eight percent emphasized talking while driving, 15 percent mentioned talking in quiet places, six percent highlighted talking loudly in public places, and a three percent cited “multitasking.”

When asked if cell phone and BlackBerry etiquette has become an issue in our city, 76 percent of participants felt it has, while 13 percent felt it has not, and 11 percent were unsure. Furthermore, 74 percent felt that bylaws or regulations for cell phone and BlackBerry use should be implemented, while 23 percent felt bylaws were unnecessary, and three percent were unsure. The most commonly suggested bylaws included: banning use while driving (80 percent), prohibiting talking in quite places such as theaters or museums (14 percent), and restricting talking in public places in general (eight percent). Four percent of respondents, however, spoke to the difficulty of enforcing such bylaws. √ The Poll Station surveyed 100 City of Edmonton residents on the topic and, while the results of the research are not statistically reliable, they do provide a qualitative indication of what Edmontonians are thinking.

31%

Said they never talk on their cell or BlackBerry while driving

WHAT IS YOUR PET PEEVE AND SHOULD USE BE REGULATED?

Said they sometimes talk Said they often talk on on their cell or their cell or BlackBerry BlackBerry while driving while driving

2% Said they always talk on their cell or BlackBerry while driving

Next, participants were asked about their own etiquette while using their personal communication devices. When asked about talking on their cell phones or BlackBerrys while driving, 41 percent said that they never do, 31 percent rarely do, 25 percent sometimes do, two percent often do, and another two percent declared that they always

Want a question included in the Edmontonians Poll?

Contact Linda at 780.451.4444 or e-mail at lbanister@edmontonians.com.

Linda Banister is a certified management consultant and the owner of Banister Research and Consulting Inc., a full service provider of market research and program evaluation services. Visit www.banister.ab.ca.

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children demand value for their educational dollar as one might in any other business relationship? But somehow, I don’t think this is what is meant by ‘education’. Somewhere along the way, we’ve lost sight of the word’s original intent.

WORDS OF POWER

By Don Hill

P

rogressive governance. Ever heard that term before? The expression recently came up in a conversation with a colleague. I bet you are attracted by the sound of those two words—progressive governance—just as much I was when I first heard them.

Why? Let’s look at language and how we use it.

Words do matter. They mean all the world to us. Yet, we often give little thought to the way we speak to each other. But deep down in the human central nervous system words have power to not only inform, but form the way you think.

Modern day neuroscience is now affirming that the language you speak— whether its English or Swiss, Inuit or Tibetan—will act as a filter on what you can perceive. Maybe that’s why so much time is spent crafting ‘mission statements’… finding the right words to string together in a meaningful motto to live by… slogans that could spell the difference between success and less than spectacular results for your organization.

Eric Newell tells a great story about his days at the helm of Syncrude in the early going of the 1990s, a frightful time for investment in the oil-patch. Faced with financial oblivion, he came up with a phrase that spelt $4 billion worth of investment. “We nailed it with four words in the end,” Newell grinned, recalling the moment in his chancellor’s office at the University of Alberta.

“Securing Canada’s Energy Future.”

Language is like a chameleon. It can morph and change with the times. Take the word ‘gay’, for instance. To my mother’s generation, the word is evocative of Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers dancing the night away. Today, the word describes a political movement.

The same can be said for the language of business. Words like ‘client’ have migrated in meaning. Children in school, for example, are commonly referred to these days as ‘clients’ and their parents as ‘stakeholders’ in the school system. Is it any wonder that parents and their

Words are the algorithms that power the human psyche. They’re not so different from the strings of code that instruct your personal computer how to behave… the invisible bits of business under the hood.

Now here’s an idea I want you to consider: Think of how national identities are built around key bits of language, a defining statement or motto.

In America, for instance, just about everyone is familiar with and lives by the maxim ‘life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.’ Let’s take apart that statement. The key word is pursuit. It means that you are forever in the act of becoming something. To be always in pursuit means, by definition, you can never be satisfied.

In Canada, we live with the idea of ‘peace, order and good government’; this suggests Canadians are more interested in maintaining the conditions to be rather than forever be in pursuit of one thing or another.

You would be right to think that some languages resist translation.

“The English language is very nounoriented,” explains Leroy Little Bear, the former director of Native Studies at Harvard University. “It is about things… about matter,” whereas, “Blackfoot, the language I speak, is about process… about action.” Considered a top scholar in the study of indigenous languages and how it translates into leadership and governance, he has argued that the intent of many key words and ideas in Blackfoot do not square well with English translation.

“I do not like to say that Blackfoot is verbal,” Professor Little Bear continued, “because the word ‘verb’ is a noun!”

When I first met Leroy, several years back, he walked me through the indigenous ‘way of knowing’, and how it can open up a world that’s literally alive and animate with meaning; the shift to a ‘process oriented’ language such as Blackfoot will colour the way one thinks and behaves.

In contrast, an Indo-European language, such as English, with its emphasis on nouns as a measurement of things and events, has consequences that might well be transparent to the speaker, especially in cross-cultural negotiations.

LAND CLAIMS Negotiations between the First Nations and governments at the provincial and federal levels have been ongoing for decades.

Leroy Little Bear has made it clear that indigenous language speakers regard the word ‘land’ as a process, and describe it as a living dynamic, moment by moment, like the play-by-play of an ongoing hockey game; the earth and all creation is literally alive.

On the other hand, Indo-European languages—English, for example— capture the ‘land’ in a noun, puts it inside an enclosure, a measurement which is perpetually frozen in time and space.

Now here’s where it gets interesting: Modern neuroscience has robust tools to measure what’s going on inside the human brain and central nervous system.

No doubt you’ve heard about CATscanners and fMRIs (functional magnetic resonance imaging machines) that provide snapshots of how humans perceive and take in the world.

Recent experiments at the University of Alberta propose a novel way of measuring psycholinguistics: how language is perceived in the mind of indigenous language speakers and their Indo-European counterparts.

Conventional linguistic theory suggests there ought not be any difference.

Translated ‘words’ should light up the same areas of comprehension in the brain of both First Nations and IndoEuropean subjects. But they don’t.

What about a word like ‘land’? Given what we know today, thanks to neuroscience, is it possible that both sides—the First Nations and the dominant culture—over a hundred years ago could comprehend what was meant by ‘land’ from either perspective? Their languages might have forbidden it.

So what does this curious fact of cognition tell us now, especially for leaders negotiating global governance, trade and social issues? √ Don Hill is a ‘thought leader’ at the Leadership Lab and Leadership Development at the Banff Centre. He is also an award-winning writer and broadcaster with a large footprint on the Internet. Listen to his radio series Inspiring Leadership, a 20-part documentary on contemporary leadership and the challenge of leading in the 21st Century every Saturday morning at 8 AM on the CKUA Radio Network.

Edmontonian

IN EXILE

By Janet Edmondson in Calgary

C

algarians hold the “Famous Five” in the highest esteem.

There’s a great sculpture in Calgary’s Olympic Plaza that portrays these suffragettes meeting to plan their strategy for the “Persons” Case. The 1929-court ruling legally declared women as persons under the British North America Act and made them eligible for appointment to the Canadian Senate. (Check the back of a $50 bill for a view of the statue.) Ninety years ago, Hannah Gale was the first woman in Canada, and possibly the British Empire, to be elected to a government position. Where was that?

Calgary city council. Feminist politics has deep roots in this city.

Calgary’s current city council is not so forward thinking. Last month, a motion to change their titles from aldermen, a term used in Calgary since 1894, to councilors, a term used by every other major city in Canada, was defeated by a vote of 8 to 6.

This is not the first time that this break from tradition has been debated here. Groups like Calgary Council of Women, Equal Voice Alberta South and Citizens for Calgary Councilors have lobbied for the use of a gender neutral designation for years. The concept has even survived a challenge through the Alberta Human Rights commission, which ruled earlier this year that the term “alderman” is not discriminatory.

There are 12 men (including the mayor) and three women on council. You might think that those sneaky chauvinists slid the motion through while the womenfolk were all out Christmas shopping. But no, all three female “aldermen” voted to retain the archaic label. Alderman Druh Farrell, a member of the fairer sex, said that the term is “rooted in history and is an honourable title”. So are “mailman, fireman, policeman” and any number of other manly designations that we stopped using around the same time disco died.

We may have “come a long way, baby”—but, in Calgary at least, we’ve still got a way to go. √ jedmondson@edmontonians.com

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cover STORY

Horn-blowing

PAYS OFF Urban appeal meets frontier adventure

By Peter Drake McHugh

S

everal factors are combining to drive a perfect storm of tourism prosperity. Clearly, the booming economy is driving exponential growth. And, after you get past the veritable alphabet soup of acronyms, pie and flow charts and mind-numbing statistics, you discover a cornucopia of delights… neat stuff that the Capital Region hopes will make it an attractive, tourism destination for Europeans, Americans, Asians and other Canadians. The world isn’t coming for the oil. Visitors are coming for the arts and cultural activities.

At the offices of Edmonton Tourism at the World Trade Centre downtown, Ken Fiske points out that the city hosts over 30 annual festivals, making it a perfect place to hold client meetings, conferences and special events. The International Fringe alone boasts 100 troops and 1,000 live performances over a 10-day period. Only Edinburgh, Scotland has a bigger event. Musicians from around the world have huge respect for Edmonton’s Folk Festival held in the natural amphitheatre of Cloverdale in the river valley—another big draw with tourists. And, you can’t ignore the success of The Works International Art & Design Festival.

Fiske is proud that children have grown up with the Edmonton Heritage Festival, bright tents and summer activities, next generation arts, Ukrainian dancers and Caribbean parades, orchestras and plays under the stars.

Different too is Edmonton’s dedication to city events. Festival volunteers number 12,000 and put in 154,000 hours annually.

Professionals, students and artists work sideby-side and give up their holidays to compete for positions on coveted event crews. The new Art Gallery of Alberta and the Royal Alberta Museum (should its expansion ever get built) are expected to be huge attractions for the region.

Ken Fiske, VP Edmonton Tourism, Events & Motion Pictures Photo by Terry Bourque

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Courtesy Edmonton Tourism

“Today’s tourist has changed.” As the vice-president of tourism, events and motion pictures at Edmonton Economic Development Corporation, it’s not only Fiske’s job to know such things, it’s his passion. “They want adventure but they want it in a package. They might want to tour Candy Cane Lane (the westend neighbourhood Christmas light extravaganza), take in Capital Ex or see bison at Elk Island Park, go dogsled racing, or take a tour of art galleries, topped off with a pub visit or a fine meal in the city. We have music in the parks, theatre on the streets and sculptures in the malls… and that is tremendously important when you market a city.”

He is not wrong. Highly reputed as Festival City, Edmonton holds a fascination both for Albertans and those who come from away.

Who knew the arts are big business for the Capital Region? Sure in 2007, Edmonton was Canada’s Cultural Capital. But too, the newspapers often carry articles criticizing the city and the province for “wasting” money on the arts while the streets are pot holed. In fact, the arts make money for the city and the province: A 2005 economic impact study, conducted by EEDC and the Edmonton Arts Council, pegged regional contributions of the arts

community at $123.7 million. The number of patrons attending events, organized by 126 groups, was estimated at almost four million.

Shaw Conference Centre hosts an average of 850 events annually with more than 400,000 attendees— 121,000 are non-residents.

Economic impact of the Shaw was $37 million in 2007 SPENDING MONEY TO MAKE MONEY There is much at stake. The promotion of Alberta through the Strategic Tourism Marketing Council—a partnership of governments and the private sector—as a preferred destination for residents, visitors and vacationers is very big business. The multi-billion dollar tourism industry currently

employs more than 103,000 workers throughout the province and contributes more than $2.3 billion Grant McC annually in urdy taxation revenues to all levels of government.

The Council’s latest Strategic Tourism Marketing Plan calls for increasing expenditures from $5.3 billion in 2006 to $6.2 billion in 2010. The primary source of income is a four-percent provincial levy on hotel rooms which funds programs in all the tourism destination regions as well as marketing initiatives in-province, nationally and internationally. In Edmonton and Calgary, allocations are supplemented by a voluntary private sector contribution of one percent of room fees. Locally, this Destination Marketing Fee applies to more than 6,500 hotel rooms and funds are administered as private dollars by Edmonton Tourism. Occupancy rates in 2007 neared 75 per cent.

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Continued from page 7 But others are doing their part too—from Travel Alberta and Edmonton and Area Tourism Destination Region to Trans Alta and the Edmonton Arts Council, from the Downtown Business Association and Northlands to hundreds of businesses and organizations—to keep the region’s tourism industry healthy.

THE GREATER GOOD There’s a lot to be said for cooperation and collaboration among competitors. Take Edmonton’s hotels, for example.

Despite all vying for overnight-stays, they have come together in clusters in the west, south and downtown to collectively promote their own and the communities’ best interests, using a portion of the one-percent fee they have collected.

Approximately 4.4 million people visited Greater Edmonton in 2004, generating expenditures of $1.03 billion.

—Alberta Economic Development

Grant McCurdy is the general manager of The Westin Edmonton and co-chair of the Edmonton Hotels Downtown group which represents 12 establishments. “There is no downside to cooperation. Without it, there would be chaos with everyone running in all directions and unable to accomplish much.”

He wants The Westin to benefit but, because others do well, doesn’t mean it is a problem for his hotel. “We are honest with each other and working together is good for everyone.” To the new traveler in Edmonton, McCurdy points out that we are a high tech community and we are top hat and tails, but there is still that down-to-earth quality that tourists like. “First, we have to get them here and then Edmonton can sell itself.”

UP, UP AND AWAY Getting visitors here isn’t perfect, but it is getting better.

Edmonton International Airport is expected to eclipse its all-time record for passengers by year’s end with a forecast of more than six million travelers arriving and departing.

“That’s a 50 percent increase in passenger volumes in just three years,” according to Edmonton Airports’ spokesman

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Jim Rudolph. The statistics are remarkable.

Passenger loads of 485,466 in November 2007 compared with 419,781 a year previous, up 17.1 per cent. International passenger growth more than doubled at 101.8 per cent in 2007, boosted by Air Canada’s return of a direct international flight to Heathrow in London. Passenger growth for domestic flights increased 14.2 percent—no doubt aided by oil patch workers heading home to other provinces for holidays. There is also an increase in the use of regional jets from Canada and the U.S. that encourages more direct routes to and from Edmonton. These days, we’re being better served with 48 non-stop destinations—the preferred way to fly— including 11 to cities south of the 49th.

LOVE YOUR PARTNER Fiske is putting more emphasis on partnerships in the region. “We already partner with the Yukon and Northwest Territories and other regions and it is a win, win situation.

Over the past few years, we’ve seen an increase in people who want a package… they might spend some time looking at northern lights in the north and searching out cultural activities and a dining experience in Edmonton and that’s just fine with us. The important thing is that they have a positive experience. The world market is too big to go it alone. When we all partner, everybody does better than they would alone.”

There’s no malice or gloating in his assertion that Edmonton has a huge advantage over Calgary which is known, almost solely, for the Calgary Stampede—one event during the year and if you aren’t there in 10 days, you seldom see a ine Robin Cum cowboy on the street. Instead, Edmonton markets itself year-round with the events to back-up the argument that there is a lot to do no matter when you visit.

“People want to experience more,” he says. “They might go north… or out to surrounding communities such as Fort McMurray or Fort Saskatchewan or St. Albert but, in the end, they want to be treated well and have an experience they can enjoy and talk about.”

Local marketing initiatives are paying off. According to the latest available statistics, Edmonton is the top destination in overall personvisits to Alberta… and tops in person-visits from other provinces.

Edmonton also is Alberta’s primary metropolitan destination based on U.S. person-visits and total U.S. revenues. Not surprisingly, West Edmonton Mall remains the province’s No. 1 tourism attraction— 22 million people pass through its doors annually.

OLD FRIENDS, NEW OPPORTUNITIES That said, it is still true that 72 percent of visitors to Edmonton come from inside Alberta, nearly 80 percent from Canada. This is not a bad thing—in fact,

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Americans sign a tourist agreement with China in the New Year, it will be Canada alone amongst the group of eight industrialized nations without an agreement to allow “ordinary” Chinese tourists to visit.

For the Calgary-based director of communications with Travel Alberta, the challenge is first to get international exposure for Alberta and to get travelers to come here. Don Boynton explains that Alberta has also gone into pre-Winter Olympics image building, signing deals with six national sports organizations to up the province’s visibility before 2010. But, while Travel Alberta loves the outdoors types, not all people come to be outdoors.

SOME NEVER LEAVE THEIR ROOMS

g

chard Won

International Folk Festival Photo courtesy of Edmonton Tourism

considerable emphasis is placed on keeping Albertans’ tourism dollars in-province and attracting our neighbours.

The rising dollar and confusion in America about who needs a passport is not helping the overall market. On the other hand, the Brits, Germans, Austrians and Dutch think this is a fine place to visit. The Japanese continue to come for the northern lights and the Rockies, and we’re popular with Mexicans who come on charter flights for a completely different experience. Increasingly wealthy China would be a natural market to pursue but the Harper government does not get on with the Chinese. When the

“Only about 28 percent are what we call adventure seekers,” Boynton says. Another 28 percent are “urban explorers, and 24 percent are comfort seekers, often in rural areas curled up with a book. Then there are ‘real relaxers’—the 27 percent who will pay for peace and tranquility and perhaps the occasional excellent meal. Whatever their preference, Alberta has a plan for them.”

There’s no argument from Robin Cumine, manager of both The Coast Terrace Inn and Delta Edmonton South hotel. He is about as strong a supporter of the Association of Edmonton Conference Hotels (AECH) as you will find. And, as the lone co-chair of Edmonton south hotel group, he’s proud of how the 16 members are pooling their resources. “I also think ‘Edmonton Live all Year’ really has an impact on what visitors can expect. Everything is coming together,” Cumine says. “The Beth Moss op province is spending significant money abroad to bring people to Alberta and everyone who comes to Edmonton is—in equal parts—impressed and surprised at who we are and what we offer. They are surprised to find we are the arts and cultural centre of Alberta.

“I used to work in Calgary and I was sure Calgary did a better job at promoting itself… I’m in Edmonton and I see that Calgary appears to have lost its way.”

Cumine cites several changes that auger well for Edmonton. “We have what we refer to as the urban explorer who wants to get out there and sample everything Edmonton has to offer. And, air connections have changed.

Not many years ago, you couldn’t even get to Arizona on one flight and now you can. We go there and they come here… the same with Britain. As it is an advantage to fly non-stop to Britain, the British like flying non-stop to Edmonton as well. Then there is the Grand Prix, what wonderful exposure for everything this city has become.

Urban, sophisticated with a river valley that is the envy of so many other cities.”

While he believes Edmonton Tourism is on the right track, Cumine doesn’t feel the Alberta government is giving

Tourism is $1 billion plus industry in Greater Edmonton, encompassing nearly 3,000 companies and organizations in the arts, entertainment, recreation, accommodation and food services sectors.

—Edmonton Tourism it the support it needs to continue to grow the market for the Capital Region and for the north of the province.

Richard Wong, the GM of The Sutton Place Hotel and the other co-chair of the Edmonton Hotels Downtown group, says teamwork in Edmonton has brought rewards to everyone. “We don’t so much compete with Calgary, but we do compete with every other city in North America and beyond… They have to know how professional we are, how technically savvy and that we can put on world-class events. There are about 14,000 hotel rooms in Edmonton and to fill them we work with the Edmonton Grand Prix, the film industry, the World Masters, Northlands, convention markets, and many others to keep sustainable tourism going. We’re going in the right direction. Visitors say we are the warmest, friendliest people anywhere. I agree. Teamwork makes it possible not to have a bigger chunk of the pie for this area or that but to actually grow the pie.”

LESSONS FROM WAYNE GRETZKY Beth Mossop, general manager of Travelodge Edmonton West concurs. As co-chair of Destination West Edmonton hotel cluster, she explains, “A lot of businesses and a lot of organizations, but one strategy. That’s what makes this a

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Continued from page 9 success. You have to have a plan and you must stick to it. We promote the region, because it is a disadvantage not to work with the region and it with us.

Working together and partnering is what opens the market to opportunity.”

Up the road te s at the Fantasye u w Z y Barr land Hotel in North America’s largest shopping experience, Mossop’s co-chair, GM Barry Zwueste, admits that promoting Edmonton is an endless job: “Much like a squirrel storing nuts. You must keep at it because markets change and you have to be on top of that.”

More than 15,000 people are employed in the Edmonton tourism sector.

—Edmonton Economic Development Corporation West Edmonton Mall is an Alberta icon destination and could go it alone for advertising, but Zwueste says that’s not in the cards. “The signature attraction to Alberta is the Rocky Mountains. That is the lure that brings in international tourism and, once they are here, we can all make their journey a little more pleasant and show them all the things that are attractive about the Edmonton region.”

To capitalize on that draw, a new ground transportation route has been opened from the International Airport and West Edmonton Mall direct to Jasper. For tourists and travelers, it could be the best of two worlds.

Why work with partners? “You know,” Zwueste explains thoughtfully, “Wayne Gretzky didn’t make it alone. He had Messier and Curry behind him and, because he did, he accomplished more than he otherwise would have.” √

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A campaign by any other name ...is an award-winning program

By Barb Deters

H

ere’s the thing: Every year, Edmonton Tourism spends hundreds of thousands of dollars advertising and promoting the city as a destination. By all accounts, millions of visitors are visiting. So, the marketing specialists must be doing something right. In fact, it seems every few weeks, another news release is e-mailed about yet another award that has been bestowed on an Edmonton Tourism product.

The problem is that few Edmontonians ever get to see these advertising campaigns and promotional packages. We are not the “target” audience. One of the big successes of late is the highly acclaimed program called Edmonton Tourism’s Festival City in a Box presented by TransAlta. It was launched in April 2006. Corporate sponsorship from TransAlta—to the tune of $600,000—with additional financial support from the Edmonton Arts Council is in its third year.

The program is the brainchild of Jenifer Christenson, marketing and communications director for Edmonton Tourism. She explained that the “initiative grew from the recognition that Edmonton’s festivals are a key selling feature for us. We are a place of festivals. They’re rich with people and cultural diversity… but underlying is a connection to the openness of the Alberta landscape and a sense of freedom and space that comes inevitably with the light in a northern place.” With 30 annual festivals, Alberta’s capital has firmly established itself as the festival city in the province and the country.

Christenson’s goal was to position Greater Edmonton as a destination in the national and international marketplace, ultimately increasing visitation to the area. She also wanted the Festival City initiative to become recognized and supported as a critical tourism, arts marketing and economic development project.

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theming program called Live All Year. This is designed to transform She set about “ensuring there was festival messaging in all that we the normal airport experience into a fun, vibrant experience by do… in our editorial, advertisements, brochures, promotional videos, bringing live performances, interactive activities and artistic displays campaigns, sales missions, media relations, and themed vacation to the terminal to promote Edmonton's many festivals and special packages.” events.” As well, posters and signage of area festivals will be Christenson recounted how the concept expanded. “One of our showcased at airport entrances. key areas in tourism is securing conventions, conferences and There’s seems to be no end to what will pop out of Christenson’s major events in Edmonton –we sell Edmonton as the host city. About Festival City in a Box. “Currently, we're developing a Festival City two years ago, I recognized the opportunity to cultivate the meetings, travel media program which will include a monthly ebusiness travel and events market by leveraging this initiative. After newsletter to our out-market some initial research, the idea of developing an event media that will attraction product made sense, I called it Edmonton showcase Festival City in a Box, recognizing the festivals as an different integral part of selling our city and that our offerings festivals and could be packaged up and contained in a box… ready to provide story go. ideas, photos, “Edmonton Tourism’s Festival City in a Box presented etc. Success will

by TransAlta is intended to encourage association and be measured executive planners to choose Edmonton as host city for beyond whether their next meeting, convention or event... It is a sales they pick up the tool in the form of a book that illustrates many of our angle or story assets and amenities including a selection of the many and publish… festivals which run in our region throughout the year.”

This will be great Christenson worked with RED Communications to but it also allows develop the materials which promote the program. another regular The initiative is anchored by a user-friendly website at communications festivalcity.ca that provides a menu of suggestions to help vehicle where we integrate Edmonton’s vibrant festival theme throughout a can reinforce our convention or conference. It includes ideas to theme message.” keynote addresses, breakout sessions, team building, entertainment, décor, catering and receptions around the brand—all designed to reinforce the spirit of our city The other side to success is measured by the awards and and offer a unique and highly engaging experience for accolades offered by those who sit in judgement. Edmonton delegates.

Tourism’s Festival City in a Box presented by TransAlta has “The menu is about presenting ideas for festival integration been bringing home the hardware: while still allowing the association or executive planner to • Alberta Tourism's Marketing Partnership award at the put their own creativity into their event,” Christenson seventh annual Travel Alberta Industry Conference in Banff explained. “It also includes the Edmonton Festival City Road Jenifer Christenson 2007; Show, a multi-disciplinary arts showcase featuring some of Photo by Terry Bourque • Finalist for Tourism Marketing (TIAC) 2007; Edmonton’s best talent… trapeze, dance, music and • Third annual Mayor’s Evening for the Arts theatre performance. honoured TransAlta for its partnership with “Unto itself the road show acts as a sales tool.

Edmonton Tourism, June 2007; There is no better way to sell Edmonton than by • 2006 Mobius Advertising Awards Certificate of sharing a bit of this live show. It sells the Excellence in the category of Community Business experience of Edmonton and, for us in tourism, it is Development brochure/books. (This year's the experience that sells the destination. We’ve competition attracted more than 5,000 entries from produced the show at many local and out-of-market 35 countries. The Festival City in a Box booklet was events including at the opening gala at the selected from 236 category submissions and Smithsonian for the Alberta Folklife Festival in was one of only 11 winners from Washington, DC. Canada—and the only winning entry “This spring, our circle of influence from Alberta.) √ widened further. Edmonton International Airport partnered with us to develop a live

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Dorothy & Maggie Kozina outside their 109 Street swimwear boutique.

E

my space For Young Entreprenuers

O

n one of our first cold, blustery winter mornings in December, I brushed the new fallen snow off my car before heading to my interview for this month’s profile. After shivering on my cold, leather seats, I arrived at my destination: Offshores, a boutique owned by sisters Maggie and Dorothy Kozina.

As I entered their store at 109th Street and 102nd Avenue, I left winter behind and was transported to what could have been a chic, beachfront shop in LA. I was dazzled by the showcases of jewelry, piles of purses, and exclusive high-end brands of sunglasses perched between rows of hard-to-find/ never-before-seen this far north swimwear lines. Well, we can see them if we read the tabloids at the grocery store check out. In fact, some of these very pages are posted in the store—I spotted Kate Hudson, Britney Spears, Cameron Diaz and other stars wearing the brands found at Offshores.

The children of Polish immigrants, Dorothy and Maggie came to Canada in 1981. Their parents worked hard to ensure they had every opportunity for a better life.

Both women mention they would be nowhere without their parents’ work ethic and continuous moral support.

Dorothy is the younger of the two. At 31,

By Erin Rayner

she is the strategist and looks after the financial, distribution and supplier sides of the business. She began in retail in her early 20s, working part-time at Below the Belt before joining her husband in real-estate and managing their rental properties. She knew, however, that she wanted to return to retail and work with her sister.

Maggie is the fashionista. She watches for high-quality brands and does the research on how and what to bring into the store. She has a keen eye for what Offshores’ clientele is seeking and what the local swimwear market is missing. Maggie has considerable retail experience, having also worked for Below the Belt where she discovered her passion for merchandising.

It’s where she met the man she considers her “business dad” who offered her the guidance and business sense that she craved.

With all this experience and the desire to work together, it was only a matter of time before the sisters got their vision off the ground. On a trip to Bali a few years ago, Dorothy met some suppliers of purses and other Balinese goods that she saw a niche for in Edmonton. The sisters took a leap of faith and ordered three shipments before

they had even secured their first customer. Then, in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico for Dorothy’s destination wedding, they became convinced their interest, knowledge and passion could fill a void in our market. Two years later—after many fears, tears and concerns—they took the plunge and invested in a storefront.

From a marketing perspective, the Offshores duo is doing a number of things right. They have post cards offering a discount so they can measure how many people pick up and use the cards. They also have a couple of different messages with consistent design: one card is for the destination wedding client and another for those going on a sunny get-a-way. They’ve tried a variety of initiatives in the short time they’ve been open, choosing not to stick to one campaign alone. They’ve had a wine and cheese fashion show in conjunction with a few other area retailers, they have had an ad on the 24K truck (moving billboard) and bought commercials on 91.7 The Bounce. They even developed a cooperative agreement with a travel agency that offers confirmed clients a discount on Offshores’ products.

The only thing it seems they are missing is a plan. Like many business owners, Dorothy and Maggie go with their contacts rather than creating a strategic and timed plan for marketing. I hear it all the time from clients: “I have a friend who does design who will do my cards… and another friend who knows how to program my website… and then I’ll put up some billboards.” I’m not saying it is bad to work

with your friends; just make sure what they offer is the right fit for your business and your marketing plan.

In Offshores’ case, they mentioned a foray into television advertising on City TV. When asked why they chose this medium, it was because they have a connection at the station and the cost fit their budget. Luckily, it worked out very well for them and they want to continue, but this unstructured approach—albeit popular with entrepreneurs—is not the best way to get the word out.

Marketing is about building relationships.

Relationships need defined, consistent nurturing. A friend who is rarely called upon or rarely calls won’t be a friend for long. This is similar in the case of a client.

Although your business may succeed in spite of unplanned marketing, customers who aren’t contacted regularly and consistently will not be customers for long.

Shotgun marketing initiatives are incredibly hard to measure for effectiveness. It’s too difficult to pinpoint what went wrong: Timing? Target audience? Message?

Placement?

Lewis Carrol once said, “If you don’t know where you are going, any road will take you there.” To get the best results from your marketing initiatives, know where you are going and plan the most direct route to get you there. √ Check the Kozina’s Top 3 suppliers at wwww.edmontonians.com

access borrowed money. This has been fuelled to a greater extent by the availability of cash and lower interest rates. The desire to park this cash in “safe”, higher interestbearing products has been growing. A number of schemes have been configured to make this possible, each with varying levels of risk. Scrutiny and pure business analysis have been forsaken for the desire to gain market share.

False security: The expectation that oil prices will continue to rise… that development in Alberta will continue at the torrid pace it has… that people will continue their

the price of the unit would be, say, $280,000 and easily sold to another buyer thus returning 400 percent on the original $20,000. Seems easy and, as investors swarmed into the market in large numbers, the prices continued to climb, the margins declined and the risks went up at the same time.

Of course, the fundamentals had not changed. The USA was still funding the war in Iraq. Its economy was being fuelled by lower interest rates, a declining dollar, printing money and easier and easier access to debt. Unfortunately, there are limits to all

With respect to infinite development, recent announcements have indicated that many companies are beginning to slow down and scale back their activity, some citing the royalty change as the key to this slowdown.

However, it was clear even before the change in the royalty structure that costs were escalating at a pace that could not be sustained. Rather, we needed to slow down, force the costs to cool off and create a financially manageable situation.

So what happens to individuals who have invested funds hoping to make a killing if prices start to decline? At a recent meeting, Angus Watt, VP with National Bank Financial and commentator on 630 CHED, talked about the three keys to real estate (or for that matter any form of investment): “staying power, staying power and staying power.” Having invested with solid business thinking and analysis, those with staying power will be able to ride the wave. Those without have created opportunities for those who do… those who have been waiting in the wings with the cash to take advantage of the good deals, hold the trump cards and hope to benefit in the future.

The old adages, “if it is too good to be true, it is”, and “cash is king” still ring true.

Have a happy and prosperous New Year. √

Erin Rayner is president of ED Marketing and Communications Inc. You can submit marketing materials for review; suggest young entrepreneurs to be profiled; nominate a Top Three; or ask a business developement question.

Contact erayner@edmontonians.com

corporate ETHICS

T

he continuing saga of steroid use in the sports world, especially within major league baseball, has taken a new turn with the release of the Mitchell Report. As sports writers and journalists—who have always known of the influx of drugs in sports—show simulated amazement at the turn of events, there are a lot of parallels we can draw to the state of our economy.

In baseball, we had clues from the speed at which the game changed… the rate at which records were bring broken… the sheer number of individuals chasing these records—particularly individuals who previously had no history of having the strength or talent. Based on these clues, it was clear that there was more going on than met the eye. While most were offensive records, they were occurring at a time when pitching had also improved dramatically, making the feat even more remarkable and even more suspect.

Those who witnessed the tech boom and the dot-com collapse were privy to how hype, greed and the desire for quick returns overshadowed sound business analysis.

Even exceptionally savvy investors were caught up, many losing their entire nest egg and building a debt load that has taken years to recover from.

The recent growth in the economy has, unfortunately, been fuelled by the same “drugs.” They have come in a different form, although they are displaying the same results, perhaps only slower and more painfully. These drugs are: Access to debt: As the economy has progressed, it has never been easier to 12

Economy on Steroids...

By Nizar J. Somji

influx into the province… and that there are no impediments to this growth in the short term. In fact, as numerous companies announced multi-billion dollar, multi-year investments, this hype helped drive costs up at all levels, prompting everyone to invest hoping for a quick exit and return on investment.

The results of the economy on steroids are clear on many fronts. Real estate prices were going up; it seemed that everyone involved in real estate was making a lot of money. Consider a typical scenario: A developer starts pre-sales of a development with prices at $200,000, requiring 10 percent down payment ($20,000) to hold the unit until completion. When completed,

this. At some point, there is nowhere to go with interest rates, the declining dollar would bring jobs back into the USA; the access to easy debt would increase the default rates, creating losses for investors who would seek to reduce further risk by demanding their cash back, which put additional pressure on the lenders. The vicious cycle commenced.

With respect to the drugs fuelling this growth, we have recently seen many financial institutions in chaos, writing down sub-debts. The entire industry has been in turmoil as investors try to pull cash out of the system. Although we have seen some stabilization in Canada, the end is far and the carnage is not all accounted for yet.

Nizar J. Somji is president and CEO of Jaffer Inc., a management/investment consulting firm; and chairman of the board of Matrikon Inc., a company he founded in 1988.

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INTEL Biz

M

Does the Canadian Judicial Council (CJC) know more about the tolerance of modern-day Canadians than the Canadian Broadcast Standards Council (CSBC)?

I’ll let you be the judge. But first this background.

I was in Ottawa last month when Chief of Defence General Rick Hillier addressed the Canadian Association of Broadcasters, and later participated in a news conference with Hockey Canada.

That’s when Hillier proudly announced that CFB Petawawa will host the training camp for the 2008-2009 Canadian Junior Hockey team prior to the World Junior Hockey Championships being played in

C

Language Police...

edia Minute with Bruce Hogle

ivic Buzz with David Norwood

Being away from our home city for a month allows us a perspective which can’t be grasped or appreciated when we’re surrounded by our normal daily activities. I gained some insights from a trip that included stays in Athens, Istanbul and London.

My perspective on traffic congestion or rush hour, for example, changed significantly, and those like me who have been to these and other large Istanbul cities can also attest to the fact that we are relatively fortunate in Edmonton traffic-wise.

All three of the foreign cities are in a constant state of traffic congestion; the biggest difference between them and Edmonton is that those who drive there are accustomed to the congestion. Having gone through an astonishing growth in both population and traffic over the past few years, we are still adjusting.

I was amazed at how drivers in Istanbul and Athens, in particular, could manoeuvre through a maze of trucks, trams, cars, bicycles, motorbikes and pedestrians—usually all in the same location—without so much as a dent, let alone an accident. The only outlet available to them, and they use it all the time, is the horn. It’s an amazing cacophony.

These cities also reveal much about the success and necessity of high density. With the exception of a few wealthy enclaves, particularly in London, the concept of single-family

where does it start?... where does it end? the nation’s capital, starting December 26, 2008. (The 2007-2008 junior championships wrap up in the Czech Republic on January 4th.)

The General (of whom I’m extremely proud as well as his military) saw a natural liaison between the troops and the hockey world in that fitness, endurance and toughness are bona fide requirements of both professions… each believing in setting and accomplishing missions, goals and objectives.

The only people I can think of who will be more interested in Team Canada’s manners and etiquette during this month’s championships, than whether they win or lose, are members of the Canadian Broadcast Standards Council. They’re the folks who ensure that Canadian broadcasters keep their noses clean concerning language on our radio and TV stations.

But a recent report from the members of the CBSC “language police” committee certainly overreacted to TSN’s superb television coverage of last January’s World Junior Championships from Sweden, when Team Canada beat Russia 4-2 in the gold homes within the metropolitan area simply does not exist. All three agglomerations I visited exemplify high density, at least from an Edmonton perspective. Both Athens and Istanbul have the advantage of being in climates where people live much of their lives outdoors, almost year-round, so living in such close proximity has long been a fact and integral part of life. In this respect, they prove that high density— combining a seemingly random and vast mixture of shops, cafes, apartments, bars, and small parks—works.

Athens I felt completely safe in all three cities, at all times—even off the beaten tourist track. People of both genders and all ages were everywhere.

Densification (and not always high-rise) is a smart and almost necessary strategy.

Renowned for our wide open spaces and urban sprawl, we have a long way to go

medal game. Highly charged emotions were understandable throughout, especially at the final whistle when players and fans alike joyously sang O Canada, proudly waved our flag, and wept with joy when team members received their Gold Medals thousands of miles from home.

It was during this hectic scenario when TSN did an on-ice interview with one of the young Team Canada players. During the interview, the obviously ecstatic player said, “We did a f—-king great job.” Keep in mind this game was live without tapedelay—otherwise, the f-word would have been eliminated. It was thus impossible for TSN to anticipate or edit out that remark.

When the station did re-broadcast that game later that night, the entire interview was deleted.

Knowing this—plus the fact that the CSBC received only one complaint about the f-word being used in the excitement of the moment, and over which TSN had absolutely no control—sanctimonious language police ignored more tolerant members of the committee, and ruled that TSN had contravened the Canadian in Edmonton. But, there are pockets within our borders where we’re on the right track.

Association of Broadcasters Code of Ethics.

What utter hypocrisy… especially when you consider the Canadian Judicial Committee received absolutely no complaints, and thus made no move to censure B.C. Supreme Court Justice Peter Leask for his unnecessary language last March in Vancouver, when he acquitted Hell’s Angel member Glen Jonathon Hehn of trafficking cocaine worth $1.5 million.

Despite the presence of school children in his court room at the time, Justice Leask used profanity four times, swearing at the crown prosecutor during his closing arguments, saying: “He (the accused) would have had to be out of his f—king mind to store it (cocaine) in his own locker, all right?” Justice Leask then used “f—king” a second time, as well as “shit” and “goddamned.”

The large double headline of the Vancouver Sun after the trial’s conclusion said: “Cocaine found in his locker but Hell’s Angel walks free.” Canadian Press picked up that story and it was seen in every daily across Canada.

With their report chastising TSN for reasons already outlined, I’m shocked those picayune members of that Canadian Broadcast Standards Council language police committee didn’t also individually complain to the Canadian Judicial Council about the obvious inappropriate language of this B.C. Justice. Not as members of the CBSC committee, but as concerned Canadians about the f-word being inappropriately used—be it in the court room or on the ice. √ Bruce Hogle is the former news director at CFRN TV and recently retired head of the Alberta Press Council.

Contact bhogle@edmontonians.com

The City of Edmonton’s Gold Bar

months as the world’s first industrial-size nutrient treatment facility to remove phosphorus and other nutrients from municipal biosolids and recycle them into environmentally-safe commercial fertilizer. The technology, developed by Ostara Nutrient Recovery Technologies Inc. of Vancouver, is helping Gold Bar achieve its nutrient removal goals, increase plant capacity and reduce maintenance costs while also creating a revenue-producing, high value fertilizer.

The Ostara reactor was commissioned last spring and, since then, says Vince Corkery, director of wastewater treatment at the Gold Bar facility, “It has extracted more than 80 percent of the phosphorus on average... and 10 to 15 percent of the ammonia from a flow of 500,000 litres per day, approximately 20 percent of the Gold Bar plant’s liquid biosolids stream.”

Corkery noted that the technology creates a high quality, environmentallyfriendly commercial fertilizer, extracting polluting nutrients that would otherwise clog pipes and reduce the plant’s treatment capacity. Gold Bar will continue to work with Ostara to add reactors capable of treating 100 per cent of the biosolids stream in the future.

The fertilizer by-product, named Crystal Green™, has a unique and commercially-desirable formulation of nitrogen, phosphorus and magnesium, and Gold Bar produces approximately 500kg per day. The product is sorted, dried and bagged on site and is immediately ready for commercial sale without further processing.

Yet another feather in the hat of “unsung” Edmonton. That hat is getting rather large. √

Wastewater Treatment Plant continues to set new standards worldwide. It has successfully operated for more than six

David Norwood is a freelance writer/editor.

Contact dnorwood@edmontonians.com

More than a few Edmontonians were upset recently by the news that Lufthansa German Airlines intends to commence service to Calgary from Frankfurt next April, again bypassing Edmonton. They point, with some justification, to Edmonton International Airport’s astounding growth—50 percent in 35 months—as justification for more service to more destinations. Edmonton International exceeded six million passengers in 2007.

So, if this is all so incredibly positive, why is Lufthansa overlooking us at this point, especially considering the success of Air Canada’s Edmonton-London Heathrow flight? Indeed, some are asking why AC, which also flies from Calgary to Frankfurt, is not introducing that flight here. My theory is that both airlines want to be sure that the Edmonton-London service, launched in October 2006, continues to be successful with consistently high loads before adding another intercontinental route.

It takes more than a year— plus marketing and patience— to build and solidify a route.

Load factors are excellent (my recent flights to and from London were virtually full). It is further evidenced by Air Canada maintaining the service as a daily flight, considering it had planned to reduce service to four times weekly during the winter. Eventually, one of them will put Germany on the arrivals/departures board.

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Uncorking the mystery of pairing wine

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Magic with Chef John Berry

C

lients often approach me when I am catering a dinner party and say, “You pick the wines since you know what goes best with what you are serving.”

I don’t mind doing this, but remember it’s all based on my palate, my experience, my favourite flavours. Here’s the dilemma. What to me is an absolutely exceptional wine may, in fact, taste less appealing to the next person. Wine is such a personal experience, selection presents a challenge.

What to do?

Personally, I like to start with something light… something that stimulates my appetite. A sparkling wine will do this, or even a nice Riesling or Gewurztraminer.

The long-standing old dictum of white wine for fish and red for meat has gone out the window. I have served a nice piece of barbecued salmon with a pinot noir. Delicious.

The rule of thumb, according to the wine reps I spoke with, is to match the weight and body of a wine with the delicacy or richness of your food item. A light, refreshing Riesling would be absolutely clobbered by a rich, creamy, Lobster Thermidor. However, if you served a Chardonnay with the lobster, the wine’s rich, full, buttery flavour would pair nicely. The Riesling, on the other hand, would go nicely with something light—a fresh fruit plate with cheese or a quiche.

Canadian Natalie MacLean, one of North America’s foremost wine writers, has published a book called, Red and White and Drunk All Over, available at Chapters in Edmonton. The Financial Times of London, calls her “…a new force in the wine writing world—a feisty North American answer to Hugh Johnson and Jancis Robinson.”

This excellent book takes the reader on a wonderful odyssey from grape to glass. She shares her journey to learn how wine is made, marketed, matched with food, consumed and cellared in stories about her travels and what she finds. It has been described as, “A Year in Provence meets Kitchen Confidential and then goes sideways.”

Better yet, Natalie de-mystifies choosing wines for your meal on her website: Simply click on www.nataliemaclean.com/matcher/. All you have to do is choose either your food or wine, select it in the appropriate box, hit the next button, and follow her directions, and presto, her suggestions are there.

Kendall-Jackson has also come-up with this very helpful chart that gives you some ideas on what goes

best with what wine. Clip and keep it with you when you’re shopping.

But, if you are really into learning about wines and food pairing, NAIT has several wine courses slated for the upcoming months, with classes on wines from the Okanagan, Napa Valley, Chile, Argentina and Australia. As well, various liquor stores, such as Select Wines and Bin 104, often have tastings. It’s an excellent way to meet someone from the vinery and sample different varietals.

So, remember, wine is based solely on your taste buds.

What pairs best with what food is determined by your palate. Cheers! √ Contact Chef John Berry at jberry@edmontonians.com

Slimming Secret!

Lose 4 to 20 inches in an hour!

A hot new detoxifying body wrap!

Why it works?

The wrap detoxifies the body.

The body can get overloaded with toxins because it cannot keep up with the filtration process. The more toxins in the body, the more lymphatic fluid increases to protect cells.

You force out toxins. Once the toxins are gone, the lymphatic fluid decreases and you lose inches. It is not water loss—rather, an exchange of minerals for toxins.

That’s a Wrap!

Call Linda Perras at Suddenly Slimmer Day Spa

780.459.3444 pedicures. manicures. facials. aroma therapy message

www.suddenlyslimmerdayspa.com 14

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lifestyles LIVELY

Home Sweet Spa with Linda Bodo

W

arning: PCSS—Post-Christmas Stress Syndrome—is a common affliction that affects scores of Canadians during the month of January. Untreated, this malady seriously impairs one’s ability to cope with several post holiday tasks, including: • Removing, packing and storing of Christmas decorations; • Labouring over clothing that has mysteriously shrunk; • Facing the bottom line of your credit card statement; and • Suffering from eggnog and rum-ball withdrawal.

Fortunately, this disorder can be easily remedied with selfadministered therapy. If followed accurately, results can be apparent in as little as 24 hours. Side effects may include serenity, restored energy and the ability to cope with life’s little challenges.

Soothe your mind, body and soles with a decadent spa experience without ever leaving the confines of your home.

These mini spa treatments can easily be whipped up at home with ingredients you probably already have. So relax, unplug the phone, light a few candles and treat yourself to these revitalizing pick-me-ups that are guaranteed to destress and delight.

THE MIND Soak your skin as well as your soul with a homemade herbal bath. A warm bath can do wonders for your peace of mind. Take the time to smell the roses… and the lavender, rosemary, chamomile and mint.

• A lavender bath soak is sure to relax and rejuvenate. Mix one part dried lavender, two parts oatmeal and one part black tea leaves and place in cheesecloth, tie with raffia.

Toss in tub and fill.

• For a relaxing treat after a long day, brew roses or chamomile in a pot of tea, steep for 30 minutes and strain into your bath

• To help your body relax during a soak, take deep breaths through your nostrils, breathing in for four seconds, then out for four seconds. Mentally work your way through your whole body, making yourself aware of tension spots and willing your muscles to relax. For maximum benefit, soak no more than 20 minutes—after that, your skin starts to shrivel.

• If your upper body feels tight from stress, give yourself a quick chest massage to help you breathe easier. Place your fingers under the collarbone on the opposite side of your body, and gently massage the muscles there in a circular pattern; start in the centre of your chest and work your way outward. Take deep breaths and feel the tension melt away.

THE BODY Chilly winter weather and continuously running furnaces can quickly suck the life from your skin. Banish dead skin cells with an invigorating full-body scrub, focusing on the especially rough patches: knees, elbows, and feet.

• To really make your body glow, mix 1 cup honey, 1/2 cup sesame seeds, and a sprinkling of dried lavender or mint. Smooth the sticky paste over your body in slow circular movements; shower off with warm water.

• Hydrate your face with an easy facial steam. Take a bowl of steaming hot water and add a couple of drops of essentials oil. Lavender and geranium oils are great for all skin types, tea tree oil is best for oily skin and German chamomile for dry skin. Lean over bowl with your face 10 inches away and tent your head with a towel. Soak up the steam and relax for 10 minutes. Facial steams are not recommended for those with sensitive skin and should not be done more than twice a month. Always follow with a toner and moisturizer.

• Salt rubs exfoliate the top layer of derma, leaving soft, subtle skin behind. Moisten 3/4 cup of fine grain sea salt with 1/8 cup of grape seed or almond oil. Add three drops of lavender or citrus essential oils and rub over body.

Rinse and pat dry.

• A facial mask can add moisture to dried-out skin, while a scrub can rub away dead skin cells, revealing a fresh face underneath. Start by washing your face with a gentle cleanser; then apply a damp, warm washcloth to open up the pores. If you have dry skin, mix an egg with 1 tablespoon of olive oil, then spread the mixture on your face and let it dry. Wash off with cool water to invigorate the skin. If you have oily skin, apply a mask of egg whites only. For patches of dry skin that need a gentle exfoliation, mix finely ground oatmeal with cream and rub gently on skin.

THE SOLES Pampering your feet is the ultimate luxury. To make your environment more spa-like, put on some classical music and treat yourself to a heavenly at-home pedicure.

• Fill a tub or foot bath with warm water and drop in a half ounce of sea salts. Add a tablespoon of olive oil and soak your feet for 10-15 minutes. The salts will soften up dry skin and calluses, while the olive oil moisturizes.

• Massage feet with an exfoliating body scrub and scrub down calluses and dead skin cells with a pumice stone.

Rinse feet with cool water.

• Trim toenails, cutting them in a square shape to prevent ingrown toenails. Gently push back cuticles with an orange stick—do not cut.

• Dry feet and apply a foot cream, massaging cream into skin in upward strokes, moving from toes to calves.

• Add a dab of cuticle oil on nail beds and rub into cuticles.

Alternately: • Place marbles in a foot bath filled with warm water. Add sprigs of rosemary and a pair of tired feet. Gently run sore soles through the marbles for a soothing massage.

Finish with a cooling peppermint-scented lotion.

Note: Before using herbal products, do a patch test, particularly if you have sensitive skin or plant allergies. Rub a dab of the concoction on the inside of your arm, wait an hour for any reactions. √ Contact Linda Bodo at lbodo@edmontonians.com or visit www.absolutebodo.com

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ACQUISITIONS, DIVESTITURES & CORPORATE FINANCE

with Stephen W. Kent, CA (780) 441-6793

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The competitive process We often talk to vendors who are reticent about selling their businesses through a competitive process. They would rather deal with one buyer than market the opportunity to a number of purchasers. As merger and acquisition professionals we have found that if you only have one buyer at the table, you don’t have a buyer—the buyer has you.

Having multiple buyers creates a competitive situation which positions sellers better in the deal. It keeps buyers honest and is a good way to test the limits of value. Currently we are seeing a significant spread between the lowest and the highest offer. Receiving multiple offers confirms the value of a company or market price. We never know exactly how a buyer values your company or what is motivating them to make an offer in the first place. We

typically market an opportunity to the obvious strategic and financial buyers.

Although half of the time the buyer is someone unknown to us but in a related industry that sees a strategic fit with the company. Often these buyers have learned about the opportunity from other professionals who receive copies of the anonymous sale summary through our sizeable network.

We were involved in a proprietary, technology deal where all the value was in the patented technology being sold by the inventor. One of the company’s distributors approached the owner out of the blue and made an unsolicited multi-million dollar cash offer for his product. He responded by suggesting that it would cost double that amount. The distributor promptly doubled its offer and the owner sold.

All highly unusual, but from the vendors’ point of view a quiet sale, for a price he was happy to accept. Our fear was that without running a

competitive process the true value of the product had not been established and the company may have been worth three or four times that offer.

Another advantage of a competitive process is having back up buyers in the wings. On occasion during the due diligence process a purchaser may erode an initial offer based on findings in that process. Sometimes these issues are valid, other times they are not. With only one buyer at the table it is very difficult for a vendor to counter these objections especially if the vendor is anxious to close.

We have extensive knowledge and expertise in this area. If you are considering selling, please contact me at stephen.w.kent@ca.pwc.com or call 780.441.6793 so we can discuss your options.

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