October 2011 Issue

Volume 2, No. 2 October 2011 FREE

Your business:

Videos for all Your home:

A good night’s sleep Your health:

Create a harmonious workplace

Jason and Bryan White Steelway Building Systems

Incorporating St. Thomas & District Chamber of Commerce

Cover story: page 3

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October, 2011

PUBLISHER’S LETTER The idea of a minimum wage needs radical rethinking

by Terry Carroll ..............................page 4

BUSINESS/COMMUNITY Economics

Cover Story

DINING & ENTERTAINMENT Savour Elgin The good life

by Kate Burns ................................page 22

The Play’s The Thing

Is our political system holding us back?

by Serge Lavoie ................................page 5

‘Camelot’ and ‘My Fair Lady’

by Ric Wellwood ............................page 23

Advertising For Small Business

HOMESTYLE Decorating

Videos for all

by Bryan Bakker ..............................page 6

Your Business Are your employees your competitive edge?

by John Regan ................................page 7

Leadership Keep business management simple

by Bryan Vine ..................................page 8

Managing Money Are you alone on the roller coaster?

by Stephanie Farrow ......................page 18

Business Sample Show October 19 ........................................................page 9

Viewpoint Pre-election business opinions ......................................................page 10

Chamber News Hope you like our widget! ......................................................page 11

Positive Exposure

Jason and Bryan White celebrate 35 years of Steelway Building Systems

by Dorothy Gebert

A good night’s sleep

by Renée Carpenter ......................page 24

Education Developing good homework habits ......................................................page 25

LIFESTYLES Time On My Hands Who’s that knocking?

by Duncan Watterworth ................page 28

That’s Life Donuts as peace offerings

by Elizabeth VanHooren ................page 29

BUSINESS BEAT Front Page

Custom-built growth

Technology In the air tonight

by Peter Atkinson ..........................page 30

Overcoming Challenges Success despite reading challenges page 31

HEALTHY LIVING Everyday Health Are you getting enough vitamins and minerals?

by Dr. Greg Johnston ....................page 32

What if Sir Winston Churchill visited STEGH?

by Allan Weatherall ........................page 12

Personal Health

Member News

Self Development

IPM video released ......................................................page 13

Getting in touch with your internal GPS

by Sharon Lechner ........................page 34

Create a harmonious workplace

by Janet Baker ..............................page 33

Legal Business Doing what is reasonable – Bill C-60

by Monty Fordham ........................page 14

Pro Text It’s all about managing your risk

by Dan Reith ................................page 15

The moment you walk into Steelway, you know you’re not in an ordinary office building. Displays of antique telephones, typewriters, gas pumps and metal signage are everywhere. “It’s like a mini museum,” says Bryan White of the collection his father Glen started. “It has the benefit of being quite a conversation piece,” his brother Jason adds.

Bryan and Jason are co-presidents of Steelway Building Systems, a business outside of Aylmer that their father started in 1976. “He was a tobacco farmer who loved making things,” Bryan says. Glen White began building barns for fellow farmers and eventually developed a business that now designs and manufactures over 300 custom steel buildings across Canada every year.

Jason and Bryan grew up in the business and in 2006 when their father passed away they took over the reins. With 200 employees on staff and 155,000 square feet of manufacturing space, Jason is in charge of external relations and Bryan looks after operations. The company weathered the economic downturn by investing in training and new technology, and Jason and Bryan say they are stronger as a result. “We’re on track for a record year,” Bryan says.

As well as optimizing relationships with customers, employees and vendors, community involvement is important to Bryan and Jason.

“Dad had a philosophy that you don’t measure your success by how much money you make but by how much you give back,” Bryan says.

Accordingly, he and his brother are involved with the St. Thomas Elgin General Hospital, local Chambers of Commerce, United Way and other causes.

In celebration of the company’s 35th anniversary this year, they are opening Steelway’s doors to the community on October 5.

“Come and see what we’re doing,” Jason says.

New Members Welcome new members ..................page 16

Member News Federal action on “red tape” ..........page 17

Cover photo by Philip Bell, Shutter Studios

Carroll Publishing President Terry Carroll Secretary-Treasurer Nancy Kelly Carroll

Elgin This Month Publisher Terry Carroll Editor Dorothy Gebert Section Editor Business Beat – Bob Hammersley

Graphic Design / Production Jim McHarg Sales Representative Greg Minnema Office Manager Laura Bart

Published monthly by Carroll Publishing, 15 St. Catharine Street, St. Thomas, ON N5P 2V7 www.theweeklynews.ca/etm October, 2011

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519-633-1640

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Publisher’s Letter

The idea of a minimum wage needs radical rethinking

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One level across the province no longer makes sense

by Terry Carroll

In January 1995, the provincial government raised the Ontario minimum wage from $6.70 per hour to $6.85 per hour, an increase of 2.2 percent. There was no change until 2004, when the minimum wage was again increased. Here’s what happened from there: 2004 - $7.15/hour 2005 - $7.45/hour 2006 - $7.75/hour 2007 - $8.00/hour 2008 - $8.75/hour 2009 - $9.50/hour 2010 - $ 10.25/hour The $10.25 level is an increase of almost 50 percent over the $6.85 level. If all other things were equal, one might think there was a boom going on in the province, and the minimum wage rate was racing to keep up. Such was hardly the case. In fact, the Province of Ontario went from being a “have province” to being a “have-not province” during that time.

Whether any of those levels is right or wrong is difficult to say. Antipoverty advocates argue for a higher level. Small business people favour a lower level. Where should a minimum wage level sit? There are lots of opinions around this topic, but the results of an increase or a decrease in the minimum wage are impossible to predict. They are worked out in the real world, subject to the laws of unintended consequences.

Another question. In a world in which work is being outsourced to other continents, does a minimum wage still make sense? Without a minimum wage, would Ontario

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minimum wage is a barometer of entitlement

enter a new Dark Age or set the stage to make the province’s economy more competitive with India and China and in the long run, set the province up for renewed prosperity.

Again, there are opinions, but nobody can predict the future. It’s really a matter of trial and error.

There are a couple of certainties in this area. One is that the minimum wage is a barometer of entitlement.

If the level is $10.25 per hour, no-

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body wants to work for $10.25 an hour anymore. Or if they have such a job, they are ashamed to admit they work at that level. Why? Because it’s a “minimum wage job,” and those jobs by common consent have no status. Unless you are a student, admitting you work for minimum wage is hard on a person’s self esteem.

A related point. After all these increases in the minimum wage, a person working 40 hours a week at

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$10.25 per hour will gross $21,320 a year before deductions. A two-income family, with both members earning $10.25 an hour, will gross $42,640. That’s not enough to live in the Lake Margaret area of St. Thomas. However, it is enough for a frugal couple or a small family that is careful with its money to lead a reasonably good life in one of the older parts of St. Thomas or one of the villages of Elgin County. That has to be seen as the upside of a minimum wage that galloped ahead from 2005 to 2010.

Of course, the above implication doesn’t apply at all to Toronto or Ottawa or many other urban centres.

For that reason, the minimum wage needs a radical rethinking. The idea that we must have a provincial minimum wage is outdated. It’s soo-o last-century. For the 21st century, here’s what I propose. Toronto should be considered a kingdom onto itself with its own minimum wage. In the rest of the province, there should be a minimum wage that’s set on a county-by-county and city-by-city basis.

Enforcing the same minimum wage on Rosedale as we do on Rodney makes about as much sense as trying to bolt a Hummer engine into a SmartCar. It just doesn’t fit.

Terry Carroll is the publisher of the St. Thomas /Elgin Weekly News and Elgin This Month.

October, 2011

BUSINESS / COMMUNITY ECONOMICS

As I write this, I have no idea who will succeed in the provincial election on October 6. I have my personal favourites, of course, but that’s not the point of this column. The point is that elections can have such a disastrous impact on long-term planning in economic development.

Election platforms don’t so much promise to build on the successes of the past, or make adjustments to failed ideas, as they now increasingly promise to scrap everything that came before and replace it with something totally different. It may not be good policymaking but it is good marketing and the best way to differentiate your party from the opposition.

I’m not naïve. I know that elections are the means we use to negotiate different points of view in society.

Sometimes these can be wildly differing points of view. Canadian federal and provincial election campaigns are reasonably civilized affairs compared to the political blood feud we are witnessing in the United States right now. And they are infinitely better than the very real violence we see in parts of the world where democracy hasn’t taken root.

Yet everyone concerned with economic development must fantasize about a system that doesn’t threaten to blow up planning strategies every three or four years. There are thousands of folks in the trenches, working within government, organizations and agencies, who are carefully identifying needs, producing solutions, building consensus, and securing funding who routinely see their efforts stalled or scrapped at election time. It sends a very negative and demoralizing message. Plan as much as you want, work as hard as you want, but the real decisions are made during a 35 or 40 day cam-

Is our political system holding us back?

Democracy is a wonderful system for governing.

Too bad about those elections.

“

by Serge Lavoie

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the real decisions are made during a 35 or 40 day campaign

paign every few years, often by people whose skills are in marketing, not public policy or economic development.

In the current provincial campaign, debate rages over energy rates, taxation, “green jobs,” education and immigration support. These are all crucial elements in economic development strategy and have a huge impact on our ability to transform our

economy. They are also highly controversial topics. Yet we spend far too much energy moving our political pendulum back and forth and not nearly enough on building our plans incrementally, with consensus approaches.

Here’s the irony. The parts of the world that enjoy a far less democratic process than we do are also the economies that are beginning to

dominate us. In our part of the world, we identify an opportunity and carefully debate it, develop it and then often abandon it out of lack of consensus. In a place like China, the opportunity is identified and pursued immediately, mostly by decree.

That’s why that country already dominates development in the green technologies we are still questioning the value of.

We don’t want China’s approach to governance, but we have to compete with it in the global economy. If we want to win a few of the battles and attract jobs our way, we’re going to have to find a more intelligent way of working within our democratic system. Political rhetoric, differentiation and policy making on the fly may be proven ways to win elections, but they’re rotten ways to build an economy.

When corporations get caught up in internal division and display that division in the marketplace, they often pay the price on the stock market and with lost sales. It’s just possible the same thing is happening within our governments. And the big loss could be our future economic health.

There now, that little rant felt good.

Let’s all hope that the newly formed government, of whichever stripe, gets on with the business of building the future in an efficient, effective and respectful manner.

Serge Lavoie is president of the Southwest Economic Alliance.

The views expressed are his own.

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BUSINESS / COMMUNITY ADVERTISING FOR SMALL BUSINESS

Videos for all

Will your business be ready for the upcoming video revolution on the Internet?

by Bryan Bakker

Part of adapting to this new reality is understanding the potential innovations that will arise because of it.

Knowing which industries will need to adapt and what those adaptations will look like will be key. Big studio video production is reeling today just as the music industry was shaken a few short years ago when the costs associated with creating studio quality audio fell through the floor. Suddenly any creative minded person with a powerful enough computer and equipment could record and mix the best stuff... in their basement. The industry was put on its heels.

One big difference is that, in this case, along with the drop in price for high quality video production services, comes the growing size of a hopeful and ready-to-commit small business market. So many businesses have been priced out of video com-

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Like the government or your favourite corporations, change is always looking for new ways to impact your life. Over the past century we have all witnessed fantastic change and the pace of that change is unrelenting.

One of the most recent changes, one that's having a huge impact on how we all do business, as well as how we entertain ourselves, is the rise of video on the Internet. Companies like YouTube or Netflix and many others, are changing everything. And the trend is set to continue. Just look at the newest flat screen TV. It has WiFi Internet capabilities built into it.

Imagine a not-too-distant-future where you will no longer need a cable or satellite subscription, or a separate phone line, or even a cell phone plan anymore, just one over-arching Internet connection that does it all.

your video message awaits

mercials for so long that the thought of having their own commercial, for most business owners, has seemed nothing short of absurd. However, now with the ability to have a clean, professional quality commercial produced for mere thousands, or even just hundreds of dollars, as opposed to tens of thousands, and with the rise of an Internet that will allow anyone to see it, the market has been blown wide open and opportunity abounds, both for fledgling video production companies and small or medium scale business owners, professionals and public speakers alike.

Sure, the cost for airtime is still high on your favourite TV channel, but what happens in a future where people choose the channels they receive, as well as what will be shown on them? In that future the biggest purpose your marketing dollars may have is to direct prospects to your website where, because it is the most obvious and powerful means of communicat-

ing, your video message awaits. In that future, every website will open with a commercial.

And what happens if someone sees or hears about you somewhere and inputs your web address into their TV and then sees nothing but text and pictures? Who will get the business do you think? Will it be your competitor, whose ad will likely be only a click away and who will almost certainly have video, or you, who does not have these features?

The writing really is on the wall on this one. And change is only great when you're prepared for it.

Bryan Bakker is a professional videographer and owner of BizBio.ca in St. Thomas.

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October, 2011

BUSINESS / COMMUNITY YOUR BUSINESS

Are your employees your competitive edge?

Exploring the benefits of workplace well-being Fall is a time when the weather starts to change, students are back at school and businesses get back to a steady routine. I'm sure your organization, like ours at the Elgin Business Resource Centre, was disrupted with the usual summer slowdown due to holidays and staff vacations.

Now the work has piled up, projects are pending, orders are waiting, the task list is growing and you need to quickly catch up and rev up that business engine. But did you know that the vacation time that appeared to put you behind has actually helped your business? Many studies have proven that vacations keep us healthy, reduce burn-out and help us reconnect with friends and family, all which ultimately helps with job performance.

So as staff returns and you start running with your full team, now may be the time to think about implementing a few changes. According to Health Canada, approximately 67 percent of adults spend 60 percent of their waking hours at work. So it is no surprise that quality of life issues are increasingly important to workers. When employees are satisfied with their work environment and working conditions, they can make their best contribution. Many companies are taking action in response to increasing awareness of the needs of employees’ well-being in the workplace.

A few of the successful programs we

have incorporated for employees at the Elgin Business Resource Centre include short breaks from the office routine. Making them fun and educational with a non work-related theme can make a considerable difference in staff morale and has proven to be a great team builder.

Some of the events we have tried over the years are canoe trips, zip lining and drumming; they make enjoyable interactive events at a reasonable cost. Our latest half-day event was one of our favourites. It was held at the Arts & Cookery Bank in West Lorne and our gracious host Grace McGartland kept things lively. During the cooking class we participated in, everyone became engaged in spirited cooperative competition.

Janet Baker, Elgin St. Thomas Public Health’s Workplace Health Promoter, gave us facts and figures on the benefits of a wellness program.

But it was the benefits of increased job satisfaction, improved morale, increased work quality, a renewed customer service focus and lower staff turnover that really caught our attention.

We implemented a number of Janet’s suggestions, including a rousing ‘rubber chicken’ basketball game during one of our staff veggie-burger barbeques. Our Fresh Friday events promote awareness of topics from the Health Canada website, awarding wellness-related gifts each month to staff who correctly complete an activity, such as a word search on dental care or a crossword on sun safety.

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by John Regan

it can make a considerable difference in staff morale

Our volunteer Wellness Committee distributes healthy recipes to all employees, has changed our vending machine to include 50 percent healthy snacks and provides healthy food choices for meeting snacks.

One of our most anticipated ventures to date will be the addition of green space thanks to our sponsors, Greenlane Community Trust, 300 SERi and TD Friends of the Environment Foundation. The green space will be shared with the recently opened Innovation Centre for Entrepreneurs (ICE). The facility has over 75 people working within its walls and hosts over 25,000 visitors per year. The green space will provide, in a very “bricks and mortar” area, an open space for relaxation and relieving stress, a gathering place in which to share and foster creativity or a place to just clear one’s thoughts.

Whether adding a little green to your environment for employees and

visitors to enjoy, participating in team building exercises or educating staff on health and life-style options, focusing on benefits of workplace well-being is not just because it makes people feel better and helps improve productivity, it is simply the right thing to do.

The Elgin Business Resource Centre is the proud recipient of the 2009 and 2010 Bronze ‘Wellness Works Healthy Workplace Award.’ In 2011, we are going for the Gold!

John Regan Ec.D. (F) is the general manager of the Elgin Business Resource Centre.

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BUSINESS / COMMUNITY LEADERSHIP

Keep business management simple Spend your time and energy focusing on your company’s core processes and competencies

To be an effective CEO, you must adopt a big picture perspective. As leader, don’t overcomplicate business.

Keep it simple and straightforward.

Simplicity allows for clarity of focus and focus allows for superior performance. Here is a simple framework by which to see and guide your enterprise.

As owner/CEO, you are solely responsible for the company’s leadership process (direction, strategy, focus, goals, accountability) and the business development process (building a systems-based business that is self-managing, self-improving, and nearly runs itself ). As such, you need to ensure only a handful of additional major processes are in place, well documented, and working smoothly and optimally: marketing, selling, operations (customer fulfillment), customer service and back-office functions.

In brief, the marketing process generates leads, the selling process generates customers by closing leads, and the operations process fulfills the promises made to the customer.

Completing the business cycle is the customer service process that follows up with the customer to ensure satisfaction with the current transaction and uncovers any other unmet needs.

Since the purpose of any business is to find, satisfy and keep customers, marketing, selling, operations, and customer service processes should be your top priorities and areas of focus.

Other functions, while important, should be secondary priorities and

support this main mission. These back-office support functions are a finance/accounting process to manage money, human resources to manage employee issues, and infrastructure to manage technology, facilities, administration, etc.

Spend your time and energy focusing on your company’s core processes and competencies – those functions that you do extremely well as an organization and which add real value to the customer. Keeping business simple will help you stay focused on what is most important.

To simplify your business and your life even more, consider outsourcing (turning over day-to-day responsibil-

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by Bryan Vine

ity to an outside provider) your backoffice functions such as payroll processing, tax preparation, legal, HR, technology, facilities management, etc. Seek advice from your CPA, attorney or banker about outsourcing arrangements.

Planning for results How do you create a simple business plan? How do you achieve results? Again, you must keep things simple and focused. With your team’s involvement, agree on and set yearly goals. Then, on a 90-day cycle, gather your team and hold your people accountable for the agreed-upon results. This implementation process is just as important as the goals. Do not tolerate excuses; insist on execution and results.

In short, you must select a few key strategies and implement like mad.

Success is more about execution than anything else. Focus on the vital few instead of the trivial many. Energy focused on a few highly important goals is powerful.

Please note, we are not talking about setting goals to achieve incre-

stay focused on what is most important

mental improvements in performance or processes. We are talking about big, bold goals – goals on steroids. Be innovative and think big.

Go for breakthroughs, not mere incremental gains. Realize there are no rules or restrictions. As long as what you do is moral, legal and ethical, do not be shackled by company history or industry standards or practices. In short, kill the “we have always done it this way” mentality. Shake habitual thinking patterns.

Performance goals, at a minimum, should be set in the critical success areas we just discussed: leadership, business systemization, marketing, selling, operations (fulfillment), customer service and back-office operations. In fact, your yearly business plan could be nothing more than 35 monster-size goals in each one of these key areas. Once you have your yearly goals established, assign a person to champion each cause. Give each person the authority, time and tools to make things happen. On a 90-day cycle, hold each person accountable for progress on his or her goal(s).

These audacious, challenging, and adrenalin-inducing goals should be SMART (specific, measurable, aggressive, realistic, and timed). Force your people to stretch. What gets measured gets done. What gets rewarded gets repeated. As a leader, insist on aggressive implementation, follow-up, follow-through and results. Intentions and plans are mostly meaningless; implementation is where success is found.

Bryan Vine is co-owner of The Growth Coach in St. Thomas.

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Got ideas for the Free Enterprise Awards? Read more on page 11.

Business Beat Table of Contents Pre-election business opinions ................................page 10 Hope you like our widget! ................................page 11 What if Sir Winston Churchill visited STEGH? ........page 12 IPM video released ................................page 13 Doing what is reasonable – Bill C-60 ........................page 14 It’s all about managing your risk ..........................page 15 Welcome new members ................................page 16 Federal action on “red tape” ................................page 17

Business After 5 Wednesday October 19, 2011 Business Sample Show St. Anne’s Centre 20 Morrison Drive St. Thomas Doors open at 4pm.

Sponsor remarks and prize draws start at 6:15pm. Free admission for anyone from a business organization that is a Member of the St. Thomas & District Chamber of Commerce.

October, 2011

Business Sample Show October 19 With display space nearly sold out, the Chamber’s annual Business Sample Show promises to be a rewarding and informative opportunity for our exhibitors and everyone attending.

This annual event is a regular for the Chamber each year as we mark National Small Business Week. This year, that’s October 17 to 21, so we have planned the Business Sample Show to take place Wednesday October 19.

It’s our 8th Annual edition this year, and again a very popular forum as a “mini” trade show with 60 exhibitors participating. The event does doubleduty as our October Business After 5, the only exception being that it is open to the general public and operates for hours that are extended beyond our Business After 5 norm. The Business Sample Show opens at 4pm and runs non-stop to 7pm. Beginning at 6:15pm, door prizes draws take place. St. Anne’s Centre will be fully licensed for beverage service for this function and we promise a tasty selection of food offerings as well! As the name of the event suggests, the emphasis is on samples – and great prizes too! Products, promotional items, gifts and more – thousands of items in all – will be given to everyone attending.

Chamber Members are still welcome to register a table for this fantastic event. Tables are either $150 or $175, and will give you the opportunity to meet and greet over 500 people in only three hours! Exhibitors will set up their booths between 9am and 3pm and then have the opportunity to browse through the hall prior to the public being welcomed in. Chamber staff will provide some snacks for

Sampling the best of local business.

exhibitors at this time, so please have your display ready to present at 3pm.

Exhibitors are asked to either donate a prize to our prize table, or they can choose to give samples of their products. Patrons of the event will receive bags at the door to keep all the goodies in one place. In the past, exhibitors have given out pens, notepads, water, chocolate bars, fruit, gift certificates, picture frames, hand sanitizers, ear plugs and sunscreen to name a few.

Everyone will definitely go home with something!

Previous door prizes have included flat screen televisions, hammock chairs, gift certificates, luggage, jew-

ellery, wine starter kits, DVD players, orthotics, cell phones, small appliances, restaurant gift certificates, NHL tickets, OHL tickets and much more! Be sure to round up your family and friends, spread the word and head to the St. Anne’s Centre for a great evening of networking, sampling and information!

If you’re not a Member of the St. Thomas & District Chamber of Commerce, and think you might like to take part in this event to showcase your business, please call Mike Vecchio at 519-631-1981 ext. 23. Mike is happy to sit down to discuss the many benefits of becoming a Member of our Chamber, and get you set up to participate in the best business show in the area.

November Edition Advertising Deadline is October 17 Take part in our Farm Business report feature in the November edition Greg Minnema, Advertising Sales

To take advantage of excellent advertising opportunities like this, give me a call at 519-633-1640 (ext. 22)

or email me at gregthismonth@theweeklynews.ca

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BUSINESS BEAT

VIEWPOINT Events and News of Interest to our Members

Pre-election business opinions A late August survey of more than 1,100 businesses in Ontario says the top priority they want government to act on hasn’t changed for three consecutive years.

Reducing “red tape” remains Job #1 for the politicians in the latest Ontario Chamber study, and the importance is amplified by the fact that business has sent the same message consistently since 2008.

Several businesses from the St. Thomas area participated in the Ontario Chamber’s province-wide survey along with businesses from 60 other Ontario communities.

The latest survey reveals four key election priorities for Ontario’s private sector. In addition to reducing the red tape or regulatory burden, reducing our overall debt/deficit situation emerged as priority number two. A two-way tie for third spot identified support for innovation and a sustainable/affordable energy supply as the other key items.

With respect to Ontario’s tax environment, businesses have identified a range of options for the next gov-

ernment. A majority of businesses (52 percent) signaled that relief from rising energy prices in the form of lower fuel taxes is an important area for tax reform. Two-fifths of businesses voiced concern over personal income tax rates. Measures for boosting economic growth and productivity, including small business corporate income tax reduction and increased depreciation/capital cost allowance, were also singled out as important areas for tax relief.

Other key findings: • Support for spending cuts far outweighed that for tax hikes. Almost 60 percent of survey respondents want the Ontario government to cut spending and focus expenditures on strategic priorities including innovation, energy, education and transportation.

• More than one in three (36 percent) want more support for strategic partnerships to attract global firms to Ontario.

• Business sees underinvestment in machinery, equipment, software and capital stock as having a direct rela-

tionship to our innovation/productivity gap.

• One-third of Ontario businesses want more investment in Ontario’s transportation infrastructure. Almost half (45 percent) want expanded rail services.

• When asked to prioritize competitive concerns for the future, green energy and conservation ranked first, followed closely by information and

digital technology, then advanced manufacturing.

Copies of the complete survey results are available on request to any Chamber Member via email. Contact Member Services Representative Wes Bailey at 519-631-1981, ext. 26, or email: wes@stthomaschamber.on.ca

More than one of every three businesses surveyed by the Ontario Chamber say burdens placed on business by the Ontario government are their biggest concern. This chart shows issues raised and their relative ranking among 1,100 survey participants.

Here are the results when businesses were asked “Which of the following tax changes do you want to see as an election commitment?”

1.59% 6.9¢ 1.64%

Published by Carroll Publishing Inc. and delivered to businesses in St. Thomas and Elgin County For complete information on the St.Thomas and District Chamber of Commerce, reach us at: 555 Talbot Street, St.Thomas, ON N5P 1C5 Telephone: 519-631-1981 Fax: 519-631-0466 E-Mail: mail@stthomaschamber.on.ca Website: www.stthomaschamber.on.ca

President & CEO

Bob Hammersley

Member Services Coordinator

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Mike Vecchio

Accounting Coordinator

Susan Munday

Project Marketing

Sue McKittrick

Member Services

Wes Bailey

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Acting Chair: Linda Sawyer Vice-Chair: Jason White Treasurer: Paul Smith Director: Pete Charlton Director: Monty Fordham Director: Frances Kennedy Director: Jeff Kohler Director: Mark Lassam

BMO Bank of Montreal Steelway Building Systems P.J. Smith & Associates Charlton’s Quality Meats Monty Fordham Law Office P3 Strategies Presstran Industries Kee, Perry & Lassam Chartered Accountants Director: Debra Mountenay Workforce Planning & Development Board Director: John Regan Elgin Business Resource Centre Director: Darren Reith Reith and Associates Insurance & Financial Director: Allan Weatherall St. Thomas Elgin General Hospital Foundation Director: Laura Woermke St. Thomas Elgin Public Art Centre

October, 2011

BUSINESS BEAT

CHAMBER NEWS Events and News of Interest to our Members

Hope you like our widget!

Redesign of the main page of the Chamber’s website is complete, and with it comes a new home for a widget. Yes, there is such a thing – at least in Internet lingo.

On the left side of our main page at www.stthomaschamber.on.ca, we have placed a widget from the Canadian Chamber. It’s a lot like a news feed, a vehicle for us to carry news and updates on business and related issues on an ‘as they happen’ basis. Canadian Chamber of Commerce staff in Ottawa load information at their end to give you the fastest possible information and analysis on national business issues.

Information relayed through the widget can be both written and pictorial, including television feeds with audio. For example, when the CBC interviewed national Chamber CEO Perrin Beatty for comments on Bank of Canada interest rates, the widget gave us a direct link to see what was said. The information posted through the widget changes regularly with breaking news posted immediately. All content is loaded chronologically and remains in the widget for several weeks. In this way, it can serve as a research or reference tool and allow Members to see items from a few days or weeks ago at your convenience.

Free Enterprise ideas?

The Chamber’s annual Free Enterprise Awards Program is our annual celebration of business and entrepreneurial success. Established in the mid 1970s, it provides a yearly opportunity to recognize short-term and long-term success through presentations of the Free Enterprise Awards. The program also has a distinguished history of proudly welcoming some of the most influential people in and on the Canadian business scene as keynote speakers at the annual Free Enterprise Awards Dinner.

Planning for the 2012 program has begun and the first task is to identify and confirm our keynote speaker. The date of the Awards

Dinner is set to harmonize with the speakers’ schedule, usually in March, April or May. Who would you like to see and hear? Is there a topic or subject that you think we should focus toward?

Is there someone special you have connection to and could help us welcome to our community? Our Awards and Recognition Committee welcomes your ideas and suggestions right now as we head toward the 36th Free Enterprise Awards in 2012. Chamber president & CEO Bob Hammersley is the staff member assigned to work with the Committee and welcomes your input by email at bob@stthomaschamber.on.ca

The business of Business After 5

As business cycles go, we’re thinking it’s entirely accurate to say that the Chamber’s monthly Business After 5 events are continuing to enjoy solid performance.

The Business After 5 sponsor calendar is booked solid with only three months open between now and the end of 2012. For that reason, we’re ready to open the books and accept 2013 sponsorships.

The three remaining options left for 2012 are all good weather months, making them ideal for indoor or outdoor (or mixed) programs: June, July and August.

Sponsorship of a Business After 5 event can be as simple as agreeing to a date and budget with the Chamber and letting our staff organize details, or you can do as several sponsors choose and take an active role in planning a special agenda and adding unique or custom touches to the program.

To explore details contact Chamber President & CEO Bob Hammersley at the Chamber office at 591-631-1981, ext. 24, or email bob@stthomaschamber.on.ca Bob can provide a copy of a detailed event planning guide to you and discuss any details or questions.

...Priority One for Our Residents!

Book a Personal Tour and we’ll treat you to lunch!

It’s not what you earn...

It’s what you keep.

Kee, Perry & Lassam offers a full range of public accounting services. Our chartered accountants and staff have the experience, training and skills to deal with your business needs.

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Accounting Auditing Business Plans Tax Services

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At Kee, Perry & Lassam we ensure our clients recieve the service and expertise they need to succeed.

Please make a call to our office your first step on the road to success.

15 Barrie Boulevard St. Thomas, ON Canada N5P 4B9 519-631-6360 519-631-2198 fax

The Next Best Place To Home!

45 Metcalfe Metcal calfe Street,, St. Thom Thomas homass 5519.631.93933 Fax: x: 519.631.2563 5 www.diversicare.ca October, 2011

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BUSINESS BEAT

POSITIVE EXPOSURE Doing Public Relations Right

What if Sir Winston Churchill visited STEGH?

by Allan Weatherall

Have you ever thought about someone who you would just love to meet or at least have had the opportunity to meet? In my case, I would have really enjoyed sitting down with Sir Winston Churchill. He was a wonderful person and his command of the English language was astounding. He once said, “A pessimist sees the difficulty in every opportunity; an optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty.” It is in this regard that I gather my thoughts for this month’s contribution.

What an opportunity we have as a community to do something that transcends anything else we might do, and is for multiple generations. I refer to the extraordinary chance we have to rebuild several essential sections of our valued local hospital, the St. Thomas Elgin General Hospital or STEGH as it affectionately known.

This redevelopment is critically important to Elgin County’s infrastructure and essential to recruitment and retention of health care professionals,

and frequently a key factor in business relocation decisions. If STEGH doesn’t keep pace with ever changing health care technology – while also having modern well-equipped facilities – then over time we all suffer.

The plans to add a new building on the northwest section of the hospital were approved on August 24 by the Honourable Deb Matthews, Minister of Health and Long-Term Care.

Yet despite this marvellous news there are still so many who seem to go out of their way to target something negative about their hospital.

While everyone is entitled to their opinion, maybe we should all step back and consider what a gem we have before we find something to criticize. Having worked at three other hospitals in Ontario – two in Ottawa and one in Huntsville – I can speak truthfully about what we have here and we really should be very proud. STEGH has among the shortest emergency wait times in the entire province! There is a waiting list for physicians wishing to work in the emergency department! Unheard of elsewhere! The hospital won a pres-

tigious Quality Healthcare Workplace award in 2010, one of only four to reach this pinnacle in Ontario and the only community hospital.

So here we are presented with a gigantic opportunity to rebuild the surgical suites designed and opened 60 years ago. In addition, the emergency will finally have a large specifically-built facility; a new ambulatory care area will be located on the ground floor of the current Complex Continuing Care area allowing for improved infection control; and a new patient/visitors flow through the building will also be created. Finally, an essential 15-bed mental health

NEW

unit will be included allowing for treatment of those needing this special type of care.

By all means, form an opinion about your hospital – but where would we be without it? Would you rather be the optimist or the pessimist when it comes to having a $100M+ ‘healthy’ investment made in our community?

Sir Winston Churchill also said “We make a living by what we get, we make a life by what we give.” I wonder what he would say to us about our hospital and its redevelopment – maybe “seize the opportunity and do what needs to be done!”

This article has been prepared for the Chamber and our Members by Allan Weatherall, B.A., CFRE, APR Director of Development at the St. Thomas Elgin General Hospital Foundation. He received accreditation (APR) from the Canadian Public Relations Society in 1993 and a CFRE (certified fundraising executive) in 2000. He welcomes your comments via email to: aweather@stegh.on.ca or telephone 519-631-2030 extension 2247

The St.Thomas/Elgin Weekly News now offering

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in every weekly newspaper

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519-633-1640 12

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October, 2011

BUSINESS BEAT

MEMBER NEWS Events and News of Interest to our Members

New Members reception With an average of seven new businesses and organizations registering as new Members of the St. Thomas & District Chamber of Commerce each month, it’s important that we share news and information on our programs, projects and activities. Part of that initiative includes our Member Services Committee hosting a New Members Reception at regular intervals through the year. This photo [left] shows our group sharing time to mix and chat before hearing brief presentations on Chamber events and programs including our Member Benefits Bundle. Our most recent New Members event took place September 13 at the Elgin Business Resource Centre. Special thanks to the Workforce Planning & Development Board for sponsoring refreshments and a light breakfast for everyone attending.

Gosh Mr. Smit it says here thath, us a job developer ing Employment Servic at es will help us find Elgin right staff and the it’s absolutely FREE! Why didn’t I think of that?

IPM video released

If you’re looking for memories from one of the largest events hosted in Elgin last year, look no further than a new DVD released by Dog & Pony Productions.

The International Plowing Match 2010 Commemorative DVD is priced at $25 and available now at this web link: ipm.dogandpony.ca The web site also offers three preview videos.

Business-Before-Business

Contact Us Today Employment Services Elgin 400 Talbot St., St. Thomas P: 519.631.5470 Mon-Thurs 8:30am-6pm • Fri 8:30am-4pm

The Chamber’s bi-weekly Business-Before-Business breakfast networking groups offer an exclusive opportunity for people from Member businesses to exchange business leads and contacts. Participation is restricted to one person from any business type of sector. For example, one banker, one realtor, one auto dealer, etc. Groups meet every other week over coffee and/or breakfast.

Interested in building your lists of prospects and contacts? Call Member Services Co-ordinator Mike Vecchio at the Chamber office at 519-631-1981, ext. 23 or email him directly at mike@stthomaschamber.on.ca

Aylmer Community Services West Elgin Support Services 25 Centre Street, Aylmer P: 519.765.2082 Mon-Fri 9am-4:30pm Tues 9am-6pm

160 Main Street W., West Lorne P: 519.768.0020 Mon-Fri 9am-5 pm

www.jobselgin.ca

This Employment Ontario program is funded by the Ontario Government

The countdown is on

CHEVROLET ORLANDO

116 Edward Street, St. Thomas October, 2011

Join us October 3 CHEVROLET SONIC at Disbrowe for a special presentation

519-631-7960 E L G I N

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www.disbrowe.com 13

BUSINESS BEAT

LEGAL BUSINESS Legal News and Issues for Business

Doing what is reasonable – Bill C-60

by Monty Fordham

The famous American jurist Oliver Wendell Holmes once wrote “Hard cases make bad law.” Subsequent legal scholars have developed the converse maxim “Bad law makes hard cases.” Some recent cases in Canada have driven the federal government to review certain criminal laws, in an effort to address public concerns regarding a person’s right to defend himself, his property or to arrest another person who has transgressed against him or his property.

The first case that attracted national attention was the case of David Chen, the Toronto grocer, who, after growing weary of being shoplifted repeatedly by the same individual, pursued the thief and arrested him.

Why, you might ask was Mr. Chen charged with anything? Well, the answer lies in the fact that, prior to chasing the alleged thief, he forgot to

read carefully the Criminal Code section dealing with the power of an ordinary citizen to arrest. The present law requires that the individual being arrested be found actually committing an offence.

Mr. Chen was eventually acquitted of the charge but not before he had spent many dollars defending himself in court.

John Hutchins from Brampton found himself in a similar situation, with thieves stealing him blind from his auto parts yard. He eventually pursued the culprits along with his son. The Hutchins apprehended the trespassers but not before the senior Hutchins had smashed the window of the thieves’ car and roughed up the two trespassers. Charges against Mr. Hutchins and his son were withdrawn in early September, so we will never know how a judge would have ruled on his “defence of property” defence. Once again, the Hutchins

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had to incur considerable expense in their legal defence.

The Thomson case in Niagara region involved the firing of a pistol over the heads of some assailants who were firebombing Mr. Thomson’s house. This case is still pending and will probably be decided under the present law. Canadians have been asking, and rightly so, “What can I legally do to protect myself or someone else from assault? What can I legally do to protect my property?

Can I legally arrest someone, and, if so, when?” As Mr. Chen, Mr. Thomson and Mr. Hutchins found out, having the wrong information can be expensive.

In order to address the obvious concern on the part of home and business owners as to their rights in these situations, the federal government has introduced Bill C-60 The Citizen’s Arrest and Self-Defence Act. This bill is part of the omnibus crime bill that will, if passed, effect sweeping changes in the Canadian Criminal Code.

Presently, defence of person and property is covered in sections 34 to 37 and sections 38 to 42 respectively.

Powers of citizen’s arrest is dealt with by section 494(1). The difficulty the government is seeking to address is the relatively complicated analysis which must be undertaken when the defences arise. The new act will replace sections 34 to 37 with section

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34, respecting defence of the person.

Sections 38 to 42 will be replaced with section 35 dealing with defence of property. A new section 494(2) will be added to clarify the citizen’s right to arrest in situations where the offence, which is the subject of the arrest, is not actually taking place.

Certainly, clearer laws are always welcome, and any effort to assist people in ascertaining and asserting their rights is a positive. However, it is important for all of us to realize that like any legislation, the proposed law contains what I like to call “weasel” words. The most troubling weasel word in this legislation is the word “reasonable.” Both the new sections 34 and 35 require that the act in defence of person or property “be reasonable in the circumstances.”

Clearly, what was reasonable to Mr. Thomson was different from what was reasonable to Mr. Hutchins.

How are we going to know what is reasonable in our own unique fact situation? The answer is fairly clear; the Courts will tell us as the case law evolves, and only after numerous people raise the new defences after being charged.

Everyone should inform themselves with respect to the new Criminal Code provisions regarding self-defence, defence of property and arrest.

However, I suspect that even if they do there will continue to be some hard cases.

Lawyer Monty Fordham prepares this monthly column for the St. Thomas & District Chamber of Commerce and our Members. Monty is also a volunteer serving on the Chamber’s Board of Directors. Questions, comments and suggestions for future columns are welcomed by Monty at his Law Office, 4 Elgin Street, St. Thomas. Telephone 519-633-4000, FAX 519-633-1371 or e-mail: montyfordham@4elgin.ca

October, 2011

PRO TEXT Business Management News & Issues

BUSINESS BEAT

get, claiming bankruptcy is no longer the solution to dodging debts that a court awards.

Then, of course, there is the all time favourite excuse of “…I can’t be sued.” But you can! Provided an alleged injured party can convince a legal professional they have suffered some loss, whether to their personal property or some form of bodily injury and the case is deemed to have merit, the action can be presented. It is of equal importance to note that as an employer you are legally responsible for the actions of your employees while they are under your employ and acting in the scope of their employment. At the end of the day it is recommended that you purchase as much liability insurance as you can afford.

It’s all about managing your risk “If an alleged injured party can convince a legal professional they have suffered some loss… an action can be presented; you can be sued.”

In our practice we often hear the phrase “…well it’s not going to happen to me.” These eight words are usually followed up with “…so delete that coverage…” or “…lower that limit…” or “…find a way to make it cheaper.” Like anything, cheaper is never better. With insurance, cheaper often means coverage has been removed or limits lowered which means you have less coverage.

Insurance is all about risk – managing it and transferring it. It is a very easy concept: if you or your business suffers a loss, how much do you want to be responsible for and how much do you want someone else to be responsible for. That someone else is your insurance company.

You pay a premium for the privilege or convenience of someone else assuming the lion’s share of your loss.

It is one thing to save by short-

changing yourself by underinsuring your building or contents (stock and equipment) but it is an entirely different matter when you underinsure for liability. When your policy is lacking for property coverage one can always use personal resources (savings, RRSP, bank loans, loans from family and friends) to top up the difference; but with liability you face not only a potentially large court award but the cost of defending the lawsuit.

“

“

by Dan Reith

Insurance is all about risk – managing it and transferring it

What many choose not to understand is that the cost of defending a liability suit is paid by your insurance company, generally, as there are certain types of liability policies that pay defence costs out of the limit of the policy in addition to whatever the court awards. If your policy carries a $1,000,000 limit of liability and the court awards $1,000,000 to the injured party, the cost for the lawyer, investigators, professional witness,

etc. is all paid on top of that $1,000,000. Where the suit or amount claimed exceeds the limit to your policy one must then obtain and pay, out of pocket, for legal representation for every dollar beyond the policy limit.

We have seen cases where the action is settled out of court for a nominal sum yet the legal costs far exceed hundreds of thousands of dollars.

Can you pay that? Oh, and don’t for-

This column appears regularly in Business Beat and has been submitted

by Dan Reith, BA(Hons) CAIB, Principal Broker, Reith & Associates Insurance and Financial Services Limited. Questions and comments on this column are welcomed by the writer at 519-631-3862 or via email: info@reithandassociates.com

St.Thomas Golf & Country Club

2012 Corporate Social Offer to St Thomas and District Chamber of Commerce Members One of the highest rated golf courses in the world . . .

(2012 fee) no initiation, no shares

now affordable to many Chamber members

St. Thomas & District Chamber of Commerce members have the opportunity to take part in a monthly program to play the most prestigious golf course in the area in 2012.

Ranked one of the top 1,000 golf courses in the world in a recent Rolex survey, the St. Thomas Golf & Country Club has launched a new program targeted toward Chamber members interested in the business, social and exercise benefits of the Club commonly known as “Union.”

The 2012 Chamber Social Package – never before offered – will appeal to business and professional people who may have previously considered the course beyond

St Thomas Golf and Country Club is offering Chamber members the following program for a limited time: Corporate Dues..........................$757 Monthly Golf package X 6 ..........$380 (includes: 4 golfers, 2 carts, once a month)

their means. Golf lovers who take advantage of this package will quickly appreciate the benefits for their businesses and their families. Think challenging golf, think business relationships, think excellent restaurant, think “home away from home.”

Chamber members who may have dreamed of “playing Union” are encouraged to call the club today. 519-6314800. It may be one of the best business investments you’ll ever make.

House minimum spending ......$1000 (must be spent by Sept30/12)

Yearly Assessment ....................$180 ($15 invoiced monthly)

Call for more information (519)631-4800 Entertain Clients at one of the Highest Rated Clubs in Ontario.

“It doesn’t get any better than this!”

42325 Sparta Line, Union • 519.631.4800 • www.stthomasgolf.com October, 2011

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NEW MEMBERS Welcome To The Chamber Network

The St. Thomas & District Chamber of Commerce is pleased to welcome the following businesses and individuals as our newest Members. The staff and management of the organizations shown below were accepted as registered Members from August 16, 2011 to September 15, 2011.

Canadian Blood Services 850 Commissioners Road East London, ON N6C 2V5 Phone: 519-690-3981 Fax: 519-690-3941 Website: www.blood.ca Email: marisa.gatfield@blood.ca Contact: Marisa Gatfield, Community Development Coordinator Buyer’s Guide Category: Agencies & Associations Products & Services: Canadian Blood Services is a national, not-forprofit charitable organization that manages the supply of blood and blood products in all provinces and territories outside of Quebec. St. Thomas blood donor clinics are held

the third Wednesday monthly, and the fourth Saturday bi-monthly.

Centennial Storage 75 Centennial Avenue St. Thomas, ON N5P 3S7 Phone: 519-808-0334 Fax: 519-633-4151 Contact: Don Budden, Owner President Buyer’s Guide Category: Storage Products & Services: Centennial Storage offers space for storage of large equipment, trailers and storage containers. Conveniently located on Centennial Road.

Ferguson DiMeo Lawyers 211 - 750 Talbot Street St. Thomas, ON N5P 1E2 Phone: 519-633-8838 Fax: 519-633-9361 Website: www.fergusondimeolaw.com Email: dferguson@fergusondimeolaw.com, sdimeo@fergusondimeolaw.com Contacts: Donald Ferguson,

Lawyer; Sandra DiMeo, Lawyer Buyer’s Guide Category: Lawyers Products & Services: Ferguson DiMeo Lawyers is a general practice offering a wide range of legal and advisory services in real estate, estate wills, corporate, personal injury, MVA, and wrongful dismissal.

Hellyer Law Firm 13 Curtis Street St. Thomas, ON N5P 1H6 Phone: 519-637-0007 Fax: 519-637-1007 Contact: Nancy Hellyer, Lawyer Email: nancy@hellyerlaw.ca Buyer’s Guide Category: Lawyers Products & Services: Hellyer Law Firm specializes in practicing family law and wills.

Pets 4 Life 10 - 399 South Edgeware Road St. Thomas, ON N5P 4B8 Phone: 519-637-3000 Website: www.pets4life.com Email: glenn@pets4life.com Contacts: Sherry Forrester, Presi-

dent; Glenn Forrester, Vice President - Operations & Finance Buyer’s Guide Category: Pet Supplies & Services Products & Services: Pets 4 Life is a manufacturer of holistic pet food, made from restaurant-grade raw meat, fruits and vegetables, and uses only Canadian produce and meats.

R-Safety 4 - 1155 Talbot Street St. Thomas, ON N5P 1G6 Phone: 519-633-5884 Fax: 519-637-3666 Website: www.r-safety.ca Email: will@r-safety.ca Contact: Will Zufelt Buyer’s Guide Category: Safety Products Products & Services: R-Safety Sales and Supplies offer a huge variety of safety equipment, from traffic cones to safety boots. They carry a wide variety of top grade tools and equipment, as well as a vast array of safety clothing, cleaning supplies, gardening equipment, safety glasses and other industrial supplies.

Social Media COO 51 Roseberry Place St. Thomas, ON N5R 2H9 Phone: 519-637-6410 Website: www.socialmediacoo.com Email: info@socialmediacoo.com Buyer’s Guide Category: Business Advisory Services, Media Products & Services: Social Media COO (Chief Operating Officer) offers social profile management for executives and entrepreneurs. Managing your social profiles and online presence and making sure you get the maximum value from social media without having to spend your time online!

Social Media COO (Chief Operating Officer) also provides small business social media consulting.

They help you market your services online using sites like Facebook, Twitter, Linkedin, YouTube, Blogs, and many more!

PROFESSIONAL SERVICES DIRECTORY Save 3.5¢/litre Chamber members qualify for Esso’s Direct Billing Program; you pay 3.5¢ off the posted retail pump price whenever you fuel up.

You may also get a convenient, detailed monthly invoice and also qualify for Speedpass®. For an application, contact:

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October, 2011

BUSINESS BEAT

MEMBER NEWS Events and News of Interest to our Members

Federal action on “red tape”

Competitiveness remains an issue

As noted in the provincial survey reported on page 10, the biggest complaint business consistently has with government appears to be the burden of regulations and paperwork or, as it is commonly called, red tape.

The Canadian Chamber of Commerce has been lobbying at the federal level for changes in national regulations impacting business, and is closely following the work of the Government of Canada’s “Red Tape Reduction Commission.” The Commission’s first report was released September 7 by the Minister of State for Small Business and Tourism, Maxime Bernier.

According to a summary obtained by the Chamber, the most notable wins with the first report, and at this stage of the commission’s work, are: the tasking of government departments and agencies to respond directly to the challenges raised, and to further make reports and recommendations later this fall.

The Chamber has been advised that businesses are now invited to provide additional feedback on the points raised (or missed) in the initial report, and as importantly, to pinpoint which of these points are the most critical for government to pursue.

The Chamber encourages Members to see the commission’s website at www.reduceredtape.gc.ca A summary on the initial Red Tape Commission report is available for Members on the Canadian Chamber’s website at www.chamber.ca A final report including recommendations will be delivered to Tony Clement, the minister in charge, later this fall.

It’s a mix of good news/bad news. The good news is that Canada remains in the top 10 percent of countries around the globe in being globally competitive. The latest research from the World Economic Forum (WEF) shows that, of 142 countries measured, Canada places 12th overall. The bad news is that in 2009 we ranked number 9 and, last year, number 10.

Other components of the WEF’s annual Global Competitiveness Report show Canada as 24th in terms of corporate capacity to innovate, despite our country’s highly-educated workforce and vast resources. We also scored poorly in measurements of trade barriers and a lowly 129th of 142 in national debt.

The full report can be viewed online at the World Economic Forum’s website: www.weforum.org

Fi d your Find your busi b business i iness plac place l ce in i the cr creative rreative eative economy! ecconomy!

Thursday, Thursd Thur sd day, Oct day October Octobe ober 20, 2011 Att the Elgin A nS St. t. Thomas Br Bridges idge es to to Bett Better er Businesss Confer Conference! ence!

300 South South Edgeware Ed dgeware R Rd dS Stt Thoma Thomass Come to to the Elgin Bu Business usiness R Resource esource Centre Centre to to hear kkeynote eynote speak speakers, e s, lear er learn n about building g your your business, business, network network with other e entrepreneurs ntrepreneurs and lear learn n what w consumer consumerss look forr from from local business.

REGISTER NOW for this all-day ev event ent (8 (8 am am - 4:30 4:30 pm) pm) and attend attend d informative informative seminars seminars on o cloud cloud computing, creative creative economy, economyy, website website marketing, markketing, and roundtable roundtable discussions d on tourism, tourism, incubation, incubation, and and business issues. Limited Limited number of of trade show show booths available. available.

Cher y at 519-633-7597 519-633-7597 ext. 341.

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Contact Chery Fee: F $75 (includes (i l d breakfast b eakfast br kf t and d lunch) l h) P Partial ar tial ti l day d pr pricing i i icing available, available, il bl call ll for f details. details d t ils.

October, 2011

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BUSINESS / COMMUNITY MANAGING MONEY

Are you alone on the roller coaster?

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Panic is not a strategy

Having a financial plan can help you navigate the ups and downs of the market

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the knee-jerk reaction of average investors to flee.

How to stay on track? Have a financial plan, a balanced portfolio mix that is matched to your risk tolerance and investor profile and seek professional advice from a financial planner who you can trust.

Jurrien Timmer, Director of Global Macro for Fidelity says, “The important thing to remember is that you should maintain perspective and have a sound asset allocation plan. Panic is not a strategy. If you have a good plan, one that makes sense for your situation over the long term, then it is important to not get sucked in by the chaos and emotion.”

October 17-23 is Financial Planning Week in Canada, which is spearheaded by The Financial Planning Standards Council, a non-profit organization to improve financial planning for Canadians. Among the most important jobs financial planners do is to be the voice of reason for an investor in a panic. During FiStephanie Farrow, nancial Planning Week this year, B.A., CFP, is a revisit your financial plan so you Certified and your advisor can navigate Financial Planner your way together through these and co-owner of bumpy tracks. Keep your eye on Farrow Financial the destination and you may Services Inc. in Belmont. even enjoy the ride.

• ATV’s • Motorcycles • Snowmobiles •

Recent market fluctuations have created a renewed sense of fear among Canadian investors. The volatility is real, but sometimes the hysteria that surrounds it can be a bit overdone, often to the detriment of the average investor. Today’s sophisticated markets have hundreds of global variables simultaneously at play that make them hard to navigate and predict for even the most skilled economists.

What should an investor do? Unfortunately, there is no ‘one size fits all’ answer.

There is no crystal ball for economists or financial planners, but investors need to remember to keep a clear head and revisit plans rather than be swept away amidst the frenzy. It’s hard to ignore the herd instinct and place a panic sell – especially if you don’t have any guidance or a plan. In early August spooked investors had the biggest mass selloff of stocks since the financial crisis of 2008.

Imagine you are on a dark, wild roller coaster with controls to choose a red, blue, green or yellow track and an emergency break. It’s hard to see, and you aren’t sure where each track ends up. As the ride gets scarier, you become increasingly unsure of which track to take. You hear people yelling to get out while you still can. In fear, you pull the emergency break. It felt right at the time, but now you’re unsure. You wanted to get to your destination except now you’re off the track.

Or, you can ride the roller coaster with your financial planner by your side.

When the turns get scary, you have an educated sounding board. You will be reminded of the destination you chose and encouraged not to pull the brake in panic, but rather keep the course. You may be advised against the red track altogether, or to consider the yellow track. Sometimes when you’re scared, it’s simply a reminder of the end goal, and a calm voice that gets you through the bumps.

Canadians with financial plans report much higher levels of confidence in dealing with life’s uncertainties and reaching their financial goals. Unfortunately, fewer than 2 out of 10 Canadians work with a professional to create a financial plan.

Richard Peterson, co-author of ‘MarketPsych: How to Manage Fear and Build Your Investor Identity’ says most investors know, intellectually, that selling in a panic is the wrong strategy. But instinctively, it’s hard to resist.

Furthermore, seasoned investors and portfolio managers look to benefit from

T H I S

FERGUSON DIMEO LAWYERS Practising in association Donald M. Ferguson Professional Corporation Sandra L. DiMeo Professional Corporation

Canada Southern Railway Station 750 Talbot Street, Suite 211 St. Thomas, Ontario N5P 1E2 t 519-633-8838 • f 519-633-9361

www.fergusondimeolaw.com M O N T H

October, 2011

Who’s Who in Business $300 FIRST PRIZE! $200 SECOND PRIZE! $100 THIRD PRIZE!

Who’s Who in Business was a Great Success!

Thanks to everyone that participated....We received many perfect scores!

Winners were drawn randomly from all perfect scores (original contest ran in the September edition).

Correct entries are on this page and the following 2 pages.

Congratulations to the Winners!

1st Place ($300): Mary Small of St. Thomas 2nd Place ($200): Julie Lafontaine of St Thomas 3rd Place ($100): Roxanne Bale of Iona Station

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October, 2011

E L G I N

T H I S

M O N T H

Graphic Designer 519t207-2556 www.WeAreYourType.com bgrebow@WeAreYourType.com More than two decades experience 19

Who’s Who in Business Results Thanks to all who participated. See page 19 for winners’ names

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New Renovated Facility to serve you Better!

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With over 10 years of banking experience and a local resident, Brian understands the pressures of owning and operating a business or farm in St. Thomas and is committed to helping you by providing services, products and advice tailored specifically to your needs.

Drop by the branch to talk to your Small Business Advisor and discover how we can make your business banking easier. We look forward to seeing you soon.

20

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M O N T H

October, 2011

Who’s Who in Business Results Thanks to all who participated. See page 19 for winners’ names

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October, 2011

E L G I N

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M O N T H

21

Dining & Entertainment SAVOUR ELGIN

The good life Quai du Vin Estate Winery celebrates over 20 years in Elgin County

by Kate Burns

turn down a great idea, Roberto hosted the winery’s first jazz event fifteen years ago and Quai du Vin is now famous for its outdoor events.

Quai du Vin is a full service venue with a tent, stage, washrooms and license to host up to 1,000 people. A tranquil setting for a wedding, look to book your wedding one year in advance so as not to be disappointed.

Corporate and private functions can also be booked using the grounds or the wonderfully fragrant Barrel Room in the off season.

Winery tours are available with the length depending upon interest level ranging from 30-60 minutes.

Specialty tours with samples and pairings are also available by booking in advance.

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Redi Quai and his son Roberto first planted their vineyards north of Sparta in 1972. Eighteen years later, Roberto and his wife Lisa opened the doors of the winery and are now celebrating 21 successful years in the wine industry.

At Quai du Vin Estate Winery (pronounced "K dew vañ"), the focus is on established winemaking and retailing operations that feature and complement the vineyard and the scenic location. Quai du Vin produces over 90,000 bottles per year with the top sellers being their Vidal and Baco Noir.

Jamie Quai, Roberto and Lisa’s son, is adding to the winery’s legacy as the third generation to harvest and make wines on the fertile lands in Elgin County. Jamie is expanding development by barrel aging reds to create premium wine and introducing new types such as Viognier, a delicious white that pairs nicely with spicy foods.

In addition to wine, Quai Du Vin offers a pristine country setting second to none, sitting high atop a ridge overlooking Sparta and distant Lake Erie. Commenting on the beautiful landscape and setting, one visitor proclaimed several years ago that the winery would be a beautiful place for a wedding and events. Never one to

Jamie and Roberto Quai welcome you to Quai du Vin Estate Winery near Sparta.

Quai Du Vin wines are available online (www.quaiduvin.com), in their retail location at 45811 Fruit Ridge Line near Sparta or at select local restaurants, including the New Sarum Diner.

...a pristine country setting

Lisa Quai invites you to taste Quai du Vin’s selection of wines.

Quai Du Vin is a member of Savour Elgin. Savour Elgin is a program with a goal to promote and enhance culinary tourism in Elgin County and St. Thomas. The Savour Elgin trail is a route through Elgin County that visits some of the best restaurants, farms, wineries, and other culinary attractions that focus on food and drink that’s local and unique to Elgin County and St. Thomas. For full trail information visit www.savourelgin.ca.

Kate Burns is the business development coordinator at the County of Elgin.

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October, 2011

Dining & Entertainment THE PLAY’S THE THING

by Ric Wellwood

A brief shining Isn’t it loverly moment

‘My Fair Lady’ at the Shaw Festival

Geraint Wyn Davies as King Arthur in ‘Camelot,’ now playing at the Stratford Shakespeare Festival.

(Photo by David Hou)

Ever since Des McAnuff became the artistic director at the Stratford Shakespeare Festival, the musical Davies’ unforgettable portrayal of productions have blossomed into un- Arthur, from boy to man, with rockforgettable experiences. I admit I still steady support from Brent Carver as miss the Gilbert and Sullivan pro- both Merlin and Pellinore. Born in ductions, but modern musicals have London, Ontario and trained in done exceedingly well at Stratford in Western Canada, Kaylee Harwood recent years. Part of it is the directing has gone back in time to become of Gary Griffin who has given us Queen Guenevere. She was a little marvelous shows like ‘West Side quiet at the opening, but I chalk that Story’ and ‘Evita.’ He has returned to up to nerves at her entrance on one create a production of ‘Camelot’ that of the world’s most famous stages. As is warm, accessible and remarkably Lancelot, Jonathan Winsby makes a strong debut at Stratford and, in a good.

However, the original script has wonderful turn of fate, he is on stage been altered. When it opened years with his father Sandy, whose work I have enjoyed at the ago in Toronto, the warm, Stratford and Shaw musical ran four hours accessible and Festivals for years. plus. Trimmed terrifiremarkably The show opens cally before the Broadgood with a few surprises way opening, it made Robert Goulet an international star and showcases the talents of one of and forced people to take a second the great repertory companies of the look at Richard Burton. As for Julie world. When you can put headliners Andrews…well! Anyway, two of the like Monique Lund, Dan Chameroy, songs from Broadway were clipped Lucy Peacock and Bruce Dow in supfrom the show, as was an errant porting roles, it’s impossible to fail. sheepdog. What remains runs about In short, I loved this show. Tickets three hours, but your bottom will not may become hard to get, but keep trying. You won’t be sorry. It runs be sore.

The heart of it is Geraint Wynn- until October 30.

October, 2011

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Occasionally, when reviewing theatre, I take pleasure in pointing out that a Londoner is in the cast and doing a good job. You can imagine my delight to find two of them in the Shaw Festival’s production of the hit musical ‘My Fair Lady.’ Both Deborah Hay and Mark Uhre came up through the system in the Forest City and both have gone to success in the arts.

Mark Uhre manages to bring down the house as Freddie, a rich and almost useless young man from a good family who falls for a remade Liza Doolittle. His tenor voice is clear and his performing is gifted and sincere.

The Liza he loves, Deborah Hay, has chalked up another triumph of the Festival stage. She has made her own distinct mark on a role previously identified with Julie Andrews on stage and Audrey Hepburn on film. Her transformation floats on the music and lyrics of Lerner and Loewe and it carries the audience to pleasant places.

Eliza is transformed by a rather distant Henry Higgins, played by Benedict Campbell, a Festival regular. Patrick Galligan gives an energetic Colonel Pickering, another person dealing in the science of dialect.

Down among the lower classes we see an incorrigible Alfred Doolittle,

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Benedict Campbell and Deborah Hay star in ‘My Fair Lady’ at the Shaw Festival.

(Photo by David Cooper)

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wonderful comic sense

“

‘Camelot’ at Stratford remarkably good

created by Neil Barclay who has a wonderful comic sense and is in one of the biggest roles he has played in seasons.

Designer Judith Bowden’s costumes shy away from Ascot Black and White into a rainbow of colours, particularly the lovely gowns.

In all, director Molly Smith has given the Shaw Festival another hit show. Runs until October 31.

Ric Wellwood is communications advisor for the Catfish Creek Conservation Authority.

23

Homestyle DECORATING

Since you spend over a third of your life in bed, you want to make sure you get a good night’s rest. So how do your mattress and box springs help you achieve that?

When it comes to buying a sleep set, you get what you pay for. If the price is ‘right,’ you are probably buying a box of air. This means it probably has about 10 percent material (foam, steel, padding, etc.) and about 90 percent air.

Walk into a bedding store and pick up the corners of a mattress. Some are heavy and some are light. Now look at the price tags. There is no surprise. Weight is directly proportional as to how well it is made. Weight on the mattress is also proportional to how long it will hold up. Buy according to the amount of weight you are expecting the mattress to hold and maintain for the life of the set.

When buying a new mattress unit, lie down on it in the store. Roll around. Make sure the pillow you are lying on supports your sleeping style.

Do you prefer a firm or plush support? A pocket coil, continuous coil or foam mattress? Flip, no-flip, pillow or Euro-top? A mattress that is too hard will cause you to lose circulation in parts of your body and your sleep will be broken due to your turning to alleviate this. Spend quality time on the one or two that feels right. Always buy a mattress and box spring as a set. Separate units can cause problems and may not be covered by a warranty. Box springs absorb up to 50 percent of the impact, prolonging the life of your mattress.

Avoid box foundations. Unlike box springs, these plain wooden platforms covered with fabric have no springs. They are usually meant to make a cheap mattress feel firmer and can actually cause the mattress to break down more quickly.

Most manufacturers offer a tenyear warranty, but some only have a three to five year plan. It’s pretty obvious if the company cannot stand behind it longer than three or five years, they don’t intend for it to hold up long.

Always purchase a mattress protector. This doesn’t have to be a padded style if the mattress is a cushioned pad, but use it to protect the mattress from stains. Should a warranty ever need to be claimed, it is immediately void if there are any stains on the 24

A good night’s sleep Make sure your mattress gives you the comfort and support you require

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by Renée Carpenter

the famous Marshall pocket coil began in St. Thomas

mattress.

Next is your support system. If the frame holding the unit is not adequate, there is no mattress in the world that will eventually not sag in the middle. It is basic physics.

Deluxe bedframes and super Marshall support systems are available to help properly support and suspend

E L G I N

the weight.

Be wary of ‘mattress comfort’ guarantees. Do you really want a mattress that someone may have used for several weeks?! Major bedding manufacturers do not allow retailers to return mattresses just because they don’t feel good. Any retailer offering you the chance to return a mattress after you’ve given it a test run is almost certainly putting returns back into inventory and selling them as new.

Here’s a bit of local trivia! Over 110 years ago, James Marshall received a patent for a unique invention – the world’s first individual pocketed spring mattress – right here

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M O N T H

in St. Thomas. Yes, the infamous Marshall pocket coil that is now enjoyed in mattresses worldwide began in St. Thomas. Marshall Mattress continues to manufacture superior bedding units in Toronto, and are available at Jennings Furniture & Design in St. Thomas.

Renée Carpenter is the owner of Jennings Furniture and Design in St. Thomas.

October, 2011

Homestyle EDUCATION

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break the work into small chunks

encouraging him or her to try to get ahead by starting on an assignment that is due in the future. At first, it may be hard for your child to get in the habit of doing extra work, but after realizing the benefits of advanced preparation – such as more free time or improved grades – he or she may be inspired to want to do more. These positive emotions will empower your child to go that extra mile more than being told, "Do this …" or, "Don't forget that …"

Seek outside help when needed The older your child becomes, the more advanced, and often times the more difficult, homework assignments will become. So if you find your mind going blank when your child asks you for help with his or her homework, it may be time to look for additional support. There

Developing good homework habits

are many options that can provide your child with the assistance that is right for him or her. Let your child's teacher know that your child is having some trouble; then find out if the school has study groups for students.

Talk with other parents and ask if their children are seeing a tutor or are enrolled in an after-school enrichment program. If you feel your child will benefit from outside help, don't be shy about seeking it out as soon as possible.

Homework can contribute to a large portion of your child's school grade. Therefore, it is essential to your child's performance that homework be treated as an important priority. These simple tips can help your child progress from passing to excelling.

KEITH HUNT

CONSTRUCTION LTD.

PROJECT MANAGEMENT ~ COST CONSULTING

Help your children manage their ever-increasing school assignments (NC) Students are being assigned more and more homework each year.

While some teachers choose to hand out assignments at the end of class, others choose to utilize calendars with specific due dates outlined over an extended period of time. Whatever your child's situation, ultimately you want him or her to develop a consistent and independent homework routine so that they are well prepared throughout their academic career.

So how can you help your child manage his or her ever-expanding pile of homework? Here are some tips: Prioritize and schedule Having enough time to complete homework is crucial to your child's success. The most common reason October, 2011

for poor grades is rushed work due to poor time management. Set aside time with your child each month to identify any assignments, such as book reports, essays or group projects, that will require extra time and thought. For each important deadline, allot time that will be dedicated to working on it so that your child isn't frantically trying to finish a large project at the last minute. Breaking the work up into small chunks will raise the quality of your child's assignment, increase his or her confidence for the next big project and hone prioritization skills that can be applied to all aspects of life – at any age.

Stay ahead when possible If your child completes his or her homework a little early one night, try E L G I N

T H I S

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The ecoENERGY Retrofit program can help you invest in energy-efficient upgrades. Owners of most houses, including four-season recreational properties and low-rise multi-unit residential buildings (MURBS of three storeys or less with at least 50 percent residential space), can register to be eligible.

The maximum federal grant is $5000 for applications since April 2007. If you participated before April 1, 2011, and have not received the maximum amount for your current property, you can submit one more application for additional improvements after June 6, 2011. Owners of MURBS could receive up to $1,000,000.

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E L G I N

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Insulation: which includes ceiling insulation, exterior wall insulation, exposed floor insulation, basement and crawl space insulation.

Air Sealing: perform air sealing and improve the air tightness of your home.

www.renovationwarehouse.ca T H I S

M O N T H

October, 2011

Your Insulation and Renovation Experts

Save NOW with a home retrofit grant and Save later on your energy bills Windows, Doors and Skylights: Replace with Energy Star Rated qualified models.

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To ensure grant eligibility, homeowners are responsible for registering, researching the program criteria, choosing eligible products, keeping receipts (for up to 3 years) and keeping deadlines. New construction is not eligible.

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Steps to apply for the grant: 1. Registration: Register with Natural Resources Canada (NRCan) and receive a registration number. If you do not have internet access, you can call 1-800-OCanada (1-800-622-6232).

2. Pre-retrofit evaluation: Hire a local service organization licensed by NRCan. They will send a certified energy advisor to perform a pre-retrofit energy evaluation from the attic to the foundation.

3. Retrofit with receipts: Choose, purchase and install eligible products and keep your receipts for 3 years.

4. Post retrofit evaluation: Complete your renovations and obtain a post-retrofit evaluation no later than March 31, 2012. You must show all your receipts to your energy advisor during the final evaluation to verify that you purchased and installed eligible upgrades after June 6, 2011, and after a pre-retrofit evaluation.

Most homeowners receive a grant cheque from the Government of Canada within 90 days after their post-retrofit evaluation.

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October, 2011

E L G I N

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M O N T H

27

LIFESTYLE TIME ON MY HANDS

Who’s that knocking?

Facing the big questions without enough evidence

by Duncan Watterworth

NEW

If the God/Heaven theory proves correct, it would be wonderful

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519-633-1640 28

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“Do you believe in a Supreme Being?” That uninvited and rather personal question followed a knock on my front door recently. Last fall it was Jehovah’s Witnesses. This time it was the Mormons. There are a lot of competing worldviews out there – around the world, back through history, and lined up at my doorstep.

I tossed the question back to these ‘Elders’ – why do they believe that their version of God, Heaven, etc. exists? I heard their arguments. I was not convinced. Coincidentally, I had recently picked up a Book Of Mormon in a used book store (I am an eclectic reader), so I asked them about their church’s founding story – the golden plates with mysterious writing buried in upstate New York in 400 A.D., how the plates were dug up in 1823 by Joseph Smith, and the symbols translated into English with the help of an angel. I was even less convinced.

So do I believe in a Supreme Being, Heaven, etc. of the Mormon sort, or similar? I told them: No. I have seen no persuasive evidence, so I don’t think they exist. As near as I can tell, humanity, as of 2011 A.D., does not have the answers to life’s biggest questions – where did we come from? Is there an afterlife? I wish we knew the answers. I long for the answers. If better evidence comes along, I would love to see it. If the God/Heaven theory proves correct, it would be wonderful.

At the present time, many people try to bridge the gap between the evidence, and their picture of God/Heaven, with ‘faith’ and ‘belief.’ I just don’t get that. If you don’t already know for sure that something exists, what does it mean to simply decide that it does? If it doesn’t exist, a belief won’t create it.

No doubt, a real belief must be a great comfort, and will banish that pesky existential angst. For the troubled and suffering, the relief that belief would

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provide must be nearly irresistible. But I can’t believe something is true just because it would be nice if it was.

So I must walk a tougher road. I live with the big questions unanswered, without belief in a safety net.

The Mormons had one more card to play, even if their evidence for Heaven was shaky. Wouldn’t I be smarter, they argued, to grasp at any “sliver of a chance” that Heaven existed, rather than have no chance at all of eternal bliss?

Interesting, but to me this play-the-odds approach to religion had a whiff of Las Vegas to it.

There is a bigger problem with the Mormons’ suggestion. Surely an allknowing God would catch on pretty quick that I was just feigning belief in Him, in a calculated attempt to score the big prize. I’m sure I would be tossed out of the casino.

Anyhow, I won’t be playing that game. I will just live my life, try to be a good neighbour, and follow pretty much the same ethical rules as most people around here.

In a world awash with conflicting visions of reality, many uncontaminated by evidence, I suggest we all, as much as possible, just live and let live. It seems to me that duct tape comedian Red Green sees it right: “We are all Duncan in this together.”

Watterworth is And if it turns out that there is a recently a retiree loving and understanding God, I and emptynester have a hunch He just might find a in St.Thomas. little corner in His House for a sincere skeptic like me.

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October, 2011

Donuts as peace offerings

When a child gets hurt, it’s amazing what mothers will do

by Elizabeth VanHooren

“Mom you are carrying the wrong boy!”

I turned to look at my eldest son waiting impatiently on the chair as I set out to carry his younger brother to the car. Any other day I may have just kept walking – too busy to fully appreciate his feelings of abandonment. But he was sitting there like a

bird with a broken wing, his blue eyes forlorn.

Being three is tough, especially with a broken leg. One minute he was riding a Red Radio Flyer wagon with his cousins – and the next he was in the Emergency Room having his leg set in a cast.

Looking back on the whole incident he shed few tears. He happily went with the x-ray technician to have “pictures taken of his leg.” I was the one who paced outside the room imagining him in there all alone in the dark. I waited for him to call out for me. Instead, he emerged laugh-

ing, showing off the stickers the technician had given him for being a good patient.

I was the one who needed to sit down when the doctor delivered the news that the leg was definitely broken. And I think my son may have held my hand more than I held his as the cast was set.

I was the one who stopped on the way home from the hospital and got him his favourite chocolate donuts, a peace offering for being a bad mother and not believing that a leg that isn’t bruised or swollen really can be broken.

Those first few days he basked in

LIFESTYLES THAT’S LIFE my attention. I gingerly placed him on the couch and propped his injured leg up on pillows. I let him watch cartoons and let him eat his supper on the couch. How could he eat at the table with his poor casted leg daggling from the chair?

In short, I babied him.

One day home alone with Dad and he was scooting and crawling around the floor after the toys that I would have handed to him. He could even put his own shoes on and, by the time I got home, he was outside driving his battery-operated tractor around the yard. His right foot wasn’t broken and could reach the gas pedal just fine.

So I shouldn’t have been surprised when – juggling each son on a hip and heading out to the car – my sly three year-old said, “See mom I told you. You can carry both of your boys.” I think he may even have winked at me.

Elizabeth VanHooren is general manager of the Kettle Creek Conservation Authority.

RelaxEnjoy and

519-633-7888 1244 Talbot Str. St.Thomas October, 2011

Hours: Monday - Friday 9am-5:30pm Saturday 9am-4pm Sunday Closed

www.countrypoolsandspa.com E L G I N

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LIFESTYLES TECHNOLOGY

In the air tonight

by Peter Atkinson

You’ve probably seen the ads on TV, proclaiming the end of over-the-air analog television transmissions. This has affected the last few stalwarts who were using an antenna to watch free over-the-air signals with no Rogers or Bell bill. Indeed, that TV signal has ended in most of Canada.

The reasons for this change make a lot of sense.

Around 90 percent of us receive TV through cable or satellite dishes, and other patterns are emerging; 50 percent of Canadians watch videos on their computer and, although just 9 percent of us said they watched video on their phone in 2010, that’s almost double the 5 percent in 2009.

Plus the government will receive some $4-6 billion when the bandwidth is auctioned off. But what will it be used for? Some say the bandwidth could be used to provide wireless rural Internet access, as a dedicated frequency for emergency services or for faster cell phone service. Some think it could be used to communicate with sensors embedded in our roadways to detect road conditions.

Or others think it could also be used for something

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The end of analog TV signals doesn’t necessarily mean the end of free TV

your old bunny ear antennas won’t work

we haven’t even thought of.

There’s still free-ish TV online. You can watch your favourite shows on TV network websites, with most, if not all of their line up available for free download. If you love settling into the couch at 8pm on a Thursday you can still do that. But online, you can watch shows at 10am on Friday, 2pm on Tuesday, or any other time that suits your schedule. The shows are usually available shortly after their airtime, so if you don’t mind waiting to join in conversations about what was on last night,

online TV might be for you.

Of course, this isn’t completely free. You’re still paying for Internet access and these shows take up a lot of bandwidth that can increase your monthly Internet bill.

But there still is a way to get (almost) free TV. While standard broadcasting signals came to an end last month, TV is still being broadcast over the air. But what has stopped is the analog signal; now it’s digital. And to top it off, it’s broadcasting in High Definition!

So watching free over-the-air TV hasn’t gotten any harder, although your old bunny ear antennas won’t work. The TV ads were right; you’ll need a digital tuner now, but if you’ve purchased a TV in the past 10 years, you probably already have one built-in. The other piece of equipment you’ll need is a new, higher-powered antenna; an HDTV antenna, costing anywhere from $20-$100, (or around 2 months of that cable bill you won’t be paying anymore).

The change from analog to digital hasn’t happened everywhere yet; some rural areas were excluded and the CBC won a deadline extension, but about 80 percent of Canadians now have access to these signals. Visit TVFool.com or try a Google search for ‘Over The Air Television Stations In Canada’ to get more information about what’s going on where you live and exactly how to get it.

Peter Atkinson is E-Services Consultant at the St. Thomas Public Library.

Lori Baldwin-Sands Leadership Le eaeaadde dererrshiipip an aand nd ex eexperience xpe xp pereririieen ence n foffor o El Elg giinn-M M iiddddllesex-Lo x ondon Elgin-Middlesex-London 689 Talbot St. St.Thomas 519-631-1857 loribaldwinsands@gmail.com loribaldwinsa ands@gmail.com |

@lbaldwinsands @ @lbaldw |

loribaldwin-sands.ca

Authorized by the CFO of the Lori Baldwin-Sands Campaign

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October, 2011

LIFESTYLES OVERCOMING CHALLENGES

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Literacy affects many aspects of our lives

Success despite reading challenges

other adult Canadians that struggle with reading, writing and math to take the next step and make a change in their life.

For Paul Rosen and Lesra Martin, building better Literacy affects many aspects of our lives, including income levels, employment opportunities, reading skills changed the quality of their lives health, confidence and civic engagement. Approx(NC) Learning to read can be difficult, especially an adult can go unnoticed by many of us that take imately nine million adult Canadians face literacy if you're an adult who has spent more than a literacy for granted. But for Lesra Martin, a lawyer challenges, prohibiting them from living a fully endecade in the spotlight trying to keep your literacy based in Kamloops, British Columbia, it is all but gaged life. challenge a secret. For Paul Rosen, paralympic familiar.

“Improving my reading has given me so much gold medalist and goalie for Team Canada's sledge “Growing up, I didn't realize I couldn't read or confidence,” says Paul. “If I can do it, anyone can hockey team, this was reality. write properly,” he says. “I read to my younger sib- do it. Just take a chance, give yourself the opporIt wasn't until Paul was in his mid-40s that he ac- lings all the time, but it wasn't until I was 15 that tunity to do it and believe you can do it.” knowledged his trouble with reading and told him- I realized I wasn't reading at all. What I was doing Paul was nervous when he first met with his tutor, self he needed to do something about it. was scanning the page of a book to identify words having bad memories from high school when he “My ultimate turning point was back in 2005 I could recognize, and then I would create an elab- was laughed at for reading aloud. But once he rewhen I was asked to give out two awards at the On- orate story around the words that I could identify.” alized his tutor was supportive, he gained confitario games,” he explains. “I couldn't read the At the age of 15, generous strangers offered him dence, and now has a love for reading. teleprompter and I had to memorize a script. I was the opportunity to leave Brooklyn, N.Y. for Canadians that want to take the next step and embarrassed. I realized then that I had a serious Canada to get an education. Lesra accepted, and improve their literacy skills can do so through the problem.” within two years of working with a tutor he went Five years later, at age 50 and through much en- from less than a grade two reading level to a grade LEARN initiative. By looking in the Yellow Pages under the word 'Learn' or visiting LookUndercouragement from his daughters, Paul finally be- 13 level. lieved in himself enough to do something about Lesra continued to law school and eventually be- Learn.ca, adults can find a free local literacy prohis literacy skills. He found help through Grade came a lawyer, working on the case of legendary gram anywhere in Canada.

“To me, the key to my wonderful promising life, Learning, an Ontario-based education and training boxer Rubin 'Hurricane' Carter, who was wrongto my beautiful marriage, to my lovely children, organization. Through hard work, dedication and fully convicted of murder. support from his family, he went from a grade six Lesra and Paul are two of ABC Life Literacy even the key to the home that I own, the car that reading level to a university reading level in just one Canada's life literacy ambassadors. As adults who I drive and the office door that I open – all of this year. learned to read at later stages in life, they joined the is a result of how my reading skills have improved The challenge of building better reading skills as national not-for-profit organization to encourage and changed the quality of my life,” says Lesra.

Guided Balance Wellness Hypnosis

· Achieve the results you envision · Assists in making positive changes in life. · Has the potential to help relieve symptoms of some disease and conditions.

Meditation Classes · Learn essential information about meditation and energy work. · Also offered as private classes, if preferred · Enhance Clairvoyance

Sacred Bliss Massage

$99 for 210 minutes (3 sessions @ 70 minutes)

Christine Noble 519-633-7380 Reiki Master/Teacher Chrissie@guidedbalance.ca Certified Master Hypnotist Massage/Wellness Practitioner October, 2011

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Healthy Living EVERYDAY HEALTH

Supplementing your diet can optimize health and protect you from many diseases

press the inflammatory process and have been shown to be helpful in the treatment of arthritis and other conditions where inflammation plays a key role.

There is very convincing evidence that supplementing your diet with specific levels of vitamins and minerals can slow the biological processes of aging, decrease the risk of developing many degenerative conditions, increase immune system function and preserve brain function as we age. Although a healthy diet may guard against vitamin and mineral deficiency problems, we are beginning to realize that to truly optimize health and to protect against certain forms of cancer and degenerative diseases supplementation with specific amounts of vitamins and minerals appears to be necessary. In this month’s article we will discuss the broad categories of supplementation including antioxidant supplementation, B-Vitamins, calcium and joint support supplementation.

Antioxidant supplementation Antioxidant vitamins like Vitamin C, Vitamin E, Vitamin A and other antioxidants such as beta-carotene, selenium, lycopene, lutein and bioflavanoids are important agents to help protect our genetic material from cancerous mutations that are created by free radical damage.

By neutralizing free radicals these antioxidants also help to protect the brain cells from damage as well as protecting cholesterol in our bloodstream from the free radical damage that leads to artery disease contributing to heart attacks and stroke. Antioxidant supplementation has also been shown to boost immune system function and may help to reduce the risk of developing cataracts.

virtually everyone can benefit from basic essential supplements

Are you getting enough vitamins and minerals?

Essential fatty acids There are two families of essential fatty acids: linoleic acid also known as omega-6 and alpha linolenic also known as omega-3 fatty acids. The importance of the essential fatty acids is in their relationship to the formation of certain tissue hormones called prostaglandins (PG). The function of prostaglandins is virtually endless

WHAT IS HOMEOPATHY? A 200 year old system of medicine that uses minute, diluted doses of natural substances to help the body heal itself. Safe for everyone – no side effects, addresses the cause vs. the symptom.

Helps with acute and chronic issues: • Babies – colic, teething, ear infections, pregnancy/labour • Children – ADD/Autism, asthma, coughs, ear infections • Adults – allergies, anxiety, arthritis, depression, digestion, headaches, pre/post surgery, …and many, many more!

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Call for Appointment (226) 777-5710

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by Dr. Greg Johnston, B.H.K., B.Ed., D.C.

www.southporthomeopathy.ca E L G I N

and includes control of local tissue effects such as inflammation, platelet aggregation, response to other hormones, tumor growth, neurotransmitter response and in general the homeostatic response to various stimuli and stressors that the tissues encounter. Supplementing with a good source of essential fatty acids such as fish oil and flaxseed oil helps to control inflammation, improve circulation and is essential in brain cell development and function. Essential fatty acids may also have a role to play in protecting against certain cancers.

B-Vitamins Supplementing with a full complement of B-Vitamins can boost energy production and combat the effects of stress. Recent studies also indicate that B-Vitamin supplementation reduces the risk of heart disease. Increased B-Vitamin status is also associated with better brain function as they are important cofactors in the synthesis of brain chemicals required for memory, concentration and general cognitive function. B-Vitamins also help sup-

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Calcium Most adults fail to get the sufficient levels of calcium in their diet necessary to maximize bone mineral density to help reduce the risk of osteoporosis later in life. Calcium also plays a key role in helping to maintain normal blood pressure, and may also play a role in protecting against colon cancer.

Glucosamine sulfate Glucosamine sulfate is a supplement that is now widely accepted to have a significant positive effect on osteoarthritis. Several studies have shown that supplementation with glucosamine sulfate helps to reduce pain and increase function in individuals with osteoarthritis. It helps to reduce pain and other negative symptoms but more importantly it has been shown to slow and in some cases halt further joint damage.

This is merely a short list of some of the basic essential supplements that virtually everyone can and should be benefiting from. A healthy diet is vital but may not provide the level of certain nutrients needed to truly optimize health and protect against many of the disease states that are so prevalent in society. Vitamin and mineral supplementation can be a very confusing topic so it is strongly advised that individuals seek out a qualified health professional to develop the best supplement regimen for them.

Next month we will be interviewing one such person. Dr. Christine Slonetsky is a doctor of naturopathic medicine. She will be providing us with some valuable suggestions for boosting our immune system function for the upcoming cold and flu season.

Dr. Greg Johnston is a chiropractor and partner in Family Health Options Treatment and Resources Centre in St. Thomas.

October, 2011

Healthy Living PERSONAL HEALTH

Health at Work 4 All! launches a revised healthy workplace program

by Janet Baker

On October 27, Elgin St. Thomas Public Health and Middlesex London Health Unit will co-host a morning workshop to launch our newly revised healthy workplace programs. The programs are sporting a completely new look, including the name – Health at Work 4 All! To stimulate thinking and ideas, a comprehensive healthy workplace is being compared to a musical performance. The colourful new graphics depict this metaphor and remind us that everyone has a part to play in creating a harmonious workplace. When everyone works together, the result is a winning performance! In business, this means increased profits, decreased expenses, a safe and supportive workplace and creative, healthy employees. Through the Health at Work 4 All! program at Elgin St. Thomas Public Health, we offer resources, networking opportunities and consultations to help you harmonize work and health in your workplace.

The World Health Organization’s comprehensive healthy workplace model

9th Annual

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Create a harmonious workplace

consists of four components that are called avenues of influence: the physical work environment, personal health resources, the psychosocial work environment and enterprise community involvement.

1. The physical work environment addresses occupational health and safety issues such as ergonomics, fire safety and indoor air quality.

2. Personal health resources refer to individual health behaviors such as being physically active, eating healthy and smoking cessation. It also examines the initiatives the organization incorporates to support employees’ health behaviors. A few of the many ways that workplaces can support the health of their workers include gym memberships, onsite gym, flu shots at work, smoking cessation programs and policies regarding healthy eating at meetings.

3. The psychosocial work environment includes flexible work hours (where possible), a supportive boss and policies for work-family-life balance.

4. The fourth and newest avenue of influence is enterprise community involvement, which includes creating a green workplace, supporting employee volunteer opportunities and giving back to the local community.

A workplace with a culture that includes and addresses all four avenues will be on its way to being a healthy, high performing workplace. Dr. Dee Edington PhD, Director of the University of Michigan Health Management Research Centre explains, “Unless we integrate a culture of health into the way we do business, we will lose our competitive advantage and our highly valued way of life.”

At the Health at Work 4 All! launch and workshop on October 27, two dynamic speakers are being featured. The first speaker is Mary Ann Bayton from the Great West Life Centre for Mental Health in the Workplace. Mary Ann will explain the importance and benefits of having a psychologically safe workplace and how to use the tools that will help your organization be a psychologically safe workplace. The second speaker is Ellen Curitti, a Public Health Nutritionist from the Waterloo Regional Public Health Department.

Her presentation explores changing personal health behaviors and is entitled: Change, What’s Holding You Back?

The workshop is being held Thursday October 27, 2011 from 8:15am to 12:30 pm at the Best Western Stoneridge Inn and Conference Centre with breakfast service starting at 7:30am. Registration is $50.

For more information contact Janet Baker at 519-631-3159 or jbaker@elginhealth.on.ca. To register for the workshop, call 519-663-5317 ext. 2254.

everyone has a part to play in creating a healthy workplace

Janet Baker is a Health Promoter for Elgin St. Thomas Public Health and coordinates workplace wellness activities.

ELGIN AUDIOLOGY OPEN HOUSE Thurs. Oct. 13, - 12:30pm-5pm, Fri. Oct. 14, 9:30pm-4pm • Free Hearing Aid Cleaning Clinic • Free Hearing Screening Tests • Free Hearing Aid Demonstration

(New adult patients only)

DOOR PRIZES

Come in & Enter To Win

“Try new state of the art hearing aids” For hearing tests and demonstrations, call & book your appointment today. Space is limited.

“Hear you’re a part of the family” • Hearing testing • Hearing Aids • Total Care Package David Pfingstgraef & Joanne Parsons & Associates - Reg. Audiologists

Refreshments Drop-Ins Available Welcome October, 2011

Manufacturer Displays

66 West Ave., St. Thomas 519-637-5925

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Healthy Living SELF DEVELOPMENT

Getting in touch with your internal GPS Use your intuition to gain greater focus on what you want to accomplish

by Sharon Lechner

I love my GPS. When my husband and I are driving to someplace new, I use it for directions but he prefers to MapQuest everything. Neither system is perfect, as we discovered when we tried to get to a particular destination last weekend.

One of the streets included with our MapQuest driving directions didn’t exist.

Similarly, when it is time for a change in our lives, each of us has an internal GPS that starts the process of change. It is called intuition. But unlike the electronic version, this one never fails.

Intuition is another way to describe our inner voice. It speaks to us through our thoughts and feelings, but can also manifest itself physically. Per-

haps you’ve been working at the same job for awhile and begin to feel tired more frequently, or develop headaches or stomach problems. Your inner voice is trying to tell you something.

Intuition is best tapped into through silence.

Meditation has many benefits that more and more people are coming to know either on their own or with a guide. Many people practise it at the start of their day to gain greater focus on what they want to accomplish. I have found it a very useful practice when deciding what my focus should be.

It can be very difficult to listen to your intuition with all the noise going on in our lives. Today more than ever our minds are inundated with electronic stimulation from mobile phones, iPods, tablets and social media. How can we listen to our inner voice with so much outside interference?

Why not have a Stimulus Free Sunday? Picture what one day a week would be like if you didn’t watch the news, you stayed away from Facebook

or you didn’t constantly check your emails (which I don’t recommend on any day of the week). If you find this hard to do once a week, try it once a month.

Intuition is only useful if we learn to listen to it.

It will never lead you in the wrong direction and is therefore the perfect GPS. Once we start paying attention, we will start to realize what it takes to lead an authentic life, one that is based on what truly brings us joy. It will tell us to listen to our hearts not just our heads.

In his book ‘Unconditional Success,’ Nick Williams writes that over 70 percent of business leaders polled have claimed to make major decisions based on intuition.

The great thing about intuition is that everyone has it. It is not something that is only available to us once, it is something that is available to us always. If you take intuition on as a regular partner, it will enable you to be empowered in everything you do, whether choosing your life partner, deciding where to live or making a career change.

Make sure the loudest voice you hear is your own.

Sharon Lechner is a certified master life coach and owner of Reach for the Stars Empowerment in St. Thomas.

Shop At Briwood Farm Market and Support Local Farmers

Come and see our our large selection of Fall Decorating Items!

Most of our produce is from inside a 100 mile radius

Think of Briwood for your special Thanksgiving Dinner

• Homemade Homemade • Baked Goods Goods • • Baked • Groceries Groceries • • Meat Meat • • • 519-633-9691 1030 Talbot Street, St. Thomas Open Monday to Saturday 8am - 8pm • Sunday 8am - 6pm 34

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October, 2011

35th Anniversary Open House Wednesday, October 5, 2011 To celebrate our birthday, we are inviting the community to join us for refreshments and the opportunity to take a guided tour of our offices and two production facilities. You can meet the staff, and observe Steelway Building Systems in action.

Open House with Guided Tours - 2:30 - 7:00 pm Springwater Facility - 7825 Springwater Road, Aylmer, Ontario Aylmer Facility - 60 Progress Drive, Aylmer, Ontario Please note that long pants and closed toe shoes are required www.steelway.com

October, 2011

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The Mayfair Feature Home

The Kensington Feature Home

1220 sq.ft.

1350 sq.ft.

The Mayfair model home is located at 64 Peach Tree Blvd., in our latest subdivision, Orchard Park. This 1220 sq. ft., 2 bedroom bungalow home offers a master bedroom with ensuite and a walk in closet. This home also features a separate eat-in kithcen, spacious great room and covered front porch. All Doug Tarry homes are built to Energy Star specifications and are Solar-Ready.

The Kensington model home is located at 66 Peach Tree Blvd., in Orchard Park. This 1350 sq. ft., 3 bedroom home offers 2 car garage, open concept living including a kitchen with enlarged dining area, and a spacious great room. It is within walking distance of the new Mitchell Hepburn Public School and Applewood Park.

Was $228,625

NOW $226,224

NOW $218,625

Was $236,224

Visit us online for Models, Prices and Maps at www.dougtarryhomes.com

Natalie Arsenau at 519-637-0035 Advertised offers are subject to change without notice. See Sales Representative for details. E. & O. E. “The ENERGY STAR® is administered and promoted in Canada by Natural resources Canada. All Doug Tarry homes are ENERGY STAR® qualified and SOLAR Ready® as standard. HIGH PERFORMANCE HOMES® contains a complete portfolio of options designed to maximize the performance of your new home. See our Sales Representatives for complete details

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October, 2011