44,16 by Spotlight Magazine

THIS ISSUES

CONTENTS Cover Photo is

Danny Glover Photo Credit Joan Bateman

5 Law How to make your Divorce proceedings take forever. Columnist Scott Stenbeck

6 FINANCE Good Reason to Trust Testamentary Trusts BMO consultant - Dan Hein,

The Fashion Files

Gainsboro Spotlight

11 Brent Dunstan The Drip Manifesto Columnist 13 MLA Getting it right â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Wildrose fights for Albertans

Drew Barnes

14 Golf

Golf Simplified getting into the Scoring Zone

Columnist Donald Crawley.

16 EDITORIAL Lessons From Detroit Scott Cowan 19 EDITORIAL Spotlight on Danny Glover Scott Cowan

EDITOR

SCOTT COWAN (403) 504-7092 ART DIRECTOR

JOAN BATEMAN joan@gainsboro.ca GRAPHICS DIRECTOR

HEATHER COONS

scott-cowan@live.com ADDRESS

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How to make your Divorce Proceedings take forever. that it is in the best interests of the children, that there is a holiday planned, that they have been denied contact, those are “the merits”.

Scott Stenbeck

1(866)783 6232 Law Columnist

I can remember a number of years ago being part of a meeting of family law lawyers with Madame Justice Hughes in Lethbridge. She talked about how a divorce, even a contentious one, should not last longer than a year. I have always tried to keep that as a goal. But unfortunately, it’s a goal that’s not always met. Sometimes I hear horror stories from people that come to see me. I’m their second or third lawyer. They explain how their divorce has stretched on three, four, five years or more, with no end in sight. I have had a couple of my cases go on longer than I would like. I don’t know about anyone else, but I have no desire to have a divorce matter last any longer than necessary. Sometimes I will hear people express the sentiment that lawyers will “drag a case out,” to make more money. First off such behavior is grossly unethical, and something that should never occur. Even if that wasn’t the case, I have never found there to be a shortage of divorce cases to handle. I have never had the need to make work for myself. And in fact, I usually find myself trying to pull a client the other way. Asking them to be very critical about what issues they feel they must litigate, and what they could possibly let go in order to save time and money. I’m sure most other divorce lawyers are the same.

In order to actually get cases done and completed, we usually need to deal with process first. At the various steps in the process, then we deal with the merits. For example, document disclosure will be provided by a certain date. Questioning of each party gets set, we determine what chambers applications or hearing dates are needed, and so forth. Probably one of my biggest frustrations in family law is it is often so difficult to have discussions about, or set down process without constantly get mired up in the merits. Often as a lawyer I need to tell a client that we will deal with the exact concerns. But first we need to look at overall where we are headed, and how we are going to get to resolution. Rather than just go from court date, to court date, with no direction. That is how someone has a divorce with twenty court appearances, tens of thousands spent, and no end in sight. Related to the first reason, is the decision as to what issues to bring, how and when. Ideally, everything would wait for a trial. But that just usually isn’t possible in family law. That would mean that trial dates would be

obtained, often several months down the road. In the meantime, the lawyers would get everything ready for that trial with no court appearances beforehand. Often cases settle along the way. However, in divorce law, we can’t wait until a trial to figure out where the children are going to live in the meantime. Who is going to pay the mortgage on the home. What child support is going to be, and so forth. If those issues can’t be agreed on pending trial, they require interim applications. The process of bringing interim applications slows things down three to six months, and thousands of dollars. Very often I end up in situations with a client where we have to balance the desire to get to trial quickly, with the desire to handle some issues pending the trial. Which by their nature, slow down how fast we will get to trial. One of the ways a case can get into multiple years in length is by always going back on interim applications for various issues. Rather than identifying the one or two biggest issues to handle, and leaving the rest for trial. The final way that lots of cases get delayed is waiting for financial disclosure or other material from clients. This is probably one of the single greatest reasons and the easiest and Continued From Page 17

So why do some divorces last as long as they do? I think there are three reasons. The first is an inability to look at the overall process. As a lawyer, I explain a case is about the “process”, and about “merits”. For example, if I have a client that needs to increase their access to their children. Whether that is done by way of an attempted settlement meeting with the other side, by way of a special chambers application, or by way of a trial, is “the process”. The arguments as to why my client should get more access, ie

BMO Nesbitt Burns

Good Reasons to Trust Testamentary Trusts The cold winter winds of 2016 have ushered in new laws that govern taxation of testamentary trusts under the federal Income Tax Act (“ITA”). While there are aspects to the new rules which may negatively impact taxpayers, testamentary trusts nevertheless remain important and effective estate planning tools. A Chilling Effect Perhaps the most talked about new law affecting testamentary trusts is the imposition of a flat (top) rate of tax on testamentary trusts. All testamentary trusts (those which come into existence as a result of death), whether they are created by Will or by way of a beneficiary designation under a Life Insurance Policy, will be taxed, after December 31, 2015, like inter-vivos trusts (those created during one’s lifetime), at the highest tax rate. There are two exceptions to the new rule. One exception is the Qualified Disability Trust (“QDT”). A testamentary trust created for an individual who qualifies for the Disabilities Tax Credit under the ITA may be designated jointly by the trustee and the beneficiary as a QDT, annually, if so eligible. The QDT designation will allow the trust to be taxed at marginal tax rates, so long as the beneficiary is eligible for the Disability Tax Credit. The second exception to the new rule is the Graduated Rate Estate (“GRE”). Where an executor has not completed the distribution of estate assets to the beneficiaries under the Will, and where the Will permits the discretionary holding of assets for up to 36 months by the executor, the executor may designate the estate as a GRE, and while undistributed, the estate can benefit from the marginal tax rates, but not for longer than 36 months from date of death. Income generated in the undistributed estate beyond 36 months after date of death will be taxed at the high rate.

Some Benefits of Testamentary Trusts Protecting Assets

Where a survivor spouse remarries or becomes vulnerable to undue influence, the assets held in the testamentary spousal trust are safe because the trustee maintains legal control and management of the trust capital. Where an adult child is a spendthrift, vulnerable, or easily influenced, the assets are protected, since only the Trustee has access to the trust capital and income. Similar protection of assets is available to a great extent, depending on circumstances and on the language used in drafting the trust in the Will, upon marital or relationship breakup of an adult child beneficiary.

Minimizing Beneficiaries’ Income Tax and Probate Tax Although testamentary trusts are now taxed at the high rate (subject to the two exceptions discussed), some income splitting can still be achieved – between the beneficiary and the trust (who is a separate taxpayer), where the beneficiary is subject to a lower marginal rate of tax.

incentive provisions in the terms of trust allow you to encourage your loved ones – your beneficiaries – to adopt the lifestyle, and, to uphold the values, which you wish to leave as your legacy, particularly with respect to education, work ethic, and philanthropic aspirations.

Taking Advantage of Testamentary Trusts in 2016 and Beyond Despite the new adverse tax rules affecting testamentary trusts, these ownership structures which are created at death remain useful estate planning vehicles, not to be thrown out with the bath water. Explore the opportunities testamentary trusts offer in your overall estate plan with your Investment Advisor, Tax and Estate planning professionals.

Lets Connect:

Where the trust owns qualifying small business shares, the available lifetime capital gains exemption can potentially be multiplied by the number of beneficiaries upon disposition of those shares by the trust. Upon the death of a beneficiary of a testamentary trust, the assets held in the trust would not fall to the estate of the deceased beneficiary, and therefore, the deceased beneficiary’s estate would not be liable for probate tax on those assets.

Guiding and Controlling the Distribution The terms of the trust govern how much, when, under what circumstances and to whom (where there are discretionary beneficiaries) income and/or capital of the trust are to be distributed. Providing

Dan Hein, BRE Investment Advisor BMO Nesbitt Burns Inc. 606 2nd St SE Medicine Hat, AB T1A 0C9

403-528-6771 Dan.Hein@nbpcd.com www.danhein.ca

BMO Wealth Management is the brand name for a business group consisting of Bank of Montreal and certain of its affiliates, including BMO Nesbitt Burns Inc., in providing wealth management products and services. “BMO (M-bar Roundel symbol)” is a registered trade-mark of Bank of Montreal, used under licence. “Nesbitt Burns” is a registered trade-mark of BMO Nesbitt Burns Inc. BMO Nesbitt Burns Inc. is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Bank of Montreal. If you are already a client of BMO Nesbitt Burns, please contact your Investment Advisor for more information. The comments included in this publication are not intended to be a definitive analysis of tax applicability or trust and estate law. The comments contained herein are general in nature and professional advice regarding an individual’s particular tax position should be obtained in respect of any person’s specific circumstances.

BMO Nesbitt Burns is a Member-Canadian Investor Protection Fund and Member of the Investment Industry Regulatory Organization of Canada

Photo credit Joan Bateman

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Photo credit Joan Bateman

The Drip Manifesto This drip must begin by respecting the original flora of this land. Native grasses and plants were good enough for centuries, and a return to them will free us from out-of-control home care chain stores. We can bolster this, and reset our landscapes, by fully implementing a strategy to do almost nothing.

Brent Dunstan Columnist

"A Call For a Canada Based On Not Caring For Your Lawn Or Any Other" We start from the premise that Canada is facing the deepest, greenest crisis in recent memory. The Canadian Tire Catalogue has provided a shocking example of Canada’s obsession with lawn care. Wasting water and resources on well kept lawns is a blight on the country’s present. And Canada’s record of weed killer & fertilizer use is a crime against humanity’s future.

Moved by the winds that spread seeds of plants that have grown “for as long as the sun has shined, the grass has grown, and the rivers have flowed,” we want landscaping that will last for time immemorial, never run out, or poison the land. Technological breakthroughs have brought this dream within reach. The latest research shows it is feasible for Canada to be 100% lawn free within two decades; by 2050 we could have every square metre paved and painted green. We demand that this drip begin now. There is no longer an excuse for building new infrastructure projects to water unnecessary lawns. The new iron law of yard care must be: if you can't have it in your backyard, then it

doesn’t belong in anyone’s backyard. The time to seed, water, fertilize, mow, and pull or kill weeds, to produce a pristine lawn is over. The time for yard equality has come: we believe not just in changes to lawn expectations, but that wherever possible communities should collectively impose yard care avoidance. As an alternative to the profit-generating, large home & garden chains that sell the full range of lawn care products, we can have economically unsustainable, locally run hardware stores, paying minimum wage and selling almost nothing. This approach will not merely free thousands of people from the oppressive yoke of employment, but eliminate the burden for those same people to do yard work in their newly acquired spare time. A drip to a non-lawn environment creates countless openings for similar multiple “wins.” The unemployed lawn care professionals and aforementioned store workers will receive job training and opportunities in new fields. We want training and other resources for workers in lawn-intensive jobs, ensuring they are fully Continued on Page 18

These facts are all the more jarring because they depart so dramatically from our common values: a desire for more leisure time, saving money, and avoiding the frustration of filling the few snow free months we have with unrealistic, quasi-attainable yard care goals. Canada is not this place today— but it could be. We could live in a country with less yard work, free of annoying sprinklers and leaky hoses, woven together by arid, tundra-like landscapes, in which jobs and opportunities are designed to systematically eliminate the need for lawnmowers. Not caring for one's yard could be Canada’s fastest growing hobby. Many more people could have less chores, leaving ample time to enjoy loved ones and truly have weekends off. We know that the time for this great transition is short. Scientists have told us that this is the decade to take decisive action to prevent billions of litres of wasted water and increased weed killer use. That means small steps will get us exactly where we need to go. So we need to drip.

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Getting it right – Wildrose fights for Albertans We also proposed a motion to prevent the government from making further minimum wage increases until a full economic impact study is completed. We believe Albertans deserve to know the full impact of NDP government economic policies before implementation, particularly with regard to job losses and youth unemployment. Unfortunately, the government rejected our motion. This setback won’t stop us. Moving forward, we will continue to fight for pro-growth policies because we believe every job matters, especially during this recession.

DREW MLA BARNES Cypress - Medicine Hat cypress.medicinehat@assembly.ab.ca 403-528-2191

With the end of the spring Legislative session, it’s time to reevaluate our province’s position. In 2015, our province entered its worst recession in 30 years; tens of thousands of jobs were lost as our provincial GDP dropped four per cent, largely due to the global collapse of oil prices. While oil prices have rebounded to a certain degree, our economy is not moving towards recovery. In fact, Alberta's unemployment rate surged 7.8 per cent in May as we lost another 24,000 jobs. Moving forward, we are on pace to lose a further two per cent of GDP in 2016.

In addition to fighting for economic growth, our Official Opposition has staked our firm positions in a number of areas. We continue to lead the Legislature in standing up for fiscal responsibility, seeking to limit waste and inefficiency in government. During the spring session, we proposed 10 common sense recommendations to save Albertans $2 billion without weakening front-line services. In addition, we sought to restore Alberta’s legislated debt ceiling, which was originally approved then repealed by the NDP government in a matter of months.

Moving forward, we will continue to propose measures to reduce the size and scope of government, seek meaningful tax reform, and provide more faithful, prudent, and transparent stewardship of the public purse. Our Official Opposition also continues to lead the fight for fairness and accountability through democratic reform. In addition to our continued commitment to putting citizens interests first through free votes, our team has formally proposed an initiative to give voters the power to recall individual MLAs. While both the Notley administration and the old PC crony machine fear any change to traditional power structures, our Official Opposition caucus recognizes that Alberta is stronger when we give citizens more power. While the spring Legislative session has come to an end, our Wildrose team will not rest. We can’t. As the recession is enters its second summer, we will take our fight for pro-growth policies from the Legislature to the public. The fact is, when it comes to economic growth, there is no plan B. We have to get this right.

In such circumstances, government should take a lesson in ethics from our province’s doctors: Primum non nocere; first, do no harm. Throughout the spring Legislative session, our Official Opposition continued to oppose ideologically driven policies that can only prolong this downturn. We opposed a host of new taxes, including the NDP government Carbon Tax, which comes at a substantial cost for every single worker, employer, government organization, and charity in our province. Imposing new taxes during a recession is folly; it is terrible economic policy, and callously disregards the plight of the thousands of jobless Albertans struggling to pay bills and keep their heads above water. Furthermore, we proposed a number of measures to encourage growth. For example, we sought and won approval for a motion urging the federal government to end its proposed tanker moratorium on British Columbia’s north coast; a move that would essentially block the Northern Gateway pipeline from being built.

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Golf Simplified getting into the Scoring Zone specific, “that brown spot on the fringe”. What club would give you the trajectory and roll you envision? Maybe it’s a 9 iron? No it may roll too far, better to select a bit more loft, pitching wedge?

Donald Crawley Golf Columnist TOP 100 Teacher Director of Instruction Boulders Golf Academy 480 488 9028 Donald.crawley@theboulders.com www.theboulders.com www.golfsimplified.com

To be a good golfer you need a short game, a really good one. Look through the history of golf’s greats and they all had a deft touch on and around the green. You may never (most likely) be able to overpower a golf course with booming drives like Hogan, Nicklaus, Woods, now Bubba, Jason, and Rory. I just love that these modern icons are known by first names. Did Michael Jordan start that? Maybe some Canadian hockey player? Apologies, I digress. Anyway, the top players have great short games. Although Bubba Watson hits the ball prodigious distances, he is a great putter. Some time last year he had the longest spell of not three putting. Jordan Spieth number one in the world is a brilliant pressure putter. Sometimes looking at the hole not the ball. Amazing! The start of developing a good short game begins with the visualization of the shot. We call that imagery. Seeing the picture of the shot in your mind, and playing a little video in your head, ahead of execution is crucial. Visualize the height, trajectory, landing spot and roll of the ball, before you even think of club selection. Imagine you are twenty yards off the green. The pin is cut in the middle of a relatively flat green, with no obvious obstacles in the way. Do you ‘see’ a low shot landing on the fringe of the green releasing, and rolling on a low trajectory, up the green and into the hole? You should. Where should the ball land? Be

After you ‘see’ this shot and select your club, i it is time to ‘feel’ the shot. Watch the pro’s they do exactly as I’m describing. Looking at the landing spot, with selected club in hand, make practice swings that resemble the length and pace of the swing needed to drop the ball exactly on your spot. SEE the shot first, FEEL the swing. Note; don’t take forever doing this slowing pace of play down. You should be doing these calculations, see and feel, out of sight when your playing partner is hitting their shot. Then it is your turn, and you a ready. You’ve seen, selected, felt the shot and swing, ready to stand up and execute. Now apply this same routine and procedure for putting. While it is someone else’s turn; farthest from the hole plays first,.Do your ‘green reading’ on each and every putt. See the slope. Where is downhill? How far away are you? How fast is the green? Hopefully you spent a few minutes prior to your round to feel out the speed of the greens. Green reading means: visualizing ahead of time of the length, direction, and pace of the putt. You are guesstimating what you see and think the ball will do. In practice roll a ball ahead of time to watch what the ball does as it approaches the hole and where it finishes. After you ‘see’ the putt, ‘feel’ the length and pace of your stroke to give you the desired result. Again see and feel. Watch the pros, they do it. I think it helps to be looking at the hole, not the ground, when you take your practice swings. Your eyes are seeing the distance. Your brain determines the amount of oomph in your stroke. Brain sends messages to the muscles. Pick up a ball, rolled up piece of paper,

whatever, and toss it into the wastebasket. You will instinctively follow the routine and procedure I am spelling out. There are many different putting grips, putters, stroke styles etc. But all good putters see and feel and have a marvelous touch of distance control. Work on that more than your technique. That means you have to practice, no short cuts here. Quick ‘Tiger’ story. When he was at his best, a friend of mine worked course maintenance at the club where Tiger lived and practiced. My friend goes by Tigers house at 6am. Tiger is on the putting green outside his house, working on his stoke and putting. Worker goes and mows nine greens returns by Tigers house 11 am. “ Mr. Woods, what did you have for breakfast today?” They both shared similar diets. Tiger doesn’t look up, but replies, “I let you know, just finishing up here”. Maybe that’s why he made so many clutch putts to win 14 majors. I think somewhere as you read this Jordan, Jason, Rory, Rickie are rolling putts, or chipping and putting, seeing and feeling the shot in hand.

Lessons From Detroit By Scott Cowan Editorial

Continued on Page 22

Politicians should be paying close attention to the city of Detroit Michigan. This is an incredibly teachable moment. It shows how a city, and by extension a country, can be virtually destroyed by electing liberals. As a boy I remember my parents taking me to Detroit for the Christmas parade. Then later to Hudson’s to see Santa. This was my first introduction to liberal policy. I recall asking my parents why store elves asked whether I wanted to see the white or the black Santa. As a 4 year old, I couldn’t understand why there were two, or how he could be both. Which was the real Santa? Liberals have no problem destroying tradition, even Christmas. Detroit was still a wondrous place, the fourth largest city in the USA boasting 1.8 million people. Motown was the engineering bread basket of America. They produced 75% of WW2 hardware and all the great music. In the sixties auto manufacturers started getting out due to ever increasing union demands. But ruling liberals kept hiring public employees to keep people working, instead of encouraging private sector diversification. They built great buildings and statues compliments of the taxpayer. Today no less than 48 unions control 10,000 Detroit city, and educational employees. The city is the dominant employer. The only trouble is there’re over 18,000 retiree’s trying to collect from their under-funded pensions. The public debt has exploded to over $18,000,000,000.00 (billion). Since 1957 Detroit has been run by liberal democrats municipally, state, and federal. The meager 700,000 remaining taxpayers experience police response times of 58 minutes. The average being 11 minutes for all other US cities. Detroit enjoys the worst crime rate in the USA with only 8.7% of violent crimes ever solved. Half the street lights are out, and 80,000 blighted buildings are abandoned. A full 46% of the taxable properties are delinquent, due in large part to the 18%

unemployment rate. This is the result of liberal policy unimpaired by conservative values and restraint. Unions, a large contributing factor of this inevitable result, declined to accept cutbacks in pension benefits. They suggested the city renege on bond holders. So Detroit has filed for bankruptcy. They’re awaiting judicial decisions of doing so constitutionally. The scary part is Chicago, Santa Fe, and Oakland are just saliviting, waiting to see what happens in Michigan. They have similar debt issues and share one common problem, liberals in charge. The worst thing that can happen is if President Obama bails them out, which will hasten the inevitable crash of the USA dollar. He waffles between sending Federal funds and allowing the natural coarse of events unfold. Now it may be Clinton or Trump’s decision. Obama ran on hope and change receiving the black vote. Yet 80% of Detroit residents are black, and they should be asking, have democrats done anything to help black voters? Democrats use blacks then they suffer needlessly after every election. Detroit is the petri dish of American politics. Almost sixty years of unrestricted Liberal rule and the result, bankruptcy! Another teachable moment, ask how many of the Detroit city managers have been fired, or replaced for their disastrous decisions? None! (Sort of like the city of Medicine Hat) Except the mayor who was jailed after a lengthy and multi-million dollar investigation. Next door, the city of Grosse Point boasts some of the most expensive homes in Michigan. Driving out of Detroit on Jefferson Avenue and crossings the Detroit City limits is like passing from Mexico into Texas. Now how does this all equate for our city? I‘ve never figured out why in our area so dominant in electing conservatives, we’re saddled with municipal employees openly liberal and NDP. Plus, we see roads being fixed and fixed again, public buildings going up, millions wasted, and what happens. They’re

re-elected. When are we going to start demanding accountability in elected officials, and from public employees? If a city manager or commissioner screws up a project, they should be fired. When are we going to figure out that when it takes months to obtain development permits in our city, business migrates to other places? When will we acknowledge that our taxes go up when the city doesn’t attract new development and expand the tax base? New business brings jobs and is what breathes life into any city. I would encourage everyone to call the candidates and find out their political affiliations. Quit spouting this nonsense that municipally, political affiliations are neutral. It is more important than higher offices. Remember for every $500,000.00 our city spends, taxes increase by 1%. If you don’t own, the landlord will be raising your rent to offset his increased expenses, so everyone pays. An alderman reported our crown jewel of a public utility is in danger of bankruptcy. It has been estimated the utility might be valued around 350 million dollars. Except before this mayor and council took over, its estimated value was in the eight hundred and fifty million dollar range. So a good question might be... what happened to the five hundred and fifty million dollars of equity, and who is responsible for the loss? Just like in Detroit I wonder if any public figures here will be punished. For the last three years the utility has been unable to pay the 25 million dollar dividend to the city used to offset taxes. The Mayor and council have robbed from other accounts to cover the shortfall, so your taxes remained neutral. But this creative accounting can’t continue, so get ready for huge increases. They’re blaming the low oil prices. Don’t let any of them tell you, “It’s a bad economy.” It’s bad public management period. It’s liberal

How to make your Divorce proceedings take forever. Continued From Page

cheapest for a client to just fix themselves. It is not unusual in questionings for there to be several undertakings, basically “homework,” for a client to compile, that has to be supplied or disclosed. While these kinds of things can seem tedious and irritating to a person in the middle of a divorce case, they are necessary so a case can advance. Also, it is very difficult to handle concerns on interim applications where someone has not supplied disclosure

or other material thats required. Many times on a Thursday morning, I will hear one party complain about not receiving ordered access. Only to have the other lawyer reply that the complaining party is slowing the case down by not supplying their financial disclosure. If I could recommend just one thing that any person could do to save legal costs and time in their divorce case it would be this. If your lawyer tells you they need

certain material or paperwork, drop everything and get it in as soon as possible. It has to be done anyway, so make sure you aren’t the reason things aren’t moving ahead.

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The Drip Manifesto Continued From Page 11

able to take part in the lawn-free economy. This transition should involve the participation of the workers themselves. Native plants, cement, or pavement can replace lawns, free of the need for irrigation, as well as the chemical fertilizers and weed killers that endanger and divide us. And because this drip is beginning, we no longer need to invest in our decaying public irrigation infrastructure, as what we are proposing renders it irrelevant. Moving to a far more localized and ecologically-based non-lawn system would reduce reliance on fossil fuels, capture carbon in the newly exposed dirt, and absorb sudden shocks in the water supply – as well as produce more free time for everyone. Shifting to landscaping more in balance with the earth’s limits also means expanding the sectors of our economy that are already low lawn: paving, bricklaying, gravel hauling, sand art, and cactus farming. Following Nunavut’s lead, a desert-like tundra model is long past due. All this work is the glue that builds lawn free communities – and we will need communities to be as strong as possible in the face of the dry, rocky future we will be locked in. Since so much of the labour of lawn care is

currently unnecessary, we call for a vigorous debate about the introduction of an immediate moratorium on lawn watering. This could help ensure that no one is forced to do work that threatens their afternoon naps, just to keep their lawn green, trimmed, and weed free. We declare that "lawn care” – which has systematically forced massive water consumption, while encouraging the use of artificial chemical fertilizers, toxic herbicides and pesticides, and reckless energy use by lawnmowers – is a fossilized form of thinking that has become a threat to life on earth. How we can pay for all of this? The money we need to pay for this great transformation is available — we just need the right policies to release it. Like an end to fossil fuel burning lawnmowers. Increased taxes on the wealthy, as they have big yards. Higher taxes on the stores that sell home & garden products, and chemical companies manufacturing fertilizers and herbicides. A progressive tax on elitist golf courses by number of holes. All of these are based on a simple “lawn keeper pays” principle and hold enormous promise. One thing is clear: the need for a green, cut, weed free lawn is a manufactured crisis,

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designed to oblige us to profit-gouging corporations, and force us to perpetually buy unnecessary equipment and marginally effective products. This crushes our dreams of the "perfect" yard. Those dreams go well beyond this document. We call for town hall meetings across the country where residents can gather to democratically define what a genuine drip to being lawn free means in their communities. This is a great deal to take on all at once, but such are the times in which we live. They have given us a rare moment to look at what our yards have become – and decide to change. And so we call on all those seeking political office to seize this opportunity and embrace the urgent need for lawn and landscape transformation. This is our sacred duty to those in our country for whom yard care has inconvenienced in the past, to those suffering needlessly in the present, and to all who have a right to a bright and leisurely future. Now is not the time for a leap of boldness. Now is the time to drip.

SpotLight On Danny Glover

By Scott Cowan Editorial

He has said: I didn't think it was a difficult transition. Acting is a platform that can become a conveyer for ideas. Art is a way of understanding, of confronting issues and confronting your own feelingsâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;all within that realm of the capacity it represents. It may have been a leap of faith for me, given not only my learning disability (dyslexia) but also the fact that I felt awkward. I felt all the things that someone that's 6'3" or 6'4" feels and with my own diminished expectations of who I could be and would feel. Whether it's art, acting or theater that I've devoted myself to I put more passion and more energy into it every time. His first theater involvement was with Conservatory Theater, a regional training program in San Francisco. Glover also trained with Jean Shelton at the Shelton Actors Lab in San Francisco. Glover credited Jean Shelton

for much of his development as an actor. Deciding that he wanted to be an actor, Glover resigned from his city administration job and soon began his career as a stage actor. Glover then moved to Los Angeles for more opportunities in acting. Glover has had a variety of film, stage, and television roles, and is best known for playing Los Angeles police Sergeant Roger Murtaugh in the Lethal Weapon series of action films, starring alongside Mel Gibson and Gary Busey . Later he once again starred with Busey in the blockbuster Predator 11. He also starred as the husband to Whoopie Goldberg's character Celie in the celebrated literary adaptation The Color Purple, and as Lieutenant James McFee in the film Witness. Glover has been a voice actor in many children's movies. On January 30, 2015 Glover was the Keynote Speaker and 2015 Honoree for the MLK Celebration Series at the Rhode Island School of Design (Providence, RI).

Spotlight Magazine was pleased to meet Mr. Glover at the Calgary Comic and Entertainment Expo. He asked me to extend his warm greetings to Calgary, and all his Canadian fans. He said he loves Canada! Danny Glover was born in San Francisco California the son of Carrie (Hunley) and James Glover. His parents, Postal workers, were active in the (NAACP), working to advance equal rights. Glover attended George Washington high school in San Francisco. He attended San Francisco University (SFSU) in the late1960s but did not graduate. SFSU later awarded him an honorary degree. Glover trained at the Black Actors' Workshop of the American conservatory theatre. Glover at the 2005 Cannes Film Festival Glover originally worked in city administration working on community development before transitioning to theater.

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Lessons From Detroit

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management. Government thinks they know how to run a business. A few years back they could have sold the utility for a billion dollars, and simply collected interest greater than any profits they have collected over the years while in the risky, oil and gas crap shoot. Almost every business to survive has had to tighten the belt in this economy. When the city has a short fall they go to your wallet. Now city governments are trying to legislate taxing powers. With Trudeau in Ottawa, and Notley in Edmonton, who knows what we will be soon paying. Neither are interested in The Keystone Project. Liberals are loath to bring forward actual employment legislation that would create thousands of high paying jobs. But Liberals are about social engineering not pipeline engineering. Trudeau is busy trying to figure out how he can import more refugees who will become obedient liberal voters. To hell with the taxpayer who flips the bill for transportation, housing , schooling, healthcare, and welfare. A limited number of these refugees are employable. They will remain on social assistance in definitely. But Trudeau is passing laws making it illegal to disagree with anything Muslim. You will be charged with hate crimes and do jail time. Add a few thousand to the welfare rolls of cities across Canada and it accomplishes to things. The off loading of federal dependency to the province and cities, and liberal election victories. I have a special affinity for Detroit, having lived there in my college days. The late mayor Coleman Young, was constantly being investigated by the FBI. He was too smart and almost “Clintonlike,” in his ability to duck prosecution. It was a joke among business men in Detroit regarding bribes and graft. From low level managers and inspectors, all the way to the Mayor’s office. It was a shadow contest to see what business could negotiate the cheapest payoffs. When I was in college the influx of Arabic people was problematic. They settled in the city of Dearborn. Today it is an un-official Sharia state. A no go zone for anyone other than Muslim peoples.

Detroit is an example for all cities to study. Constant leftist agenda results in business moving out, property values decrease, taxes run delinquent, services are suspended, more liberals get elected to fix things. It gets progressively worse until the left runs to the Feds claiming that “business has failed,” and capitalism is to blame. Our city is headed in the same direction. Look at our expenditures of late. Remember the controversy over the Esplanade Theatre? It was supposed to cost fifteen million dollars. It went over fifty million and still is not completed as originally put forward. Now it runs an annual multi-million dollar deficit. The left blindly says, “but art should not make a profit.” Code for taxpayers to obediently pay and shut-up. I could talk about oil fields, sewers, and the airport. Multi-million dollar screw-ups each. But lets fast forward to the new arena. The public was split on the construction. The old argument of ...the city has to keep up with the times and be attractive to new comers, business and personal, prevailed. The city had a group of notable business people who said it could be built for thirty-eight million. They even had private business who wanted to construct the new arena. Zero cost to the taxpayers. Leftist city ideology finally approved about sixtyeight million for the project. I’m sure they have now spent over one hundred million. Original costs did not include things like seats, or a score board, hence the increases. Not enough parking exists and we can only imagine the annual deficits taxpayers will be burdened with in coming years. I spoke to engineers shaking their head over the way the new berm was constructed in the Flats. My source said he’ll be surprised if it withstands the first flood waters. But it might hold for a while, and when it fails, enough time will have lapsed that no one will be around to take the blame, except the tax payer. Does anyone catch the trend I am pointing toward? Government now dictates and controls the people instead of being beholden to taxpayers. The left is infecting

every project, office, and expenditure. Unless people take back their freedom and get rid of non-producing, failing politicians, every city in Canada will look like Detroit. I am NOT SUGGESTING we have a graft problem in Medicine Hat politics. I’m saying the leftist ideology has infected the decisions put forward. I am saying ...politicians have a fear of not placating the unions in town. They covet their eventual electoral outcomes. The city has hundreds of union workers, they vote largely as a block. Unions demand wages greater than the private sector, benefits and pensions, and almost never allow firing of members. When did the City last issue layoff notices? Private companies are forced to do so, but not a union city worker. We start by holding our city council to account, then the MLA’s, and the MP in our area. Obama won the Presidency preaching hope and change. Come this November, I just hope something changes. For Detroit’s sake and ourselves.

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