Thunder Bay Business April 2012 Part 2

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THUNDER BAY BUSINESS APRIL 2012

Removing the Untrustworthy Trustee ©2012 Brian Babcock The Trustee Dilemma includes how to select a Trustee (discussed in a previous article). The next question is what happens if the Trustee does a poor job, no job, or, if there is more than one Trustee, if the

Legal Matters Trustees simply cannot get along.

Unfortunately, this problem happens often enough that judges have developed a set of rules to follow in deciding whether to remove and replace an Estate Trustee.

Like much law in Ontario, the rules combine law made by the legislature (statutes) and interpretation made by judges in prior cases. The application of these rules to particular facts can be tricky, so if you find yourself with this problem, it is best to talk to a lawyer with experience in this area, but here is what you should know going in: · Under the Trustee Act, a Superior Court may remove an Estate Trustee and may appoint another person or persons instead. · The governing principle is the welfare of the beneficiaries. · The Court is reluctant to interfere with decision made by the person who wrote the will. · Not every mistake or neglect of duty will result in removal. · Removal will not be ordered to

punish past misconduct. · Only in rare circumstances will the Courts intervene to remove a Trustee. · Misconduct is not required simply a situation where proper administration of the estate has become impossible or improbable. · A demand to step down must be made before applying to the Court.

A Court may remove the Estate Trustee for: · Endangering estate property · Lack of honesty · Lack of mental capacity · Lack of ability or expertise, and a refusal to seek help · Lack of “fidelity” – this might be a conflict of interest; favouring certain beneficiaries over others; hostility and distrust either between Trustees or between

the Trustee and beneficiaries.

This can be a costly process, so selecting the right Trustee remains the toughest decision many people need to make in their will. Experienced lawyers can provide advice on how to select the best person that suits your family’s needs and how your family can protect itself if bad things happen later.

Weilers has a 65 year track record providing advice and representation to people making wills, Trustees administering wills, and people inheriting under wills. We have lawyers skilled at drafting wills and in going to court when necessary. We welcome visitors with questions to our Saturday morning “Wills Clinic”.

Joint Delegation Preparing Next Steps for Ring of Fire

BY SCOTT A. SUMNER

Thunder Bay BUSINESS The Joint Delegation from the City of Thunder Bay and Fort William First Nation is preparing a comprehensive Community Readiness Strategy to take full advantage of the unprecedented opportunities related to Northwestern Ontario’s Mineral Basin – The Ring of Fire.

The Joint Delegation met with nine Provincial Ministers, including the Honourable Michael Gravelle and Thunder Bay-Atikokan MPP Bill Mauro, this week at the Ontario Good Roads Association Conference in Toronto. The Ring of Fire and Thunder Bay’s emerging economic development opportunities were frequently discussed, particularly with the Ministers of Energy, Transportation & Infrastructure, Natural Resources, and Northern Development & Mines.

“The meetings with Provincial Ministers at the Ontario Good Roads Association Conference were very productive and positive – the ball is definitely in our court now,” said Mayor Keith Hobbs. “We put forward a strong case to the Province to

develop a fully integrated plan that will capitalize on the enormous mining opportunities in this region, and now it’s up to us to be ready.”

The key message heard by the Joint Delegation was to mobilize quickly and be ready. “We strongly advocated that Northwestern Ontario should benefit overall from the Ring of Fire and other mining opportunities such as processing,” Mayor Hobbs said.

The Joint Delegation focused on strategic infrastructure investment, energy supply and pricing, stable and sustainable electrical supply to Northern First Nation Communities and workforce development opportunities.

Councillor Joe Virdiramo (Chair of the Inter-Governmental Liaison Committee) indicated he is proud of the work that went into those meetings and of how successful the meetings were. “Now we need to move quickly to put plans in place to take advantage of the huge opportunities coming our way,” Virdiramo said. “The Province is very supportive of working with Thunder Bay as the major business centre closest to

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Top: Councillors Joe Virdiramo (Chair of the Inter-Governmental Liaison Committee), Aldo Ruberto, Brian McKinnon, City Manager Tim Commisso Below : John Mason of CEDC the Ring of Fire.” project. We need to move quickly to take advantage of the opportunities that will be The City of Thunder Bay will move quick- there. Our group made excellent presentaly to create the Community Readiness tions of our cases to the ministers present.

Strategy by working closely with the They seemed to be very interested in our Community Economic Development Commission, the Thunder Bay Chamber of Commerce, Ambassadors Northwest, Fort William First Nation, Nishnawbe Aski Nation, Lakehead University, Confederation College and other key community stakeholder organizations.

The Joint Delegation was comprised of Mayor Keith Hobbs; Ed Collins, Economic Development Officer for Fort William First Nation; Thunder Bay City Councillors Joe Virdiramo (Chair of the InterGovernmental Liaison Committee), Ken Boshcoff, Aldo Ruberto, Brian McKinnon, Iain Angus, City Manager Tim Commisso and Laury Alexander, the Mayor’s Policy Assistant. Some Councillors also attended as Northwestern Ontario Municipal Association and District of Thunder Bay Social Services Administration Board members.

www.enl-tbay.com “Our meeting focused on the Ring of Fire

messages.We know there will be hundreds, if not thousands of jobs and we need the foundation in place to handle everything.

There are housing and social isues that have to addressed as well.” said Joe Virdiramo. “ The goverment is quite excited about the Ring of Fire as the number one economic opportunity in Ontario.” “ This is a huge opportunity for the government of Ontario to work with the private sector and municipalities. The Ring of Fire will have energy requirements of 550 mega watts over and above any kind of ferrachrome process. Human resources for the construction of the mines will be 4600 and 3700 in the operation jobs. Induced indirect jobs are at the ration of 5 to 1 of these direct jobs. Currently there are 2550 jobs in the NW mines now .” said John Mason of the CEDC.

THUNDER BAY BUSINESS APRIL 2012

Publisher’s Note Scott Sumner Rico Minnella was born in Italy and came to Canada in 1968 at the age of 18 years old. His brother was here before him.

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Rico Minnella: 40 Years of Hairstyling in Thunder Bay work, since the middle 70’s. It has now been 40 years as a barber in Thunder Bay, starting March 1972.”

Rico is still smiling everyday while doing his work so many years later. “ I like to talk

such thing as a barber anymore, according to Rico- it is a men's hair stylist. Through the years Rico has cut the hair of women and men. “ You get to know the people as they tell you their problems but mostly good things.

I get to see the people progress in their life’s and you become more than a hairstylist.” smiles Rico.

Rico is going to take 2 weeks off in April and visit relatives in Italy with his wife but will never retire. “ Are you kidding, what am I gong to do at home? I am gong to work until I am dead! Eventually I would like to work maybe 4 days a week instead of 5. I still like to do what I am doing and am pretty sure I will still be here cutting hair in another 10 years.” said Rico.

Rico is happy to have co-worker Gianna who has been with Hollywood Hairstyling for 20 years. They each have their own base of clients.

“ I started out in Toronto, moved to Woodstock and then to Thunder Bay in 1972. In Italy I had started as a barber apprentice when I was 12 years old. Each day after school I would learn to cut hair. In Italy you only would go to school until 1 pm each day,” smiles Rico who always wanted to be a barber and doesn’t think he can do anything else.

Rico and his cousin, Tony first started Hollywood Hairstyling at Thunder Bay Mall. There were two Tony’s so Rico whose real name is Tony became known as Rico! “ I have two brothers who are barbers, one in Thunder Bay and another still lives in Italy. Originally I was partners in Hollywood Hairstyling with my cousin Tony, who left to open a hairdressing school so my brother took over the partnership,” notes Rico. “ We have been in Victoriaville with our second location, where I now

“ I think Thunder Bay is a really good city.

I enjoy it here. There is lots of opportunity in Thunder Bay and it has been good for me. We raised two children and now have 2 grand children. I helped send my kids to to people and I enjoy what I am doing. We have some customers from 3 or 4 generations now including grand parent, father, son and grandson. The majority of my customers have been with me from day 1.” states Rico.

school. My son is a chiropractor and my daughter is a teacher.” notes Rico.

It is nice to see someone who enjoys his or her work and contribute to the economy of Thunder Bay!

Prosperous Future

“Working with business for a sustainable and prosperous future.”

Rico was the first person in Thunder Bay and NW Ontario to win a big competition in men’s hairstyling in Winnipeg. There is no

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John Rafferty, MP. Thunder Bay - Rainy River New Democrat Critic for Forestry

www.johnrafferty.ndp.ca

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THUNDER BAY BUSINESS APRIL 2012

Premier Dalton McGuinty Visits Thunder Bay

BY SCOTT A. SUMNER

Thunder Bay BUSINESS Premier Dalton McGuinty recently visited Thunder Bay visiting the Thunder Bay Regional Research Institute. He answered several questions from local media.

Opening Statement “ I am pleased to be back in Thunder Bay and to see the progress we have made together with the hospital, the medical school, the law school and this research institute, all different ways that give confidence in the future. This is an important foundation for future economic growth in addition to our resource industry. This research institute has created 100 plus jobs here.”

What is the future of the Northern Ontario Heritage Fund? “ We need to put in place a strong plan to eliminate the deficit. We will put in place a thoughtful responsible plan.

Our record with the Northern Ontario Heritage Fund is going from $60 to $100 million dollars protecting or creating over 17,000 jobs here in the north. We remain strong champions of the fund. For specifics I will leave that to the budget but I believe northerners have every reason to be optimistic for the future of this fund.”

What will you do about the Doctor shortage in the North? “ We have taken some major steps forward with health teams in place in this part of the province where there were none before. Nurse Practioner clinics are now seeing 35,000 patients as well as we have the the Northern Ontario School of Medicine. The fact of the matter is

we have made some real progress but there is always work to be done.”

What is happening with the drug Oxy Contin?

Will your government support a new Thunder Bay Events Centre?

“ We are listening to experts on this matter. Oxy Contin has proven to be very challenging. We have a plan to make another drug available and want to make sure we get it right. Withdrawal can very difficult.”

“ We have not received a formal proposal from the city yet. If we receive such a proposal we will give that careful consideration. I can say even in difficult economic times we will remain in place an active infrastructure investment of billions of dollars. If the city is serious about the proposal they should send us a proposal.”

Will there be changes in funding for Ontario teachers ? “ I couldn’t be more proud of what we have achieved with the international stature as an education system. Out test

scores and graduation rates are up. We can’t provide the same funding growth as in the past. I would encourage Ontario teachers to work with us.”

What can we expect with the new Ontario budget? “ The Drummond commission is to provide us with advice and we will respond with our budget. Our commitment to Northern Ontario is strong. Our investment in highways and Bombardier for example is all about confidence in the future.”

NOSM’s Class of 2012 Matches 100% to Residency Programs (CaRMS).

Third Time NOSM’s Entire Graduating Class Matches to Residency Programs on First Attempt On March 6, 2012, the Northern Ontario School of Medicine (NOSM) received notice that all undergraduate medical students in the 2012 graduating class successfully matched to Canadian residency programs on their first attempt. This is the third time that NOSM is the only Canadian medical school in more than ten years to have all students matched in the first round of matches of the Canadian Residency Matching Service

“What an exciting time for our fourthyear MD students! Not only have the Northern Ontario School of Medicine’s medical students obtained entry into their first-choice residency programs, but they have also showed how highly regarded NOSM medical students are across the country. I congratulate each student in the graduating class of 2012 on this notable success,” said Dr. Strasser, Dean of NOSM. In the final year of medical school, each student must apply for residency training

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to become a fully-trained physician.

Postgraduate residency programs are offered at all Canadian medical schools in various disciplines (for example, family medicine, anesthesia, dermatology, orthopedic surgery, etcetera) ranging in duration from two to five years, or more.

Acceptance to a residency program involves students applying to medical school in a discipline of their choice.

Students are then invited to participate in an interview with the school. After the interview process, both the student and the program they have applied to rank each other for preference through CaRMS. CaRMS then matches students, based on rankings, to postgraduate residency programs across Canada.

“Once again, NOSM’s medical students have proven that the training and preparation received through NOSM’s model of distributed, community-engaged medical education is developing physicians who are sought after by medical programs across the country. Across Northern Ontario, physicians, faculty and staff at the Northern Ontario School of

Medicine should be proud of their contributions to this success,” said Dr. Lisa Graves, Associate Dean, Undergraduate Medical Education at NOSM. Seventeen MD students from NOSM’s undergraduate program have chosen to continue to train in residency programs offered in Northern Ontario. Specialties to which students matched include: family medicine, psychiatry, anesthesia, dermatology, orthopedic surgery, general surgery, radiation oncology, internal medicine, obstetrics and gynecology.

The Northern Ontario School of Medicine is committed to the education of high quality physicians and health professionals, and to international recognition as a leader in distributed, learningcentred, community-engaged education and research.

THUNDER BAY BUSINESS APRIL 2012

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WEQUEDONG LODGE OPENS ITS DOORS TO FIRST CLIENTS

By Sherry Aalto Wequedong Lodge, in its new location, at 435 Balmoral Avenue, opened it doors today, Wednesday, March 21 2012, welcoming its first clients. Executive Director, Charles Morris, (since March, 1999),along with the Board of Directors, share in the realization of their long time commitment for the new boarding home facility that provides accommodations and support services to members of Northwestern Ontario First Nation communities for accessing health care services in Thunder Bay. Wequedong Lodge became incorporated in January 1984, commenced lodging operations in 1985 and caters to medical service clients from isolated fly-in communities, predominately from the Sioux Look Out Zone. Geographically speaking, over half of the area of Ontario does not have serviceable roads. Wequedong Lodge has been around for twenty-six or twenty-seven years now as a small, non-profit corporation, which abides by 'for-profit' business ethical practices that financially sustains the corporation. The corporation is "A" political, which means that the corporation does not belong to any Aboriginal entity or political organization. The executive director and the board of directors, has managed to succeed in this endeavour by exercising their individual administrative assemblance strategies and expertise in order to maintain the financial viability of the corporation.

The strategic planning for the new building commenced back in 2001, that's when they, (the board), developed their initial five year strategic plan which was subsequently renewed in 2006. Both plans identified two priorities. The first priority was to have a single, stand alone building that provided adequate occupancy. The second priority to follow on the heels once the first priority was achieved, was to introduce program diversification. For the past fifteen years, the lodge has solely dealt with only medical service clientele but now, is preparing to expand into other realms of service. Readily identified was clients with 'in-stage' illnesses, which include cancer, renal failure and other debilitating illnesses.

Following the renewal of Wequedong Lodge’s Strategic Plan in 2006, a Feasibility Study was subsequently conducted in 2007 to determine if the corporation could embark upon a single building project. The findings were conclusive for the corporation to proceed. A Project Manager was hired in January 2009 to begin the search for capital funding for the building. By the end of the 2010 calendar year the corporation was able to secure four million dollars in seed money to begin the project that was estimated to cost eight and half million dollars. The building design contract was awarded to Habib Architects in the fall of 2010. Correspondingly, Gord Wickham of Wickham and Associates was also hired to oversee the project on behalf

of Wequedong Lodge. Construction for the project was awarded to Finnway General Contractor in January 2011 and construction commenced in March of 2011.The bridge for financing the remainder of the funds (4.3 million dollars) needed to complete the project was secured through the Credit Union Consortium of Ontario, which is an amalgamation of credit unions. The corporation will maintain its mini, 30 bed hostel at 750 MacDonell Street, as leased through MGM Electric. The administration offices will remain located at R.R. #4, 100 Anemki Drive, Suite 104, Thunder Bay Ontario.

if desired in the future. There are 46 front line employees, 10 housekeeping staff, 8 cooks, full time, on site maintenance manager, on site security and residential care worker for transporting and translation. The mandate is to provide accommodations, including meals, translation, transportation (in-town) and also referral services for return travel, consisting of 3 referral clerks that work on the data base system, plus produce a stats report and contribution agreement report. The average stay for a client is three days, but for some clients, who are 'instage', their transition period is three months, at which time other forms of

okieinc@tbaytel.net

The new lodge, which is totally self contained and handi-cap accessible, accommodates clientele occupancy of 110 beds (52 bedrooms) and is rated as a 'hotel facility', which makes the lodge attractive for resale

accommodations must be made for them in town and assistance with life skills and living in the city, which is a very short learning curve.

Continued on Page 6

Best Wishes To Wequedong Lodge

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THUNDER BAY BUSINESS APRIL 2012

Local Company Grows Despite Forestry Downturn: KBM Resources Inc Continued from Page 7

funding and making sure people know how to proceed on to the next step stage.

“ Right now the firm is doing a business analysis for many projects for municipalities who want to take their resources to the next level by finding investors and determining the value of the wood supply they have available. If they need assistance with government navigation though Federal and Provincial requirements and technical analysis in general we can help. The aerial photography helps immensely in terms of community planning and environmental protection. We analyze the forest cover and tree cover in municipalities as well as undertake parks and natural resource plans to provide detailed wood supply by species.

All of these projects are on the go as we speak. The planes will fly all summer as soon as the leaves are on the tees.” said Ken Boshcoff , who is a government navigation specialist to help people through the intricacies of governmental permitting, understanding legislation, government

Stephane Audet, Partner with KBM, age 34, attended Lakehead University and has a Forestry Degree starting with KBM right after school. “ This company started as operation services to the MNR in scarification. We were one of the first ones on the scene doing scarification and bought a lot of new Swedish scarification equipment to use as well as became a distributor here in Canada. We were the biggest scarification company in North America for quite a long time until 10 years ago. As we saw the decline in forestry happening we transitioned our operational side and grew our consultancy and aerial photography to other industry including wind, solar, hydro and electric as well as mining,” said Stephane. “ Many of our competitors have shrunk but our business has grown. We are now totally out of scarification but transitioned to reclamation services for mining. An example of one of the new things we do is dust sup-

pression into atmosphere for companies like NAP and Gold Corp. We are also a distributor of the product in Minnesota in the Iron Range. The product will replace black tar on the shoulder of highways and is much more ecologically friendly.

It was fun to learn about KBM Resources Inc of Thunder Bay and how they have succeeded in changing economic times.

Office Politics Sometimes Necessary TORONTO, Feb. 21 /CNW/ - Whether you're running for office or just working in one, it pays to be a good politician, a new Robert Half survey suggests. More than seven in 10 (71 per cent) of workers interviewed said involvement in office politics is at least somewhat necessary to get ahead.

The survey was developed by Robert Half International, the world's first and largest specialized staffing firm. It was conducted by an independent research firm and is based on telephone interviews with more than 293 Canadian workers 18 years of age or older and employed in an office environment.

Workers were asked, "In your opinion, what effect, if any, does involvement in office politics have on one's career?" Their responses: Very necessary to get ahead...................... 21% Somewhat necessary to get ahead.................. 50% Not very necessary to get ahead.................. 14% Not at all necessary to get ahead................ 9% Don't know/no answer............................. 6% ---100%

"There is some degree of politics at play in virtually every organisation," said Max Messmer, Chairman and CEO of Robert Half International and author of Managing Your Career For Dummies(R), 2nd Edition (John Wiley & Sons, Inc.). "The savviest professionals practice workplace diplomacy. They remain attuned to political undercurrents but don't allow themselves to get pulled into situations that could compromise their working relationships or reputation."

THUNDER BAY BUSINESS APRIL 2012

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7 steps to boost your cold calling success

by Jeff Mowatt "The problem with my salespeople is they're not cold calling enough!" That's the concern I hear most often from sales managers and business owners when I speak at conventions on how to boost sales. Yet when I examine their cold calling strategies, I generally find they're ill conceived.

While you are generating your list of calls, it's also a good idea to have a contact management system to keep track of your calls and when you'll follow-up.

2. Set a goal and script your call.

On the other hand, when you're professionally trained, cold calling is easy and tremendously profitable. Here are 7 steps to boost your cold calling success.

Be clear about what the goal is for your call; be it to set up a meeting, send literature, or whatever. Then write a script to achieve that goal. That's not to suggest that you'll recite the entire conversation, just the first few key statements. Though this may seem artificial, most successful salespeople use a script to ensure that they consistently have a strong impact. On the telephone you don't have time to make mistakes. Every word counts, so you must be prepared.

1. Create a targeted telephone list.

3. Locate the decision-maker.

Have the list of people you're going to contact within easy access so that you can make several calls without stopping. You can create your list through trade association directories, chambers of commerce and even your local library. You can also purchase lists from private companies listed under "mailing lists" in the yellow pages.

In some cases, the decision-maker is not necessarily the person who does the buying. The organization may have a separate purchasing department for that purpose. So ask the switchboard operator or the receptionist to speak with, "The person who makes the decision regarding . . ."

Decision-makers in most organizations soon grow weary of the large number of salespeople phoning them. So if you're not well trained when you cold call, I guarantee that you'll face a lot of rejection.

The best list is the referrals you obtain from current customers. Phone your satisfied clients and ask them how your product or service has been working for them.

When they rave about your excellent service, ask "I wonder if you could give me some advice? (pause) I'd like to contact other people who might also be interested in this, is there anyone who you would suggest I contact?" That's it.

The key phrase is that you are asking for their advice. People are so flattered to be asked for advice that in general, they'll go out of their way to help.

When attempting to contact the key person, avoid leaving voice mail messages the first two times you call. Unfortunately, it's relatively rare that people who have buying authority return unsolicited sales calls. If, after the third attempt, you still can't reach them, then leave a voice mail message. But make sure you've scripted a powerful message that has a compelling reason for them to return your call. That's another reason why it's important to prepare a script in advance.

"Do not ask a stranger on the telephone, "How are you, today?"

4. Introduce yourself and get to the point.

Do not ask a stranger on the telephone, "How are you, today?" They realize that you don't know them and you really don't

care how they are. So they think you're wasting their time. Don't fake familiarity.

Here's how your conversation with the decision maker might begin: "Hello, Mary.

We haven't met yet. My name is Jeff Mowatt, with JC Mowatt Seminars. I wonder if you might help me. The reason I'm calling is that I understand that you're the person who's in charge of staff training. Is that true?" Notice the phrase I wonder if you might help me. Showing humility this way appeals to the other person's desire to come to your rescue.

customer perceives a need, so you need to then shift the focus of the conversation from you to identifying their needs.

7. Accomplish your goal.

If your goal is to set up a meeting, suggest to the person, "Perhaps we can sit down together and . . . (give them a general idea of what you'll do in the meeting - usually about identifying their needs)."

Notice the phrase sit down. That implies a face to face meeting without the time consuming inconvenience associated with having a meeting.

5. Give a benefit statement.

This is a clear, simple statement that indicates what the benefit might be of them doing business with you. For example, "The reason I'm calling is to find out if we might be able to enhance your staff's ability to gain and keep customers."

At this point you've said enough. It's time for the other person to get some control.

So, follow that benefit statement with, "Do you have a moment to talk?" If they do, then go on to the next step. If they don't, then ask when would be a good time to call them back and then follow-up accordingly.

6. Share your Unique Selling Proposition.

In 2 or 3 brief sentences share the benefit of your services, what is unique about it, and one piece of evidence that this works.

This is known in selling circles as your USP or unique selling proposition. The USP is the compelling argument why people should buy from you vs. someone else.

Of course the sale only begins when the

Keep in mind that some prospects are so leery of telephone solicitors, that they have to be completely sold on the phone before they'll agree to see you in-person. So you need to know how to probe, summarize, make an emotional connection, ask for the order, and deal with objections - all the aspects of selling- before you start cold calling.

Training is the Key Cold calling doesn't have to be a demoralizing knuckle-biting activity. It can, in fact, be motivating and extremely profitable - providing you have the right training.

This article is based on the critically acclaimed book Becoming a Service Icon in 90 Minutes a Month, by customer service strategist and professional speaker Jeff Mowatt. To obtain your own copy of his book or to inquire about engaging Jeff for your team, visit www.jeffmowatt.com or call 1.800.JMowatt (566.9288).

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THUNDER BAY BUSINESS APRIL 2012

THE DUDLEY HEWITT CUP AND THE BUSINESS OF HOCKEY

By Sherry Aalto Right about now you might be thinking, 'What is a hockey article doing in a business magazine?' Well the truth of the matter is, hockey, no matter if it's amateur or professional, is as much a business as it is a sport. But let's not get this wrong!

Hockey isn't all about business. But it has to be run like one or it would not survive!

Since the beginning of its name mention, (hockey, pre -1799 Wikipedia – Naming Hockey) it has been a favourite and extremely competitive sport for a little more than two centuries. It is regarded as an aggressive man's sport, even though today, women have come to develop very competitive leagues of their own. No matter who's playing...who's winning...or who's losing...most everyone wants to see the game. They want to be part of the energy as they sit on the side lines cheering on their teams or boo-ing the opposition!

They want to be part of the big engaging conversations and debates that spill over into the work places, at the supper tables and favourite watering holes! Hockey is to Canadians what apple pie is to our neighbours just south of us. It is as much of our heritage and national pride as our national flag and we are proud of it!

Having said all that, there are people who's passion for hockey is so strong and bigger thank life, that you could almost say they move and have moved mountains. Now, to claim a mountain would be great, but equally great, is to claim a well sought after cup bearing your team's name as Champion! In this particular article, the Dudley/Hewitt Cup is the focus of our interest. The history of the Dudley Hewitt Cup is quite amazing really! The Dudley Hewitt Cup is named after George Dudley and W.A. Hewitt, two pioneers of amateur hockey in Ontario. The first Dudley Hewitt Cup was awarded in 1971 to the Detroit Jr. Red Wings of the Southern Ontario Junior 'A' Hockey League. The tournament is played in round robin format with the host team as well as representatives from the NOJHL(Northern Ontario Junior Hockey League), OJHL(Ontario Junior Hockey League) and SIJHL(Superior International Junior Hockey League). The winner of the Dudley Hewitt Cup moves on top compete for the TBC Royal Bank Cup, Hockey Canada's national Junior 'A' Championship.

The Dudley Hewitt Cup is hosted each year on a rotating basis by one of the three leagues. Hosts from the OJHL and NOJHL, go through a selection process with teams and centres bidding on the rights to host this prestigious event. The SIJHL chooses their host by giving the job to the winner of the Salonen Cup, the year after the league last hosted, giving them two years to prepare for the event.

You'll need a bit more historical information to tie all this together, so here it is.

George Dudley was born on April 19,1894 and passed on May 8, 1960. During his lifetime George was influential in promoting and working with hockey associations and was a member of the Ontario Hockey Association as well as the Canadian Amateur Hockey Association as an executive. George grew up in Midland , Ontario, his hometown and in the world of hockey.

He served as secretary of the International Ice Hockey Federation. George also helped to organize the first exhibition tours

of the Soviet National Team as well as oversaw the hockey operations of the 1960 Olympics. George Dudley was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame, based on his, over 30 years of service in developing hockey in Canada and overseas.

William Hewitt was born on May 15, 1875 and passed on September 6, 1966. Over his life time, William was a member of the Canadian Hockey Association and the Ontario Hockey Association. He and Claude Robinson organized the Canadian Amateur Hockey Association while working as a reporter in Toronto for the Toronto News. Hewitt also managed three winning Olympic teams in 1920, 1924 and 1928, as well as worked with Conn Smythe in the planning phase of developing Maple Leafs Gardens. Hewitt was named a lifetime member of the OHA and CAHA as well as trustee of the Memorial Cup. In 1921 he introduced his son to a new innovation (the radio) and the rest is history... "He shoots!...He scores!" In 1947 Hewitt was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame.

Now! One last piece of history to conclude part of this article...As you may or may not know, the 2012 Dudley Hewitt Cup Championship will be hosted by our Thunder Bay North Stars. It is known as "The Thunder Bay International Airport Authority Inc. Dudley Hewitt Cup" given that the TBIAAI is a major sponsor of this year's event. This exciting and prestigious event is proudly dedicated to the memory of Gary (Cookie) Cook. Gary Cook, a hockey legend in his own right, was the Manager of the North Stars when the Dudley was last held in Thunder Bay in 2006. He had a long and illustrious involvement with hockey, both locally and in the United States. Cookie started with the Port Arthur North Stars in the 1950’s

and continued his involvement with hockey throughout the years. He celebrated many championships, awards and achievements. After 50 years in the game, he ended his career with the Fort William North Stars winning the Dudley and going on to play in the Royal Bank Cup. It is in honour and memory of Cookie’s commitment to the development of young hockey talent in Northwestern Ontario that the slogan for this year’s tournament has been selected: "Developing Players, Creating Champions."

You can build or create anything you like, especially if you have a driving passion. In the case of hockey, passion is what built this national sport... running it like a business is what kept it from falling by the wayside. It would be sad if any passion were left to die. The men of hockey, past and present, have kept the passion alive and performing well! The other side of this business or this passion, is you! Without you, where would hockey be? You, the fans, the die-hards, the one's that help to breathe life into this exciting international sport, we all know as hockey! Over the years, it has brought family and friends together to spend countless hours in their living rooms in front of the television sets and huddling in the arenas to see all the action! They have spent many mornings, days and evenings, showing up for practice, showing up for the games! Saving, scrimping and fund raising! Yelling, screaming, jumping out of their seats and debating the plays and the calls! The manager, coaches, captains, all planning their strategies for their next game, next move, next championship. Sponsors, organizers and volunteers alike, all do it for one reason and one reason only...the passion for the game that we love so much. The Dudley Hewitt Cup is very much a part of all of this passion, . Speaking of passion, especially for hockey, it is important that you know this...Thunder Bay has a rich history of junior hockey dating back to the early 1900’s. After the fall of the mighty USHL Thunder Bay Flyers in 2000, there was a rebirth of Junior A hockey in Thunder Bay and surrounding area with the establishment of the Superior International Junior Hockey League (SIJHL) in 2001. The SIJHL originally had 5 teams, including the Thunder Bay Wolves, which in their second year was purchased by the Fort William First Nation

and a group of 7 businessmen from the Band, thus becoming the Fort William North Stars. The team eventually had a sole owner and operator from 2003 – 2010.

In October 2010 the former Fort William North Stars folded. Their assets, roster, personnel and name were transferred to a new ownership group comprised of local Thunder Bay business people. "Myself and Marvin Pelletier drew together a solid group of businessmen in town to save Junior A hockey in Thunder Bay" says team President David Dubinsky. "Without the commitment of Marvin and I and people like Kenny Perrier of Perhol Construction, Hans Mutschel of Dynamic Painting and Jason Logozzo of Norcan Tours and Travel, Thunder Bay may very well have seen the demise of Junior A hockey last year", Dubinsky added. The team’s name was changed to the "Thunder Bay North Stars" to reflect that they are the only Thunder Bay team remaining in the now 7 team SIJHL. The North Stars are now truly "Thunder Bay’s team".

Now here in Thunder Bay from April 17th through April 21, 2012, you'll have that opportunity to be a part of what keeps hockey alive. You can't see this kind of action just anywhere so don't miss the Dudley Hewitt Cup Championship! Set your calendars for April 17 – 21st, 2012, Fort Williams Gardens and keep the legend alive!

All out-of-town teams will be housed at the Prince Arthur Waterfront Hotel .The Prince Arthur is situated downtown Thunder Bay North, in the heart of the Entertainment District, within walking distance to numerous restaurants, taverns and the OLG Casino.

Visit us at www.thedudleyhewittcup.com then come out and be part of this exciting event and our great passion!

Dudley/Hewitt Cup Logo/compliments of Laurie Abthorpe Graphic Designer

Reach The Golf Audience Directly! * 5 Great Issues This Season * * May * June * July * August * September * Excellent Ad Rates Print & Web Combinations Call Sylvia, Sherry or Scott at 807-623-2348 www.northsuperiorpublishing.com www.golfingnews.ca

THUNDER BAY BUSINESS APRIL 2012

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Gravelle & Mauro Talk Ontario Tax Credits As people are now filing their 2011 income tax returns, we hear there are some misconceptions about how some of the Ontario tax credits will be disbursed this year, and in years to come. We’d like to clear up the confusion.

In the past, some of Ontario’s refundable tax credits were paid to people in one lump sum after they filed their taxes. This year, instead of a lump sum, payments will be made faster and ahead of tax-filing time through the new Ontario Trillium Benefit (OTB).

It’s important to note that the tax credit amount you are entitled to will not change.

bines the Ontario Sales Tax Credit, the Ontario Energy and Property Tax Credit and the Northern Ontario Energy Tax Credit into one combined monthly payment. That means starting this July, lower-income Ontarians will, in fact, get their money back sooner.

Why the change? The government heard from many stakeholders and povertyreduction advocates, who support the move towards monthly payments to help people throughout the year as their bills come due. The OTB will provide low- and moderate-income Ontarians with predictable and regular payments that will help with their energy bills, property taxes and sales taxes.

The Ontario Trillium Benefit simply com-

The monthly repayment schedule applies only to the three refundable tax credits rolled-up as the OTB, not to income tax returns in general. Other Ontario tax credits (such as the 2012 Ontario Senior Homeowners’ Property Tax Grant and the Ontario Child Benefit) will paid in their usual instalments.

To apply for the OTB monthly benefit, you simply need to file a personal income tax return – even if you did not earn any income. Benefit payments for the period starting July 2012 through June 2013 will be based on information in the 2011 personal income tax return.

income families pay their living expenses more frequently than before, improving their cash-flow by putting money into their wallets when they need it. The Minister of Finance has committed to offering people the choice of a lump sum or monthly cheque in future.

The OTB will be issued on the 10th of each month, starting on July 10th this year.

Michael Gravelle, MPP Bill Mauro, MPP Thunder Bay-Superior North Thunder Bay-Atikokan

The OTB was announced in the 2011 Ontario Budget to help low- to moderate-

Celebrating International Women's Week event at PARO Centre Sherry Aalto

strategies for women.

When celebrating the milestones of achievement recognizing International Women's Week, it is important to celebrate it with those whom have helped in reaching unreachable goals, those whom have shared visions not shared before and those whom have joined in to become a part of history yet to be made. There are many, many women all over the world that celebrate, not just this recognized day, but every given day, for the trail that was blazed from the kitchens and fields of yesteryear to the their boardrooms and businesses of today. Planning, organizing, promoting, supporting, networking and building businesses, not just here, but all over the world, brings the women of business and entrepreneurship into a united bond with each other. Much has been accomplished over a very long stretch of time and there is still much more to be done. This time next year will mark another milestone of achievements and another reason for more celebration, not only for PARO, but for women in business everywhere. We are getting there one dream at a time!

PARO celebrated International Women’s Day/ Week on Wednesday, March 7th, as workshops are always held on Wednesdays at the centre. It was convenient for those attending the workshops in the earlier part of the day to also participate in the afternoon celebration.

PARO Centre for Women's Enterprise was founded in January 1995 and since that time, has quickly grown to become one of Canada's leading community economic development organizations. PARO is a recognized leader as a provider of innovative and effective business development

The theme chosen by Status of Women Canada for the celebration of International Women’s Day / Week 2012 was very appropriate with PARO Centre for Women’s Enterprise vision. The Blueprint for Success project—funded under the Status of Women Canada—is about Gender Base Analysis research throughout Northern Ontario regarding barriers/challenges women encounter when starting up a new business or expanding their small enterprise.

The event began by welcoming everyone and informing them why it was important to reflect on women’s advancements throughout Canadian history. Everyone celebrated together, enjoying an elaborate selection of "Toss It Up" salads, deli-cuts, breads and dips, followed by cake and fruit for desert..

Keeping in mind women’s achievements, the participants were encouraged to complete a short Quiz. The women were also asked to answer a few questions to aid in the Gender Base Analysis research. Once

completed and submitted, each one was given a ballot for a chance to win one of the four prizes. There was also entertainment—Belly Dancing with Dahab from World Dance Centre. Also, various media interviewed Suzanne Brabant, event organizer, along with Suzanne Tighe. The celebration was a great success with 34 in attendance.

PARO Centre for Women's Enterprise is focused primarily on delivering programs to enhance micro-enterprise development and to provide for the development and support of peer lending circles.

By offering educational programs, economic alternatives, training, opportunities to network and mentor with other women, business counseling, and support; PARO aims to improve the lives of its members and have a positive impact on the community and the region.

The Women of PARO can help you in your vision for starting or developing your business. Call, write or just walk into PARO.

Suzanne Brabant, Bilingual Project Coordinator, blueprint@paro.ca Josée Rousseau, Bilingual Project Coordinator Northeastern Ontario, northeast@paro.ca Joanne Fisher Wade, Administrative Assistant, admin@paro.ca Lynn Evans, Business Development Trainer, trainer@paro.ca Cassie Riddle, Business Development Trainer, businessmentor@paro.ca For more information about our programs and services, contact us today: PARO Centre for Women's Enterprise 110 - 105 May St. North Thunder Bay, ON P7C 3N9 Tel:(807) 625-0328 Toll-Free:1-800-584-0252 Fax:(807) 625-0317 Email:info@paro.ca Office Hours:Monday to Friday 9:30am 4:30pm

Thunder Bay Business Next Issue CONSTRUCTION Report on construction in the area, covering commercial and residential markets. Find out who is building? Speak to some of the leaders in the construction industry and find out what areas in the community are being developed.

NEW! Now view Thunder Bay Business online as as a page by page turn PDF More exposure for your print ads!

Ad Copy Deadline April 24th Contact Sylvia or Sherry at 807-623-2348 www.thunderbaybusiness.ca