TBB August 2021

Rosalind Lockyer Receives Honourary Degree!

INSIDE GETTING PAID PART II A Financial Action Plan Summary Pillow Talk North Superior Publishing

@tbay25

CAPE BRETON GOLF IS AMAZING!

Transportation safety gets the spotlight in presentation to Ignace CLC

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THUNDER BAY BUSINESS AUGUST 2021

Transportation safety gets the spotlight in presentation to Ignace CLC NWMO transportation specialists recently gave a presentation at the Ignace Community Liaison Committee (CLC) meeting on transportation planning and addressed topics from community members and others to demonstrate that used nuclear fuel can be transported safely and securely in Canada.

Transportation of used nuclear fuel from

interim storage facilities to a deep geological repository is part of Canada’s plan for the safe, long-term management of used nuclear fuel. It is set to begin in the 2040s, once the deep geological repository is operational.

The NWMO’s main objective in implementing Canada’s plan is protecting people and the environment for generations to come. There is a strong international track record for transporting used nuclear fuel.

In over 50 years, there have been more than 20,000 shipments worldwide of used nuclear fuel, and none have caused harm to people or the environment as a result of the release of radioactive materials. This is because of strong regulatory requirements that must be met before transportation begins.

Caitlin Burley, Transportation Engagement Manager, said that the NWMO is working with people to address their questions and concerns about radiation exposure during transportation and the impacts of potential accidents: “A rigorous multi-year work program on transportation safety of used nuclear fuel is being planned. The program looks at both regulatory requirements and the concerns that people are

NWMOs Chief Engineer, Chris Boyle, explains the properties of the Used Fuel Transportation Package to a community member. (This photo was taken preCOVID-19 pandemic before public health measures were in place).

identifying as we engage on this topic. It is very natural for people to have these concerns and we are working to address them both at this early planning stage and over our 20-year planning timeframe.”

Caitlin provided three case study examples of transportation accidents involving radioactive materials to acknowledge that accidents can happen, but the programs, requirements and controls around those

accidents are effective at protecting people and the environment.

Darren Howe, Strategic Advisor, Waste Management, said that the NWMO’s transportation program takes a defense-indepth approach – which means multiple and overlapping layers of safety measures that work together. The fundamental and first layer of protection during transportation is the transportation package.

Transportation packages for used nuclear fuel are designed and tested to ensure protection of people and the environment in both normal operations and accident conditions.

In addition to the packaging design and safety requirements there is a set of operational requirements, rigorous quality programs and best practices, including but not limited to driver training programs, vehicle and package inspections, informed decision-making prior to shipments, and monitoring of conditions prior to transport.

Used Fuel Transportation Package Design Engineer, Yang Sui spoke about the NWMO’s ability to manage the harmful impacts of radiation. “The container that holds the used nuclear fuel weighs over 30 tons and has undergone extreme testing to simulate the most severe accident. The container has never been breached in testing.”

Those tests include dropping the container from nine metres to a solid surface, then dropping it onto a sharp object, and then placing it in a fully engulfing fire of 800 degrees Celsius for 30 minutes. The package also undergoes a water emersion tests at two different depths. These tests are designed to simulate the stresses from severe accident conditions. Videos are available on Demonstration Trials and Testing for Safety.

The focus today, approximately two decades before transportation is expected to begin, is to ensure that we can be confident that whichever site is selected to host the repository, that location will have a socially acceptable and technically sound plan. We recognize that over the 20-year planning timeframe there are many questions and concerns about transportation that will still need to be addressed.

We will continue to seek Canadians’ and Indigenous peoples’ feedback on transportation, through the development of a transportation planning framework and ongoing engagement.

THUNDER BAY BUSINESS AUGUST 2021

Publisher’s Note Scott Sumner Money is very important in this world , for the lifestyle it can help you achieve.

Almost all our dreams involve having the finances to make things happen. Here is a summary of action steps you can tackle to make your command of money much better.

1. Review your financial position, both assets and liabilities, and create a balance sheet indicating your net worth.

2. List all revenues and expenses to create an income statement, and indicate your net savings potential per month.

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A Financial Action Plan Summary you can achieve. Factors to consider are the availability, income generation and security of your investment portfolio 5. Review your monthly expenses to create an awareness of how your money is spent in order to ensure that it is exactly where you want it to go. Search for ways to save money, spending less on your purchases. Set a budget.

6. Analyze your financial affairs on an ongoing basis, even monthly at the start, quarterly from thereon. Track your progress.

3. Set financial goals for major purchases, and savings for future expenses, such as the education for your family and retirement years.

7. Find out about current changes in the economy that affect you and search for financial services. Their advice is important in helping you arrive at the best financial program for you. Also remember their feesare a tax deduction.

4. Review your current investments and assets to ensure that they are the best that

8. Set yourself on a course to become a financial expert. If you are interested in

the stock market, find out more about it by enrolling in a course or by reading books.

Likewise, if you are interested in real estate as an investment, start by getting a good understanding of the market.

9. By spending time on your financial future, you are definitely going to improve your lifestyle.

10. Remember, you must start somewhere and only you can do it.

The main point I hope you gain from this is that any financial planning is better than no planning at all. For many of you, what you will do now represents the first serious review of financial affairs that you have ever undertaken. The process itself has helped you understand what it is you intend to do from a financial perspective over the course of your lifetime. The earlier you start, the better. It is much easier if

you start when you're twenty than when you're sixty-five, but in my opinion, it's never too late. The important thing is to continue your efforts throughout your life.

What you will have accomplished is to have a clear, concise balance sheet that shows exactly your net worth. By detailing your short term cash, long term cash, short term assets, real estate, everything that pertains to your present financial situation, you have seen your financial worth on paper. No one else will do this for you.

The 2020's require work and planning to achieve positive results. The person that does this will undoubtedly achieve a much better lifestyle than those who don't. Also it will give you a tremendous sense of satisfaction that you have accomplished your financial future to the best of your ability.

Good Luck! www.scottsumner.com

Pillow Talk Sleeping comprises approximately one third of our lives. Spending that much time doing anything should make us want to do it right. Just like the need for correct sitting and standing postures, there are also correct sleeping postures. Good sleeping posture will maximize your sleep quality and duration. It will also minimize aggravation of common health problems such as low back pain, sciatica, shoulder and neck pain and headaches.

Before discussing the correct way to sleep let’s discuss the no go zone… stomach sleeping. Stomach sleeping puts the body in all the wrong positions. Unless you are sleeping on a chiropractic table, stomach sleeping will cause you to have your head twisted to one side and either one or both of your arms over head. Most likely your pelvis will also be twisted with one leg flexed. Although some will debate that they are comfortable in this contortionist position, the reality is just that their bodies have become habituated to a very poor posture.

The ideal sleeping posture includes a combination of alternating side and back sleeping positions. For these positions to be most effective the proper number and types of pillows is essential. The idea is to keep the spine in as neutral a position as possible. Sleeping on your back requires two pillows, one shallow pillow under your head and neck and another pillow under your knees.

The pillow under your neck and head should be thick enough to cup you head and support your neck without causing your head to be bent forward. The pillow under your knees needs to be thick enough to cause a slight bend in your legs. In this way you will be removing stress on the spine and neck.

This is ideal for people using CPAP machines. For those who snore and for most of us, side sleeping is a better option.

Side sleeping becomes slightly more complicated as the ideal setting would have you use four different pillows. In order of importance, they include: a pillow for your head and neck, one between your legs, one in-front for your arms to hug and one pressed up against your back to support rolling back. The pillow under your head needs to be thick enough to support the space between you shoulder and neck.

Too thin of a pillow and you will create poor postures such as elevating your shoulder towards your ear or sleeping with your arm overhead. The pillow between your legs should be rather thin and run length wise from knees to ankles. For the pillows in front and behind I prefer big fluffy styles that are easily huggable. This works very well for those with any shoulder aches or pains.

The pillow under your head is the most important of all the pillows you use.

Finding the right pillow to support your head and neck in multiple positions is not an easy task. There are literally dozens of different pillows on the market. However,

most pillows are only good for one sleeping position. The two types of pillow designs that I recommend are both customizable and supportive in all sleeping positions. One is a water-based pillow.

It has a water bladder that can be filled to any level to accommodate any size person.

The beauty of this pillow style is that it will never wear out and the water will swoosh around to support any sleeping position. The second style is a down pillow. It can be punched and molded into whatever position is needed and it lasts a very long time. In fact, older pillows are better. However, some people may be allergic to down. In that case I would recommend a newer product, a bamboo pillow. Bamboo pillows have an outer bamboo fiber shell with an inner memory foam. It is an excellent product which over time very much mimics all the good properties of a down pillow. However, not all bamboo pillows are alike. If you

choose the bamboo style, make sure that the inside memory foam is made up of several small pieces rather than one solid piece.

Whatever pillows you choose the most important thing to remember is proper sleeping positions and how best to achieve them. This will help you have deeper and more restful sleeps, which are essential for optimal health.

James DiGiuseppe is a local chiropractor with a busy family and wellness practice. For more health information or to contact Dr. DiGiuseppe visit: www.portarthurchiropractic.com

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THUNDER BAY BUSINESS AUGUST 2021

GETTING PAID PART II ©2021 Brian Babcock Last month we looked at getting paid for unpaid accounts, and touched briefly on an example of contract damages. This month, we look more closely at how you prove your damages in other claims.

Calculating and proving damages can be a complex exercise.

Here are a few of the issues that might arise: 1 The Plaintiff always bears the onus of proving their loss on a balance of credible evidence. Evidence may be unavailable due to the absence of witnesses, destruction of documents or other factors.

2 The defendant is generally only responsible for damages arising fairly and reasonably (or naturally) from the breach, within the “reasonable con-

templation” of the parties at the time.

3 What is reasonably contemplated? The court considers whether: · “If they had considered the

Legal Matters question, they would have, as reasonable people, have concluded that the loss would occur.” · What knowledge does each party have of the other’s circumstancesespecially their needs? · What is the subject matter of the contract? · Risk Allocation indicators Who could have taken steps to prevent more easily? More economically?

Did the defendant receive a premium

price indicating an implied promise of safeguards?

OR was it at a low cost, suggesting the Plaintiff accepted the risk?

4 In many cases, mathematical certainty is impossible. The courts will still award damages, but you must lead some evidence to suggest what the damages are, or risk being awarded nothing.

5 A “flexible and imaginative approach” to the assessment of the damages will be used where required.

6 No one has a crystal ball for the future. You may recover where there was a real possibility of the future events occurring.

7 You are only entitled to the loss caused by the breach.

8 You gave an obligation to take reasonable steps to avoid or reduce the amount of damages.

9 You may not recover twice for the same loss.

10. Contracts often contain clauses which fix or limit damages- read the fine print. Courts will sometimes ignore such clauses if they are extravagant or unconscionable, but uphold a genuine pre-estimate of damages. They are ignored more often in consumer contracts, less so in negotiated commercial agreements involving sophisticated parties.

Working closely with your Weilers Law lawyer early will increase your chances of preserving the evidence needed to maximize your recovery. (for a more detailed explanation, see Damages 101 on the Weilers Law website, weilers.ca)

Government of Canada invests to accelerate business growth and help create or maintain up to 306 jobs in the Atikokan and Rainy River regions FedNor funding to support business expansion, community growth and economic recovery efforts July 20, 2021 – Atikokan, ON – Federal Economic Development Initiative for Northern Ontario – FedNor Across the country, Community Futures Development Corporations (CFDCs) are helping entrepreneurs start or expand their businesses, and investing in communities to strengthen the economy. In Northern Ontario, these community-based, not-forprofit organizations are working hard to create jobs and provide a full range of busi-

ness development services, including access to capital, mentoring, information and referrals, as well as support for community economic development, recovery efforts and special projects.

Marcus Powlowski, Member of Parliament for Thunder Bay—Rainy River, on behalf of the Honourable Mélanie Joly, Minister of Economic Development and Official Languages and Minister responsible for FedNor, today announced a Government of Canada investment totalling $2 million in support of two strategic initiatives led by the Atikokan Economic Development Corporation and the Rainy River Future Development Corporation, two of the 24

CFDCs supported by FedNor in Northern Ontario.

First, an investment of $1.5 million will support the ongoing operations of Atikokan Economic Development Corporation for a five-year period. Specifically, this targeted investment will enable the organization to support community strategic planning initiatives and provide small and mediumsized enterprises with access to capital and business counselling services. Over the life of the project, the Atikokan Economic Development Corporation is expected to support more than 102 businesses, while helping to create up to 39 jobs and maintain 71 more in the region.

In addition, an investment of $500,000 will enable Rainy River Future Development Corporation to offer financing to new or existing small businesses and social enterprises to help create jobs in the Fort Frances region. This strategic initiative is expected to assist more than 32 businesses to start up, scale up or maintain operations, while helping to create up to 86 jobs and maintain an additional 110 more throughout the area.

Today’s announcement is further proof of the Government of Canada’s commitment to Canadian entrepreneurs and businesses – helping them to overcome the challenges posed by COVID-19. Initiatives like these will assist Canadians to get back to work and ensure that small businesses, which are the backbone of the Canadian economy, can play a major role in Canada’s economic recovery.

Quotes “Strong local economies rely upon the prosperity and growth of local businesses. In these uncertain times, we want Canadian businesses to know that we have their back.

We will help our business and community partners adapt to the quickly evolving social and economic realities, and support their efforts to strengthen and grow Northern Ontario’s economy and create good jobs.”

The Honourable Mélanie Joly, Minister of Economic Development and Official Languages and Minister responsible for FedNor

“Today’s $2 million announcement will help create or maintain up to 306 jobs in the Atikokan and Rainy River regions by accelerating community economic development and helping businesses start up, scale up and improve productivity. This support to businesses and communities will enable them to chart a path for a strong economic recovery.”

Marcus Powlowski, Member of Parliament for Thunder Bay—Rainy River “We are proud of the work that we are doing to support business recovery efforts and strengthen the regional economy.

Today’s announcement of ongoing operational funding affirms the important role that we play in helping businesses to start up and grow in the Atikokan region.”

Jim Turner, Board Chair, Atikokan Economic Development Corporation “We would like to thank the Government of Canada and FedNor for helping us to maximize economic and growth opportunities here in the Rainy River region. We remain dedicated to working with new and existing businesses as they establish roots here in our communities, create jobs for area residents and contribute to the economic well being of our service area.”

Gord Armstrong, Board Chair, Rainy River Future Development Corporation “I am grateful for the financial aid and business counselling that I have received from Atikokan Economic Development Corporation that enabled me to purchase the Atikokan News Stand. As owner of the Main Street convenience store, I have fulfilled my dream of becoming an entrepreneur.“ Venkata Kommina Naga, Owner/Operator, Atikokan News Stand

Quick Facts · Community Futures Development Corporations (CFDCs) are communitybased, not-for-profit organizations staffed by professionals and governed by local volunteer boards of directors familiar with their communities' needs, concerns and future development priorities.

THUNDER BAY BUSINESS AUGUST 2021

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Rosalind Lockyer Receives Honourary Degree!

BY SCOTT A. SUMNER

Thunder Bay BUSINESS We were able to reach Rosalind Lockyer, CEO and founder of PARO while she was on vacation in rural Newfoundland to ask her some questions about her recently received Lakehead University honourary degree, her early years and the formation

Bay.” “Rural Newfoundland is much the same as rural Ontario. It is a challenge for entrepreneurs. Governments need to improve rural cell service and provide good internet as they want business to succeed and you need these services just like more urban centers have. Most of Canada is rural.”

carved out faces to look like important figures like Pierre Trudeau. We then would dress them and sell them across Canada through an agent.The face was an apple that shriveled up and dried with a wire body with knit sweaters based on the character. It was a trendy thing then.We also made costumes.”

“The apple dolls petered out and my husband and I started a business here in Thunder Bay called Mary Brown’s Chicken, as well a business called Skippers Johns Seafood with product from Newfoundland. Some came as frozen but the biggest part was fresh seafood from Newfoundand.”

“Many of my family are in business. My brother, my husband and my father were all in business. My father was a carpenter and would build houses and then sell them.

My husbands parents were fish merchants and had a big general store in Newfoundland. They sold fresh fish and salt fish and exported to places like Jamaica.”

and growth of PARO.

You started your career as a teacher?

You are back in Newfoundland for vacation.This is where you grew up?

“In Newfoundland I went to Memorial University and became a teacher. In Thunder Bay later on I went back to Lakehead University to get certified for Ontario.”

“I was born in St John’s, Newfoundland.

My daughter who was very young at the time was called upon to go to the National Ballerina School to attend their professional school. She had been performing in Newfoundland. Of course she wanted to go, as that was her dream, and we decided to move Oshawa first and then to Thunder

You have had your own background as an entrepreneur Ros? “ I had a craft business, I would say I was an artisan. We made apple dolls that had

“There were a lot of business people in our family so it was a natural progression. I was a teacher by trade when we moved to

Ontario. Instead of teaching I decided to be an entrepreneur.”

Continued

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THUNDER BAY BUSINESS AUGUST 2021

Rosalind Lockyer Receives Honourary Degree!

Continued

Ventures.”

You had some medical problems that affected your early business?

“It was then that I started Paro is 1995. The actual organization that became Paro was a project called Women’s Community Loan Fund which was a peer lending system that we still do today.The Paro peer system, our model, is the largest in North America with 180 peer lending circles.”

“In the early 90’s I got sick with colon cancer and was getting operations for three years. When I started to get better I thought I don’t want to go back teaching so that is when I started doing apple dolls with my neighbour and the Mary Browns and seafood store with my husband. When I became ill my husband decided to sell the businesses as he was the manager of an insurance company as well. It was too much at the time.”

The early start of the current Paro operation started at this time? “ When I got better I wanted to do something new in business. I first started with a very short term contract with Thunder Bay Ventures for about a year. Before I moved from Thunder Bay Ventures I convinced them to give me some loan money to give to women from Jobs Ontario and Thunder Bay

“ Then we got our charitable non profit status and changed our name. We decided to call it Paro with our then Board of Directors, some 27 years ago this January.”

So you founded the Paro organization Ros? “I was definitely the founder of Paro. It was originally a project of Jobs Ontario. From that I founded the organization with a board of directors as a full training organization for business and women with mentoring, training, counselling, peer lending, grants and loans and networking. There was the Ontario Trillium organization as an original

funder and then we took on more and more funding partners. We have been growing really since 1995. We work all over the province now.”

You had to be an entrepreneur yourself to make this growth happen?

“The original project was my idea. At the beginning many would say what do you mean give $1000 to women so that they can start a business.You can’t start a business with $1000 and what do you mean they can have a business out of their home, this is

crazy! But you see how crazy it is now because the proof is in the doing. I see that now with the women.You dream what you want to dream and you know yourself and what you are capable of. You are just as good as anyone else if you work at it. No one is going to do it for you though. People are not always going to say when you have a dream this will be simple just go and do it.

In my time I had a lot of people say this won’t work. You had to show them it would work one step at a time and then they would give you more money.”

Continued

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Rosalind Lockyer Receives Honourary Degree!

Continued The LU award has been very important to you Ros? “It is a such an honour. You can't believe the pride I feel. I didn’t even have it on my bucket list or dream about it because you don’t have anything to do with it and other people nominate you. They have a very competitive process through the board of governors and the senate.”

“I was so honoured and surprised with the Honorary Doctorate of Humane Letters by Lakehead University. It recognizes my life work, everything that I stand for. Our heart and soul goes into supporting the women and it is not easy growing an organization and hearing this won’t work so many times. You can’t please everyone no matter how hard you try and try to achieve.You have to take the bad side with good.”

The Paro organization has been around for a long time but still faces some uncertainty?

“Paro has several funders that are very supportive.We have to apply for funding every time with no certainly. We don’t really know how it will be now with the pandemic. Every year we have to go through negotiations with lots of reports in and written work to show the funding is required. It is a lot of work. I have been fortunate because of the values of Paro I have this wonderful group of women on the board of directors. People come to work for you because of your values.”

Paro has grown tremendously since the early beginnings Ros? “We usually have about 30 staff that work different time schedules say on the road or on the zoom as we call it now. Paro drives around Ontario and gives women money to help grow their business. Now we zoom around Ontario.” “ Last year our showed stats we reached 23,000 women from our start so you can add a few thousand, say 25,000 now. We have put out millions of dollar amounts and loans to women. It is now all of Ontario after Covid.

People would drive to our events before, from say Cornwall, and on ice roads from the north.

It was a natural evolution for us to begin to serve more areas in Ontario.The pandemic has caused Paro to expand.There was nothing like Paro in Southern Ontario.The women didn’t meet the criteria with other lending sources or government and they searched us out and it happened quickly. Previously we were working in the Fednor territory. We got some funding from the province so that allowed to work anywhere in the province.Our Fednor money can only be used in their Northern Ontario territory.

So for Paro the pandemic has kept your team even busier Ros? “Paro has had to work really hard during Covid as were given extra money to put out through Biz World. We had to help the women make their business plans for this funding. So there was a lot of administrative and training work. The whole Paro team went over and above to get the funds out to women.”

“Our team had been working from home at times so we were used to it or just being on the road. It wasn’t that difficult to have the

people working in the office to work from home as we were used to it. It is really an online office. Training in person to training can be done on zoom.”

The pandemic has been difficult for women entrepreneurs? “ It has been very difficult for women during this pandemic because they have their children at home and the added burden of looking after their elders who may be out of long term care.”

“The businesses have had a lot of strain and they are our heroes and we need them to survive after the last 1 1/2 years. Retail, tourism, accommodation, the service sector, spas have all been hit hard. People are getting tired and burnt out. You have to look after yourself, pace yourself, take more breaks and still do your 8 hours.”

“ These vaccines are coming and will help tremendously. There still maybe 30% of people who don’t want to get vaccinated but businesses can say you can't stay here or get an airline ticket or say go into the US unless you have proof of vaccination. So if that starts happening they will get vaccinated. If everyone isn’t vaccinated there still is some risk.”

Do you have any interest in retiring Ros? “Over the last few years I have thought about retiring but it just gets better all the time. I really enjoy what I am doing. I work with wonderful people, have a wonderful board of directors and while I am capable of working I want to do it.” “ Rebecca Johnson, councilor Thunder Bay and Levina Collins, President of Paro are wonderful models of women that want to change things and make the world better. With women there is the child rearing stage where

we can’t do as much as we want to do so sometimes that means working later in life.

We do community development service, supporting people and doing what we can to make it a better community to live say in Thunder Bay or Northern Ontario or all Ontario as social entrepreneurs. That’s what I am with our community partners. Its not really a job for me anymore.We support each other as women for the community.”

Growing up in Newfoundland has made you a certain type of person Ros? “ In Newfoundland people have a sense of humour and enjoy life, being around people and doing work in the community. It depends on the culture you are brought up.

“Thunder Bay has meant the world to me as well in many ways. I have been embraced in the community and I work with so many great people.”

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Rosalind Lockyer Background Information Together with twenty years of working as a teacher, entrepreneur, and community developer, Rosalind became blatantly aware of the many systemic issues that kept women from achieving their life goals. In 1995, she founded PARO Centre for Women’s Enterprise, channelling this experience, her passion, and determination to continue to work for positive change locally, provincially, nationally and internationally. Today, PARO is recognised as the “largest peer lending network in North America’ supporting its unique form of women-centred Community Economic Development with 150+ PARO Circles located across Ontario.

In 2005, Northern Ontario Business awarded her the prestigious Influential Women of Northern Ontario Award-Public Sector

recognizing her leadership in building PARO Centre for Women’s Enterprise into the dynamic organization that it is today, serving women entrepreneurs living in rural, urban and remote communities of Ontario.

Rosalind Lockyer has dedicated her lifetime toward supporting gender equality and building sustainable livelihoods for thousands of women ‘who need it the most’. Important to her role as Founder and CEO of PARO Centre for Women’s Enterprise and co-founder of the national group, the Women’s Economic Council (WEC) is supporting women who are disadvantaged by the intersectionality of poverty, race, sexism, ageism, and disability.

Rosalind Lockyer is Treasurer for the International e-Rotary for Social Innovators, and the board director for Ontario on the Women’s Enterprise Organizations of Canada board (WEOC), and a member of the Gender Equity Network of Canada. Through her work and community activity, she shares her experience and influence to mentor individuals and organizations to develop effective solutions and sustainable strategies. As a social entrepreneur, she has assisted management of enterprises, whether non-profit, private business or professional sector organizations with fund development, strategic planning, organization management, and policy development, human resources, leadership, social enterprise, business development and public relations.

Recognized for her notable efforts in building PARO Centre for Women’s Enterprise, working with diverse populations, espe-

cially those most challenged, such as Indigenous people, people with disabilities, seniors and youth at risk with particular emphasis on women, Rosalind was called “one of the most remarkable social entrepreneurs in the world” by the Office of Social Enterprise, MEDEI, Ontario government, and received the International Award for “Women of the Decade in Community Leadership”, from the Women’s Economic Forum 2018 in New Delhi, India. #Rosalind Lockyer, PARO Centre for Women’s Enterprise Founding CEO, to receive Honorary Doctorate of Humane Letters by Lakehead University #In recognition for her work in womencentred community economic development, women’s empowerment, and gender equity work in Canada PARO Centre for Women’s Enterprise is excited to announce that Rosalind Lockyer, PARO’s Founding CEO was honored by Lakehead University as recipient of an Honorary Doctorate of Humane Letters (L.H.D), recognizing Lockyer’s contribution to the field of humanities, and indeed the fabric of the community in Thunder Bay, Northwestern Ontario, across the Province and beyond. The University confers “honorary” degrees which symbolize the highest honor that can be conferred upon an individual by the University. An honorary degree may be awarded in recognition of scholarly or creative achievements or distinguished public service to the country or region. They are designed by the University’s Senate, its senior academic governing body, as deserving special honor.

If necessity is indeed the mother of invention, then that is certainly the case for the inspiration behind PARO Centre for Women’s Enterprise. Armed with passion and a unique vision for women’s equity in Canada, Lockyer witnessed first-hand the discrepancies in support between men and women on their journeys to achieving business success. With humble roots in an office on the corner of May and Victoria streets in Thunder Bay, the charity called PARO started with Lockyer at the helm and a group of dedicated board members.

As a Women’s Community Loan Fund, the mission was to combat sexism in the entrepreneurship development sector. By creating groups of women who would have access to micro financing through PARO’s Peer Lending Circles social enterprise, access to networking and peer support, and access to expert business support services, PARO Centre became a one-of-a-kind organization that has since supported 22,003 women in Ontario to achieve their business dreams.

Over 27 years, PARO’s programs have expanded phenomenally, allowing for the growth of the team and the reach of the organization, which now boasts over 180 Peer Lending Circles in Ontario, categorizing the PARO Circle Network the world’s

largest women’s Peer Lending Circle conglomerate. As an organization that now operates Ontario-wide, Lockyer has led PARO into new dimensions, leading the way for other organizations to better support women entrepreneurs.

PARO Centre is honored to stand with Rosalind Lockyer to receive her Honorary Doctorate of Humane Letters. As a leader, a pioneer and a trailblazer, Lockyer has guided countless women toward self-sufficiency, resilience, incomparable inspiration and true family-style support system between PARO partners, stakeholders, staff and clients. We would like to thank Lakehead University, our funders, supporters, clients and all PARO contributors for their continued support in making PARO the go-to organization for women in

Ontario who wish to start or scale their businesses!

In her continued efforts towards gender equality, diversity and inclusion, Rosalind is co-founder of the Women’s Economic Council, board member for Ontario for the Women’s Enterprise Organizations of Canada, represents the Ontario Hub for the Canada-wide Women’s Entrepreneur Knowledge Hub, and an original member of the People-Centred Economy Committee of the Canadian CED Network.

For her endless efforts, she received the prestigious Influential Women of Northern Ontario Award-Public Sector, and the most prestigious award offered by the Women’s Economic Forum 2018 in New Delhi, India.

Congratulions Rosalind Lockyer on being the recipient from Lakehead University of an Honorary Doctorate of Humane Letters (L.H.D), recognizing your contribution to the field of humanities, and the community in Thunder Bay, Northwestern Ontario, across the Province and beyond! from the Team at Thunder Bay Business North Superior Publishing Inc. www.thunderbaybusiness.ca

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THUNDER BAY BUSINESS AUGUST 2021

CAPE BRETON GOLF IS AMAZING

BY SCOTT A. SUMNER

Great Outdoors This was a great trip from several years ago. I hope travel is more normal again soon!

There has always been something about the Maritimes provinces of Canada that I really like. I think it starts with the people there whom have a reputation of being absolutely friendly and will treat you like a king. Their small town values ring home for me and I was really looking forward to a trip to Nova Scotia and Cape Breton Island in particular to experience first hand the golf they offer. Of course the people would be fantastic as well and I found this to be absolutely true. My goal was to see Canada coast to coast and in July I had been able to see the Pacific Ocean in Vancouver as well as play some ocean front golf. This time it would be the Atlantic Ocean surrounding Cape Breton Island.

You can get to Cape Breton like I did with Air Canada flights to Toronto, Halifax and then Sydney. West jet also have flights to Toronto and direct to Sydney which will put you at a 45 minute drive away from my first stop at Ben Eoin where I would play the new Lakes Golf Club.

After a great fine dining experience and stay at the Birches Inn I was off to my first golf game at the Lakes at Ben Eoin. The Lakes course has a spectacular setting and great grasses. “ We started construction in 2008 and completed in 2009. There was heavy rain in the spring and mid summer of 2009 so we didn’t open the full 18 until

2010 with only 9 holes for play in 2009.

The rain has to go through us to get to the water and it can cause problems. One fairway we seeded 7 times because of the rainwater before we got it,” said Matthew Blackburn, Head Superintendent at the Lakes Golf Club. “ There was probably only 3 trailer loads of sod on the whole property as everything was hydro seeded.

In the summer we get a few weeks of 28 Celsius but it is mostly like today, 20 to 25 Celsius. It is growing weather if you can keep the rain away. I had worked with our course architect Graham Cook at other courses I worked on and the grasses we used were proven to work in the Maritimes at other courses he has designed at Fox Harbour and Eagles Glen in PEI. We have spent some time cutting out Poiana and have a new chemical product we can put on the grasses to keep the Poiana out especially on the fairways. We cut it out of the greens usually. The best thing about the course is thereare no weak holes out there. Every hole is strong ”

round and tell us how good it is.

They try to make us understand what we have here. Usually people just play the round and leave but people here are just amazed, especially at number 6 and 15 tee decks where you can see the water and on a calm day you can hear the streams run-

Pat Laderoute is the Operation Manager and Head Professional at The Lakes. “ We had twin daughters so it worked out well to move from Ontario here to raise our family. The business community has ownership of the golf course; it is a community project with about 120 members. There is also some government funding. We have memberships and public play,” said Laderoute. “ The site is on three plateaus on the side of a mountain but Graham Cook used as much natural setting as he could. On no 6 it is straight down hill. This is the only golf course I have worked on in my 20 plus years that people come in after the

Ted Stonehouse former GM and Head Professional at Bell Bay Golf Club in Baddeck ning. You use many of your senses, can and the fairways are hard or you may see see, feel, hear the wind and be in nature.” different types of wildlife like a moose or lynx. There are no two days the same and The Lakes is getting about 20,000 you can just lose yourself in the views and rounds per year and space tee times out to say wow. Each hole is separate and you make everyone’s rounds comfortable. That see no other holes from your hole.” is a pretty solid play level on an island like Cape Breton with a population of around After staying in Ingonish and playing 120,000. A non-resident pays green fees Highland Links it was a real treat to drive of $79 in peak and $65 and a cart $38. much of the Cabot Trail to my next stop Cheticamp. This is a drive as spectacular “ The golf course has days when you as you will find in Canada with great swear you are on carpet. The greens are ocean views. It was great to stay at the true and if you miss a putt you can only brand new bed and breakfast type property, blame your aim. The views are spectacular the Maison Fiset Inn in Cheticamp. as well. You just say wow this is amazing.

This was a nice place to stay and they When you play here you don’t know the include a full hot breakfast that you choose signature hole because they are all so the night before. memorable. The mountain, lake and undulation are amazing. There is just so much My last course to play in Cape eye candy out there.” said Pat Laderoute.

Breton would be Bell Bay Golf Club locatWhen you are on Cape Breton Island a ed in Baddeck.The course opened in the real treat is driving the Cabot Trail. The fall of 1997 with 9 holes and in 1998 fully scenery is just spectacular. My next stop opened and was voted best new golf would be a 2-hour drive to Highlands links course in Canada by Golf Digest that year. and a stay at the well-known Keltic Lodge. Tom McBroom designed the course. Bell This historic hotel is situated in a special Bay has hosted several events like the location and is a great place to stay when Wayne Gretzsky and Friends with Mike you play Highland Links. Graham Hudson Weir, Joe Sakic and Brett Hull and the is the Operations Manager for the 2005 Canadian Men’s Amateur.

Highland Links Golf Course,was born in Baddeck, Nova Scotia and has been at “ We have a 300 acre property and are Highland Links for the last four years and owned by Cape Breton Resorts with CEO would be my golf partner.

Scott McCaulay. They also own Dundee Golf Club, Inverary Resort which is here “ I enjoy playing golf but don’t in the village as well as a development take it too seriously. Life is good in Cape company of properties,” said Ted Breton; on a day like this it is gorgeous.

Stonehouse GM and Head Professional at We have our bad days but it is stunning Bell Bay Golf Club in Baddeck. “ Bell here. The Federal government owns Bay has been great for the local economy.

Highland Links and it is operated by Parks It adds to the quality of the trip for those Canada. This is Cape Breton Highland visiting here. There is Highland Links, the Park. The course opened in 1941 as a new Cabot Links and we are right at the Stanley Thompson Design and it is 100 % hub of the Cabot Trail, with the beginning original. They haven’ t changed any of the and the end here, and are located on greens and the layout is all the same. We Bras Dor Lakes, world renowned for sailhave been working hard to keep the ing. Alexander Graham Bell’s estate is integrity of the design in place. The grasshere on the peninsula and he and his wife es are poa and kentucky. Architect Ian Mabel are buried on the mountain called Andrews, who specializes in bringing back beautiful mountain. The Alexander Stanley Thompson Designs to their origiGraham Bell museum is here that shownal state, has looked at the course. We cases the tremendous amount of experihave redone many bunkers to the original.” ments he had done. We also had a celebrastates Graham Hudson. tion of the first flight here recently. There is some fantastic salmon fishing here as Highland Links is consistently rated in well.” the top 100 in the world by golf magazines. “ It is a combination of everything, the layout, the scenery, the design, playability, the fun and it makes for a great day.

Continued

People coming from a club manicured to death ask how we are ranked number 1 to 5 in Canada regularly. We work to the standards of Parks Canada and the standards are pretty high when it comes to the environment,” said Hudson. “ Every round is different where the factor is the wind

THUNDER BAY BUSINESS AUGUST 2021

CAPE BRETON GOLF IS AMAZING Continued “ I like the championship length of our Bell Bay course at over 7000 yards, but a husband and wife can come out and play with our sets of tees. We have many couples come off the course and say that was one of the most enjoyable rounds of golf we’ve had in a long time,” said Ted Stonehouse. “ There are lots of larger landing areas and we are a fine manicured property, one of the best in Atlantic Canada. We also have one of the nicest practice areas with target greens. If you are doing site seeing you can go to world class beaches in 1 hour, watch whales, do a sail tour and see wildlife like moose or wild eagles. We have people who fly into Sydney or to Halifax and drive here. The trip from Halifax is 4 hours and a very scenic drive.”

The green fee rate at Bell Bay is $79

The well-known Keltic Lodge at Highlands Links with shoulder season at $65 and carts are $17.50 per person.Bell Bay will do about 20,000 rounds per year.

After a great dinner and stay at the Inverary Inn it was a 1 hour 20 minute drive to the Sydney airport for my trip

home. This was of my best golf trips ever.

I especially liked the people, the beautiful settings and the great golf courses. Cape Breton is a place you must visit!

For further information see

www.golfcapebreton.com

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THUNDER BAY BUSINESS AUGUST 2021