The Lakehead University Thunder Wolf Racing Team unveiled their TWR-15, the 2022-2023 car.
The team have worked hard during the past the eight months to design and build beforedeparting for the Michigan International Speedway.
Thunder Wolf Racing is Lakehead University's Formula SAE team, comprised of 20 Mechanical Engineering students who design and manufacture a
Each year the student-run team creates this car to compete at the Formula SAE Collegiate Design Series.
This year the event will be held May 1720, 2023, in Brooklyn, Michigan.
Matthew Manten, 4th year Mechanical Engineering student Lakehead University“The car is completely redesigned each year, so we start with a chassis design. We welded the chassis ourselves- bent and cut every single tube, created a new
aerodynamics package working with some of the Confederation College Aerospace students and the suspension is entirely new. The engine remains the same. It was almost a full time job for us along with attending school.”
“The engine is restricted so we will make 70 to 80 HPand the car can achieve about 100 km a hour.”
“ The competition looks at things like business, design and cost presentation, to
“One of our team students was offered a job at Tesla. My dream is to work in electric vehicle design. In September we travelled to the Tesla factory in California which was paid for by the SAE organization.”
The team have a new trailer to pull the car this year. Their budget was $30,000 which includes everything such as building the car, travel and lodging at the competition. To date they raised about $15,000 and the members made up the
design and build a car and run a business. Also there are things like acceleration and auto cross to test the performance of the vehicle.”
rest, paid for it themselves, which shows their dedication.
We live in a very challenging world today. There are many conflicts such as the war in Ukraine and other problems such as climate catastrophes for some of the almost 8 billion residents of Planet Earth! Each day seems to bring new events, many of which are negative. How do you as a person react to this?
Is your life what you always dreamed of as a child? Each day do you jump out of bed excited to start your day? Can you hardly wait to have FUN?
These are questions you need to ask yourself and to seriously consider the answers. After all, you only get one short life here on earth and you might
as well make it a fantastic one. If you had the choice between having the time of your life every day, as you've always dreamed about, or a routine, drab, boring, negative existence, which would you want.? I know you'd choose an EXCEPTIONALLIFE .
But you say: " I can't make a choice because everything always goes wrong in my life and nothing ever works out."
WRONG!!! You can choose an exceptional life. Why not? You have just as good a chance as anybody else does, and starting right now you are going to get going on it. As one person I met states, Get Up, Get Excited and Get Going!!!! No excuses, no hesitation, no complaining. You are simply going to get going on CREATING AN EXCEPTIONALLIFE!
Mark this day down on your calendar, with a thick bold marker because today is the day you will start to make your life FANTASTIC!!!
But how do you begin you ask? You just need to get pointed in the right direction. You need the tools and ideas to start making things happen. Remember though, all the skills and abilities you need are hidden within you RIGHTNOW.! It's like having a freezer chocked full of ice cream, that you forgot about. You just have to let them out. You need to simply identify the process you will take, and begin the great transformation that will make your life EXCEPTIONAL!
The mind is a marvel in my opinion . There is so much potential locked up
in every human being, it simply is unbelievable. Our ability to use our mind to change our way of thinking, our approach to life, indeed life itself, is the most important asset in every person.
Let me state it again: YOUR MIND IS THE SECRETTO CREATING AN EXCEPTIONALLIFE!!!
There is no question about it. If you gain anything from this article, this is the most important point I have to make to YOU!! YOUR MIND IS THE SECRETTO CREATING AN EXCEPTIONALLIFE!!!
www.scottsumner.com
After yet another long winter, the gardening season is finally upon us and with it the opportunity to get outdoors and become more active.Although you may not be working at a fast pace, typical yard chores like raking, planting, and weeding all take effort and potentially can cause injury if overdone or done incorrectly. Just like a sporting activity, it is important to do both a warm-up and cool down before doing yardwork or gardening to prevent injuries. The Ontario Chiropractic Association has developed an excellent program called Plant and Rake Without the Ache to help minimize injuries while gardening.
Overall conditioning:
Take a walk, even on the spot. Ten to fifteen minutes should do it.Don’t forget to lift your knees and gently swing your arms.
S-t-r-e-t-c-hBeforeYouStart
To plant and rake without the ache, do each of these stretches five times.Don’t bounce, jeer or strain.Stretches should be gentle and should not cause pain.
Your Sides:
Extend one arm over your head. Bend left from the waist. Hold for 15 seconds and repeat to the right.
Your Thighs: Lean against a tree. Bend your right knee and grasp your ankle with your left hand. Hold for 15 seconds and repeat with your left knee.
Your Hamstrings: Stand.
Reach your hands to the sky. Then, bending at the waist, reach toward your toes. Hold for 15 seconds
Your Wrists: Hold one arm out in front of you palm down.
Bend your wrist until the fingers point to the ground.
Use your opposite hand to hold this position.
Place your hands in “prayer” position and press palms together.
Keep your arm straight and place your palm in the “stop” position.
Use your opposite hand to hold this position.
Your Shoulders:
Let your arms hang loose.
Rotate your shoulders forward.Then rotate back.
Hug yourself snugly. Slowly rotate at the waist as far as is comfortable to the left then the right.
Your Back:
In a seated position bend from the hips, keeping your head down. Reach for the ground.
Bend Your Knees to Lift with Ease
1 Get close to the load. Before lifting something heavy, position yourself close to the object.Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, head up, with your feet and body pointing in the same direction.
2 Knees bent, back straight.Check the weight of what you are lifting.Use your leg and arm muscles to lift the load smoothly and slowly.
3 Make sure you are in sync.Keep the load close to your body. Pivot with your feet – don’t twist your body while carrying the load.
4 Easy does it.Bend your knees and slowly lower the load to its intended place.
5 Do not lift heavy objects above your waist and avoid heavy lifting immediately after prolonged bending or kneeling.
6 Many hands make light work.Get some help with the heavy and awkward loads. Stand on something solid
and slowly lift the load keeping it close to your body and pass the load to your helper.
Another idea is to alternate sides, especially with repetitive activities like raking. Alternating the lead foot or lead hand can help prevent biomechanical imbalances. Visitwww.chiropractic.on.ca for more information.
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
©2023
Brian Babcock
Chances are that you have heard of business deals done on the back of a bar napkin, but that is hardly good business- it is risky business.
Are you an investor in a small or medium sized business? Is your business incorporated or is it a partnership? Depending on which it is, you need either in unanimous shareholders agreement or a partnership agreement. The Ontario Business Corporations Act and the Partnerships Act provide some default rules for how you conduct your business with your fellow shareholders or partners. They do not provide anything more than general guidelines for the internal management of your business. This is probably a good idea since most people have their own ideas about how they want things to run.
Your partnership or shareholders agreement should cover everything from the birth of the business to its end. It should include :
• who is to invest and how much.
• the expectations for the parties work in the business and to contribute to the management of the business.
• what business is the business in? You would not want to invest your savings in what you thought was a conservative residential rental business to
find that your partner had put all of the money into buying vacant land for development.
• what are the rules for the partners having outside business interests?
• how will conflicts of interest be dealt with?
• how decisions will be made and what happens if there is disagreement.
• what happens if further investments are needed?
• who gets paid how much when?
• how do buyouts work?
• When can the business be wound up or dissolved and what happens then?
There are numerous other provisions that you might wish to include.
Just by drafting and reviewing a formal agreement, everybody gets the chance to see if you all agree on the rules. Setting them out in writing when everybody is excited about a new or healthy business helps when the going gets tough.
Sure, you can write up something yourselves, but that is only a bit less risky than the bar napkin. If you want it done right, you should see a lawyer. In fact, it is best if each party has their own lawyer to advise them. My colleagues at Weilers LLPare highly experienced at helping businesses succeed. And unfortunately, in resolving business disputes too.
Confederation College and the Thunder Bay Police Service are proud to announce the formation of a new partnership that will foster community relationships and help students.
Effective immediately, the Thunder Bay Police Service has an office space located in the Confederation College Shuniah Building.The space will be designated for officers to catch up on reports and provide a space for off-site interviews. Additionally, having officers on campus
will give the police service an opportunity to engage with students and address their specific needs.
“We welcome our neighbours from the Thunder Bay Police Service into our building and hope that their presence engages students in a positive way,” stated President Kathleen Lynch. “We have partnered with the police at various events over the years, and they always offer support and encouragement towards our students. Having officers on campus will only strengthen this relationship.”
Students at the college will be able to chat with officers from the Primary Response and Community Outreach Branches about specific problems they are facing. For
“This partnership with Confederation College and the Thunder Bay Police Service will be an integral part of our Safe Campus initiative and will help build positive relationships between Confederation
example, fraudsters aggressively target international students due to their unfamiliarity with Canadian law. By engaging with students, the officers can address these challenges and prevent students from being victimized.
“Police working to build up lasting relationships of trust must begin early with youth and young adults,” stated Derek West, Inspector of the Thunder Bay Police Service’s Community Outreach Branch. “Being connected to students at Confederation College reduces the fear many international students may have about police. The connections made now can translate into a safer community and in some cases allow students to consider a career in law enforcement.Our presence at the college will allow us to be accessible for positive relationships to develop.”
This is just one example of the many issues unique to students.The pilot project aims to help both international and domestic students learn in a safe and welcoming environment. It will also encourage community partnerships from Confederation College and the Thunder Bay Police Service.
College, our students and the Thunder Bay Police Service,” said Mike Rozic, Director of Public Safety and Risk Management.
Confederation College has been serving the citizens of northwestern Ontario since 1967 meeting the educational needs of students in a catchment area of some 550,000 square kilometres. Along with its main campus in Thunder Bay, Confederation College has seven regional sites located in Dryden, Fort Frances, Greenstone, Kenora, Marathon, Sioux Lookout and Red Lake, as well as a growing Distance Educationdivision.
Confederation College delivers exceptional education and training to an average of 4,800 combined full- and part-time students per year and currently has a total of 600 full- and part-time employees. Confederation’s regional economic impact and contribution is valued at $703.3 millionannually.
Agreement strengthens cross-border cooperation on technology, research, and personnel
The Nuclear Waste Management Organization (NWMO), a Canadian notfor-profit organization tasked with the safe, long-term management of Canada’s used nuclear fuel, today signed a Statement of Intent (SOI) to Co-operate on Used Nuclear Fuel Management with the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE).
The agreement reflects the U.S. and Canada’s shared commitment to safely managing used nuclear fuel, including that from small modular reactors (SMRs). It will foster information-sharing for consentbased siting, science and technology programs, engagement activities and joint technical studies. It also lays the groundwork for a program of exchanges and visits, enabling the NWMO and DOE leaders to learn from each other through hands-on experiences in each other’s organizations.
After President Joe Biden and U.S. Secretary of Energy Jennifer Granholm visited Canada in March, Natural Resources Canada and the DOE issued a joint statement declaring both countries’ commitment to co-operate on nuclear energy and achieve shared net-zero and energy transition goals. The statement also affirmed consent-based siting of used nuclear fuel as part of the U.S. and Canada’s common vision. Today’s announcement strengthens bilateral efforts to realize this common vision and reflects
the U.S. and Canada’s commitment to environmental responsibility and clean energy.
“For more than two decades, the NWMO
based siting strategies and ensures Canadians and Americans can work together on important shared priorities like protecting people and the environment.”
plans to select a site in 2024.
“As the U.S. develops our consent-based siting process, we need to hear from diverse perspectives to build a stronger approach—and that includes lessons learned from our colleagues in Canada,” said Assistant Secretary for Nuclear Energy Dr. Kathryn Huff. “Sharing information and collaborating will bring a sustainable, clean energy future closer to reality.”
“This statement of intent to collaborate between the NWMO and the US Department of Energy is a great example of how the international community can come together to support safe and responsible nuclear development and ensure that socially acceptable radioactive waste strategies are developed early. I am pleased to see the NWMO’s leadership and expertise in consent-based siting and nuclear fuel waste disposal, and their work engaging with Indigenous peoples and Canadians, being recognized by my counterparts in the United States, and I look forward to seeing this collaboration in action,” said Debbie Scharf, Assistant Deputy Minister, Natural Resources Canada.
has demonstrated our commitment to engaging with communities, conducting scientific research and developing innovative technologies for safely managing used nuclear fuel over the long term, which we are eager to share with our international partners,” said Laurie Swami, CEO of the NWMO. “Today’s agreement strengthens the system of international partnerships that support the development of consent-
The NWMO is implementing Canada’s plan for the safe, long-term management of the country’s used nuclear fuel in a deep geological repository to protect people and the environment for generations to come. Canada’s plan will only proceed in an area with informed and willing hosts, where the municipality, First Nation and Métis communities, and others in the area are working together to implement it. The NWMO
A ceremony commemorating the signing of the agreement took place recently at the Embassy of Canada in Washington, D.C., where NWMO and DOE leaders committed to implementing the agreement and expanding co-operation through the specific, standalone agreements that the SOI permits.
BYSCOTTA. SUMNER Thunder Bay BUSINESS
Bill Boulton is the President & CEO of Smart Modular Canada, a fairly new business in Thunder Bay, that is building new homes in a smart and efficient way!
“ I’ve been in the modular industry for 16 years now. At the beginning we designed, sold and installed modular buildings all over NWOntario purchasing from other factories. In 2019 we had many orders come in and the factories we were dealing with couldn’t supply them as they were too busy,” said Bill Boulton. “This building became available after sitting vacant for ten years. Also certain things in my life
changed which allowed me to focus on this business. My son Rick and I decided we would open this factory in November 2020 and manufacture our own buildings!”
Smart Modular Canada started with one small 20,000 square feet section and within 6 months took over the entire 76,000 square foot building located on Haniak Road.
“ We started up during Covid and had our struggles like everybody else but we made it. We build modular buildings to the Ontario Building Code and CSAstandards and sell across Northern Ontario and now are going to Manitoba. We are busy, busy. I had always wanted to open a factory and had a plan of how I wanted it in my head.
We hunted all over here for the proper building and this is the only one that fit.” said Bill.
“ Our main customers right now are First Nation people right across NWOntario where we provide efficient homes. They can be delivered up north on the ice roads. We set them in place and the two pieces get put together. We also deal with commercial businesses and mines as well as some cottage people.” said Rick Boulton, National Sales Director, Smart Modular Canada.
Smart Modular Canada builds the same way as you would outside but inside and there is never a rainy day. All of their inventory stays indoors so it is dry and nobody steals anything which can happen on outdoor job sites.
“ We create on own fake foundation inside the building and it is on a moving line
similar to any other production line like GMor Ford with vehicles. There are stages and each stage has so many days before moving on to the next until it gets to the end of the line and out the door. We are working on 12 to14 houses at a time. The drawings are done in house,” says Bill.
“ The start is the framing with our red seal carpenters and then we have our own plumbers, electrician’s, HVAC people as well as dry wall and tape people. The average home we build is 1000 to 1100 square feet and takes about 6 weeks to complete. We are in the midst of automating includ-
ing building cabinets, and will try to move that number up. We have all the materials here in the building, it is like a big home supply store.” says Bill.
Smart Modular have a customized truck and trailer and hire out to other people as well to ship their homes to the final destination. The average weight of a home is 25,000 to 30,000 pounds and can go as high as 40,000 pounds.
“ We have a lift system in the shop that we customized by lifting the building 5 feet in the air. That is how our plumbers and everybody can work from below as well. The trailer is a trombone trailer which extends under the house for up to 74 feet.” noted Bill Boulton. “ In our world with First Nations and mining companies we can assist with the foundation work on our own but not in the city which has different regulations.” Continued
On average the time to build a home is about 50% faster than an on site build and costs 15 to 20 % less as a rule than site built according to Bill Boulton. The house also has 15 to 20% more material in it because it has to make the journey down the highway and get lifted on a crane. Not all the roads we go down are that nice smiles Bill!
The whole Smart Modular plant is CSA approved as an envelope, so what that means is all their procedures, say the way they drive in a nail, have been certified by
the CSA. All the products used in the building have to have a CSAstamp on it which means it has been inspected by the Canadian Standards Association.
“ We expect to use more of the hours in a day to operate by shifts, if we can find more people to work. We have a trade program experience here as well.” said Bill.
“ We have just under 50 people working here today and our business is almost all out of Thunder Bay. Our biggest challenges have been staffing and the supply chain.The supply chain is getting better but it is still difficult to get staff, particularly trades. We have the staff we need today,
but is difficult to expand. This is a common problem in business. Wages have also gone up. We have been growing quickly in the last few years which is incredible. We want to construct quality homes.”said Bill.
There are no other factories like the impressive Smart Modular Canada facility between Ottawa to Winnipeg.
As a customer, you’ve no doubt received scads of sales pitches from companies trying to sell you something; the vast majority of which you ignore, tune-out, or reject outright. When the tables are turned, andyou are the one making the proposal, there are three key elements that will make your offer more compelling. These three components make-up what’s known as your Unique Selling Proposition or “USP”. When I speak at conferences and for sales and service teams, this is one of the simple tips I share for converting prospects into buyers. Whether you’re making your proposal in person, through a brochure, or on your website, you’ll have more impact by including these three elements…
Sales often get bogged down in detail when a product or service is overlydescribed in terms offeaturesrather than benefits. Afeature is a physical characteristic of a product or service. A benefit is what the features does for the user. For example, afeatureof an automatic garage door opener is when you push a button, the garage door goes up or down. Abenefit is since you no longer have to get out of your car and be exposed to the weather, you save time, possible back injury, and maybe even reduce dry cleaning bills.
In your proposal, be sure to translate your product or service features into benefits. Here’s an easy way. Briefly mention the feature, then use these six magic words: “What that means to you is…” Then describe the benefit. Translating features into benefits helps potential buyers fully appreciate the value you’re providing.
Chances are, there are other suppliers of your kinds of products or services so it’s important for customers to know what makes you unique. Rather than trying to explain what you do better than your competition, instead describe what makes youdifferent.
That takes you to the third element of crafting your unique selling proposition…
Prove it!
Provide facts, statistics, examples, and testimonials that verify your claims. If your evidence is in the form of a client testimonial, be sure to include the client’s full name and company.
Otherwise, the ‘fact’looks like fiction. Obtaining customer endorsements is easy when you do good work. Simply ask for permission from your happy customers to feature their comments. Most people are flattered and will happily consent.
by doing this sooner rather than later. Perhaps there’s a limited supply, or the offer ends at a certain date. You can also outline options for implementing. I don’t recommend however, getting too detailed with implementation plans at this phase. Better to do that after the customer decides they want to move to
your proposal that you add the three elements of the USP. Chances are you’ll address a lot of the buyers’ unexpressed objections and make them more comfortable doing business with you.
Jeff Mowatt is a customer service strategist, Hall of Fame speaker, and bestselling author. For more tips, training tools or to inquire about engaging Jeff for your team visit www.JeffMowatt.com
If your proposal is in writing, be clear about the next step. Tell the customer what you want them to do; visit your website, phone you, stop in. If appropriate, also explain what they’ll gain
the next step.
There are lots of other pieces of information you can include proposal. Certainly, your knowledge of your customers’circumstances and challenges is a good place to start. Just make sure that when you get into the substance of
“The success these students achieved today is just the beginning of more magnificent achievements in their lives.”
Tuesday, May 9, 2023 at Lakehead University, 10 finalists from local schools competed in front of five judges for first, second and third place cash prizes for their business idea. The two categories for the competition were grade 7-8 and grade 9-12.
All the participants had amazing presentations that showcased their business ideas, marketing plans and cashflow projections.“Amazing to see
the youth so well prepared, and enthusiastic about their business ideas” commented one of the judges.
Enter the Den is a business plan competition for Thunder Bay students inspired by the popular Canadian TV show, Dragon’s Den.Enter the Den is a gentler version of the format with practical feedback for every participant.Thunder Bay Ventures has been running this competition since 2010.
This year’s finalists were from the following schools:
·Valley Central Public School
·Westmount Public School
·Crestview Public School
·Westgate High School
St Patrick’s High School
·Hammarskjold High School
THE WINNERS ARE:
Gr 7-8 Category
1st
Owen Lemoine Breakaway Films Valley Central
2nd
Moiz Mushir Syed & Suyash Choudri
Blizzify
Westmount
3rd Alexis Kruchak
Crazy Cuisine
Westmount
Runners up:
Chris Kiiskila & Frog Larocque
Break a Sweat
Westmount
Ella Rrietdijk
Babysitting Blast
Crestview
Gr 9-12 Category
1st
Kaydee Vondrasek
Vondesignco
Westgate
2nd Avery Brodeur
Love For Dogs
Hammarskjold
3rd
Tyson Galloway
Thunder Bay Chips
Westgate
Runners up:
Preston Posselwhite
LuminaSleep
St Patrick
Piper Glenn 1000 Words
Westgate
It is always fun to see other parts of Canada! In August, several years ago, I
tour of the new Cabot Cliffs course it was off to Halifax for the return trip to Thunder Bay. My travels allowed me to see much of Nova Scotia. In all my golf travels in Canada and the world the Cabot Links destination ranks near the
top! It really is a special place you must see.
www.cabotlinks..com
had the opportunity to visit Cape Breton Island, primarily to play some golf, but also to see a beautiful part of the world!
Two flights will get you from Thunder Bay to Toronto to Sydney, Nova Scotia in good time. You can easily pick up a rental car and your adventure will begin!
My first stop was the famed Highland Links Golf course consistently ranked in the top ten in Canada. This seaside course is also home to the historic Keltic Lodge Resort & Spa located on one of the most beautiful settings you will ever see. The large white inn was constructed in 1950 and features fine dining and beautiful rooms with ocean views.
One of the highlights of Cape Breton Island is the drive you take around the perimeter of the island up some large peaks, overlooking pristine ocean. On my trip there were even whales visible in the backdrop that attracts the attention of the many tourists on the road. You will end up travelling through Cheticamp, a historical seaside village where the houses and Main Street are right adjacent to the ocean!
My next destination was Inverness, Nova Scotia, a former coal mining and fishing village. Inverness had seen quite a bit of economic downturn with the stopping of coal mining and limited fishery. It has seen its population drop to 1500 people. The community leaders had always felt the former coal-mining site, right on the ocean, would be perfect for a true links style golf course and a few years ago their dream was realized with the opening of Cabot Links.
After my rounds at Cabot Links and
