April 2016

OTTAWALIFE NEWS/POLITICS/FOOD/ARTS/SPORTS/FASHION/LIFESTYLE $4.95

SPRING 2016

Krumpers Solar Blinds Ottawa’s Diana Livshits Fourth Annual Spaces Issue

Wow—Perfect paint, toasty fires and tomorrow’s blinds

Turkey-Canada Friendship Series A friendship with a sweet tooth

Ottawa’s Blushes Wins Big

www.ottawalife.com

Spring Fashion * Patrick Gossage * Michael Coren * Barbados * Silversea Cruises

Green with a View Winner of the Air Miles Award for Innovation of the Year, Krumpers Blinds can warm or cool your house depending on the season. They tackle your energy bill without getting in the way of your view.

gth

Personal Injury Group

contents

PHOTO : PAUL COUVRETTE

stre

Get it Painted in a Day

The personal injury group’s lawyers in Ottawa offer free

consultations to obtain settlements for those injured due to car accidents, as well as motorcycle, bicycle, snowmobile, train,

boating, aircraft, bus, diving, swimming pool or skiing accidents.

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Leesha Cunningham, Leesa Franklin and their team of WOW 1 DAY painters are leaving a trail of happy customers across the region. It's just how they roll.

Fashion Rebellion

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Finding a dose of reality in one of the world’s most stressed-out industries.

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Our Ottawa personal injury group’s lawyers can also provide

Silk Road of the Silicon Age

assault, medical malpractice, injury by defective product and the negligence of others and many more.

Canada’s trade with China keeps both countries open to new products and opportunities. In China’s latest five-year plan, the country plans to increase urbanization and open up even more avenues for trade.

Take comfort in our strength.

Travel

you with legal advice about slips and falls, food poisoning,

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From a personal butler to gourmet food and more elbow room than you'd expect on a small ship, Silversea sets the standard in luxury all-inclusive cruises. If feet firmly planted in the sand is more your style, head to beautiful Barbados.

The island is celebrating 50 years of independence from Britain.

Book Your Free Consultation.

613-238-8080 info@nelligan.ca nelligan.ca Suite 1500, 50 O’Connor Street Ottawa

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PHOTO : COURTESY PEC

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columns

Publisher’s Message .......................... 4 Best Picks ......................................... 5 Savvy Selections ................................ 7 In Search of Style ...............................12 Hubert’s Home Heating ..................... 16 John's Reno Tips ............................... 20 Profile: Atlas Chiropractic ................. 23 Opinion: Michael Coren..................... 42 Opinion: Patrick Gossage.................... 43 Saint Paul University .......................... 46

series

The Law and You/Legal Series............ 24 Reaching Higher: Algonquin............... 27 Canada/Turkey Friendship.................. 28 Canada/China Friendship ................... 33 Canada’s Sports Hall of Fame ............ 37 Veterans .......................................... 45

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Crisp, Clean, Cool. Fashion Editor Alexandra Gunn shows you how you can make the season's biggest trends your own.

WE KNOW LAW

PHOTO: VALERIE KEELER

Ottawa’ Salon, Blushes Wins Big

PHOTO: COURTESY VISIT BARBADOS

SPRING 2016 VOLUME 18 • NUMBER 2

publisher’s message by Dan Donovan

publisher/managing editor

Dan Donovan

best picks

copy editor/senior features writer

Ottawa Police Services Crisis: The Cart Pulling The Horse

O

ttawa Life Magazine has been writing about the problems with the Ottawa Police for the past five years. In 2011, we said that Councillor and Ottawa Police Services (OPS) Board Chair Eli El-Chantiry’s should resign over his all too cozy relationship with then Police Chief Vern White. El-Chantiry saw no reason why he or anyone should be concerned about him socializing with the Police Chief he was supposed to be overseeing. When current Chief Charles Bordeleau was accused of alledgedly interfering in a court case involving a careless driving charge against his father-inlaw, El-Chantiry did nothing. His chummy, wink wink, nod nod relationship with the police management team and complete misunderstanding of his role as OPS Chair has now crossed into gross incompetence.

The OPS Board was later forced to send the case to the Office of the Independent Police Review Director (OIPRD) after the accusations were reported by Postmedia. When referring it for investigation, El-Chantiry said that the board was not passing judgment on what the Chief did but, acting in the interest of “openness and transparency”. He does not even seem to comprehend that the entire point of oversight is to monitor and pass judgment on a regular basis to ensure that the police are operating at the highest possible standard. Chief Bordeleau vehemently denies the accusations and El-Chantiry has further damaged the Chief ’s reputation. El-Chantiry should have sent the original accusations to OIPRD and let them do their job. By not doing so Bordeleau’s reputation has been damaged in the public eye. Bordeleau has been trying to bring change to OPS. He has a small mutinous crew of undisciplined officers on his force and continues to deal with an unacceptably high number of incidents of police misconduct by Ottawa constables, including cases of spousal abuse, driving under the influence and police improperly accessing personal data on police computers. There are also investigations underway involving 11 Ottawa police constables allegedly involved in fraudulent reporting activity. Under the current Police Services Act, Chief Bordeleau cannot terminate any of these constables. If true, they should all be fired.

Ottawa Centre MPP and Minister of Community Safety and Correctional Services Yasir Naqvi will soon introduce changes to reform the Police Services Act, but until then, Bordeleau must work with the current Act which is outdated and does not have the provisions to allow Police Chiefs to be fire officers for criminal or inappropriate activity, The Ottawa Police Association, like most others, circle the wagons and protect their own, even when criminal behaviour is involved. This harms the good police officers and creates an environment where some police think they can commit crimes and are untouchable. In Ottawa, there have been five violent murders since January. All of them are gang and drug related. Otherwise, overall crime across the city is down. After the fifth murder, Chief Bordeleau issued an open letter asking the public to help the police.

A day later, one of “Ottawa’s Finest”, Constable Paul Heffler, sent out a cowardly email to the entire force criticizing Chief Bordeleau. It was a breathtaking and insolent act of insubordination that should have resulted in his immediate termination with cause.

Heffler, who has almost 30 years in policing, sent it knowing full well there was little at risk for him as he will soon retire on a fully indexed, taxpayer-subsidized fat cat pension.

He actually wrote in his email that “there are few services and businesses that pay their employees $100,000 salaries and treat them like they are dime store security guards.” He raises an important point.Why are we paying police constables like him and others such high salaries, amongst the highest salaries of any public servants in Ontario, when private sector companies are available to cover these duties at one-third of the cost? If we did that, then the Ottawa Police would have the money to pay for intelligence gathering, equipment and extra resources they require to combat the serious and growing issue of gang violence in Ottawa. Instead, we have a head of Police oversight who is dumber than a bag of hammers and police constables who have become so arrogant and entitled that they now think they don’t even need to listen to the Chief of Police n 4 OTTAWALIFE APRIL 2016

Jennifer Hartley art director Karen Temple web graphics manager Alissa Dicaire web editor/features writer Eric Murphy cover

Paul Couvrette, couvrettestudios.com

Declutter Your Keys

photographers

MCpl Robert Bottrill, Ophie Béraud, Alain Chan, Paul Couvrette, Dwayne Brown Studio,Valerie Keeler, Justin Krugr, Marc Polidoro, Joshua Rablin, Studio 7 fashion editor Alexandra Gunn accounts Joe Colas C.G.A web developer Ben Chung social media contributor Sofie Sharom contributing writers

Fabrice Blée, Jennifer A. Chandler, Michael Coren, Dan Donovan, John Gordon, Patrick Gossage, Alexandra Gunn, Jennifer Hartley, Simon Hatcher, Frank Jankac, Samantha Lapierre, , Justina McCaffrey, Kevin Miller, Eric Murphy, Brittany Findlay-Mitchell, Frances Shapiro Munn, Debbie Trenholm, Luo Zhaohui

Do a big, small thing This beautifully illustrated and interactive travel journal,

by Canadian professional adventurer Bruce Poon Tip, asks its readers to self reflect and inspire others. Draw, colour, write, rip, make and share inspiration. Each page of Do Big Small Things is motivating, encouraging and fun. Visit Indigo or Amazon to pick up a copy. clearly.ca

corporate advisor J. Paul Harquail, Charles Franklin corporate counsel Paul Champagne editor emeritus Harvey F. Chartrand student intern Talia Meade, Tess Durham advertising information

For information on advertising rates, visit www.ottawalife.com call (613) 688-LIFE (5433) or e-mail info@ottawalife.com Canadian Publication Mail Product Sales Agreement #1199056.

Ottawa Life Magazine, 301 Metcalfe St. Lower Level, Ottawa. Ontario K2P 1R9 tel: (613) 688-5433 fax: (613) 688 -1994 e-mail: info@ottawalife.com Web site: www.ottawalife.com Follow us on Twitter @ottawalifers Like us at www.Facebook.com/OttawaLifeMagazine Ottawa Life is listed in Canadian Advertising Rates & Data (CARD).

Ottawa Life subscription rates: one year $42.00, includes postage, plus HST (six issues). Two years $70.00, includes postage, plus HST (12 issues). Add $20 per year for postage outside Canada.

Subscriber service is 613-688-LIFE (5433) Ottawa Life Magazine is printed in Canada on recycled paper.

Hip Hop Mugs These cute and catchy mugs come from Ottawa’s own The Cookery Bistro. Perfect for music and coffee lovers alike, these mugs have coffee puns that are just straight up hot and percolating. thecookerybistro.com

Preloved Pillows Preloved Festive Pillows are like snuggling with your favourite sweater.

The red buffalo plaid remains the same with each pillow while the vintage sweater and flannel black panel are unique to each piece. The pillows are made from recycled vintage fabric, giving a hug to both you and the environment. getpreloved.com

Ukkusiksalik: The People’s Story Known as the principal hunting ground for Inuit families, Ukkusiksalik was established as a national park in 2003.

Researcher and writer David F. Pelly has explored this region on foot and by kayak and presents the stories in his book Ukkusiksalik. dundurn.com/books/Ukkusiksalik

Keep your cluster of keys organized and secure with this custom-designed Orbitkey. The Orbit’s soft material will help protect your belongings from scratches and will stop that annoying jangling in your pocket. orbitkey.com

All Natural Unveil firmer, smoother and younger looking skin with Hebe Anti-Aging Serum. The pure, all-natural Anti-Aging Serum is freshly produced in Quebec and offers no preservatives, parabens, alcohol or fragrance. Within 30 days of use, skin feels firmer and plumper. Exclusively at hebederma.com $129.00.

Political Memoir The Call of the World offers an astute exploration of global and domestic politics along with a behind-the-scene tour of defining moments in recent history. With personal anecdotes and clever portraits of world leaders, Bill Graham’s book takes an in-depth look at his time in office as Canada’s Minister of Foreign Affairs and Minister of Defence. ubcpress.ca ISBN: 9780774890007

Charging on-the-go The Commuter by Spider three-in-one rechargeable lithium-ion battery and charger is compatible with today’s top USB-powered devices. Take the ultra light and small Commuter anywhere. spyderstyle.com

5 OTTAWALIFE APRIL 2016

Head to ‘The County’’ There are so many reasons to go visit Prince Edward County

House, Angeline’s Inn, The Manse Boutique Inn and all of these places have gourmet restaurants to go with them.

It is close enough to get to for the weekend and yet it is a whole other world away.

Prince Edward County is becoming a well-respected wine-making area, culinary destination and a place to escape to recharge the battery. Here are a few ideas for a

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Once you disembark, be baffled by the geography of Lake on the Mountain.

This unique body of water is one of Ontario’s natural wonders defying geographical and geological theories.

Ponder its mystery over a drink at the Miller House Café and Brasserie.

You can stay overnight here too if you ponder too long.

Prince Edward County is well known for its beaches. Sandbanks Provincial Park is the most popular but there are many more beaches to discover such as the Wellington Beach and Park, North Beach Provincial Park and Westlake Beach. Switch from white sand to

smooth pebbles and wander along Little Bluff Beach.

Check out some great old barns at The Old Third, Closson Chase, Karlo Estates (with their stone bridge), The Grange of Prince Edward County and Hinterland Winery.

The County has developed a great reputation with its varied accommodation options. There is the Claramont Inn & Spa, Merrill Inn, The Drake Devonshire, Waring

PHOTOS : COURTESY PEC

? g s n i s fuf er ir Lo S Ha ofr m ROW G

fantastic getaway.

Start your visit right. Instead of taking the 401 the whole way, get off the highway and take the Glenora Ferry.

This free ferry ride is less than 10 minutes (check the departure schedule) and is the perfect way to reset your pace to ‘County time’. Breathe in the fresh air, enjoy being surrounded by water and get the welcoming twofingered wave from the ferry driver as you arrive.

PHOTO : COURTESY PEC/ MARC POLIDORO

savvy selections by Debbie Trenholm

For an incredible breakfast, stop in at the Lighthouse Restaurant in the Picton Harbour Inn - a popular local hot spot for breakfast. It has delectable sausages and eggs, mile high pancakes and some of the best French toast in town.

Lose yourself flipping through fascinating books at Books & Company or the intriguing consignment shop — City Revival — on Main Street in Picton.

A few doors down, you will find The Regent Theatre. Check out the list of movies, live musical performances and special talks as well as the Prince Edward County Jazz Festival.

The locals share this secret: enjoy the view of Picton from the Millennium Lookout — access it from County Road 22.

Slickers County Ice Cream in Bloomfield is worth the calories as is a stop at Black River Cheese Factory.

Locals also love Cones & Shakes in Picton.

7 OTTAWALIFE APRIL 2016

Summer Camps July 11 – 15, 2016 July 25 – 29, 2016 August 15 – 19, 2016

OAG art camps are a one-of-a kind creative experience for kids aged 7 to 12. Each week includes hands-on projects, specialized artist-led workshops, themed city tours, and visits to art galleries.

The camps are kept small, so kids can benefit from personal attention in a supportive environment.

The County is coming to Ottawa! Prep for your road

Space is limited, so sign up today!

trip by attending County in the Capital. Meet the makers from 20+ wineries, cideries, breweries & artisan food producers, all from Prince Edward County. This is a unique opportunity to taste and buy your new favourites.

Content is primarily delivered in English with bilingual staff. For more info or to register, contact us at camps@ottawaartgallery.ca or 613-233-8699, ext. 250.

Wednesday April 20, 2016. 7p.m. to 9 p.m. at Ottawa City Hall

Visit us online w w w.ot tawaartgallery.ca

Advance Tickets only: $55 (bring a friend for $5) www.countycomes2ottawa.eventbrite.

All that you touch

A Window on Paraskeva Clark

February 19 – May 29, 2016

February 19 – May 29, 2016

Brad Isaacs, Guest Curator

Michelle Gewurtz, Interim Senior Curator, Ottawa Art Gallery

Sample County wines and again, enjoy outstanding cuisine at East & Main Bistro, Blumen Garden Bistro and the Agarian Bistro.

Love museums? Mariner’s Park Museum in South Bay, Rose House Museum in Waupoos, Wellington Historical Museum, Macaulay Heritage Park and Ameliasburgh Pioneer Village will give you your fix.

Cycling is a big thing in the County.

A local favourite ride is along Big Island Road, following the beach on the northeast shore of Prince Edward County, as well as along the Loyalist Parkway (Highway 33).

Drive or bike along the Barn Quilt Trail. There are over 100 barns with painted quilts.

The locals rave about Birdhouse City. There are over 100 birdhouse reproductions of historic buildings, whimsical designs and other recognizable structures. Love Nest Studios is a must too.

A sign that will make you laugh as you drive by is Dead People’s Stuff Antiques. You might even stop in and check out their stuff.

Gail Tremblay, It Was Never About Playing Cowboys and Indians, 2012, recycled 16mm film, leader, rayon cord & thread, 24.25 x 14 x 14 in. Photo: Rebekah Johnson. Artwork courtesy of Froelick Gallery, Portland, Oregon.

Paraskeva Clark, Working Drawing for Eaton’s Windows c. 1935, (detail), Gouache, ink and graphite on paper. FAC 1570. Firestone Collection of Canadian Art, The Ottawa Art Gallery: Donated to the City of Ottawa by the Ontario Heritage Foundation, 1974.

This exhibition was made possible with the support of the Ontario Arts Council and RBC Emerging Artists Project.

8 OTTAWALIFE APRIL 2016

| Open as usual during construction 2 Daly, Ottawa, Ontario K1N 6E2 | 613-233-8699 |

PHOTO : COURTESY PEC/ DWAYNE BROWN STUDIO

OAG ART CAMPS

ottawaartgallery

Upcoming festivals that will give you a taste of The County include Terroir PHOTOS: COURTESY PEC

@ottawaArtG

in May where winemakers and artisan food producers are all under one roof.

The Great Canadian Cheese Festival in June is a weekend of 100 per cent Canadian artisan cheese (and wine and beer too). TASTE – Community Grown in September celebrates the harvest with local wines, ciders and farm fresh goodies. Join the fun at Wassail — a pre-Christmas festival where you sing for your drink. Check www. visitthecounty.ca for a comprehensive calendar.

Hands down the best old-fashioned doughnuts are at Schroedter’s Farm Market Bakery & Cafe. If you don’t have a sweet tooth, a bowl of homemade soup & and a sandwich will hit the spot. There are great gluten-free goodies too.

See a sea of purple at the Prince Edward County Lavender Farm. Tip: plan to visit the Lavender Festival or stop in when the plants are in bloom in mid to late June. Take photos in the gardens, learn how lavender is harvested and how the oil is made.

If you are lucky - stay at the farm’s B&B. Play life size chess in the vineyard at Casa Dea Estates Winery.

And if tea and treats are part of the plan, the Vic Café, the Pink Lunch Pail

Bakery, Tall Poppy Café or Miss Lily’s will not let you down.

If you think there is no night life in The County, clearly you haven’t been to the movies at Mustang Drive-In on County Road 1. Or pop into The County Canteen — Picton’s first brew pub for a flight of craft beers. The Acoustic Grill is a great place to see local bands.

Visit the Sunday Market at 106 Bridge for brunch made by Chef Michael Hoy. In the afternoon, enjoy live jazz on the patio at Huff Estates Winery.

Collect a couple or all eight of the cool County Posters with neat illustrations of all corners of Prince Edward County to remind you of the fun discoveries you had on your County getaway.

Meet the dogs & owners at Three Dog Winery.

The brand new the Local Store has all kinds of County treasures, artists and food all under one roof, in a heritage Loyalist barn of course.

This is just a taste of what awaits you.

Book a getaway today.You won’t regret it, and your inner foodie will love it n savvyselections.ca

www.countycomes2ottawa.eventbrite.

9 OTTAWALIFE APRIL 2016

haute couture by Justina McCaffrey

PHOTO : COURTESY JUSTINA MCCAFFREY

Fashion Rebellion There seems to be a wind of change blowing in the fashion industry. It was proclaimed in January that New York Fashion Week 2016 would present Ready-To-Wear fashion not just to the buyers, but to consumers as well. Believe it or not, this was truly a radical change. This new consumer angle to the shows would take away some of the mystique of the runway by (magically) offering to sell the collection as soon as the pieces were barely off the models

In an already stressed-out industry this instant “turn around schedule” would be next to impossible to meet and it would be betting on what styles, sizes, and colours would sell, moving briskly into production mode.

the retailers, the fabric suppliers, the sewing machine operators, and of course the other designers. They made me think of new, possible directions that would work for everyone.

The new approach, deemed revolutionary for the industry, was met with skepticism. Chanel designer Karl Lagerfeld referred to the fashion industry on Feb. 25, 2016 as “a mess.”

These are sad thoughts. I wish that the gorgeous fuchsia fabric that I had chosen for the closing dress of the last fashion show would be worn and appreciated. I wish there was a place where that bugle beaded mini skirt could be admired daily.

It could have been this state of industry flux that made my mind wander. Why, with all of the clothes offered to us can we still have nothing to wear in our closets?

I thought of a beautifully draped plaid dress I saw that would look wonderful on a friend of mine. She did indeed try it on, but looked in the mirror and replied: “so, where do I go with this?”

Despite liking the dress, and looking fantastic in it, she did not have the required lifestyle to wear it often or even at all.

I think a lot of fashion pieces fall into this category. It is fancy clothing artfully assembled that just becomes an assembly of items stored away and forgotten.

I thought about the people in fashion: 10 OTTAWALIFE APRIL 2016

This is how the lightbulb went off in my head. Over the course of my career, I have been attached to my uniform of a crisp white shirt that works with a skirt, black crepe pants or jeans and works perfectly whether traveling to Paris, Rome, Hong Kong, Florida, or New York. My shirt was my “goto” item that saved me a tremendous amount of time whenever I was in doubt with what to wear.

When I thought about it, over the course of 20 years, I had purchased over 35 white shirts. All were from the same manufacturer. However, ten years ago, my beloved manufacturer stopped making these shirts and I began the process of trying to crack the code on how to create the perfect fitted shirt by reconstructing the pattern.

It took ten years of development, but last month I materialized my first white shirt sample. And that is when it hit me. A very practical fashion enterprise was right there in front me: the custom-fitted shirt for ladies. I took a photo and shared it with my sister who is known for her carefully edited and concise wardrobe and lifestyle. She immediately and enthusiastically placed an order, my first, on this original sample. Within hours I added text to the photo, and posted it on Catherine Landry’s Ladies Who Lunch Facebook page, and within a week I received over 100 orders.

I had obviously tapped into something, an unmet demand within a woman’s wardrobe.

My shirts are custom and made to measure. I take over 12 measurements and cut each shirt individually to coincide with my mission statement that clothes should revolve around the person. The person should not have to change to fit the clothing.

This ideal invokes the human person conveniences of the If NY Fashion Week so can I n

the dignity of rather than the fashion industry. can rebel, clearly 11 OTTAWALIFE APRIL 2016

A Fine Romance

Q

I’m a recent graduate and I will be starting my first corporate job in April. Do I need to wear a suit to work or can I still wear trendy clothing?

An unfussy brand of femininity dominated the spring/summer runways, in which lady-like dresses were paired with simple flats and a relaxed attitude.

This top trend will land in most stores across Ottawa so you won’t need to look far to find this easy to achieve style. Look for romantic floor-length dresses, intricate floral embroidery and delicate silhouettes which give way to Victorian-era beauty. You can expect to see ruffles, puffy sleeves, highcollar necklines and loads of floral prints. Designers, like Erdem, Saint Laurent and Dolce & Gabbana, showcased dreamy designs mixed with a playful attitude.

PHOTO : VALERIE KEELER

Runway to Real Way

Kate Spade Mini u Rose Silk Dress $478

Dolce & Gabbana Runway 12 OTTAWALIFE APRIL 2016

Etro Runway

p Winners Floral Trench Coat $129.99

Saint Laurent

p Marshalls Floral Tunic $39.99

Dolce & Gabbana Runway

p Floral Dress $34

Ralph Lauren Runway

t Adidas leggings $125 adidas.ca

Working women have no shortage of decisions to make, including what to wear between the hours of 9 and 5.

Luckily it’s getting easier to find fashionable work attire due to the growing market of smart, chic dressers. The jacket I’m wearing, pictured below, from the collection Edit by Jeanne Beker, is smart enough for the office and is lightweight for any unexpected warm weather. Try balancing classic work attire with statement pieces that express your style. Just because you’re working in an office environment doesn’t mean you need to wear a uniform.

Are you brave enough for all white? Designers such as Alexander Wang, Diesel and Christopher Kane all featured white crisp and clean separates on the runways for spring.

Remember to start with the basics and then build your wardrobe to include separates that speak to who you are beyond the office.

p Sheer Top $24 p Kate Spade Rose Pail Bag $328

p Bezels & Bytes fitness bands bezelsandbytes.com

A

It’s easy to go overboard with this trend and it’s important not to confuse ‘romantic’ for ‘sweet’.

Rather, what you’re looking to achieve is a nostalgic femininity intended to place an emphasis on the luxe factor. Lightness and movement paired with lace or romantic floral prints are what you want to look for. My silk rose dress by Kate Spade is a modern example of the new romantic style with a traditional silhouette and a statement floral print.You can’t go wrong with florals for spring.

Get the Look

Ask Alex

p Marshalls Striped Sheer T-Shirt $39.99

Get the Look

Edit By Jeanne Beker u White Jacket from The Hudson's Bay $225

PHOTO: VALERIE KEELER

Follow Alex on Twitter: @AlexandraGunn

in search of style by Alexandra Gunn

Erdem Runway 13 OTTAWALIFE APRIL 2016

homes by Samantha Lapierre

Ottawa Salon Wins a Blush-Worthy Amount of Awards A local salon with international inspiration was recognized in a big way during last month’s Canadian Hairdresser Awards/Mirror Awards.

Blushes, an already multi-award winning salon located in Ottawa, walked out of the award ceremony with three separate wins.

Between the two of them, creative director Silas Tsang and colour director Dorothy Tsang took away the awards for “Men’s Cut and Style,” “Contemporary Classic” and “Editorial Hairstylist of the Year.” Each is a huge honour, even for an already well-established salon.

“I’m really excited to receive that kind of award on a national scale,” Silas says. “It’s a really good feeling.”

p Silas and Dorothy Tsang

14 OTTAWALIFE APRIL 2016

The 22nd Hairdresser Awards/ Mirror Awards, which were held February 27 this year at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre, is run

by Canadian Hairdresser Magazine.

This year’s theme was “Mosaic,” which celebrated both the diversity of stylists and the myriad colours they apply in their art. They received hundreds of nomination entries this year for a variety of categories, including the unique “Best Selfie” category. Silas and Dorothy were nominated for eight awards in total, and they brought home three of the most prestigious.

Silas began styling hair in London in 1985. Since then, he’s worked on his craft in Hong Kong and Germany, before settling in Kanata’s west end in 1992 to open Blushes.

He chose this area because a close family member was already living in Ottawa. In 2007, Silas and his wife Dorothy began entering competitions similar to the Mirror Awards as a way to become more involved with the industry. At first, the competitions were difficult to break into, but after furthering his education in the UK, Silas and Dorothy began gaining ground.

“Blushes uses very high standards, European styles,” Silas says. “I really believe the technical has to be strong.

People [in London] are more daring to try something new.”

Since then, the Tsangs have been finalists for the North American Hairstyling Awards and they’ve won awards from Colour Trophy, Contessas, Haute Coiffure Français and have worked on projects like Ottawa Fashion Week and Project Runway Canada.

The “Men’s Cut and Style” award celebrates a haircut that can be worn anywhere for any occasion. Dorothy Tsang also won a Salon Magazine Contessa Award for the same men’s collection.

Blushes is also a “Green Circle” salon, which means that they recycle and repurpose products like foils, colourtubes, papers and plastics while making sure that excess hair chemicals don’t end up down the drain.

The “Contemporary Classic” award is just what it sounds, a style that fits a classic look into today’s trends. The “Editorial Hairstylist of the Year” award is given to a stylist who creates a cut that fits perfectly on the runway or the cover of a magazine.

“Hairdressing for me is about passion,” Silas says, summarizing why the industry has such a strong hold on him n You can find Blushes at 4048 Carling Avenue in Kanata or online at blushes.ca

WowFactor LEESA FRANKLIN AND LEESHA CUNNINGHAM, OTTAWA OWNERS OF WOW 1 DAY PAINTING BEGAN THEIR ADVENTURE TOGETHER A MERE THREE-AND-A-HALF YEARS AGO.

While watching Undercover Boss Canada, Franklin and Cunningham spotted a segment on WOW 1 DAY Painting, and it immediately caught their eye. “We connected with the concept of a great paint job completed in one day,” Franklin says. From there the business began.

Franklin’s military food services background and Cunningham’s construction project management and IT experience made them a natural choice for the company, as well as a good fit with each other.

time but they are done in two to three days. In all cases, the team prides itself on on-time production.

Franklin and Cunningham attribute their steady growth through referrals.

“It’s important that we deliver an exceptional customer experience each time,” Franklin says. The process

we care about what we do. The details matter.”

The team also believes that giving back to the community is very important.

In addition to their own personal volunteer activities, the duo are also participating in a bigger effort this year called The WOW 1 DAY, a companywide day of community volunteerism on August 26, 2016. “For that day we are looking for a project that will allow us to support our senior community,” Cunningham explains.

As the sister company of 1-800-GOT– JUNK?, both women knew they had the backing of a strong franchise system and that factored strongly in their final decision to purchase WOW. In the beginning, there was a lot of skepticism among painters and the public about the one-day concept, but Franklin explains that their philosophy is simple:“small jobs, small crew, big jobs, bigger crew.” Having a systemized and organized approach allows the team to do a lot in a day, especially with four or five painters in the house. “We waste no time when we arrive at 8 a.m. Everyone has a job,” Cunningham says. “It’s not unlike playing on a sports team. Everyone knows their teammates, how the game is played and what their role is to make it successful.” Both say that they are very focused on making their customer feel comfortable, secure and confident that WOW will get the job done. Eighty per cent of their residential repaint projects are completed in one day.

The other 20 per cent are more complex projects and require a bit more

PHOTO: ALAIN CHAN

haute couture by Eric Murphy

WE WASTE NO TIME WHEN WE ARRIVE AT 8 A.M. EVERYONE HAS A JOB…IT’S NOT UNLIKE PLAYING ON A SPORTS TEAM.E.

begins with an estimate booking (which can be done either online or via a customer care agent), and moves to the no obligation but fully detailed written quote that includes assistance with colour selection. Once the customer approves, the project planning and scheduling occur. This includes set-up at the beginning and a final walk-through by the team to make sure everything is perfect. Both women take pride in their team of painters who really deliver extraordinary service. “We always impress upon our team the importance of doing one extra ‘wow’ thing each time that shows

Cunningham and Franklin have also committed to green and environmentally friendly business practices. In addition to using paints with low and zero VOC (volatile organic compounds) provided by their Benjamin Moore, Sherwin Williams and Dulux paint suppliers, the team take things one step further and recycles the empty paint cans, which diverts thousands of cans each year from reaching the landfill.

Providing a top-notch customer experience is important for Franklin and Cunningham, and the pair is excited to see where their business will take them. At the end of the day, both women want to make sure that the “wow” goes into WOW 1 DAY Painting.

“We are really focusing on making people happy. We always want to see a smile.”n 15 OTTAWALIFE APRIL 2016

PHOTO: SOPHIE BÉRAUD

PHOTO: COURTESY HUBERT'S HOME HEATING

homes by Samantha Lapierre

Bringing The Warmth WITH HUBERT’S FIREPLACES

A

family-run business spanning three generations, Hubert’s delivers fireplace services to families and businesses with personable and trusted care. Hubert’s has gas, wood and outdoor fireplaces as well as finishings to make your old or new fireplace stand out from the rest. With over 90 years of keeping Ottawa homes and offices cozy, Hubert’s knows its stuff.

Jodie Matthiesen, Hubert’s general manager, has been working for the company since she started part-time at the age of fourteen. Her mom, Maryanne, has been a business partner with the company for the last decade.

The company is a strong pillar in Ottawa’s business community.

“I don’t think a lot of small businesses out there can say that they’ve been around as long as we have,” Matthiesen 16 OTTAWALIFE APRIL 2016

says. “We’re approaching that 100-year mark, and that’s exciting for our staff.”

While fireplaces add a warm, personal touch to a room, Hubert’s makes sure to add a warm and personal touch to its service too. “(One of) the key things that makes us stand out is that customer service is the most important thing. The majority of our clientele is based on referral,” explains Matthiesen.

“Sometimes we’re seeing third and fourth generation customers. We have also stayed very small. We’re like one little family here.” Hubert’s makes it a priority to employ a team of inhouse staff. The company doesn’t rely on outside contractors, guaranteeing the quality of its work by its fast, knowledgeable, reliable and diligent crew.

Hubert’s experts will work with you

to decide on the best fireplace to suit your home and your vision for your space. First, Hubert’s will arrange a consultation to assess your needs and your home environment. Hubert’s will then show you a wide variety of fireplaces that will work best for your space and achieve your vision. The Hubert’s team will guide you through the process right to the finishing design.

is very supportive of Canadian brands. Solus Décor, Valor, Montigo and Pacific Energy are all part of the options. Hubert’s also prides itself on being Ottawa’s exclusive carrier of luxury fireplace brands such as Town & Country and Stuv. With classic and elegant, to contemporary and sleek, to stylish and chic styles, Hubert’s has a fireplace that will fit any budget and any space.

Hubert’s gas fireplaces are a great option to enjoying fireside warmth without the requirement of wood to keep the fire roaring. Of course, wood fireplaces are available if you crave that nostalgic feel. If you need some warmth outdoors, Hubert’s has outdoor fireplace options too.

“I can’t imagine a house without a fireplace. It just adds that warmth and ambience.” Matthiesen is right.

It does. “On a cold day you just want to snuggle up in front of a fire.

It’s a real place that you can gather around and have conversations, which doesn’t happen a lot these days.” n

Hubert’s carries a selection of mid-to high-end fireplaces and the company

PHOTO: STUDIO 7

Hubert’s Fireplaces have been keeping Ottawans toasty since 1922.

hubertsfireplaces.com 17 OTTAWALIFE APRIL 2016

profile by Samantha Lapierre photo by Paul Couvrette

D

iana Livshits knew she had found something special the moment

she discovered the technology for Krumpers

Solar

Blinds.

Livshits

discovered the technology by sheer accident while visiting a friend in Windsor, Ontario. Livshits mentioned a problem that she and her husband were having in their home. The back of their house was west facing, making their living room’s temperature a warm 20°C in the summer, while their bedroom’s temperature was a fiery 30°C. The house had the opposite problem in the winter. From awnings to window film treatments, a frustrated Livshits and her husband had tried everything they could think of to help prevent the problem.

Building Krumpers Solar Blinds

Tackling your energy bill without obstructing your view, awardwinning Krumpers Blinds are a unique Canadian technology.

Along came a neighbour to her Windsor friend’s home and offered her a sample of his solar blind creation.

Livshits sent the blind to her husband, and ten days later the couple had acquired the rights to the technology.

The rest, as they say, is history.

Livshits comes from a family of innovators. Her mother was a doctor and her father had a Ph.D. in technology and fiber optics. Born in Latvia, Livshits and her family moved to Toronto in 1975. A decade later, Livshits’ father was offered a position 18 OTTAWALIFE APRIL 2016

at Nortel.The family packed their bags once more and moved to Ottawa.

Livshits herself attended the University of Ottawa, worked for Nortel, is a huge technology enthusiast and a keen businesswoman.

For the past eight years, the success of Krumpers Blinds has soared while in her hands. These blinds are extraordinary. They are green, award winning and the first of their kind.The accolades keep pouring in. Krumpers has won HomeStars Best Blinds award for the past six years, and the company recently received the prestigious 2015 Scotia Bank EcoLiving Award.

Winning the EcoLiving award has allowed the company to enjoy national exposure. Krumpers recently won another prestigious award this year: the Bank of Montreal and Air Miles Award for Innovation of the Year. Along with endless positive testimonials from businesses and customers alike (Livshits says she has over 400 testimonials tucked away in a folder in her office), the proof of Krumpers’ success is in its unique technology.

Krumpers Blinds aren’t your typical, simple paper or plastic window blind.

Made from a thin layer of aluminium, a layer of nano-carbon-graphite, as well as non-toxic food-grade PVC, Krumpers Blinds are transparent and two-sided. One side of the blind is used during the summer. The blind’s metallic fabric offers solar protection from heat, UV damage and glare, and reflects heat outside by using a unique angular perforation. The other side of the blind is used during the winter.

This graphite side acts as a passive solar collector, helping to reflect heat back into the home and a still air barrier helps to retain the warmth. The blinds are spring loaded, making them easy turn around in less than ten seconds once the seasons change.

“They work instantly. In any piece of real estate, we look for light, we look for the view. People are paying hundreds of thousands of dollars to get them. When climatic conditions (are)

either too hot or too cold, we cover the windows and obstruct the view.

With this product, you are covering the window, but you are retaining that beautiful view,” Livshits explains. “And because the blinds are two-sided, you’re addressing both thermal issues: the thermal gain through the sun, and the thermal loss in the winter time.”

For the past eight years, Livshits says the company has been constantly growing. In the company's early days, Livshits used her marketing knowledge to help spread the word

Because the blinds are two-sided, both thermal gain and thermal loss is addressed allowing for year round temperature control.

about their product. Livshits and her husband attended trade shows and used advertising initiatives, but Livshits credits her customers for helping build its dependable reputation. “From the initial installation for our first clients, it has really been them, our clients, who have been our ambassadors. Some used to even come to trade shows to help us out,” Livshits explains. “I remember two Francophone customers who would come to trade shows with us and sing our praises. It really is a

company from the ground up. We took it from point zero, and we have built an excellent reputation.”

Krumpers has provided blinds to large projects, including the National Research Council Canada in Ottawa and a government site in the Northwest Territories. Recently, Krumpers outfitted the KI Offices in Pembroke, Ontario. KI is a leading manufacturer of office furniture, as well as a leader in sustainability and green practices. The blinds are a part of the green sustainability program at KI. “We call it the ‘toothache effect.’

People have a problem and we solve it,” Livshits says. “That’s the simplicity of our product. It’s there, doing its job quietly in the background and clients reap the reward on a monthly basis because utility consumption goes away down. The blinds help save energy consumption up to 40 per cent yearround.” Krumpers Blinds are currently the only product on the market that has independent lab results that support its results. “There’s nothing comparable on the market.”

Creating a green product has been important to Livshits, especially as the mother of a 13-year-old boy. Krumpers has even installed blinds inside her son’s school. “I think for people to be environmentally friendly, there has to be products on the market that present in such a way that people don’t even need to think about it.

By the end of the year, Livshits says the company is hoping to have a showroom in Toronto. Krumpers manufactures its blinds right here in Ottawa, and Livshits is incredibly proud of the company’s made-by-Canadians, made-for-Canadians status. “Canada has given my family a lot… When my parents came (to Canada), they came from the former Soviet Union. They were stateless. Canada accepted my parents, and my parents were able to build a very good life for themselves.

In some small way, I would love to pay it forward.” n krumperssolarsolutions.ca 19 OTTAWALIFE APRIL 2016

homes by OLM Staff

JOHN’S RENO TIPS

Spring Into Reno Season

As we enter the key renovating season, there are certain trends that are turning up everywhere. Fresh from the Ottawa Home Show, here are a few of John’s hip tips.

PHOTO: JOSHUA RABLIN

The rough brick adds texture to the space and constrasts nicely with the highly polished stone on the floors and waterfall countertop.

Hit the Loo

Grab bars and shower seats: More and more, we seem to be getting requests for shower seats.

They are functional and good to have if you have seniors in your home. Grab bars are another trending addition to bathrooms. You can install them just about anywhere you might need them, but showers and tub surrounds are the most popular place to install them.

Wood floors add warmth and go with almost any kitchen design.

PHOTO: JUSTIN KRUGR

Freestanding tubs: Built-in tubs are becoming less popular these days. Freestanding tubs on the other hand, if your space will allow it, offer a lot of flexibility in placement and some might even chose to place their freestanding tub in their shower area.

Kitchens and Living Areas

Mixed materials in kitchen such as rustic wood beams, stone columns, subway tiles and bright shiny counter tops are part of the 2016 kitchen trends.

Brick and stone: Exposed brick and stone walls are a great way to add a rustic charm and texture to your home. The kitchen is the perfect room to add a stone or brick accent wall that ties in your living area.

Another option for these materials in your kitchen would be behind floating wooden shelves displaying decorations, photos or dishes.

You can also use it for a backsplash. Need to cover up ceiling or looking to spruce it up? Try rustic wooden beams.They add warmth and depth to a space.

Hardwood floors: If you want to make your kitchen look timeless, go for hardwood floors. They bring warmth to the kitchen design and go with any style or colour of cabinetry. It goes way beyond the shelf life of a 10-year trend cycle.

20 OTTAWALIFE APRIL 2016

PHOTO: COURTESY JOHN GORDON

PHOTO: KEVIN MILLER

Cool cabinets: Solid colour cupboards with touches of natural wood are an innovative new trend that is likely to pick up this year. Cabinets can be painted in a very earth-toned grey colour with a wooden island or decorative legs. Go the extra mile and add a custom wood hood fan to the design?

Heated floors and towel racks: We can all agree that bathroom floors are generally cold, but they don't have to be. Electric-heated floors are the solution. They are popular in bathrooms because of their ability to help dry out moisture and humidity. Heated towel racks, or towel warmers, are another great gadget to have in the bathroom.

Who doesn't enjoy being wrapped in a warm and fuzzy towel after a shower or a bath? They also act as a supplemental heater and damp outerwear dryer.

Freestanding bathtubs allow for more placement options.

Colour trends: Beige used to be the number one colour choice but now white, greys and blacks are in this year with hints of brightness such as mauve, turquoise or light green accessories n YourRenoGuys.com 21 OTTAWALIFE APRIL 2016

profile by OLM Staff

From Hockey Player to Chiropractor For a short time in chiropractor Karlo Pavich’s life, playing hockey was all he ever wanted to do.

June 9, 2016

During his youth, Pavich lived that dream. From the age of 16 until the age of 23, Pavich skated his way into the professional hockey circuit. In his early years, Pavich played in minor hockey and eventually broke into the Central Canada Hockey League as a #1 pick and the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League.

Pavich turned his junior career into a professional career in Europe. After living there for a few years, Pavich received an invitation to try out for the Montreal Canadiens.

Don’t miss le pARTy of the year!

Celebrating Ottawa’s visual and culinary arts.

As a child, the Ottawa South team Pavich was playing for went on an exchange to play a Montreal team under the chaperone Jean Beliveau. That evening, Pavich watched his first and only NHL game and met player Mario Tremblay.

He promised himself at that tender age that the next time he was in the Forum, he would be wearing a Montreal Canadiens jersey. Ten years later, he kept that promise and wore that jersey, albeit only for a few weeks.

Visit OttawaArtGallery.ca for tickets. | Open as usual during construction 2 Daly, Ottawa, Ontario K1N 6E2 | 613-233-8699 |

ottawaartgallery

Not long after, Pavich began studying at the National University of Health Sciences in Chicago and graduated at the top of his class. After his studies, Pavich returned to Ottawa and immediately opened his practice, Atlas Chiropractic and Massage Therapy.

@ottawaArtG

Karlo Pavich

EVERY TIME WE ADJUST A PATIENT, THERE’S A DIRECT EFFECT ON BRAIN CHEMISTRY, WHICH ALLOWS THE BRAIN-BODY CONNECTION TO ADAPT AND HEAL.

Pavich’s practice is welcoming and open. The waiting room walls are adorned with backstage passes for bands he has worked on, along with autographed sports memorabilia. Pavich’s patients typically hear about his clinic by word of mouth.

While he has worked on big names, Pavich takes pride in being a family-friendly clinic.

“Chiropractors adjust and rid the spine and extremities of subluxations or distortions,” Pavich explains. “These distortions in the supporting structures of the body that support spinal vertebrae cause a stress response in the brain. Every time we adjust a patient, there’s a direct effect on brain chemistry, which allows the brain-body connection to adapt and heal. The body is a self-healing and selfregulating entity.”

Pavich adds that his practice uses gentle hands-on techniques, as well as additional modalities to add to the patient’s experience and treatment value, including the use of Intersegmental Traction and Hydromassage tables.

Pavich is passionate about providing quality care for his patients. He tells the story of a young patient who was having difficulties learning and concentrating at school. With the help of a chiropractic treatment plan, Pavich worked on the child to develop better focusing skills. Today, the now-teenaged patient is an aspiring golf player.

atlaschiro.ca 22 OTTAWALIFE APRIL 2016

“My patient’s story is one of many little miracles, as I like to call them, that happen daily across this city and this country in chiropractic offices,” Dr. Pavich says.

“Having a healthier community is what really motivates me to assist my patients, their families, friends, and coworkers. We all have a purpose in life, and hockey was my stepping stone to hone my eye-hand coordination and concentration to do and practice what I do today, and that’s being a Chiropractic doctor.” n 23 OTTAWALIFE APRIL 2016

the law and you/ottawa legal by Jennifer A. Chandler and Simon Hatcher

the law and you/ottawa legal by Frances Shapiro Munn

WARNING: Your Auto Insurance is Changing

Physician-assisted dying should not

be a substitute for adequate care and supports for people with mental health problems

T

he federal government committee looking at physician assisted dying released its long-awaited recommendations recently to much debate. The permissive approach it recommends reflects the spirit of the Supreme Court of Canada declaration that the prohibition of physician assisted dying violates the fundamental human right to make one’s own decisions about one’s bodily integrity and medical care.

The Supreme Court also ruled, and the committee accepted, that Canadians should not face a cruel choice between intolerable suffering and a violent or dangerous self-inflicted death.

But what concerns many is the committee recommendation that those enduring psychological suffering due to mental illness should also be eligible for medical aid in dying.

Why the concern? Physician assisted dying is not a real ‘choice’ for those with mental illness if we don’t first offer them adequate care and support.

And the unfortunate reality is that, in Canada, mental health is vastly underserviced.

One of the consistent worries voiced throughout Canada’s long national discussion of physician assisted dying is the desire to protect vulnerable people. One fear is that people with disabilities may be directly pressured or coerced into consenting to medical aid in dying.

More insidiously though, vulnerable people may come to desire death due to a lack of any reasonable alternative to their suffering. For this reason, many have called for us to redouble our attention to providing access to high quality palliative care so that people are not driven toward medically 24 OTTAWALIFE APRIL 2016

assisted death by uncontrolled pain.

With the committee inclusion of psychological suffering due to mental illness as a condition eligible for physician assisted dying, we must ask the same question about access to high quality mental health care and social support. How can we offer one as a ‘choice’ without the other?

Here, it is worth returning to the Supreme Court of Canada’s declaration in another case that “the mentally ill have historically been the subjects of abuse, neglect and discrimination in our society.” This neglect has resulted in “years of under funding of mental health,” in the words of the Mental Health Commission of Canada.

An article published earlier this month in JAMA Psychiatry reviewed 66 cases of medical aid in dying provided to people with psychiatric illnesses in the Netherlands between 2011 and 2014. The review found that most of these cases were women (70 per cent) with chronic severe conditions, and 56 per cent were described as socially isolated or lonely. As Dr. Paul Appelbaum commented in an editorial accompanying the article, these results raise “the concern that physicianassisted death served as a substitute for effective psychosocial intervention and support.”

The recently released government committee report recognizes this concern, recommending generally that the government support the Mental Health Commission of Canada’s pan-Canadian mental health strategy. However, the primary attention appears to be how to ensure appropriate mental health services are available for people who are requesting medical assistance in dying.

Attention to mental health care and social supports must begin well before a person reaches this point.

Interestingly, the impact of people with mental illness being eligible for physician assisted dying may be to strengthen the argument that we should provide equal concern and resources in Canada for mental as for physical health.

There is currently a systematic stigma in how we organize services and funding for people with mental health problems. For example in 2007, the Wait Time Alliance and the Canadian Psychiatric Association proposed benchmark wait times for access to psychiatric services for people with serious mental illnesses. Yet according to their 2015 report, provinces have yet to even publish wait time data for psychiatric care. In the meantime we have worked hard and succeeded in reducing wait times for hip and knee replacement, cataract and bypass surgery, radiation therapy and diagnostic imaging.

Hopefully the availability of physician assisted dying for people with mental illness will stimulate efforts to make sure that accessible and effective treatments are available for them. Let’s hope the committee recommendations will galvanize further innovation to improve medical and social support for some of the most vulnerable among us n Jennifer A. Chandler is the Bertram Loeb Research Chair and Associate Professor at the Centre for Health Law, Policy and Ethics, Faculty of Law, University of Ottawa. Simon Hatcher is Vice-Chair Research Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, University of Ottawa. They are both Members of the Centre for Health Law, Policy and Ethics.

What You Need to Know

I

f you are injured in an auto accident, you are entitled to certain statutory accident benefits – commonly referred to as “no fault” benefits – from your insurance company. The Ontario government, working in conjunction with the insurance industry, has radically changed some of these benefits. These changes come into effect on June 1, 2016 and will impact you and your loved ones if you or they are ever injured in a car accident. Here is what you need to know and what you can do to protect yourself.

Current Benefits • Non-Earner Benefits:This benefit is for people who were not working at the time of the accident, but who are so affected by the accident that they are completely unable to carry on a normal life. They are entitled to $185 per week.There is a six-month waiting period for this benefit, but those who qualify can receive these payments for the rest of their life (with a reduction at age 65).

conditions are entitled to medical and rehabilitation benefits up to $50,000.

These benefits are available any time up to 10 years following the accident.

• Attendant Care Benefits: These benefits are for those who require assistance from a personal aid worker or a nurse. The amount of the Attendant Care Benefit depends on the seriousness of the person’s injuries:

• Non-Earner Benefits will become time limited: The weekly amount will remain the same ($185) but insurance companies will only have to pay this benefit for 104 weeks (two years) following the accident – even if a person continues to suffer a complete inability to carry on a normal life for the rest of his or her life.

• Medical and Rehabilitation Benefits: These benefits are for treatments that are not covered

by OHIP (e.g. chiropractic care, massage therapy, speech therapy and physiotherapy). There are three levels of benefits, depending on the type of injuries sustained in the accident:

THE DEFINITION OF WHAT IS A “CATASTROPHIC”

• Medical, rehabilitation and attendant care benefits will be capped:

i. Catastrophic injuries: People with serious injuries such as head injuries, paraplegia, and dismemberment are entitled to medical and rehabilitation benefits up to $1 million over their lifetime. ii. Minor injuries: People with minor sprain and strain injuries are limited to $3,500 in medical and rehabilitation benefits. iii. Standard benefit level: People who have injuries such as broken bones, complete tears and psychological PHOTO: OLM STAFF

benefits will be reduced:

INJURY WILL ALSO CHANGE, MAKING IT MORE DIFFICULT FOR PEOPLE TO QUALIFY FOR THE CATASTROPHIC LEVEL OF BENEFITS.

i. People with catastrophic injuries are entitled to $6,000 per month in Attendant Care Benefits, up to a total of $1 million over their lifetime. ii. People receiving the Standard Benefit Level of medical and rehabilitation benefits are entitled to up to $3,000 per month in Attendant Care Benefits for two years after the accident (for a total of $36,000). iii. People with minor injuries are not entitled to Attendant Care Benefits.

Changes in 2016 Effective June 1, 2016, these no-fault

i. People who fall under the standard benefits level for medical and rehabilitation benefits will be limited to $65,000 for both medical and attendant care benefits. As an example, this means that a person who spends $50,000 on medical and rehabilitation benefits will only have $15,000 remaining for attendant care benefits – as opposed to the $36,000previously available. ii. People with catastrophic injuries will be limited to $1 million for both medical and attendant care benefits.

This is a significant reduction from the $2 million currently available $1 million for each of medical and rehabilitation benefits and attendant care benefits.

• Medical and rehabilitation benefits 25 OTTAWALIFE APRIL 2016

Ottawa Legal >> from page 25

will be payable for only five years.

Insurance companies will only have to pay medical and rehabilitation benefits under the Standard Benefit Level for up to five years following the accident –half the current 10 years they are currently required to provide these benefits.

The definition of what is a “catastrophic” injury will also change, making it more difficult for people to qualify for the catastrophic level of benefits.

These changes will only apply to insurance policies that are renewed on or after June 1, 2016. This means that persons who renew their policies on May 31, 2016 will continue to qualify for the current benefits until May 31, 2017.

What You Can Do If you are worried about these amendments, there are a number of new optional benefits that can help protect you from some of these changes. The new optional benefits include:

• An option to increase the Standard Benefit Level for medical, rehabilitation and attendant care benefits from $65,000 to $1 million; and • An option to increase the catastrophic benefit level for medical, rehabilitation and attendant care benefits from $1 million to a total of $2 million in coverage.

Purchasing these optional benefits will increase the cost of your insurance premium. However, given the seriousness of the changes, we recommend that you at least speak to your insurance company or broker about when your policy will be renewed and how much these additional optional benefits will cost you n Frances Shapiro Munn is a member of Nelligan O’Brien Payne’s Personal Injury Law Group. She can be reached by email at frances.shapiromunn@ nelligan.ca or by calling 613-231-8355. For more information on personal injury law, please visit www.nelligan.ca.

26 OTTAWALIFE APRIL 2016

reaching higher/education by Samantha Lapierre

Algonquin College is Igniting Passion

O

n February 11th, Algonquin College launched the Centre for Innovation and Entrepreneurship, or, IgniteAC. Students and college staff alike now have access to resources that have been designed to help them launch their businesses while studying or working at Algonquin.

Algonquin’s President and CEO Cheryl Jensen has a history of encouraging an entrepreneurial mindset at the school since she became the college’s president in 2014.

Last year, Jensen signed the National Association of Community College Entrepreneurship President’s Pledge, which commits a college to train students to become leaders, to ensure that the college creates teams devoted to entrepreneurship as well as to increase engagement with local entrepreneurs.

IgniteAC will help fulfill those promises.

Located in on the College’s Woodroffe campus, the unique centre provides access to an office and meeting space, along with connections to a variety of Algonquin College entrepreneurship resources such as events, education, and assorted programming (including the SUMMIT Summer Intensive entrepreneurship boot camp that is happening this summer).

IgniteAC complements Algonquin’s current entrepreneurship resources, including the award- winning program Applied Research. Applied Research aids innovators, students and faculty to tackle business endeavours through support, enriched learning, and preparation for students entering the workplace.

“We believe that college is the best place to start your business, and in the coming years you will hear us talk more about how we are building that entrepreneurial culture internally

By opening the centre we are placing more tools in our tool belt and better equipping our students and graduates for success.

with our students and employees,” says Jensen.

“Algonquin College has long been known within the college sector as an innovator, and by opening the centre we are placing more tools in our tool belt and better equipping our students and graduates for success.”

Students who work in the space will have the chance to receive support from Andrew Foti, the Algonquin Student Association's Executive in Residence.

Foti has over 20 years experience as an advisor to technology and life science sector companies, and has helped entrepreneurs to find, finance, scale and sell their businesses.

Initial PR, a commanded students, was is one sample

public relations firm by four Algonquin recently unveiled and of that entrepreneurial

spirit that is being encouraged.

The firm’s president Bryant McNamara is one of many students who is pleased about the possibilities that IgniteAC will create for entrepreneurial students.

“This is precisely what we need at this time to make sure that we succeed in our career and in the economy of today,” said McNamara. “The economy is one that requires entrepreneurship to grow, and Algonquin has heard that call.”

IgniteAC forms one part of the Capital Entrepreneurs Program, a joint venture with Carleton University, the University of Ottawa, and La Cité Collégiale. The program looks to strengthen the capacity of Ottawa’s colleges and universities to support entrepreneurial youth n algonquincollege.com 27 OTTAWALIFE APRIL 2016

the canada-turkey/ottoman to ottawa friendship series by Frank Jankac

the canada-turkey/ottoman to ottawa friendship series by Brittany Findlay-Mitchell

Remembering

the Politics of Fear he recent debate over the admittance of Syrian refugees is ominously reminiscent of events that took place over a century ago in Canada.

Indeed, Syrians were among the hundreds of thousands of immigrants who entered Canada, aggressively recruited by Canadian government agents and their proxies throughout Europe, the Ottoman Empire and Asia to facilitate unprecedented economic growth between the years 1896 and 1914. Despite the numerous challenges inherent in the migration process, these newcomers embraced their new surroundings as settlers on the prairies, labourers in urban factories or industries on the Canadian frontier and established communities in the process.

When war broke out in the summer of 1914, Syrian loyalty to the British Empire was without question.They immediately contributed $525.00 to the Canadian Patriotic Fund in September, 1914 and established a Syrian Home Guard company with the intent of gaining recognition from the Militia Department and eventual attachment to the Canadian Expeditionary Force.

Indeed, community spokesperson and businessman J. Aziz explained their sentiments in Toronto's Globe, “We are not Turks and resent being called Turks. We Christians have been deprived of civilian and religious rights in Syria... we Syrians fully appreciate the freedom with which we are permitted to live and trade in Canada, and interference with the Dominion and her trade means interference with us, and that is why we want to express our loyalty.” The federal government duly recognized their contribution to the war effort. However, things would soon change.

Turkey's declaration of war against Great Britain in November of 1914 did not concern Syrian-Canadians as 28 OTTAWALIFE APRIL 2016

they were resolute in support of the Entente Powers that included Great Britain, France, Russia and the United States among others. However, the Canadian government utilized its broad powers under the War Measures Act and suddenly ordered all Syrians to register as enemy aliens in early 1915.

They joined approximately 80,000 other subjects of Germany, AustriaHungary, the Ottoman Empire and Bulgaria in Canada that had to report to authorities as required and were denied their civil liberties for the duration of the war and beyond.

Syrians, along with 8,579 persons that included Ukrainians, Alevi Kurds,

A NETWORK OF 24 INTERNMENT CAMPS (WERE) ESTABLISHED ACROSS CANADA. THEY WERE USED AS A CHEAP SOURCE OF LABOUR BY THE GOVERNMENT AND COMMERCIAL INTERESTS AND SOME REMAINED IMPRISONED UNTIL EARLY 1920. OVER 100 INTERNEES DIED WHILE IN CUSTODY.

Armenians, Bulgarians, Croats, Czechs, Germans, Hungarians, Italians, Jews, Turks, Poles, Romanians, Russians, Serbs, Slovaks and Slovenes, of which most were Ukrainians and civilians, were deprived of their personal property and became prisoners of war in a network of 24 internment camps established across Canada. They were used as a cheap source of labour by the government and commercial interests and some remained imprisoned until

early 1920. Over 100 internees died while in custody.

The Canadian government’s policies regarding alien enemies were both contradictory and controversial.

Although the international factors related to the war influenced public opinion against the foreigner, domestic factors played a significant role as well. A growing recession in the years before the outbreak of war swelled the numbers of the unemployed who crossed the nation in search of work, congregated in cities and often protested for fair working and living conditions.

Moreover, mass immigration after 1896 forever changed Canadian society and as a perceived threat to the British values and morals upon which the nation was built, aliens increasingly became the targets of advocates of social control.

Anti-foreigner sentiment became an ideological undercurrent that permeated social, economic and political debates of the day and fed the fear, paranoia and xenophobia that made the misguided policy of internment a reality during the Great War. The Canadian government implemented similar policies throughout the 20th century. Residential schools; restrictive immigration policies; the suppression of the labour movement in the interwar period; the internment of Japanese, Germans, and Italians during World War II; surveillance of ethnic communities throughout the Cold War; the FLQ Crisis; security certificates and the war against Islamic terrorism – continue to be the subject of debate.

The entrance of 25,000 Syrians into Canada hopefully will not garner the same attention decades from now n Frank Jankac is an independent public historian who has conducted extensive research into the issue of internment in Canada.

PHOTOS: SHUTTERSTOCK

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Turkish Delights Turkey has shared many gifts with Canada over the years. Distinctive ebru water marbling art, decorative Turkish carpets and Nazar Boncugu charms that fashionably protect against the evil eye all hail from that magical land. We are privileged to include Turkish culture as part of the Canadian mosaic. One of the highlights of any culture is its food and drink, and Turkish cuisine never fails to please.You might be surprised, however, by some of the foods on this list.

While Turks cannot claim to have invented coffee since the beans were first discovered and used in Ethiopia, they are credited with developing the modern brewing system for coffee back in the 15th century. The name itself comes from Turkish “kahveh.” At first, the beverage was an indulgence available only to nobles in the Ottoman court, but its popularity quickly spread to newly founded coffeehouses, where academics debated and socialised over a rich cup of coffee. Turkish coffee is still a very distinct treat from our run-of-the-mill morning cup of java, but both can be considered gifts from Turkey.

While the exact origin of yogurt is not known, we do know two things.

First of all, the word yogurt comes from the Turkish word “yoghurt” and secondly, it was the Turkish people who introduced it to North America in the 18th century. Considering the snack’s availability and popularity in the 21st century, it’s hard to believe

that it took more than two centuries and a post-World War II health craze for yogurt to become a familiar staple in the Canadian diet.

Turkey is known for its shish kebabs and doner kebabs, but do you know the difference between the two?

Kebab, from the Turkish word “kebap,” means roast meat. Shish and doner describe how the roast meat was made.

The former meaning skewer and the latter meaning rotating. It makes sense that kebabs seems to have originated from Turkish soldiers cooking dinner on their swords over the open fire.

The process has since been refined in Turkey to include marinating the meat before roasting, and it is speculated that vegetables were added to the shish kebab to increase the aesthetic appeal.

Kebabs are readily available across Ottawa with enough variety to please everyone.

As for dessert, there is an ongoing debate concerning the origins of

baklava. You might associate baklava with Greek cuisine, but the Turks also lay claim to the delicacy — it is, in fact, a word of Turkish etymology. The phyllo dough used in the baklava that we know and love today was originally created in the kitchens of Istanbul’s Topkapi Palace, but its history goes back to the Assyrian empire. The reason baklava is often considered a Greek specialty is that Greek pastry chefs were the ones who refined the phyllo dough recipe to be the nowcommon paper-thin sheets. Up until the 19th century, baklava was a luxury exclusively for the rich. The Turkish expression: “I am not rich enough to eat baklava every day,” captures the sentiment. The dessert only started to become affordable for everyone in the last 200 years. It seems that part of the dessert’s initial popularity in Canada stems from the fact that the ingredients for the filling, such as sugar and nuts, are more readily available over here. Subsequently, baklava is now a cherished treat worldwide.

You don’t have to travel across the world to get a taste of Turkey. In Ottawa and cities across Canada, Turkish Canadians are sharing their culture with us in restaurants, bakeries and festivals. Expand your cultural taste buds, try something new and think of the rich history that led to these edible treasures from Turkey n 29 OTTAWALIFE APRIL 2016

the canada-turkey/ottoman to ottawa friendship series by OLM Staff

PHOTO: SHUTTERSTOCK

Discover more than 280 destinations.

The Turkish Red Crescent and the Syrian Refugee Crisis EKATERINBURG

OSLO EDINBURGH

MONTREAL

TORONTO

CHICAGO SAN FRANCISCO

BIRMINGHAM

AMSTERDAM HANNOVER DUSSELDORF

MAASTRICHT COLOGNE

ROTTERDAM

FRANKFURT LVIV

PRAGUE

BRUSSELS STUTTGART NUREMBERG BASEL MUNICH

PARIS

LUXEMBOURG

BORDEAUX

ZURICH

SALZBURG

BARI

BOLOGNA

BARCELONA MARSEILLE

MADRID

MALAGA

PISA

PRISTINA

ROME

SKOPJE

NAPLES

PORTO

LISBON VALENCIA

TIRANA

THESSALONIKI

ATHENS

CATANIA

WASHINGTON D.C. ORAN

MIAMI

ERBIL

SULAYMANIYAH

BAGHDAD DAMASCUS

AQABA

SHARM EL-SHEIKH

KERMANSHAH

MASHHAD

BASRA

NEW DELHI

DUBAI KARACHI

RIYADH ABU DHABI MUSCAT

YANBU

SHANGHAI

ISLAMABAD

LAHORE

DAKAR

KHARTOUM ASMARA

OUAGADOUGOU

COTONOU

DJIBOUTI

NIAMEY

LAGOS

ABIDJAN

MOGADISHU NAIROBI

MALE

DURBAN

JOHANNESBURG

CAPE TOWN

KUALA LUMPUR

working to provide first-response and humanitarian aid to those who need it most.

Director of the TRC, Dr. Mehmet Gulluoglu was in Ottawa recently to give a lecture at the University of Ottawa. He also met with Canadian government officials to request more help from Canada to assist the over three million refugees who have fled Syria. Gulluoglu sat down for an interview with Ottawa Life Magazine. His main message to Canadians is to: “give what you have in your heart to increase the goodness in the world.” He said that: “this is the worst humanitarian crisis in Europe since WW2 and that people are suffering,” adding that: “Canadians are caring people and small habits, such as making a small donation, help the side of good.”

JAKARTA

KILIMANJARO

DAR ES SALAAM MAPUTO

COLOMBO

SINGAPORE

KIGALI

LUANDA

30 OTTAWALIFE APRIL 2016

HO-CHI-MINH

MOMBASA

KINSHASA

MANILA

BANGKOK

ENTEBBE

LIBREVILLE

BUENOS AIRES

ADEN TAIF SANA’A

ADDIS ABABA

ABUJA

N'DJAMENA

YAOUNDE DOUALA

SAO PAULO

MUMBAIHAYDARABAD

KANO

ACCRA

HONG KONG

DHAKA HANOI

JEDDAH

OSAKA

TAIPEI

GUANGZHOU

MADINAH

NOUAKCHOTT

SEOUL

KATHMANDU

ISFAHAN KABUL

NAJAF

BEIJING

MAZAR-I SHARIF

AMMANKUWAIT SHIRAZ

DAMMAM DOHA BAHRAIN

AL QASSIM

HURGHADA

TASHKENT

ASHGABATDUSHANBE

TEHRAN

MOSUL

TEL AVIV

CAIRO

CASABLANCA

ALEPPO

BEIRUT

BENGHAZI

TOKYO

GANJA

NAKHICHEVAN

TABRIZ

ALEXANDRIA

BISHKEK

OSH

BAKU

ISTANBUL

ULAN BATOR

ALMATY

STAVROPOL

TBILISI

BATUMI

SOFIA

ASTRAKHAN

ROSTOV-ON-DON

SIMFEROPOL

SOCHI

LEFKOSA

MISRATA

DONETSK

KHERSON

ODESSA

CHISINAU

MALTA

ALGIERSTUNIS TRIPOLI

TLEMCEN

ZAPORIZHIA

BUCHAREST

PODGORICA

ASTANA

MOSCOW

KIEV

VIENNA

GRAZ ZAGREB LJUBLJANA BELGRADE VENICE SARAJEVO

GENEVA

UFA

DNEPROPETROVSK

BUDAPEST

LYONTURIN MILAN

GENOA BILBAO NICE TOULOUSE

CONSTANTINE

HOUSTON

MINSK

VILNIUS

BERLINWARSAW

BREMEN

LONDON

BOSTON

NEW YORK

LOS ANGELES

DUBLIN

KAZAN

RIGA

LEIPZIG HAMBURG

MANCHESTER

SHANNON

ST. PETERSBURG TALLINN

COPENHAGEN

Since its founding in 1868, the Turkish Red Crescent (TRC) has been

NOVOSIBIRSK

STOCKHOLM HELSINKI

GOTHENBURG

AALBORG BILLUND

ANTANANARIVO PORT LOUIS

The TRC plays a critical role in activities in the development of social welfare, and provides services such as shelter, nourishment, health care, blood services, disaster operations, international aids, social services, health, first aid, education and youth, housing, immigration and refugee protection.

Klis (33,706 refugees), Mardin (13,994 refugees), Kahramanmaraş (18, 334 refugees), Osmaniye (9, 526 refugees), Adiyaman (10,007 refugees), Adana (10,694 refugees) and Malatya (7,967).

The amount of Syrian people living in these camps makes up an average of 9.2 per cent of displaced people living in those cities.

In Turkey, the number of Syrian people has surpassed 2.5 million. Some 284,000 those Syrians live in 26 camps under the protection of the Turkish Government. These camps can be found across cities in Turkey, including Hatay (over 17,843 refugees),Gaziantep (over 50,467 refugees), Şanlıurfa (the largest camp with 112, 371 refugees),

The TRC works to procure, deliver and distribute essential relief supplies and organize food supplies to these camps. The TRC helps to provide everything from hot meals, food grants and food parcels, to hygiene products, showers and toilets, to supplementary education and recreational activities for children. The TRC also offers

comprehensive psychological and social service support to displaced Syrian children and adults.

To date, over 2,503,000 people have been affected by the Syrian crisis, and the TRC has assisted 500,000 people so far. As of 2016, the TRC’s has a budget of CHF 44.6 million, while its operational budget is estimated to be CHF 32.4 million. The overall budget includes bilateral contributions provided to the TRC from Red Cross Red Crescent Movement Partners, as well through external support through UN agencies and additional international organizations, governments and bilateral channels.

The TRC plans to continue its support of Syrian refugees and is focusing on providing community services and outreach programs that will assist members of host communities. The TRC is also researching better tent materials for winter conditions, as well as on-going work to acquire hygiene kits for people living in cities, along with hygiene promotion in camps.The TRC stands committed to helping better the lives of displaced Syrian people n 31 OTTAWALIFE APRIL 2016

PHOTOS: SHUTTERSTOCK

canada-china friendship series by Luo Zhaohui

Let’s Seize the Opportunity for

Greater Strides in China-Canada Trade Since China’s entry into the World Trade Organisation (WTO) in December 2001, China-Canada trade has grown markedly and is continuing its upward trend. Over at least the last decade, China has been Canada’s second largest trading partner and has emerged as Canada’s second biggest source of imports. In 2012, China vaulted past the United Kingdom as the second largest export market for Canadian goods. It is a unique relationship that will continue to grow.

1. China-Canada trade grows steadily and rapidly.

The statistical information of Statistics Canada shows that China-Canada trade volume increased from CAN$20.1 billion in 2002 to CAN$85.8 billion in 2015. The share of Canada’s trade with China has also increased from 2.7 per cent to 8.1 per cent of Canada’s global trade. For ten out of the past 13 years, China-Canada trade has grown at a double-digit pace. It is interesting to consider that the bilateral trade maintained a momentum of steady growth in 2015 despite the global economic slowdown with a year-onyear increase of 10 per cent. In the same period, Canadian exports to China rose 4.5 per cent to CAN$20.2 32 OTTAWALIFE APRIL 2016

billion, making China the second largest export market of Canada for another consecutive year.

2. The China-Canada trade structure improves continuously.

Today, Canada’s exports to China include not only furs and timber as in the early days of economic engagement, but agricultural products, wood pulp, automobiles, airplanes and mineral products. Canada’s imports from China are no longer merely silk and porcelain, but machinery, electronic products, furniture, toys and other manufactured goods as well. The diversity in exports will only grow.

3. China continues to lead world economic growth Following double-digit growth for years, China’s economy has entered into a new stage of approximately seven per cent annual growth. In 2015, China’s economy grew by almost seven per cent. Such growth rate is well above the world average. China has continued to lead world economic 33 OTTAWALIFE APRIL 2016

canada-china friendship series by Samantha Lapierre growth and remains a global growth engine.

The Chinese economy is undergoing restructuring, shifting from exportdriven growth to one powered by domestic consumption. China will pursue an innovation-driven, coordinated, green, open and inclusive development in the period of its 13th five-year plan (2016-2020) for economic and social development.

In the next five years, China’s urbanisation will grow rapidly and China will continue to promote the development of its land-based “Silk Road Economic Belt” and ocean “21st Century Maritime Silk Road” initiatives. China’s enormous domestic demand will help maintain the economy’s “new normal”. China’s middle-income population has already exceeded 100 million. The transformation of China’s growth model will bring unprecedented opportunities to the world.

more sustainable. China’s economy has enormous potential. China has various strategies to address difficulties and challenges

5.There is broad prospect for China-Canada trade and economic cooperation The new Liberal government took office in November 2015. As one may recall, it was during the term of the Liberal government headed by then Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau that China and Canada established diplomatic relations 45 years ago.

Thanks to, among others, the Liberal Party’s long-standing tradition of valuing Canada-China relations, a good start has been made in the bilateral relations since the inception of the new Canadian government,

As remarked by Chinese Premier Li Keqiang, China’s economy has “grown up” against all odds.

Challenges and adversities make China’s economy more resilient and 34 OTTAWALIFE APRIL 2016

Significant changes have taken place in both countries over the past 45 years. China is now the second largest economy in the world and the largest in Asia. China’s economic and trade relations with major Western countries have been growing rapidly while China-Canada trade and economic cooperation is trailing other major economies. China and Canada are critical mutual trading and economic cooperation partners. The two economies are highly complementary and deeper bilateral cooperation under the framework of China’s programme for innovation-driven, coordinated, green, open and inclusive growth should be pursued. The implementation of China’s 13thfiveyear plan is expected to bring about more opportunities for cooperation between the two countries.

In this context, it is important for the two governments to listen to the voice of Chinese and Canadian business communities and start the negotiation of a Free Trade Agreement (FTA) at an early date. A mutually beneficial FTA would deliver more tangible benefits to both countries, creating more exports, more jobs and employment opportunities, to name just a few.

4.China will turn challenges into opportunities.

It is regrettable to note that some international media still tend to publish negative reports and make biased and irresponsible comments on China’s economy. When China’s economy grows fast, they warn about what they call “China’s threat”. When China’s economy grows at a slower pace, they then paint a bleak picture of China “dragging down” global growth. The reality is that the Chinese government is well-equipped to face any challenges arising from various international economic developments or emerging uncertainties in the global economy and will do so with full confidence.

China will be able to maintain a steady and sound economic growth through deeper economic restructuring and further opening to the outside world.

heralding a new era for the ChinaCanada partnership.

THANKS TO THE LIBERAL PARTY’S LONG-STANDING TRADITION OF VALUING CANADACHINA RELATIONS, A GOOD START HAS BEEN MADE IN THE BILATERAL RELATIONS SINCE THE INCEPTION OF THE NEW CANADIAN GOVERNMENT, HERALDING A NEW ERA FOR THE CHINA-CANADA PARTNERSHIP.

In 2015,China-Canada trade accounted for only 1.4 per cent of China’s global trade. China and Canada need to move forward quickly in the development of a maritime energy corridor connecting the two countries. Both countries should focus on creating new areas for bilateral cooperation and fully tap into the potential in such fields as energy resources, infrastructure development, advanced manufacturing and the green economy. The two countries may also consider some large-scale projects in such areas as nuclear power, high speed rails, and liquefied natural gas (LNG).

To this end, both sides need to work together. China is ready to work closely with Canada to create a better tomorrow for China-Canada economic and trade cooperation n

An Innovative Canada-China Partnership

with Grandview PRC

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ounded in 2012, Grandview PRC is an Ontario-based company that promotes trade, investment and project cooperation opportunities between

Canadian companies and Chinese partners. In a few short years, Grandview has accomplished a lot and in the process has caught the eye and backing of many supporters.

Grandview PRC is currently focusing its work on traditional and renewable energy sectors as well as agriculture.

The company is leading an innovative Canada-China partnership that is focusing on a unique healthy food product. Grandview PRC is working closely with the Canadian agriculture researchers, along with farmers, processing facilities and Chinese research and production sectors to boost healthy oat rice products in China. Both the Canadian Government and the Chinese Embassy have supported Grandview’s efforts.

Oats have multiple health benefits.

They are rich in fibre and lower bad cholesterol. Canada, being the world’s third largest producer of oats, is the best partner for China’s growing health-food supply demand. So far, Grandview PRC has succeeded in initializing a Canada-Chinese market expansion, and has led Canadian processors to adopt the new oat rice product category.The company is also channeling into the Chinese market

OATS HAVE MULTIPLE HEALTH BENEFITS. THEY ARE RICH IN FIBRE AND LOWER BAD CHOLESTEROL. CANADA, BEING THE WORLD’S THIRD LARGEST PRODUCER OF OATS, IS THE BEST MATCH TO CHINA’S GROWING HEALTH-FOOD SUPPLY DEMAND.

by setting up relations with the Chinese Beicheng City oat research centre. This centre is a leading source in oat growth and production that targets for the full use of the oat plant, not just the grain. Grandview PRC believes that using the full plant would be a great green project to pursue, as well as one that is beneficial to both countries.

Grandview PRC is committed to expanding its networks and partnerships in Canada, as well as contributing to Canada’s economic development.

Grandview PRC believes that its unique partnership with Chinese companies (including

China CEFC Energy Ltd., the sixth largest privately owned company in China, as well as the largest privately owned company in Shanghai, and agricultural company Dasheng Agriculture Group) gives it an edge on competition.

Both China CEFC Energy Ltd.and Dasheng Agriculture Group have indicated they are greatly interested in doing business with, and investing in, Canadian and Ontario-based business opportunities. Grandview PRC believes that both companies have a lot to offer Ontario and would be a substantial benefit to long-term interests of the province.

These companies would like to bring investment into Ontario’s clean energy and agricultural sectors, promote Ontario’s clean energy technology development and marketing, as well as expand the market for Ontario’s food and agricultural products, including technology.

The future is looking bright for Grandview PRC. As an innovative company with a great vision, its strong connections to the Chinese business world are an important factor to helping this business continue to grow.

Grandview PRC is clearly devoted to enhancing both Canada and China’s business relations in a new way n 35 OTTAWALIFE APRIL 2016

canada's sports hall of fame series by Eric Murphy

From Playground to Podium

and Everything that Comes After E V E R Y O N E K N O W S T H AT P O D I U M M O M E N T.

Y

ou’re watching the Olympics late at night and the Canadian is facing the final jump, or the last lap or the breakaway goal. You hold your breath, they go for it, and after a few tense seconds…it’s perfect.

US. She’s also been an active advocate for mental health awareness, and isn’t afraid to talk about the depression that almost ruined her Olympic hopes.

Siciliano hopes these amazing stories will inspire Canadians, but not in the way you might think.

“Gooooooold!” someone inevitably yells.

“This may sound funny coming from Canada’s Sports Hall of Fame, but it isn’t our primary mandate to turn every Canadian into a gold medalist,” he says. “There are organizations that do that. Our role is to look at how every Canadian can celebrate, learn or benefit from these stories.”

Then it’s the podium, the medal ceremony, and everyone celebrates.

But what happens once the lights have gone out and the games are over? Well, that’s when Canada’s Sports Hall of Fame steps in.

Although Canada’s Sports Hall of Fame certainly isn’t alone in honouring our country’s sporting history, it’s one of the only organizations that celebrates athletes throughout their entire journey. From playground to podium and through everything that comes after, Canada’s Sports Hall of Fame tells our sports heroes’ entire stories.

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“That’s one of the things that makes (us) very unique,” says Mario Siciliano, Canada’s Sports Hall of Fame’s President and CEO. “It’s probably safe to say that 99 per cent of attention is happening from playground to podium, and that’s fantastic. What we’re saying is there’s a piece that happens post-podium and it’s really important.”

Once their glorious moment on the podium is over, some athletes turn around and start training for the next games, others start coaching, others go pro and many dedicate their time and image to charity.

After Canadian figure-skating legend Elizabeth Manley won silver in the 1988 Olympic Winter Games in Calgary, she began skating professionally with the Ice Capades and toured across the

36 OTTAWALIFE APRIL 2016

“Nobody was handed a medal, nobody bought a medal,” Siciliano says. “They all have their stories, and that’s the beauty of it.”

Elizabeth Manley

OUR (CANADA’S SPORTS HALL OF FAME) ROLE IS TO LOOK AT HOW EVERY CANADIAN CAN CELEBRATE, LEARN OR BENEFIT FROM THESE STORIES.

If you end Manley’s story with her silver medal, you miss out on so many of the fantastic and inspiring things that came later on. Canada’s Sports Hall of Fame has accumulated hundreds of athletes’ stories, many of them just as interesting as Manley’s.

Stories about athletes overcoming things like physical barriers or discrimination do not only inspire other athletes, they can inspire anyone facing those same problems. “You might not even know how to skate... that isn’t the point,” says Siciliano.

“The point is if you’re struggling with depression, and you’re struggling getting up for work...here’s this person who has overcome this debilitating mental illness to not only get up out of bed, but they’ve actually gone so far as to win gold or silver medals,” explains Siciliano.

“The idea is that you can see yourself and your own struggles in these athletes’ stories and be inspired to be your best in your own life.” n

Canada’s Sports Hall of Fame shares the stories in Calgary, the home base of the national institution, and across the nation through a number of educational programs and projects. The next generation of sport heroes, the Class of 2016, will be announced on April 27, 2016.

37 OTTAWALIFE APRIL 2016

travel by Dan Donovan

fun. In Belize, we had a beach day and in Guatemala we took an eco-jungle tour and learned about local history.

Our favourite jaunt was in Costa Maya Mexico, a quaint seaside beach town at the very southern part of the Mayan Riviera where we took an exhilarating three-hour segway tour before spending an afternoon snorkeling.

Silversea

PHOTOS: COURTESY SILVERSEA CRUISES

Discover The Gold Standard in Cruising

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privately owned Italian cruise line that is recognized as the gold standard in luxury cruising, Silversea’s new class of elite vessels are designed with more space for fewer guests, where travelers experience adventurous voyages to remote regions while enjoying the highest levels of personalized service. Silversea sails to the islands of Oceania, Southeast Asia, the Russian Far East, Australia’s remote Kimberley Coast, Central and South America and the exotic western coast of Africa. I recently took my 17-yearold daughter on a Silversea Caribbean cruise aboard the Silver Spirit sailing from Fort Lauderdale to Key West, Belize, Guatemala, Costa Maya Mexico and then back to Florida. Silversea sets the bar for cruising and is the company others try to emulate.

The Silver Spirit is the largest vessel in the fleet, but is still considerably smaller than ships sailing for the bigname brands. Silver Spirit proves that size does not trump quality and service. With just 270 cabins and a crew of 376, it offers one of the most favourable crew-to-guest ratios in the industry, just 1.4 passengers for each crew member. Cabins are all located in the forward section, allowing dining and entertainment facilities to be focused aft for guest comfort. Classic, elegant and luxurious are the words that come to mind when you first arrive. We shared a comfortable two bed ocean-view suite with luxuriously designed finishings including a marbletiled and mahogany bathroom suite, 38 OTTAWALIFE APRIL 2016

two satellite televisions, a cozy sitting area, walk-in clothes closet and fully stocked refrigerator. Each cabin has butler service and the all-inclusive fares cover drinks and gratuities. Amenities include a full-service spa, salon and gym, multiple restaurants and bars, a casino and a showroom featuring live entertainment. Silversea offers free wifi to all guests. (The amount of free wifi will depend on your suite category).

Comfortable lounge chairs were always available on all decks. We spent hours relaxing at the outdoor pool on deck nine. We never felt crowded and enjoyed an immense sense of calm in a completely stress-free environment.

For passengers wanting to mix and mingle, there is plenty of opportunity to participate in group activities like bridge, bingo, team trivia and shuffleboard.

Dinners are a treat on the Silver Spirit. On casual evenings, men wear open-neck shirts and dress pants,

while women opt for dresses, blouses and skirts or pantsuits. On informal nights, men bring up it a notch with jackets, though ties are optional. One night each week is set aside for formal dining so bring a suit jacket or a tux and a gown for the ladies. We enjoyed dressing up for dinner and looked forward to cocktails beforehand at the art-deco inspired Panorama lounge or outside on pool deck. Both have a swanky chilling vibe featuring live, jazzy music from some exceptional musicians and entertainers.

As for the meals themselves, they are a foodie’s delight. French fine dining at the elegantly appointed 24-seat Le Champagne restaurant with a wine cellar in the center and superb cuisine prepared in partnership with the Relais & Chateaux cooking school is on par with the finest French cuisine in the world. We enjoyed consommé with a truffle-coated scallop, shellfish with asparagus sorbet and smoked salmon with asparagus tips. (A dining fee of $40 per person is applied here, reservations are required and dress is formal business attire). Sushi at the Seishin Restaurant is incredible as well. The nine-course menu includes signature dishes like teppan grilled wagyu beef and carpaccio of king scallops with flying fish roe. The fourcourse meal is $30, and a nine-course meal is $40. The menu is the same every night, but changes seasonally.

Poolside on deck nine, The Grill features a wellness breakfast that offers

Costa Maya Segway Tour

Butterflies in Key West, Florida

Horsing around in Guatemala

smoothies, blended fruit and vegetable drinks, as well as a smattering of lowcalorie entrées like cumin-scented egg-white omelets Florentine. It’s a great option early morning postworkout dining. The Grill on deck ten overlooks the pool area and serves burgers, hot dogs, grilled salmon, pasta dishes, all-in-one salads, sandwiches, wraps, barbecued steak and chicken throughout the day. At 7 p.m. it reverts into a steak and seafood restaurant where you can dine under the stars. Premium choice beef, pork, lamb chops, veal and salmon steak are grilled on hot heated lava rocks at your table. Stars, on deck seven, is an artdeco styled venue featuring cool live entertainment by South African jazz duo Helene and Garth who attracted their own following by passengers on the cruise for their exceptional talent performances. The tapas-style servings features cuisine from five continents including gorgonzola with roasted beetroot, pine nut and red wine dressing, asparagus paired with caviar cream, oysters poached in sparkling wine and sashimi wrapped in curried aioli.

The Restaurant is a contemporary dining room with classical features and that can seat 456 passengers and serves as Silver Spirit’s main dining room serving breakfast, lunch and dinner (you never feel like it is crowded).

There’s always a great buzz in the room with the chatter and constant activity

of passengers and a busy crew. Each day, the chef recommends a threecourse selection and other selections could include beef filet mignon with foie gras-poached potatoes and shallot jam, a layered partridge tart with Rouennaise sauce, and wild boar ragout with porcini mushrooms, marinated short ribs one day, salmon coulibiac or Asian specialties like vegetable stirfry, Malaysian beef curry or Thai food.

For breakfasts we enjoyed La Terrazza on deck seven, where, whether we were sitting indoors or out, we felt like we were in a five-star hotel or a café in Geneva, Vienna or Paris.

Offerings include a wide selection of fresh, healthy and delicious breakfast choices served on tables lined with rich white linen tablecloths, fine china and stemware. Afternoon tea is also served at La Terrazza from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. with scones, cream, delectable treats and mini sandwiches provided as a pianist entertains in this wonderfully attired room. If you’re still hungry, a room service menu is available 24 hours.

The day excursions and ports-of-call were a great addition. Key West is wonderful (read more at ottawalife. com) to just walk around and visit.The Butterfly Museum is a fascinating stop and if you feel peckish, try Caroline’s on the main street for lunch. We spent a relaxing two hours listening to a local musician troubadour on the Key West Pier, which is touristy but still

There was no pressure or hard sell for tours, shopping, spa treatments and art auctions, on the Silver Spirit.

In fact, it is quite the opposite. Silver Spirit provides exceptional services in all these areas and hosts guest lecturers each day on different topics.

Art advisor, Pasquale Iannetti, held seminars about some of the fine art available onboard including originals of Marc Chagall, Renoir, Joan Miro, Bob Dylan’s watercolours and Bert Stern’s original shots of Marilyn Monroe. Phillip Rosenthal is a diamond and gemstones expert who provides advice on best options for ports-of-call purchases, shopping taxes and related matters. Dr. Philip Martin, a guest lecturer form the University of California-Davis, gave several lectures on the history of wine making and the history of the Caribbean that were very popular with passengers.

Each morning, passengers receive a newsletter which details daily happenings on the ship including info on the ports of call for the day. They make great souvenirs as well.

Luxury cruises have become more affordable in recent years thanks to competition and higher occupancy rates. The per diem for a comparable Silversea cruise is in the $400-600 range and most fares include an onboard spending credit of $500 to $1,500 per suite that you can use for shore excursions, Internet-access fees, surcharges in specialty restaurants, premium wines, spa treatments, or shopping. All-inclusive shouldn’t be taken literally. You’ ll be charged for shore excursions, spa treatments, and additional Internet access but many items that are extras on other cruise lines, such as drinks and crew tips, are included in the fare at Silversea n To check fares and special offers, see the cruise listings at www.Silversea.com 39 OTTAWALIFE APRIL 2016

travel by Jennifer Harltey public transportation experience. Ask a local about the routes so you are taken exactly where you want to be.

No trip to Barbados is complete without a visit to the Mount Gay rum distillery located in Saint Michael Parish. Various samplings will make a rum lover out of anyone. Rum was actually discovered in Barbados.

Bring on the Bajans

Bridgetown (also in Saint Michael Parish) is the country’s capital and is on the southwest part of the island.

Parliament is there, of course, but the Historic Bridgetown and its Garrison is a UNESCO World Heritage site and worthy of a visit. Interestingly, Barbados is the only place George Washington visited outside of the United States.

It’s never too late for a southern getaway. The year 2016 marks

The East Coast has a completely different feel than the West Coast.

There is a hip surfer culture developing here. It is one of the best-kept secret locations for surfing. Soup Bowl, as it is called, is just by the town of Bathsheba (Saint Joseph Parish). It is becoming legendary for its waves that rival Hawaii’s. The East is more rugged with stunning cliffs, not prime swimming area, in fact stay out of the water here because of dangerous rip tides, but it is breathtakingly beautiful and awe-inspiring.

Crane Beach, Barbados

Barbados 50th anniversary of independence from Britain and while any time is a good time to go, 2016 will prove to be a stellar year to experience all the island has to offer, which is a lot. There is always something going on here culturally and since it is not a large island (it runs about 35 km in length and about 22 km in width), you are just a drive away from being part of the fun.

History and Geography With the third oldest Parliament in the world with uninterrupted parliamentary governance since 1639, Barbados is an economically and politically stable country. It has one of the highest per capital incomes in the Caribbean (in large part thanks to tourism and offshore banking.) There are over 2.8 million people who live here and the country has a literacy rate of almost 99 per cent, which is one of the highest rates in the world. There is a fantastic hospitable feel everywhere that comes with all that stability.

Take advantage of it and rent a car to explore because there are different vibes to the various areas on the island.

(The country is divided into 11 areas, or “parishes”).

The West Coast of Barbados is known as the Platinum Coast not just because 40 OTTAWALIFE APRIL 2016

of its incredible beaches and crystal clear water, but because of the wealth.

(Pop star Rihanna (who hails from Barbados) owns a home there, Tiger Woods was married nearby.) Expensive resorts are everywhere with a designer shop complex (Lime Grove) with all

of the big names in couture. There is also a lot of history on the West Coast.

Holetown was the first settlement in Barbados and if you head to there in mid-February, the Holetown Festival takes place.You can sample local foods and experience a Gospel Explosion.

Given Barbados is a religious country (there are over 100 religious groups operating in Barbados), this is a spiritual extravaganza.

There are Great festivals throughout the year.The Barbados Wine, Food and Rum Festival is a growing and fairly new annual event. It takes place in November year and attracts top chefs from around the world and events are held in various locations throughout the island, an added bonus. November 2015 featured among others, celebrity chefs Craig Harding of Toronto and American star chef Chris Cosentino.

The event in 2016 precedes the actual 50th anniversary date of November 30, so November 2016 will be a fantastic time to visit Barbados.

While still on the West Side, you may see yellow buses driving by that look like open-air party buses as they blare reggae music. Try and fit in a ride on one of them. It is an unparalleled PHOTOS: COURTESY VISIT BARBADOS

The South also has a different vibe to it. It has a lively night life and it is also a great place for water sports, including diving and boating.

As you drive inland, to get from one side of the island to the other, the tree sanctuaries and scenery will amaze you. While it may be a total touristy thing to do, if you’ve got time as you drive inland, visit Harrison’s Cave, a crystallized limestone cavern. It’s not a particularly cheap excursion, but it will provide a unique experience. It is located in Saint Thomas Parish.

Fuel Up Barbados has incredible cuisine.

Gourmet restaurants have been popping up around the island, marrying various cuisines with local twists. If you are craving a Beckta-type meal, there is no shortage of restaurant options. The West Coast, as you might

imagine, caters to that palate. Try Champers and The Cliff or Cin Cin for upper-end eating. All three are phenomenal restaurants. Cin Cin has the most incredible surfside tables to boot.

While fine dining is definitely in order, some of the restaurants for authentic Bajan and incredible food are in rum shops. They are local, small restaurants that offer fresh fish, lamb, chicken, rice and bean dishes and fried plantain that is nothing short of divine. You can wash it all down with Banks beer (or homemade rum punch).

Make sure you hit Oistens in the South (Christ Church Parish) on a Friday night for its fish fry. It will redefine bbq fish for you. The flavours, the recipes and fish cooked to perfection make Oistens an absolute must. There are lots of tourists lurking about but ignore that fact and enjoy the experience.

Do not leave Barbados without visiting Cuz’s Fish Shack right by Carlisle Bay (by the Hilton Barbados Resort) in Bridgetown.

While on the East Coast, hit Atlantis Restaurant (Saint Joseph Parish). The view and food are incredible.

Sleep Saint Peter’s Bay Luxury Resorts and Villas on the West Side is a great option for families and those who want to share accommodations.

They are luxury condos that even have their own Jacuzzi on a deck overlooking the ocean. Port Ferdinand, Saint Peter’s Bay’s sister resort, cranks up the upper highend luxury factor and it too offers condo-type accommodations with service fit for royalty. In fact, royalty does stay there. There are of course all the major chains on the island as well. The Hilton has an incredible beach, as does the Fairmont.

On the East Coast, Atlantis hotel is more of an intimate location with spectacular views, but bear in mind you can’t swim in the ocean there.

Barbados is brimming with opportunities for everyone to have a good time. Bajans know how to have fun and you should join in.

With perfect weather, perfect sunsets, sunrises, impeccable beaches, cuisine for every palate and lots of culture and history to feed the mind as well, you can’t go wrong in Barbados n visitbarbados.com 41 OTTAWALIFE APRIL 2016

opinion by Michael Coren

opinion by Patrick Gossage

Old Media Atrophying Should We Care?

Faith and Free Thought

Odd that I should be posing this question in a magazine, a so-called old or even “legacy” media. But it’s not the successful Ottawa Life and Toronto Life type of publication in question. No, I have a new book out next month (although you can pre-order it now) published

by Signal Books, part of Random House. It’s called Epiphany: A Christian’s Change of Heart and Mind over Same-Sex Marriage and while I’ve written 16 books and am proud of some (but not all) of them, this is the most important I’ve ever written. I won’t apologize for, as it were, blowing my own trumpet because I am convinced that the subject and the cause are far, far more important than the author. If the book can change minds and make life easier and better, especially for gay people within the Christian church, it will have been more than worthwhile.

It’s been given some extraordinarily generous advance reviews by leading scholars and theologians but the most remarkable was from author, actor and international celebrity Stephen Fry, who has more than 12 million Twitter followers. He’s also a hero of mine and someone I’ve admired greatly for many years. He wrote me an entire letter of praise, concluding that, “Michael Coren’s Epiphany is a wonderfully revealing read — an epiphany in itself. I urge anyone interested in the conjunction of faith and free-thought to read this engrossing and fascinating book.” It doesn’t really get any better than that.

But there will also be attacks and negativity. The Christian right will not be pleased, critics of the gay community and progressive ideas will hardly be partying, and even some of those who agree with me will almost certainly be mean-spirited because, well, that’s what some in the Canadian literary scene do. “I show disdain therefore I am.”

It doesn’t matter of course. What does matter is that after many years as a champion of Christian conservatism, 42 OTTAWALIFE APRIL 2016

at least in certain areas, I changed my mind. Or, as the book’s title suggests, my heart and then my mind. Not, let me emphasize, in spite of my Christian faith but precisely because of it. I could no longer reconcile the life and teachings of Jesus with the harshness and even anger of so many churches.

Not that all Christian opponents of equal marriage and full gay rights are bad people - far from it – but they are wrong on this particular subject.

THE QUINTESSENCE OF MY FAITH WAS NOT JUDGMENT BUT ACCEPTANCE, NOT LAWS BUT LOVE, NOT A PEDANTIC AND ABSURD OBSERVANCE OF MISUNDERSTOOD BIBLICAL TEXTS BUT AN EXPERIENCEBASED UNDERSTANDING OF THE INNER MEANING OF GOD’S WORD.

Having said this, the organized and grotesque attack campaign against me after I “came out” as a supporter of same-sex marriage was breathtaking. I was condemned as an adulterer, a liar, a thief and as someone who was mentally

ill. My children’s Facebook pages were trolled, they were said to be gay – all four are straight but I couldn’t give a fig if that weren’t the case – and I was apparently doing all of this for money.

That was an interesting accusation in that I lost four regular columns and a dozen speeches in the space of a week and half of my entire income.

it’s the strictly old daily “news” media – including news magazines,

No, I changed because I realized that the quintessence of my faith was not judgment but acceptance, not laws but love, not a pedantic and absurd observance of misunderstood Biblical texts but an experience-based understanding of the inner meaning of God’s word.

Together with downsizing at the Ottawa bureau of CTV, reductions at CJOH (the former dominant TV player in the area), and a world capital is left with a less than world-class fourth estate.

One of the chapters of the book recounts what happened to me, and I name names and publish e-mails: some people will be very embarrassed indeed.

Another explores what Scripture actually says about homosexuality, which in fact is hardly anything and Jesus never mentions it at all. He does, however, condemn divorce and some of the most severe homophobes out there are divorced. Another consists of some heart-breaking interviews with gay Christians, some of them former Catholic priests who have some profound and shocking things to say about what they witnessed. Other chapters discuss secular arguments over equal marriage and look at the future of the issue.

Quite the transformation I suppose, but I have never been happier, more rooted in my faith or more proud to state my position on this vital issue.

Thank God, in every sense of the phrase n

newspapers and the news on radio and tv that seem in perilous decline.

Should we care?

The sad closing of local print dailies like the Guelph Mercury, where I got my start over 55 years ago, really grabbed my attention. It became clear that what was really being lost forever was not just the physical newspaper but the newsroom where I worked and gave value to what happened locally.

It’s a story playing out across the country. The overall number of print daily newspapers in Canada has shrunk from 135 in 2008 to 104 in 2014. It’s staggering that in the last year alone over 600 journalists were fired. That’s a lot of columns of information about our towns and cities that will never be written or read.

was going to Conservative ridings.

A public anxious that politicians and bureaucrats be held to account will miss him dearly.

THERE IS LITTLE DOUBT THAT THE ABILITY OF MUCH-REDUCED TRADITIONAL PRINT AND BROADCAST MEDIA TO TAKE THE TIME TO DIG OUT SCANDALS AND

Where mastheads don’t disappear, they are devalued. Take Ottawa where owner Postmedia in its desperation to cut costs is merging the Citizen’s newsroom with that of the Ottawa Sun. So in the nation’s capital, a competitive daily is gone along with many reporters. It’s of concern both for local and national journalism.

TODAY? IT WAS THE CITIZEN AND CTV THAT DID

Perhaps the highest profile journalist to be sacrificed in Ottawa is 18-year Citizen veteran Glen McGregor who left the paper unceremoniously in mid-February. It was his persistence that uncovered Elections Canada’s investigation into fraudulent calls that misdirected voters in 2011, and earlier his dogged computer analysis that led to the revelation that a disproportionate share of the federal stimulus money

For the many in Ottawa who want a solid appreciation on what is going on internationally, beyond Trump and US politics, there is less and less reporting in our newspapers, and on TV. Many I know, are forced to tune into the BBC if they want solid coverage of the Middle East, Europe or the Far East.

On the domestic side in a country as diverse as Canada, news from outside Toronto or Ottawa is hard to come by.

PHOTO: OLM STAFF

HOLD GOVERNMENT TO ACCOUNT HAS BEEN DANGEROUSLY REDUCED. WOULD SENATE SPENDING SCANDALS HAVE COME TO LIGHT THE ORIGINAL DIGGING, AND BOTH HAVE HAD THEIR INVESTIGATIVE TEETH DEFANGED.

There is almost no Quebec or Atlantic coverage in our media, and there is no longer beat coverage of the military or science. In a town full of ambassadors and diplomats, there is only Diplomat Magazine and Embassy published by The Hill Times.

Some in the political class, already expert at using social media to get their news out directly to the public, may rejoice in fewer pesky media gatekeepers. There is little doubt that the ability of much -reduced traditional print and broadcast media to take the time to dig out scandals and hold government to account has been dangerously reduced. Would Senate spending scandals have come to light today? It was the Citizen and CTV that did the original digging, and both have had their investigative teeth defanged.

People of Glen McGregor’s stature will likely not be replaced in newer online media outlets. Admittedly, there is standard daily national political coverage and it is extensive. The Hill Times, iPolitics and the Huffington Post cover the Hill like a blanket, and the HuffPost’s sharp Ottawa Bureau Chief Althea Raj is ubiquitous on national radio and tv political panels. Canadian Press’s understaffed Ottawa bureau pumps out reams of Parliament Hill news to radio and newspapers across 43 OTTAWALIFE APRIL 2016

Then there is the crowd-funded blog site Canadaland run by a former freelancer, the unflinching Jesse Brown who first broke the Ghomeshi story.

Canadaland is doing politics now and gets over 60,000 downloads a week.

Buzzfeed claims it is establishing a well-staffed Canadian newsroom but a sampling of what it covers shows anything but serious news.

So, despite claims from new media that they are supplanting the old, only real major newspaper and network newsrooms have the financial and legal clout to take the time to dig out controversial stories. They are threatened as advertiser support goes to huge targeted internet mega sites like Google, Yahoo and Facebook. CBC and Radio-Canada maintain major investigative units, and the public broadcaster, about to get new federal funding, is alone among major news organizations actually enhancing its newsgathering, The Globe and Mail and

The Toronto Star also pride themselves on their units, but both tend to like to focus on unearthing headlinegrabbing scandals.

So, we should worry about the reduction in serious political and local journalism that goes beyond simple coverage and digs and probes and investigates and holds power to account. Chantal Hébert in her Toronto Star column in late January believes the result will be a less-informed electorate that is more easily manipulated, and a decline in political literacy at the very moment the government is looking at electoral reform to get voters more engaged. Lawrence Martin in The Globe and Mail said: “What good is a new voting system if the voters don’t have the information on which to make an informed decision?”

Oh well, some believe that where the majority get their news has so changed that there is little that can be done to staunch the decline of traditional media. As a US Rolling Stone writer argues: “The now-familiar declines

in viewership and readership, and the wholesale slashing of newsroom jobs, have meant more problems for reporters than just questions about job security. New kinds of news sites have swept in to fill the vacuum, offering cheaper and clickier stories… people are increasingly getting information from an atomized, partisan, chooseyour-news smorgasbord, where you're as likely to process [a major story] through your brother-in-law’s Facebook rants, or the tweets of a few favorite reporters…”

John Stackhouse, former editor in chief of The Globe sums up the challenge facing our traditional media succinctly in a preface to his new book: “A non-stop torrent of free digital content stole advertisers and devalued advertising space so quickly that newspapers struggled to finance the serious journalism that distinguished them in a world of Buzzfeed…Yahoo and innumerable bloggers and citizen journalists.” The struggle goes on. Few think they can win in the long run.We really should care n

vet series by Eric Murphy

A LESS-THAN-

Silent Epidemic T

innitus is a word you may not know, but it describes something you’ve probably felt. It’s that ringing in your ears, the one that bubbles to the surface when you’re lying in your quiet room after a rock concert or a baseball game where the home team scored just a few more runs than your eardrums probably needed. If you think about it, you may be able to hear that sound right now.

As you might have guessed, tinnitus is a sign of hearing damage. For most people, it’s just an occasional annoyance, some even consider it a welcome side effect, proof of a good night. But for hundreds of thousands of Canadians, especially veterans, the ringing won’t go away.

It’s easy to imagine why veterans are disproportionately affected by hearing damage. Gunfire, artillery and airplane engines are a lot louder than most drum kits. In 2014, the US Department of Veterans Affairs revealed that tinnitus had become the number one disability claim for US veterans, higher than both PTSD and hearing loss, although the three often come hand in hand.

The numbers for Canadian veterans aren’t as well documented, but considering Canadians face the same sounds as American soldiers, with arguably less protection, there’s no reason to believe that the danger isn’t just as present here as it is across the border.

“In the US, there are special plugs that can reduce sound 60 or 70 decibels... the most you can do here with the military that I’ve seen is around 30 decibels,” says Rodney Taylor, a Doctor of Audiology who has worked

44 OTTAWALIFE APRIL 2016

PHOTO: MCPL ROBERT BOTTRILL

the country who long ago gave up their own bureaus.

with a number of Canadian veterans through his three Advanced Hearing Aid Clinics in Ottawa.

Clinics like Taylor’s can treat tinnitus to the point that the patient doesn’t notice the buzzing anymore, but the biggest barrier for veterans is funding.

Although tinnitus is very common among soldiers, it’s not covered by Veterans Affairs in the same way that more widely known issues like hearing loss are.

I KNOW IN THE US THEY HAVE SPECIAL PLUGS THAT CAN REDUCE SOUND 60 OR 70 DECIBELS...

THE MOST YOU CAN DO HERE WITH THE MILITARY THAT I’VE SEEN IS AROUND 30 DECIBELS. Rodney Taylor, Doctor of Audiology, Post Doctoral Specialty Certificate in Tinnitus and Hyperacusis

“It is a lack of understanding on the part of Veterans Affairs,” Taylor says.

Although Veterans Affairs Canada provides coverage for hearing loss, it often fails to recognize that hearing loss and tinnitus can come separately.

Patients who don’t meet the department’s hearing loss criteria can have severe tinnitus that affects their lives just as negatively as hearing loss would, but they have a much smaller chance of getting coverage.

Hearing loss and tinnitus can have huge effects on a sufferer’s life, but there is another, more painful way that hearing or brain trauma can manifest.

Sound sensitivity sufferers often can’t stand even low levels of noise.

An average conversation can seem jarringly loud, and many people who experience this have to avoid doing things they once loved, like visiting a favourite restaurant or walking down a particularly busy street.

“These people do not leave their house,” Taylor says. He explains how one patient he had contracted a virus overseas which caused sound sensitivity, and when this person first visited Taylor’s office, he was wearing sound-dampening headphones over top of foam earplugs to keep the excruciating sounds of the outside world away.

Sound sensitivity sufferers often come to Taylor’s office simply looking for earplugs. They don’t realize that the illness is treatable.

“Sound sensitivity is my favourite because it’s such an easy fix,” says Taylor. While not every case is curable, many patients’ hearing can be returned to normal by wearing a hearing aid that constantly stimulates their brain, getting their ears used to the sound again. The treatment, Taylor says, generally takes about one to two months.

One of the most frustrating things about the varying forms of hearing damage is that sufferers, and some doctors, don’t realize they can be treated.

“I think typically veterans go to their doctors and are told to learn to live with it, they think there’s nothing that can be done,” Taylor says. “And that’s just simply not true.” n 45 OTTAWALIFE APRIL 2016

education by Fabrice Blée

Graduate Diploma in Contemplative Theology and Spiritual Mentorship at Saint Paul University

T

he Faculty of Theology at Saint Paul University is offering a new graduate diploma in Contemplative Theology and Spiritual Mentorship.

Launched in French in September 2015, it will be offered in English in September 2016. The program is a response to our society’s growing need for a life of interiority and the experience of silence, in search of a happiness that goes beyond fleeting pleasure. Nowadays, many people describe themselves as spiritual but not religious, and are attracted by Eastern traditions and the various movements to which they give rise. Few, however, are aware of the rich Christian experience of mysticism. Over the centuries this tradition has gathered a wisdom that is as much about human psychology as it is about the holistic transformation of the person through an intimate relationship with the divine.

possible to appreciate the riches of Christian mysticism and contemplative mentorship without considering other spiritualities (Zen, yoga, etc.) as well as the sciences (psychology, neurology, etc.), especially those that study altered states of consciousness attained through meditative practices.

By opening up this Christian contemplative tradition, the diploma addresses the issues related to a life in the Spirit, and provides mentorship that is in step with contemporary spiritual renewal. The program is based on two broad principles. First, it is a graduate-level university program that also seeks to reflect individual religious experience. It combines academic science and an examination of the inner life in order to achieve the best integration of the material studied. Second, the program is based on the conviction that it is not

OR PASTORAL SERVICES, OR IN OTHER

This unique program begins in August with a week-long silent retreat.

By way of comparison, students in psychotherapy do not rely solely on book learning: they must also become comfortable with the silence between therapist and client. Similarly, we WHAT IT DOES OFFER IS A DEEP, RIGOROUS KNOWLEDGE OF THE SPIRITUAL PATH THE NEED FOR MENTORSHIP. IT AIMS TO PREPARE STUDENTS TO COMMIT TO TRAINING IN THIS AREA. IT ALSO PROVIDES ADDITIONAL TRAINING FOR PROFESSIONALS IN HEALTH HELPING PROFESSIONS.

believe it is important for theology students to experience inner silence before studying great spiritual writers such as John Climacus, John of the Cross, Theresa of Avila or Madame Guyon.

The program consists of five courses: 1. Self-Understanding; 2. Issues and Conditions for a Contemplative Renewal; 3. Steps on the Path towards

Union with God; 4. The MasterDisciple Relationship from the Time of Jesus until Now; 5. Contemplative Theology in Dialogue with the Sciences and Other Spiritualities.

The program runs from August until May. The first four courses are offered over three weekends, while the fifth is offered over a two-week period.

Enrolment is limited to 18 students in order to promote dialogue and group learning.

This is not a professional program; it does not lead to a practice of mentorship through field placements.

What it does offer is a deep, rigorous knowledge of the spiritual path and the need for mentorship. It aims to prepare students to commit to training in this area. It also provides additional training for professionals in health or pastoral services, or in other helping professions. The program is open to believers and non-believers, to Christians and non-Christians.

The main criteria for admission are an undergraduate degree and a minimum of 12 credits in theology or religious studies, or equivalent pastoral experience. Willingness to undertake a silent retreat of at least a week is also strongly recommended n For more information see ustpaul.ca/ contemplativetheology Fabrice Blée is an Associate Professor at SaintPaul University.

You can be the face of change!

Saint Paul University (1848) is the founding college of the University of Ottawa, with which it has been federated since 1965. Bilingual and on a human scale, it offers programs in social communication, counselling and psychotherapy, canon law, public ethics, conflict studies, philosophy, human relations, and theology.

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ustpaul.ca

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