NEWS/POLITICS/FOOD/ARTS/SPORTS/FASHION/LIFESTYLE $4.95
SPRING 2019
NICK DAVIES,
Oh Cannabis – HEXO’S GOING GLOBAL INSIDE OTTAWA’S $2 BILLION CANNABIS STARTUP
SAXONY–
A GERMAN WINE DISTRICT WORTH DISCOVERING
CHINA
& THE BELT AND ROAD INITIATIVE
Chief Marketing Officer, HEXO Corp
FIRST NATION COMPANY
WIISAG
BEGINS CANNABIS JOURNEY
OTTAWALIFE.COM
Spring Fashion * Worldview Studio * Nashville * Killarney Lodge
SPRING 2019 VOLUME 21
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NUMBER 2 PHOTO: TRAVEL NEW BRUSWICK.CA
PHOTO: SEAN SISK PHOTOGRAPHY
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contents Worldview Studio and Fine Art Gallery
columns
10
Partners in life and art, Janet K. MacKay and Mitchell Webster of Worldview Studio are a duo who take joy in connecting with others over their art as much as they enjoy creating it.
Nick Davies on HEXO’s multibillion-dollar ambitions
Publisher’s message ...................................... 4 Best picks ................................................... 5 In search of style .......................................... 8 Gallery: Worldview Studio ........................... 10 Profile: Take Your Seat .................................. 12 Trudeau on taxes ......................................... 23 Opinion: Tax on spirits .................................. 35 Travel: RIU Dunamar, Mexico ........................ 28 Nashville, U.S.A. ............................... 30 New Brunswick ................................ 33 Killarney Lodge ................................. 36 Saxony, Germany ............................. 38 Profile: Embassy Hotel & Suites ...................... 41 Opinion: Embracing nuclear energy ............ 43 A price on pollution ......................... 45 Saint Paul University ..................................... 46
15
After embracing the arrival of the legalized consumer market in 2018, investing $10 million into the storefront market, and welcoming a series of heavy-hitters to the executive team, HEXO Corp has no plans of slowing down. Among their new hires is Chief Marketing Officer, Nick Davies, who shares the inside-scoop of their upcoming venture with Molson Coors Canada.
An Indigenous cannabis producer
24
Wiisag Corporation, an Indigenous cannabis company headquartered at the Neyaashiinigmiing First Nation in Ontario, entered the cannabis industry with the support of their chiefs, councillors, elders and youth who were consulted. For Wiisag, this new venture is a real step toward economic reconciliation.
Canada/China friendship series
25
series
In this installment, we introduce our in-depth series on the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). It is Chinese President Xi’s signature foreign policy plan and one of the most ambitious infrastructure and investment efforts in history. The BRI began in 2013 to boost trade through investment in ports, power plants and other infrastructure in more than 140 countries from Asia to Europe and Africa.
Killarney Lodge
Oh Cannabis: Cover story ....................... 15 Organigam ................................... 20 Crossing the cannabis chasm .......... 23 Wiisag Corp ................................ 24 Canada’s energy economy ....................... 44 Canada/China friendship ....................... 25
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In the heart of Algonquin Park, Killarney Lodge combines the authenticity of old school camping with the comfort of modern living. The private, Muskoka-esque waterfront cabins are the perfect respite.
Fashion editor Alexandra Gunn gives us the low down on rockin’ plaid.
u
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message by Dan Donovan
Ottawa Police are their own worst enemy
I
n early May, the Ottawa Police were called to Tillbury Park on Sherbourne Road to break up a fight between students from Notre Dame High School and nearby Nepean High School. The fight, which involved more than 40 youth, was captured on video and posted on social media showing several students punching and kicking each other at the park before police intervened. One of the videos shows a 15-year-old youth confronting one of the police officers, forcing him to get physical and eventually detaining and arresting the boy. The constable, who has over 15-years of experience on the force, made the right call given the circumstances. Unfortunately, the parents of the 15-year-old are complaining that their son did nothing wrong and was “defending himself ”. They claim he was not involved in the incident, yet the video on social media shows him confronting and getting physical with the policeman. The parents say their son is not a criminal. They are correct. He is not. But, he is being rude and breaking the law by confronting police. Had the boy just listened to the policeman, this would have ended differently. The boy’s aunt told CBC News that: “He reacted out of fear and had nothing to do with the fight. He’s a minor. He’s 15 years old. That officer had no right to question him and put his hands on him.” She is wrong. The officer had every right in that circumstance to protect himself and arrest the boy. The boy’s family are South Sudan immigrants who came to Canada 14 years ago. The boy’s father doesn’t deny that the teen was rude to the officer, but says his son was upset at being accused of a crime he didn’t commit. He does not seem to hold his son to account for being physical with the policeman. All parents should teach their children that in a similar situation they should be cooperative and then walk away. They should not treat police like the enemy or outliers. Unfortunately, the police in Ottawa are seen by many, especially those in minority communities, as brutish adversaries who are not to be trusted. Much of this is due to problems with the Ottawa Police and police misconduct. There have been over 70 Ottawa Police charged with criminal offences in the past six years — and not one has been fired. Ottawa Police Services (OPS) Board Chair, Diane Deans, has proven to be completely out of her depth in her role of police oversight. Written requests to her office for information on police misconduct and settlements paid by the OPS annually to victims of police misconduct are routinely ignored. Deans is not running the OPS — they are running her. Then, there is the case of constable Daniel Montsion, on trial for manslaughter in the July 2015 death of Somali-Canadian, Abdirahman Abdi. The Ottawa Police Association (OPA) president, Matt Skof, has vocally defended Montsion since the day of the incident — even before the facts were known. Skof and the OPA were behind a campaign to raise funds for Montsion by encouraging Ottawa Police to buy and wear racist bracelets showing support for Montsion after he was criminally charged with manslaughter in Abdirahman’s death. The bracelet campaign was a large, loud and ignorant display of disrespect to the citizens of Ottawa and to the criminal justice system. It was a statement that the Ottawa Police are above the law. In January, the Ontario Provincial Police charged Matt Skof with breach of trust and obstructing justice under the Criminal Code of Canada in a separate matter. Skof did not feel the need to step down or resign. Instead, in a display of exceptional arrogance, Skof showed up as the official OPA rep, handin-hand with his fellow criminally charged friend, Constable Montsion, as Montsion’s criminal trial began. Now an Ottawa police constable with 15-years service who was in a dangerous situation, and whose actions were entirely appropriate, is being criticized for his actions. His main defender is the criminally-charged president of the OPA — a union that has soured relations so badly within the minority community that the police have lost their greatest asset with Ottawa citizens — the benefit of the doubt. The teen’s family have asked for support from the Justice for Abdirahman Coalition. Coalition spokesperson Dahabo Ahmed Omer said this incident shows that Ottawa Police have not learned any lessons from Abdi’s death. You reap what you sow n
4 OTTAWALIFE SPRING 2019
publisher/managing editor
Dan Donovan copy editor Dave Gross art director Karen Temple director of operations Maria Alejandra Gamboa web editor/features writer Tori McNeely cover
Sean Sisk Photography: siskphoto.ca Make up: CoreyJStone.com Location: HEXO Corp photographers Dwayne Brown Studio, Neil Moore,
Madi Temple-Donovan, Sean Sisk Photography, Karen Temple, Randy VanDerStarren video Brittany and Amanda van Frankfoort fashion editor Alexandra Gunn accounts Joe Colas C.G.A bookkeeper Joan Hamilton contributing writers Nisa Ayu, John Barrett,
Michael R Bussière, Nick Davies, Dan Donovan, Liam Fox, Jane Furlong, Hollie Grace James, Alexandra Gunn, Shannon Ing, Leo Luo, Tori McNeely, Lu Shaye, Mona Staples, Grace Tan, Tisna Tini, Greg Vezina web contributors Maria Alejandra Gamboa,
Dave Gross, Jennifer Hartley, Owen Maxwell, Mona Staples, Kat Walcott, Keith Whittier social media manager Kat Walcott social media Kat Walcott, Tori McNeely student intern Sofia Donato, Bernice Corbishley,
Jireh Abram Coquilla
corporate advisor J. Paul Harquail,
Charles Franklin corporate counsel Paul Champagne editor in memoriam Harvey F. Chartrand 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 On Instagram: ottawalifemag Like us at www.Facebook.com/ OttawaLifeMagazine Ottawa Life is listed in Canadian Advertising Rates & Data (CARD). Ottawa Life subscription rates: one year $50.00, includes postage, plus HST (six issues). Two years $80.00, 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.
best picks
The Beaver just got better A favourite Canadian dessert, BeaverTails has released eight new delectable flavours. Children and adults alike will enjoy the new additions that will satisfy those hunkering for either something sweet or savoury. Look for the new combinations at select locations across Canada starting May 1, 2019. From poutine to pie fillings and chocolate delights, BeaverTail’s imaginative creations are a treat for the whole family. beavertails.com
UA’s newest SC Curry 6 Basketball superstar Stephen Curry has a new addition to his Under Armour collection. The styling pays homage to the Fox theatre in Curry’s hometown of Oakland, CA that reopened the same year he was drafted to the NBA — while the shoe is all performance. The Curry 6 has engineered mesh uppers, a compression-like fit, a unique lacing system and an outsole that provides extra traction and flexibility for improved court feel. underarmour.com
Rover: the trusted pet care people
How Women Feel — a concert
June 15, 2019 • Shenkman Arts Centre Enjoy an evening with noted Montreal singer, Barbara Lewis as she celebrates women’s emotions in all their colours. Treat the woman in your life to BLOOD ORCHID: How Women Feel. This unique event is perfectly timed for both Mother’s day and Father’s Day. La Vie en Rose, Fever, and Natural Woman are just three of the many famous songs that will make you laugh, cry and undoubtedly lift your spirits. For ticket shenkmanarts.ca
Smooth precise shave The new Schick Hydro®5 Sense razor for men comes with ‘Shock Absorb Technology’ that auto adjusts to pressure while shaving for perfect contact with your skin. In addition, there are seven hydrating gel pools that lubricate your skin while you shave and a soft rubber grip for ultimate control. The Hydro®5 Sense packs a lot of punch in a disposable razor. schick.ca
A recent study by Rover, the largest network of five-star pet sitters and dog walkers, confirms that people are putting their dogs and cats at the top of their priority list. 74 per cent of Canadians even factor their furry friends into financial decisions. Rover makes it easier to enhance the bond between pets and their owners. rover.com
Get BBQ’ing Just because the name says BBQ doesn’t mean that Mike’s BBQ rub is only for the grill. A perfect blend of sweet and spicy, Mike’s BBQ Rub also tastes great in the oven or slow cooker. If sauces are more you’re thing, look for Mike’s Original BBQ sauce or his Mango sauce. All of Mike’s products are 100 per cent Canadian and made in Montreal. In Ottawa, you can find Mike’s BBQ Rub in Dumouchel Meat & Deli or at Saslove’s Meat Market in ByWard Market. In Gatineau, they are available at Boucherie Gréber. mikesbbqrubmtl.com
The Great Divide — A novel The Great Divide is Ottawa native Conor McCarthy’s debut novel. It is the story of a misanthropic real-estate developer who has a simple dream: to build the greatest ski resort in the world. It is a mountain adventure with mystical creatures plus a serious commentary on the current struggle between development and the conservation of Canada’s wild and sensitive spaces. ISBN: 9781792619892 conormccarthy.ca 5 OTTAWALIFE SPRING 2019
Man’s best friend The award-winning British skin care brand, Bulldog Skincare For Men, launched new packaging and new products including bamboo razors, shave gel and an agedefense eye roll-on. The new generation of packaging uses ethically grown and responsibly sourced Brazilian sugarcane. The Original Bamboo Razor and Shave Gel uses a natural bamboo handle and fully-recycled packaging, lowering its environmental impact. The affordable, vegan-friendly brand is available in stores across Canada. bulldogskincare.com
Feel good catering that tastes great Krackers Katering provides catering for all levels of the private and public sector events while employing people who face barriers to employment — providing them with a supportive work environment and skills training. Krackers customers enjoy exceptional quality food at a reasonable price while experiencing the satisfaction of supporting some of the most vulnerable members of our community. Visit the website for an estimate for your upcoming event. krackerskatering.org
Caryl Baker Visage — The face experts Trade in the dark, moody shades winter for the fun and flirty colours of summer. The new Caryl Baker collection, 1969, pays homage to the brand’s 50th anniversary with retro-infused eye shadows, lipticks, lip lacquers and more. Stock up at one of four Ottawa locations or shop online. carylbakervisage.com
UP! Pants merge fashion, function and fit Celebrate the warmer weather by adding a pop of colour to your spring and summer wardrobe with UP! Pants’ all new ‘Spring Romance’ collection. From bright orange sunflowers, to soft black & navy toiles, pastel floral arrangements and vibrant micro florals, the choices are endless. uppants.com/findastore
Skin care consult that is only a click away Vichy Laboratoires, well know for its premium line of skincare products, made from the thermal spring water of the town that bears its name in France, now makes it super easy to discover a skin care routine that is tailored to your skin type without ever leaving home. All it takes is a visit to the website. Select SkinConsultAI and after a few clicks and questions — voilà, a personalized skin care routine. It is super easy and best of all, the products can be purchased online, with free shipping on orders over $60. vichy.ca
6 OTTAWALIFE SPRING 2019
Treat your curls right Discover Sebastian Professional’s new line designed specifically for curls. The key ingredient, Flexi Alg™, uses a red seaweed extract to infuse curls with the same elasticity of underwater plants. A special blend of carrageenan, panthanol and glycerin bring elasticity, bounciness, moisture and anti-frizz protection to curls. sebastienprofessional.com
The top place to stay in TO Piercing 44 storeys above Toronto‘s entertainment district, Bisha Hotel Toronto features 96 beautifully-appointed luxury rooms and award-winning designs. Bisha Hotel Toronto is a boutique destination for distinctive experiences crafted for those who value sophistication as much as the unexpected, a cultural hub like no other. Bisha Hotel Toronto delivers the best laidback luxury with an edge through warm and generous service. bishahoteltoronto.com
overflowbeer.com
2477 KALADAR AVE. OTTAWA
E. L P M I S E D A M G BOATIN
! A W A T T O N I W NO
The better chocolate bar Celebrate Father’s Day with Green & Black’s premium chocolate bars, imported from the UK. Certified organic and fair trade, Green & Black’s puts the wow! back into chocolate bars. Available in ten unique flavours, there’s something for every palette. Choose from white, milk or dark chocolate. Green & Black’s products are available at natural health and organic food shops, independent specialty food stores and select major retailers such as Whole Foods, Sobey’s, Metro, Loblaws and Shoppers Drug Mart. greenandblacks.com
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IN YOU JO B THE CLU
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T E A BOA RESERV NJOY! E D N A
Enjoy unlimited boating at our club, and reciprocal access to 170+ locations in the US and Canada. Maintenance free boating with access to boats ranging from 18’ to 25’. Call now for pre-opening specials!
613-371-2628 • FreedomBoatClub.com
2726 RIVER ROAD, MANOTICK, ON 7 OTTAWALIFE SPRING 2019
in search of style by Alexandra Gunn
AND
Fresh looks cooL new TrenDs When a few designers show similar designs, patterns or colours on the spring/summer runways, those become the ‘trends’ and the new musthave looks. For fashion risk-takers, there’s plenty of new fodder that will brighten up your wardrobe and add a refreshing twist.Fast-fashion brands tend to turn around the major trends quickly and offer a close resemblance of the high-end designer’s styles, making it easy to scoop up top styles. Ready for a fresh start? Try a new look that will infuse your style with modern elements for a beautiful spring in Ottawa.
Follow Alex on Twitter: @AlexandraGunn
CHRISTIAN SIRIANO
MILLY
CUSHNIE
Fashion trends offer an instant update to your look, but check-in at the end of the season to ensure that the trend is still in style. MATTHEW ADAMS
q Cat eye sunglasses $495.00 • Jimmy Choo
Leopard print heels $79.99 • Marshalls u
Animal Print Q&A
Q 8 OTTAWALIFE SPRING 2019
I always wear patterns (florals and checks) to the office to get away from the usual blue, red and orange associated with the political parties. The leopard print that’s around at the moment seems a bit bold for me. Is there a professional way to wear it for Parliament Hill?
t J.Crew Leopard print silk shirt
t Alice + Olivia neon hooded jacket
How to Wear Neon The brighter the better! Fluorescent shades hit the scene this year with fashion ‘it-girls’ wearing the trend after the Spring/Summer runway shows. From punchy pinks to highlighter yellow and vivid greens, spring looks brighter than ever with neon hues that will inject a pop to your wardrobe. Sarah Paulson Before shopping the trend, look to the runway for inspiration. Loud and proud luminescence rocked the runway at Brandon Maxwell, Tibi, Cushnie and more. Think flowing dresses, two pieces, capes and separates – as long as it looks like a shade of highlighter, you’re good to go. Dip into it now with accessories to lift a monochrome outfit or wear the bold hue with workout gear or on your new swimsuit. Not only is the bright hue flattering it also adds a touch of optimism and fun.
t Bathing suit separates from
Blake Lively
Sports bra $49.95 • La Vie en Rose q
$29.95 • La Vie en Rose
Lime long sleeve dress u $29.009 • Marshalls
NAEEM KHAN
HOUSE OF HOLLAND
BRANDON MAXWELL
TIBI
Follow Alex’s lead on the leopard print trend — A classic button down dress for an office appropriate look.
A
Animal prints might seem more wild night out than something you’d wear to a Monday meeting, but incorporating this print into your weekday wardrobe is a clever way to insert a 9-to-5 look with some style personality. I recommend looking for smaller leopard prints or seeking out different colours to the classic tan and black. You can also tone down this classic print by pairing it with a solidcolour tailored jacket or with some black flats. Chic and completely appropriate for the fashion-prudent Hill, leopard print is a fun and modern look.
t V-neck jersey dress $158.00
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profile by Shannon Ing
Two Ottawa Artists
TELEGRAPH COVE KAYAKER, OIL ON CANVAS
10 OTTAWALIFE SPRING 2019
48” X 36”
Sharing One Passion To Make — Home to two talented artists, Janet K. MacKay and Mitchell Webster, Worldview Studio is an art workshop and fine art gallery nestled in the Sandy Hill neighbourhood of Ottawa. They might be painters and sculptors but ‘makers’ best describes what they do. “We are always making something,” says MacKay. “It sounds simplistic but in the end all we are is makers,” explains Webster. “When we travel the car is much heavier than when we arrived because we will collect rocks, driftwood, and anything we can make out of it.”
FAITH, CAST BRONZE 18” X 12” X 60”
•
MacKay and Webster first met in Sharbot Lake. They had coffee, and according to Webster, the rest is history. “We fell in love. Now, we’re partners in life and in art.” MacKay remarks, “our art really cinched the deal because
when we saw each others art, we saw the connection”. Like any good relationship, they help each other grow. MacKay explains: “We’re each other’s best critics. I don’t think I would be pursuing my art in the same way if I didn’t have each other”. Webster agrees, saying MacKay is his greatest motivator, and describes her as an educator. “She teaches me so much. She taught me how to make my first mould, and constantly drives me to be a better artist.” MacKay replies with a smile, “We’re a pretty good team if I do say so”. Together they form an accomplished and distinctive unit. The pair occasionally collaborate but for the most part their artwork is independent. Their art is so different from one another, that very often a
WINTER STILL, OIL ON CANVAS
OVERSEER, OIL ON CANVAS
•
•
48” X 12”
36” X 36”
Janet K MacKay’s love for art began as a child and continued into her post-secondary education, where she trained and received a degree in Fine Arts. MacKay remembers going to the art gallery on weekends where she spent the majority of her time in the Group of Seven room. MacKay’s oil paintings primarily focus on the beauty of the world. They are optimistic and bright with vivid landscapes of our nation. Her most recent series, Skinny Dipping in Canada, is a cheeky representation of beloved warm summer days at the lake. The vibrant flood of colours will warm your heart and enliven your soul. Her sculpture inspiration comes from the human form and their spirits. “I absolutely love doing sculptures because it comes from within. My sculptures talk about human relationships and the strength of the human being”.
— Worldview Studio couple will come to a show, and one will absolutely fall in love with Janet’s work and the other will like Mitchell’s. There is something for everyone’s individual taste,” explains Webster.Their distinctive styles are complementary, and a testament to their expansive painting and sculpting skills, a rare pairing amongst accomplished artists. MacKay and Webster independently represent their work through Worldview Studios because they value personal interactions with their clients. “There’s a joy of being in that moment with people,” says Webster.“I love being a fly on the wall and hearing what people say as they walk through the gallery, especially when they find the exact emotion I was trying to convey, it feels like they understand and get me.”
TWEETY’S DAY, OIL ON CANVAS
•
15” X 60”
MacKay correlates the feeling with how musicians feel when they are performing: “Musicians have an audience and are able to make that connection right away. They get that instant feedback.” The duo take joy in connecting with others over their art as much as they enjoy creating it. Worldview Studio is a space that combines artistry and dialogue in the beautiful city of Ottawa n worldviewstudio.ca
Mitchell Webster’s passion for the arts was also found at a young age but his path into art came later in life. After an unfulfilling career he decided he wanted to be an artist. . . “I started right then and there”. During his transition into art he was inspired by the romantic work of Auguste Rodin whose influence can be seen in Webster’s sculptures that are abstract, romantic, and sensual. In Webster’s paintings, a common theme is winter. “I love the anatomy of naked trees in the winter, and I like looking into the distance because it makes me feel peaceful. I enjoy capturing that moment of peace and tranquility found in winter”, explains Webster. His artwork is surreal and expresses a child like joy intersected with a deeper exploration of life. 11 OTTAWALIFE SPRING 2019
Photographer Randy VanDerStarren invites you to Take Your Seat
Frank Capra said “A hunch is creativity trying to tell you something.” Randy VanDerStarren had a hunch when he looked at a director’s chair and saw something that is essentially meaningful.
profile by Michael R. Bussière
A chair offers repose and invites conversation. A collection of chairs support a meeting of minds or a loving family meal. A director’s chair is unique. It’s designed to be easily conveyed into endless scenes, and sits just that much higher than its fellow chairs to give the seated a wider view of the world. “Life is the biggest screen of all” Randy conveys, and he believes we can all sit in that chair and exclaim “Action”! Take Your Seat is VanDerStarren’s photographic tour-de-force. Now in its third year, the on-going project is
12 OTTAWALIFE SPRING 2019
elegant in its concept and execution. Take a director’s chair and place it in as many provocative and stunning locales as possible. No theory, no academics, but then again, Paul Cézanne painted Mont Sainte-Victoire over 60 times with the sole intension of exploring the mind’s infinite powers of analysis. In this case, use a chair to sit and think about the infinite possibilities of existence and our potential therein; all this from an ancient little bit of craft that bears the human bottom when legs grow weary. But what sounds to be a simple creative venture was anything but simple to execute. VanDerStarren sat in the director’s chair for years, globetrotting and shooting ad campaigns for global brands. A curious career pivot had the one-time writer/photographer sitting as president of a wealth management PHOTOS: RANDY VANDERSTARREN
One Planet. One Life” would deeply resonate. The question was how to get to her. The scheme was to start bidding. Steely grit, 56 bids, and $1,750 later he had his lunch. Forget the lunch, he told them, because this was about pitching a book. What might have been a gracious but gratuitous meal for Reisman became a meeting of kindred visions. What is it that you want for your family and the human family of this planet Earth? What are the universal truths that we can seek beyond cultures and languages? And how can the photographic medium visualize these inquiries and universalize the outcomes? That was the pitch, and within 10 minutes Reisman was onboard as publisher. The book is in development for a fall release.
company. He can’t quite explain how that happened, but Bay Street has tall towers that afforded Randy a vantage point from which he saw the world and what was happening to it. The father of four wanted to be the kind of man whose kids said: “instead of talking about doing something, dad actually did something!” He quit his job, formulated a plan, and asked himself the toughest question of all: “Now what?” Randy began with the solid foundation of a supportive family who knew he needed to pursue his newfound passion. His wife Eva encouraged a shift from talk to action, and kids Austin, Spencer, Randi and Evan saw that dad was on to something exciting and became his research team. Charlie Chaplin said all you need “courage, imagination . . . . and a little dough.”
Courage meant leaping off of a lucrative career cliff in 2015 and spending 2016 seeking proof of concept. There were doubts when vision and camera were at odds, but one shot from Ayutthaya, Thailand literally brought Randy to his knees. It was one of those timeless, spellbinding moments unique to photography, and so he rose to his feet and forged ahead. 2017 brought a series of high-profile exhibits and the launch of his Canada 150 series at Roy Thomson Hall. A book was taking shape in his head, and Randy concocted a scheme worthy of Bob Hope. The Globe and Mail ran a piece about a fundraiser in which an auction was offering a lunch with Heather Reisman. The CEO of Indigo Books and Music was known to Randy as a woman with whom his project theme of “One People.
Randy VanDerStarren’s work is, like the man, remarkably real in a world where images are produced in astronomical quantity. His images are pure visual documents, subjected to minimal processing and virtually no fakery. We see the scene he sees, and the purity of the conception makes that director’s chair very inviting. Accepting that invitation to sit and contemplate the fragility and beauty of the myriad scenes we humans see every sacred day is exactly what Randy is striving for, so please, take your seat. Be sure and join the 28 million people who will experience Take Your Seat if you are passing through Toronto’s Pearson Airport. A stunning 6-screen installation using state-of-the-art technology delivers dazzling renditions of the international photographs in Terminal 1 and Terminal 3. What better place to promote One People, One Planet, One Life n takeyourseatonline.com @takeyourseatinsta 13 OTTAWALIFE SPRING 2019
CARBON + LIGHT
JUAN GEUER’S LUMINOUS PRECISION
Barry Ace, Doug Back, Darsha Hewitt, Catherine Richards, Daniel Sharp, Michael Snow, Norman White March 9 – August 18, 2019
CHERYL PAGUREK CONNECT
HOWIE TSUI RETAINERS OF ANARCHY
WRAPPED IN CULTURE
April 12 – August 11, 2019
April 12 – September 15, 2019
April 12 – September 15, 2019
OTTAWA ART GALLERY
50 MACKENZIE KING BRIDGE, OTTAWA
OAGGAO.CA
Juan Geuer, WiS, 1999, mixed media | Cheryl Pagurek, Connect, (2016-ongoing), interactive video and audio installation | Howie Tsui, Retainers of Anarchy (detail), 2017, key frame drawing for algorithmic animation sequence, © Howie Tsui, CARCC 2019 | Rosalie Favell, Buffalo Robe (detail), 2017
cover by Michael R. Bussière
NICK DAVIES
on HEXO’s multibillion-dollar global ambitions Nick Davies Chief Marketing Officer, HEXO Corp
M
asson-Angers is located on the eastern edge of the city of Gatineau. Travellers may know it as a typical mill town, or as a ferry stop across
from Cumberland. It’s home to the usual landmarks found in other villages in the region. A big stone church, a main street with local shops, a family-owned restaurant where regulars meet over coffee and lunch. But Masson-Angers also features something that no previous generation of locals could have ever imagined: a 1.31 million square foot cannabis facility owned by HEXO™ (TSX:HEXO), one of the National Capital region’s most flourishing and innovative enterprises. The history of Ottawa Valley industry could be told from one vantage point on either side of the Du Lièvre River. On the north shore, the iconic twin tanks of the town’s James MacLaren Industries pulp and paper mill, dating back to 1932; on the south shore, HEXO, whose meeting rooms boast an interior design worthy of Silicon Valley. PHOTO: SEAN SISK PHOTOGRAPHY
HEXO Corp was incorporated in 2013 as the medical cannabis company known as The Hydropothecary Corporation, a name that was retired in April. With the arrival of the legalized consumer market, the company morphed into HEXO Corp for the recreational, adult-use customer, while retaining the medical catalogue, retiring some products and adding new items for its loyal clientele. HEXO’s CEO and co-founder Sébastien St-Louis comes from an impressive business background, having worked in manufacturing, trade finance and commercial lending. Through Export Development Canada and Canada Development Corporation, the uOttawa/UQAM graduate has advised Canadian business owners and CEOs across multiple industry sectors and, with the coming of the medical 15 OTTAWALIFE SPRING 2019
cannabis industry in Canada, jumped into his own entrepreneurial venture. Sébastien co-founded HEXO Corp with Adam Miron, the company’s Chief Brand Officer whose own background is in innovative online media services, based in Ottawa. The guys, married to sisters, no less, started up in a small basement office in Adam’s house on Spruce Street in west Centretown. A Canada Day celebration in 2013 found Séb and a childhood friend, Max Cyr, in a conversation about the inherent opportunities of the impending replacement of federal Marihuana for Medical Purposes Regulations (MMAR).
Sébastien and Adam maintain a simple goal: “create a world-class company based on the highest standards of product quality and safety.“ They are well on their way. They pooled a small seed fund of about $30,000. Family and friends joined in. The original greenhouse measured 7000 sq. ft., the second 36,000 sq. ft., the third 250,000 sq. ft. of production capacity. A 1,000,000 sq. ft. greenhouse expansion began receiving plants in January with the first harvest in March anticipating a production capacity of 108,000 kg of dried flowers annually. Sébastien and Adam maintain a simple goal: “create a world-class company based on the highest standards of product quality and safety.” They are well on their way, having raised more than $443 million in financing, all while St-Louis has steered the fledgling cannabis company from social stigma to a highly professional, standardsdriven operation. Headquartered in Hull, HEXO currently has 600 employees with another 500 anticipated in the coming months, including 300 additional positions at its Masson-Angers facility and 200 at its Belleville innovation centre and Montreal distribution hub. Just a few years in and the accolades and reviews began pouring in for HEXO’s 16 OTTAWALIFE SPRING 2019
innovative product line. In December of 2017, HEXO won Best New Cannabis Product at the Canadian Cannabis Awards, in Toronto. HEXO’s Decarb took first place for its innovation as a ready-to-use activated powder that can be mixed in food. Their Elixir THC, Canada’s first and only peppermint sublingual cannabis spray, came third. Ease of use, flexibility, and convenience are central to the company’s catalogue and guide the design of all product offerings. Fast-forward to the November 2018 awards and HEXO won Cannabis Product of the Year and Innovation of the Year for Elixir CBD. A few months later, in April, they won two more bestin-class awards at the 2019 O’Cannabis Industry Awards. In February 2018, HEXO announced that it signed a letter of intent with Société québecoise du cannabis (SQDC), a subsidiary of the province’s well-known Société des alcools du Québec (SAQ) liquor stores, making it the first supplier of cannabis for the new recreational Quebec market. HEXO is supplying 20,000 kg of cannabis products in the first year of adult-use recreational cannabis across its full range of flowers, pre-rolls, oils, and powders. It is the single-largest supply contract in cannabis history. Being the first into the stores of its home province was a big boost for the company, and the momentum built from there.
It wasn’t long before HEXO reached out to another Ottawa success, Shopify, who was engaged to power the company’s eCommerce platform. The bilingual website serves HEXO’s customers, provides information for discerning recreational consumers and supports a virtual community of retailers across the country. HEXO is proud of its professional customer-care team who will employ the platform to streamline the medical registration and ordering process for its customers. Shopify’s superior eCommerce services will provide
essential security in a highly regulated sector that operates across multiple provincial jurisdictions.
this is, in terms of the many different benefits of it, particularly on the health and wellness side.”
Another strategic move came in July of 2018, when HEXO planted roots into the storefront market with a $10 million investment in the Edmonton-based independent cannabis retailer, Fire & Flower Inc.
Davies’ top-shelf business resume did spot the angle, in that “this is a very professional industry. My preconceived notions were what we know from the old movies [laughter], but what other industry after 100 years has suddenly opened up as a legal market? The strict regulations will help reduce the stigma. From a marketing point of view, the more people know the facts, the faster the stigma will disappear.”
Fire & Flower has shops across western Canada and recently moved into the Ottawa market with a fancy boutique on York Street. F&F is a cross between a high-end kitchen appliance store and the Starbuck’s Reserve Coffee Bar. Top-end paraphernalia and scent bars tempt indulgence while ‘cannistas’ guide shoppers through the menu of choices, describe the highs, and take the consumer about as far from a bag of homegrown as anyone my age could have ever imagined. St-Louis was once again ahead of the curve as he set his sights on HEXO distribution of its innovative oil-based products in Alberta and Saskatchewan. Things were getting serious, very serious for HEXO, when the executive branch of the company welcomed a series of heavy-hitters including Nick Davies on September 1, 2018 as HEXO’s new Chief Marketing Officer. Davies is a veteran marketing executive who holds an MBA from the prestigious INSEAD, itself impressively branded as “The Business School for the World”. His resume sports Puma, Coleman and Virgin, for whom he built global brands and high quality consumer experiences and products. Davies’ tenure in Ottawa was as Executive Vice-President at Corel, where he led the company’s significant expansion into new international markets. But a marketing strategy for a graphics software company is unencumbered by the social stigma that popular culture has grafted on to consumer cannabis products, and Davies knew he was in uncharted territory. “I felt the stigma before joining the company. But the more I read, the more I learned about the industry, the more you realize how powerful a plant
Milestones in the Canadian cannabis space have arrived at a dizzying pace, not unlike the not-so-long ago era of telecom deregulation, and Davies’ experience in the tech sector prepared him for the parallels.
HEXO is proud of its professional customer-care team who will employ the platform to streamline the medical registration and ordering process for its cutomers. “The other industry I look at is telecoms, which suddenly opened up from what were monopolies to much more competition. So, I think we are making history here. There is no playbook which to follow, although a key challenge for the industry is to provide the right level of education for consumers.” St-Louis and Miron are currently guiding HEXO through two fullyfunded expansion projects. On March 13, HEXO announced the acquisition of Newstrike Brands Ltd., a move that would boost HEXO’s production capacity to 150,000 kg annually and up its domestic market to nine provinces. Ontario-based Newstrike currently has two cannabis facilities in Ontario: an indoor growing room in Brantford, and a greenhouse in Niagara. The deal tops up HEXO’s annual production capacity to about 150,000 kg. from a total cultivation space of 1.8 million square feet. Like others in the burgeoning commercial cannabis market, HEXO has had it 17 OTTAWALIFE SPRING 2019
18 OTTAWALIFE SPRING 2019
ups and downs on the market, closing out April on a high of $11. On a yearto-date basis, the stock was up +91.3% at the end of Q1. April was a good month for HEXO, and the second quarter already has the analysts talking. While there have been some zigzags in share prices, there are a number of reasons for the buzz. HEXO is keeping pace with its larger competitors (Canopy Growth, Cronos Group, and Aurora Cannabis) in terms of capacity and output. Its lower wage rates, production costs and supply arrangement with the Quebec Cannabis authority all combine to give HEXO a structural edge.The company also has a reputation for executing on time with every expansion. HEXO is pursuing a spoke-andhub business model, with HEXO’s cannabis being the hub. Its credibility as a supplier is built on its cannabinoid (CBD) isolation technology, licensed infrastructure and its superior expertise in a hyper-vigilant and complex regulatory environment. Furthermore, acquiring that credibility in the world’s first country to legalize undocumented cannabis consumption and industrialscale production gives HEXO a step-up when seeking international distribution and product development partners. An upcoming venture with just such a big, big partner may be the ticket to big, big, gains in a very lucrative new consumer market. Ask a sales person in your friendly neighbourhood pot shop (full disclosure: I have), and they’ll tell you that consumables are the next step in legalization, and October is the anticipated month when the feds will enact. HEXO is getting ahead of the nextphase legalization curve with the establishment of Truss, a stand-alone company formed in partnership with none other than Molson Coors Canada, North America’s secondlargest brewery. I asked Davies if he sees the Truss deal with Molson Coors Canada as a game changer. “Absolutely! They are one of the first, if not the first big beverage company that
has invested in this space, with HEXO as its partner. There are a lot of nice similarities between us. Molson which started in Montreal, and ourselves being in Québec.” The logic behind this joint venture is that infused drinks may prove to be an easier sell to the naysayers. Would the old man smoke a doob with you at the cottage? Probably not. How about try a different kind of beer product? Now you’re talking! Cannabis-infused drinks, whether with CBD or THC (tetrahydrocannabinoid), are likely to be more appealing to newcomers or cannabis tourists than a joint or a bong. And, if they taste great, there’s every hope in hell that you’ll enjoy the victorious sounds of your trunk rattling with empties driving home from the lake.The Molson side of the equation has been in the beverage business since 1786, and they happen to sport a legendary Canadian brand. Davies sees a match struck in heaven. “Molson is a major international player, and we have ambitions to become a force in the international cannabis market. So a real game changer is that they bring the expertise they have in beverages, consumer insights, marketing and distribution, and ourselves bringing cannabis expertise, and we marry these to produce beverages that will appeal to a broad consumer audience.”
HEXO is getting ahead of the next-phase legalization curve with the establishment of Truss, a stand-alone company formed in partnership with none other than Molson Coors Canada.
Davies’ executive instincts recognize the added bonus to the business plan, since “this has also certainly put us on the map internationally in terms of company visibility in the financial markets.” HEXO is not just another start-up to international success story. Davies frames it as history in the making by a Canadian company, right here in Ottawa-Gatineau, where bold national legislation not only transformed prohibition into a booming industry, but also leads the way the world sees an ancient product. HEXO has its sites set on being the first chapter in that yet-to-be written history n HEXO.com 19 OTTAWALIFE SPRING 2019
oh cannabis by Nisa Ayu
Six months since legalization,
Organigram shares lessons learned
PHOTO: COURTESY ORGANIGRAM
and plans for the edible future
T
ime flies when you’re having fun. It’s already been more than six months since recreational cannabis was legalized and Organigram has learned a lot, says Ray
Gracewood, Organigram’s Senior Vice President, Marketing and Communications. . “The legalization of this industry is a marathon and not a race,” he says. “Although we’ve come incredibly far, we still have a long way to go.” The federal government’s final regulations on edible cannabis products are expected to come into effect on October 17, 2019. By then, if products are available, Canadians will be able to legally buy prepared cannabis-infused edibles and pre-filled vaporizer pens. Organigram has been preparing for this next stage of legalization for some time. Gracewood shares some of the company’s plans for the adult recreational edibles and concentrates market.
Canada’s Smartest Kitchen, a company on Prince Edward Island that’s helping it develop edibles. “We’ve been working closely with them on recipe creation and understanding what is world class within the world of chocolate,” Gracewood says. When it comes to cannabis-infused products and concentrates, Organigram is focusing on the whole consumption experience.
Bringing Chocolate and Cannabis Together
“We’re of the mind that the effect from edible and concentrate products will be commoditized to some degree, so we’re very much focused on the consumption experience,” Gracewood says. “If we choose to develop an infused chocolate product, our focus will be on quality.”
Organigram recently partnered with
Through technological innovations,
20 OTTAWALIFE SPRING 2019
the company also wants to replicate the quick effect that comes with consuming cannabis through combustion – like smoking a pre-roll – in edibles. “One of the big issues that we find right now with infused beverages and edibles is that the onset can take anywhere between 45 minutes to two hours. Through technology, we can decrease that to more like 10 to 15 minutes.” Pre-filled vape pens are another product Organigram is planning to produce. Vape pens have been a “game changer” in various states in the U.S. where recreational cannabis is legal, and Organigram sees the same potential north of the border. “We think a combination of vape pens and chocolate-based products will play a very important part within our portfolio strategy,” Gracewood says. Having a diverse portfolio of highquality products is important to fight the illegal market, he says.
“One of our biggest challenges is that we need to eliminate the illicit market and in order for us to do that, we need to offer a competitive product portfolio to what’s available in the illicit market. A big part of that is concentrate products, and edibles and vape pens,” he says.
producer like Organigram and others. The full list of licensed producers is available on the Health Canada website.
“I think consumers are asking for those type of products more and more, and I think it also opens the door to a whole different consumer set who don’t like the smell of cannabis, or they’re not comfortable with smoking and they appreciate discretion.”
“[They ask] ‘if I buy a half a gram preroll from the store, do I consume that entire unit, do I take two draws off of it, what’s the right amount for me?’ It’s the combination of educational services as well as the mantra of ‘start low and go slow’ to understand where the level of comfort is when you consume,” he added.
Lessons From the First Six Months
As the legalization marathon continues, education continues to be a focus for Organigram. Many consumers are still confused about the market, products and players. It may be holding some back from engaging within the legal market, Gracewood says. “I think people are still very confused and I think there’s still a lot of misinformation out there,” he says. Six months in, people still have a lot of questions about recreational cannabis. They’re wondering how to tell if a product has been tested, where to buy legal products, and what kind of products are available. The easiest way to know if a product is legal is through the place you’ve bought it. Legal products are sold through government-licensed retailers, which can be privately or publicly-run. Their stores can be bricks and mortar or online. “It’s important to know that all legal channels can only ship their product within a province, so be wary of any online sellers who offer shipping across the country for recreational products,” Gracewood warns. Legal products also come pre-packaged and include a provincial excise stamp. And they all come from a licensed
In addition, consumers are asking questions about dosage, and how to know if they’ve consumed too much.
How to Recycle Your Cannabis Packaging
One of the things consumers are also concerned about is the environmental impact of the packaging of recreational cannabis. “We feel that this is a huge issue facing our industry right now. Although we work within a very specific framework for packaging, we’ll continue to work with our regulators to explore innovations to reduce our environmental footprint and reduce the amount of packaging that’s required,” Gracewood says. “It’s obvious that we have very little interest in expensive, bulky, creatively constrained packaging that is destined to be kept behind a retail counter,” he adds. But as the company moves ahead with developing new products, it’s also important to make sure the packaging is safe and the high quality of the product inside is maintained. “Child-resistant closures, tight labeling standards and tamper-proof seals are critical, but we’ll continue to explore other options that will minimize our environmental footprint,” he says. If you have questions, cannabis retailers are a good source of information,
Gracewood says. Organigram is actively engaged in education programs with its retail partners across Canada. “I think retailers have done a great job in educating their staff and they’ve developed themselves as a great resource for education,” he said. “We definitely encourage consumers to engage with staff at the retail locations.” Consumers can also find answers through online resources made available by governments at the federal and provincial level. Since public consumption and retail rules differ from one province to another, Gracewood says it’s best to check your provincial government’s website for specific regulations. Making the correct information available and accessible is very important for Organigram. That’s why the company supports various educational projects across Canada, including programs for post-secondary students through Mount Allison University in Sackville, New Brunswick. It’s also involved in industry groups like the Canadian Cannabis Council to help educate the public on the value of tested, regulated product. “We take public safety and producttesting very seriously, and it’s important for Canadians to understand the added benefit and comfort that comes from tested, regulated product,” Gracewood says. “As we move into the future, we want to ensure products are safe and people are well-informed to make the best decisions about cannabis.” n
Interested in learning more about the Edison Cannabis Co. or Organigram? Visit www.edisoncannabis.co or www.organigram.ca. 21 OTTAWALIFE SPRING 2019
You belong here Discover a healthy community and a sense of belonging at the Y! JoiN todAY! ymcaywca.ca 22 OTTAWALIFE SPRING 2019
YMCA-YWCA of the National Capital Region
oh cannabis by Nick Davies
Crossing the cannabis chasm ost-workout recovery drinks. Cold P ones to crack open after a tough rugby game or time on the ice. Softgels and vapes for a night out.Topical creams and oils for intimate moments. Within a few short years, all those things – and more – will be cannabis-infused, in one way or the other. From the moment Canadian adults wake up, power through their work day, hit the gym and socialise with friends before relaxing and going to bed, it’s entirely possible there will be a cannabis consumer product designed to enhance every moment of the day and turn them into experiences. And, like everything else on a store shelf, they’ll be rigorously tested, predictable and offer a consistent experience. Is there anything we can’t put cannabis into? Between the well-known cannabinoids, THC and CBD, as well as other minor cannabinoids such as THCV (being studied for its appetitesuppressing properties), the utility of this natural plant is bounded only by Health Canada regulations…and the imagination. Cannabis connoisseurs – the innovators and early adopters – already know this. Cannabis has been consumed for one reason or another for millennia. In fact, it is no surprise that cannabis tourists (those who had never used it before) did not swarm cannabis stores immediately following legalization day, although there were plenty of cannabis purists who did. Despite voices predicting gloom and doom, society did not fall apart. The world didn’t go up in a blaze of pungent smoke. Cannabis “has PHOTO: SHUTTERSTOCK
always been a part of our society,Trevor Fencott, CEO of cannabis retailer Fire & Flower recently noted, “we just daylighted it.” And now, six months away from cannabis chocolates, gummies, topical creams, beverages and vapes hitting store shelves, we’re daylighting cannabis 2.0. Are we ready? And more to the point, are Canadians ready? The innovators and early adopters of cannabis are ready, that’s for sure. Like their counterparts in the tech industry, they are the advance troops of ‘cannasseurs’, bud tenders and cannabis purists who live ahead of the curve, try new things before anyone else and are quick to spot trends. They’re the ones who clogged the Ontario Cannabis Store website on October 17th, merrily tested the array of products on offer and will no doubt be the first in line when edibles are available. They’re also a lot different from most Canadians, the early majority who will try canna-chocolates or a beverage less because it’s new, but more for pragmatic reasons. They want a recognizable brand they can trust, that gives them the same predictable experience every day. If a product seems appealing, they’ll give it a try, but they aren’t willing to put up with dubious quality from questionable sources simply to follow a fad. For them, non-intoxicating CBD products will likely be their first purchase as a safe, but exciting new experience. The early majority are also hard to convince because they’re risk averse,
especially when it comes to cannabis stigma. Just as American organisational theorist Geoffrey A. Moore famously remarked about crossing the chasm between selling to tech-savvy early adopters and the rest of consumers in the world of technology, so, too, will licensed producers need to leap the cannabis chasm. Products need to be easy and safe to consume, formats need to be discreet, packaging must be practical and appealing, as well as child-resistant. The information needs to be easy to understand. And they need to be priced accessibly. In the highly competitive and aggressive consumer packaged goods market, it’ll take a whole new approach to marketing to truly develop innovative products. Make no mistake. Although Canadian cannabis companies are currently at the vanguard of what will become a multi-billion-dollar global industry, we will be competing with multinational consumer goods companies who will view cannabis as an ingredient, not a revolution. Yet as product experts, we are also uniquely placed to create ventures with Global Fortune 500 companies, such as HEXO’s joint venture with Molson Coors Canada, that will leverage the expertise of each into trusted products Canadians will want to try. Between such innovations and a responsible approach to educating people about cannabis, we can build a bridge that crosses the chasm and puts Canadian cannabis products into the global market. Are we ready? Yes, we are n 23 OTTAWALIFE SPRING 2019
oh cannabis by Tori McNeely
Wiisag Corporation:
A LOCAL CANNABIS COMPANY
with a global mission
LEFT: Jake Linklater, Executive Chairman of Wiisag speaking at the National Indigenous Cannabis and Hemp Conference.
ndigenous peoples throughout Itraded North America have long harvested, and smoked a wide variety of plants for recreational, medicinal and ceremonial purposes. Many Indigenous communities see the legalization of the cannabis industry in Canada as a chance for future prosperity. Wiisag Corporation, a Canadian Indigenous integrated cannabis company, is helping Canada’s Indigenous communities to regain control over their resources by tapping into this billion dollar industry. Headquartered in Neyaashiinigmiing, on the west shore of Georgian Bay, Wiisag partners with Indigenous communities to fund, manage and operate the cultivation, product development, processing and packaging of cannabis. Indigenous communities are not provinces, therefore concerns about distribution, health and enforcement play out very differently on reserves than they do elsewhere. In conversations with chiefs, councillors, elders and youth in Indigenous communities, Wiisag was able to devise an actionable plan that creates formal inroads for First Nations to get involved in Canada’s cannabis industry. In June, Neyaashiinigmiing will be the first Indigenous community in Canada to host a licensed outdoor medical marijuana grow operation on its territory. Outdoor grow-ops represent a unique opportunity for First Nations to grow and harvest cannabis on their territories via a community based 24 OTTAWALIFE SPRING 2019
While Wiisag remains committed to Indigenous communities in Canada, their vision is to build an “Indigenous global cannabis brand.” To kickstart “From Day One, we have been this vision, Wiisag recently joined committed to executing a scalable forces with international Indigenous outdoor grow plan on reserve.We have community, Westmoreland Hemp and assembled an exceptional technical Ganja Farmers Association in Jamaica This confirmation from (WHGFA), to grow and develop highHealth Canada demonstrates quality high grade medical marijuana for the Canadian and world markets. that there are formal Wiisag will provide funding, services inroads for First Nations to and management for the 10-acre pilot get involved in Canada’s project. business model that will employ people and create opportunity.
cannabis industry. We need to keep collaborating toward these types of successes. This is a solid step toward economic reconcilliation.
Isadore Day
Director of Community and Gov. Relations, Wiisag Corp
team to execute our business plan and we are grateful for their efforts to get us to this stage,” said Jake Linklater, Executive Chairman of Wiisag. “We now look forward to working with First Nations communities and indigenous entrepreneurs as we execute our plan and create good jobs and opportunity as we grow.” The 15 acre outdoor grow-op will support up to 200,000 plants, create over 70 new jobs in the community and generate $6 to $8 million annually.
“Both parties seek to forge a strategic partnership to grow and develop medical marijuana products,” said WHGFA Chairman, Delroy Johnson, who chaired the meetings and signing. “Our commitment is to work with Wiisag and benefit from their vision to create a competitive global company with branded products grown and developed by Indigenous farmers and entrepreneurs.We have so much talent and know-how here. We’ve looked at many proposals over the past two years from all sorts of companies but Wiisag’s approach, team, and dedication to indigenous values and principles won the day.” Wiisag Corporation is turning the possibility of an equitable cannabis industry for many Indigenous people into a reality, because the legalization of cannabis is an exciting time for Indigenous communities, too n wiisag.ca
China Canada friendship by Leo Luo
How Canada should engage (properly)
China’s Belt and Road Initiative
This article was first published by the Canadian International Council.We thank them for their cooperation.
s trade wars between the U.S. A and the rest of the world heat up, Canada should take this opportunity to reassess its trade relationships, particularly with China. An article by Preston Lim titled “What Ottawa Should Learn from China’s Belt and Road Initiative” offers one such perspective. After summarizing the scope of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), the article denounces the potential debt traps and China’s unfair business practices. Ultimately, the author concludes that Canada should reject cooperating on the BRI in order to protest China’s practices in its “push for global power.” However, Lim’s article does not capture the whole picture regarding the BRI’s contributions to both developing countries and Canada itself. Thus, this article responds by illustrating similar national-interest driven behaviour by Western states, acknowledging the necessity of Chinese loans, and offering concrete proposals for Canada to engage positively with China and the BRI. The realist theory of international relations states that every major power, whether China or Western nations, enacts foreign policy and international business practices solely to pursue their own interests. Indeed, a glance at both history and current events demonstrates that the U.S. is no stranger to this behaviour. As the issuer of the world’s foreign reserve currency as well as the largest stakeholder in institutions such as the International Monetary Fund (IMF), the U.S. wields a de facto monopoly on the flow of global finance. More often than not, the U.S. has leveraged this advantage to benefit its
The belt and road initiative (BRI) is best described as the 21st century Silk Road. It is made up of a ‘belt’ of overland corridors and a maritime ‘road’ of shipping lanes.
own interests, specifically those of Wall Street, at the expense of developing nations. The most obvious example would be the IMF’s role in causing the 1997 East Asia Crisis. As studied by Nobel-prize winning economist Joseph Stiglitz in his book Globalization and its Discontents, the IMF pushed for capital account liberalization (opening domestic financial markets to foreign capital flows) in emerging East Asian countries such as South Korea and Thailand.
As the issuer of the world’s foreign reserve currency as well as the largest stakeholder in institutions such as the International Monetary Fund (IMF), the U.S. wields a de facto monopoly on the flow of global finance.
Although these countries did not need outside finance thanks to their high domestic savings rates, the IMF (and by extension the U.S.) aggressively recommended further financial liberalization to supposedly “enhance macroeconomic stability.”[1] However, the exact opposite occurred when speculative loans from Wall St. flooded East Asia, fueling a debt bubble for local banks and private corporations. Once Western investors realized that these debts could not be repaid, they withdrew their money exactly when the Asian countries needed additional funds to weather the bubble’s collapse. By 1998, multiple countries (e.g. Thailand, Indonesia, South Korea etc…) had fallen into recession, resulting in spikes in unemployment and social discontent. Yet, Wall St. emerged unscathed. Thus, Lim’s accusation that China practices “debt trap diplomacy” and breaks the rules of the Western liberal order is a convenient omission of the West’s own realist practices in leveraging its economic and political 25 OTTAWALIFE SPRING 2019
influence to serve its own interests. In more specific terms, while Lim’s article correctly identifies debt distress as a concern regarding the BRI, it fails to acknowledge the necessity of Chinese loans for infrastructure in the recipient countries.According to a study conducted by the Asian Development Bank (ADB) in 2017, Asia needs to invest $26 trillion in overall national infrastructure between 2016 and 2030 to ensure “growth momentum, tackle poverty and respond to climate change.” However, the sum of the assets of all the major Western-backed development banks (the World Bank, the ADB and the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development etc…) only totals around $720 billion. In comparison, the combined assets of China’s two “policy banks” – the China ExportImport Bank (CHEXIM) and the China Development Bank (CDB) –
the World Bank recommended in 2009 further investment in coalfired power plants to ensure reliable electricity in the country, the lack of foreseeable financial return deterred most investors. In the end, it was the CHEXIM that provided most of the funding, with a loan of $331 million in 2010. When the power plant was completed in October, 2016, the Tajik government was soon able to lift daytime electricity restrictions, citing how the plant was now helping to provide uninterrupted power from 5 am to 10 pm each day.[2] Thus, the concrete benefits of this project demonstrates the need for Chinese contributions through the BRI, no matter how they are financed. Instead of rejecting the BRI outright, Canada can take alternative routes to monitor and benefit from the initiative, namely by joining the AIIB and encouraging Sino-Canadian business partnerships.
Canadian companies can spur growth and access emerging markets by participating in the BRI, even if the respective governments do not see eye-to-eye. total $2 trillion. Combined with the $100 billion and the $40 billion from the multilateral (but China-led) Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) and the Silk Road Fund, respectively, Chinese loans represent one of the few, if not only, viable alternatives to help developing countries achieve their infrastructure goals. Although some BRI recipient countries might balk at China’s supposedly unfair business practices, the reality is that the majority of these countries cannot convince the global financial system to invest capital in critical infrastructure. The Dushanbe-2 coal-fired power plant in the Republic of Tajikistan exemplifies this market failure.Although
First, Canada’s application and eventual acceptance into the AIIB in March, 2017, was a step in the right direction. Since this institution will provide strong financial support to BRI projects, being a member country ensures that Canada can express its views on the initiative. The AIIB has already established a precedent for welcoming foreign expertise, as it partners with Western institutions, such as the World Bank, on almost all of its projects in order to learn best practices. By joining the AIIB, Canada can participate in vetting and overseeing projects to ensure the highest standards for funding and quality control. American companies actually offer a
model of how Canada can engage with the business side of the BRI without getting too involved in the politics.Yun Sun, a fellow in the Global Economy and Development department at the renowned Brookings Institution, penned an article in July, 2018 on how American companies are partnering with Chinese businesses in Africa on infrastructure projects. She cites the example of General Electric (GE) engaging with China Machinery Engineering Corporation (CMEC) to build a wind farm in Kipeto, Kenya and launching a “joint roadshow in Nigeria, Ethiopia, and Kenya, during which they showcased an in-depth market report on Nigeria’s grid system in response to challenges identified by the two companies in powering the country.” Sun writes that American companies see the BRI as a way to break into new markets in developing nations, while “the Chinese side has its eyes on GE’s ability to bring in advanced infrastructure industrial capacity, technological knowledge, and international financing channels.” In other words, GE’s case demonstrates how Canadian companies can spur growth and access emerging markets by participating in the BRI, even if the respective governments do not see eye-to-eye. Canada’s strength lies in cooperation with other countries rather than confrontation. By engaging with China through its institutions and businesses, Canada can reap the benefits of the BRI while still actively addressing the initiative’s issues. With multilateralism in retreat around the world, Canada cannot afford to forsake its unique contributions to the BRI simply to make a political statement. About the author n Leo Luo is a graduate student at Columbia University’s School of International and Public Affairs (SIPA), majoring in Energy and Environment with a minor in East Asia studies. He also holds a bachelor’s degree from Georgetown’s Edmund Walsh School of Foreign Service
NOTES: [1] Stiglitz, Joseph. Globalization and its Discontents Revisited. New York: W. W. Norton & Company, 2018 [2] “Tajikistan Lifts Daytime Power Rationing.” BBC Monitoring Central Asia Unit. Last modified: January 5, 2017. Accessed: April 14, 2017. http://www.lexisnexis. com/lnacui2api/api/version1/getDocCui?oc=00240&hnsd=f&hgn=t&lni=5MJN-42X1-DYRV-33H0&hns=t&perma=true&hv=t&hl=t&csi=270944%2C270077%2C 11059%2C8411&secondRedirectIndicator=true 26 OTTAWALIFE SPRING 2019
China Canada friendship by Lu Shaye
The Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) —
the blueprint of a diversified and harmonious world ecently, in April 2019, the 2nd Belt R and Road Forum for International Cooperation took place in Beijing with the theme of “Belt and Road Cooperation, Shaping a Brighter Shared Future,” and the core of this forum is to promote the Belt and Road cooperation to achieve high-quality development.
Many heads of foreign states or governments as well as thousands of representatives from all walks of life of more than 100 countries gathered to discuss the cooperation plans. The Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) has already become the largest cooperation platform and the most popular public goods in the world, with remarkable results achieved in promoting connectivity, development strategy alignment, advantage complementarity and interconnected development of countries along the routes. Until now, 125 countries and 29 international organizations have inked 173 cooperation documents under the BRI with China. However, some people in the Western countries have spared no effort in discrediting the BRI by saying that China is capitalizing upon the BRI to expand its geopolitical interests, make a split in the international arena, and take control over other countries through “debt traps”. Such views are utterly not in line with the facts and are full of loopholes. The BRI is not a geopolitical tool, but an initiative that presents lots of geoeconomic opportunities. As an ancient Chinese saying goes, “men of dignity can seek harmony in diversity”, which indicates that we have never imposed our will on others and will never delimit with ideology, engage in zero-sum games, exclude or target either side.
China has never required other countries to duplicate the “China model”. However, if other countries intend to learn from China’s successful development experience, want to board on the “Express of China’s Development” and are willing to join the BRI, we will welcome all. China and 43 countries have jointly built 82 economic and trade cooperation zones, attracting nearly 3,500 enterprises, creating as many as 300,000 local jobs, and contributing 2.2 billion US dollar of taxes to the host countries.
Chinese President Xi Jinping speaking at the BRI Forum for International Cooperation.
The trade volume of goods between China and countries joining the BRI has surpassed $6 trillion US. China’s direct foreign investment to those countries has exceeded $80 billion US. According to data of The Center for Global Development in the United States, the BRI will add $117 billion US to global trade this year, and the data from the Centre for Economic Policy Research in Europe shows that due to infrastructure improvement brought by the BRI, the global trade costs and transportation time are expected to fall by an average of 2.2 per cent and 2.5 per cent respectively. The BRI is not a “debt trap”, but
an “economic pie” that benefits the local population. Adhering to the principles of extensive consultation, joint contribution and shared benefits, the BRI follows international rules and market operations, and attaches great importance to the sustainability of debt. In BRI projects selection, investment and financing cooperation, the participants make joint decisions and the benefits will be shared by all parties. It is an open and transparent “Sunshine Project”. Thanks to the BRI, East Africa now has its first motorway; the Maldives has built its first inter-island bridge; Belarus is able to produce automobiles; Kazakhstan is connected to the sea; Southeast Asia is constructing a high-speed railway, and the Eurasian continent is benefiting from the longest-distance freight train service. Ultimately, it is for the countries and their people involved to judge the performance of the BRI.Those who are indifferent and make sarcastic comments shall change their mindset and try their best to help the developing countries sincerely, instead of doing everything possible to set up barriers to sabotage the BRI or exert negative influence on other countries’ development. Over the past six years, we have laid a solid foundation and portrayed the framework and outline for the BRI. In the future, we will focus on the key points and work hard to perfect the details. By achieving high-quality, highstandard and high-level development, the BRI will bring more benefits to the participating countries and their people, and make greater contributions to build a peaceful, prosperous, diversified and harmonious world n Lu Shaye is the Chinese Ambassador to Canada 27 OTTAWALIFE SPRING 2019
travel by Dan Donovan
Can’t go wrong at hotel RIU Dunamar — Quiet, relaxing and beautiful.
he hotel RIU Dunamar is tucked T away on the peninsula of the beautiful Costa Mujeres beach in Quintana Roo, a short distance (18km) from Cancun. This all-Inclusive hotel is a spectacular hideaway for a family vacation and offers the best services for you to enjoy an unforgettable holiday.
The perfectly landscaped hotel has 740 lovely, spacious and comfortably furnished rooms with mini bars, hair dryer, iron and ironing board and comfortable queen sized beds. There is free WiFi throughout the entire hotel, a wide gastronomic offering, a spa and gym, five outdoor pools, a RIULand Kids Club (age 4-7 & 8-12 28 OTTAWALIFE SPRING 2019
years), a sports bar, day and evening entertainment, including a nightly show that features some impressive live acts. There are a couple of on-sight boutiques with some nice products that were not over priced and of course, extra sunscreen in case you run out. The overall vibe of the place is low key, chill and relaxed. The food is exceptional and lovers of gastronomy will appreciate the live cooking stations at the main restaurant plus the Italian and Asian specialty restaurants, gourmet restaurant, steakhouse and six bars. There are multiple vegan and gluten-free options. The grounds are are perfectly manicured and the staff
take great care maintaining them. Our ocean-front room had a spectacular view that was especially nice at sunset. In the distance you can see isla Mujeres and the tip of Cancun’s hotel district. The beach is fantastic. Hot sand, palm trees and turquoise glittering water. It’s like a storyboard for a great cold beer ad. We spent your days hanging out, swimming and reading and made the occasional visit to the on-site water slide park. Tighten your trunks before letting go! One of things I love about RIU Dunamar are the perfectly situated beach bars near the pools with spectacular views of the beach. The bartenders make great Margaritas, PHOTOS: KAREN TEMPLE
Mojitos and Caesar’s. You can relax here for an afternoon chilling while listening to reggae, Beach Boys, local Mexican music and some soft pop hits. You’ll definitely ease into the relaxation mode at RIU Dunamar — it’s unavoidable. I got into a routine of spending mornings on the beach and in the water and afternoons were spent playing board games and cards with my adult children at the beach bar.The staff make the pool area welcoming and go out of their way to entertain. They organize pool games, including a pretty funny foam party (a machine that just spurts out lots of foam bubbles).There are lots of alert lifeguards at the pools and the water slides. If people come down and don’t come back up instantly they are straight in the pool just in case — no chances taken.
Nights were low key, spent relaxing and reading or taking in the news or a movie back at the room. Our kids were usually out and about at night taking in the resort entertainment. We felt very safe and secure in all areas of the resort. Midweek we took a half-day snorkeling excursion with local trekkers ScubaCaribe. If you have a GoPro, bring it. The staff are friendly, well trained and professional. They explain safety procedures and protocols before you step into the boat and double check life jackets and equipment to ensure a great experience. We motored alongside the coast and then jutted out offshore a couple of kilometres and began snorkeling. I felt very confident and safe with these guys, especially since my kids and spouse were with me.
ABOUT RIU RESORTS: 105 HOTELS, 19 COUNTRIES RIU Hotels & Resorts offers a wide variety of hotels in the world’s best destinations. They have been providing guests with unforgettable holidays for over 60 years. At RIU you’ll find complete facilities where you can enjoy a host of exclusive services that characterize the company including large gardens, crystal-clear swimming pools, a wide range of activities and enjoyable entertainment programs for both children and adults, and an extensive gastronomic offer. With over 100 hotels, choose from a beach, urban, family or adults-only hotels and enjoy an escape to your favourite destination.
We saw turtles, lionfish, stingrays, shark (small), puffer fish, eel, grouper and some translucent type fish that seemed to effortlessly jet around. To protect the wildlife and the sensitive coral you are asked not to wear sunscreen and makeup. Be sure to bring a hat to guard against the hot sun and a towel to cover your legs on the boat trip back.You can wear a wetsuit if you like. Bring cash to tip the crew; they work hard to ensure that you’re safe, comfortable and have a great snorkeling experience. Whenever I go to a resort I make sure to have $100 or so in small bills so I can tip the staff.You should do this as a courtesy even when at an all-inclusive. It is much appreciated by the local hotel staff. There are lots of other day excursions offered at the resort or if you want to go into Cancun the hotel staff will arrange transportation for, a small fee. We were so into the resort relax mode that we were more than happy to stay put for our wonderful week. I could go on raving about the overall perfection of the RIU Dunamar resort or the friendliness of the staff, the great food, fun entertainment, beautiful pools and beach area with lots of lounge chairs, delicious drinks and great weather. But rather than do that, I think that I will simply return for another stay. It’s hard to find the perfect spot for a family vacation. But, I did . . . it’s the RIU Dunamar n RIU.com 29 OTTAWALIFE SPRING 2019
travel by Tori McNeely
Nashville in72 Downtown Nashville, known to many as Music City, is full of things to see and do. In just 3 days you can immerse yourself in
the multifaceted music scene, experience world-class art, sample some of the city’s finest eateries and visit Nashville’s many neighbourhoods from the hip and trendy to the posh and affluent. Follow this itinerary and you’ll be surprised to find that there is more to Nashville than its longstanding reputation as the “home of country music”.
FRIST 24
MORNING: Start your morning just
nine minutes from Gaylord Opryland Resort and Convention Centre at the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum. Located in the heart of downtown Nashville, this dynamic facility features 350,000 square feet of state-of-the-art galleries that take you through the evolving history and traditions of country music. Next up, take a guided tour of Historic RCA Studio B — Nashville’s oldest surviving recording studio. Here you will find yourself in the exact same room where Roy Orbison, Dolly Parton and Elvis Presley recorded some of their greatest hits! Transportation is included from the Museum to the studio but space is limited so be sure to reserve your spot.
Martin’s Bar-B-Que is the perfect place to stop for lunch, serving up southern classics like ribs, chicken, scratch-made sides and sauces with names like Sweet Dixie, Devil’s Nectar and Palmetto Gold.
EVENING: Butcher and Bee offers an AFTERNOON: After lunch, honour
country legends Johnny Cash and Patsy Cline at their conjoined museums, just a block south of Broadway. From Patsy’s meticulously set 1960’s dining room table and handwritten letters, to
30 OTTAWALIFE SPRING 2019
Johnny’s trademark outfits and awards, these two museums pack a lot of never before seen artifacts per square foot. Across the street from the museums is Goo Goo Clusters Shop, home to one of Nashville’s most famous candies.The Goo Goo Cluster is the first chocolate bar to consist of all three principal ingredients: chocolate, caramel and taffy. Now that you’ve satisfied your sweet tooth, enjoy a tour of the Frist Art Museum. Occupying one of Nashville’s great historic landmarks, the former main post office, the museum houses over 24,000 square feet of rotating art exhibitions.The building itself is a piece of art, boasting architectural elements of both Classicism and Art Deco. eclectic menu in a casual yet intimate environment. Each dish is prepared with the finest, locally sourced ingredients. Start your dinner off by sharing an order of whipped feta suffused with honey and a hint of black pepper. You won’t be disappointed. And what better way to celebrate your first night in PHOTOS:COURTESY VISITMUSICCITY.COM
CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT: Home to record labels, recording studios and radio stations, Music Row is the heart of Nashville. • The Gallery of Iconic Guitars at Belmont, AKA The GIG, is home to rare and iconic stringed instruments. • The Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum is the “Smithsonian of country music”. • Refuel with authentic Tennesee cuisine at Miss Mary Bobo’s Boarding House.
Nashville than by appreciating the local singer-songwriter talent on Honkey Tonk Highway? Here you’ll find all sorts of live music from country and bluegrass to americana and gospel. If your are not in the mood for loud and rowdy, visit Nashville’s Schermerhorn Symphony Centre and enjoy a musical performance by their 83-member ensemble.
The Gallery of Iconic Guitars (GIG)
The Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum
SECOND 24
MORNING: Did you know Jack Daniels
is the oldest registered distillery in the United States? Located in Lynchburg, Tennessee, the distillery has been producing its world famous charcoalmellowed whiskey since 1866. Learn about the product of this popular spirit as you tour the Rickyard, still house, barrel room and more. If the distillery isn’t for you, take a trip to downtown Lynnville where you’ll find all sorts of interesting shops including Colonel Littleton’s The Great American Leather Company whose products are crafted using many of the same tools and methods as our forefathers. AFTERNOON: After the tour (and maybe a tasting), refuel with a familystyle dining experience like no other at Miss Mary Bobo’s. As you dine on mouth-watering southern staples
Miss Mary Bobo’s
like fried chicken and baked whiskey apples, your host will share with you a tale or two about the history of the restaurant, the town of Lynchburg, and remind you of proper table etiquette. With a newly built 200,000 square foot water park featuring rides that intertwine with garden walls, adultonly pools, bars and private cabanas, Gaylord Opryland’s SoundWaves makes for a fun afternoon at the hotel for guests of all ages. EVENING: If authentic French brasserie is what your palette seeks, then Table 3 Restaurant and Market is the place to eat. Pair one of their distinctive, affordable wines with a French-inspired dish like the beef bourguignon or coq au vin. The service is much like the ingredients they use: high-quality and
absolutely delightful. No Nashville visit is complete without a trip to the Bluebird Cafe.This small, 90-seat venue invites patrons to enjoy refreshments as they listen to songwriters performing original material in an intimate “in the round setting.” LAST 24 On your third (and final) day in Nashville, take a trip to Belmont/Hillsboro Village, located just a 20-minute drive southwest of the resort. The Gallery of Iconic Guitars (GIG) at Belmont is one of Music City’s newest venues, where some of the crown jewels of guitars and stringed instruments are on display. One notable collection is that of the late Steven Kern Shaw, whose 500-piece collection of rare instruments laid the foundation for The GIG. Kern Shaw’s guitars aren’t the
MORNING:
31 OTTAWALIFE SPRING 2019
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only remarkable collection in Belmont. Head over the Belmont Mansion, one of the most well-preserved pre-Civil War era antebellum estates and home to avid art collector, Adelcia Acklen. Even if you are not one for museums, this tour is one you simply cannot miss. AFTERNOON:Calling all cheese lovers. Featured on Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives and voted Best Food Truck in The Nashville Scene, The Grilled Cheeserie is Nashville’s favourite food truck turned brick & mortar restaurant. Make this your first stop in Hillsboro Village and choose from a selection of specialty melts like the buffalo south with blue cheese aioli or make your own masterpiece.
Ever wonder how a song is recorded or what a recording studio looks like on the inside? At Imagine Recordings watch and listen as a country song is recorded live in the very same studio where Steve Earle, Kenny Chesney and many more have written and recorded. Just steps from the front doors of Imagine Recordings, you can embark on a 90-minute walking tour of Nashville’s legendary Music Row. The tour pays ode to the recording studios, record labels and publishing houses that make up this one-of-a-kind musical ecosystem.
Mr. Jack Daniels with our own Tori McNeely
EVENING: Choose from one of 20
dining options at Gaylord Opryland for your last meal in Nashville. Whether you choose the upscale Old Hickory Steakhouse or the southern Italian Ravello, the options are endless. Last, but certainly not least on this itinerary is the Grand Ole Opry. Conveniently located within walking distance from the hotel, the Opry guarantees an outstanding view no matter where you sit in the Ryman Auditorium. With new stars, superstars and legends, there’s always something exciting bound to happen (like a chance encounter with Garth Brooks during a backstage tour... yes, this actually happened!). There’s no denying that music is everywhere you go, but Nashville is a destination that promises a diverse range of creative, cultural and entertainment offerings n
visitmusiccity.com
W H E R E T O S TAY
STEVE PARKS Firefighter
BEFORE
When staying in Nashville, look no further than Gaylord Opryland Resort and Convention Centre. From soaring atriums, indoor botanical gardens, a range of dining options, a water park and more, this four-star resort is a destination in and of itself. It is the largest non-gaming hotel in the continental US. In fact, it is so large that the resort offers boat tours through a 4.5-acre indoor garden in the resorts’ Delta Atrium. If the boat tour and water park aren’t for you, Gaylord Opryland offers guests a myriad of ways to relax and rejuvenate including an on-site spa, jacuzzi, fitness centre and shopping. Make yourself at home in one of their 2888 rooms.
344 Gladstone Ave.
PAIHAIR.COM 613-594-5652
32 OTTAWALIFE SPRING 2019
Gaylord Opryland
New Brunswick S I M P LY D E L I C I O U S !
O
ne of the best vacation experiences you can have in Canada is in New Brunswick. I love the province. My daughter and I visited last summer for some dad/daughter bonding. Our first stop was beautiful Moncton, the business hub of the province. If you enjoy cycling, you’re in luck— there’s no better way to get a feel for the area than by taking a bike tour of the city. A mix of both international and local artists have transformed 32 of Moncton’s buildings into canvasses on which they paint their large-scale works. This is graffiti art on a whole new level. Our guide from La Bikery Cooperative took us on a 90-minute tour and we heard stories about the buildings’ art, the artists, and a brief PHOTO: TOURISMNEWBRUNSWICK.CA
history of the city. This is street art at its finest. After the ride, there’s nothing like a cold beer on a hot summer night. The core of Moncton is easy to navigate, and the famous Tide & Boar Gastropub is only a block away from our hotel. Owner Chad Steeves has turned this gem into an award-winning pub that has been featured in Maclean’s, Enroute and The Food Network’s “You Gotta Eat Here.” Moncton’s Tide & Boar Gastropub
ABOVE: From the natural beauty of a sunrise over Swallowtail Lighthouse on Grand Manan Island in the Bay of Fundy to the public art in Moncton, New Brunswick is beautiful — scenery and so much more.
The Shediac Paddle Shack is a halfhour drive from Moncton. It is the perfect place to toss your daughter in the water—in fact, I highly recommend everyone to visit and toss their daughter in the water. We were there on a rainy day but it didn’t matter; we had the time of our lives. Next was on to Fredericton, less than a two-hour drive away. I was on the lookout for one of the famous Irving Big Stop gas bars and diners along the highway. Their diner-style comfort food really hits the spot. 33 OTTAWALIFE SPRING 2019
PHOTO: TOURISMNEWBRUNSWICK.CA
travel by Dan Donovan
If you want to really knock it out of the park, visit (Saint John) during the annual Area 506 Festival in August. With some of Canada’s best musical acts it is
PHOTO: TOURISMNEWBRUNSWICK.CA
one of the best summer music festivals in Canada.
We pulled into the Crowne Plaza Fredericton-Lord Beaverbrook. Nestled alongside the Saint John River, it’s just steps from local pubs, restaurants and cultural attractions. We took walking tour to learn about the local history and area folklore. There is an hour-long tour twice daily at 10 am & 2:30 pm. Visit the historic Garrison District, the Old Public Burial Ground and the Provincial Legislative Building. There are bicycle rentals or get a canoe or kayak from Second Nature Outdoors, a short walk from the hotel. Fredericton has over 115 km of trails that follow the beautiful St. John and Nashwaak rivers. Cyclists, runners and families enjoy these pathways, which are a part of the greater Trans Canada Trail. The Bill Thorpe Walking Bridge (spanning the St. John River) provides spectacular views of downtown Fredericton and is the ideal location to watch the sun set. Regular summer festivals are hosted at the base of the 34 OTTAWALIFE SPRING 2019
bridge, featuring local music, crafts and artisans.
entrepreneurs. It is also home to the Irving family business empire.
A highlight of our visit to Fredericton was the morning we spent at the famous Beaverbrook Art Gallery, one of Canada’s most storied museums. Sir Max Aitken (Lord Beaverbrook) began planning the construction of the art gallery in the early twentieth century. The museum was his gift to the people of New Brunswick, and officially opened to the public in September 1959. Its widely-recognized collections are simply spectacular. You can easily spend hours appreciating and enjoying the stimulating exhibitions.
There are dozens of pubs, restaurants and shops, and the city centre is home to the champion Sea Dogs who play in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League. The Saint John Harbour is a port of entry for dozens of cruise ships, and it continues to undergo a dramatic transformation, which now includes the construction of a new museum.
While Moncton and Fredericton are superb, I especially loved our visit to the port of Saint John on the beautiful Bay of Fundy. This vibrant, historic and revitalized place is one of Canada’s most urbane, modern, energetic and hip cities. It has a younger generation of university students, an upwardly mobile professional class and wealthy class of successful business people and
There weren’t enough days to take in all this delightful place has to offer. However, if you want to really knock it out of the park, visit during the annual Area 506 Festival in August.With some of Canada’s best musical acts, it is one of the best summer music festivals in Canada. That’s something coming from me, a resident of Ottawa which is home of the world-famous annual RBC Ottawa Bluesfest. Musicians love performing at this festival where they can rock out in front of thousands of adoring fans port side
CLOCKWISE FROM LEFT: Saint John is on the shore of the Bay of Fundy, home to the world’s largest tides. • Revelers at the 506 Festival • Tucked away down the side of an old industrial building, Rogue Coffee in Saint John is a great spot for a java fix. • E2L is the 506’s pre-festival kick-off street party. 2L Jam.
on a hot summer night. Over the two nights we saw July Talk, Whitehorse, the New Pornographers, The Arkells, Big Wreck and Reuben and the Dark. July Talk’s performance was the best live rock act I’ve seen since the Rolling Stones SARS concert in 2003. The music festival alone is worth the trip to New Brunswick. The 2019 Area 506 Festival takes places from August 2 to August 4. Saint John is tailor made for recreational activity — you name it, they have it. On our first morning, we went kayaking with a guide from Go Fundy Events. The calm waters and sunny sky completed the experience as we manoeuvred our way along the jutting coastline for a couple of hours, enjoying the water and the spectacular offshore views. It’s also worth heading for a hike at the Irving Nature Park which covers 600 acres of forests, volcanic rock as well as mud flats and a kilometre-long beach. The landscape here is constantly changing due to the Bay of Fundy tides, and the trails come in varying degrees of difficulty and length. As you go, you’ll notice many of the 250 species of migratory and marine birds that nest at the park. I highly recommend a visit to the hip Saint John Ale House, a local favourite situated in a historic port-side building. Chef Jesse Vergenand is passionate about preparing dishes from locallysourced food from the land and sea. We had a great time drinking the inhouse craft beer and trying the many
seafood delights including periwinkles (a shellfish) in garlic butter which were absolutely scrumptious. Spend an afternoon exploring the many shops and galleries of uptown Saint John. In the centre of Saint John is King’s Square, a two-storey bandstand and park decorated with trees and flowerbeds. Nearby is the historic Imperial Theatre: built in 1913 as a vaudeville house. Today, it serves the city as a venue for theatrical shows, films, and church services. You won’t want to miss visiting the historic Saint John City Market with its original wrought-iron gates at both entrances. It covers a full city block and remains the oldest market in North America. Built in 1876, it survived the Great Fire of 1877 that burned much of the city around it. We were not disappointed when we dropped in to the century-old New Brunswick Museum, dedicated to the province’s history and art.The museum includes First Nations beadwork, traditional furniture and clothing. Our afternoon was filled with many other highlights.
harbour and Bay of Fundy. One of Saint John’s most breathtaking features is the Fundy Trail Parkway. With many lookouts along the 20mile trail and narrow paths leading to beaches, hikers and cyclists can explore the stunning trail. Guides are available from Monday to Friday, and the trail is open from mid-May to mid-October. Travel through time in Saint John’s Loyalist House, the oldest building in the city. Originally home to the Merritt family—loyalists who fled the United States after the Revolutionary War—the Loyalist House was built in 1817. Now a National Historic Site, the building is just as it was years ago. Most of the building was left untouched, and was sold to the New Brunswick Historical Society in 1959.
At Skywalk Saint John, you can learn about the history and geology of the Reversing Falls Rapids through a 13-minute film. After viewing the film, admire the Reversing Falls Rapids on the stainless steel and glass skywalk. Observe the seals and fish that can be visible throughout the rising tide. The skywalk also gives a great view of the city’s downtown area.
We topped off our incredible New Brunswick trip with dinner at one of the most storied restaurants in Atlantic Canada, Italian by Night.The restaurant is located in a beautifully renovated and historic brownstone building in the heart of Saint John.
Then there’s the Carleton Martello Tower, which was originally built to defend against potential attacks from the United States. It is now a national historic site. Built in 1813, the tower provides an excellent view of the town,
tourismnewbrunswick.ca
Like our experience in New Brunswick itself, it was simply delicious n
W H E R E T O S TAY MONCTON: The Delta Beausejour Hotel is located in the heart of the city. The hotel provides exceptional amenities including, a pool and workout area, large modern rooms, a great breakfast service and friendly staff. SAINT JOHN: The Hilton Saint John is located in the historic Trinity Royal District. Park your car and explore, using the hotel as a base. FREDRICTON: The Crowne Plaza Fredricton has comfortable rooms, meeting and event services, and a wonderful lobby bar and restaurant. 35 OTTAWALIFE SPRING 2019
travel by Neil Moore
Killarney Lodge T H E BES T OF A L G O N Q U I N PA R K
W
hen we were kids, my parents never splashed out on big vacations. You know, like Disney or Europe. We went camping. Back to the basics with an old-school canvas tent (and later a tent trailer), naphtha stove and lantern, coolers, axe, and a big can of “Yard Raid.”
LEFT: Kayaks and canoes can be found at the beachfront – perfect for a morning paddle. ABOVE: A short but rugged trail takes you to Lookout Point and this spectacular view of Algonquin Park.
Food was always informal, and as an adult, I’ve failed to pass on my gusto for camp cuisine – like burnt eggs and toast with a whiff of Coleman fuel. My kids are similarly chuffed about swapping their comfy beds for a paperthin foam mattresses.
off Highway 60, on a peninsula within Lake of Two Rivers – in the heart of Algonquin Park.
Which is why last year’s summer vacay was upgraded to a lodge – inside one of my favourite provincial parks. It offered the ability to commune with nature, and then leave it for a proper meal and a good night’s sleep.
wilderness, with many of its trails
Our respite was Killarney Lodge, just 36 OTTAWALIFE SPRING 2019
It’s the perfect base camp to enjoy the surrounding 7,700 sq. km of
grown up with. Some of these cabins have been around since the 1930s, but ours had been expanded and updated with polished hardwood floors that lacked the sponginess of typical cottage plywood, and the bathroom was not only fitted with modern fixtures, but toasty.
from your comfy cabin.
Despite these renovations, the décor is pure Muskoka, along with cabin’s log walls and old-school screen door that slams appropriately.
And when I say “comfy,” I don’t mean the homespun cottage you may have
View from the wood porch is stellar, overlooking the placid lake where you
and attractions a just short drive
PHOTOS: NEIL MOORE
can enjoy spotting loons, ducks, and the occasional beaver. Or the abundant squirrels and chipmunks who share an interest in whatever you’re snacking on. Algonquin is also bear country. Even nodes of civilization like Killarney are not immune to these intruders. Owner Eric Miglin recounted how a bear the previous night had burgled the pantry and made off with a few pies. The only casualty was a screen door.
RIGHT (CLOCKWISE): Pan-seared northern pickerel with citrus beurre blanc was a feast for the eyes – and palate. Muskoka chairs line the end of the dock facing Lake of Two Rivers. It’s a Zen-like experience, surrounded by the morning mist. Some cabins at Killarney Lodge have been around since the 1930s — despite their log exterior, they’ve been thoroughly modernized for cozy comfort. The rustic log dining room sets the mood for a perfect northern meal.
Perhaps the furry beast had read his ad in the park guide: “Come for lunch – stay the night,” suggesting the meals are a step up from traditional cottage fare. “Food is a huge part of the Killarney Lodge experience,” said Miglin. “We like to think of ours as ‘fine country cuisine’. Our main cooks and two bakers are all local, and have been here for over thirty years.” He noted their decades-long signature item: slow-cooked prime rib of beef with Yorkshire pudding. “Two other popular dishes, especially with our European guests, are pan-fried northern pickerel and seared rainbow trout. Both are lightly seasoned so you can savour the delicate flavour.” After each meal, it was off to sightsee. Miglin offered a few nearby suggestions, and despite our brief stay, we were able to cram in a few. Like Ragged Falls, where you can walk up to a thundering, whitewater section of the Oxtongue River. It’s open from May until October, but check the website for hours before heading over. Also worthwhile is the short, but rugged Lookout Trail. This 1.9 km loop rises to a cliff that overlooks a vast section of park. Expect to work for the view – and wear proper hiking shoes. And don’t forget about the Visitor Centre. It’s just east of the lodge, having opened in 1993 to celebrate the park’s centennial. There are plenty of exhibits and info for those interested in Algonquin’s wildlife, geology, and history.
Another highlight was the logging museum. Its self-guided tour begins with a video, followed by an easy trail that winds through a recreated logging camp that features several period exhibits, including an amphibious steam-powered “alligator” tugboat that once moved from lake to lake. Both days of sightseeing wrapped up at the lodge’s beachfront, my wife and I in a canoe, and my son in a kayak – his new favourite mode of transportation. Gliding through the tea-hued waters and sneaking up on local wildlife was
the perfect post-dinner wind-down before dark. “As Canadians we so often take our wilderness spaces for granted,” said Miglin. “There’s nothing like seeing Algonquin Park through the eyes of a visitor, especially from overseas. They almost think they’ve died and gone to heaven.” Or as my teenage daughter sees it: “It’s like camping without the regret.” n KillarneyLodge.com 37 OTTAWALIFE SPRING 2019
Fabulous foods and world-class wines meet magic IN SAXONY AND SAXONY ANHALT warm October sun stretches A shadows across the meandering cobblestone streets.After a long journey,
Meissen (Meißen) is a soft landing. A well-preserved medieval town situated on the Elbe River with Albrechtsburg Castle rising from the townscape and the Church of Our Lady's porcelain carillon ringing throughout the day, we have stepped back into history. The wine region of Saxony (Sachsen) has the smallest wine cultivation area (470 hectares), compared to Germany’s 12 other regions. It is characterized by 800 years of wine production and is one of the most north-easterly in Europe. Since emancipation from Soviet occupation, the historic vineyards have been cultivated to produce worldclass Saxonian wines. Like elsewhere in Germany, white wines dominate production. Although domestic demand caused red wine production to surge in the 1990s and early 2000s — they now account for 20-30 per cent of German wine products. Spätburgunder, (Pinot Noir), is in the lead for red wine production. Winding our way to Weingut Schloss Proschwitz AKA ”The Prince's Place”, our very knowledgeable chauffeur, Mr. Briessen tells us in his thick German accent, “I really like the Prince . . . he does a lot for the people and he has
38 OTTAWALIFE SPRING 2019
a very good Christmas Market.” After the political change, according to Mr. Briessen, the Prince bought back the family estate and went to work to make excellent, world-class wines.
The cool climate and the range in temperature from day to night is an advantage, creating a special acidity in the wines, which is the hallmark of quality wines from this region.
As the oldest private winery of Saxony (80 hectares), it is one of two Saxon members of the Association of German Prädikat Wine Estates (VDP), which recognizes the actual vineyard as the hallmark of excellence.
Reisling wines may be Germany's best export but the quality wines that Germans are enjoying at home are well worth a try. Not to be missed is Weingut Schloss Proschwitz’s most iconic wine, Scheurebe Trocken.
Dr. Georg Prinz zur Lippe, and family, live in the former servants’ quarters. — clearly this is one down-to-earth Prince. The palace is now used as a venue for events but the setting remains the stuff of fairy tales, with the vineyards rolling out to the spires of Meissen in the distance.
We return to town to the terrace of the Romantik Hotel Burgkellar (& Residenz Kerstinhaus), where we eat generous portions of locally sourced traditional foods and delicious German beer. Next stop Naumburg.
The first and most widely grown, grape variety in Saxony is the Elbling grape. Brought here by the Romans, its re-cultivation is owed to the Prince.
Naumburg, Saxony-Anhalt
With 1,000 years of history, there are many historic sites to see, notably the Naumburg Cathedral. The town is located on the medieval highway that connected East Europe to West Europe,
MEISSEN PORZELLAN MANUFAKTUR When in Saxony plan to visit Europe’s first porcelain manufacturer, Meißen Porzellan Manufaktur. With an ever-growing archive of prototypes and artifacts (currently 700,000 moulds and 10,000 colour formations), the factory includes a museum. Saxonia’s own “Statue of Liberty” and the world's largest free-standing porcelain figure, greets visitors at the entrance. The guided tour includes live demonstrations by the factory's working artisans. Fascinating on so many levels, the visit is entirely enjoyable.
PHOTO: MONA STAPLES
PHOTO: DEUTSCHES WEININSTITUT
travel by Mona Staples
PHOTO: MONA STAPLES
nick-named “The Tuscany of the North”. With more than a thousand years of wine growing history, the town annually hosts the September wine festival, known as “Winzerfest”. The high concentration of heatretaining calcium is responsible for the significantly warmer micro-climate that supports grape-growing in this northerly region. Despite having only 700 hectares of vineyards under cultivation, there are several awardwinning wine producers in the area and it is the headquarters of one of the largest wine companies in the world, Rotkäppchen-Mumm.
it was designated a World Cultural Site, in 2018. Naumburg is the perfect launch from which to explore the Saale-Unstrut wine-growing region. So-named because it is situated on various hill slopes between the rivers Saale and Unstrut, it was formerly a part of East Germany. The most common grape varieties are the white MüllerThurgau and Silvaner. Elsewhere they produce wines considered to be of more mediocre quality but here in the cold climate of the Saale-Unstrut region they produce better wines. The wines are labeled "varietally", as are most German wines. As elsewhere in this part of Germany, the wines are generally vinified dry with a refreshing acidity.
Sekt is the name for sparkling wines in Germany, they are not to be missed. The coolness of this northern region is perfect for producing grapes that don't fully ripen, have high acidity and lessdeveloped flavours, which just happens to be the perfect recipe for effervescent wines. Without a doubt, the German pursuit of excellence applied to the “méthode champenoise” results in truly memorable sparkling wines. The winery prides itself on owning Germany's largest carved Cuvée vat with a capacity of 160,00 bottles.There are a range of tours and a myriad of festivals under the glass ceiling of the beautifully bricked “Courtyard of Light.” After a guided sampling and tour of sparkling wines, our appetites are stimulated and our spirits are high as we head off for lunch.
The drive through the Saale-Unstrut region can only be described as visual poetry with its untouched landscapes, castles ruins, cathedrals, monasteries, old bridges and sloping vineyard terraces – this journey can also be made by train or bike. Weingut Zahn
Freyburg
Situated on the Unstrut River, with its terraced vineyards, historic town centre and superb 11th century castle, Freyburg (Freiburg) has been aptly
Weinberghotel Elelacker
The view from the spacious terrace at the Weinberghotel Elelacker is truly spectacular. The hotel partners with the Freyburg Wine Cooperative to pair wines with exquisite menus. Not a sound can be heard as everyone at the table is engrossed in savouring the delicious meal of elegantly plated dishes and, of course, a range of superb
Weingut Herzer
On a smaller scale, Weingut Herzer, is a family-owned winery that is full of heart. The owners, Andrea who has the great distinction of having been the second Wine Queen after 'the fall of the wall', and her husband, Stephen, a graduate of viticulture engineering and cellar management, live above the wine production area with their children. The 21 hectares of vineyards feature yet another expansively beautiful view, which includes an old monastery where none other than Friedrich Neitsche once studied. The monastery is a reminder that, like elsewhere in Europe, the German wine industry owes much to the church. At one time Christian monasteries controlled most of the major vineyards in Germany — not a bad thing since the Church was responsible for putting quality before quantity. It is only in modern times, and since emancipation from Soviet rule, that vineyards in this area have been able to produce wine for both domestic consumption and export. Like elsewhere in this part of Germany, the Weingut Herzer vineyards are planted with 80 per cent white varieties and 20 per cent red varieties. As well, they produce sparkling wines and brandies. With plenty of wine flowing in our veins from yet another odyssey of quality wine-tasting our gregarious host, Stephen, quoting his father, expounds that, “One should always feel better the next day for having drunk wine the night before.” After an entirely down-to-earth and charmed visit, it's nice to think that future generations will keep Weingut Herzer in business.
DEUTSCHES WEININSTITUT
At the end of the ever-narrowing road in the town of Großheringen, we arrive at the entrance to Weingut Zahn. Located on the banks of the Saale River, the wooden gates open onto a cobble-stone terrace. Rural and elegant, the estate is nothing if not romantic. Family-owned and member of the Breitengrad 51 wine cooperative, its restaurant, Thüringer Weinstube, is a popular spot with the locals due to its fabulous, food, wine and specialty events.
local wine. Dining perfection!
39 OTTAWALIFE SPRING 2019
Just up the street from Naumburg Cathedral is the “Gasthof Zufriedenhelt”. Pampered with white glove-service in an elegantly modern décor, another superb meal rolls out before us and, of course, more great local wines. Weinmanufaktur “Alte Zuckerfabrik” GmbH & Co. KG
Situated on the banks of the Unstrut River, the eponymously named Weinmanufaktur “Alte Zuckerfabrik” winery was founded (2013) on the site of an old sugar factory. Their first wines became award winners. The term “Weinmanufaktur” stands for the production of high-quality wines in limited quantities, which means that you must come here to enjoy these spectacular wines. The winery is all about a couple of inspired millennials doing things exceptionally well. The wine production is scrupulously managed by Joyannes Beyer, There are no big machines here, everything is done by hand. “We hand pick the grapes – only the best are selected.” If you don’t make it to the vineyard, the wines are served at the Michelin-rated Falco Restaurant in Leipzig. Both the restaurant and the sparkling wines of Weinmanufaktur “Alte Zuckerfabrik” have been recognized in the German Culinary magazine Gault Millau. The day just keeps getting better as Johannes pops open a bottle of Weißburgunder Sekt. With the first sip every step of the pureness of the growing, harvesting and production come through. A sparkling wine so perfect that each of us purchase a bottle to bring home. Schloss Wackerbarth
Located just outside the town of Radebeul, Schloss Wackerbarth is one of Europe's oldest sparkling wine producers (1836). Schloss is the German word for castle. “Schloss” on a wine label can also mean that the grapes are “estate-grown”. Another winery with a very long and colourful history, Augustus the Strong counts as one of the vineyards most prominent past customers. 40 OTTAWALIFE SPRING 2019
One of the oldest hotels in Meissen, The Goldener Löwe Hotel, is a nest of antique elegance intertwined with modern ingenuity. The dining experience is entirely in sync with the hotel — the meal fuses bygone centuries with the new. It is a culinary fusion fit for a king. t
u The entrance to the Zur Alten Schmiede Hotel and the reception are old world elegance. My room, in the new addition, is modern-minimalist comfort. The hotel is perfectly situated to walk around the medieval town of Naumburg. t The view from the spacious terrace
at the Weinberghotel Elelacker, Freyburg alone is worth a stay. u The modern and luxurious Radisson Blu Park Hotel in Radebeul is a 20-minute tram ride from Dresden
The steep vineyards of Schloss Wackerbarth are supported by beautiful stone walls that retain heat to create yet another suitable micro climate for growing grapes. Our guide reminds us that the massive cellars are not a museum but a working production area where the cellar master turns each bottle by hand. Schloss Wackerbarth boasts being the most important vineyard of the area with a hundred hectares and hosting 190,000 visitors a year. State-owned since 2002, it is an adventure-land in all things wine with beautifully landscaped gardens, a baroque manor house, an award-winning restaurant, multiple tours, festivals, family events, a great gift shop and the option to hike the vineyards. There is something for everyone. Before heading back to Radebeul to spend the night, it only makes sense to check out the nearby capital of Saxony. Dresden
With architecture on a monumental building scale, Dresden has the same Schloss Wackerbarth
PHOTO: DEUTSCHES WEININSTITUT
Dining in Naumburg
impact on the senses as Rome or Washington — the manifestation of Empire.The city center was completely destroyed by fire bombs on February 14, 1945. Dresden in the 21st Century is not so much about the monumental scale of the building as it is about the monumental scale of re-building. After a tour through the astoundingly opulent collection of The Green Vault museum, what better way to end this food and wine odyssey than by checking out some beer samplers on the patio of Die Manufaktur Burgerie in Neumarkt Square. Believe it or not, beer sampling is a new trend in Germany. When travelling in Germany, everything is organized, efficient, and comfortable. You can count on your train arriving on time; that the hotel is as good as it looks on the website; and that the service is über competent. And, for a female who likes to wander uninhibited day or night, Germany is one of the safest countries to explore. It all adds up to ease in travel — allowing one to enjoy all that Germany has to offer, which is a lot. Consider a trip to the Saxon region of Germany. Without a doubt, the food, the wine, the beauty, the adventure and the German pursuit of excellence makes for the trip of a lifetime n germany.travel saale-unstrut-tourismus.de
profile by Grace Tan
Embassy Hotel & Suites
— A HIDDEN GEM IN THE HEART OF OTTAWA he Ottawa Embassy Hotel & Suites T has been a local fixture at the corner of Cooper and Cartier Street for over forty years.
Relaunched in January 2019 after a $7 million renovation and upgrade, the Embassy Hotel & Suites is ready for a new chapter serving business and family visitors to the Capital. “The Embassy Hotel & Suites has been a staple in the National Capital Region since the 1960s,” says Colin Morrison, the hotel’s General Manager. “Today, our guest rooms have been entirely redesigned to rival the best hotels in the city. We are one of the city’s new hidden gems.” The 14-storey building is conveniently located a short walk from many attractions including Parliament Hill, City Hall, the National Arts Centre, The Rideau Centre and the University of Ottawa. In the summer, it is steps away from Ottawa’s famous cycling and walking paths. In winter, be sure to bring skates because the Embassy Hotel is one block from the world’s largest outdoor skating rink, the Rideau Canal. Guests have no shortage of close-by entertainment options but if you want to stay put visit the in-house restaurant, Cooper’s Gastropub. As part of the reno, the kitchen and seating areas were upgraded, as well as the menu. PHOTOS: DWAYNE BROWN STUDIO
“Cooper’s Gastropub and our awardwinning Executive Chef speak to Ottawa’s social food scene with tremendous creativity in a stylish, yet comfortable, environment,” says Morrison. Executive chef Jason Duffy has won many awards for his work and is involved extensively in the culinary world—from Gatineau, to Montreal, France, and back here in Ottawa where he continues to delight patrons. Serving everything from hearty breakfasts to after-work gastro-style pub fare and dinner, the restaurant is open seven days a week. The Embassy Hotel & Suites boasts spacious condo-style suites with kitchenettes and private balconies. Every room was completely gutted during the renovation, rebuilt and all the furniture was upgraded. The sophisticated finishes give each room a classy yet comfortable atmosphere. No matter the size of your suite, all feature the comforts of home with the added bonus of stunning views of the Rideau Canal or the city of Ottawa. The suites at the Embassy Hotel are the most spacious on offer in the
downtown area, with the Bachelor Suites starting at 450 square feet and the Executive Suites topping at 920 square feet. Each comes with a flat screen TV, deluxe bathroom, Keurig coffee maker, work desk, and a kitchenette that includes a stovetop, microwave, and refrigerator. Guests can opt for two queen beds or a king bed and some rooms come with a sleeper sofa. There is also complimentary high-speed WiFi and room service for contemporary comfort. The welcoming staff and the friendly atmosphere ensure that everyone has an enjoyable stay. Whether staying for one night or an extended period, guest have access to hotel parking (for an extra fee) and the coin laundry. Four-legged friends are also welcome (a $50 cleaning fee applies). If walking to all the sight in Ottawa isn’t enough, guest can stay in shape at the hotel’s fitness centre which includes a treadmill, stationary bike, free weights, and more. Wether you stay for a night, a week, or a month, the friendly staff, the convenient location, beautiful rooms, and views all add up to make the Embassy Hotel & Suites is an ideal place to call home on your next visit to Ottawa n ottawaembassy.com 41 OTTAWALIFE SPRING 2019
NUCLEAR IS ONTARIO’S
#1 SOURCE
WHY? IT’S
OF ELECTRICITY.
CLEAN AND AFFORDABLE.
Nuclear energy emits zero greenhouse gases during operation and brings down the residential price of power.
42 OTTAWALIFE SPRING 2019
opinion by John Barrett
Canada must embrace nuclear to combat climate change he Green New Deal, which is coT sponsored by popular U.S. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, calls for a World War II-level mobilization against climate change that touches many policy areas outside of energy and innovation, such as universal health care and combating economic inequality. Meanwhile, Canada’s national climate debate seems to be centred on what has become a politically divisive single issue – the carbon tax. The American approach raises the question – is Canada too focused on one specific policy item to combat climate change? Climate change mitigation cannot be successful through carbon pricing alone. By only focusing on this we are losing sight of the importance of ramping up our clean electricity capacity. Global emissions continue to increase at a rapid pace. Extreme weather, warming oceans and melting Antarctic ice capture headlines. While this happens, most G20 countries are not on track to meet their Paris commitments, according to a recent report by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP). The answer to powering developing countries as they rise out of energy poverty and tackling the climate crisis won’t be as simple as replacing fossil fuels with renewables and batteries. As Microsoft founder Bill Gates said, “There’s no battery technology that’s even close to allowing us to take all of our energy from renewables and be able to use battery storage in order to deal not only with the 24-hour cycle but also with long periods of time where it’s cloudy and you don’t have sun or you don’t have wind.”
Standing above all other options in sheer capacity to generate large quantities of clean electricity is nuclear energy. It is a solution that is proven and available now as an assured means of significantly cutting carbon emissions – and quickly. History shows the best approach to climate change and to powering the low-carbon economy includes, not denies, nuclear. Take the examples of Sweden, France and right here at home in Ontario. In 2017, Sweden generated a whopping 95 per cent of its total electricity from zero-carbon sources, with 42 and 41 per cent coming from nuclear and hydroelectric power, respectively. France generated 88 per cent of its electricity from zero-carbon sources, with 72 and 10 per cent coming from nuclear and hydro sources. In both countries, the establishment of a fleet of nuclear power reactors during the 1970s and 1980s effectively decarbonized their electricity supply. Ontarians are justly proud of phasing out coal-fired electricity generation. However, contrary to what some people would have us believe, this was not due to variable renewable energy sources such as wind and solar coming online. Rather, it was the refurbishment and return of Bruce Power CANDU reactors, which put large quantities of clean electricity onto the Ontario grid. That made the end of coal a reality. Today, nuclear energy produces approximately 15 per cent of Canada’s electricity. In Ontario, it provides 60 per cent of the province’s electricity, while in New Brunswick, it provides 30 per cent. And it’s clean, reliable energy which does not have to be backed up by carbon-emitting sources such as natural gas, as is the case with intermittent wind and solar power.
Moreover,what we call the“new nuclear” is at hand. Innovative and ultra-safe reactor technologies under development today could be commercially available by the mid-2020s. Canada is one of the world’s leading countries in development of Small Modular Reactors (SMRs). SMRs are distinguished by their smaller size, lower costs, and diverse applications, from powering off-grid communities to heavy industrial processes to hydrogen production. They could be game changers for energy poor communities relying exclusively on diesel or other forms of dirty fuel – whether in remote parts of Canada or in developing countries around the world. This is not innovation for its own sake. This is necessary work for the sake of our habitat. Just consider the challenge. To meet a 2-degree Celsius climate target – which climate experts the world over agree is a must – the International Energy Agency projects that nuclear energy will need to double within 20 years. Countries around the world are signaling a need for smaller, simpler and cheaper sources of clean energy to meet climate change goals. By using today’s proven nuclear power and tomorrow’s new nuclear, we have a chance not only in Canada but globally to realistically achieve ambitious GHG reduction targets. Taking a fresh look at the new nuclear is very much needed – by political leaders and by members of the public. It provides a climate change solution that is not entirely dependent on a Green New Deal or a universal carbon tax. It offers real, measurable progress towards a low-carbon future n John Barrett is the President and CEO of the Canadian Nuclear Association 43 OTTAWALIFE SPRING 2019
Canada’s energy economy/pipelines by Tori McNeely
Hope for Canada’s highly-skilled energy workers lberta, traditionally one of the A richest provinces in Canada, now has among the highest unemployment
rates and one of the weakest economies in the country. In his victory speech, newly elected Alberta UPC Leader Jason Kenney vowed to get the province back to work and get stalled pipelines built.
workers] do,” says Neil Lane, Executive Director of the Pipeline Contractors Association of Canada (PLCAC). “Our idea is to educate those people on the construction, technology and responsibility of how we build the pipelines.” Each year, PLCAC partners including The United Association of Plumbers and Pipefitters, The International Union of Operating Engineers, The Labourer’s International Union of North America and Teamsters Canada,
takes the worker through the entire pipeline construction process and provides them with the tools necessary for assessing hazards, controlling hazards and responding to emergencies. “Pipeline construction work requires a large number of highly skilled workers, which in turn creates high paying jobs for Canadians,” says Lane.“The PLCAC acts on behalf of this workforce.”
Building a sustainable labour force of skilled tradespersons in the pipeline industry takes years and even then, PLCAC’s 41 contractor members recruiting, training and investing never provide the most responsible and safe really stops. But the funds to pipeline construction process, and train this workforce come from its 94 supplier members deliver We Albertans are patient the building of pipelines and the highest technological advanced how major pipeline projects are products to help make pipelines and fair minded, but we have possible. approved has been in a renewed state of flux due to political inaction from the Trudeau had enough of your campaign of The Canadian economy is a complex government and regulatory network and damage in one part of defamation and double delays. the system affects the entire structure. Nearly seventy-five per cent of the standards. When it comes to building energy Canadians need is supplied pipelines, Canadians are at a by oil or gas, and the majority of – Jason Kenney crossroads. On one hand, there are that energy is delivered by pipelines. PREMIER OF ALBERTA those concerned about battling Between 2010 and 2014, the climate change and protecting the Canadian government received over environment. On the other hand, there invest over $80 million dollars in $20 billion CAD in revenue from the are those worried about job security training programs across Canada. oil and gas industry alone. That money for gas and oil workers.The fallacy that Collectively, these unions represent helps support public pensions, provide you can’t be both pro-environment and over 350,000 highly skilled Canadian health care, and build schools as well as pro-pipeline is one that is jeopardizing tradespersons who are responsible for hospitals, highways and housing in all thousands of well-paying jobs. building and maintaining our nation’s parts of the country. major pipelines. No one knows more about the safe Given the record of the industry and operation of pipelines than the energy Together they maintain over 93 local its importance to Canada’s energy workers who build them and the training facilities across the country, economy, it’s time the polarization of organizations that represent them. provide 10 significant specialized environment and economy come to training program coast to coast and an end. The PLCAC and their labour “People are telling stories to the public deliver the mandatory Pipeline Safety partners have built the majority of about how pipelines are built, how ConstructionTraining (PSCT) program NEB-regulated pipelines in Canada and they cross waters, how they affect the established for all trades persons in are equipped with a skilled workforce environment and yet very few people Canada’s pipeline industry. The course, with the know-how to build the next know them as well as we [energy administered by BuildForce Canada, ones n 44 OTTAWALIFE SPRING 2019
opinion by Greg Vezina
Recycled rhetoric: A price on pollution or half a century our politicians and F leaders have been claiming their policies will increase energy supplies while reducing prices and pollution.
Our present Prime Minister is using recycled rhetoric with his pollution claims “We have a strong plan to fight it, one that leading scientists and economists support. It makes polluters pay and gives the money back to people.”
and Newfoundland’s Churchill and Muskrat Falls projects required any “life cycle’ analysis, nor does the Trans Mountain pipeline. Adding the life cycle emissions costs and government incentives to the price of LNG makes it uneconomic, but there are better energy options our politicians have ignored for decades.
The Chretien, Martin and Harper governments were no better, nor were the Dalton McGuinty and Kathleen Wynne governments, all of whom accepted political donations from cronies who got energy subsidies. The Ontario Liberals largest contributor between 2007 and 2016 donated $465,000 and got $163 million in ethanol subsidies.
The billions in government energy incentives have not flowed to the Trudeau’s plan actually makes families ammonia (NH3) option noted in needlessly pay much higher costs than 1981 by Mr. Kennedy and confirmed the select exempted and/or subsidized as a must-do options in both the 1981 industries ever will, making winners “Energy Alternatives: Report of the Special out of lobbyists, insiders and cronies, Committee on Alternative Energy and Oil and losers out of the rest of us. Substitution to the Parliament of Canada” and the National Research Council’s We need well researched, scientifi1984 “Ammonia Vehicle Fuel” report, cally and economically valid energy concluding “There are no technical Trudeau’s plan actually and environmental policies, clearly or practical engineering problems makes families needlessly pay much that are not very logically solvable not just any plan will do. for the general usage of ammonia as higher costs . . . . No provincial or federal environmentan ICE fuel”. making winners out of lobbyist, al, energy or climate policies comply There is a move by governments insiders and cronies. with the proposed and now delayed and multi-billion global companies Dec. 6, 2016, “life cycle” clean to commercialize green ammonia fuels policy Trudeau said was to be energy production and utilization In an October 22, 1981, Christian Science twinned with a carbon tax. technologies for improving both Monitor article “Canadian businesses renewable and fossil energy underway race to bring alternative auto fuel to the Both Trudeau’s clean fuel and Ontario in spite of little support for Canadian market”Tom Kennedy wrote “Canada’s Premier Doug Ford’s proposed clean companies and universities with dozens quest for alternative automotive fuel is diesel policies increase the minimum of related patents, research projects and on”, and how former Pierre Trudeau fuel mandates for ethanol from demonstrations. Liberal Cabinet Minister and then between five to 10 per cent, to 15 per president of CNG Fuel Systems, Judd cent. It takes more energy to make it We need a level playing field for energy Buchanan, was obviously enthusiastic than is in it and causes more total life so consumers and industry can vote about the commercial prospects of cycle emissions than just the diesel fuel with their wallets to use best practices his company, owned primarily by and fertilizer used to do it alone, and instead accepting our politicians Quebec’s Noranda Mines, which had even more when burned, making it preferred nonsense-based choices. received millions to build a nationwide actually worse than using gasoline or CNG fuelling network, which still diesel fuel. Maybe those with better solutions doesn’t exist. should have asked SNC Lavalin for Ford’s plan to give millions if not help and been paid for helping save the When Green Party leader Elizabeth billions directly to polluters to pay planet, instead of watching others cash May worked as a policy adviser to their remediation costs appears based in for doing the complete opposite n Brian Mulroney’s Minister of the on not doing the research — two of Environment, he continued the Ontario’s Auditor Generals reports practice of giving billions to the oil and Greg Vezina is Chairman of Hydrofuel Inc., found was lacking in the former gas sector while in late 1990 pulling a co-author of Democracy Eh? A Guide to Voter Liberal Government’s green plans. bait and switch with a $300 million Action and Leader of Ontario’s None of the per year, ten-year green plan that lasted Above Direct Democracy Party. Neither BC’s Site C Hydro or Quebec’s two years before he resigned. 45 OTTAWALIFE SPRING 2019
education
A Saint Paul University researcher heads a team of researchers in clinical supervision magine this: Since your doctoral Inascent studies, you have devoted yourself to a field of research. For more than
a decade, you have contributed against all odds to the emergence of a less than popular specialty. After persevering for 15 years, you get $72,000 from a major research council to bring to maturity the fruits of your labour, whose implications promise to be significant. This is a good summary of the career of Cynthia Bilodeau, associate professor at Saint Paul University and a Canadian leader in clinical supervision research.
A long-standing interest
Director of the Saint Paul University School of Counselling, Psychotherapy and Spirituality, Bilodeau has been passionate about clinical super-vision for a long time. Receiving a Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC) grant represents the culmination of sustained efforts. “My colleagues and I have been collecting preliminary data for four years in order to submit a proposal,” she says. “We are very excited to have received the funds and resources we wanted to pursue our work.” The team led by Professor Bilodeau includes three researchers from the University of Ottawa, one from the Université du Québec à Montréal, and Christian Bellehumeur, a full professor at Saint Paul University. A unique research topic
The main pedagogical approach used
in training psychotherapists, including at Saint Paul University, is clinical supervision: what makes it special is that it is relational.“Supervising a future psychotherapist,” explains Bilodeau, “involves accompanying them on a path that will allow them to develop an essential skill: a deeper understanding of the self and how their own experiences influence their relationship with their clients. The line between coaching and therapy is therefore very fine, and it is imperative that the supervisor is aware of this and does not cross the line.” A common but misunderstood approach
Although it is used around the world, clinical supervision remains a largely overlooked research topic from a pedagogical standpoint. “We still know very little about this way of teaching,” says Bilodeau. “What we know about this method comes mainly from psychotherapeutic theory. What our grant will allow us to study is: i) the relational aspect of clinical supervision, which is different from the therapist–client relationship; ii) the factors that foster best practice for supervision.” Students’ strengths: a source of skills From what angle do Professor Bilodeau and her co-researchers plan to approach their research topic? “We have chosen as our theoretical framework positive psychology, which focuses on the learner’s strengths to
promote skills development,” she notes. She sees this approach, which has proven itself in primary education, as being very promising in the clinical supervision context. “By building on a learner’s strengths, we ensure that they feel good; a learner who feels good performs well. We want to understand how supervised students develop skills and how an approach based on their strengths can facilitate their progress.” Tangible benefits for future graduates
How will this work,and the publications that arise from it, affect upcoming cohorts of students? According to Bilodeau, they will allow psychotherapy supervisors and teachers to better identify students’ needs in order to respond in the best possible way. “At this time, due to the serious lack of research, the world of clinical supervision is moving forward by trial and error.Thanks to our research results, we will be better equipped to train our students effectively and eliminate the risks related to the power relationship between the supervisor and the one being supervised.” This research grant is very timely, as the College of Registered Psychotherapists of Ontario has just recognized supervisory training as an essential skill.“This reflects the growing importance that is now being placed on supervision. We are optimistic that our findings will inform the practices of schools and professional bodies.” n
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 canon law, conflict studies, counselling and psychotherapy, human relations, public ethics, social communication, social innovation and theology.
ustpaul.ca
ftyli
223, Main Street, Ottawa ON | 1-800-637-6859
46 OTTAWALIFE SPRING 2019
The energy industry contributes to climate change won’t happen until we all take responsibility.
It’s easier to move forward when we all see both sides. SHAREDFUTURE.CA/CHANGE