PERSIAN TRIBUNE Volume 1, Issue 7 by Persian Tribune

www.PersianTribune.ca • Volume 1, Issue 7

Parinoush Saniee’s “The Book of Fate”

The Fascination of Scandal in Art Charles Pachter on the War of 1812 Caviar, the Pearl of the Caspian Sea A Glimpse into the mind of Visionary iranian Architect

Niloufar Manii

Engagement Ring

Gift or Contract?? ISSN 2291-580X

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Volume 1, Issue 7

32 18

9 History

30 Food

10 Art

31 Food

KISH Pearl of the Persian Gulf

The Fascination of Scandal in Art

12 Art

A Different Message of Hope & Love: Artist M.A. Taraghijah

14 Law

Engagement Ring: Gift or Contract?

16 Book Review Parinoush Saniee’s The Book of Fate

18 Art

Kill Conquer Rule: Charles Pachter on the War of 1812

29 12

Cover Photo by: Julien Philibert

20 Main Feature A Glimpse into the mind of Niloufar Manii

25 Real Estate

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From the Persian Kitchen: Ghormeh Sabzi

32 Food

CAVIAR: The Pearl of the Caspian Sea

34 Education

Back-to-School Countdown

37 Politics

Long-Term Prosperity for Canadians

39 Finance

Private Lenders & Construction Financing

40 Environment

Tahltan's Sacred Headwaters defence has deep roots

42 Politics

Myanmar - An Emerging Opportunity for Canada

Dual Agency: YES or NO?

26 Real Estate

10 Mistakes to Avoid when Selling Your Home

29 Wine 4

Shot Glass Desserts

Beringer's Cabernet

45 Events

Persian Palace & Eco Chic Fashion Show

46 People

Person of the Month Karim Hakimi

Letter from editor By now we are witnessing the last days of the fall season’s colourful nature and very soon the white powder will be dressing the naked trees everywhere. By then we all will be nestled inside and be looking for some great entertaining ideas to spend the very long nights of winter. It is said that many people start to read and learn more during these winter nights and we are going to make sure that the Persian Tribune magazine is among your reading selections. This is the seventh issue of the Persian Tribune magazine and we are still receiving your congratulations, and positive feedback about this publication’s variety and quality of the articles. We are very grateful to you all for your support and kind words that you have shown us. In this issue we learn about the gruesome reality of the War of 1812 from the point of view of a Canadian icon and artist, Charles Pachter. Niloufar Manii is an Iranian architect, urban planner, and interior designer who lives in Paris. She has left her creative mark on many luxurious projects around world. In an exclusive interview, Niloufar speaks about her inspiration, and vision behind her work. Hon. Bryon Wilfert informs us about the country of Myanmar and the investment opportunities that exist in that country which Canada cannot afford to miss. Another great Canadian artist and our regular contributor Doris Pontieri discusses our fascination with the scandals and controversies in art. Finally we all get to know about James Bond’s favorite delicacy….Caviar. You will never look at the fish egg the same again. I hope you enjoy this issue as well and just a reminder that you can also read Persian Tribune online at persiantribune.ca or at issuu.com or on facebook, especially during the cold long nights ahead. Cheers, Kiumars Rezvanifar Editor-In-Chief kiu@persiantribune.ca

Volume 1, Issue 7 Publisher: Persian Tribune Inc.

Editor-in-Chief: Kiumars Rezvanifar

Managing Editor: Courtney Boyden

Creative Director: Ramin Deravian

Associate Managing Editor: Teresa Tiano

Art Director: Courtney Boyden

Copy Editor: Arezou Amin Research: Artemiz Rezvanifar Senior VP Marketing Communications: Tina Rogers Sales & Marketing Director Sandra Peltier Director Business Development Nader Ansari Account Executives: Parisa Alizadeh Mehri Rahimian Special Projects Jacques Reiss Social Media Manager: Marjan Alaeddini Web Management: Ramin Emadi

Graphic Designers: Omid Jesmi Mark Kowalski Shadi Raoufi Print Production Manager: Omid Jesmi Contributing Writers: David Akhlaghi Arezou Amin Farhad Aryaie Robert Atkinson Sarvenaz Barghgir Jerry Bermack Jay Chauhan Dr. Kevin Davis Dr. M. Elmpak Jasmine Jackman Omid Jalili Dr. Davod Kafai Amanda Labelle Costas Menegakis MP Mark Omidi Charles Pachter Doris Pontieri Fereydoon Rahmani Noah Richler Rose Reisman Rocco Rossi Shamsi Shahrokhi David Suzuki Teresa Tiano Bryon Wilfert Sahar Zomorodi

Persian Tribune magazine is published twelve times a year by Persian Tribune Inc. It is distributed free of charge in libraries, business and cultural centers in GTA. Persian Tribune magazine is an independent publication and its contents imply no endorsement of any product or service. Opinions expressed are those of the writers. The contents of this publication may not be reproduced in whole or in part without the written permission from the publisher. Canadian Head Office (Toronto) Persian Tribune magazine, 25 Valleywood Drive, Suite 12, Markham, ON L3R 5L9 Canada

Dubai Office PO Box 17851, MO 0668, Jebel Ali Freezone Dubai UAE 0971502520204

U.S. Office (Los Angeles) Persian Tribune magazine, 22726 Ventura Blvd., Suite C, Woodland Hills, CA 91364, U.S.A.

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•History

Kish

The shining pearl of the Persian Gulf By: Kamran Rezai

Kish is an Iranian resort island located in the north east of the Persian Gulf with an area of 92 square kilometers. It is a part of Province of Hormozgan and it is about 17 Km from the southern shores of Iran. Kish is often called the Pearl of the Persian Gulf, and it is known for being a beautiful resort in the Middle East. With a population of 20,000 residents, and over one million visitors annually, Kish was ranked among the world’s 10 most beautiful islands by The New York Times in 2010. The coastline is said to be one of the least dangerous in the world. The beautiful beaches of Kish captivate the eyes with their turquoise tint and the long white sandy shorelines attract many tourists from around the world during winter months. Kish’s climate is considered to be very dry, semi equatorial with 60% humidity year round. The annual temperature reaches 80 degrees Fahrenheit. But from October to April the weather is mild, and temperatures range from 64 F to 77 F. Kish is a small island but it has numerous tourist attractions such as Dolphin Park, and The Art Centre complex that includes an aquarium that displays colourful marine species unique to the Persian Gulf. One of the must see tourist sites is the ancient underground aqueduct, called the “Underground City” which was built 1,000 years ago for transportation and water supply across the different parts of the island.

Kish has also been mentioned in history from time to time. When Marco Polo visited the Imperial court in China, he commented on the Emperor’s wife’s pearls and he was told that there were from Kish. In the 1970’s Kish was turned into a luxury resort for the international elite, complete with a Grand Casino and an airport to handle the Concorde flights. After the Islamic Revolution in Iran, Kish became a duty-free shopping zone. Kish is a trade free zone, which makes it a suitable place for shopping and there are a number of large shopping centers and malls where visitors can purchase clothes, electronic goods, cosmetics, and other luxury items at great prices and tax free. Kish also has many luxury hotels and spas that accommodate tourists, including the Dariush Grand Hotel. It is remarkable in that the interior and exterior of its building reflects old Persepolis. Foreign nationals who wish to enter Kish Free Zone from legal ports are not required to obtain visas prior to travel. At Kish International Airport, a 14 day visa will be issued and stamped on a valid travel document. Consider Kish for your next trip, and enjoy the sun, the sea, and more! 

Kish has the best beaches in the world for snorkeling. Scuba divers can enjoy the spectacular views of sea life beneath the clear blue water of the Persian Gulf. Boating, jet skiing, water skiing, fishing, parasailing, and coral viewing are other varieties of sports that are available in this resort island. PERSIAN TRIBUNE

•9

•art

The Fascination of Scandal in Art By: Doris Pontieri

he word “art” encompasses many things in our lives. From the pictures our kids bring home from school, to the paintings we view on excursions to the local art galleries in our cities. We proudly hang the crayon drawing of what could be a dog or a horse, on the fridge for all to see, and the next day we stroll around the AGO endlessly, looking at the Picasso, and thinking it looks similar to the painting on our fridge. So what is art then? What makes one artist more collectible and famous than another? In 1896, Leo Tolstoy wrote "...to evoke in oneself a feeling one has once experienced, and having evoked it in oneself, then, by means of movements, lines, colors, sounds, or forms expressed in words, so to transmit that feeling that others may experience the same feeling — this is the activity of art." Of course he was correct in the fundamental sense of the word “art”, conveying what the artist sees and feels to anyone who chooses to look at the piece created from that view. But why then, through the ages, is some art more highly regarded and valuable? One answer could be scandal. We are all fascinated by it. How intriguing

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to think that an artist lived a bohemian lifestyle, with disregard for decorum and societal guidelines. Quiet whispers of infidelity, nude models, or endless nights of drinking and drugs rapidly spread, causing some artists to be considered less than proper and shunned in their lifetime, only to have their work sought after, and increasing dramatically in value after their death. The legendary writer Ernest Hemmingway, award winning and brilliant, was much like other writers throughout history, but more fascinating to us than writers of even greater acclaim. Could this be a result of how he lived his life, having affairs and leaving his wife to then marry the new woman, and doing this three times? Restlessly traveling around the world looking for the next big thing, Ernest Hemingway eventually committed suicide, suffering from depression. But he left behind a great body of work, and an iconic style that still influences many writers today. His personality and constant pursuit of adventure has become almost as important as his creative talent. The genius of the 17th century painter, Michelangelo Merisi da Caravaggio, was largely ignored during his lifetime, due to the fact that he was notorious for, and

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•art

There are so many examples of ordinary people becoming legends after death because their lives were wrapped in controversy and intrigue.

”

accused of assault, murder, and consorting with the devil during his tempestuous career. Considered the "antichrist of painting", Caravaggio was as controversial for his artworks as he was for his infamous temper and extensive police record. However, in the 20th century, his work became untouchable by the average art collector due to skyrocketing prices. The scandal surrounding the name Caravaggio, along with the brilliance of his artistry elevated his paintings to the status it bears today. There are so many examples of ordinary people becoming legends after death because their lives were wrapped in controversy and intrigue. Actors like James Dean and Marylin Monroe, whose estates make millions of dollars, much more than they would have seen in a full lifetime, on sales of images and memorabilia, have been idolized by the public because of the fascination we have with the way they lived and died. Anything even thought to have been touched by someone we idolize becomes priceless. The same can be said for original artwork painted by someone who has the essence of infamy associated with their name. How fascinated we are by the lives of others. Maybe this can be explained in part by how mundane ordinary life can be. We have moments of living vicariously through the adventures of others, but we find peace and safety in our own. Great art has a different face to all who look at it. Some people love Impressionism, some are drawn to wildlife and realistic art. There is no accounting for taste in art, for people like what they like. However, just the hint of scandal will ensure that particular artist should rise to new heights in popularity.  Doris Pontieri is an award winning artist and art teacher. Her work is featured in many galleries in Canada and U.S. Since being invited to exhibit at the Louvre in Paris, she has been awarded the medal for Outstanding Artwork by the Paris Society of Arts, Science and Letters, one of the oldest societies in France.

PERSIAN TRIBUNE

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•art

A Different Message of Hope & Love

Artist M.A. Taraghijah

By: Shamsi Shahrokhi

hen I was living in Tehran, Iran 25 years ago, I was informed of a famous artist, Mohammad Ali Taraghijah. I attended his art class and learned more about contemporary art. I found him a kind, calm and thoughtful man. Very soon, he became my master in painting, and an example and icon in my life. He had been painting for 43 years when he died in August 2010 in Tehran. As his former student, I dedicate this article to him. M. A Taraghijah was born in Tehran in 1943. He enjoyed painting since childhood. He graduated from the College of Science & Technology, in mechanical engineering and began his career as

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an engineer, working in that field for three years, though his heart was set on art. Very quickly he followed his passion, turned away from engineering and dedicated himself entirely to painting. He lived in Teheran with his wife, whose artistic background made her a wonderful supporter and critic of her husband’s work. They managed their own gallery and art studio, in which he painted and taught drawing and painting. They have two sons: Ali is an architect and Mohammad a painter. The creativity and unity that was the base of their family and personal life is reflected in the richness, beauty and balance of his works.

•art

When he started to paint, his subjects were landscape, the human form, and still life, allowing the exploration of color and composition. He was very talented and won his first Golden Award in Iran’s National Art Competition in 1968. His first exhibition in 1976 was of still-life paintings, and was held at the Tehran Gallery and, one year before the revolution, the Teheran Art Academy chose these same works to be presented at the Art/Basel International Art Fair in 1978. By the beginning of the 1980's, Taraghijah developed his unique style of painting, characterized by the stylized horses that became his trademark. His peaceful and tranquil paintings use figures of horses, roosters and rural Iranians in a legendary land. Taraghijah created translucent, peaceful, insightful, and long lasting impressions, which remind the viewer of the Orient and legends of the desert. The images are subtle but defined, astonishing and mysterious. In 1994, the Tehran Museum of Contemporary Arts selected some of his work for the museum collection and printed a collection of these works. In 1998, UNICEF selected two of his paintings for their

Christmas cards. The International Museum of 21th Century Arts (TIMOTCA), in the U.S.A. selected his paintings as representative of Iranian art. His beautiful works have been exhibited in Switzerland, Germany, Italy, France, United States and Japan. His paintings are part of the Tehran Museum of Contemporary Art (TMCA), the Museum of Modern Arts of Sharjah (U.A.E.), and Wereld Museum, Rotterdam, Leiden, Netherlands collections. I think that art is the vehicle and the voice of an artist. He often used the poems of Rumi, addressing the need to forward a message of love in the world. In M. A. Taraghijah’s work love, beauty, freedom, the meaning of life, and a reverence for God’s creation are present. When he said “Religion does not matter, we all share the same God,” he shared a universal God in the hearts of all and wanted to bring the world a different message of hope and love. To view more of his work: www.taraghijah.com  Shamsi Shahrokhi is a resident artist and teacher in Toronto. She can be reached at shamsih@rogers.com www.artisticpick.com PERSIAN TRIBUNE

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•Law

Engagement Ring: Gift or Contract? By: Sahar Zomorodi

man buys a sapphire studded diamond ring worth $16,500 for his fiancée before she called off the engagement. Now she wants to keep the ring and he wants it back. A love quarrel turned into a legal battle all the way to the B.C. Supreme Court on the question of gift or contract?

The Marriage Act has thus removed the consideration of fault from the analysis and is reflected in the common law Ontario Superior Court decision in Newell v. Allen (2012) ONSC 6681 which held that the donor should always get the ring back regardless of who broke off the engagement.

The legal question is who should keep the ring? Would you defend the man´s claim that the ring is part of a contract to be married and should be returned when that contract is dissolved? Or would you support the position that the ring is an outright gift and belongs to the receiver upon acceptance of it?

The second approach regards the engagement ring as an absolute gift, which cannot be revoked or recovered when the marriage does not occur. It becomes the absolute property of the recipient upon acceptance of it. This decision was set out in the Ontario Small Claims Court case of Mastromatteo v. Dayball [2011] O.J. No. 1600, where the Deputy Judge stated at para 19 and 20:

Canadian Courts dealing with the issue of whether the engagement ring should be returned after a broken engagement have reached different conclusions. One approach has been to treat the delivery of the ring as a gift subject to the condition of marriage which must be satisfied before the gift is final. If the marriage is not consummated then the person giving the gift (the Donor) has the right to get the gift back. This approach dates back to the decision of Jacobs v. Davis [1917] 2 K. B. 532 and is often combined with the fault based reasoning that imposes an equitable duty on the person repudiating the contract to return the articles given in reliance and in expectation of performance of the contract (Robinson v. Cumming (1742, Ch.) 2 Atk. 409). The fault based analysis requires an assessment of who broke off the engagement and entails an evaluation of why the engagement ended. This is directly at odds with s. 33 of the Ontario Marriage Act R.S.O. 1990, c. M.3, which provides that, “where one person makes a gift to another in contemplation of or conditional upon their marriage to each other and the marriage fails to take place or is abandoned, the question of whether or not the failure or abandonment was caused by or was the fault of the donor shall not be considered in determining the right of the donor to recover the gift.” 14

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“In the absence of any clear common law rule on whether a ring must be returned, I would incline to the position that a gift is a gift. Once perfected by delivery, it cannot be recovered.” The third approach is based on the well-known principles of contract law which support the position that engagement is an exchange of mutual promises to marry and if the agreement is not performed, then those involved should be restored to their former positions, and the ring should be returned to the person who first had it. Hitchcox v. Harper, [1996] B.C.J. No. 1861 (S.C.); Sperling v. Grouwstra [2004] B.C.J. No. 463 (S.C.); Zimmerman v. Lazare [2007] B.C.J. No. 932 (S.C.). It is evident that the common law has not taken a clear position on the question but it does seems that the weight of decisions have shifted in favor of the return of the ring without regard to who caused or what contributed to the termination of the engagement. After all, it is not always clear whose fault is attributable to the demise of the relationship. The preferred approach is one that is consistent with principles of contract law and also with our moral obligation to return the material sentiment of a relationship that no longer exists.  Sahar Zomorodi is a lawyer practicing civil litigation and real estate in Richmond Hill.

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•Book Review

Parinoush Saniee’s

The Book of Fate By: Noah Richler

t is impossible to read The Book of Fate, Iranian novelist Parinoush Saniee’s intimate, moving story of one woman’s lifetime experience of social revolution, and not be utterly overwhelmed by the juggernaut of imposition that history can be. From the heartbreaking first pages of this eminently readable saga, the reader

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brothers bully and remonstrate with her when, in the company of her best friend Parvaneh, she meets Saiid, an assistant at the local pharmacy, and develops a teenage crush. It is even love, perhaps, though she will not ever truly know because her brothers, outraged, beat her, shame her, and force her into a face-saving marriage. But Saniee is not one to rely on clichés; she is an author who sees in such plausible outcomes great narrative opportunity. Massoumeh avoids a wedding to the butcher, a bit of a brute, and is married to Hamid, an impassioned and, in the manner of a young idealist, arrogant communist indifferent to the institution of marriage; he is much more interested in vanquishing the government than his teenage bride. Through the lives of Massoumeh and Hamid, through their three children, their relatives, friends, and neighbours (in Iran but also the diaspora reaching Germany, the United States, and, ultimately, Canada), Saniee paints a thoroughly convincing picture of a remarkable woman. As a young girl, Massoumeh reads poetry and novels and, later, her husband’s revolutionary texts. When Hamid is imprisoned, she manages to raise two boys and a daughter independently. She manages to find work and the quietly sympathetic who will provide it, and then earn a coveted university degree. She lives, in effect, despite her fate, though Saniee cannot have her completely overcome it. That would be too much. That fate would not be true.

is immersed in a time that brings Paris of 1789 to mind: the Revolution and, in its wake, the capacity individual human beings have to become the vessels of passions and hatreds that masquerade as political beliefs and tear families and societies apart with their differences. Massoumeh is a young girl when we meet her, in the decade before Shah Reza Pehlavi is overthrown. Her family has moved from Qum, the religious seat of the impending revolution. But these are the sixties, and despite the liberalism of the capital, Tehran, a welling of dissatisfaction and impending change provides the undercurrent to The Book of Fate. Massoumeh’s own 16

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Through the turbulence of experience, lives such as Mamousseh’s become prisms of the overwhelming tides of history and social change. The real focus of Saniee’s novel, one that was banned in Iran and then became a massive bestseller, is upon ordinary lives rendered heroic. The Book of Fate is filled with moving evocations of the terrors and frights of history, but, beyond any of this, Saniee’s real achievement lies in her evocation of a wide panoply of characters, and Massoumeh’s most of all.  Noah Richler is an author and journalist living in Toronto who was held under house arrest in Tehran during his research for a BBC documentary about paradise. His latest book, What We Talk About When We Talk About War (Goose Lane Editions) was nominated for the 2012 Governor-General’s Literary Award for Non-Fiction, the Charles Taylor Award and the Shaughnessy Cohen Award for Political Writing.

Reza Moridi, MPP Richmond Hill

Wishing a very happy Thanksgiving to you and your family!

9891 Yonge Street, Richmond Hill, ON L4C 1V1 905-884-8080 rmoridi.mpp.co@liberal.ola.org | www.rezamoridi.onmpp.ca facebook/com/moridi | @rezamoridi

•Art

Kill Conquer Rule: Charles Pachter

on the War of 1812

Charles C

ommemorating military anniversaries, in this case of a war that took place 200 years ago, can be problematic. Faded memories and revisionist histories often gloss over the grim realities of long-past conflicts.

was all over. Two emerging settler nations, white tribal cousins, many former compatriots, killing one another for power and turf. The real losers, of course, were the First Nations peoples.

I am equivocal about how today’s re-enactors portray soldiers from 200 years ago. At any given historic site, most of the emphasis is on crisp uniforms, polished rifles and boots, immaculate white triangular tents, and more on what they wore, than on the suffering and horrors of battle.

After reading various histories from the Canadian side - the Rev. William Withrow, Castell Hopkins, Pierre Berton, Gerald Craig, and JMS Careless, I then read Pulitzer prize-winning American professor Alan Taylor’s new book The Civil War of 1812 (NY: Knopf, 2010), a refreshing addition to the list, as Taylor provides the reader with well researched detail on the major players and doesn’t take sides.

During a re-enactment I witnesses in 2012 at Fort Erie, a few “soldiers” actually passed out from the August heat. Imagine what the real thing must have been like on the battlefield in 1812 in those itchy woolen uniforms! Add MOSQUITOES and MALARIA to MISERY. As many soldiers dies from disease as got wounded. A whole lot of blundering, plundering, pilfering, and pillaging went on, as well as scalping and eviscerating, amputating of limbs and other body parts. Not to mention starvation. And not one inch of territory got exchanged when it

L aura S ecord

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Based on these readings, I completed a new series of paintings called DRESSED TO KILL.

These paintings are less about the Horrors of War - I leave that to Goya and Daumier - as about the peculiar military fashion of the times. Those high, heavy hats, those tailored woolen coats with tails (!), those coarse linen trousers... How could anyone survive in the forest, winter or summer, or any season for that matter, in those clammy get ups?

TECUMSEH

DRESSED TO KILL

Thirst for Victory

Pachter I painted the icons on the British side - General Issac Brock, hero of the battle of Queenston Heights, who died while scaling the heights even though the battle was won by the British. Laura Secord, a young Niagara area housewife who traipsed through the woods and swamps to Beaver Dams to warn the British of an impending American attack, and the Shawnee warrior chief Tecumseh, a charismatic and respected leader who fought with the British because they had promised him and his tribes their own buffer nation in territory that now includes the American states of Michigan, Ohio, Wisconsin, Indiana, and Illinois. But it was not to be. Tecumseh was killed by the Americans while fighting in Upper Canada. And it was the beginning of the end for Indian hegemony in North America. From the pioneer settler’s perspective, add to the atrocities of war the destruction of private property, the stealing of livestock, burning of barns and homes, pilfering of grain, vegetables, clothing, etc. and you get some idea of the futility of it all.

and British soldiers, in an idealized, formal but friendly confrontation, softened by the sands of time. The painting is an allegory about military prowess, but in the best of all possible worlds, enemies can and do become friends. Much will be made in the months to come about this conflict that finally put an end to the fighting between two restive nations in the making. And, lest we forget, the senseless sacrifices of so many led eventually to the peaceful co-existance that we now take for granted between our two great democracies in the twenty-first century. May that peace abide. 

One of Canada’s leading contemporary artists, Charles Pachter is a Toronto painter, printmaker, sculptor, designer, historian and lecturer. His paintings hang in public and private collections around the world. This article reprinted from The Fife and Drum, v.16 No.1, March 2012 To view more of his work go to: www.cpachter.com To find out more about Fort York go to: www.fortyork.ca

Human depravity at its worst... But in one painting, Neighbor to Neighbour, I chose to depict two young American

UNIFORMAL

PERSIAN TRIBUNE

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•Feature

A Glimpse into the mind of Visionary iranian Architect

Niloufar Manii By: Farhad Aryaie

hough born in Iran, Niloufar Manii has spent most of her life in Paris, where she has studied, lived and worked for over 40 years. She has advanced degrees in architecture, urban planning, and interior design. Some of her projects include the design and construction of royal palaces in the Middle East, a few of Europe’s most famous hotels, and some unique projects in Southeast Asia. She has managed complex, multi-million dollar projects as well as smaller-scale contracts. Her diverse range of work blends European elegance with Eastern themes, and has resulted in breathtaking sights and sceneries that are an absolute feast for the eyes. The spaces she creates are masterpieces that simply mesmerize audiences. Her work has also appeared in numerous European publications.

iloufar recently sat down with Persian Tribune, to discuss her life and career. Photo by: Julien Philibert 20 • PERSIAN TRIBUNE

Please tell us a little bit about your background:

•Feature

I was born in Iran and completed my elementary and high school education at French Schools, école Jeanne d’Arc and Lycee Razi, in Tehran. My family sent me to Paris to pursue my higher education. I completed degrees in architecture, interior design, and urban-planning there. I've been working as an architect for more than 30 years, and have lead major projects across the globe including Paris, Middle East and Southeast Asia.

Being of Persian roots, living in Paris, and working as an architect internationally….how poetic is this? Every moment can be poetic if you are a true believer, don’t you think so? (laughs). No doubt Paris’ magic offers and opens up an ocean of beauty for the “true seekers’” eyes. A city of arts with its world-renowned museums has certainly been fuelling my artistic awakening, thirst, and creative spirit since an early age. Like Venice, Isphahan, and other great cities, it would be impossible to live in Paris and not be inspired by its soul and karma. It has been magical to live all my adult life in this city and I feel very fortunate in this regard.

What are some of the major projects you have worked on? Having worked as an architect for so long, there's a long list but to name a few : the Ritz Hotel in Paris, the Royal Diwan Palace in Jedda, Saudi Arabia’s Parliament Building in Riyadh, Royal guest palaces in three different cities in the Saudi Arabia, a number of high-end luxury villas on an island near Shanghai, a showroom in Dubai, and a number of projects across France for the Concord Hotel chain in different locations.

How has living in Paris influenced you as an architect? Well, living in Paris certainly has a constant effect on one’s artistic mind and thought-process at the sub-conscious level. I have spent most of my life, more than two-thirds, in Paris. Even prior to moving to Paris, I was raised and educated in French schools and environments. My creative thinking was nurtured, nourished and developed by a French upbringing, environment, and education. But I am also very aware of my Persian roots, and know that, indeed, my work certainly blends the two cultures. I am very much involved in Persian art; not only architecture but literature also, poetry in particular, and this has certainly influenced my creative inspirations and approaches.

What type and size of projects do you usually get involved with? I became involved with “luxury” development and modification projects, from the very onset of my career. That was a dream come true for a young architect, getting involved with projects that were not constrained in funding, and at the same time working in environments that gave me the freedom to exercise my creativity. My three areas of specialty – architecture, interior design and urban planning – obviously opened up more opportunities for me, and I utilized this opportunity as my learning experience to develop professionally, not

only artistically but also learning the business side of the work. Working on royal palaces in the Middle East and fancy hotels in Paris were certainly great experiences, but I wanted to expand my areas of expertise and do other things. So, in 1992 when I started my own company, while still involved with a number of luxurious projects, I also took on commercial, government buildings, convalescent homes, apartment buildings and private residences projects. Of course, I learned quickly that I needed to adjust my design approach for these types of projects, since I no longer had access to the unlimited funding resources of luxury development projects. I had to work in confined area spaces with set, not-to-exceed limit, budgets, which were the realities of this profession.

Is there a preference as to which type of projects you wished to be involved with? I realized early on in my career that my passion was to do architectural modification and interior design projects, rather than building new sites from the ground up. However, due to the market reality I ended up doing both modification and new projects. One of the advantages of doing our kind of work in Paris is the fact that because it is an old city, there are a lot of aged and old properties, both apartments and houses, which require repairs and modifications. Furthermore, working on these types of properties requires one to have an archeologist’s eyes to the project, to figure out the sites’ PERSIAN TRIBUNE

• 21

•Feature

original method of construction, and based on that, finding new design modification concepts. It was always important that any new innovation and revamping of a site would not betray the original intended architectural theme and beauty of the site.

What are the steps and sequences involved in a typical modification project? This type of work typically involves three phases: first, repair, then interior architectural changes, followed by interior design and decoration. The final work is a “turn-key” product, meaning that the owner does not need anything except to walk in and enjoy the property’s new space and environment. Everything is developed and based on the client’s comfort, taste and desire. These types of projects are not quick to turn around and typically take anywhere from one to two years to complete. Having worked on many different projects of different scales has given me the skill to get a feel for the client’s intended desire for his finished project, while at the same time doing everything needed to add on and further enhance the project’s beautification. It is like becoming the client’s third-eye, which I think any good architect should be able to do for her client.

Can you talk about some of the international projects that you mentioned earlier on? One of the projects was the Royal Diwan Palace on an island near Jedda in Saudi Arabia. I was one of the key members of the architectural team that designed and built this Palace. For the decoration phase of the project, in addition to the living quarters, I was also responsible for the proposed mosque’s decoration inside the palace. I had to design, for example, a huge chandelier for the mosque’s dome, 9 meters in height and 10 meters in diameter, which included 20,000 crystals of ten different shapes and forms. It weighed three tons, which was the biggest one of its kind at the time. This was a major project, one of the biggest that I was ever involved with, which cost a lot of money. All the construction materials for this project had to be

transported and carried over by ships to the island. Generally speaking for royal palaces or five-star hotels, I am often asked to develop new environments from empty spaces of the property’s site in a manner that the new space would naturally blend in and be harmonious with the property’s existing spaces and structures. For example, I can mention the Parisian gastronomic restaurant called "Le Venantius", that we built near the Hotel Ambassador on an empty space. The new restaurant blended in so well with the rest of the hotel that the hotel's clients believed it had always been there. In almost all of my projects, I design, and have craftsmen build, almost everything from the furniture to decorative elements.

How about the Saudi Arabia’s Parliament Building that you mentioned earlier? For the parliament building in Saudi Arabia , I was responsible for the design of the building’s exterior façade, for which I used one centimetre by one centimetre tiles with a design inspired by the beautiful tile-works of Isfahan for an area of 49 meters by 19 meters.

And, your experience with the Ritz Hotel in Paris? One of my projects involved the re-doing of the night-club at Paris’ famous Ritz Hotel. At 22

• PERSIANTRIBUNE

first, I thought that it had to be a huge space with unique features but became surprised as it turned out to be a simple space of not more than 150 square metres, with pitch black interior walls. It was hardly a place that 50 people could fit in and mingle comfortably. In order to get a sense of the place and its functionality, I spent a lot of time at the night-club. Then, after I understood the details and the place’s functional needs, based on various interactions with patrons, serving staff and band members, I proceeded with a new design. Working on the suites' decoration was very special, considering the fact that we knew the history of those suites and the famous people who stayed in them. The Ritz Hotel is an iconic place in Paris, so I considered it a great privilege to work on it. This institution is a legend so having worked there, and contributed to its beauty makes me really happy and proud about my career path. This was a great experience not only because of the work that I did but rather due to the fact that I met a lot of interesting people, made a lot of good friends and had the chance to supervise great tile artists, reproducing beautiful tileworks from Italy's Pompeii.

What projects are you currently working on? I have made a number of trips to Tajikistan and currently have the development and establishment of an Arts University under review by Tajikistan’s government. Tajikistan is a new country and has plenty of potential artistically, culturally and economically. I am currently working on the funding aspect of this project, which will eventually be a public-private partnership.

•Feature

If there was one question you dreaded being asked that we did not, what is it? I don’t know and need to think about it (pause) Who knows, maybe what is beyond architecture?

What is beyond architecture then? (Pause) Peace of mind, what can match that? Hopefully, beautiful buildings, structures, and spaces can have small contributions to the peacefulness and the tranquility of human soul. Don’t you think so ? (laughs)

Good point. What is your message for our Persian Tribune readers?

I have been an ardent poetry reader since childhood. I love Hafiz, Rumi, and Attar, and can lose myself in their pages for hours. I also do meditation and practice yoga.

I am a true believer of the fact that we are all blessed with unique gifts from our deep inner souls, which we owe to ourselves to find, cherish, and ride on their energies in our life's journey. We should not be timid or scared to dream big. We must love with open hearts in everything that we do, only then the life’s law of the universe rewards us in kind. Acting in total freedom, possessing big dreams, loving what you do, taking small steps daily to pursue goals, not being afraid to make mistakes, taking risks, always trusting your deep intuition, respecting others the way one expects to be respected and always helping others are my suggestions to the younger readers of your publication.

Meditation? Really?

Niloufar Manii can be contacted at maniiniloufar@free.fr 

What else do you do when you are not designing royal palaces or redecorating fancy hotels?

Yes.

How does this affect your work? Becoming more patient, and, its obvious benefits of helping with the demands of long hours of work. But, meditation also helps me with being able to come up with new ideas through that “Aha” instant moment when a light comes on in my mind suddenly for a new concept or design.

So, do you believe that spirituality is needed in this type of work? I think regardless of which profession one is in, spirituality always makes one’s art and craft leap to the next level. PERSIAN TRIBUNE

• 23

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•Real Estate

Dual Agency: YES or NO? Would you get a better deal by going directly to the listing agent? When you are looking to purchase real estate, a common mistake that leads to tremendous disappointment on both sides is that most buyers think if they go directly to the listing agent, they will get a better deal! Would they? Let’s review how this works. The listing agent has fiduciary duties to the seller. This means the registrant (realtor/agent) representing a client must always protect and promote that client's best interests. They are obligated to get the best price for the property listed. They are working for a seller, and their primary goal is to make sales and not necessarily put your best interest first. When a buyer with no representative tries to reach out to the listing broker to get information regarding the property, this will make them vulnerable, and puts the listing broker in a position of conflicting interests. The listing broker is obligated to the seller, thus cannot have the best interest of the buyer as he or she is representing the seller already. Most clients I have spoken with are of the opinion that by going directly to the listing broker, they will get the co-operating agencies commission as a discount! They think they would never be

By: Sarvenaz Barghgir

able to buy the property for that price if they had someone representing them. This is seldom true. The listing broker already has a listing agreement with the seller, with the commission amount set, unless you get it in writing that you are getting a discount. Let's face it: you are not getting any discount. I have come across many people with misconceptions of all kinds due to misrepresentation, which usually results in a financial loss, as well as great disappointment. When these issues arise, you have to ask yourself which side of the fence is the realtor sitting on now ? The best approach to avoid all this is to have BRA (Buyer Representation Agreement) signed with a brokerage to make sure someone is looking out for your best interest. Someone will have fiduciary duties to you. Someone will do the research, and pull out the history of the property, and get the best value for you, not for the seller. Someone that drafts the agreement of purchase and sale, and protects you from all kinds of disappointments and frauds that you do not want to face. Based on the above review, it is obvious that the overall purchase price of a real estate would be less by having a buyer representative, than if you undertook this challenge on your own. 

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PERSIAN TRIBUNE

• 25

•real estate

10 Mistakes to Avoid When Selling Your Home

Selling your home, either by yourself or with an agent, can be a challenge. In today’s market, over 98% of home buyers are turning on their computers to look for a home, a staggering fact that should not be ignored. Here are 10 mistakes people make when selling a home. 1. Not putting your home for sale on the internet. Yes, putting a sign on your front lawn can get it sold, but by posting your home online, you will more likely get agents calling you than just having your neighbours come by for a look. 2. Taking photos yourself. The market is still between warm and hot, however there is a lot of competition out there. Why cheat yourself out of getting the most money for your home by not using a professional photographer. The $150 you will spend will come back in multiples. 3. Choosing only a few photos. Buyers assume that if you have only a few photos, or worse, none, that you have something to hide. How can you expect a buyer to be interested by just a description? 4. Posting only on 1 or 2 websites. Buyers are scouring the internet for homes, and you never know where they are looking. Make sure you are on at least a dozen different websites, if not more. 5. Not optimizing your postings. When someone types in”3 bedroom home in Richmond Hill for sale”, do they see your home on page 1 or 2? Most people never get past page 2 of Google when doing a search. 6. No video. Did you know that Google also owns YouTube and that videos get rated higher than websites, which could put you on page 1! 26

• PERSIANTRIBUNE

By: Robert Atkinson

7. Not taking advantage of social media. Did you know that over 47% of people in Ontario are on Facebook, and that that number is growing? Don’t ignore Twitter, Pinterest, Google+ and others. While you may not know what all of these are, there are millions of potential buyers who do. 8. Not having a website just for your house. How many individuals do you know that have website with their name? I certainly do. You should have one for your home like www.123MainSt.com so it’s easy to tell everyone how to ‘see’ your house. 9. Not creating professional grade information sheets. In the business we call these Feature Sheets and they should be glossy and printed on nice paper, so that when potential buyers come visit your house they don’t just fold it up or worse, toss it away. You want it to stick out. 10. Not using a QR code. A QR code is one of those crazy squares you see that you can scan with your smartphone. It may be helpful to have one that would take people directly to your homes website or information page. You can download an app to your phone (search QR Reader) and scan these. If you’re considering selling, call a professional agent who knows how to get your home the proper exposure it needs to get the most money in today’s market. 

Robert Atkinson is a Real Estate Sales Rep serving the GTA and works for Century 21 Leading Edge Realty Brokerage. For more information visit his website at www.RobertAtkinson.ca

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* As measured by assets and capitalization. 1 Provided you meet all of Royal Bank of Canada’s eligibility and credit criteria, you may be eligible for an unsecured RBC Royal Bank® credit card even if you have no Canadian credit history. If you don’t qualify for an unsecured RBC Royal Bank credit card, you may still be eligible for a credit card provided you give us a security deposit and meet Royal Bank of Canada’s eligibility criteria. For secured credit cards, a credit history may be required. 2 Monthly fee will be waived for the first 6 months upon account opening. Monthly fee is $14.95. Other account transaction fees may apply. Applies to RBC Signature No Limit Banking® account only. Available only to newcomers to Canada who have arrived in Canada within the last year and who show proof of permanent resident status. Also available to newcomers to Canada that have arrived between 1 – 3 years when clients switch their account from another financial institution using CustomSwitch®. Other conditions apply. See branch for details. This offer may be withdrawn at any time and is subject to change without notice. ® / ™ Trademark(s) of Royal Bank of Canada. RBC and Royal Bank are registered trademarks of Royal Bank of Canada. ‡ All other trademarks are the property of their respective owner(s). 102882 (03/2013)

•Wine

t e rnnon e b ig a C auv S

David’s

Wine Pick

of the month

2010 Beringer Cabernet Sauvignon

By: David Akhlagi Executive Director at The Wine Cave

eringer's Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon is crafted to reflect the Napa Valley appellation, but with stylistic differences from the Private Reserve – differences that highlight the range of terroir found in our Napa Valley vineyards. This wine is evocative of the rich terroir of our vineyards, but is still immediately approachable and appealing. VINTAGE & VINEYARD Vintage 2010 welcomed the return of rainfall to the region, with annual precipitation averaging about twenty percent above average. With few exceptions, the growing season was slightly cooler than normal overall, with healthy grapevines appellation-wide. A heat spike at the end of August accelerated ripening in some vineyards and helped deliver a harvest of fine quality. For the 2010 blend, the largest portion of grapes came from several of our reserve vineyards -- Bancroft Ranch Vineyard, in the Howell Mountain AVA, the St. Helena Home Vineyard, and Marston Vineyard on Spring Mountain, creating a blend that highlights the best of Napa Valley's valley floor and mountain-top terroir. Grapes for the 2010 Napa Valley

Cabernet Sauvignon were picked from October 2nd to November 4th. WINEMAKING Laurie was careful to retain the individual expressions of each of the vineyards in the blend by keeping each lot separate throughout fermentation and aging. This has become tradition for Beringer Cabernets, and allows Laurie to blend from a broad array of aromatic, flavor and structural components. After fermentation, all of the lots were aged in French Nevers oak barrels (67% new) for 15 months. Each lot was monitored closely and tasted regularly, to ensure their development individually and to formulate how best to fit the lots together for the final blend. A small percentage of Petit Verdot was added to the blend, contributing additional aromatics and elongating the finish. LAURIE'S TASTING NOTES Ripe, dark fruits are accented by hints of cedar and dark chocolate aromas. The mouthfeel is dense and lush, with juicy red and blue berries and a rich structure.  PERSIAN TRIBUNE

• 29

•Food

Rose Reisman’s Family Favourites

SHOT GLASS DESSERTS All the Goodness, Less Calories!

By: Rose Reisman As featured in GLOW restaurant, Don Mills Centre Rocky road cheesecake 1 cup condensed milk 1 ½ (8 oz package light cream cheese ( 375 gm) 2/3 cup semi sweet chocolate chips 1/3 cup toasted chopped pecans ½ cup mini marshmallow ¼ cup mini chocolate chips 1. Puree milk and cream cheese. Melt chocolate and puree with milk mixture. Pour into 6 shot glasses and garnish with pecans, marshmalllows and chocolate chips Mint chocolate mousse with peppermint garnish 1/3 cup semi sweet chocolate chips 1 tbsp unsalted butter 1 egg yolk 2 egg whites ¼ tsp cream of tartar ¼ cup sugar 1 tbsp peppermint chocolate chopped Garnish Piece of chocolate peppermint patty 1. Melt chocolate with butter and mix until smooth. Cool. 2. Add yolk and mix well 30

• PERSIANTRIBUNE

3. Beat egg whites with cream of tartar until foamy, add sugar gradually and beat on highest until soft peaks form and sugar is dissolved. Fold into melted chocolate, along with chopped chocolate and pour into 6 shot glasses. Garnish with peppermint patty

•• Jamoca almond fudge 1 package (250 Ml) light cream cheese Plus ¼ cup ½ cup sugar Brewed coffee - 2 tbsp Semi sweet chocolate chips chopped – 2 tbsp Chopped toasted almonds – 2 tbsp 2 egg whites ¼ tsp cream of tartar 3 tbsp sugar Garnish Chocolate covered espresso beans 1. Puree cream cheese, sugar and coffee until smooth. Add chopped chocolates and nuts. 2. Beat egg whites with cream of tartar until foamy, gradually add sugar until soft peaks form. Fold into cream cheese mixture. Fill 6 shot glasses and garnish with chocolate covered espresso bean. 

•Food

From the Persian Kitchen...

Ghormeh Sabzi (Persian Herb Stew)

his recipe is one version (of many). Ghormeh Sabzi is a coveted dish in the Iranian community and there is a variety of recipes for this stew. Some people use herbs, others use spinach or leeks. This version uses herbs.

Directions:

It can be a heavy stew and it is suggested to eat on top of white rice to get the full experience of this dish.

Cut meat in 1 ½ “cubes and add to onion. Season with salt and pepper and brown meat on all sides.

(Recipe for 6)

Pierce a couple of small holes (with a fork) in each of the dried limes. Add to the meat along with the beans. Add 4 1/2 cups of water, cover, and cook on medium for 1 hour.

Ingredients: 2 medium onions (finely chopped) 3 cloves garlic (minced) 1 ½ tsp. turmeric 1 ½ lb. stewing meat (lamb or beef) 5 dried limes 1/2 cup kidney beans, (if dried, soak for 2 hrs. prior to cooking) 4 cups fresh parsley, chopped 2 cups fresh cilantro, chopped 1 cup fresh fenugreek, chopped 2 cups chives , chopped salt & pepper oil

Sauté chopped onion and minced garlic in oil until just golden (be careful not to burn garlic). Add turmeric and stir well.

While meat mixture is cooking. Sauté all herbs in oil for a few minutes until wilted. (This is an integral part of the recipe, and makes a difference in the flavour). Add herbs to the bean and meat mixture. Cook covered on medium/low for approx. 1 1/2 hours. Make sure to stir the pot every once in a while and adjust seasoning to your taste. 

PERSIAN TRIBUNE

• 31

•Food

Caviar

the Pearl of the Caspian Sea By: Mark Omidi

his extraordinary seafood no longer belongs to kings, movie stars, and the rich and famous.

The Caspian Sea, which used to be the source for 95% of global caviar production, is now protected as a source for reproduction, not harvesting caviar for consumption. Since October 1997, Sturgeon fish was classified as endangered species by CITES (Convention of International Trade In Endangered Species) office . This decision pushed the price of caviar through the roof. People who know the value of this unique gourmet food have had no choice but to settle with a lower quantity of such delicious delicacy. This shortage has not decreased the global demand for caviar, but has rather increased the popularity of caviar consumption, particularly among the young generation who have been more interested in trendy foods. Reports indicate that up to 15000 British pounds worth of Iranian Beluga caviar has been sold fairly recently in England. Soon after the decline of the wild caviar, some entrepreneurs have decided to raise farmed sturgeon in numerous countries worldwide. It’s also good to know the farmed sturgeon fish are produced in very clean habitats, built to recreate their natural Caspian Sea environment.

• PERSIANTRIBUNE

Caviar Authenticity In Canada, there is an effort to conserve the rapidly depleting supply of the ancient wild sturgeon, and preserve authenticity while supporting modern sustainable farming methods. A Toronto based company sells only caviar that has been officially produced by authorised producers under the international CITES laws and regulations, as well as the Canadian Fish and Wildlife guidelines. Not to mention, they only provide genuine caviar from the best sturgeon farmers. Some companies bring in product seeking only the best value for their profit. There are a lot of sturgeon farms in Far East, where the cost of harvesting caviar may be less. But the caviar import is about passion and integrity, and though it may cost more to source fine caviar from European farms, it may be worth it. Canadian farmed caviar on the West Coast also is gaining more popularity among caviar lovers.

•Food Back to Basics/Finding Your Base When eating Caviar, the most particular of connoisseurs will tell you that it is best enjoyed on its own. While I greatly enjoy this method, I like the challenge of finding the perfect base to accompany it. This can be quite a task because you have to consider the type of caviar or roe you are pairing, and seek out a base that will enhance and compliment, without overpowering or diminishing the delicate flavours and textures of the eggs. The experts’ favourite base is the buckwheat blini. If you are looking for something different, here are some other ideas which you can consider.

How to Determine a Quality Product Caviar Connoisseurs look for caviar to have a glossy appearance, and a desired colour scale extending from light gray to jet-black. On rare occasion, sturgeon roe will be gold coloured (farmed or wild varieties have the same principle affect). This is given a Golden-caviar or Almas distinction, is extremely rare and is a cherished variety, especially in Iran.

Toasted Sourdough Baguette (Simple, but perfect with Osetra caviar) Pictured: White Sturgeon Caviar rests on Broiled Atlantic King Salmon and crème fraiche on fresh toasted sourdough baguette. Preparation: Slice the bread thin, toast it, top with your favourite caviar, or like caviar experts do with very lightly salted, fresh salmon, Mahi or another fresh fish, and enjoy! With these ingredients, you could not go wrong. The delicate White Sturgeon Caviar was perfectly complimented by the broiled salmon. You will not regret it and your guests will be impressed! 

WHY EAT CAVIAR? Caviar is not only delicious, but it contains more than 46 different kinds of vitamins, minerals and enzymes. That’s why it is perceived to be a super food by itself. Along with the nutrients, it is also a marker of an elegant and trendy lifestyle. People go for Caviar as an ultimate gift item for several occasions. As the Spanish say: giving caviar is to honour the recipient, serving it is to impress the guest.

Mark Omidi is President of Caviar Centre www.caviarcentre.com PERSIAN TRIBUNE

• 33

•Education

Back-to-School Countdown By: Dr. M. Elmpak, C. Psych. “You send your child to the school, but it is the school yard which educates” Ralph Waldo Emerson September means going back to school. Whether it is the first school year or the last school year, a flashing signal starts beckoning to parents. Parents have many reasons to pay special attention to this moment. After all, the school and all its happenings play a major role in the life of their children. The role of influence and credence on your child: Influence on the values and beliefs of the children and their behaviors and interactions, credence on their choice of clothes, their study habits, their curfews and social relationships. How can parents not worry? Parents worry about how their children will perform in the coming school year. They worry if their children can adjust to the expectations and demands of the culture at school, they worry if their children will keep the values of their home, or if they will fall under negative influences of other students. Parents worry about the messages their children receive from the school, the teachers, or their friends. First generation Iranian parents, who come into this country to provide better education and opportunities for their families, often feel that their children lack connections to the “old” world. They feel that their children show less respect to the older generation, that they do not listen to their parents, that they value the family to a lesser degree than they should, and come back with views that are very different than their own. These differences often result in a ‘generation gap’ with opposing opinions of the “old world” parents and the “new world” children. Many parents complain that their children are not listening to them anymore, do not complete their homework as well as they should, do things without asking for permission, argue all the time, and question the authority of the parents. Parents often say, “when I was my daughter’s age, I always had to ask for permission from my mother, and no was no. There was no discussion. Today it is very different.” Parents feel that they are so much more tolerant and permissive than their own parents when setting limits for their children, but there still are arguments and opposition. They say to me: “I have to argue with my son all the time, and he tells me that my thinking is old. He says no one else has to be home by midnight.” Parents 34

• PERSIANTRIBUNE

feel tired of constantly arguing and discussing with their children what to do and what not to do. Adolescents argue about what the curfew should be, what clothes to wear or not to wear, how much homework or studying to do, and why they do not need to listen to the parent. Parents do not understand why their children have become so different and sometimes may wish that they had never come to this new country and culture. They feel that the family is the most important unit and the child should follow what they say, but instead it is the friends and the friends’ values that seem more important to their child. Discussions on these issues often lead to fights and anger. Sometimes parents tell me: “We just don’t understand each other. I don’t know how to talk to my daughter. She just starts yelling.”

Discussions between parents and children often end in misunderstandings, rejections of each other’s views and opinions. There is no solution and tears are often the end result. It is difficult to talk to each other and feel heard and understood. To be able to truly talk with each other can help to calm down and allow for bad feelings to go away. To show that you truly understand the other means to fully focus on that what is said without immediately judging. You understand the emotions and the body language, you do not interrupt and you create a mutual interest for each other’s thoughts and beliefs. Body language of the moment and facial expressions show if emotions are calmed down, and the other is ready to listen. This can be often achieved through empathic listening and taking turns in summarizing what the other said prior to speaking. You convey a feeling of acknowledging and empathizing with that what is said before you respond. Only then a real discussion can take place which is then the discussion about ideas and values rather than a fight. Understanding and empathizing with what is really troubling your child also means understanding yourself first. To build strong, trusting, and rewarding relationships, one has to think creatively, solve problems and conflicts. In my experience, good relationships inside the family, and the parent-child relationship are skills that can be practiced and mastered even within families of ‘generation gaps’. 

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PERSIAN TRIBUNE Digital versions available worldwide!

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published across all digital platforms ipad pc mac visit us online at: www.persiantribune.ca PERSIAN TRIBUNE

• 35

Long-Term Prosperity for

Canadians

As part of its plan for long-term prosperity, the Government of Canada is moving forward through Economic Action Plan 2013 to address challenges in connecting Canadians with available jobs. The three-point plan will consist of the new Canada Job Grant, increased opportunities for apprentices and more support for under-represented groups. Canada Job Grant The Canada Job Grant will take skills-training choices out of the hands of government and put them where they belong: in the hands of employers and Canadians who want to work. Job seekers will train at community colleges, career colleges, polytechnics or union training halls, among other venues. Most importantly, the new grant should lead to one essential thing for unemployed or underemployed Canadians: a new or better job. The Grant will provide $15,000 or more per person, including a maximum $5,000 federal contribution and matching contributions from an employer and province or territory. Businesses with a plan to train Canadians for an existing job or a better job will be eligible to apply for a Canada Job Grant. Once the grant is fully implemented, nearly 130,000 Canadians per year are expected to be able to access the training they need to obtain gainful employment or improve their skills for in demand jobs. The Canada Job Grant will be introduced in 2014–15 as part of the renewal of the Labour Market Agreements. Opportunities for apprentices To further reduce barriers to accreditation in the skilled trades in Canada, and increase opportunities for apprentices, the Canadian Government will work with provinces and territories to harmonize requirements and examine the use of practical hands-on tests as a method of assessment in targeted skilled trades. This will support more apprentices in completing their training and encourage skills mobility across the country. In addition, the Government of Canada will support the use of apprentices in federal construction and maintenance contracts. As part of the new Building Canada Plan for infrastructure, the government will encourage provinces, territories and municipalities to support the use of apprentices in infrastructure projects receiving federal funding. Support for under-represented groups Economic Action Plan 2013 will also support labour market participation and a more inclusive skilled workforce with a range of measures, including:

•Politics By: Costas Menegakis, MP of Richmond Hill • Introducing a new generation of Labour Market Agreements for Persons with Disabilities with an investment of $222 million per year to better meet the employment needs of Canadian businesses and improve the employment prospects for people with disabilities; • Reallocating $19 million over two years to promote education in high-demand fields, including the skilled trades, science, technology, engineering and mathematics; • Investing $70 million over three years to support an additional 5,000 paid internships for recent post-secondary graduates; • Extending the Enabling Accessibility Fund at a level of $15 million per year, to support capital costs of construction and renovations to improve physical accessibility, including workplace accommodation, for people with disabilities; • Dedicating $241 million over five years to help ensure Aboriginal youth can access the skills and training they need to secure employment; • Improving foreign credentials recognition for additional occupations under the Pan-Canadian Framework for the Assessment and Recognition of Foreign Qualifications to further address the demand for skilled workers in Canada; • Investing $42 million over two years to meet growing demand under the Temporary Resident Program; • Adding $44 million over two years to support improved capacity and client service in the Citizenship Program; • Investing $23 million for Canada’s International Education Strategy to strengthen our position as a country of choice to study and conduct world-class research; • Reforming the Temporary Foreign Worker Program to ensure Canadians are given the first chance at available jobs; • Creating a Business Immigration Program to attract immigrant investors to Canada through new approaches such as the Start-Up Visa and Immigrant Investor pilot programs. Canada’s long-term prosperity depends on the labour market participation of all its citizens. By better attuning the skills training system, we are helping Canadians acquire the skills they need to obtain a job, or to improve their employability.  Costas Menegakis is the Member of Parliament for Richmond Hill and Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Citizenship and Immigration. He can be reached by phone at 905-770-4440 or through his website at www.costasmenegakis.ca. PERSIAN TRIBUNE

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Royal Orchard

Clark

Clark Steeles

•Finance

Private Lenders & Construction

Financing

By: Omid Jalili

ven though the posted interest rate on a construction loan from a bank is likely going to be cheaper or lower than a private mortgage lender on a similar deal, most construction financing under $2 million typically comes from private lenders. Which leads us to the key reasons why a private construction loan can be more popular with borrowers. 1. APPROVAL PROCESS: On average, private lenders have a more streamlined application and approval process than Banks. This allows a faster approval with potentially less conditions and reporting requirements. A bank or institutional lender will only provide a construction loan if it can be registered in a first position while a private mortgage lender will consider second mortgage security if there is sufficient equity in the project to cover the lender’s risk. 2. DRAWS: A bank or institutional lender will not typically advance any money until after the framing stage. This will require the roof and all doors and windows be properly installed. Funding up to that point is your responsibility and an institutional lender may even require you place part of the initial funding as equity into the project. Once again, depending on your equity position in the property where construction is taking place, a private lender can advance you money at the foundation stage of the project. This can make it easier to manage cash flow during early stages. Furthermore, private mortgage lenders for home construction loans tend to be more predictable with draw advances in that the amount of funds forthcoming to you to pay suppliers, trades, and contractors is going to be well known and predictable in terms of amount and timing. Generally the draw advance agreement from a

bank can result in draw reductions and delays as well, requiring the borrower to have another source of capital to draw on in the event of an advance issue. 3. EXIT STRATEGY: Private lenders do not generally require a long-term mortgage in place prior to construction to pay them out. Having a well-defined exit strategy before construction starts is going to be a priority to banks and institutional lenders. However, private mortgage lenders don’t require a commitment to purchase the property or fund a take out mortgage be in place prior to funding the construction loan advances. This can provide additional time and flexibility for the builder or property owner to shop for the best available deal versus having to accept the limited options available from the banking group that prepared and provided the construction loan. 4. EQUITY: Bank financing will require an equity investment of the total project costs of 25% to 30% in most cases. Private lenders will require similar equity investments, but typically do not have as many other lending/funding criteria to meet compared to a conventional lender. 5. ADMINISTRATION: Private lenders, on average, are far more straightforward when it comes to construction mortgage administration requirements and draw advance administration. Many people are surprised when they find out that most construction financing is actually provided through private mortgage lenders. Private lenders provide some key benefits to property owners and builders that more than make up for a slightly higher cost of financing.  Omid Jalili is a Broker and President of OMJ Mortgage Capital Inc. www.omj.ca PERSIAN TRIBUNE

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•Environment

Tahltan's Sacred Headwaters defence has deep roots the North Pacific Ocean with great force, shooting through gorges that rival the Grand Canyon in grandeur and cascading over breathtakingly beautiful waterfalls. Unblemished by dams, clearcuts or mines, and with an abundance of wildlife, including grizzly bears, wolves, caribou and the world's largest population of stone sheep, the Sacred Headwaters has been called the Serengeti of the North. Unblemished by dams, clearcuts or mines, and with an abundance of wildlife, including grizzly bears, wolves, caribou and the world's largest population of stone sheep, the Sacred Headwaters has been called the Serengeti of the North. (Credit: Claudio Contreras courtesy of the International League of Conservation Photographers) By David Suzuki with contributions from David Suzuki Foundation Ontario and Northern Canada Director-General Faisal Moola Few places on our planet have been unaffected by humans. Satellite images taken from hundreds of kilometres above Earth reveal a world irrevocably changed by our land use over just the past few decades. From Arctic tundra to primeval rainforest to arid desert, our natural world is being fragmented by ever-expanding towns and cities, roads, transmission lines and pipelines, and pockmarked by mines, pump jacks, flare stacks and other infrastructure used to drill, frack and strip-mine fossil fuels. Areas that have remained relatively free of industrial development have thus taken on a special significance. They're places where a wide range of animals feed, breed and roam in large numbers, where rivers run wild and indigenous people fish, hunt and practise traditional ways. In Canada, they include awe-inspiring landscapes like the boreal forests of Pimachiowin Aki straddling the Manitoba-Ontario border, Gwaii Haanas off Canada's West Coast and the Sacred Headwaters (called Tl'abāne in the local Tahltan language and pronounced Klabona in English) in northwestern B.C. The latter is the birthplace of three of the continent's great salmon rivers, the Stikine, Skeena and Nass. The rivers of the Sacred Headwaters originate close together, as small streams percolating from beneath rich meadows on the high plateau. Fed by waters from the surrounding mountains and valleys, they drive toward

• PERSIANTRIBUNE

Places like the Sacred Headwaters owe their continued existence to indigenous peoples who have lived there for thousands of years, and who have consistently resisted incursions of industrial development that would harm their ancestral lands — often putting their own bodies on the line to block trucks, earth-movers and drilling equipment. But while Pimachiowin Aki and Gwaii Haanas are now thankfully protected under law, the Sacred Headwaters is not. It remains at risk from a multitude of proposed mines, railways, transmission lines and other projects that will eviscerate the landscape if approved.

•Environment The projects include a 40-square-kilometre open-pit anthracite coal mine that would level Klappan Mountain, at the very heart of the Sacred Headwaters. The mine, proposed by Fortune Minerals, a small company based in London, Ontario, would devastate land the B.C. government led the Tahltan Nation to believe would be protected. The Tahltan are not opposed to all industrial development, and have partnered with many resource companies to generate jobs and economic opportunities for their community. But they believe some places, like the Sacred Headwaters, are too important to be developed and should be safeguarded. The Tahltan earlier stopped one of the world's largest corporations, Royal Dutch Shell, from fracking the area for coalbed methane gas. On August 16, they issued Fortune Minerals an immediate eviction notice.

American poet Gary Snyder has been quoted as saying, "The most radical thing you can do is stay home." The phrase has come to have many associations, most notably to describe a sense of place and the profound power of communities coming together to protect it. Snyder's poetic description of what is a radical is an appropriate portrayal of the Tahltan's peaceful defence of their Sacred Headwaters home. The word "radical" originates with the Latin for "root" or "having roots". The Tahltan's presence in the Sacred Headwaters is ancient and deeply rooted and will not easily be removed. 

As I write, the Tahltan, including elders who were arrested while keeping Fortune Minerals out of the Sacred Headwaters a decade ago, have gathered at their usual hunting camp on Klappan Mountain to peacefully oppose the mining company, which began test-drilling earlier this summer, with the government's approval. Tahltan First Nation members have been joined by non-aboriginal allies, such as the Skeena Watershed Conservation Coalition. With the support of the wider community, which has brought food, water, firewood and other essentials, the Tahltan are vowing to stay on Mount Klappan until Fortune Minerals leaves the Sacred Headwaters for good.

Dr. David Suzuki is a scientist, broadcaster, author, and co-founder of the David Suzuki Foundation. He is Companion to the Order of Canada and a recipient of UNESCO's Kalinga Prize for science, the United Nations Environment Program medal, the 2009 Right Livelihood Award, and Global 500. Dr. Suzuki is Professor Emeritus at the University of British Columbia in Vancouver and holds 27 honorary degrees from universities around the world. He is familiar to television audiences as host of the long-running CBC television program The Nature of Things, and to radio audiences as the original host of CBC Radio's Quirks and Quarks, as well as the acclaimed series It's a Matter of Survival and From Naked Ape to Superspecies. His written work includes more than 52 books, 19 of them for children. Dr. Suzuki lives with his wife, Dr. Tara Cullis, and family in Vancouver, B.C. Learn more at www.davidsuzuki.org PERSIAN TRIBUNE

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•Politics

Myanmar

BHUTAN

An Emerging Opportunity for Canada By: The Honourable Bryon Wilfert P.C.

Senior Strategic Advisor Tactix Government Relations & Public Affairs

INDIA

Kachin Myitkyina

CHINA

BANGLADESH

Sagaing

BANGLADESH

Hakha

MYANMAR Sagaing

Chin

Mandalay

Shan

Taunggyi

LAOS

Magwe Akjab

Rakhaing

PYINMANA NAYPYIDAW

Magwe

Loi-kaw

Kayah

aving recently returned from Myanmar, I can attest to the excitement, the changes, and the desire of its government to encourage and promote foreign investments, as well as develop closer ties in the fields of culture, parliamentary outreach, and diplomacy.

Bago

BAY OF BENGAL

THAIL AND

Bago

Yangon Pathein

Irawadi

Yangon Mawlamyaing

Hpa-an

Kayin

Mon

Tavoy

After decades of military rule, the country is emerging as an important player, not only in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), but on the international stage, as an important place to invest, and to strengthen democratic institutions. In November 2012, the country enacted a new Foreign Investment Law, replacing the 1988 Investment Law, as part of its reform process to further attract foreign investment to the country. McKinsey, a global management consulting firm, reported that Myanmar needs $650 billion of investment by 2030 to support growth. Of this, $320 billion would be required for infrastructure. McKinsey, in their June 2013 Report, indicated that Myanmar’s economy could quadruple to about $200 billion by 2013 from its current $45 billion.

Andaman Islands (INDIA)

Tanintharyi

ANDAMAN SEA

GUL F OF T HAI L AND

In discussing Canada-Myanmar relations with our new Ambassador to Myanmar, Mark McDowell, I had a sense of great optimism, and a sense that Canadian business has unlimited opportunities if they are strategic in their approach. The country is resource rich in oil, gas, and mineral reserves as well as in timber and jade. Developing the Canadian presence there will be part of the Ambassador’s task, and specific sectors where Canadians have a lot to offer would be in the area of critical infrastructure, transport, mining and jurisprudence.

During my visit I had the opportunity to meet with several officials including the Ministers of Commerce, Culture, Hotel and Tourism, and Mines, as well as two Deputy Ministers of Foreign Affairs.

Being cautious in this market will be important – understanding the landscape and how to proceed is critical but there are significant opportunities for Canadians, and the Canadian Government has certainly demonstrated that they are serious about the bi-lateral relationship.

All had a very clear message that with new legislation in place, the financial sector is changing, lead by the separation of the Central Bank from the Ministry of Finance. This Central Bank of Myanmar Law secures the autonomy, and clarifies the responsibilities of the Bank.

Prime Minister Harper is scheduled to be in Myanmar in mid November and this would be another clear sign of the importance of the relationship following trips by the Minister of Foreign Affairs and the Minister of International Trade.

The law is a critical component in radically shifting the way the financial sector is regulated, while providing potential investors with a new sense of direction and confidence.

Canada has taken the right steps in helping to ensure that both democratization and liberalization of the economy continue with a policy of engagement. 

It is interesting to note, that less than ten percent of the population holds a bank account and less than one citizen per 1,000 is active in the credit market. For decades, businesses and individuals have sought access to capital, due to low capital bases, high inflation, and bank runs. A key challenge will be to attract depositors back into the banking system.

Footnote – McKinsey Global Institute (Insights & Publications) June 2013 Myanmar’s moment: Unique opportunities, major challenges

• PERSIANTRIBUNE

The Honourable Bryon Wilfert, P.C.,ICD.D is a former MP who was Liberal Party Critic for Foreign Affairs/Defence. Currently Senior Strategic Advisor at Tactix Government Relations/Public Affairs in Ottawa.

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Fashion designers and boutiques: Hasti, Nazbash, 3D Art Design Studio - Elina Ten, Poplyn Boutique, Tamana couture designers evening dresses, special runaway featuring Hakim Optical designs with swim suits and lingerie designer lines by Fragola Swimwear and Sempre Bella Intimate Apparel. Models: True Colours Pasargadae Images by Bahman Mahmoudi

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•people

Persian Tribune

Person of The Month Karim Hakimi

Founder and owner of Hakim Optical

By consistently offering value, selection and excellent customer service, Karim Hakimi has turned a one-person operation into one of the most successful optical companies in Canada, with over 40 million pairs of eyeglasses sold to date.

In 1967, he set up a laboratory in the former Elmwood Hotel in Toronto, and bought and rebuilt old equipment from a closed down lab in Chicago. Armed with pairs of his very own, brand new lenses for sale, Karim began to knock on doors.

Optical’s success was Karim’s commitment to mentoring the best staff he could find. As a result, many have stayed with the company, working as opticians and technicians, freeing Karim up to focus on developing new retail opportunities.

At just nine years old, Karim Hakimi lost his father. He left school to support his family and found employment grinding magnifying glass from old window panes. He learned many aspects of the eyewear business, from lens grinding to equipment maintenance. Long before he knew it, Karim was sowing the seeds for Hakim Optical, by learning from his experiences and seeking opportunity.

Karim’s entrepreneurial spirit led him to opticians and optometrists who supplied him with frames to mount his lenses. Although his reputation as a quality lens grinder soon became well known, he realized that he needed to become his own middle man to profit more from the retail price of a pair of eyeglasses, as his optician friends did. So he then found a way to market his quality, lower-cost products directly to the public. He opened a small storefront, selling eyeglasses by day, and often spending the night working to fulfill his promise of 24 hour order delivery.

Many customers are attracted by the store’s philosophy that eyewear should also look good and flatter the face. Today, Hakim Optical offers a wide selection of fashion frames imported from all over the world. Today, Hakim Optical has 170 showrooms and over 100 onehour factory outlets in Eastern and Central Canada, with plans to expand further into Western Canada. A supporter of Ride For Sight, Karim regularly hops on his motorcycle to participate in this and other vision-oriented charitable causes. Hakim Optical also donates thousands of pairs of eyeglasses to those in less fortunate countries.

As a 14-year-old, Karim set his sights on completing his education. Undaunted in his effort to improve himself, he toiled in night school to learn how to read and write. After a stint in the Iranian Navy, he emigrated to Germany and then Switzerland, where he learned modern methods of grinding optical lenses for precision instruments and eyeglasses. Seeking success, Karim came to Canada and found work in the field of ophthalmic lens grinding. Saving his money as he gained expertise, he waited for his chance to strike out on his own. 46

• PERSIANTRIBUNE

Karim’s philosophy of honest value, quality and personal attention brought customers flocking to his retail outlet. Soon, his showroom and eye examination centre had taken over the entire main floor of the store. Karim also began grinding special lenses for cataract patients among other unique services requested by his customers. One of the many keys to Hakim

Because of Hakim’s entrepreneurial, business and philanthropic achievements, in 2008, the City of Toronto named a Scarborough street “Hakimi Avenue” in his honour. For those same reasons, in 2012, he was awarded the Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal. 

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