PERSIAN TRIBUNE Volume 1, Issue 10 by Persian Tribune

www.PersianTribune.ca â&#x20AC;˘ Volume 1, Issue 10

Qeshm Island

an Exotic Paradise in the Persian Gulf

Ghodsiyyeh Dowlatshahi

One of the Women Pioneers in Iran's Aviation History

The Great Mind of

Dr. Gelareh Zadeh One of the Youngest Brain Surgeons in the U.K.

Art Celebrating

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Definitely,

In this Issue

Feature Story

Dr. Gelareh Zadeh: One of the youngest brain surgeons in the UK

Art Painting with the touch of the old Masters

People

Ghodsiyyeh Dowlatshahi: A Paragon of Universal Womanhood

Person of the Month: Bahram Parsi, an Outstanding Community Volunteer, and Public Servant

History

Community Align with NexGen ICP

Politics Myanmar’s Evolving Political Landscape

Home Design Designing a Home Office

Events

Moonlight GAla 2014: JUNO Award-Winning Jazz Vocalist Sophie Milman to Headline Moonlight Gala 2014

Father's Day: Do it for Dads

20 10

Food

Rose Reisman’s Family Favourites: Cob Salad Wraps with tomatoes, avocado and black beans

From the Persian Kitchen: ADAS POLO, Lentils and Rice Dish with Tahdig and dried Fruits!

Wine 15 46

David’s Wine Pick of the month: Saltram Mamre Brook Cabernet Sauvignon 2011

Real Estate Power up for less

Qeshm Island: My Journey to Iran

This Father’s Day

Building

Well Connected: A New Hub

Divorce and Real Estate

8 18 40 33 12 24

Book Review New York Times Best Seller! Dying To Be Me - My Journey from Cancer, to Near Death, to True Healing

School The International Baccalaureate Programme (IB) Gives Students an Edge in Today’s Competitive World

Police Fines Increased for Distratcted Driving Offences

Environment Citizen scientists can help monarch Butterflies

34 35

25 26 32

30 42

Cover & inside photo of Dr. Gelareh Zadeh by: Ramin Deravian

• PERSIANTRIBUNE MAGAZINE

Letter from editor Volume 1, Issue 10

In my search for a comment or a quote that best describes life and it’s fast passing days, I could not find anyone who could say it better than Omar Khayyam, the great poet, scholar and scientist of 12th century Iran who said: “Drink wine. This is life eternal. This is all that youth will give you. It is the season for wine, roses and drunken friends. Be happy for this moment. This moment is your life….” Yes, indeed we have to be happy and enjoy every one of these beautiful days of our life, since in this era of technology and information, the only thing that is impossible is the return of our yesterdays. So enjoy your life with or without wine in any way that you can. I have had the pleasure of meeting many exceptional individuals in my lifetime, and in this issue you will read about two of them who happen to be great women of their time. Mrs. Ghodsi Dowlatshahi was a unique and remarkable Iranian woman who broke all barriers and overcame all the challenges in her life to pursue her freedom in the sky. She also left a great impression of courage to those who had the privilege of knowing her and I am honoured to be one of them. Indeed she is missed but not forgotten.

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 Graphic Designers: Hoda Gharaie Omid Jesmi Mark Kowalski Shadi Raoufi

Copy Editor: Arezou Amin Research: Artemiz Rezvanifar

Print Production Manager: Omid Jesmi

Senior VP Marketing Communications: Tina Rogers Sales & Marketing Director Sandra Peltier

Dr. Gelareh Zadeh is another exceptional Iranian woman who was once named “One of the Youngest Brain Surgeon’s in the UK”. In this issue you will get to know about her life and her great achievements. I can not express of how proud I am of these two Iranian women.

Director Business Development Nader Ansari Account Executives: Arman Hedayat Mehri Rahimian

You will also read about the exotic island of Qeshm, another must- see but hidden destination in the Persian Gulf.

Special Projects Jacques Reiss Social Media Manager: Bharadwaj Thirumalai

There are many other colourful and interesting articles in this issue of Persian Tribune that I know you will enjoy. Please visit our website at persiantribune. ca and “like” the Persian Tribune page on Facebook.

Director of Advertising and Promotion: Saba Sajadi Web Management: Ramin Emadi

Wishing you all a great summer!

Contributing Writers: David Akhlaghi Arezou Amin Robert Atkinson Sarvenaz Barghgir Pedram Beheshti Michael Coteau, MPP Naz Deravian Teymour Dowlatshahi Steve Forberg Costas Menegakis MP Charles Pachter Pejman Par PC Andy Pattenden Doris Pontieri Rose Reisman Sara Rezvanifar Rocco Rossi Shamsi Shahrokhi David Suzuki Tina Tehranchian Justin Trudeau MP Bryon Wilfert Dr. Glenn Zederayko Mehdi Zohouri Sahar Zomorodi

Kiumars Rezvanifar Editor-In-Chief kiu@persiantribune.ca 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

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Qeshm Island

Photos by: Shamsi Shahrokhi

My Journey to Iran By: Shamsi Shahroki

raveling during Canada’s winter months is a great way to beat the cold weather. With this year’s polar vortex and extremely cold weather, a vacation to warmer countries is exactly what I needed. I traveled to warm countries such as Dubai and Iran. I extended my stay in Iran, especially since it is my homeland. While in Iran, I explored the country. I traveled to Qeshm, an island in the south, with nice, warm weather and beautiful scenery. If that sounds inviting to you then you’ll definitely enjoy the beautiful conditions and nature excursions Qeshm has to offer. Qeshm is a few kilometers off the southern coast of Iran in the Persian Gulf, and is the largest of the islands there. It is located opposite the port cities of Bandar Abbas and Bandar Khamir in the province of Hormozgan. The island has a surface area of 1491 square kilometers and is 2.5 times the size of the Gulf country of Bahrain. The average temperature on the island is approximately 27 °C. The warmest months are June through August, and the coldest from October to January. In 1991 the island was transformed into a "Trade and Industrial Free Area" with the goal of creating the largest Free Area between Europe and the Far East.

eshm City, which is the Capital of Qeshm County, is located at the easternmost point of the island. Its population is approximately 200,000 people. The local population range from University students to tradesmen, craftsmen, fisherman, and others involved in construction, trade, and other services. 8

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Qeshm is famous for its wide range of ecotourist attractions such as the Hara marine forests. According to environmentalists, about 1.5% of the world birds and 25% of Iran's native birds annually migrate to these forests, which is the first national geo-park in Iran. The Hara Forest is surrounded by salt water. The plants filter the salt water and transform it to sweet water, a natural marvel. Another natural marvel is the small amphibian fish that survive in the water and the mud in this area.

•History

eshm also has smaller islands surrounding it. The Nazz Islands, for example, are located at the south wing of Qeshm Island. Oysters, corals, colorful fish and sea birds in these islands attract many tourists. There is a large change in the tides at Nazz Island, making it is possible to walk toward the island in the evenings, where it was covered by water during the day. The fishermen take advantage of these tides by laying large nets between posts that trap the fish as the tides recede. Walking on the soft and wet sand in the evenings between these islands and Qeshm is an unexpected experience. The wet ground is covered by coral and aquatic plant life all around you. Other tourist spots are Stars Valley and Chahkuh Valley. Stars Valley, and indeed the whole island, had been underwater millions of years ago. The receding waters formed both these valleys while giving them a ridged composition. As a result of water erosions

eshm Island is home to numerous other tourist attractions. An ancient Portuguese castle, historic mosques, the shrines to Seyyed Mozaffar and Bibi Maryam, domes, salt caves, various ponds and mangrove forests are among the tourism attractions on the island. Qeshm Island is also home to another natural preserved area in Shibderaz Village in which where Hawksbill turtles use as their hatching grounds. Its numerous ports and wharfs and its friendly and warm people are among the tourist potentials of the island which have yet to be taken advantage of. All this and more sits across the azure waters of the Persian Gulf, making Qeshm a destination hotspot for lovers of adventure and natural beauty. 

large mountainous formations had been created, with flat surfaced. While exposed, wind and rain further carved out these mountains during the Pleistocene Epoch period, approximately 2 million years ago. Stars Valley’s name comes from folklore, as it was derived from a legend that a falling star crashed in the valley. Similar to Stars Valley, Chah Kooh Valley is also composed of mountains. However these mountains are cavernous and made of Sandstone. Erosion from rain water has created holes in the mountains, giving it a similar look to the Grand Canyons of United States.

Shamsi Shahrokhi is a resident artist and teacher in Toronto. She can be reached at shamsih@rogers.com www.artisticpick.com

PERSIAN TRIBUNE

•9

â&#x20AC;˘Art

Painting

of The Old With The Touch

Masters

By: Doris Pontieri

t is often said that art needs to evolve, and artists need to re-invent themselves and be on a constant path moving forward. In my life, which revolves around art, many colleagues are trying to come up with "the next newest thing" to showcase. And although I do love to witness this evolution, deep inside I secretly wish we could go back in time. Back to when art was much more of a journey, a true commitment by the artist to give whatever it took of themselves to create a masterpiece.

udrey's journey began as a child, when her mother would take her to the public library every Sunday, and she would go home with her arms filled with fairy tales. She was fascinated by these stories and wanted to know more.

have the pleasure of knowing such an artist: Audrey Traini. Born and raised in Toronto, Audrey approaches her passion with the dedication and style of the true old masters. Influenced by Leonardo Da Vinci, Michaelangelo, Van Der Weyden and Filippo Lippi, she has been successful in taking her admirers back centuries with her works of art.

airy tales were once called Wonder Tales, told to the Kings and Queens of old for their entertainment. At that time, they were not meant for children. Audrey has spent her years as an artist studying these stories and recreating them, most often depicting the eroticism in many of these tales.

sing a contemporary palette combined with the techniques of the great Masters and the wonder tales of old, she carries her art from the past to the present for the future generations to come. Compositions from the 14th century are used in her paintings. As the process begins she carefully researches each subject, from architecture to costume, to patterns, and

â&#x20AC;˘ PERSIANTRIBUNE

the tiniest details. Once satisfied, Audrey sets out from positioning models and preparing boards to a black and white under painting. Then, thinning the special tints of oil paint, she layers the painting until it has a jewel like quality, this process often taking months. Once complete the painting is left to dry for several months more, then coated with an archival varnish that is used in many museums around the world. Framing each piece is also a work of art for Audrey, as she often designs her frames and has them hand carved and built to her specifications by Emmanuel Design Group in Texas, completing each piece beautifully.

•Art

his celebrated artist has earned her place with the Canadian great painters. She has exhibited her work at the Louvre, in Cannes with Marina Picasso, Brussels, and has had an invitation by the Government of Zhangjiajie, Hunan Province, China to paint in the mountains leaving 3 works for the museum. Audrey also

ersian history has captured Audrey’s attention, and with research now underway, her newest series will be a collections of 30 miniature paintings based on 1001 nights, stemming back to 11th century Persia. Each piece will be framed in a hand carved window frame that once hung in great temples throughout India for the sacred charms. They are old and unique, and add distinct beauty to each story and painting created.

holds the distinction of silver medal standing with the Arts, Sciences and Letters, Paris France.

s Audrey said, "Italy is the God Father of Fairy Tales, then France and Germany followed, these are some of the stories I've done but my travels to China have opened other doors as well. 1001 nights has been, and will continue to be an exciting adventure!"

ontinuing on this wonderful journey of mine to discover art, and to uncover intimate stories of our great Canadian artists, it has been my great pleasure to spend time with Audrey Traini. 

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

• 11

•Events

JUNO Award-Winning Jazz Vocalist Sophie Milman to Headline

Moonlight Gala 2014

Guests will have the opportunity to explore the McMichael’s iconic collection of art and stunning wooded grounds. Last year’s sold-out event was a resounding success, raising over $100,000 to support the gallery’s educational programming and inspiring special exhibitions that explore Canada from coast to coast to coast.

By: Rachel Weiner, McMichael Canadian Art Collection

The

McMichael Canadian Art Collection, which welcomes approximately 100,000 visitors annually and has a permanent collection of almost 6,000 works of Canadian art, will hold its third annual fundraising gala on Saturday, June 14, 2014, on the gallery’s spectacular open-air terrace. The Moonlight Gala 2014 will bring together 500 guests, including business, arts, and community leaders, to celebrate the connection between art and nature with a magical evening of dining and dancing, emceed by Beverly Thomson, co-host of Canada AM.

This year, the Moonlight Gala will be headlined by JUNO Award-winning jazz vocalist, Sophie Milman, who has topped the charts in Canada, the United States, France, and Japan. Milman has performed at such prestigious venues as the Hollywood Bowl, the Kennedy Center, the Montreal Jazz Festival, Massey Hall, and the legendary Blue Note club in New York. She has collaborated with an array of musicians from the jazz, pop, and rock worlds, including Randy Bachman, Chris Botti, Chick Corea, Jesse Cook, and the Neville Brothers. On June 14, Milman will treat gala-goers to an intimate performance under the stars that will include songs from her latest album, aptly titled In the Moonlight. As well as live entertainment, the event boasts an inspired menu of delicious gourmet cuisine catered by Daniel et Daniel, an award-winning selection of Ontario wines, and a scotch bar curated by Via Allegro Ristorante—a perennial Gala favourite. Guests can bid on a fabulous selection of items, including jewellery and vacations, in both the live and silent auctions. One of the city’s premier social events, the Moonlight Gala is a one-of-a-kind experience that promises to be filled with inspiring moments and unexpected surprises. It all happens at the McMichael gallery in Kleinburg, hidden away in the midst of the city and surrounded by 100 acres of spectacular woodland.  For more information about the McMichael Canadian Art Collection, visit mcmichael.com

• PERSIANTRIBUNE

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•People

Ghodsiyyeh Dowlatshahi A Paragon of Universal omanhood W By: Teymour Dowlatshahi

PERSIAN TRIBUNE

• 15

•People “ O Mother, The sweet-scented rose That was you Still inhabits my soul ”

y Mother passed away on October 31, 2005. She was 91. She was known by all her friends and relatives as Ghodsiyyeh (or Ghodsi) Khanum. Her full name was Sedigheh Farrokhzad-Naraghi Dowlatshahi. Throughout her life she was a strong and independent woman, with a great sense of adventure and pugnacity. For me personally, she symbolized Iranian womanhood in its emancipated incarnation, and universal womanhood in all its audacity, robustness, and adventurousness. She had seven children altogether. Her first husband was Ostad Heshmat Sanjari, the illustrious Iranian musician and composer. Her second husband, my Father, was Colonel Abdullah Mirza Dowlatshahi. She was an accomplished musician on the ancient Persian instrument, the Tar, having cultivated her art under the tutorship of her first husband. She actually started playing the Tar at age 10. At that time in Iran, it was not usual for women to play musical instruments, due to the the prevalent Islamic condescending attitudes towards women (which is still prominent in today’s Iran). My Mother therefore demonstrated exceptional courage in dedicating herself to this artistic pursuit.

part from this, my Mother was an accomplished singer of classical Persian music. She could have been a great professional singer, but my father would not allow her to perform professionally. She would only sing privately at social musical gatherings at my father’s home in Tehran, or in the homes of family friends and relatives. Another aspect of my Mother’s colourful life was her experience as a pilot. In 1939, she volunteered with two other courageous women (Ms. Ina Avshid and Ms. Effat Tejaratchi) to become the first female pilots in Iran. This had been part of Reza Shah’s emancipation initiative in the 1930s, endeavouring to prove that women could be the equal of men in many walks of life. She flew the Tiger Moth, which had been a standard training biplane of the 1920s and 1930s. She would take off from and land at the Dushan Tappeh military airbase just outside Tehran. She always explained that, when flying, she felt completely free. She said that she never thought of her

• PERSIANTRIBUNE

Circa 1941 normal life on the ground whenever she was in the skies. She had to cut her ties with this world completely. She said that this was because you never knew if you would be in one piece at the end of your flight. She said you had to leave the earth behind you, your children, your husband, your whole life, and just concentrate on your life in the heavens. It was you and your machine. That is all that mattered, she said.

hen my father died in 1959, my Mother was left alone and widowed, with her young children. Her first decision was to leave Tehran for England. Courageously, she emigrated as an international Baha’i pioneer to a historical cathedral town called Exeter, in south-west England.

•People When my father was alive, his children had already been sent to England to be educated, as it was fashionable in those days for certain Iranian families to have their children educated abroad. After my father died, however, there were no funds left for our private education, so we all subsequently went to State school. It was at that time, in the 1960s, that my Mother worked as a chambermaid, a seamstress, and a sewing-machine operator in order to make ends meet, so that she could support her children in our family home in Exeter. This was a physically and mentally trying, and financially challenging time for her, as she had been accustomed to an affluent lifestyle in Iran in previous decades, when my father was alive, with servants, and so on.

y Mother was never really forthcoming about this opulent past that was no more, but she would from time to time mention it accidentally. She was the humblest person I had ever known, and a woman of few words. She always told me to “listen 90% of the time, and talk 10% of the time”. Her wisdom was boundless. I have never ever known a wiser person. She would often quote the great 14th-century Persian poets, Hafez and Sa’adi, when reinforcing some didactic point she was making, or when giving advice on matters general or specific. When discussing the vicissitudes of life, she would often say that one must be patient with the trials and tribulations of our everyday lives, as they will soon give way to better things.

Later, in the 1970s, she acted as guardian to young Iranian girls and boys from well-to-do families who were being educated in England. By this time her circumstances had improved both occupationally and financially. She would travel all over England by car, attending to the needs of the children for whom she was responsible at the various public schools they were attending. She was a very enthusiastic driver, and drove at all times of day and night. Here in Canada, she was not afraid of driving in the snow. Whereas I would be terribly frightened of snowstorms and snowy roads, my Mother never was. She would often put me to shame in this regard. “I was a pilot!”, she would say. “I fear nothing! When you have been up there” (covetously pointing to the sky), “hanging upside down with half your body exposed in the cockpit, how could one fear anything else!” My father always admired my Mother’s zest for life, her passion for travel, and her love of the Baha’i Faith. In the 1950s my father would allow her to travel to major Baha’i conferences in India, Africa, and Europe (as in countries of the Middle East, as still appears to be the case, the husband would have to give his approval if the wife wished to travel abroad).

y Mother was a very well-travelled woman. She always told me that travel is the “best university a person could experience”. She also told me that when she was 12 years old (this would have been in 1926) she actually travelled by train from Iran to Lebanon, all on her own. She said that such a thing was unheard of in an Islamic environment. Her pugnacious audacity as a female was second to none. My Mother never re-married. Her sole aim in life after my father’s death was to devote herself entirely to raising her children, and giving them the benefit of a British education. She emigrated to Canada in the late 1980s, and participated in the Iranian community and artistic activities a great deal right throughout the next decade, socializing and collaborating with poets, artists and musicians in the Greater Toronto Area. She never lost her indefatigable energy and vitality in this regard, until illness mercilessly struck her down. My Mother was truly a Woman for all seasons. O Mother, how I long to be blessed with your camaraderie and friendship! How fortunate are those sons and daughters who have their Mothers with them right now!  A Grateful Son, Teymour Dowlatshahi

PERSIAN TRIBUNE

• 17

•Community

Align with

NexGen ICP By: Pedram Beheshti, President of NexGen ICP

n today’s fast paced environment, young Iranian professionals in construction, architecture, and development are faced with an array of challenges and information overload. In the midst of keeping up with work related deadlines, sometimes young professionals may miss the opportunity to connect with a leader in

« What began as an idea a year ago has formed into an association with a collection of various young, Iranian professionals. »

the industry that can help them move forward, as well as knowing that they are not alone in their struggle to succeed. Understanding this issue, NexGen ICP (the Next Generation of Iranian Construction Professionals), has been established as a catalyst to tackle this, as well as provide an avenue to congregate, and to align skills and expertise. Members can not only network amongst other young professionals, the aim of NexGen ICP is also to provide a platform where experienced business leaders can be aligned with younger, ambitious professionals who seek mentorship and knowledge in order to take the next step. Our mission is to steer the existing Iranian footprint in the GTA into the future, and our vision is to change the paradigm of working independently or competitively to understanding the beauty of working together. What began as an idea a year ago has formed into an association with a collection of various young Iranian professionals. The Board of Directors, consists of five professionals currently working in companies that have an average revenue of 20 billion dollars worldwide. The skills and expertise gained by working in these large organizations are implemented in all aspects of developing NexGen ICP. Furthermore, members within the association either currently work in companies related to construction, are enrolled in institutions, or have begun their own businesses. The collection of these young professionals with a dynamic skill set, who work 18

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within construction, architecture, and development will provide an avenue for continued growth and success. Our non-political association has been built on the groundwork and foundation of genuinely helping one another to grow, as well as bringing the community closer and allowing us all to understand that we can make a difference if we work together. General meetings are held every other month, where presentations are made by members who speak with the group about their current positions, company dynamics, and challenges they have faced and conquered. In 2014, we are aiming to bring in more guest speakers within the industry and look forward to hearing back from any interested parties who have read about our association and want to help the next generation move forward. Our social events provide a less formal environment to mingle and happen on average about two or three times a year. We look forward to hearing from potential prospects. 

Learn more at : www.nexgenicp.com Email: info@nexgenicp.com

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The

Great of Mind

• PERSIANTRIBUNE

•Feature

Dr. Gelareh Zadeh

Dr. Gelareh Zahdeh is a remarkable woman. A few years ago, she was named one of the youngest female brain surgeon’s in the UK. Persian Tribune Magazine had a chance to sit down with her to bring you this exclusive story. By: Arezou Amin and Courtney Boyden

Dr.

Gelareh Zadeh was born in Iran, in the city of Shiraz to an academic family. When she was 4 years old, her mother, a Master’s student in nuclear chemistry, had received a scholarship to study at Oxford University, so the whole family moved to the UK. Gelareh describes her time in England as being enjoyable. In spite of the initial language barrier, she made good friends at her school, a strict institution run by nuns. When she was 9 years old, the family returned to Iran, which happened to coincide with the beginning of the Islamic revolution. Though initially enrolled in an international school in Tehran, the progress of the Islamic revolution caused her private English school to be shut down. She was then faced with more challenges including learning to speak, read and write in Farsi, since all her schooling up until then had been in English. “I remember I would sit through the first five or six written exams not knowing how to even write Farsi let alone do the dictations properly and thinking ‘what am I going to do?’ ”, she said of her 6th grade experience in Iran. Eventually, her father told her that she had no choice but to learn how to read and write Farsi since it seemed they would be in Iran for a while.

Photos by: Ramin Deravian

ultural changes came into her life with the new Islamic ways that were quite foreign to her. Living her day to day life meant that she had to cover her hair for the first time and every time she left her home. She had to learn Arabic for Quran class at school, and face other major social changes as well. The school had painted all the windows both inside and out, so that no one could see inside the girls’ school, and it was felt important to prevent the girls from being “distracted” by looking out the window. When a pane of PERSIAN TRIBUNE

• 21

•Feature to think it through and were just desperate to settle somewhere. On her first impressions of Winnipeg, Gelareh recalls with a smile that she looked out of the airplane window, the night of Boxing Day 1988, and saw a snow covered landscape with tiny lights. Her mother reassured her that this was a weather station and that no one could possibly live there, as they wouldn’t survive. But sure enough, this “weather station” turned out to be Winnipeg, which the family found so brutally cold, they swore they would return to Toronto the next day. They stayed for 10 years.

H glass broke in the winter, they painted the inside of the replacement window, but not the outside, as it was too cold for the paint to dry. The girls had scratched a small hole in the paint to be able to watch the bakery across the street, something she said, got them into a lot of trouble. When asked what this experience during the revolution had taught her, she said, “I think it gives you a sense of what tolerance is about, because they were very intolerant people in general. I think you learn how to be tolerant and realize other people have different points of view. Also you really do learn the importance of freedom. It is irreplaceable, and to force things on people is impossible. For me, those are the main, key points that I have taken away from the experience. Then the war happened, so we had to scramble to find places to hide when the bombs came. It’s almost an outer body experience now, when I talk about it. On a personal perspective, just knowing that you can get through it, continue to focus on educating yourself, allows you to develop some degree of confidence.”

fter great difficulty they were able to leave Iran and return to the UK, where instead of continuing her high school education, Gelareh chose to work to support their family income at a start-up music company (Shadow Fax) for a year and a half until they immigrated to Canada. But even that road wasn’t smooth. Upon arrival in Toronto, the family was relocated to Winnipeg, the logic being that her mother could get a job with her expertise in atomic energy. “Well, no one thought that they’re not going to give a woman, who’s just come from Iran, a job in Canadian Atomic Energy”, she said, adding that given that Canada was chosen for them, they hadn’t had the opportunity

• PERSIANTRIBUNE

er next task was to see to her education. By this point she should have been nearing the end of high school, but no school would admit her without transcripts, which she had none. Her last stop was at Fort Richmond Collegiate, a semester school, where they told her that if she wrote all the required exams and passed, they would admit her without transcripts. Months later, high school diploma in hand, she went to the University of Manitoba to study mathematics, which she had always enjoyed. She said, however, that she found it lacked the practical application she desired and decided to write the Medical College Admission Test (MCAT) and go into medicine. Her first few months of medical school were not easy. The courses that she really enjoyed in her first year were neurosciences, especially neuro anatomy. She took a neurology course over the summer and found the work she was doing suffered the same challenges that her math studies had: a lack of practical application. Finally, a neurosurgeon suggested to her that she follow them on rounds, and on her first day in the operating room she had finally found what she really wanted to do. She cites Dr. Norm Hill, a brain surgeon from Winnipeg as one of her first influences and supporters. “He said ‘we need more women in neurosurgery and I think you should do it’ ”. However, because Norm Hill was a senior surgeon, he wasn’t around very often. She says that two other mentors of hers were Dr. Michael West and Dr. Derek Fewer, two surgeons in the field.

•Feature

“

You really do learn the importance of freedom. It is irreplaceable, and to force things on people is impossible.

”

hile in Manitoba, Gelareh met her husband, Dr Randall Strank, himself a family doctor, who she describes as her confidant. When she prepares for surgery, she said she goes through the operation step by step in her mind, from the time she is scrubbing up to the final step of the procedure. When we asked her what else she thinks about during surgery, she said that she also thinks about the effect the surgery will have on the patient, their family and loved ones and how they will have a chance at full recovery. Dr. Zadeh works as a CIHR Clinician-Scientist and neurosurgeon at the Toronto Western Hospital and University of Toronto. Her clinical and research focus is in neuro-oncology. She performs approximately 250 surgeries a year and runs an active basic science research laboratory dedicated to understanding biology of brain tumors at the Labatt Brain Tumor Research Centre and is a Scientist at the Ontario Cancer Institute. She also has an active radiosurgery practice.

has remained Iranian. But she also joked that in some ways her husband is more Iranian than her, since he has taken the time to learn how to even cook Iranian food! Her message to everyone is simple, yet effective. “Don’t listen to what people say, just follow your dreams, because everything is possible when you work hard and put your mind to it”. 

Between surgeries and research, her work days last 14-16 hours. What free time she does have, she spends with Randall, her husband and their 6 year old daughter Ayla. She enjoys the simple things in life, like learning piano with her daughter and says that spending time with her family rejuvenates and refreshes her.

fter having lived on 3 continents, she says in terms of culture, she identifies with “all of them and none of them”. She added that although she largely grew up outside of Iran, in her core there are aspects of herself that PERSIAN TRIBUNE

• 23

•Events

Do it for

DadS

This Father’s Day By: Rocco Rossi President & CEO, Prostate Cancer Canada

Father’s Day, we come together and celebrate Dad. We take him out for brunch, we go fishing, we have a barbeque - or we throw popcorn at the TV while watching his favourite sports team win. We celebrate Dad, and the men in our lives, because we love them. But our love and concern for our Dads extends beyond Father’s Day. We’re thinking about them all year long, wishing them health and happiness. Unfortunately, 1 in 7 Canadian men – Dads- will be diagnosed with prostate cancer in his lifetime. Now, men being men, our Dads may not feel compelled to go in for their check-ups. Which is why they need us to remind them just how much their health matters to us, their families. My Dad used to say that he wouldn’t go to the hospital unless he was bleeding from the ears. My Mom would push him to go in for check-ups and if it weren’t for her, he may not be here today. My Dad was diagnosed with prostate cancer at 68; today, he’s healthy and cancer free.

In 2013, an estimated 23,600 Canadian men were diagnosed with prostate cancer, and 3,900 died from the disease. The good news is that the survival rate for prostate cancer can be over 90% - but early detection is key. Getting tested for prostate cancer isn’t as scary as many perceive it to be. It’s a simple blood test. Doctors will look at the levels of Prostate Specific Antigen (or PSA) present in the blood, which can be an indicator of prostate cancer. Prostate Cancer Canada recommends that, in their 40s, men should get a PSA test from their doctor in order to establish their baseline. Their doctor can use this baseline to see if PSA levels rise, which could be an indicator of the disease. Prostate cancer is the most common cancer to affect Canadian men. But this isn’t just about ‘Dad ’. Prostate cancer affects all of us; families, siblings, children, partners. We need to make sure that Dad knows we care, we need to start a conversation about health and encourage early detection. This Father’s Day, Do it for Dads, because when it comes to health, they may not do it for themselves.  To learn more or get involved, visit DoitforDads.ca

• PERSIANTRIBUNE

•Real Estate

Power Up for Less

By: Sarvenaz Barghgir

As every home owner knows, electricity bills are often expensive. However, there is energy saving equipment that you can purchase to help save energy on your electronics, as well as yield long term savings on your electricity bill.

a life span of decade and are becoming more affordable. CFL light bulbs are another great option and help you save 75% on power usage.

Save Energy on your AC

When we try to change our insulation we often think of fibreglass, but new research and technology has offered us the "green" insulation variety that provides superior insulation, while being highly resistant against fire, moisture, mould, and pests. Some companies have now come up with a natural, nontoxic "cellulose" insulation that's blown into the attic or into wall cavities while filling stud gaps or voids that may have been missed by traditional insulation rolls. Old jeans are another newly introduced insulation. They are often branded as Natural Cotton Insulation and are safe for you and the environment while also being easy to work with.

Look for AC units that have a seasonal energy efficiency ratio (SEER) minimum of 12, or the Energy Star models. These models often consume 20% less energy than the conventional ones. Over time, besides your AC, don't be afraid to convert most of your appliances into energy star models.

Save on Power Even When Plugged In Plug your electronics into a smart strip. This little gadget features a power meter which automatically cuts power to peripherals like printers and DVD players, when the main electronics go on standby.

Change the Bulbs and Save the AC Double the good news for your electricity bills by purchasing new LED light bulbs that produce double the light with no added heat. A traditional light bulb uses 5% of the wattage to produce light and the rest produces heat. Although LED light bulbs are pricy, they are often a long term investment. Most of them have

Insulate Your House Save on Your Furnace Usage

Available Programs Like many provincial power authorities, Hydro One, in partnership with the Ontario Power Authority, offers a range of programs, incentives and tools to save on electricity at home. For More Information you can visit: http://www.hydroone.com/ MyHome/SaveEnergy/Pages/Programs.aspx 

Looking to SELL or BUY a

HOME or CONDO ? Then call the leader in Real Estate

Luxurious 5 +1 Br House in a quite prestigious cres ( Bayview and York Mills), offered $ 2,588,000! ● Lovely Renovated Detached House 4+2 BRs in a Neighbourhood with prestige ( Bayview and York Mills ) Offered at $ 2,288,800! ● Large 4 Br apartment in a luxury Condominium (Yonge and Finch) Approx 2000 Sqf with Terrace wrapped around it Offered at $958800! ● Large 3 Br penthouse apartment in a outstanding High rise (Yonge and Sheppard)Approx 1800 Sqf Offered at $ 758,800! ●

●

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2 Br unit( 900sqf) in brand new condo on Steeles Ave W offered at $418,800! ● Store With Yonge St. Exposure in Luxury Tridel Building at a prime location offered at $648,888!( Suitable for professional or for investment) ●

Call for more investment properties or Visit www.Prestigeworldrealty.com

Prestige World Realty Inc., Brokerage 55 Misty Cres., Toronto, ON M3B1T2 TEL: 416.331.8987 DIR: 416.908.8692 FAX: 416.331.8503 barghgir@gmail.com www.prestigeworldrealty.com

Your # 1 Real Estate Sales Broker

SARVY BARGHGIR

Broker of Record

Not Intended to Solicit Buyers or Sellers Currently Under Contract With a Broker

PERSIAN TRIBUNE

• 25

•Real estate

Divorce and Real Estate

ccording to the most recent statistics, of every 2 married couples 1 of them will experience a divorce at some point, as a staggering 48% of marriages in Canada end in divorce. I’ve been divorced and think I was “lucky”, as my marriage ended on relatively good terms and we managed the process ourselves. To this day we remain friendly, however many people don’t have this experience and become bitter rivals arguing over kids, pets, cars, rugs, and collectibles.

By: Robert Atkinson ■■ You can only see the house at odd hours of the day or night ■■ The sellers legally can’t speak directly to each other or be in the same place ■■ The house has objects that are in dispute. ■■ Opening the home to the public could allow the other spouse access to the property ■■ Home photos could potentially expose these items

Lawyers get involved to help couples determine when the split happened, what things belong to which person and other matters related to the division of property. The largest asset in a marriage will be the home and other real estate holdings, so it’s important you get expert guidance on getting these items evaluated and, if need be, sold. It is important that lawyers refer their clients to a seasoned professional with experience in navigating through the often emotional and legal mine fields . While every real estate agent can give you an evaluation and get your home sold, you don’t want to entrust this job to just anyone if you want the job handled properly. In this market, everyone is looking to maximize their profits so knowing the pitfalls of selling a home during a divorce will save you thousands. Consider the following situations: ■■ A home is listed for sale by a couple but the closets only have ‘his’ or ‘her’ clothes in it. ■■ What about the home that has a bedroom in the basement with just ‘his’ things and another bedroom upstairs with just ‘her’ things? ■■ Then there’s the spouse who doesn’t want to sell so they leave dirty dishes in the sink, clothes on the floor or the home smelling of smoke or worse. ■■ How about the home with locks on every door or awkwardly divided rooms? These are sure signs of a home that MUST be sold. Not a good thing for the buyer to know! How about these situations? 26

• PERSIANTRIBUNE

How does one represent two people who won’t speak to each other? What if one of the seller’s highest priority is making sure their former partner does not come out ahead? Make sure any agent you hire is up to the task, has the tools to navigate around the landmines and has the time to dedicate to seeing the job through. Having successfully sold homes from divorcing couples, I can say with certainty it requires personal attention to the sellers, and lawyers, as well as having more than a few tools to ensure the home gets sold for top dollar in the least amount of time possible. Having the right realtor can make this difficult task easier.

f you, or someone you know is in this situation do them a favour and share this article with them. Real estate is all about what you net, don’t leave it to amateurs. 

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

•Building

Well Connected By: Sara Rezvanifar

By: Sara Rezvanifar

A NEW H U B With Indications of a powerful rental market coming to the forefront, commercial property in the Greater Toronto Area (GTA) continues to be a sought-after investment. In a city where real estate investment has proven highly lucrative, office condominiums are in short supply and office space is commanding above-average rents. The combination of low vacancy, stable-to-rising rental rates, readily available capital, and multi-billion dollar transit projects guaranteeing an influx of commuter traffic, create an ideal mix of market fundamentals for solid investment conditions. As traffic increases, so do the numbers of businesses in both commercial and retail sectors, and proximity to transit will be at a premium. By 2020, it is expected that approximately 19,000 additional residents will settle in the York West area, drawn by an increase in jobs, businesses and institutions in the neighbourhood. The Finch and Keele intersection in York West is set to become Toronto’s busiest transit hub, with thousands of commuters every hour. Leading the York West neighbourhood regeneration is Real Wealth Group’s most recent development - University Heights Professional & Medical Centre.

“You could say this development is well-connected and fits in perfectly with the City of Toronto’s plans of creating a major transportation hub and renewed urban area that will completely transform the Downsview corridor” says Paolo Abate of Real Wealth Group. 28

• PERSIANTRIBUNE

The new University Heights Professional & Medical Centre is an 8-storey, AAA, modern, professional office and medical building. Designed to serve the long-term needs of its tenants, patrons, and the community at large, the Centre aims to uphold high sustainability and efficiency standards and provide ample green space for a balanced work-life approach. An open, sun-lit commercial concourse dedicated to restaurant and retail tenants offers extensive space for both seating and strolling, while street-side entrances into ground level unites provide commercial frontage on much-travelled Finch Avenue West.

•Building

“The proximity of hospitals and courthouses will make the development particularly appealing to medical and legal professionals who may appreciate the investment opportunity of owning their own space.”

With reputable tenants, including a major pharmaceutical retailer among those leasing retail units on ground and mezzanine levels, University Heights is assured to be a major draw for commuters in need of one-stop-shopping for products and medical and professional services. 

Real Wealth’s vision for the project is a distinctly urban approach to function and design. “It is rare that you find an office building of this size, that really caters to a professional office environment that is for sale and lease to the public.” Mr. Abate points out that the proximity of hospitals and courthouses will make the development particularly appealing to medical and legal professionals who may appreciate the investment opportunity of owning their own space. University Heights is being marketed as an office condo, making it something of a rarity in the Toronto market. Though a common model in the US, Mr. Abate explains that institutional investors such as pension funds and other public companies that specialize in acquiring and developing these kinds of assets tend to crowd out the average investor in Canada.

Want to know more about the University Heights Professional & Medical Centre? Register today at university-heights.ca PERSIAN TRIBUNE

• 29

•Police

Fines Increased for Distratcted

Driving Offences By: PC Andy Pattenden

e’ve all seen it. Cars stopped at red lights, the light turns green but the car doesn’t move forward. The driver ahead of you slowly crosses over the centre line into oncoming lanes or drifts off onto the gravel shoulder creating a cloud of dust or worse, misses a stop sign or exit and overcorrects to remedy the error. These drivers all have something in common; they are impaired by mobile devices. Distracted driving has surpassed impaired driving and is now the leading cause of collisions that result in serious injury or death in Canada. As a result, fines have gone up. Did you know: --Talking on cell phones (hand-held or hands-free) makes you four times more likely to crash --Driver distraction is estimated to be a contributing factor in 8 out of every 10 police-reported collisions --If you text while driving, your driving is just as impaired as someone with a blood alcohol content of .125. The legal limit is .08 --Nearly 80 per cent of collisions involve some form of driver inattention within three seconds before the event Drivers continue to put themselves and the people they share the road with at risk by reaching for the phone to

• PERSIANTRIBUNE

read an email, send a quick text message or make what they feel is an important phone call. In a recent effort to deter motorists from driving distracted, fines for these offenses have been increased to $280 as a result of a judge’s order that was signed on February 18, 2014. Taking this issue one step further, the Liberal Government has recently tabled Bill 173, the Highway Traffic Amendment Act -Keeping Ontario's Roads Safe, a road safety bill that addresses legislative changes with respect to cyclists, commercial vehicles, tow trucks, pedestrians, and distracted drivers. The proposed fine structure for distracted driving offenses calls for a minimum fine of $300 and a maximum fine of $1,000 with the addition of up to three demerit points for these offenses.

If you text while driving, your driving is just as impaired as someone with a blood alcohol content of .125. The legal limit is .08 So what can you do to help bring an end to distracted driving? If you need to take or place an important phone call, pull off to the side of the road and place your vehicle in park. Consider purchasing a hands-free device if you need to use the phone while driving. Ignore the flashing light on your phone indicating you have a new message and focus on the road. Do everything within your power to resist the temptation to check social media, or to pick up your mobile device when your attention needs to focused on driving. Do your part to keep our roads safe for everyone. ď Ž

For more tips and information on road safety visit http://www.yrp. ca/roadsafety.aspx

Hire Robert, an agent who puts your needs above all others. Buyers and Sellers need an agent they can TRUST when they want to make a move, Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m that agent.

Robert Atkinson | Sales Rep Century 21 Leading Edge Realty Inc. www.RobertAtkinson.ca

•Book Review New York Times Best Seller!

Dying To Be Me My Journey from Cancer, to Near Death, to True Healing

n this truly inspirational memoir, Anita Moorjani relates how, after fighting cancer for almost four years, her body-overwhelmed by the malignant cells spreading throughout her system-began shutting down. As her organs failed, she entered into an extraordinary near-death experience where she realized her inherent worth . . . and the actual cause of her disease. Upon regaining consciousness, Anita found that her condition had improved so rapidly that she was able to be released from the hospital within weeks . . . without a trace of cancer in her body! Within these pages, Anita recounts stories of her childhood in Hong Kong, her challenge to establish her career and find true love, as well as how she eventually ended up in that hospital bed where she defied all medical knowledge.

“I have been deeply and profoundly touched by the contents of this book, and even more so by my personal relationship with Anita Moorjani. Read it very carefully and thoughtfully with a mind that’s open to having many of your cherished beliefs challenged, especially about what lies beyond this world, in what’s often called the hereafter.” - Dr. Wayne W. Dyer 32

• PERSIANTRIBUNE

As part of a traditional Hindu family residing in a largely Chinese and British society, she had been pushed and pulled by cultural and religious customs since she had been a little girl. After years of struggling to forge her own path while trying to meet everyone else's expectations, she had the realization, as a result of her epiphany on the other side, that she had the power to heal herself . . . and that there are miracles in the Universe that she had never even imagined. In Dying to Be Me, Anita freely shares all she has learned about illness, healing, fear, "being love," and the true magnificence of each and every human being! This is a book that definitely makes the case that we are spiritual beings having a human experience . . . and that we are all One! 

About the Author: As a result of her near- death experience, Anita is often invited to speak at conferences and events around the globe to share her insights. She is the embodiment of the truth that we all have the inner power and wisdom to overcome even life’s most adverse situations, as she’s the living proof of this possibility. Website: www.anitamoorjani.com

•Home Design

Home Designing a

Office By: Steve Forberg, CEO Decorium

orking from home seems to be becoming more and more trendy in recent times. Especially since roles are becoming increasingly mobile and on-line, work can be on-the-go nearly any time of day. In the event you are a small business, your home office may be your only real workspace.

tart by dedicating your home office as a work space only. You don’t necessarily have to have a separate room. You can choose to have a small area designated as a working area. Like the cubby below the stairs or a corner in a room can work really well. With a dedicated workspace, you can focus on tasks, maintain discipline, and ensure you always have enough space to work with all the materials required.

he workspace should always be organized and clutter free, so make sure there will be plenty of drawers and open desk space. You do not need several pieces of furniture to create a complete office. With a table and chair, some cabinetry and a good filing system, this should be sufficient. All items must be easily returned to their places regularly. With the right furniture, you really can work efficiently and effectively. 

PERSIAN TRIBUNE

• 33

•Food

Rose Reisman’s Family Favourites

Cob Salad Wraps

with tomatoes, avocado and black beans

By: Rose Reisman Cobb salad wraps

Directions:

cobb salad traditionally has loads of chicken, blue cheese, bacon and heavy dressing. I've lightened up this classic and tossed the main ingredients into a wrap. It's delicious.

1. Lightly coat a non-stick grill pan with vegetable spray and set over medium heat. Grill the chicken for 4 minutes on each side or until no longer pink. Cool slightly, then slice thinly.

{serves 8}

2. Combine the tomatoes, red pepper, avocado, black beans, green onions and parsley in a large bowl. Add the lemon juice, sour cream, olive oil, garlic, chili sauce, salt and pepper and mix well.

Ingredients: 8 oz skinless boneless Chicken breasts (about 2 breasts) 1/2 cup diced plum tomatoes 1/2 cup diced red bell pepper 1/2 cup diced ripe avocado 1/3 cup canned black beans, drained and rinsed 1/4 cup finely chopped green onions 1/4 cup chopped parsley 4 tsp lemon juice 1 Tbsp low-fat sour cream 1 Tbsp olive oil 1 tsp finely chopped garlic 1/2 tsp hot chili sauce Pinch of salt and pepper 1/2 cup shredded aged light cheddar cheese 4 large whole wheat flour tortillas

•• 34

• PERSIANTRIBUNE

3. Spread one-half of each of the tortillas with some of the tomato mixture. Top with slices of chicken and the shredded cheese. Fold in 2 sides and roll up. Place the wraps in a clean grill pan and cook for 5 minutes, turning halfway, just enough to warm through. (Or heat in a 400°F oven for 5 minutes until warm.) Cut in half and serve. per serving (1/2 wrap) Calories 132 • Protein 11 g • Carbohydrates 19 g • Fiber 2.4 g • Total fat 5.1 g • Saturated fat 1.2 g • Cholesterol 19 mg • Sodium 193 mg • prep time 15 minutes • cook time 12 minutes • make ahead wraps can be made early in the day Grill just before serving. • nutrition watch If you eat chicken on a regular basis, try to use certified organic chicken as much as possible. These chickens aren't given any hormones to enhance their size or any antibiotics, and they are fed grains that have been grown organically. 

from

•Food

Persian

The

Kitchen

ADAS POLO Lentils and Rice Dish with Tahdig and dried Fruits! By: Naz Deravian

das polo literally means lentils and rice. It is a very common dish typically served with a fried, or hard-boiled egg. It is the ultimate comfort food. The addition of dried fruits and cinnamon give it just the right amount of sweetness and texture. Typically, adas polo is prepared with tahdig in mind. “Tahdig” is where you have a crunchy golden hard layer of rice at the bottom of the pot. Adding the dried fruits mixture on top of the rice when serving wonderfully meld the flavors. {Serves 4-6 as a main dish or 8-10 as a side dish} Ingredients: 3 cups white basmati rice, washed and soaked in 2 cups cold water with 3 tablespoons salt for 45 minutes 1 cup lentils, rinsed 2 1/2 tablespoons butter for rice, plus more for dried fruits mixture cinnamon, for sprinkling 1/2 teaspoon ground saffron, steeped in 2 tablespoons hot water 1/2 onion, chopped 8 large dates, quartered 1/2 cup dried cranberries Directions: 1. While the rice soaks place the lentils in pot and cover with 1 1/4 cups water and 1/4 tsp. salt. Stir, cover and bring to a boil. Once boiling, turn heat to med. and cook until water has evaporated and lentils are cooked al-dente. About 20 minutes. Set aside.

2. In a large non-stick pot (no stainless steel) bring 12 cups water and 4 tblsp. salt to a boil. Once boiling, drain the rice and add to the boiling water (do not stir!). Return to a boil, skim off any foam. Test your rice after 6-8 minutes until the rice is al-dente. Drain rice and give a quick rinse under cold water. Allow the rice to drain completely. 3. Melt 2 1/2 tblsp. butter in the same pot over low heat. Add a layer of rice to fully cover the bottom of the pot. Pack down the rice firmly. Sprinkle with a little bit of cinnamon. Add a layer of lentils, then a layer of rice. Repeat, alternating rice, cinnamon, lentils. The top layer should be rice. Poke a couple of holes in the rice to allow the steam to escape. Dot with a little butter, cover and turn up heat to med-high. Cook 10 minutes. 4. Turn heat to medium. Lift lid and cover with a couple of layers of paper towel. Place the lid firmly back on the pot and cook for 10 minutes. 5. Turn to low heat and cook 40 minutes. Now prepare the dried fruits mixture. 6. In a pan melt 2 tblsp. butter over medium heat. Add onion and a pinch of salt. Stir for 5-8 minutes. Lower heat and cook until onion is golden. Turn heat to med. add dried fruits. Give a quick stir, add half of the saffron water. Stir and allow dried fruits to soften. About 10 minutes. Set aside. 7. When the rice is done put the rice mixture on a serving platter. Drizzle the top with the saffron water and scatter the dried fruit mixture on top. Gently remove the tahdig and serve on the side.  PERSIAN TRIBUNE

• 35

Restaurant

Authentic Persian Cuisine

Come experience fine dining at itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s best

www.thepersianpalace.ca

905.737.4900

•Wine

David’s

Wine Pick of the month By: David Akhlagi

Executive Director at The Wine Cave

Saltram Mamre Brook Cabernet Sauvignon 2011

here is no doubt that Saltram has taken strides towards regaining the reputation it held 30 or so years ago. Grape sourcing has come back to the Barossa Valley for the flagship wines. The red wines, in particular, have enjoyed great show success over the past few years, with No. 1 Shiraz and Mamre Brook leading the charge. Exports to all major markets, including Ontario, Canada at the LCBO. 93 PTS Rich and satisfying, this is a classic Barossa Cabernet. Sourced from mature low yielding vineyards, it has a complex bouquet of dark berries and chocolate and a multi-layered, well-structured palate.

About Saltram Winery Saltram has been an established Barossa Valley winery for over 150 years. Generations of winemakers have maintained the tradition of the proud Barossa company, and the wines are intense, full-flavored, and distinctively South Australian. Saltram Wine Estates is located outside the town of Angaston, on Nurioopta Road in the Barossa Valley of South Australia. Saltram works with 45 hectares of vineyards both on the estate, and from selected growers in the region. Many of the vineyard sites are located in the cooler, higher altitude areas of the Eden Valley. Noble varieties are the primary focus with Barossa favorites Shiraz, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Riesling the highlights of the range. The range is broken down into Mamre Brook, Winemaker’s Selection, No. 1, The Journal and 1959 (for Tawny). Please visit us online @ www.winecave.ca. 

PERSIAN TRIBUNE

• 37

â&#x20AC;˘School

The International Baccalaureate Programme (IB) Gives Students an Edge in Todayâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Competitive World

By: Dr. Glenn Zederayko, Head of School, TMS School Richmond Hill

taking an active role in making positive differences in the world through service.

The IB Program is highly advantageous with regard to academic preparation.

IB helps to ensure students stand out in the competitive world of university entrance.

IB has developed high global standards for achievement. It enables students to be prepared to be successful, happy, and balanced as adults participating in a dynamic, uncertain, and competitive world. One proven asset is that it inspires inquiry, thinking, and application of knowledge. Development of higher level thinking assists students to see how complex ideas come together, understand how different areas of study are interrelated, and use their knowledge to address real life problems.

IB students complete globally standardized tests and assessments of their learning. Universities in most countries around the world recognize, value, and seek out IB graduates because success in the program is highly predictive of success in post-secondary education.

sets graduates apart as the leaders of tomorrow.

IB provides students with more than just exceptional academic prowess. IB is valuable because it encourages the development of whole people. In addition to academics, it promotes the development of essential life skills. IB Students are versed in creative thinking, leading a healthy life, and 38

â&#x20AC;˘ PERSIANTRIBUNE

In the 2011 IBO survey of Canadian Students earning the IB Diploma, 86% indicated they would be attending their top choice for a Higher Education Institution and 92% indicated they will be undertaking their first choice program or course of studies. In addition, 96% felt they were well

prepared for further studies, 61% received a scholarship, and 82% indicated their intent to go to graduate school. It is proven that IB is not just advantageous for helping students to get into university, IB provides a foundation for students to successfully earn their first university degree, get into graduate school and continue to be lifelong learners in their careers. The IB program can be rewarding, inspiring and relatively stress free. This depends on how a school designs and delivers the IB program. Some schools place their adolescents in a highly stressful program that often makes successful completion unlikely. At TMS we design and deliver our program in a way that ensures an average, keen student can enjoy the experience, develop great skills and be prepared to realize many lifelong benefits. Our graduates tell us they excel in their university courses and are highly involved, often as leaders, in all aspects of university life such as clubs, student leadership opportunities, teams and service activities.

RICHMOND HILL CENTRE

FOR THE PERFORMING ARTS

share the spotlight

jeffrey tambor Oct. 24

alan doyle Jan. 31

uss Nov. 7

lynda carter Apr. 28

Learn more about the IB Advantage and find an IB school that delivers the best fit for your child. A number of schools across the GTA provide IB programs. Despite global standardization of IB assessment, the design and delivery of the program varies significantly. We encourage parents and students to visit the IB website at www.ibo.org , visit different IB schools to learn how they deliver the program. How a school fits your child greatly influences the amount of success a student experiences.  To learn more about IB at TMS School visit www.tmsschool.ca. The Bayview Campus (18 months to Grade 6) and Elgin Mills Campus (Grade7 to 12) are located in Richmond Hill, ON. TMS School is a member of CIS and accredited by IB, CAIS and CCMA.

14 15

bruce mcculloch Nov. 29

season

rita rudner Oct. 15 stella: queen of the snow Oct. 21 the lightning thief Oct. 26 jeffrey tambor Oct. 24 cal: bat out of hell Oct. 29 uss Nov. 7 sid the science kid Nov. 12 trooper Nov. 13 wingfield unbound Nov. 25 bruce mcculloch Nov. 29 festival of carols Dec. 6 a christmas carol Dec. 6-7 rich little Dec. 17 comedy & cabaret new year’s Dec. 31

shirley maclaine May 7

curious george Jan. 17 alan doyle Jan. 31 veterans of snl Feb. 13 cal: dark side of the moon Feb. 20 cal: purple rain Mar. 6 gryphon trio Mar. 11 dinosaur train Live Mar. 18 robin hood Mar. 31 cal: hotel california Apr. 2 national chinese acrobats Apr. 9 lynda carter Apr. 28 cirque mechanics May 5 shirley maclaine May 7

Season proudly sponsored by

theatre sponsors

series sponsors

Official Supplier of Musical Instruments for the RHCPA

Official Hotel of the RHCPA

show sponsors

VAUGHAN

Thornhill & Vaughan ® A registered trademark used under license by Imvescor Restaurant Group Inc. / Une marque de commerce enregistrée utilisée sous licence par Groupe restaurants Imvescor Inc.

box office: 905-787-8811 • web: rhcentre.ca 10268 Yonge Street, Richmond Hill, ON L4C 3B7

•Politics

yanmar’s Evolving Political Landscape

By: The Honourable Bryon Wilfert

he National League for Democracy (NLD) was founded in 1988 by Aung San Suu Kyi and her colleagues in opposition to the military rulers in Myanmar. During the last 20 years, the party barely functioned, leaders were imprisoned, and members driven into exile. The NLD was declared illegal by the military government. Fast forward to 2011, and to the democratic reforms ushered in by President Thein Sein and the 43 of 44 seats the NLD won in the contested by-elections in 2012. National elections are to be held in 2015, and the NLD is certain they could replicate this type of victory and hold power in Parliament. The adoption of the 2008 Constitution, and the transition from a Military Junta to a Presidential Republic has brought significant political, economic, and social change in a short period of time.

BHUTAN

INDIA

The dominant party in Parliament is the Union Solidarity and Development Party (USDP) which has more significant linkages with the military than any other political party. Both President Sein and the Speaker of Parliament Thura Shwe Mann are from the USDP. It would seem that the President will not run in 2015. The Speaker is likely to run for President, and of course Aung San Suu Kyi would run except that under the current rules, she is barred from seeking the Presidency because she married a foreigner. Kachin

The issue of ethnic tensions between the majority Burman people and minorities such as Shan, Rakhine, Mon, Karen, Chin, Kachin, and other minorities continues to be a political flashpoint. Another area of change is in the economy and attracting foreign investors as it continues the road down political reform. The political changes in Myanmar have resulted in significant foreign investment interest to the estimate tune of $3 billion this year. One area that investors clearly want to see strengthened is a business-friendly environment which means developing and implementing reforms as quickly as possible. Interesting to note that in 2011, Myanmar recorded $300 million in investment and that political and economic change has been a major catalyst for investors. There are more than 700 bills before Parliament to respond to reform in the various sectors of the economy and political structure. The new legislation before Parliament includes important a Financial Institutions Law, which will help define the position of banks and other key lending institutions. Myanmar is becoming a fast-growth market with new licences given to foreign firms in the energy, insurance, and telecoms sector as well as major corporations such as Heineken, Coca Cola, and Unilever.

Myitkyina

CHINA

BANGLADESH

Sagaing

BANGLADESH

Hakha

MYANMAR Sagaing

Chin

Mandalay

Shan

Taunggyi

LAOS

Magwe Akjab

Rakhaing

PYINMANA NAYPYIDAW

Magwe

Loi-kaw

Kayah Bago

BAY OF B EN GA L

THAIL AND

Bago

Yangon Pathein

Irawadi

Yangon Mawlamyaing

Hpa-an

Kayin

Mon

Tavoy

Andaman Islands (INDIA)

Tanintharyi

AN DAMAN SEA

The NLD has been focusing its efforts on getting Parliament to change the constitution to allow for Aung San Suu Kyi to seek the office of President in 2015.

• PERSIANTRIBUNE

GU LF OF TH AIL AN D

Some key issues facing the country are the current violence between Buddhists and Muslim Rohingya which has occurred this year. It is a dangerous situation, and how the government response will send a message both to the public and the wider world audience. The commitment to equality before the law is being tested.

The twin reform paths of political change and economic liberalization mean that the country is poised for significant growth in its standard of living. The key will be the ability to manage an explosive economy, ensure transparency and accountability and ensure that the economy benefits reach into all parts of the country. Canada’s engagement has been positive with the establishment of an embassy in Myanmar and various high level Ministerial visits. We can share our experience with decentralization and federalism in terms of how powers can be shared between various orders of government. Canada has an important role to play and clearly we have a willing partner in Myanmar.  The Honourable Bryon Wilfert P.C., ICD.D was just recently appointed Honorary Consul to the Republic of the Union of Myanmar.

407

400

Bayview

Yonge

Bathurst

Upland

Royal Orchard

Clark

Clark Steeles

•Environment

Citizen scientists

can help monarch

Butterflies

reduced from the days when the Urquharts pursued their passion. And once again, experts and others are calling on citizen scientists — and politicians — to help. Monarch populations in Mexico plummeted to a record low of about 33.5 million this year from an annual average over the past 15 years of about 350 million and highs of more than one billion. Causes include illegal logging in Mexico, herbicide use on genetically modified crops in the U.S. and climate change .

Credit : U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Headquarters via Flickr

By David Suzuki with contributions from Ian Hanington, Senior Editor

rom the age of five, Fred Urquhart was fascinated by monarch butterflies in his Toronto neighbourhood. Born in 1911, he spent hours watching the orange and black insects flutter about, wondering: Where did they go in winter? At school, he read voraciously about nature, especially monarchs and other insects. He eventually became a zoology professor and married Norah Patterson, who shared his love of butterflies, as did their son, Doug. To answer the question that had nagged Fred since childhood, in 1940 they found a way to attach tiny labels to individual butterflies that read, "Send to Zoology University of Toronto Canada." They started the Insect Migration Association, now known as Monarch Watch, enlisting "citizen scientists" to tag butterflies. They finally solved the mystery in 1975 — with the help of two citizen scientists in Mexico. Ken Brugger and Catalina Aguado had come across millions of butterflies in the mountains west of Mexico City. The couple took the Urquharts there in 1976 and, miraculously, Fred found one of his tagged insects within hours. Their fascinating story is told in the documentary film Flight of the Butterflies and in an episode ofCBC's The Nature of Things, The Great Butterfly Hunt. Now, monarchs are in trouble, their numbers drastically

• PERSIANTRIBUNE

In February, in response to a letter by Mexican poet Homero Aridjis, signed by more than 100 scientists, writers and environmentalists — including Canadians Margaret Atwood, Michael Ondaatje and John Ralston Saul — U.S. President Barack Obama, Mexican President Enrique Peña Nieto and Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper agreed to "establish a working group to ensure the conservation of the monarch butterfly, a species that symbolizes our association." The letter to leaders said, "As Mexico is addressing

•Environment the logging issues, so now must the United States and Canada address the effects of our current agricultural policies." Those problematic practices are mainly associated with large-scale planting of corn and soy genetically modified to resist the herbicide Roundup, or glyphosate. It doesn't kill crops — just pretty much everything else, including the milkweed monarchs need to lay their eggs and that is their caterpillars' main food. We can only hope our leaders live up to their commitment, and we can speak up to hold them to it. But we can also become citizen scientists to help researchers better understand the butterfly's breeding, migrating and overwintering cycles and help monarchs survive. Monarch Watch offers classroom resources, student-scientist research projects and information about building monarch way stations, raising your own monarchs and planting milkweed and butterfly gardens. The U.S. Monarch Joint Venture website offers resources for citizens to track migration, count butterflies and monitor larval populations and disease for monarchs — as well as other butterflies.

Planting milkweed and nectar-producing native flowers on balconies and in gardens, parks and green spaces will beautify the area around your home and bring bees and butterflies to the neighbourhood. Scientists still don't know everything about monarchs and their migration, but we know they play an important role in ecosystems. And we know everything in nature is interconnected. When something that travels such long distances through a range of habitats is removed, it can have cascading effects on those environments. The world wouldn't know where North American monarchs travel if it weren't for the Urquharts and the continent-wide battalion of citizen scientists they inspired. We can all help ensure monarch butterflies continue this wonderful journey every year. 

The David Suzuki Foundation website also offers a range ofresources and activities to help protect these pollinating insects. And, as part of its Homegrown National Park Project, the foundation is launching a Toronto-based campaign in April to crowd-source a milkweed corridor through the city. Helping monarch and other butterflies and insects is a fun way to get kids interested in nature's wonders.

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

• 43

Become. Go beyond.

BECOME. BEYOND. TMS School goes far beyond the

ordinary to help prepare our students to realize their potential as happy and

fulfilled individuals in university, career and life.

Our educational experience integrates challenge and inspiration, seamlessly combining a flagship Montessori program (18 months to grade 6)

and our welcoming International

Baccalaureate program (grade 7 to 12).

Phone 905 889 6882 ext. 254 â&#x20AC;˘ www.tmsschool.ca

•people

Persian Tribune

Person of The Month

Bahram Parsi

an outstanding community volunteer, and public servant By: Dr. Farokh Zandi

r. Bahram Parsi, an outstanding community volunteer, and public servant devoted forty years of his productive life to serve the Iranian community in Canada in numerous capacities before he was forced into retirement due to illness a few years ago. Born in 1944 to the parents of Zoroastrian persuasion, he entered Tehran’s university as a student of Business Administration which he completed at the top of his graduating class. Upon arriving in Canada in 1974 to continue his studies, Bahram entered Business Administration program at York University where he specialized in System Auditing. He was then employed by

• PERSIANTRIBUNE

Bell Canada and Indal Aluminum Industries as project manager and system analyst, and later on was hired by Government of Ontario to serve as a project manager in Ministry of Transportation and Communication, Ministry of Health, Ministry of Justice, and Ontario Provincial Police.

r. Parsi, since arriving in Canada has been involved in various Iranian organizations and Zoroastrian foundations. He is founder of the Centre for Persian Language in Ontario in 1980 and he served the centre until 2005. He was also instrumental in organizing Persian language programs for kindergarten, elementary and secondary schools in Ontario, and served at Glenview school

as the director of the program for 23 years. Mr. Parsi was later involved in Persian classes for non-Iranians.

ahram Parsi also served on the board of the Peel Multicultural Council. He was elected as Vice President and then as President of the council where he served until 1996. In that capacity Mr. Parsi actively participated in the promotion of equity, equality, promotion of cultural diversity and other social justice issues. And for his relentless efforts, particularly in the housing project of the Peel region, he received numerous volunteer recognition awards from elected officials. 

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