July - August 2009

What is a convention for GST purposes?

BY GUYLAINE DALLAIRE AND MANON HARVEY

n our recently published articles, we have discussed the applicable GST rules in regards to foreign conventions and domestic conventions. But what is legally considered a “convention”?

A convention is a formal meeting or assembly that is not open to the general public. It excludes a meeting or assembly the principal purpose of which is to: • provide any type of amusement, entertainment or recreation; • conduct contests or games of chance or • transact the business of the convenor or attendees in the course of a trade show that is open to the general public, or otherwise than in the course of a trade show.

A convention can be either a domestic convention or a foreign convention. The tax application will vary depending on the type of convention.

In the case of foreign conventions, the sponsor is not required to collect GST on registration fees or on space exhibition fees, even if they are charged to Canadian residents.

As for domestic conventions, the sponsor must register for GST and charge GST on a portion of the registration fee, whether paid by a resident or non-resident of Canada. However, in regards to space exhibition fees, GST is only charged to Canadian residents and not to non-residents of Canada.

Therefore, it is important to first determine whether the event qualifies as a “convention.”

The tax authorities often had to analyze different events, and decide if they qualified as “conventions.”

The Canada Revenue Agency provides the following examples: • A society of professionals holds its annual general meeting at a hotel in Canada and also delivers information sessions to the delegates. The event is only open to members of the society. Is this a convention for the purposes of GST/HST?

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Yes. This is a convention for the purposes of GST/HST. The formal meeting and assembly are not open to the general public and none of the exclusions in the definition of convention apply.

• An environmental association holds a trade show at a convention centre in Canada. Exhibitors set up booths to promote the sale of their products and services. The event is open to the general public. Is this a convention for the purposes of GST/HST? No. This is not a convention for the purposes of GST/HST. This does not meet the definition of convention.

• An organization holds a non-competitive skating show at an arena in Canada.

Professional skaters from around the world are paid to participate in the event and tickets are sold to the general public.

Is this a convention for the purposes of GST/HST? No. This is not a convention for the purposes of GST/HST. This is not a formal meeting or assembly, but rather an entertainment event.

• An amateur athletic association holds try-out sessions at a gymnasium in Canada to determine whether athletes qualify to participate in an international competition. The event is only open to the participating athletes. Is this a convention for the purposes of GST/HST? No. This is not a convention for the purposes of GST/HST. The principal purpose of the sessions is to conduct contests, and therefore, the event is excluded from the definition of convention.

• A corporation holds a job recruitment fair at a university in Canada to recruit new employees. The corporation collects job application forms and conducts interviews with prospective candidates. The event is only open to students of the university. Is this a convention for the purposes of GST/HST? No. This is not a convention for the purposes of GST/HST. The principal purpose of the job recruitment fair is to transact the business of the corporation otherwise than in the course of a trade show, and therefore, the event is excluded from the definition of convention.

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During a convention, entertainment is also offered to the participants, such as gala dinners, opening night receptions, guided tours, etc. These activities must not become the main purpose of the event. If it was the case, the event would no longer be considered a “convention” and a different set of rules would apply.

Guylaine Dallaire, CA, M.Tax, is a Partner with the Tax group at Raymond Chabot Grant Thornton LLP. Guylaine has been a guest speaker on numerous occasions with specialized associations. In addition, she also teaches at the Université de Sherbrooke (Master in Taxation). She is the author of two books, one in the municipal sector and one in the health sector (available on the internet site of the Government of Quebec). She is actively involved with clients in a variety of areas as well as major clients in the, real estate, public and para-public utility, government sectors and event organizers.

Manon Harvey, Manager, LL.B., LL.M. has been a member of Raymond Chabot Grant Thornton LLP for more than 10 years. She is specialized in Canadian commodity taxes and has played a key-role in several complex transactions involving US and European Taxes.

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In this Issue THE

INTERNATIONAL

EDITION

6 The case for face-to-face >

Prior proper planning prevents poor performance ur lives are all incredibly busy – that’s why a little preparation goes a long way. The old cliché about an ounce of prevention being worth a pound of cure is definitely appropriate – proper preparation is your best defense against the unexpected.

As planners in these times of uncertainty and cutbacks, it’s even more important as the suppliers you have been using may have made cutbacks themselves that could affect your planning.

Things have changed: From AV companies that have less labour and may no longer be able to prepare those mundane floor plans to hotels that may no longer have people to assist you with after-hour set-ups or be able to leave an employee outside of regular hours or offer 24-hour room service or a concierge during slower periods, etc.

The more you can/will plan what you must do/delegate the better you will be able to follow-up, re-delegate or – if you must – spot problems early enough in the process to do it yourself, but it will get done. Think things through, then follow through because there’s nothing worst than assuming. So plan it and pen it – that way you won’t forget it and you’ll be able to follow-up.

As most businesses have cut somewhere in the past few months, don’t wait to find out how, if or when these cuts will affect you.

Put time and preparedness on your side!

LEO GERVAIS

Barry Siskind takes a look at the impact face-to-face meetings have on marketing and building rapport with customers utilizing three key elements. As Barry points out, it’s not just the words we say but how we say them.

10 Creating influential e-mails >

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Many of us send out hundreds of e-mails per month, but do we think about the influence (or non-influence) they have? Stacey Hanke looks at ways to improve e-mailing.

19 Green Guide 2009 >

The faltering economy has caused a bit of a slide in the green movement – with many companies just trying to survive, green initiatives aren’t getting the same due they were in 2008. However, that doesn’t mean nothing is happening. Check out some of the latest green news and trends, beginning on page 19.

30 Webinars >

A lot of managers and planners are looking for ways to have greener meetings. Perhaps the most overlooked possibility is a webinar. Out technology guru and futurist Peter De Jager explains their simplicity and effectiveness.

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The Planner is distributed to professional meeting and event planners across Canada.

M ANAGING E DITOR

A SSOCIATE E DITOR G RAPHIC A RTIST S ALES C IRCULATION C ONTRIBUTERS

Leo Gervais lgervais@theplanner.ca Camille Lay clay@theplanner.ca Matt Riopel James Paulson jpaulson@theplanner.ca Patricia Lemus Dionne Bishop, Hayley Bishop, Jyl Ashton Cunningham, Guylaine Dallaire, Peter De Jager, Stacey Hanke, Manon Harvey, Tom Price, Barry Siskind, Sandra Wood

2105, de la Montagne, suite 100 Montréal, Quebec H3G 1Z8 Telephone : (514) 849-6841 ext. 315 Fax : (514) 284-2282 Your comments are appreciated: info@theplanner.ca Poste-publication No. 40934013 The Planner is published nine times a year.

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July-August ’09

Let’s keep face-to-face meetings alive

BY JYL ASHTON CUNNINGHAM The benefits of face-to-face meetings: You can actually see the person.

You can touch the person.

And it isn’t weird.

(Courtesy of Wiki Answers) he last thing that any meeting planner wants to hear is that face-to-face (F2F) meetings are becoming obsolete. For the moment, it appears there is little to be concerned about.

The F2F concept continues to be popular for corporate meetings, conferences and trade shows, even in the global age of social networking, where people have rapidly become accustomed to sharing their most private and even intimate thoughts and photos with the world, without ever having to leave their homes.

Stacey Hanke’s recent article (“Face-to-face communication is the new trend”, The Planner May-June 2009) outlines the personal communication aspect of F2F and the topic is further developed in this article. The intention is not to compare the advantages and disadvantages of the two meeting types – such information is widely available on the internet – rather to look at the logic behind the strategies behind face to face and technology developments that may one day change the meeting planning industry completely.

There are many reasons why face-to-face meetings are so important. One is that they offer an unmatched opportunity to see people in their true colours. Case Study: Several years ago in London, England, a large food industry corporation held a student talent acquisition event for a couple of hundred young hopefuls looking for high entry-level salaries in a marketing career. A good friend was among students selected to attend, from top universities across the country. Drinks flowed and guests were shown an excellent time all round, with food and entertainment to elevate the mood. The friend sensibly sipped a very diluted drink, while others availed themselves liberally of free booze and canapés.

While the event was in progress, several corporate “plants” were vetting the group, subtly noting those who over-imbibed.

Needless to say, the drinkers never made it to the second round of interviews. Would it have been possible to conduct a similar screening process via the Internet or telephone? Probably not.

Was it an expensive undertaking? Absolutely, but hiring potentially irresponsible employees could carry a far higher price tag and liability down the road.

Such a direct screening practice probably wouldn’t happen nowadays, as drinking alcohol is no longer considered de rigueur in corporate circles and such tactics might be considered offensive.

However face-to-face career drives and talent fairs are still among the most effective ways of screening potential candidates.

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A fabulous cover letter and a first class resumé are often diminished by poor face-to-face skills at the interview process, which is generally where the final decision is made on whom to hire. People are reportedly judged by their peers within three seconds of meeting, with assessments based on body language, facial responses, eye contact, dress and posture. Unfair as it may seem, it’s how things work and is not possible to do without being face to face.

As a meeting planner, the responsibility of planning a successful F2F meeting for any genre – such as corporate, association or the media – lies beyond goals, objectives, education and return on investment. Bringing people together, especially from different parts of the world, for a face-to-face meeting requires skill, creativity and guts. Being able to justify bringing a busy delegate across the globe to a three-day meeting is crucial, otherwise some top people may simply decline the invitation.

While meeting content and education is extremely important, the main objective of meeting face to face is networking, as the rest of the time is spent being educated, motivated, entertained and fed. Several elements can be brought into a F2F meeting that often would not be possible in virtual circumstances. The atmosphere of a gala dinner, live entertainment and even a workshop environment are all still just beyond the extent to which virtual meetings operate.

The Canadian Urban Transit Association, based in Toronto holds two major conferences each year, each with its own regular audience. CUTA uses interesting and sometimes eclectic venues in cities with major transit systems, across Canada. The same delegates attend year after year yet the face-to-face experience is always animated and educational. The fall conference welcomes around 450 delegates and a trade show that includes over 30 buses and 120 booths. The concept of running such an event remotely would be futile, so for CUTA the F2F meeting is here to stay.

STRENGTHEN BONDS It is claimed that face-to-face meetings strengthen bonds among team members who might normally only meet on line or by telephone. I recently took a group of independent sales agents from across Canada representing a Toronto engineering firm to Nassau, Bahamas. They each said that the most important aspect of the trip was being able to interact with like-minded professionals and that by meeting each other in both a formal and recreational environment, they were able to bond more effectively as colleagues. They also validated their own roles within the company structure and were able to air grievances and criticisms in a more constructive manner than if they had been in a virtual situation. The group meets once a year face to face at a resort and the rest of the time remotely or face to face in small groups.

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Making the case for face-to-face marketing

BY BARRY SISKIND

WORDS

The most important single ingredient in the formula of success is knowing how to get along with people.

Theodore Roosevelt hink back to the people you feel comfortable with. It could be your spouse, other members of your family, colleagues, business associates, customers or even the mail carrier. What is it about these people that make you feel comfortable? Where does this comfort come from?

It may have been a common experience you had with a particular person — a movie you both appreciated, mutual friends and acquaintances, or a similar outlook on life. If you have the same experience with the people you do business with, the results can be the same. The people we like to do business with are people we like, respect, and trust – people we feel comfortable with. But where does this comfort come from?

In the 1960s, psychologist Albert Mehrabrian conducted a groundbreaking experiment. He found that people judge other people based on three observable clues: words, the para-verbal, and the nonverbal.

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Think about someone you met for the first time. You may have thought to your self, “What an interesting person. I really liked the way he or she answered that question. That is exactly what I would have said.” Or you may have thought, “This person is a real jerk. I never would have said that.” Either reaction would have been based on what the person said — the words — but words are only one part of the equation.

PARA-VERBAL Para-verbal is not what you say but how you say it. It is the tone, pace, tempo, speed, or volume of your voice. We all listen to people and create impressions of them based on how they use their voices. This is the second part of the equation. But there is one more element.

NONVERBAL Yes, we do judge a book by its cover. We are all guilty of judging people by how they present themselves. We might say, “There is a successful person—she has that look of confidence in her eye.” What do para-verbal and nonverbal clues have to do with face to face marketing – everything? Mehrabrian discovered that the relative importance of each in the equation is as follows: Words: 7 percent Para-verbal: 38 percent Nonverbal: 55 percent These numbers tell us that 93 percent of a person’s impressions of another is not directly related to what they say but how they say it; an important lesson for anyone in business.

Customers do not just look for the best price – they also need a comfort level with the people they plan to do business with and they can only achieve this goal through a face-to-face marketing experience. Rapport will develop faster and last longer if you show your customer how much their business means to you rather than tell them. Build rapport with actions rather than words.

RAPPORT DURING THE ICE BREAKER When you greet someone for the first time, it’s difficult to know how this person will react. If the person is timid and you greet them with a loud and boisterous “Hello!” there is a good chance this person will quickly move on.

The best way to approach and begin to make someone feel comfortable is in a manner that is most compatible with the way they normally act. Rapport building starts the minute the conversation begins. Listen and watch how this person answers questions.

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Customers want to know the people they are going to do business with Don’t just listen to the words; also study the para-verbal and nonverbal.

Para-verbal clues will reveal that some people speak loudly and others are softspoken, some will talk fast and others slowly, some have lots of inflection in their voice and others are monotone.

Nonverbal clues reveal that some people are demonstrative and others are standoffish, some will stand tall with perfect posture and others will slouch, some will come inside your personal space and others will keep their distance.

While many of the differences may be cultural, they all give strong clues on how you should proceed. By reading the clues properly, you are taking the first important step toward building rapport.

Let’s assume you approached by a potential customer and asked a well thought-out question. Let’s suppose that this person replies in a soft voice as in our previous example. If you normally speak in a loud voice and don’t adjust the volume this person will feel alienated and uncomfortable and a wall of indifference will develop. When you lower your voice to match theirs, the chance of creating comfort is greatly enhanced. There are many clues to look for such as posture, gestures, personal space, personal greetings, speed, pace, and tone of voice, to name a few.

By matching the para-verbal and nonverbal, you two now have something in common. As you proceed, look for additional clues that tell you how to act.

One word of clarification: Even though para-verbal and non-verbal are adjusted to match the person you are with, you never change your level of enthusiasm for your product or service. If a prospect approaches and the person’s body language says he or she is tired and irritable, you adjust your para-verbal and nonverbal to closely reflect theirs, but on the inside you always remain as passionate and enthusiastic as ever.

As you proceed, look for additional clues that tell you how to act.

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CONCLUSION While e-commerce is growing by leaps and bounds, there are still many situations where customers want to know the people they are going to do business with. The best tool in your marketing arsenal is face-to-face opportunities like special events and trade shows. When you add well honed rapport building skills to your approach, you can expect a definite increase in your results.

Barry Siskind is North America’ foremost trade and consumer show expert. Visit his Web site: www.siskindtraining.com or e-mail him at: barry@siskindtraining.com.

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7

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Tourism is key in Ontario

Fill each square with a number from 1 to 9 so that every number appears only once in each row, column and cell.

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We all know about Niagara Falls, the CN Tower and the beautiful Muskoka region, but did you know that tourism is the key driver of Ontario’s economy? Total tourism spending in Ontario was more than $22 billion in 2007.

Sick-noters in Britain get a healthy dose of reality Britain’s “sick-note culture” which includes a high rate of employee benefits exploitation has forced the government to introduce ‘fit notes’ in which doctors will specify what a recently sick employee can and cannot do e.g. someone with a sore back can’t pick up boxes but can answer the telephone, the Daily Mail reported recently.

The new form will be standardized and computer printed, leaving no room for incomprehensible medical scrawl written by a buddy forging a doctor’s signature.

The ‘fit notes’ will come into effect in the spring of 2010.

eBay not liable to L’Oreal: Court A British court ruled recently that eBay Inc. is not liable for bogus beauty products sold on its Web site, thwarting cosmetics company L’Oreal SA’s legal campaign against the online auction giant. The court ruled eBay Europe was not liable for trademark infringements committed by its users. The message is clear: When it comes to buying on the Internet, Caveat Emptor Tempus Maximus (Buyer Beware Big Time).

LEVEL: EASY

Solution, page 14

LEVEL: INTERMEDIATE

Solution, page 14

Is Twitter tipping off burglars?

How personal should you get with social networking sites like Twitter and Facebook? Consider the case of Israel Hyman and his wife who went online with real-time details of a recent trip, including details of when he left his home in Mesa, Ariz. and when he arrived in Kansas City, Mo. While they were on the road, their home was burglarized. Hyman has an online video business called IzzyVideo.com, with more than 2,000 followers on Twitter.

He believes his Internet updates tipped the burglars off.

Here are some tips for making social networking safer: • Never include personal information like telephone numbers and addresses, or even the city you live in as this makes it easy to track you • Tell people you will be out of the office, not out of town • Adjust your settings so you can screen Twitter followers and Facebook friends • Always think twice about any content you want to include, including photos of you and your family

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July-August ’09

Cost is always a consideration for F2F CONTINUED FROM PAGE 5

corporate social responsibility perspective. Other serious factors that may affect transporting people globally to physically interact include pandemics, terrorism and green initiatives, all issues that were quite rare only 10 years ago, and all of which require now require careful consideration when planning an international event.

When considering face-to-face versus virtual communication, ask yourself this question: How often have you answered the telephone to a sales caller saying, “Hi, how are you today?” (before any introductions have been made). Do you find yourself becoming instantly suspicious of the caller trying to sell something, or do you respond with a friendly “I’m just fine thanks, and you?”

If you encountered a person in the street who asked you the same question, even a total stranger, your response would likely be the second one, as the initial question really only works successfully as a friendly face-to-face experience. On the telephone, it’s just annoying and even invasive, yet so many sales pitches start in exactly that way.

In conclusion, the argument of F2F versus virtual meetings will continue well into the 21st Century. However, human nature is to be with other humans and isolating them in virtual circumstances cannot be healthy in the long term. Depending on the mission, face-to-face meetings can bring delegates together and provide a quality experience that virtual communication cannot compete with.

••• Jyl Ashton Cunningham is a meeting and incentive planner and freelance writer based in Oakville, Ontario. Jyl can be reached at: info@jaacevents.com

There is a school of thought that F2F meetings have outlived their usefulness.

With the increasing popularity of telepresence technology, albeit at a very high installation cost and monthly maintenance fee, boardroom meetings have taken on a whole new dimension.

Originally designed by Teleris and since developed by Cisco, HP and LifeSize to name a few, the effect is incredibly realistic, with typically half the attendees being in one location and half in another on a giant pan screen, with each side of the board room table appearing to become one unit. The attendees appear lifesized on each side of the table and real-time meetings can be held across the globe for a fraction of the cost of flying and hotel expenses.

If you haven’t seen this technology, it really is something to experience. The only issue I encountered last year with Telepresence, is that the meeting room became extremely hot and uncomfortable for the users, due to the equipment being used giving off significant heat with insufficient ventilation. Also, drinks could not be brought into the room, so the meeting had to have frequent breaks. At that time, the room was limited to six participants in each of two locations, however technology continues to develop and improve, so we could well see several large meeting rooms join together remotely for a major conference in the not too distant future.

There is a school of thought that F2F meetings have outlived their usefulness and that everything that could be done to improve them has already been done. Cost is usually the first issue to be brought up when weighing the pros and cons of face to face versus virtual meetings, as well as environmental debates on whether conferences and conventions are even ethical from a

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Follow these steps to create e-mails that influence others to take action

BY STACEY HANKE

When face-to-face is not an option ou began your day scanning your email messages identifying what messages were priorities for you to respond and take action. What grabbed your attention to open these messages? Was it the generic subject line stamped URGENT? Was it the poor grammar, long sentences and paragraphs?

These e-mails are sitting in your inbox unread and will never be opened.

The risks increase when you’re trying to communicate a message via e-mail that impacts, motivates and influences action.

Think and prepare before you send an e-mail. We get caught up in the day-to-day grind of getting through our email quickly only to find a longer list in our inbox the next day. The tone communicated through your choice of words, grammar and sentence structure will determine if you build or jeopardize a relationship and succeed or fail to influence others to take action.

When face-to-face communication isn’t an option your words and the structure of your email need to be effective and powerful. The challenge is getting your reader to open your message, read it and take action.

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• Get to the point! E-mail isn’t for writing articles.

• Use bullet points to add emphasis to your words.

• Write in short sentences and paragraphs.

• Highlight, bold and italicize your key points and ideas.

• When scheduling a meeting provide up to three dates and times for your reader to choose.

The third step to influencing action; design your message for THEM and not the entire organization. Although this might seem obvious, most of us tend to bypass this step. How many times have you receive emails and your name is in the “CC” column along with hundreds? When you tap into what is important to your reader you begin to influence them to take action.

Create your message with a clear and concise objective. Structure your message in a way that immediately communicates your purpose, action and benefits. As a result, you minimize miscommunication.

THE FOUR STEPS How do you grab your boss’s attention when they work miles away? It’s critical your subject line grabs attention. Avoid the generic subject lines that read; urgent, follow-up, looking for your response. A subject line needs provide the takeaway of your message Second, how do you keep your readers attention? Design a message that’s visually appealing and easy to read.

• Immediately communicate your purpose.

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Take at least five minutes to identify what’s important to your reader by applying the acronym K.N.O.W. K – what does your reader know about your topic?

N – what do they need to know to take action?

O – what is their opinion on your topic?

W – who are they?

When identifying who, consider the following.

• What do they know about your topic?

• What do you want them to know about the topic?

• What are their expectations?

• How will the action you want them to take benefit them?

• What preconceived ideas do they have about your topic?

• What’s their past experience with this topic?

• What’s important to your reader?

• Why is this message being delivered now?

• Will your message have more information than your reader needs or wants to hear? How will you prioritize your key points and ideas?

Fourth, create your message with a clear and concise objective. Structure your message in a way that immediately communicates your purpose, action and benefits. As a result, you minimize miscommunication.

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Share your opinions on the topic to show where you stand • Opinion - To influence and build trust, first share your opinion about your topic. Without this step, your reader will be confused about where you stand on the topic and what you’re asking them to do.

“To stay ahead of the competition and build your business, it’s important you apply the proper closing to a sale.”

The word important emphasizes your opinion.

SUCCESSFUL E-MAILS WITH TEN EASY TIPS :

1. Insert the e-mail address last to prevent selecting send when you have a half written email or if you haven’t completed the editing process.

2. If you have an attachment to send, make this action your second step. Forgetting the attachment minimizes your credibility.

SPECIFIC ACTION STEP When you specifically communicate the action you want the reader to take, they’ll be able to make a decision immediately.

Example: “Sign up for the one hour Effective Closings to a Sale workshop today.”

• Benefits - Your reader wants to know “What’s in it for me?”

Benefits are the most persuasive element of your message.

“When you sign up today, you’ll begin to receive immediate sales tools for increasing profits, building relationships and expanding your clientele.”

We’ve taken advantage of the real purpose behind sending email messages and have lost touch with best practices. Most of us are oblivious to how our readers interpret our messages.

Before sending your message ask yourself, “Is what I meant to say understood?” and “Did I communicate enough or too much information?”

3. Insert a topic within the subject line to grab attention! Your subject needs to be very short, specific and to the point.

The success of your message will depend on the effort and planning you put forth.

• What action you want your reader to take and the level of influence your message will have.

• What possible interpretations your reader may have based on your writing style.

• What results your message will have based on who will receive it.

When the stakes are high and you’re hesitant of how your reader will respond, send a voicemail message first with the key takeaways. In your voicemail message indicate you’ll include this information in an email message.

Here are some examples of when the stakes are high and a voicemail message may be needed to add explanation.

• Negotiating fees, services, etc.

• Building a relationship with a potential client for the first time.

• Resolving a challenging situation.

• Asking for clarification.

• Don’t use e-mail to discuss confidential information. If you don’t want it posted on a bulletin board, don’t send it.

7. If a question is raised that requires further explanation, or changes the tone of the message to a more critical or urgent response, don’t send another email. The dialogue needs the attention of a face-to-face or phone conversation.

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4. Don’t get carried away with Reply to All. Research the needs of your readers to determine “need to know” verses “nice to know.”

5. Be concise and to the point with paragraph breaks, bullet points, etc. A long email is discouraging to read.

6. To encourage a response, ask open ended questions and set specific deadline dates if action is required. This is one of the most important methods of reducing the number of emails you receive.

8. ALWAYS use spell check for proper spelling, grammar and punctuation. Read ALL emails before you press send. When making points, number them or mark each point separately. Treat your email messages like you’d write an article published on the front page of the New York Times.

9. Respond to emails within twenty-four hours or less.

If you need time to research information, send a message saying you’ve received it, what you need to do to provide the correct information and when you’ll get back to them.

10. WHEN YOU WRITE IN ALL CAPS, IT’S PERCEIVED AS IF YOU’RE SHOUTING. Your message will either annoy or trigger an unwanted response.

Stacey Hanke is an executive consultant, author, coach and speaker with 1st Impression Consulting, Inc. in Chicago, Ill. Contact her at: stacey.hanke@1stimpressionconsulting.com or (773) 209-5970.

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Some airlines won’t survive: Branson Ulysses delights travelers If you are coming to Montréal soon and are planning to spend some time in Old Montréal, Ulysses has come out with an excellent little guide book called Delights of Old Montréal. The book retails for about $19.95.

On the Web: www.ulyssesguides.com

Reveling in unknown Canada The Canadian Tourism Commission recently launched a campaign aimed at getting canadians to travel to little known parts of the country. The “Locals Know” campaign was launched with $10 million in federal funding for each of the next two years to support at-home tourism. People are encouraged to upload photos of their favourite Canadian travel spots.

On the Web: www.localsknow.ca

Caesars Windsor awards $10,000 in meeting and event professionals “What Would You Do?” promotion Caesars Windsor recently awarded a $10,000 cash prize in the “What Would You Do?” promotion specifically for meeting and event planning professionals. Dawn Bucknam of Representation Plus was selected as the grand prize winner in the inaugural contest.

The promotion was designed to foster a relationship between the Caesars Windsor Hotel Sales Team and meeting professionals, by asking an open-ended question: What Would You Do with $10,000 cash?

The program ran from February until June 2009 and meeting professionals were asked to submit ideas about what they would do personally with the winning prize money. Some suggestions included: shopping, traveling and home renovations as well as other creative ideas such as using the prize as “personal financial bailout money.”

“We know meeting professionals work very hard and we wanted to introduce a promotion that specifically rewards them” said Shelley Sechopoulos, Director of Hotel and Convention Sales for Caesars Windsor. “It is the very nature of the business for an event planner to be the ring leader, working hard behind the scenes, so that every one of their attendees sees nothing but a fluid and successful event.”

So what will Dawn do with the $10,000 cash? “I promised my daughter a puppy and my husband a new set of golf clubs. I think for myself, a shopping trip is in order!” said Dawn.

Caesars Windsor is Ontario’s largest convention resort, featuring more than 100,000 sq. ft. of convention space, seven conference rooms, eight restaurants and lounges, two levels of non-stop gaming action and a luxurious 758-room Four Diamond hotel.

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British entrepreneur Richard Branson, founder and president of Virgin Atlantic Airways, said recently it is unlikely that all big U.S. airlines will survive the next 12 to 18 months.

“I don’t think that the American government will yet again put more billions into the airline industry. They’ve learned their lessons from the car industry,” Branson said in a recent interview in Tokyo. He added that at least two airline companies are vulnerable, but did not specify which.

Virgin Atlantic said on May 26 that its yearly profits nearly doubled, but warned that the weak economic environment would make it “almost impossible” for airlines to make a profit in the current year.

Meanwhile, Branson also said Virgin Atlantic wants to launch flights between Australia and Tokyo’s Haneda Airport, which is currently undergoing a major expansion, in the next 12 to 18 months.

Ryanair gets rid of checked bags Ryanair’s CEO Michael O’Leary announced recently that the airline wants its passengers “...to bring two or three pieces of luggage that pass through the airport security check instead of one big suitcase which has to be handled by ground services.”

The Dublin-based budget carrier will only allow Internet check-in from October at the latest and plans to ban bag check-in in 2010.

About 25 percent of Ryanair’s passengers now travel with luggage that must be processed by ground handlers. The airline has said it will require travelers to take luggage to a “bag drop” and plans to shut check-in desks. The rapidly-expanding airline is planning several new bases, including one in Germany and another in Malta.

On the Web: www.ryanair.com

Airline losses will top $4.7B in 2009: IATA It started at a whopping US$2.5 billion in December, but world airlines are set to lose US$4.7 billion this year industry body IATA said recently.

The International Air Transport Association said the losses are a result of the global recession that has shrunk passenger and cargo demand.

“The state of the airline industry today is grim. Demand has deteriorated much more rapidly with the economic slowdown than could have been anticipated even a few months ago,” IATA’s Director-General Giovanni Bisignani stated in July. “The relief of lower fuel prices is overshadowed by falling demand and plummeting revenues. The industry is in intensive care.”

IATA, which represents 230 airlines including British Airways, Cathay Pacific, United Airlines, and Emirates, also raised its estimate of international airline losses in 2008 to US$8.5 billion, from its previous US$8 billion estimate.

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July-August ’09

Bankrupt GM owes Enterprise Rent-A-Car and Maritz millions

Sunstone to forfeit W San Diego

General Motors Corp., which filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy recently, owes millions to two St. Louis, MO companies, Enterprise Rent-A-Car and Maritz Inc. GM owes more than $33 million to St. Louis’s largest privately held company, Enterprise Rent-a-Car, which is listed as a creditor in the bankruptcy petition filed Monday in New York.

The car rental giant reported $13.1 billion in revenue in 2008.

GM had promised to buy back $33 million in vehicles from Enterprise as part of a repurchase agreement that's similar to a lease, said Christy Conrad, a spokeswoman for Enterprise.

GM also owes Maritz Inc. in Fenton more than $25.6 million, according to the filing.

GM hired Maritz to perform customer satisfaction research and surveys, as well as training for dealers to boost customer satisfaction. Maritz also provides event and incentive programs for GM. Maritz also performs work for Chrysler, which filed for bankruptcy in April. Maritz continues to receive payments from Chrysler, Rusert said. Maritz, a family-owned sales and marketing services company in Fenton, reported $1.49 billion in revenue in 2008.

GM, which makes Chevrolet Express and GMC Savana vans in Wentzville, listed $173 billion in liabilities and $82 billion in assets in its bankruptcy filing.

PCMA survey looks at meetings According to a survey of 516 meeting planners conducted by Ypartnership for the Professional Convention Management Association, the PCMA Education Foundation and American Express, 47 percent of planners expect to see no change in the number of off-site meetings they will book in 2009 and 2010 over the previous 12 months, and 9 percent of the respondents will plan more meetings. Forty-four percent of those surveyed expect to book fewer off-site meetings in 2009-10 vs. the previous 12 months. Nearly all of those who expected to plan fewer meetings agreed on the cause: 90 percent said meetings budgets were being reduced “due to general economic conditions.” Also cited by 35 percent of those who expected a decrease were “image/publicity/public policy considerations.”

PCMA president and CEO Deborah Sexton said, “The insights revealed in this survey confirm what most in the industry have assumed to be true in recent months: The economy is the primary culprit for the challenges now facing the industry. But professional planners are clearly concerned about the image issues and negative rhetoric associated with hosting meetings as well.”

In a press conference, Peter Yesawich, chairman and CEO of Ypartnership, said, “As soon as the economy takes that turn and improves, I think the industry will be the beneficiary of that and pretty quickly.” Respondents were drawn from PCMA’s database of association planners and American Express’s list of corporate planners.

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Sunstone Hotel Investors Inc. intends to forfeit the 258-room W San Diego to its lenders after its efforts to reach a compromise on the luxury hotel's $65 million securitized mortgage failed.

Sunstone, a real-estate investment trust that owns 43 hotels, bought the W for $96 million in 2006 from a group led by developer Gatehouse Capital Corp. Since then, the slumping performance of the W San Diego and the broader hotel market has made supporting that mortgage a challenge for Sunstone.

Foreclosures and forfeitures of hotels are becoming commonplace in this recession, though a public REIT turning over a highprofile, luxury property still is rare. Default rates on securitized mortgages backed by hotels have risen sharply as travelers have cut back, occupancies and revenues have tanked and, subsequently, hotel owners have run into difficulty making their debt payments.

A recent report by the special servicer of the W’s mortgage, Centerline Serving Inc., noted that the W San Diego since 2007 has failed to generate enough monthly income to cover both its operating costs and its interest payments.

Sunstone, based in San Clemente, Calif., estimates the W San Diego is worth much less than the $65 million balance on its mortgage. At the end of last year, the hotel posted an occupancy of 69% and generated revenue per available room of nearly $153.

The W San Diego is managed by Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide Inc., which owns the W brand. Management contracts typically survive foreclosure.

Two new Indigo Hotels in Canada Continuing the boutique brand’s global rollout, Hotel Indigo recently announced the opening of the Hotel Indigo Toronto Airport and plans for its third Canadian property in Vancouver, British Columbia, which will open just in time for the 2010 Winter Olympics. Hotel Indigo Ottawa opened in February 2007 as the brand’s first property in Canada.

The Hotel Indigo Toronto is located minutes from the Toronto Pearson International Airport as well as several major corporate offices, including Air Canada, Colgate-Palmolive, Boeing Toronto Ltd. and Hewlett-Packard. In addition to immediate access to an international gateway, business travellers are only 20 minutes from the heart of downtown Toronto, home to an array of entertainment from restaurants and concert venues to museums.

Hotel Indigo Toronto features inviting guestrooms with plush bedding, hard-surface flooring with area rugs, a spa-inspired bath experience, and complimentary high-speed Internet access in guestrooms and public spaces. Additionally, the hotel has almost 2,000 sq. ft. of meeting space for business functions and special events, a 24-hour business center, a sauna and indoor swimming pool, and a well-equipped fitness studio.

On the Web: www.ihg.com Ed. Note: All figures in U.S. dollars unless otherwise stated.

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Claridge and Dior will partner in “nostalgic escapism” August 3 – Civic holiday (All provinces, except Quebec and the Yukon) August 24 2009 Society of Incentive and Travel Executives Annual Golf Tournament, The Country Club, Woodbridge, Ont. Contacts: www.sitecanada.org.

Tel.: (905) 868-8008.

September 7 – Labour Day

September 15 2009 MPI – Manitoba Chapter Season Opener – Historical Haunted Winnipeg Tour.

Contact: www.mpiweb.mb.ca September 17 2009 MPI – Calgary Chapter AGM/Volunteer Drive Cocktail Reception Contact: w.mpi-gcc.org October 12 - Thanksgiving (Canada)

You want class, you’ve got it.

Claridge’s Mayfair, a Five-star London landmark hotel, is partnering with legendary fashion and fragrance house Christian Dior to create an exclusive dressing table service, offering guests all the beauty essentials en suite necessary to get ready for a glamourous night out.

The “Dior Dressing Table at Claridge’s” offers guest a carefully curated range of timeless accessories, including an elegant cream silk Claridge’s dressing gown personalized with guests initials, high-heeled marabou mule slippers and a rose pink cashmere eye mask. Classic Dior fragrances like Diorissimo will adorn the dressing table itself.

Hollywood glamourized the boudoir in the 1930s and 40s as the epitome of a romantic retreat, so the legendary Claridge’s seems like a sensible choice for its revival.

“We have identified from our guests a desire to experience some nostalgic escapism and sense a return to bygone glamour. Both Claridge’s and Dior are synonymous with the combination of impeccable heritage, inherent glamour and contemporary thinking,” said Claridge’s General Manager Philippe Leboeuf.

On the Web: www.claridges.co.uk

October 15 2009 MPI – Montreal Chapter Site Visit Day in Montréal Contact: www.mpimontreal.com November 11- Remembrance Day

November 12-15 2009 CanSPEP Annual Conference, Innovation and Inspiration, The Westin Nova Scotian Halifax Hotel, Halifax, Nova Scotia. Contact : www.canspep.ca, Tel.: (905) 868-8008.

If you have an event, contact us at: info@theplanner.ca

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July-August ’09

Understanding the color green

BY TOM PRICE

reen, eco-friendly, sustainable or whatever we choose to label it, is a dimension of our life, our world and our universe.

It is as real as gravity, sunshine or waking up to start a new day. It is not only a marketing trend, a way to save and make money or reason to vote for a certain political leader – it is a way to define ourselves and our desire to live in harmony with our planet.

Too often, we try to put the green question in a box, thinking that if we recycle a little more or turn off a few more lights we are satisfying our “green quota.” Increasing specific “acts of green” is important, but we need to come to an understanding of the bigger “green picture’ to become more effective “green leaders.”

There are ways to be “greener” (lower your carbon footprint) in all aspects of our lives, both personally and professionally. I have developed a theory that expresses the scope and impact of the issue.

The Green Continuum Theory simply states that from the moment we are born until the day we die (or later), every decision or action that we take has an effect on the world we live in. By realizing that as humans we are not separate from the natural order – but very much a part of it – we can rethink how our past actions and decisions affect our planet and make important changes going forward.

We have created a world based on endless resources that flow to our fingertips: water flows freely from our taps, electricity flows freely to our wall plugs, wood resources flow freely to our printers and food flows freely to our supermarkets. There are very few controls... except YOU! The size of your “control valve” depends on the number of people that you are making a decision on behalf of yourself, your family, your corporation, an association, delegates to your conference, residents of your city, etc. It can be pretty big.

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How can you be a better valve? One-way is through becoming more aware of the options, in other words through education.

The Web and your local newsstand are full of sources of current information on products, services and organizations that can get you started. Three that I have found particularly useful are www.thegreenguide.com by National Geographic, www.treehugger.com and www.greenlivingonline.com Warning: Once you get started learning about green products it can become very addictive! Beware of “greenwashing” – the unscrupulous use of feel-good or natural sounding descriptions and labeling without sufficient supporting evidence of sustainable effects.

Planning a green meeting is a great example of exhibiting green leadership. Activities associated with meetings have a very large impact on our planet because they involve using products and services that have been processed from natural resources and have a historical carbon footprint! These processes include: agriculture, transportation, forestry, power generation and construction, just to name a few.

There are many reasons to consider holding a green meeting.

Among them are: conserving energy and reducing waste saves money; the meeting presents an opportunity to educate participants, organizers and suppliers about the benefits of sustainability; green organizations have a positive public image; hosting a green meeting can stimulate an organization to institute environmental protection policies; green and socially responsible organizations can better attract and retain employees. However, much has been written on why and how to hold a green meeting, so I will simply point you to a few sources that I have found useful: www.environmentcanada.com, www.greenmeetings.info, www.mpiweb.org and www.pcma.org.

Leadership by any color is a lifestyle choice, so choose green!

Tom Price is the Vice-President of Sales and Marketing for White Oaks Resort & Spa. he can be reached at: tprice@whiteoaksresort.com.

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What makes Toronto sustainable and green

Ed. Note: The Planner asked Tourism Toronto to tell us about the greening of Toronto. This is their report. oronto: A place where inspiring ideas converge, originality is celebrated and magic happens as a result. Toronto is an innovative, progressive, forward-looking city – and it’s green.

Toronto is a bustling, urban metropolis but it’s also a city dedicated to its natural beauty. Take in the view from one of the city’s skyscrapers and you’ll see that Toronto is a surprisingly green city. Clusters of canopies formed by more than three million old and fresh trees act as portals to the many green spaces where Torontonians play, meet and appreciate nature.

The meaning of “green” has changed and continues to evolve, with as many meanings as the shades of green itself. To some, “green” initiatives and sustainability seem to be a new trend or a fad in popular culture. But to Toronto, sustainability is truly a way of life, and has been for a long time. It’s a daily consideration of social responsibility, an attitude shift and a filter that changes how and what you do on a daily basis.

In Toronto, green is a colour. Toronto’s landscape is made up of green parks, conversation areas, a protected greenbelt and a 195 km stretch of bike and pedestrian paths and beachfront to be enjoyed by all.

Toronto is passionate about its natural beauty, but doesn’t limit green to a colour. Green can also be found in the city’s 30-storey wind turbine, located at Exhibition Place (home to the Direct Energy Centre), and in the deep-lake water used a cool 47 downtown buildings, including the Metro Toronto Convention Centre, which proudly hosted Canada’s first zero-waste event convention in 2007. It is evident in Toronto’s energy conversation and waste reduction programs, green roofs, urban forestry, recycling and transportation programs.

Toronto is the perfect setting for your green meeting, with the city’s commitments to protecting biodiversity, improving indoor air and environmental quality, reducing energy demand and consumption, and retrofitting buildings, as well as our green fleet transition plans, innovative building strategies, hybrid vehicle,

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biofuel testing, smog alert response plans, climate change studies, renewable energy initiatives, environmental design and many more innovative ideas.

In Toronto, green is a commitment to change business practices, from sourcing suppliers with sustainable practices and choosing double-sided printing to carbon-offsetting of flights.

That commitment also motivates municipal action plans, including and adjustment of weekly garbage pickups to biweekly and compost pickups to weekly.

So Toronto is green, and green is here to stay if we maintain a delicate balance and make effective changes that consider the social, the economic and the environmental impacts of our business and our activities. You can start small and momentum builds.

Tourism Toronto is taking proactive steps towards becoming the greenest convention and visitors bureau in North America.

Over the last year, we’ve changed the way we work to minimize our ecological footprint, while continuing to educate ourselves as an organization and to share information with our community and others which choose Toronto for their meetings and events.

From zero-waste meetings to local catering, we make green simple.

CHOOSING GREENER PASTURES Here are some suggestions to help you minimize and offset the negative environmental impact of your events: 1. Use the Environmental Performance Index (EPI) too learn about a country’s environmental sustainability. The EPI uses 16 environmental policy targets to measure a country’s commitment and efforts towards protecting our earth. Canada ranks number one in the Americas.

2. Choose a city that is closest to the majority of your delegates, in order to cut pollution produced by travel. For example, Toronto is just a 90-minute flight for 60% of the US population.

3. When formulating your RFP, include a “Sustainability Preference” clause. Tourism Toronto can assist you with this.

4. Ask the CVB to recommend green venues and suppliers in your chosen city. For a listing of Tourism Toronto Green Members please refer to www.seetorontonow.com/Visitor/Plan-YourTrip/A-Green-City/Green-Members.aspx 5. Give your delegates a chance to feel they’re doing their part to help sustain the environment. Here are a few options: • Have a tree planned for each of your delegates • Make one of your convention activities a community cleanup.

• Donate to an environmental charity on behalf of your client • Organize a trip to a nature preserve to educate your delegates on environmental issues.

On the Web: www.seetorontonow.com/meetingplanners

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July-August ’09

Reducing your carbon “foodprint”

BY SANDRA WOOD, CMP he Green Meeting Industry Council held its annual conference in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania in February. In attendance were 180 meeting planners, destination representatives, suppliers and hoteliers from North America, Asia and Europe and the sessions were informative and enlightening. I’ve been reading, learning and practicing “green” meetings for several years now and just when I thought I had a pretty good grasp on greening, something new comes along that leaves me pensive and inspired to reduce, reuse, recycle and definitely rethink a whole lot more!

The conference session on food and beverage, in particular, left a lasting impression. The two presenters for the session were Krista Rakovan with the Humane Society of the United States and Greg Christian a well-known sustainable caterer from Chicago. I was moderating the session so it gave me a chance to learn from the presenters and do some additional research. I realized that food and beverage is not just about buying local, organic and avoiding bottled water (although those issues are all very important), there are other significant factors to consider which include meat, fish and water – how they are produced, the quantity we are consuming and the environmental impact that results.

So listed below are some compelling facts that may help you decide and prioritize how you can reduce the carbon “foodprint” of your meeting as well as a list of the recommendations that came out of the session on food and beverage.

I hope you find this useful. Remember that there are lots of great resources available to assist you in greening up your meeting.

PCMA, MPI, CIC, Environment Canada and GMIC all have information and sample guidelines. As well, the CIC is developing new green meetings standards that will be made available through APEX (Acceptable Practice Exchange) hopefully by the end of this year.

On the Web: www.conventionindustry.org/apex/inprogress.htm

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Statistics • The livestock sector is a major player, responsible for 18% of greenhouse gas emissions measured in CO2 equivalent. This is a higher share than transport.” (Source: “Livestock’s Long Shadow”, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, 2006).

On the Web: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Livestock's_Long_Shadow • It takes approximately 2,500 gallons of water to raise one pound of beef (Source: John Robbins, Diet for a New America and Earth Save) On the Web: www.earthsave.org/newsletters/water.htm 22

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• Canadians eat more than twice as much meat as the global average. An Oxford University study showed that in comparison to meat eaters, vegetarians had a 24 percent reduction in mortality from heart disease even when other lifestyle factors such as smoking, exercise, and socio-economic class were taken into account. (Source: David Suzuki Foundation) On the Web: www.davidsuzuki.org/NatureChallenge/Meals.asp • If every American skipped one meal of chicken per week and substituted vegetables and grains, for example, the carbon dioxide savings would be the same as taking more than half a million cars off of U.S. roads (Source: Environmental Defense Fund paper entitled “Fighting Global Warming with Food”) • We could run out of fish by 2048 if the current rate of decline continues worldwide (See two websites on this issue: http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2006/11/061102seafood-threat.html and http://www.washingtonpost.com/ wp-dyn/content/article/2006/11/02/AR2006110200913.html) • Inefficient and wasteful practices capture fish that are too small, and leave too few capable of reproducing. As a result, stocks are being depleted to the point where they cannot recover. Shrimp trawl fisheries have one of the highest levels of bycatch and discard rates: 70 to 100% of the catch is thrown back into the sea either dead or dying.

The FAO estimates that some 27 million tons of fish, or about 25% of all reported marine landings are discarded annually as bycatch (Source: Food and Agriculture Organizations (FAO) of the United Nations, SD Dimensions, Fish and Aquatic Life, February 1998) http://www.fao.org/sd/EPdirect/EPre0044.htm • 27% of all food produced in North America is wasted (Source: Toronto Environmental Handbook 1999 and Recycling Council of Ontario) • Organic farms use 33 to 56% less energy per hectare.

Organic farms need 10 to 70% fewer fossil fuels, according to European and American data presented at the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization. Organic methods actually capture atmospheric CO2 and incorporate it into the soil.

Rodale Institute’s calculations suggest that one 130 hectare farm going organic is equivalent to taking 117 cars off the road eliminating 526,500 kg of CO2 emissions.

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Water is at the center of many eco crises Each conversion to organic farming reduces the 680 billion kg of total CO@ emissions that conventional agriculture in the US alone produces annually. (Source: Alive Magazine, January 2008).

• Water is linked to the crises of climate change, energy and food supplies and prices, and troubled financial markets. Unless their links with water are addressed and water crises around the world are resolved, these other crises may intensify and local water crises may worsen, converging into a global water crisis and leading to political insecurity and conflict at various levels.

Overview of Key Messages, UN World Water (Source: Development Report No. 3, March 2009) On the Web: www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20090311.w water0312/BNStory/International/ and www.unesco.org/water/wwap/wwdr/wwdr3/tableof contents.shtml

Recommendations to reduce your meeting’s carbon “foodprint” 1. Choose seasonal produce.

2. When purchasing plant products choose local and/or organic.

3. Support local non-intensive farms and source local produce (aim for 70% or higher).

4. Choose smaller portions, less food (go from 4 course to 3 course meals).

5. Implement processes to reduce drinking water waste.

6. Avoid bottled water – water coolers are better and tap water is best.

7. When purchasing animal products choose organic from local sources.

8. Choose pasture-fed rather than grain-fed beef.

9. Provide more non-meat, non-dairy options, choose more plant sourced foods to eat lower down on the food chain.

10. Offer vegetarian meals and make them interesting for both meat and non-meat eaters for a healthier event experience.

11. Do not serve endangered fish and avoid products with high “bycatch” ratios (like shrimp), reduce the amount of times you offer fish and the quantity and use the various Websites with “seafood watch” listings to have the seafood you choose vetted before you include it in your menu.

12. Be innovative, try something new like a meat free lunch or a non-dairy dessert.

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13. Always tell your delegates what efforts you have gone to reduce the carbon “foodprint.”

14. Put wording into your RFP and contract to ask for all the above.

15. When selecting a vendor, do they or their suppliers have a CSR program that helps the environment and/or community (closer and cleaner).

16. Stay informed/up-to-date, things are constantly changing and evolving.

••• Sandra Wood is the Annual Meeting Manager for the Canadian Medical Association. She can be reached at: sandra.wood@cma.ca.

Waring House makes green changes count Ed. Note: The Planner asked owners Christopher and Norah Rogers what they did when they recently expanded The Waring House in Picton, Ontario. Green meant integrating every green feature they could possibly think of during the recent changes.

Named Commercial Project of the Year by the Prince Edward County Construction Association last February, it recently completed $5.5 million dollar project added 32 new rooms and suites to the historic Waring House, Restaurant, Inn, Conference Centre, and Cookery School.

Christopher Rogers believes the award is, partly at least, a testament to the environmentally friendly aspects of the design.

The two new buildings, each with 16 rooms and suites, were constructed with totally efficient geothermal heat and air conditioning. Although the 10-ft. high ceilings were designed to allow the geothermal unit to fit between the floors, the generous height also adds to the historical theme and spaciousness of the rooms.

“We have not been able to locate another inn or hotel in Ontario such as ours which has geothermal heating and air conditioning to this extent, although there is one in Quebec,” said Norah Rogers.

Continued on page 29

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Buying local means different things to people

BY LEO GERVAIS he explosion of interest in local food means planners (and other consumers) now have more choices of products, labels, and ways to shop, so many people are left wondering where to start. Food choices can be overwhelming and changing where and how we shop can be stressful. On the other hand, the benefits of buying local can be great. So, whether it is going directly to local suppliers or making sure caterers are going green, there are many things planners can do to augment local buying.

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WHAT EXACTLY IS LOCAL FOOD? Talk of local food is on everyone’s lips. But what does it mean? How local is local? Local is shorthand for an idea that doesn’t have a solid definition to many people. Unlike organic standards, which entail specific legal definitions, inspection processes, and labels, local means different things to different people, depending on where they live, when their growing season is, and what products are produced.

Local food production can be thought of like a series of everexpanding rings that starts with growing food at home. The next ring out might be food grown in our immediate community, then province, country and continent. For some parts of the year or for some products that thrive in the local climate, it may be possible to buy closer to home. At other times, or for less common products, an expanded reach may be required.

An example of a local product that reaches way beyond its immediate areas are the wines from the Okanagan Valley.

The $110-million industry is young, but its sells its wares to an ever-increasing customer base beginning in B.C. and expanding outward to other provinces and countries.

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For planners, a local caterer that tries to incorporate local products is always a blessing. At Catering By George in Montreal, former owner (and still employee) George Alevisatos says what they have tried to do is accentuate seasonal produce which is usually local.

“When we plan menus, we try to be local,” said Alevisatos.

“However, the client needs to be satisfied. If they want Alberta beef, that is obviously not going to be local. We tell them about the additional costs. So really, “green” is a byproduct since the motivating factor is the price point (prices at which demand is relatively high).”

Alevisatos did mention that over the years, the winter produce has improved considerably in Quebec, and his company can now purchase quality cucumbers and tomatoes from local greenhouses in the winter months.

There are other reasons to buy local. By adding transportation, processing and packaging to the food system equation, the fossil fuel and energy use of our current food system puts tremendous stress on the environment. For example, according to a recent study by Iowa State University, between production and transportation, growing 10% more produce for local consumption in Iowa would result in an annual savings ranging from 280,000 to 346,000 gallons of fuel, and an annual reduction in CO2 emissions ranging from 6.7 to 7.9 million pounds.

But again, the customer is always right Alevisatos concluded.

“We’re not in a perfect position. We morally try to use local.

The client is buying our philosophy if it works for them. In truth, always buying local only works for a granola – the consciousness of buying local is ever present, but the client is more conscious of the price,” he said.

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Jamaica is striving to be a green leader Ed. Note: The Planner staff thought it would be a good idea to ask the Jamaica Tourist Board to tell us about some of their eco-initiatives. Here is a look at some of the things top resorts on the famous island are undertaking.

Sandals and Beaches – This family of resorts take a passionate and trailblazing approach to protecting our precious surroundings and delicate ecosystems. Some initiatives include: contributing to support a local projects which work with fishermen to use better practices for their catch which results in preserving marine species and maintaining the delicate balance of the marine ecosystem; beach clean-up projects in which Sandals members are seen working alongside, fishermen and other community members cleaning beaches of garbage and debris; and a program to build, monitor and maintain coral reefs.

The Island Outpost group - With five properties in Jamaica – Jakes, The Caves, Strawberry Hill, GoldenEye and Geejam – the Island Outpost Group is committed to minimizing the impact of its properties on the environments they inhabit. They strive to preserve and enhance the habitats of all marine, bird, and wildlife, and the wealth of vegetation. Initiatives include: solar power panels; encouraging guests to turn off lights when they are not in their room and reuse towels; all spa products used in the properties are from Aveda who use organic plant ingredients and recycled plastic for their bottling; and the purchasing of local organic foods.

Half Moon: The 400-acre estate has a goal of becoming the world's most environmentally friendly hotel. From solar heated pools and an organic herbal garden and nurseries, to a 21-acre nature preserve, Half Moon is dedicated to protecting Jamaica’s precious natural beauty and resources. Half Moon has over the years integrated various green practices and initiatives in its operations. Among such initiatives are: a towel re-use program - old beach towels are used to make wash rags for cleaning; old linen are sent to the upholstery shop to make play items for the Anancy Children's Village; shredded papers are used as packing materials for guest when transporting craft items, and they are also sold to funeral homes to be used in the stuffing of caskets. Saw dust from the furniture shop is sent to the equestrian centre to be used as horse bedding while, horse dung is used as soil conditions in the nursery. Old batteries are sent to a battery dealer, waste oil is sent to a factory to be used in the manufacturing of poultry feed and waste auto oil is used in the manufacturing of biodiesel. Guests of the resort are also afforded the opportunity to contribute to these programs through various conservation signs such as water, electricity and chemical usage.

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Jamaica is riding the green wave.

A staunch conservationist, the 54-year-old resort reported a five percent decrease in its energy bill thanks to several conservation initiatives effected resort-wide that included replacing high wattage light bulbs with low-energy bulbs. Additionally, the resort's waste water treatment plant generates over 130,000 gallons of water per day that is used to irrigate the 400-acre property On the Web: www.visitjamaica.com

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Green meeting practices keep growing

BY JYL ASHTON CUNNINGHAM n an effort to raise the bar on green meetings, one United States association, The Green Meetings Industry Council, has gone the extra mile to standardize green practices and offer an excellent resource for meeting planners to improve the way they conduct business on a daily basis.

The GMIC’s mission is to transform the global meetings industry through sustainability. Currently, there are no chapters outside the US, however it is clear that this is an association that will grow in leaps and bounds in the coming years. Membership is around $200 CDN annually and the Council holds a conference each winter, which is generally very well attended.

There are currently around 50 Canadian members of GMIC – a number that will likely increase in the near future with the Canadian Federal Government’s recent announcement that any meeting planning company wishing to provide event planning services directly to federal departments needs to consider submitting a proposal in response to a Request for Standing Offer/Request for Supply Arrangement, scheduled to be published later this year.

This request is part of an ongoing effort by the government to set-up a central list of suppliers to be used government-wide.

There are similar arrangements for Professional Services (Human Resources, Change Management, Project Management), Informatics Professional Services, and other products and services. A request for feedback on the 60 page Request for Information was recently sent to meeting planners across Canada, asking for comments on several of the proposed requirements, notably green practices.

According to the document, meeting planners may be asked to justify their green practices and claims to be green operators, as follows:

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QUESTIONS RELATING TO GREEN PROCUREMENT • Can surplus assets be used for any portion of the work?

• Is it feasible to require in the RFSO/RFSA that Offerors/ Suppliers provide a listing of environmental attributes offered within their goods/services proposed, which will form part of any resulting Standing Offer/Supply Arrangement?

• What is the availability of rented signage and how feasible are reusable/recyclable exhibits?

• When will carbon assessments for EVENTS management companies be feasible?

• Which renewable fuels/energy sources for use in travel are currently being employed?

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• What is the feasibility of imposing the environmental criteria outlined in the RFSO / RFSA on subcontractors?

Additional Green Procurement Items for Comment: • Suppliers are requested to provide comments on the following: • Environmentally Preferable and Best in Class EVENTS Management Services: • Environmentally preferable EVENTS management services: create a small carbon footprint; • encourage participation by delegates through videoconferencing or teleconferencing rather than travelling to the event; • use electronic invitation, registration and coordination methods; • use recycled paper for printed material; • rent signage and rent or reuse exhibits; • avoid disposable dishes and single-serve containers for food and beverages; • provide fuel efficient and appropriately-sized vehicles for the function; • host the event at a “green” hotel with a strong environmental policy and action plan; and reduce lighting or conserve water and energy consumption wherever possible.

‘Best in class’ EVENTS management services include the criteria above as well as: • the creation of an event-wide environmental statement and mission; • reduce energy, water, and hazardous materials consumption; • purchase locally-grown and organic produce, local food supplies and locally produced beverages wherever possible; and • host the event at venue which are certified by an ecolabelling program.

Green procurement actions that have been identified in research and that may be addressed in future solicitations: • Renewable fuels / energy sources for use in travel; • Purchasing locally grown produce, local food supplies, and locally produced beverages, as well as organic foods and beverages; • ENERGY STAR qualified (or equivalent) equipment where applicable.

These requirements will inevitably raise the bar on green meeting management across Canada and may in future become the standards by which corporations select event management companies to do business with.

On the Web: www.greenmeetings.info

PLANNER

July-August ’09

NCCC to open as a green venue in 2011 Facility has obtained a LEED Silver designation

A few key points of the new facility:

hen the new 280,000 square foot Niagara Convention & Civic Centre (NCCC) opens in the Spring of 2011, it will offer both clients and staff exceptional environmentally healthy green alternatives for the new era. The sustainable features of the project are intended to minimize its environmental footprint and model positive sustainable practices as a way of operating every day.

“Unlike similar facilities that offer sustainable practices as an optional add-on to purchase, the NCCC has endeavored to make the possibility and the decision easy,” said NCCC President and General Manager Kerry Painter. “This will not be a decision a planner has to consider or work into their program; all the tools will be available and ‘second nature’ to the staff who will guide you to the best possible green-responsible events and conferences.”

The facility is designed to a LEED Silver designation. LEED, which is administered in Canada by the Canada Green Building Council, stands for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design, and is North America’s leading third party green building rating system.

The building has extensive glazing, day lighting and views that include rows of trees preserved during construction to connect users with the outdoors. With so much daylight and open floorplans guests can quickly apply intuitive logic to easily find directions, amenities and services. Energy efficiency strategies throughout the building are planned for 35% energy savings.

All mechanical equipment will be CFC and HCFC-free to minimize adverse affects of the building’s systems on the ozone layer.

Electricity, water and gas consumption shall be monitored and metered, and a third party commissioning firm will ensure that the systems are installed and operated in compliance with the energy savings requirements.

Roofing materials used will meet the minimum requirements for solar reflectance, helping to keep the building cool and reducing the heat island effect. The design includes an aggressive goal for water efficiency, which will be implemented by including water-conserving plumbing fixtures. Based on these fixtures being used, a water consumption will be reduced by approximately 30 percent.

Storm water discharge will be controlled and minimized, to avoid pollution and run off. A permanent irrigation system will not be installed, as landscaping will consist of indigenous species that do not require additional watering beyond natural rainfall.

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• 1,030 tons of CO2 savings per year, equivalent to taking 175 cars off the road • Optimizing energy cost performance of 38% better than the Model National Energy Code for Buildings • Reducing indoor potable water use by over 30% • No irrigation of the extensive lands • Extensive use of recycled and regional materials • 95% of construction waste will be diverted from landfills • Educational programs for children • Regional food programs and local wines Most importantly for a planner, no hard choices during the budgeting phases of planning are necessary to decide what to remove to accommodate responsible green-meeting practices.

Planners can rest easy knowing there will be less impact on the Niagara Environment.

On the Web: www.fallsconventions.com

PLANNER

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Stratus Vineyards goes green, red and white...

BY HAYLEY BISHOP

a vineyard’s terroir. The synergy created with assemblage winemaking reflects the age-old theory that the sum is greater than the parts.

ome say that a glass of wine is just a “glass of wine.” Others say that a glass of wine embraces not only flavour, colour and texture, but a philosophy, a place and a moment, the latter of which is contained in every glass of Stratus, one of Canada’s premium wineries located in Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario.

Opened in June 2005, Stratus is a gravity-flow winery, distinguished by its commitment to sustainability and wines of outstanding quality. Hailed as benchmarks in the Canadian wine industry, the wines are sampled in Stratus’s chic tasting rooms.

This visitor experience is framed by an omnipresent painting by Canadian artist, Richard Halliday: elevated, grand oak casks and rows upon rows of vines.

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ON THE WINES Stratus pursues small-lot winemaking from its 55-acre vineyard situated in the Niagara-on-the-Lake appellation. Winemaker J-L Groux believes in the principle of assemblage to craft his critically acclaimed wines, Stratus White and Stratus Red. Assemblage is the art of combining several different grape varieties to produce a wine that is the most complex expression of

GREEN SURVEY

Are we really into Green programs?

The Planner recently asked meeting and event planners how influenced they are when selecting a venue by its green credentials.

200 participants chose from 3 choices we gave them, clearly revealing the trend in our industry: 25% said they are very influenced 20% said green programs are not an issue at the present time 55% admitted that green credentials are important, but not a must considering the economical challenges they are facing right now.

Here are some comments: “Given two very similar properties, I would choose the one with the green credentials.”

“It is important but cost/pricing is always a factor.”

“It is definitely important, but if the venue is offering everything else we need/want, we will go ahead.”

“It depends on the client’s wishes as well as budget.”

“My clients are more concerned with budget that environmental right now.”

“I am trying but this is not a priority for us. Room rates and meeting room rental is.”

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ON THE VINES The vineyard embraces diversity for complexity and is planted to eighteen different grape varieties. The berries are hand-picked and then carefully hand-sorted by as many as sixteen people before making their way to fermentation. After all, great wines start with great grapes. A state of the art gravity flow design within the winery then allows the young wine to flow naturally into a French oak barrel cellar where the wines patiently rest for two years.

ON THE ENVIRONMENT Stratus is committed to the responsible stewardship of the land. As a result, the winery became the first building in Canada to achieve LEED™ (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) certification from the Canada Green Building Council and the first winery worldwide to fully achieve this designation.

Environmental sustainability is a core value for all involved in the design and operation of Stratus.

The winery met numerous criteria for reducing its impact on the environment both during construction and on a permanent, operating basis, including: geoexchange technology to heat and cool the building; a design that features a high percentage of recycled materials; resource and energy-efficient mechanical, electrical and plumbing systems and a comprehensive wastemanagement program and an organic landscape plan.

ON THE EXPERIENCE Stratus specializes in intimate wine- and food-centric entertaining — the vineyard and its wines are at the centre of the Stratus hospitality program. Exclusively booked evenings for private groups are hosted in the distinctive and eco-chic hospitality spaces and typically begin with a tour of the unique winery.

Options range from dining on the terrace adjacent to the vines, lit by stylish lanterns and the glow of an ambient fireplace, to indoor entertaining framed by the sleek interiors created by renowned designer Burdifilek. Each program is custom-designed to allow for maximum dégustation of wine country with Niagara cuisine served with the wines of Stratus.

Please visit the event program named “@ Stratus” on our Website. This distinctive wine, food, and seminar series is offered at the winery each season. Many of these concepts have been suitably adopted for private client functions as well.

Hayley Bishop is the Corporate Sales & Hospitality Manager for Stratus Vineyards. She can be reached at: hayleybishop@stratuswines.com.

PLANNER

July-August ’09

Allstream Centre Greening Waring House makes holding green meetings easy CONTINUED FROM PAGE 23

BY DIONNE BISHOP reen initiatives have been a major focus in the event industry and Allstream Centre is moving forward with industry leading technologies and initiatives even in this current economic climate.

Allstream Centre, the newest addition to the award-winning Exhibition Place, is targeting LEED Silver (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) designation and firmly believes in reducing its environmental impact.

The design of Allstream Centre demonstrates a commitment to reducing its environmental footprint and achieving sustainability.

A 2 year deal is secured with Direct Energy Business to provide 100% Green power through the use of renewable energy sources.

The power is sourced from EcoLogo certified generation facilities which include wind, solar, low impact hydro, biomass and/or geothermal power. The building will feature natural light, dimmable energy efficient lighting with motion sensors, improved air quality through CO2 sensors, low VOC carpets and paint finishes, and Green Seal Certified meeting room chairs and tables.

In addition water saving plumbing fixtures are featured and rainwater harvesting is available through the use of a cistern positioned on the Centre’s rooftop.

Through the leadership of Cerise Fine Catering, Allstream Centre will continue to provide great menu selections utilizing local foods and will implement measures that reduce water and conserve natural resources.

Cerise Fine Catering operates with china service, however if disposable dishware is requested the compostable packaging recycling program is available. The compostable items include: hot and cold cups, lids and straws, plates, napkins, utensils, salad packaging & dressing containers, wrap and sandwich packaging.

At Allstream Centre, planners will find their job of producing green events easier than ever before and Allstream Centre will undoubtedly continue to gain recognition as being an environmental leader in Toronto and throughout Canada.

Dionne Bishop is the Marketing Coordinator for the Direct Energy Centre. She can be reached at: dbishop@directenergycentre.com or (416) 263-3036.

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Guests entering the new buildings through automatic doors will notice the second automatic sliding door will not open until the first one closes in order to conserve energy. Other green features: Niagara flapper-less toilets, designed by Prince Edward County’s Phil Hennessey to flush less water. Energy efficient bulbs and dimmer-controlled lights reduce energy consumption.

Energy efficient electric fireplaces in each room do not use gas or non-renewable energy. Most country inns require septic systems and The Waring House is no exception. Keeping green, the Rogers opted for a bio-filter system. The water that leaves the bio-filter system and goes into the tile bed is very low in nitrates and could almost be used to water gardens. Stage two of the green plan, solar-powered hot water heating, will be completed in 2009.

In addition, there are several other green features the owners are proud of. Bathroom soaps and shampoos are totally biodegradable with green packaging; bottles are made from corn.

The large, luxurious towels and robes are made from 100% renewable resource cotton. The comfortable mattresses have zip on pillow tops that can be replaced, rather than throwing mattresses away. As is custom in many hotels these days, beds are changed every other day, unless otherwise requested by guests; guests are encouraged to use their bath linens for several days in order to save on detergents and water. Laundry is done off-site using high efficiency commercial washers and dryers to conserve energy.

Christopher and Norah Rogers point out that being green does not need to compromise the finer points of the inn experience.

The new rooms at The Waring House are all individually decorated and designed for comfort so that guests will feel they are in a luxurious country inn, not a highway motel. Local and other Canadian art, antiques and history are on display.

Gibbard Furniture of Napanee, one of Canada’s oldest furniture manufacturers, was commissioned to craft the solid wood furniture. The new rooms and suites have either queen-size or king-size beds, spacious bath facilities, and balconies or patios.

In-room safes, desks with Internet access, flat-screen televisions, and electric fireplaces complement each room. The Waring House is pleased to offer two fully handicap accessible rooms on each ground floor in the new buildings. Other amenities include a break-out meeting room, spa, security cameras, guest laundry, as well as two common areas.

At The Waring House Inn, green is the colour of caring for the planet, and as conscientious planners we should consider giving them OUR green whenever we can.

On the Web: www.waringhouse.com

PLANNER

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Webinars: A greener way to meet

BY PETER DE JAGER hen times get tough… The first things organizations jettison from their “discretionary” spending are travel, education, training, meetings and everything else that isn’t absolutely and immediately necessary. If you’re involved in any aspect of the meetings industry then this is old news.

What might be news is that despite these very real obstacles, it is still possible to hold high-quality, international meetings, addressing pressing educational issues regularly – and with very little effort – and to do it within existing budgets, regardless of how ludicrously small they might be.

To deliver the punch line, before I tell the story, any organization is capable of holding an international meeting next week, for anywhere up to 1,000 attendees. If they had an existing presentation/course – it would require only about 30 minutes work to set up and a single e-mail blast to their prospective attendees.

As an added bonus? The session is recorded and available for later viewing by those unable to attend. The total cost? Not counting the time it takes to attend any meeting… about the cost of a lunch for two when we head out to bemoan the ludicrous budgets we’re operating under.

There’s no real mystery here, a solution to the reduced meeting budget problem is to hold an on-line webinar. There’s nothing really new about a webinar. The technology to do that has been around since at least the earliest days of the Internet. Step #1? Set up a teleconference call between all your attendees.

Step #2? Have them all get on the Internet and ‘click’ along with the speaker.

What is different is how much easier it is to do this today compared to even five years ago.

I know. I know. You’re not a techie… and this new stuff is intimidating, and it’s never as easy as the technical folks (that would be me I guess) claim. Not only aren’t you a techie, but your potential attendees know even less than you do. This would never work for your people.

We could cut and past that last paragraph into a discussion about any new technology. Our objections against a technology change far slower than the technology overcomes our objections.

Resistance always lags improvement.

To communicate what a webinar can deliver, I need to explain why it is now an integral part of my business strategy. As a speaker, I realized about 18 months ago that the recession was about to

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have the usual negative impact on the meeting industry in general, and the speaking industry in particular. As the saying goes, I decided not to participate in the coming downturn. Specifically?

Given that it takes about 12-18 months from when a potential client hears a speaker until they find the opportunity to hire them, I did not look forward to the lost opportunity to be heard.

I looked into the various webinar services and even as a self described ‘techie’, I was amazed by how easy they were to setup; their depth of functionality; their ease of use; the number of people they can support; the sound quality; and last but not least the cost. Low enough that I can personally afford to pay the monthly fee. The service I use costs $100 USD/Month.

SOME WEBINARS ARE DOWNLOADED LATER In the past year I’ve offered more than two dozens webinars.

One for an Association in Ireland, another for Croatia, and the rest in North America. I have two sessions planned for the near future, one for an association in New Zealand, the other for South Africa, both to advertise upcoming conferences where I’ll be keynoting.

In all of these, people from all around the world can attend just by going to a Website. What happens when they do? They hear the conversation through their PC speakers, and watch the presentation on their screen. The largest event delivered one hour of Professional Education Units to more than 600 attendees. Some of the presentations have been downloaded after the fact by more than 3,000 viewers. Cost to the viewers? $0.00. Even the most miserly of training budgets can afford that.

The Planner and I are trying to decide if readers might be interested in attending such a webinar. We’d structure the presentation into two parts. First? A presentation on how we all resist/embrace new technologies… and then? A short presentation, because it’s a simple process, explaining HOW we put the webinar together… and what it looks like behind the scenes.

In other words? An explanation of at least one way you can continue to deliver quality meetings with the most minimal of budgets.

If you’d be interested in attending such an event, send an e-mail to Managing Editor: Leo Gervais at lgervais@theplanner.ca with “I’d attend the webinar’ in the subject line. © 2009, Peter de Jager – Peter is a keynote speaker who is passionate not only about change, but also about making sure that we’re not resisting better ways of doing things, just because they’re unfamiliar to us. You can reach him at pdejager@technobility and view his webinars at webinars.technobility.com

PLANNER

July-August ’09