CONTENT 03-04 About iinta MUSIC 07-14 Liz Mitchell of Boney M: Walking Into Destiny SPORTS 16-21 Din Thomas of the UFC: Life is Growth & Creativity Travel 24-29 Top 13 Places to Visit in Canada: Yukon Territories Literature 31-35 Strong Female Characters: Representation Matters Aviation 38-41 Highways in the Skies: Mapping Plane Routes Business 43-55 Executive Compensation: Superstar CEOs? Health & Beauty 58-60 Fall Into Fresher Skin: Time to Rejuvenate Cuisine 62-64 Zaher's Test Kitchen: Balsamic-Lime Beef Wine 66-73 Grapebrands: Wine and Food Are Like Music
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IINTA CREATIVE ARTS MUSIC
PAGE 07
LIZ MITCHELL OF BONEY M
All Photos provided by Liz Mitchell.
Walking Into Destiny By Jennifer J. Lacelle September 28, 2021
They say the eyes are the windows to
long forgotten; and cultures across the
the soul, but its the stories carried in
globe have endowed their
song that are passed on through the
descendants with music through
generations.
every struggle, pain, praise and celebration.
There’s an effervescence in singing that can reach into the depths of our
So, when opportunities arise and the
souls and pull forth emotions and
doors are flung open the only thing
memories that have perhaps been
left to do is walk through them.
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Liz Mitchell, of Boney M, remembers
So, It Begins
first performing at seven years old.
Mitchell’s family moved to England
Despite the general anxiety that
when she was 11 years old and she
came up before reciting — now
ended up forming a small group of
called rapping — the end was
friends that would get together and
gratifying as the audience was
perform. It was around this time she
receptive.
realized people wanted to hear to her sing, but more importantly was that
Born July 12, 1952 in Clarendon
singing was a passion. Which is not
Parish, Jamaica, this girl would go on
strange at all, especially given that she
to become one of the top singers in
comes from a family of musically
the world. She has completed 8
talented people.
albums, 38 singles, and 38 compilation/remix albums. Boney M
“I didn’t think of myself as a singer, but
also won a Diamond Award for over
I enjoyed singing,” Mitchell says. “It
150 million albums and singles sold.
was joy and pleasure for me.” Of course, she still didn’t know where her life was going to lead. Her mother wanted Mitchell to become a doctor, but she always had an admiration for teachers. Either way, Mitchell didn’t have a “clear vision” on what she wanted to study if she felt so inclined to attend post-secondary after high school. She says when attending school, people pass their exams because they need to, but not necessarily because they intend to be a scientist. Of course, she excelled in her classes, and all the while performing at every opportunity.
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PAGE 09
By the time she hit 14, Mitchell was
She says her life would be very
singing publicly with a jukebox and a
different had she not taken the
bar musician asked her to sing
chances provided to her.
backup for him. The singer’s agent offered her a deal as a soloist, but her mother turned them down. It only took three more years for Mitchell to take her shot and ended up travelling to Berlin, Germany to perform in the musical Hair. Mitchell comments that the small choices people make in their every day lives are usually the most important. The ability to set aside pride and simply do the small thing may bring you to the largest places. Its important to have a passion for what you do, especially in the obscure moments when you think no one is watching. “You’re not doing it for any reason other than to do it well, to excel in what you do,” Mitchell points out. Bursting Onto the Scene Choosing Berlin was a bigger decision stemming from a string of smaller ones throughout her youth that were setting her down destiny’s road.
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“I sort of walked right into these opportunities,” she says. “I think that if we are walking in our destiny then we are doing what we are born to do, and when you are born to do something it really becomes easy, or easier, than when you are trying to do something that you’re attracted to.” She spent half a year in Berlin performing in Hair, where she learned how to sing (and speak) in German, a
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PAGE 10
language she had never previously
Not only that, but she would make
heard. Mitchell notes that she can
herself so important to the job that
still speak German because she’s
others would want to work like her.
spent a great deal of time with the language.
“If you don’t enjoy it, you’re not doing yourself any justice or the people
Mitchell says that had she not gone
around you.”
to Berlin, other aspects in her life and career may never have occurred. As
After the stint in Berlin, they toured to
an example, she mentions a ‘what if’
Switzerland before returning to
in regards to her life going in the
Germany. After which time, she joined
opposite direction. She says that, as a
Les Humphries Singers.
black class citizen, seeing black people in jobs below them, she
Performing with the Les Humphries
would bring so much joy to it if she
Singers was when she realized her
were ever to be in such a position.
career was a success. In the early 1970s, the group was a world-wide sensation and they travelled to many countries, including Canada and Australia. Though Mitchell says the true fame came with Boney M’s release of Rivers of Babylon. Boney M It’s been said the only non-replaceable member of Boney M is Liz Mitchell. Her voice, abilities and warm personality all contribute to making her the most-famous member of the group. Initially, Mitchell received a call from Katja Wolff Agency.
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She subsequently joined along with the other main members: Maizie Williams, Marcia Bennet and Bobby Farrell. Mitchell says Jamaican singer, Prince Buster, had brought his style to Germany and it caught the attention of the German music industry, clearly prompting a flood of intrigue. The musical influences for Boney M also stem from Jamaican and African roots. She goes on to discuss the musical dynamics of these cultures and how it’s truly a feeling delivered by their people. Mitchell believes that despite the enslavement endured by Africans in the Caribbean and United States, they did not lose their musical roots and flavour — even if people are unaware of it. “I guess its our souls,” says Mitchell. “That’s where it originated. It’s engrained in us.” She describes the way Africans sing, how they stress musical notes, and hum. Mitchell also mentions Sam Cooke and says his music reminded her a great deal of Africa; though
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Mitchell chuckles that she doesn’t know if he was aware that he was channeling his heritage. For those who may be unaware, African music is deeply embedded in their culture and is quite often a community activity or part of a ceremony. Everything from the sounds created, hums, whispers, grunts, shouts or animals sounds, has meaning. The pitch can also determine the significance of the music.
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There are generally four primary
“The wonderful thing of Boney M: it
instruments to their music: wind,
doesn’t change. We were before our
self-sound, string and drum. The last
time, yet famous in our time.”
of which is said to reflect the community’s emotions and moods
Which is quite the wonder since
(while also helping dancers keep on
landing a top hit is difficult. The track
beat). Music and dance are simply
needs to be picked up by radio
part of their daily life, heritage and
stations and the people. Because
culture, rather than a separate entity.
there are so many musicians out there, the competition is strong (and
African music has influenced
increasingly so). Mitchell says that
Rhythm and Blues, Reggae, Jazz, Hip
Boney M never expected to become a
Hop and Rap — all of which are
smashing success, especially beyond a
heard and enjoyed around the world!
one-hit-wonder. But then Sunny struck the airwaves and “propelled”
It’s no wonder the sounds of Boney
the group into a second album.
M have been universal through the decades, their colourful tastes of Jamaican and African notes transcend demographics and age gaps. She regales a recent story from a friend of hers, in the US, who shared that someone had just discovered a new band. Well, lo and behold, this person was playing music from Boney M and didn’t realize the band has been around for decades. Mitchell laughs brightly saying, “she [the friend] died laughing!”
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PAGE 13
They had several more hits before
Artists have different ways of
Rasputin was released, and Mitchell
supporting themselves financially
says that was the song that thrust
now. Rather than selling records,
them to the top of the charts. It was
cassettes or CDs, musicians make
three years of “power, power, power”
money by selling out concerts. A big
and not enough time to take it all in.
contrast to the way it once was.
“Just on the treadmill going faster,
"There was a time when you didn’t
faster, faster,” she chuckles.
make money doing concerts. Now the only way to make money is when you
Nowadays
do concerts.”
The music industry has changed, just like everything does over time, even
Of course, with COVID, venues were
if the melodies of Boney M haven’t.
forced to close and all the musicians
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and crew in the industry felt the
“People are hungry for
impact. Mitchell points out that
entertainment,” she says.
they’ve begun getting creative in how to continue working and
As things turn back to semi-normalcy,
includes merchandise sales, such as
the hope is to reschedule tour dates
photos.
and get travelling the world again while bringing people what they’re
It’s a learning curve for musicians to
craving: good, wholesome
navigate and everyone is just
performances.
beginning to adapt to the new ways of life.
Just like the rest of her life, Mitchell will continue walking through the
Although, after a year and half, some
open doors of opportunity to follow
locations are able to open their seats
her destiny into a celebratory era as
again — but not at full capacity.
they revel in decades of success and charting once more without anybody
With the re-emergence of tours,
pushing.
Mitchell says she’s done about three shows since August of 2021.
She’s extremely grateful to the fans, especially the young ones discovering
They were able to perform for close
Boney M’s music for the first time, and
to 40,000 people in both Romania
thanks them all for their support.
and Denmark. Though, the average seating arrangements are usually
“It has been more than I really could
between 50,000 and 60,000.
have expected.”
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IINTA LIFESTYLE SPORTS
PAGE 16
DIN THOMAS OF THE UFC
All Photos provided by Din Thomas.
Life is Creativity and Growth By Jennifer J. Lacelle September 16, 2021
There comes a time in everyone’s life
“When I saw the first UFC [Ultimate
when they must make a decision.
Fighting Championships] in 1993, I was like, ‘I gotta do this,’” Thomas says
Fight… or flight. Being a small person,
before adding, “I didn’t wanna get
coming in at a height of 5’9” and one
beat up in the street.”
of his last weigh-ins at 144-lbs, Din Thomas decided that rather than
It wasn’t just his own safety that was a
fear his safety he would become one
concern though, he wanted to be able
of the fighters he’d watched on
to protect himself and those around
television growing up.
him should the need ever arise.
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PAGE 17
The Beginnings
and needing to stay in pique physical
The UFC was still fairly young when
condition. Learning, on the other
he began training for fights, even if it
hand, is a scholastic process wherein
had been around for a few years at
one learns the correct way of doing
that point, so it wasn’t the colossal
things.
corporation it is now. As such, there weren’t classes available for up and
Instead, he needed to learn what was
coming (or current) fighters.
correct or not based on trial and error.
Although, Thomas believes his first martial art it would be BJJ if he had
After about five years in the game,
to pick, saying, “I think I’m a Brazilian
there were finally instructors available
Jiu Jitsu person in my core.”
to fighters. Thomas’ game was already different but this allowed him to
However, in the beginning there
understand the reason behind why
were no classes to attend. Rather, he
particular techniques or strikes
would watch videos and learn how to
worked and why they didn’t.
mimic the movements. On top of that, he was attending seminars and
The first time he stepped into the ring
clinics to improve his abilities all the
was “surreal” and Thomas describes
while fighting in the ring — which
the experience as if it wasn’t himself.
meant training was always about prepping for competition.
Because he had spent his teen years watching the fights, he envisioned
“It was so rare at the time that you
himself in the body of the men he
almost had to be self-taught.”
watched battle each other.
Thomas defines the difference
Because it didn’t feel as though it
between training and learning
were him, he wasn’t nervous or afraid,
because the two are not one and the
it was more like being in a dream.
same. “It wasn’t until I lost my first fight that When it comes to training, he
it became real for me,” says Thomas as
compares it to preparing for battle,
the realizations struck.
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PAGE 18
“Wait, this is actually me and I’m
So, he attended university while
vulnerable and if I’m not careful then
fighting because education would be
I’m going to lose this fight.”
helpful to him when finally leaving the fight-game.
Over the course of his fighting career, he won 26 matches and lost
“It was kinda like, okay, let’s have fun
nine, which was between 1998 and
while we can,” he says. “I never
2014 (which culminates to 16 years).
actualized me doing this as a job.”
He doesn’t recall a moment where it was a conscious decision to make
Transformation
the UFC a full-time career, saying he
Because it was trial and error as the
always figured some day he would
sport developed, Thomas recalls rules
have to find himself a real profession.
being implemented as they progressed. Despite the difficulty, he says it was actually a blessing looking back at everything. The transition from fringe sport to a main attraction astonished him. He truly realized what it had become when he was watching a fight from ESPN while on an airplane. It was that moment of acknowledgement he says they were always striving to obtain. Back in 1998 hardly a soul knew or cared about the sport. But in today’s world it’s common to see on screens at bars/pubs, to sell out stadiums and see top fighters become celebrities and pull in wads of cash.
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“I’m really proud to be involved in the sport and blessed to be involved at the level I’m at now,” Thomas says. “It’s a major blessing and it bring me great joy.” By the time he decided to retire (2014, officially, but his last fight occurred in 2013), he was operating a couple martial arts academies and thought he would simply fall back on those for income. However, it wasn’t enough for him as he needed more creative outlets. Creativity Thomas now participates in many creative outlets, including shows for the UFC, a YouTube video blog call the Din Diaries and working on film sets. Thomas has been in a few movies and short films and says he wants to continue pursuing this avenue for the creativity and passion of acting he discovered while studying at university. “In my peak, I was still going to school,” he says. “I really thought I was going to be a teacher, teach gym class.”
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While studying, the opportunity to take an elective theatre class came up and he took it. This is when he realized the similarities between the two worlds. In both the ring and the stage there was an audience to perform before, the need to stand in the moment, to see his circumstances and decide what to do next. This outlet prompted him to attend another class (improvisation) and then another acting class and another. Thomas soon found himself immersed in the artistic world of performance. His retirement from fighting prompted him to pursue more creative outlets because this
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expressive side still needed to be set
While his background in fighting is
loose — and performing is creative.
beneficial to action movies, there’s a massive difference between the ring
While the entire Hollywood industry
and the screen. Apart from the
of film is a turn off to him, he plans to
obvious difference that no one is
continue working in movies because
actually taking a hit on set (or so we
the “art of acting” is a passion.
hope), in a true fight, all the motions are small because you don’t want your
“I don’t ever want to get to a point
opponent to see what’s happening
where I feel like I’m overwhelmed by
next. In a movie, the motions are big
the industry,” he says.
because the audience needs (and wants) to see what’s happening —
Thomas intends to tell stories and
even if that’s not realistic.
create art on his own terms, up to and including, producing his own
“In a fight, you just wanna see a guy
movies. His intention is to never “sell
go to sleep but not how he got there,”
out a dollar for Hollywood.”
laughs Thomas. Growth Even though he stopped coaching in 2019, except a couple of select fighters, there are three main things he looks for as a coach. 1.Decision making. He wants to see how well someone makes decisions based on the circumstances they find themselves in. 2.Perseverance. Are they capable of getting through the rough patches, the pain, and the difficulties? How easy does someone give up.
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PAGE 21
If they give up easily, then it’s
“I like watching them grow to fill the
probably not the right sport for that
shoes they want to fit. I like to see
person.
them achieve those goals, and set new goals and achieve those. That’s
3.Fun. It’s important to enjoy what
important. That’s what life is about.
you do (and that goes for
That’s probably my favourite part.”
everything). So, if someone’s not able to have fun while participating in this sport then it’s likely not the best area for the potential fighter. He makes a point that not a single thing on that list is a physical attribute, saying he doesn’t much care about it because that can be developed. He wants a more cerebral approach to coaching his fighters over a physical one. “I like watching people grow,” Thomas says.
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IINTA INTERESTS TRAVEL
PAGE 24
TOP 13 PLACES TO VISIT IN CANADA
#13: Dawson City, Yukon Territories By Jennifer J. Lacelle August 4, 2021
Bright, glittering streams of gold and
adventurous story. The Yukon
flowing waters.
Territories sits next to the Alaskan, Northwest Territories and British
Hidden behind mountain “gates”
Columbia borders.
and protected from the bustling cities like Vancouver or Ottawa.
History The Bering Strait land bridge was used
The beautiful terrain, albeit far up
to cross over from Asia, and the Yukon
north and therefore a touch cold, will
is the oldest recorded (and
leave you wide-eyed like a child
continuously resided in) territory in
opening a gift or hearing an
North America.
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stayed in the Yukon River’s basin. In fact, Yu-kun-ah translates to ‘great river’ in their native tongue, which is where Yukon derives from. Unfortunately, their population was decimated by sicknesses such as smallpox. These illnesses made it to their homes prior to the actual arrival of explorers. The Yukon’s most famous activity is the 1,000 Mile International Sled Dog Race. It goes between Whitehorse, YK and Fairbanks, Alaska. The teams have raced each other, regardless of weather conditions, since 1984 and it It might be up for dispute among archeologists as the oldest area of inhabitation as some records reflect 10,000 BCE, but others date back 25,000-45,000 years prior. The Indigenous tribes in the Yukon region are varied with the Tagish, Kaska, Teslin, Mountain, Goat, and Tutchone. The Inuit are the northernmost tribe and distinctive in their own culture. Though, the Northern Yukon territories were predominantly occupied by the Gwich’in, who
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usually last 10-16 days (or until the last team crosses the finishes line). It’s against the rules to get help except at their halfway mark in Dawson City. Dawson City This city flourished during the time of the gold rush, which between the years of 1896-99 prospectors found $29-million worth of gold in the earth. When the previous metal was discovered elsewhere, prospectors began moving away. Now, the small town has tourist attractions for the adventure
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Kiac School of Visual Arts & Gas 4 Less in Dawson City. Photo by Patrick Federi.
enthusiast, arts and Indigenous
Or you can get a bird’s eye view from a
communities, music and festivals.
flight in a helicopter! While their predominant services are fighting
Claim 33 – Gold Panning and Mining
fires, wildlife management and mining
Museum should be your first stop in
and exploration they do offer some
Dawson City. Family operated and
tourist flights overlooking the
welcoming, you’ll be taught how to
stunning landscape surrounding
pan for gold before going on your
Dawson City. Those interested need to
adventure to find treasure.
call the office and check in with their schedule. You’ll get to fly over the
Once you’ve discovered and claimed
Klondike Goldfields and Tombstone
your gold, they can put your findings
Park.
inside gold or silver lockets that you can have as a keepsake forever (or
The Park is 2,200 squared kilometers
perhaps gift to a loved one).
that’s rich with Indigenous history.
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PAGE 27
The wildlife is abundant, along with
well. They offer two-hour, half-day, full-
the permafrost lands, peaks and
day and overnight trips. With the
mountainous terrain. It’s about 1.5
latter of the collection, you get to stay
hours from the city and follows
in a nice cabin that sits along the
Dempster Highway.
riverbed.
Be prepared with your own food,
They’ll even provide snacks or a light
water and supplies since Dawson is
meal on the other trips through
the closest city in range. The weather
Tombstone Park.
shifts fast in this environment, combined with the jagged land, be
Depending on how adventurous
sure your fitness is up to snuff.
you’re feeling, you can try becoming a member of the Sourtoe Cocktail Club.
If you’d rather give horseback riding
But hold up before screaming, “I
a shot, then you can do that here as
volunteer!”
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The drink actually comes from a long
It was rediscovered a number of years
history when two brothers fled the
later in an abandoned cabin.
police during a rum-run in the 1920s. As the story goes, one of the brothers
Eventually, the club was established
tried to ease their dog sled team
and rules created. Apparently, 10 toes
during a rough storm and his foot
have been volunteered to the club
plunged into water. They kept going
since its inception.
on their journey, because they feared being caught by police, until they
So, what is the drink you may ask?
had to pause…Frostbite had taken his big toe! So, like any rational person
1 ounce of alcohol
he took a woodcutting axe and bam!
1 dehydrated toe
No more toe.
Apparently… a little courage
However, they chose to remember
They only have five rules too… one, you
the moment by preserving the
have to go to Sourdough Saloon and
frostbitten toe in alcohol.
ask to see Captain River Rat, then buy
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PAGE 29
a shot. Next is to pledge the oath,
You can even find yourself a quant or
followed by watching a dehydrated
modern cabin.
toe dropped into your cup and finally: drink it. Apparently your lips must
If you'd rather leave the planning to
touch it. If you’re not up to the
someone more knowledgeable about
challenge just have yourself a regular
the area then pick a package that
cocktail, grub and sit back to enjoy
suits you. Want to capture the aurora
the lively atmosphere.
borealis? There’s a three-day, twonight bundle designed specifically for
Work off that meal, or Sourtoe, with a
those who have longed to see the
gentle walk around the city at Ninth
spectacle.
Avenue Trail. It’s only about 30-45 minutes but you’ll get to see the
Want to take an arctic safari? Yep,
town in a fresh, engaging light.
there’s one of those as well. It’s a weeklong and not overly expensive
If it’s not long enough, this trail
either. It requires a minimum of four
connects to a multitude of others. Or,
people, and only takes place in the fall.
sneak into the core of downtown
But you’ll get to see a wide array of
with this trail.
terrain, wildlife and maybe even the aurora lighting up.
Stay For such a small town, there are over
It’s more than a small, outdated town.
20 selections for places to stay. From
It’s lively, upbeat and priceless to visit.
camping sites to RVs to rental lodges
Get some history, relaxation and
and luxury hotels.
excitement all in one location.
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IINTA INTERESTS LITERATURE
PAGE 31
STRONG FEMALE CHARACTERS
Representation Matters By Jennifer J. Lacelle September 21, 2021
Because October is Women’s History
women are included in movies,
Month in Canada, we’re taking the
television and literature. But how easy
time to discuss the strong women
is it to say that these characters have
who have changed, and are still
depth, strength, flaws and weaknesses
changing, the world. This also
just like any male character?
happens to include the fictional females who have inspired women
In film, there’s such a thing as the
and female-identifying individuals.
Bechdel Test. Essentially, in order to pass, the media in question has to
Does it Pass the Test?
have at least two women who talk to
It would be easy to say that yes,
each other about anything other than
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PAGE 32
a man. The test isn’t about proving a movie is sexist, but to identify an area that isn’t discussed much. It sounds a bit obscure, maybe even silly, but how many movies actually pass? Out of curiosity, this author went through a few years of listings on the Bechdel Test’s website, and discovered that out of 62 movies released in 2021 (so far), there were 21 that did not pass the test (33 per cent). How does this compare to other years? Let’s go back a decade… in 2011 out of 372 movies there were 139 that didn’t pass the test (37 per cent). That’s only an increase of four per cent in a decade. Some of the results are quite shocking though. There are movies you would picture passing the test and others you can’t fathom making it. But, many are quite often the reverse! As example, Mean Girls passes but Star Wars didn’t. Given their general topics, scope, characters, genre and plot points you would think the opposite. Is it Important? Representation in all forms of media
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and entertainment is important. By being represented, people can envision themselves and others. This makes it a vastly influential facet of the human psyche. Writing strong female characters, not necessarily physically, can boost the confidence in a girl reading about this person. But more than being relatable or inspirational, by writing these characters to life, authors are developing realistic personalities which contributes to the overall theme and quality of the story.
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When it comes to boys, these strong
acclaimed author, wrote the series
female characters can act as a role
between 1995 and 2003. However, the
model as well by shining a light on a
first book focuses on Sabriel — the
three-dimensional human being
Abhorsen; a necromancer who
rather than a one- or two-
prevents the dead from walking
dimensional form. It subtly shows
amongst the living — who is a very
prime examples that it’s okay for
strong female character. Nix is able to
women to be strong, to have flaws,
define this leading lady by her intellect,
and be leaders.
abilities and flaws rather than her sex, making her a believable character.
Society shines a light on the strength of boys and men, while diminishing
If you haven’t given this trilogy a shot,
that in a woman and exemplifying
then it may be worth your time. It’s
demure or hysteria. This comes
written in a quick, to the point fashion
through in media and literature quite
and demonstrates what good writing
often, so it’s almost expected that
means.
these female characters would lack the luster of their male counterparts. To use an example, the new movie, Snake Eyes, had a few female characters but each of them came across as bland, mechanical and boring (in this author’s opinion). Some Favourites Sabriel (The Abhorsen Trilogy, also called The Old Kingdom Series) This trilogy is one of darkness, mystery and absolute fascination. Garth Nix, an established and
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PAGE 34
Hua Mulan (The Ballad of Mulan)
leading gals is the one and only Hermione Granger. This delightful lady
Long before leather bound books
is at first introduced as a strange, over-
and movies were invented is the
bearing little girl who needs to be right
story of Hua Mulan, a Chinese
but J.K. Rowling quickly demonstrates
woman who sacrificed everything to
that she’s simply smart. Despite this
save her father. While some people
intellect, like all other people she
claim she isn’t a historical figure,
comes with flaws. This intellect adds to
rather a fictional one, it begs the
her other amazing qualities that
question: who was she, really?
Rowling endows her with throughout the series, making her a character for
Her story was likely transcribed close
readers to admire.
to 400 AD and depicts Mulan lamenting her father heading to war
Hermione shows people that it’s
since he has no son. Subsequently,
important to stand up for what’s right,
she goes to war and battles for 12
what it means to be loyal and to be
years before finally returning home
courageous. The actress, Emma
after declining an official position,
Watson, who portrays the character in
thereafter it is revealed she is a
the movies is also a role model in many
woman. This classic tale as been told,
rights and often advocates for the
retold as the affection for this female
equality of women.
character seems to know no bounds. She is bold, strong, fierce and
Celie (The Color Purple)
feminine. A reason she’s one of the favourites for many young women.
Praised for its in-depth female characters, but admonished for
·Hermione Granger (Harry Potter
discussing rape: The Color Purple.
series) The author did not shy away from a The biggest phenomenon to hit the
usually hushed topic of sexual assault
mainstream media in the past two
and abuse (both parental and spousal)
decades: Harry Potter. While the
as the story follows Celie, an
protagonist is a boy, one of the
uneducated black woman, from
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PAGE 35
childhood through adulthood. This character goes through extreme situations and always manages to come out standing, despite having little self-esteem. Though, at the end of the book she finally emerges like a butterfly from a cocoon. It’s a tragic story but possesses all the elements of strength, character development and faith people so desperately crave. The sheer will power and resilience written into this character, along with her flaws, is why she’s such a profound female lead. Nancy Drew (Nancy Drew) Beginning in the early 1930s is our next heroine: Nancy Drew. This unwavering young lady is a detective, without a badge… she’s extremely intelligent, insightful, respectful, daring and witty. Although, as time progressed she was shifted to a less outspoken girl. Given the time period, it’s not surprising people were shocked by the sheer will power that was given to a female character. Despite this change, she has continued to draw
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audiences from many walks of life as the character herself retains that original sense of strength. Nancy Drew can also be seen on the screen as movies and television shows have been made, the latest television series beginning in 2019 and still filming. So, what does all this mean for us readers and viewers? It means we have a lot to look forward to in the future as we possess the power to influence the next generation and keep rising the ranks of realistic, in-depth female characters.
iinta.ca
IINTA INTERESTS AVIATION
PAGE 38
HIGHWAYS IN THE SKIES
Mapping Plane Routes By Michel Treskin Editor Jennifer J. Lacelle September 10, 2021
Have you ever wondered how
when you fly:
airplanes navigate around the world?
1.
Either you maintain visual
meteorological conditions (VMC — It’s not like everyone can go
clear of clouds); or,
wherever they want as it’s not a free for all. There are set air corridors, or
2.
You fly under instrument
navigation tracks, that must be
conditions (IMC).
followed when flying in controlled airspace.
Most general aviation — privately owned and small planes — tend to fly
There are two main sets of rules
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visually, which is below 10,000 feet.
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PAGE 39
If you are flying on a westerly heading, your altitude must be even numbers plus 500 feet. In other words, it should be 4,500, 6,500, etc. However, if flying on an easterly heading, your altitude should be odd numbers plus 500 feet such as 5500, 7500, 9500. You can see there is already some order at lower altitudes. If you decide to fly under instrument conditions, you cannot maintain visual, the rules are the same as VFR Airliners, private jets, large turboprops will always fly under instrument rules. Because clouds are mostly present at medium and high altitudes you need to be on flight instruments (Primary Flight Instruments – PFD) to fly through them. Not to mention the thousands of airplanes flying at the same time crisscrossing the same airspace as others, making air traffic controllers (ATC) the policemen of the airways. Flying Low or High If flying visually, always stay clear of clouds, have the ground visual and keep an eye out for other airplanes.
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but minus 500 feet. When flying in instrument conditions, you must be under air traffic control radar. They are your eyes and keep other airplanes clear of your airspace. Airliners will always fly high because of fuel savings and avoiding bad weather. The higher they can go, the less fuel the engines will consume. Airliners will always operate under instrument flight rules (IFR) because that is where everyone goes — as high as possible. Airliners and other performance aircrafts such as military jets and business jets are also trying to fly as high as they can.
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PAGE 40
Ground controllers all over the world
(contrails) made by the engine
are in charge of those airplanes. They
exhaust which looks like white
provide traffic information to all and
ribbons.
they maintain order on the airways. These airways or flight corridors are everywhere. Each airliner will file a flight plan before taking off. This plan will provide flight details for the ground controllers and include altitudes, the airways they will fly, the equipment they have, the fuel on board and their endurance. It will also have diversion airfields in case the weather is worse at destination. Once the flight plan has been accepted and entered in the worldwide air navigation system, the flight is released and the aircraft is given permission to start its journey. As the aircraft progresses to its destination, every route segment is monitored, and communication is always maintained between pilot and controller. The vertical separation is 1,000 feet if the flight is operating above 29,000 feet. This is why, as a passenger, you might see another aircraft below or above your plane. From the ground, you will see the condensation trails
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There will be many crisscrossing each other in the sky. Some will be on the same route but flying either lower or higher. Eventually, these contrails disappears as they dry up. Getting Higher Some airplanes can fly higher (+45,000 feet) than the rest and they don’t need to follow an air route because there is nobody around them. That airspace in uncontrolled to a certain extent and they are free to operate in any direction. However, at these altitudes, if something happens with the cabin pressurisation, the flight crew and passengers have less than a minute to live if they don’t get their oxygen mask on.
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PAGE 41
When flying across the Atlantic, you
Safe travels everyone and stay safe!
have special corridors with specific
Capt. Michel Treskin
entry and exits points. These corridors are called NATs
Editor’s Note
(North Atlantic Tracks). Everyone
Do you have a special topic to request
crosses over in an orderly way
in Aviation? Are you curious about
because there is no radar coverage
anything relating to flight, planes,
over the Atlantic. Flying needs to be
being a pilot, etcetera?
precise all the way across. The only aircraft that didn’t need to use the
Then reach out to our Senior Editor,
NAT is the Concorde because it
Jennifer J. Lacelle, at editor@iinta.ca
always flew way above the others at
with subject line: Aviation: Topic
45,000 to 60,000 feet.
Request.
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iinta.ca
IINTA HOME & BUSINESS BUSINESS AFFAIRS
PAGE 43
EXECUTIVE COMPENSATION
How Many Superstar CEOs Are There? By Fred Lazar September 24, 2021
Incentives matter!
Psychologists have shown that people not only want more in absolute terms,
Since individuals are continually
but they also want more in relation to
trying to increase their incomes and
others. Thus, CEOs can never be
wealth, their behavior and decisions
wealthy enough.
will be affected by the incentives they face. CEOs, regardless of their
The structure of the compensation
wealth, are no different.
package offered to CEOs, who are basically hired hands and admittedly
Economists assume there is never
very well-paid employees in most
too much.
cases, is key in attempting to align
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PAGE 44
the interests of the CEO with those of
objectives — do not rock the boat and
the owners of the company for
offend fellow directors, especially if
whom s/he works.
you happen to be a senior officer at another company; and, cover your ass.
Contract Components & Objectives
In order to achieve these objectives,
Employment contracts for CEOs
Boards retain compensation
generally have three components:
consultants. This frees them from the
compensation, duration, and
need to do any due diligence and
termination provisions.
provides them with a legal cover in case anything goes wrong — “we were
Compensation usually consists of a
just following the advice of the
mix of annual salary, bonuses, long-
experts: the compensation
term compensation and perks. The
consultants.”
duration might be one year, or it might be longer. Termination
The compensation consultants
provisions address the compensation
develop a comparator group that
to be paid if the company is
consists of peers — competitors and
acquired, or if the CEO is fired.
other firms of similar size or have
Oftentimes, firms usually pay
other similar characteristics. The
incompetent or unsuccessful CEOs
consultants then advise the Board to
‘walking away money’ in order to get
offer a compensation package that
rid of them. They do so to avoid
will place the firm’s CEO among the
lawsuits for ‘wrongful dismissal.’
top 10%, 25% or 50% of the comparator
More likely, they do so to cover up
group.
their own incompetence in hiring such CEOs, and thus avoiding class-
There are two obvious problems with
action lawsuits against them by
this process. The selection of the
shareholders. The termination
comparator group is critical. Choosing
compensation can run into the tens
firms that are more generous will bias
of millions of dollars.
upwards the recommended compensation. There is a strong
Directors, in dealing with CEO
incentive for CEOs to recommend the
compensation, have two primary
addition of such firms to the
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comparator groups. As long as
could be interpreted as hiring a below
directors consist of CEOs in other
average CEO to run the company, in
companies, they will favor the
any lawsuit by shareholders who lose
selection of more generous firms
money.
since they can use their Board experiences at one firm as an
It is a wonderful game that has been
argument for similar treatment at
learned very well by compensation
the firms where they are the CEOs.
consultants, CEOs and directors. The game is generally played out to the
The second problem is the statistical
disadvantage of the shareholders and
fallacy that every CEO can be in the
possibly other employees of the firm.
top 10% or 25% of the compensation structure. The recommendation to place the firm’s CEO among the top 10% or 25% of the comparator group must inevitably lead to a continuous upward ratcheting of the compensation of CEOs, which indeed has been the case — look at the upward trend in CEO compensation to average earnings of all employees in a company. But Board members have no desire to reject such recommendations. As example, no director wants to be in a situation where s/he chooses to place the CEO in the bottom 25% for fear that the CEO and the firm perform very poorly, with the firm even possibly ending in bankruptcy. Such directors would have a difficult time defending their actions, which
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Salaries and Money
investments. Breaking even on these
So how large should the basic salary
investments is their best-case
be? Large salaries cater to egos and
scenario.
risk-averse CEOs. But there is no one or right answer.
However, they expect 3 of every10 to be the so-called ‘home runs’
The principal argument in favor of
generating enormous returns — large
bonuses and long-term incentives is
enough to offset the poor record on
to align the interests of the CEO and
the other seven and to fully
the owners. CEOs should be given
compensate for the overall risks taken.
the chance to make a lot of money, as long as shareholders make even
An investor with a diversified portfolio,
more. Moreover, how much risk-
across industries and companies
taking do firms want to encourage?
within industries, likely has a similar
Hence, there might be a need to
model. For example, if the ‘typical’
balance off the annual salary against
investor owns shares in 10 companies
bonuses and long-term incentives.
within an industry, s/he might expect at least three to fail, four to be
A brief digression is in order at this
mediocre performers and three to be
point regarding risk-taking,
great successes. This probably would
especially in light of recent initiatives
not be an unrealistic view. The
in the US and the EU to place caps
investor likely does not care which
on executive compensation in order
firms fall into which category. The
to limit risk-taking by senior
investor is betting on an industry, not
executives.
a specific company or CEO.
Venture capitalists espouse the 3-4-3
All s/he cares about is that the senior
rule for their investments. That is,
management of each firm continually
they expect at least 3 of every 10
bets the firm, and the three great
investments to be 100% failures.
successes more than make up for the rest. In other words, the investor likely
They expect not to earn any, or little,
prefers that CEOs take great risks at all
return on another 4 of every 10
times.
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This has very important implications
the higher the percentage of
for compensation, corporate
thetarget achieved, the greater the
governance and regulatory policies.
bonus as a percentage of the salary.
But senior executives are subject to
Annual bonuses can far exceed the
many other constraints, which limit
annual salary.
their abilities to take risks. Public companies generally highlight that
But what are the appropriate targets?
among the risks they face are government regulations and laws,
Profits and/or share prices appear to
and many companies with high debt
be the obvious choices, at least from
loads are further constrained by the
the perspective of the owners of the
covenants included in the debt
company, if not from the perspective
contracts.
of other stakeholders. The list of targets now encompasses much
Bonuses tend to equal some
more, including costs, market share,
percentage of the base salary. There
employee satisfaction, inclusiveness,
is usually an escalating link. That is,
etc.
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While some of these other targets
when the overall market is rising but
are interesting — unless they
might rise at a lower rate. Should
enhance the market value of the firm
CEOs benefit in such cases?
— they are of little value to the owners of the firm. They also provide
Bonus Structuring
so-called wiggle room; they enable
There are other difficulties in
directors to grant bonuses even
determining the bonus structure of
when the financial performance of
the compensation package. What
the company is mediocre. Soft
thresholds should be used?
targets have become much more common, especially when achieving
If profit growth is the target variable,
profit or share price targets has
to what should the growth rate be
become more difficult. Hence,
linked — the average growth of profits
bonuses increasingly are viewed as
for a comparator group; the average
an entitlement by executives and not
annual rate of growth during the past
as a reward for superior
three years, five years, ten years;
performance.
nominal “GDP” growth? What is the minimum threshold for a bonus to be
Even if only profits and/or share
paid?
prices are used as the performance metrics for bonuses, there are still
It is not uncommon to find senior
unanswered questions. With regards
executives receiving a bonus even
to profits, what is the “right”
when they do not meet 100% of their
measure? Should share prices be
targets in a given year.
used since CEOs might have little influence over the price-earnings
Should executives be given a bonus
ratio in any given year?
when they fall short of their targets? In such cases, are bonuses just a part
Market trends might be much more
of the base salary? If executives
important. That is, a company’s share
continually fall short of their targets,
price might just get caught up in the
but still get to the 80%-90% range,
overall market trend. For example, a
shouldn’t they be fired rather than
company’s share price might rise
rewarded?
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Should the bonus be paid annually in
be granted when the CEO is first hired.
cash? Is this most tax efficient for
The shares can be given to the CEO at
both the firm and the CEO? Should
no cost, although the CEO might be
there be a policy for recoupment of
required to pay taxes upon receipt of
past bonuses if profits are inflated
the shares since they are a form of
one year (legally or illegally) only to
compensation.
crash in a later year? This has become an important consideration
Or the CEO might be provided with a
for many financial institutions, many
zero interest or low interest rate loan
of which have paid large bonuses in
to acquire shares. In this case, the CEO
past years only to discover that the
has no tax liability other than perhaps
profits generated in those years were
for the value of the interest rate
the result of escapades in risk that
subsidy provided by the firm. In either
produced enormous losses in later
case, the CEO likely would be
years, in many cases more than
restricted from selling the shares for a
wiping out several years’ profits.
minimum period of time — three or more years. This restriction is intended
Should the annual bonus be paid out
to focus the CEO on the longer-term
over two, three or more years, with
performance of the firms.
future installments related to one year’s bonus conditional on certain
As with the bonus, there is no magic
future targets being achieved?
formula. But the potential payoff should exceed the cumulative
While an annual bonus can play a
expected value of the bonuses over
role in motivating CEOs, determining
the period of restriction on selling the
the optimal bonus structure is far
shares. However, this creates another
from clear-cut.
problem. A very large proportion of a CEO’s wealth might be tied up in
Longer-term compensation can take
her/his equity stake in the firm.
the form of shares, stock appreciation rights, deferred share
This might encourage risk-averse
units, performance share units, and
behavior by the CEO, not exactly what
potentially other options. Shares can
shareholders want.
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When the shares are purchased with
share units (‘DSUs’), performance
a loan from the firm, the tendency
share units (‘PSUs’) or options instead.
for risk-averse behavior is reinforced. If the company does poorly or the
Under Canadian tax laws, stock
shares do poorly over a period of
appreciation rights and PSUs, when
time, the CEO, if required to repay
issued, are not considered income.
the loan by a set date, might lose a significant amount of her/his wealth.
But when they are converted into cash
Consequently, a CEO might be
they are treated as income with the
inclined to minimize the risks s/he
appreciation in the value of the rights
takes in directing the company. This
treated as capital gains for tax
might not be desirable.
purposes. The CEO does not have to buy anything in this case. But s/he
Tax liabilities can be deferred, risk
might still receive some value at a
aversion can be minimized, and the
later date even if the share price has
need to offer loans to buy shares can
declined or remained flat since the
be avoided by using stock
original granting of such rights or
appreciation rights (‘SARs’), deferred
shares.
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Call options share some
DSUs and PSUs. But should CEOs
characteristics in common with SARs
benefit from a rising stock market?
and PSUs. There is no initial tax
That is, if the price of the shares of the
liability. There is no need for a CEO to
firm increases over a period of time —
buy anything at the outset, but there
from the initial date of grant to the
are some important differences.
initial exercise period — yet they increase at a lower rate than the stock
The call options give the holder the
market in general, or some index of
right to acquire shares at a fixed
the shares of their competitors, the
price (the exercise price) at some
options will still have positive value.
future point in time. The fixed price is generally set at the market price of
However, the company has
the shares at the time the options
underperformed. Should the CEO be
are granted.
rewarded for underperformance? Similarly, in such cases should a CEO
Shares
be awarded any DSUs or PSUs?
If the price of the shares does not
Obviously not! There are two ways to
increase in value or declines from the
avoid this situation in the case of
date of the grant to the initial date
options.
when they can be exercised, the options have no value. Options only
The exercise price can be indexed. For
have value if the share price rises,
example, assume that the original
unlike the case with SARs, DSUs and
exercise price is $25 per share. At the
PSUs. Now we can better understand
time options are granted, the
why CEOs prefer SARs, DSUs and/or
‘appropriate’ stock market index
PSUs to options.
stands at 10,000. Three years later, the stock market index has risen to 13,000
Even if the share price changes very
or 30% higher. The exercise price
little over the exercise period, SARs,
should be increased by the same
DSUs and PSUs still have significant
percentage amount — 30% to $32.50.
value. And now we can understand
If the company’s share price also has
why compensation consultants
increased over this period but by less
suggested replacing options with
than 30%, the options have no value.
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They only have value if the firm’s
Pricing of options and setting total
share price increases more than the
shareholder return (‘TSR’) targets are
target market index.
important matters. But so too is the quantum of options and/or PSUs to be
Critics of this suggestion claim that
granted. Should there be new issues
when the firm’s share price does
of options and/or PSUs on an annual
increase by more than the market
basis? I have no difficulty with very
index, let’s assume to $35 in the
large initial option grants, although I
preceding example, the CEO does
do not know what might be the right
not benefit from the entire increase.
number in each case. While not as
Instead of gaining $10 per share
great a supporter of PSUs, with the
times the number of options
right incentives, I can see the merits of
exercised, the CEO only gains $2.50
PSUs. I suspect no one has an answer
per share. So what? The purpose for
to the optimal size of the initial grants.
granting options is to encourage
I am not in favor of annual grants
superior performance.
since this begs the question, which I cannot answer; namely, how large an
There is no reason why a CEO should
incentive is required to motivate a
benefit from a rising market and
CEO?
average performance. However, mediocre performance appears to
Proper Compensation
be commonly and richly rewarded.
Game theory predicts that when the end of a game is certain, all
Critics have suggested that instead
contestants have an incentive to
of indexing the exercise price, the
cheat. In the context of compensating
options should be exercised only if
a CEO, this conclusion implies that,
the CEO achieves certain financial or
unless a significant portion of a CEO’s
share price targets.
compensation is deferred and contingent upon the future financial
But this begins to look a lot like the
performance and share prices of the
annual bonus plan, and CEOs can
firm, as a CEO approaches retirement,
benefit from rising markets even
her/his performance will slacken
when they underperform.
significantly.
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The potential effectiveness of any one of these solutions in motivating a CEO to look well beyond retirement in her/his running the firm will depend on the aggregate amount of compensation at risk. The more that is at risk, the more focused will be a CEO on the future. But a CEO who is risk averse might demand, in return, a higher fixed salary, larger annual bonuses and/or more long-term incentive compensation. Finally, how long should be a CEO’s employment contract? At one extreme, there might be no explicit time limit, but the CEO could be terminated at any time. Of course, the One solution is to restrict the ability of a CEO to cash in her/his shares and/or options until several years after retirement. Another is to stagger the payment of annual bonuses over a period of years, so that if the performance of the firm falters in the future, part or all of the unpaid bonus is defaulted by the retired CEO. A third possibility is to link retirement compensation to the financial performance and/or market value of the firm.
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possible reasons for termination would have to be set out in the contract. At the other extreme, the contract could run for a fixed period of time. At the end of this time period the contract might be renewed/renegotiated. Even in this case, the contract should allow the Board of Directors to terminate the CEO under certain conditions. Regardless of the duration of the employment contract, the contract will have to address termination conditions and compensation.
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If a contract is not renewed, or a CEO
most companies in 2020 as a result of
is terminated for just cause, one
the pandemic.
should expect that the CEO would not receive any severance. However,
Some research suggests that three
this is rarely the case. Compensation
years should provide sufficient time to
is offered, usually unrelated to the
factor out the effects of luck. Three
terms of the employment contract,
years therefore, might be the optimal
in order to avoid litigation by the
duration of an employment contract
CEO, and possible litigation by the
for a CEO. It is still possible that after
shareholders against the Board of
three years the effects of random
Directors for incompetence in hiring
events are not fully removed, and so
the CEO.
Boards might make one of two statistical errors — terminate talented
There is another important issue that
CEOs (known in statistics as a Type II
arises with regards to the question
error) or retain incompetent CEOs
concerning the duration of the
(Type I error). The likelihood of these
contract. The financial and
errors increases with shorter contracts
competitive performance of a firm
and decreases with longer-term
depends on the competence of the
contracts. Increasing the duration of
CEO and her/his senior management
the contract increases the likelihood
team, and luck — random events.
of retaining incompetent CEOs (Type I error). So, as always in decision-
How can the Board separate out the
making, there are trade-offs.
effects of luck on the performance of the firm? If the firm does well
Footnote
(poorly) in one year, is this the result
The US House of Representatives
of a talented (incompetent) CEO or
approved a measure on July 30, 2009
good (bad) luck?
to impose limits on executive compensation in firms with more than
Consider again the case of resource
US $1-billion in assets. The legislation
companies, or airlines as fuel prices
also would allow shareholders to vote
declined and remained relatively low
on executive pay, though those votes
during the past several years, or
would be non-binding.
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In addition, it required that
in financial institutions, particularly
compensation committees include
the banks, for the financial crisis.
individuals from outside management who are independent,
It is easier to blame others than accept
in that they receive no compensation
responsibility oneself. Many of the
from and have no relationship to
members of Congress received
company management.
generous contributions from the financial services industry and
The bill’s sponsor argued that this act
companies over the past 20 years to
would enable regulators to ban ‘risky’
influence policies and reduce
incentive-based compensation that could lead to another financial crisis. This raises two very important questions: 1.What is excessive risk? 2.Why should it be restricted? Unfortunately, the US legislators never bothered asking these questions, for if they did, they might have realized that the answers are not obvious, and the measure they approved might do more harm over time. But the legislation was driven by the need to find scapegoats for the financial crisis and the resulting recession that engulfed most of the
regulation and oversight of the industry. Regulation and oversight of the industry have declined, and this played a major role in contributing to the financial crisis. The only good part of the proposed measure was the section that would reduce the potential conflicts of interest involving compensation consultants who play a central role in blessing pay packages. Many of those consultants also provide other services to the companies, putting them in a conflicting role for issuing fairness opinions about pay. The measure should have simply stopped Boards from relying on compensation consultants altogether.
world economies. The Democrat
*The views and opinions contained within subjects,
Party members of the House blamed
content, information, data and imagery does not
the executive compensation system
necessarily reflect those of iinta, iinta’s staff, or iinta’s affiliates. For full disclosure statement, please visit our Disclosure Page
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IINTA LIFESTYLE HEALTH & BEAUTY
PAGE 58
FALL INTO FRESHER SKIN
Time to Rejuvenate By Nigelle Fredette Editor Jennifer J. Lacelle September 29, 2021
With autumn already here, we can
with a blanket of snow. Most
reflect on our fun summer days and
importantly, as we bid farewell to the
embrace the cooler temperatures.
hot sun, we need to start thinking
The vivid hues of red, orange, brown
about our skin and the potential harm
and yellow add a final touch of
it has endured over the summer
colour before the winter graces us
months.
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How can you do this? Well, first, I would highly recommend combining glycolic acids with your Retinol. In addition to this, the use of AHA is another one of my favourites. Now, let me explain the differences and benefits of these necessary remedies to youthful skin.While they all serve a different purpose, they work incredibly well together. You might be asking yourself, “How do they work? What's their benefit?” Lactic Acid has about the same Many of us enjoy basking in the sun, but we tend to forget that the sun's ultraviolet rays cause significant damage to the skin. Now, you might be asking yourself, “What can we do to ‘save’ our skin?” Here is my suggestion on how to restore your youthful glow and rejuvenate your skin. There are many ways you can care for your skin without consuming your day! I realize how busy life can get, but caring for your skin shouldn't feel like a daunting task. Instead, it can serve as a ‘spa moment’ that takes less than 10 minutes.
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benefit as Glycolic Acid. Yet, it all depends on the intended result and one's skin type. The primary function of Lactic Acid is to exfoliate the skin by removing the dead skin cells that naturally accumulate on our skin. As exfoliation occurs, your skin's brightness will improve along with its texture. Now you ask, “What's the difference between Lactic and Glycolic Acid?” Lactic Acid is tolerated much better by sensitive skin. It's a wonderful product applied to the face, providing it with the love and care your skin requires.
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During my morning and nightly routines, I use the Bright and Clear solution, which consists of Lactic and Salicylic Acid. Earlier on, I mentioned how much I enjoy using AHA as part of my skincare routine. Let's focus on the purpose of AHA, more specifically, Alpha Hydroxy Acid. I love how AHA works! Its purpose is to exfoliate dead skin cells, brighten skin, and provide antiaging benefits. This product is my ‘go-to’ during these fall months as well as spring. Don't forget, this product contains 8% Lactic Acid, along with many other active ingredients. Retinol also works very well. What does Retinol do for your skin? It improves the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles. It also helps to even out skin pigmentation and blemishes, and reinvigorates youthful skin by actively stimulating collagen production.
best results for your skin, make sure to cleanse your skin in the morning and protect your skin from sun exposure by using sunscreen. Follow an easy skincare routine for a few minutes, morning and night. It's simple, quick and easy. You can take my word for it, or give it a try for yourself. You will not regret it! *The views and opinions contained within subjects,
It's so important to love and care for
content, information, data and imagery does not
your skin. The best part of it all, it's
affiliates. This article is not intended to be a replacement
quick and easy to do. To achieve the
necessarily reflect those of iinta, iinta’s staff, or iinta’s for medical diagnosis, information or treatment, etc. ALWAYS see your medical provider. For full disclosure statement, please visit our Disclosure Page.
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COMING SOON
IINTA CUISINE WINE
IINTA SPORTS GOLF
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This is my go-to BBQ marinade that
As this marinade can serve several
works well with various cuts of beef,
various cuts of beef, this recipe is
but my favorite use for this recipe is
strictly to help get you to the grill.
for beef ribs or kebabs! Due to the level of acidity and abundance of
Different cuts require different
flavour in this marinade, you will only
methods so I'm keeping this one
need 40 minutes for this dish to
simple.
marinate properly. The longer you marinate, the more it breaks it down
I created this recipe 20 years ago and
everything holding the muscle
it still satisfies the “WOW factor” I am
intact, so don't overdo it or the meat
looking for when I’m serving guests or
may become too tender and fall
catering. It gets them every time and
apart.
is an absolute must try!
Recipe Getting Started Method: BBQ Prep time: 45 mins Ingredients 2-3lbs Beef (your favorite choice of cut) 2oz EVOO 2oz Lime juice 2oz Balsamic Vinegar 2oz Worcestershire Sauce 2 Tablespoons Garlic Powder 1 Teaspoon Chili Flakes Sea Salt Fresh Cracked Black Pepper or Montreal Steak Spice
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Instructions
(if using a baking dish, be sure to
Step 1: Season the beef with the sea
cover it tightly with plastic wrap).
salt and cracked black pepper.
Once everything is tightly sealed, put
Alternatively, you may use a small
the marinated beef into the
amount of Montreal Steak Spice. Rub
refrigerator for 20 minutes. At this
it into the meat and then put it aside
point, take the bag or baking dish
for a couple of minutes while you
out so that you can stir and flip the
make the marinade.
pieces of marinated beef, and then put it back into the fridge for
Step 2: In a bowl, combine all liquids
another 20 minutes (for a grand total
(EVOO, Balsamic, Lime and
of 40 minutes).
Worcestershire). Step 5: There you go, BBQ masters! Step 3: Add the garlic powder and
The beef is now ready to grill to your
chili flakes into the liquid mix and
liking.
stir well. The garlic powder acts as a thickener which will help the
I hope you love it and good luck.
marinade coat and stick to the meat
Don't forget to check out and follow
better.
@ZahersTestKitchen on Instagram for exclusive content!
Step 4: Transfer the seasoned meat into a large zip-up bag or baking
Yours truly,
dish, pour in the marinade and mix
Chef Deke Zaher
the meat into it, covering everything
Zaher's Test Kitchen
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IINTA CUISINE FINE WINE
PAGE 66
GRAPEBRANDS
Wine & Food Are Like Music By Kelly Louiseize Editor Jennifer J. Lacelle September 25, 2021
Out of 900 wine samples tested each
heart all the time.”
year, Donato Carozza and Franco Stalteri can sniff out the best by
How they became one of Ontario’s top
instinct.
wine agents started 23 years ago when Donato gave up his career as a
“It hits you right there,” Franco says,
bond representative, his Yorkville pad
pointing to his heart.
in Toronto, and a BMW 325I to learn the art of wine making in Italy.
Donato nods. “Agreed. Passion is king in this business and it has
It sounds romantic, sure, though it
always led my brain. it has been all
was anything but, he says.
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After graduating from York University in Business Management, Donato took a job selling assurance bonds to construction companies. When the market went hard, (premiums increased and clients began questioning their policy) he had to rethink his career choice. So, he took off to the Province of Treviso where his Uncle Bruno owned a 60 million litre winery in a small village called Montebelluna. Translated, it means nice moon hill. Moons seem to be an important symbol of transition in Donato’s life. It was there he stayed learning the craft, waking at 6 a.m. to clean out the garbage disposals, moving to plastics and packaging, cleaning fermentation tanks and eventually to testing laboratories, and into the vineyard. On his days off he visited neighbouring wineries, learning the subtle differences that would make their grapes different than another and their wine a signature of pride in the family. In a country populated by vineyards, it is the smallest of nuances that give a vineyard its reputation. Donato was consumed with knowing everything there was to know about wine making.
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Franco Stalteri (left) Donato Carozza (right)
Somewhere down the road he would put that knowledge to good use. A Night to Remember On a clear night, a full moon so close one could touch it, he and Uncle Bruno visited friends in Sardegna, an Italian island south of France and west of Italy on the Mediterranean Sea. He and his uncle sat down to zuppa di pesce (fish soup). It had been simmering for 12 hours, its Mediterranean flavours burst open with every spoonful. “It’s cooked in tomato soup — just fantastic,” he laughs. After mopping the bowl with bread, he and Uncle Bruno migrated to the laboratory. The side door on the wine production facility was open and it
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was there they performed sample
was approved. That was a fête in of
testing until close to midnight.
itself since those tickets were like
Sharing a bottle of grappa talking
winning a lottery.
about wine and life, the men philosophized.
Uncle Bruno sent his nephew three Venetian wines: a white, a red and a
“Wine is like music, it is all about the
sparkling.
feeling, the mood. You must drink what you love. Once you find out
“You should be able to cut the market
what you love, don’t hesitate to
in half starting with these,” Donato
explore other wines, ask questions.
recalls his uncle saying.
Once you begin to understand wine like you do music, it becomes a mood and food thing. They work together in life,” Donato recommends. In the laboratory the following day Uncle Bruno prodded Donato about his future. He suggested he fly back to Canada and begin his own wine agency. His tutorage with Uncle Bruno was coming to an end. In the following weeks, Donato prepared to return home.
This was also a time before cell phones and the smooth transference of text,
Back in Ontario, the LCBO’s heavy
email and online banking.
restrictions on wine products were continuing to suppress consumer
Greater Toronto Area restaurants and
choice.
large companies were his first points of contact.
Donato approached the LCBO for a license and registration of which he
Their “edge to the wedge” was a new sparkling Prosecco.
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It was Donato who introduced that
Only 100 of those agencies are in
lively, refreshing taste to Ontario, he
existence today with Grapebrands
says.
being one of the top 10.
For restauranteurs, the price point
To show his support, French provided
could not be denied. This allowed
Donato space to house an inventory of
other products to be introduced.
wine at one of the LCBO warehouses.
Owners also liked the fact that these wines could not be found on LCBO
This was a real cue. It meant his clients
shelves.
didn’t have to provide funds upfront and could receive their purchases the
Despite a three month wait for
next day.
orders, that they were required to pay upfront, Donato’s customer base
“This was great because I always
grew.
stumbled over myself asking for money upfront.”
“I wouldn’t go home at night until I was productive. I would go to a
Soon these cases grew from a 100 to
Yorkville restaurant and order an
1,000 to 10,000 plus. During that time
appetizer. The owner would come
Donato was living out of two small
around and soon he was sampling
rooms in Yorkville. One was his office
my products. Before I left, I made a
and the other his bedroom.
sale.” Grapebrands introduces Charlie’s So successful was he that David
Burgers
French, head of operations at the
“I was scratching my pennies just to
LCBO, wanted to use him as the
make my payments. I cut
poster boy to show how a new
(metaphorically speaking) my arms off
system can benefit operations. An
and grew new ones during this time.”
estimated 300 agencies opened but soon collapsed after realizing how
Today, he services over 600 Greater
difficult it was to penetrate the
Toronto Area restaurants, of which
market and stay focused.
400 are consistent buyers.
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Clientele from restaurants were
based on a theme and delivering good
exceptionally supportive. Yes, he
food paired with stellar wines set in
says, there was a darkness of
motion Charlie’s Burgers.
uncertainty in those days, but I just kept at it and didn’t raise my head
For those unfamiliar with Charlie’s
until the day was done.
Burgers, it is the most recognized dinner series across Canada, says
One evening while hosting a wine
Franco.
event at the Pier Palace, located in the west end at the mouth of the
Each month, one of Canada’s top
Humber River, he was introduced to
chefs had cart balance over the
Franco. The wine event had a bit of a
supper menu and Grapebrands would
theatrical slant to it. In the library of
pair boutique wines and select
the home, Donato served wine
locations.
vintages while waitress angels distributed samples of sparkling
People invited to these exclusive
wines. Each wine group had a
events are given a guest card along
theme. The idea of creating a night
with suggestions for attire.
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For instance, if it was a cruise ship
“We created an experience for people
evening, guests were told to arrive in
that was exciting. Each dinner sold out
nautical style fashion. So popular
and we had 1,000 people wanting to
were these events that they had to
get in. It was lively, intimate and fun,”
create secret codes and passwords
Franco says.
to let guests in and keep transients out.
It attracted guests from all over the world: Denmark, Spain, Sweden. The
“It was all cloak and dagger with
evening was so unique that Charlie’s
maps and special codes,” Franco
Burgers made #3 on New York City’s
chimes in.
best Food and Wine magazine in 2010. Chef Louis Charest, who managed the Canadian Governor General kitchen, decided to have an Arctic menu with whale, muskox and of course, Arctic char, which he experimented and served to the princess of Japan, Aiko Toshi, several weeks later. The dinner club became such a craze that Charlie’s Burgers had their own following of people who treated it like a cult, Franco says. Guests would
In fact, part of the thrill was the
compliment the gentlemen on wine
secrecy of meeting a strange man by
pairings and inquire how they might
a mailbox who would confirm their
purchase a case of Georgio Pellisaro
password. Other times he was the
from the Piedmont region, or Brunello
man on a park bench reading a
from Tuscany or a French Chablis
newspaper upside down.
which happened to be Donato’s current love.
Each month the theme would be different and held in a distinct
“It has never been about the sales
location, with a turnover of 50 new
pitch. My goal has been to inspire
enthusiastic guests.
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people with a bird in hand
Downtown Toronto deliveries are by
approach,” says the man who is more
bicycle which adds to that European
comfortable rolling up his sleeves
flavour. To say this collection of wine
and dirtying the knees of his jeans
tasters helped buoy the business
with vineyard soil. “It is important to
during COVID is an understatement
drink better and live better, enjoy life
since most of the restaurants had to
for today and understand wine like
close with gradual reopening
you consume fine foods and music,
occurring in 2021.
with passion and meaning. Discovery and exploration are great ways to
Grapebrands represents over 130
learn about wine or simply enjoy it
companies from Spain, France,
more sensibly. Guests asked to buy
Washington D.C. and Italy, with over
wines and of course we wanted to
1,200 imported wine products.
sell them but more than anything we
Over the next two years they will be
wanted them to enjoy the evening.
developing the website to create that
We talk business the next day.”
same cultural experience.
Donato and Franco cannot count the
“We don’t want to lose our wine, that
number of suppers they’ve
is our spine,” Donato says. “We want to
organized, but each event brought
continue to create meaningful
more people inquiring about the
experiences that are epic in quality
wine selection. Out of that demand
and commitment. Our hearts are in
came CB Wine Program, a
the right place and we want to
membership that delivers three
continue giving our members a
boutique wines to one’s door each
reason to stay.”
month, including details of where
So, it was something about the moon
the wine was crafted, its process and
from Montebelluna that led his heart
operators.
to Sardegna which carried his passion back to Canada. In delivering wines as
“If it is good enough for my table it is
a way of life rather than a way of
good enough for someone else’s,”
income, he found his calling, a calling
Donato says.
he now shares with the world.
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