VOLUME 27, NUMBER 11, 0834-2012
NOVEMBER, 2012
Research, development and innovation at Oceanic Consulting Corporation is not rocket science...
It’s far harder than that
IN THIS ISSUE:
•Meet the real Santa •Business up north •Amazing membership race photos
There’s a very good reason why it’s called 351 Water.
Sure, it seems obvious at first. After all, it’s situated on Water Street, on the waterfront, in the very heart of downtown. But the name runs deeper than the mailing address. ThreeFiftyOne is the first and only office tower in Newfoundland to be heated and cooled by sea water, incorporating our innovative technology to capture the thermal energy of tides in the St. John’s harbour. It’s an inspiring and creative LEED®registered workspace that literally runs on innovation. And if that doesn’t spark the imagination, there’s always the view.
351 is only the beginning. Whatever your workspace needs, we can brainstorm a solution. After all, we’ve built millions of square feet of creative and adaptive workspaces over the past 30 years. 709.738.4100 www.eastportproperties.ca
Contents IN THIS ISSUE Business News is a monthly publication of the St. John’s Board of Trade. Reproduction of any material contained in Business News is permitted provided written approval from the St. John’s Board of Trade. Articles and criticisms are invited, but opinions expressed by contributors do not necessarily represent those of the St. John’s Board of Trade. We encourage you to support the business leaders whose names and products you see advertised in this issue as well as throughout our entire membership. The Board reserves the right to edit submissions. Editor: Printed by: Layout:
Alisha Morrisey British Group of Companies Roxanne Abbott
ST. JOHN’S BOARD OF TRADE EXECUTIVE Steve Power Denis Mahoney Sharon Horan Kim Keating Jo Mark Zurel Paul Janes
Chair Senior Vice-Chair First Vice-Chair Second Vice-Chair Immediate Past Chair Secretary-Treasurer
COVER STORY
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CHAIR’S MESSAGE FEATURES
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AMBASSADOR COLUMNS KEEPING CURRENT MEMBERSHIP
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BOARD OF DIRECTORS Dallas Mercer Andrea Brocklehurst Wayne Bruce Heather Bruce-Veitch Lynn Sullivan Karen McCarthy Dorothy Keating Des Whelan
STAFF Nancy Healey Jennifer Chaytor Lori Coleman Margie Davis Alisha Morrissey Shannon Lewis-Simpson Wanda Palmer Jackie Bryant-Cumby
Chief Executive Officer Manager of Finance and Compliance Business Affairs Manager Sales Manager Policy Research Analyst Manager of Policy and Communications Director of Sales and Member Fulfillment Member Relations Administrator
St. John’s Board of Trade 34 Harvey Road P.O. Box 5127 St. John’s, NL A1C 5V5 Canada Tel: (709) 726-2961 Fax: (709) 726-2003 E-mail: mail@bot.nf.ca Website: www.bot.nf.ca
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November 2012
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Cover Story oceanic If space is the final frontier, then the Arctic is the toughest
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n 1969, Apollo 11 travelled to the moon’s Sea of Tranquility and safely returned to Earth. The same year, the icebreaking tanker SS Manhattan traveled the Northwest Passage to the Beaufort Sea, took on one barrel of oil and returned to the Atlantic. Last month, commercial transportation to the International Space Station began. Other than northern resupply, commercial transportation of offshore oil in the Arctic has yet to start. It might not be rocket science, but it is through innovation, research and development of new Arctic technologies that safe, sustainable exploration, exploitation and transportation of resources in the Arctic will be realized.
Icebreaker experiments by Oceanic Oceanic Consulting Corporation has been on the front line of that work since the start. Founded in 1993, the company aimed to take advantage of the facilities available in St. John’s to provide contract research to the international marketplace on how marine structures perform in their environments. One of its earliest projects was to help Saint John Shipbuilding Limited to develop an icebreaking navigational aids tender for the Canadian Coast Guard. Now nearing the end of its twentieth year providing contract research, Oceanic has helped develop icebreaking drillships for the high Arctic, ice protection structures for the Beaufort and Caspian Seas, offloading systems for operations in ice off the coast of Russia’s Sakhalin Island, moorings in ice for Bohai Bay in China and many other challenging project technologies. 2
With a business relationship that spans nearly twenty years, Oceanic was acquired by the J.D. Irving, Limited, Group of Companies in June of 2011. Oceanic is now the starting point of a value chain that will see innovative research and development become technological realities both within the family of Irving companies and through its international clientele.
Fleetway designed Fogo Island Ferry Oceanic may be the start of the innovation chain, however it is not the end. Oceanic’s parent company, Fleetway Inc., is Canada’s largest naval architecture firm. No stranger to the challenges of ice, Fleetway has a history of innovative design. Growing out of Saint John Naval Systems, the firm has in its portfolio the design of the Canadian Patrol Frigate and its current modernization program as well as the conversion engineering of the scientific research vessel CCG Amundsen. Closer to home, Fleetway has recently completed the design of the new Fogo Island ferry. With research support from Oceanic, the ferry is designed to operate year round on the northeast coast in ice and open water. Irving Shipbuilding Inc., another company along the innovation sea route, is Canada’s largest shipbuilding company. Building a
Module installation at Irving Shipbuilding broad range of ships for both Government and the private sector, it continues to play a pivotal role in Canada’s Arctic. As an integrator, drawing on the innovations of companies within the group and from outside, Irving Shipbuilding will be building Canada’s Arctic Offshore Patrol Ships, an essential part of protecting Canada’s sovereignty in the North. Irving Shipbuilding is no stranger to building innovative ships for the harsh conditions of Canada’s Arctic and sub-Arctic regions. Offshore support vessels like Atlantic Hawk and Atlantic Eagle were built by Irving Shipbuilding for Atlantic Towing Limited, another J.D. Irving company. Atlantic Towing knows first-hand the need for innovative research and development of Arctic technology. Tasked with ice management, including towing icebergs weighing hundreds of thousands of tonnes, these are the people that bring innovation to reality and reality to innovation because what doesn’t work for Atlantic Towing is the next starting point for Oceanic. Innovation in the Arctic is like the Northwest Passage – it’s a journey, not a destination and when you get to the end, you start it all over again. But it’s not rocket science. It is far more challenging.
Ice management on the Atlantic Hawk November 2012
Business News
Chair’s Message a taxing situation Many people in the metro area have been checking the mail with hesitation this fall.
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unicipal assessments should be out in the next number of weeks. For some people this will be a just another piece of paper from the city, for others it may cause a whole lot of stress. For businesses it may cause a whole lot of confusion as a new tax regime comes into play. The City of St. John’s, and the majority of the metro area, has experienced the positive impacts of unprecedented growth in the economy. Housing prices have skyrocketed. Rental rates on commercial space are the highest in Atlantic Canada and assessments of both are up significantly. This is a great thing generally. But for low-income earners and those living paycheque to paycheque, their house, which was worth $186,000 in 2008 (according to the Canadian Mortgage and Housing Corporation), was worth $269,000 in 2011 – our current assessment cycle. In just three years, the owner of the “average” house may or may not have done any renovations, or improved the value of their home in any way, but the value of that house is up $83,000. According to real estate appraisers in the city, that’s the single highest increase in values ever seen locally. And the impact will be seen when people crack the lid of the mailbox and they’re bowled over by sticker shock. The cities and towns we live in have a way to reduce the burden of this increase – by lowering the mill rate. The mill rate is a percentage that we all pay on the value of our houses and businesses, but just because the mill rate drops doesn’t mean the taxes will. Often the increase is taken in stride by residents, a few bucks more on each mortgage payment for those who tie the taxes in with the bank’s mortgage. But for businesses, this year’s tax regime will be a bit more complicated.
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While rental rates and assessments are through the roof, you will no longer be paying business tax to the city. Instead, your landlord will. The idea is that the city will have less bureaucracy in place, and will streamline the tax process for businesses, but in return you’ll see a hike in rents, which will account for your landlord paying your share of the business tax. I’d like to see the City make a strong commitment to the business community through a significant and proportional reduction in the mill rates. Business puts money into the community and economy, creating jobs and wealth for the city. The Board of Trade, on behalf of its members will be talking to the city about decreasing the mill rate significantly so the net taxes collected on your homes and businesses are similar to recent years, but we’re hoping to get your help to send that message.
“In just three years, the owner of the “average” house may or may not have done any renovations, or improved the value of their home in any way, but the value of that house is up $83,000.” While this may not be the most exciting of topics in the municipal sphere, or even coming up around dinner tables, it’s possibly one of the most important for the long term sustainability for the city. To make the City livable, and to encourage more young, creative and skilled newcomers to live in the City, we have to spend sustainably on services and infrastructure. That includes a reasonable tax regime for both homes and businesses November 2012
Chair, Steve Power or no one will want to live and do business in St. John’s. We want to be a competitive, attractive place to live so we can see sustainable growth and success in the future. We need to be efficient in our spending, and look to the future to create a City that is economical in design for sustainable growth. Which is why I encourage you to get engaged. To call your political representatives, to write letters and to attend public consultations about the city’s budget. So stand up. Be heard. Because you’re the only one who can have an impact on what happens after you recover from the shock you get after sorting the mail.
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Feature innovative team building Enable project success through innovative team building
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he economy of Atlantic Canada is dominated by large complex natural resource projects. In Newfoundland and Labrador alone, Atlantic Provinces Economic Council has identified 111 projects worth an estimated total of $40.1 billion that are started or scheduled. With untapped development in other energy and resource opportunities, it can be assumed that the energy and resources industry will continue to grow. These are exciting times for the province, but the risks associated with large projects are high. How do project owners know if their projects will be successful? For a project owner, the first step is to hire the best project managers and professionals; a tall order in a highly competitive labour market. Fortunately, Newfoundland and Labrador has been successful in attracting some world class talent. Hiring the very best increases the chances of success, but the presence of highperforming individuals is only part of the equation. The reality of complex projects is that most critical decisions are made, not by individuals, but by multi-disciplinary teams. So the $6 billion dollar question becomes, “Do we have teams capable of delivering a successful project?” Do we have teams at all – or just meetings at which high powered individuals compete for influence? The answer to this question might be the difference between success and failure of the project. It is for this reason, that an area gaining attention as a leading indicator of project success is team effectiveness. Effective teams are clear on their priorities, are well aligned, consistently make good decisions and have a positive culture supporting project success. Research has shown that a high performing team is one of the most important tools an organization can leverage to ensure success. Developing groups of individuals into high-performing teams enables a project to succeed because 4
Alex Twells the entire team trusts and challenges one another, communicates openly, holds each other accountable and focuses on results. It sounds simple, but complex projects involve the coordination of many people across multiple organizations, for differing durations with varied work scopes. Joint venture partners, contractors and suppliers are frequently tasked with uniting forces to deliver a successful project. As a result, the project team includes members from very different work cultures. It is no wonder individuals in newly formed teams often continue to work in silos and struggle to work together. The creation of teams is critical. Defining their purpose, accountabilities and processes necessary for success are an essential starting point. Teams with a difficult start, struggle to mature into an effective group. They suffer from a number of challenges including lack of role clarity and ineffective leadership that is replaced with a more muscular form of project management. For project owners these complexities do not change the fundamental need to deliver a successful project. How then, can project management improve team effectiveness and ensure success? The answer lies in the way in which teams are created, aligned and led.
November 2012
For existing teams, a number of innovative tools are available to measure team effectiveness and benchmark current performance against the highest performing groups. These simple techniques demonstrate where to focus attention most efficiently. In most cases, a combination of leadership training and a formal process of team alignment workshops can create the conditions necessary for effective teams to develop. Investing in team effectiveness is understood by many project owners as essential risk mitigation. In addition, it has a positive impact on recruitment and retention of project staff. Why? This is because effective teams are much more enjoyable to work with. Of course, there are no guarantees for project success, but a high performing team increases the chances. Alex Twells is a Senior Manager at Deloitte in St. John’s atwells@deloitte.ca
Business News
Feature MAkIng It work labour market major focus of board’s, newly created task force
initiatives to meet the needs of the future. The way forward for the province’s economy, and people depends on it.
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If you would like more information on the labour market or how the St. John’s Board of Trade can help you meet challenges in this area, please contact us.
he labour shortage crisis of Newfoundland and Labrador began to emerge 18-24 months ago, however, based on historical access to labour, business owners did not believe it possible for us to be in this position. In previous years, employers didn’t have to advertise to receive resumes, a whisper of a job opportunity would lead to calls and e-mails from individuals in need of employment. In essence, it started in the service sector, with job vacancy signs around the city and job postings by employers. After a lengthy discussion at the St. John’s Board of Trade’s annual Policy Think Tank, it became obvious this challenge was very real. We have come to realize this shortage is built upon economic success and compounded by a lost generation of Newfoundlanders and Labradorians who have left the province in the past 30 to 40 years. The St. John’s Board of Trade responded by launching a task force of Board members and member companies. This group has met 18 times in six months, made presentations to a panel of the Canadian House of Commons, a host of federal and provincial cabinet ministers, the board of directors and senior management of the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency, as well as senior public servants at both the federal and provincial levels. The committee’s work has created a new web presence dedicated to human resources issues, and influenced the agenda of the Canadian Chamber of Commerce National AGM with one successfully passed resolution on immigration. It has become evident that Newfoundland and Labrador is as much as 10 years behind provinces like Alberta and Manitoba in talking about the labour market and demographics challenges. We need to come to terms with the fact that while we have a relatively high provincial
Business News
Des Whelan unemployment rate, regionally we have areas in the province that are experiencing full employment. In St. John’s and parts of Labrador specifically, employers cannot find enough workers with the necessary skills to staff their projects. Therefore, companies are choosing not to set up in Newfoundland and Labrador. This all adds up to lost opportunities to diversify our economy and future growth beyond the oil boom. As the Labour Market Task Force met to tackle this very troubling issue, we grappled with the size and importance of the challenge and came to terms with some very fundamental things. First, the solution is made up of many layers and initiatives, and must take into consideration the longand short-term outcomes. Immediately, we will focus on the shortages of skilled trades for construction projects (25,000 jobs) that will peak in 2017 and the much larger, long-term shortages (nearly 50,000 jobs) in most every field and occupation. Essentially, the solutions comprise of streamlined immigration policies and properly focused educational and training
November 2012
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Ambassador Column shAne kennedy
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started my term as an Ambassador for the St. John’s Board of Trade in January, 2011. At the time, I was new to the business community and was looking to build a network of business contacts in the St. John’s area. My involvement with the Board of Trade has helped me grow my business contacts and my networking ability, building my comfort level at all networking events in the city. The Ambassador program is an incredibly rewarding program for anyone looking to enhance their networking abilities, grow their business contacts, meet new friends, and step outside their comfort zone. Take it from someone who grew up with an introverted personality who found themselves in a client relationship role; networking was not something that came naturally to me but the ambassador program immediately gave me a network of over 20 people
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in the business community laying a great foundation for meeting more members. Now, I chair the Ambassador committee and lead a team of more than 20 great ambassadors that are ambitious and looking to grow within the business community in St. John’s. For anyone looking to get involved and grow your business I encourage you to look into the program and go to a Board of Trade event to talk to an ambassador, every one of them would be happy to meet you.
Shane Kennedy is an Account Manager at The Business Development Bank of Canada with a focus on helping small businesses grow. Shane can be reached at (709) 772-4353 or shane.kennedy@bdc.ca.
Business News
Ambassador Column Anders jensen hen I first moved to St. John’s as an international student in 2005, my primary goal was simply to get an education that would help me in any future endeavors. I had no idea that I would marry a “townie” and settle here permanently. St. John’s and Newfoundland and Labrador greeted me with open arms when I first arrived, and I am glad that I now can give back to the business community through my involvement with the St. John’s Board of Trade. The Board of Trade provides a great venue to connect and help the community that has become my home. Be it lunch and learns, the golf tournament, business mixers, or lunch with the Premier, it feels good to be part of a committed and enthusiastic team that believes in what they are doing. A quick look behind the
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scene reveals a team that works tirelessly to improve the business environment for all its members. The Ambassador program has helped me realize the opportunities and support that the Board provides to the community. But it also made me realize how big a role we all can play if we have the drive and we really want to. Anders Jensen is an Account Manager with TD Commercial Banking, and can be contacted at (709) 758-5565 or anders. jensen@td.com
Well-trained. Experienced. Safe.
Levert works. Since 1983, Levert Personnel Resources has recruited and trained skilled workers for the oil and gas, mining, and industrial workplaces where safety comes first. Joining forces with Whelan Petroleum Personnel Management, we’re proud to be part of Newfoundland and Labrador’s business community. We look forward to putting our staffing solutions at your fingertips.
levert.ca
Business News
November 2012
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Feature infrastructure company’s knowledge runs deep CBCL has had a hand in many water and sewer projects in Atlantic Canada any local firms have a major effect on our lives and we don’t even know it. Take consulting engineering firm CBCL, for example. When still a small consulting firm, roughly 60 years ago, CBCL began collaborating with the City of Halifax. The relationship profoundly changed the infrastructure of Atlantic Canada’s largest city. At the time, Halifax needed a new water system, and CBCL won the job. As Halifax morphed into a sprawling regional municipality, CBCL grew along with it, becoming the largest local employeeowned engineering consulting firm in Atlantic Canada, with expertise in a vast range of disciplines. Today, CBCL has more than 300 employees who work out of eight
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offices, strategically located in all four Atlantic Provinces. Each office functions as part of a powerful whole, and putting it all together requires tapping into the latest technology. It’s hard to find a place in the region that hasn’t been influenced in some way by CBCL, according to Kent Lane, the company’s Director of Corporate Affairs and Technology. “We’ve designed the infrastructure fabric of a lot of communities in Atlantic Canada over the last 55 years,” he says, “and I think we’ve done a good job of it.”
How they do it is all a matter of balance. CBCL’s work on the wastewater-treatment plan in Saint John, one of the largest in the firm’s history, and its continued work with Halifax Regional Municipality designing part of the system for the massive Harbour Solutions cleanup project caught the attention of the City of Corner Brook. When the city made a second attempt to establish its own water-treatment system, the fact that CBCL had a strong regional presence wasn’t even a consideration. “We chose them because they were the best,” says Steve May, Corner Brook’s Director of Operational Services. “They had a depth of knowledge about water-treatment facilities and design/build processes that nobody could match.” It paid off; the first water-treatment project in the city failed because of massive cost overruns. After a year and a half of working with CBCL, the second November 2012
attempt is about to break ground. “It’s the biggest infrastructure project the City of Corner Book has ever undertaken,” says May, “and CBCL’s input has had a significant impact on making it affordable.” In many cases, the company forms teams from two or three branch offices to work on a single project, calling on a wealth of expertise that’s spread over thousands of square kilometres of geography. “Right now we’re working on a series of infrastructure and buildings projects with Marine Atlantic in Port aux Basques, North Sydney and Argentia where at least four branches are involved,” says Lane. “It’s being run out of our Sydney office, but we’re doing a lot of the work for it in St. John’s and also at our offices in Saint John, NB and Halifax, NS.” CBCL is well acquainted with this region, as it maintained a branch office in St. John’s through the 1970’s and 80’s. During that time the company contributed significantly to local infrastructure, including a waste water treatment plant for the Town of Conception Bay South. In 2012, the company reopened a branch office in St. John’s and opened an office in Happy Valley-Goose Bay. In addition to its infrastructure and civil capabilities, it offers expertise in mechanical, electrical, structural, environmental, and land use planning. “The future of work in Newfoundland and Labrador is very bright indeed”, says Jack Caines, Manager of the NL branches. “This year the St. John’s branch celebrates its 10th year of operation in Newfoundland and Labrador and we continue to expand markets and clients in the region, building on the past expertise and good work of other parts of our company.” Business News
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NANCY ON CBC
A view of CEO Nancy Healey from the CBC control room before she is interviewed by Here and Now on buoyant retail sales figures for August.
CHAIR AT ROTARY
Past Chair Bruce Templeton speaks to Chair Steve Power prior to Steve’s breakfast speech to Rotary St. John’s East on Sept. 21.
polIcy MAtters Issue Labrador and Arctic
Costs to doing business
Muskrat Falls
Lack of skilled labour
High Youth Unemployment
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Quick facts Impact on business $15B in planned and Requirement for native current projects partnerships Native partners required Challenges with for developments on infrastructure, labour, claimed land weather WHSCC Statutory Review NL employers have paid in progress the highest premiums for Minimum wage also the last 10 years despite under review reduction in incidents Raise to minimum wage would place stress on SMEs
What the Board is doing Held a conference about doing business up north and procurement opportunities
2,700 jobs at peak with 6 million hours plus 1.5 million hours for engineering and project mgmt Innu Nation will gain 5% of net project revenue and an additional $5 million per year 80K job openings in all sectors and skill levels by 2020 There would still be 25K jobs not filled even if all NL went to work
Will provide clean, reliable energy at stable rates for 100+ years. Contribute to economic diversification $1.4 billion in total income for both labour and businesses related to procurement opportunities Loss of opportunity and growth Higher wages Stress on existing workers Pressure on SMEs No succession
The St. John’s BOT supports the MF development, anticipating that the DG3 numbers will be positive
Get informed about the project
Job matching and informing employers Advocating immigration and removal of barriers to work Working with stakeholders
Help people back to work Continue to train and educate at work Attend our Lunch and Learns Attend BOT Reverse Job Fair on Dec. 13
20% unemployed in NL An international problem contributing to labour shortages
No succession plan Lack of skilled workers Lack of consumers
Job matching Liaising with postsecondary and community groups
Hire new graduates Encourage apprenticeships Mentor
Submit to WHSCC stat review and advocate for rate reduction Submitted to Minimum Wage Review
November 2012
What you can do Look north! Partner with native groups Provide housing and services for employees north Encourage H&S trg in the workplace Encourage healthy choices and lifestyles for employees Get fit. Keep healthy Tell the BOT about impacts of rising costs to your business
Business News
Special Feature the MAn In the red suIt can I be your bodyguard?
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n many big cities there are community centres in the downtown core that house a daycare, youth clubs, and various sports facilities. In St. John’s, a large building at a former military base at Buckmaster’s Circle is used for such a purpose. This is the home of the Boys & Girls Clubs of St. John’s. The atmosphere tends to be a bit rough-and-tumble, with lots of kids full of energy. You can imagine what an adventure it is for Santa to visit 300 local children at their Christmas party. These children are counting on seeing the “real” Santa – the one from the Santa Claus Parade. Santa definitely has to bring his “A” game! Now, there are two ways to arrive on stage and one is much safer than the other. The safe strategy is to arrive quietly at an appointed time, find a change room near the stage area, and then show up on stage through a back entrance. Or you can be much more adventurous by arriving in full attire at the front door. In that case, you will have to get through a sea of clambering children! This takes a great deal of preparation and a certain amount of bravery – especially if there are only a limited number of volunteers. These helpers all do their best, of course, but we have to hope there are older children who have been asked (or who volunteered) to take their sibling to the Christmas party and supervise them. When Santa is feeling particularly brave, he opts for the front-door arrival. The scene will be predictable. There is going to be a pack of six or eight young boys about eight to ten years old who are unruly and “cool.” They plan to “greet” you at the door. Their hair might be spiked, there might be an earlobe or two pierced, and they think it would be cool to strip Santa down and expose him as a fake in front of the smaller children. Well, Santa is ready for them. Under Santa’s hair is a small welder’s skull-cap which has been covered in
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Velcro. The beard has long straps attached to the cap to make it totally secure. No elastic for this Santa. It is so secure, in fact, that if a child locks his or her fingers in the beard and announces “You are a fake!” Santa can wince in apparent pain. Santa can then stand his full height and lift the child off the ground
hanging onto the beard. That usually satisfies the first group of doubters. As we know, Santa also has a headset with earphones connected to a wireless transmitter, and an organizer who knows each of the children. At this point, Santa can say, “Gordon, don’t hurt old Santa. He needs to be in good shape for Christmas Eve to visit you, your brother Jack, and your sister Emily.” When you start to name them one at a time, and you can tell them their brothers’ and sisters’ names, the school-teacher’s name, their best friend’s name, and even their dog’s name, then you make quite an impression. At this point, the November 2012
second group of non-believers suddenly starts to think there is something different going on here. Surely only the real Santa could know these things, right? So here you stand, in the entrance of a very large building with hundreds of children racing around and not nearly enough adult elves and helpers to provide any security for Santa. Your instinct is to say, “I forgot something in the sleigh” and run for your car, but that is unacceptable. Instead, you do the unexpected. You drop down on your knees making yourself totally vulnerable to the pack of questioning non-believers while you try to identify the ringleader. I take him by the wrists and bring him within six inches of my face. “Gordon, Santa needs some help. Will you be my chief bodyguard? Santa needs to get up on the stage at the end of the gym, but first I have to get through this crowd of children. Will you and your friends be Santa’s bodyguards and get me to the stage? I am sure I can find a small treat for you at the end of the visit.” At this point, something very interesting happens. Gordon turns to his peers and says, “Stop, guys. Santa needs our help. He has to get to the stage and give out presents. Let’s form a circle around him and help him out.” Then the magic unfolds. One the kids in the older group will have a smaller brother or sister, usually three or four years old. Santa reaches down to pick up the younger sibling. Most of these young kids are from large families and the young ones have no fears; they are not put off by Santa. I take off my hat and carefully pull it down on the head of the young child. Gordon is astonished that Santa has taken off his hat and put it on his younger sister. “Look guys, my sister is wearing Santa’s hat!” continued on next page... 11
Special Feature the MAn In the red suIt Halfway to the stage, you stop and lie down flat on the floor on your stomach. The boys circle you. Then they sit down cross-legged. Soon, all the other children gather around and sit in a circle. Santa reaches into his mailbag, takes out a big pop-up book with stand-up pieces, and starts to read the first page. “’Twas the night before Christmas and all through the....” The children all shout “HOUSE!” Santa doesn’t need to look at the words as he turns the pages, so he can concentrate on the happy faces of the children. When the story ends, Santa puts the book back in his mailbag before he turns to Gordon. “Can you help old Santa get up off the floor?” There is a rush of children who pull and push until Santa is once again on his feet and moving toward the stage. Soon the group takes you to the corner of the stage and you see the steps. A harried volunteer looks amazed that you got there in one piece. You turn to thank your new friends and ask them to come back and get you after the loot-bags have been distributed. In fact, they have never let me down. Following the visit, as I get close to the exit door, I turn to Gordon and say, “There will be a surprise for you and your friends tomorrow. You wait and see.” The following day, I call the event organizer to learn more about Gordon and his friends. I ask whether they enjoy hockey or the movies. Depending upon the answer, I purchase some hockey tickets or movie passes, which I put in a North Pole 12
envelope with a letter to Gordon thanking him for his help. Every year it seems there is a different “Gordon.” In fact, after three decades, I have now had the opportunity to see these young boys and girls grow to be community and business leaders.
(Even the tough ones who I thought were headed down the wrong path.) Truly, these are wonderful young kids. They don’t really November 2012
want to undress or embarrass Santa; they simply want someone who trusts them and acts as a good role model. They want to go home with their younger brothers and sisters to tell the story of Santa’s visit to their community hall. Meanwhile, back in the North Pole, Santa is drained. The jacket and pants go on drying hangers to get ready for the next day of visits. The big black boots get cleaned. The white leather gloves are sprayed with white shoe dye. The radio transmitters go back in their chargers. And Santa opens the compartments attached to his belly to remove the coldpacks that have kept him cool under the blazing lights of the stage. These go back in the freezer. It’s all about creating special moments a child will never forget. I know some children come from homes where it’s easier to be tough than sensitive. But I hope Santa can bring a sense of wonder and joy that will be part of their memories forever. Is Santa real? Of course he is. Maybe, just maybe, it was the real Santa who came to the community centre and spread so much joy to the children.
This excerpt from Bruce Templeton’s new memoir “The Man in the Red Suit” is republished with permission from Creative Publishers. For more on this or other Creative titles, visit www.creativebookpublishing.ca Business News
Trade Show Thursday Jan. 31, 2013 Delta St. John’s Hotel Main Ballroom and Crush Lobby 10 am – 4:30 pm The Trade Show is a great opportunity to showcase your products and services to the business community in St. John’s and surrounding area. Over 90 exhibitors from all industry sectors. Booth sales are going fast so make sure you secure your booth now. Register to take advantage of the early bird rate before Nov. 30, 2012. Booth prices vary by size and location. Contact Margie Davis at 726-2961 ext.2 or mdavis@bot.nf.ca
Outlook Conference Thursday Jan. 31, 2013 Delta St. John’s Hotel Harborview 8 am – 4pm The Business Outlook Conference is the premiere visioning conference in the province, uniting business leaders. Outlook will feature presentations from leading experts on the business trends, opportunities and challenges for your organization in 2013 and beyond. The conference gives you the information you need to add value to your business today and into the future. Visit us online at www.bot.nf.ca for details on the speakers to be featured at this year’s Outlook Conference. For this full day event tickets are $225 (non-member rate) and $175 (with member discount). Contact Wanda Palmer at 726-2961 ext.9 or events@bot.nf.ca to register today! _______________________________
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around the board Premier’s Luncheon As is traditional, the premier and head table were piped into the room, followed by a traditional toast between Board of Trade Chair Steve Power and the piper.
ntinued program co in p s t’ en d si ith our 26th Our past pre s luncheon w r’ ie m his pin. re p e at th n receiving so il W el a h ic president M
Donna Stone, our 33rd past president also received her pin. Donna was also the last president with the Board of Trade as in 2009 they were officially named the Chair of the Board of Trade.
Premier Kathy Dunderdale addressed the Board of Trade membership on the topic of Muskrat Falls and the need to develop a sustainable power project for Newfoundland and Labrador while the economy will allow it. The Premier’s Speech can be found online at http://www.releases.gov.nl.ca/releases/2012/exec/1003n05.htm
More than 600 joined us at the convention centre for lunch with the premier. 16
November 2012
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Keeping Current around the board City Matters What matters in your city? Are you satisfied with city services? Do you think this place is safe? MQO, in partnership with The Telegram and the St. John’s Board of Trade, asked those questions and the results were fascinating. Corinne MacGillvray-King and Craig Ennis from MQO provided insights on these and other questions. For more see http://ow.ly/etKUL
Video Grab The lunch and learn was covered by the media, who were interested in talking more about the value of foreign workers in Newfoundland and Labrador’s labour market. Watch the story here: http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/newfoundland-labrador/ story/2012/10/11/nl-foreign-workers-1011.html
Diversity lunch and learn Sanchita Chakraborty and Robin Grant, diversity training officers with the Association for New Canadians, provided diversity training for the workplace to an engaged crowd at our offices as a continued series of lunch and learns focusing on labour, employment, international recruiting and other human resources issues. Business News
November 2012
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Keeping Current Around the boArd
Ernest Dempsey, vice-president of investor relations for New Millennium Iron Corp., told our members about the huge mining potential in Labrador.
BOOM
Our panel, which included Hilda Broomfield-Letemplier of Pressure Pipe Steel Fabrication Inc., Peter Woodward of the Woodward Group of Companies, Perry Trimper of the Labrador North Chamber of Commerce and Gene Coleman of Humber Valley Paving, was informative and interactive. The panel answered questions from attendees about their challenges and opportunities in Labrador, offering an enlightening experience to the crowd.
..
GROUP
BOOM . .RETAIL We wrapped up the Doing Business Up North conference with a luncheon with Transportation and Works Minister Tom Hedderson, who talked about the infrastructure investments and needs in Labrador and around the province.
Our Doing Business Up North Conference was a huge success with most people walking away telling us how informative and exciting the event was for business.
&Žƌ Ăůů LJŽƵƌ ĐŽŵƉƵƚĞƌ ƉƵƌĐŚĂƐĞƐ͕ ŚĂƌĚǁĂƌĞ ĂŶĚ ƐŽŌǁĂƌĞ ŶĞĞĚƐ͕ ƌĞƉĂŝƌƐ͕ ǀŝƌƵƐ ĂŶĚ ƐƉLJǁĂƌĞ ƌĞŵŽǀĂů͕ ǀŝƐŝƚ ŽƵƌ ƌĞƚĂŝů ƐŚŽǁƌŽŽŵ ĂŶĚ ƚĂůŬ ƚŽ ŽƵƌ ŬŶŽǁůĞĚŐĞĂďůĞ ƐƚĂī͘
BOOM . .TECHNOLOGIES WƌŽǀŝĚŝŶŐ /͘d͘ ƐŽůƵƟŽŶƐ ƚŽ ďƵƐŝŶĞƐƐĞƐ͘ KƵƌ ƚĞĐŚŶŝĐŝĂŶƐ ĐĂŶ ĚĞƐŝŐŶ͕ ŝŵƉůĞŵĞŶƚ͕ ĂŶĚ ƐƵƉƉŽƌƚ LJŽƵƌ ŽĸĐĞ ŶĞƚǁŽƌŬ͘ tĞ ŽīĞƌ sŽ/W͕ ĨĂdž͕ ŵĂŝů͕ ĂŶĚ ŐƌŽƵƉǁĂƌĞ ƐĞƌǀŝĐĞƐ͕ ǁĞď ĚĞƐŝŐŶ ĂŶĚ ŚŽƐƟŶŐ͘ tĞ ĂůƐŽ ƉƌŽǀŝĚĞ ďĂĐŬͲƵƉ ƐŽůƵƟŽŶƐ͗ ŽŶͲƐŝƚĞ͕ ĞdžƚĞƌŶĂů͕ Žƌ ĐůŽƵĚ͘ KƵƌ ƚĞĐŚŶŝĐŝĂŶƐ ƐƉĞĐŝĂůŝnjĞ ŝŶ tŝŶĚŽǁƐ͕ ƉƉůĞ͕ >ŝŶƵdž͕ ĂŶĚ ŝƐĐŽ͘
BOOM . .CABLING WƌŽǀŝĚŝŶŐ ŶĞǁ ŚŽŵĞƐ ĂŶĚ ďƵƐŝŶĞƐƐĞƐ ǁŝƚŚ Ăůů ĐĂďůŝŶŐ ƌĞƋƵŝƌĞŵĞŶƚƐ͘ KƵƌ ƐŽůƵƟŽŶƐ ŝŶĐůƵĚĞ ĚĂƚĂ ĂŶĚ ǀŽŝĐĞ ĐĂďůŝŶŐ͕ sŽ/W͕ ĐŽŵŵĞƌĐŝĂů ĂƵĚŝŽ Ͳ ǀŝĚĞŽ͕ tŝ&ŝ͕ ĂŶĚ ds ƐLJƐƚĞŵƐ͘ tĞ ĂůƐŽ ƉƌĞͲǁŝƌĞ ĨŽƌ ƐŵĂƌƚ ŚŽŵĞ ĚĞǀŝĐĞƐ͕ ŚŽŵĞ ƚŚĞĂƚƌĞƐ͕ ĂŶĚ ƐĞĐƵƌŝƚLJ ƐLJƐƚĞŵƐ͘
SIMPLIFYING
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Ϯϴϲ dŽƌďĂLJ ZŽĂĚ͕ ^ƚ͘ :ŽŚŶ͛Ɛ͕ E> dĞů͗ ϳϬϵͲϳϯϵͲϴϳϳϳ &Ădž͗ ϳϬϵͲϳϯϵͲϴϳϳϱ ŵĂŝů͗ ŝŶĨŽΛŵŝƚŐƌŽƵƉ͘ĐĂ tĞď͗ ǁǁǁ͘ŵŝƚ͘ĐĂ 20
November 2012
Business News
Keeping Current around the board
Francis Clarke, executive director of the Innu Business Development Centre, talked about the importance and regulatory necessity to work with the Innu.
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James Thorbourne, president and CEO of Nunatsiavut Group of Companies, talked about working with Inuit groups and aboriginal land claims.
major development
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November 2012
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Introducing... our new AMbAssAdors
Brad Cheater Financial Planner Dunphy Molloy & Associates Ltd. www.dunphymolloy.com
Angie Fowler Senior Associate Grant Thornton LLP www.grantthornton.ca
Tammy Bird Site Director NorthgateArinso www.northgatearinso.com
Quest Rare Minerals Ltd. takes great pleasure in announcing the opening of our new exploration office in historic downtown St. Johnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s. We look forward to providing exceptional service and proven expertise in your thriving industry!
189 Water Street, Second Floor St. Johnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s, NL A1B 1B4
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For more information: info@questrareminerals.com www.questrareminerals.com
November 2012
Business News
Membership members in the news Yellowbelly takes fourth! Yellowbelly Brewery has been ranked the fourth best brewpub in Canada, according to vacay.ca. YellowBelly was noted for the quality of its craft-brewed beer; food, ambience, service and overall experience were also considered. “Inspired by the beer culture (owner Craig) Flynn experienced while visiting Germany, the YellowBelly can hold 700 people — and in partyhappy St. John’s, it often seems like it does,” reads the listing, which especially recommends the pub’s St. John’s Stout.
Provincial Government and Hebron Project Settle Module Dispute On Oct. 11 the provincial government announced it will receive $150 million in 2016 as part of a dispute resolution concerning in-province fabrication of a third module for the Hebron Project. Part of this money will construct a new sciences building at Memorial University. The government is estimating that the construction of the new core sciences facilities at Memorial will create nearly 1,440 direct and indirect person years of employment, and approximately $94 million in labour income.
MUN CAREs for Economic Research ACOA, the provincial government and Husky Energy invested $685,000 to fund the development of the Collaborative Applied Research in Economics (CARE) consortium. CARE is designed to mentor economics students and support professors engaged in applied economics research at Memorial. Dr. Doug May, Dr. Wade Locke and Professor Scott Lynch will research sub-themes of petroleum and energy, labour market, resource and environmental, local and regional economic growth, productivity measurement and research and development economics, public finance and social accounting and applied economic analysis.
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CARE will be guided by an advisory committee that will identify specific issues facing Newfoundland and Labrador, including representatives from ACOA, Innovation, Business and Rural Development, Husky Energy, NLFL, the Coleman Group, Harris Centre, the Board of Trade, the Miawpukek First Nation, MNL and the Dean of Arts. The Board of Trade attended the first CARE roundtable on Oct. 5. Go to www.economicsaction.com for further information.
Alliance Strengthens East Coast Canada Recruitment Newfoundland and Labrador’s labour market is beginning to mirror that of Western Canada’s with respect to a shortage of skilled labour and professional middle management. Puglisevich Group of Companies has allied with David Aplin Group, one of Canada’s largest national recruitment firms and a 2011 winner of Canada’s 50 Best Managed Companies program to take on the labour market shortage. Puglisevich Group of Companies provides recruitment and safety training services predominantly to the local, national and international oil and gas scene. David Aplin Group has a network of over 140 employees and 10 Canadian offices and affiliates worldwide. Their Atlantic Regional office is based in Halifax, Nova Scotia.
K&D Pratt moves into Labrador City This summer K&D Pratt opened an office in Labrador City to provide its well-known services in the construction, contracting, fire service, government, industrial, manufacturing, mining, telecommunication, transportation, utility, oil and gas sectors in the Big Land. The company also has offices in St. John’s and Dartmouth, NS. The new office is located at Wabush Plaza on Grenfell Drive in Wabush.
November 2012
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Membership members in the news Memorial University announces 2012 Alumni Tribute Awards recipients Memorial University has announced the recipients of the 2012 Alumni Tribute Awards. The awards recognize individuals who have made an outstanding contribution to their communities and to the university. Dr. Andrew Furey, a Board of Trade past
president, is this year’s Alumnus of the Year award recipient. He is a co-founder and president of Team Broken Earth, a volunteer task force supporting the relief effort in Haiti, which has completed six successful missions to Haiti, providing care for more than 500 patients per week. Lieutenant-Governor John C. Crosbie is this year’s recipient of the J.D. Eaton Alumni Award. The 31st Annual Alumni Tribute Awards ceremony will take place
Tuesday, Nov. 20, at 6 p.m. at the Sheraton Hotel Newfoundland. For tickets or more information email rsvpalumni@mun.ca
Order of Newfoundland and Labrador Recipient Congratulations to Captain Sid Hynes, OCEANEX, who was invested in the Order of Newfoundland and Labrador on Oct. 16.
St. John’s Clean and Beautiful Celebrates 25 Years St. John’s Clean and Beautiful has been reducing litter and promoting beautification in St. John’s for 25 years. With a quarter of a century of community involvement in city cleanliness, pride and action under its belt, St. John’s Clean and Beautiful is thanking those involved and celebrating our successes all year long with special 25th Anniversary activities.
APEC’s Outlook Conference Explores How Businesses Can Profit Amidst Global Uncertainty The Atlantic Provinces Economic Council’s annual business outlook conference will be held on November 5 at the Delta St. John’s. APEC will provide its economic outlook and discuss the impact of China on commodity prices, the provincial deficit and resource developments. This year’s program also features an impressive lineup of industry speakers discussing strategies for growing their businesses in new markets. Register at www.outlookconference.ca.
IBRD EOI for Technology Utilization Program The Department of Innovation, Business and Rural Development is calling for expressions of interest to the Technology Utilization Program for businesses that are interested in expanding their technology capacity to increase competitiveness and productivity at www.ibrd.gov.nl.ca.
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November 2012
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Membership industry news NL Is Most Affordable For Post-Secondary Education Says www.policyalternatives.ca A new report from the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives shows that Newfoundland and Labrador is the most affordable province for university education, both for median and low-income families, while Ontario and Nova Scotia are among the least affordable. Average tuition and compulsory fees in Newfoundland and Labrador are $2,893 per academic year. The report credits the province for providing up-front assistance for students, a zero interest policy on student loans and debt forgiveness.
Value of Co-operatives Embraced at Agreement Signing The role of co-operatives in the Provincial Government’s economic and business development agenda has been strengthened with the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the Newfoundland-Labrador Federation of Co-operatives on Saturday, September 29. The five-year agreement was signed at the Newfoundland-Labrador Federation of Co-operatives annual general meeting and International Year of Co-operatives Conference. This agreement builds off
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the progress made in the 2007 MOU between the Provincial Government and the federation, which positioned this province as a leader in Canada for its working relationship with the provincial co-operative business association. The new agreement applies best practices stemming from the original MOU and adds value to the co-operative development process. It also outlines an advanced framework to better identify and capitalize on new opportunities through the Provincial Government’s internationallyrecognized Business, Retention and Expansion Program, along with linkages to targeted support mechanisms.
International E-Learning Company Desire2Learn Expanding to Newfoundland and Labrador Desire2Learn Incorporated has received a $3.5 million loan to expand its operations into Newfoundland and Labrador. Founded in 1999, Desire2Learn specializes in developing e-learning solutions and has in excess of eight million learners worldwide and a client base of more than 700, which includes Memorial University, College of the North Atlantic, Michigan State University, North Eastern Illinois University, The Ohio State University, and Nottingham Trent University.
November 2012
The Atlantic Canada Economic Council (APEC) The Atlantic Canada Economic Council (APEC) has released a major report on the challenges in the labour market in Atlantic Canada, focusing on five key issues: weakening demographic trends; the changing demand for skills; the need to improve workforce utilization; labour market responsiveness to demographic and economic change; and the adequacy of labour market information and policy. You can find the report online at www.apec.ca. “As a consequence of slower population and labour force growth, overall economic growth will be slower in the next two decades than the past two decades,” according to the report. “The investment and productivity response of firms to this labour force decline is the critical unknown factor that will determine the actual extent of the slowdown in economic and per capita income growth.” Have you missed opportunities because of a lack of skilled workers? Tell us at amorrissey@bot.nf.ca.
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Upcoming Events noveMber events Atlantic provinces reverse trade show
luncheon David Chilton, author of Canada’s all-time best-selling book, “The Wealthy Barber” and newest member of CBC’s “Dragon’s Den” is coming to St. John’s to have lunch with the Board of Trade. Book your ticket today and come hear one of the most sought after speakers in North America.
Date: Time:
Tues., Nov. 13 12:00 pm networking 1 pm - luncheon Cost: $60+HST member discount $120+HST non member Location: Sheraton Hotel 115 Cavendish Square
From light bulbs to windmills to backhoes, if you sell it, the public sector needs it! Hosted by the Department of Innovation, Business and Rural Development, St. John’s Board of Trade and the Newfoundland and Labrador Organization of Women Entrepreneurs, this show will offer you an opportunity to meet public sector buyers from the Provincial, Federal and Atlantic governments to discuss how your products and services could meet their needs. There will also be pre-show business sessions on topics of current interest.
Date: Time: Location:
Meet your Match Come take a seat and join Island Office as they host one of our biggest business mixers of the year! Mix and mingle with emerging and established members of the St. John’s business community – this is also a chance for you to “bring a friend or non-member”. Make sure you bring your business cards as this event is all about networking and doing business with one another.
Date: Time: Cost: Location:
Wed., Nov. 28 Registration 12:15 – 12:45 pm Reverse Trade Show 1 – 4:30 pm Holiday Inn 180 Portugal Cove
lunch & learn Join Krista Cameron from Destination St. John’s for a lesson on ultimate networking. In this session, the audience will learn the basics of Networking 101. Krista will discuss the Do’s and Don’ts of networking and what motivates “most” people. You will learn why social networking is important and how to leverage it. You will also look at “perceived value” what is it and why you want to have it.
Thurs., Nov. 15 4:30 pm – 6:30 pm Included as a benefit of your membership Island Office 59 Mews Place
Date: Time: Cost: Location:
Tues., Nov. 20 12:30 pm – 2 pm $25+HST member discount $35+HST non member St. John’s Board of Trade Board Room 34 Harvey Road, 3rd Floor
To register for these events please contact Wanda Palmer at events@bot.nf.ca or 726-2961 ext. 9 28
November 2012
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