Waterfront Magazine, August 2017

waterfront TORONTO

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SUMMER 2017

waterfront TORONTO

THE ENVIRONMENT

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

10 David Suzuki: Long Work Hours & The Planet 12 How Cap & Trade is Supposed to Work 14 Other Waterfronts

20 The Margaret Atwood Effect 22 Beaches Jazz Festival 2017 24 Latin Jazz & Me 26 Water: A Photo Essay 30 Sled Dogs Film Review

SPECIAL FEATURE 17 Prince Harry & The Toronto Invictus Games

LIFESTYLE 58 The Bugatti Niniette Yacht 64 Rimac: An Electric Tour De Force 60 River Wine Tours 62 Where's the Party?

78 Roxy Earle & Real Toronto Housewives 80 Best Events with John Ortner 82 The Scene with Michelle Levy 72 Cooking For Your Dog

COMMUNITY 06 Editor's Note & Publisher's Note 32 Defenders of the Waterfront 52 The Waterfront BIA Invites You 36 ArtScape: Urban Acupuncture

waterfront TORONTO

COVER PHOTO: U.N. PHOTO, RICK BAJORNAS

HEALTH & WELLBEING 38 Yoga Birthing 74 Dr. Gupta: Natural Beauty & Health 42 5 common injuries in running 44 Bob Proctor: Do Thoughts Become Things?

46 Trigenics: Beauty From the Inside out 21 Rewiring Relationships 40 Rawliciously Beautiful 50 Eat Ugly Things 54 Astro Insight 56 Dave Ross Cartoon/Poem

BUSINESS & WEALTH 48 Real Estate's Best Year Ever 66 Canadian Corporate Innovation 68 The Nature of Risk 35 The Clean Money Revolution 41 Love In The Empire 70 3 Pricing Strategies for Selling Your Condo Photo Credit for cover: Getty for Invictus Games Foundation

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waterfront TORONTO

PUBLISHER’S NOTE

K

ARIM MIRSHAHI

On the grand occasion of Canada’s Sesquicentennial, we at Waterfront Magazine wish all Canadians a hearty and joyous congratulations on this 150th Anniversary of this amazing experiment that goes by the name of Canada!

We all come from different walks of life, many from different cultures, and many of us only came to these shores in recent years. That is one of the things that makes this country so remarkable.

Of course, we have our differences, but we are dedicated as a nation to understanding and tolerance, as we work through them for the good of all.

EDITOR’S NOTE

R

OSS ULYSSES MUNROE The Summer of 2017 will go down as one memorable time, and no less so than here in the Summer Issue of Waterfront Magazine.

Our feature story covers the Invictus Games, under the tutelage of Prince Harry and CEO of the Games in Toronto this year, Michael Burns. Most people know that the Invictus Games celebrate the unconquerable spirit of our heroes who have made great sacrifice in defence of our freedom.

In the Environment Section, we feature David Suzuki on the tension between work and the planet. An exacting analysis of Cap & Trade policies, and Other Waterfronts.

The engaging sights, the captivating music, the long-standing traditions, the unique perspectives of each of us stand out on their own; and together they create a symphony of human experience that is a harbinger of a better world for the future.

You’ll also enjoy articles about Margaret Atwood, Sled Dogs The Movie, legendary personal coach, Bob Proctor, film, poetry and all that jazz, lots of health advice, what’s happening on the waterfront and much more.

Let’s move forward in this vision of Canada for the next 150 years.

It adds up to exceptional reading, when you’re not out celebrating Canada’s coming of age.

waterfront TORONTO

Karim Mirshahi Ross Ulysses Munroe Aida Memisevic Virginia Munroe Linda Montgomery Georgina Bencsik Sandra Creighton Dorothy Guerra Darren Dobson CREATIVE DIRECTOR Justin Morgan EDITOR AT LARGE John Munroe DESIGNER Mark Ross

PUBLISHER EXECUTIVE EDITOR ASSOCIATE PUBLISHER EDITOR BUSINESS EDITOR POLITICAL EDITOR ASSOCIATE EDITORS

CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Angela Allain, Alexa Baeva, Georgina Bencsik, Célia Berlemont, John Bessai, Laura Bilotta, Donna Bulika, Darryl Cailes, Sandra Creighton,Marissa Cristiano,Darren Dobson, Laura Fernandez, Deb Gibbons, Dorothy Guerra, Dr. J. Gupta, Arija Ione, Hassan Jaffer, William Kaye, Bill King, Daryl King, Michelle Levy, Rick Maltese, Jenna Yvonne McNamara, Aida Memisevic, Karim Mirshahi, SC Modiste, Linda Montgomery, John Munroe, Ross Ulysses Munroe, Virginia Munroe, Dr. Farnaz Najm, Roanna Sabeh-Azar, Maeve Salichuk, Kim Samnang, Shannon Skinner, David Suzuki CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS William Kaye, John Ortner, Tom Sandler, Gary Van Netten CONTRIBUTING VIDEOGRAPHERS Rodger Edralin, Hugh Avendano Toledano, Tony Morrone, Hugh Reilly CARTOONIST Dave Ross DIRECTOR OF PARTNERSHIPS Nico Bacigalupo DIRECTOR OF DIGITAL MARKETING Rigo Guadron DIRECTOR OF MARKETING Christine Cirka DIRECTOR OF ADVERTISING Jenna Yvonne McNamara PRODUCTION MANAGER Rick Maltese GRAPHIC DESIGN Mary Hui Eng, Minyan Liang, Rick Maltese DIGITAL MEDIA DESIGN Parham Yazdy, Hudson Bozorgi CIRCULATION MANAGER Carmen Cicciarella PUBLIC RELATIONS Bettina Share EVENTS CO-ORDINATOR Daniela Spirlac, Laura Bilotta

CONTACT US Waterpark Place 20 Bay Street, Suite#1100 Toronto, Ontario, M6J 2N8 Tel: 888.295.2060 Fax: 416.352.7530 Advertising: 888.295.2060 info@waterfront-magazine.com www.waterfront-magazine.com Toronto Waterfront Magazine is published for daily consumption on line and in print. All rights reserved.

Reproduction of the contents, either in whole or in part, is strictly prohibited without the publisher’s written authorization. All letters and their contents sent to Toronto Waterfront Magazine become the sole property of Toronto Waterfront Magazine and may be used and published in any manner whatsoever, without limit and without obligation and liability to the author thereof. Views and comments expressed in all the articles reflect only those of the authors and are not necessarily those of the publisher and staff of Toronto Waterfront Magazine.

THE ENVIRONMENT

LONG WORK HOURS DON’T WORK For People or The Planet

BY DAVID SUZUKI With contributions from David Suzuki Foundation Senior Editor Ian Hanington.

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PHOTO: DAVID SUZUKI FOUNDATION

n 1926, U.S. automaker Henry Ford reduced his employees’ workweek from six eight-hour days to five, with no pay cuts. It’s something workers and labour unions had been calling for, and it followed previous reductions in work schedules that had been as high as 84 to 100 hours over seven days a week.

Ford wasn’t responding to worker demands; he was being a businessman. He expected increased productivity and knew workers with more time and money would buy and use the products they were making. It was a way of spurring consumerism and productivity to increase profits — and it succeeded.

Ford, then one of America’s largest employers, was ahead of his time — most workers in North America and elsewhere didn’t get a 40-hour workweek until after the Second World War. Since standardization of the 40-hour workweek in the mid-20th century, everything has changed but the hours. If anything, many people are working even longer hours, especially in North America. This has severe repercussions for human health and well-being, as well as the environment.

Until the Second World War, it was common for one person in a household, usually the oldest male, to do wage work full time. Now women make up 42 per cent of Canada’s full-time workforce. Technology has made a lot of work redundant, with computers and robots doing many tasks previously performed by humans. People get money from bank machines, scan groceries at automated checkouts and book travel online. Many people now spend most or all of their workdays in front of a computer.

Well into the 21st century, we continue to work the same long hours as 20th century labourers, depleting ever more of Earth’s resources to produce more goods that we must keep working to buy, use and replace in a seemingly endless cycle of toil and consumerism.

It’s time to pause and consider better ways to live.

Like shifting from fossil-fuelled lifestyles, with which our consumer-based workweeks are connected, it would have been easier to change had we done so gradually. In 1930, renowned economist John Maynard Keynes predicted people would be working 15-hour weeks within 100 years. We’re

SUMMER 2017

clearly not on track to achieve that. As we reach the combined vacation would “likely mitigate one-quarter to one-half, if not tipping points of overpopulation, resource overexploitation, more, of any warming which is not yet locked-in.” environmental degradation and climate change, we may no Beyond helping break the cycle of constant consumption longer have the luxury of taking our time to make necessary and allowing people to focus on things that matter — like changes. friends, family and time in nature — a shorter workweek Rather than reducing work hours to spur consumerism, as would also reduce rush-hour traffic and gridlock, which conHenry Ford did, we must reduce both. We have to get beyond tribute to pollution and climate change. It could help reduce outdated notions and habits like planned obsolescence, exstress and the health problems that come from modern work cessive packaging and production of too many unnecpractices, such as sitting for long hours at computessary goods. ers. And it would give people more options for family The U.K. think tank New Economics Foundation ar- We may no care. (David Suzuki Foundation employees enjoy a gues that a standard 21-hour workweek would address longer have four-day workweek.) a number of interconnected problems: “overwork, the luxury of A transition won’t necessarily be easy, but it’s time unemployment, over-consumption, high carbon emis- taking our we stopped applying 20th century concepts and sions, low well-being, entrenched inequalities, and the time to make methods to 21st century life. Economic systems that lack of time to live sustainably, to care for each other, necessary require constant growth on a finite planet don’t make and simply to enjoy life.” It points out that “the logic of changes sense. The fact that the world’s richest 62 people industrial time is out of step with today’s conditions, now have more wealth than the poorest half of the where instant communications and mobile technologies bring world’s population is absurd and tragic. new risks and pressures, as well as opportunities.”

It’s time for a paradigm shift in our economic thinking.

Economist David Rosnick, author of a 2013 Center for Economic and Policy Research study on work hours and climate David Suzuki’s latest book is Just Cool It!: The Climate Crisis change, argues that reducing average annual hours by just 0.5 and What We Can Do (Greystone Books), co-written with per cent per year through shorter workweeks and increased Ian Hanington.

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THE ENVIRONMENT

HOW CAP AND TRADE

Is Supposed To Work

BY RICK MALTESE

T

here are several greenhouse gas emission reduction systems that have been tried or recommended in recent years.

Among them are Cap and Trade, that has a trading of emission allowances which amount to penalties or fines that become a form of dubious bartering to avoid loss of profits. The payments go to the government to spend how they please.

Auctions are held periodically to keep the offenders on top of maintaining their commitments. Another type is the Carbon Fee and Dividend such as the approach being promoted by the Citizens Climate Lobby. They essentially penalize the polluters by charging a fee for creating greenhouse gases and giving the proceeds in the form of dividends to those who suffer the consequences, those who breathe the air, the common citizen. This scheme by-passes government control of where the money gets spent and has the full support of James Hansen, the climate scientist who first warned the world about climate change.

Cap and Trade is supposed to be a way of penal-

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Cap and Trade in Ontario will be joining forces with other Cap and Trade jurisdictions as part of a global effort

izing the polluters so they are forced to make choices that reduce emissions. The “Cap” is a maximum measure of how much of any greenhouse gases a company is allowed to emit. The standards aim at the worst offenders and ignore to a large degree the less obvious offenders such as wind, solar and bio-fuels. Wind and solar would be clean energy if they were capable of running reliably and full-time but this is not the case. Their very existence is dependent on getting backup power from natural gas.

In the case of wind, that’s 70 percent of the time and for solar between 80 and 90 percent of the time.

This is not a popular view and the general public as well as politicians need to be educated about it. Biofuels such as wood and ethanol still release plenty of CO2. And whatever is so “natural” about natural gas, it still contributes carbon emissions.

Seventy-five percent of households in Ontario use natural gas for heating. That means homeowners will be paying extra for heating. Greenhouse gas emissions by electricity generation are small compared to emissions by Industry and Transportation.

One surprise about implementing this emissions reduction strategy is that some major polluters are exempt for four years because they provide a lot of jobs and also made efforts to reduce their emissions in recent years.

When Cap and Trade went into effect January 1st, 2017 in Ontario the energy sector had already successfully reduced its emissions by eliminating coal plants, with the final coal power plant closure in 2014. But that was not the end of coal usage in Ontario. We ended electricity production from coal

THE ENVIRONMENT

but there are still coal users such as the steel industry and cement production companies. But unlike electricity where clean non-emitting power sources can replace coal, this is not so in many industries. Steel and cement need coke which is a bi-product of a special way of burning coal.

Cap and Trade in Ontario will be joining forces with other Cap and Trade jurisdictions as part of a global effort. That includes Quebec and California. What sets Cap and Trade schemes apart are the rates being charged and what greenhouse gases are included. When alliances are made, there is a need to create their Cap and Trade programs based on similar policies.

Cap and Trade allowance permits if set too high can start a recession. Cap and Trade exists in different forms all over the world - in Europe, China, California, Brazil, Quebec and Ontario to name just some. Some countries and regions only deal with CO2 while Ontario deals with seven greenhouse gases including carbon dioxide (CO2 ), methane (CH4 ), nitrous oxide (N2 O), hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs), perfluorocarbons (PFCs), sulphur hexafluoride (SF6 ) and nitrogen trifluoride (NF3 ).

The critics of Cap and Trade schemes say that it is usually ineffective at preventing emissions of greenhouse gases because of two main drawbacks. One, governments want to bring in revenue to balance their budgets. Incentives and motivation

get confused and prevent effective regulation from happening.

Also the schemes tend to be complex for a number of reasons.

Three initiatives that will begin, partly paid for from the raised revenue from Cap and Trade, are: • Green Bank - The Green Bank initiative will provide financing for businesses and homeowners to upgrade their dwellings to minimize greenhouse emissions.

• Low-carbon transportation – The biggest polluting sector of all needs more reduction. Using more public transit and more electric vehicles will take years but are an important step. Regional Express Rail (RER) will electrify the Go Rail. Also avoiding urban sprawl would be addressed.

• Clean tech. – Water, waste water and agriculture must begin improving methods for water purification and industrial processes so they reduce their carbon footprint and increase their efficiency.

Rick Maltese is a regular contributor to Waterfront Magazine. He is the founder of the Energy Reality Project and is authoring a book of the same name for completion later this year. He has been blogging, writing articles and producing podcasts on energy and modern technology in relation to improving the environment.

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PHOTO: BRIAN CRANGLE

OTHER WATERFRONTS

Go By Water - Go By Road To A Lakefront That Rocks And Rows

BY SC MODISTE

N

inety minutes northeast of Toronto and situated 270 kms southwest of Ottawa, a city of 81,000 awaits its annual Waterfront music activities.

Peterborough is known as the gateway to the Kawarthas “cottage country”, located on the Otonabee River and Little Lake and, connects to the numerous lakes of the Trent-Severn Waterway.

The Trent-Severn Waterway is a 386 kilometres long canal route connecting Lake Ontario at Trenton to Lake Huron at Port Severn. Its major natural waterways include the Trent River, Otonabee River, the Kawartha Lakes, Lake Simcoe, Lake Couchiching and the Severn River. Its scenic, meandering route has been called “one of the finest interconnected systems of navigation in the world” and includes the Peterborough Lift Lock - the world’s largest and highest hydraulic lift lock with a rise of 20 metres.

For two months, in the heart of summer, Peterborough Musicfest galvanizes a city. Popular bands such as Carly Rae Jepsen, Tegan and Sara, Walk Off the Earth, Emerson Drive, Randy Bachman, and Chad Brownlee have graced the Fred Anderson Stage at Del Crary Park. Season 31 brings The Philosopher Kings, The Stephen Stanley Band & the Kents, Reo-

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For two months, in the heart of summer, Peterborough Musicfest galvanizes a city

statics as well as country singer Jason McCoy, A cappella group Eh 440 and The Sheepdogs. The music sparks fly every Wednesday and Saturday night in July through August closing on August 26, 2017. Bring your chair or cozy up with a blanket and enjoy the sunset, stars and water.

Peterborough’s summertime folk festival opens with a very special Friday August 18 night concert at the Showcase Performance Centre. To kick off the 28th Annual Peterborough Folk Festival Buffy Sainte-Marie, the legendary Cree singer-songwriter performs. The festival continues Saturday August 19 and Sunday August 20 with a free, outdoor, family-friendly festival at Nicholls Oval Park on the opposite shore of Little Lake with artists Sharon and Bram, The Sadies, Said the Whale, Jenn Grant, Hannah Georgas, and Cat Clyde.

Otonabee River visitors can still find swinging ropes on shoreline trees or an ‘old school style' refreshing dip into the water. Picnic on the parkland along the east river bank and watch the pleasure craft navigate the locks.

In Fall attend Head of the Trent - the annual regatta where participants race along in a 5km head style race. The regatta draws 2,000 competitors with over 400 boats primarily from Ontario, Quebec, and the northern United States, and is regarded as one of the largest single-day regattas in North America.

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years.

Photo: Adam Scotti / PMO (Tory , Harry , Trudeau)

Prince Harry, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau & Mayor John Tory meet with Invictus Games athletes.

TORONTO INVICTUS GAMES INTERVIEW WITH MICHAEL BURNS: CEO

BY GEORGINA BENCSIK & ROSS ULYSSES MUNROE

What was the inspiration for your role as CEO of the Invictus Games Toronto 2017?

It goes back some time ago. I was involved with the original bid, which was done by the True Patriot Love Foundation and which I co-founded back in 2009. Essentially two years ago we secured the games and were notified we’d be hosting the games in 2017 and I was asked at the time, given my participation in securing the games, as well as what I have done for close to a decade in the philanthropic space for military families, if I would be interested in helping to deliver these games in September of 2017.

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SPECIAL FEATURE

What in your personal experience led you to become so committed to this cause?

It goes back almost 10 years ago in July 2007, when a friend of mine’s son was killed in Afghanistan, along with 5 other Canadian service members and an Afghan interpreter. I remember I was actually in Calgary on business at the time; I had an early phone call and I knew that Peter Dawes’ son, Matthew, had been deployed to Afghanistan. When a colleague of mine called me to say he saw Peter and his wife on the news, I knew that something had happened to Matthew. I made my way back to Toronto and I drove to Kingston. Of course we’ve all been to funerals, but the funeral for a fallen soldier and witnessing the impact that has on their family and friends is pretty moving.

What do you hope to establish with the Invictus Games Toronto 2017?

You know these are historic games; these are games that are going to inspire people, motivate them to do more than what they perhaps have done in the past to support military families. These games are an opportunity to share the stories of our military service men and women, veterans and their families, in a way we have never done before. But I think this is all part of a long term strategy to engage, inspire, and ensure that our military families are never forgotten and that they get the care and the services they need to do their jobs.

What is your vision for the future of such world-class Games in Toronto?

We obviously are building off the legacy of London and Orlando, but I think people are going to see a lot of differences between our games and the two previous games. Our view has always been that we’re not just out to bring adaptive sport to the competition. We are really delivering what I would describe as a holistic experience with these games. That they aren’t just focused on the power of adaptive sport but are also going to touch on other elements of a soldier or a veteran and their family’s lives.

For example we have partnered with a half a dozen major international conferences that will be going on during the games. One in particular will bring close to a thousand researchers, academics, clinicians and others whose primary work is to promote the physical and mental health of our military veterans and their families. The very people who are coming up

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Photo: Invictus Games Toronto MICHAEL BURNS, CEO OF THE INVICTUS GAMES TORONTO.

this is all part of a long term strategy to engage, inspire, and ensure that our military families are never forgotten

with the latest new drugs and therapies or advances in prosthetic technology will be in Toronto to share those and see that they’re making an impact on the lives of military families.

We have plans to host an all-faith celebration on the eve of the games. We know that our military and militaries around the world have always been connected with many different faiths. We’ve lost many clergy; have had priests on many battlefields delivering last rights. We have a full cultural program that speaks to how art and culture have always been connected to our military and its service to our country for over 150 years. We’ve engaged millions of youth through WE Day and with the Rick Hansen Foundation. We’re in more than 10,000 schools right now with our curriculum.

SUMMER 2017

Photo: Invictus Games Toronto PRINCE HARRY LAUNCHES INVICTUS GAMES TORONTO 2017.

In what ways do you foresee how the Invictus Games can provide inspiration for everyday Canadians?

These games are a give and take situation. You have competitors, who months earlier were struggling just to get out of bed, and who are having challenges at home, or at work with their friends and family or are trying to find meaningful employment. When they join Team Canada and they’re on

the recognition alone has such an impact on their self-esteem

the playing field in front of thousands of spectators, the recognition alone has such an impact on their self-esteem, on their confidence and on their whole outlook on life. At the same time, as spectators going and watching these men and women compete, or tuning in online or on television, hearing and reading about their stories, we as Canadians are going to be inspired.

For more information visit www.invictusgames2017.com

EVENT SCHEDULE

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ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

The MARGARET ATWOOD Effect

BY JOHN BESSAI

M

argaret Atwood created a theory about Canadian Literature.

She argues that victimhood is the signature of Canadian culture. For Atwood, one idea implicit in her 1972 publication "Handmaid’s Tale" was that Canadian literature itself needed to survive and, as we know, it certainly did. Many Canadians, until then, were unaware that there was a fascinating and enlightening discussion to be had about the literature of this country. Perhaps the survival of our literature will lead to the survival of more than Canada and maybe the whole world.

A people’s poet, a master of description and a subscriber to the power of the imagination, Atwood beckons readers to enter where percepts swirl and play like so many objects of light and dark, good and evil, and Photo: Jean Malek get all re-mixed into combinations that create incredible scenes. The great cultural and literary critics have struggled to determine how culture can have meaning in a world fraught with injustice, pain, slavery, elitism and sexism.

For Atwood, ways of perceiving these wrongs and overcoming them are ordinary acts of basic human expression - one person at a time. Characters in Atwood’s prose are constantly playing with the possibility of exploration and risk their comfort zones to exIn The plore a broader universe to discover something new Handmaid’s Tale about themselves, to find the means to continue to women are experience the struggle for survival which for Canadiforbidden to ans today means building a multicultural society and read, just as transforming our lifestyles to address climate change. slaves were Atwood told Shad on CBC’s “Q”, “To love your forbidden to read neighbour you have to love the air in your neighin the United bour’s lungs, you have to love the water that your States during neighbour drinks, and you have to love the purity slavery of the food that your neighbour is eating and all of those that are your neighbour’s attachment to your environment – so the the environment is not out there, it’s in us, right now, every time you breathe in, that is the environment inside you.“

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Margaret Atwood’s mastery of what she calls speculative fiction and now even graphic novels series Angel Catbird, Wandering Wenda, a show based on her alliterative children’s books, and currently airing The Handmaid’s Tale television series speculate and embrace all the tools and technologies that can make it more likely that the reader can become actualized as she has – that a type of literary human can occupy the frontier of the real world.

Atwood remarked “that there is a connection between reaching the very young and adult speculative fiction. “Where (sic) Wandering Wenda joined at the hip with The Handmaid’s Tale is that in The Handmaid’s Tale women are forbidden to read, just as slaves were forbidden to read in the United States during slavery; Wenda is a reading enabler for younger kids. Enabling reading may be our way to survival.

In The Handmaid’s Tale, Atwood brings us into the experience of our patriarchal society that is out of step, that even with our worst fears, is thankfully not yet “real”. We can learn in the imaginary world of Handmaid’s Tale, a place where one can work out the truth, and experience the options, the pitfalls and the outcomes – and then return to the here and now and insist that what our common sense tells us is real - and then take action before it's too late.

Atwood shows us an entry point into a real world criticism – a world where we can arm ourselves with a sense of truth and justice and take part, not as characters in a novel, but in this world – by recognizing the speculative fiction in our midst. A world of climate deniers and opportunists who have seized control and hold onto power.

What is refreshing about Margaret Atwood is she helps us believe in this world. If we allow ourselves to go into the imaginary realm we can clarify and work out the possibilities, permutations and combinations that she works out for us so that our own percepts can dwell in the imaginary and then return to the here and now and perhaps agree on how to dwell in this real place, to share it, nurture it, perhaps not destroy it and not stand by while opportunists ruin it.

HEALTH & WELLBEING

REWIRING RELATIONSHIPS “How Come a Great Woman Like You Can’t Find a Husband?”

BY TAL DEW SHAISH

T

hat was the line I used to hear, over and over again, for so long. Too long. It was only after I had hit bottom that I rediscovered myself, shifted my mindset… and then it happened: I met the love of my life.

So, what is this ‘mindset’ that I am talking about? In order to understand, let’s try this exercise: close your eyes and imagine the relationship that you dream of: a loving, fulfilling, empowering relationship that you deserve. Now imagine how you feel in this relationship.

How good and empowered, calm and happy you feel. Now ask yourself - what stops me from getting there? What is the barrier that stops me from getting into that relationship?

There is a small trick that helps you figure this out.

You can ask yourself: what is it that I want more than this relationship? You may be surprised by your answer. Some answers that I heard from the women I work with were: More than I want a relationship, I want my independence. More than I want a relationship, I want to be wooed. More than I want a relationship, I want to have peace of mind…

All these answers are true, and they expose the gap between the mindset of the desired relationship and the state of mind you are in now. What do I mean? If, for my own reasons, I believe that the thing that stops me from being in a relationship is the fact that I want to be wooed, I will only consider men whose only aim – like mine – is the experience of being wooed. After you both get the sense of ‘mission accomplished’, you won’t have anything in common with which to start a real relationship.

Moreover, you would miss other types of men who do not appear to you as suitable, since your mindset associates relationships with wooing only. Now, of course you would like to be wooed (otherwise, what would be the fun in a relationship?) - however, ask yourself: Is this a productive mindset for me? What is a relationship for me beyond just wooing?

Another example- When I asked one of my mentees

working on your inner self and evolving is an important key to finding a relationship

after he broke up with his girlfriend, “what’s next?” He answered: “A little peace and quiet, and then on to my next adventure.”

We had to do some work on this association, since he saw a relationship solely as an adventure - and more than that, he thought of it as something that does not give him a peace of mind and calm. In this mindset, so long as he wouldn’t associate in his mindset, that a relationship can bring peace of mind to your life, he would continue to attract the wrong kind of women to his love life, and perpetuate the cycle of dating, and dating, and dating.

One last example, which is quite similar to the previous one, was when a female mentee of mine said that being single allows her to focus on herself and grow - which is something that she could not do in a relationship. Working on your inner self and evolving is an important key to finding a relationship.

However, if you link your mindset to a belief that prevents you from seeing that in an empowering relationship, there is a lot of room for self and mutual growth – you will probably continue dating the kind of guys that don’t allow you space to grow. The moment she understood, both in her mind and in her heart, that this option is real – that a partner can help you grow, while still leaving you room to be yourself – her mind (and heart) began opening up to new options, and she began to feel that she was on the right track.

From my professional and personal experience, when you rewire these connections, you open up new space for new types of people in your life, and they might be more right for you than you imagined: more right for you than all the others on your ‘list’.

What is this list, and how important is it to forget about it? This is a topic for a new article…

Tal Dew Shaish, is a relationship mentor and coach, and an author, who lives and operates in the GTA, and internationally. She is currently a professor at George Brown College and Centennial College, and gives workshops and seminars on finding and maintaining love and constructive communication in relationships.

She can be reached at: tal.shfa@gmail.com. www.mpowercouple.com

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Photo: Bill King

BEACHES JAZZ FESTIVAL 2017

BY BILL KING

N

early thirty years have passed since I took a bike ride along the Martin Goodman trail in search of a suitable location for a potential new jazz festival. It was co-producer Bruce Davidson of my nationally syndicated Jazz Report Radio Network who suggested Amstel Beer was looking to back a festival. It just happened I found myself in Kew Gardens, just east of Woodbine Avenue, down front a rickety bandstand and an all-women tradband playing under a hot July sun. I notified Bruce of my discovery and he took it from there.

The Amstel thing never panned out but a chance meeting with Beaches International Jazz Festival founder Lido Chilelli, who had already obtained permits to stage a jazz festival in Kew, has led to a long, professional, hugely popular community summer event destination and working relationship. A few

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Many have played - now play and will perform in the future

summers back MSNBC ranked us seventh in the world – top jazz events.

The years between have been a rollicking ride. The BIJF has served as a blue-print for many a community festival over the past twenty-nine years. Yes, it’s never been a jazz purist dream; it was never meant to be!

It’s about music – the roots of popular culture – the sounds that bind us together and speaks of our city and our diversity. We come from away – far away and all over. Look at the faces of those who attend and their children. Many have played - now play and will perform in the future. How about a couple of current Grammy Award recipients – drummer Larnell Lewis of Snarky Puppy and Alex Cuba – both played the street scene – Larnell on many occasions as he worked his way through high school.

What’s it like to serve as artistic director? Pretty fine! I love listening to music and assembling the big picture – that complex puzzle of bands and personalities. Much has to do with working with a small bud-

SUMMER 2017

get and painting the event as if it’s a sky- high canvas.

It’s always been about our community of talent with a few international acts to sweeten the pot.

The Fabulous Thunderbirds, New York Voices, Matt Dusk, Jesse Cooke, Trombone Shorty, Big Sam’s Funky Nation, Johnny Pacheco, - big bold blues, jazz orchestras, roots reggae, smokin’ salsa, jump blues, gospel, and that funky soul music. That’s who we are! We always remind those jazz-heads who want an intimate encounter, - we’re outdoors and must book sounds that translate and reflect summer fun.

Clubs are where it’s at for serious listening – parks are about entertainment and activity.

The year’s event is shaping up to be one of our finest. We caught a break landing Indo/American Red Baraat – described as a “gut-busting fusion of jazz, hip-hop beats, rock muscle, funky go-go, and scalding hot bhangra.” To commemorate Canada 150 – The Last Waltz – a celebration of the Band, Canada’s greatest gift to the world of music, led by keyboardist and music archivist Lance Anderson. Read bandleader’s Robbie Robertson’s great recollections – Testimony - of Toronto in the late 50s’ and 60s’ – at least a hundred pages of detailed history of nightlife UrbanSource-B.pdf 1 2017-06-08 3:09 PM

It all kicks off July 7, 8, 9 - Sounds of Leslieville and Riverside in Jimmy Simpson Park

and playing downtown clubs.

Award winning blues from Monkey Junk – some barrelhouse piano from Jeni Thai – young seventeenyear-old guitar sensation – Niagara’s, Spencer MacKenzie, ska from the Arsenals, Son De Cuba Orchestra, Jane Bunnett & Maqueque, Cuban quartet OKAN, five-time Juno winner - reggae, EXCO LEVI – African sounds from Montreal’s Lorraine Klaasen, jump blues with the Saturday Nite Fish Fry. Forty bands covering a 2.5 km stretch of Queen Street East located between Woodbine Avenue to the west and Beech Avenue to the east – July 27 – 29. TD Mainstage in Woodbine Park, A Cappella Stage and Urban Stage.

It all kicks off July 7, 8, 9 - Sounds of Leslieville and Riverside in Jimmy Simpson Park – July 7, 8, 9 – Beaches Jazz Latin Carnival in Woodbine Park, then the big shows – TD Mainstage July 21, 22 and 23 in Woodbine Park, then Streetfest – July 27, 28, 29 and OLG presents – July 28, 29, and 30th in Woodbine. There are workshops, food, and big fun in store. Reserve your spot now – it’s all free!

Bill King is Artistic Director of the Beaches Jazz Festival. www.Beachesjazz.com

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ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

LATIN JAZZ AND ME

BY LAURA FERNANDEZ

Photo: Maite Jacobson

I

t has been almost 10 years since I caught the love bug and began my affair with Latin Jazz. It all started when I took over the mantle of producer and host of Café Latino on Canada’s (and the world’s) premier 24 hour jazz station –Jazz FM 91—and it has been an unbelievable and life changing journey. I was blessed with the opportunity and I have taken it truly to heart—or should I say, it took over my heart!

For those unfamiliar with the genre, Latin Jazz is generally described as a blend of American jazz with Latin American rhythms, although that is a broad definition which is continuously expanding and evolving. The two main categories are Afro- Cuban and Afro-Brazilian Jazz. Both styles have African rhythms in common: the Afro Cuban style bases its rhythm on a rhythmic pattern known as the clave; Brazilian music includes samba and bossa nova as well as many other popular permutations.

Imagine yourself in the 19th century where ships are sailing, commerce is booming and the collaboration and interaction of Cuban, African and American musicians--especially through ports such as New Orleans--had great influence on the city’s jazz style. Musicians love to jam and exchange musical ideas! As musicians travelled from port to port they shared their knowledge. The habanera or Cuban contradanza took its foothold in the Caribbean and the neighbouring ports and started gaining worldwide popularity.

It became the first written music based on a syncopated 4 beat African rhythm. The famous composer and pianist Jelly Roll Morton named this Latin influence “The Spanish tinge” and insisted that without it, the music would never have “the right seasoning.” As this style of music spread, motifs such as the tresillo became very popular and were easily adapted to European rhythmic forms. Many 1930’s tunes adopted this Afro Cuban influence. Jelly Roll wrote “New Orleans Blues” and “The Crave”, and Juan Tizol wrote “Caravan“—some very early examples of Latin Jazz.

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The clave became the craze and ‘Tanga’, written in 1943, is considered to be the first true Latin Jazz piece

Along came Mario Bauza and Machito with their orchestras in the early 1940’s. These were the first composers to use clave. The clave became the craze and “Tanga,” written in 1943, is considered to be the first true Latin Jazz piece. Mario Bauza was the one who developed the 3-2, 2-3 beat concepts known as the clave. The rhythm was then, as it is today, both contagious and addictive.

The innovative bebop trumpeter and composer Dizzie Gillespie, was introduced to Chano Pozo, one of the best-known and most sought-after Cuban drummers, and composed “Manteca,” which was the first Jazz standard to be based on the clave.

Something to note: in contrast to American jazz, Latin Jazz uses straight rhythms rather than swung, and is often recognized by its use of percussion instruments such as congas, bongos, timbales, guiro and claves.

Brazilian jazz is largely influenced by Bossa Nova, which originated in the late 50’s and early 60’s with artists such as Joao Gilberto and composers such as Antonio Carlos Jobim, Egberto Gismonti, Hermeto Pascoal, and their collaborations with American artists such as Stan Getz and Charlie Byrd. Jazz artists such as Sinatra popularized Brazilian music in Ameri-

SUMMER 2017

ca and internationally, and the world fell in love.

Today, Latin Jazz continues to blend and evolve into many styles, reflecting the diversity of Latin and world cultures.

Fusions of Latin Jazz with Peruvian, Chilean, and Argentinian music are just a few of these intriguing and rich mixes. Traditions such as Tango and combinations with Arabic and Jewish (Klezmer), Spanish, Portuguese as well as Indian cultures, can be found everywhere.

On a personal level, when I began to really immerse myself in this music there was no going back: I was seduced by the adventure of its discovery. Boleros, Tangos, Salsa, Sambas, Rumbas, Cumbias, Fados, Flamenco and Flamenco Jazz…too many styles to name and too many to limit so I share what I discover with my listening audience. It has definitely influenced my own compositions and my life is richer for it.

In our own city, the music scene is rich and vibrant with culture. Latin-, Brazilian- and World-Jazz are heard in venues such as the Lula Lounge as well as many restaurants, clubs and festivals throughout our city. There is a sense of community and collaboration and it is something I would love for you all to be a part of. We are ever so fortunate to live in a country that embraces the collaboration of cultures through music.

Through my program Café Latino, I share all of this music

with you, the listener, every Saturday 4-6 pm on Jazz FM 91.

You can also hear it weekdays, sprinkled like an exotic spice throughout the station’s programming.

I hope you all tune in and expand your musical horizons, appreciate the beautiful music scene we are so lucky to have, and support our wonderful venues and local artists, as well as those that breeze into town displaying exotic wares from their caravans for all of us to enjoy.

Have a little taste and fall in love like I did!

Where the Music Begins

925 Bloor St. W. - 416.588.7886 info@long-mcquade.com

25

URBAN GALLERY PRESENTS

Water: Sustaining Life A Photographic Exhibit

BY VIRGINIA MUNROE Water is our most precious resource. Urban Gallery, under the management of Calvin Hambrook and Curator Allen Shugar, paid homage to water this past Spring in a spectacular photographic exhibit entitled Water: Sustaining Life. As part of the Scotiabank Contact Photography Festival, the exhibit featured four photographers – Alex Turner, Chris Hominuk, Karen Silver and Maria Ricossa. Here’s a bit of background on these photographers, as well as their perspective on what inspired them when taking these shots.

KAREN SILVER - ‘Swamp’ Karen Silver is an Executive Producer of TV Commercials and a Photographer. “I’m fascinated by reflections, things that at first glance might not be so noticeable. It began with photographing reflections in large soap bubbles and then recently, reflections in water.”

“As I see it, we live in a fully magical world. Through my photos I can explore what lies beyond the surface. To be able to share this magic with others delights me. At this recent exhibit, the ‘Swamp’ image elicited a visual for a patron where they could see two flamingo heads. Now that’s very cool.”

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MARIA RICOSSA - ‘Blue Dress’ Maria Ricossa is an actor and photographer who observes people, hoping to recreate truthful behavior onstage or in front of a camera. Drawn to street photography, she watches people – capturing a story or a dramatic moment.

She witnesses and documents private moments, after which things will never be the same.

“The blue of the little girl's dress caught my eye, as I walked by the park in the beaches. It was the kind of blue that reminded me of another time – maybe the 50's. I saw her lean over to drink from the fountain and snapped the photograph. When I looked at it later I saw that she wasn't actually drinking but, rather, leaning over, looking at something in the dark.”

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CHRIS HOMINUK - ‘Oneida Falls’ Chris Hominuk is a self-taught award winning landscape photographer. “My passion is capturing the calmness of nature. I’ll drive, paddle, or hike great distances to get that ‘one shot.’ In my work I concentrate on near/far exposures to reveal the importance of what’s both in the foreground and the distance.”

“Oneida Falls was captured on a foggy morning in the fall of 2015. It is in Ricketts Glen State Park in Pennsylvania. This park is home to 24 named waterfalls but Oneida has always been my favourite. This image was taken with my tripod in the water, and my camera only a few inches from the ground. A longer shutter speed allowed me to capture the movement of the water. This image brings my senses back to that moment and I can still smell the leaves and hear the sound of rushing water.”

ALEX TURNER - ‘Transformation’ Alex Turner’s work has been exhibited in Toronto and Western Canada. His photographs are in collections in Canada and the US. “These compositions seek an alignment of visual elements into an abstract whole. The results - sometimes manipulated – are often more like paintings or etchings than photography.”

“I was cooking vegetables in my kitchen one night for the evening meal. I noticed water globules nesting under the steamer’s glass lid, refracting blue from an overhead skylight. The otherworldly patterns they made, it was steam condensing. A phase shift from water to gas, and back to water again. There was a shift in my perception, too, as I watched the ordinary transform into the sublime.”

Visit Urban Gallery by appointment at 400 Queen Street East or at urbangallery.ca.

Delivering HOPE FURNITURE+ OUTLET where everything is always on sale!

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Donations Are Always Welcome!

Are you redecorating and wondering what to do with items that won’t reflect the new look you have envisioned?

Delivering Hope Furniture+ Outlet is looking for donations of furniture and household items – we will be happy to give them a new home.

100% of the proceeds from the Outlet go to Abuse Hurts (Canadian Centre for Abuse Awareness), helping abused women and children in your community.

Call 905-727-4357 today to enquire about how to donate furniture, household items and more – or visit www.abusehurts.ca for more info.

BY MAEVE SALICHUK

T

he controversial documentary Sled Dogs, directed by filmmaker Fern Levitt, delves into some ugly truths about the commercial dogsledding industry in North America. Taking over two years to film, Sled Dogs showcases the living conditions for the majority of dogs born into this life.

It was in 2010 that Levitt visited Chocpaw, a dogsled tour company in Ontario. There she found that the dogs were housed in terrible conditions. She was able to adopt a dog named Slater, saving him that very day.

He had spent most of his first nine years chained. Levitt, who has been a filmmaker for over 25 years, decided she had to tell the story of the dogs that are bred for this industry.

The controversy surrounding this film was apparent at a recent showing in Toronto, at the TIFF Bell Lightbox.

People from within the dogsledding community, includ-

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there is no doubt that living conditions will vary between operators

PHOTO:CCI ENTERTAINMENT

SLED DOGS

ing Patrick Beall, a musher who is featured in the film, showed up to defend themselves. They claimed the film misrepresented their industry, saying that their dogs are not overworked or kept in abusive conditions, that they only run when they want to, and that they love to run.

There is no doubt that living conditions will vary between operators. However, the companies depicted in Levitt’s film show the hard truth about what happens at large commercial dogsledding operations.

The owners, handlers and mushers see the film as a threat to their sport and income but as Levitt notes, “This film is not for the mushers. It’s for the public”.

The commercial world of dogsledding attracts thousands of tourists each year in North America.

Windrift Kennels in Moonstone, Ontario, trains dogs for this industry. The film shows how the dogs are each chained to a post outside in a yard with access to tiny shelters and no opportunity to interact with each other. We see as owner Gena Pierce, pulls on the collar of a six month old dog named Lydia, who is clearly unwilling, in order to transfer her to a yard where she will be left chained to a post. “There is a bit of distress there,” says Pierce. “They’re just letting the world know that they’re not happy.” Later on in the film, one of the crew members alerts Pierce during an interview that one of the dogs appears ill.

A dog named Ratchet has died in the night, judging by the amount of snow covering his body. Pierce had been unaware.

Dogs are shown in the film with open sores on their noses and necks from chewing their water buckets and shelters, and from running in circles out of boredom while tethered. This type of living condition “goes completely against what their internal needs and their internal drives are telling them, so it’s

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

very stressful for them,” says animal behavioural scientist Dr. Rebecca Ledger.

The film follows musher Patrick Beall as he races in the 44th annual Iditarod in 2016. Also known as The Last Great Race, it was inspired by a 1925 event, when a diptheria antitoxin was rushed to Nome, Alaska. It was an effort made by 20 mushers and approximately 150 sled dogs, who covered 674 miles in five and a half days. It was done relay style, with new dogs swapped in at each stop along the way.

The Iditarod covers over 1000 miles from Anchorage to Nome and has 85 mushers competing with the same team of dogs for the entire race. If any of the dogs display signs of injury or distress they are left behind at the next check point. The remaining dogs in the team continue after a rest. Mushers compete for prize money and of course, the glory of finishing “The Last Great Race”. ”They’re marketing it as a re-creation of that event (the 1925 serum run) and it bears no resemblance to the event. It’s a big money sporting event now,” says Stephen Wells, Executive Director of the Animal Legal Defense Fund.

“There are more people that have climbed Mount Everest than have finished the Iditarod,” says Beall, a musher who was born in Norman, Oklahoma. He placed 64th as a rookie in the race. He started out with a team of sixteen dogs and finished with eleven. ”I want my team to be like a machine, a well-oiled machine.” It took him nearly twelve days to complete the race.

“Being an outdoorsman, I’ve always wanted to come to Alaska,” Beall says. ”I love taking care of dogs”.

Approximately one third of all dogs who race in the Iditarod are physically unable to finish.

Mike Crawford, a former Iditarod handler interviewed in the film, weeps while speaking of his dog, a former sled dog also named Mike. “It’s hard for me to talk about him. He had been totally broken, mind and spirit.”

The film also covers two notorious cases of cruelty that achieved convictions against dog sled operation owners. One, in Whistler, saw the owner found guilty of causing unnecessary suffering to some of the dogs he culled. It is legal to execute a dog in Canada and the government provides instructions on how to do so. An exhumation by the B.C. SPCA of a mass grave found evidence of cruelty and Bob Fawcett of Howling Dog Tours was sentenced to three years’ probation plus fines in 2011.

The Krabloonik dogsled company operates in Snowmass, Colorado and owner Dan MacEachen was convicted on one count of animal cruelty in 2015. Seven other charges against him were dismissed. This

was after years of fighting by local activists who had discovered that in the off-season, the company’s dogs were chained and seemingly forgotten.

“There are many dogs here and no one is coming back to check on them. There’s no one here. This is a storage facility. These dogs are just here to be stored until they can make money,” says Bill Fabrocini, co-founder of Voices for the Krabloonik Dogs.

Danny and Gina Phillips, who had worked for MacEachen, are now the new owners of Krabloonik.

Interviewed in the film, they state that the dogs under their care currently spend at approximately least six hours off tether per week.

There are some happy endings in the film. one third of all Seth Sachson, a former musher, adopted his dogs who race six dogs from Krabloonik. They live with him in the Iditarod as pets. He takes them out often for runs, are physically but they spend the rest of their time enjoy- unable to finish ing a life free from chains. ”Even if these guys stopped pulling a sled today, I’d still love them just the same,” Seth states in the film.

The future of these dogs is important to filmmaker Fern Levitt and she hopes Sled Dogs will start an important conversation that will lead to real change. “If we Canadians don’t stand up for these heroes of the North for what is right, then who will?”

For more information about the dogsledding industry, visit www.cbc.ca/documentarychannel.

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COMMUNITY

DEFENDERS OF THE WATERFRONT

BY CELIA BERLEMONT

O

n a summer night about a year ago Irene Pohjola left her condo home of the past 27 years, to attend a Community meeting about a local park.

From her 8th floor unit she and her husband David look straight at the crumbling Monarch silos that date back to 1928.

Up until that point Ms. Pohjola had never been involved in any local politics or community organizations. She simply enjoyed living ‘on the waterfront’ and watching as it redeveloped and evolved.

The meeting was advertised as ‘The New Bathurst Quay Plan’, a 2-year planning study of the area around the bottom of the Silos and at the front door of the Billy Bishop Airport.

“I was here before Porter, the tunnel and the street cars,” says Irene from her stunning view of the lake.

“When I saw the plan and heard them NOT openly talk about ‘mixed-use’, yet include that in the drawings by labeling additional buildings ‘mixed-use’, I got very upset. Bathurst Quay was given to the City of Toronto as a park by Harbourfront.”

After 30 years of trying to find ways to utilize the Silos (every plan failed), City Planners embarked on yet another process to come up with one that might actually happen.

The plans included more buildings and more concrete instead of more green space. Irene’s questions were ignored; she went home upset and determined. The first thing she did was to call the councilor she voted for, Joe Cressy. It took 6 calls and 2 messages before an assistant finally spoke to her. What she got was a referral to the very planners who ignored her questions at the meeting.

Within days Irene was joined by a handful of others, which later grew to over 600 supporters. ‘Parks Not Condos’ was born with the same energy as ‘No Jets TO’, and ready to protect and keep the ‘Parks and Open Space’ zoning.

Using old fashioned telephone calls and notices in their buildings to gather strength, ‘Parks Not Condos’ finally got a meeting with Councilor Cressy. The meeting in his office did not go well. Instead of listening to the views of these non-political residents,

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‘parks not condos’ was born with the same energy as ‘no jets TO’

Mr. Cressy tried to tell them how they “did not understand what mixed-use zoning was.”

Ian Rankin, a former Chairman of the Toronto Parking Authority, currently the President of the Toronto Bicycling Network, and a Toronto Island resident, knew all too well what rezoning was and what mixed-use was, in the official Plan.

‘Parks Not Condos’ left the meeting and began its own public campaign, flooded with donations, to ensure that everyone living along the waterfront knew what was being planned. In October, ‘Parks Not Condos’ wrote to their elected officials asking for their availability to attend a public meeting so that the public could be heard. In response Councilor Cressy decided to beat them at the gate and called his own meeting for November 28th at the local Community Center.

The meeting began with Mr. Cressy standing up at the front and declaring that there would not be and never were any plans for mixed-use south of Queens Quay. The Planners recognized the anger and hastily prepared a ‘revised plan’ that kept parks zoning, but added a large multi-million dollar Aqua Center, whose footprint covered the middle of what was supposed to be green space.

‘Parks Not Condos’ was prepared for the Cressy surprise, and instead presented their own plan for

SUMMER 2017 Bathurst Quay Neighbourhood : TEST CONCEPTS

hallway telling him he would stop them, and that they would go nowhere at City Hall.

ON NOVEMBER 28, 2016, THE CITY AND COUNCILOR JOE CRESSY HOSTED A COMMUNITY CONSULTATION MEETING THAT PROVIDED AN UPDATE ON THE BATHURST QUAY NEIGHBOURHOOD PLAN, INCLUDING ONGOING WORK IN RELATION TO A STREETSCAPE AND PUBLIC REALM PLAN FOR THE NEIGHBOURHOOD, AND A FACILITIES NEEDS ASSESSMENT FOR THE WATERFRONT NEIGHBOURHOOD CENTRE.

a park, giving everyone an opportunity to vote by ballot after the meeting. The 130 or more who attended voted overwhelming for the PNC plan, to keep it all parkland/green space with the pool in 4 possible locations, and parking, taxis, Uber and airport traffic, underground. Parking has already been done underground at Harbourfront Centre, south of Queen’s Quay.

But it would not end there. The organizing committee began arranging meetings with other councilors, asking questions and looking for support while continuously asking Mr. Cressy to put it in writing, that ‘mixed-use’ would be taken out of the plans.

What they found was support, but also the sad reality that there was no money and no budget for any park , let alone a pool for a plan that was still not written. After 30 years and a 2-year study, there was nothing for the Community.

Even more determined, PNC’ers marched to the budget committee to have their day at City Hall and hopefully start the ball rolling for a park.

“You would think that a local non-profit group going to City Hall to fight for a park would be something that the local Councilor would support and welcome,” says Karen Hock, an early member of the group. Not Cressy, he lobbied against his own constituents, and demanded that the committee take no action. He also took a PNC member out into the

what they found was support, but also the sad reality that there was no money and no budget for any park

The Budget Committee Chair, Gary Crawford, remembers the meeting very well. “I was shocked when Joe started yelling at me. I thought that his residents were good people trying hard to do something good. There was nothing wrong with them wanting to get a realistic plan adopted sooner than later.”

Cressy took the fight to the City Executive Committee saying that he would not recognize any of the work PNC had done.

“We find it surprising that a Councilor who wants to spend a billion dollars trying to cover the rail corridor with a park, the same guy who claims victory and credit for a new postage stamp park on Richmond Street, and at 28 Bathurst, would at the same time do everything he can to thwart green space on waterfront land. The size of the parks he touts now are just enough for dogs to relieve themselves, not allow kids to play there too,” says Rob Rolland, a former Executive and Waterfront resident that Irene recruited.

To date, Mr. Cressy has not confirmed in writing, even on the open, online petition, that ‘mixed-use’ is taken out, while at the same time saying that his fellow Councilors are being approached by developers to acquire the land, and it is urgent for us to complete the new Bathurst Quay Neighborhood Plan.

A new streetscape plan by Cressy is just a smoke screen or delay tactic according to ‘Parks Not Condos’ website. On May 10, at the Bathurst Quay Neighbourhood AGM, Councilor Cressy told attendees that a comprehensive study has to be done and there was no indication of when the community can expect a real park, aquatic centre, and solution to the silos and parking. People want to know his definition of short-term, mid-term and long-term, with a feeling that long-term implies it won’t be in our lifetime at the glacial pace this is proceeding.

Residents attending the May 10 meeting were sorely disappointed when the majority of the 2 hour AGM Meeting spoke of shrubs and landscaping, with only enough time for a few questions at the end, while many more people wanted a voice.

Should Councilor Cressy think he can ignore his own residents and offend them with little to no information, there will be more and more support forming within this community to rally for real answers, not rhetoric.

For more information visit parksnotcondos.ca.

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BUSINESS & WEALTH

PATIENT CAPITAL JOEL SOLOMON AND THE CLEAN MONEY REVOLUTION

BY JOHN MUNROE The Clean Money Revolution: Reinventing Power, Purpose, and Capitalism

by Joel Solomon with Tyee Bridge New Society Publishers, 250 pp, $29.99 ISBN 978-0-86571-839-5

I

magine you inherited both a fortune and a fatal disease that could rob you of the time to spend it. Most of us would throw up our hands and set off for Machu Picchu, skydiving lessons, or the local bar. But some people are not so predictable.

Affectionately known to some as a 'Business Rabbi,' author Joel Solomon is a patient capitalist: an ethical investor who has seeded over 100 early-stage businesses to deliver above-market returns while helping to bring about positive social and environmental change.

Burdened from birth with a terminal kidney condition, Joel turned from his inherited family business to focus on politics in the Jimmy Carter presidential campaign, nature on idyllic Cortes Island in British Columbia, spirituality (something he tends to demonstrate rather than discuss) and finally back to entrepreneurship to develop a uniquely optimistic vision for the future: clean investment. Since the early 90s he has led a growing movement of 'billionaires of love': wealthy individuals who use their money to accumulate good deeds instead of wildly excessive fortunes.

The Clean Money Revolution follows Joel’s personal journey as a living metaphor for an alternative to the dystopian narratives so prevalent in our time. By leveraging the power of money for good instead of greed, he maintains, we can all benefit through enhanced quality of life and sustainable futures for ourselves and our children—all while generating solid financial returns

Since the early 90s he has led a growing movement of 'billionaires of love'

on our principled investment portfolios.

Part memoir, part impassioned plea for harnessing the world’s wealth for better outcomes for our planet, The Clean Money Revolution interposes Joel’s story of transformation with a counterpoint of pithy interviews and sidebar essays from diverse standard-bearers of the green investment movement. He walks the reader through his experience of successive levels of understanding, while unpacking a rich toolkit of fresh approaches to growing our money according to the principles of SRI: socially responsible investing.

One key component of the book details Joel’s pivotal decision to partner with Newell Rubbermaid heiress Carol Newell in 1992. Carol approached Joel to help identify high-impact green investments that would engender maximum social and environmental yields from her fortune by supporting innovators in sustainability. Together they created the Renewal Fund for this purpose, and as it grew they helped dozens of ethical ventures flourish and succeed. The book is peppered with their uplifting, informative accounts.

Ten years ago, a friend offered Joel a kidney, laying his premature death sentence to rest.

That’s the kind of goodness this man inspires.

Many of us feel too busy to think about what our money is doing. How can we worry about the future when there is so much demanding our attention in the present? Along with inspiring anecdotes and thoughtful analysis, Joel Solomon and Tyee Bridge offer a new take on money: “Accumulating infinite wealth, with no higher purpose, is naked greed at worst, self-imposed banality at best. We can now move money further and faster, toward a safe, resilient, soft landing for the future of civilization. Let’s be billionaires of good deeds, billionaires of love, billionaires of meaning and purpose.”

The Clean Money Revolution serves as an inspiring tale of transformation. Beyond that, it is also an excellent primer on how to put our money to work, for good.

John Munroe is a Tokyo-based Canadian entrepreneur, philanthropist and meditation teacher. jam@gaiaworks.com

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COMMUNITY

Photo: Norm Li

ARTSCAPE: A JOLT OF URBAN ACUPUNCTURE ON TORONTO’S WATERFRONT

BY SC MODISTE

T

oronto-based Artscape is a not-for-profit urban development organization that makes space for creativity and transforms communities. Since its beginning in 1986, Artscape has become recognized as an international leader in creative place-making, a practice that leverages the power of art, culture and creativity to catalyze change, growth and transformation of place. The organization achieves its mission through developing and managing a growing portfolio of unique cultural facilities—including community cultural hubs, multi-purpose creative spaces and artist live/work projects—and by delivering programs and services that create the conditions for artists to thrive.

Every day, Artscape spaces come alive with the ideas and passion of the 149 organizations and 2,600+ people who work and/or live within our portfolio of buildings (myself included for the past seven years).

Forty-two public venues pulse with the energy of the 190,000+ people who take part in exhibitions and

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the facility also received a Good Design is Good Business award from Architectural Record in 2014

performances annually and the thousands more who participate in our programs, tenant-driven activities and city-wide events. Their work involves clustering creative people together in real estate projects that serve the needs of the arts and cultural community and advance multiple public policy objectives, private development interests, community and neighbourhood aspirations and philanthropic missions.

Iconic locations include Artscape Gibraltar Point, that opened in 1999 and housed in a former unused school house surrounded by 46 acres of Toronto Island parkland. Over the years Gibraltar Point has hosted thousands of artists both local and international, who have taken advantage of the facility’s quiet and natural setting to focus on their practices and projects through short term residencies and long term studio rentals. It has also become recognized as a perfect place to host a variety of events.

Daniels Spectrum, a 60,000-square foot community cultural hub located in the Regent Park neighbourhood is designed as a platform for experience, learning and innovation. Daniels Spectrum buzzes with energy. In its first year, the facility hosted tens of thousands of visitors and hundreds of arts and cultural events and was

SUMMER 2017

named Best New Venue in Canada for meetings and events by BizBash magazine. The facility also received a Good Design is Good Business award from Architectural Record in 2014.

Other Toronto community locations include Artscape West Queen West, Parkdale Arts & Cultural Centre, Artscape Distillery Studios, Artscape Wychwood Barns. Artscape Triangle Lofts. Artscape Youngplace, Artscape Lofts at PACE and 210 Simcoe, plus Artscape Sandbox, Artscape Bayside Lofts, Artscape Weston Hub and the Artscape Lofts at Waterworks.

Announced in April, Artscape has raised $21.4 million that is a combination of capital funding, community bonds, and an innovative impact investing program to support its art and design entrepreneurship hub currently under construction on Toronto’s East Bayfront in the Daniels Waterfront—City of the Arts development.

The hub is named in recognition of the outstanding financial support of The Daniels Corporation and the John and Myrna Daniels Foundation, whose leadership gift of $5.75 million includes $625,000 in support from ‘City of the Arts’ development partner WJ Properties.

The Daniels Waterfront – City of the Arts community

We are thrilled to once again partner with Artscape and combine our name with theirs in the creation of Artscape Daniels Launchpad

is designed by RAW Design; Rafael + Bigauskas Architects are the Architects of Record and the interior design of Artscape Daniels Launchpad is by Quadrangle and will open the summer of 2018.

“We are thrilled to once again partner with Artscape and combine our name with theirs in the creation of Artscape Daniels Launchpad in the heart of our ‘City of the Arts’ community,” said Don Pugh, Vice President of The Daniels Corporation. “Supporting this creative entrepreneurship hub is an opportunity to reinforce Daniels’ commitment to the arts and to ensure that artists themselves play an important role in city building.”

Through its approach, Artscape has been able to elevate the aspirations of its work beyond serving the basic needs of creative practitioners and focus on unlocking the creative potential of people and places to build vibrant, resilient and inclusive communities.

Artscape Launchpad is a game-changer for artists and designers, a major boost for Ontario’s creative economy and a jolt of urban acupuncture for Toronto’s new waterfront community.

Criminal Defense Counsel Specialist in complex bail hearings, bail reviews, drug offences, sexual offences.

Anthony Tran B.A. (Hons), L.L.B.

1911 Eglinton Avenue East, Unit 3B Toronto, Ontario M1L 4P4 O 416.880.2803 « F 416.755.3595 anthonytran.tran8@gmail.com

37

HEALTH & WELLBEING

THE YOGA BIRTH METHOD

BY DOROTHY GUERRA

O

ntario sees on average 147,000 births a year, according to Statistics Canada. Childbirth has become a business venture for couples as the decisions around how to birth have become a buffet of options.

Birthing in Ontario means choosing between an Obstetrician or a Midwife in a hospital setting or a Midwife for home birth or water birth. Most women begin their prenatal journey with the anticipation of having a natural non-medicated birth experience, which then leads them into whether it will be an OB or Midwife birth.

Believing they have made the right choice, they hope for a natural birth outcome. However, 60% of first time births end in Caesarian due to unnecessary intervention and lack of knowledge in parents to make informed choices during labor, as per the World Health Organization. The key to achieving the best birth experience and minimizing C-Section risk is to have a Doula and know your birth plan in advance.

The Yoga Birth Method was created in an effort to help couples through labor with a systematic approach for pain control using breathing, postures and focused intentions. More than a Doula experience, this method, practiced worldwide, has reduced the intervention risk and given women the tools to take control of their birth experience.

Most labors progress through three phases: the early phase which is the longest, the active phase being the most exhausting, and transition - usually the most painful stage but also the quickest if done naturally. Each phase requires a plan. By understanding the emotional and physical demands of each phase, women can prepare themselves for how to handle their birth experiences by learning that the choices they make may create a spiral of medical interventions.

Most complications stem from medical interference too early in labor or when interventions are done when the cervix is simply not ready for birth.

How an OB presents an induction or an amnioto-

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by finding an effective way to work through the pain naturally, a woman betters her birth outcome and can make labor easier for her baby

my would vary drastically between an OB vs. a Midwifery delivery. Midwives are prided on their ‘go natural all the way’ approach, whereas an OB birth can be a limited natural experience. The Yoga Birth Method was designed to find balance between both approaches, regardless of which birth professional a woman uses.

It helps to eliminate the medical fear factor, to understand the power of choice, and which questions to ask when faced with an intervention decision.

One major intervention is the use of the epidural. When is the right time that a woman should choose to use pain medication? Epidurals can be an effective way to eliminate pain in labor, but it is important to keep in mind that epidurals come with their own set of drawbacks such as long term back aches, migraines, longer recovery time, and loss of interest in immediate breast feeding of the newborn.

Most importantly, not all epidurals work. When an epidural is given too early in labor, it will slow labor down and become the cause of other interventions such as Pitocin and/or possible vacuum delivery which can result in a longer labor. The

SUMMER 2017

Yoga Birth Method teaches women how to cope with pain and exhaustion with a very detailed description for movement and partner support for hands-on pain relief.

By finding an effective way to work through the pain naturally, a woman betters her birth outcome and can make labor easier for her baby. For each unnecessary intervention used, the baby takes the brunt of the outcome, as they need to work through the medication or interventions internally, making it difficult for them to maneuver their way through the birth canal as they are programmed naturally to do.

The key to medical empowerment is knowledge and application. Most women take hospital-based childbirth classes only to learn what the hospital can or will do. Women never learn what they can say no to or what their options are in the event of a proposed intervention. In most cases women become afraid of labor after traditional hospital birth classes because they are just not given enough tools to manage the labor process.

The Yoga Birth Method classes teach what will happen and how to manage that. Women receive education and application, which reduces the first time C-section rate of 60% in Canada overall.

The Yoga Birth Method, Step-by-Step Guide to

73%

of women are ‘unhappy’ with the financial services industry*1

Natural Childbirth has been published in 7 languages worldwide.

The birthing concept has filled the gap between teaching women what to expect in labor and what to do during labor.

Women now have the foolproof power to manage each stage with a very specific strategy of breathing, movement and intention-based control so that they can take back their right to a natural birth. Women do not have to birth blindly, nor do they have to say yes to the first medical intervention proposed to them. Just knowing they have the right to ask the doctor for time or to simply say no thank you to an unnecessary intervention is crucial to an empowered birth.

Dorothy Guerra is a Doula and Yoga Teacher. She is the creator and author of The Yoga Birth Method. She consults with and assists pregnant women through pregnancy and child birth. She also offers Yoga Birth Method Certification for Doulas and Yoga teachers. dorothyguerra@ me.com. www.yogabirthmethod.com.

87%

of women looking for an advisor say they can’t find one they can connect with*2

Are your needs currently being met by your financial advisor?

Charlotte Paul is a financial advisor who specializes in working with divorced and widowed women. If you’re looking for a trusted partner to help you plan and execute your financial strategy, reach out today for a complimentary chat about your portfolio.

perspectivewealth.ca | P. 416-777-6385 | E. charlotte.paul@raymondjames.ca Raymond James Ltd., member – Canadian Investor Protection Fund 1. The Boston Consulting Group, Women Want More (in Financial Services), October 2009 2. The Financial Brand, When Marketing to Women, Financial Brands Fall Short, December 4, 2013

39

HEALTH & WELLBEING

RAWLICIOUSLY

BEAUTIFUL

BY ANGELA ALLAIN, RMT

M

y healing journey began 18 years ago when I was 18 years old.

My health was really declining and western medicine didn’t seem to be improving it at all.

Then I got introduced to Acupuncture, followed by Naturopathy. My Naturopath got me to completely change my diet to a holistic and whole foods one, and I did a lot of cleansing. It took a while, but my health dramatically improved until it was better than it had ever been before, especially since I had always been sick as a child.

At a certain point, however, I felt I had reached a plateau. Something was missing in getting my health to its optimal level.

When I worked in health food stores 16 years ago, I read a book that suggested eating 50-75% raw foods to heal most health conditions. This got me curious. What did it mean to eat more raw?

I did some more research and it just made sense.

My former partner and I were both interested in becoming raw and we began our raw journey together. For the first four years, I was 50-70% raw while still living in Halifax, Nova Scotia.

I took every raw workshop I could attend to educate myself about incorporating more and more techniques in my life. Since I moved to Toronto over 7 years ago, it's been much easier to be a raw foodist, especially a ‘busy, on-the-go’ one.

Now I'm mostly 90-100% raw. This has made a huge improvement in my health. I have more energy; I require less sleep and I feel more rested. My skin is more radiant; based on my youthful appearance, people mistake me for being in my early to mid twenties, when I'm actually 36.

On top of being a raw foodist, I've been in-

40

Photo: Lena Li

now I'm mostly 90-100% raw. This has made a huge improvement in my health

corporating activities like Belly Dancing into my health regime for 16 years to maintain my outer beauty and fitness. Now I use my skills to help my clients reach their health goals whether that involves boosting their energy, improving their sleep, losing weight, or looking more youthful. One of my greatest joys is helping people reawaken their healthy self.

Angela Allain is a Registered Massage Therapist, Reiki Master/Teacher, Certified Ear Candler, Raw Holistic Nutrition Expert, Certified Iridologist and Belly Dancing performer. She can be contacted for her services at: 416.894.6840 info@keepintouchtoronto.com www.keepintouchtoronto.com

BUSINESS & WEALTH

INTERVIEW WITH

‘LOVE IN THE EMPIRE’ AUTHOR, JAY CHAUHAN

Chauhan feels that writing was a major challenge for him, as it explores one’s inner self and brings out all the emotions of the past. It took him about five years of weekend work to complete it. He continued his full-time practice during this time and also supported a Lawyer’s Mentorship Group during the years he spent writing the novel. He launched a company called ‘North Star Publications and Education Ltd’ to provide women and minorities access to publishing. The novel and publishing it is meant to encourage others to follow the dreams and missions of their lives, and contribute to the literary effort in Canada.

BY ANNIE RIZWAN

J

ay Chauhan was born in Tanzania. He made Canada his home in 1967 and faced challenges which he describes in his novel, ‘Love in the Empire’. He was qualified as an Economist from London and Berlin Universities and had a teaching position at Guelph University, but decided to pursue law and redid his Juris Doctor at Osgoode Hall Law School in Toronto. He was called to the Bar in Ontario in 1972 and is also called to the Bar of England and India. He is now retired as a Deputy Judge after serving 24 years.

When discussing the question of world peace and the role of Canada, Chauhan answered.

When asked about the opportunities in Canada for lawyers he replied.

‘I was the only minority Indian face at Osgoode Hall in 1979 and as a Duty Judge in Judges Conferences. It required enormous tenacity and building of confidence to become a lawyer and then a Duty Judge.’

Chauhan feels that although Canada is considered a multicultural country, when it comes to top careers in law, judiciary, literature and politics it is very hard for minorities to join these professions.

“Love is better than war and will eventually prevail as world cultures find a common ground.”

Chauhan believes that ‘Love In The Empire’ contributes to the celebration of Canada on its 150th birthday because it is a successful multicultural story.

As Prime Minister, Justin Trudeau, and Prince Charles rightly pointed out at their Ottawa celebrations, Canada sets an example to the rest of the world as a role model in human rights and multiculturalism.

When asked why he chose Canada, he stated.

Jay Chauhan

$7.50 CAD

Love in the Empire

‘It was my wife whom I married in Berlin who suggested Canada.

Jay Chauhan born in Dar in es Salaam he went to High School.

There were political problems forwasIndians Eastwhere Africa and when He has studied Economics in England and Germany. my wife suggested Canada it took me threeHill, Ontario, Canada. He is also Jay is a lawyer practicing in Richmond called to the Bar at Lincoln’s Inn in England, and an Advocate in the Bar months of sleepless nights to decide tohisforgo of Gujarat.

He completed studies in law in England and Osgoode Hall of York University. He retired as a Deputy Judge in Ontario after 24 my homeland, Tanzania.” years of service.

Canada sets is also an economist with degrees from London School of Economics Chauhan believes thatHe Canada does have in England and Development Economics from Technical University of Berlin. an example more liberal attitudes for mixed couples, but soJay is a mentor to a number of lawyers and has done mentorship lecto the rest of tures to Tanganyika Law Society and Bermuda Bar Association. He also cial life is difficult as you belong to neither group. works with a charity called ‘Friends Outreach’ to assist the needy in the world as a Canada and abroad.

He was determined to make both his marriage He has published many legal articles and won role award as a legalin writer model and career work. To his credit, he made ca- whichan was from the Ethnic Journalistshis Association presented by the Federal Minister, Jean Augustine, in 2006. This is his first novel. human rights reer in Law and is still married after 50 years. and multiJay Chauhan has written and published many culturalism articles in different magazines, and his writing efforts culminated in the first novel he wrote Jay Chauhan Learn more about him at entitled, “Love In The Empire” which he decided to publish on www.loveintheempire.com or emailing him at the 150th anniversary of Canada. It is an mentorship@jaychauhan.com autobiographical style non-fiction which narrates the challenges of life in love and career.

Love in the Empire

It is not the perceived who wears the mask but the perceiver.

Jay Chauhan

41

HEALTH & WELLBEING

1

Hips: Activate your hip extensors: Hip extension occurs when the long bone in your thigh (femur) moves behind your torso. The role of hips is essential in running. When you have a restriction in your hips, your body will be forced to compensate for that lack of movement in some other way, and that typically results in overextending your lower back or using your hamstrings to push your body forward.

Your daily life – including hours of sitting at your desk, driving or lounging – puts your hips in flexion and creates inflexibilities, weaknesses and poor balance. Reclaim your hip extensors!

2

Glutes: To have fully functional hips you require not only mobility, but also strong, active glutes. Glutes are the most powerful and efficient movers for running. You have 3 glute muscles: gluteus maximus, medius and minimus. All of them need to be uninhibited, strong and efficient. Otherwise your posture falls apart, and other muscles compensate until they too fail, which leads to overused hamstrings, lower back and pelvic pain.

5

COMMON INJURIES IN RUNNING

BY DR. FARNAZ NAJM, DC

U

p to 70% of recreational and competitive runners sustain overuse injuries in the first 12 months, but it doesn’t have to be that way.

Running is a high load and repetitive activity for which you need to build up tendon and tissue tolerance gradually.

Whether it is the springtime or you’ve signed up for a race, you need to build up your tissue tolerance gradually to avoid overuse injuries. Overuse injuries can occur as a result of lack of strength, inflexibility, inappropriate footwear and/or surfaces.

The most common overuse injuries happen in your hips, glutes, legs, ankles and feet.

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3

Shin: Lack of mobility in your calf muscles (gastrocnemius-soleus complex or calf) and overusing muscles on front of shins (anterior tibialis muscles) will cause what’s called shin splints, which are pains along the edges of your shinbones. There are two types of shin splints; anterior (front) shin splints and posterior (back) shin splints. Both are results of muscle imbalance between your calf muscles and shin muscles.

4

Ankle: Proper flexion of your foot toward your shin (ankle dorsiflexion) is important in order to have a safe platform to land on and to avoid rolling your ankles. It also allows you to have your foot land directly under your hip during each stride for the most effective pushoffs. Lack of proper ankle dorsiflexion will put extra work on your calf muscles which may lead to Achilles tendonitis. This is very com-

PROFESSIONAL & BUSINESS NETWORK

you need to build up your tissue tolerance gradually to avoid overuse injuries

At PBN “We Build Relationships.”

mon in runners, and severity of pain varies from irritation at the back of your heels to pain and swelling along your Achilles tendons.

5

The big toe: Extension of your toes, especially your big toes, is important for normal push-offs. If you have lack of mobility in your toes, the entire mechanics of the feet will change and you will be misusing muscles and ligaments in your feet and ankles to compensate for the rigidity of your toes – therefore making them tight and overactive.

Plantar fascia (a thick connective tissue that runs from the heel bone toward the base of your toes and is one of the structures that supports the arch of your feet) will be made tight and restricted. This is called plantar fasciitis.

This will lead to serious issues with running efficiency, and to pain and injuries.

Clinical Tips.

• Before starting to run, see your health professional to identify potential neuromusculoskeletal problems. They will check your back, hips, knees, ankles and feet.

• Wear shoes specifically designed for running which match your foot type.

• Start with walk/run combos and gradually decrease the walking and increase your running time.

• Always warm up before running AND!!!

STRETCH after running.

• Stay pain free and don’t let fatigue interfere with your technique.

• Stop running when this happens to prevent any injury.

• And watch for your posture; hold yourself upright and don’t bend at the waist.

Dr. Najm is a Chiropractor, Acupuncture & SFMA Provider at Emkiro Health Services. www.emkiro.ca

PBN is a community of business professionals committed to helping each other succeed in their professional and business lives through networking and building relationships. Social networking is a powerful tool to help you achieve professional and business success. For the last 15 years, PBN has faithfully been inviting you to networking events and you’ve been there with us. PBN is one of the most prestigious networking organization for sophisticated professionals in Toronto.

PBN “meet and greet” events” – At these events you will meet other like-minded individuals and increase the size of your business as well as your personal network.

You will build referrals while you exchange ideas with other members who want to help you in creating a more successful life.

PBN - TV interview – PBN produces TV interviews featuring PBN members. These interviews will be done by a professional crew including a host and a co-host. Our mission is to find out and let everyone know about your business, project or organization. Your interview will be featured on PBN and your website, YouTube, and other social media networks and continue to generate interest and awareness in you and your project or business.

mypbn.com

43

HEALTH & WELLBEING

DO THOUGHTS BECOME THINGS? MY EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW WITH CANADA’S ICONIC THOUGHT LEADER BOB PROCTOR.

BY AIDA MEMISEVIC

M

y cell phone buzzed. I was in Los Angles and had just attended the Paradigm Shift seminar with Bob Proctor and Sandy Gallagher and was scheduled to do an exclusive interview with Bob Proctor. Their event manager Gina Hayden had been trying to reach me. When I called her back, in a matter-of-fact tone she asked me, “Aida I was wondering if after the interview tomorrow you would like to fly back to Toronto with us on the private jet?” I screamed inside, but calmly responded with “Sure, that would be wonderful.”

Many people may know Bob Proctor from his work as a respected speaker in the personal development industry. Bob has been teaching about prosperity thinking, manifesting success and the universal laws for over four decades. Or you may have seen him featured in the movie “The Secret”, but what most people may not know, is that he is Canadian.

As a luminary, Bob is also one of few people alive on the planet that worked directly with Earl Nightingale. Both were purveyors early on, of the philosophy from which many consider the classic success book; Napoleon Hill’s “Think and Grow Rich”.

As I rode up the elevator to the 12th floor penthouse suite, my head was still spinning with ideas from the last three days of the seminar. A foundational philosophy that Bob Proctor is known for teaching is based on the Napoleon Hill quote “Whatever the mind can conceive and believe it can achieve.” Bob still teaches and resonates with the book’s philosophies today: “I have been reading it every day, going on 57 years.”

I have heard similar ideas from philosophers and thought leaders over the years: “You become what you think about.” Or “Thinking makes it so.” Although in my heart I have always believed that at some level

44

Photo: Matt Grybel

as a Luminary, Bob is also one of few people alive on the planet who worked directly with Earl Nightingale

our thoughts impact our reality, I have to admit, it has always left me with a slight sentiment of oversimplification. There was always this nagging voice inside that said, ‘Prove it’.

As I walked down the hall to the hotel suite, I checked the time; it was 9:58am. I stood in front of the door, and waited. At exactly 10 o’clock I knocked.

Bob Proctor opened the door to a suite that was bigger than my condo ( really ) wearing a crisp blue shirt, with his thick white hair cleanly brushed back. The man has great hair. After a few minutes of chit chat, I set up my recorder and the interview began.

Following the phenomenal success of the movie ‘The Secret’, there was a backlash about the ideas surrounding the law of attraction; the layman’s term for some of the theories in quantum physics. Did people misunderstand the message?

“There is an enormous element that people misunderstand. Rhonda Byrne ( the creator of The Secret ) did a great job and she deserves all the credit. But it left people with the idea that if you just want it, you

SUMMER 2017

will get it, and that is definitely not true. A want is an idea in your educated, conscious mind. You have to turn your want into a desire. Desire is planted in the subjective side; the subconscious, which is the universal side of your mind, connected to intelligence and everything that is.”

Scientists theorize whether the universe contains an intelligence. From the quantum physics perspective (how our world works at the smallest subatomic level), the universe is an interactive environment.

There are a few very strange and unexplained things that all physicists agree upon. When researchers set up measuring devices to observe subatomic particles, the act of observing affects how they behave: as a wave or compact particle. Particles will also appear in two places at once, until they are observed. Somehow the particles know they are being observed and thus behave differently. Wait... what? So let’s recap all that - no one really knows what the heck is going on.

As Bob puts it: “The truth is rarely in the appearance of things. There is an energy that flows into our consciousness and we can turn it into what we want.

Your brain is an electronic switching station. You activate brain cells, which then set up a vibration in your body, all wired through your central nervous system.

Now on a conscious level we call vibration ‘feelings’.

Your thoughts control your vibration. Your body is a mass of molecules at a very high speed of vibration.

You can only attract to you what you are in harmonious vibration with. It’s action-reaction. The universe reacting is the law of attraction.”

Most quantum physicists would agree that at a subatomic level our world exists as vibrating fields, perhaps a universe of strings producing different particles. But scientific knowledge is often tentative and provisional, with the currently accepted theory being the best explanation with the information we have today. Quantum theory has demonstrated that truly anything is possible. So is it really that big of a stretch to hypothesize that somewhere in all of this unknown, is a field containing universal intelligence? And that perhaps as a vibrating human mass of molecules, we can interact with this field in a purposeful way?

And if purposeful thought with emotion can lead us to create a vibrational field, we may want to be more disciplined with what we are thinking about. Or as Bob put it: “You see in your mind what you want.

If I have an idea, or a collection of thoughts towards a purpose, my thinking is purposeful and directed.

Write out what it is you want. You are painting a picture with words. ‘I am so happy and grateful now that ________ ‘ and you describe whatever it is in the present tense. Then you let yourself get emotionally in-

as Bob puts it: “The truth is rarely in the appearance of things”

volved, you become the actor. You act like you’ve already got it. Then you attempt to do it as often as you can throughout the day. It will turn into a habit. That puts you on the frequency. Just thinking it doesn’t put you on the frequency.”

Self-directed neuro-plasticity research proposes that the way in which a person purposefully directs his/her attention, will affect both the person’s experience and the biological structure of the brain. As we repeat a focused, directed thought process with clear intention and emotion, we can rewrite over an existing non-serving neural program; pruning old synaptic connections and sprouting new ones.

And that is exactly what Bob Proctor did. He was once a 26 year old unhappy negative thinker, who did not finish high school, had a poverty mentality making $4000 a year with $6000 in debt; “I was the product of my conditioning. Whatever you get as a child you carry all your life that’s like a program that is planted in our subconscious mind. We are conditioned and that’s what a paradigm is: conditioning.”

He then learned and diligently followed the principles he teaches today. And with the help of a mentor, he made his first million by starting an office cleaning company, growing to locations around the world. As he studied the principles of the great thought leaders, it took Bob Proctor almost 10 years before he understood why he became successful and how the principles worked: “When I finally discovered what I was doing, all I wanted to do was teach it. I was so fascinated with it. I love teaching it. “ As we flew back to Toronto in the private jet (did I mention that?) I had a chance to spend the next five hours in further conversation. There is a kindness and generosity of spirit in Bob Proctor that is evident. As a wealthy man of 83 years of age, he continues to grow and expand his business, yet it seems clear that his mission resonates from legacy more than currency.

There was a time when the ideas that man could fly, surgery could be performed without pain or that the world was round, were maverick. Perhaps the notion that “thoughts become things” is not all that different; as we just don’t know what the future will prove. As Albert Eisenstein wrote in a letter to Canadian physicist John Mofatt a half century ago, “Nobody is sure of having taken the right road, me the least.”

Aida Memisevic is a TedX speaker, media leader and digital strategist in the human potential field, focusing on mindset habits and processes. Find out more at AidaMemisevic.com .

45

HEALTH & WELLBEING

TRIGENICS® BEAUTY FROM THE INSIDE OUT.

BY JENNA YVONNE MCNAMARA

I

recently had the opportunity to visit Toronto’s very own, TRIGENICS® Treatment Centre and Physiotherapy-Rehab Clinic, world-renowned for helping their clients recover from chronic pain and injury, in record time. Their mission has been to help their patients get to the true root of the problem, resolve their condition, and lower pain levels in the least amount of time possible.

As someone who has personally experienced a fracture in the L-1 of my lumbar spine along with bulging L4 and L5 disk (in addition to a few neck issues), I can say now that I wish I had found this clinic much sooner. After my injury two years ago, I have seen numerous doctors and medical professionals but I had yet to encounter a clinic that was so helpful, knowledgeable and professional.

What I found unique about TRIGENICS® is that they used a multimodal treatment protocol that’s been designed to relieve pain (without surgery) and restore the body back to a stronger more active way of living my day-to-day lifestyle.

They approached me with care that incorporated several disciplines (e.g. chiropracDr. Valeria tic, physiotherapy, registered massage Muriel, Clinic therapy) all within my first treatment periDirector, has od. a clear vision After closely reviewing my X-rays and to help every doing a detailed physical assessment, they client not only were able to provide me with extensive heal on the feedback and an action plan on how I can inside, but recover. Sometimes chronic pain will not also feel more be resolved by seeing only one specialist radiant on the or receiving only one type of care. TRIoutside GENICS® treatment has proven that when all of these practices are combined, along with their strict attention to detail on each patient’s mobility as well as strengthening any weak points within the body, life-changing results are possible.

Their quality of service and care for their patients is second to none - which is why business executives, athletes, musicians and movie stars have traveled such a far distance for treatment. People will commute to seek treatment from the best of the best, in the field of natural health care and rehabilitation. The latter half of the day during my visit and treatment,

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I was thankful to have received one of their anti-aging beauty services, which left me feeling refreshed and enlightened. It was great to finally find a location where I could focus on my self-care not solely internally, but also externally.

In a stress-filled world, we need to find a way to soothe our tired muscles, melt away stress and feel our best. TRIGENICS® Treatment Centre has recently launched a multitude of NEW medical spa and anti-aging services to help their clients feel radiant, and more beautiful from the inside, out. Doctor Valeria Muriel, BA, DNM and Clinic Director, has a clear vision to help every client not only heal on the inside, but also feel more radiant on the outside. Everything that someone needs to achieve his or her absolute greatest can be found within the same walls right here at their treatment clinic in Toronto.

Trigenics Anti-Aging Face & Body Treatments:The clinic now offers a wide variety of beauty, skin care and anti-aging treatments ranging from luxurious facials, to microdermabrasion, and chemical peels, to laser hair removal. Through their new non-invasive service called Venus DR. VALERIA MURIEL, Legacy, they are able to now help clients CLINIC DIRECTOR with anti-aging, body contouring, stretch mark reduction, skin tightening and cellulite reduction.

Trigenics Venus Legacy: service is a non-invasive, safe treatment that uses Multi-Polar Radio Frequency, VanPulse Technology™ and Pulsed Electromagnetic Fields to deeply penetrate the skin, maximizing your outcome. It produces a dense, uniform heat matrix, stimulating the body’s natural healing response while increasing the client’s collagen synthesis without any pain. Clients can anticipate rapid results within 6-8 treatments which last only 30 minutes per session, are pain-free and proven to be effective producing long-term results. This service will allow clients to contour stubborn fat pockets, reduce volume and tighten skin, contour and flatten their waistlines, and dramatically reduce cellulite, shape and lift glutes, and tighten and firm thighs for firmer curves. What’s not to love?

SUMMER 2017

“The treatment feels like a warm massage, so comfortable I almost fell asleep. After six months, my abdomen and legs still look amazing! I will be recommending the treatment.” – Claudia “After years of trying everything, I now have the confidence to get back into a two-piece swimsuit.” – Julia Trigenics Microdermabrasion Service is a type of deep exfoliation treatment whereby micro-crystals are sent across the skin to smooth and rejuvenate the skin by removing dead skin cells, improve the skin’s texture and increase the production of collagen cells. It has been developed to help renew your skin to give it a more youthful appearance, and if you opt for their quality multiple treatment sessions then the benof service and efits for your skin can be incredible. This care for their service will help rejuvenate the quality of patients is your skin by treating a variety of conditions second to none such as pigmentation and blemishes, acne and scars, fine lines, wrinkles, age spots, sun spots, and under eye circles.

Trigenics Chemical Peels are considered to be the “Secret to Perfect Skin.” Through a process of exfoliation, chemical peels are often used to reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles, lighten dark spots for a more even skin tone, and

smooth and soften the texture of the skin. Peels are also useful to open clogged pores for patients with oil or acne-prone skin, and help reduce blemishes.

Trigenics Anti-Aging Face & Body Treatments are designed to help their clients look younger and enhance the skin’s appearance with their exclusive non-invasive anti-aging and body contouring procedures. Between the stress of my injury, and other personal setbacks, I was aching (literally!) to find a clinic that was a one-stop shop, for all of my health and beauty needs. I was thankful to spend a day in complete relaxation, while working on achieving my personal best. Speaking from my own experience, I can say with confidence that the TRIGENICS® Treatment Centre will take time to listen to all of your concerns, answer any questions and also ensure you understand how they can help you begin to live life to the fullest again, without pain and without surgery.

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BUSINESS & WEALTH

SHAPING UP TO BE

REAL ESTATE’S BEST YEAR EVER

BY DARYL KING

W

hen I first ventured into the world of real estate back in the early 80's, the average Canadian house sold for approximately $72,500 and the interest rate for a 5-year mortgage was about 21%. Agents used to keep all the listings in a closely guarded MLS book that they could not share outside the office; most offers were put together in-person.

Today, the market is changing on a daily basis. It used to be that it changed every 30 days, but now you have to have your finger on the pulse at all times to know what’s going on. With the technology we now have, transactions are swifter with offers commonly signed and emailed or DocuSigned via mobile phone.

The internet, especially social media, has ramped

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up the exposure and speed for home sales.

It has generated excitement in the industry like never before. This connectivity with a vast market has created more savvy buyers and sellers. People spend hours every day looking at properties online. They’re window shopping for houses as a hobby.

Everybody has a vested interest in real estate because they want to live in their own home one day. It’s still a Canadian dream.

Yet, a dream that’s increasingly getting out of reach, especially for the younger generation.

In January, the market in Toronto and GTA was already hot with the influx of foreign buyers. When the government imposed the 15% foreign buyer tax in Vancouver, all attention shifted here just when we had the lowest inventory. It all added fuel to the fire.

A few months before that, I was talking to a newspaper reporter and predicted that the market was going to change and I knew it would be

SUMMER 2017

soon. I was bold enough to make that announcement but not everyone listened and some even thought I was crazy. But maybe I’m not so crazy after all.

We’ve seen how houses were being sold within days or weeks for far more than their asking price. It’s incredible to see how such low inventory could have a huge line-up of qualified buyers. The market heated up and was out of control.

The government stepped in to correct the market with tougher mortgage rates and financing regulations – changes that were long overdue. Yet, interestingly enough, the market started to correct itself as it always does. If anybody was paying attention, the market started to cool down with more and more houses coming onto the market.

Right now, we have 47% more active listings than people spend we had earlier this year.

New houses are entering hours every the market and people are day looking at properties still buying. York Region, for example, had the biggest online increase in supply and demand in the 905 area. I would say we have come to a more balanced market.

We are a world-class city. Toronto is a financial hub of Canada. I see the market picking up later this year. More people will be able to afford to buy homes and communities will continue to grow and flourish. As long as you're in real estate, you'll never lose because it always comes back better than it was before.

In the meantime, remain calm, stay positive. If you’re looking to buy, now is a good time. If you’re thinking about moving to a bigger house, now is a great time. The market will continue to move forward.

As a multiple award winning and top ranked real estate professional in Canada,with 3 decades of experience, Daryl King has built and runs one of Canada’s most successful real estate teams. A speaker, author and television personality, Daryl has risen to become one of the best in his field, delivering a high energy message based on his own experience. He will help you clearly define your personal, professional and team goals, and provide you with key secrets to achieving them. Visit www.darylking.com.

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HEALTH & WELLBEING

Eat Ugly Things

BY MARISSA CRISTIANO

I HAVE A SERIOUS PROBLEM WITH AVOCADO ON TOAST. Let me clarify. I love avocado on toast. I do, however, have a serious problem with being charged 12 dollars for avocado on toast. I have an even bigger problem with this being snapped on carefully executed Instagram pictures and publicly lauded as a groundbreaking food trend.

Here is the crux of my problem: Social media networks have shifted the value of food to be primarily aesthetic, rather than taste oriented. Instagram, the main channel where foodie cultism is bred, is a medium biased towards the visual. Taking a picture of your meal and uploading it to Instagram, is a new ritual of appreciation and method of

Instagram makes us eat with our eyes, and not with our mouth and our mind

class assertion among Millennials. These public assertions of what we eat, align us with broader social and cultural dynamics.

A woman who posts a picture of a midnight slice of pizza, for example, is associated with different notions of personality and value than a woman who posts a picture of herself slurping a bottle of green power juice. Avocado on toast, aligns us with both “worldliness” and approachable nostalgia. It is a truly millennial food: Re-appropriating a non-western ingredient and placing it on an age old western classic, toast which is imbued with nostalgia for childhood.

Instagram makes us eat with our eyes, and not with our mouth and our mind. Without Instagram, I doubt that avocado toast would have reached its dizzying heights of fame. Avocado toast is a visual food: it is easily photographed, and nearly impossible to execute wrongly. However, it is not a “mind” or “mouth” food; it bears no complexity of taste, and is devoid of history or “terroir.”

A visual bias, in a post-avocado on toast world, means that it is no longer possible to be noticed as a restaurateur, home cook or chef, by taste alone. Twenty years ago a restaurant might have been able to gain a level of notoriety and legitimacy simply by being talked about. Now, restaurants must have an overarching aesthetic, and think about the photographic quality of a dish in addition to taste. In a world of constant visual stimulation, it is more important to be photographable than delicious, to get people into the restaurant. It still needs to taste good to keep people there.

I’m worried that Instagram is denying the gustatory power of ugly foods, and as a result making them fall out of menus and cultural consciousness. Take for example, tripe soup. Tripe soup is ugly. It is not “photographable” or “instagrammable.”

But, a good tripe soup can be a transcendent experience.

Before Instagram, tripe soup could gain notoriety with solely word of mouth. The speaker could walk their audience through the experiential flavours and emotional associations with this food. The story, the preparation, the texture, the taste, the experience of eating is primal in aural storytelling. It allows ugly foods to be elevated to the status of the glorious and rejoiced.

The visual quality of the food may have been addressed (you might describe the vivid red of a beet, or the beautiful glaze on a freshly roasted chicken), but the visual descriptors were hardly what brought someone to a restaurant. Instagram has turned this relationship on its head.

The tripe soups, the fried fish heads, all those succulent ugly ducklings of this world are no longer allowed to shine.

We risk slowly closing ourselves to the wealth of joy that ugly foods can bring us. Food is more than a beautiful picture.

Eating is a beautiful experience, so gather your friends around and eat some ugly things.

Marissa Cristiano is a Toronto based writer and artist, obsessed with all things edible. Visit Instagram: @prosciuttoprincess

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COMMUNITY

LIGHT MONKEY PHOTOGRAPHY THE SINGING AMBASSADORS.

THE WATERFRONT BIA

INVITES YOU...

BY MAEVE SALICHUK

T

he Waterfront Business Improvement Area (BIA) invites you to share in the excitement this summer with spectacular events, new restaurants and a spirit of fun that just won’t quit! Established in 2004, this community driven organization is dedicated to promoting and enhancing the economic and cultural vitality of the Waterfront area. The area welcomes 17 million visitors annually to experience one of Toronto’s premier destinations.

Check out the triple award-winning Singing Ambassadors, Thursdays through Mondays from 10 am to 6 pm, June 22nd until September 4th. “The Singing Ambassadors make people smile and join in as they inform and perform along Toronto’s vi-

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relax and enjoy great food and drinks on the Waterfront this summer

brant Waterfront” states Carol Jolly, Executive Director, The Waterfront BIA. “They not only share information and help direct people to the many amazing places on Toronto’s Waterfront, but their a cappella performances enhance the visitor expeCAROL JOLLY rience all summer long.”

Explore the Waterfront Artisan Market (WAM), returning to HTO Park this year. Due to popular demand the market is now weekly, held on Saturdays from 11 am to 8 pm, May 20th until October 7th, rain or shine! Operated by Scadding Court Community Centre, this open-air market features top local crafters, artisans, chefs and bakers, offering wonderful delights including unique art, upcycled handmade sterling silver jewelry, and shade-grown ethical artisan coffee. It’s the perfect place to shop and dine this season. “WAM celebrates the entrepreneurial spirit of the community, inviting visitors and residents of the city alike to discover new foods and artisanal crafts from up and coming local businesses” says Kevin

SUMMER 2017

Photo by Waterfront Toronto Photo by Andy Barrow

Photo: Waterfront BIA

Photo by Waterfront Toronto

Lee, Executive Director, Scadding Court Community Centre.

Relax and enjoy great food and drinks on the Waterfront this summer and all year long, with both new and re-vamped restaurants opening in the Queen’s Quay Terminal.

The Pearl, newly modernized and featuring award-winning Chinese cuisine and dim sum, offers exquisite panoramic views of Toronto’s Waterfront.

The Goodman Pub and Kitchen, formerly known as the Watermark Irish Pub and Restaurant, has been fully renovated and brings with it an innovative and intriguing menu (they have an elk burger)! Now open for business, guests will enjoy stunning views of the Islands from the beautiful Waterfront patio.

Pie Bar, set to open in July, is described as a quirky, unexpected take on traditional Italian food. Hang out and enjoy the comfortable at-

ARTISAN MARKET.

the Redpath Waterfront Festival also welcomes a fleet of Tall Ships every three years

mosphere on the patio or bring this unique taste home with takeout.

Also, scheduled to open in July is Joe Bird, featuring a menu and ambiance suited to all ages.

Open for breakfast, lunch, dinner and weekend brunch, Joe Bird has beautiful Waterfront views, and a healthy, yet indulgent menu in a funky, fun atmosphere.

The Redpath Waterfront Festival, held this year from July 1st to 3rd, was a fantastic way to celebrate Canada’s 150th anniversary. Featured attractions included activities with the Royal Canadian Navy, the Waterfront Artisan Market, the West Coast Lumberjack Show, dance performances and the World’s Largest Rubber Duck, to name just a few. The Redpath Waterfront Festival is held annually and is a lively affair that helps promote Toronto as a Waterfront destination, both locally and internationally. With many attractions for people of all ages, the festival also welcomes a fleet of Tall Ships every three years, scheduled for return in 2019. For more information visit towaterfrontfest.com.

The Waterfront is` certainly the place to be this season for endless excitement and stunning views. For more information visit waterfrontbia.com.

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HEALTH & WELLBEING

ASTRO INSIGHT JULY – SEP 2017

WITH HASSAN JAFFER ARIES (21 MAR – 19 APR) Venus brings out your witty side to enhance your love life and is lucky for you in July and Sep. Mars makes you very physical and action-oriented in Aug. You have luck through travel and foreigners in general through good opportunities from foreign countries. Watch ego conflicts and drink more water to curb your temper and impulsive nature. The luck element from foreigners and foreign countries continues until Sep 2017. Saturn helps you achieve long-term goals and reap the rewards of the last few years.

titude towards love matters. Your humanitarian side will help you in your long-term mission.

LEO (23 JUL – 22 AUG) Venus brings out your natural PR side in July and Sep, and increases your communication skills along with your natural charisma. You will be even more attractive and confident in your love life if you restrain your dramatic side and ego conflicts in Aug. This is also a great time to buy clothes and accessories which are lighthearted and of brighter colors. This is a great year to reap the rewards of the last few years, as well as having a luck element throughout this summer. You will have opportunities from foreign countries in relation to travel.

TAURUS (20 APR – 20 MAY) Mars makes you more sensual but also more possessive in July. You will be more magnetic than usual and passionate, both emotionally and physically. Catch up on comedies and light romantic movies to make you less possessive. Venus makes you less serious and more communicative this July and Aug. Your desire for long-term commitment takes on a luck element from Sep 2017. You are naturally very loyal and those you meet in the summer will become more loving then.

VIRGO (23 AUG – 22 SEP) Mars enhances your personal charisma in July and Sep and makes you less shy and reserved in your love life. You will get more involved with health and nutrition in Sep. Just watch that you are not being too critical. There is a longterm positive Pluto transit going on throughout this year which will help you transform yourself and become more cause-oriented. Although you are still going through a testing period in love, you will find out who your true friends are by Sep. You should focus on establishing yourself for the next seven years and use this period as a test of your long-term planning.

GEMINI (21 MAY – 20 JUN) Venus brings out your witty and charming side in July and Sep but also makes you quite talkative. Mars in Leo in Sep will make you more physical when it comes to love matters. Excellent time for your social life as Venus helps your Sun sign in July and Sep. Get fast gadgets and programs to improve your organizing skills. You are naturally versatile and multitasking but being in a major 7-year cycle, you need to assess and establish your long-term goals by summer 2017. There will be many opportunities for self-growth and travel.

LIBRA (22 SEP – 22 OCT) Venus will make you even more charming and attractive in July and Sep. Communication will become even more important, along with a sense of humor in your partner. Mars makes you active and passionate but also rather moody in July, but very positive energy arises in Aug. This year is very lucky with regard to many opportunities from foreign countries and travel. This is one of the best years for you for luck, long-term commitment in love matters and relationships in general. Venus enhances your natural charisma and artistic side.

CANCER (21 JUN – 22 JUL) Mars makes you more magnetic and physical in love matters and restrains moodiness in July. Be careful of acidity in the stomach (take yogurt with honey). Venus enhances your sensual side and makes you more romantic in Aug. A good time to watch a romantic comedy in the theater. You are still going through a major transformation period and the best way is to go along with it and re-evaluate your at-

SCORPIO (23 OCT – 21 NOV) Mars enhances your personal magnetism and passion in July and Sep. Venus makes you less serious and it is time to watch some lighthearted romantic comedies to take the seriousness away, especially in July and Sep. You are going through a very romantic period which will soften your looks and make you more compassionate. Excellent for art, music and all creative endeavors. You are going

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through a long-term Pluto transit which transforms you in a positive way and makes you more cause-oriented SAGITTARIUS (22 NOV – 21 DEC) Venus brings out your natural flirtatious side in July and Sep, so be careful as the object of your affection might take you more seriously than you intended. You are always after that which eludes capture and Aug makes you even more magnetic than usual. Saturn helps you set the foundation for long-term success this year. You are in a 7-year cycle and have until summer to establish your long-term goals. Jupiter shows many lucky breaks this year for travel and in your career, especially with regard to foreign countries. Your testing period in love is almost over and you will find out who your true friends are.

CAPRICORN (22 DEC – 19 JAN) Mars makes you more physical and goal oriented in career, as well as in love matters in July and Sep. Venus will add some light humor to your serious personality in July. Every friend doesn’t have to be a business contact. You are still going through a major transformation period and the best way is to go along with it and make as many changes as you can in your goals and attitude towards life. It is a great time to re-evaluate your health and to spend more time with your family. Your need to help others and your humanitarian side are getting activated as well, which in turn will help you in your long-term mission.

AQUARIUS (20 JAN – 18 FEB) Venus brings out your charm and enhances your intellectual side in love matters in July and Sep. An excellent month to socialize and catch up on communication and renew your friendships. There is travel involved with opportunities from foreigners throughout this summer. This is a great time to indulge in anything to do with your humanitarian interests and social media. You will steadily achieve and reap the rewards of the last few years now. You have until summer to make good decisions pertaining to love matters as well.

PISCES (19 FEB – 20 MAR) Mars adds more magnetism to your natural seductive self in July and Sep, and you will be more physical in your relationships. Venus brings out your flirtatious and sensual side in Aug. However, you are still going through a testing period in love matters, and you will also find out who your true friends are. The delays you experience now will make you more organized in your thoughts and practical in your approach. Focus on establishing yourself for the next seven years and treat this time as a test of your long-term planning.

Visit Hassan’s website https://astrotrends.net or call 416-497-9000.

DISABLED SAILING ASSOCIATION OF ONTARIO (DSAO)

BY KAREN-ANN XAVIER

D

isabled Sailing Association of Ontario (DSAO) held a successful season grand opening event at Queens Quay. Its honoured guests included Canadian Paralympic Team sailor Danny McCoy (1999-2008) and Shelley Gautier, 12-time world champion Paralympic cyclist.

There were spoken words by Ports Toronto Harbour Master Angus Armstrong, National Yacht Club Commodore Don Weston, Luzita Kennedy (The Rotary Club of Toronto) and sailing officer Bruce Buckingham (Mississauga Sailing Club), only to name a few. Following the speeches there were demonstrations of the assistive technology that its donors and sponsors made possible.

Another assistive device to note is the KAPE Seat; DSAO obtained one in 2017 as a donation from Mississauga Sailing Club. The specialized design brings more stability and safety to the skipper, by supporting the body so that even high-level quadriplegics can feel a sense of security and confidence. The seat can be quickly swapped into the boat, and the back of the seat is easily adjusted for each individual body type. It has been so popular and valued that there is a need for two more.

DSAO has made amazing progress over the past year; however, your support is needed to help get its sailors enjoying time on the water. Learn how you can join the effort at disabledsailingontario.com.

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SUMMER 2017

At the water’s edge

BY ARIJA IONE Can we sit together in silence at the water’s edge?

Dream out loud together share a silent stare?

I promise I won’t run this time.

I won’t deny myself.

Count to twenty - open your eyes, I promised not to hide Waiting for a moment before it passes by.

Swim with me - feel alive before tomorrow comes.

Lay with me.

Be with me.

Tell me, will you meet with me at the water’s edge?

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LIFESTYLE

BUGATTI NINIETTE 66

THE YACHT OF CHOICE FOR THOSE WHO DO NOT COMPROMISE.

BY DARREN DOBSON

P

almer Johnson, a premium yacht builder, has partnered with Bugatti Automobiles to create a unique boat model for the discerning buyer, called the Bugatti Niniette 66. This yacht is the first in a series of models to be released, with the future boats ranging from 50 ft. to 80 ft.

A little back history. Back in 1930, Bugatti was once a boat builder and there was a one-of-a-time commission speedboat by Prince Carlo Maurizio Ruspoldi, founder Ettore Bugatti, named the Niniette, which was ‘the family pet name of his youngest daughter Lidia’.

Fast forward to today, Bugatti and Palmer Johnson, two iconic brands, join together with their design expertise, technology know-how, and performance pedigree to create an uncompromised sport yacht inspired by the King of Automobiles, the Bugatti Chiron. The limited-edition (66 to be built) Bugatti Niniette 66 will include the best of modern amenities available for a truly unique offering, not seen on the water.

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inside, the experience continues within the salon of the Niniette with the highest level of comfort and materials

The vision of the Niniette dream was to be ‘ground breaking’ while combining the Chiron’s signature engineering traits, such as the accentuated centre line, a sweeping signature curve, and perfect symmetry. Palmer Johnson commissioned advanced materials, like carbon fibre, to be incorporated in the hull. This is an example of a no compromise, top quality construction and design.

The DNA of the Niniette is pure Bugatti. The joint project hails back to 2015, when the two companies discussed such a noble idea. After initial renderings of the concept had been presented, a flurry of potential buyers, including several Bugatti owners expressed interest in the yacht. It goes with out saying that affluent buyers need a matching water craft to pair with their prized automobile. As with trucks matching their trailers and plane interiors mimicking their home decor, this is yet another acceptable way to express one’s self. The Bugatti owners wanted the final yacht to have a close connection to the latest Bugatti supercar, the Chiron.

The designers and engineers went to work and succeeded with the launch of the highly-anticipated Bugatti Niniette 66 seen today.

“The challenge was to create an experience and

SUMMER 2017

a persona as much as a yacht, from streamlined luxury, sophisticated style and unprecedented quality. For owners of tomorrow, Niniette will lift your expectations of life even higher,” explains Timur Mohamed, CEO of Palmer Johnson.

The 20 metre (66 ft.) long yacht features Palmer Johnson’s slender hull design with two ‘sponsons’ left and right that have an innovative effect on stability with roll dampening even at high speeds. Carbon fibre construction adds structural rigidity, while reducing weight. “This construction also allows for a wider build compared to other yachts in this class, thus offering the experience of a much larger yacht,” adds Mohamed.

Features of the yacht include an expansive open deck with outstanding craftsmanship and authentic materiality that leather and naturally blue morta oak wood. The lower part of the deck showcases a Jacuzzi, sun pad, and champagne bar. A unique ‘fire pit’, centrally located, lies between the Jacuzzi and the two forward seats. With ample room for entertaining twelve guests on the main deck of the Bugatti Niniette 66, no one needs to be left out of the festivities.

Inside, the experience continues within the salon

of the Niniette with the highest level of comfort and materials, including polished metal, carbon, leather, and marble, all used in the furniture and decorations.

The centrepiece of the lounge is a large Bugatti horseshoe overlooking the seating area. Natural light shines through the macaron-shaped window in the ceiling to bring more outdoor elements into the interior. Adjacent to the salon is the master suite, equipped with a double-bed to retreat for the night. As with any Bugatti, customization is available in terms of colours, materials and finishes throughout—guaranteeing that each Niniette will be unique to its owner.

“The Niniette is a genuine member of the Bugatti family,” explains Etienne Salomé, Design Director at Bugatti.

With its duotone paint colour exterior, it is recognized as a Bugatti, even at a distance. With Bugatti’s guiding design principles of ‘form follows performance’, the signature line incorporated into the side profile of the boat is a clear reference to the Chiron. Power comes from a potent 1,500 horsepower engine to propel you to 44 knots in supreme comfort. Price is still to be determined for this piece of art. www.bugattininiette.com

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BY SHANNON SKINNER

W

ine tourism is growing in popularity. There is something adventurous and, dare I say, good for the heart about visiting wineries, vineyards and their surroundings as a way to explore a country. For some nations, such as France and Italy, wine is at the heart of their culture, history and national identity (France even has a wine museum).

Many of the great wine regions of the world are located near major rivers, such as Portugal’s Douro Valley. When you combine a stunning view with a glass, or bottle, of a fine vino, it is no wonder wine tourism (Enotourism) is a growing industry segment.

River valleys, such as the Loire, are Take me to the ideal for grape growing. While soil river. ~ Al Green type, sun and water are important elements in the vineyard, a river naturally moderates the climate, acting as a reservoir of heat or a cooling agent. This allows grapes to fully ripen and develop a balance of acids and sugars. Acidity is important. After all, it makes the difference between drinking a glass of wine or grape juice. When the vineyards are located near a river, it is easier to achieve desired acidity levels.

Not all wine regions have a river or are near a large body of water, such as La Mancha in Spain. But do not let that stop you from trying wine from arid areas, or from visiting. The wines can be good, although maybe not quite as notable as wines from regions with a river that moderates the climate.

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Photo: Viking River Cruises

WINE AND A RIVER WITH A VIEW

Lastly, rivers are a terrific way for travellers to access the most spectacular wine regions, particularly by riverboat, and taste some of the finest wines in the world.

If learning about wine and wine tourism is of interest to you, here are some ideas to get you going: 1. World-famous French wine regions: The prestigious Bordeaux, Burgundy, Champagne and Loire Valley (all UNESCO World Heritage Sites) are filled with charm and history; and their winemakers produce some of the finest wines in the world.

2. City of Wine (La Cité du Vin): Located on the banks of the Garonne River in Bordeaux wine country (approximately 5 ½ hours from Paris), this museum is really a theme park for wine lovers.

3. Mosel Valley, Germany: Enjoy a relaxing pace in the picturesque Mosel Valley (UNESCO) with its quaint villages, medieval streets, steep vineyards, fairytale castles and, of course, world-famous Rieslings.

4. Duoro Valley, Portugal: Douro Valley (UNESCO) is the oldest demarcated wine region in the world and is the home of Port wine. It is a spectacular region and many vineyards are open as hotels.

5. Piedmont, Italy: One of Italy’s most acclaimed wine regions, situated in the Po Valley, between the Alps and Apennines. Famed for Nebbiolo noble grape. Italian cuisine and Barolo – what’s not to love?

LIFESTYLE

8. Niagara, Ontario: Closer to home, Niagara is always worth a daytrip or weekend getaway to explore its wineries, and the quaint shops and restaurants in Niagara-on-the-Lake.

9. Riverboat Cruising: A practical way to see many European wine regions in one trip is to take a river cruise, such as the world-class Viking River Cruises.

Photo: German Wine Institute

6. Margaret River, Australia: Australia’s most famous wine region, located south of Perth. It is home to many world-class wineries and award-winning restaurants, and there are plenty of food events throughout the year.

7. Napa Valley, United States: Napa is making some notable Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay, Merlot and Pinot Noir wines.

Indulge yourself in a local cooking class – or spa.

10. Study and Learn: One of the best ways to learn about and “travel” the world’s wine regions without breaking the bank is to take a course. Also consider hosting a wine tasting party for your friends by doing a tasting of wines from around the world – and learn together. Check out my website for more ideas.

What is your next wine adventure? I would love to hear from you. Tweet to me at @Shannon_Skinner.

Shannon Skinner is a Toronto-based, award-winning broadcaster, international speaker, author and writer, who lives to travel and discover fine wines. She is also a graduate of George Brown College’s Wine Specialist Certificate program. For information on her speaking engagements and interviews, visit: www.ShannonSkinner.com and www.ExtrarodinaryWomenTV.com.

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LIFESTYLE

WHERE’STHEPARTY?

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In celebration of its 20th anniversary, the Toronto Public Library Foundation held the inaugural fundraising gala, Biblio Bash, in support of Toronto Public Library. On the evening of Thursday, April 27th, 2017, Biblio Bash transformed the iconic Toronto Reference Library, also celebrating its 40th anniversary since opening in 1977.

Hosted by famed author, actress, and comedian, Mary Walsh, the gala brought together top Canadian and international bestselling authors for a stunning dinner in the stacks followed by an after-hours discovery to celebrate Toronto Public Library as a thriving community hub.

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On Friday, March 31, 2017, we were invited to The Organ Project, an organization founded by Eugene Melnyk, Owner of the National Hockey League’s Ottawa Senators, hosted its inaugural Gala, featuring headliner Carrie Underwood and opening act, The X Factor’s Carly Rose Sonenclar at Toronto’s Fairmont Royal York provincial organ donor registry while ensuring donors share their wishes with their family members and friends.

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The Young Leaders Council of the Alzheimer Society of Toronto proudly held its Sixth Annual Memory Ball Toronto Gala Event, at the Palais Royale, Saturday, April 1. This very special evening brought together young professionals, community leaders and local philanthropists in the fight against Alzheimer’s disease.

It was an incredible evening of fundraising and awareness, where admission to the Memory Ball included an open bar, specialty cocktails and appetizers, live entertainment, DJs, silent auction and much more!

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Charles Oakley and NBA Alumni Jerome Williams (JYD) teamed up with other NBA Alumni and Celebrities to shoot hoops for a good cause. The West Park Healthcare Centre Foundation launched the Tournament of Stars on March 31st & April 1st, 2017, which brought together basketball lovers, celebrities, and West Park Healthcare Centre supporters for an exclusive, fun and exciting two-day event. Proceeds from the Tournament

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Biblio Bash-Comedian & Actress Mary Walsh and guest.

Headliner Carrie Underwood performing in the opening act for the Organ Project.

Memory Ball–Patrons attending the Memory Ball.

NBA Draft–The Referee Gala and Alumni NBA players: Charles Oakley, Muggsy Bogues and Alvin Williams.

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of Stars went to support West Park’s mission of helping patients facing critical injury or illness to reclaim their lives. Basketball enthusiasts from across the community could qualify for the Tournament of Stars by raising a minimum of $10,000 per 3-on-3 team, or $25,000 per 5-on-5 team. The weekend included a Celebrity Draft Party on Friday evening, where each team got to draft a celebrity player, and a round robin basketball tournament on Saturday.

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It was the fifth annual Canadian Screen Awards on Sunday night, broadcasted live from Toronto’s Sony Centre for the Performing Arts, with Canadian Howie Mandel hosting this year’s award ceremonies.

Each year, the Canadian Screen Awards honours the best in Canadian film and television, with winners in the Creative Fiction and Non-Fiction categories announced at previous galas held earlier this week.

The big winner of the evening was Orphan Black star Tatiana Maslany, who won for her performance/ performances in that show, as well as for her role in the film The Other Half, while Orphan Black also won the CSA for Best Dramatic Series.

Highlights from this year’s show included comedian Dave Chappelle honouring “Just for Laughs” co-founders with the Icon Award, Tantoo Cardinal receiving the Earle Grey Award and stage and screen icon Christopher Plummer receiving the Lifetime Achievement Award.

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More than 460 supporters and corporate sponsors joined us for the ROM's spectacular red carpet gala on May 6, 2017. The ROM Ball was a black-tie toast to our great nation and an unforgettable evening of culture and glamour in support of the Museum.

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TOP: Cdn Screen Awards–Dave Chapelle with Gilbert Rozon and Andy Nulman founders of "Just For Laugh".

Bottom: Canadian Screen Awards–The cast of Schitt's Creek ROM Ball-Musician&Photographer–Bryan Adams with Designers from Greta Constantine–Kirk Pickersgill and Stephen Wong.

Nanny Angel Network–Toronto Raptor's coaches-Dwane Casey and Jamaal Magloire with guest.

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The Nanny Angel Network (NAN) is a registered charity and the only organization of its kind in Canada to provide free specialized in-home childcare for mothers who have been diagnosed with cancer, for those requiring palliative care and for families requiring additional relief during the bereavement period.

63

LIFESTYLE

RIMAC

CONCEPT ONE

BY DARREN DOBSON

R

imac is a Croatian automotive company that has evolved into somewhat of an expert in the electric arena, and is in fact working with Aston Martin on electrification, but most exciting is the release of the 2018 Concept One highlighted at the 2017 Geneva Motor Show.

Rimac proclaims their cutting-edge techno machine as ‘the world’s first all-electric hypercar’. Now I know you’re thinking of earlier electric vehicles like the Volt, Tesla, and others, but this is in an all new hemisphere of hypercars.

The Concept One can be called a hypercar just for the shear output of power delivered with a 1224 horsepower (900 kW) engine, if you can call it that. That amount of energy propels the car to 100 km/h (62 mph) in 2.5 seconds. That exceeds the McLaren F1 supercar figure of 3.2 seconds. Top speed for the Concept One is 355 km/h (220 mph). That’s faster than the Jaguar XJ220 supercar. The all-electric range is an impressive 350 km (217 miles) with the battery capacity of 90 kWh. Continuous developments in the power-

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price is USD $1,700,000

train, battery system and electronics allow Rimac to consistently improve performance.

The 200 km/h mark is reached in 6 seconds and the 300 km/h flag falls in just 14 seconds. Rimac Automobili’s technology includes their own Torque Vectoring System that is upgraded to keep the immense power under control. As many electric car owners know, you have 100% power at the drop of your right foot. The all wheel torque vectoring computes info at 100 times per second.

Founder, CEO, and Guru of Rimac, Mate Rimac said: “To refine the Concept One and to reach an even higher level of performance we have continuously worked to improve and refine every system in the car.

Hundreds of upgrades to almost all vehicle systems were necessary to unleash the Concept One’s full potential. Our goal remains to deliver ground-breaking technology demonstrated in our hypercars to like-minded individuals around the world while at the same time being a recognized partner to the global OEMs.“ As mentioned earlier, Rimac Automobili has managed to become a key partner for many global brands, including the likes of Aston Martin, Koenigsegg, Tajima and others proves their on to something, a promising future of electric mobility. Price is USD $1,700,000. www.rimac-automobili.com

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65

BUSINESS & WEALTH

CANADIAN CORPORATE INNOVATION LEVERAGING A STARTUP PLAYBOOK FOR DIGITAL TRANSFORMATION

BY LINDA MONTGOMERY

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adopting a digital strategy to innovate is often a strategic endeavor that can reshape a company

Photo: Blanc Labs

Innovation is becoming a hot topic for Corporate Canada in the office towers overlooking the Toronto Waterfront. New digital technologies will disrupt these companies – today, a Fortune 500 company has a lifespan of just 15 years; it was 50 a decade ago.

A shocking 57% of S&P 500 firms will be replaced by new firms during the next decade says Yale University professor Richard Foster.

This upheaval is partially a result of companies not being ready for the new digital economy. According to IDC, less than 5% of them are – they’re just getting started as "digital explorers" or "digital players" in a transition worth 20 trillion dollars or 20% of global GDP. Canadian companies are lagging behind their global peers in planning and executing digital transformation. IDC says only 38% of our companies are executing digital strategies this year (it was only 16% last year) while 50% are in still in the strategy planning/building stage. Their conclusion: too many Canadian business leaders are overly optimistic about their company’s current capabilities to compete in the digital age.

Early adopter companies are looking at innovating their business models, customer experience and operational processes. Business model disruption is at the heart of digital transformation, as anyone who’s used Uber or AirBnB has experienced firsthand. Digitally enabled technologies such as mobile, social media, smart embedded devices, cloud technologies, analytics and a host of others are putting more power in the hands of customers and their preferences.

Companies are expanding touchpoints and improving buying experiences. Expediential growth in customer data and increasingly sophisticated analyt-

ics to use data enable companies to better understand us and predict our needs to win more of our business.

Adopting a digital strategy to innovate is often a strategic endeavor that can reshape a company revamping talent, systems, processes and culture.

Some are doing it in-house, others look to strategy consultants, but it is often the grassroots of a company that are the early innovators. Enterprising intrapreneurs are targeting digital solutions against customer or process pain such as quick and easy mobile access to customer account information that previously lived in an internal legacy system only available to customer service representatives.

Nirvana is Having Innovation as a Core Value.

Digital transformation is creating new positions; Chief Innovation Officer (CINO), Chief Digital Officer (CDO) and even Chief Analytics Officer (CAO) as innovation becomes ubiquitous across organizations. Ted Kaiser,

Blanc Labs applying startup mindset to innovation for a Canadian Bank.

SUMMER 2017

VP of Innovation & Technology at Toronto-based national charity Kids Help Phone views Nirvana as having innovation as a core value engrained in the organization. He is working with the entire team to implement internal planning software and systems to enable an innovation pipeline of new products and processes for constant incubation as a regular part of business.

Nimble digital competitors are creating an undeniable imperative for large companies to innovate and they are also providing inspiration. We are seeing more "design thinking", a methodology used to re-engineer business by using designer’s sensibilities to think differently and find fresh solutions for client or process pain. Companies are also borrowing from the startup playbook by employing lean methodologies, rapid prototyping, testing and iterative agile development techniques for fast new product turnaround. This is replacing traditional IT development with more ridged waterfall style requirements gathering followed by long development cycles.

Corporate Canada is penetrating the startup ecosystem as they adopt open innovation. Accelerators and technology hubs like Toronto’s MaRS and Communitech in Waterloo are home to innovation centers for CIBC, Canadian Tire, Manulife, GM, Thomson Reuters, 3M and others. Earlier this year a group of Montreal startup event organizers launched ResolveTO, bringing both startup and corporate innovators together for a two-day Toronto conference with their own education tracks. This level of corporate presence in the startup tech community was rare even just five years ago.

Companies are striking partnerships or making investments in disruptive upstarts for new innovation models or new products. CIBC recently partnered with local new Fintech company Borrowell to offer one click, faster and friendly borrowing, a first for a Canadian bank. We are seeing major companies opening their own digital labs for new product innovation such as Scotia Bank’s Digital Factory.

Some of Toronto’s successful startup companies are pivoting to inject their entrepreneurial mindset into Corporate Canada’s innovation challenges. One example is Blanc Labs, a company providing innovation consulting, design and development as an outsourced lab to jumpstart and accelerate enterprise innovation efforts.

The fourth industrial revolution was recently popularized

by Professor Klaus Schwab, head of the World Economic Forum. If advances in technology led to today’s third revolution of Internet and digital, then the fourth industrial revolution will bring the physical, digital and biological worlds together. For example, the Internet of Things (connection of everyday objects to the Internet, sending and receiving data) and Internet of Systems, is giving way to the business as a "smart factory" with data to analyze and visualize entire production chains and make decisions independent-

some of Toronto’s successful startup companies are pivoting to inject their entrepreneurial mindset into Corporate Canada’s innovation challenges

ly. Imagine the connected car tied to a traffic safety system that immediately picks out a dangerous intersection and changes traffic light timing. Or your personal fitness wearable connected to a health information system able to detect an imminent heart attack; it automatically sends an ambulance and alerts your doctor.

It is important that our Corporate Canada decision makers do not get caught in traditional thinking or become too absorbed by immediate concerns to miss the forces of disruption and innovation shaping the future. It is time to question everything and embrace new technologies, new business models and new thinking regarding innovation.

Linda Montgomery is Business Editor of Toronto Waterfront Magazine, a technology industry marketing executive and a Toronto Waterfront resident. @lindamont3

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BUSINESS & WEALTH

THE NATURE OF RISK

BY DARRYL CAILES

B

ack in the late 1800’s, large risk averse investors held a major portion of their wealth in railroad bonds. Everyone agreed: that was the safest place to keep your money to earn a modest but dependable return. Unforeseen was the emerging importance of the automobile and the resulting bankruptcy of so many railroads.

Overdependence on conventional wisdom and following the crowd is only one of a myriad of risks facing investors.

Nowadays, there are many more risks that are not necessarily market-related. Indeed, many of today’s investment dangers are difficult to detect and manage.

Your Advisor.

In the business of managing your wealth, your advisor’s investment decisions can be driven by career risk. At some levels of the investment business there is a tension between protecting clients’ money and your advisor protecting his or her job. Driving this tension are the monthly sales quotas that many firms expect to be met by their sales force and the pressure not to be wrong on your own. We have all heard advisors say, “Well, everybody lost money last year.”

To prevent being wrong all alone, many advisors watch what others are doing and flock for safety. The resulting herding action drives prices above or below fair value.

Hidden Fees and Compensation Structure.

When purchasing mutual funds or segregated funds (which are mutual funds sold by an insurance company) there are there are several ways your salesperson may be paid. Oft-repeated research has shown that more than a third of mutual fund investors are unaware of the expenses, fees and commissions they are paying. All of these charges, whether they are transparent or not, are ultimately funded by you, the purchaser. If you don’t know what questions to ask or are not prepared to read a lengthy prospectus, in some cases more than a hundred pages, you may never be aware of the money that actually changes hands as the result

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you may never know if your Advisor has been found guilty of breaking the rules

of your purchase transaction.

In addition, mutual funds do not pay taxes and must pay out all their capital gains once per year. As a unit holder you share the tax liability with all other unit holders of any capital gains earned during the year, even if you did not receive a capital gain. For example, if the fund gained 10% from January to November and you purchased units in December, you do not get the benefit of any of the gains, but you do inherit the tax liability because those gains are embedded in the fund. Lastly, the annual embedded fee charged by the fund or insurance company can run as high as 3% or more before any returns get into your pocket. And that expense is normally not shown on your regular statements and it is not tax deductible.

Regulatory Bodies.

You may never know If your Advisor has been found guilty of breaking the rules as set down by the body that licenses him or her, (ie. MFDA for mutual fund salespeople, IIROC for brokers). Results of an investigation will be posted on the Regulatory body’s website. Victims of wrongdoing and other clients, however, are not normally notified. Before agreeing to work with any advisor, do your homework: visit the relevant website.

Third Party Verification of Prices.

Where do your statements originate? Are they produced on your advisor’s letterhead in his or her office? Is the information on the statement independently verified? As your first line of basic safety you must insist that your money be held at an independent custodian from whom you can obtain clear

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reporting and disclosure on a timely basis.

Fiduciary Duty.

A fiduciary duty is the highest standard of care in equity or law. A fiduciary must act at all times for the sole benefit and interest of the ‘client’. The fiduciary can make a profit, by consent, but he must not put his personal interests in front of his duty of care. It is appropriate for you as a client to ask your advisor if he or she has a legal fiduciary duty to you. If not, ask if you can have a ‘fiduciary pledge’ signed. It is a contractual commitment that helps ensure that your advisor can’t profit at your expense.

Margaret Samuel MBA, LL.B., CFA President, CEO, Portfolo Manager Darryl Cailes BA, PFP President, CEO, Portfolo Manager P:416•203•3028 P:613•779•7361 F:416•203•8825

E:dcailes@enrichedinvesting.com www.enrichedinvesting.com PO Box 1016, TD Centre, Toronto, ON M5K 1A0 Canada

Darryl Cailes is Executive Vice President at Enriched Investing Incorporated. He can be reached at dcailes@enrichedinvesting.com This document is for information only and should not be construed as an offer, or a solicitation of an offer, to buy a security or investment service. Before making an investment, prospective investors should review offering documents which summarize the objectives, fees, expenses and associated risks.

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69

BUSINESS & WEALTH

3 PRICING STRATEGIES WHEN

Selling Your Condo

BY DONNA BULIKA, BBA, MCNE

T

here is a fair amount of psychology involved when choosing the strategy and determining the selling price of your property.

If you are a seller, first you want to know an approximate value of your property. Your agent should provide you with the numbers, like recent sales of similar condos, how many days they were on the market, how many condos were sold in the past 6 months, what is the inventory at the moment in the building and in the area. What upgrades have been done to your place, etc. Once you know the value, then you need to decide on a strategy.

Before jumping into the strategies, let’s talk about numbers.

Have you noticed lately there are many properties for sale with a lot of ‘88’ at the end? This actually started to happen recently more than ever. We used to see ‘99’s at the end. Pricing with 9 came from the retail industry by reducing the left number by 1. The buyer would think the product is less expensive. The human we, in Toronto, mind encodes numbers so quickly that only have a lot of the first number matters. If the last digits foreign buyers are 88 or 99, it matters less. So why do we see a lot of 88 lately?

We, in Toronto, have a lot of foreign buyers, especially from Asia. So the sellers of course want to take advantage of their deep pockets and make the price more attractive to them. We know how much the Chinese believe in Feng Shui and numerology. Other cultures started to adopt these beliefs as well. 8 is a very lucky number and the pronunciation of 8 in Chinese means ‘wealth’ or ‘fortune’.

When people see the positive results and sold prices, they start adapting these strategies and choose to price their property with 99 or 88 at the end. However, there is another aspect to think about.

Buyers, whether they have an agent or not, whether they receive daily new MLS listings or not, like to go on Realtor. ca and search for themselves. The search criteria gives you an option to choose your high and low price limits. The limits are

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200,000; 225,000; 250,000 etc., then after 500,000 is every 50,000. So if you are pricing your condo at 499,000 and someone with a great budget of $600,000 is searching for condos, that person may set the low limit at 500,000. Why? Because he or she doesn’t want to crowd their search with less appealing places.

Now let’s talk about 3 Pricing Strategies.

List at a little higher price and leave some room for negotiations. This is a very common strategy and works well in a balanced market. Pricing at 2-3% higher is quite popular, sellers feel at ease, and buyers feel happy when their agent can knock off a bit from the asking price. It is a win-win situation. The danger is when pricing too high. The longer on the market, the harder it is to sell and get the price you want.

List at the price you’d like to get. This strategy works well in a sellers market. Where there are a lot of buyers wanting to buy the same property, the demand is strong. Most of the time it attracts multiple buyers and offers. Sellers have a chance to sell their property for over asking price. Most of the time, both the sellers and buyers in the transaction are happy, therefore it is also a win-win situation. Unhappy are the buyers who didn’t win, of course. This happens a lot lately in Toronto when we have a very strong seller’s market and prices are climbing up year over year.

Underpricing by more than 5%. This strategy works in a seller’s market and this is the one that drives everyone crazy. Is it legal? It is not illegal. And the seller can choose whatever strategy they want. Is it misleading?

Yes, indeed. But this strategy profits the sellers the most. Will buyers be happy? Yes, but just because they will have the positive feeling of winning, but not because they overpaid. Plus there will be a lot of unhappy buyers who didn’t win. This is a very aggressive strategy with lots of dangers involved. Not every seller will

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will be be at ease at ease while while on the onmarket, the market, because because the thought, the “What thought, if I don’t get offers or theget price I want?” both“What if I don’t offers or thewill price er them day andwill night.

On the other when everyI want?” bother them dayhand, and night.

On one is doing it and every home on theismarket underthe other hand, when everyone doing is it and priced,every it becomes sellers are more likely home aonnorm the and market is underpriced, it to choosebecomes this strategy. a norm and sellers are more likely to choose this strategy.

In the end, choose the strategy you feel most comfortable with. Discuss all options with your agent and always have a plan B. Donna Bulika is an award winning Realtor with Sutton Group Realty Systems, specializing in Central and West Toronto areas. She has a Master Certified negotiation expert designation, a Bachelor’s degree in International Business Administration and extensive educational background. Her experience in Property Management and Luxury Products Management benefits her clients, whether they are investors or luxury property sellers. Thinking of selling, buying or investing? You can reach Donna at www.

YourRealEstateAgent.ca.

71

LIFESTYLE

COOKING FOR YOUR DOG!

BY ROANNA SABEH-AZAR

A

t the age of 27, I found my first dog on a business trip to Mexico. On a busy street in downtown Mexico City I saw a box containing 10 puppies, all of different colours and breeds. I reached my hand in and pulled out the cutest dog I had ever seen – Mex! At that time I owned a boutique on Yorkville Avenue and didn’t have the faintest idea how to care for a dog, but it all seemed to come naturally to me. Twenty years ago there really wasn’t much available to dog owners like there is today. One thing I remember NOT doing was going to a pet store to get him anything, especially food.

It only seemed logical that I was to cook for this baby and he would eat what a dog should: Meat! And so for 16 years my 80 lb Old English Sheepdog ate meat with rice, oatmeal or quinoa and I cooked for him and his partner in crime, Buster, for the years that followed.

I wish however that we had had more products on the market as we do now, with all the supplements and tonics available for dogs and pets! Had I had more to work with, I think my boy would have lived even longer than the 16 years he did.

So knowing what we do today, let’s explore what actually is available on the market and how dogs should be fed: Dog supplements. supplements will These are generally extra vitamins added to any help keep him/ dog food. They make it possible to help your her energetic dog grow strong and healthy and improve his and healthy, immune system. Minerals and vitamins are usuwith glistening ally basic additives and together with regular hair and strong, food will make your pet live a healthy, long life. flexible bones They are usually available in most pet stores in and joints powder, capsule or liquid form. Knowledgeable staff can help you decide what is best for your pet. Supplements will help keep him/her energetic and healthy, with glistening hair and strong, flexible bones and joints.

Regular dog food doesn’t have the right quantity of vitamins and minerals and are overcooked and full of chemicals, so you must find the perfect solution to maintain your dog’s overall health.

Raw Food.

Pros: Raw food diets have gained popularity because of various perceived holistic and natural benefits. They are touted for being more natural, healthier and more economical than commercial cooked dry or canned pet food. A commonly cited rationale is that dogs and cats are carnivores and evolved eating raw and natural foods, while the processing of foods may destroy or alter nutrients.

Proposed benefits of raw food diets include: improved immune

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function, improved coat appearance, preventing dental disease from chewing on bones, eliminating bad breath, improving body odor and fecal odor, minimizing risk of gastric dilatation and volvulus, preventing cardiac disease, increasing energy levels, controlling growth levels of puppies and kittens, optimizing weight management, decreasing risk of pancreatitis, promoting longer lifespan, improving reproductive success, reducing arthritis, and decreasing veterinary costs (due to fewer allergies and other diseases).

Raw food diets may also give owners control of exactly what their pets are eating, allowing hand-picking of produce and meat, and the option to choose local or home-grown foods.

Cons: Although raw diets may be perceived as very natural, there are several health concerns to consider with these types of diets. Perceived bacterial and parasitic contamination is one potential problem which has been researched, yet remains a point of contention. Proponents of raw food diets explain that dogs are scavengers and able to tolerate a certain amount of bacteria that they may encounter in the routine raw diets without becoming ill; however other raw food supporters suggest not feeding pork, venison, or rabbit, because these animals may have parasites that companion animals cannot tolerate. Concern of bacterial contamination is not limited to raw diets. In recent years, there have been multiple recalls of commercial (cooked) pet foods and treats that have been contaminated with Salmonella due to cross-contamination at manufacturing plants.

A second health concern to consider with raw diets is the possibility of fractured teeth, gastrointestinal obstruction or GI perforation from ingestion of bones. Raw diet proponents recommend feeding raw vs. cooked bones, as raw bones are softer, easier to digest, and

SUMMER 2017

less likely to cause gastrointestinal problems. Even raw bones are hard enough to cause fractured teeth and the bones can also be ground very finely, so no danger at hand.

While laws are in place to minimize contamination of meat intended for human consumption, these laws do not protect meat intended for pet consumption. Therefore, owners who elect to feed raw meat and eggs should be careful to purchase only products of quality acceptable for human consumption from a clean and trusted source and perhaps a mix of the cooked and raw diets is always a good choice.

Vegan diet.

Not all experts are convinced that turning a dog or cat into a “vegan” is the way to go. Again, there are pros and cons. It became popular a few years ago when several brands of pet food were contaminated. Over 4,000 dogs and cats that ate the contaminated food died of kidney failure, and that sparked a lot of pet owners to take more control over what they feed their pet. So, instead of bowlfuls of kibble, many dogs and cats began eating homecooked meals or raw food. Others went “vegan” like their owners – and were placed on a diet of fruit, vegetables, rice and beans.

However, a lot of pet experts say by feeding your dog a vegetarian diet, you’re going against nature. It’s biologically apparent that their teeth are designed for eating a diet largely comprised of

animal tissue. Dogs also have a short intestinal tract, which means they aren’t built for diets containing large amounts of plant materials. Plus dogs have a high nutrient requirement for protein and calcium. They also need a lot of B12, which isn’t found in plants.

The incidence of food allergies in dogs is very low. And allergies can be developed against proteins in plants just as easily. Another factor to consider is that animal agriculture is a huge contributor to global warming, something important to anyone concerned with environmental issues.

Dogs belong to the order ‘Carnivora’ but, confusingly enough, they’re actually omnivores. Therefore, just like a human, your dog can live on a vegetarian diet. Dogs have the ability to turn some amino acids (which are the building blocks of protein) into other ones that are usually found in meat. As such, they can technically get everything they need without ingesting meat. One of the world’s oldest dogs – a Border Collie from the UK named Bramble – lived the entirety of her 27 years eating a vegan diet.

It’s my sincere belief that a little bit of everything may just be what the doctor ordered and through these diverse feeding practices, you will decide based on your dog’s performance what works best for him or her.

Roanna Sabeh-Azar is the owner of Neo-Paws International Inc. www.neopaws.com

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73

HEALTH & WELLBEING

NATURAL BEAUTY

& HEALTH ENHANCEMENTS

BY DR GUPTA & ALEXA BAEVA WITH ADDITIONAL WRITING

BY DEB GIBBONS

O

ver the years, consumers have been introduced to many different forms of beauty and health enhancers. Whether they be chemical or natural treatments, products or ‘breakthrough’ technology, consumers have been advised on so many different services and options, it is difficult to know which ones are really effective, and overall, the least damaging.

We have compiled a simple list of natural ways to improve your overall health and beauty, as well as to introduce contributing advanced developments and technologies.

DIET. Diet is a major contributing factor to overall health and natural beauty. There are five main areas to remem­ber when focusing on your diet: Sugar Intake: Western diet is a major cause of chronic low grade inflammation in our bodies. Inflammation contributes to indigestion, low immunity, accelerated aging , as well as overall decrease in skin and hair health.

Sugar, as well as other processed, refined foods, is full of calories, yet contains little to no minerals and vitamins.

As you first begin to cut down on your sugar intake, cravings may seem irresistible. However, after a few days on low sugar diet, cravings will fade, and healthier looking skin will follow.

Healthy Fats: Fatty acids are needed to maintain immunity and healthy skin regeneration. Omega – 3 Fatty Acids are essential for good looks of the skin and hair, and show numerous other health benefits, such as protection against heart disease. The best sources of Omega – 3 are fatty seafoods (salmon, mackerel, anchovies), unsalted roasted walnuts, dark green leafy vegetables, blueberries, avocadoes and ground flaxseeds.

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colourful fruits and vegetables contain natural pigments which act as anti-oxidants in our bodies

Protect the Gut with Probiotics: Probiotics help to fight the damaging effect of inflammation to a staggering degree. They improve absorption, making sure that all the right nutrients get to your skin, while reducing rates of allergic reactions, and removing obstacles to healthful skin regeneration. Fermented foods such as yogourt, kefir, miso, kimchi, tempeh and kombucha are great sources of beneficial bacteria. Another alternative is supplemental probiotics, which have to include Bifidobacteria and Lactobacillus.

Eating a Rainbow Variety: According to the Canadian Food Guide, your plate should resemble a ‘rainbow’, with an equal portion of each food group represented. Colourful fruits and vegetables contain natural pigments which act as anti-oxidants in our bodies, counteracting the damaging effects of inflammation and toxicity. Each colour group shows its own special health benefits, so make sure your plate resembles a rainbow, quite literally.

Hydration: Don’t forget to stay hydrated. Water regulates body temperature and is essential for toxic waste removal. It comprises 30% of your skin,

SUMMER 2017

in your skin upon exposure to UV light. Long Canadian winters make most of us vitamin D-deficient, thus requiring additional supplementation. This vitamin is critical for immune health, as well as proper cell regeneration.The recommended daily dose of Vitamin D is at least 600IU – 800IU.

DR. J. GUPTA

Zinc: Zinc is known for its benefits for the skin and sexual health. It can significantly reduce acne and skin irritation, and accelerate wound healing. Zinc deficiency causes hormonal imbalance, manifesting as decreased testosterone and low sex-drive. Zinc is also important in the pathway to produce collagen, keeping the skin young. The daily recommended dose of Zinc in deficient populations is 40mg per day.

ALEXA BAEVA

and helps to keep it plump and moist. Intake of 2-3 L of pure water per day is recommended.

LIFESTYLE. De-Stress: Stress is a major trigger for internal inflammation and can lead to muscle tension, restlessness, loss of sleep and much more. Ways you can reduce your stress are calming and stretching activities such as yoga, Tai-Chi and meditation.

These types of relaxation allow for a healthy energy flow in the body, as well as restoring the nervous system to its parasympathetic state (necessary for regeneration). Another technique that can be used anywhere is controlling your breathing.

By focusing on breathing, or enticing it through walking, and even swimming, these methods aid in restoration of balance and de-stress. No person is the same, so you may need to try a few different techniques to find which one is the most effective relaxer and de-stressor for you.

Stop Smoking: Enough said.

Keep moving!: Exercise improves circulation and boosts your metabolism. It causes endorphine release, keeping you in high spirits and shedding those extra pounds.

Temperature Contrast: One of the most widely known, but underrated forms of natural beauty maintenance is hydrotherapy. Alternating hot and cold temperatures has incredible health benefits for your skin. One of the best ways to do this is with a ‘Contrast Shower’. Take a hot shower for 3 to 5 minutes, and alternate with a cold one for just one minute. Do 3 full cycles to enjoy the health benefits.

VITAMINS & SUPPLEMENTS. Vitamin D: The ‘Sunshine Vitamin’ is produced

the newest technology in skin repair and skin regeneration has finally come, in the form of ‘PRP’ - Platelet Rich Plasma

B Vitamins: B vitamins are truly Beauty vitamins. They are composed of a group of 8 different vitamins working together to maintain health and vitality. Vitamin B slows down skin aging, accelerates metabolism and energy production, and minimizes acne and skin inflammation. It is possible to get all nevessary B vitamins via a healthy whole food diet, including the whole rainbow of fruits and vegetables. B50 Vitamin Complex can aid in getting the necessary vitamin requirements if they are lacking in your diet.

Vitamin C: An essential anti-oxidant, Vitamin C is crucial for maintaining strong immunity and fighting infections.

Few people are aware that vitamin C makes up the skin collagen chain and strengthens elastin fibers, making your skin toned and youthful.

NAC: N-Acetyl-cysteine, or simply NAC, is an essential precursor for the most powerful antioxidant in the body, glutathione. It recharges vitamins, repairs cellular DNA and helps to eliminate toxic waste material. Scientists are starting to discover the incredible effects of NAC for skin and hair, including combating hair loss and slowing down skin aging.

‘PRP’ PLATELET RICH PLASMA THERAPY. The newest technology in skin repair and skin regeneration has finally come, in the form of ‘PRP’ - Platelet Rich Plasma. Known by some as the ‘Vampire Facial’ or ‘Vampire Facelift’, this procedure uses the body’s own ability to regenerate connective tissue to decrease the signs of aging, smooth away fine wrinkles, improve overall complexion, reduce pore size and diminish scars. As we age, our bodies slow down the rate of collagen production, causing sagging of skin, fine lines and small wrinkles, as well as for some people dark circles

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HEALTH & WELLBEING

and puffiness under the eyes. PRP can reverse some of this by stimulating natural collagen production.

Best of all, it is non-surgical and very safe. Traditionally used for orthopaedic and dental treatments, this new natural treatment is now being used for cosmetic and aesthetic purposes.

This new advancement uses a simple technique to acquire the platelets from your blood. A small amount of the patient’s own blood (20cc) is used. The extracted blood is then spun down in a special centrifuge (high speed rotator using centrifugal force to separate substances) to extract the Platelet Rich Plasma from the rest of the blood. Once the PRP is extracted, it is activated and ready to be used for treatment.

The PRP is injected into the desired area activating the healing process. The platelets release multiple growth factors, triggering a tissue response, stimulating the production of collagen, improving blood supply and attracting stem cells to the treatment area.

Consequentially, new collagen is developed. With time, as the collagen remodels and shrinks, it evokes tightening, smoothening and firming, which softens wrinkles and decreases pore size. It also can thicken the layer of collagen in the skin which helps correct

skin tone and colour, decrease dark circles due to thinning skin, as well as improve overall texture and elasticity. Treatment is also applicable for sun damaged skin, acne scars and many more skin related issues.

Treatment results are long lasting, with benefits noticed within a couple of weeks. Usually 2-5 treatments are recommended about 4-6 weeks apart (varies on desired results, age and current health of skin). Effects will be most noticeable after 6 weeks.

Platelet Rich Plasma treatment is also used for hair loss and hair thinning treatment. The same application applies, with treatment focused on strengthening hair follicles and improving blood supply, as well as stimulating hair growth.

You can call or visit Dr. Gupta’s offices at one of his two locations: Cloud Care Clinics 55 Dundas Street East, 2nd Floor 416 361-1000 5460 Yonge Street, Unit 204 Toronto 416 250-7171

we build success stories Waterfront Agency 88 Queens Quay West, Suite 2500 Toronto, Ontario, M5J 0B8 Tel. 888.295.2060 (toll free) Fax. 416.352.7530 info@waterfront-agency.com www.waterfront-agency.com ww

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Welcome to The Waterfront Agency. A marketing communications company that combines razor sharp strategies and powerhouse creative ideas to take your project to the top. Including the positioning that separates it from the ordinary. Advertising that commands attention, both online and conventional. And the point of sale vehicles & boardroom presentation DVDs that close the sale. If you want to achieve world-class results, we should be talking. Because with the right help, there are no limits.

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LIFESTYLE

MEET ROXY EARLE FROM THE REAL HOUSEWIVES OF TORONTO.

BY KIM SAMNANG AND BK ON THE SCENE

Roxy, tell us about life before and after Housewives.

I

was just leading a fabulous life and then it started being filmed. When they asked me to be on the Housewives I was blown away. I’m a huge fan of the show so I thought, “Oh, I’d love to be on the show.”

The only thing that changed... was everything. I didn’t know how people would respond.

I’m very authentic and real and have always had a lot of confidence in who I am. I’m not showy but I’m flashy.

I love glittery things and love looking glamorous. I’m

I want to walk into a store and be asked, “What fabulous thing would you like to wear”

so comfortable in my own skin and people responded to that. Everyone I initially told about Housewives said, “Be prepared for people to be really mean to you!”

What I wasn’t prepared for was that people would be overwhelmingly nice and loving towards me. But I was myself and in real life people have always responded well to me and I guess that extended to the camera. People feel like they know me. I have so many notes from people saying “I feel like you’re my best friend or I’d love to have you at my party.”

I thought I would be the underdog on Housewives and that people would be mean to me about the way I look so that thought held me back from doing the show. But now I get people that tell me that they went to their prom and put on a dress or they got married and put on a wedding dress, women that would never

Photo: Blanc Labs

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SUMMER 2017

have worn a dress before seeing me on the show.

You’ve been an activist against body shaming. Tell us about the hashtag, # MySizeRox. It’s been incredibly empowering for me, because my whole life I have always loved fashion but fashion has not always loved me. I’ve struggled to find clothes that fit my body, fit my curves and allow me to express my point of view when it comes to fashion because there simply weren’t the clothes available to me. To this very day, I still have that problem. I can’t find clothes to wear that are available in my size. And so it got me thinking about the fact that every time I go into a store, I often hear, “Oh maybe we have something that could fit you or I could look in the back and maybe find something that could work.”

Why was everyone trying to find something that works for me? I want to walk into a store and be asked, “What fabulous thing would you like to wear?” It’s not about ‘fitting’ for me. It’s about me being able to walk in and have the same experience as any other girl in other sizes would have.

I’ve always looked at myself in the mirror and I’ve had moments of insecurity of course, but I think I’m beautiful and I think my size does rock.

Everyone kept calling me plus size and I thought, I don’t call anyone a negative size. So it’s not about being one size or the other, it’s about being comfortable in your own skin where you’re at. And that’s where the hashtag came from.

Tell us about your career before Housewives.

One thing they did not highlight on Housewives is that I had an incredible career before being on Housewives. I started in the advertising business right out of University. I wanted to work for a global advertising agency. All the internships were full so I got a job as an Executive Assistant at Ogilvy and Mather. I worked my way up and after five years I became the client to that CEO. It was an unbelievable journey. I was offered a big job in London working for Ogilvy and Mather on the American Express business and then I worked in-house at American Express as well, all on the advertising and marketing team. I had an incredible experience.

Ogilvy was hard and exciting and glamorous. Working in London in the ad business was everything you’d think it would be - a lot of long hours, travelling all over Europe, making campaigns that are used all over the world. It was incredibly creative. It married my two favourite things - I’m very creative and I’m very focused on business.

And then I ended up as the Director for European advertising at Ogilvy for the American Express business so I oversaw the European markets as the Account Director in London for the global team. And then I became the Manager of the Canadian team. All this when I was under 30 years old.

Then my family came along: my now-husband and his two sons. We were at a place in our lives where I was pretty burned out. And I decided I wanted to spend some time focusing on building my relationship with my step sons. So I left the corporate world and I was able to pick them up at 3:30 and go to soccer practices that happened at 2:00 in the afternoon when they were in school. And I was able to build an incredible relationship with them.

Then after a few years of being a housewife, I was ready to re-enter the

work world, but on my own terms. I always wanted to be the CEO of my own company so I incorporated Luxurious Roxy Inc., and I got to work building an app. I wanted to get into fashion and just as all that was happening, the Housewives came along. So a lot of things got put on hold while I filmed the Housewives but now all those things are happening in a much bigger and better way.

Tell us about Luxurious Roxy.

Luxurious Roxy oversees the fashion brand that I will be creating. I travel and write about my travel and I’ve been travelling and taking photos of my travel for years.

It’s a lifestyle brand that is really about a state of mind.

I always say I’ve been luxurious since I came out of the womb. My mother would bring me home clothes as she was a back-up singer for Eric Clapton, and she had all these stage clothes. I was supposed to put them in my dress-up box and dress up with them on the weekends, but I would wear them out to play and to school.

And I’d wear these beautiful velvet dresses my mom would get me in France to kindergarten and grade one.

And I always stood out when it came to fashion. I had this pixie cut before pixie cuts were really a thing. So I’ve always had this personal sense of style since I was young.

You’re very young for having accomplished so much. Tell us what message you have for young women who want to achieve what you’ve done.

You just need to believe in yourself and you need to walk into a room and understand how to own it. I’ve always had this ability to walk into a room and get noticed. I always had something to say. And it took me a long time to learn that what I said should be powerful and that sometimes less is more and when to turn it up and when to turn it down.

But for young women it takes confidence. Why do they walk into a room with their heads down believing that somebody else knows better than them? I believe you need to stay humble and work hard and learn from people with experience. But at the same time don’t be afraid of challenging what’s normal or challenging an idea or authority. And if you have an idea, put it out there and share it with the world.

A heartfelt thank you to Roxy Earle, President of Luxurious Roxy and Henry Eshelman, Managing Director at PMG-Platform Media Group for this exclusive invitation.

And a special thank you to Michelle Voegelin, Business Development Manager at STK Toronto for opening up your restaurant to us.

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ALL-STAR GALA

CAFA AWARDS

MC EVANKA OSMAK, SPORTSNET, SIBLINGS BENEFITTED FROM SICKKIDS AND ATHLETE AMBASSADOR PETER HOLLAND, ARIZONA COYOTES

CHLOE ROGERS, ERDEM MORALIOGLU, SUZANNE ROGERS

JOHN ORTNER

BESTEVENTS 2

3

1 6 5

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4

7

8

1

WONDERFUL WOMEN

DARE TO WEAR LOVE

FOR WEIZMANN

CAMILLE MOORE AND PAOLO LEONE WITH FRIENDS

2

WITH MICHELLE LEVY

FIGHT FOR YOUTH

ANDREW KRYSTAL, SCOTT SUTHERLAND AND KARIM MIRSHAHI

3

20TH ANNUAL BUTTERFLY BALL

4

ICFF ITALIAN OPENING PARTY

3

ALEXANDRA WESTON WITH FRIENDS

ANNIBALE ROMANO, MOIRA ROMANO ETV FILMS AND ICFF ARTISTIC ADVISORY COMMITTEE MEMBER , ALFREDO ROMANO CASTLEPOINT NUMA AND ISABELLA ROMANO

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4 2

1

WATERKEEPER GALA

KRYSTYN TULLY, FOUNDER AND VP OF LAKE ONTARIO WATERKEEPER

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CURVE BALL GALA

CURVE BALL PRESENTING SPONSORS : CISCO, ERICSSON, HUAWEI, INVESCO, ROGERS PRESIDENT JOE NATALE, AND SAMSUNG WITH BLUE JAYS PLAYERS

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POWER BALL XIX: STEREO VISION

5

6 1. Actresses

Kate Corbett, Amanda Brugel ( Handmaid’s Tale) and Kristin Booth

POWER BALL PATRONS

2. Amy Sky ( Pop singer/songwriter)

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3. Michele Romanow (Dragons Den)

HONEST ED

4. Francie Klein

ERIN THOMSON, APRIL WONZY & JULIA WEIR

and Michele Atlin

5. CBC’s Carole MacNeil ( event moderator) and panelists Louise Pitre, Joey Berdugo Adler, Dr. Rina Rosenzweig, Suzanne Boyd

6. Real House Wives of Toronto Joan Walker and Ann Kaplan Mulholland with Michelle Levy (center)

All event coverage produced by Michelle Levy Productions Photo credit: George Pimentel,Sandy Caetano, Aline Sandler , Gil Tamin

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THE SCENE

All event coverage produced by Michelle Levy Productions Photo credit: George Pimentel, Sandler ,Sonia Recchia, Ernesto di Stefano,Matt Feinstein , Amara Photography

WITH MICHELLE LEVY

1 1. Michael Budman, Diane Bald and Dan Aykroyd @ Parachute Gala

2

4. Eugene Levy , Michelle Levy, Stephan Moccio @ Parachute Gala

2. Karl Wolf and Joe Carter @ Joe Carter Classic

3. Jeff Rosenthal, Mayor John Tory , Joel Reitman, , @ Words and Deeds Dinner

3

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7. Melinn Godfrey , Genevieve Roch-Decter , Brittney Kuczynski @ The Grand Commission

5. Former U.K. Prime Minister David Cameron with Brian Mulroney @ Spirit of Hope Benefit If you have an event you would like to tell us about, please email michellelevy@rogers.com

6

6. Dean and Dan Caten @ Power Ball

9

5

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4

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8. Suzanne Rogers, Andrew Leon Talley and Diane Von Furstenberg @ Suzanne Rogers Presents 9. Title Sponsor Harris Fricker (President and CEO - GMP Capital) @ The Grand Commission

10 10. Sylvia Mantella @ Scrubs in the City

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