edmontonians spring2014

3EDMONTONIANS SPRING 2014EDMONTONIANS SPRING 20142


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PRESIdENTMoe Najmeddine

[email protected]

EdIToRBarb Deters

[email protected]

SAlES [email protected]

ColuMNISTSJey Arul • Ben Block • Linda Bodo

Cheryl Croucher • Marty Forbes • Lynn FraserDana Giesbrecht • Diana J. Herrington • Nejolla KorrisNorman Leach • Barbara Ashley Phillips • Erin Rayner

Elissa Scott • Charles Strachey • Mark Wardell

FEATuRE WRITERS

Shant Chakmakian • Barb Deters PhoTogRAPhERS

Bruce Clarke • Cheryl Croucher Quincey Deters • Tracy Kolenchuk

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Volume XXV Number 1 Spring 2014

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in this issue...ABOUT TOWNVoxPop Marty Forbes promotes the Heroes Hockey Challenge and PPCLI ......................................................... 4From the Editor’s Desk Barb Deters’ tribute to Muggsy Forbes .................................................................................................. 6Sizzling in the CityErin Rayner surveys Women in Business .............................................................................................10

BUSINESSBusiness BriefsNorman Leach highlights good news happenings ................................................................................20CommentaryShant Chakmakian believes men can learn from businesswomen .......................................................15Mergers & AcquisitionsJey Arul on the challenges of pricing a business .................................................................................21You & The LawBen Block advises against competing with your employer ...................................................................19

LIVELY LIFESTYLESDrop Dead Delirious Dana Giesbrecht features the creative talent of Rachel Bingham ........................................................... 8Real Food For LifeDiana J. Herrington knows what’s good and bad about chocolate ......................................................14Walking the TalkBarbara Ashley Phillips laments workplace inequities .........................................................................16

OPINIONSCivil Wars Nejolla Korris cautions against posting too much on the web ..............................................................17

STREET COMMERCE Laser Tattoo Removal ..........................................................................................................................18

VISIONARIESCheryl Croucher focuses on innovators ...............................................................................................22


Marty Forbes With Marty Forbes

I have a deep respect for the military, mostly due to watching my late stepfather Mike Sheehy deal with shrapnel in his leg, a painful war injury. later in life, sadly, he faced leg amputation and I will never forget what ‘sacrifice to your country’ looks like on a daily basis.

yet, even at age 75 and with only one leg, Mike stood up each and every time a woman entered the room as a sign of respect.

In Edmonton, the military has a very lengthy and strong link to our community. Soldiers from across Canada serve here, and stay here after their terms are up…contributing to and enjoying life in our great city.

This year marks the 100th Anniversary of Princess Patricia’s Canadian Light Infantry (PPClI) in Canada and, obviously, Edmonton has a strong connection to this important historical recognition. It is one of the three Regular Force infantry regiments of the Army of the Canadian Forces, and is composed of four battalions including a Primary Reserve battalion, for a total of 2,000 soldiers.

The PPClI is the main lodger unit of Canadian Forces Base (CFB) Edmonton and, as such, it is the local regular infantry regiment for much of Western Canada. The loyal Edmonton Regiment is the reserve battalion and carries the designation, 4th Battalion, Princess Patricia’s Canadian light Infantry.

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There will be several magnificent events held throughout the year in Edmonton, and one of those is the Heroes Hockey Challenge 2014. In late May, the Nhl Alumni hockey team will suit up against the Canadian Military team from Namao.

It’ll be a great game—part serious/part crazy—featuring some highly recognizable names from the Nhl including many former oilers playing some of the fittest military personnel you can imagine.

I’m proudly working on the heroes hockey Challenge event with some wonderful people in the Military and I have learned a ton about the Canadian military contribution to our city, specifically and, of course, as they serve around the world.

To help celebrate, mark these important dates down please.

• Friday, May 23rd: The Right honourable Adrienne Clarkson will be the keynote speaker at a gala event at the Edmonton Marriott River Cree hotel, where there will be a yellow Ribbon dinner, auction, and evening of expressing respect for the Canadian Military Families in our area.

The auction will feature many unique items which fall under the ‘you can’t normally buy these’ category. There also will be opportunities to play on each team presented through special auctions that will be held prior to the event… so

keep your eyes and ears open for that.• Saturday, May 24th: Join us at 1:30 pm

at the Claire Drake Arena at the university of Alberta for the heroes hockey Challenge where the Military will play a benefit hockey game with the Edmonton Oilers Alumni team.

This is the third annual Challenge and the past two, in Calgary and Abbotsford, were reportedly a barrel of fun as the veterans clash with the military folk, who have special hockey

uniforms designed to look like their traditional garb—fatigues.

After the game, if the tradition continues, the Military vets meet the Nhlers at centre ice for a hand shake, and exchange of jerseys.

Funds raised during these two events go to benefit

wounded soldiers and their families, and the families of fallen soldiers. More than $145,000 was raised at the past two games.

The money raised is split evenly between the PPClI and the Edmonton Military /Family Resource Centre (MFRC) remembering that many families that serve in the military have come from other locations across the country and often return home to those cities after living in Edmonton while serving our country.

The Namao base and the former greisbach site have housed military homes and operations for the past 100 years. Members of PPClI are so

much a part of our community and deserve our utmost respect for putting their lives on the line so that we can enjoy an amazing quality of life.

We can help them out—and show our respect—by attending one or both of these events. Full information will come via our sponsors, 630 CHED or read the Edmonton Sun for events surrounding the 100th celebration in town.

you can purchase tickets, view a video, and find full information on the yellow Ribbon gala and the Alumni game at heroeshockeychallenge.com

Factoid: The PPClI does not have an official motto; however, it has two meaningful unofficial mottos:

• “First in the Field”—based on the fact that they were the first Canadian unit to deploy in the great War; and

• “Once a Patricia, always a Patricia”—a reminder that the regimental family includes retired soldiers and officers, and those who transferred elsewhere in the Canadian Forces.

Come have some fun at the heroes hockey Challenge this May in Edmonton! √

Marty Forbes is president of Radiowise Inc. Contact: [email protected] – and on Twitter: mjforbes

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That’s a genuine Norman “Muggsy” Forbes quote.

“When these words appeared in On the Lighter Side—Muggsy’s first column in

Edmontonians magazine—in November 1993, readers must have known they would be in for a wild ride. The journey encompassed some 180 columns—most under the Funny, Pompous & Unfair banner—and probably about a quarter of a million words.

“For 15 years, Muggsy’s life was an open book. he kept us apprised of what had happened in the previous month and told us where to go in the next month. Most of his columns included a bit of a history lesson... and quips about people who helped shape this city.

“Muggsy shamelessly promoted good causes, young talent and his friends. he bravely championed justice and the City Centre Airport… boldly challenged politicians, pundits and some pretty rich folks. he openly shared his grief over the loss of many friends, and his joy at having Dr. Ollie in his life.”

This was pretty much what I wrote for the 20th anniversary issue of Edmontonians in January 2009 when Muggsy retired his column. At that time, I had been his editor for almost six

years. But, he was far more to me than one of our columnists. Muggsy was a long-time friend. We met when I was still a teenager… and he was not.

The hangout of choice some 50-plus years ago was the Seven Seas Restaurant, on Jasper Avenue between 105th and 106th Streets. That was where the orion musical theatre guys—Muggsy, Johnny Kerr. Milt Walker and Paul hebert, among others—got together almost every evening. They revelled

vicariously in the success

of their pal Robert

goulet who had moved to New york and landed the lead in Camelot. Muggsy frequently shared tidbits about their enduring relationship until Bob passed in 2007.

We often laughed about the time we were talking outside the Seas: I was sitting on the passenger side of my car… the door was open and Muggsy was leaning on the window. he waited until about a half-dozen people were walking past, then said loudly and indignantly, “Five dollars??!” I was horrified.

But that was Muggsy—quick and clever—which made him a natural as an emcee. It was not unusual to see him at the mic at the old yardbird Suite—the one in the basement of Mitch Klimove’s Steakloft across from the Mac.

I also remember a bunch of us dancing in the alley behind the Rialto Theatre on 101st Street when alleys weren’t scary… going to poetry readings at the dimly lit Java Shoppe… shooting pool at the Press Club in the basement of the Embers. And, I remember his magnificent collection of Windsor chairs at Forbes Insurance when it was in the old house off Jasper Avenue.

Recalling the early days with Muggsy is like bopping through Edmonton’s history. Most of the places we frequented are gone. Now, so is he.

Muggsy passed away on January 6th. he was 84 years young. he and his wife, dr. ollie Triska, had celebrated their 16th wedding anniversary just days before.

Although his death was not unexpected,

“I too had a first night many years ago. As I recall, it hadsomething to do with an ironing board and a chandelier.”

Farewell,Muggsy

Muggsy and Dr. Ollie duringtheir Morocco trip in 2007


when the time did come, it was a profound loss… for ollie, his four children and seven grandchildren, his large sphere of friends and colleagues, even his miniature Schnauzer, Cue.

Fittingly, the celebration of Muggsy’s remarkable life was, “filled with more laughter than tears”. The celebrant at the Connelly McKinnon memorial was yvonne Racine. More than 300 people gathered to pay their respects and hear tributes from his son Cam, Judge Al Wachowich, don Clarke, Sharon Maclean and lyle Best. Sadly, I was on the left Coast and could be there in spirit only, but Nejolla Korris graciously agreed to deliver my remarks, all of which I have incorporated here and there in this editorial recollection.

Al recalled the younger years, especially their adventures hunting upland game birds… bouncing across farmers’ fields in an old Cadillac. don regaled attendees with stories about his personal experiences with Muggsy. Ollie says, “They had far too much fun”, combining their creativity and involvement in events and festivities to help put Edmonton on the map. lyle expressed his gratitude to Muggsy for mentoring him when he first came to Edmonton, instilling in him the importance of becoming a community-minded citizen. I know Muggsy was so proud that his influence resulted in lyle becoming the go-to-guy for major fund-raising projects.

(By the way, he was well-qualified to serve as a mentor. The Edmonton Jaycees dubbed Muggsy the 1980 Citizen of the year, and he was named a Paul harris Fellow by Rotary International.)

As the former publisher of Edmontonians, Sharon covered Muggsy’s years with the magazine… named names of some he chided… alluded to some he dissed. She concluded by saying, “Words tell a lot about a person.

“In Muggy’s case, I can think of, at least, three sides to his personality that I came to know and love through his style.

“No. 1, he was truly funny and had a childlike wonderment about himself. he looked at life through a lens that found the comical side to many circumstances and people…

“No. 2, he became an intrepid reporter. Muggsy was not a trained newsman or a journalist, but he understood life and people. Spelling and grammar? Not the point. Muggsy did continue to study his new craft: he took courses… attended the National Writers Symposium…and bonded with other hard-core journalists by crashing their professional meetings…

“No. 3, Muggsy never gave up. And I take this one with me. he said this: ‘one of the things I remember in the last year was a squirrel falling out of a tree. Did you ever see a squirrel miss? I sort of made a wish to myself because it was like a falling star. The damn squirrel undershot and came plummeting down to the ground… and got up and kept going.’

“The last time I saw Muggsy in the General hospital, his dementia had taken hold… ollie said he would never remember that I was there. But, our conversation reminded me of the squirrel story. I could tell that he was intent on having a wonderful conversation with me. And we did.”

The “magic” at the memorial came when retired Senator Tommy Banks fulfilled his promise to Muggsy and played the piano at his farewell.

In his final writing for Edmontonians, Muggsy had these comments:

“A few months after Dick MacLean passed away, a bunch of us were sitting in the bright sun of Earl’s patio, celebrating his life. I think it was

Cam Allard who had suggested to Sharon that she should get someone to write an irreverent, gossipy column. Recognizing that no one could match dick’s wit and talent in that arena, Sharon turned to me and said, ‘you know everybody in town, why don’t you write it?’ So I did—after some writing lessons that really didn’t take.

“It’s been a joy and a privilege to be given an almost free rein… without worrying about offending anyone or everyone. But, even Sharon had a few intakes of breath—especially when I kept after the Mayor and his mostly merry band of isolationists. A special thanks to Barb deters, one of the best editors I’ve worked with.

“Thanks to everyone for your support, comments and scoops. Me? I’m looking for a creative outlet for my rantings.”

Well, I hope heaven and god are ready for you, Muggsy… just know that not even god can re-open the City Centre Airport. And, if you were wearing those red shoes you when you walked through the Pearly gates, I trust you weren’t mistaken for a pope.

Muggsy, you were a rare, gifted individual. It was my privilege to have worked with you… to have enjoyed your wit… to have danced in that alley.

Say hi to dick, Marg. Pullishy and John Berry for me.

Luv ya! √

Barb Deters,Editor, Edmontonians [email protected]

Muggsy with friendRobert Goulet circa 2003

Muggsy celebrating his80th Birthday

Muggsy and then Edmontonians’ editor Marg. Pullishy circa 2000


W ith a flair for fashion and a brilliance for salvaging, Edmonton’s Rachel Bingham, admittedly, has terrifying

nails. “My friend and I were going to go for a manicure… and I was like, oh, there’s no point.” The look of working hands is a small sacrifice Rachel endures in order to bring her creative vision to life.

Rachel, the talent behind the reworked and recycled vintage line, BangBang Bijoux, has been designing her unique jewellery for more than 10 years. The hallmarks of BangBang Bijoux—long alluring necklaces, outlandish eclectic earrings, and colourful bombastic bangles—are made with “love, insanity, and a hardy dose of tree hugging.”

To create her one-of-a-kind vintage recycled pieces, Rachel travels throughout the u.S. and Europe. She flies to old factories in the pursuit of deadstock—merchandise that was removed from sale and is saved to be sold at a later date. The jewellery components she looks for are pieces all made prior to 1960, when huge quantities were manufactured but never used. For decades, they would sit in enormous, 60,000-square foot, old brick building factories in a warehouse district. To find these places, Rachel acknowledges that it took, “a lot of research!”

She paints a picture of a typical buying trip, saying, “It’s pretty messy and chaotic (while rummaging through boxes) and usually there are one or two other people. It’s so overwhelming and huge, you’re just rifling through and you’re looking for anything that stands out—a lot of it is really, really rusted and tarnished.”

What you’re a practised treasure hunter, finding your next pile of stock in a headache-inducing large warehouse is no longer an intimidating feat. however, Rachel always keeps her mind open. She only grabs what speaks to her. “Honestly, it’s for things that I haven’t used or seen before. I never really go in with a mental image of what I’m looking for- I like to be surprised.”

After doing this for so many years, Rachel has made connections with like-minded gem seekers all over the place. one of her buyers goes to auctions throughout Eastern Europe

and snaps up items from archeological sites that are deemed to have no cultural value, such as vintage fishing lures, old buttons, and miscellaneous trinkets from the late 1800s to early 1900s.

“To me, those are the most interesting because it’s unlike anything you

would see floating around now.”

Rachel also has people coming to her with everything from old family heirlooms to weird things they’ve fished out of the sand, that they want her to turn into something special. on one occasion, she was given an old box of World War II memorabilia—brass medals, badges, patches, pins—items she felt uncomfortable turning

Dana Giesbrecht

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Transforming forgotten treasuresTransforming forgotten treasures

Rachel Bingham

Photos by Bruce Clarke


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Edmontonians is pleased to welcome dana giebrecht to its roster of regular

columnists.As a bubbly, hyperactive child,

dana began honing her on-air presence at birthday parties, family picnics, school recitals, and anywhere else you’d see a parent with a video camera. Many years later, she fused her love of the camera and passion for writing when she was accepted into Red River College’s Creative Communications program in Winnipeg, graduating two years later with a major in broadcast journalism.

From there it was off to Kenora, ontario in the summer of 2008, where she had the opportunity to host a nationally broadcast news and entertainment show. dana learned how to do everything from rock climb to skijor—cross-country ski while harnessed to a dog… difficult, she says, when you’re not that graceful to begin with—to skeet shoot—believe it or not, she’s an excellent shot—while hosting the show. For 3.5

years, dana was submerged in the Northwestern ontario outdoor adventure culture as she worked toward her next move in television.

Today, this city girl has returned to city life, thrilled to continue her on-air career with Shaw TV as the host of its daily show, go! Edmonton. Truly passionate about sharing amazing stories about Edmontonians, dana feels honoured that she gets to connect with so many incredible people every day. Among those she has profiled in the past two years are Edmontonians’ Sizzling Twenty under 30. dana also emceed the 2012 and 2013 Sizzling Receptions… having interviewed the recipients being honoured, she brought a personal note to their introductions.

on air and in person, dana adds her voice and experience to various charitable causes in the Capital Region.

you can catch dana on Shaw TV’s go! Edmonton (channel 10) Monday through Sunday, and follow her fashion focused blog, also called Drop Dead Delirious. √

into jewellery. She admits she just hordes these things.

“I have an old World War II compass that’s just stunning… but it’s full of mercury.”

She also has chosen not to incorporate religious paraphernalia into her transformations.

Inspired by the colour pairings of vintage Cartier and diane Von Furstenberg textiles, Rachel often visits museums in her travels, studying patterns and colours in paintings, vintage jewellery and fabrics. one of her favourites is the British Museum, where the extensive jewellery exhibits have held her for hours, mesmerized by head pieces and body chains from around 2000 BC. She’s also drawn to hermes scarves from the 1960s and 70s; she adores the vivid, beautiful palette choices made by fashion’s most illustrious names

often, it’s the stories of the pieces that really speak to Rachel. She took history classes in university of Alberta and was fascinated by stories of antiquity, which is why she selects only specific pieces in her travels. “I’d rather buy something that has a story and has some history to it than something that’s new, or something where you’re detached from the process. That’s one of the reasons I love buying local. When I come face-to-face with the person that made it, it’s interesting to learn where their inspiration came from.”

Walking around her studio, I run my fingers over the thousands of beads, stones, crystals (which she brings

in from Arizona), and other brightly-coloured sparklers. I begin to see the hours of labour that just go into sorting, categorizing, filing, and general management of all her pieces.

“There’s never enough. It always goes so quickly. I always need more,” she sighs.

Most of us would find this hard to believe, considering the sheer volume of items, until you hear Rachel’s daily schedule. After her morning coffee and answering a few e-mails, she heads straight to her studio, conveniently located a couple of blocks from her downtown condo. Then she begins her eight to nine hour-marathon day, aiming to make 10 pieces of jewellery. And, forget a two-day weekend; Rachel works six days a week.

“I’ve been lectured by my fiancé to try and get it down to five and take at least two days off, but it’s a

work in progress.”For a girl who

spends her days locked in her dreamy little studio, being flashy and attention-grabbing is not in her nature. Rachel is getting

married this summer but plans on keeping things intimate. “Perhaps I’ll wear a white dress. We’ll see… we may just elope.”

To learn more about Rachel Bingham’s stunning work, you can find her on Tumblr, Facebook or bangbangbijoux.com √

Dana Giesbrecht is the host of go! Edmonton on Shaw TV and has a passion for her community, the arts, and fashion. She loves experimenting with clothes and helping to promote local designers on her blog, dropdeaddelirious.blogspot.ca

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On one hand, I love Edmontonians’ Women in Business issue. I love hearing about the smart, accomplished women in this city who are

pulling up their stylish boots—or their Michael Kors slippers!—and getting stuff done.

on the other hand, I dislike it intensely. I feel that we shouldn’t be ‘surprised’ by these women and the accomplishments they make. I long for the day when it is nothing ‘special’ that a woman is at the head of a Fortune 500 company… or when it isn’t an anomaly for a woman to be a leader within any industry. I can’t wait until it’s just something that is, rather than something that is celebrated for its difference.

This year, I took the Women in Business theme literally. According to Statistics Canada, in 2009, Alberta had the highest percentage of employed women in the country at 64.1 percent, an upward trend that has been recorded since 1976. I’m not a historian but, it seems to me women—like men—have always worked. Whether it was on the family farm, in shops, factories or schools… part time, full time, multiple jobs at a time… or owning companies, women at various societal levels have always worked.

For this column, I wanted to hear from women working in Edmonton so I did what anyone would do, I created a short online survey, and circulated it through social media channels. It is by no means a full-scale scientific research survey—but it did yield some interesting results.

Apparently, Michael Kors is doing brisk business in Edmonton… we love our long baths, families (furry and furless)… and women work in so many places, industries and roles, it’s hard to keep count.

Thanks to all the women who responded. I’m sorry we couldn’t include everyone or every answer.

TRACY HALLProject Manager, First Foundation Twitter: @firstfoundation& @ms_thallWhat does your company do? …help people to own valuable assets, grow in wisdom and wealth, and protect themselves and their loved ones.What is your favourite leadership quote? “Don’t be trapped by dogma—which is living with the results of other people’s thinking. don’t let the noise of other’s opinions drown out your own inner voice. And most important, have the courage to follow your heart and intuition. They somehow already know what you truly want to become. Everything else is secondary.” ~ Steve JobsHow do you seek or find balance? … I like to find outlets for my creative energy and spirit. I love taking pictures of my daughter, making shabby chic wreaths, and decorating my home.

Where is your go-to place of sanctuary? My monthly full body massage/acupuncture treatment is heavenly… a comfy chair with a cup of my favourite green tea latte drink.Your advice for a 10-years younger you? This is it—this is your life! Today—not yesterday and not tomorrow. Today. live it.Which fictional character would you be?

dorothy gale from The Wizard of Oz… because, in the event of adversity or trouble, I attempt to create/follow my own path while never undermining or underestimating the contribution of others… I believe that with a great team of family, friends, co-workers, community and peers everyone can achieve great things together. of course, a catchy tune and a great pair of shoes always helps too!What shoes are you wearing right now? Steve Madden black patent leather pumps! So comfy!

ERIN CARRIER (nee GREGG)Acting Director of CommunicationsGovernment of Alberta …specifically I oversee communications surrounding flood recovery efforts following the June 2013 floods in southern Alberta.Twitter Handle: @ms_egreggWhat does your company do? on behalf of the government of Alberta, we lead the coordination of flood recovery—

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helping Albertans get back on their feet.What is your favourite leadership quote? how can I ensure every member of my team feels respected, valued and enjoys coming to work every day?How do you seek or find balance? I struggle with this every day but am learning to carve out time for dance, barre, and running. I’m currently training for my first half-marathon! Also, spending quality time with my two shih tzus—both rescues from the Edmonton humane Society…Where is your go-to place of sanctuary? My parents’ acreage near Ardrossan… still my refuge when I need perspective and calm. Your advice for a 10-years younger you? don’t be so hard on yourself and have patience. Be happy. Be confident.Which fictional character would you be?The title character in Le Petit Prince. The life lessons and observation from this book resonate more as time passes.What shoes are you wearing right now? Michael Kors black knee-high boots—they are my go-to, especially in Edmonton winters!

CHANDRA McQUARRIEFlight Attendant, Canadian NorthTwitter handle: @canada_chandraWhat does your company do?

We’re an Inuit- and Inuvialuit-owned airline. We provide essential passenger and cargo service throughout the North as well as providing service to a large industrial charter clientele.What is your favourite leadership quote? “Do what you feel in your heart to be right for you’ll be criticized anyway.” ~ Eleanor RooseveltHow do you seek or find balance? It’s always a work in progress but I am learning the “take care of yourself first” principle.Where is your go-to place of sanctuary? definitely the hockey rink, the soccer pitch, the squash four, the gym… only once I have expended some excess physical energy am I able to calm my mind and spirit.Your advice for a 10-years younger you? you are not defined by your work. you are not defined by what you do in your free time. you are defined by your character, your passion, your spirit. let go of the past. listen to those voices within and let them lead you to new adventures!Which fictional character would you be? No question, it’s Princess leia! She is respected, intelligent, has exceptional leadership ability,

and has sarcasm that fires faster than a blaster… she travels the galaxy and gets

to make out with han Solo. And she kicks major Imperial ass!

What shoes are you wearing right now? I have an air cast on my left foot and a brown Teva flip flop on my right, just to try and balance

myself out!

ADRIENNE PAN CBC News Edmonton HostTwitter handle @adriennepancbcWhat does your company do? CBC is Canada’s public broadcaster. It informs, entertains, and promotes Canadian culture on all media platforms.

What is your favourite leadership quote? lead by example… work hard… be firm but fair… and command respect by earning it.How do you seek or find balance? My work is very stressful, precise, and deadline-driven. I find balance in doing things completely different from that… like painting, taking tap lessons, and enjoying good food and wine with friends and family.

Where is your go-to place of sanctuary? My livingroom couch.Your advice for a 10-years younger you? Be kind, generous, adventurous, and love all who are near and dear with abandon.Which fictional character would you be? I would be Buffy of Buffy the Vampire Slayer (tv version). She is a kick-ass heroine who was charged with saving the world... and she did it with biting wit and impeccable style.What shoes are you wearing right now? Near knee high, zip up, chunky high-heeled brown boots that were made in Romania.

CHANTELLE TRUDEAUProject Coordinator/Executive AssistantJatec Ltd.Twitter Handle: @_MissTrudeauWhat does your company do? Shallow underground utility installation and highway infrastructureWhat is your favourite leadership quote? I have two… “Attitude reflects leadership” ~ Julius in Remember the Titans, and “Leadership means rallying people to a brighter future” ~ Michael Walsh, Kaizen Consulting

Adrienne Pan

Chandra McQuarrieand Faa Mai


11237 - Jasper Avenue, Edmonton, Alberta780-455-9973 • www.dlutchifashions.com

Specializing inHonda Power Equipment

FOR MORE INFO: 780-435-0742www.hondaextreme.ca

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How do you seek or find balance? I try to remember my “energy buckets” and do things to help replenish my emotional, physical and spiritual buckets such as reading, paddling with my dragon boat racing team, volunteering, playing guitar, spending time with my family and friends who are always supportive of me.Where is your go-to place of sanctuary? My bedroom. It’s always peaceful and comfortable.Your advice for a 10-years younger you? don’t let doubt be a factor in your decisions..Which fictional character would you be? Elizabeth gilbert in Eat, Pray, Love. She had the courage to challenge herself and her life, it’s never too late to do the things you love instead of the things you think you should.What shoes are you wearing right now? Black Suede oxfords

SUSAN McGEECEO, Homeward Trust EdmontonTwitter Handle: @susanmcgeeWhat does your company do? We fund, coordinate and implement programs and projects to end homelessness in Edmonton.What is your favourite leadership quote? “We can’t do anything really big on our own” ~ participant in the housing First programHow do you seek or find balance? Time with my kids. laughing often with friends. hugs. Where is your go-to place of sanctuary? When I can get away, I dive. I can’t take my iPhone underwater (yet), and am completely present to what I’m doing and seeing at the time.Your advice for a 10-years younger you? Take care of yourself—inside and out. It seems so much harder to make new habits the older you get.What shoes are you wearing right now? I’m not—as is my preference.

NICOLE GAIDA Head Mama at Cafe O’PlayTwitter Handle: @CafeoPlayWhat does your company do? We provide parents a place where their kids are entertained and they can visit while enjoying good food and drinks.What is your favourite leadership quote? My staff has “WWND?” on their whiteboard from one of my managers that was training new staff—“What would Nicole do?” I love it!How do you seek or find balance? White wine, red wine, any wineWhere is your go-to place of sanctuary? My bathYour advice for a 10-years younger you? Sleep now, travel now, read nowWhich fictional character would you be? Bridget Jones because she is strong, doesn’t get embarrassed easily and fights for what she wants with a positive attitudeWhat shoes are you wearing right now? Michael Kors slippers

KATHERINE SCHWABENBAUER Artistic Bake Shop Ltd. Part owner operator/treasurer ...sales person/ bench hand, janitor, administrator What does your company do? We are a scratch retail bakery. our philosophy is quality not quantity. We specialize in traditional European baking. The bakery has been

operating in Edmonton for 48 years in the same family… If we can’t continue to offer the best we can in product and service, I would close the doors before I would comprise that.How do you seek or find balance? We are closed Sundays and Mondays, and we have always made time for our family. We take holidays… so important. All work and no play is just wrong. We have been blessed and we only have one go-around so you need to stop and look around you. This world is spinning so fast… and I think we have lost sight of some of the more important things in life.Where is your go-to place of sanctuary? My bathtub. I love a good, hot soak.Your advice for a 10-years younger you? Remember money is not everything… and you need to put in your dues—meaning you need to crawl before you walk.What shoes are you wearing right now? Slippers. My feet are cold.

JADE PALAMAREKAssociate, Herbert & Associates CAs What does your company do?

We provide financial statement preparation, income tax preparation, financial analysis and

small business consultation.How do you seek or find balance?

Schedule down time, learning to say ‘no’Where is your go-to place of sanctuary?

Walking my dogsYour advice for a 10-years younger

you?you know that trip

you are thinking of going on but don’t think you can afford? Take it!Which fictional

character would you be?

Katherine Schwabenbauer


Proudly Serving Our Heritage & Our Community

[email protected]

Open Monday to Friday8:30 am to 4:30 pm

Frog Lake Career Program

780-943-2411

Business: 780-943-2411 • Fax: 780-943-2293

Frog Lake Womans Group

Hi Everyone!We just started a couple programs at the Frog Lake Careers Building.

The Employabliity Skills Development Program started October 11, 2011. This is our third year running this program to help individuals with setting their future goals

for emloyment or education. This program consists of life skills, computer literacy, safety tickets, cultureal activities,

trades exposure, work placement and various workshops.

We also have another program that started October 24, 2011 which is Trades Exposure and we have 12 students taking this program. This allows for individuals to try their hand in various trades; electrical, welding, carpentry, pipe/steam fitting, plumbing and heating/gas fitter. This is a step towards their career choice and education.

The Staff of Frog Lake Careers would like to wish each and every student Good Luck in accomplishing their achievements.

Violet Berland is the cook at the Careers Building. She cooks daily lunch meals. To place orders call (780) 943-2411

Thank you from the Staff at Frog Lake Careers

We all long for understanding, compassion, and respect. And sometimes it’s easiest to find this among others who share our situation or outlook. That’s where the Frog Lake Womans Group comes in.

Mamnowicitotan – Lets help one other was created and developed by Councillor Theresa Wade with the assistance of Frog Lake Band Departments. The principle goal of the Woman’s group is employment and eventually the reduction of income support dependency. The Objective is to maintain awareness and increase supports in Frog Lake for children and families struggling with unemployment, specifically providing mentorship to mothers with children to create opportunities and environments which will enhance culture and improve the quality of life in the homes and within the community. The Woman’s program also includes initiatives that fall into these categories;

Provide woman and •youth with training and other supportive interventions that will lead to employment

Promote the •development and partnership/integration of programs and services so that a holistic and coordinated approach is used

to help woman and youth move forward in their lives Address youth issues, especially youth suicide •

Whether you’re coping with a health issue or trying to change your life for the better, there’s nothing like sharing stories and experiences with others on the same path. The Woman’s group meets once every month at the Careers Centre, Frog Lake First Nation. Monthly food hampers are distributed at the meetings to each household to those who attend.

Everyone from Frog Lake First Nation is always welcome to join the Woman’s Group. Meetings are free. Parents needing assistance with child care, respite or transportation should call in advance to make arrangements. Those planning to attend are asked to call in advance so that organizers will have enough refreshments and children’s activities on hand. For more information, call Theresa Wade or her assistant Sheila J. Quinney at 780-943-3737.

The Staff at CNCS would like to Congratulate theGraduating Class of 2009!!!

Miyo Pahksamowin

The Chief and Council would like to congratulate all2009 graduates! “As you contemplate your futureremember that great things are still possible for thosewho work hard, think positively and follow their hearts.”

The Finance Staff would like to send congratulatorygreetings to the 2009 Proms & Graduates for both theFrog Lake Napawew School and Heinsburg School.May you have continued success and Good Luck in yourfuture endeavors.

The First Youth Initiative would like to proudly sayCongratulations to the Chief Napeweaw ComprehensiveSchool Graduates of 2009!! Special Congratulations toConnie Quinney for NICHIE, WandaHenderson with distinction fromPortage College and Mary JaneQuinney for convocation from herMasters - great going ladies!! And toevery band member and communitymember who have celebrated or haveyet to celebrate completion of theirtraining, courses, high school or post secondary chal-lenges. We are all very proud of you of all of you!!

From the Morning Sky Health Team!!CONGRATULATIONS & WELCOME to the team toWanda Henderson who graduated on June 5 from theCommunity Health Representative program out of LacLa Biche Portage College!!

Leaders are merely leaders because others choose to follow them - with an emphasis on ‘choose’.True leaders are people with a vision who have decided to pursue that vision. They don’t forceanyone to follow - they merely share their vision and set the example of walking towards it.When others choose to follow and make them their leader, it’s their choice. The outcome of thatchoice is still the responsibility of the person who makes such a choice.

‘SEEDS OF GERMINATION OR TERMINATION’ HUGO BONJEAN

Congratulations to all the 2009 High School Graduates

Chief Napewaew Comprehensive SchoolYou are Leaders in Education—May you Continue toInspire a New Generation.From the Board & Staff ~ Morning Sky Health &Wellness Society

CONGRATULATIONS!Wanda Henderson for Graduating with Honors from theCommunity Health Representative Course in Lac LaBiche.You are a welcome member to our health team.Pearl Lychuk Community Health Nurse

CONGRATULATIONS!Wanda Henderson for Graduating with Honors from the Community Health Representative.The Staff at Chief Napeweaw Comprehensive School would like to Congratulate theKindergarten Graduating Class of 2009!!!The Frog Lake Education Authority and the Staff of CNCS would like to acknowledge andCongratulate Mary Jane Quinney on the completion of her Masters in Education.

We would like to say congrats to the2009 Frog Lake Graduates!!! We areproud of all of you!! From the Lily Pad Daycare Staff

Chief Napeweaw Comprehensive School Graduates:Troy Berland, Evan Cardinal, Ceara Faithful, Chantelle Quinney, Elise Quinney, Dakota Smith, Joey Stanley, Kelly Stanley

Grad 2009 Chief Napeweaw Comprehensive SchoolPromees:Christine Cook, Nadine Crookedneck, Destiny Deschamps, Sheridan Dion-Gambler, Lisa Noon-Quinney, Shanea Quinney,Tiffany Quinney, Tia Scanie, Amber Stanley, Colby Stanley, Dana Stanley, Layne Stanley, Tanner Stanley, Sheena Sundown

“Serving Frog Lake First Nation” Volume 5 Edition 1

Frog Lake Womans Group

Frog Lake DaycareThe Daycare is a licenced Daycare. The toddler room (13 months to 2 years old) is full and there are no spots available at this time.The preschool room (3 years old to 6 years old) has some spots open.Halloween has come and gone, now staff is gearing up for Christmas. We plan on hosting a Christmas bingo in November so watch out for our poster! The Frog Lake Lily Pad

Daycare would like to wish Yvonne Stanley, a CCW for the toddler room, a big Happy Birthday on November 6.The Frog Lake Lily Pad Daycare would like to thank everyone who supported us in our fundraising within the past few months! Hiy-Hiy. See you next month. SUBMITTED BY:

JENNA WADE

LORETTA QUINNEY/ THE WINDTALKER

Upcoming WorkshopMakin’ Lemonade

(Pre-Employment & Financial Literacy) Frog Lake Careers

November 24th, 2011

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I don’t know—I am me!What shoes are you wearing right now? Red Nine West boots

SHEILA STAUFFERExecutive DirectorCornerstone Counselling CentreWhat does your company do? We are a non-profit counselling agency that sets fees according to the client’s household income to ensure professional services are accessible and affordable.

What is your favourite leadership quote? “Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, concerned citizens can change world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has.” ~Margaret MeadHow do you seek or find balance? I read, pray, and walk. I also practice self-compassion. If god can forgive me, who am I to say I can’t.Where is your go-to place of sanctuary? The River Valley. There

is something so rejuvenating about walking by the river. Your advice for a 10-years younger you? don’t wait, do it now.Which fictional character would you be? lara Croft in Tomb Raider. She is cool as ice and wins every fight. But the characters I admire are far more honest and flawed. These characters are frequently reluctant heroes, and they often make mistakes. It is our imperfections that make us interesting and relatable.What shoes are you wearing right now? Sadly, black Rockports. It is a practical kind of day.

JOCELYN ANDREWSRegistered Nurse, Labour and Delivery Unit Lois Hole Hospital for WomenWhat does your company do? We guide and support women and their families through a time of transition (and sometimes crisis) as they give birth under every possible circumstance. Frequently challenging and often beautiful, but sometimes devastating.What is your favourite leadership quote? “The challenge of leadership is to be strong, but not rude; be kind, but not weak; be bold, but not bully; be thoughtful, but not lazy; be humble, but not timid; be proud, but not arrogant; have humor, but without folly.” ~Jim RohnWhere is your go-to place of sanctuary? The shower. I drain the tank almost every time. (Apologies to david Suzuki and the generations to come.) I find water very therapeutic in general… I tend to agree with Isak dinesen, “The cure for anything is saltwater: sweat, tears, or the sea.”Your advice for a 10-years younger you?don’t ever assume that someone else is actually looking out for your financial future. It’s easy if you’re uncomfortable with money to abdicate the responsibility… Take the reins. learn the basics you need to protect yourself and hire someone to do the job for you and make sure you’re looked after.What shoes are you wearing right now? I’m barefoot. our feet are meant to move freely. Encasing them in shoes with lots of support all the time just allows all the muscles to atrophy. I’m a ‘barefoot’ runner and wear zero-drop shoes at work on the floor.

JULIANNA ARMSTRONGCreative Director/Lead FacilitatorScene Stealers What does your company do? Scene Stealers offers creative and performing

arts workshops for children in schools, at home and in your community. We take a process-based approach to Arts Education and strive to create self-confidence and joy in our participants.How do you seek or find balance? great friends, sunny days and dog walksWhere is your go-to place of sanctuary? Edmonton’s River ValleyYour advice for a 10-years younger you? Take the leap!Which fictional character would you be? Maria von Trapp from The Sound of MusicWhat shoes are you wearing right now? Knee high wool socks that are purple, blue and pink striped

Erin Rayner is president of ED Marketing and Communications Inc. Contact [email protected]

Sheila Stauffer

JuliannaArmstrong


Diana HerringtonC hocolate, I am sure, comes from heaven.

Chocolate raises serotonin and dopamine levels and gives a hormone rush that feels like the

rush of love or love making.Beyond its effect on mood and sexuality,

there is much research revealing how one main ingredient of chocolate, cocoa, has many health benefits!

SIX COCOA HEALTH BENEFITS: 1. lowers cholesterol 2. May improve your ability to see or experience3. has anti-clotting, blood-thinning properties 4. lowers stress levels 5. Reduces risk of stroke by 20 percent (in

women who ate more than 45 grams of chocolate a week)

6. decreases erectile dysfunction (by triggering the release of dilating chemicals in the arteries).

Problem: Chocolate is not just cocoa. The cocoa benefits research did not take into account all the sugar, poor quality oils and other unhealthy ingredients added to the chocolate. This combo of sugar and fat is toxic to the body. It can cause insulin resistance, diabetes, inflammatory disorders, lowered immunity, hypertension and cardiovascular disease. And, yes, it makes you fat!

This combo is also addictive! Sugar and cocoa activate the same receptors in the brain as cocaine. This is why there are so many chocoholics.

dark chocolate is more healthy than milk chocolate due to its higher polyphenols and lower sugar content but still comes with enough unhealthy fat and sugar to negate cocoa’s good effects. When we test individuals for dark chocolate with sugar in it, it always tests as energy draining.

FIVE MORE REASONS CHOCOLATE IS NOT AS HEALTHY AS CLAIMED: 1. The serotonin and dopamine boost by

chocolate is temporary. Like any “high”, it will come down. It is better to enhance your mood with overall good nutrition and lifestyle.

2. Findings show that milk may interfere with the absorption of antioxidants from cocoa. All milk chocolate has milk ingredients.

3. Most cocoa studies are funded by chocolate manufacturers.

4. The number one favourite chocolate cookie, oreos, may be as addictive as cocaine! Eating the cookies activated more neurons in the rat’s brain pleasure centre than drugs like cocaine.

5. It is dangerous to replace healthy foods, such as fresh fruit, with chocolate. one raw apple is 52 calories with lots of health benefits. A hershey’s Special dark Chocolate Bar (100 grams) has 531 calories. you could eat 10 apples!

WHAT KIND OF CHOCOLATE TO EAT: When buying chocolate, check the ingredients list. Cane sugar, brown sugar, fructose, sugar alcohol and artificial sweeteners all have toxic side effects.

I make my own healthy chocolate with healthy sugars and fats in small quantities. I never buy or eat the commercially made stuff. Even the chocolate in health food stores is filled with unhealthy ingredients. Join me in making your own chocolate for optimum health benefits. here is one of my favourite recipes.

CHERRY PECAN DARK CHOCOLATE BAR This is a decadent chocolate that everyone loves.

Ingredients: 4 squares (approx 112 gm) unsweetened dark chocolate3 Tbsp organic virgin coconut oil2 Tbsp unpasteurized honey

1/4 teaspoon liquid stevia1/4 cup pecans, roasted and chopped1/4 cup dried unsweetened cherries (halved) Directions: 1. dry roast pecans in a toaster oven or frying

pan (stir frequently so they do not burn). 2. Melt chocolate in a double boiler or very

carefully in saucepan. 3. oil with coconut oil a small pan,

approximately 8 inches square. Evenly sprinkle the cherries and pecans in the pan.

4. When chocolate is melted, remove from heat. 5. Mix in coconut oil and stevia, and then honey. 6. Pour melted chocolate mixture over the

cherries and pecans. 7. let cool in refrigerator or freezer. 8. once set, cut into squares. 9. Store in covered container in refrigerator or

freezer, if desired. This is one of the many recipes in the Healthy Chocolate Project, an online video course. you will learn how to make an assortment of delicious chocolates using small quantities of healthy sugars and healthy oils. √

Diana J Herrington is the founder of RealFoodforlife.com and author of the gREEN means lEAN e-book. She turned a debilitating health crisis (Fibromyalgia) into a passion for helping others with healthy eating and cooking, and developed simple powerful principles which she shares in her e-books.

REALFOODFORLIFE

Is Chocolate Good for you?

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As a Trusted Authority in the implementation of Quality Management Systems, as well as, a Certified Behavioural Analyst we have designed a system for Leaders to clarify their expectations for their processes and their people. Our Launching Leader’s Program supports the complete process of reviewing, visioning, aligning, and practising excellence in business. As consultants, we strive to “Train the Trainers” so the Excellence Program becomes their own.

Connie Johnston Warner CPBA, CPVAConsultant, Leader, Coach, [email protected] 780 425-5001www.LaunchingLeaders.ca

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In a growing and diverse business community, I often find myself having to stop, listen and learn from all the amazing people I meet in my environment. Some of the greatest

lessons I have learned have come from women in business and the diverse perspective they offer in a male-dominated landscape.

What were some of the biggest lessons? I would say listening better, perceptiveness, and knowing your own strengths.

The most commonly practiced lesson I have seen with female business owners is to know your strengths. There is strength in knowing what you are good at and not; there is an even greater strength in accepting those shortcomings and not trying to do something you aren’t good at.

It’s something I think that businessmen can learn from our women colleagues. I see this

problem occurring with some of the new clients we take on at SC Systems. Some are small organizations with a handful of people and some are medium organizations with sizeable operations.

What’s the common problem? Many try to do their own IT from a perspective of limited knowledge and a “let’s get it working now” mentality. Some are successful, they do manage to get things working right but almost all of them place themselves in significant risk. When things break it takes more time and money to fix and now you’re feeling it on the bottom line.

Some of these organizations even have IT departments, yet the IT department is extending its reach far beyond what it is capable of and the organization is bearing the risk and the cost.

A growing mentality in most organizations is to outsource what you aren’t good at. It doesn’t

hurt to be resourceful… but thinking you are an expert at everything is a recipe for disaster. I’ll admit I’ve been guilty of the same problem as a man. I would try to do something myself but, when it didn’t work, I sought help to fix it.

But experience has now taught me to take the other approach: Seek the professionals first. It’s a mistake we have all made and some of us have learned from. But I have definitely seen that most women in business learn from it quickly or don’t make it at all. This gives our female colleagues an advantage to move forward… and us males an example to grow from. √

Shant Chakmakian is president and owner of SC Systems, an Edmonton-based managed IT services company focused on serving small-to-medium businesses and non-profit organizations. Visit www.scsystems.ca

in the business world

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WALKINGTHETALK

By Barbara Ashley PhillipsIt’s Our Time

T he world we live in is de-fined by men, for men and accord-ing to male norms. only in recent years have some researchers been successful in introducing norms

that include what women bring to the society. un-fortunately, in almost every area of society, we’re viewed and we view ourselves as second class.

These values show up in pay gaps, as well as job segregation and failure to support adequate child care support systems that would enable more women, who are the primary caregivers of children, to participate fully in the workforce.

When I first came into the profession of law, women partners in law firms were almost un-heard of. Today there are a few, but nothing like a representative proportion. Even in female-dom-inated occupations, such as nursing, “patriarchal gender relations, which reflect a high valuation of all that is male and masculine, play a significant role in situating a disproportionate number of men in administrative and elite specialty positions.” EVAN S J. (1997) Journal of Advanced Nursing 26, 226–231

Equal pay for equal work is widely regarded as a human right. yet, in Alberta, the gender gap in pay is among the worst, according to the Parkland Institute.

“In 1987, the year before Ontario’s Pay Equity Act came into force, comparing average yearly full time salaries, women earned only 64 percent of what men earned. After almost twenty years of pay equity laws, women now earn 71 percent of what men earn.” (equalpaycoalition.org)

The Canadian Bar Association’s National Administrative Law, Labour and Employment Law Section had a paper prepared for a recent conference examining the situation in Canada. It observes: “The right of women to equal pay for work of equal value and equal treatment in pay and employment opportunities are internationally recognized human rights and labour standards.2/

laws securing these rights are necessary because gender pay gaps are one of the most enduring fea-tures of world labour markets and continue to be regularly documented in Canada. As of the latest Statistic Canada data available for 2011, based on average annual earnings, Canadian women earn about 66.7 percent of what Canadian men earn.

“When a full time full year measure is used, the gap is 72 percent. disconcertingly, both of these gaps grew from the previous years. The hourly gap for 2013 is 86 percent, however this figure obscures the fact that more than seven out of 10 part-time workers are women, and are thus are in more precarious work situations.

“As highlighted by the 2004 Federal Pay Equity Task Force report, Pay Equity: A Fun-damental Human Right, racialized women, im-migrant women, Aboriginal women and women with disabilities suffer from substantially higher pay gaps. For example, racialized women in ontario were short-changed 53.4 cents for every dollar non-racialized men got paid for work in 2005.” The report observes: “Women are now the majority of undergraduate and master’s degree holders and constitute 58.2 percent of the labour force.” The authors point out: “the continuing pay gaps show the market is not rewarding women for their human capital contributions.” (Where to go for Pay Equity: Canadian Remedies for Gender Pay Discrimination, prepared by Mary Cornish and Jennifer Quito, Cavalluzzo Shilton McIntyre & Cornish LLP for the Canadian Bar Association Law Conference November 2013)

Wherever women move under present values and norms, there are significant headwinds. While 81 percent of majority women-owned businesses were micro-businesses (fewer than five employ-ees) compared to 79 percent for men, women still have significantly more difficulty securing finan-cing and growing their businesses. (sbinfocanada.about.com)

That’s the world we live in.

There is a place for advocacy in the courts, legislative bodies, government, the streets and the press, to correct the disparagement of women’s human rights commonplace in our society. More power to those who fight for what is right and are committed to real equality. Check out advocacy organizations such as lEAF, Women’s legal Education and Action Fund (leaf.ca)

But there is another approach. Isn’t it time we made use of the special gifts women inherently have to infuse society with a more balanced per-spective?

Women instinctively value caring, connection, relationship, Nature and all of life—hugely im-portant to a self-sustaining society… to peace and prosperity… to a self-sustaining planet. So let’s stand up for them.

Many of us have spent decades being more like men than men. It doesn’t work. We’re non-standard. Instead, let’s celebrate the values we as women most deeply hold and move them out into the world in every way that we can. The world needs them. our communities need them. our men, our sons and our daughters need them.

The winds of change are blowing. let’s set our sails to catch the wind and end the distortions our patriarchal society has wrought on everything and everybody.

If not now, when? If not us, who? It’s time. √

2/ Pay equity is guaranteed by Convention 100 of the Inter-national labour organization and the united Nations Conven-tion on the Elimination of all Forms of discrimination Against Women (CEdAW). For more information see: International labour organization’s Promoting Equity Gender-Neutral Job Evaluation for Equal Pay: A Step-by-Step Guide (International labour office, geneva, 2008) (ILO Guide)

Barbara Ashley Phillips was a practicing lawyer educated at Yale Law School who became a medi-ator, coach and facilitator. For more on her work, a free newsletter and Leadership Tips go towww.co-creating.ca. Contact: [email protected] or 780-465-1721


W hat have you revealed about yourself on-line? Staying safe on-line is important for everyone. No matter who you are or

where you are, there are thieves waiting to steal information about you.

I have been astounded at some of the things that I have found out about all my dachshund Facebook friends! one night recently, I noticed a post float down my Facebook wall which disturbed me greatly. It was probably posted with no bad intent, but the questions it asked raised red flags for me:

I hope you all will let me and others get to know you better. you guys are really smart, have great jobs, and educated!! hope to get to know many of you better!

If you will play along, and I will start. Tell:1) What your name is2) What kind of work you do3) What your husband or wife’s name is4) What kind of work they do5) What state/country you live in6) Do you have children/grandchildren?

But the biggest issue with this post was that it was public. That means anyone from anywhere can see that post and its responses. No privacy filters set whatsoever. I was astonished to see that, within two hours of her posting this, 18 people had given up their information.

WHAT HAPPENED NEXTI cautioned my friends against posting a reply because her wall was not private and the information requested could be used against them in malicious ways—not necessarily by the person posting it but the world she made it available to.

The woman who requested the info replied to my post and fessed up to asking the questions. She said that she didn’t want people to be “paranoid”. You should be paranoid about what floats out about you on the Internet. So, don’t post it!

To try and emphasize how important it is to protect privacy, I sent her a private message and showed her what I found out about her within five minutes:

• Her birthday and her husband’s birthdate• Her private email address• Where she worked, what position and for

how long• Her home address• The approximate value of their home• That there was an e-mail address attributed

to her husband that was [email protected] (a tad embarrassing at the age of 50+)

• Two telephone numbers: one home, one mobile

• Children’s names

The next morning she told me that what I found was impressive, but that she had a high profile on the Internet because of her employer. So, I googled her name to check out what she deemed to be “high profile”. Okay, so first I get the linkedIn profile—no big deal: Most working professionals put something up. Then, a web address of her employer and her kennel web page. This is not high profile in the traditional sense… yet, the personal data can make you high profile to the thief who is building a data file on you. Birthdates? Home addresses? Property values? She should have been a bit more concerned than flipping me off with her high profile label. on any profile, personal information is too much information.

Posting such detail on Facebook is the same as writing all of your vital statistics and information down on a piece of paper, and then tacking it on the bulletin board at your local grocery store. Do you really think that is okay?

TIPS TO STAY SAFE ON FACEBOOK• Make sure your privacy settings are for friends only.

• Do not post when you are away from home.• Do not post personal information such as your address or telephone number on the wall.

• Look at your “About” page: remove phone numbers or other info about you.

• If you post your birthdate, at least don’t include the year.

• To set your privacy settings when posting, look at the bottom right corner and click on it. This one indicates only friends can see this post.

• When you click on the bottom right corner, it brings up three options 1) Public, 2) Friends or 3) only me. Make sure the “friends” option is clicked. √

Nejolla Korris is an international expert in area of interviewing skills and linguistic lie detection. She is a keen observer and fan of the human condition. Dubbed the “Human Lie Detector” by some clients, she is a popular speaker on lie detection, fraud prevention and investigation, workplace fraud, and organizational justice. Nejolla recently launched a new speaker’s series on the differing communication styles between men and women.Contact: [email protected]

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Tattoo removal has evolved a long way from the days of merely blacking an unwanted piece of artwork out or having it surgically excised in a painful way that would leave a lifetime reminder behind. Even the earlier lasers were somewhat blunt in their delivery of the energy

required to remove a tattoo, and scarring was often the trade-off necessary for the disappearance of a tattoo.

Not so much anymore. Very sophisticated (and expensive) lasers can remove many tattoos to the point that it is often difficult to tell that there was ever anything there to begin with. That impulsive decision made on a night in Mexico after too many margaritas can now be dealt with in a safe and effective manner.

Tattoo removal lasers are more accurately called pigment removal lasers. They look for colour, not ink. lasers operate on wavelengths that determine the colour the laser is looking for. There isn’t one laser that works on all colours. Tattoos of multiple colours may require treatments with different lasers in order to achieve the optimum result. The laser will fire a very quick pulse of energy into the ink to heat it up to a very high temperature, at which point the ink will shatter into much smaller pieces. Now the body’s lymphatic and immune systems can process the ink and filter it out.

Because the energy is fired in such quick pulses (billionths of seconds), the risk of scarring and skin damage has been dramatically reduced. For

most people it isn’t really much of a factor, but always still a slight risk. The heat absorption into the body can be uncomfortable but with proper cooling techniques and application of numbing creams, the process is very manageable.

Tattoo removal is done with a series of treatments generally spaced eight weeks apart. The characteristics of each tattoo will determine the number of treatments, but it is extremely difficult to determine ahead of time what that number might be. generally, older and more faded tattoos will remove faster than newer, vibrant ones. Some colours are easier to work on than others and, luckily, black is one of the easiest. Remember, not all lasers can treat all colours so it is important to find a clinic that has a strong solution for the widest range of colours. Some cosmetic tattoos and white tattoos, or colours blended with white ink, can be very challenging to treat because they contain metallic elements.

For most people, the healing will take an average of seven to 10 days, with some redness, swelling and, occasionally, some blistering being the most common effects on the skin. The fading will continue to take place for at least eight weeks following the treatment—it doesn’t all happen right away. Tattoo removal is all about slow and steady. Rarely is there immediate gratification. It can be a time commitment more than anything else, but some tattoos do disappear quite quickly.

Interestingly, tattoo removal has now been largely embraced by the tattooing community. having a pre-existing tattoo lasered a few times can open up all sorts of possibilities for coverup work. It changes the conversation from the original tattoo dictating what can go there next to the artist and client figuring out exactly what would make the client happy. That is often a much better conversation to have. After a few sessions of removal treatments, the tattoo will have faded enough to open up all sorts of options that would have previously been impossible.

In short, the technology for tattoo removal has improved a great deal over the past 20 years, and having a tattoo you dislike is no longer the lifetime sentence it once was.

The important thing is to find a clinic that has invested in both proper lasers and cooling machines, and in the training for their staff. once that is done, if someone is willing to make a commitment to the process, often really amazing results can be seen. √

Ben Alway is the owner/operator of Second Skin Tattoo Removal located at #6, 10502 107th Avenue, Edmonton Alberta.Call 780.420.6252 or e-mail [email protected]

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T here are a lot of would-be entrepreneurs out there, toiling away at their jobs, thinking “I could do this so much better.”

Though the inspiration of finding a better way is noble, if you are considering leaving your job and setting up shop, you must be cautious as you owe certain duties to your current employer. Conversely, if you are an employer and believe one of your employees is planning their departure to compete, be conscious of these same duties. you may have options if they step off-side.

For simplicity, I will phrase my comments toward an employee considering a new role; employers, these rights and responsibilities apply to your staff.

DUTY OF LOYALTYIn short, an employee cannot divert their efforts for the benefit of another business (their own or a future employer) while still employed by their current employer. Perhaps this should go without saying: “Don’t work for someone else on your employer’s time”, but you might be surprised. This includes the diversion of company sales to your prospective or “side” business, attempting to recruit colleagues to depart with you, and allowing your work to suffer or duties to be neglected while you focus on your future plans. While you generally are not prevented from competing with your employer after your departure, be careful not to start doing so before your final day.

you should also be aware of the terms of any formal employment agreement you may have signed. If non-competition and/or non-

solicitation clauses are included, you may have additional restrictions even after you quit. In this case, I would recommend speaking to a lawyer who can advise you on the effect and enforceability of such terms.

FIDUCIARY DUTYThe duty of loyalty is imposed by common law on all employees but, if you are in an influential position within the business, you may have an even higher responsibility. Employees with managerial control, or who act as the “face” of the company with suppliers, customers or stakeholders are in a uniquely influential position which is recognized by the court. This, of course, requires that you act in the best interest of your employer while employed, but may also prevent you from benefiting from your position after your departure. Soliciting clients of the past employer and use of confidential information in a way that harms the former are common ways this duty is violated.

Indicators that you may have a fiduciary relationship include:

• You have the ability to exercise some discretion or power;

• You can independently exercise your discretion or power in a way that will affect the business’ legal or practical interests; and

• The business is specifically vulnerable to your discretion and/or use of your power.

Canadian courts have recognized a fiduciary relationship even where no managerial control is wielded by the employee such as where he/she is the “face” of the company and influences key

relationships with suppliers or clients. In other words, even if your title or authority doesn’t suggest great influence, if you maintain key relationships on behalf of your employer, you may still owe this higher duty.

Although our courts are slow to impede trade or an employee’s livelihood, there are limits to what will be tolerated. If you are moving on to a new and competing opportunity, be sure you have waited until you have left your current employment before diverting your efforts or accepting pay. Failing to do so can expose you to damages if you cost your employer business or other economic loss. In addition, a breach of your duty of loyalty will almost certainly entitle your employer to terminate you without notice (or pay in lieu of notice) if they become aware of your activities. And, for those of you in management or influential positions, be cautious that you may be restricted in your activities even after your departure. Be cautious of how you use your knowledge and contacts and, if in doubt, seek legal advice.

The investment in a review of your plans prior enacting them may help avoid liability and law suits in the future. With good advice, clearly laid plans and proper execution, there is no reason not to set out on your own. Just be cautious that your plans for the better mousetrap don’t leave you in harms’ way. √

Ben Block is an associate with Hillenbrand Kozicki LLP, and focuses his practice on civil litigation, real estate and business law. Ben was an Edmontonians Sizzler in 2007. Call 780.809.2389 or email [email protected].

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U of A Professor at the OlympicsThe chief physician for the Canadian olympic team at February’s games in Sochi Russia has a day job. Dr. Connie Lebrun is a professor of family medicine at the University of Alberta and a consulting sports medicine physician at the Glen Sather Sports Medicine Clinic.

“People at the Olympics are trying their very best to be their best, and we are as well,” Dr. Lebrun said, adding “Regardless of your role, whether athlete or support staff, nothing beats working in a fast-paced, high-performance environment where everyone is reaching for gold.”

According to the U of A, “Lebrun’s olympic journey began when she played for the Canadian women’s volleyball team at the Montreal Summer games in 1976, and her first foray on the olympic medical team came in 1996 in Atlanta. But she’s been part of the Canadian medical team at numerous international sporting events over the past 25 years, including three Summer olympics in Sydney (2000), Athens (2004) and Beijing (2008), where she was assistant chief medical officer. She was assigned to the women’s snowboarding team at the Winter games in Torino and again in Vancouver.”

In Sochi, dr. lebrun led a team of 10 physicians and 50 heath care practitioners. “A lot of athletes come to the games with overuse injuries, as you’d expect, but there’s also infectious diseases and so on that you don’t always think about. We tried to get everyone vaccinated against the flu so they don’t get h1N1, and we did the same thing with measles.

“Once you’ve been to the Olympics, I guess it’s always a passion,” Dr. Lebrun concluded. √

New Award for U of A PresidentFor engineers, being elected as a foreign associate of the National Academy of

Engineering is one of the highest honours obtainable—now the University of Alberta’s President Indira Samarasekera holds that very honour.

“I am deeply honoured and truly humbled that an esteemed organization such as the National Academy of Engineering would recognize my work with such a rare distinction,” said Dr. Samarasekera, internationally renowned as one of Canada’s leading metallurgical engineers.

“As much as this honour comes with great personal and professional satisfaction, no important endeavour is accomplished in a vacuum. Throughout my career, I have had the fortune to work and learn alongside some remarkable individuals, and that includes some truly great talent at the u of A, without whom this would not have been possible.”

According to the u of A, membership in the elite group recognizes “those who have made outstanding contributions to engineering research, practice or education, and who have pioneered new and developing fields of technology that advance engineering and education.”

dr. Samarasekera’s work on the mechanistic understanding of steel casting processes for improved productivity is what won her an honour that has been awarded to only 29 Canadians since 1964.

her official bio indicates that after earning her master’s in science in 1976, she went on to the University of British Columbia, where in 1980 she completed a Phd in metallurgical engineering and later entered the professoriate. While at uBC, she held the dofasco Chair in Advanced Steel Processing and also served as vice-president of research.

dr. Samarasekera came to the u of A in 2005, becoming the institution’s 12th president and vice-chancellor. √

Tom Ruth takes over at Edmonton Airportson January 20th, Tom Ruth became the new President and Chief Executive officer of Edmonton Airports taking over the reins from Reg Miley who retired on the same day.

In his announcement, Edmonton Airports Chair Tom Redl said, “Tom joins Canada’s fastest growing air service market at a key point in our growth and development. he stood out in a very strong candidate field for his extensive experience in both passenger and cargo markets across North America and for having worked in both airline and airport environments. he has a very strong understanding of the strength of the Edmonton region air service market and the potential that exists here to leverage our economic and passenger assets to develop more flights to more places.”

Ruth was most recently President and CEo of the Halifax International Airport Authority, the largest air transportation complex in Atlantic Canada.

“I am very pleased to be joining Edmonton Airports during this exciting time in both airport and regional economic development,” said Ruth. “Over the last number of years, investment has been rewarded with strong growth in passengers and flights. Now I know we are poised to move to the next level by working closely with stakeholders in this region, and across Canada’s North, to offer a strong competitive case that will deliver even more success in passenger and cargo markets.” √

Norman Leach, president of Norman Leach & Associates, is an Alberta-based business consultant, university lecturer and writer who works with companies and non-profit organizations to expand both their domestic and international markets.

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A re you looking to buy a small business? Perhaps you have seen something you are interested in: right industry, right location—but is it the

right price? In today’s market, everyone is looking for a bargain.

The difficulty in assessing the price of a small business is that there may not be a lot of comparisons available in the market. If you are looking to buy a business where there is a large and active market—like a coffee shop, restaurant or hair salon—the comparisons are readily available. however, when it’s an industry specific business where there is not a lot of public information, it is challenging to know what the market value is.

If you need an opinion on price, be careful and make sure you get the information you are really after. When you value a small business, it is not unusual for a valuation to come in under the asking price. A normal reaction is to assume that the business must be overpriced. While this is sometimes true, it is not automatically the case.

In a perfect market, price and value are the same thing… but we do not operate in a perfect market. As a result, this causes price

to trade at either a premium or a discount to value.

over the past four years in Alberta, price has traded at a premium of up to 15 percent on value for good quality businesses. To test the price of a business, you need to understand both its value and any information on the market price of the business you are looking to buy.

When you ask for a valuation of a pros-pective business, the real question might be: “Should I buy this business?” This is a very different question compared to “What is the value of this business?”

“Should I buy this business?” is about a range of both qualitative and quantitative analysis. It is as much about whether the business suits your lifestyle expectations and core capabilities as it is about the financial performance. If the business has been under-managed with little exposure over the years and needs lots of marketing push, then it will not suit you unless you like the marketing aspect and have the time to dedicate to it.

To assess all of this, you need to understand the business and the business model in operation. you then need to compare the model to your expectations, and also to your

business strengths. None of us is good at everything. you need a business that matches your strengths.

you do not want to pay too much for the business, however you also do not want to miss out on the right business opportunity just because the asking price is a bit more than you expected or more than what someone has told you it is worth. Whether or not you are prepared to pay a premium will depend on how much you want the business and what growth you can see in it.

good quality businesses with good growth prospects will almost always command a premium because of high buyer-interest. understanding the true value of a business is understanding what it is worth now and also what value you can add to it. once you know both these numbers, you should be ready to negotiate on price. √

Jey Arul is president of VR Business Sales in Edmonton, AB. He started the mergers and acquisitions company in 2007 after leaving his position as a senior commercial banker for a Canadian Bank. Jey holds a BA in Psychology and an Executive MBA. Visit www.vralta.com

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S tatistics indicate 85 percent of Canadians will suffer from back pain at some point in their lives. But getting satisfactory care in a timely manner is

causing a major crisis in health care delivery.According to rehabilitation specialist Dr.

Linda Woodhouse, “If we take 85 percent of Canadians, and they all feel they need diagnostic imaging—MRIs—and to see a specialist, that creates a long queue and a long wait list. And so the challenge is: how do we get people to the right health care provider very quickly?”

here’s just how frustratingly long those queues are for people suffering from excru-ciating back pain.

Says Dr.Woodhouse, “Currently in Alberta, you see on the average about three providers about six months apart. So six months wait in each of those queues. you might get to see a specialist at two years who then says, ‘Well, you’re really not a surgical candidate.’ So you’re back to the beginning again. Except the primary care physician says, ‘Well you’ve waited all this time, now you have chronic back pain.’ What

do I have to offer you if you’re not a surgical candidate?”

To make matters even worse, it turns out only 10 percent of people with back pain actually need serious treatment like surgery.

Dr. Woodhouse explains, “We’re really trying to focus on where the gaps are in service delivery… how can we get you in quickly to do a comprehensive assessment and help you to determine if you are in the 90 percent who don’t need anything else, that you can be managed conservatively and educated to self-manage your back pain? Or are you in that 10 percent who really need to go on for further interventions and possibly surgery?“

When everyone is in pain, how do you tell the difference between the two extremes, and how do you stream people quickly toward appropriate treatment?

That’s the underlying question to a new research project called SpineAccess Alberta.

Alberta Innovates Health Solutions and Alberta Health Services have earmarked $750,000 over three years to support this project which brings together a multi-disciplinary team to evaluate an innovative triage strategy to fast track patients toward appropriate treatment of spinal injuries.

dr. Woodhouse takes the lead on this project.

She is currently an associate professor in the Faculty of Rehabilitation Medicine at the University of Alberta, and is scientific director for the Bone and Joint Health Strategic Clinical Network, along with a number of other appointments.

She points out,“It’s actually pretty easy when you’re looking at backs and individuals with back pain to sort out which individuals are the 10 percent and which are the 90 percent. So we

have a team from across all of Alberta that’s comprised of rheumatologists, people in rehabilitation medicine, chiropractors, physio-therapists, orthopedic surgeons. We are all working together to say: ‘how do we create a model so that we call Green Flags? That’s individuals who should go down the path this way. yellow Flags, something to be cautious about. And Red Flags, oops, this one really needs to go quickly to see a specialist.’ And that’s how we’re identifying and educating individuals to

get them to the right provider to get treatment.”The team will set up clinics in Edmonton

and Calgary where patients will receive a comprehensive evaluation of their back injuries. Each will partner with an outlying city. “We’re using telehealth strategies to make sure, if we cannot reproduce the entire team there in a rural and remote area, we would create a linkage

SpineAccessAlbertA

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between a clinician who has been trained to do the same type of evaluation and has the backup of this whole support team to deliver care locally for individuals there.”

The funding through PRIhS, Partnership for Research and Innovation in the health System, supports evaluation of the SpineAccess Alberta triage approach. Some of the things dr. Woodhouse will look at include changes in wait times, economic savings, volume of patients, and quality of care.

“We have a framework which is six dimensions of quality. do patients get in faster? Do they get to the right provider and how long does that actually take? Are their outcomes better? We have certain measures about how people physically can move as well as how much pain they have, quality of life and how much the new system costs. So it’s a comprehensive evaluation that is not just the individual’s self-report but whether they can actually function better. Is their back pain any less? Is it any less sooner than under the old system?”

AIhS and AhS also announced PRIhS funding for nine other projects. These focus on improving care and reducing wait times for a range of medical pressure points, including reducing length of hospital stays for severely obese patients, improving outcomes for seniors after surgery, and reducing the strain on intensive care units. √

Can you imagine Alberta with prairie extending all the way north into Wood Buffalo National Park?

That’s one of the worst-case

scenarios described by ecologist Dr. Rick Schneider in his recent report on climate change.

Titled Alberta’s Natural Sub-Regions Under a Changing Climate: Past, Present and Future, it was issued by the Alberta Biodiversity Monitoring Institute as part of a series on adaptation for the Climate Change and Emissions Management Corporation—CCEMC.

According to dr. Schneider, average temperature changes of just two to six degrees will shift southern ecosystems north.

“There’s a tipping point somewhere around three degrees warming where we would expect a transition from forest to grassland. Now it is not that it’s going to happen all at once, but once you get a climate that doesn’t have enough moisture there anymore to support a forest, you’ll see a transition. First you lose the white spruce. It’s unable to regenerate without enough moisture there. So aspen will hang in and we’ll see a transition from what we have is a mixed wood forest there today to a more uniform aspen forest throughout the north. Then if the warming progresses, especially under the worst-case scenarios, even the aspen will begin to drop out and there will be an expansion of grasslands.”

he says when it comes to predicting the impact of climate change on the landscape and biodiversity, we can learn a lot from the past. In the report, he compares anticipated eco-region changes to those of the hypsothermal period 6,000 years ago. That’s when temperatures peaked after the last ice age.

“It was a period when North America was about two to three degrees warmer than it is today. We have data in the form of pollen that dropped into lake sediments, and today that pollen record can be read, giving us an indication of what grew in every location where the studies have taken place basically back to the time of glaciation. What we found was that, with the two- to three-degree warming of that

hypsothermal period, most of our ecosystems shifted north by about one sub-region. In other words, the grasslands moved into what is now the parkland, the area around Edmonton. The parkland that is around here then shifted into the boreal forest and so on. In the mountain regions, everything moved uphill.”

dr. Schneider believes looking at what happened in the past helps validate today’s climate models and what is projected to happen over the next few decades as a result of climate change. It also helps forecast the range between least case and worst case scenarios.

To get a sense of what that means, the difference in average temperature between Fort

McMurray and Calgary is about three degrees. dr. Schneider points out

that all the climate models suggest Alberta’s climate will warm by at least two degrees. “So even though it doesn’t seem like very much, or that it would matter very much, it’s a huge difference in terms of what will grow and what we can expect as far as ecosystems of the future. That’s under the least-case scenario. But, if you average all the models, it’s somewhere closer to four degrees. And some of the worst-case scenarios suggest, if we’re really unable to contain our emissions, and the change really goes to the worst case, we’re

looking at over six degrees of warming. This would put a grassland like a Medicine hat kind of climate, up in the north part of Wood Buffalo Park.”

dr. Schneider’s report is the first of several which will help government and industry facilitate adaptation to climate change. It is available online at www.biodiversityandclimate.abmi.ca √

Cheryl Croucher hosts Innovation Anthology which is broadcast on CKuA Radio at 7:58 am and 4:40 pm Tuesdays and Thursdays. Download the podcasts at www.innovationanthology.com and follow Cheryl on Twitter @CherylCroucher. Listen as well on CKuA Radio for Aboriginal Pathways.



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