GIVING DIRECTION Eva Dodsworth has written a new book entitled “Getting Started with GIS: a LITA Guide” that describes the technology behind Geographic information System mapping applications.

Maps are everywhere. People use them on a daily basis whether it is to see where traffic has stopped on major highways or using Google Earth to visit some far off country in the comfort of their own home. What most people don’t know is that they are using Geographic Information System (GIS) technology, a mapping tool. GIS is taking textual information and displaying it in a visual format. Eva Dodsworth, the geospatial data services librarian at the University of Waterloo has written a new book entitled “Getting Started with GIS: a LITA Guide” that describes the technology behind mapping applications such as the Region of Waterloo Locator, and Google Maps, Google Earth, and many others.

“Twenty-five years ago you could have a mapping software program on your computer and it would have been a hardcore GIS program that only computer programmers were capable of using,” explained the St. Clements woman. “The problem is people assume that still to be the case today, believing GIS is about complex maps and analysis but it has changed and people are using Google Earth and Google Maps and are inputting their own local knowledge onto public map databases without realizing they are using GIS.”

Dodsworth’s book provides the basics of what GIS is and is comprised of hands-on guides providing readers with the tools of how to learn and map online to the point where you can get your own application and put it online and use GIS for analysis.

“We are using maps in every single thing we do; children, students and adults are using it, and the book is filled with examples of how society is using it in great numbers. There are 600 million users on Google Earth – there are fewer Facebook users.”

The book was written for library use, public, academic and special-interest. Many public libraries have fun events like geocaching that allow the public to get familiar with their community, but they’re also using geographic technologies like GPS units that tie into GIS, said Dodsworth.

She began teaching a few courses at library schools and wanted to get all librarians familiar with GIS. There was no textbook available so she wrote her own and began to train other librarians at the University of Waterloo.
“I tried to teach the concept that GIS is not difficult; we are already using it with out us even knowing we are using it.”

Dodsworth said people are becoming more interested in geography and learning about places. They’re now using geography for the basis of searching on Google.

“It is very interesting: we can use Google Earth and zoom into an area and add a little pushpin and link in a resource either from the library or your own images or videos of that place,” said Dodsworth. “With maps, you have the aspect of finding information that you can’t see in a text format – it allows you to see information visually.”

There are numerous business programs that run using GIS technology, including Simply Map, a database that shows census information, which is easier to analyze if there is a visual component. It shows where employment is and the distribution of income.

“It is great for anyone interested in creating a new retail location and they are interested in finding all the retail locations of a certain area, not by going through the Yellow Pages, which would take too long, but to visualize where they are by looking at a map and seeing where all the retail locations are, including any competition.”

Using a mapping system gives the user a sense of scale to an area or neighbourhoods, how many people live there and the demographic distribution of the neighbourhoods. It can give someone who may be thinking of starting a new retail venture information about their business and how successful it will or will not be.

“People feel that you need to be specialized to do GIS and it does help to have some skills or experience but my feeling is with all these online tools, these are resources for community users. GIS can be found everywhere, including social technology with maps and GIS interwoven into most social media.”

The official book launch is open to the public will be held at the University of Waterloo on Feb. 16 at 2 p.m. in the Laurel Room, South Campus Hall. RSVP to ckieswet@uwaterloo.ca by Feb. 10 if you’re interested in attending

“This is something we have never had and sort of lacked over the years. We have always just gone about our business without the proper guides, so instead of doing that this year we are going to look forward to this new year and try to do things in a more progressive way,” said McBay.

A RENEWED FOCUS Jennifer Patterson is the new chair of the Elmira BIA, replacing Krista McBay of Elmira Home Hardware. She is looking forward to working with a new executive board to improve the downtown core.

With the OBIAA, the plan is to have Matthews come into Elmira to tour the town then sit down with the municipal officials and the board to discuss what the successful BIAs do in Ontario to generate traffic and breathe new life into the downtown.

“We are really hoping for some positive feedback from her,” said Patterson. “She is going to provide the members with a BIA 101, show examples of successful initiatives and answer questions from our members about how the BIA should operate, what their responsibilities are and how people can get more involved.”

The BIA is holding an open information session for all its members when Matthews comes to town on Feb. 6 to discuss how to create a general awareness of the BIA, and what they do and can do.

“Our hope is to get more members of the BIA involved in the downtown and helping out at more BIA events like the sidewalk sale. We are planning to implement some new events this year and are currently working on them,” said Patterson.

The BIA is continuing to work on their marketing program and its Life is Sweeter Campaign now that they have a fresh new executive board.

“We have new businesses that have come to town who are stepping up and helping out we seem to have more energy going forward,” said McBay. “Hopefully this will help with the marketing programs that were started to become complete.”

The BIA will also be meeting with the township regarding signage. Woolwich is undertaking a review of its own sign bylaw, with the organization eager to provide input given that recent changes to the Region of Waterloo’s bylaw have eliminated opportunities for using signs on the approaches to Elmira, particularly Arthur Street South.

“We are looking for a way to get our signs back up because it really benefitted more than just the businesses: it benefitted the non-profit organizations … basically everyone. There was a huge cry when the region told us to take down our signs. We are just trying to get the word out to people and let them know what is going on and when you take one more thing away it just makes that job that much more difficult,” said McBay.

The Elmira organization is currently in talks about adding a part-time administrative assistant through the township to help out with new initiatives and administration, a move the BIA hopes will foster communication among members.

“We are still working on the details for a part-time position for the BIA at the township. We have a job description that we have for the township to look over,” said McBay. “The person is already in place at the township it is just a matter of deciding how much of their day will be spent dealing with BIA issues.”

The new board members are Mayor Todd Cowan (beautification committee), Derek Patterson (marketing and communication), Jennifer Patterson (chair), Krista McBay (past chair), Freda Walker (secretary) and Keith Shelter (finance).

For McBay, the changes are a chance to step back at least a little bit from the organization to concentrate on her own work.

“I am taking a backseat role. I am there to help (Patterson) when ever she needs it. I am just so busy with my own business and I have to really focus on that. I have been on the BIA for seven years, so it is time for me to take a rest,” said McBay.

The BIA has set up a new email address for members and volunteers to used to contact the the downtown business organization: elmirabia@gmail.com.

“She started talking about selling her tax services business after realizing that her duties to her other companies were taking a back seat during the busy two-month tax season,” said Shelly.
The Taylors saw the business as an opportunity to be able to be connected to the community a little better.

“It is what we like to do, as crazy as it might be during the tax season of March and April. Helping people with their businesses is what I do. I have helped businesses all across Canada with help and advise on taxes and we want to help some local businesses,” said Scott.

IT'S THAT TIME OF THE YEAR With Taylor Tax Services now up and running in Elmira, Shelly and Scott Taylor are preparing for the busy tax season. The company does tax preparation for personal and business clients, as well as bookkeeping services.

The Taylors also purchased the Witmer’s business phone number as not to confuse former clients with a new phone number. They have relocated the business to 28 Pintail Dr. in Elmira where there is a locked mailbox outside for clients to drop off forms.

“Denise does not want to do taxes any more, and she did not want to get those calls: she made the phone number part of the purchase offer,” said Shelly. “It makes the transition easier for the clients with the phone number being the same.”

The business currently does income tax and tax return filing and also helps out some clients with their bookkeeping on a monthly and quarterly basis, filing of HST returns, payroll remittances and the like.
“We know that everyone has different concerns when it comes to their taxes. If you are an employee and you just got your T4 and your other various forms from the bank or charitable donations you may be interested in contributing to a RSPs and we can help them with their calculations,” said Scott.

If their clients have a small business, the Taylors make sure the income statement for the year is organized and complete – they know everything that should be included in terms of reasonable and allowable expenses on the form before it is sent off to the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA).

The Taylors are expecting to be able to complete a tax return within 48 to 72 hours, depending on the amount of information provided by their clients.

Anyone wishing to bring their income tax forms to the Taylors can start to bring them now, said Scott, but Revenue Canada is not processing tax returns until Feb. 13 so anything that is sent in before that date just sits there.
“We have found that we do not want to start processing anything until the first week of March because a lot of people think they have everything but sometimes they are missing the odd piece of information and we have then find their return and add the new information to it,” said Shelly. “Don’t jump the gun, just wait.”

The Taylors will be electronically filing every tax return for their clients and they make sure every client is set up with direct deposit through CRA. If a client files a tax return with a refund they should be expecting a return within two to three weeks said Scott.

“My personal pet peeve when it comes to income taxes are places that will do refunds on the spot. They take so much money from people it is not funny,” said Scott. “You don’t need to be paying guys like these the 10 per cent to get your refund back. When you figure out that interest rate, it is huge. Nobody should be doing that anymore: it is a rip off.”

Currently the business is open after 5 p.m. on weekdays. The Taylors believe that most people are working during the day and it is hard to go see an accountant between 9 and 5; they plan to be open when most people will have the time to drop by their office.

In this digital age, the Taylors know they will be able to get back to clients in a timely manner using the phone, fax or email.

“Eventually our clientele will know we are not here in the daytime but we can return calls at lunch and after 5 p.m. and that is how our business will operate,” said Shelly. A home-based business, the operation has all the professional touches in place.

“We have the proper security systems in place and every client we have can be assured of privacy and everything is confidential,” said Scott. “All the forms will be safe and secure and backed up exactly as it should be.”

For organizers and carshare hopefuls, the situation has become somewhat of a chicken or the egg scenario: people are hesitant to sign up until they can be sure that the program will proceed, yet the program cannot proceed until enough people have signed up.

A SHARED FUTURE The parking spot at Elmira Mennonite Church designated for the Grand River CarShare may be empty now, but Pastor Steven Janzen (left), green team members Larry Martin, Sara Wyngaarden, Arlene Wyngaarden, Rob Brooks, and GRCS president Jason Hammond hope to have a vehicle in it soon.

“We hope to start with three cars; we certainly won’t start with one. It’ll be at least two cars,” said GRCS president Jason Hammond.
“We need a network,” he added, meaning the group wants at least two vehicles available from the beginning  to ensure enough people get a vehicle when they need one.
The last thing they want is to have people backing out of their commitment because there weren’t enough cars to meet demand.
The township has backed the carshare program by giving them a $30,000 line of credit last fall following the announcement that the Grand River Transit route 21 would become permanent.

That money, paid back with interest of two per cent, will provide the necessary working capital and help keep costs down. Parking locations have also been arranged at the UPI service centre on Church Street East and the Foodland store in the south end.

Typically, GRCS buys off-lease cars that are about two years old, and vehicles are chosen base on what’s most suitable for the location. GRCS currently has more than 500 members who have access to a fleet of 17 vehicles in Kitchener, Waterloo, Cambridge and Hamilton.

Grand River CarShare and Hamilton CarShare is a single non-profit co-operative that provides its members access to vehicles on a self-serve, pay-per-use basis. The co-operative was founded in 1998 and operated first in Kitchener-Waterloo, adding service to Cambridge in 2007, and Hamilton in 2009.
The mission of the GRCS is to deliver a carsharing service and to promote carsharing as an important component of a sustainable transportation system within the Region of Waterloo and the City of Hamilton.

The co-op seeks to reduce overall transportation costs, traffic congestion and air pollution, thus improving our communities.
For as little as $10 drivers can place a deposit on their membership to join, which would help the GRCS gain a clearer understanding of just how many people are interested in the service.

Once the program is up and running the application fee ranges from $30 to $99, and are fully refundable. A complete breakdown of prices is available online.
Despite being a nearly 30 people short of their goal, Hammond said once they do reach 50 they can be operating in Elmira with very short notice.
“As soon as we have enough people, that’s when we launch. If 35 more people sign up tomorrow, we would launch next week.”

For the parishioners of Elmira Mennonite Church, assisting the GRCS become viable in Elmira and the township is an important part of their new “green” mandate.
The church formed a green team in the summer of 2009 to help create awareness about the impact that their parish and their congregation has on the environment.
Since then the group has grown to include six members, and they have undertaken some pretty big tasks.

“There is a wonderful sense of frugality at the church, through the thrift shop that is across the street from us, and through our recycling,” said pastor Steven Janzen.
To that end, the team has installed low-flow toilets and energy-saving CFL light bulbs at the church, they had an assessment done by REEP Green Solutions to locate any drafts in the building, new double-paned windows have been installed, they’re in the process of mounting solar panels on the roof, and they’re even working on establishing a community garden on one of their vacant lots this summer.

“It’s an investment,” Janzen noted of the improvements. “We’ve talked about the produce that we could gather from the garden and we could have a wonderful potluck that we can call the 50-foot meal, instead of the 100-mile diet.

“These aren’t saving us huge money, but they’re promoting ways of being green and meeting the challenge of helping our environment.”
He likened that mentality to the expansion of the carshare program in Woolwich. Instead of everyone relying on their own car sitting in the driveway, if residents instead took into consideration the environmental benefits of sharing a car, we’d likely end up further ahead.

Janzen also recognizes the inherent challenge in trying to get people to share their transportation.
“That takes coordination and communication, and there is also a sense of respect for taking care of a commonly shared vehicle that other people will drive,” he said.
For more information on the GRCS, visit their website www.grandrivercarshare.ca or call (519) 578-1895.

Forte, who has spent the past 14 years as a registered massage therapist, has decided to expand her business to include nutrition and health coaching and some personal training as well.

“I’ve been in fitness and health all my life. That’s where my passion lies,” said Forte while sitting in her home office at 2180 Hunsberger Rd.

CHOICES Stephanie Forte is expanding her massage therapy business to include health and nutrition coaching as well as personal training in 2012. Her aim is to help clients eat healthier foods and lead a more healthful lifestyle.

“What I want to do is help the general public learn to eat again, and dispel some of the myths that are out there about what is good, what’s not, what you should eat, and what you shouldn’t.”

Forte said her passion for health started during her teenage years when she was 30 pounds overweight. Her struggle with trying to achieve a healthy lifestyle is what inspired her to want to do the same for others.

She studied physical education and biology, and after a brief stint as a teacher, decided to switch to massage therapy. She also has experience as a doula, providing support for women in labour, and said making the move to becoming a nutrition and health coach was a natural progression for her.

She said her aim is to make life simpler for people, and said she sometimes takes for granted the fact that not everyone has the same nutrition training as she does and have trouble making the right choice when it comes to eating healthier.

“I’ll teach people to read labels, and I’ll offer a service where I’ll go shopping with people. We’ll go through the aisles and learn to read the labels and learn to make better choices, because there is a lot of confusion,” she said, adding she will also go to a client’s home and help them look through their cupboards and fridge to spot the not-so-healthy choices.

“I’m not going to throw it out like they do on TV,” she laughed. “I just want to help people understand what it is they’re eating.”

Forte will also give instruction on portion sizes, and help convince her clients that making dinner at home and eating healthy doesn’t take a lot of time or money. She is not trained as a dietitian, she said, but instead all of her knowledge is self-taught by studying materials on the subject and through her educational background.

There are a few simple tricks that Forte uses to help clients achieve their weight goals or their healthy lifestyle changes.

One of the first things she says to do is go grocery shopping with a list of items that you need, rather than shopping without one, because that is when you’re more likely to forget a staple ingredient and succumb to impulse buys.

Her second tip is that you should never grocery shop hungry; otherwise you’re more likely to splurge on snack items that you don’t really need and that are not as healthy for you.

She also said that there is simple cooking and baking tricks that can help cut down on fat or sugar in your recipes. One is to replace at least a portion of the butter required for baking with either apple sauce or prunes. Another is to use make small changes that will go virtually unnoticed, such as using whole wheat pasta instead of white.

Forte also stressed making cooking a family affair where everyone can get involved, that way cooking will be viewed as less of a chore and more of an activity to do together.

“And start your child early on real food,” instead of food bought in jars, said Forte, who has a three-year-old son of her own.

“I take a sweet potato, put it in the microwave until it’s soft, mash it up and I’m done. It’s easy, and cheaper.”

Forte is a big proponent of what she also calls the six pillars of health, which are sleep, thoughts, breathing, drink, eating, and movement. She stresses to her clients that they need to get adequate sleep at night, drink enough water, eat the right food, and stay in motion. She purposely avoids the word “exercise” though, as it can have negative connotations for some people, which could then discourage them from doing any activity at all.

“The key is to find something that you enjoy; whether that’s swimming or running or playing sports, go back to thinking like you’re a kid again.”

With a new year upon us, Forte also recognizes the urge by most to make a New Years resolution to lose weight or start exercising more.

While those are good goals, she suggests to her clients not to get too far ahead of themselves and to just view every day as a new day and a new opportunity to make lifestyle changes.

“I don’t like the word ‘diet’,” she said. “Even setting a goal of fitting into a certain dress or losing a specific amount of weight sets you up for failure, because once that’s achieved you’re more likely to go back to your old habits.”

Instead, be mindful of what you’re putting into your body every day, she said, because food is fuel and the better fuel you use, the better you’ll perform.

Forte also makes the case for the rare indulgence from time to time, and lives by the 80-20 rule, where 80 per cent of what she eats is healthy and high-quality food, while the other 20 per cent she labels as indulgences.

“Give yourself a break every once and a while,” she said with a smile. “If you don’t see treats or goodies as forbidden during the rest of the year, you’ll be less likely to overindulge at Christmas or during any other holiday or get together.”

For more information on You Are What You Eat, call Stephanie Forte at 519-569-1616.

There are at least five wind turbines in the region, including two models just north of Waterloo, a turbine at the YMCA Outdoor Education centre near Paradise Lake and at a couple of farms located in Baden and Milverton. These structures with three rotating blades are churning out electrical   power for their owners. Even though the region is not known for particularly high winds attractive to wind developers, there are exceptions in treeless areas west of Woolwich.

All wind turbines operate on the same principle: when the wind blows it pushes a rotating blade which turns a shaft creating a rotating magnetic field, generating electricity. The power and energy created increases as wind speeds amplify and the most lucrative wind turbines are located in the windiest areas.
Wind speed is affected by the topography and increases with height above the ground, so wind turbines are usually mounted on tall towers.

FUTURE POWER Shane Mulligan, project manager at L.I.F.E. Co-op in Kitchener, sees wind turbines as a beneficial way to generate electricity.

“Wind is a very efficient way to capturing energy and transferring it into electricity and this can pay off financially,” said Shane Mulligan project manager for Local Initiative for Future Energy (L.I.F.E.) Co-op based in Kitchener.
The turbines have other advantages as well, he added, including environmental, economic and community benefits that go well beyond the financial returns.

“When we look at investments in wind power, we are looking at people who are interested in more than just financials and are committed to the environmental values of the long-term energy security opportunity. When it comes to community wind power [is] a community building project,” he said.

The co-op is currently working on a community project to allow local investors to co-own a wind turbine with an aim of building a two megawatt wind tower at a St. Agatha site for connection to the provincial electrical grid and take advantage of the Ontario Power Authority’s Feed-In Tariff (FIT) program rates and the economic potential of wind power.

The FIT program pays for electricity generated by renewable sources. Electricity generated from a wind turbine to the grid creates a credit towards the owner’s energy costs.

“There is a lot more in it than just the money,” said Mulligan. “It is a community building project which reflects the European experience where a community has gotten together around the project and it has enhanced their collective sense because they are participating together. This is what the L.I.F.E. co-op is working towards here in the area. We are trying to build a community in the pursuit of this endeavour.”

Local farmers looking to have extra heat or a backup electricity supply have a prime opportunity for healthy-sized wind projects. In some areas, farmers can sell their backup power to the local hydro distribution company.

In Woolwich Township, however, farmers are only allowed to erect farm-scale wind turbines that must be an accessory to the farming operation, meaning the power generated must be used as part of the farm and cannot be sold on a commercial basis.

“Right now residents that would like to erect wind turbines would run into problems with existing zoning bylaws. Although there are no laws that prohibit the turbines there are height restrictions,” said Dan Kennaley, the township’s director of engineering and planning services.

Currently the municipality is going through an Official Plan review exercise that includes dealing with changes to provincial policies that have occurred since the last update; one of the major changes to has been to renewable energy options.

“The province is certainly encouraging us to allow for renewable energy but at this point in the review we have not really grappled with issue of renewable energy,” said Kennaley. “We are aware of the controversy that surrounds wind turbines and we will be proceeding carefully on our new policy concerning them.”

Opponents of the turbines claim there are many health concerns that surround the technology, with complaints ranging from the low frequency noise, infrasound, stress, sleep disturbance and both physiological and mental health issues.

A recent report conducted by noise, vibration and acoustics experts commissioned by the province, however, says the sound wind turbines create pose no direct health risks. The study looked at more than 100 reports from Ontario, Alberta and countries around the world.

The report found that the province’s rules to control wind turbine sound are rigorous, the Ministry of the Environment said this week in releasing the report. The minimum setback is currently 550 metres from any residence, school or church with a sound limit of 40 decibels.

Those limits conform to World Health Organization standards.

“Our priority is to develop renewable energy in a way that protects Ontarians. This report finds that we are on the right track by taking a cautious approach when setting standards for wind turbine setbacks and sound limits,” Environment Minister Jim Bradley is quoted on the ministry website.

The Ontario government has pledged to phase out coal-fired electricity by 2014 with hopes to increase wind, solar and biomass production.

Well, Michael Stevens has the utmost respect for all the trivia masters out there, but he may have developed a secret weapon to finally stump even the most experienced quiz master.
The Elmira resident is the editor-in-chief of the newly-launched magazine Get Your Facts Straight, and he is so confident in his product that he has called it “the magazine that makes you smarter.”
“For the longest time I’ve been amazed by people who knew something about everything,” said Stevens, sitting on the couch in his Carriage Hill Trail home that also doubles as his office.

MAKE YOURSELF SMARTER Elmira resident Michael Stevens is the editor-in-chief of a new trivia magazine called Get Your Facts Straight.

“It always amazed me that they knew so much information, and I know that they got it because they read a lot.”

Yet in this technological world where the lifespan of a news story can be measured by the second, Stevens also realized that many of us don’t have the time or energy to read endless stacks of books.

That’s why he decided to release his own magazine, a way of “cheating and finding out a lot of information without reading books and books and books,” he said.

Of course, the irony is that he has been doing a lot more reading since he came up with his idea nearly two years ago.

“I guess I’m sacrificing for everyone else,” he laughed.

It all started back in 2008 when he graduated from the University of Waterloo with a degree in speech therapy. Since then he has worked at a sales job in Guelph, but always had the idea for a trivia magazine in the back of his mind.

Finally, after sitting on the idea for some time, he employed the help of his wife Elaine and some friends with design experience, Julia and Kaitlin Kubassek and Janette Drost, and he set out to turn his idea into a reality.

He has gotten a business license from the government of Ontario, and is waiting on the pending trademark of the magazine’s name.

Working nights and weekends, Stevens scoured the internet searching for the most interesting facts he could find.

The information isn’t just skimmed off of Wikipedia, though; he checked and triple-checked every fact in the magazine against reputable sources such as Encyclopedia Britannica.
“Obviously I can’t come out with something that is claiming to be factual and have all these holes or incorrect information,” he said.

The magazine contains information ranging from the origins of the barrier reef to the history of Snakes and Ladders.

Yet in the digital age, why should someone pay for his magazine instead of simply logging onto the computer and finding the information online?

Stevens said he has received a lot of feedback from people who like the product because it isn’t online. He notes since we spend most of our day looking at a computer screen, the last thing we want to do when we get home is look at it some more, all the while trying to find information that is reliably accurate.

“This is in no way a competition to the internet, it’s complementary. You can take this on the recliner, on the bus, on the airplane, even on the toilet,” he smiled.

The first issue includes more than 50 pages of high-definition and full-colour photos purchased from an online stock agency, and the entire package is printed in a glossy magazine format.

There are also no advertisements within the magazine, and he said the full colour and visual appeal of the product is critical in the beginning – and that includes zero ads.
“You’ve got a couple seconds for them to glance at it and if it looks interesting they’ll pick it up and read it, and if it’s not they’ll put it back down,” he said.

“I definitely put a big focus on high quality, high definition photos throughout the magazine to keep it interesting.”

Of course, it’s no secret that most publications make their money by selling ads to companies, leaving a big question mark on how he plans to monetize the product moving forward.

He has already distributed about 250 issues to offices and businesses around town, but hopes to pitch his brand to the school board as a piece of educational material that can be used to increase student interest in reading.

“If that’s the case, I would probably stay away from ads. I don’t think the education industry would want a magazine cluttered with ads for their students.”

Yet if his magazine does get picked up by larger distributors such as Chapters, he may go the advertising route to generate more income. He isn’t sure how that will work, but has toyed with the idea of sponsorship.

On a page containing trivia on a certain country, the space could be sponsored by a travel agent, for example.

He is already hard at work on his second issue, which he hopes to release in February, and is still unsure of how frequently it will be published. He is wary of setting a firm schedule given the uncertainty of the market right now.

And while many of the facts are just random right now, he is aiming to establish a pattern to that randomness, such as always having trivia on a destination such as Venice, an important monument such as the Eiffel Tower, and key events that occurred in a given year.
“My idea was to come up with something out of the ordinary and outside the box, something inventive and creative that is different than what all other magazines traditionally are. There is a huge risk with that, it could flop on its face but it could be so new and creative that people pick up on.”

Get Your Facts Straight sells for $7.50 an issue and to order a copy call (519) 669-9643, email michael@getyourfactsstraight.ca, or visit them online at www.getyourfactsstraight.ca.

Canada’s policy on supply management in the dairy and poultry industries is seen as a stumbling block to entering the TPP. The Conservative government has said that though they are willing to negotiate with the TPP they will defend the supply management system, just as other free trade agreements signed by Canada were created without canceling the program.

IF IT AIN'T BROKE ... Local dairy producer Ralph Martin of Ontowa Farms stands behind the Canadian supply management system.

The trade talks have the controversial supply management system in the spotlight, pitting the farmers who benefit against other farmers – see the Canadian Wheat Board issues – and consumers, who pay higher prices for products such as milk, cheese and chicken.

According to Neil Currie general manager at the Ontario Federation of Agriculture, supply management is a quota system built to protect farmers from fluctuating changes in prices for their poultry and dairy products. It also places up to 300-per-cent tariffs on imported poultry and diary products (depending on the product) while completely keeping out foreign producers.

The Canadian government realized in the late 1960s that without production regulation, the Canadian market would have a surplus of agricultural products, which would, in turn, trigger a sharp decline in producer prices. That led to the creation of supply management.
The system controls domestic production and imports for five specific commodities – eggs, milk, chicken, turkey and broiler-hatching eggs – with supports saying it benefits customers, processors, governments and taxpayers while giving a voice to farmers in the marketplace, said Currie.

“There are three elements to supply management. One is production discipline or the ability to only produce what the marketplace domestically is looking for. The second is the ability to price the product based on a cost of production formula, and in exchange for those first two the government has tariffs that are set high, for eggs it is at 163 per cent,” said Harry Pelissero, general manager at Egg Farmers of Ontario.

With supply management, consumers get good value for their money and a reliable supply of quality food at reasonable prices. Farmers work together to adjust what they grow and make with what customers need and want and they receive their returns from the marketplace, he argued.

“Supply management is a good thing for both farmers and consumers,” said Pelissero.

“Comparing the systems in Canada versus the United States we see that Canada has a system that is transparent in the sense that we know what it costs to produce a litre of milk or a dozen eggs whereas in the States they have support payments through taxpayer’s subsidization. So it may appear to be cheaper at the supermarket in the U.S. but in fact consumers are paying twice, once at the check out and once through their tax dollars.”

Canadian farmers receive no government subsidies or taxpayer dollars.

Pelissero said groups like the Canadian Restaurant and Foodservice Association would have consumers believe that the price they pay for eggs or milk in grocery stores will drop only if supply management boards are dismantled.

“They are complaining that if they could get the products cheaper it would translate into lower costs for consumers but we lowered the price of eggs three or four years ago and saw no drop at the grocery store and just recently we raised the price of eggs by a nickel based on the cost of production and most of the retail outlets took a dime, so it is bit of a farce.”

Supply management brings stability to the Canadian market, supporters maintain. Before the system was applied and the price of eggs or milk increased, farmers simply increased supplies but when prices dropped, some farmers lost money and even went bankrupt and then less supply drove the prices up again and the cycle would repeat itself.

The management system was established in the 1970s with dairy being one of the first commodities to operate a national supply management system, it is managed by the Canadian Dairy Commission.

Local dairy farmer Ralph Martin, owner of Ontowa Farms located east of Elmira, says he fully stands behind the supply management system.

“I know we have to live within the regulations but it works very well for farmers as it helps us to forward plan because we know the numbers we have to work with and that is not the case in many jurisdictions,” he said, adding there are issues to work out and supply management has changed a lot since it was established and it should continue to change to meet the demands.

Martin says there is a lot of history behind the supply management system and before the system farmers would have individual quotas with their local dairies and the closer you were to the larger centers or cities the richer the farmers were because they had the fluid contracts.

“Farmers from Waterloo or Oxford County heading east to Toronto where the privileged farmers and the outlining areas did not have lucrative contracts,” said Martin. “Then when the milk act established the milk marketing board all the milk went through a central desk and then out to the dairies; the individual quotas or contracts were now gone because everyone fell under the one organization and it brought equity to the whole industry.”

With supply management, farmers don’t want to supply a lot because they don’t want to be dumping products in Canada or onto other countries’ markets at below costs of production as it doesn’t do them any good and it doesn’t do the industry any good, said Martin.

“Costs may be a little high but if people want to be hard on that they should turn their fingers back on themselves and look to see how they are contributing to the costs, we live in Canada and we look after each other here and that is why we have a good standard of living.

If supply management were dismantled the little town would be out of business and those who shop across the border are just shooting themselves in the foot.”

But when it comes to business, those rules can get a little murky; what are the rules of business? Are there even any? In this day and age of seemingly corrupt banks, failing economies and insincere politicians, the question is becoming more important by the day.

For the past 28 years, the Canadian Christian Business Federation has sought to reconcile business practices with religious belief, and on Jan. 20 the group will hold its first breakfast meeting in Elmira.

The CCBF is a forum for business owners to get together and network with each other, while simultaneously discussing their concerns and problems with the interaction of faith and their work.

The group holds monthly breakfast meetings across the country and is an opportunity for business leaders and professionals to talk about workplace issues and how they are impacted by biblically-based leadership principles. Everyone is welcome, from CEOs and chiropractors to those representing non-profits and educational institutions.

Groups follow a five-year ‘curriculum’ based on the NIV Leadership Study Bible, which challenges participants to apply biblical principles to their roles within their businesses or professions.

WORDS INTO ACTION CCBF executive director Keith Knight will lead the discussion Jan. 20 in Elmira at their inaugural breakfast meeting aimed at bringing together Christian business owners in the area.

“The whole notion really is that if you’re a Christian person worshipping on Sunday, it’s important to practice what you preach,” said executive director Keith Knight, who will be facilitating the talk at The Crossroads restaurant in Elmira.

“It’s important throughout your work week to live out those principles and to apply what you learn in terms of honesty and integrity.”

Christianity is not a Sunday ritual, said Knight, adding that it’s a lifestyle that permeates all that we do throughout the week.

“When a Christian is engaged in business, he or she is engaged in ministry.”
For Knight that assertion means many things. He said that Christian businesses must produce goods and services with respect and care for creation, and they must promote harmonious labour relations and a meaningful work experience through management practices, including treating employees fairly, by providing a good wage, and by being sensitive to an employee’s family needs.

Membership has grown by about 35 per cent over the past year, said Knight, and there are currently 18 chapters across the country but that should increase to about 25 in 2012. They range from across southern Ontario including Ancaster, Brantford, Chatham, Guelph, London and Niagara to Winnipeg and Edmonton, with Saskatoon and British Columbia next on their list.

The creation of the Kitchener-Waterloo chapter has come at the request of local members. There is currently one operating in Cambridge, but Knight said the time was right to expand to Waterloo Region.

“It’s a good location. It’s really the heart it seems in terms of the Christian community as well.”

The Jan. 20 meeting will decide where future meetings will be held, and Knight said that the group may very well set up a chapter in both Kitchener and Waterloo, depending upon the interest, and resources are emailed to participants prior to the meetings.

“For many people they have struggled on their own as they’ve tried to figure out for themselves what it means to be a Christian business,” said Knight, who has more than 40 years of experience working in both the secular and religious business world, including time spent as a reporter and editor for various weekly and daily newspapers, as well as communications director for the Presbyterian Church of Canada and interim editor for the Anglican Journal.

“The economy is tough and it’s getting harder to make ends meet, so we’re seeing more reasons to provide mutual support and encouragement to do that work.”

Questions that might challenge some business owners include how much profit should they make on goods or services they provide? What is a fair wage or reasonable benefits? How do I deal with employees who steal or are consistently late for work?

The aim of the CCBF is to help business owners answer these and other tough questions.
The CCBF also includes what they call an INTURN program which places Christian university business students with CCBF members, providing hands-on internship experience in an appropriate office environment.

“Over the next couple of years the INTURN program will be expanded to Christian universities across Canada, connecting students with business leaders in their communities,” Knight said.

He also said that members come from a wide range of evangelical and Presbyterian denominations, and more information is available at their website, www.ccbf.org.
The breakfast meeting on Jan. 20 starts at 7:30 a.m. and is open to anyone involved in business. To reserve your seat email Knight at ccbfed@gmail.com. The meeting is free, with individuals covering only the cost of their meal, and it is co-sponsored by Faith FM.

The series, hosted by the Elmira library, kicks off Tuesday with “Ten Steps to Starting a Business,” from 7-9 p.m. Other seminars include “Writing a Business Plan” on Jan. 17, “Financing Your Business” on Mar. 20, and “Communicating and Marketing” on May 15.

JUST STARTING OUT Business consultant Roy Weber of the Waterloo Region Small Business Centre and Township of Woolwich economic development and tourism officer Laurel Davies-Snyder have teamed up to offer a four-part small-business seminar at the Elmira library. The series kicks off this Tuesday with “Ten Steps to Starting a Business.”

According to the event’s organizers, self-employment is a concept that has gained a lot of traction in recent years, prompting the township and the Small Business Centre to offer this series.

“There seems to be a lot of interest for self-employment as an option,” said Roy Weber, a business consultant with more than 15 years of experience who works at the Waterloo branch of the Small Business Centre.

“I think particularly in this economy, with people losing their jobs to downsizing, people are taking a serious look at self-employment as an option over working for somebody else again.”

The seminar on Tuesday night will provide a general overview for those interested in becoming their own bosses, with subsequent evenings going more in depth on particular subjects.

“We look at the regulations required to set up a business, putting together a business plan, financing your business, staffing your business, and marketing your business,” explained Weber.

As home to Canada’s Technology Triangle, Waterloo Region has always been recognized as an area of high entrepreneurial spirit, but in the township especially the idea of becoming your own boss has really taken hold, says Woolwich’s economic development and tourism officer.

“In the township we have a very high level of entrepreneurship relative to other municipalities in the region, and that is something we want to encourage and foster,” said Laurel Davies-Snyder.

“I think the rural lifestyle has necessitated innovation and change in order to remain viable. There is also a lot of collaboration, and I think when you get people together and trying to achieve something, you get a great synergy of ideas.”

Davies-Snyder agreed with Weber’s suggestion that the sluggish economy has actually done wonders to create an air of self-employment across the region, in part because of the efforts of groups like the Waterloo Region Small Business Centre.

“There are mechanisms in place now to support entrepreneurs such as support groups and training,” she said.

“The economic downturn breeds innovation out of necessity, but also I think that the region has been excellent at supporting innovation and entrepreneurs.”

Yet it takes more than just the drive and desire to become an entrepreneur to make that dream a reality. It requires careful planning, and potential business owners really need to do their homework, said Weber.

The first step is to identify a business that has a viable market and for which the products or services created will be in demand.

“It’s an essential step.”

There is also the real possibility that many who are self-employed for the first time will struggle to shift their thinking from being an employee to being the boss, and it can take some time to adjust to that reality.

“We’ve lived most of our working lives reporting to somebody else, and it’s a totally different working structure. When you are your own boss, somebody isn’t telling you what to do, you basically have to know yourself.”

He also said that entrepreneurs should be optimistic – but at the same time realistic – with their plans and they should also consider their possible competition in the region. He gave the example of trying to open a coffee shop in town, and that between Tim Hortons, McDonalds and now Robins Nest, it would be a hard market to crack.

“You definitely have to have a good dose of optimism because nothing is a sure thing. That’s why you want to do your homework before you open the doors so you’re confident there will be a market for your business.”

In this economy where many would opt for the steady paycheque available by working for someone else instead of taking the risk of going at it on their own, Weber said that if you have a unique or marketable concept you should give it a shot, because even in a slow-moving economy there is never a bad time for a good idea.

The first of the four-part seminar series is on Tues., Nov. 29 from 7-9 p.m. at the Elmira library.

Admission is free for those who pre-register by contacting the library (519) 669-5477 or elmlib@regionofwaterloo.ca. Admission will be $5 at the door for those who do not register beforehand.

Today (Saturday) Weber is also holding a fundraiser at the Elmira library for the Strong Start Literacy Program at the official launch of his holiday book, Unscrooged, in which Ebenezer Scrooge is once again visited by his old partner Jacob Marley and given the task of changing the heart of one earthly soul before midnight.

Weber will be signing and selling copies of the book at the library from 1-3 p.m.