December 2011 Issue

Incorporating St. Thomas & District Chamber of Commerce

Your business: Your business: Suggestions Suggestions for job hunters for job hunters Your home:Your home: Christmas on aChristmas on a shoestring budget shoestring budget Your health:Your health: Make it a greenMake it a green Christmas Christmas

Your business: Suggestions for job hunters Your home: Christmas on a shoestring budget Your health: Make it a green Christmas

Lucy ThorelLucy ThorelScoops & CakesScoops & Cakes Cover story: page 3Cover story: page 3

Lucy ThorelScoops & Cakes Cover story: page 3

Volume 2, No. 4 December 2011 FREEVolume 2, No. 4 December 2011 FREE

2 E L G I N T H I S M O N T H December, 2011

PHIL

VICKI

PETER

GARY

JESSICA

HELEN

December, 2011 E L G I N T H I S M O N T H 3

Carroll PublishingPresident

Terry CarrollSecretary-TreasurerNancy Kelly Carroll

Elgin This MonthPublisherTerry CarrollEditorDorothy GebertSection EditorBusiness Beat Bob Hammersley

Graphic Design / ProductionJim McHargSales RepresentativeGreg MinnemaOffice ManagerLaura Bart

Published monthly by Carroll Publishing, 15 St. Catharine Street, St. Thomas, ON N5P 2V7 519-633-1640 www.theweeklynews.ca/etm

Its about the peopleLucy Thorel of Scoops & Cakes enjoys interactingwith her customers

Holiday baking is a big part of the Christmas season and Lucy Thorel,owner of Scoops & Cakes in St. Thomas, is doing her best to keep localhome pastry chefs supplied with everything they need.

Christmas is our boom time with all the baking going on, says Lucy. The store at 647 Talbot Street has been a mainstay of downtown St.

Thomas for the last 30 years and offers bulk food, bakeware, kitchengadgets and cake decorating supplies.

Lucy Thorel is the third owner. When she and her husband Glennbought the store seven years ago, they added cake decorating classes anda full kitchen to provide quality baked goods, including custom specialoccasion cakes created by Lucy herself.

And Im famous for my butter tarts, she laughs.Originally from St. Lucia, Lucy had always enjoyed baking and

craftsy type things. She took art courses at Fanshawe College beforesettling down to raise her children. When they were grown, she startedbaking cakes for family and friends and eventually bought Scoops tooffer her talents to a wider audience.

Lucy says what she enjoys most are the people. When she was growingup in St. Lucia, she had worked in her parents hardware store andlearned the importance of customer service.

I have staff that are wonderful, she says, And we have incrediblyloyal customers. Withoutthem, were nothing.

Lucy thinks her store issmall enough that its okayto be social. Its not allhustle and bustle. We cantake the time to chat.

And her favourite bakedgood? I like them all, shesays. But theres a choco-late raspberry cheesecakebrownie.

Cover Story

by Dorothy Gebert

Cover photo by Philip Bell,Shutter Studios

PUBLISHERS LETTERSuggestions for job hunters by Terry Carroll ..............................page 4

BUSINESS / COMMUNITYManaging MoneyChristmas on a shoestring budget by Stephanie Farrow ........................page 5

LeadershipLeadership 101 by Bryan Vine ..................................page 6

Your BusinessThe business of planning by John Regan ................................page 7

EconomicsNo high-speed trains please, were Canadianby Serge Lavoie ................................page 8

BUSINESS BEATFront PageTaking a chance ..............................page 9

Chamber NewsBarriers to Canadian competitiveness ......................................................page 10

ViewpointMarketing in 2012 and beyond ......page 11

Legal BusinessThe Peoples Park by Monty Fordham ........................page 12

Member NewsHourly confusion? ........................page 13

Pro TextBusiness continuity and critical illness by Darren Reith ............................page 14Positive ExposureSmile the world will wonder what youreup to! by Allan Weatherall ............page 15

New MembersWelcome new members ..................page 16

CHRISTMASConserving EnergyMake it a green Christmas ............page 20

TechnologyGiving an electronic gadget as a gift? by Peter Atkinson ..........................page 21

HOMESTYLEDecoratingHome is a path, not a place by Rene Carpenter ......................page 22At Home In ElginThe HST and the renovation undergroundby Brian Lippold ..........................page 23

DINING & ENTERTAINMENTWine & FoodTake the guesswork out of holiday gift giving by Jamie Quai ..............page 24

Savour ElginRubys Cookhouse is legendary by Kate Burns ................................page 25

HEALTHY LIVINGEveryday HealthHow chiropractic saved Christmas, Part 2by Dr. Greg Johnson ......................page 26

Personal HealthExercise your way to a healthy pregnancy by Darrell Jutzi ..............................page 27

LIFESTYLESThats LifeMy big life by Elizabeth VanHooren ................page 28

Self DevelopmentIs failure the key to success? by Sharon Lechner ........................page 29

Time On My HandsStuck in the Moroccan desert by Duncan Watterworth ................page 30

Elgin This Month is a monthly magazine focusing on business andlifestyle issues and includes BusinessBeat, the St. Thomas & DistrictChamber of Commerce newsletter.The publication is available forpickup at no charge at news standsand other locations around ElginCounty, as well as distribution tobusinesses and selected households.


P U B L I S H E R S L E T T E R

Because Ive recently been lookingfor a new employee, Id like to passalong a few thoughts from the otherside of the hiring desk. Its not allbad, but theres room for improve-ment in some cases.

Many applicants are too casual intheir application emails. Please dontsend me an email with nothing inthe body and a one-size-fits-all re-sume attached. Im looking for moreeffort than that.

Just as employers can find out sev-eral things about a prospective em-ployee via Facebook or the Internet,you, dear prospective employee, havethe opportunity to learn lots aboutme and my company with thesesame tools. If you know that the manor woman on the other side of thedesk loves ancient Chinese potteryand is expanding the company intoDutton, the job interview is a greatopportunity to work at least one ofthose topics into the conversation.

Invest some time into finding outall you can about the job itself beforeyou apply. Do an Internet search ofsimilar positions at other companies.Or heres an original thought callsomebody on my staff and ask themwhat they know about the job.Everybody loves to be an expert!

Three times Ive hired somebody,almost on the spot, because that per-son had done his research and con-vinced me that he would solve everyproblem he would conceivably en-counter. Interesting aside #1: One ofthese people had a lifetime of experi-ence, the other had no experience,and the third was in the middle, sodont let lack of experience stand inyour way, unless a specific skill set isrequired. Interesting aside #2: In allthree cases, I had fundamental prob-lems within a year over who was re-ally in charge of the business, but themanaging of egos is another column.

Picking up on the experience issue,if I need somebody who knows Sim-ply Accounting, do not apply unlessyou have that experience. That caveataside, what am I really looking for?

Sometimes I know in the blink ofan eye, when someone walks throughthe door, whether that person will beexcellent for the job. Malcolm Glad-well turned that insight into a book

called, yes, Blink. But that first im-pression isnt always there, and I maystill hire a good person.

Some people say that attitudecounts more than anything. Butwhat kind of attitude? Id like some-one whos loyal, disciplined andhardworking. And I also want a newemployee to have fun at work. Im onthe lookout for the kind of personwho can make a quick joke aboutFacebook, but not be constantly up-dating her Facebook status at the of-fice.

The interview itself should be aconversation, not too long, not tooshort. No matter how tough your lifewith your former boss, yourboyfriend or your kids may havebeen, you should probably avoidbringing up that aspect of your per-sonal life during a job interview.

Finally, one confession. I want peo-ple to get my sense of humor, and ifthey dont, to be smart enough tofake it. There are two things wrong ifan applicant doesnt get my jokes oris unwilling to pretend she does.First, we are not on the same wave-length, and thats a problem. And,second, its a sign that someone doesnot recognize who signs the chequesaround here. See egos above, a topicfor another day.

Suggestions for job huntersThe view from the other side of the hiring desk

by Terry Carroll

Terry Carroll isthe publisher ofthe St. Thomas/Elgin WeeklyNews and ElginThis Month.

Each office is independently owned and operated

Business ownershipshould be aboutmoney, freedom

and fun... Are youon track?

Bryan Vine519-207-4865: Office519-857-4865: Cell

[email protected] www.thegrowthcoach.com/bvine


This time of year can behard on the pocketbook,but there are other waysof making the seasonmemorable

Its true the holiday season of joy,peace and love also comes with com-mercialism, a lengthy list of shoppingand gift to dos for a seemingly end-less list of people, and a schedulingfrenzy of social gatherings. It is de-scribed as one of the most stressful fi-nancial times for people, andrightfully so. Christmas in our cul-ture seems to carry with it a financialburden that can be hard to swallow.

Lets face it, its hard to ignore thestore shelves lined with holiday itemsmonths before Christmas, and theexcitement in your kids eyes as theyshare their Christmas list filled withthings they wont be getting becausetheyre too expensive. This makes youfeel terrible, so you start to recon-sider, Well, its more than I wantedto spend, but it IS Christmas after allso maybe we can make it work.Weve all been there. I get it.

Christmas goes by in a blur ofadrenaline and excitement with all ofthe decorating, tree trimming, wrap-ping, unwrapping, eggnog, turkeyand cookies. When the dust settles,youve gained five pounds, made anappearance at every party you weresupposed to be at, and purchased theperfect gift for everyone on your list another successful holiday season.

Then January comes and realityhits. You open a maxed out Visa billfor the gifts of Christmas past and re-alize you have no money to pay forit. Not a good way to start the NewYear.

Was it really worth it? Its not funto be the person begrudging theirpurchases. Overspending during theholiday season can wreak havoc withyour financial situation and have youpaying for Christmas gifts for manymonths to come. Its important tokeep a level head and keep spendingwithin your means.

Does this mean you need to be aGrinch? Absolutely not!

Maybe we just need to step backand take a fresh perspective. Maybewe need to revisit the spirit of theholiday season and take time to cele-brate the joy, peace and love we wantto, without the commercialism andfinancial pressures. Is this possible? I,for one, think it is.

There are so many creative thingswe can do to limit our material pur-chases and still share the spirit ofChristmas with our loved ones be-cause one day, I will forget the blackleather purse my kids bought me forChristmas, but the clay handprintsthey made me Ill treasure forever.

My children will forget the Wiigame, DS or iPod, but theyll re-

member the Christmas we went to-bogganing, had hot chocolate, madesnowmen, played board games to-gether, and theyll speak of thosethings for years to come.

My husband will forget the de-signer tie we gave him, but hell re-member singing Christmas carolsand lighting candles together onChristmas Eve.

The teacher, scout leader or hockey

coach will forget the box of Belgianchocolates, but theyll remember thesincerity of your card thanking themfor their role in your childs life.

We should all be empowered to de-fine whats important for the holi-days by our own desires. We shouldhave the ability to feel good aboutour gifts and contributions howevergreat or small as determined by ourmeans at the time.

Dr. Seuss said it best in How theGrinch Stole Christmas, What ifChristmas, he thought, doesnt comefrom a store. What if Christmas, per-haps, means a little bit more.

As it turns out, its time, not moneythat equals love in the end.

Wishing you peace, love and joythis holiday season as you spend timewith your loved ones making Christ-mas memories to be cherished foryears to come.

B U S I N E S S / C O M M U N I T Y

MANAGING MONEY

572 Talbot St. E, Aylmer 773-3141

10 Sparling Road, St Thomas637-2382

Elgin Tire andAuto Center Ltd.

Merry Christmas

Complete Tire & Service ExpertsTires are Our Business, Not a Sideline

Farm Service ~ 24 HR Emergency ServiceYoure always close to great value in Elgin County!

by Stephanie Farrow

Stephanie Farrow,B.A., CFP, is aCertified Financial Plannerand co-owner ofFarrow FinancialServices Inc. inBelmont.

Christmas on a shoestring budget


What does a leader look like, soundlike and do? There is no one correctmold. Great leaders come in allshapes, sizes, voices and styles. How-ever, great leaders share a commonoutcome they oversee getting im-portant things done!

While leadership is hard to define,you know it when you see it, feel itand hear it. An effective leader createsclarity about where the business isheaded and how each team membercan contribute to the cause. Such clar-ity helps reduce confusion and wastedactions and energy. Clarity also helpsyour employees make better decisionswithin established boundaries. As aresult, you can breathe more and su-pervise less.

Additionally, a leader motivates in-dividuals to work together optimallyas a team for a common cause or vi-sion. A real leader pulls others alongrather than pushes them around.

Leadership is about communicating,not shouting out commands. Youcannot coerce people to follow you forlong. Command-and-control leader-ship never earns the hearts, minds andwill of others.

Real leadership is all about influ-ence, the ability to make others wantto follow you and your cause. Proof ofleadership is found in the loyalty andcommitment level of your followers.When you turn around, are your em-ployees eagerly and energetically fol-lowing you and your vision? If not,commit to improving as a leader.

In addition to creating clarity ofpurpose and direction for the organi-zation, a leader also creates the rightconditions and climate for her/histeam to succeed. Its simple: you can-not succeed on your own. You needenergized and committed followers asmuch as they need an effective leader.Its a partnership in pursuit of a com-mon cause. You are nothing withoutengaged followers. Its a symbiotic re-lationship a leader needs his/her fol-

lowers to get important things done. To help you develop a solid founda-

tion of knowledge, here is a list ofsome fundamental leadership prac-tices:

A leader creates clarity of purposeand direction by:

Developing and articulating acompelling vision for the business

Selling the benefits of this vision toemployees with facts, emotions, sto-ries, symbols, etc.

Establishing direction, strategies,and objectives for the company

Developing a simple business plan Defining roles for and responsibil-

ities of employees Developing processes to hold em-

ployees accountable for getting results Encouraging individuals to work

as a team Setting standards, monitoring per-

formance and giving feedback Reminding everyone that the busi-

ness exists to serve and satisfy cus-tomers as well as to earn a healthyprofit

Focusing employees on key prior-ities and results

A leader creates the right condi-tions for success by:

Being a true leader, not anotheremployee taking the time to think,plan, see the big picture and solveproblems

Building and maintaining a strong,healthy team

Marshalling resources to supportthe strategy of the business

Allowing others to do their jobs,not micro-managing them

Getting the right people on boardand the wrong people off

Establishing a goal-oriented envi-ronment

Accepting 100 percent responsibil-ity for the results of the business

Teaching and motivating others toreach their potential

Monitoring financial performanceand taking decisive action, when nec-essary

A company without a leader is like asports team without a head coach andwithout a game plan. Both scenarioswill result in players (employees) doingtheir own selfish thing, runningaround without a purpose, with nosense of accountability, making re-peated mistakes, posting lacklustreperformance, and most likely losingthe game.

Your business doesnt need more de-fensive linemen; it needs an in-chargehead coach. Let your employees do thedaily blocking and tackling. Createthe game plan and let your employeesplay the game. Watch and coach fromthe sidelines, do not get in the trenches you will lose vision of the wholefield. Focus on creating clarity andconditions for success for your team.


LEADERSHIP

From all of us!From all of us!

1207 Talbot Street St.Thomas 519-633-0240

by Bryan Vine

Jeff Yurek, Jenn and Maggiewish you a Merry Christmasand a Happy New Year. Be

safe, Dont Drink and Drive.

Jeff Yurek, M.P.P.Elgin-Middlesex-London750 Talbot St. (Caso Station) Suite 201St Thomas, On. N5P 1E2519-631-0666Email:[email protected]

Leadership 101Are your employees eagerly and energetically following you and your vision?

Bryan Vine is co-owner of The GrowthCoach in St. Thomas.



YOUR BUSINESS

The businessof planningWhy every business needs a business plan

One of the topics that often comesup when discussing a new business isa business plan. However, it is im-portant to note that a business planis not just for new businesses, it is animportant tool for ALL businesses.Business plans are really about know-ing what you have and improvingyour company by getting the resultsyou need. It is a formal statement ofa set of business goals, the reasonswhy they are believed to be attain-able, and the plan for reaching thosegoals. There are many variations onbusiness plans, but all are focused onaddressing the undeniably importantoverall components of operating abusiness enterprise. The plan at aminimum should:

1. Define the business. It is impor-tant to create a brand or image foryour business. This is not about yourlogo, it is the story of who you are,what you do, how you do it. It in-cludes the vision and mission youhave for your company.

2. Identify your market and mar-keting plans. If you dont understandwho your potential customers areand what their needs are, you willspend a lot of wasted time andmoney with little return. Under-standing your strengths and weak-nesses as well as your competitors isnot a nice to know, it is a mustknow and will help create your dif-ferentiators. A marketing plan spellsout how you will reach your cus-tomers, the cost of the initiatives andwithin what timeframe, which thencan be tracked and measured.

3. Establish your company goals.Goals need to be concrete, concise

and attainable; where do you want togo, how will you get there, howmuch do you want to spend?

4. Provide financial projections. Itis important to take a good long lookat realistic sales potential, costs, ex-penses and cash flow. This must beaccurate as the numbers are used toguide your business decisions, thenumbers need to be reasonable andrepresent a true accounting of yourcash flow.

A business that can demonstrate asolid, well-articulated business planalso improves its chances of obtain-ing financing support. If you are con-sidering partners or investors foryour business, you can be sure it willbe the first thing that they ask to see.

Before starting a new business,writing a business plan can seemdaunting but the only person thatcan, and should, fill in the details ofyour plan is you. Writing it forcesyou to think through basic questionsand lets you fine-tune your ideas be-fore you get too ahead of yourself.Closing your eyes and just jumpingin may work for your first swimminglesson, but do you really want to startyour business in the deep end withcold water splashing in your face?

A business plan is a living docu-ment that grows and changes withthe business. It becomes a plan that

keeps you in touch with how well thecompany is meeting its goals andprovides opportunities to change orshift direction or forecast based onreal data. Generally business plansproject three to five years into the fu-ture, which meets most businessesneeds. In 1932, however, KonosukeMatsushita, the founder of Pana-sonic, famously created a 250-yearcorporate plan. That may seem am-bitious to some, but from a smallbusiness owner in 1917, Matsushitasrevenues hit a whopping $42 billionby the late 1980s. Its hard to arguewith success!

Wishing you and yourfamily peace and joythis holiday season

Joe Preston, M.P.Joe Preston, M.P.Elgin-Middlesex-LondonElgin-Middlesex-London

24 First Ave., Unit 224 First Ave., Unit 2St. Thomas, ON N5R 4M5St. Thomas, ON N5R 4M5

519-637-2255 1-866-404-0406519-637-2255 1-866-404-0406www.joeprestonmp.cawww.joeprestonmp.ca

Joe Preston, M.P.Elgin-Middlesex-London

24 First Ave., Unit 2St. Thomas, ON N5R 4M5

519-637-2255 1-866-404-0406www.joeprestonmp.ca

UNBEATABLE SERVICE SAFETY INSPECTIONS KROWN UNDERCOATING FLEET MAINTENANCE REPAIRS TO ALL MAKES

A/C SERVICE

Happy HolidaysHappy HolidaysFROM ALL OF US!

John Regan Ec.D.(F) is the generalmanager of theElgin Business Resource Centre.

by John Regan

provides opportunities

to change or shift

direction



ECONOMICS

I got to thinking about trains re-cently. The mayors of Windsor, Sar-nia, Chatham-Kent and London hadmet in mid-November to give theirreaction to the latest in a never-end-ing stream of reports about the fea-sibility of high-speed rail in theWindsor to Quebec City corridor.

This report put a twist on the usualconclusions of these reports by stat-ing that high-speed rail was war-ranted and sustainable, but not anyfurther west than Toronto. Forgetthe cities of Southwestern Ontarioand forget any high-speed connec-tions to Detroit or Chicago. Too ex-pensive, stated the report.

Our mayors beg to differ. They rec-ognize that the return of rail trans-portation is the way of the futureand a major economic developmentdriver. High-speed rail holds thepromise of connecting the largeurban clusters around the GreatLakes region. When a smaller city oran entire region like SouthwesternOntario plugs into that rail plan, itplugs into all of that economic activ-ity. It was true over one hundredyears ago; it remains true today.

In the St. Thomas area, we under-stand that dynamic very well. A railline built to connect Detroit andBuffalo generated massive economicactivity in this city that survives tothis day. The rails may be gone, butthe legacy continues.

To be frozen out of any rail resur-gence is to be frozen out of futurebenefits that will not be replaced bymore roads and airports. Fast and ef-ficient passenger rail feeds a differentkind of economic activity and inter-connectedness. Canadians whotravel abroad for business or leisuremarvel at the convenience and costeffectiveness of well-developed railsystems.

Even Sweden, with a populationmuch less than Ontarios and a landmass to match, can get you to everycorner of the country by rail, muchof it well north of 60 degrees lati-tude.

After the Second World War, Eu-rope set about rebuilding its heavilydamaged rail networks and addingnew technologies to them. In NorthAmerica, after the war, we set aboutsystematically dismantling our rail

networks. Today, we may be payinga heavy price for that short-sighted-ness. Rebuilding passenger rail todaywill clearly be more expensive thanwould have been the case if we stillhad a network to build on.

Is passenger train service really nec-essary in Southwestern Ontario in2011 and beyond? Naysayers pointto the meager service offered by VIARail and its spotty on-time record.All true, but VIA Rail is the way it isbecause it doesnt control its owntracks and must share with freighttrains, which always have priority. Byand large, support for passenger railis hampered by a lack of continuedinvestment and development in thenetwork.

My family moved to St. Thomasfrom Toronto in 2000, and for thefirst 10 years I continued to work inToronto, coming home every week.

For the first five years of that experi-ence I took the train every singleweek. I shared those trains withthousands of people who preferredto live in Southwestern Ontario andmake the regular trek to head officein Toronto.

Call them part of the regions cre-ative economy, or call them escapeesfrom the big city (or call themquirky, if you wish), but the realityis that there is a growing audiencefor mass transportation into our re-gion.

Our regional mayors understandthis. If freight by rail was critical tothe development of industry, thenpassenger rail is critical to the devel-opment of the new economy. If reli-able passenger rail service goes nofurther west than Toronto, a wholerange of economic opportunitieswont come any further west either.

Im not certain that this is a case ofbuild it and they will come. WeNorth Americans have a serious loveof our automobiles and the creaturecomforts they offer. I can be certainof one thing, though: dont build itand they certainly wont come.

No high-speed trainsplease, were CanadianA recent report states passenger train service is not worth having west of Toronto. Southwestern Ontario mayors beg to differ.

from

Serge Lavoie ispresident of theSouthwest Economic Alliance. The views expressed are his own.

by Serge Lavoie

Is passenger train service really

necessary in Southwestern

Ontario?

RESOURCES

Check out the 2011 Feasibility Studyfor High Speed Rail Service in the Quebec City-Windsor Corridor at

www.highspeedrail.ca.


KEY CONTROL SYSTEMS SAFES ACCESS CONTROL LOCK HARDWARE

Prompt, Professional, Mobile & Instore Service Residential Commercial Industrial

Rob Burns - Owner

519-631-4110 ELGIN MALL

Business Beat Table of ContentsBarriers to Canadian competitiveness ..page 10Marketing in 2012 and beyond ..........page 11The Peoples Park page 12Hourly confusion? page 13Business continuity and critical illness ......page 14Smile the world will wonder what youre up to! ..............................page 15Welcome new members ..................................page 16

Business After 5

The Chamber congratulates Karen Johnson andthe team at Disbrowe Chevrolet Buick GMCCadillac Ltd. on their investment in a newexterior look for their 116 Edward Streetlocation.

Healthy Lifestyles for the New YearA special feature in the January edition of Elgin This Month

To take advantage of excellent advertising opportunities like this, give me a call at 519-633-1640 (ext. 22)

or email me at [email protected] Edition Advertising Deadline is December 12th

Greg Minnema,Advertising Sales

Taking a chanceThe Chambers November edition of our popular Busi-

ness After 5 events series brought a unique opportunityto win a great prize. Co-sponsored by Reith & AssociatesInsurance and Financial Services and New 2 You Auto,everyone who entered our door prize draw had a chanceto win a vehicle valued at $17,825, or take the cash. The

prize offering came through an insurance policy and wasbased on chance. Three finalist names were drawn fromall entries, then the finalists had a chance to pick a keythat opened a door lock. Shown here, our three finalistswere: Barb Scrivens of The Wharf Restaurant, Roy Es-baugh of The Columbus Club and Pam Nesbitt of Bow-sher & Bowsher Law Firm. Regrettably, the lucky keywasnt chosen but all three claimed car detailing packagesvalued at $125.

On behalf of the Chambers Board of Directors, committee members, volunteersand staff, were taking this opportunity to extend sincere wishes to everyone inthe businesses and communities we serve.

Happy Holidays

We are moving!Effective January 1, 2012 the St. Thomas & District

Chamber of Commerce offices will move to new spacewithin the Elgin Business Resource Centre. Our

phone/fax numbers and email/web addresses will re-main unchanged.

Please update your lists and files to our new location:115 300 South Edgeware RoadSt. Thomas, ON N5P 4L1

Wednesday December 7, 2011 St. Annes Centre20 Morrison Drive

St. ThomasDoors open at 5pm. Free

admission for anyone from abusiness organization that is aMember of the St. Thomas &

District Chamber of Commerce. Must be 19 years

of age or older to attend.

Our December event takes aseasonal tone with tasty hors

doeuvres, your favourite refreshments and extra-special

door prize draws. Please join us!

DECEMBER 2011


CHAMBER NEWS Events and News of Interest to our MembersBUSINESS BEAT

Barriers to Canadiancompetitiveness

Much has been said and written about Canadas ability to compete in theglobal marketplace.

With thanks to Gerry Macartney at the London Chamber of Commerce,were adding some specifics to the discussion. Gerry compiled this list fol-lowing the recent Canadian Chamber of Commerce Policy Conference inSt. Johns, where we discussed and debated what the barriers to our compet-itiveness may be. These are what we agreed on:1. Getting qualified workers to meet the needs of employers

Canada trails many other nations in the number of graduate degreesawarded, and Canadian firms lag in the employment of post-graduates, in-cluding those with PhDs, especially in sciences, engineering and business.Yet, investment in higher education has among the highest pay-off of any in-vestment government can make. Post-secondary graduates are key in buildinga competitive economy. A highly skilled and educated workforce is also cru-cial to attracting foreign direct investment. 2. Designing better policies to help people find and keep jobs

To enhance Canadas competitiveness, it is imperative that we improve ourlabour market policies, particularly those that would help youths find theirfirst job and the long-term unemployed re-enter the workforce. An assessmentof minimum wage laws and employment insurance benefits is sorely needed. 3. Delivering a better tax system

Most OECD countries rely less than Canada on income and profit taxesand more on less economically-damaging consumption taxes, like the GST.Canadas tax system over-relies on high-cost sources of tax revenue causingthe Canadian economy to grow at a lower rate than might be possible witha more efficient tax system. Switching the tax mix towards consumption-based taxes would encourage both work and capital formation and, thus,

stimulate productivity and economic growth. 4. Abolishing interprovincial barriers

Interprovincial trade barriers discourage small businesses from operatingacross Canada and cost large companies time and money, hampering pro-ductivity and ultimately the competitiveness of the Canadian economy. Inan era of increasing globalization, internal trade barriers artificially raise pricesand significantly increase the cost of doing business, keeping firms from grow-ing to a size large enough to compete effectively in foreign markets. 5. Implementing regulations that make things easier for business

Although high regulatory standards, such as environmental policies orhealth and safety regulations, can enhance Canadas reputation globally, howthey are applied and administered can be the difference between success andfailure for business. If Canadas regulatory regime remains inefficient, it willundermine our international competitiveness as well as our attractiveness toentrepreneurs, knowledge workers and domestic and international investors. 6. Facilitating foreign investment in Canadian businesses

Canada can benefit greatly from openness to the world. Foreign direct in-vestment can convey great advantages by bringing to Canada knowledge,technology, efficiencies and economies of scale. As an enduring policy,Canada should embrace foreign direct investment and reduce barriers to it. 7. Stimulating the need for research, innovation and development of newproducts and tools

Innovation boosts productivity growth and is a competitive advantage forbusinesses. R&D in Canada can be stimulated by adopting a strong intellec-tual property regime, fostering collaboration among educational institutions,developing robust innovation clusters and investing in the education andskills of our people. Canada must strengthen its laws in protecting its intel-lectual assets. 8. Encouraging investment in new technologies and equipment to boostproductivity

Canadian businesses are well behind other countries in investing in ma-chinery and equipment, particularly in information and communicationtechnologies. Between 1987 and 2009, Canadian businesses invested 23 per-cent less per worker in machinery and equipment compared to their Ameri-can counterparts. 9. Investing made easier for the launch and growth of Canadian businesses

Venture capital is often associated with scientific research, innovation, en-trepreneurial start-ups and successful technology companies. New commit-ments to venture capital funds in Canada fell 24 percent in 2010(year-over-year) to their lowest level in 16 years. The lack of availability ofstart-up capital in Canada has real repercussions for Canadas ability to de-velop global leading enterprises and competitive Canadian brands.10. Creating reliable funding for investment in infrastructure

Canada has pursued an inconsistent approach to infrastructure financingover the last two decades, often allowing programs to wind down, only to bere-announced in a different form. A more strategic approach to infrastructureinvestment that includes funding models that take into account the broadrange of challenges and opportunities in communities across Canada isneeded. A consistent and reliable funding mechanism will not only simplifythe planning of federal, provincial and municipal investments, it will alsoleverage significant private sector investment.

1.59% 1.64%6.9

President & CEO Bob HammersleyMember Services Coordinator Mike VecchioAccounting Coordinator Susan MundayMember Services Wes Bailey

Acting Chair: Linda Sawyer BMO Bank of MontrealVice-Chair: Jason White Steelway Building SystemsTreasurer: Paul Smith P.J. Smith & AssociatesDirector: Pete Charlton Charltons Quality MeatsDirector: Monty Fordham Monty Fordham Law OfficeDirector: Frances Kennedy P3 StrategiesDirector: Jeff Kohler Presstran IndustriesDirector: Mark Lassam Kee, Perry & Lassam Chartered AccountantsDirector: Debra Mountenay Workforce Planning & Development BoardDirector: John Regan Elgin Business Resource CentreDirector: Darren Reith Reith and Associates Insurance & FinancialDirector: Allan Weatherall St. Thomas Elgin General Hospital FoundationDirector: Laura Woermke St. Thomas Elgin Public Art Centre

Published by Carroll Publishing Inc. and delivered to businesses in St. Thomas and Elgin County

For complete information on the St.Thomas and District Chamber of Commerce, reach us at:555 Talbot Street, St.Thomas, ON N5P 1C5Telephone: 519-631-1981 Fax: 519-631-0466E-Mail: [email protected]: www.stthomaschamber.on.ca


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Marketing in2012 and beyond

Heres a deal breaker. The old adage Keep doing what youve done andyoull keep getting what youve always got doesnt cut it anymore. Odds arethat doing what youve always done will likely get you less. New world. Newbehaviour. New rules. New realities.

Rob Mise, general manager at St. Thomas 94.1 myFM Radio and a volun-teer on the Chambers Member Services Committee, shared a copy of a recentonline newsletter called Bernstein Worldwide. The author is Phil Bernsteinand he has some great insight into communication and how the Internet,texting, Tweeting, LinkedIn and Facebook have driven more change in howinformation is shared in the last five years than our parents saw in fifty.

Bernstein says Youve Got Nine Seconds. Heres an excerpt from hisnewsletter to illustrate:

I recently met with a mattress retailer who was struggling with his advertising.His two-store chain was relatively new. He told me that 20 years ago, a very suc-cessful mattress dealer in his college town had voiced his own radio commercials.He had decided to duplicate that dealer's approach starting every commercialwith a story and"easing into the sales pitch."

It wasn't working, and he couldn't figure out why. I asked him to send me someexamples, and the next day three commercials landed in my Inbox. It didn't takelong for me to spot the problem.

Each commercial was 60 seconds long, and each started with a story. As I playedthe first one, I watched the timer on the audio clip. The story lasted more than 30seconds. At the 34-second mark, the owner abruptly ended the story and launchedinto his pitch. The store was having a mattress sale.

Two decades ago, when the owner was in college, that approach worked well.In 2011, he wasn't seeing any response at all. What's changed?

We've changed. And the Internet's changed us. As early as 2002,BBC News re-ported on what the Net has done to our attention spans:

The addictive nature of web browsing can leave you with an attention span ofnine seconds - the same as a goldfish.

"Our attention span gets affected by the way we do things," says Ted Selker, anexpert in the online equivalent of body language at the Massachusetts Institute ofTechnology in the U.S. "If we spend our time flitting from one thing to anotheron the web, we can get into a habit of not concentrating," he told the BBC pro-gram Go Digital.

Author Sally Hogshead, writing in Jeff Gitomer's recent book Social Boom! hadthis to say: Nine seconds! That's just long enough to read one tweet. That's all weget before our customer's brain makes a decision to either stay focused or relocateto a new topic.

Before Al Gore invented the Internet, customers were willing to wait for you totell a story and ease into the sales pitch. In 2011?

Bernstein finished his article with a push, saying Your customers are gold-fish. You've got nine seconds. Get to the point.

Here at the Chamber, were inclined to agree. The messages we send and,more importantly, how we send them are changing.

Two years ago, our weekly email newsletter called Green Mail didnt exist.Today it hits over 1,000 Inboxes and is sold-out on available ad space withinit. Two years ago we didnt have a Facebook page. Today its a communicationvehicle we use at least weekly, and in coming weeks it will be part of a bundleof options we share with Members to keep you as informed as you wish tobe on business news, issues and community concerns. Our goal of being thebest local source of business and community information will remain, butour tactics and tools for delivery will be vastly different.

And, yes, we will make our Tweets, posts and messages all fit within thatmagic nine second window or at least use our nine seconds to show youwhere, when and how to get all the information you need.

VIEWPOINT Events and News of Interest to our MembersBUSINESS BEAT


Your Business Needs VideoYour Business Needs Video

The recent activities of the occu-piers both in the United States andCanada caused me to reflect upon anoccupation by protesters long ago inBerkeley, California. Although thefactors leading up to the occupationwere somewhat different than theones at present, it seems the motivesof the protesters bear some similarity.One can only hope that the presentprotests conclude more positivelythan was the case in the PeoplesPark. On the orders of the governorat the time, Ronald Reagan, riot po-lice were dispatched and many in-juries and at least one fatalityoccurred.

There has been much commentaryconcerning the apparent lack offocus and purpose to the present oc-cupations. However, the causes ofsuch foment are almost always thesame: a perceived disconnect be-tween the protesters and the govern-ment and its agencies. The recentelection in Ontario with its dismalvoter turnout should be evidence

enough of the growing mistrust bythe less advantaged in our society to-ward government at all levels. Theordinary Joe seems concerned aboutjobs and personal well-being; warplanes and war ships not so much.

The recent arrest and removal ofoccupiers from Victoria Park in Lon-

don has raised the issue of the im-pact, if any, the Charter of Rightsand Freedoms may have in the faceof enforcement of municipal by-laws.

The Charter sets out, in section 2,the right to freedom of peaceful as-sembly. This is what is known as asubstantive right. In other words,it is paramount to other legislation,which would be considered penal innature. But what about municipalby-laws which are generally regardedas regulatory in nature? And when

does a regulatory enactment becomepenal? Certainly a person arrestedand detained for a breach of a by-lawwould consider the actions of the au-thorities to be penal, if not the by-law itself.

The Charter of Rights and Free-doms guarantees the rights and free-doms contained within it, subjectonly to such reasonable limits pre-scribed by law as can be demonstra-bly justified in a free and democraticsociety. Does a by-law that limits theright to peaceful assembly in, say, apublic park constitute a reasonablelimit? In all likelihood, the courtswill be called upon to determine this.

Many years ago, thanks to thetenacity and scholarship of a youngupstart London lawyer, the SupremeCourt of Canada delivered the lit-mus test for court challenges to leg-islation under the Charter. The testset down in R. v. Oakes survives tothis day. The test is twofold: First, isthe measure (in this case a municipalby-law prohibiting attendance in apublic park after hours) of sufficientimportance to warrant overriding aconstitutionally protected right orfreedom? Second, is the measure pro-portional to the objective (in this

case, control of ingress and egress toa public park)? Moreover, the meas-ure must not be arbitrary, unfair orbased on irrational considerationsand should interfere as little as pos-sible with the right or freedom.

While there is no doubt the pres-ence of the occupiers in the publicparks and their placement of tents isan annoyance, is that enough tooverride their right to freedom ofpeaceful assembly and freedom ofspeech? Should their right to assem-bly be restricted to certain hours ofthe day, but otherwise be allowed?

The answers to these questions willno doubt be answered by the courts,at least in Canada. Meanwhile, it ap-pears, contrary to the opinions ofsome, that the occupier movement isgrowing across North America.However, in Canada, regardless ofthe ultimate decision of the courts,the final arbiter who will eventuallycurtail the activities of the occupierswill be that good old Canuck, Win-ter. At last, a made-in-Canada solu-tion.

Heres a wish to all the members ofthe Chamber a happy Christmasand a prosperous New Year!

LEGAL BUSINESS Legal News and Issues for Business

Lawyer Monty Fordham prepares thismonthly column for the St. Thomas &District Chamber of Commerce andour Members. Monty is also a volun-teer serving on the Chambers Boardof Directors. Questions, commentsand suggestions for future columns arewelcomed by Monty at his Law Office,4 Elgin Street, St. Thomas. Telephone519-633-4000, FAX 519-633-1371or e-mail: [email protected]

BUSINESS BEAT

The Peoples Parkby Monty Fordham

the apparent lack of focus and purpose to the

present occupations


MEMBER NEWS Events and News of Interest to our MembersBUSINESS BEAT

Thorough Service, Effective RepresentationRobert F. Cline A. John Sanders David V. Taylor14 Southwick St.,St. Thomas 519-633-0800

w w w. s a n d l a w y e r s . c a

Best Wishes for a Merry Christmasand a Happy Holiday Season

Hourly confusion?With the holiday season near, and Christ-

mas Day/New Years Day both falling onSundays this time, businesses, employees andconsumers may find themselves confused onbusiness hours. There are differences in whatis legal for the retail sector and what will becommon practice in services, industry and allother forms of business.

To understand how this season will go, startwith one premise: Christmas Day and NewYears Day are to be observed on the day theyfall. For retailers in Ontario, with a few ex-

ceptions, its the law. Collective agreements in some operations may permitdeviation. But then theres the issue of what employees are entitled to as aholiday if they dont normally work on a Sunday.

Employers need to consider two pieces of legislation, the Ontario ESA (Em-ployment Standards Act) and the RBHA (Retail Business Holidays Act). TheChamber recommends exploring online government postings for both forspecific details.

The Chamber has completed a brief, informal survey of area employers andfound a lot of variation in how the holidays will be treated this year.

Banks will close December 26, 27 and Monday January 2. All other days,its business as usual. Same goes for Canada Post; no service December 26,27 or January 2.

City Hall in St. Thomas, a unionized environment, will close for the weekbetween Christmas and New Years. It closes Friday December 23 at 4:30pmbut will re-open Monday January 2 at 8:30am. The County of Elgin offices

are slightly different, closing December 23 at noon and re-opening TuesdayJanuary 3. The federal and provincial offices of our MP and MPP will closefor the week, but will re-open on Monday January 2. The same does not holdtrue for various other provincial and federal services with many also beingclosed Monday January 2.

In a nutshell, we say plan ahead. January 2 could be a very confusing day!Moving on to Boxing Day, December 26, consider this. It remains a statu-

tory holiday but retailers may be open if they choose to. December 26 wasremoved from the RBHA's list of holidays when stores must be closed underthis Act. However, in some areas, local municipal or regional by-laws also arein effect and prohibit businesses from opening or restrict hours of operation.At present, the City of St. Thomas and adjacent municipalities includingCentral Elgin, Aylmer and Southwold have no such special by-law in placeand businesses may be open if they so choose. For information on any otherOntario municipality, the Chamber advises placing a call to the Clerk's Officeof the municipality in question.

The Province of Ontario has no laws other than the RBHA which governor limit hours of retail operation, unless youre talking about the food andbeverage business. The Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario regu-lates the service and sale of alcohol beverages. Establishments licensed to sellalcoholic beverages may provide services only between the hours of 11amand 2am, except on New Year's Eve, when they may remain open until 3am.It is up to the establishment to decide if it will sell alcohol for the entire periodallowed.

Beyond legal considerations of opening and closing, businesses must alsoconsider their obligations to employees. Boxing Day, for example, is still con-sidered a public holiday and special provisions regarding rates of pay and/ortime off work apply. The Ontario Ministry of Labour, Employment StandardsBranch, can provide details. Staff at the London office may be reached bycalling 519-439-3231 or 1-800-531-5551. The RBHA is administered byOntarios Ministry of Consumer Services.

Generous donations fuel newgreen program at FanshawesSt. Thomas/Elgin Campus

New training programs centred on renewable energy technology could soonmake St. Thomas the go to spot for education in Canadas (and the worlds)fastest growing technology. In late October, Fanshawe College was delightedto announce that private donations totaling $500,000 will support a brandnew Renewable Energies Technician program at the Colleges St.Thomas/Elgin Campus.

The recent donations come from two local sources: a contribution of$405,000 from the Estate of Dorothy Palmer, and a gift of $95,000 from theAlma College Foundation. The money will be used to provide equipmentand facilities for the program, which will train students to work with tech-

nology in the growing green energy sector. The program is anticipated tolaunch in September of 2012.

Fanshawe is very grateful for the donations we have received from theDorothy Palmer Estate and the Alma College Foundation, said CatherineFinlayson, Executive Director, Fanshawe College Foundation. Through thisgift from the Alma College Foundation we are creating a new program thatwill continue the fine legacy of education that was important to Alma Collegeand its alumnae.

Dorothy Palmer was born in 1925 and was the only child of Fred and EthelIngram, who operated the Elgin County House of Industry from 1927-1942.A graduate of St. Thomas Collegiate Institute, she taught elementary schoolin Eden, Sparta and St. Thomas. Mrs. Palmer lived her whole life as a residentof Elgin County. She died in June 2010.

With help from the Foundation and the Dorothy Palmer Estate, the Re-newable Energies Technician program will provide students with a solid the-oretical and practical understanding of evolving renewable energytechnologies, with an emphasis on systems that harness and generate solar,wind, biomass and geothermal energy. The program will also introduce gen-eral concepts in global climate change and energy conservation.


PRO TEXT Business Management News & IssuesBUSINESS BEAT

Consider the statistics. Hundredsof thousands of Canadians are diag-nosed each year with a disease thatqualifies as a critical illness. Thanksto the advances of modern medicinethe majority survive. Recovery, how-ever, can be long and expensive. Thecosts of home care and many med-ications are not covered by insuranceprograms or OHIP. We hear about itevery day cancer, heart disease,Alzheimers, Parkinsons, heart attackand stroke the chances of you con-tracting one of these is better thanyou think.

40,000 to 50,000 Canadians havea stroke each year

75,000 Canadians suffer a heartattack annually

1 in 3 Canadian women will de-velop some form of cancer duringtheir lifetime

2 in 5 men in Canada will de-velop a form of cancer during theirlifetime

In 2001, 363,000 Canadianswere affected with Alzheimers andrelated dementia

Do you have the funds set aside to

replace your income or lost businessrevenue when you cannot work or toreplace you while you are recoveringand still needing to draw a salaryfrom your business? Do you have theresources and capacity to sustain theincome loss caused by the loss of akey employee due to a critical illness?Would a lump sum of tax-freemoney benefit you and your businessunder these circumstances?

For most business owners the an-swer is No to all but the last ques-tion, and then the answer is aresounding Yes.

Critical illness insurance (CI) guar-antees the payment of a lump sum ofcash, tax free, if you are stricken byan illness such as heart attack, strokeor cancer. CI payouts are not limitedto just these three conditions, andwhat is considered a critical Illnessvaries by insurer, but policies typi-cally include the big three: cancer,heart attack and stroke.

CI is an integral part of both yourpersonal insurance program andbusiness continuity plan. You canpurchase CI personally, while at thesame time your business can pur-chase a policy on you and or on key

employees. This allows you to receivethe cash benefit to meet your per-sonal expenses during illness and italso allows for your business to bethe recipient of tax-free cash as well.When the business receives the fi-nancial benefit of a CI policy, thefunds can be used for a multitude ofthings.

Consider the following: Ensure the continuation and per-

petuation of your business by fund-ing a buy-sell agreement betweenyou and a business partner. Com-monly, buy-sells are funded throughlife insurance policies, but if you donot succumb to the critical illnessbut are not able to return to work,then how can the buy-sell be funded?CI will solve that problem.

Finance the temporary replace-ment of a key employee or manager.In circumstances such as this tempo-rary skilled replacements are costlyand, depending on the positionbeing replaced, may already result ina decrease in income to the business.Therefore, any added labour costsmay not be sustainable through reg-ular cash flow. You can now hire amanager to assume the duties and re-sponsibilities of running the day-to-day operations during your recovery.

Protect a business loan or operat-ing line of credit. The infusion oftax-free cash will strengthen yourbalance sheet, thereby lending secu-

rity to your bank and other creditors.When a business loses its leader orkey employee indefinitely due to acritical illness, banks perceive that asan increase in the risk factor to theiroutstanding loans, which may causehardship ultimately to working cap-ital.

Reduce or eliminate debt. Thecash received from the CI policy canbe used to pay down debt or elimi-nate it all together thereby reducingthe monthly obligations of the com-pany and making it easier to weatherthe storm that may be caused by theloss of an owner or key employee.

It is impossible to predict exactlyhow much financial impact a criticalillness will cause your company, andit may well vary if the illness affectsan owner, manager or key employee.It also depends on the recovery timeand the persons ability to work dur-ing treatment as to whether or notany measurable impact will be felt.But why take the chance?

If your business has debt, if youhave a business partner or if your op-erations are dependent on the ener-gies and skills of certain key peoplethen you need to consider critical ill-ness insurance as part of your busi-ness continuity plan. It will fill thegaps that exist in group benefits cov-erage, disability insurance and in theabsence of death. It is the one insur-ance product that pays to keep yourbusiness going while you are in re-covery.

Business continuity and critical illness

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Purchase a print of St Thomas History andsupport the St. Thomas Elgin General Hospital Foundation at the same time.

20% of the price goes directly tothe St. Thomas Elgin GeneralHospital Foundation.Framed Print $400Unframed Print $125Available at: Dowler KarnElgin County Railway MuseumSt. Thomas & District Chamber of CommerceSt. Thomas Elgin Public Art CentreSt. Thomas General Hospital Tuck Shop

MERRY CHRISTMASWE HAVE IT ALL.

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QUALITY EQUIPMENTWELL MAINTAINED

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by Darren Reith

This column appears regularly in Business Beat and has been submittedby Darren Reith, a principal of Reith& Associates Insurance and FinancialServices Limited, 462 Talbot Street,St. Thomas. Darren is also a volun-teer serving on the Chambers Board of Directors. Questions and commentson this column are welcomed by thewriter and 519-631-3862 or viaemail: [email protected]

POSITIVE EXPOSURE Doing Public Relations RightBUSINESS BEAT

I have heard it said that everythingyou do or say is public relations.Nevertheless, the role of the commu-nication specialist is rapidly expand-ing too. Fortune magazine has namedpublic relations (PR) as one of the 10fastest-growing professions over thenext 10 years.

The function of public relations isthe management of the relationshipbetween an organization and its pub-lic. One of its divisions is corporatecommunication, and it is increas-ingly being included with the otherkey marketing efforts of major or-ganizations. With the need fortodays companies to be ever con-scious of their images, skilled crisismanagement professionals are ingreat demand. PR is now a majorinitiative in many organizations,where its role has historically beenundervalued.

Communication is at the core of allof our relationships, bothbusiness and personal. As the yearwinds down, lets take a look backatsome defining moments in com-munication. Youll recognize somebecause they, in one way or another,made news.

1. Your attention is a hot com-modity. Twenty years ago, there wasno Google, information superhigh-way or text messaging. Now we mustcarefully guard our time, attention,and mind.

2. The word I doesnthave tobe self-serving and arrogant.Am Icorrect? I could use your help.These are phrases that you can actu-ally use without harming yourself!

3. Understand the emotionsof communication in market-ing. Mostcompanies and people tryto sell their ideas based on whattheirproduct or service is, then theytalk about how it will work. But themost successful are thoseabletocon-nect with the public on an intimatelevel and personalize things.

4. Whoever has the message hasthepower. This is what social mediahas become.The news and thewayitis consumed has changed signifi-cantly because of technology andTwitter.Theimmediacy of real lifecan be broadcast aroundthe worldby someone with a flip camera or cellphone.

5. Communication must beH.O.T. Thats Honest, Open andTwo-way.

6. Criticizing, judging and mak-ing peoplefeel bad sends harmfulenergy. We have too much of that,but common sense and courtesyinour communication in person andonline are always appreciated.Snarky, unproven comments are re-ally not required.

7. Rapport is critical in conflictand camaraderie.In our crazy busyworld, its essentialto know how toconnect and engage with all types ofpeopleand personalities.Thisis es-pecially true if you want to resolve aconflict andbuild accord.

8. Genuineness is priceless.Justask executives at BP, Toyota andGoldman Sachs.

9. Influence comes in many dif-ferent forms. Our words exercisepower. They might be a quick Tweet,a blog, a speech or a handwrittennote. With social media and other

technology, be aware that your wordscan affect people far and wide.Peo-ple youve never met and never will.Choose your words carefully.

Being shy today wont serve youwell in our interactive, engagedworld. Learn to appreciatethat life demands your participa-tion.Force yourself to learn, watchsuccessful people and developyourown creativity and style.Meetone person at a time to buildconfi-dence.As an example, I invite you tothink about how important it is towork the room at events like theChambers monthly Business After 5.You just never know who you willmeet.

Recently, I read an article onBNET by Steve Tobak that noted theimportance of being adept at fivethings: finance, selling, presenting,negotiating and business communi-cation. How are your five coming to-gether?

The last little thing that so manypeople have probably told you in-cluding your mother is to smile!Its such a simple act, which cancommunicate so many positivethings, and can brighten up some-bodys day. Smiling is generally theact of the self-assured and happy per-son and is a universal welcome.Smile at the next person you see!

Smile the world will wonder what youre up to!

by Allan Weatherall

This article has been prepared for theChamber and our Members by AllanWeatherall, B.A., CFRE, APR - Director of Development at the St. Thomas Elgin General HospitalFoundation. He received accredita-tion (APR) from the Canadian PublicRelations Society in 1993 and aCFRE (certified fundraising executive)in 2000. He welcomes your commentsvia email to: [email protected] or telephone 519-631-2030 extension 2247


From our family to yours, we would like to wish youMerry Christmas & Happy New Year

275 Wellington Street, St. Thomas 519.633.2200Monday - Thursday, 9am to 9pm. Friday & Saturday, 9am to 5pm Rob Branton

Sales/LeasingJanet Hillman

Business ManagerBill Horne

Sales/LeasingRoss WingerSales/Leasing

Andrew MooreBusiness Manager

Terry TaylorSales/Leasing

Brent KidderSales Manager

Dan DaleDealer Principal

Jeff LauzonSales/Leasing

Paul McClenaghanSales/Leasing

Have a Happy andHealthy 2012!

Committed to Complete Customer Satisfaction

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Seasons Greetings


NEW MEMBERSWelcome To The Chamber NetworkThe St. Thomas & DistrictChamber of Commerce ispleased to welcome the follow-ing businesses and individualsas our newest Members. Thestaff and management of the or-ganizations shown below wereaccepted as registered Membersfrom October 16 to November15, 2011.

Balanced Body Bootcamp608 Highview DriveSt. Thomas, ON N5R 6B4 Phone: 519-777-9747 Email: [email protected]: Nevir Hicks, PersonalTrainer/Owner Buyers Guide Category: PersonalTrainersProducts & Services: Balanced BodyBootcamp involves setting athleticgoals geared towards those whowish to lose weight, improve flexibil-ity and gain balanced total bodystrength. Balanced Bootcamp canwork with you one-on-one toachieve your personal goals, or canoffer group sessions for your family,

office or friends.

Best Rate Home Improvements35253 Talbot LineShedden, ON N0L 2E0 Phone: 519-764-2774 Email: [email protected] Contact: Jim Able, OwnerBuyers Guide Category: BuildingContractors; Renovations/Additions;Windows/Doors; Roofing Contrac-tors; Interior Design/Decorating;FlooringProducts & Services: Best RateHome Improvements offers greatworkmanship at reasonable costs.Call them today to discuss your im-provement ideas. From installingwindows and doors to complete ren-ovation projects, Best Rate Home Im-provements will work with you tocreate a home you can call your idea.

Elm Hurst Inn & Spa415 Harris StreetIngersoll, ON N5C 3K1 Phone: 519-485-5321 Fax: 519-485-5513 Email: [email protected] Website: www.elmhurstinn.com Contact: Kathleen Keating, Director

of MarketingBuyers Guide Category: Accommo-dations; Day Spas; Food Specialties;Party Services; Sports, Recreation &Fitness; Wedding Planning & Serv-icesProducts & Services: Experience abreath of fresh air at Elm Hurst Inn &Spa. Elm Hurst Inn & Spa offers in-spired choices for unforgettable get-aways, stylish celebrations andproductive meetings. The Elm HurstInn offers fine dining for largegroups or just for the two of you.Follow up your gourmet meal witha visit to the on-site Spa, featuringfive private treatment rooms, mani-cure & pedicure stations, sauna,steam room, Jacuzzi, and mens andwomens locker rooms. Some treat-ments are available in the privacy ofyour guest room. Plan your weddingday with the Elm Hurst Inn; full wed-ding planning services are available.Book your companys next meetingat the Elm Hurst Inn full service facil-ities including four private diningrooms, as well as 10 other inspiredmeeting places to fulfill your meet-ing needs.

Magic Light & Sound15 Warren CrescentSt. Thomas, ON N5P 3Z1 Phone: 519-637-2946 Email: [email protected] Contact: Shawn Holroyd, OwnerBuyers Guide Category: Entertain-ment; Wedding Planning & ServicesProducts & Services: Whatever youroccasion, the last thing you shouldworry about is the music. The rightDJ can make your event everythingyou want to be. The wrong DJ canliterally shut down your show whileyour guests slip out the door. Forover 10 years Magic Light & Soundhas specialized in weddings and stagand does and provided music for thebridal expo fashion show at theWestern Fair and Welcome WagonBridal Showcase in Woodstock.

Russ Hicks, RMT608 Highview DriveSt. Thomas, ON N5R 6B4 Phone: 519-777-6164 Email: [email protected] Contact: Russ HicksBuyers Guide Category: MassageTherapyProducts & Services: Russ HicksRMT offers a wide variety of mas-sage therapy techniques to keep youin top form. Russ offers hydrother-apy, scar tissue breakdown, fascialrelease techniques, sports injury re-habilitation, relaxational massage,postural analysis and a thoroughrange of motion testing for allclients. Russ can also give remedialexercises tailored to each individualclient and particular injury. Russ alsospecializes in trigger point therapyfor acute, sub-acute and chronicpain.

BUSINESS BEAT

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Open Monday 9:30am-4:00pm, Tuesday - Friday 8:30am-7:00pm,

Saturday 8:30am - 4:00pm

519-631-7629cedarhurstsalonandspa.com

76 Talbot St., St. Thomas (Across from Jumbo)75 BURWELL ROAD, ST.THOMAS

MON.-FRI. 8AM-6PM; SAT. 9AM-5PM; SUN. 12-5PMWWW.BERRYHILL.CA

Gifts for:%LUGLQJ*DUGHQLQJ

+REE\)DUP(QWHUWDLQLQJ7UDYHO+RPH'HFRU6WRFNLQJ6WXIIHUV

:HDWKHUYDQHV&ORFNV-HZHOOHU\3XUVHV.LWFKHQ*DGJHWV*LIW&DUGVplus0RUH8QLTXH8QXVXDO*LIWV

Great

Aqua Massage20 minutes is like

having a 1 hourtherapeutic

massage!Stay Fully

Clothed and Dry!

Give the Gift ofHealth.

Gift CertificatesAvailable

Hours:Mon - Fri 9:30 - 9pm

Sat 9:30 6pmSun 12 5pm

Elgin Mall St Thomas(519) 207-3225www.riverbedmassage.com

Also Available: Ionic Detox Footbath Manicures, Pedicures and Gel Nails T-Zone whole body vibration... shake your

way to good health Infrared Sauna

10 minutes $2015 minutes $2520 minutes $30

Historic Photo Reprintsof St. Thomas & Elgin

www.elgin.ca

Elgin CountyArchives

Open Tues. - Fri. 10am - 4pm450 Sunset Drive, St. Thomas

519-631-1460 (ext. 154)

From the Elgin CountyArchives, thousands ofimages spanningnearly a century including numerous selections from therenowned Scott-SeftonCollection.

Categories includeAgriculture, MilitaryHistory, Businesses,Sports and FamilyPortraits. See thesamples on our web-site or drop in at thearchives. Various sizes available, priced from... $12

Glittering GiftsGlittering GiftsOur Collection of Our Collection of Jewellery for Christmas Jewellery for Christmas is beautifully unique. is beautifully unique. Come and see our Come and see our fabulous selection now.fabulous selection now.

Our Collection of Jewellery for Christmas is beautifully unique. Come and see our fabulous selection now.

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1-24 First Avenue, St. Thomas1-24 First Avenue, St. Thomas519-637-3663519-637-3663

1-24 First Avenue, St. Thomas519-637-3663

WE PAY THE TAX

Elgins History Through

A Photographers Lens

$25*

$40*

$22.60*All Books & DVDs are availableat Branches of The ElginCounty Library and the CountyMuseum, 450 Sunset Drive,St.Thomas (4th Floor)

Volume One: The Scott-Sefton Collection200 photos of St.Thomas & Area from 1900 to 1950.

forGreat Gifts

The History Buff

Volume Two: Harvest of MemoriesA pictorial tour of Elgin County, featuring people, events and historic buildings. Including previous International PlowingMatches in Elgin County

Tremaines Map of The County of Elgin, 1864

Ontario Visual History Project - Elgin CountyHistoric footage of the great moments in the regions history.

$40*

*All prices shown include HST


The St. Thomas Elgin General Hospital (STEGH) Foundation plays an integral role in supporting patient care excellence

at the St. Thomas Elgin General Hospital. The STEGH Foundation provides a critical function by independently

raising funds to acquire patient care equipment, support educational endeavours, and upgrade

the Hospitals physical facilities. The STEGH Foundation does not provide funds to cover any Hospital operating expenses such as salaries, utilities or program funding.

Through the generosity of our donors, the STEGH Foundation has transferred over $25 million to the Hospital since 1985 to ensure it has what is required to keep pace with advancements in medical care. Digital technology,

partially funded through Bequests, is one such advancement that has reduced hospital stays while enabling less invasive surgical

techniques and shorter recovery times.

Generous donations provide physicians and other

health care professionals at your Hospital with access to the best medical

equipment possible for diagnosis and treatment.

After your family members and other loved ones are provided for, designating a gift in your Will to the STEGH Foundation is a wonderful way to make a difference at your Hospital. A Bequest is an important way you can do your part to ensure patient care keeps pace with technology when a loved one like your child, grandchild or friend needs it the most.

Thank you for considering a future gift of health this holiday season.

A Gift of Health

www.legacygifts4stegh.on.ca


Its the Season to Shine!

STEGH Foundation

The St. Thomas Elgin General Hospital is a full service community hospital providing comprehensive 24-hour coverage in Emergency and Family Medicine, Anaesthesia, Surgery, Obstetrics, Paediatrics, Coronary and Intensive Care, and fully digital Diagnostic Imaging. STEGHs vision is to deliver an excellent patient care experience, in a safe and compassionate environment, in collaboration with our health care partners.

As the only hospital in Elgin County, STEGH also provides a wide range of programs and services including:

Ambulatory Day Surgery Diabetes Education Palliative CareCardio Respiratory Services Chemotherapy Sleep Disorders Clinic In-patient Rehabilitation Complex Continuing Care Laboratory Services

Since 1954, STEGH has been caring for the residents in your community. Not only does STEGH meet todays needs, it is championing quality health care for the future.

More than ever, funding from our community is essential to keep pace with future health care needs at STEGH -- needs like new patient equipment and facilities that enhance the quality of care your community deserves. This is clearly a factor in attracting and retaining doctors, nurses and other health care professionals.

A Bequest in your Will is a gift from the heart and a legacy of caring for future generations. Thank you for considering a donation to the STEGH Foundation this holiday season.

Id like to learn more about making a gift in my Will.Please send me free information:

By mail: Name: _____________________________________________________________

Address: _____________________________________________________________

Id prefer a telephone call at: __________________________________________________

The best time to reach me is: Daytime: Evening:

By e-mail: __________________________________________________________________

I have made a gift in my Will to the STEGH Foundation.

I would like to share a story about giving to the STEGH Foundation and supporting my Hospital.

Please call Joanne Beaton with any questions.Direct line (condential voicemail available):519-631-2030, ext. 2727 or e-mail: [email protected]

STEGH Foundation | 189 Elm Street | St. Thomas, ON N5R 5C4

www.legacygifts4stegh.on.ca


CONSERVING ENERGY

Whether it snows or not this holi-day season, more and more Canadi-ans are dreaming of a greenChristmas. Green as in a holidaythat is gentler to the environment.

From the food, to the gifts, totravel, the holidays are traditionallya time of excess and waste. Tons ofwrapping paper and plastic packag-ing are destined for the landfill.Twinkling lights draw extra electric-ity from power plants. Countlesstanks of gas will ferry shoppers frommall to mall to find the "perfect" giftand back again to return them afterBoxing Day!

With a little planning and a fewsimple ideas it is possible to reduceyour impact on the natural worldand reduce your stress at the sametime. Here are a few nature-friendlyholiday tips:

Make the switchSwitching to energy efficient light-

emitting diode (LED) decorations isa bright idea and a great way to savemoney and energy. LEDs use 10 per-cent of the energy of traditional in-candescent bulbs and will last 30times longer. You'll conserve energyand save yourself the shock of theJanuary electricity bill. Using a timerto limit your light displays to a fewhours each evening will keep themood festive and affordable.

Keep it realAn artificial tree isn't necessarily the

eco-friendly choice. Fake trees aremade of petroleum products. They'reloaded with contaminants and trans-ported over great distances to get toyour home. A real tree from a localtree farm is a better option. Whilegrowing, it captures CO2, producesoxygen and helps clean the air. Onceit is cut, the farmer will plant a newtree to replace it. When the holidaysare over, you can recycle it.

That's a wrapHave fun finding alternatives to

glossy wrapping paper: Look for recycled, post-consumer

paper printed with vegetable inks Wrap one gift inside another (like

a scarf ) Sew or buy reusable, fabric gift

bags Use old maps, junk mail, comics Find creative containers: a water-

ing can for a gardener's gift, a pot fora cook

Give a gift of natureBy supporting a charity that protects

nature, you can give a meaningful giftto those you love. A gift of Canadiannature will never be returned, nevergather dust and will help protect anatural legacy for our children andgrandchildren. It's an easy way to cel-ebrate a green Christmas with every-one on your list, all year long.

His images are typicallyused for web sites, mar-keting presentations,public relations initia-tives, corporate commu-nications and editorialpurposes. They are fea-tured in annual reports,newspapers, brochuresand magazines.

While Philips work isdiversified in the com-mercial field, he contin-ues to capture great localfamily portraits andshares his passion for hiscraft through his digitalphotography workshops.

Philip is currently thepast president of theKinsmen club of St.Thomas. He, with hiswife Vanessa, are proudmembers of the St.Thomas Chamber ofCommerce and the St.Thomas Executives Asso-ciation.

For your next photogra-phy project, commercialor personal, contactShutter Studios, 519-637-3006, or find themonline at www.shutter.ca

Shutter Studios Photography

12 Drake Street St Thomas, OntarioN5R 2H5 519-637-3006

www.shutter.ca [email protected]

Philip J. Bell, Creative Director of Shutter Studios withhis faint but growing Movember moustache in supportof Prostate Cancer Canada.

Shutter Studios began as Philip J. Bell Photography in1999 during a time when the transition from filmnegative to digital files was just beginning. Over the past12 years, Philips commercial photography studio has grownto produce dynamic images for small businesses, corporations,architects, interior designers, construction professionals andthe healthcare sector. Creative, Diversified,Professional

C H R I S T M A S

Make it a green ChristmasSimple ways to spread holiday cheer and save the environment at the same time

reduce your impact on the natural world


Bill GrahamJohn ScottRob FosterJim FrederickMike MacKinnonScott TrevorsPaul LinckFred TaylorPaul SchneiderDerek MichellBob BristowDarlene NewellValerie CampbellMike RawlingsAlex DeVincenzoLindsey AllenKim HannahAmna Fiaz

Alan EnnsMike StoverBill LuyksBetty GroppMegan SiemensJennifer SioenGeorge ReidNorma CrockerKara WatsonMike HelderJulie RoszellTeake VeenstraPat WrayBrenda BellAndrew McQueen

Seasons GreetingsOur families wish you and yours a beautiful holiday season, filled with thewarmth of friends and loved ones, and withthe promise of a prosperous new year

St.Thomas 519-633-0700 Aylmer 519-773-9265www.grahamscottenns.com

Have a wonderful Holiday SeasonFrom Todd, Kathy and all the staff.

AYLMER75 Talbot Street East

T: 519-773-8471

ST.THOMAS991 Talbot StreetT: 519-637-1230

PORT STANLEY289 Bridge StreetT: 519-782-3327

TILLSONBURG128 Broadway

T: 519-842-8999

Seasons Greetings

www.hwcinsurance.ca [email protected]

Your Mainstreet Insurance Broker

C H R I S T M A S

TECHNOLOGY

Christmas is just around the cornerand there are all kinds of reasonsfrom smarter smartphones to morepowerful laptops for people to findsomething electronic under theirtree. Here are some tips to help giftgivers match the best choice for theirgift receivers.

First, while I hate to blindly recom-mend any status quo, industry lead-ers are often in that position becausethey offer great value, which isnt thesame as having the lowest price. Ivehelped people with devices fromlesser-known manufacturers, whichthey bought because the productsseemed like a great deal. But thatidea eroded pretty quickly after acouple of hours trying to figure outhow to do something that shouldhave been simple.

Equally, a higher price doesnt au-tomatically mean a better product.But industry-leading companiesoften not always have moremoney to spend on the user inter-face, making the device more intu-

itive to use, which can be priceless,especially for anyone new to elec-tronics.

Read reviews and recommenda-tions, but consider them a startingpoint rather than a decision maker.The tech expert reviewer may be dis-appointed that the device is lackingsomething, but your loved one maynot really care about the differencebetween a 12 and a 15 megapixelcamera.

However, they will care about howeasy the device is to use. Some storesoffer an electronics petting zoo,where devices are unboxed and avail-able for people to play with. Youmight not buy the device at this store(youre planning on shopping locally,right?) but its well worth spendingthe time to see how it actually works.And when youre doing this, thinkabout it from your gift recipientsperspective, not yours. You mightlove the colourful icons, but if two orthree of them look very similar, your70-year-old grandmother may strug-gle to know which is which.

Once the gift is given, you can give

something even more precious: yourtime. If possible, plan to spend timehelping your loved one learn abouttheir new device. And dont just blazethrough what all the buttons do. Notonly do people learn better whenthey do something rather than beingshown something, devices often havetheir own language or series of stepsthat are required to do something.Learning the basics of this language(e.g. having to turn the wireless con-nection on every time before con-necting to a network or setting up anemail account), will help them whenthey try a new feature.

Enjoy the time together while youask them to accomplish some basictasks, like connecting to the Internetor sending a message. Help them setup any passwords and go through thesettings together so that the device isset up to best suit their needs andlevel of expertise. (Sometimes thistime together might be the best giftof all; grandchildren, Im looking atyou.)

Before you leave, register the devicewith the manufacturer and completethe warranty information. Most de-vices are pretty solid these days but,if there ever is a problem, this notonly helps with warranty protection,it also will make it easier to get techsupport.

Whatever you celebrate at this timeof year, I hope its happy and safe andfull of wonderful memories. Thatsreally what its all about.

Giving an electronic gadget as a gift? Here are some tips to help you choose the perfect high-tech device

Peter Atkinson isE-Services Consultant at theSt. Thomas Public Library.

by Peter Atkinson


I once learned that the word home evokes more emotion than any otherword in the English language other than the word love.

This is definitely the case in my own life, and I believe in the lives of many.The deeper meaning of home was articulated beautifully recently by MaxwellGillingham-Ryan, founder and CEO of Apartment Therapy Media, a net-work devoted to helping people make their homes beautiful, organized andhealthy. Maxwells storytelling talent sparkled as he shared his compellingpersonal story, his design philosophy and the humble beginnings of Apart-ment Therapy during the fall High Point Market.

Your home is the only place that is all yours, he said. It is the only placeyou can be totally yourself. We are all looking for a place we can feel com-pletely comfortable. If you are not doing that at home, you are missing some-thing.

Our mission and passion at Jennings is to be sure people dont miss the joyof home. We believe that creating a warm home that you and your friendsenjoy is one of the most worthwhile things in life. I was struck at the simi-larity between Apartment Therapys mission and that of Jennings Furniture& Design. Our purpose is to enrich the lives of the people we touch by help-

ing them enjoy their homemore and experience theirhome to the fullest.

Your home is a path, not aplace, Maxwell said. Somepeople think you should sethome up like a picture andstop there. But home, he said,should change and grow be-cause you change and grow. Itsabout figuring out who you areand expressing that over timein your home. Its not aboutthe space but about creating aspace that comes out of you.

On a personal note, Maxwellshared that his own path hasbeen twisty and turny. Beforehigh school, he struggled tofind his niche and describedhimself as anonymous and av-erage. But in high school hediscovered a love and talent forart that made him feel aliveand appreciated, and thenfound his way to design. Outof college, he went to work forGear, a fabric and home fash-ion design firm that was really

good at making things look fabulous. However, Maxwell felt something wasmissing. It wasnt enough for a room to look good if it didnt make you feelgood, he said.

Seeking a greater sense of mission and purpose, Maxwell returned to grad-uate school and became an elementary school teacher for about seven years.During that time, he became aware of how environment affects learning.The children who did best in my classes had the best homes. This didntmean the most expensive or best designed, but a balance in making it home.As for his best and brightest students? Those who had two parents home fordinner together. [Family mealtimes] make all the difference, Maxwell said.

In 2001, Maxwell combined his experience and talent for design and forteaching to educating and inspiring the world to create h

Documents

December 2011 Issue