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2 EDMONTONIANS MARCH 2009

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with Mark & Martylad to see March make its wayto us. The best days in the month arethe 17th when we drink green beer,and the 20th when we can officially

say good-bye to winter.

First things first: My face is red because ofthe oops in my last column. After going on about theGlenn Anderson retirement ceremony I hosted lastmonth, I mentioned that I hung with some of my all-time favourite Oilers: Glenn, Kevin Lowe, DaveSemenko and Jari Kurri. Jari is not the error, butspelling it Yari was. My thanks to those who e-mailed about the mistake, especially David Hopkinsand a guy named Jeff.

A happy birthday wish goes out to KarlKuss. I was invited to the bash at the KingswayLegion. Karl turned 60 and his family put on a greatparty.

Some sad news came out of that day. I chatted withone of the Legion members about a proposed LRTroute that may have to run right through the land the60+-year old building sits on. Will Branch #175—aka ‘the home of hospitality’—fall victim toprogress? If so, I hope that the city puts it right sothe over 1200 members find a great new home.

The Alzheimer Benefit Dinner of Nations isgetting set to roll on Friday, March 13th. This year,the event has a tropical theme, and features live andsilent auctions, comedy entertainment, and a line-upof celebrity waiters who will work for your tips. It’sa major fundraiser for the Alzheimer Society ofAlberta and Northwest Territories. Kudos to TheMedicine Shoppe for its continued support. Tablesare going fast, so contact Sylvie at 780.488.2266 oremail [email protected]

By the way… Did you know there are threeFriday the 13ths in 2009? Yeah. February, March andNovember. How often does that happen?

You may want to check a world premiere atthe Citadel Theatre. Extinction Song runs from the28th of this month until April 29th. Local directorand playwright Ron Jenkins is behind the show…which promises to be a “funny, tender, andheartbreaking account of a child’s way of copingwith the troubled world around him.” You can catchthe show at the Rice Theatre. Break a leg, Ron.

I have lived in Edmonton for over 10 years,and I’ve gone to Jasper on a number of occasions.

But, I had never hiked the Maligne Canyon until theValentine weekend. It is spectactular. I went for awalk in the frozen canyon bed, and hope to do someice climbing another time. If you have had thisexperience, you know how beautiful it is. If youare new to Alberta, Irecommend you add one of themost breath-taking gorges inthe Canadian Rockies to yourthings-to-do list. I squeezed intoa cave and got a soaker. I wouldlike to thank Frank and Lloydfor leading the hike and lettingme win at darts at the Dead Dog.

Gig of the month… Oh, Icould easily say that you haveto see Nickleback, Joan Baez orthe Doodlebops but I won’t. Nosir, I won’t. The place to be isthe Black Dog on Whyte Ave.for New Brunswick countryrockers, The Divorcees. Theyare going to knock the tar offthe roof (although I think thereis a deck up there, but you getthe idea). The group won the2008 East Coast MusicAward for country recording ofthe year for their CD, You Ain’t Getting MyCountry. The last time I saw them was at the StanRogers Folk Festival last summer—over 5,000 folksdanced the night away to their style of outlawcountry. The Divorcees play the Dog on Wednesday,March 18th. They head up to BJ’s Cue Club inGrande Prairie the next day. They’ll wrap up the

week at Electric Rodeo in Spruce Grove on theFriday and Saturday. Check www.thedivorcees.comfor more dates. Gotta get there!

More good news… TheClassics are going to beplaying the first Friday ofevery month, commencingMarch 6th at the SawmillBanquet & Catering Centreat 3840 76 Avenue. Thisawesome eight-piece hornband plays all of theclassic tunes that mostBoomers want to hear.They take the stage at

8:00 pm and play until midnight.$20 at the door or call 780.468.4115for reservations. Visitwww.theclassics.ca

Expect people from all faiths andwalks of life to attend a gala fundraiserbeing hosted by Beth ShalomSynagogue. It’s a dinner tribute tolawyer Sol Rolingher who hasdedicated himself to fostering strongcommunity relationships that transcendreligious beliefs. In addition to

chairing the Phoenix Multi-FaithSociety for Harmony, he hasserved on countless boards focusedon education, the law, healthcare,the arts and humanities, and parksdevelopment. Sol initiated theDuncan & Craig Laurel Awardswhich annually recognize innovationand creativity among non-profitorganizations.

The gala will be held at theFantasyland Hotel on Sunday, March29th. Call 780.488.6333 for tickets. Solconsiders Beth Shalom one of the city’s“icon buildings.” He joked about theidea of “rejuvenating a 55-year oldbuilding using a 65-year old person” asthe catalyst to raise funds for renovationsto the Jasper Avenue synagogue. √

Mark Scholz, owner of MES Communications Inc.offers a variety of services including production,creative and entertainment. For more information orto suggest a story idea, [email protected]

GGThe Classics

The DivorceesPhoto by Chris Smith

Maligne Canyon

EDMONTONIANS MARCH 2009 3


ne of Edmonton’s best stick handlersdoesn’t perform his skills on the ice… but heis never far from the action. Edmonton OilersPresident and CEO Patrick LaForge is onebusy guy: He runs one of the best franchises

in the NHL, and the new Edmonton Oil Kings juniorfranchise. He’s a governor in both the NHL and WHL. Heintegrated the Oilers’ ownership changeover from theEdmonton Investors Group to the Katz Group this pastyear. On top of all that, he served as 2008 president of theEdmonton Chamber of Commerce.

I grabbed a few minutes of Mr. LaForge’s busy time andfired these questions at him:

You’re already a ‘very busy guy’ – how did you juggle thejob of running the Edmonton Oilers Hockey club alongwith your Chamber role?Great question. The human is a very adaptable thing whenpushed to extremes. Firstly, I grossly underestimated howbusy I was going to be with my Oilers’ duties. At the time Icommitted to being chair of the Chamber, the sale of theOilers to Daryl Katz was not even being mentioned, sothat was my biggest miscalculation. Then, of course, theChamber commitments became more fun and moreengaging than anticipated, so the hours dedicated to theChamber did add up. But the solution to my sanity camethree ways:• I had less time for personal dalliances, like golf and

family things which I had to cut back.• I was extremely well organized by my associate,

Connie Hadden.• Lastly, I just added incremental time commitments to

my already heavy schedule. What else could I do? Mynormal 60-hour weeks became 80-hour weeks quiteoften.

What insight into our city did the Chamber chair rolebring to you this past year?Firstly, I became much more aware that the Chamberperforms a critically important duty in its role as advocateon behalf of business… From taxes to infrastructure toimmigration issue for labourers and more, I learned theissues that exist by living with the problems. I also learnedmore about how government (at all levels) thinks and actsand works to solve issues for the highest prioritystakeholders. And, by traveling and meeting on behalf ofthe Edmonton Chamber to Yellowknife, Fort McMurray,Grande Prairie and other locations, I learned thatwestern/northern businesses in general share manycommon challenges. Edmonton business isn’t unique in thewest/north, despite what others might say.

What’s the biggest challenge our city faces in the next fewyears?

To a large group of us local business leaders in the GreaterEdmonton Region, the biggest challenge for ourcommunity is to adopt a common vision for our region—something that describes a future that we and others can bemotivated to buy into. Clearly, there are many plans formany of the 23 municipal communities in the GERand…for the hundreds of stakeholders who live and workhere. But, to this point, there is no single vision for theGER that exists. This void has created frustration andconfusion for many business leaders and, no doubt in mymind, it has caused businesses to leave Edmonton for otherplaces that have tangible plans. And, for those businessesshopping for a place to invest, our vision void has made usan undesirable place to build a new business. This to me isour biggest challenge hands down.

Edmonton is known as one of the best kept secrets as agreat city. How do we let the rest of the world know?The most important thing we can do is to insure the peoplewho live here and travel here become our best salespeople… We need a vision, as I said, that will lead us to along term commitment of completing a few—five to six—key priorities for our community. These big priorities, when

complete or improved, should bring community pride andstrength.

Together, one million happy citizens will be the mostpowerful marketing initiative we could ever hope for. Forexample, I would like to see Edmonton become proudlyknown to Edmontonians as the greatest northern city in theworld: the best northern city to work in and to live in… theone northern city that embraces being in the north and usesit to our unique advantage.

You’re more than half way through the first year underDaryl Katz ownership. What’s the feeling in the hallwaysat this point?I am sure people around here are feeling pretty darnedgood about Daryl. Our employees, fans and customers tellus they feel Daryl Katz is sincerely committed toEdmonton and the Edmonton Oilers. They believe hebrings confidence to our community and support for ourchallenges beyond their expectations. And…they all feel hisspirit for winning future championships and doing the rightthings for Edmonton is making us a better hockeyorganization.

Are we getting any closer in the planning for the newhockey arena/entertainment complex?The more time I travel to other cities, the more I amconvinced that Edmonton needs a new world classentertainment facility for downtown. (It) would lift our cityto another plateau. Last spring we heard Daryl Katz make acommitment to help Edmonton build such a place after he

acquired the Oilers. Over the past months, he has beenleading a development initiative with a number of expertsthat is still in planning mode. I am a proud participant butdetails are still private.

It’s nice to see how the Outdoor Classic has grown overthe past few years in the NHL. You should be extremelyproud of starting this initative a few years back, Patrick.Will we ever be fortunate enough to see another one inEdmonton?All hockey fans in Oil Country are proud of having hostedthe first NHL outdoor game and the largest NHL Alumnigame ever at Commonwealth Stadium on November 22,2003. It now appears what was created here has become ahockey icon for the NHL and other great hockeyorganizations.

Yes, as the father of the original idea, I am quite pleasedof what we did and how big the outdoor game idea hasbecome. It is something unique for hockey fans to attendand hockey people to participate in, no doubt. And, haveyou seen those TV audiences for the Classic games? Thoserecord breaking audiences are great for business as well.What more could we ask for?

What’s your biggest challenge with the Edmonton OilersHockey club in the next five years or so?I think we have two big challenges facing us. First, we haveto successfully make our way to the other side of thismonstrous economic chasm facing our customers andsponsors in 2009 and likely 2010 without losing theirbusiness. We have constructed a rather healthy businessmodel for the Edmonton Oilers and hockey fans inNorthern Alberta/Canada and we don’t want to see itdismantled.

Personally, what’s your second favourite place on earth? When I can afford the time and my budget permits, I loveto head over to the UK for a few weeks. Wanderingthrough the train stations, castles, country pubs and ancientcourtyards with my wife is time added to my life I am sure.I fell in love with the place in the 90s when working forMolson and I just can’t get enough of it. My second mostfavourite hobby is fishing for lake trout in any freshwaterlake in the Arctic, in the summer. Fishing is a passion andthe NWT is the best place on earth to fish, bar none.

Patrick LaForge’s drive, determination and work ethic helpcontribute to the well being of our community, both on andoff the ice. Next time you see him strolling along theconcourse at Rexall Place, I suggest you wander over, holdout your hand and let him know that we all appreciateeverything he does for all Edmontonians.

Footnote: Soon after I had concluded this interview, Patrickwas back in the news: this time, announcing the acquisitionby the Katz Baseball Corporation, part of the Rexall SportsCorp. which is one of the Katz Group of companies. Don’tknow what Patrick’s role will be but he promises torejuvenate the team and, thankfully, change its name, andmake better use of the Telus Field facility. What is clear isthat he is the senior spokesperson for media-shy DarylKatz. √

Marty Forbes is the recently retired VP and generalmanager of The Bear, EZRock and The TEAM 1260Sports Radio. Contact [email protected]

OO

All aboard! to the next castleAll aboard! to the next castle



STATIONxercise: essential to good health. Summer temperatures and sunshine make it easy to get outand work toward fitness goals, but what about the winter months when temperatures hoveraround -30˚ C? The tendency may be to hibernate and find excuses for not participating inphysical exercise. Fortunately, there are a variety of indoor and outdoor winter activities

available that can make exercising enjoyable… and winter more bearable. This month we askedEdmontonians what they do to keep fit during the winter season.

With Linda Banister

PollPoll

FOUNDERDICK MacLEAN

MARCH 2009Vol. XX

Published by 399620 Alberta Ltd. on the first day of eachmonth at C-100 Park Side Tower, 8920-100th StreetEdmonton AB CA T6E 4Y8. ©All rights reserved. Nopart of this publication may be reprinted or reproduced inany form without written permission from the publisher.

Manuscripts: must be accompanied by a stamped, self-addressed envelope. Edmontonians is not responsible forunsolicited manuscripts.

All stories Copyright ©Edmontonians

Publications Mail Agreement No. 40023292Return undeliverable Canadian addresses to:Circulation DepartmentC-100 Park Side Tower, 8920-100th StreetEdmonton AB CA T6E 4Y8Email: [email protected]

SHARON MacLEANPublisher and Advertising Director

Telephone: 780.482.7000Fax: 780.488.9317

e-mail: [email protected]

INSIDEVOX POPMark Scholz . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2Marty Forbes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3POLL STATIONWinter Activities/Banister . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4

MY E-SPACELeaLea/Rayner . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5

THE BUSINESS OF LOVEDestination Wedding/Jespersen . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5

CIVIC BUZZFlights/Norwood . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6MEDIA MINUTEChoices/Hogle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6

TRANSFORMERSContest Winner/Hanlen . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7

LIVELY LIFESTYLESAbsolute Bodo/Bodo . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8MenuMagic/Berry . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9

VISIONARIESBodnarchuk/Gazin . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .11Glenrose/Croucher . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .12Briefs/Croucher . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .12Social Media/Schwabe . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .14

CELEBRATING 20 YEARS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .15

BARB DETERSEditor

[email protected]

COLUMNISTSLinda Banister

John BerryLinda Bodo

Cheryl CroucherMarty Forbes

Muggsy ForbesBruce Hogle

Ryan JespersenDavid Norwood

Erin RaynerMark Scholz

Walter SchwabeNizar J. Somji

FEATURE WRITERSBarb DetersGreg Gazin

Peter Drake McHughMarg. Pullishy

PHOTOGRAPHERSTerry Bourque

Barb DetersAkemi Matsubuchi

Dan Power

SPECIAL PROJECTSEdmontonians Transformers

Tom BradshawLes Brost

Steffany HanlenLarry Ohlhauser

GRAPHIC PRODUCTIONRage Studios Inc.

THIS MONTH’S COVER

Transformer Contest WinnerHeather Friesen with Steffany Hanlen

Photo by Terry Bourque

DIY author Linda BodoPhoto by Akerni Matsubuchi

No. 3

2020YEARS

C E L E B R A T I N G

EEWHAT OUTDOOR ACTIVITIES DO YOUPARTICIPATE IN DURING WINTER? HOW OFTEN?

To begin the survey, respondents were asked what physicalactivities they participate in outdoors over the winter months.Respondents most frequently mentioned walking or hiking (46percent), followed by ice skating (27 percent), downhill skiing(18 percent) and cross-country skiing (18 percent). A slightlysmaller percentage reported walking their dogs, on or off leash(15 percent), tobogganing (13 percent) and jogging or running(10 percent). Eighteen percent reported they do not participate inany outdoor activities over the winter months. When those whodo participate in outdoor activities were asked how often theyparticipate in these winter activities, 28 percent indicated three tofour times per week, 27 percent reported one to two times perweek, and 20 percent participated two to three times per month.

WHAT INDOOR ACTIVITIES DO YOUPARTICIPATE IN DURING WINTER? HOW OFTEN?

Next, respondents were asked if they play any indoor sportsduring the winter. One-quarter indicated they did, while theremaining 75 percent did not. Those who indicated theyparticipate in indoor sports were most likely to play racquetsports such as squash and badminton (24 percent), and soccer (24percent), followed by volleyball (20 percent), floor hockey (12percent), martial arts (eight percent), and curling (eight percent).The majority of these respondents (60 percent) participated intheir sport one to two times per week, followed by 12 percentthat participated two to three times per month.

DO YOU BELONG TO A FITNESS CENTRE?When asked if they owned a membership to a fitness centre, 31percent reported they did, while 69 percent did not. Of those witha membership, 26 percent belonged to Clubfit, 16 percent toYMCA and 13 percent to World Health Club. Ten percent ofrespondents each belonged to Spa Lady, a private club such asthe Royal Glenora, or a City of Edmonton leisure facility.Respondents with a membership were most likely to indicatethey go to the gym three to four times per week (45 percent),followed by one to two times per week (36 percent). Thirteenpercent go to the gym five times per week or more, while sevenpercent go once per month or less.

DO YOU PARTICIPATE IN ANY OTHERACTIVITIES TO KEEP FIT?Finally, respondents were asked if there were any other activitiesthey participated in to keep active during the winter months.Twenty-one percent reported exercising and working out, sevenpercent reported walking, six percent stated their work wasphysically demanding, and five percent mentioned swimming.Twenty-eight percent indicated they do not participate in anyother activities. √

Monthly Poll Station Online QuestionVisit www.edmontonians.com to register your opinion

Want a question included in the Edmontonians Poll?Contact Linda at 780.451.4444 or e-mail

[email protected].

Linda Banister is a certified management consultant and the owner ofBanister Research and Consulting Inc., a full service provider ofmarket research and program evaluation services.Visit www.banister.ab.ca.

Perc

ent

Perc

ent

46%

24% 20%

12%8% 8%

27%18%

15% 13% 10%Walk or hiked

during thewinter

Said they playracket sports

Said they playvolleyball

Said they playfloor hockey

Said theyparticipate in

curling

Said theyparticipate inmartial arts

Skateduring

the winter

Cross-countryski duringthe winter

Walk thedog duringthe winter

Tobogganduring the

winter

Run or jogduring the

winter

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ne of my favorite things about writingthis column is that I always learnsomething from my subjects, and thismonth was no exception. Interviewing26-year-old Lea Alcantara, owner of

Lealea Design (www.lealea.net), was like trying totake a sip from a tech-savvy fire hose. Lealeaspecializes in website and print design. Whatintrigued me about her firm was her onlinemarketing strategy.

Lea is a self-professed techno-geek. She taughtherself web development as a 13-year old, andbuilt her first website: a Sailor Moon fan site. In2003, she graduated from Grant MacEwan’s visualcommunication design program and entered thework-world to learn the ins and outs of the designindustry.

“Working in an office felt like being punishedfor efficiency… Like being in school and you’redone your work at 3 but you’re forced to stay indetention until 5,” Lea quips. Three and a halfyears later, she still appreciates the freedom ofbeing her own boss.

One thing immediately evident about Lea is herfluency in online relationship building. Until a fewmonths ago, 80 percent of her clients were fromother parts of Canada and the United States. Sheuses blogging, Twitter and more recently Facebookto network with other business owners. “Decidingto have a blog on my site was the best businessdecision I’ve ever made,” admits Lea.

In 2005, she wrote an article on her blog aboutself-branding. It has led to new clients andspeaking engagements, and is used in marketingprograms at several universities. “Even four yearslater, it still provides business leads.”

Blogs are an online discussion forum that, from amarketing perspective, are a great way to keepwebsite content fresh and interactive. A frequentlyused, well-subscribed blog can build credibility

and a trusting relationship online with a clientregardless of geography. “Part of the point ofblogging is collaboration: It’s a conversation to aska question, make a statement or tutorial… andpeople (readers) add more points, comments tostrengthen a reputation or credibility,” adds Lea.

Her tips for getting the best out of your blogapply across the board to any marketing initiative:1. Know your audience—Who is your reader? 2.Know your target—Who do you want to reach andinspire to act? 3. Intend reputation—Be clear abouthow you are using your blog [or any marketinginitiative] to achieve a specific business goal.

Lea was also quick to mention that anything youpost on the web—be it personal on your Facebookprofile, or professional on your company blog—isnot private. Once it is on the web, it is likely tostay there a long time.

Her favourite mistake? “Not being prepared for arush of interest and not thinking about the strategyof the next step.” In the words of this techno-dynamo “Don’t just plan for mediocrity, plan forsuccess.” √

Erin Rayner is president of ED Marketing andCommunications Inc. You can submit marketingmaterials for review; suggest young entrepreneursto be profiled; nominate a Top Three; or ask abusiness developement question. [email protected]

By Erin RaynerFor Young Entreprenuersmy spaceE

OO

The Businessof Love

hether it’s life imitating art or theother way around, there’s nodenying former Edmonton residentLarissa Banting’s real-life love

story could warrant a feature film.Once a marketing rep for

Edmonton’s DowntownBusiness Association, theAlberta Ballet and the ArdenTheatre, Larissa took on afilm project being shot inCosta Rica in 2001. 100Days in the Jungle told thetrue story of the sevenpipeline workers fromEdmonton, kidnapped byColumbian guerrillas inEcuador on September 11,1999. During filming,Larissa fell in love withRoberto Leiva, a CostaRican actor playing one ofthe guerrillas. A year later,the two were married on thebeach in Puerto Viejo where they first met.

“Everyone thought I was nuts as I had nomoney, no job… I didn’t speak Spanish anddidn’t know anyone in the country other thanRoberto,” says the founder of Weddings CostaRica and veteran planner of more than 300weddings. “After running into so many problemsplanning my own wedding, I couldn’t imagine howpeople from outside the country could do it.”

Eight years later, my fiancée, Capital FM’s KariSkelton, and I wondered the exact same thing. We

knew we wanted a destination wedding. Costa Ricawas our first choice. But steering clear of popularspots like Mexico and Hawaii meant the “road lesstraveled” concept would also apply to our planningprocess. We feared the dream could become anightmare if the more relaxed Central American

attitude led to miscommunication withflight schedules, hotel transfers, weddingdetails or even food allergies.

Then we heard about Larissa and Weddings CostaRica. Her team had stared down melting weddingcakes, earthquakes and beaches wiped out by hightides—and won. Not only that, her unique designshad won critical acclaim. We hired her before we

even chose our hotel. Kari and I eventually choseBahia Del Sol Beachfront Hotel for our March 22ndnuptials.

“We do not offer packages,” Larissa told us.“There’s no ‘McWeddings’ here. I know there are alot of people out there who dream about theirwedding all their lives and do not want to settle for‘Package A with the red flowers’.”

Thus far unaffected by a stumbling economy andweakened tourism sector, Larissa willshare Weddings Costa Rica’s successstory this month on Martha StewartRadio and with the editors of Bride’s,Modern Bride, Elegant Bride and TheKnot. Her blog (www.lazybride.com)will soon be released as a book. Andthere’s a homeward-bound element toher story: She’s opening an Edmontonoffice where she’ll operate duringCosta Rica’s rainy season. Fitting,really, considering this is whereLarissa believes her own script gotstarted a decade ago.

“I think my years of theatre andwork in film (in Edmonton) have a biginfluence on the work I do now,” saysLarissa. “I love designing and creatingunique experiences.” √

Ryan Jespersen hosts BreakfastTelevision weekday mornings from6-10 am on Citytv. E-mail Ryan [email protected]

WWWith Ryan Jespersen

Edmontonian LarissaBanting, founder ofWeddings Costa Rica

Feast and fire are part of Larissa’swedding repertoire in Costa RicaPhotos by Dan Power Photography

Long distance planning



espite the global economicslowdown, EdmontonInternational Airport (EIA)seems to be holding its own

these days. EIA was the only one of thetop 10 Canadian airports to recordpassenger growth in every month of2008 (Ottawa and Victoria recordeddecreases in only one month). Overall,Edmonton recorded a growth of 6.15percent passenger traffic; Ottawa was avery close second at 6.13 percent. This isan impressive achievement consideringthe worldwide state of the airlineindustry, when losses are calculated inthe billions of dollars.

Of course, 2009 could be a verydifferent year from 2008, and Edmontonwill be affected. US Airways, whichserves both Las Vegas and Phoenix fromEIA, has announced that it will drop itsEdmonton-Las Vegas flight in May; it isalso discontinuing the same route fromCalgary. Those who fly the US Airwaysflight report that it is at or near capacitymost days, but the airline’s decision todrop the flight is apparently a move tostrengthen its hub centres in Phoenix (aswell as Charlotte, North Carolina, andPittsburgh), and downsize its Las Vegashub. It will continue to service Phoenixfrom Edmonton.

At the same time, WestJet offers twodaily non-stops to Las Vegas (which willdrop to a single daily flight for thesummer season), and Air Canadarecently increased its year-roundEdmonton-Las Vegas service from twoto four flights per week. The Vegasmarket continues to attract Edmon-tonians, so we may see another carrierstep in for US Airways to increasefrequencies. WestJet is also convertingits seasonal non-stop Edmonton-LosAngeles service to a year-round daily

flight starting in May, offering directcompetition to Air Canada Jazz’s flighton that route.

WestJet will also be returning tospring-through-fall non-stop service toMontreal, Halifax and Ottawa, with one-stop service to Moncton andCharlottetown. The year-round one-stopservice to and from Quebec City alsocontinues—Edmonton is the onlywestern Canadian city with a directflight serving that city. As well, in May,WestJet will introduce a dailyEdmonton-Yellowknife flight, animportant step since EIA is the onlyairport WestJet will use to connectYellowknife to the rest of its extensivenetwork.

Air Canada has also announced that itsnon-stops to London-Heathrow,decreased to four times weekly for thewinter season, will return to dailyservice on March 25th, and will increaseto nine flights a week in May (two dailyon Tuesdays and Sundays).

Unfortunately, Air Transat hasdecided to service only London-Gatwickfrom Edmonton this summer, droppingits popular Frankfurt flight, for reasonsunknown. Frankfurt is a destination agreat many Edmontonians want,preferably on a scheduled basis, andmarket numbers (and demand) indicatethat it would be a popular route,augmenting rather than competing withthe London Heathrow service.

The coming year will be interestingfor Edmonton Airports but, at this point,people are optimistic that the globalturmoil will not affect Edmonton and itsair service too drastically. The airport’spast record of growth is indicative of thepent-up demand for better air serviceand, while it may slow, it almostcertainly won’t stop.

That the $1 billion terminal/apron/administration expansion is going aheadis proof plenty that Edmonton Airportssees a bright future for passenger (andcargo) service and for its role as anincreasingly important northern hub.

A website unique to Edmontonrecently passed another membershipmilestone. Connect2Edmonton (C2E),started in 2006 as a discussion forum onall things Edmonton, inviting ideas,information, debate, rebuttal, andconstructive criticism on a wide varietyof subjects to anyone who cared to join.(A disclaimer here: I am involved withand a contributor to C2E.) Althoughsupported by Edmonton EconomicDevelopment Corporation, C2E was,and is, entirely free of any officialoversight (with the exception of itsvolunteer administrators and moderatorswho try to keep matters on track).

Almost three years later, C2E hasmore than 5,000 members, and coverstopics as diverse as entertainment,politics (all levels), buildings andarchitecture, air and rail services, sports,the river valley, technology,volunteerism, and Edmonton’s image.Need a question answered? There’s an“Ask Ed” section. Want to rant or rave?There are threads for those too. Spam isprohibited, as is any kind of commercialself-promotion.

As far as I know, no other city inCanada has been able to assemble aforum such as C2E and operate it assuccessfully. C2E is used by people fromall walks of life, from politicians (inFebruary Mayor Stephen Mandelanswered at length a series of questionsposted by C2E members, reflecting thegrowing importance of the site), topeople in communications, construction,

information technology, post-secondaryeducation, and so on. Membership isn’tconfined to Edmonton: People as faraway as Europe, Hong Kong andAustralia have joined.

Of course, a forum such as this invitesall kinds of participants, good and bad—and there have been some bad ones—butfor the most part discussion is civil andpolite. C2E offers the chance toparticipate at an everyday level, from thebanal to the enlightened and everythingin between. It’s worth checking out andeasy to join: www.connect2edmonton.ca.

ProCura Real Estate’s proposeddevelopment for the Mayfair Hotel site,on Jasper Avenue between 108th and109th Streets, promises to both revitalizeand redefine the western entrance to thecore of the city. As a rental propertytargeted at the mid-range market, the708-unit, 15-floor, two-tower project willtransform an almost derelict section ofthe downtown into a welcominggateway. It will also complementProCura’s dramatic transformation of theformer Professional Building acrossJasper Avenue, resulting in a verydifferent look for that portion ofdowntown.

ProCura is to be congratulated formoving forward with this much-neededdevelopment even in theface of a global slowdown.It says much about thedeveloper’s positiveattitude toward Edmontonand its future. More aboutthis project in the comingmonths. √

David Norwood is a freelancewriter/editor. [email protected]

ivic Buzzwith David NorwoodC

Choices. That’s a word whichimpacts all of us every day.

Within the media, decisions are madeconstantly on what stories, features andpictures will be shown, printed or heardas journalists seek to provide balance.

Companies and corporations, especiallyin current economic times, must makechoices whether to declare bankruptcy,close outlets, terminate employees… orprovide payout packages.

Parents and their offspring must alsomake choices about public, private orreligious schools… and whether collegeor university is within their dreams andbudget.

Other choices involve where you wantto live and with whom you want to raisea family. Family and friends will help

determine your priorities and thepermanent characteristics for whichyou’ll become known: friendly, hardworking, philanthropic, honest,dependable, caring and courageous ifneed be… or, on the other side of theledger, lazy, irresponsible, shady, evilwith a couldn’t care less attitude. Thenthere are those people who can easily beled astray—much to their chagrin inretrospect.

Thus the choices and priorities youselect for your lifetime—includingfriends—will ultimately result in eitheradmiration or scorn.

Mention Norman Kwong, the lateLois Hole, Allan Wachowich, DonMazankowski, Eric Newell, AnneMcClellan, Gary McPherson, TommyBanks, Linda Hughes, SharonMacLean, Peter Lougheed, RandyGregg, Iris Saunders, Allen Benson,John Chomiak and countless others,and you know who I’m talking aboutwhen it comes to stalwart citizens.

Less desirable individuals includePenny Boudreau of Bridgewater, N.S.who murdered her 12 year old daughterKarissa by strangulation as the childbegged, “Mummy, don’t.”

Also begging for their lives wereMarc and Debra Richardson and theireight-year-old son, of Medicine Hat,who were butchered to death two yearsago by a family member and herboyfriend… the gory details of whichyou’re fully aware

The same “please don’t kill me”appeal came from 13-year old NinaCourtepatte of Edmonton, lured from amall by five punks who later raped, beatand then killed her. Michael Williams,17, was one of three people convicted ofher murder (a fourth awaits a new trial).

Dennis Cheeseman and ShawnHennessey, married and the father oftwo small girls, are two individuals Iwould put in the category of those easilyled astray. In their case, surprisingly, itwas by convicted sexual predator JamesRoszko who truly personified evil.

Appreciating that Penny Boudreau,Hennessey and Cheeseman were allcaught by RCMP sting operations,Hennessey attempted to garner supportwhen he and his wife Christine(Cheeseman’s sister) appeared lastmonth on CBC’s Fifth Estate. Thatproduction aired after Hennessey andCheeseman received stiff jail terms.

They had voluntarily pled guilty to fourcounts of manslaughter for their part inRoszko’s callous slaying March 3, 2005of RCMP Constables Brock Myrol,Peter Schiemann, Leo Johnston andAnthony Gordon.

Let’s forget excuses and alibis.Regardless of what Roszko said, ordidn’t say, the night Hennessey andCheeseman drove him to the deathscene, they could easily have warnedRCMP about this armed psychopath andavoided the worst RCMP tragedy in thepast 100 years.

But they chose not to. Thus, these twobrothers-in-law, their families andfriends—as well as the families andfriends of those fourmurdered constables—willhave to live for the rest oftheir lives with the mostabysmal choice ShawnHennessey and DennisCheeseman ever made. √

Bruce Hogle is the former news directorat CFRN TV and recently retired head ofthe Alberta Press Council. [email protected]

edia Minutewith Bruce HogleM

DD

Our Pent-Up DemandFOR BETTER

AIR SERVICE

Our Pent-Up DemandFOR BETTER

AIR SERVICE

Admiratrationor scorn?

YOUR CHOICE



t just 25 years of age,Heather Friesen is ownerof Sublime Body on thesouthside. She has been

on a personal journey of developmenther whole life. Her father is a wellknown healer, her step-mom is asuccessful business owner in thefitness industry, and her mom is anunconditional support person who,

most recently,helped Heathercompletelyrenovate herPilates andmassage studio.As much as thisall soundspeachy, familydramas and day-to-daybusiness challenges canbe intensified whensomeone as free spiritedas Heather attempts tospread her wings in herhome town.

Quite often, whenpeople think they are in‘business’, what they areactually in is busy-ness.Striving to generate

revenue, pay bills, make aname, build a client baseand all that entails becomesa vicious cycle. Thissurvival technique over-shadows the basic businesspractices that lead to truesuccess. Without a visionor a plan, Sublime Body—and Heather herself—could be heading for acrash. A very expensiveone.

So what happens whenall of the start-up workand renovations that keptHeather so busy arefinished? Well, that is

exactly where we caught her. I say ‘caught’because she is in the ‘Holy crap, now what?’stage of her business. I say caught, because withall of her potential, it will be her lack of vision,her pattern of avoiding conflict, her history ofhealth issues and her ‘little girl’ voice andpersona that could be her downfall.

We Transformers have our work cut out forus. Can we help Heather take the next steps ofher life and business with clarity, a healthybalance and a grown up plan? I believe we can.

We’ll let you know the results in the Julyissue of Edmontonians. √.

Choosing the 2009 winner of the EdmontoniansTransformers contest was a difficult task. Theapplicants were all inspirational, interesting, open,willing and, most of all, committed to growth.

If time and resources allowed, we would offer allof the candidates the chance to go through thetransformation process with us. What the peoplehad in common, despite their success, was thatthey know there is more… they know they canimprove, personally and professionally.

Thank you to all who took the time to write andapply. Each letter was considered carefully and noone was rejected out-of-hand. I smile as I write thisbecause I realize not being chosen can bedisappointing and can feel like failure. Not makingthe cut is a big part of sport and is deeply ingrainedin the fabric of who I am. But, I have learned morefrom trying and failing than I care to admit. I smilebecause as cliché as that is, it is true. Championshave to be tested; they have to rebound after failureand keep moving forward. To all of you whoapplied: Keep growing.

The winner, Heather Friesen, more than met allof the transformation criteria. Her life story is oneof resilience, determination and courage. It touchedon the reasons why the four Transformers areinspired to work with people who shun the statusquo… who know intuitively that what is good canalways get better. Being selected for atransformation comes at a price: Heather’s story—her strengths and her weaknesses—will beanalyzed, dissected and shared with Edmontoniansreaders. To some, this would be terrifying.

~ Steffany Hanlen

WATCH FOR PART II:JULY 2009

“When I was 15, my dad put me into Pilates,instead of letting doctors put a rod through my spine

to straighten my radically curved back caused by adolescent scoliosis.The tremendous results I obtained as a result of doing Pilates

inspired me to become an instructor.”

~ Heather Friesen’s application

AABy Steffany Hanlen

We have a winner!We have a winner!

survivalovershadowsbasics

Steffany & Heather

Continued on page 10

Tom, Heather, Larry, Steffanyand Les at Sublime Body StudioPhotos by Terry Bourque



y timing was perfect. The weatherin Spring 2004 was ideal for a tagsale and we dragged our wares tothe lot behind the PROPabilities

warehouse. Eight-foot tall crayons, titanic high-heeledshoes, life-sized palm trees and a 20-foot westerntownscape displayed among crates of Christmas lightsand bolts of cloud-covered vinyl. Business had beenbrisk and, as the last of the mannequins was hauledaway, Edmontonians publisher Sharon MacLeandropped by. We dragged a couple of lawn chairs outsideand soaked in the sun among boxes of silk flowers andflocked woodland trees. As I tallied the days’ bountystuffed in my apron, Sharon casually asked if I wouldconsider writing a monthly lifestyle-inspired column forthe magazine. The prospect of sharing my DIY ideas withan audience was exciting. I immediately went to workgathering information for submissions and my firstAbsolute Bodo column appeared that July.

I had had the time of my life “imagineering” dreams intoreality for shopping malls, convention centres, and tradeshows at PROPabilities, but the time was perfect to moveon. I sold the company and headed to my home workshopto experiment with adapting unusual materials for DIY

projects in the home and garden. Under the tutelage of myeditor, Barb Deters, I honed my skills at writing anddecided to catalogue my favourite projects in a how-to bookdedicated to the ‘Art of Living’.

Two years ago, I had enough material and courage toshow my concept to a publisher. I met with Bill Hole andhis team at Holes Publishing to share my passion. Again,my timing was perfect. With Holes relocation plan to theirnew Enjoy Centre, a destination dedicated to living andlifestyle, they agreed to take me on if I tailored myprojects for gardening enthusiastslooking for

unique approaches to personalizetheir outdoor living spaces. Wetested some of the proposed projectsin Enjoy Gardening magazine andthe results were favourable.

I was given the official go-aheadfrom publishing manager, BruceTimothy Keith to commence workon my dream in the spring of

2007. I was giddy withexhilaration as I headed to mysecret stash: a bulging, wornmanila folder crammed withclippings, napkin doodles,hastily scrawled notes, andpaint chips. I put my ideasinto some semblance oforder and forwarded themto the team for approval. ChristinaMcDonald, the assistant manager of publishing,choreographed the material into a wide-rangingrepertoire of garden accessories; then sent me off tothe workshop to do my thing. I spent the next fewweeks researching materials, appending my arsenalof power tools, and sourcing local suppliers and re-stores; then buried myself in my studio for 12months, designing and fabricating.

I learned a lot. For instance, safety doesn’thappen by accident: Loose clothing can easily beeaten by whirling power tools… proper footwearwill, in fact, deflect a falling hammer painlessly.Reading instructions and warning labels beforestarting a project saves time and tempers. A cupof coffee on a work surface is an accidentlooking to happen. Cured concrete is prettymuch impossible to remove from braceletsand bangles.

with Linda Bodo

LIVELYlifestyles

MM

Perfect TimingPerfect Timing

E

Supplied by Holes



admit it: I am a BBQ fanatic. No…I’m obsessed. We use our natural gasgrill all year-round. I’m sure some ofmy friends and neighbours question

my sanity as I stand beside my Barbie at -40˚C. But nothing—nothing—beats the tasteof a grilled or barbecued steak.

Remember that in Edmonton, what we callbarbecue is really grilling. Authentic BBQ islow and slow cooking with a massive infusionof smoke, be it hickory wood chips, apple,cherry, or wild willow which is plentiful in Alberta. Adear Aboriginal friend introduced me to wild willow, thestuff that grows in wet damp areas, ditches, low-lyinglands. It’s the best kept secret in western Canada, givingoff a very sweet almost cherry-like flavour. Most farmersjust doze it over to make more grazing or crop land.When I ask if I can have a few twigs, they’re more thanhappy to get rid of what is often referred to as a weedwood.

But I digress. Our gas BBQ is actually much more thana fantastic grill. Sure, most people just use it for grillingsteaks, burgers, fish and kabobs, or for roasting on therotisserie. But I love to use it as an oven—especially inthe summer when my wife banishes me from using theconvection oven because it turns the kitchen into a sauna.So I fire-up one side of the Broil-King and, using theindirect method of cooking, I’m able to cook casseroledishes on the opposite side. Voila!... my BBQ becomes anoven.

You can buy a cast iron smoker box, which is about thesize of a pencil case with holes in it. Pre-soak your woodchips—hickory, apple wood or wild willow—and placethem in the box over your heat source. You now have agrill that turns into a smoker.

My friend Cam Mitchell, owner of Barbecue Countryon 75th Street and 56th Avenue, says one of the hottestitems on the spring/summer menu is barbecued pizza. Theconcept isn’t new: The original Tuscan grill has beenaround since the 18th Century. But now you can get aspecial grill that is placed over rocks with a hardwood fireunderneath. It measures 16.5 inches by 18.5 inches andfacilitates everything from flat breads to pizzas towhatever your imagination allows you to throw on thegrill.

Cam is also pretty excited about a new, ceramic… erBBQ… er fornio oven—actually, it’s called the GreenEgg. This wild outdoor cooker is constructed of 1.5-inch

thick ceramic tiles.Hardwood or charcoal areits heat source, much like afornio oven used byrestaurants like Sorrentino’sfor thin crust pizzas.According to MaryannePetrash, the Green Eggexpert, cooking time maybe a little longer than a gas

grill, but you can increase the heat. However, if you gothe low and slow route, you use less fuel and the flavouris incredible—don’t those ribs in the photo look fantastic?

I can’t resist the idea of a party with green eggs andham. I’d start it off with these Cajun shrimp.

John’s Rosemary Cajun Shrimpand Tomato Skewers:This makes a great appetizer… or even an entrée for thosewho are diet conscious and may want to add a few grilledvegetables and a bit of brown rice for a complete meal.

6 long sprigs of fresh rosemaryCajun spiceOil for the grill18 tiger prawns (31/40s)12 cherry or grape tomatoesSmoker box and wet wood chips

• Fire up the barbecue to medium-high heat.• Remove the rosemary leaves from the bottom of the

sprig, three-quarters of the way up, leaving a nice top ofleaves on the sprig.

• Your bare sprig now becomes a skewer on which youplace a shrimp, then a tomato, so that you end up withthree shrimp and two cherry tomatoes one eachrosemary skewer.

• Sprinkle a little Cajun spice on the shrimp. • Wipe the grill with a rag, or mop with olive oil so the

tomatoes won’t stick.• Place the smoker box on the heat source. When you see

smoke, place skewers on the grill.• Cook, turning once, until the tomatoes become grill

marked and the shrimp have turned pink. Don’tovercook. Brush with olive oil and serve.Serves two: √

Contact Chef John Berry at [email protected]

Once the material shots and step-by-step photos werecompleted, photographer Akemi Matsubuchi and I reunited tocoordinate our schedules with The Weather Network, andscouted sites in our pursuit of ideal natural lighting conditions.Occasionally, a sudden downpour or swarm of mosquitoeswould send us running for shelter where we took refuge with

steaming cups of green tea or shots ofinsect repellent.

My last mission was the dauntingtask of conveying project directivesfrom head to paper in a clear andconcise manner for both DIY virginsand aficionados. Through Christina’smethodical editing, we were able tousher out a user-friendly, easilyunderstandable chronicle that was readyfor print. Or, at least that was what Ithought. It would be months before wewere ready for the presses. Layoutsneeded to be fine- tuned, graphics andillustrations finalized, colour palettestweaked and modified, and proofs editedand re-edited. Finally, a printer wasselected and a cover shot selected. Thefiles were sent to McCallum PrintingGroup and I was invited to tag along whenBruce went down to check the first run.

As I stood among the enormousHeidelberg XL105, six-colour printingpresses, I saw the first pages of my bookmaterialize before me, hot off the press.Floating on cloud nine, my thoughts driftedover the roar of machinery that surrounded

me. With one book under my tool belt, why not a sequel?Maybe two or three... heck, why not a series dedicated to DIYand the Art of Living.

This month, Enjoy Life Outside hits the stands, acompilation of 15 inspiring DIY projects geared toward alfresco living. The 144-page volume is crammed withcomprehensive step-by-step directives, straight-forwardphotography and illustrations, and helpful construction tips.Once again, my timing seems perfect. Several of the projectsembrace a repurpose, recycle and reuse strategy, which is easyon the pocketbook and ideal in our tough economy. Fosteringyour creative outlets will reinvent your outdoor space whilepinching pennies in the process and reducing waste destinedfor our landfills. Enjoy Life Outside; Inspired Projects is nowavailable through www.holesonline.com or atwww.absolutebodo.com √

Contact Linda Bodo at [email protected] or visit www.absolutebodo.com.

Make your timing perfect. The Eiffel Tower Obelisk,shown here, but not in my book, is one of the projectsI’ll be assembling on-stage—come and see how it’s done:

• The Red Deer Home and Garden Show, from Fridayto Sunday, March 6th to 8th at the Westerner Park. I willbe sharing my ideas and passions at the Enjoy LifeOutside booth and presenting some of my favouriteprojects on-stage throughout the week-end. Please visitwww.reddeerhomeshow.ca for details.

• The Edmonton Home and Garden Show, fromThursday through Sunday, March 19th to 22nd at theNorthlands Agricom. The Enjoy Life Outside booth islocated in Hall E, booth 6715, adjacent to the GardenStage where I will be presenting all four days. Checkwww.edmontonhomeandgardenshow.com for moreinfo.

with Chef John Berry

Magic

MEN

UII

Take it outdoors

The Green Egg

Win an autographed copy of Enjoy Life Outside and a day inthe absolutebodo workshop to create a one-of-a-kindproject for your outdoor living space.

In 100 to 150 words tell us why you want to don your DIYhard hat and open your tool box to personalize your digs.

Deadline: April 15, 2009E-mail: [email protected]: Barb Deters, Editor Edmontonians C-100 Park Side Tower, 8920-100 AvenueEdmonton AB T6E 4Y8

Drop off: Enjoy Life Outside booth

Winner will be announced in the May issue.

Learn toenjoy life outside

gg

Enter to win!



ave you ever answered the phone and hadthe person on the other end ask to speak toyour mommy? Do you feel a lack ofrespect in business situations because yourvoice sounds young?

Many women have grown up but retained a youthfulvoice that does not serve them well professionally orphysically. Heather Friesen’s voice is very friendly, warmand unassuming, great when dealing with children—but notin business.

Now ask yourself this question: Who taught you tospeak? We learn to read and write and those communicationskills are refined through years of education. Training thespeaking voice becomes a process of trial and error wherewe experiment by mimicking those around us. What issuccessful becomes a blueprint for our speaking style andsound. However, that award-winning essay you wrote inGrade 5 may not be that impressive 20 years later and thesame goes for that little girl voice. Is this the best voice forHeather? Is this her true voice? No.

Professionally, while the voice says young and energetic,it can also express a naiveté that will raise confidenceissues. Verbalized pauses such as ums, and ers will get the

client wondering if they have made a mistake. Physically, Heather is forcing the voice up into a vocal

range that could cause damage. As we grow, the vocal foldsthicken and lengthen. This causes vocal tone to deepen andmature. To access that little girl sound, the voice is pushedinto the nasal passages giving Heather’s voice a nasalquality.

Nasality is a major issue in the Edmonton dialect and youmay be a sufferer. Take your thumb and forefinger, placethem lightly on the bridge of your nose, and say, “Marysang seventeen songs and swooned.” You should feelvibration on the m, n and ng sounds. If you feel vibrationsthrough the entire sentence, you have some degree ofnasality.

As a Pilate’s instructor, Heather is well aware of herbreathing and has great control. What she has not yetachieved is connecting that breathing system to thespeaking voice. Getting the breath working will help drawthe voice out of the nasal passages and help Heather findher true voice. It will also help alleviate vocal fatigue thatcan range from the voicefeeling tired to actualdiscomfort and pain. Long-

term abuse can lead to nodules forming on the vocal folds.The prescription is often three to six months of completevocal rest. Without your voice, how successful would yourbusiness be?

Achieving business success with these kinds of vocalissues is like trying to run up a hill backwards. You mighteventually get there, but at what cost?

Helping Heather find her real voice will eliminate thoseverbal confidence issues and reflect Heather as the mature,accomplished professional she is. √

eather Friesen is a veryimpressive businesswoman.She’s smart, articulate andbrave, with a youthful and

dynamic personality.She’s a dream candidate for

transformation in conflict management.There are always two sides to conflictmanagement: the conflicts themselvesand our existing skill sets. Heather hasongoing conflicts in her life that aregetting in the way of personal andbusiness growth. Her challenge will be tolearn the concepts and to develop theskills necessary to make conflict apositive force in her business andpersonal lives.

Transformation happens whenenhanced skills meet courage andcommitment. Heather’s existing skill setsand character give her a huge advantagein moving forward.

What are these skill sets and attributes?Heather, by the very nature of her

profession, is very aware of what’s goingon in her body. When I asked her howshe first recognizes the presence ofconflict, she was quick to share theinformation that her posture slumps andshe retains water. That’s a bodyawareness that few of us can match.

Why is this so important in managingstress and discord? It’s because of theFirst Rule of Conflict Management: Theonly factor we can truly manage in aconflict situation is ourselves. That meanswe must be able to recognize and manageour own conflict symptoms.

Transformation requires the courage tosee ourselves as we really are, and thedetermination to do the hard worknecessary for change.

Heather has already proven that shepossesses two vital character attributes:courage and determination. The onset ofadolescent scoliosis left her with aradically curved spine. Her father hadgrave reservations about the doctor’s plan

to straighten her back by inserting a steelrod into her spine. Instead, he enrolledHeather into a Pilates class. The erect,graceful young woman that we met was atestament to the wisdom of his choice,the efficacy of Pilates as a therapeutictreatment, and Heather’s courage anddetermination—even as a teenager.

The Pilates classes were arduous andpainful… yet she persevered to create herphysical transformation. Heather showedthe same kind of courage in her answersto our questions. I was particularlyimpressed with her willingness to targetan ongoing conflict that is impacting herbusiness and personal life.

Who are the players in that conflict andwhat are its dimensions? How can shelearn to make that conflict work as apositive element in her life? That’s whatHeather and I are exploring. Given thepast adversities that have defined hercharacter, I’m confident about theprospects for her future. √

greeted Heather Friesen for our firstinterview with the Transformers and,as the health and wellness guy, I wasthinking, I have no work cut out for

me with here. Heather is a petite, veryhealthy looking young woman, and so sheshould be, as the principal of Sublime Body,a Pilates training and therapeutic massagebusiness. Of course, my perceptions changedas we get into the interview.

Heather wants her priorities in life to behealth first…family and friends second…and then her business. However, in hercurrent reality she admits she really only hastime for her business. No time for family andfriends, and health just happens to be a by-

product of her profession, not something shecan personally spend time at. For her, work-life balance is a myth.

Heather is not surprised that the marks onher self-assessment of physical health revealvery low scores for sleep patterns, stresslevels and capacity for leisure. With herfocus on the business, she is stressed to themax all day, fusses all night. She’s notgetting enough healthy sleep, and has notime for leisure.

In a recent survey of Canadians, 34percent stated that stress was a significantfactor in their lives, and 24 percent of thoseindividuals turned to food and alcohol to dealwith their stress—not a “solution” forHeather. She knows she needs help and isprepared to take responsibility to makechanges.

The first step for Heather was to define agoal to reduce and manage her stress. Shecorrectly believes that her action plan toattain her goal needs to include specificactivities to improve her capacity for leisureand improve her sleep patterns.

To make her goal a reality, she createdmilestones to measure her progress andasked me to hold her accountable to heraction plan. Any barriers to her progress willrequire her to review her action plan andachieving milestones will be celebrated.

Heather’s passion to success in herbusiness and her willingness to takeresponsibility for her actions and be heldaccountable stand her in good stead to notonly achieve the work-life balance shedesires, but she deserves. √

courage&determination

By Dr. Larry Ohlhauser

By Les Brost

By Tom Bradshaw

HH

HH

II

voicebeliesmaturity

worklifebalance

Continued from page 7



e dine and dance, bid and buy, walkand run for causes. We don sunscreen,rain gear and mittens to take inoutdoor festivals and community

activities. We attend workshops, seminars, conferences,meetings and parties on any given day. We hostneighbourhood, national and international events.

Success hinges on organization… whether you’reappealing to patrons for a major fundraising drive ornotifying colleagues of a business meeting.Administering and managing events, coordinatingsuppliers and volunteers can be mind-boggling, time-consuming and nerve-wracking. Even professionalevent planners need tools to streamline the process.

Trust the organized mind-set of a charteredaccountant with an appreciation for the capacity ofcustomized software to provide user-friendly packagesto ease the burden.

Meet Dave Bodnarchuk, a BComm. grad from theUniversity of Alberta who received his CA designationin 1993. He acquired years of technology experiencewith industry leaders like Apple and Oracle, and withKPMG as a computer audit specialist.

He recalls, “I was always the guy from KPMG thatwas called in to help out the not-for-profit boards [totrack pledges] because they were doing a fun-run.”

Bodnarchuk adds that when KPMG worked withorganizations like Edmonton Crime-Stoppers, he wouldbe put to task to implement computerized fund-raisingsystems to manage those aspects of its telethons.

As the dot-com era emerged, Bodnarchuk saw anopportunity to bring a reasonably priced, easy to useproduct for not-for-profits to issue invitations, trackRSVPs and do on-line registrations. But, while mostevents required some administering, not every eventneeded or could afford a heavy-hitter like Bodnarchuk.He readily admits most organizations “…don’t need aguy like me or tech guru to get things up and running.”

A community-oriented person, he has always had asoft spot for not for profits, having served on manyboards including the 12x12 Runners Challenge,Edmonton Grads Association, Crime StoppersAssociation, Alberta Foundation for Diabetes ResearchFun Run, GO Community Centre. He currently sits onthe Caritas Hospitals Foundation Board.

Bodnarchuk knew that using technology would savetime, reduce manpower and increase accuracy. “It alsoallows for more time to promote the event… making iteasier for people to sign up rather than getting boggeddown on the admin.”

Thus, eventIQinc was born. Bodnarchuk is the founder,president and CEO—Chief Event Officer. The firm

develops and provides software solutions for notification,signup, payment, printing and other services for events ofany size and for the people that organize them.

However, from the outset, the real challenge was tosustain a viable long-term business model, given thelimited resources of not-for-profits. EntrepreneurBodnarchuk quickly realized the real untapped marketwas office admin professionals: They might have tomanage events, but didn’t want or have to become eventplanners. Moreover, not even event planners would needto be too tech savvy.

“Our vision had morphed. We wanted to develop aneasy to use content-centric system, taking the best ofevent content, technology, and forms design and put theminto a single wrapper or box.”

Bodnarchuk enhanced the product and the userexperience by listening to users and a number ofprofessional event planners and rolled the feedback intothe product that provided content or generic features theycould share.

The re-branding exercise resulted in InviteRight, thecompany’s flagship product. The comprehensive webapplication that works with e-mail, at 30 percent of thecost of the competition, while offering more flexibilityby not forcing the user to conform to rigid forms.

WWBy Greg Gazin

Continued on page 14

What’s yourevent iQ?

Phot

o by

Ter

ry B

ourq

ue

or most people technology makes thingseasier but, for those with a disability,technology makes things possible.”

It’s a quote that Isabel Henderson usesoften. It’s the philosophy that underlies the effort tobuild the new Courage Centre at the Glenrose

Rehabilitation Hospital in Edmonton.And for Henderson and Dr. Ted Purcell,

it’s a dream that will soon become areality. Henderson is the senior

operating officer at the Glenroseand Purcell is chair of the Boardof Trustees for the GlenroseRehabilitation HospitalFoundation.

Over the past two years, theyand their colleagues have workedon the concept, the design and thefundraising for the new CourageCentre, a $4 million initiative.

“We see the Courage Centre asa hub for technologydevelopment and rehabilitation,”says Henderson. “We will bereconfiguring a space here in thehospital now, upgrading it, andbringing it into the newgeneration and reality of cutting-edge technology.”

The space itself will be openand the floor raised so all thewiring and infrastructure can behoused underneath, eliminating

the need to run cords and plugs where patients can tripover them.

The two-storey space will be adjacent to several ofthe patient rehabilitation units as well as the physio andoccupational therapy areas, so the Courage Centre willbe well integrated with everything at the Glenrose.

“There will be three sectors,” explains Henderson.“In the centre will be a pod for virtual realityequipment and a mini theatre. There will also be aclassroom space for teaching patients, families andstudents about the newer technology. There will beactivity centres within the space where new technologycan be trialed. And, as you enter into the space, therewill be audio-visual components so people can get aglimpse at how this technology will impact patient carein the rehab world.”

Not all the high tech equipment will fit in one space,adds Dr. Purcell, but it will fit somewhere. “We will betaking some of the technologies and moving themthroughout the hospital, but still have them connected. Iview the Courage Centre as the hub—the brain—andeverything will be connected as a network to theCourage Centre.”

When Henderson and Purcell talk about bringinginnovative technology into the rehabilitation program,they classify these into four different areas: robotics,virtual reality, telehealth and cognitive learning.

Henderson describes robotics applications, “Theycould be orthotics with robotic components. Theycould be robotics that assist children in play, perhapsseniors to interact with their environment. Even roboticcaregivers are kind of out there at this time.”

Purcell likes the aspects of fun and excitement that

By Cheryl Croucher

“F“F

Courage Centreis tech hub

Isabel Hendersonand Dr. Ted PurcellIsabel Hendersonand Dr. Ted Purcell

ot all bitumen comes from oil sands. About one quarter of Alberta’sbitumen is actually trapped in rocks called carbonate formations.

These were formed from reefs and fossils in prehistoric times. Infact, much of our conventional oil is contained in the carbonate

formations that cover most of the province. According to Dr. Ernie Perkins, a senior scientist with the Carbon and Energy

Management Group at the Alberta Research Council, a significant deposit ofbitumen is located in northern Alberta in what’s called the Grosmont Formation.

Dr. Perkins says, “It is certainly the biggest single reservoir of bitumen or heavyoil in carbonate rocks. It is literally a factor of 10 to a factor of 50 bigger to thenext biggest reservoir in the world. So it’s a very large reservoir. It spans quite a bigdistance, situated more or less in the Peace River area with Fort McMurray sort ofin the middle. It’s really one about which we have not developed the knowledge yetbecause there hasn’t been the drive or the push to work on such a difficultreservoir.”

While there is no current technology to extract bitumen from carbonate, the ARCand a consortium of oil companies hope to change that situation soon with theestablishment of the Carbonate Research Group.

~ Cheryl Croucherwww.arc.ab.ca

orking atthemolecularor nano

scale, scientists at theNational Institute forNanotechnology inEdmonton hope to changethe way we produce energy.

According to Dr. NilsPetersen, director generalof NINT, his researcherswill build on Alberta’sexpertise in petroleumtechnology. But they willalso provide innovation innew forms of energy. Oneteam working on solar cellsis developing nanomaterials to improve thecapture of sunlight and itsconversion into electricity.Another nano scientist isinvestigating hydrogenstorage to improve fuel celltechnology.

Says Dr. Petersen, “Wehave a young materialsscientist, Dr. DavidMitland, who understandsmaterial properties reallywell and is looking tomodify the materials sothey can absorb hydrogen—store the hydrogen as a battery, if you will—and then release it fairly effectively.”

The technology poses a number of challenges but, as Dr. Petersen emphasizes, ”Itis another example of a niche area of energy that we believe will be important,particularly for Canada, because hydrogen is coupled with fuel cells… Canada has astrong effort in general in fuel cells and already has some companies in this area.”

~ Cheryl Croucherwww.nint.ca

WW

researchesNew EnergyNew EnergyNINT

Dr. Nils PetersenDr. Ernie Perkins

Bitumentrapped in

Carbonate Formations

Carbonate Formations

NN

BRIEFS



virtual reality technology or gaming brings to rehabilitation.It’s an element that hits close to home, since his twin boysare patients at the Glenrose.

“One of the initial pieces we have here is the NintendoWii which is widely available to the public. Physiotherapyin its own right can be at times tedious and mundane. Byadding an element of fun as the Wii is played, it tends toadd interest. And in the long term, it will enhance patientoutcome.”

Purcell likes the idea of shooting hockey pucks or spikinga volleyball over a net, virtually, of course, to keep patientsmotivated while improving their motion and motor skills.

Telehealth systems take advantage of telecommunicationstechnology to provide rehabilitation on an outpatient basisin their own homes.

As Henderson explains, “Our patients stay here formaybe six weeks, whereas 10, 15, 20 years ago, they mighthave been here six months. Our time with them is veryshort. Many of them we follow on an outpatient basis, butit’s important to connect into their home environments.Telehealth technology makes that much more possible.”

And she points out that boomers haven’t been forgotten.“The fourth area for the Courage Centre is the cognitivelearning piece. That is focusing on some of the newsoftware and hardware that helps with memory issues andsuch. With an aging population, that’s something we see asa big opportunity.”

FRONTLINE INVOLVEMENTSo what is on the technology wish list for the new CourageCentre at the Glenrose?

Henderson, with her own background as a speech andlanguage pathologist, recognizes the importance ofsoliciting the input of the therapists who will actually haveto use the equipment with their patients. “We created sort ofan Eaton’s catalogue of various pieces of technology anddevices and we had the staff vote on what they felt wouldbe most useful to them in their therapy.”

One example is a simulated driver assessment console.Similar to an airplane simulator for pilots in training, this

would take the place of an actual car that the Glenrosecurrently uses to determine whether patients can get in andout of a car, or to what extent they are able to drive.

Henderson also expects to upgrade an independent livingsuite with sensors. This is an apartment where patientsready for discharge can see whether they can cope withliving independently.

In a smart house, says Henderson, “Motion sensors willenable us to determine to what extend patients are movingaround when they are on their own. Are they cooking forthemselves? Are they able to use the washroom? Or arethey just sitting and watching television? New technologiesenable us to determine, for example, what food has beenremoved from the refrigerator and whether the patient iseating appropriately.”

Both Henderson and Purcell are strong on developingresearch collaborations for the Courage Centre withinstitutions such as the University of Alberta and NAIT.

To that end, the Glenrose is participating in a province-wide trial of a device invented by Dr. Arthur Prochazkafrom the U of A’s department of physiology rehabilitativemedicine. Called the ReJoyce System, it is a workstationconnected to a broadband Internet connection that allows aclinician to work with patients in therapy or perform hand

function assessments at home.According to Henderson, “It is like a toolkit with many

different components that somebody with a stroke orperhaps even a spinal cord injury could use. For example,how do you open a door? How do you use a spoon? Howdo you use a can opener?” The therapist can track theprogress of patients as they relearn how to do theseeveryday tasks.

Both Henderson and Purcell believe that the CourageCentre will build on the strong reputation of the GlenroseRehabilitation Hospital to encourage collaboration ontechnology development.

“I think it is an opportunity for the Glenrose and forAlberta to really stake our claim in this new arena of rehabtechnology and to really show to the world what we cando,” says Henderson.

With single pieces of equipment running in the $300,000to $400,000 range, that’s a lot to pack into a $4-milliondollar package.

Dr. Purcell is does not shy away from the challenge.“There’s a lot of work ahead of us. We’re currently in whatwe call our lead gift phase where we’re going to thecommunity for contributions of $100,000 to a million.”

Given the Glenrose serves over 20,000 patients with acurrent roster of 120 programs, this investment in newtechnology could fulfill the hopes of Isabel Henderson.

For those with a disability,technology makes things possible.√

www.glenrosefoundation.com

To hear Cheryl’s conversation withDr. Nils Petersen, visitwww.innovationanthology.com

Cheryl Croucher hosts Innovation Anthology which isbroadcast on CKUA Radio at 7:58 am and 4:58 pmTuesdays and Thursday. Or download the podcasts atwww.innovationanthologyy.com

he Alberta oil sands produce over a million barrels a day. Butscientists still do not have a complete understanding of the basicchemistry of bitumen.

That’s why Dr. Murray Gray and his colleagues at the ImperialOil-Alberta Ingenuity Centre for Oil Sands Innovation are developingsynthetic bitumen molecules. They are hoping comparative computer analysiswill help them understand these complex oil sands molecules. Dr. Gray is aprofessor of chemical engineering at the University of Alberta, and a director ofthe Centre.

He explains, “These molecules have been through a complex geologicalprocess, starting with organic material from a marine environment. It’s beenbaked and processed through geological time. And then it has migrated and beenbiodegraded in the case of Athabasca oil sands… the resulting chemical mixtureis much more complex than the original biological starting point. Sounderstanding in some ways the human genome is easy when comparing someof the details of this extraordinarily complex geological material.”

Oil sands scientists are still divided over the chemical structure of the bitumenmolecules. Dr. Gray believes the development of synthetic ones will help settlethis and lead to completely different technologies for extracting oil from the oilsands. √

~ Cheryl Croucherwww.engineering.ualberta.ca/COSI.cfm

TT

Dr. Murray Gray

Understandingcomplex

Oil Sands CHEMISTRY



Glenrose patient Megan



was invited to participate in a globalcharity event called “Twestival” onFebruary 12th at the Vintage Loungeon 124th Street. It’s a great example

of meaningful, worldwide, on-lineengagement within the context of socialmedia. Edmonton was one of 180 citiestrying to raise $1 million dollars from theglobal Twitter community. Kudos to MackMale and Sharon Yeo for bringing togetherabout 40 local twitter members to supportcharitywater.org—we raised $1,000. So far,overall funding has reached $250,000 withdonations still coming in.

This is yet more evidence thatcommunications and marketing tactics trulyhave shifted. Many large organizations suchas Bank of America and Starbucks,supporters of Twestival, have long realizedthat social media is peering over the edge ofa “tipping-point.”

This month I went looking for answersfrom the Edmonton EconomicDevelopment Corporation. Fortunately, Ihad the opportunity to interrupt RonGilbertson’s very busy day to get theanswers. I asked EEDC’s CEO if they wereusing social media today. Gilbertsonreplied, “I wasn’t even aware of Facebooktwo years ago, but I know that we useFacebook as an internal communicationstool for staff.”

When asked in general about the focusfor 2009, Gilbertson said, “We’re workingon dealing with diversified economy issuesthat counter the cyclical nature of oureconomy which is currently based on theprice of oil.”

Certainly, if you were to fault Alberta’seconomy in anyway, lack of noticeablediversification tops the list. I give you sevenout of eight upgrader projects in the regionon hold or cancelled as evidence of that.

Gilbertson went on to say that,“Edmonton’s focus is towards industriesthat can sustain higher wages whilerequiring less workers.” One would assume

that advanced technology will clearly play akey role—and it is. EEDC has recentlyappointed Candice Brinsmead as VP ofadvanced technology to get things headingin the right direction. Having said that,ahead of technology as an industry comeshealthcare, Gilbertson said proudly, “We’rebecoming known as the ‘Mayo Clinic of theNorth.’” As the discussion continued, Iwondered whether social media might thenbe a central part of the EEDC’s economy-of-the-future plans. By Gilbertson’sdefinition, the “economy of the futureincludes the attraction of industries to theregion that can sustain a high paideconomy, or jobs that require a highknowledge base.” In my mind, social mediacertainly qualifies in that case—and, ofcourse, I’m a biased industry insider.

We didn’t talk about this but I knowGilbertson will find it interesting thatsomeone at City Hall has fired up a Twitteraccount called @CityofEdmonton which sofar seems to have been well received.

I enjoyed talking with Mr. Gilbertson but,

for my comfort level, the question ofEdmonton’s reputation-building in a socialmedia context remains unanswered.Leading the conversations online with theoutside world, one thing is for certain: Thisis a multi-faceted issue that requires a multi-faceted solution. For example, the recentlyre-designed Edmonton.com acts as anecessary central resource of generalinformation; connect2edmonton.ca (C2E) ispopular locally with conversation focusedon topics from pot holes to politics.However, I would argue that to engage therest of the world, social media should beplaying a more prominent role.

Hopefully, EEDC has a plan in place thatsees our region get in the game and becomea major online conversationalist in the nearfuture. √

Walter Schwabe is the Chief EvolutionOfficer of fusedlogic inc., a social mediastrategy firm and Alberta company since2000. You can learn more atwww.fusedlogic.com

IIMarch 1-3Prion Research Conference: Navigating the RisksWestin Edmonton Hotelwww.prionmeeting.ca

March 3WISEST Innovation Contest for WomenInformation SessionSponsored by TEC Edmontonwww.wisest.ualberta.ca

March 4 Canadian Business Leadership Award Dinner2009 Recipient Hal Kvisle,Transcanada CorporationShaw Conference CentreReception at 5:15pmDinner at 6:30 pmContact Traci Wilson 780.248.1101Email: [email protected]

March 4Business Link: Small Business SeminarPromotional Strategies:Create Buzz for Your BusinessPresenter: Greg Gazin,Parallel 2000/The Gadget Guy1:00 pm- 4:00 pm100, 10237- 104 Street, Edmonton 1-800-272-9675 (toll-free)1:00 pm- 4:00 pm (via Videoconference)250-639 5 Ave. SW, Calgary 403-221-7800www.canadabusiness.ca/alberta/events

March 18UofA School of Business Technology Commercialization CentreTranslating Biomedical /Biotech/Health ResearchPresenter Myron Pyzyk of Marenon Healthwww.business.ualberta.ca/tcc/events.htm

March 25 UofA School of Business Technology Commercialization CentreSocial Capital and BrokeringScience and TechnologyPresenter Darryl Lesiuk, Edmonton Chamber ofTechnologies www.business.ualberta.ca/tcc/events.htm

March 31 – April 1Conference Board of CanadaAlternative Energy Finance ForumMetropolitan Conference Centre in Calgarywww.conferenceboard.ca

April 1-3AWE Conference: Innovative Approaches to SuccessSpeakers Debbie Travis, Eveline Charles, Ben Barry and Dr. Valerie YoungMarriott River Cree Resortwww.awebusiness.com

April 23 Business Link: Small Business SeminarPromotional Strategies:Create Buzz for Your BusinessPresenter: Greg Gazin,Parallel 2000/The Gadget Guy6:00 pm- 9:00 pm100, 10237- 104 Street, Edmonton 1-800-272-9675 (toll-free)6:00 pm- 9:00 pm (via Videoconference)250-639 5 Ave. SW, Calgary 403-221-7800www.canadabusiness.ca/alberta/events

April 17 – 19Witec Connections 2009Connecting Wireless to Business SolutionsFairmont Banff Springs Hotelwww.witecconnections.ca

On theHORIZONMARCH

APRIL

101with Walter SchwabemediamediaSocial

Users can look at a sample event ortemplate and add their own details. Asimple click makes it easy to changetext, and fields can be relocated with asimple drag-and-drop. Users can addspecific questions like, “Are youbringing a guest?” The system alsooffers prompts like asking about dietaryneeds.

In addition to sending invitations andtracking RSVPs, it’s easy to schedulemeetings, recruit speakers, volunteersand exhibitors and even accept paymentby credit card.

The results look professional andmake the planners look good. It keepsthem organized, helps them reach morepeople with less work—at not muchmore than the cost of postage per invitee.

“They can get up and running veryeasily, flexible and they feel like they’repretty smart. An office event plannerwants to get it up and running and ‘getout of Dodge’, while the planningprofessional can still do what they wantto do themselves.”

Mike House is assistant dean ofdevelopment at the University of AlbertaSchool of Business and president-electof the Edmonton chapter of theAssociation for FundraisingProfessionals. He chaired PhilanthropyDay in Edmonton which utilizedeventIQ’s products. “It allows non-profits to maximize what they are goodat, and leave the technology andregistration to the software.”

House adds that it also made his wifeKathy’s job easy in her role as treasurerfor the Homes for the Holidays, afundraiser for the Junior League ofEdmonton.

The buzz Bodnarchuk has creatednow goes beyond the not-for profits.Some of his clients include ATBFinancial, Workers’ CompensationBoard, Alberta Research Council andthe University of Alberta, as well asnational organizations.

Bodnarchuk’s offerings do not stopthere. In addition to InviteRight, othercore professional products have beendeveloped: PlanRight for planning andorganizing events; contactCentral formaintaining a database, managingmembership and sending outnewsletters; and eventXtras for creatinganything ancillary to the event such asname tags, lanyards and print material.Together, these components arepackaged as eventIQXpert.

For smaller, personal get-togethers,eventIQ offers a lighter version calledskOOchie. It’s free if users agree tohave a sponsor’s ad accompany theirinvitation. A nominal charge applies ifno sponsor is selected.

Bodnarchuk chuckles when he talksabout the name “skOOchie”. He felt itwas a cute word that could stand for“schedule and organize events”.However, subsequently, the same wordappeared in an urban slang dictionaryas a less than flattering synonym for a

particular woman of ill repute.Bodnarchuk admits he learns from all

his experiences including his mistakes.He’s successful, with nine employeesand seven consecutive profitablequarters. He’s come a long way sincehis first tech experience in the realworld which launched him to where heis today.

It was a summer job in the 1980s atCoronet Trust as a mortgageadministration clerk. Growing wearyquickly by the repetitive tasks of typingforms and letters, he brought his ownMacintosh to work to automate theprocess. Despite the company’s policyagainst using personal computers,Bodnarchuk was able to demonstrate itsvalue. He successfully negotiated withthe CFO to rewrite one system on anIBM PC in return for a part time job thatfall—and got permission to wearTopsider brand shoes without socks towork. Certainly a foreshadowing of afree spirit in a profession dominated bychecks and balances.

The Topsiders are long gone, butBodnarchuk has that first Macintoshproudly displayed in his office atLeMarchand Mansion. √

Greg Gazin, “The Gadget Guy”, is aserial entrepreneur, freelance technologycolumnist, small business speaker, anavid Podcaster and producer ofToastcaster.com. Greg can be reached at780.424.1881 or [email protected]

Continued from page 11



“During the war when lumber was scarce,[Stan} Alldritt bought the shipping cratesused for American war plane parts, engines,etc. at the old Blatchford Field. He thenused the stuff to build apartment buildingsthat still stand on 124th Street.”

~Dick MacLean Time Out 1990

“A restaurant called Cabbages and Condoms,owned by the Planned Parenthood Ass’n ofThailand, is very good with an extensivemenu.”

~ Steve Erlanger Travel/Bangkok 1991

“… name a terrible job and I can name oneworse. You say, ‘The guy who doesautopsies in the morning and empties septictanks in the afternoon.’ and I say, ‘Hisassistant.’”

~ Dale Dauten, The Corporate Curmudgeon1993

“We may try to get some corporate sponsor-ship down the road. We don’t want to rely ongovernment grants like so many other theatresin this city do. I feel there are more importantthings the government should be spendingmoney on.”

~ James Toupin of ShoeString Theatre 1994

“For this event [1996 World Figure SkatingChampionships], tickets will be as hard tocome by as a virgin and three wise men inSaskatchewan.”

~ Jay Stewart Sports 1995

The Yardbird Suite “policy of one non-smoking, one smoking evening is remarkablycivilized in our conventional no-leeway era.”

~ John Charles Arts Beat 1996

“…Quickcard’s questionable quick wit LyleBest asked, ‘What are your thoughts on thefuture of the monarchy and theimpact that tabloids had on it?’The Iron Lady [MargaretThatcher] planted an iron gazeon Best and responded, ‘Mydear boy, would you rather seesome wrinkled old boy ashead of state?’ Mr. Bestquickly sat down.

~ Barb Deters Hot Flashes1997

on Thatcher’s visit here forJunior Achievement

“…Irv and Diane [Kipnes]have put their beautifulGlenora residence on themarket. The empty-nesters will becomecondo dwellers on Saskatchewan Drive. Irvis trying to get his head around life without abasement.”

~ Barb Deters Hot Flashes 1998

“Never wrestle with a pig. You get dirty;only the pig enjoys it.”

~ Mark MacCormack Success Secrets 1999

“…a portable mp3 player that has a tiny harddrive, capable of storing 100 CDs of music,has just hit the market. Imagine your entire CDcollection in the palm of your hand, availableanytime, anywhere.”

~ David Boroditsky, e-commerce 2000

“March 17: St. Patrick’s Day. Watch theheathens with their snouts in their greenbeer. A tru Hibernian knows the day shouldonly be toasted with Bushmills.”~ Eva Marie Clark Calendar Cogitations 2001

“Sine Chadi and his wife Sehan were two of ahandful of Canadians invited to PresidentGeorge Bush’s prayer breakfast in Washington.During the main event, they sat with DonaldRumsfeld, secretary of defense.”

~ Muggsy Forbes, Funny, Pompous andUnfair 2002

“Sixty-three percent ofrespondents… agreed thatmarijuana should belegalized for medicinaluse.”~ Linda Banister Poll Station

2003

“You’re lucky if you haven’thad to use the Glenrose;you’re lucky if you have.”

~ Shannon May, ChocolateAffair 2004

“Two sold-out charter flightsof Japanese tourists flew intoEdmonton enroute to Fort

McMurray to experience theaurora borealis. The 640 passengers on two747s… boarded 16 buses… to see thenorthern lights and the oilsands.”

~ Jessica Wegman-Sanchez InternationalBusiness 2006

“Congrats to… former Edmonton Sun editor-in-chief Paul Stanway on his appointment asdirector of communication for Premier EdStelmach… he’ll be assisted by exCalgaryHerald columnist Tom Olsen as director ofmedia relations. Their skin is thick enough towithstand any barbs from former colleagues inthe Legislative Press Gallery.”

~ Bruce Hogle, Media Minute 2007

“The Calgary skyline has more cranes thanan origami convention.”

~ Janet Edmondson,Edmontonian in exile 2008

THAT WAS THE MARCH THAT WAS

1992

2005



Documents

Edmontonians Mar09