John Rafferty, MP Thunder Bay Atikokan Enjoys His Job!

Ministry of Northern Developmentand Mines

Northern Highway Project toInclude Innovative Bridge Design

Michael Gravelle,Minister of Northern

Development andMines Gives Inaugural

Address

30 Seconds toSignificant Sales

KBM ResourcesGroup is the recipient

of this year’s RBCInnovation Award

ENCHANCING MRIACCESS IN NORTHERN

ONTARIO

HEALTHY HIRINGCLIMATE

EXPECTED FORTHUNDER BAY

HELPING WOMENIN THUNDER BAY

SUCCEED

April 2013

The Port of Thunder Bay has experi-ence some good growth recently andhope the trend will continue. There havebeen some interesting changes on theseaway with the Wheat Board lastAugust, as well as 15 new Canadianships coming into service this year.

“ The Wheat Board change saw quite aboost of wheat shipments last fall. Thiswas because the grain companies have

control over when they sell their productand it our biggest commodity. It hasproven the seaway is a competitive

route,” said Tim Heney, CEO of theThunder Bay Port Authority.” The effi-ciencies of the Port in Thunder Bay haveimproved over the years and we arecompetitive having the biggest grainstorage capacity in North America inThunder Bay. Grain storage is a strategicthing as the farmer can sell his or hergrain when they feel the price is right.The storage allows you to hold the grainuntil the price goes up.”

“ The government also took the 25%import duty off the importation of ships.

When they removed that there were 15ships built in China at about $40 milliona piece. These ships are bulk so they can

do grain, potash or coal,” said Heney. “We have also done well with projectcargo and that brings the ships intoThunder Bay and they can then take thegrain back. The crane is a big additionand diversifies the port. We spent about$10 million in infrastructure in recentyears with money we raised from ouroperations here. We received $1 millionfrom the provincial government for thecrane but the rest of the funds we gener-ated in Thunder Bay.”

A big hope of the Port of Thunder Bayis to attract some secondary manufactur-ing. “ You bring things in from Europe

and then do some work here and createjobs to make the Port more viable andcompetitive. We have one building avail-able for this and have 350 acres in thewaterfront area,” said Heney. “ Thestrong trend from the fall we hope willcontinue. Generally speaking it shouldbe a good year in Thunder Bay. We arealso working on a solar project on theroofs of our buildings and will sell theelectricity to the grid.”

PAGE 2 THUNDER BAY BUSINESS MARCH 2013

Mauro announces New OntarioGovernment Investing in Skills Training tohelp Vulnerable Women Reach TheirPotential

The new Ontario government is helpinglow-income and at-risk women in ThunderBay develop new skills to gain economicindependence and rebuild secure lives forthemselves and their children.

With $180,000 support from Ontario’sInvesting in Women’s Futures program,PARO Centre for Women’s Enterprise willoffer services to help women developskills and abilities to open up new opportu-nities and reduce their risk of poverty and

abuse.

Across the province, 25 centres willreceive funding to deliver programs andservices based on local needs that couldinclude:

• Employment training andsupports

• Occupational skills train-ing

• Entrepreneurial skillsdevelopment

• Education, informationand referral to help navigate support sys-tems

• Counselling for womenexperiencing abuse

Helping women develop the skills theyneed to succeed is part of the new Ontariogovernment’s plan to build a strong econo-my and a fair society for the benefit of all.

QUOTES

“PARO has been in our community formany years, helping women learn theskills they need in education, counselingand employment. The program is tailoredto the needs of the women in our commu-nities, giving them the support they needto make a positive change. ThroughOntario’s Investing in Women’s Futuresprogram, we are proud to be able to pro-vide $180,000 of support towards enablingthese women to achieve their potential.”

• Bill Mauro, MPPThunder Bay-Atikokan

“Today’s funding announcement fromOntario’s ‘Investing in Women’s Futures’program will benefit PARO’s Making ADifference initiative. This programmingsupports women looking to start a businesswhile creating jobs in Northern Ontario.Without it, many women would notachieve their economic goals. This pro-gram serves women who do not easilymeet the entrance criteria of other employ-ment programs. PARO is pleased to beable to continue to provide this initiative inNorthern Ontario.”

- Rosalind Lockyer, Executive Director,PARO Centre for Women’s Enterprise

“The Investing in Women’s Futures pro-gram helps women create a better futurefor themselves and their families. Thetraining and supports they receive givethem an opportunity to become financiallysecure and pursue new opportunities.”

— Laurel Broten, Minister Responsible forWomen’s Issues

QUICK FACTS • Over 7,300 women will

be helped over the next two years throughthe Investing in Women’s Futures program.

• 2013 is the 20th year thegovernment has funded local women’scentres to help women in Ontario reachtheir potential.

HELPING WOMEN IN THUNDER BAY SUCCEED

Next Issue of

Thunder BayBusiness

Construction inThunder Bay

Ad copy Deadline

Appril 23 rdContact Sylvia at

623-2348

www.northsuperiorpublishing.com

Port of Thunder Bay Ready For A Good YearBY SCOTT A. SUMNERThunder Bay BUSINESS

THUNDER BAY BUSINESS MARCH 2013 PAGE 3

As an avid snowmobiler there have beensome must destinations I have always want-ed to visit. High on my bucket list wasColorado and in early March of this year Ihad the opportunity to fulfill my dream andvisit Grand County, Colorado to experiencefirst hand some spectacular snowmobiling.My trip began with a quick flight to Torontoand connection to Denver arriving at 11 am.This is a pretty good connection from theeast. The busy Denver Airport is one of thebiggest in the US with over 50 million pas-sengers per year and was fun to see in fullaction mode. After picking up my rental carI was on the road to Grand County. At thebeginning you saw little snow and a largeurban environment, but soon you start toclimb in elevation and when you hit the Passthe snow is very evident. The roads areexcellent and with 4 lanes going up the Passit felt very safe.

In about 2 hours I arrived at my place tostay in Grand Lake, the Gateway Inn. Thisvery snowmobile friendly hotel offered agreat stay with your room including a fire-place and western motive. Outside was a hottub and the lobby area included a large barwhere snowmobilers were discussing theirday’s rides.

It was fun to have lunch at nearby Sloopy’sthat is right on the trail and has a great fastfood offering. The owners of this restaurantare very friendly and I enjoyed talking aboutthe area with them.

My first day in Grand Lake began withsome ice fishing on Grand Lake. This week-end the Grand Lake Ice Fishing contest wasunderway where anglers were participatingin catch and release contests in different fishcategories. It was great to experience and seethe area, which is home to such celebrities asTim Allen and the founders of Hallmarkcards. It was nice touring around the lake bysnowmobile and seeing the excited anglers.

That afternoon would be my first trail ridesnowmobile experience. The day was bril-liant sunshine, which meant we would beseeing some great views. Grand Adventuresis a snowmobile rental company that offersfour locations in the area and have over 200sleds available. They carry all 4 brands indifferent types of models for trail riding, 2up and off trail machines.

Lance Ward is the Head guide and TrailManager on the Winter Park side of GrandAdventures. He grew up in Los Angeles andhas spent the last five winters in Colorado.“I love snowmobiling, the outdoors and themountains. In the summer I ride dirt bikes-anything with handlebars and a motor isvery cool,” said Lance who would be myguide this afternoon.

Our ride began on the Grand Lake snow-mobile trail system and went all the way out

to Gravel Mountain. “ This is the Mecca andsnowmobile capital of Colorado. This trailsystem is bigger than any other trail systemin the state and has the most varied trails.Where we rode today is just a small fractionof where you can ride here,” said Lance. “We started at 8300 feet and climbed up toover 11,000 feet in a few miles. There aresome areas that reach 12,000 feet here.”The snow conditions were great and goteven better as you climbed the trail. Wewere able to see views throughout the coun-ty including the Mary Jane Ski area and theContinental Divide and Rocky MountainNational Park.

“ We offer guides here to show you thearea and to help you with your ride. There isevery different type of terrain with mead-ows, powder and single tails as well as hillclimbing. Some of the ISOC snocross teamscome here before the X Games to get accli-mated to the elevation and experience thesnow conditions that are quite different fromother areas of the US, say farther west. Ourbig hills are south facing rather than northfacing which makes for less avalancheissues. Avalanches do happen but may gettriggered higher up.”

Grand County includes the towns of

Kremmling, Hot Sulphur Springs, Granby,Grand Lake, Winter Park and Frasier. Thecounty is about the geographic size of thestate of Delaware. Grand County fromWinter Park is located about 90 miles fromDenver or about a 1/1/2 hour drive.

“ Snowmobiling is very popular becauseof the snow conditions and the towns arevery snowmobile friendly. We also haveWinter Park ski area, which is the fourthlargest in Colorado as well as Granby Ranch

Ski area. Grand Lake is the largest naturallake in Colorado and borders the RockyMountain National Park. It is resort townwith interesting restaurants and shops,” saidGaylene Ore of Ore Communications. “ Ilike the outdoors with hiking, biking andfishing in the summer and snowshoeing, ski-ing and snowmobiling in the winter. There isso much to do. In the summer golfing is alsobig with 4 courses in the area. There areDude Ranches as well with horseback riding.Fly-fishing is really great here because weare at the headwaters for the Colorado Riverstarting in Grand Lake. We get people fromall over the world including Colorado, Texasand Canada as well as England andGermany.”

It was fun to have breakfast brunch at FatCats in Grand Lake. Owner Sally, who isfrom England, puts on a great spread com-plete with fancy pastry deserts and tea!

The next day of riding was near Granby atthe Vagabond Ranch. Our trip began withbeing picked up at the highway entrance andsnowmobiling in some 4 miles with asleigh. Vagabond is a very unique back-country setting that is off the electricity grid,but offers luxury cabin lodging which cansleep up to 16 in one cabin. You can experi-

ence telemark skiing and snow boarding aswell as snowmobiling. My guide todaywould be Jeremy who is an owner ofVagabond and offers brand new Ski DooSummit 800 sleds that can handle any ter-rain. It was fun to experience some of thehigh elevation riding with Jeremy in thispristine setting.

My third day of riding began with a freshdump of 6 to 12 inches of snow and a trip tothe Grand Adventures location at the WinterPark Lodge Ski Area. The riding would turnout to be my best of the season with guideSnowmobile Steve and Marketing Managerof Grand Adventures, Meg Mizell. Our ridebegan up the trail with fresh powder andincluded stops at elevation to see an historictressel and spectacular views of the MaryJane Ski are. The sun broke through, just forus it seemed. We carried on up to a greatbowl area to play in the powder when thesnow came back in and created almost awhite out condition. As a snowmobiler thiswas fun for me and reminded me of my ear-lier years in the east when snow seemed tobe more prevalent.

That afternoon it was time for my final rid-ing experience withTrailblazer Tours inFraser. This experience began in their his-toric cabin with wood stoves burning andincluded some great single-track trails. Myguide was Josh and we rode with Meg againin some fresh powder though very beautifulterrain. Josh and his coworker, Mouse takegreat pride in their trail system here. Mousemakes sure the trails are well groomed andmarked and you can really see the effort theytake in their jobs.

For me it was fun to experience Coloradosnowmobiling. I especially liked being withavid snowmobile enthusiasts and feelingtheir passion for the sport. I hope to comeback to this area again and it is definitelyone of the best snowmobiling I have everexperienced.Special thanks to Gaylene, Jim, Meg, Lance,Jeremy, Snowmobile Steve, Josh and Mousefor their help on this trip!

http://www.grandadventures.comhttp://www.grandadventures.com/index.php/snowmobiling/fraser-valleyhttp://www.sagebrushbbq.comwww.grandlakechamber.comwww.sloopysgrill.comwww.gatewayinn.comhttp://hernandospizzapub.comhttp://www.wplodging.com

Grand County Colorado Offers GreatSnowmobiling Adventures

Publisher’sNoteScott

Sumner

Robbyn Stajkowski

Mauro & Gravelle announce New OntarioGovernment Supporting Health Researchand Creating Jobs

Ontario is enhancing magnetic resonanceimaging (MRI) research in Thunder Bay.

With support from the province’s NorthernOntario Heritage Fund Corporation

(NOHFC), the Thunder Bay RegionalResearch Institute (TBRRI) will soon behome to a next-generation MRI scanner.

This innovative technology, which nonin-vasively scans and takes pictures of theinside of the human body, will create ninejobs and help retain and attract more doc-tors and researchers to northern Ontario.

Investing in research is an important partof the Ontario government’s Growth Planfor Northern Ontario. A strong northerneconomy will help create a fair society andgive the people of Ontario more opportuni-ties for jobs and economic prosperity.

QUOTES

“Our government continues to partner withthe Thunder Bay Regional ResearchInstitute to support important research ini-tiatives. I am very pleased that theNOHFC could invest in this project andfurther help establish Thunder Bay andNorthwestern Ontario as a leading centrein health care research.”

—Michael Gravelle, Minister of NorthernDevelopment and Mines and Chair of theNOHFC

“This innovative research initiative inThunder Bay is creating well-paying jobsin our community. Increasing MRI capaci-ty in the region helps attract skilled profes-sionals and provides long-term health ben-efits for all northerners.”

—Bill Mauro, MPP for Thunder Bay-Atikokan

“NOHFC’s support for the NextGeneration MRI project enables TBRRI tocontinue to innovate and advance theknowledge based economy inNorthwestern Ontario. Most importantly,we can continue to improve care atThunder Bay Regional Health SciencesCentre. We are privileged that our provin-cial leaders recognize the value of thisresearch activity and advocate so effective-ly for it.”

—Michael Wood, CEO, Thunder BayRegional Research Institute and VPResearch, Thunder Bay Regional HealthSciences Centre

QUICK FACTS • Ontario is providing $1

million to this project through theNOHFC’s Emerging Technology Program.

PAGE 4 THUNDER BAY BUSINESS MARCH 2013

Thunder Bay, ON – Locally owned KBMResources Group is the recipient of thisyear’s RBC Innovation Award forInnovative Company of the Year. Theaward was announced at the NorthwesternOntario Innovation Centre luncheon onFebruary 21st at the Victoria Inn. LairdVan Damme, Managing Partner, was thereto accept the award, along with StephaneAudet, Principal of Operations.

The Innovative Company of the Yearaward recognizes KBM’s leadershipthrough the innovation of its products andservices, the expansion of its business, andits dedication to community involvement.

KBM Resources Group has been providingservices to natural resource sectors fornearly 40 years. By applying practicalinnovation, KBM has remained relevant topublic agencies, individuals, corporations,and non-governmental organizations acrossNorth America and internationally.

One of KBM’s practical innovations is theapplication of Entac, an environmentallyfriendly emulsion that can be used to finishtrails and roads and seal stockpiles andtailing ponds. This by-product of the pulp

and paper industry is used on sections oftrail at Prince Arthur’s Landing (ThunderBay’s Waterfront Park) and CentennialPark.

“Collaboration makes KBM’s innovationefforts successful,” Van Damme explained.“The Northwestern Ontario InnovationCentre facilitated our partnership withEnsSolutions, the creators of Entac, whichmakes this award particularly meaningful.The City of Thunder Bay was also instru-mental in pioneering the first trials ofEntac. Lakehead University, the IndustrialResearch Assistance Program, and othersalso share in our achievement.”

KBM is an early adopter of leading edgetechnologies, and is often sought out bymanufacturers to trial new equipment. Inaddition, KBM remains dynamic and opento new innovative solutions that can helpits clients succeed in ways they have notpreviously considered.

KBM Resources Group is the recipient of this year’s RBCInnovation Award

ENCHANCING MRI ACCESS IN NORTHERNONTARIO

THUNDER BAY BUSINESS MARCH 2013 PAGE 5

Michael Gravelle, Minister of Northern Developmentand Mines Gives Inaugural Address

Minister Michael Gravelle spoke to abusiness audience recently on manytopics current on his plate as returningMinister of Northern Development andMines.

His health“ I am feeling very well and blessedthat I have been able to to get throughthe treatments that have been prescribedfor me with very few side effects andmy energy level in tact. I am prettymuch going full out but I feel well. Ihad my 6th chemo treatment a weekago and have been very busy since then.Many people, including my doctor thinkbeing so busy has been good for me. Iam enjoying the fact that I can work fullout and come back to this Ministry.”

Mining in Ontario“ The excitement of the mining devel-opment in the province of Ontario ishigh. Some of the junior explorationcompanies are going through a chal-lenging time but the real story is wehave had three mines opening up thispast year in the North and more in theupcoming two years not even speakingabout the Ring of Fire development. If Ihave learned anything in the miningarea is the industry is cyclical but theopportunities are still there. My focus ison the Ring of Fire with my meetingswith Minister Tony Clement and a sig-nificant meeting with the Mattawachiefs was also clearly as an historicopportunity to move forward on the file.In 2011 we saw $1 billion of mineralexploration happen in the province ofOntario and unofficially in 2012 it willbe $900 million which is good.” “ I sat down with Cliffs at the recentmining conference in Toronto and cer-

tainly we are keen to get together andget this deal done on infrastructure. Themeeting with the Mattawa Chiefs wasimportant as well as the discussions

with colleges for training. There are somany pieces important to this movingforward.”

Exploration Mining Issues“ We want to work with the explorationcompanies to discuss opportunities.Tough decisions will have to be madebut it does not diminish the excitingmining opportunities in Ontario. We aretrying to put forward legislation tomake Ontario an good mining climateby modernizing the Mining Act particu-larly as it related to consultation. Wewant to make things more attractive asan investment climate.

The Next Ontario Budget“Our next budget will reflect the priori-

ties of our government including theRing of Fire opportunities. Our govern-ment focus is new jobs and an acknowl-edge of the importance of the North inour provincial economy. Premier Wynnbelieves in developing a strongNorthern economy. We had a ministersmeeting last weekend in Sault Ste Mariewhich went well. The Northern OntarioGrowth Plan will help to make us aglobally competitive economy. It is theblue print for the next 25 years inNorthern Ontario and I am committedto see it implemented. “

Northern Highways“The Northern Highways program iscrucial to safety and to enhance thequality of life of Northern Ontario. Wewill be putting out a release on the ten-der for the bridge which is a huge partof the 4 laning project. Our governmentis reenergized and a strong north is cru-cial. We are going to make this work.”

BY SCOTT A. SUMNERThunder Bay BUSINESS

by Major David Ratz, CD

The active military community of ThunderBay traces its history back to 1885.During two World Wars, Korea, numerousPeacekeeping and NATO missions and atpresent, men and women soldiers from

Thunder Bay are serving their country inAfghanistan.

One of the many heritage buildings inThunder Bay is the Armoury at 317 ParkAvenue. Construction began in 1913 andtook nearly a year to complete. When it

opened in 1914 it was a monumental con-struction project for the Lakehead at a timewhen the construction industry was experi-encing a shortage of work. The newArmoury was part of increased govern-ment support for the Militia as the ArmyReserve was known at the time. In 1984an annex was opened on the east side ofthe building, which retained the originalbrick Baronial architectural style. Themain purpose for the Armoury was to pro-vide a facility in which to store militaryweapons and equipment, provide trainingfacilities and administer the part-time sol-diers who serve their country in the Militiaand later the Army Reserve. The Armourywas the focal point of mobilization of the52nd Battalion, Canadian Expeditionary

Force during World War 1 and the LakeSuperior Regiment (Motor), in World War2).One such activity is the Military Ball,which has it’s origins in the formal affairsheld to bid farewell to the men departingfor service overseas during the First WorldWar. In its present form, the Military Ballis usually held annually in the spring and itis perhaps one of the few strictly formalsocial events held in Thunder Bay, wherethe military community, local VIP’s andinvited public mingle. Attendees to thisinvitation-only event wear formal dressuniforms, tuxedos and full length ballgowns. In addition to a meal catered byone of the city’s finest restaurants, guestsat the Military Ball will be entertained by atattoo performed by the MacGillivray PipeBand and dance to the music of a well-known local dance band.

The Military Ball will be held at theArmoury on 13 April 2013. The theme isthe 100th Anniversary of the constructionof the Armoury. This year’s organizersthink that as always it will be a wonderfulevening. For more information pleasecontact Major David Ratz at 807-343-5106or david.ratz@forces.gc.ca.

PAGE 6 THUNDER BAY BUSINESS MARCH 2013

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THUNDER BAY BUSINESS MARCH 2013 PAGE 7

Were you born in Thunder Bay?

I was born in Wingham, Ontario a farmcommunity near Kitchener, Waterloo. Myfather worked in radio there and thenmoved to TV in the 50’s. We lived there

until I finished university at the Universityof Waterloo and then attended theUniversity of Western in 1979 graduatingwith my degree in education. After that Iworked in Africa for 5 years with WUSC(World University Services Canada) as ateacher. There weren’t many teaching jobsin Canada so I went to Africa and that wasfun. I came back to Canada, got marriedand we both got jobs in Yellowknife andwas there for 5 years. When we were inRankin Inlet I was working as a principaland got a call from WUSC, ironicallywhen it was a whiteout. They asked me togo back to Southern Africa to work, which

we did. After that we came back to Canadaending up in Thunder Bay. My wife got ajob at the library here and I went back toConfederation College and took the broad-cast program.

You worked in broadcasting in ThunderBay for several years before enteringpolitics?

I did a talk show in the afternoon onCKPR and was there for 5 years until Idecided to run for political office in 2000starting first in Thunder Bay SuperiorNorth in the Federal election because atthat time I lived there. I also ran in 2003provincially, 2004 and 2006 federally andin 2007 provincial when we had therecount here. In 2008 I ran federally andwon and in 2011 won reelection.

It takes a while to build following inNorthern Ontario. I think the people hereare careful about their votes and where

they go. It has been traditionally Liberal soyou just have to knock on doors and meetas many people as you can. Over thecourse of the times I ran I have probablyknocked on every household in the riding,which total about 37,000. I worked inbetween elections as well and would knockon doors on the weekends. If I was goingto get into politics I put a time limit of tenyears and would put my all into it. Ienjoyed the work, as the best part of poli-tics is meeting people. If I get to go to a100th birthday party on a Sunday after-noon that is great.

Why did you choose to get into politics?

On my radio talks show we talked a lotabout politics. One day a guy phoned meup and said, you’re so smart why don’tyou run if you have so many opinionsabout the politicians. I thought maybe Ishould do this. The NDP was the party Ibelonged to. I worked on a provincial cam-paign as a high school student 40 yearsago. At that time I did a paper on my expe-rience in the election then. I like the socialresponsibility of the party.

Continued On Next Page

John Rafferty, MP Thunder Bay Atikokan Enjoys His Job!

BY SCOTT A. SUMNERThunder Bay BUSINESS

New Ontario Government Creating Jobs,Building a Stronger Northern EconomyNEWSMarch 8, 2013The construction of a new cable-stayedbridge along the Highway 11-17 expan-sion east of Thunder Bay will make traveleasier and safer for families and business-es while strengthening tourism and theeconomy in the north.This first of its kind bridge in Ontario

will have four-lanes for traffic as well asa walkway for pedestrians. The construc-tion of this bridge will begin this summer.Investing in roads, highways and bridgesis part of the new Ontario government’sGrowth Plan for Northern Ontario. Astrong northern economy creates goodjobs and generates more opportunities foryoung people and Aboriginal Ontarians.QUOTES“Thanks to the Northern Highways

Program, the expansion of the Highway11-17 corridor will continue with thisexciting project. The Nipigon RiverBridge will not only be a vital link fortraffic on this expanded part of theTransCanada Highway, but will also be alandmark structure that will become adestination attraction in its own right.”— Michael Gravelle, Minister ofNorthern Development and Mines“Our government understands the impor-tance of our commitment to expandingand improving highway infrastructure.We are ensuring the overall efficiency ofthe network and driver safety across thenorth while promoting economic devel-opment and job creation.”— Glen Murray, Minister ofInfrastructure, Minister of TransportationQUICK FACTS?A cable-stayed bridge consists of one or

more towers with cables supporting thebridge deck.?A six-kilometre stretch of four-lane divid-ed highway on this corridor betweenHodder Avenue and Highway 527 wascompleted in September 2012.?Another 14-kilometre section of Highway11-17 from Mackenzie Road to BirchBeach is currently under construction.?Since 2003, Ontario has invested morethan $4.5 billion in northern highways.?Since 2003, Ontario has improved 2,560kilometres of highway and 185 bridges.This includes 105 kilometres of new four-lane highway and 115 new bridges acrossNorthern Ontario.…/2

PAGE 8 THUNDER BAY BUSINESS MARCH 2013

Ministry of Northern Development and MinesNorthern Highway Project to Include Innovative Bridge

Design

Continued From Previous Page

What is a typical week like for youJohn?

I am in Ottawa from Monday to Thursdayor Friday’s usually halfway through theday. You are then in the riding and go backlate Sunday or early Monday. I have mycommittee, Public Safety and NationalSecurity with a strategy session for theweek on Monday. It is a committee of allparties where we look at all the legislationthat comes to us including budgets on saytopics like borders. The Minister will cometo see us sometimes. The bulk of the workof parliament gets done in these commit-tees. We also all have duty days when wehave to be in the house sometimes until7:30 pm. Our party does 1/2 days. In thehouse there are bills, debates, questionperiod and statements. I can ask a questionor make a statement sometimes. I recentlyhad a question on EI because we have hada lot of people coming in asking about EI.Last week I had a statement on pensionsrelating to the Resolute workers in Fort

Frances. You can also speak if a bill inter-ests you and it helps to put your riding onthe block. It usually is a 12-hour day withphone calls to answer at the end of the day.Sometimes constituents visit me in Ottawa.We do some charity event where I havesupper with someone who has bid on adinner with me and they also get an insidetour of the parliament.

How about your schedule in the riding?

In the riding the days are pretty full. Mostpeople want to see me on Friday inThunder Bay but Saturday and Sunday ifpeople want to meet. I will drop in onevents in the riding like the Outdoor Show.People like to see you as they may notemail or phone for an appointment butwhen I am out at these events I hear lots ofthings from people that I have met casual-ly. I get most of my feedback when I am atthese types of events. Also every month Isend out mail outs that are covered in ourbudget and we gets lots of opinion thatway. It is an avenue for people to talkabout things that concern them. A goodexample is the Kakabeka Legion, where I

attend their breakfasts once a month. Thisis where I first heard about their infrastruc-ture issues. Places like them are importantto their community. They may need toreshingle the roof or do other maintenancethings but may not have the funds. Irecently introduced my bill for legionsacross the country and it as been very wellreceived. We have three offices inThunder Bay, Atikokan and Fort Franceswith a 6 1/2 person staff. In a big ridinglike this you have to manage your budgetwell. It has been frozen since 2008 when Iwas elected so it gets tougher. We can take60 trips back and forth to Ottawa.

How are you enjoying your time as anMP?

I have been fortunate in my life with hav-ing various opportunities to do differentthings and that is my personality. As youget older you bring all these experiences tobear so this is a good time for me to dothis job. I can’t take credit for helping allthe people. My staff is terrific and theyhelp the people. It is nice when I comeback on Friday to see there are thank you

letters on the mantle. We have helped peo-ple through the red tape and get the servic-es they need. We can help people getresults with the Federal Government.

Do you plan to continue on in the job?

My intention is to run again, that is theplan now. I will be age 60 in July. It istough job with long hours and you areaway from home a lot. When you arehome you are away most of the day as youare out. My kids are older now so it is eas-ier to do the job. I wish I was a littleyounger to have more energy but I amenjoying myself. It is the type of job whereyou have to be at the right time of yourlife, to devote the time and to have theexperience and skills you use everyday tohelp people.

John Rafferty, MP Thunder Bay Atikokan Enjoys His Job!

Eight Child Welfare (CW) and ViolenceAgainst Women (VAW) agencies fromacross Northern Ontario have signed anagreement to collaborate in their effortsto end violence against women and chil-dren. The agencies are: Thunder BayCounselling Centre, Dilico AnishinabekFamily Care, Children’s Aid Society ofthe District of Thunder Bay, BeendigenInc., Catholic Family DevelopmentCentre, Faye Peterson House, GeraldtonFamily Resource Centre and MarjorieHouse in Marathon.

Nancy Chamberlain, Executive Directorof the Thunder Bay Counselling Centresaid, “This agreement establishes a pro-

tocol for improved collaborationbetween the two sectors and reminds usof our shared visions to protect womenand their children who are abused. Byworking together over the last decade,we have really gained an understandingand appreciation of our respective rolesand we have identified the barriers thathinder collaboration.”

The original Collaboration Agreementwas developed in 2003, but has had sig-nificant amendments andchanges to become what it is today.Locally and across Ontario it had beenidentified that the agreement needed toexpand beyond CW and VAW agenciesin order to adequately address vital risk

and safety issues and distinct differencesfor First nations women, children andmen.

“In Aboriginal history and culture, theextended family and community play animportant role in raising and protectingchildren. This agreement supports themandate of Dilico Anishnabek FamilyCare and the values of First Nationscommunities.” said Micheal Hardy,Executive Director of DilicoAnishinabek Family Care, “As well, wealso need to continue to build our rela-tionships with other impacted sectorssuch as law enforcement, family courtand criminal justice. We’re all part ofthe solution to end violence.”

At the signing ceremony, each agencyreceived a Gerbera Daisy symbolizingthe positive outcomesthey hope to see. Each coloured daisyholds a different meaning: yellow = sup-port, pink = happiness, white = a newbeginning, and orange = protection. Thedaisies will serve as a symbol at eachagency of the collaboration that hasblossomed and the guiding principles ofthe agreement.

With the Collaboration Agreement, theagencies will be able to provideenhanced support and resources to thefamilies they service.

THUNDER BAY BUSINESS MARCH 2013 PAGE 9

©2013 Brian Babcock

We do not have signs like that on ourroads, but the risk is very real.

Spring is here (at least if you believe thecalendar) and the longer days and milderweather encourage people of all ages toget outdoors. Many of those peoplewalk, jog, or play on or near publicstreets. Though drivers should be carefulyear round, this season warrants specialcare, especially watching for joggers oryoung children who might not be awareof traffic, or of the dangers around them.

In Ontario, when a pedestrian or bicyclerider is injured by a car, the onus is onthe driver of the car to prove that the

injury was not the driver’s fault.Although drivers are entitled to assumethat pedestrians will obey the rules of theroad, the reality is that a car is a deadlyweapon, and must be driven with cau-tion. In most cases, drivers are found to

be at fault, although the legal concept ofcontributory negligence can be applied ifthe facts justify a sharing of blame.

The major exception to that rule is the“darting cases”. These tragic examplesusually involve young children running

out in the path of an oncoming car,where the driver has no time to stop.

Children receive special protection inlaw, including personal injury law. Veryyoung children are never found at fault,even for their own injuries. Maturity isrequired to recognize the risk of chasinga ball into the road, or crossing against alight. Children 5 years old or youngerare rarely found even partially at faultwhile children over 12 are often held tobe mature enough to recognize risks andbear some responsibility for theiractions. In between those two ages is avery foggy grey area.

Because children are special, driversneed to take extra precautions. A recent

Supreme Court of Canada decisionrepeated the well-established rule thatdrivers must slow down and watch forchildren running into the street in aschool, playground area, or a built-upresidential neighbourhood. They thenwent further, and found that this ruleapplies anywhere where a driver mightexpect children to be playing.

A useful reminder for all of us as theseasons change.

Weilers acts on behalf of injured people,and also defends drivers and others, butmost importantly, we believe in safetyfirst.

Pedestrian Risk - Drivers Beware

LegalMatters

More improvementscoming this season on

Highway 11/17, includingthe beginning of the new

Nipigon River cable-stayedbridge!

“Working withbusiness for a

sustainable andprosperous

future.”

Inter-Agency Collaboration Agreement to End Violence

HEALTHY HIRING CLIMATE EXPECTED FORTHUNDER BAY

(Thunder Bay, ON, March 12, 2013) –Thunder Bay area employers expect ahealthy hiring climate for the secondquarter of 2013, according to the latestManpower Employment OutlookSurvey.“Survey data reveals that 26 per cent ofemployers plan to hire for the upcomingquarter (April to June), while three percent anticipate cutbacks,” statedFlorentine Bahlieda of Manpower'sThunder Bay office. Another 71 per

cent of employers plan to maintain theircurrent staffing levels.“With seasonal variations removed fromthe data, Thunder Bay’s second quarterNet Employment Outlook of 20 per centis a seven percentage point rise whencompared to the previous quarterlyOutlook,” said Bahlieda. “It is also anine percentage point increase from theOutlook reported during the same timelast year, indicating an active hiringpace for the upcoming months.”

“Thanks in part to expected job gainsfrom companies such as Walmart andGreen Revolution EMS, the nationalhiring climate should remain upbeat,”said Byrne Luft, Vice President ofOperations for Manpower Canada.“Employers in the Transportation &Public Utilities and Construction sectorsanticipate the strongest gains in theupcoming quarter, especially in WesternCanada. Additionally, we’re seeing thatmost of the new jobs created in Canada

so far this year have been full-timepositions. This continuing trend towardfull-time employment is an encouragingsign.”

There can be doubt that we here in theNorthWest are very keenly aware of themyriad of issues and opportunities thatour transportation networks provide.

Whether it be winter roads, airfare wars,shipping seasons, rail line removal, inter-provincial bus service, bike lanes,tourism, neighbourhood pathways,CrossCanada Trails, energy supply, inva-sive species, snowmobile routes, har-bours of refuge, gas prices, oil drum dis-posal, roadside pulloffs, national security-the gamut of topics is quite endless aseach mode of transport carries with it awide amplitude of subtopics.

It certainly proves the adages that "Allthings are connected", and "You can't justdo one thing" confirming that everythingproduces some kind of reaction! For us inthe NorthWest our crossnational linkagesassume considerable importance especial-ly when things break down. When theNational highway is closed due to acci-dents or weather we shout our displeasureat the time it takes to get investigators tothe scene from southern Ontario. By nowwe northerners can cope with heavy snowconditions but those unaccustomed to

driving in storms have extremelyunpleasant comments about highwaymaintenance.

We see the skyhigh pricing of goods infly-in communities and thus can relate todemands for expansion of all-weatherroad systems to connect them to us downhere. We don't usually think of ourselvesas "southern" but when you realize weare on the same parallel as Vancouverand indeed are farther south thanWinnipeg, Regina and Calgary it changesone's geographical perspective.

Our business community is both blessedfor being in the heart of North Americaand also cursed for some critical disad-

vantages, most blatantly the lack of con-tainer facilities at the port or in the rail-yards. This directly affects competitivepricing both in and out of Thunder Bay.

We are certainly glad the port is enjoyinga resurgence and hope that even moreWestern marketing is in their businessplan! Similarly for the upsurge in miningwhich has really drawn our full attentionto gaps in many of the modes. I alsoinclude here the transport of energywhich is vital to each and every commu-nity whether municipal or aboriginal.Which brings us to focus on the vulnera-bility and the value of the connections forroad and rail in the Nipigon corridor. AsPresident of th Ontario MunicipalAssociation I asked those in charge ofprovincial emergencies what their planswere should the unspeakable occur if thelinks were taken out by natural or human-made disaster. The answer, hopefullyaddressed in the new construction, was ablank stare of hopeless unawareness.Which when you think even briefly thatour transportation issues are thought asbeing vast, long, and beyond the time-scope of people who live in compactedurban areas of the province.

Thus messaging or communication linksare also part of the package as we trans-port data in a myriad of forms over fixedand wireless systems from postal, courier,print and satellite to name but a very few.As you can now tell this whole trans-portation world affects us constantly andpervasively. The movie industry thriveson catastrophes but many scenarios for-merly considered far-fetched seem to be

occuring with astonishing frequency suchsink-holes. This of course gives us evenmore reason to be glad we live on theCanadian Shield!

Speaking Of!Independent capitalism which to mysenses seems to be thriving here in theNorthWest. I see lots of young entrepre-neurs, artists of every genre, restauran-teurs, and those trained in resourcesbreaking out with new companies andextraordinary ideas. The RBC Innovationawards were inspiring from both therange and depth of intelligence but alsofrom the large number of nominatedfirms with genuinely brilliant workingconcepts! These signal optimism of themost practical kind.

ObservationWith purported slowdowns at our neigh-bour's border crossings I vigourously rec-ommend that you sign up for a Nexuscard (nexus.com). Not only will youbypass huge lineups and delays in air-ports and land crossings to the States butyou can use the Nexus lane to zipthrough security. The real bonus comes ininternational travel whereupon you onlyhave to glance into the machine insteadof standing in the lines with only yourpassport. Time is yours so max it!

Respectfully submitted,Ken BoshcoffDirector of Business StrategiesCrupi Consulting Group

PAGE 10 THUNDER BAY BUSINESS MARCH 2013

Hyer on the Hill

Reviving North Shore Passenger Rail –Business News, April 1, 2013

It was a cold, sad day wintry day in1990 when the last passenger trainpulled out of the Thunder Bay train sta-tion, never to return. The train ran on avery popular route, on its way fromWinnipeg to Sudbury. It was VIA Rail’smost popular, in fact, and with goodreason: the spectacular journey alongthe beautiful North Shore of LakeSuperior was a tourist draw in and ofitself. But this was the just beginning ofa decades-long decline in federal sup-port and attention on passenger rail.Today, Canadians are realizing that weneed to bring rail back in a big way.

That can start right where it’s neededmost: Northwest Ontario, though whichall East-West traffic travels in Canada.Restoring passenger rail service along

the North Shore route need not be over-ly costly, as far as train service goes.Much of the infrastructure is already inplace, and a Budd car continues to trav-el between Sudbury and White River -approximately a third of the route.Because of its popularity, at the time ofcancellation the North Shore route gen-erated healthy revenue for VIA, and itcould do so again.

Reviving rail service along the NorthShore of Lake Superior would also be aboon to economic diversification andtourism in our region. It’s the perfectcomplement to the Lake SuperiorNational Marine Conservation Area,also along the route. Northern commu-nities like Armstrong, Nakina andLonglac - currently serviced by the soleremaining northerly VIA route, whichmust be adequately maintained - knowthat rail can be important to the localeconomy.

Since passenger rail was cut a genera-

tion ago, transportation options for busi-nesses and residents along the NorthShore corridor have diminished.Communities have seen intra-city busservices reduced or threatened withelimination. Gasoline prices in theNorthwest are amongst the highest inCanada. The scarcity of travel optionsleft means that the remaining modes oftransport tend to become that muchmore expensive. Restoring passengerrail service would help give residentsmore options for getting to medicalappointments in Thunder Bay, do busi-ness, and visit family in the region.

And of course encouraging train travelis better for the environment, beingapproximately three times more energyefficient than road travel. Indeed,increasing our use of passenger rail willbe integral to meeting greenhouse gaspollution targets.

With so many reasons backing rail, Iam grateful for the amount of support

I’ve received for my Motion inParliament to restore passenger railservice through Thunder Bay and theNorth Shore. Thousands of people havejoined a Facebook group to restore theservice, and have signed the petition atwww.revivepassengerrail.ca. With thesupport of local residents, I will contin-ue to push the issue in Parliament. Ourregion need this transport option.

Bruce Hyer, MP

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MAKING IT HAPPEN

How to up-sell without turning off yourcustomer

by Jeff Mowatt

If you and your employees aren't trainedon effective ways to upsell, chances areyou either offend customers by being toopushy, or leave money on the table thatcustomers would have willingly spent withyou. Either option is costly.

When organizations bring me in to trainemployees on how toincrease revenuesfrom current cus-tomers, I often findthat not enoughattention is paid toup-selling.

Up-selling refers towhen you help a customer decide to buy alittle extra or "up-grade" slightly the finalpurchase. A car dealer, for example, mightinform customers at the time of orderingabout upholstery protection and undercoat-ing. A shoe salesperson might suggest thatwhen you buy a pair of shoes that you alsouse some weather protectant spray. Theseare usually small purchases that the buyerdoesn't have to put a lot of thought into.The bonus is they can be extremely prof-itable for you as the sales person and foryour organization.

Why up-selling is so profitable

Consider this example. A customer buys acar with monthly payments of $395. Withthat size of investment, there's very littleresistance to adding $2 to the monthly pay-ments for upholstery protection. For you,however, that additional sale is significant,as over 48 months it adds up to a $98 sale,with a huge profit margin.

Some would say that a $98 sale on a$25,000 vehicle is only a minimal increasein the overall sale. Why waste your time.My argument is that if it only takes 30 sec-onds to make that extra $98 sale, thenyou're making more money for the compa-ny than with any other activity you do. Ifyour salary is $20 per hour then doing themath, the 30 seconds you take to upsellcosts the company about 17 cents. If itonly costs the company 17 cents to make$98, that's a huge return on investment.The fact that it's attached to a $25,000 saleis completely irrelevant. So, up-selling isone of the highest and best uses of yourtime.

Up-selling should be easy

The best part of up-selling is that it's prac-tically effortless. Since it's done after thecustomer has decided to go ahead with amajor purchase, the hard part of the salesconversation has already been done.You've already established rapport, identi-fied needs, summarized, presented bene-fits, asked for the order and handled objec-tions. Up-selling is just presenting theinformation in a "by-the-way" assumptivemanner.

The 3 biggest mistakes in upselling:1. No attempt is made to

upsell. 2. The salesperson comes

across as being pushy. 3. The upselling is made

in an unconvincing manner so the cus-tomer generally refuses.

Effective up-selling strategies•

Assumptive is the key. You've got toassume that the customer will naturallywant this. Begin the upsell with a briefbenefit, then if possible, add somethingunique about what you're selling. To avoidsounding pushy, particularly if the upsellrequires some elaboration, ask for the cus-tomer's permission to describe it.

Here's an example of the wrong way toupsell. Imagine dining at a restaurantwhere you've just finished a big meal. Theserver asks, "Would you care for dessert?"If you say "Yes", you might give theimpression of overindulging. So many cus-tomers refuse out of politeness. Result --no sale.

So the savvy server doesn't ask if the cus-tomer wants dessert. The professional justassumes that when people go out for ameal they are treating themselves. So ofcourse they'll want to treat themselves todessert. In this case, the server pulls up thedessert tray and says, "To finish off yourmeal with a little something sweet, (that'sthe benefit), I brought the dessert tray overfor you." Would you like to hear about themost popular ones?" (asks permission toproceed)

When the customer agrees to hear aboutthe desserts the server doesn't just list themby name; he describes their benefits. Sorather than saying, "This is chocolatemousse." Instead he'd say something like,"If you like chocolate you'll love this.We've got a chocolate mousse that melts inyour mouth and makes you wonder whatthe ordinary people are doing today."

• Focus on customer needs-not yours. Don'ttry to sell the customer something youwouldn't buy if you were in their shoes. Itis totally irrelevant whether or not this pur-chase suits your needs; what is relevant iswhether it suits the customer's. That per-spective empowers you to upsell effective-ly and with integrity.

• Hands on demonstration. One of the mosteffective up-selling techniques is gettingthe customer to use the product in yourlocation. A hairdresser, for example, mightput hair gel in the customer's hand andshow them how to apply it themselves. Byshowing the client how to get the salonlook at home, they create a value-addedupsell.

• Group related products. It's a good idea togroup similar add-ons and offer them as an

upsell at a package price. If someone isgetting a haircut and you talk to themabout shampoo, it only makes sense toshow them a package deal that groups con-ditioner and shampoo at a package price.

Bottom line

Every business owner should realisticallylook at whether or not employees couldimprove the way they up-sell. For mostbusinesses, a little professional trainingcan make a world of difference.

Customer service strategist and profession-al speaker, Jeff Mowatt is an authority onThe Art of Client Service . . . Influencewith Ease®. For Jeff's other tips, self-studyresources, and training services on up-sell-ing, click Up-Selling Without Being Pushy.

This article is based on the criticallyacclaimed book Becoming a Service Iconin 90 Minutes a Month, by customer serv-ice strategist and professional speaker JeffMowatt. To obtain your own copy of hisbook or to inquire about engaging Jeff foryour team, visit www.jeffmowatt.com orcall 1.800.JMowatt (566.9288).

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THUNDER BAY BUSINESS MARCH 2013 PAGE 11

30 Seconds to Significant Sales

PAGE 12 THUNDER BAY BUSINESS MARCH 2013