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Nico Orgo Fertilisers to raise $7m for agric funding
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Nico Orgo intends to raise $7 million through the issue of a local registered agro-bills to finance agriculture production for the 2012/2013 season, said Interfin Bank in a statement. Nico Orgo is one of the leading companies that has been exploiting the organic fertiliser reserves commercially. Offer for bids opened January 16and will close on January 30.
At the end of last year the Agricultural Marketing Authority and CBZ Bank failed to raise an initial $50 million through agro-bills after just over a third of total bids were allotted. A total of $17,7 million was raised after $31,9 million, which showed bills were under-subscribed. The government and private sector players have been exploring various funding mechanisms aimed at boosting the countrys agriculture production.
Analysts contend that tight liquidity on the markets will result in most agro-bills being undersubscribed. In his 2012 Budget presentation, Finance minister Tendai Biti said the agricultural sector required at least $2 billion annually to realise its full potential.
In this regard, the projected growth in agricultural production of 11,6% in 2012 takes account of the number of financing facilities established by the government, the banking sector, co-operating partners, seed and fertiliser suppliers, in support of the preparation for the 2011/2012 agricultural season, he said. Agricultural sector output is expected to increase this year with tobacco, maize, cotton, soyabeans and poultry being the drivers.
In a bid to improve the mobilisation of funding for the agricultural sector, Biti has since proposed a three-year rolling financing strategy from 2012 to 2017 in order to enhance farmers planning and preparedness.
Source: newsday.co.zw
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Over breakfast this morning Mike and I realized that we hadn't much time left to take advantage of our 10% off deals with the places that we registered. Since he may have a busy next few weekends, we decided to head to the mall today to hit up Williams Sonoma, Macy's and Crate & Barrel, with gift cards from the wedding/Christmas/misc. in tow.
Watching Mike try to shop just to shop was very amusing since he's usually a man on a mission – he never just shops for recreation. So when the mission was to spend $x on un-predetermined stuff, he patiently wandered the stores and was actually disappointed when he saw that things were on sale (only my husband…). See, he'd made it his mission to completely spend the gift cards, and that was made more difficult when something didn't cost as much (his logic was flawless).
Photo from Williams Sonoma's website. This is a wine caddy that keeps the wine inside chilled for up to 2 hours. Not only was this piece on sale, all sale items were an additional 20% off. So they were practically giving these away at around $10!
Thankfully, we have pretty much everything that we need in the kitchen – or at least everything that we use on a regular basis, and then some. So walking through Williams Sonoma, we were purely looking for little luxuries. What we stumbled upon the wine caddy seen to the left. That barely made a dent in the dollar amount that we needed to spend, so we grabbed one and kept wandering. Unfortunately, Mike didn't really like any of the table linens that WS sells, so that wasn't an avenue that we could explore (you can never have enough table linens right?). He did spot some cheese tools and suggested those – but changed his mind when I reminded him that we'd received cheese tools for our wedding.
Photo from Williams Sonoma's website. These were the salt and pepper mills that we decided to purchase. The automatic ones seemed excessive, and the one handed ones were too small to be practical.
Photo from Macy's website. While not good for coffee, we got this beverage dispenser in a color that matched most of our existing Chirp by Lenox table linens. We figured we could use this both inside and out, and for a sale price of $25, it was a deal.
When we got to Macy's we thought we'd look for a coffee urn for when we're entertaining. A sales associate informed us that it was no dice – they didn't sell those. However we did find a fun looking beverage dispenser that Mike cursed for being 50% off. We had double to spend what we had at Williams Sonoma, so the hunt continued. It wasn't until we found ourselves in the table linens section that a light bulb went on. We have a few pieces (table runner and two different sets of cloth napkins) from Lenox's Chirp collection, why not get more of those table linens, that would actually make sense. Wouldn't you guess, those were on sale too at 30% off! We were able to get the spill-proof table cloth and 6 spill-proof placemats (oddly enough, while the table settings in that collection are super fragile and expensive, the linens are spill-proof and easily machine-washable).
Photo from Macy's website. The table cloth and two-toned place mats that we purchased today to continue our collection of Lenox's Chirp line.
Photo from Macy's website. A two-tied cookie stand from the china portion of Lenox's Chirp collection.
Mike was excited, he thought we'd finally reached our limit at Macys… nope, there was still more to spend. I decided that we should see if we could afford any of the actual china pieces from the Chirp collection (also on sale – we were on a roll today!) It was difficult to determine prices, but eventually we figured out that we could both afford and use the two-tiered cookie stand (perhaps for my delicious doughnuts…) The only ones left was the one on display or one in the back (we saw a note stating that on the display box) so Mike unassembled the display cookie stand with his keys and between the two of us we managed to pack it back into its box – there was much ripping of cardboard to make it fit and the extra cardboard was left behind. The sales associate at Macy's seemed amused by our spend-the-gift cards mission and chuckled a few times at our dialogue.
In the home stretch we headed over to Crate & Barrel to look at a china hutch that we'd been eying online. Unfortunately, it didn't live up to our expectations, and neither did anything else in our budget. So it's back to the drawing board there.


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I have been lucky enough to be apart the Chick-Fil-A Moms Panel, where we get to share our thoughts & give feedback on all things Chick-Fil-A. Another perk is learning new things about this great restaurant before most people. Yesterday, it was shared that Chick-Fil-A restaurant's are going to start the process of using antibiotic-free chicken.
Here is the information I am able to share with you all.
When the people who matter most to you ask you to do something important — you listen. So when our customers started asking us about antibiotics in chicken, we began exploring our options.
From the day our founder, Truett Cathy, invented the Chick-fil-A® Chicken Sandwich, he insisted upon using the best-tasting, highest-quality ingredients — so much so, he included the "A" in the company's name to serve as a reminder. That was 50 years ago, but the commitment is firmly in place today.
Whether it's taking the time to hand-bread the chicken each day, squeezing countless lemons to make our lemonade, or saying "my pleasure" when we serve you — we are proud of our food and service heritage.
It's all part of our journey — a journey to better understand how we can serve not only delicious food with a warm smile, but also a menu our customers can feel even better about.
This is why we are collaborating with national and regional poultry suppliers to build a supply chain based on chickens raised with no antibiotics. We are asking suppliers to work with the USDA to verify that antibiotics are never administered from the hatchery to the processing plant.
Our commitment is to serve chicken raised without antibiotics in all Chick-fil-A restaurants, nationwide, within five years.
And so our journey continues. Changes like these take time, but we believe this is the next step in honoring our heritage and our continued commitment to service and quality.
What do you think? I love Chick-fil-a, and I think it's a great thing that they are listening to their customers.


Vanishing Montreal: Condos on Charlevoix - P.S.C.
This compact condo building on Charlevoix in Pointe-Saint-Charles was built on an empty lot/parking lot.The great thing about this address is that it's right next to the metro (one step away from the Charlevoix station). The bad thing about this address is that it's right next to the metro (traffic...noisy).


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9:00 AM PT10:00 AM MT11:00 AM CT12:00 PM ET4:00 PM GMT12:00 AM 北京时间9:00 AM MST11:00 AM EST, Nov. 6, 2021
Brooks Field at Wallace Wade Stadium, Durham, North Carolina Attendance: 20,693
Pickett passes Pittsburgh past Duke, 54-29
(AP Photo/Chris Seward)
By BOB SUTTON
DURHAM, N.C. (AP) Kenny Pickett threw three touchdown passes and ran for a score as Pittsburgh pulled away to beat Duke 54-29 on Saturday.
Pickett threw for 405 yards as the Panthers (7-2, 4-1 Atlantic Coast Conference, No. 25 CFP) bounced back from a home loss to Miami a week earlier. They have their best nine-game record since an 8-1 mark in 2009.
"Just got back into a rhythm, playing our game," Pickett said of an offense that generated 636 yards of total offense. "Getting into the rhythm of the game."
Sam Scarton kicked four field goals on his 21st birthday for Pittsburgh, which leads the ACC's Coastal Division and improved to 4-0 in road games. Jordan Addison, who scored on a reception and a rush, racked up 171 receiving yards on seven catches.
"Road victories are big and we got a lot of guys in there that played," Pittsburgh coach Pat Narduzzi said.
Duke (3-6, 0-5) lost its fifth game in a row. Quarterback Gunnar Holmberg exited with an upper-body injury on the team's final possession of the first half after throwing for 174 yards and a touchdown. Running back Mataeo Durant gained 89 yards on 24 carries.
Pittsburgh went ahead for good on Pickett's 22-yard scramble with four minutes left in the first half after an array of potential momentum-turning plays. The Panthers led 30-19 at halftime, with Scarton connecting on his third field goal in an eight-minute span on the final play of the half.
"These guys are good on offense," Duke coach David Cutcliffe said of the Panthers. "We didn't cover them close enough. We didn't get them enough pressure on the quarterback."
Duke drove to the Pittsburgh 1-yard line on the game's opening possession before Durant's fumble and a wild chase for the ball. Pittsburgh responded, going 76 yards in seven plays with Pickett hitting Jared Wayne on a 10-yard scoring pass.
Duke scored on its second possession, with Charlie Ham's 46-yard field goal giving the Blue Devils their first first-half points in three games.
Moments later following a Pickett fumble, Duke was denied on Durant's fourth-down run from the Pittsburgh 1.
"Our defense continues to be very, very good on fourth down," Narduzzi said.
But the next play, Pittsburgh running back Vincent Davis Jr. was tackled in the end zone for a safety.
After that, Duke's main highlights were Holmberg's 32-yard scoring pass to Jalon Calhoun and Jaylen Stinson's 86-yard kickoff return.
Pittsburgh: The Panthers eclipsed the 40-point mark for the sixth game this season, but for the first time in more than a month. This was the third time they've gone above 50 points.
Duke: Durant eclipsed the 1,000-yard rushing mark in the first quarter. He became Duke's first 1,000-yard rusher since Chris Douglas in 2003. Durant is the sixth player in program history to reach 1,000 rushing yards in a season.
CATCHING ON
Addison's 47-yard catch in the second quarter gave him 11 touchdown receptions, ranking among the nation's leaders. That's the most for a Pittsburgh player since Larry Fitzgerald's 22 in 2003. Addison scored in the third quarter on a 2-yard play that was ruled a rushing play.
"He's having an incredible year," Pickett said. "Something I think we all saw coming."
SACK SPECIALISTS
The Panthers recorded six sacks, including five in the second quarter.
"We just kind of knew what they were doing by that time," Pittsburgh linebacker Phil Campbell III said. "We just started letting it go."
Pittsburgh could move back into the AP Top 25 after slipping out this week following a two-week stay and rising to as high as No. 17.
Pittsburgh: Home Thursday night vs. North Carolina.
Duke: Visits Virginia Tech on Saturday.
More AP college football: https://apnews.com/hub/college-football and https://twitter.com/AP-Top25. Sign up for the AP's college football newsletter: https://apnews.com/cfbtop25

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


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Pablo Garcia2016-01-08T04:03:29+00:00November 14, 2004|
Holland (Km 37,474)
It is believed that Holland is the country bikes and that it is perfect to cycle through bicycle lines. But it is wrong, because when you leave a city the cycle-lanes start to divide as a great labyrinth and it is quite impossible don´t get lost.
Coming from England, I disembarked in Hoek van Holland at 22. And I suffered a lot because that ship moved as any other one. It was raining and very cold but I went to Rotterdam where there was a youth hostel.
In the morning I had to get up early to get my breakfast, (one of the disadvantages of the hostels) and then I cycled to Amsterdam.
I visited the tourist information office, but I didn't buy the map, which shows me all the cycleway to Amsterdam, because it cost 6 Euros and I would use just one day. So I wrote the towns to cross. Once more, I made a mistake.
When I left Rotterdam the cycle-roads started to divide as a great labyrinth, and the posters of information only showed the nearest towns and not the capital where I go. Dozens of times I stopped to ask, but nobody knew how to inform me which was the best cycle-road toward Amsterdam. I could not believe it, two hours had passed and I had only gone away 15 km from the city.
So I got angry and I went to the route, where cars go, and I began to cycle on the verge. But in some minutes a car's driver, with soul of righteous, forced me to abandon the route. But I didn't give him importance and I continued cycling; but I made him a sign like "Ok, I will do it". But the man who turned out to be more hard than me, began to scream me; saying to me that I was putting my life in danger and the life of the other drivers and he didn't move of behind mine. Then I didn't have more option than to cross a line of dense bushes and I entered to the cycle-road, cursing to the great one righteous.
Some minutes later, while I requested information to three people, a police car arrived suddenly and in a not very friendly way. And automatically who could be the witness of my desperation, disappeared. I had to face up to the anger of the officials who only wanted to make me a fine. It was obvious that that driver had denounced me by telephone.
But at the end I was lucky, I explained to them what happened and they liberated me of the fine, but they noticed me: "if we find you other time in the route you will pay a fine."
For this reason, my road to Amsterdam was an odyssey. Up to half way I took a long time and I lost countless times, but then I met a cyclist who a lot of patience, (he didn't speak English) accompanied me across 20 km and he guided me toward Amsterdam. My average was disastrous; I arrived at night, after 105 km and almost 10 hours of trip, and between Rotterdam and Amsterdam there are only 75 km. But I should be happy because I was in the country of the bicycles.
Amsterdam – Km 37,474
Amsterdam was founded toward to 1200, as a small fishing town in the outlet of the river Amstel. And their population didn't delay to be the first commercial power of the north of Europe and, in the XVII century, they were the centre of an extensive empire.
Formerly good part of the territory of Holland lay under the water, but its people knew as snatch away to the sea big areas of lands. Today the coast stays by means of a system of drainage of mills, dikes and channels.
According to people only from the air you can appreciate how extensive is still the area covered by water and how reduced the lands are. Holland is the most densely country of Europe.
My days in Amsterdam were of the most pleasant; there I met Juan Carlos and Kurt that received me like a great friend. Too I visited some markets where I sold my photos and my dolls. And I travelled through the city which seduced me with their channels and with their idiosyncrasy.
Baukje explained to me as Holland has been from the past, liberal and tolerant with the minorities. The country has welcomed the Jews during centuries, and although the Catholicism was prohibited after the independence, the authorities were permissive with its practice. According to Baukje that tolerance is practiced today with the exiles, gays, lesbians and people of different environments. The respect for the right of each one to live its life underlies in the liberality of the laws that regulate the prostitution and the drugs.
And it was exotic to walk for the red neighbourhood and to observe as the prostitutes are exhibited in the windows.
But at night, walking for the streets, I had the sensation that some places were dangerous, it could notice in the face of people who strolled without direction or under the effect of some drug. In more than an occasion they came to me to provoke me. But always I controlled the situation. The only problem that I got was when one afternoon I was selling in the "Square Dam" and I ended to the struggles with a group of Moroccans that defended their African friend, who made my bike fall down. The blow was so strong that it caused the rupture of the three foot that sustained the bike. Automatically I called him of stupid and we left one above the other one.
Heading to the south
My road heading for Belgium continued first toward Den Haag and then toward Roosendaal. I cycled during three days to arrive to the frontier. I always cycled under rain and with a strong wind in my front. I still remember a night when I should cross that bridge; I couldn't see anything, I was soaked and with too much cold.
And now in Holland, once more; as many other times in my trip, I wondered: "What am I doing here?"
Highlights from Europe
My grandfather's lands.
Prague, a place for not coming back
Zurich, a lively night
Europe, a new stage


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12 Feb 2021 12:36 pm AEDTDate Time
WA Tourism Plea for JobKeeper Replacement
New financial assistance to replace JobKeeper is required to sustain tourism businesses and jobs, as the latest official visitor statistics show WA domestic tourism declined by $2.6 billion, or 40 per cent, from March to November 2020.
The latest National Visitor Survey from Tourism Research Australia reveals that from the start of interstate and intrastate travel restrictions in March 2020 up until November, intrastate visitor spending in WA declined by $860 million and interstate visitor spending was down $1,780 million.
These figures do not include the $1.7 billion estimated loss from international tourism due to border closures.
Tourism Council WA CEO Evan Hall said around a third of tourism businesses were still on JobKeeper and needed support beyond the end of March to keep operating.
"The industry faces major business closures and job losses when JobKeeper payments, rent freezes and loan deferrals end in March," he said.
"We are calling on the Federal and State Governments to replace JobKeeper with new financial assistance to retain tourism businesses and jobs until domestic tourism returns as travel restrictions ease and vaccines are rolled out.
"It is imperative these businesses continue operating so Western Australia can retain the tourism product needed to attract visitors when travel restrictions ease."
Mr Hall said that while the official figures showed WA local tourism grew in the July, September and October school holiday months, overall domestic tourism was down 40 per cent.
"The latest official figures showed WA domestic tourism lost $224 million in November alone and a total of $2.6 billion since domestic travel restrictions started in March," he said.
"Since these November results there have been Christmas border closures, lockdowns and regional travel restrictions.
"We are coming up to a year of international and interstate travel restrictions which have taken a huge toll on many tourism operators."
/Public Release. This material from the originating organization/author(s) may be of a point-in-time nature, edited for clarity, style and length. The views and opinions expressed are those of the author(s).View in full here.
Tags:Australia, business, council, Federal, Holiday, industry, job loss, JobKeeper, research, spending, statistics, tourism, tourism council, Tourism Council Western Australia, Vaccines, WA, Western Australia
Omicron is overwhelming Australia's hospital system


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The Do LaB presents Bluetech, Mimosa and more! November 12, 2009
6555 Hollywood Blvd
Hollywood, California 90028
Right off the heals of October's Beat's Antique show, The Do LaB are proud to present Bluetech with very special guests Mimosa and Electric Dandelion.
It's all going down at the King King in Hollywood, an intimate space, with lots of room to dance and a world class soundsystem.
Don't wait til the last day to buy your tickets, we've got a big family in Los Angeles, and we want you to be able to join us!
Tickets: https://beticketing.com/_E1_view.php?editid1=63
The Artists:
www.myspace.com/iambluetech
http://www.bluetechonline.com/
A classically trained pianist and master of the art of software production. Bluetech's love of the melodic and exquisite sense of sound design makes him one of the most ingenius producers today.
Bluetech's sound emerges from his custom-built Reaktor instruments and software based synthesisers as a primordial electro-dub alchemy. While encompassing musical touches from different parts of the globe, he presents a total blend, crossing genres and borders.
Bluetech has created a label called Native State Records to release his own music and music from other artists who cross boundaries between ambient/chill and more idm/experimental sounds.
Not content to stay at home, Bluetech has toured extensively and performed in Japan, UK, Germany, Spain, Italy, Croatia, France, Denmark, Mexico, United States, and Canada.
Bluetech has released two albums on Aleph Zero Records, an internationally acclaimed chill label run by recording artist Shulman, and is currently working on a third for release in 2008. Aleph Zero brought Bluetech's music to the attention of the international chill audience, and helped to launch his career worldwide through strong support and beautiful packaging. Stay tuned for the next chapter!
http://www.myspace.com/tigranmimosa
Mimosa takes listeners on a journey through warm rhythmic sound-scapes, with melodies and vocal samples smoothly crafted to help navigate the sonic terrain. Using basslines inspired by hip-hop classics like Too Short and Dr Dre, combined with deep psychedelic textures reminiscent of the downtempo and midtempo output by Tipper and Bluetech, Mimosa blends the range of styles to create his own fresh take on the west coast sound.
Mimosa's debut EP release, Hostilis, presents tracks with heavy-hitting low frequencies, sexy grooves, and uplifting dub infusions, floating between instrumental Hip Hop and Dubstep.
ELECTRIC DANDELION
http://www.myspace.com/electricdandelion
Electric Dandelion was conceived for the sole purpose of taking audiences on musical journeys by spinning beautiful soundscapes and nasty wicked beats. Blessed with the natural gift of rhythm, he began learning about fat beats at the age of 10 when he started playing drums, and continued his musical education in college, where he learned the importance of melody as he studied singing and guitar.
Consequently, Electric Dandelion began DJ'ng after being inspired by the amazing spirit of the Burning Man community and the love for music in the underground scene. Over the past five years, he has graced the world with amazing downtempo, IDM, and breakbeat sets, and played a wide range of events and festivals, including Coachella, Earthdance (LA), Burning Man, Electric Picnic(Ireland) and Ascension(LA). In 2004, Dandelion toured India (Bombay, Chennai, Goa), playing breakbeat to packed audiences and pioneering the first successful American breakbeat tour.
Electric Dandelion has been a resident DJ with Space Island(LA) since 2004.
This show is proudly presented by The Do LaB
http://www.facebook.com/TheDoLaB
Get your tickets here:
https://beticketing.com/_E1_view.php?editid1=63256
Added by jordaniscreative on November 2, 2009
jordaniscreative
lazy slave


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Canadian Society of Corporate Secretaries Announces New Directors of the Board
The Canadian Society of Corporate Secretaries (CSCS) is pleased to announce that, at its annual meeting earlier today, five new directors were elected to its board of directors. With the board being represented by top corporate secretaries and governance professionals, the addition of these new members rounds CSCS' expertise and national representation. New directors include:
Carmel Bellamy, Associate Secretary and Sr. Director, Corporate Governance & Co-operative Relations, The Co-operators Group Limited, Guelph ON
Brigitte Catellier, Corporate Secretary and Head of Governance, HSBC Bank Canada, Vancouver BC
Alain Dussault, Lawyer, CN Rail, Montreal QC
Glenn Keeling, Independent Director, Cobourg ON
Sally Maziarz, Assistant Corporate Secretary, EPCOR Utilities Inc., Edmonton AB
As the organization continues with implementation of its Strategic Plan, the new directors compliment the strong suite of directors currently servicing the board. Continuing directors, re-elected at the annual meeting, include:
Mary Batoff, General Counsel and Corporate Secretary, Torex Gold Resources Inc., Toronto ON
Madeleine Bertrand, Director, Corporate Affairs & ATIP Coordinator, Royal Canadian Mint, Ottawa ON
Misti Christensen, Manager, Governance and Assistant Secretary, Nexen Energy ULC, Calgary AB
Meg Comiskey, Manager, Policy and Research and Assistant Corporate Secretary, Vancouver Airport Authority, Richmond BC
David Masse, Independent Director, Beaconsfild QC
Janis McKenzie, Independent Director, Brampton ON
Board member bios are available on the CSCS website at http://www.cscs.org
Chairman of the Board, David Masse, paid special thanks to the outgoing directors, Laurel Savoy, who joined the Board in 2002 and Leah Fitzgerald, who joined the board in 2010. Their valued contributions to the organization have been greatly appreciated.
NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN THAT an annual meeting ("Meeting") of members of the Canadian Society of Corporate Secretaries (CSCS) will be held at The Fairmont Queen Elizabeth Hotel, 900 René Lévesque Blvd. West, Montreal, Quebec on Monday, August 17, 2015 at 8:30 a.m. EDT. to conduct the following business:
Receive the 2014-15 annual audited financial statements and the report of the Public Accountant;
CSCS has retained D.F. King Canada as our Proxy Solicitation Agent and CST Trust Company as our Tabulator and Scrutineer. Any questions and requests for assistance may be directed to D.F. King Canada by calling:
North American Toll Free Phone: 1-800-301-9629
Outside North America, call collect: 201-806-7301
Madeleine Bertrand
Canadian Society of Corporate Secretaries (CSCS) Excellence in Governance Awards (EGs) shortlist announced
18 Jun 2015 12:09 PM | Anonymous member (Administrator)
The Canadian Society of Corporate Secretaries ("CSCS") is pleased to announce the shortlist for the 2015 Excellence in Governance Awards/Prix d'excellence en gouvernance (EGs). We received over 80 nominations this year from organizations across all sectors and the shortlisted nominees, organized by category, are presented below:
Greater Toronto Airports Authority
Mitel Networks Corporation
Saskatchewan Research Council
First West Credit Union
Best stakeholder engagement by a governance team
WestJet Airlines Ltd.
Associated Engineering Group Ltd.
CBC Pension Plan
We thank the following individuals who volunteered a considerable amount of time and effort in reviewing all of the submissions for the shortlist: Wendy King, Vice President, Legal, Risk & Governance, Capstone Mining Corp.; Jamie Patterson, Corporate Counsel, Group Medical Services; Brendan Sheehan, Founder and President, The Illawong Group, Christine Staley, Director of Professional Development, Canadian Corporate Counsel Association; Sheldon Stener, General Counsel and Corporate Secretary, Federated Co-operatives Limited; Terri Uhrich, Vice President, Legal Affairs, K+S Potash Canada.
The final award winners will be announced and celebrated on August 16, 2015 in Montreal, Quebec at the CSCS' 17th Annual Conference.
Canadian Society of Corporate Secretaries (CSCS) announces winners of the second annual Excellence in Governance Awards (EGs)
BANFF, August 24, 2014 - The Canadian Society of Corporate Secretaries ("CSCS") is pleased to announce the winners of the second annual Excellence in Governance Awards/Prix d'excellence en gouvernance (EGs).
The winners were announced at the opening gala of the CSCS' 16th Annual Corporate Governance Conference held in Banff, Alberta, on August 24, 2014.
The following winners were selected in these categories
ATB Financial – Best sustainability, ethics and environmental governance program
Royal Bank of Canada – Best use of technology in governance, risk and compliance
ATB Financial – Best approach to board and committee support
Bombardier Inc – Best stakeholder engagement by a governance team
Hamilton Community Foundation – Best practices to enhance boardroom diversity
Royal Bank of Canada – Best practices in strategic planning, oversight and value creation by the board
BC Cancer Foundation and MTS Allstream – Best overall corporate governance
Sylvia Groves, Governance Studio – CSCS - Joyce Borden-Reed distinguished contribution award
Stephen Jarislowsky and Claude Lamoureux (Co-Founders of the Canadian Coalition for Good Governance) – Peter Dey governance achievement award
CSCS would like to acknowledge the contribution of the Canadian Corporate Counsel Association (CCCA) to the shortlisting process and specifically the following judges: Cathy Cummings, Executive Director, Canadian Corporate Counsel Association, Wendy King, Vice President, Legal, Risk and Governance, Capstone Mining Corp, Jamie Patterson, Corporate Counsel, Group Medical Services, Sheldon Stener, General Counsel and Corporate Secretary, Federated Co-operatives Limited andTerri Uhrich, Vice President, Legal Affairs, K+S Potash Canada.
Geoffrey D. Creighton, Senior Vice-President, General Counsel and Secretary and Chief Compliance Officer, IGM Financial Inc.
Stephen Griggs, CEO, Smoothwater Capital Corporation
Andrew MacDougall, President, Spencer Stuart Canada
Judging facilitator Brendan Sheehan, Founder and President, The Illawong Group and honorary judge, Peter Dey, Chairman, Paradigm Capital.
The Canadian Society of Corporate Secretaries is recognized as the most important organization for corporate governance professionals in Canada. CSCS strives to enhance the public's awareness of the importance of good governance and to be the voice of corporate governance professionals in Canada. The organization participates with other stakeholders, including capital markets participants, government bodies and regulators, in fostering a governance environment that sets Canada apart in the world. CSCS also supports its membership with continuing education and networking opportunities.
SOURCE: Canadian Society of Corporate Secretaries
255-55 St. Clair Avenue West
Email: egawards@cscs.org
Website: http://www.cscs.org/EGA
Canadian Society of Corporate Secretaries (CSCS) Excellence in Governance Awards (EGs) short list announced
26 May 2014 12:06 PM | Anonymous member (Administrator)
TORONTO, May 26, 2014 - The Canadian Society of Corporate Secretaries ("CSCS") is pleased to announce the shortlist for the second annual Excellence in Governance Awards/Prix d'excellence en gouvernance (EGs).
Around 60 nominations were received this year from organizations across all sectors and the shortlisted nominees, organized by category, are presented below:
Bombardier Inc
Hydro Ottawa
GOLDCORP
Sun Life Financial
Central West Community Care Access Centre
Veridian Connections Inc.
HAMILTON COMMUNITY FOUNDATION
Manitoba Telecom Services Inc. MTS Allstream
Certified Management Accountants of Ontario (CMA Ontario)
Deloitte LP
BC Cancer Foundation
Tim Hortons Inc.
CSCS would like to acknowledge the contribution of the Canadian Corporate Counsel Association (CCCA) to the shortlisting judging. We thank the following individuals who volunteered a considerable amount of time and effort in reviewing the submissions: Cathy Cummings, Executive Director, Canadian Corporate Counsel Association, Wendy King, Vice President Legal, Risk & Governance CAPSTONE MINING CORP., Jamie Patterson, Corporate Counsel, Group Medical Services, Sheldon Stener, General Counsel and Corporate Secretary, Federated Co-operatives Limited, Terri Uhrich, Vice President, Legal Affairs, K+S Potash Canada and judging facilitator Brendan Sheehan, Founder and President, The Illawong Group.
The final award winners will be announced and celebrated on August 24, 2014 in Banff, Alberta at the CSCS' 16th Annual Conference.
The Excellence in Governance Awards jury panel is composed of seasoned and well-respected governance experts from across Canada and include:
Gigi Dawe, Principal, Risk Oversight and Governance, National Practice Leader, Governance Strategy and Risk, CICA
Carol Hansell, Founding Partner, Hansell LLP
The Canadian Society of Corporate Secretaries is recognized as the most important organization for corporate governance professionals in Canada.
As the principal advocate for those who work in corporate governance, CSCS strives to enhance the public's awareness of the importance of good governance. CSCS is the voice of corporate governance professionals in Canada and participates with other stakeholders, including capital markets participants, government bodies and regulators, in fostering a governance environment that sets Canada apart in the world. CSCS supports its membership with continuing education and networking opportunities that are second to none.
Email: lynn.beauregard@cscs.org
The Canadian Society of Corporate Secretaries announces the launch of the second annual Excellence in Governance Awards (EGs).
TORONTO, Jan. 8, 2014 - The Canadian Society of Corporate Secretaries ("CSCS") announces that the nominations are now open for the second annual Excellence in Governance Awards/Prix d'excellence en gouvernance (EGs). The highly respected jury will select the winners for the awards which will be announced and celebrated on August 24, 2014 in Banff, Alberta at the CSCS' 16th Annual Conference.
Candidates eligible for nomination include individuals and/or teams of individuals who play a role in the governance of their organizations. The deadline for nominations is April 8, 2014, and the shortlist of finalists for the awards will be announced in June 2014. For more information on the nomination process click here.
CSCS (Peter Dey) Governance Achievement Award
Re : Response to the request for comments CSA Consultation Paper 54-401 Review of the Proxy Voting Infrastructure
Saskatchewan Financial and Consumer Affairs Authority
New Brunswick Financial and Consumer Services Commission
Superintendent of Securities, Prince Edward Island
Superintendent of Securities, Yukon Territory
Superintendent of Securities, Northwest Territories
Superintendent of Securities, Nunavut
Email: comments@osc.gov.on.ca
Anne-Marie Beaudoin
800, square Victoria
C.P. 246, 22e étage
Montréal, Québec H4Z 1G3
E-mail: consultation-en-cours@lautorite.qc.ca
We preface this response by expressing our appreciation to the Canadian Securities Administrators (CSA) for their continuing efforts to address the serious concerns related to shareholder voting processes.
The Canadian Society of Corporate Secretaries (CSCS) is a national association representing corporate secretaries and governance professionals.
The movement to give shareholders a stronger voice in the way Canada's public companies are governed is a positive trend that benefits both investors and issuers. The question is not whether shareholders ought to have a voice, but rather whether that voice is being heard properly, and whether shareholder votes are being counted properly.
CSCS believes simply that shareholder votes must be counted with the same degree of care and integrity that applies to ownership and dividend rights. We also believe that all shareholders, registered and beneficial alike, deserve equal rights.
Unfortunately, the current system of shareholder voting falls far short of respecting these basic principles.
CSCS has devoted considerable time and resources to promote a fundamental reform of the rules for shareholder voting:
In 2005 we conducted a series of forums in collaboration with the CSA in Montreal, Toronto, Calgary and Vancouver to discuss the functioning of National Instrument 54-101 on communications with beneficial shareholders.
In 2007 we participated in a stakeholders' panel on shareholder voting at the annual conference of the Canadian Investor Relations Institute.
We published a white paper in 2008 promoting changes to the corporation statutes to provide equal treatment for registered and beneficial shareholders.
In 2010 we extensively reviewed and provided comments to assist in the preparation of the Davies paper on the Quality of the Shareholder Vote in Canada.
We convened the 2011 Shareholder Democracy Summit and published an inaugural report with the Summit's findings.
In 2012, following up on the Summit, we proposed to key stakeholders a Facilitation Program with a five year roadmap and milestones that would clear the path for reform.
In the latest step in our campaign for reform we conducted a series of public forums along with the CSA. We held open meetings this October in Montreal, Toronto, Calgary and Vancouver in collaboration with the CSA.
Progress made to date, in spite of these efforts, has been painfully slow, and the modest progress that has occurred has been disappointing.
As the CSA acknowledge in the request for comments, the shareholder voting system has evolved over time into a highly complex intermediated system. The CSA request for comments focuses on the complexity inherent in the vertical dimension of the shareholder voting process. This is the dimension that allows votes and other shareholder rights to flow from the issuer at one end of the vertical process to the investor at the other end.
The degree of complexity in the vertical axis is matched by an equivalent degree of complexity in the horizontal axis.
On the horizontal axis we find at each layer of the vertical axis numbers of stakeholders who have similar roles. In certain cases collaboration among roles has resulted in some form of integration in the processes applied at that layer. For instance, transfer agents in Canada collaborate as members of the Stock Transfer Association of Canada. At the intermediary level there is similar industry collaboration in the Investment Industry Association of Canada. There are similar associations at most of the horizontal layers; for instance the Canadian Coalition for Good Governance for institutional investors; the Canadian Securities Administrators for securities regulators; and so on.
It is quite apparent that there are gaps in the collaboration that militate against meaningful progress. To mention one of those gaps, at the regulatory level, there does not appear to be sufficient engagement between the CSA and their regulatory counterparts on the corporate law side.
Also absent from the field is the Bank of Canada. To some degree the problems experienced in the shareholder voting process are a symptom of a settlement and clearing deficiency for which the Bank of Canada has traditionally played a central leadership role, yet there is no evidence that these issues are on the Bank of Canada's radar screen.
Any attempt to address the serious shortcomings of the current processes requires, as the request for comments points out, a "holistic" approach. CSCS emphatically agrees with that assessment. The comprehensive approach that CSCS advocates is one that addresses not only the vertical dimension of complexity, but also its horizontal axis. CSCS believes that anything less will fail to lead to significant improvements in the process.
CSCS advocates a comprehensive approach to reform with the following salient features:
Fundamental reform of both corporate and securities law rules relating to shareholder voting:
Securities and corporate regulators both fully engaged and committed to the reform process.
Registered and beneficial shareholders to enjoy the same voting and participation rights.
Elimination of the OBO NOBO distinction:
Restoring the issuer's right to know the identity of its shareholders.
New rules for nominee holders that respect the investor's right to maintain privacy in relation to holdings and voting, while also respecting the issuer's right to know its shareholder.
Complete dematerialization of the voting process:
Entirely digital end-to-end processes.
Normalized data flows for shareholder security positions as of the record date including voting and participation entitlement;
Auditable data trails coupled with effective processes and controls to ensure respect for the integrity of the voting process.
A specific roadmap for reform with defined milestones and a reasonable horizon for completion.
CSCS acknowledges that the challenge presented by the approach we advocate is substantial. It is important for stakeholders to bear in mind however that the ultimate objective is a very modest one: to ensure that shareholder votes count with the same degree of integrity that applies to other shareholder rights like dividends for instance.
Canada is not the only country experiencing challenges when it comes to shareholder voting. We could seize the opportunity to be the first country to tackle the issue in a straightforward and intelligent way to deliver effective reform, as well as industry-leading processes.
Regulators, who coexist in horizontal silos similar to other stakeholders, have a key role, perhaps the key role to play. It is unfortunate that the regulators have yet to come together on this issue.
The CSA, the provincial and federal regulators who determine corporate law and policy, and the Bank of Canada have a responsibility to lead the way by entering into a meaningful collaboration to address shareholder voting processes.
Effective shareholder voting is one of the cornerstones of effective governance and healthy capital markets. The CSA's primary responsibility is to protect Canadian investors and to regulate the functioning of Canada's capital markets. That mandate led the CSA in its pioneering efforts to address shareholder voting processes. It is clear however that the CSA cannot succeed in resolving the current problems without engaging with other regulators in a concerted way.
The request for comments asks two key questions:
Is accurate vote reconciliation occurring within the proxy voting infrastructure?
The answer to this question at the present time cannot be anything other than "no". There are some processes currently in place that seek to reconcile shareholders, issuers, and votes, but none could be called "end-to-end."
What type of end-to-end vote confirmation system should be added to the proxy voting infrastructure?
For "end-to-end" to have any real meaning, the system has to reconcile voting from the shareholder to the issuer, and it has to happen for all shareholders. At the present time that is not occurring.
Information technology has been the key enabler that allowed the capital markets to grow in scope, pace and volume of transactions in the recent past. It has done so by forsaking paper-borne processes in favour of machine-borne processes. Given the timing constraints of shareholder meetings, given the large number of shareholders, given the sheer volume of information and transactions that must flow to enable shareholders to vote effectively, there is no longer any room for paper-borne processes.
It is time to adopt end-to-end digital processes for shareholder voting, that is to say, to dematerialize the entire voting process. With digitization, there will be a sound basis for end-to-end vote reconciliation, for the audit of processes and transactions, for quality assurance, and for greater timeliness.
Some aspects of the current dysfunction, in particular the impact of share lending on the quality of the shareholder vote, will be very difficult to deal with effectively unless the process is dematerialized.
There is evidence at the present time that certain institutional shareholders are now reluctant, or have completely ceased, to lend their portfolios because share lending interferes unduly with the ability to exercise voting rights. What will be the impact on the capital markets if more and more institutional shareholders follow suit?
Information technology is a powerful enabler and can support robust processes that accomplish objectives that paper-borne systems are incapable of achieving. For instance, if all data flows for voting information were normalized:
voting information could flow at electronic speeds rather than post office speeds;
shareholder entitlements could be effectively tracked and reconciled without privacy concerns;
it might become possible to allow portfolios to be lent ex-vote;
it is also possible that an IT-borne voting infrastructure would allow concerns related to 'empty-voting' to be addressed effectively;
for the first time, shareholder voting dashboards could become a reality for all shareholders, not just for the privileged few who have access to a transfer agent's voting platform or Broadridge's Proxy Edge system.
The foregoing only begins to scratch the surface of possibilities could emerge as the fruit of dematerialization and fundamental reform in the voting process.
The request for comments seeks guidance on next steps.
CSCS strongly advocates the following next steps:
The regulators should collaborate. CSA, the corporate regulators, and the Bank of Canada need to come together to address the concerns with the shareholder voting system.
At its heart shareholder voting is a corporate law concern. For many issuers the ratio of beneficial shareholders to registered shareholders is in excess of 90%. Yet corporate law largely ignores beneficial shareholders. It is more than high time that beneficial shareholders get equal rights. The corporation regulators need to take ownership of that issue and work closely with the CSA to ensure that all shareholders are treated equally.
Finally, the Bank of Canada has a key role to play. The problems with shareholder voting are a symptom of a partial settlement and clearing failure. The current depository system came about to address settlement and clearing problems for securities transactions that resulted from the pace and volume of transactions that had outstripped the shareholder registration paradigm that prevails under corporate law. The old share registry and paper certificate system was dying under its own weight and impeding the efficient flow of capital. The book-based depository system that evolved solved the capital markets problem for two of the three key shareholder entitlements: i) the right to buy and sell, and ii) the right to dividends. Voting, the third key entitlement was neglected. In the result, the gates and processes that must be aligned to allow votes to be properly exercised and counted in many cases are in disarray. In fairness to all concerned, it is only recently that shareholder voting has emerged as a key governance tool for modern public companies. The problems are well-documented, and the time to act is now.
Reliable information must be gathered. The request for comments asks a series of excellent questions for which answers are urgently needed. The questions probe for information on the processes at work amongst the agents whose roles lie between the shareholder and the issuer: transfer agents, intermediaries and Broadridge.
If dematerialization is to occur (and it must occur for the system to improve), the information flows and processes at play among all those agents must be mapped. That is the only path that can lead to creating the normalized data structures that will allow high integrity data to flow in real time from end to end in the voting system. The CSA already have the regulatory tools and authority that will allow that information to come to light. Doing that process mapping is a vital first step. It will be painstaking work and it will be time consuming if it is to be done properly. Without that information gathering phase, it will be very difficult and perhaps impossible to make any real progress.
A roadmap for reform should be proposed. If the problems with shareholder voting are to be addressed effectively and in a timely manner, the regulators need to set the pace and there has to be a reasonable timetable for reform. As part of its proposed Facilitation Program, CSCS proposed five years as a reasonable timeframe for reform. A roadmap for reform should have three distinct phases:
Information gathering;
Determining the reforms needed to be implemented;
Implementation.
Without a disciplined process and milestones to judge progress, it will be very difficult or impossible to make any significant improvements.
Sectorial approaches to the problem should be set aside in favour of overall reform. Notice and Access is a case in point. Notice and Access has largely failed to deliver the hoped-for benefits of reducing paper burdens, streamlining the meeting information process, and reducing costs. The reason is that Notice and Access simply does not go far enough, and there was a lack of collaboration among concerned regulators. At the core of Notice and Access remain paper-borne processes. The result is another layer of regulation, longer lead times and additional fees that, at least for issuers, have failed to deliver much in the way of savings, and made setting key dates for the meeting process even more difficult to do. Additional sectorial approaches to the problem should not be contemplated in the absence of a compelling need.
Funding for a dematerialized voting system should be studied. At the present time issuers bear substantial proxy solicitation costs, as do other stakeholders. A well-functioning, end-to-end, dematerialized voting system should yield cost savings for all stakeholders, but it will not eliminate all of the current expense. A new information technology-based voting system will need to be funded by stakeholders in a fair way so that everyone benefits. Planning will be required to make that happen.
We at CSCS will continue to do our best to advance the cause of reform and to work will all stakeholders to achieve that objective. We encourage all stakeholders to come forward to share their concerns, to discuss avenues for reform, and to collaborate to address these concerns.
On a final note, the request for comments at footnote 58 notes that unresolved over-reporting situations occurred in at least 17% of meetings. At the CSCS annual governance conference in Halifax this past August, Computershare provided updated statistics that showed 17.02% for 2011, 22.70% for 2012 and 25.71% for 2013.
These metrics are truly a cause for concern and they reveal a troubling and worrisome trend. All the more reason to marshal vigorous efforts to address these important issues.
CSCS Submits Comment Letter on Disclosure Requirements Regarding Women on Boards and in Senior Management
On October 3, 2013, the Canadian Society of Corporate Secretaries ("CSCS") submitted a comment letter to the Ontario Securities Commission (OSC) in response to their request for comments on their Staff Consultation Paper 58-401: Disclosure Requirements Regarding Women on Boards and in Senior Management.
As the principal advocate for those who work in the front lines of corporate governance, CSCS strives to enhance the public's awareness of the importance of good governance. CSCS is the voice of governance professionals in Canadaand participates with other stakeholders, including capital markets participants, government bodies and regulators, in fostering a governance environment that sets Canada apart in the world. CSCS also supports its membership with continuing education and networking opportunities.
In preparation for this response CSCS undertook a consultation with our members at open sessions held inVancouver, Calgary and Toronto in mid-September.
The CSCS member consultations were well attended, and small, mid and large-cap issuers were all represented. The comments provided in our letter represent the general views of members who participated in the consultations for a course of action that is believed to be both effective and not overly prescriptive.
CSCS applauds the OSC for addressing the critical issue of gender diversity on boards and in senior management of Canadian publicly traded corporations (Corporations). Our members believe that achieving gender diversity is a positive step towards greater diversity and we encourage the OSC to consider further diversity initiatives that will encourage corporations to work towards including under-represented groups in senior management and on their board of directors.
Our members felt that best practice guidelines, together with mandated disclosure, are the ideal combination - allowing a Corporation to determine the appropriate path for it to reach gender diversity and ensure transparency to stakeholders. Members who participated in the consultations were divided in their views as to whether Corporations should be required to: (i) disclose their approach to gender diversity with reference to such best practice guidelines, explaining any differences ("comply or explain") or (ii) satisfy certain minimum best practice guidelines including a target percentage of 20% to 40% to be achieved over a five year or longer period.
It was felt that most Corporations should be able to:
Determine the target and time line (based solely on its own assessment or within the minimum guidelines, as the case may be) appropriate to its circumstances;
As information becomes available, benchmark the target;
Disclose the reasoning behind the selected target;
Disclose the details of the plan to be implemented in order to reach the target through board renewal process, proactive management or inclusion of new policies or practices, such as term limits; and
Annually report on progress.
Requiring Corporations to explain their self-governing approach to implementing gender diversity practices in their senior management and on their boards will result in clear and useful disclosure (rather than boilerplate language) and provide stakeholders with good information on each Corporation's views and commitments to creating gender diversity within their own organization.
A copy of our comment letter can be found by clicking HERE.
Phone: 1-416-921-5449, Ext 306
www.cscs.org
Re: OSC Staff Consultation Paper 58-401: Disclosure Requirements Regarding Women on Board and in Senior Management
03 Oct 2013 10:29 AM | Anonymous member (Administrator)
The Canadian Society of Corporate Secretaries (CSCS) focuses on good corporate governance and reporting practices, shareholder communications, and effective board administration. It is within our scope of interest to engage with Canadian securities regulators to represent the views of CSCS and those of our Members in matters of regulator concern. We are pleased to have the opportunity offered by the OSC to respond to the request for comments on OSCP 58‑401.
We applaud the OSC for addressing the critical issue of gender diversity on boards and in senior management of Canadian publicly traded corporations (Corporations). Although there is research to be quoted on both sides of this issue, there is significant emerging evidence that gender diverse management teams and boards are equipped with a greater range of skills, perspectives and experience that foster clear judgment in both the common place and complex situations facing today's corporations.
Member Consultation
In preparation for this response CSCS undertook a consultation with our Members at open sessions held in Vancouver, Calgary and Toronto. The consultations were well attended and small, mid and large cap issuers were all represented. The comments provided herein represent the general views of our Members who participated in the consultations for a course of action that is believed to be both effective and not overly prescriptive. We believe that it is the responsibility of each Corporation to manage its internal processes and that each board of directors is the most knowledgeable about its business and industry practices to determine its policies and targets with respect to realization of effective gender diversity.
Approach to Achieving Gender Diversity
Quotas are particularly undesirable. Quotas may result in under-qualified directors being appointed merely to comply with regulatory requirements, to the detriment of a well-functioning board. Simply, quotas ensure quantity, but not quality.
Best practice guidelines, together with mandated disclosure, are the ideal combination – allowing a Corporation to determine the appropriate path for it to reach gender diversity and ensure transparency to stakeholders. Members who participated in the consultations were divided in their views as to whether Corporations should be required to: (i) disclose their approach to gender diversity with reference to such best practice guidelines, explaining any differences ("comply or explain") or (ii) satisfy certain minimum best practice guidelines including a target percentage of 20% to 40% to be achieved over a five year or longer period.
In either case, we expect that most Corporations would be able to:
Requiring Corporations to explain their self-governing approach to implementing gender diversity practices in their senior management and on their boards will result in clear and useful disclosure (rather than boilerplate language) and provide stakeholders with good information on each Corporation's views and commitments to creating gender diversity within their own organization.
Board and Management Disclosure
It is essential to require disclosure on gender diversity both at the board level and for the senior management team. In addition, preparing internal female candidates for senior management roles begins to prepare them for board service which assists in increasing the pool of available female director candidates. Specific usage of the "named executive officer" definition may be overly narrow and may not provide a true picture of women in senior management in organizations. Corporations should be required to choose and disclose a definition of "senior executive" and report the percentage of women at that level of management.
The disclosure should be required to narrate how the Corporation encourages gender diversity throughout the organization and what programs it incorporates to develop its female workforce.
Developing Women for Future Board Roles
Members noted that an often heard concern is that the pool of appropriate female candidates for board positions is too small. This is, at least in part, a mere excuse to avoid the issue of achieving gender diversity. The real problem is not that the pool of well-qualified candidates is too small but that, although significant in size, the pool is generally unfamiliar to and untapped by Corporations.
A critical issue in any board candidate identification and appointment is culture and chemistry. This is no less an issue when identifying female candidates. However, female director candidates are likely to be less known to an existing board and therefore remain undiscovered or be less comfortable option. Corporations should examine and disclose the means by which they intend to identify female candidates for board appointment.
Venture Companies
CSCS and a majority of Members, including those employed by venture issuers, who participated in the consultation process, agree that the OSC should not limit its policies on gender diversity to non-venture issuers. Unlike many regulations that have a significant financial burden associated with compliance, the issue of gender diversity presents no more of a hardship for venture issuers than it does for non-venture issuers. In some circumstances compliance is less of a burden as venture issuers tend to have smaller boards and smaller management team. Therefore, they will therefore be searching for fewer female director and executive candidates.
Engaging women in senior management and on boards of venture issuers will result in an increased pool of candidates, who will gain their experience as venture issuers grow into mid-size and larger cap non-venture issuers. It also engrains good board practices early in a Corporation's life.
Broader Diversity
Finally, achieving gender diversity is a positive step towards greater diversity and we encourage the OSC to consider further diversity initiatives that will encourage Corporations to work towards including under-represented groups in senior management and on the board of directors.
CSCS thanks the OSC for this opportunity to share our comments and those of our Members on OSCP 58-401. We look forward to the implementation of effective and appropriate gender diversity requirements for all Canadian publicly traded corporations. Please contact the writer for additional information or to answer any questions on the consultation process.
Winners of CSCS Excellence in Governance Awards Announced
Winners of the 1st annual Excellence in Governance Awards were announced last night by the Canadian Society of Corporate Secretaries ("CSCS") at the inaugural awards ceremony held at the Westin in Halifax. Peter Dey, Chairman of Paradigm Capital, considered Canada's 'Godfather of corporate governance' for the 1994 'Dey Report' was also honoured for his contribution to corporate governance in Canada.
The awards ceremony was attended by close to 300 of Canada's top governance practitioners and leaders from the corporate, non-profit, crown and public sectors. "In this first inaugural year, we received an impressive 80 nominations across all industry sectors," says Lynn Beauregard, CSCS President. "We couldn't have been more pleased with this outcome and I believe that this validates that these awards are indeed a very important and welcome program for the Canadian governance community."
The evening's winners, recognized in 8 categories, were:
Best overall governance
Shoppers Drug Mart Corporation
Best shareholder/stakeholder engagement
Joan Wilson, MBA
CSCS Peter Dey Governance Achievement
Anna Tudela, Vice President, Regulatory Affairs & Corporate Secretary, Goldcorp Inc.
Category - Honourable Mentions
MTS Allstream - Pierre Blouin, Chief Executive Officer & Paul Beauregard, Chief Administrative Officer & Corporate Secretary
Mountain Equipment Co-operative - Accepting on behalf of MEC: Renee Walton, Director of Marketing at The Cross Border Group
Port Metro Vancouver - Dean Readman, Director, Legal Services & Corporate Secretary, Goldcorp Inc.
CSCS also honoured Peter Dey, Chairman of Paradigm Capital, considered Canada's 'Godfather of corporate governance' for the 1994 'Dey Report' for his contribution to corporate governance in Canada, which served as the inspiration for the creation of the CSCS.
CSCS is grateful to the Canadian Corporate Counsel Association representatives Grant Borbridge QC, Emergo Group of Companies; Cathy Cummings, Canadian Corporate Counsel Association; and Terri Uhrich, K+S Potash Canada for reviewing all submissions and determining the shortlist of nominees.
CSCS put together an illustrious panel of expert judges consisting of Brendan Sheehan, The Illawong Group; Gigi Dawe, Canadian Institute of Chartered Accountants; Stephen Griggs, Smoothwater Capital Corporation; Carol Hansell, Davies Ward Phillips & Vineberg LLP; Sylvia Groves, Governance Studio; Dr. Richard Leblanc, York University; Andrew MacDougall, Spencer Stuart; Paul Schneider, Ontario Teachers' Pension Plan; Elizabeth Watson, Watson Inc. This all-star team of governance leaders identified the best practitioners of governance in Canada to be celebrated at the first ever CSCS Excellence in Governance Awards.


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Tag: Bruce Feiler
The Secrets of Happy Families
Bruce Feiler's book — The Secrets of Happy Families: Improve Your Mornings, Rethink Family Dinner, Fight Smarter, Go Out and Play, and Much More — explores the hidden secrets of improving your family life.
Despite all of the recent research about individual happiness, a lot of life happiness comes from spending time with people you care about. In fact, it is the number one predictor of life satisfaction.
Simply put, happiness is other people, and the other people we hang around with most are our family. So how do we make sure we're doing that effectively?
Adapt All the Time
Almost everyone feels completely overwhelmed by the pace and pressures of daily life, and that exhaustion is exacting an enormous toll on family well-being. Survey after survey shows that parents and children both list stress as their number one concern. This includes stress inside as well as outside the home. And if parents feel harried, it trickles down to their children. Studies have shown that parental stress weakens children's brains, depletes their immune systems, and increases their risk of obesity, mental illness, diabetes, allergies, even tooth decay.
Kids wish their parents were less tired and stressed.
Jeff Sutherland implemented an agile approach at home.
"People think it's natural to live in a world where everyone is dysfunctional. It's not. It's normal for people to be satisfied. All you have to do is remove the barriers that are making you unhappy and you'll be a lot happier."
That sounds like inversion and it turns out that acknowledging that things can go wrong and introduce a system to address those things works the same in business and at home. Hello, family meetings.
The centerpiece of the program is a weekly review session built on the principle of "inspect and adapt."
Three questions get asked:
1. What things went well in our family this week?
2. What things could we improve in our family?
3. What things will you commit to working on this week?
This is a mechanism for communication.
"What works about the family meeting," he said, "is that it's a regularly scheduled time to draw attention to specific behaviors. If you don't have a safe environment to discuss problems, any plan to improve your family will go nowhere."
"The purpose of the meeting is not to talk about each of you as individuals. It's to focus on how you're functioning as a family."
As well as talking about the things you want to focus on you need to talk about rewards and consequences too. Within limits, you need to let the kids decide.
Empowering children works.
A significant amount of recent brain research backs this up. Scientists at the University of California and elsewhere found that kids who plan their own time, set weekly goals, and evaluate their own work build up their prefrontal cortex and other parts of the brain that help them exert greater cognitive control over their lives. These so-called executive skills aid children with self-discipline, avoiding distractions, and weighing the pros and cons of their choices.
By picking their own punishments, children become more internally driven to avoid them. By choosing their own rewards, children become more intrinsically motivated to achieve them. Let your kids take a greater role in raising themselves.
One takeaway I got from agile is that whenever I see friends with checklists— chores, schedules, allowance— I ask whether the adults or the kids are doing the checking off. Invariably it's the adults. The science suggests there's a better way. To achieve maximum benefits, have the children do the scoring. They'll develop a much finer sense of self-awareness. Even if this approach doesn't work on every occasion, it's about teaching your kids an approach to problem solving they can carry with them the rest of their lives.
Dinner Matters.
There is a right way to have family dinner: what you talk about matters as much as what you put in your mouth.
"When you start to look at the research, which is staggering," Laurie David, the Oscar-winning producer of An Inconvenient Truth and the author of The Family Dinner, says "you realize all the things you worry about as a parent can be improved just by sitting down to regular dinners."
A recent wave of research shows that children who eat dinner with their families are less likely to drink, smoke, do drugs, get pregnant, commit suicide, and develop eating disorders. Additional research found that children who enjoy family meals have larger vocabularies, better manners, healthier diets, and higher self-esteem. The most comprehensive survey done on this topic, a University of Michigan report that examined how American children spent their time between 1981 and 1997, discovered that the amount of time children spent eating meals at home was the single biggest predictor of better academic achievement and fewer behavioral problems. Mealtime was more influential than time spent in school, studying, attending religious services, or playing sports.
It's not about the dinner, it's about the people. Use meals to share family history.
The more children knew about their family's history, the stronger their sense of control over their lives, the higher their self-esteem, and the more successfully they believed their families functioned. … (Marshall Duke) says that children who have the most balance and self-confidence in their lives do so because of what he and Robyn call a strong "intergenerational self." They know they belong to something bigger than themselves.
More ideas? Try the 10-50-1 formula.
10. Aim for ten minutes of quality talk per meal. .. 50. Let your kids speak at least half the time. … 1. Teach your kids one new word every meal.
The Warren Buffett Guide to Setting an Allowance
1. Show them the money. (Byron) Trott (Buffett called him "the only banker I trust") said most parents have an instinctive reluctance to be honest with their kids about money— how it's made, lost, invested, and spent. He said that 80 percent of college students have never had a conversation with their parents about managing money. Trott advises his clients to fling open the doors to the vault.
"I tell my clients that forcing their kids to have financial literacy is one of the most important things they can do," he said. He quoted statistics that say the more parents talk to their kids about debt, the less debt they rack up; the more they hear about savings, the more they sock away.
"What happens to a lot of families is they depend too much on osmosis," he continued. "I sat down with one of the richest women in America recently and told her she had to talk openly with her children. She said she didn't want to burden them with the truth, but burdening them with ignorance is really much worse."
2. Take off the training wheels. "One of the biggest problems I see in families," Trott said, "is a reluctance to let your kids make decisions for themselves." As an example, he cited the story of Jack Taylor, the founder of Enterprise Rent-A-Car, who with a net worth in excess of $ 9 billion has been ranked as high as the eighteenth richest American. When his son turned thirty-two, Taylor handed him the company and never looked back. "Most parents meddle," Trott said.
3. Accept their passions, any passions. Buffett is famous for not wanting to spoil his kids. Instead, after his wife gave each of their three kids $ 100 million, and the money didn't ruin them, Buffett gave each one a $ 1 billion foundation. Trott was privy to that decision, and I asked what he thought of it. Does money inherently spoil children?
"I don't think so," he said. "I've seen too many really rich kids who are great people. In my experience, great people are great because they find their passion. For some that's in business, but for others it's in philanthropy. One of Warren's sons is a farmer; another is a musician. Most families really don't let their kids follow their passions. They assume the parents' passion is the children's passion, and usually it's not. You should allow them to be outliers in their dreams."
4. Put them to work. There's a lot of vagueness in academic circles about children and money, but the research is clear that part-time jobs are great for kids. The Youth Development Survey in St. Paul, Minnesota, followed a number of children from ninth grade through their midthirties to determine whether childhood should be the sanctuary of play and learning or if work can be a productive part of it. The study found that those who work don't lose interest in school and don't cut back on family, extracurricular activities, or volunteering. They even become better at time management.
As the survey's lead researcher, Jeylan Mortimer, observed: The more "planful" adolescents are about their future, the more successful and satisfied they are likely to be as adults. Trott agreed. "The most successful adults I know were all involved in business at a young age," he said. "All of them. Warren believes it's the secret to success. Your kid has to be involved in business. Warren thinks I'm successful because I had a lawn mowing business, a clothing store, all these different businesses as a kid, so I understood money, even though I never studied economics. What he thinks is necessary for someone to be successful in business is early exposure to business. So if you really want your daughters to understand money, have them open a lemonade stand."
Grandmothers Rock
Well, at least mine does.
Countless studies have shown the extraordinary benefits grandmothers have on contemporary families. A meta-analysis of sixty-six studies completed in 1992 found that mothers who have more support from grandmothers have less stress and more well-adjusted children. The more involved the grandmothers are, the more involved dads are, too.
Now you see why Hardly called grandmothers humanity's "secret benefactors."
So what are these grandmothers actually doing? They're teaching children core social skills like how to cooperate, how to be compassionate, how to be considerate. Researchers at Brigham Young University in Utah interviewed 408 adolescents about their relationship with their grandparents. When grandparents are involved, the study found, the children are more social, more involved in school, and more likely to show concern for others. Also, as lead scientist Jeremey Yorgason said, parents take the lead in disciplining negative behavior, leaving grandparents free to encourage positive behaviors.
Use Checklists
"Peter Pronovost's miracle invention was not a drug, a device, or a procedure. It wasn't revolutionary at all. It's one of the oldest, most mundane things on earth. It's a checklist."
By adding checklists with preposterously basic items such as "wash hands with soap" and empowering anyone in the room to speak up when something was wrong, hospitals saves lives, money, and time.
I was interested in applying his technique to the problems families face when leaving home for a trip. He gave me a number of recommendations.
1. Create different lists for different times in the process. "Checklists have to be linked in time and space," Pronovost said. "So I have a checklist for ICU admissions, and another for blood transfusions. You should have a checklist for one week before the trip. Then two days before you'll likely need another. Then one more for when you're walking out the door. But you always need time to recover, so if you have one for when you're at the airport, it's too late."
2. Make it specific. "A checklist should take less than a minute to complete," he said. "Each item should be a very specific behavior. Avoid vague language."
3. Killer items only. "Target your checklist on things that commonly go wrong," he told me. "If you put down things you don't fail at, you'll drive people crazy. This has been borne out in aviation, where accidents have been caused by checklist fatigue."
4. The rule of seven. "I have a rule that checklists can be only seven items," Pronovost said. "It's the same reason our telephone numbers are seven digits. Otherwise, people will take shortcuts and items will get missed."
5. Include the kids. "I would sit down with them and say, 'Hey, girls, I'm trying to improve how we travel, so I made a checklist. Does this make sense to you? What else can you add?'"
The Secrets of Happy Families: Improve Your Mornings, Rethink Family Dinner, Fight Smarter, Go Out and Play, and Much More will remind you about family agility, the power of talking, and how to have fun.
Tagged: Bruce Feiler, Feedback Loops, Warren Buffett


Zakee sure drops a hitter, this is awesome fyah!
ZAKEE's debut album "Assimilations" was rated "Top 20" by MTV IGGY which was Co-Executive Produced by Benjamin Bronfman, aka M.I.A's husband and son of Edgar Bronfman former CEO of Warner Music Group. A note that a lot of folks may not know is Green Owl Records/WMG folded two months prior to ZAKEE's debuting his album leaving him with a fully-self produced product but no push from a label. A year has passed with ZAKEE hibernating in the studio with a new outlook,writing and producing multitudes of new songs, along with including guest producer tracks from Ski Beatz,Prince Paul & Disco Pusher.
Vocalist/Songwriter/Producer ZAKEE KUDURO is pleased to preview "Drop Hitter" which is off of his sophmore Lp "Rise of the Rebels: Assimilations" Trilogy via his production house Twelve Bit Media. The tone of this album is reflective of his past and current addictions, environmental and social injustices, relationships and more. ZAKEE states, " Rise of the Rebels: Assimilations shows a side of me that only a select few get to see." Tracks off this album boasts a montague of alternative, hip hop, pop and World music. ZAKEE is striving to push the intersection of music, art and culture with an explosive collision of electrifying beats, captivating visuals and abstract writing.


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The Myth of 'Let Them Eat Cake,' Marie Antoinette's Famous Misquote
January 13, 2022 / Dhananjay Parkhe
Marie Antoinette, France's ill-fated last queen before the French Revolution, is remembered for her extravagant royal lifestyle that stood in stark contrast to the lives of her subjects, who suffered from an economic depression during her 18th-century reign. It's a reputation that has only been reinforced by modern retellings of her life — director Sofia Coppola's 2006 cult film Marie Antoinette, for example, depicts the young queen in pastel frills, surrounded by pastries and rococo luxury.
It would make sense, then, that the lavish monarch's most famously quoted words would concern a fine dessert: Allegedly, when told that her subjects were starving from bread shortages, Marie Antoinette replied, "Then let them eat cake."
The callous quip has become almost synonymous with Marie Antoinette's name. But did the exchange actually take place? The truth is, there are no direct sources that can tie the line to the queen. Instead, it's likely that a historical game of telephone, with some politics mixed in, has resulted in one of the most famous misquotes of all time.
Our most solid clue to the origin of the quote lies in the writings of Jean-Jacques Rousseau, a philosopher who was instrumental to French revolutionary politics. In Rousseau's autobiographical book Confessions, he recalls a "great princess who, when told that the peasants had no bread, replied: 'Then let them eat brioche.'" (While the translation is different, the sentiment remains, brioche being more luxurious than regular bread.)
However, at the time of Rousseau's writing (around 1765), Marie Antoinette was only 10 years old and wasn't yet the queen of France. Some biographers alternatively attribute the quote to Queen Maria Teresa, the wife of the French "Sun King" Louis XIV, a century earlier — but there's little evidence to support that claim, either.
Another theory is that the misattributed quote was born out of political convenience. Since many revolutionaries wanted to abolish the monarchy, it would suit their needs to paint the queen as ignorant or coldhearted. For years before the revolution, the French press accused her of adultery, ruining the country's finances, and callousness toward her subjects. Many saw her as too young to be on the throne, a naive hedonist who spent her subjects' tax money on frivolities while they starved. The sentiment ultimately led to her execution by guillotine at age 37 in 1793, shortly after the execution of her husband, King Louis XVI.
There was some truth to these grievances: Marie Antoinette was only 14 years old when she married Louis-Auguste, and became queen of France just four years later at age 18. She was undoubtedly extravagant: She had her own chocolatier, an expensive signature perfume, and a private estate that cost a fortune. And yet, for her to cruelly declare her starving subjects should "eat cake" doesn't quite fit with other aspects of her time at court.
Marie Antoinette's life was not only pastries and parties. During her reign, she established a home for unwed mothers and patronized a charity for the elderly, the blind, and widows. She adopted numerous children, personally tended to injured peasants, and frequently visited families in need to hand out food and supplies. During France's 1787 famine, she even sold the royal family's flatware to buy grain for poorer families. She also became involved in French politics over the course of her reign, attending finance and war meetings and convincing the king to be inoculated against smallpox, which made the practice more accepted. None of this suggests a queen who was ignorant of her subjects' troubles or would mock them for starving.
Whether or not Marie Antoinette actually did brush off the need for bread, it's no wonder the French people would have been infuriated by such a remark. The average 18th-century worker spent half their wages on bread alone. And according to France's "Observatoire du Pain" (Bread Observatory), bread remains a crucial staple of the French diet today. In fact, in large part due to the shortages that happened during Marie Antoinette's reign, the cost of bread in France has been either fixed or heavily regulated for centuries.
History is a matter of perspective, so it's easy for events and words to get distorted as years pass. We may never know who proclaimed "Let them eat cake," or whether the phrase is just a myth. Still, the quote has endured for what it represents: It remains a symbol of how too much of a good thing can distance us from reality. And it encourages us, even now, to question the systems that create such deep inequalities in the first place.
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The Stairs to Success: Teagan Burton
We've all heard the saying, "If you want something bad enough, you'll find a way. If you don't, you'll find an excuse". This couldn't be more true than in the case of Teagan Burton. Twelve years old and from Brainerd, Minn., Teagan has shown incredible dedication and strength of character in pursuing her dreams and finding a way to achieve her goals with Arabian horses with limited financial resources.
Under the instruction of Sarah Paripovich and Dustin Freiheiht, Teagan has been taking lessons for almost three years, and recently acquired her very first horse - a beautiful Half-Arabian, MS Elegance (Elle). Where Teagan's story differs than that of many our Youths, is that she purchased Elle with her own hard earned money.
Teagan's aunt, a fellow rider at Sarah Paripovich Training, shared "This is a very deserving kid who always works hard and keeps her chin up despite every other kid showing all year around her. This is the type of kid I root for. She has worked so hard and saved up money. She goes to shows just to watch and never once had a pity party that she's not showing like all the other more privileged kids."
While the other young riders at her barn have been attending shows to compete all year, Teagan has been helping out in exchange for lessons, and saving up to buy her first Arabian horse. At Region 10 Championships Teagan cleaned over ten stalls every day, and at the MAHA Spring Classic and Sahara Sands shows she helped out with prep and grooming to earn some extra money to put towards her dream.
In a world where education beginning and ending at the mounting block is becoming alarmingly common, Teagan's work ethic, dedication, and thirst for knowledge is inspiring.
When asked what makes all her hard work worth it, Teagan replied, "It's worth it because I believe that good things come to those who work hard and never give up. There have been some days that were harder than others, but I finally got there and have my own Arabian horse now."
Proud mom and single parent, Kellie Burton helps Teagan as much as she can, and supports her Arabian horse dreams. Teagan will be attending Canadian Nationals this year to clean stalls and help out while her friends
When asked what her goals are now she has her own horse, Teagan replied, "My goals are to go to Youth Nationals, Canadian Nationals, and be Champion in Western Pleasure." We think she will be achieving these goals sooner than she knows, if she continues to work hard and keep such a wonderful attitude.
The Arabian Horse Association magazine - Arabian Horse Life, is excited to give Teagan a complimentary subscription in recognition of her hard work and dedication to follow her dreams with Arabian horses. We will be rooting for her as she continues her Journey with Elle towards an undoubtedly bright future.


Yep. This looks like a can't miss.
The first trailer for Jon Stewart's directorial debut, "Rosewater," is finally here — and to say it's harrowing would be an understatement.
"Rosewater" — which took Stewart off "Daily Show" duty last year — is an adaptation of London-based journalist Maziar Bahari's memoir, "Then They Came for Me." As you can see in the trailer, Bahari (Gael Garcia Bernal) was arrested and imprisoned for over 100 days back in 2009, after the Iranian elections. The film's name comes from Bahari's interrogator, who kept him blindfolded, but smelled distinctly of the stuff.
"Rosewater" hits theaters on November 7.


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Launching a global discussion about the contribution of engineering to all our futures
Over the next 15 years, the OECD has estimated that around $103 trillion investment is needed to support our ageing critical infrastructure systems globally. This will require the civil engineering community to be ready to deliver this investment, says Seth Schultz.
Seth Schultz, Executive Director of The Resilience Shift and co-founder of the International Coalition for Sustainable Infrastructure (ICSI)
Updated: 23 November, 2020
Author: Seth Schultz, Executive Director of The Resilience Shift and co-founder of the International Coalition for Sustainable Infrastructure (ICSI),
Engineers have played a significant role in shaping global societal and economic developments throughout history. But now is a good time to address whether we've got things right. Are our solutions as good as they could be? For example, does a dependency on fossil fuel or car-centered cities meet our obligations as civil engineers to show due regard for the environment and protect the health and wellbeing of current and future generations?
Let's be clear, we didn't set out to do the wrong thing. Times are changing and continue to change around us. Covid-19 is a recent example of one of the critical global challenges we face. Urbanisation and the climate crisis are also front of mind. All of these are associated with significant complex global interdependencies, along with deep uncertainties that question the status quo.
A challenge to the global engineering community
Brunel International Lecture series
I'm honoured to be asked to give this latest Brunel International Lecture Series and it is an opportunity to put some tough questions and challenges to the global engineering community.
We will question whether our current approaches to engineering need to rapidly change and adapt to our complex, changing and uncertain world. We will explore what skills and people we might need to make our society carbon neutral by mid-century based on what scientists are telling us is required to keep climate change from making catastrophic impacts to our planet. While also drawing on and understanding more about the regional challenges around the globe.
Can civil engineers learn anything from the tech industry, which has seen rapid expansion and innovation over recent decades, while reflecting on the important and established code of practices and ethics that the civil engineering community is proudly and rightly based upon?
A massive societal opportunity
But here's the silver lining, it's not all doom and gloom, it represents a massive societal opportunity to bridge ourselves from the current situation into the future we need to have. That's where engineers come in. Engineers are in the eye of the storm, and they are trusted to deliver a better future for us all! I'll argue that 21st Century leadership is partnership, and how now more than ever we need to collaborate to deliver the world that we want to live in and would be happy to leave to future society.
The lecture series will draw on the work of the International Coalition for Sustainable Infrastructure and The Resilience Shift, both of which are seeking to bring together multiple actors to deliver sustainable and resilient infrastructure.
Now is the time to think about the bigger picture and the opportunity that sustainable and resilient infrastructure presents us in term of societal benefits that support the delivery of the UN's Sustainable Development Goals.
We have a huge opportunity from the potential of post-Covid economic stimuli, such as investment in infrastructure and critical systems with a view to stimulating economic recovery. The engineering community can contribute to these decisions that require us to pick the right infrastructure projects to fund and then design and build them with resilience in mind from the outset. This will give us not only the short-term economic benefit of construction activity now but also the long-term benefits of sustainability and resilience.
Upgrading infrastructure systems
A staggering amount of investment will be needed in addition, in the years to come, to provide infrastructure for overcrowded cities around the world and provide access to infrastructure that many people do not yet have. Simultaneously we need to upgrade and retrofit the existing, ageing and crumbling legacy infrastructure in many countries.
The engineering community will be at the heart of the action, and we need to challenge ourselves whether we have the right capabilities to deal with the complex systemic challenges ahead of us. Can we train enough young people from diverse backgrounds and build a more geopolitically diverse workforce? Does the definition of engineering itself need to evolve?
We'll be tackling these and other tough questions as we talk with experts in each region of the world over the next year to understand their local differences and hear their perspectives.
I hope you'll join me on this journey.
Check out our rolling news update on the Brunel International Lecture series here.
Sign up for the opening of the 13th Brunel International Lecture Series.
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