July - August 2009

July-August ’09 3The PLANNER

What is a convention for GST purposes?BY GUYLAINE DALLAIREAND MANON HARVEY

In our recently published articles, we

have discussed the applicable GST

rules in regards to foreign conven-

tions and domestic conventions. But what

is legally considered a “convention”?

A convention is a formal meeting or

assembly that is not open to the general

public. It excludes a meeting or assembly

the principal purpose of which is to:

• provide any type of amusement,

entertainment or recreation;

• conduct contests or games of chance or

• transact the business of the convenor or

attendees in the course of a trade show

that is open to the general public, or

otherwise than in the course of a trade

show.

A convention can be either a domestic

convention or a foreign convention. The

tax application will vary depending on the

type of convention.

In the case of foreign conventions,

the sponsor is not required to collect GST on

registration fees or on space exhibition fees,

even if they are charged to Canadian residents.

As for domestic conventions, the spon-

sor must register for GST and charge GST

on a portion of the registration fee,

whether paid by a resident or non-resident

of Canada. However, in regards to space

exhibition fees, GST is only charged to

Canadian residents and not to non-resi-

dents of Canada.

Therefore, it is important to first

determine whether the event qualifies as a

“convention.”

The tax authorities often had to analyze

different events, and decide if they quali-

fied as “conventions.”

The Canada Revenue Agency provides

the following examples:

• A society of professionals holds its

annual general meeting at a hotel in

Canada and also delivers information

sessions to the delegates. The event is only

open to members of the society. Is this a

convention for the purposes of GST/HST?

Yes. This is a convention for the purposes

of GST/HST. The formal meeting and

assembly are not open to the general

public and none of the exclusions in the

definition of convention apply.

• An environmental association holds

a trade show at a convention centre in

Canada. Exhibitors set up booths to

promote the sale of their products and serv-

ices. The event is open to the general pub-

lic. Is this a convention for the purposes of

GST/HST? No. This is not a convention for

the purposes of GST/HST. This does not

meet the definition of convention.

• An organization holds a non-compet-

itive skating show at an arena in Canada.

Professional skaters from around the

world are paid to participate in the event

and tickets are sold to the general public.

Is this a convention for the purposes of


the purposes of GST/HST. This is not a for-

mal meeting or assembly, but rather an

entertainment event.

• An amateur athletic association holds

try-out sessions at a gymnasium in

Canada to determine whether athletes

qualify to participate in an international

competition. The event is only open to the

participating athletes. Is this a convention

for the purposes of GST/HST? No. This is

not a convention for the purposes of

GST/HST. The principal purpose of the

sessions is to conduct contests, and there-

fore, the event is excluded from the defini-

tion of convention.

• A corporation holds a job recruitment

fair at a university in Canada to recruit

new employees. The corporation collects job

application forms and conducts interviews

with prospective candidates. The event is

only open to students of the university. Is

this a convention for the purposes of


the purposes of GST/HST. The principal

purpose of the job recruitment fair is to

transact the business of the corporation

otherwise than in the course of a trade

show, and therefore, the event is excluded

from the definition of convention.

During a convention, entertainment is

also offered to the participants, such as

gala dinners, opening night receptions,

guided tours, etc. These activities must not

become the main purpose of the event. If

it was the case, the event would no longer

be considered a “convention” and a differ-

ent set of rules would apply.

Guylaine Dallaire, CA, M.Tax, is a Partner

with the Tax group at Raymond Chabot Grant

Thornton LLP. Guylaine has been a guest

speaker on numerous occasions with special-

ized associations. In addition, she also teaches

at the Université de Sherbrooke (Master in

Taxation). She is the author of two books, one

in the municipal sector and one in the health

sector (available on the internet site of the

Government of Quebec). She is actively

involved with clients in a variety of areas as

well as major clients in the, real estate, public

and para-public utility, government sectors

and event organizers.

Manon Harvey, Manager, LL.B., LL.M.

has been a member of Raymond Chabot Grant

Thornton LLP for more than 10 years. She is

specialized in Canadian commodity taxes and

has played a key-role in several complex trans-

actions involving US and European Taxes.

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The case for face-to-faceBarry Siskind takes a look at the impact face-to-facemeetings have on marketing and building rapport withcustomers utilizing three key elements. As Barry pointsout, it’s not just the words we say but how we say them.

Creating influential e-mailsMany of us send out hundreds of e-mails per month, butdo we think about the influence (or non-influence) theyhave? Stacey Hanke looks at ways to improve e-mailing.

Green Guide 2009The faltering economy has caused a bit of a slide in thegreen movement – with many companies just trying tosurvive, green initiatives aren’t getting the same duethey were in 2008. However, that doesn’t mean nothingis happening. Check out some of the latest green newsand trends, beginning on page 19.

WebinarsA lot of managers and planners are looking for ways tohave greener meetings. Perhaps the most overlookedpossibility is a webinar. Out technology guru and futuristPeter De Jager explains their simplicity and effectiveness.

THEPLANNERMANAGING EDITOR Leo Gervais [email protected] EDITOR Camille Lay [email protected] ARTIST Matt RiopelSALES James Paulson [email protected] Patricia LemusCONTRIBUTERS Dionne Bishop, Hayley Bishop, Jyl Ashton Cunningham,

Guylaine Dallaire, Peter De Jager, Stacey Hanke, Manon Harvey, Tom Price, Barry Siskind, Sandra Wood

PAP – Registration No. 111100We acknowledge the financial support of the Government of

Canada through the Publications Assistance Program of theDepartment of Canadian Heritage toward our mailing costs.

The Planner is distributed to professional meeting and event planners across Canada.

Prior proper planning prevents poor performance

Our lives are all incredibly busy – that’s why a little prepara-

tion goes a long way. The old cliché about an ounce of

prevention being worth a pound of cure is definitely appropriate –

proper preparation is your best defense against the unexpected.

As planners in these times of uncertainty and cutbacks, it’s even

more important as the suppliers you have been using may have

made cutbacks themselves that could affect your planning.

Things have changed: From AV companies that have less

labour and may no longer be able to prepare those mundane

floor plans to hotels that may no longer have people to assist you

with after-hour set-ups or be able to leave an employee outside

of regular hours or offer 24-hour room service or a concierge

during slower periods, etc.

The more you can/will plan what you must do/delegate the

better you will be able to follow-up, re-delegate or – if you must

– spot problems early enough in the process to do it yourself, but

it will get done. Think things through, then follow through

because there’s nothing worst than assuming. So plan it and pen

it – that way you won’t forget it and you’ll be able to follow-up.

As most businesses have cut somewhere in the past few months,

don’t wait to find out how, if or when these cuts will affect you.

Put time and preparedness on your side!

LEO GERVAIS

T H E I N T E R N A T I O N A L E D I T I O N

In th is Issue


The benefits of face-to-face meetings:

You can actually see the person.

You can touch the person.

And it isn’t weird.

(Courtesy of Wiki Answers)

The last thing that any meeting planner wants to hear is that

face-to-face (F2F) meetings are becoming obsolete. For the

moment, it appears there is little to be concerned about.

The F2F concept continues to be popular for corporate meetings,

conferences and trade shows, even in the global age of social net-

working, where people have rapidly become accustomed to shar-

ing their most private and even intimate thoughts and photos with

the world, without ever having to leave their homes.

Stacey Hanke’s recent article (“Face-to-face communication is

the new trend”, The Planner May-June 2009) outlines the personal

communication aspect of F2F and the topic is further developed

in this article. The intention is not to compare the advantages and

disadvantages of the two meeting types – such information is

widely available on the internet – rather to look at the logic

behind the strategies behind face to face and technology devel-

opments that may one day change the meeting planning industry

completely.

There are many reasons why face-to-face meetings are so

important. One is that they offer an unmatched opportunity to

see people in their true colours. Case Study: Several years ago in

London, England, a large food industry corporation held a stu-

dent talent acquisition event for a couple of hundred young

hopefuls looking for high entry-level salaries in a marketing

career. A good friend was among students selected to attend,

from top universities across the country. Drinks flowed and

guests were shown an excellent time all round, with food and

entertainment to elevate the mood. The friend sensibly sipped a

very diluted drink, while others availed themselves liberally of

free booze and canapés.

While the event was in progress, several corporate “plants”

were vetting the group, subtly noting those who over-imbibed.

Needless to say, the drinkers never made it to the second round

of interviews. Would it have been possible to conduct a similar

screening process via the Internet or telephone? Probably not.

Was it an expensive undertaking? Absolutely, but hiring potentially

irresponsible employees could carry a far higher price tag and

liability down the road.

Such a direct screening practice probably wouldn’t happen

nowadays, as drinking alcohol is no longer considered de rigueur

in corporate circles and such tactics might be considered offensive.

However face-to-face career drives and talent fairs are still among

the most effective ways of screening potential candidates.

A fabulous cover letter and a first class resumé are often

diminished by poor face-to-face skills at the interview process,

which is generally where the final decision is made on whom to

hire. People are reportedly judged by their peers within three sec-

onds of meeting, with assessments based on body language,

facial responses, eye contact, dress and posture. Unfair as it may

seem, it’s how things work and is not possible to do without

being face to face.

As a meeting planner, the responsibility of planning a success-

ful F2F meeting for any genre – such as corporate, association or

the media – lies beyond goals, objectives, education and return

on investment. Bringing people together, especially from differ-

ent parts of the world, for a face-to-face meeting requires skill,

creativity and guts. Being able to justify bringing a busy delegate

across the globe to a three-day meeting is crucial, otherwise some

top people may simply decline the invitation.

While meeting content and education is extremely important,

the main objective of meeting face to face is networking, as the

rest of the time is spent being educated, motivated, entertained

and fed. Several elements can be brought into a F2F meeting that

often would not be possible in virtual circumstances. The atmos-

phere of a gala dinner, live entertainment and even a workshop

environment are all still just beyond the extent to which virtual

meetings operate.

The Canadian Urban Transit Association, based in Toronto holds

two major conferences each year, each with its own regular audi-

ence. CUTA uses interesting and sometimes eclectic venues in cities

with major transit systems, across Canada. The same delegates

attend year after year yet the face-to-face experience is always ani-

mated and educational. The fall conference welcomes around 450

delegates and a trade show that includes over 30 buses and 120

booths. The concept of running such an event remotely would be

futile, so for CUTA the F2F meeting is here to stay.

STRENGTHEN BONDSIt is claimed that face-to-face meetings strengthen bonds

among team members who might normally only meet on line or

by telephone. I recently took a group of independent sales agents

from across Canada representing a Toronto engineering firm to

Nassau, Bahamas. They each said that the most important aspect

of the trip was being able to interact with like-minded profession-

als and that by meeting each other in both a formal and recre-

ational environment, they were able to bond more effectively as

colleagues. They also validated their own roles within the com-

pany structure and were able to air grievances and criticisms in a

more constructive manner than if they had been in a virtual situ-

ation. The group meets once a year face to face at a resort and

the rest of the time remotely or face to face in small groups.

BY JYL ASHTON CUNNINGHAM

Let’s keep face-to-face meetings alive

CONTINUED ON PAGE 9


Making the case for face-to-face marketing

The most important single ingredient in

the formula of success is knowing how to get

along with people.

Theodore Roosevelt

Think back to the people you feel

comfortable with. It could be your

spouse, other members of your family, colleagues, business asso-

ciates, customers or even the mail carrier. What is it about these

people that make you feel comfortable? Where does this comfort

come from?

It may have been a common experience you had with a

particular person — a movie you both appreciated, mutual

friends and acquaintances, or a similar outlook on life. If you

have the same experience with the people you do business with,

the results can be the same. The people we like to do business

with are people we like, respect, and trust – people we feel

comfortable with. But where does this comfort come from?

In the 1960s, psychologist Albert Mehrabrian conducted a

groundbreaking experiment. He found that people judge other

people based on three observable clues: words, the para-verbal,

and the nonverbal.

WORDSThink about someone you met for the first time. You may have

thought to your self, “What an interesting person. I really liked

the way he or she answered that question. That is exactly what I

would have said.” Or you may have thought, “This person is a real

jerk. I never would have said that.” Either reaction would have

been based on what the person said — the words — but words

are only one part of the equation.

PARA-VERBALPara-verbal is not what you say but how you say it. It is the

tone, pace, tempo, speed, or volume of your voice. We all listen

to people and create impressions of them based on how they use

their voices. This is the second part of the equation. But there is

one more element.

NONVERBALYes, we do judge a book by its cover. We are all guilty of

judging people by how they present themselves. We might say,

“There is a successful person—she has that look of confidence in

her eye.” What do para-verbal and nonverbal clues have to do

with face to face marketing – everything? Mehrabrian discovered

that the relative importance of each in the equation is as follows:

Words: 7 percent

Para-verbal: 38 percent

Nonverbal: 55 percent

These numbers tell us that 93 percent of a person’s

impressions of another is not directly related to what they say but

how they say it; an important lesson for anyone in business.

Customers do not just look for the best price – they also need a

comfort level with the people they plan to do business with and

they can only achieve this goal through a face-to-face marketing

experience. Rapport will develop faster and last longer if you show

your customer how much their business means to you rather than

tell them. Build rapport with actions rather than words.

RAPPORT DURING THE ICE BREAKERWhen you greet someone for the first time, it’s difficult to

know how this person will react. If the person is timid and you

greet them with a loud and boisterous “Hello!” there is a good

chance this person will quickly move on.

The best way to approach and begin to make someone feel

comfortable is in a manner that is most compatible with the way

they normally act. Rapport building starts the minute the

conversation begins. Listen and watch how this person answers

questions.

BY BARRY SISKIND

*

Don’t just listen to the words;

also study the para-verbal and

nonverbal.

Para-verbal clues will reveal

that some people speak

loudly and others are soft-

spoken, some will talk fast and

others slowly, some have lots

of inflection in their voice and

others are monotone.

Nonverbal clues reveal that some people are demonstrative and

others are standoffish, some will stand tall with perfect posture and

others will slouch, some will come inside your personal space and

others will keep their distance.

While many of the differences may be cultural, they all give

strong clues on how you should proceed. By reading the clues prop-

erly, you are taking the first important step toward building rapport.

Let’s assume you approached by a potential customer and

asked a well thought-out question. Let’s suppose that this person

replies in a soft voice as in our previous example. If you normal-

ly speak in a loud voice and don’t adjust the volume this person

will feel alienated and uncomfortable and a wall of indifference

will develop. When you lower your voice to match theirs, the

chance of creating comfort is greatly enhanced. There are many

clues to look for such as posture, gestures, personal space, per-

sonal greetings, speed, pace, and tone of voice, to name a few.

By matching the para-verbal

and nonverbal, you two now

have something in common. As

you proceed, look for additional

clues that tell you how to act.

One word of clarification:

Even though para-verbal and

non-verbal are adjusted to match

the person you are with, you

never change your level of

enthusiasm for your product or service. If a prospect approaches

and the person’s body language says he or she is tired and irrita-

ble, you adjust your para-verbal and nonverbal to closely reflect

theirs, but on the inside you always remain as passionate and

enthusiastic as ever.

CONCLUSIONWhile e-commerce is growing by leaps and bounds, there are

still many situations where customers want to know the people

they are going to do business with. The best tool in your market-

ing arsenal is face-to-face opportunities like special events and

trade shows. When you add well honed rapport building skills to

your approach, you can expect a definite increase in your results.

Barry Siskind is North America’ foremost trade and consumer show

expert. Visit his Web site: www.siskindtraining.com or e-mail him at:

[email protected].


Customers want to know the people they are going to do business with

As you proceed, look for additional clues that

tell you how to act.


Tourism is key in OntarioWe all know about Niagara Falls, the CN Tower and the beauti-

ful Muskoka region, but did you know that tourism is the key

driver of Ontario’s economy? Total tourism spending in Ontario

was more than $22 billion in 2007.

Sick-noters in Britain get ahealthy dose of reality

Britain’s “sick-note culture” which includes a high rate of

employee benefits exploitation has forced the government to

introduce ‘fit notes’ in which doctors will specify what a recently

sick employee can and cannot do e.g. someone with a sore back

can’t pick up boxes but can answer the telephone, the Daily Mail

reported recently.

The new form will be standardized and computer printed,

leaving no room for incomprehensible medical scrawl written by

a buddy forging a doctor’s signature.

The ‘fit notes’ will come into effect in the spring of 2010.

eBay not liable to L’Oreal: CourtA British court ruled recently that eBay Inc. is not liable for

bogus beauty products sold on its Web site, thwarting cosmetics

company L’Oreal SA’s legal campaign against the online auction

giant. The court ruled eBay Europe was not liable for trademark

infringements committed by its users. The message is clear: When

it comes to buying on the Internet, Caveat Emptor Tempus

Maximus (Buyer Beware Big Time).

Is Twitter tipping off burglars?How personal should you get with social networking sites like

Twitter and Facebook? Consider the case of Israel Hyman and his

wife who went online with real-time details of a recent trip,

including details of when he left his home in Mesa, Ariz. and

when he arrived in Kansas City, Mo. While they were on the road,

their home was burglarized. Hyman has an online video business

called IzzyVideo.com, with more than 2,000 followers on Twitter.

He believes his Internet updates tipped the burglars off.

Here are some tips for making social networking safer:

• Never include personal information like telephone numbers

and addresses, or even the city you live in as this makes it easy

to track you

• Tell people you will be out of the office, not out of town

• Adjust your settings so you can screen Twitter followers and

Facebook friends

• Always think twice about any content you want to include,

including photos of you and your family

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Cost is always a consideration for F2F

With the increasing popularity

of telepresence technology, albeit

at a very high installation cost

and monthly maintenance fee,

boardroom meetings have taken

on a whole new dimension.

Originally designed by Teleris

and since developed by Cisco,

HP and LifeSize to name a few,

the effect is incredibly realistic,

with typically half the attendees being in one location and half in

another on a giant pan screen, with each side of the board room

table appearing to become one unit. The attendees appear life-

sized on each side of the table and real-time meetings can be held

across the globe for a fraction of the cost of flying and hotel

expenses.

If you haven’t seen this technology, it really is something to

experience. The only issue I encountered last year with

Telepresence, is that the meeting room became extremely hot and

uncomfortable for the users, due to the equipment being used

giving off significant heat with insufficient ventilation. Also,

drinks could not be brought into the room, so the meeting had

to have frequent breaks. At that time, the room was limited to six

participants in each of two locations, however technology contin-

ues to develop and improve, so we could well see several large

meeting rooms join together remotely for a major conference in

the not too distant future.

There is a school of thought that F2F meetings have outlived

their usefulness and that everything that could be done to

improve them has already been done. Cost is usually the first

issue to be brought up when weighing the pros and cons of face

to face versus virtual meetings, as well as environmental debates

on whether conferences and conventions are even ethical from a

corporate social responsibility

perspective. Other serious fac-

tors that may affect transporting

people globally to physically

interact include pandemics, ter-

rorism and green initiatives, all

issues that were quite rare only

10 years ago, and all of which

require now require careful con-

sideration when planning an

international event.

When considering face-to-face

versus virtual communication, ask yourself this question: How

often have you answered the telephone to a sales caller saying,

“Hi, how are you today?” (before any introductions have been

made). Do you find yourself becoming instantly suspicious of the

caller trying to sell something, or do you respond with a friend-

ly “I’m just fine thanks, and you?”

If you encountered a person in the street who asked you the

same question, even a total stranger, your response would likely

be the second one, as the initial question really only works suc-

cessfully as a friendly face-to-face experience. On the telephone,

it’s just annoying and even invasive, yet so many sales pitches

start in exactly that way.

In conclusion, the argument of F2F versus virtual meetings

will continue well into the 21st Century. However, human nature

is to be with other humans and isolating them in virtual circum-

stances cannot be healthy in the long term. Depending on the

mission, face-to-face meetings can bring delegates together and

provide a quality experience that virtual communication cannot

compete with.

• • •

Jyl Ashton Cunningham is a meeting and incentive planner and

freelance writer based in Oakville, Ontario. Jyl can be reached at:

[email protected]

There is a school of thought that F2F

meetings have outlivedtheir usefulness.

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 5


Follow these steps to create e-mailsthat influence others to take action

When face-to-face is not an option

You began your day scanning your email

messages identifying what messages

were priorities for you to respond and take action. What grabbed

your attention to open these

messages? Was it the generic

subject line stamped URGENT?

Was it the poor grammar, long

sentences and paragraphs?

These e-mails are sitting in your

inbox unread and will never be

opened.

The risks increase when

you’re trying to communicate a

message via e-mail that impacts,

motivates and influences action.

Think and prepare before you

send an e-mail. We get caught

up in the day-to-day grind of

getting through our email

quickly only to find a longer list

in our inbox the next day. The

tone communicated through

your choice of words, grammar

and sentence structure will

determine if you build or

jeopardize a relationship and succeed or fail to influence others

to take action.

When face-to-face communication isn’t an option your words

and the structure of your email need to be effective and power-

ful. The challenge is getting your reader to open your message,

read it and take action.

THE FOUR STEPSHow do you grab your boss’s attention when they work miles

away? It’s critical your subject line grabs attention. Avoid the

generic subject lines that read; urgent, follow-up, looking

for your response. A subject line needs provide the takeaway of

your message

Second, how do you keep your readers attention? Design a

message that’s visually appealing and easy to read.

• Immediately communicate your purpose.

• Get to the point! E-mail isn’t for writing articles.

• Use bullet points to add emphasis to your words.

• Write in short sentences and paragraphs.

• Highlight, bold and italicize your key points and ideas.

• When scheduling a meeting provide up to three dates and times

for your reader to choose.

The third step to influencing action; design your message for

THEM and not the entire organization. Although this might seem

obvious, most of us tend to bypass this step. How many times

have you receive emails and

your name is in the “CC” column

along with hundreds? When

you tap into what is important

to your reader you begin to

influence them to take action.

Take at least five minutes to

identify what’s important to

your reader by applying the

acronym K.N.O.W.

K – what does your reader

know about your topic?

N – what do they need to

know to take action?

O – what is their opinion on

your topic?

W – who are they?

When identifying who,

consider the following.

• What do they know about your topic?

• What do you want them to know about the topic?

• What are their expectations?

• How will the action you want them to take benefit them?

• What preconceived ideas do they have about your topic?

• What’s their past experience with this topic?

• What’s important to your reader?

• Why is this message being delivered now?

• Will your message have more information than your reader

needs or wants to hear? How will you prioritize your key points

and ideas?

Fourth, create your message with a clear and concise

objective. Structure your message in a way that immediately

communicates your purpose, action and benefits. As a result, you

minimize miscommunication.

BY STACEY HANKE

Create your message witha clear and concise

objective. Structure yourmessage in a way that

immediately communicatesyour purpose, action and

benefits. As a result, you minimize

miscommunication.

*


Share your opinions on the topic to show where you stand

• Opinion - To influence and build trust, first share your

opinion about your topic. Without this step, your reader will be

confused about where you stand on the topic and what you’re

asking them to do.

“To stay ahead of the competition and build your business,

it’s important you apply the proper closing to a sale.”

The word important emphasizes your opinion.

SPECIFIC ACTION STEPWhen you specifically communicate the action you want the

reader to take, they’ll be able to make a decision immediately.

Example: “Sign up for the one hour Effective Closings to a Sale

workshop today.”

• Benefits - Your reader wants to know “What’s in it for me?”

Benefits are the most persuasive element of your message.

“When you sign up today, you’ll begin to receive immediate

sales tools for increasing profits, building relationships and

expanding your clientele.”

We’ve taken advantage of the real purpose behind sending

email messages and have lost touch with best practices. Most of

us are oblivious to how our readers interpret our messages.

Before sending your message ask yourself, “Is what I meant

to say understood?” and “Did I communicate enough or too

much information?”

The success of your message will depend on the effort and

planning you put forth.

• What action you want your reader to take and the level of influ-

ence your message will have.

• What possible interpretations your reader may have based on

your writing style.

• What results your message will have based on who will receive it.

When the stakes are high and you’re hesitant of how your

reader will respond, send a voicemail message first with the key

takeaways. In your voicemail message indicate you’ll include this

information in an email message.

Here are some examples of when the stakes are high and a

voicemail message may be needed to add explanation.

• Negotiating fees, services, etc.

• Building a relationship with a potential client for the first time.

• Resolving a challenging situation.

• Asking for clarification.

• Don’t use e-mail to discuss confidential information. If you

don’t want it posted on a bulletin board, don’t send it.

• • •

Stacey Hanke is an executive consultant, author, coach and speak-

er with 1st Impression Consulting, Inc. in Chicago, Ill. Contact her at:

[email protected] or (773) 209-5970.

1. Insert the e-mail address last to prevent selectingsend when you have a half written email or if you haven’tcompleted the editing process.

2. If you have an attachment to send, make this actionyour second step. Forgetting the attachment minimizesyour credibility.

3. Insert a topic within the subject line to grab atten-tion! Your subject needs to be very short, specific and tothe point.

4. Don’t get carried away with Reply to All. Researchthe needs of your readers to determine “need to know”verses “nice to know.”

5. Be concise and to the point with paragraph breaks,bullet points, etc. A long email is discouraging to read.

6. To encourage a response, ask open ended questionsand set specific deadline dates if action is required. Thisis one of the most important methods of reducing thenumber of emails you receive.

7. If a question is raised that requires further explana-tion, or changes the tone of the message to a more criti-cal or urgent response, don’t send another email. The dia-logue needs the attention of a face-to-face or phone con-versation.

8. ALWAYS use spell check for proper spelling, gram-mar and punctuation. Read ALL emails before you presssend. When making points, number them or mark eachpoint separately. Treat your email messages like you’dwrite an article published on the front page of the NewYork Times.

9. Respond to emails within twenty-four hours or less.If you need time to research information, send a messagesaying you’ve received it, what you need to do to providethe correct information and when you’ll get back to them.

10. WHEN YOU WRITE IN ALL CAPS, IT’S PERCEIVEDAS IF YOU’RE SHOUTING. Your message will eitherannoy or trigger an unwanted response.

• • •

SUCCESSFUL E-MAILS WITH TEN EASY TIPS :

Ulysses delights travelersIf you are coming to Montréal soon and are planning to spend

some time in Old Montréal, Ulysses has come out with an excel-

lent little guide book called Delights of Old Montréal. The book

retails for about $19.95.

On the Web: www.ulyssesguides.com

Reveling in unknown CanadaThe Canadian Tourism Commission recently launched a

campaign aimed at getting canadians to travel to little known

parts of the country. The “Locals Know” campaign was launched

with $10 million in federal funding for each of the next two years

to support at-home tourism. People are encouraged to upload

photos of their favourite Canadian travel spots.

On the Web: www.localsknow.ca

Caesars Windsor awards $10,000in meeting and event professionals“What Would You Do?” promotion

Caesars Windsor recently awarded a $10,000 cash prize in the

“What Would You Do?” promotion specifically for meeting and event

planning professionals. Dawn Bucknam of Representation Plus was

selected as the grand prize winner in the inaugural contest.

The promotion was designed to foster a relationship between

the Caesars Windsor Hotel Sales Team and meeting professionals,

by asking an open-ended question: What Would You Do with

$10,000 cash?

The program ran from February until June 2009 and meeting

professionals were asked to submit ideas about what they would

do personally with the winning prize money. Some suggestions

included: shopping, traveling and home renovations as well as

other creative ideas such as using the prize as “personal financial

bailout money.”

“We know meeting professionals work very hard and we want-

ed to introduce a promotion that specifically rewards them” said

Shelley Sechopoulos, Director of Hotel and Convention Sales for

Caesars Windsor. “It is the very nature of the business for an

event planner to be the ring leader, working hard behind the

scenes, so that every one of their attendees sees nothing but a

fluid and successful event.”

So what will Dawn do with the $10,000 cash? “I promised my

daughter a puppy and my husband a new set of golf clubs. I

think for myself, a shopping trip is in order!” said Dawn.

Caesars Windsor is Ontario’s largest convention resort, featur-

ing more than 100,000 sq. ft. of convention space, seven confer-

ence rooms, eight restaurants and lounges, two levels of non-stop

gaming action and a luxurious 758-room Four Diamond hotel.

On the Web: www.caesarswindsor.com

Some airlines won’t survive: BransonBritish entrepreneur Richard Branson, founder and president

of Virgin Atlantic Airways, said recently it is unlikely that all big

U.S. airlines will survive the next 12 to 18 months.

“I don’t think that the American government will yet again

put more billions into the airline industry. They’ve learned their

lessons from the car industry,” Branson said in a recent interview

in Tokyo. He added that at least two airline companies are

vulnerable, but did not specify which.

Virgin Atlantic said on May 26 that its yearly profits nearly

doubled, but warned that the weak economic environment would

make it “almost impossible” for airlines to make a profit in the

current year.

Meanwhile, Branson also said Virgin Atlantic wants to launch

flights between Australia and Tokyo’s Haneda Airport, which is cur-

rently undergoing a major expansion, in the next 12 to 18 months.

Ryanair gets rid of checked bagsRyanair’s CEO Michael O’Leary announced recently that the

airline wants its passengers “...to bring two or three pieces of lug-

gage that pass through the airport security check instead of one

big suitcase which has to be handled by ground services.”

The Dublin-based budget carrier will only allow Internet

check-in from October at the latest and plans to ban bag

check-in in 2010.

About 25 percent of Ryanair’s passengers now travel with lug-

gage that must be processed by ground handlers. The airline has

said it will require travelers to take luggage to a “bag drop” and

plans to shut check-in desks. The rapidly-expanding airline is

planning several new bases, including one in Germany and

another in Malta.

On the Web: www.ryanair.com

Airline losses will top $4.7B in 2009: IATA

It started at a whopping US$2.5 billion in December, but world

airlines are set to lose US$4.7 billion this year industry body IATA

said recently.

The International Air Transport Association said the losses are

a result of the global recession that has shrunk passenger and

cargo demand.

“The state of the airline industry today is grim. Demand has

deteriorated much more rapidly with the economic slowdown than

could have been anticipated even a few months ago,” IATA’s

Director-General Giovanni Bisignani stated in July. “The relief of

lower fuel prices is overshadowed by falling demand and plummet-

ing revenues. The industry is in intensive care.”

IATA, which represents 230 airlines including British Airways,

Cathay Pacific, United Airlines, and Emirates, also raised its esti-

mate of international airline losses in 2008 to US$8.5 billion, from

its previous US$8 billion estimate.


Bankrupt GM owes EnterpriseRent-A-Car and Maritz millions

General Motors Corp., which filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy

recently, owes millions to two St. Louis, MO companies,

Enterprise Rent-A-Car and Maritz Inc.

GM owes more than $33 million to St. Louis’s largest privately

held company, Enterprise Rent-a-Car, which is listed as a

creditor in the bankruptcy petition filed Monday in New York.

The car rental giant reported $13.1 billion in revenue in 2008.

GM had promised to buy back $33 million in vehicles from

Enterprise as part of a repurchase agreement that's similar to a

lease, said Christy Conrad, a spokeswoman for Enterprise.

GM also owes Maritz Inc. in Fenton more than $25.6 million,

according to the filing.

GM hired Maritz to perform customer satisfaction research and

surveys, as well as training for dealers to boost customer satisfac-

tion. Maritz also provides event and incentive programs for GM.

Maritz also performs work for Chrysler, which filed for bank-

ruptcy in April. Maritz continues to receive payments from Chrysler,

Rusert said. Maritz, a family-owned sales and marketing services

company in Fenton, reported $1.49 billion in revenue in 2008.

GM, which makes Chevrolet Express and GMC Savana vans in

Wentzville, listed $173 billion in liabilities and $82 billion in

assets in its bankruptcy filing.

PCMA survey looks at meetingsAccording to a survey of 516 meeting planners conducted by

Ypartnership for the Professional Convention Management

Association, the PCMA Education Foundation and American

Express, 47 percent of planners expect to see no change in the

number of off-site meetings they will book in 2009 and 2010 over

the previous 12 months, and 9 percent of the respondents will

plan more meetings. Forty-four percent of those surveyed expect

to book fewer off-site meetings in 2009-10 vs. the previous

12 months. Nearly all of those who expected to plan fewer meet-

ings agreed on the cause: 90 percent said meetings budgets were

being reduced “due to general economic conditions.” Also cited

by 35 percent of those who expected a decrease were

“image/publicity/public policy considerations.”

PCMA president and CEO Deborah Sexton said, “The insights

revealed in this survey confirm what most in the industry have

assumed to be true in recent months: The economy is the pri-

mary culprit for the challenges now facing the industry. But pro-

fessional planners are clearly concerned about the image issues

and negative rhetoric associated with hosting meetings as well.”

In a press conference, Peter Yesawich, chairman and CEO of

Ypartnership, said, “As soon as the economy takes that turn and

improves, I think the industry will be the beneficiary of that and pret-

ty quickly.” Respondents were drawn from PCMA’s database of asso-

ciation planners and American Express’s list of corporate planners.


Sunstone to forfeit W San DiegoSunstone Hotel Investors Inc. intends to forfeit the 258-room

W San Diego to its lenders after its efforts to reach a compromise

on the luxury hotel's $65 million securitized mortgage failed.

Sunstone, a real-estate investment trust that owns 43 hotels,

bought the W for $96 million in 2006 from a group led by devel-

oper Gatehouse Capital Corp. Since then, the slumping perform-

ance of the W San Diego and the broader hotel market has made

supporting that mortgage a challenge for Sunstone.

Foreclosures and forfeitures of hotels are becoming common-

place in this recession, though a public REIT turning over a high-

profile, luxury property still is rare. Default rates on securitized

mortgages backed by hotels have risen sharply as travelers have cut

back, occupancies and revenues have tanked and, subsequently,

hotel owners have run into difficulty making their debt payments.

A recent report by the special servicer of the W’s mortgage,

Centerline Serving Inc., noted that the W San Diego since 2007

has failed to generate enough monthly income to cover both its

operating costs and its interest payments.

Sunstone, based in San Clemente, Calif., estimates the W San

Diego is worth much less than the $65 million balance on its

mortgage. At the end of last year, the hotel posted an occupancy

of 69% and generated revenue per available room of nearly $153.

The W San Diego is managed by Starwood Hotels & Resorts

Worldwide Inc., which owns the W brand. Management contracts

typically survive foreclosure.

Two new Indigo Hotels in CanadaContinuing the boutique brand’s global rollout, Hotel Indigo

recently announced the opening of the Hotel Indigo Toronto

Airport and plans for its third Canadian property in Vancouver,

British Columbia, which will open just in time for the 2010

Winter Olympics. Hotel Indigo Ottawa opened in February 2007

as the brand’s first property in Canada.

The Hotel Indigo Toronto is located minutes from the Toronto

Pearson International Airport as well as several major corporate

offices, including Air Canada, Colgate-Palmolive, Boeing Toronto

Ltd. and Hewlett-Packard. In addition to immediate access to an

international gateway, business travellers are only 20 minutes

from the heart of downtown Toronto, home to an array of

entertainment from restaurants and concert venues to museums.

Hotel Indigo Toronto features inviting guestrooms with plush

bedding, hard-surface flooring with area rugs, a spa-inspired bath

experience, and complimentary high-speed Internet access in

guestrooms and public spaces. Additionally, the hotel has almost

2,000 sq. ft. of meeting space for business functions and special

events, a 24-hour business center, a sauna and indoor swimming

pool, and a well-equipped fitness studio.

On the Web: www.ihg.com

Ed. Note: All figures in U.S. dollars unless otherwise stated.


August 3 – Civic holiday (All provinces, except Quebecand the Yukon)

August 24 2009Society of Incentive and Travel ExecutivesAnnual Golf Tournament, The Country Club,Woodbridge, Ont. Contacts: www.sitecanada.org. Tel.: (905) 868-8008.

September 7 – Labour Day

September 15 2009MPI – Manitoba ChapterSeason Opener – Historical Haunted Winnipeg Tour.Contact: www.mpiweb.mb.ca

September 17 2009MPI – Calgary ChapterAGM/Volunteer Drive Cocktail Reception Contact: w.mpi-gcc.org

October 12 - Thanksgiving (Canada)

October 15 2009MPI – Montreal ChapterSite Visit Day in Montréal Contact: www.mpimontreal.com

November 11- Remembrance Day

November 12-15 2009CanSPEPAnnual Conference, Innovation and Inspiration, TheWestin Nova Scotian Halifax Hotel, Halifax, NovaScotia. Contact : www.canspep.ca, Tel.: (905) 868-8008.

If you have an event, contact us at: [email protected]

SOLUTION SUDOKUEASY PAGE 8

SOLUTION SUDOKUMEDIUM PAGE 8

Claridge and Dior will partner in “nostalgic escapism”

You want class, you’ve got it.

Claridge’s Mayfair, a Five-star London landmark hotel, is

partnering with legendary fashion and fragrance house Christian

Dior to create an exclusive dressing table service, offering guests

all the beauty essentials en suite necessary to get ready for a

glamourous night out.

The “Dior Dressing Table at Claridge’s” offers guest a carefully

curated range of timeless accessories, including an elegant cream

silk Claridge’s dressing gown personalized with guests initials,

high-heeled marabou mule slippers and a rose pink cashmere

eye mask. Classic Dior fragrances like Diorissimo will adorn the

dressing table itself.

Hollywood glamourized the boudoir in the 1930s and 40s as

the epitome of a romantic retreat, so the legendary Claridge’s

seems like a sensible choice for its revival.

“We have identified from our guests a desire to experience

some nostalgic escapism and sense a return to bygone

glamour. Both Claridge’s and Dior are synonymous with the com-

bination of impeccable heritage, inherent glamour and contempo-

rary thinking,” said Claridge’s General Manager Philippe Leboeuf.

On the Web: www.claridges.co.uk

Green, eco-friendly, sustainable or what-

ever we choose to label it, is a dimen-

sion of our life, our world and our universe.

It is as real as gravity, sunshine or waking up

to start a new day. It is not only a marketing

trend, a way to save and make money or reason to vote for a

certain political leader – it is a way to define ourselves and our

desire to live in harmony with our planet.

Too often, we try to put the green question in a box, thinking

that if we recycle a little more or turn off a few more lights we

are satisfying our “green quota.” Increasing specific “acts of

green” is important, but we need to come to an understanding of

the bigger “green picture’ to become more effective “green leaders.”

There are ways to be “greener” (lower your carbon footprint) in all

aspects of our lives, both personally and professionally. I have devel-

oped a theory that expresses the scope and impact of the issue.

The Green Continuum Theory simply states that from the

moment we are born until the day we die (or later), every

decision or action that we take has an effect on the world we live

in. By realizing that as humans we are not separate from the

natural order – but very much a part of it – we can rethink

how our past actions and decisions affect our planet and make

important changes going forward.

We have created a world based on endless resources that flow

to our fingertips: water flows freely from our taps, electricity

flows freely to our wall plugs, wood resources flow freely to our

printers and food flows freely to our supermarkets. There are

very few controls... except YOU!

The size of your “control valve” depends on the number of

people that you are making a decision on behalf of yourself, your

family, your corporation, an association, delegates to your confer-

ence, residents of your city, etc. It can be pretty big.

How can you be a better valve? One-way is through becoming

more aware of the options, in other words through education.

The Web and your local newsstand are full of sources of current

information on products, services and organizations that can

get you started. Three that I have found particularly useful

are www.thegreenguide.com by National Geographic,

www.treehugger.com and www.greenlivingonline.com

Warning: Once you get started learning about green products it

can become very addictive! Beware of “greenwashing” –

the unscrupulous use of feel-good or natural sounding

descriptions and labeling without sufficient supporting evidence

of sustainable effects.

Planning a green meeting is a great example of exhibiting

green leadership. Activities associated with meetings have a very

large impact on our planet because they involve using products

and services that have been processed from natural resources and

have a historical carbon footprint! These processes include:

agriculture, transportation, forestry, power generation and

construction, just to name a few.

There are many reasons to consider holding a green meeting.

Among them are: conserving energy and reducing waste saves

money; the meeting presents an opportunity to educate partici-

pants, organizers and suppliers about the benefits of sustainabil-

ity; green organizations have a positive public image; hosting a

green meeting can stimulate an organization to institute environ-

mental protection policies; green and socially responsible organ-

izations can better attract and retain employees. However, much

has been written on why and how to hold a green meeting, so

I will simply point you to a few sources that I have found useful:

www.environmentcanada.com, www.greenmeetings.info,

www.mpiweb.org and www.pcma.org.

Leadership by any color is a lifestyle choice, so choose green!

Tom Price is the Vice-President of Sales and Marketing for White Oaks

Resort & Spa. he can be reached at: [email protected].

Understanding the color greenBY TOM PRICE



Ed. Note: The Planner asked Tourism Toronto to tell us about the

greening of Toronto. This is their report.

Toronto: A place where inspiring ideas converge, originality is

celebrated and magic happens as a result. Toronto is an

innovative, progressive, forward-looking city – and it’s green.

Toronto is a bustling, urban metropolis but it’s also a city

dedicated to its natural beauty. Take in the view from one of the

city’s skyscrapers and you’ll see that Toronto is a surprisingly

green city. Clusters of canopies formed by more than three

million old and fresh trees act as portals to the many green

spaces where Torontonians play, meet and appreciate nature.

The meaning of “green” has changed and continues to evolve,

with as many meanings as the shades of green itself. To some,

“green” initiatives and sustainability seem to be a new trend or a

fad in popular culture. But to Toronto, sustainability is truly a way

of life, and has been for a long time. It’s a daily consideration of

social responsibility, an attitude shift and a filter that changes

how and what you do on a daily basis.

In Toronto, green is a colour. Toronto’s landscape is made up

of green parks, conversation areas, a protected greenbelt and a

195 km stretch of bike and pedestrian paths and beachfront to be

enjoyed by all.

Toronto is passionate about its natural beauty, but doesn’t limit

green to a colour. Green can also be found in the city’s 30-storey

wind turbine, located at Exhibition Place (home to the Direct

Energy Centre), and in the deep-lake water used a cool 47 down-

town buildings, including the Metro Toronto Convention Centre,

which proudly hosted Canada’s first zero-waste event convention

in 2007. It is evident in Toronto’s energy conversation and waste

reduction programs, green roofs, urban forestry, recycling and

transportation programs.

Toronto is the perfect setting for your green meeting, with the

city’s commitments to protecting biodiversity, improving indoor

air and environmental quality, reducing energy demand and con-

sumption, and retrofitting buildings, as well as our green fleet

transition plans, innovative building strategies, hybrid vehicle,

biofuel testing, smog alert response plans, climate change

studies, renewable energy initiatives, environmental design and

many more innovative ideas.

In Toronto, green is a commitment to change business

practices, from sourcing suppliers with sustainable practices and

choosing double-sided printing to carbon-offsetting of flights.

That commitment also motivates municipal action plans, includ-

ing and adjustment of weekly garbage pickups to biweekly and

compost pickups to weekly.

So Toronto is green, and green is here to stay if we maintain

a delicate balance and make effective changes that consider the

social, the economic and the environmental impacts of our busi-

ness and our activities. You can start small and momentum builds.

Tourism Toronto is taking proactive steps towards becoming

the greenest convention and visitors bureau in North America.

Over the last year, we’ve changed the way we work to minimize

our ecological footprint, while continuing to educate ourselves as

an organization and to share information with our community

and others which choose Toronto for their meetings and events.

From zero-waste meetings to local catering, we make green simple.

CHOOSING GREENER PASTURESHere are some suggestions to help you minimize and offset

the negative environmental impact of your events:

1. Use the Environmental Performance Index (EPI) too learn

about a country’s environmental sustainability. The EPI uses 16

environmental policy targets to measure a country’s commitment

and efforts towards protecting our earth. Canada ranks number

one in the Americas.

2. Choose a city that is closest to the majority of your delegates,

in order to cut pollution produced by travel. For example,

Toronto is just a 90-minute flight for 60% of the US population.

3. When formulating your RFP, include a “Sustainability

Preference” clause. Tourism Toronto can assist you with this.

4. Ask the CVB to recommend green venues and suppliers in

your chosen city. For a listing of Tourism Toronto Green Members

please refer to www.seetorontonow.com/Visitor/Plan-Your-

Trip/A-Green-City/Green-Members.aspx

5. Give your delegates a chance to feel they’re doing their part to

help sustain the environment. Here are a few options:

• Have a tree planned for each of your delegates

• Make one of your convention activities a community cleanup.

• Donate to an environmental charity on behalf of your client

• Organize a trip to a nature preserve to educate your delegates

on environmental issues.

On the Web: www.seetorontonow.com/meetingplanners

What makes Toronto sustainable and green


BY SANDRA WOOD, CMP

The Green Meeting Industry Council held its annual confer-

ence in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania in February. In attendance

were 180 meeting planners, destination representatives, suppliers

and hoteliers from North America, Asia and Europe and the

sessions were informative and enlightening. I’ve been reading,

learning and practicing “green” meetings for several years now

and just when I thought I had a pretty good grasp on greening,

something new comes along that leaves me pensive and inspired

to reduce, reuse, recycle and definitely rethink a whole lot more!

The conference session on food and beverage, in particular, left

a lasting impression. The two presenters for the session were

Krista Rakovan with the Humane Society of the United States and

Greg Christian a well-known sustainable caterer from Chicago. I

was moderating the session so it gave me a chance to learn from

the presenters and do some additional research. I realized that

food and beverage is not just about buying local, organic and

avoiding bottled water (although those issues are all very impor-

tant), there are other significant factors to consider which include

meat, fish and water – how they are produced, the quantity we

are consuming and the environmental impact that results.

So listed below are some compelling facts that may help you

decide and prioritize how you can reduce the carbon “foodprint”

of your meeting as well as a list of the recommendations that

came out of the session on food and beverage.

I hope you find this useful. Remember that there are lots of great

resources available to assist you in greening up your meeting.

PCMA, MPI, CIC, Environment Canada and GMIC all have informa-

tion and sample guidelines. As well, the CIC is developing new

green meetings standards that will be made available through APEX

(Acceptable Practice Exchange) hopefully by the end of this year.

On the Web: www.conventionindustry.org/apex/inprogress.htm

Statistics• The livestock sector is a major player, responsible for 18% of

greenhouse gas emissions measured in CO2 equivalent. This is a

higher share than transport.” (Source: “Livestock’s Long Shadow”,

Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, 2006).

On the Web: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Livestock's_Long_Shadow

• It takes approximately 2,500 gallons of water to raise one

pound of beef (Source: John Robbins, Diet for a New America

and Earth Save)

On the Web: www.earthsave.org/newsletters/water.htm

• Canadians eat more than twice as much meat as the global

average. An Oxford University study showed that in comparison

to meat eaters, vegetarians had a 24 percent reduction in mortality

from heart disease even when other lifestyle factors such as

smoking, exercise, and socio-economic class were taken into

account. (Source: David Suzuki Foundation)

On the Web: www.davidsuzuki.org/NatureChallenge/Meals.asp

• If every American skipped one meal of chicken per week

and substituted vegetables and grains, for example, the carbon

dioxide savings would be the same as taking more than half a

million cars off of U.S. roads (Source: Environmental Defense

Fund paper entitled “Fighting Global Warming with Food”)

• We could run out of fish by 2048 if the current rate of

decline continues worldwide (See two websites on this issue:

http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2006/11/061102-

seafood-threat.html and http://www.washingtonpost.com/

wp-dyn/content/article/2006/11/02/AR2006110200913.html)

• Inefficient and wasteful practices capture fish that are too

small, and leave too few capable of reproducing. As a result,

stocks are being depleted to the point where they cannot recov-

er. Shrimp trawl fisheries have one of the highest levels of

bycatch and discard rates: 70 to 100% of the catch is thrown back

into the sea either dead or dying.

The FAO estimates that some 27 million tons of fish, or about

25% of all reported marine landings are discarded annually as

bycatch (Source: Food and Agriculture Organizations (FAO) of

the United Nations, SD Dimensions, Fish and Aquatic Life,

February 1998) http://www.fao.org/sd/EPdirect/EPre0044.htm

• 27% of all food produced in North America is wasted

(Source: Toronto Environmental Handbook 1999 and Recycling

Council of Ontario)

• Organic farms use 33 to 56% less energy per hectare.

Organic farms need 10 to 70% fewer fossil fuels, according to

European and American data presented at the United Nations

Food and Agriculture Organization. Organic methods actually

capture atmospheric CO2 and incorporate it into the soil.

Rodale Institute’s calculations suggest that one 130 hectare

farm going organic is equivalent to taking 117 cars off the road

eliminating 526,500 kg of CO2 emissions.

Reducing your carbon “foodprint”

*


Water is at the center of many eco crisesEach conversion to organic farming reduces the 680 billion kg

of total CO@ emissions that conventional agriculture in the US

alone produces annually. (Source: Alive Magazine, January 2008).

• Water is linked to the crises of climate change, energy and

food supplies and prices, and troubled financial markets. Unless

their links with water are addressed and water crises around the

world are resolved, these other crises may intensify and local

water crises may worsen, converging into a global water crisis

and leading to political insecurity and conflict at various levels.

(Source: Overview of Key Messages, UN World Water

Development Report No. 3, March 2009)

On the Web:

www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20090311.w

water0312/BNStory/International/

and www.unesco.org/water/wwap/wwdr/wwdr3/tableof

contents.shtml

Recommendations to reduce yourmeeting’s carbon “foodprint”

1. Choose seasonal produce.

2. When purchasing plant products choose local and/or organic.

3. Support local non-intensive farms and source local produce

(aim for 70% or higher).

4. Choose smaller portions, less food (go from 4 course to 3

course meals).

5. Implement processes to reduce drinking water waste.

6. Avoid bottled water – water coolers are better and tap water

is best.

7. When purchasing animal products choose organic from local

sources.

8. Choose pasture-fed rather than grain-fed beef.

9. Provide more non-meat, non-dairy options, choose more plant

sourced foods to eat lower down on the food chain.

10. Offer vegetarian meals and make them interesting for both

meat and non-meat eaters for a healthier event experience.

11. Do not serve endangered fish and avoid products with high

“bycatch” ratios (like shrimp), reduce the amount of times you

offer fish and the quantity and use the various Websites with

“seafood watch” listings to have the seafood you choose vetted

before you include it in your menu.

12. Be innovative, try something new like a meat free lunch or

a non-dairy dessert.

13. Always tell your delegates what efforts you have gone to

reduce the carbon “foodprint.”

14. Put wording into your RFP and contract to ask for all the

above.

15. When selecting a vendor, do they or their suppliers have a

CSR program that helps the environment and/or community

(closer and cleaner).

16. Stay informed/up-to-date, things are constantly changing and

evolving.

• • •

Sandra Wood is the Annual Meeting Manager for the Canadian

Medical Association. She can be reached at: [email protected].

Waring House makesgreen changes count

Ed. Note: The Planner asked owners Christopher and Norah

Rogers what they did when they recently expanded The Waring

House in Picton, Ontario. Green meant integrating every green

feature they could possibly think of during the recent changes.

Named Commercial Project of the Year by the Prince

Edward County Construction Association last February,

it recently completed $5.5 million dollar project added 32 new

rooms and suites to the historic Waring House, Restaurant, Inn,

Conference Centre, and Cookery School.

Christopher Rogers believes the award is, partly at least, a

testament to the environmentally friendly aspects of the design.

The two new buildings, each with 16 rooms and suites, were

constructed with totally efficient geothermal heat and air con-

ditioning. Although the 10-ft. high ceilings were designed to

allow the geothermal unit to fit between the floors, the gener-

ous height also adds to the historical theme and spaciousness

of the rooms.

“We have not been able to locate another inn or hotel in

Ontario such as ours which has geothermal heating and air

conditioning to this extent, although there is one in Quebec,”

said Norah Rogers.

Continued on page 29


Buying local means different things to peopleBY LEO GERVAIS

The explosion of interest in local food means planners (and

other consumers) now have more choices of products, labels,

and ways to shop, so many people are left wondering where to

start. Food choices can be overwhelming and changing where

and how we shop can be stressful. On the other hand, the bene-

fits of buying local can be great. So, whether it is going directly

to local suppliers or making sure caterers are going green, there

are many things planners can do to augment local buying.

WHAT EXACTLY IS LOCAL FOOD?Talk of local food is on everyone’s lips. But what does it

mean? How local is local? Local is shorthand for an idea that

doesn’t have a solid definition to many people. Unlike organic

standards, which entail specific legal definitions, inspection

processes, and labels, local means different things to different

people, depending on where they live, when their growing

season is, and what products are produced.

Local food production can be thought of like a series of ever-

expanding rings that starts with growing food at home. The next

ring out might be food grown in our immediate community, then

province, country and continent. For some parts of the year or for

some products that thrive in the local climate, it may be possible

to buy closer to home. At other times, or for less common

products, an expanded reach may be required.

An example of a local product that reaches way beyond

its immediate areas are the wines from the Okanagan Valley.

The $110-million industry is young, but its sells its wares to an

ever-increasing customer base beginning in B.C. and expanding

outward to other provinces and countries.

For planners, a local caterer that tries to incorporate local

products is always a blessing. At Catering By George in Montreal,

former owner (and still employee) George Alevisatos says what

they have tried to do is accentuate seasonal produce which is

usually local.

“When we plan menus, we try to be local,” said Alevisatos.

“However, the client needs to be satisfied. If they want Alberta

beef, that is obviously not going to be local. We tell them about

the additional costs. So really, “green” is a byproduct since the

motivating factor is the price point (prices at which demand is

relatively high).”

Alevisatos did mention that over the years, the winter produce

has improved considerably in Quebec, and his company can now

purchase quality cucumbers and tomatoes from local greenhouses

in the winter months.

There are other reasons to buy local. By adding transportation,

processing and packaging to the food system equation, the fossil

fuel and energy use of our current food system puts tremendous

stress on the environment. For example, according to a recent

study by Iowa State University, between production and trans-

portation, growing 10% more produce for local consumption in

Iowa would result in an annual savings ranging from 280,000 to

346,000 gallons of fuel, and an annual reduction in CO2 emissions

ranging from 6.7 to 7.9 million pounds.

But again, the customer is always right Alevisatos concluded.

“We’re not in a perfect position. We morally try to use local.

The client is buying our philosophy if it works for them. In truth,

always buying local only works for a granola – the consciousness

of buying local is ever present, but the client is more conscious

of the price,” he said.


Jamaica is striving to be a green leaderEd. Note: The Planner staff thought it would be a good idea to

ask the Jamaica Tourist Board to tell us about some of their

eco-initiatives. Here is a look at some of the things top resorts on

the famous island are undertaking.

Sandals and Beaches – This family of resorts take a passion-

ate and trailblazing approach to protecting our precious sur-

roundings and delicate ecosystems. Some initiatives include: con-

tributing to support a local projects which work with fishermen

to use better practices for their catch which results in preserving

marine species and maintaining the delicate balance of the

marine ecosystem; beach clean-up projects in which Sandals

members are seen working alongside, fishermen and other com-

munity members cleaning beaches of garbage and debris; and a

program to build, monitor and maintain coral reefs.

The Island Outpost group - With five properties in Jamaica

– Jakes, The Caves, Strawberry Hill, GoldenEye and Geejam – the

Island Outpost Group is committed to minimizing the impact of

its properties on the environments they inhabit. They strive to

preserve and enhance the habitats of all marine, bird, and

wildlife, and the wealth of vegetation. Initiatives include: solar

power panels; encouraging guests to turn off lights when they are

not in their room and reuse towels; all spa products used in the

properties are from Aveda who use organic plant ingredients and

recycled plastic for their bottling; and the purchasing of local

organic foods.

Half Moon: The 400-acre estate has a goal of becoming the

world's most environmentally friendly hotel. From solar heated

pools and an organic herbal garden and nurseries, to a 21-acre

nature preserve, Half Moon is dedicated to protecting Jamaica’s

precious natural beauty and resources. Half Moon has over the

years integrated various green practices and initiatives in its oper-

ations. Among such initiatives are: a towel re-use program - old

beach towels are used to make wash rags for cleaning; old linen

are sent to the upholstery shop to make play items for the Anancy

Children's Village; shredded papers are used as packing materials

for guest when transporting craft items, and they are also sold to

funeral homes to be used in the stuffing of caskets. Saw dust

from the furniture shop is sent to the equestrian centre to be used

as horse bedding while, horse dung is used as soil conditions in

the nursery. Old batteries are sent to a battery dealer, waste oil

is sent to a factory to be used in the manufacturing of poultry

feed and waste auto oil is used in the manufacturing of bio-

diesel. Guests of the resort are also afforded the opportunity to

contribute to these programs through various conservation signs

such as water, electricity and chemical usage.

A staunch conservationist, the 54-year-old resort reported a five

percent decrease in its energy bill thanks to several conservation

initiatives effected resort-wide that included replacing high wattage

light bulbs with low-energy bulbs. Additionally, the resort's waste

water treatment plant generates over 130,000 gallons of water per

day that is used to irrigate the 400-acre property

On the Web: www.visitjamaica.com

Jamaica is riding the green wave.


Green meeting practices keep growingBY JYL ASHTON CUNNINGHAM

In an effort to raise the bar on green meetings, one United

States association, The Green Meetings Industry Council, has

gone the extra mile to standardize green practices and offer an

excellent resource for meeting planners to improve the way they

conduct business on a daily basis.

The GMIC’s mission is to transform the global meetings indus-

try through sustainability. Currently, there are no chapters outside

the US, however it is clear that this is an association that will

grow in leaps and bounds in the coming years. Membership is

around $200 CDN annually and the Council holds a conference

each winter, which is generally very well attended.

There are currently around 50 Canadian members of GMIC –

a number that will likely increase in the near future with the

Canadian Federal Government’s recent announcement that any

meeting planning company wishing to provide event planning

services directly to federal departments needs to consider submit-

ting a proposal in response to a Request for Standing

Offer/Request for Supply Arrangement, scheduled to be

published later this year.

This request is part of an ongoing effort by the government to

set-up a central list of suppliers to be used government-wide.

There are similar arrangements for Professional Services (Human

Resources, Change Management, Project Management), Informatics

Professional Services, and other products and services. A request

for feedback on the 60 page Request for Information was recent-

ly sent to meeting planners across Canada, asking for comments

on several of the proposed requirements, notably green practices.

According to the document, meeting planners may be asked

to justify their green practices and claims to be green operators,

as follows:

QUESTIONS RELATING TO GREEN PROCUREMENT• Can surplus assets be used for any portion of the work?

• Is it feasible to require in the RFSO/RFSA that Offerors/

Suppliers provide a listing of environmental attributes offered

within their goods/services proposed, which will form part of

any resulting Standing Offer/Supply Arrangement?

• What is the availability of rented signage and how feasible are

reusable/recyclable exhibits?

• When will carbon assessments for EVENTS management com-

panies be feasible?

• Which renewable fuels/energy sources for use in travel are

currently being employed?

• What is the feasibility of imposing the environmental criteria

outlined in the RFSO / RFSA on subcontractors?

Additional Green Procurement Items for Comment:

• Suppliers are requested to provide comments on the following:

• Environmentally Preferable and Best in Class EVENTS

Management Services:

• Environmentally preferable EVENTS management services:

create a small carbon footprint;

• encourage participation by delegates through videoconferencing

or teleconferencing rather than travelling to the event;

• use electronic invitation, registration and coordination methods;

• use recycled paper for printed material;

• rent signage and rent or reuse exhibits;

• avoid disposable dishes and single-serve containers for food

and beverages;

• provide fuel efficient and appropriately-sized vehicles for the

function;

• host the event at a “green” hotel with a strong environmental

policy and action plan; and reduce lighting or conserve water and

energy consumption wherever possible.

‘Best in class’ EVENTS management services include the

criteria above as well as:

• the creation of an event-wide environmental statement and

mission;

• reduce energy, water, and hazardous materials consumption;

• purchase locally-grown and organic produce, local food supplies

and locally produced beverages wherever possible; and

• host the event at venue which are certified by an eco-

labelling program.

Green procurement actions that have been identified in

research and that may be addressed in future solicitations:

• Renewable fuels / energy sources for use in travel;

• Purchasing locally grown produce, local food supplies, and

locally produced beverages, as well as organic foods and

beverages;

• ENERGY STAR qualified (or equivalent) equipment where

applicable.

These requirements will inevitably raise the bar on green

meeting management across Canada and may in future become

the standards by which corporations select event management

companies to do business with.

On the Web: www.greenmeetings.info


NCCC to open as a green venue in 2011 Facility has obtained a LEEDSilver designation

When the new 280,000 square foot Niagara Convention

& Civic Centre (NCCC) opens in the Spring of 2011, it

will offer both clients and staff exceptional environ-

mentally healthy green alternatives for the new era. The sustain-

able features of the project are intended to minimize its environ-

mental footprint and model positive sustainable practices as a

way of operating every day.

“Unlike similar facilities that offer sustainable practices as an

optional add-on to purchase, the NCCC has endeavored to make the

possibility and the decision easy,” said NCCC President and General

Manager Kerry Painter. “This will not be a decision

a planner has to consider or work into their program; all the

tools will be available and ‘second nature’ to the staff who will guide

you to the best possible green-responsible events and conferences.”

The facility is designed to a LEED Silver designation. LEED, which

is administered in Canada by the Canada Green Building Council,

stands for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design, and is

North America’s leading third party green building rating system.

The building has extensive glazing, day lighting and views that

include rows of trees preserved during construction to connect

users with the outdoors. With so much daylight and open floor-

plans guests can quickly apply intuitive logic to easily find direc-

tions, amenities and services. Energy efficiency strategies

throughout the building are planned for 35% energy savings.

All mechanical equipment will be CFC and HCFC-free to min-

imize adverse affects of the building’s systems on the ozone layer.

Electricity, water and gas consumption shall be monitored and

metered, and a third party commissioning firm will ensure that

the systems are installed and operated in compliance with the

energy savings requirements.

Roofing materials used will meet the minimum requirements

for solar reflectance, helping to keep the building cool and reduc-

ing the heat island effect. The design includes an aggressive goal

for water efficiency, which will be implemented by including

water-conserving plumbing fixtures. Based on these fixtures

being used, a water consumption will be reduced by approxi-

mately 30 percent.

Storm water discharge will be controlled and minimized, to

avoid pollution and run off. A permanent irrigation system will

not be installed, as landscaping will consist of indigenous species

that do not require additional watering beyond natural rainfall.

A few key points of the new facility:

• 1,030 tons of CO2 savings per year, equivalent to taking 175

cars off the road

• Optimizing energy cost performance of 38% better than the

Model National Energy Code for Buildings

• Reducing indoor potable water use by over 30%

• No irrigation of the extensive lands

• Extensive use of recycled and regional materials

• 95% of construction waste will be diverted from landfills

• Educational programs for children

• Regional food programs and local wines

Most importantly for a planner, no hard choices during the

budgeting phases of planning are necessary to decide what to

remove to accommodate responsible green-meeting practices.

Planners can rest easy knowing there will be less impact on the

Niagara Environment.

On the Web: www.fallsconventions.com


Stratus Vineyards goes green, red and white...BY HAYLEY BISHOP

Some say that a glass of wine is just a “glass of wine.” Others

say that a glass of wine embraces not only flavour, colour and

texture, but a philosophy, a place and a moment, the latter of

which is contained in every glass of Stratus, one of Canada’s

premium wineries located in Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario.

Opened in June 2005, Stratus is a gravity-flow winery, distin-

guished by its commitment to sustainability and wines of out-

standing quality. Hailed as benchmarks in the Canadian wine

industry, the wines are sampled in Stratus’s chic tasting rooms.

This visitor experience is framed by an omnipresent painting by

Canadian artist, Richard Halliday: elevated, grand oak casks and

rows upon rows of vines.

ON THE WINESStratus pursues small-lot winemaking from its 55-acre vine-

yard situated in the Niagara-on-the-Lake appellation. Winemaker

J-L Groux believes in the principle of assemblage to craft his crit-

ically acclaimed wines, Stratus White and Stratus Red.

Assemblage is the art of combining several different grape

varieties to produce a wine that is the most complex expression of

a vineyard’s terroir. The synergy created with assemblage winemak-

ing reflects the age-old theory that the sum is greater than the parts.

ON THE VINESThe vineyard embraces diversity for complexity and is planted

to eighteen different grape varieties. The berries are hand-picked

and then carefully hand-sorted by as many as sixteen people

before making their way to fermentation. After all, great wines

start with great grapes. A state of the art gravity flow design with-

in the winery then allows the young wine to flow naturally into a

French oak barrel cellar where the wines patiently rest for two years.

ON THE ENVIRONMENTStratus is committed to the responsible stewardship of the

land. As a result, the winery became the first building in Canada

to achieve LEED™ (Leadership in Energy and Environmental

Design) certification from the Canada Green Building Council

and the first winery worldwide to fully achieve this designation.

Environmental sustainability is a core value for all involved in the

design and operation of Stratus.

The winery met numerous criteria for reducing its impact on

the environment both during construction and on a permanent,

operating basis, including: geoexchange technology to heat and

cool the building; a design that features a high percentage of

recycled materials; resource and energy-efficient mechanical,

electrical and plumbing systems and a comprehensive waste-

management program and an organic landscape plan.

ON THE EXPERIENCEStratus specializes in intimate wine- and food-centric enter-

taining — the vineyard and its wines are at the centre of the

Stratus hospitality program. Exclusively booked evenings for pri-

vate groups are hosted in the distinctive and eco-chic hospitality

spaces and typically begin with a tour of the unique winery.

Options range from dining on the terrace adjacent to the vines,

lit by stylish lanterns and the glow of an ambient fireplace, to

indoor entertaining framed by the sleek interiors created by

renowned designer Burdifilek. Each program is custom-designed

to allow for maximum dégustation of wine country with Niagara

cuisine served with the wines of Stratus.

Please visit the event program named “@ Stratus” on our

Website. This distinctive wine, food, and seminar series is offered

at the winery each season. Many of these concepts have been

suitably adopted for private client functions as well.

Hayley Bishop is the Corporate Sales & Hospitality Manager for Stratus

Vineyards. She can be reached at: [email protected].

Are we really into Green programs?The Planner recently asked meeting and event planners how

influenced they are when selecting a venue by its green credentials.

200 participants chose from 3 choices we gave them, clear-

ly revealing the trend in our industry:

25% said they are very influenced

20% said green programs are not an issue at the present time

55% admitted that green credentials are important, but not a must

considering the economical challenges they are facing right now.

Here are some comments:

“Given two very similar properties, I would choose the one

with the green credentials.”

“It is important but cost/pricing is always a factor.”

“It is definitely important, but if the venue is offering every-

thing else we need/want, we will go ahead.”

“It depends on the client’s wishes as well as budget.”

“My clients are more concerned with budget that environ-

mental right now.”

“I am trying but this is not a priority for us. Room rates and

meeting room rental is.”

GREEN SURVEY


Allstream Centremakes holding

green meetings easyBY DIONNE BISHOP

Green initiatives have been a major focus in the event

industry and Allstream Centre is moving forward with

industry leading technologies and initiatives even in this current

economic climate.

Allstream Centre, the newest addition to the award-winning

Exhibition Place, is targeting LEED Silver (Leadership in Energy

and Environmental Design) designation and firmly believes in

reducing its environmental impact.

The design of Allstream Centre demonstrates a commitment to

reducing its environmental footprint and achieving sustainability.

A 2 year deal is secured with Direct Energy Business to provide

100% Green power through the use of renewable energy sources.

The power is sourced from EcoLogo certified generation facil-

ities which include wind, solar, low impact hydro, biomass

and/or geothermal power. The building will feature natural light,

dimmable energy efficient lighting with motion sensors,

improved air quality through CO2 sensors, low VOC carpets and

paint finishes, and Green Seal Certified meeting room chairs and

tables.

In addition water saving plumbing fixtures are featured and

rainwater harvesting is available through the use of a cistern

positioned on the Centre’s rooftop.

Through the leadership of Cerise Fine Catering, Allstream

Centre will continue to provide great menu selections utilizing

local foods and will implement measures that reduce water and

conserve natural resources.

Cerise Fine Catering operates with china service, however if

disposable dishware is requested the compostable packaging

recycling program is available. The compostable items include:

hot and cold cups, lids and straws, plates, napkins, utensils, salad

packaging & dressing containers, wrap and sandwich packaging.

At Allstream Centre, planners will find their job of producing

green events easier than ever before and Allstream Centre will

undoubtedly continue to gain recognition as being an environ-

mental leader in Toronto and throughout Canada.

Dionne Bishop is the Marketing Coordinator for the Direct Energy

Centre. She can be reached at: [email protected]

or (416) 263-3036.

Guests entering the new buildings through automatic doors

will notice the second automatic sliding door will not open until

the first one closes in order to conserve energy. Other green

features: Niagara flapper-less toilets, designed by Prince Edward

County’s Phil Hennessey to flush less water. Energy efficient bulbs

and dimmer-controlled lights reduce energy consumption.

Energy efficient electric fireplaces in each room do not use gas or

non-renewable energy. Most country inns require septic systems

and The Waring House is no exception. Keeping green, the Rogers

opted for a bio-filter system. The water that leaves the bio-filter

system and goes into the tile bed is very low in nitrates and could

almost be used to water gardens. Stage two of the green plan,

solar-powered hot water heating, will be completed in 2009.

In addition, there are several other green features the owners

are proud of. Bathroom soaps and shampoos are totally

biodegradable with green packaging; bottles are made from corn.

The large, luxurious towels and robes are made from 100% renew-

able resource cotton. The comfortable mattresses have zip on

pillow tops that can be replaced, rather than throwing mattresses

away. As is custom in many hotels these days, beds are changed

every other day, unless otherwise requested by guests; guests are

encouraged to use their bath linens for several days in order to

save on detergents and water. Laundry is done off-site using high

efficiency commercial washers and dryers to conserve energy.

Christopher and Norah Rogers point out that being green does

not need to compromise the finer points of the inn experience.

The new rooms at The Waring House are all individually decorat-

ed and designed for comfort so that guests will feel they are in a

luxurious country inn, not a highway motel. Local and other

Canadian art, antiques and history are on display.

Gibbard Furniture of Napanee, one of Canada’s oldest furni-

ture manufacturers, was commissioned to craft the solid wood

furniture. The new rooms and suites have either queen-size or

king-size beds, spacious bath facilities, and balconies or patios.

In-room safes, desks with Internet access, flat-screen televisions,

and electric fireplaces complement each room. The Waring

House is pleased to offer two fully handicap accessible rooms on

each ground floor in the new buildings. Other amenities include

a break-out meeting room, spa, security cameras, guest laundry,

as well as two common areas.

At The Waring House Inn, green is the colour of caring for the

planet, and as conscientious planners we should consider giving

them OUR green whenever we can.

On the Web: www.waringhouse.com

Greening Waring House CONTINUED FROM PAGE 23

Webinars: A greener way to meet

When times get tough… The first

things organizations jettison from

their “discretionary” spending are travel,

education, training, meetings and every-

thing else that isn’t absolutely and immedi-

ately necessary. If you’re involved in any

aspect of the meetings industry then this is old news.

What might be news is that despite these very real obstacles,

it is still possible to hold high-quality, international meetings,

addressing pressing educational issues regularly – and with very

little effort – and to do it within existing budgets, regardless of

how ludicrously small they might be.

To deliver the punch line, before I tell the story, any organiza-

tion is capable of holding an international meeting next week, for

anywhere up to 1,000 attendees. If they had an existing presen-

tation/course – it would require only about 30 minutes work to

set up and a single e-mail blast to their prospective attendees.

As an added bonus? The session is recorded and available for

later viewing by those unable to attend. The total cost? Not count-

ing the time it takes to attend any meeting… about the cost of a

lunch for two when we head out to bemoan the ludicrous budgets

we’re operating under.

There’s no real mystery here, a solution to the reduced meet-

ing budget problem is to hold an on-line webinar. There’s noth-

ing really new about a webinar. The technology to do that has

been around since at least the earliest days of the Internet. Step

#1? Set up a teleconference call between all your attendees.

Step #2? Have them all get on the Internet and ‘click’ along

with the speaker.

What is different is how much easier it is to do this today com-

pared to even five years ago.

I know. I know. You’re not a techie… and this new stuff is

intimidating, and it’s never as easy as the technical folks (that

would be me I guess) claim. Not only aren’t you a techie, but your

potential attendees know even less than you do. This would

never work for your people.

We could cut and past that last paragraph into a discussion

about any new technology. Our objections against a technology

change far slower than the technology overcomes our objections.

Resistance always lags improvement.

To communicate what a webinar can deliver, I need to explain

why it is now an integral part of my business strategy. As a speaker,

I realized about 18 months ago that the recession was about to

have the usual negative impact on the meeting industry in gener-

al, and the speaking industry in particular. As the saying goes, I

decided not to participate in the coming downturn. Specifically?

Given that it takes about 12-18 months from when a potential

client hears a speaker until they find the opportunity to hire

them, I did not look forward to the lost opportunity to be heard.

I looked into the various webinar services and even as a self

described ‘techie’, I was amazed by how easy they were to setup;

their depth of functionality; their ease of use; the number of peo-

ple they can support; the sound quality; and last but not least the

cost. Low enough that I can personally afford to pay the monthly

fee. The service I use costs $100 USD/Month.

SOME WEBINARS ARE DOWNLOADED LATERIn the past year I’ve offered more than two dozens webinars.

One for an Association in Ireland, another for Croatia, and the

rest in North America. I have two sessions planned for the near

future, one for an association in New Zealand, the other for South

Africa, both to advertise upcoming conferences where I’ll be

keynoting.

In all of these, people from all around the world can attend

just by going to a Website. What happens when they do? They

hear the conversation through their PC speakers, and watch the

presentation on their screen. The largest event delivered one hour

of Professional Education Units to more than 600 attendees. Some

of the presentations have been downloaded after the fact by more

than 3,000 viewers. Cost to the viewers? $0.00. Even the most

miserly of training budgets can afford that.

The Planner and I are trying to decide if readers might be

interested in attending such a webinar. We’d structure the presen-

tation into two parts. First? A presentation on how we all

resist/embrace new technologies… and then? A short presenta-

tion, because it’s a simple process, explaining HOW we put the

webinar together… and what it looks like behind the scenes.

In other words? An explanation of at least one way you can contin-

ue to deliver quality meetings with the most minimal of budgets.

If you’d be interested in attending such an event, send an

e-mail to Managing Editor: Leo Gervais at [email protected]

with “I’d attend the webinar’ in the subject line.

© 2009, Peter de Jager – Peter is a keynote speaker who is passion-

ate not only about change, but also about making sure that we’re not

resisting better ways of doing things, just because they’re unfamiliar to

us. You can reach him at pdejager@technobility and view his webinars

at webinars.technobility.com

BY PETER DE JAGER


Documents

July - August 2009