The reich's labour shortage
By Cameron Ainsworth-Vincze - Thursday, December 16, 2010 - 4 Comments
Removing a statue of Marx in Berlin; Germany lacks 400,000 skilled workers
Tobias Schwarz/Reuters
Despite having an economy that is one of the strongest in Europe, Germany is facing a major economic dilemma. For decades, experts have warned that the country’s declining birth rate, accompanied by an exodus of highly trained workers to other parts of the world, would create a labour shortage. That forecast is now becoming a reality. According to the German Chamber of Industry and Commerce, the country lacks 400,000 skilled workers—and the region with the greatest shortage is eastern Germany. Since 1990, the eastern states have seen 1.5 million workers move westward, either to other parts of the country or abroad. If the trend continues, the population between the ages of 15 and 64 in the east could be cut in half by 2050.
Interior Minister Thomas de Maiziere has rejected proposals to help skilled foreigners get their credentials more easily recognized. But the pressure to make changes will only intensify—economists estimate the shortage is costing the economy upwards of 20 billion euros a year.
-
Extremism in the schools
By Cameron Ainsworth-Vincze - Thursday, December 9, 2010 at 2:40 PM - 20 Comments
Some startling revelations about the radical nature of the curriculum being taught
Getty Images
An investigation into more than 40 part-time Muslim schools and clubs in the U.K. has uncovered some startling revelations about the radical nature of the curriculum being taught. Materials obtained by the BBC include textbooks that detail the application of sharia law, such as how to chop off a person’s hands and feet if they are caught stealing, along with whether the best punishment for homosexuals who engage in sexual activities is for them to be stoned, burned or thrown off a cliff. Other materials ask children to list the “reprehensible” traits of Jewish people and note that non-believers will end up in “hellfire” when they die.
-
Why Florida loves Canada
By Cameron Ainsworth-Vincze - Thursday, December 2, 2010 at 9:40 AM - 1 Comment
More Canadians aren’t simply heading south for a holiday: they’re going to buy cheap property
Getty Images
Every year thousands of Canadians travel to Florida for a little fun under the sun. Yet with the U.S. housing market still sputtering from the fallout of the mortgage crisis, and the loonie at near parity with the greenback, more and more Canadians aren’t simply heading south for a holiday: they’re going to buy cheap property.
“The deals right now are phenomenal,” says Brian Ellis, vice-president of Florida Home Finders of Canada. “There is lots of stuff under $100,000 that used to be selling in the high $200,000 range.” Some 54,000 foreclosed homes are currently up for sale in the state, along with thousands of condominiums, and Canadians—the largest group of foreigners buying U.S. properties—are ideal clients for real estate firms. “They love the Canadian market as we have a stable economy, the best banks in the world, and we’re paying cash,” notes Ellis.
-
The coffee shop hackers
By Cameron Ainsworth-Vincze - Thursday, November 25, 2010 at 10:40 AM - 2 Comments
Going online in a public place is becoming increasingly risky
Getty Images
Enjoying free Internet access in a public place is a luxury many Canadians take for granted. Coffee shops, for instance, are famous for providing free WiFi hookups, enabling patrons to check their email and browse social networks like Facebook. Yet going online in a public place is becoming increasingly risky, as a new type of tech trickery is being employed by criminals to access your private information, and even hijack your online persona.
-
A good deal, but what about the drugs?
By Cameron Ainsworth-Vincze - Thursday, October 14, 2010 at 2:00 PM - 0 Comments
Free trade with the EU could hurt the sick and ailing in the Third World
Paolo Pellegrin/Magnum Photos
India’s dream of becoming an economic powerhouse will take a giant leap forward later this year with the scheduled signing of a bilateral free trade agreement with the European Union. The goal of the agreement is to triple the existing $74-billion trade flow between the two regions over the course of the next five years. Yet one outstanding issue is drawing considerable backlash, at home and abroad.
The agreement, according to a new study in the Journal of the International AIDS Society, could significantly harm India’s generic drug industry, which supplies 80 per cent of the cheap, anti-retroviral drugs (ARVs) that are sold to low- and middle-income countries. The study, which contains data from more than 17,000 donor-funded purchases of ARVs by 115 countries, suggests that negotiations between India and the EU have included measures that could delay, or in some cases restrict, generic medicines from reaching certain regions due to product patent restrictions, data requirements and tighter border rules. Such a move could significantly increase the cost of India’s ARVs, in addition to limiting dosage availability and delaying access to newer and more advanced drugs, the study argued.
-
Spinning a toy story
By Cameron Ainsworth-Vincze - Thursday, October 14, 2010 at 9:20 AM - 0 Comments
Mattel recalled millions of toys with paint containing elevated levels of lead
Getty Images
For the second time in three years, the world’s largest toy maker has had to issue a massive recall for some products over safety concerns. Fisher-Price, a subsidiary of Mattel Inc., said last week that more than 11 million children’s toys and accessories were being recalled. The list includes high chairs and toy cars, along with seven million tricycles equipped with a protruding plastic “ignition key” that can cause “serious injury, including genital bleeding” when sat upon improperly, according to the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC).
In 2007, Mattel recalled millions of toys with paint containing elevated levels of lead (for which it was later fined US$2.3 million by the CPSC), or small magnets that could be swallowed. Yet the latest recall may prove to be less serious, especially given the company’s careful and quick response. “They’re doing this as a precautionary measure,” says Niraj Dawar, a marketing communications expert at the University of Western Ontario. Many of the toys are no longer in circulation (the tricycles were sold as early as 1997) and Fisher Price says they can still be used with “simple fixes.” “The recall is a notice to consumers to be careful,” adds Dawar, “and shouldn’t have much of an impact on Fisher-Price.”
-
Taking the fest out of Oktober
By Cameron Ainsworth-Vincze - Thursday, October 14, 2010 at 8:40 AM - 0 Comments
Butting out?
Michaela Rehle/Reuters
Munich’s Oktoberfest, which was launched in 1810 to celebrate the royal marriage of Prince Ludwig of Bavaria to Princess Therese of Saxony-Hildburghausen, has become a must-see event for anyone yearning for a good sausage and some tasty beer. The 200th edition of the festival, however, had a few royal mishaps worth forgetting. More than 30 people were injured in fights where the famous one-litre beer stein was used as the weapon of choice. One Canadian tourist was clocked in the head after getting into a fight with a 20-year-old Munich resident. Officials say the good weather was partly to blame, attracting a record number of visitors, and with so many people being intoxicated, “things can naturally increase,” said a spokesperson with Munich’s district attorney’s office.
Others complained about the new smoking ban that prohibited visitors from lighting up in beer tents, and one brothel grabbed headlines after accusing a competitor of paying taxi drivers upwards of $170 to bring customers to its establishment. The club’s manager, who said the competition tried to spread the word that his girls “were the ugliest in town,” said he’ll be better prepared next year.
-
The oracle of Tangshan
By Cameron Ainsworth-Vincze - Thursday, October 7, 2010 at 10:20 AM - 0 Comments
Li Lu helped lead the Tiananmen Square uprising. Now he’s in line to succeed Warren Buffett.
Carlos Barri/Reuters/ David Yellen
This week, billionaire Warren Buffett visited China, where he paid a visit to one of his more recent high-profile investments, BYD Co. Ltd. The Chinese car and battery manufacturer has hit a rough patch recently, with sagging sales and a stock down 35 per cent in the past 11 months. Still, it has been a big winner for Buffett’s Berkshire Hathaway Inc., which had seen its initial $230-million, 10 per cent stake in BYD swell sixfold in two years, resulting in profits of more than $1.2 billion.
The man largely responsible for those gains is Li Lu, a fund manager and investor who helped introduce BYD to Berkshire Hathaway, and who many now consider to be one of Buffett’s potential successors when the legendary 80-year-old investor steps down—whenever that may be—from his position as company chairman and CEO. It has been widely speculated that Buffett’s responsibilities will be split among at least three people at Berkshire when that inevitable day comes, and Li, just 44, has a remarkable life story, along with an intriguing financial background, to support his candidacy.
-
Do it for the Bieb—vote
By Cameron Ainsworth-Vincze - Thursday, September 30, 2010 at 2:00 PM - 0 Comments
‘Bieber’s too young to vote, yet whoever we elect will impact his future and ours’
Chris Pizzello/AP
Is there anything Justin Bieber can’t do? After rising to the top of the music industry, he is now entering politics. Well, sort of.
To increase voter turnout in the upcoming mid-terms, Campus Progress, a spinoff of the Center for American Progress, has created a “Do It For Bieber” video to encourage viewers who are too young to enter the voting booth to ask their friends and relatives to get out and vote. “This isn’t your standard election-year video of celebrities asking you to vote,” the ad starts. “It’s us, asking you to vote for celebrities who can’t, celebrities like Justin Bieber. Bieber’s too young to vote, yet whomever we elect will impact his future and ours.”
The ad has been the subject of light-hearted attacks and backlash. The Washington Post called it the “worst political ad ever,” saying it will motivate “one group of Americans who really shouldn’t be voting to go out and bludgeon their well-meaning relatives into electing people for strange reasons.” Critics have also noted that Bieber is Canadian and couldn’t vote anyway.
-
Butting out in Havana
By Cameron Ainsworth-Vincze - Thursday, September 9, 2010 at 3:20 PM - 0 Comments
Smokes for seniors are among the targets of Castro’s austerity drive
Enrique de la Osa/Reuters
When Fidel Castro overthrew Cuba’s military leader and president, Fulgencio Batista, in January 1959, he and his brother Raúl made a pledge to each other: their socialist model of governance would not make Cubans wealthy but could provide each citizen with basic necessities. A little more than half a century later, with Fidel slowly making his way back into the public spotlight after a lengthy illness, Raúl is in the process of altering that promise to preserve his country’s future. He has called for the elimination of all state-related subsidies that impoverished islanders have relied on for decades. The country’s ailing economy, one plagued by bureaucratic inefficiencies and the effects of the global financial crisis, is to blame.
-
Dying town, big promises
By Cameron Ainsworth-Vincze - Thursday, September 9, 2010 at 8:40 AM - 0 Comments
Castelnou has been hit hard by the country’s worst economic downturn in decades
GILES TREMLETT/THE GUARDIAN
Like many small villages in Spain, Castelnou, about 200 km west of Barcelona, has been hit hard by the country’s worst economic downturn in decades. The church closed its doors earlier this year and the town, which has only 109 inhabitants, is now surrounded by abandoned olive groves after shrinking to a sixth of the size it was more than half a century ago. Yet instead of going quietly, Castelnou is relying on a unique, if not bold, plan for ensuring its survival.
To attract new residents and businesses to the area, Castelnou is offering newcomers cheap houses, free land, babysitting services for those who bring children, and the promise that they will be exempt from municipal taxes. Those who bring both a child and a business plan are being bumped to the front of the line. So far, some 500 families have submitted proposals, which has José Miguel Esteruelas, the town’s mayor, dreaming about reopening the town’s only school, which closed a decade ago due to a lack of students. “We want enough children to make it worth opening the school again,” he said. To help with that process, the town is also labelling itself “the place where things happen.”
-
Death through diversity
By Cameron Ainsworth-Vincze - Thursday, July 8, 2010 at 11:20 AM - 0 Comments
France’s fate has been sealed
Getty Images
In France, attacking the ideals of the ruling elite and lamenting over the republic’s purpose and importance has long been an acceptable pastime. Yet the country’s newest dissenter, author and political journalist Éric Zemmour, has taken the habit to an entirely new level.
Zemmour, a self-described Gaullist and Bonapartist who works for the daily newspaper Le Figaro, favours the death penalty, accuses modern feminists of wanting to “castrate” men, and has suggested that the majority of French drug dealers were of Arab and African descent. “It’s a fact,” he told a television interviewer, without providing details to back up his assertion.
-
Democracy? it's not real.
By Cameron Ainsworth-Vincze - Thursday, July 8, 2010 at 9:40 AM - 0 Comments
Putin adds his own perspective on the current state of American democracy
Getty Images
Never one to shy away from speaking his mind, though frequently raising a few eyebrows when he does, Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin told a scrum of French reporters recently that the Western model of democracy simply doesn’t exist.
“Can you tell me what it is—the Western model of democracy? France has one model of democracy, the U.S.A. has another one,” Putin said, then added his own perspective on the current state of American democracy. “A French politician told me once, ‘One cannot do anything at the elections in the U.S.A. without money—whether they are elections to the Senate or Congress, not to mention the presidential elections. There is nothing to do there without a sack of money.’ ”
Putin also took this opportunity to defend Russia’s invasion of Georgia in 2008. “People died as a result of the criminal action launched by President [Mikheil] Saakashvili two years ago. Russia was forced to defend the lives of its peacemakers and the citizens of South Ossetia,” the prime minister declared. “We stopped 15 to 20 km from Tbilisi. We stopped there not because we could not enter Tbilisi—we stopped because we didn’t want to do it. We didn’t want any military action at all.”
-
Chewing through a continent
By Cameron Ainsworth-Vincze - Thursday, July 8, 2010 at 8:30 AM - 0 Comments
Beavers’ revenge: Once extinct, beavers are now blamed for widespread damage
Thomas Peter/Reuters
It appears that the beaver is a vengeful creature. Once hunted into extinction throughout parts of Europe, it is now exacting revenge by gnawing through dikes and causing rivers to flood. Beavers have also been blamed for the delay in the construction of a bridge in Dresden, Germany, while in Bavaria they have released hundreds of tonnes of untreated feces into a river after tunnelling their way into a sewage site.
-
Summer Getaways: Ontario
By Cameron Ainsworth-Vincze - Friday, June 11, 2010 at 9:00 AM - 13 Comments
Sandy beaches, big city sights
Niagara Falls
Though it’s still the “Honeymoon Capital of the World,” and tacky tours and all-you-can-eat buffets are alive and well, a new attitude is changing this tourist mecca. Shops that once sold kitsch in and around the historic Queen Street Arts and Entertainment District are sharing space with elegant galleries, cafés, bistros and a renovated Seneca Theatre. The area is a recreational hub. Cyclists and joggers enjoy more than 50 km of paved pathways on the Niagara River Recreational Trail. And with the recent completion of several new championship courses, Niagara has joined the ranks of one of Canada’s premier golf destinations.Lake Erie North Shore and Pelee Island
Tour the region’s acclaimed wineries and sample prize-winning vintages. Wander the sprawling greenhouses of Colisanti’s Tropical Gardens in Ruthven, home to flowering cacti and tropical plants, before making your way to Point Pelee National Park and Pelee Island, where you can dig your toes into the sandy beaches or explore the bird-filled marshes and Carolinian forests.Toronto
There’s plenty in T.O. for those passing through—and for locals who don’t have friends with cottages. Kicking things off is the North by Northeast Music and Film Festival (June 16-20), a showcase of 650 bands and 40 music-related films. Pride Week (June 25-July 4) attracts more than a million people and features one of the more eclectic parades you’ll ever see. The Toronto Fringe Festival (June 30-July 11) is the city’s premier grassroots theatre event. Just for Laughs (July 6-11) will leave you in stiches, while the Toronto Arts Exhibition (July 9-11), featuring 500 artists, will make you think. There’s Caribana (July 13-Aug.1), a cultural explosion of everything Caribbean. And plenty for sports lovers: the stars and cars of the IndyCar Series at the Honda Indy Toronto (July 16-18) and the world’s best male tennis players at the Rogers Cup (Aug. 7-15) at York University. Cap things off at the Canadian National Exhibition (Aug. 20-Sept. 6).Quinte Country and Prince Edward County
Sandbanks Provincial Park, near Picton, is home to golden beaches and the world’s largest system of freshwater sand dunes. Sample culinary creations and tasty local wines on Prince Edward County’s Taste Trail. And the scenic Loyalist Parkway, from Kingston to Trenton, has 40 archaeological sites, plus 125 notable heritage buildings to explore.To see what Russell Peters picks as his favourite spots, go to Where famous Canucks go to play
For more information on events and travel in Ontario, see www.ontariotravel.net
-
No passport required, great travel destinations in Canada
By Cameron Ainsworth-Vincze - Friday, June 11, 2010 at 9:00 AM - 22 Comments
Maclean’s summer getaway guide
Our annual guide to summer travel highlights across the country.
Quebec
When the cirque comes to town
Manitoba
Birdies, belugas and broadway
Ontario
Sandy beaches, big city sights
Alberta
Where to find your inner cowboy
Saskatchewan
Look, Up in the sky
British Columbia
Plenty of sights and sounds
Newfoundland and Labrador
Enjoy the rocky roads
Nova Scotia
Taste, the adventure
New Brunswick
Jazz riffs and tidal raves
Prince Edward Island
Swings, sails and celebs
The North
An amazing raceWhere famous Canucks go to play - Travel-savvy celebs pick their favourite holiday posts -
Summer Getaways: Saskatchewan
By Cameron Ainsworth-Vincze - Friday, June 11, 2010 at 9:00 AM - 0 Comments
Look, Up in the sky
Windscape Kite Festival (Jake Wright/CP)
Trails of 1885
In 1885, the Metis and Cree rose up against the Dominion government over land and treaty rights. It was the last battle fought on Canadian soil, and to commemorate its 125th anniversary, festivals, celebrations and educational programs will take place at many of the pivotal battle sites in Saskatchewan, Manitoba and Alberta. The signature event is the Back to Batoche Festival in central Saskatchewan (July 18-25), an annual celebration of the culture, traditions and heritage of the Metis Nation in the exact area where the 1885 uprising culminated in the Battle of Batoche. Visitors enjoy traditional fiddling, Red River jig music, square dancing, bannock making, as well as rodeo, chuckwagon and chariot races.
Windscape Kite Festival (June 19-20)
For one weekend every year, a prairie field in Swift Current becomes a colourful scene ripped out of a children’s storybook, where all kinds of kites—some the size of houses—take to the skies. The event attracts about 40 national and international superstars from the kite world. Admission is free, and anyone is welcome to fly their kites, take in a kite-building workshop, or purchase their very own high-flyer from one of the many vendors. Free kite-flying lessons are also available.
Saskatchewan Roughriders’ 100th anniversary
Numerous activities are scheduled this summer to celebrate the green and white. A gallery dedicated to Rider fans and the team will be on display at the Saskatchewan Sports Hall of Fame and Museum. Meanwhile, an exhibition entitled “Green is the Colour: the Art of Rider Pride” will appear at both the Dunlop and Mackenzie Art galleries in Regina, where fans will also have the chance to meet former players. At every home game there will be pre-game parties and events to honour the team, including a reunion of former cheerleaders in October when the Toronto Argonauts come to town.Summer solstice festival d’été (June 18-20)
This three-day event in Gravelbourg, a bilingual community about 200 km west of Regina that is known for being a “touch of Europe on the Prairies,” celebrates the sun as it reaches the highest point in the sky. Highlights include music, theatre, literature and dance performances, along with an art exhibition and entertainment for children.To see what Hayley Wickenheiser picks as her favourite spots, go to Where famous Canucks go to play
For more information on events and travel in Saskatchewan, see www.sasktourism.com
-
Summer Getaways: New Brunswick
By Cameron Ainsworth-Vincze - Friday, June 11, 2010 at 9:00 AM - 2 Comments
Jazz riffs and tidal raves
Take a chairlift up Sugarloaf Mountain, and cycle down past scenic vistas (Aaron McKenzie Fraser)
The Fundy Trail Parkway
Drive the paved parkway that hugs the coastal cliffs, lace up your hiking boots, or hop on your mountain bike and explore the trails—it’s the ultimate Bay of Fundy eco-adventure. The trails, carved out of the Fundy escarpment in one of the last remaining coastal wilderness areas between Florida and Labrador, connect to paths and stairways that lead to pristine beaches and tumbling waterfalls. Precambrian rocks and 250-m cliffs tower at the water’s edge.Harvest Jazz and Blues Festival (Sept. 14-19)
To commemorate the 20th anniversary of Fredericton’s largest annual event, more than 350 musicians will perform on 23 stages in four downtown city blocks. Headliners include Maria Muldaur, Kurt Elling, Jane Bunnett’s African-Cuban Blues Project, Roomful of Blues, Champion & His G-Strings, Elliott Brood, John Hiatt and Big Sugar. Festival organizers also created the Harvest 20th Anniversary Jazz Orchestra, a collective featuring some of the finest jazz musicians to come out of New Brunswick in the past two decades.
Club Wind & Kite
Lameque Island, in the northeastern part of the Acadian Peninsula, is considered one of Canada’s best places for kiteboarding. Whether you are an expert in the sport, or want to try it out for the first time, the constant winds and shallow water lagoons combine with the warm waters of the Baie des Chaleurs to create a perfect kiteboarding experience. Certified by the International Kiteboarding Organization, Club Wind & Kite won the 2008 provincial award for Excellence and Innovation in Tourism Product Development. Packages range from $89 for a one-hour lesson to $959 for a week’s stay, which includes seafront accommodation.Bike park at Sugarloaf Provincial Park
Ride the chairlift to the top of Sugarloaf Mountain, then take off down the mountain, guided by an experienced cyclist, past wildlife and scenic vistas. You can bring your own bike and helmet, or rent when you arrive. Either way, you are guaranteed to leave with a memorable experience and a few tips for improving your skill as a downhill rider.To see what Julie Doiron picks as her favourite spots, go to Where famous Canucks go to play
For more information on events and travel in New Brunswick, see www.tourismnewbrunswick.ca
-
Summer Getaways: Alberta
By Cameron Ainsworth-Vincze - Friday, June 11, 2010 at 9:00 AM - 3 Comments
Where to find your inner cowboy
Calgary Stampede (Photograph by Chris Bolin)
Canadian Death Race (July 30-Aug. 2)
Set on a 125-km course in the Rocky Mountains, this event is one of the world’s toughest adventure races. Competitors must conquer three mountain summits—a total of 5,200 m in elevation changes—and pass through pristine forests, mountain trails and snow-covered terrain. Training camps are offered June 11-13 and July 2-4. But don’t expect any big prizes at the finish line. Bragging rights for surviving is by far the biggest reward.Banff National Park celebrates its 125th anniversary
This is Canada’s oldest national park and the most visited tourist destination in Alberta. To celebrate the park’s 125th anniversary, visitors can take part in writing and photo contests, travelling exhibitions, or embark on hiking, horseback riding, camping and climbing excursions. For something a little less rustic, unwind at the Upper Hot Springs, or tee off at the Fairmont Banff Springs Golf Course, home to 27 holes in the heart of Canada’s Rocky Mountains.Strathmore Heritage Days Stampede (July 29-Aug. 2)
It may not exactly be the streets of Pamplona, Spain, but dozens of thrill-seekers will climb into the ring in Strathmore this summer for the eighth annual running of the bulls. If being chased by a herd of bulls sounds a bit too dangerous, sit in the grandstands and watch some 400 contestants compete in six rodeo events, including calf roping, steer wrestling, saddle bronc riding and ladies’ barrel racing. Canada’s third largest rodeo, held in this town 40 km east of Calgary, also features dog shows, a petting zoo, concerts, a farmers’ market and monster-truck rides.Calgary Stampede (July 9-18)
This 10-day celebration of Calgary’s rough-and-ready image kicks off with a downtown parade including 150 floats and hundreds of horses. The world-famous stampede also features bull riding, barrel racing and rodeo competitions with $50,000 winner-take-all prizes up for grabs. New this year is an extreme cowboy race at the Pengrowth Saddledome. Other must-see attractions include an Indian Village, featuring native dance competitions, and the Rope Square, where free pancake breakfasts are served every morning from the back of chuckwagonsTo see what Laureen Harper picks as her favourite spots, go to Where famous Canucks go to play
-
Summer Getaways: Newfoundland and Labrador
By Cameron Ainsworth-Vincze - Friday, June 11, 2010 at 9:00 AM - 3 Comments
Enjoy the rocky roads
Hiking on Devil’s Bite Trail of the International Appalachian Trail (Paul; Wylezol/IATNL)
International Appalachian Trail
The Newfoundland section of the trail begins at Port aux Basques, on the province’s southwest coast, and extends north along the Long Range Mountains of the island’s west coast to Crow Head. Highlights include crossing the Fox Island River and climbing up to Cabox, the highest peak in Newfoundland, and the UNESCO World Heritage and National Park at L’Anse aux Meadows, site of the only authenticated Viking settlement in North America. Two new sections have opened: one across Lewis Hills and the Blow Me Down Mountains between Stephenville and Corner Brook, and another in the mountains and valleys east of Parsons Pond.
St. John’s Time (July 29—Aug. 8)
For 11 days in the middle of the summer, St. John’s hosts one of the biggest parties in Canada. The George Street Festival (July 29-Aug. 3) kicks off with taverns and pubs serving up good food and drink along with five consecutive nights of live outdoor entertainment on George Street’s historic cobblestones. Next on the agenda, the Royal St. John’s Regatta (Aug. 4) on beautiful Quidi Vidi Lake. The regatta, in its 194th year, is the oldest continuous sporting event in North America. The Buskers Festival (Aug. 6-8) features performances on three stages, and the Folk Festival (Aug. 6-8) in Bannerman Park wraps things up with shows and spectacles, including jugglers, magicians, acrobats, comedians, storytellers and dancers.
Gros Morne Summer Music (July 21-Aug. 22) and Gros Morne Theatre Festival (May 22-Sept. 18)
Hikers and site-seekers flock to Gros Morne to see the towering cliffs, stunning fjords and rocky terrain. But the area is also famous for its artistic flair. Summer Music, now in its eighth year, invites both up-and-coming and established musicians from around the globe. Meanwhile, the theatre festival will be showcasing nine productions in Cow Head on the shores of Shallow Bay. The plays, a celebration of Newfoundland, include a story about heroism during a shipwreck and a real-life murder mystery from the 1800s.Fogo Island Film House
This new state-of-the-art e-cinema brings thousands of films to the remote community of Fogo Island, which lies 13 km off the northeast coast of Newfoundland. Starting in June, the theatre, created through a partnership between the Shorefast Foundation and the National Film Board of Canada, will host screenings and discussions exploring the links between art, technology, culture and community.To see what Seamus O’Regan picks as his favourite spots, go to Where famous Canucks go to play
For more information on events and travel in Newfoundland and Labrador, see www.newfoundlandandlabrador.com
-
Summer Getaways: British Columbia
By Cameron Ainsworth-Vincze - Friday, June 11, 2010 at 9:00 AM - 3 Comments
Plenty of sights and sounds
Brave the whitewater rapids along the Cariboo Chilcotin Coast (Darryl Leniuk/GETTY IMAGES)
Vancouver International Jazz Festival (June 25-July 4)
The province’s biggest music and arts event will celebrate its 25th anniversary with 400 concerts in outdoor parks, clubs, public plazas, concert halls and on the streets of Vancouver. More than 1,800 new and notable jazz greats from Canada and abroad will perform, including 16-year-old singing sensation Nikki Yanofsky, Chick Corea, a 14-time Grammy-winning pianist, legendary guitarist John Pizzarelli, and songstress Martha Wainwright. The festival will also feature 130 free concerts.Inside Passage
One way to discover B.C.’s breathtaking geography, untamed wilderness and rich First Nations culture is to explore the Inside Passage, which stretches from Port Hardy on Vancouver Island to Prince Rupert. Cruise through the area by ferry and have the chance of seeing grizzly bears and whales in an area of the province still largely inaccessible by road.Vancouver Biennale
This event, which includes installations throughout Vancouver and Richmond, brings the work of some of the best artists to the masses. Large public events this summer include American artist Jim Denevan’s attempt to create one of the world’s biggest freehand sand drawings at Spanish Bay (June 23), along with a recycled clothes installation at the Lath House inside the VanDusen Botanical Garden. Other eye-catching art includes a sculpture in Stanley Park entitled “Meeting,” created by Chinese artist Wang Shugang and featuring eight identical life-sized crouching figures in painted bronze.Cariboo Chilcotin Coast
Stretching from the Pacific Ocean to the Cariboo Mountains that border Quesnel Lake, this area is famous for its rolling grasslands, hidden lakes and snow-capped mountains. An array of fjords and islands offers great kayaking, fishing, canoeing and whitewater rafting opportunities, including the legendary Bowron Lake Provincial Park canoe circuit. On land, there are plenty of parks and golf courses, as well as canyons and mountains to explore. And if you’re looking for a glimpse into the area’s historic past, the Cariboo Wagon Road on the Gold Rush Trail will take you to Barkerville, home to 125 heritage buildings, along with First Nation villages, museums and galleries.To see what Jacob Hoggard picks as his favourite spots, go to Where famous Canucks go to play
For more information on events and travel in British Columbia, see www.hellobc.com
-
Summer Getaway: Prince Edward Island
By Cameron Ainsworth-Vincze - Friday, June 11, 2010 at 9:00 AM - 1 Comment
Swings, sails and celebs
P.E.I. offers more than 70 adventures in the Once in a Lifetime Experiences program (John Sylvester Photography)
SummerFest (June 30-July 4)
The Island’s newest festival has something for every member of the family. For the younger kids, there’s a petting zoo, performances by the Doodlebops (a pre-school musical favourite), and a Swash Buckler Pirate Zone that features a haunted house. For teens, there’s the the Fringe Urban Zone with daily skateboard and BMX competitions. There’s a three-on-three hockey tournament on a synthetic ice surface, as well as the West Coast Lumberjack Show complete with log rolling. Plus a unique Cirque du Soleil performance that can only be seen in Charlottetown. In fact, Cirque signed a three-year contract this year to play at SummerFest. If you can’t make it to the show, you can catch Cirque du Soleil performers on Great George Street for free.Once in a Lifetime Experiences
Have you ever boarded a fishing boat and headed out to sea to catch and cook your own lobster, tasted seaweed pie or tonged for oysters? Well, now you can. Tourism P.E.I.’s Once in a Lifetime Experiences program offers more than 70 different experiential tourism adventures for those wanting, and willing, to get their hands dirty while immersing themselves in authentic P.E.I. culture. If seafood isn’t your thing, other programs include learning how to build a wind chime, creating folk art out of recycled scrap metal with the help of a master craftsman, and making your own pinhole camera.Hitting the links
P.E.I. is consistently ranked one of the top golf destinations on the continent. In fact, there are more than 20 courses within 45 minutes of each other, including the breathtaking and challenging Links at Crowbush, which overlooks the dunes of the north shore near Morell, as well as the Dundarave and Brudenell River courses near Georgetown.
Cavendish Beach Music Festival (July 7-11)
Only in its second year, this five-day outdoor music festival is picking up some serious steam. Headliners this year include country superstars Taylor Swift, Keith Urban and Lady Antebellum. And don’t forget to bring your sunscreen and beachwear. The concerts take place just minutes from beautiful Cavendish beach on the Island’s northern shore. Five-day passes start at $271 for adults and $105 for children between the ages of 6 to 12.To see what Michael Smith picks as his favourite spots, go to Where famous Canucks go to play
For more information on events and travel in Prince Edward Island, see www.tourismpei.com
-
Summer Getaways: Manitoba
By Cameron Ainsworth-Vincze - Friday, June 11, 2010 at 9:00 AM - 0 Comments
Birdies, belugas and broadway
Churchhill Manitoba (Travel Manitoba)
Winnipeg Fringe Festival (July 14-25)
Visit the Old Market Square in Winnipeg’s historic Exchange District, where buskers, street performers and bands perform from noon to midnight for 12 days in July. The festival, founded in 1987, has become North America’s second-largest event of its kind. It features more than 1,000 local, national and international productions.CN Canadian Women’s Open (Aug. 23-29)
It’s been 18 years since the world’s best female golfers played at Winnipeg’s St. Charles Country Club. But this summer, they return to compete for one of the biggest purses ($2.36 million) on the tour. Golfers will play both the MacKenzie course, designed by architect Alister MacKenzie, who helped construct Augusta National in Georgia (home of the Masters), and finish on the Donald Ross-designed south course. Many of the top players are expected to take part, including 15-year-old Alexis Thompson, currently the world’s No. 1 amateur. Tickets range from $15 for ground admission to $460 for a VIP package that includes a parking permit, four daily passes and access to the exclusive St. Charles Clubhouse and patio.Winnipeg Fringe Festival (July 14-25)
Visit the Old Market Square in Winnipeg’s historic Exchange District, where buskers, street performers and bands perform from noon to midnight for 12 days in July. The festival, founded in 1987, has become North America’s second-largest event of its kind. It features more than 1,000 local, national and international productions.
CN Canadian Women’s Open (Aug. 23-29)
It’s been 18 years since the world’s best female golfers played at Winnipeg’s St. Charles Country Club. But this summer, they return to compete for one of the biggest purses ($2.36 million) on the tour. Golfers will play both the MacKenzie course, designed by architect Alister MacKenzie, who helped construct Augusta National in Georgia (home of the Masters), and finish on the Donald Ross-designed south course. Many of the top players are expected to take part, including 15-year-old Alexis Thompson, currently the world’s No. 1 amateur. Tickets range from $15 for ground admission to $460 for a VIP package that includes a parking permit, four daily passes and access to the exclusive St. Charles Clubhouse and patio.Churchill
Located on the western shore of Hudson Bay, Churchill (pop. 923) is not only the “polar bear capital of the world” but also a great destination for whale and bird watching. Throughout July and August, thousands of beluga whales migrate to the warmer waters of the Churchill River in search of food, and visitors can see these behemoths up close, from kayaks, while even more adventurous tourists can opt to snorkel alongside. Birdwatchers flock to Churchill to witness some 300 different species fly over the town on their migratory routes.
Lights on Broadway (Aug. 21-Sept. 11)
With its majestic elm trees and pedestrian-friendly atmosphere, Broadway in downtown Winnipeg is the perfect setting for a new festival featuring great music, live entertainment and food. Highlights include a massive dance party on the opening weekend, along with an official lighting ceremony that will turn the surrounding trees into a dazzling array of colours. Over the next two weekends, musicians and artists will fill the streets, and movies will be projected on large public screens. And then, on the final weekend, Broadway will transform into a giant playground, complete with a hay maze, kid zone and a full-scale midway.To see what Jon Montgomery picks as his favourite spots, go to Where famous Canucks go to play
For more information on events and travel in Manitoba, see www.travelmanitoba.com
-
Summer Getaways: Quebec
By Cameron Ainsworth-Vincze - Friday, June 11, 2010 at 9:00 AM - 0 Comments
When the cirque comes to town
Cirque’s Totem
Parks and wildlife reserves
From Abitibi-Témiscamingue to the Gaspé Peninsula, Quebec has 22 maintained parks and 15 wildlife reserves worth exploring. Known for their stunningly rich flora and fauna, they offer visitors exceptional hiking, biking, kayaking, canoeing and sightseeing opportunities. Notable highlights include l’Île-Bonaventure-et-du-Rocher-Percé National Park in the Gaspésie, a nesting ground to an extraordinary colony of gannets, and the Saguenay-Saint-Laurent Marine Park, where you can observe blue whales and paddle the Saguenay Fjord—the longest of its kind in Eastern Canada. Along the way, stop at Jacques-Cartier National Park, a gateway to the Laurentian Mountains just 25 minutes north of Quebec City, or visit nearby Montmorency Falls and watch its 80-m waterfalls tumble into the St. Lawrence River.
Montréal Complètement Cirque (July 8-25)
Montreal goes circus crazy for 17 days in July when acrobats, trapeze artists, jugglers and other circus performers take part in the city’s newest festival. Events can be seen at three main locations—Tohu, the Quays of the Old Port of Montreal and the Latin Quarter. As well, Cirque du Soleil’s latest creation, Totem, will be staged this summer at Cirque’s renowned blue and yellow big top in old Montreal.The St. Lawrence Lighthouse Trail and Gaspésie Tour
There are 43 lighthouses along the coastline and on the islands of the St. Lawrence River, and 19 welcome visitors and house a variety of attractions, including museums, restaurants and lodges. Visitors can stay at one of Quebec’s two oldest lighthouses: at Île Verte (1809) and Pointe-des-Monts (1830). For those looking for a beautiful scenic drive, the Gaspésie Tour begins in Bas-Saint-Laurent, where the St. Lawrence River widens into the sea, and ends in Forillon. Along the way, stop at Chaleur Bay, or explore Miguasha National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.Îles-de-la-Madeleine
Located 215 km from the Gaspé coast, Îles-de-la-Madeleine is made up of a dozen islands that are home to beautiful beaches, dunes, rounded green hills, ochre cliffs and brightly painted houses that stand out against the intense blue backdrop of the sea. It’s a perfect place to enjoy a swim or a hike (on foot, bicycle or horseback), and is an invitation to just kick back. Adventure seekers can explore the archipelago’s coves and capes by kayak or inflatable raft, and the shallow bays and lagoons are perfect for kitesurfing and windsurfing. To get there, take a plane or a ferry from Prince Edward Island. Or arrive in style on a 440-passenger cruise ship that departs regularly from Montreal.To see what Joannie Rochette picks as her favourite spots, go to Where famous Canucks go to play
For more information on events and travel in Quebec, see www.bonjourquebec.com
-
Summer Getaways: The North
By Cameron Ainsworth-Vincze - Friday, June 11, 2010 at 9:00 AM - 0 Comments
An amazing race
(Grambo Photography/Corbis)
YUKON TERRITORY
Yukon River Quest (June 30-July 4)
The world’s longest canoe and kayak race brings together paddlers from all over the globe to battle the elements and each other in a 742-km race that follows the same route explored by the gold-seeking prospectors of the 1890s. Except for two rest stops, competitors are in constant race mode. Spectators, on the other hand, can take in the same breathtaking Yukon scenery without the pressure to perform. The race starts at the Whitehorse waterfront, moves along the Yukon River to the Carmacks—an area rich in coal, copper and gold—and wraps up in Dawson City, once the heart of the Klondike Gold Rush, now known for its frontier-style wooden boardwalks, saloons and summer festivals.
NORTHWEST TERRITORIES
Folk on the Rocks (July 16-18)
This festival has come a long way in the 30 years since founder Rod Russell and his band of folkie go-getters played a small outdoor gig on the shores of Yellowknife’s Frame Lake. Today, the annual event draws visitors and musicians from across the country. Set in a natural amphitheatre on the sandy shores of Long Lake, near Yellowknife, this year’s musical lineup includes Blue Rodeo’s Jim Cuddy and Greg Keelor, Buffy Sainte-Marie, Justin Rutledge and performances from numerous Aboriginal artists, including Lucie Idlout (see below). Along with the music, crowds can quench their thirst at the beer garden, chow down on a buffalo burger at the food fair, or buy a piece of the local culture in the Art on the Rocks area.NUNAVUT
Ukkusiksalik National Park
Named after the soapstone found within its boundaries, Ukkusiksalik National Park is located just below the Arctic Circle, on the northwest coast of Hudson Bay. The 22,000-sq.-km park features a 100-km long inlet, eskers, mud flats, cliffs, rolling tundra banks, eight-metre tides, waterfalls, as well as 500 archaeological sites. The parkland is home to bearded and ringed seals, beluga whales, polar bears, caribou, wolves, Arctic foxes and more than 125 different species of birds. Visitors can access the park from Repulse Bay (via Winnipeg), and touring companies offer camping, hiking and sea kayaking expeditions.To see what Lucie Idlout picks as her favourite spots, go to Where famous Canucks go to play
For more information on events and travel in the Territories, see www.nunavuttourism.com; www.spectacularnwt.com; travelyukon.com
