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Weekly News Recap: November 8, 2019

Vincent Duckworth

Weekly News Recap: November 8, 2019

Brian Dejardins, Executive Director of The Hangar Flight Museum looks over the Hawker Hurricane #5389 which has been in Wetaskiwin for restoration with the Calgary Mosquito Society since 2012 and is back at The Hangar Flight Museum in Calgary. Darren Makowichuk/Postmedia

They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old: Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn. / At the going down of the sun and in the morning, We will remember them. -- Laurence Binyon, For The Fallen

This week's highlights

Leadership

  • Executives: Social Media as Leadership Hacking (LinkedIn) CAGP's Paul Nazareth reminds all of us that social media is not just for our communications departments. "Dropping articles on your intranet, emailing links to media content tied to your business and circulated books on what you believe is leadership will help you also see who is listening and willing to learn to get ahead." 11/2/19*

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Cool

  • Uber expands ride donation program to 12 cities in North America (Engadget) CANADIAN CONTENT YWCA Canada announced that its member associations in Vancouver, Toronto, Calgary, and Montreal have been selected by Uber as recipients of its Community Impact Initiative, allowing YWCA members to receive Uber rides to and from job interviews, housing and medical appointments, and training opportunities. 11/2/19

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News

  • 'Goodness and humour' celebrated as 'Sesame Street' turns 50 (CTV) Congrats and happy birthday to one of television's most important pioneers. "This first episode of 'Sesame Street' -- sponsored by the letters W, S and E and the numbers 2 and 3 -- aired in the fall of 1969. It was a turbulent time in America, rocked by the Vietnam War and raw from the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King the year before. The media, like today, was going through disruption." 11/6/19

  • Gasoline Alley philanthropist Ron Carey killed in U.K. highway collision (Calgary Herald) CALGARY STORY RIP Mr. Carey and thank you for all you did for our community. "Calgary philanthropist Ron Carey was killed [...] in a collision on the M23 motorway near London, while participating in a vintage car rally, according to a U.K. news outlet." 11/4/19

  • Edmonton company gets $100K grant by Bill Gates to develop blood cancer treatment method (Edmonton Journal) EDMONTON STORY It is always nice to be recognized by one of the world's leading philanthropies. Great work! "An Edmonton-based biotech company has received a $100,000 grant from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation to explore how to better deliver immunotherapy in the battle against blood cancer." 11/3/19

  • After a long and winding flight path, Calgary's Hurricane fighter comes home (Calgary Herald) CALGARY STORY The small but mighty Mosquito Society is a legendary client at ViTreo. Congratulations on bringing this famous fighter home. And just in time for Remembrance Day. "[The] Second World War-era Hawker Hurricane finally returned home after an odyssey that began more than a decade ago, arriving in Calgary just before midnight, looking just as it did when it rolled off the assembly line in 1942 at Canadian Car & Foundry in Thunder Bay." Thanks to Scott Decksheimer for sharing this story. 11/2/19

  • Beakerhead co-founder awarded honorary doctorate from Mount Royal University (CTV News) CALGARY STORY So great! Congrats Mary Anne from someone who knew you when. "[Mary Anne] Moser helped found Beakerhead in 2012, which was considered an international first for the city. 'The Canadian science community owes a lot to Mary Anne for bringing the wonder of science and art collaborations to the public,' said Jonathan Withey, dean of science and technology at MRU." 11/1/19

  • 'Today is a good day to go to the Glenbow': New CEO has ambitious plans for 53-year-old museum (Calgary Herald) CALGARY STORY I could not agree more. See you there! I heart the Glenbow. "'I want every Calgarian to wake up in the morning, and it doesn’t matter if its 30 degrees outside or if it’s -30 degrees outside, and think: ‘You know, today is a good day to go to the Glenbow. I’ve heard great things are going on there. Let’s take the kids, let’s invite our friends, let’s make a day of it,’" says [Nicholas] Bell, the new CEO and president of Glenbow Museum." 11/1/19

  • College president: Efficiency and sustainability will be benchmarks of RDC’s financial future (Red Deer Advocate) RED DEER STORY "While the 2019 Alberta budget does create some challenges for institutions from across the post-secondary sector, I firmly believe Red Deer College is prepared to meet those challenges through innovative solutions and creative, collaborative problem solving." 11/1/19

  • Car2Go's exit highlights Calgary's urban transportation problem (CBC) CALGARY STORY I feel the pain. I love(ed) Car2Go. "When Ben Leon heard car-share company Car2Go was pulling out of Calgary, he was shocked. Leon owns Dandy Brewing, a popular craft brewery in the inner-city neighbourhood of Ramsay. It's not on any train line, and the rapid-transit bus (or BRT) that stops nearby only runs until 10:45 p.m. — not exactly aligned with last call. He said on a Sunday or Monday morning, it was normal to see dozens of cars clustered nearby, remnants left by responsible drivers who shelled out for an Uber or taxi to get home after a few pints. Now, he's not sure what his customers will do — or how he and his wife will juggle getting their two young kids to baseball games around the city with only one car." 10/31/19

  • Red Deer’s pool proponents urge city to consider long-overlooked swimmers (Red Deer Advocate) RED DEER STORY "Red Deer swimmers are continuing to pay the price for 'faulty' city planning, according to the Central Alberta Aquatics Centre Committee. Chair Brian Gallaway is 'dismayed' that city staff are recommending removing the aquatic centre from the 10-year capital plan because of a reduction in provincial contributions." 10/31/19

  • Gondola group eyes Rossdale Power Plant as key stop (CBC) EDMONTON STORY Cool! Can't wait to go for a ride. "The company behind an envisioned gondola above the North Saskatchewan River in Edmonton has released a preliminary sketch of a station it wants to build near the Rossdale Power Plant. Prairie Sky Gondola Inc. says the power plant stop would be a key feature in the ride — with dining options, shops and a connection to the river valley trails." 10/30/19

  • 2019 Top 40 Under 40 (Avenue Calgary) CALGARY STORY Congrats to all with a special congrats to Peter Hemminger and Laurel Green. Of the 43 (three paired winners) award recipients, the majority were women, almost a third were visible minorities and two self-identified as Indigenous. It is so very nice to see diversity at work! "Each year, Avenue’s Top 40 Under 40 presented in association with First Calgary Financial and the University of Calgary highlights those Calgarians who are moving the city forward. These are the high achievers who are literally and figuratively building the Calgary of the future." October 2019

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First Peoples of Canada

  • Lheidli T'enneh First Nation to hold first potlatch in 73 years (CBC) PRINCE GEORGE STORY This Nation is from near my home town. This makes me happy. "For the first time in 73 years, the Lheidli T'enneh First Nation will hold a potlatch [...]. Traditionally, potlatch, or Balhats, was a spiritual and cultural ceremony integral to governing, sharing wealth and strengthening clans. Fundamental to some Indigenous cultures, the potlatch was banned by Canada for more than half a century. It was a criminal offence to take part in a potlatch feast." 11/2/19

  • Quebec Cree launch $1M internship fund to bring graduates home (CBC) QUEBEC STORY Smart move. "The Cree Nation Government has created a $1 million internship fund to bring Quebec Cree post-secondary graduates back home, and to convince more youth to enter into higher education." 10/31/19

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Books to read

  • Book explores Canada’s defining architecture (ConstructConnect) CANADIAN STORY Architecture nerds rejoice. "A groundbreaking book dealing with modern and contemporary architecture in Canada is now available for sale, following the official launch at the recent Festival of Architecture in Toronto." 11/6/19

  • Books that changed my life (The Polymath Project) I have not read a single one of these. I would read them all. 11/5/19

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Seven life and career hacks -- one for each day of the week

  1. What Will We Look Like in 100 Years? (OneZero) A little artistic whimsy. Literally a look at 'what we might look like' in the future. 7/3/19

  2. Good habits to help meet design goals (Navneet Nair Designs) Very thorough article on how to improve your design process. (And, I also had to look up what OKR meant.) 6/9/19

  3. 41 Powerful Journaling Exercises for Mind Expansion and Effective Behavior Change (Journal Smarter) This article is a great gift. Beyond even journaling. 5/18/19

  4. Four Reasons Why Templates Might Work For Your Podcast (Podcasts) As a podcast creator myself, I use a template for all of these reasons, and more. 4/1/19

  5. If Your Favorite Typefaces Were Celebrities (Design) Who is your Comic Sans celebrity? I know who mine would be... 3/8/19

  6. The Distracted Mind (How to Increase Your Attention Span) (Personal Growth) Do you schedule blank space for intentional thinking? Turns out, you should. 2/26/19

  7. 5 signs you’re on an innovation-averse team (UX Design) #3 drives me crazy! 2/20/19

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Uncommon knowledge

  • Amazon Alexa and the Search for the One Perfect Answer&utm_medium=email&utm_source=nl) (Wired) "Voice computing seeks to deliver a single correct response to any query. That's why it's going to upend our relationship with information." I am not convinced this is a good thing. 2/18/19

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Opinion

  • Is Philanthropy Undemocratic? (Worth) "[Stanford professor Rob] Reich believes [...] that giving to public schools makes inequality of school opportunity worse, not better. 'If the people in Palo Alto think that they are promoting justice or school equity by giving money to the Palo Alto school system, they’re wrong. That’s not fundamental change. That’s a self-interested benefit for them.'" As a side note, he does not believe that philanthropy is 'inherently' undemocratic but, as it is set up now, it is. 11/4/19

  • Canada’s polytechnics deserve to be recognized (Policy Options) CANADIAN STORY I am curious to hear what our readers think. "Four-year bachelor’s degrees from colleges are rising in popularity as the work world changes. It’s time to see them for what they are." 10/31/19

  • DO FUNDRAISERS HAVE A DUTY TO THEIR BENEFICIARIES? (Institute of Fundraising) "Sixteen years after Penelope Burk’s book Donor Centered Fundraising was published, the most serious threat to fundraising is the imbalanced donor-centered thesis. While many of the principles of donor communications continue to be highly relevant and appropriate, and Burk is in no way to blame for presenting her research, the not-for-profit- community has failed to grapple with the ramifications of an exclusive focus on donors. We have taken Burk’s thesis too far and into places it ought not go." 10/9/19

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Philanthropic personalities

  • Gert Boyle, Longtime Chairman of Columbia Sportswear, Dies at 95 (WWD) "Columbia Sportswear chairman Gert Boyle, who was best known for her 'One Tough Mother' marketing persona, died [...] at age 95 [...]. During Boyle's tenure, what started as her parents' hat company evolved into a multi brand conglomerate with nearly $3 billion in sales last year." 11/3/19

  • O Canada! Top 15 Richest and Most Successful Canadians of 2019 (Investing.com) CANADIAN STORY A nice list. Missing a few but otherwise useful and interesting. "Canada’s vast business empires span nearly every industry. The billionaire entrepreneurs behind these successful endeavours are not only some of the country’s richest individuals – but also some of the richest in the world. These fortunes have their roots in everything from sports and entertainment to oil, e-commerce and automotive parts." October 2019

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Philanthropic controversy

  • Roundhouse Theatre to keep Sackler name despite turning down £1m donation (BBC) This is a tough conversation. Do you (or should you) do both (turn down the money AND remove the name)? "The venue's studio theatre was renamed the Sackler Space in 2015 after getting a grant from the billionaire family. But arts organisations have since shunned their money due to its connections with the controversial opioid painkiller OxyContin. The Roundhouse turned down a further £1m in 2018. It said the donation could distract 'from our work with young people' [...]. However, they said they do not 'intend to remove the name on the Sackler Space at this time.'" 11/1/19

  • Are Donor Advised Funds Good for Philanthropy? It Depends On Who You Talk To (Worth) "High net worth individuals are increasingly relying on donor advised funds for their philanthropic giving. Yet as the holiday giving season approaches, DAFs, as they are commonly known, are facing scrutiny. The funds, which are administered through 501(c)3s often operated by large financial institutions such as Fidelity, allow donors to give away money and receive a tax break immediately, while delaying the ultimate disbursement of grants for a later time. DAFs provide immediate tax savings, nimbleness and flexibility to donors, as well as typically lower overhead costs than charitable foundations. However critics, including several high-profile billionaire philanthropists, argue that DAFs risk becoming perpetual motion machines that concentrate money rather than distribute it." 10/31/19

  • First donation-funded hospital in Romania: NGO reps say health minister made threats over contributions received (Romania-Insider) "The founders of Dăruieşte Viaţa, the NGO building the first hospital in Romania financed from private donations, say health minister Sorina Pintea threatened them she would notify the prosecutors if they do not hand over to the state the EUR 26 million raised from donations, G4media.ro reported." 10/31/19

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Trends and shifts

  • Ridesharing surpasses taxi trips in Calgary (CBC) CALGARY STORY "The city [of Calgary] says there are 4,202 TNCs [transportation network companies] in Calgary, a number that's been growing rapidly since ridesharing was allowed in Calgary in 2016. Through to the end of September this year, that's about three new drivers every week. Not only are there more people licensed to drive for a TNC, but for the first time in Calgary, the number of trips taken with a ride-hailing company has exceeded the number of taxi trips. " 10/31/19

  • How changing its name helped a Canadian college reverse its fortunes: Part One (Academica Forum) CANADIAN STORY "It’s widely known that declining youth populations have created enrolment challenges for many Canadian postsecondary institutions, especially those that aren’t located in or near urban centres. What might be less well known are the stories of higher ed professionals who have succeeded in addressing these challenges, often with fixed or even declining resources. The story of BC’s Coast Mountain College offers one such example." 10/28/19

  • Retraining oil and gas workers sounds like an easy solution, but the reality is incredibly complex (Financial Post) ALBERTA STORY "Canada’s oilpatch has been struggling since oil prices bottomed out in late 2014, so its troubles are not exactly a new development [...]. Policymakers have been scrambling to keep up with the traditional energy industry’s downturn and quell a brewing sense of resentment and hopelessness in the Western provinces. On the election trail, the rhetoric of 'retraining oil and gas workers' to transition to jobs in renewable energy or cleantech was frequently touted as a solution, but the reality of that transition is incredibly complex, and involves far more than just retraining." 10/21/19

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Large gifts

  • $11-Million Gift to Shape Future of Veterinary Care (University of Guelph) GUELPH STORY This is a transformational gift to animal welfare. More please. "Longtime U of G and [Ontario Veterinary College (OVC)] benefactors Kim and Stu Lang will provide the funding through their Angel Gabriel Foundation. The gift will create the Kim and Stu Lang Community Healthcare Partnership Program (CHPP), the first academic program of its kind in Canada. It will expand initiatives such as OVC’s community outreach and spay-neuter programs that provide veterinary services for shelters and underserviced and remote communities." 11/4/19

  • $150M donation from Huntsman family will establish mental health institute at U of U (Gephardt Daily) Nice gift in support of mental health! "The University of Utah announced [...] a commitment of $150 million from the Huntsman family to establish the Huntsman Mental Health Institute." 11/4/19

  • Saputo Family Makes Visionary $10 Million Donation to Support First-of-its-kind Social Innovation Centre at Concordia University (Financial Post) MONTREAL STORY What a great gift to support collaboration. "A visionary gift of $10 million from the Mirella & Lino Saputo Foundation and the Amelia & Lino Saputo Jr. Foundation will allow the creation of a first-of-its-kind multi-stakeholder collaboration centre at Concordia University." 11/1/19

  • UVic receives $1.6 million donation from long-time patron (Victoria News) VICTORIA STORY "The University of Victoria is the recipient of a $1.6 million donation to the Faculty of Fine Arts. Long-time professor and UVic supporter Roger J. Bishop put forward the donation from his and his late wife, Ailsa’s, estate to create three new endowments: the Ailsa and Roger Bishop Entrance Scholarship in Theater, the Roger J. Bishop Writing Prize and the Ailsa and Roger Bishop Travel Award in Music." 11/1/19

  • MSU GR Research Center receives $5 million donation (NBC) "The university announced [...] that Peter and Joan Secchia donated a second $5 million gift to help complete the $30 million campaign for the $88 million building, which opened in 2017." $10 million Singapore dollars equal approximately $9.7 million CAD. 11/1/19

  • $10m donation and slew of programmes to help young Singaporeans develop green thumb (Straits Times) Exposing young people to nature and gardening will always be a good thing. "Younger Singaporeans will get more opportunities to develop their green thumb thanks to a slew of efforts by the National Parks Board (NParks) and a large donation from billionaire Peter Lim." 11/1/19

  • $15M Donation to Support CF Research Program at University of Queensland (Cystic Fibrosis News Today) "The University of Queensland (UQ), in Australia, has launched its Queensland Cystic Fibrosis Research Program with a goal of improving the life of people with this disease. This research program is supported by $15 million donation put together by several sources: the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation in the U.S., and in Australia, UQ together with the Children’s Hospital Foundation, the department of health Medical Research Future Fund, and an anonymous donor." 10/31/19

  • KGH cardiac program gets final $1.4 million donation (Lake Country Calendar) KELOWNA STORY Such a great gift for residents of the Okanagan. Congrats to all! "Kelowna General Hospital will soon become a full-service caradic centre thanks to a generous donation from an Edmonton and Peace River based businessman. Marshall Eliuk’s $1.4 million donation completes Kelowna General Hospital Foundation’s $7-million campaign to bring advanced heath rhythm services to the region and will save Okanagan patients from traveling to Vancouver or Victoria for treatment." 10/30/19

  • STARS air ambulance recieves $1 Million donation from Redhead Equipment (CKRM) REGINA STORY Nice gift. I love Redhead Equipment. "STARS air ambulance has received a one million dollar donation from Redhead Equipment [...] in North Battleford. The announcement was made to coincide with the grand re-opening of their newest branch in North Battleford, and now marks over two million dollars in donations made by Redhead Equipment to STARS since 2012." 10/30/19

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Welcome to our recap of the week's news, articles, and information of note. ViTreo Group Inc. provides this information for the benefit of our clients, associates, staff, partners, and stakeholders. The content is collected and curated by ViTreo partner Vincent Duckworth. If you would like to submit a link for consideration, please send an email to info@vitreogroup.ca

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