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Le plus beau pays du Monde

Le plus beau pays du Monde

Histoire de: Jean-Marie S-G - Triovest

Nous sommes très privilégiés de vivre dans le plus beau pays du Monde. L’été dernier j’ai eu le plaisir de…

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Le plus beau pays du Monde

Histoire de: Jean-Marie S-G - Triovest

Nous sommes très privilégiés de vivre dans le plus beau pays du Monde. L’été dernier j’ai eu le plaisir de découvrir Terre-Neuve, la dernière province sur ma liste d’endroits à visiter. A Cape Spear, près de St-John’s, je regardai vers l’océan en respirant profondément car j’étais au point de le plus à l’est de l’Amérique du Nord. Quel site!

Mon histoire se passe en 2015 durant un voyage d’affaires à Vancouver. Nous étions réunis, a l’occasion de la remise annuelle des prix LEAP de HOOPP, a l’excellente propriété Marine Gateway gérée par Triovest. Ce complexe multifonctionnel ayant la certification LEED Or est bien servi par le transport public et offre des espaces résidentiels, commerciaux et de bureaux. J’ai reçu durant la cérémonie, au nom de l’équipe du Québec, deux trophées LEAP de HOOPP. Ces trophées reconnaissaient notre travail et l’implication environnementale des locataires.
Durant une pause et faisant face à l’océan, avec les magnifiques Rocheuses à l’arrière-plan, j’ai pris une grande respiration de notre air frais canadien. Quelle joie de vivre dans un pays aussi merveilleux!

Jean-Marie S-G – Triovest

Most Beautiful Country on Earth

Most Beautiful Country on Earth

Histoire de: Jean-Marie S-G - Triovest

How lucky we are to live in the most beautiful country on earth… This summer I had the pleasure of…

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Most Beautiful Country on Earth

Histoire de: Jean-Marie S-G - Triovest

How lucky we are to live in the most beautiful country on earth… This summer I had the pleasure of discovering Newfoundland, the last province on my to do list. In Cape Spear near St-John’s, I was looking across the ocean and breathing deeply as I was standing in the most eastern point of North America. What a site!

My story is about a 2015 business trip that I took in Vancouver. We were gathering for the annual HOOPP LEAP Award at the excellent Marine Gateway managed by Triovest. This mixed-use property with LEED Gold certification is transit oriented and a complete community with residential, office and retail spaces. I received, during the ceremony and on behalf of the Quebec team, two LEAP awards from HOOPP. We were recognized for our work in tenant engagement.

During a break and while facing the Pacific Ocean with the beautiful Rocky Mountains in the background, I took a deep breath of our fresh Canadian air. It is a real privilege to live in such a wonderful country.

Jean-Marie S-G – Triovest

Magic Carpet Ride

Ken W – Coril Holdings Ltd.

Magic Carpet Ride

Ken W – Coril Holdings Ltd.

Having retired from full time employment with Coril Holdings at the end of 2014, and launching my new ‘life business’,…

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Magic Carpet Ride

Ken W – Coril Holdings Ltd.

Having retired from full time employment with Coril Holdings at the end of 2014, and launching my new ‘life business’, 6IX PASSIONS, in January of 2015, I simply could not have imagined how spectacularly things would unfold to allow me to celebrate Canada’s 150th Birthday in 2017!!

Firstly, of my 6IX PASSIONS, one is to “Consult to businesses as a Senior Advisor.” and am delighted that Coril Holdings asked me to stay on in that capacity on a part time basis, thus allowing me to participate in contributing to this outstanding collection of Coril 150 Stories. Secondly, one of my other 6IX PASSIONS, “To explore my creative side.” led to the story that unfolds below.

As I was approaching retirement in 2014, and reflecting back on my time as a student in Electrical Engineering at The University of Alberta in the late 1960’s, I realized that one of the best times I had had in my life was singing, dancing and acting as a member of the cast of The U of A’s Faculty of Drama musical production of George Gershwin’s Girl Crazy. It was early fall of 1968, and through the sheer coincidence of beginning to date a girl who also happened to be auditioning for a part, I unknowingly crashed the auditions, got talked into trying my pipes on stage and ultimately won a significant role, having zero intention to do anything other than have coffee with my date. The subsequent experience of four months of rehearsals, and seven nights of performing with a full cast, chorus and orchestra was just incredible. Girl Crazy opened in the spring of 1969, my graduation year, in the fabulous Students Union Building’s brand new theatre at the U of A. The people I met were nearly all drama students and their passion and attitudes were fabulous. I loved it, and upon graduation that following June, left my exploration of the stage behind for a career in business.

Forty five years later, I began to wonder whether or not I had what it took to successfully audition to join a 50+ person, high performance group of rock music singers in Calgary, called Revv52. It took a Christmas gift from my daughter, Jessica and her partner, Wayne, in December of 2014 to open a huge door for me to embark on what has truly become a ‘magic carpet ride’. Jessica and Wayne gave me a gift certificate for a two hour vocal assessment session with a very accomplished vocal coach in Calgary, Brian Farrell www.brianfarrell.ca That led to an exciting and anxiety filled three months of work leading up to Revv52 auditions at the end of August 2015. I cannot thank my wife, Stephanie, and my sister, Clair Paulson, enough for their unwavering encouragement. Amazingly, I was ultimately successful (after nervously attending two Revv52 rehearsals in early September to see how my voice blended and balanced…or not…with the rest of the group) and from that moment on, I entered a whole big huge beautiful new world of many dimensions of learning, music, performing and building incredible relationships with people I would never have otherwise met.

Since that audition in August of 2015 (and mandatory auditions each August since, to ‘get back in’), I have had the phenomenal pleasure and experience of performing on stage in four uniquely different concerts in 2016 and 2017, each of them with four performances. Performing all rock and pop music, with specially written arrangements for Revv52 (for four part harmony), and accompanied by our Revv52 five member rock band. www.revv52.com Check out YouTube too, for great performances by Revv52.

We also performed in Carnegie Hall in New York City in March of 2016, something that just wasn’t even remotely on my radar screen. That was a fabulous experience.

Then, another door opened and in front of me was the biggest opportunity I have ever had. Some background first: in the fall of 2016, I was fortunate to meet a fellow by the name of Dave Pierce www.davepiercemusic.com at Ron Mannix’ and Diane Deacon’s wedding in San Diego. When Dave discovered that I was a member of Revv52, he told me that he wanted Revv52 to perform as one of the acts in the world famous Calgary Stampede Evening Grandstand Show in July of 2017, as part of The Calgary Stampede’s big Canada 150 Birthday Celebrations. Turns out that Dave, a Grammy award winning producer for his work producing the Opening Ceremonies for Vancouver’s 2010 Winter Olympics, was also the Producer of record for The Stampede Evening Grandstand Show too, a Las Vegas style multi-act outdoor variety extravaganza with audiences of up to 25,000 people each night for eleven nights!! Little did I know he was recruiting for acts for that 2017 Stampede Evening Show!

As a Calgary native, who had attended probably forty Calgary Stampedes in my life, to have the opportunity to perform on that big outdoor Grandstand Stage that I had watched as a spectator for years, and in my hometown, was beyond my imagination.

I introduced the opportunity to my fellow members of Revv52, the excitement built over the early part of 2017 as we met with Dave Pierce, his choreographers, stage managers and music directors and after 9 days of rehearsal in late June and early July, we opened on July 8th with Jann Arden, The Alberta Ballet, high wire acts, aerial specialists, Irish Dancers and many other artists. We performed Joni Mitchell’s award winning song, Both Sides Now with Treaty Seven dancers flanking us. Contrary to the experience of many vocalists performing in outdoor venues, who are usually required to pre-record their vocals and then sing un-amplified on stage with the sound system playing their recorded voices, Revv52 sang into live microphones each night simply because Dave Pierce and his crew were so impressed during rehearsal with the high quality of our voices.

And again, through the magic of music and the intensity of nine rehearsals and eleven evening shows, we established new relationships with many, many great people, both performing artists and back stage professionals. Nothing prepared any of us for the gut thrill of singing O Canada with all 380 artists stretched across that stage, performing the finale each night with a ground shaking display of fireworks all around us and 25,000 people standing in their seats singing their hearts out with us.

Ken W – Coril Holdings Ltd.

Family Tradition

Family Tradition

Histoire de: Ken W - Coril Holdings Ltd.

An Alberta fall on the prairies…blue skies, golden fields of grains in harvest and the sound of thousands and thousands…

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Family Tradition

Histoire de: Ken W - Coril Holdings Ltd.

An Alberta fall on the prairies…blue skies, golden fields of grains in harvest and the sound of thousands and thousands of migratory birds making their way from warm summers in their Northwest Territories nesting grounds to warm winter climates in the southern United States and Mexico.

Also the season for the time honored family tradition of hunting migratory birds during the regulated Alberta Hunting season. Parents who were brought up as bird-game hunters by their parents, passing the exhilaration of spending time with their children outdoors, learning about wildlife, firearms safety and managing good relations with farmers and land owners whose grain crops were ‘shared’ with those many thousands of migratory birds.

In the late 1950’s, Fred C. Mannix , or FC as he was known, became a joint owner of a small and very well located lodge, known as Richdale Lodge, just east of Hanna, Alberta. The location was right in the middle of a centuries old migratory bird ‘flyway’, and was surrounded by countless sections of cultivated land bursting with crops of oats, wheat, barley, peas and canola. Canada geese, Ross’s geese and Snow geese along with many different breeds of ducks covered the fields during their morning and late afternoon feedings and provided challenging opportunities for FC, his friends and his family to set up decoys and try their luck at harvesting dinner!

FC often invited his brother’s in-law, R.A. Bob Kramer from Regina and E.D. Don Wilson from Calgary to join him at Richdale Lodge for a few days of comradery and hunting. As their families grew, FC and Don would bring their children, Fred P. Mannix, Ron Mannix and Ken and Paul and David and Mike Wilson to the Lodge, thus setting up what has become a tradition to this day: the Mannix and Wilson families gathering at Richdale Lodge in the fall for great laughs, food and hopefully goose dinner!!

One of these occasions was in October of 1987 when Bob Kramer turned 80 years old. FC invited his sons, and Don Wilson with his sons to come to Richdale Lodge for the celebration. There was an awful lot more story telling than hunting that weekend, and many, many laughs.

Since then, Fred P. Mannix and Paul Wilson have become owners of Richdale Lodge along with another long-time Calgary business man, W.G. Bill Turnbull and the tradition continues to this day. And the fall of 2017 was no exception with both Mannix’ and Wilson visits to Richdale Lodge in September and October.

Ken W – Coril Holdings Ltd.

First Time Chair

First Time Chair

Histoire de: Courtney B - INLIV

2017 was an exciting year for me because I took on my first Chair position of the Annual Bladder Cancer…

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First Time Chair

Histoire de: Courtney B - INLIV

2017 was an exciting year for me because I took on my first Chair position of the Annual Bladder Cancer Awareness Walk. I have been involved with the event since my diagnosis of Bladder Cancer back in 2014. My first year I was a participant and walked with my family and friends and raised money for Bladder Cancer Canada. The following 2 years I volunteered as part of the walk planning committee and found the work to be incredibly rewarding. Then after last year’s walk (2016) our Chair Val asked me if I would consider co-chairing with her as she is looking to take a less involved roll down the road. I was thrilled to have been asked and said I would be honored and excited to be more involved. Throughout 2017 Val and Alisha (another co-chair) and I worked to build our best event yet. We called ourselves the co-co-chairs. With Val’s leadership and guidance, and with Alisha and I bringing new ideas to the table we managed to put together an incredible event this year. Our participants took the time to let us know just how much they enjoyed this year’s walk.

As one of the least known cancers our mission is simple to create and spread awareness. Did you know that bladder cancer is the 5th most common type of cancer in Canada? This fact is a surprise to most people. It also has the highest recurrence rate of any cancer, which also makes it the most expensive to treat. The people who participate in our walk know this well enough as many of them are patients, survivors or family members of people who’ve been diagnosed. It is such a joy to see this wonderful group of people rally together to make a difference and show support for each other.

Our walk is a national event, which in 2017 occurred in over 20 cities across the country. 2018 is shaping up to be another great year, we are still working on locking in a date, but if your interested in participating, donating or volunteering please contact me!

Courtney B – INLIV

Scarborough and Rouge Hospital Emergency Department Rebuild Project gets Holiday Donation from Woodside Square

Scarborough and Rouge Hospital Emergency Department Rebuild Project gets Holiday Donation from Woodside Square

Histoire de: Fatima M - Triovest

Woodside Square Shopping Centre this past month gifted a sizeable donation, which totaled $3455.00, to the Scarborough Hospital Foundation. For…

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Scarborough and Rouge Hospital Emergency Department Rebuild Project gets Holiday Donation from Woodside Square

Histoire de: Fatima M - Triovest

Woodside Square Shopping Centre this past month gifted a sizeable donation, which totaled $3455.00, to the Scarborough Hospital Foundation. For the third holiday season in a row the mall made a concerted effort to raise funds for the foundation through their Charity Gift Wrap Station and Photos with Santa. Prices for wrapped gifts and photos ranged from $3.00 to $12.00. Customer Service Representatives encouraged mall patrons to use the holiday services for a great cause and informed customers about where the proceeds would be donated. There could not have been a better way for the mall to end off a year of initiative driven collaborations while setting their sights on fresh, new ambitions for 2018. Raising awareness for organizations like the Scarborough Hospital Foundation are one of the many ways Woodside Square Shopping Centre and its staff have committed themselves to giving back to the community.

« The generosity and efforts of mall patrons and community members never ceases to amaze me. Our humble shopping centre, Woodside Square, was able to raise more money for the Scarborough Hospital Foundation than I could have imagined. We are very appreciative of the kind and giving people who support the mall at every turn, » Fatima Malik, Marketing Manager for Woodside Square Shopping Centre.

To find out how you can donate the Scarborough Hospital Foundation, please visit http://www.tsh.to/

Fatima M – Triovest

Winter in Canada

Winter in Canada

Histoire de: Jim W - Triovest

There are lots shared experiences that bind Canadians together, but one common one for most all of us is the…

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Winter in Canada

Histoire de: Jim W - Triovest

There are lots shared experiences that bind Canadians together, but one common one for most all of us is the winter experience – whether it be the positive or negative aspects.

Often, dealing with winter is dealing with little bits of hassle – i.e. short days, doing mundane tasks such as putting on winter clothes, scraping car windows, walking carefully on snowy/icy sidewalks etc.

However, every once in a while, we get to experience the fun parts – getting outside to skate, ski, walk in a park in a snowstorm etc. And experiencing these fun parts with family while on holidays is hard to beat and opens up a typical debate in our family – is Canada better in the summer or winter?

Jim W – Triovest

Salamat, Canada!

Salamat, Canada!

Histoire de: Ochelle Sy B - Triovest

As 2017 ends, I finally have decided to complete my story, six months in the making. December is a month…

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Salamat, Canada!

Histoire de: Ochelle Sy B - Triovest

As 2017 ends, I finally have decided to complete my story, six months in the making. December is a month of giving and it’s just fitting that my story’s title would be “Salamat, Canada!”. Salamat is the Tagalog (Filipino) term for “Thank You”.

Thirty years ago, I was just a little girl living with my grandmother high up in the mountains. Lalab, the Gold Mountain. No electricity. No running water. No supermarket. My daily routine consisted of waking up at five in the morning, cooking breakfast over a fire, fetching a gallon of water at a spring, washing dirty clothes by hand, then bathing at the river, and manning the convenience store (more like a convenience hut). My grandmother would leave early to head to the tunnels to pick through the leftover debris from the miners. Hoping to find some small scraps of gold that we could sell. This endeavour would take her away from six in the morning until six in the evening. At times, when we didn’t have enough profit (from the convenience hut’s sale), our daily bread, literally, was a piece of bread that was cut in half to be shared between my grandma and I for breakfast and lunch.

From the Gold Mountain, we moved to a small town on top of a hill. I enjoyed my days climbing up the guava and mango trees. I would often wonder what was on the other side of the island. As the years passed by, I was given the opportunity to explore the other island (my first boat and escalator experience) and even to the big city, Manila (first plane, elevator and train experience). And if that’s not enough blessing, this girl was given the chance to see the other side of the world, Canada (the Great White North, first snow and subway experience).

Now this little girl has grown up, no longer using fire to cook (maybe for camping), turning on a tap for water, and having a machine to wash clothes instead of her poor little hands. Life is much more different now. Having a degree as a teacher when coming to Canada and not being able to use it was tough! I started from the ground up working retail, but I worked hard. I made it into management and worked harder. Now, to be finally where I am now in Triovest, doing what I am doing, working with a team that cares about more than just their inner circle. A team that reaches out to the community and has a heart and desire to make a difference is truly a blessing. Where and who I am now has enabled me to boldly and generously give back to not only this country and the community I live in but also to my native land, the Philippines! Salamat, Canada!

Ochelle Sy B – Triovest

Civility

Civility

Histoire de: Jill L - Loram Maintenance of Way

Working many years with a Canadian owned ‘outfit’ named Loram Maintenance of Way, Inc., I have had the opportunity to…

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Civility

Histoire de: Jill L - Loram Maintenance of Way

Working many years with a Canadian owned ‘outfit’ named Loram Maintenance of Way, Inc., I have had the opportunity to meet many citizens of the wonderful country of Canada.

I have learned that Canadians do have a very eloquent accent…. Aye, are gracious, kind hearted and polite sprinkled with great loyalty especially to family, business, The Queen and Canada.

Canadians are always open and proud to tell, show and share with you the natural wonders Canada has to offer.

Whether I’ve been in a conference room overlooking the mountains or on a September road trip Canada is so calming and majestic with its array of natural wonders. When embarking on a road trip my Canadian friends proudly provided a long list of super spots to visit, to name a few Banff Lake, Silver Springs Mountain, Columbia Ice Fields, Athabasca Falls, Moraine Lake, Lake Louise, Jasper and the list goes on…..

It is a great honor to have an association with these wonderful people and their Country of Canada.

Jill L – Loram Maintenance of Way

Home Is Where The Heart Is

Home Is Where The Heart Is

Histoire de: Terrence K - Triovest

I am originally from Australia. However, for the past 11 years, I have called Canada home, and while I miss…

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Home Is Where The Heart Is

Histoire de: Terrence K - Triovest

I am originally from Australia. However, for the past 11 years, I have called Canada home, and while I miss the warm weather, I have always felt very welcome here and have had a sense of pride that this is my chosen home. It is celebrations like Canada 150, the Olympics or even the Hockey, that Canadians really let themselves show their pride for this beautiful country. It is the same celebrations that give me joy to live here and proudly say that I am now a part of Canada’s history.

Terrence K – Triovest

 

My Most Memorable Christmas

My Most Memorable Christmas

Histoire de: Clara H - Triovest

Christmas is one of my favourite seasons because of the foods, party, foods, party just #LOL. I immigrated from an…

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My Most Memorable Christmas

Histoire de: Clara H - Triovest

Christmas is one of my favourite seasons because of the foods, party, foods, party just #LOL.

I immigrated from an Asian Country to Canada when I was a teenager. My first white snowy Christmas was in Canada. It was extremely cold but it was such a fun time to play snow fights with my brother; making snowman and enjoying the hot chocolates with my friends. Now I am having these fun traditions with my kids every year. Merry Christmas.

Clara H – Triovest

Children’s Christmas Party!

Children’s Christmas Party!

Histoire de: Jane S - Loram Maintenance of Way

Our Children’s Christmas Party theme this year was Snowmen! We had approximately 120 children ages 11 and under, along with…

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Children’s Christmas Party!

Histoire de: Jane S - Loram Maintenance of Way

Our Children’s Christmas Party theme this year was Snowmen! We had approximately 120 children ages 11 and under, along with their parents; enjoy a festive brunch, pictures with Santa, cookie frosting, dancing, and presents from Santa! Giving a shout out to Canada’s 150th Celebration, our Snowman Tree was all decked out in Loram and Canada accessories! Thank you, Coril for hosting this entertaining and educational avenue to share our stories across our companies. Happy New Year to Everyone!

Jane S – Loram Maintenance of Way

Louise Dean School

Louise Dean School

Histoire de: Coril Team - Coril Holdings Ltd.

The Coril Group has always believed in supporting the communities in which we work, live and play. During this holiday…

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Louise Dean School

Histoire de: Coril Team - Coril Holdings Ltd.

The Coril Group has always believed in supporting the communities in which we work, live and play. During this holiday season, the Coril Team joined together by donating time and money in support of the Louise Dean School, a specialized Grade 9 – 12 education program for pregnant and parenting teens. The support was overwhelming, we raised over $2,400, enabling us to purchase everything on the wish list of a family of five, including clothing, household items, and baby necessities. After all the items were purchased, our employees generously donated their time to wrap everything so the family has presents for under the tree to open on Christmas morning. Due to the immense generosity of the Coril Team, in addition to supporting the family of five, we were able to also purchase strollers and car seats for other families at the school.

On December 9, two volunteers delivered the items to the school and will have the pleasure of getting a tour of the amazing facility.

This initiative was a great way to bring the Coril team together in support of a great cause, and also served as a reminder that there are many people in the communities in which the Coril Group operates who are less fortunate and need our help, not just at Christmas, but all year round.

Coril Team – Coril Holdings Ltd.

Christmas Story

Christmas Story

Histoire de: Nadia Z - INLIV

Growing up in Edmonton, I was blessed to always have Christmas surrounded by a loving family. Memories of special family…

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Christmas Story

Histoire de: Nadia Z - INLIV

Growing up in Edmonton, I was blessed to always have Christmas surrounded by a loving family. Memories of special family members like grandparents, meaningful Christmas ornaments that and gifts that I still remember making me very happy when opening the wrapping paper…a Star Trek fazer and communicator, wow! Silly as it may seem. Now being older and wiser, I see the meaning of Christmas more clearly now, not only the obvious Christian meaning, but also reflecting on everything I am blessed with, a wonderful family, friends, work, and being able to live in an inclusive, accepting and loving country such as Canada.

Nadia Z – INLIV

New Christmas Traditions

New Christmas Traditions

Histoire de: Eden S - INLIV

My hubby and I met over 6 years ago, he came to Canada from Israel. He had arrived in September,…

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New Christmas Traditions

Histoire de: Eden S - INLIV

My hubby and I met over 6 years ago, he came to Canada from Israel. He had arrived in September, and as soon as the holidays begun he was super in awe of Christmas, Santa Claus and all of the decorations (we both worked in the mall at the time so of course inundated with Christmas decorations). Since then, we have merged our traditions, mine of Christmas and his of Hanukkah, into “Chrismukkah!” This way we get to enjoy the fun of all the traditions associated with both holidays while spending time with loved ones that we have also introduced to Hanukkah! It has been a fun experience for everyone in the family!

Christmas Traditions

Christmas Traditions

Histoire de: Caitlyn O - INLIV

Christmas traditions have always been a special quality to my family. We are big at learning traditions of other cultures,…

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Christmas Traditions

Histoire de: Caitlyn O - INLIV

Christmas traditions have always been a special quality to my family. We are big at learning traditions of other cultures, trying new foods that families share, and really looking to experience the world around us. One thing about the holidays that I love to share is the amount of joy that my family has between one another, we bake together, paint together, and watch old movies. Including every Christmas Eve, in which we play Nitendo 64 as a family, until approximately 9:00pm and then finally to finish off the evening we make a warm beverage, with ginger bread and come together to watch “It Happened on 5th Avenue.” A special edition of our Christmas holidays that really are dedicate to the true meaning of coming together in love and happiness.

Caitlyn O – INLIV

Canadian Winter Traditions

Canadian Winter Traditions

Histoire de: Leanne A - INLIV

I am lucky enough to have lived in many places across Canada, BC, Alberta, Montreal, Quebec, Newfoundland and Nova Scotia….

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Canadian Winter Traditions

Histoire de: Leanne A - INLIV

I am lucky enough to have lived in many places across Canada, BC, Alberta, Montreal, Quebec, Newfoundland and Nova Scotia. We have some of the best winter traditions and what’s cool is we celebrate them across the country. In BC when I was in grade school we had Bonhomme, Quebec’s king of the winter carnival. We would have rolled maple syrup that was poured hot over the snow, each of us wearing our red toque and sash to represent Bonhomme as he did for heroes past.

In any province you can find Canadians downhill or cross country skiing, tubing or sledding. There is nothing better than a beautiful blue sky day with the sun shining down on the glistening snow.

And one winter traditions most Canadians share, shoveling snow!

Leanne A – INLIV

Holiday Desserts

Holiday Desserts

Histoire de: Leanne A - INLIV

My dad’s Italian family is from west coast, BC, and my mother is from the east coast, Newfoundland so I…

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Holiday Desserts

Histoire de: Leanne A - INLIV

My dad’s Italian family is from west coast, BC, and my mother is from the east coast, Newfoundland so I got a little bit of everything growing up in terms of traditions!

There were two main desserts we made every year. The Newfie tradition was to make fiddle diddles. These chocolate and krispie desserts were a staple in our house, we would dip them in chocolate, roll them in coconut and give them to everyone we knew. The Italian side was all about pizzella cookies. These were shaped perfectly liked a snowflake, the smell of them reminds me that it is the holidays.

Although the desserts on their own were delicious it was of course the memories that we made that are most lasting.

Leanne A – INLIV

My Favourite Holiday Memory

My Favourite Holiday Memory

Histoire de: Leanne A - INLIV

I love the holidays as it is all about spending time with those you love who we so rarely get…

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My Favourite Holiday Memory

Histoire de: Leanne A - INLIV

I love the holidays as it is all about spending time with those you love who we so rarely get to see.

My favourite memories come from the simplest moments. My dad used to work on the ski patrol where I am from in British Columbia. At the end of the day he would do the final sweep of the hill. We would ride the last chair lift to the top with no one in sight, just a beautiful open mountain. We always took a moment to prop our skis at the very top of the ski run and have some warm tea looking down at the open run below. Mountains tend to remind me of how small we are compared to the rest of the world. This moment and memory is a reminder of the true importance of time with those you love. I will always cherish those moments with my dad.

Leanne A – INLIV

Canadian Holiday Memories

Canadian Holiday Memories

Histoire de: Karen S - INLIV

When my kids were 8, 10, & 12 we did a family trip down to Quebec and Ontario. It was…

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Canadian Holiday Memories

Histoire de: Karen S - INLIV

When my kids were 8, 10, & 12 we did a family trip down to Quebec and Ontario. It was amazing in that we went to old Quebec City, Montreal, the Great Lakes of Ontario, and the Parliament Building. My kids were in French immersion at the time so one of the highlights for them was when we stopped at the Rideau Canal at the Locks enabling them to practice their French. Seeing the maple leaf and the bilingualism of the country and the Great Lakes were just a few of the many highlights.

Karen S – INLIV

FAMILY

FAMILY

Histoire de: Diane Y - The Crossin

This year was a challenge for me, I lost my Dad. For 87 years we gathered at the family farm…

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FAMILY

Histoire de: Diane Y - The Crossin

This year was a challenge for me, I lost my Dad. For 87 years we gathered at the family farm just for coffee (and there were always a sweet to go with it) as well as birthdays, anniversaries, etc. Dad enjoyed a life well lived on a farm he loved.

This year was also a great year as Wendell and I welcomed grandchild number seven into our fold. Jamie is wonderful baby, happy, easy to hold and love. His big sister Caitlin loves him and has enveloped him into her little world. When you gather this Christmas look around at the people you are sharing it with, take the time to really appreciate the season. Cherish the family you have and have had, they are the keys to your past as well as your future.

Merry Christmas!

Most Beautiful Country on Earth

Most Beautiful Country on Earth

Histoire de: Jean-Marie S-G - Triovest

How lucky we are to live in the most beautiful country on earth… This summer I had the pleasure of…

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Most Beautiful Country on Earth

Histoire de: Jean-Marie S-G - Triovest

How lucky we are to live in the most beautiful country on earth… This summer I had the pleasure of discovering Newfoundland, the last province on my “to do list”. In Cape Spear near St-John’s, I was looking across the ocean and breathing deeply as I was standing in the most eastern point of North America. What a site!

My story is about a 2015 business trip that I took in Vancouver. We were gathering for the annual HOOPP LEAP Award at the excellent Marine Gateway managed by Triovest. This mixed-use property with LEED Gold certification is transit oriented and a complete community with residential, office and retail spaces. I received, during the ceremony and on behalf of the Quebec team, two LEAP awards from HOOPP. We were recognized for our work in tenant engagement.

During a break and while facing the Pacific Ocean with the beautiful Rocky Mountains in the background, I took a deep breath of our fresh Canadian air. It is a real privilege to live in such a wonderful country.

Jean-Marie S-G – Triovest

The Wonder Of Canada During Her 150th Birthday

The Wonder Of Canada During Her 150th Birthday

Histoire de: Jason S - Triovest

Our family likes to see the Unesco world heritage sites when we travel. Last year we decided to stick closer…

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The Wonder Of Canada During Her 150th Birthday

Histoire de: Jason S - Triovest

Our family likes to see the Unesco world heritage sites when we travel. Last year we decided to stick closer to home and see the ones in AB including (Waterton Glacier International Peace Park, Canadian Rocky Mountain Parks, Dinosaur Provincial Park, and Head-Smashed-In Buffalo Jump). They were so amazing we decided to plan 3 camping trips for Canada’s 150. First on the Canada day long weekend we camped in the Waterton townsite campground. We even participated in the parade and did several wonderful hikes along with geocaching in the park. Our second trip involved a 1 week stay at Pacific Rim campground which is a part of a protected Unesco biosphere reserve. We hiked through rainforests and on the wonderful beaches, as well as, did several of the interpretive programs including tracking wolves and seeing the tidal pools. Our last camping trip was Lake Louise where we also hiked to beautiful lakes including Morraine Lake, Peyto Lake, Lake Louise and Agnes Lake. We also took a bus tour at the Columbia Icefields and walked on the Athabasca glacier.

Jason S – Triovest

Four Generations

Four Generations

Histoire de: Nishita W - Gemini Corporation

During thanksgiving weekend, my mother, grandmother, toddler and I made a trip down to visit my brother in Victoria, BC….

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Four Generations

Histoire de: Nishita W - Gemini Corporation

During thanksgiving weekend, my mother, grandmother, toddler and I made a trip down to visit my brother in Victoria, BC. This trip was a long time in the making; my grandpa had always wanted to go out west but he passed earlier this year. Additionally, as is typical in life, the last few years had brought upon some changes. My grand-mom had surgery on both her knees, my brother was unsure where to settle after university, and I had moved back from Australia and was getting acquainted with motherhood.

We all knew it was a miracle trip; it encompassed all four generations of our family! It was a trip to cherish and maximize, a trip of a lifetime.

Over the weekend, we did the usual touristy activities including mineral pool spas, beach views, unique boutiques and tasty establishments. However, the most memorable moments were before we headed out and after our daily adventures, basically when we stayed in. We would laugh and poke fun at each other, set up pillow obstacles for my son to tumble over, and binge on junk food while watching movies.

The trip reiterated a few thoughts that I’ve always known but need regular reminders to allow them to seep in. First off, the love and support I’ve received is a privilege, and no amount of gratitude could reciprocate this, it can only be paid forward. Second, the simple moments of life are truly beautiful and deserve to be enjoyed. Lastly, opportunities to share stories don’t come by often enough, and should always be taken advantage of.

Nishita W – Gemini Corporation

The Greying of Canada

The Greying of Canada

Histoire de: Cheryl W - Coril Holdings Ltd.

This greying effect of Canada’s population is not anything new; but as Canada’s baby boomers age it is becoming more…

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The Greying of Canada

Histoire de: Cheryl W - Coril Holdings Ltd.

This greying effect of Canada’s population is not anything new; but as Canada’s baby boomers age it is becoming more and more prevalent in our society today. For the first time since 1871, seniors make up the bigger share of our population. In 2016 children under age 14 made up 16.6% while seniors made up 16.9%. That’s 5.9 million seniors compared with 5.8 million children 14 and under. This is happening now because there are so many healthier aging baby boomers as well as longer life expectancies.

Because of this phenomenon, the portion of the working population, those between 15 and 64, declined to 66.5% from 68.5% over the last five years. This rapid pace of aging comes with profound implications however—everything from pension plans to health care, the labor market and social services. It affects future housing needs, public transportation needs and consumer trends, let alone a shrinking tax base for our governments to contend with. And these problems will only increase. Among these 2016 stats one in eight of those 65 and older, is aged 85 and older.

If statistics interest you, here’s even more interesting facts. The fastest growing population since the last consensus in 2011 is centenarians. There are now over 8,200, an increase of 41.6%. There are five women for every one man, a result of women having the longer life expectancy –83.6 for women compared to 79.4 for men. And by 2051, the number of centenarians could reach as high as 40,000; that’s five times higher than now. The first of the baby boomers born between 1946 and 1951 will be aged 100 and older by then.

If these statistics make you think how old Canada is, think again. Among the G7 countries Canada, along with the United States have the lowest share of seniors. Japan comes in as the oldest population with more than one quarter of its population being seniors.

There is a false stereotype now that those between 15 and 64 are smarter and more economically productive than our seniors. But me and many other seniors will tell you this is certainly not true. You don’t all of a sudden become less intelligent on your 65th birthday. There are so many more people staying in the labor force beyond 65. That’s a good thing because this generation shares their wisdom, act as role models and mentors, and foster family relationships across generations. More and more young people will find jobs working for older people.

As for me, yes, I am now one of those seniors. However I am not one of those staying in the work force. At least that is not my plan. But, I still have many years and many dreams left, with many different directions to discover, many undertakings to tackle. Who knows, I may even become one of Canada’s centenarians. I’ll be 100 in 2052. I live by the words of C.S Lewis “you are never too old to set another goal or to dream a new dream ».

Cheryl W – Coril Holdings Ltd.

Simple Wonders

Simple Wonders

Histoire de: Robin K - Coril Holdings Ltd.

As Canadians, most of us take the simple wonders of our countries natural beauty for granted. This photo is taken…

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Simple Wonders

Histoire de: Robin K - Coril Holdings Ltd.

As Canadians, most of us take the simple wonders of our countries natural beauty for granted. This photo is taken near a small village in which I once lived. Lytton, BC. Lytton is located about 260 kms northeast of Vancouver along the Trans-Canada Highway. Where I once lived. To cross the river, you use a ferry, this ferry only holds 4 cars and about 10 walking passengers and it’s powered by an old fashioned pulley system.

It’s where the cleaner waters of the Thompson River join up with the muddy waters of the Fraser River. Or a great place to go panning for gold, and white water river rafting. Lytton is also considered the hot spot of Canada. Temperatures in the summer averaged 40°C. Going outside without shoes was not an option.

This small wonder within our Canadian borders is shared with few notable others around the world including:
• Rhone and Arve Rivers in Geneva, Switzerland
• Ilz, Danube and Inn Rivers in Passau, Germany
• Ohio and Mississippi Rivers at Cairo, IL, USA
• Jialing and Yangtze Rivers in Chongqing, China
• Rio Negro and Rio Solimoes near Manaus, Brazil
• Green and Colorado Rivers in Canyonland National Park, Utah, USA
• Alaknanda and Bhagirathi Rivers in Devprayag, India
• Mosel and Rhine Rivers in Koblenz, Germany
• Drava and Danuve Rivers near Osijeck, Croatia

Robin K – Coril Holdings Ltd.

Canada Spoils You With So Much Natural Beauty!

Canada Spoils You With So Much Natural Beauty!

Histoire de: Kirby M - Coril Holdings Ltd.

A few years ago I was traveling in Argentina and met some people from around the world in a walking…

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Canada Spoils You With So Much Natural Beauty!

Histoire de: Kirby M - Coril Holdings Ltd.

A few years ago I was traveling in Argentina and met some people from around the world in a walking tour. They had just travelled up from the Patagonia region doing amazing hikes in the Andes. I distinctly remember this one gentleman who was especially excited to tell me about the glacier he had seen the week before and was showing me pictures on his camera. Earlier in the summer, I had just rode my motorcycle 3 hours north of Calgary to go eat lunch while staring at a glacier at the Columbia Icefield and rode back home the same day. I took a bit of the excitement away from him and felt a little bad about it, I was just trying to relate. Canada spoils you with so much natural beauty!

Kirby M – Coril Holdings Ltd.

My Remembrance Day Story

My Remembrance Day Story

Histoire de: Ruth K - Triovest

The most memorable Remembrance Day to me happened when I was posted in Kandahar Afghanistan. I was waiting for the…

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My Remembrance Day Story

Histoire de: Ruth K - Triovest

The most memorable Remembrance Day to me happened when I was posted in Kandahar Afghanistan. I was waiting for the bus to come to take myself and some fellow co-workers to the airplane hangar for ceremonies. We were waiting outside the Canadian Tim Hortons and rows of British tanks rolled up. British soldiers were busy loading their automatic rifles that were mounted on the top of the tanks and they were preparing to leave the wire. They were going to what we call a FOB (a base off of our base) and they were stopping to pick up Tim Hortons before they left KAF (Kandahar Air Field, our base was called). Tim Hortons was closed for Remembrance Day ceremonies and they had to leave prior to it reopening. My friend Roxy and I stood there talking to them as they discussed their upset of it being closed but understood why. Our ride never showed up to pick us up, so we started to run to the hangar and the British soldiers, once finished loading their weapons left the base to what we hoped was a successful journey. We arrived at the airplane hangar and lined up. We wore on this day our beige dress pants and red golf shirts. This was our dress clothes for ramp ceremonies (when a soldier was sent home after dying in combat) and for medal ceremonies (when I was blessed to have received my medal for time served) and for special occasions such as Remembrance Day Ceremonies. I stood there, listening to the Bagpipes play (by a talented service man), listening to the service with pride and thinking this day will never be the same for me again, and it never has been. On this day we didn’t have a single rocket attack come into the base (this was likely the only day this didn’t happen my whole tour), and so this year on Remembrance Day I woke to a beautiful message from my parents. They thanked me for my service, how proud they are of me, how they cried for me that morning and that they were glad when I came home (although with some bad memory battle scars, I came home). Messages of thanks from my family and friends and I spent the day remembering friends lost, memories of my time there, good and bad and I thank God for keeping me safe while others weren’t so lucky. Remembrance Day for me means freedom and safety. My son has now decided to follow in my foot steps and is currently joined the Canadian Armed Forces. I spoke to him on Remembrance Day and he thought his first parade was awesome (he’s in basic training) and I look forward to watching him graduate in December. His journey will start where mine ended.

Ruth K – Triovest

Field of Crosses

Field of Crosses

Histoire de: Jane T - Coril Holdings Ltd.

Every November, volunteers join together to place a white cross alongside Memorial Drive in recognition of every fallen soldier from…

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Field of Crosses

Histoire de: Jane T - Coril Holdings Ltd.

Every November, volunteers join together to place a white cross alongside Memorial Drive in recognition of every fallen soldier from Southern Alberta who fought for our country. The tribute is called Field of Crosses and was started nine years ago, it now has a cross in the ground for 3,140 soldiers killed in action, dating back to Bohr War. The goal of the initiative is to “create awareness that our freedom did not come without a price and to honour the sacrifice of those soldiers who for our free tomorrow gave their today”. It is a very powerful visual on its own, and is further complemented by a memorial service that is held at sunrise and sunset every day between November 1 and November 11.

I have started going every year to the November 11 service and then wandering through the crosses after, looking at the names, ages and the tributes, pictures and flowers that family members place at the crosses of their loved ones.

It is not only a great way to remember those who fought for Canada’s freedom, but also a beautiful visual statement marked by endless rows of crisp white crosses and Canadian flags.

Jane T – Coril Holdings Ltd.

Lest We Forget

Lest We Forget

Histoire de: Stephen M - Triovest

To celebrate Canada’s Sesquicentennial, our family travelled to Ottawa over Canada Day. Perhaps the most moving moment was visiting the…

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Lest We Forget

Histoire de: Stephen M - Triovest

To celebrate Canada’s Sesquicentennial, our family travelled to Ottawa over Canada Day. Perhaps the most moving moment was visiting the National War Memorial. We stood at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier and circled the monument, studying the faces of the bronze soldiers. Our young children asked about the multiple dates on the base and we described the various armed conflicts in which Canadians have served and sacrificed.

This Remembrance Day, we all watched the service from the National War Memorial with a new appreciation. As Canadians, we are incredibly fortunate for our freedoms and must always remember those who sacrificed to defend them.

Stephen M – Triovest

Remembering The Best Mentor EVER Dr. Derrick Thompson

Remembering The Best Mentor EVER Dr. Derrick Thompson

Histoire de: Kelly B - INLIV

As a young graduate from the University of Calgary looking for a career in exercise physiology I “lucked” into the…

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Remembering The Best Mentor EVER Dr. Derrick Thompson

Histoire de: Kelly B - INLIV

As a young graduate from the University of Calgary looking for a career in exercise physiology I “lucked” into the opportunity of a life time [literally]! In 1979 I joined Foothills Health Consultants and met Dr. Derrick Thompson who soon became much more than my employer – he was my friend, my mentor and towards the end, my business partner. Derrick was a visionary in the world of medicine he pioneered many programs that changed the way corporations addressed the health of their employees and he touched the lives of thousands of Calgaryians as a specialist in internal medicine. But his visionary ways didn’t stop with innovations in medicine. He also loved the land and was inspired by the landscapes of southern Alberta where he grew up. He believed strongly in the importance of these landscapes for their ability to support clean water, wildlife and our heritage. Later in his life he was involved in efforts to conserve these valuable lands and pursued the linkages between human and ecological health. Including the sustainable production of healthy foods. WOW if you knew him, even just a little, you always considered yourself lucky and if you never got to meet him I hope you are inspired to be involved in building a strong, healthy, and vibrant community just as he did. He is truly missed – everyday.

My mentor, my friend!

Kelly B – INLIV

Canada 150 – A Trip to Ottawa

Canada 150 – A Trip to Ottawa

Histoire de: Jori G - The Crossing

Mary and I belong to a worldwide culinary association called La Chaine des Rotisseurs, and the National conference was in…

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Canada 150 – A Trip to Ottawa

Histoire de: Jori G - The Crossing

Mary and I belong to a worldwide culinary association called La Chaine des Rotisseurs, and the National conference was in Ottawa this year, which we could not miss. Besides all the culinary delights we enjoyed, our National Capital has so much to offer. A guided tour through the Parliament building provided us with a renewed appreciation of the political history, the Canadian Museum of History showed us the multicultural heritage Canada has and how proud we should be to live in this beautiful country, the National Gallery of Canada with its display of paintings and sculptors that are not to be missed and the Canadian War Museum humbled by the sacrifices Canadians have made. This was a truly memorable vacation, especially being able to visit Ottawa during Canada 150!

Jori G – The Crossing

Waterfowl and Rail Roads

Waterfowl and Rail Roads

Histoire de: Kevin B – Loram Maintenance of Way

Being an avid waterfowl hunter, I had a bucket list item of venturing to the Canadian prairie pothole region on…

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Waterfowl and Rail Roads

Histoire de: Kevin B – Loram Maintenance of Way

Being an avid waterfowl hunter, I had a bucket list item of venturing to the Canadian prairie pothole region on a hunting trip. As it turns out, I made it to the region, but on a Loram specialty grinder not as a hunter. It was back in 2007 aboard MPC1 just outside of Bigger, Saskatchewan when these two worlds met…kind of. I remember the first crisp fall morning heading to the machine and seeing a large flock of several hundred snow geese in an adjacent field to our tie up location. As we fired up the machine and began our daily brake test, the moment we tested our horns, the flock came alive and started to take flight. As we went about getting track time and grinding crossing after crossing (roughly 50 that day if I recall) the flock of snow geese followed us. At each cycle of our horn at a crossing, the geese made an about face and headed straight for the machine. All told, this unique water fowler turned rail grinder story went on for nearly a week. Never did see those geese again near as I can tell. Today, the bucket list item remains with a new sense of what may lie ahead when I get there. Can’t wait!

Kevin B – Loram Maintenance of Way

What Remembrance Day Means To Me

What Remembrance Day Means To Me

Histoire de: Christine F - INLIV

When I was a young girl growing up in Northern Manitoba Remembrance Day meant chilly morning services that I was…

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What Remembrance Day Means To Me

Histoire de: Christine F - INLIV

When I was a young girl growing up in Northern Manitoba Remembrance Day meant chilly morning services that I was encouraged to attend through school events and through the small tight knit community where I lived. Even though I was born into a long time military family (members serving at Vimy Ridge, WW2, Peace time, Bosnia, Korean and Afghanistan to list a few) I was just going through the motions.

As I was remembering those young and old who had served our country I was remembering strangers through pictures, stories and other people’s memories. I grew up listening to the stories of those who left home to serve their country so that we can live in peace. They were defending our Canadian ideals of freedom, democracy and equality for all citizens of this fragile planet.

They always came home. They went through hell. They seen their friends’ parish in front of them. They seen what oppression and hate could do to a country. They themselves felt at times that they would never see their loved ones again but they always came home. Some returned battered and bruised both physically and mentally, but they always came home.

In 2006 my cousin was deployed to Afghanistan for his first tour of duty. At 25 years of age he knew that his calling was to serve. Having witnessed the good that he was doing first hand only strengthened his passion for helping people. He wore his uniform with extreme pride. In 2008 he deployed for his 2nd tour with plans for a 3rd in 2009 already being planned. We would listen with such attention to ever news report about the fighting and soldiers that were losing their lives with great nervousness yet a slight naive notion that “It won’t happen to him”.

On July 18, 2008 I woke up to the news reports that the 88th Canadian Soldier to lose his life in Afghanistan was in fact my cousin, Corporal James Hayward Arnal. From that moment on our world would forever be changed. It brought a truth to Remembrance Day and every day since. It has created an emptiness in our hearts and has brought us all closer together no matter how near or far we may be. It has taken us from a distant feeling of remembrance of people in pictures and stories and has made it all too real and personal for us all. It has made my children painfully aware of the sacrifice made by so many throughout the years as it is often taken for granted. It has also taught us all that remembering is important and it is our duty as Canadians to keep the memories of all alive.

We will stand with strangers, friends, family and veterans on the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month. We will be scattered throughout this beautiful country. We will remember those who still serve our country as men and women in uniform and in harm’s way.

Christine F – INLIV

Ontario Summer Vacations

Ontario Summer Vacations

Histoire de: Chris P - Loram Maintenance of Way

Although I’ve worked for Loram since 2010 at the main office in Hamel, Minnesota — Minnesota isn’t my home. I…

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Ontario Summer Vacations

Histoire de: Chris P - Loram Maintenance of Way

Although I’ve worked for Loram since 2010 at the main office in Hamel, Minnesota — Minnesota isn’t my home. I grew up in rural Western New York, just a stone’s throw from scenic Niagara Falls.

Besides visiting « the Falls » and other regional attractions, my early experience with Canada came from my family’s yearly summer fishing trips into the Province of Ontario beginning in the early 1970’s. Each summer we met many natives and vacationers – all were friendly and welcoming. I never got used to the colloquial ‘eh?’ that seemed to end nearly every sentence… « Beautiful sunrise this morning, eh? » Of course, there were other subtle differences, but that stood out as unique and something that no one from the States would ever say — in the two minutes it took to cross the Rainbow Bridge we had entered into an entirely different culture!

My father was an avid walleye fisherman or as I learned to call them ‘pickerel’. Before the days of electronic fish finders, he was content to sit for hours in a rented aluminum boat drifting with the wind and hoping to run into a school.

God, how I hated walleye fishing! Memory is a tricky thing, but the sensation felt like something that vacillated between impatiently waiting seeing how long it took to drown a night crawler and occasionally reeling in a fish that had about as much fight as a waterlogged stick.

Luckily, as I we got older, my father felt my older siblings and I should be able to go off on our own; after all, 6 people fishing off the side of a small boat was more than any of us could stand for too long. One afternoon I found myself in a borrowed canoe. It may not sound like much, but it changed how I felt about fishing. Paddling leisurely around some small islands, I was able to lob a Hula Popper into the shallows under some overhanging tree limbs. There was a pause, a huge swirl, and a hugely disappointing miss! On the next cast a few seconds later my first 5-lb large-mouth bass surged to the surface, shook his head and then dove for cover. It was a heck of a fight for 12 year old with a fiberglass rod and a Zebco 202 reel; it seemed to make time stand still. I landed that fish – but looking back, I think that single fish is what keeps me on the water today entering in local bass tournaments with my Loram fishing partner.

When my mind goes back to growing up, summer days, and family trips; I think Canada.

Chris P – Loram Maintenance of Way

Sacrifice

Sacrifice

Histoire de: Ryan H - INLIV

My Grandfather was 19 years old when he went to Europe from New Zealand for WWII. He was away from…

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Sacrifice

Histoire de: Ryan H - INLIV

My Grandfather was 19 years old when he went to Europe from New Zealand for WWII. He was away from his wife for 6 years, his wife was pregnant when he left so he didn’t meet his first born daughter until she was 6 years old. A letter every few months from prisoner of war camp was the only contact he had with his family. He sacrificed so much for his country and the greater good of freedom. I think of this often when I think that things in my life are difficult and it really puts it in perspective for me.

Ryan H – INLIV

Triple the Happiness

Triple the Happiness

Histoire de: Pam W - Coril Holdings Ltd.

Every weekend for the past year and a half we have had the pleasure of dog sitting my eldest daughter’s…

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Triple the Happiness

Histoire de: Pam W - Coril Holdings Ltd.

Every weekend for the past year and a half we have had the pleasure of dog sitting my eldest daughter’s two Golden Retrievers, Theodore and Wesley. At 6:00 am every weekend morning, Cooper, our Golden Retriever/Lab X, promptly gets up from his comfy bed and sits looking out the front living room window in anticipation of his “Bros” coming to play. This always amazes me…how does he know?… can he really tell time?… and clearly he understands English!!

The three of them get along famously and spend their days sleeping, wrestling, and playing. The highlight of their day, however, is when they get to go swimming and roaming at the off leash park down by the bow river, or hiking somewhere in Kananaskis. Not only is this great exercise and an opportunity for them to burn off some energy, it is also a perfect excuse for my husband and me to take a break from our “honey do” lists and spend some quality time together in the beautiful Canadian outdoors.

Pam W – Coril Holdings Ltd.

Une histoire de famille

Une histoire de famille

Histoire de: George G - Triovest

Je suis un Canadien d’origine grecque natif de Montréal, ville où j’ai grandi et passé toute ma vie d’adulte. Mon…

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Une histoire de famille

Histoire de: George G - Triovest

Je suis un Canadien d’origine grecque natif de Montréal, ville où j’ai grandi et passé toute ma vie d’adulte.

Mon grand-oncle, qui habitait à Kranidi, dans la péninsule grecque du Péloponnèse, a émigré à Montréal dans les années 1880. À l’époque, Montréal comptait 150 000 habitants, dont un peu moins de 300 Grecs. Il a fondé le restaurant Geracimo en 1887. En 1906, son frère, mon grand-père paternel, est mort, laissant dans le deuil sa femme et huit jeunes enfants. Mon grand-oncle a alors décidé de faire venir ses quatre neveux à Montréal, en commençant par le plus vieux, puis ses nièces, l’aînée d’abord, et enfin sa belle-sœur, ma grand-mère. L’une de ses nièces est restée en Grèce avec son mari. Plus tard, les deux ont péri dans une épidémie, mais leurs enfants, un garçon et une fille, ont survécu. Mon grand père les a aussi accueillis à bras ouverts. Les neveux se sont mis à travailler dans le restaurant de mon grand-oncle et ont fait grandir l’entreprise. Les plus vieux occupaient les meilleurs emplois et servaient les clients, tandis que les plus jeunes s’affairaient en cuisine et dans l’arrière-boutique. C’était à mon père, le cadet, que revenaient les tâches les moins gratifiantes. Cela lui a toutefois permis de devenir un grand chef et il a ensuite transmis ses secrets culinaires à mes tantes et à ma mère. Les nièces n’avaient pas à travailler et les orphelins étaient assez jeunes pour fréquenter l’école.

Voici une publicité datant de 1928 faisant la promotion d’une pièce de théâtre. Dans le bas du feuillet, on peut lire une annonce pour le restaurant de mon père et de mon oncle : 35 cents pour un repas trois services!

Mon grand-père maternel a quitté l’île ionienne de Zante, en Grèce, pour s’établir en Amérique dans l’espoir de vivre une vie meilleure. Arrivé à Ellis Island, aux États-Unis, il a dû rebrousser chemin pour des raisons de santé et s’est ainsi retrouvé à Londres, où il a été hébergé par un proche pendant environ un an. Il a ensuite mis le cap sur Halifax, puis a poursuivi son chemin jusqu’à Montréal. Un an après son arrivée, il a fait venir sa femme et son jeune fils. Ils se sont établis dans l’arrondissement d’Hochelaga Maisonneuve, jadis un quartier ouvrier principalement habité par des immigrants européens, et quatre autres enfants sont venus agrandir la famille. Ma mère, sa fille aînée, a été forcée d’abandonner l’école à l’âge de 12 ans pour aider sa mère dans les tâches ménagères. Mes grands parents accueillaient constamment des invités dans leur maison, notamment des immigrants grecs de l’île de Zante ou d’îles avoisinantes à la recherche d’un port d’attache. Ils les aidaient à trouver du travail et à s’établir dans le pays.

Mon grand-père a travaillé comme épicier, mais cette carrière n’a pas été très fructueuse. C’est dans le cinéma, une industrie en pleine effervescence, qu’il a trouvé sa vocation dans les années 1920 : lui et trois compatriotes ont fondé la société United Amusement, à laquelle on doit la construction et la gestion de plusieurs salles de cinéma classiques, dont le Granada, un magnifique cinéma de style Art déco situé sur la rue Sainte-Catherine Est à Montréal, qu’on peut voir sur photo ci-dessous. L’édifice, construit à la fin des années 20, a depuis été restauré, rénové et rebaptisé Théâtre Denise-Pelletier.

La vie urbaine au Canada à la fin du XIXe siècle et au début du XXe siècle n’était pas facile. Sans ressource, sans éducation et sans connaissance pratique du français ou de l’anglais, subvenir à ses besoins était en soi un exploit. Ces deux familles ont non seulement surmonté de redoutables obstacles, mais elles ont également prospéré et réussi à aider leurs proches et leurs compatriotes se retrouvant dans une situation semblable. Pour elles, le Canada était la terre de tous les possibles. Ici, il était possible de vivre à l’abri des conflits armés et des occupations étrangères, des déplacements de population, des guerres civiles et de la pauvreté.

Les choses dont nous profitons aujourd’hui en tant que Canadiens ne devraient pas être tenues pour acquises. Nous sommes tous très chanceux de faire partie de ce beau pays et je suis convaincu que mes prédécesseurs seraient du même avis.

George G – Triovest

Surviving a Canadian Childhood in the 70s

Surviving a Canadian Childhood in the 70s

Histoire de: Kim R - Triovest

Surviving a Canadian (Newfoundland) childhood in the 70s Growing up in the 70s could be described as neglectful by today’s…

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Surviving a Canadian Childhood in the 70s

Histoire de: Kim R - Triovest

Surviving a Canadian (Newfoundland) childhood in the 70s

Growing up in the 70s could be described as neglectful by today’s parental standards. However, I survived with many bumps and bruises along the way but lots of fun memories.

My dad believed kids should be outside while the sun was shining and no such thing as watching television or playing video games.

Tobogganing down a steep curvy hill on a car “bonnet” not quite making the turn and ending up smacking into a large tree. I went home with a goose egg bump on the front of my forehead but no emergency room visit for me – just told to be more careful.

Growing up in St. Johns, Nfld. our winters were ones to remember. Waking up to snow drifts that buried our house would be scary but not for us, we found a way to have fun while digging ourselves out. Then we’d climb on the roof of the house and jump off into the beautiful deep snow wow! What a blast! Can you say snow day!

Growing up in Nfld. our dad would take us cod fishing down by the wharf. We were tiny little girls and I wanted to fish so bad so my dad gave me a fishing rod. I was so excited I put the hook in the water and within seconds I caught a 40lb. cod – I was maybe 50 lbs myself and if my dad wasn’t quick on his feet that cod would have hooked me right into the ocean but in the end, I caught the biggest fish that day. My siblings were so jealous.

We were always playing board games. One day I was playing Mastermind with my sister and dad kicked us out of the kitchen to play in another room well I was so afraid of my sister cheating I backed up away from the table holding the game and hiding my moves so my sister couldn’t see. As I was backing up I didn’t see that my dad had the basement hatch door open and my sister was trying to tell me to stop. I thought “oh no you’re not seeing my moves”. Well I should have stopped – she looked on in horror as I fell down the hatch still holding the game with all the pieces flying in the air. I swear my back still hurts to this very day.

We really didn’t know the dangers of hitchhiking back in the 70s. I was in kindergarten and decided I didn’t want to walk home so I put my thumb out and lucky me this friendly person picked me up – wow the thumb works just like how my older brothers showed me. This friendly lady drove me right to my front door and proudly told my dad how I managed the ride home. I couldn’t sit for a week – I never stuck my thumb out ever again!

Kim R – Triovest

Getting To Know You

Getting To Know You

Histoire de: Mindy M - Coril Holdings Ltd.

As I write this, I am entering my 9th month with Coril, and what a time to join the Group!…

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Getting To Know You

Histoire de: Mindy M - Coril Holdings Ltd.

As I write this, I am entering my 9th month with Coril, and what a time to join the Group! I feel that I joined the company at a very special time, as these stories began trickling in mere weeks after my start date, and the Canada 150 initiative has been a part of my day-to-day ever since. The stories provide such wonderful insight into the lives of the people I am lucky enough to call co-workers. There is such a range of personalities and interests represented in these pages, but all of them paint a picture of a group of people dedicated to their families, communities, and careers. They are creative, fun-loving, active, and caring; true Canadians one and all. It’s a real treat to get a small snapshot into the personal lives and passions of people I may not get to interact with personally every day. I would like to take this opportunity to thank each one of you who wrote stories, for letting me get to know you a little better, and I can’t wait to read the ones still to come!

To those of you reading this 50 years from now, I hope that you find these pieces of our lives heart-warming and nostalgic, and I hope they make you proud to work for the same organization. To those of you who are still with the group 50 years from now, re-reading stories you wrote in your youth, I hope they bring a smile to your face remembering bygone years, and I hope to count myself among you. Though I will be 80 that year, I can’t see myself not wanting to be present when these letters and stories are once again read.

Happy 150th Canada, I look forward to seeing what another 50 years will bring!

Mindy M – Coril Holdings Ltd.

The Breakfast Club

The Breakfast Club

Histoire de: Henry N - Triovest

Every five years employees of the Loram group of companies are formally recognized for their service to the organization. A…

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The Breakfast Club

Histoire de: Henry N - Triovest

Every five years employees of the Loram group of companies are formally recognized for their service to the organization. A major milestone in this progression of anniversaries is to be inducted into the Quarter Century Club at a formal luncheon held every September.

A brief excerpt from the 2017 Inductee Luncheon program reads as follows:
“When this unique club of individuals was formed in September 1988, the membership included 176 living men and women. Since then an additional 194 living members and 24 posthumous members have been identified and honoured. Today we are very pleased to add nine more individuals to its ranks, bringing the member ship to 403.”

Another excerpt from the program is as follows:
“Since the early 1990’s, in conjunction with the Quarter Century Club annual luncheon, we have held a special breakfast for our employees who reach the incredible milestone in their careers of 40 years of service.

This year we have a new member to add to this elite group. On September 22, 2017 we welcomed Mr. Henry Neufeld, Development Consultant at Triovest Realty Advisors Inc. to the 40 Year Breakfast Club. This distinguished group of individuals now numbers 36…”

It is with great pride and humility that I have served the Loram group of companies for 40 years in various capacities and I now look forward to a long and healthy retirement.

Perhaps I will join another breakfast club in the near future…at my neighbourhood Tim Horton’s outlet.

Henry N – Triovest

Diversity on the Basketball Court

Diversity on the Basketball Court

Histoire de: Vince B - Triovest

This summer my 16 year old daughter played on a traveling basketball team that played at a number of tournaments…

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Diversity on the Basketball Court

Histoire de: Vince B - Triovest

This summer my 16 year old daughter played on a traveling basketball team that played at a number of tournaments in Canada and in the United States. At one of tournaments, the parents and players got together for a meal and started a discussion about each family’s heritage and origin story. We came to the conclusion that the team represented the offspring of families from 13 different countries and 4 different continents. It was a quintessentially Canadian team – the origins of its members so diverse that their main connections were their identities as Canadians and their shared love of basketball.

To me this was a snapshot of what Triovest as a company and Canada as a country are all about. A group of different people with different origins united by common values and a love of what they are doing. Definitely worth celebrating

Vince B – Triovest

Road to Conquer Cancer Hockey Tournament

Road to Conquer Cancer Hockey Tournament

Histoire de: Ben W - Triovest

Like many kids growing up in Canada, I’ve been exposed to hockey throughout my life. Ever since I can remember,…

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Road to Conquer Cancer Hockey Tournament

Histoire de: Ben W - Triovest

Like many kids growing up in Canada, I’ve been exposed to hockey throughout my life. Ever since I can remember, I’ve been playing hockey. My parents put me into skating lessons as soon as I was able to stand and ever since then it has been a huge part of my life. Like most people, cancer has also had a very big impact on my life. Unfortunately, just as long as I can remember playing hockey, I have troubling memories of cancer.

It is for these reasons that I was so excited to hear that Triovest has been a proud participant in the Road Hockey to Conquer Cancer tournament for several years. It’s a tournament that brings together thousands of hockey players to raise funds for cancer research and play Canada’s national game for a full day.

It was a great way to participate in a cause that is so close to me and many others, while also enjoying a day of sports and activities. While only an employee of Triovest for a few months at the time, it was a good way to connect with new colleagues that are just as passionate about both hockey and cancer research as I am.

This year (2017), 2 world records were broken that was previously set by the tournament. A total of 1,750 hockey players came together to raise $2.6 million for the cause. The Triovest’s hockey team almost doubled their fundraising goal, raising a total of $19,042.

Ben W – Triovest

Our People. Our Company. Our Country

Our People. Our Company. Our Country

Histoire de: Alan M - Triovest

As I have had the pleasure of traveling across Canada on her 150th birthday, the values that hold our country…

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Our People. Our Company. Our Country

Histoire de: Alan M - Triovest

As I have had the pleasure of traveling across Canada on her 150th birthday, the values that hold our country together have become increasingly self-evident. They are, in fact, the very same values that built our company, Triovest. These values have been established through the most adverse conditions, whether it was the earliest arrival of settlers from France and the British Isles in the 16th century, or the bloodshed in Europe over two world wars.

I am incredibly thankful for the opportunity I have had over the last six months, to meet hundreds of people from across our country at 17 separate town halls. This experience has given me a more extensive understanding of our common ground as a company, and as nation. Our common ground is built on values, values which transcend all our most striking differences, such as race, religion, and individual background.

The most common value we share is hard work. Forged through early mornings working the fields, all-nighters at the office, and digging trenches in France. It is impossible to have any complacency when imminent death seeks you out, which was the case for so much of our history. As a result, hard work never goes out of style. As a company we have not only survived, but thrived, because of our ability to out-work our opponents.

There is a definable sense of earnestness in both our country and our company. This is evident everywhere from Victoria, to Montreal. We are honest people, sincere people, with a common goal of success and well-being. Triovest has offered thousands of people from all walks-of-life the opportunity to pursue these goals and thrive in a competitive business environment. Canada has done the exact same on a national scale for millions of people.

For centuries, our values have created prosperity and well-being for people from all over the world. So long as we keep to our values, our company and our country will continue to flourish.

Alan M – Triovest

Great Music Lives Here

Great Music Lives Here

Histoire de: Joshua F – Loram Maintenance of Way

I simply wanted to check-in with our neighbors from the North and thank you for your contribution to music history,…

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Great Music Lives Here

Histoire de: Joshua F – Loram Maintenance of Way

I simply wanted to check-in with our neighbors from the North and thank you for your contribution to music history, plus my own personal music history. In my youth, I would spend endless hours listening to music and dissecting every song and note of my recent discoveries. Music and Canadian music was influential in my youth and still provides me with hours of entertainment and joy today.

Unknown to me, many of those albums I would engulf myself into were Canadian artists! I would bet 9 out of 10 Americans would know Neil Young, but would the same number know that he was Canadian? The likely ratio; 1 in 10 might know his origin. Not to overstate it, but Neil Young was Canada’s greatest export, ever; thank you for that gift. Many other musical greats were exported in those earlier years of Rock’n’Roll such as, The Band, Rush, Joni Mitchell, Gordon Lightfoot, Leonard Cohen, and The Guess Who. How can you not watch the Last Waltz with the Band from beginning to end without stopping? I would say it’s nearly impossible.

The 90’s drew another round of great musical exports during an angst renaissance of music in North America which provided the grunge and alternative eras of music. Bands such as Sloan, Cowboy Junkies, Our Lady Peace, and Rufus Wainwright were hitting college radio stations in America. Angst was the term of that decade and Alanis Morissette and the Tragically Hip sure had that edge! Why was Alanis so angry? Gord Downie was an ironman of music (rest in peace, Gord; he passed this last October); apparently Canadians love to brag that 9 of 10 homes own a Tragically Hip album.

Not all Canadian music flew under the radar here in America, most notably were those examined above, but there were many nondescript bands that I was privy to grow to love. Let’s start with Arcade Fire; a band I’ve seen live more times than I can remember, but most importantly seeing them live at the 400 Bar in Minneapolis in a space that held about 100 people was my absolute favorite experience. I have several all-time favorite bands that I’m sure to find time to see live and buy their new music as released; these are too many to list, but I’ll try: The New Pornographers, Broken Social Scene, Wolf Parade, Neko Case, Tegan and Sara, Feist, Metric, Tokyo Police Club, Hot Hot Heat, Handsome Furs, Stars, Sunset Rubdown, Great Lake Swimmers, Sam Roberts, Islands, Death from Above 1979, the Weakerthans, Spencer Krug, and the Constantines, to name a few.

It seems that the explosion of file sharing ultimately led to a mass availability of music here in America that allowed for the discovery of great Canadian music. This dismantling of corporate radio has brought America an explosion of amazing music. However, you can still find your corporate gold records by turning on your favorite Top 40 radio station and listen to the likes of; Nelly Furtado, Avril Lavigne, Michael Buble, Drake, the Weeknd, and Justin Bieber. This American would prefer to stick to finding the aforementioned diamonds in the rough that Canada continues to humbly export.

Joshua F – Loram Maintenance of Way

Beautiful Jasper

Beautiful Jasper

Histoire de: Carmen B - Triovest

Summer of 2017 was a very special time for my family. My parents celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary and all…

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Beautiful Jasper

Histoire de: Carmen B - Triovest

Summer of 2017 was a very special time for my family. My parents celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary and all the children and grandchildren met in beautiful Jasper to celebrate this wonderful milestone. We spent quality time together boating on Pyramid Lake, taking the gondola up Whistlers Mountain, horseback riding, mountain biking, fishing and having barbeques. Jasper was chosen because of its natural beauty and because it was where my parents spent their honeymoon 50 years ago. To commemorate their anniversary, we compiled a book of our favourite 50 memories with these two special people. After reading the memoirs, it was clear that the majority revolved around activities (camping, fishing, etc) and vacations spent in our amazing country. Thank you Canada for being the backdrop to my family’s most cherished memories!

Carmen B – Triovest

On My Watch

On My Watch

Histoire de: Sathia D - Coril Holdings Ltd.

Dear SD-2067, According to my watch, which by the way has evolved to a pocket-sized communication device called a smartphone,…

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On My Watch

Histoire de: Sathia D - Coril Holdings Ltd.

Dear SD-2067,

According to my watch, which by the way has evolved to a pocket-sized communication device called a smartphone, it is November 1, 2017. And the reason you are, perhaps, reading this note rather than holographically interacting with my commentary, is because the notion of AI-enabled entities (artificial intelligent « avatar ») are not yet ubiquitous nor a consumer product. I imagine that these notions of technology are a bigger part of your present day world with far more exciting advancements in the horizons impacting work, family, and personal experiences. Nevertheless, I humbly submit it as simple perspective of our present day (your past) looks like.

Although I am from the baby-boom generation with over 30 yrs. working with digital technology, I am not a digital native. That honor goes to my dear colleagues of the millennial generation who, in 2017, are early in their careers and continue to inspire me and build the foundations of a digital era; technologies and platforms that you will take for granted and accept as « it’s always been that way ». To be clear, if ever on reflection you are wondering why your immediate predecessors appear « set in their ways », or « old-fashioned », remember to search Google… ah, sorry, ask your personal avatar, about millennials.

It has and continues to be an honor and privilege for me to be working, over 20+ years now, for an outfit that transcends generations. The opportunities and challenges that we, the Coril Group, faced may be different from yours, yet I believe the values that this organization holds high will be a common thread. Most importantly, collectively, we strive to create our future, honor our roots, and manage our present, each day. Be well.

Sathia Durai

Sathia D – Coril Holdings Ltd.

A Milestone

A Milestone

Histoire de: Matthew P - INLIV

On Friday, October 20, 2017 I traveled back to my hometown to attend my convocation at the University of Regina….

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A Milestone

Histoire de: Matthew P - INLIV

On Friday, October 20, 2017 I traveled back to my hometown to attend my convocation at the University of Regina. It was a weekend full of excitement and celebration of my achievement.

With that, I want to give thanks to everyone that played a role in my success to achieving my Bachelor of KIN degree. From family to friends, to professors and colleagues, I feel blessed to have such amazing people in my life. Without the support and guidance from them I would have not been able to achieve this milestone.

Matthew P – INLIV

Canadian Railroad Trilogy

Canadian Railroad Trilogy

Histoire de: Vern G – Loram Maintenance of Way

The development of steam-powered railways in the 19th century has long been identified as a crucial factor in the revolution…

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Canadian Railroad Trilogy

Histoire de: Vern G – Loram Maintenance of Way

The development of steam-powered railways in the 19th century has long been identified as a crucial factor in the revolution of transportation in Canada, and an integral part of the nation building.

A song, the « Canadian Railroad Trilogy » is a song written, composed, and performed by Canadian singer-songwriter Gordon Lightfoot that describes the building of the trans-Canada Canadian Pacific Railway in the early 1880s. This song was commissioned from Lightfoot by the CBC for a special broadcast on January 1, 1967, to start Canada’s Centennial year and took him three days to write.

This song really tells the story of where it all began.

Vern G – Loram Maintenance of Way

Long Service Recognition

Long Service Recognition

Histoire de: David B – Loram Maintenance of Way

On September 22, 2017 I had the honor of making the trip from Minneapolis to Calgary to be present for…

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Long Service Recognition

Histoire de: David B – Loram Maintenance of Way

On September 22, 2017 I had the honor of making the trip from Minneapolis to Calgary to be present for several Loram team members who was inducted into the Quarter Century Club. The entire event was top notch and speaks volumes to values and beliefs of the Mannix family. It is truly an honor to work for The Outfit!

David B – Loram Maintenance of Way

Sochi Gold

Sochi Gold

Histoire de: Brian O – Coril Holdings Ltd.

« I am so cold! » My wife looked at me and asked me if I wanted to leave. We…

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Sochi Gold

Histoire de: Brian O – Coril Holdings Ltd.

« I am so cold! » My wife looked at me and asked me if I wanted to leave. We had already been waiting for about half an hour outside with at least 500 of our closest friends to get into the Great Canadian Sports Bar. It was 3:30 am and the temperature a balmy -24 degrees Celsius (-11 Fahrenheit). « Not a chance » I said, « Not now. »

You may ask what could possibly inspire a group of people to stand outside in the freezing cold in the dark hours of the morning? One word: Hockey. Or at least in Canada. The 2014 Men’s Olympic Gold Medal game was being played in Sochi, Russia that morning. Liquor laws had been relaxed across the entire country so that people could go to bars and pubs and take in the game. TV ratings estimated that at least 15 million people took in the game or 40% of the nation.

While Canada won the gold medal it’s not that part that I recall fondly. It’s was the high fiving strangers; it’s the fact that the whole country spontaneously came together to share in a moment; and yes I recall somewhat fondly standing outside in the freezing cold.

Brian O – Coril Holdings Ltd.

Thanksgiving Weekend 2017

Thanksgiving Weekend 2017

Histoire de: April F - Triovest

It was the weekend of Thanksgiving this year that I was able to spend time with my nephew and niece…

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Thanksgiving Weekend 2017

Histoire de: April F - Triovest

It was the weekend of Thanksgiving this year that I was able to spend time with my nephew and niece and their friends. At first, we went to a nearest playground from home and later on visited a nearby food chain to snack. One of the funniest memories that I will not forget being with these kids was when they all requested a ride to go back home after a 5km walk. I simply encouraged them to just take a walk slowly, be thankful that they have feet and just enjoy nature while walking (fast forward) little did they know that a 10km walk turned out like nothing. I am surprised that none of them complained. We all had lots of laugh together on our way back home. It was a quality time well spent with the little ones on a thanksgiving weekend! It is just so nice to be a child and handle things uncomplicated and oh of course nice especially when you’re with a great and awesome aunt like me.

April F – Triovest

I want to be a part of this history!

I want to be a part of this history!

Histoire de: Michelle K - Loram Maintenance of Way

I am delighted to share my favorite memory with you all. My name is Michelle Marie Koch and I am…

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I want to be a part of this history!

Histoire de: Michelle K - Loram Maintenance of Way

I am delighted to share my favorite memory with you all. My name is Michelle Marie Koch and I am from Loretto, Minnesota. I am an extremely proud employee of 29 years, a Quarter Century Club member and I currently hold a position as the Administrative Assistant of Finance at Loram Maintenance of Way, Inc., Hamel Minnesota.

My story begins …I was asked to volunteer at Loram’s Heritage Celebration. Excitedly…I accepted. That opportunity turned into an invite to commemorate the 1998 Centennial Reunion, which turned out to be the most unbelievable event of my life. That weekend, I took part in one of the largest private parties in Calgary, Alberta, Canada at Heritage Park Historical Village. The guest count was endless. The air was filled with cigar smoke, knee-slapping, toe-tapping festive music, a variety of delicious foods and many-many beverages. Everyone had smiles for miles.

I will never forget looking around at the estimated 1,500 people, a cold beer in each hand and the thought in my head, “I can’t believe I am actually standing here.” I can tell you that moment of emotion is one of my top five feelings of awe in my career. I have never ever felt so privileged to be a part of such a strong and giving corporate community. I will forever thank God for the many opportunities with my Loram family, my gift of health and being employed with the BEST EVER Company “Loram”. I will treasure this experience for a lifetime.

My Congratulations to the Mannix Family on 150 Years of being Strong and Free and I wish you all many more for generations to come.

Thank you!

Michelle K – Loram Maintenance of Way

Coril Holdings Long Service Awards – Barb Gogol 10 year award

Coril Holdings Long Service Awards – Barb Gogol 10 year award

Histoire de: Barb G - Inliv

My story is surrounding the long service awards held at the Coril Holdings office on Wednesday, October 4, 2017. I…

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Coril Holdings Long Service Awards – Barb Gogol 10 year award

Histoire de: Barb G - Inliv

My story is surrounding the long service awards held at the Coril Holdings office on Wednesday, October 4, 2017.

I received my 10 year award on that day and was thrilled. Really, really, thrilled! Everyone including my family, friends, dog, hairdresser and masseus knew about it.

I have worked at INLIV for 10 years and looked forward to this day for quite some time. It is hard to believe that 10 years have gone by. I started to work part time at Foothills Health Consultants in which I worked in a large closet shared with the lab tech Agnes (and her specimens) and the controller Jennefer, downtown, then had a short stint in the basement at Sante Spa in Mission, then back downtown and finally over to our beautiful space at the Arriva tower which I was ecstatic to move into. Payables can be done anywhere!

There are so many fabulous colleagues I work beside and have had the pleasure of knowing many of them for my entire 10 years at INLIV. They will always have an important place in my heart as they are my work family.

INLIV has been a very important part of my day to day life and I appreciate the time I am having at INLIV. There have been so many things happen in 10 years that I can’t possibly go over and there are many outstanding events and get togethers hosted by INLIV and Coril Holdings that I will never forget and this day is for sure one of them. Thank you!

Standing on the stage with my coworker Juliet and Mr. Ron Mannix and Dr. Wendy Smeltzer talking about my job and the small things I do, one which is bringing in timbits on Friday, which I love, brought me great joy. Then photos and hugs with Juliet and Mr. Mannix and Mr. Vince Danielsen.

As we were having a cocktail Mr. Mannix joined a small group of us from INLIV, Sandra, Trish, Juliet and myself that were mingling around for a little discussion about all sorts of things going on in the world and INLIV. It was so awesome!

I can’t thank INLIV and Coril Holdings enough for having the awards and recognizing the value of everyone of us that were there.

I usually am fairly reserved with my comments but a big hip hip hooray on this one.

Thank you to everyone! So much appreciated!

I love the gift I chose as well, bracelet and earrings!

Barb G – INLIV

The Power of Laughter

The Power of Laughter

Histoire de: Garth J - Triovest

“Thanksgiving really gives us the opportunity to think about what we are most thankful for in our lives. If I…

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The Power of Laughter

Histoire de: Garth J - Triovest

“Thanksgiving really gives us the opportunity to think about what we are most thankful for in our lives. If I had to boil it down to one word, it would be “laughter”. At family thanksgiving dinners, laughter is the predominant sound; it always has been, even in my earliest childhood memories. There would be a couple dozen people broken into smaller pockets of conversation, blending generations and ideologies, all with the same fundamental goal, to enjoy each other’s company. Each group laughing as hard as the next no matter how the groups reshaped themselves throughout the day. It didn’t mean everything was alright but it meant everyone wanted to be happy.

I didn’t understand the true impact of these gatherings until the Thanksgiving right after my dad passed away, 15 years ago. We still gathered and we still laughed but we missed him laughing with us. I learned that laughter is how my family communicates, it’s the common bind within the family. It is also how we heal and how we cope. It gives us the strength to do what we need to do.

If you ever doubt the power of laughter, just watch what happens when a two-year old gets the giggles. That was my daughter Jessie’s trick when she was little. In a matter of minutes, she could get a room full of adults laughing so hard they have tears in their eyes.”

Garth J – Triovest

 

A Family History

A Family History

Histoire de: George G - Triovest

I am a Greek Canadian who was born, raised and has spent his entire adult life in Montreal. My great…

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A Family History

Histoire de: George G - Triovest

I am a Greek Canadian who was born, raised and has spent his entire adult life in Montreal.

My great uncle emigrated to Montreal in the 1880’s from the town of Kranidi in the Peleponese, Greece. At that time, the population of Montreal was 150,000 and the Greeks living in Montreal were fewer than 300. He founded the Geracimo Restaurant in 1887. In 1906, his brother, my paternal grandfather, died leaving my grandmother to raise 8 young children. My great uncle gradually brought his 4 nephews to Montreal starting with the eldest. Once all the nephews arrived he sent for his nieces starting with the eldest and, last but not least, his sister-in-law, my grandmother. There was a married niece and her husband who stayed in Greece. She and her husband died in an epidemic leaving two orphans. My great uncle brought his orphaned grandnephew and grandniece to Montreal as well. The nephews were put to work and expanded the family business. The eldest nephews had the best jobs and worked in the “front of the store” while the younger ones worked in the kitchen and the “back of the store”. My father being the youngest got to do the least appealing tasks. On the bright side, he became a great chef and taught all my aunts and my mom how to cook like him. The nieces didn’t have to work and the orphans were young enough to go to school.

Here’s a flyer for a theatrical production dating back to 1928. Scrolling down, there’s an ad for my father’s and uncles’ restaurant indicating 35 cents for 3 course meal!

My maternal grandfather left the Ionian island of Zante, Greece for a better life in America. He was turned back from Ellis Island for health reasons and ended up in London where he stayed with a relative for about one year. He then sailed to Halifax and made his way to Montreal. A year after he arrived, he sent for his wife and young son. They settled in the Hochelaga-Maisonneuve area of Montreal which was a then a working class melting pot of immigrants of mostly European origin. His young family grew to 5 kids. My mother, being the eldest daughter, had to give up school at the age of 12 to help her mother with the family chores. In the meantime, there was a revolving door of guests that would come and go from my grandparents’ home: fellow Greek immigrants from Zante or neighboring islands would be put up until they could find work and get their feet on the ground.

My grandfather became as a grocer but that didn’t work out too well. He ended up in the 1920’s in the emerging cinema business. Along with three other Greek immigrants, United Amusement was formed. This company built, owned and operated a number of classic-era movie houses including the 1,600-seat Granada Theatre located on Saint Catherine Street east and is pictured below. The good news is that this beautiful late 1920’s art deco cinema was restored and renovated and is now known as the Théâtre Denise Pelletier.

Life in Canadian cities at the end of the 19th century and during the early 20th century was no joy ride. With no resources, no education and with no working knowledge of either French or English, meeting one’s basic needs was in itself a major accomplishment. These two families not only survived against daunting odds but prospered and were able to help their own and strangers from their homeland who faced similar challenges. Canada to them was a land of opportunity. An opportunity to escape from seemingly endless cycles of war, occupation, displacement, civil war and poverty.

What we enjoy today as Canadians should not be taken for granted. We are all lucky to be part of this great country. I’m sure my predecessors would agree.

George G – Triovest

Thanksgiving X2

Thanksgiving X2

Histoire de: Pam W - Coril Holdings Ltd.

This year for Thanksgiving my siblings and I decided to fly “home” to Kelowna for the holiday to spend time…

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Thanksgiving X2

Histoire de: Pam W - Coril Holdings Ltd.

This year for Thanksgiving my siblings and I decided to fly “home” to Kelowna for the holiday to spend time with our parents. My father will be turning 94 this coming January, and we thought it would be nice for him to experience a Thanksgiving like back in the “olden days” with all of us kids at the table. This however meant that I would be leaving my husband and kids behind to fend for themselves. In the days leading up to my departure, my family expressed their concerns about me abandoning them and how they now would have to go without the traditional feast of turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes, and most importantly pumpkin pie!! My guilt got the best of me, and the day before I left I prepared a special pre-Thanksgiving meal with all of the fixings.

With our busy schedules these days, it’s difficult to find the time to come together as a family and share a meal. So despite the hard work of preparing a Thanksgiving dinner for my culinary impaired family, it was worth it. I am so thankful for the cherished moments when we do manage to come together, however rare they may be… and in the end, I was the luckiest one as I got to enjoy two Thanksgiving dinners!

Pam W – Coril Holdings Ltd.

Witches Night Out

Witches Night Out

What’s better to support a great cause than having a night out while doing so! In honor of Halloween, a…

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Witches Night Out

What’s better to support a great cause than having a night out while doing so! In honor of Halloween, a group of women in Calgary started an annual Halloween event they called « Witches Night Out »; a charity event full of fantastic costumes, great food, and wonderful entertainment. My in-laws live for Halloween and all things witch-y, so we just had to go check it out! There was a silent auction, fortune tellers, dancers, a mashed potato bar, and of course, a costume contest! All of the proceeds from this event were donated to the Calgary Emergency Women’s Shelter. It was a wonderful event by women, for women.

Mindy M – Coril Holdings Ltd.

Oh Canada!

Oh Canada!

Histoire de: Leanne A - INLIV

It is so easy to forget how lucky we are to live in Canada. It’s easy to go about our…

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Oh Canada!

Histoire de: Leanne A - INLIV

It is so easy to forget how lucky we are to live in Canada.

It’s easy to go about our day to day lives with such ease, completely forgetting how difficult some of the most basic aspects of life can be somewhere else. Having just returned from a trip abroad I have been reminded of our blissful existence here, coming home never felt so good!

We have the best manners here in Canada. This is true in more forms than you may realize and it’s the little things that matter the most. The little things like that friendly wave when we cut in front of each other, or opening the door for others. We are great at line ups, we say thank you and give simple gestures such as a beautiful smile, and these things may seem so small but are so greatly missed when they are no longer there.

We have so much room to breathe in Canada. We have huge homes, large vehicles, and an abundance of beautiful trees and wide open spaces. We are so lucky to have so much space to wander, to roam and to play outside. It can be hard to find this luxury in other places and it is one I know I have taken for granted on more than one occasion.

It’s easy to go through the motions of our day without acknowledging the little things. Don’t forget to remember how lucky we are!

Leanne A – INLIV

The Foods of Canada

The Foods of Canada

Histoire de: Lorena H - INLIV

The majority of my Canada Days have been spent as an excuse to celebrate with friends and drinks. Never had…

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The Foods of Canada

Histoire de: Lorena H - INLIV

The majority of my Canada Days have been spent as an excuse to celebrate with friends and drinks. Never had I considered what the real significance and importance behind the day was until this year.

Contrary to my usual way of spending the holiday, I found myself eating the day away. It first started with eating some Quebec style croissants. Easily the most delicious I had ever tried. Later in the afternoon we had some rolled ice cream which originates from Thai culture. Lastly, we had Caribbean style chicken for dinner.

At the end of all the eating I was able to reflect on how this food was representative of Canada and all the different cultures and traditions that we have here. We live in a place where there is the opportunity to be immersed and introduced to new and exciting foods.

It is something I took for granted up until that day when I realized just how lucky we really are.

The day ended with some full tummies and a grand fireworks show.

Lorena H – INLIV

Letter To My Future Self

Letter To My Future Self

Histoire de: Pam W - Coril Holdings Ltd.

Dear Pam of 2067, At the time of writing this letter, I have just celebrated my 26th year of working…

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Letter To My Future Self

Histoire de: Pam W - Coril Holdings Ltd.

Dear Pam of 2067,

At the time of writing this letter, I have just celebrated my 26th year of working with the Coril Group of Companies and its 119th year in business. Much has changed during this time, I have witnessed major technology advancements, participated in several acquisitions, and, the evolution of the Group in general. This fast pace of change has offered me numerous experiences in various roles, as well as the opportunity to work with many exceptionally talented individuals who have taught me so much along the way.

We all make career plans, set goals and dreams, however, life doesn’t always go as planned, and sometimes, that’s a good thing. There have been many instances during my tenure where I was perhaps not the best suited individual to take on a certain task or project, but with determination, good intentions and a large cheering squad, I was presented an opportunity to try something different. These experiences were not provided to set me up for failure, but rather to help me grow and uncover new talents I might not have otherwise discovered.

The Coril Group culture is unique, not only because it is a family company, but because it truly lives by its core values of Trust, Integrity and Accountability. Through prudent management, leadership development and the ongoing pursuit of “Perpetuating the Businesses” for future generations, the Group is sure to exceed another 119 years!!

My advice to you is… embrace every opportunity with conviction and determination; never limit yourself or lower your expectations of what you aspire to accomplish; learn from your failures as they don’t define you, they only help build character; and always give someone a second chance. But most importantly, I hope you find joy in the simple things, know that the material aspects of life are not what matter, and treasure all of your past experiences as they were the building blocks of who you are today.

Life is about change, learning and growing as you go, so remember… life will always throw you curve balls, and that’s okay!

Sincerely,

Pam of 2017

Pam W – Coril Holdings Ltd.

Best Thanksgiving Ever

Best Thanksgiving Ever

Histoire de: Anna S - INLIV

This Thanksgiving, I got engaged! A few months ago, my boyfriend had suggested we take a trip to visit his…

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Best Thanksgiving Ever

Histoire de: Anna S - INLIV

This Thanksgiving, I got engaged! A few months ago, my boyfriend had suggested we take a trip to visit his mom in the fall, since she lives in the Laurentians outside Montreal and I had never seen the beautiful leaves there at that time of year. He proposed at the top of a « mountain » (a medium-sized hill by our Albertan standards), surrounded by the orange and red maple trees. It was gorgeous and perfect! Afterwards, we had turkey dinner with his family to celebrate all the things we have to be thankful for.

 

Anna S – INLIV

Fake Thanksgiving

Fake Thanksgiving

Histoire de: Jane T - Coril Holdings Ltd.

I am little behind on sharing my Thanksgiving story because my family was a little behind on Thanksgiving in general….

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Fake Thanksgiving

Histoire de: Jane T - Coril Holdings Ltd.

I am little behind on sharing my Thanksgiving story because my family was a little behind on Thanksgiving in general. The Taylors have always celebrated Thanksgiving as a family. When my two sisters and I were at university in the east, my parents would fly from Calgary, Rachel and I would take the train from Kingston and Claire would stay put waiting for all of us to meet her in Montreal. From there we would rent a car and go to Quebec City or Tremblant to spend Thanksgiving together. It was especially nice because we were all living so far apart at the time that getting time as a family was a rarity. The only downside was that we never had a kitchen to make an official Thanksgiving dinner. When we returned to Calgary after university we continued to have Thanksgiving – and a delicious homemade meal – together… until this year. Rachel was at medical school in Ontario, Claire was travelling in New Zealand, I was in Bonnyville, Alberta and my parents were in Montana. So when we all returned home my mom made a fake Thanksgiving dinner on October 15 – turkey, stuffing, gravy, mashed potatoes, cranberries – the whole nine yards. It was so nice to see everyone and it didn’t seem to matter that it wasn’t actually Thanksgiving because we were thankful for each other just the same.

Jane T – Coril Holdings Ltd.

Summer of Fun

Summer of Fun

Histoire de: Fernando L - Triovest

Every summer, I volunteer at my son’s baseball association. Last summer I was his head coach and this past summer…

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Summer of Fun

Histoire de: Fernando L - Triovest

Every summer, I volunteer at my son’s baseball association. Last summer I was his head coach and this past summer I was an assistant coach for his team (Mosquito 10-11 years old). I was also asked to be the association’s Marketing Coordinator and asked to come up with a rebranding of the association (new logo, new uniform and new website) as well as the Mosquito Tournament Coordinator (10-11 year olds) which my son played in.

As assistant coach, I played a role and developing kids in their skills and trying to bring them together to work as a team. In regards to my son, he did so well that he ended up playing 48 games over the summer instead of 28. He improved to a higher level than the PeeWee teams (12-13 years old) and the Bantam team (14-15 years old) used him as a call-up on a regular basis during the summer.

As a team, we played in 3 tournaments, but the first tournament, held at the beginning of the year, was a magical run where we saw the kids and the families come together and become a large family where everyone supported each other. The team persevered through difficult competition to reach the finals and came up short against a team that had a roster made up of second year players and AA players. Our team was made up of mostly first-year players who had to pitch for the first time ever.

Since I had such a great time with the kids, I decided to make baseball cards for each of them, and they ended up loving them since it ended up being their first ever baseball card.

As Marketing Coordinator, the rebranding of the association will be presented in December and voted upon whether we go through with the change or not.

As Tournament Coordinator, I had to organize two 8-team tournaments, to be played over 5 days in July (Wed. July 5 to Sun. July 9). I needed to figure out a schedule, order medals, gifts, banners, pretty much everything. Then the Saturday, July 8th happened where we were to play the 4 quarter-final games and semi-finals for both tournaments that same day over 4 fields. A big rain storm happened and I needed to postpone the semi-finals to the night time and move all of the quarter-final games to the main field. There was a lot of phone calls and negotiating with the city to try and get the games. In the end, the semi-finals and finals were played on Sunday, and all of the teams and parents who came from all over Quebec thanked me for the great organization of the tournament. Everyone was impressed that I was easily reached to answer questions and handle concerns.

In the end, the hard work was rewarded where, parents and players from all levels in the association voted me as Volunteer of the Year, which confirmed me coming back to see if I can do better than last year.

Fernando L – Triovest

A Positive Failure

A Positive Failure

Histoire de: Blake R - Gemini Corporation

This past September I had the opportunity to introduce a fellow co worker to a couple of my passions; Back…

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A Positive Failure

Histoire de: Blake R - Gemini Corporation

This past September I had the opportunity to introduce a fellow co worker to a couple of my passions; Back country hiking and bow hunting for Elk. We decided to roll both into one and set off on an adventure into the mountains of SW Alberta in hopes to find a mature animal that would provide us and our families with some of the most organic and ethical meat possible. We chose to head into a « foot access » only part of the province and wound up hiking more than 30km over the next five days, the worst part being the 6km pack in and out from camp with roughly 60-70 lbs of gear each. We had an amazing time with many animal encounters including Black bears, Elk, Mule Deer and of course Grizzly bears. In the end, our hunt was unsuccessful as we didn’t manage to bring an animal home but we couldn’t have been happier with the trip, we learned about ourselves, each other, and for a few brief days we were able to experience nature and mingle with wildlife in a way few people get to, we are so fortunate to live in a country like Canada!

Blake R – Gemini Corporation

Ukrainian Dancing Anyone?

Ukrainian Dancing Anyone?

Histoire de: Janet G - Coril Holdings Ltd.

One thing I love about Canada and being Canadian is the diverse cultural opportunities that are available. I have a…

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Ukrainian Dancing Anyone?

Histoire de: Janet G - Coril Holdings Ltd.

One thing I love about Canada and being Canadian is the diverse cultural opportunities that are available. I have a Scottish background and have always loved to dance, so why then am I a Ukrainian dancer? I get asked that question a lot!! When I was 15 years old, I had the opportunity to become involved with a Ukrainian dance group in Victoria, B.C. and it was addicting and so much fun. When I moved to Calgary in the late 1990’s, the first thing I did (even before unpacking), was to check out Ukrainian dance groups in Calgary, as I couldn’t wait to get my red boots on again and perform. I have been dancing now in Calgary for 19 years, of which 17 years have been with the same Artistic Director. I’ve had the opportunity to dance for Queen Elizabeth II, tour across Canada, and also went on a four city cross-country tour of Australia (we actually toured there twice). Our dance group, Suzirya, is planning a trip to Ukraine in the summer of 2018, which will be my first time to visit this beautiful country. My introduction to the Coril Group was when our dance group performed for the annual Christmas party at the Hyatt in 2006. Little did I know that I would start working for the group just a year and a half later. I don’t plan on hanging up my red boots any time soon and I feel so fortunate that I’m able to participate in this great art form in such a wonderful country; Canada!!

Janet G – Coril Holdings Ltd.

What I’m thankful for…

What I’m thankful for…

Histoire de: Megan L - Triovest

I know during Thanksgiving we’re supposed to reflect on what we’re thankful for but I try to practice gratitude every…

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What I’m thankful for…

Histoire de: Megan L - Triovest

I know during Thanksgiving we’re supposed to reflect on what we’re thankful for but I try to practice gratitude every day of the year. I was recently on a trip to the states to visit a friend who moved down there a few years ago. After coming home, I thought how very thankful I am that I have most of my family living in Calgary so there’s always big celebrations around the holidays. I’m not sure what I would do without a loving family and support system so close to me. I’m also thankful that I live in a city and country where I’ll always have access to food; any kind of food I want, as much food as I want, whenever I want it, and I’ll never have to worry about where my next meal is coming from. Looking at our thanksgiving feast of turkey, salad, potatoes, soup, pie, buns, stuffing, vegetables, we truly are so lucky to be able to enjoy that.

Thankfulness is something I try to think about and engage in every day, but there’s something about the holidays when we get together with our loved ones and celebrate, that make it extra special.

Megan L – Triovest

Ptarmigan Cirque

Ptarmigan Cirque

Histoire de: Sylvia W - INLIV

I love that Calgary is so close to the mountains. Grace’s god mom wanted to hike and see the larch…

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Ptarmigan Cirque

Histoire de: Sylvia W - INLIV

I love that Calgary is so close to the mountains. Grace’s god mom wanted to hike and see the larch trees. I have lived in Calgary for a few decades but had never seen them before. We packed a picnic and few layers of clothes. We headed out to Kananaskis and parked at the top of Highwood pass. We started hiking and was surrounded by the fall colours everywhere. It was unbelievably stunning! We hiked and climbed and then found a nice spot just below the summit! There is nothing like being out in the fresh air in the mountains and so close to home.

Sylvia W – INLIV

So Many Reasons to be Thankful

So Many Reasons to be Thankful

Histoire de: Tasha C - Gemini Corporation

During a walk through our treed property yesterday, October 7th I was suddenly stricken by the gratitude that IS living…

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So Many Reasons to be Thankful

Histoire de: Tasha C - Gemini Corporation

During a walk through our treed property yesterday, October 7th I was suddenly stricken by the gratitude that IS living in Canada. It feels sometimes that with each passing week the world out there gets a little more off center, and is just plum crazy at times….and that’s only from the tragedy we hear about. I have the amazing opportunity to live in the countryside; where the birds sing, the coyotes howl and wildlife is the scariest thing outside my door. My 3 kids and I were on a nature adventure as we like to call them (a walk in the woods) and I suddenly reflected on the sadness around the world. It could have been the beauty of the fall through all the trees, or it could have been the Large Bull Moose encounter that startled me and my kids.

But WHAT an encounter?!?! How many other people get so see a creature like that so close up (even though I was shaking in my boots).

Thanksgiving 2018 will be like no other to so many others; and while nothing in particular has significantly changed in my life….I am taking EXTRA care to be Thankful this year.

I am Thankful live in a country that allows me the peace to not wake to war everyday. I am Thankful for a healthy family and 3 beautiful children. I am Thankful for friends and family, for gatherings, laughs and being able to relax and enjoy food, drink and stories. I am Thankful that my husband and I found the amazing property we call home (Moose, Skunk, Porcupine and Garter Snake encounters included), and look forward to it providing a life long place of adventures for us and for the family as it grows in the future.

We sometimes joke about our first world problems; but this Thanksgiving I am giving them a voice and realizing that it is no joke. We have a blessed life, living in an amazing country. We work hard, we play, and sometimes we forget to stop and realize just how sheltered we can feel sometimes. So although I never planned to have that moment yesterday, and although it’s not like me to share in this manner – this year, this Thanksgiving something is telling me its just right to stop and say THANK-YOU to the universe.

Tasha C – Gemini Corporation

Thankful!

Thankful!

Histoire de: Carol P - The Crossing

As Canadians we are so blessed with the land and the beauty in which we live. We live mostly without…

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Thankful!

Histoire de: Carol P - The Crossing

As Canadians we are so blessed with the land and the beauty in which we live. We live mostly without fears that many in other parts of the world endure on a daily basis. Our freedom of speech, livelihood and travel are just a few of the wonderful things that we experience as Canadians, new and old. Our landscapes are truly inspiring and allow us to go out and enjoy our wilderness whenever we are inspired to communicate with nature. We know how to enjoy a warm summer day, the beauty of fall, the crispness of the cold and white winters with a Chinook sprinkled in for good measure, and we look forward to the hope of spring to start the cycle again. I am Thankful to being surrounded by good people that encourage me on a daily basis and don’t even know that they are doing this.
Have a wonder-filled Thanksgiving and be joyful for our many blessings.

Carol P – The Crossing

Happy Thanksgiving!

Happy Thanksgiving!

Histoire de: Daniel B - Gemini

Being an October baby with a birthday that always fell around the Thanksgiving weekend, as a child it was hard…

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Happy Thanksgiving!

Histoire de: Daniel B - Gemini

Being an October baby with a birthday that always fell around the Thanksgiving weekend, as a child it was hard to plan an awesome birthday party with all of your friends because everyone was either busy or out of town. Although as a child your main focus is to have fun and open presents on your birthday, I grew a much larger appreciation for spending this time with my loving family. Who doesn’t want to spend their birthday evening half asleep on the couch after stuffing their face full of turkey, stuffing, and mashed potatoes?! It is also a special time when it comes to desserts because not only do I get to enjoy delicious pumpkin pie, but my mom makes me my favorite cake in the whole world – carrot cake!

Even though it is a time for caring, it is also a time for poking-fun at each other and sharing some laughs. As for me, my family still does not understand some of my eating habits during Thanksgiving dinner. I don’t know what the big deal is, but I never use gravy on my turkey or mashed potatoes, or anything for that matter. EVER. All I hear is “how can you eat that without gravy?!” and “isn’t that super dry?!”. However, it doesn’t stop there. It was only last year that I acquired a taste for stuffing. I will let that sink in for a minute…for years and years I wouldn’t touch stuffing. Although everyone in my family was surprised by this and called me weird because of how amazing it is, nobody really complained because all it meant was there was more for everyone else.

I want to wish everyone a wonderful Thanksgiving this upcoming long weekend. Don’t eat too much Turkey!

Daniel B – Gemini

The Backyard Living Room

The Backyard Living Room

Histoire de: Amanda B - Triovest

This past January, I began planning to build a bit of a ‘cottage’ in my backyard. I had some space…

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The Backyard Living Room

Histoire de: Amanda B - Triovest

This past January, I began planning to build a bit of a ‘cottage’ in my backyard. I had some space that I wasn’t using and thought how great it would be to have somewhere cozy to go!

I began to collect items, I wanted to build it as cost effective as possible, reusing items, and making good use of all my resources.

In March, I won the $150 gift card from Coril for my story on my family’s inukshuk. I used that card on a trip to Home Depot for supplies that couldn’t be reused items. I then went to my friends farm and collected over 60 pieces of barn board that I traded homemade jam, pies and some wine for. The base was ready. I finished it in mid- June and waited for my dad to arrive to finish the roof in August.

Prior to his arrival, I began to think about furniture. I knew everything was on sale at the stores but thought maybe I could make it. I called a contractor friend and asked him if he had any scrap wood- and he did. One Friday I picked it all up and by Sunday had a couch and 2 chairs.

My dad came, we build the roof and finished the furniture. Making tables from tree ‘cookies’ from our lake back in Ontario and voila! ‘The backyard living room’ was complete.

Not only am I so proud, but thrilled to have hosted a movie night with my son and his little friends, a girls night by the fire and many weekend mornings reading with a cup of Tim Hortons.

I am so thankful this thanksgiving knowing I have the skill and can-do attitude to get this done– in addition to knowing the right people to help.

Cheers!

Amanda B – Triovest

Pride in Heritage, Vocation and Country

Pride in Heritage, Vocation and Country

Histoire de: Kevin B - Coril Holdings Ltd.

Like his namesake father before him, my grandfather, Francis (Frank) Xavier Beingessner Jr., born in 1886, was proudly Canadian, and…

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Pride in Heritage, Vocation and Country

Histoire de: Kevin B - Coril Holdings Ltd.

Like his namesake father before him, my grandfather, Francis (Frank) Xavier Beingessner Jr., born in 1886, was proudly Canadian, and was doubly proud to also be known as a farmer. In 1906, he and four brothers left the struggling family farm in Ontario, to join their father who had earlier travelled alone to Alberta to locate alternative potential homesteads that would allow for a fresh start for the entire family. Together they, both literally and figuratively, established new roots on multiple sections of raw land near Champion, Alberta. Shortly thereafter, my grandfather’s mother, Mary, and his sisters would travel west to be reunited as a family.

My grandfather wore his German heritage with great pride. He greatly respected and admired the sacrifices of his own grandfather Joseph, who, in 1848, reluctantly relinquished his own farmland near Strasbourg, in Alsace-Lorraine, Germany. Like many others, he did so in search of a better life for his family. He would ultimately settle and homestead in Formosa, Ontario, about 60 miles northwest of Waterloo. Some years later, in 1867, he and his wife Maria would celebrate, with their eleven children, the Confederation of Canada.

Through World War I, the Great Depression, and World War II, my grandfather, along with his father and brothers would – despite sometimes unforgiving droughts and locust infestations – work the land with dignity, and always without complaint. In the midst of that same period, my grandfather would wed my American-born grandmother, Mary, and they would raise their six children, including my own father, Harold. Unfortunately, by the early 1950s, with more bills to pay than meagre farm income would allow, my grandfather, like many others in his community, had no choice but to surrender his land to the bank that held his by-then-defaulted mortgage. A profound loss such as this could easily have produced a bitterness in a lesser man. Yet my grandfather, well-grounded in his own humility, his integrity, and his Catholic faith, bore no ill will. Instead, with his head held high, he, like his father and grandfather before him, simply moved on to the next chapter of his life. Fittingly, he did so with an unwavering passion for his family, for his proud German heritage, for his adopted province, and, above all, for his beloved Canada.

Kevin B – Coril Holdings Ltd.

My favourite place in Canada: Emma Lake, SK

My favourite place in Canada: Emma Lake, SK

Histoire de: Victoria T - Coril Holdings Ltd.

Emma Lake is 2 hours north of Saskatoon, just south of the Prince Albert National Park. Many people think of…

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My favourite place in Canada: Emma Lake, SK

Histoire de: Victoria T - Coril Holdings Ltd.

Emma Lake is 2 hours north of Saskatoon, just south of the Prince Albert National Park. Many people think of Saskatchewan as boring flat farm land with not much to see. But the lakes in the northern half of the province are truly beautiful and definitely worth a trip to visit our neighbouring province to the East.

No summer is complete for me without a trip to Emma Lake, and this year was no exception. My grandparents built a cabin there in the 1950’s and my family has been making memories and spending summers there ever since. My parents bought their own cabin on the lake the year I was born and many of my best childhood memories are from summers spent there with my sisters and cousins.

I love bringing my own two little ones to Emma Lake to make similar memories. From days spent playing on the sandy beaches or out on the water whether boating or swimming, evening walks for ice cream and nights filled with campfires, fireworks and the northern lights, it was a wonderful summer vacation! I hope that the experiences my own children have in nature, at the lake, helps them to appreciate the beauty of our country and instills in them a respect for our land.

Victoria T – Coril Holdings Ltd.

Give where you Live

Give where you Live

Histoire de: Mindy M - Coril Holdings Ltd.

My first month working for Coril, I was given the task of putting together some opportunities for our team to…

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Give where you Live

Histoire de: Mindy M - Coril Holdings Ltd.

My first month working for Coril, I was given the task of putting together some opportunities for our team to give back to the community throughout the year, as part of our Canada 150 initiative. I spent a few eye-opening days researching different charities and international « days » for ideas on which groups and causes to support, and ultimately I ended up feeling that it would be great to give back to the community where we work, play, and live. Today, as part of that initiative, our team climbed aboard the Lifebus and spent our lunch hour at the new Canadian Blood Services facility donating blood. About half of all Canadians will need blood or blood products at some point in their life, so it is something that will always be in demand, and I was so happy to be able to help coordinate our group donation.

Mindy M – Coril Holdings Ltd.

2017: A Year for Celebrations

2017: A Year for Celebrations

Histoire de: Jocelyne L - Triovest

The summer of 2017 marked Canada’s 150th birthday, an event worthy of celebration to be sure. For my family, 2017…

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2017: A Year for Celebrations

Histoire de: Jocelyne L - Triovest

The summer of 2017 marked Canada’s 150th birthday, an event worthy of celebration to be sure. For my family, 2017 also marked the 60th anniversary of my parents’ nuptials: 60 years, 6 children, 19 grandchildren, 5 step-grandchildren, 24 great-grandchildren and 1 step-great-grandchild – now THAT’s something to celebrate!

My family couldn’t be more Canadian if we tried. My parents were both born in rural Manitoba, dad (Michel Legal) in the miniscule town of Ste. Genevieve in 1936 and mom (Angele Jolicoeur) in Labroquerie, an equally small town not far away, in 1940. Both French Canadian and from large farming families (15 kids in the Legal family and 8 in the Jolicoeur tribe), they were raised on love and all that hard work could provide.

I’m not clear on the details of how they met – suffice to say they knew all the same people and although families were large, social circles were small. At a young age, Dad and a few fellows from their social circle moved out West and found themselves work. It wasn’t long before mom and some her friends followed suit. On the 8th of September in 1956, dad proposed and mom accepted and they married on June 15, 1957 (yes, you did the math right – mom was just 17), back in Manitoba where they stayed for the next 10 years. Ten years and five kids later, they packed up and headed West again, settling in B.C. for the ensuing 10 years – lucky for me, as I’m the 6th and last child who had the great fortune of being born in this beautiful Province.

Just before I turned 10, we moved back to Manitoba, this time to a small French town located about 100 kms southwest of Winnipeg. It was an incredible opportunity for me to be able to experience life on the Prairies. Long summer days and endless blue skies, thunderstorms and tornadoes, and in the winter I experienced that infamous 40 below zero weather and the spectacular auorora borealis. I confess I was disappointed to find that I did not have to walk uphill both ways to school as my father had to do in his youth, but in every other respect I thoroughly enjoyed being a Prairie kid. I spent 5 years there, but once my older siblings had left home and it was just me and my parents, we moved back to BC where we’ve been ever since. My two brothers have since moved to BC, and so today 3 siblings live in Metro Vancouver, 2 live in Winnipeg and 1 lives in Montreal.

Notwithstanding their lack of a formal education (they went to school until they knew everything the teacher knew, according to my dad), my parents are two of the most intelligent people I’ve ever known. There’s not a problem in the world they can’t figure out how to solve with determination, patience, respect, and good old elbow grease. Anyone who knows them will tell you this is true. And anyone who ever needed a meal, a bed, a dollar, or even a stern talking-to, will tell you Mike and Angie are the best there is.

My Canadian family grew up in a house filled with music, love, laughter, home-made bread and plenty of strays (dogs, cats, even a horse – but mostly stray people). We spoke both official languages (often at the same time) and switched between the two depending on who the houseguests were and what language they were most comfortable with. We never apologized for going to church every Sunday and we respected those who went to different churches or belonged to no church at all. Respect of self and respect of others was something my parents lived and something we kids never had to be told to do.

Their 60 years together has involved a lot of feeding the hungry (I always say my mom taught Jesus that trick with the fishes and the loaves), counselling the lost, caring for the sick and the lonely be they neighbours or strangers, and working tirelessly at home and in their jobs.

When you ask yourself “What makes Canada so great?”, think of my parents and the millions of other Canadian families who are cut from the same Canadian cloth. We are a nation made up of determined, respectful, intelligent, caring, hard-working people, and we are proud to live in one of the most beautiful countries on Earth. Happy 60th Mom and Dad, and Happy 150th Canada!

Jocelyne L – Triovest

The Bull Thing

The Bull Thing

Histoire de: John T - Coril Holdings Ltd.

Our family has a little cabin in Eureka, Montana, only a four hour drive from Calgary. Every year on the…

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The Bull Thing

Histoire de: John T - Coril Holdings Ltd.

Our family has a little cabin in Eureka, Montana, only a four hour drive from Calgary. Every year on the last weekend of August, there is a local rodeo called The Bull Thing. It has only bull riding events and attracts top cowboys from the US North-West. It’s at the town rodeo grounds which features two bleachers on either end, and a hill on one side across from the corrals. One of the bleachers was deemed The Canadian Section about 10 years ago – a fellow Calgarian would buy all the bleacher seats, sell them to friends and donate the extra proceeds to charity. It is a great event to not only enjoy a unique, close to the action, experience but to socialize with friends from Calgary. This year, there was no Canadian Section as another local group outbid the Canadian contingent for the bleacher seats. Many people were disappointed and didn’t attend, however several families still went and we sprawled on the hill mixed in with the locals, tourists, kids and Canadians alike. It was a great night as we wedged the heels of our boots into the hill to keep from sliding down and kept our hands free for tallboy Buds. It was a great opportunity to not only watch some wild rides but also to catch up with old friends and meet some new ones as well.

John T – Coril Holdings Ltd.

Flashback

Flashback

Histoire de: Pam W - Coril Holdings Ltd.

Last week, on September 22, I had the pleasure of being an invited guest and past inductee at the Annual…

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Flashback

Histoire de: Pam W - Coril Holdings Ltd.

Last week, on September 22, I had the pleasure of being an invited guest and past inductee at the Annual Quarter Century Club luncheon. This year’s event marked the 30th anniversary, a tradition since September 1988, which recognizes employees within the Group who have reached the quarter-century milestone in their careers. Since inception, including the nine 2017 inductees, this elite club now holds a membership of 403!!

As I was sitting in the audience watching the videos and listening to their acceptance speeches, it brought back such great memories of my induction in 2016. The feeling of being part of such an elite club goes beyond words and is truly an honour and a testament to how the Mannix Family value and appreciate their employees.

Congratulations to this year’s nine new members!!

Pam W – Coril Holdings Ltd.

A Day Hike

A Day Hike

Histoire de: Jane T - Coril Holdings Ltd.

This past weekend, a friend and I went hiking in Kananaskis. We stopped at the Ranger Station for a suggestion…

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A Day Hike

Histoire de: Jane T - Coril Holdings Ltd.

This past weekend, a friend and I went hiking in Kananaskis. We stopped at the Ranger Station for a suggestion for a good day hike that was about four hours and would reward us with a good view. He suggested Rawson Lake. The hike up to Rawson Lake was a leisurely walk to a small lake with no view and I was a little miffed and sure that the ranger station had misunderstood the kind of hike we wanted. But then we realized the hike continued around the lake and up to Sarrail Ridge, a hike so steep that you had to do switchbacks rather than walking straight up. The view at the top was worth it as it featured amazing views of Upper Kananaskis Lake, Rawson Lake and the mountains that surround them. The only drawback was that the temperature seemed to drop 10 degrees on the ridge and after a quick picture we had to start our descent. Because it was so cold we basically ran down the ridge, stumbling and falling along the way, grabbing shrubs and tree branches to stop us from sliding to the bottom.

It was one of the nicest views we have seen on a day hike and was totally worth it, however next time we’ll pack some warmer clothes and maybe even throw in some mittens.

Jane T – Coril Holdings Ltd.

Navigating the World by Landmarks

Navigating the World by Landmarks

Histoire de: Pam W - Coril Holdings Ltd.

After 17 years, my husband and I decided that our family of four had outgrew our tiny bungalow, so while…

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Navigating the World by Landmarks

Histoire de: Pam W - Coril Holdings Ltd.

After 17 years, my husband and I decided that our family of four had outgrew our tiny bungalow, so while checking out new neighborhoods one day we found the perfect place about 12 kilometers south of our current home. This unfortunately meant that our youngest daughter, 12 years old at the time, would have to enroll in a new school. To add to her dismay, we didn’t take possession of our new home until the second week of September, which also meant that she would have to take two busses and a train for the first week until we moved.

So, the week prior to the first day of school she and I navigated the trip, first on one bus, then the train, then the second bus, followed by about a 15 minute walk. It seemed pretty straight forward, and she was happy and confident she could make the journey on her own.

The first day of class arrived and … I picked up my phone to a distraught young lady saying “I’m lost mommy”. We had carefully plotted her journey the week prior so I was surprised to hear her crying on the other end of the phone. In an effort to ease her worries and because I navigate the world by landmarks, I said “just walk back to our new house and then turn left and keep walking until you see your new school”. However, I didn’t consider that the way a person interprets “turn left” depends on which way they are facing. Long story short, she walked for more than 30 minutes in the wrong direction before a policeman stopped to ask her if she was alright and then kindly took her to school. I am guessing that arriving in a squad car one hour late was not her idea of a great start in a new school.

Needless to say, my friends and family know better than to consult me when they require directions, however, using landmarks to navigate the world helps you appreciate your surroundings perhaps just a little bit more than others do.

Pam W – Coril Holdings Ltd.

Educational Programs + Toronto Schools + Woodside Square

Educational Programs + Toronto Schools + Woodside Square

Histoire de: Fatima M - Triovest

The pounding of African drums fills the corridors of the mall and the mounted televisions unveil bright images of what…

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Educational Programs + Toronto Schools + Woodside Square

Histoire de: Fatima M - Triovest

The pounding of African drums fills the corridors of the mall and the mounted televisions unveil bright images of what the audience can expect. Safari Jeff is minutes from making his appearance. Once he strolls onto the stage, children cannot stop cheering in excitement. Whenever they see each of his reptiles, the jaws of onlookers hit the floor. The albino snake is extending its tongue, the chameleon’s eyes are bulging, and the iguana’s skin is crinkling by the second. Woodside Square took its chance to partner with Toronto District School Board schools in order to organize an excellent educational program suitable for all ages. The mall wanted to spread valuable knowledge of the world’s most rare species to a new generation and increase animal awareness to people would not otherwise have learned. When the audience thinks it is all over, Safari Jeff places a crocodile in the middle of an elevated platform and is within inches of its sharp-toothed mouth. What a showcase!

Fatima M – Triovest

Icefield Adventure

Icefield Adventure

Histoire de: Susanne B - Triovest

This weekend I got to experience a true Canadian adventure. After hours of hiking and then sleeping in a hut…

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Icefield Adventure

Histoire de: Susanne B - Triovest

This weekend I got to experience a true Canadian adventure. After hours of hiking and then sleeping in a hut with 20 random strangers, I was finally greeted with my first view of the Wapta Icefield. As strangers became friends, it was truly amazing to experience such great beauty and amazement for the first time and know that only a handful of people will get to appreciate the same mesmerizing view. With the struggling economy and difficulty of the past 2 years, it is a blessing to be able to escape to the mountains where minds are calmed and worries washed away. Because only a Canadian can find peace from hours of exhaustion to stare at a giant ice cube.

Susanne B – Triovest

An Epic Celebration with an Epic Community in Toronto

An Epic Celebration with an Epic Community in Toronto

Histoire de: Fatima M - Triovest

The crowd is anticipating what they will soon encounter, gathering by the gate entrance. They are well aware what we…

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An Epic Celebration with an Epic Community in Toronto

Histoire de: Fatima M - Triovest

The crowd is anticipating what they will soon encounter, gathering by the gate entrance. They are well aware what we have up our sleeves at this year’s BBQ event is not going to be the same as any other Woodside Square celebration. It is Canada’s 150th Birthday and everyone seems to be in the spirit with red and white apparel paired with a Canadian hat. As each guest collects their free goodie bag and makes their way through the barriers, the expressions on every face instantly brightens. Children are jumping from one bouncy castle to another while dragging their parents along. The DJ is blasting music of all genres and the hired acts are lining up by the stage for their opportunity to wow the crowd. Each performance embraces and displays a different culture that embodies what our nation is all about. The colourful costumes and unique dance moves intrigue the most reserved of onlookers. Over 4000 Mall patrons are grabbing tenant coupons throughout the day as they are being distributed then strolling into the shopping centre to make their purchases. Tenants are ecstatic as their sales instantly increase as a result. There is an extraordinary sense of diversity and belonging in the air.

Fatima M – Triovest

Woodside Square Gives back to all the Mothers, Grandmothers & Great Grandmothers

Woodside Square Gives back to all the Mothers, Grandmothers & Great Grandmothers

Histoire de: Fatima M - Triovest

Tara is the heart of her family. She is among the hundreds of mothers at the core of our Woodside…

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Woodside Square Gives back to all the Mothers, Grandmothers & Great Grandmothers

Histoire de: Fatima M - Triovest

Tara is the heart of her family. She is among the hundreds of mothers at the core of our Woodside Square community who are providers of care and support for their children each and every day. Tara was surprised when we invited her and other families into the mall for a Mother’s Day Brunch. Throughout the morning she remained in awe of the decorative table settings and free tenant gifts, while allowing her children to munch away at the croissants and fruit slices on her plate. The sight of her arms resting on the shoulders of her son and daughter is one that is often seen in our shopping centre and at times overlooked. We wanted to show appreciation for those who make concerted efforts to care for the children within our neighborhoods. Any opportunity to give back to the people who continuously strengthen and encourage the future of our city is a chance for our events to validate the hard work of our own mall patrons and shoppers. Tara could not be more pleased to be brunching like a queen among others with her little prince and princess.

Fatima M – Triovest

Prince Edward Island

Prince Edward Island

Histoire de: Jane T - Coril Holdings Ltd.

Through chatting with colleagues and friends about their 2017 summer vacations, I realized that people most often travel outside of…

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Prince Edward Island

Histoire de: Jane T - Coril Holdings Ltd.

Through chatting with colleagues and friends about their 2017 summer vacations, I realized that people most often travel outside of Canada for their summer getaways – travelling to Phoenix, Las Vegas, Montana, Hawaii or even all the way to Europe. It seems quite seldom that people choose somewhere in Canada for a holiday. And why not? Canada is the second largest country in the world, creating so many different landscapes, topographies, climates and populations to explore. From the Pacific shores of British Columbia to the Atlantic shores of the Maritimes there is so much to see in this beautiful country.

My family and I had the opportunity to explore a little piece of Canada just this past weekend when we attended my cousin’s wedding on Prince Edward Island. It is an amazing little province that felt like worlds away from the Canada we were accustomed to. From the crisp salt water air, the chilly Atlantic Ocean, fresh seafood and little lighthouses, we enjoyed every minute of what felt like our exotic vacation.

Considering the current economy and the unfortunate exchange rate, it’s a great time to support local tourism and explore our own country.

Jane T – Coril Holdings Ltd.

Painted Warriors Outing

Painted Warriors Outing

Histoire de: The Crossing Team

Diane “We spend the day learning about archery, I did not know that one small arrow would have pieces like…

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Painted Warriors Outing

Histoire de: The Crossing Team

Diane
“We spend the day learning about archery, I did not know that one small arrow would have pieces like the fletching, the shaft, the nock and the arrowhead. We had to have patience trying to line up the arrow, hold it in place and try not to snap the line on your arm. We tried, and tried to hit our targets, some winning shots, some not. It was a fun day of comradery as we cheered each other on. Who knew Cassandra would take down the big pink bear!”

Carol
“The time we spent with Tracey, Tim and Darren was extremely rewarding as we learned about the herbal plants that are readily available and how to use a bow and arrow properly. We started the day with the correct way to do a smudge and prayer. A delicious sun treated traditional herbal sweet tea finished our time with the team at Painted Warrior. Overall a great day out with our team.”

Faye
“Applying our newly learned archery skills while walking in the woods and « hunting » big game Canadian wildlife. To top it off, my arrow hit the notorious and fierce pink bear.”

Jori
“What a fun afternoon!! Tracey, Tim and Darren were great hosts and teachers. After some practice in the barn shooting arrows, we “graduated” and went outside “hunting” wild animals, including deer, sheep and bison. We all got a chance to shoot the 3-D foam animals that were scattered around the property. It is certainly not as easy as it looks, some arrows went wide, some were short, but every so often one would hit the target with great cheers from all of the participants. A stop at the Water Valley Saloon for some food and a beverage finished off a wonderful afternoon.”

The Crossing Team

 

Energize Your Day

Energize Your Day

Energize your day through an early morning run in downtown Calgary. It never gets old. Congrats on your beautiful city!…

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Energize Your Day

Energize your day through an early morning run in downtown Calgary. It never gets old.

Congrats on your beautiful city!

Nancy M – Diligent Boardbooks (Coril Partner)

 

A Proposal in Bruges

A Proposal in Bruges

Histoire de: Courtney B - INLIV

This summer was one to remember. My cousin was getting married to the girl of his dreams, a lovely Dutch…

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A Proposal in Bruges

Histoire de: Courtney B - INLIV

This summer was one to remember. My cousin was getting married to the girl of his dreams, a lovely Dutch girl whom he met while travelling in Cambodia. After a year of travelling followed by a horrible year of medical troubles (from which he is now recovered) he finally proposed. They announced that the wedding would take place in her home town of Amsterdam in July 2017. Being so close to my cousins there was no way I was going to miss out on this occasion, so Jon and I crunched some numbers and, on short notice, managed to secure flights to Amsterdam. We also managed to book our stay on a Canal boat which turned out to be my second favorite part of our trip. On the second day of our trip the family took a day trip out to Bruges, Belgium. We were all so excited as not one of us had ever been there before. As the day went on Jon started acting quite odd and I could not understand why (I get it now). Not knowing what he had planned I began to nag him for acting so strangely on a family trip and we squabbled most of the morning. At lunch we all sat down at a café on the main market square, right next to the big bell tower and enjoyed a fun meal together. Jon then asked me to come check out the square and bell tower with him while everyone else finished eating. As we were walking through the square he stopped and pulled out a little box and my eyes went wide. He opened it and there was a beautiful ring twinkling back at me and he said those four words ‘Will you marry me?’ Of course I said yes and was so excited to have been proposed to in such a wonderful setting! As the family finished up and walked towards us I could tell that my Mum already knew and the look on her face was priceless. It was definitely a great way to start our trip! And we ended it on another high, when my cousin’s wedding went off without a hitch as well. Definitely a summer we will never forget. We don’t have a date yet but it will be sometime in 2018 here in our home country, under the big Canadian skies!

Courtney B – INLIV

Family Time 6 Years In The Making

Family Time 6 Years In The Making

Histoire de: Sonya W - Gemini

When I came to the Peace Region, I was gifted and blessed to be surrounded by people who shared my…

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Family Time 6 Years In The Making

Histoire de: Sonya W - Gemini

When I came to the Peace Region, I was gifted and blessed to be surrounded by people who shared my passion for the outdoors and horses. They introduced me to poker rides on horseback, a wonderful pseudo family of horse people and even my now life partner. I was gifted with the adventure of the Wonowon Gymkana and Poker Ride. 6 years ago I participated in the fun filled day of Gymkana games, a flat race against my now partner and his sibling, and the following day we leisurely enjoyed the trail ride of the Poker Ride. The organizers do an amazing job of creating a fun trail through cut lines, logging blocks and accesses that have a history for many of the families attending the ride.

This year marks the 6th Wonowon Poker Ride I have been in the Peace Region for. It was also the first that we brought our daughter to. It’s so special to me that we are able to take family time to ride the trails that my spouse grew up on, that made my first poker ride experience memorable, and that so many families before us have used to tighten the bond of family.

We are blessed to be in a community that provides so many outdoor experiences, enabling us to raise well rounded future citizens of the world.

Sonya W – Gemini

Summer is Over and The First Day of School Begins

Summer is Over and The First Day of School Begins

Histoire de: Veronica A - Triovest

The 2017 summer went by too quick as the summer months were the last few months I could officially call…

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Summer is Over and The First Day of School Begins

Histoire de: Veronica A - Triovest

The 2017 summer went by too quick as the summer months were the last few months I could officially call my 4 year old a little baby as of September he will be an independent boy. A boy who will learn to make friends and learn new things. The days leading up to his first day of his new daycare and school I was more nervous of how I would handle the change. All I kept thinking was how I want his clothes and lunch to be perfect and get him there on time. How I want to make his mornings stress free so he goes to school feeling happy. As it turned out on his very first day he looked up at me and said “Mami its ok you’ll pick me up right, so I’ll be home in no time”. I was going to cry right then and there but he was so excited it made me excited as well.

I can’t believe the summer is over but we enjoyed every minute of it playing in the spray parks, and rolling down the windows and singing out load to his favorite songs.

I look forward to what the fall and winter will bring and I will hold tight to my 1 and ½ year old daughter as she has many years to go before I relive the nervousness of the very first day of school!

Veronica A – Triovest

Ponderosa

Ponderosa

Histoire de: Mindy M - Coril Holdings Ltd.

One of my favorite moments of summer 2017 was checking an item off my bucket list by attending Ponderosa, my…

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Ponderosa

Histoire de: Mindy M - Coril Holdings Ltd.

One of my favorite moments of summer 2017 was checking an item off my bucket list by attending Ponderosa, my first ever music festival. I was a bit apprehensive, as it never seems to fail that when I go to a live music show, the tallest person there decides that the best place to stand is right in front of my 5’ 3” self, and while I enjoy just listening, being able to see is definitely part of the experience. It was a pleasant surprise to arrive at this festival, and find that it was small, laid-back, and everyone was very friendly. Never before have I been able to stand at the front of the stage for every show! It was also an opportunity to make new friends, as the couple we went with had invited another couple from Vancouver to join us. We all pitched our tents together, and proceeded to spend the next 3 days splashing around in the creek by the campsite, pooling our food to cook delicious meals, and of course introducing each other to our favorite bands out of the ones who had come to perform. It was a wonderful weekend, and I can’t wait to go back next year!

Mindy M – Coril Holdings Ltd.

Radium Hot Springs

Radium Hot Springs

Histoire de: Michelle B - INLIV

Traveling Canada this year has been a wonderful experience with a 3 year old. For the long weekend we decided…

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Radium Hot Springs

Histoire de: Michelle B - INLIV

Traveling Canada this year has been a wonderful experience with a 3 year old. For the long weekend we decided to head to Radium Hot Springs.

While zoos are amazing learning grounds, Radium is the perfect place to experience wild life, hiking and a place where multiple cultures converge.

Teaching Madeline to appreciate everything we have in Canada has been truly amazing.

Michelle B – INLIV

Intertwined Through History

Intertwined Through History

Histoire de: Vern G - Director, Loram Maintenance of Way, Inc.

I am honored to have worked for two major corporations in Canada that were intertwined through history. I first worked…

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Intertwined Through History

Histoire de: Vern G - Director, Loram Maintenance of Way, Inc.

I am honored to have worked for two major corporations in Canada that were intertwined through history. I first worked for Canadian Pacific Railway that knitted the federation of Canada together. Canadian Pacific Railway enabled Canada to grow and flourish and become a major player in world economics and security. The railroad was built through some very challenging terrain, whether it was the shield in northern Ontario, the prairies of Saskatchewan or across the mountains of Alberta or British Columbia in western Canada.

After railroading for 38 years I had the opportunity to come on board with Loram Maintenance of Way as a Board member. It was through this connection I learned that the Mannix family was instrumental in construction of many sections of the grade for the Canadian Pacific Railway in the late 1800s.

The opportunity to serve this organization today, that was involved in the creation of a transcontinental railway that helped develop Canada is truly rewarding.

Vern G – Director, Loram Maintenance of Way, Inc.

Rider Nation

Rider Nation

Histoire de: Heidi H - Triovest

On Thursday, August 24, my grandpa was diagnosed with stage 4 mouth and throat cancer. On Friday, August 25 at…

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Rider Nation

Histoire de: Heidi H - Triovest

On Thursday, August 24, my grandpa was diagnosed with stage 4 mouth and throat cancer. On Friday, August 25 at noon, he passed away. My grandpa was a huge Saskatchewan Roughrider fan, in fact, he had to pick out his favorite rider jersey to wear to day one of his treatment. With my family spread out around the country and as far away as Australia, we all thought that attending the Labour Day Classic in Regina would be the most appropriate way to celebrate my grandpa’s life. If you are from SK, you know that securing 8 tickets together at the game is quite impossible.

My aunt’s colleague who heard the story sent out some notes to a few friends in SK to see where to start about getting game day tickets. The 620 CKRM family of stations came through with an awesome solution which landed my family 8 tickets together in the 8th row for the game.

A great reminder of how people came together, in short order, to support my family! Go riders go!

Heidi H – Triovest

 

Making a Difference – « One Kid at a Time »

Making a Difference – « One Kid at a Time »

Histoire de: Brad W - Loram99

In June of 2017, Coril Holdings held its annual Senior Manager’s Conference. I was fortunate to play a small part…

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Making a Difference – « One Kid at a Time »

Histoire de: Brad W - Loram99

In June of 2017, Coril Holdings held its annual Senior Manager’s Conference. I was fortunate to play a small part in the security planning for the multi-site event, and as such, had the opportunity to witness the dedication, excellence, and teamwork among the Coril planning team who aimed to make this three day conference an innovative learning experience for all. As part of the Shareholder’s Dinner which kicked off the Conference, members of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police and Calgary Police Service came together as a ceremonial unit to drum in the Shareholder Mr. Ron Mannix in recognition of his fifty years of dedicated service to the “Outfit”; and to this proud nation of Canada. It was a great and memorable moment for myself to witness, as I’m sure it was for many others present at the Glenbow Museum that evening. As an expression of thanks to those within the RCMP and CPS ranks who contributed their time and talents to this evening, Coril Holdings made a donation to the Calgary Police Foundation.  In July, The Calgary Police Foundation awarded Coril with the Challenge Coin in recognition of their support.

The Calgary Police Foundation was established to partner exclusively with Calgary Police Services to support high risk and vulnerable youths, and their families, in our communities. Through various programs focused on intervention, prevention and education The Foundation teaches high risk youths how to live a life away from crime and build a better future for themselves. In 2016 alone 1,490 youth were supported through these programs, helping to change the trajectory of so many young lives…one kid at a time.

Brad W – Loram99

Wish Upon a Falling Star

Wish Upon a Falling Star

Histoire de: Michelle B - INLIV

Last night Jeff and I decided to take Madeline out to Pyramid Lake to see the stars. When we got…

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Wish Upon a Falling Star

Histoire de: Michelle B - INLIV

Last night Jeff and I decided to take Madeline out to Pyramid Lake to see the stars. When we got there, we met up with Marcelo, who had traveled to Jasper from California. He left his job 10 months ago (he had been a high school teacher for the past 10 years). During his journey he had stayed away from listening to the news this entire time as he had become so disheartened with where his country was going. We didn’t have the heart to say just how bad it was…just that we are so happy to be living here, in such an amazing country. We told him we were happy he could explore our country.
While it was a fascinating conversation, our goal was to provide Madeline a night she would never forget. We laid out our sleeping bags and looked up. We were simply in awe. Madeline snuggled so closely to us and was so quiet we thought she had fallen asleep. And then the most beautiful moment happened; all three of us saw the same falling star and became very excited!! I told her to make a wish. She wishes to be a Doctor and a Boat Driver. She asked what our wish was and we said that she would always remember this moment. She responded with… »Don’t worry mommy, I will never forget. »

Today, on our way home we asked her what her favourite part of the trip was. She said « The falling star, I didn’t forget mom. »

Michelle B – INLIV

Biking Cow Town

Biking Cow Town

Histoire de: Michelle B - INLIV

The past two weekends as a family we have gotten on our bikes and explored Calgary. It’s amazing how much…

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Biking Cow Town

Histoire de: Michelle B - INLIV

The past two weekends as a family we have gotten on our bikes and explored Calgary. It’s amazing how much more one can experience on a bike than in a car; from the new craft breweries; to hidden gem parks; to new restaurants; to just enjoying the skyline, a bike offers a view. And also…we love when our three year old tells us on the back of our bike how it’s the best day ever!!

Out For A Little Drive

Out For A Little Drive

Histoire de: Tanya R - Gemini

My husband loves to go for drives to see the country we live in. I normally fall asleep in about…

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Out For A Little Drive

Histoire de: Tanya R - Gemini

My husband loves to go for drives to see the country we live in. I normally fall asleep in about five minutes, but I must admit we do get to see some neat places. This spring we drove to the Liard Hot Springs in northern BC and we decided to go a bit further to Watson Lake just so I could say I have been to the Yukon. This is where you will find the signpost forest, where people that travel from all around the world put up signs from their home towns. Neat place to see and I was proud to find one from my home town Airdrie Alberta!!

Tanya R – Gemini

Lending A Helping Hand To Those In Need

Lending A Helping Hand To Those In Need

Histoire de: Kim W - Triovest

Triovest regularly volunteers at the Calgary Food Bank. Volunteer shifts vary from sorting through donations to frontline distribution to those…

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Lending A Helping Hand To Those In Need

Histoire de: Kim W - Triovest

Triovest regularly volunteers at the Calgary Food Bank. Volunteer shifts vary from sorting through donations to frontline distribution to those in need. There is something very powerful about interacting with people no different than us who are down on their luck, and it also helps us appreciate just how very fortunate we are! Giving back to our community is incredibly important and a testament to what being Canadian is all about. Generally as we approach the holidays; people are more generous and tend to think about those in need. The need is always there year-round and recently Triovest gave back over a couple of shifts doing the behind the scenes “heavy lifting” to ensure no one goes hungry in our community and… we had a bit of fun doing it too!

Kim W – Triovest

Going Home

Going Home

Histoire de: Tanya GS - Coril Holdings Ltd.

This year I was fortunate to be able to visit my brother and sister-in-law in Paris, France. Each time I…

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Going Home

Histoire de: Tanya GS - Coril Holdings Ltd.

This year I was fortunate to be able to visit my brother and sister-in-law in Paris, France. Each time I visit, I bring treats from Canada that they are missing, this year it was maple popcorn, and in return, they make sure they have my favourite wine, cheese and yogurt.

We love spending time together and exploring new areas. This visit we were able to visit the city and town where both of my maternal grandparents’ ancestors came from. We took a weekend and went to Rouen, where our ancestors left in the early 1600s and Avranches, where our ancestors left mid-1700. Both places were incredibly beautiful and it was wonderful to walk on the streets that perhaps our ancestors walked on so long ago. I had no set agenda, just to absorb the culture of the city and town. My brother had other ideas though; he decided that he would look for people who could possibly be our relatives because they would look like me. We didn’t see anyone that looked like me and only came across one lawyer with one of our family names….which makes me wonder if other members of the families moved away to the new world as well or just other areas of France. The best part of the trip was sharing these memories with my uncle who is the record keeper of our family history and yet has never visited France.

This was a short but important visit to an area none of us had visited before and there are stories that have come out of it that we will share with our family for years to come (some heartwarming and some funny). It was wonderful to tie in where we came from with knowing where we live and cherishing both for the opportunities that we have, especially in Canada.

Tanya GS – Coril Holdings Ltd.

A Bit Of Home In The Sunshine State

A Bit Of Home In The Sunshine State

Histoire de: Mindy M - Coril Holdings Ltd.

One of the highlights of my summer has been visiting my Canadian friend who now lives in California. We spent…

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A Bit Of Home In The Sunshine State

Histoire de: Mindy M - Coril Holdings Ltd.

One of the highlights of my summer has been visiting my Canadian friend who now lives in California. We spent as much time on the beach and in great restaurants as we could, and had a blast! My friend was so excited to have people around who use words like “parkade”, “toque”, and “garburator”, and who brought her Tim Hortons coffee and ketchup chips. I find it interesting how something as small as the words we use and the treats we enjoy can contribute to our national identity, even across such a small distance as the Canada/US border, but nonetheless, it was a wonderful vacation, and I was glad to be able to bring my friend a little bit of home.

Mindy M – Coril Holdings Ltd.

Our Tradition

Our Tradition

Histoire de: Amanda B - Triovest

In July, my son and I made the trip to Ontario from Alberta to see our inukshuk. This year, he…

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Our Tradition

Histoire de: Amanda B - Triovest

In July, my son and I made the trip to Ontario from Alberta to see our inukshuk.

This year, he and I spent a lot of time riding bikes around the lake and riding by the 25 ton statue. Each time, he said « good morning ‘nuksuk”. At first I only thought it was cute, then I realized, he knew! He knew it’s our place – he knew it’s our tradition. How special to have created a childhood memory for him? This country, so beautiful and full of adventure, how lucky we are!

With the wildfires, and lack of rain in the west, abundance of rain in the east this year, we are still so lucky.

I couldn’t be prouder to call Canada my home.

Amanda B – Triovest

Destined to Work for a Canadian Company!

Destined to Work for a Canadian Company!

Histoire de: Katie H - Loram Maintenance of Way

Growing up in Minnesota which is also known as Minnesnowta, I always thought Canada was like the North Pole. So…

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Destined to Work for a Canadian Company!

Histoire de: Katie H - Loram Maintenance of Way

Growing up in Minnesota which is also known as Minnesnowta, I always thought Canada was like the North Pole. So when I was in 5th grade and my parents wanted to take a month family trip up to Canada in our camper, I was mortified. It was summer time and I wanted to enjoy summer weather, not go to the North Pole! My parents assured me that the weather would be sunny and summer like. I was very skeptical so the minute we crossed over the border into Thunder Bay, my dad made me get out of the motorhome to experience the North Pole! You can imagine my surprise when it was 80 degrees(27 Celsius) and sunny! It was one of the best vacations from my childhood and what I remember the most is how friendly the Canadians were to us. I’ve been to Canada more times than I can count since then and not only is it a beautiful country but the people are amazing! So far in my short time working at Loram, I’ve found the same in all the employees I’ve come across at CORIL and the sister companies. That’s why I am convinced that I was destined to be working for/with Canadians at a very young age!

Katie H – Loram Maintenance of Way

Happy To Be Home

Happy To Be Home

Histoire de: Henry N - Triovest

In May of 1972 after I had completed my Engineering degree and before I got serious about starting my career…

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Happy To Be Home

Histoire de: Henry N - Triovest

In May of 1972 after I had completed my Engineering degree and before I got serious about starting my career I had the good fortune of doing a quick tour of some of the western European countries. It was a free-lance trip and our travel guide book was Arthur Frommer’s Europe on $5 a day! We arrived in London via Air Canada and proceeded to tour parts of England, France, Germany, Switzerland, Austria, and Italy before returning to Frankfurt for the flight home to Winnipeg. For the first time, we had seen a few armed gendarmes on the streets of Paris which was a little disconcerting but the presence of heavily armed security guards in the Frankfurt air terminal building was even more alarming as they were everywhere! We soon realized it was in preparation for the Olympics to be held in Munich later that summer but we were nervous and not sure what to expect. The flight home was uneventful but by the time we landed in Winnipeg I was literally ready to kiss the tarmac on Canadian soil.

It was not until the events of the Munich massacre of eleven Israeli athletes unfolded in September did I truly appreciate how fortunate and thankful I was to be born and living in Canada – a sentiment I still hold dear to this day.

Henry N – Triovest

Impromptu Canada Day 150th Celebration!

Impromptu Canada Day 150th Celebration!

Histoire de: Sylvia W - INLIV

We were busy gearing up for Stampede so we hadn’t made a plan for Canada. At the last minute, friends…

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Impromptu Canada Day 150th Celebration!

Histoire de: Sylvia W - INLIV

We were busy gearing up for Stampede so we hadn’t made a plan for Canada. At the last minute, friends called and asked if we wanted to bike to Princess Island/East Village. We said yes and rode down from the West side. We started at our friend’s condo, who was wearing crazy Canada day pants and put on Canada day stickers. We started to ride our bikes towards Princess Island but the mobs of people were incredible. I was pleasantly shocked how many had ventured down to the area. It was so busy, we had to get off our bikes and walk them. We enjoyed the people, the festivities, all the things going on. Then we rode over to East Village and had a beautiful honey grilled cheese sandwich with ham, and a beer at Sidewalk Citizen cafe. Just as we were finishing lunch, another set of friends joined us —all impromptu. We headed over to Fort Calgary and checked out all the festivities and music there. Next stop was Vagabond for another Canadian beer. Then we headed out to try the newly installed bike lanes! That was so much fun! Then we ended up back at Eau Claire for another Canadian beer. It was such a warm day and fun way to spend with good friends.

Sylvia W – INLIV

Our First Time Escape (as a family!)

Our First Time Escape (as a family!)

Histoire de: Michelle B – INLIV

For the first time, we traveled with our almost three year old to Toronto and then further east to Prince…

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Our First Time Escape (as a family!)

Histoire de: Michelle B – INLIV

For the first time, we traveled with our almost three year old to Toronto and then further east to Prince Edward County without « help ». No parents, no friends, no nanny. We were nervous on many fronts. That said it turned out to be the best trip our little family has ever had. We enjoyed sunsets, port and apple pie nightly!

Experiencing Toronto (and all the tourist type things like CN Tower, the Aquarium and a Jays game) along with going to an area of Ontario we’d never even knew existed through the eyes of a 3 year old is priceless.

Our Canada is truly amazing – I have to admit that I love that the dollar was doing so poorly – it made us realize how much more we needed to explore here!

Michelle B – INLIV

Beaver Pond Trail

Beaver Pond Trail

Histoire de: April F - Triovest

I was not aware of Beavers at all until I made it to Canada in 2011. In 2015, I was…

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Beaver Pond Trail

Histoire de: April F - Triovest

I was not aware of Beavers at all until I made it to Canada in 2011. In 2015, I was privileged to visit a Beaver pond trail in Algonquin with a group of people (majority friends) and able to give back to the community. If you haven’t been there, I suggest you pay a visit. This trail is a 2.0km loop that gives you an amazing view of the beaver pond and Amikeus lake which were both created by beavers. For me, this trail was very educational and the sectional numbered posts along the trail helps give insights to the Beavers role – how amazing they are. It was indeed a great experience for me to hike that trail and see the beautiful surroundings from the top that the Beavers have created. After visiting the site, I told myself that I will always take a visitor to this area to let them see and experience the wonderful work of art of Beavers – I will always be proud to share our Canadian national animal icon, an amazing creature. Cheers to those strong little teeth!

April F – Triovest

Let’s Keep Cooking Together Canada

Let’s Keep Cooking Together Canada

Histoire de: Sathia D - Coril Holdings Ltd.

An important part of my Canada is about my neighbors; some, who like me, have made Calgary our hometown.  Raising…

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Let’s Keep Cooking Together Canada

Histoire de: Sathia D - Coril Holdings Ltd.

An important part of my Canada is about my neighbors; some, who like me, have made Calgary our hometown.  Raising our families, shoveling snow-off each other’s sidewalks (let it not snow too soon!), and more importantly, enjoying that quintessential Canadian summer past time – the BBQ.  I recently had the opportunity to experience a Paella cook out at one of my neighbors’ home whose family is originally from Chile. The Paella, as I understand it, is a communal dish rooted in Spain, filled with sea food, rice, vegetables, and made over an open fire pit. Once cooked, it is shared around the fire with everyone taking a serving, while telling stories, sharing culture, tasting good food and enjoying a cold beverage. This reminds me about the strength in community through food and friendship. So, let’s keep cooking together Canada and Happy 150th!

Sathia D – Coril Holdings Ltd.

Feeling Blessed

Feeling Blessed

Histoire de: Tanya GS - Coril Holdings Ltd.

Sometimes I think we all forget about the safety and security we have in Canada. We are able to hear…

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Feeling Blessed

Histoire de: Tanya GS - Coril Holdings Ltd.

Sometimes I think we all forget about the safety and security we have in Canada. We are able to hear the stories that affect other countries and remember how blessed we are here at home.

The first time I saw a police officer holding a machine gun it was at the Gare de Nord in Paris 12 years ago. Since then each time I travel to France I expect to see them at the airports and train stations. This trip however brought all of the news stories back to me. Not only have I seen police officers on an ordinary street walking with machine guns but also every store and shopping centre I walk into has a security guard there checking bags and purses, that used to be something you would see only at tourist attractions. We were also delayed at a train station because a random bag was left behind, they had to call the police to have it destroyed on the spot. I am thankful these police officers, gandarmerie and security guards are there to protect the public but I also know that at home we are so fortunate to feel safe in all public spaces and buildings without these safe guards.

We are truly blessed to be living in a country where we are strong and free.

Tanya GS – Coril Holdings Ltd.

Calgary Stampede Parade

Calgary Stampede Parade

Histoire de: Amanda B - Triovest

Each year the Triovest team hosts a traditional pancake breakfast at Centrium building located along the parade route. It’s the…

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Calgary Stampede Parade

Histoire de: Amanda B - Triovest

Each year the Triovest team hosts a traditional pancake breakfast at Centrium building located along the parade route.

It’s the perfect way to kick off Stampede and personally, I love it! We invite the Calgary Food Bank and they collect food/cash in order to help those that need it.

We are pleased to say for 2016, that Triovest tenants raised over $17,000 and over 2600 lb of food!!

Pleased to be a part of a group that cares about the community.

Amanda B – Triovest

Little Town Parade, How I Spent Canada Day

Little Town Parade, How I Spent Canada Day

Histoire de: Tanya R - Gemini

It’s a tradition now to go to the Fort St John Gemini office on Canada Day and watch the parade…

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Little Town Parade, How I Spent Canada Day

Histoire de: Tanya R - Gemini

It’s a tradition now to go to the Fort St John Gemini office on Canada Day and watch the parade from the office lawn. Canada 150 was the same but with a tailgate potluck BBQ to celebrate the extra special day. After the excitement of seeing the parade, RCMP, tractors, old cars and even the Vac trucks and other industrial equipment that they seem to love here in the North Peace, we all gathered in the back parking lot to eat. Many hot dogs were consumed, cakes and freezies and we ended the party off with a large water fight (all the kids were given a water gun if they promised to soak Darren our boss).

Great day, great place and great co-workers and friends. Happy Canada 150! (also I love this picture, iconic RCMP and Tim Horton’s).

Tanya R – Gemini

Honouring Great Canadians

Honouring Great Canadians

Histoire de: Robin K - Coril Holdings Ltd.

In April of this year, the world lost a great Canadian. My Uncle Bruce was proud to be from a…

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Honouring Great Canadians

Histoire de: Robin K - Coril Holdings Ltd.

In April of this year, the world lost a great Canadian. My Uncle Bruce was proud to be from a country that offered so many opportunities. Starting his life with humble beginnings, he worked hard to become a successful business owner. His motivation stemmed with his deep love of family and community. He knew that his family was fortunate to immigrate to Canada from Russia when his father was just a toddler and his life’s goal was to give back. Uncle Bruce was the most generous man I knew. His door was always open, his phone never sat silent and he was always the first to give when needs arose. With Canada celebrating its 150th birthday, I believe my Uncle Bruce was the perfect recipient to receive The Spirit of Canada award honouring his contributions to this great nation. I just wish he was here to receive the award himself!

Robin K – Coril Holdings Ltd.

This Beautiful Country

This Beautiful Country

Histoire de: Daniel B - Gemini

This photo was taken with my loving mother and canine companion on Mother’s Day at The Crossing. After we had…

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This Beautiful Country

Histoire de: Daniel B - Gemini

This photo was taken with my loving mother and canine companion on Mother’s Day at The Crossing. After we had an amazing Mother’s Day brunch that was prepared by the talented cooks at The Crossing, we went for a walk with our dog down to the river. Every time I look at this picture I feel so grateful to live in Canada and be able to take advantage of its incredible and vast landscape that has so much to offer. Whether you like to bike, hike, go skiing in the mountains, or just want to visit one of the National Parks scattered across the country, Canada has it all. I am so proud to be able to call myself a Canadian, and I wouldn’t want to live anywhere else in the world.

Daniel B – Gemini

Community Coming Together After Flooding

Community Coming Together After Flooding

Histoire de: Kim W - Triovest

Everyone Calgarian was or knows someone who was deeply affected by the floods of 2013. Assessing our city under water…

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Community Coming Together After Flooding

Histoire de: Kim W - Triovest

Everyone Calgarian was or knows someone who was deeply affected by the floods of 2013. Assessing our city under water was captured by a Calgary Herald reported and this photo went on to be used in several media campaigns. What followed days after the flood was amazing to be a part of; a city who came together to help strangers and rebuild our community. From slugging soaked muddy furniture out of destroyed homes, opening homes to strangers, to fundraising concerts; being a part of such a community is truly heartwarming and makes me proud to be Canadian; and more specifically a Calgarian!

Kim W – Triovest

Canada Day Celebration

Canada Day Celebration

Histoire de: Darcy P - Triovest

As a family we celebrated Canada Day like many other Canadians with a family BBQ. Myself, my wife, our two…

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Canada Day Celebration

Histoire de: Darcy P - Triovest

As a family we celebrated Canada Day like many other Canadians with a family BBQ. Myself, my wife, our two boys and grandma and grandpa had a BBQ complete with some outdoor games. Prior to our BBQ we drove to Airdrie and took in the Canada Day Parade. This was one of many small but special family memories we have shared together this year.

Darcy P – Triovest

Canada Day Surprise

Canada Day Surprise

Histoire de: Robin K - Coril Holdings Ltd.

I love living in Canada and knew that I had to celebrate Canada’s 150th with people I love…unfortunately those people…

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Canada Day Surprise

Histoire de: Robin K - Coril Holdings Ltd.

I love living in Canada and knew that I had to celebrate Canada’s 150th with people I love…unfortunately those people are in Vancouver and I am here in Calgary. After much humming and hawing, I decided I wasn’t going to miss out! I packed up my car and got on the road to surprise my family. With about an hour to spare, I arrived just in time for the party. I didn’t let anyone know I was coming, so I hid in the bushes until my cousin and brother came outside…they were so surprised and excited to see me!!
I was only in Vancouver for about 24 hours but I would do it again in a heartbeat!

Robin K – Coril Holdings Ltd.

The Power of Play

The Power of Play

Histoire de: Coril Holdings Team

Remember the excitement when the school year came to an end and on the last day was Play Day with…

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The Power of Play

Histoire de: Coril Holdings Team

Remember the excitement when the school year came to an end and on the last day was Play Day with all kinds of fun games, food and ribbons to be won? Well, the Coril Team took a trip down memory lane and organized a “Coril Team Play Day”. The event included Bocce Ball, Giant Jenga, Water Balloon Volley Ball, Ladder Ball, Bean Bag Toss, trophies and a yummy BBQ grilled by the IT department!! Even the heat did not dampen the spirits of the teams as they worked together to wipe out their opponents!

We should never underestimate the power of play, it may look like just fun and games, which it is, but it is also a great opportunity for teams to work together, build trust, and strengthen relationships.

Coril Holdings Team

An Olympic Memento

An Olympic Memento

Histoire de: Amy N - Coril Holdings Ltd.

Reading Darwin’s story about being in Calgary in 1988 just before the Olympics reminded me of my own little piece…

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An Olympic Memento

Histoire de: Amy N - Coril Holdings Ltd.

Reading Darwin’s story about being in Calgary in 1988 just before the Olympics reminded me of my own little piece of Calgary Olympic nostalgia. No, I wasn’t here in 1988. I was busy dealing with a very precocious 1 year old. But my parents came to Calgary as part of their trip to Banff and Lake Louise. I saw the pictures afterwards and thought, “Wow! How beautiful! Hope I get to go there someday.” (Little did I know…)

My stepfather collected western bolo ties and tie clips. They travelled a lot in Western Canada and the States, so he had quite a collection, which my mother gave to me a few years after we moved to Calgary. I’m the only one in my family likely to actually find them useful! There weren’t many surprises – I had a good idea of the type of artwork and craftsmanship that attracted him. But there was one that looked out of place in his collection of mini western art. I took a close look and found….a Calgary ‘88 bolo tie pin! I had forgotten they had even been to Calgary until I saw it. I do my best to wear his ties every year during Stampede, but there are more than I can wear in one year. I’ll make sure I wear the Olympic one this year. Stay on the lookout for it next week during Stampede.

So thanks to my Mom and Bob’s desire to commemorate their wonderful trip to Calgary, Banff, and Lake Louise I have a fun memento of the ’88 Olympics. Thanks, guys!!

Amy N – Coril Holdings Ltd.

Cross Canada Road Trip

Cross Canada Road Trip

Histoire de: Craig S - INLIV

It was the summer of 1999 and the Sandaus decided to take a road trip vacation across this great country…

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Cross Canada Road Trip

Histoire de: Craig S - INLIV

It was the summer of 1999 and the Sandaus decided to take a road trip vacation across this great country of ours. We started in Calgary and meandered our way to Hull, Quebec to visit relatives. The participants were mom and dad and two daughters aged four and two. We had a large laminated road map with us to help the girls understand the huge undertaking we were about to embark on. Several gruelling days of driving across the country via the Trans-Canada Highway. The first stop was Regina to visit with family and see a Roughrider game. The travel day included stops at various playgrounds along the way to keep the young passengers happy and to help them expend a little energy throughout the day. Medicine Hat and Swift Current should be commended for their great parks. The last park we visited had the world’s largest moose statue in Moose Jaw.

Day 2 of travel started early and was uneventful, flat, and straight driving to Winnipeg. A quick lunch and back on the road with a quick stop in Ste Anne’s for another swing ride for the ladies. We arrived in Kenora at dinner time and decided to eat at an interesting local eatery. Low and behold it was being operated by an owner of a Calgary restaurant we frequented. Food, drinks, and laughter a plenty and we did not make our final destination of the day and decided to spend the night in Kenora with our newest best friends.

The third day was dissimilar to the last as the Canadian Shield landscape dominated the scenery outside of the minivan windows. The road turned from straight to hilly and full of cornering adventures. Lake Superior was seen off and on throughout the day. A few stops throughout the day for pictures to capture the beautiful vista views of the Great Lake.

Day 4 was the continuation of our travels around Lake Superior. Now we have a firsthand reference why they are called Great Lakes. Two travel days to travel around one lake. On the way home we have already decided to catch a ferry to try and cut the travel time on our homeward march. We end our day in Strurgeon Falls to visit my wife’s family. Reacquainting and initial introductions to this Ontario family were engaging. Historical family stories were shared. The vegetable gardens that can be grown in Southern Ontario make a prairie boy jealous. The variety of items that are planted in my home garden pale in comparison to the variety in Southern Ontario. Ripe tomatoes in July, peppers, and full grown sunflowers were some of the items that were ready to eat and savour in the middle of the growing season.

Day 5 of travel has us passing through Toronto and taking a small side trip to Niagara Falls. This side trip did not disappoint. A ride on the Maid of the Mist along with standing at the foot of the falls puts this wonder of the world in perspective.

Last day of travel and we arrive in Hull. Five days of travel, 3 provinces, and 3500 kilometers later friendly faces greet us and ask if we would embark on this journey again. Of course our answer is YES.

Craig S – INLIV

On the Eve of a Sesquicentennial

On the Eve of a Sesquicentennial

Histoire de: Mike M - Triovest

Does anyone else have trouble saying Sesquicentennial? Even when I sound it out like a 5 year old I have…

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On the Eve of a Sesquicentennial

Histoire de: Mike M - Triovest

Does anyone else have trouble saying Sesquicentennial? Even when I sound it out like a 5 year old I have trouble…

Writing on this eve of a centennial I half find myself thinking not about the last 150 but the next stretch of the same. It makes me think of my kids and their kids. In short, how lucky they are!

Sure, Canada is a cultural mosaic, secure, beautiful and a land of opportunity but to me I see it as a healthy debate. Arbitrary? Sure, but that’s what it is; and that’s fantastic!

Canada’s a place where no matter who or what you are, you can be heard and disagreed with in a respectful way. You can be what you want to be. You can think and say what you feel necessary without fear of repercussion (within reason, of course, which is also up for debate…).

To me, this puts Canada at the top of the list of countries that will drive the world into the future. Why? Because debate is fundamentally required to put the best ideas of a collection of thinkers and doers to work. Thoughts that aren’t respectfully heard and challenged tend not to produce the best ideas. The best ideas are what innovate. This doesn’t just apply to industry either. It matters for health. It matters for education. It matters for social innovation too.

Because of what Canada is, I’m betting it’s going to be a leader in creating the tools, tech and thinkers that drive humanity’s advance. It will continue to attract those who are looking for the best place to live, which will continue to drive us as a country. That’s why our kids are so lucky. Like us, they will get to participate daily in the great Canadian debate; and reap the benefits at the same time.

Happy Canada Day!

Mike M – Triovest

Grateful to be Canadian

Grateful to be Canadian

Histoire de: Nadia Z - INLIV

Born and raised a Canadian, I feel so proud to have lived the life influenced by my parents and grandparents….

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Grateful to be Canadian

Histoire de: Nadia Z - INLIV

Born and raised a Canadian, I feel so proud to have lived the life influenced by my parents and grandparents. The stories of their arrival to Canada, their challenges and experiences have always made me so thankful to be Canadian. I have been fortunate to travel to many places within and outside of Canada. To put it simply,…we are unique, and I am happy to say I am Canadian.

Nadia Z – INLIV

Poole – It’s a beautiful place…but Canada is home

Poole – It’s a beautiful place…but Canada is home

Histoire de: Zoe S - INLIV

When I was little I had no idea how lucky I was to have been born where I was. I…

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Poole – It’s a beautiful place…but Canada is home

Histoire de: Zoe S - INLIV

When I was little I had no idea how lucky I was to have been born where I was. I was born in a small town in the south coast of England called Poole where I was walking distance from a beach with golden sands, a short hike to castle ruins and only a twenty minute drive away from the Jurassic coast, an impressive stretch of coast line which boasts some fascinating history, breathtaking cliffs and ocean views. One of the most relevant claims to fame my hometown has is that it was the birth place of Lush Cosmetic (which explains why, for those of you lucky enough to work with me, there is always a faint scent of Jasmine by my desk!)

The first I really knew of Canada as a place was when I was 9, my family and I went on a two week RV adventure vacation around parts of North America. It was my first time in Toronto and Niagara falls and I was in love! The people, the places and everything about this country made me feel right at home. Thankfully my parents had felt the same and after much debate and house hunting, we set about planning the move from England to Canada.

Our move wasn’t like most other families as we decided, for the sake of my schooling, we would move out in stages. My father in 2008, my brother in 2009 and myself and my mother in 2011. At the time we were living in Prince Edward Island and, despite the amazing landscape of the Island, I was homesick.

I moved back to England in 2012 and began a career back home. I visited my parents, now living in Calgary, once a year and it was finally in 2015 when I decided to give Canada another try…and thank goodness I did! I’m almost at my two year Canniversary and I’ve well and truly fallen back in love with the country that caught my attention all those years ago on that family vacation. Of course some days I miss the beach but thankfully the mountains have a real way of balancing that out.

I’m excited to apply for my citizenship in the next year or so and finally make that promise to somewhere that really and truly is my home!

Zoe S – INLIV

My Town

My Town

Histoire de: Stephanie M - INLIV

My family moved to Okotoks in 1988 when I was 8 years old. They decided to move for a slower…

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My Town

Histoire de: Stephanie M - INLIV

My family moved to Okotoks in 1988 when I was 8 years old. They decided to move for a slower pace, small town feel, safety, and close-knit community. I have lived in Okotoks now for 29 years and nothing has changes in that regard.

The business community is very collaborate and works together to make Okotoks a special place to live.
It has art galleries, a performing arts centre and a museum. The town has great restaurants, unique shopping, recreation and cultural experiences for everyone.

The biking/walking paths run along the beautiful Sheep River Valley and the Big Rock, which was featured in the 2007 Guinness Book of World Records as being the largest glacial erratic in the world, and is only 9 km outside of town.

Okotoks is surrounded by magnificent Rocky Mountain views and rolling hills.

Where I come from has so much to do with why I love being a Canadian.

Stephanie M – INLIV

Where I Grew Up

Where I Grew Up

Histoire de: Amanda M - INLIV

I grew up in Fort St James BC (not sure if many have heard or have visited) . It’s a…

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Where I Grew Up

Histoire de: Amanda M - INLIV

I grew up in Fort St James BC (not sure if many have heard or have visited) . It’s a very small town approx 14,000 people live there.

When thinking back on my childhood and where I grew up, the fondest memories are of my sister and I playing outside. It didn’t matter if it was -30 outside, we had a huge hill in our back yard and would grab buckets of water and make our own ice patch and would come whipping down. We use to go fishing with our grandfather and he taught us how to gut the fish. For fun our grandfather would drive out to the local garbage dump and in the truck we would watch the bears. Even writing this puts a smile on my face.

Knowing and loving everything about Canada makes me feel so proud to be Canadian

Amanda M – INLIV

1st Annual INLIV Oscars

1st Annual INLIV Oscars

Histoire de: Anna S - INLIV

This June we hosted the 1st annual INLIV Oscars at Hotel Arts. We wanted to recognize and celebrate individuals on…

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1st Annual INLIV Oscars

Histoire de: Anna S - INLIV

This June we hosted the 1st annual INLIV Oscars at Hotel Arts. We wanted to recognize and celebrate individuals on our team who have gone above and beyond to provide our clients and teammates with outstanding service over the past year. The amazing Ken Wilson was our MC and he led us through the five award categories, recognizing individuals and teams for their performances. It was a great red carpet event celebrating our team – hopefully the start of an annual tradition!

Anna S – INLIV

Growing up in BC!

Growing up in BC!

Histoire de: Barb G - INLIV

Happy Canada Day! My name is Barb and I was born in Vancouver BC and grew up in Prince George,…

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Growing up in BC!

Histoire de: Barb G - INLIV

Happy Canada Day! My name is Barb and I was born in Vancouver BC and grew up in Prince George, BC. My family moved to Calgary in 1976 as my father was managing the Prince George Union 76 refinery and was transferred to Calgary. I arrived here with my parents and my younger sister Caroline and much younger brother John. My oldest sister stayed in Prince George. It was a great move for us and I love living in Calgary.

Barb G – INLIV

Alberta

Alberta

Histoire de: Jane T - Coril Holdings Ltd.

A few weekends ago, a friend from Ontario visited. We decided to make our way to the mountains on Sunday….

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Alberta

Histoire de: Jane T - Coril Holdings Ltd.

A few weekends ago, a friend from Ontario visited. We decided to make our way to the mountains on Sunday. Driving West on the Trans-Canada Highway with someone who has not seen mountains (let alone the Rockies) before definitely made me realize how often I take Alberta’s beautiful backyard for granted. She was mesmerized by how big and beautiful they were as well as how there could still be snow settled on the tops. We hiked Prairie View Lookout, a great hike with three separate and equally amazing lookout points and then jumped into Barrier Lake to cool off – a crystal clear blue lake so cold it takes your breath away. She stopped every five minutes to take a photo, excited to show her family Alberta’s beauty when she went home.

It makes you realize how important it is to stop and take a moment to take in the beautiful Canadian outdoors – because your everyday scenery may be someone else’s dream destination.

Jane T – Coril Holdings Ltd.

Can You Feel It?

Can You Feel It?

Histoire de: Darwin I - Loram Maintenance of Way

Thursday, February 4, 1988 One of my first visits to Canada involved grinding switches and crossings in downtown Calgary in…

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Can You Feel It?

Histoire de: Darwin I - Loram Maintenance of Way

Thursday, February 4, 1988
One of my first visits to Canada involved grinding switches and crossings in downtown Calgary in 1988 with SX 4. Coincidentally, it was just a week before the Winter Olympics would begin, and the city was absolutely buzzing! I can still remember the festive and friendly atmosphere to this day. We had a few hours available one day while we were waiting for trains, so the crew and I decided to go to the Loram history center in our grinding-dust-covered work clothes. I wasn’t entirely sure this was a great idea, but I couldn’t have been more wrong. I don’t remember who was there that day, but I do remember the hospitality and how welcomed I felt. They loaded us up with trinkets, including a Loram Group necktie that I still have to this day.

A day or two later, we had an opportunity to go to the bobsled track and watch the bobsledders practicing. One advantage to being there early was that we could get right up to the tracks. I swear we could have reached out and touched the helmets of the bobsledders as they sped by. Bobsledding was a hot topic in the Olympics that year, as it featured the debut of the Jamaican Bobsled Team of “Cool Runnings” fame. The Winter Olympics Motto that year was, “Can You Feel It?”. Thanks to the incredible hospitality of the folks of Canada that week – even though it was the week before the events–the answer was a resounding “YES!”.

Darwin I – Loram Maintenance of Way

A Sticky Situation

A Sticky Situation

Histoire de: An extremely grateful co-worker – Coril Holdings Ltd.

« 2,100 bottles of syrup in a box, 2,100 bottles of syrup, take one out, tie a ribbon on top,…

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A Sticky Situation

Histoire de: An extremely grateful co-worker – Coril Holdings Ltd.

« 2,100 bottles of syrup in a box, 2,100 bottles of syrup, take one out, tie a ribbon on top, 2,099 bottles of syrup in a box…….. »

On June 20th, after much delay, we received a long awaited shipment of 2,100 bottles of maple syrup as part of the CORIL150 initiative. The intent was to have all the bottles branded with the campaign logo, including a really cool CORIL150 pin, and have them delivered to all employees within the Coril Group of Companies prior to Canada Day and Independence Day celebrations. Coupled with the delay, Murphy’s Law came into play, and most of the staff were either tied up in meetings or out of the office, making realizing this deadline almost impossible. Thankfully, teamwork and sheer determination was willingly demonstrated by three incredible individuals… Mindy, Robin and Tanya. These ladies, without hesitation, put all their responsibilities on hold, rolled up their sleeves and got the job done!!

So when you are pouring this delicious syrup over your pancakes on Sunday morning, dedicate a bite or two to those who made it happen.

Happy Canada Day and Independence Day!!

An extremely grateful co-worker – Coril Holdings Ltd.

7th Annual Branch Out Bike Tour

7th Annual Branch Out Bike Tour

Histoire de: Crystal P - INLIV

The INLIV team and clients participated and volunteered in the 7th Annual Branch Out Bike Tour. The Branch Out Foundation…

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7th Annual Branch Out Bike Tour

Histoire de: Crystal P - INLIV

The INLIV team and clients participated and volunteered in the 7th Annual Branch Out Bike Tour. The Branch Out Foundation http://www.branchoutfoundation.com/ was started by one of INLIV’s health coaches after she struggled to find treatment with traditional medical methods when she was diagnosed with MS. The Branch out Foundation funds research into Neurocam (neuroscience + complementary and alternative modalities) for a wide range of neuromuscular disorders.

The bike tour consisting of over 150 riders was a 100km road ride from Panorama Mountain Village BC, around lake Windermere and back up the epic hill to Panorama Mountain Village.  Fundraising from the event totaled over $250,000.

Crystal P – INLIV

So Many Adventures To Have In This Great Country…

So Many Adventures To Have In This Great Country…

Histoire de: Amanda B - Triovest

Calgary was the first city to have the Canada 150 sign installed this year. An all ladies brigade from Coril…

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So Many Adventures To Have In This Great Country…

Histoire de: Amanda B - Triovest

Calgary was the first city to have the Canada 150 sign installed this year. An all ladies brigade from Coril and Triovest headed for a great lunchtime walk down to the sign for a snap all together.

The coolest part of our destination was that when we arrived so many others were waiting to get their picture taken as well. A nice couple touring Canada from England took our snap. They were so pleased we walked down at lunch.

So many adventures to have in this great country…

Amanda B – Triovest

Half Marathon Charity Challenge

Half Marathon Charity Challenge

Histoire de: Paula S - Triovest

This year for my 50th birthday year, I decided to run/walk the Scotiabank Vancouver Half Marathon for the Music Heals…

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Half Marathon Charity Challenge

Histoire de: Paula S - Triovest

This year for my 50th birthday year, I decided to run/walk the Scotiabank Vancouver Half Marathon for the Music Heals team. Last time I did this event was for 5km in 2014 for the same team. My co-worker, Laarni, and I hardly trained for it which showed with the injury I ran with from 5km point. We trained at the gym on the cardio machines and strengthening training, I attended evening yoga classes. We finished the marathon and that’s all that mattered to us. We didn’t really care about the time but we did quite well at finished time of under 3 ½ hours.

The charity that I believe in so much from the bottom of my heart is Music Heals which is a non-profit charitable organization established in 2012. They are a group of music enthusiasts and music lovers who have come together to help raise awareness of the healing powers of music. Music Heals Charitable Foundation supports a wide range of music therapy services to communities in BC and across Canada. They increase access to music therapy for patients in children’s hospitals, senior’s centres, palliative care, AIDS & HIV programs, at-risk youth, habilitation, and bereavement support.

Paula S – Triovest

Discovering Family Secrets

Discovering Family Secrets

Histoire de: Garth J - Triovest

My aunt had an old oval picture frame that she wanted to re-purpose. When she took the picture out, she…

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Discovering Family Secrets

Histoire de: Garth J - Triovest

My aunt had an old oval picture frame that she wanted to re-purpose. When she took the picture out, she found a picture of her grandfather that had been hidden beneath it. He was in a military uniform. Not knowing what service her grandfather had been in, she took the picture to the Glenbow Museum to see if they could identify the uniform. After a few weeks, they responded to her. Incredibly, the uniform was for the personal bodyguard of Nicolas II, the Czar of Russia. My aunt started asking her older relatives if they knew anything about his role; the common response was « we don’t talk about it ». Apparently, right after the assassination of Nicolas II, the family fled Russia and hid any association to their past. For safety reasons, the generations didn’t talk about it.

I am sure there are thousands of stories with thousands of reasons why people left their homeland to come to Canada. I am just grateful this story eventually came out so the history was not totally lost. Even more so, I am grateful they had such a wonderful country to seek a safe way of life.

Garth J – Triovest

Google – Calgary – Ultimate destination!

Google – Calgary – Ultimate destination!

Histoire de: Prasad P - The Crossing

Ten years ago me and my wife Shilpa were sharing a glass of wine in a quaint little town Halifax…

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Google – Calgary – Ultimate destination!

Histoire de: Prasad P - The Crossing

Ten years ago me and my wife Shilpa were sharing a glass of wine in a quaint little town Halifax in West Yorkshire, UK thinking what should be our next destination….some place to call home.

And for some reason our decision was based on a simple Google search… »best places to live in the world » and Calgary, Canada popped up! And three years later we were in the best Country in the world and the greatest city it had to offer…CALGARY!!! Today we are proud Canadians and a part of the city which has offered so much and the people here are special!

India – France – England – Wales and now our final destination CANADA!

Prasad P – The Crossing

250 Million Year Old Rock From Northern Africa

250 Million Year Old Rock From Northern Africa

Histoire de: Charlene F - Gemini

Growing up in small town Newfoundland felt a lot like we were decades behind the rest of the world. I…

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250 Million Year Old Rock From Northern Africa

Histoire de: Charlene F - Gemini

Growing up in small town Newfoundland felt a lot like we were decades behind the rest of the world. I can say this from experience in that I was actually born in Toronto, Ontario. In the first 10 years of my life, we traveled to and from Newfoundland almost every year it seemed to follow the seasonal work and fulfill the need to be « back home » as much as possible. The big city of Toronto had its lure of prosperity and success, but the yearning to return home for my parents was constant. As a child going back and forth, I truly felt we would go back in time… Many homes without running water, toilets, telephones or TV’s. Most people living off the water and land, from dawn until long after dusk. As a child I thought it was heaven – the air was so clean, the ocean went to the end of the earth, the freedom to run around in fields with sheep, goats and even a herd of wild horses. It was a natural apparatus playground everywhere you looked.

The 250 million year old rock that was originally part of Northern Africa was the last province to join Canada in 1949. The vote at the time was split 51%-49% in favor of confederation. Because of that vote, we were able to travel freely back and forth in my early years, and I was able to move out west to Alberta in my adult years where I am currently raising my family. As history repeats itself, I am now bringing my teenage children back and forth to Newfoundland annually. The yearning to the rock in the middle of the North Atlantic draws you in and your heart never really leaves. To this day, my favorite place to find peace is sitting on the 250 million year old slate and gazing across the pond to what lays beyond.

Charlene F – Gemini

Canadian Christmas Shinny

Canadian Christmas Shinny

Histoire de: John T - Coril Holdings Ltd.

Every Christmas Day for the last 10 years three neighbourhood families have got together to play shinny hockey at the…

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Canadian Christmas Shinny

Histoire de: John T - Coril Holdings Ltd.

Every Christmas Day for the last 10 years three neighbourhood families have got together to play shinny hockey at the local rink at high noon. Players come in all shapes, sizes, genders and outfits. Most importantly we are there to extend Christmas cheer and burn off some calories in preparation for a big turkey dinner. The game is typically remembered for a spectacular passing play between the various talent levels resulting in a highlight reel goal from an unexpected hero.

The ultimate reward however, is how much better the turkey tastes.

John T – Coril Holdings Ltd.

Building Communities Through Public Service

Building Communities Through Public Service

Histoire de: Kevin B - Coril Holdings Ltd.

The Coril Group and its predecessor companies have a long and storied history of contributing to the development and on-going…

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Building Communities Through Public Service

Histoire de: Kevin B - Coril Holdings Ltd.

The Coril Group and its predecessor companies have a long and storied history of contributing to the development and on-going vibrancy of the communities associated with their various offices and operations. Over the years, those contributions have taken many forms, ranging from both direct and in-kind donations to those same communities, to sponsorships of local institutions, or even to volunteer support for local kids sports teams. There is, however, at least one type of indirect contribution made by people associated with our Group to society, generally, that has arguably gone largely unnoticed. Those contributions take the form of former employees of our Group who have elected to leave our Group, either permanently or temporarily, to pursue public service. Most significantly, this would include employees who chose to bravely and unselfishly serve our great country through military service. It would also include, however, those who chose to leave our Group to pursue elected office or senior positions in government.

One among the many who, consciously or unconsciously, used his time with our Group as a stepping stone to public service was The Honourable E. Peter Lougheed, who served in our Group in a legal capacity from 1956 – 1961. He would later recall to others that his training in that role ultimately proved invaluable to his service as Alberta’s 10th Premier from 1971 to 1985.

In a similar vein was the service within our Group of Lieutenant General, The Honourable Stan Waters, who served in senior leadership roles in the Group from 1975 to 1989. Shortly after retiring from the Group, he became, in 1990, Canada’s first elected official to be appointed as a Senator (representing Alberta) in Canada’s parliament.

It is also worth noting that the transfer of skills acquired within our Group to public office was not just a one-way exchange. As evidence, one need look no further than the appointment of The Honorable Mr. Jim Prentice to the Board of Coril Holdings Ltd., first in 2012 and again in 2016. Those appointments followed, respectively, the completion of more than six years (2004 – 2010) of distinguished service as a Federal Member of Parliament and Cabinet Minister, and his subsequent service as Alberta’s 16th Premier.

These remarkable individuals represent just three of many accomplished Canadian public servants who attributed at least some of their personal and professional development to their service in our Group of Companies. No less important, although perhaps lower profile, are the countless other talented men and women of our Group who ultimately went on to serve in elected office at the Municipal, Provincial and Federal levels of Government across the great, and proudly democratic, nation we are all blessed to call home.

Kevin B – Coril Holdings Ltd.

Island Girl

Island Girl

Histoire de: Robin K - Coril Holdings Ltd.

Is it the place you were born, grew up, or the place that just feels like home? Even though I…

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Island Girl

Histoire de: Robin K - Coril Holdings Ltd.

Is it the place you were born, grew up, or the place that just feels like home?

Even though I left at a young age, Campbell River, BC will forever be my hometown. Located on the east coast (or inlet) of Vancouver Island.

Who could ask for a better view? You’ve got the ocean, mountains and cruise ships all at once. Countless marine animal migrate through the inlet every year. For those fisherman, Campbell River is known as the Salmon Capital of the World.

This is where I developed my love of camping. We’d usually camp for 3-4 months with my dad commuting back and forth during the week.

Robin K – Coril Holdings Ltd.

 

Sunsets In Calgary

Sunsets In Calgary

Histoire de: Nathan W - Coril Holdings Ltd.

I have always loved the unique atmospheric conditions that Calgary enjoys. Agricultural dust paired with the Chinook winds make for…

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Sunsets In Calgary

Histoire de: Nathan W - Coril Holdings Ltd.

I have always loved the unique atmospheric conditions that Calgary enjoys. Agricultural dust paired with the Chinook winds make for fantastic sights over the city I call home.

Nathan W – Coril Holdings Ltd.

My Home Town

My Home Town

Histoire de: Diane Y - The Crossing

St Paul Alberta is my home town, it has the world’s first UFO landing pad. It was built for the…

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My Home Town

Histoire de: Diane Y - The Crossing

St Paul Alberta is my home town, it has the world’s first UFO landing pad. It was built for the 1967 celebration of Canada’s 100’th birthday. The story goes that a large circle was to be built in the recreation area for a play area. When the company making it (CarOuells) had meetings over drinks – their minds started working. Let’s get creative “Let us erect this landing pad above the ground in a kind of mushroom shape, and invite the Martians and other outer-space creatures to land on it” The landing pad has a map of Canada and It also hosts a vault to be opened in 2067. They were rewarded for their hard work as all materials and work were donated by local companies. St. Paul was proclaimed the Centennial Star by John Fisher Canada’s Centennial Commissioner during 1967.

Being a child in grade 2 that year we had songs and school celebrations galore for the centennial year, and to cap off the end of the year celebrations we had a day out at the UFO landing pad with a picnic and games for the whole school. It is nice to see that they have kept that special place alive. They have added a mascot “Zoot” the Martian to the ambiance as well as a UFO space ship as the tourism office. If you are ever in NE Alberta drop by to see this one of a kind piece.

Diane Y – The Crossing

Swedish Summer Party

Swedish Summer Party

Histoire de: Mindy M - Coril Holdings Ltd.

I have always enjoyed getting to know people, and over the years I have made many friends from many different…

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Swedish Summer Party

Histoire de: Mindy M - Coril Holdings Ltd.

I have always enjoyed getting to know people, and over the years I have made many friends from many different parts of the world. Recently, I made friends with a couple that hailed from Sweden. They wasted no time in inviting us to join them in a Swedish tradition – the summer crayfish boil. It was incredible to come together with a group of people who had nothing in common other than friendship with this couple and enjoy a meal. There were Swedish drinking songs, traditional dishes, and enough crayfish to feed a small army! By the end of the night, it felt like everyone had known each other for years. To me, being Canadian is all about celebrating culture, and I love every chance I get to experience a new one!

Mindy M – Coril Holdings Ltd.

Building a Stronger Community

Building a Stronger Community

Histoire de: Coril Holdings Team

On June 15th, the Coril Team traded their pens, computers and business clothes for hardhats, gloves and steel toed boots…

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Building a Stronger Community

Histoire de: Coril Holdings Team

On June 15th, the Coril Team traded their pens, computers and business clothes for hardhats, gloves and steel toed boots in support of Habitat for Humanity.

Habitat for Humanity Southern Alberta is a non-profit organization that builds strength, stability, and independence for families through affordable home ownership. Habitat homeowners build their own homes alongside experienced staff and volunteers, and purchase their homes with a no down-payment, no-interest mortgage, giving them financial stability to build better futures for their families. Their monthly mortgage payments are then used to build more homes for more families, creating a cycle of paying-it-forward.

A significant portion of Habitat’s efforts are received through corporate and personal donations as well as through volunteers, like us, that don’t mind getting a little dirty. So although we might have a few blisters, sore muscles, and a little paint in our hair, it feels great to know that our efforts are helping those less fortunate to build a stronger, more independent community for another 150 years!!

Coril Holdings Team

Could I Be The Perfect Average Canadian?

Could I Be The Perfect Average Canadian?

Histoire de: Marc H - Triovest

How to describe an average Canadian? A mixture of British, French and American influences is probably a pretty good start….

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Could I Be The Perfect Average Canadian?

Histoire de: Marc H - Triovest

How to describe an average Canadian? A mixture of British, French and American influences is probably a pretty good start. So how do I stack up? British father, American mother. Lived in England, Belgium, Switzerland (ok never France, but close) and the United States before moving to Canada as a child. Then lived in Montreal and Toronto before moving to Edmonton as a teen. If this does not make me a truly average Canadian, what else does? Fishing, skiing, volunteering, playing shinny, working in Canadian real estate? Tick all those boxes. In Canada, being average is actually pretty good!

Marc H – Triovest

Let It Snow

Let It Snow

Histoire de: Michael B - Loram Maintenance of Way, Inc.

As the Superintendent on RG309 working on the CN in the Atlantic Region, an overnight snow fall of 36 inches…

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Let It Snow

Histoire de: Michael B - Loram Maintenance of Way, Inc.

As the Superintendent on RG309 working on the CN in the Atlantic Region, an overnight snow fall of 36 inches brought the Railroad as well as Grinding Operations in the area to a standstill.

With Snow still falling my operating crew and I started pulling maintenance on the machine. A Grind Motor with a bad bearing was discovered during the machine inspections and the Grind Motor needed replaced. Our tool cart at the time happened to be a 6″ toboggan or Sled that had been purchased the year prior after the first snow fall from a local Zellars.

The toboggan worked excellent for moving tools and parts when a two wheeled dolly would have taken many man hours to shovel a usable path. While moving the used Grind Motor back to the crane to be loaded back onto the machine, I pointed towards the top of the hill that stood snow covered beside the Machine. During a break from push/pulling the 400 lb. plus load. My Crew Chief sat on the grind motor and I sat on an empty space of the toboggan, I laughed out loud and this caught his attention. « What is so funny?” he looked at me with fresh snow on his hard hat and snow covering his back and shoulders. I pointed towards the top of the hill and said « Once we get this motor loaded and the guys finish getting the new motor hooked up, I’m taking this toboggan up that hill and ride it down!. He laughed louder than I did and said « Bubba, I’m with you! » I grab the reins and started tugging the rope as my crew chief steadied the Grind Motor.

True to the Story we finished hooking up the New Grind Motor and checked rotation put away the tools. The toboggan was retrieved and pulled to the back of the machine. After sipping some hot coffee and getting a plan together to best ascend the hill.

I met with our CN Grinding Supervisor Pierre Garceau in the Kitchen Car office and updated him on my plan of riding our toboggan down the Hill. He leaned forward and turned his neck to see the top of the hill. He laughed a deep belly laugh and looked at my crew chief who had a big smile also. The two of you Pierre asked? …I nodded and shook Pierre’s hand « Wish us Luck” and in full gear; hardhats, reflective gear, safety glasses and carhartts, out the door we went!

Following a tree line made the accent easy as we were not dredging thru three plus feet of snow. Two thirds of the way up we encountered a fence and road that leveled off. The road was not plowed so we made our way to a good descent location.

Little did I know we had a camera man on the machine and he was able to take only a few pictures of trees, sky and white, but, he did managed to get a good one between tears of laughter.

My Crew Chief and I were in no danger of causing an avalanche or bouncing off a rock. When my crew chief saw we were moving off course he tilted the toboggan while holding onto my shoulders. I threw my hand in the air as we leaned into the turn and snow flew up in a cloud behind us. As we came to a stop near the machine I had tears in my eyes laughing so hard. My crew chief and I could hear the cheers of our other crew members.

After we got our bearing and returned the toboggan to its storage area, we all sat in the kitchen drinking coffee listening to each crew member tell a story of what they saw. They couldn’t see our faces but one crew member said he could hear my Crew Chief and I screaming like little school girls being chased by a little boy with a frog in his hand.
Pierre in his French accent said he thought we were going to fly over the top of the machine like Elliott and ET in the forest and then down the rest of the hill.

I still laugh about it today….

Michael B – Loram Maintenance of Way, Inc.

Loram

Loram

Histoire de: Larissa F – Loram Maintenance of Way

If you had told me four years ago what would happen, I definitely would not believe it. Since a child,…

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Loram

Histoire de: Larissa F – Loram Maintenance of Way

If you had told me four years ago what would happen, I definitely would not believe it. Since a child, in the depth middle of Brazil, I always dreamed on visiting new places all around the world, but never in fact thought I would get it so soon in my life. Luckily, when I started the electrical engineer school, the Brazilian government created a new partnership with countries all around the world, offering one year of scholarship abroad for free. For some reason, I never thought I would be able to pass it, but decided to apply. One year later I arrived in the U.S., had the amazing experience of living and studying abroad and achieving one of my biggest goals in life. Started as an intern on Loram and now, working remotely from Brazil, feels like nothing could be better.

Larissa F – Loram Maintenance of Way

 

Twelve Foot Davis

Twelve Foot Davis

Histoire de: Marc H – Loram Maintenance of Way

I’ll never forget my road trip to Peace River, AB. A coworker and I were headed North from Edmonton to…

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Twelve Foot Davis

Histoire de: Marc H – Loram Maintenance of Way

I’ll never forget my road trip to Peace River, AB. A coworker and I were headed North from Edmonton to visit our track lifter. It was a long drive however the fall color and beautiful wide open country made the time fly by. When we arrived in town we were told we had to visit the 12′ Davis statue. Sure enough, we went and saw a very large wooden frontiersman with a placard explaining the legend. A great story and a great tag line, « he was a friend to every man, he never locked his cabin door ». This summarizes my experience in Canada, a country full of friendly, helpful people willing to help us get the job done for our customers.

Marc H – Loram Maintenance of Way

Lake Huron Sunsets In Port Elgin

Lake Huron Sunsets In Port Elgin

Histoire de: Christine M - Stone Square Dental Guelph, Ontario (Associate)

Some of the most beautiful sunsets in Canada are on Lake Huron in Port Elgin. As a Canadian we are…

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Lake Huron Sunsets In Port Elgin

Histoire de: Christine M - Stone Square Dental Guelph, Ontario (Associate)

Some of the most beautiful sunsets in Canada are on Lake Huron in Port Elgin. As a Canadian we are so fortunate to always have such beauty surrounding us. We live where abundance and beauty is everywhere we look. I am truly proud to be a Canadian

??Happy Birthday Canada?

Christine M – Stone Square Dental Guelph, Ontario (Associate)

Live And Learn

Live And Learn

Histoire de: Jessica L - Coril Holdings Ltd.

My first story for Coril150 was about the Northern Lights and how I now regret not taking advantage of all…

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Live And Learn

Histoire de: Jessica L - Coril Holdings Ltd.

My first story for Coril150 was about the Northern Lights and how I now regret not taking advantage of all the opportunities I had growing up in northern Saskatchewan to take in their splendor. I was given the opportunity to avoid a similar mistake on my recent trip back home this June. As part of a quick visit with family at one of the northern lakes, I took my husband on a detour to small towns along Saskatchewan highways – the best way to expose a new visitor to the 306 in my opinion. Studded along the ‘scenic route’ (which they all are), between animals and farm machinery, are the familiar grain elevators I took little notice of growing up. We stopped often to take in their beauty. We were 20 minutes late for dinner, but I was filled with nostalgia and appreciation, and it was well worth it.

Jessica L – Coril Holdings Ltd.

Be A Tourist-In-Your-Own-Town

Be A Tourist-In-Your-Own-Town

Histoire de: Melanie S - Melanie Lynn Communications (Coril Partner)

I moved away from home when I was 18 and since then have lived in several places around Western Canada….

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Be A Tourist-In-Your-Own-Town

Histoire de: Melanie S - Melanie Lynn Communications (Coril Partner)

I moved away from home when I was 18 and since then have lived in several places around Western Canada. Part of what has always helped me feel comfortable in my new neighbourhood is taking the time to explore and play tourist.

From sampling local coffee shops, to taking advantage of local theatre productions and street festivals — it’s these elements that help make a community special.

For the past four years, I’ve had the opportunity to work with a volunteer organization called the Doors Open Calgary Association. For one day in September, companies and businesses around the city pull back the curtain and give visitors a taste of what really happens behind the scenes. From riding the c-train through a car wash to hands-on cooking adventures and everything in between — it’s an event that takes playing tourist to another level. And it’s all free!

The Doors Open concept doesn’t just happen in Calgary, but also Vancouver, Toronto and other cities around the world. Whether you can attend an event or not, let’s all take some time this year to explore our own cities and play tourist-in-our-own-towns.

Melanie S – Melanie Lynn Communications (Coril Partner)

Community Giving

Community Giving

Histoire de: Ron M - Coril Holdings Ltd.

The Coril Group, the Loram Group and all previous companies, the Mancal Group and the Mannix families have been building,…

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Community Giving

Histoire de: Ron M - Coril Holdings Ltd.

The Coril Group, the Loram Group and all previous companies, the Mancal Group and the Mannix families have been building, giving to and celebrating our community now for over 118 years. To put this into perspective, my grandfather, Frederick Stephen Mannix, instilled into his whole family and six children the importance of giving back to those less fortunate, as well as being a good community citizen and builder. My Father, Frederick Charles Mannix was one of the original founders of the Calgary Foundation and he and my mother, Margie Mannix, created the Carthy Foundation 52 years ago. Today our Carthy Foundation is now being managed and controlled by the fourth generation of Mannix family members, and in its total history has now contributed over one hundred and eleven million dollars to thousands of charities across our country.

In 1998, in recognition of the hundredth anniversary of the founding of our family business activities, and after the sale of our energy assets, the Mannix family donated another $100 million to charity: $50 million to over 200 charities in Canada and the United States, and $50 million to endow the Carthy Foundation to continue for decades to come. I personally set up another foundation called the Norlien Foundation and put $110 million into it. Norlien was later split into two foundations in 2012, one called Palix Foundation, which continues to build the Alberta Family Wellness initiative under Nancy Mannix’s direction, and a second foundation called M-E² which supports music, the environment and energy, under my direction.

The principles of giving back have been inculcated into not only the Mannix family and all of our children, but in many cases at senior management levels of our entire family businesses as well. It is part of our duty and responsibility to keep giving back to all of the different communities that our companies, operations and all our employees are a part of. Throughout the Coril Group, we continue to support the principle of giving, especially to organizations like the United Way so that we can all play our part in building a better country called Canada, for the benefit of all our citizens and future generations.

Ron M – Coril Holdings Ltd.

My First $20 Bill

My First $20 Bill

Histoire de: Lisa M - Triovest

I grew up in Seal Cove, White Bay, Newfoundland (population approximately 500 at the time). Seal Cove is located on…

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My First $20 Bill

Histoire de: Lisa M - Triovest

I grew up in Seal Cove, White Bay, Newfoundland (population approximately 500 at the time). Seal Cove is located on the east side of White Bay, on the east side of Newfoundland’s northern peninsula. It is a beautiful, tiny town where wildlife and icebergs were regular sightings throughout the year.

As a little girl, I was both fascinated by and terrified of the wharf. It’s where lots of action was, with men and boys coming and going in their boats, and cleaning, filleting, and sometimes smoking, fish. It was also the place I was warned not to step without one of my parents for fear of falling in the water. Whenever I would see my father pull into our wharf, I would run to meet the boat. One day when I met them, my father had been out squid jigging and had a fantastic haul of squid with him. After he cleaned the squid, he asked me to help him lay the squid out on nets to dry. So, I helped him lay out probably 25-50 slippery squid. When it dries it’s kind of a squid jerky which we would roast in the oven and then tear into strips to snack on – delicious!!

Sometime later (I can’t remember how long it takes to dry!) he presented me with a crisp $20 bill. He had sold the dried squid in a nearby town, and presented me my pay for helping to lay them out to dry. I was rich! My parents took me to The Bank of Nova Scotia in the same nearby town, where I used that $20 bill to open my first bank account – an account that I still have today.

Lisa M – Triovest

A true Canadian

A true Canadian

Histoire de: Cheri C - Triovest

When I think of Canada’s history, where we came from and what this beautiful Country has to offer, my mind…

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A true Canadian

Histoire de: Cheri C - Triovest

When I think of Canada’s history, where we came from and what this beautiful Country has to offer, my mind goes back to my Great Grandfather, John Michelin. A Metis trapper hailing from a remote town in Labrador, he was an outspoken supporter of Newfoundland and Labrador relinquishing their Dominion, and finally joining Canada in 1949. My Great Grandfather had a voracious love for the Canadian wilderness. Bravely traversing the land and water to immerse himself in the beautiful Labrador landscape, which in those days, very few had seen.

Notably, he led a hunting trip in 1930 with Elliot Merrick and his wife Kay, covering 300 miles over an unforgiving winter, they faced many trials and tribulations, and came out with a true appreciation for the gloried beauty and wildness of the land they traversed. This adventure became the subject of the book, ‘True North’ by Elliott Merrick.

Also of note is a feature in the July 1951 issue of National Geographic, in a story called « Labrador Canoe Adventure ». The authors, led by my Great Grandfather and his cousin, Leslie, would relive the details of the grueling, ambitious and sometimes frightening guided adventure to Grand Falls (known as Churchill Falls today, see picture). It is an interesting glimpse into a simpler time, where the importance of knowing the land, and its flora and fauna are a matter of survival.

To me, John Michelin is the definition of a true Canadian, with his deep appreciation for this great land we live on. I am proud to be a part of his legacy.

Cheri C – Triovest

So All Kids Can Play

So All Kids Can Play

Histoire de: Kelly B - INLIV

If you see a need in society – do something about it – I did! The year was 1995 the…

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So All Kids Can Play

Histoire de: Kelly B - INLIV

If you see a need in society – do something about it – I did!

The year was 1995 the government of Alberta had just cut the funding to sport for Albertans [again] and the Provincial KidSport Program was on the chopping block! Not happy about another funding cut, but even more upset about the many underserved kids in Alberta who will not have the opportunity to play a season of a sport they love, my colleague and I started The KidSport Society of Alberta. What is the value of sport to society you ask? Well it goes well beyond the playing fields, the pools and the gyms. In fact it has been well proven that kids who play sports achieve higher education, are less likely to get in trouble with the law and are healthier in general. The statistics indicate that 1 in 10 Alberta kids live in poverty – that is about 140,000 kids!

With over 300 hardworking volunteers in 39 communities across Alberta, KidSport has helped over 92,000 kids to date by supporting their dreams of playing a season of sport.

KidSport so all Kids Can Play

Kelly B – INLIV

War Zones

War Zones

Histoire de: Lee W - Triovest

I was born in Northern Ireland during the « war » between Irish republicans and United Kingdom. I was born…

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War Zones

Histoire de: Lee W - Triovest

I was born in Northern Ireland during the « war » between Irish republicans and United Kingdom. I was born into a military family who were there trying to provide peace and stability to a part of the UK who did not want to be a part of the UK. I was born in a town called Downpatrick. My dad was part of the Scottish infantry regiments as a dog handler whose job was to expose explosives and safeguard his fellow comrades. This was a difficult time for everyone. Soldiers would walk the streets but come under fire or were targets for explosives on a daily basis. The people of Northern Ireland didn’t have it any easier, they would have road blocks and questions coming from people who they didn’t consider friends and this made them hate the occupying force and there family. My dad was a very busy man which made family life very strained. We didn’t know each other for many years which is very difficult for children.

We would soon be posted to East Germany as regiments would rotate from one war zone to another protecting British interests abroad and in East Germany, we would be part of a quick response regiment to the current cold war between the Soviet Union and her enemies. My first real memory here was the Chernobyl disaster on the 26th April 1986. I was five years old and can still remember being a measly 1300km from ground zero. This was scary and everyone at that time was glued to the weather channel. People were watching the wind directions, ready to evacuate if the weather started blowing west. Gas masks were at every house, school and hospital.

My next interesting memory of this era was the end of the cold war and the eventual collapse of the Berlin Wall. We had been around Berlin not long before the wall fell. It was an epic time and I can still remember watching the last world cup that West Germany played before the reunification of Germany in that same year 1990.

Thanks for listening.

Lee W – Triovest

Expo 67

Expo 67

Histoire de: Theresa N - Triovest

I have always been a proud Canadian and remember looking forward to the Dominion Day (that’s what it used to…

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Expo 67

Histoire de: Theresa N - Triovest

I have always been a proud Canadian and remember looking forward to the Dominion Day (that’s what it used to be called) holiday and fireworks as a child. I remember being in the choir at school and proudly singing the national anthem for various events.

In 1967 our school held special events and projects commemorating Canada’s 100th birthday. In June, just before the end of the school year, there was a special celebration and the choir, each of us dressed in red and white, sang “CA-NA-DA” and “A Place To Stand (Ontar-i-ar-i-o)”.

That summer my parents, sister, two brothers and I travelled to Montreal for Expo 67. We borrowed a converted truck/camper that was a prototype where there was an open area from the truck part to the camper part. We could sit comfortably in the camper and play cards while Dad drove. We stayed at various camp grounds that offered “hot” showers that were sometimes ice cold.

The world exposition was a perfectly timed salute to Canada’s 100th anniversary. There were 90 pavilions from around the world that presented endless dreams of what man and his world of tomorrow might look like. A lot of it is just a vague memory but I remember my parents keeping us close so we wouldn’t get lost in the large crowds from around the world. In one of the pavilions I was surprised to see two familiar faces – my aunt and uncle. What were the odds?

Now, 50 years later, I am married with two grown sons. My older son lives in Japan with his wife who loves Canada and would like to move here. We send them care packages twice a year with Canadian treats, clothes and souvenirs. My daughter in law’s birthday is July 2. I used to tease her that it was too bad her birthday wasn’t July 1. But then we figured out, with the time difference and depending on what time she was born, she may have been born on Canada Day, just not in Canada. Now, when we skype with them on her birthday, we celebrate her Canada Day birthday since it is July 2 there but July 1 here.

Theresa N – Triovest

Help, Learn & Discover

Help, Learn & Discover

Histoire de: Lorena H - INLIV

My story starts in Colombia. Having been born and raised for 7 years in Colombia gives me immense pride in…

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Help, Learn & Discover

Histoire de: Lorena H - INLIV

My story starts in Colombia. Having been born and raised for 7 years in Colombia gives me immense pride in my culture and background. Fast forward 16 years and happily Canadian, my heart is full with love for both countries and cultures.

Growing up in Canada, I realized the different experiences and opportunities that I was privileged enough to be receiving compared to others back home. In some way I knew I wanted to bring both cultures together and give back to those that didn’t have the same opportunities as I had.

Upon starting university, many international opportunities were made available to me but none of them struck a chord. It wasn’t until I stumbled upon an organization called Help, Learn & Discover. This organization takes university students down to Ecuador to A) shadow doctors and rotate around a hospital to gain insight into the medical field (Learn) B) volunteer in building 20 homes for in-need communities (Help) and C) travel throughout the country to explore its diverse landscapes and culture (discover). Granted this program took place in Ecuador and not Colombia, but to me this didn’t matter because I was doing what I wanted – to give back.

Upon arriving to Ecuador for the first time, I fell in love with the country and the people…even though they had funny accents and not as delicious food (hard to get rid of the bias completely). This coming August will be the third time I go down to Ecuador with this program. Each time I learn new skills and facts, discover new parts of the countries and help more and more people. After this summer, I will be unbelievably grateful to have had the opportunity to help 60 families within Ecuador.

My love for my Colombian culture helped me find this opportunity in Ecuador and with my resources within Canada I was able to give back in more ways than I could have ever imagined. A wonderful experience made possible by three cultures.

Lorena H – INLIV

Demonstrating The Culture

Demonstrating The Culture

Histoire de: David D - Loram Maintenance of Way, Inc.

While thinking about the company culture that I’ve experienced, the distant memory of a small event came to mind. This…

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Demonstrating The Culture

Histoire de: David D - Loram Maintenance of Way, Inc.

While thinking about the company culture that I’ve experienced, the distant memory of a small event came to mind. This event took place during my first few weeks with Loram, which would put the time frame in the Spring of 1998.

It was a regular workday morning, and a couple of inches of snow had fallen overnight in Hamel. I arrived at work, parked the car, and walked toward the building entrance. As I came near, I saw Don Cherrey, who I knew only as one of the executives, shoveling the snow off the entrance sidewalk. He was dressed in his suit coat and was wearing his polished dress shoes. Don had arrived just before me and had stopped on his way into the building to grab the shovel and clear the walk. We exchanged a « good morning » as I walked past.

It took just a few minutes for me to realize the volumes it spoke about Loram’s culture, for Don to decide to pick up the shovel that morning. I knew at that moment that I’d hired on with the right firm. This small event was the first of many instances I witnessed in which a Loram employee demonstrated the « see it-own it-fix it » attitude that is so valuable to a company’s culture.

David D – Loram Maintenance of Way, Inc.

Hometown

Hometown

Histoire de: Tiffany E - INLIV

I grew up in Red Deer, Alberta, smack dab in between Edmonton and Calgary. My parents both come from farms…

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Hometown

Histoire de: Tiffany E - INLIV

I grew up in Red Deer, Alberta, smack dab in between Edmonton and Calgary. My parents both come from farms just east of Red Deer and this definitely impacted my childhood. Most of my childhood was spent running in the fields looking for the next adventure, chasing the cows around and stealing strawberries from my grandmother’s gardens. When we weren’t visiting one of the farms, we were camping and fishing in the Rockies. Taking in the beauty of the mountains and fishing in world renowned lakes and rivers, all a short drive from my home town, is something I will cherish forever. No words can describe how lucky I feel to have grown up in such a beautiful peaceful place. With the prairies to the east and the mountains to the west, nowhere else is quite like Alberta. My Great grandparents left their home countries and families behind to create a better life here in Alberta and it has taken a lot of work, community love and good will from fellow Canadians to get where we are today. I will forever feel proud of my hometown and of my country.

Tiffany E – INLIV

Transitions

Transitions

Histoire de: Matthew P - INLIV

I moved from Regina, Saskatchewan at the beginning of the May to complete the last step of my degree in…

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Transitions

Histoire de: Matthew P - INLIV

I moved from Regina, Saskatchewan at the beginning of the May to complete the last step of my degree in kinesiology in Calgary. To fulfill the requirements, I am required to complete a practicum (work experience) to gain practical experience within a professional setting. With that, there are two reasons why I chose Calgary as my destination. One, my partner moved to Calgary for a job so I wanted to support her anyway I could, and two to create some change in my life and step out of my comfort zone. I never ever thought I would be moving cities just because it is a huge transition and all my family is in Regina. Considering my family is small and so close this is extra challenging at times but I am thankful for the technology nowadays to keep in touch and stay connected.

This type of experience is an ongoing transition and will take a while to get settled in. However, I am enjoying the journey thus far and can’t wait to start my career as a professional kinesiologist and enrich the lives of others through health and exercise.

Matthew P – INLIV

A Place You Can Always Call Home

A Place You Can Always Call Home

Histoire de: Pam W - Coril Holdings Ltd.

My story began where the Fraser and Nechako Rivers converge in the Northern town of Prince George, British Columbia. My…

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A Place You Can Always Call Home

Histoire de: Pam W - Coril Holdings Ltd.

My story began where the Fraser and Nechako Rivers converge in the Northern town of Prince George, British Columbia. My time was short here, when at two years old, my family moved to Kelowna, BC in the beautiful sunny Okanagan Valley. Here life was very different, winters were warm, never dipping below -10 degrees, with summer temperatures in the high 30s. My siblings and I spent most of our summer days swimming, playing in the orchards, and hiking barefoot in the hills behind our house. I think our feet were permanently stained with dirt and tar until Fall.

But all this fun did not go without responsibilities. My father is from the old country and was brought up on the values of hard work and the notion of providing for his family by growing and harvesting his own food. It made perfect sense then that they bought a large piece of property that allowed for every imaginable vegetable and fruit to be grown. This also meant that every morning, my siblings and I would get up early, follow my dad out to the garden and pull weeds for what seemed like eternity. Very little consumables came from the grocery store…we even stomped and made our own “wobbly pop” from the vineyards on the property. It was also not uncommon to welcome the neighbours in the garden, as our family has always believed in sharing our plenty with friends.

Some favorite memories of mine, amongst many, were the strategically placed salt and pepper shakers at the end of the cucumber and tomato rows in the event you were feeling a bit peckish while out in the yard; just pick it off the vine, rub the dirt off…or not, sprinkle a little seasoning on and you were good to go. Another cherished memory, and one we still do to this day, is the dessert tree tradition; when we finish eating dinner, we each take a turn choosing the fruit tree to have dessert under, whether it be peach, apple, pear, nectarine, apricot, plum or cherry, we all lie under the tree, laugh, joke and enjoy our dessert… fresh off the tree!!

These, and so many other great memories are what builds the foundation of family values, and it’s comforting to know after all this time these traditions are still embedded in our lives. Yes some things have changed…and some remain the same, but above all else, it is a place you can always call home.

Pam W – Coril Holdings Ltd.

Loyalty

Loyalty

Histoire de: Jill L - Loram Maintenance of Way, Inc.

When visiting Canada a very kind man offered the use of his hockey tickets, to not just any team….The Calgary…

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Loyalty

Histoire de: Jill L - Loram Maintenance of Way, Inc.

When visiting Canada a very kind man offered the use of his hockey tickets, to not just any team….The Calgary Flames. Not being a real hockey fan I graciously thanked him and declined the offer to enjoy dinner with others from Calgary. During dinner I learned of the true passion and loyalty Canadians have for the sport of hockey and their teams!

Through the years I have also experienced the great loyalty Canadians have for family, business and their beautiful country of Canada. Impressive to say the least!

Jill L – Loram Maintenance of Way, Inc.

Loram’s First Hot Rail System

Loram’s First Hot Rail System

Histoire de: Dale H - Loram Maintenance of Way, Inc.

MANNIX CORP Nearly 20 years ago the field crew needed to be able to see and hear a machine coming…

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Loram’s First Hot Rail System

Histoire de: Dale H - Loram Maintenance of Way, Inc.

MANNIX CORP

Nearly 20 years ago the field crew needed to be able to see and hear a machine coming down the track next to them. Myself and another electrician were asked to take parts that were given to us, and design a signal. Thus the first Loram Hot Rail System was installed on Rail Grinder 15. There was a cab, 6 grind cars, 2 water cars and 1 caboose.

On these cars we had to put Hot Rail Boxes on every ladder, both sides of the grinder, and a Hot Rail Button in both A & B cabs as well as the caboose.  We put blue strobes on each car, and both sides of the water cars. We also had to put PA speakers on both sides of each car. Finally, we had to keep it all at « C » Plate (nothing wider than the ladders on the machine and nothing higher than the highest point of the machine). We started out with AC power; If the generator goes out, there is no AC power, so we had to go to DC power. Myself and two other electricians worked from 7:00am until 5:30am the next day to get it completed before the Rail Grinder left at 6AM the same morning. And It Did!!

Everything that happens at Loram is thanks to Ron Mannix and the Mannix Family. Thank You Ron!

Dale H – Loram Maintenance of Way, Inc.

Quilting for a Cause

Quilting for a Cause

Histoire de: Jodi S – Gemini Corporation

How do you combine your love of quilting with the celebration of Canadas 150th Birthday? On May 17 a group…

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Quilting for a Cause

Histoire de: Jodi S – Gemini Corporation

How do you combine your love of quilting with the celebration of Canadas 150th Birthday?

On May 17 a group of Gemini employees got together to do just that. In honour of Canada’s 150 birthday celebration the Canadian Quilters Association (CQA) came up with an idea to hold the biggest quilting bee. In partnership with the Ronald McDonald House, the CQA set out on an ambitious goal to make 1000 quilts; two quilts for every room within Ronald McDonald Houses across Canada. Ronald McDonald Houses provide families of sick children a home to stay at while their child is being treated at a nearby hospital. There are 15 Ronald McDonald Houses across Canada, with over 10,000 families utilizing the homes yearly.

With the fabric generously donated by Gemini, the Gemini team produced one quilt top and several blocks to be donated to the creation of other quilts.

The big quilt bee will be held in Toronto on June 14-17 where hundreds of quilters are getting together with big name sewing sponsors like Janome, Husqvarna and Pfaff to produce the blocks and quilt tops into blankets for the children. This will include the quilt top and blocks donated by Gemini.

To date, according to the CQA website 800 of the 1000 quilts have been completed.

For more information on Canadas Big Quilt Bee visit the CQA website at http://www.canadianquilter.com/events/quilt-canada-2017-quilting-bee.php

Jodi S – Gemini Corporation

A place we now call home

A place we now call home

Histoire de: Laura H – Gemini Corporation

My family and I immigrated to Canada from the North East of England on June 8th 2008 and became Canadian…

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A place we now call home

Histoire de: Laura H – Gemini Corporation

My family and I immigrated to Canada from the North East of England on June 8th 2008 and became Canadian Citizens in March of 2014.

My aunt and uncle moved to Canada 17 years ago and I spent my childhood vacationing in Calgary. My family and I would visit 2-3 times a year since I was 10 years old. Not surprisingly, my parents fell in love with the lifestyle here and saw the vast opportunities available to our family and began the long process of obtaining our permanent residency.

I remember the first time we came to Calgary, the Headmistress of my primary school had allowed for me and my sisters to miss a couple of days of school outside of the spring break with one condition – we take a diary and write down our experiences to present to our classmates upon our return.

As a 10 year old my diary consisted of many different experiences; from visiting a shopping mall and going ice skating to travelling to the mountains and having Dairy Queen Ice Cream!! We would love going on road trips so that we could torture my aunt and uncle with the latest album from our favourite boy band (on repeat).

Upon my return to school, I had completed my diary entries and collected bits and pieces to show my class. At the time, the whole class was doing our first ‘show and tell’, each child would speak for 10-15 minutes at the end of the day about their chosen subject. As instructed by the Headmistress, mine was all about my trip to Canada. My presentation ended up taking all of the show and tell slots for the entire week as my class was so interested to hear about our adventures and had lots and lots of questions about what it is like in Canada.

To look back, we were extremely fortunate to have the experiences we did as children in a place we now able to call home.

Laura H – Gemini Corporation

Who Knew?

Who Knew?

Histoire de: Jim W - Triovest

A few months ago, I picked up a small history book relating to the Palliser Expedition – it’s a fascinating…

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Who Knew?

Histoire de: Jim W - Triovest

A few months ago, I picked up a small history book relating to the Palliser Expedition – it’s a fascinating book, as it recounted the adventures of John Palliser and his companions as they explored parts of what is now Manitoba, Saskatchewan Alberta and BC for 3 years in the late 1850’s.

If you ever wanted some real life stories to show that Western Canada was in its infancy in the 1850’s, this book will bring it to life. In fact, Palliser estimated that at the time, the total population of present day Saskatchewan and Alberta was only around 30,000 people, of which less than 2,000 were non-indigenous!

The story also turned out to have a tie-in to Coril’s heritage, in that Palliser’s best source of information as to how to find a route through the Rockies was a guide/fur trader named James Sinclair. James Sinclair was the brother of Phoebe Sinclair, who is a great-grandmother of the founder of the Mannix companies.

Jim W – Triovest

Sharing Our Canada

Sharing Our Canada

Histoire de: Bridget B - Gemini Corporation

To me, one of the defining characteristics of the Canadian Spirit is the pride that we take in sharing our…

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Sharing Our Canada

Histoire de: Bridget B - Gemini Corporation

To me, one of the defining characteristics of the Canadian Spirit is the pride that we take in sharing our communities, our customs and our culture with others. Growing up in rural Alberta (the daughter of a former Calgary Stampede Princess) I vividly remember the time that my family got to host a Chicago filmmaker during his exploration of Calgary Stampede culture. I recall my mom’s pride in the opportunity to share her world with a far-away audience.

Later on, during my university years, I remember having my own opportunity to share a little piece of my world. A roommate’s mother and aunt had travelled all the way from Mexico City for a Christmas time visit and the four of us packed thermoses of hot chocolate and crammed ourselves into my Pontiac Sunfire to take a driving tour of the Christmas lights in Mount Royal.

Lastly, and in recent memory, my sisters and I took a summertime trip together to Halifax. We arrived on a glorious Canada Day and as soon as we started walking along the boardwalk of the harbor a crew of Haligonians invited us onto their sailboat to share in their Canada Day festivities and in the charm of their city. Their generosity didn’t end there: by the end of the trip we had gone on an awesome tour of the harbor aboard the “Revelation” and we had made a bunch of new friends.

When I think about how we as Canadians should play a part in celebrating Canada’s 150th, and I think about the attention that has been given to promoting exploring within Canada this year, I hope that we are all able to find opportunities to share a bit of the magic of our own corner of the country with others!

Bridget B – Gemini

Sunflower Capital of Canada

Sunflower Capital of Canada

Histoire de: Michelle B - INLIV

I grew up in the town of Altona in southern Manitoba, about 100 km south-west of Winnipeg and 133 km…

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Sunflower Capital of Canada

Histoire de: Michelle B - INLIV

I grew up in the town of Altona in southern Manitoba, about 100 km south-west of Winnipeg and 133 km north of Grand Forks, North Dakota. Mennonites arrived in Manitoba from Russia in 1874. Altona is the sunflower capital of Canada. Growing up, there was only one Asian family and one Indian family and had 30 Mennonite churches. Growing up in a small town with limited opportunity, I was excited to head to the bigger city. But I am also very proud because the town sponsored 300 Syrian refugees to join the community which is 10% of their population.

Michelle B – INLIV

Growing Up in Vancouver

Growing Up in Vancouver

Histoire de: Vince D - INLIV

I grew up in the amazing city of Vancouver with the mountains and the ocean. A ton of immigrants landed…

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Growing Up in Vancouver

Histoire de: Vince D - INLIV

I grew up in the amazing city of Vancouver with the mountains and the ocean. A ton of immigrants landed in East Vancouver and it’s always great to see and feel the diverse culture there.

Vince D – INLIV

From the Farm

From the Farm

Histoire de: Mike S - INLIV

Growing up on a quarter section, 160 acres of vast farmland loaned out to cattle farmers in the middle of…

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From the Farm

Histoire de: Mike S - INLIV

Growing up on a quarter section, 160 acres of vast farmland loaned out to cattle farmers in the middle of the prairies between the towns of Chestermere, Strathmore and Langdon, my lifestyle as a kid was one that was characterized by « work hard » and « play hard ». I typically split my time playing hockey, baseball, and soccer when my friends and I weren’t dirtbiking, or otherwise being active and getting into trouble outside after chores. The best parts of growing up in a small town was everyone knew everyone else. Even our high school graduation consisted of only 100 students! Some of which are still dear friends of mine, including some teachers too! The families all knew each other from past generations and our next door neighbours were oftentimes about a Kilometer away… just down the road! I love going home back to my folks’ acreage east on the Transcanada Highway, to pass under a bridge known to CHS (my Highschool) as « Graffiti Grad Bridge ». Look for it next time you drive east of Chestermere… the tradition was to tag your graduation year on the train bridge and every time I drive under I get a little nostalgic. Farm kid at heart…

Mike S – INLIV

Celebrating Canada Day

Celebrating Canada Day

Histoire de: Ryan H - INLIV

Every year, we visit the small town of Bonnyville, AB where my wife’s family lives to take part in the…

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Celebrating Canada Day

Histoire de: Ryan H - INLIV

Every year, we visit the small town of Bonnyville, AB where my wife’s family lives to take part in the Canada Day festivities. This year we will visiting again. The town traditionally comes together to celebrate with food, fun and fireworks. Two years ago the fireworks went awry, they were parallel to the shore, then the fireworks fell over and went shooting off everywhere in all directions. It was pretty serious and memorable all at the same time. It brings back a lot of memories.

Ryan H – INLIV

Growing Up in Alberta

Growing Up in Alberta

Histoire de: Sylvia W - INLIV

My father was born in Hong Kong and immigrated to Canada when he was 9. My grandma was born in…

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Growing Up in Alberta

Histoire de: Sylvia W - INLIV

My father was born in Hong Kong and immigrated to Canada when he was 9. My grandma was born in Edson, AB and my mom was born in Red Deer, AB. My mom and dad met through mutual friends, courted and then tied the knot. They settled into the quiet suburb of Sunnyside in Red Deer and then had me; born at the Red Deer General Hospital. Two years later, my sister Julia came along and was also born in Red Deer. My parents decided there were better opportunities in Calgary and decided to build a house in Varsity, a community in the NW quadrant of the city . While they were building the house, we would often make the journey from Red Deer to Calgary to ensure everything was on track and would stay at the Crowchild Inn. I had just turned four when the house was finally ready to move in. We settled in and not too long after… my mom was pregnant with a third! My mom knew the baby was coming soon and had arrange for my Aunt to look after us for a couple of weeks until she could adjust with the newborn. We were on our way up to Red Deer to drop my sister and I off with my Aunt when….. the labour pains started. Yesss, my youngest sister was also born in Red Deer! We are all Red Deerians, but so happy we moved to Calgary and created a community of friends and family here.

Sylvia W – INLIV

College in a Small Town in Saskatchewan; Canada Memories

College in a Small Town in Saskatchewan; Canada Memories

Histoire de: Hanna W - Loram Maintenance of Way, Inc.

In 2002-2003 I spent my freshman year of college in a small town in Caronport, Saskatchewan Canada. Our church was…

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College in a Small Town in Saskatchewan; Canada Memories

Histoire de: Hanna W - Loram Maintenance of Way, Inc.

In 2002-2003 I spent my freshman year of college in a small town in Caronport, Saskatchewan Canada. Our church was actively working with the college and my mom’s family descends from Canada so it sounded like a fun and exciting opportunity to try.

I remember the 12 hour drive through North Dakota and on to cross the border into Canada. Then entering Caronport, SK which consisted of the post office, school, church and a restaurant. It was very quiet, peaceful and in the middle of nowhere! The closest “big city” to us was Moosejaw. A 20 minute drive to my new favorite coffee establishment, Tim Horton’s, and Friday night hockey games watching the Moosejaw Warriors; were two highlights of my semesters studying that year. Then on the clear Spring Semester nights we enjoyed sitting on large hay balls watching the sunsets in the fields and taking in the view you could see for miles.

Even though I was only there for one year of school I was able to enjoy many Canadian traditions, holidays and create lots of memories. I learned all the words to their National Anthem, celebrated Boxing Day and made great new friends that I could laugh with over our funny accents.

Hanna W – Loram Maintenance of Way, Inc.

Tale of Envy

Tale of Envy

Histoire de: Jane S - Loram Maintenance of Way, Inc.

My tale, is not one of experience, but rather, envy. You see, I have never been to Canada. Even though…

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Tale of Envy

Histoire de: Jane S - Loram Maintenance of Way, Inc.

My tale, is not one of experience, but rather, envy. You see, I have never been to Canada. Even though I reside a short car ride from the Minnesota- Canadian border, I have never ventured that far north. While the Butchart Gardens in Victoria, BC have me captivated and the amethyst mines in Thunder Bay call my name, I have still not made the journey to Canada.

Then, 10 years ago, I joined a company with its roots firmly in Canadian soil. One of the coolest benefits of working at Loram, is the long service recognition. In fact, employees are proud to become Quarter Century awardees and honored to be able to make the trip to Calgary. It is a trip everyone talks about. (And talks and talks.) It’s the excitement of planning. Do we add 1, 2 or more days to our trip? Do we visit Banff National Park or just stay and take in all that there is to see and do in Calgary, or both? Then, it’s the after-glow about how beautiful it is and how nice everyone is. And then comes the, “why didn’t we make this trip sooner?” question. Yes, why didn’t they? Rather, why don’t I?

It appears that I need to make my trip to Canada sooner than in 15 years. I shouldn’t wait for my Quarter Century induction when the mines of Thunder Bay are calling me now. Soon, very soon.

Jane S – Loram Maintenance of Way, Inc.

My Man

My Man

Histoire de: Tanya GS - Coril Holdings Ltd.

Most people think I was born in Halifax since that is where I grew up and the majority of my…

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My Man

Histoire de: Tanya GS - Coril Holdings Ltd.

Most people think I was born in Halifax since that is where I grew up and the majority of my family still lives there. I was actually born in St. John’s, NL and am extremely proud of the fact that I have a Newfoundland birth certificate. I only lived there until I was three years old when my family moved back to Halifax. We don’t have any relations in Newfoundland as my family has always lived in Nova Scotia and so I never had a reason to go visit. Every five years I try to do something special for my birthday and five years ago I decided to go back and visit my birthplace….St. John’s. I had heard the story from my parents that there was a statue of a Portuguese Explorer who landed in St. John’s in 1501. I always called this statue « my man », which is probably why no man has come close in real life. Well, when I visited five years ago, that was truly the only item on my agenda, to go visit my man and it was wonderful to take in such a beautiful monument near Confederation Building. Gaspar Corte-Real never returned to Portugal and is thought to have been lost at sea while exploring but will forever be remembered in Newfoundland and with me.

Tanya GS – Coril Holdings Ltd.

The Adventure

The Adventure

Histoire de: Justin C - Loram Maintenance of Way, Inc.

I’ve concluded that more times than not, when I’ve visited Canada there is always an element of the trip that…

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The Adventure

Histoire de: Justin C - Loram Maintenance of Way, Inc.

I’ve concluded that more times than not, when I’ve visited Canada there is always an element of the trip that makes it an adventure. The recipe is simple, great people and interesting locations. One such trip that comes to mind happened around 2002 when I had the opportunity to visit The Pas.

How could one not be intrigued by just the name, « The Pas »? Then you add the location and it had me working on a plan to visit. My opportunity took shape when one of the Loram rail grinders had this town in Manitoba, known as « The Gateway to the North », on the schedule to work through. The Canadian National Railway was the source of our path that we followed through a very isolated but scenic Manitoba journey. The trip became even more memorable when we discovered at the final entry into the rail yard in The Pas, that a couple of wheels on the Loram Rail grinder had developed flat spots. These were not just ordinary flat spots, but ones that stopped us in our tracks…literally. Typically flat spots are removed within a wheel shop, however these were so severe the railway would not allow any further travel, leaving the crew in an interesting predicament.

Fortunately, the capable Loram Superintendent Michael Brownfield, used his renowned creative juices and enlisted some local Canadian talent with a nice blend of « can do » spirt to find a remedy. This included using hand held grinders to smooth off the sharp edges on the running surface of the large rail wheel. After, days of grinding….well, maybe just hours, the wheel morphed back into the round shape that has given the wheel its good reputation. Unfortunately, this meant our trip in The Pas was over and it was time to turn the machine and head south, ending one Canadian adventure but beginning another.

Justin C – Loram Maintenance of Way, Inc.

Ancient Travels to North America – Part 2

Ancient Travels to North America – Part 2

Histoire de: Eric E - Loram Maintenance of Way, Inc.

Here are two additional interesting factoids relative to early America: First, the prevailing maritime tradition of Columbus’ era was to…

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Ancient Travels to North America – Part 2

Histoire de: Eric E - Loram Maintenance of Way, Inc.

Here are two additional interesting factoids relative to early America:

First, the prevailing maritime tradition of Columbus’ era was to fly the flag of the Country that was responsible for funding exploratory journeys. King Ferdinand & Queen Isabella of Spain financed the Nina, Pinta and Santa Maria.

Instead, Columbus flew the cross of the Knights Templar, which was also incorporated into Ferdinand and Isabella’s family flag, which was green instead of red, regardless, the Templar cross is the most prevalent component of the design.

Templar theorists suggest this use was forthcoming because Columbus married Filipa Moniz Perestrelo, a Portuguese noblewoman whose uncle was archbishop of Lisbon, who is known to have had ties with the Portuguese crown and with Templars.

Columbus may have been provided a description of the way to America by his in-laws. Also, the Templar cross was believed to be recognized as friendly by indigenous Native American’s. This recognition may have been part of an effort to enhance the crew’s safety and help assure them of success upon landing in foreign, potentially hostile territory.

Second, Scotland’s famous Rosslyn Chapel stone masonry includes clear concise renderings of corn, which were carved about 1446, nearly fifty years before Columbus sailed, even though corn is known to be indigenous only to the America’s. You’ll be hard pressed to find rock solid evidence of pre-Columbian travel more concrete than that. Stone’s don’t lie. People brought corn back from America prior to 1446 when that knowledge was memorialized in stone. Columbus was born in 1451, five years later.

Eric E – Loram Maintenance of Way, Inc.

Ancient Travels to North America – Part 1

Ancient Travels to North America – Part 1

Histoire de: Eric E - Loram Maintenance of Way, Inc.

Canada’s anniversary certainly is an exciting time to reflect upon many important milestones and achievements over the last 150 years……

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Ancient Travels to North America – Part 1

Histoire de: Eric E - Loram Maintenance of Way, Inc.

Canada’s anniversary certainly is an exciting time to reflect upon many important milestones and achievements over the last 150 years… but why stop there? After all, the whole story didn’t necessarily begin 150 years ago. Let us travel a little further back in time.

This story begins 700 years ago in France with a great leader named Jacques de Molay, whose demise ultimately may have been pivotal in the act of discovery of “New Found Land”, north of the St. Lawrence Seaway.

Jacques de Molay (French: [də mɔlɛ]; c. 1243 – 18 March 1314) was the 23rd Grand Master of the Knights Templar, leader of the Order from 20 April 1292 until it was dissolved by order of Pope Clement V in 1307. King Philip IV of France, deeply in debt to the Templars, had de Molay and many other French Templars arrested in 1307 and tortured into making false confessions. When de Molay later retracted his confession, Philip had him burned upon a scaffold on an island in the River Seine in front of Notre Dame de Paris in March, 1314.

What happened is very similar to the story of the Jedi in “Star Wars III” when the Emperor invoked his evil Order #66.

Following the attempt to exterminate the Templars, rather than to try and reconcile their due, a number of ships laden with the spoils of years of commerce and labors fled, never to be seen again.

A plausible theory supported by evidence found on and around Oak Island, Nova Scotia, seems to indicate Templars escaped to what later became Canada.

There is real tangible evidence that the Templars used the area around Newfoundland and Nova Scotia as a hub for commerce around 1300-1400 A.D, and numerous remnants are found on and around Oak Island including a foundation stone with a Templar cross chiseled upon it.

The story surrounding Oak Island is further supported by the Kensington Rune Stone discovered near Alexandria, Minnesota in 1898, which is dually dated 1362 both in characters and in a special code embedded in the character set.

By this time the Templars may have gathered up their valuables and left the Oak Island area in search for the middle of, or the headwaters of, the North American continent. The Rune Stone is an anciently formatted land claim written by Cistercian Monks associated with the Templars, which contains passages that exactly match modern teachings within Royal Arch degrees of the York Rite branch of Free Masonry. {York Rite is the body of the modern reincarnation of the Knights Templar. « New York » is on the East Coast, while « Old York” is one of the ancient strongholds of the Knights Templar near the Provence of Canterbury in England.}

So, as we celebrate please be aware and thankful of those brave souls in ancient times who pioneered their way to these special places we so treasure and call home today.

Eric E – Loram Maintenance of Way, Inc.

Happy Happy

Happy Happy

Histoire de: Tanya GS - Coril Holdings Ltd.

Sitting at the airport last week, I met an 82 year old man who was chatty and truly Canadian. He…

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Happy Happy

Histoire de: Tanya GS - Coril Holdings Ltd.

Sitting at the airport last week, I met an 82 year old man who was chatty and truly Canadian. He just flew in from Victoria and he was waiting for the same flight to Halifax. He is then going on to St. John’s, NL. He started his journey in Toronto taking the train to Vancouver and making his way to Victoria. After his visit to St. John’s he’s back to Halifax to catch the train to go back to Toronto. His thought is that it’s never been done before, both taking the train and flying across and you are only 82 once, so why not!! Now, the journey may have been made by others before him but it’s his first time and that’s what matters. I think it’s an incredible way to see all of Canada and enjoy all that it has to offer. I hope we all have the same upbeat, amazing attitude toward life as this man when we reach 82! We did chat further as we were waiting for our flight and I’m unsure of his real name, but he did change it to Happy Happy years ago and he truly lives up to his name.

Tanya GS – Coril Holdings Ltd.

The Canada Gate

The Canada Gate

Histoire de: Stacey P - Loram Maintenance of Way, Inc.

The Canada Gate in London forms part of the Queen Victoria Memorial just outside Buckingham Place. Back in 1911, this…

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The Canada Gate

Histoire de: Stacey P - Loram Maintenance of Way, Inc.

The Canada Gate in London forms part of the Queen Victoria Memorial just outside Buckingham Place. Back in 1911, this Gate was gifted to Great Britain in order for Canada to celebrate its collaboration and contributions to the then British Empire. The Canada Gate bears the emblems of the seven Canadian provinces of the time.

During a recent trip to the United Kingdom, I was privileged enough to have visit this iconic monument. This trip was made possible by Loram Maintenance of Way, Inc., as I was tasked to visit Loram UK Limited in order to help with the alignment of both entities. It was an honor to have been chosen to be part of this business opportunity. As my career with Loram Maintenance of Way, Inc. continues to grow, I will continue to contribute my efforts and collaborate with several integral employees within both organizations. I want to support both Loram Maintenance of Way, Inc. and Loram UK Limited in order to achieve the goal of the most successful, safest, best in class organization.

Stacey P – Loram Maintenance of Way, Inc.

A Guide to How to Lose a Snowboard at the Top of Mt Fernie

A Guide to How to Lose a Snowboard at the Top of Mt Fernie

Histoire de: Ryan H - INLIV

Back in 2008 I had been in Canada for about a month and was slowly coming to grips with the…

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A Guide to How to Lose a Snowboard at the Top of Mt Fernie

Histoire de: Ryan H - INLIV

Back in 2008 I had been in Canada for about a month and was slowly coming to grips with the steep learning curve that is the sport of snowboarding. I was part of a group that went to Ferine for a weekend and experienced an epic power day, although I barely had the skill to navigate a groomer properly. I was taken on a hike up the top of Lizard bowl and when we reached the top, I was instructed to ‘keep my tip up and lean back’. Ok I thought, can’t be too hard as I watched everyone else in the group shred down the hill. I tried to get started and failed miserably, getting buried in waist deep snow and more and more exhausted as I tried to get back on the board. I became so exhausted I decided to unstrap and try to roll out of the snow, in the process losing grip of my board and watching it sail down the mountain by itself. A shameful walk down from the top of the hill with many “cat calls” from the chairlifts ensued, and I drowned my sorrows in the bar. Still a funny story to tell nearly 10 years later and there are a few locals that I run into when I go back that have to bring it up every time.

Ryan H – INLIV

My Little Hometowns in Saskatchewan

My Little Hometowns in Saskatchewan

Histoire de: David M - Triovest

As many from rural Saskatchewan can attest, the closest town could not supply all the services that we needed, so…

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My Little Hometowns in Saskatchewan

Histoire de: David M - Triovest

As many from rural Saskatchewan can attest, the closest town could not supply all the services that we needed, so we ended up having several hometowns. As an example, I was born and visited the doctor and dentist in Moosomin, went to school and church in Maryfield, played hockey in Fairlight and hauled grain to, picked up the mail and went to community picnics in Ryerson. My favourite story comes from hometown Fairlight, Saskatchewan where my hockey career started. It was a very small town with a shrinking catchment area and farming community. Where Saskatchewan championship hockey teams had played in times past, there was now barely enough players to ice a team. When I was 12, the Fairlight Mighty Seven played the whole season with seven players (including the goalie). On the bench would be Coach Jack and one player, one-to-one coaching at its best. We would play teams from the booming metropolises of Wawota and Redvers and they would have three lines and two goalies dressed. The short players benches at the Fairlight Arena would be packed on the visitor side but have room to spare on the home bench. The whole town would come out to eat the best rink burgers and support seven boys. It would be nice to say that we crushed all the opposition and won the league trophy, but we didn’t. However, we held our own and were always able to beat our class mates who played for Maryfield which made for interesting Monday mornings banter at school. Many hometowns for different reasons, wonderful memories.

David M – Triovest

#ProudToBeCanadian

#ProudToBeCanadian

Histoire de: Sara K - Triovest

I feel genuinely blessed to be Canadian and to have grown up in such a beautiful part of the country…

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#ProudToBeCanadian

Histoire de: Sara K - Triovest

I feel genuinely blessed to be Canadian and to have grown up in such a beautiful part of the country – Muskoka, Ontario.

My maternal grandparents moved to Canada from Italy back in the 1940s and my paternal great-grandparents came from England, both with the goal to start a better life with more opportunities for their kids and for generations to come. After growing up near Toronto, my parents eventually ended up moving further north to cottage country just before they started their own family. My brothers and I were fortunate enough to have extensive forests and clean, swimmable lakes in our own backyard and growing up in this atmosphere taught us how to be independent, to live in a sustainable way, to appreciate the outdoors, and most importantly, to be grateful for the true freedom and opportunities that Canada offers.

I look forward to celebrating Canada’s 150th birthday not just on July 1st but throughout the entire year!

#ProudToBeCanadian

Sara K – Triovest

A New Beginning

A New Beginning

Histoire de: Diane Y - The Crossing

My grandparents immigrated from Poland in 1926. I visited Pier 21 in Halifax in 2002 and found the transcripts of…

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A New Beginning

Histoire de: Diane Y - The Crossing

My grandparents immigrated from Poland in 1926. I visited Pier 21 in Halifax in 2002 and found the transcripts of the questions they were asked as they arrived. Their given names from their homeland were translated to the names they would be known as in Canada. With the language translation Vladislaw became Walter and Kotoviz became Kotowich. His bride Anelia Malech and her brother were part of the group that left Warsaw that year to start anew. How brave they had to be to leave everything they knew behind to blaze a trail from Poland to a small community named Lac Canard in the midst of the prairie in Alberta. They spend the voyage across the ocean on the Anastasia II then took a train across Canada to the small depot of Two Hills. The last leg of their journey to their homestead was a day long ride in a wagon. They now had to work hard for their new start in Canada. A quarter of land with a beautiful creek in the middle of it was their prize. My grandfather was a carpenter, the group worked together to build a log shack as well as an ice house for their food the first year. They broke the land by hand and planted a crop of wheat.

I am so proud to be a part of their legacy in Canada. They raised 5 children in Canada. Those five went on to raise another 48 and so on. My family are story tellers and we love to hear where our grandparents came from, how they survived, what they did in their evenings. Family is such an important part of my life.

Diane Y – The Crossing

My Summer Memories

My Summer Memories

Histoire de: Gene V - INLIV

Since I was 3 yrs old, my family spent Canada Day on Kootenay Lake in British Colombia. I have carried…

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My Summer Memories

Histoire de: Gene V - INLIV

Since I was 3 yrs old, my family spent Canada Day on Kootenay Lake in British Colombia. I have carried on this tradition with my children. It is the most pristine and tranquil place on earth to me. We usually get the whole lake to ourselves! As Canadians, we are fortunate to be able to regularly enjoy such beautiful places in nature.

Kootenay Lake is a sacred place for my family. We took my mother here 3 months after her heart attack to help her recover. It is also where my father passed suddenly, but peacefully in 2012. This is my heaven on earth!

Gene V – INLIV

An Education Abroad

An Education Abroad

Histoire de: Courtney B - INLIV

Growing up, especially in my late teens and early 20s, I was not overly fond of Calgary, I always wanted…

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An Education Abroad

Histoire de: Courtney B - INLIV

Growing up, especially in my late teens and early 20s, I was not overly fond of Calgary, I always wanted to live somewhere else. When I decided to return to school in my late 20s I decided this would be the perfect opportunity to do so, so I applied to Arizona State University, was accepted and off I went. In my 3.5 years abroad I realized just how amazing Calgary and Canada really are, and although I loved my school and didn’t mind Phoenix, it just never felt like HOME. Every summer I would come home to work and it made me appreciate just how lucky we are to live in this country. I had started my schooling in 2010 when the US was still experiencing the effects of the recession. Arizona was particularly hard hit by the housing collapse and I saw firsthand the effects of this and it made me appreciate my home here in Calgary even more. Now that I am back I realize that, although there are a million places I’d love to visit, there really is only one place I want to live, here in my hometown of Calgary. (Photo from Johnston Canyon when my ASU BFF came to see Canada).

Courtney B – INLIV

A New Chapter

A New Chapter

Histoire de: Kikelomo O - INLIV

It was not our intention to move to Canada, since we had a big move 5 years earlier, when we…

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A New Chapter

Histoire de: Kikelomo O - INLIV

It was not our intention to move to Canada, since we had a big move 5 years earlier, when we returned from the US. My 3 boys wanted to either go back to the US or come to Canada. We decided to pursue our professional careers, and we applied for the Highly Skilled Immigrant Entry. We dreamed big dreams! It was dream come true for my children when we got approved to move to Canada. in April 2015.

Immigration has so many aspects and experiences that one can be challenged with: family, education, jobs, housing, community and so much more. The greatest fear was allayed when I saw my boys integrate into the system with no hassle. They participated in all sports, community and school events.

It’s been a wonderful two years, especially being a part of the family (INLIV) that believes so much in PURPOSE. There is yet more to experience and happy to be here to Celebrate Canada at 150.

Kikelomo O – INLIV

Grandma and Grandpa Barton

Grandma and Grandpa Barton

Histoire de: Barb G - INLIV

My grandparents emigrated from England in the early 1900’s and located in Salmon Arm BC for a few years then…

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Grandma and Grandpa Barton

Histoire de: Barb G - INLIV

My grandparents emigrated from England in the early 1900’s and located in Salmon Arm BC for a few years then moved to Victoria, BC.

They bought a large piece of property on the Pat Bay Highway and opened up Gayborder Nurseries with a large selection of plants they brought over from England.

They had so many interesting and rare species of plants they were involved very closely with Butchart Gardens and began donating plants to the Gardens. They were close friends with the family and every year we went to visit in the summer and we were their special guests at the Butchart Gardens. They had lifetime memberships given to them and we enjoyed many wonderful hours exploring and enjoying the gardens.

I have outdoor plants at my house right now from my grandparents. What a special memory this is for our family.

Barb G – INLIV

So Happy to be Home even in -35C

So Happy to be Home even in -35C

Histoire de: Deanna Z - Coril Holdings Ltd.

In January 2004, my husband and were thrilled to be travelling to Haiti, not for the warm weather but because…

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So Happy to be Home even in -35C

Histoire de: Deanna Z - Coril Holdings Ltd.

In January 2004, my husband and were thrilled to be travelling to Haiti, not for the warm weather but because we were on our way pick-up Monique and Joey (2-year old twins). We were, finally after more than 2 years, bringing them home to Canada to join our 8-year old son, Mac. He was so incredibly excited to finally meet them and to have a sister and brother of his own. The plan was to spend a week in Haiti, settling in with Monique and Joey then we would travel home through Montreal. It started off as an amazing adventure and we were full of anticipation – to see the twins and Haiti. However, shortly after arriving we came to appreciate how wonderful our home of Canada was…we heard gun shots in the middle of the night and chaos on the streets as a coup broke out in Haiti. We kept the twins close by at all times and counted the days until we were to leave. The day we left, we heard that flights into Haiti were now being restricted and we wondered if we would be able to get home. The drive to the airport was tense as we crossed our fingers that we would be able to get home – it turned out we had one of the last flights out of Haiti home to Canada along with a few other recently united families. When we landed in Montreal, we were so happy to be welcomed home to a brisk -35C winter evening with tears streaming our little ones faces as they experienced their first ever winter day. Since that time they have had many brisk winter days, many of them racing down the ski slopes with all their Canadian-born buddies. You rarely appreciate the freedom and safety we have in this great country – in fact we often take it for granted until faced with the possibility of losing it. Appreciate every day in Canada!

Deanna Z – Coril Holdings Ltd.

A Great Nation in Time of Need

A Great Nation in Time of Need

Histoire de: Deanna Z - Coril Holdings Ltd.

We live in a truly great nation that rises to the occasion when people are in greatest need, wherever that…

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A Great Nation in Time of Need

Histoire de: Deanna Z - Coril Holdings Ltd.

We live in a truly great nation that rises to the occasion when people are in greatest need, wherever that might be. It is January 2010, when a devastating earthquake hits the nation of Haiti. For our family, it was both heart breaking and truly frightening as a little girl was waiting to come to Canada to join our family – to her forever home. Her name was Fabienne, she was only 2 years old and she was stuck in the adoption process at the time earthquake hit. We were, at the time, devastated to think what might happen but with the support of family, friends and frankly many caring acquaintances we mobilized to find a way to get her home to Canada – out of harms way. Through many sleepless nights, long days and countless hours of working phones, lobbying politicians and bureaucrats, we were able to bring her home as part of Operation Stork. This incredible humanitarian initiative evacuated over 200 children from Haiti who were in the adoption process. It took us less than 20 days to bring her home! Those 20 days are full of so many amazing stories, there are not enough words available to share them all and do them justice…although I am happy to share with those who want to listen. Without the help of so many amazing people, including our great government, this would not have been possible. I am so proud to be a citizen of Canada, and now Fabie is too!!

Deanna Z – Coril Holdings Ltd.

Past Connects with Present

Past Connects with Present

Histoire de: Alan M - Triovest

After joining the British army at the age of 16 to fight in the Second World War my father found…

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Past Connects with Present

Histoire de: Alan M - Triovest

After joining the British army at the age of 16 to fight in the Second World War my father found himself back in Glasgow, Scotland with a Grade 10 education and little opportunity for employment. He and his best army friend spent their limited savings getting on a boat headed for Canada. In 1951, they landed and disembarked at PIER 41 in Halifax, Nova Scotia with only a couple of dollars in their pockets. Like many immigrants he worked all day and attended school in the evening searching for a better way of life. Upon completing high school, and then university, he took a hospital administration job that had our family moving every 2 years including stops in: Regina, Timmins, Porcupine, Picton, Belleville, Montreal and Aurora. My childhood was a journey through eastern Canada and a collection of indispensable experiences in each city that we lived. My Father’s dream of a high-level education and a good job to support his family was realized in Canada.

In the first 3 weeks of my new role, I travelled to all of our Triovest offices across the country: Vancouver, Burnaby, Calgary, Edmonton, Saskatoon, Winnipeg, Montreal and several offices in the Toronto area. I witnessed great diversity in our people and in our landscapes. Along this journey I was fortunate to meet hundreds of Triovest people and they welcomed me with open arms and eager ears to share my story to. As I told my personal story in my Town Halls and had numerous conversations with people, I experienced acceptance with great warmth, void of any judgement. The experience brought me closer to the events experienced in my childhood and by my parents. It has reinforced the gratitude I feel towards our people and this amazing country of ours. What touched me the most was no matter what city I was in, or group I was talking to, I felt a common sentiment of hope, appreciation and ambition. Much like our forefathers, our people work very hard to realize their dreams.

I came away from this whirlwind tour feeling fortunate to be part of the Triovest community of diverse Canadians. This experience has inspired me to write this story.

Now more than ever I am proud to be Canadian.

Alan M – Triovest

200 Years of Farming

200 Years of Farming

Histoire de: Vince B - Triovest

My Father’s family came to Canada from the United States approximately 200 years ago. They ultimately settled in small farming…

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200 Years of Farming

Histoire de: Vince B - Triovest

My Father’s family came to Canada from the United States approximately 200 years ago. They ultimately settled in small farming communities in Ontario near Pentanguishene off Georgian Bay. I am the eighth generation since they settled in that area. My dad was the first generation to earn a living off the farm. We have a family cemetery near the original farm where you can trace the generations by walking down the rows. Farming in the area was difficult and this lead to big families to have the manpower to work the farm. My grandfather had 17 brothers and sisters many of whom never married or had children. I remember growing up being sent off to the farm for the summer and it was a great way to spend the time. Even though I live in an urban environment, those small farm communities are still part of how I think of Canada.

Vince B – Triovest

Music Passion

Music Passion

Histoire de: Wendy S - INLIV

My son’s passion is music!! He has been playing in his band, Copperhead for years. The 4-piece Copperhead, comprised of…

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Music Passion

Histoire de: Wendy S - INLIV

My son’s passion is music!! He has been playing in his band, Copperhead for years. The 4-piece Copperhead, comprised of local music scenesters and recording engineers (The Suppliers, Mallard) began with Stevens and Kirill Telichev as a co-writing duo. Two proud mom moments have recently happened. The Calgary Folk festival was asked to find one awesome band to represent Alberta, they chose my son’s band, Copperhead. The second request was, they have been asked to play at Fort Calgary for the 150th Canada Day celebrations.

Proudly from Canada.

Check out the website: wearecopperhead.com

Wendy S – INLIV

From Hungary with Love

From Hungary with Love

Histoire de: David M - Triovest

My grandfather was a special man who loved Canada and the opportunities it gave him. In the early days of…

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From Hungary with Love

Histoire de: David M - Triovest

My grandfather was a special man who loved Canada and the opportunities it gave him.

In the early days of World War 1, the army came to his Hungarian town and took all of the able bodied young men for the army. He was loaded in the back of a truck and taken to a fenced area where they were to wait the night to be processed into the military the next day. My grandfather had wanted to move to Canada for some time and had previously been working on his immigration papers and getting caught by the army was not in his plans. Late that night he found a tree that had large branches hanging over the fence. While the guards were not looking he sprung up into the tree, jumped over the fence and escaped. Through the night he found his way home and was able to elude the authorities until his immigration papers arrived. Once in Canada, he took up farming and lived a quiet but very productive life raising five children. His effort to get to Canada and the value he placed on the Canadian lifestyle was impressed on me and I am proud to say that I am Canadian.

David M – Triovest

My Favourite Way to Spend Mother’s Day

My Favourite Way to Spend Mother’s Day

Histoire de: Amanda B - Triovest

My son was born nearly 4 years ago. His arrival into the world was a bit of a struggle and…

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My Favourite Way to Spend Mother’s Day

Histoire de: Amanda B - Triovest

My son was born nearly 4 years ago. His arrival into the world was a bit of a struggle and he had the cord wrapped around his neck 4 times. As a result, he was admitted to the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit at the Rockyview Hospital.

I had to leave the hospital without my new baby- it was a very difficult time and although he was only in there for 4 days- it felt like a lifetime.

The only thing that kept us going was the nurses and the comfort of the NICU. So many babies were born premature or had other health concerns – they had to stay for weeks and sometimes months before being discharged. Our Daniel was just a little tired from his journey- we were so lucky.

He and I do the Sport Chek Mother’s Day race each year. We raise money to help the other families who have to stay at the hospital, or worse, have to go home, while their baby gets well.

Daniel loves this race. He has snacks in this stroller and yells ‘go mommy go’ whenever I slow down. I’ve been pushing him for nearly 4 years now- he’s gotten quite heavy!

Triovest matches the money we raise and every penny counts! I feel so blessed to work at a company that cares about the community. That’s what Canada really stands for too!

We raise each other up and lend a hand where we can.

Next year, I think Daniel will ride his bike while I run the race – it’s my favourite way to spend Mother’s Day.

Amanda B – Triovest

Ben Kessler Charity Putt

Ben Kessler Charity Putt

Histoire de: Mindy M - Coril Holdings Ltd.;

Ben Kessler was a wonderful friend and co-worker, and for years “The Ben Kessler Open” honored both his long service…

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Ben Kessler Charity Putt

Histoire de: Mindy M - Coril Holdings Ltd.;

Ben Kessler was a wonderful friend and co-worker, and for years “The Ben Kessler Open” honored both his long service with the Group, and his love of golf.

In 1993, the Loram Social Club renamed its annual golf tournament the Ben Kessler Open. This marked his retirement from full-time employment that spanned 42 years, and earned him the distinction of having the longest continuous service in the history of the companies at the time. Ben’s loyalty and dedication to the family and businesses was truly remarkable and very much appreciated, and for 21 years the annual golf tournament took place under his name.

In the 2 years following, the tournament was re-named the Ben Kessler Charity Classic, with all funds raised benefitting Parkinson’s Alberta, a charity very close to Ben’s heart. His tireless dedication to fundraising for Parkinson’s Alberta has always been a source of inspiration, and it was an honor to continue the tradition this year, combining the annual social club mini golf tournament and the prestigious name of Mr. Kessler to the Ben Kessler Charity Putt raising $1,600 for Parkinson’s Alberta.

Thank you to everyone who participated in making the day such a success!

Mindy M – Coril Holdings Ltd.

Home of 100,000 Lakes

Home of 100,000 Lakes

Histoire de: Brenda B - Coril Holdings Ltd.

Saskatchewan is home to more than 100,000 lakes, so growing up in Saskatchewan meant lake time, no matter what the…

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Home of 100,000 Lakes

Histoire de: Brenda B - Coril Holdings Ltd.

Saskatchewan is home to more than 100,000 lakes, so growing up in Saskatchewan meant lake time, no matter what the season. Summers of my early childhood were especially great, as we relocated to a nearby lake every July/August. What could be better – we spent our summers close to nature with our extended family and close friends. I’m reliving some of that now – I live in a lake community and I have the privilege of being part of the Coril family. No matter where my travels take me, I’ll always be a proud and grateful Canadian.

Brenda B – Coril Holdings Ltd.

Meant to Be

Meant to Be

Histoire de: Maria M - Triovest

Do I think it was meant to be for us to make Canada our home? Well, let’s see: My oldest…

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Meant to Be

Histoire de: Maria M - Triovest

Do I think it was meant to be for us to make Canada our home? Well, let’s see: My oldest sun is born July 1st, so fireworks for his birthday every year; our interview at the Canadian embassy was on my husband’s birthday; and we arrived in Canada on my birthday, and shall I mention just 3 days before September 11, 2001.

I believe the facts are all pointing to the same conclusion, it was meant to be, and we are happy to call ourselves Canadian.

And since we’ve blended so well and love it so much here, both my sons found themselves beautiful young Canadian girls to marry, and make our family a big happy family! Much like the Triovest family!

Maria M – Triovest

Celebrating 150 in Style

Celebrating 150 in Style

Histoire de: Michelle B - INLIV

Knowing that it was Canada’s 150 anniversary, we on purpose, planned to take our three year old daughter to her…

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Celebrating 150 in Style

Histoire de: Michelle B - INLIV

Knowing that it was Canada’s 150 anniversary, we on purpose, planned to take our three year old daughter to her first Jays game on July 1, 2017. We’ve also on purpose, picked a building that we will be able to see the fireworks! I’m looking forward to seeing the wonderment in her eyes and exploring what Canada’s 150 looks like…and looking back at memories for the rest of her life.

Michelle B – INLIV

Coming to Canada

Coming to Canada

Histoire de: Sylvia W - INLIV

My dad was born in Hong Kong but moved to a small village in Toi Shan, China. The health care…

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Coming to Canada

Histoire de: Sylvia W - INLIV

My dad was born in Hong Kong but moved to a small village in Toi Shan, China. The health care was non-existent in the village and my grandma, by Canadian standards, had a small health problem which escalated. Because there was no health care, she passed away suddenly when my dad was four. At the time, there was turmoil in China and they were very poor, but my grandpa wanted to create a better life for my dad. My grandpa had heard some village relatives had moved to Western Canada so he packed up my dad and brought him to Canada. They landed in the small town of Beiseker, Alberta and opened up a Chinese restaurant. Over the next few years, my grandpa had to go back and forth between Hong Kong/Toi Shan and Calgary, leaving my dad with our village relatives. When my dad was nine, my grandpa went back to Hong Kong one last time, while he was there, sadly he passed away. My dad was still in Canada and the village relatives did the paperwork so that my dad could stay in Canada. Years later, he went on to meet my mom in Red Deer, Alberta and then had three children and provided a great life for his Canadian born children.

Sylvia W – INLIV

Opa’s Roots

Opa’s Roots

Histoire de: Cary B - INLIV

Growing up in a small town, with his house only a few blocks away I was lucky enough to spend…

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Opa’s Roots

Histoire de: Cary B - INLIV

Growing up in a small town, with his house only a few blocks away I was lucky enough to spend a lot of time with my Opa growing up. It wasn’t until I was in my twenties that he started to share his stories of his immigration to Canada.

Like many, my Opa came to Canada after WWII after a very rocky road. He was a POW for two years after the war and was only 18 when he was released. After being released he discovered that much of his family had moved to Canada.

After years of hardship, he was able to join his family on a small farm outside on Luseland, Saskatchewan.

In 2012 I visited the house that my Opa lived when he first came to Canada. It was nothing more than a single story house in the prairies that by today’s standard would be tiny. He lived in that house with 8 family members and at the time felt like the luckiest man alive.

It was an impactful to not only hear the story of how he came to Canada but also see the starting place for which he built a great life.
At 90 years old you can still find Opa front row at the Canada parade and I have never known him to miss a year.

Cary B – INLIV

What a Great Day, Full of Spirit and Laughter – All for a Great Cause!

What a Great Day, Full of Spirit and Laughter – All for a Great Cause!

Histoire de: Amanda B - Triovest

On May 11, Coril invited the Calgary Triovest staff to participate in a mini putt tournament in support of Parkinson’s….

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What a Great Day, Full of Spirit and Laughter – All for a Great Cause!

Histoire de: Amanda B - Triovest

On May 11, Coril invited the Calgary Triovest staff to participate in a mini putt tournament in support of Parkinson’s.

Prizes for best costume, lowest score, most holes in one plus snacks – it was great.!!

One of the best things about Canada is working together as a team. Specifically in Alberta, during the flood, fires in Fort Mac and everything in between. It seems we all strive to fulfill our lives helping others. What a wonderful country to live, work and play.

‘I Like Big Putts and I Cannot Lie’ Team, Triovest.
Winners of Best Costume

Amanda B – Triovest

Volcan Maderas – Isla de Ometepe

Volcan Maderas – Isla de Ometepe

Today, my boyfriend and I hiked Volcan Maderas, a dormant volcano on the Island of Ometepe in Nicaragua. The guide…

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Volcan Maderas – Isla de Ometepe

Today, my boyfriend and I hiked Volcan Maderas, a dormant volcano on the Island of Ometepe in Nicaragua. The guide books describe it as an extremely strenuous 18km hike, taking eight hours and not for inexperienced hikers. TJ and I did not bat an eye at the description with the arrogant reasoning that we were from Canada and accustomed to tough hikes in the Rocky Mountains. So we put on our Nikes, packed sandwiches and six liters of water and left with our guide for a casual stroll up a volcano.

It was literally so hard – by far the most tiring hike we have ever done, with a 1384m elevation gain in 34 degree heat. I found myself contemplating the probability of having a heart attack at age 23. You could not hear the birds chirping or monkeys howling over the sound of our heavy breathing and relentless complaining.

Needless to say we were humbled by the experience. Still proud to be Canadian and our fun in the Rockies, but perhaps a wee bit more modest…

Jane T – Coril Holdings Ltd.

Six Generations in Canada

Six Generations in Canada

Histoire de: Garth J - Triovest

I am proud to say that my family has been in Canada for 130 of Canada’s 150 years. My great,…

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Six Generations in Canada

Histoire de: Garth J - Triovest

I am proud to say that my family has been in Canada for 130 of Canada’s 150 years.

My great, great grandfather, Edward Jacques, moved his family to Calgary from England in 1887 and we have had a presence here ever since. It is interesting to watch Calgary change over the generations. My grandfather grew up on Elbow Drive, just before 30th Avenue SW; his home was the third last in the city. When my parents bought their house in Southwood (close to South Centre), it was the third last house in the city. When my wife Angela and I bought our house out in Sundance (close to Highway 22X), it was the third last house in the city. Every generation moved out to the suburbs looking for a good place to raise a family. Now the house on Elbow Drive has gone from the ‘burbs’ to inner city. Maybe my house will be inner city 100 years from now.

Some of my earliest memories are of my dad taking the family downtown to watch the construction of the Husky Tower (now the Calgary Tower); that was back in 1967. The Tower was being built in conjunction with Canada’s 100th anniversary. At more than double the height of the next tallest structure, Elveden House, the Tower was a great monument to Canada’s anniversary and a real landmark for our skyline. It is remarkable on how much both Calgary and Canada have grown since then.

Garth J – Triovest

Pier 21

Pier 21

Histoire de: Peter C - Director, Triovest

Family from both my parents immigrated to Canada from Eastern Europe. My father’s family came from Romania, my mother’s family…

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Pier 21

Histoire de: Peter C - Director, Triovest

Family from both my parents immigrated to Canada from Eastern Europe. My father’s family came from Romania, my mother’s family came from Lithuania. While the two families came to Canada at different times and from different origins, they all had one thing in common. They entered Canada in Halifax and were processed at Pier 21.

Pier 21 was an immigration centre where close to 1.5 million people entered Canada between 1928 & 1971. This facility is often compared to Ellis Island in New York, in terms of its importance to mid – 20th century immigration to Canada.

In 1990, the Pier 21 Society was co-founded by two individuals. One of them was a cousin of my mother, Ruth Goldblum. Ruth became President of the Pier 21 Society and headed up the fundraising efforts to renew the derelict facility. On Canada Day 1999, Pier21 was re-opened as a museum celebrating Canada’s immigrants.

Today the museum has both a physical artifact collection and a vast oral history collection. Pier 21 currently has 2,000 stories, 300 films, 500 oral history interviews. 700 donated books and thousands of archival images.

I encourage everyone to visit Pier 21 via the web, or in person. It is a marvelous collection of memories of many of our ancestors whose foresight allowed us to live in one of the world’s greatest country – CANADA.

Peter C – Director, Triovest

1967 Road Trip

1967 Road Trip

Histoire de: Henry N - Triovest

THE VAUXHALL ENVOY 1960 ENVOY The 1960 « Envoy: The New British Car Designed and Built specially for « Canadians…

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1967 Road Trip

Histoire de: Henry N - Triovest

THE VAUXHALL ENVOY

1960 ENVOY
The 1960 « Envoy: The New British Car Designed and Built specially for « Canadians »

By July 1, 1967, I had recently turned 21 and Canada had turned 100. I had also just finished a two-year civil technology program at Red River Community College in Winnipeg and wanted to go on a road trip to the west coast before starting my new job with Manitoba Hydro. The project site was a remote hydro-electric power station located at Kelsey, some 650 kilometers north of Winnipeg. I had recently purchased a 1960 Vauxhall Envoy fully equipped with four doors, four cylinders, and 55 horsepower. So, off I went with my younger brother and the princely sum of $150 in my wallet that would get us to the west coast and back again to Manitoba. With the budget in mind the intent was to sleep in the car, but the car was so small it was impossible and the first night we ended up sleeping on the ground beside the car in a farmer’s field. The next morning, we stopped at a glassblowing shop near Medicine Hat and were very impressed by the ornate sculptures that the artisans were producing before our eyes. Later that day we found our way to downtown Calgary to marvel at the Husky Tower, which was under construction as a centennial project and was completed in 1968. That night we arrived in Banff and splurged $5 on a very nice room in a guest house on Tunnel Mountain. Getting over the Rockies with the Vauxhall was a little challenging, and sometimes I had to shift down to second gear to keep from stalling out in third gear. We did get to see the Pacific Ocean and spend a few days in the Vancouver area before turning around and going home to Manitoba on the American side of the border. Fifty years later I still have fond memories of the little black Vauxhall with the red Naugahyde interior that took me half way across Canada and back again without a hiccup or a flat tire. My brother and I still like to reminisce about the good time we had driving across western Canada with $150, no credit card, and not a worry in the world.

Henry N – Triovest

Deep Friendships that have Nurtured Me Over the Decades

Deep Friendships that have Nurtured Me Over the Decades

Histoire de: Thomas d' - Director, Coril Holdings Ltd.

As I reflect on the history of our great country Canada on the occasion of our 150th anniversary, my mind…

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Deep Friendships that have Nurtured Me Over the Decades

Histoire de: Thomas d' - Director, Coril Holdings Ltd.

As I reflect on the history of our great country Canada on the occasion of our 150th anniversary, my mind turns to the deep friendships that have nurtured me over the decades. Among these is my friendship with Calgary entrepreneur Ron Mannix. I first met Ron on the occasion of his Father Fred receiving the Order of Canada in 1984. Since then, we have worked closely in leadership roles in the Business Council on National Issues and the Canadian Council of Chief Executives and we have travelled the world together meeting leaders of all stripes and sharing extraordinary experiences. I have the pleasure of serving as a Director of the Coril Holdings’ Board of which Ron is Chair. I have gotten to know his family, his colleagues, and more recently his wonderful wife Diane. So what is it about Ron that I admire so much: his deep integrity, his legendary generosity, his high energy disposition, his insatiable curiosity, his love of family…these count for a great deal. But I also admire Ron because he honours his strong Canadian roots and his remarkable family history. He has built a fabulous family archive which traces the role of the Mannix family as builders of Canada and in particular the Canadian West. Canada 150 is a time to celebrate special friendships across our great land. I cannot count the number of times that Ron and I have said to one another that we are truly blessed to be fellow Canadians. Canada commands our loyalty and our love. There is no better place in the world.

Thomas d’ – Director, Coril Holdings Ltd.

Stranded in Banff

Stranded in Banff

Histoire de: Phil H - Loram Maintenance of Way, Inc.

In June of 2013 I helped organized a meeting in Banff of the board of directors for the Railway Engineering…

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Stranded in Banff

Histoire de: Phil H - Loram Maintenance of Way, Inc.

In June of 2013 I helped organized a meeting in Banff of the board of directors for the Railway Engineering Maintenance Suppliers Association (REMSA) where I served as a director. The event was held in coordination with the Canadian Pacific Railway who organized a train ride for the group from Banff back to Calgary at the conclusion of the event. During the last days event it rained unusually hard and it continued into the evening. During dinner the CP representatives got a call and announced there was a track wash out and the train trip the next morning was in doubt. Announcing a track wash out in a room full of railway contractors was interesting enough. Cell phones were out and within minutes the representatives of over 200 companies had all available resources on notice to help. The seriousness of the event only became apparent the next day as we learned all roads leading in and out of Banff were also closed effectively cutting all east/west transportation for the country in half and that Calgary was under siege with flood waters. For our part Loram was operating a ballast unloading train in the vicinity which was critical to the repair effort. The only problem was that the operator was on one side of the wash out and the machine was on the other. Helicopters were organized to make the connection and the gear was put to work. I spent the next 4 days stranded in a hotel with staff and guests who were cut off from family and friends. Everyone made the most out of an unenviable situation. Not once did I witness a complaint or bad word by anyone.

Phil H – Loram Maintenance of Way, Inc.

Operations Tours

Operations Tours

Histoire de: Steve M - Triovest

Growing up, Dad frequently took us on tours of the Group’s various operations including mines, oil and gas facilities, real…

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Operations Tours

Histoire de: Steve M - Triovest

Growing up, Dad frequently took us on tours of the Group’s various operations including mines, oil and gas facilities, real estate, and railway equipment. Dad, Mike and I are seen in the picture on one such adventure visiting a Loram Badger Ditcher circa summer 1993.

Safety has long been stressed as a value in the Group, and often put that it is “Safety First, Last, and Always.” Although in decades past, this did not exclude children from climbing over working equipment, in sneakers, on active railway lines!

Visits of this sort always left a big impression on us. Typically, the accompanying executives were very stressed and hoped that nothing would go wrong as we made several visits, at multiple sites, over successive days. Meanwhile, the workers invariably beamed with pride touring their well-maintained machines and efficient operations, and took comfort knowing that professionally delivering, like they did every day, would ensure success.

Steve M – Triovest

North of Superior

North of Superior

Histoire de: David R - Triovest

I’m pleased to share my Canada 150 story of our family’s summer trips to Northwestern Ontario to visit my grandparents…

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North of Superior

Histoire de: David R - Triovest

I’m pleased to share my Canada 150 story of our family’s summer trips to Northwestern Ontario to visit my grandparents and other relatives. At the time, as a kid the two day trip in a car with no air conditioning was long and tiresome, however the beauty of this part of Canada provided lasting memories. We would travel the shoreline of Lake Superior and enjoy the vastness of the Canadian Shield landscape. The ruggedness of the rock, the chill of the lakes and the towering green pines would leave a lasting impression. This beauty was made famous in the 1971 IMAX film titled, “North of Superior” and of course many landscape paintings.

David R – Triovest

A Royal Visit

A Royal Visit

Histoire de: Ron M - Chairman, Coril Holdings Ltd.

In 1973 I was the Mine Manager at the Costello mine in Estevan, Saskatchewan, and we were all honored to…

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A Royal Visit

Histoire de: Ron M - Chairman, Coril Holdings Ltd.

In 1973 I was the Mine Manager at the Costello mine in Estevan, Saskatchewan, and we were all honored to have Princess Anne come to Estevan to tour the coal fields.

The highlight of her visit for me was being able to show her the coal mining operation at the Utility Mine. However, before going on any mine tours we always, of course, have safety briefings. From my standpoint, and being very cautious and careful to carry out the appropriate protocol, after giving a summary of our safety activities and proposed tour, I very specifically asked the Princess to wear a hardhat while we were on the tour. I was somewhat taken aback as I was promptly told in a very royal fashion there was no damn way she was ever going to wear a hardhat, and let’s get going. So off we went without a hardhat, safety boots or any other specific safety precautions, and we toured the operations in a very prompt and efficient manner.

Ron M – Chairman, Coril Holdings Ltd.

God Bless the True North Strong and Free!

God Bless the True North Strong and Free!

Histoire de: Thomas d' - Director, Coril Holdings Ltd.

My Canada boasts a vast and stunning geography, a colourful history, a tolerant and inclusive society, a deep respect for…

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God Bless the True North Strong and Free!

Histoire de: Thomas d' - Director, Coril Holdings Ltd.

My Canada boasts a vast and stunning geography, a colourful history, a tolerant and inclusive society, a deep respect for the rule of law and an independence of spirt. When totalitarianism and political conflict engulfed my ancestral country, my Mother and Father found refuge in Canada and provided me with every imaginable opportunity. I owe them a great deal and with all humility thank Canada for the privilege of being born a Canadian. I have travelled the world widely and am blessed to work with people across the various continents. No country in my view matches Canada for the freedom, peace, security and opportunity that it offers. God bless the True North Strong and Free!

Thomas d’ –  Director, Coril Holdings Ltd.

The Bugaboos

The Bugaboos

Histoire de: Jori G - The Crossing

The iconic Bugaboos Spires in the Purcell Mountains of British Columbia have a certain magic to them and is truly…

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The Bugaboos

Histoire de: Jori G - The Crossing

The iconic Bugaboos Spires in the Purcell Mountains of British Columbia have a certain magic to them and is truly one of Canada’s most spectacular places. The granite spires with their sheer walls extruding from the glacier are simply amazing. You can’t help but get the urge to climb these walls when you look up and gaze at them. In the fall of 1994 my wife Mary and I set off to climb Pigeon Spire. A grueling hike with a backpack full of food and climbing gear found us at the Conrad Kain hut, named after the famous Mountain Guide. The hut is the mecca for all climbers and the starting point to the Spires. It was a beautiful clear sky day after a night of fresh snow when Mary and I set off at 4:30 in the morning. Across the first glacier, up to the Bugaboo-Snowpatch col and across the second glacier to the base of Pigeon Spire. Four hours of climbing brought us close to the top, unfortunately the storm from the night before deposited too much snow on the summit ridge for us to safely make it across. We sat down on a ledge, let our feet dangle over the edge of a 1,000 foot cliff, drank hot tea and ate our lunch. As we sat there with the wind blowing around us we noticed the complete silence and peace that exists in these mountains, I think we even fell asleep in the sunshine for a while. A few hours of climbing and traversing across the glaciers back to the hut for a good night sleep. We returned to civilization the next day leaving us with a sense of needing to return to these cathedrals of stone.

Jori G – The Crossing

Coming Home

Coming Home

Histoire de: Scott B - Triovest

After I passed my UFE exams to earn my CA designation, I decided to spend 2 years overseas with the…

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Coming Home

Histoire de: Scott B - Triovest

After I passed my UFE exams to earn my CA designation, I decided to spend 2 years overseas with the accounting firm to see more of the world. In some ways, perhaps I was testing the notion that Canada really was the best place to live and if you never got out to see other parts of the world how would you really know what you might be missing? While vacations are a great way to explore, you really never get to know a country unless you work and live there for a period of time. So I decided to spend those 2 years in Australia and Papua New Guinea, working and living in some of the most spectacular locations imaginable. I made life-long friends and stretched my experiences and abilities farther than I ever had previously. But in the end, 2 things brought me home – the first being my lovely wife (who was my girlfriend when I left but became my wife upon my return and remained in Canada) and the other being the sense of belonging and connection that I had with this great country (well maybe 3 things – I could never get real maple syrup while overseas!). Taking the opportunity and time to truly discover another country always helps to make you understand the blessings we have here and why it is always wonderful to return home.

Scott B – Triovest

 

From Foreign to a Familiar Land

From Foreign to a Familiar Land

Histoire de: Kristie M - Loram Maintenance of Way, Inc.

Being born in Texas and having to grownup abroad, Canada has always been foreign to me by familiarity, distance and…

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From Foreign to a Familiar Land

Histoire de: Kristie M - Loram Maintenance of Way, Inc.

Being born in Texas and having to grownup abroad, Canada has always been foreign to me by familiarity, distance and proximity. Until I had the opportunity to step foot on it and spend a week connecting with fellow Coril employees at the Coril Leadership Academy, up close and within it at the Crossing at Ghost River. For the first time I met and connected with other employees from Gemini, Coril and Triovest. Despite the different industries and applications, below the word choices and terminologies, our inner being all long for a fulfilling and impactful leadership journey. We shared our individual life experiences, tools and stories from our perspective leadership journey and bonded over campfire, team discussion and activities. I finished a great week with renewed perspective, deepened insight and new lifelong friendships.

The week finished off with the following question from our workbook: Consider your life as a leadership journey, as in the “days of old” where knights prepared to wager all in battle, they would crave and paint their shields as living testimony of their character. If our shield was divided into four parts. What do we live for, hope for, work for, and stand for?

Since then, Canada is no longer foreign to me. It’s a place where kindness and hospitality made a new place felt like home. It’s a place where the leaders of our company invest and believe in the future growth of their employees. It’s a place where ideas, values, culture and dreams are welcomed. It’s where I learned that distances, boundaries lose, when knights prepare their shields.

Kristie M – Loram Maintenance of Way, Inc.

Pride Is All Around Us!

Pride Is All Around Us!

Histoire de: Susan B - Loram Maintenance of Way, Inc.

Our fabulous head office in Hamel, Minnesota may be a little ways from the hustle and bustle and throngs of…

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Pride Is All Around Us!

Histoire de: Susan B - Loram Maintenance of Way, Inc.

Our fabulous head office in Hamel, Minnesota may be a little ways from the hustle and bustle and throngs of thousands of excited people in downtown Minneapolis, but I can tell you that there is tremendous pride bursting from within the walls of our office. This pride extends well beyond Minnesota even, to all the regions where our hard working men and women call home and where they travel to work, some of whom step on airplanes to fly to help customers in other countries. Loram employees are engaged in so many activities in and around the workplace, in the community and much, much broader globally. From United Way, to celebrating our veterans (everyday), sponsoring community events, supporting students who are trying to make a difference in their schools and communities, and so many donations of time and energy to help others. It is a pride for company and country that shines through!

Susan B – Loram Maintenance of Way, Inc.

A Dress in Brazil

A Dress in Brazil

Histoire de: Kayla R - Loram Maintenance of Way, Inc.

I was in Brazil for a customer meeting with a group of four Loram employees and two Brazilin employees. In…

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A Dress in Brazil

Histoire de: Kayla R - Loram Maintenance of Way, Inc.

I was in Brazil for a customer meeting with a group of four Loram employees and two Brazilin employees. In an effort to look nice for the meeting I wore a dress. As we were waiting for the bus to take us to the office building, a customer security guard stopped me and told me I was not allowed because I was half naked (the dress was long sleeved and went down to my knees, so I was really only ¼ naked). I, of course, didn’t have any pants with me and was thus forced to stay behind and figure out what to do (the hotel was at least a 30 minute cab ride away – one way). Luckily, Filipe stayed behind with me. After about 1 hour (yes, we could have just gone to get pants by that time…) and several calls to the head of Safety, I was granted a one-time pass and permitted to get on the bus and attend the meeting.

It’s so great that we were able to find Minnesota (and Canada) nice people way down in Brazil!!

Kayla R – Loram Maintenance of Way, Inc.

Ice Storm 2013

Ice Storm 2013

Histoire de: Louise P - Triovest

We’re a nation obsessed with weather – and we experience some incredibly diverse weather systems, from sultry summer heat alerts…

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Ice Storm 2013

Histoire de: Louise P - Triovest

We’re a nation obsessed with weather – and we experience some incredibly diverse weather systems, from sultry summer heat alerts to biting extreme cold winter alerts. In December 2013 Toronto experienced a particularly bad ice storm. At the time I was home on mat leave with my 6-month old and I woke in the night to find we had no power. An ice storm had hit and thousands of households were without power – and it was 3 days before Christmas! You could hear the snapping and creaking of trees which sounded particularly eerie in the dead of night and as I looked out over our backyard, sure enough, a big maple had toppled onto our garage, decimating the roof. My mum was staying with us at the time and when we woke in the morning we made the decision to book a hotel room, just as a precaution as the news updates on getting power restored weren’t looking too good. Smart move on our behalf! We rolled up to the hotel that afternoon, 3 adults and 2 kids in tow. We spent 2 fun days at the hotel and then moved onto a friends place to spend Christmas Eve and day with them. Every day of the power outage we went back to our place to check on things, willing Toronto Hydro to get the power restored. Toronto Hydro did an amazing job – they worked nonstop to restore power. As savage as the ice storm was it resulted in an entire community coming together to help one another. Neighbours cleared debris, chopped wood from felled trees and just checked in on each other. As a family I felt we were lucky – sure the garage roof was destroyed but we had insurance to cover that and we spent 5-days without power but we were all OK. In fact, at times it was kind of fun and a unique experience!

Louise P – Triovest

Started in Siberia and now I’m here

Started in Siberia and now I’m here

Histoire de: Elena B - Triovest

My family and I (parents and 1 older brother) immigrated to Canada in October 1991 from Siberia, Russia. We didn’t…

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Started in Siberia and now I’m here

Histoire de: Elena B - Triovest

My family and I (parents and 1 older brother) immigrated to Canada in October 1991 from Siberia, Russia. We didn’t know the language and came with nothing other than the essentials – clothes, blankets and a few pots and pans. My father’s aunt and uncle who we never met sponsored us. My dad’s brother’s family and his sister’s family also moved here a couple months before us. We moved to a small town in Ontario called Virgil in the Niagara region.

On our first day in Canada, my brother and I went to school and my parents went to work on a local farm making $6/hr. When I arrived to school, I didn’t know what my name was in English so the school secretary said that “for now we will call you Helen, until we know what your legal name is”. The students and teachers at our school were very kind to me and my 5 cousins. We attended ESL classes together and learned the English language quickly. The students in my class would always ask me “Helen, are you happy?” until a few months later when I actually understood what they were asking, I said “yes!” and from then on, they called me “Happy Helen”.

Initially we, along with the other 2 families lived in a small bungalow (that’s 12 people – 6 adults and 6 kids). Although we had a humble beginning, we all have very fond memories of our first year in Canada. We went to a German Mennonite Church which embraced us warmly and made sure that our first Christmas was unforgettable – they donated more toys to our house then we have ever seen.

Fast forward 26 years later and my family along with the other 2 families still live in Virgil and attend the Mennonite church. We feel so blessed to have been welcomed with open arms from not only our family living here, but what felt like the whole country!

Today, we all are proudly Canadian.

Elena B – Triovest

Look Up, Waaaaaay Up

Look Up, Waaaaaay Up

Histoire de: Tania B - Triovest

I grew up in the Yukon, just outside of Whitehorse. My parents are both originally from England, but once my…

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Look Up, Waaaaaay Up

Histoire de: Tania B - Triovest

I grew up in the Yukon, just outside of Whitehorse.

My parents are both originally from England, but once my dad decided to backpack around the world and discovered Whitehorse, he fell in love with the land and decided to build a tiny cabin in the middle of nowhere 30 miles outside of Whitehorse. About nine months later, he brought my mom and older sister over. That made me the first Canadian born in my family.

My sister and I had quite a childhood! There was no running water or electricity, and we had a stove and small fridge that ran off of propane. There were fresh eggs every day from our chickens and a large garden for growing our vegetables. We lived the story of actually having to walk two miles every day to catch the school bus each way, along with an hour-long bus ride to school. Collecting and storing wood during the summer months was necessary to ensure we had enough for the winter. I remember when I was about ten years old, we built a larger cabin, which included a small generator to power dad’s small machine shop where he built a steam locomotive that is now in England as part of a children’s ride at a local park.

I moved to Calgary from the Yukon 15 years ago and love being in this vibrant city and working for such an amazing company.

Tania B – Triovest

Generosity of Spirit

Generosity of Spirit

Histoire de: Tanya GS - Coril Holdings Ltd.

I think we can all remember where we were on September 11th, 2001. It is a day that all Canadians…

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Generosity of Spirit

Histoire de: Tanya GS - Coril Holdings Ltd.

I think we can all remember where we were on September 11th, 2001. It is a day that all Canadians came together to not only support each other but also travellers from all nations who were stranded in Canada. Gander, Newfoundland alone took in 7,000 stranded passengers. My parents, in Halifax, took in a family from France; they exchange Christmas letters each year as they have become friends. I know that numerous people and families did the same throughout our country. I was actually more than mid-flight to Calgary from Halifax that morning.

I always say hi to whomever is sitting beside me on my flights, this flight though; I chatted with the couple beside me and found out that they were visiting their daughter at U of C for the first time. We were forced to land in Winnipeg without knowing what had happened. There was confusion on the part of all passengers and TV crews throughout the airport. We had stayed together as there was so much confusion. When it became clear we were not flying anywhere that day, still not knowing what had actually happened, the couple made a decision to try to drive to Calgary. They lucked into the last vehicle that could be rented at the airport, a minivan, and offered to take me to Calgary and so we began our 12 hour journey to Calgary. We listened to the news and couldn’t comprehend what had occurred that morning but we also chatted and really got to know each other. As luck would have it, they had to drive past my apartment to see their daughter and in the early hours the following morning we arrived in Calgary. They will always be a special and happy memory on such a heart wrenching day.

These stories of how we all came together are heartwarming and show the spirit of giving we have in this country.

Tanya GS – Coril Holdings Ltd.

Part 1 – See You Soon

Part 1 – See You Soon

Histoire de: Shelly M - Loram Maintenance of Way

Part 1 I work at Loram in Minnesota, USA. I work with Susan Bobb in Human Resources and she encouraged…

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Part 1 – See You Soon

Histoire de: Shelly M - Loram Maintenance of Way

Part 1

I work at Loram in Minnesota, USA. I work with Susan Bobb in Human Resources and she encouraged me to submit my story in two parts.

I have visited Canada on a number of family vacations as a child and for work. I have wanted to go to Banff for the last 5 years. Well, this July my boyfriend and I and another couple will be riding our Victory motorcycles to Canada to Banff. Finally! I can’t wait to explore Banff and go to Lake Louise. The roads and view of the area will be spectacular on a motorcycle. Stay tuned for Part II.

Shelly M – Loram Maintenance of Way

Summer Time Maritimes

Summer Time Maritimes

Histoire de: Ben W - Triovest

My fondest memory with Canada was my childhood summer tradition of travelling to Halifax every summer with my family. Over…

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Summer Time Maritimes

Histoire de: Ben W - Triovest

My fondest memory with Canada was my childhood summer tradition of travelling to Halifax every summer with my family. Over our summer break, my mother would drive us from Toronto all the way to Halifax, Nova Scotia to spend 3 weeks with our grandmother. These road-trips have exposed me to much of Canada’s natural beauty along the East-coast.

Ben W – Triovest

How Canada’s Wilderness Shaped Me

How Canada’s Wilderness Shaped Me

Histoire de: Kit M - Triovest

This country has given me more now (I’m not even 30) than most get in a lifetime. From the safety…

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How Canada’s Wilderness Shaped Me

Histoire de: Kit M - Triovest

This country has given me more now (I’m not even 30) than most get in a lifetime. From the safety and freedom my parents got to the access and endless opportunities I have, Canada gives me the ability to choose my own life and improve others’.

I’ve always been obsessed with nature. As soon as I could walk I was dirty in gardens, wet in streams and lost in endless trails and forests. These things have had amazing positive impacts on my life.

The quality and scale of Canada’s wilderness has let me connect with people in ways that are truly rare to come by. I made the strongest connections with friends while at camp or on canoe trips in the Arctic Circle, Nova Scotia and Ontario. My family and I grew ever closer with our time spent on the Georgian Bay summer after summer.

The Canadian wilderness is dominated by the Great Canadian Shield, a mass of rock and rough terrain that hold very little soil, so you would think life and nature should be hard to come by. And yet the opposite exists; it is teaming with endless opportunities for life to thrive and nature to be, well, nature. With all of the great things that make Canada « Canada », I think its nature and its wilderness have had the biggest impact on me, and will continue to do so.

Kit M – Triovest

Grateful & Appreciative of Canada

Grateful & Appreciative of Canada

Histoire de: Paula S - Triovest

At the beginning of last year, I campaigned for support to help me raise funds to build a home for…

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Grateful & Appreciative of Canada

Histoire de: Paula S - Triovest

At the beginning of last year, I campaigned for support to help me raise funds to build a home for a Nicaraguan family. We were scheduled to leave late on November 24, however mother nature scared half of us who hadn’t left due to the news of Hurricane Otto and an earthquake offshore which led to a tsunami warning. We quickly cancelled our trip and re-scheduled to help our family the end of January.

We visited the sites that were built in November from the group that arrived in Nicaragua before the storms hit at El Panama near Granada. Next morning we headed to El Pantanal for 2 days to put together a home for a family with local volunteers. We first needed to work on the foundation for the floor which needed to have 15 holes going down six feet. This alone took one and half days to complete.

We stayed overnight at a school. The next day we put up the walls and roof panels and hammered away. I mostly worked on screwing the latches for the windows and doors. Once the house was completed we presented the family with a key to open the door to their house.

After this project was completed, we headed to a beautiful and gracious place, Monty’s Beach Resort where we stayed for the balance of the trip. The final day we went to El Limonal to make chicken stew and food for over 300 kids.

This trip was a once-in-a-lifetime and touching experience for me that words can’t even explain. I would love to help a family with a home every year, if possible.

Paula S – Triovest

Gemini Mural – Fort St. John

Gemini Mural – Fort St. John

Histoire de: Loni E - Gemini Corporation

Gemini recently tapped into one of the many talented team members in their Fort St. John office location to complete…

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Gemini Mural – Fort St. John

Histoire de: Loni E - Gemini Corporation

Gemini recently tapped into one of the many talented team members in their Fort St. John office location to complete a Canadian, community and Gemini inspired mural. The effort required creativity, imagination, collaboration and a lot of talent. For each of us, being Canadian means something different, but for all of us, Canada has many recognizable landscapes and wildlife. Finished with a chalkboard sealant, we are able to change the inspiring quotes as often as desired. Much of this is captured in this beautiful mural, but it also represents our livelihoods, and what allows us to continue to live and work in our communities. Each day we work to guide our clients through their projects to ensure that they are sustainable and minimize potentially negative impacts to our environment. In an industry driven by energy, and at a pace that sometimes doesn’t allow for time to appreciate what you have, this mural is a reminder of the beauty of the environment that surrounds us.

Loni E – Gemini Corporation

Smile Like You Mean It

Smile Like You Mean It

Histoire de: Jessica L - Coril Holdings Ltd.

The details of this story could easily be substituted with those from a number of different memories, but all the…

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Smile Like You Mean It

Histoire de: Jessica L - Coril Holdings Ltd.

The details of this story could easily be substituted with those from a number of different memories, but all the versions of this situation really make me proud to be Canadian. I was travelling in the United States, and had just arrived at a restaurant for dinner. As we were being seated at the table, the host asked where in Canada I was from. I couldn’t imagine why he would guess that I was anything but American – I hadn’t uttered more than a “thank you” and surely my Canadian accent wasn’t that strong! I asked what tipped him off and he said “Well, you looked me in the eye while you said ‘thank you’ and you smiled like you meant it. You must be Canadian”.

Jessica L – Coril Holdings Ltd.

What Canada Day Means To Me

What Canada Day Means To Me

Histoire de: Shelly B - Triovest

What does Canada Day mean to me? For over 20 years our family has celebrated Canada Day in the small…

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What Canada Day Means To Me

Histoire de: Shelly B - Triovest

What does Canada Day mean to me? For over 20 years our family has celebrated Canada Day in the small community of Airdrie. Airdrie holds a small town parade on July 1st and over the years our family has either been on the side lines watching the parade or have participated by entering a float, riding horses or hooking up miniature horses to a wagon. Canada Day has left me with some amazing memories of when my children were young sitting on the side lines, to them being teenagers, riding horses when they were part of the Windy Ridge Riding Club where my son rode carrying the Canada Flag. The best memory (so far) is just this past Canada Day, our family entered a float and a team of miniature horses that had four generations participating. It was a very proud moment for our family as not every day do you have four generations together (Great Grandfather, Grandfather, Son and two Grandchildren) and even better when it is on Canada Day!

Shelly B – Triovest

A Plane Ticket, Open Agenda And An Adventure

A Plane Ticket, Open Agenda And An Adventure

Histoire de: Cary B - INLIV

In the fall of 2015 I was lucky enough to have two months of completely free time before moving to…

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A Plane Ticket, Open Agenda And An Adventure

Histoire de: Cary B - INLIV

In the fall of 2015 I was lucky enough to have two months of completely free time before moving to Calgary.

A little adventure travel sounded like a good way to fill my free time and on a whim booked a ticket to San Jose, Costa Rica. With no plans, a small carry on and dreams of surfing I set off on my trip.

An open agenda and healthy sense of adventure created amazing memories and experiences that I will never forget. One of which is how enjoyable it is to connect with others from around the world that you have nothing in common but being together in a foreign country.

Being Canadian was a huge asset in making new friends… Everyone loves a Canadian!

I still keep in touch with many of those who I met while traveling. A few of them have even come to Canada for a visit and I have loved showing them some Canadian hospitality and adventures on our own soil.

Cary B – INLIV

« Pink Hair, Don’t Care » 2017 Hair Massacure and a Team with Open Arms

« Pink Hair, Don’t Care » 2017 Hair Massacure and a Team with Open Arms

Histoire de: Mike S - INLIV

When I walked into my first day of work with a pink mohawk, I wasn’t really sure how the audience…

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« Pink Hair, Don’t Care » 2017 Hair Massacure and a Team with Open Arms

Histoire de: Mike S - INLIV

When I walked into my first day of work with a pink mohawk, I wasn’t really sure how the audience would respond. I mean, I’m used to the stage, but really. First day?

I’m going to Tarantino this plot for you…I’ve been volunteering with the Ronald McDonald House of Southern Alberta for over 3 years now in various capacities and it was a no brainer when their annual Hair Massacure in partnership with the Make-A-Wish Foundation came up and I was asked to pink my hair to help raise awareness for families and children with life threatening illnesses.

See, in my head I thought « You’re no friend of mine if you bawk at a guy that’s doing something for charity… » but deep down there was still that element of « Oh man, they might just tell me to go home and stay there. »

I’m not sure why I ever thought that. I was greeted with open arms by all staff and actually got quite a few compliments on the doo. It was a powerful conversation piece and heck, I was already the new dude on the team, so it made it almost an easier transition into the team. It was only a few days later when it became clear to me why I was greeted with such a welcoming spirit by my fellow INmates. INLIV believes strongly in community, humanism, giving back and volunteering – all incredibly important values I share. Besides, the mohawk is kind of my thing now, it’s a trademark, a conversation piece and most importantly it signifies my integration with an incredibly open-hearted family at INLIV.

Mike S – INLIV

Travel to Europe…To Watch Canadian Hockey!

Travel to Europe…To Watch Canadian Hockey!

Histoire de: Brad B - INLIV

There aren’t too many things more Canadian than hockey and although this story includes the great game, it is all…

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Travel to Europe…To Watch Canadian Hockey!

Histoire de: Brad B - INLIV

There aren’t too many things more Canadian than hockey and although this story includes the great game, it is all about Canadian spirit being displayed beyond our borders! Where ever you go, Canadian spirit follows you. But when Canadians go somewhere to take in an international hockey tournament, that spirit multiplies quickly!

A few years ago, a couple of friends and I thought we would take a trip over the holidays to Davos Switzerland to take in the Spengler Cup and cheer on Team Canada! The trip alone was amazing but what happened was over and above. We ended up knowing a player and Hockey Canada got word that we had made the trip to take in the tournament. The generosity was incredible. Without any expectations we were treated like the player’s families. Team meals, tickets, the new years eve party, and perhaps the most fun was when a representative came to get us after the last game to go down to the dressing room to celebrate with the team! No one had to do all this but we couldn’t help but feel they were doing what they could to take care of their fellow Canadians.

To end, I should note that I managed to convince my wife to go cheer on Team Canada at the World Hockey Championships this May! It actually wasn’t hard…she had no issue taking her Canada jersey to Paris.

Brad B – INLIV

Freedom

Freedom

Histoire de: Sylvia W - INLIV

Growing up in Alberta, we would take our annual family trip to visit friends in Vernon and Vancouver. It is…

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Freedom

Histoire de: Sylvia W - INLIV

Growing up in Alberta, we would take our annual family trip to visit friends in Vernon and Vancouver. It is a fond memory for me because it was a road trip. I remember my parents packing us up, stopping at the BC fruit stands, playing checkers and napping in the back of the station wagon…I’m sure many of you remember doing this when there wasn’t so many car regulations like seat belts! It’s hard to believe growing up in Canada, how much freedom we have and how freely we can move upon the Provinces.

Sylvia W – INLIV

Red Chairs!

Red Chairs!

Histoire de: Amy N - Coril Holdings Ltd.

Do you know the secret of the Red Chairs? The first time I saw them (they always seem to come…

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Red Chairs!

Histoire de: Amy N - Coril Holdings Ltd.

Do you know the secret of the Red Chairs? The first time I saw them (they always seem to come in pairs, like rabbits) was while snowshoeing at Marble Canyon. It seemed pretty random. Two red Adirondack chairs halfway up the slope in the middle of a field of snow, and two people sitting there enjoying the view and having a hot drink.

But it turns out it’s not a secret or random.

Parks Canada’s Red Chairs Experience Program is an attempt to entice people all over Canada to “seek out the Red Chairs to enjoy these special places and to share their experience through social media and other communication channels.” It’s not part of the Canada 150 Celebration, but it’s good timing, eh? They have placed iconic red Adirondack chairs in parks all over Canada. Last weekend we met a couple of American tourists at the top of Sulphur Mountain in Banff (there are Red Chairs there), got to talking, and told them about the red chairs. They were intrigued and were ready to set off across Canada to find them all. Are these people on permanent vacation??! I don’t know how many there are, but the word zillions comes to mind. I would also like to try my hand at finding more Red Chairs to sit in – they are in the best possible spots, and mostly pretty easy to get to. I’ve found just 4 so far, all in Banff National Park. How many can I find in one day? There are 7 National Parks and Historic Sites in Alberta with Red Chairs, so I won’t have to go far to get started on my quest. Maybe a photo gallery of Red Chair Moments would be a good way to chronicle my Canadian experience.

Have you sat in a Red Chair yet?

Amy N – Coril Holdings Ltd.

The Children’s Wish Foundation

The Children’s Wish Foundation

Histoire de: Don W - Coril Holdings Ltd.

In 1978, several individuals from The Island got lost on their way to Toronto and ended up in Calgary. Not…

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The Children’s Wish Foundation

Histoire de: Don W - Coril Holdings Ltd.

In 1978, several individuals from The Island got lost on their way to Toronto and ended up in Calgary. Not knowing how to two-step, their evenings were mostly uneventful, until several of them got together and formed a hockey team. Ice time was secured on Thursday evenings at the Seven Chiefs Sarcee Arena, which was home ice for the team until five years ago when we moved to the Edge School Arena in Springbank. Home ice is now on Sunday afternoons at the new Edge School Arena. In 2003, after 25 years, seven of the 15 original players were still with the team. At the completion of the team’s 39th year, two original members stubbornly remain.

Each Spring, after completing our season, the RumRunners would have a team golf day. In early 2006, Wayne Stewart, a fine lad and long time RumRunner from West Point, P.E.I. suggested that we should invite some friends and raise a few dollars for a worthy cause; this idea was the genesis of the PEI RumRunners Hockey Club – Charity Golf Classic.

In our inaugural year, after choosing the Children’s Wish Foundation as our worthy cause, a few of the guys visited their office. After this visit, the initial goal of $5,000 was raised to $25,000 once we saw other cardboard cheques posted on their wall. It was further decided that all funds raised would be evenly split between CWF Alberta and CWF P.E.I. With a lot of hard work, generosity and good fortune, $40,000 was raised the very first year!

After our 8th year & sitting @ $670,000, we set a new target of raising $1,000,000 for The Children’s Wish Foundation in 10 years.

In an effort to help us reach our $1M goal, we added the “Home From Away” Charity Golf Classic in P.E.I. in the summer of 2014 & raised in excess of $25,000. There was a Spring Kick-off Fund Raising Social added in Calgary in 2015 & these additional funds raised helped us Reach our Milestone Mark!!

After Eleven very successful “Fund Raising Years”, we have presented a grand total of over $1,100,000 to The Children’s Wish Foundation.  At approximately $10,000 per wish, that is 110 wishes that you have helped us to grant! Thank You for your continued Support!!!

Don W – Coril Holdings Ltd.

A Canadian Abroad

A Canadian Abroad

Histoire de: Kirby M - Coril Holdings Ltd.

I’m writing this while sitting in a cafe somewhere in the middle of Casablanca, Morocco at the end of my…

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A Canadian Abroad

Histoire de: Kirby M - Coril Holdings Ltd.

I’m writing this while sitting in a cafe somewhere in the middle of Casablanca, Morocco at the end of my month long trip to Portugal, Spain and Morocco.

I had always been told by non-Canadians how great it is to hold a Canadian passport, but I rarely get into any certain details beyond that.

In this trip, I met a Chinese national also traveling in the small blue town of Chefchaouen in Morocco. We decided to hike outside the city to their famous waterfalls together. I learned she had studied international business at a university in Chengdu, is currently working in Ghana and took to travel any chance she could get. But because of her Chinese passport, she is very limited on where she can go without a visa. And for many places such as Canada or Europe, she is required to submit detailed financial information and fit a certain criteria before she can get a simple travel visa. I remembered the times I traveled to Turkey and Cambodia where a visa was needed, but as a Canadian, I was able to simply purchase one at the airport when I landed.

So we decided during dinner to look up online the list of countries we are each able to travel to visa free and compare. Her list was depressing and made worse by her frustrated statement of « I just want to go to a developed country ». That list also had much more gravitas to me being a first generation Chinese Canadian, it could have very likely been me if the chips had fell slightly differently for my parents.

Anyone who knows me will tell you that traveling is part of who I am. I have been lucky enough to travel to over 30 countries. I proudly tell all of those who ask that I am Canadian and you can see and feel the respect that those three words give you anywhere in the world. Happy birthday Canada!

Kirby M – Coril Holdings Ltd.

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« MILE 0 »

Histoire de: Jori G - The Crossing

In 1984 as a young immigrant to Canada I decided to embark on an adventure and find out where the…

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« MILE 0 »

Histoire de: Jori G - The Crossing

In 1984 as a young immigrant to Canada I decided to embark on an adventure and find out where the starting point of the famous “Trans-Canada Highway” is. I packed a small backpack, took my bike and hopped on the train from Banff to Vancouver (yes, in 1984 there was passenger train service between Calgary and Vancouver!) and with BC Ferry’s sailed across to Vancouver Island. “THE” picture was taken and I was off on my bike back to Vancouver,  then did a 6 day, 1,200 kilometers bike ride through the Okanagan and return to Banff. It was a wonderful week of cycling, meeting people, admiring the beauty of the landscape, riding a full day in pouring rain, experiencing the Rogers Pass tunnels and so much more. This was the first of many adventures in my new home.

Jori G – The Crossing

Proud of my Uncle

Proud of my Uncle

Histoire de: Paula S - Triovest

My uncle immigrated from India when he was 1 1/2 years of age in 1924. He is a respected businessman…

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Proud of my Uncle

Histoire de: Paula S - Triovest

My uncle immigrated from India when he was 1 1/2 years of age in 1924. He is a respected businessman and an outstanding citizen in BC. He started a mill in 1962 on Mitchell Island. He now owns three sawmills, one of which is in Washington.

He has a strong focus on philanthropy, and generously donates to various worthwhile causes and organizations, as well as routinely matching public donations to fundraising campaigns.

He focuses much of his philanthropy on education and is currently funding two UBC fellowships in forestry among other financial aid programs at the university.

My uncle has been donating to the B.C. Children’s Hospital over 27 years after his grandson at a young age had ITP a very rare bleeding disorder disease in which the immune system destroys platelets which are necessary for normal blood clotting.

He also donated land and substantial funding to build a Gurdwara on Highway to Heaven (No.5 Road) in Richmond.

He’s been awarded with an Order of BC and an Order of Canada. In addition, he was awarded the Honorary Doctor of Law by UBC for his generosity and community service.

My uncle is now 94 years old and continues to be a generous, gracious and honest man, and therefore a true Canadian. Every day I am not only thankful to have him as my uncle, but to live in a country that inspires its citizens to help each other and a country that recognizes the generosity of those who do so.

Paula S – Triovest

Growing up in Sydney, Nova Scotia

Growing up in Sydney, Nova Scotia

Histoire de: Courtney D - Gemini Corporation

Although Sydney never had the best winters, in fact as a kid I remember being sent out the back door…

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Growing up in Sydney, Nova Scotia

Histoire de: Courtney D - Gemini Corporation

Although Sydney never had the best winters, in fact as a kid I remember being sent out the back door with a shovel in hand, (as I was the only one small enough to squeeze out) so that I could clear a spot to open the door.

It was the summers that mattered, we never needed to pack a suitcase and sit on a plane for hours to enjoy warm weather & beautiful beaches, in fact, we only had to pack some snacks & sunscreen and drive 20 minutes to enjoy a day of swimming & building sand castles.

When school was finished, I made the move across the country to Calgary, Alberta, Although I’m not a fan of the -40 winters and I definitely miss having the ability to drive 20 minutes to a beach, I’m grateful that every year I get to go back to Nova Scotia and reflect on where I grew up, and that I’m able to share these great memories with my two boys!

It’s the simple things as to why I Love Canada.

Courtney D – Gemini Corporation

Canada Day and Banff in the Park

Canada Day and Banff in the Park

Histoire de: Linda B - Gemini Corporation

We are so very lucky to live in such a great city that is close to so many of Canada’s…

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Canada Day and Banff in the Park

Histoire de: Linda B - Gemini Corporation

We are so very lucky to live in such a great city that is close to so many of Canada’s Treasures. My girls and I have often hit the road for Banff on Canada day, enjoying a nice hike at Canmore’s Grassy Lakes and then carrying on to Banff to enjoy a nice dinner out, topped off with Banff’s Canada Day entertainment in the park.

The surrounding scenery makes Banff one of our favorite places! About seven or eight years back we had enjoyed a beautiful Canada day in the area and headed back to our home in Calgary at about 1:00 AM. We were driving along and somewhere close to Dead Man’s Flats I saw something coming at us in the dark. It took just a brief second and BANG! We were startled and didn’t know what had hit us, but something had hit the drivers’ window. I thought for sure the window of the car would be broken by how loud the crash was, but thankfully, it was just a loud bang and nothing was damaged…well accept the poor creature that hit us!! Turned out it was a big bird, maybe an owl that hit the window of the car and scared us half to death! We were thankful for the otherwise uneventful and safe journey home and having had the privilege to enjoy a nice day of hiking in the mountains, beautiful scenery, great food and music, as well as fireworks to mark the day!

We are so grateful that we live such a great country that gifts us with so many luxuries!

150 years strong! Happy Canada Day everyone!!

Linda B – Gemini Corporation

Great Uncle Peter

Great Uncle Peter

Histoire de: Kelly B - INLIV

This is the story of my great Uncle Peter a Brigadier General in the Canadian army who served in the…

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Great Uncle Peter

Histoire de: Kelly B - INLIV

This is the story of my great Uncle Peter a Brigadier General in the Canadian army who served in the 1st and 2nd world wars.

As a young lieutenant in the 1st world war, Peter, my great uncle was captured and escaped. He lost four brothers at Vimy Ridge and 3 brothers in other parts of the conflict. By the 2nd world war, Peter was a Brigadier General – Commandant of Mewata Armories, and re-wrote the army service corps supply manual. King George and the queen gave him their touring car after their official visit to Canada in 1936. His batman (assigned assistant) used to type the supply manual while sitting beside Peter in the backseat of the limousine. The beautiful car had a built-in bar in the windowed separation between the front and back seat. When he was called to England in the summer of 1939 before war was declared, he took that fancy car with him. The car, sadly, had to be burned during the withdrawal of Canadian forces in Dieppe in 1941.

The rest of the remaining members of Peter’s family served in the 2nd world war – one was my Grandfather (Poppa)

Kelly B – INLIV

Celebrating Chinese New Year in Style at Woodside Square

Celebrating Chinese New Year in Style at Woodside Square

Histoire de: Fatima M - Triovest

The month of January was filled with excitement and cultural celebrations geared towards both children and adults at Woodside Square….

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Celebrating Chinese New Year in Style at Woodside Square

Histoire de: Fatima M - Triovest

The month of January was filled with excitement and cultural celebrations geared towards both children and adults at Woodside Square. The cold weather did not keep anyone away from the various festivities that took place at the community mall. January 28th was the beginning of the Chinese New Year and many community members took advantage of the range of happenings throughout the mall. Over 200 red lucky money envelopes were distributed to passersby before an elaborate Chinese showcase took place hosted by Daniel Ho and Marina Tang. The collaboration with AM1540 A1 Chinese Radio presented a slew of engaging activities for audience members including The Price is Right Game. The show ended with a show stopping performance of Chinese Face Mask Changing that did not fail to amaze the crowd. The mall hosted a traditional lion dance the following day where mall patrons were witness to a spectacular costume performance that symbolized wisdom and prosperity. The entire event resembled a parade as the performance carried throughout the mall to different stores and tenants. Onlookers watched the bright costume colours and sequins as well as its unique movements with awe and great admiration.

Fatima M – Triovest

Connect In Your Community!

Connect In Your Community!

Histoire de: Diane Y - The Crossing

Volunteering should be a part of everyone’s life.  It has been a staple as we moved from town to town. …

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Connect In Your Community!

Histoire de: Diane Y - The Crossing

Volunteering should be a part of everyone’s life.  It has been a staple as we moved from town to town.  Getting involved in a group makes you part of a community.  The saying that it takes a village to raise a child is so true!  Getting involved in your local community helps you find those villagers who will be part of that journey.   We enjoy camping so it was natural to join the Guiding program as well as the Scouts Canada program.   Our journey has led us through many troops and groups.  Along the way, we got to enjoy the Canadian Jamboree in Montreal Quebec with 10,000 other happy campers.  In 2013, we got to be part of hosting the Canadian Jamboree at Camp Woods.  Connect in your community, you will always get back more than you give!

Diane Y – The Crossing

Closet Clean-out

Closet Clean-out

Histoire de: Mindy M - Coril Holdings Ltd.

This past month Coril, along with our neighbours at Triovest, decided to put our spring cleaning to good use by…

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Closet Clean-out

Histoire de: Mindy M - Coril Holdings Ltd.

This past month Coril, along with our neighbours at Triovest, decided to put our spring cleaning to good use by holding a clothing drive in support of the Walk-in Closet and Calgary Dream Centre. Both not-for-profit organizations provide vital support to individuals looking to break destructive cycles in their life and re-join the workforce.

Coril and Triovest rose to the occasion, donating well over 300 items! A big thank you to all of you, together we are making a difference in the lives of those less fortunate.

Mindy M – Coril Holdings Ltd.

Random Act of Kindness: Making Someone Smile for Free

Random Act of Kindness: Making Someone Smile for Free

Histoire de: Fatima M - Triovest

Saturday, March 5 2016 “These can’t be free!” exclaim Woodside Square Shopping Centre patrons who can’t help but do double…

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Random Act of Kindness: Making Someone Smile for Free

Histoire de: Fatima M - Triovest

Saturday, March 5 2016

“These can’t be free!” exclaim Woodside Square Shopping Centre patrons who can’t help but do double takes as they walk past multiple buckets of long stem daisies in every imaginable colour. The organizers of Pick Ontario and I are frequently reassuring passersby they can put their wallets away. Many are individuals my staff and I have gotten to know and appreciate over the past few years. Free and flowers usually don’t go together in the same sentence, but I try to make anything at our community mall possible. The smiles on each recipient’s face seem to magnify as they are instructed to give the extra flower received to someone else, to essentially pass on the kind gesture to a person who’d need it most and spread the random acts of kindness. Pick Ontario gave away 4,000 gerbera daisies, provided by Ontario grown Farmers, at Woodside Square in an effort to brighten peoples’ day, while showcasing the importance of Ontario flowers. In collaboration with Pick Ontario we were able to see everyone experience the happiness felt when they received flowers, as well as the happiness they create when they gave flowers. A touch of brightness, colour and excitement was added to the commute of many mall customers, kids, strangers and store owners. Any chance to surprise the hardworking members of the community and to encourage positivity throughout our neighbourhoods is one worth taking.

Fatima M – Triovest

Gemini Employee Receives Top Apprentice Award

Gemini Employee Receives Top Apprentice Award

Histoire de: Bridget B - Gemini Corporation

It gives us pride and delight to announce that Gemini’s own Danny Derksen is going to be recognized this Friday…

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Gemini Employee Receives Top Apprentice Award

Histoire de: Bridget B - Gemini Corporation

It gives us pride and delight to announce that Gemini’s own Danny Derksen is going to be recognized this Friday at an awards ceremony in Edmonton. Danny will be receiving the award for “2016 Top Apprentice in the Steamfitter-Pipefitter” Trade.

Every year Alberta Advanced Education – the government body which oversees the Alberta Apprenticeship and Industry training program – recognizes the top apprentices in their final year of training. The Top Apprentice Awards recognize the apprentices in each trade who have received the highest marks in their final year of apprenticeship and who have also received strong employer recognition for their on-the-job merits.

In receiving this award, Danny is one of a select group of individuals. Approximately sixty apprentices are selected each year for recognition, and only one apprentice per trade receives this award. This means that Danny is the only Steamfitter-Pipefitter to receive this award for the 2016 year!

Danny has worked for Gemini all throughout his apprenticeship. He started working for Gemini Field Solutions in 2013 and has worked with us every year since. Danny has completed his apprenticeship program and is now a Journeyman Pipefitter working for Gemec Services Ltd. These days he is a regular member of Ken Aasgard’s maintenance crew at the Keyera site in Fort Saskatchewan.

When asked about how it felt to win the award, Danny was pretty humble. He tells us he is not a naturally competitive person, but that he had made the decision to go back to school as a mature student and with a young and growing family, he needed to do his very best. More than anything, he says, his motivation was simple: “I just didn’t want to fail!” To that we say: Danny, you have made us proud. It has been quite some time since a Gemini employee received a Top Apprentice Award and we are so pleased for you.

Congratulations on a job well done, Danny! We hope that you and your family have a wonderful time at the award ceremony on Friday!

Bridget B – Gemini Corporation

Calgary White Hat Awards

Calgary White Hat Awards

Histoire de: Courtney B - INLIV

Each year at INLIV we like to recognize our teammates who go above and beyond. For the last few years…

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Calgary White Hat Awards

Histoire de: Courtney B - INLIV

Each year at INLIV we like to recognize our teammates who go above and beyond. For the last few years we have done this through the Calgary White Hat Awards, which recognize individuals working in the service industry. To be nominated for a White Hat is a big deal and we have had many nominations. To win one is an enormous honour and we’ve had 3 winners in the last 3 years!

The award ceremony is one of the liveliest events in the city; held at the Jubilee Auditorium, employees from the various companies’ nominated pack into the theatre to cheer on their co-workers. INLIV, as usual, always makes a statement when we arrive. Led by our fearless leader Vince and his Drum, we parade into the theatre all dressed in yellow and black. We have noise makers and blinky lights, bobble headbands and tutus, we even have had brave trainers willing to wear yellow spandex onesies just to show how proud we are of our teammates. The event is something of a spectacle and our employees look forward to it every year.

Courtney B – INLIV

Canadian Pride at Woodside Square Canada Day Community BBQ 2016

Canadian Pride at Woodside Square Canada Day Community BBQ 2016

Histoire de: Fatima M - Triovest

Saturday, July 2 2016 The sun hasn’t yet reached its peak and my head is spinning watching the lineup for…

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Canadian Pride at Woodside Square Canada Day Community BBQ 2016

Histoire de: Fatima M - Triovest

Saturday, July 2 2016

The sun hasn’t yet reached its peak and my head is spinning watching the lineup for food grow longer and longer as children run from one side of the Woodside Square parking lot to the other. Many are crowding the Customer Service Booth where candy jar guessing games and henna tattoo artists can be found while music of all genres blasts in the background. The applause of audience members after cultural performances and whistles signaling the end of bouncy castle turns are amplifying by the second. Although my staff and I had tried many guerrilla marketing techniques to promote this event, I couldn’t have predicted this many people showing up to our Canada Day Celebration. As I scan the crowd, all I see are smiles and giggles. Knowing the vast majority of those in attendance are enjoying themselves and embodying the spirit of Canada makes up for the pounding in my head.

Fatima M – Triovest

Give Joy, Offer Love and Help Others at Woodside Square Shopping Centre

Give Joy, Offer Love and Help Others at Woodside Square Shopping Centre

Histoire de: Fatima M - Triovest

Saturday, December 17 2016 There was no shortage of Christmas spirit at Woodside Square Shopping Centre this past holiday season…

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Give Joy, Offer Love and Help Others at Woodside Square Shopping Centre

Histoire de: Fatima M - Triovest

Saturday, December 17 2016

There was no shortage of Christmas spirit at Woodside Square Shopping Centre this past holiday season as many were witness to a special philanthropic initiative. The community mall collaborated with the Toronto Police 42 Division as well as the Toronto Transit Commission to bring gifts and smiles to the faces of troubled children and youth in a range of neighbourhoods throughout the city. Stages of the event, including the mall’s active role in giving back were captured on City TV’s CityNews. The community mall not only sponsored the Toronto Police 42 Division but also Kennedy House Youth Services and United Way Toronto with over $7,500 worth of toys, books, and games. When the TTC bus pulled up to the mall I realized how many toys we’ll be able to transport to the needy throughout a slew of neighbourhoods. Police officers, TTC workers, and volunteers haul bags upon bags of items into the massive vehicle. I could picture the reactions of the children when they are surprised with new books, games, and teddy bears. Although Woodside Square Shopping Centre is known for being a one-stop shop within Scarborough, the mall never fails to help the less fortunate while involving community members every step of the way through similar acts of benevolence and creative strategies of raising awareness.

Fatima M – Triovest

How Canadian Can You Be

How Canadian Can You Be

Histoire de: Cheryl W - Coril Holdings Ltd.

There is no doubt that I am a proud Canadian.  In fact, on my Dad’s side of the family my…

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How Canadian Can You Be

Histoire de: Cheryl W - Coril Holdings Ltd.

There is no doubt that I am a proud Canadian.  In fact, on my Dad’s side of the family my great nephew and niece are eighth generation Canadians, possibly ninth.   From what I have found out the first Whyte that we have knowledge of came to Hemingford, Quebec in 1823, from Cavan County, Ireland. They came on the advice of a relative; however we are not sure if it was a sibling or a parent. The information on Robert and Elizabeth’s children, is missing so the next one in line that we know of is my Great Grandad Whyte, Frederick John Cockerline Whyte, born in 1870 in Hemingford. I actually remember meeting him when I was very young. He was quite an intimidating big man for a small girl, with the biggest head of wavy pure white hair, parted in the middle. His companion was a cockatoo who sat on his shoulder and could talk. At six he was pretty daunting! He lived to be 94 years old. The story that I just recently heard was that Grandad Whyte had come out West to work on a farm for the summer and thought it would be a wonderful life for him and is family. He purchased a quarter section of land and in 1904 crossed the country to Craik, Saskatchewan with his wife and four small boys. According to one of the sons, my Uncle Roy, seven at the time, they travelled across the country by CP Rail in a box car or what was referred to at the time as a settler’s car, with all their belongings, two teams of horses and some chickens on a journey that took seven days. My Grandpa and the three brothers settled nicely into farming life until the family moved to Florida for a few years. Grandad Whyte’s wife contracted TB and was told that would be the best place for her.  But the boys missed Canada and moved back to Hussar, Alberta in 1919. According to my Grandmother they were cowboys, traveling to Montana to catch wild horses, break them and then selling them. It was on one of these trips that my Grandpa came down with Typhoid Fever.  He died at the early age of 28 leaving behind a wife and two young children. My Dad was one of those children. He grew up in the Brooks area, moving to Calgary in 1950. Here, he met my mother, married and had five children. He now lives a good life at the age of 90; and says he wants to live to be 94. I’m sure he will. My brothers have the children, a total of nine altogether; seven boys, two girls.  My oldest nephew, Trevor, has the children that are eighth generation Canadian.  I think there may still be time in my life time for my great nephew to have children making them ninth or tenth generation Canadians. Not a small feat in this young country of Canada.

Cheryl W – Coril Holdings Ltd.

Woodside Square Presents Scarborough Community Safety Week

Woodside Square Presents Scarborough Community Safety Week

Histoire de: Fatima M - Triovest

Thursday, October 13 2016 I am shivering after every word Sarah Ginn utters about her brief account of the car…

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Woodside Square Presents Scarborough Community Safety Week

Histoire de: Fatima M - Triovest

Thursday, October 13 2016

I am shivering after every word Sarah Ginn utters about her brief account of the car accident that had and continues to have profound effects on her vision and mobility. Her story is one of the most touching survivor stories I’ve ever heard and is the focal point of Scarborough Safety Week at Woodside Square Shopping Centre. Her voice resonates throughout the occurrences of the day from the car seat installation presentations to the senior information sessions and the live demonstrations by the Ontario Provincial Police. Ginn along with organizations, such as Victim Services Toronto, Toronto Paramedics, Toronto 42 Division, Ford Driving Skills for Life, and Mothers Against Drunk Driving help immensely to raise awareness and educate those in attendance. Our community mall is privileged to be a part of sharing a story that can prevent similar heartaches within our neighbourhoods

Fatima M – Triovest

Toronto Mayor John Tory Visits Woodside Square Community

Toronto Mayor John Tory Visits Woodside Square Community

Histoire de: Fatima M - Triovest

Toronto Mayor John Tory paid a surprise visit to Woodside Square Shopping Centre, one of Scarborough’s most diverse and distinguished…

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Toronto Mayor John Tory Visits Woodside Square Community

Histoire de: Fatima M - Triovest

Toronto Mayor John Tory paid a surprise visit to Woodside Square Shopping Centre, one of Scarborough’s most diverse and distinguished community malls, on Saturday March 4, 2017. Mall tenants and patrons of all ages were pleased to not only be greeted by Tory but also have the opportunity to express their concerns about the state of the city. Tory was all ears as he embraced suggestions of ways to improve infrastructures throughout Toronto communities. Tory has recently garnered attention in the media for his persistence regarding the Scarborough subway extension. His continuous advocating for the transit commuters of Scarborough among other social services did not go unnoticed during his appearance at Woodside Square which is at the center of community happenings and initiatives. Mayor John Tory’s surprise visit reassured community members and the people of Scarborough that their voices are heard. Considering the current political climate in parts of the world, it’s refreshing to see an elected head acknowledge the shortcomings of their district while engaging the public for effective solutions.

Fatima M – Triovest

Indoor Mall Trick-or-Treating at Woodside Square

Indoor Mall Trick-or-Treating at Woodside Square

Histoire de: Fatima M - Triovest

My CSR staff aren’t scheduled to start handing out candy for another hour or so, but children and their parents…

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Indoor Mall Trick-or-Treating at Woodside Square

Histoire de: Fatima M - Triovest

My CSR staff aren’t scheduled to start handing out candy for another hour or so, but children and their parents are already starting to line up in front of the Customer Service Booth. Each time I look at the line, there are more and more little ones in their costumes excited to receive their bag of treats and willing to wait a while for it. I usually never begin an event earlier than I’d advertised, but children are piling in to the mall from every angle. I make the executive decision to commence the distribution of candy and those who are towards the front of the queue are very relieved. My staff and I had packed more bags of candy than last year to prevent from running out quickly. Although the munchkins are munching away, the parents and guardians seem to be the most appreciative of the mall providing an indoor trick or treating experience. Considering the busy lives of families these days and the chilly October weather, Woodside Square is happy to offer a more efficient and equally enjoyable option for families within our community. We’ll take every opportunity to bring our neighbourhoods closer together during monthly events, such as Halloween, and provide a safe place for all to partake in the year’s most popular celebrations.

Fatima M – Triovest

Woodside Square Helps Teenagers with Prom 2016

Woodside Square Helps Teenagers with Prom 2016

Histoire de: Fatima M - Triovest

Meg squeezes the air from my lungs as she embraces me tighter. Her hair is gathered in a sleek braid…

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Woodside Square Helps Teenagers with Prom 2016

Histoire de: Fatima M - Triovest

Meg squeezes the air from my lungs as she embraces me tighter. Her hair is gathered in a sleek braid along the side of her face, her makeup glows on her skin, and her accessories sparkle under the pot lights. All of it compliments her bright, turquoise gown and all of it is free of charge! After repeatedly thanking me for the gratis pampering session, makeover, and shopping spree, Meg mentions how costly the final year of high school including prom can be, especially for an unemployed teenager. I am continuously seeking new and creative contest ideas like this one to relieve some of the financial burdens of those within our community. Each time the mall gives back to our youth, it is our opportunity to prove their voices are heard and empower the future of Scarborough.

Fatima M – Triovest

Santa’s Arrival: Community Flash Mob

Santa’s Arrival: Community Flash Mob

Histoire de: Fatima M - Triovest

We’re five minutes from showtime and my palms will not stop perspiring. My nerves are building, and I’m sure my…

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Santa’s Arrival: Community Flash Mob

Histoire de: Fatima M - Triovest

We’re five minutes from showtime and my palms will not stop perspiring. My nerves are building, and I’m sure my CSR staff is experiencing similar feelings. We’ve never done anything like this before. Woodside Square Shopping Centre is busier than I had expected. I hope the mall patrons move out of the way before we start dancing. Why did I have to do a flashmob? Before I know it, Mariah Carey’s voice and her glorious Christmas spirit spills from the speakers of the DJ Booth. The professional dancers place themselves in and around Santa’s Castle and begin the choreographed number. Passersby are watching and more are gathering around centre court to see what’s happening. As we wait for our cue, I’m comforted by the smiles of my family who attended in support of my big performance and staff who’ve been rehearsing alongside me for months. We take our positions together and allow the music to guide us. We’re all having fun with it, allowing our Santa hats to bounce freely with every movement! All of those practices are paying off! How are we going to top this next year? Once the song comes to an end, my heart returns to its normal beat. Children are cheering, adults are clapping, and the security guards are relaxing their shoulders in relief. Many who’ve attended our previous events are in the audience, glaring at each of us in awe. I couldn’t have asked for a better turnout. We put on a performance our community members would never forget. They’re the reason we ensure our events don’t miss a beat, literally and figuratively.

Fatima M – Triovest

Canadian Heroes

Canadian Heroes

Histoire de: Karen B - Triovest

I never realized how truly blessed we are to live in this beautiful nation Canada, until I met my dear…

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Canadian Heroes

Histoire de: Karen B - Triovest

I never realized how truly blessed we are to live in this beautiful nation Canada, until I met my dear friend, Gordon Durrant. Gordon was only 17 years old when he went off to serve our great country during the Second World War in the Battle of Hong Kong. This battle was fought in one of the first land battles in the Pacific. Unfortunately, his regiment was captured, and they spent four years as Prisoners of War in Japan. Gordon’s memories of his time in Japan is a reminder to me of the importance of never forgetting what these young men and women did to make Canada such an amazing place to call home. These are values that I like to instill unto others.

I learned so much more about our Canadian soldiers and their sacrifices when Gordon introduced me to the Hong Kong Veteran’s Commemorative Association. There I met other Veterans and they told stories of their experiences during their captivity in the prison camp. These Veterans are our heroes, and they taught me to be patriotic and appreciative of our wonderful nation and the people in it. Since there are only 16 HK veterans left in Canada, my husband and I are privileged and proud to lay a wreath at the Military Museum each Remembrance Day, honouring our Hong Kong veterans.

I feel very fortunate to work with the Coril Group of Companies as they have shown throughout the course of history their innovation and dedication. The Mannix Family clearly signifies what it means to be Canadian, just like Gordon.

Karen B – Triovest

Nation of Innovators

Nation of Innovators

Histoire de: Sathia D - Coril Holdings Ltd.

What does the Foghorn, the Kayak, and the multi-touch screen have in common? They are all stories of innovation by…

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Nation of Innovators

Histoire de: Sathia D - Coril Holdings Ltd.

What does the Foghorn, the Kayak, and the multi-touch screen have in common? They are all stories of innovation by Canadians and First Nations people of Canada. These are among the 150 innovations listed in a book titled « Ingenious – How Canadian Innovators Made the World », co-authored by His Excellency David Johnston, Governor-General of Canada and Tom Jenkins, a corporate titan in the business community. The book celebrates Canada’s 150th Anniversary and more information can be found at www.innovationculture.ca. I recently had the great fortune to attend a corporate innovation conference where His Excellency the Governor General and Mr. Jenkins were invited speakers and had the privilege to hear their inspiring stories of curiosity, creativity, collaboration, community, and celebration. We are truly a nation of humble innovators. Here’s wishing another 150 years of impacting the world. Happy 150th Canada!

Sathia D – Coril Holdings Ltd.

45 Years and Counting…

45 Years and Counting…

Histoire de: Ken W - Coril Holdings Ltd.

Following graduation from the University of Alberta in 1970, a motley crew of graduates who found themselves working feverishly away…

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45 Years and Counting…

Histoire de: Ken W - Coril Holdings Ltd.

Following graduation from the University of Alberta in 1970, a motley crew of graduates who found themselves working feverishly away in their first-ever professional jobs in Calgary decided over a weekday lunch in the fall of 1971, that they really missed the spontaneity, camaraderie, adventures and laughter of their University years.

That seemingly mundane lunch turned into one of the most amazing, inspiring, fun and Canadian pursuits of our lives: an annual four to seven day journey of adventure spent in ‘the bush’ together, every summer or early fall, catching up on lives, families, careers and personal growth.

We have hiked, climbed, canoed, rafted, cycled, ridden (horses…and llamas) and generally trekked all over British Columbia, Alberta, Yukon, Northwest Territories, Ontario, Quebec and Newfoundland each summer for 45 years. We’ve also visited Oregon, Washington, Utah, Arizona, Montana, Idaho, Hawaii, Alaska, England, France, Spain and Italy.

Quite apart from the incredible bonds of friendship and support that we’ve built over the years, and the hundreds of outstanding experiences, our appreciation and love for our outstanding country of Canada has grown to know no bounds. The people, the scenery, the freedom and the beauty are underscored by the vast quilt of fields, rivers, lakes, oceans, mountains and big sky that connects all of us.

Ken W – Coril Holdings Ltd.

Alberta Flood 2013

Alberta Flood 2013

Histoire de: Kevin B - Coril Holdings Ltd.

It is clear that Coril and its predecessor companies have been instrumental in the building of Canada’s infrastructure and communities…

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Alberta Flood 2013

Histoire de: Kevin B - Coril Holdings Ltd.

It is clear that Coril and its predecessor companies have been instrumental in the building of Canada’s infrastructure and communities over their 119 year history. What often goes unnoticed, however, is the remarkable on-going contribution that our organization’s remarkable workforce makes to the communities where they live, each and every day. I would argue that this is particularly so in times of crisis, with no finer example being the arguably heroic response of many of our Alberta-based employees during the 2013 floods that ravaged much of the southern portion of their beloved province.

By many accounts, the enormous economic toll of those floods exceeded more than five billion dollars. Yet, the most significant impacts of the floods could not be measured simply in monetary terms. Instead, the greatest of those impacts were unfortunately found in the unmeasurable pain, suffering and inconvenience experienced by thousands of individuals and families whose lives were directly impacted by the unrelenting floodwaters, in many cases over the course of days, weeks, and even months.

Not surprisingly, it was during those grueling first days of the flood that many of our colleagues in the Coril Group rose to the challenge to help some of their beleaguered fellow Albertans. In many cases that assistance was offered to individuals they had never met, and took the form of bailing water, removing waterlogged furniture and drywall from submerged basements, and, in many cases, through the simple offering of a much needed coffee or, sometimes, just a hug. I, for one, consider myself to be blessed to be associated with those amongst our Coril Group team who unselfishly and voluntarily rose to the occasion, to help others in a time of great need, demonstrating once again that remarkable spirit which helps define what it truly means to be a Canadian.

Kevin B – Coril Holdings Ltd.

Hey Joe!

Hey Joe!

Histoire de: Jim W - Triovest

A few years ago my wife and I went to Ottawa to attend the graduation of one of one of…

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Hey Joe!

Histoire de: Jim W - Triovest

A few years ago my wife and I went to Ottawa to attend the graduation of one of one of our kids. We went to the ceremony and stayed overnight at a local hotel. When we walked out to the parking lot in the morning to get the car, we walked by a gentleman on the way to his car – the person looked a bit familiar, so I took a second look – it was Joe Clark, who amongst many other notable accomplishments, was Canada’s 16th prime minister. No security guards, no fancy limos. Just Joe. One of us yelled out “Hey Joe” – and of course he gave a friendly wave.


I love living in a country where the ex-prime ministers don’t need security, drive their own “regular” cars and say hi when you see them on the street.

Jim W – Triovest

Pancakes Bringing People Together

Pancakes Bringing People Together

Histoire de: Jeannie P - Gemini Corporation

For those of you that don’t know, Ponoka (pop. 6500ish) is located on highway 2A between Red Deer and Edmonton….

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Pancakes Bringing People Together

Histoire de: Jeannie P - Gemini Corporation

For those of you that don’t know, Ponoka (pop. 6500ish) is located on highway 2A between Red Deer and Edmonton. When my career took me there, I got the opportunity to learn that it is also home to one of the friendliest communities I have ever been a part of. Although there are a lot of memorable occasions I could write about here, the thing that sticks out in my mind as being a truly Canadian experience is the Pancake breakfast we hosted in 2015 on Canada Day.

The Ponoka Stampede is pretty well known around Alberta, and the town fills up with visitors. Our team was throwing a pancake breakfast to raise funds to support STARS. I agreed to attend and help man the donation booth, while other colleagues volunteered to set up chairs, work the parking lot, or flip the flap-jacks. I was expecting a quiet morning and a small crowd – and boy was I wrong.

I have never seen so many people excited to eat pancakes! We practically filled up our yard with people from the community and outside it. There was music and dancing, laughter, kids, and no shortage of festive cowboy hats and plaid. Not only did I have a great time being a part of it, but we raised a big pile of cash to donate. That also happened to be the day I realized I was officially part of a community, and no matter where I wound up in Canada, I could find generous, friendly people, who love pancakes.

Jeannie P – Gemini Corporation

Family Time at the Cabin

Family Time at the Cabin

Histoire de: Jane T - Coril Holdings Ltd.

To me, the best thing about Canada is the distinctive seasons, snowy winters and sunny summers allow for a range…

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Family Time at the Cabin

Histoire de: Jane T - Coril Holdings Ltd.

To me, the best thing about Canada is the distinctive seasons, snowy winters and sunny summers allow for a range of activities that just aren’t possible in other countries. Growing up, my family was fortunate enough to have a small cabin at Pine Lake. Only 1.5 hours from the city, we would drive up almost every weekend. The cabin was small and quirky and the lake seemed to have more algae than water, but it was perfect to me. The best part was that it allowed us to experience all the Canadian seasons as a family and away from the city. In the summer, my mom, dad, and twin sister, Claire, would wake up early to waterski and after we had all finished, we would circle by the dock to pick up our older and sleepier sister, Rachel, for her turn. In the spring, my dad and I would plant new trees, obsess over the rain gauge, and fix up the many ailments of the cabin and property. In the fall, my parents would rake huge piles of leaves for us to jump in and we’d take the dock out as a family teambuilding event (read: world war III). In the winter, we would toboggan down the hill onto the frozen lake, then wait for my dad to retrieve us on the SkiDoo, cross country ski to the neighbors or play a game of shinny on a homemade rink.

As we grew older, we went to the cabin less, and when my sisters and I left for university, it was used almost not at all. My parents sold the cabin in 2011, but we will always have those memories, and will always have great seasonal activities to get us all together as a family and enjoy Canada’s beautiful backyard.

Jane T – Coril Holdings Ltd.

Taking a Leap

Taking a Leap

Histoire de: Ken W - Coril Holdings Ltd.

Music is as old as the hills and as new as the latest download from iTunes or Spotify. No matter…

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Taking a Leap

Histoire de: Ken W - Coril Holdings Ltd.

Music is as old as the hills and as new as the latest download from iTunes or Spotify. No matter where it comes from, it is a part of our lives from the moment we arrive on the planet and to a greater or lesser extent, right up to the moment you are reading this.

Music is enjoyed in cars, trains, buses, planes, living rooms, on the street, in the subway, in bars, clubs, theatres, concert halls or through ear buds. Some of us take the big jump into actually making music, by playing an instrument, writing music or singing. And we either make that music for personal enjoyment and/or with family and friends, at gatherings at home or back yard, around the camp fire or at the cottage or cabin.

In 2015, at the age of 68, I took a huge and unforeseen leap into auditioning to become a member of a high performance rock/pop vocal group. Revv52 (www.revv52.com) consists of 50 women and men and 2017 marks the group’s 65th Anniversary!! Last year, in addition to two sold-out, four-performance shows to over 4,000 people in Calgary, we also performed to a sold out house in Carnegie Hall in New York City!! This season is already on its way to being another huge growth step and amazing success with our January show, MixTape Live, behind us and our next big show, Vinyl Spin coming up in the first three days of June, all in Calgary.

And, for Canada’s 150th Birthday, Revv52 has been invited to perform in The Calgary Stampede Evening Grandstand Show, an incredible run of eleven nights in July to over 250,000 people!!! Music is more alive and well than ever.

Just cannot think of a better way to help celebrate the 150th year of this incredible country of ours, Canada!!

Ken W – Coril Holdings Ltd.

Grizzly Adams

Grizzly Adams

Histoire de: Pam W - Coril Holdings Ltd.

A typical household enjoys and refers to the four seasons as Spring, Winter, Summer and Fall, but at my house…

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Grizzly Adams

Histoire de: Pam W - Coril Holdings Ltd.

A typical household enjoys and refers to the four seasons as Spring, Winter, Summer and Fall, but at my house we celebrate these seasons very differently.  They are affectionately known as ice fishing season, fly-fishing season, bow hunting season and rifle hunting season.  Yes, I married a modern day Grizzly Adams.

When I first met my husband, I wasn’t quite sure what I was getting myself into.  For our second date he thought he would surprise me and take me on an adventure, only providing minimal clues – dress warm and wear waterproof clothes and footwear.  I was getting a bit nervous as I saw the city skyline disappear and open up to nothing but rolling hills and wheat fields…where on earth was he taking me?… there were no shopping centers or restaurants out here, never mind risking getting seen in rubber boots and sweatpants!  A few hours south of the city he pulled into a grassy area with marshland all around, he then proceeded to open the tailgate of his truck and pull out a picnic basket and a rifle…we were going duck hunting! I have to admit, that won me over, and 27 years later we still enjoy the great outdoors every chance we get.

Canada has one of the most spectacular landscapes, encompassing scenic coastlines, sprawling prairies, imposing mountains, and untouched forests. We are truly blessed to call this great country home!

Pam W – Coril Holdings Ltd.

Vimy Ridge History Lesson

Vimy Ridge History Lesson

Histoire de: Cheryl W - Coril Holdings Ltd.

April 9, 2017 marked the 100th anniversary of an important event in Canada’s 150 year history, the Battle of Vimy…

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Vimy Ridge History Lesson

Histoire de: Cheryl W - Coril Holdings Ltd.

April 9, 2017 marked the 100th anniversary of an important event in Canada’s 150 year history, the Battle of Vimy Ridge. I watched the ceremonies live from the site on TV and was moved by the many performances and speeches made by Canadians, Prime Minister Trudeau and Governor General David Johnston. President Francois Hollande of France also spoke giving thanks and praise to Canada. One thing that was almost haunting as one watched was the over 3,000 pairs of boots situated around the memorial, one pair for every Canadian killed that day.

For me it was a history lesson. The imposing Memorial is situated on land that was granted to the Canadian people by the French government. Designed by Walter Allward, one of Canada’s famous sculptors, work on the structure began in 1925 and completed 11 years later in 1936 at a cost of $1.5 million. It is adorned by twenty symbolic figures representing faith, justice, peace, honor, charity, truth, knowledge and hope and is inscribed with the names of 11,285 Canadians killed on French soil who have no known graves. Front and centre is a statue depicting a mother in mourning. Amazingly, it survived the Second World War despite fears that it would be destroyed after France’s surrender. In 2007, after several years of extensive restoration work, the Vimy Ridge Memorial was unveiled to dignitaries and several thousand Canadians and is the principal site of Canadian remembrance and commemoration overseas.

This year, along with these ceremonies, was also the unveiling of the state- of-the-art Vimy Ridge Educational Centre, made possible by the Canadian government’s $5 million contribution in 2013 from Veteran Affairs in partnership with the Vimy Foundation. The foundations’ mission is to preserve and promote Canada’s First World War legacy as symbolized by the victory at Vimy Ridge in 1917. While the Vimy monument itself is stunningly beautiful, there was little information as to why Canadians fought and died at this site but now with the new Visitor Educational Centre visitors will learn and know why Vimy remains so special to the Canadians. Seeing the ceremony, and learning the history certainly makes one proud to call themselves Canadian.

Cheryl W – Coril Holdings Ltd.

Calgary Stampede

Calgary Stampede

Histoire de: Robin K - Coril Holdings Ltd.

The Calgary Stampede “greatest outdoor show on earth” is an amazing part of Alberta culture. The stampede brings the entire…

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Calgary Stampede

Histoire de: Robin K - Coril Holdings Ltd.

The Calgary Stampede “greatest outdoor show on earth” is an amazing part of Alberta culture. The stampede brings the entire city together, individuals and corporations alike, to celebrate Canadian heritage and western culture. For two weeks in July, tourists fill our beautiful city to experience the outrageous food at the midway, shave years off their lives on the rides, test the strength of their livers, and experience authentic rodeo and chuck wagon races.  In fact, my great, great uncle, Casey Patterson of Gadsby, Alberta won the Bull Riding in 1923 Calgary Stampede.  My grandfather, rode chuck wagons, but didn’t make it to the stampede level.  My favourite part of the stampede is the music and the chuck wagon races. Country artists fill the stages of the stampede grounds, from the Coca Cola stage to the Saddledome and the Nashville North tent, there are so many options. This year I’m lucky enough to be going to three stampede concerts – Johnny Reid, Brooks and Dunn and Alabama!  I am also excited to be hosting my cousins from Vancouver and experience the Calgary Stampede with them.

Robin K – Coril Holdings Ltd.

Triovest Elves – Giving Back to the Community

Triovest Elves – Giving Back to the Community

Histoire de: Kaela B - Triovest

Each year around Christmas time, Triovest Calgary has been proud to give back to the community in some way. This…

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Triovest Elves – Giving Back to the Community

Histoire de: Kaela B - Triovest

Each year around Christmas time, Triovest Calgary has been proud to give back to the community in some way. This past December it was our goal to put together 50 « Santa Sacks » full of everyday items to donate to The Mustard Seed. Together with the help of the Social Committee, our office raised a total of over $1,400 to make this event happen and we were able to put together care packages including all of the following items: Gloves, Socks, Toques, Toothbrush, Toothpaste, Deodorant, Nail clippers, Razor, Hot Pockets, Kleenex, Wipes, Chapstick, Shampoo, Soap, Soup Cups, Treats, Gum, Chips, Teas and Hot Chocolate, and a $10 Tim Hortons gift card.

Together we made a difference in the lives of over 50 people at The Mustard Seed – it’s an honor and a privilege to be among so many kind and generous people.

Kaela B – Triovest

El canadiense

El canadiense

Histoire de: Brian O - Coril Holdings Ltd.

What is it like to be a Canadian soccer player who truly intends to excel at the beautiful game? It’s…

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El canadiense

Histoire de: Brian O - Coril Holdings Ltd.

What is it like to be a Canadian soccer player who truly intends to excel at the beautiful game? It’s a long journey with significant obstacles. Not the least of which is having to find the confidence to challenge the international notion that Canadians haven’t yet met the measure of our international peers.

Our son, Everett, has passionately pursued his love of soccer since his first touch on the ball. Year by year, this led us down paths we could have never imagined when he was a tot playing with his friends. It eventually led to an invitation to train at a top level international club at the tender age of fourteen. Full of dreams and bravado, our young son was going to reach for the stars. Atletico Peñerol in Montevideo, Uruguay was interested in this young Canadian talent. In their sport. On their field. Unprecedented. We knew it would change our son. But we also knew to withhold this opportunity would change him as well. So we tucked our own worries away and exhaled.

He was alone in Montevideo, living with several Uruguayan soccer players. Everett at 14, the next youngest a 19 year old. He had little Spanish, no internet, no iPhone. Just a flip phone and belief. The tenacity, courage, love of his sport and a willingness to work harder than every other boy on the pitch was recognized. The initial meanness of his teammates faded as they got to know him. He impressed players and coaches alike. And he was nicknamed “El canadiense”, with sincere respect.

He did earn a youth contract. He chose to develop here in Calgary instead. His continued pursuit is leading him to thrilling international opportunities. “El canadiense” is showing his proud Canadian spirit in places Canadians seldom tread.

Brian O – Coril Holdings Ltd.

Canada Day Parade

Canada Day Parade

Histoire de: Kaela B - Triovest

Each year for Canada Day my family makes their way down to Cypress Hills Interprovincial Park to celebrate with our…

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Canada Day Parade

Histoire de: Kaela B - Triovest

Each year for Canada Day my family makes their way down to Cypress Hills Interprovincial Park to celebrate with our friends and family from Saskatchewan. It has become tradition for us to get decked out in all of our red and white and march around the campground sharing the spirit of Canada with others and collecting followers in our self-made parade. A few years ago we were honored to be asked to lead the National Anthem as we paraded into the main park area. We’ve found that this has been such a great way to bring everyone together to share and celebrate what makes Canada so great.

Kaela B – Triovest

I found my passion for community giving through a random day of volunteering

I found my passion for community giving through a random day of volunteering

Histoire de: Amy L - Triovest

In June 2009, Tonko had organized a day of volunteering at the Calgary Food Bank. While giving back to the…

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I found my passion for community giving through a random day of volunteering

Histoire de: Amy L - Triovest

In June 2009, Tonko had organized a day of volunteering at the Calgary Food Bank. While giving back to the community, it was also a way for us to work together as a team outside of the office. I had never really volunteered too much before, other than work organized events. My eyes were truly opened to the struggles of how many people in this city go through on a daily basis. I couldn’t fathom not having food, being hungry and having to ask for help. No matter what stress I had in my own life (which was really just work related), this did not compare to worrying about providing food for me and or my family.

I made to the commitment to enlist my mom, and together we volunteered twice a month at the Food Bank starting July 2009. I did not want to waste time! It was a great way for my mom and I to spend time together while contributing to a great cause.

My mom has since retired and no longer joins me but I have continued my commitment to the Food Bank. There are days where I say « I’m too busy, I’m too tired », but I remember that it’s nothing compared to those who need help. Once I’m there, I don’t think about work, I don’t think about myself. I am rejuvenated to know that I am there for someone else. It is the best feeling ever.

Amy L – Triovest

Dare to Dream

Dare to Dream

Histoire de: Kelly S - Triovest

I think every little girl dreams about owning her very own horse. And for anyone who has ever had the…

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Dare to Dream

Histoire de: Kelly S - Triovest

I think every little girl dreams about owning her very own horse. And for anyone who has ever had the privilege of having their own, there is a magical bond between a horse and their rider.

Having been one of these girls that has always dreamt about having a horse to call her own, I decided to stop dreaming and make my dreams a reality. After doing research and learning that it was financially feasible (and not a far off fantasy), I adopted a yearling named Susie Q from the Dare to Dream Horse Rescue out by Langdon, Alberta, on May 3, 2014. As soon as I entered her pen on that « unseasonably » snowy day in May, we bonded instantly. I knew that she was my one and only soulmate and we have been inseparable since. She still noses me now, like she did back on that first day, looking for that extra cuddle or cookie that I tend to keep on hand for our visits.

Kelly S – Triovest

Lifetime Affair with Canada

Lifetime Affair with Canada

Histoire de: Wing C - V Strategies Inc. (Coril Partner)

I fell in love with Canada when I studied at University of Calgary as an exchange student from Hong Kong….

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Lifetime Affair with Canada

Histoire de: Wing C - V Strategies Inc. (Coril Partner)

I fell in love with Canada when I studied at University of Calgary as an exchange student from Hong Kong. When I first stepped out of the Calgary Airport, I was looking for directions and so many people offered help. This has become my experience every day in Canada. Every Canadian is so friendly and kind.

I have been very lucky ever since. I met my Canadian husband and decided to stay in Calgary for good. I work in an amazing company with coworkers that I absolutely love and regard as my second family. My company truly cares about my personal growth, health and happiness on top of my job performance. The most touching moment for me was when my boss and coworkers surprised me with a decorated office after my Canadian citizenship ceremony. It was seriously the best day of my life to become a part of this incredible and amazing country.

I am proud to be a Canadian every day and feel very privileged to be able to give back by volunteering and helping other new immigrants, and exercise my rights to vote.

Thank you Canada and fellow Canadians from the bottom of my heart! Happy 150th birthday!

Wing C – V Strategies Inc. (Coril Partner)

Heritage Park Hospitality

Heritage Park Hospitality

Histoire de: Donna B - Triovest

I remember when I was attending university and worked at Heritage Park one summer as a Gate Hostess. We were,…

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Heritage Park Hospitality

Histoire de: Donna B - Triovest

I remember when I was attending university and worked at Heritage Park one summer as a Gate Hostess. We were, naturally, dressed in period costume, which was great fun in itself. But it was also very enjoyable meeting people from all over the world who came to our wonderful city as tourists. Naturally, there is a lot to be proud of in beautiful Alberta, including the giving nature of its people.

One couple from England were leaving the Park as it was about to close, and they wondered how to get to the nearest C-train station. They had no vehicle and asked how far it would be to walk to the C-train. I told them I would be happy to drive them there if they could just wait the ten minutes or so until my shift was done. They were so surprised and appreciative. As a Calgarian I thought nothing of it, but they told me no one would make such an offer back where they were from. I was proud to represent Canada, and Calgary specifically, in demonstrating the kindness and hospitality we are known for worldwide!

Donna B – Triovest

Investing in their people

Investing in their people

Histoire de: Gloria R - Coril Holdings Ltd.

I will forever hold dear the kindness and sincere generosity shown to my family. As most of you know, I…

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Investing in their people

Histoire de: Gloria R - Coril Holdings Ltd.

I will forever hold dear the kindness and sincere generosity shown to my family.

As most of you know, I have worked closely with Mr. Ron Mannix for over twenty years.  During this time, we have come to know each other quite well, including updates on our children and extended family members.  Among many, one day stands out in my memory…it was my mom’s 90th Birthday, and Mr. Mannix sent her flowers and a note to congratulate her on this significant milestone.  My mom was so surprised when she received them as she had never met him.  She reciprocated with a note of her own, expressing her gratitude for his thoughtfulness and the desire to meet him in person one day as she had heard so much about him over the years.  Upon receiving this note, Mr. Mannix promptly asked me to set up a lunch with her the following week, where he listened with great interest as she told him stories of her past, their journey from Saskatchewan to Alberta in a covered wagon, and raising eleven children in rural Alberta.

This is just one small example of how the Coril Group of Companies live by their Core Values, investing time in their people and letting them know how much they appreciate their efforts on a daily basis.

Gloria R – Coril Holdings Ltd.

A Visit to Dieppe

A Visit to Dieppe

Histoire de: Johnpaul A - Triovest

Friday, October 15 2004 I’ve always had a fascination with Canadian history and have tried to visit the locations of…

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A Visit to Dieppe

Histoire de: Johnpaul A - Triovest

Friday, October 15 2004

I’ve always had a fascination with Canadian history and have tried to visit the locations of notable events whenever I travel. One location in particular stood out to me while I was travelling Europe back in 2004. This was the beach at Dieppe in Seine-Maritime, France. At the time, I was 21 years old – and had I been born in a different time, I may have found myself part of the 2nd Canadian Infantry Division – landing on these beaches during the Dieppe Raid on August 19, 1942.

If you have not had the opportunity to visit Somme, Juno, Normandy, Arras, Ypres, Vimy, or any other former battle ground that involved Canadian troops, I recommend you do so.

Almost 1000 Canadians perished on the beaches of Dieppe of that fateful morning in the summer of 1942. They heralded from many cities and towns across Canada. Their names are etched in stone in Dieppe at the Canadian cemetery. They fought, suffered, and died in service of our country.

Every Canadian citizen should be grateful and appreciative of their sacrifice.

~Vigilamus pro te

Johnpaul A – Triovest

The Move to Canada

The Move to Canada

Histoire de: Tanya R - Gemini Corporation

This is a picture of my dad on his immigration papers from Germany in 1954. I don’t know much about…

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The Move to Canada

Histoire de: Tanya R - Gemini Corporation

This is a picture of my dad on his immigration papers from Germany in 1954. I don’t know much about his story or why they moved to Canada, this is a story I thought about asking him many times. But it makes me proud that at 14 he was brave and learnt a new language, a new way of living, and was able to transition and work hard to provide for his family.

I travel a lot and see how people live in other countries and after every adventure I am thankful for what I have and where I live. It is because of my Oma and Opa’s choice to move to Canada that my adventures as a Canadian exist, and for that I am thankful.

Tanya R – Gemini Corporation

Shaping up for the Community

Shaping up for the Community

Histoire de: Kirby M - Coril Holdings Ltd.

A couple of years ago, as a community team building event, Coril participated in Habitat for Humanity. The day started…

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Shaping up for the Community

Histoire de: Kirby M - Coril Holdings Ltd.

A couple of years ago, as a community team building event, Coril participated in Habitat for Humanity. The day started off fairly calm, with small painting assignments to installing insulation.  After the initial “warm-up” the day quickly progressed into a full blown, labour intensive workout!!  From carrying large sheets of drywall upstairs, transporting cabinets off of a flatbed truck, to learning how to and using a circular saw to cut baseboards!   By the end of the day, and into the next couple of days, it was a common sight around the office to see various staff members wincing as they walked or groaning as they tried to move their arms.

We were surprised to hear that most, if not all, of the site instructors are volunteer retired trades’ people or individuals with a little extra time in their schedule who choose to give back to the community.  Not only should these individuals be commended on their commitment to community, but for their patience to work with rookies like us.

Kidding aside, the day was amazing, and we all walked away with a whole new appreciation for what Habitat does for our community and the hero efforts they perform on a daily basis.  This experience also helped me discover talents I didn’t know I had outside of the computer, inspiring me to try installing drywall in my own home.

This year, on June 15th, The Coril Team will once again be donating their time and muscles to Habitat for Humanity.  Let’s hope we are in a little better shape this time around.

Kirby M – Coril Holdings Ltd.

New Traditions

New Traditions

Histoire de: Gloria R - Coril Holdings Ltd.

The Coril Group of Companies prides itself on supporting the communities in which we work, live and play.  A few…

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New Traditions

Histoire de: Gloria R - Coril Holdings Ltd.

The Coril Group of Companies prides itself on supporting the communities in which we work, live and play.  A few years ago, Coril decided to start a new Christmas tradition, where instead of having a staff party to celebrate the season (with way too much food and spirits), the Team would go out into the community and help those less fortunate.  Over the past few years we have supported various charities such as, The Drop In Center where we provided dinner service to over 1,000 clients and the Salvation Army where we folded and sorted clothing donations.

In early November, leading up to the 2016 Festive Season, the media broadcasted a call-out to all Calgary residents to help fill the vacant shelves of the Veterans Food Bank.  They unfortunately were experiencing a higher than normal demand for their goods and services due to the economic downturn, and were reaching out to all Calgarians to help meet this need.  True to form, the Coril Team acted on the call to action and collected approximately $500 in dry and canned food items, as well as, raised an additional $1,150 to purchase other essential items for the Food Bank.  In addition, on December 8th, the entire Team volunteered their time to help sort and package all donations at the warehouse.

This is a perfect example of how creating new traditions or modifying existing ones can build a stronger community, both outside our Group and within. Not to mention, our new tradition seems to contribute less to those extra “holiday pounds”.

Gloria R – Coril Holdings Ltd.

$400 turned into $1,200

$400 turned into $1,200

Histoire de: Barbara H - Triovest

In spring of 2016, Fort McMurray was devastated by one of the largest infrastructure destroying wildfires in recent Canadian history….

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$400 turned into $1,200

Histoire de: Barbara H - Triovest

In spring of 2016, Fort McMurray was devastated by one of the largest infrastructure destroying wildfires in recent Canadian history. Thousands of families had lost their homes, their business, and for many, their will to live.

Coril quickly announced that all individual and corporate donations would be matched on top of their initial $50,000 donation to the cause. On top of that, the Federal and Provincial Governments announced that they would also be matching individual donations made through the Canadian Red Cross and directed to Fort McMurray Fire Relief efforts.

I had decided May 6, 2016- the day the memo was released highlighting the above – that I would host a bake sale and garage sale the following morning! I was so motivated to help the cause, that I baked until 3:00 AM and with the help of my family and my close friends, had a pretty ideal set up once morning « garage-salers » hit the streets.

I was not expecting much, but I had advertised on social media as well as Kijiji that all proceeds would be going to the Red Cross, with an explanation on matched donations and how each dollar they donated would be tripled! Needless to say I sold out of cookies by noon and even had donations dropped off to sell at the garage sale! It was over whelming.

Overall, I was able to raise and donate $400 to the Red Cross, having it matched by the Coril Group as well as the Provincial and Federal Government, turning it into an impressive $1,200 all because I was touched by a simple memo!

You never know when your words may inspire someone, so always remember to talk!

Barbara H – Triovest

Two Left Feet

Two Left Feet

Histoire de: Pam W - Coril Holdings Ltd.

I was fortunate to spend my childhood growing up in the sunny Okanagan of British Columbia.  Swimming, boating, and lazing…

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Two Left Feet

Histoire de: Pam W - Coril Holdings Ltd.

I was fortunate to spend my childhood growing up in the sunny Okanagan of British Columbia.  Swimming, boating, and lazing on the beach were daily activities during the summer months as temperatures were typically in the 40o range. One summer, when I was about 6 years old, my parents decided to take us on a last minute summer vacation to Jasper to experience the Columbia Icefields. Trying to get a family of six ready for anything is not an easy feat, never mind on short notice.  While my dad busily got the car ready, my mom packed the food and essential items needed for our journey.  My siblings and I were asked to pack our own clothes and anything else we wanted to bring, ensuring that we packed appropriate footwear to take part in the glacier adventure.   Remembering I was 6, and like most children at this age, I had a favorite pair of shoes…black patent dress shoes with a buckle on top… so I threw them in!! I’m guessing probably not what my mom meant when she said “appropriate footwear”…

The road trip went without incident, arriving midday at the Icefields.  When my dad opened the trunk to the car so we could all put our shoes on, I excitedly grabbed my beautiful patent dress shoes, only to realize…I had accidentally packed two left feet!!  You see, my mom would always buy things in threes, one for each of us girls (I have two older sisters), which often meant that I would wear the same thing, whether it be shoes or clothes, for a few consecutive years as they made their way down the line.  On that particular day, the shoes were neatly lined up on the boot shelf except in…two lefts and two rights.  Now, back to the Icefields…I of course started to cry, but, my best friend, AKA my big brother, came to my rescue and told me it didn’t matter if I walked a bit funny, or fell a bit behind, he would be right there beside me to help me along the way.  I think he just wanted an excuse to lag behind, but nonetheless he made me feel better.

The moral of my story is, always embrace the things you love, it doesn’t matter which direction your feet are pointed, or the challenges and journey it might take to get where you want to go, if you have the support of your family and friends, there is nothing that can stop you from enjoying the spectacular beauty of this country we call home!!

Happy 150th Birthday Canada!!

Pam W – Coril Holdings Ltd.

 

 

Lending a helping hand to our neighbors

Lending a helping hand to our neighbors

Histoire de: Kim W - Triovest

Since moving to our new offices in Keynote; we are even closer to a very special organization. Inn From the…

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Lending a helping hand to our neighbors

Histoire de: Kim W - Triovest

Since moving to our new offices in Keynote; we are even closer to a very special organization. Inn From the Cold is the only shelter which accommodates and keeps families together while working through their time in need. Some of us have volunteered in the past for this great organization; but being as they are now our neighbor in the community; we have implemented a regular schedule to go lend a hand. Over several days, various folks from the Property Management team proudly spent their lunch hours serving those less fortunate and their families lunch.

Kim W – Triovest

Nurturing the Spirit of Caring

Nurturing the Spirit of Caring

Histoire de: Sathia D - Coril Holdings Ltd.

At the core of any nation is a caring community; people making a difference through family, service, and volunteerism. Over…

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Nurturing the Spirit of Caring

Histoire de: Sathia D - Coril Holdings Ltd.

At the core of any nation is a caring community; people making a difference through family, service, and volunteerism. Over the years, I have had the wonderful opportunity to witness this selfless giving throughout the Coril Group of Companies for so many worthy causes in local communities and across this land. Equally wonderful is that we are blessed to live in a country that nurtures this spirit at a young age. This past weekend, my wife and I were very proud to join our 11-yr old son and his community hockey team mates, culminate a month-long fundraising event shaving their purple colored hair for Kids Cancer Care and honoring the memory of a teammate’s brother. Go Storms Go!

Sathia D – Coril Holdings Ltd.

A Taste for Running

A Taste for Running

Histoire de: Wayne F - Triovest

Back in the late 70’s and early 80’s, I was a huge fan of short distance running and did so…