I S Cover June July 2011

www.swissbiz.ca www.cccsmtl.com

Publication of the Swiss Canadian Chamber of Commerce Toronto and MontrealPublication de la Chambre de Commerce Suisse-Canadienne de Toronto et Montréal

June/July Juin/Juillet 2011

FFeature/Reportageeature/Reportage::AgricultureAgriculture

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CON

TEN

TS /

IND

ICE

FEATURE / REPORTAGE

Agriculture

4 Direct Seeding – Ferme Gross et Fils in Saint-Cuthbert in Lanaudière

8 Valens Farms — A different way of farming

BUSINESS AND OTHER NEWSNOUVELLES ECONOMIQUES ET INFORMATION

12 Nuclear Energy and Its Acceptance in Canada And in Switzerland

15 Real Estate Update

15 Infl ation – What causes it?

17 Bruno’s Tip – A Fantastic Life Lesson

18 Karin’s Performance Solutions – Why Engaged Employees Will Make

Manufacturing Sexy!

21 Business News

22 Travel News

28 Trade Fairs

CHAMBER NEWSNOUVELLES DE LA CHAMBRE

2 President’s Message SCCC/Upcoming Events

3 Message du Président CCCS / Evénéments

5 Scholarship Fund

10 New Members – SCCC

11 Member Profi le

19 Nouveaux Membres – CCCS

25 Cooperation Agreement between the

Canadian-Swiss Cultural Association Inc.

(CSCA) and the Swiss Canadian Chamber

of Commerce (Ontario) Inc. (SCCC)

25 Quote of the Month

27 SCCC AGM

27 Swiss Night at Marché

28 SCCC Group Health Plan

Publication of the Swiss Canadian Chamber of Commerce Toronto and MontrealPublication de la Chambre de Commerce Suisse-Canadienne de Toronto et Montréal

Swiss Farm above Lake LucerneFerme suisse au dessus du Lac de Lucerne

IN FO SU I SS E2

BOARD OF DIRECTORS • 2011 – 2012President / Director:Phillip GyslingMesh Innovations Inc.174 Hallam Street, Toronto ON M6H 1X5Tel: 416-871-8159Email: [email protected]: www.meshinnovations.com

Vice-President / Treasurer/ Director:Urs VilligerRE/MAX WEST REALTY INC. 1678 Bloor Street West, Toronto ON M6P 1A9Tel: 416-562-7701Email: [email protected]: www.remaxwest.com/UVilliger

Secretary & Legal Counsel:Bernard LetteLette Whittaker LLP20 Queen Street West, #3300, P.O. Box 33, Toronto ON M5H 3R3Tel: 416-971-4898Email: [email protected]: www.lette.ca

Past President / Director: Hans MungerAuto Motion Shade Inc.400 Bentley Street; Unit 7-11; Markham ON L3R 8H6Tel: 905-470-6198 x 33Email: [email protected] Website: www.automotionshade.com

Directors:Babette BaarsMarché Restaurants Canada Ltd.8 King Street East, Suite 838, Toronto, ON M5C 1B5Tel: 647-341-1444 Cell: 647-969-1445Email: [email protected]: www.marche-int.com

Rudi BlatterLindt & Spruengli (Canada) Inc.181 University Avenue, Suite 900, Toronto ON M5H 3M7Tel: (416) 351-8566Email: [email protected]: www.lindt.com

Mirko CapodannoSwitzerland Tourism480 University Avenue, Suite 1500Toronto, ON M5G 1V2Tel: 416-695-3375 Cell: 416-841-6644Email: [email protected]: www.MySwitzerland.com

Yves-Daniel CochandSwiss Reinsurance Company150 King Street West, # 2200, Toronto, ON M5H 1J9Tel: 416-408-5945Email: [email protected]: www.swissre.com

Julien FavreUBS154 University Avenue, Toronto ON M5H 3Z4Tel: (416) 345-7033Email: [email protected]: www.ubs.com/1/e/canada

Roger HunzikerThe Bata Shoe Museum327 Bloor Street West, Toronto ON M5S 1W7Tel: 416-979-7799 x 242Email: [email protected]: www.batashoemuseum.ca

Sandra Leuba136 Curzon Street, Toronto ON M4M 3B5Tel: 416-616-4251Email: [email protected]

Ronnie MillerHoffmann-La Roche Ltd.2455 Meadowpine Boulevard, Mississauga ON L5N 6L7Tel: 905-542-5522Email: [email protected] Website: www.rochecanada.com

Daniel OehySwissmar35 East Beaver Creek Rd, Unit 6, Richmond Hill, ON L4B 1B3Tel: 905-764-1121Email: [email protected]: www.swissmar.com

Urs UhlmannZurich400 University Avenue, 25th Floor, Toronto ON M5G 1S7Tel: (416) 586-2959Email: [email protected]: www.zurich.ca

Andrea Von MoellerB2-125 The Queensway; Toronto ON M8Y 1H3Tel: (416) 907-8012Email: [email protected]: www.2marketinternational.com

Honorary Director:Bernadette HunkelerConsulate General of Switzerland154 University Avenue, Suite 601, Toronto ON M5H 3Y9Tel: 416-593-5371Website: www.eda.admin.ch

Liaison Offi cer Consulate General of Switzerland:Emil WyssConsulate General of Switzerland154 University Avenue, Suite 601, Toronto ON M5H 3Y9Tel: 416-593-5371Email: [email protected]: www.eda.admin.ch

Executive Assistant:Patricia Keller Schläpfer – SCCC756 Royal York Road, Toronto ON M8Y 2T6Tel: (416) 236-0039 Fax: (416) 551-1011E-mail: [email protected] Website: www.swissbiz.ca

Electronic Typesetting and Assembly: Nancy Raitt @ corptype

Printed by: J. B. Deschamps

Dear Members,

After two years of president’s messages from Hans Munger, this

latest edition of info suisse comes to you for the fi rst time with

a president’s message from me, Philipp Gysling. Before I look to

the future of the Chamber, I would be remiss not to extend my

heartfelt thanks to our parting president. Hans will be a tough act

to follow; he has worked tirelessly and with great motivation on

behalf of the Chamber. Luckily, he remains on the board and I’m

sure that the Chamber will be able to further benefi t from his drive

and dedication. To be Hans’ successor may be viewed by some as

somewhat intimidating, but I see it as a great opportunity the Chamber has been left in

great shape. Over the last few years the structure of our organization has been thoroughly

overhauled—it’s a great time to be heading the SCCC.

For me personally, it is a great honour to have been elected as the president of the Cham-

ber and I hope that our organization will benefi t from my areas of expertise.

The Chamber has recently introduced Swiss Night and many members have already had

the opportunity to come out and network at the Marché—initial turnout has been very

encouraging and we will continue to host this event on a regular basis. In June, our yearly

spousal event is once again being held at the Royal Canadian Yacht Club (RCYC), and for

the fi rst time, is being co-organized by the Canadian Swiss Cultural Association (CSCA). The

CSCA and the SCCC have recently engaged in a cooperation agreement that will benefi t

both organizations. I would like to offi cially welcome the CSCA and all its members through

this president’s message.

Agriculture, the feature topic of this info suisse issue, is a very important aspect of both

Canadian and Swiss economies. A majority of the early Swiss immigrants to this country

came here precisely for the agricultural opportunities that presented themselves here. And

surely, many of us who live in the “big city” have not-too-distant ancestors who were also

employed in the “primary sector.” Without this important part of our respective econo-

mies and the resulting emigration patterns, there might very well not be much of a Swiss

community in Canada at all. Through this info suisse issue the Swiss Canadian Chamber of

Commerce is paying tribute to this rich history.

Philipp Gysling

President

Swiss Canadian Chamber of Commerce (Ontario) Inc.756 Royal York Road • Toronto, Ontario M8Y 2T6Tel: (416) 236-0039 • Fax: (416) 236-3634 • E-mail: [email protected] • www.swissbiz.ca

2011 COMING EVENTS

June 8: Partner Event @ Royal Canadian Yacht Club

July 12: Swiss Night @ the MarchÈ

August 16: Pub Night with the British Chamber

September 12: Golf Tournament @ Meadowbrook

October 18: Joint Event with the German and Austrian Chamber

November 19: Dinner Dance @ Le Meridien King Edward

Further Information can be found on www.swissbiz.ca/upcoming_events or (416) 236-0039

Dates above are subject to change

JU N E/JU LY 3

La Chambre de commerce canado-suisse (Québec) Inc.Swiss Canadian Chamber of Commerce (Quebec) Inc.

1572 Avenue Docteur Penfi eld, Montréal, Qué. H3G 1C4 • Tél: (514) 937-5822 • Fax: (514) 954-5619 • E-mail: [email protected] • Web site: www.cccsmtl.com

CONSEIL D’ADMINISTRATION / BOARD OF DIRECTORS2011 – 2012Présidente / PresidentMr. Jean Serge GriséDirecteur, Communications et Affaires publiquesFondation Lucie et André Chagnon Conseiller en affaires publiquesTel: 514.380.2001, # 1058E-mail: [email protected]

Secrétaire / Secretary Mr. Raphaël DelacombazTel: 514.296.1943 E-mail: [email protected]

Vice-présidents / Vice-PresidentsMr. Olivier SchlegelGeneral Manager for CanadaSwiss International Air LinesTel: 514.954.5600, # 6610E-mail: [email protected]

Mr. Bruno SetzConsultantTel: 514.767.5123 E-mail : [email protected]

Trésorier / TreasurerMr. Othmar WidmerConsultation WidmerTel: 514.290.4822E-mail: [email protected]

Directeurs / DirectorsMr. Jacques DemontManaging Director NespressoTel: [email protected]

Mr. Ch. Dubois Conseiller de la Ville Ville de Montréal (Arrondissement Pierrefonds-Roxboro)Tel: [email protected]

Me Jean-Marc FerlandAvocatFerland, Marois, Lanctot Tel: 514.861.1110E-mail: [email protected]

Mr. Moritz GruberPrésidentSystem Huntingdon Inc.Tel: 450.264.6122E-mail : [email protected]

Mr. Olivier RodriguezGestionnaire de portefeuilleMirabaud Canada Inc. Tel: 514.393.1690E-mail : [email protected]

Me Monica SchirdewahnAvocate / Lawyer Lette & AssociésTel: 514.871.3838, # 213 E-mail: [email protected]

Mr. Paul Wieser PDG pour le CanadaBusch Vacuum Technics Inc. Tel: 450.435.6899E-mail: [email protected]

Directeur honoraire / Honorary DirectorMr. Claude DuvoisinConsul général de SuisseTel: 514.932.7181 E-mail: [email protected]

Liaison au Consulat général de SuisseMr. Markus OsterburgConsul Tel: 514.932.7181 E-mail: [email protected]

Conseiller juridique / Legal CounselLette & AssociésTel: 514.871.3838, # 213 E-mail: [email protected]

Responsable de l’administration / Administration Offi cer Mr. Andreas Kräuchi Tel: 514.937.5822 Fax: 514.954.5619 E-mail: [email protected]

Chers Membres,

C’est avec grand plaisir que j’ai accepté la présidence du conseil d’administration de la Chambre de commerce canado-suisse du Qué-bec, lors de la récente assemblée générale annuelle. Je veux, dans un premier temps, remercier celle qui a mené notre organisation durant deux mandats, Monica Schirdewahn. Monica a apporté une contribu-tion exceptionnelle et elle a commencé le « virage affaires » souhaité par nos membres.

Monica a accepté de continuer à siéger au conseil. Je félicite toute l’équipe qui a été réélue par nos membres. Je remercie enfi n tous nos membres qui sont venus nombreux à notre AGA cette année, démon-trant ainsi leur intérêt pour notre Chambre.

Avec l’équipe actuelle, nous allons continuer le travail de Monica pour faire de notre Chambre une association reconnue comme joueur important du milieu économique. Parmi nos priori-tés, nous souhaitons une plus grande diversifi cation de nos activités, une augmentation de notre membership et plus d’échanges entre nos membres.

Je compte sur le soutien de tous nos membres afi n de faire un succès de nos prochains événements. Je vous invite tous et toutes à, non seulement à participer aux activités de la Chambre, mais aussi à nous transmettre vos idées et vos commentaires. C’est votre Chambre et nous voulons avant tout répondre à vos besoins. Visitez le site de la Chambre http://www.cccsqc.ca et laissez-nous des messages. De plus, si vos entreprises ont des nouvelles intéres-santes, il nous fera plaisir d’en parler.

Notre Chambre continuera sa participation à Info Suisse, car il s’agit d’un excellent outil de communication, qui unit tous les membres partout au Canada. Nous tenterons de trouver des sujets qui sauront vous intéresser et je vous prie de ne pas hésiter à communiquer nous pour nous faire des suggestions.

Dans la prochaine édition, nous vous ferons rapport sur notre tournoi de golf et nous nous annoncerons les événements

qui marqueront la saison 2011-2012.

Bonne lecture.Jean Serge Grisé

Dear Members,

It has been a great pleasure to serve you as President of the Chamber these last years.

I have been honoured by the trust that you have placed in me. I have had the opportunity to work with an extraordinary Board of Directors, as well as the members, who have always been welcoming, enthusiastic and involved. I will continue, with greatest pleasure, to serve you as director on the Board of Directors, under the current president Jean Serge Grisé, who has been serving the Board for a long time as Vice-President. Jean Serge is an active member and director devoted to the success and development of the Chamber.

I will thus continue to work, with great pleasure, for the Chamber, with the Board of Directors and the members... simply “wearing a different hat”.

Kind regards, Monica Schirdewahn

EVÉNÉMENTS / UPCOMING EVENTS 2011

6 Juin 2011 / Tournoi de Golf ‘Mémorial Jacques Thevenoz’ / June 6th 2011 Annual Golf Tournament “Jacques Thevenoz Memorial”

Septembre / September Cocktail d’ouverture de la saison / Season opening cocktail

Novembre / November Soirée Fondue / Fondue evening

Dates sujet à changements / Dates subject to change

INFORMATION et détails/and details : www.cccsmtl.com ou/or (514) 937-5822

IN FO SU I SS E4

Agriculture

DIRECT SEEDING – A NEW AND ECOLOGICAL WAY OF GROWING – CARRIED OUT AND EXPLAINED BY OUR MEMBER JEAN-FRANCOIS GROSS OF FERME GROSS ET FILS IN SAINT-CUTHBERT IN LANAUDIÈRE.By Olivier Rodriguez and Othmar Widmer

As we all know there are quite a lot of Swiss

farmers in Canada and Quebec. The Grosses

are not only farming in Quebec since 30

years but are also members of the Swiss

Canadian Chamber of Commerce (QC) so we

visited them to get to know more about up

to date or modern farming.

We were welcomed by Pascal and Jean-

François Gross who answered our laymen

questions very patiently and thoroughly and

we would like to thank them for their time

and shared insights.

The Grosses moved to Quebec from

Arconciel (canton Fribourg) in 1981 and

started as dairy farmers, leaving behind a

farm of approx 8 hectares in Switzerland

to start in Quebec a new farming life with

about 40 cows and a lot more hectares than

in Arconciel. During the peak time of the

dairy farming they looked after a hundred

cows and a good hundred hectares of culti-

vated land.

At one point they decided to abandon the

dairy farming and to concentrate on growing

wheat, corn and soy. Soon Jean-François, a

learnt carpenter, understood that the tradi-

tional process of plowing, seeding and so

forth was not effi cient enough.

It was in 1993 that he turned to the

method of direct seeding, which means no

ploughing and only the absolute essential

treatment of the earth. This method, fi rst

applied in 1970, foresees a minimum of

operations: seeding, fertilizing, irrigating

and harvesting. The technique of not “dis-

turbing” the soil more than necessary has

several advantages: less water evaporation,

better use of organic matter in the earth and

much less fuel consumption.

The crops are planted in a three year cycle,

one year wheat followed by corn, then soy.

The cycle subsequently restarts in this same

order. The distances of the furrows for the 3

crops remain exactly the same at all times

and are spaced at approx 3 inches. Specially

designed vehicles, built on measure are

required to achieve the necessary accuracy.

The Grosses introduced the GPS system to

their machinery assist them with obtaining

better results. It reduces considerably the

amount of work in the fi elds (if a tractor

has to e.g. go for refueling the GPS guides

it exactly back to where it stopped) but

helps also to assess the level of the fi eld

to maximize water retention. Every vehicle

is equipped with a GPS and an on board

computer. Thanks to all the improvements,

the harvest increased between 8% and 21%

depending on the type of crop

Of course Mr. Gross needed a partner

for this kind of machinery which he found

in John Deere. Together they developed the

various equipment and their specifi cations

as well as GPS guidance and “on board

computers” to optimize the operations.

Agriculture Canada is another partner which

Contact Bernard Lette at

[email protected]: +1.416.971.4898Montréal: +1.514.788.0998

Lette Whittaker LLPToronto

Lette & KnorrMünchen / ulm

For over 50 years, many of Europe's largest corporate groups, as well as numerous

small and medium-size companies, have counted on Lette to provide them with

practical, sophisticated and cost-effective legal advice in Canada.

Lette AlérionParis

Lette & Associés s.e.n.c.r.l.

Montréal

WWW.LETTE.CA

JU N E/JU LY 5

helps visionary farmers like J-F Gross with

fi nancial and other support.

J-F. Gross acquired this knowledge on his

own internet through research and studying

all the relevant publications. In addition, he

travels often to the USA to learn about the

latest ecological and economical innovation

techniques and to exchange ideas with like-

minded farmers.

Mr. Gross also takes care of direct sales

and follows the Chicago Mercantile Exchange

closely in order to negociate the best price.

He not only sells directly but also assures

punctual delivery (like any good Swiss would

do, wouldn’t he?) with his own trucks. This

method guarantees timely delivery and also

ensures the presence of his team all along

the way, therefore avoids misunderstand-

ings concerning the quality of the crop.

If 80% of his crops is exported, Montrealers

still get to taste his crop, as he supplies the

wheat to the Vaudreuil- Soulanges mill of

the well known bakery Première Moisson.

However Jean-François Gross isn’t satis-

fi ed with just innovative production methods.

As an entrepreneur and visionary he has

yet another project in mind. He would like

to produce 50% of his own diesel (saving

approx. 100,000 liters of Diesel per year) by

producing biodiesel from canola and by also

using biomass from the forests they own. The

fuel would be used for tractors but also in

the drying process of the grain after harvest.

Jean-François Gross and his team want to

ensure sustainable growth with this venture

and more independence from spiking fuel

prices and other challenges which often are

beyond his control.

The Gross farm is another very impres-

sive example showing that farming has

become a high tech industry. It obviously

still depends on nature and its elements,

however by applying carefully balanced

methods, modern equipment, technology

and innovation, it tries to minimize its

impact and reduce the corresponding ups

and downs.

LE SEMIS DIRECT – UNE AGRICULTURE ÉCOLOGIQUE – EXPLIQUÉ PAR NOTRE MEMBRE JEAN-FRANÇOIS GROSS DE LA FERME GROSS ET FILS DE SAINT-CUTHBERT DANS LANAUDIÈREPar Olivier Rodriguez et Othmar Widmer

Comme nous le savons, beaucoup de

paysans suisses se sont installés au Canada

et au Québec. Les Gross en font partie.

Agriculteurs installés au Québec depuis

30 ans, ils sont également membres de la

Chambre de commerce canado-suisse du

Québec. Nous en avons profi té pour aller

leur rendre visite afi n d’en connaître un peu

plus sur l’agriculture d’aujourd’hui.

Nous avons été accueillis par Pascal et

Jean-François Gross qui a répondu à nos

questions très patiemment et avec une

grande précision.

Le 13 janvier 1981, la famille Gross quit-

tait le village d’Arconciel, dans le canton

SCHOLARSHIP FUND

OF ONTARIO

The Swiss Canadian Scholarship

Fund of Ontario is pleased to offer

yearly scholarships. It is open to

members of the SCCC and the

Swiss Community in Ontario.

To fi nd out more about the

availability and eligibility criteria,

please visit the Ontario Chamber’s

website at:

www.swissbiz.ca/scholarship

IN FO SU I SS E6

de Fribourg, où ils exploitaient une ferme

disposant de huit hectares de terre, pour

s’établir au Québec, à Saint-Cuthbert dans la

région de Lanaudière, pour y reprendre une

ferme laitière d’une quarantaine de vaches

et disposant de 100 hectares. Ils ont eu

jusqu’à 100 vaches et ont, depuis, presque

décuplé la surface de terres cultivées qui

s’élève maintenant à 940 hectares.

Jean-François Gross, menuisier de

métier, a décidé de reprendre les rênes

de l’exploitation de la ferme familiale. Il a

choisi d’abandonner l’exploitation laitière

pour se consacrer à celle de l’agriculture et

se concentrer sur trois cultures céréalières :

blé, maïs et soja.

A partir de 1993, il a décidé d’implanter

sur son exploitation une méthode de culture

innovatrice: la culture en semis-direct.

Apparue en 1970, le semis-direct est une

technique qui permet de semer sans prati-

quer le travail du sol, autrement dit sans le

labourer.

Cette technique a plusieurs avantages :

elle améliore la structure du sol, lui per-

mettant ainsi par exemple de stocker plus

d’eau et en laissant la faune et la fl ore du

sol constituer cette dernière par leur action.

Le sol des champs, soumis au semis-direct,

aurait alors une composition qui s’approche

de la structure des sols forestiers. Un autre

effet est de concentrer davantage la matière

organique sur la première couche du sol,

là où le labour mélangeait les couches.

Bref, elle consiste au moment du semis à

respecter le plus possible la vie des sols. Un

exemple : en utilisant cette pratique, Jean-

François est passé de 3 à 40 vers de terre au

pied carré.

Il profi te donc de cette méthode et

alterne, d’une année à l’autre, les cultures

de blé, maïs et soja sur ses parcelles.

Pour appliquer ce procédé, des machines

agricoles spéciales ont été créées, des

semoirs, qui en un seul passage, ouvrent

le sol très localement avec des disques,

déposent la graine et de l’engrais solide

dans la ligne de semis, puis la referment.

En partenariat avec la compagnie John Deere

depuis quelques temps, Jean-François Gross

effectue des essais sur leurs machines agri-

coles tout en les modifi ant et en les adaptant

à ses besoins.

De plus, le semis direct diminue for-

tement la consommation de carburant

et d’intrants à l’hectare. Il nécessite un

investissement matériel beaucoup plus

faible par hectare. Il diminue la fatigue de

l’agriculteur et le nombre d’heures de travail

ainsi que les besoins de main-d’œuvre, tout

en allongeant la durée de vie des tracteurs,

pour des rendements au moins aussi élevés

qu’avec le labour.

Pionner dans son domaine et toujours

à la recherche d’une amélioration de sa

productivité, Jean-François Gross a pris la

décision d’espacer ses plants, ceci a permis

Agr icul ture

MIRABAUD Canada Inc. - Olivier Rodriguez / MIRABAUD Gestion Inc. - Yves Erard1501, avenue McGill College - Bureau 2220 - Montréal (Québec) H3A 3M8 - T +1 514 393-1690 - F +1 514 875-8942MIRABAUD Canada Inc. est membre de l’Organisme canadien de réglementation du commerce des valeurs mobilières inc. et du Fonds canadien de protection des épargnants.

MIRABAUD ÉLARGIT SON HORIZON, AUTANT POUR LA GESTION PRIVÉE QUE L’ASSET MANAGEMENT ET L’INTERMÉDIATION.S’ENGAGER AUTREMENT POUR ALLER PLUS LOIN.

www.mirabaud.com

TANT D’HORIZONS À EXPLOR R

JU N E/JU LY 7

d’augmenter sa production entre 8 et 21 %.

Grâce à un système GPS qu’il a installé à

bord de ses machines agricoles et tracteurs,

il a informatisé les travaux de la ferme. Tout

est calculé selon la tâche à effectuer : des

tracés des semis à l’arrosage des cultures,

en passant par la topographie du terrain ou

encore le nivellement des sols en vue de

maximiser l’humidifi cation des champs et

effectuer un drainage effi cace.

Ainsi, en plus d’augmenter sa production,

cette façon de cultiver la terre lui permet, en

autre, de minimiser au maximum l’utilisation

d’engrais et d’économiser 293 litres de

mazout à l’hectare.

En plus de collaborer avec Agriculture

Canada sur des recherches en agronomie,

cet agriculteur autodidacte et innovateur

effectue régulièrement des voyages aux

États-Unis afi n de s’informer et trouver

de nouvelles pratiques de culture dans

le but d’être de plus en plus effi cace et

écologique.

Sur ce plan, il étudie en ce moment les

possibilités de produire son propre biodie-

sel à partir des résidus de ses récoltes (la

drêche). Ainsi, il espère pouvoir économiser

plus de 50% des 100 000 litres de diesel

utilisés annuellement sur la ferme. Il souhait-

erait également utiliser cette production de

biogaz pour sécher les grains récoltés. Pour

arriver à ses fi ns, il étudie la possibilité de

produire du canola. Son but est de parvenir

à être de plus en plus autosuffi sant en vue

de gérer le mieux possible ses ressources.

De plus, il utiliserait les richesses de la forêt

dont il est propriétaire pour produire de la

biomasse en vue de produire une source de

combustion.

Par ailleurs, si Jean-François s’occupe de

toute la partie exploitation de la ferme, c’est

également lui qui s’occupe de la vente de

sa récolte. Il a à l’œil les cours de la bourse

tout en négociant sa production de 10 000

tonnes de grains annuelle. Si le 80% de

l’ensemble de sa récolte va à l’exportation,

une partie du blé est apporté au moulin

de Vaudreuil-Soulanges pour la compagnie

Première Moisson. Le 60 % du maïs est livré

au port de Sorel dont les livraisons sont

assurées par ses propres camions.

Cet entrepreneur autodidacte et de son

temps nous a grandement impressionné

par ses connaissances et intéressé par ses

propos bien étayés. Les imposants tracteurs

et machines agricoles nous ont également

captivés.

Le temps des fermes de jadis avec leur

production artisanale est révolu et les

exploitations agricoles d’aujourd’hui, sous

la houlette de visionnaires comme Jean-

François, se sont transformées, par leurs

constants soucis d’innovation, d’adaptations

technologiques et de rentabilité, en PME. ■

IN FO SU I SS E8

Agriculture

A DIFFERENT WAY OF FARMINGVALENS FARMS, (“valens” is Latin for

“healthy.”) founded in 2005 by four local

farmers, is a cooperative of family farms

dedicated to farming, growing and produc-

ing a variety of products in a sustainable

manner. Those who are part of the Valens

family are dedicated to produce quality

products, because they believe what is good

for you and your family is good for the envi-

ronment too.

The facility is located in the small town

of Huntingdon in Quebec, 75 kilometres

southwest of Montreal, while the farms are

located in the surrounding municipalities,

Elgin and Godmanchester. It was established

in order to provide to the public a direct link

to farming. This gives to the consumer the

opportunity to enjoy honey from their bees,

syrup from their maple trees, eggs from

their chickens, meat from their pastures and

cold pressed organic oils

NOT ONLY A FARMValens is also a butcher shop well known

for their generous meat cuts of veal, lamb,

pork, beef and where sausages are their

specialty.

Their hotdogs are organic, free of nitrates

and phosphates, and from meat that was

raised locally without hormones or antibiot-

ics. They’re also lactose-and gluten-free,

and delicious — imagine biting into a juicy,

great-tasting, grilled hotdog that you can eat

guilt-free.

“I know that everything that goes into

these is good for you, so I would have no

problem serving them to my kids every

day,” says Markus Ritter, the man behind the

hotdogs. “And they love them.”

Markus Ritter, a chef from Austria, is one

of four farmers who formed the co-operative

of Les Fermes Valens.

“I’m not aware of anyone else making

chemical-free hotdogs,” he says.

WHAT’S THE STORY?Ritter was chatting at the bar in his former

restaurant in Huntingdon, Quebec, with

three organic-farmer friends one night when

they came up with “the awesome idea of

starting a butcher shop.”

“And none of us knew anything about

running a butcher shop,” Ritter says

laughing.

But they wanted to try selling their prod-

ucts directly to the consumer, rather than

selling their raw products to big companies

for processing. It took a few years of trial and

error, but they’ve now found the right recipe

that’s working wonderfully for both farmers

in the area and a rapidly growing number of

eager customers.

WHAT’S THAT RECIPE?As they weren’t fi nding a huge market

for sides of beef or cuts of raw meat,

Ritter started experimenting with making

European-style sausages with no fi llers,

phosphates or nitrates. He now makes nine

types of sausages and is working on a new

low-sodium one.

They’ve branched out into organic and/

or free-range eggs (“they fl y of the shelves,”

says Ritter), a wide range of deli meats,

chicken, turkey, veal, pork, lamb, beef, ham,

bacon and even honey, maple syrup, canola

and fl ax oils and organic popping corn, all

from the countryside around Huntingdon

and all natural or organic and without phos-

JU N E/JU LY 9

phates, gluten, lactose, nitrates, antibiotics

or growth hormones. They now get products

from about 25 area farms and sell in 90

stores, nearly all within 150 kilometers.

“We’ve grown by 35 per cent each of the

last three years,” says Markus Ritter. “We

have to hold onto our pants.”

One of the four farmer-owners is now

working on setting up a fl our mill for his

non-GMO grains.

WHO ARE THEIR CUSTOMERS?They are from anywhere between Gatineau

and Quebec City. Elizabeth Chapman, who

works in sales and product development for

the now 10-person company, says parents

can be especially passionate. “I get calls

saying ‘are you sure there isn’t gluten even

in the spices?’ And they are so relieved

when I tell them that even our spices are

tested to ensure there are no fi llers and they

are certifi ed. I even get people calling and

asking if our chickens are happy.”

HOW PRODUCTS ARE ELABORATED?“I’m making organic, nitrate-free smoked

meat,” says Ritter. “I tried to make a smoked

meat four years ago, but it didn’t work. But

I’ve learned a lot and now I’ve done it.

How can he make these deli meats

without preservatives?

“I have an advantage over the big compa-

nies,” Ritter says. “I can just go in the kitchen

here and try things. I’ve experimented and

learned a lot through trial and error. When

I fi rst made nitrate-free ham and bacon, it

had brown spots. People still wanted to buy

these products, but I didn’t like them. I only

want to sell things I like to eat.”

His hotdogs and deli meats have a shelf

life of just a couple of weeks, compared to

six weeks for some products.

“If meat is good in the fridge for six

weeks, there must be something in there,”

he says.

When there’s a scare about deli meats,

such as Maple Leaf’s 2008 recall of listeria-

infected meat, how does it affect Les Fermes

Valens?

“I go to work early and start getting

calls,” says Ritter. “People said they had

to remove everything from their shelves,

but they couldn’t believe it when I said our

meats were fi ne, that we made them all

here ourselves and know everything that

goes into them. A screw-up like that is hor-

rible for companies, but it’s awesome for our

business.”

Ritter says movies such as Food Inc. have

also boosted their business as people realize

there is an alternative available.

Chapman says it was during the listeria

outbreak that “we really realized that buying

local is better.”

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IN FO SU I SS E10

Agriculture

WHAT’S RITTER’S BIGGEST SATISFACTION?That’s hard to say. He says he loves the

farming life. “I just love waking up in the

morning and looking out over the fi elds.”

He loves introducing his children to the

fruits of the land. He’s made muffi ns with

them using only ingredients from their own

farm — “we used our own grains, oats, eggs,

zucchini, honey.” The honey he sells is from

bees who fed on his canola fi elds, the labels

are decorated with his daughters’ drawings,

and the residue from making fl ax and canola

is fed to his chickens, making eggs high in

omega-3.

“Everything I do interconnects.”

But he says he really loves seeing the Les

Fermes Valens foods in customers’ hands.

“It’s an amazing feeling standing in the

grocery store and seeing someone at the

cash with Fermes Valens products. And to

know that I know the farmer who gathered

the eggs, who harvested the maple syrup, or

who raised the animals. “

CAN WE BUY THESE PRODUCTS IN ONTARIO?By federal law, the Quebec meat cannot be

sold in Ontario. But Lee Bourdon, a Gatineau-

based food distributor who specializes in

bringing small-scale, family-operated natural

and organics products into the Ottawa area,

is enthusiastic about Les Fermes Valens’s

products and brings them into six stores on

the Gatineau side of the river. “I like them

because they’re innovative products, locally

produced and delivered fresh weekly,” says

Bourdon.

WHAT ARE THE PRICES LIKE?Surprisingly reasonable. A package of fi ve

hotdogs retails for $5 to $6. Same for a

package of three sausages. A 115-gram

package of salami sells for $2 to $2.50,

while a 225-gram package of bacon is $4

to $5. “I want to keep the prices like that so

people aren’t scared,” says Ritter.

The tidy store at 79 York St. in Huntingdon

is open Mondays through Wednesdays from

8 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Thursdays and Fridays

from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Huntingdon is about one hour drive from

Montreal downtown.

IS THERE ANY OTHER WAY TO GET THESE PRODUCTS?People who live closer to Huntingdon can

order online, with home delivery. Others can

also order online, then pick up their order

at the farmers’ market that runs Saturdays

year round in Ste-Anne-de-Bellevue, on the

western tip of the Island of Montreal.

Through wholesome foods and local

production, the Fermes Valens takes pride

in their service and quality. This gives the

benefi t of knowing exactly where the food

for a family is coming from.

You can visit their website at the

following address:

www.fermesvalens.comSources: Les Fermes Valens and The Ottawa Citizen

featured an article about Valens Farms hot dogs on

March 17, 2011. The article titled “Hot dogs with

attitude” was written by Laura Robin and focuses mainly

on our Frankfurther and Wiener sausages.

You can check the article at : http://www.ottawacitizen.

com/story_print.html?id=4453708&sponsor= ■

WELCOME NEW MEMBERS

SCCC (ONTARIO) INC.

New Personal Member:

Justin Hane

101 Solway Ave

Maple, ON L6A 2X1

Phone: 647 881 0567

Email: [email protected]

How to become a member of the SCCC:

Sign up online at

www.swissbiz.ca/memberships

or contact our offi ce at [email protected] or

416-236-0039

JU N E/JU LY 11

Member Prof i le

Continued on page 26

Cunningham Partners: From Left to Right –

Jeff Carbell, Eric Chan, David Hertzog,

Mark Goodfi eld, Aaron Schechter,

Paul Girolametto and David Cunningham

Cunningham LLP was established in 1971 and

is a full service mid-market public account-

ing fi rm providing services to privately held

organizations. Cunningham LLP consists of

seven partners and over 45 full-time and

part-time staff.

Cunningham takes pride in having the

vision to see beyond the numbers. They fi ll

the role of “trusted advisor” and empower

their clients to succeed by providing advice

on fi nancial challenges that affect their oper-

ations, revenues and bottom line. For most

private clients, seeing beyond the numbers

also means being provided with sound,

creative corporate and personal tax plan-

ning strategies. Such strategies may include

income splitting, family trusts, holding com-

panies, SRED maximization, estate freezes

and estate planning to help minimize tax

liabilities and maximize wealth.

There are a number of case studies on

the fi rm’s website (www.cunninghamca.

com) that detail some of the ways clients

have benefi ted from Cunningham’s tax strat-

egies. For instance, demographic statistics all

seem to indicate that there are many busi-

ness owners that will be facing succession

challenges in the next fi ve to ten years. One

such case describes how a client’s business

was proactively reorganized to establish a

family trust which allowed the shareholder’s

family members to utilize their capital gains

exemptions on the sale of the business,

resulting in tax savings of over $500,000.

Cunningham’s offi ce is located in Toronto;

however as a member of the Alliott Group, a

worldwide alliance of independent account-

ing, law and consulting fi rms, Cunningham

has relationships with professionals around

the globe to service clients in Canada and

abroad. There are two affi liated fi rms in

Switzerland; Provida Consulting AG with

offi ces in Zurich, St. Gallen and Frauenfeld,

and Egloff Fiduciaria E Revisioni SA with an

offi ce in Lugano. In total, there are more

than 160 member fi rms throughout Europe,

North and South America and Asia Pacifi c

with offi ces in 70 countries. This alliance

allows Cunningham to service clients with

business connections around the world.

Cunningham’s client portfolio consists

of companies with annual revenues from

$500 thousand to over $80 million with the

large majority of the clients in the revenue

range of $2 to $20 million. Cunningham has

experienced industry teams that provide

accounting services to a wide range of

industries including automotive dealerships,

information technology, manufacturing and

distribution, pharmacies, not-for-profi t orga-

nizations and professionals.

Although Cunningham focuses on

servicing privately held companies, the

fi rm is registered with the Canadian Public

Accountability Board (“CPAB”) and therefore

must meet the requirements of CPAB in

conducting all assurance engagements. They

have a full time quality control manager and

quality control partner who ensure that they

meet internal standards with regards to

processes and external standards with

regards to fi nancial statements and other

external reports.

IN FO SU I SS E12

Business and Other News

Nouvel les economiques et information

NUCLEAR ENERGY AND ITS ACCEPTANCE IN CANADA AND IN SWITZERLANDby Kurt Schläpfer,

Switzerland

As a consequence of

the catastrophe in

Japan, the Nuclear

Safety Agencies of

both countries Canada

and Switzerland have ordered to review

the safety plans of all nuclear reactors.

Germany even decided to temporarily take

seven reactors offl ine. What is the future of

nuclear energy in Canada and Switzerland?

SOME FACTS ABOUT NUCLEAR ENERGY IN CANADACanada has fi ve nuclear power stations

with 20 reactors, 18 of which are currently

in operation. All reactors are located in

areas where major earthquakes are not

expected, and where tsunamis essentially

cannot happen. The highest concentration

of nuclear power stations with 10 reactors

is near Toronto, which includes the Pickering

and Darlington plants. (95 % of the total

nuclear energy produced in Canada is gen-

erated in Ontario.) In 2009, nuclear power

contributed 15 % to the total electric power

produced in Canada. The currently operable

reactors have been built between 1971 and

1993 and are designed to have an opera-

tional lifespan of around 50 years (but need

a refurbishment after 25 to 30 years). As of

April 2011, four new reactors are planned.

The availability of uranium is no problem, as

Canada is one of the world’s leading uranium

producers, accounting for approximately 20

% of global production. A signifi cant portion

of the world’s known uranium resources are

located in Saskatchewan.

SOME FACTS ABOUT NUCLEAR ENERGY IN SWITZERLANDSwitzerland has four nuclear power plants

with 5 reactors which were built between

1972 and 1984 with an expected lifetime of

50 years. Nuclear power accounts for 39 %

of the total production of electricity. Hence,

Switzerland depends to a much higher

degree on nuclear energy than Canada.

Plans for three new nuclear reactors are in an

approval process, but have been temporarily

suspended due to the events in Japan. It is

expected that Swiss voters will have the fi nal

say on the construction of new reactors.

As the Swiss system of direct democracy

allows citizens to submit initiatives to be put

on a public vote, nuclear energy was the

subject of different nationwide ballots:

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JU N E/JU LY 13

Switzerland is characterized by modest

seismic activities. But one nuclear power

station is located near Basle, a city that was

destroyed in 1356 by an earthquake of the

magnitude of 6.5 on the Richter scale. The

operators of Swiss nuclear power plants

assure that their reactors are designed to

withstand earthquakes of this magnitude.

DISPOSAL OF NUCLEAR WASTEFor many people the main disadvantage of

nuclear power is not the danger of an acci-

dent as it happened in Japan or in Chernobyl,

but the unsolved problems with the disposal

of nuclear waste. High-level nuclear waste

remains dangerous for around 250,000

years. Both Canada and Switzerland have

solutions for intermediate storage, but not

for a long-term disposal. Requirements

for a long-term solution are repositories

at a depth of several hundred meters in a

suitable rock formation. Both countries are

still in the process of fi nding a suitable site.

This is not only a technical task, but it also

requires a dialogue with the people living at

the selected disposal site.

RENEWABLE ENERGYA nuclear energy exit is only meaningful

if alternative energy sources for producing

electricity are available. Whichever type of

energy is chosen, the consumer expects

it to be renewable, cost competitive and

ecologically friendly. But there are not many

technologies meeting these criteria. One

form of renewable energy being used on

a large-scale in Canada and Switzerland is

hydropower. In Canada and in Switzerland

it accounts for 63 % and 56 % respectively

of the total electricity production. However,

as each hydropower plant represents a sig-

nifi cant impact on nature, plans for a further

expansion of this technology mostly fail due

to interventions of environmental organiza-

tions. Other renewable energies account for

a small part of the electricity production in

Canada and in Switzerland with 1.3 % and

3.3 %, respectively. Among these technolo-

gies, thermal power production with renew-

able fuels (also referred to as biomass) is the

most important, whereas wind, solar and

tidal energy has only marginal signifi cance

(so far).

POLITICAL ACCEPTANCE OF NUCLEAR ENERGY AFTER FUKUSHIMAWhile anti-nuclear activists in Germany regu-

larly block trains carrying nuclear waste with

sit-downs on the railway tracks, protesters

in Canada and Switzerland are less militant.

Nevertheless, their activities have a certain

infl uence on the opinion of politicians.

Switzerland has three options concerning

the future of nuclear power:

• Keep the nuclear energy at the current

level. This means that the last reactor

will be shut down in 2034. Then Swit-

zerland may be forced to import more

electricity from neighbour countries.

• Build one or two new reactors to replace

the oldest before 2034.

• Take all reactors off the grid by 2025

and promote renewable energies

combined with the enforcement of an

energy effi ciency program.

These options will be the main topic in

the next parliamentary session scheduled

for June 2011. While left-wing parties clearly

support the third option, center and right-

wing parties are also open to option one

and two. In addition, it is expected that the

Green parties submit the third option in form

of an initiative for a nationwide ballot.

With 70,000 jobs, the Canadian nuclear

industry has a considerable impact on the

economy, and a sizable part of the nuclear

industry is publicly owned. The construc-

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Für weitere Fragen stehe ich gerne zur Verfügung.

Helping youmake the Right

Moves

1979 Initiative for a ban of nuclear power plants rejected

1984 Initiative for a future without nuclear power rejected

1990 Initiative for a ten-year stop of the construction of nuclear power plants accepted

1990 Initiative for a phase-out of nuclear energy rejected

2003 Initiative for electricity without nuclear power rejected

2003 Initiative for an extension of the stop of the construction of nuclear power plants rejected

IN FO SU I SS E14

tion of nuclear reactors is in the hands of a

federally owned company (Atomic Energy

of Canada Limited) which built 25 reactors

for Canada and 12 that were sold to six

other countries. Moreover, the Government

of Ontario owns the OPG company (Ontario

Power Generation) operating 18 nuclear

reactors. Therefore, a move away from

nuclear energy would be a drastic economic

decision for Canada. “Ottawa is too involved

in Canada’s nuclear industry to effectively

regulate it”, critics say. And the Globe and

Mail titles: “Ottawa needs to be weaned from

its nuclear obsession”. Unlike in Switzerland,

there is even an association with the aim to

inform about the environmental benefi ts of

nuclear energy, i.e. the Environmentalists for

Nuclear Energy Inc. The highest authority for

decisions concerning the nuclear industry

is the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission

(CNSC). The CNSC holds hearings, but is free

in the fi nal decision. For the time being

Canada seems to accept that nuclear tech-

nology is a necessary and useful source of

power while it is expected that renewable

energy sources are developed further.

Business and Other News

Nouvel les economiques et information

YOUR GLOBAL LOGISTICS NETWORK

Kuehne + Nagel Ltd. info.toronto@kuehne–nagel.com www.kuehne–nagel.com

ELECTRIC POWER PRODUCTION 2009 IN CANADA AND IN SWITZERLAND (IN TWH)Sources: Statistics Canada, Swiss Federal Department of Energy

* coal, natural gas, oil ** wood, biogas, organic waste

Canada Switzerland

Total production 575.2 66.5

Water power 363.8 37.1

Nuclear power 85.3 26.1

Power from fossil fuels* 118.4 2.0

Power from renewable fuels** 6.1 1.2

Wind and tidal power 1.6 0.1

Average price per kWh (cents) 10.8 15.2

JU N E/JU LY 15

REAL ESTATE UPDATEAs published in Real

Estate E-News by

REMAX, provided by

Urs Villiger

GREATER TORONTO AREASame old Song and Dance

In March 2011, there were 9,262 sales for

the month. Although this is approximately

10% less than March 2010, this is still the

second best March on record.

“The strong home sales reported in March

and throughout the fi rst quarter of 2011 have

been based on a solid affordability picture

and improving economic conditions in the

GTA and country-wide,” said Toronto Real

Estate Board (TREB) President Bill Johnston.

The number of homes for sale is still

very low. We have only 16,409 for sale

right now. What’s really interesting is that

inventory increased by 29% between Feb

and March last year. This year, that increase

was dramatically lower at only 15%. Market

conditions were tighter in March compared

to last year. With more competition between

buyers, we have seen a strong but sustain-

able rate of price growth,” said Jason Mercer,

of TREB Market Analysis.

The buyers out there don’t have a lot of

choices. In the Toronto area as a whole, we

only currently have a 1 ½ month’s supply of

homes for sale. It would only take only 45

days to clear out all of the existing inventory,

if no new listings were to become available.

There are only a handful of markets in North

America that even come close to what we

are experiencing. To put things into perspec-

tive, Las Vegas has well over a year’s worth

of inventory available

CANADIAN HOUSING MARKETFirst-time buyers among factors for

market strength

Driven by the threat of higher interest rates

down the road, fi rst-time buyers are contrib-

uting to strong upward momentum in resi-

dential housing markets across the country,

according to a report released by RE/MAX.

The report found that low interest rates

and balanced market conditions have pro-

vided signifi cant impetus in 2011, particu-

larly at lower price points. Just over 30 per

cent of markets are reporting sales in excess

of 2010 levels as a result, while almost 70

per cent have experienced an upswing in

average price. Leading the country in terms

of percentage increases in the number of

homes sold are Western Canadian markets.

With an average price hike of close to 20

per cent year-to-date (February), Greater

Vancouver continues to show unprecedented

strength, followed by Hamilton-Burlington

(eight per cent), Quebec City (seven per

cent), Winnipeg (close to seven per cent),

Greater Toronto (fi ve per cent), and Greater

Montreal (fi ve per cent). ■

INFLATION – WHAT CAUSES IT?(Part 2)

By Bernd Henseler and Albrecht Weller of

Schwaben Capital

Last time we examined the calculation of

the Consumer Price Index (CPI) and how it

applies to the average Canadian household,

but not necessarily to you. Now, we want to

look more in detail what can cause it and

how do the economic relationships work.

You will say it is easy to determine what

causes infl ation, e.g. higher commodity

prices, higher import prices, higher wages.

Yes, these are obvious items that have

an effect and we will get back to it later.

From a monetary economic point of view

an important variable is money supply and

how it is connected to other aggregate

economic numbers. The quantity theory of

money provides such a frame work, it looks

Continued on page 20

IN FO SU I SS E16

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JU N E/JU LY 17

A FANTASTIC LIFE LESSON?It was a Sunday evening when I got a

panicked call from Elisabeth. She was very

upset and told me that her computer had

a virus and broke down. “What can I do?”

“Don’t panic,” I said. “Just reset it and re-

install it from your backup.” “Backup?” she

said. “What is backup?” I explained it, told

her how important it was to always backup

the computer, and then I helped her get rid

of the virus and warned her to always back

up her fi les.

Two months later, another panicked

call from Elisabeth. A power outbreak had

destroyed her computer and… you guessed

it… she didn’t have a backup and this time

that was really bad news for her.

This story is a fantastic life lesson. The

quote means that we should learn from

our mistakes and take the time and energy

to do whatever is necessary to prevent a

repeat situation. This is not always easy, but

ALWAYS worthwhile.

Our biggest enemy for this life lesson is

that we always think that bad things won’t

happen to us. I sincerely hope that you are

right but the people who really succeed in

life are those who prepare themselves for

the “what if” situation. Let’s not be fooled

by thinking: “it’s very unlikely that it will

happen to me”, but think instead “what if

all my data were lost…?”

Remember how you learned to ride a

bicycle or use a computer? What allowed

you to be a successful learner was your

desire to master a skill. There is no difference

between this and learning how to prevent

the repetition of a bad experience and this is

not only valid for backing up your computer

but for all other good or bad experiences in

your life.

Put on your learning lens and don’t allow

anyone to fool you twice. …and… have you

backed up your computer?

Every week Bruno writes his One Minute eMail,

a short and inspirational newsletter that has

become so popular that 23,000 people in 20

countries read it every week. We invite you to

subscribe at www.brunogideon.com. It is free

and you will be very welcome ■

Bruno’s T ip

A Fantast ic L i fe Lesson

Fool me once – shame on you,

Fool me twice – shame on me!

The forces of nature can strike at any time. Let’s discuss how to plug our defenses.As the Earth’s climate is changing, so are the frequency and intensity of floods and storms. What’s the answer: retreat from the most hazardous locations? Protect vulnerable areas with sea walls, drainage systems and better building codes? Or take measures to transfer the financial risk and rebuild? All we know at Swiss Re is that, as our climate changes, we must adapt apace. Which is why we’re helping countries and communities develop strategies to protect themselves against the forces of nature. Risk is the raw material we work with; what we create for our clients is opportunity.

Plug into www.swissre.com

IN FO SU I SS E18

WHY ENGAGED EMPLOYEES WILL

MAKE MANUFACTURING SEXY!by Karin Lindner

I assume this headline grabbed your atten-

tion, didn’t it? So what do I mean with this

statement? Employee engagement refers to

how committed workers are to their organi-

zation, and how much extra effort they are

willing to put in the job. If we are ambitious

enough to create a new manufacturing era, it

certainly can’t be done without the people.I am almost afraid that employee engage-

ment has become one of those phrases that are often heard but very rarely put into action? Why? Well, because it is simple but not easy. Simplicity is good but everything that takes time and emotional energy tends to scare people. So they would rather main-tain the status quo. Sad but true!

While I was still working at Magna, I worked for a Manager who left an impres-sion on me that will last a lifetime. Every morning when he came into the offi ce he would greet me, shake my hand and take a couple of moments to speak with me. Every evening when I left he would thank me for my effort and my support. He would often say to me: “Thank you Karin, I could not have done it without you!” Wow. How do you think this made me feel? Do you think I felt valued? Do you think I felt acknowl-edged? I certainly went above and beyond of what was expected of me. Many times I put in 11 - 12 hour days but not because he asked me to, I did it because I wanted to be there to support him.

His actions were very simple but the results that he was able to generate were very powerful.

Can you remember a boss who really made you feel appreciated?

Can you remember a boss who walked the talk?

Can you remember a boss who supported the team?

Engaging employees is not rocket science, it is something that can be easily learned if managers are willing to try a different approach.

An old Indian saying states, “To under-stand everything, let go of what you know.”

Let me elaborate a little bit on that. Think for a moment how great it is that kids are so curious about life and about the world in general, .....until they go to school. Our school system does a great job in shifting the focus from being curious to focusing on “I have to have all the answers.”

At school the teacher asks the questions and we have to have the answers. The mentality of “we have to show how smart we are” stays with us when we enter the corporate world. The effect this has in our organizations is devastating. Our managers think that they have to have all the answers instead of asking powerful and meaningful questions. What happened to our curious minds? How did we allow ourselves to get to the point of being apathetic, indifferent, and disinterested?

Let’s take a look at WHY engaged employees will make manufacturing sexy! (Source Right Management 2010)

• 70 % higher productivity

• 78 % higher safety record

• 70 % lower turnover rate

• 86 % higher customer satisfaction

• 44 % more profi tableBesides all these measurable facts, there

a number of other great benefi ts:

• The job of managers will become so

much easier because they can start to

rely on their employees

• These employees will promote the

business by word of mouth in the best

possible way because they are proud to

be a part of it

• They are ready, willing and able to grow,

learn and improve

• They are allowed to use their brain,

which makes their work more

meaningful

• Nobody knows how to improve the job

better than the people who are actually

doing it

• An environment of innovation and cre-

ativity from the bottom up will fl ourish

• Engaged employees are role models for

good attitude and behaviour

• They shift from focusing on problems to

fi nding solutions and new opportunities

• The more engaged employees you have,

the greater the positive ripple effect

will be

• Engaged employees want to help the

company succeed

Kar in’s Performance Solut ionsWhy Engaged Employees Wi l l Make Manufactur ing Sexy!

FINECAST

High Precision Machining / Machinage de Haute Précision

Our consultative approach, our complete solution-based machining service, and our innovative abilities in technological multi-sector industries continue to expand our horizons.

Notre approche consultative, notre service d’usinage à base d’une solution complète et nos capacités novatrices dans les industries multi-sectorielles continuent à développer nos horizons. ________________________ ________________

208 Migneron Tel : 514-331-0322 Saint-Laurent, QC Fax : 514-331-0261 H4T 1Y7 www.finecast.ca [email protected]

JU N E/JU LY 19

The reality is that employee engage-ment starts with the manager. If we want to make signifi cant changes in the world of manufacturing, we have to change how we think and how we do things and if we have the people on board, the sky is the limit.

Do you still have any doubts that an engaged workforce will make manufactur-ing sexy?

Be the best you can be!

Karin is a Human Performance Specialist with

KARICO Performance Solutions located in

Richmond Hill, Ontario. She is the founder and

owner and her mission is to “help organizations

and individuals in manufacturing environments

to become the best they can be by positively

impacting their ROI (Relationships, Outcomes

and Improvements)”. Karin can be reached at

1-647-401-5274 or by e-mail at

[email protected]; you may also visit

her website at www.karicosolutions.com ■

BIENVENUE AUX NOUVEAUX MEMBRES

CCCS (QUÉBEC) INC.

Individual members / Membres individuel

Réjean Bourgault Vice President Eastern CanadaAvaya Canada555. boul. Dr.-Frederik-PhilipsSaint-Laurent, QC H4M 2X4www.avaya.com/ca-en/[email protected] : 514.956.7200

Serge HamelPresidentSJ Hamel Inc. 43 Blvd. Samson, # 249, Laval, QC H7X 3R8 [email protected] : 514.947.2525

Simon SchneiterChef d’équipe / ManagerServices consultatifs transactionnels / Transaction Advisory ServicesErnst & Young s.r.l./S.E.N.C.R.L. 800, boul. René-Lévesque Ouest, Bureau 1900Montréal, QC H3B 1X9 [email protected]/ca

IN FO SU I SS E20

Business and Other News

Nouvel les economiques et information

at the relationship between the velocity (V),

the money supply (M), the price level (P),

and the output (Y). This is represented by

the equation M * V = P * Y. The right part

of the formula represents the nominal GDP

(P* Y). How does this help me in estimating

infl ation? Assuming that the velocity and

output are constant a 3% increase in money

supply would result in a 3% price increase. Is

it really that easy?

No, let’s take the US as an example. The

money supply measured by the money

aggregate M2 increased from end of 2007 to

2010 by 18.66%. However, up to this moment

this has not yet translated into higher prices

as prescribed by the theory, as the price

level increased only by 4.35% in the same

time and the output was constant. Why, the

velocity of money went down by 11.36%, as

every solvent bank was sitting pretty, hoard-

ing cash, cutting credit lines and therefore

not increasing the circulation of money. In

addition the consumer was suddenly con-

cerned with their debt levels and started

saving and paying down debt. Velocity can

also be considered as an indicator of business

activity, if consumers and businesses buy

goods - money changes hands. The more

active the economy, the more often money

changes hand or is created through use of

credit. This is why central banks across the

world, especially the FED, have stepped in

and pumped money into the economy and

become true lender of last resort. This was

good news during the recession, but what

if the economic activity increases and the

velocity starts to rise again. If the central

banks cannot reduce the money supply, this

will end in higher infl ation.

An additional point of view is to not only

to consider the monetary policy of a country

but also at the fi scal policy. In recent years

the fi scal theory of the price level, a new

economic theory is quoted more frequently.

It states that government fi scal policy can

affect the current price level, by connecting

the present value of future government tax

and spending plans to today’s outstanding

government liabilities through the infl ation

rate. For example, if it is expected that the

government is spending more money in

the future, than a higher infl ation rate is

necessary to off set this and create the same

present value of all future spending plans.

(Note: A higher infl ation rate results in a

lower present value of future cash fl ows.)

This causality has been shown in the past;

however the effect on the infl ation rate is not

always as direct as expected and is highly

dependent on the expectations if future gov-

ernments can produce a balanced budget or

even a surplus. Otherwise, we would be in

deep trouble, given the current fi scal defi cits

in the developed world and future obliga-

tions due to an aging population.

We looked at the monetary and fi scal

policy infl uence on infl ation and its danger.

What are other factors that impact infl ation

such as higher commodity prices? These

factors will eventually be passed on to

the consumer, if they are perceived to be

permanent by the producer. Bad weather

for example that affects the harvest in one

region might not result in a direct overall

price increase. But an increased demand

or decreased supply due to permanently

altered patterns will lead to higher prices.

The recent uproars in the Middle East are

partly attributed to higher food prices. At

the same time developed countries phase

UNE BONNE MEMOIRE EVITE LES MAUVAISES SURPRISES.Pensons long terme.En deux siècles de pratique de la nance, nous avons traversé et surmonté le choc pétrolier de 1974, la crise de 1929, et la panique de 1847. Durant chaque crise, nous avons respecté les mêmes principes simples : la création de valeur sur le long terme et la protection de nos clients.

Nos 200 prochaines années

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Continued from page 15

JU N E/JU LY 21

the danger of imported infl ation because

several emerging countries like Brazil, India,

Indonesia or even China experience higher

infl ation due to the fact that their economies

have expanded at a higher rate than they

increased their capacity. As these countries

manufacture many parts for industrialized

countries, price increases are passed on; for

example import prices in Germany increased

by 12% in the last year.

From a Canadian perspective we are

somewhat sheltered from this effect up to

this point as the Canadian Dollar has appre-

ciated against most other currencies and this

absorbed some of the price increases; on the

other hand it reduces our competitiveness

as our goods become either more expensive

for foreigners to buy or our companies earn

less money on it.

Another big infl uencing factor on infl a-

tion is the increases in wage levels. In

recent years wages in developed countries

have been stable or have even declined. As

the economy will pick up, we will see that

people will ask for higher salaries. Currently,

the main argument against this is that the

unemployment rate is too high and there-

fore employees and unions don’t have the

negotiation power to demand higher wages.

This argument might have some validity for

unskilled work, but in professions where

skilled labour is needed and cannot be

replaced by a random unemployed person,

employees will start to push for higher

wages. These factors are already apparent in

the Producer Price Index.

All these factors raise concern, so watch

out for infl ation, but don’t expect that it

will materialize in one big jump. However

why worry about infl ation other than more

expensive goods. It will also impact interest

rates and therefore mortgage rates. Several

recent articles have already stated that the

average consumer debt level is higher than

ever before since it has been measured at

more than 145% of income.

Can all the consumers that have pur-

chased expensive homes continue to afford

their mortgages if mortgage rates increase

by 2%. This would represent almost a 50%

increase on a 5 year mortgage. What will

happen when these come up for renewal?

Should you wish to discuss this further or would

like to review your portfolio, you may contact

Schwaben Capital at (416) 572-2265 or visit

and bookmark their Blog at

http://SchwabenCapital.wordpress.com

BUSINESS NEWSSource: Location Switzerland

Chocolatier Lindt & Sprüngli USA, head-

quartered in Stratham, NH, for more than

20 years, is expanding with a new corporate

building on the current site. When com-

pleted, its products will be marketed across

the United States, Canada, Mexico, England

and Australia.

Integrated insurance solutions for even the mostspecialized projects.

We provided Sasol-Huntsman, one of the largest producers of Maleic Anhydride in Europe, with an integrated insurance and risk preven-tion solution to address the risks associated with moving a 700 ton factory component across Germany. By helping our customer ensure the necessary precautions were taken, and providing coverage for the entire trip, everyone was breathing easy. It’s an example of how Zurich HelpPoint delivers the help businesses need when it matters most. To learn more about this case,visit www.zurichcanada.com/risks

”We had to move this 700 ton component more than 400 miles. Scores of risks, but Zurich made us feel confident we were well covered.”Herbert Peters, Managing Director,Sasol-Huntsman, Moers, Germany

Because change happenz®, Zurich® and Zurich HelpPointTM are trademarks of Zurich Insurance Company Ltd.

Continued on page 24

IN FO SU I SS E22

Travel News

AGROTOURISM IN SWITZERLAND/VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES ON SWISS FARMSAgrotourismus.ch is the umbrella for the fol-

lowing three organizations. Unifi ng quality

norms and marketing concept is in develop-

ment. (Sept. 2010)

“Swiss Holiday Farms”: Many farms in

Switzerland offering holidays at attractive

prices. No other organization in Switzerland

offers such a vast and varied choice. The

farms are divided up into the following cat-

egories: holiday homes, bed and breakfast

accommodation, children’s holidays and

caravans/alpine cabins/hiker’s dorms. 2009:

230 farms produced 102,300 overnights,

with revenue of 2 million Swiss Francs.

www.bauernhof-ferien.ch

“Sleep on Straw” offered in more than

200 farms in Switzerland. 2009: 182 farms

with 41’800 overnights, revenue of 900,000

Swiss Francs. www.abenteuer-stroh.ch

Rural-Tourism.ch. The association for

the development and the promotion of

rural tourism in Switzerland, rural-tourism.

ch, gathers small independent service

providers. They may be divided into 3

service-categories: lodge, enjoy (the local

cuisine) and discover (the nearby rural sur-

roundings). The association rural-tourism.ch

has the ambition to develop and promote all

the possibilities to enjoy rural-tourism in the

whole country. 2009: 250 members.

The number of farms engaged in some

kind of agrotourism in Switzerland is esti-

mated at 3,500.

On the Swiss National Holiday, August 1st,

over 400 Swiss farms are offering brunch/

lunch at the farm with opportunity to see

their daily work. www.brunch.ch

For the Swiss farmers’ look the

following web site sells trendy cloth:

www.landwirtschaft.ch

Sources: Hotel Revue 2010, web sites of above

organizations. ■

COM

Swiss quality neatly packaged in an airline.–

The Swiss are known for their high quality standards and precision. Onboard, you’ll nd these traits blend well with our natural friendliness and discretion to ensure your ight is time well spent. SWISS Business introduces new fully lie- at beds and adjustable air cushions that enable you to select your ideal seat comfort. Our new A330-300 aircraft will be available daily between Montreal and Zurich as of January 27. For informa-tion and reservations please call 1 877 FLY SWISS, contact your travel agent or visit swiss.com

YOUR FLIGHT, MADE.

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WITH FULLY LIE-FLAT BED

Canadian-Swiss Cultural Association (CSCA) Upcoming Events

• June 8 – Spousal/Partner Event (joint SCCC/CSCA event) at RCYC on Toronto Island (AGM CSCA)

• Sept 17/18 – Shaw Festival Matinee

• October (tba) McMichael Exhibion

• Oct/Nov (tba) Opera Atelier 25th Anniversary, Rehearsal

• December 1 – Christmas Dinner

MySwitzerland.comThe Swiss Travel System has the perfect ticket for you to discover Switzerland. Tailoured toyour itinerary the Swiss Pass, Swiss Flexi Pass, Swiss Transfer Ticket or the Swiss Card will bethe perfect solution to ride 20,000 km of train, postal bus or boat routes. Your personal choiceinclude the classic scenic routes such as the Glacier Express, the Bernina Express, the GoldenPass Line, the William Tell Express, and the Palm Express. Also included is the public transportsystem of 38 cities, and the passes give you 50% discount on most mountaintop trains andcable cars. To top if off, you will profit from free entries to over 450 museums.

Our amusement park.

For more information go to www.swisstravelsystem.ch,www.raileurope.ca, or call 1-800-361-RAIL (7245)

IN FO SU I SS E24

The Swiss based Liebherr Group will

be expanding its existing production facili-

ties in Laval, Canada, where the Canadian

division will plan to assemble landing gear

components for Bombardier’s new CSeries

commercial aircraft. The CSeries is a range

of commercial aircraft seating between

100 and 149 and is scheduled to come into

service in 2013.

Switzerland headquartered GPS company

Garmin Ltd. Is planning to open an offi ce in

the Detroit area to support existing auto-

motive OEM customers and develop new

international business opportunities. The

new offi ce will be located in Novi, MI and is

scheduled to open this month.

California-based Internet giant Google is

renting an additional building in Zurich for

300 employees in its development center

there. Currently Zurich is Google’s largest

campus outside the US, where the staff

exceeds 700.

Staples, Inc. announced a new strategic

alliance with one of the leading Swiss offi ce

products companies, Büro Schoch Direct AG.

Within Switzerland, Staples and Büro Schoch

Direct will work exclusively on international

accounts and collaborate to exchange best

practices.

Eye care manufacturer Alcon, owned

75% by Novartis, recently celebrated the

opening of an expanded production facility

near Huntington, West Virginia. Switzerland’s

Ambassador to the US, H.E. Manuel Sager,

Alcon CEO Kevin Buehler, Novartis CEO Joe

Jimenez, and West Virginia’s Governor Earl

Ray Tomblin participated in the “ribbon

cutting” ceremonies. The plant, which is

expected to create 300 new jobs, will make

devices to support cataract surgery.

US medical conglomerate Johnson &

Johnson is to buy Swiss medical devices

maker Synthes, Inc. The acquisition, which

is likely to close in the fi rst half of 2012, is

valued at over $21 billion and represents the

American companies largest buy ever and

for the time being the largest M & A transac-

tion of the year to date. J & J already has a

very substantial presence in various regions

of Switzerland and almost 3,000 persons

work for Synthes in Switzerland, with the

company’s European HQ being based in

Canton Solothurn. Once approved by the

relevant regulatory authorities, the acquisi-

tion will help further solidify Switzerland’s

leadership position in medical technology

and innovation. ■

Business News

Continued from page 21

SWISS.COM

Lorsque la qualité suisse prend son envol.–Des normes de qualité plus élevées pour que votre vol soit une expérience mémorable. Les Suisses sont connus pour leurs standards de qualité élevés et leur précision. À bord, grâce à ces caractéristiques tout helvétiques alliées à notre ama-bilité naturelle et à notre discrétion, vous pro tez pleinement de vos heures de vol. SWISS Business comporte désormais des lits qui s’abaissent à l’horizontale et des coussins pneumatiques réglables qui vous permettent d’opter ainsi pour la forme de confort qui vous convient le mieux. Notre nouvel avion A330-300 assure un vol quoti-dien entre Montréal et Zurich. Pour informations et réservations appelez le 1 877 FLY SWISS, contactez votre agence de voyages ou visitez le swiss.com

VOTRE VOL, SWISS MADE.

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S’ABAISSANT À L’HORIZONTALE

023_300_QualityYUL_184x127_f_infosuisse 1 22.02.11 15:25

JU N E/JU LY 25

COOPERATION AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE CANADIAN-SWISS CULTURAL ASSOCIATION INC. (CSCA) AND THE SWISS CANADIAN CHAMBER OF COMMERCE (ONTARIO) INC. (SCCC)By Ernst Notz

Within the Swiss Community there is a non-

profi t organization by the name of Canadian

Swiss Cultural Association. It was founded

in Toronto in 1969 by a group of Canadian

and Swiss scientists, artists, authors and

economists. The objective of the CSCA is to

promote, encourage and develop matters

of cultural interest to Swiss and Canadians.

CSCA activities are many and its members

enjoy outings and events, such as concerts,

opera performances, movies and art col-

lections. CSCA members have attended

the Shaw Festival, special exhibits at the

ROM, Bata Shoe Museum, University Club

and other events of cultural interest. In

cooperation with the Swiss Embassy and the

Consulate General in Toronto, SCCC and the

Swiss Club, CSCA supports artists and events

of a cultural nature in both countries.

The boards of the SCCC and CSCA have

entered into a cooperation agreement to

eliminate any potential confl icts when

receiving requests for events; at the same

time, both organizations will benefi t from

the synergies achieved. The CSCA needs

new members in order to remain fi nancially

viable and the SCCC will be able to provide

support by opening new avenues for the

CSCA to obtain new members.

The CSCA will continue to exist as an

independent legal entity with its own board

of directors but within the SCCC organization.

The SCCC board of directors will nominate one

of its members to sit on the board of CSCA.

The CSCA will coordinate its annual budget

with SCCC and both organizations will work

together to promote cultural events where

the CSCA will have a key role.

CSCA is offering discounted membership

fees to SCCC members. The fee rate was

agreed to be $ 20 for individual membership

and $ 30 for family membership. In return,

SCCC will offer discounted membership fees

to CSCA members who wish to join the SCCC.

CSCA members will now receive regular

e-mail links to read and/or download the SCCC

info/suisse magazine. Hard copies, by mail,

can be received at a rate of $ 25 per year.

For upcoming events, see separate event

schedule in this issue of info/suisse. Please

contact the CSCA president Ernst Notz for

additional questions (Tel. 416 473 8681)

or email [email protected] to join this

interesting organization and to profi t of its

many great offerings. ■

Chamber News

Information de votre chambre

Quote of the Month

You can’t call yourself an entrepreneur

unless you’ve mortgaged

your house to the business.

Ted Rogers

IN FO SU I SS E26

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Furthermore, each engagement team

has a tax partner, assurance manager and

two assurance partners to ensure that a

dedicated team is involved throughout the

year. Clients benefi t from this team approach

as it allows for many points of contact for

informed advice.

Whether clients are considering a merger,

acquisition or divestiture of their business,

Cunningham’s corporate fi nance team can

advise on such matters. In addition to tax

structuring, other services would include

assisting in the due diligence process, fi nanc-

ing assistance, purchase price negotiations,

lease vs. buy decisions, business planning

and forecasting, and possibly how to best

merge two accounting systems.

Finally, Cunningham LLP is home to

“The Blunt Bean Counter” (www.theblunt-

beancounter.com), a blog written by Mark

Goodfi eld, a tax partner and the fi rm’s

managing partner. Mark provides blunt

and opinionated comments on income tax,

business, investing and other non-fi nancial

matters. Although not all comments refl ect

the position of the fi rm, they can be quite

entertaining and educational. ■

Member Prof i leContinued from page 11

JU N E/JU LY 27

SCCC AGM ON APRIL 12, 2011On April 12, the board of directors of the

SCCC Ontario and 30 members met for the

Annual General Meeting. It took place at

Le Meridien King Edward again, where we

enjoyed excellent Swiss-style hors-d’oeuvres

prepared by Swiss Chef Schick. Outgoing

president Hans Munger thanked long-term

director and past president Ernst Notz for

his many years of services on the board. He

also acknowledged the work on the board of

outgoing director Fabian Richenberger. Hans

Munger then welcomed Ms. Babette Baars

(Marché Restaurants), Mr. Mirko Capodanno

(Switzerland Tourism) and Mr. Yves-Daniel

Cochand (SwissRe) as new members on

board. Future president Philipp Gysling

thanked Hans Munger for his two year term

as president of the SCCC and looks forward to

his continued work on the board of directors.

The event’s guest speaker was social media

marketing innovator Rob Campbell (www.

smojoe.com), who gave an interesting intro-

duction to social media and its relevance in

today’s business world. ■

SWISS NIGHT AT THE MARCHÉ ON MAY 3, 2011Our 3rd Swiss Night was a great success with

75 guests attending.

Our special guests included a Trade

Delegation from Switzerland, which

was hosted by the Consulate General of

Switzerland in Toronto and OSEC.

Furthermore, a crew from CashTV out of

Switzerland was among our guests. They

were shooting a portrait on the Marché

(Babette Baars), one of the Chamber’s

members. They also fi lmed a portrait about

SCCC members Ruedi Hafen of Niagara

Helicopters, Ingrid Laederach of Swiss-Master

Chocolatier and Urs Villiger of Velago Patio

Furniture. This feature will air on July 3, 2011

on Swiss TV.

Also among our guests were Sandra Gysi

and her husband Ahmed Abdel Mohsen,

whose fi lm Sira - Songs of the Crescent

Moon was shown at Hot Docs, the Canadian

International Documentary Festival.

Be sure not to miss our next Swiss Night

on July 12 on the newly opened patio

(weather permitting). ■

Chamber News

Information de votre chambre

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Ernst Notz (left) and Hans Munger

Rob Campbell

IN FO SU I SS E28

Si je savoure si souvent ces si purs suisses-ci de la Suisse, c’est parce que ces si purs suisses-ci de la Suisse sont si savoureux. Pourquoi ces si purs suisses-ci de la Suisse sont-ils si savoureux déjà? Ces si purs suisses-ci de la Suisse sont si savoureux parce qu’ils sont faits comme seule la Suisse sait les faire. Si vrai, si pur, si Suisse. Si, si.

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FORSTMESSEDate: 18-AUG-11 to 21-AUG-11FORSTMESSE (Forest Fair) Expo provides showcases the latest in new technology, equipment, supplies and services, as well as educate the forest sector and the general public about the importance of our forests.Venue: Zurich Exhibition Center, Zurich, Switzerland

SuisseEMEXDate: 23-AUG-11 to 25-AUG-11SuisseEMEX is the exhibition for the Marketing, Communication, Promotion and Events. This is the largest event in Zurich which will be held between 23 - 25 Aug 2011 at Zurich Exhibition Center. The event is being organized by Emex Management Gmbh. Venue: Zurich Exhibition Center, Zurich, Switzerland

BAUEN & MODERNISIERENDate: 01-SEP-11 to 04-SEP-11BAUEN & MODERNISIEREN 2011 Expo is for the serious builders and renovators. It is sponsored by the Master Builders Association of Switzerland. The Building & Home Improvement Expo will feature the latest manufacturers and suppliers of building products and services.Venue: Zurich Exhibition Center, Zurich, Switzerland

SWITZERLAND CENTRE FOR TRADE FAIRS/ LA SUISSE –

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Through your membership in the

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The country’s leading benefi t program

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including coverage normally reserved for big businesses

Discover the wide range of benefi ts available to you, such as Health and Dental, Critical Illness coverage, Short & Long Term Disability income replacement and more!

For more information, contact Patricia Keller Schläpfer at the SCCC

or visit www.chambers.ca.