Xplornet Responds to Industry Canada's Spectrum Auction Announcement

MARKHAM, Ontario, March 15, 2012 /Canada NewsWire/ - John Maduri, CEO of Xplornet Communications Inc., Canada's leading provider of rural broadband, responded today to Industry Canada's announcement of proposed changes to foreign ownership and spectrum auction rules. Overall, Xplornet is conditionally supportive of the direction of the proposed changes.

"Industry Canada has responded to a wide range of complex issues and diverse interests around foreign investment and spectrum rules in a fair and balanced way," said Maduri today. However, Xplornet remains disappointed that spectrum auctions will continue to be biased towards urban mobile providers and against providers of rural broadband. "To acquire spectrum for rural use, bidders would be required to buy urban areas. This prices many rural broadband providers out of the spectrum market and slows expansion of broadband to rural Canadians," said Maduri.

Xplornet looks forward to participating in the upcoming auctions. However, Xplornet believes that 700 MHz alone will not be able to meet the growing capacity needs of broadband users.

"Our strongest recommendation to Industry Canada is to advance, as quickly as possible, the 2.5 GHz auction. Every delay making this spectrum available slows the development and improvement of broadband networks for all Canadians. We sincerely hope Minister Paradis makes expediting this auction a major priority," concluded Maduri.

About Xplornet Communications Inc.

Headquartered in Woodstock, New Brunswick, Xplornet Communications Inc. (formerly Barrett Xplore Inc.) is Canada's leading rural broadband provider. We believe everyone should have access to the transformative benefits of broadband, so we make our service available everywhere in Canada, including the hard to reach places. We overcome the challenges of Canada's vast geography through our deployment of Canada's first national 4G network, which leverages both fixed-wireless towers on the ground and next-generation satellites in space. Our customers live in the farthest reaches of the country and just outside of major urban centres, and through our coast-to-coast network of local dealers we connect them to all that the Internet offers. Xplornet is high-speed Internet - for all of Canada.

xplornet.com | twitter.com/xplornet | facebook.com/xplornet

6 Steps for Planning This Year's Garden

Phil and Pam/CC BY 2.0

from TreeHugger.com
by Colleen Vanderlinden - Living / Lawn & Garden

I'm not great at planning. I'll confess that up front. I am very much one of those "eh, let's try it and see what happens!" type of people. But when it comes to growing a productive, attractive garden, planning is essential. It helps you with everything from figuring out which seeds to order to deciding if you can really afford the space that growing 15 varieties of heirloom tomatoes would require. It will save you money, save you time, and, best of all, save you some headaches during the gardening season.

It doesn't even take that much work. Here's what I do to plan my garden every year.

1. Assess Your Space

Look at where you'll be growing your garden. Will you be planting in raised beds, containers, a community garden plot? What kind of sun does the area get? Measure the space -- this will come in handy later on. In my own garden, I have nine raised beds, as well as a large garden space in my side yard, plus a few containers. I have the measurements of all of my beds written down. You can also draw them out, to scale, on graph paper if you want. More on that later.

2. Figure Out What You Want to Grow

So now you know what kind of space you're working with, and the fun begins. List everything you want to grow. This doesn't mean you'll grow it all, necessarily. It just gives you an idea of where your priorities lie. Do you want lots of paste tomatoes for canning? Tons of greens for salads? Maybe your family loves potatoes, or squash, or whatever. Write it all down.

3. Narrow It Down

This is where your garden measurements and your list of things to grow come together. If you have limited space, it's unlikely you're going to be able to grow both enough tomatoes for canning AND enough potatoes to store for the winter. You'll need to make some choices here. What do you REALLY, really want to grow? What will you and your family actually eat (as opposed to just wanting to grow something because it's interesting/pretty?)

This is also the time to assess when you can best grow things. Spinach, for example, is best grown in spring or fall in most areas (it bolts when the weather gets hot). So you can grow it, but what will you replace it with during the heat of summer? Maybe some bush beans would work. This step can be a lot of fun, but it can also help you get your shopping list under control as well.

4. Map It Out

You don't necessarily have to draw out a garden plan, but I often find that it helps me see things more clearly. If you're not great with a ruler and pencil (I'm not, for example...) look into online garden planning tools. Gardener's Supply has a free online garden planning tool that you can use to quickly turn your list into an actual garden plan. Mother Earth News' online planner isn't free, but it's very useful -- this is what I use to plan my garden. (Disclaimer, I also blog for Mother Earth. I'd like the planner even if I didn't.)

This step helps you figure out how much of each plant you can grow, and you can also figure out succession planting now, so it makes it very easy to figure out what you need for the next step:

5. Buying Seeds/Plants

Now is when you take your list and plan and go shopping. You still have some decisions to make, though. Are you going to start your warm-season crops like tomatoes and peppers indoors from seed, or are you going to buy transplants. If you're starting them from seed, you'll need some equipment (that's another post.) At the very least, you'll know which seeds you need now. Here are some of my favorite sources for organic seeds:

Seed Savers Exchange
Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds
Johnny's Selected Seeds
High Mowing Organic Seeds


6. Figuring Out When to Plant

Next, you need to come up with a schedule, based on your plan, of when to plant everything. If you're using a tool like the Mother Earth News planner, you'll get emails telling you when to do these things. However, you can also learn what to plant when by checking out the following resources:

Mother Earth News: What to Plant Now
Johnny's Selected Seeds has a seed starting interactive calendar and succession planting calendar on their site.


It's not difficult, and it really doesn't take that much time. But a bit of planning will help you grow a healthier, more productive garden this and next year.

Faculty Strengthens Canada's Only MBA in Food and Agribusiness Management

GUELPH, Ontario, March 5, 2012 /Canada NewsWire/ - The University of Guelph has a long history in food and agribusiness. The two-year MBA program combines unique face-to-face and interactive online learning with world-class professors with real-life experience. The program has graduated many industry leaders over the past two decades.

The agricultural industry is changing - new technologies, globalization, deregulation and new supply chain management - and the MBA program has responded with enhanced courses and professors in touch with the changing environment.

"We have introduced more real-time, real-world learning," says Prof. Ken Smith the new Associate Dean (executive programs). "I believe we have attracted the strongest faculty and they make our agribusiness MBA program the best in the country."

Before joining the University, Smith practised as a strategy consultant for 25 years. His extensive client work and research interests are focused on business and public policy issues related to industry restructuring. His work has been widely published in the business press, including the Harvard Business Review.

Prof. Mike von Massow is an expert in supply chain management and teaches the operations management course. He has 25 years of experience and is an active researcher and speaker in the area of food value chains. He worked for Cargill and has consulted with large and small business in the industry.

Considered an international authority in price risk management, Prof. Francesco Braga is a world-class expert in trading and hedging in agribusiness. He taught risk management to students in Europe, North and South America, and has consulted extensively throughout the world.

"Our program is designed for up-and-coming food and agribusiness professionals who want to enhance their credentials without disrupting their careers," says Smith. "And we've assembled a world-class faculty to help students learn the ins and outs of this global industry."

The MBA program begins each May and can be completed within two years. The registration deadline is fast approaching. Prospective students have until March 31, 2012 to apply.

About the University of Guelph

Receiving over $140 million of research funding in the 2010/11 fiscal year, the University of Guelph is one of the most research-intensive universities in Canada. It is internationally renowned for its broad spectrum of research. For more information about the University of Guelph's MBA programs, visit www.uoguelph.ca/cme/mba.

Here's What's Wrong With Our Food, But We Can't Fix It By Eating Alone

GreennovateChina/Video screen capture

from TreeHugger.com
by Sami Grover - Science / Sustainable Agriculture

From whale meat for sale on Amazon to exploding pigs in the Midwest, the symptoms of a broken food system are evident everywhere.

A new video from GreennovateChina, the folks who brought us the Real Cost of Our Clothes, does an excellent job of outlining the challenges we face.

From an overly industrialized food production system, through a reliance on corn and GMOs, to neglecting the health of our soils and marketing foods based on cravings and psychology, not nutrition, this is a pretty comprehensive overview of the major issues that advocates for healthier, more sustainable food are trying to fix.

Unlike some sustainable agriculture advocates, the video is also not afraid to tackle the most contentious elephant in the room—over consumption of meat and its impact on our health and our ecology. As witnessed in the EWG's Meat Eater's Guide, consumption of certain meats and cheeses can dramatically increase a person's individual carbon footprint, so encouraging a more measured approach to consuming animal products and/or considering vegetarianism is clearly a key part of any attempt to encourage greener, less harmful diets.

But given GreennovateChina's willingness to tackle the meat issue, I am disappointed they left out another key step in changing our food system—voting and campaigning. At risk of sounding like a broken record, voting and shopping are not the same thing and I am personally not convinced that they are even separate but equal. Sure, the video references Carlo Pettrini and Jamie Oliver's explicitly political attempts at changing our food system, but the summary in conclusion (shown in the screen grab above) leaves the politics in the shopping cart and/or in the class room.



Yes, what we buy everyday shapes the politics of food, and yes we have to educate ourselves and make better choices, but unless those better choices are reflected at the ballot box as much as the cash register, I fear we'll all be tut tutting at the salad bar in Whole Foods while the rest of the world goes to hell in a hand basket. Maybe you have to meet (meat?) the world where it's at, and perhaps the audience for this video is not ready to man the barricades. But let's not pretend that education and eating are enough. At some point we've got to raise our voices too, even if we talk with our mouths full.

...read the full story at TreeHugger.com

Ontario's Local Food Champions

Report Recognizes Innovative Leaders

TORONTO, February 22, 2012 /Canada NewsWire/ - The growth of Ontario food in our public institutions is inspiring. Today we celebrate those who change the food on plates in hospitals, long-term care facilities, and educational institutions. The Ontario's Local Food Champions report recognizes five organizations from across the food value chains that exemplify leadership and provide solutions to incorporate more Ontario food on their menus.

"In just under a year we have seen outstanding growth in sales and volumes of Ontario food served in public institutions," said Burkhard Mausberg, CEO, Friends of the Greenbelt Foundation. "This report recognizes a few of the many champions working to make local food the standard at our hospitals, schools and daycares."

This year's Ontario's Local Food Champions represent the dynamic changes happening across foodservice. Here are the highlights:

School Food Action Coalition: Peel District School Board, Compass Group Canada (Chartwells), Peel Public Health and EcoSource

...Achieved designation as the first school board in Canada to implement a local food buying policy for secondary schools
...Educated students about benefits of Ontario food by inviting farmers' to visit schools
...Hosted a culinary competition for students with the winning recipe used by Peel District School Board
...Created material with Compass Group Canada to identify locally sourced menu items at 200 schools

Nutrition Group at St. Joseph's Health System, Group Purchasing Organization and My Sustainable Canada

...Sourced Ontario food for St. Joseph's Health System, Group Purchasing Organization's 28 health care facilities by including local food language in their Requests for Proposals
...Led to a 15 per cent increase in local food purchased, representing $670,000 in sales
...Created a guide to conducting origin of food audits with other health care facilities

Gordon Food Service Ontario

...Recognized as one of the largest broad line distributors in Canada, GFS assigned a team to implement a local food strategy
...Produced over 800 local products, all suitable for large institutions
...Expanded the availability of local products resulting in a 10 per cent sales boost in one year
...Established relationships with local farmers to help them adopt food safety practices and meet the packaging expectations of public institutions

Don's Produce

...Provided local produce to eight hospitals, 22 long-term care facilities, 17 universities and schools and five child care centres across southwestern Ontario
...Developed a program to help chefs and foodservice buyers increase their purchase of local produce and monitor quarterly progress
...Provided a seasonal availability chart to help chefs and foodservice managers efficiently plan their menus to incorporate local produce

University of Guelph, Hospitality Services

...Created a department-wide Sustainability Plan to support local farmers and educate consumers on and off campus about the benefits of buying local
...Supported the local economy and the 75 farmers who sell at the Elmira Auction Co-operative by purchasing products for the University of Guelph
...Succeeded in elevating local produce purchases to 45 per cent
...Identified processing and preserving methods to ensure local stays on the menu beyond harvest

These five champions were among 20 nominations received to help select the 2012 Champions. An advisory committee reviewed the nominations and assisted in the selection process. The nominations represent the impressive amount of work and dedication going into bringing more local Ontario food into public institutions. To read the stories of other nominees visit www.OntarioFresh.ca.

"The Ontario government is committed to working with farmers, food processors and distributors to bring more Ontario food to our tables at home, in the school cafeteria, and in other public institutions," says Ted McMeekin, Minister of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs. "Supporting Ontario food contributes to healthy meals and a healthy economy."

Take a walk down memory lane with 'Milk Calendar Moments'

An entertaining retrospective of favourite recipes, original photography, world events and unforgettable moments in pop culture

TORONTO, February 21, 2012 /Canada NewsWire/ - Dairy Farmers of Canada launched a new microsite for Milk Calendar fans called "Milk Calendar Moments". This new feature was developed as part of the year-long celebrations for the 35th anniversary of the Milk Calendar. "Milk Calendar Moments" lets Canadians take a walk down memory lane by seeing vintage recipes and calendar covers in the midst of memorable events and pop culture news from the past four decades.

"Dairy Farmers of Canada hears from people everywhere about how the Milk Calendar has earned a special place in their kitchens and in their hearts," says Claire Payette, director, marketing, Dairy Farmers of Canada. "So many people grew up with the Milk Calendar, hanging it with care in their kitchen and keeping track of the family's activities throughout the year. Over the years, the Milk Calendar's editions have become diaries for many Canadian families."

Inspired by the deep history of the Milk Calendar, the "timeline" is a place where users can interact with the Milk Calendar in a whole new way. It allows them to scroll through a social timeline of the past 35 years and share their favourite memories with their friends via Twitter, Facebook or email. The recipes are at the forefront, however, it goes far beyond that and includes newspaper clips, music videos, as well as fun and interesting facts.

"The Milk Calendar has roots that run deep," says Mickael Kanfi, chief product officer with the digital marketing agency Twist Image, who developed the microsite in collaboration with Dairy Farmers of Canada. "Canadians have been sharing their memories with Dairy Farmers of Canada for years. We believe making the memories public and shareable is the perfect way to celebrate the 35th anniversary."

As months go by, Canadians will be able to go back in time and relive some of their favourite Milk Calendar Moments by visiting www.MyMilkCalendar.ca/Moments, while the Milk Calendar team will continue to post new memories with every new launch of the Milk Calendar.

About Dairy Farmers of Canada

Dairy Farmers of Canada (DFC) strives to create favourable conditions for the Canadian dairy industry, today and in the future. DFC works to maintain policies that foster the viability of Canadian dairy producers and to promote quality Canadian dairy products made from 100% Canadian milk as part of a healthy balanced diet

Canadians Face Challenges When Working from Home

Basic office technology is lacking in many home workspaces

DOLLARD-DES-ORMEAUX, Quebec, February 10, 2012 /Canada NewsWire Telbec/ - Almost half of employed Canadians work from home at least occasionally, but their home offices may be impeding their productivity. New research from Ipsos Reid and Brother Canada reveals that one quarter (26%) of employed Canadians work from home at least once a week, with another quarter (23%) doing so on occasion.

However, despite the popularity of working from home, many home offices have room for improvement. According to the study, only two in 10 Canadians (22%) who work from home like the fact that their home office set-up is efficient and functional. Only three in 10 (28%) like the fact that their home office has resources that are equivalent to those at an outside office. And, not surprisingly, this has a negative impact on productivity: only two in 10 (23%) respondents say they like the fact that they are more productive from home.

According to Marc Ruel, Home Office Expert at Brother Canada, the survey results are proof positive that most Canadians are not taking the right approach to working from home.

"Being productive when working from home is a direct result of being organized," he said. "The right workspace is essential. Your home office does not need to be decked out with all of the latest bells and whistles, but it does need to be properly equipped and carefully planned. Most important, people who work from home must treat their home office like it's their real office - no pyjamas, no folded laundry, and no distractions."

When it comes to home office technology, the study indicates that many home offices are not up to par. When questioned about what they would expect to find in a home office, most respondents listed a high-powered computer or laptop (79%) while seven in ten (72%) would expect to have a printer. However, only 65% of respondents actually have a printer in their home office, and only six in ten (60%) have a high-powered computer or laptop.

Other things that working Canadians would expect to have in a home office include a quiet room (64%, just 43% have one), a scanner (61%, just 45% have one), home office products with wireless capabilities (57%, just 31% have one), a fax machine (52%, just 28% have one), and a smartphone (36%, just 24% have one).

According to Marc Ruel, the right home office equipment depends entirely on the worker:

"There is no set rule for the technology that's required in a home office, although it's worth noting that recent innovations have brought us affordable all-in-one machines that can perform multiple tasks and save on both money and space. If you're just starting out, make a list of your daily tasks and consult with a professional at your local office supply store to find out what machine is best for you."

These are some of the findings of an Ipsos Reid poll conducted between September 30 and October 4 2011, on behalf of Brother. For this survey, a sample of 1,025 working Canadians from Ipsos' online panel was interviewed online. Weighting was then employed to balance demographics and political composition to ensure that the sample's composition reflects that of the adult population according to Census data and to provide results intended to approximate the sample universe. A survey with an unweighted probability sample of this size and a 100% response rate would have an estimated margin of error of +/- 3.1 percentage points, 19 times out of 20, of what the results would have been had the entire population of working adults in Canada been polled. All sample surveys and polls may be subject to other sources of error, including, but not limited to coverage error, and measurement error.

About Brother Canada:

Brother Canada celebrated its 50th anniversary in 2010. The company was established in Montreal in 1960 and is part of a worldwide network of companies belonging to Brother Industries Ltd, of which the corporate headquarters is situated in Nagoya, Japan. Active in over 100 countries, Brother markets a wide range of business machines and home appliances known for their reliability, ease of use and versatility at affordable prices. Numerous Brother products have been awarded significant honours. Recent awards for the company include: the PC Mag Reader's Choice Award 2011 for the quality and reliability of Brother B&W and colour laser printers and all-in-ones, as well as the internationally recognized iF Product Design Award 2011, commending seven Brother products for their innovation and quality of design. Brother Industries Ltd. is a 6 billion-dollar (USD) company employing more than 29,000 people operating in 44 countries and regions around the globe. www.brother.ca

About Ipsos Reid:

Ipsos Reid is Canada's market intelligence leader and the country's leading provider of public opinion research. With operations in eight cities, Ipsos Reid employs more than 300 research professionals and support staff in Canada. The company has the biggest network of telephone call centres in Canada, as well as the largest pre-recruited household and on-line panels. Ipsos Reid's Canadian marketing research and public affairs practices are staffed with seasoned research consultants with extensive industry-specific backgrounds, offering the premier suite of research vehicles in Canada—including the Ipsos Trend Report, the leading source of public opinion in the country—all of which provide clients with actionable and relevant information. Ipsos Reid is an Ipsos company, a leading global survey-based market research group. To learn more, visit www.ipsos.ca