Health food stores, once thought of mostly as “hippie bastions,” have become mainstream, with health and organic food items now occupying entire aisles in grocery stores. A University of Guelph professor says it’s due to society’s growing concerns about health, its desire to remain youthful and distrust of technology and mainstream medicine.

“All of these factors have contributed to the growing health food craze,” said Catherine Carstairs, a U of G history professor who recently conducted interviews with 30 leaders in the health food industry across Canada. She is tracing the history and trends of Canada’s health food industry.

A 2005 Ipsos-Reid survey found that 71 per cent of Canadians regularly take natural health products such as vitamins and minerals, herbal products and homeopathic medicine.

But while health products are now the norm in Canadian households, it was actually during the 1960s that the health food industry really took off, said Carstairs. Interest in vegetarianism, the environmental movement and eastern spirituality accounts for some of this growth, she said. “But also Rachel Carson’s 1962 book, Silent Spring, drew attention to the health risks posed by pesticides, and herbicides and by the late 1960s, many people had become distrustful of medicine and science.”

This change in people’s attitudes resulted in a huge rise in the number of health food stores across the country, she said. Toronto went from having 13 health food stores in 1957 to more than 100 by 1979.

Another wave of health food stores popped up in the 1990s, and by 1999, the Canadian government created the Natural Health Products Directorate to regulate over-the-counter health products such as vitamins, minerals and herbal remedies.

“The Natural Health Products Directorate has added a lot of legitimacy to the industry because it allowed people to make health claims for products,” said Carstairs.

The definition of a “natural” product is becoming more complex and new products are attracting a different clientele, she said. After St. Louis Cardinals player Mark McGwire hit 70 home runs in 1998 when he was taking Androstenedione, sales of the natural dietary supplement advertised to increase muscle mass and build training endurance skyrocketed.

While body builders may be newer health food store customers, health food leaders told Carstairs that the majority of their customers are women and the elderly. “What they stressed above all was that the people who came to them were in search of better health, were not finding answers in mainstream medicine and so were looking for alternatives,” she said.

It’s only in the last couple of decades that people have begun turning to health food stores for more than to just improve their health, said Carstairs. An examination of Alive magazine, a publication that was launched in the 1970s and is still the country's biggest health food magazine, and a Winnipeg-based magazine called Healthful Living Digest that was launched in the 1940s allowed Carstairs to pinpoint when health trends began.

“There’s a real emphasis in Alive, especially from the 1980s onwards, on how to reverse aging and remain youthful, which is becoming an increasingly important aspect of the industry.”

TORONTO - Cosmetics Magazine presented the first annual Canadian Fragrance Awards tonight, celebrating the best 2005 fragrance launches in Canada. The gala event, hosted at Toronto's York Event Theatre, featured 350 fragrance industry executives from across the country. Italian designer Giorgio Armani took home two of the ten awards winning for his men's Code and Prive scents, while Alfred Sung accepted the Lifetime Achievement Award on his 20th anniversary in the fragrance industry.

The awards are issued following a comprehensive judging process by Canadian beauty editors and international fragrance authorities with the goal of promoting fragrance in this country. Here are the winners:

1. Best Full-Market Launch - Women's
Lovely - Sarah Jessica Parker - Coty Prestige

2. Best Full-Market Launch - Men's
Armani Code - Giorgio Armani - L'Oreal Canada

3. Best Luxe Launch - Women's
Flowerbomb - Viktor & Rolf - L'Oreal Canada

4. Best Luxe Launch - Men's
Armani Prive - Giorgio Armani - L'Oreal Canada

5. Best Limited Launch - Women's
Euphoria - Calvin Klein - Coty Prestige

6. Best Limited Launch - Men's
Z Zegna - YSL Beaute Canada

7. Hall of Fame Award
Chanel No.5 - Chanel

8. Lifetime Achievement Award
Alfred Sung - Alfred Sung

9. Best Fragrance Editorial
Elle Canada - Fragrance Special
By Rita Silvan & Stephanie Polsinelli

10. Scent of the Year: Judges' Choice
Prada - Puig Prestige Beauty

The Canadian Fragrance Awards celebrate the best fragrance launches of the year. The goal of the program is to generate excitement for fragrance in Canada and to salute excellence in the industry.

WATERLOO - The New Quarterly, a national literary magazine based at St. Jerome's University on the University of Waterloo campus, turns a quarter-century this year, complete with special features for readers across the country.

"While bigger and better than ever before, there are many ways in which we've come full circle in that time," said editor Kim Jernigan. "We've returned to St. Jerome's University where we were launched and where we now make our home in a cozy office on the first floor. We've continued to promote local writers, though now to a national audience. And we are again featuring artists, as well as writers, in our pages and on our cover."

The last three issues have featured artists and writers with local roots: Last summer, Shannon Reynolds' portrait series "Dramatis Personae," based on conventional characters from the theatre and "starring" local personalities in the roles of the coquette, the lusty woman, the crone, the sage, the tragic lovers and the dandy; Last fall, the breathtakingly lovely poet and fiction writer Carrie Snyder (author of The Man in the Hair Hat); and, in the issue now in stores, painter Jeff Burns, who grew up in the region and whose surreal interior landscapes were the subject of a one-man show at the Kitchener Waterloo Art Gallery last spring.

The New Quarterly's mandate is to celebrate reading and writing. It plans to celebrate its own 25th anniversary with a series of special features in every issue leading up to its big 100th issue next fall.

The first, on newsstands now, points out the significant number of well-known Canadian writers today who have a history with the magazine. It offers an insider's view of how those writers arrived at the first lines of their latest novels.

"We were struck by how many of the books on the fall lists were by writers nurtured in our pages," Jernigan said, including: David Bergen, winner of the 2005 Giller Prize; Anne Fleming, a nominee for the Governor General's Award; and Lisa Moore, a Giller Prize nominee. "So we asked them to tell us the story of how they arrived at their opening lines, and I think they had fun doing it."

Jernigan said the magazine also celebrates "writers whose work we've published repeatedly so we've been able to see them grow, see their talent mature over time."

For example, the magazine presents a lively interview with Richard Cumyn, a Kingston writer whose first publication was with The New Quarterly and whose fiction and essays have continued to appear in the magazine over the years. Cumyn provides a sneak preview of his coming novel and an essay on his love of manual typewriters, part of the magazine's occasional series on writers and their obsessions.

The spring issue, which is due at newsstands in mid-April, will feature genre literature with an interview with fantasy writer Kenneth Oppel; a trio of essays by science fiction writers, including last year's Waterloo Region One Book, One Community author, Rob Sawyer; essays by mystery writer John Brady and novelist Christine Pountney, who moonlights writing erotica; and a colour feature on the off-the-shelves genre of graffiti.

The summer issue will be devoted to comedy and the 100th issue next fall to a list of the top 25 most-loved living Canadian writers. If anyone wants to sound in on that, the magazine is still accepting votes on-line at www.newquarterly.net.

"You should cast your vote for the writers you really love as opposed to those you respect or feel contribute meaningfully to the national literature," said managing editor Rosalynn Tyo. "We applaud such sentiments, but what we're after are the writers whose words stay with you, whose work you turn to in good times and in bad -- writers whose books are responsible for a few burnt dinners. missed trains and the odd all-nighter."

What are the best workplaces in Canada?

Global top standard for evaluating strength of workplace cultures arrives
in Canada; 30 companies featured in Canadian Business magazine

TORONTO - The global gold standard in the evaluation of workplace cultures has arrived in Canada in the form of a 18-page package in the issue of Canadian Business magazine hitting newsstands today. Thirty organizations--large and small, publicly traded and private--are profiled.
Employers at Canada's Best Workplaces prove employees are important not by offering rooftop patios and foosball tables or even great dental benefits. Instead, they forge a workplace culture of respect, fairness, camaraderie, and above all, trust. Those are the findings of more than two-and-a-half decades of research by the Great Place to Work Institute in San Francisco, a management consultancy that created the Trust Index employee survey. The Great Place to Work Institute Model serves as the basis for Fortune magazine's groundbreaking annual list, 100 Best Companies To Work For in America, since 1998, and is now used in 28 other countries around the world. Companies that have been recognized as having leading workplace cultures by the Great Place to Work model consistently outperform their peers on the stock market over the long run.

And the winners are...
The best workplace in Canada is Vancity. Based in Vancouver, B.C., with $11.8 billion in assets and 330,000 members, Vancity is Canada's largest credit union. A fast-growing financial institution enjoying the fruits of a booming B.C. economy, internal communications is key to the organization's
success. For example, employees have access to the same clearly written
five-year and annual business plans that executives and the board of directors get. What's more, 94% of Vancity employees surveyed said, "This is a friendly place to work."
Second spot went to Back in Motion Rehab Inc. of Surrey, B.C., third to AdFarm in Calgary, fourth to Urban Systems Ltd. with head offices in Kamloops B.C., and fifth to Trico Homes Inc. in Calgary. Members of the press interested in a complete list of all 30 Best Workplaces in Canada should contact the individual listed below.

How we did it
The Great Place to Work Institute Canada, founded by the workplace experts at the Graham Lowe Group in Kelowna, B.C., analyzed nearly 10,000 employee surveys across Canada during the fall of 2005. Two thirds of the companies' scores come from the employee responses to that Trust Index survey. The survey goes to a minimum of 400 randomly selected employees from each company (or all employees if less than 400) and asks about such things as credibility, fairness, respect, pride and camaraderie.
The remaining third of the score comes from an evaluation of the culture audit submitted by each company. It examines demographic makeup, pay and benefits programs, and how each company says it exhibits the core elements of the Great Place to Work Institute Model. For a full explanation of methodology, pick up a copy of Canadian Business magazine's Best Workplaces issue, currently on newsstands.

More than one-half (54%) of Canadian children were in some form of child care in 2002-2003, a rate significantly higher than the 42% reported eight years earlier.

The increase in the child care rate occurred for children from almost all backgrounds, regardless of geographic location, household income, family structure, parental employment status or parental place of birth.

However, there was a reported decline between 2000-2001 and 2002-2003 in the child care rate for children aged 6 to 11 months. The proportion of these children in care fell from 44% to 29% during this two-year period.

This may have been due, in part, to the amendment to the Employment Insurance Act (Bill C-32). It increased the combined maternity, parental and sickness leave from 25 to 50 weeks for new parents whose child was born after December 30, 2000.

As the proportion of children in care increased, there were shifts in the rates of use of certain types of care.

The proportion of children cared for outside the home by a non-relative (the most common form of child care in 1994-1995) fell from 43% to 30% in 2002-2003.

At the same time, the proportion of children cared for by a relative either inside or outside the child's home rose from 22% to nearly 30%. The proportion enrolled in a daycare centre increased from about 20% to 28%.

Child care rates varied from province to province

The proportion of children in some form of child care increased in every province between 1994-1995 and 2002-2003, although the gain in Alberta was small and not statistically significant.

In 2002-2003, child care rates were significantly above the national average of 54% in two provinces — Prince Edward Island and Quebec.

The highest rate was in Quebec, where two-thirds (67%) of all children aged six months to five years were in some form of child care in 2002-2003. The lowest rate was in Alberta where only 43% of children were in child care.

The use of certain types of care arrangements varied from province to province. Most provinces recorded a slight, but not always statistically significant, increase in the use of daycare centres. The biggest gains occurred in Manitoba and Quebec.

In Quebec, 52% of children in child care were enrolled in a daycare centre in 2002-2003, double the proportion of 25% eight years earlier. The proportion of children in a daycare centre in Manitoba nearly doubled, from 14% in 1994-1995 to 27%.

Over the eight-year period, care by a non-relative outside the home became less common in all provinces. Even so, in both Saskatchewan and Ontario it remained the most common type of care for children. In 2002-2003, 54% of children in care in Saskatchewan and 34% in Ontario were cared for outside the home by someone who was not a relative.

Nationally, the proportion of children cared for by a relative in the home rose from 8% in 1994-1995 to 14% in 2002-2003. The proportion of children in British Columbia and Alberta using this type of care almost tripled from 8% to 21% and 6% to 17%, respectively, during the eight-year period.

Type of care varied according to child's demographic background

The use of certain types of care differed with respect to a number of characteristics, including the community in which the child lived, the income level of the child's family and the parental place of birth.

For example, just over one-fifth (22%) of children in care in rural communities were cared for outside the home by a relative in 2002-2003, compared with 16% of children from urban communities.

At the same time, 30% of urban children were enrolled in a daycare centre, compared with 22% of rural children.

In terms of income levels, in 2002-2003, about 40% of children in households at the highest income level were cared for outside the home by a non-relative while 42% of children at the lowest income level were enrolled in a daycare centre.

As for parental place of birth, 26% of children in 2002-2003 whose reporting parent was born outside of Canada were in care inside the home with a relative compared with 12% of children whose parent was born in Canada.

Other aspects: Hours in care and patterns in care over time

This report also examined other aspects of child care including the number of hours children spent in care, and the children's movement from one type of care to another over time.

The report found the average number of hours in care fell from 31 hours per week in 1994-1995 to 29 hours in 2002-2003. Generally, children in daycare centres spent more hours per week in care, while fewer hours per week were spent by children cared for by a relative.

In examining the same group of children over time, the report found that children move in and out of different types of child care as they age. The analysis included parental care as a type of care, along with the six main types of non-parental child care. The results show that in 1998-1999 about 53% of children aged 6 to 24 months were cared for by their parents, while 18% of children were in care outside the home with a non-relative, and a further 11% were outside the home with a relative. By 2002-2003, an average 52% of these children were in a different type of care arrangement from that of 1998-1999. Common patterns in the change over time in the types of care are explained in more detail in the report.

Proportion of children aged six months to five years in child care, by age and background characteristics
	1994-1995	2002-2003
	% in child care
Total	41.9	53.6
Child age
Six months to under one year	36.0	28.6
One year	43.3	56.1
Two years	44.5	58.1
Three years	42.4	57.7
Four years	41.5	55.7
Five years	40.8	53.1
Province of residence
Newfoundland and Labrador	36.4	53.0
Prince Edward Island	42.1	63.4
Nova Scotia	39.0	53.6
New Brunswick	39.1	56.6
Quebec	43.5	66.9
Ontario	43.8	50.5
Manitoba	42.3	52.9
Saskatchewan	44.9	54.7
Alberta	39.1	42.6
British Columbia	35.5	49.2
Community type
Urban	43.0	53.8
Rural	36.3	52.4
Level of household income
Below low-income cutoff (LICO)1	22.7	39.2
Equal to less than two times LICO	37.4	44.8
Two to less than three times LICO	55.2	61.5
Three times LICO or above	71.9	69.9
Family structure
Single-parent	39.0	64.4
Two-parent	42.4	52.1
Parental paid work/study status
Single parent, worked for pay/studied	77.6	82.9
Two parents, one worked for pay or studied	11.1	19.5
Two parents, both worked for pay or studied	66.1	70.9
Place of birth of reporting parent
Canada	42.8	56.4
Outside of Canada	37.3	44.1
1. The LICO is a statistical measure of the income thresholds below which Canadians likely devote a larger share of income than average to the necessities of food, shelter and clothing. Note: Estimates in bold indicate statistically significant differences between 1994/1995 and 2002/2003 (p is less than or equal to 0.05).

TORONTO - Professional psychologists in the GTA are teaming up with their colleagues at the Mood Disorders Association, the Ontario College of Family Physicians, Sunnybrook & Women's Department of Psychiatry and the Ontario Pharmacists Association to promote a new campaign. The campaign, Check Up From the Neck Up, is designed to normalize mood disorders and promote the benefits of regular mental health check-ups.

"Ontario psychologists working day-in and day-out in communities across the province are all too familiar with the debilitating impact of untreated mood disorders on individuals, their friends, families and co-workers," says Dr. Doug Saunders, Past-President of the Ontario Psychological Association (OPA). "The scientific evidence consistently demonstrates that the sooner people get help for a mental stressor, whether it be mild anxiety and depression or more severe disorders, the faster they are able to put it behind them and get back on track."

"As psychologists, we know that the most effective treatment is to help people develop the insights, confidence and skills to be able to handle life's challenges in an effective manner. The goal of this campaign is to give everyone who takes part the encouragement and the tools to regularly monitor and safeguard their mental health in the same way they look after their physical and their dental health," notes Dr. Saunders.

The main tool is the campaign website, Check Up from the Neck Up.ca that includes a simple, self-administered, private, mental health screen. The website also includes resources for those who may want to follow up to determine if they need further assessment and treatment. The resources include a Listing of Psychologists in the GTA who have agreed to make their services available in a timely manner for these individuals. These psychologists will also be working closely with family physicians and other health providers to ensure that individuals seeking assistance receive appropriate follow-up.

Ontario - Longer days, clocks moving one hour ahead and warmer temperatures all are signs that spring is in the air and with that the beginning of the main barbecue season. Few things can match the enjoyment of a barbecue with family and friends. Practising sensible and safe barbecuing will help ensure that your get-together is a sizzling success.
While many people barbecue throughout the year, safety experts with the Technical Standards and Safety Authority (TSSA) recognize rolling out the barbecue is a sure sign that spring has arrived in Ontario. Similar to other spring rituals, the BBQ "season opener" should include a three-step safety check:

1. Clean: use a pipe cleaner or wire to make sure the burner ports are free of rust, dust, dirt, spider webs or other debris.

2. Check: examine the hose leading from the fuel supply to the burners. Replace if cracked or damaged.

3. Test: find leaks by applying a 50/50 solution of water and dish soap to all fuel and hose connections. If bubbles appear, tighten the connections and/or replace the damaged parts and always re-test.

In addition to these opening season safety checks, BBQ enthusiasts are reminded that barbecues are approved for outdoor use only. They emit carbon monoxide, an odourless, colourless poisonous gas that can lead to serious health effects even death.
Propane cylinders must also be safely stored and transported. Do not use or store your cylinders inside any structure. When transporting the cylinder always keep it upright and do not put the cylinder in a closed vehicle or in the trunk. It is preferable to transport the cylinder on the floor of the passenger compartment.

Using propane BBQs on the Balcony: Yes or No?

Many Ontarians live in apartments and condominiums and should be aware of additional safety issues and restrictions regarding the use of barbecues on balconies. Barbecue use may be prohibited by the Condominium Act of your building or prohibited by the building owner or property manager, so ensure you have determined what restrictions are in place for your building. If barbecues are permitted in your building, there are still some regulations governing the storage and use of propane in Ontario on balconies:

- the balcony is open (no closures or walls have been erected);

- cylinders are transported in a service elevator or when there are no service elevators, the person must use the passenger elevator alone to transport the cylinder;

- cylinders are kept outdoors;

- the barbecue is kept clear of all combustible materials listed on its rating plate or in the certified instructions; and

- the cylinder relief valve is at least one metre horizontally from any building opening below it, and three metres from a building air intake.

Remember once again that barbecues are only approved for outdoor use. It is always better to be safe, so if you are uncertain about the condition of any part of your barbecue, including your propane cylinder, replace it with a new component. Parts are readily available at most hardware stores and building centres. If you are uncomfortable performing safety checks and repairs on your propane or natural gas barbecue yourself, please contact a certified fuel-appliance technician. All technicians must be certified by TSSA. If you are unsure if your contractor is registered you can contact TSSA at 1-800-682-8772 www.tssa.org .

Sole' Restaurant and Wine Bar

Presents Mexican Food Festival,  evenings March 20th to April 9th.  A celebration of family, friends, passion and the love of food.   We hope you will join us to be dazzled by the flavours of Mexican cuisine.  

 

March 20th to April 9th Evening Features

 

 

To view a copy of the menu please visit our web site at www.sole.ca

 

 

If you do not wish to receive further emails please reply with your email address to email@sole.ca

 

Sole' Restaurant & Wine Bar
83 Erb Street West
Waterloo, Ontario
N2L 6C2
(519) 747-5622

U of G physics professor and jazz musician Diane Nalini de Kerckhove will be featured on the CBC radio program Jazz Beat on Sunday, March 26.

The national radio program airs at 8 p.m. on CBC Radio Two and at 11:05 p.m. on CBC Radio One. It may also be accessed via the Internet.

A former Rhodes scholar, de Kerckhove, who drops her last name when she hits the stage or the recording studio, joined the U of G faculty in July 2005. As a physics professor, she is building Canada’s first one-micron proton microprobe. As a jazz musician, she has performed for former U.S. president Bill Clinton, Sir Paul McCartney, the President of Malta and the Canadian High Commissioner to London. She has also sung at international music festivals in London, Malta, Montreal and Toronto.

Her third album is a project devoted to the words of William Shakespeare, for which she has written all the music. The album will be premiered at U of G May 25, with the concert serving as a kick off event for the University’s “Shakespeare — Made in Canada” festival planned for January to May 2007.

Landmark Canadian Study Shows Canadian Boomers are Too Tired, Stressed and Overworked for Sex

KIRKLAND, QC - They were born to be wild, celebrated peace, love and pioneered the sexual revolution, but as the youngest of the Canadian boomers head into their forties, they now report spending only 15 minutes a day - less than two hours a week - on sex and romance. Boomers in the Bedroom: Sexual Attitudes and Behaviours of the Boomer Generation, a landmark Ipsos-Reid survey of 2498 Canadian baby boomers (aged 40-64) shows that both male and female survey respondents say they devote 4-5 hours a day to TV watching and the Internet - more than 30 hours a week in total. Yet, those surveyed report they spend only a fraction of that time being romantic or having sex with their partners. The survey was commissioned by Pfizer Canada, the manufacturer of VIAGRA.

Close to 60 per cent of respondents believe "the baby boomers started a sexual revolution," and a whopping 87 per cent consider themselves to be "much more sexually liberated" than the previous generation.

Not Tonight: I'm too Tired, Stressed and Overworked!

"The survey shows that the majority of Canadians who are 40 years and older say fatigue, work and stress are their major obstacles to sexual fulfillment," explains Ipsos-Reid Senior Vice President John Wright. "Fifty-eight per cent of Canadians 40+ report they are "too tired for sex," while 42 per cent say stress takes a toll on their sex life, and 40 per cent blame lack of time."

Boomers say they peaked sexually in their 30s, but remember sex in their 20s most fondly as exciting (57 per cent), fun (56 per cent) adventurous (49 per cent) and wild (28 per cent). The majority report that as they move into their 40s and 50s, sexual satisfaction begins to decrease gradually.

Joy of Cooking or Joy of Sex?

Boomers gourmet appetites appear to outweigh their sexual appetites, as the temptation of a night at a gourmet restaurant narrowly beats out the joy of sex (28 per cent compared to 25 per cent). Canadian women 40+ say they'd rather pamper themselves at a spa (29 per cent) than enjoy a night of passion with their partner (21 per cent).

BC bucks the national trend, with BC respondents voting for a night of sex with their partner (30 per cent vs. 23 per cent) over a gourmet meal for two. Conversely, only 18 per cent of Quebecers say they'd prefer a night of great sex with their partner, compared to a meal for two at a gourmet restaurant (34 per cent). Ontarians are split on the issue with 28 per cent ranking a night of sex, ahead of a gourmet meal (26 per cent).

Love me Tender

On a positive note, although Canadian boomers reported that they are having less sex, they report that when they do have sex today, it is intimate (45 per cent) and tender (45 per cent) albeit, a little predictable (24 per cent). More than 80 per cent of men and women also agree that "having sex makes me feel loved and appreciated" and deepens intimacy in their relationship.

"The generation of love is ushering in a new openness about sexual health and intimacy as they age, which will help us as a society address common sexual difficulties associated with age in a more enlightened and proactive way," says Dr. Richard Casey, Director of the Male Health Centres. "While Canadian boomers are having less sex and their sexual lives are changing as they age, it's encouraging to see people report that sex is very important to their relationship because it continues to bring them deepening intimacy with their partners. We know that a positive sex life correlates to overall better health and wellness as you age, which is why it's great to see boomers continuing to lead a new sexual revolution as they move into their forties and fifties."

Atlantic Canadians 40+ are the most likely to report keeping the flames of sexual passion ignited, and are more likely than Canadians in other provinces to report their sex as "hot" (18 per cent), exciting (35 per cent) and fun (46 per cent). Quebecers score the highest when it comes to tenderness, with 52 per cent of Quebec boomers rating their sex today as tender.

The Boomer Generation and Sexual Satisfaction

Overall, the majority of Canadian boomers say that while sex was wild, hot and more frequent in their 20s, their sexual enjoyment was not necessarily better. Only one-third of men and women rate their sex life as less enjoyable today compared to their twenties (28 per cent).

For men, erection quality is cited as a common source of sexual dissatisfaction. About one-fourth of Canadian boomer men surveyed say they have "difficulty gaining or sustaining an erection" and only 36 per cent of Canadian men say they are very satisfied with their erections.

Most Canadian Boomers are Settled into Long-Term Relationships

Seventy-one per cent of Canadian boomers are married or living common law, with the average relationship celebrating the 21-year anniversary mark. Six per cent are in a steady relationship, and four per cent report they are dating casually. Eleven per cent of boomers say they are "looking for love," while eight per cent have taken themselves out of the game, and define themselves as "not dating and not looking for love."

Survey Background

Building on Pfizer's strong history of research and the growing leadership in the area of sexual health, Boomers in the Bedroom: Sexual Attitudes and Behaviors of the Boomer Generation provides unique insights into the factors that influence people's views towards physical intimacy and sexual relationships.

Pfizer Canada Inc is the Canadian operation of Pfizer Inc., the world's leading pharmaceutical company. Pfizer discovers, develops, manufactures and markets leading prescription medicines for humans and animals, as well as many of the world's best-known over-the-counter healthcare products. Pfizer Canada employs more than 2,000 people across the country. Canadian headquarters of Pfizer Global Pharmaceuticals Group is in Kirkland, Quebec. The survey was conducted in late November 2005 through an online consumer panel of 2498 respondents (1314 males and 1184 females) aged 40-64. The sample was balanced by region according to Census data and has an accuracy rating +/- 2 per cent.

The University of Guelph will present its first annual scholarship for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgendered (LGBT) studies March 26 at the 15th annual Wilde About Sappho, a national celebration of gay and lesbian literature that brings prize-winning and up-and-coming queer writers to a number of Canadian cities. This is the second year the literary festival has included Guelph in its national tour.

“Those who write and research queer subjects are still desperately in need of encouragement for work that is often still marginalized in our society,” said Sky Gilbert, a U of G drama professor. “This scholarship provides both emotional and financial support for students who dare to be more than just a little different.”

Co-hosted by U of G and the Lambda Foundation, the Guelph event begins at 2:30 p.m. at the Ebar, 41 Quebec St., at 2:30 p.m.

Lambda Foundation scholarships are the world’s first series of national, annual university scholarships in gay and lesbian studies and have been established at seven universities. The award is provided to encourage research on LBGT people and build bridges of understanding among gays and lesbians, other equality-seeking groups and Canadian society.

In addition to the award presentation, the Guelph event will feature a gala reception and readings by Gilbert and two other prominent Canadian queer writers: Emma Donoghue, Elizabeth Ruth and Peter Schaffter.

Among her credits, Donoghue is the author of Hood, which won the 1995 American Library Association’s gay and lesbian book award, and Slammerkin, winner of the 2002 Ferro-Grumley Award for lesbian fiction. She is a five-time finalist in the Lambda Literary Awards and has had her work published in several languages. She has also written a collection of short stories, a collection of fairy tales and a number of plays for stage and radio.

Gilbert is the former artistic director of Toronto’s Buddies in Bad Times Theatre, as well as a director, filmmaker and writer. His plays, which include Drag Queens on Trial, Drag Queens in Outer Space, The Dressing Gown and Playmurder, have been produced around the world. He received Dora Awards for his plays The Whore’s Revenge and Suzie Goo: Private Secretary. Last summer, Gilbert received a ReLit Award for his fourth novel, An English Gentleman, and was awarded the Silver Ticket Award by the Toronto Theatre Alliance for his career accomplishments and for nurturing the development of Canadian theatre. He holds a University Research Chair in creative writing and theatre studies at Guelph.

Ruth is the author of Ten Good Seconds of Silence and Smoke. She was the founder and curator of Canada’s only monthly queer literary series between 1998 and 2002. She currently teaches creative writing at the University of Toronto.

Schaffter is a songwriter and classical pianist trained at the Royal Conservatory of Music and the University of Toronto. He has produced a number of commissioned pieces of music and composed for theatre. His first novel, The Schumann Proof, was published in 2004.

Tickets for the readings and gala are $40. The cost of the reading and award-ceremony alone is $10. Tickets are available from the U of G drama office, (519) 824-4120, Ext. 53147; The Bookshelf, 41 Quebec St. in Guelph; and Words Worth Books, 100 King St. S. in Waterloo.

WATERLOO-- How to develop leisure activities to promote health and reduce risky social behaviours among young people is the aim of the Hallman Visiting Professor Lecture next week at the University of Waterloo.

Hosted by UW's Faculty of Applied Health Sciences, the public talk yesterday, Thursday, March 16 was be given by Edward Smith and Linda Caldwell, professors at Pennsylvania State University. Title of their talk: "Leisure and Health: Joining Forces to Prevent Youth Risk Behavior." It tooke place at 4:30 p.m. in the Lyle S. Hallman Institute for Health Promotion, Room 1621, B.C. Matthews Hall.

The two researchers have done research on how to develop leisure-based interventions for school environments aimed at preventing substance use, HIV/AIDS and risky sexual behavior of youth. Their applied work has been conducted with colleagues in Pennsylvania, Germany and South Africa and has involved more than 8,000 adolescents.

The presentation described the evolution of their joint research and describe the evaluation of two interventions that they have developed: TimeWise: Taking Charge of Leisure Time; and HealthWise South Africa: Life Skills for Adolescents.

They also discussed issues about adapting programs to international contexts and policy.

Caldwell is a professor of recreation, park and tourism management in the College of Health and Human Development at Penn State. Her research interests focus on the intersection of youth, leisure, and health domestically and internationally.

Smith, director of evaluation research for the Prevention Research Center at Penn State, conducts research focusing on the design, implementation and evaluation of school-based programs to improve the lives of adolescents. Key areas of the initiatives include the prevention of substance abuse, risky sexual behavior and other problem behaviors.

TORONTO, March 9 - St. Patrick's Day is fast approaching, and
millions of Canadians from coast-to-coast will toast the day with friends and
family. Whether you're raising a glass of the brand new richer, fresher,
smoother Guinness Draught can at home, or enjoying a pint of Guinness out on
the town, conversations (and friendly arguments!) will focus on
all-things-Irish. You can be the resident St. Patrick's Day expert with these
fascinating facts and figures:

Guinness and Rock 'n' Roll Go Hand-in-hand
------------------------------------------
- Guinness discovered U2! It's true - U2 was discovered at a Guinness
sponsored talent search in Dublin way back in 1977.
- The rollicking Gallagher brothers of world-famous rock band Oasis
count Guinness as one of their favourite drinks. In fact, the last
time they visited Canada, the Globe and Mail printed a picture of lead
singer Liam Gallagher with a Guinness in his hand and another at the
ready by his side.
- Brian May, of legendary rock band Queen and Madonna both list Guinness
as their favourite drink.
- A pub in Frankfurt, Germany called O'Dwyers actually serves up free
Guinness whenever a U2 song is played. So if you're in Frankfurt, hit
O'Dwyer's and request a U2 song!
- That shrine to rock 'n' roll and food, the Hard Rock Café, recently
launched a brand new burger with a bun made out of Guinness! So now
you can drink Guinness in a pub, or at home, or even eat it in a
burger!

The Guinness Hollywood Files
----------------------------
- Renowned director, Jonathon Glazer, famous for his feature film work
on Sexy Beast and Birth and cutting-edge videos for artists such as
Radiohead and Blur got his big break by directing award-winning TV
commercials for Guinness.
- Actor Russell Crowe loves his Guinness. In fact, he regularly watched
rugby and soccer matches with his idol and mentor Richard Harris where
they sipped on Guinness together. When Harris died, Crowe watched a
rugby matched he planned on enjoying with his old friend, then toasted
Harris with a Guinness and wrote a poem in his honour on a coaster.
- American Pie star Tara Reid says her dad has a bar in his house
complete with Guinness taps and draught.
- Danny Masterson who plays Hyde on the hit TV show That '70's Show
nixes hard partying in favour of record-hunting, rock-climbing and
downing a Guinness or two with friends.
- Pierce Brosnan and Matt Damon also cite Guinness as one of their
favourite drinks.
- Toronto's ultra-exclusive Member's only hot spot, The Spoke Club, has
Guinness ice cream on its menu.

More Amazing Guinness Facts and Stats
-------------------------------------
- 10 million pints of Guinness are enjoyed every single day across the
globe.
- More than two million pints of Guinness will be served in Canada on
March 17th.
- Every drop of Guinness enjoyed in Canada is brewed at the legendary
St. James' Gate Brewery in Dublin, Ireland.
- Guinness and St. Patrick's Day is a powerful combination - around the
world, some 13 million pints are expected to be enjoyed during the
St. Patrick's Day period.
- The St James' Gate Brewery now produces 810 million pints per year, or
2.22 million pints per day to keep up with global demand.
- In 1991, the brewers of Guinness won the Queen's Award for
Technological Achievement for developing the widget which enabled
Guinness Draught to become the first-ever draught beer available in a
can.
- The widget is a plastic moulded device found inside every can or
bottle of Guinness Draught. When the can or bottle is opened, a small
amount of beer and nitrogen, trapped in the widget, is forced out
through the beer, which creates the famous creamy head that you find
on a pint of Guinness Draught served in a pub. The widget has
revolutionized home enjoyment of Guinness by delivering the true taste
and texture of a pub-poured Guinness pint in a can or bottle.
- An online public opinion poll for T3 Magazine in the UK named the
Guinness widget as the single most important invention of the last
40 years.
- Jay Ingram, one of Canada's most popular television personalities and
co-host of the internationally acclaimed program The Daily Planet,
lists the Guinness widget as the greatest technological advance of the
last 10 years.
- Canada hosted the global launch of Guinness' new can product in
October, 2005 and also revealed a brand new look that reduces
formality with a modern typeface emphasizing the icon Harp logo and
Guinness brand name.
- If Niagara Falls was flowing with Guinness it would take 1.2 million
pints in volume per second to keep it rolling.
- Arthur Guinness started brewing the famous stout in Dublin, Ireland in
1759. Today Guinness is sold in more than 150 countries.
- The Guinness Storehouse in Dublin is Ireland's number one visitor
attraction, having welcomed more than one million people through its
doors in just two years. A shrine to all-things-Guinness, the
Storehouse has a now-famous circular bar with spectacular 360-degree
views of Dublin.
- Guinness has 40 less calories than a pint of standard lager
(210 vs 250).
- Guinness has 0 grams of fat per 100ml and just 0.4 grams of sugar per
100ml.
- A pint of Guinness actually has fewer calories than a pint of
one per cent milk or orange juice!

WATERLOO -- The University of Waterloo hosts its fourth annual "International Celebration Week" to raise campus awareness of different cultures, the event started Friday and will end March 10.

Organized by a committee of staff and students, International Celebration Week was developed to build understanding of the diverse cultures in the UW community. The week will provide an informative, educational and entertaining look into unique aspects of many different nationalities, as well as promote internationalization at UW.

"The goal of the week is to provide an opportunity for students from all countries to learn more about and interact with the many different cultures on campus," said Darlene Ryan, Director of the International Student Office.

Starting off the week will be the International Development Student Conference held at the Davis Centre. The conference theme is "Effective Development through Foreign Aid." On Friday evening, the keynote speaker is Naresh Singh, the Director-General for Governance and Social Development at the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA).

Also starting on Friday will be UW's Warrior Weekend with an international spin to the events. Some of the international events at Warrior Weekends will include salsa dance lessons, henna tattoos, origami making, and multi-cultural cuisine for students to try international dishes like spanakapita, spring rolls and samosas.

There will also be entertainment provided by the Aboriginal Student Society, which will be bringing in women drummers from Mino Ode Kwewak Ngamowak.

Staying with the international food theme, Renison College and UW's Food Services will be serving different types of food every day of the week, ranging from Greek to Chinese.

An event always popular with the students is the 2005 World's Best Commercials that will be presented by the Princess Cinema in the Humanities Theatre, Hagey Hall, at 8 p.m. on Monday. As part of UW's Diversity Campaign, the documentary film Scared Sacred will be screened at the Humanities Theatre next Wednesday.

For some of the practical elements of International Celebration Week, UW's Co-operative Education & Career Services department will present two sessions: "Work Search Strategies for International Students" and "Working Effectively In Another Culture." Both sessions will take place at the Tatham Centre on Monday and Tuesday.

The first session will help international students learn effective approaches to search for work in Canada after graduation. The second will assist anyone planning to work in another culture, exploring the impact of culture and intercultural communication on the work environment as well as presenting strategies for success in a different work culture.

For a complete list of scheduled activities and events, visit www.international.uwaterloo.ca/iso/IEW or contact Darlene Ryan at the International Student Office.

OTTAWA - Two studies released last week show that those who live in less walkable neighbourhoods are more likely to be overweight and generate more auto-related air pollution, another potential health threat, says the Heart and Stroke Foundation.

The results of two recent studies conducted in King County, Washington, which includes the City of Seattle, were summarized in a paper entitled "Many Pathways from Land Use to Health," published in the winter edition of the Journal of the American Planning Association.

"These studies, co-authored by Dr. Lawrence Frank at the University of British Columbia, are yet more evidence that the way we live, particularly how our communities are designed, has a serious impact on our health," says Stephen Samis, director of health policy for the Heart and Stroke Foundation of Canada.

"In our study, just a 5 percent increase in the walkability of a neighborhood was associated with a quarter point drop in body mass index (BMI), a 32 percent increase in reported walking, and a 4.7 percent increase in total moderate and vigorous activity measured through hip worn activity monitors," notes Dr. Frank, the Bombardier Chair in Sustainable Urban Transportation Systems at UBC.

A second study found that the same increase in walkability was associated with 6.5 percent less driving and a 5.5 percent reduction in air pollution "Imagine the possibilities if we began to make really significant changes in how we design our living spaces," says Frank.

The study developed the most comprehensive "walkability index" yet, incorporating land use mix, street connectivity, net residential density, and retail floor area ratios. This index was then compared to health outcomes in King County, taking into account other variables such as age, income, education and ethnicity.

Seventy five adults in each of 16 neighbourhoods were surveyed and monitored. The neighbourhoods were split evenly between high and low walkability, and higher and lower incomes. On average the BMI of those in the more walkable neighbourhoods was lower, and they were more likely to get at least 30 minutes of daily activity.

"Much of what Dr. Frank and other researchers have learned in American cities is relevant here in Canada," says Stephen Samis. "But there are considerable differences between the development of U.S. and Canadian cities. There is a need for original Canadian research in this area, which is why the Heart and Stroke Foundation is acting as a leader in the development of research opportunities on the built environment."

The Foundation will be presenting its plans to move forward with research in health and the built environment at the World Urban Forum in Vancouver in June 2006.

"It's exciting to be part of the groundswell of demand for this kind of research in Canada," says Dr. Frank, who is an advisor to the Heart and Stroke Foundation.

Dr. Frank's new hometown of Vancouver B.C. might be the city to take the lead in this area, thanks in large part to the work of city planner Larry Beasley.

Mr. Beasley was recently acknowledged with the Heart and Stroke Foundation Leadership in Healthy Public Policy Award, in recognition of his "commitment to designing urban places that are conducive to active living." "In the mid-'80s we took a leap of faith - because there was very little research or evidence - by adopting and implementing what we now call our "living first" strategy for the downtown," says Beasley. "I'm talking about neighbourhoods that each have a commercial high street; lush open space and green linkages, a social mix by income and household type (especially providing for families with children), and an infrastructure of public facilities and services."

Despite Vancouver's success to date, Beasley agrees that original Canadian based-research would help his community and others across the nation. "Our three most recent annual health reports on Canadians have clearly tracked an alarming increase in obesity in this country, and a relationship between weight, activity and where we live," says Stephen Samis of the Foundation. "It's time to start applying some of the knowledge we already have from the U.S. and elsewhere, and develop some Canadian research to make sure we know what will have the best positive impact on our health."

Dr. Frank's co-authors on the studies were Dr. James Sallis of San Diego State University and Dr. Brian Saelens at the University of Cincinnati.

OTTAWA - The Heritage Canada Foundation (HCF) release its 2005 Heritage Report Card on the state of heritage conservation in Canada, which includes the worst losses of the past year and the "Top Ten" most endangered places lists. Released at the Foundation's national headquarters in Ottawa, the Heritage Report Card takes stock of Canada's heritage performance in four categories: sustainable use of existing buildings; investment in the heritage sector; federal stewardship of historic places and protecting the unique identity of Canadian communities.

Although the report card acknowledges the work of the federal government through such programs as Parks Canada's Historic Places Initiative, Canada received a failing grade in its overall commitment to heritage conservation. "The Heritage Canada Foundation's report card is a wake-up call that brings national attention to destroyed or threatened places in Canada," stated executive director Natalie Bull. "While it sets some clear priorities for the new government, it's also about how Canadians can improve the score. We can keep our historic downtowns alive by shopping on Main Street instead of encouraging more big-box retail, and we can support groups who are working to protect landscapes and landmarks in our communities."

Topping the list of the worst losses for the past year is Kitchener, Ontario's Forsyth Factory. Designated under the Ontario Heritage Act in 1999 it was demolished last month. Described as a moment of "profound failure" the demolition is clearly a result of the city's reluctance to take responsibility for its stewardship of an important heritage resource.

http://www.heritagecanada.org/eng/news/worstLoses.htm

The Forsyth joins other landmark heritage buildings in Kitchener that are now gone: the original City Hall, the old farmer's market, the Waterloo County courthouse and the vanished Carnegie library.

The other significant losses for the past year include the 88-year-old Clairmont Grain Elevator, located five kilometres north of Grande Prairie, Alberta, which was razed to make way for a new housing development, and the recent demolition of three rural barns in Eastern Ontario, symbolizing the constant threats posed to Canada's rural heritage due to neglect, vandalism and urban sprawl.

The "Top Ten" list of endangered places in Canada, which was compiled from the stories and news items that HCF has been following and reporting on throughout the year, include Ontario's Alma College in St. Thomas, the Bata Shoe Headquarters in Toronto, and the Lister Block in Hamilton; the Bell Barn in Indian Head, Saskatchewan; British Columbia's Burrard Bridge in Vancouver, and the Officers' Mess and Quarters at Work Point Military Base in Esquimalt; the Lessard House in Edmonton, Alberta; the Southwest Point Lighthouse on Quebec's Anticosti Island; the proposed towers threaten historic district and Citadel in Halifax, Nova Scotia, and lastly, the York Street Train Station in Fredericton, New Brunswick.

http://www.heritagecanada.org/eng/news/endangered.htm

The Heritage Canada Foundation continues to promote Heritage Day, the third Monday of February, as a national holiday. The Heritage Canada Foundation is a national, membership-based, non profit organization with a mandate to promote the preservation of Canada's historic buildings and places.

New Study shows that female and youth consumers are demanding more information and added value on the products and services they purchase.

TORONTO - Culture Creatives and Company, www.ccandco.com, Canada's first company to profile and research the emerging Canadian Creative Class, released research on the values and beliefs amongst Canadians between the ages of 18 and 45. Issues researched were attitudes and current beliefs about media, marketing, responsible investment, progressive lifestyle, sustainability and creativity.

This is the first research study measuring values and attitudes on this market segment in Canada, where it has been identified in the United States by researcher Paul Ray as a group, which represents an economy of over 50 million individuals.

New research indicates that the Creative Class in Canada is estimated to be at a growing number of over 4 million, according to a study by Catalytix in 2005, co-authored by Richard Florida, PhD., who coined the term Creative Class, now recognized on a global scale. This group includes those who work primarily at creative problem solving. They include artists, writers and designers; scientists, doctors, lawyers and engineers; and creative professionals, managers, and technicians in many fields. These women and men are between the ages 25-45, and youth 18-24. These members of the Creative Class reside in a "Creative Economy" which is one of the fastest growing consumer sectors today.

"The results clearly indicate that the Canadian Creative Class is not only aware but are concerned about the issues surrounding responsible lifestyles including investment", said Andrika Boshyk, ccandco's Director of Research and Development. "More importantly, 52% of respondents felt that cost was a very important factor when purchasing a product, complimented with findings that 45% felt that the environmental and social impacts of a product were key factors in the decision making process when making a purchase or investment decision.

Research indicates that the Creative Class has the energy, talent, and desire to drive positive change. For example, 98% of respondents indicated that they would purchase and align their financial decision making with "responsible" products should the cost, convenience and social/environmental impact be considered in the product offering.

"What this means to marketers is that the new wave of consumers is placing their purchasing power on a higher level, and at ccandco, we like to call this "putting your money where your mouth is. Companies which offer products that speak to these needs and attitudinal shifts will succeed and hold promise for popularity and support amongst this emerging market of consumers," continued Ms. Boshyk.

Similar research conducted in the United States by LOHAS (Lifestyles of Health and Sustainability), representing the Cultural Creatives, indicates the U.S. marketplace for goods and services focused on health, the environment, social justice, personal development and sustainability currently represents a $228.9 billion market. Approximately 30 percent of adults in the U.S., or 63 million people, are currently considered LOHAS Consumers.

Research derived in the UK by Phatgnat indicates that youth and females are more interested in social issues, and overall, the ethical values and community support brands/companies demonstrate that this is an area which presents opportunities for future market development. The need to be ethical and to communicate those values is an area in which brands/companies need to refine, as it's obviously a factor in aligning young people and women with their next potential purchase.

Boshyk continued, "What these initial findings demonstrate is that Canadians are on a level playing field, and are thought leaders on today's societal issues. Research indicates that Canada's youth and female segments portray progressive viewpoints and hold high standards with regard to sustainable lifestyles, similar in fact, when compared to the US and UK. The Canadian Creative Class is now poised as a key leader on these issues." Surveys were conducted in October of 2005 in Toronto, Montreal and Vancouver with a total of 400 valid results. 30% of respondents were less than 25 years of age while 51% were between the ages of 25 and 35. 42% of respondents were female, 58% male.

Full report will be available at www.ccandco.com as of March 1st, 2006.