Oh Canada – we celebrate the differences!

I was fortunate to do an ‘almost’ cross Canada trip this past month as I work on the Astral Media National Day of Caring for Kids Radiothon, which will be held on Thursday, May 5th.

More than 60 radio stations, coast to coast, will be modifying their programming to raise funds for Children’s medical needs. Many of the station’s are aligned with the Children’s Miracle Network while others raise money for various children’s health needs in their broadcast community.

More on this later – as the topic is “Oh Canada.”

When you do a quick hit trip like I did the differences in each of the major cities I visited are quite pronounced and surely highlights the differences in the various parts of our wide and wonderful country.

First stop was Montreal, where I was fortunate enough to have met one of the organizers of the annual legendary Montreal Jazz Festival.

This is a fest with a difference in that it not only covers the jazz genre but ‘compatible’ artists that have a definite ‘cool factor’ – the likes of Van Morrison, Jackson Browne, etc.

I always love visiting Montreal because it is just so neat that the people there easily move from French to English when they realize you are a ‘fur-in-er’ and not from their back yard. The contrast between Old Montreal and New Montreal is unique and historical while Ste. Catherine’s street is definitely the magnet of the city.

And man they love their Habs – as do ‘half’ of the crowds that attend games in NHL cities across Canada. (More on this later…)

In Ottawa, a similar story with the French/English culture – but the neatest thing I saw was the amazing Rideau Cannel skating rink. You can go for miles and miles around the city, stopping in to the waiting areas set up for hot chocolate/coffee and ‘music.’ Live bands entertain you, weather permitting, and the cannel was jammed for as far as I could see on the day I went there.

Ottawa ‘needs’ their CFL football team back and I chatted with a sports pal there who gave me the upside on the rebuild of the stadium and ultimate return of the football team to the Nation’s Capital. Ottawa too is highly disappointed in their NHL hockey team.

Their city centre market has some ‘great’ restaurants, and the parliament buildings look spectacular at night all lit up.

Toronto is – well Toronto.

Everybody there always seems to be in a hurry and the traffic is paralyzing to say the least. If you make a bunch of money – and are single – downtown Toronto is a great place to live. If you ‘don’t make a bundle and have to live in the suburbs you’ll be on the road forever.’

Toronto indeed likes you to know they’re the ‘centre of the universe’ that makes the rest of the country go! And boy do they ever want to win a Stanley Cup to catch up to the rest of the country. Or as a good friend says “to win one in ‘color’ on television.’ (reference to black and white tv in 1967)

My Mom still lives there, so 'bonus stop' to see her as she still makes me laugh at the tender age of 83.

Next stop was Vancouver, and we hit the BC city on a very nice day – no rain – and the ocean, as always, has such a calming effect on the people on the ‘wet’ coast as they say. Vancouver travels at their own pace - which I like!

I will ‘never’ forget my first ever visit to Vancouver as I attended the Rolling Stones/Stevie Wonder/Martha Reeves concert early in the 70’s that turned in to a ‘riot’ when people tried to crash the doors for the encore at the PNE. Walking out to cops on horseback with shields, guns, gas, and dogs was rather overwhelming for a 21 year old second year broadcaster.

Vancouver’s downtown core is always a highlight, and even though the glory days of “Gastown” are long gone a stroll down that street is magic as well when you stare across the water to North Vancouver.

We stayed at the stunningly beautiful Pan Pacific Hotel – and the receptionist asked me if I ‘knew anybody in Vancouver media’ after seeing my Radiowise Inc. business card as she had a friend in television there.

In the ‘isn’t it a small world’ category the two of us both know Wayne Cox, the BCTV weatherman. Wayne and I shared a $90 a month apartment while we both worked at CHNL in Kamloops in 1970. I want to thank her, and Wayne, for an immediate ‘upgrade’ to a beautiful suite that looked over the bay towards Grouse Mountain – which had a dusting of snow to add to the beauty of the topography.

I attended the Vancouver Canuck/Montreal Canadiens hockey game that evening (thanks Brad) and the sold out crowd kept the dual chant going virtually all night. Go Habs was met with Go Canucks throughout the contest and the Canuck fans seemingly just want to get the lengthy season over with now to get into the Stanley Cup playoffs while their nemesis Chicago Blackhawks struggle to get in the back door.

Next it was the one day Alberta blitz as we whipped in to both Edmonton and Calgary. First stop, and a total contrast to the coast, was to get some help to get my ‘stuck’ vehicle out of the snow IN the Edmonton Airport parking lot.

A quick push in about minus 25 weather and my noted traveller Pierre Boisseau from Montreal was giggling under his breath as I cursed the wonderful Alberta February weather.

Edmonton, as most of you know, is ‘home’ (part of the year) and it is one city that has learned how to live in what can only be called ‘extreme’ weather conditions. Kids still play outside in frigid weather – people ski on the mini ski hills downtown – and other than during a major snow storm – the West Edmonton Mall is always busy.

After our station meeting at my former radio stations a trip back to the Edmonton airport (boy parking is expensive if you use the main terminal) and down to Calgary where ‘oil rules.’

The downtown core now is massive and buildings that were the tallest several years ago are now ‘dwarfed’ by giant sky scrapers all homes of either the oil companies or companies ‘related’ to the oil business. Calgary truly is the 'power city' of the west though I hate to admit it.

Walking through the pedways is a blessing in frigid weather and it was amazing for me to see that “ties are now gone” in the business world. About 10% of the guys had suits and ties while the open collars of the executives now seem to make casual Fridays prevalent any day of the week.

Calgary is white collar. Edmonton is blue collar.

The difference is extremely evident and especially when you’re in and out of both cities on the same day. The Battle of Alberta is ‘everywhere’ (thank god) and Edmontians have to suck it up again this NHL season as it appears the Flames have somehow ‘rebuilt themselves’ during the season and could also find themselves in the big race shortly.

This alone provides Edmontonians with a major decision – do we support the Flames or the Canucks?

Answer: Go Coyotes!

As I headed home I was so thrilled to do this trip as I got to meet the magic people who help us raise over $7 million dollars a year during the Radiothon. thanks guys and ladies, it's going to be a great Radiothon.

I also got to quickly enjoy a little Canadian culture and proud to celebrate the differences in this great and vast country. Hopefully next year I can finally make it to the east coast as well.

Two quick notes.

Vancouver wins two big distinctions during this trip.

1. The zaniest cab drivers in the country. Our 5 am ride to the Vancouver airport was highlighted by a gent from another land who could barely speak the language yet wanted to tell us non stop jokes (that weren’t funny - I think) and to chant along with him upon demand.

2. The best restaurant – and this was a tough one – but the “C” Restaurant in False Creek was simply amazing. Beautiful setting – great service – and the best seared Ahi Tuna I’ve had anywhere. Again – ‘thanks Brad.’ A close second, Calgary’s Caesars Steak House – that remains visually like it was in the early 70’s when it first opened. Our waiter had been there for over 32 years and a ‘pro’ server as expected.

Now I know a trip across this country would be better in the summertime but I truly enjoyed this trek regardless of the temperature – and we were somehow ‘untouched’ by any strange weather and had ‘no delays’ in all that travel. Thanks Jennifer Harrison!

My personal thanks to both Pierre Boisseau, and to Astral Media for first class treatment start to finish.

As for the Radiothon ‘please’ join our Facebook site – “Astral Media’s National Day of Caring for Kids Radiothon’ for a full update.

Should you decide to donate – ‘double thanks.”

For the kids

By Marty Forbes
Edmonton Sun.com


In the early 90's one of the things I'm most proud of at the radio station I ran here was the Bears Children's Fund which was set up to provide legacy projects to support children's needs in Edmonton. (CFBR FM)

One of the earliest beneficiaries of the Kids fund was the Castle Downs community league who was requesting cash to finish a playground in the area.

Flash forward about 20 years later and that little playground has literally come full circle in a most interesting way.

When the new playground was recently rebuilt the old one was dismantled and several Castle Downs residents packaged it up; shipped it overseas, relocating and reassembling it in a poor area two hours north of Manilla in the Philippines.


Included in the team of about 20 residents from the Castle Downs Recreation Society was the honorable Thomas Lukaszuk Minister of Employment and Immigration and his wife Stacey Brotzel, host from Breakfast Television from City tv, who have just returned from the Philippines and they proudly chronicle this most amazing story.

Stacey tells me....

"The project all started when we were tearing down the old 15 year old playground to put up a new one in the spring.  Castle downs resident Pat Zelenak approached Thomas and asked what could be done with the old set."

Thomas chimes in with...

"I suggested we send it to a third world country.  I picked the Philippines because there are so many foreign workers in Alberta from there who leave their kids to come to Canada to provide them with a better life.  It was a way to give back to them and put smiles on their kids' faces."

This  was totally a Castle Downs initiative. Community schools donated toys, jerseys, volleyball nets, school and craft supplies.  The league donated sports equipment and clothing, and there were a number of fundraisers, fashion shows and silent auctions with all the money going to shipping the container to the site, for tools to put the playground together, and to build a water tower to the village.

"CN donated the transportation of a sea container to the Vancouver port.  It was an old playground so that came with alot of challenges.  Much of the hardware was worn or missing.  Pat Zelenek works for the playground company that first put it up so he was our leader...our saviour at times making sure the playground looked like it was supposed to and was safe for the kids."



"Once we were done rebuilding the playground over there it was amazing and the kids attacked it seconds after the ribbon was cut. One dad said "we get a playground...we thought that was only for the rich."


Stacey is a new Mom and had to leave young Olive back here in Edmonton while she went half way around the world to do this project.

"Leaving her was really hard (at 2).  She's at the point when she knows we're gone and it was painful to tear ourselves away.  I missed her like crazy. A lot of people on the project used Skype to keep in touch with their kids but I had no idea how hard it was to hang up on her but, in the back of my mind I knew we were going to make a difference and our short term pain meant long term smiles in that village."

While Stacey was recovering from tremendous jet lag I asked her what was the most overwhelming feeling she had after being home for a few days.

"I kept asking myself why....why do we have so much?  Why do they have so little?

I look at how we live here in the north America and how much we consume.  You feel guilty about that but still...with not much...you can see their smiles and you can hear their laughter everywhere.  You see them filling water bottles with sand and as long as shelter, food and health are taken care of these kids can find happiness with bubble wrap...and they did.

I am just glad we were able to give them this field of dreams...I'll never forget it."

Kudo's to the Castle Downs Community League for this notable project. It makes that little donation nearly 20 years ago even more meaningful and I'm sure that crew of people will feel the rewards for several years to come.

Good work Stacey, Thomas et all!

You can read more at http://blogs.btedmonton.ca/stacey - and on BT.



Marty Forbes is President of Radiowise Inc and is reachable at mforbes07@shaw.ca



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Nurses are 'angels'....

I just wanted to send a big thank you to some special people.

First off - "nurses."

As many of you know my daughter Rayanne is struggling with a thing called Graves Disease. (couldn't they have named it something better than that?) It attacks young women and their thyroids go 'out of control' with this disease.

One minute everything is fine - and the next her heart will start beating at 150 beats per minute - and she can't breath so it's off to the emergency room.

The disease 'moves around' the body and will do everything from bugging their eyes out to making the victim hot when it's cold/cold when it's hot. There is no set 'cure' - and most that are stricken end up on pills for the rest of their lives.

Rayanne's Doctor said that he had only seen cases as bad as hers five or six times in his life. She's not been able to work for seven months - and hasn't had a normal nights sleep for a very long time.

Through it all she's a 'touch cookie' - and yesterday said "Dad I'm sick of being sick."

Here's the thank you.

I'm a 'suck' in hospitals and around Doctors/Nurses. In fact I get sweat marks from my armpits to my waist when I simply go get my teeth cleaned so sitting in an isolation room in a hospital with a mask on (which I can't breath through); gloves that the Blue Man Group would probably endorse; and a gown that if worn without pants might make people think I was a professional plumber causes me huge stress. I just cant do it.

Through every visit though I have gained more and more respect for the work that Nurses do. I simply can't imagine how being around 'pain' on a daily basis 24/7/365 can affect a person. These ladies are in a pressure packed 'miserable' work environment yet do their jobs with amazing efficiency, knowledge, and spirit.

(OK 38 years around whiney disc jockeys in radio has a similar effect, but I digress.)

Virtually every nurse that came in to look after Rayanne, through some very painful processes, came in with a pleasant demeanor and (I think) a smile on their faces behind their face masks.

Each of them took the time to explain to us, as best they can, what was going on - and they spent 'real time' talking to Rayanne like a person rather than a patient.

The other day we got the nicest compliment from one of the nurses when we were told that Rayanne was referred to as "that nice girl in 563." Through all of this Rayanne still has a great sense of humour and wasn't pushing her pain and problems on anybody else.

OK there was one miserable @W$@#$@ but that's expected.

So 'thank you ladies' - you made a very painful time of our lives a little less stressful and it's greatly appreciated.

Next, to Rayannes friends and the rest of our extended family..thank you too.

Her boyfriend and Kirit rushed Rayanne to the hospital this last time late at night and stayed with her in the mergency ward for most of the night until they knew everything was ok.

Throughout the week many of our friends sent notes to Rayanne via Facebook - which really had a huge effect on keeping her spirits high throughout the ordeal. We all know you're not supposed to have a cell phone in the hospital but I can't imagine how lonely it would have been without it and 'so far' we haven't heard the iphone knocking out the electrical system nearby so that must also be a fallacy that both the medical and airlines like to propigate.

So again 'my thank you' to everybody - it means a great deal to all of us.

The next step is surgery to remove the thyroid. Many friends who have been through this tell me that everything becomes relatively normal after it is removed. She will go from 16 pills a day to one a day - albeit for the rest of her life.

Finally, both of my daughters have not given me one minutes worry in my entire life - until the last few weeks - when we all saw how serious this has become and there is "nothing" in your life worse than seeing your own child cry.

Even though Rayanne is now 23 years old she'll always be a goofy little 5 year old in my mind who still carries her nickname "punk" into adulthood.

Thanks everybody. We're looking forward to putting this all behind and getting things back to normal in the Forbes Family....and my thanks are 'very' sincere.

I have great friends - and family!

For music lovers.

http://www.moogis.com/

Social "change"

Older adults are flocking to social networks
By Suzanne Choney

Social networking use by Internet users ages 50 and older nearly doubled in the past year, going from 22 percent in April 2009 to 42 percent in May 2010, according to the Pew Research Center’s Internet & American Life Project’s new report, "Older Adults and Social Media."

While 86 percent of younger Internet users (ages 18 to 29) "continue to be the heaviest users”"of social sites like Facebook, MySpace and LinkedIn, "over the past year, their growth paled in comparison with the gains made by older users," Pew said.

Between April 2009 and May 2010, Internet users between ages 50 and 64 who said they use a social networking site increased 88 percent, and those ages 65 and older had "100 percent in their adoption of the sites, compared with a growth rate of 13 percent for those ages 18‐29."

Twenty percent of Internet users ages 50 to 64 "say they use social networking sites on a typical day, up from 10 percent one year ago," Pew said.

A year ago, 5 percent of Internet users ages 50 to 64 said they used Twitter or another "status update service," but now 11 percent say they do.

It’s impressive growth, considering younger Internet users have already represented a hefty presence on Facebook and Twitter. On social networking sites like Facebook, 60 percent of those ages 18 to 29 say they use such sites on a "typical day," as do 39 percent of those ages 30 to 49, Pew says.

Status update services like Twitter draw 18 percent of those ages 18 to 29 on a typical day, and 9 percent of those ages 30 to 49.

One of the main reasons for older adults' increased interest and use of social networking sites: They know Facebook and Twitter are where their kids and grandkids are spending time, and it’s a way to "bridge generational gaps," said Mary Madden, Pew senior research specialist and author of the report.

"There are few other spaces — online or offline — where tweens, teens, sandwich generation members, grandparents, friends and neighbors regularly intersect and communicate across the same network," she said.

But it isn’t all about you, lest you think it is. Older social networking users are "much more likely to reconnect with people from their past," Pew said in the report, "and these renewed connections can provide a powerful support network when people near retirement” or “embark on a new career."

In a survey last September, Pew said about half of social networking users ages 50 and older said at some point, they were contacted by someone from their past who found them by using the Internet. And nearly two-thirds said they have searched online for information about someone from their past.

Another reason to seek camaraderie on social networks: health problems. "Older adults are more likely to be living with a chronic disease, and those living with these diseases are more likely to reach out for support online," by blogging about it or taking part in online health discussions, Pew said in its current report.

E-mail does remain "an essential tool" for older Americans’ daily communications, Pew said; 92 percent of those ages 50 to 64, and 89 percent of those ages 65 and older say they send or read e-mail, and more than half of each age group e-mails on a "typical" day.

Checking online news sites daily also is a regular habit for many; 76 percent of Internet users ages 50 to 64 say they check news online, and 42 percent say they do so on a "typical day." Among Internet users 65 and older, 62 percent say they look for news online, and 34 percent do so on a typical day.

Among younger users, 44 percent of 18- to 29-year-olds, and 45 percent of 30- to 49-year-olds say they check online news on a typical day.

Checking online classified ads is still something more widely done by the younger generation, Pew found: 14 percent of those ages 18 to 29, and 13 percent of those ages 30 to 49 say they do so on a typical day, compared to 6 percent of Internet users ages 50 to 64, and 5 percent of those age 65 and older.

Pew surveyed 2,252 adults nationwide via phone between April 29 and May 30. The survey’s margin of error is 2 percent.

Edmonton Sun column Feb 7th

Ever have those times when your brain sends you non stop random unrelated thoughts?  

I do!

I can't believe people still use the term "motion picture." Time for Bruce Springsteen to update the song 57 Channels with nothing on.  Does it make sense to have Canadian content rules on radio stations anymore? The cell phone/text ban can't happen soon enough for me.  Plus there's now more distractions "inside"a car than "outside" the car.  

When will we have an alternative political party running in Alberta that truly can bring new ideas and concepts to get the undivided attention of our sagging PC Party?  Cell phone and cable/satellite charges in Canada are the most expensive in the world while their profits can only be labelled as "insane."  Car prices are actually on a decline - car companies "got" the recession.

If your business doesn't get Twitter you're falling far behind the curve as social media is the fastest growing technology "ever."  When was the last time you went to a really really good movie?  My daughter Rayanne is struggling with something called Graves Disease which is a very cruel thing to deal with for both her and the family.  I wonder if hockey players really know how lucky they are to be blessed with all that talent.  The ultimate disrespect for me is people who use the term "my old lady" or "my old man." And please don't spit in public.

Edmonton proudly has a great core group of people who make great things happen in this city and I'm proud to call many of them my friends.  Travel is the greatest way to learn how much life is different or the same as ours around the world.  The new EReaders have been a huge boon to a great thing called wisdom.  Get used to the phrase "on demand" for both sports and entertainment in the coming years.

The Edmonton Airport continues to get better and better all the time but I sure hope they get it finished in my lifetime.  Ditto our road system.  Modern Family makes me laugh extremely hard each and every week.  If this is how far the "new arena" has progressed to this point do you really think it will be done in time before the current lease ends?  Would you pay "seat fees" that might be required as a season ticket holder?  I have over a thousand Facebook friends but I wonder how many would actually step up for me if I really needed their help some time?

I allready miss Graham Hicks.  Told him I was going to start the "Art of Texting" with a room full of people who never speak a word.  I'm already excited about what's happening in and around the Edmonton Esks on and off the field.  Remember when radio stations had really big fun contests and great prizes?  Speaking of missing somebody, this city will be sorry when the amazing Lynda Steele leaves for the coast and I really hope somebody steps in to fill her very large community shoes.  Ok I mentioned one daughter so I'd better mention the other so "Hi Lauren."

I just can't see me as a 3D TV kinda guy and I'm getting "more" not "less" dependent on my iPad.  I came back for the big chill week from the lovely desert last month and can safely say that Arizonians just wouldn't understand us.  After 25 years of marriage jewelry and chocolate still works for women but "trips" are the best.  

When do we get those parking meters that take credit cards downtown like Calgary has?  There is no greater honor for me than having streets and a building named after my late father Jerry Forbes.  If you can't keep up with technology today what do you think tomorrow will be like?  Can't wait til next years World Junior Hockey tournament which will be played in our own backyard and I always thought in the good old days of hockey that Jim Playfair "didn't" and Lindy Ruff "wasn't." And if they went for Bob Beers after the game.

Finally, it was a quarter century ago on this very day that I got married on the beach in Maui.  Since that day my wife Kim has provided me with much joy, endless support, and two beautiful aforementioned daughters.  It seems like a blink in time but today I'm so very proud of what our "family" has given me over that time period.  Much love and thanks Kim.

Marty Forbes is President of Radiowise Inc. and reachable at mforbes07@shaw.ca