OFFICIAL NEWS MAGAZINE OF THE CANADIAN SNOWBIRD ASSOCIATION | WINTER 2016 | ISSUE 101 FINANCE How to Downsize RV LIFESTYLE California Gold Country HEALTH Understanding Hypertension Publication mail agreement no: 40063603 Riviera Nayarit Savouring In This Issue
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Editor’s Message CSANews© is published four times a year and is Copyright Winter 2016 by Medipac International Communications Inc., 180 Lesmill Road, Toronto, Ontario M3B 2T5. (416)441-7000. Subscription Price: $ 9.95 Canada; $20.00 U.S. and foreign. Single copy: $3.95. Prices include tax. Published by Medipac International Communications Inc. Opinions expressed are those of the writers and are not necessarily those of the CSA, Medipac International Communications Inc. or its affiliates, their Directors, Officers, or other employees or agents. Canadian Publications Mail Product Sales Agreement No: 40063603. ISSN No: 1195-2393 Barb & Ron Kroll Dr. Robert MacMillan David McPherson Andrew Moore-Crispin Robert Wiersema Rex Vogel Merv Magus Donna Carter Michael Coren Jennifer Cox Shari Darling James Dolan Dave Hunter Illustrator Bob Slack Jim Sherb Ron Steeves Karen Huestis John Foster Gerry Brissenden James Leroux Nancy Hopcraft Ted Popel Michael MacKenzie Wallace Weylie President First Vice-President Second Vice-President Treasurer Secretary Past President Director Director Director Executive Director Legal Counsel CSA BOARD OF DIRECTORS Editor CSA Editor Vice President Art Director Director of Sales Account Manager Director of Operations J. Ross Quigley Bob Slack Chris Bradbury Peter Prusa Neville B. Levin Fran Castricone Paula McGovern WINTER 2016 | ISSUE 101 We acknowledge the financial support of the Government of Canada through the Canada Periodical Fund of the Department of Canadian Heritage. CONTRIBUTING EDITORS Thismorning, I rememberedwhy I was a snowbird.We awoke to a swirling dusting of snow and freezing weather. The weather forecasters were doing what they do but, incredibly, they were talking about a possible two feet of snow; not a few centimetres or a bunch of millimetres, but feet. It was 70 degrees a few days ago for Heaven’s sake. It appears that our several Indian summers are over. The 2017 Old Farmers’ Almanac advises, “As solar activity continues to decline, we expect below-normal temperatures and above-normal snowfall inmost of the nation.” I have been reading the Almanac since I was a young boy, having found my first copy at my grandmother’s small farm in the Annapolis Valley. They have continuously published the Almanac since 1792 and are celebrating their 225th year of production. In March, the Canadian Snowbird Association will be celebrating their 25th anniversary so they only have 200 years to go to catch up, and I am sure that they will. In their first 25 years, the CSA’s accomplishments have been amazing in keeping our borders open and our health care intact. Both the U.S. and Canadian governments have changed many policies to protect our lifestyles, all at the urging and recommendation of the CSA. Let me take this opportunity to congratulate the newmembers joining our Board of Directors. They were selected by the CSA nominating committee and subsequently approved by the membership on November 18, 2016. They are: Rod Seiling Ontario/Florida Garry McDonald Ontario/Florida Robert Herman Ontario/Florida Wendy Caban British Columbia/Arizona Welcome to our wonderful community and may your Board tenure be rewarding and successful. There is still much to do. And, as for the snow, we are out of here instantly following our staff Christmas party. See you in the sunny South. Sincerely, J. Ross Quigley Editor CSANews | WINTER 2016 | 3
Table of Contents Features WINTER 2016 | ISSUE 101 OFFICIAL NEWS MAGAZINE OF THE CANADIAN SNOWBIRD ASSOCIATION 26 34 38 Savouring Riviera Nayarit A tasty tour through an eco-friendly region of Mexico. by Barb and Ron Kroll Southern Gardening Tips and tricks for sprucing up your winter home. by Dave Hunter Exploring California Gold Country Discover the history and geography of the 19th century Gold Rush. by Rex Vogel Travel Lifestyle RV Lifestyle 4 | www.snowbirds.org
Table of Contents 42 46 Departments 50 Health Pulse 52 Fitness by Jennifer Cox 53 Longevity by Jennifer Cox 54 Book Review by Robert Wiersema 56 Golf by David McPherson 58 Food & Drink by Shari Darling 60 CSA Online by Andrew Moore-Crispin 62 CSA Application 63 Benefits 64 Fun & Games 65 Grins & Giggles 66 Fast Facts 3 Editor’s Message 6 Snowbird Alert 8 Bird Talk 10 President’s Message 11 Government Relations Report 12 CSA Update 13 Special Events 14 Insurance by Ross Quigley 15 Survey Results 18 Provincal Picnics 19 Canada Clubs 22 Profile by Donna Carter 24 Opinion by Michael Coren Downsizing 101 Simplifying your life and your space. by James Dolan Understanding High Blood Pressure Keeping tabs on the so-called “silent killer.” by Dr. Robert MacMillan Finance Health CSANews | WINTER 2016 | 5
Snowbird Alert Source: www.newscanada.com Top five mobile phone safety tips You’ve been there before – left your cell phone at home and spent the rest of the day walking around feeling as if you’re missing a critical piece of yourself, almost like a fifth limb. Your phone contains your personal photos, daily planner, contact list, alarm clock, music player, game console challenge and more. GetCyberSafe.ca informs Canadians about Internet security and the simple steps which they can take to protect themselves online and recommends the following tips: 1All mobile phones can be locked by a password. Use one – it’s an easy way to protect your personal information. 2Check your mobile provider’s website regularly for systemupdates for your device. Always act on notifications about operating system updates. 3Avoid connecting to unknown or non-password-protectedWi-Fi networks. Even if they’re private, an unknown or unsecured network is an open invitation for hackers, fraudsters and malware. 4You should only connect to a public Wi-Fi network that you know and trust. You should be confident that it’s secure and password-protected before connecting. 5Beware of fake or “evil twin”Wi-Fi networks. These are sometimes created in the same location as legitimateWi-Fi networks to lure and attack unsuspecting mobile users. Learn more about how to keep all of your devices secure online at GetCyberSafe.ca. What to do if you have a problem with your airline Between last-minute packing, security and making your way through crowded airports, flying can at times be an unpleasant and stressful experience. But did you know that if you have any problems with your air travel experience, such as a delayed flight or lost luggage, there’s somewhere you can turn to for help? Anyone who is flying to, from and within Canada can file a complaint with the Canadian Transportation Agency – even if you’re not Canadian. Flight delay or cancellation? Delayed or lost baggage? Bumped from your flight?These are some of the problems which the Agency’s free and impartial complaint service can help you resolve. Once the Agency receives your complaint, it will work with you and the airline to solve the problem through facilitation – a fast and easy informal resolution process. Most complaints are resolved this way but, if it doesn’t work, you can try mediation in which a neutral and impartial mediator will assist you and the airline in reaching a settlement. When these less-formal processes don’t do the trick, the Agency can also adjudicate, which is a much more formal and court-like process. Adjudication can also be used when you feel that the airline’s terms and conditions (tariff) are unclear, unjust, unreasonable or discriminatory. The next time you run into trouble when flying, you can submitacomplaintonlineat cta.gc.ca/air-travel-complaints, by e-mail at info@otc-cta.gc.ca, or by calling 1-888-222-2592. Remember that filing your complaint swiftly can lead to a quicker solution. Avoid the worst places for keeping a will Drafting a will and powers of attorney can create valuable peace of mind for you and your loved ones. But, once you’ve had these important life documents prepared, where should you keep them? Among the worst options is one that may surprise you – a safety deposit box at a bank. Although this option offers excellent physical security, heirs may need a court order to access the contents, a process that increases cost and inconvenience during an already stressful time. Another poor option lies at the opposite end of the security spectrum – storing your life documents among your general possessions, such as in a nightstand drawer. This kind of storage can leave your documents vulnerable to spills, fires and even tampering. And be mindful that digital-only versions of life documents are a bad idea, as the law currently requires paper copies of wills and powers of attorney. Better options include a well-organized, lockable filing cabinet or a home safe. In both of these cases, it’s important to be sure that a trusted individual, such as your executor, has access to the combination or key. Others opt to leave the original copies with the lawyer who prepared them. Many law firms have special storage for important client documents; storing them there will also ensure that only authorized individuals have access. The main downside to this choice is that heirs may not know who your lawyer is. The other concern is that the firm could relocate or even close if your will is stored for many years. However, lawyers generally make efforts to return documents to clients if this happens. Whichever option you choose, discuss the documents’ location and general contents with your executor in order to minimize confusion when they’re needed. You should review your documents every two years and after such significant life events as marriage, divorce, the birth of a child, death of a family member or — if you should be so lucky — that big lottery win. 6 | www.snowbirds.org
SUMMER CANADIAN
Bird Talk Dear Bird Talk, I am a newmember, and just now getting up to speed on all things snowbird. Question: What are the requirements in the U.S. for how long after the scheduled return to Canada does the passport have to be valid upon exit from the U.S.? P.S.: have just finished reviewing “all” of the Bird Talk questions and answers! Anna Comanic South Bruce Peninsula, ON Ed.: Evan Rachkovsky, CSA’s resident researcher advises that as a general rule, passports must be valid for six months beyond the date that the traveller will exit the country being visited. U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) has waived the “additional six months” rule for Canadians, which means that you can travel to the U.S. with your current Canadian passport, provided it will not expire until after you complete your trip to the United States. If you are not a Canadian citizen, however, and will be using a passport from another country to enter the United States, you will need to confirm that your country of citizenship is also being exempted from the six-month expiry date rule. Dear Bird Talk, [Regarding I-75 traffic]...it is also best to leave on a Saturday morning – no road work, nor business traffic. Stephen Morrison Mississauga, ON Ed.: One man’s opinion on when to head south for best results. I would add that you should check the weather forecasts all the way to your destination before setting out. Dear Bird Talk, In your answer to David Smith, you mention that returning to Canada for a week over Christmas or for a few days in Mexico should not be deducted from the six months…this may not be correct. I thought the same thing, that it had to be more than 30 days before not counting as time in the U.S., but I wrote to the immigration department and they toldme that in fact it does not have to be more than 30 days, and any time out of the country can be added to the six months. Thanks. M.D. British Columbia Ed.: We wish that this were true and, in many cases, it will be as all of this is left to the individual border-crossing agent to determine. We base our 30-day absence recommendation on an internal letter from the INS to its border-crossing offices, which basically states that a temporary absence cannot be deducted from eligible days. It specifically mentions the 30-day period. I will ask the CSA to get another formal opinion since there is a new regime in the U.S., as I am sure you are aware. This rule hurts the U.S. more than we snowbirds, of course. Dear Bird Talk, If you rent out your home in Florida and your rental income is less than your costs to maintain your home, do you pay tax on this income in the U.S.? E. Dell Toronto, ON Ed.: Any net income (rent less expenses) would be taxable in the U.S. If there is also personal use involved, the expenses are usually prorated for tax purposes. In any event, whether you are making money or not, you have to file a U.S. tax return for each of the owners on an annual basis. This applies to all states, to our knowledge. You must also be careful of several short-term rentals as these may attract “hotel” tax. Dear Bird Talk, After reading about the 180-day maximum vehicle insurance coverage period when in the U.S. in the last CSANews issue, I also contacted my Certas/State Farm agent, who was unaware of the 180-day limit but was subsequently advised by HQ that this is indeed (and has been) an annual maximum. He claims that this is a maximum out-ofcountry insurance limit for any car, from any company, and was rounded down from a 183-day out-of-country limit to maintain provincial licence plate validity, all of which was news to me. Perhaps this has been reviewed in the past by CSANews (I’m a fairly new subscriber) but, as a U.S. snowbird who usually drives, I have (in some years) apparently been without vehicle insurance for a couple of days. Especially with entry-and-exit data likely soon to be more broadly shared, this is an important piece of information for many snowbirds who may currently be focused on health insurance and on their 182-day annual and rolling year limit for a stay in the U.S. If the seven-months’ time allowance for some seniors is ever approved by Congress, things will become evenmore interesting with respect to this insurance issue. B. R. Close Ontario Ed.: I can’t believe that every insurance agent in Canada is not very, very aware of this restriction! But it gets worse. On your original application for insurance (which may have been completed many years ago), you would have to have told the insurer that your car was going to be in the United States for an extended period of time. If not, in the event of a claim (in the U.S.), the insurer would have the right to cancel your policy because they were not given ALL the facts of its use – and they would deny the claim, of course. Their position is that, if they had knowledge of your six months in the U.S., they would not have given you a policy in the first place. When taking your car to the U.S. for longer than 30 days, you MUST notify your insurance company. I would tell them that you do this every year and then you do not have to notify them again. In a perfect world, have them confirm in writing that you are covered. And it gets worse again…many insurers have much tighter restrictions than six months. Some say that you cannot have your vehicle outside of Canada for longer than three months, or even 30 days. Every insurer is different! And, of course, you will normally be charged an extra fee; sometimes a huge fee. Using the CSA’s Auto/Home program is a very good option. The insurer knows in advance that you will be away for extended periods. In provinces with government insurance, it is also important to notify your agent. Dear Bird Talk, Our mom passed away and dad’s been gone for 13 years. Mom did change the deed of her duplex in Florida into her three children’s names and removed her name from the deed three years ago. She was advised to do this by someone, but now we are not sure? We are wondering about capital gains taxes, etc. that will arise if we either keep it or sell it. We would like to keep our parents’ place in the family but may not be able to, depending on the amount of capital gains and taxes, etc. Mom and dad did do some kind of rate capital gains re-evaluation and payment in 1994 to save on capital gains in the future. The property was purchased in approximately 1978. Mom has always filed an 8 | www.snowbirds.org
Bird Talk Featuring the letters & concerns of our members SEND YOUR LETTERS TO Bird Talk, c/o CSANews 180 Lesmill Road Toronto, Ontario M3B 2T5 or by e-mail: csawriteus@snowbirds.org Bird Talk American tax return. Has anyone dealt with this type of issue before? Out of the utmost respect for our parents, to keep this property for generations would be wonderful. Thanks for your help Paul Kelly Elora, ON Ed.: Your mother and father got some very good advice to protect you. Since the property is now in the three children’s names, there is no capital gains tax to pay and you have to do nothing further. If you decide to sell it, however, the increase in value since 1994 would be subject to tax.What often happens is that one child will want to get the cash out. If you purchase their share, then that share (one-third) becomes subject to capital gains tax in the seller’s hands. You can’t give them a really “good” deal, as the taxman will want the share sold at fair market value. You could take less, of course, but the tax will be on the current assessment. Dear Bird Talk, Our mobile park dance committee would like to charge $10 admission for our dances. Someone mentioned that receipts had to be given to the Canadians if they were to charge $10. I would like to knowwhat kind of receipts should be given, or if it is even necessary to give any kind of receipts. Leo Piche Edmonton, AB Ed.: Well, that’s a new one on me. There is no reason whatsoever to give anyone a receipt, Canadian or not. A receipt might be required to claim a tax deduction for some reason, but not for a dance. If someone wants to claim some weird deduction, then ask them to put the request in writing with the reasons. That should make it go away. Dear Bird Talk, I have orange, grapefruit and lemon trees at my home in Arizona. Am I allowed to bring fruit from these trees when I return to my Alberta home? Weldon Hehr Alberta Ed.: Sorry, but absolutely not. The Department of Agriculture is very strict on these things to safeguard Canada’s crops from plagues, diseases and pests. We have to agree with their position and every border agent will enforce those rules aggressively. Dear Bird Talk, Every year, thousands of snowbirds travel south. I amwondering if the CSA has ever approached travel hotels to work out a travellers’ discount, such as is offered with CAA? Chris Cumming Saskatoon, SK Ed.: Great question and, yes, we have had hotel deals in the past.We had arrangements with Holiday Inns, Days Inns, and Choice Hotels, which has several brands. The discounts were reasonable, but we found that we got too many complaints – on service, on price and on cleanliness. We decided to make personal visits to see what really happened on the front line and we found that, if you ask, you usually got a better price than what our discounts provided.We reviewed AARP, CARP and other discount programs and they all had similar discounts to CSA’s. The only “real” discounts we found were through the CPSA, which is the Canadian Professional Sales Association. Several of my senior staff are members, as they travel extensively, but the annual price is quite high. There are also discount coupon books that you can buy and these can be quite good. Just do an Internet search to find them. Dear Bird Talk, Duringmy recent doctor’s appointment, I asked about getting the shingles shot but mentioned that I didn’t know whether I had had chicken pox as a child. Her recommendation was to get a blood test to determine whether I had the chicken pox virus in my system. If the test is negative, I am to get the chicken pox vaccine as opposed to the shingles shot. Bill Hallam Ontario Ed.: We have not heard this before, but it sounds like excellent advice. Just make sure that you get one or the other and let your doctor decide. Dear Bird Talk, This is a shout-out to J. Ross Quigley for his article in the summer 2016 issue in which he referred to laser treatment to stop smoking. As any former or current smoker knows, quitting is very hard. Having been a smoker for more than 50 years, I failed with every quitting method offered by my medical team – none of whom ever suggested laser treatment. I had never heard of it. Reading Mr. Quigley’s statements that laser treatment works and is effective prodded me. After a quick Internet search, I found a clinic and made an appointment before I could change my mind. However, the cost was closer to $300, not including the vitamins promoted as part of the program, bringing the total to $425, compared to Mr. Quigley’s quoted cost of $100. However, booster shots are included for a few weeks and I do go for those when necessary. Bottom line – this is day 44 and soon, a very nice bottle of chilled champagne will be shared withmy team. To anyone thinking about quitting, it does require will power, determination and a strong support team but, so far, this treatment works better than anything else I have tried. Thank you, Ross Quigley! An Ontario Snowbird Ed: Congratulations! I am not sure if the vitamins help or not, but the results of the laser treatment are excellent. Never give in and watch out for New Year’s Eve! CSANews | WINTER 2016 | 9
President’s Message Bob Slack CSA President Once again, Lois and I have safely arrived in Florida and are looking forward to another winter in the sun. In September, we were fortunate to meet many of you at our annual round of fall Snowbird Lifestyle Presentations. This year, we toured Ontario with stops in Orillia, Belleville, Nepean, Burlington and St. Catharines. I’m happy to report that we signed up many newmembers and I would like to thank all of the volunteers who came out to help us put on these productions. Thanks to all of you, the membership of the Canadian Snowbird Association continues to grow. For those of you who didn’t have an opportunity to join us, we do our best to visit different regions of the country every fall so that, hopefully, you will find us a little closer to home next September. If you can’t wait to see us in the fall, the good news is that there will be plenty of opportunities to attend one of our shows this winter. This year’s Snowbird Extravaganza will be held at the Lakeland Center in Lakeland, Florida on Tuesday and Wednesday, January 24 and 25, 2017. Our Winter Texans’ Snowbird Extravaganza will be held on Tuesday andWednesday, January 31 and February 1, 2017 at the McAllen Convention Center in McAllen, Texas. Finally, our Canadian Snowbird Celebration will take place on Tuesday and Wednesday, February 7 and 8, 2017 at the Mesa Convention Center inMesa, Arizona. If you still can’t make it to one of these events, please don’t forget about our popular Winter Information Meetings. These meetings are smaller in size than our other winter shows, but they provide us with a greater opportunity to interact with our members and spend more time answering your snowbird lifestyle questions. In addition to the important information available, the shows that I’ve mentioned above will have all of the great entertainment which you’ve come to expect over the years. A number of members from Atlantic Canada who travel to Florida by car have notified us about a recent change regarding the Massachusetts Turnpike (I-90). As of October 28, those travelling on the Massachusetts Turnpike will no longer be able to pay their toll fees by cash. Motorists who take this route will now have two options: 1) establish a prepaid account with E-Z Pass (www.e-zpassiag.com) and attach an electronic transponder to the inside of the windshield of their vehicle or, 2) their licence plate will be photographed and a bill will be sent to the address of the registered owner of the vehicle. It should be noted that, with the second option, an additional fee will be assessed for non-E-Z Pass users. The transition to a cashless toll system is eventually expected to replace every toll booth in Massachusetts. Additional states, including New York, have announced similar plans. In January 2017, my term as president of the Canadian Snowbird Association will come to an end. During the seven years for which I have been fortunate enough to serve as your president, we have made many significant improvements benefitting the travelling Canadian. Our board of directors, past and present, has worked diligently with government officials at all levels both in Canada and the United States. Without these efforts, changes would not have taken place. These achievements will continue to benefit present and future members and none of this would have been possible without you. We find that our strength as an association is found in our numbers. We are nowmore than 100,000 strong. As we continue to grow in membership, the greater our voice will be in issues that affect not only snowbirds, but all travelling Canadians. I amnot planning on abandoning my duties in the near future and I look forward to working with your new board in my capacity as past-president during the next term. The directors and their spouses have been most supportive, encouraging and hard-working during my term as president. The staff of the Canadian Snowbird Association have supported your board over and above what was called for. I would be remiss if I did not thank Medipac International and Medipac Communications for all of their help and reinforcement. Lois and I truly enjoyed the time which we have spent with all of you. As CSA representatives, we have made many friends across Canada and the U.S. Sunbelt states. We wish everyone happiness and good health as you enjoy the snowbird lifestyle. Have a safe and wonderful winter in the sun. 10 | www.snowbirds.org
Government Relations Report Jim Sherb First Vice-President In what is widely considered to be a major upset, Donald Trump was elected the 45th president of the United States over Hillary Clinton. As I write this, it has only been five days since the election but we have already received many inquiries that essentially ask what this means for travelling Canadian snowbirds. Frankly, it is too early to tell, but here’s what we do know. There have been no reports of any cross-border issues related to the election of Republican nominee and President-Elect Donald Trump. During both the Republican primary campaign and the U.S. general election, there were no policy statements or proposals issued which would suggest that a Trump administration would either seek to limit the amount of time for which Canadian citizens may temporarily visit the United States, or make border crossing more difficult. We will be closely monitoring any legislative or regulatory proposals which would impact our membership, as we have continued to do since our founding in 1992. As most of you have heard many times before, our Canadian Retiree Visa initiative is included in a bill commonly referred to as the JOLT Act. Although our proposal has met virtually zero opposition in both houses of Congress, some have raised a concern regarding one provision in the bill. A section of the Jolt Act would expand the list of countries which would become part of the U.S. Visa Waiver Program. This program enables most citizens or nationals of participating countries to travel to the United States for tourism or business for stays of 90 days or fewer, without first obtaining a visa. Some members of the Islamic State group (ISIS, ISIL) in the Middle East are European and most European countries are part of the U.S. Visa Waiver Program. With the Islamic State seemingly on the ropes in the Middle East, many members of the U.S. intelligence community anticipate a mass exodus of European Islamic fighters back to their home countries in the next two to five years. Whether one agrees if this is a legitimate concern or not is beside the point; the United States does agree and now seems reluctant to expand the list of countries in the program. Recognizing this growing concern, we approached U.S. Representative Elise Stefanik (R-NY) and asked her to consider introducing a standalone bill that contains only the provisions found in the JOLT Act which would create a Canadian Retiree Visa. Congresswoman Stefanik represents a border community and is well aware of the positive economic impact which Canadians have on her district. If you spend six months in Florida, guess what? You can’t legally visit the United States during the summer. In short, she gets it and agreed to sponsor our bill in the United States House of Representatives. On September 29, 2016, Congresswoman Stefanik introduced the Canadian Snowbird Visa Act (H.R. 6285) in the House of Representatives. It contains all of the provisions found in our previous proposal and has none of the political baggage. Congresswoman Stefanik is a Republican and, with Republicans now in control of theWhite House and both houses of Congress, we are hopeful that this increases the odds of our proposal becoming law. In my last column, I mentioned that on March 10, 2016, Prime Minister Trudeau and President Obama affirmed that both nations would proceed with the reciprocal exchange of entry and exit records of all cross-border travellers. Part of this agreement will mean an exchange of biographic entry information. Some of you sensibly contacted the office requesting additional information regarding what ‘biographic entry information’ actually is. The biographic information which will be shared includes first name, middle name(s), last name, date of birth, citizenship or nationality, sex, travel document type, document number and the country that issued the travel document. In addition to the biographic information that Canada and the U.S. currently collect about travellers at ports of entry, the date and time of entry – as well as the port through which the traveller entered – will be exchanged as part of the Entry/Exit initiative. Legislation must still be passed on both sides of the border before this information can legally be exchanged. We are keeping an eye on it and we will keep you posted. After many years of hard work as a member of your board of directors, this is my last term and my last column as your first vice-president and chairman of government relations. It has been a pleasure to serve all of you and I sincerely thank you for your support during all of these years. CSANews | WINTER 2016 | 11
CSA Update We reluctantly bid a fond farewell to these dedicated individuals who contributed their time, energy and expertise to this dynamic organization. CANADIAN SNOWBIRD ASSOCIATION INC. (A corporation without share capital under part II of The Canada Business Corporations Act) (A Florida not-for-profit corporation) NOTICE OF ANNUAL MEETING The annual meeting of the CANADIAN SNOWBIRD ASSOCIATION INC. (Canadian Corporation) and CANADIAN SNOWBIRD ASSOCIATION INC. (Florida Corporation) will be held at the Lakeland Center, 701 West Lime Street, Lakeland, Florida on Wednesday, the 25 day of January, 2017 at 10:00 o’clock in the forenoon, local time, for the following purposes: y y To receive the annual report and the financial statements of the corporations for the year ended October 31, 2016 (and the report of the auditors thereon); y y To appoint officers and directors in accordance with procedures, as determined by the bylaws; y y To appoint auditors for the ensuing year and to authorize the directors to fix the auditors’ remuneration; and y y To transact such further or other business as may properly be brought before the meeting or any adjournment thereof. Dated at Toronto this 30 day of June, 2016. BY ORDER OF THE BOARD John Foster, Secretary THE CANADIAN SNOWBIRD ASSOCIATION 2017-2020 BOARD OF DIRECTORS President Director – Ontario Karen Huestis (Ontario/Florida) Past President Director – Ontario Bob Slack (Ontario/Florida) First Vice President Director – Atlantic Canada Ron Steeves (New Brunswick/Florida) Second Vice President Director – Central Canada John Foster (Saskatchewan/Arizona) Director Québec James Leroux (Québec/Florida) On January 25, 2017, the Canadian Snowbird Association will inaugurate its Board of Directors for the 2017-2020 term of office. The ceremony will take place at the association’s Annual General Meeting, at the Lakeland Center, Lakeland Florida. All CSA members are invited to attend and meet the new Board of Directors. Secretary Director – Ontario Rod Seiling (Ontario/Florida) Treasurer Director – Ontario Garry McDonald (Ontario/Florida) Director Ontario Robert Herman (Ontario/Florida) Director Western Canada Wendy Caban (British Columbia/Arizona) Jim Sherb Director – Western Canada (B.C./California) Nancy Hopcraft Director – Ontario (Ontario/Florida) Gerry Brissenden Past President (Ontario/Florida) AGM Agenda 1. Doors open at 9:30 a.m. 2. Welcome - Call to order 10:00 a.m. 3. Roll Call/Member Verification 4. Proof of Notice of Meeting 5. Reading of Previous Minutes 6. Report of the Officers 7. Report of the Committees 8. Presentation of Financial Statement 9. Report of the Auditors 10. Confirmation and Installment of the new board 11. Appointment of the Auditors 12. Unfinished Business 13. New Business 14. Question and Answer Period 15. Adjournment CANADIAN SNOWBIRD ASSOCIATION INC. (A corporation without share capital under part II of The Canada Business Corporations Act) CANADIAN SNOWBIRD ASSOCIATION INC. (A Florida not-for-profit corporation) PROXY The undersigned member of the above corporations hereby constitutes and appoints Wallace J. Weylie, general counsel of the corporations, or failing him, _________________________, the true and lawful attorney, agent and proxy of the undersigned to vote and act with respect to all matters arising at the general meeting of the members to be held at the Lakeland Center, Lakeland, Florida on January 25, 2017 at 10:00 in the forenoon local time, WITH ALL POWERS THE UNDERSIGNED WOULD POSSESS IF PERSONALLY PRESENT AT THE SAID MEETING. DATED THIS ________ DAY OF ________________ , 20___. _ _____________________________________________________ CSA MEMBER’S SIGNATURE _ _________________________________________ _ ______________________________________________________ CSA MEMBERSHIP NUMBER PRINTED NAME Mail to: CSA, Attn: Wallace Weylie, 180 Lesmill Road, Toronto, ON M3B 2T5 12 | www.snowbirds.org
Snowbird Events Join us at a CSA Winter Information Meeting! Snowbird Extravaganza The Lakeland Center 701 West Lime St. Lakeland Florida Tuesday and Wednesday, January 24 & 25, 2017 9:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Winter Texans’ Snowbird Extravaganza McAllen Convention Center 700 Convention Center Blvd. McAllen, Texas Tuesday and Wednesday, January 31 and February 1, 2017 9:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Canadian Snowbird Celebration Mesa Convention Center 201 N. Center St. Mesa, Arizona Tuesday and Wednesday, February 7 and 8, 2017 9:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. All events start at 1:00 p.m. (doors open at noon). For more information or to volunteer, call the CSA at 1-800-265-3200 or visit www.snowbirds.org GREEN VALLEY/SAHUARITA, AZ Friday, February 10 Desert Diamond Casino 110 W. Pima Mine Rd. INDIO, CA Monday, February 13 Fantasy Springs Casino Resort 84245 Indio Springs Parkway WINTERHAVEN, CA Tuesday, February 14 Quechan Casino 525 Algodones Rd. IMMOKALEE, FL Friday, February 17 Immokalee Casino 506 South First St. DANIA BEACH, FL Monday, February 20 The Casino at Dania Beach 301 E Dania Beach Blvd. BRADENTON, FL Wednesday, February 22 Bradenton Area Convention Center 1 Haben Blvd. DUNEDIN, FL Thursday, February 23 Dunedin Community Center 1920 Pinehurst Rd. PUNTA GORDA, FL Monday, February 27 Charlotte Harbor Event & Conference Center 75 Taylor Street Hundreds of people and sometimes even thousands attend these one-of-a-kind meetings. Join us for a taste of Extravaganza entertainment, hear presentations from the Canadian Snowbird Association, get a Medipac insurance update and pose questions to the panel right from the audience. SUBJECT TO CHANGE CSANews | WINTER 2016 | 13
Insurance J. Ross Quigley CEO Medipac International Inc. After a long day at work, our enrolment staff still has one more responsibility. They have to share the questions and comments fromour clients that they received during the day (and night). They usually gather in our boardroom and discuss any challenges and howwe must deal with them. There are always new issues to deal with and new questions to be answered and our managers are in charge of making sure that everyone is “up to date” on today’s new items. Some are technical issues and others are “What if?” questions. We try to make sure that everyone knows everything. Impossible, of course, but this sharing of information and ideas is very powerful. Our Medipac Assist staff has an equal opportunity to share and learn, but their debriefing is in the early morning. What happened last night? What doctors do we have to contact? What followup treatment may be required? Can we treat our client on site, or will an air or commercial evacuation be required? Are our clients in a good facility? Has the family been notified? These are really medical discussions with our doctors and nurses to ensure that a proper treatment plan is in place and that medical best practices are available and being used. These simple questions are not simple at all. There are 196 countries in the world and the medical challenges found in most of them can be daunting. For instance, the medical system in the United States is far different than in Canada. Their protocols are more invasive and the “pay to operate” system has caused distortions in proper care. An example or twomay help. I recently had an abdominal aneurysm repair, which entails putting a stent into the aorta. My doctors watched the size of the aneurysm for almost five years before operating. Apparently, when the size of the aneurysm reaches 5 to 5.5 centimetres across, that is the optimal time to fix it.That is when the risk of the operation itself is less than the probability of the aneurysm bursting. Let me just state that all operations have risk and Canada’s medical system weighs these risks against complications which may occur. It certainly worked well in my personal situation but, when they first found it in the United States, they treated my 3.4 aneurysm size as an emergency and wanted to operate immediately. Thankfully, I have the resources of our Medipac Assist medical team (and so do you) and they said to not worry about it – it can wait until you get back. And it did! I travelled to the United States for an additional three years before it became an “operable” aneurysm. And as an additional benefit, by that time, they were able to do the operation arthroscopically. One of the major issues which we face has been the speed with which you can be put on an operating table. There is big money to be had in opening us up. Referral fees are rampant, as well. Some ambulances are paid to take you to a specific hospital and addiction referrals can be highly lucrative. This is a totally different health “care” system than what we are used to experiencing in Canada. At one point, the standard practice of assessing chest pain was to perform an angiogram. This is an invasive procedure and, in many cases, very unnecessary. Hundreds, if not thousands, of people with indigestion were subjected to a somewhat dangerous procedure to investigate for heart blockages. Just so you know, the Ottawa Heart Institute describes it as: “A coronary angiogram is a dye test used to detect heart problems. A long, thin flexible tube called a catheter is inserted into your wrist or your groin and guided up to your heart. Once in position, a dye is injected and X-ray pictures are taken.” Another factor to consider is that the third leading cause of death in the United States is errors committed in hospitals. It is estimated that 441,000 preventable deaths occur each year. To be fair, I believe that the U.S. has the leading technologies, the best research and some of the finest doctors in the world. My senior staff has said that I must also tell you to call Medipac Assist at your first sign of a possible health problem, no matter how small an issue it may be. Some people have waited to call because they have high deductibles or they are worried that it might affect their premium rates (it won’t). Please use our resources – they are really your resources. 14 | www.snowbirds.org
Survey And the Survey Said… Findings from our 2016 reader survey By James Dolan & Ross Quigley Snowbird: it’s a word which everybody has heard before, but many people have a hard time defining it. The government talks about snowbirds on a fairly regular basis. Journalists and news reporters refer to snowbirds, and interview them from time to time. Some of our country’s most noted musicians even write songs about us. But beyond the standard definition – “someone who spends the winter in warmer climes” – who exactly are we talking about when we talk about the “average” snowbird? Where do snowbirds live – in summer and in winter? What do they like to do when they’re away? How do they manage their money? How’s their health? To find out, we mailed a detailed confidential survey to our members this summer and, we’re happy to announce, almost 7,700 of you replied. This is an amazing response and we thank you for your valuable time. Your answers were then confidentially compiled and we use them to both improve our services for you and better respond to your needs. What did we find? Here are some highlights: Who we are It turns out that we snowbirds are a fairly varied bunch. A good portion of us (about 49% of respondents) are between 60 and 70 years old, with a further 42% being older and 9% being younger. Most of us who responded to the survey (65%) are male, and the vast majority of us (83%) are married, with a further 6% responding as widows or widowers. Just over half of us (54%) have a university or professional degree (36% undergraduate; 12% postgraduate; 6% professional). A further 23% of us report that we went to college for at least a while. Where do we live? Ontario, mostly (49%). But a sizeable chunk of us live in B.C. (13%) and Alberta (17%). The vast majority of us are Caucasians (94%), who speak English as a first language (93%). Perhaps surprisingly, almost all of us were born in Canada (87%). Of those who weren’t, many come fromWestern Europe (48%) and the U.S. (10%); the remainder are from various places around the globe. Snowbirding When it comes to going south for the winter, most of us have been doing it for some time, but the impact of the baby boomers is starting to be felt, as 18% indicate that they are fairly new snowbirds. As for where we travel, the majority of us (88%) visit the U.S. sunbelt, with many travelling to Florida (48%) and Arizona (28%), and a significant number visiting California (8%) and Texas (4%). Texas has shown a significant drop-off in snowbird visitors since our last survey, which is troubling. Despite recent news that Central and South America, as well as the Caribbean and Mexico, are becoming increasingly popular snowbird destinations, relatively few of us spend our winters there. When we get to our winter homes, the majority of us (54%) spend between five and six months at our destination. Most of us (74%) drive our cars or our RVs to our winter home, taking between one and four days to get there. The remainder fly. For some of us, getting there is half the fun; 38% of us take short trips along the way to our winter destination. But most of us are focused on getting there. You (68%) tell us that crossing the border is about the same experience as it’s always been, although a sizeable minority (23%) report that it’s become more difficult in recent years. Family life As a group, we’re generally family-oriented people. The vast majority of us (85%) have kids, and most of those kids (79%) are under the age of 50. Most of us have also been blessed with grandchildren (87%) and a good many of us (66%) welcome our families to our winter homes when we travel there. Are pets part of the family? For most of us, the answer is no (76%). But those of us who do have a four-legged family member take him or her with us when we travel to warmer climes (78%). CSANews | WINTER 2016 | 15
Survey Where we live, what we own, what we do there Unsurprisingly, the overwhelming majority of us are Canadian citizens (97%) and most of us own a home in Canada (90%). What might be surprising is that a sizeable majority (61%) of us own a house or condo down south as well. Of the remainder, a good many rent a house, condo or trailer (17%). There’s also a fair number of us (10%) who travel south in an RV. All in all, we’re pretty happy where we are. Most of us (52%) have no plans to sell our U.S. home anytime soon. Nor are we planning to buy or rent a new home in Canada (91%) or the U.S. (94%) within the next two years. Of those who are planning to buy or rent, our preferences really depend on where we’re planning to buy it. In Canada, we seem to be more interested in a single-family home (70%), an apartment (75%) or condo (67%). For those buying in the U.S., there seems to be a lot of interest in manufactured homes (75%). In Canada, most of us live in mixed neighbourhoods. Abroad, however, it’s very different: 49% of us live in 50+ communities. Most of us (62%) do not own or lease a vehicle at our winter destination either. The overwhelming majority (97%) don’t own a boat, which is somewhat surprising since fishing is the number-one sport in the Americas. Yes, we do know that birdwatching has more adherents, but is it really a sport? Travel insurance As snowbirds, travel insurance remains an important topic for us and is probably our largest expenditure in retirement. The majority of us (74%) were eligible to purchase an “off the shelf ” travel insurance policy last year, and most of us (52%) bought it from Medipac. Of those of us who did choose Medipac, 93% indicated that they were likely to recommend Medipac to friends and family. Why did we choose to go with our insurer? There are a variety of reasons – among the most popular are comprehensive coverage (19%), low rates (17%) and ease of purchase (8%). CSA endorsement was another important factor, with 12% indicating that this was an important consideration. Perhaps interestingly, the endorsement from our broker or financial advisor was not really a factor (a mere 2% said that it was), but a recommendation from family or friends had more weight at (4%). Do we ever travel without travel insurance? For most of us, the answer is no (90%). But there are those of us who sometimes do so (6%). For the majority of us, travel insurance is about peace of mind – 76% of us haven’t made a claim against our policy in the past two years. Good Health… We’re pleased to note that the vast majority of us consider ourselves to be in excellent (26%) or very good health (47%). Maybe that’s because the overwhelming majority of us are diligent about getting annual checkups (94%). This is not to say that we don’t use any health care at all. Almost all of us wear glasses (87%), and a good many have dentures (20%) and hearing aids (16%). Most of us (82%) take at least one prescription drug every day, and a fair number (76%) also take some kind of non-prescription vitamins daily. If you found these results interesting, please make sure to complete the survey next year, and make your voice heard! Again, our many thanks for giving us the opportunity to serve you better. Taking care of business The majority of us (54%) have households that earn more than $50,000 per year. Fully 19% of households earn more than $100,000 per year. As for the source of that income, a good many of us report that we’re self-sufficient (34%), while a little more (36%) say that we rely on our employment pension for our main source of income. Interestingly, about 5% of us say that we’re still working – either full time or part time. In our working lives, we pursued a wide range of professions. Many of us (22%) owned our own businesses, and an almost-equal number (18%) had government or civil service careers. The teaching profession was well represented at 12% and the remainder had careers primarily in health care, manufacturing and finance. Obviously, dealing with currency exchange is a central financial concern for most snowbirds. But it doesn’t seem to bother most of us. The vast majority (77%) haven’t changed their travel plans, even as the Canadian dollar-U.S. dollar exchange rate has deteriorated over the past many months however, some of us (12%) have opted to shorten our time away from home. Our response to economic conditions in Canada and/or the U.S. generated about the same reaction: most of us (75%) made no changes to our plans, while some (15%) shortened our trip. When it comes to obtaining foreign currency, most of us (48%) go to the bank. But a sizeable portion of us (25%) take advantage of the CSA’s Snowbird Currency Exchange Program. This number has grown dramatically over the past several years and is still spiking upwards as snowbirds find its convenience, lack of bank fees and great exchange rates irresistible. 16 | www.snowbirds.org
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Canada Clubs QUEBEC Wednesday, March 1, 2017 Homestead Bayfront Park 9698 SW 328 St., Homestead, FL 33033 10:30 a.m. - 3:30 p.m. Denise Leroux In Canada: (450) 467-6190 In U.S.: (305) 246-8850 E-mail: denisejimmy@hotmail.com 2017 PROVINCIAL PICNICS Meet your snowbird neighbours and friends from home! Win prizes and enjoy live music; just bring a picnic lunch, lawn chairs, sun block and any musical instrument you play. Also, bring any grandchildren and visiting guests. FUN FOR ALL! Sponsored by: *F ort DeSoto Park is located at Tierre Verde beside St. Petersburg. Take I-275 or US19 and watch for signs for “FORT DESOTO”. Reminder: alcoholic beverages are prohibited in Pinellas County Parks. NOVA SCOTIA Friday, March 24, 2017 Lake Seminole Park, Shelter 13 10015 Park Blvd, Seminole 10:30 a.m. - 2:00 p.m. Myrna Stewart In U.S.: (727) 475-9470 E-mail: mlstewartinfla@copper.net NEWFOUNDLAND & LABRADOR Thursday, March 9, 2017 Fort DeSoto Park*, Shelters 14&15 10:30 a.m. - 3:00 p.m. Helen Penny In Florida: (727) 300-9900 E-mail: nfhelen@yahoo.com Edie Squires In U.S.: (727) 786-0663 E-mail: billedie1934@gmail.com PEI Sunday, March 12, 2017 Fort DeSoto Park*, Shelter 14 10:30 a.m. - 3:30 p.m. Alex Campbell In U.S.: (727) 530-9499 E-mail: alexbcampbell@pei.sympatico.ca ONTARIO Wednesday, March 15, 2017 Fort DeSoto Park*, Shelter 5 10:30 a.m. - 3:30 p.m. Isabel Irvine Cellular: (416) 409-1469 E-mail: irvine@rogers.com Shirley DeMarsh In U.S.: (727) 360-2227 E-mail: shrls32@rogers.com 18 | www.snowbirds.org
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