Publication mail agreement no: 40063603 OFFICIAL NEWS MAGAZINE OF THE CANADIAN SNOWBIRD ASSOCIATION | SPRING 2020 | ISSUE 114 In This Issue TRAVEL Heli-hiking in British Columbia FINANCE Repairing Your Portfolio HEALTH Skin Care
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Editor’s Message CSANews© is published four times a year and is Copyright Spring 2020 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 Rex Vogel Robert Wiersema Judith Adam Gabrielle Bauer Donna Carter Michael Coren Jennifer Cox Shari Darling James Dolan Karen Huestis Ron Steeves Garry McDonald Ted Popel Wendy Caban Bob Slack James Leroux Mike Legault John Foster James Carl Simpson Johanne Blain Michael MacKenzie Wallace Weylie President First Vice-President Second Vice-President Treasurer Secretary Past-President Director Director Director Director Director Executive Director Legal Counsel CSA BOARD OF DIRECTORS Editor CSA Editor President Art Director Director of Operations Marketing & Events Specialist J. Ross Quigley Karen Huestis Christopher Davidge Peter Prusa Paula McGovern Fran Castricone SPRING 2020 | ISSUE 114 CONTRIBUTING EDITORS We acknowledge the support of the Government of Canada. W Merv Magus Illustrator ell, I hope that everyone is safe.This COVID-19 virus has proven to be a nasty little addition to our lives. Pat and I decided that the best course of action, for us, was to stay put in Florida and follow the government guidelines (for both Canada and the United States) to stay home and wash our hands frequently, and to stay away from other people. It certainly seems to have worked, at least so far. We returned to Canada on April 18. The airports were ghost towns and the roads were not congested with the normal traffic. Crossing the border was even easier than at other times and we had no lineups and no immigration or customs issues to contend with. The border officers just wanted to get rid of us, fast. A pleasant surprise, as we really did not know what to expect. We all worry, unnecessarily of course, about being barred from the U.S. This is the first time that we thought that we could be barred from entering Canada but, of course, this did not happen. I know of no one having any issues returning home. Those people on cruises, though, can be having a very different experience and I wish them well. I have a separate entrance and an isolated office in our building, so back to work it was. Our claims have reduced to almost nothing and very few people are looking for travel insurance right now, as you can imagine. It is actually quite peaceful. About 20 of our staff are off but, to my knowledge, none of them have the virus. We have been pretty serious about keeping our office safe and this also appears to have worked out well. For some of you late arrivals, please enjoy your quarantine and try to make it fun and interesting. Here’s to a safe and healthy summer. Sincerely, J. Ross Quigley Editor CSANews | SPRING 2020 | 3
Table of Contents Features SPRING 2020 | ISSUE 114 OFFICIAL NEWS MAGAZINE OF THE CANADIAN SNOWBIRD ASSOCIATION 16 22 DANCING PEAK-TO-PEAK Explore British Columbia’s Purcell and Selkirk Mountains on a guided, lodge-based, heli-hiking trip designed for all ages and abilities. by Barb & Ron Kroll Las Cruces Rugged Beauty, Endless Sunshine, History & More. by Rex Vogel Travel RV Lifestyle 4 | www.snowbirds.org
Table of Contents 32 Departments 40 Golf by David McPherson 42 Gardening by Judith Adam 44 Food & Drink by Shari Darling 46 CSA Online by Andrew Moore-Crispin 48 Fun & Games 49 Grins & Giggles 50 CSA Application 51 CSA Benefits 52 Book Review by Robert Wiersema 53 CSA Update 54 Fast Facts 3 Editor’s Message 6 Snowbird Alert 7 Snowbird Events 8 Bird Talk 10 President’s Message 11 Government Relations Report 12 Insurance by J. Ross Quigley 14 Opinion by Michael Coren 35 Fitness by Jennifer Cox 36 Longevity by Jennifer Cox 37 Health Pulse 38 Lifestyle by Gabrielle Bauer Skin Conditions – Prevention and Cures Learn the ABCDEs of skin changes and when they merit a doctor’s assessment. by Dr. Robert MacMillan Finance 26 How to heal a hurting portfolio Repairing, rehabilitating and reconstructing your investment portfolio after a bear market. by James Dolan Health CSANews | SPRING 2020 | 5
SnowbirdAlert Go to the doctor Get those pre-existing medical conditions under control and work with your doctor to make any necessary adjustments to your medication as soon as possible. Get followup tests and procedures scheduled so that you have a clear 90-day stability period before you head south in the fall. File your 8840 Form When you fulfil the requirements of the substantial presence test, you can be treated as a resident of the United States and be taxed by the IRS on your worldwide income. Declare your closer connection to Canada by completing the IRS 8840 Form and send it in. Update your Personal Health Record When you or your spouse are dealing with a medical emergency either away or at home, you don’t want to run around looking for prescriptionmedication bottles or be concerned with an accurate recollection of what year or instance in which either of you receivedmedical treatment. Write it down now, while you have time and presence of mind, and keep it in a handy spot – such as on your fridge – for quick and easy access, should the time ever come at which you need to answer medical questions quickly. Renew your CSA Membership Support the only organization that actively lobbies governments in Canada and the United States to protect and defend the snowbird lifestyle. Note: 8840 Form, Personal Health Records and CSA Membership renewal can all be accessed easily at www.snowbirds.org SPRINGTIME SNOWBIRD CHECKLIST 2021 Census Job Opportunities If you are interested in earning some money next April, you may be qualified to get a job as a census enumerator or crew leader. Statistics Canada will be hiring 32,000 people to collect census data in every community across the country. This is an excellent opportunity to earnmoney with flexible hours and to meet people in your community. They will begin to review applications in November 2020. If you would like to be notified when a new job is posted, send an e-mail to: statcan.census-recensement.statcan@canada.ca Five red flags for popular scams It seems that there’s always a new scam that we need to be worried about. By now, we’ve been exposed to so many that it’s easy to think we know the warning signs. But fraudsters are always finding new ways to outsmart victims. Here are some flags to watch out for: Social media friend requests. Don’t accept friend requests from people you don’t know. Does their profile look empty or have posts that are very generic? Do they seem to be promising more than friendship?These are some red flags that point to a scam. Delete the request. Check your privacy settings to ensure that your profile is protected. Spelling and grammar mistakes. Be wary of e-mails, messages or websites that contain misspelled common words, grammar errors that make it difficult to read or expressions that are used incorrectly. E-mail and web addresses should also be examined closely to see if there are subtle mistakes or differences. Money transfers. Many scams involve a request to wire money electronically using a money-transfer service. Remember that sending a transfer through these services is like sending cash − once the funds are picked up, it’s almost impossible to get your money back. The same goes for requesting payments to be made with virtual currencies or cryptocurrencies, such as Bitcoin, or with gift or gaming cards, such as iTunes gift cards. Deal of a lifetime. Everybody loves a great sale. But shocking offers, unbelievable discounts and unreal rates may signal that the offer isn’t quite what it seems. Ridiculously low prices usually indicate cheap products or counterfeit goods. Free offers may require that you provide your credit card for shipping fees. Small tactics such as these can lead to big profits for scammers. Unknown callers. You might get a call from someone claiming that you have a virus on your computer, or that you owe taxes, or that there has been fraudulent activity in your bank accounts. Know that legitimate organizations will almost never call you directly. Don’t take any chances. Hang up and call the organization yourself using the number from a trustworthy source, such as the phone book, their website, or even invoices and account statements. Find more information at www.competitionbureau.gc.ca/fraud. www.newscanada.com 6 | www.snowbirds.org
Events Snowbird Snowbird Extravaganza 2021 The Lakeland Center, Lakeland, Florida Tuesday and Wednesday, January 26 and 27, 2021 Winter Texans’ Snowbird Extravaganza Pharr Events Center, Pharr, Texas Tuesday and Wednesday, February 2 and 3, 2021 Canadian Snowbird Extravaganza Celebration Mesa Convention Center, Mesa, Arizona Tuesday and Wednesday, February 9 and 10, 2021 All events from 7-10 p.m. (doors to lobby open at 6 p.m.) Schedule subject to change. • SEP • 16 Wed ST. JOHN’S NEWFOUNDLAND Arts and Culture Centre 395 Allandale Road • SEP • 18 Fri SUMMERSIDE PRINCE EDWARD ISLAND Harbourfront Theatre 124 Heather Moyse Drive • SEP • 20 Sun HALIFAX NOVA SCOTIA Casino Nova Scotia 1983 Upper Water Street • SEP • 21 Mon MONCTON NEW BRUNSWICK Capitol Theatre 811 Main Street • SEP • 23 Wed OAKVILLE ONTARIO Oakville Centre for the Performing Arts 130 Navy Street • SEP • 25 Fri SAINT CATHARINES ONTARIO FirstOntario Performing Arts Centre 250 St. Paul Street • SEP • 28 Mon PARRY SOUND ONTARIO Charles W. Stockey Centre for the Performing Arts 2 Bay Street • SEP • 30 Wed NEPEAN ONTARIO Centrepointe Theatre 101 Centrepointe Drive 2021 dates and locations to be announced. The producers of Snowbird Extravaganza 2020 would like to thank the following sponsors for their generous support! Additional details, including entertainment and ticketing information, will be provided in the summer issue of CSANews. Currency Exchange Program SoreNoMoreUSA.com CSANews | SPRING 2020 | 7
BirdTalk Dear Bird Talk, Although there are different insurance companies that deal with CSA members, and because the insurance companies and all of us are aware of the possible problems that may arise if we stay in the U.S. longer, are the insurance companies going to cover COVID-19 treatment if we fall ill....or are they going to insist that we return to Canada? Mark Beasant Dryden, ON Ed.: We have had hundreds of calls and letters about the COVID-19 virus and any snowbird insured with Medipac had full coverage for the entire length of their trip, as long as they purchased their policy prior to the advisory to return. This naturally included full coverage for claims arising from the COVID-19 virus. Other insurers had many different approaches to the problem. The most prevalent was a demand that you return to Canada immediately and that your coverage (all of it) would be terminated. This harmful action, in my opinion, was totally unnecessary and perhaps even illegal under their written policy definitions. These insurers ruined the vacations and lifestyles of tens of thousands of snowbirds and caused enormous and unnecessary stress. Dear Bird Talk, We use your currency exchange programon a regular, year-round, monthly basis. How can I make an additional one-time transfer? Our regular transfer works excellently, but it would be nice tomake a one-time additional transfer the month before we actually go south. Burton Sine Belleville, ON Ed.: Simply give us a call and we can increase any transfer you wish, on a one-time basis. Many snowbirds do that. Dear Bird Talk, I would like tomake a comment about the snowbird magazine. We come down to Palm Springs, California from Alberta for five months every winter. There are also many, many others who come here. When we drive down the roads, we see so many Alberta and British Columbia cars on the road and they are the majority of the cars in parking lots. It is due to the snowbirds who come here that the businesses can stay open. During the summer after we all go home, some of the restaurants can’t even survive and they go out of business. When I read the CSA magazine, I see articles pertaining to FLORIDA almost exclusively. A little bit is mentioned about Arizona, but hardly ever is California mentioned. I would like to see more representation for the Western Canada snowbirds who flock to California. Thank you very much. E. Schaber Ed.: We are very aware of our loyal members and policyholders in Western Canada and the Western United States. We are trying to improve our representation for these areas in every issue and will continue to do so. Also, do not be fooled by our “competitors,” who are trying to sell you insurance and currency exchange products by saying that we do not care about the West. The CSA and Medipac are the only organizations that do care. The CSA has two dedicated directors for Western Canada who both live and winter in the West, and who represent your needs extremely well.Wendy Caban lives in British Columbia and represents B.C. and Alberta and John Foster lives in Saskatchewan and represents Saskatchewan and Manitoba. They are both on the executive of the Canadian Snowbird Association. Medipac, being a federal corporation, also holds individual licences in every Western province, as well as in the Yukon and the Territories. Please feel free to give us any suggestions which you may have to improve our coverage for you. Dear Bird Talk, I feel that your response to Harvey Bates of Innisfil in the winter 2019, Issue 113, was quite oversimplified. You’re right − it’s not a big deal − but there are definitely more steps to be taken when travelling with pets. We are snowbirds travelling to Florida with a dog and two cats. Both cats are in their own carrier which is seatbelted and the dog is in her bed, but she is also seat-belted. Why do you recommend the carrier only for crossing the border? Our neighbour from Ottawa was rearended in Georgia and his cat got out and was gone. Luckily, he had had his feline microchipped and she was returned to him some months later. This is another suggestion; microchip your pets. Furthermore, all three of mine have valid rabies vaccines and we carry the paperwork for that, as well as certificates of good health from our Canadian veterinarian. Both have been requested on both sides of the border. Moreover, not all hotels on the trip are pet-friendly and I’m sure that there are some stops involved for Harvey and his cat. I decide ahead how many nights we will take and book pet-friendly rooms ahead. They can be cancelled up to 6:00 p.m. of that day without penalty. We also travel with a disposable litter box, a dustpan to clean up stray litter and some toys. Hopefully this will be helpful to Harvey. Genia Alperin-Newell Innisfil, ON Ed.: All excellent points. The rabies and vaccination certificates are REQUIRED going both ways. Happy travels with your menagerie. 8 | www.snowbirds.org
Dear Bird Talk, We are in Mesa, Arizona amid many snowbird resorts. I’ve yet to see one Canadian flag at half-mast since the recent slaughter of innocent Canadians and legal immigrants. We spend a massive amount of money here, as well as our national trade, yet little to no respect is ever displayed. Earl Rhode Penticton, BC Ed.: We are in total agreement with your comments. Americans are a culture unto themselves and we are foreigners, and are usually treated as such. Even though there are hundreds of thousands of us visiting every year and spending billions of dollars, I doubt that things will ever change. Our goal is to enjoy our snowbird years, so let’s do that and remember our many U.S. friends. BirdTalk 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 Dear Bird Talk, As a snowbird in Arizona, I am getting conflicting information regarding whether or not to unplug my refrigerator when I return home. We keep our house at 90 degrees Fahrenheit while we are not there. Hoping maybe you can provide an answer. Thank you. Janet Brunton Edmonton, AB Ed.:We have done both, and have never had an issue. If you do unplug your fridge, make sure that it is totally empty and leave the door open. You should put something between the door and the fridge to make sure that it does not close accidentally. If you leave your refrigerator on, which we often do, it will cost a little more in electricity. The issue here concerns an extended power outage, which could rot things left in the fridge. To know whether this has happened, put a bowl or glass of ice cubes in the freezer. If, when you return, the ice cubes are still there, the frozen food is fine. If the ice cubes have melted and there is now frozen water instead, I would throw out all of the food as it may be contaminated. We primarily leave drinks and non-perishables for the summer and it is sure nice to pull up to the door after our long journey south and crack a cold coke, or a beer or a glass of chilled white wine. We also leave an opened box of baking soda in our refrigerator at all times, to reduce any offensive smell which might linger. Dear Bird Talk, I’ve long admired Michael Coren’s commentary on TV and in print but does he, or anyone for that matter, really think that anyone takes the Bible literally? Before instinctively replying in the affirmative, does anyone think that Jesus is a vine, a door, bread, light, a lamb, a rock, etc.? The Bible is full of metaphors and stories. No two people likely interpret it exactly the same, yet many sincerely consider it to be theWord of God. Some of it is literal, some isn’t; knowing the difference isn’t always easy. Please keep Michael as an Opinion writer. Sincerely, John Hush Ed.: I thought that we should print this just for Mr.Coren. He takes a lot of heat for his ideas and opinions and I certainly do not always agree with him. But he makes you think and that is a good thing. We’ll keep him! CSANews | SPRING 2020 | 9
President’s Message Karen Huestis CSA President Bill and I would like to welcome all of you home to Canada. During these challenging times, it is essential to have a resource which you can trust. As the COVID-19 pandemic rapidly evolves, the Canadian Snowbird Association will continue to provide you with the most current, up-to-date and accurate information available. We will continue to do this through our electronic member advisories, CSANews and our website at www.snowbirds.org. Despite the Ontario government’s mandatory closure of non-essential services in the province, the CSA office in Toronto continues to operate remotely. During this time, CSA staff remain available to members by phone and e-mail and will continue to provide answers to your questions. As policies change, the association will continue to work with government officials and agencies in Canada and the United States to ensure that your voice is heard and that your interests continue to be represented. As the current situation develops, we will continue to advocate on your behalf and to provide you with the critical information and services that you rely on, as we have for more than 25 years. On February 21, 2020, the province of Alberta announced that it will no longer cover elective, non-emergency health services performed out of the country. The change took effect on April 1, 2020. Although that coverage has now been eliminated, I am happy to report that Alberta will continue to partially cover emergency out-of-country health services. Alberta has seen the level of anger generated among snowbirds by the elimination of out-of-country insurance in Ontario and has chosen a different path. According to a release put out by the Alberta Ministry of Health, “There will be no change for emergency health services. Unlike the recent change in Ontario, Albertans will continue to be partially reimbursed for insured emergency health services needed when travelling outside of Canada.” On behalf of the Canadian Snowbird Association, I would like to thank Premier Jason Kenney and Alberta Health Minister Tyler Shandro for listening to the concerns of our members andmaintaining this important access to out-of-country emergency healthcare funding. Prior to the emergence of COVID-19, Bill and I began our annual winter tour at the Snowbird Extravaganza in Lakeland, Florida. After Lakeland, we headed to Pharr, Texas for the Winter Texans’ Snowbird Extravaganza, followed by the Canadian Snowbird Celebration in Mesa, Arizona. We then embarked upon our Winter Information Meeting tour. This year, we kicked things off for the first time in Sun City West, Arizona, before visiting our friends in both Indio and Winterhaven, California. We then headed back to Florida with stops in Immokalee, Bradenton, Clearwater and Port Charlotte. Once again, on behalf of your Board of Directors, I would like to thank all of the volunteers and all those who attended any of our shows; there is absolutely no way we could continue to do this without all of your participation. Thanks also to our partners at Medipac for all of the logistical support which they provide in bringing you these great events. CSA staff are working hard in finalizing the 2020 membership renewal campaign. Although a little more challenging than in years past, I’mhappy to report that we remain right on schedule. Included in our first mailing will be the most recent version of IRS Form 8840, the Closer Connection Exception Statement for Aliens. Any Canadian snowbird who typically spends four months or longer in the United States every calendar year needs to file this formwith the IRS, in order to be treated as a non-resident for tax purposes. One form needs to be filed per person and forms should be filed by the deadline of June 15, 2020. If you have any questions related to the filing of Form 8840, please do not hesitate to contact our office toll-free at 1-800-2653200, or by e-mail at csastaff@snowbirds.org. It would have been hard to imagine when we left for our winter destinations that we would be coming home to a situation such as this. Now that we are home, it is important that we continue to listen to the directives of our public health officials so that we remain safe. Although our shared border with the United States is currently closed, it will reopen and we will return to our winter homes. Again, if you have questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to contact us…we are here to help you. 10 | www.snowbirds.org
As I write this report, the COVID-19 pandemic has upended the lives of everyone around the world. As the situation develops, policies in Canada, the United States and around the world are constantly changing. On March 21, 2020, a 30-day restriction on all non-essential travel was imposed at the Canada-U.S. border. The restriction limits entry into Canada to Canadian citizens, permanent residents and certain exempted foreign nationals travelling for essential and urgent purposes. While the situation evolves, it is all but certain that these cross-border restrictions on non-essential travel will be extended beyond the initial 30-day period. For those who may still be abroad or are currently in the process of returning home, the situation continues to evolve at a rapid pace. If you are returning to Canada and you have no symptoms of COVID-19, you are required under the Quarantine Act to self-isolate for 14 days. Prior to entering Canada, travellers will be required to provide a credible quarantine plan. This means that you must be able to self-isolate in a place where you will have no contact with vulnerable people and you will need to confirm that you will have access to basic necessities such as food and medication. In addition, you will be required to wear a non-medical mask or face covering while travelling to the place in which you will quarantine. If you do not have an adequate place to self-isolate, the Chief Public Health Officer of Canada will designate a facility where you must remain for 14 days. Violating any instructions provided to you when you entered Canada is an offence under theQuarantine Act and could lead to up to six months in prison and/or $750,000 in fines. As new information becomes available, we will continue to provide members with timely updates through our electronic member advisories. We also post our member advisories, in both English and French, on our official website, www.snowbirds.org/ news-releases. As we navigate through the ever-changing cross-border policies resulting fromCOVID19, the CSA remains focused on our current and emerging advocacy work. Our most pressing advocacy initiative is our court action against the Ontario government for their termination of emergency out-of-country health coverage. Prior to the program’s elimination on January 1, 2020, OHIP’s Out-of-Country (OOC) Travellers Program reimbursed Ontario residents up to $400 per day for emergency in-patient hospital services received while abroad. These short-sighted cuts make Ontario the only province in Canada which does not provide its residents with out-of-country emergency insurance coverage. While the rates of reimbursement differ by jurisdiction, every other province and territory in Canada provides residents with some form of reimbursement for medical emergencies which occur while they are travelling abroad. The Ontario Government’s health coverage cuts not only contravene the portability principle of the Canada Health Act – which requires that provinces and territories extend medically necessary hospital and physician coverage to their residents during temporary absences from the province or territory – they also violate the OntarioHealth Insurance Act. These cuts will also increase the cost of out-ofcountry travel medical insurance premiums, making travel less affordable, particularly for seniors. As Ontario is the first jurisdiction to terminate out-of-country emergency insurance coverage entirely, it is critical that the CSA employs litigation as a tool to combat these illegal cuts. If the Ontario government goes unchallenged, other provinces and territories will follow suit and begin cancelling their own reimbursement programs, further eroding the Canada Health Act across the country. At the time of writing, the merits of our case are scheduled to be heard by a three-member judicial panel in the Ontario Divisional Court in June, although this may be postponed to later in the year due to the pandemic. If you can, please support this action by donating to our Special Action Fund – donations can be made online at www.snowbirds.org/specialaction-fund. Thank you to those who have already contributed. Please Stay Safe. Government Relations Report Ron Steeves First Vice-President CSANews | SPRING 2020 | 11
This is not, as you might suspect, fear of the new coronavirus known as COVID-19 that is spreading across the world with intensity and abandon. That is the fear of the virus. The more difficult problem, in my opinion, is that fear itself has gone viral. Most of us have been quarantined, or simply forced to stay home for the past two or three months and what do we do? We sit in front of our stupid TVs and listen to program after program telling us how many deaths there are and how horrible this all is. The body bags, the refrigeration trucks and the thousands of medical staff dressed up like aliens are permanent images that are being injected into our brains. Vignettes of survivors telling their horrible stories are making movie stars of those people who can make COVID-19 sound the worst and the most dangerous. TV interviewers dress up like laboratory monkeys to impress on you how serious they are. This is what is creating “viral fear.” There are millions of real survivors and millions more who have had the COVID19 virus and do not even know it. This is a nasty virus, and there is no doubt about that. It is one of perhaps 20 nasty viruses which we have encountered over the past 100 years and we have found cures or vaccines for almost all of them. We will solve this one and I believe that we will solve it very quickly. There are many drug candidates for possible treatments and several have been very successful in other countries. President Trump has spoken of the drug Hydroxychloroquine and I know that Ciclesonide and Remdesivir, as well as a combination of Lopinavir and Ritonavir, are being investigated and have shown very positive results. A potential vaccine known as mRNA-1273 is also in trial studies and shows great promise. Perhaps next year we will get a super flu shot…let us hope so. The fear of the virus, itself, has mostly dissipated. We understand it now, we are very close to knowing how to deal with it and we know how to keep ourselves safe. The irrational and viral fear, however, unfortunately created a few monsters. The one that affected snowbirds the most was that some insurers panicked and told their policyholders that their travel medical insurance was being cancelled due to COVID-19 and the government travel advisories. Several insurers gave their clients 10 days to get back home and, after that (usually March 23), there was no coverage. WHAT!!!! How can you cancel a policy in the middle of its term because of “Viral Fear”? I did not read this in any policy, but I’ll bet that a dozen lawyers figured out that they could get away with doing it. Most policies have government advisory exclusions, but I have never seen one with a “pandemic” exclusion or one that allowed an insurer to cancel a policy in the middle of its term, outside of the policy provisions. The panic, stress and distress which these insurance companies caused were horrendous. Snowbirds were forced to pack up their homes and get back to Canada – NOW. Moving is one of the most J. Ross Quigley CEO Medipac International Inc. Insurance Viral Fear 12 | www.snowbirds.org
Insurance stressful things on the stress scale and being forced to move, right NOW, must be terrible. The airports were jammed with fearful people trying to return to Canada. As an aside, I would just like to remind you of the social distancing dangers that these insurers caused and the potential sicknesses and deaths that may have resulted. Those of you who were insured by Medipac were not forced to do anything, of course. We insured you, as we said we would, AND we insured you for claims arising from the COVID-19 virus, too. We did not force you to return to Canada. My guess is that, if you remained at your destination like we did, you stayed very close to your snowbird home and were very, very safe doing so. My wife and I stayed until April 18 and got an extra month in the sun. I also know that Medipac is still insuring some latertravel snowbirds as you are reading this. If your policy was purchased prior to the government advisory in March, and most were, then you had full coverage for COVID-19, too. Just as a final surprising note, Medipac has not had one single claim involving the COVID-19 virus and we insured almost 50,000 snowbirds this season. Our staff of about 125 people has been very loyal and stood by their posts to make sure that you were taken care of properly. We had two or three possible COVID-19 issues with our staff, but they proved to be negative, after testing, and all staff members are back at work. We all buy travel insurance for our peace of mind; perhaps you might want to consider a Medipac policy next time. Stay safe, use your common sense and have a wonderful summer. CSANews | SPRING 2020 | 13
Opinion with Michael Coren I’m not a fan of the enormously successful Canadian author, clinical psychologist and scholar Jordan Peterson. I’ve always found his views to be surprisingly disappointing and sometimes downright ridiculous, even harmful. Put simply, I just couldn’t see this emperor’s new clothes. He’s also sometimes used irresponsible hyperbole, and a good number of his followers can be rude and abusive. I know, because I’ve been on the receiving end of their brutal certainty. There are many people who feel far more strongly, especially those in the trans community. They believe that his writings have caused them enormous damage. Other people, however, believe that his self-help theories have transformed, if not saved their lives. The latter I simply cannot understand, the former I certainly grasp. As I say, I’m no fan. But that isn’t the point of this column. Back in mid-February, Peterson’s daughter issued a video explaining that her father was severely ill and, in trying to withdraw from an addiction to benzodiazepine tranquilizers, had developed a paradoxical reaction, had been suicidal and was eventually placed in an induced coma. He was being treated, she said, in a Russian clinic after various hospitals in North America hadmisdiagnosed him. The background to all of this was a history of depression, an autoimmune reaction to food and then, tragically, Peterson’s wife’s being diagnosed with terminal cancer. It was a truly tragic story. Some years ago, my mother and father died, too young and also close together. I always regarded myself as tough, but this shook me more than I knew. I was prescribed Clonazepam, part of the group that Peterson had taken. It helped a great deal but, as I had certainly been warned by my family doctor, I became dependent. It tookme more than six hellishmonths to come off of the bloody thing. I say this as someone who has experienced agonizing rugby injuries and, while reporting from a war zone, was shot at and saw a soldier killed two feet in front of me. In other words, I know pain and I know trauma. This was far worse, and I hope never to go through anything similar again. I was on a relatively low dose yet, when I initially tried to come off cold turkey, I went into what I suppose was a form of shock. After that foolish attempt, I would cut my tablets by a quarter every three weeks and, each time I did so, there would be days of what felt like small electric jolts in my head, lack of sleep and mental turmoil. My wife and children were loving and supportive and I’m not sure how I would have coped without them. While it was a horror story, I think of it as a lesson in experience, helping me to empathize with those going through the same experience. And empathy is surely the quintessence of all this. We need to try to feel what others feel, and thus stand with them in emotional solidarity. That is the humane way. Goodness, that is the human way! Yet, as soon as Peterson’s condition was made public, social media was drenched in celebratory andmocking comments: Peterson deserved it, they hoped he would die, this was karma (that’s not really what it means), and so on. The ghouls were out in force, in their dark dance of schadenfreude. I understand that there is a certain inconsistency involved in all of this, in that Peterson has long emphasized strength and fortitude and I’m not suddenly saying that I support his views because, for the most part, I don’t. On the contrary, my point is that his views are irrelevant and that it’s his need and condition that should informour reaction. Howwe respond in fact says far more about us than it does about Professor Peterson, and our humanity is measured not by how angry and self-righteous we become, but by how communal and caring we grow to be. Mere self-interest makes us kind to those we consider on our side, something far deeper and revealing leads us to be generous to those we find objectionable. The first is an instinct, the second is a grace – something we must never forget. I’ve no idea if Jordan Peterson has recovered, but I certainly hope so. I’ve no idea if his attackers have thought again about their behaviour and would act differently in the future. But I certainly hope so. 14 | www.snowbirds.org
Travel Cloud nine. RockyMountain high. Whatever it was, we felt as if we were on top of the world as we sat on sun-warmed pencil slate, admiring the 360-degree panorama. In front of us, the saw-toothed Bugaboos raked the sky above two emerald lakes. Behind us, glaciers whitened the Selkirk peaks. To our left, a slender path led to a lookout. A red-and-white helicopter waited for us and nine other hikers at the opposite end of the narrow ridge. From our vantage point, it looked like a miniature dragonfly. It was our sole means of transport to and from this Shangri-La. Here on a ridge called Vertigo in British Columbia’s Purcell Mountains, we were just two hours west of Banff, Alberta, but it seemed like a galaxy away. To reach this hiker’s heaven on foot would take weeks – if you could find it. “Awesome,” we uttered, as we shot a dozen more photos. Pictures, we hoped, would help convey the overwhelming splendour when words were inadequate. DANCING PEAK-TO-PEAK Explore British Columbia’s Purcell and Selkirk Mountains on a guided, lodge-based, heli-hiking trip designed for all ages and abilities. Story and photos by Barb & Ron Kroll 16 | www.snowbirds.org
Travel Heli-huddling The first thing we learned was how to heli-huddle. Stacking our daypacks in a pile, we crouched in a circle around them, holding our hats down with one hand and our sunglasses with the other. As the staccato thwop, thwop, thwop of the rotor blades drew closer, an air blast flapped our jackets, scattered leaves and flattened wildflowers and grass around us. After the helicopter landed beside us, our guide tapped us on the shoulders when it was safe to scramble inside. Our fellow hikers were an eclectic group – a German lawyer, an American software designer, a retired nurse from British Columbia with her grandson, an Alberta accountant, his wife and two preteen daughters and a Colorado public relations consultant. There was no pressure to hike long distances. Heli-hikers – who’ve ranged in age from six to 92 – can walk as little as 30 metres or as much as 16 kilometres daily. During an initial hike in the Rocky Saddle area, guides assessed our fitness levels and then tailored the length and terrain of hikes to our abilities and interests. Our group moved more slowly than the fastest hikers, so we had more time to take photos. The slowest group followed easier routes, with equally splendid scenery. (Most hikes are between 1,800 and 2,400 metres to avoid altitude problems and maximize views.) Inviting lodges Vertigo was only one highlight of our heli-hiking trip with CMH Heli-Skiing & Summer Adventures (CMH). The Banff-based company owns and operates 11 mountain lodges in eastern British Columbia. Heliskiers fill them in the winter. In July and August, hikers flock to three CMH lodges (Bobbie Burns, Bugaboos and Cariboos) to experience the excitement of highaltitude hiking without the hardships. We stayed at CMH Bobbie Burns, a wooden lodge that sounded as if it should be in Scotland. (Its name comes from the adjacent babbling stream, which commemorates an early settler.) The newly renovated 44-guest lodge is located at an altitude of 1,360 metres. Three- to nine-day packages include hiking boots, insulated hooded jackets, rain pants, walking poles, daypacks, water bottles, snacks and even sunscreen, in addition to meals, accommodations, safety training, certified guides and helicopter transfers. We only needed to pack comfortable hiking clothing, hats, sunglasses, toiletries and cameras. Helicopter arrives to pick up hikers CMH Bobbie Burns Lodge CSANews | SPRING 2020 | 17
Travel Alpine vistas Each flight and hike brought new thrills. Our jaws dropped as the helicopter whirled above alpine firs climbing up cathedral peaks. “Wow!” exclaimed one passenger, as we crested knife-edged ridges and swirled above rumpled white glaciers. “Who has to go to the Alps, when there’s such spectacular scenery here in Canada?” Our IMAX-view flight ended in a Sound of Music meadow called International Basin. We exited and heli-huddled again, until the helicopter disappeared over the peaks into the periwinkle sky. Standing up, we surveyed our surroundings. “No trails!” noted one hiker. “No bugs!” added another, as we ascended the yo-yo slope to the summit. The view from the top took our breath away. In one direction, mountains and glaciers extended for as far as our eyes could see. “Look at that lake,” said one hiker. “Have you ever seen such an intense blue?” The hikers below us looked like small ants, swallowed up by the immense landscape. We walked down to the sapphire lake. Behind it, mountains impaled the indigo sky like broken molars. “Are we dreaming?” we asked each other. Stunning! Magnificent! Dazzling! There weren’t enough adjectives in the dictionary to describe the scene. Descending to the treeline, we ended our hike near a tuft of fir trees, which sprouted like green disheveled hair on a punk rocker’s head. We inhaled the pine-scented air and felt deeply satisfied. Postcard-pretty picnic When it was lunchtime, our guide radioed the helicopter pilot to airlift us to a picturesque turquoise lake. We soaked up the mesmerizing scenery as we munched on sandwiches, fruit and cookies. “Talk about a picnic with a view,” said one hiker, as he basked in the sun after lunch. Other hikers enjoyed a quick, postprandial heli-nap. Our pilot then transported us over granite spires flanking rivers of marshmallow snow to an untouched area. We hoisted our packs and gingerly picked our way over loose shale to a glacier.The shale tinkled like wind chimes beneath our hiking boots. Waterfalls created a train-like roar. Some of us climbed over jagged crevasses to peer into a baby blue ice cave. Others fished out pie-sized icebergs from the café au lait water below the calving glacier. To return us to the lodge, the helicopter corkscrewed out of the glacial basin and over snowfields that swirled like thick meringue. Photographing sapphire lake, mountains and glaciers in International Basin Heli-napping Hikers enjoy picnic by turquoise lake 18 | www.snowbirds.org
Travel Delicious food Blazing flames in the lodge’s fieldstone fireplace greeted us when we arrived. Smoked salmon, guacamole and nachos quelled our hunger until dinner. After showers, some hikers relaxed with massages, while others gathered around the bar to sip drinks and exchange stories. When staff rang a Swiss cowbell, lodge guests and guides gathered at long tables for a family-style dinner. Conversation bubbled about the day’s highlights, as we dined on salad, sea bass with mango salsa, fresh vegetables, lodge-baked bread and chocolate torte. After dinner, we considered playing board games, ping-pong, pool and the vintage pinball machine in the games room, but decided instead to relax in the outdoor hot tub under an ebony sky studded with stars. The clanging brass cowbell woke guests the next morning. (Rooms have no phones, cell service, radios or keys, but the lodges have free Wi-Fi and computers for internet browsing.) Slipping out from under our cozy down duvet, we opened the curtains and viewed a candy cane-striped helicopter landing on the helipad below balsamfir-coveredmountains. Large pitchers of orange juice, urns of strong coffee, fresh fruit, yogurt, cheeses, coldmeats, eggs, bacon, hot and cold cereals, freshly baked scones, muffins and breads enticed us to the breakfast buffet. After eating, hikers received cloth lunch bags to fill with fresh and dried fruits, cream cheese, avocado and sun-dried tomato sandwiches, bacon, lettuce and tomato on focaccia bread, celery and carrot sticks, granola bars, oatmeal cookies, Swiss chocolate bars and juices. No need to worry about calories with a day of exercise ahead of us! Exciting discoveries Each morning, the helicopter conveyed us to new areas, including Roller Coaster and Hume Lake. Camaraderie grew as we zigzagged up steep hills and hopscotched over stepping stones in trickling streams from melting glaciers. When we stopped to examine flowers, our guide Ally identified fuchsia-coloured fireweed, fluffy white western anemones, red Indian paintbrush and yellow, orchid-like monkey blossoms. “A carpet of wildflowers, even in August!” said one hiker. “And look, wild berries!” noted another, popping the tasty fruits into her mouth. The vegetation gave way to boulders. “They’re bigger than cars,” said one hiker. We rested on stool-sized rocks, embedded with gemstonelike pink and purple quartzite. “Look up, an eagle!” exclaimed Ally. “And over there, do you see the white mountain goats skirting the narrow trail across the valley?They were here earlier,” she added, showing us the hoof prints. One hiker dangled a telltale cluster of cream fluff that she had retrieved from a nearby bush. Ally identified it as mountain goat hair, probably from a goat that was moulting in the spring. “I’m bringing it to school!” saidMichelle, one of the children in our group. “My teacher said that if we go anywhere special this summer, we should tell our classmates about it, especially if it’s a place that most people haven’t visited.” Breakfast buffet at CMH Bobbie Burns Lodge Hiker finds mountain goat hair Hiking Roller Coaster CSANews | SPRING 2020 | 19
Travel Making memories It was obvious that heli-hiking was a great family bonding opportunity for parents, grandparents and children. The adults in our group took great delight in seeing our discoveries through children’s eyes. Hearing a “cheep, cheep,” Michelle spotted a mother ptarmigan protectively ushering her chicks behind some rocks. “I’m bringing this fallen feather to school for my show-and-tell,” she said proudly. “Hey Dad,” she yelled. “Can I take a picture?” Her father nodded andMichelle pointed her camera to a fir tree-studded meadow with a glacier-frosted mountain backdrop. After we resumed our hike, Ally pointed out sizable pawfuls of upturned earth. “A grizzly bear was probably looking for ground squirrels here,” she noted. We spotted a curious marmot observing us from his hole and, a few steps later, examined wolverine tracks in a muddy riverbed. Ally showed us various rock formations, ranging from pencil slate to snow-white quartzite. “That rock looks like a Fred Flintstone sandwich,” saidMichelle, pointing to a layered rock. Everyone agreed. Two ptarmigan Michelle photographs a fr tree-studded meadow and glacier-frosted mountain Family bonding during heli-hike Curious marmot 20 | www.snowbirds.org
Travel Fool’s gold & polliwogs Michelle’s 12-year-old sister Jacqueline’s favourite discoveries were the old miner’s cabin and abandonedmine. We peered down the 25-metre-deep shaft where miners once lowered each other with buckets and pickaxes. “People searched for gold here in the 1880s, but they found only iron pyrite,” explained Ally. “Later, in the ‘50s and ‘60s, they mined lead, zinc, copper and semi-precious minerals.” We scoured the ground and found chunks of greenmalachite, blue azurite and gold! It was only glittering fool’s gold, according to Ally, but it was still pretty. Nearby, in a collapsed wooden cabin dating from the mid-’60s, we discovered a rusty horseshoe, a broken shovel, a dented tea kettle and an old Nabob coffee tin, which we left undisturbed to delight future hikers. A few metres away, we found an old mining claim stake. As we continued our hike along a pond, Michelle stopped us suddenly in our tracks, shouting, “Look! Tadpoles! Remember the place near Calgary where we used to catch them?” She collected a couple of darting polliwogs in an empty water bottle. After proudly showing them to the other hikers, she released the tadpoles back into the pond. At dinner that evening, we met 12-yearold Callum and his grandmother Kit, who returned ecstatic from their day on the Mt. Nimbus Via Ferrata. Accompanied by a mountaineering guide and attached to safety cables, they climbed up iron rungs, traversed a suspension bridge and rappelled down a towering peak. We envied the people on the lodge-to-lodge program. They heli-hopped and hiked from CMH Bobbie Burns to CMH Bugaboos Lodge as we headed back to Calgary’s airport. Our lodge’s guest book revealed that others shared our feelings about heli-hiking. “We’re absolutely helicopter hooked,” wrote someone from Toronto. “It was the adventure of a lifetime, filled with breathtaking views, great food and new friends,” noted an American woman. “Outstanding scenery and guides above expectations,” added a hiker from England. One person wrote for all of us: “We came.We saw.We hiked. And all we want to do is come back!” Resources For more information visit www.cmhsummer.com or call 1-800-661-0252 toll-free. Barb & Ron Kroll publish the trip-planning website www.KrollTravel.com Peering down the shaft of an abandoned mine Examining rocks and minerals found near an abandoned mine Discovering an old miner’s cabin CSANews | SPRING 2020 | 21
LAS CRUCES Rugged Beauty, Endless Sunshine, History & More RV Lifestyle Story and photos by Rex Vogel Outdoor adventure. Unique culinary experiences. Vibrant culture. Rich history. From the rugged mountains to the giant forests to the vast desert, New Mexico truly is the Land of Enchantment and home to an exceptional variety of activities throughout the state. 22 | www.snowbirds.org
RV Lifestyle Las Cruces, the second-largest city in New Mexico, is home tomore than 100,000 people and offers museums, theatres, historical sites, wonderful food, golf courses, birdwatching, hiking, festivals and gracious hospitality. Located in southern New Mexico less than an hour from the Texas border, Las Cruces enjoys warm weather and 320 days of sunshine per year. Centuries ago, Spanish explorers brought their faith, culture, language and way of life to this land. Today, more than 400 years later, the past is a great treasure that can be found in traditional architecture, spicy cuisine and unique art. However, the surrounding area offers numerous popular attractions, all within easy driving distance. A national park and two national monuments are less than an hour’s drive: White Sands National Park, Organ Mountain-Desert Peaks National Monument, and the Prehistoric Trackways National Monument. All three offer outdoor recreation opportunities from a simple hike to sand-dune surfing and backcountry camping. Las Cruces has a rich history, with American Indian tribes and Spanish conquistadors claiming the area as their own. Step back in time and visit Old Mesilla, one of the oldest and most unique settlements of southern New Mexico. Pancho Villa and Billy the Kid walked the streets. The famous trial of Billy the Kid was held here. Today, Mesilla is a part of living history. Great care has been taken to preserve the original adobe buildings and the beautiful plaza. People from all over the world stop to experience the history, art, architecture, quaint shopping and unique dining that Mesilla has to offer. The town square is the site of the very last stop on the Butterfield stagecoach line. In fact, the building that served weary travellers back then is still standing. Today, La Posta de Mesilla is a 930-square-metre restaurant that serves authentic Mexican food. Diners will find unexpectedly talkative “greeters” at the much-loved restaurant. Colourful parrots welcome guests in the lobby of the colourful 200-year-old adobe. Legend has it that quite a few buildings in Mesilla are haunted. Begin your search for the paranormal at La Posta, where many have claimed to see chairs moving, heard glasses smashed to the floor and experienced strange smells. Then head to the Double Eagle restaurant in Mesilla, with resident spirits in the building (which is listed on the National Register of Historical Places!). If paranormal activity doesn’t call to you, theWorld’s Largest Green Chile Cheeseburger just might. Worth Pondering… If you ever go to New Mexico, it will itch you for the rest of your life. − Georgia O’Keeffe CSANews | SPRING 2020 | 23
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