IN THIS ISSUE REASONS TOVISIT INDIA DRUG REACTIONS TAMING THE BEAR Travel Health Finance OFFICIAL NEWS MAGAZINE OF THE CANADIAN SNOWBIRD ASSOCIATION | WINTER 2022 | ISSUE 125 Publication mail agreement no: 40063603
*A comprehensive hearing assessment is provided to adults ages 19 and older at no cost. The results of this assessment will be communicated verbally to you. If you request a copy of the Audiological Report, an administrative fee will apply. Child hearing tests are conducted at select locations for a fee, please contact us for more information. Not applicable to industrial hearing tests. **This promotion is valid for select hearing aid models and cannot be combined with more than 1 promotion or discount unless stated otherwise. The extra 10% will be applied to the remaining balance on hearing aids and accessories after all other discounts (if applicable). Offer applies to private sales of select hearing aids and discount is applied after the grant has been deducted. Some conditions apply, see clinic for details. [1] Please allow 45 days for Miles to be posted to your Collector Account. Some conditions apply, see clinic for details. AIR MILES available only at participating locations. ®™ Trademarks of AM Royalties Limited Partnership used under licence by LoyaltyOne, Co. and HearingLife Canada Ltd. Offers not valid in Quebec. Offers expires 03/31/2023. • Largest network of clinics in Canada • 750,000+ satisfied customers • 360-AfterCare: Our full service warranty • Get AIR MILES® Reward Miles1 Why Choose HearingLife? Book your FREE appointment! Use your phone’s camera to scan this code and visit HearingLife.ca/BOGO-CSA or call 1-888-885-7489 If calling, mention the code: MAG-BOGO-CSA Whether you’re travelling this winter or not, one great place to visit is a HearingLife location near you. Hearing health is a smart investment with lifelong benefits. Every trip feels more enriching, and every sight and sound resonates deeper. When you can hear to the fullest, you can live life to the fullest. Now at HearingLife, purchase one hearing aid and get the second 50% off.** The offer is exclusive to Canadian Snowbird Association members and their family. To get started, we recommend a baseline hearing test for all adults — no referral required. Our hearing professionals will perform a FREE hearing assessment* and fit you with hearing aids suited to your loss. Embark on a journey to better hearing
Editor’s Message CSANews© is published four times a year and is Copyright Winter 2022 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 Shari McIntyre David McPherson Andrew Moore-Crispin Rex Vogel Robert Wiersema Judith Adam Gabrielle Bauer Donna Carter Michael Coren Jennifer Cox James Dolan John Hardy Milan Korcok Karen Huestis Ron Steeves Garry McDonald Ted Popel Wendy Caban Bob Slack 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 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 WINTER 2022 | ISSUE 125 CONTRIBUTING EDITORS We acknowledge the support of the Government of Canada. Merv Magus Cover photo: iStock.com/dmbaker Illustrator Greetings from the snowy North. Pat and I are waiting patiently for our year-end party, where we will give out staff bonuses and awards for long-term service. This year, we have several “30 years of service” awards for employees, and many 25-, 15- and 10-year awards as well. Our employees love working for Medipac and taking care of snowbirds and many end up working well past the standard retirement age of 65. It has been a tough two or three years for everyone as we dealt with all of the COVID issues and the doubling in size of our business. Double the phone calls, double the policies issued and, of course, double the claims. Our seasoned staff performed at peak levels and put in thousands of hours of overtime. Thank you – from all of us. Being snowbirds ourselves, we have gradually moved up our party from late December to this year’s date – December 2nd – so that we could get to the sunny South as early as possible. We are scheduled to fly out on December 5 and can hardly wait. There is some hurricane damage to deal with, but the interior of our home escaped unscathed. Seven hurricane shutters were ripped off and destroyed and our lanai is in the pool, but our hurricane-proof windows, amazingly, remained intact. Amiracle, indeed. Many of our snowbirds were not so lucky and some lost everything – especially in the Fort Myers, Florida area. Have a wonderful Christmas and New Year and may you enjoy many miracles, too. Sincerely; J. Ross Quigley Editor CSANews | WINTER 2022 | 3
Table of Contents WINTER 2022 | ISSUE 125 OFFICIAL NEWS MAGAZINE OF THE CANADIAN SNOWBIRD ASSOCIATION 10 Reasons to Visit India A trip to India shatters preconceived notions. by Barb & Ron Kroll Features Special Reports 24 Travel 14 18 The Wrath of Ian A snowbird’s tale of nerve-wracked survival. By John Hardy Florida Bends to Hurricane Ian …but doesn’t break. By Milan Korcok 22 Worsening Inflation and High Living Costs Temper Canadian Outbound Travel Plans …for now. By Milan Korcok 4 | www.snowbirds.org
Table of Contents 54 Golf by David McPherson 56 CSA Online by Andrew Moore-Crispin 58 Gardening by Judith Adam 60 Food & Drink by Shari McIntyre 62 Fun & Games 63 Grins & Giggles 64 CSA Application 65 CSA Benefits 66 CSA Events 68 CSA Update 70 Fast Facts 3 Editor’s Message 6 Snowbird Alert 8 Bird Talk 10 President’s Message 11 Government Relations Report 12 Insurance by J. Ross Quigley 13 Opinion by Michael Coren 48 Health Pulse 50 Fitness by Jennifer Cox 51 Book Review by Robert Wiersema 52 Longevity by Jennifer Cox 30 44 38 Beautiful Experiences – Extraordinary Places Take your road-trip planning to the next level. by Rex Vogel Drug Reactions Be aware of potential side-effects and dangerous drug interactions. by Dr. Robert MacMillan RV Lifestyle Finance Taming the Bear Practical investment tips for a challenging market. by James Dolan Health Departments CSANews | WINTER 2022 | 5
Snowbird Alert Source: www.newscanada.com How to resolve an unauthorized credit card transaction Would you know what to do if you saw a transaction on your credit card statement that you didn’t authorize? Here are a few things to know. Recognizing an unauthorized transaction Generally, any credit card transaction that you didn’t make or approve is an unauthorized one. It can happen if your credit card is lost or stolen. Someone could also steal your identity and use your information to make purchases without your knowledge or consent. However, each bank may define unauthorized transactions differently. Read your credit card agreement carefully to make sure that you understand what is considered an unauthorized transaction by your bank. Steps to take if this happens to you If you think that an unauthorized transaction was made using your card, change your password immediately. You should also notify your bank right away and check your credit report for any credit which you didn’t apply for, such as a loan request or a new credit card. In some cases, youmay need to report the incident within a specific amount of time, as outlined in your cardholder agreement. If you don’t, you may be held responsible for the transaction and you may not get the full amount refunded. When you report an unauthorized transaction, credit card issuers must always thoroughly investigate it. What are you liable for? Are you on the hook to pay for these transactions that you didn’t make? By law, your maximum liability cannot be more than $50 for unauthorized charges on your credit or debit card. Your credit card agreement must explain your maximum liability if someone used your card without your permission. Visa, Mastercard and American Express have committed to protecting you against financial loss – that is, if someone makes an unauthorized transaction with your credit card. According to this public commitment, they won’t hold you responsible or charge any fees for the unauthorized transactions. If you’re not satisfied with a response provided by your bank, you can make a complaint. All federally regulated banks must have a complaint-handling procedure in place to deal with customer concerns. Since June 30, 2022, banks now have 56 days in which to deal with your complaint from the day youmake it. Find more information at Canada.ca/money. Do we need to worry about the flu this year? With a deadly global pandemic at the top of everyone’s mind over the last two years, catching the flu has probably been further down your list of concerns. But this coming flu season could be a major one, according to experts. One factor that suggests a potentially active year is the Southern Hemisphere’s recent flu season. Because they experience winter before countries north of the equator, the Southern Hemisphere’s flu season is a strong predictor for how ours will turn out. And this year, countries such as Australia, New Zealand, South Africa and Argentina experienced a significant flu season, according to the World Health Organization. It’s more important than ever to get your flu shot this year. After all, the flu is a serious illness. On average, more than 12,000 Canadians are hospitalized and about 3,500 die each year. Those who are older, very young children and people who are immunocompromised are at even greater risk. One thing to keep in mind is that there are different kinds of flu shots to choose from. In Canada, there are recommended vaccines based on individual factors, such as if you’re older than 65, pregnant, or if you have a chronic health condition. Your doctor or pharmacist can help you decide which vaccine is right for you. So, if you’re back in the office, the kids are going to school, you have travel plans coming up or are generally feeling as if things are getting back to normal, it’s a sound idea to get your flu shot early. To learn more and book your shot, talk to your doctor or local pharmacist. Is COVID-19 still riskier than a cold? With an influx of COVID-19 cases expected this season, many people are curious about risk and what they can do. While COVID-19 might feel less scary for many of us now that it’s been here for a few years, it is definitely not the same as a cold, even if you’re vaccinated. While vaccines are working for most people around the world, evolving variants of the virus are always a concern, as is facing long-COVID-19 symptoms after an infection. What’s more, about two per cent of the global population may remain vulnerable to COVID-19 because of an inadequate response to vaccination. The disease remains highly dangerous for this immune-compromised group. Fortunately, there are a number of prevention and treatment options available for immune-compromised individuals: Vaccines Still the core choice for preventing COVID-19, vaccines work by causing the body to produce its own antibodies against the virus that causes the illness. Antivirals These drugs are used for treatment of COVID-19 because they stop the virus from multiplying, which can help the body to recover faster from infection. Monoclonal antibodies Used for both prevention and treatment, these mimic the body’s natural antibodies to neutralize a virus and reduce the risk of the infection becoming severe. Ultimately, even though COVID-19 remains, the ways in which we can prevent and treat COVID-19 continue to evolve. You can learn more about prevention and treatment options, whether you’re immune-compromised or not, by speaking with your health-care provider and by visiting Canada.ca. 6 | www.snowbirds.org
CSAnews.com is now live! All of your favourite issues are now available on the web, with an archive of every issue from the past six years. All recent feature stories will be available to read online on any device. Sort by subject, issue or column. CSANews | WINTER 2022 | 7
Bird Talk Dear Bird Talk, My insurance agent is telling me that I need extra coverage if I drive my car to Florida for the winter. They say that any vehicle staying in the U.S. for more than 30 days requires special coverage. Is this correct? Brian Trenholm Fredericton, NB Ed.: That depends on the insurance company which you are working with. Many insurers have surcharges and time limits regarding how long your car can be in the U.S. Taking your car to the United States is considered a “material change in risk” and the insurer then has the right to deny your claim. You must tell your insurer or broker that you are going away for an extended period! This is why the CSA endorses the CSA Auto/Home insurance program that does not surcharge snowbirds for taking their Canadian vehicles to the United States for up to six months. Dear Bird Talk, With the elimination of the annual vehicle licence fee, many Ontarians registered online and received acceptance of registration in a confirming email, but nothing to attach to our vehicle or ownership as in the past. Is this confirmation an acceptable form of proof in another province or state that our vehicle registration is up to date? Can we remove existing stickers so as not to draw attention to those reading 2022? Brian Sandkey Blue Mountains, ON Ed.: Yes, we recommend removing your “expired” licence plate tags. You can use a razor blade and some “goo gone” or WD40 to help remove the residue. You can obtain a document confirming that you have renewed your licence plates from Service Ontario, but you have to go to a location in person. Dear Bird Talk, If my passport expires on September 15, 2023 and I will be in Florida from December 1, 2022 until April 15, 2023, do I need to renew my passport before I leave? Would the six-month rule impact this? Robin Fillingham The Blue Mountains, ON Ed.: No, you are entering the United States with a passport that is valid for the next six months. So you are good to go. You may be refused entry if your passport will expire within six months from your date of entry. Dear Bird Talk, My wife and I are thinking of selling our property in Florida and would like to know the steps in the process. I assume that we would go through a lawyer when it sells, but are there any U.S. taxes and/or fees which we would need to pay?We have heard conflicting stories from others who have sold. Thanks for clarifying this issue. David Trainor Upper Coverdale, NB Ed.: Assuming that the property is real estate (not a manufactured home) and that the sale would be through a real estate agent, the paperwork and money handling would be by a title company. In Florida, the seller must guarantee good title to the buyer, and the seller does this by purchasing a policy of title insurance through a title company. Costs involved would be the real estate commission, and the “closing costs” referred to in the sale agreement – which would include the price of the title insurance and the title company fees. If the sale would generate a profit, capital gains tax would be payable. Gain or not, 15% of the sale price would be sent by the title company to the IRS (unless the property qualifies for an exemption) and, in the year following the sale year, a U.S. tax return has to be filed. In that return, claim can be made for refund of any amount in excess of any tax payable. A lawyer’s involvement would be minimal, to review the sale agreement and guide you through the process. Dear Bird Talk, Hi, we own a condominium in Florida that we use for five months a year. Can I have a car’s civil responsibility (more than two million) for a Canadian car that I will leave in Florida all year around. I will be using the car for less than six months a year and it will be in storage for the rest of the time. Chantal Gilbert Ste-Julie, QC Ed.: Under federal law, you cannot leave your Canadian registered vehicle in the United States for longer than 12 consecutive months. If so, then you are considered to have imported the car to the U.S. but did not declare it. That could get very messy and expensive. Your Canadian insurance coverage will not be valid either. Dear Bird Talk, I would like to address your response to Jeff fromCalgary regarding a U.S. will. We were also in the process of updating our wills and our lawyer recommended that we have a U.S. will. You talked about how assets held jointly would pass by succession, however, if something happens to both owners, then it can get messy. We decided to enlist the services of an attorney in Arizona and draft both a U.S. will and a Power of Attorney. While our Canadian will does specify who will inherit our U.S. property, it was recommended that we attach a list of beneficiaries to all of the titles that we have, such as house, vehicles, golf carts, etc. I believe that the cost was under $2,000. Thank you for all that you do on our behalf. Wayne Carley Carnduff, SK Ed.: Good advice! Local governments understand local legal documents drafted by local legal counsel. Better safe than sorry. 8 | www.snowbirds.org
Dear Bird Talk, I want to get my car driven to Florida by my daughter (or a friend). What documents should I provide her with... permissions etc.? Tony Dewerth Stuart, ON Ed.: We would suggest that the daughter or the friend have a copy of your passport and a copy of the ownership of the car, along with a statement from the owner giving the person permission to drive the car to Florida. Include information as to when the vehicle will be returning to Canada. Dear Bird Talk, It is very confusing how to fill out the FORM 8840. Say I arrive in the U.S. on November 15 of a given year and stay until April 28 of the following year. My question is, do I count only from November 15 to December 31 on one Form 8840 and then “save” the rest (January 1 to April 28) for the next year? Are these “saved” dates then added to another form. Gloria Dunford-Cartwright North Kawartha, ON Ed.: The 8840 form is asking you to report actual days spent in the U.S. during a calendar year – November 15 until December 31. Then, next year, you report January 1 to April 28 and any additional days which you spend in the U.S. in the fall and winter of that year until December 31. 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 Online at www.snowbirds.org/bird-talk or by e-mail: csawriteus@snowbirds.org Bird Talk Dear Bird Talk, Do we need POAs for each other regarding the ownership of our property in Florida? I had heard that, if one spouse becomes incapacitated, the other spouse may not be able to sell the property even though the title is in both of our names. Is this true? C. Berg Ayr, ON Ed.: That is true. Each of you should have a power of attorney naming a person to act on your behalf in the event of your becoming incapacitated. It could be each other or someone else. Dear Bird Talk, I am taking an 11-night Alaskan cruise which departs fromVancouver, visits several Alaskan ports and then returns back to Vancouver. I plan to get off of the ship for a few hours at four of the Alaskan ports. Do any of these days count as time spent in the U.S. by the IRS or the U.S. Customs and Border Protection Agency? Richard Latimer Dartmouth, NS Ed.: To avoid any issues with the U.S. CBP agents, you should count the entire Alaskan cruise as days in the United States. Dear Bird Talk, Because of the destruction of our home in Fort Myers, can we leave 10 days earlier to complete all of the work that needs to be done? It will mean an extra two weeks over the allowed 183 days? Anne-Marie Tibbo Squamish, BC Ed.: Unfortunately, there are no provisions in place that allow Canadians to spend more than six months in the United States due to damage caused by Hurricane Ian. Dear Bird Talk, I have not seen anything that CSA is doing for members about lobbying for more affordable plans to use our CDNmobile phones in the U.S. Has there ever been an effort to negotiate a plan for members. Thanks for all of your efforts on our behalf. John McLaughlin Oakville, ON Ed.:We have been working extensively to put together a dependable, comprehensive solution for the membership of the CSA. Unfortunately, the two major carriers that we have worked with were only able to offer nominal discounts without any pricing guarantees or service protections that would avoid the type of service interruption that we experienced in February 2022. At this point, snowbirds are better off getting a sim card from a discount U.S. carrier, putting your Canadian cell phone on “Extended Absence Greeting,” which will close your voice mail box, update your voice mail message by saying that your current phone number is inactive and relay your new phone number. Follow up by giving your friends and family your new U.S. phone number. It’s like back in the day, when we suspended our land lines. But a lot cheaper. CSANews | WINTER 2022 | 9
President’s Message Karen Huestis CSA President By the time most of you read this, you will have arrived at your winter homes. Although most of us headed south last snowbird travel season, there are many who will be travelling for the first time this winter. After two years of travel restrictions, it is nice to be back. Hurricane Ian had a devastating impact on many of our Florida members. Thankfully, most were in Canada during the hurricane and were not physically hurt, but we know that many of you are dealing with extensive property damage. There is obviously a great deal to process and navigate, but we have some information available that will hopefully prove to be useful, if you find yourself in this situation. You can read more about this in Ron Steeves’ Government Relations Report in this issue of the magazine. It seems as if we are in the midst of the latest round of negative media stories telling us that the sky is falling for snowbirds. Between significant inflation and a diminished Canadian dollar, there are certainly legitimate concerns – but we have faced similar circumstances before. In January of 2002, the Canadian dollar was trading at 62 cents U.S. – snowbirds were supposed to stay home in droves, they did not. We were told that snowbirds were certainly going to stay home during the winter of 2008/2009 due to the world financial crisis, they did not. Snowbirds are the most experienced and resilient travellers out there. Sure, we may not go out to dinner as often, or play that extra round of golf this winter, but we make adjustments. Again, after two years of travel restrictions and lockdowns, the early indications are that our members are headed south in large numbers. CSA members may once again book a member of your board of directors to make an information presentation directly to their winter community or club. These presentations provide updates about all of the latest initiatives on which the association has been working to further the interests of our members. We attempt to answer any questions that you may have about a wide variety of snowbird-related topics. It seems that the rules and regulations – particularly regarding cross-border travel – are constantly changing so, in my view, these presentations are more valuable than ever before. We need a minimum attendance of 25 people, a suitable presentation room and a projection screen or blank wall – relatively simple, right? To book a presentation for your local winter community or club, simply contact the CSA office in Toronto by emailing them at csastaff@snowbirds.org. These presentations are free of charge and open to members and non-members alike. The ninth edition of the Canadian Travellers’ Report Card is almost complete and will be available on our website in January 2023. We publish and update it every two years so, as you can see, we have been at this for quite a while. For those of you who are new members, it is one of our most popular publications. It examines five key areas of importance to snowbird travellers. These areas include preservation of health coverage, access to emergency health care outside of Canada, prescriptionmedication supply policies, absentee voting information and availability of government information. We research the practices and policies of the federal, provincial and territorial governments, give them an opportunity to address our findings, and then have each jurisdiction graded by an independent third party. You can check out the current version now at www.snowbirds.org and again, the updated version will be available in January. With the 2022 U.S. midterm elections now (almost) complete, it looks like the Democratic Party has maintained control of the U.S. Senate and the Republicans have regained a slim majority in the House of Representatives. These kinds of numbers pose challenges and complicate either party’s ability to govern. U.S. Senator Marco Rubio (R-FL), a key sponsor of our Canadian Snowbirds Act, was elected to a new six-year term in the United States Senate. The initial sponsor of our companion bill, the Canadian Snowbird Visa Act, Congresswoman Elise Stefanik (R-NY-21), retained her seat in the United States House of Representatives. Thanks again to everyone who has renewed their membership during our annual renewal drive. Our membership numbers have actually increased during the course of the pandemic and we are extremely grateful for that. Bill and I wish you a safe and relaxing snowbird season in your winter homes. 10 | www.snowbirds.org
Government Relations Report Ron Steeves First Vice-President I would like to startmy report by extending my thoughts and prayers to all of those who have been impacted by Hurricane Fiona and Hurricane Ian. The association has prepared a hurricane checklist that contains emergency contact information and guidance for dealing with the aftermath of these natural disasters; this checklist can be accessed on our website: www.snowbirds. org/publications/csa-hurricane-checklist. Since my last report, there have been significant developments to Canada’s border measures in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Effective October 1, 2022, all travellers arriving in Canada are no longer required to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 or to meet COVID-19 testing, quarantine or isolation requirements. In addition, effective October 1, 2022, all travellers are no longer required to submit their public health information through ArriveCAN. Travellers may still use the Advance CBSA Declaration feature within ArriveCAN, which lets you make a customs and immigration declaration up to 72 hours in advance of flying into Canada. The Advance CBSA Declaration feature is currently available to international air travellers who enter Canada at: • Toronto Pearson International Airport (YYZ) Terminals 1 and 3 • Vancouver International Airport (YVR) • Montreal-Trudeau International Airport (YUL) • Winnipeg Richardson International Airport (YWG) • Halifax Stanfield International Airport (YHZ). In the coming months, the optional feature will also become available to travellers arriving at the Calgary, Edmonton, Billy Bishop Toronto City, Ottawa and Québec City international airports. Please note that, at this time, travellers cannot use the Advance CBSA Declaration with NEXUS kiosks. Transport Canada has also removed existing travel requirements. As of October 1, 2022, travellers are no longer required to: • undergo health checks for travel by air and rail; or • wear masks on planes or trains. Although the masking requirement has been lifted, the federal government still strongly recommends that all travellers wear high-quality and well-fitted masks during their journeys. Cruise measures have also been lifted, and travellers are no longer required to have pre-boarding tests, be vaccinated or use ArriveCAN. Despite all of the changes which have been made on the Canadian side of the border, at this time, no changes have been made to the U.S. government’s requirement for all visitors 18 years of age and older to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19. Travellers are considered fully vaccinated two weeks (14 days) after their second dose of an accepted two-dose series. More detailed information about this requirement, including exemptions, can be obtained at: www. cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/travelers/ proof-of-vaccination.html. Due to the fluid nature of the pandemic, these cross-border measures can be altered at any time. The CSA will continue to provide members with timely updates through our email advisories. At the end of August, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) announced the expansion of their Mobile Passport Control program (MPC) to include Toronto’s Pearson International Airport, Montreal-Trudeau International Airport, and Vancouver International Airport. The MPC mobile app, available to U.S. citizens and Canadian B1/B2 visitors (which includes snowbirds), allows travellers to submit their passport and travel information using a mobile device and will enable them to store their information so that it will be readily available for future international travel. This results in less congestion and more efficient processing. The CBP MPC app can be downloaded for free from the Google Play Store or Apple App Store. After downloading the app, users will be prompted to create a profile with their passport information, name, gender, date of birth and country of citizenship. Upon landing in the United States or arriving at an eligible Preclearance location, travellers will select their airport or seaport and terminal, take a self-photo, and answer a series of CBP inspection-related questions. Once the traveller submits his or her transaction through the app, the traveller will receive an electronic receipt with an encrypted Quick Response (QR) code. Travellers will then bring their physical passport and mobile device with their digital QR-coded receipt to a CBP officer to finalize their inspection for entry into the United States. The MPC programwas originally launched in August 2014 and has been used by more than 4.3million travellers. Formore information onMPC, including user eligibility, visit the CBP MPC website here, www.cbp.gov/ travel/us-citizens/mobile-passport-control. The 2022U.S. midtermelections were held on Tuesday, November 8, 2022. The Democratic Party has maintained control of the U.S. Senate and the Republicans have regained control of the House of Representatives. Regardless of the composition of Congress, the CSA remains committed to passage of our Canadian Retiree Visa, a legislative proposal which would extend the length of time which retired Canadians can spend in the United States to eight months annually. CSA officials will be working on having this legislation reintroduced at the start of the new Congressional session in January 2023. Judy and I wish you a safe and happy winter. CSANews | WINTER 2022 | 11
J. Ross Quigley CEO Medipac International Inc. Insurance My advice in the summer issue to purchase our Early Bird insurance created an onslaught of applications and internet sales. We exceeded even our own optimistic projections. We experienced consistently high-volume internet traffic, and our quite-sophisticated systems worked very well, indeed. Being short-staffed due to both COVID and people’s total lack of interest in wanting jobs, we were challenged to provide the proper service which you deserve. Thank you for bearing with us through this tsunami. Every day, I walked through the entire office asking about issues and possible problems – and there were none. Well, none that I recall today, anyway. Our Special Underwriting Department has also been swamped this year. Many are new snowbirds with health issues such as recent heart attacks, cancer and late onset diabetes. We are able to accommodate most of these people but, unfortunately, the price is pretty high in most cases. High risk translates to high premiums, but our charges pale in comparison to multi-hundred-thousand-dollar medical bills. One thing that disturbs me is the proliferation of “snowbird” articles in the mainstream papers and on many internet sites. They quote sources that are totally unreliable and mostly wrong. Why do they not simply call the Canadian Snowbird Association and ask us for the correct answers? They can certainly call Medipac as well, if they want true travel insurance information. We are happy to share our expertise and opinions. One of our opinions is that proper travel insurance requires medical staff to provide help in crisis situations and serious medical knowledge to assess risk (or lack of risk) when setting premium rates. I have always found it funny, for instance, when banks say that they are travel insurance experts. Really? No, they are banking experts. How about the auto club saying that they are travel insurance experts. Well, no again, they are towing and car-breakdown experts. And what about the life insurance agent or the auto/home broker? They do love those high commissions. Did I mention Facebook yet? There are several well-followed snowbirds on Facebook. Several of them call me or one of our staff to find answers to their followers’ questions. Most do not. Many are shills for other travel insurance programs and their information is highly suspect. Several people whom I respect have told me, over the years, that I should not attack the competition; Medipac’s products and services speak for themselves. But if I can save just one person from that $300,000 or higher medical bill, with proper information, then it is worth it. Well, that is my excuse for being bad, anyway. Have a wonderful holiday season and a new year filled with joy and happiness and very good health. 12 | www.snowbirds.org
It’s been quite some time, but I still feel it. I never met the Queen, and was raised as far from monarchy as it’s possible to be. Yet the death of Queen Elizabeth moved and moves me to the heart and soul. It’s difficult for those outside of the circle to grasp the enormity of Queen Elizabeth’s passing. By the circle I mean those who, whatever they thought of the monarchy, saw her as a symbol of something much greater and deeper than mere pomp. She was the young woman in the uniform of the good during the Second World War, when authentic evil sometimes seemed invincible. She was the daughter of a king, thrown into public life long before she wanted. She was moderation and decency, even when neither quality seemed especially apparent in her own country. As a 63-year-old Brit, I can tell you that whenMargaretThatcher seemed intent on Americanizing and privatizing the U.K., even those on the left looked to the Queen as a rock of the best of tradition. She was known, for example, to detest apartheid and had especially firm bonds of friendship with African leaders, some of whom were committed socialists. While some members of her family acted badly, even shamefully, and there were criticisms of the royalty and of privilege, she was almost always spared attack. Not because she was the Queen, but because she was Elizabeth. Outside of fanatics and misanthropes, there’s very little criticism of her at the moment, which is not always the case when death strikes the powerful. Those nasties who are taking to social media to express their hatred and venom are actually saying far more about themselves than about her. They will be forgotten; she will be remembered. British prime ministers came and went, but she remained. Other than Winston Churchill, it was Labour leaders with whom she seemed closest. Harold Wilson, who led the country for eight years, was from a working-class Yorkshire background and was once even thought to be sympathetic to Communism. She much preferred him to his Conservative opponents. Her Christian faith was central to her life and it’s important to get this one right. The Britishmonarch – as the Supreme Governor of the Church of England – is the titular head of the English church and has special status in the Anglican Church of Canada, too. But this isn’t papal, and she played no role in the theological formation of the denomination. Respect, yes… subservience, no. Yet in an age when the public, political face of Christianity is often so loud, angry and reactionary, her approach was implicit and gentle, based on a commitment to public service. She took Christianity extremely seriously, which is different from taking it aggressively. It was revealing when commentators suggested that the homily given byU.S. Episcopal primate Michael Curry at the wedding of Prince Harry toMeghanMarkle might have surprised her, because it was influenced by African-American Christianity and lyricism. Nonsense! She’d heard that sort of preaching numerous times and delighted in it. It was the secular, doubting commentators who were shocked. We live in a cynical era, when too often lack of forgiveness is seen as strength, insult as wit and flippancy as worldliness. Partly due to her age, partly her being above the grime of daily political division and mostly because of an innate elegance and tolerance, Queen Elizabeth always seemed a timeless exception. There will probably now be a new questioning of monarchy, both in Britain and the Commonwealth, and I don’t envy her successor. It won’t be the first time that a new monarch has faced doubts, however, and the institution has survived far greater challenges than those currently swirling around. I’ve a feeling that the loss of her husband, Prince Philip, was something with which the Queen never came to terms, and the apparent disputes between her grandsons Harry and William apparently hurt her deeply. That’s very upsetting, “Each day is a new beginning,” she said. “I know that the only way to live my life is to try to do what is right, to take the long view, to give of my best in all that the day brings and to put my trust in God.” She is missed, and will be for years to come. May light perpetual shine upon her, andmay she rise in glory. As I say, I’m far sadder than I thought I would be. Opinion with Michael Coren CSANews | WINTER 2022 | 13
THE WRATH OF IAN A snowbird’s tale of nerve-wracked survival Some teachable moments carry steeper learning curves than others. Jarring, terrifying and eye-opening triggers of stress, worry and frazzle. Sudden new perspectives about taking for granted basics and creature comforts, such as flipping a switch for lights, turning on the tap, flushing, pumping gas – and the internet. The clichéd wise reminder that some things are never really appreciated until they’re gone. Mornings-after are a reality check. The breathtakingly brutal and shell-shocked aftermath and also sighs of relief and grateful, counted blessings. The awesome wrath of Ian ripped through suburbia, mobile home parks and plazas, plucking mature oaks and palms The 28-degree, blue-sky sun was shining, like it usually does. Local radio and TV aired a steady stream of alerts about the possible paths of the approaching hurricane. Just after 3:30, the perky, local TV weather talking head was grinning in front of the colourful studio screen with sweeping gestures, showing the differing radar cone and spaghetti tracking guesstimates of where it may hit, and explaining the bright orange, yellow, green and red graphics about howmuch storm surge flooding it could cause. Suddenly, the TV went black. The lights, the fridge, Wi-Fi and cell signal went out. The wind picked up, swaying the majestic and tall palm trees. By dusk, it was howling, groaning, relentless and constant. The typically heavy Florida rains got even heavier. The palms no longer swayed, but bent and strained in valiant self-defence. And the hurricane-virgin snowbirds cowered on the couch, hoping to stay safe, nervously and helplessly wondering how much worse it will get and how long it will last? And what happens next? For seven rumbling and frightening hours that felt like forever, the Category 4 Hurricane Ian battered the snowbird-favourite Florida Suncoast, from Sarasota to Naples and all snowbird hot spots in-between. by John Hardy Special Report Photo: NOAA Photo: Sarasota Herald-Tribune 14 | www.snowbirds.org
waves, wildfires or droughts. So, Hurricane Ian was just the latest ping-pong volley in the climate change controversy. Impartial science cautions that climate change is transforming weather and warns that global warming is the culprit for supercharging extreme weather around the world. The facts: the oceans and the air are warmer and more water vapour in the atmosphere makes sea levels higher. And, according to the science of weather tracking, warmer oceans not only mean bigger and stronger hurricanes, they also inflict larger storm surges. While snowbirds enjoy flocking to Suncoast hot spots such as Naples, Fort Myers, Port Charlotte and Sarasota, there are more than 3,200 kilometres of shores in the Gulf of Mexico – from Key West to Georgia, Louisiana and Texas. And they are no strangers to violent storms. The threat of hurricanes is very real for Floridians and seasoned snowbirds. The sixmonth “hurricane season” is from June 1 until November 30, and the peak of the season is between mid-August and late October. out of the ground like flimsy matchsticks, shearing off roof shingles, mangling fences and screened pool enclosures and pelting bizarrely horizontal heavy rain like the fierce blast from a firefighter’s pressure hose. A puzzling fluke of nature that, while some places were devastated, others survived unscathed. Annie had it right. “The sun’ll come out tomorrow. Bet your bottom dollar that tomorrow, there’ll be sun.” Remarkable. Soothing. Uplifting. Inspirational. The people! Longterm locals and seasonal snowbirds rallying together and comparing stories, scrounging for water and gas and hoping for even just a few cellphone signal bars. Road crews, caravans of utility trucks and contractors and clusters of chipping-in volunteers with chain saws and work gloves sprung into action. A comforting and real-time revelation that, when the going gets tough, the tough – and the stressed but gritty, resilient and caring – get going. While getting-ready-for-the-seasonal-exodus snowbirds anxiously watched CTV and CBC for Florida hurricane damage reports and updates, early snowbirds and locals who were hunkered down had impromptu huddles on ravaged streets and parking lots. The disbelieving but relieved chit-chatty buzz ranged fromArmageddon-ish shock and awe, comparing personalized highlights, to hearing about the tragedy of casualties and obliterated lives and homes, particularly in hardest-hit and snowbird-popular neighbourhoods such as Fort Myers, Port Charlotte, Venice, Englewood and North Port. In the week following the jolt, as cleanup crews started the massive job of hauling away high curbside piles of branches, chain-sawed tree trunks and twisted aluminum, the media pivoted to what/when/where/why postmortems. Predictable blame-putting about the misleading weather forecasting system failing to give adequate and accurate warning, and also exacerbating the touchy topic of exorbitant Florida property insurance. For locals and snowbirds alike, the familiar and trendy new chestnut about global warming and climate change rang truer than ever, and closer to home. After all, climate change is usually mentioned (and blamed) in media coverage of most hurricanes, torrential rainstorms, floods, frigid cold spells, heat Special Report Photo: Sarasota Herald-Tribune CSANews | WINTER 2022 | 15
and analyzed, Suncoast officials explained that Ian made landfall as one of the five most powerful U.S. hurricanes, and Florida’s deadliest since 1935. The 150 mph winds were the strongest to ever lash Florida’s West Coast, knocking out power to 2.6 million, causing more than $100 billion of damage and, tragically, 119 deaths. According to Florida’s Department of Law Enforcement, at least 58 deaths were related to drowning and almost 60% were people age 65 or older. Chronic medical conditions such heart disease and respiratory illnesses were contributing factors in one-third of the reported fatalities, and the average age of those who died was 67. Surprisingly, especially for novice hurricane snowbirds, while Ian’s ferocious winds left a breathtaking trail of wreckage in its path – not tomention some horrific TVnews reports for snowbirds still at home and just readying to head south – much of the property damage was caused by water and flooding. Surveying the damage and considering the options for cleanup and recovery also struck Stats show that Florida suffers some of the greatest financial damage from storms, partly due to the frequency of hurricanes, but also because of tremendous population growth and coastal development. Approximately 15 million Florida residents and seasonal snowbirds, or 76% of the population, live in coastal areas. As foreign a concept as it is for usually landlocked snowbirds, Florida storm surge describes the wall of water that is pushed toward the shoreline, as a hurricane moves onshore. Storm surge combines with the local tide and the battering, wind-driven waves to push large volumes of water onto the shore. While the frightening visuals of a hurricane’s fury usually rivet themost attention, it is often the storm surge that causes the most chaos and damage. In the strongest hurricanes, storm surge can be as high as 25 feet above normal water levels. While storm surge is tragically probable near the shore, and as Hurricane Ian violently demonstrated, water can also be a huge problem in inland areas. Ian’s historic rain (more than 17 inches in a 24-hour period) overwhelmed storm-water ponds and drainage systems and created water issues for stores, restaurants and the ground-floor interiors of many homes. The drying-out, the blue tarp temporary fixes on roofs, the ripping-out drenched and mouldy drywall and other manoeuvres of repair and restoration will continue for months, if not longer. For experienced locals and snowbirds who happily assimilate into the Florida good life, Ian’s aftermath also triggered two relevant (and quasi-political) Florida hot-button topics. The ‘cone of confusion’ is now a debate, questioning those traditional hurricane cone map images not onlymisleading residents and first responders about the actual size and scope of a storm, but failing to give adequate notice for preparing, battening down the hatches and possibly evacuating. The next Florida hurricane season is not until September 2023, and the cone of confusion concept is “under review.” This time, when the early stats were rehashed Special Report Photo: Sarasota Herald-Tribune 16 | www.snowbirds.org
and the endless summer good times. This year, it’s a bit different.They watched the news bulletins at home, they gulped and wheezed and shrugged about the good and bad of lovin’ the Florida life. Because the true measure of Ian’s wrath and devastation was not the massive, ripped-out palm trees, the curbside piles of soaked and ruined furniture and mangled soffits, eavestroughs and roof shingles. It was the families crouched on the folding cots in a high school gymnasium makeshift shelter, grateful for Styrofoam containers of donated food and bottled water. And the gentle, tanned and silver-haired 81-year-old, standing dazed and defeated, in front of a stacked heap of the scrap lumber and debris which used to be his home for 40+ years, wondering but not hopeful about finding his 62-year-old wedding pictures or the shelves of knick-knacks his late wife treasured since their honeymoon. Tragic and sad, but Ian’s wrath was merely the most recent reminder about flukes of nature and acts of God. There will be others. another controversial nerve, inflaming Florida’s dragged-out and politically contentious property insurance issue. While some snowbird renters are not directly impacted and watch from the sidelines, many snowbird owners follow the controversy and cringe about even higher property insurance rates. Ian inflicted a lot of damage, expected to be between $40 billion and $64 billion for flood and wind losses to Florida residential and commercial properties, and the majority of property damages were caused by water and flooding. For tense and anxious weeks after the apocalyptic September 28, the raging scramble was determining and documenting, case by case and claim by claim, whether the damage was caused by wind, which is covered, or flooding, which is often not covered in many areas of Florida. While people and contractors slugged away at the mammoth clean-up task, the hurricane scraped off the scab of Florida’s property insurance crisis. It underscored and exposed the glaring flaws in the state’s fragile property insurance market, which has lost more than $1 billion in each of the last two years. According to recent stats, hundreds of thousands of Floridians have had their policies dropped or not renewed. Much of the argument is about availability and cost. While hurricane wind damage is usually covered, flood damage is usually not. In fact, in some areas, flood insurance is either not even offered or it is sky-high unaffordable, costing as much as $1,000 per month. The steady stream of anxious, upbeat but somewhat apprehensive snowbirds started to arrive. There were gasps and sighs and a lot of head shaking. Some neighbourhoods looked battered and very, very rough. Some snowbird-fave eateries and stores weathered the crunch, and some did not. But gradually, dragging beach chairs and coolers and slathering sunscreen resumed. Safari-hatted snowbird golfers were back, perfecting their swings and putts. And snowbird life, although a little bruised, went on. Harmlessly (and even charmingly) strange but, sometimes, snowbirds do get understandably jaded about the irresistible contrast of it all. The soothing relaxation. The sun. The fairways.The beach.The no-stress disconnect Special Report Photos: NOAA CSANews | WINTER 2022 | 17
Thankfully, not all of Florida was hit as hard as the Southwest coast. The heavily populated communities clustered about the Interstate-4 corridor fromTampa andOrlando toDaytona Beach (including Pasco and Polk counties) and encompassing Lakeland, Winter Haven, Auburndale, Bartow, LakeWales, Kissimmee and Orlando were all hit with heavy rains, flooding and extensive property damage, but the impacts were far less acute than those in Lee, Charlotte and Sarasota coastal areas. And the heavily populated Atlantic Coast communities from Palm Beach County down through Broward and Miami-Dade (Boca Raton, Fort Lauderdale, Hollywood, Hallandale andMiami) experienced nothing but a blustery, rainy summer day – routine for September. After crossing the western tip of Cuba on a northward track to the densely populated Tampa Bay/St. Petersburg area, Hurricane Ian did what tropical storms often do – it changed course, turned sharply right and charged ashore at one the most vulnerable strips of Florida’s 1,350-mile coastline: the low-lying waterfront communities between Sarasota and Naples. Generating core wind speeds of 150 miles per hour, tidal surges of more than seven feet and 10 inches of rain, Ian made landfall at 2.24 p.m. on September 28 at tiny Cayo Costa island, then tore into Port Charlotte, Punta Gorda, Cape Coral, Sanibel, Fort Myers, Pine Island and surrounding communities – levelling homes and businesses, uprooting trees, reducing pleasure boats to scrap heaps, ripping roofs off of houses and trapping families in flood waters that backed up into Charlotte Harbor, the Caloosahatchee River, Estero Bay and inland tributaries, ultimately claiming more than 100 lives. Once past landfall and free of the warmGulf waters, wind speeds at Ian’s core and beyond moderated as it continued on its north-easterly path through DeSoto, Hardee, Highland, Okeechobee, Osceola and Brevard counties… finally exiting just south of Cape Canaveral on the Atlantic shore, by which time its wind intensity dropped to 55 mph – still enough to knock you off your feet or take out full-grown trees. At one point, U.S. Weather Service satellites recorded Ian’s storm core winds, rains and trailing clouds at almost 500 miles across, covering most of the state except for Florida’s northwest Panhandle. Special Report Florida Bends to Hurricane Ian But Doesn’t Break By Milan Korcok Sunseeker Resort Port Charlotte Photos: iStock.com/felixmizioznikov 18 | www.snowbirds.org
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