MAPLE LEAF TIMES

Musicians, take good care of your oral health…

2012-02-09T08:55:00.002+08:00

In a recent issue of the Journal of the American Dental Association, an orthodontist pointed out that the type of musical instruments that your children play will affect the position of their teeth or jaw. A 1994 report identified common dental issues experienced by musicians including tooth mobility, TMJ, and head & neck lesions.

Most of the problems are experienced by musicians who play the saxophone or clarinet as they will put a lot of pressure on the lower lip and the teeth to support the weight of the instrument. Teeth misalignment may also be experienced if they play the instruments extensively. Brass instrument players such as trumpet, horns or trombone players will need to be careful as a prolonged period of using these instruments will cause teeth mobility or movement.

String instruments such as the violin may also affect the development of the jaw and the bite. This is to the due to the pressure on the jaw when musicians hold the instrument between their shoulder and the jaw.

If your children play the types of musical instruments mentioned above or have experienced problems in the mouth and head & neck area, then you should bring your children to the dentist or paedodontist to have an examination.

Prevention is always better than cure. A short chat with your dentist or specialist would get a musical career off to a good start with the bonus of an excellent set of teeth.

Specialist Dental Group is a corporate sponsor of the Canadian Association of Singapore (CAS). For more information on different types of dental treatments, send an enquiry via www.specialistdentalgroup.com or call 6733 7883.

Campus Radio 93.8 live Visits the Canadian International School

2012-02-09T08:55:00.001+08:00

Just a few short weeks after opening the doors to the Canadian International School’s (CIS) new state-of-the-art Lakeside campus, high school students hosted 93.8 FM’s live Campus Radio show. The topic of the day was: Will technology evolve to govern the world absolutely and have our lives already come to be ruled by technology?

An enthusiastic high school audience watched and listened to the show live in the David Foster 500 seat theatre, while Mr. Little’s Grade 10 MYP Technology class, demonstrated the modern art of multi-tasking by listening to the live stream of the show over the Internet in the their classroom, while continuing with their studies.

The panel discussion included students Meg Cavanagh and Gabriella Reeb, teacher Rick Butler, and a panel of experts including the Regional Director of Internet Policy of Microsoft, John Galagan and TRPC Chairman, Dr. Peter Lovelock. Others making significant contributions through their insightful comments included Tanya Phillips, Shayna Haley, Grael Miller, Elene Tsvetkova, Jennifer Li and Ken Montgomery.

Discussion topics included the perceived threat that technology poses, the need to broaden our use/understanding of technology beyond using the Internet for social net-working, and ensuring that we maintain a balance between technological and human interaction.

Ultimately, the panel surmised that technology does have the ability to de-humanise human interaction and that users of technology need to make a conscious choice to use technology in a humanising way that adds more value to our lives, our relationships and our way of doing things.

/ Scott Little
MYP Technology Teacher

Reflections of Bukit Chandu

2012-02-09T08:55:00.000+08:00

Our small but enthusiastic group met at Pasir Panjang MRT station and then made our way up Pepys Rd to the museum. Reflections of Bukit Chandu is a World War II interpretive centre developed and managed by the National Archives of Singapore. The museum is housed in one of the few remaining bungalows which were built at the turn of the century for British officers.

We were heartily greeted by our guide, Vincent, a retired geography teacher. Immediately we were impressed by his knowledge of the history leading up to the Battle of Bukit Chandu and his enthusiasm for our questions and discussion.

The Battle of Bukit Chandu took place just two days before the surrender of Singapore on February 15, 1942. Malay Regiment soldiers, led by British Commanders were forced to retreat to this hill and engaged in fierce battle for 48 hours. When their ammunition gave out, they resorted to hand to hand combat to try and defend the hill. The museum is a fascinating interpretive centre which brings to life the horrors of war in Singapore at that time.

We thanked Vincent and walked back to Pasir Panjang Rd to E-Sarn, Thai Cuisine, where we enjoyed an authentic Thai lunch and more lively discussion about our tour. We all agreed that we would like to learn more about that period of Singapore’s history. One historical fiction novel, which chronicles the events leading up to and including the war in Singapore, is Tanamera by Noel Barber. After lunch we went our separate ways, all anticipating the next CAS Out & About in Singapore Tour.

/ Deb Glenen

Singapore River Regatta

2012-02-09T08:54:00.000+08:00

The last weekend in November saw a lot of crowds and boats lining Boat Quay. This was the annual Singapore River Regatta. The race was a short 200 metres. While it was short, the competition was fierce with every team paddling their hardest to reach the finish line first. With over 80 boats competing in some categories, the weekend was exhilarating for everyone.

This year the Canadian Dragons had a great showing with 2 boats entered in most categories and the “B” boat in the National Championship Premier Mixed category placed third, receiving a Bronze medal for their efforts.

We are just starting our first season for 2012 and are eager to have new paddlers join us. There are some fun races building up to the Singapore Dragon Boat festival in late June where we will defend our Silver medal in the Inter International Business Community (expat race) category from July 2011.

If you are interested in joining our fun team, come out for training at Kallang Riverside Park. We train in the boat on Saturdays from 4:00 – 6:00, and Sundays from 10:00 – 12:00. Please come 30 minutes early to sign in, get kitted out – we have PDF’s and paddles, and to warm up. Hope to see you soon!

For more info: www.canadiandragons.sg.org

All You Need for Christmas...

2011-12-01T08:00:00.028+08:00

Contributed by Specialist Dental Group

...are good dental tips (and your two front teeth)! Christmas is around the corner and any celebration during the festive season would not be complete without food.

During the year-end holiday season, your mouth and teeth will need to work harder to do the chewing and talking. It is important to ensure that your teeth are in good shape. If you have not seen a dentist for more than 6 months, make sure you have your teeth checked before the end of the year. This is to avoid unwanted surprises such as broken fillings, chipped teeth or a major toothache.

Holiday dental tips

1. Choosing the right snacks! Moderate consumption of sticky, acidic, sugary dishes and food that requires more time to chew or suck, such as sweets and hard nuts.

2. Watch what you drink. Soft drinks, frizzy beverages, or drinks that are too hot or too cold may not be friendly to your teeth. Whenever possible, use a straw to reduce the contact of the drink with your teeth.

3. Brush after meals or the least gargle with plain water after eating.

4. Prepare the young ones! You can help to watch your kids’ diets by introducing them to healthier snacks such as; cheese, carrot sticks, or fruits. If you are visiting your dentist before the holiday, bring them along!

5. Keep the right contacts handy, such as your dentist’s emergency contact number and the hospital’s Accident and Emergency number.

Wishing you a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!!

Specialist Dental Group is a corporate sponsor of the Canadian Association of Singapore (CAS). For more information on different types of dental treatments, send an enquiry via www.specialistdentalgroup.com or call 6733 7883.

16 Time Grammy Award Winner David Foster Visits Lakeside!

2011-12-01T08:00:00.027+08:00

By Michelle Sharp, Head of Communications and Marketing

CIS was proud to have Canadian singer, songwriter, record producer and 16 time Grammy award winner David Foster perform and converse with high school students at the official opening of the Lakeside Campus theatre. David Foster is a long-time friend of Knowledge Universe and the CIS community was thrilled that he took time out of his busy tour Schedule and perform at the new 500 seat theatre Of the Lakeside Campus.

In addition to being one of the most successful Entertainers and producers in the music industry, David Foster has worked with celebrities such as Michael Jackson, Madonna, Celine Dion, Barbra Streisand, Whitney Houston, Chicago, Michael Bublé, Josh Groban, Earth Wind & Fire, N’Sync, Natalie Cole, Michael Bolton and Charice to name only a few.

It was a privileged opportunity for CIS students to interact in a personal and very candid way with a global entertainment leader whose impact on the industry over the last few decades has been enormous. Inviting students and staff to join him in impromptu Performances, David Foster wowed the packed theatre with his warm, easy-going wit and of course his world class talent as a Composer/producer.

During the assembly, David Foster took the time to thoughtfully and humorously interact with students about their futures while playing several of his better known numbers with the audience singing and clapping along. A big thank you to Knowledge Universe for helping make this event with David Foster possible!

Race preparation

2011-12-01T08:00:00.026+08:00

By Sally Monteith / Photo by Eric Sinclair

We have seen a lot of dedication and determination these past few weeks by the Canadian dragons as we prepare for the upcoming Singapore river regatta races. We will be defending the title in the international business and club (expat) category. The competition is fierce with about 70 teams competing for this prestigious honour.

There is a slight lull until the New Year when we start preparing for the summer river regatta. This is a prime opportunity for new paddlers to come out, test the waters, and see if this sport is for you. There are many fun races coming up to give you a taste of race day and the intensity that is experienced by the team. We are extremely diverse and welcome all paddlers, regardless of nationality. If you are interested in joining our fun team, come out for training at Kallang riverside park. We train in the boat on Saturdays from 4:00 – 6:00, and Sundays from 10:00 – 12:00. Please come 30 minutes early to sign in, get kitted out – we have PDF’s and paddles, and to warm up. You can always contact us through our website, http://www.canadiandragons-sg.org/?q=node. Looking forward to seeing you soon!

Singapore City Gallery and Neighbourhood Tour

2011-12-01T08:00:00.025+08:00

Text and photos by + Dolores Parker

This is such a rich area of Singapore that our main problem was deciding what to leave out of our tour. Last Spring’s exploration of Tanjong Pagar focussed on different highlights and there are still at least two more tours worth of interesting sights...

Our first stop this time was the little known Seng Wong Beo Taoist Temple on Peck Seah St. This is where some traditional Taoists still perform “ghost marriages”. Paper effigies of deceased family members are married to ensure higher status and the ability to receive offerings in the afterlife. We watched quietly as an old lady and a priest chanted before an alter with offerings and effigies.

Next, we walked past some lovely shophouses with their spiraling fire escapes. We also stopped to look at the Samui women sculptures on our way to the Singapore City Gallery in the URA building. There was an informative display of the plans for the railway corridor lands on the main floor. The scale models of Singapore were fascinating to look at and we enjoyed the sound and light show. The recent renovation of the gallery added quite a lot of interactive displays as well.

We ended with a quick look at the Maxwell hawker centre as well as the Jinricksha station. We were glad we didn’t try to pack any more into this tour because about two minutes after settling down for lunch the skies opened up and the Singapore rain poured down.

Some thought to Chew On

2011-11-01T07:44:00.001+08:00

Contributed by Specialist Dental Group

Have you ever thought how chewing gum may benefit you? The Singapore government banned chewing gum from being imported and sold in the country in 1992 to preserve cleanliness as people were disposing of their chewed up gum in inappropriate places. In 2004, limited sale of chewing gum was allowed for therapeutic purposes by pharmacies and dentists.

Depending on the ingredients, there are certain brands that contain small amount of nicotine, helping smokers to quit their habit gradually. We all know how smoking destroys one’s health, including oral health! Or if you are susceptible to tooth decay, gum containing Xylitol (a sugar substitute) may have some benefit for you. Some studies have indicated that one of the benefits of Xylitol is caries prevention.

Chewing of gum after meals also helps to stimulate the production of saliva. Saliva helps to neutralize the acid produced by bacteria in plaque, which if left untouched, will erode enamel and cause dental decay and bad breath. Chewing gum can also help relieve pressure in your ears and sinuses by encouraging jaw movement.

Despite the dental benefits, however, frequent chewing may cause muscle fatigue, jaw joint pain, or headaches. Thus, moderation in consumption is always advised to prevent your jaw from overworking. Chewing gum fans should also bear in mind that gum chewing cannot replace the need to brush, floss and make regular visits to your dentist to ensure your teeth and gums are in tiptop condition.

Dragon News

2011-11-01T07:44:00.000+08:00

Text and photo by Sally Monteith

Overlooking the water with a back-drop of lovely greenery, the setting was beautiful. The music was interrupted by a horn and it was announced that the next race had started. Looking up the reservoir you could see paddles flying and water splashing. Although the race was a short 250 metres, it was intense. A lot could go wrong in less than 90 seconds and it did for a few teams. Many of the races were won or lost that day, by less than a dragon’s head.

The Canadian Dragons had boats in 5 categories, including a “Senior’s” category - which we prefer to call the “Mature” boat. These races gave our newest members an opportunity to experience a race situation. We will be gearing up for the big Singapore River Regatta at the end of November.

The Canadian Dragons always welcome new members, whether or not you have paddled before. We are multi-cultural with many nationalities represented in our boats – including Canadians! If you are interested in joining our fun team, come out for training at the Kallang Riverside Park. We train in the boat on Saturdays from 4:00pm – 6:00pm, and Sundays from 10:00am – 12:00 noon. Please come 30 minutes early to sign in, get kitted out – we have PDF’s and paddles, and to warm up. You can always contact us through our website at www.canadiandragons-sg.org/?q=node.

High School Students Ready for Action!

2011-11-01T07:43:00.000+08:00

Grade 11 CIS students taking the OSSD Healthy Active Living Education course are now certified in First Aid and CPR through the American Red Cross. As a result of this training, our students are prepared to help any organization needing First Aid support at their event. This three day certification is recognized globally and teaches the latest life-saving techniques for a variety of situations; from cuts and scrapes to muscle, bone and joint injuries as well as CPR and resuscitation.

The Healthy Living course not only focuses on being active, but also emphasizes the relationship between schools and their communities. One activity planned to enhance student understanding of the community is to hear a guest speaker from the Singapore Red Cross explain the important role that blood donation plays here in Singapore. After an interactive presentation, students tour a blood donor clinic and have the opportunity to donate blood themselves. This experience helps students understand community needs and provides them with an engaging and safe environment in which to help support our community.

One of the desired outcomes for this course is to see students being proactive in their lives, throughout their schooling, and in the community by volunteering their time and resources in meaningful and effective ways.

If you would like to support this programme or if you are in need of volunteers certified in first aid and CPR for an event, please email Renee Bellavance at rbellavance@cis.edu.sg for more details.

THE PERANAKAN TRAIL OUT & ABOUT TOUR

2011-11-01T07:42:00.000+08:00

Text and photos by Dolores Parker

This was a wonderful tour to kick off a new season. We were fortunate to have Irene Boey and her colleagues from Far East Organization sponsor this tour, beginning with a lovely breakfast at the Orchard Scotts condominiums and a tour of the impressive grounds and show flats.

Once aboard the tour bus we were introduced to the Peranakan culture enroute to the Peranakan Museum. Our guide, Agnes, showed us the highlights of the beautiful museum and explained Peranakan customs as we admired the distinctive beadwork and pottery. Many of us have plans to go back and spend more time there.

Our next stop was the Kim Choo Kueh Chang shop on East Coast Rd, where we had tea and Nonya snacks. We watched a dumpling making demonstration and Joy tried her hand at making one. It’s harder than it looks! Next we learned more about the unique beadwork and how to wear the sarongkebaya. Our model, Sara, looked gorgeous.

We ended with a delicious lunch at the Kim Choo Kueh restaurant. The only problem was that the tour ran over an hour! Oh well, I suppose that can happen when you spend a fun morning with 30 old and new friends, mix in some good food and shopping, and explore another aspect of Singapore’s history.

Smile with Confidence, when it Matters!

2011-10-01T15:03:00.002+08:00

A healthy skin, silky soft hair and a beautiful wedding gown would be worthless if there is no smile on the bride’s face! There is a wide range of smile makeovers available so that the bride may be camera perfect on her special day.

Assuming that everything is in order, a dental cleaning would ensure that a bride’s teeth and gums are clean and fresh. If her teeth are a little stained, or if she just wants to give them the extra glimmer, teeth whitening would be another option.

If the bride-to-be has a chipped tooth or small gaps between her teeth, composite bonding is a quick option to restore her teeth. In other cases, dental treatment for the bride-to-be may include placing veneers for teeth discolorations that cannot be resolved with whitening alone, replacing failing crowns or having Instant Implants to replace missing teeth.

Last, but not least, if having perfectly aligned teeth has been the bride-to-be’s dream but the thought of wearing unsightly braces on the wedding day was a major put-off, the good news is that Invisalign treatment allows teeth to be straightened virtually invisibly with the used of clear, removable custom-made aligners series. Invisalign treatment should start several months before the wedding day for best visible results.

A dental consultation should be the first thing that a bride-to-be should schedule in respect to ensuring that her pearlie whites are in tip top shape for the all important day.

Specialist Dental Group is a corporate sponsor of the Canadian Association of Singapore (CAS).
For more information on different types of dental treatments, send an enquiry via www.specialistdentalgroup.com or call 6733 7883.

October Out and About Tour: Singapore City Gallery and Neighbourhood

2011-10-01T15:01:00.000+08:00

Date: Wednesday, October 12, 2011
Time: 9:30
Friends and visitors are welcome to join!
Tour fee: $0, Lunch: Under $25 per guest

With 10 thematic areas and more than 50 audiovisual and interactive exhibits spanning three floors totaling 2,400 square metres, the Singapore City Gallery offers an exciting, multi-sensory learning experience about Singapore’s planning journey. The Gallery has been recently renovated, so even if you have been there before, you’ll find new areas to explore and new things to learn about Singapore.

Some other points of interest in the area will be included such as the fascinating Seng Wong Beo Taoist temple, where “ghost weddings” are held, and the former Jinricksha station. We’ll finish off, as always, with lunch!

O&A Tours take place on the 4th Wednesday of the month, but as it is Deepavali holiday and CIS is on break the last two weeks of October, the tour is a couple of weeks earlier.

Contact: Lynda Sellars: lyndasellars@hotmail.com, with email subject: “October Out and About”.

Please advise names and mobile numbers of participants and if how many will be joining for lunch. Lynda will send detailed info a few days before the tour.

Looking forward to seeing you in October!
Dolores Parker and Lynda Sellars

U19 Huskies Basketball Teams Win Season Openers

2011-10-01T14:57:00.000+08:00

The Canadian International School’s (CIS) U19 Huskies boys’ basketball team won their season opener in convincing fashion against Waseda with a score of 67-35.

The fury of relentless zone defense lead by Edwin Luo, and fast transition offense created an unsurmountable lead that was never threatened the entire game. Even with league MVPs Mingsan Boulter and Jamil Schulze returning, the Huskies scoring was evenly distributed, with over 20-points coming off the bench. This year the Huskies have more depth to the team than ever before.

Rookies Ethan Anderson and Lionel Kisoro made a deafening impact both on the floor and on the boards, and will be two key players to watch this year as they wear the Husky uniform for the first time.

On the CIS U19 Huskies girls’ basketball side, shrewd teamwork and sheer Husky grit handed the U19
Huskies girls’ basketball team their first victory of the season against their opponents from Waseda. In a hotly contested match, the returning senior quintet of Angela Butler, Ayaka Harada, Danna Gulanes, Puti Lee and Chanutda Wittemaier overcame a stubborn Waseda defense for the win, 28-21.

Looking to build on their crucial first success, the U19 Huskies girls’ team will relish a number of away games before returning to CIS on Thursday, November 3rd for the much anticipated home game opener which will take place in the new state of the art gymnasium at CIS’ new Lakeside campus.

Auscham 10km Dragon Boat Race: Saturday August 20th

2011-10-01T14:54:00.000+08:00

Text and photo by Anna Sinclair

The Canadian Dragons 20 person team entered the most grueling event of the year….the Auscham 10km Race on August 20th.

The horn sounds signaling the start of the race and the frenzy begins and the water turns to froth as 400 paddlers dig deep to be the first to round corner #1.

As the boats spread out, each team seems to be at ease and more disciplined as they try to maintain a steady stroke rate and move the boat in unison. Just when you think you are done someone in the boat calls for 5 power strokes, giving everyone a much needed lift.

The finish line is in sight! Reborn with new energy that fills your weary body, you paddle to the finish line. Drained, satisfied, happy and feeling alive, you congratulate your team mates and think to yourself… it was all worth it!

A big thank you goes to Auscham and all the volunteers for organizing another fabulous 10km event. We will definitely see you next year! The Canadian Dragons finished 11th overall in a time of 1 hour and 10 minutes.

We are at the start of our season and are looking for new members. We welcome experienced and beginner paddlers. Come and join us for a practice, Saturday at 4:00pm and Sunday at 10:00am, Kallang Riverside Park (please arrive 20 minutes before the practice time).

Missing a Tooth… What’s wrong with it?

2011-09-01T11:15:00.000+08:00

Contributed by Specialist Dental Group

Many people think that losing a tooth is not a big deal, especially if it is a back tooth, as aesthetically few people would notice the resulting gap. Thus, some people may decide to postpone replacing the missing tooth for the time being since there is usually little discomfort from a missing tooth.

There are many reasons to replace missing teeth sooner rather than later:

Losing your bone: When our teeth are missing, the gums that support the teeth recede and bone loss also occurs.
When gum tissue and bone are destroyed, an experienced dentist will be able to carry out bone grafting and place a dental implant to replace the missing tooth.
Sunken facial structure: Our teeth and gums provide support to our face. After teeth are lost, ongoing shrinkage of the jawbone occurs, making the face look shorter. Replacing the missing tooth gives support to the cheek and overall facial structure, resulting in a more youthful appearance.
Teeth start drifting apart: If there are gaps in the mouth, the adjacent teeth will start moving. Over time, there will be gaps between the teeth, making the treatment plan in replacing the one missing tooth more challenging.

Understanding the need to replace missing teeth is important. Address the problem when it is simpler and cheaper. Prevention is always better than cure. Brushing, flossing, and regular visits to the dentist will help you preserve your natural teeth as long as possible.

Specialist Dental Group is a corporate sponsor of the Canadian Association of Singapore (CAS). For more information on different types of dental treatments, send an enquiry via www.specialistdentalgroup.com or call 6733 7883.

Tribute to CIS Graduating Class of 2011

2011-09-01T11:11:00.000+08:00

By: Michelle Sharp, Head of Communications & Marketing

After a busy and productive school year, June 17, 2011 marked the end of an era for the 2010/2011 graduating class of the Canadian International School (CIS). We collectively said good bye to a diverse group of talented students who: studied hard throughout Grade 11 and 12 in order to graduate,
negotiated with their teachers, acted as role models for the Middle School students that they shared a campus with, built houses in Cambodia for those less fortunate, and entertained us at CIS events such as Beat Freaked.

The CIS class of 2011 donned their black caps and gowns and jubilantly crossed the stage to receive their High School Diplomas. This year’s recipient of the Governor General’s award was Eashita Ratwani. Eleven deserving graduates also had the privilege of earning the Ontario Scholars award, an award that goes to students with outstanding academic results.

The graduation ceremony included a reflection of student life at CIS across the years that brought a tear to the eye of most people in the room, teachers included. Three of the graduating class had been students at CIS for 13 years, an amazing feat for children of expats. School Valedictorian Jamil Schultz spoke eloquently and amusingly about his graduating class, his time at CIS, and of his plans for the future. Jamil’s trademark humour came into play as he ended his valedictorian speech with a tribute to a character most of his fellow students remembered from their childhood – Pokémon!

This year’s cohort of graduates will scatter across the globe as they leave to attend universities in countries such as Canada, Australia, UK, USA, Korea, Japan and Singapore in the upcoming academic year.

We wish these delightful, young global citizens all the best for their futures. Bon Voyage and Good Luck!

News From The Canadian Dragons

2011-09-01T11:08:00.000+08:00

In June, eleven female paddlers from the CANADIAN DRAGONS team participated in the Dragon Divas Regatta – 200m race. The annual event was put together by the British and German Dragon Boat teams. It was a friendly competition between the female paddlers of all the dragon boat teams in Singapore. We had lots of fun, but sadly did not place.

Singapore Dragon Boat Festival 2011 – 800m, was our second race in the summer. It was held in July at Bedok Reservoir. We won silver for the Inter International Business Community (Open) and came second in the plate final for the 12 crew National Championships (Women).

Recently, we had our recruitment drive and BBQ. The attendance was great! It is always heartwarming to see new people trying our sports and paddle with us.

Also in June, we bid farewell to our longstanding members – Ken Tully, Anne Purcell and Patricia Dingelstad who moved to other countries due to job allocations.

Out & About In Singapore: 22 June, Morning Glory boat tour aboard the Cheng Ho, a Ming Dynasty imperial vessel Tour

2011-09-01T11:02:00.000+08:00

Photos by Moonlake Lee

We had a picture perfect morning aboard the Ho Cheng, Chinese style junk. Our lively group included six children as well as well as twelve youthful adults. We took advantage of the pick up service from Orchard Road hotels, and were then escorted to the South Marina Pier.

Upon boarding we had plenty of room to roam the three levels of the ship. With indoor air conditioning and various decks to enjoy the breezy morning air, we were comfortable to wander. The children enjoyed the space to play, yet were still in view of the adults.

The ship set out and we enjoyed the views of Singapore from the water. The Marina Bay area and then the Central Business District are breathtaking! We passed by the tankers and small islands. The view of Sentosa is also captivating. A couple of ladies aboard were able show us their condo on Sentosa and pointed out some of the new developments in the residential area.

Coffee, tea, and snacks were available on board as well as a bar offering more refreshments. The highlight of cruise is the stop over at Kusu Island. There are three Malay shrines and a Chinese temple as well as a turtle sanctuary. The well developed island with beautiful garden setting, picnic areas, covered pagodas, and two lagoons make for perfect day trip.

For those who could not make this fun morning, I hope you will consider a fun cruise to entertain your family or visiting friends!

CASCADIA FOR RENT & SALE

2011-08-28T14:20:00.001+08:00

Property - On The Move (Park Natura)

2011-08-26T11:17:00.001+08:00

Lamdon School Student Receives Long-term Scholarship from CIS

2011-07-01T08:54:00.000+08:00

By Craig Gerow, Grade 9 & 10 Lead Teacher

The Canadian International School has awarded Ms Sonam Yangzin (Admissions number 3633) a long-term sponsorship to attend Lamdon School-Leh.

After very thorough interviews with several students, attending Lamdon School, the principal, Mr. Eshey Tundup, has determined that Ms Sonam Yangzin would be the most worthy recipient of long-term sponsorship by the Canadian International School in Singapore.

Sonam comes from a family living in a small village called Bodh Kharbu, which is located near the larger town of Kargil in India. It is quite far from Leh and Sonam's parents have very little source of income because of the poor quality of the soil and its remote location. Sonam was admitted into the school's girls hostel on a humanitarian basis and is now in the 7th class standard. She is doing very well with her studies and is focused and dedicated to finishing her educational opportunity at Lamdon School right through to 12th standard. Her favourite subjects are English and Hindi. She is also a talented singer and performed for the CIS students during the Cultural Performances that we attended while at Lamdon School.

When she was informed that she was chosen as the recipient of the CIS scholarship she was extremely grateful that her education was no longer a financial burden on the school. She promises to study hard to show her appreciation for the generous support.

I would like to take this opportunity to thank all the CIS students and parents who helped us in our fundraising efforts. We were able to raise $9,160.35 SGD to sponsor Sonam’s tuition, uniforms, and hostel expenses. The Ladakh Excursion Group would also like to express their gratitude to everyone in the CIS community who donated and supported our fundraising events.

Robertson Quay Area

2011-07-01T08:53:00.000+08:00

By Margaret Wallace / Photos by Sara Tanner & Isabel Jones

On May 25th, our “Out and About” tour was of the Robertson Quay area. We met at the DeliFrance in UE Square Shopping Centre on Clemenceaux St. UE Square was constructed to house United Engineers Ltd., one of Singapore’s pioneering listed companies which has played a prominent role since its creation in 1912. This role is still visible today in many landmark projects, including the Supreme Court, Shangri-la Hotel and the Cavenagh Bridge.

After a short introduction to the morning’s program and the area of Robertson Quay our group of about 15 headed to the Hong San See Temple (meaning Temple on Phoenix Hill) on Mohammed Sultan road. This Chinese temple in its current location was constructed starting in 1908 with materials imported from China and originally overlooked the sea. In 1978 it was gazetted as a National Monument and following a major restoration project was granted the highest UNESCO award for excellence in heritage restoration, the Asia-Pacific Heritage Awards for Cultural Heritage Conservation in 2010. We were very fortunate to have the temple’s manager and caretaker, Mr. Lim, provide a very in-depth tour, pointing out so many important aspects that we would never have understood without him.

Leaving the temple, we walked towards the Singapore River and on the way learned about some of the history of the river, including its commercial importance with its many go-downs (warehouses) and shops and how they were serviced by hundreds of bumboats. We saw how some of the older buildings have now been converted to government and arts uses, e.g. the Singapore Repertory Theatre.

We stopped to admire one of the most interesting pedestrian bridges across the river, the Alkaff Bridge. Shaped like a Songkang it was named after a prominent Arab family, the Alkaffs, who were among the wealthiest in Singapore during the early 20th century. The eye-catching bridge was repainted by Phillipine artist Pacita Abad, an artist in residence at the Tyler Print Institute, and her crew, using 52 different colours and more than 900 litres of paint in 2004. Pacita envisioned the design and worked with the SIngapore government to obtain approvals to transfer her vision into a gift and legacy to the people of SIngapore.

This was a very suitable introduction to our next stop, the world-class Singapore Tyler Print Institute. There we were very fortunate to have the services of not one but two wonderful docents from the Friends of the Museums guide program. Our first young guide introduced us to and explained the current exhibition, David Hockney: Through the Eyes of the Artist. A very interesting artist, his exhibition will be at the STPI until July 30th. Our second docent took us to the learning wall which details the many processes which are used at the institute both to make paper and to produce the various types of prints they are renowned for. Although we did not have the opportunity to actually tour the workshop area, many of us will return on our own for the tours which include the workshop offered each Saturday.

Enthused by all we had seen and learned, we sauntered over to the nearby Wine Connection for a lovely lunch to top off our morning.

A Canadian Dragon Goes to Practice

2011-07-01T08:51:00.000+08:00

Text by Anne Purcell

I went out to practice with the Canadian Dragons on Saturday. This is not particularly news worthy as I’ve been a team member since not too long after I came to Singapore nearly three years ago - but what with business trips and social obligations, it had been a while. I was a little worried that I’d gone soft(er) and that my muscles would have forgotten what they are supposed to do but after not quite two hours of: paddle hard – rest and chat – paddle hard – rest and chat - I remembered why I love it.

I am not exactly what you’d imagine a keen, competitive dragon boat paddler to be. I am … well, as a woman, I can be coy about my age so let’s just say that I’ve recently moved into a really nifty time of my life. Physically, I’m relatively fit … but, again, let’s just say that I’m not well matched to the benches in the narrow back end of the boat. But when I get into a boat with a bunch of other people of all levels of experience, I can hold my own. It’s like riding a bike, once you develop a little technique, your body remembers. It’s also like riding a bike in that you get to sit down the whole time – an excellent exercise mode which is only beat out by things that you can do lying down.

Saturday was like most practices; we warmed up, paddled and then toasted our strength and prowess with 100 Plus and beer around the cooler. As I stood there feeling the good kind of tired and looking at my team mates, I thought about just what it is that I love most about my Singapore sport. Not to trivialise the camaraderie, team diversity and amazing interval training, but if I had to choose only one thing that keeps me coming back to practice, I’d have to say “back fat”. Paddling a dragon boat, you use muscles that you just don’t use in sports like cycling or running or even swimming. When you do it right, paddling is all about your back and core with a little shoulder work thrown in for good measure. In my first few months of paddling with the Canadians, the biggest revelation was my back. It got shape and now I’m hooked.

Dental Tips for Your Young Ones

2011-07-01T08:00:00.011+08:00

Contributed by the Specialist Dental Group

Your mouth is the window to your overall health! Make sure that your children have an early start with positive oral habits to prevent future dental and other health problems.

Primary or milk teeth play an important role for the growth of permanent teeth, retaining space for adult teeth to make sure they erupt properly. They are also important in children’s speech development and to ensure that they are able to eat nutritious food so that they can grow up healthy.

Pediatric dentists place a significant importance on the maintenance of the primary teeth and in preventing tooth decay. They also monitor the growth and development of the dentition and jaws.

A few tips for parents to keep your children’s teeth healthy and cultivate good habits in them:

· Your child’s first visit to the dentist should take place between 1 and 2 years of age, ideally, when there is no pain or major dental treatment to be done.

· Bring them along when you have your own dental appointment to ease their anxiety, manage their expectation and become familiar with the environment of the clinic.

· Always get your child to rinse their mouths or drink water after eating snacks.

· Do not let your baby or child fall asleep at the breast or while drinking milk from a bottle. Rinse, wipe or ideally brush their teeth after the bedtime milk feed.

· If your child is a thumbsucker or on the pacifier, try to wean him or her off this habit beginning when they are about 3 years old.

2011 Dragon Boat Season Update

2011-06-01T08:00:00.033+08:00

The Canadian Dragons have had a good start to the first part of the 2011 Dragon Boat Season. January was a busy month recruiting and training new paddlers for the team. We had great turnouts for our Saturday afternoon practices, and many of the new paddlers have joined as members for the season. Our season officially started in February with our long time
coach, Nasi.

We are currently training for the upcoming Diva Regatta on June 18th and the 800m Regatta July 9/10. The Diva Race is both a competitive and fun event held at the Kallang Riverside Park. Come out and support the Canadian Divas as they battle for the title of Queen of the Kallang! At the July Regatta, the Canadian Dragons will be defending their gold medal title in the expat division.

We welcome new members at any time throughout our season. Practices are held at Kallang on Thursday from 6-7pm, Saturday from 4-6pm and Sundays from 10-12pm. Paddles up!

Chinese Heritage Centre at Nanyang Technological University

2011-06-01T08:00:00.032+08:00

By Isabel Jones (Additional photos can be found on the CAS website)

A small, but keen group participated in our ‘Out and About’ tour on April 27th. We made the journey to the far west side of the island to Nanyang Technological University’s beautiful Yunnan garden campus to visit the Chinese Heritage Centre.

The Chinese Heritage Centre is housed in the former Nantah administration building and specialises in the study of Chinese communities outside China. This 1950s building is now a National Monument and houses a library, a resource and research centre, and exhibitions.

Our dynamic student guide gave us a good introduction to the history of the university through the exhibit ‘Nantah, a Pictorial History’. This university began as Nanyang University (Nantah) in 1955. It was started through private funding by the Chinese Community. Chinese language education was not supported by the British Colonial government so under the leadership of Tan Lark Sye the decision was made to found the first Chinese language university outside of China. Donations from the Chinese community from all walks of life, helped create the institution built on 523 acres of land donated by Singapore’s Hokkien Association on Upper Jurong Road.

In 1980 Nantah merged with the University of Singapore to become the National University of Singapore. It was sad for the Chinese community to see the university they founded disappear. Nanyang Technological Institute opened on the Nantah site and in 1991 it absorbed the National Institute of Education to become the current NTU.

Our guide also led us through the fascinating exhibit ‘Chinese More or Less’. Through pictures and artefacts, the theme of “Chineseness” and Chinese Identity is explored. It was interesting to see studio portraits of Chinese people in Canada in the early 1900’s and to ‘read’ what the subjects wanted to communicate about themselves in their photos. We learned a great deal about Chinese history and the issues of identity that come with being Chinese but not from China. A good discussion was had around photos of images of Chinese in western movies and the fact that for a time Chinese characters were not allowed to be played by actual Chinese people.

After the tour, we strolled through the lovely Yunnan garden. Within the garden are two national monuments: a memorial tablet from 1958 which honours the donors who contributed to making the university possible and a replica of the original entrance Nanyang Gateway Arch. Of course, lunch followed the tour. We had a varied Chinese meal at the modern Executive Cafe on campus.

Building a Future in Cambodia

2011-06-01T08:00:00.030+08:00

By Scott Little, JE High School Teacher and Trip Chaperone

Each year, a group of Grade 11 and 12 CIS students participate in a community service project in Cambodia during Excursion Week. On April 22nd to 30th, a group of 25 students visited Siem Reap and Phnom Penh, Cambodia and made a difference in the lives of many marginalized individuals.

The accomplishment of our goal was a year long process that started several months before the actual trip. Several fundraising events were held throughout the year, and combined with other entrepreneurial ventures; a total of $18,500 was raised. These funds were used to assist a number of Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) or charities.

One of the groups we assisted was The People Improvement Organization, which was created by CNN hero Noun Phymean and works with over 800 children each day in 3 different schools in and around Phnom Penh. We had the pleasure of visiting the dump site school, called Stung Mean Chey and the slum school, known as Borey Keila. The CIS students worked directly in the classroom with the PIO kids teaching lessons they had prepared in advance and participating in a variety of games and activities. Thanks to the contributions of the CIS community, we were also able to donate a large amount of clothing, shoes and personal hygiene products as well as providing a financial donation.

The highlight of the week was our Housebuilding Project with the Tabitha Foundation, where we built 8 houses in the village of Prek Sleng, Kandal province, south of Phnom Penh. The entire grouptook on the project with a great amount of effort and determination,not once complaining about the excessive heat or our fatigue, hunger or thirst.

After the building project was complete, a ‘handover’ presentation was held where each family was presented with a blanket as a housewarming gift. While the families were quiet and reserved throughout the day, they simply could not contain their smiles at the presentation ceremony. It was an emotional moment that everyone felt good about, and was the ultimate reward for all of our hard work.

The Expensive Habit of Nail Biting

2011-06-01T08:00:00.029+08:00

Contributed by Specialist Dental Group

Other than brushing and flossing regularly, and visiting the dentist once every 6 months there are habits that you should break if you want to keep your teeth strong and healthy – e.g. nail biting. There are many reasons why one should stop this bad habit before it compromises your ability to smile with confidence.

Nail Biting, which is clinically known as onychophagia, is a condition in which sufferers start biting their fingernails and the skin around the nails and cuticles, whenever they get anxious or nervous.

Apart from the unaesthetic shape of their fingernails, nail biters could also cause damage to their teeth. Nails are hard, so when you bite down on them you are causing stress to your teeth. Over time this weakens the teeth and can eventually result in a tooth chipping or breaking.

Nail biting also causes stress to the gums, as well as increases the risk of bitten nails tearing into the gum tissue. In the long run, it will cause gum disease which will eventually cause loose teeth, missing teeth and other related issues.

If, however, nail biting has already caused damage to your teeth, apart from getting professional help to stop the habit, you need to see your dentist to reverse the damage. Bonding, veneers, or crowns are several treatment options that might be recommended for chipped teeth. Depending on the severity, your dentist will advise on the best option for your situation.

Specialist Dental Group is a corporate sponsor of the Canadian Association of Singapore (CAS). For more information on different types of dental treatments, send an enquiry via www.specialistdentalgroup.com or call 6733 7883.

Out & About In Singapore: Dairy Farm Nature Reserve

2011-05-07T14:48:00.000+08:00

By Lynda Sellars / Photos by Moonlake Lee

On March 30, our “Out and About” tour was at The Dairy Farm Nature Reserve. We met at the Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf at the Rail Mall. This row of converted shophouses on Upper Bukit Timah Road
has a variety of bars and restaurants as well as a Cold Storage grocery store. Named because of the proximity of the rail line which links Singapore to Malaysia.

The 63 hectare park has walking and biking trails and borders on the Bukit Timah Nature Reserve. It was once Primary Forest, but much of forest is gone now with 400,000 people visiting Reserve each year and housing encroaching from the north.

We followed one of the trails through rolling terrain to view the Dairy Farm Quarry. Originally the stones were used for building the causeway and betters stones were used for buildings in the city. This quarry has been filled in after no longer being in use but the nearby Singapore Quarry is developing naturally into wet land rich in diversity. It is now home to many insects, birds, and fish; some never seen before in this area.

We then continued on our walk to the Wallace Centre. Wallace was a contemporary of Charles Darwin. He had also came up with a theory of origin of species by natural selection. His and Darwin’s theory of evolution were published at same time. The two men differed over the years in details of their respective theories, but remained on friendly terms.

The Wallace Centre is a converted cow shed building. We were able to cool off under the fans and read details of Wallace’s life and also information on the flora and fauna in reserve today. What was originally jungle with tigers and other wild life have become extinct. There are also videos to view in the beautiful interpretive centre.

On our walk, we enjoyed the serenity and beauty of the reserve with vast plant life, beautiful birds, and even spotted a monitor lizard. Luckily for our group, we did not encounter the large cobra snake that Dolores and I spotted on a previous walk there. Although we had a very warm and sunny morning, there was a pleasant breeze and the natural canopy of forest provided us with plenty of shade on our walk.

We returned to the Rail Mall for a lovely Thai lunch at Sweet, Salty & Spicy Restaurant.

Canadian International School Tanjong Katong Campus – PYP Authorized

2011-05-01T08:00:00.009+08:00

By: Michelle Sharp, Head of Communications & Marketing

On March 17 and 18, the Canadian International School (CIS) hosted a team from the International Baccalaureate Organization (IBO) at the Tanjong Katong (TK) campus for a PYP authorization visit. It was an intensive two day schedule where the assessment team visited classrooms and spoke with teachers and students. The visiting team commented that they were impressed by both the quality of instruction and the excitement students exhibited when asked about the TK programme.

The CIS TK campus has now been officially authorized to offer the Primary Years Programme (PYP), thus joining the other two CIS campuses (Toh Tuck and Jurong East) as an authorized IB World School.

A great strength of all IB Programmes is that students are taught how to think about, and analyze, what they are learning rather than simply memorizing facts. In addition, the inquiry based nature of the IB Programmes helps develop students' critical thinking skills, allowing them to apply these skills to a wide range of subject matter. IB Programmes are portable, ensuring expatriate children can move seamlessly from one IB school to another regardless of global location. In addition to an internationally oriented curriculum, IB gives students first-hand experiences whereby they are part of an international community. IB also goes beyond simple test scores and offers a balanced array of assessment methods.

The CIS TK community is looking forward to the exciting future that lies ahead as improvements such as an all Mac computer platform and a comprehensive water sports programme are implemented; ensuring students are presented with new and exciting learning opportunities.

If you are interested in a CIS education for your child, please contact the admissions team at admissions@cis.edu.sg.

Braving the Elements at the MR500

2011-05-01T08:00:00.008+08:00

By Samuel Filgate / Photo by Scott Acker

It was “Paddles Up” beneath the watchful gaze of the Singapore Flyer for our most recent event, and first big race of the season. Along with other Expat and Singaporean teams, we tested the waters of the Marina Bay reservoir, and had a great time doing so.

Despite several storm warnings and a torrential downpour which put things a little off schedule, we had lots of fun out on the water, and posted some good times in our qualifying rounds. This race was also a wonderful chance for some of our newest paddlers to get some first race experience under their lifejackets. We entered three boats into races: the usual mixed boats, and also our newest tradition – the Women’s 10 boat. This edition of the ‘Iron Butterflys’ (not quite sure the connection with dragons there!) included several paddlers in their first season with us. Way to go, girls!

All the races were wonderfully supported by those on shore, and the Canadian tent was a warm and cozy place when the rains came. Let’s just say we know who put on deodorant that day! The weekend was finished off with a team party at our sponsor’s, Harry’s Bar at the Esplanade, where various ‘on-sabbatical-due-to-new-children’ team members popped by for some “oohs” and “aahs” and games of Peek-a-boo.

And now, it’s all hands to the paddles preparing for the big Singapore River Regatta in July. It’s all to play for and our good times at the MR500 show we have a lot to show when the horn sounds and the boats fly.

WAVE OFF THE SMOKE

2011-05-01T07:00:00.002+08:00

Contributed by Specialist Dental Group

Smoking has been increasingly linked to a host of health and dental problems. The destructive effects of smoking are especially acute in the mouth because it has direct contact with the harmful substances in the tobacco found in cigarettes.

Smokers usually have chronic bad breath and discolored teeth because the nicotine causes a significant reduction of saliva flow. Saliva is essential for cleaning the mouth and teeth. Saliva also helps to prevent tooth decay.

Smoking promotes the build up of plaque and tartar, increasing the rate at which gum and bone tissue are destroyed. Smokers are highly predisposed to periodontal (gum) disease. This will eventually lead to tooth loss. Missing teeth can easily be replaced by dental implants in a non-smoker. However, the success rate of this procedure in a smoker is lower.

Smoking is the leading cause of oral cancer. According to the Oral Cancer Foundation, at least 75% of those diagnosed at 50 or older are tobacco users. The death rate associated with this type of cancer is particularly high because it is difficult to detect, with patients reporting that they feel no pain or discomfort. It is also known to have one of the highest rate of relapse, with patients being at risk for 5 – 10 years after their first encounter with oral cancer.

If you are a smoker, it’s never too late to quit smoking. Gum chewing is a substitute while others use nicotine patches with a decreasing dose of nicotine over time. Professional help is also available.

Specialist Dental Group is a corporate sponsor of the Canadian Association of Singapore (CAS). CAS members enjoy a special rate for dental services. For more information on different types of dental treatments, send an enquiry via www.specialistdentalgroup.com or call 6733 7883.

Flossing – Why You Can't Do Without It

2011-04-16T23:10:00.000+08:00

Contributed by Specialist Dental Group

A recent survey by Kelton Research of 1,001 American adults has found that dental hygiene is the most important factor that affects the way people perceive an individual, ultimately affecting his or her social interactions.

Brushing alone is insufficient for achieving that bright sparkle. Toothbrushes are not able to reach in between individual teeth, thus allowing microscopic residue of food to remain on the surface of the enamel, which over time turns into plaque. Flossing and brushing your teeth daily are the best ways to ensure that your teeth are free from plaque, gingivitis and periodontal (gum) disease.

It is important to cultivate a habit of flossing from a young age because the damage done can be costly. Plaque accumulates quickly over a short period of time. Those with the highest amount of plaque (and corresponding bacteria) in their mouth are more susceptible to gum disease, which is closely linked to heart disease.

We recommend flossing at least once at the end of the day; although, ideally, one should floss after every meal. If light flossing constantly results in bleeding gums, it could be a sign of gum disease, in which case it is always best to consult a dentist or gum specialist (periodontist).

Diligent flossing combined with good brushing and regular dental checkups will go a long way in helping to ensure that your teeth stay bright and healthy for a lifetime.

Specialist Dental Group is a corporate sponsor of the Canadian Association of Singapore (CAS). CAS members enjoy a special rate for dental services. For more information on different types of dental treatments, send an enquiry via www.specialistdentalgroup.com or call 6733 7883.

CIS Volunteers meet the Prime Minister at the Chingay Parade

2011-04-16T23:06:00.000+08:00

By Tanya Nizam

On the 11th and 12th of February, 25 CIS High School students volunteered to be cheerleading motivators at the Chingay parade. Following two afternoon sessions of training, the motivators spent two 7 hour shifts receiving guests, chanting rhymes, tossing pompoms and generally adding to the buzzing atmosphere of Chingay.

On the first night, they were rewarded for their efforts by being invited to an exclusive gathering with the
Prime Minister. It was truly a weekend to remember.

Mardi Gras Challenge Dragon Boat Race

2011-04-16T23:00:00.000+08:00

By Sally Monteith

The boats were lined up under the bridge. The starter called the commands, and on “GO!” we were off. Frantic paddling and enthusiastic shouting and counting was the order of the afternoon as 11 boats teamed up against each other to race around the Kallang Basin and to complete crazy tasks.

What kind of event was this you ask? It was the Mardi Gras Challenge Dragon Boat Race, hosted by the American Dragons. The 11 participating boats were a mix of people from all dragon boat teams that paddle out of the Kallang River. They were made up of members from the Canadian, American, British, Australian, Irish, Spanish and Filipino teams. What a great way to meet people! Some of the tasks consisted of drinking beers dropped from a bridge via a bucket. Each team member had to polish one off and the empty cans were returned as proof that the task was complete. Lots of cheering came from the boat members as well as people who were crossing the bridge and simply got caught up in the excitement.

With paddles and water flying, there was some jostling while teams raced to get to the basketball throw first. By far the longest and most tiring challenge was to paddle all the way to the Merlion to receive some
lingerie for our cox (the steersperson) to wear. What a sight that was for all the visitors to the Merlion that day. Many were cheering as the boats came up to the Merlion and the hollers got even louder as the cox added the lingerie to their current state of dress. Once this task was done, depending on the order in which you attacked these stations, there were three more to complete: the football toss, the whiskey shots and the pie eating station. This 7 km challenge paddle is not the normal practice for a Saturday afternoon. Nonetheless, great fun was had by all during the race and at the afterwards there were celebrations on the banks of the Kallang River while we shared food and drink.

We practice 3 times a week, Saturday afternoons from 4 – 6pm, Sunday mornings from 10 – 12pm and Thursday evenings from 6 – 7pm. Come about 20 minutes early to get set up with a life jacket (a requirement for paddling) and a paddle and, if needed, a quick introductory lesson to help you through your first practice session. New paddlers are always welcome, so come on out! There is no need to be Canadian if you’d like to join, all nationalities are invited to participate and enjoy the fun and socialising that always comes with a paddling session. The more the merrier! See you at the next practice.

OUT & ABOUT IN SINGAPORE: Kampong Glam

2011-04-16T22:53:00.003+08:00

Text by Lianne Chilton

Photos by Isabel Jones (except for the photo of the drumming which is by Lianne Chilto)

After a quick coffee and even quicker history lesson we headed off for our first stop in the Kampong Glam Historic District. Haji Lane was quiet and peaceful as most of the businesses do not open until later in the day. We were able to stroll down the middle of the lane and admire the shophouses and storefronts of the often one of a kind fashion boutiques and cafe/bars. We cut across Arab Street to Bussorah Street and wandered up the pedestrian mall. The Little Shophouse owners gave us a Peranakan beading demonstration and talked about their hand-crafted Peranakan slippers.

In the Sultan Arts Village on Sultan Gate we were treated to a drumming demonstration by the owner of Tribal Arts. I must say, some of the ladies showed promising talent as they beat out a rhythm on the drums with Sonny Wee. Our final stop was a batik workshop with batik artist Imelda Sarkasi in a classroom at the Sultan Mosque. We all tried our hand at batik painting and left with our signed masterpieces as a reminder of our morning. Lunch was a delicious Malay buffet at Tepak Sireh Restaurant in the “Yellow Mansion” beside the site of the Malay Heritage Centre. Moe, the restaurant manager, welcomed us warmly and gave us a brief history of the building as well as a tour of the upstairs throne room. Who knew we were all queens at heart??

Out & About In Singapore: Tanjong Pagar

2011-03-01T07:00:00.083+08:00

Text by Dolores Parker / Photos by Janine Ralph and Lianne Chilton
More photos can be viewed via the CAS photo gallery www.canadians.org.sg/gallery.php#OAS11

Happy Lunar New Year (a bit late, I know)! With all the talk about ways to usher in good luck for the New Year and auspicious actions and omens, I wondered if spilling kopi all over my bright white T-shirt just before leading the Out and About tour was going to be a bad omen. Lynda Sellars and I had planned this outing and I arrived early to go over my notes. The iced kopi was very tasty. Too bad so much of it ended up on my shirt.

After Lynda and the other 15 Out and Abouters arrived at our meeting place, we started things off with a brief talk about the history of the area before
having a good look around the Tanjong Pagar train station. The station was built in 1932 for the Federated Malay States Railway company and it and the tracks are still owned by Malaysia, though the company is now called Keretapi Tanah Melayu (KTM). It is a beautiful old building with arches, murals and relief statues. It was also once a prestigious 36 room hotel, but now the only overnight option is a $15 bed in a dormitory. Last September, Singapore and Malaysia came to an agreement that Malaysia would hand over the station and railway land to Singapore in exchange for some other parcels of prime land. KTM will move its main station to a new facility in the north and stop operations at Tanjong Pagar in July of this year. The station building will be conserved and there is talk of turning it into a transport museum. If you want to see it as a working station and experience a little bit of Malaysia in Singapore, you have only a few more months to do so!

Next we walked through the Spottiswoode HDB development, pausing to look at the posted “cleanest block” award. There was a 5 minute rain shower while we talked about the award, but we were under shelter and it soon cleared up as we moved on to our next stop. The Sri Muneeswaran Temple is a Hindu “jungle” temple tucked between some railway tracks. It was one of ten small shrines built by train repairmen and is now the last surviving such railroad temple in Singapore. Who knows if it will still be there when the land is redeveloped.

We admired the shophouses along Blair road and had a quick look at Baba House, St. Matthew’s church and the Fairfield Methodist Girl’s school on the way to our next destination. The Pinnacle at Duxton is a unique, award winning HDB housing project. It is 50 stories tall and has 2 high level sky gardens. With an EZ Link card, you can go up to the 50th storey sky bridge for only $5.00. That’s much cheaper than the Marina Bay Sands or the Flyer and the view is very good. We all went up to the top, and after getting through the tricky gates we enjoyed walking around and taking photos of the wonderful view.

We next walked through the Duxton Plain Parkway and stopped for a little while at the charming multi storied Tong Mern Sern Antique shop. Their motto is, “We buy junk and sell antiques. Some fools buy and some fools sell.” From there it was only a short scurry through another brief rain shower to the Blue Ginger restaurant where a tasty Peranakan set lunch awaited us.

So, we mostly dodged the rain showers and saw some interesting parts of Singapore and had a terrific lunch spiced with chillies, friendly conversations and laughter. It all went really well, so I guess coffee spills are a good omen after all. I highly recommend them.

Eating Disorders Can Affect Your Dental Health

2011-03-01T07:00:00.082+08:00

Contributed by Specialist Dental Group

Eating disorders are on the increase in Singapore. There are two main kinds of eating disorders – anorexia and bulimia nervosa. Both of these disorders can be detected by a well-trained dentist.

With anorexia, a person suffers from an obsessive fear of weight gain and refuses food in order to achieve a weight that is lower than a healthy person’s weight. The constant refusal of food intake causes a significant reduction in saliva production, which is necessary for cleaning the teeth. It also results in a dry mouth with red and cracked lips. In addition, a lack of nutrients can also result in osteoporosis, weakening the bones in the jaw that support teeth, leading to tooth loss.With bulimia, the sufferer usually goes on a food binge before using various methods to purge the food that has been eaten. Bulimia sufferers are at risk for tooth decay, tooth loss and gum disease that result from frequent vomiting due to the gastric acid which corrodes the enamel of the teeth. Tooth erosion is hastened if there is frequent vomiting.

Changes in the mouth are often the physical signs of eating disorders. Thus dentists can often tell if a patient is suffering from an eating disorder from the condition of the teeth. Regular visit to the dentists would help to prevent further damage to eroded teeth. Some solutions such as crowns, composite bonding (which is a tooth coloured material designed to replace enamel) or veneers might be recommended to protect the enamel of the teeth from further wear and tear.

Specialist Dental Group is a corporate sponsor of the Canadian Association of Singapore (CAS). CAS members enjoy a special rate for dental services. For more information on different types of dental treatments, send an enquiry via www.specialistdentalgroup.com or call 6733 7883.

The New Season Begins!

2011-03-01T07:00:00.080+08:00

By Trish Dinglestad

The current Dragon Boat season is now in full swing. Our coach, Nasiman, started practicing with the team this month and already we are working on perfecting our racing form. The practices on Saturday and Sunday help to prepare our team for competition and to build our team camaraderie. We continue to train up the new paddlers by having part of the session devoted to easing them into the swing of things with some technique practice. Learning the unique stroke used in Dragon boating is important not only for speed and efficiency, but also for paddling fitness. With this training strategy, new paddlers are welcome, and indeed are encouraged, to join the team at any time.

As well as normal training, there have been some exciting recent events to give us race practice whilst keeping everything light and fun. The American Team’s Mardi Gras Challenge was a hoot this year. Various challenge stations were set up all around the reservoir, to which we all paddled madly, completed the activity (not all of which required imbibing some form of ‘Liquid Paddling’) and then charged off to the next station. Lots of laughs, splashing and some very wobbly paddling!

On the horizon is a competitive race, the MR 500. This race takes place at the Bedok Resevoir on April 29th and 30th and is 500m in distance. This is a chance for local and expat teams to hone their racing skills while enjoying sun, water and the ever present lively music. This is a great event for new paddlers, allowing them to gain some race experience before the main event of this season: the Singapore Dragon Boat Festival in July.

So what are you waiting for?! Come out and see what the Canadian Dragons are all about!

Kevin Cherkas, Chef at Shangri-La

2011-03-01T07:00:00.079+08:00

Interview conducted by Janey Schueller.

Quotes below by Chef Kevin Cherkas, Shangri-La Hotel, Singapore.

1. You began your career as an apprentice at the Metropolitan Hotel in Vancouver in 1998. Although it was over 10 years ago, can you recall a memorable moment that has stuck with you over the years?
While I was there, I was fortunate enough to be a part of the team that went to France to compete in the Bocuse d’Or international culinary competition representing Canada. It is a great experience that I will always remember.

2. We noticed your impressive resume includes some of the best Spanish restaurants on the globe. The three-star Michelin Arzak Restaurant, the three-star Michelin El Bulli and the two-star Michelin La Broche. What is your connection to Spanish food?
I love the Mediterranean diet and am deeply passionate about Spanish products and cooking. I learned a lot in Spain and have a great impression of its food, culture and people. My wife is actually from Salamanca.

3. Your current position with Blu Restaurant & Bar at the Shangri-La Singapore is your second time with the hotel. You previously worked as Chef de Cuisine at the Shangri-La in KL. Which location gets the louder “Ole” and why?
Singapore is a fast paced and more dynamic city so I enjoy working and living here more. I do miss the originality of Malaysia, its rustic feel and cultural diversity though.

However, “Ole” goes to Singapore.

4. The MLT uncovered several postings on Trip Advisor that rave about the personalised tasting menus that you create for guests, which are based on a short discussion you have with them about their food likes and dislikes. If I shared my dislike for anything-with-tentacles, bananas, liver, lamb and veal and my love of beef, fish, veggies, most carbs and dessert – what would your suggested menu be?
Come for dinner - I have just the thing. We personalise our menus because people are different. It seems so simple that if your menu only contains things that you really like, you will enjoy the meal so much more.

5. At Madrid Fusion 2011, you were handpicked to be a speaker at the “Playing with Ingenuity”
Summit. Tell us more about your selected discussion topic, “Humour on the Plate”.
It’s about incorporating elements of humour into our dishes by playing with ideas, memories and life. It can be a game from when you are young, a shape or a visual resemblance to things that make you smile.

To give an example: how about calling a dessert “hand made” like hand made tiramisu and presenting it in the shape of a hand?
Another idea I have is “chocolate in the shade” where the plate looks like half of the dessert is in the sun and melting while the other half is solid and frozen.

Basically it’s all about ideas that make for a memory and allow people to have fun.

6. Tell us where the inspiration came for your infamous coconut and mango breakfast dessert that looks like an ‘egg’.
The shell was something we discovered in El Bulli, but the combination of flavours was something I came up with using local tropical fruits. The “egg” is just for fun.

7. Tell us why you believe popcorn goes well with lamb.
It doesn’t. Popcorn goes well with Mexican food. We use popcorn for its texture. The dish is based on the flavors of Mexico: smoked chilli, corn, chocolate and lemon potato.

8. What is the one kitchen tool you can’t live without?
Our food dehydrator. Singapore is high in humidity. Without the dehydrator, crispy food becomes soggy fast.

Oral Care for Cancer Patients

2011-02-01T13:34:00.001+08:00

Contributed by Specialist Dental Group

Over 45,000 people were diagnosed with cancer in Singapore between 2003 and 2007 and cancer now accounts for more than 25% of deaths in the country. Lung, liver, colon and breast cancers are now the most common cancers here.

While some people would associate oral cancer treatment (including tongue cancer) with dentists (usually oral surgeons and oncologists working together), few people realize that dentists also have a role to play for patients with other forms of cancer including head & neck cancer, breast cancer, etc.

When chemotherapy or radiotherapy is indicated for cancer patients, it is important for them to see a dentist for a dental assessment to identify if there are outstanding gum problems or decayed teeth that need to be treated prior commencing cancer treatment. This step can save patients much cost, pain and psychological trauma, and also help medical specialists manage their cancer patients more smoothly.

One of the side effects experienced by patients receiving cancer treatment is dry mouth syndrome or xerostomia. Patients with xerostomia are more prone to tooth decay and have to be extra careful with their dental health.

Tips on dry mouth management include:

Using non-alcohol based mouthwashes that also contain natural enzymes – however, do be aware that the chemicals in some mouthwashes may cause some discomfort for oral cancer patients post-treatment;
Using fluoride gel on the teeth and moisturizing gel on the lips and gums;
Drinking lots of water; and
Seeing your dentist regularly to ensure that your oral hygiene is well maintained.

Specialist Dental Group is a corporate sponsor of the Canadian Association of Singapore (CAS). CAS members enjoy a special rate for dental services. For details, send an enquiry via http://www.specialistdentalgroup.com or call 6733 7883.

Youth Hockey: International Ice Hockey Returns to Singapore

2011-02-01T01:00:00.048+08:00

Text and photos by Mark Cranley, Ice Hockey Commissioner

Singapore 2011 Youth Invitational Ice Hockey Tournament

Singapore will once again play host to an international ice hockey tournament when the Youth Invitational Ice Hockey Tournament returns to the cozy confines of the Kallang Leisure Park. The organizers are hoping to attract 300 ice hockey players ranging in age from 4 to 16. The teams that have been invited are Shanghai, Beijing, Hong Kong, Philippines, Bangkok, Dubai, Taiwan and Malaysia.

It has been over 4 years since we last held an international tournament here in Singapore. The last one, being a combination of both youth and adult leagues, was extremely well attended and was great free entertainment for the general public visiting Fuji Ice Palace. We hope to outdo ourselves this time around and top the attendence marks set by the previous tournament.

Ice hockey is growing at a tremendous rate in Asia. In Hong Kong there are four ice rinks and over 1,500 registered ice hockey players – both male and female. In Singapore, we have over 130 children playing and our numbers are constrained only by the amount of available ice time. With Singapore planning to open an Olympic size ice rink at JCube in Jurong later this year, we can expect a big boost to the sport of hockey, figure skating and speed skating.

The Singapore Ice Dragons, the brain child of a group dedicated Dads from the Canadian Association who hoped a posting to the equator wouldn’t prevent their kids from being a part of the Canadian national past time, was born in 2001. The program started with about 60 children under the age of 12 practicing once a week. By November 2003, the Ice Dragons had reached critical mass and were able to begin league play. The spirit of competition and the true love of the game was obvious from the start with a focus on sportsmanship, fair play and team togetherness.

Gradually the program expanded and more ice time was provided. Soon little Bambis were wobbling on the ice from the age of 5. The historical hockey strong-holds of Canada, USA, Russia, Sweden and Finland were well represented, but we were also attracting players from South Africa, Korea, Australia, Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Scotland and of course Singapore. By 2007, we had close to 150 die hard players and the league had grown from one to two, and then three divisions.

We have now formed a strong partnership with Kallang Leisure Park and Kallang Ice World. They have provided us with additional ice time and with this we can foresee our program growing back up to the numbers we had in 2007.

Ice hockey is an official NSA here in Singapore, so keep an eye open for the tournament dates and come on down and watch the fastest sport on Earth.

Dragon Boating: Calling All New Paddlers

2011-02-01T01:00:00.047+08:00

Text and photos by Laurel Sherwood, Canadian Dragons Representative

This week marks the beginning of the 2011 Singapore Dragon Boat season, and there has been an incredible turn out so far from first time paddlers. With the season proper just starting, now is the perfect time to come along for an introduction to the sport. We had two whole boats dedicated to the new folks at a recent practice, forcing us to borrow a boat from the U.S. team (which we subsequently christened ‘Alaska’). The new paddlers were paired up with a few old hands to help with technique, motivation and fun; making sure that every one of them got some one-on-one attention.

Amber, a first time paddle had this to say after the practice: “I thoroughly enjoyed my first dragon boat experience. The atmosphere was amazing. I really appreciated how welcoming and encouraging everyone was. I had a great time despite the torrential rain and lightning; it’s amazing what one is willing to endure for beer and barbeque on the beach. I will definitely be back!” Another first timer, Kerry, had this to add: “I really enjoyed my first go at Dragon Boating. It was a lot of fun to get out on the water and paddle and meet such a great group of people. Thanks to the coaches for their patience!!! .

If you have ever considered trying Dragon Boating in Singapore, or even if you swore you would never go back on the water again, NOW IS THE TIME! So come out and give it a go. See you on the beach!

Interesting Canadian: Franca Ciambella

2011-02-01T01:00:00.046+08:00

FRANCA CIAMBELLA – Managing Director and Practicing Lawyer at
Consilium Law Corporation. http: //www.consiliumlaw.com.sg

With over 20 cumulative years living in Singapore, and as 1st Vice President of the CAS, Franca is a familiar face amongst our Canadian community here in Singapore. We thought we’d catch up with Franca for a little Q&A.

Interview with Franca Ciambella. Canadian from Montreal. Cumulative years in Singapore=20

1. Q: Ok Franca, you are Managing Director at Consilium Law Corporation, the First VP of the CAS, a member of various business chambers, and a wife and hands-on mother of three teenage boys. How do you manage to do all of that and still have a semblance of normalcy in your family’s lives?
A: Who said anything about normalcy, have you seen our food bill? (Hahaha). You know, I do get asked that a lot-especially from young women who are thinking of careers and how they will juggle family and work. I am not sure that I have it all mastered, but there are a few things you can do to give yourself a fighting chance. (1) Being organized and prioritizing what you need to do. I make lots of lists and would be lost without them.
(2) Learn to balance your activities and be sure to take time out for yourself to recharge. I find I am much more efficient at work and happier after a good night’s rest or working out at the gym or going for a spa treatment…but then again, who isn’t? (3) Learn to work with your spouse as a team. I have three boys, John (age 14), and twins, Michael and Alexander (age 13), so it’s important for me and my husband Chizzy to work together. We have different strengths and we realise that we have a joint responsibility to contribute to the family and raising the children. (4) Learn to let some things slide and don’t sweat the small things. This one is probably hardest for me, as I used to be more of a control freak, but now I just laugh when some things don’t go perfectly and I don’t spend as much time being upset after the fact – this really helps to save a lot of time and energy (I am still working on this though – it takes lots of practice!).

2. Q: You have now been in Singapore for a cumulative period of 20 years. What brought you out here and what is it about Singapore that you like so much?
A: Growing up in your average family in the leafy quiet township of Montreal West, going to the neigbourhood schools and then to McGill, I never dreamt I would leave Canada and end up living in Asia. But I wanted to specialize in the area of law that deals with cross border mergers and acquisitions (international commercial law). Most of the action we were seeing back home in this area was very limited and mainly between Canada and the US. So, I applied for and got a job with the Singapore office of a large London law firm where we worked on this type of work for the Asian region and internationally. My husband Chizzy and I chose to come to Singapore, as opposed to other Asian cities, because of the good quality of life. As all of the readers will attest, Singapore is clean, safe, and has more green space than many other cities, and of course there are good professional opportunities. Chizzy is an executive with a multinational in the area of oil and gas, and it has been a good experience so far, for both of us from a career point of view. We arrived light, carrying only a few suitcases of clothes, but now with a home full of furniture and three kids, you could say we really have a lot of baggage!

3. Q: You happen to be in a very select group, being one of only a few foreigners who are licensed to practice Singapore law under the new rules. How did this happen and what do you envisage for your firm?
A: I think because of the number of years of experience I have as a lawyer, and the fact that we have been here for so long helped in obtaining all of the exemptions to give me full membership to the Singapore Bar. I feel it is indeed a privilege and an honour, and I am proud that they chose a Canadian to be amongst the first. The Ministry of Law, the Law Society and all of the bodies I have had to deal with have been very welcoming and helpful.

4. Q: Now I understand that you have since started your own firm, tell us a little more about that.
A: I decided to open Consilium Law Corporation as my next “adventure” after having had the experiences of practicing at and being a partner at a major international Canadian firm and then being a General Counsel for Asia for a Fortune 500 Company. So the next natural progression for me was to have my own firm that could practice both Singapore local law and offshore law. We have two main departments, one for corporate and commercial law (including contracts law, mergers and acquisitions, foreign investment law) which advises not only on Singapore law, but also regional Asian and Canadian work, as well as the family law and litigation department, which is in large part in response to the great need in the expat community for family law expertise in Singapore. Our aim is to build a team that adheres to the highest of standards and to also to provide a good work life balance for our lawyers and staff.

5. Q: So you’ve been in Asia for quite a while now and I’m sure you must have some stories. Does anything really stick out?
A: I was going to Beijing for work, and it so happened that the Singapore Prime Minister and his delegation were on the same plane. When we landed, I asked the air staff to let me leave the plane before the PM as I was running late. As I walked out of the plane and down the “L shaped” hanger, I started hearing applause. When I turned the corner, there was a lightening of camera flashes and I was met by the President of China and his wife. They shook my hand and welcomed me to China. I was so nerve-wrecked but managed to joke that I was ”not the Prime Minister” and that I was so “very happy to be in China”. I was so shocked and blinded by all the flashes that I also dropped my briefcase and all my files came pouring out. Everyone laughed and I left as soon as I could. But now I understand I am one of the few foreigners to ever meet President Hu and I can laugh about the whole thing.

6. Q: And finally, how do you keep in touch with Canada and do you ever stop feeling Canadian because you have been away so long?
A: I have never felt anything other than Canadian! We keep a home on the slopes at Mont Tremblant, and return regularly to visit my Mother and siblings and their families. Modern technology has also made it much easier to remain in touch. Apart from email, I have an Internet phone with a Montreal phone number, so I call almost daily and its just like being next door. So it is much easier to remain in touch these days. By the way, we make Nanaimo Bars all the time and they are a hit with everyone. Maybe I’ll invite you over for some next time!

Interesting Canadian: Ash Singh

2010-12-07T15:55:00.001+08:00

Interview conducted by David Griffith

Having been voted as one of Asia’s Best Young Entrepreneurs in 2009 by Business Week magazine, Ash Singh is certainly an interesting Canadian. Not only is Ash the Managing Director of Interactive SG, a creative New Media Company, but he’s also a huge Slingers fan. We caught with Ash for a little Q&A.

1. Has basketball always been one of your interests, and how did you get involved with the Slingers?

ASH> I grew up watching Michael Jordan so I have always been a basketball fan. I played basketball in school with aspirations of playing professionally. I realized (through repeated lectures from my parental figures) that statistically it wouldn’t make sense. So I got into business instead. I was a sponsor of the team in the first season 5 years ago and then invested into the team. I have been sitting court side since day 1.

2. It looks like the team has finally established a loyal fan base. Were there times early on that you questioned whether a professional basketball team in Singapore would survive?

ASH> Like any business startup, it takes time to establish yourself and you need to give yourself enough time to overcome the challenges that the market throws at you. Getting the word out and getting the press to write about us (without paying them) was a challenge. The Slingers have a good management team lead by our Chairman Mark Chang (founder of Jobstreet.com) and Michael Johnson (who manages the operations) who
have managed to overcome such obstacles.

3. You clearly have a lot of interests and business endeavors, what’s been your most satisfying venture and why?

ASH> Good question - its like asking a mother which child she likes best! I am blessed to have a good core team of people. The journey of working with them and creating new ventures is the most satisfying.

4. How often do you manage to get back to Canada and what are some of the things you miss most about living in Singapore?

ASH> My whole family is back in Toronto so I try to go back once a year. Last year, I went back during winter time and my wife Samran (a Singaporean) was not a happy camper! I miss family, Toronto Maple Leafs, Tim Hortons Coffee and Donuts, Pizza Pizza, and ice skating .

5. What can we expect from Ash Singh in the future, what are some of the things you’re now working on?

ASH> We run a digital media ventures company so we are creating new ideas regularly. One project I am excited about is an e-clothing company called Neumodo.com - check it out!

6. And finally, who do you think will win the ABL title this season?

ASH> Singapore Slingers!

Great Canadian Yard Sale

2010-12-07T15:50:00.000+08:00

By David Griffith

The dogs were hot, the beer was cold, and the goods were sold. With more that 20 individual sellers at the Canadian International School’s Tajong Katong campus, the second annual Great Canadian Yard Sale was a great success as money was raised for The Run for Hope.

As the clock struck twelve-noon the gates at the front of the CIS opened up and the buying frenzy began. After an hour most of the selling had finished and people were left to relax and enjoy delicious hot dogs and cold beer.

Many thanks to all those who donated their un-wanted items to charity, and to all those who lent a hand in organizing this year’s event. Finally, a special thank you to Brewerkz for donating the ice-cold suds, Santa Fe for the tables and canopies, and the Canadian International School for loaning the premises,
barbecue and chairs. Start stock piling your stuff and we’ll see you next year!

Dragon Boating: ANNUAL SINGAPORE RIVER REGATTA

2010-12-07T15:41:00.000+08:00

Text by Laurel Sherwood, Canadian Dragons Representative

Screams of “Harder! Stronger! Longer!” could be heard all up and down the banks of Boat Quay a few weeks ago, as it played host to the annual Singapore River Regatta. Hundreds of paddlers and teams from all over Singapore and parts of Asia gathered here for the 300 metre races, which included men’s, women’s and mixed boats. Everything went as one would
expect. People came, people paddled, people… BUT WAIT! Before going any further, it might be a good time to mention something that you may or may not find interesting… erm… WE WON!
That’s right! We owned the river, taking home the gold medal in the ‘Inter-International Business Community mixed-20 race.’ No one expected us to even get close and yet we blew the competition out of the water and … Oh, wait a second. This isn’t hockey. Must be modest. Must not show off! Canadian Mode: On.

Yes, the well-spelled cries of “C-A-N-A-D-A” echoed throughout downtown Singapore and well into the night as we celebrated our best result in several years. Even before we received the solitary finger raised (no, not in that way) by our mole in the Official’s Tower to signal our position in crossing the finishing line, we already knew we had paddled our hearts out. We were all partially deaf from our cox screaming “We are leading” for much of the second half of the race, although he had gone suspiciously quiet in the last 50 metres which must have spurred us on. As word filtered through that we might have done quite well, we all avoided tempting fate as we knew that these races can sometimes go down to photo finishes with the last paddle stroke deciding the winner. Once on shore, the word got out and the cheers went up.

At the same time, our girls – the newly christened ‘Iron Butterflies’ – also put in a top notch performance in the Women’s 10s category. Unlike the Mixed 20 boat, which was competing against mere Expat teams in paper-light boats, the ladies were in the mix with teams from all over Singapore and in boats that weighed a ton. Nevertheless, these butterflies flew in formation and won the Bronze medal in the Minor Final, an excellent result for a team-within-a-team that was only put together a few months before the race. We’ve known for some time that the Canadian team was an equal opportunity employer but now we really see they are a force to be reckoned with and the back bone of this team!

So now begins the next season and we are looking for new recruits. Interested in joining the team? Check out our website at www.canadiandragons-sg.org .

Invisalign - the invisible and comfortable way to straighten teeth

2010-12-07T15:35:00.000+08:00

By Specialist Dental Group

Apart from restoring function or resolving pain, many patients visit the dentist to enhance the aesthetics of their teeth and resulting smile. When it comes to straightening crooked or crowded teeth, one of the exciting innovations is Invisalign – a series of clear, virtually invisible removable custom-molded aligners.

Orthodontists use 3-D computer imaging technology to plan and map the complete treatment. Patients are required to wear each aligner at least 20 hours daily for about two weeks, before being replaced by the next aligner in the series until the final desired position of the teeth are achieved.

The main features of Invisalign are;

· Invisible – you can straighten your teeth without anyone knowing!

· Removable – you can easily remove the aligners for meals and then after brushing/flossing, put them on again

· Comfortable – movements of the teeth are gradual, and the smooth surface results in no abrasions

Depending on the complexity of the case, the length of Invisalign treatment can range from 6 months to 2 years. You can continue to smile throughout Invisalign treatment without feeling self-conscious about your teeth.

If you have been looking for other alternatives to straighter teeth, but are hesitant about conventional braces, Invisalign may be a good option to consider. A thorough initial consultation and examination with an accredited Invisalign dentist or orthodontist will confirm if you are a suitable candidate for Invisalign.

Dragon Boating: A Busy Time Ahead!

2010-11-01T13:19:00.002+08:00

Text by Laurel Sherwood, Canadian Dragons Representative

With the cumulating race events right around the corner for the Canadian Dragon Boat Team, practices have been getting more intense and the excitement is booming. The first of these upcoming races is the Singapore Dragon Boat Regatta which is a mad dash of 300 meters. With both Men’s, Women’s, and mixed boats entered in this race we are hoping to walk away with some great results, amazing memories, and maybe even some hardware. Following the Regatta we have also entered boats in to the Sava Sprint Race, the American Thanksgiving Challenge, and the German Maneuver Cup. November is going to be a busy month.

Since the competitive season will be wrapping up soon, this is a great time to come out and try a practice. With one of Singapore’s top dragon-boat coaches calling the shots, and with a great mix of Canadian and non-Canadians alike, not mention a whole range of experience levels, you’ll fit right in! Come out and try us on for size and you’ll see that we’re more than just about getting our paddles wet. From the rewarding ‘cold one’ on the beach after practice, to pub crawls, Frisbee games and more, there’s something for everyone.

If you want more information about joining the team, check out our website at www.canadiandragons-sg.org.

Canadian Thanksgiving Dinner Celebration

2010-11-01T13:14:00.000+08:00

By Franca Ciambella

To no one’s surprise all of the guests at the annual Canadian Thanksgiving Dinner had a look of wonderful satisfaction on their faces after dining on 10kg turkeys with all of the traditional trimmings and accompaniments. Hosted at the American Club, and held on the auspicious date of the tenth day of the tenth month in the year 2010, the event saw a sell out crowd of more than 200 persons. The warm colours of yellow and maroon that adorned the room made everyone feel as though they were back in home in Canada on a beautiful autumn afternoon.

Under the watchful supervision of volunteers from the Canadian International School, about 45 children took part in the arts and crafts, face painting, and tattoos that had been organized for them both before and after the dinner. Proceeds were raised via a lucky-draw to benefit Boys’ Town, a Singapore-based charity that helps boys from troubled families or from families who unable to keep them at home for financial reasons. Lucky winners enjoyed prizes that included weekend getaways, wine hampers, brunches and teas, donated by the Fairmont Hotel, the American Club, Rochester Cafe and Neem Teas.

Finally, a tag placed secretly under a plate at each table helped to identify who would be the carving chef for that table. The reward for such a daunting task was not only getting to wear the chef’s hat and apron, but also bringing home the lovely table floral arrangement. His Excellency David Sevigny, Canada’s High Commissioner to Singapore, his wife, Mary Broderick as well as their daughter Laura, enjoyed the meal and agreed with everyone else in saying it felt just like a Thanksgiving in Canada.

Many thanks to the Thanksgiving organising committee and the American Club for hosting such a great event.

Your Smile has an Economic Value

2010-11-01T13:06:00.001+08:00

Contributed by Specialist Dental Group

Many of you would no doubt have read articles on smile makeovers through teeth whitening, veneers, dental implants and orthodontic treatment. However, not much has been written about the financial value of a great set of teeth.

The National Bureau of Research in the USA published a paper in 2008 about the Economic Value of Teeth.
According to the report, women who grew up in areas where there was water fluoridation earned 4% more than those who did not live in such communities. This was particularly evident in families with a low socioeconomic status.

The premise of the research was the fact that people with bad teeth or missing teeth had more trouble finding jobs. The conclusion was that employer and consumer discrimination were the likely factors where the women’s oral health affected their earnings. This could possibly be due to a less attractive physical appearance, especially for front-line positions, but also due to the perception that bad teeth equated to poor health or poor personal hygiene.

There are certain professions where one’s appearance (and thus, one’s teeth) is placed at a premium e.g., celebrities, broadcasters, etc. Nevertheless, a great smile is also helpful for other positions, whether they are customer service related or at the senior corporate level.

Don’t let obstacles such as anxiety or financial circumstances hinder you from seeking solutions to dental problems – there are always ways to address these issues one step at a time, in manageable bites ...

Specialist Dental Group is a corporate sponsor of the Canadian Association of Singapore (CAS). CAS members enjoy a special rate for dental services. For details, send an enquiry via http://www.specialistdentalgroup.com or call 6733 7883.

Annual Carpet Auction

2010-11-01T08:00:00.003+08:00

By Janey Schueller

An enthusiastic group showed up for the Annual Carpet Auction on October 24th at the Fairmont Hotel. Amidst the beautiful colors and patterns, guests busily took note of their favourite carpets during the cocktail hour and settled in for an educational carpet talk from Edmund Rajendra of Eastern Carpets. Edmund and fellow host Shakur answered questions from the group and then got down to business. Exquisite hand-woven carpets were auctioned off at discounted prices and with the 'surprise' gifts rewarded throughout the afternoon, no one left disappointed! Many thanks to Eastern Carpets for their outstanding hospitality and we look forward to their next live auction at the Maple Leaf Ball in April. If you can't wait until April, do stop by Eastern Carpets, located at Raffles City Shopping Centre, #03-31 and mention CAS!

Top 10 Reasons to Get on Board With CAS

2010-10-01T14:05:00.001+08:00

By Janey Schueller, CAS President

I often pride myself as being a good judge of character and although I have only been CAS President for a year, I think I can slot the average CAS member into 2 categories. The first is what I like to call, the “I am Canadian” member. Don’t look around, you know the type. Loves all things Canadian, drinks maple syrup with their donut(s) for breakfast, can recite the entire roster of the Leafs, Canadiens, Flames, Sens, Canucks and Oilers -since the Mulroney years - and swears that a Molson Canadian-a-day keeps the doctor away. We never have to target this crowd with our membership drives. They are signed up and paid before the ink is dry on the member cards.

It’s the second type that we have to (ice) wine and dine every year. Nicknamed the “What’s in it for me, eh”?
I wince at the number of volunteer hours our non-profit Board uses to target this group to get them signed up. Despite being bona fide Canadian passport holders, this group will often question the value of CAS membership and its privilege – a very valid comment of course – and one that we hope to cover in this 2-page spread.

So without further adieu, I bring you the Top Ten reasons to Come on Board with CAS:

Number 10: You are a staff of the Canadian International School. C’mon, what’s your excuse? Your Membership is already paid for – just sign-up!!!

Number 9: Super affordable membership rates. The fee this year is only $50 for Individuals and just
$90 for families.

Number 8: Differentiated pricing and priority sign-up. This year we are committing to making sure our members get serious saving on CAS events versus non-members and exclusivity sign-up privileges. So next time there’s a Quiz Night you’ll be able to sign-up before tickets go on sale to the general public.

Number 7: Ten full-colour issues of the Maple Leaf Times (MLT) delivered right to your doorstep. Get organized and stay abreast of all of the Canadian happenings in and around Singapore with your regular MLT subscription.

Number 6: Sell your Stuff. Enjoy access to free classified ad postings in the MLT and buy, sell, rent, lease to other members. We also host the Great Canadian Yard Sale (and beer and bbq) every November and all are welcome to participate!

Number 5: Get busy, after all it’s a social thing. Come out and meet new friends at our regular Pub Nights, Book Club, Coffee Mornings, Chick Flick Nights, Out and About Tours, Quiz Nights, themed events or join the Canadian Dragon Boat team.

Number 4: Take a Break. The Park Royal Penang is offering 10% discount off the best available rates, 15% off at Tamarind Brasserie, Cool Bananas, Uncle Zack by-the-beach and Javana Lounge and 15% off at St. Gregory Spa. Stop by Books Actually on Club Street and pick up books at 10% off for the beach!

Number 3: Because you’re a good person, it’s that simple. Be a part of the community and join CAS in their fresh environmental initiatives and charity fundraising events throughout the year. We have raised hundreds of thousands of dollars over the years and need your support to raise more.

Number 2: Discounts, discounts, and more discounts. Hungry? Thirsty? Enjoy food and beverage
discounts and privileges at Chili’s, Brewerkz, Café Iguana and an exclusive subscription deal with Appetite Magazine.

And the Number 1 reason to Come on Board with the CAS: Because you live in Singapore and you’re Canadian, eh?

And if that’s still not good enough for you, we are running an exciting Early Bird Draw! Members who register before October 24 are entered to win….

A Porsche Boxter S for a day

1 Day, 2 Night stay at the Park Royal Penang, Malaysia

1 of 3 beautiful carpets from Eastern Carpets

F&B vouchers from our sponsors

A 3-month membership from Fitness First

So what are you waiting for? Get up and fill out that membership form right now, and make sure you ask your Canadian friends whether they’ve done the same.

Many thanks, from all of the CAS Exco.

**Please check the CAS Website for more details on the above and current member privileges.

*Winners will be contacted and their names published in the November MLT.

Healthy Gums for Healthy Mommy and Baby

2010-10-01T13:57:00.001+08:00

By Dr. Helena Lee, Periodontist, Specialist Dental Group

For women who are planning to start a family, one of the things that should be on your “To-Do” list (besides ensuring you are in good health and taking folic acid) is to visit your dentist.

Research has shown a close connection between gum disease and complications during pregnancy. According to the American Association of Periodontology, women with gum disease are seven times more likely to have early deliveries. Premature babies have a lower birth weight and are known to have more developmental problems and allergies. In addition, a higher rate of miscarriage is possible in women with periodontitis.

More recently, a US study documented a link between a woman with periodontal problems and a stillborn baby. The researchers found that the same bacteria in the patient’s infected gums worked its way into the placenta and infected the baby’s lungs and stomach.

During pregnancy, the level of estrogen and progesterone hormones is also higher which make the gums more sensitive to inflammation. Some of the symptoms include bleeding, swelling, redness or tenderness in the gums. These usually occur during the first trimester and may increase in severity as the pregnancy progresses.

If you are pregnant and experiencing any of the above, make sure that you see your periodontist (gum specialist) as soon as possible. Prevention is always better than cure. Visit your dentist before getting pregnant to ensure a smoother pregnancy and a healthier baby.

Meet Greg Sarnecki

2010-10-01T13:53:00.001+08:00

Interview with Greg Sarnecki

In this month’s Interesting Canadian we are featuring Greg Sarnecki. Greg is new to

Singapore

and one of his first forays into the Canadian scene was at the Canada Day celebrations where he was kind enough to share some fantastic tasting Dead Frog beer with the guests.

Here’s a little Q&A with Greg:

1. So when and how did you get involved in the beer industry?

I got started in the beer industry when I was old enough to go to the pub and sit down for a cold pint. I have been importing and distributing beer for 2 years. Most recently importing Dead Frog Beer.

2. Tell us a little bit about Dead Frog brewery and the Micro-Brew industry in general.

Micro Breweries/Craft Breweries are usually small and independently owned and they brew far smaller annual volumes than a large regional brewery would. The Micro Brew industry is very big in Vancouver with many different breweries on the scene. Dead Frog was founded in 2006 and is located in Aldergrove BC 45 minutes outside of Vancouver. Dead Frog is fun, irreverant, memorable, and it makes people smile. It’s something new and fresh in the beer industry and I believe that their creativity will be the key to their success.

3. Why Singapore, and what are the plans for Dead Frog over here in Singapore and the region?

Singapore

does not have any Canadian beers and there is room in the market for a premium Craft brewed Canadian Beer. With Dead Frog, there is a variety of different tasting beers: Lager, Honey Brown Lager, Pale Ale and Nut Brown Ale. These varieties of beer are also very unique in the market as you can't readily find them at the pub in bottles.

The plans for Dead Frog are to increase market share with promotions and we will be introducing a Pepper Lime Lager which is the Breweries best selling beer in Canada.

4. Where can people get their hands on a bottle of Dead Frog over here?

Dead frog is available at:

Malted Milk (Studio M Hotel)
Ink at the Fairmont Hotel
The Public House (Boat Quay)
DB Bistro Moderne (Marina Bay Sands)
Aurora Bar (Boat Quay)
The Market @ Central (Clarke Quay)
Bar Bar Black Sheep (Robertson Quay)

5. What were your first impressions on the Singapore bar / pub scene, where do you like to go for a good beer?

First impressions of the Singapore pub/bar Scene was the lack of variety. Many of the pubs and bars carry the exact same 4-5 beers. I have noticed this trend to be slowly changing with more and more bars and pubs willing to carry a larger variety of
unique beers.

I like to go to any one of the bars that carry Dead Frog. If I cannot go to a bar that carries Dead Frog, I like to go to one of the Micro Brewery Restaurants in town.

6. How have things been adjusting to life in Singapore, any unexpected surprises?

Singapore

is a very livable city with great public transit, and with English being spoken everywhere it makes adjusting to life here quite easy.

7. What do you miss most about being away from home?

I miss my family that is back in Vancouver but I also miss being able to go for a drive to get out of the city into nature and being able to get away from the people, traffic and noise. I also miss all the varieties of excellent beer I can get back in Vancouver that just are not available anywhere in Singapore.

8. Any other fun / interesting things we should know about you / Dead Frog?

Keep an Eye out for the Pepper Lime Lager!

Clean and Green

2010-10-01T13:12:00.001+08:00

By Sandra Johnson

You don’t have to spend a lot of money on chemical cleaning solutions to make your home fresh and clean (and green); three natural cleaning products work equally as well.

Lemon juice can be used in kitchens and bathrooms to dissolve soap scum and hard water deposits. Furthermore, since approximately five percent of a lemon is acid, the juice helps to kill bacteria. Mixed with vinegar and/or baking soda, lemon juice can also be made into a cleaning paste. You can cut a lemon in half and sprinkle baking soda on the inside surface, and use it to scrub dishes, countertops and sinks, and to remove stains. The enzymes in citric acid cut through grease and make a greener alternative to abrasive store bought cleaners. If you mix 1 cup of olive oil with ½ a cup of lemon juice you can make your own furniture polish for hardwood surfaces.

Vinegar is a great natural cleaning product as well as a disinfectant and deodorizer. Mix a solution of one part water to one part vinegar in a new spray bottle to make a solution that will clean most areas of your home. There’s no need to worry about your house smelling like vinegar, as the scent disappears as the solution dries. Please note that the proportions are important as improperly diluted vinegar is acidic and can eat away at porous surfaces. Vinegar should never be used on marble surfaces. Did you know that vinegar can even be used as a natural fabric softener for people with sensitive skin? Simply add ½ a cup of vinegar to the rinse cycle in place of store bought fabric softener.

Baking Soda can be used in place of commercial abrasive cleansers to scrub surfaces. Baking soda is also a great deodorizer. You can put a box in the refrigerator and freezer to absorb odors. I empty a box into my cat’s litter to keep it smelling fresh. Since it is natural, unscented and non-toxic, I know it’s safe for him. If you mix three parts baking soda to one part water you can make a paste to polish silver. Rub the paste onto each item then rinse with warm water and dry with a soft cloth. To remove scents from a carpet, sprinkle with baking soda, and let stand for at least fifteen minutes before vacuuming.

So, there you have it; three simple cleaning products that are readily available, not harmful to the environment, and very affordable as well. Now it’s time to go clean and get green.

Interesting Canadian: James Hill

2010-09-01T07:34:00.000+08:00

Text by David Griffith / Photography by Eu Lee

“What do you think about going to see a one-man ukulele concert next Tuesday?”I think that’s how my wife posed the question, to which I gave the obvious response. She followed with, “C’mon, he’s Canadian. Maybe you can write about it in the MLT”. And that’s how I came to find myself sitting in the DBS Auditorium on August 17th awaiting the start of James Hill’s “ukulele...seriously” concert.

Now, I have a confession to make, I am a former ukulele player myself. The memories are almost completely purged, but the occasional flashback does occur and during these times I see myself sweating through unlearned chords while mumbling the words to “Skip to My Lou” in front of what appears to be a strangely enthusiastic audience of seniors (although back then I think we just called them “old folks”). Yes indeed, I am a product of Canada’s ukulele program, which, when it comes to the uke, is the only thing that I have in common with James Hill.

Back to Mr. James Hill, who I would soon find out is one of, if not the most talented ukulele player on the planet. I can’t begin to explain just how amazing the concert was. Who would have imagined that after two hours of non-stop solo uke playing the entire audience, myself included, would be left wanting more? But that’s exactly what happened as James Hill warmed the crowd with his easy-going engaging style and then left everyone in awe with his creativity and absurdly awesome technique and playing skills.

The crowd, which included a number of people involved with Singapore’s Ukulele Movement (see below), tapped their toes to an amazing variety of numbers that included original compositions, some Maritime and Bluegrass standards, and even some modern R&B and Techno. You really have to see and hear James Hill’s music to believe the variety of sounds and styles he’s able to originate from that single little instrument. Once you’re finished reading this feature, I highly recommend you Google “James Hill Billie Jean YouTube”,
I guarantee you will not be disappointed. There certainly wasn’t any disappointment in the crowd that Tuesday night, which makes me think…perhaps I ought to listen to my wife a little more.

************************************************************

Harmonizing the “C” Scale with James Hill 10 Minutes With The World’s Foremost Master Of The Ukulele

Interview conducted by Janey Schueller

Q: We loved hearing and seeing the many “Canadiana” references during your concert, everything from the song you wrote to remember skating on the Rideau Canal to the saying about “frozen boots” in Nova Scotia. My personal favourite was the hockey tape you used during your techno piece. Is hockey tape essential or would regular duct tape do the job?
A: Only hockey tape will do! Duct tape would have a completely different sound for sure.

Q: You are holding 3 learning workshops in Singapore during your visit and I understand that you teach quite a bit. Have you ever told anyone that maybe the uke is not the right instrument for them?
A: Never. Music is for everyone and the best thing about the ukulele is that it requires exploration and encourages creativity. I often tell my students that there are more songs in a uke than in an iPod. You just need to discover them.

Q: Why reside in Nova Scotia? Why not a more famously uke-friendly place like Hawaii?
A: The ukulele program started in Nova Scotia and many of the subject workbooks were written there. It is also the home of Chalmers Doane who founded the Canadian school ukulele program in 1967. I am a product of his program and love it there.

Q: You have performed around the world. What’s your favourite place that you have played?
A: Definitely my front porch. It is quiet and private.

Q: Why a ukulele player? Why not a doctor, lawyer, or CEO of Canadian Tire?
A: Ha ha. All I can say is I loved it and my parents saw I loved it and they encouraged me to play every step of the way. I couldn’t have done it without their support.

Q: A brand new uke, fresh out of the box or an all-inclusive Bali vacation? What would you pick?
A: Definitely Bali. I have a lot of ukuleles and luckily I don’t have to pay for them.

Q: How many do you own, and what’s the most expensive one in your collection?
A: About 12, between $3-4k.

Q: What’s next for James Hill? Is there a movie in the works?
A: We actually released a documentary earlier this year, “The Mighty UKE” and I am also working on a new experimental album.

Q: Will you be doing this when you are 90?
A: Gee, I hope so!

************************************************************

Transforming a Gummy Smile

2010-09-01T07:00:00.037+08:00

By Dr. Helena Lee, Periodontist, Specialist Dental Group

Some people smile with a little bit of their gums showing but for some others, a significant amount of gums can be seen when they smile. Their teeth appear short in proportion to the rest of the gums, giving rise to the term “gummy smile.”

Gummy smiles may arise due to a number of factors including:

abnormal eruption of the teeth resulting in excessive display of the gums;
hyperactive lip muscles causing the upper lip to rise higher than normal when smiling;
prominent upper jaw and position of the upper front teeth; or
severely worn teeth, resulting in the teeth looking shorter relative to the gums.

Although people with gummy smiles may have healthy teeth and gums, they may be self-conscious about smiling. The good news is that there are options available to correct gummy smiles, depending on the cause of the gummy smile.

It may take between one week to a few months, depending on the patients’ dental condition, to complete treatment for gummy smiles. The most important aspect of treatment for gummy smiles is to have a clear communication between the dentist (in this case is the periodontist or gum specialist) and the patient. Sometimes, gummy smile treatment may also involve prosthodontists (for crowns and veneers), orthodontists (for braces) or oral surgeons when jaw surgery is required.

Proper maintenance and professional follow-up will be essential for a successful long term treatment outcome.

Specialist Dental Group is a corporate sponsor of the Canadian Association of Singapore (CAS). CAS members enjoy a special rate for dental services. For details, send an enquiry via www.specialistdentalgroup.com or call 6733 7883.

Can Carbon Offsetting Improve your Reputation? Part 2 of 2

2010-09-01T07:00:00.032+08:00

By Tejas Ewing, Carbon Markets Coordinator, the New Economics Foundation, London

Last month we explored how Voluntary Carbon Offsetting is being used by some organisations as a way of dealing with their carbon emissions. We left off with saying that there were significant risks associated with any offsetting strategy, and they primarily involved the decision over what offsets to purchase. The key paradigm for judging quality is known as VALIDS, and is based on the following criteria:

Verifiability: In any offset project it is important that the baseline emissions levels were measured accurately, and that the subsequent emissions reductions were also accurately measured.

Additionality: Additionality is a key issue in carbon offsetting, and refers to whether the emissions reduction would have been generated regardless of your purchase. It is important that the emissions reductions would not have happened anyway, and are additional to business as usual. For example, a wind farm that would have been built anyway, due to government subsidies, does not count as additional. A local scale clean energy project in a small village, where your money makes the difference between success and failure would be additional.

Leakage: Offset projects must be careful not to cause additional emissions outside the project boundaries, caused by the emissions reductions activities of the project and its design. For example, protecting forests in one area can simply increase deforestation in another.

Impermanence: Offset projects should ensure that the emissions reductions are permanent, and that emissions do not immediately increase once the project ends. For example, tree planting projects must ensure the trees stay alive for over 50 years, and do not die due to lack of care and maintenance.

Double-Counting: An emissions reduction is only valid if it is generated once, sold once, and permanently retired. As a voluntary offsetter, it is important that your offset is only sold to you and used by you. You should ask for guarantees and certificates, or a registry of the project to ensure it is not double-sold.

Sustainable Development Benefits: Many consumers want to increase the benefit of their purchase by choosing offsets that specifically provide additional positive outcomes beyond the emissions reductions. These benefits are usually environmental, economic and social, and are often known as sustainable development benefits, because they increase the holistic benefits to the local community and the local environment. For example, a solar power project that also restored local habitats and provided jobs for local villagers would have overall sustainable development benefits.

Conclusion
The above requirements for effective offsets are challenging, and as a result very few offsets actually meet them. Offsetting is often controversial because of the lack of quality and regulation in the market, rather than the concept itself. For example, less than 1% of all the money spent on offsetting actually goes to communities most affected by climate change, and very few projects have any
additional sustainable development benefits. Many projects fail, or are poorly designed, and often profit is the main motive.

It is for those reasons that I am currently managing a project to provide a credible alternative to the poor quality offsets that often flood the market. The New Economics Foundation, in conjunction with partners including IIED and Comic Relief, is pioneering a new approach whereby organisations will be able to take responsibility for the impacts of their emissions by investing in climate change adaptation projects that will help the most vulnerable communities in the world adapt to the realities of a changing climate.

Rather than investing in projects that increase the profitability of factories in China, for example, organisations will be able to help communities in Africa and India become more resilient to the increased drought, flooding and changing agricultural patterns that they are already facing. This provides a solution that goes ‘beyond offsetting’ and closes the circle of emissions responsibility. A strategy of measuring emissions, reducing avoidable emissions, offsetting (in a credible way) unavoidable and irreducible emissions and
contributing to climate change adaptation to deal with the impacts of unavoidable emissions provides a comprehensive and holistic response to the reality of greenhouse gas emissions and their effect on the planet.

__________________________________________________________
Tejas Ewing is a leading expert on carbon offsetting and both the compliance and voluntary carbon markets, having published key analysis and critiques of voluntary carbon offset providers and the voluntary carbon market as a whole. His publications have been read by over 50,000 environmental leaders worldwide. He is also a well-known consultant on environmental issues from a business perspective having worked with many leading multinational companies on a freelance basis and also as part of his father’s company, Ewing Communications. Tejas would be happy to discuss how to make your organisation more environmentally friendly, while also increasing your brand value and reputation.

He can be reached at tejasewing@yahoo.ca

What I Did On My Summer Vacation

2010-09-01T07:00:00.030+08:00

By Laura Day, CAS Member

It wouldn’t be a REAL Canadian story if it wasn’t just a little bit larger than life. In our annual effort to inundate our three kids with as much Canadiana as possible, we embarked on a few truly Canadian memory-making excursions this past summer. I won’t bore you with the fishing stories from Port Alberni and the twenty-one 10lb sockeye salmon hooked in only 2 hours, or snorkeling down Campbell River with the salmon (all true!), but I will share a good bear story!

I should have known that we were going to be in for an adventure when, sitting in our car before hockey camp (on real Canadian ice!), we were going through the standard cautionary bear warnings when one of the kids commented, in a very nonchalant manner, “you mean like that one right there?” “YES! YES! Just like that one!”, I shouted, while the rest of the family scrambled for cell-phones to photograph what had just occurred.

A few days later, as we were enjoying a quiet lunch on a patio in the village with friends, I realised the car sighting was just the appetizer and the main course was about to be served. I heard some yelling, then saw an RCMP running towards us and just behind him another RCMP and one panicked looking black bear. It all happened so quickly that most of the way-relaxed Whistler tourists failed to even notice. Bryan, my husband, and daughter Jaimie stood up to get a better look and a photo, and

inadvertently got in the bear’s path as he attempted to get away from the yelling police officers. Bryan, the intrepid amateur photo journalist, threw Jaimie out of the bear’s way and managed to snap a couple of great photos!

Much to the dismay of several Canadian friends, my pictures on Facebook of the kids snow tubing only helped to perpetuate the myth of Canada’s frozen tundra and wintery temperatures…. even in July! For our kids though it was heaven - REAL SNOW. Our improvised winter wardrobes of jeans, sweatshirts and tevas with socks, didn’t cut it for long though, no matter how ‘cool’ the snow was.

The older the kids get the bigger the adventures and of course, the bigger the stories. Now we just have to figure out how to top this summer adventure next year.

Interesting Canadian: Madam Mary Broderick

2010-08-01T11:24:00.000+08:00

A pillar in the Canadian Community here in Singapore, the ever gracious Madam Mary Broderick was kind enough to answer a few questions in this issue’s Interesting Canadian.

1. What were your thoughts when you first heard you were coming to Singapore, and what were some of the unexpected surprises once you arrived?

We first learned that we were coming to Singapore in the dead of a very bad Ottawa winter, so my first thought was that I would be free from shovelling snow for a few years! Actually, we were thrilled to be assigned here as it had been at the top of our list of desired postings. We had read about the many wonderful things to do and see in Singapore and the region and knew that it would be the ideal place for our four girls and me to be introduced to Asia. When we arrived, the thing that struck me first was how green and lush Singapore is, and the ride in from the airport past Marina Bay and the CBD was quite an eye-opener. Also, both David and I were very touched by how welcoming everybody - Canadian, Singaporean, and ex-pat alike - was. I think one of the biggest surprises for us, though, was how busy we would be with various events most nights.

2. Do you find the challenges of raising 4 girls in Singapore any different to Canada?

Well, given the ages of our four girls, I'd say the biggest challenge we face is keeping them away from the Orchard Road shopping district! They love to find things that are a little different from what might be available in Ottawa and consequently are always trying to negotiate a raise in their allowance. It was a little difficult in the beginning for me to feel comfortable with the girls taking taxis and public transit by themselves since I was used to driving them everywhere in Ottawa. Other than that, the teenage challenges are much the same as anywhere - homework, curfew, computer time limits, etc.

3. So what's a typical day like in the life of Canada's First Lady of Singapore?

I’d have to say that there really is no such thing as a “typical” day for me. Although I usually start my day by trying to get teenagers out the door in time for school or weekend activities (which is pretty typical of most families) after that, every day tends to be different. I try to get to as many of the Canadian Association daytime activities as I can (the coffee mornings, “Out and About”, etc.) as I really enjoy the informal camaraderie of being with other Canadians and discovering interesting places in Singapore that are “off the beaten track”. I also attend a number of diplomatic spouses’ groups that meet on a regular basis (for example, a French-speaking group and a book club) as these are opportunities to get together with very interesting women (mostly) from around the world and to share about our cultures. I take part in ongoing charity work on behalf of the Tabitha Foundation with some diplomatic friends and hope to be able to help out more in the coming year. If we have an event at the Official Residence, I’m often involved with the menu planning and organizing and, as we tend to be out at events many nights each week, an ongoing challenge is to make sure that the homework situation is under control.

4. Besides being featured as the MLT's most interesting Canadian, what's been your most memorable or exciting moment during your stay here?

It's hard to pick just one moment. When we first arrived, I had the honour of having tea with Mrs. Nathan while David presented his credentials to the President. She was incredibly gracious and easy to talk to and made me feel immediately at ease. Last November, during the APEC meetings, I was very excited to have the opportunity to meet Prime Minister and Mrs. Harper and although both their schedules were incredibly full, I was able to have a really nice chat with Mrs. Harper during their stay. Also during an APEC dinner event, I was introduced to US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, which was a real treat.

5. Have you managed to do much regional travel and do you have any favourite spots?

We try to travel as much as we can, but it is sometimes hard to get away because of David's work commitments. We also have received strict instructions from our children who are living in Canada that many places are "off limits" without them! That having been said, we have managed long weekend getaways to a number of really interesting places such as Brunei, Yogyakarta, Bangkok, KL, and Ho Chi Minh City and somewhat longer trips to Beijing and Japan. Everywhere we have visited has been fantastic in its own way so it's hard to say what has been our favourite spot, and the longer we are here the longer our list of potential travel destinations becomes!

6. What do you miss most about being away from Canada, and how often do you manage to get back home?

Other than family, of course, I would have to say that the things I miss most about Canada are the seasons and the changing weather throughout the year. Although I think I've adjusted somewhat to Singapore's heat and I'm assured that I will look years younger when I return to Canada because of the humidity, I do miss the cool, crisp days of the Fall and the beautiful colours of the Gatineau Hills every October. I'm planning my first trip back to Canada at the end of August following the Youth Olympic Games to help our third daughter, Jocelyn, settle into her freshman year at Queen's. We've been very lucky that many of our family and friends have been able to come to Singapore to visit us so that's made being away from Canada a little easier.

7. And finally, is there any truth to the rumour that David wears ermine robes around the house, and insists everyone calls him "Your Excellency"?

No comment!

Can Carbon Offsetting Improve your Reputation? Part 1 of 2

2010-08-01T11:23:00.005+08:00

By Tejas Ewing, Carbon Markets Coordinator, the New Economics Foundation, London

VOLUNTARY CARBON OFFSETTING — the process of purchasing an emissions reduction generated elsewhere, to deal with an organisation’s own internal emissions is perhaps the most controversial topic in today’s active carbon marketplace. Having been hailed as the only valid market solution to climate change and criticised as being akin to ‘selling indulgences in the catholic church’, or referred to as the ‘morning after pill of the environmental movement’. Many organisations have begun to offset some of their emissions in the hope that this will help to improve their reputation as a ‘green’ organisation and improve the marketability of certain products.

For example, Land Rover recently sold its new line of off-road vehicles with a carbon offset included, so that all of the emissions for the lifetime of the car were effectively ‘neutralised’ by the investment by Land Rover in renewable energy projects in China. It was claimed that these projects effectively reduced emissions in China in line with the projected emissions caused by use of the vehicle. This was seen as somewhat of a marketing coup for the company because it could then brand itself as the first ‘carbon neutral’ vehicle. The implied message was that a Prius might have lower emissions, but you could instead buy a Land Rover and simply pay for the emissions to be reduced elsewhere, more efficiently. The idea perhaps was to have your cake and eat it too.

However, such offset initiatives can also backfire. The band Coldplay wanted to make one of their live concert tours ‘carbon neutral’ by investing in offset projects worldwide to ‘neutralise’ their emissions from flying and putting on a carbon intensive tour. Unfortunately, they chose to invest in some projects that involved planting mango trees in India. These projects were poorly designed and did not provide adequate support to the villagers in India that were asked to maintain the trees. As a result many of the trees died, the local people were unhappy, and Coldplay looked bad.

What this highlights, from a marketing and branding perspective, is that if your company aims to pursue carbon offsetting, or carbon neutrality, you must do it carefully and think hard about your decisions and how to deal with your carbon emissions in a holistic way.

A well constructed offset project can add value to consumer goods and enhance your reputation, while a poorly designed offset initiative just looks as if you are trying to fool the public.

So what can you do?
Within this complex mix of opinions, however, one thing remains constant. There is an expectation that organisations must have a valid plan of action to deal with their own carbon footprints. A recent review by the Carbon Disclosure Project showed that 75% of the 500 largest companies in the world are now measuring their carbon footprint, and taking action to actively reduce it. Consumers are
beginning to expect this, and it doesn’t pay to be left behind on planning to reduce the emissions of your organisation in order to
improve your brand value and reputation with consumers.

To many, Carbon Offsetting is one valid strand of action for an emissions plan, as it allows institutions to create more robust tactics to deal with their carbon footprints. However, carbon offsetting is only one part of a complex and valid planning system which must include real and internal emissions reductions. Carbon offsetting can never be the only pillar of your environmental strategy!

Any organisation thinking of purchasing carbon offsets must first put significantly more effort into reducing direct and indirect greenhouse gas emissions, before any offsetting strategy is implemented. It is clear that offsetting without carbon reduction is nothing more than an exercise in guilt reduction, false publicity and futility. Therefore, do not buy offsets until you have a structured and published plan to reduce your organisation’s emissions.

What is also clear, though, is that when it comes to unavoidable emissions, such as flights that must be taken, there must be a mechanism for proactively providing solutions, because for any organisation there will be some unavoidable and irreducible emissions.
Carbon Offsetting has attempted to provide solutions for these unavoidable emissions, but like any new industry there is much confusion and controversy.

Even if one is reducing emissions before undertaking offsetting, there are further pitfalls. There are significant risks associated with any offsetting strategy, and they primarily involve the decision over what offsets to purchase. Offsets purchased from the wrong provider may never be delivered, or the projects might fail, resulting in wasted money and significant reputational risks to the purchaser. The key paradigm for judging quality is known as VALIDS.

Keep an eye open for next month’s MLT where the criteria for VALIDS will be revealed and the article will be concluded.

Getting Out of the Daily Grind

2010-08-01T11:23:00.002+08:00

By Dr Ansgar Cheng, Prosthodontist, Specialist Dental Group

Grinding can occur at any time. Night time teeth grinding usually occurs when we are falling asleep, dreaming, or when we are waking up. It is also common for children to grind their teeth at night. This is mostly self-limiting and the vast majority of children out-grow this phase. Day time stress is also another reason for grinding. When people are under stress, they generally do not sleep well.

Consequences

Grinding of teeth over the long term may lead to accelerated wear on the teeth causing a reduction in the height of the lower face, speech problems, incapacity in chewing, loss of support to the lips and generally, an aged-looking face. It can also lead to jaw, oral and facial pain, and head & neck muscle pain.

Many times, patients who come to our clinic due to jaw joint problems turn out to be teeth grinders at night. Since moving to Singapore from Canada six years ago, I have been seeing more patients having symptoms associated with night time grinding, compared with my 11 years working in Canada. This is likely due to different lifestyles and higher level of stress from work in Singapore.

Solutions

Keep teeth wear in check through regular dental visits.
Manage other clinical symptoms when they arise.
Use a dental splint; and
Try yoga and other forms of relaxation training.

In some cases, it may end up that the recommendation is to do nothing… Diagnosis is the key in all cases.

Specialist Dental Group is a corporate sponsor of the Canadian Association of Singapore (CAS). CAS members enjoy a special rate for dental services. For details, send an enquiry via www.specialistdentalgroup.com or call 6733 7883.

Canada Day Singapore Style

2010-08-01T11:22:00.000+08:00

By Sandra Johnson

This year marked my 12th Canada Day in Singapore, and Canada’s 143rd birthday. Over the years I’ve spent several Canada Days with friends from the Canadian Association of Singapore. This year, His Excellency David Sevigny and his lovely wife, Madam Mary Broderick, hosted a Canada Day BBQ for members and friends of the CAS. A great time was had by all. There was a Canada Day cake, hotdogs and hamburgers galore, fancy cupcakes, cookies, savory snacks, and Nanaimo bars aplenty. Old friends caught up over bottles of Dead Frog beer and new friendships were forged. We sang “Oh Canada” with proud voices after listening to David Sevigny’s inspiring speech. Canada Day venues and events may change, but the festivities are always enjoyable and make me feel like a true Canadian even though I am thousands of miles away from home.

Happy Birthday Canada! You still look great at 143.

More photos can be found at http://picasaweb.google.com/canadiansofsingapore/CanadaDay2010#

Tour of the Heartlands - Ang Mo Kio

2010-05-02T08:58:00.002+08:00

By Judy Smith

On March 13, Dolores Parker, Debbie Milne and Kelly Woodward were our intrepid guides on this Out & About Tour of Ang Mo Kio in north central Singapore. Our visit started with a lighthearted discussion of the possible origins for the name Ang Mo Kio. Depending if Hokkien or Malay sources are consulted, one comes up with: red hair, red tomato or the red hairy fruit – ambutan. A short history of the development of this distinctive heartland neighbourhood followed, including the basic characteristics of hawker centers, wet markets and the numerous apartment blocks built by the Housing & Development Board (HDB).

The Out and Abouters were fascinated by the Bird Corner, with different species of colourful birds singing in beautifully decorated cages. There are bird-singing competitions held regularly around Singapore, with prizes for the most melodious singers.

We then proceeded to a nearby temple that featured four separate altars, each to a different deity. We saw people worshipping and making offers of fruit, flowers and money. Our next stop was a handicraft store where large paper houses, painted in vivid colours, are made for use at funerals.

After our time at the handicraft store we made our way to the Tay Guan Heng workshop. This family-run business manufactures joss sticks and hand-crafted figurines. Our lively and gregarious host, Amos Tay, gave us a very entertaining demonstration of wood clay art – an almost lost art form that he and his family are trying to keep alive in Singapore. Amos and two brothers continue to produce joss sticks in various sizes. They also make figurines that are becoming increasingly popular with visitors and residents alike. We all had an opportunity to model a small hand and some participants showed definite talent.

We continued to the Ban Choon Hiang shop which sells joss paper and a vast array of boxed items that are also used for funerals: everything from packages of cigarettes to sets of liquor, beer bottles, hand phones and toiletries. Not long thereafter we ended our tour at the adjoining hawker center that offered many tasty choices for Lunch.

Thanks to Dolores, Debbie and Kelly for scouting out and presenting this vibrant area of Singapore that few tourists or foreign residents readily know.

Living the SLOWLIFE in Paradise

2010-05-02T08:52:00.000+08:00

By Sandra Johnson

More and more, hotels and resorts are making an effort to do their part for the environment. The lovely Soneva Gili resort in the Maldives is no exception. In fact, this Six Senses hotel has taken going Green a step further by instilling several environmentally-friendly initiatives. The resort aims “to create innovative and enlightening experiences that rejuvenate our guests’ love of SLOW LIFE.” SLOW LIFE stands for SUSTAINABLE – LOCAL – ORGANIC – WHOLESOME LEARNING – INSPIRING – FUN – EXPERIENCES.

Sea water is desalinated through a reverse-osmosis mechanism for drinking and bathing purposes, and is heated by solar energy. The hotel uses laundry detergent that is environmentally friendly. Recycling and composting programs are also in place. Soneva Gili has its own organic vegetable garden, from where ninety percent of the lettuce consumed at the resort is grown. Many other wonderful vegetables are produced in the ever-expanding garden are also enjoyed by guests. Local non-endangered species of fish are caught fresh daily. Therefore, transportation and refrigeration are not required. You won’t find any rainforest teak, coral, or turtle shells used for building or decorative purposes here. What you will find is a coral garden, where baby corals are harvested and replanted on the local reefs to replace those damaged by the extreme water temperatures in prior years. New and used items, such as linens and clothing, are donated to a local orphanage. The orphans are also taught useful life skills to ensure they have a brighter future.

Staff members are required to undergo a “Green Module” on an annual basis, and, for guests, environmental awareness is created through displays, management action and supporting programs. “Knowing what the resort does and what the resort could do to protect the environment and to keep it unspoiled is the first step to minimize environmental damage.”

More information on Soneva Gili’s Environmental and Social responsibility can be found at: http://www.sixsenses.com/soneva-gili/Environment/Environmental-Responsibility.php

Breathe Better – Banish Bad Breath!

2010-05-02T08:51:00.001+08:00

Dr Helena Lee, Periodontist, Specialist Dental Group

Unpleasant-smelling breath is more than a small nuisance as it can affect one’s social life. The first step towards solving this problem is to find out the causes of bad breath (or halitosis).

Causes of Bad Breath

Localized dental problems, such as infection, ill-fitting dental fillings or dentures;
Periodontal or gum disease;
Consumption of certain foods – e.g. garlic, durians, etc;
Poor oral hygiene – caused by food particles between the teeth, on the tongue and around the gums which collect bacteria;
Dry mouth condition (xerostomia) which can occur due to hormonal changes (e.g., menopause) or due to certain medications;
Smoking;
Other medical conditions, such as digestive system problems, diabetes, ear or nose infections, Sjogren’s Syndrome or some forms of cancer.

Practicing good oral hygiene is the first step to minimizing bad breath

Brush your teeth at least twice a day, making sure that the gum and tongue areas are cleaned,
Floss at the end of the day,
Make regular visits to the dentist, i.e. at least twice yearly, to ensure that any potential problems are detected early and treated.

When to Seek Dental Help

You should see your dentist when the bad breath persists despite your best efforts at maintaining good dental hygiene.

With a proper examination, your dentist should be able to trace the possible causes of the bad breath and give you the best treatment options. You may also be referred to the appropriate medical specialist, if it is determined that the source of the halitosis is non-dental.

Having a Ball at the Ball!

2010-05-02T08:51:00.000+08:00

By Franca Ciambella

Photos of the Maple Leaf Ball, click here.

The legendary Maple Leaf Ball was held on Saturday April 17 and the 350 guests who arrived at the Fairmont Singapore were met with not one - but 2 red carpets in line with the "Walk the Red Carpet" theme. The first carpet, sponsored by 3M, was truly innovative and consisted of the maple leaf pattern on an adhesive backing. The second carpet was more traditional and led the guests to the stage and more importantly, to the dance floor.

Guests ate, drank and danced into the very wee hours of the night, but still found time to support this year's charity the Singapore Cancer Society. Thank you to all our generous sponsors and guests for their strong support of CAS. There are 500+ photos of the event posted on our website at: www.canadians.org.sg. Due to popular demand, Ms. Moonlake Lee has graciously offered to forward soft copies of the photos to guests. Please email your request to: mlee@specialistdentalgroup.com, with "MLB Photo Request/your last name" in the subject title and include the photo number(s). Please allow 7 days turnaround time.

See you next year!

Pearly White Smile

2010-04-01T15:01:00.002+08:00

A pearly white smile not only increases a person’s confidence and self-esteem but also makes him or her look younger. Teeth whitening or bleaching is a quick method to restore the sparkle back into your smile by brightening teeth that are discolored or stained by extrinsic causes, e.g. coffee, tea, soft drinks, tobacco, and other foods.

Intrinsic discolouration could be the result of a dead or infected tooth or a result of medication. Bleaching alone may not be sufficient, and other types of treatment, such as veneers or crowns may have to be considered.

While most people will be suitable candidates for whitening, those with gum problems, tooth infections, ulcers or sensitive teeth may have to address outstanding dental issues before having teeth whitening done.

During your visit to the dentist, shade charts may be used during the consultation stage to customize the optimum shade of white for your teeth. Whitening gel is then carefully applied to the teeth. A safe, whitening light is used to activate the gel and bleach away stains on the teeth. One visit of about an hour's duration is generally sufficient for results to be seen. For teeth that are badly stained, more than one session may be needed.

Maintaining good oral hygiene is essential to keeping your teeth sparkling white. Dental cleaning, combined with regular check-ups to your dentist will help in giving you healthy teeth and a good looking smile.

For more information on Teeth Whitening, visit http://www.specialistdentalgroup.com/services/serv_teeth_whitening.php

Light On The Lotus Hill

2010-04-01T15:00:00.003+08:00

Article and photo by Hélène Vigeant
Photo Below: Shuang Lin Monastery

Judy Smith has again demonstrated her uncanny ability to uncover Singapore’s off-the-beaten track and well-kept secrets with the March 9th “Light on the Lotus Hill” Tour. Led by anthropologist and author, Chan Chow Wah, we discovered the little-known story of Buddhist Venerable Pu Liang, the 10th Abbot of Shuang Lin
Monastery and fervent supporter of the China Relief Fund in Singapore during the dark days of the Sino-Japanese War. The Venerable Pu Liang was the only Buddhist Abbot executed by the Japanese during the Sook Ching, the Japanese occupation of the island.

Mr. Chan generously shared his considerable knowledge of Singapore and China in the 1930s leading up to the Sook Ching. To evoke the spirit of the times, our guide started the tour at the Ee Hoe Hean Club in Chinatown, the Chinese Millionaires’ Club and the headquarters of the China Relief Fund in South-East Asia during the Sino-Japanese War. He also played some of the then-popular music and even passed around some rose-distilled water on perfume-sampling paper to vividly conjure up the ambiance of the times.

At the Shuang Lin Monastery, we learned about the remarkable fund-raising event held on May 28th 1939. The Abbot showed superb marketing skills, even providing bus service to ferry the supporters to and from Balestier Road. He succeeded in raising $10,000, a very handsome sum for the times.

Some of the money raised went to training the 3,200 drivers who travelled on the vitally important Burma Road that spanned between China and Lashio in Burma. Unfortunately, half of the drivers and mechanics (men and women) did not return home. Sadly, the story ends with the Abbott and his two assistants being detained in Jalan Besar Stadium before being taken to Changi Beach where they were executed.

The book “Light on the Lotus Hill” admirably retraces the Abbot’s life, compassion and humanity in difficult times.

Quiz Night – March 18, 2010

2010-04-01T15:00:00.002+08:00

Text and photos by Kim Norman, CAS Member

More photos on the CAS website photo gallery:

http://www.canadians.org.sg/gallery.php

An exciting and successful CAS Quiz Night was held at Brewerkz on March 18th. We had seven six-member teams flexing their grey matter in the competition for first prize and, more importantly, bragging rights until the next event.

It was a close match with the “PHDs” narrowly out-smarting “5 Plus 1” by a single correct answer. The PHDs posted an impressive score of 45 correct answers out of a possible 70. Rounding out the podium, there was a two-way tie for third between the “Canadian Dragons” and the “Mad Expats” with scores of 42. If you haven’t been to a CAS Quiz Night you’re missing out. The nights are always good fun and there are usually some great lucky draw prizes to be won. This past event included gift vouchers from Brewerkz and a hamper from the High Commission of Canada.

A big thank you to our host and quizmaster, David Barker, who kept everyone entertained and challenged with some fantastic questions. Thanks also goes to Brewerkz and the High Commission of Canada. Look out for another CAS Quiz Night coming up soon in May!

A Different Kind of Office Building

2010-04-01T15:00:00.001+08:00

By Sandra Johnson, CAS Member

In May last year, Standard Chartered Bank’s new building at Changi Business Park was awarded the Platinum Green Mark Certification by Singapore’s Building and Construction Authority (BCA). This is the highest environmental award in Singapore, recognising projects that demonstrate a minimum of 30% energy and water savings as well as environmentally sustainable building practices and innovative Green features.

This first-of-its-kind office building integrates energy and water efficient features and is expected to reduce energy consumption by up to 36 percent compared to conventional buildings in Singapore. Another proud fact is that 20 percent of the plants across the building’s 70,000 square feet landscaping will be of the endangered variety, with educational areas focusing on a range of endangered plants and their practical, everyday uses as food and medicine.

Steve Riley, Project Director, Singapore Relocation Project, Standard Chartered Bank offers more insight:

Was the idea of designing a Green building the vision from the beginning, or did it evolve in the later planning stages of the project?
At Standard Chartered, minimising the impact of our business on the environment, especially in the area of energy consumption in our buildings, has always been an integral part of our company’s Sustainability agenda. As a policy, all new buildings we are involved in must incorporate environmental features as part of the overall design consideration.

Was it difficult to source energy efficient materials in Singapore? Are the materials readily available here or were they imported from abroad?
Most construction materials are imported into Singapore, and so they are energy efficient. However, this results in a slight increase in material costs and limited choices. We do however notice that, in recent years, the number of products available here and endorsed by the Building & Construction Authority have increased dramatically, both reducing the cost and increasing the Green choice. In addition, recycling capabilities are constantly being improved.

There were extra costs incurred to incorporate the energy efficient features. Was this difficult for management to approve?
Standard Chartered is committed to protecting the environment by reducing our operational environmental impact. This commitment also applies to our sustainable design strategy of buildings, where we aim to achieve efficiencies in resource consumption while minimising environmental impact. The Bank believes that having sensible Green designs in buildings usually leads to cost savings in the long run. We plan to incorporate sustainable building designs in our real estate to make Standard Chartered a great place to work, as well as creating a balance in economic objectives and environmental viability. Yes, there were additional costs, but these were offset by the reduction in energy and paper consumption, reduced waste and more efficient use of space. All in all, this means reduced long-term expenses for the bank for a minor initial capital spend.

What is your favourite feature of the building?
It will be the roof-top garden on Level 6. This a place which not only provides a Green feature for the building, but also a recreational space for staff to relax and unwind after a hard day’s work; thus enhancing work-life balance.

What a fresh idea!

Painless Dentistry

2010-03-02T13:17:00.000+08:00

Many people associate a trip to the dentist with pain, however Dentistry has evolved to a point where pain no longer needs to be a factor in the overall equation.

Why Anxiety and Pain Arise
Lack of good oral hygiene contributes to the development of gum disease and dental cavities. Inadequate oral health education and lack of awareness often results in less regular visits to the dentist. The dental problems then snowball into bigger and more severe issues as time goes by.

In addition, extreme anxiety in dental patients can often be passed to their family or friends. Not everyone enjoys visiting the dentist; some may even have had a bad experience before. More often than not some of these so-called dental anxieties may be a result of stereotypical portrayals from popular culture.

Relief from Anxiety
Patients may want to find out more information about the qualifications, experience and track record of their dentist prior to treatment. By doing so, they would have a higher level of confidence in knowing that they are in good hands. Speaking with the dentist regarding your oral health and concerns would also relieve any anxiety that may exist. Understanding what to expect and knowing more about a procedure allows the patient to be in a better position to control their anxiety levels.

Relief from Pain
Several pain management options are available. These include local anaesthesia for simple procedures, in-office intravenous sedation delivered by a team of well trained and qualified specialist anaesthetists, and general anaesthesia which is a very deep level of sedation requiring airway maintenance and breathing support with the anaesthetic machine.

There are a few factors for consideration before deciding which option is best for a patient, such as the type of procedure required, the level of comfort desired and potential financial considerations. The dentist and patient should discuss these factors prior to the procedure in order to determine the best option for the particular situation.

Relief from Financial Pain
Apart from dental pain, patients may also feel the financial pain from undergoing dental treatment. “Prevention is better than cure”. Regular visits to your dentist are important to spot problems early. A small cavity is easy and more economical to treat than a huge and deep cavity that may require extensive treatment like root canal therapy and a crown.

Speak with your dentist regarding treatment fees and payment methods to avoid any surprises. You can also ask ahead of time about the general range of fees charged by the clinic. Certain dental surgical procedures are also covered by Medisave or health insurance policies.

In addition, some clinics also have interest-free instalment plans available which would aid in providing some relief from the financial pain.

Your Dentist – Your Partner in Health
Advances in dental diagnostics and treatment coupled with highly trained and qualified dental health professionals can bring dentistry to the next level: Painless Dentistry. Remember your dentist is there to take away your pain. Start treating your dentist as your partner in oral health preservation and smile transformation and you will begin to feel less anxious about your whole dental visit.

__________________________________________________________

Dr. Ho Kok Sen is an Oral & Maxillofacial Surgeon with Specialist Dental Group™ (www.specialistdentalgroup.com) and a Senior Lecturer at the National University of Singapore. He has a special interest in dental implants, jaw surgery, wisdom teeth extractions and other surgical procedures.

NEWater Visitors Centre

2010-03-01T16:00:00.002+08:00

It was an easy ride on the MRT Green Line to catch the free shuttle bus to check out the informative visitors centre at the PUB NEWater facility in Tenah Merah. We discovered just how popular this site is for school fieldtrips when we encountered an eager, active class of preschoolers with whom we shared our guide. The centre is definitely child-friendly, perfect for a family outing, with many interactive stations that teach the filtration process that is used to make reclaimed water clean enough to be bottled for personal use. The adults had to compete with the youngsters to check out the lighted water catwalk & animated displays. The very popular virtual boat ride on Singapore’s reservoirs was off limits for the grown ups! The children (and we too!) were surprised to hear that we are drinking the same water today that dinosaurs did so long ago! Microfiltration membranes, that are supplied by Canada, use Reverse Osmosis to remove microscopic particles to purify the reclaimed water. Our guide let the enthusiastic children operate the simulation panel to visually illustrate this point. NEWater facilities help Singapore replace 30% of the water the city uses.

This was not a typical O & A tour but was very enjoyable none the less. We learned a lot about water and released some lost childish energy along the interactive tour. We opted to ride the MRT to the Expo station for lunch at the highly recommended BABA KING Peranakan restaurant near exhibition hall 3. After our delicious lunch, we checked out the works in progress for the coming giant sale opportunities throughout the Expo complex.

Visit http://www.pub.gov.sg/newater/ for more information.

Every Little Bit Helps

2010-03-01T16:00:00.001+08:00

Sometimes the idea of saving the planet, being “green” and always doing the right thing for the environment canseem overwhelming. The good news is that it doesn’t have to be an all or nothing equation and every little bit helps; even the small changes you make in your home and office can make a big difference. Here are some helpful tips for living a greener life:

Recycle

Paper, plastic and metal products can be recycled. Look for the internationally-recognized symbol used to designate recyclable materials. Most housing estates in Singapore now have a recycling program, and there are recycling bins dotted all over Singapore. If you’re not sure about how to start or where the bins are located, please check with your local council or environmental agency.

Turn Off Appliances

Turn off and power-down televisions, stereos, toasters, microwaves, washers, dryers and computers when they are not in use. It’s best to switch off at the power point because most of our electronic appliances are still consuming power even after being turned off. Don’t worry, you won’t need to reset the internal clocks as most modern appliances now have enough power in store to maintain their internal time clocks for well over a week. You’ll be surprised how quickly you can develop the habit of switching off at the source. Also, don’t forget to turn off chargers when not in use.

Turn Off the Tap

Do not let the tap run while brushing your teeth. This was a tough one for me to get used to at first, but now I don’t think twice about it and always leave the water off while brushing my pearly whites.

Switch to Energy Saving Light Bulbs

Energy saving light bulbs are readily available in stores all across Singapore. There’s really no excuse to not make the switch.

Hang to Dry

Traditional clothes dryers are energy intensive. When possible, dry your clothes on a clothes line outside in the fresh air, or indoors on a drying rack if you are an apartment dweller. I hang dresses and shirts from the shower rod in my bathroom to dry. If you absolutely must use a dryer then please make sure it is an energy efficient model.

Turn it Down

If you are like me, you probably find most shopping malls, office buildings and cinemas in Singapore unacceptably and unnecessarily cold. If you need to wear a sweater indoors, something’s not right. Talk to the management about setting the thermostat to a comfortable 25 degrees. At home, try to use the air-conditioner less frequently and never leave it on when you go out. It took some time at first but now my husband and I hardly use our air conditioners, preferring instead to use a ceiling fan.

Going green is a lot easier than you might think, and don’t forget every little bit helps.

Walk the Red Carpet ... 61 Glorious Years of the Maple Leaf Ball

2010-03-01T16:00:00.000+08:00

By Janey Schueller, CAS President

The Maple Leaf Ball began 61 years ago with Singapore’s 60 Canadians in attendance - including 12 members of the Royal Air Force and 3 from the Army. It was celebrated July 1st, 1950 at the Blue Room of the Capitol Restaurant and like any Canadian celebration - it was likely a party to remember!

The 2nd and 3rd dinner and dances were held at the Chicken Inn, Seaview Hotel, followed by the Elizabethan Grill of the Raffles Hotel in 1953 and 6 decades later, the Canadian Association of Singapore is proud to host the 61st Annual Ball at the Fairmont Singapore on April 17, 2010.

Your attendance is mandatory as we continue to contribute to our long and vibrant history in Singapore and the hard working Ball Committee, chaired by Franca Ciambella look forward to welcoming you - save us a dance!

For more photos of previous Balls, visit the Canadian Association of Singapore Fan Page. Click here

By Franca Ciambella, MLB 2010 Chairperson

If you have ever dreamed of walking down a red carpet in your most glamorous attire, to the flash of photographers’ bulbs, with all eyes fixed on you, then the 61st annual Maple Leaf Ball is a mustattend event! This year’s theme is “Walk the Red Carpet” and attendees are encouraged to be as creative as they would like as they imitate theirfavourite movie star, director, theme song, singer or musician.

The event will be held at the newly refurbished Ballroom at the Fairmont hotel on Saturday,17 April at 7pm. Attendees will be met by paparazzi as they enter and walk the red carpet, flanked by Genie statues resembling Royal Canadian MountedPolice. Tables will not be numbered but identified by the name of a famous Canadian celebrity-so don’tbe surprised to find you’re sitting at theDonald Sutherland or the Pamela Anderson table.

Dinner will be a five course Canadian themed feast,including macadamia crusted Arctic cod and Alberta braised beef, all paired with sophisticated wines to go with each course.

The night includes a lucky draw and silent auction. All profits will go to the Singapore Cancer Society, who will also be issuing tax deduction receipts for the charitable portion of the ticket. There will be free-flow beer and wine throughout the night, and live music and a DJ will keep attendees dancing until the wee hours of the morning.

So don’t delay and risk missing out on a night toremember, buy your tickets today!

61st Annual Maple Leaf Ball
17 April, 2010
Saturday, 7.00 p.m. to 01.00 a.m.
Venue: The Fairmont Hotel, Stamford Ball Room

Beneficiary of the profits from the Ball - Singapore Cancer Society.
Tax receipts are available upon request for the charitable portion of the tickets
Special rate of $170 per ticket for a table of 10 (must purchase as a Corporate table for $1,700)
Members rate $180; Guests rate $220

For registration and payment details, click here

Click here to view list of sponsors.

Sarkies Road/Newton Circus/ Scotts Road District

2010-01-27T14:17:00.000+08:00

By Hélène Vigeant
Photo by S. Chen of the Goodwood Park Hotel
(More images from this tour can be found on the CAS website's photo gallery)

Judy Smith has done it again, organizing another successful and off-the-beaten path tour, this time covering Sarkies Road, Newton Circus and Scotts Road.

We started at the Alliance Française on Sarkies Road. In Singapore, the AF provides French classes to 4,000 students a year. The Sarkies name is well known in Singapore: the three brothers built the Raffles Hotel and Agnes Joaquim, one of their relatives, is credited with having bred the world’s first cultivated Vanda hybrid, now Singapore’s official flower.

Our guide extraordinaire then led us to Newton Circus, a popular hawker center opened in 1971 and fully renovated in 2006. It incorporates the design elements and colour scheme of nearby colonial houses. The next stop was Monk’s Hill Terrace, with a lovely row of black and white units.

We then proceeded to the Ministry of the Environment and Water Resources (MEWR)’s Environment building, which won the prestigious ASEAN Energy Award in 2007, before heading to Scotts Road. Reading from her well prepared notes, Judy told us that Scotts Road was named for William G. Scott, a cousin of novelist Sir Walter Scott, and the owner of Claymore plantation that was known for producing cocoa, betel nut, nutmeg and various fruits.

In the 1840s, such plantations were turned into residential areas Many large villas have since been converted into restaurants, shops and spas, including the SK-II Boutique Spa at Senze Salus which graciously gave us a tour of their facility. Judy was keeping us on track and on schedule, so we had only a brief stop at SKYBABA before reaching the Goodwood Park Hotel.

Designed in the style of the castles along the Rhine to house the German Club’s Teutonia Clubhouse, the hotel opened in 1900. When war broke out, it was confiscated by the British, then sold and finally converted to the Goodwood Park Hotel. Over the years, major renovations and remodelling have resulted in a very elegant hotel, combining modern conveniences and old-world charm. We got a rare glimpse of the Rose Marie Suite reserved for VIPs. Our enjoyable tour ended with a delicious Dim Sum at the Jia Ming Restaurant, definitely worth a return visit with family and friends.

Once again, we had a really entertaining tour while walking Out & About in Singapore with Judy.

SEVENTH ANNUAL TEDDY BEAR & TOY DRIVE 2009

2010-01-27T14:16:00.000+08:00

By Text by Franca Ciambella, CAS Member and 1st VP, CAS
Photos by Janey Schueller, CAS Member and President, CAS
More photos from this event can be found on the CAS website's photo gallery.

This year’s Teddy Bear & Toy Drive was, once again, a resounding success. The seventh annual event raised nearly $20,000 and countless toys and teddies for the Spastic Children’s Association of Singapore (SCAS). The funds that were collected will be used to acquire some much needed early education multimedia learning programs and food vouchers for the needy families, as well as securing wheelchairs and diapers for the Association.

The fund-raising activities, which were run in conjunction with the Canadian International School (CIS), included a December 3rd cocktail reception at the official residence of the Canadian High Commission where guests were entertained by Christmas carols sung by the CIS Grade 2 choir. Many thanks to the Canadian High Commissioner, His Excellency David Sevigny and to his wife, Mrs. Mary Broderick, for opening their beautiful home and for being such gracious hosts. Many thanks also to the sponsors and donors of the Drive, Specialist Dental Group, Pratt & Whitney and the Bank of Nova Scotia, as well as numerous individual donors.

The toys and teddy bears were collected from the High Commission and the Tanjong Katong and Toh Tuck campuses of the CIS before being distributed and bringing cheer to the children at SCAS. Many thanks to Santa Fe Relocation Services for donating their time, staff and transportation services to collect the boxes and have them delivered to the SCAS.

Finally, a special thank you to our volunteers: Katie Robinson, Megan Graff, Ben Grundy, Celeste Krochak, Tom Anderson, Andrea Mills, Calico Clark, Marta Hoyles, Doug McCreath, Rosakind DeBrass, Guy Chartier and Isabel Motyka.

__________________________________________________________________

Spastic Children’s Association of Singapore (SCAS)

The Spastic Children’s Association of Singapore (SCAS) was established in 1957 to provide early intervention, special education, rehabilitation services, day activity centre programmes, vocational training and gainful employment for children and adults with cerebral palsy in Singapore. The vision of SCAS is to be a leading regional centre for persons with cerebral palsy, helping them to realize their full potential and to lead a life with respect.

All funds raised from the 2009 CAS Teddy Bear & Toy Drive will benefit the Early Intervention Programme for Infants and Children (EIPIC). EIPIC was established on 1 April 2005 and provides early therapy intervention for over a hundred children aged a few months to 6 years suffering from one or more disabilities, but who have the potential of attending Special Education School or the mainstream school environment. The Canadian community in Singapore thanks Melissa Shepherdson at SCAS and the SCAS team for their leadership and guidance with the fundraising drive this year.

__________________________________________________________________

A New Way to Replace Missing Teeth…. Quickly

2010-01-27T14:14:00.000+08:00

By Dr. Ansgar C. Cheng, Prosthodontist, Specialist Dental Group

Many of us have heard of dental implants, however, not too many of us know that there is a Canadian connection - the University of Toronto played a critical part in the development of implant dentistry! Until the 1970s, dental implants were considered experimental in Sweden. It was the University of Toronto Dental School that re-did all the basic science and clinical research and announced to the rest of the world that dental implants were a predictable treatment option in 1982. Nowadays, implant dentistry is a routine treatment modality with new developments on a regular basis.

Replacing missing teeth enables a person to enjoy a better quality of life, through being able to eat better, speak more clearly and improve their appearance, leading to more confidence and increased self-esteem.

Dental implants are analogous to a house – the implant represents the foundation, or the root of the tooth, while the crown of the tooth represents the structure of the house. The implants are placed into the jawbone and can be used to effectively replace missing teeth.

The good news for those with missing teeth is that dental implants can now be placed in hours or days, compared with the conventional method which takes several months to complete. Instant Implants™ and Teeth-in-an-Hour-Implants™ are two of the latest developments in the field of dental implants.

Instant Implants™ enable dental implants and teeth to be placed in days, rather than months as is commonly the case. With Instant Implants™, the provisional teeth are immediately loaded onto the implants upon placement of the implants into the patient’s jawbone. The permanent teeth are then attached to the implants a few days later. It is not uncommon for our patients to walk in to the office and leave with their new teeth on the very same day.

The success rate of Instant Implants™ is dependent on the skill and experience of the specialist performing the procedure. Clinical data collected and published by Specialist Dental Group has indicated an approximately 97% success rate for this procedure.

Another benefit about Instant Implants™ is that the cost is comparable with conventional dental implants. A portion of the costs for dental implants (including Instant Implants™ and Teeth-in-an-Hour implants) may also be covered by Medisave.

With Teeth-in-an-Hour implants, dental implants and teeth can be placed in one hour and patients are able to walk out of the clinic with their new teeth on the day of surgery. The dentist plans the surgery ahead of time using 3D imaging software and the patient’s CT scan. A customized surgical guide is fabricated in Sweden and sent to Singapore about two weeks later. As a result, the surgery performed is minimally invasive and the patient heals faster. The new teeth look, feel and function like the patient’s natural teeth. A minimum of two appointments over a period of two to three weeks is required for the Teeth-in-an-Hour procedure and this procedure is more suitable for patients with multiple missing teeth.

A dental consultation which includes a thorough examination and x-rays will be needed in order to assess whether a person is a suitable candidate for Instant Implants™ or Teeth-in-an-Hour™ dental implants. Once a person is deemed to be suitable for the procedure and decides to proceed with the treatment, the new teeth can be placed as early as the same day of the consultation appointment.

Dr. Ansgar Cheng is a Prosthodontist with Specialist Dental Group™
(www.specialistdentalgroup.com) and an Adjunct Associate Professor at the National University of Singapore. He is an Examiner with the Royal College of Dentists (Canada), and was formerly an Assistant Professor at the University of Toronto. He has a special interest in dental implants, crowns and cosmetic dentistry.

New Economics Foundation (nef)

2010-01-27T14:13:00.000+08:00

By Sandra Johnson, CAS Member

Tejas and his father Iain are shown here near a glacier
In the Arctic, which has receded greatly due to climate change.

I must confess that when I was first approached to write an article about a company called the “New Economics Foundation” (nef) I had not heard of it before and I didn’t know what it was about. However, with a few easy clicks of my mouse, I was in nef’s website (www.neweconomics.org) and discovered that “nef is an independent think-and-do tank that inspires and demonstrates real economic well-being.” The company’s aim is “to improve quality of life by promoting innovative solutions that challenge mainstream thinking on economic, environment and social issues.” I like it; an organization that aims to put people and the planet first.

These days it seems that many companies are just concerned about making money, and personal and environment issues take a back seat. Not only does nef put these issues in the forefront, it also actively integrates environmental sustainability and social justice into its work.

CAS member and CEO of Ewing Communications in Singapore, Iain Ewing, has a son named Tejas who grew up in Singapore and now works for nef in London, England. I contacted Tejas to find out more about the company and his role with nef.

SJ: Your Dad told me how proud he is of you and your new job at nef. He thinks it’s great that you are working for a company that’s trying to make a difference. What did you study at university and how did it prepare you for your role at nef?

I studied ‘Human Geography’ at the University of British Columbia in Vancouver, Canada. Human Geography is a very interesting subject, which aims to cover the myriad of ways in which humanity interacts with their environment. It covers everything from economic models of resource use, to the social and psychological interpretation of ‘nature’. However, I specialized in Sustainable Development, which is really about how to deal with the considerations of economic growth while giving equal emphasis to social and environmental well-being. In that sense it prepared me well for my role at nef.

SJ: When did you join the nef think-tank and what is your role there?

I am currently Carbon Markets Coordinator at nef, which means that I deal with improving market mechanisms that aim to respond to the global climate change challenge. For example, carbon trading has been used around the world to try and bring down global emissions, but it has been rather ineffective. I try to make suggestions on how such schemes could be improved. I am currently working on an innovative idea related to private sector financing for climate change adaptation. Climate adaptation involves helping poor communities to deal with the changes in the climate that they are already facing, such as increased risks of drought, flooding or desertification.

SJ: Is this the type of job you always wanted to do?
\Yes, it really is my dream job. I have always been interested in the challenge of uniting economic, social and environmental solutions into a holistic response to the challenges our planet faces. Certainly, when India wants to bring 400 million citizens out of poverty, we can see that economic growth is about much more than just bankers and their bonuses. But such socially
equitable growth must not come at the expense of ourenvironment, otherwise our money won’t be worth very much ina destroyed world.

SJ: Please tell me about nef’s “Happy Planet Index”

This is one of the most important reports that nef hasproduced recently. It challenges the hierarchy that GDP has as a measurement of a country’s global success. We at nef ask: why should money be the only measure of how successful a nation is. This ground breaking index tries to measure well-being as an alternative indicator of success, and found that the richest countries in the world are certainly not the happiest. For example, the three happiest countries in the world, according to the extensive surveys done by nef and its partners are: Costa Rica, the Dominican Republic and Cuba. More information can be found at www.happyplanetindex.org

SJ: What do you think the world will be like in twenty years?

Well we will certainly be facing a warmer planet, with significantly more extreme weather events, and more variable weather patterns. In twenty years, we will see the reality of climate change. While most discussion of climate change now revolves around models and predictions, in twenty years, we can discuss climate change based on what we will be seeing around us rather than mere predictions.

I also hope that this challenge will lead us towards a world were wealth is spread more equitably, where perhaps we see the poorest people becoming richer, and the richest people being forced to make more sacrifices for the common good. If the current recession has taught us anything, I would hope that it has shown clearly that the rampant pursuit of money for its own sake always brings catastrophe in the long run, and that we need a new way of looking at how we live our lives, considering such issues as whether we are happy, fulfilled and contributing to a better world.

nef was founded in 1986 by the leaders of The OtherEconomic Summits (TOES) which forced issues such asinternational debt onto the agendas of the G7 and G8 summits. Please see http://www.neweconomics.org for more information about this dynamic organization.