Canadian of the Month April 2024

Jennifer Staton
Chief Operating Officer at FusionTECH

Jennifer Staton was born in Pointe-Claire, QC and eventually ended up in Burlington, ON. She graduated from Sheridan College where she earned her Marketing Degree and was awarded the Sheridan Scholar designation. Sports has always been in her blood, she even caddied on the Canadian PGA Tour for a full season before moving to Daytona Beach with then husband who was a professional golfer. She spent 12 years at NASCAR in Phoenix before moving to LA to work for the LA Dodgers and then The Wallace Firm which negotiated a LA Rams partnership.
She is now the EVP, Chief Operating Officer at FusionTECH, which helps venues, sports teams, leagues, and promoters maximize their technology in sports, entertainment and developments. With over 20 years of experience, she is skilled in developing and implementing creative marketing platforms to enhance a brand’s impact. These ideas include integrations with the league, team, athletes, broadcast & radio partners, merchandise affiliates, concessionaires, and other events.   

Tell us about what it's like to be a female caddie on the Canadian PGA Tour?
The best part about being a Canadian PGA Tour caddie was the ability to see the country. We started on the west coast in Victoria, and over the summer made our way east. Most golfers drove the circuit and had family members or friends caddie to save on costs. Life on the road isn’t as glamorous as you’d expect. Room sharing was common. If you were lucky, you got to stay with a local host family that would feed you and you could use their washer & dryer. You would not believe how hard it is to find a decent laundromat! Tim Hortons was a diet staple and whatever food the tournament would provide at the golf course was graciously accepted.
There were a handful of female caddies. Between the golfers, caddies and tournament staff you had a traveling family. We supported each other and would share the best spots to go for inexpensive dinners, the cleanest laundromats, and swap host family stories.  
Caddieing on the Canadian PGA Tour was an experience I will never forget that provided valuable first hand insights for my eventual career in sports.

What brought you to LA?
After spending 12 years at NASCAR in Daytona Beach, FL & Phoenix, AZ. I was ready for a career change. The question was - now what? My partner was leading the technology integration at SoFi Stadium during the construction phase and had been traveling extensively from Phoenix to LA. As the stadium was nearing completion, we decided it was time to make the move. I didn’t have a job plan and took a leap of faith!

You worked for NASCAR and for the LA Dodgers. How did you get your start working in professional sports and what did your day-to-day look like?
I grew up following and playing sports. I loved the team dynamic, the competition and the community. It wasn’t until I caddied on the Canadian PGA Tour that I realized you can have a career in sports. I believe that everything happens for a reason. Upon graduating from Sheridan College with a Business Degree, I moved to Florida. My neighbor was the Head of Sales for NASCAR. I shared my resume, had an interview that week and was hired. What I quickly learned is your network is your most valuable asset. Early on I was lucky to have mentors and vowed to pay it forward. I currently mentor youth and females interested in the industry.
In sports there is never a “typical” day. There are so many factors at play:
- Is your team in season or off season? 
- Is it a game day? 
- Is your team winning or losing?
- Does your team play in a new venue, or older one?
- What are the core responsibilities of your department?

I was a part of the corporate sponsorships team. We were responsible for securing large corporate partnerships (millions of dollars annually) and bringing our partner’s activations to life in a meaningful way. If we met or exceed a partner’s objectives they were more likely to renew or even grow their partnership. While all sports have an “off-season” there is limited downtime. We were always preparing for what’s next.  

What advice do you have for people looking to enter into marketing or partnerships in professional sports or entertainment?
For anyone thinking a career in sports is easy or glamorous, it is not! While they are perks, be prepared…
…To work long hours including nights, weekends and holidays. For 10 years I never got to enjoy a July 4th holiday celebration.
…For below average salaries. This is an especially true early in your career.
…To roll up your sleeves and do whatever it takes. Those that survive and thrive are the go-getters. Take initiative, ask questions, and be knowledgeable about what is going on in the industry.
…To compete and stand out. Most entry level positions receive hundreds of applicants. 

Tell us about what you do right now and what's next?
I am currently the Chief Operating Officer at FusionTECH, a boutique Sports & Entertainment Technology Business Consulting Firm. We are based in Los Angeles and have team members across the U.S. We help venues, teams and developers monetize and maximize their technology stack. Technology is vital to the fan experience and a cohesive technology strategy is the key to success.
LA has become a sports destination. I was lucky enough to attend Super Bowl LVI at SoFi Stadium and witness the LA Rams triumphant victory. In addition to LA’s numerous men’s & women’s professional sports teams and impressive venues, upcoming sports highlights include:
- Opening of the Intuit Dome, the $2B new home of the LA Clippers
- Eight total matches for the 2026 FIFA World Cup
- 2026 NBA All Star
- 2026 U.S. Women’s Open Championship
- Super Bowl LXI
- The 2028 Olympic & Paralympic Games
- 131st U.S. Open Championship 

This is an exciting time for sports in LA. I hope to see you at a sporting event soon!

March 2024 Canadian of the Month

Margot Ross
Curator, Gallerist

A curator, gallerist, producer, and art management consultant with nearly two decades of experience, Margot Ross is based in Los Angeles. She works internationally with galleries, contemporary art spaces, museums, and governmental organizations. Working with artists in a multitude of disciplines, Margot has overseen a diverse array of projects - art exhibitions, video installations, events, and book projects focusing on contemporary art. She studied art and international relations in Vancouver, London, Paris, Belgium, and Moscow, earning a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Political Science and International Relations from the University of British Columbia and a Master of Arts in International Relations from the University of Westminster in Paris.

Growing up in Canada, what drew you or inspired your love of art?
I was raised in Deep Cove in North Vancouver and grew up surrounded by artists in my family. Also, my grandfather was an art collector. I worked at a local art gallery in high school and then studied abroad in Belgium and Paris, where I worked and received my Master’s degree. All of these experiences deepened my love of art and led me to be Director of an art gallery in Montreal and then in LA.

Being so involved in the art world, are you an artist yourself
I’ve always been into photography. Now I just take pictures with my iPhone, but I miss working in the darkroom and would like to start using a proper camera again!

What brought you to LA?
I came to LA initially to work with a French artist and ended up consulting on a gallery project. I flew back and forth from Montreal for two years before making the move to LA. 

Any upcoming events or shows you’d like to tell us about?
I just opened an exhibition during Frieze week entitled Northern Exposure, featuring eight Canadian Galleries and 25 artists. Northern Exposure is the inaugural Visual Arts program focused on contemporary Canadian artists and galleries launched by the Consulate General of Canada in Los Angeles, as part of the Canadian Creative Accelerator (CCA). The galleries were selected by a jury of art professionals in Canada and the US. I worked on the project with LA-based writer and curator Michael Slenske. 
The exhibition is incredible and I definitely recommend people go check it out. The exhibition runs through March 21, 2024 at Praz-Delavallade, located at 6150 Wilshire Boulevard, near LACMA.

What is the art scene in LA like these days?
It is growing! Los Angeles is known primarily for the entertainment industry, however the city now boasts an expanding art market. In the past year, over 10 major gallery spaces have opened in LA while local galleries have been expanding (many opening second locations to cover the East and Westside). Many leading galleries from New York and Europe have expanded in LA including Hauser & Wirth, Galerie Perrotin, James Fuentes Gallery, Half Gallery, Lisson, Pace Gallery, Shrine and Sargent’s Daughter, making Los Angeles a new epicenter of the art world. 

Who is your favourite artist right now?
I discovered so many artists working on the Northern Exposure exhibition but I was particularly drawn to a massive tapestry from the 1970s entitled, Life on the Land that was handmade by Elizabeth Angrnaqquaq Quiayuq, an Inuk textile artist. I love the painterly quality of her work. The hand-embroidered felt tapestries depict double-headed birds and flying figures with human heads that represent transformations, where shaman spirits can shapeshift into animal bodies and vice versa.

Any advice you can give Canadian artists trying to break into the US market?
This is a difficult question to answer. A lot of Canadian artists break into US markets through their Canadian galleries, or by moving to the US or going to school in the US. I think it depends on the individual artist and the medium they work in.

February 2024 Canadian of the Month

Andrea Bolley
The6Mom

You are an accomplished painter, AGO professor and model. How did you get your start and what inspires you?
When I was at the University Of Windsor studying for a BFA, I was fortunate to be picked up by the Pollack Gallery. At the time there were only two contemporary galleries in Toronto and not many women artists in them. Having this opportunity led to teaching at the Art Gallery Of Ontario.
A little story for you. Years ago, a couple bought four of my paintings for their boardroom. It turned out to be Epitome Pictures. It was Linda Schuyler, the creator of Degrassi. We became very good friends and so I used to watch Aubrey (artist "Drake") when he acted in Degrassi. 
I love fashion .  . . not long ago,  I was dancing at an event and I was approached by a modeling agency and asked if I modeled. At the time, I didn't. This turned out to be Elite Models and I am now an Advanced Style model. 

How did you get the name "The 6 Mom"?
I have been an artist in Toronto ... "the6ix" as Drake calls it, since 1997. During the years I have tried to support other artists in all the fields. I have met many of them, like Director X, Kardinal, Greata Constantine, Snoop Dogg, Christian Louboutin, 4Korners, etc. and of course, Drake. 
The6Mom has been the name Drake and the OVO crew - Preme, Baka, TV Gucci, OVO Mark and Chubs have called me. How it went viral is that when I went to say hello at a Raptors game to my friend 4Korners, the DJ for the Raptors, over the microphone he said, "and the6mom is in the house!". 

How do you split your time between Toronto and LA and why?
My time in Toronto or LA is determined by what art, music, film or modeling comes up for me. 

What are you dancing to these days?
I follow certain DJs to the venues they are performing at. So dance to Hip Hop, R&B, Funk, Pop, Techno but not Heavy Metal as I'm not good in a mosh pit ....let's hear it for OvoMark - Nightowl Sound, Loud Luxury, Starting from Scratch, 4korners, DJ Franny, Steve Aoki, Snoop Dog, DJ Moss, DJ Nitrane.

What's next for you?
I'm painting for a one woman show in LA. I'm looking forward to seeing the Coi Leray music video I'm in. I am currently in a short film called Exquisite Things that's traveling the Short Film Festival circuit in the US and Europe.
I'm looking forward to more Elite Model Fashion Shoots. And, dancing, dancing, dancing!!! Everyday is a gift. 

January 2024 Canadian of the Month

Rob Gentile
Chef, Stella West Hollywood

A first generation Canadian, born to Italian parents, Chef Rob Gentile’s earliest memories are from his grandmother’s garden and kitchen. As a boy he learned that food was sacred within his family who for generations grew their own produce, raised animals, cured meat, fermented grapes and preserved anything possible. The skills he learned at home in his family’s kitchen eventually led to his first restaurant job at the age of 13.  Rob inherently knew that his career would revolve around food and after working in restaurants throughout his teenage years; he entered George Brown’s Culinary School. By 18 he found his first role in a professional kitchen at North 44 under celebrated Chef Mark McEwan. After 10 years of moving up the ranks from line-cook to Chef de Cuisine at McEwan’s top restaurants, Chef Rob was ready for a new challenge. He soon joined Peter Tsebelis and Gus Giazitzidis of The King Street Food Company to take the helm of Buca. The restaurant opened in 2009 and quickly became one of Toronto’s most sought-after dining destinations and is considered one of Canada’s best

What inspired you to be a chef?
Well, since I was a little kid, I just adored food. Spending a lot of time with my Italian Nona exposed me to her wonderful cooking and the beauty of her garden. Our family, having immigrated from Italy to North York, Ontario continued to embrace the same culinary traditions. We grew and preserved everything, even curing our own meats in the basement. I was so passionate about food that instead of watching cartoons, I'd tune into cooking shows as a child. When it came time to talk about work, I remember having a heart-to-heart with my mom when I was just 12. She told me that whatever I choose to do for a living, I should make sure I truly love it, as it's something I'll be doing for the rest of my life. In that moment, it became clear to me: my future had to involve a profession with food.

What advice do you have for people who are cooking hobbyist but thinking about going pro? 
Just like my mom once asked me, I'd ask you the same: Do you really love it? Home cooking and professional cooking are like two different worlds. Becoming a professional chef requires years of learning and hands-on experience. Plus, there are various paths within the professional cooking realm. My advice? Do your homework, make sure you're diving into something you truly love, and understand what you're getting yourself into.

How do you handle the critiquing of your food? 
Dealing with criticism can be tough in the cooking world. Honest feedback is crucial. While hearing friends rave about your restaurant is nice, it doesn't always help you grow. Embracing honest opinions is the key to constant improvement—whether it's about leadership, food, or the overall dining experience. The goal is to get better every day, one step at a time. This mindset should never stop.

It’s Sunday night at Casa Gentile. What are you making for dinner?
Sundays at home are all about simple grilling. We usually opt for a piece of meat or fish. Living close to The Joint, which specializes in dry-aged fish, is a bonus. A good piece of fish, some veggies from the local market, and a fresh salad make a perfect meal for us, at least four times a week.

What brought you to LA? 
LA became my destination specifically to open Stella. My business partner, Janet Zuccarini, reached out during the pandemic, urging me to visit and explore. For a chef, being surrounded by such incredible ingredients is truly magical. We signed the lease at 8899 Beverly in 2022 and are gearing up to open soon (February 2024).

Can you tell us about your new restaurant and what dish are you most excited to share with LA?!
It's hard to pick just one dish from our wide range of Italian specialties. We'll have fresh salads, vegetables, pizza, pasta, and, of course, meat and fish from our wood grill. If I had to choose a favorite, it would be the Su Filindeu pasta. Considered the rarest pasta globally, it's a Sardinian hand-stretched pasta woven over a basket, then dried and cracked. I had the incredible opportunity to learn how to make it during a dream food trip to Sardinia in 2021.

December 2023 Canadian of the Month

Matt Smiley
Artist, Filmmaker 

Matt Smiley is a versatile artist and filmmaker celebrated for his vibrant and thematic paintings, crafted through a unique blend of automatic writings, vivid colors, and imaginative characters. His artistic journey extends beyond the canvas, delving into impactful documentary filmmaking and showcasing a commitment to social causes.

In 2014, Smiley made a significant mark with the direction of "Highway of Tears," a documentary shedding light on the missing women along Highway 16 in northern British Columbia. Narrated by international television star Nathan Fillion ("Castle"), the film premiered at the TIFF Human Rights Watch Film Festival, earning widespread acclaim and multiple awards while screening globally.

Venturing into the art world, Smiley unveiled his first solo exhibition in 2017, titled "Dreams Fizzle into Space." The showcase featured a 32-piece Warholian "Smiley" Soup Can collection, establishing him as an artist with a penchant for bold concepts. Subsequently, in 2018, Smiley's "Lessons in History" graced the LA Art Show, followed by exhibitions at The Other Art Fair Presented by Saatchi Art in Brooklyn and the prestigious Aspen Institute.

Among his standout works is the mural "The Blocs of Love," an Instagram sensation located in downtown Los Angeles. Building on this success, Smiley presented "Dear Diary…" in Hollywood, captivating audiences with his ability to seamlessly blend narrative and visual art.
In 2019, the iconic Mondrian Hotel's Magic Box Gallery hosted Smiley's exhibition, showcasing his evolving artistic narrative. Parallel to his artistic pursuits, Smiley directed "For Love," a documentary centered on Indigenous Child Welfare in Canada. Narrated by the iconic singer-songwriter Shania Twain, the film found its platform on Netflix in Canada and Amazon in the United States & UK.

Throughout his career, Smiley has exhibited alongside luminaries such as Ed Ruscha, James Turrell, Shepard Fairey (Obey), Mel Bochner, Punk Me Tender and many more, solidifying his place in the contemporary art scene. Beyond his artistic endeavors, Smiley has consistently supported various charitable causes, including Human Rights Watch, UNICEF, Race to Erase, Phase One, Wearable Arts, and LIFT Communities. Today, his artwork is represented by Denis Bloch Fine Art in Beverly Hills, a testament to the enduring impact of his creative vision.

Why did you decide to make For Love?
I’ve been focused on Indigenous stories for a little over nine years now. After my first documentary “Highway of Tears,” I started to take a more active role on how I could best impact the communities I was visiting across Canada, not only by sharing their stories, but by working with my friends to help change policies in Canada to help protect women & girls. That work opened my eyes to many other issues First Nation, Metis and Inuit communities were facing. Then, through my friendship and collaborations with Mary Teegee (Deputy Chief of Takla Landing, within the Carrier Nation in northern BC) over the years, I got a glimpse into the beauty of Indigenous culture that was starting to really thrive in Canada. 

The initial decision to make the “For Love” was by a special invitation from various communities across Canada that was orchestrated by Mary (Teegee). At the time, I didn’t really think I was the right person to tell the story and wasn’t planning on making more documentaries. But, the more Mary and I continued to dialogue about some of the work she and other leaders across the country were doing. I started to picture how we could collaborate to tell this story that was very dear to Mary’s heart. I knew it wouldn't be an easy task to tell this vast story. It was a challenge that I welcomed on many fronts! Thankfully we got a lot of help from so many amazing communities across the country! 

Tell us what it's like to direct and produce a documentary and what tips you have for our members?
The number one rule/tip is passion. On “For Love” I gave up whatever I was focused on at the time to dedicate myself to telling that story. It was a massive undertaking, as it wasn’t just covering one particular storyline, but weaving an intricate web of stories across the entire country. That wasn't an easy mountain to climb. You have to understand the issues communities are facing, but also try to be as objective as possible. 

The second rule that I pride myself on is to be as flexible as possible with your expectations. As the director and producer, you need to have a clear vision of what you want to achieve, but also be extremely adaptable to change and open to people’s ideas. A documentary for me is a collaborative process. The film isn’t yours. You need to be able to give up some of your darlings in order to tell a story that will impact a global audience. 
The third rule that I have is to research until there isn’t a stone unturned. At least on the subjects I cover, it’s critical to cast a vast net of information in order to see a subject from all angles. 

What inspires you and how do you feed your creativity?
Everything around me fuels my creativity! It’s a bit of a pinball in my brain at times, but I’ve learned over the years to zero in on projects that fuel my heart and creativity. There’s rarely a moment where I don’t have a sketchbook in my hands, coming up with ideas. The thing I’ve been most passionate about is painting. There’s a million ideas brewing in my brain. I wish I could get them all done. A sunset, a sunrise and any small mundane moment in my daily life gives me inspiration. I made a commitment to live a creative life long ago. I don’t care where I rest my head, as long as I have crayons and paper nearby.
Other artists and friends certainly inspire me too! 

Tell us about your current exhibit?
My current exhibit “Work in Progress: Emotions” is now open to the public at the 1 Hotel in West Hollywood. I’m truly honored to be the first Artist in Residence at the hotel. Our opening was such a special night and I’m happy that everyone can now enjoy a few moments of happiness walking around the gallery space.
The exhibit is focused on emotions, with a heavy emphasis on the usage of smiley symbolism, which serves as the perfect tool for my creative emotional exploration. While often associated with happiness, the smiley face has a spectrum of emotions that it can relay to people. From the simple arc of a grin to the subtleties within the eyes, each smiley face represents a snapshot of our emotional life. Or mine at least. I used to be very uncomfortable with my last name. There’s a high bar that is set to constantly be happy. I’ve learned now through my art process, that we can have a range of emotions and many of them lead to happiness. I hope that’s something people walk out understanding when they visit. And now that we've finally opened the doors to the public at the 1 Hotel, it’s been a blessing to see how people interpret the work and follow the story I was trying to tell. Or rather, the emotional rollercoaster ride my heart takes me on. I’ve always been a shy cat in an extroverted body. It’s really the beginning of sharing who I am. Unapologetically me. Lead with your heart and see where the journey takes you. 

What's next for you?
I'm focused on our exhibit at the 1 Hotel in West Hollywood for the next month. There's so many amazing people flowing through the hotel that it makes everyday a pure joy to come in and explore. I'm here constantly now. I love meeting with everyone and hearing their stories and we've only just gotten started. 
I also have a bunch of art shows coming up in 2024. I had taken a break from exhibiting for three years while I was working on “For Love”. I did release a few pieces publicly. One for a special group show hosted by a dear friend, Punk Me Tender and a mini-series at Level 8 downtown that was opened by the Houston Brothers. I was very touched to share some of my work in their new downtown LA hotspot. They create some of the greatest experiences for nightlife and push the boundaries of what can be done to move the bar forward downtown. 

I’m uber excited to start sharing some of the collections I’ve been privately working on with the world. There’s a few cool shows in the works happening here in the U.S., in Canada and in Europe! I’m also working on a few fun art projects with brands that I’m excited to share soon! 

What advice do you have for people who are trying to be successful as an artist?
Never give up on believing in yourself. Easier said than done. 
My creative career has had a few shifts throughout my life. While my grandparents were artists, I never imagined a life as a ‘painter’. I always thought I would be solely focused on film, but it was in my blood and something that I can’t escape. I love it. It's what gives me purpose and what drives me to wake up in the morning. 
There’s no golden rule outside of putting in the work. You need to put in your 10,000 hours and be willing to sacrifice everything to succeed. Everything. 

How do you stay connected to Canada?
Having spent the last 20 years in LA, I’ve always kept in close contact with my friends that I grew up with in Montreal. I’ve also built an infrastructure of great friends here that are from various parts of Canada. Your organization in particular has always led me to meet great Canadians and stay in tune with Canada. 

Prior to filming “Highway of Tears”, I had done my best to escape Canada for personal reasons, but as fate would have it, when I returned, the blessings it has brought me over the years have kept me grounded and fueled my dreams. I’ve been lucky enough now that I have had the opportunity to travel across the country. Over the last few years, I’ve been to every province and territory. It’s opened my eyes not only to the vast beauty of Canada, but always the heavy load of work that we have ahead of us to ensure that not only our beautiful resources are here for future generations, but make sure all children have equal opportunities for a prosperous life. 
I’m still also very connected to many friends across the country and thankful to now be collaborating with storytellers across the country as I’m producing a new mini-series of short docs. I’ve been lucky to grow up on film productions. I’m in a happy place in my life now where I can help guide filmmakers to achieve their goals and create their own stories dear to their hearts. This particular series of mini docs are all focused on Hope & Strength of Indigenous Women across Canada. We have a lot of big announcements about those projects coming up soon!!!!! I can’t wait to share those!!!! 

What made you want to be a member of Canadians Abroad?
I was lucky to be born in Canada. My childhood was unconventional, but the community at large was responsible for creating the person I am today. There’s a saying that former President Clinton had talked about in a speech years ago about his travels to Africa that really impacted me. The phrase was “Ubuntu” which roughly translates to "I am because we are”. I truly believe that I am because of our community at large. So many Canadians here in LA have impacted my life and career in meaningful ways. One prime recent example is a dear friend of mine, Anna, who worked for Air Canada. I had met her through Canadian consulate events and Canadians Abroad. Not only was she a dear friend, she played an instrumental role in ensuring that all Air Canada flights (domestically) played “For Love” along with Netflix. She was a true champion for everyone she cared for and had a deep soft spot for children. I wish she was still around with us to see the impact she’s had on people’s lives. Whenever I fly back to Canada, I book Air Canada. Anna is one of the prime reasons I only book on that airline, but I now refer to it as “Air Anna”. She should be graced with a few dedicated wings. Long story short, Canadians Abroad is a helpful community that is rooted in Canadian values. It’s impacted my life in positive ways. 

November 2023 Canadian of the Month

Jennifer Candy-Sullivan
Actor, Comedian

Jennifer was born in Toronto, on February 3rd.  She spent most of her youth growing up in Los Angeles with summer vacations to their family farm just North of Toronto. She attended Loyola Marymount University, and graduated as a Theatre Arts Major. After that, she moved to Chicago to work and study at Second City Chicago. It took only two winters when she decided to move back to Sunny California! At that point, Jennifer really started to build her acting resume. 

Jennifer is the host of COUCH CANDY, where she chats with alumni of Second City, SCTV and many more amazing talents about comedy, life, and their favorite candy! She has worked on a variety of tv shows & films. You might have even seen her face on that one commercial after your favorite show! Jennifer loves to spend time with her family and paint when she has free time. She has studied with the late Bill Howey and Ian Tucker. Acting is her passion and is in her blood, she is so fortunate and happy that she is able to do this for a living (well until this strike is over!). 

What inspired you to become an actor and comedian?
I have always loved to make people laugh. I wanted to be a marine biologist when I was younger, like every other girl in the 80’s. But that required too much science and math and those were not my strongest subjects! So I decided I can always just play one in a movie! I also grew up in a family where an education in "Comedy" was a given! I grew up watching Faulty Towers, Monty Python and SCTV. The 80’s and 90’s was one of the best times for classic comedies in my opinion.

What is something that people don't know about you?
I actually love to do dramatic stuff as well. People always just assume I only do comedy! 

How do you stay connected to Canada?
I try so hard to make it back up to Toronto once a year. It has been hard with the last few years, but finally got to make it up at the beginning of October! It was perfect timing too as we got to attend the 100th anniversary game of the Toronto Argonauts! It was such a great time with my family. My son is a dual citizen, so that makes me happy. I also still have a lot of extended family up there. Even though we live in Los Angeles, I am CANADIAN! 

What is one of your favorite memories of your Dad?
There are so many great memories! You will just have to wait and watch for the doc ; - )

Is there any inside scoop you can tell us on the John Candy documentary from Colin Hanks, Ryan Reynolds and with the support of your mother, your brother and yourself?
Super excited to be starting this project with Mom, Rose and Brother, Chris! We have a great group leading the way with Colin Hanks Directing, Company Name and Ryan Reynolds with Maximum Effort as part of the producing team. 

Any other projects you're excited to tell us about once the strike ends?
I cannot wait till this strike is over! BUT it is so necessary. Other than the documentary, it's been slow, but looking for things to pick up in the new year! I'm loving being a mom right now, so I get to spend so much time with our son who will be 5 years old this month. It's the best!
I am also on the board of an amazing Chicago-based charity called Letters Charity, where 100% of our donations go to support families experiencing poverty. We have two great events coming up in December in Chicago and Los Angeles! For more information, you can go to www.unconditionalgiving.org and follow us on Instagram @LettersCharity

October 2023 Canadian of the Month

Rahnuma Panthaky
Actor, Writer, Producer

If Tracee Ellis Ross and Cher had a love child Rahnuma would be it.
She is currently the voice behind Rukhmini, one of the leads opposite Jack Black and James Hong in DreamWorks Kung Fu Panda: The Dragon Knight currently in its 3rd season. Born in Montreal, raised in T.O. she got her start on camera in the O.G. Degrassi and has done pretty much every Canadian show there was before moving to LA.  
She was chosen by The Casting Society of America as one of the top 20 actors to watch. Rahnuma’s been blessed to share the screen with peeps like Alfred Molina, Tony Shalhoub, Gary Sinise, LL Cool J (#lifetimecrush #youngermewasfreakingout #dreamcometrue!!), opposite Sofia Vergara, Julie Bowen, and Ed O’Neill in Modern Family where she recurred for four seasons and other really freaking awesome people.
She’s a secret shower rockstar, Idris Elba and Classic House music lover and her special skills include driving cars full of screaming kids, freezing her nuts off at hockey arenas (guess you can’t take the Canuck outta her) and pretending she knows how to cook.
You can find out more about her at: https://www.rahnumapanthaky.com/

When did you first get the acting bug, and realize you wanted to make a career of it?
I kind of fell into acting in high school.  I originally auditioned for a school for the performing arts in dance but bombed the audition. Hard. Like I totally blanked on the choreography, decided to just do jazz runs for a minute straight before they pressed stop on my music and said, “that’s enough,” kinda hard. But I really wanted to go to that high school so I re-auditioned for the drama program and got in.
Back then I always thought I’d be a lawyer.  Until I had to do a mock trial in a grade 11 law class and bombed hard…(I’m seeing a pattern here).  But hey, at least now I get to play lawyers on TV!
It wasn’t till theatre school where I truly got bit by the bug after doing 1837: The Farmer’s Revolt…every teenager’s dream play. I originally thought I’d be a drama teacher but once I got the bug, decided I had to give this a go and did every free theatre show I could to build up a resume and get an agent. 

As a working actor in Canada, did you always dream about moving to LA?
Honestly, I didn’t when I first started out. My focus at that time was theatre. I wanted to be on all the main stages in Canada, and if I was lucky enough, in New York. But then I got an audition for a TV show called Blue Murder and booked the role. That was my first TV credit. I still remember the director, T.W. Peacocke, and the lead actress was Maria Del Mar. They were so kind and took me under their wing. I was so green and knew nothing about on camera acting.  But they were so gracious and taught me the ropes. I got bit again and fell in love with being on set. 

Was moving to LA what you thought it would be?
Is it ever what one thinks it’d be? My very first visit to LA I packed nothing but heels and fancy clothes cuz that’s what I thought everyone wore here. I quickly discovered that wasn’t the case and after the first day of blisters and sore feet, went to the nearest Target and bought some sneakers and jeans. I continued to come back and forth for pilot season etc., and I remember being in awe of everything. All these iconic places I had either heard about or seen on TV, I was actually seeing in person!  But visiting LA is very different than living in LA (at least for me).  Don’t get me wrong, I’m still in awe of these places but now I have to race by them on my way to school drop off / pick up or on the way to hockey rinks (#momlife). But on the plus side at least I’m rushing by with palm trees and sunshine in my rearview!

Being a SAG and ACTRA member, how has the strike affected you?
Oddly I actually found some comfort in the strike. Getting to walk and talk with my fellow actors and writers was kind of therapeutic. So much of what we do as actors is solo. Until we actually book the gig. Before the pandemic going to an in-person audition was also a way for you to reunite with friends you hadn’t seen in a while. But now with almost all auditions being on tape or via zoom it can be a bit isolating. The strike gave me an opportunity to be in community again…and get my steps in.   

What have you been doing to keep busy during the strike?
You mean besides driving to every ice arena in SoCal? You haven’t truly lived till you’ve been to the rink in Yorba Linda!
Workwise, I’m lucky because I also narrate audiobooks, and thankfully I have been able to keep busy with those. But I miss acting opposite human beings.    

You are also a writer/producer; are there any projects you are excited about once the strike ends?
My writing partner and I have a few features we’ve been developing and I’m looking forward to getting those up and running. 

You were a Cher impersonator, please elaborate!?
Don’t judge. Mama had to find a way to pay for college. It wasn’t anything glamorous, it was usually going to corporate events and walking around with a Sonny impersonator roasting people and taking pics. Man am I grateful smart phones weren’t around back then!

September 2023 Canadian of the Month

Chef Jeffray D Gardner
Co-Founder & Chocolatier, Marsatta Chocolate

Chef Jeffray D. Gardner, is LA's first bean-to-bar Chocolate Chef. Originally from Canada, he launched Marsatta Chocolate with his wife, Naomi Gardner, in 2003, with a focus on delivering the best chocolate experience in the world. In 2007, they launched their bean-to-bar chocolate, inspired by Chef Jeffray's heritage in Western Canada and French-Alsace region. This year, Marsatta Chocolate celebrates its 20th Anniversary with the launch of a flagship Experience Centre in Downtown Old Torrance. 

Where are you from in Canada?
Oh jeez, that's a hard question because I've lived in so many different places in Canada! I was born in Saskatoon, but spent time in Calgary. I actually worked at the Stampede at one point in my life. But I spent a lot of time in Victoria, and that's where I truly consider home. That's where my family still resides. 

What brought you to California?
It was actually from my athletic background. I represented Western Canada in cycling, and when I got to an age, I had to choose between my first two loves: hockey and cycling. Like most Canadians, the allure of hockey propelled me to get involved in any way possible. I started to get involved in refereeing, and soon found myself rising to the top of refereeing professionally. 
I then came down to Los Angeles to support the LA Kings, and referee some early games. The proudest moment was refereeing the international games, that included some of the greats including Teemu Selanne and Eric Lindros.

Take us from the world of hockey to being a chocolatier?
Although I grew up in Western Canada, like most Canadians, my family immigrated here from overseas. My mother is from the Alsace region in France, which borders Germany, and my grandfather is Italian. As a child, I would often get these great chocolates from France. After spending some time over in France as a young adult, I loved the culinary expression that's possible in this craft. It's not unlike a beautiful deke, or a tic-tac-toe pass in hockey. 
I built my first chocolate company in Canada in the 90s, that focused on sugar free chocolates, and was actually in over 200 Walmarts in Canada. I've learned a lot from that experience, but I realized that there isn't a chocolate that rivaled the french-style chocolates I became accustomed to as a child. 
I met my wife on the Santa Monica pier, and she convinced me to bring european-style chocolates to North America. In 2003, Marsatta Chocolate was born, which took inspiration from my Alsace-French heritage, but emplaced by my Canadian upbringing. For me, it's inspiring to be able to give my clients an experience that is truly unrivaled. Not just in North America, but we think our approach to chocolate is competitive against the best-of-the-best from Europe. 

What do you love more, hockey or chocolate?
I'm not going to lie, every time I see a puck, I think of bonbons. This is a really hard question, because hockey and chocolate is so ingrained in my life and even Marsatta. We had our ups and downs, but I will never forget the love, the gratitude, and the support from the LA Kings in our early years. 
We even have a Marsatta Chocolate hockey team. We believe we're the 3rd most relevant hockey team in California (Sorry Shark fans...but I think you agree that last year's performance can't be considered "hockey"). And yes, we will gladly challenge the Hershey Bears for the best chocolate team on the ice. 

Tell us about bean to bar and what that means?
So there are a lot of chocolatiers in the country. However, in this profession, you rarely make your own chocolate. For chocolatiers, you source industry chocolate that you then melt and turn into shapes. 
When I was in Canada, I was a chocolatier. But I always wanted to tinker, and change the profiles, and experiment to achieve a more flavorful bite. In the 2000's, I went to a prominent chocolate academy, and I asked if I could make my own chocolate. I might as well have asked him to flunk me...the professor said, "No, YOU CANNOT MAKE YOUR OWN CHOCOLATE." He said that in all-caps, crazy! So the next day, I read every book I could find about making my own chocolate, rolled-up my sleeves, and started tinkering. After years and years of development, I launched my first bean-to-bar chocolate bar in 2007. 
Bean-to-bar means we source the exact bean from Central and South America. We then roast the bean, winnow (which means to remove the outer shell), and grind the beans into a beautiful chocolate liquid that we internally call it, "chocolate liquor." We then do some special secret recipe steps to turn that raw bean into a bar that is more than just a candy bar...and an edible journey of expressive flavor. 
Our whole focus is to make natural and authentic chocolate. That means no preservatives, and our philosophy is to unlock the most remarkable flavor in chocolate. 

Tell us about the new Marsatta Chocolate store you opened in Old Torrance, and how people from around the US and Canada can buy your chocolates?
We are so thrilled to launch this new Experience Centre in Torrance! 
We would like to invite any Canadians to come join us for a Tasting, and learn more about our chocolates. Our new store is in the heart of downtown, and can be found here. 
If you are interested in an in-person Tasting Experience, let us know and take 40% off all in-store tastings with the code VIPTasting40. We love meeting new Canadians, and you get to learn more about our story, through the lens of chocolate. You also get to try our latest chocolate that is currently in beta, which is an 89% dark chocolate with infused maple syrup and garnished with Ocean salt that we harvested from the Ocean....it's absolutely lovely, and quintessentially Canadian.

If you buy online, you can visit our website HERE
Just for you Canadians Abroad, take 20% off your first order with code: CanadiansAbroad20 And that offer is valid for everyone, including Toronto Maple Leafs fans. Can our chocolate help you get past the 2nd round of the playoffs? The short answer is yes. 
In all our packaging you will find a hidden maple leaf, and we would be honoured to be your very own chocolate maker!

August 2023 Canadian of the Month

Lisa Schimnowsky
CEO / Co Founder of L8
CBD Sparkling Beverages

Lisa is from a small town outside of Vancouver, and has lived in the US for 10 years. How’d she get here? She moved from Vancouver to Toronto in 2011 to further her career, and landed a job with a well known vegan protein company that was based in Vancouver but looking for people to go down to the US and spread the Canadian love. The company moved her to the US in 2013 and her first city was Washington, DC. While there, she met some people that would remain in her life for years to come, however her sights were set on something bigger. Lisa always wanted to be in one of America’s biggest cities, New York City or Los Angeles were ultimately where she saw herself thriving. One day while working she received a call from her manager who asked her to come out to LA and work one of her dream roles within the company. She moved to Los Angeles in 2014 and has remained here ever since! In 2018 she quit the job that changed her life to start something of her own. She is the CEO and Co-Founder of a CBD sparkling beverage company and her brand L8 can be found in Erewhon along with several other retailers. (Go check it out!) 

What made you want to start a CBD sparkling beverage company?
I decided to start a CBD beverage company in order to fill a gap in the market. I personally have suffered from a lower back injury from when I was 22 years old while playing soccer and used prescription medication to help with the pain management. When CBD came on the market it was a new product and I wanted to explore a healthy natural alternative over taking prescription medication. I found CBD to help with my inflammation along with my nerve pain. CBD has also been proven to help with anxiety issues, which I suffer from as well.

What can you tell us about L8 and your future plans?
The future for L8 is bright! We are currently located in all Erewhon locations in LA, along with a number of bodegas in New York City. We are expanding across the United States and hope to eventually bring L8 to Canada.

Any pointers on how to get your brand into one of the top grocery chains here in LA?
Having worked for a big Canadian protein manufacturer for a number of years, I developed a skill set in order to approach top-tier retailers. The trick is to not take no for an answer and to believe in your product while also listening to what kind of product they need/want. Knowing your competitors is also key when approaching any retailer, so that you can highlight and identify differences between their product and yours. 

How do you stay connected to your friends and family in Canada?
I keep in close contact with my family and friends via FaceTime and text. I try and get back to Canada at least a few times a year. They also love a good LA trip as well :) 
 

July 2023 Canadian of the Month

Kirstine Stewart
Media, Technology, Author

Born in Toronto and trailblazing her way from transforming broadcasting to orchestrating digital strategies for the social media titan Twitter, Kirstine Stewart continually reimagines leadership amid the digital revolution. She's a powerhouse expert working at the crossroads of media and technology, renowned for her knack for turbocharging revenue, boosting profitability, and spurring expansion across global markets.

Kirstine's career began modestly when she applied for a position as a Girl Friday at a film distribution house. She propelled through the ranks and became President - while still under the age of 30. 

Kirstine went on to a career filled with leading business positions; first heading up the international channel business for Hallmark Entertainment, next HGTV and Food Network establishing household name stars of design and lifestyle. In 2006 she took on the role leading Programming at CBC TV, injecting much-needed critically acclaimed hits like Heartland, Dragons Den (Shark Tank) Murdoch Mysteries and started development of Schitts Creek. She was promoted to the top job and headed up all programming and operations at the network for television (news, sports, entertainment) cable broadcasting, radio and digital, overseeing 5,000 employees across the country. She became the first woman and youngest person to head the CBC, revitalizing the network’s primetime ratings. 

An exciting transition to tech was next at Twitter, leading the company’s expansion into Canada-and later overseeing North American media teams and content partnerships in New York. 

Kirstine’s best selling ‘Our Turn,’ published by Random House, delves into the possibilities of leadership in a world already undergoing significant change. She articulates: “Digital revolution has created a new reality that demands a new style of leader with attributes and perspectives.”

For her expertise across media and tech she was recruited to serve as Head of Future of Media at the World Economic Forum (WEF) in 2018 with a portfolio of over 50 of the largest media-related companies in the world and worked with the CEOs of member companies like Tencent, Google, P&G and more.  
Kirstine currently sits on the several private and publicly traded boards including Think Research, sports gaming Rivalry Corp and serves as Chair of the board of Blink49Studios in Los Angeles and Toronto.  She is actively committed to social change through her work with organisations like the Coalition of Innovation Leaders Against Racism (CILAR) and the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH). She is an active mentor at Toronto Rotman School, CreativeDestruction Labs, and advises a number of early-stage tech companies.

Tell us about your impressive career?
A lot of people are impressed when they learn I was president of a company before the age of 30 - especially since I started at that same company when I was fresh out of university and my first job was as a “girl friday” - changing the office cooler water bottle, faxing and filing (when we used to deal with paper:) and all “miscellaneous duties as assigned”. But I think it’s that first job that gave me the training for the top job. Flexibility, willingness to do whatever job needed to be done, seeing every piece of paper that crossed the desk gave me the scope of knowledge that when I answered the phone at the front desk, I didn’t just take a message - I was trying to help the people who called. My boss at the time overheard and gave me my first sales position, selling shows like Degrassi, to MENA and SE Asia. Having that job taught me how people evaluate and use content, especially in other cultures; that lead to the next job. 
Everything I’ve done has lead to the next thing, even when that “next thing” looked like a whole other industry. I sold tv shows and film libraries around the world so I learned how the world craved content. I also learned its value with every contract. When I swapped sides of the table and started buying shows, I knew what was needed. At Hallmark I was licensing for about 80 countries from major studios. At Alliance Atlantis I started commissioning productions and helping build brands of a lot of Canadian design and food stars who became big US hits. At CBC I took all of that and applied it to running not just a prime time schedule but also news and sports. Then added responsibility overseeing 5000 employees across the country and adding radio and digital when I took the top job. Launching shows like Dragons Den that became household names and making it big in the US on Shark Tank. 

Leaving that all behind for Twitter, that had yet gone public, seemed strange to many, giving up such a big job running the CBC, but I saw the future was beyond linear. I had done the first Netflix deals for CBC, there was a new world to explore. I did first in Canada, then was lucky to head up North America for Twitter out of New York. 

My advice is that one thing leads to another, if you’re willing to never stop learning, and you’re ready to embrace the unknown. And raise your head up once in a while when your nose is into your work, you can see what’s coming next, and you can also see the impact you’re making and take the time to let others shine. 

Tell us about LA life at the Consulate?
As the “Madame” - a completely honourable title in this case :) - I’m present for a lot of the events at the house. And that’s the part most people “see”, the celebrations honouring the achievements of great Canadians here in LA. But there’s so much more to the office and team of about 50 people my husband works with covering trade, immigration, safety and more. He’s a lot busier than the pictures you see on my Instagram, he and his team cover three states (SoCal, Arizona, Nevada) working on cross border relations in so many categories from agriculture to investment to tech and space, military and more. 

My days are filled with work on a number of public and private boards both in US and Canada, a few projects in the entertainment industry and advisories to digital projects. I wasn’t even meant to live in LA, as my work had taken me to Geneva and then NYC in CG Shaikh’s first year in the house, then the pandemic changed everything. 

I’m really proud of what he and the team have done and it’s great to see it up close. Even though I’m only seeing the public side of his duties, in the public sphere he’s been very intentional to make sure the work is impactful and inclusive of a new Canada, and show that to the people here in his US territories. 

In launching the Key to the Consulate recognising achievements of successful Canadians in LA, he’s not only giving an honour, it’s an invitation to contribute to the programming in the house. Recipients are chosen because of their efforts to use their own success to lift up their communities, it’s brought some great life to an old house. Even the art on the walls CG Shaikh selected specifically from the archives so that they paint a literal picture of the real Canada for our US neighbours to see. Black, Indigenous, women, LGBTQIA’s talents are not only on the walls but create food that’s served, perform the music, and are on the guest list of attendees. It’s also the theme of different business incubators his Trade team has launched to great success. It’s been a great run and look forward to the year ahead. 

June 2023 Canadian of the Month

Patrick O'Keefe
Production Designer, Sony Pictures Animation

Patrick O'Keefe is a production designer at Sony Pictures Animation, currently at work leading the art department on the upcoming "Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse.
O’Keefe most recently served as art director on “Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse,” winner of the 2019 Academy Award for Best Animated Feature.
Previously, he served as a visual development artist on Sony Pictures Animation's “Hotel Transylvania 3: Summer Vacation.”  
O’Keefe has worked on a variety of films, video games, commercials, and television shows. He served as a visual development artist and matte painter on commercials for brands like McDonald's, Kellogg, Kraft, Amazon, and more. He also worked as a background painter on Disney Television Animation's “Big Hero 6: The Series.”
O’Keefe has worked on award-winning virtual reality short films such as “Henry,” which won an Emmy Award for Outstanding Original Interactive Program in 2016, and “Invasion!”, which took home a Daytime Emmy in 2017. He has also served as a production designer for short films “Fragile” and “Ashes Fall.”
His additional credits include serving as a concept artist for Electronic Arts video games such as Battlefield 4, Battlefield Hardline, Dead Space 2, and Dead Space 3.
O’Keefe studied illustration at Sheridan College before transferring to the Emily Carr University of Art and Design where he received his Bachelor of Media Arts in Film and Animation design.

What were the reasons that led you to work in LA?
I always dreamed of making films and, at a young age, focused my attention on drawing and painting. At my secondary school in Toronto, I took every art class that was available to me and would eventually end up at Sheridan College studying Illustration. After my first year, however, I fell in love with another Torontonian who was studying in Vancouver, and as any sane young man would do, I dropped out of school and chased her to the west coast. I enrolled at the Emily Carr Institute, where I found an opportunity to combine my love for illustration and filmmaking in the Media Arts program. While I was finishing school, I got a job working as a storyboard artist in animated TV, but as I graduated, the 2008 recession began and the animation industry in Vancouver all but dried up. Fortunately, the video game industry was strong, and I landed a gig as a concept artist with Electronic Arts. From there, I transferred within the company to Montréal, where I would eventually begin working with EA’s San Francisco head office. As my connections with the head office grew, I decided it was time to head south and try to inch my way back to my dream of making films. 
As an inter-company transfer, my family and I qualified for the L-1B Visa. My then-girlfriend and I had a small ceremony at City Hall in Toronto to officially become a family, grabbed the cats, and headed to Northern California. After several years in the Bay Area with EA Games, I received my Green Card, and due to a changing of the guard at EA, I decided it was time to make the move to LA. I had secured a job at Disney TV, and although it was ‘film adjacent,’ I was excited about getting closer to my passions — but was and would spend the next several months commuting from Oakland to Burbank while preparing my move to LA.
As I was leaving EA, I posted on Twitter that it was my last day and Sony reached out to say the timing was perfect. I came down to LA to start working for Disney TV, but had a meeting set up with Sony Pictures Animation to work on a film that was never completed. I felt an instant connection to the studio and people there. At this point in time, I was commuting from the Bay Area — I would fly into LA every Monday morning and go to work, and then fly back on Fridays. I wrapped up at Disney TV, started full time with Sony, and began to transition my home base to LA.

Tell us about your scholarship fund!
While attending Northern Secondary School in Toronto, I enrolled in every single art class that was available to me, but the head of the department, Mr. McNaughton, suggested that I enroll in an extracurricular weekend course as he could see my developing passion for art.
A pair of former Sheridan professors, Gerald Sternick and Vince Peets, had started their own school as a sort of art prep school for artists looking to build their skills and prepare for post-secondary art school. Money was always tight in my family and, after begging with my Mom and setting up a payment plan with the professors, I started my long-term relationship with the Animation Portfolio Workshop. I would eventually take a second, and third class with them, sometimes back-to-back on the same day. My Big Brother (from the Big Brothers program) would often drop me off or pick me up after a long day, and I think he probably even paid for some of the classes. Even once I entered into my post-secondary studies, I would drop in for the occasional life drawing class. As the years went on, I always stayed in touch with the school and eventually I began to understand how fortunate I was, fortunate for the access to the class, fortunate that they were willing to let me pay as I went, fortunate that my Big Brother was there to help me out. It had such an impact on my life and I dreaded the idea that there is an artist out there who does not have these fortuitous opportunities.  
It was during a trip to Toronto and a drop in on the Animation Portfolio Workshop that the idea emerged to start a scholarship for young artists in a similar situation, who just need a little help to get the opportunity to discover their dreams. We would eventually pair with Big Brothers and Big Sisters Canada to help find suitable candidates. The collaboration with BBBS made it even more impactful for me. 

How did you get your break as Production Designer for the animated Spider-Verse films?
On my last day at EA, I made a Twitter post thanking the studio(s) and all the incredible people I worked with for a memorable 8 years across three studios. I was unprepared for the amount of interest from other game studios asking about my next move and availability, but the one that stood out was from Justin K Thompson, a Production Designer at Sony Pictures Animation. Justin and I had met years earlier while I was on a trip to LA looking to make connections within the film industry. He and I had tried over the years to work together but the timing never quite worked out, until now. I was commuting from Oakland to Burbank to work at Disney TV but stopped by Sony and found the dream job waiting for me, designing films.
After a few months of working on an untitled film, there was a shakeup at the studio and my current project was going on hiatus. I was super nervous because I was pulled into a meeting informing me of the hiatus and then flew back to Oakland to finish packing up my apartment and getting ready for the big move down. The plan was to drive the car and cats down, then fly back north a few weeks later and make the final move. When I got back to the studio I was informed that I still had a job and that we would all be joining the then-unannounced Spider-Verse film. A few weeks later, I was driving the U-Haul down the 5, while my wife read the script aloud.  
I started on the first Spider-Verse film as a visual development artist. Similar to my role in games, I was creating artwork, designing sets, etc. I fell in love with the project and was so excited to finally have my dream job, that I went all in. After several months of hard work, I was asked to take on the role of environment Art Director — basically, I was in charge of designing and directing the creation of the sets for the film. The film would go on to be a critical success and was awarded the Oscar for Best Animated Film. As the sequel began, the Production Designer from the first film moved into a Director role, and I would eventually take over as Production Designer. 

What are you most proud of that you've worked on?
I couldn’t be more proud of this latest iteration of the Spider-Verse. We continued to push ourselves and the medium of animation to new heights. I am honoured to be a part of something that is so groundbreaking and to have such an incredible crew, as well as the support of our studio, Sony Pictures Animation, as we attempted to do the unprecedented.

How do you stay connected to Canada?
I try to get back to Toronto and Vancouver as much as possible to see friends and family. Additionally, I am a big sports fan and make a point of going to every Leafs and Raptors game when they are in town. In fact, watching the games on the hometown feed always makes me feel like I am at home — for the last playoff run, I was busy finishing the film, which means constantly watching the files and reviewing the lighting, so I was forced to listen to the sweet sounds of Joe Bowen doing the play-by-play.

May 2023 Canadian of the Month

Josh Iwanaka
Owner, Studeo Gyms

Josh Iwanaka is a Canadian born, Los Angeles based, fitness entrepreneur at Studeo Gyms. Born and raised in Coquitlam, British Columbia, Josh grew up an athlete excelling in football and eventually went on to play for the University of British Columbia. After graduating from college, Josh pursued a career in the tech industry and was a game designer at Electronic Arts. After leaving the tech world in 2010, he began working in the Vancouver fitness scene.
In 2015, Josh took a major step in his career and moved to Los Angeles to become a partner in Studeo Beverly Hills, a boutique personal training studio specializing in athletic training. As a partner, he helped manage the business through the challenges of the Covid-19 pandemic and is poised for the future.
Josh has 2 children with his wife Mira and currently lives in the Valley Village area.

What brought you to LA?
Honestly living in LA was never the ultimate life vision for me. However, when the opportunity to become an owner of a gym in Beverly Hills came up, I could not turn it down. I figured if I want to create the best fitness experience in the world this was where it had to be done. Plus, it’s a lot less rainy here.

Tell us about the strengths and "stretches" of owning a gym?
Being an entrepreneur is both exciting and terrifying. Owning a gym is always exciting and a fun place to be. Rarely does it feel like work. I’m lucky to be a part of something special and to have surrounded myself with good people who trust me, and the process. 
Fitness has become exer-tainment which is definitely a strength but part of the “stretch” is creating magic to attract new members and consistency to retain members. There will always be clients quitting so it’s important to never let your standards lower. Growth is always challenging in the fitness space since it is such a competitive market, but it’s been even more challenging since Covid. Thankfully we have been able to weather the storm and are poised to push through the crowd this year.

What type of athletic training do you specialize in?
We specialize in being able to train anyone and everyone, so we offer three types of training to fit people's goals and needs: Private Training (one-on-one), Semi-Private attaining (one coach with up to four clients) and Group Personal Training (30+ person classes). We take the college weight room experience and make it available to more people. What makes our training different is how we take the science of fitness and dress it up in a way that people love. We’ve been touted as “rugged athleticism meets progressive design” by Architectural Digest. 

It's AAPI month and we would love to hear about your own heritage and how you celebrate your culture with your family living as a transplant here in the US.
I'm third generation Japanese on my fathers side. Two of his brothers were born in internment camps in the interior of British Columbia. He and his younger brother were born on the journey back to Vancouver. My grandfather contributed in fighting for the redress of agreement with the Canadian government.
Despite this deep history, Japanese culture was not instilled in my brother and I as children. In my experience most hapa people my age share similarities in their upbringing. As a father raising two children of mixed Asian heritage, my goal is for my kids to have a deeper understanding of their heritage than I did growing up. Fortunately Los Angeles is a city that celebrates cultural diversity and offers a plethora of ways for me and my family to reconnect with our heritage.

Who is your inspiration in your field?
The fitness field is a vast space. It has grown into a variety of paths: gym owner, trainer of stars, fitness influencer, strength and conditioning coach and brand ambassador to name a few. However, my ultimate inspiration would be the founders of Soul Cycle, Barry’s Bootcamp and F45. These founders of fitness concepts mastered the user experience. They are the most sought after concepts in the fitness space and I think Studeo has the tools to become the next brand to scale.

If you could tell your 21 year old self playing football anything about athletic training, what would it be?
I would tell myself to get a coach to give me direction in my training and nutrition. Despite being a gym-rat, I eventually came to the conclusion that I lacked the knowledge to take my performance to the next level. I needed a coach to identify my weaknesses and help me improve them. My ignorance in nutrition also hindered my success as an athlete. Without a proper understanding of how to fuel my body for optimal performance, I felt inconsistent in my energy levels on game day. Had I had a coach, I believe I would have elevated my performance from good to great.

March 2023 Canadian of the Month

Sean MacDonald
Chef & Restaurateur 

Chef Sean MacDonald is the owner of new Bar Monette in Santa Monica. Bar Monette (named after his wife) is an intimate tapas wine bar above the beach, serving Neapolitan-style pizza and dishes drawing inspiration from Spain and Italy. 
He began his role as an Executive Chef at the age of 23, at MARKET Restaurant in Calgary. After being named a 2016 Game Changer, he was featured on the cover of BRANDED Magazine’s 2016 winter issue, a Calgary, based magazine. In June 2016, at 24 years old, he won the Canadian title for the San Pellegrino Young Chef Competition and represented Canada in the World Championships in Milan, a competition for the best young chefs in the world 30 years old and younger. In August 2016, Chef MacDonald was the Official Chef of Diner en Blanc Calgary. He was formerly the Executive Chef of Hexagon Restaurant and 7 Enoteca in Oakville, Ontario. With his year at Hexagon restaurant, he brought it to being the highest rated new restaurant of 2017 by Toronto Life Magazine, with a rating of 4.5 stars out of 5. In 2018 he was selected as #221 chef in the world by “The Best Chef Awards,” the only Canadian chef on the list. In 2019 he was selected as one of the 16 Rising Talents for North America by The Art of Plating. He was recently the chef owner of ēst Restaurant and Biga Pies in Toronto. ēst Restaurant recently made Canada’s 100 Best Restaurants List at #35 and was selected by “Blog TO” as one of Toronto's 100 Essential Restaurant’s List. 
MacDonald was a contributing columnist to The Globe and Mail. He is also a brand ambassador for All-Clad Metal Crafters LLC, Caesarstone, Le Nouveau Chef Apparel and was a sponsored chef of Patron. 

What inspires you as a chef?
My biggest inspiration as a chef is the constant ability to create. I love it because everyday I can wake up and be creative and make something, whether it’s super tasty that me or others can enjoy, a dish that looks aesthetically pleasing to the eye (essentially making art) or creating an environment that others get to come together in and enjoy food and make memories.

At 23 years old, you were already an Executive Chef. How did you get your big break and stay so successful?
I guess I got my big break when I did become an executive chef at that age, running a kitchen. The owner of a restaurant I worked at back in the day reached out to me asking if I wanted to take over the restaurant. I jumped at the opportunity. I wanted the pressure and the responsibility. I then went on to being named the best young chef in Canada a year or two later through the San Pellegrino Young chef competition and representing Canada in the worlds. That was a big moment for sure. A lot changed after that and kick started my success. 
Success for me has been an uphill battle, no overnight success. You get what you put in. Constant roadblocks, unpredictable moments and persevering through them. I’ve had to overcome a lot to get to where I am today. People, unforeseen circumstances, things out of my control. It was no easy path and looking back I’m very proud of myself for being such a fighter and always being positive and setting goals and working to achieve them. Also super grateful for those people who have supported me along the way. I find the biggest thing to being successful is relentlessness and never giving up. That’s the difference between those who make it and those who don’t. 

What brought you to LA?
In the back of my mind I always could see myself living in LA. I love the weather and energy. When I met my now wife who was located in LA, it essentially acted as the catalyst that brought me here. I took a leap of faith and now there is no other place I would rather be. I think it was a little bit of fate. I feel a sense of peace living here that I haven’t felt living in other places. 

It's Sunday night, what are you making for dinner at your house?
I’m having friends or family over and I’m going to make a tapas-style dinner where I make whatever I’m inspired by. Go to the market in the morning to buy the ingredients. Maybe some small bites and salads to start. A stuffed pasta course or pizza, then meats and shellfish cooked over the charcoal grill. Finish with a few desserts. It’s never just one thing. I love to cook for the people I love and go all out.

What can you tell us about your new menu at Bar Monette and why did you choose the genre you did?
We are a tapas-style wine bar drawing inspiration from Spain and Italy. I love making and eating Spanish and Italian food. Two of my favourite places to visit. I found a crazy love for making pizza over Covid. So I wanted to create a place where I could bring them all together on one menu and they obviously work very cohesively together. We will be serving Neapolitan-style pizzas with a crispy, chewy airy sourdough crust. We’ll have some small bites and well balanced small tapas style dishes to accompany. I wanted to use really high quality ingredients and serve them in a setting that feels like home. We will be serving products from A5 wagyu, truffles and caviar to stuff bought in the morning from the Santa Monica Farmers market to the highest quality imported Spanish and Italian ingredients. I can’t wait to show everyone what we have been working on. Essentially Bar Monette (named after my wife) will be serving menu items I would “cook on a Sunday night” for friends and family.

February 2023 Canadian of the Month

Flo, Singer/Songwriter

Flo is known as a pop/soul phenomenon. She’s a captivating artist with undeniable stage presence. She has shared the stage with artists like Lauryn Hill and Boyz II Men. Whether it’s an arena or concert hall, Flo is in her element on stage, her powerful, emotive voice shaking the rafters. Flo followed up the success of her self-titled album with her sophomore release, “Pieces of Me”. Produced by Western Canadian Music Awards “Producer of the Year” Arun Chaturvedi, "Pieces of Me"(crowned Western Canadian Music award urban album of the year) is a reflection of who Flo is: an artist who represents encouragement, personal strength, passion and positivity.
Flo’s enduring message of faith and self-empowerment reflect her will and desire to overcome all obstacles and follow her dreams, "I believe this dream is bigger than I am.” Luckily for Flo, her voice is bigger than her dreams. She is passion in living form, travels into realms of soul that some artists never tap into, and this is only the beginning...
"And as we let our light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same." 
- Marianne Williamson

What was your first experience with music in your youth and any tips on how to foster a greater sense of appreciation in children at a young age?
This is going to sound like a cliche answer, but since I can remember as a kid, I was always copying what I heard on the radio. I fell in love with artists, had favorite songs, and of course would imitate what I heard, that was my first source of learning. For kids, I'd say let them experiment, let them have fun. Kids are instinctually, and innately drawn to their natural passions and inclinations.  If you watch them from an early age, you'll come to learn what they're born to do. And music early on has such an effect on babies and toddlers: you see them bouncing around, smiling, dancing, and some even singing and making musical sounds before they can talk.  I'd say from the beginning, let kids experience and explore different things, and by watching them, it'll become clear what they love, what they're naturally drawn to.

What brought you to LA?
I came to LA to fully see what would come of my musical pursuits, to give it and myself as many opportunities as possible. You know, to answer the big, "what if" question (again another cliche answer that most artists and creatives that come to LA give, but it's the common truth of what draws so many of us from around the world to La La Land 😉).

Where does your musical inspiration come from? 
My musical inspiration comes from LIFE in general: what I see happening around me and of course personal experiences. But more often than not, my "musical downloads" (what I call the spontaneous ideas that just pop into my head out of nowhere whether I'm deep in REM sleep, in the shower, doing the dishes, or driving my car) will come and deposit a melody, a chord progression, a chorus/hook, or seemingly a nonsense lyric that I know has something special to it, a seed of an idea, a beginning that must be fleshed out and finished. Also I'm very chord and melodically driven and inspired. I'll be at the piano or keyboard and either hear something in my head and play around with that idea, or maybe I'm just playing around on the keys and I'll stumble upon a chord, and the richness, texture, tone, and coloring of that chord will immediately let me know if I'm about to create a sad, deep, ballad, or a victorious, unstoppable, anthem. A lot of my songs are stories that shaped around the colors/themes that got their genesis, their beginning from the FEELINGS that particular chords and melodies spoke to me.  

What kind of challenges have you faced in your field and how have you overcome them?
CHALLENGES?! Oh my goodness, where do I start! 😂😂😂  Well let me just preface by saying that the cool and reassuring part with most of these challenges that I'm going to state is that I've come to realize that I'm not alone, and so many of us creatives all face and go through similar things. But here we go: proving yourself, making a name for yourself as you knock on doors in hopes of finding the open doors of opportunity and demonstrating that you can hold your own and are where you are meant to be. So many things to do and accomplish that all require money, so constantly trying to prioritize what imminently needs the investment, and finding ways to be creative and still bring out quality results while working with (and often times figuring out ways to wisely stretch) the budget and resources you have on hand. The wait. Persevering, and enduring, not giving up: keeping your eyes on the prize, nose to the grindstone and continuing to hustle, continuing to work hard, fighting doubt as you wait and work towards "the big break", "the big opportunity" that can sky-rocket, catapult your career and change your life. Questioning if the magic that you feel you have on hand will translate to others, if they will resonate, feel, and love it too? So many more challenges, BUT I'm not going to leave a novel for you to read, so I'll stop here 😂. I'll tell you one thing that so many of us in the entertainment industry know: it's not an easy road, it's not for the faint of heart, BUT if you LOVE it, if you're PASSIONATE about it, the challenges, the ups and the downs are SO WORTH IT!!! And if you truly believe in your heart and spirit that you're doing what you're created to do, then really there is no other option. If this is what makes you heart beat, what makes you come ALIVE, then it's like: LET'S GO, LET'S DO THIS! You know what they say, the most rewarding things in life often come with challenge (they don't come to us easy). So hey, if this is part of the package, part of the picture, I'll take it 😉! So I guess that's my long-winded answer to overcoming😂: knowing that I'm doing what I LOVE, that deep down inside I know and believe that all of the challenges will be worth it in the end (it's also making me into a stronger, more courageous, human being with a story to tell), so I'm going to persevere and take the short term sacrifice for that long term gratification, my pot of gold that awaits me on the other side of the storms with my rainbow and my silver lining, yeah it's coming! 😉

What are you working on now and how can we Canadians living in LA support YOU?
Oooooo my favorite question! I'm working on lots of new songs!!! The songs that will be part of my future new releases! I'm excited to start releasing them and sharing them with everyone!!!! Stay tuned to my social media page: www.instagram.com/flosoul for future updates that will come once these songs are ready to step out into the world 😉😊!

January 2023 Canadian of the Month

Julia Cohen, Showrunner/Writer

Julia Cohen is the creator/showrunner of ABC’s THE COMPANY YOU KEEP, starring Milo Ventimiglia. With a passion for character driven, serialized drama, Cohen has developed projects for FX, HBO MAX and the CBC. Hailing originally from Toronto, she is a graduate of the WGA Showrunners’ Training Program and the Warner Brothers Writers’ Workshop. Most recently, Julia was a Co-Executive Producer on A MILLION LITTLE THINGS. With a proven track record of helping to launch first-season shows onto successful multi-season runs, her past credits include such acclaimed series as RIVERDALE, QUANTICO, DEGRASSI, THE ROYALS, LEGION, and DALLAS.

What was your first professional writing job?
My first professional gig was a freelance episode of Degrassi: The Next Generation that I co-wrote with the lovely and talented Lara Azzopardi. That show launched so many careers it’s almost a Canadian writer’s right of passage, so even though it was only a freelance ep, I was so thrilled to be a small part of TNG during its heyday. 

What was the moment that made you think you could do this job forever?
The moment I realized that TV writing was for me was when I fully understood the collaborative nature of television - most especially the writers’ room. I love so many aspects of this job but my happy place is the writers’ room. Passing the creative ball back and forth, bouncing ideas off one another, getting inspired by other writers’ ideas and instincts - that’s the part of this job that I find the most thrilling. Not only does it yield the best possible work, it’s also incredibly fun. That spirit of collaboration runs through so much of what we do in television - from development, production through post-production - and it’s by far the part of the job I find the most gratifying. 

How have writing rooms changed or evolved for you over the years?
Rooms have changed quite a bit with the advent of streaming and mini-rooms and, unfortunately, not always for the better. Unlike when I started my career on the TNT reboot of Dallas - it’s unusual for lower level writers to get to produce their own episodes and, essentially, be trained up in all aspects of production. I was lucky enough that in Cynthia Cidre - my first showrunner - I had an executive producer who was truly willing to teach, delegate and empower. It’s not uncommon now, to have co-executive producers who have come up through the ranks and have spent little or no time on set producing their episodes, no time in post-production, etc. Being a TV writer is as much about producing television as it is about writing television - so I count myself lucky that my early credits were on shows that let me learn all those skills. On the plus side of meaningful ways that writing rooms have changed - nowadays rooms are so much more diverse and inclusive than they were before. So that’s certainly a change for the better. I was definitely the token female in more than a few rooms back in the day. 

Did you ever aspire to be in front of the camera? 
I’ve always loved the performing arts and briefly entertained being an actress. I went to the Etobicoke School of the Arts for drama - and it was there that I took my first playwriting course which was the fuse that lit my passion for writing. Ultimately, I quickly realized that I was far too self-loathing and in my head to ever really be an actress… But lucky for me, they’re qualities that lend themselves perfectly to being a writer!

What brought you to LA?
I moved out to LA with my former writing partner, Lara Azzopardi, when we were lucky enough to get into the the WB Writers’ Workshop. I briefly moved back to Toronto but once I got my first staffing job in 2011, my husband and I made the move to LA permanently. We love LA and our life here - turns out we were West Coasters the whole time, we just didn’t know it. 

What are some of the biggest differences between being a writer in the US versus Canada?
Most of my career has been in the US, but in general, the writing rooms tend to be a little smaller in Canada. I would say that working on shows with smaller budgets forces you to be more resourceful which is a skill that really helped me in my career down here and proven useful time and time again. 

Tell us about how The Company You Keep came to be?
In late 2020, I was approached by some producers for ‘my take’ on a Korean format that they'd optioned called MY FELLOW CITIZENS. Ultimately, of all the writers they met with/heard from, they liked my take the best. At that time - given that we were in the middle of the pandemic and coming off a fraught election - I was craving something escapist, fun and wildly romantic. Baked into this concept is a little bit of everything that I love. It’s part epic romance, family drama, part crime caper and part spy thriller - so it has something for everyone. As we were preparing to take it out to networks we found that Milo was looking for his next project. After pitching him the project, he and his producing partners came onboard as our partners which was a game changer. Needless to say, having one of television’s biggest stars sign up to star in your show has been a literal dream come true.

THE COMPANY YOU KEEP premieres Feb 19th at 10pm on ABC. 

December 2022 Canadian of the Month

Trina Hendry

A lover of food, wine and travel, Trina launched her nearly 20-year career as a hospitality and travel/tourism marketer at Toronto-based Metropolitan Hotels where she served as the PR Director at three Canadian properties and Senses Restaurant before managing the public relations for the Liquor Control Board of Ontario (LCBO). Upon graduation at UCLA Extension with a Certificate in Marketing with a Concentration in Digital Marketing & Analytics, Trina worked at various marketing agencies in Los Angeles representing both luxury and boutique properties, including Terranea Resort, Alisal Guest Ranch and Santa Monica's Shore Hotel, as well as destinations like Beverly Hills and Redondo Beach, until the pandemic hit and the travel industry came to a screeching halt. It was during this time that she came up with the idea of One California Day, a sustainably minded experiential travel company that has reimagined the quintessential California road trip, while working part-time as the Director of Brand Marketing for The Culver Hotel. Most recently, she was responsible for heading up the marketing for two newly opened Hollywood hotels - Thompson Hollywood and tommie Hollywood - and their restaurants and nightclubs, including Mother Wolf, Ka'teen, Mes Amis, Bar Lis, Desert 5 Spot and Citizen News. Trina balances her work with a personal passion for day tripping, as well as spending time with her senior rescue pup, Atticus.

What brought you to LA, and what have you been doing since you arrived here?
I have dreamed of living in Los Angeles for as long as I can remember but it was the ice storm of 2014 in Toronto that sealed the deal, as I swore I’d never endure another Canadian winter again. 

My story is a bit unique in that I didn’t move to LA for a job. I moved here because it was my dream to live in California. I enrolled in a Marketing Certificate program at UCLA Extension, which provided me with not only a student visa but the opportunity to gain US work experience, and most importantly, the ability to network for one year following graduation. With an established background in Travel and Hospitality Marketing back in Canada, I was able to build upon my career here, working at various marketing agencies, as well as assuming the role of Director of Brand Marketing at The Culver Hotel, and most recently as Complex Director of Marketing for the Thompson Hollywood and tommie Hollywood, where I opened both hotels and their respective restaurants, including Mother Wolf and Ka’teen. 

You recently launched a new business. What is One California Day, and where did the idea come from?
With a hospitality marketing background, a deep love for California, and an entrepreneurial spirit – I owned a culinary tourism business back in Toronto – my goal was to one day launch a travel business in LA.

One California Day is a sustainably minded experiential travel company that offers travelers a fun way to explore California by taking self-guided day trips with a catch: they won’t know where they are going until the day of their trip. Departing from three major cities–Los Angeles, San Diego and San Francisco–the mystery itineraries are designed to surprise and delight, revealing a beautiful California destination, one memorable stop at a time.

I conceived One California Day during the pandemic when travel options were limited and travelers took to road-tripping as a safe and fun way to satiate their desire to get outside and explore. We partner with local businesses, offering them another way to market to travelers, and we promote sustainable travel through our business practices and by offsetting carbon emissions through memberships and donations to organizations like 1% for the Planet and One Tree Planted, as well as offering responsible travel tips.

We officially launched in October 2022. To celebrate, for the month of December, I’m offering Canadians Abroad members a 40% discount off all itinerary purchases until December 31st using the promo code CANADAEH. They can be used anytime of the year and make great gifts!

When you have friends and family visit, how do you spend one perfect day in LA?
Oh wow, that’s a tough question because there are endless things to do here, and a relatively thorough tour of LA requires multiple days. But, anyone who knows me well knows that I love Malibu. So, if I only had one day, I’d take my guests on a mini road trip up the PCH, enjoy brunch at Cafe 27 in Topanga or Malibu Farm on the Pier, followed by shopping at Malibu Country Mart and a hike at Solstice Canyon, or a relaxing afternoon at a lesser known beach. We would finish the day with dinner (and a sunset) at The Sunset Restaurant or Neptune’s Net before making our way back down the coast for a cocktail and some celeb spotting at Nobu.
As a board member of Canadians Abroad, you are obviously a proud Canadian happy to be living in LA.

What do you miss about Canada and love most about living here?
I proudly tout that I am Canadian to anyone who will listen, and am so thrilled to be a part of bringing a little bit of home to Canadians living here. I miss my family and friends the most obviously, but a close second would have to be ketchup chips and Cadbury Caramilk chocolate bars, which are nearly impossible to find here. :) The weather and natural beauty were the initial draws but what I soon discovered I love most about LA is the creative energy fueled by ambitious innovators, an active outdoor lifestyle, limitless things to discover and experience. As they say, if you can dream it, you can find it in LA. I feel inspired every day. 

What’s your favorite day trip from Los Angeles?
With dozens of incredible destinations within a 2-3 hours drive of LA, it’s nearly impossible to pick a favorite day trip. Whether it’s a trip out to the desert, an adventure into the mountains, or an epic drive along the coast, all are equally enchanting. The one place I frequent the most though is Santa Barbara and its wine country in the Santa Ynez Valley. It nourishes my food and wine loving soul like nowhere else.

November 2022 Canadian of the Month
Aliya Jasmine
Environmental Journalist/TV Host/Director

Aliya Jasmine has spent the last two decades as a prominent TV Host, Producer, and Environmental journalist (M.A., F.R.C.G.S.) who's award-winning stories have been staple viewing on national and local networks including NBC News, NBCUniversal, CTV Bell Media, MTV News, IMPACT, Discovery Channel, and more. 

Aliya holds a Masters in Environmental Journalism from the University of Southern California, a Social Media & Digital Marketing Certification from Harvard University, and bilingual (French & English) BA in Comms from the University of Ottawa. She sits on the Board of Directors for the Nature Conservancy's Canadian Chapter, Nature United, and is a Fellow of the Royal Canadian Geographical Society. 

She is currently directing her first feature film, LionBridge; Co-Host of the Discovery Channel’s new series, The Mightiest; And co-founder of LILI Media Corp. 

Big Announcement! You have a brand new TV show premiering this month, can tell you us about what you're working on right now?
I'm hosting a new series for the Discovery Channel called, The Mightiest, which premieres November 23rd in primetime! We've been filming the show for the last six months and I'm so proud of it! The six-episode, one-hour, docu-series follows myself and fellow veteran adventure co-host Teddy Wilson as we take to the field and witness the mightiest of machines take on astounding new missions. From re-engineered Chinook helitankers fighting wildfires 24/7 in Southern California, to a train that helps sustain life and connect communities, the series reveals the innovation and science that enable machines like these to conquer near-impossible challenges. We filmed the show across the USA, Canada, and Europe.

How did you get your big start working at Much Music and tell us a bit about what you did there?
Working in TV has been my dream since childhood. So after graduating from University, I started interning at Fashion Television, and eventually got a paid gig as a cable wrangler at Star TV. I worked my way up from there, learning as much as I could about how TV was made, until I eventually scored a position as a producer at MuchMusic. I produced the daily Live flagship show MuchOnDemand and some iconic Canadian faces like George Strombo, Rick the Temp, Matt Babel, Leah Miller, etc. I feel really lucky to have been able to understand the behind-the-camera side of television, and worked with so much incredible on-screen talent, before I landed my first major on-camera gig as anchor of MTV News. I ended up hosting and producing a bunch of different shows at MTV Canada for over a decade.

What brought you to LA?
A job offer from NBC, and opportunity to sign with an agent at CAA. It was only a short three month contract, but figured I'd take the leap and hope for the best. I actually sold my condo in Toronto before I moved down here, as a sort of self-inflicted insurance policy that I wouldn't have a crutch to lean on and run home if things got hard. At the time I thought that move was ballsy, and truth be told: it worked! But now, in today's housing market, I should've kept that condo! haha

How did you transition into being a Film Documentarian and Environmental Journalist here in LA? Do you have any advice for those looking to make their big break in LA?
Like many people working in the Canadian Television industry, I wore many hats. In addition to being a producer, writer, editor, and on-camera journalist - I also worked across genres: in sports, entertainment, news, etc. But I always loved environmental storytelling the most, and had many opportunities to do this type of reporting at MTV News, MTV Impact, and as a reporter for Discovery Canada. Unfortunately, in the early 2000's many of my environmental stories were buried in late time slots from network fear of negative reactions from advertisers, or what I was told was lack of interest by viewers. The tipping point we find ourselves facing now, in the climate crisis, seems to have changed that "lack of interest" in a massive way. When I saw an opportunity to be able to tell more of the stories I loved - as a full time gig - and make it my niche, I went back to school (while working full time at NBC News) to get my Masters in Environmental Journalism, from the University of Southern California. That would be my advice to reporters coming to LA, being generalized in Canada works because the industry is small, but think about honing in on a particular niche in LA.

My Master's thesis centered around the endangered mountain lion population living in Los Angeles, and I spent two years deep in research on the subject for my dissertation. With my job as a reporter for NBC News in LA, I was subsequently able to report on many more stories about these incredible predators that live in Santa Monica Mountains, and my reporting was nominated for a few local press awards. This caught the attention of the National Wildlife Federation who approached me about making my reporting into a feature film. We are currently in production and you can get a taste of what it looks like here: www.lionbridgefilm.com

Can you tell us about your media company, founded by BIPOC women, LILI Media & Design Corp?
Yes! LILI Media is an environmentally-focused media company and climate research lab that I founded with my sister, Aliza, who is a Landscape Architect out of Harvard. Our industries overlapped in an incredible way and we're working on some really innovative projects that span the globe. Our North American headquarters is in Santa Monica, and our European headquarters is in Toulouse, France. You can find out more about the work we're doing here: www.lilimedialab.com

September 2022 Canadian of the Month

David Brown,
Founder & CEO of SellStuff, Inc.  
Founder of Terry Fox Foundation Santa Monica. 

David is passionate about technology and media which work for the benefit of consumers. This has manifested in his career having worked at multiple startups, including MyThum Interactive Inc (acquired by Olson), Mobile Marketing Association’s Company Of The Year and Campaign of The Year for Wireless Box Office, powering Live Nation’s end-to-end mobile ticketing solution, under his leadership as the Head of Business Development, US market. As CEO of Omnia Media Inc (acquired by Enthusiast Gaming Holdings Inc), he grew a digital studio with over 3 billion views per month, as well as pioneering digital content formats across the major distribution partners. As The Head of YouTube Canada, he forged partnerships with innovative content creators, and built out a thriving Canadian ecosystem for content creation with more traditional media partners. A Corporate Development Manager role for consumer software at BlackBerry allowed him to hone his technology licensing and M&A experience as a for consumer software. 

David is the Founder and CEO of SellStuff, Inc. A platform to remove friction for online resale and promote sustainable fashion consumption. 

Having survived brain cancer, he proudly founded and organises the annual Terry Fox Foundation run for cancer research in Santa Monica, now in its 5th year, having raised over $50K (CAD).

Amateur dad-joke teller, fortunate husband, grateful step-parent, and obsessive dog dad. Resilient character built from lifelong Toronto sports team fandom. 

What brought you to LA?
I had been working at YouTube in Toronto for about three years. I had just finished several large scale projects and milestones as the Country Manager for YouTube Canada (launching Fan Fest, Ensuring a creator studio for Toronto creators, etc). 
Around that time I was ready for a new challenge, several Google colleagues approached me asking if I’d be interested in a new startup which was pre-product, focused on fan engagement for content creators. They had already signed up several of the largest content creators on YouTube and Instagram to take part in the platform they were creating. One stipulation is that I had to move to Los Angeles to be part of the company. I must say it was really difficult to leave the neighbourhood I loved so dearly in Toronto, near Trinity Bellwoods Park. Ossington Ave for instance, was just voted as one of the 33 coolest streets in the world, by Timeout magazine. I spent a lot of time on this street and will miss several of the restaurants that are no longer there. Also riding my bike to work was quite a luxury (don’t see a lot of that in LA). 
Ultimately though, I took the leap and decided to take a chance!

What prompted you to start the Terry Fox Run in Santa Monica and why is it important to you personally?
I had several friends from back home reach out and ask if I was running. I looked on the website for an LA run and they didn’t have one. Disappointed, I had a fleeting thought of “why don’t I start one?’ The guidance I received when I reached out to the Foundation was they welcomed me as a Founder of an LA chapter, but there wasn’t enough time to be successful in this particular year. I credit my wife who prompted me that there was nothing but upside as far as putting something together in little time, and that worst case, there would be learning I could apply to the subsequent years. 

The cause itself is important to me because of the impact cancer has had on my life. I was robbed of my mom when I was 23 years old. Her funeral was the day before my college graduation ceremony. I’ve seen the damage it can do first hand. My life is defined into a “before” and “after” her passing. Cancer then reared its ugly head, taking my best friend, Arjun. I kept my promise to him in his final days and he was the best man at my wedding, in memoriam.

Lastly I’ve seen the promise and hope of advancements of research first hand. After being diagnosed with a stage 3 brain tumor, I had many of the same questions I imagine everyone else would have; focused on mortality rates, survival rates, survival lifestyle etc. Answers to my questions from my neuro-oncologist (who is excellent) are all prefaced with “that’s just what we know today” a few years from now, who knows what the prognosis will be, based on the advancements we’ve made. Funding provides research. Research provides hope.

What do you love about LA and miss about Toronto?
Firstly, I’d say people who tell you “you’ll miss the seasons” are lying hahah. At least that hasn’t been my experience. I’ll take a 65 degree winter and an 85 degree summer. We still have seasons, just much less dramatic. I love the family I’ve made in LA with my wife and 2 step-children, who are both now in college. 
Things I miss about Toronto are the heartbeat and the energy of the city. But mostly I miss my friends and family whom I grew up with.

What are you working on now?
I have just finished raising a friends and family investment round for my new startup, SellStuff. We are building a solution that reduces friction in online resale. We are promoting smarter consumption. Online resale is a massive industry with people being more conscious about their consumption choices. Fast fashion is currently responsible for 10% of global carbon emissions. Our focus is on a clean earth, clean closet and fresh dough (for the sellers). I’ve been incredibly fortunate that I’m working with friends. My two board members are both friends whom I hold dear, but also high achieving leaders at Google and Shopify, which really round out the experience I need to make this successful. 
If that sounds like something you’re interested in as a reader, I’ll shamelessly encourage you to sign up for our beta at: https://www.sellstuffapp.com

As the former Head of YouTube Canada, any advice for Canadians wanting to make the jump to Silicon Beach?
Firstly I would say “don’t sleep on Toronto.” The tech scene is awesome there and continuing to grow. 
If you decide to make the leap, I’d encourage you to make contacts and connections in LA before you make the jump. Find people in your industry here in LA and create a dialogue before you make the move. Equally, keep in touch with your contacts from back home. 
Lastly, there’s this awesome group called Canadians Abroad. Get involved with them ;)

August 2022 Canadian of the Month
Donald Mowat, Award Winning Makeup Artist

Donald Mowat is one of the film industry’s most sought-after makeup artists. Born and raised in Montreal, to British parents Thomas Mowat and Flora MacDonald, he has served as makeup designer/ makeup department head on such films as Damien Chazelle’s “First Man,” Tom Ford's “Nocturnal Animals,” and Denis Villeneuve's “Blade Runner 2049”. Other titles include “Prisoners”, “Nightcrawler”, "Sicario”, “8 Mile”, “The Fighter” and personal make-up artist to Daniel Craig on “Spectre", “Skyfall” and “The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo”. Most recently, Mowat was makeup, hair and prosthetics designer/department head on Denis Villeneuve's "Dune" for which he received his first Academy Award Nomination and third BAFTA film award nomination.
With a career that spans over 35 years, Mowat is a longtime member of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences invited (1999), The Academy of Television Arts and Sciences, the British Academy of Film and Television Arts (1990), The European Film Academy and IATSE Hollywood Make-Up Artists & Hair Stylists Guild 706 LA and 798 NY 873 Toronto and BECTU (UK).
Mowat's other honors include a BAFTA nomination for Blade Runner 2049 and Nocturnal Animals, MUAHS Guild Artisan Award win for Tom Ford's “Nocturnal Animals” in 2017 Saturn Award and MUAHS Guild Artisan Award wins for “Prisoners” in 2014, and a Primetime Emmy Award win for Enchantment - Mark Twain and Me in 1992.
In December of 2018, Mowat was awarded with The Sovereign’s Medal for Volunteers for his work with BAFTA-LA.education outreach by the Governor General of Canada and in 2012, he was awarded a Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal for his service to the film industry and as a former Board Director of The Actors' Fund of Canada 2008-2014.

How did you get your first big break and which movie was it on?
One thing that peaked my interest at a rather unhappy time at West Hill High School was a drama class which led to my involvement with community theatre in NDG, Montreal West, St.Laurent Operatic Societies and Les Creations des Enfants/Children's Creations in Montreal. Makeup, costume, actors and the character component was what I loved.
There was no training for most things in film and tv back then, it was a time where we made contact with others following similar paths. At 18 I met people like actor now director Leslie Hope who was 17 (we both waited tables in a cafe on Sherbrooke Street West in Montreal). I was getting my name out there, building my resume, test photos, student films and then I got to spend time in London doing makeup demos at Harrods, which broadened my experience.
In the Summer of 1994, I got a call from the union SNC to fill a job call for Assistant Makeup Artist on . . . brace yourselves - MEATBALLS 3!!! This was followed by Joshua Then and Now.

Did you always have aspirations to work in make-up for blockbuster films?
By 1986, Toronto was becoming "Hollywood North'', so I went by VIA Rail and faced the reality of finding affordable apartment housing back when there was zero vacancy. I knocked on quite a few doors that were mostly open and friendly and was tested and hired by Head of Makeup Shonagh Jabour at ACFC for CBC's Anne of Green Gables which led to my working on The Believers and The Fly. This solidified my moving forward as a key makeup artist now called Head of Department on "Captain Power and The Soldiers of The Future' earning a Daytime Emmy Nomination.

At what point did you decide to move to LA and why?
I continued to work in Toronto and Montreal, and in 1992 won an Emmy for Dan Petrie's Mark Twain and Me and was starting to get actors, directors, producers suggesting that I apply for a Green Card and move west, which I did. I was very happy in Canada as we had an industry that had been growing there. But it seemed to be a huge shift and was never quite nurtured nor supported so I suppose that was the push for me to make my base in LA.

Congratulations on your appointment as Order of Canada! Take us back to the moment when you got the news and what this means to you?
I maintained a presence for a long time in Montreal in the 90's as well as in Toronto with my involvement on many film projects. I was a Board Member for the Academy of Canadian Cinema representing the Art Department members 2007-2011 and The AFC Actors Fund of Canada 2008-2014. I was also an active member of AMPAS Executive Committee Makeup Hair Branch for 12 years and student film judging and BAFTA LA Education Outreach. Being named as a member to the Order of Canada is a great honor (honour!) and I was simply delighted when the call came from the GG's office. I was still not sure it was all quite real until Fiona Reid texted from Toronto and Rick Mercer sent a message to say how my dear friend the late Shirley Douglas would be thrilled with this news which made me smile.

What’s next for you?
I am on location filming part 2 of Denis Villeneuve's "Dune"!

July 2022 Canadian of the Month
Stacy Grace - Founder, KENT

Stacy Grace is the founder of KENT, the compostable underwear brand that’s on a mission to help save the planet, one super natural basic at a time. Born in North Bay and raised in the Greater Toronto Area, Stacy started her career in sustainable business consulting across apparel, consumer goods and entertainment in North America, UK and Europe and started KENT after being frustrated with her underwear drawer filled with scratchy, unbreathable and uncomfortable synthetics. Stacy is a former lead consultant at one of the world’s pre-eminent purpose brand consultancy and has worked with TOMS, Timberland and SONY. Her post-graduate degree is in sustainability from Cambridge and holds an MA from London College of Fashion. She is an avid home-composter and Tory Burch 2019 Fellow.

Why were you always interested in fashion sustainability? 
I'm inspired by small everyday actions that can make big change - from the type of dental floss you use to the underwear you put on in the morning. And because everyone wears underwear or clothes (for the most part), it's something everyone can relate to, have a voice and help drive positive change. After learning of the environmental impacts of the fashion industry, namely CO2 emissions and landfill waste - I wanted to be part of helping create a change.

What brought you to LA? 
I originally moved to LA after being hired by a sustainable textile start-up, that worked with women in emerging markets who created handmade fabrics and collaborated with fashion brands in North America. It was an enlightening experience in not only sustainable fashion but ethical supply chain management. After I arrived in LA, which I had never been to before moving here (as a fun fact), I saw the manufacturing that existed and eventually realized I could bring my idea for KENT to life. 

Why underwear and what can you tell us about your product? 
We all wear underwear! It’s the one piece of clothing that you also can’t donate or resell at its end of life, and most often ends up in landfill. Over 100,000,000 pounds of clothes end up in the landfill every year, and so I saw underwear as the perfect starting point to create that change. Our underwear are 100% organic, fully compostable at end-of-life and softer and stronger than conventional underwear. Everything we make is made in Los Angeles, and all components are fully plant-based and verified compostable by our composting partner, LA compass. We love composting because it has a net-positive impact. When you compost your KENT undies whenever their time is up, they actually capture carbon from the atmosphere.

Can you tell us about the trials and tribulations of starting your own brand here in LA and any advice you have? 
I was told 'no' too many times to count! That it would be impossible to manufacture underwear domestically in the U.S. (everyone was doing it overseas). Luckily, LA still has a manufacturing industry, though I know it is much smaller now than before. My advice? Expect the no's, celebrate the maybe's and thrive in the 'yes' once you get them - because if you are passionate, driven and have grit you’ll find a way. 

How can Canadians here in LA support YOU? 
The best way to support a small brand is to choose to shop with them! Or to share their story with friends and family. 

June 2022 Canadian of the Month

Giselle J. Phelps, Founder & CEO of Grand Rising Talent

Giselle J. Phelps (she/her) is the Founder & CEO of Grand Rising Talent. Marking a decade of media entrepreneurship, Giselle has proven to be a highly trusted, strategic, and creative client advisor. Giselle has extensive experience in the development of high impact, results-driven media and communication strategies that elevate talent and brand awareness. 

Before entrepreneurship, Giselle spent a decade working in television news. Giselle was a general assignment news reporter for a television station in Syracuse and a weekend anchor/reporter for a 24-hour cable news station in Buffalo. Giselle also worked as a reporter in Dallas, which is the 5th largest media market in the U.S. Additionally, Giselle has held various producing roles at the national level in the U.S. & Canada. Giselle was also a part of a Daytime Emmy-winning team for a nationally syndicated court program. 

Giselle holds dual U.S. and Canadian citizenship. She was born in Kansas City, Missouri. She grew up in Ontario, and graduated with a bachelor’s degree in journalism from Toronto Metropolitan University (formerly Ryerson University) in Toronto. She also attended the University of Technology in Sydney, Australia on a study abroad program. Giselle is a regular public speaker and emcee for nonprofits, colleges, and youth organizations. She is a member of the National Association of Black Journalists and currently serves on the Board of Directors for Outfest. Giselle has appeared on ABC News’ Good Morning America, The Dr. Oz Show, Bravo, Sirius XM Radio, Fox News Radio, and many other outlets across North America. 

What brought you to LA?
The pandemic brought me from NYC to L.A. After months stuck inside my Harlem apartment solo, I was looking for a change and more access to the outdoors. Also, my sister moved to L.A. during the pandemic too. She’s wanted to live here for about 20 years. Her excitement about the city definitely influenced me. 

What does Juneteenth mean to you personally?
My maternal family line has been in Canada since before the Emancipation Proclamation was passed here in the U.S. My great-great grandfather was a part of the Underground Railroad and settled in St. Catharines, Ontario. Black families in Niagara have marked Juneteenth for decades with an annual picnic in Port Dalhousie that I attend every year growing up. Juneteenth is a celebration of freedom, a defining central value for me. 

How do you support diversity and what advice do you have on how to increase representation?
Diversity is at the core of my daily work and my business is dedicated to representation. I founded Grand Rising Talent, which is a Los Angeles-based licensed talent agency & media strategy firm connecting diverse television talents and on-camera experts to impactful opportunities. We specializes in advocating for talent from diverse, intersectional backgrounds, including communities of color and LGBTQ+ identities. We currently represent a growing roster of talent including national talk show hosts, news anchors, cable news contributors, on-camera food experts, health & wellness experts and business experts. My advice when it comes to increasing representation is to honor who people are authentically and amplify everything that makes them unique. 

What made you decide to start your own business?
When I was a TV reporter in Dallas, I developed a passion for telling stories that gave underserved populations, women, and millennials a voice. I saw an opportunity to step outside of the newsroom and help people get their stories told by the media, so I started GJP Media Services in 2012. From there, friends across the television industry frequently inquired for strategy, referrals, guidance, connections, and support in their career journeys. It became clear there was power in talents being served by an executive who understands first-hand what it means to be a talent, and empathizes with the challenges talent face navigating an ever-changing media landscape. This is what led me to create Grand Rising Talent.

What advice would you give your 21 year old self?
Don’t be afraid to pivot and shift as you gain new experiences, develop new skills, and are exposed to new opportunities. Our goals and priorities can change and that’s what life is all about. Be as flexible and open as possible. You never know where it will take you. At 21, I never would have imagined I’d be living in L.A. running my own company. 

May 2022 Canadian of the Month

Ghen Laraya Long, Technotainment Attorney

Ghen Laraya Long is an experienced international technotainment attorney. She specializes in transactional contracts for the creation, production, and distribution of traditional media content over new media platforms. Her most recent projects were production legal on Oscar Nominated Shorts Welcome Back, White Eye and Boxed, as well as permissions on Nell Scovell’s memoir Just The Funny Parts. She has a roster of technotainment clients ranging from producers, directors, writers, musicians, and actors as well as startups for whom she provides advice and production attorney services. Prior to recent stints with Disney and Red Bull Media, she was VP Business and Legal Affairs for Mandalay Digital Group Inc. and its wholly-owned subsidiary Digital Turbine Inc., Assistant General Counsel and Director of Mobile Partnerships for CBS Corporation, International Corporate Counsel for Amp’d Mobile, and Business and Legal Affairs Counsel for Tokyopop! Inc. She is currently a board member of Echo Training and has served on the boards of Women in Film and Greenlight Women, and is an active member of the Academy of Television Arts and Sciences, serving on her Peer Group Executive Council. She is qualified to practice law in Ontario, and California and is a polyglot.

What is Technotainment? 
I first heard the term when I was starting out as an in-house lawyer at Yahoo! Inc. in Silicon Valley – I have always taken it to mean the merger of technology and entertainment- so technology as a means by which we consume and interact with entertainment content and also technology as entertainment content in and of itself.

Did you always know you wanted to work at this specific intersection of law and entertainment?
I didn’t always know because I like to think that I was part of the ‘nerd culture’ that found technology entertaining and turned it into content. It’s even more surprising because although I didn’t really enjoy (real) property law, intellectual property law is my jam.

What advice do you have for women wishing to enter the tech space and rise to a C-Suite position?
There’s so much that happens between those two events that it’s hard to give really useful advice so I think I’ll give the standard legal response: it depends. Entering the tech space seems to be a lot easier than it was before: there’s been some movement on women CEOs but of the Fortune 500, only 74 companies are led by female CEOs; it’s up from 41 in 2021 and 7 in 2002 but that’s still not even 15%. I do find it hopeful that there are so many more female entrepreneurs out there- 28% of startups have at least one female founder. So some general advice would be: know your space (industry), take up space, better to ask for forgiveness than permission, find mentors and champions who are in the space and when you are in a position to do so, pay that forward. We need to rise and fight together as a marginalized group to be able to get equity of opportunity and pay. I only recently started digging into the distinction between equity and equality and I think it’s a really important difference in terms of defining success as an advocate.  Also, believe her- let’s get out of the habit of victim shaming – if a colleague comes to you and says she’s been treated unfairly or worse, assaulted, believe her. 

You are involved with a lot of nonprofit organizations. Tell us about your involvement over the years and what are your latest projects?
Most if not all of my nonprofit work stems from me actively defining myself: I identify as so many things but because of my identities are all marginalized, I’m always looking for ways to fight for equity for the marginalized.
As such, I served the maximum 9 year term on the board of Women in Film Los Angeles, the founding chapter of the international organization, I am a co-founder of Greenlight Women, served on the boards of Echo- a non-profit focused on trauma informed training, have been active with Fil-Am Creative, CAPE (Coalition of Asian Pacifics in Entertainment), Canadians Abroad and am starting a tenure with the board of Fil-Am Arts. 

Why do you feel it’s important for you to be so involved in nonprofit work?
I became a lawyer because I wanted to be of service- I definitely want to leave this world a better place for me having been here. I feel that non-profits are a natural fit to my profession: Non-profits are thought leaders and centralized resources for people wanting to fight for the same cause – they’re already pre-organized and motivated to act to effectuate change.

It is Asian American Heritage Month. The Asian American community has come under increased racial profiling and threat since the start of the pandemic. Have you experienced anti-asian racism and how do you deal? 
I find it interesting that the US calls its AAPI (Asian American Pacific Islander) Heritage month but Canada calls it Asian Heritage month. There’s a whole conversation for another time about what it is to be AAPI versus Asian American versus Asian Canadian versus Asian but if I understand the question correctly, I have never felt as Asian as I did when I moved to the US. I’ve lived in Europe and I guess because I expected to be a ‘foreigner’, any racism was tolerable because I was visiting and could leave. But here like in Canada, I’m a visible minority; but unlike Canada, I’m very conscious and aware of where I go in the US – there are places I do not feel safe travelling to – alone or with my mixed race child.
At the start of the pandemic when I saw the first viral post about a Filipina at a local park near where I live being told to go back to whatever Asian country she came from and that that same woman had verbally assaulted an Asian man with a young son and physically assaulted another Filipina at the local mall, well, I got really angry. I did feel less angry when I heard how many allies ended up going to the park the very next day to make sure all Asians felt safe exercising at the park without harassment. But then elderly members of our communities were getting beaten and killed and the only response I could think of was to take self-defense courses to minimize the damage when incidents are unavoidable. I made sure that my mom who is a snowbird would not be travelling anywhere unaccompanied- and that added to pandemic lockdowns just really made me feel caged and afraid. I would only shop at places where I knew there would be other Asians shopping and working there “out of an abundance of caution”. 
The Atlanta spa shootings happened and were really traumatizing. I got angry all over again- especially when officials were saying that it wasn’t a hate crime or racially motivated. That so many couldn’t see that the press releases that were initially released by officials were so systemically racist was horrifying. Even having discussions with friends or colleagues who stated they believed it wasn’t racially motivated was very triggering. I hadn’t yet heard of the concept of calling someone ‘in’ versus calling them ‘out’ so I just shut down because my lived experience of this horrific tragedy was being denied. I knew as did every other Asian woman that they were killed because they were Asian women. I attended a lot of panels and did some reading (I am still in the process of doing more and will likely always be) and now when I experience anti-asian racism or really hate in general, I feel I’m better equipped to deal with it- I know where my community is and how to ask for help and support, and also how to use the situation as a way of spreading knowledge and understanding and hopefully helping everyone turn hate into understanding if not love and division into unity. I am using these tools to be an ally for the marginalized groups that I’m not a member of as well because working against hate is a process and we all have to come to terms with our role in a systemically racist society: it’s not binary – we’re all on a spectrum of racism. 

Do you think we will see positive change come from all of this?
Well we know change is inevitable and the needle has recently been moving to the positive side but I feel like the pandemic definitely set us way back to net negative. I want to believe that love triumphs over hate but hate has lately been so. very. loud.  I hope that as we call in more people rather than calling them out that we can gain the momentum we need to back at net positive. I’d love to see substantial change in our lifetime but recognize the constant battles required to win this war.

Who are some of your Asian-American, and Asian-Canadian, heroes?
That’s a tough question. Michelle Yeoh is actually Malaysian but as I’ve told everyone I can, go see EVERYTHING EVERYWHERE ALL AT ONCE, because she’s AMAZING and it’s bananas but such a fun movie.
What I love about my identities is their intersectionalities: what Canadians and Filipinos have in common in my experience is the ‘claiming of celebrities’. For example, if you see Ryan Reynolds, you immediately point out that he’s Canadian…well if I see Lou Diamond Philipps, I  say “he’s Filipino”. So I’m going to go on a claiming spree for Asian and Asian descended s/heroes. In no particular order (and please everyone take note of this list and go watch and/or listen to their stuff): Bruce Lee, Sandra Oh, Lucy Liu, H.E.R, Lea Salonga, George Takei, Simu Liu, Veena Sud, Miranda Kwok (showrunner for The Cleaning Lady), Ming-Na Wen, Lauren Tom, Tamlyn Tomita, Tia Carrere, Janina Gavankar, Russell Peters, Jo Koy, Vanessa Hudgens, Nicole Scherzinger, Shay Mitchell, Saweetie, Olivia Rodrigo, Manny Jacinto, Hailee Steinfeld, Bruno Mars, Chow Yun Fat, Jackie Chan, Jet Li, Ziyi Zhang, Awkwafina, Brenda Song, Veena Sud, Mindy Kaling, Daniel Henny, Henry Golding, Leylah Annie Fernandez,  Constance Wu, Gemma Chan, Harry Shum Jr., Ken Jeong, the Jabbawockeez, Ronny Chieng, Nico Santos, Rex Lee, Tanya Evidente, Stella Abrera, Chad Mowrey, Liz Masakayan, Dan Inosanto, Ali Wong, Margaret Cho, Amy Chan, Rowena Arguelles, Karla Bobadilla, Isabel Sandoval, Chloe Zhao, Karyn Kusama, Justin Chon, Steven Yeun, Lana Condor, the Basco brothers, Walt Boholst, AJ Calomay, AJ Rafael, Maia Alvina, all the Asian Disney Princesses. Aargh, I know I’m missing so many- all of the Asians who are out there representing in their industry! And last and most importantly my family including my brother who was a child actor, my mom, for being my personal shero and my dad, a Filipino-Canadian martial arts legend.  

Now if you’ll excuse me, I’m going to go get a Turning Red donut and some Jollibee while wearing my LA Kings jersey with my Roots Sweatpants and the Bay Jacket. Those of you who know me, know that this is 100% accurate. 

April's Canadian of the Month
Nicole Demerse, Screenwriter and Producer

Nicole's passion for storytelling has taken her on a continent-wide adventure, writing for over three dozen productions, including as writer and Consulting Producer on Hulu's YA, sci-fi series Utopia Falls, Peacock's half-hour dramedy Mohawk Girls and Teen Nick's Degrassi: The Next Generation. Nicole's writing on Degrassi: The Next Generation garnered her a Canadian Screen Award nomination for a two-part episode on teen abortion that was banned in the U.S. and she won a Writer's Guild of Canada Award for her script on the family comedy Blobheads.

Nicole earned a Bachelor of Science degree and started her Master's in Marine Biology before being accepted into the prestigious University of Toronto Medical School, is a proud alumna of the Canadian Film Centre, the National Screen Institute, the Shaw Media Showrunner Training Program, has sat on the Writer's Guild of Canada board and is a Governor for the Television Academy.

Tell us more about your transition from University of Toronto Medical School, to writing, and how your parents took the news?
Not well! Growing up in Toronto, even with all the service production we do there, I never knew “television writer” was an actual job. My mom was a first generation Canadian, and like most immigrant families, there were only two acceptable jobs in my house – doctor and lawyer. Luckily, I loved biology and enrolled in a pre-med degree before specializing in Marine Biology. It took me a few years but I eventually realized that a “Marine Biologist” was only a job one had on TV, and that started the whole unravelling process. I had grown up watching Nova, Jacques Cousteau, a Disney show called Danger Bay about a Marine Biologist… you see where I’m going with this. After I graduated, it hit me that television had thoroughly shaped my life and my career goals. So I started writing scripts on the weekends while simultaneously applying to medical school. In my early twenties, I hit a proverbial fork in the road – go to med school or take the high risk/high return road of becoming a television writer. Fortunately, my mom was incredibly supportive and used to dream of going to the Oscars one day. I didn’t have the heart to tell her my dream was to be at the Emmy’s! The life of a writer can be so insecure, I used to wonder if I made the right decision but when the pandemic hit, I knew I did. I was not cut out to be a Doctor, just to write about them on TV. 

Tell us about one of your first jobs working with Drake and Nina Dobrev. What were they like, and did you know they’d go on to be such big stars south of the border? 
Degrassi: The Next Generation was one of my first jobs in the industry. I started writing when I was in my twenties and wasn’t much older than the cast. I learned so much on that show, both about myself and how to write for television. Drake, well we knew him as Aubrey back then, was already cast when I joined the show in season three, but our team cast Nina Dobrev. She was brand new to TV and when we saw her audition, it was clear to everyone she was going to be a big star. I remember one day, Aubrey came up to the writers and told us he was doing a “rap battle” that night. I only had a vague idea what that was, but looking back, I wish I had gone to see him perform. Who knows, maybe I could’ve had a career in artist management and been much, much wealthier.  

How does pursing a writing career differ in the US versus Canada?
When I started writing television in the mid-aughts, television definitely felt more regional. You were either a Canadian TV writer or an American TV writer. Now with streaming, and the decline in the traditional broadcast model, series are much more international. So it’s a huge benefit and privilege to be able to work in both countries, across international borders, with no restrictions. I worked really hard to earn my Green Card, but it was worth every tough, challenging moment. As far as the day-to-day challenges go, it’s basically the same in both countries. Everyone always says there’s much more competition in the US, but there’s also much more opportunity. When you delve into the numbers, sorry that’s my scientist brain at work again, there are basically the same amount of working television writers in both countries, adjusted for population size. 

Tell us about your new role as a Governor for the Television Academy? 
I was elected this year by my peers at the Television Academy to represent writers and to be one of their two Governors, along with my fantastic colleague and friend, Judalina Neira. Television has always been a love of mine, ever since I could remember, so to be a part of such a storied institution is a dream come true. We’re really excited to make things happen for our community, plus it’s really cool to be able to go to the Emmy’s! 

How do you keep yourself motivated when not writing on a show?
Fear and self-loathing. I joke, but honestly, there really isn’t a time when I’m not writing on a show. If I’m not getting paid to write on someone else’s series, I’m creating and writing my own stuff. There have been a few times, especially during the pandemic, when I thought it would be nice to get off the proverbial hamster wheel for a month of two and recharge, but whenever I try that, that’s always when the next idea strikes and I have to write it down before I forget. I always have an unfinished something on my computer that taunts me at 3 a.m. when I’m trying to sleep. 

With everything moving online, is it is easier to be a cross-border writer?
Yes and no. In some ways it’s an introvert’s dream and I think the switch to Zoom has made some of the day-to-day aspects of our industry easier. For instance, you don’t have to drive across town for a meeting in rush hour, or even physically be in town for a meeting. But as the pandemic drags on, I really miss being in an in-person writer’s room and on-set. There’s something about having 8-10 incredibly smart and funny people stuck in a room together until they come up with a workable solution. Or 100+ people on set all working toward the same goal of making the series the best it can be. There’s no replacing that, and as exhausting as it can be sometimes, it’s still the most exciting and fulfilling part of my job. 

Are there major sensibility differences you’ve noticed when writing between countries, and what is your favorite genre to write?
That’s an interesting question. I’d say that yes, 10 or 20 years ago, Canadian TV got the (sometimes unfair) rap of being softer, or having less conflict than the direct, in-your-face, American-style TV. Streaming has changed all that – now people from around the world can watch whatever they want, from whatever country they want, on demand. That has definitely affected both the tastes of the audience and what writers like myself want to write. One only has to look at the phenomenal success of shows like SCHITT’S CREEK to see that Canadian television has definitely come into its own. As far as my favorite genre goes, that’s a bit more complicated. In Canada, you have to be a jack of all trades and cobble together a career by writing for drama, comedy, kids & family and animation. In the US you can be more of a specialist, in fact, it’s encouraged. I’ve written my fair share of YA (young adult) and comedy and while those genres will always be close to my heart, I’m really focusing on medical series and sci-fi now. I always tell emerging writers that it helps if you can sum up what you do in one sentence, so I like to say I will be the “almost Doctor” on your medical show, or help put a bit more “sci” into your sci-fi series. 

March's Canadian of the Month
Shereen AraZm Koules
Restaurateur, Nightclub Owner and Television Personality

Shereen AraZm Koules is an international restaurateur, nightclub owner and television personality. The Canadian native got her start in the hospitality industry waiting tables at Toronto-based Italian eatery, Terroni. After ascending to the top of Los Angeles’ nightlife scene, AraZm returned to her Terroni roots in 2007 as co-owner of the Italian import’s West Hollywood location—the first in the United States—which she has built into a local institution and expanded to Downtown L.A. in 2013.

Having established herself as a power player in L.A.’s dining and nightlife culture, in 2010, AraZm added TV personality to her resume, serving as resident judge on “Top Chef Canada” for four seasons. She was named one of Los Angeles Magazine’s top four entertainment hosts in Southern California, and from 2013-2014, served as brand ambassador for Nespresso Canada.

In 2015, AraZm opened Dopolavoro, a modern neighborhood market and deli located next to Terroni's downtown location's storefront.

In fall 2019 AraZm teamed up with a Canadian plant-based restaurant group, Fresh Restaurants, to open the first U.S. location. Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, AraZm and Fresh Canada decided that it would be best for Fresh to return to the U.S. at a later date.

In Feb 2020, AraZm opened Dopolavoro's second location, next door to Terroni Beverly, which has become a neighborhood favorite like the restaurant itself.

Currently Shereen is working on expanding the Terroni brand, the first step being the expansion and remodel of the beloved first Terroni US location on Beverly Blvd. Shereen is married to husband Oren Koules whom she met by happenstance on a flight from Toronto in 2005. They have three children and are based in Los Angeles.

When and why did you decide to permanently relocate to LA?
I was living in NYC in 1999 and came with a friend to “visit” for three months. I never left!

What's your secret sauce for being a successful Canadian female in the Canadian and US food scene?
Honestly, just hard work. There is no shortcut. Work everywhere, do every job. There isn’t any job that you are too good for. I washed dishes and made coffee at the first Terroni! I didn’t ever say no to a shift. I was never that girl that wanted to be out instead of at work.

For those wishing to expand their business globally, do you have any advice about how to do it?
Everything is relationships. Remember that, make positive connections and be your authentic self. Make your intentions clear and plant roots in other places you want your business to grow.

You've achieved a lot of success - nightclubs, numerous restaurants and even serving as a judge on Top Chef Canada. What's next for you?
Next for me is growing the Terroni brand in Los Angeles. We survived the pandemic and are expanding the Beverly Blvd location. After 14 years of being a neighborhood and city favorite, we need to give the space a little love and remodel. It will still be the same beloved space, just with a few updates and more seats.

What advice would you give your 25 year old self?
It’s all going to be ok. Keep going, your best life is coming!

January's Canadian of the Month

Sara Perry, Director & Senior Counsel, Marketing Legal at Netflix

Recognized as a leader in Marketing and Advertising Law in the United States and Canada, Sara has over 20 years of experience working with the world’s largest brands, media, tech and entertainment companies. In her current role as Director and Senior Counsel at Netflix, Sara heads up the UCAN Marketing Legal team supporting Netflix’s Films, Documentaries, Kids & Family, Awards, Communications and Marketing Partnerships teams. Prior to joining Netflix, Sara built up and ran the Marketing Business & Legal Affairs department for the Universal Filmed Entertainment Group composed of Universal Studios, Focus Features and DreamWorks Animation. Before going in-house, Sara worked in private practice in Toronto at Heenan Blaikie LLP and in New York City at Frankfurt Kurnit Klein & Selz and Skadden Arps. In her early career Sara was recognized as one of Marketing Magazine’s “Ones To Watch: Marketing’s Next Generation”. Sara has also been named in The Best Lawyers in Canada – Best Lawyers® for her work in Advertising & Marketing Law. 

While Sara has lived in Los Angeles since 2014, she is originally from Vancouver, and will always consider this ‘home’. Sara holds a B.Comm from Queen’s University and a J.D. from the University of British Columbia. Outside of her work in entertainment and advertising, Sara’s passions include travel, skiing/snowboarding (at Whistler), hiking, running, attending concerts, interior design and spending time with her nephews Emmanuel and Elijah. 

What brought you to LA?
The law firm I was working at dissolved seemingly overnight. I really wasn’t sure what I wanted to do next. A client of mine - DreamWorks Animation - had just secured a distribution deal to create multiple shows for a company called Netflix and convinced me to move to Hollywood to build up and lead their Marketing Legal department supporting marketing, partnerships, publicity and branding. I had only been to LA once before (for a bachelorette party) and wasn’t sure whether I would like it. But, I’ve always been comfortable with change and have had a difficult time saying no when an exciting new opportunity presents itself, so I said YES. That was eight years ago!

Tell us about the day in the life of Sara?
It’s changed a lot since the Pandemic. I used to pride myself on packing in a full day every day and my life revolved around work. Now, I’m travelling less and things that used to fill my calendar, like premieres, industry events, concerts and dinner parties are almost non-existent. The forced slow down made me realize I was burning myself out mostly for the benefit of others. As things start to open up again I am being much more intentional and selective about how and with whom I spend my time. I also learned how to prioritize and incorporate self-care into my daily routine. I start each day with a ride or run on the Peloton bike or tread (find me @PtiteSirah) followed by strength training or yoga. I do a short morning meditation, some journaling and set some goals (and boundaries) for my day. These are non-negotiable for me now. After my morning routine, I listen to the headlines on a few news podcasts - a favorite is CNN’s 5 Things - and then I spend some time catching up on the entertainment industry and pop culture. Part of my job working in entertainment marketing requires me to have an understanding of what’s trending, how people are connecting with one another and where they are spending time (yes, even if that means taking a scroll through TikTok!). What typically follows is a day of back-to-back meetings and calls that usually require quick decisions and guidance to support and provide direction to our incredibly hard working teams at Netflix. We’re constantly releasing new programs so it’s never a dull moment. Days start early and run late when you’re working with international teams, so I block off time during the day to take a walk outside and I make sure to turn off at a reasonable time so I have enough time to recharge and do something for me. 

Did you always know you wanted to be in advertising and marketing law?
Definitely not. I didn’t even know that was a career one could have! I did however, grow up obsessed with advertising and branding and dreamed of working on Madison Avenue in New York. I majored in marketing in Business School and began working in advertising agencies straight after. I loved working for brands on strategy and being involved in the creative process. But I had two dads growing up, both lawyers, and I felt the pressure from my family to get a second degree. So I went to law school and following a successful three years at the University of British Columbia, I joined the prestigious law firm Skadden Arps Slate Meagher & Flom working in Mergers & Acquisitions and Project Finance. The firm was located at 4 Times Square so I got my dream of moving to New York after all! But after a few years I felt pulled to pursue my passions of working in marketing, media and entertainment. I spoke with a headhunter who helped me find a boutique law firm that specialized in entertainment and advertising law. I was able to merge my interests and my expertise and carved out a rewarding practice in a niche space. I can happily say I’m practicing the best kind of law and I never feel like a “lawyer”.

You head up the UCAN Marketing Legal team supporting Netflix’s Films, Documentaries, Kids & Family, Awards, Communications and Marketing Partnerships teams. What’s your favorite part and why?
All of it. Getting to work at this company is incredible. The people, the pace, the work, the culture… I am surrounded by a stunning group of colleagues who are all passionate and excellent at what they do. The quantity and quality of the work we produce is amazing. The teams I support are always thinking outside of the box and pushing the boundaries. Each day is truly unique and entirely unpredictable. I love that. I never get bored and I am constantly learning and growing as a result of working here. 

Why do you feel that it’s important to connect with other Canadians living here in Southern California?
I can’t think of a time when connection and community felt more relevant than they do right now. It’s been difficult for many of us to travel back to Canada to see loved ones. Spending time with other Canadians helps me feel more connected to home. It also provides a sense of comfort and familiarity, which contribute positively to mental health. In addition to the support Canadians can provide to one another during these difficult times, there are several added benefits to staying connected with Canadians in SoCal. You will meet incredibly interesting people, some of whom may turn into lifelong friends! You can learn invaluable tips and tricks that will save you time, money and hardship - like, don’t import your vehicle…just don’t. You can also make life changing connections! I’ve never met a Canadian who’s not willing to help out another Canadian, or make a connection, or invite them to a party so they can meet some folks. Never underestimate the value of a good networking opportunity or how good it feels to help a newly arrived Canadian find their footing. So on that note, please feel free to reach out to me if you’d like to connect. Otherwise, I look forward to seeing and meeting many of you at the next Canadians Abroad event in LA!

December's Canadians of the Month

Lisa Ng & Paul St Onge, Founders of Doing Good Digital

Paul and Lisa moved to LA eight years ago and recently launched Doing Good Digital on an E2 investors Visa. They currently manage a remote team located across the US and Canada with a strong client base here in Southern California.

Doing Good Digital is a boutique agency of expert online fundraisers and digital consultants. They help nonprofits grow their digital fundraising program by providing strategy, design and development for their online assets. Their expertise includes digital fundraising, website builds, peer-to-peer fundraising, social media strategy, email marketing, Luminate Online, TeamRaiser, and many other fundraising platforms.

Their clients include Children’s Hospital Los Angeles, Rady Children’s Hospital, Boston Children's Hospital, Providence of Southern California, World Wildlife Fund, National Park Foundation, Nature Conservancy, Central Park Conservancy, Skechers Foundation, Can Do MS, Jewish Family Service of San Diego, Ontario SPCA, Greater Vancouver Food Bank, and more, some even back home in Canada.

Part of the understanding with their Visa is that they had to create jobs here in the US - so the pressure was on to grow quickly when they first launched the company back in 2018.

They will be an eight person company by the end of this year with 50% of the full-time staff being women of color. As an Asian woman, representation and diversity on the team is incredibly important to Lisa. Lisa wants to see diversity in the team they build and that they intentionally include diverse voices for the communities they serve.

What brought you to LA?
A large portion of the clients we serve are based in Southern California. In pre-COVID times there were more in-person meetings, so we had decided that LA would be an excellent home base for us. And of course, the weather doesn’t hurt either! Now we have clients based all over the US, but we just love it out here and choose to call California home.

What does Doing Good Digital do and what made you want to start your company?
We help nonprofits raise money online - by leveraging the technology, tools, software, and digital strategy available to them. That can mean making sure donation forms and websites follow best practices and are mobile-friendly, running integrated multi-channel fundraising campaigns, cleaning up databases, creating stewardship pieces, or dreaming up engaging and unique fundraising campaigns.
We really enjoy working with nonprofits and having this mission of helping make the world a better and kinder place. We started our company with this goal in mind, but we also love the flexibility of working for ourselves, being able to choose our clients, and running our own company.

Where is your remote team located and as an employer, how do you maintain a strong connection with them over such a far distance?
We have team members based in Boston, Salt Lake City, Asheville, Missouri, and people in different parts of the west coast. We book regular virtual airbnb experiences and happy hours where our team can connect in a relaxed creative setting, where we all learn something new. We’ve taken virtual chocolate making classes, painting classes, mixology nights, wine tastings, walking tours of European cities, and even a charcuterie styling class. It’s just a fun way to learn more about our team members - especially the ones we onboarded virtually and have never met IRL.

What advice do you have for people looking to start or scale their online technology companies?
Read and learn as much as you can, as fast as you can to shortcut your success. I made a goal to read a book every other week on topics like entrepreneurship, management, business books, personal development, mindset, finance, and whatever was speaking to me during our growth period. It was like getting a personal MBA and creating a syllabus for your business and your life. A habit like this can really help propel you personally and professionally. Since we’re always stuck in traffic in LA, I actually listen to all of my books on audible or when I’m out walking my dog.

We know you are huge foodies and have your own instagram. Tell us what your favourite hot spots are these days and why?
I share fun food photos on my personal IG @helloLisaNg and on my food account @EatWithLisa_

For dim sum, I absolutely love Capital Seafood in Beverly Hills or Lunasia in SGV. For pizza, the Burrata pizza at Gjelina is my all-time fave - the sauce is perfect and the wood-fired pizza crust is some of the best I’ve had. I have also been loving the homemade hummus and pita pocket sandwiches from Hasiba. We’ve also been getting our Japanese curry and karaage fix from a takeout window on Sawtelle, called Anzu. And if you’re going out with a group, a hot pot night at HaiDiLo is entertaining and delicious!

November 2021 Canadian of the Month
Dave Morris, Talent Manager

Dave Morris started his music career at EMI Music in Toronto. Three years later, he would spearhead the record-setting “59 Ways to Funk” campaign.

After a series of successful platinum campaigns across Virgin, EMI and Astralwerks labels for 30 Seconds to Mars, Daft Punk, The Smashing Pumpkins, Nickelback, The Chemical Brothers, Fatboy Slim, Air, Tina Turner and many others, Dave lead career-spanning initiatives including the infamous Iron Maiden Eddie releases, Massive Attack’s 100th Window - which landed at #1 and owned the Top 3x Billboard catalogue chart positions - and a global Rolling Stones classic reissue series.

Morris then moved to Capitol Records in Hollywood, taking American-signed acts like Sean Lennon, The Dandy Warhols, Jane’s Addiction, Yellowcard, and OkGo, worldwide.  

In 2007, he transitioned into artist management, implementing his expansive music expertise with Melissa Etheridge, Dave Koz, Adam Cohen, Vicci Martinez, and discovering platinum-selling singer-songwriter Eric Hutchinson.

Morris soon formed the management company Cornerman Music, leading major-label artists Philip Sayce, Eric Hutchinson, Puddle of Mudd, Kay Cook, Falls, Julian Moon, Distant Cousins, Finger Eleven, Serena Ryder, Kai Exos, and many others.

Its branding offshoot CornerMarket, is a licensing and consulting service for corporate clients; Custom Made is Cornerman’s label division.

As a music supervisor and a producer, Dave produced and co-created the successful podcast People in My Phone (HarperCollins), countless music videos, and is currently developing documentaries on rock superstars.

How did you make the move from EMI in Toronto to Capitol Records in Hollywood and how was your transition to LA?
There were a series of exciting projects at EMI that I was fortunate enough to be part of. We had incredibly successful career-spanning launches for the Rolling Stones, Iron Maiden, Tina Turner, Jane’s Addiction and Massive Attack that got global attention, as well as our domestic priority, Nickelback.  Leading those campaigns paved the way for an international post at Capitol, my dream job. That first summer here was mind blowing, landed on Thursday, started on Monday, and feels like full speed ever since.

What is your typical day like as a music manager?
It’s never a typical day, usually a mix of shows, meetings, studios, endless communications. The artists are 24-7, but I try to stick to some routine for focus and creativity. There’s a lot of moving parts that go into all of it – recording, touring, releases – it’s an artful balance keeping different personalities aligned. The through-line, though, is always the music, the rush of hearing a hit song for the first time, the electric energy from a live performance, seeing an idea happen spontaneously in the studio...the constant feeling that anything is always possible.

What's your secret sauce to scaling your talent globally?
My philosophy is locally, regionally, nationally, globally. If a song works somewhere it can work anywhere. But it needs to happen somewhere first. The other piece of this is knowing what the next step and last step looks like. You may want to have a huge hit, but just didn’t expect it would be in Japan. What happens along the way is usually filled with amazing surprises, hits make for a wild ride.

You've worked with the world's best talent including 30 Seconds to Mars, Tina Turner, Melissa Etheridge, Daft Punk, The Smashing Pumpkins, Nickelback, The Chemical Brothers, Fatboy Slim and the list goes on. Who did you enjoy working with the most and why?
Each artist brings their own energy, there’s a lot in common, but the journey is unique. Sean Lennon was above and beyond in every way. An amazing artist, gentlemen, and visionary. The campaign, while originating in the US, really caught fire in France and spread from there. We were going to Europe constantly to stoke the success. Sean was a different level worldly, there was an incredible cast of characters showing up, and with them came opportunity…a spontaneous photoshoot with Italian Vogue at the Ritz, to The Stones as surprise dinner guests. At some point, you just go with it. Dave Koz is another, a brilliant artist and person, Southeast Asia was exploding for him after we did a version of the album with local superstars and were on a whirlwind promo tour, police escorts roaring through the streets of Japan, or we’d be at a mall in Jakarta and thousands of people would show up when we were expecting hundreds. It was nuts.   

Now that you run your own management company Cornerman Music, can you tell us a bit about what you look for when you decide to manage talent?
I’m grateful to work with so much Canadian talent. The perspective from the US, especially for campaigns generating from Canada, has proven a valuable expertise, applying it either as a talent manager or providing specialized label and management services. It’s a niche that also keeps me connected to home, which I’ve missed so much during Covid. We play with big stakes, If you can parlay a hit to the US, you can take it worldwide, and we work to accomplish that every day. There are more ways for artists to succeed than ever, but the fundamentals haven’t changed. I look for artists that can write their own songs, perform live, and want it more than anything. Successful artists have that burning passion to win, so do I, and having that in common usually makes a good match.

Do you have any tips for the musical hobbyist looking to take it to the next level?
Strive to be the best at what you do and keep your focus narrow. You can’t be everything and everywhere. Don’t be distracted by the highlight reel, focus on the game and play your heart out. Listen to feedback – especially when it’s positive – and know hits find their way eventually.

What's next for Dave Morris?
I’m excited for the world to hear and see the new Finger Eleven! We’ve been delayed by the pandemic, now ramping up for a big 2022. There is an amazing new artist, Cameron Philip, bursting out of Toronto, who is lighting up audiences everywhere; Cornerman Label Services, especially in US radio and sync, has grown exponentially and we’re also creating our own opportunity platforms, including podcasts and visual content, for Cornerman clients.

October 2021 Canadian of the Month
Sergio Navarretta
Director

Sergio Navarretta is an international award-winning director with a view to telling entertaining and meaningful stories on screen.
Sergio’s directing career began with award-winning short films, commercials, lifestyle television and documentaries, and has evolved into the world of feature film and television series, among other media. Sergio has helmed three dramatic features for S.N.A.P. Films Inc., including the true historical drama LOOKING FOR ANGELINA, THE COLOSSAL FAILURE OF THE MODERN RELATIONSHIP, and THE CUBAN. Sergio’s films have had successful festival screenings across the globe, won multiple awards, have had theatrical success, and are now in worldwide distribution.
Having worked in both live action and animation with top Hollywood talent, Sergio also brings his experience as a producer, service producer, and executive producer to S.N.A.P. Films Inc. He executive produced sci-fi feature ANDRON, starring Danny Glover and Alec Baldwin; executive produced and oversaw all aspects of production and casting for the star-studded animated feature ARCTIC DOGS, starring Jeremy Renner, James Franco, Anjelica Huston, Alec Baldwin, John Cleese, and Heidi Klum; is executive producing LAMBORGHINI, starring Alec Baldwin and Antonio Banderas, and acted as a consulting producer on TRADING PAINT, starring John Travolta and Shania Twain.
In addition to his prolific work in entertainment, he has served as a mentor in the Being Black in Toronto initiative; taught masterclasses for Reel Works in New York City, and sat on several panels for the Academy of Film and Television, TIFF, Women in Film Toronto, Ontario Creates, Halifax Black Film Festival, Alzheimer’s societies, and FOLCS (New York City). Recently, he was named president of the Jury for the ICFF/Lavazza Drive-In Film Festival in Toronto.
Sergio is currently developing a number of feature projects, television series, and projects across media.

How did you make the jump from short films, commercials, lifestyle television and documentaries to feature film and television series?
I always knew I wanted to be in film. I didn’t know anyone in the business and did not have a clear path to learning the craft and certainly not to enter the business. After a serendipitous encounter with film director James Cameron, (whos advice was the catalyst) I mustered up the courage to pave my own path and find my way. I made an ambitious film Over A Small Cup of Coffee on 35mm film. I realized the incredible advantage of embarking on a journey without knowing what you are in for affords you the opportunity to act without limitations and do things a rational and reasonable person would not do. There is nothing reasonable about this business, but I figure if you are to do a thing, you may as well do what you absolutely love. After my first film's world premiere at the Egyptian Theatre in Hollywood, I caught the bug as they say, and I never ever looked back. Obviously there are shifts in the industry, advances in technology and changes in the way audiences consume content. However it is imperative for all artists to continue creating and to quote one of my mentors, ‘no one can stop you from being creative’, regardless of what’s happening.

How has the consumption of film changed during the pandemic? (ex. special screenings, more pop-ups, streaming platforms, etc.).
It is incredible how resilient the industry and artists in general have been in what is arguably the most challenging time in the western world since WW2. With my last film The Cuban, we had just come off an incredible festival run ready to release theatrically in the US and Canada, until our dreams were dashed into the ditch by the pandemic. It was about a week that we were really deflated, then we got busy and started to dream again. We asked the simple question, what is a safe way to get the film out to our audience and get it screened during full lockdowns? We decided to explore a drive-in theatre release- a roadshow of sorts. It seemed to fit the esthetic of the film. We were invited to premiere the film at the iconic Ontario Place in downtown Toronto as part of the Lavazza Film Festival. It was the first time I drove a red carpet and conducted interviews via zoom on the red carpet from my car. In the U.S we had over 40 cities that booked the film as part of our theatrical roll out. As the world started to shut down like a row of dominos, they pivoted one by one to virtual. That presented its own set of challenges such as educating both the public as well as news outlets on what virtual cinema was and how it all worked. Despite that, it was met with much enthusiasm and great reviews. The cast, producing team, and I did about a four month “virtual” press tour. Suddenly the impossible became possible. I could do national interviews from the comfort of my home office. It was also much easier for the cast to accept requests as many of them were home. 2020 was a year I will never forget. I believe the industry has changed and like many industries, we see the before the pandemic and after the pandemic trends.

Are you seeing any trends in relation to independent films?
I feel the independent community (whatever that is nowadays) is larger than ever. As the film industry becomes polarized, on one side massive tent poll films and on the other micro-budget films, artists have the ability to tell their stories with accessibility of resources and technology. With adversity and pressure comes innovation and a desire to tell stories. I am optimistic about the new community of emerging filmmakers. I have made time to mentor lately and the ambition and drive of younger filmmakers is inspiring. Finally we are seeing a diversity of stories and a more balanced representation, which was long overdue. Also we have found creative ways to find our audiences for content and build them. Technology has been incredibly helpful in that and social media has also become a powerful tool.

What advice would you give to a film studies student?
This is mostly a game of resilience. It is hard for a reason. What I found in my experience is that it is hard for everyone, regardless of ones connections, good fortunes or background. Because of that developing ones craft is important, as well as developing the inner muscle and mindset. You have to know who you are, what value you bring, acknowledge your gift and share it any way that you can. We are all unique so comparing yourself to others is futile. We all have our own unique path. Also don’t be afraid to ask for advice and help. This is a team sport, and no one has ever made it alone. Eventually you will have a team of people working with you, so learn to collaborate and most importantly to communicate. Fall in love with the craft and commit to it fully. There are a lot of distractions but when you distill it down to its core, film is a form of storytelling, something humans have been doing since the beginning of time. It is the way we learn about ourselves, each other and ultimately connect to the world.

Has being Canadian shaped your craft?
Being Canadian is something I took for granted until I started sharing my work internationally. The fact that Canada is an amalgamation of cultures, and not clearly definable, makes our work unique. Our stories are diverse. This perspective is something that has been communicated to me and something I now appreciate. The displacement I felt growing up being caught between two worlds, two cultures ended up being one of my superpowers. I truly believe we as Canadians suffer from an identity crisis. As we strive to discover who we are, and uncover our collective history, that becomes a powerful driving force behind our content. I think it is important for Canadian artists to continue to pursue the truth in the work, and not make films that we think we have to make. Audiences respond to truth and authenticity.

Why do you choose to focus on socially conscious projects that explore the human condition?
From when I started making films, I was clear about who I was and what types of films I wanted to make. Obviously initially there was confusion around the definition of “socially conscious”. We eventually softened the mission statement to be broader but underneath it all, whatever we have done deals with the human condition and the goal is always to entertain, uplift and ultimately make an impact. I don’t watch horror movies or enjoy them so as a director I would not bring any kind of value to that type of project. I make the films I would like to see in a theater. It comes from my burning curiosity to learn, expand, and experience parts of ourselves and cultures that I don’t know much about. That is what I find exciting about it. There is enough negativity in the world today, that for me to get out of bed, I have to know that my work makes people feel something and somehow enriches their lives, even if it is only for 90 minutes.

What's next for you?
There are a couple of new film projects circling that I am exploring. Our company S.N.A.P. Films has optioned a book that is being developed into a series, and we have our own film projects in development. I am also launching a podcast entitled ‘Creativity Unleashed’ which will highlight leaders and top performers in sports, business, arts, and politics. The goal is to explore the mindset and rituals that contribute to their success and share those skill sets with artists in general. I’m sure many of these pearls of wisdom are transferable and valuable, especially for artists starting out. With technology, the information is out there and easily accessible, so there are less and less excuses to create.

April 2021 Canadian of the Month

Brian Christopher
Social Influencer and Founder of BC Slots

Brian Christopher, formerly of Toronto, moved to Los Angeles in 2015 with hopes to further his acting career only to find his life take a different direction one year later. He is now the world's top Social Influencer for Slot Machines and Casinos. With over a 250 million views, his channel BCSlots.com, showcases Brian as he posts daily videos and hosts weekly live streams and events from all over the country to more than 600,000 followers.

What brought you to LA?
I was an actor in Toronto since I was 11. It was my life long goal to get there. Once an opportunity for a work transfer came up for my husband, we jumped on it and moved within 6 weeks!

Tell us about your YouTube channel?
On my channel, I play slot machines. I upload 10 videos a week and go live three times a week from the casino and my studio (online slots). Each video I gamble thousands of dollars from $3 to $100 a spin at casinos all over the country and also host events with fans.
I have just over 600k followers between YouTube and Facebook and get around 600k views a day. YouTube alone has over 240 million views and we are growing by about 50k followers and 7 million views a month.

Why would anyone watch someone else play slots?
The same reason that the number one YouTube channel is a guy playing video games. Or why kids are fascinated watching other kids play with toys. Or why adults watch other people play sports. I’m doing something exciting that they can’t necessarily do easily, or be able to afford. Can’t say I’m more ‘skilled’ at it though, as slots require no skill. They also watch because of my personality and commentary. I’ve built a great relationship with my audience and have a great rapport with them. During the pandemic many fans have said that I kept them sane while they couldn’t go to the casino.

What is it about slots that you love more than any other casino game?
There is legitimately zero skill involved in playing slots. It’s for fun, a chance to relax and have fun with friends and maybe come away a winner! I get my excitement from it, so rather than spending $200 on concert tickets or a sporting event, I go to the casino! Slots have changed so much in the past 20 years and even in the past few years. Gone are the days of a single line game to hit three 7’s. Now you play games that are digital with hundreds of paylines and full of features and bonuses which makes it much more enjoyable (and volatile!). 

Take us on the journey from Canadian actor to YouTube star? 
I never planned for this. Doing what I do was never a job before I carved it out for myself. I literally uploaded a few videos of myself playing slots just for fun on my actor YouTube account not expecting anything from it. I saw a few others did it and so I thought it would be fun. I had my actor YouTube page for years and it probably had a few dozen subscribers and a hundred views on my demo reels. Within a month I had over a thousand subscribers and was invited into the partner program to start monetizing my videos. When I started making more money on YouTube than my Lyft/Uber/catering joe jobs, I decided to jump right in and see where it took me. Never did I expect how successful it could become. 

Any advice for people who want to monetize doing what they love?
You have to do it for the passion, and not for the money...at first. Build your audience by posting on a regular schedule with the highest quality videos you can put out there. The first 100 videos will suck, but you will grow and learn. As time goes on, and you build the trust of your audience, you can start listening to what they demand or what you think they would enjoy. For me I started off giving away free merchandise. Any time someone would spot me in a casino, I’d give them a poker chip with my face and name on it. By doing that, it made all my viewers jealous and they wanted to know how they could order theirs. I used to sell them for $2.50 including shipping. Now a single chip goes for $6 plus shipping. Next up I added a fan club, t-shirts, wristbands and more. We now ship over a thousand orders of merch a month, from our offices where we even press our own t-shirts.
Figuring out ways to diversify your money is the smartest. After only uploading to YouTube for 3.5 years, I decided to start publishing my videos to Facebook at the same time. After one year of that I’ve now doubled my audience and revenue - and just by uploading the same content twice. 

What are casinos doing to keep people safe during the pandemic?
As time goes on, they’re lifting restrictions, but for the most part: Masks mandatory, temperature checks at the door, social distanced games or games turned off in between others, buffets closed, half capacity indoors, including restaurants, and plexiglass everywhere. Some casinos keep all slots on but placed plexiglas in between each machine. I’ve spent over 100 days at casinos in over a dozen states this last year and managed to stay Covid free. 

What other projects are you working on now?
The list is endless. We (our team is now seven) are in conference calls constantly as our demand continues to outweigh our availability. There are calls about visiting casinos and hosting events, hosting cruises (two are planned in 2021 and 2022 to start, each with around 160 fans), promoting apps, sportsbooks, new slot machines coming out, and more that I can’t talk about right now. Most recently we opened the ‘Brian Christopher Slots at Plaza’ gaming area within Plaza Casino in downtown Vegas featuring my favorite slot machines. It’s super cool to have your name on a neon sign in Las Vegas!

Do you have plans to film at casinos back in Canada?
Canada is too strict at the moment to allow filming. Most of their casinos are still closed, but they’ve never been open to the idea of a camera on the floor. I was told I couldn’t take a photo with my parents in a casino there once. Hopefully they come around one day as around 10% of my audience is located there. And 100% of my family!

March 2021 Canadian of the Month
Dr. Margaret Haglund Henry
Psychiatrist, MD

I was born in Vancouver, BC and grew up mainly in Kingston, Ontario where my dad taught at Queen's University. I developed a love for living abroad as a child when we lived in France and Germany on sabbatical years. I was the first one in my extended family to go to medical school, and attended medical school at Mt Sinai School of Medicine in NYC shortly after 9/11, where I became interested in psychiatry partly as a result of that event, as people were dealing with the aftermath of that trauma. I went on to do a research year in medical year on trauma and resilience and post-resilience growth. After medical school I went on to do psychiatry residency at Columbia where I became interested in both psychoanalysis and addiction, and then moved out to the west coast, a lifelong dream, to pursue addiction psychiatry training at UCLA. I also met and married my husband out here, and we now have two young boys in preschool. I'm now working in private practice in Santa Monica.

As a psychiatrist, can you tell us generally about what you are seeing firsthand and what you think 2021 will look like for mental health in Los Angeles?
I am seeing people struggling with the effects of prolonged social isolation. That has been really hard on mental health. Also the increased burden of having to care for children and homeschool them without the help of family and friends- parents of school-aged children in particular are really worn down. People are not sleeping well, do not have time to take care of themselves. A lot of people are drinking more alcohol using more substances in general to deal with the stress and anxiety and social isolation. And people are putting off medical and dental appointments- anything that requires an in person visit- physical health is suffering.

What does "good mental health" look like in this COVID-19 pandemic?
The same factors apply as in non-covid times: adequate sleep, regular exercise, social support and healthy nutrition. People are having a particularly hard time with the social support component, and also to a lesser degree with the exercise, since our routines are so disrupted. People who are finding ways to have regular social interactions, whether that's on Zoom or in safe/socially-distanced pods or outdoors, are seeing real mental health benefits. So are people who have adapted their exercise routines to be able to make them work in these times, ie with outdoor exercise or with Zoom work-out classes. Exercise is typically not emphasized enough in psychiatry but has tremendous benefits on mood, anxiety, attention and focus symptoms, and sleep. Finally people who are being mindful not to let their alcohol or the consumption drift upwards, and especially those that have been able to even cut back in this time, are seeing a real benefit in how they feel and function.

Everyone is facing challenges right now. At what point do we seek help and any resources you suggest to assist them?
I would say not waiting too long, and erring on the side of seeking help, is always a good idea- it's always easier to treat symptoms when they're early and haven't become full blown. It can be hard to recognize when we're not feeling well- being open to feedback from loved ones can be valuable. When sleep becomes consistently disrupted, that can be a sign that depression or anxiety is creeping in. And irritability is often an early sign of mood or anxiety episodes- when little things trigger greater than normal anger or upset.mThere are many resources here in the Los Angeles area- and most are now offering telehealth sessions. A therapist can be a good place to start- particularly if there are issues to work out, with relationships, or work. A psychiatrist is a good idea when symptoms are more severe/beginning to disrupt daily functioning at work or at home. Psychiatrists can do therapy and prescribe medications- and today's medications for anxiety, depression and insomnia, can work fairly quickly and effectively usually without many side effects. Psychology Today is a great website for help finding a therapist our psychiatrist; the practice at which I work, calpsychiatry.com, has several psychiatrists and locations and we are happy to help find appropriate referrals as well.

Being a proud member of Canadians Abroad, how do you stay connected to Canada?
I miss Canada! Having not been able to travel to Canada since the pandemic, it is hard to be away from family and friends back home. I can't wait till we can take our kids back to Ontario to see their grandparents and cousins. Here in Los Angeles, one of the things I miss the most is being at our cottage and spending lazy days swimming in the lake in the summer. I have to say it has been hard to stay connected. FaceTime is our best tool but we don't make use of it as much as we should. I imagine a lot of families are feeling the same way. The three hour time difference is surprisingly challenging. The grandparents are great about reading bedtime stories to our boys on the iPad. I really enjoy connecting with fellow Canadians in LA such as the lovely Erin Buckley Burnett and reminiscing about our home country.

As a mom yourself, any tips on strengthening mental health for kids?
Talking to them about what is going on would be my number one. It is always surprising to realize how much kids pick up on and understand, and when we don't talk about things, they make their own interpretations. Explaining why we are not seeing friends and family. Making outdoor plans with other kids to the extent that you are able or feel comfortable as a family- the kids are great at wearing their masks, and the benefit of them being able to play with each other is so big in terms of mental health for them.

How do you juggle mommy-ing and working?
Ah! That's the million dollar question. I never feel like I'm doing it the right way, and I don't think any mom does. I try to not "bring work home" which is sometimes hard in this profession. I try to give myself a day a week to be with them, and not check my phone/email/calendar- very challenging to execute in practice. Being able to work from home is so wonderful, but also means you can constantly be distracting yourself instead of present with your family (and yourself!) So my answer is, I'm trying to figure it out as I go, definitely not sure I'm doing the right thing.

February 2021 Canadian of the Month
Arwen Widmer Bobyk
Consul for Political, Economic and Cultural Affairs
Consulate General of Canada in Los Angeles

Arwen Widmer Bobyk is one year into the job as Consul for Political, Economic and Cultural Affairs at the Consulate General of Canada in Los Angeles. It is her job to promote and protect Canadian interests in the Southwest of the US.
Arwen has worked in the federal public service of Canada for 20 years – the last 12 of which have been spent serving as a diplomat. Her last posting was at the Embassy of Canada in Mexico where she served as the Economic Affairs Counsellor. A couple years ago Arwen worked with the Canadian Foreign Service Institute to develop a Gender Based Analysis + training program that she helped deliver to 1000+ Canadian officials across the network of 13 Canadian Consulates General in the United States and the Embassy in Washington DC– the first time this has been done anywhere in the Canadian diplomatic world. More recently, she designed a Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Pledge, which further develops those ideas and creates a practical framework for a broad DEI program across the network of Canadian diplomatic missions. Her passion is to do her part to promote and encourage women in the diplomatic service and to help Canadian civil servants turn the theory of equity, diversity and inclusion into practical reality in their day-to-day work.
Her career though, is not the most interesting thing about Arwen. Arwen is passionate about women’s empowerment and leadership. She’s named after an Elven princess in the book the Lord of the Rings. She’s a mom of a teenage Amazon and a manga-mad 11 year old Spitfire. Her daughters embody the hope she has for women of the future. She married her soul mate, another diplomat, nearly 20 years ago, and they are still as silly together as they were back in graduate school.
Arwen is on a quest for Continuous Improvement of herself, to be the change she wants to see and to lead and guide and support and learn from those she is fortunate enough to encounter along the way.

What are some of your key observations about LA versus previous national and international posts?
Thank you for inviting me to be your Canadian of the Month! It’s humbling and it’s exciting, and I hope I can share some great insights with you all that I have gained over the past 16 months of life in LA. The first ten months of my posting were solo because my kids were still going to school in Canada and my husband’s position at the time was considered not “teleworkable.” He is also in the Foreign Service and his job is based at HQ – he manages our Andean Geographic desk. Of course, once March hit and everyone went virtual, the pandemic situation was pretty dire here in LA, and so they stayed in Canada while I worked here to transition my team to full-time remote work, which we have maintained for nearly a year now! For the first nearly six months of my posting though I got to really experience what LA is all about – the incredible natural beauty of it, the phenomenal food scene, and the vibrancy of living downtown. I am glad I got to see all that because I still find myself saying to my husband and daughters “just wait until everything gets back to normal – it’s amazing to live here!” I do love it. As I am originally from the West Coast of British Columbia, I consider this my natural habitat! I’ve been with the Canadian Federal Government, at Global Affairs Canada, the Privy Council Office, for 20 years now, and this is by far the most exciting and empowering job I have held.

What are some of the issues/matters you are looking at tackling here?
My team, which is small but mighty, covers Canada’s engagement with our territory (which covers SoCal, Arizona and Nevada) in the areas of political and economic relations, Security and Defence relationship, Climate Change and the Environment, Public Affairs and media and all of our Cultural programming, most strikingly Canada’s relationship with Hollywood. But the amazing thing is that we do all of our programming through the lens of promoting and improving diversity, equity and inclusion. That’s really been my focus since I took over the team in September 2019. With the support of my boss, Consul General Zaib Shaikh, I have also been working across the network of Canadian consulates and embassies of North America to bring this approach to the work that the government of Canada does all over the U.S. and Mexico. We are collectively doing some pretty phenomenal things to make sure that our work reflects the diversity of the communities in which we work, and the Canadian public which we serve. My personal passion is to dramatically change the culture of my organization to be a psychologically safe place to work which will attract, support and retain diverse employees.

What is the day in the life of a Consul like?
The days used to be a lot more interesting pre-COVID! I specifically chose to live in DTLA, despite many a raised-eyebrow because my family loves the urban lifestyle, and I could walk to work within 10 minutes. I’ll admit that since the pandemic started, DTLA hasn’t been the same vibrant place it was before, but I still do love the lack of commute. My commute these days is from my bedroom to the kitchen and back to the bedroom - my makeshift office, for days filled with WebEx calls, like everyone else these days. We are still doing exciting engagements, political, cultural, economic and environmental, but these days they are all virtual. I think like a lot of people. To be honest, I am finding that a virtual professional existence can be quite draining. Upon reflection, I realized that I get a lot of return energy when engaging with teammates and contacts in person, which for me more than makes up for long days and lots of travel pre-pandemic. These days, it feels that the energy drains out and it's harder to recharge. The way I try to do that has been to be disciplined in not checking my work e-mails after hours as much as possible. Since there is very little separation of work and life, this is one way I segment those two parts of my life as much as possible these days. Like most, I very much look forward to returning to the office and travel and meeting people in person, but I know first hand that these precautions we are taking are critical to ending this pandemic as soon as possible.

How does your family adjust to "that diplomat life" living in different communities around the world?
I have two daughters, Grace (14) and Naomi (11). Grace has lived in four countries already, and Naomi three. They are the very definition of resilient, kind, empathetic and intelligent. When the opportunity came for me to take this posting, Grace was in middle school and I assumed she’d be particularly resistant to moving, but I didn’t assume she’d say no. She was much more enthusiastic about it than I had anticipated, and Naomi is an incredibly easy-going kid, so I knew she’d be okay with it. Despite the virtual schooling, the girls have adapted incredibly well to life in LA - they are excelling at school, and have made friendships despite the virtual nature of their interactions. And on top of all of that they really like each other and get along - which has been more critical now than at any point in the past, since we are pretty much house-bound in a small apartment! My husband, Blair and I have been together for over 20 years, following each other around the globe and making a double diplomat life work. This, in fact, is his first experience as a "trailing spouse." Our previous postings were driven by his assignments, and I was fortunate enough to find tandem assignments along the way so I was able to keep working internationally. COVID in that way has had a major silver lining for us - it’s shown that even management positions based in Global Affairs headquarters in Ottawa are eminently tele-workable, and therefore he has continued in his position as Deputy Director for the Andean Region. Secretly I think he was looking forward to surfing every day during my posting, but his boss needed him, so we’ll have to confine the surfing to the weekends for now!

Walk us through your COVID symptoms, your diagnosis and most importantly, how you are doing now!
Right around the time of the election, I started to feel intense fatigue and had a minor fever. I thought initially that I was just exhausted from staying up late, waiting on Nevada and Arizona to finally declare a winner ;) But very quickly I just had a feeling that it was COVID. I had been extremely careful every day since March - masked, distanced, and single-handedly keeping the hand sanitizer industry in business. But I just knew that at some point I had been in an elevator with an un-masked person, or something like that, and I had caught it. I texted my boss straight a way and made an appointment for a test the next morning with my husband. I separated myself immediately from the rest of my family, and that seems to have made a difference because they all ended up testing negative and I was indeed positive. The next two weeks were really rough - difficulty breathing, lots of coughing, I totally lost my sense of taste and smell. I had a few nights of full-body crippling pain. As soon as I started feeling bad I ordered a pulse oximeter with overnight shipping, and that ended up being the best thing I did because the Global Affairs Chief Medical Officer was able to follow my symptoms remotely from Ottawa and determine the severity of my breathing issues in particular. Ultimately it took nearly a month to fully recover. I really had to take it easy, even on the days I was feeling better, because overdoing it would set me back a week. That was really hard for me because despite the great job my team was doing managing themselves, I felt like I couldn’t just disconnect completely - the show must go on as they say, and that was challenging. Three months later I still have lingering issues with my breathing and some coughing. For some it takes a long time for the lungs to heal fully, and I guess I am one of those. I have immense amounts of empathy for those who have been through COVID, or helped their family members through it. It’s a strange disease, even for those of us who have relatively “mild” cases and don’t end up in the hospital. For those with far worse cases, my heart goes out to you.

There are few resources on how to support employees who are COVID-positive or have recovered and are returning to the workplace. How do we break down the stigma to more effectively communicate with employees and our peers and how do we foster greater inclusiveness?
At the time that I contracted COVID, even though we were 9 months into the pandemic, I was the first person in my office to get it. And even though we have excellent procedures in place to ascertain and minimize the threat to other employees, as it should be, I feel that it is essential for management never to forget that employees are human being who are dealing with incredible amounts of stress, uncertainty and fear when being diagnosed with COVID. I asked my boss to disclose my name to all of our employees to destigmatize the disease and to really send a strong message that even if you are careful, you can still get it and it’s not your fault – you shouldn’t be treated like a Leper. I received a lot of e-mail from our local staff members thanking me for destigmatizing the diagnosis and sending a message that it is okay to come forward and disclose – in fact, it’s really important to do so, to keep everyone safe. That transparency also allayed concerns from the few staff members that have to be in the office these days, to let them know that the person with COVID wasn’t someone that goes into the office every day. Shortly before Christmas I hosted a virtual “Lunch and Learn” and invited all staff from our missions across the US to learn about my experience and give them an opportunity to ask questions, and more than 100 people joined me! My primary piece of advice for managers would be instead of asking “where did you get it?” (I have read that 3 in 4 people have no idea where they contracted it so that is rarely a salient question), I would suggest that your first question always be “how can we help?”. It’s important that managers educate themselves about the science behind those who have recovered and therefore have antibodies. Currently, given the challenges of rolling out the vaccine, I am taking advantage of the protection my antibodies are providing me by doing all the grocery shopping and dog walking for my family - having these hard-fought superpowers is another unseen benefit, but not worth the battle! Engaging with anyone in our lives who has been unfortunate enough to get COVID should be done intelligently - become familiar with the science, please.

What kinds of support does a person currently affected with COVID need and how can loved one's "be there" for them?
I was completely isolated in my bedroom for two full weeks with no contact with the rest of my family and ultimately that kept them safe. What I needed from a life-sustaining point of view of course was food – I also needed hugs but those were out of the question, which was particularly hard on my youngest daughter Naomi, who is the hugger in the family! Blair and the girls slid trays of food in through the door, masked up, while I was on the other side of the room with a mask on as well. Of course, I couldn't smell or taste any of it so my appetite diminished dramatically - but I have a good memory so I know how delicious hot dogs taste! But more than that, we’re fortunate these days to have easy virtual access to loved ones near and far and I found that many of my friends and family reached out daily to check on me, which was pretty amazing. Even a quick text was very appreciated, so if you know someone going through this, make sure you reach out to let them know you are thinking of them - it will go a long way. I was in constant contact with my wonderful boss who really communicated his empathy and caring to me, which was also key to me feeling like I could indeed take the time I needed to get better. Finally, my team and my girls’ school (!) sent me beautiful flowers, and let me tell you, when you’re confined to bedrest, having beautiful things to rest your eyes on when you’ve finally exhausted everything on Netflix and Prime, was very appreciated. For anyone dealing with COVID themselves, or with friends and family, I wish you all the very best for a quick and full recovery!

January 2021 Canadian of the Month
Josh Campbell
Founder of hi! Human Improvement

A native of Erin, Ontario, Josh has excelled at scaling global brands from coffee to cannabis to health and wellness. When he isn’t trying to redefine a category he is summiting peaks from Alaska to Africa. His current project is disrupting the powder protein market with a unique, simplified and sustainable system using insects.

He founded hi! Human Improvement after he served as President of dosist, a world leader in dose-control technology. Prior to that, the managing director of Canada for the Amplifon Group, a world leader in wellness technology treating hearing loss. Before that, Josh was vice president of retail at Saje Natural Wellness, a Vancouver-based contemporary wellness retailer. At Starbucks, he oversaw retail development in the Canadian market. Josh graduated with honors from Wilfrid Laurier University with a bachelor of business administration and is a Certified Management Accountant (CPA, CMA).

What brought you to LA?
Besides the great weather? I originally moved to LA to lead the health and wellness company, dosist.

How did you get into protein powder and tell us about the key ingredient - insects!
While I was running the health and wellness company, dosist, I was looking for my next challenge. What could I put my capital and time towards that would truely make a dent in the universe and make my future children proud? I started looking at the alternative protein market (Impossible Foods, Beyond Meat) and I was astounded to see how little nutrition was in their products compared to the traditional meat based versions. I found out that the most sustainable protein is actually an ancient one - insects! Incredibly nutritions with minimal environmental impact. The challenge of course was the negative stigma. This is a challenge I have overcome before - from coffee, to essential oils and, most recently, to cannabis. Insect protein solves a major problem with traditional protein (digestion) so that is where we started.

You're an expert in scaling companies and have worked in such a wide variety of fields. How do you choose the company or product?
I always look for them to solve an accute problem. 

What advice do you have for our members who are looking to scale their business?
Have a clear understanding of who your custmers are and ensure you have strong unit economics. Couple that with "A players" and you are off to a good start!

How has business been for you during COVID and how are you managing to keep busy?
Scaling a business during the pandemic has been an exercise in lean operations. Getting physical outside everyday is critical for all of our sanity! I can't over emphasize the need to get your heart rate up, along with some sunshine.

You are a proud Canadian and big supporter of Canadians Abroad. What do you tell your American friends about Canada?
I encourage everyone to go and visit! 

You love to travel! Where do you plan on traveling to once COVID restrictions are lifted?
CANADA! I miss Vancouver and my family in Toronto. 

December 2020 Canadians of the Month
Joseph & Josh Shavit
Father & Son

Joseph, what brought you to the
US from Canada and how did you
become part of Canadians Abroad?
I came down to the US in 1998 to work for the Los Angeles Times as their General Manager of Online Real Estate. They recruited me because I was the founder of the Canadian Apartments for Rent Online and had specialized skill and knowledge that they needed as they were starting to build out their own online classified ad strategy in Real Estate. I came across Canadians Abroad early on through my sister who had attended an event or two early on when she moved down here several years earlier. I didn't really know anyone at CA when I attended my first event (a film screening and director Q&A in Hollywood). I connected with a few folks and decided that attending a few more events would be fun. The people I met were all friendly and inviting so it was easy. Probably a year later, someone I knew suggested that I join the Board of CA because my technology and internet experience could be beneficial as they looked to expand their digital experience. I applied, met with a few board members and was accepted. It was a fabulous eight years or so that I spent on the board.

How did you come up with the idea?
I was thinking about Good News for many many years before I actually brought the idea up to Josh. Having worked with the LA Times for over eight years I had a lot of insight into "how the sausage was made" and over the subsequent years, like most people I suspect, felt that the news was getting darker, more divisive, pointed and binary. It became hard to watch both cable and broadcast news. Online news and especially socially promoted news was even worse. So somewhere around the beginning of the year, Josh and I were discussing what I do for a living and what he could do to broaden his passion of the internet and technology. The idea formed very quickly, let's create a socially responsible website and newsletter focusing on the good news that is out there, but just doesn't get promoted well enough. A program to brighten people's day while expanding his knowledge of digital tools and revenue models.

Do you manually review each story or have you been able to automate the process and how do you decide what story makes the cut?
We scan over 400 reputable media websites from around the world each day. We leverage both news aggregators as well as individual websites and RSS feeds to assist us in aggregating the news. We are in the process of building some proprietary software to even further automate the aggregation of candidate stories and through semantic sentiment analysis refine the number of candidate stories each day. However, in all cases, we will continue to manually scan and curate the stories that we publish. We feel that this is very important because automated systems built today are not very good. Too many redundant stories, duplicate stories and stories that aren't actually good but get swept up through poor keyword search algorithms. We want the 20 stories a day that we promote to be the best stories available that day, spanning across human interest, global impact, innovation, discovery and green good.

Josh, how do you balance school, homework and managing the site?
Some days are better than others, but school work always comes first. That includes after-school programs like jazz band where I'm one of the lead trumpets. I'm lucky that my dad can swing in and pick-up some of the slack during tests and exam times. My dad runs the content side but I review the stories with him before he posts them. I create the newsletters and work on our social postings. It's definitely a team effort and not unusual for me to be pushing social posts at 9 pm.

What tips do you have for parents who have children wanting to pursue a small business idea?
Try to make it fun and have the child be integral in the decision making. Guide don't dictate. However, they need to take ownership and it's a great opportunity for them (under little pressure) to learn the concepts of responsibility, accountability and teamwork. Let them take on as much responsibility as they want to but always make sure that their school work comes first.

How do people submit an idea or story to you?
Ideas can be submitted through our website: http://www.thebrighterside.news or via comments within our social media presence on Facebook, Twitter and Linkedin. Links to those pages can be found on our website as well. Links can also be found on our daily newsletter. People can subscribe to the newsletter at: https://www.thebrighterside.news/subscribe

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-brighter-side-of-news/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/The-Brighter-Side-of-News-110644547341004

Twitter: https://twitter.com/brighter_news

November 2020 - Canadian of the Month
Anne Bedian
Actor & Veteran

Canadian born actress Anne Bedian didn’t start her young career in the arts, but rather in the military as a soldier. Bedian served in the Canadian Armed Forces at the age of 17 as a Bosn. She was one of the first women to enter that trade, which included training for demolitions, small arms, firefighting and chemical warfare. She was the youngest member on board the HMCS Nipigon, the first warship to employ women. Oddly enough in her theatrical acting career playing a variety of roles ranging from cops, psychics, waitresses – she has never portrayed a soldier.

However her proficiency for speaking several languages and incredible range of dialects has served her artistic career well. Bedian is fluent in English, French, Armenian, Spanish, German and self-taught reading Hebrew and Russian, and is also skilled at performing roles which require dialects including Middle Eastern and European.

Anne began both her Meisner training and her career in her hometown of Montreal, then moved to Toronto and then to New York where she furthered her Meisner training with Ron Stetson of the Neighborhood Playhouse, before finally landing in Los Angeles. 

Being a veteran, tell us what Remembrance Day means to you?
As a civilian today (and have been for many years), Remembrance Day definitely evokes my past and gives me pause to both reflect and feel a very special sense of pride that I belong to this "club" of men & women who have served their country. My most formative and important years were spent as a soldier and for that, I have to thank the Canadian Navy. 

You served in the Canadian Armed Forces at the age of 17 as a Bosn, which included training for demolitions, small arms, firefighting and chemical warfare. What was it like to break into that position as such a young person and as one of the first females?
It was the most fantastic experience EVER. Canada was exemplary and ahead of many other countries with regards to opening up trades to women, posting women on combat ready warships versus supply ships only. I have to admit, recruiters were a little surprised at my trade choice and although no one discouraged me, some did have a look on their face as if to say " are you really sure about this...?"

You've received a medal for serving in NATO - what was your experience like in NATO and what advice do you have for those looking to serve in the Forces?
I used to see young soldiers from other countries with several medals pinned on their uniforms and found out they were given to them for having graduated or passed various training or classes. We didn't have that in Canada. So when I got a medal, I was shocked and confused. Apparently, in my three years of service, I had sailed 180 days (or over) on NATO tours and that had qualified me. 
Imagine it's 1990, the Nato fleet made up of approximately eight ships from different countries is sailing in formation, and seven ships are trying to have a peek at the Canadian destroyer because it's the only ship in the fleet with women and alcohol. Everyone wanted to be us! No, I stand corrected. The Deutsch had alcohol. And they didn't have to cut their hair. I mean, the men's hair was longer than most women's! Looked quite strange in a uniform but we got used to it :)

You speak English, Armenian French, German and Spanish and self-taught in reading Hebrew and Russian! How did you learn them all and what tips do you have for picking up a new language?
When you grow up in Montreal and come from immigrant parents, you will most likely be taught three languages simultaneously: French, English and your parents' native language. As luck (or misfortune I had thought at the time) would have it, I was forced to begin studying Spanish in high school. Compared to Armenian, Spanish was a breeze, especially with having French as a background. Studying German was an elective I chose in university after my three years of military service. During a Nato tour, I realized that the German ship and its crew were kept a little bit at arm's length by the other countries' sailors. Sometimes even teased with chants such as " Two world wars and one world cup dooda dooda...". Not only did the Germans receive us Canadians like royalty onboard their ship but were friendly, kind, hospitable and eager to share/exchange trade skills and culture. I kept in touch with some of them and promised that one day I would call them and speak to them in German. And I did. 

With such an incredible career in serving in the Forces and being such a skilled linguist, why acting?
The nudge for acting preceded the military. At the time, I could not convince my parents to let me pursue a career as an actress.  

How did you make your break acting in Hollywood? 
I climbed small hills till it turned into a mountain. Started on the homefront in Montreal, once I was established there within the industry, I used that resume and experience to get an agent in Toronto. I duplicated that process in Toronto to get me to New York. I duplicated that process in New York to get me to Los Angeles. Perseverance, perseverance, perseverance. Thank God for my military discipline, that's all I can say.  

What was it like working on Curb Your Enthusiasm and with Larry David?
Like making history. And we did! All I can say is that before LD, my people had a hard time getting me into a room for comedy. I kinda understood as my background and experience was heavy with dramatic roles and nothing funny really. Then Larry thought I was funny enough for his show. It's definitely made it way easier to go up for comedic roles.  

What are you working on now? 
I worked on a film called The Attempt and it went to both Cannes and Vienna Film Festivals. As a descendant of genocide survivors, taking on the role of an Armenian woman in 1915 hardly required any "role research" or even acting, to be honest. 
That this film is currently winning awards and screening around the world at this critical time for Armenia is almost eerie. I have not been able to enjoy the success of this film, which I am extremely proud of, because as I write this, a genocide is being "Attempted" again by Turkey and Azerbaijan. The soldier in me has woken up, the actress has taken a seat. 

More info for tv & film credits on IMDB: https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0619549/?ref_=nmbio_bio_nm

October 2020 - Canadian of the Month
Merley Greenidge
Owner, Celebrate Sweetly

Before moving to California, Merley worked as the Coordinator of the Immigrant Women’s Program for OCISO. She brought a unique approach to the task of helping newly immigrated women integrate into Canadian culture.
Some notable programs included working with the local YMCA to designate swimming time and to creatively cover the area so Muslim women could comfortably enjoy the activity without concern of being exposed to the opposite gender.
Collaborated with the local health department to design a program that paired female doctors and nurses (from Ethiopia, Egypt, Somalia, etc.) who were unable to practice in Canada with primarily pregnant immigrant women who were uncomfortable accessing the prenatal care they needed. Another major project was working with communities to engage in a discourse around the highly culturally sensitive issue of female genital mutilation.

Black History Ottawa, Coordinated several program for this non-profit organization that celebrates the contributions of people of African descent to the Canadian Mosaic.

Fontonfrom, Created and hosted a local television program for Rogers Community Television. Highlighting the African-Canadian community. Won two awards – Outstanding Community Host and Outstanding Community Program. Proud to say that the show is still going on 20 years later.

Merley is a Certified Gift Designer who has won several gift design awards presented by the National Gift Basket Association – a network organization for the gifting industry. Having lived in Ghana, Canada, and now the US, she brings a different approach to gifting. Her love of learning about different cultures lends itself to a more diverse perspective. She is multilingual (English, French, Spanish, Ga – a Ghanaian language)

“I think of gifting in any company as an extension of their marketing. Saying thank you is a natural part of doing business and I encourage people to do it often and to do it well. Our niche is in helping clients do just that”.

Giving Back, Merley is an active member and Ambassador of the Greater Conejo Valley Chamber of Commerce. She is a also a member of the Conejo Compassion Coalition, a local non-profit that aids the most vulnerable in our communities both locally, nationally and globally. She has been helping feed the homeless in the community through this organization for over the past ten years.
Recently joined the Leadership Team for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society MWOY(Man & Woman of the Year) 2021 campaign. The objective is to raise awareness and funds for their continued research to eradicate blood cancers.

My Approach, I’m an out-of-the-box thinker, a passionate creative who thrives on optimism. I view failure as a fantastic opportunity to learn. I’m a firm believer in showing gratitude which can be as simple as sending a handwritten note or a tangible gift. As my tagline says “Life is Sweet, Celebrate Everything”. I try to do this everyday with my husband and 3 daughters.

What brought you to LA?
My husband had a job opportunity that brought us to Thousand Oaks. I do have to admit that even though moving meant I would have to put my career plans on hold, the gift of not shoveling snow in a cold Ottawa winter was a winning proposition.

Where did the idea for your business come from?
The idea was very organic and a natural fit to my hospitality background. I’ve always been the ‘gift whisperer’ in the family. I knew all the birthdays and made sure to send cards and gifts at the appropriate time. I meticulously planned and coordinated our daughters birthday parties and always put together gifts for friends, teachers, etc. The act of appreciation combined with a thoughtful gift can create a lasting impact and it’s something I absolutely love and enjoy. By word of mouth people started requesting my services for their celebrations. Whenever people received gifts from me, they in turn would ask me to put together gifts for them. The recipients of the gifts would then reach out and ask for gifts for their friends. The turning point was when my husband received a holiday gift from a client and it was one of the big box store gifts that people generally gift because they feel the need to gift but do not necessarily have the time or ideas of what to gift. I knew I could curate gifts with a personal touch that would let the recipient know that there was some thoughtfulness behind the gift. Since joining my chamber of commerce in 2013, I have built a base of small local and mid-size businesses and we focus on helping them speak the language of appreciation with carefully curated custom gifts.

How has COVID-19 impacted your operations?
COVID-19 brought our operations to a screeching halt and due to the ongoing uncertainty of this pandemic, I honestly did not know whether the business would survive. It’s taken a few months but as with any situation, we learn to adjust. Our pivot is to offer our clients virtual event boxes, morale boosting boxes and so on. Despite what’s going on in our world, right now is still a great time to send a gift to simply let someone know they are appreciated. The holiday season is traditionally our busiest time of year so we are gearing up to make sure our clients know we are ready to serve them.

Tell us about being an Entrepreneurial Person Of Colour (EPOC) and some of the challenges you have encountered.
I’m not sure if there are any specific challenges I’ve encountered that are attributed to being an EPOC. There was a time when people seemed surprised that I was from Canada. My response to the ‘’you have an accent” comment is that accents are geographical. Traveling across the US alone is proof of that. I do however believe that the experience of having lived on two continents and thee countries affords me a unique perspective that translates directly into my way of approaching life in general and how I also operate as a business owner. It’s a balancing act.

Do you have baskets for Canadians wanting to give to loved ones during the Thanksgiving season?
Our newly launched “California Unboxed” which features some fabulous artisanal small batch items would be a great one to send. Visit: www.celebratesweetly.com

If you could immigrate to the US all over again, would you?
Well, times have definitely changed from when we first arrived. What was initially a three year plan turned into 23 years. Three daughters later, job changes and starting a family business, we’re still here. Our roots have grown deep in California and we continue to marvel at the opportunities and experiences we get to enjoy. Sitting on the beach in December never gets old and driving through Malibu Canyon is still breathtaking. As with anything, we take the good with the bad. Canada is still home and we make it a point to get back as often as we can to visit our families in Ottawa and Toronto. As the saying goes “The present is to be present in the present” and in this very moment, I believe I’m exactly where I need to be.

What advice do you have for starting your own business?
Go For It! There’s no wrong or right time to start. Surround yourself with a support system, find mentors and don’t be afraid to ask for help. Running your own business is hard work and failing is a part of the learning process. Be passionate about what you want to do and understand that it’s a long game. Do your homework, be flexible and stay open to change (the pandemic has been a perfect example) as there will be ebbs and flows. Whatever you do, do it with integrity. Keep in mind that people do business with people they know, like and trust, so invest in building solid relationships with your clients.

September 2020 - Canadian of the Month
Leora Smith
Humanities Teacher, Milken Community Schools

Leora Smith is a Humanities teacher at
Milken Community Schools in Los Angeles. Born in Vancouver, Leora holds a B.A. in U.S. history from McGill University, a Bachelor of Education from the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education at the University of Toronto. Before moving to LA, she taught French and drama for the York Region District School Board. She credits her amazing Canadian education and training for her success as a teacher in the United States and brings a unique perspective to the teaching of American history and literature. She lives in Los Angeles with her husband and two children.

What brought you to LA?
I am originally from Vancouver and really missed being on the west coast. Five years ago, my husband and I decided that we wanted an adventure and, honestly, a break from the winter. We had been traveling to California every year, and really fell in love with the city's vibrance and laid-back lifestyle. I am a dual citizen and we already had family in LA, so it was a logical choice and an easy transition for us to move out here. We have been enjoying the sun and ever since.

Is there a difference between teaching styles in Canada vs. the U.S.?
I feel I am very privileged to have studied and had formative teaching experience in Canada as they have really guided my teaching philosophy and allowed me to be an innovative perspective at my school. Ontario's approach to education is particularly progressive and its research, grounded in equity and student-centered learning permeates down to the educational policies of school boards and into the school itself. While educators' commitment to excellence in teaching and serving one's students is ultimately the same in both countries, there is a definite difference in how we approach fairness in the school systems and prepare them equitably for participating in society.

Tell us about your experience in working in the private school system here in LA.
I had worked in private and independent schools in Vancouver and Toronto and the cultures are pretty similar. There, as well is here the benefit is having an abundance of resources and a student population that tends to be economically privileged. What I love about my school is their commitment to leading with their values and mission. We expect our students to use that privilege to do good in the world which really translates into every decision made that impacts school life, from curriculum to campus life, to behavioural expectations. I am lucky, particularly in this time of pandemic, that my school is nimble and has the resources to adapt to the needs of this reality. I am well aware that public schools do not have that capacity and I am concerned that this will further widen the gap between those of means and those without.

What are your preparations like for this upcoming fall session and what you expect to be the biggest challenges ahead?
When we went to distance learning in the spring, I already had established relationships with my students and they, more or less, understood my expectations. We had established a class culture that could be mostly translated into a Zoom environment. I am working to translate and tailor a lot of my curriculum to be effective from a distance and really thinking about how to build relationships and a supportive class environment with a new group of students. Academics are really only one part of one's education so working hard to be relational will be a challenge and perhaps an opportunity for growth.

What tips do you have for parents with children in virtual schooling, such as yourself!
I also have two elementary school-aged children at home who are distance learning so I am completely empathetic to parents during this stay-at-home era. Advice that I would give is that school happens one day at a time so try to focus on priorities and goals that are achievable and not to get overwhelmed by the big picture. Take wins when you can and know that kids are resilient and that this situation is temporary. Obviously depending on the age of the student they can be more or less independent, but checking in with them about what they learned or experienced and teaching them to advocate for themselves with their teacher is key to building up their competencies as a student and putting less pressure on yourself to micro-manage them.

What tips do you have for students in virtual schooling?
Get to know your teacher and speak up whenever you need anything. Teachers want to help and want their students to learn. So especially in this environment, reaching out and being connected will make it easier to be successful. Also, having a planner or digital calendar, and using it, will help you to stay on top of assignments when time seems to blur together.

What do you tell your own children about Canada and being Canadian?
When we moved to LA my kids were 4 and 6 so they remember a little of living in Canada. My husband and I try to teach them about geography and culture. The Toronto Raptors, Alanis Morisette, and the Tragically Hip feature prominently at our house. We try to instill Canadian values such as being responsible to one's society and the embrace of diversity is what makes a country great. Of course, Canada Day is a big deal. We moved to LA on July 1st so that day has special meaning for us as immigrants. We will go crazy with red and white and introduce our American friends to Canadian particularities like All Dressed chips and Coffee Crisp.

August 2020 Canadian of the Month
Justin Wu
Director & Photographer

Justin forewent a conventional career in sciences and business after being scouted and signed as a commercial and portrait photographer. Justin has worked and lived internationally for almost a decade, but he was born in Toronto, Canada. Along the way, he discovered his passion for film and became a director for television and digital commercials. 

Throughout his career, Justin has worked with brands and established talents including Vogue, L’Oreal Paris, Dior, Ferragamo, Victoria Beckham, Jeremy Irons, Willem Dafoe, Susan Surandon, Joaquin Phoenix, and more. In addition to his work, Justin often gives back to his community and is a frequent collaborator of the United Nations. His professional and philanthropic pieces received recognition from the press including CBS News, MTV, Variety, GQ, Entertainment Tonight, amongst others. Justin's narrative short films have also won awards at Academy recognized film festivals.

This fall, Justin is about to direct his first serialized episode on a Netflix show with ambitions to get into the feature space. He is currently co-writing feature films and directing a feature documentary for the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR).

How did you go from a conventional career in science and business to being scouted as a commercial and portrait photographer?
While I was in first year University, one of my floormates was an art major. At that time I was beginning to dabble in photography as a hobby. But it quickly became a passion and he gave me the confidence to pursue the arts. He helped land my first private gallery show — a first for a non-art student then.
When I moved away from science to business, I put my work out on every platform I could. I gave myself the opportunity to be discovered. As luck would have it on my last year of University I was scouted by an agency in Toronto which lead to me in that direction.

How do you continue to stay relevant in the industry?
Research, Review & Experiment. I think it’s important to keep an eye on all parts of the market, to try to push your own boundaries, and to understand your audience. Knowing where, when, what, and how to put your work out there is just as important as your art piece itself. 

How has COVID affected your work and industry?
Without doubt it’s been devastating. As much of our work requires face-to-face contact in close proximity, we had to shut down abruptly. It has required us to develop new methods including shooting virtually so we maintain the highest standards of quality while staying safe. It will be interesting to see how this will affect our industry long-term. 

Who was your favourite celebrity to work with and why?
I’ve been fortunate to work with many talents I greatly admire and respect. A shoot I will not forget would be working with Joaquin Phoenix last fall on my awareness campaign for the United Nations Environment Programme. He is a passionate artist who stands up against injustice and I believe he is one of the best actors of our time. 

What does being a LGBTQ+ advocate mean to you and what steps are you taking to further this important cause?
As a gay man myself I have felt and known the discrimination and prejudice all my life. I had a challenging childhood and I want a better future for my LGBTQ+ brothers and sisters. As an advocate, I believe it’s my responsibility to speak up, stand up, and amplify LGBTQ+ voices. It’s only when we understand that we are all made equal will we be treated equal. 

Tell us about what it means to be Asian working in fashion, TV and the digital world and have you experienced racism?
It is challenging, but the industry is moving forward. I often felt my ideas are not taken seriously or I’m not invited to the table or judged based on merit. It also means that we have to fight for greater representation whenever possible. 

What advice do you have for hobbyists wanting to take their photography to the next level?
I’d recommend going taking some classes, online workshops, joining an apprenticeship, and experiment. It takes time to find your own style. I think the only way to know what you love and to take it to the next level is to learn and absorb as much as possible. 

What are you working on now? 
Besides my commercial work, I am working on a documentary for the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees to highlight the importance of refugees, writing a couple screenplays, and developing more awareness campaigns. I'm also excited to finally share that I'll be directing my first episode of television that will be on Netflix later this fall.

July 2020 Canadian of the Month
Renée Percy
Comedian, Actor, Writer

Renée started her career as “Pipi” on the wildly popular television series Degrassi High. Since then, her career has included acting, writing, standup and sketch comedy, as well as touring Europe performing Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night.

She has taped two live comedy specials, performed at numerous festivals, and has won both a Canadian Comedy Award and a Phil Hartman award. She has toured the country (that country being Canada) doing standup with the world’s largest chain of comedy clubs, Yuk Yuk’s, and was a writer and performer on, numerous Canadian television shows including being a series regular for four seasons on the hit sketch comedy show COMEDY INC. In the US, Renée has opened for the likes of Jeff Garlin, Preacher Lawson, Jamie Kennedy, Orny Adams, Michael Rapaport, and Yakov Smirnoff to name a few.

Her viral video “Sure Lock: A True Poo Story”, has been viewed over 13 million times, was the most watched comedy video on YouTube. She is a regular sketch performer on Jimmy Kimmel Live (ABC), and can be seen most recently in The Thundermans (Nickelodeon), The Goldbergs (ABC), Workhaholics (Comedy Central), I Didn’t Do It  (Disney), Austin & Ally (Disney), Making History (FOX), Mom (CBS), and as a series regular in a new sketch comedy show Now We Know by the creators of King of the Hill and Silicon Valley.

How did you get into comedy and what brought you to LA?
The same things that bring most people, the dream of fame, fortune, and Pinkberry!  I’ve always been into comedy. I used to think I was going to be an ac-TOR and be on the stage at Stratford, but even when I was performing Shakespeare, I was always drawn to the comedic parts. I didn’t care as much about getting flowers backstage from admirers, as I cared about getting laughs on stage. The first time I caught the comedy bug was when I was 13.  

I was on a little Canadian TV show called Degrassi High, and in between seasons they would hold a talent show where everyone would perform an act of their choice in front of the rest of the cast and crew to give the writers ideas of things to write for us (when I say “us” I mean the rest of the cast because I basically just walked the halls for two years). For some crazy reason I got it into my head that I would do a standup comedy. I had never done standup before but I loved listening to standup albums (Steven Wright, Eddie Murphy, and Bill Cosby before he was gross). It was the night before the talent show and I had absolutely nothing. My dad stayed up with me all night writing jokes. I was cursing myself for having no other discernible talent. The other girls were doing lip syncs, or gymnastic routines and for some reason I thought I could write an entire standup set the night before to perform in front of the producers of the most popular Canadian television show. I was so nervous, I remember being backstage wondering if I could break my arm by slamming it in the door so that I didn’t have to go on. I went on and killed. And it’s been all downhill since then;) The only joke I remember from that set was: “Can you imagine if Patrick Swayze and Swoosie Kurtz got married? Every time she’d introduce herself, “Hi, I’m Swoosie Swayze” people would be like “Whoa lady, I think you’ve had enough!” 

Has humor changed from pre-COVID to post-COVID?
I think comedy is the same, but the things you can talk about have changed. Any material I did pre-Covid just seems so trivial now. Standup is basically a series of complaints and it’s hard to take any of my pre-Covid complaints seriously now.  People are dying, “Yeah, but don’t you hate it when your pool’s cold?!” 

What inspires your craft?
What inspires my craft? You make telling dick jokes sound very prestigious;) It’s mostly just me complaining on stage to a bunch of strangers because it’s cheaper than therapy. Comedy can come from four places: your outer self, your inner self, your environment, and your relationships. I just write about whatever is really going in my life. People think you need to look outside of yourself for comedy, but most of the universal truths and resonate with an audience come from within. 

Is there a difference between Canadian and American audiences?
I’d like to say that Canadian audiences are more polite, but to be honest, I’ve had some pretty harrowing experiences performing in parts of Canada. I honestly think is has more to do with the size of the town, or the education level of the audience, than it does which side of the border they fall on. 

How has performing comedy changed since the pandemic? 
Comedy shows have been moved on to Zoom. I am personally finding the transition very difficult since standup is a conversation with the audience. It’s much harder to connect with people who are on screen, with their volume muted. Half the time people don’t even have their cameras on so I’m just performing for a font. It’s Helvetica, so it’s at least a fancy font, but still, it’s nothing like performing for a live audience. 

Have you experienced gender differences in comedy?
Absolutely. But unfortunately I think you’d be hard pressed to find an industry where that isn’t the case. It’s definitely changing, but because comedy is traditionally an old boys club, there are still old relics from that way of thinking. 

There aren’t many jobs where you have to worry about someone yelling, “Show us your tits!” at work. It doesn’t happen as much any more, so either things are getting better, or, people just don’t want to see my boobs anymore. 

How do we watch you?
You can follow me on IG: @thereneepercy where I post all my upcoming shows! Also, here is a link to my last road gig opening for Jamie Kennedy in Springfield, Missouri right before the lockdown happened! If you want some pre-Covid humour to make you forget our current situation, check it out! https://youtu.be/VPrdeAT9Ouc

What advice do you have for hobbyists wanting to take comedy to the next level?
Take a class! I know there is some stigma around classes, “Funny is funny. You can’t teach it”. And to some degree that’s true, but just like any other writing form, standup has its own set of rules and structure just as a screenplay is different than writing a haiku. If you learn the tools, you’ll immediately be ahead of 90% of others who are just “trying to be funny”. I teach bunch of classes out of my own studio and some great classes at Flappers Comedy Club. They are all being done on zoom right now so you don’t have to be in LA to take them. I have  students in South Africa, Canada, and all across the US right now. Check out this link for all my upcoming classes: https://www.reneepercy.com/upcoming-classes.html

June 2020 Canadian of the Month
Kim Brunhuber
Anchor CNN International

Kim Brunhuber joins CNN International from the CBC, where he most recently served as the network’s senior correspondent and Los Angeles bureau chief. In that role he covered major U.S. and international news stories for the CBC’s television, radio and digital platforms, including the 2018 and 2016 Olympics, the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa, and the death of Nelson Mandela. In the U.S. he reported on the mass shootings in Las Vegas, NV and San Bernardino and Thousand Oaks, CA among others. His coverage of the 2017 fires in Southern California won a 2018 National Press Club Award in the journalism contest’s breaking news-broadcast category.

In his 13 years at CBC News, Brunhuber worked in both correspondent and anchor roles. Before moving to the network’s Los Angeles bureau in 2015, he was based in Toronto, presenting a number of CBC shows including the Saturday broadcast of The National and CBC News Network. He started his career in 1997 working at CTV in both Ottawa and Halifax, where he anchored, produced and reported on a number of breaking news stories including the crash of Swissair Flight 111.

Between his time at CTV and CBC, Brunhuber worked in Sierra Leone as a senior trainer for the media development organization, Journalists for Human Rights. While there he worked with local journalists on covering human rights issues such as child labor in the mining industry, female genital mutilation, and the country’s general election. He then spent the next several years working as a freelance correspondent and producer, filing news reports, live commentary and mini-documentaries from around the world, including countries such as Pakistan, Mali, Ghana and Afghanistan. 
A published author, Brunhuber earned both a bachelor’s degree and master’s degree in journalism from Carleton University. He is bilingual in French and fluent in Spanish. 

What brought you to LA?
In 2014, shortly after the birth of our son, my manager asked me if I was interested in heading up the CBC’s LA bureau. After much debate I finally agreed that as much as I loved trying to find my little Ford Focus buried somewhere under the snow drifts every winter, living in Los Angeles for a couple of years might indeed be worthwhile experience. I then twisted my wife’s arm and we’ve been here for about five years and loved just about every minute. The fact that I’m now leaving LA for a job as an anchor with CNN International in Atlanta is bittersweet.

How has your family adjusted with a small child during COVID?
We know people who have been directly affected, and our hearts go out to everyone whose health has been compromised and whose livelihood has suffered. We’ve been lucky that we’ve been able to work from home, my wife and I taking turns covering the news and teaching our son. In isolation I’ve learned several things about myself: the loss of every single sport l practice isn’t enough to compel me to take up jogging, I am absolutely capable of eating six main meals a day, and I will stoop to just about anything to beat my five-year-old at cards.

How is journalism different in the U.S. compared to Canada?
The biggest difference is the amount of access we’re granted. Here in Los Angeles, as members of the media we’re allowed to basically go anywhere during an emergency, which makes covering crises like fires much easier but also much more dangerous, particularly since I operate solo. When you’re dropped into a challenging situation by yourself with very few boundaries or guidelines, you have to rely on your training, experience and judgement to keep safe. I learned, for instance, that if you go into a house that’s burned down to the ground, work boots don’t stop nails if you step on them when they’re standing straight up. The other thing I’ve observed is that it’s so much easier to get a quote here in the U.S. There isn’t a subject in the world about which the average American feels uncomfortable opining. When asked to speak on-camera, the default for most Canadians is ‘no’ whereas here it’s almost always ‘yes.’

With racial unrest in the U.S. happening on top of a global pandemic, how do you decide which stories to cover?
It’s not often that two huge stories converge like this, and both could have immediate and long-term impacts on our lives. Covering the pandemic in the U.S. while my mom and most of my friends are in Canada has given me a unique window into how both countries are handling the epidemic, largely through the “do you have TP yet?” index. I’m lucky in some ways: I was formerly a health reporter with the CBC so I have at least a little background covering these types of stories, though of course I’ve never lived through anything like this. And issues of race and identity have always been of personal and professional interest; my novel Kameleon Mandeals directly with many of these themes. But no matter what issue I’m covering I always try to do pieces about real people behind the stories. Sometimes small scenes can be the best way to show our audience the big picture. And of course we always try to get a Canadian perspective on whichever story we’re covering.  

As a person of colour during these tense times, how do you deal with accusations that it’s difficult for you to stay objective as a journalist? 
I struggle with this question. I’m tempted to ask if it would be tough for a white journalist to cover stories affecting white people. I like to think that my experience as a person of mixed race has given me an insight into some of the nuances that others might miss and to avoid some of the stereotyping and assumptions that are often made during the reporting around these fractious issues. But even though I’m of African heritage and live in a predominantly African-American neighbourhood, I’m not African-American and I’ve never had to contend with the legacy of slavery, except indirectly. As a journalist I’m also aware of how hard it is to be an urban police officer. I went through a police training shoot-or-don’t-shoot simulation with the LAPD and what seems absolutely obvious from the outside is often fraught when you only have a few seconds in which to make a life-changing decision. But the death of George Floyd wasn’t that. 

Do you think we will see positive change come from all of this?
I’d like to think so but as the list of victims gets longer and longer, it’s hard not to be pessimistic. The growing political divide in this country is making even the most clear-cut moral cases into partisan issues. I’ve experienced race-based discrimination from police in Canada so it’s far from rare and obviously much more pervasive in the U.S. I do worry for my son once he gets a bit bigger and changes from “cute brown kid” to “black youth.” But I’ve personally never felt less discriminated against than here in LA, which is counter-intuitive considering our Canadian pride in “multiculturalism.” So there’s always hope!

May 2020 Canadian of the Month
Natalie Wray RN, MSN
Clinical Nurse Manager, Medical Intensive Care Unit, UCLA

Natalie Wray was born in New Westminster, BC and completed her Bachelor's in Nursing Science in 2006 in Vancouver. She began travel nursing in the US in 2007 and she moved to California in 2009. She earned her Master’s degree at Loma Linda University specializing as an Acute Care Clinical Nurse Specialist with certification in the critical care and palliative care specialties. She is now living in Santa Monica and working in the Los Angeles area.

From your own personal perspective, how is the situation looking on the frontlines in ICU?  
In the first weeks of the COVID-19 impact on Los Angeles new information was emerging very rapidly. The situation was changing by the day and there were many unknowns. We were working around the clock to learn how to adapt to new practices and protocols. Like most health care workers, this was the first time in my career that I was confronted with this type of crisis. Our nurses and ancillary workers faced new challenges that we never before had encountered. Our staff were fearing for their own safety and that of their families. The intensity of the workload was both physically and mentally taxing. Despite all of this, our unit rapidly adapted to the situation. 
I believe that this quote from the author Charles Eisenstein is enlightening: “Covid-19 is showing us that when humanity is united in common cause, phenomenally rapid change is possible”. This is what we now see on the frontlines in our ICU. We are adjusting to a new normal and are adapting to the constant change that this pandemic is bringing.  We are seeing incredible teamwork, creativity, and empathy among colleagues. We are seeing the bravery of our staff on display despite the fatigue, stress, and fear that this pandemic brings. Although we are in the midst of an international medical crisis with no recent precedent, care and compassion for our patients, families, and coworkers have remained the priority. Our healthcare workers are the source of our inspiration and are true heroes.

What advice do you have for people right now?
Know what you can do to protect yourself and others against COVID-19 and follow the recommended guidelines from the health authorities. Ensure social distancing, perform good hand hygiene, practice good cough and sneeze etiquette and most importantly stay home. Stay informed. Be kind to yourself and to others. Take this time to connect with your loved ones. Find activities that you enjoy doing. Stay present in the moment. Practicing mindfulness and taking situations as they occur while acknowledging the stress, anxiety or fear that you may feel will help during this challenging time.

What’s the hardest part about managing an ICU unit? 
The COVID-19 pandemic is this generation’s most significant medical challenge. This is particularly true in the ICU as we care for the most critically ill COVID-19 patients. The challenges are myriad, but this is our greatest moment. The amount of new information and the dynamic impact of this pandemic is both stressful and exhilarating. During this crisis, information is changing so fast and we all want to know that we are physically and psychologically safe. We know that when we do not feel safe, this impacts our mental and emotional well-being. I am especially grateful for our integrative practitioners, spiritual care colleagues, and mental health experts who have provided our staff with respite rooms, wellness resources, and resilience building tips. They have been helpful in sustaining us during this crisis.

Everyone talks about the ‘brain drain’ on highly trained people moving from Canada to the US. This is true in the medical and tech fields. What made you make the jump to LA?
After graduation from nursing school, I learned about travel nursing opportunities in the US. A good friend of mine who was also a recent nursing graduate thought it would be an exciting adventure and a great learning experience to leave home and work and travel in the US. We packed up our bags, said farewell to our parents (we were both still living at home at the time), and started our drive south to Tucson, Arizona where we started our first travel nursing assignment. Travel nursing has given me the opportunity to work in Santa Barbara and Los Angeles as well.

Your husband is also a liver transplant and cardiac anesthesiologist, tell us what you do to stay balanced at home? 
I don’t think we do anything out of the ordinary to stay balanced. We enjoy our days off and keep busy with hobbies, exercise and travel. We love getting out in nature and we go hiking with our dog every week. We have a great group of friends who share a love of travel with us. We make sure we socialize with our friends and family both here and in Canada. We cook and eat dinner together most days of the week. And we make time for plenty of date nights! 

What makes you most proud about being a Canadian? 
Canada embraces diversity and allows all residents to celebrate their heritage without discrimination or judgement. Canadians are universally recognized for being friendly, generous, and caring. We are great world travelers and are enthusiastically welcomed the world over. Canada also has, in my opinion, one of the best hamburgers in the world! In British Columbia, the restaurant White Spot makes the legendary White Spot Burger which is a must try local experience! 

April 2020 Canadian of the Month

Claudie Bolduc, MD, MPH

Senior Resident, Emergency Medicine, UCLA

Dr. Claudie Bolduc has a medical degree from McGill University, and is now a 3rd year resident in Emergency Medicine at UCLA. Prior to medical school, Claudie obtained a Master of Public Health Degree from UCLA, during which time she worked as a Graduate Student Researcher for the Center for Health Policy Research and also for a non-profit healthcare consulting firm. She was then selected to be a Health Systems Administrative Fellow at Sutter Health before working as a management consultant in healthcare strategy at ECG Management Consulting. She returned to medical school as a second career because in addition to working at a systems level she wanted to understand the realities of providing healthcare on a personal level. During medical school she was on the Board of the Quebec Medical Association (QMA) as a student representative and she pursued a research project in the area of disaster triage which she presented at the World Association of Disaster and Emergency Medicine (WADEM).

From your own personal perspective, how is the situation looking on the front-lines?
Honestly, compared to other parts of the country (notably NYC), I feel that we've been a little lucky in LA. We've had the luxury of more time to mobilize before the tsunami hit our doors and we have a society that in general is less physically dense than NYC (and thus transmissibility is less). So all in all, compared to what I've seen and heard from colleagues elsewhere being on the front-lines here in LA, albeit still scary, novel and dynamic, is not too bad.  
Perhaps by the time this is printed things will be very, very different in Los Angeles and that's the most unnerving part. Uncertainty can be even harder to deal with than just being thrown into a chaotic situation. As an ER doc, chaos is home and we've learned to go into a smooth autopilot mode when it's necessary. I think bracing for battle is, for us, more difficult than the actual battle.

What advice do you have for people right now?
Stay calm and rational, yet cautious. This is a Public Health crisis and it won't be solved without PUBLIC participation. We've already seen some evidence that social distancing and hygiene emphasis have been working so we know we CAN do this. 

At this point, we must sound like broken records, but here is the advice once more:
- Stay at home. 
- If you have mild symptoms, treat yourself with home remedies and practice complete social isolation from others in your family.
- When you go out (groceries for example), practice social distancing at all times (6 feet from people). 
- Wash your hands for 20 seconds. 
- Clean all surfaces with household products. 
- If you wore clothes outside, to the grocery store, to the hospital. Be careful when you take them off not to have the outside rub onto your face. Take them off at the door and crumple them before placing them directly in the wash and then washing your hands!
- Please, please, please don't touch your face. If wearing a mask makes you touch your face, don't wear the mask!

Everyone talks about the ‘brain drain’ on highly trained people moving from Canada to the US. This is true in the medical and tech fields. What made you come to LA?
I can't say I didn't feel guilty leaving Quebec, I did. I love Canada and especially Quebec (where I'm from). During medical school I felt especially passionate about working on some of the short comings of the healthcare systems there and still do. 
I moved to LA (not only for the weather, which does play a part), but also for the emergency medicine training. Emergency medicine residency programs are different in Canada. In addition, the birth place of my specialty is in LA and I wanted to be taught by the pioneers of the profession. I don't know where I will ultimately practice, but I do feel a sense of duty to offer service in one way, shape or form back to the country that helped shape and educate me. Working and learning both in the Canadian and American healthcare systems have been invaluable experiences. 

How does it compare working in private healthcare versus the Canadian universal healthcare system?
I don't work in "private healthcare". The US system is a patchwork of systems. I currently work and train mainly at two hospitals. One is an Academic not-for-profit medical center and the other one is a PUBLIC hospital run by the Department of Health and Human Services. The public hospital occasionally feels more like the system I am used to in Quebec. The waiting room wait times are longer than in the private non-profit sector for one. Resources are more limited. Patients don't always have access to a primary care provider. But, the private side is often disjointed. Not knowing where a patient will be admitted/transferred based on their insurance plan. Having patients express concern over their hospital bills, etc. There are pros and cons to both systems and much to learn from both. 

What do you do to relax after a long day?
I often do my "relaxing" before a long shift.... after work I am lucky if I make it through the door before falling asleep. I try to exercise, meditate, practice yoga or run on the beach. 

If people want to donate money or needed supplies, what and where should they do that?
We need masks and personal protective equipment (PPE), which can be sent here:
covid19ppesupport@mednet.ucla.edu - UCLA Health
medsupply@dhs.lacounty.gov - DHS
We also need blood donations - people aren't leaving their homes and therefore donations have trailed off when we need it most. Please consider getting out of the house for an hour and donating: https://www.uclahealth.org/gotblood/

What do you miss most about Canada?
Besides my family and the frenglish of Montreal, I miss Tim Hortons!

April 2020 Canadian of the Month

Liz Balian
Emergency Department Nurse 
Valley Presbyterian Hospital

Liz Balian was born & raised in Toronto, she graduated GBC in 2007 and began working at the Humber River Hospital ER shortly afterwards. Liz moved to LA in 2010, and after a couple years spent getting her bachelors degree in nursing, she began working at Valley Presbyterian Hospital, in the emergency department. 

From your own personal perspective, how is the situation looking on the front-lines?
Current situation is pretty tough to face from the front-lines. ER nurses are a tough breed, specifically the non-panicking kind. Truthfully, there isn't much out there that can scare us... That is until you're faced with your first pandemic. We're currently seeing a mixture of "sick" and "not sick" patients, but so much remains unknown, which is easily the scariest part. A lot of things are making me feel unsettled; will it get worse? will I get sick? will we run out of PPE? In short, the situation is scary, but we'll still put on our scrubs, we'll show up, and we'll figure it out. 

What advice do you have for people right now?
There is so much advice out there, and the best ones to listen to are from credible sources like CDC and WHO. However, I wouldn't't be doing my part if I didn't mention that you MUST STAY HOME, be mindful of any symptoms you may have, and wash your hands, not just now during a pandemic, but always. 

Everyone talks about the ‘brain drain’ on highly trained people moving from Canada to the US. This is true in the medical and tech fields. What made you make the jump to LA?
While I am aware of the brain drain, it wasn't the reason for my move to LA. I moved for my husband, who is from LA and works in the movie industry. Also, there was no way he could tolerate a Canadian winter. 

How does it compare working in private healthcare versus the Canadian universal healthcare system?
As a bedside nurse, I have provided the same quality care to patients, regardless of the healthcare system I was in. Of course the differences are plenty, but it doesn't change how I approach patient care.  

Tell us how you balance having two kids at home while working full time?
I day drink:) 
My daughter is 2.5 and my son is 1, which is essentially a small circus troop. I typically work 2-3 shifts a week, which has been the most perfect balance of mom and nurse life. My off days are spent doing a ton of activities with the kids, play dates, museums, and toddler groups. On my work days, I get to finish my coffee...   

What do you tell your kids about being Canadian?
My little girl is obsessed with hockey! Currently she only recognizes the LA Kings logo, but we're going to change that quickly.

What do you miss most about Canada?
I miss the city of Toronto, the warmth of the people (not the weather), and ketchup chips. 

March 2020 Canadian of the Month
Kelly Slattery 
Producer/Philanthropist 

Kelly Slattery, a native of Toronto and songwriter by trade, made an interesting progression from writing music for such companies as Lionsgate, CBS and Disney. To writing screenplays and producing films for some of the same studios, before stepping into her true place of passion, philanthropy. Kelly is currently working as the Director of Advancement with Venice Arts, and looks forward to significantly expanding support for its high-impact creative programs.
In the entertainment space, Kelly's first project was Down for Life, which premiered at TIFF. Subsequent projects, such as House of the Rising Sun and Cougars Inc., were Lionsgate releases followed by Hijacked and Breaking Wind, released by Anchor Bay. Kelly was a founding partner of Therapy Content, the production company for Dave Grohl’s, Sound City and Sonic Highways. There she developed and sold television projects including her biographical TV comedy co-created with Lee Aronsohn (co-creator of Two and a Half Men) to ABC. She has also worked as a consultant in film and TV, developing, packaging and setting up projects at various studios.

You have an interesting story of your first job in LA.
The very first day I arrived in America, I was an illegal alien and had heard about a job in Carlsbad, grouting floors, cutting and laying tile for $8/hr with a crew of Latino men. As you can imagine, I was delighted to get my first American job!
I had just arrived in the States and only had Canadian cash which was impossible to convert without a social security number and a bank account. So...off to Carlsbad I went, working with a lovely group of guys and returned with some American cash.
The irony of an illegal Canadian who moves in with a legal Mexican family working in construction was not lost on me, so I wrote a show about the whole experience and sold it to ABC Networks.

How did you get into producing and the film industry?
To help a dear friend of mine, who's now a huge composer, I created these Producer Networking Groups to introduce him to all the Producers and Directors I knew. These events quickly grew from 30 to over 150 people. I was connecting everyone to help them get their films made. Long and short, a friend pointed out that at one party, I'd found one film a large chunk of financing, connected another to an epic casting director, and introduced one to a company who would eventually distribute their film. They suggested that since I knew so many of the players, knew production and post production so well, why don't I produce? And so I did, although I was genuinely just happy to help. :)

Do you still do music?
Being that I moved here for music and did work in the industry as both a songwriter and a singer, it's a wonder that I no longer do music. It was my full-time job and passion for so many years, and I'm grateful that music brought me to LA where I found my hubby and daughter, but otherwise, I occasionally just write music with my daughter, and we sing in the car most days.

Tell us about your connection to Terry Fox?
Terry Fox is and will forever be my hero. When Terry first wrote to Adidas to request sponsorship, his letter ended up on my father's desk who was the VP of Adidas. He promptly copied it, framed it and put it up on our wall. He was so taken with this young man's commitment and we as Canadians, believe he's the true representation of all that's good in Canadians. As the years passed, unique Terry Fox pieces began to populate our walls and inspire our family. We like to say that Terry Fox is the crucifix on our walls, he's our religion.
After producing an action film for Lionsgate, that inevitably ended up in the sales bin at Walmart for $2.99, I decided to produce the first feature where all the profit goes to cancer research, which also will serve as the first feature on Terry Fox. Believe it or not, most Americans aren't familiar with Terry's legacy.

You are involved with a lot of charity work, what are your latest projects?
I truly believe I'm here to serve. I can honestly say, that's what fuels me each day. So it's no surprise to hear that I raise money for a non-profit, volunteer often with two others and sit on the Advisory Board of another.  The charities range from prison reform and helping kids who have a parent in prison (POPS The Club), to helping support underrepresented kids with opportunities to win in this life (Venice Arts, Echoes of Hope, Film2Future). Nothing happens overnight, but it feels good to know that we try everyday to create equitable scenarios for underserved communities.

You recently adopted a child, was it more challenging as a Canadian in the US?
My husband and I adopted a teenager from foster care. It was a lengthy and arduous journey for my heart.
We met our daughter when she was 15 at a Kidsave event and matched with her when she was 16. Quite unfortunately the courts put her back in a home that wasn't suitable for her, instead of allowing us to adopt her, we fought and fought but to no avail. Our daughter kept our phone number (although that wasn't allowed) and she reached out every few weeks, crying, upset and wanting to leave her placement. We felt so hand-tied and unable to help until too many bad experiences occurred and she came to us via an emergency placement. We're now in an adoptive placement with her and we're officially a family of three, plus two amazing dogs. As long as you have a green card, you can adopt in the US.

Has your daughter been to Canada yet?
Yes!  It took a few months to get Julie a passport, but when we did, we took off to Canada three days later to surprise my father (my mother was in on the plan). He had just completed radiation, it was his birthday and it was my parent's 50th wedding anniversary, there was plenty to celebrate!
My parents lost their minds, literally exploding with love for her, and Jules was so comfortable with them right out of the gate. A few days into our visit, my parents threw a party for 30 relatives to meet Julie. She was bombarded with hugs, gifts and loads of love. A few of my relatives showed Jule's where she's now added onto our family tree and Jules felt right at home. It was perfect, and so is our daughter. : ))

When we adopted our daughter, A&E and Kidsave were filming a docuseries to showcase how awesome these kids are, in order to show people that they should consider adopting older children. Here is a link that features our journey. If anyone is exploring adopting a child from foster care, my husband and I would be happy to help you navigate the process. It's an amazing adventure. Email us!

February 2020 Canadians of the Month

We’ve been watching them for years, playing college, national and international level hockey. A tale of two incredibly talented female athletes growing up in separate Canadian towns, but baring the same bold dream of one day playing professional hockey. After years of tireless dedication and sacrifice, they succeed. They united Canadians here in LA and worldwide in the 2018 Winter Olympics when they competed on the Canadian Women’s National Hockey Team against their rival, the US earning them a silver medal. We at Canadians Abroad are so incredibly honoured to showcase Sarah Nurse and Renata Fast both members of the Professional Women’s Hockey Players Association in this special and exclusive Q&A session. 

The highly anticipated Team Canada versus Team USA game will take place on Saturday February 8th, 2020 between one of sports longest standing rivalries. We are so pleased to be a partner with the Honda Center on it! This is a highly anticipated and may we say, a very cool opportunity for you to see Renata, Sarah and their incredible team compete once again against the US. Tickets are on sale here and include a VIP package with a pre-game for a Women in Sports panel featuring distinguished female athletes and post-game reception plus complimentary food and drink. 

This month, we are also partnering with the LA Kings for Canadian Heritage Night as the LA Kings take on the Edmonton Oilers on February 23rd, 2020. Every ticket purchase includes a free heritage scarf and access to a pre-game party! Tickets on sale now here! 

Got an idea for an interesting partnership or want to be showcased as our next Canadian of the Month? Send us an email and let us know: caabroadla@gmail.com

Thank you for your continued support of Canadians Abroad and we hope you enjoy reading! Go Canada!

Erin Buckley Burnett
Co-President

Sarah Nurse & Renata Fast 
Professional Women's Hockey Players Association 

Q. Renata and Sarah, tell us a bit about your experience at the Olympics, what you've learned and where you store your Olympic medal?!

RENATA - The 2018 Pyeongchang Olympics were incredible. My eyes were peeled open wide the entire time just taking everything in. One of the coolest experiences from the Olympics was being apart of a team larger then just our hockey team. Getting to know and cheering on our fellow Canadians in different sports was really neat. Although we were across the world in South Korea, it felt like we were home being surrounding by so many Canadian athletes and fans as well as feeling the support from everyone back in Canada. Walking around the Olympic village for two weeks straight wearing the Canadian logo with pride was special. I tried my best to soak in everything whether it be on the ice or walking around the Olympic village. I currently store my medal on a shelf in my bedroom alongside my NCAA Championship ring.
SARAH - The Olympics was so unique. It felt like we were in a bubble with hundreds of the best athletes, coaches and trainers in the world. Playing hockey, I’ve always been a part of a team but being surrounded by such incredible athletes and being a part of a greater Team Canada was such an honour and truly unforgettable. It was so cool being there and knowing how hard everyone had worked to accomplish their goals. While I was in South Korea I learned how respected and how much people from around the world love Canadians - I swear everyone wanted to trade pins and apparel and they wanted to know everything possible about our country which made me so proud! My medal has been through the ringer, everyone wants to see it. I don’t keep it anywhere special actually, when its not with me its usually just on the table by our front door for easy grabbing or in my sock drawer.

Q. Sarah, Canada and the US are the only teams to ever win gold at the Olympics. Talk to us about the rivalry between the two teams on and off the ice.
SARAH - I think our rivalry is the greatest rivalry in sports. This year we’re members of the PWHPA fighting for the same goals and I think that it's made us all realize that we don’t hate each other as much as we thought we would off the ice. I think that most of us have a great respect for each other off the ice and can have a great time together. However, when we're in that Team Canada/Team USA setting its a different story. We’re all fierce competitors and if it’s not a medal, our pride is on the line every time we face off. So even though we’re becoming a little bit more friendly off the ice, our on ice hatred is very very real.

Q. Renata, you've played hockey in both Canada and the US for the Clarkson Golden Knights squad that captured the 2014 National Collegiate women's ice hockey championship title. Is there a different style of play that you've noticed between Canadian and US players?
RENATA - Having the opportunity to play for the Clarkson Golden Knights and winning the 2014 NCAA title was a blast. Funny enough, the majority of my teammates and coaches at Clarkson were actually Canadian as well. When I compare Canadian and US players I don’t notice a huge difference in styles of play. North America in general has a similar style of play compared to some of the European countries, which have a different style of play. I would say from a youth hockey/developmental look, USA Hockey emphasizes a more individual skill program compared to Hockey Canada.

Q. Sarah, you've also played hockey in both Canada and the US for the Wisconsin Badgers. In fact, you were the first player in program history to score a "hat trick" against the Badgers archrivals, the Minnesota Golden Gophers. How does it feel to be back on US soil to take on the US Women's National Hockey Team?
SARAH - The hat trick was a neat achievement when I think about how many standout players were Badgers! Anytime we get to battle the Americans is fierce. They’re the games that we get really excited to play because it’s always a best on best match up. I’m excited to be a part of the Rivalry Series and to bring women’s hockey to the west coast! I think that the game in Anaheim will be pretty special and I hope that they can break the record for the most fan attendance for a women’s hockey game (which I believe my alma mater actually holds at Wisconsin?). It’s going to be great to bring the game to a market that we rarely get exposed to, and after the snowstorm today I’m excited for some sun!

Q. Renata and Sarah, you've both played hockey pretty much on every level and have achieved ultimate success. What have you set your ambitions on for next?
RENATA - It’s been an amazing journey thus far and becoming an Olympian was a dream come true. I definitely have my eyes set on the 2022 Winter Olympic Games in Beijing, China and bringing a gold medal back home. I’m also ambitious in fighting for a sustainable and viable professional women’s hockey league that displays the best talent from around the world. It is an exciting time for women in sport and we are pushing barriers to grow our sport. Seeing a professional hockey league similar to the WNBA would be very rewarding.
SARAH - Earning an Olympic medal was something that I have wanted to achieve for as long as I can remember and I feel very fortunate to have done so at such a young age, because it’s given me a new perspective of what I truly want for my future. Obviously with the current state of women’s hockey, a lot of my time, energy and focus has been on speaking about and raising awareness about the PWHPA and our pursuit to create a sustainable league for little girls to dream of playing in. Although I do think I’ll still be playing for a few years to come, I’ve taken a real interest in broadcasting, as a potential future career path, and have been able to be a guest on a few broadcasts with Sportsnet in Canada. Lastly, a long shot, bucket list goal is to make an appearance in a Hallmark Christmas movie! (My mom has them playing all day long starting November 1st)

Q. Sarah, you hail from a tribe of athletic powerhouses. Your cousins are Darnell Nurse, a professional ice hockey defenceman for the Edmonton Oilers in the NHL, and Kia Nurse, a basketball player for the Canadian national team and the Connecticut Huskies. Your uncle is Donovan McNabb, who played as a quarterback in the NFL, mostly with the Philadelphia Eagles. Your other uncle Richard Nurse, was a wide receiver for the Hamilton Tiger-Cats. Did sports always come easy to you and what advice, if any did your family give you?
SARAH - Sports were so important and something that my family has always shared. Within 4 years there were five of us born (Darnell, Kia, my brothers Elijah & Isaac, myself) and so we’ve always had buddies to play and compete with. I’ve always been taught to play my best every time I stepped on the ice, on a court or on a field and at a young age I realized that if I did that I was usually one of the top performers. I grew up playing hockey, soccer, lacrosse, volleyball, basketball and running and being a multi-sport athlete has helped me be the hockey player I am today. I’ve always discouraged single sports specialization at young ages, I think that kids need a break and to immerse themselves in different environments to really reach their full potential as athletes and avoid burnout. I would encourage to try everything! When I was born my family thought that I was going to be a guaranteed basketball player, and so did I until I tried soccer and then hockey - basketball would actually be my last pick! I feel very blessed to have grown up in a family where we all share the love of sport.

Q. Renata, what words of wisdom do you have to share to our over 5,000 members here in California and their children who are looking to take their sport from a hobby to professional?
RENATA - The most important thing for me is making sure you love what you are doing. If you are passionate about your sport and have the drive and desire to make it more than just a hobby, understand that at times things can get tough but your passion for the game is what will allow you to stick through those tough times. Finally, playing professional sports doesn’t last forever, there is a time where everyone must move on, so enjoy the moment and the people who are a part of your journey. Dream big, enjoy the moment! 

Don’t forget to follow Renata and Sarah on social media! Instagram & Twitter: @renatafast and @nursey16

August/2019 Canadian of the Month
Lisa Partridge
CEO of XYPRO

Originally from Kingston, Ontario Lisa moved to Calgary during the oil boom in the 1980s. After graduating high school and briefly attending the University of Calgary, Lisa’s journey took her to London, England where she lived and worked for several years. Lisa started with XYPRO in the early 90s in the sales organization and assumed responsibility for the Sales and Marketing function as Vice President in 1997. Instrumental in XYPRO’s growth and leadership position in the HPE NonStop security world, Lisa was promoted to President in 2011 and assumed the role of CEO in 2014 following a management buyout of XYPRO’s founders. Lisa is a seasoned professional with hands on experience in many areas of running and growing a software development organization, with a focus on employee engagement, customer relationship building and strategic product management decisions.

What brought you to LA?
Like many of life’s journeys, I got to Los Angeles indirectly and unexpectedly. When I was a high schooler in Calgary, I had an inspiring teacher who often talked about her experiences in the Student Work Abroad Program (SWAP), which enabled her to live and work in the UK for a couple of years via a special working holiday maker VISA for commonwealth countries. I couldn’t wait to do the same thing! I had the time of my life and eventually ended up at a company that had a sales distribution relationship with XYPRO Technology. I was able to get to know the folks at XYPRO and following some product training they invited me to stay on and sponsored me for the coveted Green Card. Having never imagined living in the States, let alone glamourous Los Angeles, California, I was thrilled. I am forever grateful.
When I think back on it now, having that particular teacher changed the trajectory of my life.

Tell us about your career path to CEO.
I started out on the sales side of the organization here at XYPRO, which was a much smaller company at the time. In small companies, everyone pitches in to help in every area and so I learned a lot about what’s involved in running a software company, supporting customers, coming up with product ideas, networking, etc. The market for our solutions was a relatively small, very niche group that uses a particular “big iron” server for high volume online transaction processing. Our customers are 100% B2B, Fortune 500 companies. As we ventured more into Cybersecurity, we were definitely early players in the space and our business grew slowly but steadily. I was allowed to be quite autonomous in how I built up the sales organization and distributor network, moving into an officer level role as VP of Sales and later promoted to company President. As the company founders realized they wanted to retire, I was approached to gauge my interest in a management buy-out, which I did do with my partner and then VP of sales based in Canada. In 2014 that deal was closed and I became the CEO.

What advice do you have for women wishing to enter the tech space and rise to a C-suite position?
I think I was lucky to be working for a company in the early 90’s that was really just getting started in a new space, not quite a startup and certainly nothing like the startup culture we have now. That environment gave me the freedom to learn via experience. I took advantage of a real opportunity to grow and that’s what anyone wants, really. Opportunity.
In technology, there are more jobs than there are qualified candidates, so companies like mine spend a lot of resources recruiting and ensuring employee benefits are progressive and competitive and that the company culture and work environment are positive. Employee engagement and retention of the best contributors are the goals. So my advice for women who aspire to a career in tech is the same advice I’d give anyone: Get the right education and experience under your belt and do your best work. I would also personally recommend patience. I find the current 20-somethings are too anxious to get promoted or receive pay increases after short periods of time, or they get restless thinking they’re falling behind their peers. It takes time and that’s ok – you never know what opportunities will present themselves.
“Life moves pretty fast. If you don't stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it.” Ferris Bueller. 
Meg Whitman, the former CEO of Hewlett-Packard said it best when asked what advice she’d give her younger self: “I don't think it matters how small or how big the task is, if you can do it just a little bit better than what is expected, you will be noticed and rewarded”.

We know about Silicon Beach, but what about the new and emerging tech sector that is blossoming in Ventura County?
Our location in Simi Valley is not exactly considered a hot bed of hipster-filled gaming companies. What we do benefit from however is the close proximity to several colleges and universities emphasizing science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM). This has proven a fantastic source of talent via our internship program which runs year round. Recent searches of job databases like Indeed.com and Glassdoor reveal 600+ Ventura, California open positions in the software engineering discipline, revealing Biotech is an industry that’s well represented along with robotics, media, advertising, etc.

Your company specializes in cyber security. The current public discourse regarding privacy in a world of security threats to big data is very controversial. What can you tell us to help us sleep peacefully at night and what keeps YOU up at night?
Well, I’m not sure that sharing my knowledge about the state of cybersecurity risks is going to help anyone get a better night’s sleep!  LOL. It’s an industry that is moving so fast because those with malicious intent are smart and have the time and the resources to keep trying new ways to steal data, money or just cause chaos. Security professionals have to be right 100% of the time but the criminals only have to be right once and they’re in! Companies like XYPRO are constantly researching, investing, catching up and anticipating methods and finding ways to, at a minimum, reduce the risk. BYOD, IoT, VPN, ISO, PCI are all acronyms over which those responsible for the security of an organization, lose sleep.
For me, running a company with that kind of responsibility to its customers and making sure we have the right people for the job is definitely not conducive to getting a solid 8. I tell you what though, if you’re interested in engineering and cybersecurity, your career prospects and earning potential are excellent!

Your company XYPRO Technology Corporation acquired an Ontario-based company. What is like as an American based company doing business in Canada?
I have to say that since that Canadian company did most of its business with US based customers, it has not been difficult.  We of course have a set of Canadian attorneys, accountants, etc., to ensure we’re properly following tax law, employees are provided the benefits to which they’re entitled, etc. We also make a special effort to visit that location on a regular basis and invite those team members to our annual company events here in California too.  On a personal level, I find it pretty cool 😊

Where’s your favorite place to spend Canada Day?
I’ve spent Canada day here in Los Angeles, inviting my American friends over to enjoy the Caesars and celebrations and I’ve also participated in Canadians In LA events.  I have to say though that the last several years I’ve gone “home” and been lucky enough to spend that long weekend at my parent’s cottage on Eagle Lake north of Kingston, ON.  My son has been going to summer camp on another part of the same lake for years now and the tradition of being there has become something I consider very special.

After 25+ years of living in the US, what do you find is the biggest misconception of Canadians?
That’s a tough one.  Since I feel I’ve assimilated pretty well I don’t stand out as much as I used to but my accent still gives me away sometimes.  I do get the “what do Canadian’s have to be thankful for?” question every October – which I find a strange way of asking about Canadian Thanksgiving.  The common generalization is that we’re all nice, polite and no one owns a gun!    Canadians are people and while there can be some striking cultural differences between our two countries, the diversity of people within Canada is as prevalent as it is anywhere.  If we didn’t have the differences of opinion about what happens south of the border, we still have plenty of differences of opinion within Canada, it would just be about other things.  So I guess the misconception is that we’re uniformly the same type of person.  Which of course isn’t possible, nor is it desirable.
The most pleasant part though is the genuine interest people have when I answer their questions and share what it was like growing up in Canada.

July/2019 Canadian of the Month
Zaib Shaikh
Consul General of Canada in Los Angeles

Take us back to the day you got the call from Ambassador of Canada to the US David MacNaughton to be the new Consul General in LA. How did he ask, what was running through your head and how did you respond?
It was a surprise. You're aware that you are part of the process, but it was a complete surprise to me in the sense that it also happened on the same day that my wife received some great news as well about her current position. We were talking about her news when my news came about. Overall very surprising day for the family. We discovered my wife was going to be working out of Geneva and I was talking to the Ambassador about going to Los Angeles. It was interesting and very positive.

What is a typical day like for you?
Not any day is typical. My interactions on a daily basis can range from meetings with military officers from both sides of the border, to C-suite businesspeople, to content creators to government officials.

Tell us about your key priorities for your term.
Ultimately, key priorities are dictated by the Government, and we adapt them to the market around us. So we move forward on the Government's feminist foreign policy. We advance gender inclusivity, Indigenous reconciliation and reclamation, LGBTQ2 issues -- they're all Government priorities that come into play in different ways, especially guaranteeing access to business opportunities, but also doing our best to ensure that the world operates with those same beneficial and positive values. 

Now that you’ve been living in LA for some time now, what are some of the observations you’ve made about it here and do you think the traffic is worse at rush hour on 405 or the Don Valley Parkway in Toronto?
It depends on the day -- you can’t tell really! Toronto and LA have things in common with traffic! I had the good fortune of being in LA before when I had worked in the film and entertainment industry, so LA is not a new city to me. Previously I represented myself, but what’s great is that I now get to represent our country. LA is such a global city and you get to meet the world when you are here.

What’s the toughest part of your new job?
Not the toughest part, but the person who holds the Consul General position is the most senior Canadian representative in the territory. That’s a very impactful responsibility and you want to make sure that you are doing a good job in a guest country. It’s wonderful however and I feel honoured to do it.   

What does a night off from Consul General duties look like?
There's not a whole lot of time off because you're conscious of constantly representing the country. For me, with my wife in Geneva and my kids in Canada, it means that I focus a lot of my time on work. I do not have a lot of time off. It isn’t a bad thing, but a good thing! It takes a lot of investment of time and energy to be connected in this market and I’m okay with that.

What kind of reception have you received from US political dignitaries here?
Amazing. Canada has a great brand. My predecessors at the Consulate did a great job. My team does amazing work as well. We are very well represented and thought of here.

You and your wife were coined a “power couple” in Canada and now Kirstine is working in Geneva with the World Economic Forum. What’s your secret sauce to a strong marriage despite being miles apart and holding such highly regarded positions?
Well she’s the power, I’m the couple! Thankfully we live in a technological age, where we get to have Facetime with the family, group chat and we're more connected than a couple would have been five or six years or a decade ago. And thankfully our family embraces tech. It’s not easy but we're lucky to have it and take advantage of it. 

Are you hearing any trends or themes from American businesses accessing the Canadian market and vice versa that you can tell us about?
I'm hearing a lot of positivity and expectation because of that positivity. With tariffs being lifted recently, it's a positive space, a space where people are looking forward to more interaction and more business development and trade.

We were so happy to have you at Canadians Abroad’s official Jurassic Park to watch the Raptors in the NBA championship games! We know you and your wife are big fans. So tell us, do you think Kawhi Leonard will stay or leave?
Thank you to Canadians Abroad for being such great hosts for showcasing the Raptors during their championship run! To be able to be part of that and to see how many Canadians came out and support it was great. Thank you for doing that. Ultimately I think as a Canadian and Torontonian, which is my hometown as well, it would be the best thing in the world for us to have at the very least, another season with Kawhi, but sports is sports. If you're a fan of a team or a player on the team, you know that not everyone always sticks around. My only positive is that, currently the teams in question are in LA, so I have a feeling Kawhi will be part of my future whether he’s in Toronto or LA!

You have served as a Board Member for the Institute for Canadian Citizenship and the Canadian Centre for Diversity and Inclusion and as an Ambassador for the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health and Amnesty International Canada. You have also co-founded and served as an artistic producer of the Whistler Theatre Project in British Columbia. What cause do you feel most passionately about and why?
At the end of the day, I feel very passionately about the country I was born in, Canada. There's a long way to go and a lot of work to do. Canada has work to do to be the best country in the world for everybody, but I take incredible pride in representing an incredible country that is actively seeking to do its best every day and actively accepting the responsibilities and challenges that it has. It's great to be a Canadian, and it’s great to be Canadian in LA. It's a positive space no matter how difficult or challenging it can be. I'm lucky to be a Canadian and I am lucky to be able to represent Canadians.

June/2019 Canadians of the Month

Ayumi Iizuka & Doug Morency
Founders, Connect Studios LA

Doug and Ayumi were both on the faculty at The Second City Toronto, where they met in 2000. Doug was a performer on the Main Stage and Ayumi was on the National Touring Company. 
Ayumi had always dreamed of moving to L.A., so when her Green Card was approved at the end of 2009, they made the move the following month.
Once we arrived in L.A., we began taking casting director workshops and ended up at a studio called SSLA. We loved the way they treated the actors and their guest casting directors. Over time, we became friends with the owner and started to pitch him ideas for other classes he could offer at the studio and eventually, we started teaching improv classes there.
When he decided that he needed to sell the business to pursue his Masters degree, he asked us if we would like to take it over. We jumped on the opportunity. We took over in March 2011 and changed the name to Connect Studios LA. We have remained close friends with the previous owners to this day and even adopted one of our foster puppies to his family.

When did you realize you were funny?
Doug
When I was a kid, my brother David and I would entertain the family by recording fake radio call in programs. He would play the host and I would play all the callers. We recorded in the bathroom because we liked the acoustics, but it also meant that every call into the radio show ended with a toilet flush. We thought that was hilarious! And so did my family. Now I don’t know if I knew I was funny then, but I sure liked trying to be funny.
Ayumi
I realized I was funny in high school…it was also the time I started drinking.  Coincidence?

When did you both decide you wanted to move to Hollywood to try to make it as actors?
Doug
To be truthful, moving to Hollywood was never a dream of mine growing up. Ayumi however, had dreamed about it for a long time, but never believed it was realistic until she was in her early 20s and somehow believed anything was possible. In 2007, she applied for her Green Card once she believed she had enough credits to apply. The more she talked about it, the more attractive the idea became to me. I knew that I wanted more acting opportunities than I was getting in Toronto and L.A. seemed like a good place to try. I’m so glad we made the move. Not only have we been able to build a business together but we’ve been able to establish ourselves as actors and also meet a lot of great people.  The bonus, and I know this is going to sound cliché, but life is so much easier without winter.

Did you know how long and involved getting your VISA would be?
Ayumi
I had some friends who had gone through the process, so they let me know how involved and expensive the process was. When I applied for my Green Card, they had discontinued Premium Processing, so I was expecting a two year wait. At the 16 month mark, a letter came in the mail indicating I had been approved. It seemed like it took forever but then when it finally did arrive, it felt like it was fast.

Did your training and acting from Canada help once you moved here, or did it feel like you had to start from scratch?
Our training and performance experience certainly helped when in the audition rooms, but we quickly realized that the biggest challenge was getting into the room. Casting didn’t know us and our Canadian credits didn’t mean much to them. Degrassi, TNG (incidentally, we both played the Science Teacher on the show) was the only show they’d heard of. We had to start over in terms of making connections with casting directors, writers and producers.

What types of classes can an actor take at your studio?
We offer an assortment of classes that will give actors the tools they need to be successful in L.A. 
They include:

• A scene study class taught by a casting director, where we often bring in special industry guests (casting directors, producers, directors, writers, etc.)

• An Advanced Scene Study Class taught by Matthew Arkin -- we were introduced by his father Alan, who we studied with when we were in Toronto. This class is an intimate class geared toward working actors.

• Improv for Actors taught by Doug. This class focuses on using improv techniques to improve an actor’s scripted work. This class culminates in a class show each session.

• Commercial Audition technique classes taught by a highly successful commercial actor with the final class run as a mock audition taught by an industry casting director.

• We also offer one-on-one audition coaching, self-taping and career consultations which have been especially helpful for Canadian actors who are making the move to L.A., so that they can hit the ground running. For more info: www.connectstudiosla.com

What show or projects are you working on now?
Doug
We are both involved with the sketch show Canuck As F*ck which is running at The Second City Hollywood. https://www.secondcity.com/shows/hollywood/canuck-as-fck/
Ayumi is in the cast and helped write the show and I directed it. After a sold out run, it was just recently extended until August 17th. It runs every Saturday night at 7pm. We also just finished shooting a video about women Senators legislating men’s bodies that will be released soon. I’m in the early stages of directing a show about one woman’s experiences with the purity culture of the Church of Christ. That show will have its first performance in August. Ayumi has been writing and collaborating on a couple of projects, and we both just wrapped on a movie starring Jacqueline Bisset called ‘Loren and Rose’.

You both love animals, how can people get involved with local L.A. rescues?First and foremost, Please adopt, don’t shop!! If I’ve learned anything from my time in the rescue world, it’s that purchasing an animal from a breeder, backyard breeder, craigslist, petstore, etc., not only supports an often cruel, profit-driven industry but also contributes to the number of animals euthanized in shelters. More than 6 million cats and dogs enter the shelter system each year, about 4 million of them are euthanized because there aren’t enough homes to adopt them. If you’re looking for a specific breed, with some patience and scouring petfinder.com, I guarantee you will find your perfect companion. My facebook feed is constantly flooded with amazing animals that are looking for homes. 
If you’re not in a position to adopt, please consider opening your home and heart to fostering, which is at the heart of rescue. Without foster homes, rescues can’t operate. It’s a lot of work, but so rewarding. We have fostered over 60 dogs and fallen in love with all of them. 
If you don’t have time or space to foster, consider volunteering at a shelter or offering your services to a rescue. They are always looking for volunteers. And if you have no time, but money, please consider donating. And if you have no time and no money, then just encourage your friends and family to adopt.

May/2019 Canadian of the Month

Jason Martin
Founder, Republic of Pink

Jason spent his formative years east of the best city in Canada, until he was able to move there in the late 90’s and finally call Toronto his home (go Leafs!) He got a Design degree at OCAD, met his wife Julia Cohen at East Side Mario’s, and worked his first real table-waiting gig at Le Select Bistro - where he fell in love with a girl named rosé. 
In 2010 Jason moved to Brooklyn, NY to work as a consultant for a few years before finally following his wife and her rocket-ship like writing career to L.A. In 2013 Jason and his wife bought a house in Baldwin Hills, where he quickly turned the garage into a nascent winery and got started working on a second career. Jason splits his time as an innovation consultant - helping big brands invent new stuff - and as the owner of a rosé wine co called Republic of Pink. He never wants to leave L.A., but he hopes he can talk his wife into moving closer to the ocean someday.  It will probably depend on whether or not Uber has launched a fleet of helicopters that can fly to the studios.

Growing up in Scarborough, did you ever dream you would be living in L.A., and running your own wine company?
Jesus no. Scarborough is not a bastion of culture by anyone’s measure; I mostly smoked du Mauriers and listened to Appetite for Destruction while sewing patches on my jean jacket. It wasn’t until I started waiting tables in Toronto that I got curious about rosé. I worked at Le Select Bistro for years while I went to college and that was the first time I thought it might be fun to be in the booze business. 

How do you manage having a day job and running your wine company?
I’m an independent consultant, so the day job ebbs and flows. Sometimes it’s a breeze, other times I’ll run from a wine tasting into my truck and race to the nearest Starbuck’s parking lot so I can hijack the wi-fi and make a presentation off my laptop. It’s not elegant, but it works.

Why rosé - and where did the name come from?
I’m a rosé-lover, and on the hunt for great pink wines I came to a troubling realization: out of the 9000 wineries in the U.S., none of them are singularly focused on crafting world class rosés. And so Republic of Pink emerged as an embodiment of the mission inherent in that insight. In the Republic of Pink we have a singular purpose: creating the perfect rosé.

What type of grapes do you use?
Right now I focus on a blend of four varietals: Grenache, Syrah, Mourvèdre and Cabernet Franc. The first three are proven stalwarts of rosé winemaking and have been used in French rosés for generations. The last one is my X Factor and makes the other three taste even more delicious when they’re all blended together.

What types of foods pair best with your wine?
Because rosé is white wine made from red grapes, it’s incredibly versatile with food. Certainly lighter fare such as seafood, salads, poultry; it’s great with all of that, but I also think this wine is great for pizza night or weekend BBQ's. I’m not a purist, so I say drink it with whatever makes you happy. Pair it with a pool toy and your favorite playlist - that also works great.

What Canadian influences go into your wine?
I might crank some Sloan or Broken Social Scene during the long days of harvest, but the single biggest Canadian influence is my wife, Julia Cohen. She’s my rosé muse: inspiring me, challenging me - and in general making what I do with Republic of Pink far better than it could ever be in her absence.

Now that you’ve gone through the struggles of starting this business, would you do it all over again?
The struggles are far from over, but when I ask myself if I’d rather be stressed out doing this or something else - I always come back to this. It’s not glamorous, but I’m constantly in new restaurants and wine shops meeting people who love what they do - and that’s good fun.

Where do you see Republic of Pink in 10 years?
Hopefully it’ll be a great business employing tons of people and bringing happiness to wine lovers everywhere.

Where can people find your wine?
The easiest place is our website: www.therepublicofpink.com On the site you can place an online order or search for a location near you. We’re adding new restaurants and retail shops every week, so the list is growing all the time.

April/2019 Canadians of the Month

Gavin McGarry
Founder and CEO, Jumpwire Media

Born in Duncan B.C. Gavin grew up in London, Ontario, and Toronto. He has been living in the US since 2007, first in New York and now LA. He began his career in radio and TV when he was hired out of Western university by Moses Znaimer to work at CityTV and Much Music after he sent the media guru a tape of a weekly campus comedy show he co-created while at university. Gavin has worked at many of Canada’s leading media companies including CBC, CTV, Corus, etc. Always interested in technology and innovation Gavin immersed himself into digital media when he moved to the UK to work at TV powerhouse Endemol in 2003. He came back to North America almost 3 years later to work at Skype funded video startup Joost in New York. In 2009 he launched social media agency Jumpwire Media in New York before moving the HQ to Santa Monica in 2014. An avid skier, Gavin and his wife, Jennifer, recently bought a place in Mammoth Lakes. They live in the Venice Canals.

Q. Social media has made the world a much smaller place. Why did you make the move to "Silicon Beach" (Santa Monica) to expand the company?
I owned a skateboard store when I was 16 and I ordered all my decks and wheels from Venice, California. I’ve always wanted to live here. My wife and I considered Austin, Texas as well. We were tired of the winters back east and felt it was a good time to move. Also, Jumpwire works with many of the large media companies located in LA and the move allowed us to be closer to clients.

Q. Would you trade living beside the beach for any other area of LA and if so, why?
I have always wanted to live in the Hollywood Hills for the views but I don’t like the idea of having to drive everywhere. We only have one car in Venice and we either walk or ride our bikes everywhere. I put my office in Santa Monica to have a nice 15-minute bike ride between home and office. I said to my wife if we spend over $400 per month on Uber we will get another car. We have never come close.

Q. In this hyper-competitive space, where do you see social media in 10 years?
Social media is no longer the new kid on the block. Companies realize that it is a lot of work to manage effectively and make it worthwhile. Many of the top Youtubers and influencers are shutting down their daily vlogs due to exhaustion. Social media is a ground war but the algorithms have made it much more difficult to get organic reach unless you really know what you are doing. It is definitely pay-to-play on the social media platforms now. Therefore, Jumpwire and many of the other social agencies have pivoted to more performance-based social media. Working with our clients to receive a percentage of the results is a better business model for the future.
In 10 years social media will just be another editorial or marketing tool used to connect with your fanbase. At Jumpwire we are always waiting for what is next. At the moment the integration of payments and purchasing items directly in the apps seems to be the current trend. A few months back, “Instagram briefly switched to a horizontal feed and people freaked out” so change is difficult even in such a rapidly changing industry as social media.
Personally, I think the future is some sort of AI (artificial intelligence) curating information I will be interested in or finding people I want to know about. Currently, I’m using Nuzzel, Google Alerts, Reddit, and Feedly to bring news to me.

Q. What is the number one social media mistake people make?
It depends on the platform but my personal pet peeve is friends who go on holiday and post every picture to their Instagram separately. In the bottom right of your screen on Insta when you upload your trip photos there is an icon that looks like two photos on top of each other. Click that and you can upload 10 photos or videos from your trip that people can swipe through. You’re welcome ;-)
There are no real mistakes in social media unless spelling and grammar is an issue for you. It’s about communication and being authentic. For years we have used tactics like SoLoMo (social, local, mobile) to assess campaigns to determine if they are resonating. Tracking your data is the most important thing. You may find that mistakes are what get you the most engagement. We once put up two videos on a client’s site without any text explaining what the videos were about. The videos received the highest amount of engagement of any video in the past three months. Sometimes mistakes lead to discoveries.

Q. Is being an "influencer" really a job?
Yes, and it’s a really hard job. Talk to any influencer and you will find a person who is burnt out. Micro influencers are all the rage on Instagram at the moment. This is a good piece on influencers from Forbes, “It's not necessarily the number of followers as much as how engaged that audience is. Micro-influencers have specific niche audiences and are deeply connected to them.” If you think you are a micro influencer or otherwise, use the Social Blue Book to find out how much your fanbase is worth.

Q. Are Canadians nicer on social media than Americans?
According to this recent study, yes. NPR story, “A team of computational linguist researchers parsed through the words and symbols of tweets that were marked with latitude and longitude coordinates. The study showed that the tweets reflected the "nice Canadian" and "rude American" stereotypes.”

Q. What advice can you give to Canadians looking to promote themselves (either as an individual or their business)?

1. Know your audience/fans. Who do you want to reach and why? Then determine the best platform to do that.

2. Respond to everyone who connects with you on social media either by acknowledgment of their post (heart, like, etc) and/or reply offering value (funny, interesting, insightful). This is how PewDiePie and other influencers built their followings.

3. Connect with others in your industry or sector and collaborate with them regularly.

4. Memes are a great way to connect with fans. Build your own or use others and give them credit to help build up your online credibility.

5. Pick your platform. Here is a good post from Buffer on the top social media platforms. We recommend our small business clients focus on one platform to start with and get really good at it then consider branching out. If you need more platforms, consider hiring an agency to run your social so that nothing gets dropped. Our corporate clients already have social media teams so we help train them with data analysis and content engagement metrics as well as operating as an external posting unit.

6. Below is how I see each of the platforms:

   • Facebook - friends and family, older demographic, focus on creating a strong Facebook group that offers real value.

   • Instagram - visual and younger demographic, use Instagram Stories to really engage with your audience.

   • Linkedin - very good for B2B businesses and building credibility.  Post regularly and don’t sell.

   • Pinterest - long tail engagement and the platform is growing fast.

   • Twitter - news and information, you need to use it in real time.

   • Youtube - a weekly scheduled video that offers real insights can deliver results.

   • Snapchat - very young demographic but the platform is mostly used for messaging now.

   • TikTok - the new star and extremely creative platform.

7. Learn how to use the advertising platforms to deliver returns for your business. Facebook can be very effective if you have the right content and focus. There are lots of online courses offered by the platforms to help you accelerate your learning.

Q. Is there a brand or individual who in your opinion, is crushing the social media game?
I think the NBA is doing a very good job globally. They are innovative and trying lots of new things all the time. At Jumpwire we are very focused on working with clients who are in niche sectors that we can help monetize. “An inch wide and a mile deep,” is our mantra. Check out Funimation in the Anime space. They are a good example of rabid fandoms that is lucrative. They are a past Jumpwire client and do a great job as do Formula

My advice is to know who is in your sector or industry and run a social media audit on your own social media looking at least eight of your competitors. There are lots of tools out there to help you do this and once you know who is doing well in your sector then you can develop your own voice and crush them all! ;-)

Q. How can people get better at social media?

Some of the resources I recommend are:

1. Buffer App blog posts

2. Mashable

3. Social Media Examiner 

Or check out our weekly Jumpwire social media podcast and blog post if you want our insights - https://linktr.ee/jumpwiremedia

March/2019 Canadians of the Month

Joanie O'Hara Schecter, Proud co-Owner of Sonny McLean's Irish Pub

If you live on L.A.'s Westside, you may have heard ofSonny McLean's Irish Pub,a crowd favourite in Santa Monica. Whether it's grabbing a pint of something special at the bar or catching up with old and new friends while watching your favourite football game, Sonny McLean's has been a popular institution for nearly 10 years! We were thrilled to learn one of its owners is also a proud Canadian from the East Coast. Given that this month we pay homage to St. Patrick's Day on March 17th, we thought it would also be a perfect time to talk about the Irish, East Coast and being a hardworking "Publican". 

Joanie O’Hara Schecter and her husband Grant Woods, both of Irish decent, are the Publicans that own Sonny McLean’s Irish Pub in Santa Monica for over 10 years now. In Joanie’s early life, along with her eight siblings, her Dad’s work took them to Newfoundland, New Brunswick and even 2.5 years on Sable Island. Joanie graduated with a BSc from Mount Saint Vincent University in Halifax and went on to teach Chemistry at Concordia University in Montreal. She moved to Los Angeles where she has lived for the past 40 plus years. Joanie got involved in the marble business, eventually starting her own business some 35 years ago and continuing to this day. Her main focus is working with architects, contractors and designers to specify stone materials including floors, bathrooms, kitchens, swimming pools, fireplaces and statues for generally high end residential projects, although she has done work for churches as well. 
The pub was a surprise. Her husband Grant, a long time Classic Car Dealer, came home one day and announced that he bought a “Pug”. Joanie loved dogs and was very excited! When she found out it was a “Pub” and not a “Pug”, well, that made it even more interesting! Joanie became involved in the day-to-day operations working on the accounting, scheduling and band booking. But she agrees that the most fascinating thing about the Pub is the wonderful community and great sports fans and friends they have developed. On one Saturday afternoon, there was a baby shower on one side of the Pub and a memorial service on the other. They all come to celebrate. Joanie has lost track of the number of marriages that have originated from the Pub!

It’s Saturday night. What are you drinking a pint of?  
Stella Artois in a Stella Chalice.

Favorite part about owning a pub?  
Extended family.  Meeting folks, great conversations, fun sports competition, music and plenty of good humour.(Canadian spelling)

Most challenging part of doing business in the US? 
Apart from local regulations and high costs in California, doing business in any big city tends to be similar. But warmer.

How do you integrate being Canadian into your business practices?  
Integrity, being from Nova Scotia you grow up with a very down to earth attitude.

Any tips for Canadians wanting to start their own restaurant or pub? 
Learn your craft, study your location, be ready to work hard, think outside the box and love what you do.

Are you planning any Canadians Abroad events? 
We're working on it! My husband, being a Kiwi, has a group of "Kiwis in L.A." that organize and come in on occasion. Canadians need to give them a run for their money!

A Canadian walks into your bar on St. Patty's Day and wants to celebrate - what can they expect?
St Patrick’s Day will start for us on Saturday this year for a two day event. The biggest thing we do that we can’t do all year is close our parking lot and turn it into a lovely outdoor Beer Garden. We install fencing with privacy screening. Lay down Astro Turf and erect EZ Up Canopies. We have tables, chairs and booths. We have a refrigerated beer trailer and bar set up and usually my youngest sister comes down from Toronto to operate the outdoor bar and be extra social in her own charming way. My Brother often comes down from Nova Scotia with his two boys to help set up and work the weekend as well. Him being a contractor is always a great help. Inside we have live music throughout the day Sunday.
 

February/2019 Canadians of the Month

Cassandra Troy Walker & Andrew Walker, Founders of little west

Both native to Montreal, Cassandra & Andrew have been together for over 15 years and came into their relationship with a shared passion for food, wine and great culinary experiences. Andrew came to Los Angeles as an actor in 2001 and has been successfully acting and producing ever since. Cassandra thrived in the high-end fashion industry for over five years, building a booming territory on the West Coast. Both with professional sports backgrounds, the Walkers have always integrated the balance of conscious eating, with an emphasis on health and wellness in their lives, never willing to compromise great taste. What started as a love for healthy food and an interest in hospitality, brought them to create Clover Juice, which recently rebranded to Little West.
Cassandra’s love for sharing nutrient-rich great tasting food with everyone around her was the inspiration for Little West. When the opportunity presented itself, she took a leap of faith, left her successful career in sales, and dedicated her life to the Little West concept, where the goal is to make a healthy lifestyle approachable and accessible to everyone.
Since becoming parents to their son West, and realizing the importance of teaching kids about real food, Little West donates 1% of all sales to Big Green Learning Gardens. A Nationwide organization that helps kids grow up with a hands-on education that empowers them to shape their communities, their health, and their future.

What brought you to L.A.?
Originally Andrew's acting brought us to L.A., while I was conveniently working for a Canadian apparel company (Joseph Ribkoff) with California as my territory. While Andrew continues to act and produce, we had no idea that we would ultimately start a juice business together in the U.S., and after that, start our family!

As athletes how did that lead you to starting a juice company?
For us, it is similar to being an entrepreneur. You need to be adaptable and able to handle the unexpected with grace. As ex-athletes we believe in pushing ourselves to the limit and being the best we can be. We fell into making juice & smoothies over a decade ago because we felt better when we were doing it. When the opportunity presented itself, we took our passion for health & wellness and turned it into a business. 

Does being married and business partners make it easier or harder to run a business?
Yes to both! Some days it’s easier, and some days it’s harder. We've learned to communicate really well and continually remind each other to 'stay in our own lane'. The lines sometimes get blurred, but mostly we're able to make it work and have fun doing it.

What are your growth plans for the company?
This past year was all about approaching and surviving our rebrand from Clover Juice to Little West. Thankfully it all went great! Our current growth plans for the company are to continue to grow our presence as California’s premium juice company, and to expand into corporate campuses all over the U.S. We’re planning to be available nationwide by 2020.  

Does being a Canadian entrepreneur in the U.S. give you any advantages or unforeseen challenges?
We feel like being Canadians in the U.S. gives us an advantage in that we don’t see failing as an option. We have worked very hard to build our life here in the U.S., and wouldn’t trade it for the world. Knowing that a wrong turn can send us home at any given moment certainly lights a fire under our asses.

What advice can you give other Canadians wanting to start a company in L.A.?
Find something you’re truly passionate about, and just do it! Surround yourself with people who share and support your vision, and don’t look back. Understand that your path will be imperfect and unpredictable, but that it’s your path and you’re meant to be on it.

Where can people buy your juices?
Our juices are available at cafes, hotels, and boutique grocery shops all over California. A few local food spots include Bristol Farms, Gelson's, Philz Coffee, Groundworks Coffee, and Tocaya Organica.

What is your favorite juice for:
1: A hike up Runyon?
-The Clover
2: Post yoga?
-The Quench
3: Stuck in traffic?
-Go Big, cause it keeps you awake.
4: Day at the beach?
-Gingersnap & Gold n Greens (we also suggest adding a little splash of tequila…cause we do!)

January/2019 Canadian of the Month

Dalia MacPhee, Celebrity Fashion Designer, Wearable Tech Innovator, Fashion Futurist, Motivational Speaker, Women’s Champion.

Canadian Fashion Designer Dalia MacPhee has rocketed to the upper echelon of sought-after designers in Hollywood. She’s been called the “IT” girl of the red carpet and Entertainment Tonight has referred to her brand as “Couture with a Conscience.” The Consul General of Canada listed her as an emerging phenomenon in Canada with significant designing talent, and Google Inc. has touted her as “making waves in fashion and technology.” Dalia’s designs have graced the figures of celebrities such as Hilary Duff, Heidi Klum, Gina Rodriguez, Brooke Burke-Charvet, Olivia Munn, Amber Riley, Anna Silk, Nina Dobrev, Niecy Nash, Alyssa Milano, Serena Williams, Scarlett Johansson, Khloe Kardashian, the stars of The Vampire Diaries, Big Bang Theory, Pretty Little Liars, True Blood, and Glee to name a few.
A TEDx speaker, Dalia has been published in Forbes, Success, Inc., Entrepreneur and The Huffington Post and featured on CBS, CTV, ABC, CNN, and Fox News. Recent fashion projects include an underwater celebrity fashion campaign to bring awareness to violence against women and a global fashion show to promote world peace. Dalia is the inventor of the world’s first light up jeans and “brilliant” purse, and most recently the EQUISAFE Blanket.
Media credits Include: Entertainment Tonight, E!, The Insider, and countless magazines including Vogue, Marie Claire, Cosmopolitan, Allure, and People.

Why L.A. over New York?A few reasons. I still spend a lot of time in Vancouver so L.A. makes sense being closer and also in the same time zone. As well, I manufacture some of my collection out of L.A. and I dress a lot of celebs for the red carpet, so it's more convenient. New York will always be my greatest love, but I’m a west coast girl at heart.

Where do you get inspiration for your designs?
My customers. The designer has one job and one job only: to illuminate the soul of the wearer. I’m constantly inspired by my customers, and always working to get better at creating garments that help them shine. 

Who have you been most excited to dress?
My mom. I’ve been blessed to dress some of the biggest names in Hollywood, but dressing my mom was one of my most exciting moments. She was in the apparel business for years (she had a chain of stores across Canada) and was and still is one of my main mentors.  It was meaningful and symbolic to be able to dress her for a red carpet. 

If you could dress anyone dead or alive, who would it be?
I’m going to pick alive, only because Instagraming outfits on a dead person can be challenging. 😊
My equestrian collection: the Queen of England, and not just because I’m a loyal subject of the Crown! Someone once asked the Queen, an avid equestrian, why she hadn’t updated the equipment in the palace kitchen. Her response? Why waste money on perfectly good equipment when they could be spending it on the horses. Good answer.
My fashion collection: Oprah, one of the strongest, most powerful, gracious women. It would be an honor to have her represent my brand, and to create something for her. 

How do you usually dress knowing you’ll be stuck in L.A. traffic or going to the airport?
Signature look for me would be black tights or skinny jeans with fashionable flats and high heels in my bag.

You’re an avid equestrian rider, how long have you been riding horses?
Since I was 7 years old. I learned on two Shetland ponies, Thistlebush and Briar Patch. Thistlebush was one of the most loving, darling, patient equines I’ve ever encountered. Briar Patch was the spawn of satan. Both taught me to ride. 

You came up with an incredible life saving blanket for horses caught in wildfires?
Yes, the EQUISAFE Blanket is the first fully fire retardant horse blanket with built-in GPS. I did a lot of research into the garments fire fighters, fighter pilots and even astronauts wear, and decided to create a fabric in-house. Often in wildfires, especially in California, there is not enough time to evacuate horses and/or commercial trailers are not able to access the main roads, thus leaving owners no choice but to set their horses loose. There’s also the issue where horses are being evacuated, becoming prey to falling embers and massive heat from nearby fires. This blanket gives them a fighting chance and also offers owners peace of mind with the tracking capability. I have about 15 other innovative products in development now for the equestrian industry.

Dalia MacPhee in 5 years?
Happy. Also hugely successful, constantly innovating, changing the world, and creating. And happy.      

December/2018 Canadian of the Month

KELLY GRAHAM-SCHERER, Vice President of Business Development, Production US, for Sim International

Kelly Graham-Scherer is from Norland, Ontario (cottage country, north of Toronto) and works as the Vice President of Business Development, Production US, for Sim International. She moved to Los Angeles in December of 2009 after successfully bidding on a contract with the Ontario government to consult in the screen-based industries (film, TV, VFX, animation and gaming). Prior to her LA move Kelly was the communications director for the Ontario District Council of the Directors Guild of Canada and worked as a senior manager at the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees, Local 873. A graduate of the Carleton University School of Journalism, Kelly wrote and produced the short film Mya’s Normal Night, has published articles in the Ottawa Citizen, the Globe and Mail and the Toronto Star and received widespread acclaim for her award-winning personal blog Don Mills Diva. Kelly is also a licensed private pilot and mother of two. 
          

How did you get involved with Canadians Abroad?
After moving to LA nine years ago, I started going to a lot of Canadian-themed events and eventually started to feel guilty that someone else was organizing and publicizing them all while I did nothing to help. So I volunteered to sit on the board. As a Canadian, I still feel like I’m not pitching in enough, but I’m slightly less guilty now. 

How long have you been in the film and TV industry and what brought you to L.A.?
My first real job was at IATSE 873 in Toronto, where my I placed hundreds of behind-the-camera technicians on TV series and movies with needs that changed daily, even hourly. With the dollar at .63 cents and film and TV productions flooding into the city we worked around the clock, but also with a long-term goal of solidifying Toronto’s reputation as a jurisdiction that could handle the volume.
I applied, on a lark, for the Ontario government contract that brought me to LA. I was shocked to get it and moved to LA with my husband and four-year-old son just six weeks later. Bless my husband for being up for the adventure!
During the nine years I represented Ontario in LA I met fascinating people and just dove into an industry that was on the cusp of so much change. Netflix was still best known for mailing out DVDs when I moved here. There were about 200 scripted series in production in 2009 as opposed to about 500 today.

What exactly do you do now?
In September I joined Sim International as the Vice President, Business Development, Production US, where I work with producers and physical production execs regarding studios, cameras and lighting and grip equipment. Sim already has major operations in Toronto, Vancouver, New York, Los Angeles and Atlanta, but on my very first day I learned it is on track to be acquired by Panavision, which will in turn be acquired by Saban Capital, which means that in 2019 I’ll be part of a newly-formed entity with operations in more than 50 cities on six continents!
After spending years watching and advising stakeholders on the implications of companies like Amazon and Netflix massively scaling up their content creation, it’s tremendously exciting to be at a growing and dynamic company that will have the capacity to service that scale on the vendor side. I feel very lucky.

How do you recommend Canadians gain access to film and TV contacts and/or network in L.A.?
Start going to Canadians Abroad events! Many of the biggest industry players in LA are actually Canadian (members of what I like to call the Maple Syrup Mafia) and, as you might imagine, a lot of them are really nice. Hollywood is a very small town and there is a very convivial spirit among industry ex-pats when it comes to connecting people and helping out with introductions, etc. Also, when Ontario names my replacement this winter, latch onto that person and pump them for information on a regular basis – if you’re in the industry, they’re working for you.

You're also a mom of two. How do you balance it all? Any advice and tips for new moms heading back to work?
I’m not sure I’m the best person to give advice because most of the time I’m running around like a maniac. A few years ago a teacher at my sons’ school told me there are always organized moms who drop kids off on time at school with homemade lunches and neat clothes and there are always hot-mess moms, who peel up at the last minute with wrinkled school uniforms and Lunchables. After 30 years of observing these two types of moms, she determined that none of it made any difference: kids of both turned out just fine. As a mostly hot-mess mom, her words are an enduring comfort.

You're a big music buff. Have you had any star struck moments in L.A.?
There have been a few. Number one was meeting Leonard Cohen at the Canadian Consulate. Another fun memory is when, during an introduction of Blue Rodeo to a group of film and television music supervisors, I said they played one of the first concerts I ever attended at the Haliburton arena during a hockey tournament. After, Jim Cuddy told me he always remembered that concert because of all the people he saw wiping out on the ice when they tried to dance. I also totally fan-girled when I met Michael Mando, who plays Nacho on Better Call Saul. Did you know he’s from Quebec City?

What do you miss most about Canada?
My mom, my brother and his family and all of my aunts and uncles and cousins. I grew up in a village of 200 people and my mom still lives on a quintessentially beautiful Ontario lake. My dad was a bush pilot, who taught me to fly float planes and I miss heading up to the lake on weekends and tooling around in his Cessna with him. One of my greatest moments in L.A. – or maybe in my life – was when he visited me here and I rented a plane to surprise him. He said: “I never thought I’d see the day when my fat, little daughter would be flying me over the Hollywood sign”.

You have 1 second to respond to the following, go!

Palm trees or evergreens?
Palm trees – they are magic to me, always will be.

Poutine or kale salads?
Poutine, always poutine – Keto diet be damned!

Would you rather be stuck in 405 traffic or the US customs line at YYZ?
The 405 – customs agents are terrifying to me, always will be.

Mike Myers or Jerry Seinfeld?
Mike Myers. I live within walking distance of an Austin Powers-themed bar and I feel it’s my patriotic duty to go often.

Snowstorm in Canada or heatwave in the Valley?
Heatwave, hands down. Sorry fellow Canucks, I do not miss snowstorms.

November/2018 Canadian of the Month

Douglas Lock – President of Manhattan Beach 156, Western Zone, The Royal Canadian Legion

November’s Canadian of the Month is extra special to us as we commemorate another non-profit that we hold near and dear to our hearts. We are proud of the relationship we have built with Douglas Lock and the Royal Canadian Legion (“RCL”) over the past several years. For those of you that are unaware, the RCL was founded in 1925 in Canada and cares for all those who have served our nation by supporting and advocating for Veterans, remembering their sacrifices, and continuing the tradition of service in helping communities. Through Remembrance Day ceremonies, the Poppy Campaign, commemorate activities, youth education programs and more, the Legion helps Canadians to honour and remember. The RCL has a presence throughout the US and we are very proud to be partners for the past several years in supporting the RCL here in the L.A. area.

This year marks the 100 year anniversary of the end of WWI – an incredible time to honor those that have fallen. Please join us in participating in this event on November 11th (details below). You may also contact Douglas directly by visiting: https://rclwesternzoneusa.org/ and Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CanadianLegionUSA/

On behalf of our team and members of Canadians Abroad of Southern Abroad, thank you Douglas and all of our veterans for all that you do. Douglas, you are a shining example of what it is to be a proud Canadian with your thoughtfulness, tireless dedication and service to our country. We salute you!

Douglas Lock – President of Manhattan Beach 156, Western Zone, The Royal Canadian Legion

My father worked in the oil industry in Western Canada so we moved all over Alberta staying in some towns for just a few months before moving on to the next big oil development. At one time or another, we lived in Turner Valley, Innisfail, Okotoks, Falher, Eaglesham, Girouxville, Pincher Creek, Stetter and Estevan, Saskatchewan where I finished high school in 1958. It was during my high school years that I was with the Canadian Reserve Army in the South Saskatchewan Regiment.  I went to the University of Alberta in Edmonton and graduated in 1962 with a BSc in Electrical Engineering. I worked for four years in Eastern Canada then moved to California in 1966 where I was employed by Hughes Aircraft for 30 years involved with airborne radar development until my retirement in 1996. During my early years with Hughes, I was fortunate to take advantage of their fellowship programs, attend USC and obtain an MSEE and an MBA. My wife and I have two children and four grandchildren who are all adults and independently either pursuing their vocations or educations. My wife and I now spend our time travelling with our trailer to Canada in the summer, Mexico and the California desert in the winter and a trip or two a year to someplace overseas.  In between those trips I volunteer with the RCL, play pickleball, ride my bicycle on the beach bike-path and maintain our home and yard in Manhattan Beach.

Q. How long have you been with the RCL and what do you do?
A. I have been a member of the Royal Canadian Legion for 13 years.  The RCL is organized by regions. Each province is a region and here in the US we have two regions or zones. My Branch is in the Western Zone, which is all of the US west of the Mississippi plus Mexico. Each Zone consists of several Branches. The Western Zone has Branches with addresses in San Francisco, Covina, Manhattan Beach, San Diego and Lake Chapala in Mexico. None of the US Branches own buildings like they do in most Canadian towns so we usually meet at member’s homes or at an American Legion Post. I am the President of Manhattan Beach Branch 156 and I am also the secretary of the Western Zone serving our Zone Commander Mr. Robert Edmonds, MBE. In these capacities I have been leading an annual Branch membership drive at the Costa Mesa fairgrounds Scottish Festival on Memorial day weekends, I participate in the annual Pre-Memorial Day Service at the Inglewood Park Ceremony, the annual Armistice Day service, attend several zone meetings each year to help guide our charitable donations and veteran aid programs, and hold or participate in local graveside services for Canadian and British veterans when requested by their families.  I also maintain a Zone webpage: https://rclwesternzoneusa.org/ and our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/CanadianLegionUSA/

Q.  What does the RCL do?
A. The mission of the RCL is to serve Veterans, including serving military and RCMP members and their families, to promote Remembrance, and to serve our communities and our country. In that capacity one of the most important responsibility we have locally is to manage a large section within the Inglewood Park Cemetery where many British and Canadian veterans have been interred dating back to the early part of the 1900’s. Mr. Robert Edmonds, MBE leads this effort. Several years ago we found out that many of these veterans graves were unmarked. By providing the Canadian Government Department of Veterans Affairs with this information I am very pleased to tell you that 124 previously unmarked Canadian veterans now have bright new markers at their resting places. This project was recently written up in an issue of The Legion Magazine and can be read in more detail on our website. Unfortunately the British government does not have a similar program so we are in the process of creating the correct words to have engraved on a monument to honor the 65 British veterans that still are unmarked. You might be interested to know that I recently wrote a letter to Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex asking him for the appropriate wording.
Another very important activity is the charitable donations we give. We have donated thousands of dollars to many different organizations that are in need, some of which include The Wounded Warriors project at Camp Pendleton, Casa Colina rehabilitation facility for veterans, Habitat for Humanity in Orange County for a veteran’s home, Paws Fur Thought a Canadian animal/veteran organization to address veterans with PTSD, Children’s Hospital of LA, Harbor General Hospital – children’s wards, several High School scholarship awards in the South Bay, YWCA Wings Domestic Violence Program in Covina – to mention just a few.

We also organize and hold a service the weekend before Memorial Day and also one on Armistice Day to provide an opportunity for our members and the public to honor those that have given their life and service for their country.

Q. Do we have an RCL chapter in L.A. that people can visit?
A. None of the Branches in the US have a traditional Legion Hall. We meet in different member’s homes or in an American Legion Post.  Once a year we have a two day, Zone-wide meeting that has been held at the Pala Casino in North San Diego County. Anyone who is interested in attending any of these functions are most welcome, and the exact details for upcoming meetings can be found on either our website or Facebook page.

Q. How do you support veterans?
A. Many of our members are veterans and know that if they need any help they can call on one of the other members for anything. We will also provide help to any veteran or their family member who we find is in need.

Q. How can people join the RCL or help out?
A. Any person can be a member of the RCL. An “ordinary” member is someone who has some Canadian military service. An “affiliate” member includes non-Canadian citizens from an Allied nation who supports our aims and objectives. I would be delighted to have every Canadians Abroad member contact me and ask to join. It is quite inexpensive at $30 a year which includes the award winning The Legion Magazine with articles on current and historical Canadian military activities. We have members that reside across the U.S. just to show their support for what we do for veterans.

Q. How can people get a poppy?
A. Poppies are given out at every function we hold, The Scottish Festival in Costa Mesa, the Services we hold on Pre-Memorial Day, the Armistice Day service, graveside services and at each of our meetings. From time to time I receive requests to provide poppies to people and will do my best to fulfill each request. Having said that I don’t think I can mail a poppy to each of the 3000 Canadians Abroad members – unless they join the RCL.   

October/2018 French-Canadians of the Month!

Mukta Cholette, Patricia Mckenzie and Sergine Dumais

Mukta Cholette, Patricia Mckenzie and Sergine Dumais are three L.A. based actresses from Montreal, who together produce a successful comedy web-series called “​2 femmes à Hollywood​”. The series is about two Québécoises in Hollywood (Sergine and Mukta) who, with the help of their producer (Patricia), try really, really hard to live the “Hollywood Dream”. You can see their latest episode ​here​.

Mukta Cholette​ is a Montreal native who’s been living in L.A. for over 10 years. She started working in the voiceover industry as soon as she arrived and has over 150 projects under her belt. She lends her voice to several reputable companies such as Pampers, iTunes, Amazon Prime, Shark, Whiskas, Ardène, FootLocker, etc. In addition to her VO career, Mukta runs a marketing firm called ​Creative Marketing Ninja where she combines her artistic talent, her black belt focus, and her marketing knowledge to create unique digital marketing strategies.

Sergine Dumais ​is known for her work in Quebec musical theatre as well as for her work as a voice actress and director in L.A. She has directed the French language dubs of over twenty feature films, including The Rewrite (with Hugh Grant), Mr. Holmes (with Ian McKellen), and Terrence Malick's Song to Song (with Ryan Gosling). She was also the French voice of actresses Cate Blanchett, Minnie Driver, Salma Hayek and Diane Keaton, among several others. She recently launched a ​skincare side business​, partnering with the creators of Proactiv, Drs. Rodan and Fields, and empowering artists with entrepreneurship. Her team of “actorpreneurs” consists of 90 percent Canadian artists in L.A.!

Patricia Mckenzie​ is an award-winning actress/film producer, known for ​The Lion King, Gangland Undercover, Cosmopolis​ (Robert Pattinson’s love interest/bodyguard), ​The Phantom, Soul Food, Chicago... ​Producer of feature films ​Anathema (​ Angie Everhart), Showtime’s ​Bigfoot and the Burtons​, ​Claddagh​ (James McGowan). She is on the board of the US non-profit NCPCV, which uses one of her short films: ​Bully Fighters​ (starring Land of The Dead’s Eugene Clark) to bring Solutions to Violence to communities across the U.S. Patricia has also produced live Cancer benefit shows using the cast and crew of ​The Lion King​ to raise money for a cure. Patricia’s newest films are: Eat Wheaties​ and The Kindness of Strangers by director Lone Sherflig (Italian for Beginners).

Q. What brought each of you to L.A.?
A.We wanted to live the dream! Also, we were cold.

Q. How did you all meet?​
A. Sergine and Mukta met through a mutual friend back in Montreal around 2007. When Sergine moved to L.A. a few years later, she reached out to Mukta who was already living here and a BFF friendship was born. Patricia and Sergine met while playing lesbian lovers in an acting class in Montreal, 2009. When Patricia moved to L.A in 2014, the perfect threesome was born!;) We quickly became fast friends and bonded as business partners.

Q. How have your careers changed or grown since moving to L.A.?
A. We have each grown as artists and as business women, creating our own show, which we all star in and produce together, and managing full-time careers in the entertainment industry.​ Patricia still goes back and forth, working as both an actress and producer in the U.S. and in Canada. Mukta and Sergine’s careers shifted from theatre to voice-over, and they have also now become successful “actorpreneurs”. ​ ​Mukta now has a thriving voice-over career, being the voice of several well known brands, and her Creative Marketing Ninja business took off a few years ago. Sergine is well known as the top French dubbing director in L.A. and has launched a skin care business with Rodan + Fields. L.A. is the epicenter of the entertainment industry and can offer enormous opportunities as well as great challenges to artists, so we made sure to create a network of friends and entertainment professionals around us to keep us sane and successful.

Q. How do you maintain or celebrate your distinct French culture living in America?​ 
A. We get together for poutine! We have created a strong family of francophones living in L.A. which we playfully call the Québec Mafia. We organize events such as La Cabane à Sucre, La Fête Nationale, movie screenings and other networking and artistic events. Creating our show, ​2 Femmes à Hollywood​, was mainly an excuse to celebrate our culture. We promote the hell out of every good poutine place in L.A. on our social media. And we share our culture with everyone we meet. Our American friends know better than saying the name of Celine Dion in vain;)

Q. Americans already have many stereotypes of Canadians, what are some you face as Francophones living in the U.S.? ​
A. You think Americans make fun of your Canadian accent? Try going through life in L.A. with a Quebec accent!

Q. What do you miss about Quebec and/or Canada?​
A. Besides healthcare, affordable rent and efficient public transportation? We would have to say the values and the overall friendly attitude of Canadians. A fun fact is that we probably identify a lot more as Canadian, or French-Canadian (as well as Québecoises) now that we have been through the cultural shock of living in Hollywood.

Q. What do you love about living in L.A.?​
A. We love that’s it’s not -30 degrees, that’s number one! And the business opportunities! The three of us are entrepreneurs, and perhaps even more business oriented now that we have been immersed in the American culture.

Question for Mukta: Do you have marketing tips for Canadians in L.A.?
A. In many industries, being Canadian can be a selling point. Don’t be afraid to use it in your marketing strategy! Reaching out to other Canadian business owners and/or potential clients living in L.A. is also important. There are many of us here in L.A. and we all benefit from supporting each other.

Question for Sergine: What are your skincare tips for Canadians in L.A.? 
A. Haha! Well, my advice for everyone is to find a simple and fun skin regimen you can stick to and do everyday. You’ll get better results and have healthier skin by taking care of your skin for 5 minutes everyday, rather than going to expensive spa treatments for two hours every couple of months. Think of it like exercising. It’s what you do everyday. Some Canadians who just moved here, may experience a change in their skin. Most will need a lot more hydration and will also need to get in the habit of wearing sunscreen ALL THE TIME!

Question for Patricia: How do you maintain a career in two countries?
A. Great question! My advice for any actor, especially if you travel a lot, is to maintain a strong relationship with your agents and managers. My reps and I are a team, and they also communicate seamlessly between each other. Self tapes are how actors audition if they can’t show up in person, so I have my favorite studios across North America to tape in at the top of my contacts list, because auditions can come in very last minute. It also helps to own a simple setup of lights, camera (phone) and stand because I often have to do auditions while on vacation from my hotel room. When I’m not acting, I’m always producing or developing something, which I can mostly do from any city, with just my laptop and my cellphone...and a dream. 

September/2018 Canadian of the Month!

Zulekha Nathoo, Entertainment Journalist

Zulekha Nathoo has interviewed dozens of A-listers as a CBC entertainment journalist, from Denzel Washington to Priyanka Chopra. She’s currently based in Los Angeles, where she’s covered major events such as the Emmy Awards, Grammys, Oscars and the #MeToo movement in Hollywood. Before entering the arts world, Zulekha worked for 10 years as a news reporter in Toronto, Calgary, Fredericton, Bathurst and Montreal.
Zulekha has traveled worldwide and spent a year reporting in Nairobi, Kenya. She also traveled to the Middle East as part of a fellowship with the United Nations. She started her career at the London Free Press in London, Ontario. She holds an M.A. in Journalism from Western University and a B.A. in History from the University of Ottawa.
As a multi-media reporter in L.A., Zulekha shoots, edits, writes and presents her stories for TV, radio and online. When she’s not balancing work life with her husband and son, she’s balancing on a yoga mat.

Q. What led you to a career in entertainment reporting?
A. I started as an intern working in entertainment after grad school. I’ve always loved pop culture, arts and film and it’s the kind of beat you really have to love because you spend so much time in that world. But I never liked the frivolity of what entertainment news was becoming. So I spent 10 years doing hard news across Canada — I covered everything from gruesome murders in Alberta to chairlift speed dating in Quebec. When I moved to Toronto, covering news day to day took its toll. The more distressful stories you cover, the more you tend to bring it home with you without realizing it. So I jumped at the opportunity to start doing arts and entertainment again, where I could inject a bit more personality and analysis. A few years later, I was lucky enough that the CBC shifted the job to L.A.

Q. What has been the biggest adjustment moving to L.A.?
A. It still surprises me that drivers can run a red light, merge dangerously and make illegal turns and people will not honk at them. Angelenos are not honkers. That was a big adjustment for me, coming from Toronto, the road rage capital. Also sadly, there are always poo landmines to dodge all over the city, because while L.A. loves its dogs, no one seems to pick up after theirs. Amiright?

Q. Do you feel proud representing the CBC in the U.S.?
A. I do! I think having foreign bureaus outside Canada helps people get a first-hand understanding of what’s going on south of the border. Because it’s not always easy to comprehend. And that’s one of our responsibilities as a public broadcaster. You’d be surprised how many Americans who say they’re disillusioned with U.S. news outlets are watching our stories too, via social media. But oddly, when I’m reporting in short sleeves with palm trees gently swaying in the background a few days after a Canadian snowstorm, I tend to get very little appreciation for my hard work.

Q. Has moving to Los Angeles changed how you view and report on the industry, compared to doing it from Toronto?   
A. It totally has. I’ve learned so much about the industry since moving here and a lot of it has actually come from the amazing Canadians I’ve met. Insight from the actors, composers and writers has helped shape how I tell stories from here, having a bit of insider knowledge on how the business works that you just can’t get from any other location. And the access to people is just incredible compared to working in Toronto. Basically, you just have to hang out at LAX and you’ll eventually find who you’re looking for. I also think people from outside are quick to dismiss L.A. as soul-less and superficial. And you only realize after spending time here that it’s one of the few cities in the world where people are truly pursuing their dreams with a huge risk of failure and there’s really nothing more authentic than that. There’s an energy and enthusiasm despite all the disappointment and rejection people go through that makes it such an entertaining, joyful and often hilarious place to live and work.

Q. Do you always look for a Canadian angle?
A. The cool thing about Hollywood these days is that we actually don't have to LOOK for the Canadian angle -- Canadians are just doing amazing things and there are so many at the top of their field! We try to highlight those connections for sure, but I also think a good story is a good story. And whether it's a Canadian or anyone else at the heart of it, you feel successful as a journalist when you can just help people understand each other better and make the world feel a little bit smaller, regardless of where your subject comes from.

Q. Your hubby is a CBC news reporter in L.A., what are conversations at the dinner table like?
A. Well, our three-year-old son has no idea who Elsa or Lightning McQueen is but the little guy can identify Donald Trump in the morning paper and had an entire conversation with his pre-school teacher about Meghan Markle, so you tell me. Actually, I don’t want to hear it — child services already wants to speak with us.

Q. You have interviewed so many celebs over the years, who were you most excited to meet?
A. I don’t even have an original answer. I was most excited to meet Ryan Gosling. But NOT because he’s that dreamy guy! I mean, that factored in only slightly. I love talking to stars who are notorious for staying out of the spotlight because a) they’re people you don’t get to hear from often and b) most of the time, they are the most genuine and their answers are quite thoughtful. He was no exception. And we bonded over our Canadian roots, natch — I feel like we both said “sorry” several times during that interview for no reason at all. 

Q. What has been your craziest red carpet moment?
A. There have been many but I think this is a good one: Angelina Jolie was attending a premiere we were covering for one of her films and we were specifically told she wouldn’t be taking any questions. Translation: Don’t even think about asking her. But the movie was about female empowerment and we wanted to get her take given everything unfolding in Hollywood right now. So when she walked by, I (politely) asked her if she’d answer a question for Canadian Broadcasting. Her handler immediately jumped in to cut me off and I thought I was going to get kicked off the carpet. But Angelina (I am NOT on a first name basis with her) stopped and said: “I’d be happy to.” We were the only outlet she ended up chatting with. Proof that people just love Canada (raise the roof emoji)!

Q. Are Canadian celebs surprised when they meet a CBC reporter doing press junkets in Hollywood?
A. They always think I’ve flown in just for the day and say to me, all upbeat: “So how do you like L.A.?” Then when I tell them I live here, they ask the same question again in a totally different way, with a more somber tone and a pitying head-tilt. I told Seth Rogen I was from Calgary during an interview and he told me that if I was speaking to an American, I’d most likely have to explain myself further by saying: “I’m from Calgary … Alberta … that’s in Canada… you know, in the Rockies.” Also, see how seamlessly I name-dropped there? That's the newfound L.A. in me!

Q.Top three Canadian misconceptions you have come across living in the States?

1. When an American says “Oh! Hey, I’ve been to Canada before,” and I’m just expected to know which part of the MASSIVE country they mean.

2. I’m still amazed at how difficult it is for people to believe I’m from Canada. Lyft drivers, for example, will say to me: “No, but where are you REALLY from?” I once had a sales clerk say to me very slowly and deliberately so I could understand her, after I mentioned I wasn’t from the U.S.: “YOU SPEAK VERY GOOD ENGLISH FOR NOT BEING FROM THIS COUNTRY.”

3. That the way we say “about” and “house” is super different from the way Americans say it. However, I now realize, there’s truth to that! Here, they say “HOWse” and “ABOWt” so when Canadians say the same words in the U.S., they think we must be from Minnesota. I can’t tell you how many American friends have stopped me mid-sentence to point it out. Our son now says “AWH-runge” instead of “orange” because he’s grown up around U.S. pronunciations and I can’t tell you how much it pains me.

August/2018 Canadian of the Month

David Ivkovic - Realtor & Chairman of Canadians Abroad

David Ivkovic is originally from Ottawa, he did a short stint in Whistler and then 10 years in Toronto before moving to Los Angeles in 2010 with his wife, Renée Percy, and their dog Wesley. After graduating from Ryerson Theatre School in 2001, David pursued his dream of acting, only to realize it was really effing hard. While working behind the scenes on a popular HGTV home design show, David fell into the world of Toronto real estate. The flexible hours meant he could still pursue his acting career while making a decent living selling real estate in the hot Toronto condo market. David had finally found a work/passion balance that was enjoyable on both fronts. His wife’s career soon led them to Los Angeles, where he decided to repeat the formula and obtained his California real estate license. With his real estate experience in both countries, David was able to carve out a successful niche as a relocation specialist for Canadians moving to L.A. He soon discovered there was a vast community of Canadians already living in Los Angeles. As a proud Canadian, he wanted to get more involved with the community and soon became a board member of Canadians Abroad. After a few years on the board he became President and is presently Chairman, having organized some incredible events such as the Terry Fox Run Los Angeles, Canadian University Alumni Event, and the annual Canada Day Party in L.A. with continued support from the Consulate General of Canada to Los Angeles. After almost a decade in L.A., David could not be more proud to still be involved in such a thriving community of Canadians living in Southern California. 

Q. What do you do for Canadians Abroad?
A. Since we are all volunteers, it varies with how busy we all get in our regular lives. My main focus now as Chairman is to lend support to Erin Buckley Burnett and Zoe Kevork, who share the role of President. Our big event each year is the Canada Day party, it has a lot of moving parts and takes several months of work leading up to the event. But day to day I do website and social media updates, and create our email newsletter which announces various Canadian events happening around the city. 

Q. Why are you part of Canadians Abroad?
A. When we first moved here, we had all the same questions everyone always has: How do I build credit? Why do I need to do my drivers test over again?! What the hell is PPO vs. HMO? I discovered there were so many other transplants just like me going through the same thing, or who had already been through it. Since I missed home, it was great to become friends with other Canadians having a similar experience, plus I wanted to share what I had learned with others coming down after me. From a networking stand point, it was such a great resource to meet new clients and find service providers who were Canadian that I could refer business to, such as contractors, mortgage brokers, etc. We look like Americans, but we have a different sensibility that is very comforting when doing business. 

Q. What advice do you have for new Canadians moving to California?
A. Give yourself a few years, if not seven, to finally settle in. When we all move here we try to fit in and make our mark so quickly it is easy to burn out. There is a certain energy people have when they first move here that is so amazing. And there is a certain calm for those who have been here a while. I think if you can find a balance between those two things you’ll always appreciate what California has to offer, and you won’t spread yourself too thin trying to keep up. 

Q. What advice do you have for Canadians buying a new home in California right now?
A. When I first moved here the Canadian dollar was stronger than the US dollar. It was crazy, the US was going through a major recession and Canada was pretty stable. Canadians were the number one foreign investor of US real estate because prices were so cheap down here. From there I became a specialist in people relocating to Los Angeles. I was exploring so many neighbourhoods with my buyers and learning more about L.A. than people who have been here all their lives. It was a such a great crash course in learning about the city and all the different areas, from Venice to Valley, and everything in between. Boy how things have changed, the CAD is so low right now and the market here has rebounded higher than pre-recession prices. I still help a lot of Canadians, but not at the same pace. Since I don’t have a time machine or a magic ball, I say the best time to buy is when you can afford it, and be ready to compromise. If you have to have a 10 bedroom mansion with an ocean view in Santa Monica, please call me, I’d be happy to help! As for the rest of us, there are alternatives in up and coming areas for a lot less money such as the Valley, or the areas east of the 5 Freeway or south of the 10 Freeway.

Q. Are there any differences between the housing market in Canada and California right now?
A. If you are from a major city in Canada like Vancouver or Toronto, the prices here are pretty comparable. Rents are high in both countries right now and real estate is up. I think the major factor is how strong the USD is right now, which makes getting into the US market in general that much more expensive. 

Q. Any tips on buying in L.A. with so many different neighbourhoods to choose from?
A. L.A. is a city of neighbourhoods, or often referred to as a city without a centre. I always recommend buying close to your work if possible, or based on what type of lifestyle you want to have, such as beach, city, hills, etc. I deal with a lot of entertainment industry people who's jobs change location so often, so I often recommend trying to buy where your friends are. L.A. is so big and spread out, we are in our cars so much, it's nice to be close to friends.

Q. You are a Realtor, actor and funny man. What are you most passionate about?
A. I still take improv classes regularly, which is nice to be up on my feet performing from time to time. I was also hired to MC/host a show for a sold out crowd at the Dolby Theatre. That was incredible to be joking around in front of over 4000 people! I always try to go back to having that work/passion balance. That being said, L.A. real estate is so interesting and fun, I love touring homes with clients and seeing all the incredible properties around the city. We are in the land of pop culture, and so often I get to go behind closed doors and see where the people live who created it all. I still feel like that hyper-active kid from Ottawa and this is all just a tv show I’m watching.  

Q. You have visitors in town - what do you do with them on a Saturday afternoon? 
A. My favourite experience in L.A. is Cinespia. If you haven’t been, it is a film screening series at the Hollywood Forever Cemetery every Saturday night in the summer. I know watching old movies in a cemetery seems creepy, but it is so much fun. I have become an expert on scoring a great spot and putting together an amazing picnic basket with wine, cheese and prosciutto. My other go to’s are The Getty Center & LACMA, but my favorite museum in the city is the Peterson Automotive Museum. I love old cars, and they have a vault tour where you get to see all the old cars not on display, it is so cool to hear the history of so many famous cars. 

Q. What do you miss most about Canada? 
A. Canadian Tire and Tim Bits. Of course I really miss my family in Ottawa and friends in Toronto and Whistler, but my god I miss Canadian Tire and Tim Bits. I would always get a ten pack of Tim Bits, four chocolate, four sour cream and two old fashioned glazed with a small iced cappuccino. I know that’s specific, but I know what I like and I know what I miss. As for Canadian Tire, there just isn’t a store like that in L.A. If I wanted to buy hockey gear, a blender and a new tool box, I'd have to go to three different stores to get that stuff, back home I could pick all that up in one shot at Canadian Tire:)

Visit David’s real estate website here: www.DavidIvkovic.com 
And check out his talents here: https://vimeo.com/244471000

July/2018 Canadian of the Month - John Chiu

You may be curious why we chose Knott's Berry Farm to play host of this year's Canada Day. You may also be wondering how we're able to source rare delicacies like peameal bacon sandwiches, perfectly curated poutine, caesars, Blue Light, Molson Canadian and Moosehead. Our secret? John Chiu who is Director of Food and Beverage at Knott's Berry Farm. John attended his first Canadians Abroad event this year and introduced himself to our Board. And just like that, Canada Day 151 was hatched. It's a great story that demonstrates the power of our network, why it's definitely worthwhile to attend our events and how Canadians can work together to accomplish great things. This year's Canada Day has been made possible in part by John and for that reason, we welcome John as our Canadian of the Month for July!

John Chiu hails from Windsor, Ontario and is currently the Director of Food and Beverage/Hospitality at Knott’s Berry Farm in Buena Park, California. John has been in his present role for the past five and a half years.  He was offered a transfer to Knott’s Berry Farm in December of 2012 from Canada’s Wonderland in Toronto, Ontario where he was the Manager of Food & Beverage Operations. Over the past few years at Knott’s Berry Farm, John has been a part of developing and spearheading many of new and successful initiatives including the hugely popular Boysenberry Festival and the Peanuts Character Celebration.
In conjunction with making the move to Southern California, John also managed to complete his MBA specializing in Hospitality and Tourism Management from the University of Guelph.  Prior to this, John attended York University in Toronto studying Kinesiology and Health Science, Honors Program.
John is closely involved with the CHOC Children’s Foundation in Orange County sitting on their Stewardship Committee and an active member of the CHOC Champions Club that brings together young professionals in the OC to raise awareness and donations for the hospital.    
John is also involved with dozens of SoCal highschools and post-secondary schools in developing their career and technical education programs where he shares industry knowledge to support pathways for students to obtain skilled jobs after graduation.  John is currently an Adjunct Professor at The Arts Institute of California – Santa Ana where he teaches several of their hospitality college programs.

Q. What is a day in the life of John like?
A. Every day is unique working in the theme park industry and especially in food and beverage.  There are never two days that are the same in ANY way and that is what keeps it exciting and energetic knowing that you always have to be ready to take on any operational challenge that gets thrown your way.

Q. Where are you from and what do you miss most about home?

A. I was born in Windsor, Ontario, where I spent the first few years of my life then my family moved to Toronto where I lived in all parts of the city and Greater Toronto Area.  Being an expat going on five and a half years, I miss the childhood friendships that come from relocating across the continent. However, I must say that friends and family have been wonderful about making the trips out to California as I host between 12-15 guests a year.  I do NOT miss the seasonal weather.

Q. What was your first job and how did it shape what you do today?
A. My first paid job was working on a family farm located north of Toronto where I was a farm hand responsible for many daily farm tasks.  I would collect eggs from the chicken coop, pick vegetables from the fields, and feed all the dozens of livestock just to name a few of the jobs.  Here I am now ironically working again on a (berry) farm in Southern California and even though my role has changed, I still find myself involved with any and every aspect of the business and am constantly prioritizing the day’s work to get as much accomplished before the day is done.        

Q. Given that you are a foodie by profession, what do you love most about Californian cuisine?
A. California being one of the tourist meccas of the US has been remarkably daring with all of their food programs not just in theme parks, but in small businesses as well.  Whether you’re in SoCal or Los Angeles, you can find an assortment of ethnic foods to keep your palate engaged all 365 days. Theme parks up and down the coast have made food a paramount pillar of their business and have adapted seasonal food festivals of all kinds of offerings to the experience.  What’s most impressive is that these guests that partake in these food festivals are mostly locals and self-proclaimed foodies who are up for the challenge of trying something new.

Q. What can you tell us about the menu you chose for our Canada Day 151 at Knott's Berry Farm and what can we expect from the event?
A. We made sure we brought some Canadian food and beverage classics to the table for this July 1st celebration.  Our park chefs will be preparing peameal bacon sandwiches with a maple syrup reduction sauce, the famous Quebec classic poutine, assorted Canadian beer and caesars.  The event will be the a first for Canadians Abroad hosting the event in The Spurs Chop House at Knott’s Berry Farm where Canadian’s from all over SoCal will come together in celebrating Canada’s 151st anniversary.    

Q. You have visitors in town, where do you take them to eat?
A. When sightseeing around Los Angeles, I like taking my guests to the Grand Central Market where they can choose from over 30 different food stalls each one different from the last.  A great Los Angeles rooftop dining experience is the Perch that features small French plates and hand crafted cocktails overlooking the city. When in San Diego, Casa Guadalajara in Old Town has an enchanting outdoor dining experience.  I could go on but some of the most flavorful experiences I have had with guests have been in small family-run Hispanic establishments that just do good food right.

Q. You are stuck in traffic. What songs are you singing along to in your car?
A. I have recently shifted to listening to podcasts and books on tape when stuck in Cali traffic, however when I need my music fix I have to say that I tend to shift from genre to genre depending on my mood.  I can go from Top 40 to Metal to Reggaeton to EDM. Anything with an upbeat melody is my drive.

June/2018 Canadian of the Month

Pete Kasprzak, Graphic Designer & Artist

Pete Kasprzak is a graphic designer and artist originally from Toronto, working for Inc. 500 recognized advertising and marketing agency GTMA, located in downtown Los Angeles. Having studied Advertising and Communications at Mohawk College in Hamilton, Ontario, Pete went on to become a graphic designer in Toronto. Working on campaigns for major Canadian retailers, as well as designing graphics for Gwen Stefani’s L.A.M.B clothing brand. 
Always up for an adventure, Pete applied and was awarded a TN VISA from his graphic design experience through NAFTA (North American Free Trade Agreement), and landed a job in Los Angeles.
Currently at GTMA he creates online and social media advertising for major brands, as well as photo editing for The Grammy Museum. As an artist, Pete’s artwork has been displayed in Toronto, Hamilton, San Francisco, New York, and Los Angeles. And with Hollywood as a backdrop, Pete’s artwork has naturally made it to the screen having been used in TV shows such as My Crazy Ex-girlfriend and Condor. 
He was recently involved in a collaboration of music photography featuring Motley Crue, Rob Zombie, Mix Master Mike and Tommy Lee as subjects. His artwork is currently on display and for sale at Artspace Warehouse in LA.  https://www.artspacewarehouse.com/en/artist-pete-kasprzak

Q.  What does a weekend in L.A. look like for Pete? 

A. It's all about balance. I always like to mix fun with my “hobby” and tend to always carry my camera around to get that special photo. Whether I’m leaving work or out in Hollywood, I will always make an effort to capture that L.A. vibe, and relate it to my graphic design, and artwork whenever I can. Everything is so fast paced, I could be editing photos one minute, and then heading off to a block party the next, I love it! There are times I enjoy taking my canvases outside and painting in the outdoors which is something I always dreamed of. I love exploring southern California and visiting new neighborhoods which is what I think makes L.A. so great. It's a city amongst cities. 

Q. How has living in L.A. shaped or changed your art? 

A. L.A.’s natural beauty and great weather uplifts and motivates me to be outside and always doing something positive, it’s a happy feeling being here. I don’t think there’s been a day in the last few years where I was not inspired by the energy of L.A., and I always try to capture that. Seeing the great L.A. sunsets has inspired me to paint them often, along with the many mountains surrounding the city. I like to capture the streets, and the hustle/bustle of L.A. by sometimes even setting up in the middle of Sunset Blvd hoping not to get hit by a car while snapping photos.

Q. Tell us about some of the projects you are currently designing? 

A. At GTMA (GoToMyApartment) it’s always something new and exciting. I could be editing images for The Grammy Museum one day, a national campaign for Asset Campus Housing the next, pushing the envelope to create unique social banners, to designing Snapchat, Facebook, or PPC ad’s, as well as creating videos for clients. It's a great balance and I always enjoy working on graphics and trying to bring something new to the table. I even hand-draw some graphics, which I vectorize and use in my graphic design work. Graphic meets art! With my art, I am working on a few oil aerial paintings which are being showcased in West Hollywood, several mixed media pieces for a business in Toronto, and quite a few new smaller pieces for a show in Studio City called IndyFest on June 8th. I’m showcasing several P.O.P print series' for Clean Aesthetic in Playa del Rey, as well as very large format Hollywood pieces for Artspace Warehouse where I am a resident artist. The vibe of L.A. keeps me going! 

Q. What are your goals and where do you see your art being in the next five years? 

A. I would love to have my art managed and be a part of galleries around the world. Having representation would definitely allow me to simply create my art. Having my art branched out to bigger markets like: New York, France, and Italy would definitely be a goal of mine. A crazy idea I had was to eventually have a small shop in certain cities where people (tourists) can buy official original art pieces that capture the essence of that city. I would love to create more of my “Starving Artist” line of silver jewelry. I have many more artistic ideas to explore, and would like to pursue those as well. With all the technology out there today, Physical Art seems to be a dying genre, so I always try to add that personal element to design and my life as much as possible.  

Q. Is there a special place in L.A. that inspires you? 

A. Funny enough, driving south on the 101 in the evening through the Hollywood Hills/Cahuenga Pass into Hollywood. Seeing downtown from a distance as you pass the Cahuenga exit feels like you just entered the hustle of L.A. Driving through all the areas of the city and capturing moments in West Hollywood, Koreatown, DTLA, Watts, Sun Valley, Burbank, Van Nuys, and Venice inspire me very much. I love the city life, but being by the beach is the greatest. I love unwinding at the many beaches of L.A. and O.C. during the day, and enjoying what the nightlife has too offer. The vibe at the beach is completely different than anywhere else. I love the relaxed nature and approach the beach cities offer when the craziness of the city is only 15 minutes away. 

Q. What is the coolest thing you’ve done in L.A.? 

A. I have a big fear of heights, so I would have to say taking a private helicopter tour over L.A. to photograph some of my favorite neighborhoods was an amazing experience. Scary at first, as we removed the doors, but it was such a rush photographing the city from above, to which I converted into art pieces. The other is being able to create private works for other artists, such as having pieces hung in Erick Morillo’s home studio, and lobby pieces for S.K.A.M Studios. I really take pride in having these great artists want to put up my art on their walls. 

Q. What do you miss about Canada? 

A. I miss being close to my family and my closest childhood friends. I can’t just meet them for dinner or a drink like I used to. So it’s always nice to have visitors come down.  Not only that, I miss my double double at Tim Horton’s and a French Cruller. 

Q. What is your favorite thing to show your Canadian friends who come to visit? 

A. I love showing friends the local hot spots near my place and in other areas like, The Hideaway, Moonshadows, Mousso & Frank, The Dresden, Santa Monica Pier, Sunset Strip, Venice Beach, San Pedro Fish Market, Mulholland Dr, and the nice drive along the PCH. And my favorite spot, the Roosevelt Hotel back pool.

Q. Any upcoming art or gallery shows you want to share? 

A. I actually have an opening reception on Friday June 15th in West Hollywood at V Wine Room, and I’m being featured at Indyfest in Studio City on June 8th. 

Pete's website seewhatinspires.me is currently being re-vamped, so feel free to check out his art at: https://www.artspacewarehouse.com/en/artist-pete-kasprzak"

May/2018 Canadian of the Month

Kay Buck, CEO of CAST LA
 

Kay Buck has over 20 years experience in the human rights field. Joining the Coalition to Abolish Slavery & Trafficking (CAST) as Executive Director in 2003, Ms. Buck leads the first organization in the US exclusively designed to work on the issue of human trafficking. Under Ms. Buck’s leadership, CAST is known for a one-of-a-kind leadership development program for survivors of trafficking who are now using their voices to impact federal and state policy. 

Prior to joining CAST, Ms. Buck was Director of the Rape Prevention Resource Center of the California Coalition Against Sexual Assault (CALCASA). She has been instrumental on several policy initiatives related to slavery and violence against women, including the DC- based Alliance To End Slavery and Trafficking and the Freedom Network. Ms. Buck spent over five years in Asia working with a network of NGOs on anti-trafficking issues and labor rights projects, and participated in the planning of several international conferences, including the World Conference on Women. 

Ms. Buck is a member of the California Attorney General’s transition team on victim rights. In 2005, she was given the “Change Maker Dream Maker” recognition alongside Senator Hilary Rodham Clinton by the Women’s Foundation of California. As a leader in the human rights movement, Ms. Buck has a personal and professional commitment to developing NGOs and positioning them as key stakeholders for advancing social change. 

Ms. Buck holds a BA in Women’s Studies, and resides in Los Angeles with her husband and their daughter Synneva.

Q. Where in Canada are you from and what brought you to the US?

A. I was lucky to grow up near Lake Diefenbaker, Saskatchewan, where my family and I still spend our summers boating and drinking the occasional Rye Press under the stars, and then later on in Calgary. I moved to Asia for 5 years doing international development work that started my career, and came to Los Angeles to work on violence against women initiatives during the Clinton administration in the mid 90's. I guess you could say I was drawn here to continue my passion for justice in a global city that is a reflection of my life’s work.

Q. What is your typical day like?

A. Anti-human trafficking work is as rewarding as it is demanding.  Given that Los Angeles has the most cases of trafficking per year in the US, I spend most of my days leading a team of very committed experts (and amazing human beings) in developing innovative models to protect victims and hold traffickers accountable. I get to work with a very diverse group of people in the community ranging from LA’s  business and political leaders to the FBI to philanthropists to survivors of trafficking who are using their voices for social change. You can learn a lot from survivors if you listen. I absolutely love it; there is NEVER a dull moment and it feels great knowing that I’m doing my part to improve the human condition for future generations.

Q.  What are you most proud about in relation to what you do?

A. I am proud and inspired by CAST’s Survivor Network, the first program I developed at CAST, and a community of women and men who have overcome challenges to become powerful leaders creating sustainable change.  The resilience and grace that survivors of human trafficking model for us all is breathtakingly beautiful and yet full of grit. It compels me to believe that a brighter future is always possible.

Q. Why is it good to be a Canadian in LA?

A. I have lots of company! Los Angeles has one of the highest populations of Canadians in the US…plus I must be doing something right if my fellow Canadians Ryan Gosling, Nia Vardalos, and Drake are here as well! Nia is introducing me at our upcoming 20th anniversary gala on May 10, 2018 and that is really meaningful for me. 

"For more information on CAST LA and to purchase tickets for their 20th year celebration on May 10th, 2018, please visit: https://aesbid.co/ELP/CLA18"

Q.  What do you miss most about Canada?

A. As much as I love LA, Canada has unmatched natural beauty- and space.  When work gets particularly intense I think about all the expansive places in Canada where I could go to unplug…it’s the best place in the world to clear your head and connect with your thoughts before you dive back into the fast-pace of LA. That said, I’ve found LA to be a series of towns with similar values to the one where I grew up in Canada- Angelenos are some of the best people this world has to offer.

Q. What is the biggest misconception Americans have about Canada?

A. That Canada is this quiet little country relaxing just North of the US…in fact Canada is the 10th largest economy in the world! C’mon America. 

Q.  What keeps you up at night?

A. A culture that is turning away from empathy.  I love the United States, but the success of our work at CAST proves that compassion is the solution.  We all must cultivate a culture of respect for communities regardless of their circumstance and especially for those communities of people who are marginalized and often invisible to the public like trafficking victims.  We become a kinder, happier, and more productive nation when we care for the most vulnerable.  My fellow Canadians (and their American friends and colleagues)  can help our cause by donating their time or resources to CAST or other like-minded organizations. Check us out at castla.org and follow us on social media.

Q. You are stuck on the 405 in traffic. What song are you singing along to and what are you thinking about?

A.  I love Latin music and sing along to my favorite salsa songs. I also dance a bit to pass the time in that 405 traffic. I usually spend my morning commute going over the day in my head and calling a few people over Bluetooth…never text and drive!

Q. Any advice for our Canadian members who want to work in the non-profit sector?

A.  First, you are doing the right thing.  The world needs you right now more than ever.  Take an inventory of your skills and think about how you could best apply your strengths to help a cause.  Find something that you are deeply passionate about—non-profit work is demanding and it requires perseverance and an entrepreneurial spirit so you should spend time up front ensuring that you are fully committed to a mission.  There are so many fantastic organizations here—join our CAST! #itendswithus #survivorstrong

April/2018 Canadian of the Month

James Villeneuve, Consul General of Canada in Los Angeles

James Villeneuve was appointed Consul General of Canada, Los Angeles in February 2014. He is Canada's senior representative in Southern California, Arizona and Nevada.

Prior to his appointment, Mr. Villeneuve worked for Anheuser Busch InBev, the world’s largest brewing company and the parent company of Labatt Breweries, for more than 27 years. He started with Labatt in Toronto in sales and marketing and was later transferred to Vancouver, where he was regional director of government affairs for Western Canada.

In 1995, Mr. Villeneuve returned to Toronto to manage Labatt’s rebranding initiative and to run the company’s corporate and sports properties. He later became director of corporate affairs and then vice-president of corporate affairs for Canada. From 2007 to 2009, Mr. Villeneuve worked in Brussels to lead InBev’s global corporate affairs practice. After InBev purchased Anheuser Busch in 2009, Mr. Villeneuve moved to St. Louis to lead the company’s North American corporate affairs department.

Mr. Villeneuve has served on many boards during his career, including the Toronto Economic Development Commission, the Metro Toronto Convention Centre, the 2008 Toronto Olympic Bid, the Granville Island Trust, the Association of Canadian Advertisers, Carleton University, the Canadian Club, Teach for America, the United Way and the Regional Chamber and Growth Association in St. Louis. He received a Bachelor’s degree from Carleton University in 1985.

Mr. Villeneuve is married to Kim Walker-Villeneuve and they have two children, Grace and Andrew.

Here is our interview with the Consul General:

Q. What’s the day in the life of the Consul General like?  

A. It’s a lot of outside events – meetings with businesses or political leaders. And lots of evening work. We’ve hosted about 300 events at the Official Residence in 4 years, plus I’m out at others. That’s a good sign about the strength of our network here. On top of that, Canadians are constantly reaching out for help with passports, Americans and others are seeking visas, and so I stay on top of what our busy staff is up to, to make sure we can continue giving the Canadian taxpayers the best service.

Q. What has been your greatest accomplishment of being Consul General?  

A. We’ve had great success on the trade and investment files. The customer satisfaction of companies working with our Trade Commissioner Service officers is the highest [of the 12 consulates] in the US. We’ve moved jobs, up to 400 at a time, up to Vancouver. The ability to attract that kind of investment to Canada is great for us as an office and a country.

Q. How has your view of LA changed over the years since you first began your post?  
A. I was pleasantly surprised by what an international and global city LA is. Until you live here, you don’t appreciate the mosaic – people from all over the world.

Q. Why is it good to be a Canadian in LA?  

A. There are lots of us here. So the ability to connect with other Canadians is great. Canada is a country of openness, tolerance and civility – and LA is like that, maybe the closest to Canadian values of anywhere in the US. Mayor Garcetti told me that people come to LA to live their dreams, which means everyone is welcome – and that Canadians should feel welcome, too.

Q. Any advice for new Canadian transplants in California?  

A. Join Canadians Abroad! Go to events. See if your university alumni are meeting in LA, which many of them do.  And register with the Consulate.

Q. You are stuck in traffic on the 405. What song are you usually signing along to and what are you thinking about?  

A. Anything from Rush. Or The Tragically Hip.

Q. What keeps you up at night?  

A. The safety of our citizens. I think about the Las Vegas shooting, where 16 of our citizens were shot. Something like that doesn’t come up daily, but it stays with you. I went out to visit some of the Canadians in the hospital, and it was pretty horrific. For most Canadians, I think, the US doesn’t really feel like a foreign country, but that was one of those instances where people felt in need of help from their government and where it’s most crucial that we can respond well – which I think we really did.

Q. Have you ever been star struck while in your position?  

A. To a certain degree. It’s hard not to be star-struck when you meet people like Leonard Cohen at the Canadian Residence. What an icon.

Q. What do you find most challenging about being the Consul General?  

A. Connecting Canada’s largest diaspora in the world. The city is so spread out, there’s a challenge in getting around and bringing people together. And also staying on top of all the Canadians who are here and coming all the time and doing interesting, valuable work.

Q. Your friends or family are in town. What would you typically do with them on a Saturday afternoon and evening here in LA? 

A. Hiking, for sure. And baseball at Dodger Stadium.

Q. You have a week vacation with an unlimited budget. Where in Canada would you go and why?  

A. Newfoundland. I’ve been there a bunch of times, and the people are great. Or maybe the Northwest Territories. Amazing natural beauty. The northern lights are beyond description.

Read more about the Consul General by clicking here.