Brian

Vimy Ridge – Canadian Pride

Vimy Ridge. 100 years ago, 4 Divisions of Canadian soldiers left their muddy trenches and moved forward to take Vimy Ridge from the heavily fortified Germans. The Ridge was geographically important as the Germans protected coal fields that were needed to fire their war machine.

Much has been written about Vimy and a couple of reading suggestions are “Vimy” by Pierre Berton and “Victory at Vimy” by Ted Barris. There is also a new book out by Tim Cook that I have not read.

Whether you believe or do not believe that Canada become a nation that day is irrelevant. For me, it is about the World recognizing that Canada was a place of its own and was not just a colony of the British Empire. In addition, Vimy showed that through detailed planning and training, great things could be accomplished.

The fact is the Canadians succeeded where the French and British troops failed. The French sent 20 Divisions to Vimy in 1915 and had 150,000 casualties. The British fared no better. The Allied forces needed a win. They suffered unspeakable casualties at Passchendaele and the Somme. The Canadians faced German gas for the first time at Ypres and had to use urine covered clothes to breathe though. The Allied troops were being cut down by German machine guns as they used out dated tactics to move forward in battle.

Julian Byng, a British officer, commanded the Canadian troops at Vimy. Along with Arthur Currie, a Canadian from Victoria, they produced a considerable different strategy to attack Vimy Ridge. Byng believed that all the troops should understand the entire battle plan in order to be able to execute and improvise as necessary in the field. The Canadians trained for months on the detailed battle plan that included understanding every piece of the terrain and perfecting their timing for moving forward.

The Canadians dug tunnels to place explosives under the German lines. These were detonated and the big guns pounded the German positions prior to the ground attack starting. As the Canadians moved forward from the trenches, the Canadian artillery continued to fire over their heads at the Germans. The timing had to be precise and for the Canadians who moved forward to quickly, they were killed by friendly fire. This strategy allowed the Canadians to advance on the German positions as the Germans were pinned down by relentless cover fire. Almost 4,000 Canadians died at Vimy Ridge, although, this was far smaller then the Canadians who died at the Somme.

The Canadian Divisions were made up of battle hardened veterans of the previous battles in France and Belgium and new recruits who filled the places vacated by those men lost before them. They were virtually all volunteers with 50% of the troops coming from Western Canada even though Western Canada made up less than 25% of the Canadian population. Western Canada had been opened for agriculture in the years before World War I and many of the immigrants came from Scotland and England. The Scots and Brits signed up in droves to fight for “King and Country”. The Scandinavians, Poles, French and other immigrants did not feel the same attachment and were generally less inclined to enlist right away. The Canadians were skilled in shooting, handling horses and fixing equipment and they used these skills to their advantage.

Before the War started, unemployment was high in Canada and some felt this was an opportunity for them to seek adventure. Others wanted a chance to see their homeland again. Many were sure it would be a short campaign and they would be home before Christmas. They were wrong.

I do not believe Vimy Ridge should be used as a justification for war or as a glorification of war. These Canadians humbly went forward and did the job that was set before them. They prevailed under difficult, horrific circumstances and sacrificed more than most of us can understand. The best we can do is recognize and honor their sacrifices. They deserve nothing less.

My second cup is now empty…………..

Holocaust Survivor Story

71592. This is the number the Nazi’s assigned to Bill Glied at Auschwitz.

This past March Kathy and I attended the Holocaust Memorial Service at the Jewish Community Centre.

This annual memorial was very well done and it was our first time to join the Jewish community to remember the Holocaust where an estimated 6 million Jews were systematically murdered. The information on the displays indicated 2 out of every 3 European Jews died during this horrific period.

There are people who feel there is no need to revisit the stories of the Holocaust. For me, given the sheer magnitude of what happened, makes it very relevant for the Jewish community to host an annual memorial service. One clear message I came away with was that there are still people who deny that the Holocaust happened and continue to spew hate messages in books, online in Internet blogs, and on Synagogue buildings and property. The memorial presenters were not speaking of “feel sorry for us”. They were asking people to be vigilant and to be vocal when people question the existence of the Holocaust.

Bill Glied was the keynote speaker. Mr. Glied was almost 15 years old in 1944 when the Nazi’s took his family from Yugoslavia and sent them on a two day trip to Auschwitz by cattle car.

They left their town where their family operated a flour mill for 200 years. In 1941, when the area was ceded to Hungary by the Germans, Jews were no longer permitted to walk on the sidewalks and had to walk in the middle of the street and they wore the yellow star. Mr. Glied had to move to the back of his classroom and his best friend was no longer permitted to talk to him. His passion for soccer diminished as he could no longer be an active player. All their property and possessions were confiscated.

On the railway platform at Auschwitz, Mr. Glied’s mother, sister and grandmother were moved to a separate line and he never saw them again. Mr. Glied and his father were deemed worthy to go to a work camp and were sent to Germany as slave laborers.

Their day started at 4:00 am with a cup of something that resembled coffee and then they marched to work for 12 hours. After they were done, they marched back and were given a bowl of potato peel soup and bread. The decision to eat all the bread at once versus saving some for breakfast was a big issue. As the worker’s health deteriorated, there had to a determination if they could continue to work or not. Every two weeks the workers were assembled and each worker had to climb up on a chair. If they could perform the task, they continued to be worked to death as a slave laborer. If they could not, they were sent to a death camp.

In the spring of 1945, Mr. Glied’s father could not climb on the chair and was sent to the death camp. Mr. Glied was overcome with grief and asked to go with his father. They went together and the conditions were even worse then they had just experienced. They both contracted typhoid and Mr. Glied’s father died 9 days before liberation on April 29, 1945. Mr. Glied received treatment and survived.

Mr. Glied returned to his home town in Yugoslavia and found that all his relatives and the other Jewish people were all gone.

In 1947, as a 17 year old, Mr. Glied came to Canada. He married, started a business and they raised 3 daughters and now have 8 grand children. He has testified at war crimes trials and speaks regularly to schools so they better understand the Holocaust.

His talk was pure and humble. There was no sense of feeling entitled, vengeful or “woe is me”.

Mr. Glied now represents one of the few survivors of the Holocaust. Their stories will soon have to be relayed second hand. I feel privileged to have heard Mr. Glied’s story.

My second cup is now empty…………..

Sasktel – To Sell or Not To Sell?

SaskTel is a telecommunications corporation in Saskatchewan that is owned by the government. It is typically called a “Crown Corporation”.

The mere mention of Sasktel invokes considerable emotion these days and the political ideologies jump to the fore to justify either the sale of or the retention of the crown corporation assets.

At our house we use SaskTel services for cell phones, Internet and TV. We recently dropped our telephone land line as it became outdated. Does anyone under 30 have a land line anymore? Times are a changing.

Over the years, I have been involved in many business valuations and related business sale transactions or non-transactions. One thing that was common in determining business values was to try an remove the emotion from the decision. To be fair the emotion related to SaskTel exists on all sides of the political spectrum and I do not see that going away anytime soon.

The purpose of valuing a business is to determine the underlying value of the tangible and intangible assets. Tangible assets are the things you can touch, feel and smell, such as, land, buildings and equipment. Intangible assets commonly relate to the goodwill of the business. Goodwill can exist because of the business location, employees in the business, product line and proven profitability.

Fundamentally, a business has more overall value when it is profitable and a has a long history of profitability. Keep in mind that a business is purchased based on the future ability to be profitable. The past profitability is only used as an indicator of future profitability. Current factors that affect future profitability are always considered in determining the overall asset value because it is the future profitability that will pay for the investment purchase.

I believe SaskTel is currently profitable and has a history of profitability. It has also been on the leading edge of technology and Saskatchewan has received good value from SaskTel services. These facts are probably not disputed by many Saskatchewan residents. As with all business values, and the related decisions to purchase a business, it is the future expected profitability that is important in determining the overall value not the past profitability.

If SaskTel can maintain or enhance future profitability, then it makes sense to me to keep the crown corporation. My concerns are that there are a number of considerations that will have a detrimental affect on future profitability and, therefore, will reduce the overall value of the SaskTel’s assets in the future. In fact, one day the value could be seriously eroded in relation to the current value and it all has to do with profitability. A few questions in this regard.

How many people are reducing services by abandoning their telephone land lines?
How aggressive are other providers (Telus, Rogers, Shaw, ADT) trying to enter the Saskatchewan market?
How will SaskTel deal with global technology that continues to expand services and reduce service rates?
Given the pure competition, can a regional company like SaskTel continue to provide services at the same rates as the larger national and, eventually, international providers?
Can you think of any factors that exist that will enhance SaskTel’s profitability in the future and maintain the current asset value?

All of the above impact SaskTel’s future profitability and the related value of SaskTel’s assets.

I also have to wonder how many people who want to keep SaskTel as a crown corporation actually use the services of other providers like Telus, Rogers, Shaw and ADT? If they are not supporting SaskTel services, then how can they argue for keeping SaskTel? I take no issue with people making their own decisions in a competitive market; however, they can not have it both ways. They have effectively already made the decision to sell SaskTel by abandoning the SaskTel services. Perhaps check with your friends and family to see what services they actually use. You may find that the SaskTel market is shrinking or will shrink as a percentage of the overall Saskatchewan market

There has been talk that a referendum is necessary to decide whether or not SaskTel’s assets should be sold. If this is done I expect we will be into a costly, emotional, political debate that can possibly lead to an uninformed decision.

Strong leadership, with the assistance of qualified professionals, is required to evaluate the business merits of selling or not selling the SaskTel assets. Given this process, I will be content with the decision either way!

My second cup is now empty……………….

2016 Rio Olympics – Canadian Women

I wrote this article in August 2016 and sent it to friends on email.

We just got back from Halifax and I had the chance to again walk the same ground that my grandmother, Rose, did when she arrived in Canada after the First World War. She was about 16 years old and came with her mother and younger siblings. Her father and older brothers were killed in their farm yard, in front of the family, during the war. Gramma Rose did not smile much. She was small, gentle and represented the toughness of the thousands of women who came to this country to make a better life for themselves and their future children.

Fast forward to the Rio 2016 Olympics. At one point, Canadian women had won medals in 12 Olympic events and our Canadian men had yet to find the podium. There appears to be a certain “toughness” about these Canadian women as they lead the way.

I’m not going to suggest the current Canadian women toughness compares to the hardship of the women who came before them; however, there does seem to be a level of determination around these women, especially in the swimming events. As Canadians, we do not celebrate our successes as other countries do and we almost apologize for success. Sorry, but it is true!

Every four years we get to see all our Canadian athletes compete. They train in obscurity (I doubt many knew Penny Oleksiak’s name before the Rio games) and then take the stage, not for the spotlight, but for the pure thrill of doing their personal best. Some get medals, yet the vast majority do not. I have to believe the dopers and the cheaters are in the minority and that the clean athletes do prevail, even though they do not always get a medal. There are some things higher in life than recognition of position.

I’m always impressed with the 10 meter diving. I suggested to Kathy that I would like to try the backward twisting double back flip finishing out of the pike position. Kathy thought my life jacket would get in the way! I cannot swim.

So hats off to our Canadian women and continue to cheer them on. If medals matter at all, the men will catch fire and perhaps there is a Greg Joy (Montreal 1976) or a Donavon Bailey (Atlanta 1996) just waiting to break out!

My second cup is now empty……………..

Gordie Howe

I wrote this tribute to Gordie Howe in June 2016 when he passed away. At that time I just shared it with friends on email.

Did you have a hockey hero? Was it Bobby (pick one), Maurice, Johnny, Stevie Y, Mario, Patrick, Jean, Yvan, Sidney, Alex or Phil.

My hockey hero was Davey Keon, number 14 of the mighty Toronto Maple Leafs. A small, fast skater that could stick handle like no other. A kid from Noranda, Quebec who left the Leafs in disgust (think Harold Ballard) and the wounds have only recently healed. Keon moved to the WHA, first with the Minnesota Fighting Saints and then to the Hartford Whalers. In 1978 he played with an old guy who, like Keon, was at the end of his playing career. For many people this classy, tough, old giant Mr. Hockey was their hockey hero.

The giant has fallen. Gordie Howe has died. Howe was born 10 days after my late father.

From humble beginnings growing up in Saskatoon to the big hockey cities in the NHL, they say Howe remained a man of the people. I never met Gordie Howe, yet as a kid I followed his career as I did so many of the hockey players of that time.

We live in an era when everyone wants to determine who was “the best ever”. Who cares? As Wayne Gretzky pointed out, he and Howe played in different times where there was a different emphasis on offence and defence. No need to compare, just appreciate the players for what they brought to the game.

Possibly the most telling statistic and NHL record, and one that will never be broken, is that Howe finished in the top 5 in scoring for 20 consecutive years. Unbelievable when you think about injuries, travel and talent.

Howe was tough and durable. He used his stick and elbows in ways that would not be tolerated in today’s game. A Gordie Howe hat trick is a goal, an assist and a fight. In reality Howe only had two of these hat tricks. In all, he had 22 fights. One of these fights was with Howie Meeker, a person many remember as an annoying, hockey announcer on CBC. Howie Meeker won the rookie of the year in the NHL the same year Howe was eligible. Really? Yup, really.

At 6 feet and 200 pounds, Howe was a big man in his era, yet in today’s game his size would not be noticed. No steroids required, just hard work.

Apparently, Howe did things with little fanfare. As people arrived at Wayne Gretzky’s wedding in limousines, Howe arrived in a yellow taxi. Nothing extra – just a prairie boy.

According to some reports, the prairie boy got taken advantage of financially for years. He was the top player of his time; however, he was not paid that way. Howe signed the contracts put before him and he trusted management. Other teams used his small contracts as excuses to pay players less. A player from another team finally brought this to Howe’s attention. Colleen Howe, Gordie’s wife, took over the financial management for the family and things improved. It was Colleen who negotiated the deal that took Gordie, Mark and Marty Howe as a package to the Houston Aeros of the WHA.

Saskatchewan has exported many talented people over the years. Was there any better?

My second cup is now empty…………

Muhammad Ali

Muhammad Ali died in June 2016. I wrote this tribute to him at that time and shared with friends on email.

Ali’s greatest battles did not happen in the ring. The two toughest were probably being a young, angry, black man in America in the 1960’s and then having to fight Parkinson’s disease for much of his life. Ali said that after the 1960 Olympics, he threw his gold medal in the Ohio River after he and friends were refused service at an “all white” restaurant in the United States. He later provided his own refusal by not serving in the US military in Vietnam. At the time, he effectively made the choice to give up what was his ticket to fame and fortune. Of course, his path did still lead to a position of influence; however, he could not have known that when he made the decision. I’m not sure many of us would have had the same conviction when faced with the same choices. Parkinson’s effectively stripped Ali of being more outspoken in the years when America could use his voice. The symbolism of him lighting the flame at the 1996 Olympics in Atlanta was special on many fronts.

I believe Muhammad Ali’s name has come up in the context of Elvis Presley and George Chuvalo.

Elvis Presley and Muhammad Ali took two different approaches in relation to the Vietnam war. Both men were, I believe, of the same intellect, yet their paths were polar opposites. Presley was a poster boy for the war effort and his voice and screen presence were made very public. Ali made his stand and stayed in the United States to face his numerous detractors. He did not become a draft dodger to a safe jurisdiction. Stripped of his boxing title, he answered questions from a black, American perspective and his comments had substance even though they were very blunt. They have a greater meaning and understanding by some of us today then they did at the time.

George Chuvalo was referred to by Ali as the toughest man he ever fought. Chuvalo fought Ali twice and went the distance both times. In 1966, when Ali could not get a title fight in the United States, Harold Ballard set the fight in Toronto after Montreal bowed to pressure from the Americans to not hold the fight there. Just over two weeks before the fight, the American challenger refused to fight Ali and George Chuvalo was called to replace. Chuvalo took a lot of punches and completed all the rounds.

My second cup is now empty……..