Challenges for Tourism in Canada ~ A Bright Future ~ Interview with Minister Bernier

Challenges for Tourism in Canada~ as Canadian Minister Maxime Bernier shares his insight …

Judi "Scoop" McWilliams, Festival Nomad Gary McWilliams
Ontario Visited with
Canadian Minister of Tourism ~ The Honourable Maxime Bernier

“THE INSIDE SCOOP” ~ Interview with Canadian Minister of Tourism ~ The Honourable Maxime Bernier, Office of the Minister of State (Small Business & Tourism; Agriculture) focus on Canadian Tourism continues …

We now ask Honourable Minister Maxime Bernier what challenges does he foresee in increasing Tourism in Canada (domestic and international visitors) and could he share any future plans the Canadian Government has in mind or in place to accomplish increases?

Minister Bernier tells us there is a “bright future for Tourism in Canada”. One of the challenges is the “visa” process. While there are “visa” mechanisms in place, not all travelers are aware of the programs that are already in place. Minister Bernier and the Immigration Minister are working together on programs to make travelling into Canada more accessible. They are working in an effective manner to create programs where visitors can maneuver through the systems, making travel accessible on a quick and timely manner.

Minister Bernier’s office reports that Citizenship and Immigration Canada has almost 130 Visa Application Centres in 92 countries.

In order to visit Canada, citizens of other countries and territories will require a visa. This type of visa is called Visitor Visas. To obtain a visa you must be ready to answer a couple of questions. The questions are specifically designed to ascertain the reason of visit. Electronic travel authorization ~ Canada plans to introduce an electronic travel authorization for visa-free eligible nationals in April 2015. Minister Bernier tells us China has a program in place with Canada for “approved destinations” exit visas. If the visitor is coming to an “approved destination”, the visas are more accessible for them.

Increasing awareness of the programs in place is part of the Canadian Tourism challenge. Visitors from around the world may not know that travelling, even at this point in time, has become more accessible and the process easier. The Government is putting a large focus on the “Process”. If they can generate a system to make the “visa” process less prohibitive; more visitors from around the world will be willing to venture with ease to experience Canada.

Judi "Scoop" McWilliams, 
Ontario Visited with
Canadian Minister of Tourism ~ The Honourable Maxime Bernier

 Stay tuned to “THE INSIDE SCOOP” Series of Interview Blog articles with the Canadian Minister of Tourism ~ The Honourable Maxime Bernier, Office of the Minister of State (Small Business & Tourism; Agriculture) … “Rendez-vous Canada”.

Interview with Canadian Minister of Tourism ~ Importance of Canadian Tourism

“THE INSIDE SCOOP” ~ Interview with Canadian Minister of Tourism ~ The Honourable Maxime Bernier, Office of the Minister of State (Small Business & Tourism; Agriculture) focus on Canadian Tourism continues …

Judi "Scoop" McWilliams ~ Ontario Visited
with The Honourable Maxime Bernier,
Office of the Minister of State (Small Business & Tourism; Agriculture)

“The Importance of Canadian Tourism"

During the interview with Minister Bernier, we discussed "The Importance of Canadian Tourism". Canada was once one of the world’s hottest tourist destinations. The Minister believes that if Canada were to regain its former standing as a popular travel destination, the economic benefits to the Canadian could be enormous. With tourism being one of the world’s fastest-growing sectors, Minister Bernier pointed out that his Ministry and the Canadian Tourism Commission (CTC), who are responsible for " sustaining a vibrant and profitable Canadian tourism industry", are looking for ways to work together to capitalize on this trend for Canada.

The CTC helps promote Tourism in Canada to 11 countries around the world: Australia, Brazil, China, France, Germany, India, Japan, Mexico, South Korea, the UK and the US... their brand ~ “Keep Exploring”!

Prior to our meeting with Minister Bernier, I wanted to find out more about the Minister and his Ministry. That's when I learned more about the CTC. One of their initiatives is a Quiz on "WHAT KIND OF TRAVELER OUR YOU?" Here's your chance to take the quiz and find out where you fit! Have fun! (Click HERE). By the way, can you guess what types or travelers Ontario Visited Festival Nomad and I are... send us an e-mail at judi@ontariovisited.ca. Be sure to check out the Canadian Tourism Commission (http://en-corporate.canada.travel) to see a host of information you might find helpful and interesting at the same time.

Judi "Scoop" McWilliams & Festival Nomad ~ Gary McWilliams of
Ontario Visited with
Canadian Minister of Tourism ~ The Honourable Maxime Bernier

Stay tuned to “THE INSIDE SCOOP” Series of Interview Blog articles with the Canadian Minister of Tourism ~ The Honourable Maxime Bernier, Office of the Minister of State (Small Business & Tourism; Agriculture) … “Challenges for Tourism in Canada”.

Importance of Canadian Tourism ~ Canadian Minister Maxime Bernier Interview … “Canada Brand” ~ “Youth” ~ “Volunteers”

The Importance of Canadian Tourism ~ as Canadian Minister Maxime Bernier shares … “Canada Brand” ~ “Youth” ~ “Volunteers”

Judi "Scoop" McWilliams ~ Ontario Visited 
with Canadian Minster Maxime Bernier
Ottawa

Recently, we had the privilege to sit down with the Canadian Minister of Tourism ~ The Honourable Maxime Bernier, Office of the Minister of State (Small Business & Tourism; Agriculture) and conduct an interview, with the focus on Canadian Tourism.

Explore Canada … Our Journey Begins …

Every good interview needs a good topic. If you are passionate about your topic and the recipient is passionate as well, it makes for a great interview. Minister Bernier was very generous with his time and insights, and passionate about Canada and its Tourism.

In our travels we have heard new “coined phrases” such as “Edutainment” (Education through entertainment) and “Agritourism” (Education in Agricultural through Tourism activities) and “Ecotourism” (Education through the environment). The depth of Tourism, we believe, is comprised, in a large part, from the contribution of Festivals and Events held in many communities all over the Country. The mainstay and the key to success for these viable contributors are … volunteers! 

As we are interested in Tourism in Canada and the current trends, we thought we would share some relevant material obtained from Minister Bernier and his office. We appreciate this insight, and “Scoop” as it were …

Where we stand ~ The Canada Brand:

“Branding” is important, especially in Tourism. Canada has ranked in the top two for the most powerful country brand in the world since 2010. (source: Futurebrand Country Brand Index). As we talked with Minister Bernier’s and his staff, every fact or figure we could come up with about the “statistics” become “outdated” right away. As they say, “If you are reading this, it is history” … “if you are living it, it is current”. It is important to realize though how important Tourism in Canada is! 

For an example, Canada’s Tourism Industry provides more than 618,000 direct jobs. That figure could move upwards are you are reading this too. We do know however, that in 2013, tourism revenues in Canada grew by 3 per cent to over $84 billion. That is a very significant number. Tourism is a growing and resilient industry that is driven by Canadian entrepreneurs, SMEs and workers from coast to coast to coast. 

We must not lose site that “Youth” plays an important role in Tourism in Canada, as young travellers, both domestic and international are part of the large and lucrative market. Not only do these young travellers contribute to Tourism, they also play an intricate role in “Volunteering” across the country as well, generating even more of an economic impact on our society today. 

Stay tuned to “THE INSIDE SCOOP” Series of Interview Blog articles with the Canadian Minister of Tourism ~ The Honourable Maxime Bernier, Office of the Minister of State (Small Business & Tourism; Agriculture) … “Canadian Tourism Commission”.

Volunteers, “City Girl”, Energy Park, Fun in the Sun!

We welcome you to come along as Ontario Visited Tours the Canada Agriculture and Food Museum … continues … Volunteers, “City Girl”, Energy Park, Fun in the Sun!

Volunteering “City Girl” … to great career …

Judi "Scoop" McWilliams ~ Ontario Festivals Visited with
Kelly Ray ~ Communications & Marketing Officer
Canada Agriculture and Food Museum

Kelly was interested in Science and Technology. As a youth she visited at the Canada Agriculture and Food Museum from 4 years old. She is a “city girl” but with her education along with her natural connection with people, Kelly was a perfect “fit” for guiding, teaching, tours and more. She is a “people person” and loves to share her knowledge. Her excitement certainly captured our hearts and interest. During our Tour, I asked about the artifacts of the Museum. They do have an “acquisition list” of items that they would like to have added to their Museum. At this point though, the items would need to be rare, one of a kind, the first of the first. The “story” would need to match with the history.

Energy Park … fun in the sun …

Ontario Festivals Visited on route to
Energy Park 
Canada Agriculture and Food Museum

As we rounded the corner outside once again we can across the Energy Park: Nature at Work outdoor exhibition.  It is an energy park which produces bio-fuels, from corn, flax, solar power, windmill, sun tracker and more. Kelly tells us this area is usually hard to even see over the tall crops that grow later in the season. You can try your hand at “harvesting” energy using a variety of interactive features. You can try to pump water faster than a windmill or capture solar power from the comfort of a chair.

This area teaches visitors how renewable energy technology is changing both the consumption and production of energy on Canadian farms. The CAFM has a program called … Get the Scoop on Poop. Not only are the crops used for “fuel” but cows’ manure can be used for more than fertilizer on a field.  The Museum offers a new biodigester interpretation station.  A biodigester is like an artificial stomach. It is fed with organic material (like manure), which is broken down by micro-organisms to produce a renewable energy called biogas.

While we walked in one of the barns, Kelly told us to look up! Here there were ceiling fans running, cooling the barns. Kelly told us they use solar panels in their barn. They have a fun daily activity where visitors can guess how much electricity they’re producing in that day and how much they have saved in carbon emissions.

Stay tuned for more “Behind the Scenes” Tour with the Canada Agriculture and Food Museum (in the meantime, check out their great website for lots of fun and information at http://cafmuseum.techno-science.ca/en/index.php.)

Canada Agriculture and Food Museum ~ Ontario Festivals Visited ~ Behind the Scenes

We welcome you to come along as Ontario Visited Tours the Canada Agriculture and Food Museum … continues … Heritage Barn, Learning Centre, Beams, Floors, Hay Lofts!

Heritage Barn … Learning Centre … Nutrition!

Ontario Festivals Visited
"Behind the Scenes Tour"
Canada Agriculture and Food Museum
At the learning Centre, beams seemed to float high in the air. These beams were from original structures repurposed from 1934. The floors are original from the old barns refinished to a beautiful glow. High technology has been incorporated into this centre, from the audio video to the wooden slats by the windows that curve to act as sound barriers. Tables, chairs and ample conference equipment are available for use. In the far corner of this Centre is a quiet area where families can rest, have a snack in the small café’. These facilities can be rented for all kinds of occasions, from weddings, banquets, and special occasions that can accommodate 1,000 or more people. They can accommodate about 96 for a formal dinner but there are lots of options available. The facilities provide a great meeting place with large rooms that will accommodate up to 200 people, from school children to conferences. We can attest to the spectacular views from the large windows where the reflections of the buildings and glorious fields can be seen far away. It truly takes your breath away as you can imagine life long ago.

The original Beams … floors … hay lofts …

Ontario Festivals Visited
"Resting Time"
Canada Agriculture and Food Museum

In the sheep barn the original hay loft from the 40’s still exists. Both far ends of this building use the hay lofts, while the centre is used at the main Museum. The Farm itself lies on approximately 1,055 acres. Bird watchers often come to the facility and drive out to the far field. Kelly tells us she runs at lunchtime and sees how much nature is around, including some rare sightings of a “snowy owl” that has made one of the far polls in the field its home for now. They have left the fields now, but hopefully will return.

Canada Agriculture and Food Museum
"Amazing views"
Ontario Festivals Visited 

Upstairs we continue our tour where classrooms are available. They offer cooking camp where sprouting chefs can learn to create from the components obtain directly from the land. The Artifacts in the Museum are protected from the sun and elements. There are areas that are temperature controlled. Kelly goes on to share with us that this building was built with specific intentions in mind. Some of the new exhibit has a window that has a photo of the “outside market”. They could not afford for natural sun to come into this historical part of the Museum, so, they made it look like the outdoors. Each area of the new facility will also have themed scenery settings to give the visitors the feel of being in nature.

Nutrition!

The Canada Agriculture and Food Museum is very particular in the food and nutrition their animals intake. They do not feed anything that is not within the guidelines. Some cows get feed 5 times a day and the bathtubs are full of water all day. I wondered about feeding the animals like you get to at a Fair for example. They do not allow this as the ultimate health and well being of the animals are critical. The Canada Agriculture and Food Museum either sells their livestock or uses it in breeding, so the highest quality of these creatures is vital.

Stay tuned for more “Behind the Scenes” Tour with the Canada Agriculture and Food Museum (in the meantime, check out their great website for lots of fun and information at http://cafmuseum.techno-science.ca/en/index.php.)

The Science You Eat ~ Ontario Visited Behind the Scenes ~ Canada Agriculture & Food Museum!

We welcome you to come along as Ontario Visited Tours the Canada Agriculture and Food Museum … continues … The Science You Eat!

Ontario Visited captures the set-up
Canada Agriculture and Food Museum
"The Science You Eat"!

A new exhibition on food science opened in the month of May at the Canada Agriculture and Food Museum. Food Preservation: The Science You Eat highlights the role science plays in delaying food decay and keeping food nutritious and safe from farm to fork.

“The exhibition Food Preservation: The Science You Eat is based on the fact that food rots, but also that in every culture – whether through trial and error or through scientific research – humans have discovered ways to preserve food,” says Kerry-Leigh Burchill, Director General of the CAFM.

The exhibition explores how science helps us to understand why food decays, and how we can extend its shelf life. Today, we eat a staggering variety of food from around the world, all year round. Innovations and new discoveries have made our food safer than ever before, and we are constantly developing new ways to feed a growing world. The exhibit was developed by the CAFM with support from Nestlé Canada, the Government of Canada, and Bernardin Ltd.

“We are proud to help nourish Canadians at all stages of life, at every time of day,” said Shelley Martin, President and CEO, Nestlé Canada Inc. “Nutrition education is so important and we’re honoured to be a key partner on this fun, dynamic exhibit that teaches children and families about how food is preserved so that it is safe, tasty and nutritious.”

''Science and technology have a very important role to play in Canada's food safety and security. In this new exhibition visitors will be exploring a variety of food preservation processes and will learn a little bit more about the journey our food takes between the farm and our forks. The museum is well positioned to articulate this message given its growing presence and strong following, our expertise combined with that of partners has resulted in an amazing product we are very proud of,”' said Fernand Proulx, Interim President and CEO of the Canada Science and Technology Museums Corporation.

In this interactive museum experience, visitors can explore the fascinating world of food preservation both at home and in larger scale operations. Learn the scientific reason why long-used methods of food preservation are still in use today, and discover new innovations that will affect our food choices into the future.

Through the creative interplay of audio, video, and touch screen technologies, the exhibition provides interactive experiences for visitors of all ages, including a rotting food video, food scanning game, or by stepping inside a replica 1890s root cellar from Newfoundland.

Food Preservation: The Science You Eat is part of the CAFM’s five-year commitment to food literacy. To see more of the events and products related to food literacy, visit us online.

Ontario Visited view behind the scenes
Canada Agriculture and Food Museum
"The Science You Eat"

In our Tour today, we saw a “pre-view” to an interesting video presentation of “a hamburger rotting” which shows children how quickly food will “rot” if not preserved. To say it was “gross” was an understatement, but, we were able to understand the concept quickly. Here they discuss the importance of how to prevent contamination and food “rot” and teach us how to prevent germs, bugs and all kinds of bacteria. They go through the years of home preserving in the “olden days” and now with the technology and industrial advancements how we preserve today. For example they show why salad does not “rot” in a plastic bag. One of the goals here is to “debunk the myths” about the preservation and importance of food for our future.

Stay tuned for more “Behind the Scenes” Tour with the Canada Agriculture and Food Museum (in the meantime, check out their great website for lots of fun and information at http://cafmuseum.techno-science.ca/en/index.php.)

TECHNIQUES IN MANAGING VOLUNTEERS … THE JOY OF FUNDING & SPONSORSHIP … A FUN ANECDOTE

West Coast Blues Downtown Shuffle ~ Goderich
New Name ~ Same Great Music!

“THE INSIDE SCOOP” is pleased to continue the share the “Scoop” with the West Coast Blues (aka WCB) from the committee chair, Mr. John Harrison. I have had the pleasure of several conversations with both John and colleague, Don Hubick, who both are very passionate about the “Blues” and their Community!

Most Festivals and Events depend on Volunteers. Volunteers are the Key to Success! As Ontario Visited has asked many organizers in the past, particularly focusing our interviews on techniques in managing so many volunteers.  Today we can share with you what John Harrison; Committee Chair has to say about these invaluable Volunteers … “We have our work broken down into committees tied in with specific duties with a person in charge of each committee”. “We value our volunteers and show our appreciation by giving free tickets and merchandise (T-shirts, caps etc)”.

THE JOY OF FUNDING & SPONSORSHIP …

With costs rising and competition becoming challenging for Festivals and Events, we asked the West Coast Blues Downtown Shuffle committee chair how they obtained funding. John tells us … “local government, newspaper, radio station, provincial grants, local business and industry, development of a sponsorship program (Bronze, Silver, Gold and Platinum levels)”. To continue, John shares with us how they keep sponsors happy and interested … “Sponsors are clearly listed on all advertising, marketing and promotional materials free tickets to our events, VIP tables”. And finally, in our discussion about funding, we asked John how our governments play a role in assisting with this event … he replies … “in-kind and financial supports, on line listings”. All of these aspects are great to keep in mind and be aware of when looking at the financial picture.

THE SCOOP … A FUN ANECDOTE … It is always fun when someone I an interviewing shares a fun Anecdote. Here is what John Harrison, Committee Chair shares with us today … “Our very first festival in 2006, we had the late Mel Brown, the Canadian godfather of the Blues perform on our Main Stage. After the show I was talking with Mel and he wished us luck and gave us a good piece of advise, " Keep your event on the same date each year, don't try to get too big too quickly, keep you event small and do it well and if you are still around  5 years, then you will have a festival." Wise words that ring true to this day. 

We hope you have enjoyed these Series of Blog “Scoop” Articles with the West Coast Blues Downtown Shuffle experiences. You can check out their website at http://www.westcoastblues.ca/Welcome.html .