Stanford’s Who’s Who 2013 Canadian Edition: I’m in there… Or am I?

I received a call on my business line the other day from a young man with a fairly heavy New York accent who called to congratulate me for being recognized for my contributions and to welcome me to the 2013 Stanford’s Who’s Who – Canadian Edition.

For those of you unfamiliar with this organization, Stanford Who’s Who, is an “elite organization of selected executives, professionals and entrepreneurs from around the world who’s members are hand selected from across the globe and invitation is granted only to those individuals who have demonstrated leadership and achievement in their occupation, industry, or profession.”

I got that from their Linkedin page.

After explaining to me a little about the organization and boosting up my confidence, he then needed to cross-reference information from me, which to be honest seemed like he was gathering information he should have known if I was really “one of Canada’s most influential people”, as he claimed.

“You should have done your homework” I thought to myself.

“I just need to verify this information for your biography” he quickly said as if he were reading my mind.

Then the questions started, and as I was answering them, a whole bunch of things entered my mind;

1) Who are Stanford’s Who’s Who? Certainly not part of Stanford University otherwise they would have mentioned that right away one would think, and the phone number would have identified that.

2) What specifically are they calling in regards to? Am I being recognized for my Blogging? Tax expertise? 20+ year Ball hockey career? Coffee expertise? For having a MBA? Really I’ll take any of those but should he have identified this right away so I don’t have to ramble!

3) How much is this going to cost me, because if there is a huge fee, I’m out. I started my own business 2 weeks ago so I need to be even more fiscally responsible over the next couple of months as my practice grows.

…

and so he continued… Pumping up my ego and making it seem like they were waiting to make contact with me for the publication.

There are some 100,000 people world wide in this publication, so it’s not as prestigious as they led me to believe right away, but heck, I can share the spotlight with these folks, right?

Then he said the magical words to me; “Well, based on the information you have just confirmed with me I would say you are definitely someone that will continue to have a large impact in your field and we would like to welcome you to the 2013 Stanford Who’s Who Canadian Section”.

As well as networking opportunities with tens of thousands of “like-minded people”, I just need you to decide between the Platinum and Gold packages, the first being $899 for five years and the second being $699 for five years.”

“I see,” I said, pausing ever so slightly so he would not think that I just dropped the phone. “Canadian or US dollars” I asked.

He paused… much too long for my liking.

“US Dollas” he replied.

“Oh” I replied, now looking at my watch and realizing that I had 15 minutes to get to a client who was 15 minutes away.

“Is it the money?” he asked.

“No, it’s not that at all” I replied. “I’m an influencer… You said so yourself. Money is not the problem, but time is. I’m scheduled to meet a client in 15 minutes and I have to leave now. Can we talk later today?” I asked.

“Does it seem expensive?” he said. “We need your decision today so we can meet our print deadline.”

“Um …” I said. “If I’m holding up the print deadline then either you waited too long to contact me, or I’ll have to wait and be in next year’s edition. I mentioned that I just opened my own practice and I’m going to be late for a client meeting if we continue. Can we speak later on? Is there a number I can reach you at?”

“I’ll tell you what we’ll do. I’m going to take the price down to $599 for the Gold membership AND you can upgrade to a Premium for free after three years if you choose to. But you can’t tell ANYONE about this deal we’re making.”

“Sure,” I said. “And I have my credit card in my hand, but I am pressed for time and will not be making any decision which requires me to give a credit card over the phone in 15 minutes because you are pressed for time. I have a client meeting to attend to and either we are able to touch base later or I’ll have to opt of of this version. Which will it be?”

“I’ll need an address to send your paperwork to,” he said. “Can you give me that? There’s some stuff you need to sign.”

“I’m sorry, I just don’t have the time right now…”

Click.

And so the conversation ended. They hung up on me. Can you imagine? I’m an influencer. I’m a somebody. Or in reality, I’m just like everyone else looking for an edge over our competitors and peers and clicked through an ad on LinkedIn prompting the flattering phone sales pitch.

Would I ever give my credit card over the phone? No.

Would I sign up for something that seemed too good to be true without reading the fine print? No.

Would I want to be recognized for something special, sure, who wouldn’t but there is a price I would be wiling to pay and it would have to be something legitimate where they want me to read the fine print before taking my money. Once the hard sell starts, I walk away, and so should you.

Have you heard of Stanford’s who’s who? Have you bitten on their offer?

May 1st is Doctors’ Day here in Ontario!

Did you know that today, May 1st, is Doctors’ Day here in Ontario.

The Ontario Medical Association is asking Ontarians to help celebrate this day by sending a personalized thank you card to their doctors. The cards can be created on this website, http://thanksdoc.oma.org/. Once submitted, the OMA will deliver your thank you card directly to your doctor.

When was the last time you thanked your doctor?

As an added incentive, everyone who submits a thank you card is eligible to win an iPhone5 and Fitbit One™ Wireless Activity & Sleep Tracker.

You can even thank you Doctor on Facebook, or send a kind note to the OMA through Twitter for taking care of their members.  I have spent numerous hours on their Facebook page reading articles which as a parent are important to me, such as the OMA asking to have antibiotics removed from livestock feed in Canada and the alarming amount of sodium in restaurant food.

As a special thank you for posting about a wonderful cause, the OMA is offering you, the reader, and opportunity to win a $25 Sport Chek gift card.  All you have to do to have an opportunity to win is post a comment on my blog or Facebook page of the direct link to their thank you on the website (example: http://thanksdoc.oma.org/#367)  just to be sure that you have actually participated in this day of recognition.

On May 15th, I will take down the names of all of you who took the time to comment, put them in a hat and have one of my children draw a winner.  The winner will be notified via email.

I’m off now to send a thank you to our family doctor of 13 years who adapted her style to meet our needs when she realized that we prefer to try natural remedies first before getting to the antibiotics for us and our children.  As a result, she offers us all solutions and we greatly appreciate that!

Thanks Doc!

Related articles

• OMA calls for crackdown on antibiotic use in farming (cp24.com)
• Ontario’s doctors say province needs to address its ‘drinking problem’ (globalnews.ca)

Headache Network of Canada: Free event in Toronto. May 1st, 2013.

As a former migraine sufferer I can relate to headaches.  With so much uncertainty around the causes of migraines, so is there uncertainty around why they stop.  I suffered from migraine headaches – 2 to 3 a week – from the age of 13 until I was 19-years-old and had my wisdom teeth taken out.  I have not had a single migraine since.  It could be a coincidence or maybe there was a link, but I can recall the pain and agony as if it were yesterday.

The Headache Network of Canada is running an event in Toronto on Wednesday May 1st, at SilverCity Yorkdale at 5:30 p.m. At this event, guests will:

• Learn more about chronic migraine and treatment options from specialists, including Dr. Gary Shapero, one of Canada’s leading headache and pain specialists, and Valerie South, Executive Director of Headache Network Canada
• Enjoy a movie presentation of The Big Wedding starring Robert DeNiro, Dianne Keaton, and Robin Williams. This will be presented in a Chronic Migraine friendly environment where the brightness and volume levels have been adjusted so guests can enjoy a night out with peace of mind

Guests who come early can mingle and get a Glam Photo taken by an expert stylist and fashion photographer.

The event is free and there are still seats available, but you have to RSVP first, and the RSVP link is located here: http://chronicmigrainefreezone.eventbrite.com

For more information on chronic migraine visit: http://mychronicmigraine.ca

Chronic Migraines are a debilitating disorder that affects more than 370,000 Canadians.  People who suffer from Chronic Migraine often dissociate from the world around them and have a tough time finding help.

April 24th, 2013. World Meningitis Awareness Day. Parents, do you know the symptoms?

Today is World Meningitis Day.  I had the pleasure of attending a webinar on Meningococcal Disease and the Burden of Meningitis B in Canada.  I learned a lot of new information about this disease but the most important thing I took away  that I did not know and I also learned as parents, we need to make sure we understand the symptoms or at least know where to go quickly to get the information we need to save lives and prevent permanent damage.

What Canadian Parents Need to Know:

Meningococcal disease is a sudden, aggressive, rapidly progressing and life-threatening illness that manifests as bacterial meningitis – an infection of the membrane around the brain and spine – and sepsis – a bloodstream infection that can lead to death within 24-48 hours of the first symptom.  Survivors may suffer permanent brain damage, learning disabilities, hearing loss, and limb loss.

Meningococcal disease is dynamic and unpredictable as the bacteria causing the illness can mutate and shift over time and vary by country and region.

Bacterial meningitis is one of the most common forms of meningococcal disease and needs to be treated immediately at the onset of symptoms which include fever, nausea, headache, feeling of unwellness, neck pain and vomiting.

The majority of meningitis cases occur in otherwise healthy people particularly infants and adolescents, who are at the greatest risk and also represent the greatest unmet need for protection.

Adolescents, who often socialize in groups, can harbour and transmit the bacteria that cause meningitis to each other, their family members, and their communities, often times while sharing lipstick, cigarettes or drinks.  A dormant case in one person could be a live case in someone else.

Meningitis B is responsible for 80% of meningococcal cases in infants under one year of age in Canada, and 62% of the cases in adolescents.

Meningococcal disease caused by meningitis B remains an important public health challenge, since there is currently no effective vaccine available, however Health Canada is currently reviewing for approval and use for Canadians, the first meningitis B vaccine. This vaccine would be the final piece of the meningococcal meningitis vaccination puzzle.

Up to one in five survivors suffers from devastating, life-long disabilities such as brain damage, hearing loss, or limb loss.

We cannot emphasize enough the truly devastating impact this disease can have on families and the facts are, when it comes to meningitis – KNOWLEDGE IS POWER.

Please watch this great World Meningitis Day video

For more information on meningitis please visit http://www.menifo.ca.  Or http://www.meningitis.ca for information on meningitis research.

Meningitis Disease – Myths and Facts

1. There is only one type of meningitis.

MYTH – Meningitis can be caused by different germs including viral, bacterial and fungal.  A viral infection is less severe and can typically be treated at home. Bacterial meningitis occurs when bacteria enters the blood and migrates to the spinal area.  Given the rapid progression and severity of meningitis, medical attention should be sought immediately if someone suspects meningitis.

2. Meningitis has flu-like symptoms.

FACT – Early symptoms of meningitis are similar to flu symptoms, including fever, headache, stiff neck and vomiting. Other symptoms can include confusion, light sensitivity and no interest in eating or drinking.  If you notice these symptoms, seek medical attention.

3. Meningitis is easy to diagnose.

MYTH – Because early symptoms are very similar to symptoms of other illnesses especially the flu, cases of meningitis can be overlooked and misdiagnosed initially. It’s important at the onset of symptoms to seek immediate treatment.

4. Meningitis will go away on its own.

MYTH – Bacterial meningitis requires quick and aggressive treatment and can result in devastating consequences including varying degrees of blindness, deafness, paralysis and intellectual disabilities or death.

5. Canadian children and young adults are most susceptible to meningitis.

FACT – Children under one year of age and adolescents (15-19 years old) are among the age groups with the highest incidence of meningitis.  College and university students are also susceptible to contracting meningitis because of their increased likelihood of sharing items such as drinks, utensils and cigarettes.

6. Meningitis can be contracted by casual contact.

MYTH – Meningitis is spread through direct contact with an infected person through the droplet route by means of respiratory secretions when air or liquid secretions are shared.

Take the Survey!

I encourage parents to take the Meningitis Awareness Survey, which will be live until April 29^th. This survey will provide insight into Canadians’ current perceptions and awareness of meningitis (http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/5BJRTDY).

Sweetpea Baby Food and Organic Snacks. Have you tried their cookies?

When was the last time you ripped open a bag of Sweetpea Organic Cookies, served them for family, friends or guests, and had any leftover to be eaten later?  Probably not very often.   These cookies, if you have not tried them before, are addictive.  They are great for what they have as much as for what they do not have.  If you have not tried them before, you might want to have a quick read below, to see what makes these cookies so unique, which will probably lead you to run out and pick up a bag of any (or all) of the 3 flavours of these cookies;

Sweetpea Baby Food Organic Cookies

1) They are for ages 1-101.  Really they are.  The cookies are flavourful, but certainly not overpowering.  If you freeze them, young kids can teethe on them, and if you put them out on a plate, the pretty flower pattern makes them look appealing.

2) The cookies are organic.

3) They are made from 100% whole grain organic ingredients.

4) They are dairy-free.

5) They were made without salt.

6) They do not contain eggs, preservatives or additives.

7) They are certified Kosher.

8) They are made in a peanut-free facility.

9) They come in resealable bags – so you might not want to “rip” open the bag unless you know there are not going to be any cookies left over.

Whew.

And the three flavours they currently come in are; Banana Pear, Pumpkin Spice and Sweet Apple.

As a parent, you can be comfortable having your nanny leave out cookies for your children and for their playdates because they do not have much of what children are allergic to – nuts, eggs, dairy and they also cover off dietary restrictions by being certified Kosher.  The fact they taste great is secondary to their appeal across the masses, but is also what keeps people from buying them over and over again.

Did I mention that the packaging rocks!

Have a look;

What parent wouldn’t want these in their house?

If all the information I provided above has not convinced you to try these cookies, I dropped by the Sweetpea website, and pulled off some nutritional information which you certainly will find interesting as it relates to the flavours and ingredients chosen to go into the cookies.

Sweet Apple:

• When added to food, cinnamon inhibits bacterial growth and food spoilage.
• Whole grain spelt flour has a higher protein content than normal wheat grown under similar conditions
• Eating organic snacks ensures your child’s diet is free from harmful herbicides, pesticides and fungicides.

Banana Pear:

• Bananas are rich in vitamin B6 and are a good source of fiber, vitamin C and magnesium
• Pears are an excellent source of water-soluble fiber
• Canada’s new Food Guide recommends that at least half of your grain consumption daily is whole grains – which contain phytonutrients (plant chemicals that fight disease).

Pumpkin Spice:

• Pumpkins are a rich source of potassium
• Spelt is a nutritious source of B2, manganese, niacin, thiamin and copper.

You can follow Sweetpea Baby Food and Organic Snacks on Facebook here.

I’m ready for some cookies right about now, but cannot choose between the flavours, so I think I’m going to have to open a bag of each flavour, mix them all together and just enjoy what comes next, one cookie at a time.

Toronto City Council’s Secret Left-Wing Agenda Revealed!

Giorgio Mammoliti speaks to reporters (Photo credit: hyfen)

When Toronto City Councillor Giorgio Mammoliti alleged he, Mayor Rob Ford and other “right-wing” councillors at Toronto City Hall have been victims of a “left-wing conspiracy”, everybody laughed.  When Mammoliti said that a preliminary investigation he has conducted has pointed to a group of people “out to do some damage, personal damage” to the right-wing councillors on City Council, people again laughed and thought Mammoliti was going crazy.

A former member of Mayor Rob Ford’s executive committee, Mammoliti claimed that he has been followed by private citizens here in Toronto and that his home and office phones have been tapped.  He raised the question about just how badly do the left-wing councillors really want him, Ford and the other right-of-centre councillors out of office, replaced with the free-spending, union-loving, tax-the-rich, left-leaning council which almost brought Toronto into bankruptcy.  (Insert Olivia Chow here).

Mammoliti revealed that an investigation has pointed to a number of key suspects; city councillors, private citizens, lawyers in this city, who have united together to ruin the reputation of the right-wing candidates, force the public to sour on them and run them right out of office and we need to look no closer than the legal actions brought against Mayor Rob Ford by a private citizen – a very pro-NDP citizen, no less – which was handled pro-bono by another pro-left-wing lawyer in Toronto, Clayton Ruby.  This legal action resulted in the temporary removal of the Mayor from office and tarnished his reputation.  The citizen who was the front-man of this lawsuit and his lawyer were eagerly expecting the Mayor to cover the court costs, around $150,000.00, however, upon winning the appeal Ford had gone to the court to ask his costs be covered by this duo.  They in turn have asked Ford to cover the costs by taking the money from the taxpayers of Toronto, stating the individual who brought the case against Ford does not have those kinds of funds.

Oops.

We’re also waiting to see if lawyer Clayton Ruby is going to follow through on his pledge to waste more taxpayers money and take the appeal to the Supreme Court of Canada.  This case is that important but it’s not going to challenge the Charter of Rights and Freedoms, is it??

So what do you make of this conspiracy?

Following this failed attempt to remove Ford from office, came an audit of his 2010 election funding in which Ford over-spent by $40,000.00.  Yes, he kept very detailed books and records and the auditor was impressed by that, and yes there was no further action against him, but I’m sure every single Councillor would be in contravention of the Elections Act if scrutinized by audit.  Where are the other audits of team lefty?  Oh, yeah.  Not in Toronto.

Did you know Mammoliti is also up against the same audit?

What about the audit of George Smitherman when he ran for Mayor?  He promised to reveal who donated to him campaign but never did.  Something to hide, maybe?

So let’s move on to the conspiracy…

When Mayor Ford announced (for probably the 50th time) that he was seeking right-leaning (fiscally Conservative) citizens to run in the next election, in order to get better traction on some of his ideas to reel in spending, cut costs and reduce duplication of services, the cries from the left were deafening.  I think the most critical of them all, Adam Vaughan, wanted to haul Ford before some panel or committee or something, yet again, to be slapped on the wrist.  Apparently it’s in bad taste to say it, but it’s okay to skulk around with your left-wing colleagues to find ways to overthrow the Mayor.

Mammoliti mentioned specific knowledge of secret meetings of left-wing councillors and their “inner circle” with their plans to run the “righties” out of City Hall and that… Well, that is okay.

So as the crack researcher that I pretend to be, I have uncovered their plans and compiled a list of the top thirteen items on the secret agenda of these left-wing councillors.

13. Hire unionized workers at $85.00/hour to remove all the doors at City Hall which open to the right and re-hang them so they open on the left.

12. Re-name any streets in the Greater Toronto Area which bear the name “Ford” to “Fraud”.

11. Create their own newspaper aimed at reporting items supported by the left and trashing any thoughts or suggestions by the right. Oops, that one was done already in triplicate; Toronto Star, NOW magazine and the Grid.

10.  Move to teach children left-wing socialist views at schools and institutions of higher-learning.  Oops.  That already happens too…

9.   Remove the term “Right of Way” from the Highway Traffic Act and replace it with “Wrong Way”.

8.   Pressure Ford Canada to rename its Canadian operations and to give its unionized workforce the credit they deserve, so all cars coming from their factories will cost $350,000.00 each, but a wealth tax on the rich will bring the price down to $45,000.00.

7.   Bringing in a fat tax aimed to penalize fat people, especially ones who take office and do not lose weight like David Miller did.

6.   Ban football in Toronto.

5.   After sending that CBC “comic” Marg whatever her name is to harass Ford on his driveway, the lefties are lining up more characters to disrupt Ford’s personal life including; Doink the Clown, David Suziki, ummm, other famous left-wing Canadiens like Brandon Prust, Max Pacioretty and Travis Moen, and the gravy train and a few others…  If they’re smart, however, they will stay out of Ford’s backyard.

4.    Toronto will implement a new wealth tax on all citizens making more than $65,000.00 a year (politicians exempted) and the new tax will be call the “Open your Wallet” tax whereby those rich bastards – damn them for getting educated and working hard to earn money and pay taxes – will pay to ensure that Toronto’s lowest class are able to move into Forest Hill or the Bridle Path like everyone else.

3.   Shows like AM640, SunTV and the like will come with disclaimers warning the risks associated with their dangerous, fiscally conservative views.

2.   Left-wing media will post unflattering pictures of Ford everywhere, including putting his head on top of a naked body in order to… Well, I don’t know why they did that actually…

1.   The number one thing that the secret left-wing group will do is to continue to pester and harass all the right-wing candidates in Toronto, in Ontario and in Canada and turn all the moderates into fiscally Conservatives resulting in right-wing political leaders at all three levels of government for a long time.  This secret operative will forever be known as Operation backfire.

In addition, there will be many new jokes as a result of this secret plan, such as; “How many socialist, left-wing people does it to take down Mayor Rob Ford?”  Answer:  We’re not sure yet.

Related articles

• Did Toronto Star reporter Royson James just call me a Simpleton?!? (urbandaddy.wordpress.com)
• Councillor calls for investigation into Rob Ford’s football charity, again (macleans.ca)
• Councillor Mammoliti probing secret plot (thestar.com)

Canadian RRSP Deadline is March 1st, 2013. Something to think about before you decide to let it pass…

Toronto-Dominion Bank (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

As a parent, any time is a good time to speak to your children about the value of money – certainly not enough is being taught in schools, and children see right through parents who talk about the value in saving money, yet do not have two nickles to rub together at the end of a month (was supposed to be pennies, but Canada no longer uses the penny).

So, when is the perfect time to speak to children about saving for the future?  Well RSP season, of course.  Some recent statistics came through my inbox from my bank, TD Canada Trust, and I wanted to share them with my readers because they stand out.

While many Canadian parents try to teach their kids the importance of saving for the future, many aren’t following their own advice. According to a recent report from TD, 58% of parents say they talk to their children often (19%) or occasionally (39%) about the importance of saving for retirement, but only 42% say they practice what they preach.

On the other hand, 42% of parents say they rarely (21%) or never (21%) talk to their children about the importance of saving for retirement. One reason that parents may be procrastinating, or hesitant, to talk to their kids is because nearly two-thirds of Canadians (64%) never received retirement savings advice from their own parents.

Kim Parlee a Vice President at TD Wealth Management, offer advice to parents for speaking to kids of all ages about money.

·         Taking advantage of teachable times:  From creating a grocery list to making a major purchase, there are a range of opportunities to discuss how to create a budget with your child.  You can also plan your winter family vacation together and chat about how you plan to save for it. Weaving in lessons and tips at a timely moment such as RSP season is a natural way to begin the conversation about finances and saving.

·         Starting small and seeing the bigger picture: Ask your children about the kind of future they want to have and show them how to map out a plan on how to get there. Talk to them about their goals in the short-term (a bike, perhaps), mid-term (education) and long-term (wedding, house, retirement) and explain how different investment and saving products could be better suited to each goal. While you’re at it, make sure you have applied the same principles to your own finances and adult-sized goals!

If, however, your children are teens or already young adults it’s never too late, but you might want to change your approach a little.  Consider the following:

·         Consulting third parties: There is only so much advice you can offer your children, and it is up to them whether or not they put it to action. Consider asking your advisor to speak with your kids about the importance of starting to invest at an early age, and explain in basic terms the benefits of compound interest.

·         Investing in yourself: It’s hard for young people to think about planning ahead when they tend to focus on the present, but teach your children why paying themselves first is important for their  future. With teenage children you can focus on education, such as saving for post-secondary education in an RESP, with “automatic transfers” from their allowance or part-time jobs. When your child reaches their young adult years, you can add a new focus of long-term savings.  Explain the benefits of a TFSA or RRSP, and encourage them to put some money aside using an automatic transfer every time they get paid so that saving becomes a habit.

So whether or not you are like me and thinking about contributing to a RRSP right at the deadline, or if you max your contributions annually, you should take some time and teach your kids about the benefits of investing, saving, and about money in general.  Walk into your bank and see what they have available.

Related articles

• Toronto-Dominion Bank (TD): This Is The Bank That U.S. Banks Should Try To Be Like (insidermonkey.com)

Happy 42nd Birthday to Me. 42 Facts about The Urban Daddy.

Happy Birthday! (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Today, February 21st, is my birthday. It’s actually been my birthday since 1971, and I’m not posting this to solicit birthday greetings so please do not feel obligated to do so, but I realized this morning during my drive into the office that in the 8-years that I have been blogging, and the over 1100 blog posts between The Urban Daddy, Intaxicating, and Daddy Knows Sports (which I’m not using anymore) that I have shared very little about myself. So today, in honour of my birthday I have decided to open up my kimono and reveal 42 facts about myself to shed some light into who exactly has been writing these (long) posts for so many years.

So please sit back, enjoy, there is no need to take notes, and for those of you who actually know me, there are some things here that you will not have known and for total strangers who come by frequently, I hope you will still come back. LOL.

42 things about The Urban Daddy.

42. I am not in any way affiliated with UrbanDaddy.com, although many people “like” me on Facebook for this reason, then realize I’m a Canadian Daddy blogger, and they run the other way. That site, for the record, is not a “Daddy” and while it is “Urban”, it is not an “Urban Daddy”. I am.

41. I have a full-time job outside of being a parent, husband, etc. I have been working for 18-years in the taxation industry here in Toronto. I worked at the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA)for almost 11 years, then I joined the private sector and have moved from a Manager, to an AVP, and now the Managing Director at Tax Solutions Canada, where this great organization of professionals help people who have tax problems work with the CRA.

40. I am a level-3 CGA, but stopped taking courses when my father, who was a CA, gave me some advice.  He said, “Son.  Why are you doing this to yourself?  You’re terrible at this.  Pick a different course of study… Please.”  So I enrolled into graduate school 3 days after our first child Linus was born, and completed my MBA 3-years later.

39.  I was a typical 80′s kid, growing up.  Overweight, bad skin, big plastic-framed glasses and a mullet.  Thankfully I grew out of it.

38.  In middle school I carried my baseball glove everywhere and was too busy with sports to do my school-work.  I told my mother I was going to quit school to be come a professional soccer player – yet I was never good at soccer.  I was also the kid who showed leadership in everything I did yet struggled in school.  When I applied myself I excelled.  I earned 50′s through grade 8, 70′s in high-school, 75 (B+) through University and 85-90′s (A/A+) in Grad school.

37.  I was bullied as a child in public school.  In middle school I was picked on for being Jewish.  In Hebrew school, I was bullied for being over-weight.

36.  After high-school, I lost 50lbs and found my voice.

35.  After our second child, Stewie was born – he was such a difficult child for the first 10-months of his life that I herniated a disc in my back carrying him all the time.  I asked my physiotherapist to please allow me to tie my shoes on my own.  She got me into shape and one year later I ran a 5k race in 33-minutes (without stopping).

34.  I tend to be a little right-wing in my political views, but fiscally conservative, not right-wing extreme in any way.  I’m pro-choice – A woman should decide what she wants to do with her body.  I believe marriage is for anyone and everyone, if they want to, and I don’t care who you marry, or sleep with.  I believe no one deserves to carry guns unless they are protecting people and you have the right to free speech and practice whatever religion you want, until you either insult someone else, or try to convert them to your beliefs.  Like my mother used to say, “Look at your own plate.”  Don’t look at what I’m eating or how I’m eating it.  Mind your own peas.

33.  I’m left-handed and actually started a left-handed club while at University to help get left-handed desks in some of the lecture halls where they were all the way on the left-side of the room.  Personally, I needed to sit front-middle, so I could see.

32.  I have never tried drugs.  Ever.  Not a puff of anything.  That being said, I do think that certain drugs should be legal and taxed.  Take the criminal element away and increase revenues.

31.  I see people as human-beings on one giant planet.  I don’t see race, or colour and I was really embarrassed when working at the CRA where I delivered a lot of training and we had a new employee from West Africa with a VERY heavy accent and I could not for the life of me understand him.  I was devastated.  He kept asking questions and I couldn’t understand him.  That was over 10-years ago, but it stays with me.

30.  I’m a terrible friend.  I never learned what it means to be a good friend and I don’t have any friends from when I was young.  Certainly makes it challenging as an adult, however, we’re meeting lots of great parents through school events.

29.  My voice is a little on the higher-pitched side and I used to mumble sometimes when I spoke very quickly, but I am also just under 6 feet tall and 225lbs, so no slouch at all.  I used to deepen my voice when I answered my phone at the government so people wouldn’t call me Mrs.  I even had a guy tell me he was coming to see me at the Tax Office so he could “kick the shit out of me” because I sounded like a “weak, little man”.  He came.  I greeted him in the meeting room, and he was about 6ft2, 350lbs, but when he saw me he apologized for his actions and within 5 minutes being in the meeting room, he was bawling his eyes out talking about his tax problem.  It’s unfortunate that people feel violence is the best solution.

28.  I have no tattoos, but I have my ear pierced.  I wanted to pierce it so badly when I was 14 but my mother said no, and it wasn’t until my wife convinced me to do it at age 30 when I finally did it.  Now, at my age, I’m not so sure I want or need it…

27.  I’m a great defensive driver.  I let cars out, I wave thank you, I don’t cut cars off and I do the speed limit.  But if you piss me off, Karma will box you in and I’ll be on one side laughing to myself while you stew.

26.  I say “bless you” when someone sneezes.  Anyone.  Anywhere.

25.  I love Canadian music.

24.  My musical influences were Queen and the Police when I was young.  Then Def Leppard, Platinum Blonde, Bon Jovi, STP, Soundgarden, Green Day all the way through Rob Zombie, Saliva, etc.  I like my music loud, hard, with a great beat and no screaming.  I’m also awesome on SongPop.  All genres, any year.  Challenge me!  I dare you.

23.  I support the Canadian Armed Forces – I prefer if there were no wars – but there are bad dudes everywhere and we need our troops to keep us safe.

22.  I’m in awe of my wife for so many reasons including the way she runs our household and has led the raising of our children.  She’s been supportive of all of us and sadly I have not taken her out enough.  She needs so time away from the house, the kids and the responsibilities.  She certainly earned it.

21.  I’m in awe of my children.  They fascinate me.  They’re smart, good-looking, friendly and they laugh a lot.  I find myself looking at them, staring at them amazed at how they are developing and hoping they can stay that happy forever.  They have no idea how nasty the world can be and unless we can create a nasty laser to zap away all the scumbags, they’re going to need to be watched over to make sure they stay safe while they find their way in the world.  Oh, and at 8, 6 and 3, I have a little time.

20.  I am externally motivated so I seek confirmation that I’m doing a good job / staying on track often.  I’ve learned to read the signs so I don’t annoy.  If you want to help me you can “like” The Urban Daddy on Facebook or follow this blog (or follow The Urban Daddy on Twitter).

19.  The glass is half-full.  Always.

18.  My favourite number and the number of my ball-hockey jersey.  I’ve played ball-hockey in a league (not floor hockey in a gym, but ball hockey in an arena – no ice and running) for 23 years and I’m getting better and better each year.  I’m shocked at the improvement, but loving it.

17.  I hate to lose more than I like to win.  In everything I do.  My ball-hockey team was 0-62 before we won a game and it felt okay to win, but when we lose I’m pissed.  That goes to everything I do.  Success and winning is great, but the other side really gets me going.

16.  I used to have no sense of direction whatsoever until my wife taught me how to navigate my way out of a wet paper bag.  Once, in France for our honeymoon, it was getting dark and we were in the countryside driving on a dirt road surrounded by lavender and sunflowers.  I was beginning to worried that we would need to sleep in the car but my wife made me stop, she got out of the car and pointed off to her right, and within 10 minutes we were at the B&B we had booked.  I have no idea how she knew to go that way, but she gets it and I’ve been learning from the pro.

15.  Nice guys do finish last, and after being sick of being passed over and left behind, I’ve brought in a little bad ass / I don’t give a f*ck attitude and it’s helped me tremendously with my confidence and getting things done.  I no longer take sh*t, but I’m still really polite and kind to service people no matter the place or the service.  They’re people too, and deserve to be treated with respect.  But when I have a task to get done for myself, my family or a client, look out.  I play to win.

14.  I’ve realized you cannot pick your neighbours, your family or your nose.  You get what you get and you don’t be upset.  Plus, I’m big into forgive and forget.  I’m just hoping others are too.

13.  I am passionate about things and sometimes that passion can get confused with a lack of patience.  If I know I am right, I will do whatever I have to do to get others on my side and go that way.  I had a keychain as a kid that read; “Diplomacy.  The ability to tell someone to go to hell and make sure they will enjoy the trip.”

12.  I don’t like clutter and sometimes in my odd way to keep my personal space in order, I line up things, like shoes, to keep them neat.  I might be a little OCD on that side.

11.  My father passed away 10 years ago, and my grandfather 8 years ago, right after we went on a vacation to Poland to visit his birth place.  I actually have someone right now who is not speaking to me because “[I] don’t know what it’s like to lose a father.”  I’m not upset.  I feel for them because they said something in a time of grieving which was factually incorrect and one day they’ll realize it and I’ll forgive and forget.  Life’s too short.

10.  I love coffee.  Flavoured coffee, actually, and have been compiling a list of the best coffee in Toronto for 3 years.  My last ranking reached McDonald’s Canada, Tim Horton’s, Country Style and Starbucks Canada.  These brands have amazing marketing and social media practices.

9.  I had bells palsy as a child, which resulted in paralysis of half of my face for almost a year.  I was lucky I recovered 98% of my functioning and only have the slightest sign of the virus when I’m tired.  The left part of my lip is ever so slightly higher than the right side.

8.  I have always had body-issues from being a solid shaped child and for the longest time I refused to take off my shirt to swim even though I love swimming and even though when I was running and going to the gym at lunchtime.  I have been in pretty good shape since the end of high-school.  I will never ever be that 150lb skinny guy.  As it is, my shoulders and back are so big that I need a larger shirt / jacket to fit my shape.  When I was 13-years-old, I fit into a size 56 jacket.  I was in a 42 pant (maybe more – as high as a 48, I’ve blocked this from my memory), but now I’m a size 36 pant and a 46 tall jacket.

7.  I was asked to contribute my thoughts to the OHIP4IVF awareness campaign and realized that I have found a cause that I strongly believe in.  Now I just need to help convince the government the same thing…

6.  I once asked then Toronto Blue Jays General Manager J.P. Riccardi for a tryout with the Jays, at a breakfast with the Blue Jays function.  He must have thought I was nuts, but he asked me this; “Do you have any experience?  Have you ever played ball?”  I replied, “No. But I’m left-handed, I’ve been clocked as fast as 88mph and I’m deadly accurate with a baseball.”  He then thought about it and said to me, “The day I sign a 38-year-old pitcher is the day I need to start looking for a new job.”  Sure enough 3 weeks later he signed a left-handed 38-year-old pitcher from Japan with a career 5.38 era.  Not long after he was looking for a new job.

5.  I did some fundraising for Karen Stintz when she was just getting elected, and we raised a ton of cash to help her out.  She was very appreciative and good to the community.  I hope she can find her way again and help lead the right-wing on Toronto City Council move some stuff through.

4.  After sponsoring 4 nannies over 8-years through the Canadian Live-In Caregiver program - and helping them settle in Canada once they fulfilled the terms and conditions of the program, I dubbed myself an expert on the CLICP.  I regularly post about it and get contributing articles from others in the industry.  As a matter of fact, readers from the Philippines are the 3rd most popular readers to visit here daily – after Canada and the US.

3.  I used to be horrible with money until my wife (probably fiancée back then) taught me a great lesson about impulse purchases.  She froze my credit card and debit card in a block of ice so when I needed it to make an impulse purchase, she said I could do that but I would need the ice to melt on it’s own first.  And by the time the ice melted I didn’t want or need that purchase.  The cards actually stayed in the freezer for almost 7 months while I got my spending under control.  Now… I’m very good with it.

2.  I, um, err, Ahhh, I… Fine.  I like wrestling.  It’s like a male soap opera with strong guys and girls in it.  I like the music, it makes me laugh and and I’m impressed with their athleticism.  Plus, my kids love it.  My daughter wants to be Kane when she grows up.

1.  I made it through the entire day without telling anyone – not one person – that today was my birthday, except the 2500 people who follow this blog, mind you.  This was a first for me, who usually tells anyone and everyone.  Now I feel better.

Honourable mention:  I love escargots, but hate bamboo shoots and water chestnuts…

Thursday Thirteen: 13 Facts About Starbucks’ Canada and Naming Starbucks’ New Blonde Roast Contest

Map of the countries with Starbucks Coffee Shops (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Starbucks is the world’s top coffee retailer with over 19,500 stores in 58 countries.  Canada ranks second to the US in the number of stores (over 12,800 in the United States compared to over 1,245 locations in Canada).  Japan, Great Britain, China and South Korea round out the top 6, all under 1000 locations.  But you cannot really trust these numbers because Starbucks are opening nearly 5 new stores everyday.  Starbucks recently held a contest for Canadians to help name their new Starbucks Blonde Roast coffees, which are best described as their lighter roast with a subtle, mellow, lighter-bodied, full of flavor, and delicious.  I liken it to a roast which gently awakens the senses – the more you enjoy your cup, the more flavour you detect.When they first launched the Starbucks Blonde Roast, I immediately picked up the VIA instant packets and was shocked by the lack of flavour from the first sip.  Used to strong coffee I had added way too much cream and sugar and it drowned out the mellow flavour of this mild roast and once I learned to be gentle with this Blonde, I began to notice the subtle flavours and it has become my go to roast.

So of course I wanted to enter the contest to create the name for the Blonde Roast and in doing so, I found some interesting facts about Starbucks I felt compelled to share.

So, here are the 13 Most Interesting Facts About Starbucks, then the details about the contest …

13.  Starbucks currently employs over 137,000 employees, which may not seem like a lot, however this is twice the population of Greenland.

11.  There are currently over 87,000 drink possibilities – a free drink to anyone who can name all 87,000.

10.  There is a size called the ”Trenta” which is 30oz / 916 ml or slightly bigger than the capacity of your stomach which on average has a capacity of 900 ml.

9.   A Starbucks grande coffee has 320 mg of caffeine which surprisingly contains over four times more caffeine than found in a Red Bull energy drink.

8.   The Starbucks cinnamon chip scone has more calories than a McDonald’s quarter pounder with 480 calories.

7.   Starbucks uses 2.3 billion paper cups per year.

6.   They currently serve 40 million customers a week.

5.   The owners almost went with the name Pequod, the name of the boat in Moby Dick, instead of the character Starbucks’ name

4.   After tasting the Clover at a small café in New York and claiming it the best cup of brewed coffee he has ever tasted, Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz decided to buy the company that made Clover in 2008 and began introducing the dream machine at select stores around the country

3.   Most Starbucks stores have been equipped Swiss-made Mastrena, which was created to make “the highest-quality, consistent shot of espresso”. The machine also allows baristas to interact with customers due to it’s size and shape.

2.   My first choices for the new name were “Mellow Yellow”, “Platinum Blonde” named after the great Canadian band, “Ambition”, “Natural Blonde” and the “Have More Fun” Roast.  These have all been entered in the contest.

1.   The first Starbucks location to open in Canada was at the Seabus Skytrain Station in Vancouver on March 1, 1987. This humble store was Starbucks Coffee’s first international location.  My last suggestion was to honour that location with the “Seabus Light Roast Blend.”

On February 20th, Starbucks Canada will announce the 3 finalists and open up the voting.  What was your name for the Blonde Roast?

OMG, We’re infertile? How did that Happen?

Trillium used as the official symbol for the Province of Ontario. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

As a member of the Conceivable Dreams blogging team here in Ontario, I pretended for a minute to put myself in an infertile couple’s shoes this family day long-weekend, so I Googled “infertility education in Ontario” and we quite shocked and disappointed by the resources which came up in Infertility education, below.

Notice that while there are many helpful resources on infertility in Ontario, there are none from the Ontario government’s own Ministry of Health.  If the intent of Family Day is to allow families to have a day to spend together then am I wrong to expect the government to also look for ways to help couples become families – through funding of IVF and educating Ontarians about causes of infertility…

Look at what came up in my search before anything from the Ontario government;

The first link belongs to a doctor, Thomas Hannam, and his views on infertility, here.  Do you know how to treat your eggs?  ”If you are fortunate, you may already know that you have good quality eggs.  However, if you have reason to doubt the situation, then you may wish to try to “maximize” egg quality. Lifestyle matters: sleep well, quit smoking, and minimize caffeine to one cup of coffee a day.”

As a male, maximizing the quality of a female’s eggs never even occurred to me, however those items Dr. Hannam mentions are common lifestyle choices I think we should all be choosing anyways.  I was just surprised to know they had such an impact and egg quality… Should this not be taught to children in school?

My next hit was an OHIP4IVF post from one of our team members, following that was a link to the expert panel on infertility and adoption.

Then came a link to a London Health Sciences Fertility Ontario site (which is not a government education site, but rather a clinic here in Ontario run by a Doctor who cares about infertility.

After that came a site – not in Ontario – suggesting that infertility be taught in school, and that article can be read here;

I agree with that viewpoint.

Then came another article through the Infertility Awareness Association of Canada and while this site is not currently being updated there are significant resources there.

Still missing is the education platform of the Ontario Government.  Everyone knows that educating people is a less expensive and proactive way to address an issue, rather than waiting 20 or 30 years down the road and having to deal with an epidemic on mass.  Not that this Liberal government is the absolute cause of this problem but they are certainly not helping with the solution by constantly disregarding OHIP funding of IVF treatments for infertile couples who are trying to have children at all ages and in all socio-economic groups.  This government constantly refers to their own education program, however, it must be hidden or by invitation only because I could not find it.

Furthermore, the only Ontario government department with any published opinions on infertility is the Ministry of Child and Youth Services.  At least here they say they are going to on their website; ”Infertility is a medical condition that often requires medical treatment. Infertility has wide-reaching consequences for individuals, families and society.”

Simple and too the point.  It continues;

“We believe that all Ontarians should have the opportunity to build a family. Infertility is a medical condition that prevents some Ontarians from doing so. These medical problems often require medical treatment(s) to overcome infertility. Right now in Ontario, one in eight couples is struggling with infertility. One in  six couples has experienced infertility at some point in their lives. Both male and female infertility are on the rise. And many other Ontarians – same-sex and single people and people with illnesses like cancer or HIV – need help to start a family.”

Then the government confirms what many of use feel is a major issue with IVF treatment costs – equal access to everyone;

“Access to assisted reproduction services should be free from any discrimination.  Every year, tens of thousands of Ontarians turn to assisted reproduction and other services like acupuncture and naturopathic medicine to help them conceive. Thousands more never seek help.  People who have experienced fertility problems or who have sought help told us about the barriers they face;

• It’s difficult to get information: many people didn’t know about the factors that affected their fertility.
• They are not sure where to go for help. Some facilities and practitioners offering assisted reproduction services are not accredited. Are the treatments safe? Where should they go to get the best care?
• The procedures are too expensive. Many treatments are beyond the reach of most Ontarians.
• There isn’t enough emotional support to help them deal with the grief over fertility problems, the stress fertility issues place on relationships or the challenges of treatments.
• Many people have trouble accessing services because of where they live.
• For same-sex and single people, and people with HIV, social and legal barriers can keep them from getting the services they need.
• The fertility needs of young cancer patients are often forgotten by treating cancer specialists.
• There is still a sense of failure or stigma about infertility that keeps many people silent and in pain.”

While I never would have come to this Ministry for information on infertility, and equality in IVF, I suspect many others would not looking here either.  If this next piece quoted from their website is not a cry to be heard, I don’t know what is;

“Ontario can do better. Ontario must do better. The status quo is not acceptable.  We see a province where all Ontarians have the information they need to protect their fertility, where they are confident that they are receiving safe, high quality care, and where other barriers – such as cost, geography and stigma –  do not keep them from getting the services they need.

To be the best place to create a family, Ontario must act now.

1. All Ontarians should know how to protect their fertility.
2. Assisted reproduction services should be safe and meet the highest, evidence-based    standards.
3. Ontario cannot afford to NOT fund assisted reproduction services.
4. All Ontarians who could benefit should have access to assisted reproduction services.”

Way to go, Ministry of Youth and Child Services!  Now walk down the hall to the Ministry of Health and give them the link to your website and ask them to get their asses in gear, please.

We already know that knowledge IS power so the more people know about their health, the better they will be able to make informed decisions, not only to improve their health but also to manage their fertility – early enough when there is still time to make changes and see the results of those changes.  We also know that age is one of the most important factors affecting the ability to conceive as couples are waiting until later in life to have children than ever before.

Lifestyle factors such as smoking, alcohol consumption and the use of some recreational drugs also affect fertility as does being at an unhealthy weight and certain medical treatments.

The Ministry discusses the benefits of “Fertility monitoring” which can assist couples to make informed choices about their fertility, including when to start a family and when to seek help with fertility. It can also facilitate timely referrals to fertility specialists.

“To give people the information they need to protect their fertility and make informed decisions, we recommend:

• All primary care practitioners, including doctors of naturopathy and traditional Chinese medicine, should be encouraged to make fertility education/counselling a routine part of care for all patients beginning in their 20′s – male and female, in a relationship or single (including those who are not trying to start a family), regardless of sexual orientation.
• All primary care providers, gynecologists and other specialists should give special consideration to age when diagnosing fertility problems in women beginning at age 28 up to age 30, who have been unable to conceive naturally after one year, and include their male partners in assessments.
• All primary care providers, gynecologists and other specialists should offer fertility testing/ monitoring to women who are age 30 and older who want to start a family, and their male partners, so as to facilitate timely referrals to fertility specialists.
• All primary care providers, gynecologists and other specialists should consider a referral to an infertility specialist to women age 30 and older who have been unable to conceive naturally after six months.
• The government should fund and support the development of clinical practice guidelines for fertility education and monitoring, including an algorithm to assist practitioners in assessing their patients for fertility problems.
• The Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care (MOHLTC) should continue to fund existing tests for ovarian reserve and semen analysis tests, standardize these tests province-wide, and introduce newer tests that are more accurate and easier to use as they become available and are approved.”

Why should Ontario invest in fertility education and monitoring?  Because many Ontarians are unaware how to protect their fertility. The Ontario government estimates that 1 in 8 Ontarians are struggling with infertility, however many suspect the number is closer to 3 in 8.

For most women, fertility begins declining around age 30 – even for women with healthy lifestyles, because:

• Every woman is born with all of the eggs she is ever going to have. Each month, for every egg that is released and available for fertilization, many eggs mature and most are absorbed into the body. Most women will ovulate about 400 times in their lifetime.
• Eggs get older as women age, making conception more difficult and increasing the chance for chromosomal abnormalities, which often causes miscarriage.
• Many women are not aware of how they can be proactive in protecting their reproductive health.

A man’s fertility are affected by many factors most men usually do not even think twice about, including:

• Age.
• Cigarette smoking.
• Heavy use of alcohol.
• Use of prescription medications
• Recreational drug use.
• Anabolic steroid use.
• Occupational hazards that expose men to toxins or high temperatures.
• Treatment for cancer.
• Any injuries to the testicles or health conditions that affect the male reproductive organs, such as varicocele, vasectomy, impotence, birth defects and autoimmune disorders.

The Ministry of Youth and Child Services realizes how important it is for primary care practitioners to discuss the relevant factors for  infertility with their patients, both men and women.  Ontarians should know how to best protect their  fertility, but also be aware that no amount of prevention can reverse age-related fertility decline.

Back to the one Ministry in the Ontario government that gets it;

“More and early fertility education can help Ontarians to make informed decisions about their reproductive health and childbearing decisions.  Also, the sooner that Ontarians are aware they may have a problem with fertility, the sooner they can be referred for treatment.  The goals of a provincial fertility education and monitoring program should be to ensure that;

• All Ontarians can receive fertility education.
• When fertility monitoring indicates a possible problem, Ontarians are referred quickly to a specialist.
• Health care resources are used wisely.”

All this talk about a fertility / infertility education program, complete with education sounds like there has been nothing put in place as of yet, and this is all still at the planning stage, but just how long does it take to put these measures in place?

Typically, the Ontario government, this one at least, likes to push the onus back to the individual / couple even though we just read about how couples are not aware of their fertility, nor are doctors bringing it up.  So does it make sense then for the government to recommend that;

“One of the best ways for Ontarians to learn about any risks that might affect their fertility is to talk to their family doctor, nurse practitioner, naturopathic doctor  or other primary health care provider. Primary care providers can and should play a key role in fertility education and monitoring. Primary care providers see patients  at all ages.   Women in their teens, 20′s and early 30′s are more likely than men to go for regular check-ups. In 2006, 33% of 28 year-old women saw a family doctor for a general assessment  compared to 13% of 28 year-old and 17% of 35 year-old males.  Family doctors should  be supported in incorporating fertility counselling into routine preventive healthcare.”

Right now in Ontario, (in)fertility is discussed and assessed way too late, far often after several years of failed conceiving.  In addition, couples also need to be given enough time to try to conceive naturally instead of overtaxing the system, because after a year of trying to conceive naturally, about 90% of couples will conceive.

Some takeaways for the Ontario government might be;

• A fertility monitoring program to provide a measurable timetable for younger Ontarians so they can conceive naturally before being referred to a fertility specialist.
• As the current OHIP fee schedule allows for physicians to bill for fertility counselling under a common counselling code there should be a distinct billing code number in order to track how many Ontarians are receiving fertility counselling.
• Address the fact that single heterosexual people, lesbian women and gay men are  less likely than heterosexual couples to receive fertility education and monitoring because like the rest of the population – a proportion of these people will have fertility issues.
• Research, research, research, because the last Ontario government report was dated October 19th, 2006 and called In Vitro Fertilization and Multiple Pregnancies.  A lot can and has happened in 7-years which needs to be addressed.

So now I’ve gone off and performed a targeted search of the Ontario Government website in search of information from the Ministry of Health regarding their education programs on fertility.  Boy, was I disappointed.

Here is what came up;

“Pulications - In Vitro Fertilization (IVF)

Generally, In vitro fertilization (IVF) services consist of:

1. blood work, ultrasounds and physician procedures (egg retrieval and embryo transfer)
2. embryology laboratory services.

IVF is not an OHIP insured physician service except in the limited circumstances listed in Regulation 552 under the Health Insurance Act.  It is only insured for the first three treatment cycles where the infertility is due to complete bilateral anatomical fallopian tube blockage that has not resulted from a sterilization procedure. A treatment cycle includes preparation, oocyte retrieval and embryo transfer.

Where IVF is insured (that is, for blocked fallopian tubes), the blood work, ultrasounds and physician procedures are insured in all hospital and non-hospital community based fertility clinics in Ontario.

When insured IVF is provided in hospital (that is, in the Mount Sinai Hospital Reproductive Biology Unit, London Health Sciences Fertility Clinic) or in the Ottawa Fertility Centre, associated embryology services are funded (in addition to the blood work, ultrasounds and physician procedures noted above).  Patients cannot be charged for such services provided in those three facilities.

The ministry does not fund fertility drug costs, intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) or costs associated with the freezing and storage of sperm, eggs and embryos, regardless of where insured IVF services are provided.

March 2012″

Yeah.

Thanks Ministry of Health.  Maybe they missed the announcement that “The Government of Ontario has made a commitment to make fertility monitoring available to women earlier in life.”  That announcement came from the Ministry of Youth and Child Services.

So instead of being proactive and helping today’s generation understand fertility, fund IVF where needed and make sure going forward all Ontarians are educated on factors impacting fertility – the government remains silent. Instead of speaking to the medical community to ensure they have the knowledge and availability to counsel people on infertility, this government is going to ignore the warning signs and the unhappy infertile couples in Ontario then end up having to pay for it at the end of the day when it is the least use and the most expensive.  It’s just our tax dollars after all.  The government can simply tax us more or just cut or de-list more services, right?

So to conclude, if you are infertile in Ontario, or want to make sure that you remain fertile, do not bother searching through the Ministry of Health’s website, but instead, head over to the Ministry of Youth and Child Services and follow their guidelines and information aimed at all Ontarians and what they should know to protect their fertility;

1. Education - The Government of Ontario should ensure that all primary care practitioners are educated about fertility and related issues including: the impact of age on fertility, male and female infertility, and the important risk factors that affect fertility; the reproductive needs of non-traditional families; and the complementary services available to enhance fertility or treat infertility.

2. All primary care practitioners – including naturopathic doctors and doctors of traditional Chinese medicine – should make fertility education/counselling a routine part of care for all patients, beginning in their 20′s. This includes males and females, those in a relationship or single (including those who are not trying to start a family), regardless of sexual orientation.

3.  The government should ensure that printed and web-based educational materials are developed and made available to primary care practitioners to share with their patients.

4.  Counselling - The government should adjust OHIP fee schedule to allow physicians to identify counselling services that are provided specifically for infertility so that practitioners can make the time for this in their busy practices and the government can understand how many Ontarians are receiving this information.

5.  Fertility Testing/Monitoring - All primary care providers, obstetrician/gynaecologists or fertility specialists should offer fertility testing/monitoring to:

• Women age 28 and over who have been unable to conceive naturally after one year without using contraception.
• Women age 30 and older when they want to start a family (to estimate their ovarian reserve and the need for referral).
• Women age 30 and older who have been unable to conceive naturally after six months.
• The male partners of women who are undergoing testing.

and anyone who appears to have a fertility problem should receive a timely referral to a fertility specialist (e.g., women under 30 should be referred after 12 months of trying to conceive naturally without success; women aged 30 and older should be referred after six months).

6.  Clinical practice guidelines - Developed for fertility education and monitoring and include:

• Guidelines for fertility education.
• The important risk factors for female and male fertility.
• An algorithm that could help primary care practitioners assess patients’ risk factors for infertility and the appropriate diagnostic tests to use.
• Criteria for diagnosing infertility in women and men.
• Single validated methods for measuring each of: the follicle stimulating hormone, antral follicle count and semen analysis tests to be used across the province.
• The specific test ranges or thresholds to use to make timely appropriate referrals to specialists.”

If Ontario was doing an effective and proper job of educating all Ontario residents about infertility as they say they are doing, then why do we still have couples struggling with infertility? And where is the evidence they are doing what they claim to be doing?   Would there not be statistics showing a decline in infertility rates?  Then no one would need IVF at all, but we can now clearly see that the Ministry that is in the know is not the Ministry making the decisions.

When can we expect to see that education that the Ministry of Youth and Children Services calls for?  Funding it is the first step to make this right, and here on Family Day in the province of Ontario would have been the appropriate time to announce the long-awaited plan on tackling this issue.

It’s not going to happen.

What are they waiting for?