Canada is surrounded on three sides by oceans. To the north, the Arctic Ocean borders Yukon, Northwest Territories, and Nunavut. Off the west coast of British Columbia is the Pacific Ocean. The Atlantic Ocean, meanwhile, sits to the east of Canada’s Maritime provinces, which include Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, and Prince Edward Island.

Dear Alex,

You weren’t at yesterday’s game! In all our years playing together, I haven’t seen you miss a single match! I hope all is well. A few other players were home with the flu yesterday. Hopefully you didn’t catch it too!

Anyways, I was wondering if you could answer a few questions for me about the entrepreneurship training program your organization offers. I heard you talking about it and it sounds like it might be just what I need. I checked out the program’s website, but I still have some questions before applying.

I’ll be retiring soon, and I want to start my own business. My dad used to have a floral business when I was growing up, and I’ve always wanted to open my own flower shop, too. However, I currently lack an understanding of how to handle budgeting. Also, does the training offer any advice on which kinds of businesses are profitable and how to create a financially sound business plan? I don’t want to waste my money, so I’d like to know if my business has a chance of being successful before going ahead with it. Also, does the training include advice on how to get financial assistance? I have some savings, but not enough to cover everything I would need. I’d like to know what my options are.

According to the website, the next training session, Mondays from 1:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m., starts soon. However, as you know, I’m a teacher, so I’ll still be working full-time then. The end of the year is busy with exams, report card preparation, and parent-teacher meetings, so I have even less free time than usual. By any chance, is the program ever offered in the evenings or on weekends, or, even better, online?

My last question is about the cost. The website says fees for the training can be waived for those who qualify, but it didn’t mention any further details. How would I find out if I qualify to attend for free? Are there any documents I need to send in with my application?

Thanks for any help you can give, and I hope to see you in good health next week! We play the Titans, so the coach says we’ll be needing our hardest hitter!

Hope to see you soon,

Halma Sean

A. Riding Mountain National Park in southern Manitoba has a government designation recognizing the 1000 square miles of parkland that is home to three different ecosystems: grasslands, boreal forests, and deciduous forests. Clear Lake, the largest lake in the park, is a common boating site. The townsite of Wasagaming, the only town located in the park, is a popular summer tourist destination with quaint shops, a log cabin museum, a theatre, and a Parks Canada interpretation centre. Further enticing nature lovers to the region are a number of private cottages near the town and in the surrounding areas.

B. Riding Mountain was originally the site of a trading post established by the Hudson’s Bay Company in 1741. It was there that some of the first Canadian explorers residing in the area began trading with the First Nations people. Henry Houle Hind, a surveyor for the Canadian government, documented the area’s rich natural resources. Soon afterwards, the preservation of the forest became a key priority, and the logging work that had been going on was halted. Subsequently, Riding Mountain officially became a national park on May 30, 1933. The infrastructure and roads were completed in 1934 by labourers employed through Canada’s depression relief programs.

C. A prominent individual associated with early conservation efforts in Riding Mountain was Archibald Belaney. He was better known as Grey Owl, the First Nations name and identity he adopted. He lived in a secluded cabin with two beavers, Jelly Roll and Rawhide. Grey Owl worked to ensure the protection of the existing beaver colonies in the parkland. Despite his efforts, circumstances for the beavers became precarious due to the drought-like conditions in the park. After 6 months of working towards saving the decimated beaver population, he was forced to find more suitable living conditions in Saskatchewan. To this day, Grey Owl’s cabin is maintained as a tourist attraction.

D. Currently, Riding Mountain continues to draw from its long history. The interpretation centre strives to connect nature enthusiasts with the landscape by providing information about the area’s diverse ecosystems, in addition to the ongoing work by environmentalists to preserve them. Although many tourists flock to the park for its numerous outdoor activities, like boating, golf, tennis, and camping, many are unaware of the efforts being made by local Indigenous groups, scientists, and government workers to ensure the long-term sustainability of the park for future generations.

E. Not given in any of the above paragraphs.

Investor Education

Canadian high school curriculum should instill more life skills in students. A number of high schools teach practical skills such as carpentry and work-related skills such as keyboarding. Some already include personal money management courses, but why not add financial investing? Teenagers who can tell a hammer from a screwdriver should also be able to tell a Guaranteed Income Certificate from a Canada Savings Bond.

The rationale is that today’s young adults need strong financial skills to help them understand the concept of saving and building return on their savings. Too many parents of this generation have, unfortunately, been remiss in preparing for their retirement which means there will be little for their children to inherit. To improve their prospects, high school teenagers need to learn financial investing.

I suggested this to a school superintendent, and he said it would smack of capitalist elitism: “Our job is to graduate socially-responsible, law-abiding citizens, not to help society’s top one percent increase their surplus wealth.”

But shouldn’t every socially responsible citizen invest in order to stave off dependence on welfare programs in old age? What’s elitist about saving money?

My wife and I took up the subject with our kid’s Finance teacher. Why not, my wife suggested, teach kids how to invest in an asset that grows rather than diminishes in value?

The teacher said that the curriculum, created before the era of do-it-yourself online investing, still treated investing as a specialized profession for the few rather than a personal life skill for all. “It would never fly with the parents’ committee, but I’d love to assign an investment simulation. I’d have students set up a practice account at an online brokerage, research and buy a handful of stocks or funds, and see who earns the most.”

“Wouldn’t that be playing into a capitalist agenda?” I asked, playing devil’s advocate.

“No, I think we’d be protecting them from capitalism--well, from greedy financial advisors anyway. You could present your idea to the Department of Education, you know. They are the curriculum experts.”