In 2006 I had the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to go fishing in Iceland. This was all thanks to the efforts of former colleague, photographer, chef and Norwegian fisherman par excellence Knut Lovstuhagen.

Knut used his extensive list of contacts to secure deep disounts on our Icelandair flight from Oslo to Reykjavík and the hotels we…

If you’ve watched the news anytime between April 2012 and the present, you’ve probably heard something about the “budget implementation bills”, or, more specifically, omnibus Bills C-38 and C-45. While many might recall hearing these words uttered in news broadcasts or reading them in the newspaper, many others might not be aware of the egregious changes that these Bills are responsible for implementing.…

Conditioning experts and many physicians recommend that people should workout for an hour or so, at the least three times per week. That along with a healthy diet is considered enough to maintain a healthy body. However not many folks have the ability to adhere to this kind of agenda. Range was provided by the excuses anyplace from maybe not having enough income to pay for a fitness center membership, to having enough leisure time to workout the several hours in weekly. Fundamentally a lot…

Exercise is important for a healthier lifestyle. Being bodily lively maintains the body in good condition. Among the main rewards is fat get a handle on. By training often and preserve a healthier diet, you can preserve the human body fat within appropriate stages. With a healthy fat, you will find it simple to bypass. Motion is simpler and you see yourself able to have more done each day. Being fit means you've more energy and passion to get work accomplished. A healthy body weight…

This may cause you to reconsider how many of those cute little liquor or wine bottles you might want to consume on your next long-haul flight. George Campbell, a Senior Vice President with RIM since 2009, has been…

Some of my favourite fishing stories come from Norway. When I worked in Frankfurt for Star Alliance my good friend Knut Lovstuhagen, a native Norwegian, gourmant and fisherman, arranged for an annual trip to various parts of Norway. We would always go deep sea fishing...the first trip was to Bodo with Knut...where we fished from the shores of the Salstrummen which features the strongest ocean current in the world as the tide rips through the fjord.

The second was in Stavanger where we…

Even after four years away from Geneva, the sights and sounds of this quaint Swiss city nestled between Lac Leman and the French border bring fond memories of good wine, wonderful cheese, high prices and rigid rules.

Most importantly, each time I…

A few weeks ago, fellow Kamazooie member, Brad, posted a blog on preserving your financial legacy. At that time, I commented that I wanted to come back and talk more about the non-financial legacy so here comes that.

If you know me, or if you've read my blogs, you may have caught on that I'm a little preoccupied with legacy. Maybe its a fear of dying, or maybe it’s because I struggle with the dreaded "meaning of life". Maybe still, I've seen some great men and women and I aspire to do…

 Ok, perhaps the title overstates it a bit. But ever since I was a young lad I liked to sing. Christmas carols, radio tunes in the back of the '67 Chevy Biscayne that was the family car and, during my teen years, at Christmas parties hosted by the Payette's in my home town of Chapleau. During the early 80s I actually performed a couple of gigs in Chapleau with home town bands. The first group, "People People",…

Hi there everyone, just a quick one today. 

I caught this clip last weekend about a 3-year-old girl taking her first ride on a train. …

Your legacy represents a lifetime of earnings and savings - your lifetime. If it's worth a lifetime to accumulate, it's worth keeping. Preserving your wealth ensures your heirs receive the full value of your legacy.

Remember, the government will probably be an unintended beneficiary of your estate. You may be able to offset your tax liability through careful planning.

What gets taxed upon your death?

• RRSPs and RRIFs, unless rollover exemption…

Do you have a mortgage? Did you sign up for mortgage insurance? This is usually found at the end of the mortgage application. You answer a few simple health questions and you're done. Right? Wrong.

Here's why:

1. The lending institution owns and controls the policy. They decide who the beneficiary is and it's not you. Not your spouse. They are. They control the use of the death benefit.
2. Policies can be cancelled at any time without your approval.
3. Premiums…

Hi folks,

Here are my top 10 tips to get the most out of your Registered Retirement Savings Plan:

1. Maximize Your Contribution. A $10,000 contribution equals $4,500 in deferred tax savings (assuming your tax bracket is 45%). Got lots of contribution room? Consider a RRSP loan. The tax savings should exceed the interest paid on the loan.
2. Contribute Early. Making a lump sum contribution in early March rather than…

If you live anywhere in the Greater Toronto Area, or if you follow Tim Horton’s on Twitter, or definitely, if you are a fan of barbershop singing, you’ve likely heard the story of the Oakville Entertainers. Perhaps you’ve even seen their Tim Horton’s…

Stay Safe in New York

New York Tours is generally safe city to travel to, but you should use your normal judgment to discriminate situations. Stay away from deserted blocks or streets; watch out for gangs and obvious criminals. While NYC is mostly safe, it's still a city and it will have some funky characters on the streets. Make sure to not wear…

I know there are at least a few Kamazooie members who are of native Canadian heritage. I'm sure you've heard a lot of buzz in the news lately regarding a hunger strike by Attawapiskat First Nation Chief Teresa Spence as well as a larger protest called "Idle No More".

I must admit that even though I am a status member of the Cree First Nation, I was largely unaware of…

Unfortunately, because of the general persuasion of the media business, we tend to hear a lot of bad news. I know that Kamazooie is not the place for bad news but I thought this would be worth reading as reminder as we come to the end of 2012 and approach the Holiday Season.

Too many times, we hear things like a family is driving home and they are hit but an impaired driver, a small child is diagnosed with cancer, a mother’s or father’s health begins to slip all too early, and of…