TMAC Ontario

2008 Feb. 16 TMAC ONTARIO GENERAL CHAPTER MEETING, HALIFAX
With the annual chapter meeting being our largest get together, and in light of the importance of topics raised, the full minutes from the Ontario Chapter Meeting at the Westin Nova Scotian, in Halifax are presented here.

Re. Munch & Mingles

It was agreed that there are two components – education and networking. Members will not be turned away from attending M&Ms (this only happened once as a result of a misunderstanding), however, it will be incumbent on those who wish to attend to RSVP in good time.

QuickTips: It was generally agreed that these were useful and several people liked the insights they provided. Regarding the time these take (10 minutes), Marty Rice commented that this is a partnership between TMAC and sponsors so there has to be time for TMAC info to have the floor.

Gary Crallé commented that this is a symbiotic partnership and it was felt by the board that it would be valuable to have a little educational component between networking and presentation.

Judy Eberspacher agreed that having some “meat” to the meetings would encourage people to come.

Sherri Telenko added that the value of Munch & Mingles is the networking part, so the agenda shouldn’t be TOO structured.

Isobel Warren praised the “experiential” meetings where members took part in an activity.

Laura Byrne Paquette: Could M&Ms be on a day other than Tuesday to make it easier for out-of-towners to make it? Gary Crallé pointed out that a standard time each month made it easier for attendees to plan for it.

Re. PD Events

Suggestions about interesting topics included cloud technology, Skype, etc.
Conflicting dates were mentioned, eg. Canada Media Marketplace is on April 6-9; attempts should be made to avoid conflicts where possible.
A wine tasting seminar was suggested by Alex Eberspacher and received general enthusiasm.


Re. TMAC Annual Meeting Outside Canada

Many concerns were expressed about holding a TMAC annual general meeting outside Canada. Helen Lovekin pointed out that this would inevitably cost more since industry can’t be expected to cover media subsidies.

The example of SATW was brought up, but industry members indicated that this is a much larger group and includes US media so it is worth their while to attend such a gathering. TMAC actually costs industry more than SATW to attend.

Ann Wallace pointed out that many members might not be able to afford to attend. Board members expenses would be covered and they might prove to be a small contingent.

On the plus side, Sherri Telenko pointed out that such a meeting might actually attract new members and even new industry to the organization. She said, “I think you need to try something once. It may grow the organization.

Jantine van Kregten suggested we try it as a trial rather than setting policy about rotation,

Lili Nasseri suggested that we might find a cheaper venue with better weather.

Judy Eberspacher asked whether we could have a conference if industry members didn’t support the event.

Helen Lovekin added: As a founding member of TMAC and someone who has never said ‘no’ to TMAC, I can’t support this. They can go ahead but it’s a shame to leave people behind.

It was decided that as there are very serious concerns and we have made great progress in liaisons between media and industry, we should not jeopardize these, we should let the national board know we are not in favour of this decision. Further, it was suggested that if this has moved ahead beyond the point where it could be rescheduled, that perhaps it could be treated as a trial.

Ann Wallace added that if it does go ahead, could it be made public well enough in advance so people aren’t left wondering if they can do it.

Gary Crallé said he would address the concerns about foreign conferences to the national board, and report back to the chapter membership.

Motion to adjourn:
Moved Alex Eberspacher
Seconded: Pat Brennan

Submitted by Liz Campbell

BOARD MEETINGS

2007 Nov.  NO BOARD MEETING

2007 Oct. 30 TMAC ONTARIO BOARD MEETING
OLD BUSINESS
* regular member reports
* proposal to gather past archives for electronic access
* proposal to conduct informal surveys as a helpful guide to TMAC’s future
* organization of first PD session is complete

NEW BUSINESS
* briefing on Annual Board Summit meetings
* continued QuickTips analysis

2007 Sept. 25 TMAC ONTARIO BOARD MEETING
OLD BUSINESS
* regular member reports, confirmation of M&M format & duties

NEW BUSINESS
* two upcoming PD sessions chosen
* begin using chapter M&M Thank You cards
* Buddy System backup OK’d among board members
* M&M educational QuickTips introduced for trial period
* Comments Box to be placed at M&M reception desk

DETAILS FROM PAST BOARD MEETINGS
ROBERT’S RULES
Meetings will continue to be run according to Robert’s Rules as per the founding principles of TMAC. Robert’s Rules is a compendium of universally accepted parliamentary procedures. The purpose is simply to operate by a standardized set of rules.

Industry member Diana Conconi, Senior VP & Partner, Marketing Communications with Fleishmann-Hillard Canada has kindly accepted the board’s invitation to act as Parliamentarian.

Barbara Kingston championed the idea of a chapter parliamentarian after a conversation with media member Lucy Izon. In the same way, all chapter members are encouraged to put forward any new ideas which they feel might prove useful.

MORE WEBSITE INFO
For increased transparency and realtime updates for Ontario chapter members, a brief synopsis of TMAC Ontario Board meetings will in future be posted on the Ontario section of the TMAC website.

M&M GUEST POLICY
In fairness to our hosts, we’ve requested that guests be limited to potential members, with the guest fee raised from $5 to $10, refundable towards membership.

THANK YOU CARDS
TMAC Ontario will be creating its own ‘Thank You’ cards decorated with unique images of the province.  

 

NEWSLETTER CLIPS

2008 Feb. from the TMAC newsletter -- CHAPTER NEWS & NOTES

ONTARIO - Our Jan. 14 PD session at the downtown Toronto Hilton Hotel was a success by several measures. Flawlessly organized and diligently emceed by board members Barbara Kingstone and Mark Stevens, the topic, "From Both Sides Now: the Good, the Bad & the Ugly of Press Trips" (whew!), provided much information from an experienced panel of media and industry reps about the realities of our current milieu. The classy venue, complete with excellent refreshments provided by the downtown Toronto Hilton Hotel, was arranged by Hilton's very capable director of PR for Canada, Barbara McCully, who  - unfortunately for us - has since taken a new position with Sobey's food markets. For those who couldn't make the PD session, it will be on the TMAC website shortly under the Ontario chapter section.

M&Ms - Due to space limitations and the usual application of Murphy's Law, some of the key points regarding M&M attendance and venue space never made it into the last newsletter, so here they are again:

Protocol for Ontario chapter M&M attendance, stipulating every chapter member's right to attend, was set by the previous chapter executive under Toby Saltzman and Kate Pocock. This policy has not changed, although in light of larger numbers we're adding some considerations to help our hosts even more. 

With respect to our regular monthly events, TMAC Ontario chapter policy is to encourage as many participants as possible to attend the munch & mingles. Unfortunately, an expanding membership roster temporarily overloaded our circuits for the Ottawa region M&M, with some members not being able to attend due to space limitations. 

To guard against a recurrence, the board has set an increase in the size of venue as a requirement for future M&Ms. Details will be posted on the TMAC website as an addendum to the current protocol. A secondary PREP list is also being drawn up to assist sponsors planning an M&M. 

The overall challenge is to achieve a balance between a sponsor's abilities and membership expectations. In fairness to sponsors who need to know how many will attend, what venue to book, plus set a budget for extras such as refreshments, we want to emphasize the need for attendees to RSVP BY A SET DATE so that accurate arrangements can be made. 

Only after this date, past which sponsors may not be able to change a booking, do we feel it is fair to close the attendance list. This gives sponsors the ability to match both space and activities with the number of participants. But it will also require more advance planning on everyone's part. 

Although we always try to be flexible at the door, out of consideration to our host there is no guarantee that last-minute arrivals will get in without having RSVPed. This retains the opportunity to utilize smaller, unique spaces for venues and also facilitates budgeting. In this regard, the chapter board is happy to work with sponsors to control expenses. Our aim remains: inclusion for all, big or small. 

JAN. 29 M&M - Eight enthusiastic representatives from Stratford and surrounding communities hosted this month's M&M at the Cowbell Restaurant (voted #1 on Now's list of Toronto's best new restaurants) deep in the heart of Parkdale. Former Stratford residents and current Cowbell owners Mark Cutrara and Karin Culliton churned out endless scrumptious, inventive hors d'oeuvres to a full house - echoing the quality for which the Stratford region is known. Our hosts were:

For our QuickTips session, writer/editor Kate Pocock presented a golden list of 10 ‘must use’ websites. Thanks for your generous sharing, Kate. And here they are…

‘Ten Web Sites I Can’t Live Without’ © January 2008 Kate Pocock

Google.com

Hit the “More” list to register with Google Alerts. They will alert you if your name comes up somewhere – as in your story being posted on someone’s blog! Or Alerts will let you know if someone has linked to one of your stories from their site. Use Google Images to actually see something you’re researching or reading about. A recent search for a fikka table (what the Swedes use for coffee breaks) brought up hundreds of photos.

http://www3.telus.net/linguistics issues/BritishCanadianAmerican.htm

Print out Karen Bond’s list of the differences between Canadian and American spellings and keep it handy.

www.Ask.com

This site used to be AskJeeves.com (but it seems younger audiences don’t relate to a butler) and the butler knew the answer to everything. The ask.com site doesn’t seem to be as fussy but if you have a very specific question such as “What are the rules of etiquette during a Japanese tea ceremony?” you’ll get a listing of many other sites to check.  

www.XE.com

“The World’s Favorite Currency Site.” Get an up-to-date currency conversion for the Canadian or American dollar (or any other currency) against any currency in the world. For obscure monies, just hit the “More Currencies Available.” Sometimes as the site refreshes, you’ll make a bit of money between checks. I like it because it converts both ways. 

www.dpreview.com

Thinking about getting a digital camera or upgrading your digital equipment? This site offers thorough reviews and comparisons for most makes. My new digital camera had a 28-page review and included photos, diagrams and explanations. The site also offers discussion forums under specific topics such as “Nikon SLR Lens Talk.” 

www.flightstats.com

Want to track a particular flight across the ocean so that you know when to head for the airport? Or do you want stats on how often a particular flight is late in taking off before you book? If a gate changes, or there’s a delay with a flight, or if a plane has finally left the runway, this site will tell you. And you can follow a plane as it flies back to Canada. It’s a fun site with stats and visuals. 

www.freelancesuccess.com

For New Markets: if you’re looking for new American markets (or even info on ones you already know), this weekly subscription newsletter ($89 US per year) sends info each Thursday into your Inbox giving relevant details such as Rights, Pay, what an editor is looking for from freelancers, how to send it, etc. This week, for example, the email featured pet markets like The Bark and Fido Friendly. FLX also offers a Pay Check Database, sample Query Letters, a Free Sample Issue, writer forums and more. 

www.asja.org

For Contracts: ASJA (American Society of Journalists and Authors) has a Contracts Watch committee that will send out quarterly reports to anyone who signs up on what’s new, how to modify an indemnity clause, the difference between exclusive and non-exclusive, etc. On the Home Page, click onto “Free Resources” in the nav bar under “For Writers.” Then click the Contracts Watch link under “Contracts Watch.” All the archived contracts watch newsletters are posted. 

www.lii.org

For Research: The lii stands for Librarians’ Internet Index. This is a web site database with over 20,000 entries, maintained by librarians, organized into 14 main topics and nearly 300 related sub topics. Travel comes under Recreation but has many sub topics such as Medical Tourism, Hot Springs, Outdoor Recreation and Cruises. Punch in something like “Roller Coasters” and you’ll get a database site for thousands of coasters, a history of roller coasters, roller coaster designers, the physics of roller coasters, amusement parks with fabulous coasters and more. 

www.poynter.org

For Inspiration: The Poynter Institute, in St. Petersburg, Florida, is a school for journalists, future journalists and teachers of journalism. Many writing coaches also teach here, and there is a wealth of information on their site, including words of wisdom from the pros. Just one example from writing coach and musician Roy Peter Clark: “Put odd and interesting things next to each other: Remember that the Vampire Slayer’s name is Buffy, not Conan.”  

** Note: This list of favourite websites is a personal compilation for TMAC QuickTips only, and is not available for distribution or reproduction without written permission by Kate Pocock. 

M&M QUICKTIPS - After some testing of the waters, we're pleased to continue with five-to-10-minute QuickTips as part of TMAC housekeeping, whenever opportune at M&Ms. Whether educational, informative, irreverent, entertaining or just plain thoughtful, these "bon mots" are meant to provide a refreshing amuse bouche between the larger portions of hors d'oeuvre networking and host presentations. 

QuickTips are a logical progression of M&M origins, which began as a simple exchange of ideas among members. One thing led to another, and now we have full-blown sponsorship with organized trade presentations. The website-posted M&M protocol for sponsors suggests 20 minutes' allowance for TMAC housekeeping' during the generally accepted two hours of activities. As an educational component, QuickTips should fit into this regimen quite well, without taking time away from our hosts, so it's heartening to see they are proving popular with both media and industry.

2008 Feb. from the TMAC newsletter -- MEMBER NEWS

LMA BOOSTS RANKS - LMA Communications Inc. has added several new clients to its roster including Hockley Valley Resort (Orangeville, Ont.), Malivoire Wine Company (sustainable growing) and Adams Bay Luxury Beach Club (residential development in Bequia, St. Vincent and the Grenadines. Award-winning LMA can be reached at 416-440-2500 or 1-800-387-1399 or online at www.lma.ca. 

NEW ADDRESS FOR TME - Toronto-based Travel Marketing Experts is on the move. The company, whose clients include the New Hampshire Division of Travel & Tourism Development, Ottawa Tourism and Qatar Airways, can be reached via president Chris Ryall at 76 Bonacres Ave., Toronto, Ont., M1C 3B9. Phone 416-861-1022 or e-mail chris@travelmarketingexperts.com.

2007 Nov. from the TMAC newsletter -- CHAPTER NEWS & NOTES
Ontario's Finest Inns (www.ontariosfinestinns.com) hosted a Sept. 25 munch & mingle in the Humber Room at the Old Mill that drew rave reviews from TMAC members. Ontario chapter president Gary Crallé (who we promise not to tease about puns this month) gave a brief presentation and took questions about digital photography. That was followed with presentations by the hosting organization about spa trends and culinary happenings, all summed up in the sampling of tasty hors d'oeuvres and desserts along with Ontario wines and craft beer.

In other news, with board members travelling all the time ('cause that's what we do), we've not yet achieved our intended posting of chapter meetings in good time on the TMAC website, but we expect to be doing so from this point onward. Also, congrats to TMACers Liz Fleming and Barbara Kingstone, who are among the writers who contributed to Mixed Messages, a book, edited by Paul Knowles, to raise money for the cancer hospice in Kitchener-Waterloo. The book launch drew an appreciative crowd of 350 and filled the coffers with several thousand dollars. Books are still selling and would make great Christmas gifts.

And finally, chapter board members now thank our M&M sponsors with hand-made "TMAC Ontario" cards, reaffirming professional relationships in a personable manner.

2007 Oct. from the TMAC newsletter -- CHAPTER NEWS & NOTES
TMAC member/photographer George Fisher's new book, Unforgettable Canada: 100 Destinations, ranked Number 6 on the Globe and Mail's bestseller list in its first week out late last month.

"Who knows, I may even surpass Bill Clinton's book at Number 4 and Brian Mulroney's - currently at Number 1," our TMAC sources quote Fisher as saying. "At least I am sure my book has better PHOTOGRAPHY!" Ouch. But then again, the truth hurts, right? Congratulations, George.

2007 Sept. from the TMAC newsletter -- MEMBER NEWS
GOODBYE MIAMI, HELLO MIAMI: TMAC industry member Michelle Revuelta has wrapped up a decade of work with the Greater Miami Convention and Visitor Bureau (GMCVB) to strike out on her own as a consultant. Revuelta will work with a range of media relations clients including Tourism Toronto, but will continue to be based in Miami. "This, obviously, was a very difficult choice for me because of my love for the GMCVB and our members, the work I have done with and for the city over the last 10 years, and the fantastic media relations team which I have been honoured to have led," she says. Send on your best wishes to Michelle@mrprinc.com [mailto:Michelle@mrprinc.com].

2007 Sept. from the TMAC newsletter -- AWARDS & HONOURS
THREE CHEERS FOR RIDEAU: An Ontario industry member is celebrating the designation of the province's first UNESCO World Heritage Site. The Rideau Heritage Route Tourism Association (RHRTA) expects a more active and exciting tourism future after the Rideau Canal, along with Fort Henry National Historic Site and its four Martello tower fortifications in Kingston, received World Heritage status earlier this summer. The designations were made during the 31st session of the World Heritage Committee of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, held in Christchurch, New Zealand. The Rideau Canal joins 848 properties (656 cultural, 167 natural and 25 mixed) already on the World Heritage List. The canal, now celebrating its 175th anniversary, is the 14th Canadian location to be so honoured. For more information, check out www.rideau175.org