It has been 25 years since you and I had our last conversation on the morning of February 16th,- I thought it would be nice to let you know what has happened to all of us since that cold
winter morning. After you left, we survived the 1995 Quebec referendum andnow, overall, the
French and English get along much better today. You would have also been very pleased to
know that the company you founded in 1954 has weathered recessions, financial melt downs
and even wars. Through it all with the help of its dedicated employees, Thorburn Flex has sur-
vived and flourished with its products and services found in every continent and in two thirds
of the world’s countries.
I am sure it has been less lonely for you since Uncle George and your two best friends, Art and
Griff, joined you to help keep the lively conversations and drinks flowing.I have no doubt that
your sporting exploits in skiing, hockey, fishing and sailing stories are being magnified to all your
new friends up there in the stars, with lots of laughs!On the home front, Mom is doing just fine and still lives in Beaconsfield, in the family home.
She finally did some of the travelling (Europe, Russia and Africa) you both had wanted to do, yet
never found the time.You would be so proud of your grandchildren, Jonathan and Anthony, who wereso young when
you left us. Jonathan (Samantha), your oldest, is a highly successful businessman. He and his
beautiful wife are having a baby girl this July, and yes, you will be a great-grandfather. Anthony is
going to be our family’s first doctor, graduating from McGill, your old university. René and I have
been living together in Pierrefonds since 2015. We are raising her two daughters, Chelsea who is
in Cegep and a cheerleader and Courtney who will be graduating from high school this year and
she is an expert snowboarder.Joanne ( John) lives in Saratoga Springs, NY and has three children. Edwardis a university scholar
and Megan is an amazing caregiver, who both live in Saratoga Springs, NY, and their eldest, JD, is
an investment banker who is named after you and resides in Boston, MA. Peter(Karin) is living in
Kitchener, Ontario and has two beautiful girls, Sidney who is in high school and a brilliant writer,
and Samantha who is also in high school and a super-star soccer player.We were wondering how to best commemorate your storied life that embodies Montreal, Quebec,
Canada through it’s chapters. The Thorburn family has decided to celebrate the 25th Anniversary
of your passing by donating a memorial bench in your honour on the grounds ofCentennial Park
in Beaconsfield, which is located on the banks of Lake Saint-Louis, alongside the waters where
you loved to sail!Your life was a blessing for all who knew you and your memory is a treasure we hold on to so
dearly! You are loved beyond words and missed without measure. We always think about you and
talk about you often. You have never been forgotten and never will be. We hold you close within
our hearts and there you will remain..Until we meet again
Robert, on behalf of the Thorburn FamilyInhonourofJackThorburn,pleasesupporttheCanadianHeartandStrokeFoundation
http://www.heartandstroke.caIn loving memory of
Jack Thorburn
- September 15, 1923 - February 16, 1995 •
SATURDAY,FEBRUARY22,2020 | THEGLOBEANDMAIL O B5
BUSINESSCLASSIFIED
TOPLACEANADCALL:1-866-999-923 7
EMAIL:[email protected]
TENDERSINVITATION FOR PROPOSALS
©2020Ernst&YoungInc.AllRightsReserved.Ernst & Young Inc., in its capacity as Court-Appointed Receiver
(the “Receiver”) of Traverse Energy Ltd. (“Traverse”), is
undertaking a sales solicitation process (“SSP”) for the assets
of Traverse.
The Court of Queen’s Bench of Alberta approved of the SSP
on February 14, 2020, along with theReceiver entering into
a purchase and sales agreement (the “Stalking Horse APA”)
to sell the assets of Traverse. The purpose of the SSP is to
determine whether a higher and better offer than the Stalking
Horse APA may be obtained by the Receiver.
Key Milestones for the SSP are as follows:- Phase 1 Bid Deadline – March 26, 2020
- Phase 2 Auction – If a superior offer is received, the
Receiver will conduct an auction within 10 days of the
Bid Deadline.
Additional information is available upon the execution of a
confidentiality agreement (“CA”). The CA and teaser letter
outlining the opportunity are available on the Receiver’s website
http://www.ey.com/ca/traverse, or through Tom Pavic of the Sayer
Energy Advisors via email at [email protected] or by
phone at 403-266-6133.
Ernst & Young Inc., in its capacity as Court-Appointed
Receiver of Traverse Energy Ltd. and not in its personal or
corporate capacity.
2200, 215 2nd Street SW
Calgary, AB T2P 1M4
Fax: 403-206-5075
REPORTONBUSINESS|Sluggish retail sales in December
capped off the sector’s worst year
for growth in a decade, raising
concern about the Canadian con-
sumer’s ability to lift the econo-
my.
Total sales of r51.6-billion in
December were essentially flat
from the previous month, and
down from a 1.1-per-cent gain in
November, Statistics Canada said
Friday. Excluding the auto sector,
retail sales increased by 0.5 per
cent, supported by a real estate
rebound that’s resulted in stron-
ger sales at building-material and
furniture stores.
The longer-term trend, howev-
er, points to a fatigued consumer.
Retail sales increased by 1.6 per
cent in 2019, the slowest growth
since Canada was mired in an ec-
onomic downturn in 2009, while
volumes have stalled for about
three years, despite an influx of
new consumers as the country
welcomes record numbers of im-
migrants.
Ð]T^he latest numbers do little
to change the overall narrative
that Canadian households won’t
be supporting the economy to the
extent they have in the past,Ñ
Royce Mendes, senior economist
at Canadian Imperial Bank of
Commerce, said in a client note.
Friday’s report provided an-
other sign the economy is coping
with a weak hand-off to 2020. For
the fourth quarter, Canada has
posted an onslaught of poor data- such as sluggish exports and
manufacturing sales –and now
must contend with the unknown
fallout from the coronavirus out-
break and the rail blockades,
which have affected operations
for some major companies.
The Bank of Canada projects
the economy grew at an annual-
ized 0.æ-per-cent rate in the
fourth quarter, while some pri-
vate-sector economists suspect it
was weaker. As such, an increas-
ing number are betting the bank
will soon cut its policy rate for the
first time since 2015.
ÐConsumer spending is one ar-
ea that the Bank of Canada has
been watching closely and the
persistence of recent soft trends
makes a rate cut more likely,Ñ To-
ronto-Dominion Bank economist
Omar Abdelrahman said in a re-
search note. The health of Cana-
dian consumers depends to some
degree on where you look. In
2019, Ontario and 6uebec saw re-
tail-sales growth of 2.z per cent
and 1.9 per cent, respectively.
Those provinces also registeredthe strongest job creation last
year, in raw numbers.
But the view is decidedly weak-
er in provinces whose fortunes
are more closely tied to commod-
ity prices. While Alberta im-
proved from 201z’s 2-per-cent
drop, retail sales still declined 0.9
per cent last year, Statscan said.
Saskatchewan and Newfoun-
dland and Labrador also posted
declines for the second consecu-
tive year.There were, however, some
positive signs. E-commerce sales
growth grew by 22 per cent in
2019, while most retail categories
experienced growth in Decem-
ber, including clothing and
health-related stores.
ÐMany of these had been im-
portant drivers of the slowdown
seen in household spending in
2019, so there could be some hope
that the cooling in consumer
spending is at least beginning to
thaw,Ñ Mr. Mendes said.
Canadian consumers may see
some relief ahead. Although
households currently spend a re-
cord 15 per cent of after-tax in-
come on debt payments, lower
mortgage rates should flow
through to balance sheets, and a
BoC rate cut is a firm possibility.
Of course, many observers
worry that Canadians will re-
spond to monetary easing by pil-
ing on debt. But it’s not a concern
shared by all.
ÐThe country is having the
wrong debate about worrying
over how rate relief would spawn
imbalances,Ñ Derek Holt, Bank of
Nova Scotia’s head of capital mar-
kets economics, said in a client
note. ÐThe imbalance is staring us
right in the face by way of a
tapped out consumer.ÑRetailsalesseeworstyearfor growthinadecade
StatscansaysDecember
saleswereessentially
flatfromtheprevious
month,whilelong-term
trendpointstofatigued
Canadianconsumers
MATTLUNDY
ECONOMICSREPORTER
Vendors sell products at the Holiday Fair in Toronto on Dec. 12.
CHRISTOPHERKATSAROV/THEGLOBEANDMAILThe gift:Creating the Power of Strings Foundation
The reason:To teach children to play the violin
A
rthur Lewinowicz began playing the violin at and
he has since become an accomplished musician,
composer and teacher.
He always wanted to do more than perform and a
few years ago he launched Toronto Singing Strings, a violin
program for children. Mr. Lewinowicz, 27, developed the cur-
riculum, sourced inexpensive instruments and provided
mentoring opportunities for students. He also started the
Power of Strings, a private foundation that provides instru-
ments and free lessons to students from low-income families.
Singing Strings teaches a wide variety of styles – from clas-
sical to jazz and even hip hop – and it grew to æ50 students. ÐI
was just trying to teach a lot of kids how to play violin and
make it cool for them,Ñ Mr. Lewinowicz recalled from his
home in Toronto.
Everything took a turn last September when Mr. Lewinow-
icz was diagnosed with testicular cancer. He underwent sever-
al rounds of chemotherapy, but the disease had spread to his
lungs. He recently had surgery to remove several tumours in
one lung and went into cardiac arrest during the operation.
He’s now recovering and even composed some music while in
hospital. But he faces more surgery.
He’s had to suspend Singing Strings while he recuperates,
but a group of friends has organized a concert to raise money
to keep it going. The event is on March z at Toronto’s Relish
Bar and Grill and it will feature eight artists. ÐHe’s an amazing
musician,Ñ said singer-songwriter Linda Lavender, who is or-
ganizing the concert.
Mr. Lewinowicz is planning to attend and play a set. And
when parents of his students ask whether Singing Strings will
restart, he replies: ÐAbsolutely. Call me back after March
break,Ñ he said. ÐI’m planning on going skiing, too, so I better
be fine.Ñ
Raisingmoneytokeepa
violinprogramrunning
ThedonorArthurLewinowicz
PAULWALDIE
GIVINGBACK