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Winners of the “It’s Chemistry, Eh!?“ YouTube contest, aimed at highlighting the exciting contributions of chemistry to society, were announced today in celebration of the International Year of Chemistry (IYC 2011). The contest was established as one of the many Canadian IYC activities that can be seen on the IYC 2011 website.

Targeted toward Canadian middle and high school students, numerous submissions from across the country were received, which were diverse in nature and rich in content.

First prize and $2,500 toward further education was awarded to Pascal Turmel and Jonathan Kwok from Vancouver for their video entitled “Combustion’s Not Always Destruction.” Elisha Walker, also from Vancouver, wins second prize for highlighting the chemistry that can be found around us in our daily lives. “Chemical Girl,” submitted by a class from Monterey Middle School in Victoria sang and danced their way to 3rd prize for creativity.

[youtube:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jUTjjIMK2Yk]

“We were delighted and inspired by the enthusiasm displayed in the submissions we received.  These videos absolutely shout how much fun chemistry can be,” says Greg Wilkinson, chair of the IYC communications committee and founder of the YouTube contest.

“It’s Chemistry, Eh!?” is sponsored by Esso-Imperial Oil Chemical and led by the Chemical Institute of Canada, with sponsors including Gold-Level sponsors Amgen, Chemistry Industry Association of Canada, Lanxess, Maxxam Analytics, NOVA Chemicals and Silver-Level Sponsors Croplife Canada, BASF, DOW Chemical Canada Inc., Newalta, Woodbridge Foam and Xerox Research Centre of Canada.

The National Gallery of Canada (NGC) announced this morning the names of the three winners of the first ever of its national art competition for teens, So You Want To Be An Artist? On May 25, the jury me t to select the works that stood out most among those of 12 finalists chosen by online vote on Facebook earlier this spring. The jury was made up of well-known Montreal graffiti artist Roadsworth (Peter Gibson), Radio-Canada cultural reporter Jhade Montpetit and contemporary curator and the NGC’s Elizabeth Simonfay Curatorial Resident of Indigenous Art, Candice Hopkins.

And the winners are:

1^st place: Xiangshen Jason Guo, Ottawa.  Title of work: My First Red.
2^nd place: Nicholas Callies, Ottawa. Title of work: Canadian War Museum.
3^rd place: Keir MacDonald, Ottawa. Title of work: Enclosed.

The winners’ and finalists’ works are on view until July 2 on the NGC’s Artissimo Gallery wall. They can also be seen online at makeart.gallery.ca.

All jury members were impressed by the finalists’ and winners’ talent. Speaking of Xiangshen Jason Guo’s piece, juror Candace Hopkins said, “Strong technical skill and content are equally strongly conveyed.” Montreal graffiti artist Peter Gibson liked the atmosphere that Nicholas Callies managed to create in his work. “It’s a black and white photograph but because you captured so many different shades, there’s something ‘colourful’ about it.” After reading Keir MacDonald’s explanation of his piece, Jhade Montpetit said that she appreciated it even more, and that it had stood out from the beginning for its originality and colour.

The first prize winner will have the chance to visit behind the scenes at the NGC and meet some of the professionals who work there. Xiangshen Jason Guo will also be entitled to expert advice on his portfolio and will receive a $500 online gift certificate for art supplies. As he’s an Ottawa resident, he’ll also receive a $1,000 online gift certificate for art supplies instead of the travel portion of the prize. The winner of the second prize, Nicolas Callies, will receive a $1000 online gift certificate and Keir MacDonald, who was awarded the third prize, will receive a $500 gift certificate, for art supplies.

Sage announced today that its Sage Simply Accounting business, in cooperation with LinkedIn, Staples and leading Canadian entrepreneurship advisor Evan Carmichael, has awarded more than $10,000 worth of products and services to Toronto small business Giftcards for Causes as part of its ‘Make Your Case for $10K‘ contest.

Selected from an array of entries via the contest site on LinkedIn, the cause gift card company, along with co-finalists James Kennedy Film Company, Inc., and Fabudeal, was invited to pitch its business plan to a panel of judges on May 11, 2011, at the Sheraton Centre in Toronto. That panel included entrepreneurship advisor Evan Carmichael, along with judges from Sage Simply Accounting, LinkedIn, and Staples.

Giftcards for Causes aims to be a leading provider of gift card based fundraising and incentive solutions to non-profit and charitable organizations. In Canada, billions of dollars’ worth of gift cards are purchased or go unredeemed every year. Through Giftcards for Causes’ unique solutions, non-profit and charitable groups are able to leverage this exploding market to drive new sources of fundraising revenue.

“This win was unexpected because my co-finalists had strong business plans,” said Sean Snyder, president of Giftcards for Causes. “We all worked very hard to get our businesses to where they are today and it’s an honour to be the winner of the contest. These renowned products and services will provide the tools we need to take Giftcards for Causes to the next level and continue helping Canadian non-profit and charitable organizations raise maximum funds, while providing innovative ways for consumers to easily support their favourite causes through gift cards.”

Giftcards for Causes will receive more than $10,000 worth of products and services, including:

• Sage Simply Accounting Premium 2011 plus Business Care Gold
• Sage Simply Accounting HR Manager¹
• Access to Sage Simply Accounting Essentials online training²
• Services of a Certified Consultant from the Sage Accountants Network
• Business gift card from Staples®
• Technology consulting and advisory services from Staples® easytech 4business — Technology Solutions
• One-year Premium Subscription to LinkedIn to enhance their business network
• Business consulting services from renowned entrepreneur Evan Carmichael

Toronto-based James Kennedy Film Company Inc. and Fabudeal were also finalists of the contest and presented their business plans in front of the judges.

“I found this contest to be an excellent catalyst to not only evaluate my business but to actually think about what I have and what I can offer to a wider market,” said James Kennedy, president of James Kennedy Film Company Inc. “That’s why regardless of the outcome I’m happy to have been a part of it.”

The contest presentations were followed by a thought leadership panel for Toronto small businesses presented by Sage Simply Accounting. Panellists revealed their insider success secrets and discussed other topical issues, industry trends and best practices for small business growth.

“Attending the panel was extremely insightful,” said Jerry Rotondaro, Co-founder and Chief Deal Maker of Fabudeal and finalist of the Make Your Case for $10K contest. “The panellists were highly knowledgeable and gave us valuable advice to grow our small business. Both the contest and panel were a great networking and learning opportunity.”

“Sage has a long history of helping small to midsized businesses in Canada reach their maximum potential — whether it is through initiatives such as the ‘Make Your Case for $10K Contest’ or by providing world-class products and services to its customers,” said Connie Certusi, senior vice president and general manager of Sage Simply Accounting. “Choosing the finalists, let alone a winner, was a difficult task because of the exceptional quality of the business plans that entered the contest. We hope that this boost will be a catalyst to increased success for Giftcards for Causes.”

Florida company tXtBlocker announced today the launch of its distracted driving solution in Ontario and all of Canada’s provinces. The launch coincides with tXtBlocker’s sponsorship of the Ontario Association of Chiefs of Police (OACP) annual R.I.D.E. Drive Safe! Campaign. The initiative was launched during Police Week and supports efforts throughout the upcoming year by the Ontario Provincial Police and municipal police services across Ontario to eliminate texting, calling, and other forms of distracted driving on their roadways.

tXtBlocker is the leading technology platform in preventing distracted driving incidents in the United States. The service, which costs as little as $6.99 (Canadian) a month, allows owners to control when, where and how their phones are used. With a simple download, parents, employers and organizations can keep their loved ones and others safe on the road, while limiting distractions at school or the worksite. tXtBlocker was featured in the April 2011 edition of Consumer Reports, which described the technology as the best product available for preventing distracted driving. The service enjoys high customer satisfaction and is currently available through AT&T’s mobile app website and Best Buy stores.

“I’m very encouraged that the Ontario Association of Chiefs of Police has taken a leading role in both educating the public and enforcing distracted driving laws. They intend to stop the growing epidemic of motorists using their mobile phone,” said Stan Van Meter, CEO of tXtBlocker. “We are pleased to announce the launch of tXtBlocker in Ontario and the rest of Canada. tXtBlocker is the leading technology solution to distracted driving incidents in the United States and is proud to have been selected as a partner in OACP’s unique outreach campaign in Canada.” Read the rest of this entry »

Cineplex Entertainment has announced it will host a special Community Day in Edmonton at Cineplex Odeon North Edmonton Cinemas and in Grande Prairie at Cineplex Odeon Grande Prairie Cinemas on Saturday, June 11, 2011 beginning at 8:30 a.m. The morning event will feature free movies and discounted popcorn and soft drinks with proceeds of these concession items donated to the Canadian Red Cross in support of the residents of Slave Lake, AB.

“At Cineplex, we are extremely proud of the relationships we have within the communities we operate and we wanted to show the residents of Slave Lake we care and want to help,” said Pat Marshall, Vice President Communications and Investor Relations, Cineplex Entertainment. “Community Day is a fun outing that supports a very worthwhile cause.”

On the morning of Saturday, June 11^th, Cineplex invites Edmonton residents to enjoy a selection of FREE movies and specially discounted items at the concession stand. Regular-sized popcorn and regular-sized fountain drinks will be available at a reduced price of $2 each with 100% of the proceeds of these concession items donated to the Canadian Red Cross Alberta Fire Response efforts.

“The Canadian Red Cross is very grateful to Cineplex Entertainment for this support,” says Steve Armstrong, Director of the Canadian Red Cross in Alberta. “Many families were impacted by the fires in Slave Lake and Red Cross is committed to assisting with their recovery. Donations from events like this enable us to help people rebuild their lives.”

The FREE movie schedule for Community Day on Saturday, June 11, 2011 at Cineplex Odeon North Edmonton and Cineplex Odeon Grande Prairie Cinemas includes:

9:00 a.m. – Chronicles of Narnia: The Voyage of the Dawn Treader
9:10 a.m. – Yogi Bear
9:20 a.m. – Gnomeo and Juliet (3D)
9:30 a.m. – Hop
9:40 a.m. – Megamind

All movies are free of charge to guests and are based on seat availability on a first- come first- serve basis. Cineplex Odeon North Edmonton Cinemas is located at 14231 137th Avenue NW in Edmonton and Cineplex Odeon Grande Prairie Cinemas is located at 10330-109th St. in Grande Prairie.

In other cinema-related news, D-BOX Technologies Inc. has signed its second agreement with CineLux Theatres to equip its Scotts Valley, California theatre with 28 D-BOX MFX Seats.

“Given our motion technology’s successful performance and increasing popularity among moviegoers, commitments from existing theatre partners like CineLux continue steadily,” said President and CEO of D-BOX Technologies, Claude Mc Master.

“CineLux is delighted to continue its relationship with D-BOX and announce a second location,” said President of CineLux Theatres, Paul Gunsky. “We’ve experienced great success at our Morgan Hill location and expect similar results at our CineLux Scotts Valley Stadium 10, which has been expanded and now features every modern amenity, including D-BOX technology.”

In response to growing customer demand and rapid organizational expansion, FINCAD is pleased to announce the construction of a new state-of-the-art Data Centre to be housed in the company’s Surrey headquarters. The world-class facility brings to 5 the total number of Centers the firm operates globally.

Intelliware Development Inc. is pleased to announce its participation in the initial funding of start-up Vouchfor!™, a social referral marketing platform. Intelliware, along with GC Global Capital Corp and founder John Stewart, are co-investors.

Vouchfor! leverages the power of word-of-mouth referrals to drive more business to companies by rewarding both current and new customers. Vouchfor! allows a Merchant to create and execute local referral reward campaigns turning happy, loyal customers into an extended sales force.

The service is easy to use and takes advantage of the most popular social networks such as Facebook® and Twitter® to refer friends to Merchants they like, and be rewarded for that referral.

“Vouchfor! is the next evolution of monetizing social commerce,” states Glen Johnson, SVP Product Ventures at Intelliware. “This early stage business fits our investment criteria and expertise very well. Vouchfor! has huge potential because it uniquely combines the power of social media to drive revenue for a wide range of businesses.”

Intelliware is providing business strategy and incubation services, in addition to leading all aspects of product design and development.

“We are thrilled to have Intelliware as an invested partner in Vouchfor!,” says John Stewart, Founder and CEO of Vouchfor!. “The team brings a unique mix of entrepreneurial skill, capital and practical experience in building products – a combination that is exceptionally hard to find.”

I’m passing along this information from the Trade Commissioner’s office for those Canadian companies who will be attending E3. If you are interested in either of these breakfast sessions, please register online or contact your local Trade Commissioner for more information.

The Canadian Consulate in Los Angeles is organizing these two activities that you may wish to take part in:

Los Angeles Pipeline Program – Monday, June 6, 2011

Ken Rutkowski will lead 10-20 ICT companies through a rigorous one-day program involving:

(1) Face-to-face dialogue with other successful entrepreneurs
(2) Direct feedback on business strategy
(3) Coaching (prior to arrival and during event)
(4) Pitch opportunity to Finance professionals and potential partners

Each company will receive specialized attention for his/her company that are inline with their market objectives.

Los Angeles E3 Networking Breakfast – Tuesday, June 7, 2011

Ken Rutkowski will lead two panel discussions on entrepreneurship and financing:

(1) Cross-fertilization to meet other Canadians and key business drivers in entertainment
(2) Access to Los Angeles decision makers in the high-tech community
(3) Relaxed and dynamic environment for professional networking.
(4) Expecting 175 – 200 professional attendees.

AceTech Ontario has started a new Roundtable Group in Ottawa, expanding its mandate to help Technology CEOs in Ontario become better at their jobs through professional development and peer mentoring.

The Ottawa group will be led by Don Chapman, Corporate Director and AceTech Ontario Board Member and will be supported by AceTech Ontario sponsors in the Ottawa area, including Gowlings.  Says David Pamenter, Partner at Gowlings and Leader of the Technology Industry Group “We already have a strong group of experienced and enthusiastic CEOs signed on, eager to begin experiencing the value of AceTech Ontario.”

Programming for the Ottawa group will include the Annual Retreat (this year in Blue Mountain Village from May 31st to June 2nd), and all the Quarterly Dinners and Power Sessions in Toronto, together with the members located in the GTA.  The backbone of the programming will be the Roundtable Sessions held monthly in Ottawa.

Roundtables are discussion groups formed by CEO peers committed to helping diagnose and resolve real-life questions, problems or issues, without any fear of being judged. Roundtables offer an ideal environment for CEOs to really understand what the “best” looks like and work with a trusted group of peers to identify how to get there.  CEOs who commit to the Roundtables form a trusted environment that is supportive, yet challenging, without being confrontational. The result is real-world solutions to today’s problems and tomorrow’s opportunities.  The results are remarkable! Roundtables are the most valued benefit of AceTech Ontario membership.

“AceTech Ontario is growing rapidly due to the real need for Technology CEOs to have a trusted network of experienced and supportive peers to bounce ideas off of and to learn from” says David Nyland, CEO of Blueprint and Chairman of AceTech Ontario.  “We are proud to be expanding into the vibrant Ottawa Technology Community and we are looking forward to having these CEOs join us for our events and become valued contributors to our network”

Intertainment Media Inc. has announced that its desktop app KNCTR®, a key program of Intertainment’s wholly owned division itiBiti Systems Inc. is now counting over 664,000 unique installations in the North American market.

KNCTR® saw 79,622 unique installations throughout North America over the previous week period and the program increasingly continues to be part of consumer’s daily digital consumption pattern with an average of over 13.3 minutes of daily active user engagement. The active user engagement continues to make the premium advertising supported KNCTR® model a key tool that features video content, integration of social media and the ability to make free long distance phone calls to cell phones and land lines to anywhere in North America.

KNCTR® is the next generation of social communication and entertainment applications that allows users to aggregate their social media(s) and voice services into one location on their desktop. Unlike Skype, the telephone feature on KNCTR® is completely free to the consumer allowing free local and long distance calls to mobile phones and land lines. KNCTR® is a premium advertising model that allows for branded sponsorship, pre-roll and display advertising opportunities for brands and service providers alike.

With the projected impact that tablets will have on the personal computing space, with over 50 million units to be sold within the next two years in North America alone, KNCTR® is positioned to enhance the functionality and usability of these devices by allowing them to become a fully functioning phone unit.

“Week over week we are continuing to see significant growth in our new installation base for KNCTR®,” said Brad Parry, CMO Intertainment Media Inc., “The level of engagement and sharing is notable as we continue to see KNCTR® becoming a core element in the consumer’s daily digital habit.”

Notably, the itiBiti desktop app has been hailed by Microsoft Corp. as “the next generation of integrated social media applications – easy, scalable and fun.”