Susan Emo in Kingston/Brockville/Gananoque

JULY 1st - CANADA DAY!

1. Canada became a country on July 1, 1867
2. Toronto in the largest city in Canada. It is home to more than 4 million people and its dwellers are known to hold more university educations than any country in the world.
3. Ottawa is our capital city to the surprise of many.
4. The border between Canada and the US is officially known as the International Boundary, at 8,892 km, it is the world's longest border between 2 nations.
5. At 9,984,670 square kilometres, Canada is the second largest country in the world behind Russia at 17,075,000 sq km.
6. Canada has the longest coastline of any contry in the world at 243,042 km.
7. North America's lowest recorded temperatue was -81.4 degrees Fahreheit on Feb 3rd, 1947. It was recorded at Snag, Yukon Territory.
8. Canada contains 25% of the world's wetlands
9. Manitou Lake on Manitoulin Island in Lake Huron is the world's largest lake WITHIN a lake.
10. Population of Canada as at July 2009 will be 33,592,686
11. The longest river in Canada is the Mackenzie River: 4241 km long.
12. Canada's largest, and one of the worlds'greatest, earthquakes happened on August 22, 1949, off the Queen Charlotte Islands
13. Wood Buffalo National Park located in northwestern Alberta is Canada's largest park at 44,808 sq km. It was established in 1922 to protect the last remaining herds of bison . It is one of the largest in the world.
14. Alert, in Nanuavut Territory is the northernmost permanent settlement in the world.
15. Great Slave Lake in the Northwest Territories is the deepest lake in Canada and the 10th largest in the world.
16. The sun shines almost non-stop for 3 months during the summer in part of the Yukon and Nunavut Territories
17. The island of Newfoundland has no snakes, skunks or poison ivy.
18. CANADIANS INVENTED: the caulking gun as well as tracer bullets
19. DR. Frederick Banting - discovered insulin in 1923
20. Alexander Graham Bell - created the telephone on March 10 1876
21. in 1889 he invented the phonograph/gramaphone
22. Barbara Bain - discovered the Bone Marrow Compatibility Test in 1960
23. Washing Machine was invented by Canadian James Brown in 1835
24. Heart Pace Maker in 1950 by John A Hopps
25. Plexiglass in 1931
26. Television in 1927
27. Green Ink for bank notes in 1862
28. The Blackberry in 1999
29. The electric lightbulb in 1874
30. The Chocolate Bar in 1910
31. Frozen Food in 1929
32. Electric Range
33. Trvial Pursuit Game in 1980
34. Lawn Sprinkler in 1870's
35. Standard Time in 1878 by Sir Sanford Fleming
36. Paint Roller
37. Green Garbage Bag in 1960
38. Zipper in 1913
39. Wonder Bra in 1964
40. Apple Pie ** see comments #10 and #11
41. Alkaline Battery in 1959
42. Instant Mashed Potatoes in 1966
43. Velcro
44. Short Wave Radios
45. The Ski-Doo (was supposed to be Ski-Dog [to replace dog sled] but a typo resulted in the name)
46. Bloody Caesars in 1961 - YUMM - Thank you Walter Chell !!!
47. Botox
48. the Jolly Jumper
49. Vachon cakes
50. Prince Edward Island accounts for 0.1% of Canada's total surface area
51. In 1967, Sir John A Macdonald became the first Prime Minister of Canada. He was from Kingston - my home town which was the first capital of Upper Canada.
52. Canada has the largest French population that never surrendered to Germany
53. We have the largest English population that never, ever surrendered or withdrew during any war to anyone, anywhere!
54. The Regina Tornado of June 30th 1912 rated at F4 was the most severe tornado known in Canada.
55. The most severe flood in Canadian history occurred on Oct 14, 1954 when Hurricane Hazel dumped 214 mm of rain in 72 hours.
56. The average dog sled team can kill and devour a full grown human in under 3 minutes
57. Joe Shuster, co-creater of SUPERMAN was born in Toronto
58. The tuck-away handles on our sacret two-four beer cases was the brainstorm of Canadian Steve Pasjack in 1957
59. The highest mountain in Canada is Mount Logan, Yukon Territory at 5959 metres.
60. Canadian Music to our Ears: Bryan Adams
61. Will.i.am.
62. Paul Anka
63. Anne Murray
64. Rush
65. The Guess Who
66. Bachman Turner Overdrive
67. Joni Mitchell
68. Leonard Cohen
69. Diana Krall
70. Neil Young
71. Gordon Lightfoot
72. Shania Twain
73. Alanis Morrissette
74. The Tragically Hip (also from Kingston)
75. k. d. Lang
76. Celine Dion
77. Sarah McLachlan
78. Michael Buble
79. Ice Hockey, lacrosse, baseball are all Canadian games
80. The Baseball glove was invented in Canada in 1883
81. The goalie mask was invented in Canada
82. The size of our football fields and one less down, make then Canadian
83. Basketball was invented by a Canadian, James Naismith in 1892
84. 5 pin bowling was invented in Torontoin 1909
85. Wayne Gretsky, The Great One, was created in Canada
86. Other celebrities: Jim Carrey
87. Dan Ackroyd (also from Kingston)
88. Mary Pickford of the silent screen
89. Mack Sennett
90. Keanu Reeves
91. Howie Mandel
92. Martin Short
93. Michael J Fox
94. Rick Moranis
95. Kim Cattrall
96. Kiefer Sutherland and his Father
97. Donald Sutherland
98. Pamela Sue Anderson
99. Bobby Orr
100. Mike Myers
101. Avril Lavigne (from just outside Kingston)
102. William Shatner
103. Terry Fox
104. What we are proudest of is our Freedom!

Gananoque, Ontario - June 22, 2009

Our local M & M Meats Store has excited new owners today. . . Mike and Carrie, a popular Gananoque couple, have proudly taken possession today of their new project located at: 495 King Street East
Gananoque, ON K7G 1G9 (613) 382-1830‎

M&M Meat Shops is proud to be Canada's largest retail chain of specialty frozen foods with locations coast to coast. They offer a delectable selection of more than 375 mouth-watering products.

M&M founder Mac Voisin had the foresight to realize, in the early 80's, that our lifestyle was going through a significant change. Collectively our lives were getting fuller and fuller. Many families have both parents working. Finding the time to prepare a meal from scratch was getting more and more difficult, yet we don't want to lose that family mealtime tradition.

"At the end of the day we're all looking for a good, wholesome meal that's fast and easy to prepare without costing an arm and a leg," explains Founder and Chairman Mac Voisin.

M&M Meat Shops answers the call with their extensive line of products, which range from a wide assortment of frozen hors d'oeuvres, to desserts, to gourmet meals, to family favourites. To browse through their product selection, click here.

With Mike and Carrie's winning personalities, enthusiasm and knowledge, they will surely be another Gananoque success story. Congratulations to you both!

Gananoque entrepreneurs are confidently moving forward and saying "what recession?" Following the grand opening of our new Home Hardware and the Olde English Pub, Carrie and Mike are proving that Gananoque is an excellent town to invest in your future. I'm sure you'll join me in congratulating them on what will prove to be a very wise decision.

Life is good in Gananoque - let us look after your future!

Susan Emo,
Sales Representative, REMAX Riverview Realty Ltd - Brokerage
Gananoque, Gateway to the 1000 Islands

Gananoque, Ontario: Gateway to the 1000 Islands

Susan Emo, Director, Communities Alive, is proud to share their Vision of

Vibrant people living in flourishing and sustainable communities.

Communities Alive was established to:

1. Promote sustainability in the Gananoque. Leeds and the 1000 Islands region.

2. Promote, maintain and enhance the physical, mental, social, environmental, economic and cultural well-being of the residents in the region.

3. Develop and deliver events and programs to promote the diverse forms of human, social, cultural and environmental capital available in our region.

4. Partner with regional stakeholders to share and develop new ideas and resources to encourage sustainable community development in the region.

5. Develop and deliver events and programs related to a variety of global issues and to nurture global citizenship in our region.

May 30th 2009 Gananoque, Ontario

I am very pleased to announce the results of our Yard Sale for the Cure held on Sat. May 30th. The generousity of our community of only 5200 people, in very difficult times, was tremendous. In only a few hours, not only did we raise $2,030.00 but we did it all with donated items!!

We beat last year's total, which I can't even say was an actual goal. We just wanted to draw attention to the cause and allow the community to come together for a morning and allow survivors to share their story as well as have a moment for those families who had lost a loved one. I am happy to say we had many more survivors this year come forward and tell us about their experience.

With regard to the economic situation of many people; we were able to provide for free, some items to those with a dire need, especially those with small children. We knew that there would be others with a bit more disposable income that would balance it out.

One funny story came from a visiting couple from North Carolina . . . they were tired from their drive the night before and he had ordered Prime Rib to go, for his supper. (take-out) When he arrived back at his motel room, he discovered the plastic knife wouldn't cut thru his meat (as tender as it was!) He saved it and very happily purchased a single steak knife from our sale and put some folding money in our jar for the cause! Back he went to his motel room and to enjoy his beef for breakfast instead :0)

My thanks to all who contributed and we'll see you next year!

Susan Emo, Sales Representative, RE/MAX Riverview Realty Ltd. Brokerage
Gananoque, Gateway to the 1000 Islands

This is a HUGE week for the Town of Gananoque . . . Thanks to the confidence of a local business couple, the O'Connors, this area, that currently is fighting for economic survival, will be put on the map.

With a grand flourish, the new Home Hardware store opened this week, a bigger, better store, one of the best and biggest in Canada. Along with representing a step forward for Home Hardware, the store represents hope - hope for an economic rebirth, sorely needed in these trying times.

The new Home Hardware store is 84,000 square feet and includes an 11,000 square foot Home Furniture section and 30,000 square feet of warehouse space that allows a drive thru lumber yard and warehouse. Quite a leap from the 8,000 square foot store of old.

Hopefully, the O'Connors will thrive and grow and the new store will give other investors confidence to start something of their own in the local area.

While the Home Hardware opening might be the biggest event to hit Gananoque in a long, long time, one must not forget the progress being made in other areas.

Also opening this week is a new English pub in the downtown core.

The Olde English Pub is located at 124 King Street East, Gananoque and this is a good sign that maybe, just maybe, the downtown core is starting to blossom. A new business is always a good sign and hopefully others will follow suit to fill up the empty storefronts.

The Historic Village is also full to bursting with new businesses right from a pretzel place to an art studio. These new tenants have breathed life into the village and, along with new, attractive rental rates, this area should thrive into the future.

It's not all doom and gloom in Gananoque so now is a good time to start making some noise about the recent successes and, hopefully, this will translate into new businesses and economic growth.

If you haven't visited Gananoque in awhile, come on down! We have so much to share with you.

Susan Emo,

Gananoque, Ontario - The Gateway to the 1000 Islands