ILScorp presents SGI Agro Pak courses

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Happy New Year from Steve Hawrishok and Everyone at ILScorp

Every January 1, I make a number of resolutions, many of which never make it past January 2. Nevertheless, I think making New Year's resolutions is a good idea because it demonstrates that we have hope that good things will happen to us and that we can change our lives for the better.

If you have made your own New Year's resolutions, I hope that you will achieve most, if not all, of them. Here's to a great 2008!

Regards,

Steve Hawrishok, ILScorp Founder and President

RRSPs, IPPs – What to do? ILScorp’s IPP course can help

With the March 1 RRSP deadline for the 2007 tax year quickly approaching, the thoughts of many Canadians are focused on retirement savings. Whether you're just starting your career or counting down the days until you can retire, post-employment income always deserves some attention.

"Al and the Individual Pension Plan" is a popular online course developed specifically for ILScorp students by Ian Quigley, MBA, CFP, CIM.

The course is aimed at helping financial planners, Life agents or anyone who wants to know more about Individual Pension Plans get all of the information they need to successfully sell the product.

Come and meet Al. He's like many of us: he's married with kids and has been working hard in his career. He’s nearly debt-free and is enjoying life. He does, however, worry about the tax burdens he has to bear.

In "Al and the Individual Pension Plan", Al meets with a variety of friends and colleagues to discover what the IPP is all about and finds out if it is right for him and his family.

Quigley's innovative and relevant course takes a thorough look at IPPs while using Al's process as a guide. Upon completing the course, students will feel confident in their ability to establish IPPs for their clients.

By successfully completing "Al and the Individual Pension Plan", students will earn 4 CE credits towards their mandatory Life and A&S licensing requirements.

To take this or any of ILScorp's other courses, visit www.ilscorp.com or call 1-800-404-2211 for more details.

IBC releases 2007's top ten stolen vehicle list

For the third year in a row, the 1999 and 2000 Honda Civic SiR 2-door have topped the list of the most frequently stolen vehicles in Canada. Both models are also in the top five list of the highest theft claims cost per vehicle.

The highest theft claims cost vehicle – and also third on the list of the top ten most stolen vehicles – is the 2004 Subaru Impreza WRX/WRX STi 4-door all-wheel-drive.

While many stolen vehicles are later recovered, the trend has been skewing to exportation. Some organized crime rings are exporting luxury vehicles overseas or using them for parts. IBC notes that an increase in later-model 4-wheel drive vehicles may mean that these vehicles are being exported to countries with rough terrain, including parts of the Middle East and Africa.

The top ten stolen vehicles in Canada in 2007 were:

1. 1999 Honda Civic SiR 2-door
2. 2000 Honda Civic SiR 2-door
3. 2004 Subaru Impreza WRX/WRX STi 4-door AWD
4. 1999 Acura Integra 2-door
5. 1994 Dodge/Plymouth Grand Caravan/Voyager
6. 1994 Dodge/Plymouth Grand Caravan/Voyager AWD
7. 1994 Dodge/Plymouth Caravan/Voyager
8. 1998 Acura Integra 2-door
9. 2000 Audi TT Quattro 2-door Coupe
10. 1994 Dodge/Plymouth Shadow/Sundance 2-door Hatchback

None of the top ten vehicles most stolen come equipped with electronic immobilizers.

As of September 1, 2007, a new federal regulation was implemented, requiring that Canadian manufacturers equip all new cars, vans, light trucks and SUVs with electronic immobilizers.

Frozen solid: 10 years since the Ice Storm

For six days in January 1998, much of Ontario, Quebec and Canada’s east coast were on ice.

It's been ten years since The Great Ice Storm ravaged eastern Canada from January 4 to 10, 1998 and became one of the most devastating weather events in this country's history.

As freezing rain, ice pellets and snow fell continuously for days, over four million Canadians were left without power. They had no heat, no electricity, and no running water.

Today, Ice Storm survivors tell their antidotal stories about begging, borrowing or stealing power generators. Others remember how so much ice managed to foster a sense of community. But ten years ago, things were quite different.

During the six days of the Ice Storm, Ottawa and Montreal each received more than 80 hours of precipitation, nearly double the normal annual total. (Normally, each city receives between 45 and 65 hours of precipitation per year.)

The heavy ice collapsed roofs, snapped trees and brought down over 120,000 kilometres of power lines and telephone cables.

"Operation Recuperation" began while the Ice Strom was still in full effect. More than 15,000 military personnel were deployed to the frozen areas, making it the largest deployment of troops to ever serve on Canadian soil in response to a natural disaster and the largest operational deployment of Canadian military personnel since the Korean War.

The Ice Storm had severe effects on some of Canada's industries, as well. Without power, milk processors were at a standstill. About 2.3 million litres of milk were dumped in Ontario and about 3.3 million litres in Quebec, for a loss of over $3 million.

Maple syrup production, a $125-million industry in Quebec and Ontario in 1997, was hit particularly hard. Quebec generally produces about 90% of Canada's maple syrup and 70% of the world's supply, but during the Ice Storm, 30% of the maple taps were hit and 10% of the trees were seriously affected and considered destroyed, resulting in more than $5 million in lost income. Ontario syrup producers believe it could take up to 40 years before production returns to pre-1998 levels.

Insurers were, of course, busy dealing with the more than 535,200 claims the received following the storm. Claims totaled about $790-million in damages to homes, cars and other property. All tallied up, experts believe that the storm caused about $3 billion in damages.

While many changes have been made since then, including updates to hydro and other infrastructures, a storm like the 1998 Ice Storm could happen again. Unpredictable weather is almost as Canadian as hockey and, well, ice.

Upcoming: Live CAIB 2 courses at BCIT – taught by Todd Hochban of West Coast Training

For students who are looking for a live immersion CAIB 2 preparation course, West Coast Training's Todd Hochban will be holding a seminar in Vancouver from February 4 – 8, 2008.

The course is held at BCIT's downtown Vancouver campus.

Students should also be aware that the exam registration deadline date is January 11, 2008.

For more information or to register, visit: http://westcoasttraining.ca/