Tax breaks help promote physical fitness

Halifax was once famous only for its fishes, odd sense of humor and fiddlers. It was known as provincial and backward with a lackluster image, but the city on the coast is now coding an E-Economy name for itself. Halifax at a 16.2 percent cost advantage relative to the US in software design and at a 15.2 percent advantage for Web and multimedia content development is now the talk of Canada.

Halifax today has an incredible skilled IT workplace. The abundance of highly educated professionals because of an excellent education system could be due to the eight universities in Halifax alone. Then, there are three community-college campuses. And Nova Scotia has three more universities outside of Halifax, and half a dozen more in the rest of Atlantic Canada.

Alberta the debt-free province is again in the news, not because of its beef. Alberta could be the first province in Canada to give tax deductions for gym memberships or recreational activities. Another involves the Conservative government handing out tax credits to individuals who are in good health according to indicators established by doctors. The idea of giving tax breaks to help promote physical fitness has Albertans excited with the concept.

The fitness idea was conceived by Alberta’s new Health Minister. She plans to push her ambitious, revolutionary health and wellness agenda in time for an international health symposium in Alberta this coming May.

On the subject of longevity, Richmond City (British Columbia) residents can expect to live an average of 93.4 years, two years more than the average in Japan which has the number one spot in the World Health Organization’s rankings. On average, Canadians live to 79.5 years (ninth in the world). Demographers attribute the longevity of Richmond’s residents to the city’s relative prosperity, its safe service-sector economy and the conservative lifestyles of residents.

But it is also the city’s large Asian population with over 40 percent of Chinese heritage. The Chinese culture is diet (low in fat and high in fresh vegetables) and controlled drinking habits. Richmond has the lowest smoking and obesity in Canada. While Richmond residents appear to have refined the art of living long lives, there is concern that the offspring of Asian immigrants might adopt less healthy western habits. It is interesting to note that while smoking rates are high in Asian countries, immigrants to Canada tend to drop the habit when they arrive in Maple Leaf country.

Still in British Columbia, Saltspring Island is now a real-estate speculator’s paradise and possible playground for the rich and famous. The island is the largest and most populated of the Gulf Islands. It can be reached from Vancouver in two hours by ferry or 30 minutes by float plane. The island is the popular retreat of artists, hippies and eccentrics. The residents are really worried that the area might lose its eccentricity so they try to negate urban progress.

Making their talents prominent by performing in elegant Filipino functions, weddings, and community events is The Rosario Strings. The talented family trio is composed of father Virgilio (Ver) del Rosario and his sons Kimwell del Rosario (violin) and Manny del Rosario (bass/violin). Ver is a graduate of the University of Sto. Tomas Conservatory while Kimwell is a graduate of the Vancouver Academy of Music. When not performing in Vancouver, the Rosario Strings can be found in first class cruise ships.

A recent survey revealed that more than a third of adult Canadians – and nearly half of those age 18 to 35 – admit to having had a sexually charged "intimate phone conversation" with a close friend or partner. The survey also found that women would like to have an intimate phone conversation with Brad Pitt, Sean Connery and Mike Myers. And the men would like to talk intimately with Angelina Jolie, Jennifer Garner and Beyonce.

The Canadian Heart and Stroke Foundation reported that car-dependent suburbanites are at a higher risk for heart disease than city dwellers. About 60 percent of people living in the suburbs are obese but 50 percent of city dwellers are at their ideal weight. Many Canadians spend an average of two hours a day commuting in their cars. The foundation recommends at least 30 minutes of activity daily and to avoid the garage to garage mentality.