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R2PLive is a real-time global portal of R2P-related scholarly and media articles:

• Real-time: When an article of interest is published, R2PLive will track it and provide a brief synopsis along with a direct link to the article.
• Global: R2PLive collects articles from all parts of the globe.
• Portal: R2PLive categorizes articles by region and by key themes.
• R2P-related: R2PLive collects articles across a broad spectrum of viewpoints.

R2PLive is a Canadian Center for the Responsibility to Protect (CCR2P) initiative in affiliation with the Munk School of Global Affairs at the University of Toronto.

The Importance of Grassroots

At the federal government's announcement via Minister Jason Kenney and Minister Peter Kent on cracking down contraband tobacco issues

I have been conducting local retailer engagements in the ridings of Brant and Brampton-Springdale over the last six weeks. It is an effective method to get a realistic snapshot of small business viability  – and a great opportunity for OCSA and retailers to build meaningful relationships with each other based on a first-hand, grassroots outline of key issues.

Over a hundred retailers were visited and revisited in these two ridings with the subsequent reports of the progress we have been making on various small business issues especially on the topic of contraband tobacco.

Opening the first channel of communications was crucial. The reception and attitude towards OCSA and its representatives was noticeably improved on our revisits.

An indicative example was at an independent ESSO station in Brantford. When I first met the owner of the location, Eddie was somewhat reluctant to engage with me on the study. He was initially disinterested in any media or government meetings we had planned but was appreciative to receive new We Expect ID signage to replace some worn pieces at his location. And after an awkward initial introduction, the ice was broken, Eddie agreed to answer a few questions on the survey and give me a much clearer picture of the main issues he was facing with his business.

Two days later, I revisited the location meeting this time with both Eddie and his father. It was a very friendly reception. I was invited to speak to Eddie’s father about the OCSA and our retailer support system. This resulted in an hour of lively conversation, during which time I learned not just their retail business concerns – but they put a lot in perspective for me noting the challenges they have faced as immigrants and what being a small business owner in Canada means to them.

When the federal candidates’ meeting occurred in Brant; Eddie and his father took four hours out of their day to attend and represented concerned local retailers in the riding. At the end of the meeting, they told me that they would support OCSA and all our planned activities because they now truly believe that the association has the best interest of its members at heart.

My overall experience with the current grassroots project has been excellent although some of the findings were grim. The contraband tobacco plague was everyone’s primary concern and ¾ of the surveyed stores in Brant and ½ in Brampton-Springdale reported deterioration in the revenue compared to the previous years directly because of this!

This important project makes a meaningful difference in all our government and community relation efforts. For the members and the association to see each other at eye-level and to experience a sense of belonging to the community is something that no other high-end consulting or government relations firm can achieve. The success of our mission is seen in the relationships we can build with the real, everyday people whose livelihood depends on the good work we do.

For more information on the Ontario Convenience Stores Association, please visit www.conveniencestores.ca

How to run a successful small business in Canada

To make a living in a new country, it is common for Koreans to open up a small business. These include small scale operations such as convenience stores, dry cleaners, restaurants and travel agencies. Opening a business of your own is not easy. To make it work, what should you know?

No matter what country you live in, running a small business is a demanding task. Most people can’t even image the amount of work and challenge involved in running a small business unless they’ve experienced it themselves. It takes a serious amount of dedication and commitment to open a small business, so what steps should you take to succeed?

There are numerous cases of success, but there are also unfortunately as many cases of failures (if not more) when it comes to running a small businesses in Canada. Most small business owners work hard and are proud of the fact that they control their own business fate, but the downturn of the economy and unfair government policies are taking a toll on the wellbeing of small business. Let’s consider some of the factors that may directly and indirectly influence your small business operations.

Interviewing a C-Store in Whitby, Ontario

 

Who are your customers?

Often, Korean small business owners will include in their initial business plan, ideas that will bring in the local community – execution of these plans, however, is poor. The format and design of the business, ends up showing a business stuck in the middle of being neither characteristically Korean nor Canadian.

You need to clarify and understand your customers in order to succeed. Identifying your target audience will help you plan and execute details, such as customizing the list of products for sale, location of your store, and the training of your staff. For example, if your store caters to English speaking customers but your staffs are not able to speak any English and all the signs around your store are in Korean, it would be safe to say that your business will probably not fare as well.

The shopping patterns and spending habits differ from culture to culture. You must be aware of these subtle differences in order to quickly adjust to a new business environment.

 

Always maintain friendliness and professionalism towards your customers

There have been times, when I’ve refused to return to a Korean store or businesses because of the horrible service or a lack of professionalism I experienced. Trust between the merchant and the customers are also crucial to the success of your business. Once your business integrity comes into question, it will be nearly impossible to mend. Be honest with your customers with pricing and with service.

Sometimes Koreans prefer visiting Korean-owned operations not only because it’s easier to converse, but also because the business cultures and mindset that we are accustomed to from living in Korea is present. However, objectively speaking, there may not be an advantage as a consumer to shop in Korean stores when it comes to product selection or pricing. Therefore, if your store caters to Koreans, it is all the more reason to review the service and product quality of your business so our own Korean customers do not get turned-off by their shopping experience. Even if your store does not cater to Koreans only, the same practice should be applied.

 

Consider Canadian culture

Let’s say you opened up a restaurant in Japan. If you or your staff were over-doting with the customers and continued to try and engage them in conversation, your customers would probably never come back again as they might feel like their personal space has been invaded. However, North American culture the opposite tends to be true. Here in Canada, your customers appreciate recognition when they visit your store. This is one of the most important foundations of running a successful business – by recognizing the local culture and building an appropriate level of personal connections with your customers. This will make them want to return again and again.

It is imperative that you recognize the subtle differences in the business cultures. If you are able to adapt a more diverse approach to business and turn the typical Korean way of thinking into a business advantage, it will surely boost your business’s reputation.

 

Respect the Canadian laws and the local policies

In Canada, the laws and policies related to age-verification, food safety, work place hazards and employee protection are taken very seriously. Also, it is important to be an honest tax-paying citizen especially when so many transactions in small businesses are done with cash. Altering the tax report can cause serious consequences such as a fine, closure and even jail time.

One may think that Canada is less strict on tax audits than in Korea. This may be true but that does not mean that you should take a chance. If you are caught, the consequences of felony are much harsher in Canada than in Korea.

The best way to keep your business successful is to respect Canadian laws and policies.

 

Success takes time

We see a lot of business success stories on TV and in the papers. There are over 10,000 convenience stores across Ontario, and Korean-owned stores occupy more than 30 percent of the pie. Out of these, how many of us are truly successful?

It goes without saying that we all want our businesses to succeed. However, success does not come overnight. It takes countless days of honest work to be successful – the process itself should also be rewarding. Do not overstretch yourself by taking out the kind of loan you cannot afford. It is more important that you have full control over your business and expand slowly. Before you know it, you will feeling the benefits of success, couldn’t have even dreamed about a few years ago.

A famous American educator and writer Amos Bronson Alcott once said, “Success is sweet and sweeter if long delayed and gotten through many struggles and defeats.” In my experience, it is true that slow and steady wins the race. Most businesses that only focus on quick fixes and fast returns do not last as long as the ones that understands the basics to make its foundations strong.

Coffee Party of Canada

A new political movement called Coffee Party of Canada launched today pushing for Canadian governments and big businesses to “operate more honestly, ethically, openly, representatively, efficiently and effectively.”

The Coffee Party says that “if Canadians spent as much time writing politicians about their concerns as they spend lining up to buy coffee, we would have the good, democratic governments and responsible big businesses we want.”

The Coffee Party of Canada is not an equivalent of the republican endorsing Tea Party movement in the States as they will stand up for the ‘good government’. There is also The Coffee Party USA formed in January, 2010; and although today’s issue of Toronto Star mentions that the Coffee Party Canada is not affiliated with the Coffee Party USA, they seem to share the same mission – to encourage all the coffee drinking average Joes to participate in the political process of building the government.

 

Not to mention the similar logo too!

The Coffee Party of Canada asks:

So please gather a few friends together, make or buy some coffee, and no matter what problem concerns you help make Canadian governments and corporations solve your problem by writing letters, printing out the “I’m Voting for Good Government” sticker, donating and telling everyone you know about CoffeeParty.ca.

Like a lot of other noble ideas in the world, it would be great… if people actually cared. I joked to my colleague “maybe they should start printing political headlines into the Tim Horton’s cup, might be more effective…” I remain cynical not because I don’t believe in the cause, but I don’t think great ideas alone are enough to motivate the Canadians to start caring more for the politics. We haven’t been able to get over 70% in the voter turnout since 1992 (Ontario being the one of the lowest), and the trend has been decreasing scoring the all time low of 58.8% voter turnout in the last 2008 election. So will the impacts of the Coffee Party of Canada bring a breath of fresh air to remind people why they should be more involved? I certainly hope so. But I also know it will require much more than just the creation of a new grassroot movement and saying hey we’re different.

I was doing a community outreach for my MPP candidate nominee couple days ago, and nine out of ten gave me an answer “I don’t know much about politics to care”. Politics can be daunting when you first try to get to know it. And I can completely sympathize with the new immigrants who don’t see the need to make that effort. There are always news, newer news and even more news every hour of the clock. How does one keep up?

I’m hoping to see some active changes from the administrative government so that politics should not be something that people should have to make time for. Politics, after all, is a process to make decisions for everyone’s livelihood and it should not be presented as foreign and alien concept to its people. Instead of people coming to politics and trying to learn it, politics need to find a way to be fitted in everyone’s daily lives. Effortless Politics. For example, if the Coffee Party of Canada is advocating for the coffee drinkers to spend time discussing politics instead of/while their coffee breaks, why not make it something a little more fun and engaging? Like partnering up with Tim Horton’s to host free coffee-and-donut meetings to discuss the current politics? Or sending out a political trivia or challenge on Metro and the winners get free coffee vouchers? I for one, would definitely be more interested if free goodies were involved :-)

All being said, I wish the best of luck to the Coffee Party of Canada. I’ve personally subscribed to their news feed to follow their updates and progress. I hope the movements like these will make a difference in upcoming election(s)!

For more information on The Coffee Party of Canada, visit their page at http://www.dwatch.ca/CoffeeParty.html

Hello World!

“You’re lovely, but you’re empty,” he went on. “One couldn’t die for you. Of course an ordinary passerby would think my rose looked just like you. But my rose, all on her own, is more important than you altogether, since she’s the one I’ve watered. Since she’s the one I put under glass. Since she’s the one I sheltered behind a screen. Since she’s the one for whom I killed the caterpillars (except for two or three for butterflies). Since’s she the one I listened to when she complained, or when she boasted, or even sometimes when she said nothing at all. Since she’s my rose.” – Quote from “The Little Prince” by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry

I have been newly introduced to the world of government relations couple years ago and since then, I have been learning a lot and adapting quickly to this fast paced industry. Working in the arena of GR/PA provides me with ample opportunities everyday to meet new people, hear most up-to-date relevant news, be part of new scenes and learn new facts. However, politics is still more of an empty rose to me right now. I feel exposed to it everyday — yet I haven’t really given it much time to think about any particular topics or how they affect me and my community. What good is it if this doesn’t become my rose,  something that means something to me?

Even though I spent almost a decade living in Toronto as a Canadian resident, I find that I still think about, perceive and understand the episodes of my life in not-so-Western ways. There is no denying that my cultural root will always be big a part of me no matter where I am or what I’m doing.

According to the 2006 City of Toronto census, the Toronto Census Metropolitan Area (CMA) has now surpassed Vancouver CMA, with the highest proportion of the visible minority population of any Canadian CMA. With over 2.5 million residents and the seventh most populous municipality in North America, I am so proud of being party of the city that embraces its cultural diversity. However our wonderful diversity does not seem to be fairly reflected in today’s Canadian politics and this concerns me greatly.

That’s why in this blog, I hope to observe the daily happenings of our city through the eyes of a younger generation, as the representative of a female population and speak through the voices of minority communities in Canada. Because I know we live in a country where everyone’s opinion matters — we just have to speak up and share our thoughts with each other.