Loving Canada Today: N.B. Business Leaders Enjoy our Natural Landscapes
We do a regular feature called Loving Today, where we ask New Brunswick entrepreneurs and business leaders about the things that make them happy, whether it’s an app, TV show or cool gadgets. For Canada Day, we asked them for reflections on “Loving Canada Today” – the things they love about our country as it celebrates its 150th birthday.
David Alston, Chief Entrepreneur in Residence (CIR) for the Government of New Brunswick, advisor to startups & co-chair of LivingSJ
Growing up I spent much of my childhood outside and in the woods. Yes, I was part of the generation where parents encouraged you to get out of the house first thing in the morning and to be back in the house only when called in for supper. This spring and summer, I have been reminded about how amazing it is to get back into nature.
We are so blessed in Canada to have an abundance of nature to reconnect with. From a hike in the Canadian Rockies to meandering through an old growth forest in New Brunswick, we have it all. I tend, like many, to live my life at a fast pace and there is nothing like spending time in the woods to reset your clock, gear down, and be in the moment. Emerging from nature hours later I have even found the cars zooming past me a bit jolting only to discover myself driving quite a bit under the speed limit without even realizing it. This summer, think about all the spots you used to enjoy going to as a kid and make plans to visit them again.
Joanna Nickerson, Social Innovation Manager, Pond-Deshpande Centre
I can’t help but continually fall in love with the wilderness in New Brunswick. The more opportunities I have to travel, the deeper my appreciation is for our lovely province. There are so many places to explore, whether it’s along the coast in Fundy or up in the Appalachian forest in Northern New Brunswick. I think oftentimes we forget to explore our own backyard and have this idea that we have to travel out-of-province to see beautiful places.
Whether it’s an afternoon hike with friends, or a multi-day backpacking excursion – New Brunswick has a little something for everyone. One of my passions is to help build confidence and community among adventurous women in our province with the hope that even more people can get outside enjoying these beautiful spaces.
Marc Gauvin, Founder & Principal at Momentum Consults; Co-founder of Tudo
An adventure is only a few minutes away. Some people have to get on planes to find the great outdoors but in New Brunswick, you can swim at a waterfall, hike a trail and zipline through the trees, all before supper. I recently returned from the G20 Young Entrepreneurs Alliance in Berlin, where I travelled with my fellow Canadian delegates. That also taught me about my love of our country. Our Canadian delegation showed the world why Canada is the best place for young entrepreneurs to thrive!
Symone Jennings, Student Ambassador Program, Coordinator, Pond Deshpande Centre
Today I’m loving the strong sense of community that exists within New Brunswick and the opportunity to immerse myself into the East Coast culture. Moving to Canada – a country I’d never stepped foot in before – from Trinidad was a huge adventure for me. It really wasn’t easy to leave everything I’ve known my whole life, but I love experiencing new places and I was committed to ensuring that my immersion into this country was not a superficial one.
Having that mindset paid off immensely and whether it’s the entrepreneurship community, the knitting community, or just running on the trails, I’ve been met with friendly smiles, great conversations and the opportunity to learn more about the Canadian culture while sharing my own. Canada is now my home away from home and I am proud to call myself an honourary New Brunswicker. I honestly wouldn’t be able to say those words if it wasn’t for the amazing individuals in this province who rolled out the welcome mat to me without hesitation.
Tracy and Rory Bell, Millennia TEA
What we’re loving about Canada right now – and this part of the country in particular – is the water. When you’ve had an especially demanding day (or past few weeks), getting out of the city and onto the water provides the kind of renewal you can only find in nature. Access to amazing clean water is never too far in New Brunswick (Grand Lake tops our list), and we’re loving diving into summer in this way. Getting your feet wet is a great way to recharge. Hope folks are able to get out there and make a splash for Canada 150.
Crystal Richard, president of the public relations company Crystal Richard & Co, and founder of East Coast Mermaid
Right now I’m loving my Canada 150 parks pass. We have so many beautiful and unique national parks here on the East Coast and when life gets busy (when is it not busy, let’s be honest) we often forget many of these amazing parks that can be found right in our backyard. Entrepreneurship can be tough, but when I know I can look forward to an adventure in one of our national parks on the weekend? Or hey, maybe even on a Friday afternoon, I get calm just thinking about it! Get out there and enjoy our free parks this summer!
Jessica Wall, Executive Director, Farmers’ Truck
I am a proud born and raised New Brunswicker who like many people, left and returned. They say there is no place like home and I could not agree more. The one thing that I love most about the province and the thing that continues to draw me here is the community. To me, community is a place where food is grown, shared, and celebrated. In New Brunswick, we grow some of the best strawberries, sapphire greens, and tomatoes (yes, that’s right…tomatoes)! There is always something to be celebrated and shared with others. I hope that strangers, friends, and family can gather around some delicious local food this weekend. Local really does taste better and living in New Brunswick constantly nourishes me!