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Platinum Sponsor:
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FDFA Website – Explore the Members Only Site
 For our FDFA members who have not been on the FDFA website recently, you may find this helpful in your business activities regarding current Canadian duty free information. Go to www.dutyfreecanada.com
How do you log in to the members only site?
First, you will be asked your username: which is your first initial and last name i.e. John Smith would type JSmith.
*NOTE: You need to type the first initial with a capital and the first initial of your last name with a capital.
Password: Type in your store and/or business postal code (in capital letters) – with no space i.e. H9M3S7
Note: The FDFA member’s only site is exclusively available for members of the FDFA. Once you have logged in to the members only site, you can update your profile and change your password to one that you prefer.
Click here to read full story
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FDFA Committee Updates
Government Relations Committee:
 The Government Relations Committee is working on several key duty free issues at this time, which includes WHO Tobacco issue, Bill C-32, Allowances and WHTI.
As per recent communications to our members, the WHO Tobacco meetings that recently took place in Geneva have now concluded. It is our understanding from the Canadian government delegation that Canada has no intention to sign on to the proposed protocol to ban tobacco from duty free stores. However, they do intend to share best practices regarding tobacco control with other countries. The FDFA will continue to monitor these activities.
Click here to read full story
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CBSA Updates - Duty Free Shop Program Office
CBSA Staffing Update:
 As announced by Nick Velluso in mid-June 2009, Johane Patry has joined the Director General’s office as a Program Advisor. The FDFA followed up the CBSA announcement to the Operator members by thanking Johane for her dedication to the industry.
The new replacement for Johane is Neida Santini (pronounced Nay-da), who assumed responsibility for Johane’s files as of June 15th, 2009. No photo of Neida Santini was available.
Below is a list of land border and airport duty free stores which Neida Santini/Stan Mitchell are responsible for.
Land and Airport Store - CBSA Responsibilities
Click here to read full story
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WHTI – How has this U.S. Legislation affected the Canadian Duty Free Industry?
 The FDFA has been monitoring the June 2009 WHTI implementation and any ramifications to our Canadian land border duty free shops that have resulted since the deadline has been enacted. We do know that for the majority of our crossings, U.S. customs has been extremely flexible and understanding to travelers, who do not have the correct identification. From what we understand, the majority of those traveling comprehend the WHTI rules and are complying by bringing WHTI compliant I.D. over the border. For those travelers, who have not brought the correct identification, many US customs officers are simply warning travelers and reminding them of identification requirements, etc. However, this flexibility by U.S. Customs at the majority of our land border crossings may only be a short-term reaction. The FDFA can not predict when U.S. Customs will become more strict with travelers. Therefore, it is important that our stores and the FDFA continue WHTI communications to all duty free customers.
Click here to read full story
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Canadian Land Border Duty Free Store Recent Activities
DFS Ventures Inc. (Emerson Duty Free) – Manitoba – New Online Shopping and Pick-Up Initiative:
 A new and exciting initiative for the Canadian duty free industry has just been implemented and initiated by DFS Ventures (Emerson Duty Free Shop) in Emerson, Manitoba.
What is the new initiative? DFS Ventures has developed a web store and highway delivery system for their customers. This was initially thought of as a way to deal with access problems due to border line-ups, but it is also part of their ongoing experiments to find new and innovative ways to attract the new generation of travellers. The soft launch of the website went live on Thursday, July 30th, with the hard launch expected sometime in the month of August 2009.
Click here to read full story
Blue Water Bridge – “Eye Spy with My Little Eye….”
 For those that are not aware, Sarnia, ON, is being watched quite carefully by their American neighbours – in Port Huron, Michigan, in the form of a massive balloon which is shaped like an airplane wing that carries a $1 million camera that is sensitive enough to read the name of a ship about 14 kilometres away. The Sierra Nevada Corp. is testing it at the St. Clair River boundary and hopes to sell the technology to US Homeland Security.
Click here to read full story
Woodstock Duty Free Shop – Staff Announcement to Supplier and Operator Members:
 On behalf of John Slipp, please be advised that Tabatha Patterson has given her notice and completed her last day at the Atlantic Travel Centre, on Friday, July 31, 2009. Tabatha began her work, over 12 years ago, as a part time sales associate. Tabatha worked hard and earned several promotions including that of the position of store manager two years ago. John notes that they “will miss Tabatha as she has both played an important role in our business development and where she has also been a key member of our duty free family”. Please join Woodstock Duty Free as they extend their best wishes to Tabatha as she looks for new and exciting challenges ahead.
Click here to read full story
Niagara Duty Free Shops Inc. – Paying it Forward…
 This past Spring 2009, Pernod Ricard Americas Travel Retail ran an incentive contest over the course of April 2009 between the Ontario Duty Free locations for the top three stores who had the highest increase in combined bottle sales of specific Pernod Ricard liquor brands. The store prize winners won cash prizes to be used for the staff as per the discretion of the store i.e. prize money could have been used for a staff luncheon, staff barbeque, etc.
Click here to read the full story
Duty Free Golf Classic Updates
Niagara Golf Tournament – August 17th, 2009
 On August 17th, 2009, the Annual Niagara Region Duty Free Golf Classic was held at Bridgewater Country Club in Fort Erie, Ontario. With over 140 golfers at the tournament and 160 attending the dinner following, the event was a resounding success.
Monies raised from the event, were donated to COPE – a local food bank in Fort Erie, ON.
B.C. Golf Tournament – September 2009
 For those FDFA members, who would like to participate in the upcoming B.C. Duty Free Golf Classic at Hazelemere Country Club – the registration deadline is August 28th, 2009. Registration is at 11:30am to 12:30am, with Shot gun start at 1:00pm, with dinner to follow.
Click here for the 2009 West Coast Golf Registration Form
For more information on this event, contact Bev Moody at West Coast Duty Free.
To Members: If you would like to donate a prize for the event, please send to the attention of Bev Moody at West Coast Duty Free – 111 176th St. Surrey B.C. V3S 9S4.
West Coast Duty Free – Guess Who was Married Recently?
 The FDFA is pleased to announce that Gary Holowaychuk married his long-time partner, Megan on July 4th, 2009. The happy couple were married at Peace Arch Park with a reception at Hazelmere Golf and Country Club. Following the wedding, the couple spent a week in the Okanogan Valley, but their formal honeymoon will take place in Europe after they attend the upcoming TFWA show in Cannes, this October 2009. A representative from West Coast Duty Free noted “leave it to Gary to marry on Independence Day”…
On behalf of everyone at the FDFA, “Congratulations Megan and Gary!”.
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New FDFA Members
Summerhill Pyramid Winery
 The FDFA is happy to announce a new supplier member to the association, Summerhill Pyramid Winery.
Summerhill Pyramid Winery is located in Kelowna, B.C. and is one of the most visited wineries in Canada. Summerhill is also Canada’s largest certified organic winery. They produce some of the most exclusive, highest quality Ice wines in Canada, selling for over $500.00 a bottle in China.
Click here to read full story
Afexa Life Sciences Inc.
 The FDFA is happy to announce a new supplier member to the association, Afexa Life Sciences Inc. (formerly CV Technologies) founded in Alberta, Canada in 1992. Afexa Life Sciences strives to transform people’s lives to be healthier and happier by focusing on the prevention and recovery of colds and flu through the use of evidence-based, naturally-derived health products. The Company’s lead product, COLD-FX, strengthens the immune system with a patented Natural formula and is widely used as a leading over the counter remedy for helping to prevent and relieve cold and flu symptoms.
Click here to read full story
Remy Cointreau Travel Retail Americas
 The FDFA is happy to officially announce Remy Cointreau Travel Retail Americas as a supplier member.
Remy Cointreau Travel Retail Americas: is a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Rémy Cointreau Group, owner of leading spirits and wine brands, managing the duty free division for Canada, USA & Latin Americas. Products managed by RCTRA: Remy Martin cognacs (VSOP, XO) Remy Martin Louis Xlll, St Remy brandy Authentic & XO, Metaxa brandy, Cointreau, Mt Gay Rum, Piper & Charles Heidsieck champagnes, Brugal rum, Macallan single malts, Highland park singlre malts, The Famous Grouse scotch. For information on the above products please contact Jacques Odam, Remy Cointreau Travel Retail Americas by email at Jacques.odam@rctra.com or call (cell) 514-918-4721 or (office) 450-716-1104.
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Child Find Canada Coin Boxes and Child Find Posters – Update
 In June 2009, Allison Boucher of the FDFA, sent a request to the duty free stores asking stores if they wanted any new Child Find Posters for their stores. A list of stores requesting new posters was then forwarded to the individual provincial Child Find offices. The duty free stores who received posters are now registered in their respective provinces Child Find data base and will automatically receive updated posters twice a year. If you do not receive new posters in the Fall 2009 and Spring 2010 please contact Allison Boucher at the FDFA Head Office.
If your store requires any new Child Find coin boxes, please contact Allison at aboucher@fdfa.ca, as we now have extra boxes on hand to distribute to the stores.
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Update on FDFA Semi-Annual 2009 – Ottawa
November Semi-Annual – 2009 (Ottawa, ON)
The FDFA owners/operators will be meeting this Fall at the Chateau Laurier Hotel in Ottawa for the upcoming Semi-Annual Meeting.
On Tuesday, November 17th, 2009 the FDFA Board of Directors will be meeting during the day, and on the evening of Tuesday, November 17th, 2009, Pernod Ricard Americas Travel Retail will be hosting an operator/owner dinner in Ottawa. This dinner will be a casual/fun evening and at this time the location and specific evening time has not been confirmed. Information on the semi-annual meeting will be provided to the FDFA Operator members at the end of August 2009 by Allison Boucher.
Click here to read full story
May Semi-Annual – 2010 (Las Vegas, NV)
The FDFA will be holding their next semi-annual meeting in Las Vegas, Nevada on Thursday, May 13th, 2010. At this time, the FDFA Board has not decided if professional development workshops will take place on Friday, May 14th, 2010 in Las Vegas, but will keep our members posted if this is confirmed.
Hotel Location for May 2010 Semi-Annual meeting:
 After a thorough review, the FDFA Board has decided that the meetings will take place at Caesar’s Palace in Las Vegas. The decision was made, based on the FDFA’s ongoing relationship with Hilton Hotels (parent company of Caesar’s Palace).
Hotel accommodation in Las Vegas: The FDFA has a small block of rooms reserved for our operator’s at Caesar’s Palace with a rate of $159.00 (USD). If you would like to reserve a room for this upcoming meeting, please contact Allison Boucher asap (first-come, first-served) at 613-688-9788 or e-mail Allison Boucher directly, who will reserve this for you on your behalf.
Click here to read full story
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Imperial Tobacco Speech – An Inconvenient Truth
 On Monday, June 1st, 2009 in Montreal, Mr. Benjamin Kemball, President/CEO of Imperial Tobacco delivered a powerful speech entitled “An Inconvenient Truth”. Please see a link with the full speech on the subject matter of contraband tobacco and some serious facts that are affecting the tobacco and duty free industry.
Some interesting points within the speech are: 40% of all tobacco purchased in the province of Quebec is illegal tobacco. 50% of all tobacco products purchased in Ontario is illegal. In 2008, 0ur Federal and provincial governments lost 2.4 BILLION in taxes, due to the illegal tobacco market.
The FDFA will continue to work with all of our tobacco supplier members and government officials on the issue of illegal tobacco, which continues to have negative consequences on our business.
“Address by Benjamin Kemball to Standing Committee on Public Safety”
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FDFA Eco-Bag Launch
 Based on previous communications to our membership, we are happy to announce that the eco-bag program has been finalized. The FDFA will be distributing to our operator members eco-friendly canvas-type bags, as an alternative to the plastic bags currently used in the stores. The new eco-bags are a high quality, durable bag that allows our stores to place their store logo on one side of the bag and distribute to their respective customers in a variety of ways i.e. gift with purchase, selling eco-bags individually to customers, or full distribution to each customer, etc.
Click here to read full story
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Tax Free World Association - 25th Anniversary Convention
 The FDFA is very pleased to recognize the upcoming Tax Free World Association World Exhibition Convention taking place this upcoming October 19th to 23rd, 2009, in Cannes, France. This year is extremely special as TFWA will be celebrating its 25th Anniversary. As such, the FDFA will be presenting TFWA with a commemorative gift in recognition of their milestone.
Many of our supplier members inquire to the FDFA as to which operator members will be in attendance at this upcoming event. Those FDFA members attending include the following land border duty free stores: IGL, Peace Arch Duty Free, West Coast Duty Free, Boutique Hors-Taxes de L’Est and Laurie Karson of the FDFA.
Tax Free World Association Web site
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In Memoriam – Paul Pasternak and Frank Cairo
It is with great sadness that the FDFA has had to say goodbye to two of our members, who have recently passed.
 Paul Pasternak of Travel Markets Insider passed away on June 4th, 2009. We wish his wife Lois and their children our deepest condolences during this difficult time.
Frank Cairo of Impressions Canada passed away in April 18th, 2009. We also wish Frank’s wife Dianne and their family our thoughts.
The FDFA Board of Directors has officially sent our condolences to both Paul and Frank’s families. If you require contact information for either family, please contact Allison Boucher at the FDFA. |
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Future FDFA Communiqué Dates
Upcoming FDFA Communique Release dates for 2009 and the beginning of 2010 are:
November 4th, 2009
January 27th, 2010
April 14th, 2010
If you have an idea for an article, or would like to tell us about something of interest to all duty free FDFA members, please contact Laurie Karson at lkarson@fdfa.ca. Your feedback is important.
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Gold Sponsors:
  
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For comments and/or questions contact:
Laurie Karson – Executive Director
lkarson@fdfa.ca
www.dutyfreecanada.com |
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