IN THIS ISSUE: C<liue Pop Agreement .~... -Staff Pull Together to Help. saguenay==, $S-

Transcription

1 IN THIS ISSUE: C<liue Pp Agreement.~... saguenay==, -Staff Pull Tgether t Help $S-

2 OJ D g J {,. SHARING EXPERTISE Hamiltn Branch's Wayne Xue went t China t shw hw CMHC's Mrtgage Insurance wrks. His seminar was s ppular, he had t repeat it a secnd time. emili HAS A BABY SHOWER When emili was launched at Natinal Office in September, staff celebrated with a baby shwer. CAISSE POP AGREEMENT RENEWED Jim Gdin tells us abut the Caisses Ppulaires Desjardins, and hw mrtgage insurance is handled in Quebec. STAff PULL TOGETHER TO HELP SAGUENAY A first-hand lk at the devastatin, and a brief accunt f staff invlvement. TO RUSSIA, WITH HOUSING Bb Stapled n talks abut the pening f the czy "Canada Huse" in Tver, :: Russia, in July. Canada COMMUNITY DAY It's getting bigger and better every year, as thusands attend Cmmunity Day and raise funds fr United Way. DONT GET SCAMMED The perils f free sftware and relcatins. CHAIRMAN'S BASEBALL TOURNAMENT Staff frm Natinal Office, Ontari Regin, and BC & Yukn Regin gt tgether. GEUlER : With the supprting bridge washed away, a railway line at Riviere-a-Mars : sags perilllsly. Canadians have rallied arund the peple f Saguenay in : their time f disaster, and CMHC emplyees are ding their bit t help, as STAff RESPOND TO A ~ well. See article n page 4. CHALLENGE : Natinal Abriginal Day., in June. Perspective is published 8 times a year fr emplyees f Canada Mrtgage and Husing Crpratin. Please address all cntributins, including business activities, recreatin club and scial items, t Perspective, Public Affairs Centre, Natinal Office, 700 Mntreal Rad, Ottawa ON KIA OP7. BRANCH ACTIVITIES : Reprts frm Hamiltn, Lndn and Thunder Bay. STAff RETIREMENTS. Six Thunder Bay emplyees : retired in July. ~ EDITORIAL STAFF AND BOARD J.P. DesRsiers (Marketing and Public Affairs) Als Management Representative n the Editrial Bard Editr-in-Chief Helene Cte-Dupuy Chair, Editrial Bard Valerie Marshall (Marketing and Public Affairs) Managing Editr Rick Green ABC, Staigh & Green Cmmunicatins Inc. Editrial Bard Members: Judy Saunders (Insurance) Danielle Allard (Human Resurces Divisin) Jean Breau (Atlantic Reginal Office) Pamela Duncan (Infrmatin Technlgy Divisin).L- ~

3 HARING by Wayne Xue XPERTISE In May, I was part f a grup f Canadian husing finance specialists wh visited Beijing. My jb was t deliver a seminar abut Canada's husing finance system. Several thers were invlved, including ur Vice-president, Jim Lynch, and representatives frm academia and the husing business cmmunity. Apart frm the seminar, the visit included participatin in the Internatinal Exhibitin f Building Materials, Prducts and Equipment fr Mdern Hmes in Beijing, and meetings with Chinese fficials t discuss Canadian exprt pprtunities. We wanted t establish a basis fr future dialgue n husing issues and financing mechanisms, and t transfer CMHC husing finance expertise. years. The seminar was well received; in fact, it was repeated by request a few days later. In between, I was able t take a few days vacatin-at my wn expense, f curse. CHINA China is just a little smaller than Canada in ttal area, but has a ppulatin f 1.2 billin-40 times Canada's ppulatin. The three largest cities (Shanghai, Beijing and Tianjin) have a cmbined ppulatin f 33 millin, mre than all f Canada. China traverses fur time znes, and is rich in natural resurces. The average incme is abut $250 Canadian a mnth, but this can be misleading as nn-mnetary payments may be made. Fr instance, a directr general in the Cnstructin Ministry may get less cash than a taxi driver, but receive subsidized husing wrth a whle lt mre. In China, real cnsumptin depends n bth incme and rank. In the supercities, csts are high fr freign visitrsmuch higher than fr dmestic residents. Outside these areas, prices are very reasnable. A rm in a luxury Beijing htel may cst US$270, a YMCA-type rm in Chngqing nly $6, with breakfast the equivalent f a quarter! HOUSING The seminar, mstly in Mandarin, was presented t 52 participants frm a vari ety f rganizatins; the venue was the Canadian Embassy in Beijing. We were able t highlight features f ur system which culd be adapted t the Chinese market, and t relate CMHC's experience ver the past 50 We vvere able t highlight features f ur systean vvhich culd be adapted t the Chinese anarket, and t relate CMHC's experi- ence ver the past 50 years. China began t refrm its husing in the 1980s; the aim was cmmercializatin. A mdern husing finance system was needed t replace the lder system, in which the gvernment and state/ cllective enterprises tk care f everything fr urban residents. Singapre's Husing Saving Plan (HS Plan) has been adapted by China. Emplyees have t cntribute five percent f their incme, a sum which is matched by the emplyer. Funds raised are used t build huses which are then sld t lw-incme families. Existing huses are sld t current residents at a subsidized price, far belw market value. They cannt be sld until the wner has lived there fr mre than five years. Hwever, a huge prfit will eventually be made. DEfAULT If a resident cannt make a husing lan payment n time, the emplyer usually takes ver the mnthly payments. The resident then pays rent t the emplyer. The Canadian delegatin checks ut a Chinese building site utside Beijing. N less than 22 majr apartment buildings are rising simultaneusly. OJ D U 1- '---'

4 CONSTRUCTION It is estimated that ne-sixth f all the wrld's building equipment is being used in China at present. But mst hmes are still bught by, r even built by, majr emplyers. Individual hme wnership in Beijing is less than 16 percent; the percentage is higher in cities in suthern China. The Chinese husing finance market is in check. There are ample new hmes being built, but many remain unsld. Abut three-quarters f them are fr lwer-incme peple, the rest luxury residential r cmmercial buildings. The average cnstructin perid frm building permit applicatin t cmpletin is abut fur-andne-half years. One Chinese fficial said the husing finance market is still in its infancy, and has a lng way t g. This is why they want t knw abut the Canadi- Jim Lynch prepares t address a receptin fr trade delegates and Chinese cunterparts at the Canadian Embassy in Beijing. an experience in this area. They wuld like a lng-term relatinship with CMHC, and are lking at areas f cmmn interest: administratin, peratin, and regulatin f Canada's husing lans and finance. Wayne Xue wrks in CMHC's Hamiltn Branch. When this visit was arranged, he was in the Planning and Risk Management Grup at Natinal Office. Wayne's mther-tngue is Mandarin, and he taught university in Tianjin befre cming t Canada. ~..."... ernili HAS A BABY SHOWER n September 9, staff celebrated the birth f emili with a baby-shwer. Staff culd either bring alng clthing r ther items fr a newbrn baby, r make a dnatin. St. Mary's Hme, a centre fr pregnant and parenting yung single wmen and their babies, received the gds and dnatins. Executive Directr Nancy MacNider was n hand t thank staff, and explain a little abut their wrk. All wh dnated participated in a ;32 draw fr sme delightful prizes, and 0' several hundred Natinal Office Q:i ~ emplyees stpped by t help launch emili. ::> Varius celebratins tk place acrss :::::; the cuntry, and staff everywhere received red emili cffee mugs. ~ Sme f the emplyees wh brught emili t life. Vice-President Bill Mulvihill acted as Me, and utlined the early success f emili at the lenders' launch in Trnt the previus week. Many emplyees brught "shwer" gifts fr the emili launch.

5 AISSE OP GREEMENT ENEVVED by Jim Gdin MHC has renewed its agreement with the Cnfederatin des caisses ppulaires et d' ecnmie Desjardins du Quebec, gverning the relatinship with regard t mrtgage lans insured by CMHC. Amng ther things, this agreement enables Desjardins' ten reginal federatins and its prvincial federatin t act as intermediaries n CMHC's behalf. CMHC was represented at the signing by Gilles Girard and Gerard Lafrance frm Natinal Office, and Reginal General Manager Denis St-Onge. The Caisses Desjardins federatin als had three representatives. The purpse f the agreement is t allw the Caisses Desjardins federatins t act as intermediaries fr CMHC. "Previusly," Gilles Girard said, "CMHC had t deal directly with 1,325 Caisses Desjardins thrughut Quebec. Nw, we d business with 11 federatins." Desjardins and CMHC agreed n three main bjectives in renewing this agreement: the interests f the parties are better served in a climate f partnership; there is a sustained imprvement in business cmmunicatins; and bth parties recgnize the imprtance f quality assurance in the pursuit f their respective and cmmn interests, particularly regarding the underwriting and administratin f lans. Denis St-Onge says, "One f the fundamental aspects f CMHC's missin is t find new ways t help Canadians purchase a hme by assisting them with access t mrtgage credit thrugh its lan insurance and mrtgagebacked securities prgrams. The Crpratin seeks t frm partnerships that will facilitate this, and it is in this cntext that the recent agreement was signed. The agreement allws caisses affiliated with the federatins t act as apprved lenders, and the federatins t advise their caisses better n prtfli administratin f insured mrtgage lans. That limits the risk f lsses." The agreement als encurages greater prcessing efficiency and imprves the service ffered by the caisses. Signing the new Desjardins/CMHC agreement in the Muvement Desjardins ffices in Mntreal are Desjardins Vice-president Cnstance Lemieux and CMHC Reginal General Manager Denis St-Onge. Behind them are Yves Bretn, als a Desjardins Vice-president, and Gilles Girard, wh was then Senir Vice-president, Insurance, Land and Asset Administratin. A FRUITFUL PARTNERSHIP "This agreement brings a number f advantages and, in ur eyes, it is an essential partnership. The psitive effects will be felt in several areas-including increased efficiency and reduced perating csts which will prfit cnsumers abve all," said St-Onge, wh is extremely prud f the partnership with Desjardins, which has becme ne f CMHC's main clients in Quebec. He says it is in the nature f CMHC activities t frm partnerships with apprved lenders thrugh this type f agreement. "Our relatins have cnstantly develped and imprved ver the years. This partnership is exemplary, and we will cntinue dwn this rad in the future. We all draw benefits, and we can build n ur accmplishments." Desjardins benefits frm the expertise and the huge infrmatin bank f CMHC, which maintains Quebec ffices in Mntreal, Laval, Quebec City, Hull, Sherbrke and Chicutimi. St-Onge cncluded: "CMHC is celebrating its 50th anniversary this year. Tday, mre than ever, it cntinues t playa majr rle with its partners in the husing sectr 1l 9 in Quebec, as in the rest f the cuntry. An agreement like 0 this demnstrates ur desire t face future challenges by devting resurces that respnd better t the needs f the market and increase the effectiveness f ur missin."

6 By Pierrette Gurde ETH R NAV he Saguenay regin is slwly recvering frm the effects f the terrible flding that devastated a prtin f its territry. It is difficult t imagine the cnsequences f such a destructive frce: bridges, railways, rads, aqueduct, sewer systems, businesses, hmes and cttages, and lands... everything was swept away by the fldwaters, leaving nthing but ruins and deslatin. One hundred and frty tw lw-rental husing units were destryed in Jnquiere. Chicutimi-the Basin Sectr. Several riverbeds were cmpletely diverted and nw flw where neighbrhds r villages nce std. T get a better idea f the scpe f this disaster, cmpare the ttal precipitatin accumulated in 72 hurs t a snwfall f mre than tw metres! The amunt f water that pured Q; D U Hardest Hit Municipalities Destryed Husing Heavily Damaged Husing La Baie thrugh the area crrespnds t the vlume f Lake Erie. This was a disaster that happens nly nce every 10,000 years, and it caused the death f ten peple. The residents f Saguenay, the army and vlunteers had a lt t d after the disaster. First, they had t rescue Husing - Preliminary Assessment f the Damages Jnquiere Chicutimi Laterriere Ferland- Hebertville Anse Bileau St-Jean the victims and restre cmmunicatins. The clsure f businesses and industries frced the layff f thusands f emplyees. Then came the time t inventry the material damages: the figure f $1 billin des nt seem exaggerated. Hundreds f residences were destryed r heavily damaged. Chicutimi Branch staff travelled all ver the territry ffering the services f ur inspectrs and distributing the publicatins "Cleaning Up Yur huse After a Fld" and "Clean-up Prcedures Fr Mld in Huses" t municipalities, cmmunity centres and crisis centres respnsible fr the crd ina-

7 tin f services t the ppulatin. Our emplyees als had t answer many requests frm lenders cncerning CMHC's psitin with respect t ptential claims (in sme cases, the mrtgage n lnger has any legal fundatin since the land n lnger exists). Marcel Bily, Chicutimi Branch Manager, tk part in a special cmmunity televisin infrmatin prgram fr disaster victims. "The message cncerned the precautins that shuld be taken befre returning t a residence that was flded, and hw t prevent the develpment f bacteria with an adequate clean-up," he said. Reginal and natinal slidarity has been remarkable. Dnatins are puring in. The Red Crss has already cllected ver $15 millin, a heartening gift fr thse peple wh lst everything and still live in makeshift camps. CMHC emplyees have been making their wn dnatins. At the time f writing, emplyee dnatins had reached an impressive $10,000. The time has cme t re-build, but fr the residents f the Saguenay, nthing will ever be the same. Pierrette Gurde is Cmmunicatins Officer, Quebec City Branch. ~~ CMHC President Marc Rchn visited Chicutimi Branch t thank emplyees fr their excellent wrk after the di aster. Frm left, Denis St. Onge, General Manager, Quebec Regin, Marcel Bily, Real Brassard, Eric Dallaire, Ginette Lavallee, Marie Savie, Jean-Guy Gdbut, Annie Filin, Marc Rchn, President, Rejean Audet and Denis Perrier, Manager J Quebec City Branch. Sylvie Tremblay and Renee Tremblay were away when the pht was taken. (Phts n these pages by Pierrette Gurde) The scenic area f La Baie was devastated. Rads cllapsed ver a 6 /em stretch at Ferland-Bileau. SINCE PIERRElTE WROTE THIS ARTICLE.. SOME ADDITIONAL INfORMATION HAS COME TO LIGHT: Funds received by the Red Crss nw exceed $25tOOO~. The riginal bjective was t raise $2 millin! Chicutimi Branch is lending an inspectr t tw f the hardest hit municipalities, cntinuing int next year. Marcel Masse was in the area recently, and cmplimented CMHC fr its very quick respnse. G:i.0 9 u I-- '-'

8 CD D 8 u USSIA.. ITH OUSING by Bb Stapledn s the east cast f Canada was beginning its Canada Day celebratins n July 1, CMHC was well int its wn festivities in Tver, Russia. With Efrin Basin, Minister f Cnstructin fr Russia, the Mayr f Tver, a representative frm the Canadian Embassy in Mscw, representatives f bth Russian and Canadian cnstructin cmpanies, and fficials frm the Reginal Municipality f Tver, I participated in the pening ceremnies f an 1100 sq. ft. wd frame "Canada Huse." Russian flk singers and dancers, face painting, ht dgs, ppcrn and ballns all added t the clurful prceedings and, f curse, Canadian flags were present nt nly n the flag ple utside but als laid in the entrance lbby f the Canadian-style hme. Abut 500 peple, mstly Russian fficials and lcal residents, tured the huse ver the tw days during which it was pen t the public. The lcal media began describing it as the "czy" huse and cmments frm the general public included such terms as "it's a dream!" and "lvely." Rbert Stapledn takes a piece f ceremnial bread and salt ffered by the wmen f rver, in traditin ~ al reginal dress. Everyne entering the nezu huse did likezvise. Russian Minister f Cnstructin Efrim Basin cuts a CMHC ribbn t fficially pen the "Canada Huse" in rver. ALL IN ALL, A TREMENDOUS SUCCESS. CTV Natinal News was there, and carried a segment n its 11 'clck news in Canada. A televisin statin in Pembrke interviewed a cuple f the Canadian carpenters befre they went t Russia t pass n Canadian techniques t Russian cnstructin persnnel. Tver televisin als cvered the pening fr its Russian newscasts. This prject began in 1994, when CMHC undertk a $340,000 cntract fr the Wrld Bank t study the feasibility f creating a private-sectr, lightframe cnstructin industry in Russia. The prgram, which included the training f retiring Russian military fficers in western business techniques and Canadian wd-frame cnstructin practices, cncluded with the framing f a huse. CMHC elected t finish the huse t Canadian standards fr the purpse f advancing Canadian exprt interests. In partnership with the Tver Reginal Gvernment, the Crpratin retained Drerup Armstrng Ltd., a huse

9 building firm frm Carp, Ontari, t undertake this wrk in cnjunctin with the Russian cnstructin firms Betiz and Stritel t meet the July 1 pening date. The huse is a tw-strey, single family design utilizing brick n the grund level and stucc n the secnd t reflect lcal architecture. It has a full basement, three bedrms, and ne and a half bathrms. The basement is insulated and can be cnverted t living space in the future. A sealed cmbustin gas furnace, ht water tank, and air t air heat exchanger were installed. All f these were fascinating t Russian fficials, cntractrs and the public, as they had nt been seen befre in this regin, and are nt cmmn in Russia. Mst Russian huses are heated by large district heating systems. Althugh mst f the benefits t Canadian manufacturers, cnstructin cmpanies and cnsultants will ccur ver the lnger term, sme $200,000 f Canadian sawmill equipment has already been purchased by cmpanies in Tver as a result f CMHC's prgram. The huse in Tver, Russia, flies the Canadian flag fr the fficial pening n July 1. The tw-strey wd-frame huse was built with gd ld Canadian knw-hw. Over 500 peple visited the three-bedrm huse, which was dubbed the" czy huse" by the Russian media. Betiz and Stritel, tw f the largest cnstructin cmpanies in the Tver regin, with mre than 800 emplyees each, are in the prcess f cnverting significant prtins f their peratins frm traditinal masnry t wdframe technlgy. These cmpanies have six Canadianstyle huses under cnstructin and predict the sale f 100 units by summer Orders fr Canadian windws, drs and frced air gas fired furnaces are nw being prepared. The City f Tver has a ppulatin f 560,000 peple and lies sme 150 kilmeters nrthwest f Mscw. It has a lng and clurful histry. Built n the banks f the Vlga River, it was the capital f a defiant mini-state that was Mscw's fremst rival in the 14th and 15th centuries. In the ensuing years, it was severely disciplined fr rising against the Mngl Tartars, cnquered by Ivan III, savaged by Ivan the Terrible, seized by the Ples, and cmpletely destryed by fire in It was rebrn in the 18th century after Catherine the Great made it ne f her rest stps between st. Petersburg and Mscw. If all ges well, its future will recrd hw it was invaded by Canadians wh led the cnversin f Mther Russia t the wrship f wd-frame cnstructin in the late 20th century! Bb Stapledn is Prject Manager, Internatinal Prjects, Land Management Divisin at Natinal Office. ~ In a small village abut 100 km nrth f Tver, this elderly Russian wman was phtgraphed carrying a lad f grass size had just cut frm the riverbank sme 30 metres belw the rad.

10 MMU CTA ltv LAR AV UC s I IIIIIIi hen 20,000 peple shwed up fr the Natinal Office "Cmmunity Day" in 1995, rganizers knew they were n t a gd thing. The attendance-and the funds raised fr United Way while intrducing CMHC and its prducts and services t neighburs-has grwn each year, and this year reached an estimated 30,000 r even mre. Fr the first time, the event was handled as a partnership with nearby rganizatins (Mntfrt Hspital and La cite cllegiale). Their representatives were very impressed at the efficiency and enthusiasm f the 282 CMHC vlunteers. An auctineer's eye view f a h1lge crwd bidding all everything frm a baseball cap t Flrida vacatins. Thusands f dllars were raised at this event a/l1e. Lcal mayrs and ther dignitaries helped cut the by-nw- traditinal CMHC birthday cake, made by chefs at Mntfrt Hspital. OJ D U Sme f the 600 rented yard sale tables, which were arranged in three huge areas.

11 Nbdy culd remember s many peple n the CMHC grunds at the same time. Parking lts verflwed-even the baseball diamnd was c-pted int parking space; still vehicles lined up and dwn surrunding streets as plice endeavured t keep ne lane pen in each directin fr thrugh traffic. ON"T ET CANINlED! w new scams have cme t light. We're prviding details in the hpe that CMHC emplyees and alumni dn't get caught. free SOfTWARE It starts with a phne call t yur hme. The caller says yu've been chsen t receive free sftware as part f a cmpany prmtin. All yu have t d is answer a few questins. What kind f cmputer system d yu have (s cmpatible sftware can be delivered)? When are yu at hme (s smene can deliver the prize)? Instead f free sftware, yur hme is brken int. The mral: Never give infrmatin ver the phne t unknwn callers. Vlunteers tk cash, cheques, Visa r Mastercard with a smile. ON THE MOVE The secnd scam is mre difficult t defend against. As mre and mre infrmatin is cmputerized, and crks learn hw t break int crprate databases, we have t be n ur tes t prtect urselves. This warning was circulated ver the Internet. After peple mve t a new lcatin (different city, prvince), crks access data n bank accunts, credit cards, scial insurance number and even date f birth; they re-activate cards that have been clsed ut. They even have smene answer the phne at a given number, claiming t be the persn wh has mved away. Yu may nt be legally liable fr charges made this way-we dn't knw f any curt case anywhere-but it can be a real hassle t straighten ut. Avid prblems by staggering accunt clse ut, s they dn't becme effective all at nce, r wait a few mnths after mving befre clsing accunts. Always be cautius with persnal infrmatin - peple can access mre than yu think. Stay ne step ahead! Q:; D Ottawa radi persnality Cindy Day MCed the event.

12 NV, The Chairman's Sftball Turnament tk place during the summer, and the weather cperated t ensure a great day. Once again, enthusiastic players frm acrss Ontari Regin, as well as BC & Yukn Regin, were able t time a wrk visit n the Friday r Mnday t cincide with the game. Many thers made the trip at their wn expense. Everyne came away a winner, as participants gt the chance t meet new friends and renew ld friendships. Players hpe t see sme representatives frm Quebec, Atlantic, and Prairie and NWT regins next year. ~ The Sudbury team wn the turnament (sme f the players are nw at Natinal Office r Ontari Regin). Frnt, frm left: Karen LeBlanc, Nancy Jacques and Janne Bessette. Back, frm left: Bb and Gaetane Restule, Kevin Eatn, Steve Jacques, Carlyn Paradis, Christine and Rlly Restmile. Missing: Michel Mayer and Mark Lacasse. Chalking up anther victry, the Sudbury Branch team (sme f them expatriates) shake hands with narrwly defeated ppnents.

13 The ht day called fr cld drinks. Relaxing after a strenuus game are representatives f a team made up frm past and present emplyees at Natinal Office, Prince Gerge, Vancuver and Trnt. West cast smiles frm Lretta Malne, nw retired, and Glria Bychek, Vancuver Branch. Lretta suffered an injury just befre the turnament and was unable t play. TO TAFF ESPOND HALLENGE Prgrams Sectr held an Abriginal Trivia Challenge t celebrate Natinal Abriginal Day in June. It was a fun way t challenge staff t learn mre abut the Abriginal cmmunity. The event prvided an pprtunity t share with staff the many Abriginal achievements, bth past and present, and remind everyne that the Abriginal cmmunity has played a large rle in Canadian sciety. Delivery and F IP Relatins Divisin (DFPRD) and Direct Prtfli Operatins Divisin (DPOD) sparred ff in a "Jepardy" style challenge. The DFPRD team (The Free Spirits-David Cluff, Ray Bursey and Nrbert Keck) squared ff against the DPOD team (The Dream Catchers-Berta Zaccardi, Susan Fwler and Gail Dwler), with rusing supprt prvided by Prgrams Sectr staff. Rxanne Harper and Kim Kremzar hsted the affair; they had prepared questins relating t all Abriginal grups under the categries f culture, histry, language and peple. The tw teams were neck-and-neck all the way, and were tied at the end f the regular rund. This led t the final trivia questin, where teams wagered a prtin r all f their pints n the last questin. While neither team was able t crrectly respnd t the final questin, the Dream Catchers' mre cnservative wager wn them the game. Hw wuld YOU have dne with the final trivia questin? "This Cree Indian was the first Abriginal persn appinted as a prvincial Lieutenant Gvernr." (Answer n page 13) PLEASE CLIP OUT AND MAIL t Perspecti've, Public Affairs Cenhe, Natinal Office FAX: (613) Which item(s) in this issue did yu enjy the ECOND EEDB.ACK What type f item(s) wuld yu like t see in the future?_~~~~_~ ~~~~~ Any ther cmntent(s)?~~~~~_~~_~ ~.~~_~ CD D U #31 We appreciate yur input Thanks!

14 I I ndn Branch staff, with spuses and friends, participated in the 11 th Annual Lndn Chamber f Cmmerce Crprate Challenge. This year, mre than $60,000 was raised fr lcal charities and sme 7,200 kilgrams f fd was cllected fr the Lndn and Area Fd Bank. Our team finished a very respectable 20th ut f 196 teams. Participating emplyees included Barb Carbne, Chris Culbert, Deanna Griffis Gerge Huckle, Jelle Jacksn, Brian Lubert, Jeremy Melhuish, Audrey Mritz, Jamie Shipley, Diane Van Alstyne, Judy Walsh and Cnnie Wilsn. Cnnie Wilsn makes a run fr it in ne event, and appears t be getting a saking. Jelle Jacksn, Deanna Griffis, Jamie Shipley and Cnnie Wilsn participate in smething called "Pl Ndle Glf"

15 TRAVVBERRV OCIAL ur Thunder Bay Branch stafft;m were histed nt a platfrm in frnt f a billb~ cellular phnes in hand. They had 15 minutes t raise Unifet! Way pledgei frm clleagues, acquaintances, clients and friends. It was all part f the annual "Billbard Challenge," rganized by United Way in Thunder Bay. The fur intrepid fundraisers brught in a little ver $800 during their stint n the platfrm. Althugh they didn't take the prize fr the highest ttal, they were recgnized as the best-dressed team (in hard-hats, CMHC t-shirts and wrk bts)! Hamiltn Branch Recreatin Club celebrated Canada Day with a "strawberry scial." Fr just $1, anyne with a sweet tth culd indulge in! fresh strawberries, shrtcake, whipped cream ; and/r ice cream. The event was develped as asuccessful fundraiser fr the recreatin club. " The "best-dressed" team all set t g. Frm left, Gayle Drey, Susan Bjrn, Elizabeth Feigehen and Debbie Lamers. Enscnced n their platfrm, Gayle, Elizabeth, Debbie and Susan are busy wrking the phnes... Sme Hamiltn flks abut t ingest sme calries arc, frm left: Wayne Xue, Debbie Willms, Rger Hlder, Luise Richard and Chris Hlmes, all f whm had a hand in rganizing the event. Ralph Steinhauer was the first Abriginal persn appinted as a prvincial Lieutenant Gvernr. He was appinted Lieutenant Gvernr f Alberta in id D B u

16 HAT'S EVV? e usually keep yu psted n new publicatins. This time, read n fr news f a different srt. The Affrdability and Chice Tday (ACT) prgram has been extended fr a further three years. ACT is prving successful in encuraging municipalities and the husing sectr t wrk tgether t develp, demnstrate and prmte innvatins in lcal planning and building regulatins which can lead t imprvements in husing affrdability and husing chices. ACT is a partnership prgram with the Federatin f Canadian Municipalities, with nging supprt frm the Canadian Hme Builders Assciatin and the Canadian Husing and Renewal Assciatin. Nw entering its seventh year f peratin, ACT has prvided $990,000 in federal assistance t 94 prjects acrss Canada. Fr mre infrmatin: Brian Gray CHMOS stands fr Canadian Husing Markets Online Service. It's an acrnym yu'll be hearing a lt. CHMOS is a partnership between CMHC and the Cnference Bard f Canada. It prvides businesses and individuals with timely and easy access t infrmatin like preliminary husing starts, Time Series Data, news releases and reprts (including the Natinal Husing Outlk, Mrtgage Market Trends and Canadian Husing Markets). The Time Series Data is infrmatin categrized and stred n a histrical basis; tpics include urban centre, prvince, year, mnth, quarter, vacancy rates and mrtgage rates, amng thers. The web site is lcated at TAFF ix emplyees frm CMHC Thunder Bay retired in July: Bert Fenln, Marie Asseff, Ed King, Janice Siegfried, Carrl Emerick and Lawrence Drey. ETIREIVIENT At a farewell dinner, Nilla Bewski presented a medley, and a number f "fun" articles were distributed reflecting past events and persnal anecdtes. It was an evening f memries, laughter and sme farewell tears. Frm left, retirees Bert Fellln, Marie Asseff, Carrl Emerick, Janice Siegfried and Ed King. Lawrence Drey culdn't be there. Retiring Manager Bert Fenln hams it up with a fire extinguisher.

17 DANS CE NUMERO Renuveflemem cfuln <tcc:rd imprtant Les empl~s y mettent IOus du leur pur alder Ie Saguen.lY -

18 -D 0' 0' - CIJ.0 9 u 0 ::> f-- <--J LU "'- c= LU SOMMAIRE LA SCHL fait PROflTER DE SES COMPETENCES Wayne Xue, de la succursale de Hamiltn, est aile en Chine afin de mntrer cmment l' assurance-pret hypthecaire de la SCHL fnctinne. Sa presentatin a remprte un tel succes qu'il a da l'ffrir une secnde fis. UNE fete POUR LA NAISSANCE D'emili Quand n a lance emili au Bureau natinal, en septembre, Ie persnnel a celebre au myen d'une «receptincadeau pur bebe». RENOUVELLEMENT D'UN ACCORD IMPORTANT Jim Gdin nus parle des Caisses ppulaires Desjardins et de la fa~n dnt n traite de l' assurance-pret hypthecaire au Quebec. LES EMPLOYES Y METIENT TOUS DU LEUR POUR AIDER LE SAGUENAY Cup d' eil sur la devastatin et bref cmpte rendu de la participatin des emplyes. NOS MAISONS EN RUSSIE Bb Stapled n parle de l'inauguratin de la «maisn duillette» du Canada qui a eu lieu en juillet a Tver, en Russie. Canada LA JOURNEE COMMUNAUTAIRE EIle s' ameli re et prend de l' ampleur a chaque annee, et des milliers de persnnes y viennent pur la levee de fnds pur Centraide. NE VOUS faites PAS AVOIR! Les risques des lgiciels gratuits et des demenagements. LE TOURNOI DE BASEBALL DU PRESIDENT DU CONSEIL Des emplyes du Bureau natinal, de la regin de l'ontari et de la regin de la C.-B. et du Yukn se reunissent. ".. LE PERSONNEL RELEVE UN DEfl Jurnee natinale des Autchtnes, en juin. ACTIVITES DES SUCCURSALES Rapprts de Hamiltn, Lndn et Thunder Bay. DES EMPLOYES PRENNENT LEUR RETRAITE Six emplyes de Thunder Bay (dnt Ie directeur) nt pris leur retraite en juillet. COUVERl1URE : Cette vie ferree a Riviere-a-Mars pend dangereusement, Ie pnt qui la : sutenait ayant de emprte par Ies eaux. Les Canadiens se snt rallies : aux gens du Saguenay qui ant vecu Ie desastre, et Ies emplyes de Ia SCHL ~ fnt aussi ce qu'ils peuvent pur leur venir en aide. Article a la page 4. ', , : : : Jurnal publie huh fis l'an pur les emplyes de la Sciete canadienne d'hyptheques et de lgement. Veuillez adresser vs articles u tutes cmmunicatins et suggestins it Perspective, Centre des relatins publiques, Bureau natinal, 700, ch. Mntreal, Ottawa (On) KIA OP7. PERSONNEL ET COMITE DE REDACTION J.P. DesRsiers (Cmmercialisatin et Affaires publiques) Representant de Ia haute directin au sein du cmite de redactin Redactrice en chef Helene Cte-Dupuy Presidente du cmite de redactin Valerie Marshall (Cmmercialisatin et Affaires publiques) Redacteur Rick Green, ABC, Staigh & Green Cmmunicatins Inc. Membres du cmite de redactin: Judy Saunders (Assurance) Danielle Allard (Divisin des ressurces humaines) Jean Breau (Bureau reginal de l' Atlantique) Pamela Duncan (Divisin des technlgies de l'infrmatin) C5 Q c Q -0 ~ u >- u ~ 0: 0-0 ~ '0: ~ e~

19 LA SCHL FAIT PROFITER DE SES COMPETENCES par Wayne Xue En mai, je suis parti pur Beijing avec un grupe de specialistes canadiens du dmaine de l'habitatin. Ma tache etait de faire une presentatin sur Ie systeme canadien de financement de 1'habitatin. Plusieurs autres persnnes etaient du grupe, ntamment ntre vicepresident, Jim Lynch, et des representants du mnde de l' enseignement et du milieu de l'habitatin. vulins jeter la base d'un dialgue futur sur les questins de lgement et les mecanismes de financement, et faire un transfert des cmpetences de la SCHL en matiere de financement de 1'habitatin. Cinquante-deux representants de divers rganismes snt venus a l' ambassade canadienne a Beijing pur assister a la presentatin, laquelle s' est essentiellement derulee en mandarin. Nus avns suligne les aspects de ntre systeme qui purraient etre adaptes au marche chinis et parle de l' experience acquise par la SCHL aucurs des 50 dernieres annees. Les participants nt fait bn accueil a la presentatin. En fait, parce qu' n nus l' a demande, nus l' avns faite une deuxieme fis, quelques jurs plus tard. Entre les deux presentatins, j' ai pu prfiter de quelques jurs de vacances... ames frais, bien entendu! LA CHINE La superficie de la Chine n' est que legerement inferieure a celie du Canada, mais sa ppulatin, de 1,2 milliard d'habitants, est de quarante fis celie du Canada. Le ttal de la ppulatin des tris plus grandes villes (Shan-Chai, Beijing et T'ien-Tsin) est de 33 millins d'habitants, ce qui est superieur a la ppulatin ttale du Canada. La Chine s' etend sur quatre fuseaux hraires et est riche en ressurces naturelles. Le revenu myen est d' envirn 250 $ canadiens par mis, mais il ne faut pas s'y trmper car des avantages nn mnetaires peuvent etre cnsentis. Par exemple, un directeur general au ministere de la Cnstructin re~it peut-etre mins d' argent qu'un chauffeur de taxi, mais il beneficie d'un lgement subventinne dnt la valeur est nettement plus elevee. En Chine, la cnsmmatin reelle depend du revenu et du rang. " Dans les tres grandes villes, tut est beau cup plus cuteux pur les visiteurs etrangers que pur les residents. A l' exterieur Nus avns suugne les aspects de ntre systenle qui purraiient etre adaptes au nlarche chiniis et parle de.' experience acquise pall" la SCHL au curs des 50 dernieres annees. Outre rna presentatin, nus allins a Beijing pur participer a l' expsitin internatinale sur les materiaux, les pr- duits et l' equipement de cnstructin residentielle md erne, et pur rencntrer des dirigeants chinis et discuter avec eux des debuches pur les exprtatins canadiennes. Nus de ces villes, les prix snt tres raisnnables. Vus paierez peut tre 270 $ americains pur une chambre dans un hotelluxueux de Beijing, mais seulement 6 $ pur une chambre du genre YMCA a Tch'ng-King et 1'equivalent de 0,25 $ pur un petit dejeuner! l'habitation La Chine a entrepris sa refrme de l'habitatin dans les annees 80 avec, cmme bjectif, la cmmercialisatin. II fallait un systeme mderne de financement de 1'habitatin pur remplacer l' ancien systeme seln lequelle guvernement et des entreprises d'etat u cllectives s' ccupaient de tut pur les residents urbains. La Chine a ada pte a ses besins Ie regime d' epargne-igement de Singapur. Les emplyes divent verser une cntributin crrespnd ant a cinq pur cent de leur revenu, et l' emplyeur verse une cntributin equivalente. Les fnds ainsi btenus servent a cnstruire des maisns qui snt ensuite vendues aux familles a faible revenu. Les maisns existantes snt vendues a leurs ccupants a un prix subventinne qui est nettement inferieur a la valeur marchande. Ces maisns ne peuvent etre vendues qu' aux persnnes qui les ccupent depuis au mins cinq ans. Cependant, Ie prfit realise eventuellement sera enrme. les CAS DE DEfAUT Si un ccupant ne peut verser un paiement a temps sur Ie pret a 1'habitatin, l' emplyeur prend nrmalement la releve et assume les mensualites. l' ccupant paie alrs un lyer a sn emplyeur. La delegatin canadienne visite un chan tier de cnstructin chinis dans les envirns de Beijing. Pas mins de 22 immeubles d' appartements majeurs s'elevent simultanement. ill is 8 u

20 LA CONSTRUCTION On estime que la Chine utilise actuellement un sixieme de tut l' equipement de cnstructin du mnde. Cependant, la plupart des habitatins snt tujurs achetees, et meme cnstruites, par les principaux emplyeurs. La prprtin des prprietaires-ccupants a Beijing est de mins de 16 pur cent; Ie purcentage est plus eleve dans les villes du sud de la Chine. Le marche du financement de l'habitatin en Chine est fige. On y cnstruit de nmbreuses maisns, rna is elles res tent invendues. Envirn les tris quarts de ces maisns snt destinees a des persnnes a faible revenu. Les autres snt des residences luxueuses u des immeubles cmmerciaux. II s' ecule en myenne quatre ans et demi entre Ie mment de la presentatin de la demande de permis de cnstructin et la date d' achevement. Un dirigeant chinis a indique que Ie marche du financement de l'habitatin Jim Lynch se prepare a prnncer une allcutin lrs d'une receptin fferte aux delegues de la missin cmmerciale et a leurs hmlgues chinis, a I'ambassade canadienne de Beijing. en est tujurs a ses premiers balbutiements et qu'il a beaucup de chemin a faire. C' est la raisn pur laquelle les Chinis veulent savir quelle est I' experience canadienne dans ce dmaine. lis aimeraient etablir une relatin a lng terme avec la SCHL et explrent les dmaines d'interet cmmun: 1'administratin, Ie fnctinnement et la reglementatin des prets et du financement a l'habitatin au Canada. Wayne Xue travaille it. La succursale de Hamiltn. Quand La visite a ete rganisee, il faisait partie du Grupe de la planificatin et de la gestin des risques au Bureau natinal. La langue maternelle de Wayne est Ie mandarin, et il a enseigne it. L'universite de T'ien-Tsin avant de venir au Canada.... UNE FETE POUR LA NAISSANCE D'elTlili Le 9 septembre dernier,le persnnel sulignait la naissance d' em iii au myen d'une receptin-cadeau pur bebe. Le persnnel puvait chisir d' apprter des vetements u d' autres articles pur petits bebes, u encre faire un dn en argent. On a remis les articles et les dns en argent au St. Mary's Hme, un centre qui vient en aide aux jeunes celibataires enceintes, ainsi qu' aux jeunes meres celibataires et a leurs enfants. La directrice executive, Nancy MacNider, etait presente pur remercier Ie persnnel et a un peu explique Ie travail que fait Ie centre. 0' '" 0' On a fait tirer des prix parmi tutes b les persnnes qui avaient fait des dns, 9 et plusieurs centaines d' emplyes du Bureau natinal se snt arretes pur :: participer au lancement d' emili. '-' Des activites diverses nt ete rganisees "'" partut au Canada et taus les emplyes LU nt re~u une tasse emili ruge. ~ Certains des emplyes qui nt permis a emili de vir Ie jur. Le vice-president Bill Mulvihill, maitre de ceremnie pur l'ccasin, a suligne Ie succes qu'a deja remprte emili au lancement qui a ete rganise a Trnt pur les preteurs, la semaine precedente. Un grand nmbre d' emplyes nt apprte des cadeaux pur bebe a l' ccasin du lancement d'emili.