Third Annual Traditional Canadian Thanksgiving Dinner

With Special Entertainment by Karen Michelle Buck, Soprano accompanied by Matthias Baumhos, Piano

About Canadian Thanksgiving. Canadian Thanksgiving has its origin in the early French and British settlers who brought with them their European practice of offering thanksgiving for peace, security, and good harvests. The earliest known Thanksgiving celebrated in the new world occurred in 1578 in Newfoundland The English navigator Martin Frobisher gave thanks for surviving a perilous journey across the Atlantic from England. Since 1799, the Canadian Parliament declared national days of Thanksgiving to celebrate peace, and/or abundant harvests. Since 1957, Thanksgiving is celebrated in Canada on the second Monday of October, which this year falls on the 8^th of the month.

Menu and Evening Entertainment. For the past three years we have worked with the excellent chefs of the Berlin Marriott Hotel to inform them of the traditional Canadian dishes for Thanksgiving. With their expertise and our instructions, we have prepared a mouth-watering menu for a traditional Canadian Thanksgiving Dinner: Appetizers include Smoked Salmon with Mustard-Dill Sauce, Tossed Salad and Thousand Island Dressing as well as assorted Italian Antipasti, as befits a multi-cultural Canada. Main dishes  nclude, of course, the traditional Thanksgiving Turkey with Cranberry Sauce, and as an alternative Medallions of Beef with Black Pepper-Bacon Sauce, or Vegetable Lasagne with Ricotta for vegetarians. Hearty Thanksgiving Dinners are not complete without Corn on the Cob, Sweet Potatoes, Mashed Potatoes, and Green and Yellow Beans. To round out the meal, the sweet table includes Apple Pie à la mode, Vanilla and/or Chocolate Ice Cream, Blueberry Pie, and of course, Pumpkin Pie. Fresh Fruit Salad will also be available.

Canadian Soprano Karen Michelle Buck accompanied by Matthias Baumhos on the piano will add an elegant touch to the evening with selections from light operas and operetta arias and a few selections from well-known musicals.

Visit of the Prime Minister of Canada to Berlin, Germany on the occasion of the G8 Summit

The DKBC BB e.V. was honoured to host a very special event with the Prime Minster of Canada, the Right Honourable Steven Harper, who gave a very important speech to government and business leaders here in Germany’s capital. That this speech was of significance can be seen by the many references to the speech in the Canadian and foreign media that discussed points of his speech.

Whatever the opinions of the opinion-makers may be who reported on the speech the Canadian Prime Minister gave to our guests and members, it was most certainly
a highlight of our year of activities. The Executive Board of the DKBC BB e.V. would like to personally thank the Prime Minister for honouring us with his presence
and choosing us to deliver a very important foreign policy speech leading up to the G8 Summit here in Germany. We would also like to acknowledge the tremendous
assistance and efforts of the Canadian Embassy in Berlin for making all the special arrangements necessary for the visit of Mr. Harper.

From our experiences with Mr. Harper, he is a gracious and friendly person who is happy to speak with ordinary Canadians and others on a wide range of topics and took a personal interest in the club and of our activities. He also has a keen interest in knowing where in Canada some of our club members came from and what had brought us to Germany.  He came across as a very approachable and friendly person quite comfortable speaking to us and we were very pleased that he took the time to speak with us. The Ritz-Carelton Hotel also provided a very delicious dinner based around Canadian dishes, as well as a spectacular desert in the form of a Canadian flag. It is unfortunate
that we could not bring cameras into the event to photograph this ice cream cake in the form of the Canadian Flag.

It was a very good meal and we enjoyed the company around the table of a wide range of Canadian and German business leaders and government officials. And of course, to remind us that our guest was the Prime Minister of one of the greatest countries on earth, we shared conversation, albeit briefly, with security agents sitting at our table. 

Guided Tour of Manufacturing Facilities Rolls-Royce Deutschland (RRD)

Summary by Pierre Malo, DKBC BB e.V. member Did you know that aerospace products ranked among Brandenburg’s top exports, with Rolls-Royce Deutschland being one of its major employers? Or that the charming colours on some of our china could be used for much different and exotic purposes? In its continuing series of most interesting outings, 23 members and guests of the Deutsch-Kanadischer Business Club Berlin-Brandenburg e.V. (DKBC BB e.V.) had the privilege on February 13th of being hosted by Rolls-Royce Deutschland for a tour of its aircraft engine manufacturing plant in Dahlewitz.

What interesting discoveries awaited these fortunate visitors that, however, was for most part fully unexpected. Of course, I am not referring here to the thorough briefing given at the start of the tour describing the business and, in particular, the activities at this facility, professionally conducted by DKBC member Mr. Jeffrey-George Gerakis, an engineer working at Rolls-Royce Dahlewitz. Nor am I talking about the vast, modern, and incredibly clean RRD assembly plant – a must in this type of “life-critical” industry where the presence of the slightest unwanted piece of scrap in an assembly could result in the infamous and especially feared “FOD” (Foreign Object Damage), an event which could very easily result in a catastrophe for a jet-engine. No, rather, I mean the small anecdotes and intricacies of this wonderfully complex world of modern jet propulsion we were
about to hear, which could only be told, incidentally, by such competent professionals who so passionately pursue their careers and love to tell others about it.

All of us nowadays, as I may speculate, have at one time or another flown on a jetliner of some sort. Without thinking twice about it we all knew, or at least assumed,
that the “thing” possessed engines, the quantity of which was for us of relative little importance. “Hauptsache sie laufen, und zwar ohne pause!”, as one could easily be imagined saying around this part of the world! So never mind what actually takes place inside the engine, or even how hot it can get in there. Well, how does 1,200 degrees Celsius sound to you? Incredible? And what about the poor pieces of metal inside there, rotating around at some 14,000 RPM? (Sorry, but there is no typo in this figure: there really are three zeroes after the “14”!) Well, to make sure the various components in and around the combustion chamber and turbine can repeatedly withstand such extreme temperatures, Rolls Royce engineers and scientists have turned to a technique called “thermal painting”.

The group was given an explanation of this amazing technology in the very lab in which this method is used by one of RRD’s engineers, Mr. Mike Connolly. To our amazement,
he casually proceeded to heat a piece of metal coated with this special paint up to 950 degrees, right in front us. We were thus able to witness (in a process, by the way, acquainted to those who apply colours to china) how the coating on  the metal piece changes colours in a pattern following that of the heat distribution on the part. Who among the ceramic and china master handcrafters in the Kingdom-of-Saxony-appointed Meißen factories could have once imagined such an application of their craft?

Later on, we  walked around some of the assembly and engine overhaul areas of the factory, There we were able to view, among other models, the famous V2500 dual-shaft (or “twin- spool”, as otherwise designated in the industry) turbofan engine used on the well-known Airbus A320 family of airliners. It is called “Dual-shaft” because there are actually two concentric and fully independent shafts turning in these engines: one is situated in the core where combustion takes place, while the other is around it powered by a secondary turbine used to drive the large fan situated completely at the front of the engine. This large fan, we were told, works much like a propeller, in fact providing much of the thrust on modern turbofan jet engines nowadays, as opposed to the jet reaction itself. Well, I wonder what Sir Frank Whittle, who originally invented the turbojet engine back in the 1930s, would say after working so hard to come up with a design whose entire purpose was to do away with propellers altogether?!? Here is another interesting detail that we were told: an engine has to undergo a destructive test as part of the aviation authorities certification process. To prove that no loose part can be ejected from within the engine shroud and inadvertently end-up in the passenger cabin should an engine malfunction or debris (such as a goose or duck) get injected to cause the engine to break-up, Rolls Royce engineers actually place a very small explosive charge at the base of a compressor fan blade and detonate this charge with the engine running in its normal operating range. The resulting fan blade must remain contained within the engine shroud.

This is achieved on the BR710 engines by a light but extremely strong layer of Kevlar material wrapped all around the engine. Without this protection, pieces from the compressor or from the turbine blades being expelled as a result of an engine disintegration would pierce anything in their path, with an amount of energy that would be sufficient to cause them to fly all the way out to the moon surface (well almost)! Rolls Royce managed an impressive turn around in the difficult post-9/11 times by re-directing its business focus to the after-sales support and refurbishment sector. This now accounts for as much as 53% of their annual revenues, an increase of 60% over the past five years! This solidly positions Rolls Royce in front of Pratt & Whitney, who they recently replaced as the number 2 world supplier of jet engines behind General Electric. Close collaboration with the TU-Berlin as well as with other Brandenburg universities (such as BTU-Cottbus) and other German technical establishments and universities ensure a continuing source of essential research capabilities as well as a constant flow of highly qualified employees for this specialized working force.

Thanks to Jeffrey-George and his colleague Mike Connolly at the thermal paint lab for making this visit so interesting, and for their enthusiasm and great hospitality!

Breakfast Tour of Bombardier Transportation Henningsdorf Facilities

The DKBC-BB e.V. was privileged to have a special tour of the Bombardier Transportation plant in Hennigsdorf, Brandenburg, thanks to Mr. Günther Krug, Public Relations,
Bombardier Transportation Germany, (and member of the DKBC BB Executive Board).

About Bombardier at Hennigsdorf The Hennigsdorf plant has been manufacturing locomotives since 1913. During the time of East Germany, the Hennigsdorf plant was one of the largest such facilities in the region. In 2001, during Bombardier’s acquisition of Adtranz, it became part of Bombardier Transportation. Today, the Hennigsdorf facility is Bombardier’s largest plant in Germany and is important for Berlin-Brandenburg’s transportation industry. The Mainline and Metros division, which is responsible for regional trains, subways, high-speed trains, and more, has its headquarters in Hennigsdorf. The Propulsion and Controls division and Services division are also located here. Hennigsdorf is particularly known for its special system competence for the rail industry, including testing and design.

About Bombardier Transportation Serving a diversified customer base around the world, Bombardier Transportation is the global leader in the rail equipment manufacturing and servicing industry. Its wide range of products includes passenger rail vehicles and total transit systems. It also manufactures locomotives, bogies, propulsion & controls and provides rail control solutions. Bombardier Transportation entered the mass transit market in 1974 with a first contract for the Montréal metro. More information about Bombardier Transportation is available at its website.

Second Annual Traditional Canadian Thanksgiving Dinner

Menu and entertainment as our Third Thanksgiving Dinner noted above. 

Prof. Christina Hantel-Fraser, Adjunct Professor, University of Victoria , BC

The Joy of Conflict – New Forms of Conflict Management in Canada

In business, in industry, and of course, in politics, conflicts invariably arise when the interests of the various stakeholders clash. These conflicts do not
always have to lead to deadlock where both sides are unable to come to a solution to which both can agree. Conflicts can be managed with effective strategies and
mechanisms, whether they are between political parties in governments, between unions and management in industry, between stakeholders in business, between
social groups in communities, or even between nations.

Professor Hantel-Fraser of the University of Victoria, Canada will offer insight into the structure and dynamics of conflict and uncover those all-to-common behaviors and decisions that are often made which do not lead to resolution but to greater conflict.She will propose a strategy called “Alternative Dispute Resolution” (ADR) that can be used to manage conflict to the satisfaction of all parties involved. ADR is taught at every Canadian law school and is practiced within the court systems of every Canadian province. It is even used in conflict resolution systems outside the court system.

This highly successful approach to conflict management is uniquely Canadian and through the efforts of Professor Hantel-Fraser is being taught to businesses, institutions, and governments around the world. For more details, see http://dispute.resolution.uvic.ca/

Prof. Dr. Werner Tillmetz:

Clean and Sustainable Mobility Fuel Cells – Fuel Cells in a Sustainable Mobility. A Canadian/German Success Story.

The DKBC was pleased to hold a special event in cooperation with Clean Energy Partnership (CEP) and the Canadian Embassy. Prof. Dr. Werner
Tillmetz presented a very interesting lecture on the topic “Fuel Cells in a Sustainable Mobility: A Canadian/German Success Story.” Since December 2004, Prof. Tillmetz
has headed the Center of Solar Energy and Hydrogen Research (ZSW) of Ulm, Germany and has held other important positions related to fuel cell technology, especially
at Ballard Power Systems and DaimlerChrysler.The DKBC business club has a keen interest in the success of fuel cell technology.

With the geopolitical realities of our oil supply, the ever greater cost of oil, and the obvious damage the burning of hydrocarbons has on our environment, we welcome a technology that is friendly to the environment and also frees our societies from our present addiction to oil. The meeting began with a presentation by Stefan Leonards representing CEP.

CEP is an industry group which promotes the use of hydrogen as a fuel alternative. As hydrogen is the only real alternative to oil, it also must be produced. This has led to several approaches to the use of hydrogen as an energy source. For the automotive industry, this has included fuel cells, as well as hybrid hydrogen/gasoline internal combustion engines. The ARAL gas station at Messedamm 8-10, Berlin is a Learning Demonstration Project where hydrogen is sold along with diesel and gasoline, as well as all the other normal gas station services such as a car wash and food. This was where the meeting was held. ARAL is the operating company,while Hydro provides hydrogen electrolysis, Linde provides the delivery of liquid hydrogen and Vatterfal provides green certified electricity for hydrogen production.

Several auto manufacturers presented their cars, included GM with its Opel, BMW with its 7 series Ford with its Focus, and DaimlerChrysler with its Mercedes.Each car uses a different approach BMW uses a hydrogen/gasoline hybrid; DaimlerChrysler uses gaseous hydrogen; both Ford and GM/Opel use liquid hydrogen. Following Mr. Leonards’ introduction, Prof. Tillmetz came forward and presented a lecture and discussion on hydrogen fuel cells. After explaining the science of fuel cells, he traced the development of fuel cell technology where an astute and visionary board member at DaimlerChrysler and technological innovation at Ballard Power Systems would together produce the first fuel cell that can power a vehicle, which in this case was a fairly large van. Equipped with these fuel cells, the vehicle significantly reduced harmful polluting emissions and proved successful as a realistic alternative to gasoline powered engines.

Today, there are more than 200 vehicles equipped with fuel cells in daily use worldwide. More than 50 buses worldwide now use fuel cells. This later statistic is significant because buses are a major source of city pollution. Another potentially big market for fuel cells are boats, as fuel cells are quiet and do not discharge pollutants
into the water. Fuel cells are feasible in a wide range of applications, including power generation for homes. There are a number Hurdles to the widespread implementation
of this technology. These include incumbent technologies such as the gasoline internal combustion engine, higher volumes of use to grow the industry, and government,
industry, and science need to work together to promote this new technology.

Research has shown that customers are willing to pay up to 30% more for an alternative drivetrain to the gasoline powered engines. What is needed is educating the public about the potential of hydrogen based energy, including fuel cell technology. This was the goal of this event and is the ongoing purpose of the ARAL fuel station on Messedamm 8-10, Berlin. You are welcome to visit the station and learn more about this new technology. More information is available at http://www.cleanenergypartnership.org/ and http://www.zsw-bw.de/

CST (Cityline Canadair Simulator und Training GmbH) at Schoenefeld

The DKBC Steering Committee would like to offer our deepest thanks and appreciation to CST and in particular Captain Raimund Neuhold. Our
special thanks also go his two CST flight trainers, Mr. Herber Bernard and Mr. Christian Stahlberg. This was indeed a once in a lifetime experience shared by
all. On behalf of the members present, it is fitting to thank the trainers for bringing all of us down to a safe and proper landing!

On the 6th of April, 20 members and friends of the DKBC Berlin-Brandenburg were treated to a rare opportunity to visit the flight training center of Lufthansa
pilots, CST (Cityline Canadair Simulator und Training GmbH) at Schoenefeld. CST is owned by Lufthansa CityLine, Bombardier, and the Canadian simulator manufacturer
CAE.

Captain Raimund Neuhold of CST provided a very interesting and informative presentation of the history of flight training and the role of flight simulators
by keeping professional airline pilots well-trained and up-to-date. After the presentation, we enjoyed a lively discussion about the role of simulators in
training pilots, as well as a wide range of topics related to flight training.

Afterwards, in groups of four, each attendee was offered an opportunity to use the flight simulators to perform take-off, cruise for a few minutes, and landing the aircraft. It was an incredible experience and everyone came out of the flight simulators with a big smile on their faces! CST operates three flight simulators for the Canadair Regional Jet and one for the AVRO Regional Jet. Featuring the world’s most modern visual system with a 180° wide display. These simulators provide a “high-fidelity” environment whereby the actual conditions a pilot would experience flying are faithfully reproduced as is technologically possible. These simulators provide a tactile environment in which the flight cockpit and hardware used in a Canadair Regional Jet has been installed in the simulator. Each knob, switch, and button is exactly reproduced as in the actual aircraft and the stick
and throttle react exactly as in the Canadair Regional Jet.

Through the use of powerful computers, the pilot experiences the same visual experiences through the windows as would be seen at hundreds of airports around the world. Our experience was the Tegel airport. With sophisticated hydraulics and pumps, the simulator creates the same motion sensations as experienced by aircrafts’ take-off and landing. Even the same sounds of a flight cockpit are reproduced, with the exception of flight stewardesses knocking at the door and serving the customary coffee to the pilots.

Visit of the Berlin House of Representatives followed by an address by Walter Momper

The DKBC very much enjoyed listening to Walter Momper, President of the Berlin House of Representatives ( Abgeordnetenhaus) and Governing Mayor of Berlin during
1989 -1991, and members of the Berlin Parliament. Mr. Momper was a delightful host and the DKBC’s guests were treated to a personal account of the key events,
including the unusual backroom dealings with DDR officials, leading up to the opening of the Berlin wall on November 9, 10, and 11, 1989, based on three commissioned
paintings hanging in the main dinning hall of the House.

Special thanks to our Tour Guide for being so articulate and well informed (who gave his tour in English), and for providing an excellent and detailed history of the House of Representatives. Many thanks to the House of Representatives for providing the beverages at this event. Thank you, Roman Waschuk, the Embassy’s new Minister-Counsellor (Political/Economic) for joining us and thus providing an opportunity to discuss with him Canada ‘s role in Germany. Last but not least, we thank Günther Krug, a member of our Steering Committee and member of the House of Representatives for organizing this event. He is also the Public Relations Officer of Bombardier Transportation. We thank him and Bombardier for sponsoring the refreshments. It was a most enjoyable evening.