Gloria has been an inspiring person to work with and her struggle is one that is important for all Canadians to stand up and notice.

The program, expected to air in the first weeks of February (I’ll keep you posted on the actual date of airing) has been an emotional one to shoot.

Watching Gloria struggle to do some of the daily things we take for granted e.g. pick up a pill, get into a car, or open a letter is heart-breaking at times to watch, especially given the fact that I have to keep my “journalists hat on” and not help her when she does struggle.

Recently we traveled to Vancouver where Gloria made an appearance in court – not to testify (her submission was a written one, handed to the court) but to put a face on the issue of Physician Assisted Suicide.

Shooting will continue into the first week of January and then the final touches will be put on the doc, ready to air on the CBC.  The Fifth Estate is the flagship documentary program of the CBC and this is the first experience I’ve had working with them.  It’s been quite good to date and I can hardly wait to see the results of all the footage we’ve gathered to date.

The case, and Gloria’s story, has been widely covered (just do a google search and you’ll see what I mean), but here’s one report, done by the National Post, that outlines part of the story.

By Keith Fraser (National Post)

VANCOUVER — A B.C. woman who has ALS and wants the right to a physician-assisted death looked on Thursday as her lawyer warned the British Columbia Supreme Court that the ban on assisted suicide is leading to “back-alley” suicides.

Gloria Taylor of Westbank, B.C., and several other named plaintiffs are seeking to strike down Canada’s law against assisted suicide as unconstitutional.

She is concerned that her deteriorating condition as a result of Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease, will render her unable to end her life without assistance.

In his final submissions before the court, her lawyer, Joseph Arvay, read into the record an affidavit Taylor provided for the court.

“What I want is be able to die in a manner that is consistent with the way I lived my life,” said Taylor.

“I want to exercise control and die with dignity and with my sense of self and personal integrity intact.”

Taylor said she wanted to be able to experience her death “as part of my life” and part of “my expression” of that life.

“I am dying. I do not want to, but I am going to die. That is a fact. What I fear is a death that negates as opposed to concludes my life.”

Arvay told B.C. Supreme Court Justice Lynn Smith that people with irremediable illnesses such as Taylor show a “strength and vibrancy of personality” and a “lifelong desire to exercise meaningful power over their lives.”

He said there is an obvious valid concern that only genuine and enduring requests by capable people result in physician-assisted deaths.

But he argued the evidence heard so far in the case demonstrates it is more than possible that decision-making can be accurately assessed even in the seriously ill.

A growing number of jurisdictions — including Belgium, Luxembourg, Oregon and Washington State — allow physician-assisted deaths, with significant safeguards in place, said Arvay.

Those regulatory regimes have criteria such as a requirement for written requests, requirements for repeated requests, minimum waiting periods, capacity evaluations and psychiatric consultations, he said.

Where there is an “absolute prohibition” on the practice, physician-assisted deaths occur anyway in an “illegal and unregulated fashion,” he argued.

A ban on the practice results in “back alleys” being created, similar to the back alleys created when abortion was illegal, said Arvay.

The defendants — the B.C. and federal governments — are expected to give their final submissions later this week or early next week.

Postmedia News

The case has almost wrapped up … it will be interesting to see the results of how this judge handles it … and what her decision will be.  As the case proceeds, I’ll keep you posted.  As well, I’ll continue to update Gloria’s story, even well after the Fifth Estate airs.

She’s a strong, determined woman who I’ve had the pleasure of meeting this past year.

There were 11 competitors who stood up in front of 600 people at this year’s Gold Medal Plates competition.  In all, 8 chefs stood off to the side, with slight grins on their faces and watched as three of their peers were called to the podium to receive honors at this culinary event.

Prestigious, yes, that’s the word many use to describe Gold Medal Plates and each competitor should have been happy with just being part of the event – but that was hardly any consolation to the men, and one woman, who poured their hearts out on the plate only to find that it just wasn’t good enough on this evening. To quote Vince Lombardi, “I firmly believe that any man’s finest hour, the greatest fulfillment of all that he holds dear, is that moment when he has worked his heart out in a good cause and lies exhausted on the field of battle – victorious,” well, all the chefs who played on this particular field of battle gave it a great shot and the Canadian Olympic Team is far the richer for it.

Let me step back and tell you about one of the competing chefs – Rod Butters.  He came into the event as one of the “old hands”, in fact when he and Rob Feenie (Cactus Club Food Architect) first met by the kitchen doors; Rob greeted Rod with “heh … we’re the old guys here!”  If old means experienced then, yes, Chef Butters and Feenie were at the head of the “old pack” on this day.  But these culinary racehorses were not about to be put out to pasture by the young colts on this day.  Rod entered the competition – probably a little reluctantly because he has little to prove – with a clear mandate: he was going to attempt to break the rules of how people thought about food coming out of the Okanagan Valley.  In what some critics called “a bold move”, Rod decided to feature goat – not a protein that many chefs would bring into the competitive arena.  He also decided that everything would come from the Okanagan Valley and to a great degree it did – only the salt on the plate came from outside the Valley – which in a lot of way is a testament to his motto of “support local.”  Everything on the plate came from, at the very furthest, about a hundred kilometers from his restaurant, RauDZ© Regional Table.

From the time he decided to accept the invitation to Gold Medal Plates, Chef Butters talked goat.  He would choose the goats (from the Takoff Farm, just off Highway 33 down the road from his restaurant and also the farm that his sous chef, Evelyn, parents own) and ensure that everything else on the plate would compliment them – from the exotic spices to the tissue-thin vegetables and apricot chutney – all home grown within the Okanagan Valley.

I would often chat to Chef Butters about what he was doing leading up to the competition and he’d tell me of the hours he spent preparing for this event.  This is a chef who puts his heart, his hands and his time into the dish.  He’s not one to “direct a plate” – rather a chef who gets his hands dirty in the painting of a piece of art.  He stood by his dish as it evolved.  He listened to the comments made by other chefs who worked just down the road – his good friend and Chef Bernard of Manteo Resort, and Geoffrey Cooper (the wickedly funny college prof who wields a sense of taste I can only dream of having).

Taking part in Gold Medal Plates is a huge commitment – you don’t go into it like young lovers who burn brightly for a few moments and then fizzle out – you’re in it for the long haul and I can only imagine the amount of time Chef Butters spent time, not only bringing about the fruition of the plate, but the amount of hours he spent thinking about it.

It should be mentioned also that Rod wasn’t the only one to make a commitment and he’s quick to give credit to the people who helped him in his quest to bring down the house in Vancouver.  His partner in at RauDZ© Regional Table, Audrey, was also a contributor to his shot at food glory.  She’s not only his business confident, but also a trusted advisor in everything he does in the kitchen.  James, his ‘right and left hand man in kitchen’ (as Chef Butters likes to say) kept the kitchen running smoothly at RauDZ© while Rod spent time building his dish.  It could be said that everyone at the restaurant supported his decision to enter this Canadian culinary championship and tried to keep distractions at a minimum while Chef could think, design and bring his dish to life.

The plate of food was only one aspect of Rod’s dish.  Instead of pairing with wine (the competitors all, for the most part, paired with a wine) he chose to go an alternate route and had beer handcrafted for the event.  Using apricots picked from one lonely tree on his property, Cannery Brewing in Penticton, along with Rod, came up with a Apricot Pail Ale, as it was called.  It perfectly complimented his dish.  With a uniquely designed label, the beer was well received at the event, with people who were not normally ale drinkers quaffing down multiple glasses.

Most of the chefs came from the Vancouver region, with only Mark Filatow (Waterfront Restaurant) and Rod representing the city of Kelowna.  The distance from K-town to Vancouver would prove a little more challenging for the two chefs.  They had to design a plate that would travel well, because they’d have to pack up everything the day before and transport it 4.5 hours down the road to the city on the coast.

When Mark and Rod arrived at the Westin Bayshore kitchens, they began to prep.  No other competitors could be seen (probably because they could work in their own kitchens and not have to try and adapt to a strange kitchen).

With the help of his team, Chef Butters also assembled a display that made a statement – backed by a 4×8 foot banner depicting his dish exploded, showing the distance from product to plate.  Other chefs, as they entered the arena, stopped and remarked “how cool” they thought the display was. RauDZ© Regional Table was pretty well the only station that went to such lengths to make an effort in explaining his work (kudos to Chef Bernard for the colorful display of cut leeks in ice water) and setting the stage for his dish.

The day of the event saw 11 of the provinces best chefs compete including: Ned Bell (YEW restaurant + bar & Four Seasons Hotel Vancouver), Lee Cooper (L’Abattoir Restaurant), Alana Peckham (CRU), Adam Pegg (La Quercia), Neil Taylor (Cibo Trattoria), Tim Cuff (Aura, Whistler), Rod Butters (RauDZ Regional Table, Kelowna), Mark Filatow (Waterfront Restaurant & Wine Bar, Kelowna), Chef Dale MacKay of ensemble Restaurant, Chef Rob Feenie of Cactus Club Restaurants and Chef Joël Watanabe of Bao Bei Chinese Brasserie.

Gold Medal Plates is the ultimate celebration of Canadian excellence in food, wine, athletic achievement and entertainment. In addition to the finest food and excellent music, guests had the opportunity to mingle with 28 celebrated Olympians and Paralympians such as Marnie McBean (Rowing), Simon Whitfield (Triathalon), Ashleigh McIvor (Ski Cross) and Steve Podborski (Alpine Skiing), along with athletes that will be competing for Canada in London in 2012.

Judging the 2011 competition in Vancouver was: James Chatto (Head Judge) John Bishop, Sid Cross, Barbara-Jo McIntosh, Andrew Morrison, Lesley Stowe and last year’s Vancouver winner, Chef Robert Clark. Each dish was judged out of 100 points, based on visual presentation (20%), texture (20%), taste (30%), wine compatibility (10%), originality (10%) and wow factor (10%).

I watched as Chef Filatow went to the judges table with his dish.  A little bit nervous, he stood and explained his plate as each judge kept their eyes cast downward toward the food.  It’s always a little daunting to put your culinary life on the line in a single dish, but Mark did well.

A few chefs later, Rod came to the Judges’ table with Gerry Jobe (his liquid chef) in tow as well as Audrey.  He also felt nervous (as he told me later) but it didn’t show.  “The hard part,” Chef Butters said, “was trying to get the story of my dish out before the next chef came up with his dish.”  Gerry Jobe’s role was to explain the Apricot Pail Ale (yes, it’s “pail” as a play on words because the apricots had been gathered in metal pails) and he did his usual masterful job.

All that was left was for the Judges to taste and move through a lineup of elite chefs’ plates and then deliberate and make their decision as to who would represent B.C. in the upcoming Gold Medal Plates finals (to be held in Kelowna, B.C.)

After a two hour wait James Chatto walked up to the front of the audience and made his announcement:

Chef Feenie, who also won in 2009, had wowed the judges with a dish of Rabbit Leg Confit, Applewood Smoked Bacon, Chestnut, Veal Tongue and Porcini Ragout and Brown Butter Squash Purée paired with Switchback Vineyard Pinot Gris Clone 52, 2010 from Summerland’s Haywire Winery.

Chef Dale MacKay of Ensemble Restaurant, rose to the occasion as well, taking the silver medal for the third year in a row. Chef MacKay’s dish was BC Spot Prawns with Pork Thai Broth and Bok Choy paired with Laughing Stock Vineyards’ Pinot Gris, 2010.

Taking the bronze medal was Chef Joël Watanabe of Bao Bei Chinese Brasserie, whose dish was Pork Belly with Poached Asian Pear, Superior Stock Gelée, Buckwheat Honey and Soy Reduction paired with Road 13 Vineyards’ Sparkling Chenin Blanc, 2007.

“The closest vote ever in Gold Medal Plates history between first and second,” said Head Judge James Chatto. “The difference was 0.15 per cent. We debated for an hour but the numbers do not lie. An awesome evening, a fabulous lineup. Two superb dishes: creative, complex, balanced, harmonious, courageous. This is the Olympics and fractions of a fraction count!”

Beaten and a little down-heartened, Chef Butters did receive some consolation after the event. James Chatto wrote: I don’t usually mention a fourth place chef in these reports but the other judges were unanimous that I must acknowledge Rod Butters of RauDZ Regional Table in Kelowna. Every ingredient in his dish (except salt) came from within 94 kilometers of his restaurant, including the array of exotic spices he used to create a fascinating collation of goat meat – curried shoulder, a sausage spiked with apricot chutney, the loin rubbed with masala mix, the tissue-thin vegetables… I can’t remember having a dish of goat before at GMP: kudos to chef Butters for his staunch localism and all-round courage.

At the end of the day, no one likes to lose … and probably as a professional chef, it might be more difficult to accept loss than some other professions because it is not “just food” but real art on a plate.  All the chefs take their culinary skills seriously and when you reach this level, you not only exhibit great skill, palate and dedication to your craft … you put a lot of yourself on the plate you put in front of the public and in front of the critics (judges) and it’s hard to accept defeat on any level.

No one, however, should walk away thinking they were a loser – just like the Academy’s Oscars, it’s great just to be nominated.  The fact that the event was a fundraiser for the Canadian Olympic Team only serves to solidify that the chefs’ efforts went to a good cause and they should be proud to contribute, at least in some small part, to the success of the Canadian athletes who represent our country in the global arena.

Will Chef Butters take up the challenge of competition again?  Tough to say … ask him at the end of that weekend and he’d probably say “no way.”  But I’d like to think that a chef with this amount of talent would put aside the results of this particular competition and tell the young chefs once again that “schools in.” “Let’s go for it.”

As a writer from the Okanagan Valley, I can only say that I think both chefs, Rod and Mark, not only represented Kelowna well … they exceeded their competitors’ expectations.

The race had just gone through the 10th lap and they were working the 11th when the multi-vehicle crash occurred.  Several drivers were taken to the hospital.

Being in the room, was a privilege granted seldom and the mood turned sombre (as to be expected) when the announcement was made that they had lost one of their family. It was extremely distressing to see the impact it had on everyone in the room. Dan was well-liked and this was something no one had wanted to happen.

The race, the final one of the season, was expected to be an exciting finish to a close season. Everyone knows the risks these drivers take and everyone who knows the drivers had commented on how remarkable these athletes were.

We were in the room shooting a “Nerve Center” documentary for Discovery Channel (Canada) and the men and women who had given us access were a highly professional group of people who one described themselves as “a traveling circus”, picking up their tents each week and moving to another location to put on another show. Like a circus, they were family and I can only say that today I feel very sad for this group of people.

We were privileged, as I say, to given access to their world. I wish them all well.

My thoughts go out to the family of a man who, I’m sure, will not be forgotten.

Below is a news story about the event:

LAS VEGAS — Dan Wheldon, who moved to the United States from his native England with hopes of winning the Indianapolis 500 and went on to twice prevail in the famed race, died Sunday after a massive, fiery wreck that involved 15 cars at the Las Vegas Indy 300.

Mr. Wheldon, 33, was one of the most popular IndyCar Series drivers.

He called the Indy 500 “the biggest sporting event in the world,” and his second and final victory there came in most unexpected fashion. Trailing rookie JR Hildebrand with one turn remaining, Mr. Wheldon was resigned to finishing second for the third consecutive year.

But Hildebrand brushed the wall seconds away from what seemed like certain victory, giving Mr. Wheldon one of the luckiest breaks in Brickyard history. He crossed the line in front, making the final lap the only one he led in this year’s race.

“That’s Indianapolis,” Mr. Wheldon said a day later. “That’s why it’s the greatest spectacle in racing.

“You never know what’s going to happen.”

Such was the case again Sunday in Las Vegas.

Mr. Wheldon started last in the 34-car field for a chance to win $5 million and was up to 24th quickly, but well behind the first wave of cars that got into trouble on the fateful 11th lap. He had no way to avoid the wrecks in front of him. There was no time to brake or steer out of trouble. His car sailed into the fence extending high over the track barrier. About two hours later, his death was announced.

“I’ll tell you, I’ve never seen anything like it,” driver Ryan Briscoe said. “The debris we all had to drive through the lap later, it looked like a war scene from ‘Terminator’ or something. I mean, there were just pieces of metal and car on fire in the middle of the track with no car attached to it and just debris everywhere.

“So it was scary, and your first thoughts are hoping that no one is hurt because there’s just stuff everywhere.”

The accident appeared to start when Wade Cunningham’s car swerved on the track and Hildebrand drove over the left rear of Cunningham’s car. Hildebrand appeared to go airborne, and Cunningham’s car went up into the wall, setting off a chain reaction among the cars behind him.

“I was near the front of what caused all this, so I’m not thrilled about it,” Cunningham said. “At this point, whose fault it was is kind of immaterial.”

IndyCar officials, drivers and car owners decided to end the race.

In Mr. Wheldon’s honor, drivers — many sobbing openly — took part in a five-lap salute around the 1.5-mile oval as thousands of fans stood and cheered from the grandstand.

Mr. Wheldon began driving go-carts as a 4-year-old, and racing was a constant in his life as he attended school in England as a child, winning eight British national titles along the way. He moved to the United States in 1999, trying to find sponsor money to fund his dream, and by 2002 — after stints in some lower-profile open-wheel series — he was on the IndyCar grid for the first time.

“The biggest thing for me is the Indianapolis 500,” Mr. Wheldon said in 2005, not long after becoming the first Englishman since Graham Hill in 1966 to win that race. “It would be really difficult to leave this series because of that race.”

A star was born at that 2005 Indy 500 — and it wasn’t necessarily the winner.

Danica Patrick was a rookie at Indy that year. Mr. Wheldon passed Patrick with seven laps to go and held on for the victory.

Mr. Wheldon good-naturedly poked fun at what was fast known as Danicamania, famously posing in a T-shirt with the words “Actually ‘Won’ The Indy 500″ emblazoned on the front.

Mr. Wheldon finished among the top 10 in IndyCar points annually from 2004 through 2010, but Sunday was his merely his third start this year.

Lacking the financial backing to secure a full-time ride for himself this season, Mr. Wheldon kept busy by working as a commentator for some races and testing prototype cars the IndyCar series will be using in the future. IndyCar will have new cars in 2012, many of the changes done with a nod for safety.

Mr. Wheldon once said he was a “test dummy” for the new cars by working with engineers so often.

In the past, they’ve breached the walls of Grand Central Station in NYC and have taken the viewers behind the scenes at “O” in Las Vegas.

This time the crew from Discovery Channel will be focusing on the Nerve Center that sets up and runs the Indy Car Championship Race in Las Vegas. It should be a great shoot. A lot of characters’ fates are on the line and the pressure to successfully pull off a championship race falls on the shoulders of the crew in Race Control.

We will also be following two teams, one on the edge of winning the championship.

This marks a return to Discovery Channel Canada for David, who last worked on “Ultimate Survival: Everest”, for the network.

While David is out on the track, Alison will be doing Research and Development, getting a look at the latest hotel, dining and entertainment trends in this ever-evolving city.

Some of the best chefs in the world, Thomas Keller, Wolfgang Puck, Joel Robuchon, Tom Colicchio etc. now call Vegas home for some of their restaurants and Alison (a strong supporter of chefs in general) will scope out what the food trends, decor, menus and what “eat local” means to the city in the desert.

The city that never sleeps is always a trendsetter – even though the glitz and the gambling are foremost in most people’s minds.

Watching the show I was amazed to see Brendan wearing a tie first off … I’ve never seen he, or Felicia, looking so dressed up (and they looked good).  The twins were their “normal engaging personalities” and captivated the audience.

For clips from Anderson’s show featuring the Hogans go here: