THE BEST OF YUKON

Back in 2017, we did a 150-day trip across Canada to create a video for each province and territory. One of our most adventurous visits was the Yukon, which included landing on the world's largest non-polar glacier, visiting the stunning gold-mining town of Dawson, and travelling up the 700-km Dempster Highway to the Northwest Territories.

42 FACTS ABOUT BRITISH COLUMBIA

In this guide, you’re going to learn so much about British Columbia. Whether you’re looking to enhance your next visit or just love learning as much as we do, here are 42 British Columbia facts to bring up at your next dinner party.

SASKATOON TRAVEL GUIDE

With the South Saskatchewan River winding through the city, Saskatoon is buzzing with an infusion of new restaurants, bars, breweries, and attractions. Locals who had once left to attend school or experience big cities like Vancouver and Toronto have moved back, bringing with them a new sense of pride. If you're looking to visit the “Paris of the Prairies”, this travel guide is for you.

When Tareq Hadhad came to Canada, he had to leave his mother, father and siblings in Lebanon. His father had survived the bombing of his chocolate factory and the family had already made an escape from Syria. His family then spent three years as refugees with little opportunity or hope until they were finally reunited with Tariq in Canada.

 

Landing in Antigonish, Nova Scotia, they turned it into their new home, establishing Peace by Chocolate, which is now one of the biggest employers in Antigonish. They've continued to grow, opening up a new flagship store in Halifax while becoming Canadian citizens. Their story has become such an inspiration that it has been turned into both a book and a movie, which is currently being shown in select Cineplex theatres across the country. Learn more by visiting peacebychocolate.ca.

 

But without further ado, here's Tariq.

 

 

Being a refugee was the hardest phase I had to go through in my life and that experience changed my perspective on the meaning and purpose of life as we had just lost everything in a split moment and our lives had changed forever. Being a refugee is not a life goal, nor a choice or a decision, it’s something that we are forced to go through and it’s a reminder that even though human beings share the same goals, refugees were born in the wrong place at the wrong time. While I spent 3 years of my life with that title, I was excited to finally get the chance to immigrate. Canada was the only country in the world that opened its doors for us while many countries closed their borders. When I received the call that I was invited to come to Canada, it was the happiest day of my life and I still remember every detail of that journey. That was the major turning point of my life.

 

 

Our family was motivated to make the world a happier place since 1986 in Damascus, and the company in Syria was growing quickly to become one of the largest chocolate manufacturing establishments in the region. Having so much passion for utilizing entrepreneurship to contribute to the community, we were not planning on immigrating outside Syria until the war started. I learned about Canada in my “World Geography” class in grade 5 and I was stunned by many facts about this country then I started digging more to learn about Canada’s history, presence, and future. I loved Canada before I even knew I would travel all the way here.

 

 

Arriving in Nova Scotia was so heartwarming although it was in December of 2015. I was only shocked by the weather that was much colder than Syria but what mattered at that time is meeting the most generous people on the planet. When we arrived in Nova Scotia, we found a great sense of belonging to an incredible family. Friendly. Neighbourly. Willing to lend a hand. Would give you the shirt off their back. Kindest people you will ever meet, and these are just some of the ways people here are described world round. From our experiences, these are an understatement. The kindness of our home is the inspiration behind our mission to spread peace and build a peaceful world.

 

 

I had only one mission: To give back to Canada in every possible way and become an active member of society while translating the skills we brought here into an opportunity of a life. With the help of a welcoming community, and an entrepreneurial drive that never fizzled out during the strain of war and displacement. We are happy that we have built a business to provide a new life for our family in Canada and provide employment opportunities to the community that welcomed us. I have a medical background and my first plan was to continue my medical studies but then I realized that I had an opportunity to give back to Canada much faster through building the business for the family.

 

 

Everyone wants peace and everyone loves chocolate. Peace by Chocolate is considered more of a cause than a business. The major goal is to spread a taste of peace by each happy piece we make with love. Before tasting the chocolate, our customers get inspired by our main slogans “One Peace Won’t Hurt” and “Peace Is Beautiful In Every Language” that remind them of the backstory and how much we went through in the last several years to make these little pieces of happiness get to their hands. In each product we make, there is a very authentic symbolism of peace and love. Our flavours are a combination of what we learned in Syria and what we learned about what Canadians prefer. Moreover, we consider the major annual celebration with our team and our followers on Sep 21st. Our company in Syria was founded in 1986 and when I arrived in Canada, I did research that showed 1986 to be the International Year of Peace. Everything made at Peace by Chocolate brings people together, shines a perfect celebration, and spreads unlimited joy. The taste and the shapes remind everyone that the inclusion of new ideas is the best way to get inspired and spur economic growth. The “Peace” bar for example has over 20 different wrappings, each communicating the word “peace” in a unique language.

 

Each bar comes with its own translation to English with short instructions on proper pronunciation. The company released the very first bar under the title “Wantaqo’ti” - the indigenous Mi’kmaq word for Peace and now with over 150 products in the market, the highest majority of them are part of our Peace on Earth society where we are able to donate proceeds of tens of products to support causes like mental health, refugee resettlement, indigenous programming and youth empowerment.

 

 

All the credit goes to Canada because without the support and the huge welcome I received since I first set foot on Canadian soil, I wouldn’t have been able to tell my story or have a happy ending. We are a nation defined by hope and freedom to be the best we can be and we should never take that freedom for granted. I believe that the world needs good and positive stories with all the hatred, anxiety and darkness out there and we are so proud that our story has resonated with so many Canadians and people around the world because it’s a real-life example of the Canadian values of peace, respect, fairness, inclusion, diversity, compassion, kindness and empathy. Our story is about hope, and everyone needs it now more than ever.

Flashback to last fall when we hiked Gros Morne Mountain. It takes about 7-8 hours but is very much worth it. Can’t wait to do it again one day. If you want to see more about this incredibly unique park, search for our Gros Morne video on Youtube!