Features
Larry and Tova Vickar and Jewish Heritage Centre recognize Siepman family for World War II rescue efforts
By MYRON LOVE
If you are visiting the Asper Jewish Community Campus and you make a left turn at the Berney Theatre, you will come to the Freeman Family Foundation Holocaust Education Centre.
Just to the right of the entrance to the museum, you will find an area recognizing a number of very special men and women who risked their lives and those of their families to save Jews during the Shoah– 11 commemorative plaques – two of which commemorate Dutch immigrants to Winnipeg who helped to hide Dutch Jews during the Holocaust – and the other nine recognizing individuals from several countries in Eastern Europe.
Soon, there may be an additional name added to the list.
Alexander and Gisjbertha Siepman and their sons, Maarten and Christiaan, were vegetable growers in the village of Nootdorp in rural Holland. For three-and-a-half years, they hid the Jewish Bonevitz family in their home.
The Winnipeg connection is this: After the war, Maarten Siepman and his wife, Johanna, immigrated to southern Manitoba where Maarten continued to pursue market gardening.
On May 2, 1992, as reported in a story in this newspaper at the time, acting Israeli Consul General Oren David came to Winnipeg from Toronto to present the family with a Certificate of Honour and medal on behalf of Yad Vashem.
However, 1992 was a long time ago and the Siepman story of heroism – while still kept alive by Martin and Johanna’s children and grandchildren, was little known outside the extended family.
Now, thanks to the efforts of community leaders Larry and Tova Vickar, that story may become more widely known. The president of the Vickar Auto Group first became aware of the Siepman story in early November as Larry and Tova were preparing to travel to Israel for the official opening of the new Stephen J. Harper KKL-JNF Hula Valley Visitor and Education Center in the northern Galilee.
“I was talking to Ryan (Siepman – Vickar Community Chevrolet service manager) about our trip to Israel and he mentioned that his grandfather’s and great grandparents’ names are inscribed at Yad Vashem among the Righteous Among the Nations and told me their story for the first time,” Vickar recalls. “Ryan said that he would like to visit Yad Vashem himself one day and see where his grandfather’s and great grandparents’ names are inscribed at Yad Vashem.”
Vickar was so impressed by what he heard from Ryan that – on Thursday, December 12, he and Tova hosted Ryan, his parents John and Jane, his brother, Shawn, his sisters, Jennifer and Kristine and their families and Ryan’s aunt (and John’s sister) Wilma, during an evening at Rae and Jerry’s, where he presented Ryan and John with framed photos of the plaque at Yad Vashem, accompanied by photos of the trees that were planted in 1974 at Yad Vashem in memory of the Siepman Family.
“While Yad Vashem was not part of our itinerary, I made a point of going there to take pictures of the plaque,” Vickar said.
Thanking Larry and Tova on behalf of the Siepman Family, John Siepman recalled that for many years after the war, his dad spoke very little about the war years. “It was only after the Jewish community approached him in the early 1990s and honoured him as one of the Righteous Among the Nations that we learned about what he, his parents and his brother did during the war.”
John Siepman noted that his father was 19 when war broke out. “For Holland, the war was over in five days,” he said. “Our father wanted to do something to resist the Germans. His minister urged him to join the underground.”
In the previous report about the Siepman Family in the JPN in 1992, Martin Siepman (who passed away in 2007) had noted that the Dutch Resistance helped to hide close to 100,000 people – the Bonevitz family among them. “We didn’t know the family,” he was quoted as saying. “We had no previous connection with them. We only knew that they were Jewish and needed our help.
“We weren’t heroes. We just did what we felt we had to do.”
John Siepman picks up the narrative. “No one could know that our family was hiding a Jewish family. The Bonevitz family couldn’t leave the house during daylight hours. And, when Nazis did come by the house, my grandmother would ring a bell to warn the Bonevitz family to slip out of the house and hide among the beanstalks until the danger had passed.”
John Siepman added that his dad really appreciated a free trip to Israel – paid for by Harvey Sarner, a Jewish philanthropist from California – after the Yad Vashem recognition- as well as a subsequent trip to Washington, D.C.
Belle Jarniewski, the executive director of the Jewish Heritage Centre of Western Canada, notes that three-quarters of the Netherland’s Jews were murdered during the Shoah – the highest number of Jewish victims in Western Europe, and among the highest proportion in Europe overall. Many students who have been influenced by “The Diary of Anne Frank”, have imagined that this was the general narrative – of the Dutch hiding Jews. In actuality, that has become somewhat of a national myth. The truth is that the Nazis were able to count on the support of the Dutch Nazi Party, which had a membership of some 100,000. Dutch police assisted the Germans in rounding up Jews slated for deportation to Nazi extermination camps in Poland, and the national railway company transported Jews to these destinations.”
“I have often wondered what I would do in such a situation: Could I do the right thing to save the life of perfect strangers?” says Jarniewski, who is also a child of Holocaust survivors. “It is one thing to risk one’s own life, which I hope I would do, but it is another thing to find the courage to risk the lives of one’s children. That was the risk these wonderful men and women took”
“Individuals like Martin Siepman and his family and others like them are truly to be admired for the tremendous kindness and courage they showed in a time of utter darkness.”
It is written in the Talmud that whoever saves a life saves the world entire.”
“We hope to add the name of Martin Siepman and family to the list of those honoured as Righteous Among the Nations at the Freeman Family Foundation Holocaust Education Centre.”
Features
Canadian Travel Trends 2025 and the Forecast for 2026
Canadians planning to travel in 2026 should keep an eye on shifting trends and learn what’s coming their way in the new year.
Canadian travel has seen a fair amount of change and instability over the last few years, thanks mostly to the country’s southern neighbours. In 2025, and likely into 2026, travel trends in the Great White North have stabilized significantly, with more Canadians than ever choosing to travel within their own borders. And with 2026 nipping at our heels, let’s take a look at what trends in 2025 have been the most prevalent and how these will shape travellers’ decisions and travel plans in the new year.
Canadian Travel in 2025
Thanks to many factors, including politics, inflation, and airline competition, the majority of travellers opted to explore their own country rather than go abroad in 2025. More local travel money is remaining within the local economy, further bolstering it and making it an even more attractive travel choice. Thanks to the accessibility of private jet charter travel across Canada, luxury local travel has increased as well, with more people looking to immerse themselves in luxury from the start of their journey to the end. When travelling abroad, the U.S. is now the least favoured destination for most Canadian travellers, but Europe saw a significant increase in interest as 2025 progressed.
As local Canadian travel increased this year, it brought with it a drive for local tourists to find their own “Secret Canada” destinations. Far more “off the beaten path” trips were taken, resulting in more travel spending going to smaller or more boutique destinations rather than big city experiences. In 2025, travellers have sought out the wonderful diversity in destinations and landscapes, allowing themselves to access more grounded and authentically Canadian experiences.
Canada’s Government has also encouraged and benefited from local tourism, with initiatives like the Canada Strong Pass offering extra benefits. Initially implemented in the summer, but reintroduced from December 12, 2025, until January 15, 2026, this is a ticket to enjoying the richness of their own culture (iconic natural destinations, museums, train trips) at a discounted rate or even in some cases free of charge.
In the second quarter of 2025, locals took a total of 90.6 million trips that included at least some time spent travelling domestically, which indicated a rise of 10.9% on a year-over-year basis. Of these trips, 58.6 million were day trip experiences (an increase of 12.4%), and 32.0 million were overnight trips or longer (an increase of 8.4%).
Between April and June of this year, Canadian residents spent $20.3 billion on local tourism, which represented a 13.5% year-over-year increase. When undertaking day trips, Canadians spent approximately $101 per visit. On overnight trips, locals spent around $449 per trip, with an average trip length of 2.6 nights. The Great White North is clearly holding its own, and then some, in the international travel market.
Canadian Travel in 2026
As we move towards 2026, many trends from 2025 will remain the standard, but some will evolve to fit changing demands. Across the board, though, the outlook for the coming year is that Canadian travel will become a far more personal thing, with trips being customized to fit travellers’ requirements and desires more closely than ever before. From choosing a hotel that they feel smacks of a beloved destination in their favourite novel, to taking a trip to a destination just to try a snack that’s famously made there and only there, travel is stretching and shifting for the traveller rather than the other way around.
Here are some slightly more specific predictions for the coming year based on the answers of polled Canadians.
- One Gen Z-led trend is the idea of “glowmad travel”. Beauty and skincare are now influencing the places that Gen Z travels, and their trips are far more likely to include visits to skincare and beauty destinations like spas and luxury stores.
- Gen Z adults are helping to drive another trend: family travel as a way to save money. 345 of Gen Z adults polled say that they would take this route.
- More than 70% of Canadians are considering some sort of mountainous getaway in 2026, specifically in summer or autumn.
- 48% of polled Canadians say they would book or consider a destination thanks to the influence of literature.
- More travellers than ever are choosing their destinations based on the accommodations available. 44% of polled travellers say that in 2026, accommodation and what it can offer comes first, and the surrounding destination comes second.
The World Is Your Nova Scotia Lobster Roll
Choose something a little different when you vacation this year. Oysters are great, but a Nova Scotia lobster roll might be more to your taste! Canadians know good travel, so take a maple leaf out of their book and experience something new this year.
Features
Fake IDs and Underage Bettors: The Growing Problem for Sportsbooks
The expansion of legalized sports betting worldwide has resulted in sportsbooks grappling with a problem that they can no longer overlook: the increase in underage individuals using counterfeit identification to place bets. As more and more ways to bet through mobile apps and online sign-ups emerge, minors who are set on their goal are inventing ways to get around age limits. The emergence of this trend is a breach of the law and morality; however, it is also an enormous problem that threatens the very existence of the platforms, which are forced to rigorously obey the regulations .
Why Fake IDs Are Becoming More Sophisticated
Conventional fakes used to be quite simple to recognize—low-quality printing, different fonts for the text, and inconsistent holograms would make them not very reliable for any kind of verification. But counterfeit documents have changed significantly over time. Nowadays, fakes are made better with the help of printing technology and software, and they can even copy barcodes and other scannable features, so their IDs look almost real.
This fact complicates things significantly for sportsbooks, especially those operating online. Most of the time, automated identity verification systems capture a user’s photo and perform basic data matching. In cases where a very good fake ID is used by a teenager who looks older, some systems cannot recognize the trick. Therefore, young bettors have found ways to be able to place wagers through these loopholes.
The Influence of Social Pressure and Online Culture
Social media is a major factor in the increase in risky behavior that minors are engaging in. On various platforms such as Instagram, TikTok, and Reddit, teenagers come across betting slips, parlay wins, and big-payout screenshots that are shared, most probably, by other users. The glamorization of sports betting is leading young people to copy the behavior of influencers, older friends, or even celebrities, as they think that it is the right thing to do.
The competitiveness usually associated with sports is one of the reasons some minors decide to bet on sports. For many, betting becomes another way to engage as a fan—by predicting outcomes, challenging friends, and experiencing the same excitement that adult fans enjoy. Unfortunately, only a small number of minors fully understand the financial risks involved, making them more vulnerable to developing harmful patterns that could continue into adulthood. This is why choosing the most responsible sportsbook, which you can discover more here, is essential. Such platforms provide guidance, enforce safe practices, and ensure regulated play, allowing fans to engage with sports betting in a more informed, secure, and controlled manner.
Sportsbooks Facing Regulatory Pressure
The sportsbooks are being given the task of more closely monitoring and preventing minors from betting on their platforms. If they fail, harsh penalties are possible, including severe fines, loss of a gambling license, and negative publicity that undermines a brand’s trustworthiness. As a result, it is becoming increasingly difficult for people to verify their identities, although this also inconveniences those who are, in fact, legitimate users.
Sportsbooks have to decide between two options that are in conflict with each other: on the one hand, they have to keep the registration process as simple as possible, and on the other hand, they have to carry out age verification in a very thorough manner. The work of balancing is tough, and the underage gamblers are trying all methods to find a way out.
The Rise of Identity Fraud Services
An alarming trend is the emergence of online vendors who openly advertise fake IDs and identity documents. These vendors often claim their products can pass standard sportsbook checks. Some even tailor IDs to specific regions, knowing that certain provinces, states, or countries use verification systems that rely heavily on image comparison rather than live validation.
The availability of these fraudulent services not only empowers minors but also exposes sportsbooks to risks related to stolen identities, money laundering flags, and fraudulent accounts that may later become legal liabilities.
The Consequences for Underage Bettors
While a minor might think that gambling is just a bit of fun without any harm, the outcome can be quite serious. If there is a catching, accounts are closed right away, winnings are confiscated, and parents or guardians, in some cases, are made legally liable for any financial disagreements. Besides that, the risk of developing a gambling problem in the future increases with early exposure to gambling, especially since teenagers are more impulsive and less capable of handling financial risks.
The majority of minors are not aware that sportsbooks keep very detailed records of their activities, including device information and IP addresses. In case a fake ID works one time, using it multiple times will definitely lead to getting caught.
A Growing Problem That Requires Joint Action
Fake IDs and underage betting are issues that have become a major challenge in the industry, and no single stakeholder can solve these problems on their own. Sportsbooks need to enhance their identity verifications, regulators should get prepared for new types of fraud, technology providers have to come up with new solutions more quickly, and parents should always be aware of what their children are doing online. The industry’s rapid development is making this problem more and more urgent because the number of minors trying to get around the safety measures is increasing.
Sports betting can serve as a fun and legal form of entertainment for adults, but the need to protect the youth is what defines the industry and ensures its survival in the long run. As the quality of fake IDs keeps improving and the online culture is more and more inclined to consider betting as a normal activity, sportsbooks must ensure that underage users do not have access and that the environment is safe for all users. They need to do this now more than ever.
Features
How Canadians Are Adapting to the Boom in Legal Sports Betting
Canada’s fan engagement with sports has been radically changed by the recent single-event legalized sports betting. In the past, this was something you could only do through offshore sites or informal pools, but now it has become a normal part of the Canadian sports culture, according to GamblingNews.com. Online sportsbooks are being established at the provincial level, and private operators are entering the regulated markets, so Canadians are discovering new means to entertain, grasp, and make correct decisions in sports betting.
Widespread Adoption Across Provinces
The implementation of legal sports betting has varied across Canada’s provinces, but uptake has been strong in all jurisdictions. With its liberal licensing regime, Ontario has emerged as the most lively market in the country, thus enabling a multitude of private sportsbooks to compete. In the rest of the provinces, there are mostly platform operators controlled by the government; however, users are still in a state of rapid adjustment to the broadened offerings and new ways of wagering. As accessibility gets better, Canadians are becoming more aware of the distinctions between markets, bonuses, and betting styles, which makes the transition seem more like a logical continuation of their current sports habits.
Increased Engagement with Sports and Data
Legal betting has had an influence on how sports are consumed by a lot of Canadians. Fans are following gambling news, analyzing games in detail, checking lines more carefully, following injuries, and using statistics to make the best decision. The game-day experience has been expanded by betting, which has thus motivated fans to retain basic team loyalty. The rise of data-driven content, such as odds breakdowns, predictive analytics, and expert commentary, has been instrumental in making sports more interactive. Rather than being a passive viewer, a Canadian is now engaging more with the numbers, trends, and probabilities, thereby deepening his/her understanding of the games.
Growth of Responsible Gambling Education
As betting gets more and more exposure, a conversation about safe play is also getting louder. Gambling organizations in Canada have put in place a variety of measures and have devoted a lot of resources to making gambling more responsible and safer. Users have changed their behavior as well; they are now more aware of tools such as deposit limits, time monitoring, self-exclusion programs, and reality checks. Different provinces put a lot of effort into education first, thus helping bettors notice the signs of risky behaviour and learn how to stay within healthy boundaries. This cultural change is contributing to the normalization of responsible gambling practices instead of being treated as a mere intervention.
The Social Element of Modern Betting
Since the legalization of sports betting in Canada, it has become much more of a social activity. People in their friend circles now talk about their bets, share parlays, and watch matches together, thus creating a new level of fun. Social media is very much involved in it as bettors post their predictions, celebrate their wins, or explain their unfortunate outcomes. There are more and more online communities dedicated to betting discussions, where people find wagering as a mutually enjoyable pastime rather than a lonely one. The feeling of togetherness is what makes Canadians use betting as a part of their sports routine in a joyful and engaging manner.
Adapting to the Variety of Betting Options
With the legalization of sports betting in Canada, there are now more options available that go beyond the typical single-game bets. Live betting, player props, same-game parlays, and futures markets have all become elements of the modern betting landscape. Such a variety demands the adaptation of the bettors, and a considerable number of them are figuring out the operating principles of each type, the value of the times when they offer, and the manner in which odds change dynamically. In addition, bettors are becoming acquainted with such concepts as payout volatility, implied probability, and risk management. The learning curve is definitely there, but it has also resulted in a richer and more strategic betting experience.
Integration of Betting in Sports Media
Wide channels and sports networks in Canada have been very much on board with the advent of the betting boom. Playouts of betting lines are part of the pre-game shows, analysts are using betting language patently to highlight something on the field, and treat the sports betting companies as a partner to a team or a league for branded content. Canadians are warming up to the reality where the provision of betting information is just a normal part of their sports coverage. The change is considerable, and it can be seen as a transitory moment when betting moved from being a small niche topic to becoming a standard element of sports entertainment.
A Growing but Responsible Cultural Shift
Canadians, in the wake of legalization, see sports betting as one natural way to extend their love for sports while recognizing the necessity of self-control. Thanks to enhanced access, better education, and more transparent platforms, the whole betting experience has become safer, more enjoyable, and more a part of the daily sports culture. Canadians, as the market expands, are creating a scenario where gambling becomes a tool for deepening their connection with sports rather than a source of anxiety.