I’m truly humbled to see that my new short, “Everest A Time Lapse Film – II,” is captivating audiences around the world. As always, my goal is to bring to life the majestic beauty of the Himalayas, and to inspire others to dream big, discover their passions and explore this beautiful planet we inhabit.

In 2005, I embarked on a journey to Mount Everest base camp as a young aspiring adventure filmmaker. I’d never really traveled, visited a country in the Global South or even slept in a tent. That first journey to Nepal changed everything.

My friend Dr. Sean Egan, who was 63 years old at the time and aspiring to become the oldest Canadian to climb to the highest point on Earth, and who also happened to be the subject of the documentary I was shooting, tragically died of heart failure and never made it to the summit of Everest.

It was shocking and devastating. In an attempt to honour his life I decided, never having climbed a mountain before, that I was going to climb Everest, carry his ashes to the summit and complete the documentary.

Since then, I’ve returned to Nepal 13 times. I’ve been on seven Everest expeditions, I’ve failed twice just 150 metres from the top, survived two avalanches and an earthquake, and stood on top of the world twice, in 2010 and 2013. Every time, with cameras in hand.

Perhaps the most meaningful experience of them all was sharing my first summit journey with 20,000 Canadian students who followed the journey virtually, every step of the way, from the safety of their classrooms. We created a real-time web series, and essentially shot, cut and connected with students in their classrooms via Skype daily, from more than 7,900 metres at Camp 4. In the end, we made it to the summit in person and virtually, Sean’s spirit with us.

It goes without saying that I’ve fallen in love with Nepal, her beautiful people and majestic mountains. My latest short film is the culmination of over a decade of shooting in the Himalayas and on Mount Everest.

Here are some details on what went into shooting the film, which I’d suggest you watch before reading on.

Challenges

• Temperatures as low as -20 C
• The altitude, as high as 6,400 metres
• The unexpected cloud cover and moisture
• Batteries dying constantly
• Lack of sleep
• A treacherous Icefall
• A 6, 000 metre mountain we needed to climb

Highest altitudes shots were taken from

• Camp 2 on Mount Everest at 6,400 metres
• The summit of Lobuche East at 6,119 metres

What are those glowing lights we see, and what is the Khumbu Icefall?

The Khumbu Icefall is a flowing river of ice that moves at the rate of one metre per day. It’s deadly, unforgiving and happens to be the gateway to Everest. It’s littered with open crevasses that you need to negotiate by crossing suspended ladders that the Sherpas carry and put in place. The glowing lights we see at the foot of Everest in some of the shots are climbers navigating and negotiating the seracs, crevasses and ice cliffs.

The Icefall is by far the most dangerous obstacle on Mount Everest and you must cross it in order to reach the upper part of the mountain, including Camp 1 and 2.

The secondary obstacle worth noting is the fact that we had to summit a 6,000 metre mountain to gain access to some of the shots you see of Everest, both at the beginning and end of the video. This required full expedition gear: ice axes, crampons, ascenders, fixed lines, etc.

As I wrote in my blog,“We climbed high above the clouds to 6,119m and set up camp for three nights on the summit of Mt Lobuche East waiting for a glimpse of Everest from one of the best ‘camp spots’ in the Himalayas. We patiently waited for two nights for the skies to break and finally, they did.”

The altitude has a debilitating effect on the human body, and so it takes a substantial effort on the part of many to establish this camp, carry the gear to the summit and camp out up there long enough to bring back some of these images. We used stoves to melt the snow, and feasted on dehydrated meal packs (think pasta in a bag) and noodle soup.

Gear I used to shoot this film

I solely used Canon cameras on this one. Canon Canada was kind enough to lend me some of the equipment below. I use Canon because of their weather sealing, and I happen to be a big fan of the aesthetics. I’ve been to the summit of Mount Everest twice, and have seen many cameras (and cameramen) fail up there.

• Two Canon 1DC’s
• Two Canon 5D Mark 3’s
• One Canon 5Dsr
• Two Canon 16-35mm 2.8
• Canon 11-24mm f4
• Canon 24mm 1.4
• Canon 70-200mm 2.8
• Canon 14mm 2.8
• 30 Canon batteries
• Yeti 800 Solar Generator
• Emotimo pan/tilt motorized head
• Four tripods
• Four Intervelometers
• Four 128 G CF cards
• 10 32G CF cards
• 16 4TB Lacie rugged hard drives

Software and gear used to edit the film

• Still images were edited in Adobe Lightroom
• Assisted at times with LR Time-Lapse
• Quicktime MOV’s created in LR TimeLapse
• Final edit assembled in Adobe Premiere
• Done on a Macbook Pro, 15 inch, 2014 model

All of the images were processed on location while at Mount. Everest base camp at night, under a headlamp, with a down-jacket on and in -25 C temperatures.

The number of still images captured, and the length of time it took to put them together

• 108 total time-lapses and set ups over two years in the Himalayas
• 44,069 still images created
• 26 shots, 1,896 stills or two minutes and 18 seconds make the final cut

That means 82 shots or 42,173 stills on the cutting room floor!

How I kept the batteries warm

Duct tape, hand warmers and hot water bottles. Low tech and affordable.

My crew

I worked closely with my friend and camera assistant, Pasang Kaji Sherpa, on this project. He was my right hand man in making sure I had what I needed to pull this off. We hired a small team of porters who work with me year after year, men I consider great friends.

Locations the images were shot from

• Summit of Mount Lobuche East
• Camp 2 on Mount Everest
• Camp 1 on Mount Everest
• Everest basecamp (near the entrance)
• Khumjung Village
• Namche Bazaar
• Pheriche Village

Camera settings

Behind the scenes

I’ve kept these images hidden for almost four years. They were created in 2014 and 2015, seasons that contained the deadliest day in Everest history. Many lost their lives, and I was at ground zero both years. I’m not sure I’ll ever forget what I saw in those two seasons, both during and after the avalanches. Somehow, I felt keeping these images hidden showed respect for the fallen.

The images at Camp 2 were created right after the 2014 avalanche that claimed the lives of 16 Sherpas. We were trapped above the area where 16 died at Camp 1 and 2, and had to remain in place for three days, unable to assist in the evacuations. Shooting the night skies eased some of the helplessness we all felt.

In 2015, much of what you see in this video was captured days before we got hit by the avalanche at base camp during the Earthquake. No one can ever be prepared for such devastation. It’s taken a long time to work through the loss and perhaps, somehow, releasing these images is my way of fully letting go and remembering the beauty, wonder and freedom that comes along with climbing the world’s tallest peak.

Advice for aspiring adventurers and creators

I’d say that the magic of today’s technology is that we can all create films like this with very minimal technology. An affordable DSLR or mirrorless camera, a decent lens, an intervelometer and some processing and editing software is all you need.

What’s also required is the willingness to travel outside of your comfort zone into these kinds of beautiful environments. 13 years ago I had never even slept in a tent and look where I ended up. Who knew!

I do what I do because I hope in a small way I inspire you to live your own version of your best life. Your life of adventure, in whatever shape or form it takes. Life on your terms is an extraordinary life. It can be shaped, and it’s possible. It often takes a certain level of risk to arrive, but damn is it worth the effort. Shoot for the stars my friends!

Making the decision to incorporate more plant-based foods into your diet can be both exciting and overwhelming. Learning to eat and cook with vegan staples can feel similar to the process of learning a new language — initially intimidating and confusing, but as time goes on it begins to make sense.

For people who are looking to go vegan, or just incorporate more plant-based foods to their diet, finding simple substitutions for familiar foods can help ease the transition, but navigating the options can often be a task unto itself.

We’ve taken the guesswork out of the grocery shopping, and compiled a list of some of our favourite vegan substitutes to make your move to a meatless diet that much easier.

Coconut yogurt

Whether you love it as dessert, a snack, or as part of a breakfast parfait, switching to a comparable non-dairy yogurt is not without its challenges (ie. odd textures and unappealing tastes).

We’ve tried many different brands and while we’d agree not all are created equal, one of our faves is YOSO’s Premium Creamy Cultured Coconut: high in fibre, calcium, and gut-friendly prebiotics, we go gaga for both their chocolate and vanilla flavours.

Coconut bacon

Before we get started with the naysayers, let’s establish the fact that vegan bacon doesn’t taste exactly the same as traditional bacon. But, we’ve discovered several salty, smoky, crisp and crunchy alternatives that give our salads and sandwiches a flavourful boost, and from a cruelty-free perspective, that’s great in our books.

A particular favourite among us plant lovers is Phoney Baloney’s Coconut Bacon, which comes bacon-bit ready and is perfect for the aforementioned dishes, as well as baked potatoes, pizza, and even ice cream.

Tempeh bacon

For meals where strips of crispy, protein-rich goodness are required, we turn to Turtle Island Foods’ Smoky Maple Bacon Flavoured Tempeh for a pan-fry-able, non-GMO meat alternative.

Pre-marinated (and packaged in a recycled and recyclable box), all that’s required is to sizzle and serve, side of waffles optional!

Beet burger

Stocking the freezer with quality, plant-based food means we’re much more likely to go meatless on any given day of the week. One of our latest obsessions for meal planning is Sol Cuisine’s Sunflower Beet Burger — say buh bye to bland, frozen burgers with this nutrient-rich twist on a traditional taste thanks to sunflower and hemp seeds, beets, and the brand’s Signature Superfoods Blend.

Cauliflower “Cheezies”
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Cauliflower is finally having its day thanks to its many essential nutrients, and we can’t get enough of its latest incarnation as a healthy snackfood, thanks in part to Vegan Rob’s Probiotic Cauliflower Puffs.

Made with organic and non-GMO ingredients, as well as vegan probiotics to support a healthy gut, this seasoned veggie puff makes the list as one of our must-have “cheesy” treats.

Coconut butter

Whether used for baking, cooking, or simply spreading on toast, we are particularly fond of Earth Balance’s Organic Coconut Spread in lieu of conventional butter.

Its creamy texture and recognizable taste make it a simple switch, and its non-GMO ingredients and organic coconut oils are a healthier choice.

Raw cacao butter

If you’re fans of bulletproof coffee like we are, you could try substituting traditional butter for raw cacao butter like this one from Ecoideas.

While cacao butter and conventional butter do not have the same nutritional components, we find the consistency and taste of the organic cacao butter works well in this blended coffee recipe, and is a healthy fat to boost.

Vegan mayonnaise

Choosing vegan options shouldn’t mean giving up taste; to the contrary, one of the things we love most about plant-based food is how delicious they’ve become.

Mayonnaise, for example, is a staple in sauces and dips, or for adding a little zest to our sandwiches and wraps, so we recommend Earth Island’s Organic Veganaise for a creamy, plant-based spread.

Dairy-free chocolate chips

We’re loyal consumers of Enjoy Life’s range of allergy-friendly products, and we’ve tested their vegan chocolate chips in just about every recipe possible, to rave reviews and tasty results.

Whether baking in cookies, grilling in pancakes, or training your children to behave (hey, we’re not past a little sweet bribery), these teeny bites are our go-to anytime we need a non-dairy chocolate chip.

Nutritional yeast parmesan

Within the vegan community, nutritional yeast like this one from Bragg is considered a staple seasoning.

Rich in B vitamins including B12, the cheesy taste of this nutritional powerhouse makes it ideal for adding to “cheese” sauces, or sprinkling on popcorn, salads and pastas.

TORONTO — Ontario will cap minimum wage at $14 an hour until fall 2020 as part of a rollback of labour reforms introduced by the previous Liberal regime, the Progressive Conservative government announced Tuesday, drawing praise from businesses and criticism from unions and anti-poverty advocates.

The government said new rules — which will link future minimum-wage increases to the inflation rate and reduce the number of personal leave days — will help cut red tape and encourage business investment.

“The previous government brought in a tsunami of new burdens and regulations that have imposed significant unnecessary costs on businesses and stifled economic growth,” said Economic Development Minister Jim Wilson as the government detailed its proposed labour legislation.

Ontario’s minimum wage increased from $11.60 to $14 an hour on Jan. 1, and was set to rise to $15 an hour next year as a result of the Liberals’ labour laws. Under the government’s new legislation, it will remain at $14 until October 2020.

Story continues after video:

Labour Minister Laurie Scott said the government will be using an “economically sound metric” to decide the rate of future increases.

“Ontario workers and businesses deserve a minimum wage determined by economics not politics,” she said.

The government’s labour bill, if passed, will also cut two paid personal leave days for workers, bringing their total to eight — three for personal illness, two for bereavement leave and three for family responsibilities.

The legislation keeps provisions brought in by the Liberals that granted workers up to 10 days of leave if they or their child experiences domestic or sexual violence. It will also maintain regulations that grant Ontario workers three weeks of paid vacation after five years of service.

But a number of scheduling provisions will be scrapped under the Tory bill, including a minimum of three hours pay in the event a shift is cancelled 48 hours or less before it was scheduled to begin.

“We will reverse the needless scheduling restrictions and give back employers the flexibility to have the right staff at the right time,” Scott said.

The government’s moves on the labour file were applauded by some in the business community who had argued against the minimum wage increase and labour reforms when they were brought in last year.

Jocelyn Bamford, of the Coalition of Concerned Manufacturers, said the wage hike was “too much too soon.”

“This legislation will go a long way to maintaining the viability of small and medium businesses in the province and will help us save jobs,” she said.

Others, however, said the government was undoing measures that had made life easier for families and vowed to push back.

“We’ve known for a long time that Doug Ford is no friend of workers,” said Ontario Federation of Labour President Chris Buckley. “With today’s announcement he’s proven exactly that.”

Pam Frache, of the advocacy group Fight for $15 and Fairness, said by rolling back Liberal labour reforms, Ford was breaking a campaign pledge to stick up for regular Ontario residents.

“What Mr. Ford has announced today is not a government that is for the people but a government for the corporate elite,” she said.

NDP Leader Andrea Horwath said she was skeptical about whether the Ford government will actually follow through the pledge to increase the minimum wage in 2020.

“We’ll have to wait,” she said. “What we know for sure is that Ontario workers are being dragged backwards so Mr. Ford can hand out the goodies to his friends in the business community.”

Previously On HuffPost:

Canada is home to one of the largest populations of ultra-wealthy, and the ultra-rich are only getting richer.

A new report from New York-based research firm Wealth-X takes stock of the world’s “ultra high net worth” (UHNW) individuals — people with a net worth above US$30 million — and it found that there were 10,840 ultra-wealthy people in Canada last year. That’s up by 13.9 per cent from the previous year.

These individuals boast combined assets of US$1.153 trillion dollars, a figure that signals a 14.8 per cent increase from 2016.

Canada ranks above Hong Kong, Switzerland

Coming in fifth place, Canada has more ultra-rich people than France (10,120), Hong Kong (10,010) and Switzerland (6,400). The United States, Germany, China and Japan are the only countries with more.

The authors of the report credit Canada’s “robust” expansion of the ultra-wealthy population to “an improving domestic economy, higher market yields and a stronger currency.”

The fact that Canada has more high net worth residents than many European countries on the list can be partly attributed to our lack of an inheritance tax, according to one expert.

“Canada doesn’t have such a tax, whereas most European countries do,” Ricardo Tranjan, senior researcher at the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives (CCPA), told the CBC.

In 2017, there were about 256,000 UHNW individuals with combined assets of $31.5 trillion, a sharp acceleration from the previous year. According to the report, 2017 represented a six-year high in the gains of the uber-rich.

Notably, a record-high share of of the UHNW population in 2017 were women, accounting for 13.7 per cent of the global total.

Rich get richer?

As the number of ultra-wealthy people in Canada increased from the previous year, the wealth possessed by them also rose by 14.8 per cent.

The picture isn’t so rosy across the board.

While the average Canadians’ net worth increased in 2017, it rose much more slowly than for the super-rich — by 2.5 per cent from the first quarter of 2017 to the first quarter of 2018.

Canadian households’ net worth also fell 0.2 per cent in the first quarter of the year — a first since 2015. StatsCan attributed the dip to large declines in equity and investment funds and continued weak growth in household residential real estate.

The CCPA recently went all the way back to 1999 for a wider look at the overall state of Canadian wealth distribution, concluding that the country’s “failure to adequately address the growing gap in average incomes is producing outrageous fortunes among Canada’s wealthiest family dynasties.”

The CCPA found that from 2012 to 2016, the average net worth of Canada’s wealthiest families rose by 37 per cent, while the net worth of middle class families increased by 16 per cent over the same period.

“Canada’s wealthiest 87 families now have 4,448 times more wealth than the average Canadian family,” the report reads. “And they collectively own the same amount as the lowest-earning 12 million Canadians.”

Poised to continue

Despite significant geopolitical tensions in 2017, the wealthy got wealthier because of eased volatility in global financial markets and stable exchange rates against the U.S. dollar, according to Wealth-X.

The firm predicts that this trend will continue, with the global population of ultra-rich people rising to 360,390 people by 2022 — an increase of almost 105,000 compared with last year. Their combined wealth is projected to increase to $44.3 trillion.

The firm expects the Asia-Pacific region to see the strongest growth in the near future while North America is positioned for continued underperformance. The report summarizes the trend as “a more balanced distribution of global ultra wealth.”

Correction: An earlier version of this article incorrectly stated that the overall net worth of the average Canadian declined during 2017. The figure cited reflected a quarter-to-quarter decline. The article has been updated with figures for 2017 as a whole.

MONTREAL — La Maison Simons is apologizing after it named a product in a new women’s lingerie line after former Supreme Court chief justice Beverley McLachlin.

In a letter to customers, the Quebec-based retailer’s president Peter Simons apologized to McLachlin for selling the “Beverley bralette” as part of a line of clothing meant to honour women who made a historic contribution to Canada.

Simons says the line was “in poor taste” and he is offering his sincerest apologies to McLachlin.

His note says all materials related to the line have been discontinued and destroyed and that his team will be meeting to discuss the issue and ensure the company learns from the incident.

At the request of McLachlin, Simons says his company will be participating in a fundraising campaign for the Cornerstone Housing for Women emergency shelter organization in Ottawa.

McLachlin retired in December after spending 28 years at the Supreme Court, including almost 18 as chief justice.