Even a stopped clock is right twice a day...

I should have been aware of this amazing saying long ago as it is attributed to the famous children's author of "Alice's Adventures in Wonderland", Lewis Carroll, a.k.a., Charles L. Dodgson and also to a prominent Austrian writer Marie von Ebner-Eschenbach. But never late than never...

"Even a stopped clock is right twice a day."
Wow!
What a message that sends.

Customs compliance is not something to be left to chance and best practices should not be measured because "it worked before so it will work again". Customs compliance should be based on proven processes and procedures that are documented and utilized by every individual and department within an organization.

Just because a clock tells time accurately twice a day, does not mean that the clock is functioning in the best possible manner. Same goes with compliance. Navigating a compliance hurdle once or twice does not mean that the compliance program is best in class or does not need review and updating.

Sometimes, all the clock needs is a new battery and there are times when all the compliance program needs is a review to ensure it encompasses all aspects of the processes and procedures that a corporation requires to ensure that the implementation of procedures fall in-line with jurisdictional regulations and policy.

I had the privilege of recently attending two conferences where the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) were invited to speak and present on various topics. An interesting take away was that with the upcoming implementation of CARM (CBSA Accounting and Revenue Management Program) in October of 2023, CBSA will have a much clearer vision on importer compliance and will be able to act upon various data elements to focus on areas of importer non-compliance. Not to say that the non-compliance is being done maliciously. There will always be room for improvement. It is to say that CBSA is taking initiative to update their clock to be accurate most, if not all, of the time and therefore importers should be aware that their compliance can and will be scrutinized on a much more accurate level.

CBSA is providing advanced notice and guidance to importers to make sure there is a new battery in the clock. CBSA is being transparent in their intentions to enforce compliance and importers as well as exporters should take this notice and initiate proactive measure to implement best practices ensuring a compliant import/export structure within the implemented procedures of their respective organizations.

Staying on the theme of some of the recent Blog postings, food is something that everyone requires. However, too much food or food that may not contain the right nutrients is similar to a stopped clock. The clock tells time correctly twice a day. These types of food can be consumed but what benefits are there to having too much or not eating the items that provide benefit to ones physical well-being?

Think about it...
Food is a necessity. But the choice is up to each individual to ensure that the correct type of foods and applicable quantities are consumed. One may consider a food to be the "right" food but too much of it is not good at all. Just like a stopped clock can be right twice a day, it is wrong all the other times.

Leaving good compliance to "chance" leaves a whole lot of room for arising anomalies that translates in unexpected costs. We all want and hope that our compliance clock is accurate all the time and not just twice a day.



Recently, one of my main go to foods for protein is salmon. Here is an amazing recipe for pickled salmon that I just received from a close friend. Thank you Roz and Gordon!!!

Ingredients
Part 1
- 1 salmon fillet (without the skin and deboned)
- 2 tablespoons mayonnaise
- 1 to 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
- fresh garlic
- squeeze of half a fresh lemon or 1 tablespoon lemon juice
Part 2
- 3/4 cup of sugar
- 2 cups of ketchup
- 1 cup of cold water
- 1 to 2 tablespoons of pickling spices (I am told that the "Cedar Market Sweet and Spicy Zesty Citrus Seafood Rub" is an amazing spice to use for this recipe.)
- whole dill sprigs
- whole garlic cloves
Part 3
- sliced Spanish onion


Cut salmon into slices and place salmon fillet in a baking aluminum foil pan.
Mix the mayonnaise and Dijon mustard and rub into the salmon
Dice the fresh garlic clove(s) and sprinkle on top of the salmon
Squeeze the lemon or sprinkle the lemon juice on top of the salmon
Bake at 450 degrees Fahrenheit for 15 to 20 minutes.

While the salmon is baking, mix together all the following ingredients from part 2.
When salmon is ready allow to cool.

In a container, layer the salmon slices with the Spanish onion and pour sauce over. Repeat until container is full.
Close container, refrigerate and allow to marinate for 24 hours.

When serving, you can pour the sauce through a strainer to remove the pickling spices when serving.

Enjoy!!!
Location: Montreal, QC, Canada

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