The Senior Times Online

Toots and his soulful “harp” headline High Lights festival

2012-02-09T18:33:00.000-08:00

Irwin Block

February 2012

Toots Thielemans, the first and arguably world’s best bebop harmonica player, was on the phone from Brussels asking who is headlining the Montreal High Lights Festival (Montréal en Lumière).

“Why, it’s you, sir,” I replied, and the pause in our conversation indicated a degree of surprise—a modesty that belies his incredible talent and a career that started at age 3 when he taught himself to play accordion.

He turns 90 on April 29 and enjoys an active performance career with gigs in Europe, Japan and North America. Thielemans plays Théâtre Maisonneuve February 16, part of the annual 11-day festival of music, performance art, exhibits and light shows.

Born Jean Baptiste Frédéric Isadore Thielemans—he acquired the Toots nickname in honour of swing-era saxophonist Toots Mondello and orchestra leader Toots Camarata—and taught himself the guitar while bedridden with asthma, picking up the swing style of Roma guitarist Django Reinhardt.

Thielemans built his reputation when he picked up bebop after hearing leading players in Paris and on 52nd St. in New York City. He eventually joined the Benny Goodman groups and Charlie Parker All Stars.

It was only in the 1950s, when he made an impact on the jazz scene with his harmonica, that it became his favoured instrument.

Harmonica player Toots Thielemans chooses the key that is best suited to bring out the emotion of a song. Photo courtesy of the High Lights festival

Thielemans said that over the years he has lost some agility in his left hand. His asthmatic history hasn’t
impeded his artistry on the chromatic harmonica.

“I learned the jazz language on the guitar and the harmonica more or less simultaneously,” he said.

“The harmonica is almost complete as an instrument, and I’ve played it with and been influenced by some of the great innovators—(pianists) Bill Evans, George Shearing and Oscar Peterson, and (band leader) Quincy Jones.

“When I started, Charlie Parker was the guru and we had the same manager, so I ended up playing with his band in Philadelphia.

“Dinah Washington was the vocalist and Miles Davis and Milt Jackson were in the band. But Benny Goodman discovered me in Europe.

“I never thought I, a little man from a small and humble neighbourhood in Brussels, would end up playing with these musicians.”

Thielemans recalled an anecdote from a 1995 jazz festival concert here when he played his version of Jacques Brel’s anthemic Ne Me Quitte Pas. (He first played it in 1982 during a celebration of Brel’s legacy.)

“I adapted the harmony along modal lines, and it was a triumph. I still have the cassette,” he said. “When I feel a bit down, when I need a lift, I listen to this. I got a two-minute ovation!”

He was in a quartet with pianist Kenny Werner, who rejoins him here this month.

He credits his 1970s Affinity album with pianist Evans for earning him acceptance as a major jazz artist, and says it led to him playing with electric bass innovator Jaco Pastorius.

Over the phone, Toots played a few bars of ’Round About Midnight.

“It’s worth more than words,” he said.

He credits the late American harmonica genius Larry Adler for “putting the harmonica on the map.”

And his secret for a continuing career as he approaches his 90th?

“The notes are the same, the scales are the same,” he said as he ran through a set of scales.

“I practice every day. I usually put on an animal show on TV, especially with fish, and no sound, and I do scales, and modal scales, in every key, and I try to play softly, Stella by Starlight, in B flat and B natural.

“I choose the key that is best suited to the song. I try to play in all the keys, and if I have a strong point, it’s the emotion that I bring out.”

A big advantage of the harmonica:

“It’s an instrument you can play at 4 in the morning, even in a hotel.

“Nobody will kick you out of the hotel. You can’t do that with the trombone.”

irblock@hotmail.com

Just good ole exercise – hold the disco

2012-02-09T18:18:00.000-08:00

Irwin Block

February 2012

Ever wondered what goes on in that spanking new glass-enclosed building on the athletic grounds at the Loyola Campus of Concordia University on Sherbrooke W.?

Dr. Hugues Beauregard, 69, dropped by last month and now the Montreal endocrinologist works out virtually every day at the $35-million facility known as the PERFORM Centre.

That’s the acronym combining its central features: prevention, evaluation, rehabilitation and form(ation), combining the French word for training and the shape we’d like to be in. It opened in September and the public, juniors and seniors alike, is invited to join.

Whatever you do, do not call the 8,000-square-metre facility a “gym,” says Marian Lowe, a certified exercise physiologist who manages programs at the centre.

Iordanka Noteva (left) and Concordia student Zech Bouchard work out at the PERFORM Centre. Photos: Irwin Block

She says it is a unique combination of research, education and community engagement, fitted with the latest equipment and led by highly trained specialists.

Walk in and you will see the centre is bathed in pastel colours and natural light, augmented by fluorescent lamps, and there is no blaring disco music. The ventilation system keeps the air fresh. Treadmills have their own music, video screens, WiFi and, thanks to earphones, merciful silence is maintained.

Lots of room separates the various machines, which are surrounded by a walking track.

Each participant is assessed by a qualified exercise specialist, and the focus combines prevention, research and promotion of better health and lifestyle choices based on regular exercise suited for each persons’s age and condition.

Participation in research is voluntary.

Beauregard, who has always been active—cycling, skiing and golfing—was attracted to the centre by its location and the fact that it is managed by the university.

“For me, that is an indication of quality,” he said. “They are used to working with students who are doing research. Physical activity and education is a science that is evolving, and by being part of a university group, I have more chance of profiting from advances based on that research.”

When he signed up for a semester, he was tested for his aerobic capacity.

He was observed by a staff professional on various exercise machines to determine which muscle groups were weakest.

They measured his waist, blood pressure, and mapped out a training program that takes a bit more than an hour.

“I plan to come at least twice a week. My goal is to avoid deteriorating too rapidly.”

Good intentions aside, he admitted the challenge is to continue.

Endocrinologist Hugues Beauregard gets on the equipment at Concordia nearly every day.

The base cost, Beauregard said, was “quite reasonable” compared with other fitness centres—$150 for a 16-week semester (plus tax), or $450 for the full year. (It’s less for students and staff.) There are additional charges for sessions with personal trainers. The basic $30 charge is for learning how to use the smart key, which monitors aerobic performance on most machines and compares them with goals.

There are several other preparatory programs, up to the $180 charge, which includes smart-key training, 90-minute assessment and mapping out a program, a further 90-minute session with a personal trainer, and a 30-minute follow-up a couple of weeks later.

Each person’s program is copied on their smart key—“our honesty key, which registers what you did,” Lowe says.

The centre welcomes those who have been ill, have chronic orthopedic issues, and those who get no or insufficient exercise.

“We would like to work on prevention and management of diseases, so quality of life is there,” Lowe notes.

The centre’s certified athletic therapists also train interns in Concordia’s highly regarded exercise science program.

People with particular orthopedic issues—knees, hips—can be assessed by a student, supervised by a certified trainer, including special “resistance pools,” where movement in the water can be observed through side windows underground at the centre’s athletic therapy clinic. The charge is $25 for a full hour.

Sociologist Iordanka Noteva, at 74, is a self-disciplined regular exerciser. She filled out a questionnaire before starting her two-hour-a-day program. No assessment necessary.

“I believe that every person must care for their spiritual, emotional and physical well being. Exercise should be a daily habit—don’t diet, reduce your intake, more vegetables, more apples. I believe exercise is good for me.”

Lowe observes: “It’s never too late. The body really does respond well when it is taken care of.”

irblock@hotmail.com

The PERFORM Centre is at 7200 Sherbrooke W. 514-848-4544.

Olympian warns against lung disease

2012-02-09T18:16:00.000-08:00

Irwin Block

February 2012

Olympic gold medalist Sylvie Fréchette had never heard of chronic obstructive pulmonary disorder until five years ago, when her mother-in-law was diagnosed with the disease.

Early on, Fréchette, 44, who won gold in synchronized swimming at the 1992 Olympic Games in Barcelona, warned Mimi Van Strydonck not to smoke around her or the children she planned to have with her then-fiancé, Pascal Van Strydonck.

She stopped, but her cough persisted.

“Her skin was grey, she had no energy and was always out of breath,” Fréchette, mother of two girls, said from her home in St. Sauveur.

At first her mother-in-law was found to have sleep apnea—pauses in breathing or shallow breaths while asleep—but even breathing with the help of a machine at night did not help her deteriorating condition.

She was then diagnosed with COPD, was prescribed medication and began using a respirator. With supreme effort, after five years, she was able to use the stairs at Fréchette’s two-storey home to tuck in her granddaughters Emma and Maya.

Fréchette’s message, on behalf of the Quebec Lung Association, about COPD: “Please stop smoking. And if you are out of breath, consult a doctor. If you have this disease and don’t take it seriously, your condition will degrade really quickly. Your whole body will be taxed by this condition.”

The damage to the lungs for someone who has COPD is irreversible, noted Dr. Gaston Ostiguy, specialist in respiratory medication and director of the McGill University Hospital Centre’s smoking-cessation clinic. After stopping smoking, it is important to relearn how to breathe and to exercise to help reduce shortness of breath.

“Very often, people suffering from COPD are depressed, and this has to be addressed as well,” Ostiguy said. “Proper medication, including anti-inflammatories, rehabilitation and paying attention to depression reduce considerably the morbidity of this illness.”

In contrast with cardiac patients, who can be treated and released within five days, those with COPD will stay in the hospital for about 10 days, which costs about $10,000—an enormous cost to society, when you consider they often require hospitalization twice a year, he said.

Readers who cough persistently, are short of breath or have other symptoms should consult their physician.

irblock@hotmail.com

Ex-smokers work toward recovery through exercise at YMHA

2012-02-09T18:03:00.000-08:00

Irwin Block

February 2012

A small group of women is deftly moving through their paces on the exercise and muscle building machines at the YM-YWHA on Westbury in N.D.G.

Most are ex-smokers recovering from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and are enrolled in one of a dozen therapeutic exercise programs at the bustling complex.

The concept was dreamed up and developed seven years ago by Joseé Baillargeon and Louise Malone, based on research showing the benefits for those living with or recovering from chronic illnesses.

“But it’s very difficult for them to actually step into a gym,” said Baillargeon, the Y’s co-ordinator of therapeutic fitness. She’s a registered nurse as well.

“We get people to come in and meet a trainer, one on one or in a small group, and slowly integrate them into a program.”

The people in the COPD group, come to the complex twice a week for 10 weeks. Baillargeon or another trainer shows them how the cardiovascular and weight-training machines work, map out an individualized program and get them started in classes.

“This is a great transition for people,” she said. The goal with this group is 30 minutes of continuous cardiovascular training and then strength-training exercises.

“We monitor their oxygen.”

The program caters to people with cardiac issues who are heavily overweight or have diabetes, Parkinson’s, multiple sclerosis, stress or are in cancer rehab.

Some work in conjunction with the McGill Cardiovascular Health Improvement Program.

The process starts with an evaluation, including a full medical questionnaire, an examination of posture, including previous injuries, and the establishment of goals.

“Even if it’s a group exercise, everyone will do what’s best for them.”

According to Baillargeon, the best indication of success is the number of participants who renew, and at least 90 per cent do so. Another indication is that the person becomes an independent exerciser.

“Most will become full members of the Y and often continue with their original trainer, seeing them maybe every two months to update their program and evaluate progress.”

You don’t have to be a Y member to join a therapeutic exercise program, though after two sessions you are expected to join.

A 12-week program, including the trainer’s fee, costs $600, which also gives access to the Y’s swimming pool and other facilities. You work with the trainer an hour a week, or during two half hours, for a total of 12 hours. The cost for Y members is $540.

To Montrealers who have not made exercise a part of their lives, Baillargeon’s message is: “It’s never too late. You’ll feel better, have more energy, feel stronger and have a better appetite. There is no negative. There are so many options, you can exercise by yourself, in a group, in smaller groups, take a yoga class or aqua fitness.

“We all have the time to exercise, we just have to make the time.”

The YM-YWHA is at 5400 Westbury. 514-737-6551, ext. 292. Yearly membership for those 65 and up is $522, plus tax. For those 30-64, it’s $648 plus tax.

For the McGill Cardiovascular Health Improvement Program, call 514-489-6630.

irblock@hotmail.com

Yangtze tradition rises from the ashes

2012-02-09T18:00:00.000-08:00

Irwin Block

February 2012

When fire destroyed the popular Yangtze Restaurant on Van Horne December 3, the reaction from its fans was immediate. A 55-year tradition, famous for its golden egg rolls, serious plum sauce and succulent garlic spare ribs—highlights of its traditional Cantonese cuisine—went up in smoke, and many West End residents felt a deep sense of loss.

The lament was so loud that the owners, while awaiting a settlement with insurance adjusters before deciding whether to rebuild, relocated two weeks later to 6066 Sherbrooke W. at Hampton, in the vacant premises of Tchang Kiang, which closed in July.

They adjusted to changing tastes by adding specialties to the Szechuan and Peking menu that Tchang Kiang had been offering. But it’s those hearty mainstays—the spare-rib-chicken fried rice-chow mein combos—that is drawing loyal Yangtze fans to the new location. The dinner for two, Yangtze-style, ranges from $22 to $35, or $12.50 to $17.50 for single diners.

Symbolizing the merger of the traditions is a painting of the former red and yellow sign that was a magnet for hungry West End residents for almost 55 years.

The new home is in a classy dining room with black furniture and fittings, Chinese lanterns and wall art, plus soft music. It is an intimate setting, with 70 comfortable chairs, and several cozy nooks. There is a full bar, but we asked for a pot of Jasmine tea to set the right mood for the evening repast.

We decided to forgo the Yangtze mainstays, opting instead for some of the newer dishes.

I chose the Peking hot and sour soup ($3.50), which was sufficiently spicy and tasty. Barbara, a vegetarian, was equally interested in soup, but was told all were made with chicken broth. Owner Marco Yao promised to rectify this.

He also said the cooks would expand the range of vegetarian offerings, which at this point are limited to three—tofu with vegetables ($12), mixed vegetables ($11), and a broccoli, black mushroom and snow pea dish ($13). This should add appeal to those who prepare their Chinese without meat, fish, or seafood, and a good move as the Yangtze reinvents itself.

At Yao’s suggestion, I was served a heaping dish of sesame beef ($13.50), which was not too sweet. The scallops came piping hot in a light sauce garnished with snow peas and red pepper.

The Chinese curried chicken ($14) was served in a brown sauce with onions, green pepper and celery and, though marked with a chile pepper, was mild.

We would suggest that those who like their dishes to have more of a bite should tell their servers when placing their orders.

We were so full, we decided against the chilled lichee dessert, saving that for our return. The espresso was a welcome surprise.

Highlights of the 11-day Montreal High Lights festival

2012-02-09T16:24:00.000-08:00

February 2012

Perhaps you already have tickets for Montreal High Lights Festival headliner Toots Thielemans (see page 3). Now what? Irwin Block shares his jazz festival picks:

February 16, 8 pm: Pianist Menachem Pressler, with three string players, performs Mozart’s Piano Quartet No. 1 K 478, Dvorak’s Piano Quartet No. 2, and Debussy’s Estampes, at Maison symphonique de Montréal, 175 Ste. Catherine W. $35.50 to $80.50. 514-842-9951.

February 16-27: In Absentia, the new play by Morris Panych, directed by Ralph Surette, is a riveting mystery and moving story of vanished love. Centaur Theatre, 453 St. François Xavier. $33-$45. 514-288-3161.

February 16-26: Scientific Americans, a gripping play by John Mighton, directed by Andrew Shaver, on the moral responsibility when scientific research can lead to death and destruction, is featured at the Segal Theatre, 5170 Côte Ste. Catherine. $22-$34. 514-739-7944.

February 18, 8:30 pm: Jireh Gospel Choir. Dinner and show $62.50, show only $25. Taxes and tip not included. Arrive early for dinner at Le Balcon, 304 Notre Dame E., behind Bonsecours Market. 514-526-9766.

February 25, 8 pm: Cellist Jorane performs with I Musici de Montréal in the intimate setting of the Gesù, 1200 Bleury. $41.50, seniors and students $38.50. 514-861-4036.

February 26, 4 pm: Ne me Quitte Pas, a testimonial to Belgian singer/songwriter Jacques Brel by a cavalcade of Quebec singers. Maison symphonique de Montréal, $63-$78, plus tax and service fee. 514-842-2112.

The Montreal High Lights Festival (Montréal en Lumière) runs February 16 to 26. montrealenlumiere.com , 514-288-9955 or 1-855-864-3737.

Two musical events celebrate Argentinian folklore and tango

2012-02-09T16:14:00.000-08:00

Kristine Berey

February 2012

Since 1970, the eminent chamber ensemble Musica Camerata has sought to bring to light music that is beautiful and original, yet not as well known as it should be.

This month’s concert, with composers from the Americas, Spain and “chez nous,” held at the Segal Centre for Performing Arts, promises to be revelatory and inspiring.

“Quebec composer Jacques Hétu is one of my favourite Canadian composers,” says violinist Luis Grinhauz, a founding member of Musica Camerata.

“Like all the great classical composers, he had a clear image of the structure of the music. His Adagio and Rondo for string quartet is a very non-sentimental, beautiful piece of music. His language was absolutely 20th century but it is very easy to understand his music. The message is very clear.”

Late 19th-century composer Amy Beach’s Theme and Variations for flute and string quartet will be on the program as well. One of the few female composers of the time, Beach created “terrific” music, Grinhauz says.

“It is late romantic, very related to Scriabin and Rachmaninoff. As far as we know, we were one of the first to play her chamber music, which was not very well known, because she was a woman. Yet she wrote 200 works including piano concerts, symphonies and solo works for piano.”

Alberto Ginastera, who died in 1983, is Argentina’s best-known composer.

“I met him when we were living in Argentina and I asked him about his piece Impresiones de la Puna for flute and string quartet. He wrote it when he was 18 and said it was ‘old fashioned’ and he didn’t want to hear about it. Yes, it’s old fashioned, but it’s beautiful.”

“There is always a drama” when tango is danced and when it is sung. Photo courtesy of the High Lights festival

Grinhauz explained that the piece is based on folklore. “People think the only Argentinian music is tango, but composers use folklore in their pieces, music that incorporates elements of Gaucho country music, old Spanish songs and music of the Incas.”

Music by Spanish and Brazilian composers will also be featured, but in this concert, there will be no tango music.

However, when the conversation turns to another much-anticipated show, Tango Pasion at Place des Arts, Grinhauz’s love for the music he grew up with is palpable.

The show will feature Argentinean tango, music and song presented by 12 of Buenos Aires’ finest tango dancers, and a live seven-piece orchestra directed by Juan Carlos Zunini.

“This kind of music is sensual and passionate, and there is a tenderness in the melodies that you have to hear to be captivated,” Grinhauz says.

He explains that tango is not folklore, because every piece is created by an individual composer.

“Tango is danced, in principle, but it is also sung. It is a sad poem that you can dance.

“Someone once said, ‘there is always a drama,’ a man whose woman left so he is crying, or the love of a mother, but never political, never a protest, though sometimes it could be a social critique.”

Grinhauz said that most of these poems were written by men and traditionally only men played in the orchestra, but there were female singers right from the beginning.

“I have records of those ladies of the tango, and then the tango is to be listened to, like jazz. You don’t dance, you sit and have a glass of wine.”

Musica Camerata will perform at the Segal Centre on February 26, at 2:30 pm. 514 739-7944.

Tango Pasion runs February 23-25 at Theatre Maisonneuve at Place des Arts. 514-842-2112.

Letter to the Editor

2012-02-09T16:00:00.000-08:00

February 2012

It seems all but certain that Stephen Harper is set to hike the qualifying age for the old-age security (OAS) from 65 to 67. For our most vulnerable seniors, that means they will go without $30,000 of much-needed support for two additional years. For you, it may mean significantly altering your plans for retirement. And you are not alone.

Over the next 10 years, more than 4 million Canadians will turn 65. Unless you are set to retire with an annual pension of more than $112,000, Harper is telling you to rethink your plans. He is blaming the baby-boomers. But as the retirement wave peaks in 2031, increased spending on the OAS will only increase by 0.7 per cent of Canada’s overall economy.

Harper is the same guy who said the Canada Pension Plan should be scrapped in 1998. Government involvement in the financial security of Canadians stands counter to his ideology.

As Conservatives choose to take benefits from seniors, Liberals continue to fight for balanced pension reforms that will ensure Canadians financial security. Liberals will fight for a voluntary supplemental CPP that will provide a low-cost, high-return, universal option that Canadians can rely on.

—Hon. Judy Sgro, MP

Liberal Party Critic for Seniors and Pensions

The good, the bad and the beautiful on the Greek island of Icaria

2012-02-09T15:53:00.000-08:00

click here to view images of Icaria

Barbara Moser and Irwin Block

February 2012

Drawn by an enthusiastic description in The Lonely Planet, we took a ferry to the so-called Red Island, Icaria. Many Greek communists were exiled there after the Greek civil war, which followed the Second World War.

We were nearing the home stretch of our Greek island hop last summer and we decided to take a chance on this lesser-known North Aegean destination. Remember, our travelling mantra is as much “why not?” as “why?”

We took a cab to the Dionysus Hotel in the hamlet of Kambos (100 inhabitants) up a winding road three kilometres from the secondary port, Evdilos (about 500 inhabitants), and met the reputedly effusive Vassilis, who runs the establishment. Although the location was uphill, our stay was downhill and a reminder that you can’t always go by the guidebook. For one thing, Vassilis had told us jokingly over the phone that the room would be “45 degrees,” but the room at that price had no window. The better room was 55 euro and we took it. We then trekked downhill 500 metres to the beach, a trial for Barbara and her (in)famous weak knees. The waves were so strong that she couldn’t venture in, although Irwin battled the waves for a short time before giving up.

We walked back to Vassilis’, and then another 500 metres or so to Kampos for a moderately interesting dinner at the only restaurant, which overlooked the terraced hills—stunning. This island is a photographer’s dream even if all we did is point and shoot.

Sights included two mules on the way from Vassilis’ to the town and—for the ear—the never-ending and overwhelming cicadas created a fitting soundscape for the early evening walk.

As it turns out, all that walking is among the reasons residents have unusually long lifespans.

A National Geographic crew looking at Blue Zones, where residents tend to live longest, found that Icaria has the highest percentage of 90-year-olds anywhere on the planet—nearly one-third of people make it to their 90s.

They also have about 20 per cent lower rates of cancer, 50 per cent lower rates of heart disease and almost no dementia. While lifespans are about 20 per cent dictated by our genes, locals who live in mountain villages burn a lot more energy by carrying out their daily activities. Their diet is high in olive oil, fruits and vegetables, and very high in greens. About 150 kinds of veggies grow wild on the island and they have about 10 times the level of antioxidants in red wine, the magazine reported. Similar longevity rates are found in Okinawa, Costa Rica and Sardinia.

We had planned to stay four nights at the Dionysus, but realized one night would be more than sufficient. In the morning, Vassilis made us a delightful breakfast of yogurt with honey, fruit and “fritters,” which we had thought was included in the price but turned out to cost 5 euro each. Okay.

He called us a cab, which arrived an hour later, and we returned to Evdilos, where we had docked. There we spent the next 18 hours, after booking a ferry, which left at 4:30 am and would take us back to Samos Island and its capital, Vathie. Had we known then that Evdilos would prove to be such a charming little place, we would have perhaps stayed another couple of days.

We took a room in a nice little modern hotel with a pool, right in the heart of the village. We dined twice at a fabulous little fish restaurant overlooking the harbour and watched children swim in the clear, still waters that run deep.

We ordered a huge seafood plate with grilled vegetables and ended up meeting a group of former revolutionaries who dined with us. They were the friendliest group of Greek tourists we had met. There to attend the wedding of their children, they regaled us with stories of the history of Icaria.

The huge plates of fresh seafood, the silence, broken only by laughter among fellow diners and the splish-splash of the children frolicking in the harbour made for an unforgettable evening.

Evdilos is the first village we’ve visited where there is virtually no English spoken or written on menus and tourists are a tiny minority. No hustling either.

At 4:30 am, we took the ferry back to the Samos capital, Vathie, for two nights and then to the last island on our five-week escapade, Limnos.

What's Happening February 2012

2012-02-09T15:25:00.001-08:00

ARTS

Pastel paintings • until Feb. 29

Landscapes by artist Camille Isaacs-Morell, a member of the Dorval Artists Association. 1335 Lakeshore. 514-633-4000. dorvalartistes.org

Architecture exhibit • until Mar. 11

Éric Gauthier presents Le Désir du Neutre at Université de Montréal. Tues.-Thurs. and Sun. 12-6pm. 2940 Côte Ste. Catherine #0056. 514-343‐6111 x4694 expo.umontreal.ca

CLUBS & GROUPS

Hope & Cope

Bereavement support group meets on the first and third Tuesday of the month. 514-340-8222 x8535

Zoological Society of Montreal
1200 Atwater. 514-845-8317

Lecture • Tues. Feb. 14

Marlene Hornstein presents: What a Wonderful World. 7:30pm. $5.
Field trip • Sun. Feb. 26
Quebec Aquarium, and fine food emporiums in the Old City. Bus leaves at 8:30am. Members $55, non-members $60.

Helvetia Seniors Club

Lecture & lunch • Thurs. Feb. 16

Steven Gruber speaks on health and wellbeing. Monkland Grille, 6151 Monkland. 450-687-5256.

Single Person’s Association

Valentine’s dance • Sat. Feb. 18

Singles 40 and over. 8pm.
7771 Bouvier, LaSalle. Information on this and other activities:
total.net/~spa 514-366-8600.

EVENTS

Creative Social Centre - continuing

Sunday Opera Series. 2pm. $5. Refreshments served.
Kiss Me Kate – Feb. 12; Othello – Feb. 19; Seven Brides for Seven Brothers – Feb. 26
5237 Clanranald. 514-488-0907.

Tech exhibition • continuing

From Morse Code to Text Messaging explores changes in telecommunication over the years. 1050 Lacasse #C-220 berliner.montreal.museum

Book sale & tea room • Feb. 11

Anglican Church of the Resurrection. 9am-noon
99 Mount Pleasant, Pointe Claire

Winter carnival • until Feb. 11

Côte St. Luc hosts a variety of activities culminating in a Valentine’s Day dance on Feb. 11. For a list of activities and venues: cotesaintluc.org/WinterCarnival2012

Hurley’s Irish Pub • Feb. 16

Happy hour in celebration of Irishman of the Year Bill Hurley. Music, poetry, singing, dancing.
6:30-8:30 pm. 1225 Crescent.

Teapot • Fri. Feb. 17

Black tie silent auction event. 6pm. $10. 2901 St. Joseph. 514-637-5627. More events: theteapot.org

Lakeshore Chamber Music
• Fri. Feb. 17

Concert featuring Geistrio with Maria Fuller (piano), Ewald Cheung (violin) and Dominic Painchaud (cello) at Union Church, 24 Maple, Ste. Anne de Bellevue. 7:30pm. $15, $8 for seniors and students.
514-457-5280, lcmssmcl.ca

Daughters of the Nile • Sun. Feb. 19

Smorgasbord hosted by charitable organization Daughters of the Nile. 5pm. $15, children under 10, $8. 3350 Sources, D.D.O. 514-694-8401.

Visual Arts Centre • Tues. Feb. 21

Evening of poetry, prose and music. Doors open at 7pm. $5. 350 Victoria. visualartscentre.ca , 514-939-4173.

St. James United • Fri. Feb. 24

Oliver Jones, Ranee Lee and the Jubilation Gospel Choir perform in support of the Sickle Cell Anaemia Society of Quebec and the Charles Drew Society of Canada. Tickets at the door or from Ticketpro: Adults $50; students and seniors $25. 7:30pm. St. James United Church 463 St. Catherine W.

Queen of Angels • Sat. Feb. 25

Comedy night with Joey Elias, David Pryde, Nick Brazao. Profits shared with NOVA West Island. $20. Cash bar. Pub food served at 6:30pm. 100 Bouchard, Dorval. 514-636-0900 x255

LIBRARIES

Atwater Library

Imani Gospel • Fri. Feb. 17

The Imani Gospel Singers, directed by Marcia Bailey. Program of spiritual music and discussion of the evolution of black Gospel music. 12:30pm. imanigospelsingers.com
Books Roadshow Sat. Feb. 25 Antiquarian booksellers Wilfrid de Freitas and Susan Ravdin will give an expert opinion on the value of people’s special books. 1-4pm. Members $2/book; non-members $3/book. Proceeds for library improvements. 1200 Atwater. atwaterlibrary.ca , 514-935-7344

Jewish Public Library

Cabaret • Thurs. Feb. 16

Yiddish Love Café presents This Is Really Love, featuring love songs and poems by local talent. 8pm. Sponsored by Augenfeld Family Endowment. Refreshments. Members $5, non-members $10. 5151 Côte Ste. Catherine. jewishpubliclibrary.org , 514-345-2627 x3006.

LEGIONS

Branch 4 Verdun

Valentine’s dance • Sat. Feb. 18

Music by the Clahanes. 8pm. $10. More activities: rclverdun.tripod.com 4538 Verdun. 514-769-2489.

Branch 85/90 Lachine

Shuffle Board Tournament •
Sat. Feb. 11.

10 am, $7 (includes smoked-meat sandwich). Register by Feb. 4. Limit of 32 players.
Fundraising dance • Sat. Feb. 18 Benefits the Montreal Children’s Hospital. 6:30pm. 3015 Henri Dunant, Lachine. 514-637-8002.

Branch 212 LaSalle

Valentine’s dance • Feb. 11

Music by the Roadsters. 8pm. $8. More activities: rcllasalle.blogspot.com 7771 Bouvier, LaSalle.

Harper pushes slam-the-poor agenda

2012-02-08T22:22:00.000-08:00

February 2012

Now that he’s got a majority in the House of Commons, the real Stephen Harper—he of the oft-mentioned “hidden agenda”—is emerging. His Conservative government is beginning to ram through policies that most urban Canadians, especially Montrealers, oppose.

We’re talking about the law-and-order agenda and the prospect of stiffer sentences instead of more resources for rehabilitation at a time when the rate of violent crime is steadily decreasing.

We’re talking about the debate Harper initiated to increase the eligibility age for the guaranteed income supplement to 67 from 65, which will hurt the most vulnerable and force many to work when they need and deserve to retire in basic dignity.

A recent survey by the Canadian Association of Retired Persons found almost two-thirds of respondents opposed the shift. This is understandable, given that universal old-age security itself is clawed back from higher-income individuals.

Harper’s argument, that the cost of old-age security will balloon to more than $100 billion in 2030 from less than $40 billion today, does not take inflation into account, argues economist Monica Townson of the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives.

Total annual expenditures on the old-age security programs are expected to increase to $110 billion by 2030, representing 3.1 per cent of gross domestic product, compared with 2.2 per cent in 2007. However, she wrote, “because benefits are indexed to inflation, which is assumed to be lower than the rate of growth in both the GDP and the income of new retirees, the amount of income-tested benefits will also be reduced.”

To Townson, and other economists, Harper’s so-called “sustainability” crisis really is one of declining benefits for seniors in “real” dollars, not one of paying to maintain the program.

There are demographic challenges: Canadians are living longer—average life expectancy for males is 79, compared with 68 in 1966. This means
increased health costs, and on paper fewer under-65 working Canadians to sustain social program.

However, as research prepared at Ottawa’s request has shown, Canada spends far less than the average Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development country on public pensions; our relatively high level of immigration will partially offset the distortions of an aging population; a crisis is not as imminent here as among eurozone nations because Canadians tend to save more through RRSPs and workplace pension plans.

As Harperite storm clouds darken, it is refreshing to observe the federal Liberal Party rebuilding and renewing itself with such bold policies as one to decriminalize marijuana, passed at the recent Liberal Party policy conference in Ottawa. It signals a willingness to present ideas that contrast with Harper’s destructive omnibus crime bill.

Interim leader Bob Rae is performing well and the party could do a lot worse than choose him as the permanent head.

Once the New Democratic Party chooses a new leader next month, many of its most articulate spokespersons will be back in the House of Commons to promote alternatives to the unfortunate direction the Harperites are taking the country. Stay tuned.

Dine in Europe – on the West Island

2012-02-08T22:13:00.000-08:00

Sandra Phillips

February 2012

We don’t usually think of the West Island as an area where you can find ethnic food; however there has been a slow creep westward of international tastes.

There’s been a growth of central and eastern European markets—for German, Swiss, Russian, Polish and Bulgarian yummies. In the dead of winter, we can use some of this hearty food to stoke up.

At Marché Euro Mix, the mix is Russian, Polish, Rumanian and Bulgarian. Lots of homemade offerings are cooked here, like vereniki (potato and fried onion or cheddar, sauerkraut, sweet cherry) and pelmenis (chicken, pork, veal, turkey, beef, chicken). Head for the takeout counter for soup, fresh herring salad, stuffed grape leaves, tongue with mushroom sauce, ham with potatoes, carrots, peas and cuke salad, walnuts with onions and kidney beans or beets and walnuts with garlic and mushrooms, red peppers, egg and onion.

Of course, there’s sturgeon, caviar and eel or cabanos, Estonian salami and double smoked bacon. Take a knish ($1.99) to go. They stock jarred herring, cod liver oil, zacusca (red pepper spreads), Polish Family’s wafers, Sandora cherry juice, plum jam, kefir, marinated apples, sour pickles or lotus leaves and rows of Russian candies and cookies. Brew Japanese and Chinese tea and have cheesecake, walnut cake or halvah for dessert. 15718 Pierrefonds. 514-620-6000.

With their own smoker, La Bernoise offers German and Swiss specialty sausages, smoked pork chops and veal roast, smoked ham, bacon and smoked pork hocks. At the butcher counter you’ll find meatloaf, air-dried sausages, knockwurst, lamb sausage, schublig and air-dried beef, which you can eat with sauerkraut and squeeze-tube mustard with rye bread made with muesli.

Homemade bread is available, as well as groceries: dumpling mixes, Kuchen Meister cakes, Knacke brot plum butter, Lindt chocolates and even German crossword puzzle books. 3988 St. Charles, Pierrefonds. 514-620-6914.

Swiss Vienna Bakery is a 50-year-old third-generation bakery that sells the best millefeuilles in the city (save one for me!). Remember to check out their triple chocolate mousse cake, hazelnut cake, butter danish, apple strudel and 24 daily breads.

Their new cake boss can create theme cakes (Chanel purse, soccer shirt, makeup kit)—you choose the flavour: red velvet, black forest, chocolate ganache, praline crunch, etc.

The store also has a selection of international groceries (Hungarian paprika, Marmite, Werner’s potato dumplings), imported chocolate bars, sausages (debreciner, kielbasa) and a hot and cold salad bar with ethnic snacks (Caribbean patties, samosa, calzones, chicken pot pie, potato knishes, cabbage rolls, panini). You can have a bite on the premises and wash it down with an espresso. 297 St. Jean, Plaza Pointe Claire. 514-697-2280.

American Dialect Society names the lexiest creations of the year

2012-02-08T22:07:00.000-08:00

Howard Richler

February 2012

Since 1990, the American Dialect Society, or ADS, has paid homage to the most sublime, lexiest creations of each year—new words that grace our lexicon annually.

These words have been drawn from a number of varied categories. For example, “gate rape” (defined as “pejorative term for invasive new airport pat-down procedures”) reigned supreme in the “most outrageous” category in 2010, and “waterboarding” won in the “most euphemistic” category in 2006.

Each year, a “word of the year” is chosen and, as one would expect, the world of technology has provided us with the dominant neologisms, such as app (2010), tweet (2009), Y2K (1999), e-, as in e-mail (1998).

Conclusive evidence of this trend arrived in 2010 when “google” was voted the word of the decade.

At an ADS convention in Portland, Oregon, last month, it was decided that the word of the year for 2011 was “occupy.” It was felt that “occupy” became an emblem for the whole protest movement.

Ben Zimmer, language columnist at the Boston Globe, stated “occupy” in “just a few months took on another life and moved in new and unexpected directions, thanks to a national and global movement.” I do not agree that
“occupy” is being used in a distinct sense. Starting in the 14th century, it had a sense of taking possession of something by force. By 1920, the verb was used to mean to gain access to a piece of land or building without authority as a form of protest.

And if I see another dumb joke on Facebook, such as “I’m gonna occupy a beer from the fridge now,” I’m going to seriously unfriend some people.

Before dismissing the society’s choice, I would be remiss if I didn’t mention one particularly shocking sense of “occupy” that has fallen from our vernacular. From the 15th century to the beginning of the 19th century, “occupy” was used as an euphemism for engaging in sex. In John Florio’s Worlde of Wordes written in 1598, there is reference to “raskalie whores in Italy, who cause them to be occupide one and thirtie times by one and thirtie several base raskalie companions.”

My favourite category this year was the “most creative” section. Here we sampled “bunga bunga,” referring to the sex parties associated with former Italian prime minister Silvio Berlusconi.

Its etymology is somewhat murky, however a German actress claims that “bunga bunga” originated as Berlusconi’s nickname for her, and eventually morphed into his term for wild parties with young girls.

But the winner in this category was “Mellencamp,” describing a woman who has aged out of being a cougar. Pop music enthusiasts will discern that the term is named after pop singer John Cougar Mellencamp.

Indeed, eponymous neologisms were popular this year. To “Mubarak” is “to farcically hold on to power,” and if you’re “Mubaraked” to your chair it might mean you’re stuck in it. Another eponymous term that emerged this year was “Tebowing,” lampooning the praying pose of Denver Broncos quarterback Tim Tebow.

Given its geopolitical importance, I was disappointed that the term “Arab Spring,” referring to popular uprisings against dictatorial regimes in the Arab world was not one of the nominees for word of the year. Mind you, it was runner-up in the “most likely to succeed” genre. The winner here was the word “cloud” referencing online space for the large-scale processing and storage of data.

Another term in this category that I believe will have legs is “tiger mom,” which refers to an extremely strict parent.

Lest you feel that Canada was given short shrift because neither the verb “to Harper” (to cut off debate) or “to McKay” (to use a military helicopter instead of a taxi while on vacation) did not register with American
Dialect voters, I am proud to say that the impetus for the occupy movement had a Canadian genesis. It was on July 13 that the Vancouver-based anti-consumer magazine Adbusters suggested online that people “Occupy Wall Street” in lower Manhattan on Sept 17.

The movement went viral and, thanks to the Canucks, the ADS had its word of the year.

hrichler@gmail.com

French heats up political scene – down South

2012-02-08T22:03:00.000-08:00

Neil McKenty

February 2012

Just when you thought the GOP presidential race could not get any crazier, it suddenly did.

This time the nuttiness came from Newt Gingrich, who launched an advertisement against his Republican rival Mitt Romney, accusing him of speaking French.

The advertisement tries to draw an unflattering parallel with another Massachusetts politician, John Kerry, the Democrat who lost to George W. Bush in 2004.

“The French Connection” paints Romney as another tax-raising, moderate elitist who will “say anything” to get elected—anything. Over Parisian accordion music, it continues: “And just like John Kerry, he speaks French, too.” The ad then delivers its coup de grace: a clip of a promotional video Romney recorded for the 2002 Winter Olympics in Utah, for which he served as chief executive.

“Bonjour, je m’appelle Mitt Romney.”

This was not the only time in the debates that one candidate accused another of speaking a foreign language. Somebody charged Jon Huntsman with speaking a few words of Mandarin.

The implications of these language attacks are staggering. Is it somehow un-American to speak a foreign language? Is command of another language a sign of dilettantism? I am always proud of Prime Minister Stephen Harper when he goes to the White House and speaks fluent French.

It is true this language issue is just a side show to the main event. It’s hard to believe the main event is even crazier. For months, a handful of GOP hopefuls have been plodding around a handful of states trying to drum up support.

The voting rules in some states are so arcane it is difficult to ascertain the winner even after the votes have been supposedly counted.

The pundits say Iowa is important because it is the first in the nation to vote and often the harbinger of things to come. After a close race, electoral officials in Iowa announced that Governor Romney had defeated Rick Santorum by eight votes. This meant that Romney’s momentum would be slowed and Santorum would get a bump of new support, especially financial, going into the New Hampshire primary a few days later.

That may have happened to some extent. What throws the whole system into disrepute is that GOP officials subsequently changed the name of the winner in Iowa. Now Santorum had defeated Romney by 34 votes.

Can Iowa recover from this debacle? Four years from now, will Iowa still play a pivotal role in the nomination process? Probably not. Too much credibility has already been lost.

I would argue there are more fundamental weaknesses in the primary process. Seven men and one woman lined up at the starting gate. One was a pizza magnate, another the foster mother of 23 children, a third lost his last run for Senate by 20 points.

Then there was Rick Perry and Gingrich. Gingrich has brains but little money and no real organization. Perry has money and organization but no brains (all academic now because Perry has bailed out of the race). There is also Rick Santorum. He does not have the resources to go the distance and will probably drop out.

That leaves Romney, who has some obvious advantages. He is a multimillionaire with a solid organization and besides, he looks like a president.

Why, then, is he not doing better? Three reasons: Romney is a flip-flopper who appears to have no core principles; he is not comfortable in his own skin; and he is not an honest-to-God conservative.

That he is not a real conservative is the most deadly indictment among the GOP base. His health bill in Massachusetts was an Obamacare forerunner; he appointed liberal judges; he supported abortion before he opposed it. The list goes on.

The result is that a significant part of the Republican base will not support Romney. They would sooner lose with a true-blue conservative (like Gingrich) than win with a moderate.

The race has a long way to go. Suffice it to say the contest will probably get even crazier and the White House is laughing all the way to the ballot box.

mckenty@videotron.ca

When you build muscle, you build character and find joy

2012-02-08T22:01:00.000-08:00

Natalie Bercovici

February 2012

I am sure you will agree, what we want is not always the easiest to achieve. I, and millions of others, fantasize about having an athlete’s physique.

We’re inundated by information and advice. There’s Dr. Oz, medical experts and enough information on the Internet to achieve our dream. We have the tools. I have a stationary bike and a Stairmaster, but they have ironing hanging on them.

Here’s a workout: move heavy cans from the pantry and donate them to charity.

This not only builds muscle, it builds character. It is doable.

Exercise is fun for young children. Our food programs for the YMCA energize youngsters in calisthenics, swimming and other programs. At BUMP (Urban Mediation Project) basketball games in several high-school gyms, and teenagers learn to compete, achieve and build character. Generations’ snacks and juice replenish the energy needed to perform. Our cooking classes support nutrition and a taste for “slow food.”

We can motivate ourselves to action. Down a healthy juice and protein smoothie. Hunt for those miracle fruits and vegetables and eat at least several of them daily. Head to the mall for a walk. Begin walking those 10,000 steps daily. (Check with your doctor before beginning any exercise regimen.)

Enough New Year resolutions, enough promises. Let’s do it.

It’s not too early to reserve for Generations’ Theatre Evening May 2. Same Time Next Year, at the Segal Centre. 514-933-8585.

Nicolas Carpentier

Meet Josephine. Although in her early 70s, she doesn’t look a day over 50. Josephine has been a volunteer at Sun Youth for five years and before that volunteered with other organizations in her neighbourhood. She has been volunteering since she was 6.

“If you’re sitting at home doing nothing,” she says, “go do something for others.”

Josephine is a full-time volunteer, sorting and organizing donations, among other things.

She also finds the time to volunteer for another organization. Josephine says she’s addicted to volunteering because it brings her a rush of adrenalin and endorphins.

For Josephine, the joy that she gets from volunteering is not the only thing that she needs to be happy. She also needs to stay active and in shape, and recently started to train for a five-kilometre marathon she plans to run this spring. In 1990, she came in first in a 20-km race.

Josephine has a car (which she uses to help people in need of transportation), but prefers to come to Sun Youth on her bicycle. Two years ago, she did 5,000 km on her bike just in her day-to-day travels. She is also a member of three choirs.

“Whatever activity you do, it should always be pleasant. It should never be painful or tiresome. You should always do an activity that you enjoy, at the pace you enjoy at the moment that’s right for you.

“The hardest thing when you start doing physical activity is to put your shoes on! Once that’s done, you’re okay!”

You’re far too young and smart to take a cruise

2012-02-08T21:36:00.000-08:00

Mark Medicoff

February 2012

Folks, I’ve just returned from my first cruise and I’ve got to tell you: You might want to jump ship.

Unless you’re taking your kids and grandkids on a special outing, a cruise is no place for seniors. You’re just too young and too smart.

There is no greater class-conscious state on Earth than a cruise ship. From the moment I walked onboard the Sapphire Princess in Los Angeles, for a 14-day trip to Hawaii, their marketing objectives—straight from an MBA textbook—became clear.

If you’ve taken a Princess cruise before, you’re gold, you’re platinum, you’re titanium and you’re shuffled to the fast check-in lanes on the left. Until you’ve earned the status, stick to the right and the commoners’ line.

The “all-inclusive” resort required expenditures for everything from a latte to a soft drink. Alcoholic beverages were a whopping $7 or $8, happy hours excepted. If you carry a bucket of five beers, they’ll throw in one free.

You can attend “free” seminars on detoxing and suffer through a carnie pitch for a six-month supply of seaweed. Or, you can attend a “free” seminar on back issues and discover that $200 insoles, conveniently sold on-board, will resolve the problem.

For a mere $269, you can luxuriate in a 50-minute couples massage or for $159, you can be treated to cellulite reduction. Instead of “specials,” they offer silent auctions (“no bids under 50 per cent of the original price will be accepted”). If you want to take yoga or spinning classes, you have to shell out an additional $10 per.

A “private” deck reserved for adults is available for a scant $40 a day. And of course, day-long shore excursions are offered at exorbitant prices.

In addition to the basic cost, 15 per cent is tacked on for gratuities, and while reasonable given the quality of the service, it also serves as a ploy to preserve their low-price claims.

Kids have to pass through the casino—with its attendant slot machine din, roulette clatter and spirited adults—to access the arcade or theatre. Is this a repugnant oversight or a deliberate attempt to nurture the casino’s future clientele?

So with all of my kvetching, why are cruises so popular? I met many passengers who boasted having taken 10 or more; in 2010, 770,000 Canadians vacationed on a ship.

I believe the main reason is that it’s effortless. From the moment you arrive at the gangplank, you never have to schlep your baggage and you can accommodate all of your latest fashions. You’re wined, dined and entertained all the time.

And then there’s the food: 16,000 meals between 7 am and midnight. You can eat at the buffet and waste shameful quantities of delicious food, or you can enjoy fully serviced meals at six different restaurants and have as many seconds as your heart can withstand. However, to partake in their Italian or steak restaurants, you’ll have to shell out another $20 per-person cover charge.

The crew is composed of young adults and middle-age men and women—some married with on-board quarters—from such countries as the Philippines (one of every three workers), Croatia, Hungary, Serbia, Ukraine, Peru, the Caribbean, Mexico, Indonesia, China and India.

Passengers are treated to nostalgic, Las Vegas-style revues performed by energetic entertainers as well as comics, illusionists and hypnotists.

People love cruises because fellow passengers are convivial and good-natured. The only altercations I witnessed took place in the exercise room, where there was a constant battle for a limited number of treadmills. Many of the machines were so obsolete they must have been purchased from a bankrupt Gold’s gym.

Programs and lectures on diet or meditation that promote health and wellbeing, such as tai chi, pilates and restorative yoga are activities sought after by modern seniors.

But you won’t find them on a cruise. The only alternative is to jump ship and partake in the awe-inspiring adventure destinations designed for senior travelers. I urge you to avoid the effortless, get fit and take a 14-day tour of India, take a Smithsonian journey, bus Argentina, walk Bhutan; experience the awesome wonders of the world in the last third of your life.

Seniors are riding the tide of healthy living and if you take a cruise, you’re simply missing the boat.

Be the agent of your own good fortune

2012-02-08T21:35:00.000-08:00

Joyce Blond Frank B.A., B.C.L., LL.M.

February 2012

You are lucky enough to spend some time down south during the winter. Your son is in school in Montreal and you thought it might be nice to have him join you and the rest of the family over the Christmas holiday.

You phoned your travel agent in September and bought him a return ticket. The confirmation stated that he would travel at 8 am on December 24 and return January 12 on a 5:45 flight. Total cost: $560.83.

A month later, you received a notice that the flight on December 24 would leave at 1 pm instead of 8 am. Your email address changes in November and you advise your travel agent. Your son’s email ticket is sent on December 8 and the flight time is given as 8 am.

You’re down south awaiting your son’s arrival when you receive a telephone call from your travel agent informing you that your son did not show up for the flight. But you had no idea the flight time had changed back to 8 am because you never received the email ticket. You ask the travel agent to get you another ticket for your son but she informs you that she is unable to do so. You yourself are able to find one at a cost of $642.09.

As your holiday together comes to an end, you become uneasy about your son’s return flight and email your travel agent on January 10 and 11, that is, two days and one day prior to his scheduled flight. On January 11 at about 4 pm, you receive your son’s tickets, which the agent says were sent December 8.

A few days after your own return home, you ask your travel agent for payment of the $642.09, which you paid for the second ticket. Your letter is unanswered and so you go to small claims court.

The reason your son missed his original flight is that you didn’t know the time of departure had changed. The invoice you received stated clearly that it was your responsibility to confirm flight times. It even provided a telephone number to call and a website to look at.

The agent insists you received the invoice on September 1, but you say you didn’t. The agent also says they never received notification of your change of email address and the warning to verify flying times was also on the ticket emailed to the original address.

Will the judge believe you when you say you never received the ticket or the invoice, or will he believe the agent, who says she never received a change of email address and she did send the invoice on September 1.

The judge decided he did not have to determine the credibility because you and the travel agent had a contract for service. In this kind of contract, the agent had to provide a service to you for a price. The agent’s contract is a consumer contract and therefore governed by the Consumer Protection Act. The agent had to act in your best interest with prudence and diligence; the travel agent had to produce results. Furthermore, under the Consumer Protection Act, the travel agent cannot be exonerated from performing duties.

The agent should have provided you with all information pertaining to the flight time change, and if she failed to do so, she is to be held responsible for the damages that her failure has caused you.

The court, in this case, was sympathetic to you.

It placed a heavy burden on the travel agent and suggested that she should have made sure the time change information had been received, perhaps by telephoning instead of, or as well as, emailing.

The agent was ordered to pay $642.09 with interest and court costs. You got your money back this time. But I would strongly suggest to all travelers not to rely on winning in the court and to always verify departure times.

Resolve to know what’s at risk

2012-02-08T21:32:00.000-08:00

Ivan Cons

February 2012

Well here we are in 2012. February’s settled in and it seems many of us are back to our old routines.

Every year, we make promises to ourselves, but they quickly evaporate—life has a way of getting in the way. Finances seem to be an issue that many of us would like to tackle but simply don’t have the energy or patience to delve into. I’d like to offer some ideas and challenges to break through the hurdles and to help you take charge of your destiny.

Everyone who has access to a computer should set up online banking. Visit your local branch to get the necessary info. It is easy to do and so convenient. You will know to the penny how much is in your account instantly and at all times. Paying bills is a snap—no more lineups at the bank. The only thing the banks haven’t thought of is how to make our printers print out money. I’m sure this will be a reality one day.

Look over your investments. No adviser has a crystal ball. Everyone talks a good game but the reality is nothing is certain. Any non-guaranteed investment has market risk. Often seniors have investments they don’t understand or that have huge market risk but are packaged and sold as alternatives to GICs.

One huge financial resolution should be to understand the risk of the product you are investing in. People believe that if they place their assets with an adviser or financial institution, their worries are over. There are many excellent advisers in the marketplace, but no one has control over performance. It’s your money, so participate, follow it, ask questions and—if you do not understand—walk away.

For those who have accumulated savings, it is okay to spend once in a while. You certainly cannot take it with you. Imagine having all the savings in the world but your health prevents you from enjoying it.

Finally, don’t forget about others. Charity certainly begins in the home, but there are many around us who are less fortunate. Giving of time or money is one of the most rewarding things we can do.

Travel south and west, there Mark Twain to meet

2012-02-08T21:26:00.000-08:00

Harry Rolnick

February 2012

When Montreal’s Windsor Hotel was demolished two decades ago, the ghost of Mark Twain might have shuddered.

He was in Canada on legal matters in December 1881 and was overwhelmed by the fitness and health of Canadian fitness and health.

“Canadian girls are so pretty,” he said, “that it’s a relief now and then to see a plain one.”

Nor could he resist a dinner thrown for him by the elite of this city, dazzling them with off-the-cuff remarks on Canadian crime (“I haven’t come here to commit one”) the weather (“So characterless that all right-feeling Canadians are probably ashamed”) and speaking French in Quebec (“Horses, not people, mistake me for a Frenchman”).

Nonetheless, Twain finished the speech in eloquent French.

In Samuel Clemens’s hometown visitors can take a riverboat on the Mississippi and visit the birthplace of Tom Sawyer. Photos: Coco T. Dawg

“Right-feeling” Canadians knew he was a most remarkable international celebrity. But his deepest soul was back in Hannibal, Missouri, where, as plain Sammy Clemens, he was Mark and Huck, and his world was a river that led to the world he would soon conquer.

In Saint Louis a short time ago, I drove parallel to Ole Miss Hannibal, through old towns—countless Baptist churches, run-down clapboard houses—and finally the home of Tom, Huck and Twain himself. Hannibal is about 200 kilometres north of St. Louis.

In 1848, Hannibal had a population of 800, not including slaves. The Mississippi was seen from every window, with boats unloading daily adventurers, shysters, harlots, visiting circuses and, yes, escaped slaves. For Sammy and his friends, the river was for raftin’ or sittin’ or catchin’ fish and being “a heaven for little boys.”

The clientele has changed but a riverboat goes about four times a day to the northern lighthouse, then south past Twain’s “pirate cave” and forested Jackson’s Island.

At the Hannibal Visitors Bureau, information is plentiful, and a few dollars allows admission to all the adjacent buildings, starting with young Sam’s boyhood home, built in 1844. The tiny, quaint, two-storey clapboard house has a white picket fence.

Sammy’s mother summed up his childhood: “If he hadn’t become a writer, I daresay he’d be in jail.”

You can see why. When he left, Hannibal consisted of two churches (which he never attended), three saloons, two schools, a distillery and a few sawmills. Just behind his own house lived the original Huckleberry Finn. Sammy adored the disreputable kid, so unlike his own “proper” family. Across the street is the office of his father, where Sam once sneaked out of his house and found a dead body (now shown in replica) on the floor. Next door is Becky Thatcher’s home—not the real one, but the house belonging to Sam’s girlfriend. It has a huge bookshop filled only with Twain-iana.

A few steps away is the cluttered old Main Street pharmacy and the sumptuous Mark Twain Museum.

You can climb to the old lighthouse for a beautiful view of the river. (Sammy almost was jailed for throwing rocks at horses down below.)

Twain once said, “Exotic travel begins with morning ham and eggs.” Here this includes berry cobblers, fried catfish and the original root beer, which comes from the cellar of Becky Thatcher’s Restaurant, a nauseatingly sweet mélange of sassafras, sugar and “secret roots.”

Try the unprepossessing Java Jive, billed “the first coffee shop west of the Mississippi,” which has fresh pastries, great coffee, a souvenir shop and a sense of humour.

Richard Garey is an excellent Mark Twain raconteur at the Planters Barn Theatre. Garey has the high-pitched Twain twang, and this year has a “Mark Twain For President” show. Garey—who runs a nightly walking tour of Hannibal—quotes Twain on everything from slavery to God to missionaries in China.

Twain revisited Hannibal in 1902, a sad, lonely man who had lost his wife and his fortune, yet never his wit and love-hate affair with humanity. He stood on Hannibal’s jetty, was solemn for a moment, and then exclaimed, “This is the most enchanting river view on the planet.”

Twain, who had dined with royalty, who was the best known American of his time and who immortalized childhood for eternity, would have looked askance at America today. Hannibal offers a reflection of that small town to which Americans today impossibly wish to return.

Considering a Hannibal trip?

The Hannibal and Convention and Visitors Bureau is one of the most friendly little offices anywhere in America. Visit hannibal.com There are many hotels from the highway into town. Recently I heard of the most interesting place, a bed and breakfast called the Stone School Inn, built in 1818. stoneschoolinn.net

Richard Garey’s site is http://heritagestage. com/theater.html

Time to put down your crystal ball

2012-02-08T21:08:00.000-08:00

Deborah Leahy

February 2012

For investors, 2011 was a somewhat “choppy” year, with numerous ups and downs in the financial markets. Planning our financial fitness for 2012 involves looking at what we can expect from the markets in 2012.

As baseball Hall of Famer Yogi Berra once said: “It’s hard to make predictions—especially about the future.” These words are certainly applicable for anyone wanting an accurate forecast of the investment climate for 2012. Yet we do know some factors that might affect your portfolio in the months ahead.

Strong business fundamentals: In the past year, the European financial situation, the size of the U.S. deficit and the U.S. budget debates tended to overshadow some fairly good news. Canadian and U.S. businesses’ balance sheets were primarily strong, borrowing costs remained low, and corporate profits were good—over the long term, corporate profitability is a key driver of stock prices. Heading into 2012, these fundamentals continue to look positive, which may bode well for investors.

Europe’s debt crisis: Greece’s economic problems made news in 2011, but they weren’t the end of the story in Europe. Italy, Spain, Portugal and Ireland also faced major financial difficulties.

And without definite solutions, don’t be surprised to see intermittent, if short-lived, shocks to the markets.

U.S. election-year patterns: The U.S. stock market typically rises during the year a U.S. incumbent president faces re-election, which is the case in 2012. Coincidence? No one can say for sure whether the pattern will continue. This could affect Canadian markets, since other markets tend to follow those of the U.S.

Instead of trying to predict what will happen in 2012, consider the following tried and true investment strategies:

Diversify your holdings: Spreading your money among a wide range of investments can help reduce the effects of volatility in your portfolio. Keep in mind, diversification alone doesn’t guarantee a profit or protect against loss.

Don’t ignore your risk tolerance: Worrying excessively about market fluctuations might mean you have too much risk in your portfolio. If you do this, consider making changes.

Always look at the big picture: Financial markets fluctuate. But by staying focused on your long-term objectives and making decisions accordingly, you can help avoid overreacting to short-term events.

Just like other years, 2012 will undoubtedly have periods of turbulence. But by making the appropriate investment decisions, you can remain on track toward reaching your financial goals.

Deborah Leahy is a financial adviser with Edward Jones, and specializes in assisting seniors.

Lease abandonment a financial, emotional headache for landlords

2012-02-08T21:05:00.000-08:00

Daniel Smyth

February 2012

I received a call one morning from a client who had hired me to find her a new tenant.

Rose was in a state of panic because the tenants I had recruited were moving out with more than 16 months left on the lease.

The tenants had followed an application process. References were called, questions asked and credit checks performed. Rose interviewed the applicants before signing a lease in July 2011. They provided Rose with the first month rent to hold the apartment until August. Quebec law does not allow a landlord to collect more than one month’s rent. They abandoned the lease in December 2011.

One of the tenants called Rose to say her boyfriend was leaving the country and that she was moving to her daughter’s home outside Montreal. A moving truck was coming the next day to collect their belongings and no forwarding addresses were provided, indicating abandonment.

I explained to Rose courses of action available under the law. However, the tenants’ rights proved to be more beneficial than those of Rose. Every course of action open to Rose was going to take lots of money and time.

I drafted a letter for Rose demanding commitment from the tenants, with a deadline to respond, or legal action would be pursued. I witnessed Rose handing the letter to the tenants as proof that they had received it. Registered mail is also appropriate, but we did not have time.

We decided to file a complaint of abandonment at the Régie du logement to allow Rose to collect the rent owed to her.

However, to start this process, we needed the forwarding addresses of each tenant. Since the tenants did not provide this information, the Régie would not open a file.

We thought of hiring a professional to find the tenants; however, this would have cost hundreds of dollars with no guarantee of success; and while we had their social insurance numbers, this was not sufficient to locate the tenant who had left the country.

We concluded it would be easier to find new tenants. Perhaps this is what these tenants knew and hoped for.

Rose wishes she could ask the new tenants for a few months rent, just in case this happens again.

The law in Quebec allows landlords to select tenants based on references and interviews, but a landlord can only ask for the first month’s rent. In Ontario, tenants can be asked to pay first and last month’s rent, offering a financial buffer.

Dinner and a movie: a few Cinegael choices

2012-02-08T21:04:00.000-08:00

Byron Toben

February 2012

Cinegael, Montreal’s annual Irish film festival (the largest in North America and third-largest in the world), is in its 20th season. It runs till May.

February 17: The Other Side of Sleep, a brooding suspense thriller.

March 2: The Nephew, an emotional catharsis outnumbered by comic moments.

March 30: An ever-popular evening of award-winning shorts. The audience votes for the top three.

May 2: Closing film and reception. Bernadette: Notes on a Political Journey, a documentary on peace activist Bernadette Devlin.

DeSève Cinema at Concordia’s downtown campus. All-inclusive pass, $60. Single shows, $10; closing reception, $20. cinegaelmontreal.com

100 is the new 80 – move it or lose it

2012-02-08T20:17:00.000-08:00

Bonnie Sandler

February 2012

Some newer residences have fitness rooms with exercise machines. Unfortunately, I have yet to see a resident in any of these rooms. The idea is great, but many residents have not seen the inside of a gym for years. They might not know how to operate an elliptical trainer.

However, when exercise classes geared toward residents are offered, eager participants will be found. In these cases, individuals are encouraged to do what they can, whether it be chair exercises or tai chi. The idea is to keep moving. For those who have let go of the “can’t be seen in a bathing suit” mantra, joining an aqua fitness class is a fabulous way of keeping active without placing too much stress on one’s body.

When visiting potential residences, it is as important to study the activity schedule as it is to stay for a meal to evaluate food and service. Fitness activities should be offered regularly. Research the times of the activities—if you are not a morning person, make sure that some activities are offered in the afternoon.

We have harsh winters and many seniors stay indoors for a good part of the season. Check whether the residence has room to walk around, whether fitness is encouraged.

Some residents have physical problems that prevent them from fully participating in certain activities, but if one can get to the dining room, even by wheelchair, one should be able to find part of an exercise program that they can master. For people with mobility issues, rolling their feet in circles or moving their arms to music are important. For residents with cognitive issues, staff should encourage participation. The popular adage “use it or lose it” applies.

Excuses are easy to find. Sitting around playing bingo may keep your mind working and have you enjoying the company of others, but taking care of the whole person includes keeping your body in motion. I am surprised by residences that only offer one morning activity and one afternoon activity, each lasting about an hour, especially when neither includes physical activity.

A Senior Times column on the need for a full activity program convinced the director of one residence to increase his budget for recreation.

We say 60 is the new 50. I say 100 is the new 80.

Many years ago, as a single parent with a young child, I vacationed at the same resort as my parents. Not only did I love their company, but the offer of free babysitting was too sweet to pass up. This plan meant that I stayed at a spa catering to people who were 55 and over. I stood out like a sore thumb with my young daughter.

This did not prevent me from joining the aqua fitness classes, and I remember the energetic leader shouting her daily routine with “one (foot) in front and two in position” as she got everyone moving around and smiling. At the time, I thought I was in a class with seniors.

I don’t know at what age one should be considered a senior, but in my world it starts at 80. I hope these spas exist when I reach my 80s. Maybe by then 120 will be the new 100.

We read the occasional story of a senior taking up a training program and running marathons.

Your body is yours—be good to it and feed it with regular physical activity, whether it is chair exercises or marathon running.

bonniesandler@gmail.com

Don’t let weighty issues stand in food’s way

2012-02-08T20:16:00.001-08:00

Barry Lazar

February 2012

If you want to be fit in the kitchen, forget about food.

When it comes to food and fitness, I have an ideal world in which each bite helps to magically transform my body into a citadel of strength and energy. In this realm, I know the nutritional value of every dish and have memorized the latest pictogram from the Canada Food Guide.

Each morsel I consume brings me closer to the grail of the perfect body mass index, or BMI, although I really might be happier with a BMW.

Then there is my daily life, where food and fitness battle as I try to sort “right” from “wrong” at the kitchen table.

Is chocolate good for me, or bad? Should I eat bread because it is high in fiber or will it cause gluten allergies? Are eggs good for cholesterol this week or is it only the yolks that I should worry about and then maybe not? And the most vexing question: Can I buy blueberries in January if they come from Chile?

In fact, it won’t be long before supermarkets have WiFi and shopping carts are equipped with iPads so that every decision we make can be justified to a 13-year-old: “Hey Dad, are you sure that the cereal you are buying is high-fiber, low-fat,
free-trade, hand-picked and packaged in a sweat-free labour zone in a country without nuclear weapons?”

My mantra used to be: “I’m hungry. That looks good. I’ll eat it.” Now I require an armload of data before I think of shopping. Sure, I can argue that we should only stock our refrigerators with foods high in vitamins and fiber, low in calories and locally grown; but I know that tomorrow I’ll fry my egg in some savoury olive oil to which I’ve added a pinch of dried chili pepper and I’ll soak it up with leftover baguette.

Citius, Altius, Fortius

No, if you want to be fit in the kitchen, forget about food. That’s what I figure. Instead, I am adopting the Olympic motto: Citius, Altius, Fortius—Swifter, Higher, Stronger. After all, if it is good for Olympians, why not me?

We’ll start with fortius. Push away the electric stuff. Focus on the manual. Why use a breadmaker when I can knead? Sure a breadmaker is quicker, but I burn more calories in 10 minutes of kneading, which is about how much time it takes for me to haul out the mixer or breadmaker, add ingredients and clean up later.

Kneading is also a mini-cardio workout. I knead until I break into a bit of a sweat. For more serious strength-builders, I keep a couple of mortars and pestles. A small one is great for making salad dressing: mash a clove of garlic with a bit of salt and freshly ground black pepper, add olive oil and continue mashing.

Then add vinegar—wine or apple cider vinegars work best. The ratio of oil to vinegar is about 3:1, then some Dijon-style mustard to blend it all together. Moving up a level, I use a heavier and larger stone mortar and pestle for grinding spices and making pesto.

Now let’s focus on citius. Speed comes into play, here. While the bread is rising, I work on the rest of the meal and plan for something that is labour-intensive, such as a stir-fry, curry or stew.

I want to have lots of ingredients ready. I chop these by hand and add them to a pot quickly.

The order is simple: onions and garlic (and spices) first to brown or at least soften, then denser foods (carrots, peppers, etc.), then less dense, such as celery or fennel. If it is a soup, stew or curry I add liquid and finally herbs.

If I use potatoes (diced by hand), I add them in the last half hour. Since chopping by hand requires a sharp knife, I have to make sure that it is honed—another quick workout, great for dexterity in the wrist.

Finally, altius. The higher the kitchen tools, the more I have to reach. Admittedly, a 5’10 husband and a 5’2 wife may differ over this. Stuff I tend to use, such as the mortars and pestles, goes onto the top shelf.

Then, it’s knee bends to get the turkey roaster out or find the frying pan.

Having everything on the kitchen counter is overrated and who has enough counter space anyway? If you think I am exaggerating, have you noticed how those cooks move on Iron Chef or Chopped?

For the Flavourguy, fitness begins in the kitchen but it may have nothing to do with food.

TheFlavourguy@gmail.com

Sleazy ploys to undermine Cotler and his valuable work are appalling

2011-12-13T03:43:00.000-08:00

Forces working to install a Conservative in Mount Royal have issued another slap in the face to voters who, in May, re-elected popular MP Irwin Cotler.

A marketing firm with close ties to the Conservative Party made cold calls to people they believe to be residents of the riding spreading unfounded rumours of Cotler’s impending resignation and the imminence of a by-election. As several constituents have complained, there is no such by-election in the works. The so-called survey is known as “push polling,” an attempt to influence public opinion based on an invented premise. It is an obvious and underhanded attempt to line up potential support for the losing candidate, Saulie Zajdel, should he decide to run again. It undermines the credibility and energetic work of Cotler and his team. Zajdel has sloughed it off as “a party thing.” This brings us back to Sleaze Factor, Round 1.

Zajdel has been rewarded for increasing the Tory vote in the riding with what appears to be a patronage appointment, a job with the nebulous official mandate of advising Heritage Minister James Moore. In Zajdel’s words, he is being paid—Moore’s office won’t say how much—to ensure that “what the government is doing is understood” and explain how communities and municipalities can benefit from Canadian Heritage programs.

Meanwhile, walk by Cotler’s riding offices on Kent near Victoria and you will see scores of people, many of them new Canadians, lined up for help on matters ranging from immigration to unemployment. What kind of message are Tories sending—that constituents are knocking at the wrong door?

Cotler, 71, is busy as ever in the House.

He recently spearheaded a motion by a Commons committee for an impartial trial for Egyptian blogger Maikel Nabil Sanad and has become Sanad’s international legal counsel.

He was a prime mover in efforts to amend the Conservative’s omnibus crime bill, in spite of efforts to ram it through Parliament by using closure or limiting debate. This is legislation opposed by most Montrealers. It included scrapping the long-gun registry, destroying data and imposing longer jail sentences as violent crime is decreasing. Quebec Justice Minister Jean-Marc Fournier has protested that this will force cash-strapped provinces to build more jails with no compensating funds. The net effect, Cotler noted, “will be to give us more crime, less justice, at greater cost, with less rehabilitation for the offender and less protection for the victim.”

Cotler continues to fight the good fights. He has fought against discrimination and segregation, for the freedom of political prisoners and for the rule of law and due process.

Mount Royal has an active, energetic and effective member of Parliament. Conservative strategists should think twice before launching Sleaze Factor, Round 3.

Lifetime learner Rubin, 95, proves higher education is ageless

2011-12-13T03:07:00.000-08:00

Irwin Block

December 2011

David Rubin will celebrate his 95th birthday at home in Hampstead January 17, joined by 18 members of his family.

It won’t be the first celebration this season. In late November, Rubin was fêted at the annual gala of the Montreal branch of ORT, where he received a plaque from the organization dedicated to education and technological training around the word.

The lifetime learning award was not for his success as a manufacturer of buttons and belts during the years when Montreal had a thriving apparel industry. ORT honoured Rubin for his advanced studies and research into the Minoan Civilization, which prospered on the Greek island of Crete from 2600 to 1100 BCE.

Longtime learner David Rubin with his wife, Frances, at ORT gala. Photo courtesy of ORT

After getting his bachelor’s degree in fine arts from Concordia University in 1986, at age 60, he completed a master’s in 1993 with two papers, one of which focused on the frescoes at the Palace of Knossos, the ancient Minoan capital.

The latest development in the Rubin saga is that the 60,000-word PhD-style thesis he wrote on The Genesis and Demise of the Minoan Empire. It will be published as a book by XLibris of Bloomingdale, Indiana.

How did Rubin feel as he sat in a loge at Place des Arts to accept the award?

“It was a big honour. I did it (researching and writing the thesis) without going to school. I did it on my own,” he said.

Rubin, who grew up in a cold-water flat, remembers starting work at age 11, delivering meat at night to earn 25 cents a shift so he could pay fees at Baron Byng High School.

College was out of the question, but he never lost the eagerness to study.

Unable to register as a formal PhD student, Rubin is proud that Philip Betancourt, a noted archeology professor at Temple University in Philadelphia, read the manuscript and after some editing suggestions, wrote:

“On the whole it is a fine paper and I hope you will continue work on the details.”

The book should be available in major bookstores around the world in the new year, Rubin said.

irblock@hotmail.com

Master storyteller McLean delivers profound, hilarious truths

2011-12-13T03:03:00.000-08:00

Irwin Block

December 2011

He is a master raconteur, and his own story is not unlike that of Dave, the anti-hero Stuart McLean created for the Vinyl Café, the beloved CBC radio program now in its 18th season.

Dave is the owner of a tiny, second-hand record store. Its motto: “We may not be big, but we’re small.” He’s a guy with a huge heart. He loves his family and country. His efforts to do good deeds, like cook a turkey for the family, will often end in near-disaster, much to the amusement of his wife, Morley, and their kids, Stephanie and Sam.

Dave’s stories start simple and become funny and poignant: Dave gets stuck in an elevator with Mary’s special cake; Dave offers to walk a neighbour’s dog and ends up with six mutts, all with their own peccadilloes; Dave’s old electric razor sets off alarms as he passes through airport
security.

Those who have followed Dave since McLean first imagined him in 1994 will get the chance to hear yet another side of the character—McLean’s alter ego—when the Vinyl Café brings its annual Christmas show here. It will be recorded before a live audience at Théâtre Maisonneuve at Place des Arts December 19 at 7 p.m. Musical guest for the cross-Canada tour is Canadian singer-songwriter Hawksley Workman.

That show marks a triumphant homecoming for the Montreal-born McLean, 63, who was raised on Brock Ave. in Montreal West and attended Lower Canada College. His 90-year-old mother, Pat, will be in the audience.

With his curiosity, journalistic skill, eye for detail and sense of timing, McLean has succeeded in touching Canadian and American listeners with stories that take the small things in life we ignore, or take for granted, and unearthing from them profound thoughts and eternal truths, delivered with a delicious sense of humour.

With the show attracting about one million listeners weekly, McLean’s career puts him in the same class as such CBC broadcasting icons as Peter Gzowski and Barbara Frum.

On paper, the Stuart McLean story looks and sounds idyllic. The son of an Australian insurance broker, the senior McLean chose to settle in Montreal for the skiing. Weekends and summers were spent at the family cottage in the Ste. Anne des Lacs area of the Laurentians, where young Stuart’s love of the land became ingrained.

But life is not always as it appears. McLean was at a school where students who excelled in athletics or academics were prized. He excelled at neither, and, strangely for a writer/communicator of such uncommon skill, had to repeat Grade 11.

“I didn’t fit in. I always felt like an underdog, a bit of an outsider.”

He found himself, and reconnected with his beloved Laurentians, while working at the YMCA’s Camp Kanawana. “I found a place where I could contribute to the greater good.”

After graduating with a bachelor’s degree in applied social science at Sir George Williams University (now Concordia), McLean worked in student services at Dawson College until he decided to follow his dream by trying his luck as a freelance writer.

“I always wanted to be a writer, but I didn’t have enough self confidence to join the school newspaper.”

In the fall of 1974, he got a serendipitous call from Dawson political science teacher Bob Keaton.

Keaton had decided to run for city council for the Montreal Citizens’ Movement and asked McLean to take over as campaign manager for journalist/boulevardier Nick Auf der Maur.

Stuart McLean’s December 19 show marks a trium- phant homecoming for the Montreal-born raconteur. Photo: Ilia Horsburgh

Timing is everything in politics, the city was fed up with Jean Drapeau’s one-man rule, and Auf der Maur trounced the establishmentarian John Lynch-Straunton.

“I had the wind in my sails after that campaign, and it had nothing whatsoever to do with me at all, it was just the time, the pull of the whirlpool, and it gave me great confidence. People sort of saw me and said, ‘Who is this kid?’

“Nick, with all his contacts, then got me through the door at CBC.”

After a few items for CBC TV and radio, McLean moved to Toronto and worked for Sunday Morning as a producer and eventually took over the show from Mark Starowicz, another Montrealer who moved his huge talent from radio to start The Journal on TV, featuring Barbara Frum.

McLean then began teaching radio journalism at Ryerson University. But Montrealer Gloria Bishop, who ran Gzowski’s This Country in the Morning/Morningside radio show, saw McLean’s talent as a writer and hired him to do an occasional column on the radio, in a conversational vein.

“It took me a while to find my voice, and these columns became a regular Monday morning feature. I would go and tell stories about quirky little things, things that came out of my mind, like In Praise of the Popsicle, or In Praise of Rubber Boots, or In Praise of the Lead Pencil. I wrote about a guy who made a living taking pictures of cows for auctions, a chap who had a miniature NHL arena in his attic, where he would re-create the entire NHL season for friends. I did a thing about people who loved to discover caves, and in the winter, when they couldn’t make it down to West Virginia, would wander through the sewers of London, Ontario.”

The creation of the Dave character goes back to 1989, when a CBC producer named David Amer envisioned a show where he would choose the music and McLean would introduce it. McLean felt it needed something more and came up with Dave, and the music coming from his imaginary record store. Five years later, it was accepted as summer replacement in 1994, ’95 and ’96, with some concerts thrown in during the final season.

“I thought I was going to replace Peter, but suddenly this Vinyl Café thing took off. People were enjoying it, talking about it, and suddenly I had my own show on the network. We found our sea legs. I was lucky. I was able to find my voice again over a few summers.

“Slowly Dave and his family elbowed themselves into the centre of the stage.”

Collections of his stories have become best-sellers, with a total of seven published, including McLean’s essays, and another two from Morningside, collections of his essays and profiles of small towns.

“I ended up being what I wanted to be, a writer working on the radio,” he reflected. “I am very lucky.”

The Vinyl Café Christmas show plays at Théâtre Maisonneuve, Place des Arts, Monday, December 19 at 7 pm. $51-$56. 514-842-2112.

irblock@hotmail.com

Canada brings up “big feelings”

Stuart McLean says his feelings for Canada are tied to the land.

“Recently I was in the Ottawa Valley, and I saw the mountains again, and I was filled with big feelings. The land speaks to you in ways that I don’t think you understand.

“I have a visceral memory of autumn afternoons in the mountains, in Montreal, of a winter night walking west from Guy to Atwater, what Montreal looks like after a snowstorm at 5 in the afternoon, the glitter, and crunching through the snow, with snow banks beside the road.

“Then spring in Montreal, the weather and geography. All that has provided the lens though which I look at Canada.”

When it comes to our bicultural reality, McLean sees the city as “the cauldron in which French and English come together.”

“I have a profound understanding of what the Canadian experiment is because of where I was raised.”

This would not have been possible, McLean said, had he been raised in Halifax or Calgary.

“Montreal is where the idea of Canada began, the heartbeat of Canada began in the coming together of the English and French in Montreal.

“I am very grateful for that upbringing because it has let me speak from the heart when I speak about Canada, because I came from the heart.”

—Irwin Block

The day the light went out across the Americas

2011-12-13T03:00:00.000-08:00

December 2011

I don’t remember whether there was snow on the ground. I do remember climbing the hill from school to Sheree Letovsky’s apartment. It was Sheree Letovsky’s eighth birthday. It was Friday afternoon, and we were going to her birthday party.

Sheree’s older sister Carol ran down the hill toward us. “President Kennedy has been shot!”

As a kid and as a Canadian, the news didn’t mean much to me. Something had happened in the wider world. Our focus was on the birthday party. When we reached Sheree’s door, an early edition of The Montreal Star lay on the Welcome mat, reiterating her sister’s words.

U.S. President John F. Kennedy died Nov. 22, 1963. Photo: Aaron Shikler, Official White House portrait

At precisely 6pm, while the radio in the Letovsky apartment was being switched on to the news, my father came to collect me. Six o’clock in late November looked, and still looks, like midnight.

My dad stood in the dim hallway light of the apartment building corridor looking grief-stricken

At his feet, on the mat, lay a second edition of The Montreal Star: “President Kennedy Is Dead.”

What I remember on coming home was my weeping mother, and the harsh oval of light emanating from the open TV, and from the bulbs of lamps that dotted our darkened apartment. Mummy was crying. Daddy looked like he was going to cry, and my little brother Michael and I were soon close to tears. It felt like the TV was constantly on, that weekend.

That awful piece of film played over and over.

Daddy, devastated, was identifying with the slain leader born in the same year as he, whose wife was the same age as his wife, and whose first-born daughter and second-born son were almost the same age as his children.

On Sunday, we had tickets for the Ice Capades at the Forum. An official minute of silence was called for and the audience stood united, before the show commenced. The glinting silver blades on white ice and the silvery white costumes of the gliding skaters, who looked like large snowflakes, were the only light I can remember that day.

—Nadja Zajdman, a Senior Times reader.

C-10 will bring more crime: Cotler

2011-12-13T02:58:00.000-08:00

Kristine Berey

December 2011

In a brief presented to Parliament last October, the Canadian Criminal Justice Association—an independent organization whose members include police officers, judges, lawyers, victims and ex-offenders, criticized the Conservatives’ proposed Safe Streets and Communities Act, Bill C-10.

“This legislation does little to improve the long term safety of Canada’s streets and communities and several of the amendments it contains may create the conditions that will lead to increased criminal activity,” the brief read.

C-10 was adopted on December 5, on a day former justice minister and Mount Royal MP Irwin Cotler called “a sad day for criminal justice.”

In a press conference, Cotler explained that C-10 is nine bills in one, each of which warrants independent debate. “If any questions were raised or critiques offered about the bill, the government repeated the mantra—as it has throughout this process—that it had a ‘mandate’ for its enactment,” Cotler wrote in an open letter.

Before the bill was tabled, Cotler said, Canada already had a serious problem of prison overcrowding, with some prisons at 200 per cent capacity. “The U.S. Supreme Court has found that overcrowding of over 137 per cent can even constitute cruel and unusual punishment,” Cotler wrote.

In the legislation itself, the requirement that corrections personnel use the “least restrictive measures” has been removed, generating constitutional concern. Cotler says it is a parliamentarian’s duty to ensure that prospective legislation adheres to the Charter of Rights and Freedoms. “No government has the right to enact unconstitutional legislation.”

Cotler says that studies have shown that the American-style “tough on crime” approach, with minimum mandatory sentences, has “a differential and discriminatory impact on vulnerable groups, such as our aboriginal peoples.”

“The government has yet to disclose the cost of legislation.” Cotler told
reporters,

Cotler said the government’s fall and subsequent election call last spring were triggered by their failure to disclose this information.

“The issue of non-disclosure of cost is a form of contempt for Parliament as an institution,” Cotler said.

Segal cancer centre celebrates 5 years

2011-12-13T02:55:00.000-08:00

December 2011

The Jewish General Hospital Foundation recently held its fifth anniversary Segal Cancer Centre celebration.

The gala honoured Alvin Cramer Segal, primary benefactor of the centre, which was created in 2006.

The foundation raised $1.5 million for cancer research, patient care, teaching and technological equipment. These funds allow the centre’s experts to press ahead with pioneering cancer treatments.

“The funds raised by the foundation thus far have allowed us to move in creative, new directions without having to be bound by grant deadlines,” explains Gerald Batist, director of the Segal Cancer Centre.

“I’m so thrilled to be seeing in patients what I never imagined five years ago: tumours responding to novel therapies. It gives me real hope that more breakthroughs are imminent.”

The evening’s entertainment included a dedication to the cancer centre and to Batist by Anna McGarrigle, Martha Wainwright and Lily Lanken in memory of Kate McGarrigle, who succumbed to cancer in 2010.

There was a tribute to Alvin Segal by singers from the Segal Centre for the Performing Arts as well as a presentation by the École Supérieure de Ballet du Québec.

A presentation featured current and past patients of the centre and a message from former Quebec premier Lucien Bouchard.

“Dealing with cancer is an extremely difficult battle, and my family was so grateful for those marvelous people of the Segal Cancer Centre at the Jewish General Hospital, who were with us when we were in such a vulnerable position,” Bouchard said. “I believe undoubtedly that Montreal has, with the Jewish General Hospital, one of the best health institutions in the world.”

There’s no rocking chair, no knitting in Irish Rovers’ future

2011-12-13T02:53:00.000-08:00

Hayley Juhl

December 2011

It was the 1970s and many households got just the one channel—CBC. And that was just fine with one folk band, because it meant a captive audience for The Irish Rovers Show, which ran for six seasons.

But the truth is that, channel-surfing be damned, Canadians love these Irish boys and have for nearly 46 years.

“I thought by now I’d be sitting in my rocking chair, knitting,” George Millar told The Senior Times by phone during a break from filming a Christmas DVD. “I’m wondering when I’m going to get retired. But with Celtic music, the belly can hang out and the hair can recede. It’s okay.”

Millar was freshly arrived from Ireland and only 16 when he founded the Rovers in 1963 with 23-year-old Jim Ferguson. Joe Millar was recruited as he stepped off the plane soon after.

They played Irish festivals, coffee houses and the like, gathering musicians and fans along the way.

The Irish Rovers tobogganing while filming their Christmas television special at Sunshine Village, Banff National Park. Photo: Hamish Burgess

Though members have changed, the music remains the same, as does their friendship. Two of the Rovers live in Ireland, two in British Columbia and another in Montreal, so when they get together to record and tour, isn’t that a party?

“We’re like a gab fest. We’re like old cronies sitting at Tim Horton’s talking about what we’ve missed. We’ve always enjoyed the music, each other and what we do on stage.

“Nothing changes, because the people want to hear The Unicorn. So we play it for them, and they sing along.”

Expect also to hear Christmas favourites like Black Velvet and Grandma Got Run Over By a Reindeer when they play the Corona Theatre here in December. “People either love that song or hate it,” Millar says of Grandma. “It’s all in good humour, all in good fun.”

Though the Rovers haven’t played Montreal in 15 years, they enjoy the reception they get here, which Millar says is thanks to the strong Celtic and folk tradition in Quebec.

“We’re blessed that we’re doing a job that we like to do. The fans have let us do it. When you’re happy in your job, it’s a blessing.”

The Irish Rovers play the Corona Theatre December 10 at 7 pm. $47-$50. 514-931-2088, irishroversmusic.com . Merry Merry Time of Year will be available at the venue, and fans can have the CD signed by the Rovers. Home in Ireland, a tour of their homeland, airs on PBS—check your local listings. A concert DVD filmed across Canada will be available next year.

Hairstylists cut back to help prevent children’s library cutbacks

2011-12-13T02:50:00.000-08:00

Kristine Berey

December 2011

The pen might be mightier than the sword, but scissors ruled on a charity day last month at one of Montreal’s trendiest hair salons.

For five frenetic hours, Salon Pure’s team of 40 hairstylists trimmed, permed, coloured and cut as usual—except that no staff was paid. They donated every penny they earned, including tips, to the Montreal Children’s Library, which once again finds itself on precarious ground.

“It’s a challenging time,” says Bernie Shalinsky, the library’s executive director. “Raising funds is always hard for non-profits and it is particularly difficult this year. There are changes in the financial world, and the individual donors and foundations are cutting back.”

The Montreal Children’s Library, an offshoot of the Fraser Hickson Library, has been in operation for 82 years, since 1929, Shalinsky says. It is a mobile library that sets up where the need for children’s books is the greatest. It has three branches, in Little Burgundy, St. Michel and at Atwater Library, where it rents space for books and offices. About 75,000 children, whose access to books and educational activities would otherwise be limited, benefit.

Serving children from babyhood to 15, the services have always been free. “We provide books, but the programs are a very big part of what we do,” Shalinsky says.

These include science, crafts, chess, author readings, mom and tot programs and the Mother Goose program for babies and toddlers, where young children absorb pre-literacy skills through music, rhythm and movement.

“We are located in areas that are considered disadvantaged, that don’t have all the support systems. We know that literacy is a key in child development, that children who grow up literate can move ahead while children without will be held back,” Shalinsky says.

Salon Pure co-owner Daniel Benôit (from left), Monia Grieco and Linda Miller. The salon raised $4,700. Photo: Kristine Berey

The library relies on the boroughs where its branches are located for one-fifth of its operating budget. The grant has not been indexed over the years and last year, borough funding for the Richmond Square branch in Little Burgundy was been cut by one-third, says Linda Miller, president of the board of the library.

“This is such an important library. We’re swamped with kids, they use it every single day.”

With major highways surrounding the area, Miller says this branch is “like Mother Earth” to the residents of Little Burgundy, where it is the only accessible library.

The building housing the Atwater Library was recently designated a heritage building and will receive a grant to bring it up to code. The Montreal Children’s Library might have to move.

“As soon as they get the money, they are putting in an elevator, but that will cut into our offices. They will have to break through the wall of our tiny library and we will have to close while they work. Even if they work at night, what do we do about the dust, plaster, construction dust? It is too much for children. We don’t want to close the library, as the kids are so dependent on it.”

They are still negotiating with Atwater. In the long run, “I don’t see us surviving without more support from the communities at large. It’s a tragedy if people don’t recognize this.”

But it appears that the Montreal Children’s Library has some ardent supporters. At last count, Salon Pure raised $4,700 through what Miller called “an amazing act of generosity.”

Award-winning colourist Monia Grieco was enthusiastic about the immediacy of the initiative. “The way we are raising money, you know that the very next day the library staff are buying what they need.”

Grieco said the salon chose to raise funds for the library because they want to support children’s literacy in the face of funding cuts in today’s tight economy. “The government and corporations decide that the best place to save is what they already give away. But I don’t think by cutting today’s potential you can fix tomorrow.”

Contributions: 514-931-2304, mcl-bjm.ca

Adventure books offer reading reflections

2011-12-13T02:48:00.000-08:00

Shelagh Robinson

December 2011

“Like this, Grandpa.” After Sam lifted 6-year-old Sophia onto the bathroom counter, she grabbed the book and held it up to the mirror. He stared at the book’s reflection, looking at words that, to his surprise, he could easily recognize. The text was written in reverse.

Sophia sounded out a sentence in the reflection: “Mr. Puff is a nice clean lad.”

She turned the page as she looked at Sam in the mirror, smiling into his eyes. “Mr. Peeve smells really bad.”

“I’m reading,” she told him.

As we sweep into Christmas and Hanukah celebrations, lots of grandparents are looking forward to storytime with little ones. Reading together gives Grandma and Grandpa unique chances to find quiet moments and make memories with grandchildren. And especially over the holidays, books offer warm refuge from a cold sea of video screens.

Sneaking away from the table to indulge in a book with a reading buddy can create echoes of connection that last a lifetime. But how to get kids away from the latest electronic gadgets? Take books into unusual places and make reading an interactive game.

This year, grandparents and parents who are looking for something bookish and outside-the-usual will find a different kind of story adventure. Called Mirror Read Adventure Books, they come with a very special twist: They are completely written in reverse.

Backward text is nothing new, but reading backward books in mirrors is. I am a Montreal psychologist, teacher and author, and have been creating stories in reverse for nieces and nephews for more than 20 years.

Inspired by the reversed writings of Lewis Carroll and Leonardo da Vinci, I call it Connected Reading. I developed this new-old activity that allows children and adults to enjoy stories face-to-face. This face time changes everything; reading aloud with a child has been shown to be the single most important factor in raising a child who loves to read.

Reading in mirrors offers a new point of view of the process.

Lip-reading, which is important in learning word pronunciation, is much easier to do in a mirror. So is practicing “joint attention,” when two sets of eyes look at the same thing—a key component of language development. Kids who are not yet interested in reading can be enticed to sound out stories in reflections.

Grandparents can be innovators in their grandchildren’s reading lives by introducing them to new literary experiences.

I admit I get confused looks when I describe the concept of books in mirrors. All it takes is one try, though—a single time reading in a reflection with a child—and you’re hooked. It’s something about the smiles.

Sam put it into words: “I realize that I have never really been able to watch Sophia read before, or see her face as she succeeded. I haven’t been able to give her a proud look when she got to the end of a sentence. Our eyes have been focused down, on the page.

“I hadn’t noticed what I have been missing.”

Sam learned that reading in mirrors has its hazards: He had a stripe of toothpaste on his pants from an open tube on the counter.

“It didn’t matter. The experience was worth it. I love that Sophia taught me something new.”

Mirror Read Books are available at Oink Oink and Babar West Island, and online from mirrorread.com.

Robinson makes Community Calls, dropping off books around Montreal to host Mirror Readings at libraries, bookstores and playdates.

Shelagh Robinson is a psychologist and Dawson teacher

514-495-1071, shelagh@mirrorread.com.

Building friendships with seniors is a large part of rabbi’s philosophy

2011-12-13T02:42:00.000-08:00

Kristine Berey

December 2011

On December 12, a retirement party will be held for Rabbi Hershel Schechter, who has served at the Manoir Montefiore since its inception.

But Schechter is quick to point out that the relationship he has built with the residents is not about to end. “Over 22 years, I’ve bonded with the people here. Seniors need friendship; that is the main thrust of my mandate. The statement that I am retiring is not correct—I am cutting my hours to half of what they were, but not retiring completely.”

In the beginning, Schechter’s duties encompassed marketing and renting apartments. “It was a time we were just growing, just starting out and I was involved quite a bit. But as time went on, the most important task was to be with people, to make sure their needs were satisfied and that they were happy.”

Schechter says that staying in touch with adult children is of paramount importance to residents. “If a person doesn’t hear from a child, they express anxiety. You can’t imagine how much they appreciate hearing from them, hearing their voice. They need to know their kids are there.”

Schechter says that even when children live outside Quebec, they are supportive of their parents. “If you call them and ask for any special need, they are very forthcoming, they are just a phone call away. I’ve always maintained that the support children show their parents is more important to the parent’ health than any chemical compound they can get from a doctor.”

Rabbi Schechter wants the record set straight: He’s not really retiring. Photo: Ellen Hershfeld

Another crucial need is relating joyfully to their fellow residents and caregivers. Many residents came to Montefiore because they lost spouses and don’t want to feel alone.

But the transition can be difficult, Schechter says.

“Some seniors don’t find it easy to establish relationships with co-residents. They may sit quietly, are very pleasant and find their nook and cranny but they don’t mix as they should. It’s up to the rabbi to promote friendship. Communication is the key to their satisfaction.”

As people age, nourishment becomes more important. “Food is an issue in all retirement homes,” Hershel says.

“But I always speak about physical nutrition and spiritual nutrition. I feel that people become more spiritual as they age. Many, as they get older, will go to synagogue more than they did initially.” Schechter is proud to note that in 22 years, the residence synagogue has never missed services.

“I am involved with Nach, the segment of our prophets, and the Talmud,” Schechter says. “It is a perpetual lifetime study. There is so much to be learned, all your life you could study the lessons of our Torah.”

But residents will remain a priority. “If you develop a certain relationship with various people that you serve, you will want to be with them, visit them, and you don’t really retire, you want to continue as long as you feel you have something to give. That is really part of our faith.”

You don’t need to be a scientist to enjoy hard-hitting climate book

2011-12-13T02:16:00.000-08:00

Irwin Block

December 2011

The images on a CBC TV report last month were as disturbing as they were dramatic.

Historic buildings in downtown Dawson City are in danger of collapsing because concrete foundations are sinking. Highways in the Far North are buckling, turning into roller-coasters. The cause in both cases: the permafrost that lies beneath the top layer of soil is thawing and huge investments are needed to repair foundations and restore highways. The root cause: global warming.

Why should Montrealers care? If, as predicted, up to 60 per cent of the Earth’s permafrost thaws by 2200, the release of carbon from defrosted plant matter will be equivalent to half the amount of carbon released since the dawn of the industrial age.

That will hike even further the mean temperature rise here and around the world that threatens civilization as we know it by unleashing drought and famine, unprecedented wildfires, rising sea levels and massive flooding.

How the world is, and, more importantly, is not tackling global warming and climate change is tracked in Fools Rule: Inside the Failed Politics of Climate Change (Knopf Canada, 325 pages, $29.95), the superb new book by Montrealer William Marsden, The Gazette’s award-winning investigative journalist. It reads like an unfolding mystery, strewn with the corpses and sick bodies of our threatened civilization.

Marsden is nothing if not thorough and hands-on. He made his reputation as a crack journalist who, through relentless research and meticulous reporting, finds the smoking gun. As in Stupid to the Last Drop, his award-winning book on the tarsands, Marsden’s target is not administrative abuse, political corruption or organized crime. He lays bare the self-interest of nations and the “grow the economy whatever the environmental cost” strategy of most industrialized nations, including Canada, and the booming economies of such catch-up nations as China, India and Brazil.

The ultimate argument, says William Marsden, is that the power of the fossil-fuel lobbies ensures that even the most timid restrictions will never get congressional approval.

Their leaders refused to limit carbon dioxide emissions to correct a problem created by the G20 power block. Their ultimate argument, as Marsden notes, is that whatever U.S. negotiators may agree to, the mighty power of the fossil-fuel lobbies ensures that even the most timid restrictions will never get congressional approval.

This book is an exciting and highly descriptive trip, and you do not have to be a scientist to enjoy the ride. Marsden takes the reader to environmental meetings where he explains the challenges facing the world as he sketches the intrigue, secrecy, and competing self-interests that dominate these talks. He explains every concept and the logic behind various economic groups and why the powerful ones balk at making necessary sacrifices.

We join Marsden in Copenhagen to learn how the Danes, who early on faced with courage the limits of fossil-fueled economies and became a profitable world leader in harnessing wind power.

Marsden flies to the High Arctic to join glaciologists in their research on the melting polar ice cap, and how it threatens to raise sea levels and threaten the physical existence of nations even as it unleashes a new crop of mercury and other noxious chemicals into the ecosystem.

In Cancun, Marsden writes, “the science was relegated to the status of a trade show. … The delegates were playing the maracas while the world burned.” The end result: no concrete action to reverse the increasing amount of carbon dioxide spewing into the atmosphere, creating the greenhouse effect, which warms the Earth to catastrophic degrees.

As another meeting began in Durban, South Africa, last month to renew the Kyoto Protocol—it set binding targets for 37 industrialized countries and the European community for reducing greenhouse gas emission an average five per cent against 1990 levels from 2008-2012—reports were circulating that Canada was preparing to pull out of the consortium. Canada did so in spite of a Chinese offer to cut emissions.

Marsden is not optimistic about leadership from the Harper Tories, saying in an interview: “We are saddled with a majority government that shows absolutely no sign of wanting to deal with climate change. They just view it as an inconvenience.”

irblock@hotmail.com

Food, food and more food. These are stores that deliver

2011-12-13T02:15:00.000-08:00

Kristine Berey

December 2011

Despite the festive season, the return of winter can be viewed with dread when seen as a barrier to the outside world.

Seniors who are independent and live perfectly well on their own sometimes find themselves thinking twice before venturing outside into the slippery ice and snow. The biggest headache is what to do when you run out of essential food items on a blustery day.

It is not easy to find grocery stores that will accept telephone orders, because by the time the truck, gas, delivery person and clerk who selects the order are paid, the store might lose money.

Here is a list of stores who will accept telephone orders and deliver it to your home the same or the next day. There might be a minimum amount you will have to buy, usually around $40, and the service may not be offered every day.

But the convenience and safety of shopping by telephone is well worth the delivery charge.

 Côte St. Luc and western NDG: Caldwell Provisions, 514-481-0365.

 Westmount, (up to Atwater), St. Henri, eastern N.D.G.: Clifton Provision Market,

514-486-3851.

 Some areas of Montreal West, N.D.G., Côte St. Luc: Esposito, 514-483-1436.

 Verdun IGA, Supermarché Denis Deschenes: Thursday and Friday, 514-766-7540.

 West of Peel, Westmount,
St. Henri, C.D.N.: PA du Fort: before 2pm, 514-932-0922.

 Plateau, Mile End: PA du Parc: 514-273-8782.

 St. Laurent, Metro Côte Vertu: mornings, 514-747-3145.

 C.D.N.: Marché du Village:
514-735-3611.

 Pierrefonds, Pointe Claire, D.D.O.: Supermarché Mourelatos: 514-620-4200.

 Ville Marie: IGA Sauro,
514-525-4281.

 La Salle: Metro Dollard, Tuesday, 514-364-3492.

 Laval: PA Samson,
450-682-4441.

Israel is at a crossroads, Gorenberg says

2011-12-13T02:12:00.000-08:00

Irwin Block

December 2011

Israeli writer Gershom Gorenberg has called on North American Jews to add their voices to international pressure for the creation of an independent state alongside Israel to govern the estimated 4 million Palestinians in Gaza and the West Bank.

But the greatest responsibility for ending the occupation lies with Israelis themselves, Gorenberg says in his latest book, The Unmaking of Israel (HarperCollins, 325 pages, $28.99). He is touring Canada at the invitation of Canadian Friends of Peace Now.

Gorenberg, wearing a kippa and describing himself as an Orthodox Jew, mentioned two of his three children serve in the Israeli Defence Forces. He discussed the book in a talk last month at the Gelber Centre, also supported by the history circle of the Labour Zionist Alliance.

His religious beliefs, he noted, give him an entrée into the ultra religious zealots who are the most vocal supporters of maintaining the Israeli settlements—estimated population 300,000—who have been implanted in the West Bank since Israel took control of the territory in the 1967 war.

His discussions with some of them, and knowledge of their antecedents, beliefs and development as a powerful force in Israeli politics, add depth to his reportage and scope to his overview of today’s Israel.

Israel is at a crossroads, he says.

“Will it be … a thriving democracy within smaller borders? Or a pariah state where one ethnic group rules over another? Or a territory marked on the map, between the river and the sea, where the state has been replaced by two warring communities?

“Will it be the hub of the Jewish world, or a place that most Jews abroad prefer not to think about?”

He sets three pre-conditions for Israel to re-establish itself as a liberal democracy:

 End the “settlement enterprise” and find a peaceful way to partition the land between the Jordan River and Mediterranean.

 Separate synagogue and state, including instituting civil control of marriages and divorce.

 Become a democratic state in which all citizens are equal.

The responsibility for ending the occupation lies with Israelis themselves, writer Gershom Gorenberg says in his book The Unmaking of Israel. Photo: Debbi Cooper

To limit the number of settlers compelled to move, Gorenberg endorses land-swap provisions, where Israel would exchange with the Palestinian Authority land to enable the estimated 200,000 Israelis who live in compact neighbourhoods that hug the Green Line and in annexed Jerusalem to stay.

Rather than trading land for peace, the traditional Israeli approach, the writer suggests a halt to building settlements and immediate transfer of residents who agree to be resettled on the Israeli side of the green line. Once a deal is signed, there can be a transition of several years to evacuate the other homes.

But even if talks do not result in a peace accord with a nascent Palestinian state, he advocates for abandoning the settlements because, apart from making Israeli rule over Palestinian non-citizens, “they destroy Israel’s credibility” and because the settlers’ large families are expected to grow.

“Efforts to maintain them corrodes the state and brings the one-state nightmare closer to reality. Removing them is a public statement that Israel is eager to give up military control the moment it can,” he writes.

To prevent attacks on Israel and maintain public order, an Israeli military presence would continue on the territory until full agreement is reached, he argues.

Yes, there is every likelihood of violent resistance, beyond what happened when Israeli settlements were abandoned in Gaza. This could be problematic if part of the officer corps decides to obey radical right-wing clergy rather than enforce government policy.

Because refusal to obey orders is no longer a theoretical possibility, Gorenberg advocates the phasing out of so-called Hesder Yeshivot—post-secondary academies that combine advanced Talmudic studies with military service. The government should start by ejecting those schools whose deans have taught soldiers to disobey orders on political grounds, he writes.

Once there is a fixed border, Israel can “complete its long-delayed transition from national liberation movement to liberal nation-state.”

Among the priorities would be massive investment in education, with a “disproportionate amount” to Arab-language schools to compensate for years of neglect.

“State land must be equally available to all citizens. … Housing discrimination against Arabs should be assigned to history books.”

Fluency in Arabic and Hebrew should be required of all students by the end of high school as a way of creating a shared civic identity. (Arabic is optional in schools where Hebrew is the language of instruction.)

He also advocates a core curriculum for the burgeoning Haredi, or ultra-religious, school network so that graduates have the tools to survive in a post-industrial society, including history, civics, mathematics and English as a second language.

His message to Israelis: Remake Israel so it becomes a “successful democracy,” rather than “a failed state.”

irblock@hotmail.com

New Year’s resolutions from a newly returned New Yorker

2011-12-12T23:58:00.000-08:00

Harry Rolnick

December 2011

“New Year’s Day is the time to make your resolutions. Next week you can begin paving hell with them.”

Mark Twain was correct. But here goes.

I hereby resolve …

 Never to jaywalk when more than three cars are zooming in my direction.

 Never, when swiping a card through subway turnstile and an incessant message says, “Swipe Again,” “Swipe Again,” “Swipe Again,” will I get down on my knees and sell my soul to Satan if he will take vengeance on the transit system.

 Never, when a stranger asks, “Hey, man, how about that game last night?” will I arrogantly reply, “Game? Oh, you mean the Intra-Mural Kyrgyzstan Chess Semi-Finals. Yes, quite a nail-biter.”

 Never, when six portly post-party-goers hog the sidewalk as I walk in the opposite direction, will I assume my Night of the Living Dead zombie visage and walk straight through them while they separate like the Red Sea in horror.

 Never, when New Yorkers are talking politics, will I say, “Actually, I’m an Evangelical right-wing Republican.” I did that once, and three women fainted, one man stared in horror, while the leader said, “This can’t be … we’ve never been face to face with …” I had to tell them, “Just kiddin’.” But the damage was done.

 Never ever take a subway during the weekend, when construction work makes all routes invalid. At each stop, a voice will blur, “Get off the subway. If you are going to Mrfppdd Station, walk to Pxrfirlee St. and take the Ovvldaes Subway to Klmmdif. Otherwise dfrde downstairs and ask for the Efkri9vf.” Everybody looks around in total chaos. Actually, I once thought to follow the instructions, and 30 minutes later exited on a lobster-boat anchored off Newfoundland.

 Never, when walking on East Third St., which is owned by the Hell’s Angels, and my dog pees on a parked motorcycle, and a gang approaches, will I run for my life. Instead I will fulminate with Jeremiah’s fury, the only two words I know in Laotian: “Khao Niu! Khao Niu!!” As they back off in confusion, I resolve not to tell them that “Khao Niu” means glutinous rice.

 Never, when at a classical a concert, and the composer is in a fun mood (a Bach jig, Beethoven scherzo), will I smile. New York audiences, who have the emotional excitement of dead mackerel in the Tokyo Fish Market, stare in disapproval.

 Never will I walk normally. The basic strolling pace of New Yorkers is equal to the six-minute mile. Should you walk at a worldly “normal” pace, you resemble an optical illusion: one person standing amid a blur of a billion feet. Nothing is more disconcerting than being an optical illusion.

 Never use the word “kilometre” or “kilogram.” The only “meter” permitted in New York is the taxi meter. The only “gram” is one’s father’s mother.

A New York Herald political cartoon from 1905 shows not much has changed with N.Y. transit. Photo: W.A. Rogers, 1854-1931

 Never joke with a dog-owner. New Yorkers may be amiable enough, but a Manhattan dog resembles an Indian cow or an Ancient Egyptian cat. Don’t screw around. I once approached a woman who had a six-inch-high King Charles spaniel with a non-stop wagging tail. “Ah,” I said, as he licked my hand, “Another vicious dog destroying civilization as we know it.” She looked daggers at me. “Actually,” she said, “he is quite gentle.”

 Uh-oh, my own spaniel has been yearning to get a resolution in edgeways. Let’s see what he says: “I resolve not to chase a ball before it leaves your hand.” Boring. Try another.

“I resolve not to deceive you by standing sadly at the door when you depart. To be honest, I can’t wait until the key is turned and I can get some sleep without you playing all that dumb music.”

Better. Go to sleep.

 Never go to a coffee shop, diner or fast-food restaurant and politely return the dish, even if it looks disgusting. “Whatdya wanna do? Ya wanna new plate? I’ll give ya a new plate.” Never eat off that new plate. Especially when you see the chef peeking behind the kitchen door giggling.

 Never, as a classical music reviewer, eat potato chips during the soft moments of Bach B Minor Mass. Even during the triumphantly loud Sanctus, it is best to circulate the potato chip around in the mouth several seconds so it becomes suitably moist.

 At an opera, when you hear coughing, the cougher may be reluctantly excused. Never turn around during intermission to ask her if she is rehearsing for the final scene of Traviata or Bohéme. Or ask him if he wishes to be driven to a tuberculosis sanatorium.

 If planning a concert of modern music, where coughers may abound, never carry a dead mackerel in your pocket, planning, when hearing the coughing, to throw the fish at the malefactor, shouting at him, “Here! Feast on this, ya damned walrus.”

 Never mention the name of any foreign country to a New Yorker. New York is the world, the cosmos, the Soul of the Lord of Creation. Should you make that error, be certain to straighten out your mistake and say, “Actually, I was referring to that cusp in Einstein’s universe when time turns back on itself, and the Black Hole swallows up everything up which is not New York.” You will be forgiven.

 Never try to catch any kind of transport between 4:30 and 6:30 pm. Subways are sardine cars, buses never arrive, or whiz past stops, walkers will trip you up (See Resolution No. 9), businessmen will blindly walk into you, schoolkids will skate over you. And taxis? Nobody ever gets a taxi between 4:30 and 6:30 pm. “Where, then,” you ask, “do the taxis pick up passengers?” I would imagine—since I have never seen a taxi stop for anyone—that they pick up passengers at the infinite time-space continuum somewhere in Brooklyn.

 Never speak English to a New York taxi driver. You could try Abyssinian, Croat, Hokkaido, Swatou or Khmer and actually get to your destination faster. English, though, is verboten.

 Finally, never wish New Yorkers Merry Christmas and Happy New Year. The word Christmas is far too religious. And New Year could refer to Rosh Hashanah, Thai Songkran, Bengali Baisakh. Chinese Yuan tan, Islamic Muharram, Laotian Pimai, or ancient Babylonian Akitu.

I’m afraid I don’t know the Canadian word for “Happy New Year,” but whatever it is, I wish it, along with peace, compassion and joy.

Holiday jazz is right Upstairs

2011-12-12T23:40:00.000-08:00

Irwin Block

December 2011

If you’re looking for a place to enjoy an evening of jazz and have a meal and a drink in an intimate setting, the place to be this holiday season is Upstairs Jazz Bar & Grill.

I have been a regular there for much of the past 16 years, since a young Joel Giberovitch, on the advice of his restaurateur dad, Sid, took over the lease from a failing semi-basement venue on Mackay and transformed it into the city’s premiere live jazz venue.

After a fact-finding trip to New York City to visit prime jazz clubs, Giberovitch shaped Upstairs into the place to hear top local and international talent in a warm and respectful setting.

The excellent sound system and Yamaha baby grand piano are appreciated by musicians and fans alike, as is Giberovitch’s call before each set for silence, to respect the musicians and their task of improvising something new and personal.

The bistro-style menu, with snacks and tapas for those with a smaller appetite, are well prepared by Chilean-born chef Juan Barrios.

The main reason for going, however, remains music, and there are two programs this month worth checking out.

Pianist Lorraine Desmarais plays her annual Christmas show December 16 and 17. Desmarais is a superb instrumentalist, a powerful jazz creator who will serve up well-known tunes and give them new shape and vitality and life with improvisations that are the product of a 30-year career.

The first set is at 8:30 pm. Tickets are $18.50, dropping to $15.50 for the second set at 10:15 pm. No charge for the midnight show.

If you’re looking for a comfy place to celebrate New Year’s Eve, blues and cabaret singer Dawn Tyler Watson and her band will be entertaining at the club.

The $134.95 ticket includes three-course meal and sparkling wine at midnight.

514-931-6808, upstairsjazz.com The website livestreams shows.

irblock@hotmail.com

Von Trier’s Melancholia finds light in a dark, threatened world

2011-12-12T23:38:00.000-08:00

Vishesh Abeyratne

December 2011

The end of the world is being portrayed on film more frequently. But I have yet to see an apocalyptic drama that captures the emotional and psychological effects of the knowledge of ultimate doom more oddly and beautifully than Danish director Lars von Trier’s latest cinematic opus, Melancholia.

The film depicts the tumultuous relationship between two sisters in the face of a rogue planet about to collide with and obliterate the Earth. Justine (Kirsten Dunst) suffers from chronic depression and strains the patience of her immediate family. Claire (Charlotte Gainsbourg) is the more grounded of the sisters. She tries desperately to hold Justine’s hand as she ambles catatonically through her wedding preparations.

As the planet Melancholia looms ever closer, her smile becomes less forced and calmer as her loved ones fall to pieces.

Although a film about the ultimate end of humanity tied in with themes of depression and existential ennui doesn’t seem uplifting, von Trier’s work isn’t as morose as one would think. We are treated to moments of almost unbearable dread and despair but sometimes the emotional blackness is tuned to such a ridiculous level that one cannot help but laugh. Charlotte Rampling as the cynical mother is a shocking yet wonderfully relieving source of black comedy.

Structurally, the film is off-kilter. The first half, devoted to Justine’s disastrous wedding, serves to illustrate one thing: Justine is mentally ill. This could have been compressed into one scene. While there were moments that worked to build and heighten the tension of Melancholia’s approach, the first half felt laboured.

The film’s second act moves at a similar pace but thanks to the threat of planetary collision and the film’s unflinching look people’s reactions, it keeps us decidedly more awake.

The performances, particularly from Dunst and Gainsbourg, are uncomfortably real. At times the dialogue is stilted, but the sheer crushing, suffocating weight of chronic depression is portrayed with a level of authenticity that is almost frightening. It feels voyeuristic to watch Justine descend from melancholy to apathy and finally transcendence.

Dunst takes us through this journey with nary a hitch. Gainsbourg plays Claire with an honesty that is refreshing, as we see a sibling who is unable to comprehend her sister’s condition or to help her through it even as she has her own life to lead … though not for long.

While it suffers from an ungainly pace, Melancholia is a beautiful film. It glides like a graceful swan while occasionally bumping into a rock. It manages to find traces of light, in a scenario that seems inescapably dark.

It is as entrancing and as hypnotic as the titular planet and it seems destined to haunt those who see it long after they leave.

Check local theatres for show times.

Chez Cora reminds us why we love going for brunch

2011-12-12T23:36:00.000-08:00

Irwin Block

December 2011

The weekend brunch is becoming part of our way of life, and we saw clearly why on a recent Sunday when we sampled the offerings at Chez Cora on St. Jacques W. near Montreal West.

Set back from the road by a large parking lot, just opposite a Loblaw’s, there is a marked contrast between the restaurant’s unprepossessing façade and the quality of the food.

About 25 customers were in line when we arrived and it took 12 minutes before we got a table, but we soon found out why it was so popular.

This Chez Cora specializes in gourmet breakfasts—omelets, pancakes and French toast—bottomless coffee and lots of fresh fruit to add healthy decoration to each plate.

The place was filled with eager clients of all ages, devouring their food with gusto as they engaged in animated conversations. The vibe was great, the service was polite, friendly and patient.

Our waiter offered fruit cocktails ($3.25), which Barbara accepted—a delicious cranberry, strawberry and peach smoothie, with no yogurt or milk, that is a great alternative to plain orange juice.

Ruth, an experienced cook with an unerring eye for the healthy alternative, ordered the spinach and cheddar crêpe ($9.95), which gained her full-fledged approval. Eva required no coaxing as she savoured every last morsel of her raspberry crêpe ($10.75), including a raspberry, honey and English cream coulis. Pure maple syrup (50 cents) added another level of sweetness.

Barbara ordered a strawberry waffle with custard ($10.25) —crusty on the bottom and soft on top—that was topped with a generous amount of very fresh strawberries.

Given my need to avoid cholesterol, I chose the fruit plate with Swiss cheese and rye toast ($11.45), which was colourful, varied and filling. When I asked for crisper toast than that served, the waiter eagerly complied.

I walked past the open kitchen and understood the secret of the speedy service—half a dozen busy cooks preparing food for efficient waiters.

All in all, a first-class dining experience. When we left at 1:30pm, another dozen people were lined up to get a table, proof, if any were needed, that the word is out that this is a great spot for all-day weekend brunch.

There is also a luncheon special offered during the week ($7.45-$12.45), with an early bird special for guests who arrive before 8 am. ($3.95-$5.45).

Chez Cora, 6685 St. Jacques W. 514-369-0733. It is wheelchair accessible.

Regift if you must, but keep it classy

2011-12-12T23:34:00.000-08:00

Sandra Phillips

December 2011

Is it rude or wrong to regift? It used to be. Regifting has gotten a bad rap, since it was thought of only as getting rid of something you don’t want, didn’t like or didn’t need. However, you can think of it as green giving.

Regifting has gained in popularity since comedian Jerry Seinfeld’s show coined the term in 1995. The increasing popularity of the word and of people buying at online auctions has made the phenomenon of regifting more acceptable. More than half of adults recently surveyed by Money Management International found regifting acceptable.

Regifting rules

 The item should be brand new. Not last year’s brand new—this year’s brand new. It should be unopened, never played with, never worn, washed or tried out. It should be in its original, undamaged packaging. All the bits and pieces must be intact, including the guarantee. If the recipient returns it to the store, he should not be told, “We haven’t carried that model for years.”

 Some people feel you should not regift items someone has hand-made for you, because they came from the heart.

But if someone knitted you an afghan and if you never used it, and it doesn’t match your decor, I don’t think it hurts to have a hand-made thing passed to someone who could really enjoy it. You do, however, have to consider the hurt feelings of the maker if it were discovered.

 Make sure the person who gave you the gift doesn’t know (or know of ) the person receiving the gift. If it is an uncommon item that could easily be identified, you shouldn’t regift it unless the receiver is on another planet. The more unusual the item, the greater distance there should be between the giver and the regiftee.

 Always be sure you have removed any original gift tags or cards. You must take the time to rewrap the gift and attach new bows or ribbons.

 What do you do with the horrible things you have received and would love to get rid of? Someone’s horror could be another person’s love. Some people say that unless the item is something you would actually buy the recipient, you shouldn’t give it to them—that a gift is a reflection of your taste. I think you have to consider the taste of the person getting it rather than only your taste. It is a gift for them.

 Should you ever let them know it is a regift? If you’re comfortable with it and you know the person getting it is comfortable with it, there’s no problem. Perhaps you are passing down a family heirloom to another family member—a ring or a piece of silverplate or china? Then it becomes a very special gift.

 The 10 most popular regifted items are: alcohol, gift cards, fruitcake, candles, cookbooks, jewelry, picture frames, gift baskets, housewares and clothing.

Only you can decide whether to regift. The basis of good manners is respect and consideration for others.

Think through the circumstances and if in doubt, don’t do it.

Here’s the script snippet where regift was used in that Seinfeld episode (regifter was used earlier in the show; note, as well, yet another new word: degift):

George: The wedding is off. Now you can go to the Super Bowl.

Jerry: I can’t call Tim Whatley and ask for the tickets back.

George: You just gave them to him two days ago, he’s gotta give you a grace period.

Jerry: Are you even vaguely familiar with the concept of giving? There’s no grace period.

George: Well, didn’t he regift the label maker?

Jerry: Possibly.

George: Well, if he can regift, why can’t you degift?

Jerry: You may have a point.

George: I have a point, I have a point.

What’s good for Harper probably isn’t good for Canada

2011-12-12T23:33:00.000-08:00

Neil McKenty

December 2011

It is difficult to understand why Prime Minister Stephen Harper is so gung ho on ramming through an omnibus crime bill that cements in place a number of policies that have failed miserably south of the border.

And at a time when a survey shows that 93 per cent of Canadians feel safe in their own home, and statistics show that crime rates (including violent crime) are dropping across the country.

Still, Harper wants to build more prisons, impose longer sentences and reduce the chances for parole. These draconian measures make punishment more important than rehabilitation even though we know that undue repression, far from halting crime, transforms minor offenders into hardened criminals.

As Lysiane Gagnon recently wrote in the Globe and Mail, Bill C10, with its provisions for mandatory sentencing, means the government is engaging in micro-management, as if judges were incapable of evaluating what kind of punishment fits the crime.

So far we have not said a word about the huge expense this “law and order” policy will entail.

Quebec Justice Minister Jean-Marc Fournier, like Ontario Premier Dalton McGuinty, has objected to the fact that the Harper crime bill will raise the province’s fiscal burden by millions in prison costs—not to mention the social and human costs.

More and longer prison terms mean more school dropouts, more unemployment, more divorces, more family dislocation and more addiction.

The whole country will suffer from this retrograde policy.

While we are on Harper, did you see his latest move to “Harperize” Canada?

New documents obtained by the Canadian Press under the Access to Information Act directly contradict Harper’s chief spokesperson that bureaucrats have not been directed to replace the words “Government of Canada” with “Harper Government” in departmental news releases.

Top former civil servants say the change marks a disturbing trend in the politicization of the bureaucracy—and breaches both communications policy and civil service ethics policy.

All this at a time when the House of Commons—normally a brake on the executive—has no permanent opposition leader and many of their front-bench people are spending time on the leadership race.

The decline of the House of Commons is a serious development. In a recent article in Maclean’s, Andrew Coyne wrote of the scenario for the reality that Parliament is dying: “Largely irrelevant, increasingly impotent, it is treated with contempt by those in power, matched only
by the indifference of the general public.

“The votes of MPs are essentially irrelevant, as indeed are MPs themselves.”

Let’s face it: Members are not accountable to their constituency organizations. They are not responsible to the Commons.

The fact is their very existence depends on the favour of the prime minister.

After all, they could never have run in the first place without the PM’s agreement.

If they step out of line, Harper will have no compunction in booting them out of his caucus.

This is not a healthy situation for our body politic.

We don’t want the political gridlock now on display in Washington, but nothing much will change in Ottawa until party members and riding associations demand it—until they insist their MPs be accountable to them, rather than to the leadership.

I am not holding my breath. Harper has an iron grip on power so nothing much will change for the next four or five years.

That’s good for Harper. Not so much for the country.

mckenty@videotron.ca

Combat holiday melancholy by giving, celebrating those who give

2011-12-12T23:29:00.000-08:00

Natalie Bercovici

December 2011

Celebrating any holiday or milestone can bring on mixed emotions because there is a sense of melancholy for loved ones who are no longer with us.

We are, nevertheless, inspired by a sense of excitement and a boost of energy at Christmas and Hanukah.

Officially we count the days to Christmas from the Generations Foundation Holiday Breakfast at La Stanza Restaurant, but long before the first snowflakes, the telephones were ringing for children and their families.

Families were identified by Generations Foundation to receive Gazette Christmas Fund cheques. Our winter campaign letters were written and mailed to prospective donors. Lists of schoolchildren poured in for toys to be wrapped and labeled by volunteers working day and night.

Turkey lunch with all the trimmings is on the menu at many schools where we are invited to join the celebrations. Our food and toy drive is in full swing to ensure that an abundance of food is on family tables and toys are ready for giving.

Many students volunteer to help our kids. We are so grateful for your participation in this journey of caring and love; the toy companies, media, generous donors and volunteers, board members and staff and all of you who open your hearts to those in need this holiday season.

Happy holidays!

Nicolas Carpentier

On November 16, 2011, the Board of Trade of Metropolitan Montreal honoured four Montrealers for their outstanding contributions.

Representing the social sector was our co-founder and executive vice-president, Sid Stevens, honoured for 57 years of community involvement.

The recipient for the economic sector was the executive chairman and founder of Aldo Group Inc., Aldo Bensadoun. A philanthropist, Bensadoun made social responsibility a pillar of his company; this year, he was inducted into the Canadian Hall of Fame.

The Board of Trade chose Pierre Fortin, emeritus professor of the Department of Economics at UQAM, for his scientific contributions.

In addition to being named a Great Montrealer, Fortin has been the recipient of the Governor-General’s Gold Medal.

Last but not least, the recipient for the cultural sector was world-renowned animator and filmmaker Frédéric Back of The Man Who Planted Trees, which won more than 40 awards.

Nominated four times for an Academy Award, Back won twice for Best Animated Film. He is a Knight of the Ordre National du Québec, an officer of the Order of Canada and an Officer of France’s Ordre des arts et des lettres.

You can prevent depression from taking the world from you

2011-12-12T23:28:00.000-08:00

December 2011

Traveling with sickness is no fun, but not traveling at all is no life. This was the sentiment voiced by Anna (not her real name), who suffers from a debilitating mental disorder affecting almost 25 per cent of all Canadians.

Depression.

Now in her early 50s, Anna, who has traveled and spent years working in foreign countries, believes that travel is an important challenge for those who suffer from mood disorders.

“Traveling can be very good for the soul, for the spirit. Going places makes a big difference, especially bright, sunny places. The light makes a big difference.”

Anna is a victim of a “functional” category of mood disorders, commonly called depression. She says that a change in environment can go a long way toward chasing away a sense of boredom, anxiety and a feeling of not being satisfied—the blahs that limit sufferers from living a full life.

“Like the climate, mood changes a lot. There are a lot of therapeutic places that are a lot more beautiful than home in winter,” she says. “You don’t need to be trapped at home. But you also have to know your limitations.”

Anna suggests that people should first talk with their doctor about going away, since the advisability of traveling often depends on the actual illness. “You have to determine what is wise for you to do.”

Anna has lived and worked in places as far afield as Colombia and Egypt because she took precautions.

She says you have to make sure through a Canadian embassy that a doctor is available who can speak English and that your medications are available in an emergency.

Anna stresses the importance of traveling with a friend who knows the sufferer’s condition and who can pitch in to help out should an episode flare up. “Sometimes the stress of a new language or culture can cause anxiety and discomfort.”

Consider insurance, she adds. “If a massive attack does take place, you have to have some means of leaving, even if it means getting a helicopter.”

Sometimes a small issue at home could turn into something more significant away from home. “You have to start on a short trip to a well known place at first,” she advises.

Anna says the most important alerts she offers sufferers to are to stay near people and “Know yourself.”

  

That loathsome, pandemic scourge of bedbugs is back in the news again, given the sheer number of holidays and vacations over the next few months. Here are tips that can help you win an inglorious battle with that miserable little “vampire.”

Inspect the sleeping facilities. According to travel writer colleague Kate Pollack, you should “check for blood spots on the sheets, tiny-apple-seed-like bugs in the mattress seams or signs of black poo marks behind the headboard.” Yech!

You have to operate on the principle that bedbugs love warm, comfy hideaways, seeking surfaces that resemble a wall-to-wall rug. Avoid laying your luggage on the bed; use a rack, never on the floor.

The best place to unpack is in the bathtub. Then, hang all the clothes you can and don’t be afraid to ask for extra hangers. These little buggers absolutely despise shiny, smooth surfaces.

Check to see whether the hotel had the forethought to wrap their mattresses in a plastic, zippered envelope. If they didn’t, you should expect them to remove your sheets and use one that you’ve brought along.

This extra precaution provides that smooth, shiny surface. And while you’re at it, tell the concierge that you would like the skirt that ribbons your bed to be removed for the duration of your visit. The pests climb up the surfaces onto the bed and lay their creepy little eggs in the folds. These requests should testify to the quality of service your hotel provides.

If you’ve been provided with a comforter, have it removed, and opt instead for covers that have just gone through a high-heat drying cycle.

As some of your soiled clothes will find themselves in a pile, you will want to bring along plastic bags (large with secure fittings) to contain them.

At home, toss your clothes into the dryer before the wash and dry cycles. Before storing your suitcase, spray a certified-friendly pesticide throughout.

You can never be too careful.

So you’re going to change your will. Be sure you do it right

2011-12-12T01:19:00.000-08:00

Joyce Blond Frank B.A., B.C.L., LL.M.

December 2011

The holiday season is upon us and family relationships can be affected—for better and for worse. The get-together got you thinking. You arrive home and feel like changing your will. You know you can do it by yourself by writing out the changes or even writing a completely new will. But there are things to watch out for.

Our law tends to be formalistic and the laws pertaining to wills are no exception. The will you write yourself is called a “holograph will.” The form it must take is that it must be entirely written by the person making it and signed by that person without the aid of any mechanical process.

This type of will must be validated by the court after death, a process referred to as “probating the will.” Sounds simple enough.

But here’s what happened in the case of Mrs. L: When she passed away, a handwritten will was found in her purse. There was no question that it had been written by her, but she had failed to sign it. The law does provide some flexibility in that it confers a discretionary power on the judge to validate a will that does not meet all the requirements of form, so long as it meets the essential requirements and if it unquestionably and unequivocally contains the last wishes of the deceased. In other words, the defect in the form must not be a fundamental one, that is, an essential condition of validity. Unfortunately, it was decided that the signature of the testator constitutes an essential element of the holograph will. The fact that the will had been written around the time of the death and was found on her body did not make up for the fact that it had not been signed and the court refused to probate it. However, with regrets.

Mrs. A wrote her will in the margin of a puzzle book; it did not contain either a date or a signature. She gave it to a nurse to hold onto and the nurse mentioned it in Mrs. A’s medical file. A Superior Court judge concluded it contained her last wishes; he accepted the notation in the medical file and the testimony of the nurse in place of a signature and validated it. That decision was reversed by the court of appeal, which held that a notation in a medical file and the testimony of a nurse could not change handwritten notes in a puzzle book into a holograph will. Without a signature there was no will.

Mr. L drafted his own will using a laptop. He was very detailed in expressing his wishes and specified who would inherit and who should not. He then printed out the will. He wrote in the date and signed it; he also wrote the words “this is my will” and signed that statement as well. No witness signed the will, but a friend signed an affidavit that he recognized the signature of the deceased Mr. L.

The court held that the will failed to conform with the requirements as to form for the holograph will, which must be both written and signed by the testator without the aid of a mechanical device. It held further that the discretionary power given the judge to validate the will did not apply if the defect in form was fundamental.

Consequently, the fact that the will expressed the last wishes of the testator unquestionably and unequivocally could not override the fact that it failed to conform to the formalistic requirements of the law.

Although dating a will is not one of the fundamental requirements, it is a good idea to do so in order for people to know that it contains your latest wishes.

So if the holiday season motivates you to make a will—or change one—and you don’t feel the need to obtain professional help, remember to write it all out yourself, date it and sign it. Otherwise, your wishes may never be fulfilled.

Scotch spirit not only warms ... it burns

2011-12-12T01:18:00.000-08:00

Howard Richler

December 2011

January 25 marks Robert Burns Day and will be commemorated by Scots (and Scot wannabes) worldwide, whether they are enjoying a hearty McEwan’s ale or a McCallum single-malt scotch and, alas, even if they are stone sober.

Robbie was born in Ayrshire, Scotland, on January 25, 1759, to William Burness, a poor tenant farmer, and Agnes Broun. He was the eldest of seven and spent his youth working his father’s farm.

In spite of the family’s meagre means, William Burness engaged a tutor for his precocious son Robbie. At 15, Robbie was the principal worker on the farm and this prompted him to start writing in an attempt to find “some kind of counterpoise for his circumstances.” It was at this tender age that Burns penned his first verse, My Handsome Nell, which was an ode to the subjects that dominated his life, namely whisky and women.

When his father died in 1784, Robbie and a brother became partners in the farm. Robbie, however, was more fascinated by the poem than the plough and after having fathered several illegitimate children, he planned to forsake Scotland and abscond to a Caribbean island.

Serendipitously for Scotland, his first collection of verse, Poems-Chiefly in the Scottish Dialect, was published at this juncture and received much critical acclaim.

He thus remained in his homeland, touring the country before eventually arriving in Edinburgh, where he mingled with the illustrious artists and writers who were agog at the “Ploughman Poet.”

By Burns’s lifetime, the ancient Celtic language of the Scots had been reduced to a mere dialect and Burns took it upon himself to resurrect Scots to its halcyon level of yesteryear. Many of Burns’s finest poems are composed, at least partially, in Scots and thus helped revalidate the ancient tongue of his forefathers.

The last years of Burns’s life were devoted to penning such poems as A Red, Red Rose, Sweet Afton and Tam O’Shanter. He died when only 37, of a heart disease perhaps exacerbated by the arduous manual work he undertook when he was young.

Here are some of the opening stanzas from his masterpiece Tam O’Shanter (with translation notes for Scots and archaic English):

When chapman billies (peddler fellows) leave the street,

And drouthy (thirsty) neebors meet;

As market-days are wearing late,

An folk begin to tak the gate;

While we sit bousing (boozing) at the nappy (strong ale),

An getting fou (full-drunk) and unco (very) happy,

We think na on the lang (long) Scots miles,

The mosses, waters, slaps (gates), and styles,

That lie between us and our hame (home),

Whare sits our sulky, sullen dame,

Gathering her brows like gathering storm,

Nursing her wrath to keep it warm.

This truth fand (found) honest Tam o Shanter,

As he frae (from) Ayr ae (one) night did canter:

Auld Ayr, wham (whom) ne’er a town surpasses,

For honest men and bonie lasses).

O Tam had’st thou but been sae (so) wise,

As taen (taken) thy ain (own) wife Kate’s advice!

She tauld thee weel (well) thou was a skellum (scamp),

A blethering, blustering, drunken blellum (babbler);

That frae November till October,

Ae market-day thou was nae sober;

That ilka (every) melder (amount of grain to be ground) wi the miller,

Thou sat as lang as thou had siller (silver/money);

That ev’ry naig (nag/horse) was ca’d (driven) a shoe on,

The smith and thee gat roarin fou on;

That at the Lord’s house, even on Sundav,

Thou drank wi Kirkton Jean till Monday.

She prophesied that, late or soon,

Thou would be found, deep drown’d in Doon,

Or catch’d wi warlocks in the mirk,

By Alloway’s auld, haunted kirk(church).

Ah, gentle dames, it gars (compels) me greet (weep),

To think how monie (many) counsels sweet,

How monie lengthen’d, sage advices

The husband frae the wife despises!

Burns’s simple yet eloquently evocative verse, with its celebration of life, speaks to people everywhere. So let’s all raise a glass in honour of Robert Burns. Personally, though, I’ll forego the haggis.

hrichler@gmail.com

Brooklyn Museum pushes limits with secrets and scandals

2011-12-12T01:17:00.000-08:00

Harry Rolnick

December 2011

“The Met?” asks a Curator of the Brooklyn Museum. “Don’t quote me, but the Met’s Egyptian collection is Macy’s. Our Egyptian collection is Tiffany’s.”

Yes, the Metropolitan Museum of Art does have its impressive reconstructed Egyptian temple and Egyptian arcades. But the Brooklyn Museum has a more astonishing collection. A chamber of mummies (which includes both the coffin and a mummy for the sacred ibis), spacious room after spacious room with endless statues, busts and—in the final, Byzantine room, a vast space where, amid Byzantine art, one has the feeling of being in a 2nd-century church.

The Brooklyn Museum devotes almost an entire floor to Egyptian galleries, not only the art, but exhibits about women’s roles, temples, technology and communication. More than 1,200 objects—including some of the most beautiful busts and art I have ever seen. The displays don’t have the simulated Egyptian temple settings of the Met. Instead, we have endless galleries in pristine condition.

All of this with walls of funky Egyptian quotes from Herodotus to Mark Twain to Gloria Steinem.

But the Brooklyn Museum, in its 483,000 square feet over five floors, has other surprises that stagger the imagination—as well as the rare visitor from outside Brooklyn. Between its fine African collection and Chinese ceramics, it shows, said one official, “Virtually every culture in the world.”

One whole floor is devoted to the first (and probably only) Feminist Centre of Art, the centre of which is an iconic room titled The Dinner Party, where virtually all the famed women of history have their own seats, plates, places, dinnerware and symbolic settings.

The fifth floor is devoted to American Identities, including a fine Georgia O’Keeffe painting. One floor below that is a fascinating history of American architecture. Not the eminent constructions, but farmhouses, plantation houses, and even the mansion of John D. Rockefeller.

It also includes my favourite painting, of Brooklyn in the 1840s, a scene that could have been painted by Breugel. And the famous portrait of George Washington by Gilbert Chase.

It took a few viewings to realize that this was more than idealized. Yes, Washington has a sword, his hands rest on a bookcase—but outside the window is a beautiful rainbow.

Obviously, America’s “exceptionalism” in its future.

Widely regarded as the first epic feminist artwork, Judy Chicago’s The Dinner Party functions as a symbolic history of women in Western civilization.

The Brooklyn Museum has its secrets that aren’t listed in any books.

First, while you walk through, you could find yourself a bit dizzy, rooms winding around each other like an Escher landscape. The reason? Back in 1897, with independent Brooklyn stretching its muscles before being incorporated into New York City, this was planned to be the largest museum in the world. The first site on the vacant land was the West Wing, and it was to be extended indefinitely … until it stopped. Money dried up and competition with the Met became crippling. Different modular buildings were erected, but nothing was quite in place. It’s quite an eccentric piece of architecture.

(The museum started as the Library for Apprentices in 1826, and one of its first librarians was a young poet named Walt Whitman.)

I prefer the Brooklyn Museum for its scandals. The Met has always been under the sharp eyes of its millionaire patrons, but the Brooklyn has been more free-wheeling, with temporary exhibits pushing the envelope of public outrage.

A decade ago, an exhibition called Sensation featured pictures of corpses, dead animals and other juicy bits. But when somebody discovered that a picture of the Virgin Mary was painted on a background of—Father, forgive us!—elephant feces, everybody from the Catholic Legion of Decency to the mayor of New York screamed the equivalent of “holy s--t!” Litigation was in the works, the museum was denied funding from government arts foundations (later returned), and those who never went near a museum had virtual fainting fits. Few of them had seen it (I did, and besides the Virgin Mary, there were several other historical figures, since elephant dung is not regarded with any horror in Africa).

An exhibition this year called Graffiti, celebrating sidewalk art, prurient poems and blatant sexual paintings, was called off after a local newspaper (which makes its money through prurient news and blatant sexual stories), said it was “sticking the thumbs in the eyes of every bodega owner and restaurant manager who struggles to keep his or her property graffiti-free.”

The image is pretty damned bloody, but in a time of near-recession, the Brooklyn Museum didn’t have the funds for more prolonged lawsuits, so it backed out.

Even the Egyptian exhibit was peripherally on the edge of a scandal. The original donor had been an official in the government of Boss Tweed, the very avatar of corruption in the 1880s. He used his ill-gotten lucre to collect Egyptian treasures when it was still legal, and then offered them to the Met. Turning up its patrician noses, he went to the Brooklyn, which gave it a home and has constantly added to the shows.

Its exhibits change every few months, but January and February this year have equally “questionable” shows. The titles give it away: Raw/Cooked; Hide/Seek: Difference and Desire in American Portraiture; Youth and Beauty: Art of the American Twenties, with a particularly beautiful androgynous male on the poster.

It’s true that the Brooklyn was founded to give pride to its borough. Yet any visit assures us Manhattanites, just 30 minutes away by subway, that their ornery, unexpected plunge into the underbelly of art, culture and history, makes it a rare treat.

200 Eastern Parkway, Brooklyn, N.Y. Suggested fees: $10, $6 for seniors. 718-638-5000, TTY: 718-399-8440. brooklynmuseum.org.

Have a tax-smart finish to 2011

2011-12-12T01:16:00.000-08:00

December 2011

The year may be almost over, but there might still be time to find ways to save on your 2011 taxes—and adopt some tax-smart habits for the coming year and beyond.

Income splitting: If you are 65 or older, you might be able to allocate up to one-half of qualified pension income to your spouse or common-law partner. Pension income can come from pension plans, registered retirement income fund (RRIF) payments or certain annuities.

Accrued losses before year-end: If your investment objectives or the underlying fundamentals of an investment have changed, you might want to consider selling the investment, which can trigger a capital loss and offset any capital gains you may have had, thereby reducing your overall tax bill.

RRSP contribution: The deadline is not until early 2012, but consider making your 2011 registered retirement savings plan (RRSP) contribution now if you haven’t already done so. By acting sooner rather than later, you can give the investments in your RRSP more time to potentially grow through compounding.

RESP contribution: Remember that you must put money into a registered education savings plan before year-end to qualify for the 2011 Canada Education Savings Grant.

TFSA contribution: Don’t forget about the tax-free savings account. Canadians 18 and older can put $5,000 per year into a TFSA and benefit from tax-free growth on eligible investments held in the account.

Charitable contributions: To qualify for many credits and deductions, including charitable contributions, you must complete these transactions before December 31.

Speak with your financial adviser for more information on year-end strategies. Best wishes for a happy and healthy holiday season.

Leahy is a financial adviser with Edward Jones, specializing in assisting seniors.

When it’s time to sell an estate, a liquidator will be assigned

2011-12-12T01:15:00.000-08:00

Daniel Smyth

December 2011

This month, we continue our discussion on the legal implications of managing an estate.

In the case of a testamentary succession, the testator usually assigns a liquidator to administrate the succession. In the case of a notarized will, notaries generally grant full administration to the liquidator, which includes the power to sell.

If the will grants simple administration, the liquidator must seek the instruction and permission of the heirs to sell.

However, the liquidator with simple administration can clear debts against the property if they can be paid without selling.

If debts can be paid without the sale of the immovable and the liquidator wants to transfer ownership of the immovable to the heirs indicated in the will, all the liquidator has to do is make a declaration of transmission, transferring ownership of the immovable to the legatees, which is called a declaration of legacy. It is published in the land registry office and the immovable becomes the responsibility of the legatee(s). This type of transaction is best managed by a notary.

If there is no will, there will not be an appointed liquidator. All the legal heirs become responsible for administrating succession. The heirs have to agree and appoint a liquidator with full or simple administrative powers.

With simple administration, the disagreement of just one of the legal heirs can block the sale of the immovable.

It is as like having two or more owners of who want to sell but might not be able to agree on the conditions and/or the price. There is a rare situation in the law that can force a sale when agreement is never reached, but this requires legal proceedings and considerable time. Consequently, it is not often seen.

Should one of the legal heirs want to purchase the property, consent of the others is necessary.

In the presence of a liquidator with full administration, however, the heir must only come to an agreement with the liquidator.

If the liquidator has just simple administration, the heir wanting to purchase the immovable must come to an agreement with all the heirs, once again making the process more complicated and time consuming.

Once agreement has been reached, all the heirs and/or the liquidator will be mentioned as the seller(s) and the heir buying the immovable will be mentioned as the purchaser in the act of sale.

As you can see, the processes outlined in the succession of an immovable can be very complicated, especially when a will does not exist with a specified liquidator and with specific powers.

Consider simplifying the lives of your heirs in their time of grief and sorrow, because the death of a loved one is difficult enough to manage without having to think about how you would have wanted your estate managed after your death.

Tech if necessary, but not necessarily tech

2011-12-12T01:14:00.000-08:00

Bonnie Sandler, BSW

December 2011

For whatever reason, my brain will not learn the proper name for what I refer to as “the white square with the black squiggly design.”

I have QR codes on my For Sale signs in my real-estate career and I hope others make use of them. I have equipped myself with enough technical knowledge to function well in today’s world, although there is much more to learn if I were so inclined. My approach is on “a need to know basis,” and I am proud to say that I just learned to Tweet for professional purposes.

There are many seniors who enjoy the computer, either to communicate through email or Skype, or for Googling interesting information. Others refuse to learn to use a computer. While I encourage everyone to keep brains (and bodies) active, it is not necessary to use a computer to do so. There is a comfort level in using familiar products and not having to struggle with new technology. This is especially so for some seniors.

I visit many seniors in their homes and see they have not changed appliances or electronics. Their old ones function fine and they can operate them easily after so many years. While their children may buy newer, high-tech items, the senior will often refuse the change.

The QR code is the design at top left. If a picture is taken with a smartphone, the code will bring users directly to the website assigned to the code. Photo courtesy of Bonnie Sandler

I am unwelcoming of phone and cable companies that hire staff to cold-call homes with their sales pitches. They might find a captive audience in a lonely senior who will keep the conversation going and hear about great discounts if they change their cable or phone plan. Who doesn’t want to save $40 a month and receive better service? Some even will agree to a visit from a technician after one of these calls.

But does the person really need an HD box or PVR? Will their familiar channels change even though they will be receiving more of them? Will they ever watch the new channels or simply continue to watch familiar channels that might have different numbers, depending on the new cable service? Their phone number might stay the same and the savings may be real, but if they add their old channels to the new savings package, are they really saving in the end? Will the stress of having to give up familiar channel numbers and having newfangled machines collecting dust be worth the few dollars one might save?

So, before making any appointments after a phone call from a sales rep, try to get as much detail as you can about what changes will occur and ask yourself whether you are ready to give up your familiar ways. It may not be an easy process to revert back to your old system once a technician has made changes.

While I consider switching my comfortable BlackBerry for a new iPhone, I wonder if learning to type on a touchscreen will be worth the stress. My BlackBerry and I had a falling out when the system went down for a few days recently. It was then that I started thinking about starting a new relationship with an iPhone.

While I happen to be one of those people who easily change residences (I am looking for a new home), cars and other material objects, I look at my familiar BlackBerry with mixed emotions. After all, a house is just a house, a car just a car, but a cellphone is my office, social life, home, and so much more—and it fits into the palm of my hand. But I am still not sure whether the learning curve of a change will be worth it. Besides, as with most fights, I am less angry with my BlackBerry as time passes.

Questions? Comments? b.sandler@sympatico.ca
Answers may be used in future articles.

Turkey tradition, or how to display your fowl

2011-12-12T01:13:00.000-08:00

Barry Lazar

December 2011

Let’s talk turkey—this is our family’s most enduring holiday food, but that doesn’t mean it is our favourite dish. In fact, frankly, some of us might leave it out, but we can’t. It’s a tradition! So much so, we eat it twice.

For Hanukah, we require a protein supplement for the massive amount of fried carbs we will eat. Cold smoked turkey, sliced and ready on the table, is a great counterpoint. Making latkes—potato pancakes—at the last moment, which is how we do it, requires everyone out of the kitchen except the latkes mistress. Platters come. We ingest. Platters go back for refills. The kitchen is sealed off under smoke and oil fumes.

While the traditional latkes are frying, other traditions our changing. We may remember “dreidel, dreidel, dreidel, I made it out of clay,” but we also know Adam Sandler’s Put on Your Yamaka, Here Comes Hanukah and Tom Lehrer’s I’m Spending Hanukah in Santa Monica. Go ahead, Google them and then come back to the column.

Turkey is now as much a part of our Hanukah celebrations as Adam Sandler and a nine-branched menorah. Then there is the other family feast, a week or two later. With about 20 Jews and a couple of Catholics in our clan, we celebrate an indigenous festival on December 25 known as ChrisHanukah.

This, too, requires a traditional turkey, but served hot. We have discussed several ways of doing this.

A few years ago, my sister, who traditionally cooks the turkey, received a turkey fryer as a gift. Some gift. Turkey frying requires immersing the bird in a vat of boiling oil. This is a technique for engineers, not cooks. Imagine damp stuffing hitting boiling oil or a slight miscalculation with searingly hot fat overflowing the pot. For informational purposes, you may wish to see an instructional YouTube video of the ignition of William Shatner deep-frying a turkey. Beam me up Scotty, indeed. We, of course, would do it safely. We could do it in the garage, or better yet outside, or safest yet, not at all.

Another approach, recommended by food writer Mark Bittman, is to split the turkey down the middle, flatten it and cook it at a high temperature. This takes about 45 minutes.

This means that we are presenting a somewhat diminished splayed fowl, reminiscent of a deflated football on a large plate. A holiday feast demands oohs and ahhs and the Flavourguy thinks that an impressively large turkey should largely impress.

Tradition rules. Old school. In the oven. We take a walk through the woods while the turkey roasts. We baste it, probe it and make a group decision as to when it is done. By tradition, I make the pan gravy as it rests. By tradition, my brother-in-law carves thin slices with such skill he could be performing surgery on Grey’s Anatomy, not the turkey’s.

Maybe one year we will discuss barbecuing a turkey or serving it Mexican style with a spicy mole sauce. In fact, part of the tradition is discussing different ways to cook it. But traditionally, what we like about our turkey is that it is invariable. After all this talk, it is always the same. So we eat some turkey with lots of stuffing and gravy; and then the tradition continues: leftovers for a week.

  

Instead of a recipe, here are two gift ideas: No cook really needs another set of fondue forks or a bottle of chili-flavoured olive oil. But all cooks love books that do more than give recipes, that bring us into the minds and hearths of a cook. In that category, I suggest Ruhlman’s Twenty: 20 Techniques 100 Recipes A Cook’s Manifesto ($45). The first chapter is not “appetizers” or “main courses.” It is titled Think. This book had me questioning my cooking with ways to improve it.

Another great gift for lovers of Montreal is The Art of Living According to Joe Beef: A Cookbook of Sorts ($40) from the brassy Little Burgundy bistro Joe Beef.

There are dishes you will want to make, such as spaghetti homard-lobster or the four-page centrefold of a monster smorgasbord. But what sets this book apart is the writing of Joe Beef’s co-owners, including David MacMillan’s foodie take on Montreal history and Fred Morin’s recipe-laced tale of a Via Rail trip to the Gaspé, and his insane directions for building a smoker. (Start with a $1,000 industrial-strength acetylene torch.) Forget deep-frying a turkey, we’re not in Dollard any more.

With either book, you are more likely to spend several hours enjoying the writing, and the authors’ love for food, than getting back into the kitchen. And, after any holiday feast, what could be better than that?

Flavourguy@theseniortimes.com

Pythagoria: the smartest townon the isle of Samos

2011-12-12T01:11:00.000-08:00

click here to view images

Barbara Moser and Irwin Block

December 2011

As we sat on one of our two balconies overlooking the marina in Pythagoria on Samos, we felt happy once again to have found an island town we were beginning to love.

We stayed at Acropol Rooms (only 30 euro a night) on the main boardwalk just five minutes from the port and 200 metres from our swimming beach. Our room and its location were more than we could have asked for. With no reservations, we knew we were lucky to have found a room with a view, air conditioning, a fridge and not one but two balconies.

Who needs air conditioning with this cross breeze, we wondered? One night we were treated to live music from the bar next door wafting up to our balconies.

The woman who owned the pension also ran the outdoor pancake café, from which we could observe boats of all sizes, shapes and purposes leaving and arriving at the marina.

We were three blocks from the main pedestrian street, lined with boutiques, ferry booking offices and a station where we caught the bus that took us to Vathie, the capital, a 45-minute trip to the other side of the island. The bus station was more a group of travelers on the sidewalk than a station.

This is a friendly village. One evening, I had to call another island, Icaria, to book a remote mountain pension. The young woman at the kiosk down the street let me use her cell instead of paying for a card and finding a pay phone. Her offer was indicative of many small but meaningful gestures of good will from the people of Samos.

We discovered another, more remote beach at the end of the main commercial street 500 metres past the archeological site of Samos. It was a bit rocky and wavy for our liking; we preferred the closer beach with its seaside restaurants that set up tables on the shoreline.

The best times to swim are before 10am or after 5 or 6 pm. Otherwise, expect to be broiled and served up on a platter like the assortment of seafood and fish displayed in the restaurants along the boardwalk.

One of our favourite dinners took place the evening we went to our beach for a swim at 6 pm, prepared our dinner table by leaving our bags and towels on the seats, and then at 7 sat down in our wet bathing suits, sampling the specialty of grilled sardines. Yummy! Irwin helped by eating the sardines’ heads. Maybe he thinks they will make him as smart as Pythagarus, who, if you haven’t guessed, is from these parts.

We stretched out our stay to four nights because we felt at home in Pythagoria, having met Sandy and Jocelyne. Sandy is from New Zealand, has lived here more than 23 years and raised two children here. She owns the bar where we stopped for breakfast, which included three large fresh orange juices (one was extra) and our favourite brown baguette-tish toast and filter coffee. Real milk is quite a deal here, so if you don’t ask for it, you get Carnation.

Sandy suggested we dine at Thanasis’ Sister, an ouzeria with authentic Greek music, so off we went the next night to hear lovely ballads by a gentleman playing the bouzouki with guitar accompaniment by the owner of the restaurant. His wife, Jocelyne, also an owner, is an American Greek from Utah and she serves Greek homemade delicacies, including a tomato anchovy salad, freshly fried chick pea balls, grilled red pepper stuffed with spicy feta, tiny and tasty calamari, and some indigenous boiled greens from the island. For dessert, a herbal tea from the island and a chocolate log with walnuts was sumptuous.

We returned the next night to try as many other dishes as we could. It was be our last night in Pythagoria before we set sail for Icaria (yes, our next isle is named after Icarus). Icaria is very near Samos but takes four hours on a slow ferry.

We chose Icaria because, well, we’d never heard of it and when we started reading up on it, we loved the idea. It had been an island of exile for Communists after the civil war that followed the Second World War and still maintains a strong communist presence. We’ll let you know just how strong in our next article.

Till then, happy sailing through the snowfalls!

What's Happening December 2011

2011-12-12T01:10:00.001-08:00

BAZAARS

Beth Zion Congregation • Sunday, December 11

Holiday boutique fair, 10am-3pm. Jewelry, clothing, makeup demos, wine, chocolate. 5740 Hudson, Côte St. Luc. 514-489-8411, ext. 224.

CLUBS

Women’s group (50+) meets Wednesdays and sometimes Mondays from 1 to 4pm in Rivière des Prairies at the Don Bosco Youth Centre. Activities include chats on current events and learning such skills as how to make a vision board, outings to such places as Concordia’s University Café, the Basilica and museums, and meals at local restaurants. To join, call 514-937-5351, ext. 237.

FOR LITTLE ONES

Pointe-à-Callière presents a world tour of holiday traditions, Who is the Real Santa Claus? Saturdays & Sundays, December 10, 11 and 17, 18 and December 24, 27, 28, 29, 30 and 31, 12:30 to 4:30pm. Final stop is with Santa, who will explain how he manages to deliver so many gifts around the world. 514-872-7858.

Music is family • Sunday, December 11

Le grand bal de Noel for ages 3 to 5 at 1:30pm. Longer version for 6-12, 305 Mount Royal E. 514-845-4108

HOLIDAY EVENTS

NDP N.D.G.-Lachine Association
• Sunday, December 10

Fundraiser at St. Raymond Community Centre, 5600 Upper Lachine (near Vendôme metro). Hosted by Isabelle Morin. Food, auction, music, alcoholic beverages. There will be a craft table for children. To reserve, call 514-489-2596.

Branch 85/90 Lachine • Sunday, December 10

Fun games including cribbage and hearts. Free dessert, coffee and tea. 3015 Henri Dunant, Lachine.

Creative Social Centre • Monday, December 19

Hanukah party at 1:30pm, Raicek Hall. Live entertainment with Burney Leiberman. $5. 5237 Clanranald. 514-488-0907.

Royal Canadian Legion, Verdun • December 31

New Year’s Eve dinner dance: BBQ chicken meal, performance by Fabulous Flashbacks, door prizes. Doors open at 6pm. $20. 514-769-2489.

LIBRARIES

Eleanor London Library • Thursday, December 15

C.S.L. Mayor Anthony Housefather analyzes the year’s top stories at The Year in Review at 2 pm. Free. 5851 Cavendish. 514-485-6900, elcslpl.org.

MUSIC

Stewart Hall Singers • Friday, December 9

Under the direction of Douglas Knight, the Singers perform Handel’s Messiah, traditional carols. 8pm, Église St. Joachim, 2 Ste. Anne, Pointe Claire, $20.
514-697-3873, 514-697-8884.

Lakeshore Chamber Music Society
• Friday, December 9

Concert featuring The Orpheus Singers at Union Church, 24 Maple in Ste. Anne de Bellevue, 7:30 pm. $15, $8/seniors and students.
514-457-5280, lcmssmcl.ca.

St. Paul’s Choral Christmas
• Sunday, December 18

Christmas choral program with the Early Music Group Estavel presents Perfect Christmas at 10am, 379 44th Ave., Lachine. 514-634-1965.

Yaacov Sassi • Sunday, December 18

Hanukah program of Yiddish, Israeli and Hebrew folk songs. Singing, dancing, latkes Shaare Zedek Men’s Club, 9:30am. 514-484-1122, shaarezedek.ca.

THEATRE

Westmount Park United & Rialto Theatre
• Sunday, December 11

A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens, a fundraiser, 2pm, Westmount Park United Church, 4695 de Maisonneuve. $15; $12 students/seniors; $10 children under 12. Plus café and raffle. Reservations: westmountparkuc.org.

Is Utopia possible? • December 10 & 11

Studio 303 presents Utopia: est-ce possible? an interdisciplinary creation mixing theatre and performance with emerging artists. 372 Ste. Catherine W., #303. $12 to $20. 514-393-3771.

SPEAKERS

Shaare Zedek • Sunday, December 11

Isabelle Morin, MP for N.D.G.-Lachine, speaks at 9:30am after breakfast and services. Donations appreciated. 5305 Rosedale. 514-484-1122.

VOLUNTEERS

CSSS Cavendish has developed a brain fitness program for seniors. They are recruiting a team of volunteer peer mentors to offer the workshop in the English-speaking community. Training and follow-up support during the workshop. Norma Gilbert: 514-488-3673, ext. 1552.

Tory candidate’s government salary a secret

2011-11-10T16:02:00.000-08:00

November 2011

Saulie Zajdel has a new job. No, he was not elected last May to the House of Commons as the MP for Mount Royal.

After a spirited campaign for the Conservative Party, the longtime Montreal city councilor and executive committee member failed to unseat incumbent Liberal Irwin Cotler. Several months later, though, Zajdel was hired by the Conservative government to do some of the things he said he would do if he were elected. How do we know he has a new job?

We read about it in a Montreal weekly that supported his bid to unseat Cotler. We tried to find out more about this reward to a losing candidate by contacting the office of Heritage Minister James Moore, Zajdel’s new boss.

Our questions were straightforward: What are his functions, salary and duration of his mandate? The answer, as supplied by Moore’s aide, Sébastien Gariepy: “We do not comment on internal staffing issues.”

So much for transparency.

The official also declined to supply an office phone number so Zajdel could be interviewed. Back to the weekly newspaper. Zajdel said he’ll be working as a regional adviser for “community outreach and relations—going out into the community, in Montreal, in the anglophone and allophone communities, ensuring that what the government is doing is understood.”

He also was going to determine how his government can “help the communities and municipalities” apply for programs under Canadian Heritage.

Sounds like Zajdel has been appointed to be a privileged channel, supplanting the role that the elected MP and his staff should be able to do. Surely, Cotler, a distinguished law professor, Stéphane Dion (St. Laurent), equally distinguished political science professor and former Liberal Party leader, and former astronaut Marc Garneau, who has a PhD in electrical engineering, and their staffs are capable of understanding which programs are available and communicating same to city councils and community groups.

This appointment has every appearance of setting Zajdel up as a parallel MP, minus the public mandate, a patronage appointment that is a slap in the face to voters who rejected Tory candidates as they exercised their democratic rights.

Of course, all governments reward their friends, but that does not diminish the fact that it undermines the will of voters in Mount Royal who chose someone else. The Zadjel appointment lays bare the Harper government’s moral deficit.

Essentially, Zajdel is being paid to make the kind of connections and obtain discretionary funding that can only help pave his path to Parliament if he decides to take another run at the riding.

Postscript: The Ottawa Citizen reported last month that a federal government program to help boost security at synagogues and mosques approved a far greater share of applications from ridings represented by Conservative MPs.

Nearly half of all applications to the pilot program coming from Conservative ridings were approved, but only 28 per cent of projects in opposition ridings got the green light, funding records show, the report said. The majority of the rejected applications came from synagogues and Jewish organizations in Mount Royal, represented by Liberal MP Irwin Cotler.

“You need a spark, and boom, it happens,” says Judy Rebick

2011-11-10T15:54:00.000-08:00

Irwin Block Special to The Senior Times

November 2011

They flew in from Los Angeles and Tel Aviv and places in between, about 170 McGill Daily veterans and spouses, to celebrate the 100th anniversary of that venerable college newspaper.

Most were satisfied to renew personal ties and remember days of youthful commitments and abandon, to reminisce, reconnect, reflect.

Not Judy Rebick. She was busy Friday morning taking part in her regular gig on CBC radio’s highly rated Q media panel, with Toronto Star publisher John Cruickshank and Globe and Mail columnist Margaret Wente.

The subject was media coverage of the Occupy movement and of course Rebick had gone to check out the scene first hand.

Not the usual suspects, she noted—this was new and exciting—and catching fire worldwide.

Rebick was on the Daily staff from 1964-67 while studying for her bachelor’s in psychology. At 66, she is known across Canada as an activist, journalist, feminist leader, writer, new-media innovator, lecturer, current-affairs critic and indefatigable campaigner for a more just society.

How the salesman’s daughter became one of Canada’s best-known activists and social critics will be told in her soon-to-be-published autobiography, which she completed in eight months.

“When I say I’m going to do something, I always do it,” she noted. It will be her fourth book.

Rebick found a like-minded community at the Daily.

“The Daily became my life, a bunch of misfits who didn’t fit in anywhere else. We really all connected, and (1965-66 editor in chief) Patrick MacFadden was a big influence.

“So was (managing editor) Joy Fenston, because she was a woman editor and I could see there were women who were doing men’s jobs successfully.”

Rebick became involved with the New Left, democratization and free speech when a student editor was fired after he revealed that a professor had been doing research for the Pentagon. After a tough battle, spurred on by Rebick and others, Sandy Gage was reinstated.

“We went from a handful of radicals on the Daily to big demonstrations and mass meetings. It had a profound impact on me. It’s like we’re in that moment now: All of a sudden something happens, occupying a park on Wall St. sparks a global movement.

“You need a spark, and boom, it happens.”

In Toronto, Rebick freelanced for the CBC and the Star Weekly, where she wrote a story about the then-revolutionary act, now commonplace, of young people living together without being married.

“The idea then was that it was just hippies, weirdos and freaks that were radical—things were changing among ordinary people, the people next door.”

“When I say I’m going to do something, I do it,” Judy Rebick says

But she soon realized that the media, with its “drunks and hypocrites,” was not where she wanted to fulfill her ambitions.

After working as a researcher at York University, Rebick moved to New York City, where the 1960s “revolution” was flying off in many directions.

Yippies Abby Hoffman and Jerry Rubin were “crazy, unbelievably sexist,” a meeting of Students for a Democratic Society ended in a fistfight, and Caucasians were no longer welcome in the formerly bi-racial civil rights movement.

“I lived alone and became very streetsmart, never got into trouble, and partied all the time. But when the girl upstairs from me got murdered, I decided it was time to do some traveling.”

She went to India, through Turkey, Iran and Afghanistan.

“It was really, really rough. I got very sick in India, but after seeing all this poverty, especially in eastern Turkey, I had an epiphany. I decided, if I get better, I’m going to dedicate the rest of my life to changing the world.”

Back in Toronto, Rebick went to bat for a coalition called Grass Roots—youth services and drug treatment run by youth for transients.

This was the beginning of the crusading Judy Rebick, organizing and standing up for the powerless and downtrodden beyond the campus.

Rebick moved on to found Crunch, an unemployed-youth co-op. She became more political, rejected Canadian nationalism, studied Marxism, became a Trotskyist, worked for a hearing society in her “day job,” then in an aircraft factory, had a negative reaction to the chemicals there, and suffered a clinical depression.

She then quit the political group which, as often happens, was more involved in sectarian issues than political action.

The very next day, she recalled going to a founding meeting of the Ontario Coalition for Abortion Clinics when she was nominated to the co-ordinating committee. “I didn’t want to do it, but I did it.” And that cause took over her life.

When Rebick started supporting Dr. Henry Morgentaler, her leadership and communications skills again were noticed and she was invited to run for president of the National Action Committee for the Status of Women. Suddenly her words were making the front pages.

“Brian Mulroney organized these independent think-tanks around the Charlottetown Accord. I realized that ordinary people are so smart, so thoughtful, and they weren’t ideological. People would listen and change their minds, and it totally changed my politics.

“I realized I was an elitist. Even though I was far left, I thought I knew better than most people.”

This experience in 1992 got her interested in such non-Marxist concepts as participatory democracy and citizen engagement. She also pushed controversial affirmative action inside the women’s movement to set aside seats for people of colour and aboriginals.

She was catapulted into an academic career when she taught political science at University of Regina—courses in policy and women in politics, surprising since she did not have a master’s or PhD.

When Peter Gzowski needed a “Western voice” on his Morningside political panel on CBC radio, Rebick returned to journalism as a broadcaster.

“I knew a lot about federal politics, and my big mouth served me well.”

That gig led to her becoming the “left-wing” host of the CBC TV show Face Off, with right-wing journalist Claire Hoy. To maintain neutrality, Rebick had to give up her activism. She then hosted Straight From the Hip, a women’s afternoon talk show for CBC.

In spite of the neutrality requirement at CBC, “They let me MC the Days of Action rallies against (former Ontario premier Mike) Harris.”

She began writing an online column for CBC and contributed to various newspapers. After receiving a flood of emails when she opposed the war in Kosovo, she got the idea of starting the online Rabble.ca website, insisting that half the contributors should be under 30.

Rebick is not shy about her achievements and rhetorical prowess. “I can hold my own, or better, going head to head with prime ministers, so even academics respect my intellect.”

Judy Rebick is the the author of Transforming Power, From the Personal to the Political (Penguin), which anticipated the Occupy movement in calling for new forms of collection action.

Often overlooked, the Druze minority seeks path to peace

2011-11-10T15:51:00.000-08:00

Irwin Block Special to The Senior Times

When Israeli forces were scaling the Golan Heights during the country’s pre-emptive June 1967 war, members of the little-known Druze minority were among its ranks.

The status of this secretive, monotheistic religious sect of 118,000 living in Israel, now including the Golan, is usually overlooked when critics attempt to tar the country with the “apartheid state” sobriquet.

Salman AbuRukun, a member of that community, was training as a commander in the Israel Defence Forces when war erupted. He saw active duty in the West Bank and Golan.

AbuRukun, 64, has a master’s in geography from Haifa University and runs external relations for Israel’s Nature and Parks Authority. When he recently visited Canada, we asked him how he felt knowing that some co-religionists—perhaps even relatives—were fighting on the other side as he battled for the Jewish state.

“It’s not an easy situation, but it becomes simple when I know that I was born in Israel. I am an Israeli, Israel is my country, my roots are there, and they are deep, so I have to be faithful to my country where I was born.”

The mantra holds true for the Lebanese Druze and Syrian Druze, he noted. More than 18,000 Druze who live in Golan Heights communities for the most part maintain fealty to Syria.

In Israel’s case, Druze loyalty was cemented in the summer of 1948 when, according to historian Benny Morris, a Druze battalion, after first supporting the Arab Liberation Army, became persuaded the Arabs would lose and switched sides.

That loyalty continues today. Druze are drafted into the IDF and serve in various capacities all over the country, especially in agriculture.

“We are proud we are Druze and Israelis,” says Samira, Salman AbuRukun’s wife. Photo: Irwin Block

“We are proud that we are Druze and that we are Israelis, and we have to be faithful to our country,” noted Salman’s wife, Samira AbuRukun, 59, a University of Haifa graduate in Arabic language and literature who works as an educational counselor.

Salman AbuRukun finished his compulsory military service as a lieutenant and was promoted to the rank of major in the reserves, proving his loyalty to the country.

Much of the rhetoric unleashed against Israel involves the charge that its military uses disproportionate force against hostile neighbours and privileges Jewish citizens over those who are not.

On the first allegation, AbuRukun maintains, “The standing orders in the army are so clear—not to harm civilians, to be careful not to harm women or children. “Yes, the army has to use more force, and that is because the situation is so bad.”

Druze men, and those from the 4,000-member Circassian community of Sunni Muslims, serve in the forces as part of their integration into Israeli society. Bedouin men also serve in the border police and as scouts.

Does the Druze experience provide a pathway that could help better integrate Israeli Arabs into the country’s socio-economic fabric? AbuRukun believes all citizens have a duty “to give something to their country.”

He suggested some form of national service for Muslim and Christian Israeli Arabs who are reluctant or not welcome to serve in the IDF.

“They can service their community, instead of the army, in hospitals or villages, but they must give service to their country,” he suggested.

The Israeli government has a leadership role to play here as well, Samira suggested, so Israeli Arabs can “live at peace” with a Jewish majority government.

As far as impediments to an accommodation with 4.5 million Palestinians living in the West Bank and Gaza, Salman AbuRukun said the times call out for “brave leaders on both sides.” He cited Israel’s Menachem Begin, Egypt’s Anwar El-Sadat, and the late King Hussein of Jordan as examples of courageous leaders who made the leap for peace.

“We need brave leaders to prepare their nations. We cannot reverse history. We have to be realistic.

“All the (Jewish) settlements in the West Bank cannot stay. And Arab refugees cannot return to Haifa or Jaffa. “There has to be a middle way.”

irblock@hotmail.com

Sculpted soldier comes full circle

2011-11-10T14:28:00.000-08:00

Irwin Block

November 2011

The Remembrance Day ceremony held in Lachine on Sunday, November 6, had special significance. It marked the final stage in the relocation and restoration of the borough’s cenotaph in Stoney Point Park, near 45th Ave.

The monument, sculpted by Alfred Laliberté, features a First World War soldier with rifle and fixed bayonet. It had already been moved to the majestic waterside site from next to the Royal Canadian Legion, Branch 8590, on Henri Dunant.

There was broad agreement that the memorial to soldiers who made the ultimate sacrifice in that horrific conflict and those that followed, deserved a more central and fitting location, said William McCullock, a Legion trustee and chairman of the cenotaph relocation and restoration committee.

William McCullock (centre), Lachine Museum director Marc Pitre (left), and Legion member Thomas Young (right)

“People didn’t even know where the cenotaph was. It was getting vandalized and bronze plaques were being stolen. We said it was time to bring it back near the water.”

(It was originally next to the 34th Ave. pier.)

The site, between St. Joseph and Lac St. Louis, was the biggest remount depot in North America during the First World War, where the best horses were selected for shipment to the battlefields in Europe. The land at the time belonged to Robert Bickerdike, a livestock exporter and politician who maintained a summer home on nearby 47th Ave.

The bronze plaques were removed from the monument during the res toration and under them were discovered in lead letters the names of 10 major theatres of war where Canadians fought and died. They will be displayed in the Legion building.

Two new granite wings recently added to the monument include the names of all Lachine residents who died in conflicts up to and including Korea. Names of those who died in Afghanistan will be added next year.

Surrounded by benches and shrubs, with the monument lit at night, the hope is that it will deter graffiti or other vandalism.

McCullock, the son of RCAF veteran William McCullock, urges all to join him in remembering the fallen “with love and honour.”

irblock@hotmail.com

Newspaper homecoming reunites generations of journalists

2011-11-10T13:47:00.001-08:00

Irwin Block Special to The Senior Times

November 2011

The McGill daily, published twice weekly, celebrated its 100th anniversary last month as a training ground for generations of journalists.

More than a peer-administered vehicle for emerging minds, it gathered students eager to challenge themselves and others, to take on established ways, find their voices and have fun.

Among those who broke bread together during McGill’s annual homecoming were Supreme Court Justice Morris Fish, retired armed forces colonel Bernard Finestone, former Saturday Night Live writer Anne Beatts, former Liberal cabinet minister Victor Goldbloom, and Mark Starowicz, head of CBC’s documentary unit and radio-TV visionary.

Full disclosure: I was daily news editor in 1965-66.

Jan Wong, who achieved fame as the Globe and Mail correspondent in China during the Tiananmen Square massacre in June 1989, in her books, acerbic Lunch With Jan columns and reporting on her work undercover as a domestic, has just started as a tenure-track journalism professor at St. Thomas University in Fredericton, N.B.

At McGill, “I was deep into Maoism. I studied Asian history. People forget that many people were Maoists back then, including my political science professor, Sam Noumoff. I remember writing about the first Chinese students arriving at McGill—that was fun. I wrote stories, they printed them, almost verbatim, and I got that ego buzz, and once you get the buzz, you’re addicted.”

Jan Wong, Larry Black, Bob Chodos.

Wong went to China for year, then got her master’s from the Columbia School of Journalism.

“I was like this crazy Maoist from China and I didn’t think anyone would hire me. So I went to this Ivy League school to get a degree and it worked. The Gazette hired me.”

Larry Black, of New York City, was editor in chief in 1977, studied history and poli sci, but “majored in the McGill daily.”

After dropping out, he worked for the Canadian Press and freelanced for The Independent in New York.

He is now deputy head of marketing at an asset management firm there.

He remembers writing the editorial in November 1976 endorsing the Parti Québécois in the Quebec election, then being denounced by “Maoists, Stalinists and Trotskyists for being reformist and not supporting world revolution.”

He credits the daily with producing “the cream of Canadian journalists.”

“The fact we did not have a journalism faculty, were not told what to do—we had to make it up ourselves—was very appealing to a certain kind of person—self-motivated, critical thinkers who were not in it to advance a career.”

Bob Chodos, New Hamburg, Ont., studied math, but his career as a magazine and book editor and writer began with his “apprenticeship” at the daily from 1963-69.

“All the things I have done in media are based, one way or another, on the daily, including the magazine Inroads, where I am managing editor.”

With other daily alumni, Chodos was a founding editor of the Last Post, a left-wing alternative monthly published from 1969-80.

He credits Patrick MacFadden, daily editor in 1965-66, with “crystallizing” the newspaper’s role as a critical organ. “I have tried to do that with every publication that I’ve been part of.”

Irwin Cotler, Eva Friede, Willa Marcus

Irwin Cotler, editor in chief in 1962-63, happened into the job in part because he liked hanging out and shooting pool at daily offices in the basement of the old Student’s Union building on Sherbrooke W.

“Editing the daily was a great life-enhancing journey. … It refined my analytical, writing and advocacy skills as a student, law professor, human-rights lawyer, and even as member of Parliament and minister of justice.”

Eva Friede, Gazette fashion editor, was photo editor at the daily in the mid-1970s and remembers being on assignment Nov. 15, 1976, at the Paul Sauvé Arena in Rosemount when René Lévesque’s PQ defeated the Liberals.

“I studied psychology, but I majored in McGill daily. Experience is the best teacher and the daily was a fabulous course in journalism. I learned how to edit a newspaper while I waited for film to dry.”

Andrew Phillips, associate editor in 1975, now editorial page editor at The Toronto Star, recalled doing then what he did throughout his career, writing tough stories and managing staff. He also was involved in a far-left group that caught the imagination of many students then.

“I learned a lot about politics, but also about what makes people participate in politics. I became skeptical about people’s motivations in politics. I later went pretty far to the right and I’ve come back toward the middle and left. It made me skeptical about the gap between what people say they mean, and what they really mean.”

Willa Marcus, a Toronto media lawyer, worked on the McGill daily from 1966-69 and said the best thing she got out of it was “FFL – Friends for Life.”

Marcus, who went on to work for CBC radio and television, recalled that the student-run paper could be “worse and better than the mainstream media.”

“We may have been brilliant at times, but nowhere near as often as we thought we were.”

Andrew Phillips, Jennifer Robinson

Jennifer Robinson was managing editor during her years at the daily, ending in 1978 when she was hired by the Edmonton Journal as its first female sports reporter before moving to The Gazette, where she rose to associate editor. She is now communications director for the Neuroscience Division of AstraZeneca, a Swedish biopharmaceutical company.

“The daily taught me to be passionate about journalism and helped me develop an interest in politics. It opened the door for me to a career that I loved. I don’t think I was ever happier than in those years.”

Arnold Bennett, who earned degrees in Canadian history, became Supplement editor during his time at the daily from 1969-74.

“I wrote five articles a week and I’d cram for my exams and write papers in the last month. Sometimes I would use stuff I did on the daily for my papers. It taught me to work the type of insane schedule I still work today.” Because he lost his bid to become editor in 1974, Bennett said he had the time to run for city council, where he was elected for the Montreal Citizens Movement.

Bennett started writing about housing issues in the early 1970s, including the new Quebec rental board, and developed an interest in tenants’ rights, his running for council, and eventually creating his tenants’ hotline and running housing organizations, including 600 units of public housing. “I am basically continuing what I did in the daily 40 years ago.”

Arnold Bennett, Dusty Vineberg, Barbara Halsig

Patrick MacFadden was editor-in-chief of
the McGill daily in 1965-66. He is a retired professor in the School of Journalism and Commun ication at Carleton University.

“In retrospect, the daily was part of a larger movement, since over-dissected, called the ’60s.

“The timing was right. But there’s something else about the daily that gets lost in the vapours of sociology: By chance or good luck, some extremely gifted people came together and expended vast critical energies putting out a paper for no particular reward beyond that of sharing interesting stories.

“Politically all over the block, the daily staff served only the word. They were the cleverest people I’ve ever met.”

Dusty Vineberg was features editor at the McGill daily from 1944-48 and later became a radio/television columnist and feature writer at the Montreal Star after getting her master’s from Columbia University School of Journalism.

She worked first as a public relations officer for Combined Jewish Appeal before being hired at the Star in 1955 – the only woman in the newsroom.

As for her daily experience: “I think I just had a good time. People said we were working for the best damn fraternity on campus. We used to go down to The Gazette to put the paper to bed and I’d be there till 3 a.m. I’d get home and it was very hard to convince my mother I was not at some orgy.”

When the daily became political in the mid 1960s, Vineberg thought it was “like a rag put out in Moscow.”

Barbara Halsig came to Canada from West Germany to earn political science and sociology degrees. She reported for The daily in 1969-70.

“When I started as a professional journalist, my training at the McGill daily allowed me to rise through the ranks very quickly,” said Halsig, who worked for 27 years for Deutche Presse Argentur, including stints as a correspondent in Washington and Ottawa. Since apart from the seal-hunt, her editors were not that interested in Canadian stories, Halsig went back to school to obtain a bachelor’s in education to teach in First Nations communities at the elementary level.

Karl Nerenberg, Patrick MacFadden

Karl Nerenberg became the Supplement Editor while at the Daily from 1964 to 1971. After teaching for five years, he was a radio and television producer on English and French networks.

The daily was “an agency of activism in our time, an agency for investigative journalism, but we didn’t know the term at the time.”

“It was before social media. The daily was the Commons of discourse, dialogue and debate—the agora of the campus.”

During his years at the paper, those who ran it varied in point of view “from small-L liberal, to social democratic, to quasi neo-Marxist, to small-C and big-C Conservative and Maoist.”

Changing the face of human rights

2011-11-10T13:29:00.000-08:00

Kristine Berey

November 2011

Though the theme of the evening was serious, the Raging Grannies lit up the stage at River’s Edge Community Church last month, with their multicoloured hats, graceful frills and scathing yet funny lyrics about living in poverty in a rich society.

Part of Solidarity Week, which focuses attention on anti-poverty strategies, the event was organized by the N.D.G. Senior Citizen’s Council, the N.D.G. Community Council, the N.D.G. Food Depot and Concordia University’s People’s Potato.

The Grannies preceded activist Vincent Greason, a public legal education expert and human rights researcher at the University of Ottawa.

Greason says poverty should be regarded as a human rights issue because it violates the right to housing, health, work, education and an adequate standard of living, all of which are enshrined in the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, signed and ratified by Canada and Quebec in 1976.

Greason said the concept of human rights came into being in the wake of the Holocaust—“the greatest human rights violation”—and that they are the birthright of every human being.

“Pre-World War II, there was no mechanism for other countries to intervene” in human rights violations, Greason said.

“By signing on to the International Convention, our governments agreed to play by the rules of the game.”

Every five years, Greason said, states must submit a report to the United Nations, where non-governmental experts issue recommendations. This process allows NGOs, organizations and individuals to participate in pointing out problems and creating change.

The last time Quebec and Canada went before the UN was in 2006, when they received a series of criticisms and recommendations.

One recommendation from the UN was that Canada and Quebec establish a formal measure of poverty, so the UN can assess our anti-poverty measures. According to Greason, 20 per cent of Canadians are living in poverty.

Quebec has adopted a measure of poverty, the market-basket measure, which defines as poor a single person living on $18,000 a year. The UN’s measure, the low-income cutoff, places that figure at $22,000 a year.

“If we know what our rights are, we can defend them. If we don’t know our rights, we’re going to lose them,” Greason said.

The Raging Grannies take part in anti-poverty Solidarity Week in October

Canada was also criticized because only 39 per cent of people who lose their jobs have access to employment insurance benefits. The UN Committee noted that Quebec’s minimum wage, $9.65, cannot provide workers and their families an adequate standard of living. Ontario and New Brunswick have higher minimum-wage rates, but they also are insufficient, Greason said. To reach the UN’s low-income cutoff, minimum wage would have to be $10.88.

“If we had a human-rights-based approach to fighing poverty, what would it look like?” Greason mused.

“Right now we’re doing social management, not human-rights policy here in Quebec.”

A human-rights approach to combating poverty, according to Greason, would include increasing seniors’ pensions.

“Seniors on public pensions are light-years away from an adequate standard of living.”

It would include increasing benefits to injured workers and strengthening the right to unionize, Greason said, citing cases involving Walmart, Couche-Tard and McDonald’s, where attempts to unionize were quashed.

Canada and Quebec were criticized on hunger, as 2.3 million Quebecers suffer from food insecurity and 40 per cent of clients at food banks are children. The UN committee was concerned with the lack of decent housing in Canada and Quebec and the rate of homelessness, affecting between 100,000 to 250,000 Canadians.

Canada and Quebec will next appear before the UN in June.

“Human rights is one tool we have in our toolbox that will allow us to push forward our social struggles. They are useful because our governments have signed on to a series on engagements, so they are accountable and we can embarrass them,” he said. “I invite you to conceive of human rights as a social project, something to be attained, something to strive for. Imagine, if all the human rights in the international conventions were actually realized, what a wonderful place this would be—it would put the Grannies out of work.”

The NDG Senior Citizens’ Council has started two programs reaching out to baby-boomers (age 50-65). Boomer Connections are monthly get-togethers that provide an opportunity for learning and sharing, and Boomer Café is a drop-in centre open Mondays from 11 am to 4 pm, designed to give boomers a chance to meet and support each other. Computer use and Internet access are free. 514-487-1317.

Social media, which can be like having pen pals, is more than a fad

2011-11-10T13:12:00.001-08:00

Joanne Penhale

November 2011

Long before the phrase “social media” was coined, Beverly Ann Burke was using computers to connect and share with others.

“We used to bounce mail from one person’s computer to another’s around the world,” says Burke, 61, recalling the bulletin board service she used with her first personal computer. She and other women were sharing stories about domestic violence. “It improved my self-confidence,” she says. “I learned I wasn’t stupid; that people would listen to things I had to say. ... I could help people just by communicating with them.”

Thirty years later, Burke is on Facebook several times a day, connecting with people about something else. Diagnosed with hepatitis C, her posts focus on information about the misunderstood disease, and she advocates for better prevention and detection. Facebook also keeps her connected to people with similar interests, including in different countries, she says, making the world feel a little smaller. And social networking from home means she can stay active, when attending peace rallies or just leaving the house, would be too physically exhausting.

Burke’s social media savvy may not be the norm for others her age, but that’s changing.

Social media is not going anywhere — it’s not a fad, says Anne Lagacé Dowson, an active Facebook and Twitter user. Giving a talk last month on social media and libraries at the Atwater Library, Lagacé Dowson told the crowd about the latest demographic staking their claim in the social media world: women on Facebrook who are between the ages of 55 and 65.

Anne Lagacé Dowson surveys the crowd in the Atwater Library auditorium to see who is and who isn’t using social media.

For Montreal social media buff Erica Glasier, it makes sense. “Social media is such an easy way to stay connected with the daily ins and outs of your family, whether they’re close or across the country. You get to share in triumphs and struggles as they happen, and help with insight, support or cheerleading.”

Seeing photos of grandkids is an obvious perk, she adds.

But beyond staying connected, Glasier says, older women have a certain freedom to use social media to be outspoken on issues that are important to them.

“Largely past the consuming work of raising children, and possibly retired—so no longer pressured to conform to a role or organizational set of values, older women are set free to focus on their intellect, finally get that PhD, and be a force for social change.”

Age can also disappear online, Glasier notes. “You can construct whatever persona you want on social media. Older women can use Twitter, for instance, to be seen for their ideas and interests. This mediation through technology strips away prejudices that older women may otherwise face, and helps them make friends with others who stimulate them intellectually, politically and socially.”

For anyone hesitant to join the world of computers and social media, Lagacé Dowson mentions computer courses available at libraries and adds, “It’s often just persistence that will get you over those initial difficulties.”

Burke offers her advice too: “Just find someone who can sit with you who’s patient and whom you can trust.”

“It’s like having a pen pal,” Burke says—only now, you can have many.

Canada’s much-maligned registry is under the gun

2011-11-10T13:09:00.000-08:00

Kristine Berey

November 2011

For the third time since 2006, Prime Minister Stephen Harper is attempting to abolish the gun registry despite a chorus of voices from victims and survivors of gun violence, police, doctors, health workers, and women’s groups.

The Conservatives plan to destroy all records despite the fact that police chiefs have requested the database be preserved for safety reasons.

“We won’t have those records loose and capable of creating a new long-gun registry,” said Public Safety Minister Vic Toews the day the bill was tabled.

According to an article posted on the Canadian Firearms Institute website, rural Canadians took the legislation as an insult. They felt government did not trust them and made them out to be “potential criminals.”

Heidi Rathjen, founding member of the Coalition for Gun Control and spokesperson for Polysesouvient, a group created by École Polytechnique students and graduates in memory of the victims of the 1989 shootings, says the gun control debate is propelled by ideology.

“It’s not rational. The public supports gun control. But the gun lobby out West is a very strong community and will vote according to gun control. Conservative ties to the gun lobby go back to the Reform Party, with many founding members being part of the gun lobby. With the registry intact, they can still hunt in peace, but it’s a matter of ideology: the right to own a gun, to defend yourself, the freedom of owning a weapon.”

In a press release, Liberal justice and human rights critic Irwin Cotler called the bill to scrap the long-gun registry “ideologically inspired, with a willful and reckless disregard for the evidence. All the facts, quotes and statistics are nothing more than ‘an inconvenient truth’ for the government, but they remain a compelling truth nonetheless.”

NDP justice critic Jack Harris has called the move hypocritical in light of the government’s “get tough on crime” stance and seeming concern for public safety.

A worrisome aspect of the proposed bill is that long guns will no longer be traceable at the point of sale, Rathjen said. Gun sellers were required to keep records even before the registry, which is how the Polytechnique shooter was identified.

“What the Conservatives are getting rid of is the requirement that every gun is connected to its owner. They will break that link and these guns will become invisible. Nothing prevents a gun owner selling on the streets, because you can’t trace it back.”

Barbara Byers of the Canadian Labour Congress said: “Canada’s unions stand behind the registry as an important tool to keep workplaces and communities safe. Rifles and shotguns are the firearms that have figured prominently in workplace violence involving guns.”

“The government has consistently portrayed the Firearms Act as a victimization of rural long-gun owners, conveniently ignoring the clear scientific evidence that rural suicides with long guns are the principal issue in the tragic toll of Canadian firearms deaths,” said Alan Drummond, a spokesperson for Canadian Association of Emergency physicians and an assistant coroner in Perth, Ontario.

The bill puts women and children in danger, said Paulette Senior, CEO of YWCA Canada. “Every year 100,000 women and children leave their homes, fleeing violence and abuse. Long guns and rifles are used to intimidate women and the threat of a rifle is often a significant reason that women don’t risk leaving to seek help.”

According to Statistics Canada, there is a correlation between the introduction of gun control and a reduction in gun-related suicide rates.

Rathjen says the gun registry is more in danger than ever.

“It’s really important for people who don’t want our society to move toward what we see south of the border—where gun ownership is prioritized above and beyond public safety to call on Jean Charest to challenge this bill on whatever grounds necessary to block its implementation.”

Rathjen is hopeful. She cited a recent Supreme Court ruling that safe injection sites could not be shut down: “The court ruled the government can’t shut down something that saves lives.”

Tel Aide listeners become part of the family

2011-11-10T13:06:00.000-08:00

Kristine Berey

November 2011

Being a “good listener” has a very special meaning to a Tel Aide volunteer.

The telephone listening service, now in its 40th year, lends an ear to those who need to reach out, but find no one there.

A caller may need practical information, which a Tel Aide listener, using the Information and Referral Centre’s guide as a resource, will provide. Or it may be 3 am and he’s overwhelmed by anxiety. It may be someone who feels they can no longer go on but wants to say goodbye to someone, or is just looking for a chat, like 76-year-old “Minnie.”

Decades ago, Minnie would call Tel Aide several times a day, as if the listeners were part of her extended family. In fact they were, because it was the only family she had.

While “just” listening may sound easy, this service is as understated as it is essential. Callers and listeners alike may experience healing moments or lives may be saved. You never know what to expect when you pick up the telephone, listeners say.

“I got involved with Tel Aide almost 23 years ago,” Courtney Lai Hing says. “What keeps me going is that at the end of every shift I could pretty much feel that I had made a difference in a small way. I was there for somebody who needed me.”

Tel Aide’s mission is to listen to those who need to speak, at any hour, in English or French. Volunteers undergo training in “active” listening, conceptualized by humanistic psychologist Carl Rogers. Callers and listeners interact anonymously and conversation remains confidential.

“This is a good thing because a caller can interact with many people rather than being locked in to one person. The anonymous confidential service gives the caller freedom to express any thoughts, whatever they are feeling, without being judged,” Lay Hing says.

Volunteering at Tel Aide is a special kind of commitment and may not be for everyone, director Hélène Forget says.

“It is for a long period of time and a long training, but we see that the demand is high and will get higher in the next few years.”

The number of calls Tel Aide responds to has increased from 20,844 in 2007 to more than 24,000 so far this year.

Germaine Montpetit, fluently bilingual, works where she is most needed.

“I listen on the English side. Right now we have 60 active English listeners but we need double that to cover all the shifts. I am very concerned. The mission of Tel Aide is to provide bilingual service 24 hours a day, but we can’t fulfill our mission because if we don’t have enough volunteers there is no one to man the phones.”

Over the last three years, the three major reasons people call Tel Aide are solitude, relationship problems and depression. Many callers also mention mental health problems and feelings of exclusion as something they suffer from daily.

“There are resources in the community,” Forget says, “but those resources are not there on an everyday level. But we are.”

The service Tel Aide provides is as understated as it is essential. It provides a free, anonymous and confidential phone listening service in both official languages.

To speak to a listener, call 514-935-1101. To volunteer, call 514-935-1105, ext. 3.

Documentary fest educates and entertains

2011-11-10T12:59:00.002-08:00

Kristine Berey

November 2011

From November 9 to 20, Montrealers will have a chance to experience other lives, and worlds they have never known and may never have access to again.

The 14th edition of the Montreal International Documentary Festival has programmed 119 films to be screened at six venues: Cinematheque québécoise, Cinéma ONF, Cinéma Excentris, Grande Bibliothèque, Goethe-Institut and Concordia University. Filmmakers will be on hand to discuss their work at many of the screenings.

Programming includes documentaries providing a glimpse into current tumultuous events, revealing popular and underground culture, films with environmental themes and a retrospective showcasing the work of three major filmmakers.

The Gold of Others, by Simon Plouffe, reveals how Canadian open-pit gold mining has affected a little town in Abitibi, and what it did to the town’s heritage and inhabitants.

American Passages takes the viewer on a panoramic journey to America in the aftermath of the election of President Barack Obama. The Fortune Teller, a Chinese production, explores the marginalization of the poor in China even as it is quickly becoming an economic power.

In Ivan and Ivana, in English and Serbian, we follow an immigrant couple who fled war in their country in search of the elusive American dream.

Set in the Gaza Strip, Israeli film Hula and Natan by Robby Elmaliah counterpoints the lives of two brothers with the rising conflict around them.

Flying Anne, a film shot in the Netherlands, paints a moving portrait of an 11-year-old girl with Tourette’s syndrome.

The Gold of Others reveals how open-pit gold mining affected an Abitibi town.

The Georgian film Ramin tells the story of a man who was once a wrestling champ. Wrestling is the national sport of this country and a way of life. Now celebrating his 75th birthday, he embodies the sport’s traditional values, its moral excellence and nobility of spirit.

The festival will show films from 32 countries.

The master-class series features Frederick Wiseman, who will be present through a Skype teleconference.

The great Czech documentary filmmaker Helena Trestikova will discuss her approach to cinema, how she edits her films and relates to her subjects. Jorgen Leth, a major figure in Danish cinema whose work defies categorization, will discuss his career and work.

Mexican filmmaker Natalia Almada will give a master class hosted by the Mel Hoppenheim School of Cinema at Concordia University.

Two roundtables will provide an opportunity to discuss topics raised by the films and a music composition workshop will present filmmaker Yung Chang and composer Olivier Alary, who wrote the beautiful score for Up the Yangtze

Weekday screenings before 5 pm are free for students and seniors. The complete program can be downloaded at ridm.qc.ca 514-499-3676

To be safe at home and on the road, be street smart and follow the rules

2011-11-10T12:51:00.000-08:00

Kristine Berey

November 2011

Awareness equals safety, says Peter Mandelos, community police officer at Station 11 in N.D.G.

“There are certain crimes that can happen anywhere,” Mandelos says, citing one example in N.D.G. where a man and a woman offered an older couple help carrying their groceries. When they insisted on carrying the bags into the apartment, the seniors were too polite to say no.

“The woman distracted the residents by asking for directions while the man grabbed a wallet out of a purse. The couple, sensing something wasn’t right, finally told the intruders to leave, but it was too late, the money was gone.”

Mandelos warns seniors to be suspicious of calls or emails promising a cash prize. “They ask you to send money for taxes or administration fees before they can send you the prize.”

Victims of this scam hesitate to come forward for fear of being embarrassed, Mandelos says, adding that it is important to report to police if you’ve been victimized.

While waiting at a bank machine, wearing civilian clothes, Mandelos has been asked more than once by seniors for help punching in their PIN number.

Korean drivers are reminded to watch for seniors.

“Sometimes the number is on a sticker in the back of the card,” Mandelos says. “If you can’t remember the number, at least keep it separate from the card.”

Police are giving out a pouch called Cash-Monnaie, which is meant to be worn out of sight. It should hold only essential items, including money, ID and medicare/hospital card. “Just call your local police station. It is free.”

While Interac can only be used if the PIN number is known, a credit card can be used by anyone, Mandelos says, urging people to carry as little as possible in their purses.

Mandelos is appealing to pedestrians to follow the rules of the road, in light of the result of a recent study showing that people over 50 make up 72 per cent of pedestrian deaths across Montreal.

“Cross only on the corner at traffic lights and be careful when crossing at crosswalks,” Mandelos says. “Not all the cars will stop.”

Mother put boys “in God’s hands”

2011-11-10T12:48:00.000-08:00

Hayley Juhl

November 2011

I was in South Carolina, sitting in a theatre lobby waiting for my family. I was drinking thick black coffee that had been brewed too many hours earlier.

I don’t know why the man next to me started talking. Maybe he needed to tell someone. Maybe he recognized me as a collector of stories.

He had three sisters; he and five of his six brothers were military.

One brother couldn’t join, he told me. “He had curvature of the spine, you know, he was handicapped. He tried to sign up, but they wouldn’t let him.”

My new friend had been in the navy his whole life, through the Second World War, through Korea and through Vietnam. He was on boats for all but seven years of his military career.

“Two of the boats I was in were bombed,” he said.

“And you kept going.”

Remembrance Day is Nov. 11. Photo: Janwo

“Yes, ma’am. My mother said that the day we entered the military, she put us in God’s hands. There was one time I came real close. I was in a Jeep driving from Marble Mountain toward Da Nang. Those Jeeps weren’t easy, mind, they bounced all over. I was driving along, coming up to a bridge, and I had my rifle right here on the seat beside me.

“I went over a bump and my rifle fell down. I just reached down to get it, and when I straightened back up, there was a bullet hole right here –” He points to the air right in front of his forehead.

“Someone was looking out for you,” I said.

“Oh yes, oh yes. I still think about it.” He wasn’t looking at me anymore, but somewhere in front of him, where the bullet came from.

“I have dreams about that, you know. I think about it.” After a pause: “All of us came back okay.

“My sister says: ‘One of us will have to bury the other nine.’ One of us will have to bury nine. Four of my brothers are gone—we buried one on Saturday.

“I hope I’m not the one who has to bury the nine.”

Busy kitchen, happy faces

2011-11-10T12:38:00.001-08:00

Irwin Block

November 2011

Dejeuner en Compagnie has made such a name for itself on the West Island that a second outlet with a similar name is packing them in.

We drove to the breakfast/brunch restaurant at 3237 Sources in Dollard des Ormeaux (Dejeuner Inc. is at 5701-C St. Jean) with our mothers on a recent Sunday. It’s in Galeries des Sources near a huge Super C. Upon arrival, we were greeted by the buzz of diners indulging in huge plates of food.

Behind them, half a dozen cooks and kitchen workers could be seen busily preparing orders. The combination—happy faces on the guests and a busy, efficient looking kitchen—were excellent signs, borne out by the food.

It’s a modern, relaxed setting, formerly Tutti Frutti, and our table of four was seated next to floor-to-ceiling windows that open onto a patio.

Irwin’s raspberry yogurt twister et al Photos: Barbara Moser

The next good sign was Julio, our congenial waiter, who immediately offered coffee—most dishes include bottomless cups, including decaf—and helped us with the extensive menu.

The main dishes cover a huge range of combinations: various types of pancakes, waffles, crepes, egg dishes and omelets, French toast and eggs Benedict and Florentine.

Being hungry, we passed on the smoothies, juices and blended drinks offered and went straight to the main items.

Eva, who has a sweet tooth or two, went for the waffles with two eggs, sunny-side up, ($8.95), with maple syrup (90 cents). Though she normally finishes everything on her plate, Eva did not seem to mind sharing her scrumptious waffles.

Ruth, always nutrition conscious, chose the spinach and cheddar crêpe ($11.95), which was topped with a hefty cheddar slice that had a nice sharp bite to it. (There was more than enough for all to sample.) She passed on the hollandaise and béchamel sauces.

Eva’s supersized waffle and eggs plate.

Barbara chose a Portobello mushroom and Brie cheese omelet. She loved the way it melted together. A hefty side of potatoes comes with most plates. Substitute with fruit for $2.75 or salad for $2.20.

But those potatoes are hard to pass up, even when you know you shouldn’t—thin slices with skin seasoned with paprika, oregano, salt and chili powder. Don’t say I didn’t warn you.

Trying hard to lose my pot and lower my cholesterol, I happily selected from the Fruits Inc. menu—a raspberry yogurt and honey twister (the shape of the glass) with muesli, served with fresh fruit and apple bread ($11.75). The fruits, stacked in a tower, included slices of kiwi, starfruit, pineapple, strawberries, grapefruit, pears, and grapes. I happily shared the apple bread, which combined the flavours of apple cake an French toast.

It’s noisy, but that’s the sound of hungry people devouring food in a congenial atmosphere.

We sat beside students with an iPad, eating as they studied, and the room was filled with people of all ages and backgrounds — a veritable West Island microcosm.

My verdict: delicious, varied, nutritious, and hard to find anywhere else on the island.

The verdict from all diners: delectable food, huge portions, reasonable prices, and excellent service.

There is a cheaper Kid’s Inc. menu. During the week there is a luncheon menu from 11 am to 3 pm, with a seven-item menu that features seafood vol-au-vent and blade roast with veggies ($10.95), and steak and fries ($12.95.) Get a Fidelity Card and enjoy your 10th lunch free.

There is also an early bird special—$2 off any plate until 8:30 am.

The restaurant is wheelchair accessible and accepts major credit cards.

Be proactive to help stop the spread of antibiotic resistance

2011-11-10T12:31:00.000-08:00

Dr. Lynora Saxinger

November 2011

Many Canadians are alarmed when they find out that they or a loved one have been in contact with a hospital “superbug,” like MRSA (methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus) or Clostridium difficile. Questions about the danger, preventing the spread and what to do once you leave the hospital are common.

Once someone has been in contact with a carrier, they are put in isolation and tested. Testing positive does not mean they are, or will get sick from that bug; they may be one of the 25 per cent of people who carry the Staph bacteria on their skin or in their nose, and they happen to carry a strain that is resistant to some common antibiotics.

Carrying this resistant strain does mean you might get an infection, but most people do not. Staph infections commonly involve the skin, operative incision sites and wounds. Knowing you carry it is useful, because if you get symptoms of infection, you are more likely to be put on the right kinds of antibiotics quickly.

Carriers usually remain in isolation in hospital to prevent spread of the germ. Once home, ordinary cleanliness is recommended—frequent hand-washing, keeping wounds covered and avoiding sharing towels.

Carriers are not usually a risk to their loved ones with casual contact. However, a newer strain of MRSA called community associated MRSA is a little more likely to cause skin infections. If someone has had boils or “spider-bite” skin infections from MRSA, close contacts should be swabbed for MRSA if they get similar skin infections.

Doctors may attempt to reduce or eliminate the bacteria from the nose and skin by “decolonization” with skin antiseptics and antibiotics.

Clostridium difficile colitis, or “C. diff” is a type of diarrhea usually caused by the overgrowth of a diarrhea-causing bacteria.

This is usually because of an imbalance caused when taking antibiotics reduces the good bacteria in the gut. People may carry C. diff spores for a long time, and spores can be spread by surfaces in bathrooms and hospitals.

Some people get better when they stop taking the antibiotic and their good bacteria help rebalance their colon’s function, but many need an antibiotic treatment. Diarrhea has a tendency to recur, so anyone who has had C. diff should get tested quickly if it comes back.

Isolation precautions are meant to reduce the spread of resistant organisms in the hospital environment.

Often, this means wearing gowns over street clothes, gloves and sometimes masks. Gloves are not a substitute for hand-washing. Hand-washing (or using alcohol-based hand rubs) by health-care workers, patients and visitors is the most important way to reduce spread of resistant organisms.

People often feel bad, or “dirty” when in isolation, but there should be no need for that; the precautions are a fact of life in modern hospital care.

Lynora Saxinger BSc, MD, FRCPC, CTropMed, is chair of the Antimicrobial Stewardship and Resistance Committee, Association of Medical Microbiology and Infectious Disease (AMMI) Canada, and associate professor, Divison of Infectious Diseases, Departments of Medicine and Medical Microbiology and Immunology, University of Alberta Hospital.

Bacteria that are resistant to common antibiotics are on the rise worldwide because of improper use of antibiotics, and some of these bacteria thrive and spread in hospital environments. Up to 50 per cent of antibiotics used in hospitals are given unnecessarily.

To avoid the rise of nearly untreatable infections, we need to make sure we take antibiotics only when needed and as prescribed. Doctors sometimes feel that patients will be disappointed if they don’t receive an antibiotic, even when symptoms are probably from a viral infection.

Patients can help by mentioning to their doctor that that if their ill- ness is probably viral, they’d appreciate advice on non-antibiotic management and information on when they should come in for reassessment for antibiotics.

Patients can ask to talk to their physician or infection control practitioners for more information.

November 14 to 20 is Antibiotic Awareness Week and several Canadian health-related organizations are working to promote the prudent use of antibiotics. For information on what you can do to help stop the spread of antibiotic resistance, visit antibioticawareness.ca

Tradition in fishnets

2011-11-10T12:03:00.001-08:00

Lindsay Loytchenko

November 2011

There are several notable traditions for a Montreal Halloween: the ghost walk, the zombie pub crawl, La Grande Masquerade.

And then there’s Rocky.

Richard O’Brien’s The Rocky Horror Show was created as a musical stage production in 1973, but it was the 1975 film adaptation, The Rocky Horror Picture Show, that gained international notoriety. Montreal offers both to Rocky fans every Halloween.

This year’s stage production, directed by Philippe Gobeille, took place at the Rialto Theatre and starred Tadzeo Homer-Chbib as Brad, Stacey Chamberlain as Janet and Barry O’Connell as the cross-dressing Dr. Frank-N-Furter. The production featured a live band.

Photo: Andrea Hausmann

The stage itself was bare, with little more than an archway with columns, which seemed odd considering the story takes place in several settings. But clever choreography had backup dancers transform themselves into what was needed to properly fill out a scene.

For Rocky fans, this stage show is a must next Halloween. If you’ve only seen the film, expect some changes, but the gist of it remains the same, there are some elements that are different. Dancers talked to the audience before and after the show and during the intermission.

The full house was encouraged to do the Time Warp, which kicked off a big costume party and contest. This year’s winner was a man dressed as the Marquis de Sade.

And through it all, Dr. Frank-N-Furter remained a trooper, as he did not shed heels or bustier for a single moment, even while hosting the contest.

And after all ... we’ll always have Paros

2011-11-10T11:43:00.000-08:00

click here to view images

Barbara Moser

November 2011

Don’t visit Paros! We want to keep it for ourselves.

But if you insist, we’ll give you the lowdown. In July, when we landed there as part of a five-week island hop, we were seduced by the relaxed pace, perfect weather—hot, dry and sunny by day, breezy by night; calm, clear waters in its bays and inlets; excellent food made with local fish, lamb, herbs, fruits; friendly and helpful people; safe and clean.

It’s the kind of place where, floating in a quiet bay on a sun-filled late afternoon, listening to the breeze, you can savour the moment, put your life in perspective, maybe even commit yourself to life-changing decisions. It is in such rare moments that you can pare down your day-to-day existence and look at what you do, or fail to do, and what is essential and meaningful while approaching the “mature” side of life.

Definitely stay at the Paros Hotel. I know what you’re thinking: It sounds so bland. But it was the best accommodation we had on these islands and perhaps off them, too. Our room faced the sea. We could walk 50 metres to a pristine and calm beach. And the owners, Tassos and Jenny, and their children, Vassili, 7, and Pellagina, 5, are the best!

But it wasn’t all that easy. First, we were accosted at the port by room hustlers, one catching us in his net and driving us up a windy dirt road farther and farther from the beach before we could extricate ourselves. Luckily, the sign on a street facing the beach was bold and clear: Paros Hotel.

I walked right in, met Jenny and knew I had found a friend! She offered the only room she had left, not facing the beach, but we were so happy tht after a couple of days we lengthened our stay to six days and she moved us, for the last four, to a beautiful room facing the beach, with balcony, air conditioning and fridge. Just thinking about it makes me want to go back.

Jenny suggested we rent a car for at least one day and drive around the entire island. Although I never rent cars abroad, I was encouraged by her handwritten map and the flexibility of a rental couple just down the road, whom she suggested. They gave us a day and a half for the price of a day: without gas it came to about $60. At 11 the next morning, an old Mercedes was delivered, the only automatic they had left—a luxury car he offered for the economy price.

Jenny marked all the best beaches and fish restaurants on the map and off we went on the one road that leads around the island. There were some tight edges to maneuver going around cliff rims, but we slowed down and honked as we turned.

This main road is two lanes at best and there are decisions to make about which turn to take at numerous points, but it was lots of fun.

We made it round the island, stopping at Aliki to swim in a beautiful bay and then on to visit a picture-perfect mountain village, Levkes, which left us hot and tired and dying to get out of there. This quaint but hot (in temperature) little tourist village, all steps and hills, was very clean but seemed closed down and unhappy. Not for our taste.

Next we stopped at Kolimvythres Beach for lunch at a home-style resto on the beach, sampling their moussaka and appetizers. Then it was back to the winding road with a few wrong turns and finally home to the Paros Hotel and our “family.”

The next morning, we drove up another steep and winding road away from the town, to Marcello Beach, another exquisitely clean, blue part of the bay, where we swam with abandon until it was time to return the Mercedes. There’s something about getting into your air-conditioned car and driving off when you feel like it that makes renting a car worth it, at least for a day or two.

We decided to take a ferry to Naxos, an island 45 minutes from Paros. Naxos seems to have all the Greek Island amenities, an Old City with shops, a kilometre or two of cafés and restaurants basically offering the same thing, and a swimming beach about 500 metres from the town, which was soothing after walking around in the heat, but really not as clean or magical as Paros beaches. So we left after six hours, happy to come “home.”

We met two Vancouverites in Naxos at the beach, retired women who spend three months a year in Naxos, their favourite island. Choosing a favourite island is a bit like choosing an ice cream flavour and for us Paros is the right combination of our favourites, cherry and vanilla.

On our last day in Paros, we took a 30-minute boat ride to Antiparos. Yes, you read right. It’s a smaller island close to Paros, and very quaint, with a lovely winding old city street and good ice cream and coffee. It was beautiful but a little too quiet for us, though close to perfection for another traveler we met.

Back in Paros, we spent lovely days swimming just across the street from the Paros Hotel, having breakfast and coffee and sometimes lunches at Jenny and Tassos’s terraced café in front of their hotel, or dinners at a wonderful fish restaurant a couple of doors down, and spending time wandering around the old town near the port with Pellagina.

At the playground, Pella told a woman in Greek that she did not speak Greek, only English. The woman confided in me that she had said this in Greek. She was playing tourist, I guess. Her mom is an Australian of Greek origin and her dad is from Chicago and also from a Greek family. One afternoon, we visited a café that serves mouth-watering Greek desserts. Pella had chocolate ice cream, chocolate milk and chocolate cake — all within two hours.

Vassili, Pella’s older brother, 7, was less ready to accompany us for an afternoon out. But when we returned, Pella’s stories of her good time made him ask us if we could take him next! The family lives in Athens during the fall and winter months and then moves to Paros for the tourist season, starting in May.

The walk from the Paros Hotel along the sea to the port takes about 20 minutes. When it came time to say goodbye, we took our final pictures of this lovely family who had become good friends and set sail for the island of Kos and the nearby Turkish port at Bodrum.

barbarasmoser@gmail.com

What's Happening

2011-11-10T11:34:00.001-08:00

Art

Mile End Gallery

Academie des Beaux-arts • Nov. 9-20
Paintings and drawings
Calligraphes de Montreal • Nov. 23-Dec. 4 Group exhibit, Calligraphy.
Art d’ECO • Opening Nov. 24 6-9pm
5345 Parc 514-271-3383 ame-art.com

Arts Etc. • Nov. 18 & 19

Juried show of arts and crafts. Vernissage with entertainment by EMSB Chorale: Fri. 6:30pm. Tea Room. Door Prizes. 50 Westminster, Montreal W.

Art Exhibition • until Nov. 18.

Works by artists in various media. Mon.-Fri.: 11am-7pm, Sat. 11am-5pm. Nota Ben, 3416 Parc. 514-485-6587

Bazaars & Fairs

Christmas Bazaar • Nov. 12 & 13

10am-3pm. Gift items as well as Hungarian cuisine. Hungarian United Church, 50 Graham, T.M.R. 514-731-5732

Artisan Sale • Nov. 12 & 13

10am-4pm. Items by 30 local artisans. Whitlock Golf & Country Club.
128 Cote St-Charles, Hudson.
450-424-2099. nancyhagberg.com

Flea Market • Nov. 18 & 19

Fri. 10am-7pm, Sat. 9am-4pm.
St. Gabriel’s Parish. 2157 Centre, Point St. Charles

Christmas Bazaar • Nov. 18 & 19

Fri. 5:30-9:30pm, Sat. 9:30am-2:30pm. Dinner and Lunch available. Church of St.Columba by-the-Lake,
11 Rodney, Pointe-Claire

Bazaar • Nov. 18 & 19

Fri. 7:30-9pm, Sat. 9:30am-3pm. Anglican Church of the Resurrection
99 Mount Pleasant, Valois.

Christmas Fair • Sat. Nov. 19

10am-3pm. Sponsored by the Parents’ Guild of The Sacred Heart School. Proceeds to local charities, Sacred Heart missions abroad, School Bursary Fund and school projects.
3635 Atwater.

Parish Bazaar • Nov. 19 & 20

Sat. 9am-3pm, Sun. 10am-12:30pm. St. Thomas More Church
980 Moffat, Verdun

Treats and Treasures • Sat. Nov. 19

10am-3pm. Centre Greene,
1090 Greene. 514-931-6202

Bazaar • Nov. 22-27

8am-6pm. Benefiting programs at the Montreal General & Children’s Hospitals. Livingston Hall #L6-500,
1650 Cedar. 514-934-1934 x48047

Arts+ • Fri. Nov. 25 & 26

Fri. 3-9pm, Sat. 10am-5pm. Unique handmade gifts by 40 local artists. Proceeds to the Villa Maria Bursary Fund. 4245 Decarie. 514-484-4950 villamaria.qc.ca

Christmas Craft Fair • Sat. Nov. 26

Over 35 crafters, singer Matt Stern from 1-2pm. Donations of non-perishable food items collected. 9am-3pm. St. Philips Church, 7505 Sherbrooke W. 438-937-4844. pameladavy.com

Tibetan Bazaar • Nov. 26 & 27

Sat. 11am-7pm, Sun. noon-6pm. Many items representing Tibetan culture. $5 ($3 seniors and students) Église Santa Cruz 60 Rachel W.

Clubs & Groups

S.M.A.R.T. Healthy Aging Center

A new center designed for local seniors. CustomFit, exercise, yoga, Tai Chi, Stretchercize, computer classes and weekly lecture series.
8000 Cote St Luc. 514-223-2023

Zoological Society of Montreal

Guest speaker • Tues. Nov. 15
Zofia Laubitz presents: Birds, bees and butterflies – spring in central Europe. 7:30pm Atwater Library
Field trip • Sun. Nov. 20
Visit to the Morgan Arboretum and Ecomuseum, leaving the library at 9am. Register by Nov. 9.
1200 Atwater 514-845-8317

Montreal Urban Hikers

Christmas Underground • Sat. Nov. 26
Meet at 9:30am, Place des Arts metro, eastern ticket booth.
514-366-9108. montrealurbanhikers.ca

Femmes du Monde

Intercultural Potluck • Wed. Nov. 16
Lunch at 11:30am, discussion on feminism, 1:15-4pm. Registration required.
6767 Côte-des-Neiges, #597. 514-735-9027.

Shaare Zedek Sisterhood

Guest speaker • Tues. Nov. 15
Dr. Stephanie King reviews The Midwife of Venice. $8. Refreshments. 7:30pm.
5305 Rosedale. 514-484-1122 x101

Ami-Québec

Support Group • Mondays, 7:30pm.
For people living with mental illness; their caregivers, family and friends
Roundtable • Nov. 16, 7pm
Wills & trusts: Techniques for protecting the future of your ill relative with Sylvain Carpentier, Notary
Teleworkshop • Wed. Nov. 23, 7pm
Understanding personality disorders with Dr. Suzane Renaud, psychiatrist. Registration required: 1-866-396-2433
4333 Cote Ste Catherine.

Park Extension Historical Society

Awards Supper • Sat. Nov. 19, 6-9pm
Historian Robert N. Wilkins presents: Growing up in Edwardian Montreal. Reserve by Nov. 12, various ticket prices.
439 Jean Talon W. 514-271-6650
sochist.pextension@gmail.com

Helvetia Seniors Club

Luncheon meeting • Thurs. Nov. 17
Maitre Jean-Marc Ferland on the importance of having a will and mandate of inaptitude. Monkland Grille, 6151 Monkland. 450-687-5256.

Events

Fundraising gala • Thurs. Nov. 10

Benefiting Care-ring Voice featuring Lise Watier and other Montreal celebrities. 5:30-8pm $50 for caregivers, $75 for public (tax receipts issued for full amount)
997 St-Jacques. 514-484-7878 x1436. careringvoice.com

Film • Sun. Nov. 13

Creative Social Centre presents Zeffirelli’s production of La Boheme, filmed live at the Metropolitan Opera. 2 pm. $5 donation. Open to members & non-members. Refreshments served.
5237 Clanranald 514-488-0907 cscmtl.com

Lecture and lunch • Sun. Nov. 13

Dr. Abraham Fuks, Professor of Medicine, Pathology and Oncology at McGill University discusses The art of listening in Medicine. Lunch: noon, lecture: 1pm. $5 Reservations mandatory. 425 Metcalfe. 514-937-9471 x139

Chamber music • Fri. Nov. 18

Lakeshore Chamber Music Society. 7:30pm Adults $15, students and seniors $8.
24 Maple, Sainte-Anne-de-Bellevue 514-457-5280
lcmssmcl.ca

Concert & Reception

In support of Breast Cancer Action Montreal. An evening of music dedicated to our mothers, wives, daughters and sisters, to honour women challenged by breast cancer. Adults, $20, children under 12, $10. Congregation Shaar Hashomayim 425 Metcalfe 514-937-4531 bcamconcert@gmail.com

Comedy Night • Sun. Nov. 20

Temple on the Town and United in Comedy present an evening of ethnic comedy. 8pm. $18 Tickets are limited. 1238 Bishop 514-937-3575 x201

Christmas Concert • Nov. 26

The West Island Chorus of the Sweet Adelines 8pm at Église La Présentation de la Sainte-Vierge, 665 de l Église, Dorval. 514-488-1990

Concert • Sat. Nov. 26

Music for harp and trumpet accompanied by St. Columba’s historic pipe organ. A portion of the donations will support St. Columba’s refugee sponsorship. 7:30pm. Suggested donation: $12. Church of St.Columba by-the-Lake
11 Rodney Pointe-Claire 514-364-3027 or 514-697-8015

Libraries

Atwater library

Readings • Thurs. Nov. 10, 7pm

Atwater Poetry Project presents readings by the poets shortlisted for a Governor General’s Literary Award. The Canada Council for the Arts is providing funding for this special evening including a reception and refreshments.
Lunchtime Series • Thurs. Nov. 17, 12:30pm
Sheila Heti reads from and discusses her work, including her new book The Chairs Are Where the People Go: How to Live, Work, and Play in the City.
1200 Atwater 514-935-7344 atwaterlibrary.ca

Eleanor London Côte Saint-Luc Public Library

Concert • Thurs. Nov. 10, 7pm.

Ensemble QAT presents 1938 chronicling the unforgettable musical journey of Europe on the brink of war. $5 in advance, $7 at the door.
5851 Cavendish 514-485-6900 elcslpl.org

Beaconsfield Library

German coffee party • Thurs. Nov. 10, 10am

An opportunity to enjoy the home baking and hospitality of our German community.
Lecture, Tues. Nov. 15, 1:30pm
Authors Marijke Vroomen-During and Wendy Helfenbaum offer tips and suggestions for essay writing.
303 Beaconsfield. 514-428-4460. beaconsfield.ca

Jewish Public Library

Reading and reception • Wed. Nov. 23, 5:30pm

Kim Echlin reads from her latest novel, The Disappeared Road. Wine reception. Free admission. Registration required. 5151 Côte Ste-Catherine 514-345-2627 x3017 jewishpubliclibrary.org

Royal Canadian Legion

Branch 4 Verdun

Open House • Sun. Nov. 11.

Remembrance Day and dance featuring Duo Rockin. 3pm. 4538 Verdun. 514-769-2489

Branch 85/90

Dance and supper • Sat. Nov. 12

5pm, supper at 6pm. Music by Greg Innis. $15.
Games Night • Nov. 25

Cribbage, Hearts and more. Refreshments.
3015 Henri-Dunant, Lachine. 514-637-8002

Branch 91

Remembrance Day • Fri. Nov. 11, 11am

28 Ste. Anne, Ste Anne de Bellevue. 514-457-9332 rcl91.com

Branch 245

Branch Fundraiser • Sat. Nov. 19

Country & Western show starring Midnight Stage and supper. 6pm, $15 RSVP by Wed., Nov. 16.
575 Jean-Marie Landry Ave., Dorval 514-631-5786 or 514-626-7910

This kitchen reno is like the TV series that keeps coming back

2011-11-10T11:26:00.000-08:00

Barry Lazar

November 2011

A home renovation project is like a sitcom series. There is the affable contractor, the slightly confused dad, the mom who has great design ideas but is just a little flustered (“Hey Luuuucy...”); Mike Holmes and HGTV come in and offer indispensable advice and somehow, it all works. Over the summer, it gets done and in the fall, the renovated room is shown off like a new grandchild. The theme song for this series is Whistle While You Work.

My series is a little different. Mine invariably gets cancelled during summer reruns. And, most frightening, every season begins the same.

It starts with the arrival of the IKEA catalog. We are inspired. Oh, look at all the neat rooms full of wonderfully designed products. Everything makes sense. But where, I ask, are the overflowing recycling bins, the compost bucket filled to the top with old teabags and a soupçon of fruit flies? Where is the dishwasher that only gets half the dishes done and the oven door that doesn’t quite close right? Where, in short, is my kitchen? Oh yeah, that’s what this renovation is all about.

So, filled with optimism and a bank account partially flush with last year’s tax rebate, we start the process again. Like Sisyphus, we push up the hill. We open the Ikea catalog and ohh and ahh. This year we will get it right. We measure appliances, looking at what is right (size) and wrong (dials on top of the stove next to the burner for Pete’s or someone else’s sake.) We babble of Nutids and Datids and Doofis (what insane computer selects these names?). We go to JC Perrault and Almar and Sears. We spend hours online comparing facts, figures and fridges, checking Consumer Reports and Epinions.

And, every year, we fail. Our problem is that we actually like what we have. We have a small kitchen, smaller than average, with appliances that made sense 30 years ago and still work. There is the smaller-than-average refrigerator, the portable dishwasher that wobbles across the floor when we need to use it. The microwave is analog. It has a dial and no digital readout but it is big enough to cook a turkey. The refrigerator does what it is supposed to do—it keeps food cold. It doesn’t spout cold water (amazingly, I use the tap for that) and the ice cubes are always ready inside the freezer, they don’t cascade from the door.

We have a 24-inch gas range. In New York, London and Paris, apartments come with 19-inch, 20-inch or 24-inch ranges. In Montreal, asking to look at a 24-inch range marks us as either severely impoverished or wildly eccentric.

There is a lovely 24-inch Aga range that costs $6,000. There is a flimsy GE model coming in at less than a 10th of that. Damn little in between.

This year’s Kitchen Renovation series has been true to form. After months of research and touring appliance showrooms, we have accomplished nothing. The series is over for another season. The last scene of the final show has us eagerly awaiting next year’s catalog. Over the credits, you can hear our theme song. It’s Let’s Call the Whole Thing Off.”

In the meantime, I came across a wonderful way to cook a roast in Cook’s Illustrated. Their recipe is for prime rib. I found it also works great for less expensive cuts.

Buy a roast three to five inches thick. Remove the meat from its package, dry it and salt it well all over.

Put it in on a rack in the refrigerator, uncovered, for 24 hours. The circulating air and cool temperature ages the meat. Bring the meat out and let it come to room temperature, about an hour or two. Turn the oven to as low as you can get it, probably about 210F (or 100C).

Heat a little oil in a very hot frying pan large enough to hold the roast. When the oil is smoking, sear the meat well on all sides until it is well browned. Put the pan in the oven. Leave it for five hours. Yes, five! Check occasionally with an instant-read thermometer (these cost $10 to $20 in hardware stores and supermarkets).

Turn off the oven when the thermometer indicates that the meat’s internal temperature is 110F (44C), but keep the meat in the oven. The roast’s temperature will continue to climb to about 120F as the roast rests for another hour. This produces a delicious, rare roast beef. The juices can be strained and made into gravy with a little red wine and some beef or chicken stock.

flavourguy@theseniortimes.com

Smiles are your first positive clue

2011-11-10T11:23:00.000-08:00

Bonnie Sandler BS.W.

November 2011

If you have been shopping for a senior’s residence, you probably know that many residences are not full to capacity. Some have waiting lists, but this is not the norm. What makes some residences successful while others struggle to reach capacity?

The bottom line is keeping a loyal and competent staff. I coach clients to speak to staff during visits and inquire about the length of their employment. If there is no long-term stability, it could be a red flag. Are staff easy to engage, do they converse in your language, are they comfortable speaking to you? Are they interacting with residents or focused on their task?

Staff who are dissatisfied because of low pay, poor working conditions or lack of appreciation by management may be frustrated. Rooms might not be cleaned properly, servers might be impatient and activities might not be interesting. Of greater concern is nursing staff who aren’t at their best. Are there enough employees to do the job, have there been staffing cutbacks? Residences in financial difficulty might reduce staff and services, so while they may be offering the best deal in town, be sure you are getting what you pay for.

I encourage clients to report to me the positives and negatives of their residence. Sometimes I am asked to intervene when clients feel they are not being heard or understood by management.

Don’t just meet with the leasing agent: Ask to meet with the head nurse, director and other people in key positions. When you buy a home, you hire a building inspector to study the house in a way that you are not able to. The inspection report may influence your decision to buy or not to buy. While we can’t compare the monetary investment of purchasing a property and leasing in a residence, in both instances you are searching for the right home. A second move is something we all want to avoid.

Don’t be shy, ask all the questions, do your own investigation. You may want to hire a professional who has extensive knowledge of residences and will guide you to ones that best match your lifestyle. Do your best to get a feel for the staff; after all, they will be the ones you will be dealing with on a daily basis. Find out who you would speak to if you had concerns and talk with that person to see whether you have positive chemistry.

Nothing is written in stone. While it doesn’t happen often, seniors who feel unhappy will make the move to another residence, this time wiser about what they want and need and better able to evaluate the match. Unfortunately, a move to another residence does pose a three-month penalty under Régie du logement regulations. These are rules I would love to see changed for residences, and seniors wanting to move out of their apartments and into a senior’s residence.

When you make a move, please remember to look for smiling staff.

Questions and comments can be sent to b.sandler@sympatico.ca

Harvest good theatre this fall

2011-11-10T11:19:00.000-08:00

Byron Toben

November 2011

Mother Nature governs the theatre scene here. In summer, folks are in their chalets; in winter, in Florida. As the song laments, It’s Either Too Hot or Too Cold.

Thus so many shows are bunched in spring and fall. Here are six picks for November.

The Wild Party: In this 1920s jazz-age setting, music and dance, bathtub gin and other substances fuel an evening as vaudeville deconstructs into tragedy. Fifteen talented performers are brought to you by Nadia Verrucci’s In Your Face Entertainment company. Verrucci performs and choreographs. Readers may remember her from several Segal Centre shows, including The Jazz Singer.

Mainline Theatre, November 2-12. 514-849-3378.

Jane Eyre: The classic Victorian Gothic novel has been the subject of myriad film and TV versions. In part a Cinderella story, Charlotte Bronte’s heroine has an inspiring tale for us moderns. For those who enjoyed the recent Far From the Madding Crowd, also set in the mid 19th-century, this is a must.

Louise Chalmers Theatre, November 3-12. 514-631-8718.

My Pregnant Brother: If anyone can challenge Catherine Kidd as a one-woman show genius, it is Johanna Nutter. Her award-winning show has toured the country. She has translated it into French, but also does it in English on Fridays.

La Petite Licorne, November 7-25. 514-523-2246.

God of Carnage: This Tony-winner is the seventh play by French Jewish writer Yasmina Reza. The carnage here is among parents reacting to a schoolyard brawl with dental damage.

Centaur Theatre, November 8-December 4. 514-288-3161.

Stori Ya: The charismatic Warona Sethshwaelo relates this journey from Africa to Canada as she portrays various characters with tales, song and dance in this Black Theatre Workshop production.

Black Theatre Workshop, November 16-December 4. 514-932-1104, ext 226.

Cornered: Paul Van Dyck, fresh from a remounting of his Halloween epic, Haunted, at the Hudson Village theatre, returns downtown to direct Manchester’s best new play set in the murky world of small-time boxing.

Thêatre Ste. Catherine, November 23-December 3.

Cool jazz, cool guests at library fundraiser

2011-11-10T11:00:00.000-08:00

Byron Toben

November 2011

The venerable Atwater Library and computer centre held its annual benefit cocktail party on November 2 at its landmark building.

Established in 1828, the library does not have an endowment fund and receives only 11 per cent of its annual budget from government sources. The goal was to raise 15 per cent of the budget during this event. The library has managed to exist without any debt and is blessed with more than 100 part time volunteers to supplement its nine full-time employees. The library boasts more than 90,000 user visits per year.

Former CBC anchor Dennis Trudeau emceed the event. Former International Olympic Committee vice-president Richard Pound and author Julie Keith were guests of honour. Cool jazz was provided by the Dave Turner Jazz Trio, including a fine rendition of Black Orpheus.

Atwater director Lynn Verge now turns her attention to raising $2 million to add elevators, upgrade washrooms and replace the skylight.

Succession must be determined before sale

2011-11-10T10:53:00.000-08:00

Daniel Smyth

November 2011

The death of a family member is a very emotional and stressful time for the survivors. It may be important to consider, however, that the responsibility of managing the estate of the deceased, which could include the sale of an immoveable, has many complicated and important legal aspects. This is a good reason to have a will.

If there is no will or marriage contract, a legal succession exists, which falls under the Civil Code of Quebec. The first group of legal heirs in this situation includes: a surviving married spouse and/or the children of the deceased. If there is a married spouse and two children, then each receive one-third of the estate. If there are no children, the spouse receives two-thirds and the rest of the family (mother, father, brother and sister) receives one-third. The code does not recognize a common law spouse as an heir.

When there is no will, a declaration of transmission—a notarized act that identifies the deceased, the death, the fact that there was no will, legal heirs, and the cadastral number of the immoveable, must be made. This act is published in the public land registry office, making the heirs the owners of the immoveable. The title of acquisition passes to those indicated in the declaration. Then the immoveable can be sold.

If there is a notarized will, there is no additional step needed beyond the declaration of transmission. However, it must be proved that the notarized will was in fact the last will left by the deceased.

A non-notarized will requires an additional step because there are different methods of making wills in Quebec, which require validation. A holograph will is one that was written by hand and signed without witnesses. If a will is typed, or a fill-in-the-blanks form is used, the will must be signed before two witnesses.

With the above types, the signature must be validated because no notary was present at signing. This process is called probation.

A judgment from the courts stating that the signature and will of the deceased person is authentic is required. This requires a statement under oath from a person who knows the signature of the deceased person. Once probation is granted, which could take some time, the declaration of transmission can take place and the eventual sale of the immoveable can occur.

Next month, we will continue our discussion on testamentary succession and transfer of ownership.

Be fully informed when starting a relationship with an adviser

2011-11-10T10:46:00.000-08:00

Deborah Leahy

November 2011

If you’re like most people, you have a variety of financial goals. You might be able to achieve all of them on your own—but you will probably find it a lot easier if you get a little help from a financial adviser.

But how do you choose the right one? For starters, ask your friends, relatives and co-workers to suggest someone. Then interview some of the people they recommend. What questions should you ask?

What are your qualifications? Make sure you are talking to someone who, at a minimum, has all the required licenses for selling securities.

What type of experience do you have? Find out how long someone has been an adviser, but don’t rule out a person with only a limited amount of experience—a new adviser is often enthusiastic.

An adviser’s longevity is less important than whether he or she has had experience working with someone like you—someone in your financial situation, with your goals and your investment preferences.

What is your investment philosophy? Try to learn if someone favours a specific style of investing or a particular class of investments. These styles or classes may be well suited to some investors but inappropriate for others. If you believe the person you’re talking to has a “one size fits all” mentality, look elsewhere.

How will you communicate with me? There’s no one “right” way of communicating with clients. You need to feel comfortable that someone will always be available to answer questions, review accounts, evaluate your situation and make appropriate recommendations. If you are interviewing someone who has a partner or an assistant, find out whom you are likely to be communicating with, should you decide to become a client.

What services do you provide? Find out how a prospective adviser can help you. Some people sell investments only, while others offer investments and insurance.

Keep in mind that you don’t need to be a “one-stop” shopper when it comes to obtaining a wide range of services. You might want to ask a prospective adviser if he or she has developed working relationships with legal and tax advisers. This “team” approach can be quite beneficial to you, especially when you get into the area of estate planning.

How are you paid? There are several ways: fees, commissions, salary or some combination of these methods. One way isn’t necessarily any better than another, but you should have a clear understanding of what type of compensation is used.

Your association with an adviser is one of the most important business relationships you’ll have, so make sure it’s a good one—right from the start.

Deborah Leahy is a financial adviser with Edward Jones, specializing in assisting seniors.

Trivializing Occupy Wall Street? Nah, just making a buck

2011-11-10T10:37:00.002-08:00

Harry Rolnick

November 2011

With endless admiration for New York’s Wall St. inhabitants, what I admire most are tycoon skins. So thick are Wall St. skins that, in comparison, a rhinoceros hide is as diaphanous as the wings of a Raphael cherub.

Three weeks after the Occupy Wall Street rallies began, I walked to their encampment for pictures and talk. Joining me was one of my many billionaire Wall St. friends, Mortimer (Mort) Gager. I fully expected him to sneer, scorn and throw up … er, throw up his hands when he saw the thousands upon thousands of young and old people with their banners, posters, lectures and antipathy for people of his financial status.

Quite the contrary. After strolling, with hordes of journalists, tourists, even a few cranky Republicans, Mort took out his diamond-studded red crayon, wrote words and figures, and triumphantly looked at me.

“Okay,” he grinned (only a tycoon can simultaneously say “Okay” and grin like a shark). “You say you’re here for the housing issue of The Senior Times? Fantastic! We can make a mint in the housing market right now.”

“C’mon, Mort. Zuccotti Park is your enemy. Young and old meet because they’re angry at the system, because they can’t take it any more, because …”

Mort laughed and flashed his titanium-framed colouring book. “Take a look at this,” he said. “See if I’m not on their side.”

One doesn’t generally think of Occupy Wall Street as a hub of capitalism. Photos: Harry Rolnick

In scarlet red, he showed me his opening circular:

Deluxe Housing: 3,100 square metres Prime Downtown Park Land. Community living with convivial Neighbours. Free Restaurant, library, daily and nightly Entertainment. Total rental: $0.00 per month. Amenities included.

“Mort, actually that sounds like you’re honestly embracing the ideals of these idealists.”

“Honest?” he asked. “Don’t give me your high-falutin’ words. Wall St. doesn’t know the meaning of the word honest. Anyhow, I’m not finished.” He jotted down more words.

Vast Array of Accommodations: Single sleeping-bag (For Earnest Protesters); Double Sleeping-Bag (For partners, including, “Don’t Bask, Don’t Tell”); Blanket/Double Blanket (Economical, Comfy); Organic (Nothing between you and the Good Earth).

“That word ‘organic’ always gets them,” Mort said. “Personally, I don’t like eating things which grow with worms and grasshoppers.”

“Still,” I said, “you seem to be embracing that this is the People’s Protest, that everyone is involved.”

“Uh, not everybody. We have some small print as well:

Accommodations not recommended for those hyper-sensitive to wind, rain, snow, beatings, incarcerations, clubbings or pepper spray.

I glared at him. “And how will the Chosen Ones spend their time in your deluxe housing?”
Mort flipped me another circular.:

Daily Activities for Residents of Occupy Wall Street: Exercise: Poster-lifting, marching, banner-waving, dodging New York cops; Education: Acquire knowledge with Nobel Prize winners, directors, actors, writers; Geography: Field trips to Washington Square, Times Square, Lower and Upper East Side, Police Headquarters, etc.; Art: Draw pictures of Robber Barons, Economic Malefactors, Uncle Sam in drag, Statues of Liberty with dollar signs on the torch, American flags with corporate logo-stars; Hygiene: Mops, brushes, soaps, sponges available each morning to clean your bedstead. Learn to differentiate between “vermin” (rodents, mice) and “communist vermin” (names given you by right-wing radio commentators); Syntax: How to react when self-same radio commentators accuse you of wishing for the most insidious policy in the Western hemisphere: Canadian Socialist Medicine.

“Mort, I appreciate the hygiene part ...”

“Democracy is a dirty business.”

“But you’re trivializing thousands upon thousands of well-meaning, sometimes Utopian but always well-intentioned people.”

Mort balanced his ruby-encrusted box of Bic ballpoints.

“Trivializing? Not at all! We’re teaching them the New American judicial system.”

The Bill of Rights: How To Pay it, and What to Leave As a Gratuity:

A. Freedom of Speech: Insulting police when they come to pick you up.

B. Freedom of Movement: Relaxing on the ground when they try to put handcuffs on you.

C. Freedom of Religion: Offering prayers to the G-dd---ed Pigs (or, should you be kosher, the G-dd---ed brisket of beef).

D. The Pursuit of Happiness: Running as fast as you can.

“Mort, whether you like it or not, you sound like an idealist yourself. But you said you were going to make a bundle, cash on the line, shekels.”

“Ah, me boy, never underestimate the 99 per cent. Remember when banks were naive enough to take your money for free? Now you pay them to keep it. Remember when you could fly by buying an airline ticket? Now you pay extra for aisle seats, bags, blankets, young stewardesses.”

So now the Uptown compassionate folks pay big. Books for the library? Pay by the page! Food for the free kitchens? A kitchen fee costs big dough. Music at night? Each guitar note is worth a C-note! Each bongo hit is more bucks for the bang.

“And franchises! We’ll make McDonald’s look like the Little House on the Prairie. Copyright the name ‘Occupy Wall Street’ now, and we’ll be rolling in shekels, baht, drachma, rupees, lek, even Canadian dollars.”

We’d reached the exit from Zuccotti Park, but Mort kept talking, writing and adding figures. Before we said goodbye—me to walk back to dog and home, he to the Wall St. canyons and his computers, I shouted:

“Mort, have you ever thought that this protest isn’t about money? It’s about freedom.”

He ran back and sidled up to me, then whispered the Wall St. mantra, which I reveal to Senior Times readers right now.

“Don’t get me wrong. It’s a free country.

“But only if you can afford it.”

Manhattan mastiffs and mutts may be more mentally mighty

2011-11-09T16:42:00.000-08:00

Harry Rolnick

November 2011

Uptown dogs from across the world exhibit themselves in the classy Westminster Dog Show each spring, with breed names as rare as their fashions: Brussels griffons, bichons frise, the Malagasayan coton de tuléar, the embarrassingly named dandie dinmont terrier.

These dogs are especially well-behaved thanks to well-funded dog schools, and dog education goes on for years.

Typical is New York’s All About Pets. This school begins with puppy kindergarten, “socializing and basic puppy skills.” Then basic obedience and a seven-week course, which includes “pre-therapy” and “canine good citizenship.”

Dogs can get a post-graduate education in jumping hurdles, running through tunnels, weaving around poles and more. Add to this are symposiums, art shows and parties, for Ye Complete New York Dog. (And presumably all of this paid by a platinum Masters Card.)

Today, cashing in on uptown fashion, Dublin-based publisher Michael O’Doherty is producing a glossy magazine called New York Dog. He explains that, while dog fashion would be highlighted, it encompasses dog horoscopes, obituaries, dieting tips and pup-psychology advice.

Uptown dogs also enjoy posh, catered birthday parties and dog astrologers.

“The practice is the same for dogs and humans,” astrologer Lauren Edmond told me. “I know the birthdate, read the sun signs, and then do the chart.

“A Leo needs discipline, Virgo dogs must have a schedule for each day, Cancer dogs like treats, Sagittarius dogs enjoy adventures and height, Pisces are a little shy …”

While shunning these things, my girlfriend, writer Stella Dong, insisted that Coco go to a “telepathic communicator” who would “channel” the minds of dogs.

Rosanne Aratoon reads dog minds. For $20, I discovered that Coco enjoys running, eating my food, playing with stuffed toys, is healthy, likes me but doesn’t like larger dogs. Aratoon makes a living with these prognostications. Only in New York!

The dark side of being an Uptown Dog is the law. Or lawyers. New York may be the most litigious city in the world, and many are the attorneys who work either for cash or pro bone in complex cases. More than a dozen law firms specialize in dog law, with the most complex cases, according to attorney Darryl Vernon, between landlords and dogs.

“In Europe, dogs are accepted everywhere. But New York, apartment houses have elaborate laws, depending on their status. Dogs can even be used as excuses to throw out tenants, or sometimes dogs are deemed a nuisance when they aren’t a nuisance at all. That’s when we have to go to court.”

This N.Y. pup looks pretty content, but could probably do with a psychic reading.

Almost as common are partners who separate and fight over dog custodial rights.

“The dogs are not called in to testify,” Vernon says disapprovingly.

Downtown dogs don’t do litigation, but the beatnik dogs did create a revolutionary innovation in 1990. Those “pretty-pretty” dogs had disappeared in the Depression, and had made a heroic comeback during the Second World War as members of the trained K-9 Corps.

They would parade around Central Park, usually with tight “paw-bands” containing pockets, presumably for compasses and canteens to help the war effort.

After the war, New York dog-owners searched for new identities. In 1960, the Bohemian poets of the East Village clothed their dogs with the dandyish regalia of their owners. They were dyed in psychedelic swirls of green and yellow, and (to paraphrase the song of the period) “wearing flowers in their fur.”

After the war, dogs from Tibet, South America and Africa were prized, but they were still confined to their leashes. But in 1990, the left-wing hippies and beatniks of Tompkins Square Park rebelled. The park sign “No Dogs Allowed” was reactionary, counter-revolutionary. To beat the government, they built their own dog run inside the park. Not only has this particular run prospered, but it spawned more than three dozen dog runs throughout the city.

Today, dog runs are literally the great leveling fields between uptown and downtown dogs, where they are off their leashes (it is a crime to walk a dog unleashed) for hours of socialization.

Musical dogs will play in Washington Square amid guitarists and bongo-drummers. Artistic dogs romp in the Chelsea artists-section high-tech dog run with running fountain, climbing rocks and faux logs for shade. The most “natural” was built on the site where General Washington kept his hunting dogs.

In Central Park, dogs go unleashed in early morning and late evening. And (shhhhh!), in the summer, dogs go swimming in the fountain. It’s against the law, but the police have enough on their hands without arresting dripping dachshunds.

Dogs must be leashed in the Big Apple. But a backpack will do, too.

But in this most democratic city, we still must take into consideration the inner-city dog, the dispossessed dog with a questionable lineage and no Kennel Club designation.

For those healthy mixed breeds who, like Oliver Twist, somehow find their way to the Big City, plenty of orphanages abound, as well as individual philanthropists who keep databases of lost or abused dogs. This was where Coco was adopted, and is the tradition south of 14th St., in Greenwich Village, Soho and Tribeca. Rare is the dog-owner who brags about “buying” his pet.

So this human companion had the chance to ask the famed dog behaviourist Peter Bruchelle how country dogs can deal with New York traffic, chaos, incivility and eccentricity. Bruchelle is sanguine about Manhattan dog life.

“For 15,000 years,” he says, “we dogs and people have mutually evolved with each other. We need each other. Dog life is not with other animals, their life is with us. Whether on a farm, in the desert or in the middle of Manhattan, dogs are—dogs must be—the most adaptable of animals.”

So that is how New York’s estimated 125,000 mutts, pooches and purebreds—about one for every 10 families—survive. Uptown and downtown. Adaptable, adoptable, adorable. As New York’s unofficial anthem goes: “If dogs can make it here, they make it anywhere.”

Arizona haboobs cause quite the hubbub

2011-11-09T16:36:00.000-08:00

Howard Richler

November 2011

Not since the debacle some years ago when some Americans suggested renaming French fries “freedom fries” because of France’s lack of support for the invasion of Iraq, have we seen the same level of linguistic jingoistic meshugas. Let me explain.

This summer, Arizona experienced massive dust storms caused by thunderstorms emitting enormous gusts of wind across the desert.

Some local weathermen referred to this phenomenon as a “haboob,” which is defined by the Oxford English Dictionary as “A violent and oppressive wind which blows at certain seasons in the Sudan, and which brings with it sand from the desert.”

Haboob derives from the Arabic habub, “blowing furiously.” No apparent controversy there, and yet the use and derivation of haboob prompted several angry letters from Arizonans.

Typical of such was the following to the Arizona Republic: “After living here for 57 years, I have seen an ‘Arizona dust storm’ or two. I am insulted that local TV news crews are now calling this kind of storm a haboob. How do they think our soldiers feel coming back to Arizona and hearing some Middle Eastern term?”

This sentiment was echoed by other irate letters to the editor.

To be consistent, however, there are a number of other words that should be avoided to protect the sensitivities of Arizonans:

Algebra: This word derives from the Arabic al-jebr, which means “the reuniting of broken parts.” When algebra entered the English language, it referred to the setting of broken bones, and sometimes to the fractures themselves.

As late as 1623, we find an OED citation that only refers to algebra as “bone-setting,” but the mathematical sense of the word entered our lexicon in the 16th century and quickly became the dominant sense.

Zero: “Zero” ultimately descends from the Arabic çifr, from which we also get the word “cipher.” Its first citation to denote the number 0 in English occurs in Edward Grimstone’s 1604 translation of José de Acosta’s widely cited Historia natural y moral de las Indias, where he states: “They accompted their weekes by thirteeene day marking the dayes with a Zero or cipher.”

As mathematicians remind us, the invention of nothing (or zero) was one of the more important discoveries in math history.

Alcohol: Cleopatra probably applied an antimony paste to her eyelids called al-kuhl, the al part meaning “the” and the kuhl ending meaning “powdered antimony.”

Arab alchemists (another Arabic word) gave the name al-kuhl to any finely pulverized powder obtained by sublimation and thus to all compounds obtained through the distillation process. The word came into English as “alcool,” referring to any fine powder. Given the Islamic prohibition against drinking alcohol, it is ironic that this word derives from Arabic.

However, it was not until the 19th century that the word alcohol became used exclusively to denote the West’s favourite liquid.

Magazine: This word ultimately derives from the Arabic makh zin, the plural of makhzan, “storehouse.” Its first sense in the OED is “a place where goods are laid up; a storehouse for goods,” and this sense of storing lives on in its ammunition reference: a gun’s magazine as a holder of bullets or cartridges.

Its sense as a periodical emerged almost accidentally in 1731 when the editors of the Gentleman’s Magazine used the word because they said that they intended “to treasure up, as in a Magazine, the most remarkable Pieces.” The term caught on almost immediately to refer to a periodical publication and this became the dominant sense of the word.

So those who feel insulted by the borrowings from Arabic should bear in mind that English didn’t get to be the global language it is today by being pure. Long may it sleep around.

Howard Richler’s latest book is Strange Bedfellows: The Private Lives of Words.

Know when a residence is an hébergement

2011-11-09T16:34:00.000-08:00

Joyce Blond Frank

November 2011

Certification for residences for the elderly is about to change. The proposed law hopes to tighten up the process.

The office of the ombudsman of Quebec, as the final recourse in the complaint procedure under the Act respecting health services and social services, reports that the ombudsman has processed 365 complaints since 2008, of which 89 per cent concerned seniors’ residences. He states that 45 per cent of these were related to lack of access to physical facilities, equipment not in working order, food quality and staff competence. Another 45 per cent were about abuse, inadequate sanitation, safety measures, threats and harassment. The balance concerned financial matters.

Looking at these figures, I was motivated to look into what constitutes a seniors’ residence from a legal point of view and this revealed some interesting situations.

Private residences for the elderly provide lodging as well as a wide range of services, such as meals, domestic help, personal and health services, security, and supervision. They require a certificate of compliance issued by a health and social services agency. This certificate was made obligatory in 2009 by a Quebec government regulation that provides rules that the residence must follow. One of those rules is that: “The resident and the resident’s close relatives must be treated with courtesy, fairness and understanding, and with respect for their dignity, autonomy and needs.” Does this imply that the regulation does not apply to establishments whose tenants may only be partially autonomous? We know that there are many people who are capable and autonomous for the most part but whose security may be compromised by continuing to live alone and unsupervised.

This issue has arisen in another form, namely that of being able to provide a three-month cancellation notice to a landlord to move out and into a seniors’ residence.

The three-month notice provision is found in the Civil Code of Quebec, which permits an elderly person who goes permanently into a “foyer d’hébergement” to cancel his lease upon giving three months notice. The term “foyer d’hébergement” has not been defined by the law and has been interpreted by the courts in two different ways.

One interpretation is that it applies only to a place that houses, helps and supports a person who is not completely autonomous or is restricted as to mobility or independence; the other interpretation is that it offers shelter and assistance to older people who require some support because of their age. Autonomy is not a determining factor.

In a recent case, the landlord contested the validity of the three-month notice before the Rental Board. The board had to decide whether the tenant was moving into a seniors’ residence or a “foyer d’hébergement.” It was decided that even if certain other services were available, because the resident was autonomous it was not a “foyer d’hébergement” and the three-month notice exemption to cancel a lease did not apply. It based its argument on the fact that the services provided a certain amount of comfort and quality of life but were no different from those offered in a luxury residence for seniors. To fall under the definition of “foyer d’hébergement,” it had to offer security and supervision as well as medical, nursing, readaptation, psychosocial and pharmaceutical services to persons without full autonomy.

Even if only one service, apart from lodging, is offered, a residence for the elderly is entered in the register of the health and social service agency and must be certified. The new regulation is attempting to define a seniors’ residence by the services offered, but at the time of this writing, that is still a work in progress. Should the law prove too restrictive, the certification process may be affected to the detriment of residents who will then not be protected by regulations relating to safety of the premises, qualifications of the workers and adequate supervision.

The regulation for obtaining a certificate of compliance provides that a new resident must receive, in writing, a list of all services offered plus their cost or, where applicable, “an indication that the residence offers no personal assistance service.” Included in these services are personal hygiene, eating aid, mobility aid, transfer aid and distribution of medications. Those entering a seniors’ residence sign the usual Rental Board lease and, where applicable, a mandatory schedule setting out the extra services to be provided owing to the tenant’s personal condition, including age or handicap.

However, when a disagreement or problem occurs, the wheels of justice tend to move slowly and there is no provision in the projected law for a situation where contracted services offered by the residence are changed or reduced or even if the residence closes. A resident receiving nursing services or food services cannot wait for a hearing before the Rental Board. Hopefully the new law will provide some measures to cover this problem. Meanwhile, protect yourself when choosing a residence by consulting an expert who will be able to advise you on the services, stability and reputation of the residence best suited to your needs.

Beside the ocean can be as good as on it

2011-11-09T16:32:00.000-08:00

Mark Medicoff

November 2011

For some seniors who are accustomed to an all-inclusive vacation on the comfort of an ocean liner, our economic downturn might mean dry-docking your boat and holidaying on land. The savings can be substantial and your time away just as enjoyable.

If you’re rethinking your winter vacation to save money, an all-inclusive landlocked vacation can be just what the financial planner ordered.

You can organize a memorable two-week vacation at a beachside resort that provides all the charms you need. You just have to choose the right resort, and to do that you have to have clear expectations.

Gregoire Derohanessian, president of Jolivac, a Quebec-based wholesale tour operator, provided some candid insights into choosing a vacation spot.

“Most seniors have a tendency to stay put on their vacation. So the important issue you would have to consider,” he says, “is what the resort does and does not offer.”

You can eliminate a great number of resorts if you find the rumpus of young kids disturbing. Seniors tend to enjoy large, comfortable rooms, so that might eliminate Club Med-style resorts, which specialize in families and sporting activities to the detriment of room style.

Food is such an important issue at the Club Meds that they fly in chefs and fresh produce to ensure the highest possible quality. Seniors enjoy lots of poolside and evening entertainment, so that too would have to be on your list of must haves.

The Riu chain, owner of Sandals, emphasizes room quality and provides a high quality of sophisticated food and beverage bars throughout the site. St. Martins and St. Bart’s, where the food and weather are among the best in the world, hosts very pricey resorts.

According to Derohanessian, price is not the only factor to consider, but the location of the resort is. “You’ll find that the food in Jamaica is better than the food in Cuba. And that’s because Jamaica grows a larger variety and higher quality of produce that finds its way onto the tables of the resort system.

“The opposite can be said of Cuba or the Dominican Republic, which has to import produce at some expense,” he asserts.

Mexican produce is very high in quality and quantity and finds its way to even to the mid- and low-range all-inclusives.

“For good weather, price and food, Acapulco is the kind of destination that when you throw the dice will always come up double sixes.”

Research and feedback from other travelers is a must to make sure the dice is loaded in your favour when you seek out an all-inclusive destination.

Check out Google Earth, which displays pictures for the general public, to make sure that a “beautiful” resort is really “right on the beach” and is true to how it portrays itself on its website.

If you enjoy 14 or more days of sun, people watching, smoothies, cocktails, highballs and beer … cheerful people (generally) and mountainous quantities of food as well as some, but not too strenuous sporting endeavours, then a secluded, all-inclusive beachside resort would foot the bill.

But if you require “off the boat” diversions, you have to seek out those resorts that are a stone’s throw from historic sites and friendly towns.

Although a landlocked vacation may not have quite the allure of a cruise, overlooking the ocean is still breathtaking.

Consumer Alert

Many of my readers have been asking if traveling the urban environment on my electric scooter still has the same appeal as it did a couple of years ago. My answer is a resounding yes, but with one exception.

The EVT scooters my wife and I purchased—made in Taiwan and sold here exclusively by Ecomoto on Notre Dame—are moving lemons.

In the space of two years—with both bikes reading less than 4,500 kilometres—we had to replace the batteries and electric motors, at a considerable cost.

The EVT Canada head office in Vancouver was unresponsive to our complaints and told us to take up the matter with the Chinese company.

They offer extended warranties in British Columbia, but not here. If you need a part, expect to wait seven weeks.

It’s best to buy from a Quebec-based retailer whose reputation is based on good service and good products.

Benign dictators and other wolves in sheep’s clothing

2011-11-09T16:31:00.000-08:00

Neil McKenty

November 2011

Here are some names in the news that caught my attention recently:

Stephen Harper: Whether you like Prime Minister Harper or not, we must acknowledge that he is standing at the very top of the political dunghill. If you look at leaders around the world (elected and unelected), you would be hard-pressed to find one with as much power as Harper commands.

He is leading a solid majority, which means he is set for the next four or five years. He has no really effective opposition in Parliament. The Liberals have an interim leader and won’t elect a permanent one before 2013. The NDP won’t have one before March.

It’s also interesting that their reputed frontrunner, Brian Topp, has no seat in the House of Commons and has not made the slightest effort to get one. Remember Jack Layton’s seat in Toronto has been vacant for more than two months. The seat would seem a good fit for Topp, who is from Toronto. It seems to me this might be a consideration for some NDP delegates to tip their vote to Thomas Mulcair, who does have a seat and is familiar with parliamentary debate in a way that Topp, who has never run for office, is not.

A Conservative majority in the Senate rounds out Harper’s power base in Ottawa. The raw fact is that Harper’s position is so unassailable that he can pretty much do what he wants—dump the long-gun registry, build more prisons, buy more expensive fighter jets—and nobody can stop him. His only opposition might come from some provincial premiers and his own caucus. On the last point, some redneck caucus members were opposed to Quebec’s getting more seats in the redistribution. Harper called a meeting and whipped them into line.

I would argue that there is danger in a parliamentary democracy where the leader has such a strong majority that he can act like a benign dictator. Of course we wouldn’t want the system in Washington, which is in deadlock much of the time. But there are no real countervailing forces to Harper’s power in Ottawa. Not an altogether healthy situation.

Pauline Marois: I had lunch with a friend the other day who remarked that he hoped Marois would last until the next election because that would ensure a monumental defeat for the separatists. But it’s looking more and more that my friend won’t get his wish. Let’s face it, Marois is standing on political sand and a little more of it washes away every day.

There are signs that the PQ is on the verge of splitting, losing support to the sovereignist left-wing Québec Solidaire as well as the party about to be launched by former PQ minister François Legault.

La Presse reported that Marois has lost the support of almost all her caucus. And there is no shortage of people waiting in the wings to replace her, beginning with Gilles Duceppe, who lead the Bloc to such a devastating defeat in this spring’s federal election. Frankly, I think Duceppe is yesterday’s news. I am not at all sure he would be much better than Marois.

Two fresher faces to replace Marois are Bernard Drainville and the actor Pierre Curzi. He left the PQ caucus in June to sit as an independent. Interestingly, Christian Bourque of Léger Marketing has suggested that Marois may not be the real problem, saying the Bloc’s loss in May might indicate the sovereignty option is the obstacle. Whatever is true, I think Marois will be lucky to last much beyond Christmas.

Governor Rick Perry: As we approach the first primary in Iowa in early January, the Republican race gets curiouser and curiouser. And none more so than Governor Rick Perry of Texas. On the very day that Perry announced his long-delayed plan for tax reform (a 20-per-cent flat tax), what do you think Perry was doing? He was answering questions about his oft-repeated insinuation that President Barack Obama might have been born in Africa, a view he shares with the political jokester of the year, Donald Trump.

Most political observers thought that by buying into the “birther” myth, Perry was stepping on his own message.

But I have a different theory. I think it is just as reasonable that Perry knew exactly what he was doing when he resurrected the “birther” issue. Perry knows full well that the Tea Party, which provides Perry with most of his support, is dying for a candidate who will mix it up by going to the mat with Obama. The Tea Party, and even more moderate Republicans, fear that the governor is too much of a flip-flopping pretty boy to get down and dirty with the president.

So Perry sent them a message that he was their man, that he would take the fight to Obama, dirty as that may be. However, there is a political problem here. Perry may have made some yards with the Tea Partiers, but this “birther” issue won’t play well with the general electorate next fall. This illustrates in dramatic fashion the danger of pushing an issue in the primaries that won’t cut it in the general. Actually, this is all somewhat academic. When the rubber hits the road, I expect the Republicans will hold their noses and nominate Romney.

Bishop Robert Finn: For the first time in American history, a Roman Catholic bishop has been charged with covering up child sexual abuse. Finn received a file of pornographic photographs of female children taken by one of his priests. The bishop did not turn over these photographs to the police for six months. If found guilty, the bishop faces jail time and a fine. He says he is innocent and will fight the charges vigorously.

Why have so many priests been fined and jailed, yet so few bishops who aided and abetted them charged?

The bishops seem to think that if they apologize profusely, that should be the end of the matter. It should be just the beginning of the judicial process. Until more bishops admit real responsibility, the sex abuse scandal will not go away.

mckenty@videotron.ca

At the table and on the Web, donors receive as much as they give

2011-11-09T16:24:00.000-08:00

Natalie Bercovici

November 2011

Local entrepreneurs Nicola Morena and Johnny Azzue hosted their ninth St. Viateur Back to School Bagel-O-thon last month in support of Generations Foundation. With their iconic clan present, teachers and staff from various schools were welcomed to the event.

With undaunted enthusiasm, Dawson College faculty bought 74 dozen bagels out of total of 852 dozen (10,224 bagels). Faculty from as far as Châteauguay and Springdale in Dollard des Ormeaux were seen carrying boxes upon boxes of bagels. John Grant High School faculty emptied the shelves and 30 of their students enjoyed breakfast on location. How inspiring!

Rebecca Binik (left) and Mary Maraj enjoy breakfast.

Lower Canada College alumni, staff and parents are always very supportive of their students, and it snowballs to the communities. LCC parent Sue Silva and students involved in the project brought a trunk full of homemade cakes and local apples to augment our snack program. Marianopolis College will be cooking pancakes to raise funds for our programs.

Our board members are busily chasing funds and goods to stock our shelves for December events, turkey and trimmings for the seniors luncheon on December 4 at the Bonsecours Market, the EMSB Children’s Holiday Party and our Christmas Food Basket and Toy Drive.

At the La Stanza Celebrate our Children Benefit Breakfast on November 25, the staff of local schools, parents and children from St. Léonard and many other guests will enjoy a hot buffet breakfast where toy and other giveaways will thrill children and adults alike.

Our board members, generous donors and volunteers will be there to get the message out: Celebrate our children. It’s worth it! 514-933-8585, generationsfoundation.com

Here at Sun Youth

2011-11-09T16:18:00.000-08:00

Nicolas Carpentier

November 2011

In 2004, Sun Youth celebrated its 50th anniversary. The organization entered the new millennium by creating its own home on the Internet, sunyouthorg.com

Donors and users were given a new way to learn about the organization and its services, a tool that complemented brochures, pamphlets and other written material. In 2011, Sun Youth is entering the new decade with a redesigned website.

On November 1, as with every year at the approach of the holiday season, Sun Youth launched its winter campaign to remind the public and businesses that the organization is in great need of assistance to provide underprivileged Montrealers with comfort.

Between December 18 and 24, 18,000 people will receive holiday hampers from the organization.

Sun Youth used this opportunity to unveil its new identity, including a new website, logo, stationery, integrated advertising campaign and more. It was the brainchild of Écorce atelier créatif, a young agency specializing in brand identity and interactive strategies.

Sun Youth invites Senior Times readers to visit the new site to learn more about the organization and to make a donation.