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Office Hours production of CSL Dramatic Society superb

Councillor Mitchell Brownstein's dream of bringing live theatre to our community via the Côte Saint-Luc Dramatic Society has met with enormous success. It all began a year ago with Dining Out, a series of scenes, sketches and songs. That was followed up last fall by the musical Grease - a massive success with  sold out performances.

Brownstein, who has a long history in theatre, made the most important move by securing the services of Anisa Cameron as the director. Well known for her extraordinary work running the Bialik High School productions, Anisa brought immediate professionalism to the operation.

The Harold Greenspon Auditorium has served as the venue and this has worked out quite nicely. But after the perhaps unexpected success of the latest project, Norm Foster's dark comedy Office Hours, who knows where they may be headed in the future?

My family and I attended the last of the six shows on May 26 and it was absolutely hilarious. Brownstein is one big PR machine and he the word out via press releases and advertising for weeks. As a result, there was a tremendous walk up crowd. A buzz circulated throughout the community and when people went to our library the morning of the final performance they were told it was soldout.

For Office Hours, Brownstein  was joined on stage by his brother Herbert (a Dollard des Ormeaux councillor), Mayor Anthony Housether and Councillor Sam Goldbloom. They even did  a special Friday matinee for seniors.

Office Hours takes place in six different city offices at approximately the same time on a Friday afternoon, and the stories that take place in each of these offices are cleverly intertwined. In The Reporter, Herbert Brownstein plays Warren Kimble, an aging TV reporter who is being shunted to the side by the young and pushy news director Pamela Gerard  (Danielle Shustack). Herbert's ability to remember such a lengthy opening dialogue must be commended. He makes the immediate connecton of the names Kimble and Gerard as in The Fugitive TV show and movie. So it is not surprising to see a one armed man (Shaun Nismas) enter the scene.

The Pitch has Gordon Blaine (Anthony Housefather) and Francine Majors (Ellen Rabin) with a difference of opinion as whether to work with hot young movie producer Bobby Holland (Ryan Kligman). Our mayor is hilarious as he bickers with Francine, trying very hard to believe Holland's  very much Tarazan the Ape Man script for a new movie.

The Agent has Mark (Daniel Harroch) trying to justify his multiple affairs to wife Ellie (Riva Bruck), the latter a District 2 resident who I have known since she is a toddler. Riva has grown into a beautiful teen with a wonderful personality. She studies theatre in school.  The chemistry between the two characters here was great to watch.

In The Visit, Richard Penney (Mikey Samra) is a young entertainment lawyer who gets an unexpected visit  in his office by mom Rhonda (Hannah Sheffren) and dad Lloyd (Goldbloom). The skit is perhaps the funniest in the entire show, especially the way mom and dad play off of each other.  Sheffren had people laughing so hard tears were coming out of their eyes,  Goldbloom, who has previous acting experience, showed his talent. As my colleague Glenn J. Nashen mentioned after the show, "Sam, you should be at the Centaur."

The Dismissal had Stan (Kevin Shustack) making it clear to horse jockey Arthur Barnes (Mike E. Rappaport) that he is simply too big to be riding a horse. Shustack unleashes one-liners after another, perfectly timed and his physical expressions represent half the fun.

Finally, The Analyst has Dr. Sharon Freeman (Dafna Regenstrief) trying to talk Neil Penny (Mkey Samra) off the roof. Henry Hatcher (Mitchell Brownstein) enters the scene and trys to make a deal. He will convince Dr. Freeman's patient not to jump if she buys his planning agenda. Rhona and Lloyd Penny (Sheffren and Goldbloom) re-emerge and so does Barnes (Rappaport) in what made for a terrific ending.

Another unique aspect of this show was the  faciiities crew (David Benrimoh. Bailey Cohen-Krivchevsky, Cheryl Gabbay, Lia Ollo and Jessica Zylberlcht)   who went beyond merely adjusting the stage between each acts. They did so  in the form of mini skits.

Oh yes - the door prizes. At intermission Harroch came on stage to announce that the lucky winner would get the chance to spend an hour with the city councillor of their choice undertaking a municipal activity. He was joined by Kevin Shustack, who was impersonating Mayor Housefather. Midway through the kit, we saw the mayor hop out with tape over his mouth and acros his arms and legs. He chased Shustack off the stage and announced that this was a commercial for identity theft.

Next on the agenda for the CSL Dramatic Society will be a few scenes from Grease and Moulin Rouge at our July 1 Canada Day celebrations. We will then wait for news as to what musical Cameron will choose to present in the fall.

Congratulations to technical director Scott Drysdale, stage manager Ariel Sterlin, costume designer Isabelle Boudreau and some of the unsung heroes: Harold Cammy and Ryan Nemeroff of the Parks and Recreation Department; Darryl Levine, Régine Banon, Ruth Farrugia and Lisa Milner, who handled the communications, marketing and facility needs; Dr. Jerrold Rappaport, whose promo videos were very professionally done; and Elaine Yagod Brownstein, the wife of Mitch and one of the most devoted political spouses I know. She was there handling the front ticket desk with charm and patience.

Bravo  to all!

 

   

Beth Chabad CSL unveils new facility

It was about eight years ago that I attended a groundbreaking ceremony for Beth Chabad  Côte Saint-Luc’s new facility in District 2, at the corner of Kildare Road and Marc Chagall Avenue. At the time the community centre was based at the Cavendish Mall and prior to that at the Côte Saint-Luc Shopping Centre.

Under the leadership of Rabbi Mendel Raskin and his wife Sarah, Beth Chabad CSL spent almost two decades looking for a permanent home. They had to be patient until this facility became a reality. When the Mall began demolition of half of its façade to make way for housing two years ago, Beth Chabad moved into trailers and rented some space at Bialik High School. Pictured at the right is Rabbi Raskin (left) and his brother Yitzhak, who runs Chabad in Burlington,  Vermont.

Last fall, their new home opened for business during the Rosh Hashanah period. While not yet fully completed,  officials had met all necessary building standards.

 

Here is my interview with Rabbi Raskin and Mayor Housefather:

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On May 23 I was thrilled to attend Beth Chabad CSL’s 26^th anniversary gala, which was highlighted by the debut of a gorgeous new social hall. Officially known as Beth Chabad Hechal Menachem, the building is home to the Maurice and  Nicole Benisti Youth Centre. At the gala, Max and Sigy Laredo (that is Max with me above) received the  Tree of Life Award; Jacob and Therese Attias, the Builders Award; and Michel and Perline Amar, the  Anshei Chesed Award.

The new social hall  can  accomodate  close to 600 people.  “This will fill a large void in the greater Montreal area where few halls can boast the capacity to hold events of this magnitude,” says Rabbi Raskin. “ It will be equipped with state-of-the-art audio equipment and screens to hold community wide Jewish educational conferences, community lectures, symposiums and seminars throughout the year.This will be a place to hold holiday celebrations, weddings, brit milot, bar/bat mitzvahs in addition to many other occasions which can all be held in one elaborate and sophisticated setting.”

Below, I share a word with Rabbi Raskin and Raphael Perez.

Police hold fundraising breakfast for Special Olympics

One of the things I have really appreciated since first being elected to city council in 2005 is the close relationship Côte Saint-Luc has with Community Police Station 9.  We have a wonderful connection with Commander Sylvain Bissonnette, a prince of a human being, and we know most of his inner circle. Police Station 9 covers CSL, Hampstead and Montreal West. Neighbouring Police Station 11 covers N.D.G.à

On May 22, the two stations joined together to host a fundraising breakfast at Cora on St. Jacques Street West to benefit Special Olympics Quebec, enriching the lives of individuals with an intellectual disability through sport. For $7 we got a full course breakfast and the chance to chat with our police officers. More than $4,000 was raised.

Roxanne Pitre , the commander of Station 11, was there. So was one of her officers, Mira Levesque who helped initiate the project. Marie-Christine Nobert, the veteran socio-cultural officer at Station 9m was her usual charming self. Marie-Christine works closely with the schools and community groups. CSL City Manager Tanya Abramovitch, Legal Counsel Cheri Bell, Diector of Public Safety Jordy Reichson and Councillors Glenn J.  Nashen and Ruth Kovac were among those on hand. It was an enjoyable morning.  Commander Bissonnette introduced me to Patrick Lalonde, who is an assistant director of the Montreal Police Department and a head of regional operations.

I also shared a moment with Jessica Ipekian Levitt and David Allan, two of the Special Olympians who were helping show people to tables and serve.

Bravo to everyone involved!

 

Congrats to Councillor Allan J. Levine - 20 years in office

Councillor Allan J. Levine (right) was in Gatineau, Quebec where the Union of Quebec Municipalities recognized him for 20 years of service.

Raoul Wallenberg Centennial Kicked Off at Bialik High School

Students from three public high schools and one Jewish day school got an authentic lesson in history recently when Montreal commemorations for the 100th anniversary of  Raoul Wallenberg were kicked off. I was pleased to co-chair this program with fellow city councillor Allan J. Levine.

Bialik High School hosted the program, with students from Marymount Academy, LaurenHill Academy, Westmount High School and a distinguished list of speakers in attendance. After Alice Herscovitch, executive director of the Montreal Holocaust Memorial Centre, showed a video testimonial of a survivor whose life was saved by Wallenberg she followed that up by introducing that individual – Ron Meisels – in the audience. Meisels was overcome with emotion having watched the clip, remembering the day when Wallenberg granted Swedish passports for his family and countless others.  

“My stepfather was on a train destined for a Nazi death camp,” Meisels explained. “Wallenberg stopped that train, got him off and saved his life.”
 
The Consulate General of the State of Israel, in conjunction with the Montreal Holocaust Memorial Centre, the Riva and Thomas O. Hecht Scholarship Program, Teaching of the Holocaust for Educators, the City of Côte Saint-Luc, the English Montreal School Board and the Office of Mount Royal Liberal Member of Parliament Irwin Cotler, teamed up for the event.

Wallenberg was the Swedish diplomat who saved the lives of tens of thousands of Hungarian Jews during the Holocaust. While serving as Swedish envoy in the Hungarian capital, Budapest, from July 1944, Wallenberg gave Jews Swedish travel documents and set up safe houses for them. He is also credited with dissuading German officers from massacring the 70,000 inhabitants of the city’s ghetto.

The Nazis, who occupied Hungary in early 1944, launched mass deportations of Hungarian Jews to concentration camps such as Auschwitz with the collaboration of local authorities. Wallenberg disappeared after being arrested in Hungary by the Soviet Red Army in 1945. The Russians have said he was executed on July 17, 1947, but unverified witness accounts and newly uncovered evidence suggest he may have lived beyond that date.

Israel Consul General for Quebec and the Atlantic Provinces, Joel Lion, announced plans for a Raoul Wallenberg Legacy Competition Project. Students from across Quebec will be asked in the fall to produce three minute videos showing how the legacy of Wallenberg is still relative today. Winners of the competition will receive a special certificate and be honoured at a breakfast hosted by the Consul General of Israel in December 2012 followed by a visit to the Montreal Holocaust Museum. 

“Who goes on YouTube here?” Israeli Consul General Joël Lion asked. “We want to put your videos about Raoul Wallenberg on YouTube.”

The legacy of Wallenberg will also be marked by the Montreal Holocaust Memorial Centre during their Holocaust Education Series next fall. On May 23 (5:30 p.m.) the Raoul Wallenberg Foundation of Montreal will hold a commemoration at the Monument at Raoul Wallenberg Square (600 de Maisonneuve).  

The Riva and Thomas O. Hecht Scholarship Program, Teaching of the Holocaust for Educators, will help solicit participation from English and French public and private schools in the Montreal area. Each year The Riva and Thomas O. Hecht Scholarship Program, Teaching of the Holocaust for Educators, sponsors teachers to attend a Summer Session of the International Seminar for Educators at Yad Vashem. Past winners represent a natural connection to bring the Wallenberg story into the classrooms.

Côte Saint-Luc Mayor Anthony Housefather urged students to visit the city’s Human Rights Walkway at Pierre Elliott Trudeau Park, where Wallenberg had been inducted a number of years ago.

Liberal MP for Mount Royal Irwin Cotler, considered to be one of the world’s foremost authorities on Wallenberg, noted that the former diplomat became the first honourary citizen of Canada. “He was a Swedish non-Jew who saved more Jewish lives than any single government,” Cotler said.

D’Arcy McGee Liberal MNA Lawrence Bergman drew a parallel between what Wallenberg did and things students experience in today’s society. “Do not remain silence in the face of bullying, racism and antisemitism,” he warned.

Thomas O. Hecht spoke about how Wallenberg came from a wealth family, yet put his own life in harm’s way.   Peter Rona from the Raoul Wallenberg Foundation told everyone he would not be here today was it not for Wallenberg. “My father was one of those people he saved,” he shared.

 

CSL Dramatic Society set to present a comedy

The Mayor of Côte Saint Luc and three city councillors will perform on stage in the dark comedy Office Hours by Canadian playwright Norm Foster later this month at the Harold Greenspon Auditorium, 5801 Cavendish Blvd. 

 

  
Mayor Anthony Housefather, Côte Saint-Luc city councillors Mitchell Brownstein and Sam Goldbloom, and Dollard des Ormeaux city councillor Herbert Brownstein will star with other members of the Côte Saint-Luc Dramatic Society

Showtimes are at 8 pm on Thursday, May 24, Friday, May 25, and Saturday, May 26, with two 2 pm matinee performances on Friday and Saturday.

V-E Day an important occasion for us to remember

The annual Victory in Europe (V-E) Daycommemoration ceremony in Côte Saint-Luc took place on Sunday, May 6, 2012 at 2 pm at Veterans Park.  The Master of Ceremony was Frank Levine, a veteran of the Second World War and local Legion president. The event co-chairpersons were councillors Allan J. Levine and Ruth Kovac.

The City of Côte Saint-Luc and the Brigadier Frederick Kisch Branch 97 of the Royal Canadian Legion organize the V-E Day event, which commemorates the victory of the Allies over Nazi Germany.

Victory in Europe (V-E) Day was May 8, 1945, the date when the Second World War Allies formally accepted the unconditional surrender of the armed forces of Nazi Germany. The cenotaph at Veterans Park honours the memory of those who gave their lives in the First World War, the Second World War and the Korean War. 

What is always so remarkable about this event is the presence of so many veterans who are still with us today, most of whom reside in Côte Saint-Luc. The likes of former Mayor Bernard Lang, Jack Budovitch (very bottom right), Bill Taylor, George Nashen, Willie Glazer (below with me), Michael Kutz and others. They were all outfitted in their military attire.Over the last few years, folks like Manny Gottlieb, Bob Feldstein, Kek Rosenblat, Carl Garber and Joseph Blumer have left us. I refer to them specifically for during my years on council they were among the individuals who fought so hard for Veterans Park to become a reality.

This was a dignified ceremony that lasts less than an hour. Weather conditions could not have been nicer. Among those laying wreaths was CSL Mayor Anthony Housefather, Councillor Glenn J. Nashen, Howard Liebman (representing Liberal MP Irwin Cotler), Pointe Claire Mayor Bill McMurchie and a number of diplomatic representatives. This included CSL resident Joel Lion, the fabulous Consul General of Israel.

Many of us lamented about the fact there were few very young people in the audience, since they are learning about the World Wars in history class. This would have been a class of true authentic learning. Councillor Steven Erdelyi did bring his adorable little girl Bailey (far bottom left), who was very well behaved.

"The legacy of a veteran is we fought so you may know peace," Frank Levine declared. "I urge young people to do your best so we can move away from armed conflict." 

Tuesday May 1 in CSL: Prominent gastroenterologist Seidman to give rare free lecture

Dr. Ernest Seidman(pictured below), one of the foremost gastroenterologists in the country, will give an important lecture open free of charge to the community on Tuesday, May 1 (7:30 p.m.) at the Tifereth Beth David Jerusalem Congregation (6519 Baily Road) in Côte Saint-Luc. This is part of the Berall Family IBD Lecture Series of the McGill Inflammatory Bowel Disease Research Group.

The focus of Dr. Seidman’s talk will be in response to a common question: Why  is Crohn's disease in my family? Risk factors, possible preventive measures and updated therapies. IBD is a term that refers to a group of chronic inflammatory conditions of the bowel. The two major types of IBD are Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis. The main difference between Crohn's and ulcerative colitis is the nature and location of the inflammation. Crohn's can affect any part of the gastrointestinal tract, from the mouth to the anus. Ulcerative colitis is restricted to the large bowel or colon. It is estimated that over 200,000 Canadians are affected by IBD. Although IBD is most often diagnosed in patients between 12 to 35 years of age, it can less commonly occur in people who are 70 or older and in young children as well. In fact, about 20 percent of those affected are children and adolescents.

“Patients and families are always eager to learn more about the origins of their disease and obtain further information on current research,” said Dr. Seidman. “Moreover, since Crohn's is genetic, patients and families are very concerned about how they might prevent the disease in other family members. There are also a lot of different therapies available, some of which are new. I am aware of how important this information this is to people suffering from the disease and I will try to address that in my talk and during the question and answer period.

Dr. Seidman is a Professor of Medicine & Pediatrics at McGill University, the Canada Research Chair in Immune Mediated Gastrointestinal Disorders and the Bruce Kaufman Endowed Chair in IBD at McGill.  He sees patients at the McGill University Health Centre (MUCH) Montreal Children’s and Montreal General Hospitals.

Dr. Seidman is dedicating this lecture to the loving memory of his recently deceased mother in law, a lifetime member of TBDJ), Shirley (Charad) Marcovitz.

If you have someone in your family with IBD, know somebody affected by the disease or simply wish to become better informed --by all means attend. I will be there. I have had Crohn's Disease for 24 years, a mild case thankfully. But  it is not everyday that I can get up close with someone of Dr. Seidman's stature and get to ask questions.

To learn more about the McGill IBD Research Group  log on to  http://mcgillibd.ca.

 

CSL well represented at Israel Day Rally

More than 10,000 people, Jews and non-Jews alike, gathered in downtown Montreal on April 26 for the annual Yom Ha’atzmaut Solidarity Rally. Weather conditions were ideal as a march began from Phillips Square, leading to the large open space of Place du Canada. Dozens of school buses lined the side streets, having transported students and citizens from across the island.

The Jewish Unity Partnership, headed by Côte Saint-Luc businessman Amos Sochaczevski, once again spearheaded this lively event which included very few speeches but lots of singing and dancing.  Charismatic Joel Lion (right), the Consul General of Israel for Quebec and the Atlantic Provinces who lives in CSL, was the first to address the crowd.  Taking the microphone in hand he walked across the stage and in French urged everyone to cheer loudly for the State of Israel. He introduced a videotaped message from Israeli Premier Benjamin Netanyahu, which was delivered on a crystal clear portable screen on wheels with perfect sound. The audience responded with great appreciation when he specifically recognized Montreal.

Senator Leo Housakos represented the government of Canada. Housakos lauded Israel as a democracy and an example for other countries in the Middle East to follow. He  acknowledged the attendance of  Thanos Kafopoulos, the Consul General of Greece in Quebec (below with Joel Lion), as well as leaders of the province’s Hellenic community.  He then directed the audience once more to the big screen for a well received message by Prime Minister Stephen Harper, who remains very popular with the local Jewish community. Mount Royal Liberal MP and CSL resident  Irwin Cotler and Westmount-Ville Marie Liberal MP Marc Garneau were in attendance as well. The City of Montreal and a number of municipalities were represented. From CSL city council, myself, MItchell Brownstein, Dida Berku, Glenn J. Nashen  and Sam Goldbloom were on hand.

Music was provided by local artists, along with a group from Kiryat Atta in Israel.   

The same day as the rally, Consul General Lion published an opinion piece in the The Montreal Gazette.  “Think ‘Israel’ and what comes to mind?” he asked in the opening sentence. “It's a good question to ask on Israel's Independence Day, when the Israel Day rally takes place in Montreal. The first thing most readers will think of is my country's decades-long conflict with the Palestinians. To others, the mere mention of Israel conjures up images of a mystic land promised to the Israelites by none other than God himself. And some see Israel as an exotic land somewhere far, far away - a place where nomadic tribes shepherd their camels through dunes as far as the eye can see.

“When I think of Israel, I see my home, a land that is as vibrant and diverse as it is creative. Every time I land at Ben Gurion Airport after a long sojourn abroad, I am amazed at how much Israel has changed in my own lifetime. From our humble rebirth in the tragic aftermath of the Holocaust, we have, in just 64 years, evolved from a largely agrarian nation of the Third World to a developed nation. Whereas Israel was once the land of Jaffa oranges and raisins, today it is - as one New York Times bestseller coined it - the ‘Start-up Nation’ the land of Intel microchips and nanotechnology.”

In just over six decades, Lion noted that the Israeli population has grown more than nine fold, from roughly 800,000 in 1948 to just over 7.8 million today. “With immigrants and refugees from 120 countries and an Arab minority numbering about 20 per cent of the population, Israelis are proud to celebrate our different ethnic backgrounds, languages and traditions,” he stated.  “We are equally proud of our country's thriving democracy and robust society.”

Lion concluded by noting how Israel shares the Palestinian people's dream of statehood.”That dream, however, must be based on the principle of two states for two peoples - one state for the Jewish people and another for the Palestinian people - and not of one state on the ashes of the other,” he said “The first step is to sit down face to face. If Israel has accomplished so much in 64 years without peace, just think what Israelis, Palestinians and the region as a whole could accomplish with it.”

I spoke with many other CSL residents at the event. This included the great Harry Kloda, who provided the sound  and stage; CSL Senior Men's Club president Sidney Margles and newly appointed Canadian Institute for Jewish Research senior executive Jacob Kincler, pictured above with St. Laurent Borough Mayor Alan DeSousa and photographer Joseph Zagury. Below, there I am in the crowd with Hampstead Councillor Harvey "Safer With " Schaffer and Cotler. Thanks to Dida Berku for that photo.

Bravo to Amos Sochaczevski and his team. 

CSL switches to Google Apps

The City of Côte Saint-Luc  has officially decided to  migrate away from our current e-mail and calendar software Lotus Notes and the accompanying on premises Lotus Domino e-mail server. Instead we are moving towards a cloud-based application in which a software application is not installed on a local computer,  but instead accessed over the Internet via the Google Apps for Business/Postini application.

At a special council meeting on April 23, we  approved and authorized the city to enter into a one-year license contract with Google Inc. for Google Apps for Business and the Postini archiving application, and authorized  payment of $16,600 US (plus applicable taxes);, Research firms have shown Google Apps to be five times less costly to maintain than on premises e-mail systems like Lotus Notes. Google Apps is used by 350 million users and is widely considered to be the easiest and best e-mail application, with outstanding document collaboration tools.

Switching to Google Apps will save our  I.T. technicians countless hours installing and configuring the Lotus Notes application on every new computer or replacement computer, and troubleshooting the complex Lotus Domino mail server -- often with the help of costly outside consultants.

The City of Edmonton just switched over to Google Apps and it appears as if many other municipalities will eventually follow suit.

To the average citizen, there will no noticeable change on how they communicate with the city. They only need to know that we are introducing a system which is much more efficient. Hats off to Darryl Levine, our head of public affairs, communications and I.T. for his many months of hard work on this dossier.

CSL resident wins The Voice TV Show title in Israel

All of Côte Saint-Luc should be very proud of beautiful 23 year old resident Kathleen Reiter, who just won The Voice TV Show competition in Israel. I had the good fortune of meeting with her this week. Here is my report on The Suburban website, which includes a video clip of her audition and an exclusive one-on-one interview with her.

CSL's Bergman set for sixth mandate at D'Arcy McGee MNA

Lawrence Bergman made it official last week. With a standing room only crowd cheering his every move at the Adath-Israel Poale Zedek Congregation in Hampstead, he was confirmed as the candidate for the riding of D’Arcy McGee. District 2 resident Martin Bogante presided over the festive evening in his capacity as riding president, a position he has held since Bergman first got elected 18 years ago. Below Bergman greets one-time riding MNA and cabinet minister Dr. Victor Goldbloom and his wife Sheila.

Commonly referred to as Quebec’s de facto Minister of Jewish Affairs, Bergman says he never contemplated retirement even as he approaches his 72^nd birthday. The next Quebec election, which many predict could be called before June, will be Bergman’s sixth. He first took office in 1994, regaining the riding for the Liberals after Robert Libman wrested it away in 1989 for the former Equality Party. This was a time when the English-speaking community wanted to send a message to the Liberals for the way in which they were handling the language laws.

Libman ran again in ’94 as an independent against Bergman, a notary who at the time was the president of Adath-Israel Poale Seek. Bergman won the election and over the past 18 years has gained a reputation for being the “go to” man for any issue affecting the Jewish community. He served in Premier Jean Charest’s cabinet as Minister of Revenue and for the past three and a half years he has been the chairman of the government caucus. This gives him access to the premier at least once a week for 90 minutes and to all of the members of cabinet.

On hand to show support for Bergman at the nomination meeting were Quebec Health Minister Yves Bolduc. Minister of Immigration and Cultural Communities Kathleen Weil, MNAs Yvan  Marcoux, Pierre Marsan and Karl Blackburn as well as municipal representatives and community leaders.

“We are now in our 18^th year in office,” Bergman told the crowd. “For Jewish people, 18 is Chai: Chai is life, Chai is inspiration and Chai is optimism.”

Bergman recalled his highlight as an MNA. It occurred in December 1999 when the  Liberals were in opposition and he proposed Bill 198 which gave official recognition to Yom Hashoah. “If you add one, plus nine, plus eight it also comes to 18 and Chai,” Bergman explained. “Just before the vote, then Parti Québecois Premier Lucien Bouchard crossed the floor to speak to Jean Charest. He said that he wanted a member of his party to sign their name so this could be a united effort. My proudest moment was seeing all 125 MNAs stand up and vote to recognize Yom Hashoah.”

Minister Bolduc pointed to the more than $400 million the government has awarded to the Jewish General Hospital to expand its services, noting that Bergman’s  efforts played a crucial role in this becoming a reality. “It is important to have a guy like him,” Bolduc said. “When we talk about the Jewish community, we always get the opinion of Lawrence.”

Bogante emphasized that a number of years ago D’Arcy McGee was in danger of being wiped off the electoral map. “But Lawrence stopped that from happening,” he said.

I joined Mayor Anthony Housefather and several members of council at the nomination meeting. Hampstead Mayor William Steinberg and his council were there as well. We all agree that Lawrence Bergman has been a truly excellent MNA, one who has always been there for us in a time of need. When the demerger process took place and we were in jeopardy of losing our Emergency Medical Services (EMS), Lawrence stepped in and prevented that from happening. As we proceeded to build our $18 million Aquatic and Community Centre, the provincial funding that was necessary to see this project through was acquired thanks in large part to Lawrence. He even brought the Provincial Minister of Municipal Affairs here not once, but twice: for the construction announcement and for a tour of the actual facility when it was inaugurated.

Thank you Lawrence and we wish you many more years in office!

 

 

 

 

 

CSL resident Bensimon takes over local Hebrew University chapter

The Canadian Friends of the Hebrew University of Jerusalem (CFHU) announced this week the appointment of Côte Saint-Luc resident Simon Bensimon (pictured below) as executive director, Eastern Region. He succeeds Carolyn Steinman (pictured at the left), also of CSL, who took her retirement recently. Carolyn served in that post for 24 years.

Simon's mandate is to lead the Eastern Region of CFHU in its mission to promote The Hebrew University of Jerusalem and build support for projects which facilitate academic and research partnerships between Canada and Israel.

“Simon is exceptionally well-suited to fulfill this role,” says Monette Malewski, president of the Montreal Chapter of CFHU. “His contributions to higher learning and his support of Israel are well established. Simon was instrumental in creating the Bronfman Israel Experience Centre, the Birthright Israel/Taglit initiative and the Azrieli Institute of Israel Studies at Concordia University. Additionally, Simon is impeccably bilingual. On behalf of CFHU, I’d like to welcome Simon Bensimon to the team."

“I am very honoured to accept this position,” says Simon. “CFHU helps advance learning and research, for the benefit of all Canadians, by building even closer ties between Canada and Israel on multiple levels. I look forward to advancing the important work done by the Hebrew University of Jerusalem across Québec and the Atlantic provinces."

From 2008 until earlier this year, Simon was principal director of development for the Concordia University, Faculty of Arts and Sciences. Previously he held a variety of management positions, including executive director of Hillel Montreal and director of the Israel and Oversees Department at Federation CJA. He holds a Masters in Public Policy and Public Administration (MPPPA) from Concordia University and a BA from McGill.

The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, founded in 1918, is Israel’s first university. The university’s founders, including: Chaim Weizmann, Albert Einstein, Martin Buber and Sigmund Freud, were leaders, thinkers and humanitarians whose genius inspired their vision of a great university that would have no limits or borders. The founding charter declared that the institution would be open to every qualified man and woman irrespective of religion, race or nationality. Ranked as one of the world’s leading research universities, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem’s faculty and researchers are at the forefront of the international scientific and academic communities. Many top prizes and awards have been won by its graduates and faculty including eight Nobel Prizes. The Hebrew University of Jerusalem is a pluralistic institution where science and knowledge are advanced for the benefit of humankind in an atmosphere free of discrimination and prejudice. For more information, please visit: www.huji.ac.il/huji/eng/.

Canadian philanthropist Allan Bronfman founded the Canadian Friends of the Hebrew University of Jerusalem (CFHU) in 1944 to promote awareness, leadership and financial support for The Hebrew University of Jerusalem. A national not-for-profit organization with chapters across Canada, CFHU facilitates strategic academic research partnerships between Canada and Israel as well as establishing scholarships, supporting research and recruiting Canadian students to attend the Rothberg International School. Another key CFHU initiative is the Institute for Medical Research Israel-Canada (IMRIC) at Hebrew University (www.imric.org). For more information, please visit: www.cfhu.org.

 

CSL to name main baseball field at Trudeau Park after Gary Carter

The City of Côte Saint-Luc will name its primary baseball field at Pierre Elliott Trudeau Park after Montreal Expos legend Gary Carter.

Mayor Anthony Housefather made the announcement during a Gary Carter Tribute at the annual Cummings Jewish Centre for Seniors Sports Celebrity Breakfast. He was joined on stage by other members of the Côte Saint-Luc city council and Johnny Elias, who had Carter as his guest for more than a decade at his Grand Slam Baseball School in Côte Saint-Luc. I was one of the organizers of the Breakfast and co-emcee and as a city councillor in CSL myself I felt the timing for this announcement was perfect. It came after Annakin Slayd played his emotional new Gary Carter video and former Warren Cromartie spoke eloquently about the man we called "the Kid."

Here is a clip from the big screen of Cro, who got all choked up:

“We communicated with the Carter family in recent weeks and they have given us their blessing,” Mayor Housefather said. “It was fitting for us to make the official announcement at an event like the Sports Celebrity Breakfast where so many of Gary Carter’s admirers were on hand. Johnny Elias is also a long time resident of our community and we thank him for the many years in which he ran a baseball school in Côte Saint-Luc where Expos such as Gary Carter came to share their skills and expertise.”

Here is a fabulous report on the Breakfast and the CSL announcement by CTV's Brian Wilde:

As the Côte Saint-Luc Councillor responsible for naming opportunities, I was happy to spearhead this move with the blessing of the mayor and my colleagues. I also had the good fortune of getting to know Gary Carter on a personal basis when I covered the Expos for the local media. He was the ultimate gentleman. I remember being in his presence when he attended the Grand Slam Baseball School sessions in Côte Saint-Luc. Here he was, the most popular player to ever wear the Expos uniform and the most highly paid at the time. He spent several hours on the day of a game working with young kids on their baseball skills. He never said ‘no’ when Johnny Elias called for his help.

Mayor Housefather said that a formal ceremony for the naming of the field will be held at a later date.

Finally: Council agrees to break up snow at Marc Chagall dump

For years now residents of Marc Chagall Avenue, particularly those living in Le Marquise and Le Chagall high rise condominiums, have been asking me to do something about the snow dump facing their homes. Sure, in an ideal world they would like to see it relocated somewhere else but that is not an option.

Even during a mild winter like the one we are having this year, the filthy hill of snow gets pretty high. Generally, we do not see it disappear completely until the end of the summer.
Residents have asked repeatedly for us to help speed this along. The matter has been raised with council, but there was not a will by the majority to pay for the special equipment.

I am happy to report that at the March 12 public council meeting a motion was approved for the city to award a contract for a springtime bulldozer with an operator to J. Richard Gauthier Inc. for the price of $124.95/hour, up to a maximum amount of $10,000 plus applicable taxes to break up the snow.

Not only is there is aesthetic problem with the snow dump, it is also dangerous. Last summer, as hundreds of people lined the street of  Marc Chagall to listen to the U2 concert at the Hippodrome, we saw people climbing over the fence and walking up the snow dump hill. I had to call Public Security on several occasions to get these people down. 

The  snow hill also attracts different birds and wild animals, from raccoons to even coyotes.
I wish to thank Mayor Anthony Housefather for his strong support on this matter. He agreed to put the $10,000 in our 2012 budget. We needed five votes for this to pass.  Besides myself, Councillors Allan J. Levine, Sam Goldbloom and Mitchell Brownstein supported the motion. It was a 4-4 tie and the mayor cast the deciding vote.

Here is what was said at my District 2 meeting last June:

A main topic of discussion at the meeting was the height of snow dump on Marc Chagall Avenue. Dr. Paul Weinstein, who resides at Le Marquise next door, said that he is less concerned about the aesthetics than the amount of garbage there which he fears can spread disease. He also said that the state of the dump is leading to increased pigeon droppings on balconies. 

Dr. Harry Shizgal and others asked whether we could try to bring in equipment to cut down the size of the hill. I have asked for this to be done, but Steven  Erdelyi   explained that for budgetary reasons the city will likely wait until the snow melts. Dr. Weinstein asked that we investigate any alternative options which perhaps were not looked at in the past such as covering the hill with something to make it melt quicker.

In Memoriam: Shirley Marcovitz

My sympathies today go out to former city councillor Henry Marcovitz and his family. Henry's dear wife Shirley passed away on  Saturday.

When I first started covering Côte Saint-Luc city council meetings for The Suburban almost three decades ago I got to know Henry quite well. He was a financial wizard and always had something interesting to say. Well, we all know behind every great man is a woman and in Henry's case that certainly was Shirley. She happily accompanied him to community events and was an absolute delight to speak with.

A couple of years ago Henry and Shirley became constituents of mine in District 2, purchasing a condominium apartment. I must say that I was honoured to have someone with Henry's political past as part of my electorate. Interestingly, though, it was Shirley who began communicating with me almost immediately. She handled the email in the household and a number of occasions she would send me messages about the state of Rembrandt Park.  When I held one of my District Information meetings about the park, she and Henry were in attendance. I was not aware she was ill and I actually thought about the two of them the other day while planning my next meeting with constituents in June.  The focus will in fact be Rembrandt Park again, but this time with a very interactive format. I was so much looking forward to Shirley's input.

My sympathies to Henry, her children, grandchildren and other family members.  Funeral services from Paperman & Sons, will be held on Monday, March 12 at  noon. Burial at Tifereth Beth David Jerusalem Congregation Cemetery, Tifereth Jerusalem Section, de la Savane.  Contributions in her memory may be made to the “Shirley Marcovitz Memorial Fund" c/o the Jewish General Hospital Foundation.

Phil Matlin impressive on the piano

District 2 resident Phil Matlin has introduced his own   Ragtime and Nostalgia Piano You Tube channel. Bravo to Phil, a multi-talented individual who also knows a little bit about magic.

Here is  Phil belting out St. Louis Blues (so that is how the hockey team got its name!)

 

Here is his rendition of Carolina in the Morning:

 

 

 

 

District 2 resident Phil Matlin has introduced his own   Ragtime and Nostalgia Piano You Tube channel. Bravo to Phil, a multi-talented individual who also knows a little bit about magic.

Here is  Phil belting out St. Louis Blues (so that is how the hockey team got its name!)

 

Here is his rendition of Carolina in the Morning:

 

 

 

 

CSL synagogues battle for the Kiddush Cup; TBDJ defeats BIBA

In an unprecedented Jewish sports spectacle which now promises to become an annual affair, the first Kiddush Cup took place February 12 at the Bell Centre – home to the  Montreal Canadiens – and featured teams representing the Beth Israel Beth Aaron Congregation  (BIBA) and Tifereth Beth David Jerusalem Congregation TBDJ ended up winning a hard fought 6-5  decision, but it was the thousands of dollars raised for youth programming and community events for  the two City of Côte Saint-Luc synagogues which was the most important result.

I would like to thank Martin Banoon Photography for some of the excellent shots here of the BIBA and TBDJ teams and of the opening ceremony.

The idea of the Kiddush Cup was conceived by Lawrence Witt, president of BIBA and a lawyer with the firm Heenan Blaikie and TBDJ vice-president Judah Aspler. Each player paid an unidentified fee to play. Funds also came in via ticket sales, silent auction bids, event sponsors and a family skate on the Bell Centre ice. Michel Lacroix, the true Canadiens public address announcer, introduced the starting lineup. They even had the familiar organ music in the background. Rabbis Reuben J. Poupko and Chaim Steinmetz of BIBA and TBDJ respectively served as coaches. The event co-chairs were Ted Quint and Warren Greenstone of  TBDJ and David Diner and Alex Feld from BIBA.

Witt joked that even though BIBA was on the short end of the 6-5 loss, he plans on making a few minor off-season acquisitions to ensure that his club sips from the coveted Kiddush Cup after the 2013 rematch. “Next year, we may even produce a Jewish version of "24/6 - The Road to the Kiddush Cup," he said in reference to the popular HBO  documentary which follows  NHL teams participating in the outdoor Winter Classic.

Talk has already begun about a possible baseball game between the synagogue’s two teams. “This one will for the Seder Plate,” Witt notes.

“TBDJ came into this inaugural game as the underdogs, but keeping with Jewish  tradition, faith and perseverance turned the story around and into a celebration that will last eight days,” added Aspler, who works for Microsoft. “We have no doubt that BIBA will be gunning for us next year, but we've got a team roadmap that will secure our hold on the coveted Kiddush Cup for generations.”

The  RSM Richter Chamberland opening ceremony included Canadian and Israel national anthems interpreted by Cantors Yossi Fleischman (TBDJ) and  Moishe Shur. The ceremonial puck drop was performed by local Police Station 9 Commander Sylvain Bissonnette and Côte Saint-Luc City Councillor Dida Berku.   Some 500 spectators were in attendance.  

Scoring opened at the five minute mark of the first period with a Witt tip-in of a Russell Samuels shot from the point. TBDJ blew the game open in the second frame with a pair of goals by Evan Ellbogen and singles by Greenstone, Avi Miller, Lorne Svarc and Michael Ziegler. BIBA responded with goals by Jeremy Wallace, Howard Wallace and a pair by Oren Nahoum. BIBA pulled Goalie Jake Singal-Kohn in the last minute for the extra attacker, but Team BIBA was stymied by the stingy TBDJ netminder Shaya "Leather Larceny" Csillag, who drove in from New Jersey to play in the game (and drove back immediately after).
One of the goals went to a video replay but was declared a "good " upon review by referee Mark Gross.

Both teams had a practice last Saturday night Feb. 4th.

"This is was great community event," said Greenstone. "Playing hockey at the Bell Centre was a thrill for everyone involved. The kids who also had the opportunity to play had an amazing time as did all those who participated in the family skate. It was great way to spend a Sunday afternoon."

 

The adult game was broken up by a 15 minute kids (ages six to 10) contest and a 15 minute youth (ages 10 to 15) match.

Team BIBA's honourary captain was Israeli Consul General. Joel Lion. He wore   the Israel National Hockey Team uniform and "played" for BIBA. “It was an amazing experience,” said Rabbi Steinmetz. “Everyone had fun at an enjoyable and competitive game.   Of course I am proud of my coaching - in particular because I know so little about hockey. Now that I am unbeaten I’m working on my coaching memoir entitled: ‘The Rabbi's Way: How Studying the Talmud Can Make You into a Better Hockey Player, or at Least, Into a Better Person.’
We left the Bell Centre with our prayers for the Canadiens’ success.”

Svarc of TBDJ noted that the funniest moment of the day came when Consul General walked into the locker room and exclaimed ‘On the ice I have diplomatic immunity." He added how every kid who plays hockey dreams of playing in a professional arena. “They really brought out all the stops for the full experience,” he says. 

Here are some video clips courtesy of Dida Berku:

 

 

 

  

 

CSL adopts anti-smoking by-law dealing with the outdoors

I am very proud that my colleagues and I on  Côte Saint-Luc city council have adopted a by-law to expand our  smoking ban to certain outdoor areas.  District 4 Councillor Steven Erdelyi (pictured) sponsored this piece of legislation, which passed unanimously.The new by-law will ban smoking within 20 meters of children's outdoor playgrounds and near municipal sports fields.   We will also ban smoking in our public parks during special events like Canada Day. For those who break the law, a fine of $50 will be issued for the first offence and $100 if you do so again.

A lot of people will tell you that this by-law will not be easy to enforce. However,  I like the fact that a citizen can now approach a person who is blowing smoke at Pierre Elliott Trudeau Park with young children close by and tell him or her to butt out.

Our city took a leadership role many years ago when the late Eric Helfield sponsored the first anti-smoking by-law. I was a reporter for The Suburban Newspaper  at that time, covering City Hall.

I do not smoke and I have a low tolerance for those who do so around me. I know it is an addiction, but  I do hope that actions like this might prompt some more people to kick the habit.

Here is the official city press release:

The City of Côte Saint-Luc adopted a by-law on February 13 to update prohibitions on smoking in public places, continuing the city’s long-time leadership on this health and safety issue. 

By-law 2374 entitled By-law to Regulate Smoking in the City of Côte Saint-Luc replaces by-law 2202. Côte Saint-Luc first adopted a by-law prohibiting smoking in April 1985, with updates in June 1997 and March 1999. The Quebec government enacted the Tobacco Act in June 1998, which set out a series of measures aimed at restricting tobacco access, promotion, and use. 

“Côte Saint-Luc has always been a leader among municipalities in the area of health and safety,” Mayor Anthony Housefather said. “We decided to broaden the provisions of our existing by-law to add additional locations where smoking was prohibited and this is consistent with actions beginning to be taken by municipalities outside of Quebec.”

The new Côte Saint-Luc by-law adds additional prohibitions against smoking (1) within 20 meters of any playground, splash pool, or sports activity, (2) in all municipal parks during a special event, and (3) at all municipal outdoor pools. A copy of the by-law is available at CoteSaintLuc.org. 

“Basically, what this new by-law does is take the rules against smoking one step further,” Councillor Steven Erdelyi said. “Smoking in a public place, even outdoors, is a nuisance for all those close to the smoker. Our new by-law recognizes this and makes it possible for people to better enjoy the outdoors, whether at a child’s soccer game or at large public events like a winter carnival activity.” 

The fine for contravening the by-law starts at $50 for a first offence. 

 

Kildare Road (between Rembrandt and Merrimac) parking rules loosened

There is good news for some residents of District 2.

For many years parking on the southern side of Kildare Road, between Rembrandt and Merrimac,has been prohibited on Tuesdays and Thursdays.

Residents have approached me numerous times to try and get this changed and for various reasons approval was not within reach.

Over the winter I have been working with our head of engineering, Charles Senekal (left),  to come up with a resolution to this problem. Many residents of the condominium town houses on Kildare Road like to leave their cars on the street when they come from work, rather than park in their garage. The city, however, has always needed to allocate some time for street cleaning.

The compromise I have been able to reach, with Mayor Anthony Housefather lending a helpful hand, will see no parking on that strip between 7 a.m. and Noon on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Since most of the residents I spoke to indicate that it is late afternoon when they generally want to park on the street, I believe this is a winning solution. I would like to thank District 5 Councillor Glenn J. Nashen, who as head of the city's Transportation Committee, set the wheels in motion for this development.

We hope the new signage will be up sometime in March.

 

 

CSL's population increases 2.9 percent as per Stats Can

	Côte-Saint-Luc - Ville (Census subdivision)
Topic	Characteristics		Total
Population and dwelling counts	Population in 2011		32321
Population and dwelling counts	Population in 2006		31395
Population and dwelling counts	2006 to 2011 population change (%)		2.9
Population and dwelling counts	Total private dwellings		14302
Population and dwelling counts	Private dwellings occupied by usual residents		13568
Population and dwelling counts	Population density per square kilometre		4649.1
Population and dwelling counts	Land area (square km)		6.95

CSL resident revives two legendary restaurants

For the last six plus years as the Côte Saint-Luc city councillor for District 2, I have known Saul and Farla Ettinger (below) as constuents of mine. I was aware of Sau's success in real estate and Farla's involvement in the community.  Somehow, though, I did not know  Saul was a legend in the local restaurant circles.

Growing up in this city I loved the smoked  meat the Briskets restaurant  chain while my mouth watered whenever I t hought about a hamburger from Il Etait Un Fois.

For all those folks like me who have longed for a return of these two restaurants, Saul has answered your prayers and revived  them under one roof. Ettingers Deli (www.ettingers.ca) is located at 9100 Newman (corner of Dollard) in LaSalle.
 
Thirty years ago, Ettinger opened his first Briskets deli on  Bishop Street. Twelve  franchises in Montreal and Ottawa soon followed.  As Saul says, people who remember dining at Briskets described the smoked meat sandwiches as "addictive." Briskets smoked meat was not only homemade, but it was never pumped. “Most smoked meat in Montreal and elsewhere were and still are prepared with briskets that are pumped with phosphates and a preponderance of nitrates and sodium,” Saul explains. “ This pumping technique is used in order to increase profit margins by making the briskets heavier. Strange, isn't it---the government bans the use of phosphates in your dishwasher and laundry detergent, but allows it in food? Briskets' smoked meat was made with unpumped briskets using a tightly-held secret recipe. They were dry-cured the truly old-fashioned way over a period of two to three weeks, producing superior smoked meat---smoked meat that was mouth-watering, and truly addictive.

Briskets smoked meat sandwiches were just about everywhere, be it  the Olympic Stadium concession stands or catered at private parties.   As for Il Etait Un Fois, the classic hamburger spot was located in a standalone building in heart of Old Montreal at a time when it was a relative ghost town, Saul  recalls pioneering  a new phenomenon. While McDonald's was selling burgers for as little as as 60 cents, he decided it was time to introduce Montreal to a gourmet half-pound burger at $5. In those days, the thought of a burger for $5 was ludicrous. Yet, within a short few weeks, Il Etait Un Fois attracted huge line-ups and rave reviews. Saul's burgers were made through a rarely used secret process that turned out the juiciest and most scrumptious burgers in Montreal. And along with mouth-watering burgers and incredible fries, the menu included specialities such as homemade beer-battered onion rings and fish n' chips as well as fried mushrooms and foot-long dogs.

Another of Saul's visions was launched on the Trans Canada. It was and is still called Linguini, an Italian restaurant situated in a rustic log cabin built by Saul on the south side of the 40 just west of Morgan.
 
For years after Saul retired from the restaurant business, he still hosted dinners and parties where he would serve his amazing smoked meat. Without exception, those who partook in these affairs, would beg him for his recipe and strongly suggested he open up a deli.
 
 
Decades after his great restaurant successes, a good friend and protégé, Bob Luxenberg, Saul's step-son, Warren Kleiner, and Warren's best friend, Charles Benedek,  joined forces with the legend and Ettingers was born in a former car dealership facility on Newman. Not only is this a pretty restaurant, with flat screen televisions, comfortable seating and plenty of parking – but it is truly a dream destination for Montreal diners who can experience Briskets and Il Etait Un Fois under one roof.

They officially debuted in November and the soft opening has been a success. AT the ceremonial affair, charismatic LaSalle Borough Mayor Manon Barbe cut the ribbon and special guests got to sample the cuisine. I give a big thumbs up to the smoked meat sandwich and curly fries (with cole slaw) that I had served. One of my colleagues from The Suburban, Melanie Pepin, had troubled finishing her smoked meat sandwich while Associate Publisher Sari Medicoff  was in much the same position with her delicious burger.

I had a chance to sit  down with Saul,  Warren and Charles to get their take on the new restaurant and what the future holds. Could this be a new chain in the making? Take a look:

 

End of an era: Nautilus Plus in Côte Saint-Luc to close

It is sadly official. Nautilus Plus, located at the Cavendish  Club in Côte Saint-Luc is closing its doors. The move affects hundreds of longtime members.

This location has been in operation for several decades, offering personal training, fitness and nutrition programs. There is a nice swimming pool, where many youngsters have learned how to swim, racquetball and squash courts and of course a large room of nautilus equipment where  people can enjoy socializing and getting into shape.

The club officially close for business on  February 29.  When I dropped by to find out why it is shutting down, I was told that the lease was up and the company wanted to go in a new direction. Members will be given rebates or offered  to use one of the other Nautilus Plus facilities,

There is no question that the opening of our magnificient Aquatic and Community Centre has had an impact on other local health and exercise centres.  The swimming programs at our two fabulous pools are going strong. We have a modest workout room overlooking the pool, a room for dance clases, a mini library and soon a café. There is place for youth to congregate, large meeting rooms, headquarters for our seniors and Legion group and a large gymnasium attached to the facility.

Cat Committee looks ahead to 2012

The Côte Saint-Luc Cats Commmittee held its first meeting of 2012 recently. As the official liaison between the committee and city council, it was my pleasure to share an energized gathering of  people who – like me – adore felines.

Alanna Devine of the SPCA, Johanne Tassé  of the Companion Animal Adoption Centres of Quebec (CAACQ) and Côte Saint-Luc Associate General Counsel Cheri Bell were among our special guests. Cheri has already had a number of meetings with Alanna and she will serve as a big help for me in the coming months as I wish to bring forward some new measures pertaining to the cat population in our community.

Our Trap, Neuter and Release (TNR) program resulted in almost 50 cats being sterilized in 2012.  This would not have been possible without our devoted group of volunteers, headed by the dynamic Shelley Schecter.

Shelley said that there is no question this committee has made a difference. If we can get more volunteers in 2012, a lot more can be done. This includes trying to change the mindsets of landlords and condo board associations which prohibit cats to be on their premises. She also shared a sad story of people who were feeding cats that had already been sterilized at a condo on CSL Road. The condo board was against this and one gentleman went outside, took the food which was waiting for the cat and threw it away.

Shelley said she has noticed that TNR is gaining more credibility than before. The important issue is this:  TNR is not just picking cats up and neutering and vaccinating them; it is also maintaining the colonies.  No one likes to release a cat back outside, but at this point we do not always have a choice.  It is important to get the tame ones and kittens off the street and maintain the wild ones. 

Our committee extended thanks to Dr. Marlene Kalin and her team at the Côte Saint-Luc Hospital for Animals. They did a wonderful job treating the cats we brought in and even found homes for some of them. One member of our committee, in fact, wants to launch the TNA program – Trap, Neuter and Adopt.
 
Johanne Tassé provided us with an excellent  recommendation:  that we start using the term “community” cats instead of “feral” or “stray” and consider actually naming colonies to give them more identity and importance.

Just as a reminder, we do have a cat hotline at  514-485-6800 ext CATSa and a Facebook page. We encourage people to call the hotline if they are interested in adopting a cat.

In the coming months look for a promotional video to be produced and for us to  announce some exciting fundraising initiatives and events.

Here is a feature on Shelley on CTV Montreal's Power of One: