She is a born and bred Anglo Montrealer, from Hampstead, Quebec's most Anglo community.
Nikki is a singing sensation who is breaking out across the continent and the world. I'm sure this gig will make her even more popular!
Give it a listen.
Monday, January 25, 2010
Hampsteader Nikki Yanofsky to Sing Olympic Theme
She is a born and bred Anglo Montrealer, from Hampstead, Quebec's most Anglo community.
Nikki is a singing sensation who is breaking out across the continent and the world. I'm sure this gig will make her even more popular!
Give it a listen.
Return of Haitians to Montreal Controversial
Last week fate would conspire to find me crossing paths with many returning Canadian Haitian refugees.
Our company was holding a regularly scheduled, semi-annual meeting in the Wyndam Hotel (formerly the Dorval Hilton), out by Montreal's Trudeau airport, which was set up as the primary processing centre for those airlifted out of the stricken island.
On the Friday before our convention, we received a call from the hotel asking us to move around some rooms and halls that we had booked, to accommodate the Red Cross, which would be setting up operations on the same floor we had booked.
On Monday morning, I walked by an impressive array of official vehicles strewn around the parking lot and entered the
hotel lobby, past Montreal police and private
security officers who were manning the entrance, enforcing the policy
that reporters not be allowed inside.
A temporary desk had been set up immediately inside and it was the first time in my life that I came face to face with those wearing the distinctive Red Cross vest that we are accustomed to seeing on television at various disaster scenes.
The situation in the lobby can only be described only as surreal, as hotel guests, convention goers and airline personnel rubbed shoulders with returning Haitians, bedecked in Red Cross blankets that they clutched around their shoulders over the summer clothing that they arrived in.
While the Red Cross and civil defence personnel attended to the bewildered Haitians who were waiting to be processed, people checked in and out of the hotel as if nothing was unusual.
Most of the people who returned from Haiti had family in Montreal and somewhere to go (Montreal is home to a vast majority of Haitian Canadians.) As soon as a bus would disembark the refugees, most would be picked up and be whisked away by family or friends. From what I could judge, it was an extremely well organized affair.
Some of the returnees stayed overnight, awaiting connections to other parts of the country and I chatted with many in the lunchtime buffet line, the lobby or the halls as they and their children whiled away the hours on couches, waiting for final travel arrangements to come through.
Most of the adults were quiet and subdued and spoke in muted voices, their painful ordeal over, but tinged with sadness and survivor's guilt. This contrasted sadly from what I know of Montreal Haitians, who are usually garrulous, smiling, boisterous and of extremely good cheer.
As we attended to our business and moved from room to convention room, we mixed with the little children who were colouring in books or completing jig saw puzzles provided by the Red Cross, oblivious to the life changing event they had overcome.
I was loathe to take photos of individuals, as it seemed somewhat infringing.
Our company meetings are usually upbeat, motivational and somewhat fun. As you can imagine, the situation put quite a damper on things. That being said, those who were returning to Canada were the lucky ones. For one woman who had lost most of her family and with whom I rode up the elevator (and heard her story in less than thirty seconds,) it was the only saving grace.
After two days we became used to (or blasé) seeing the Haitins arrive. It was no longer strange that people were going on with their own lives, oblivious to their plight. The lobby bar was full and conducting normal operation with well-heeled men and women joking and laughing over white wine and scotch while watching the unfolding events before them in the lobby. Ironically the barman was Haitain.
Some of my colleagues were from the outer reaches of the province and many had never seen so many black people in one place at one time. At first they were distant, but soon warmed up to the refugees, Haitians are an endearing people.
It is hard to resist the children, especially the little girls in their dreadlocked hair. By the end of our convention, many of our people were inquiring about adoption!
Everybody fell into a routine, the aid workers, the hotel staff and guests. Food was plentiful as hotel staff delivered tray after tray of delicious looking salads and sandwiches to the refugees and their aid workers. I shudder to think what the cost is, of the operation which includes dozens of agencies, all vying to put on their best performance.
News trucks and reporters dutifully showed up at the arrival of each new planeful of refugees and conducted interviews outside the front door with willing participants before closing up shop, only to repeat the same scene the next day.
The Haiti issue has Quebec buzzing. Everyone is sympathetic and wishes to offer aid. The Francophone telethon, held on the same day both Canada and the USA held their own, raised almost seven million dollars which compares favourably with the take of sixteen million dollars raised in the the English Canada telethon.
But all is not rosy. The issue of taking in refugees who are not Canadian citizens is contentious. There are all sorts of points of view, many contradictory.
Tomorrow, I'll review the various positions being debated. It isn't pretty at all.
Our company was holding a regularly scheduled, semi-annual meeting in the Wyndam Hotel (formerly the Dorval Hilton), out by Montreal's Trudeau airport, which was set up as the primary processing centre for those airlifted out of the stricken island.
On the Friday before our convention, we received a call from the hotel asking us to move around some rooms and halls that we had booked, to accommodate the Red Cross, which would be setting up operations on the same floor we had booked.
A temporary desk had been set up immediately inside and it was the first time in my life that I came face to face with those wearing the distinctive Red Cross vest that we are accustomed to seeing on television at various disaster scenes.
The situation in the lobby can only be described only as surreal, as hotel guests, convention goers and airline personnel rubbed shoulders with returning Haitians, bedecked in Red Cross blankets that they clutched around their shoulders over the summer clothing that they arrived in.
While the Red Cross and civil defence personnel attended to the bewildered Haitians who were waiting to be processed, people checked in and out of the hotel as if nothing was unusual.
Most of the people who returned from Haiti had family in Montreal and somewhere to go (Montreal is home to a vast majority of Haitian Canadians.) As soon as a bus would disembark the refugees, most would be picked up and be whisked away by family or friends. From what I could judge, it was an extremely well organized affair.
Some of the returnees stayed overnight, awaiting connections to other parts of the country and I chatted with many in the lunchtime buffet line, the lobby or the halls as they and their children whiled away the hours on couches, waiting for final travel arrangements to come through.
Most of the adults were quiet and subdued and spoke in muted voices, their painful ordeal over, but tinged with sadness and survivor's guilt. This contrasted sadly from what I know of Montreal Haitians, who are usually garrulous, smiling, boisterous and of extremely good cheer.
As we attended to our business and moved from room to convention room, we mixed with the little children who were colouring in books or completing jig saw puzzles provided by the Red Cross, oblivious to the life changing event they had overcome.
I was loathe to take photos of individuals, as it seemed somewhat infringing.
Our company meetings are usually upbeat, motivational and somewhat fun. As you can imagine, the situation put quite a damper on things. That being said, those who were returning to Canada were the lucky ones. For one woman who had lost most of her family and with whom I rode up the elevator (and heard her story in less than thirty seconds,) it was the only saving grace.
After two days we became used to (or blasé) seeing the Haitins arrive. It was no longer strange that people were going on with their own lives, oblivious to their plight. The lobby bar was full and conducting normal operation with well-heeled men and women joking and laughing over white wine and scotch while watching the unfolding events before them in the lobby. Ironically the barman was Haitain.
It is hard to resist the children, especially the little girls in their dreadlocked hair. By the end of our convention, many of our people were inquiring about adoption!
Everybody fell into a routine, the aid workers, the hotel staff and guests. Food was plentiful as hotel staff delivered tray after tray of delicious looking salads and sandwiches to the refugees and their aid workers. I shudder to think what the cost is, of the operation which includes dozens of agencies, all vying to put on their best performance.
News trucks and reporters dutifully showed up at the arrival of each new planeful of refugees and conducted interviews outside the front door with willing participants before closing up shop, only to repeat the same scene the next day.
The Haiti issue has Quebec buzzing. Everyone is sympathetic and wishes to offer aid. The Francophone telethon, held on the same day both Canada and the USA held their own, raised almost seven million dollars which compares favourably with the take of sixteen million dollars raised in the the English Canada telethon.
But all is not rosy. The issue of taking in refugees who are not Canadian citizens is contentious. There are all sorts of points of view, many contradictory.
Tomorrow, I'll review the various positions being debated. It isn't pretty at all.
Wednesday, January 20, 2010
CBC's Anti-Israel bias Shines Through
One of the biggest success stories in the relief effort in Haiti is the achievement of Israel, the tiny nation of seven million that beat out all other nations in erecting a complete field hospital in Haiti. The country dispatched 220 military doctors, nurses and support staff and erected a fully functioning field hospital within 24 hours of leaving Israel (It's a 16 hour flight to Haiti.) The hospital brought along all the modern diagnostic equipment it needed and commenced treating injured Haitians almost immediately. The sophistication of the operation is unmatched, the unit has already conducted surgical procedures via video conferencing with surgeons at a an Israeli hospital outside Tel Aviv.
News organizations all overt the world took notice and reported on the Israel effort, which is proving embarrassing to other larger nations, and news organizations that are used to bashing Israel. Some of the videos below have been blocked in Arab countries out of sheer humiliation.
CBS TV: Israeli IDF Hospital The "Rolls Royce" of Medicine in Haiti
BFM- TV (FRANCE) L'hôpital de campagne israélien en Haïti
Mirror.co.uk ( England) Haiti earthquake: Medic's gift of life to crushed tot - video
How did the CBC (and Britain's BBC) cover this amazing achievement? Silence.....
The anti-Israel bias precludes them from reporting positively on Israel and particularly on the Israeli military.
Read a hilarious send-up written in Britain's Telegrapgh.co.uk entitled Israel builds a field hospital in Haiti. Anti-Zionists not fooled!
Worse the CBC ran this outrageous propaganda piece showing Gaza children preparing aid for Haiti "in solidarity."
Palestinians have become experts in staging contrived photo ops that a sympathetic left-wing press publishes without much journalistic scrutiny.
Here the children are being filmed donating some junkie toys and little money, all meant to tug a heart strings. A sign written in Arabic and English reminding everyone of the 'siege.' is an obvious attempt to show themselves as heroic victims alongside the Haitians.
If the Gazans were truly trying to send a message of solidarity to Haitians, perhaps they should have included French in the message, instead of the English. Even an idiot CBC editor can see through the ridiculous charade and that the caption that was obviously meant for the press.
Did any reporter ask officials exactly how these toys are to be delivered and by whom? Not to put too fine a point on it but Gazans are not exactly in a position to ship or receive goods to and from anywhere.....
Most likely the junk was re-distributed right after the photo op took place and the money returned to sender.
Nice story CBC!
French vs. English Volume 8
Blogger Demands Anglos Help Haitians in French?
For resident Anglo bashing fruitcake, Louis Prefontaine (who's got quite a following of like-minded twits,) a Facebook group called Montreal-Answering Haiti's cry for help is an outrageous abuse because the group is misrepresenting itself by including "Montreal" in it's name. According to Mr. Prefontaine Montreal is officially French and an English group is an affront. "Helping Haiti is okay, but not at the expense of denying our language and our values."
Calls for boycott of Montreal Catholic Church & the Red Cross
The Catholic church in Quebec has come onto the radar of French language zealots for running church affairs bilingually and offering services in English. This has upset Hélène Pelletier-Baillargeon who wrote in Le Devoir that it's time to boycott the collection plate. With just 6% of Francophones attending church services regularly, the only new worshippers are immigrants who prefer services in English. She demands that the Church adhere to the written and the spirit of Bill 101, the Quebec language law, notwithstanding that the law doesn't apply to religious institutions.
Another complainer advises Quebeckers to boycott the Red Cross's Haiti fund because the organization advertise job vacancies in English only on their bilingual web site. All the jobs were for positions outside Quebec.
The Brick Offers $25 to complainer
The Brick furniture store offered an enragedclient Laval resident $25, because it sent out a English only circular to his house in error. The complainer was insulted by the offer and brought the matter to the attention of the easily offended Société Saint-Jean-Baptiste de Montréal and it's president Mario Beaulieu. He too was furious and asked the rhetorical question, "Is a Quebeker's pride worth a mere $25?" I guess it is...because he then invited readers to phone the store and complain in order to receive their own $25 hush money.
Defenders of the Faith organizing
Following the lead of the Mouvement Montréal français and the newly-minted Mouvement Montérégie française, a similar group is forming in the Laurentians to the put the brakes on the inexorable encroachment of English in the hereto linguistically pure expanses of cottage country north of Montreal. Fifty odd people are to hold a founding conference in the lovely town of St.Eustache later this month. The usual gang of suspects will attend including Mario Beaulieu, president of the Société Saint-Jean-Baptiste de Montréal.
Quebec artists group will no longer hype sovereignty in public
95% of members who were asked, favoured the UDA to demand that Ottawa increase significantly the cultural and communication bugdet and 82% were in favour of Ottawa repatriating the power to administrate these funds to Quebec .
Language zealots disapprove of French classes
It's hard to come to terms with the reaction of French language nationalists to the English- Montreal School Board decision to serve up exclusively French only classes in order to keep up enrolment.
There are approximately 14,000 English students attending schools run by French school boards, despite the fact that the students are eligible for an English education under Bill 101. Most of these families are from mixed French/English marriages or couples. It is these students that the EMSB would like to repatriate and is willing to offer French only classes to accommodate those parents who want their children to have a French education.
The EMSB is facing a continuing decline in it's enrolment and is looking to stem the flow in which ever way they can. The enforcement of Bill 104 robbed the school board of about 500 students a year and is a contributing factor to the loss about 900 students a year, resulting in school closure after school closure. Since 2001, the board’s enrolment has dropped by more than 5,000.
A spokesperson for the Mouvement Montréal français thinks its a bad idea to allow the English school boards the right to run French only schools within their system."It will poach students and therefore weaken the French school boards." (read-strengthen English school boards)
General Wolfe gay?
For resident Anglo bashing fruitcake, Louis Prefontaine (who's got quite a following of like-minded twits,) a Facebook group called Montreal-Answering Haiti's cry for help is an outrageous abuse because the group is misrepresenting itself by including "Montreal" in it's name. According to Mr. Prefontaine Montreal is officially French and an English group is an affront. "Helping Haiti is okay, but not at the expense of denying our language and our values."
Calls for boycott of Montreal Catholic Church & the Red Cross
The Catholic church in Quebec has come onto the radar of French language zealots for running church affairs bilingually and offering services in English. This has upset Hélène Pelletier-Baillargeon who wrote in Le Devoir that it's time to boycott the collection plate. With just 6% of Francophones attending church services regularly, the only new worshippers are immigrants who prefer services in English. She demands that the Church adhere to the written and the spirit of Bill 101, the Quebec language law, notwithstanding that the law doesn't apply to religious institutions.
The Brick Offers $25 to complainer
The Brick furniture store offered an enraged
Defenders of the Faith organizing
Following the lead of the Mouvement Montréal français and the newly-minted Mouvement Montérégie française, a similar group is forming in the Laurentians to the put the brakes on the inexorable encroachment of English in the hereto linguistically pure expanses of cottage country north of Montreal. Fifty odd people are to hold a founding conference in the lovely town of St.Eustache later this month. The usual gang of suspects will attend including Mario Beaulieu, president of the Société Saint-Jean-Baptiste de Montréal.
Quebec artists group will no longer hype sovereignty in public
A recent poll of members of the l'Union des artistes (UDA) indicates that the majority are against their union taking a public stance in the debate over sovereignty.
This doesn't mean that the majority don't support sovereignty, 58% of respondants admitted to supporting the option while 18% declared themselves opposed. 28% decided to duck the question completely and offered no opinion.
The likely reason is that the artists feel punished by Mr. Harper's $40 million cut in their subsidy two years ago and wish to avoid baiting the bull in the future.
95% of members who were asked, favoured the UDA to demand that Ottawa increase significantly the cultural and communication bugdet and 82% were in favour of Ottawa repatriating the power to administrate these funds to Quebec .
Language zealots disapprove of French classes
It's hard to come to terms with the reaction of French language nationalists to the English- Montreal School Board decision to serve up exclusively French only classes in order to keep up enrolment.
There are approximately 14,000 English students attending schools run by French school boards, despite the fact that the students are eligible for an English education under Bill 101. Most of these families are from mixed French/English marriages or couples. It is these students that the EMSB would like to repatriate and is willing to offer French only classes to accommodate those parents who want their children to have a French education.
The EMSB is facing a continuing decline in it's enrolment and is looking to stem the flow in which ever way they can. The enforcement of Bill 104 robbed the school board of about 500 students a year and is a contributing factor to the loss about 900 students a year, resulting in school closure after school closure. Since 2001, the board’s enrolment has dropped by more than 5,000.
A spokesperson for the Mouvement Montréal français thinks its a bad idea to allow the English school boards the right to run French only schools within their system."It will poach students and therefore weaken the French school boards." (read-strengthen English school boards)
General Wolfe gay?
For sovereignists and nationalists the Battle of the Plains of Abraham is an obsession that is all-encompassing. Quebec historian Jacques Lacoursière recently told an audience that it was a possibility that Wolfe was a homosexual. His evidence- Wolfe remained engaged throughout his adult life without ever getting married and that on the eve of the great battle, he wrote a letter to his mother, instead of his fiancée. Arggh!!.....
Monday, January 18, 2010
Earl Jones to be Free Next Year?
Last October, based on information that I developed, I wrote a piece indicating that Earl Jones would be taking a plea and that a sentence of between ten and twelve years would be imposed.
While some were sceptical, that scoop was confirmed in court last week when Earl Jones pled guilty and both prosecution and defence recommended a sentence of eleven years. The judge will formally confirm that sentence next month. In the meanwhile Earl Jones was hustled off to prison to await the falling hammer.
It's always nice when a lowly blogger scoops a national newspaper;
The Montreal Gazette shouldn't be surprised, here's what I wrote last October;
You can circle November 17, 2011 as the approximate date at which time he will be set free. The date takes into consideration that time served before sentencing counts as double. It appears that Mr. Jones will spend just one Christmas in jail.
At any rate his lawyer, Jeffrey Boro cleverly shifted the spotlight away from his client by casting aspersions on the banks as being either complicit or incompetent in their failure to properly monitor transactions in the various trust accounts that Mr. Jones ran.
If you are a bilked customer, don't get your hopes up pursuing the banks for restitution.
The banks aren't going to pay up voluntarily and a long, painful and extremely expensive judicial process is ahead if they want to pursue justice. Each case would also have be tried individually.
As for Mr. Boro playing the harp for poor little Earl Jones- I don't buy it and you shouldn't either.
I said it then and I'm repeating it again.
Mr. Jones has been paying his legal bills. Mr. Boro is not a legal aid lawyer and charges several hundred dollars per hour. The legal bill in this case likely ranges between $50,000 to $100,000.
Who's paying and where is the money coming from?
Until the question of how Mr. Jones paid for his defence is addressed, the nagging possibility of a secret stash of cash remains on the table.
There is a distinct possibility that Mr. Jones may enjoy his retirement a lot sooner and a lot better than his victims.
While some were sceptical, that scoop was confirmed in court last week when Earl Jones pled guilty and both prosecution and defence recommended a sentence of eleven years. The judge will formally confirm that sentence next month. In the meanwhile Earl Jones was hustled off to prison to await the falling hammer.
It's always nice when a lowly blogger scoops a national newspaper;
"In a surprise move, Jones and his lawyer chose to circumvent a lengthy trial and end the six-month saga that has left the formerly high-flying financial adviser a shadow of his once-dapper self. " The Montreal Gazette
The Montreal Gazette shouldn't be surprised, here's what I wrote last October;
October 5, 200
"Victims of Earl Jones will be disappointed that they won't get to see the fraudster face his accusers in a court of law.For those victimized by his crime, the eleven year sentence will unfortunately translate into a mere 700 days in prison. That's because Earl Jones will benefit from the current penal regulation that provides for parole after just one-sixth of a sentence, for first time offenders who have committed a non-violent crime.
Negotiations are underway for a plea agreement between Jeffrey Boro, Jones' lawyer (shown on the far left in the photo) and crown prosecutors....
....The crown is demanding a sentence of 12 years while Jones' lawyers are holding out for 10 years..." LINK
You can circle November 17, 2011 as the approximate date at which time he will be set free. The date takes into consideration that time served before sentencing counts as double. It appears that Mr. Jones will spend just one Christmas in jail.
At any rate his lawyer, Jeffrey Boro cleverly shifted the spotlight away from his client by casting aspersions on the banks as being either complicit or incompetent in their failure to properly monitor transactions in the various trust accounts that Mr. Jones ran.
If you are a bilked customer, don't get your hopes up pursuing the banks for restitution.
The banks aren't going to pay up voluntarily and a long, painful and extremely expensive judicial process is ahead if they want to pursue justice. Each case would also have be tried individually.
As for Mr. Boro playing the harp for poor little Earl Jones- I don't buy it and you shouldn't either.
I said it then and I'm repeating it again.
Mr. Jones has been paying his legal bills. Mr. Boro is not a legal aid lawyer and charges several hundred dollars per hour. The legal bill in this case likely ranges between $50,000 to $100,000.
Who's paying and where is the money coming from?
Until the question of how Mr. Jones paid for his defence is addressed, the nagging possibility of a secret stash of cash remains on the table.
There is a distinct possibility that Mr. Jones may enjoy his retirement a lot sooner and a lot better than his victims.
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