Bees attack my car downtown and how I survived the experience

I guess there is a first for everything and today I had one of the strangest experiences of my life.

Downtown for a meeting, I was so excited to find an available parking meter at the corner of President Kennedy and McGill College. An hour later, as I approached the vehicle, I saw a "swarm" of people (and you will see what I mean by the word "swarm") taking photos with their phones.  There was a "swarm" of bees resting on the top of my trunk and all the way down across my license plate - onlookers guessed they numbered at least 5,000.

Take a look at the bees at the back of the car.

I backed away quickly and called 9-1-1. The operator did not seem to know how to respond. "I will send the Fire Department," she said.

A few minutes later four firefighters arrived on the scene, walked towards the car and declared: "This is not for us. You need an exterminator."

Seconds later two police cars appeared. The officers were required to keep all of the gawkers away with their cell phones. Someone from a nearby office building brought me the yellow pages and I began calling exterminators. "We cannot kill bees," the last one I contacted told me. "It is not allowed. You need a bee expert."

Why are bees important? Read this to article for some answers.

The Fire Department called for their supervisor. He made some calls and managed to track down some bee experts. "They will be here in about an hour," I was assured.

In the meantime, all of a sudden I started hearing people call my name: a neighbour whose legal practice is in a nearby building, a friend who works in the same building and a resident of my community who recognized me.

Experts remove the bees safely.

Just within an hour, an old car with its mirror strapped on with red electrical tape, arrived. Two men and a woman wearing no protective equipment got out of the car with a special box to put bees in. They were from an organization called Miel Montreal

 I was told that a Queen bee had decided to land on my car and bring her entire colony along. The bee patrol used towels and brushes to gently move all of the bees into the box and then some kind of smoke concoction to empty the last of them. Apparently the bees are worth a lot of money in the honey they will produce.  But one of  Miel Montreal's objective is to protect the bee population. They did not charge me a penny for the work they did. Miel Montreal operates as co-op with the city of Montreal and give a lot of workshops in the community and at schools on biodiversity.  I never knew they existed, nor it seems did  police, fire or 9-1-1 authorities. They have only been in operation formally since  the spring of 2013. It is time we give them some applause.

Here is a report on CBC TV.
Here is my interview with CJAD's Barry Morgan.
Here is footage of the bees on my car from CTV.
City Montreal coverage.

Making Impact: A visit to Saputo Stadium is a satisfying experience

Some of the action I caught on my camera.

I attended my first Montreal Impact game of 2014 on June 4 at Saputo Stadium and I did not go home disappointed. This has been a frustrating season thus far for our franchise in Major League Soccer, with a disappointing 2-6-4 record. On this night they defeated Toronto FC 1-0  in the Amway Canadian Championship final. By virtue of a 1-1 draw in game one versus Toronto, a hard to understand formula meant that Montreal only needed a scoreless draw to advance to the group stage of the CONCACAF Champions League, the annual club competition featuring 24 teams from North America, Central America and the Caribbean.

This was the type of game that makes one want to return for more: end to end action, lots of physical contact, a rowdy crowd and excellent ambience. There is a rivalry between Montreal and Toronto and it showed. Head coach Frank Klopas looked as if he was behind the bench for the final of the World Cup, pacing back and forth and repeatedly berating the officials for missed calls. And why not? Advancing in an international tournament is a shot in the arm for a team performing poorly.

It was a player who just goes by the name “Felipe,” who scored a sensational goal at the 90 minute mark that lifted the crowd to its feet after sniper Marco Di Vaio had hit the crossbar. Felipe broke the rules when he pulled off his shirt to celebrate, receiving a yellow card from the official.

With the Canadiens season over and the Canadian Football League possibly looking at a strike, the Impact may be the only game in town. If you have not seen a game yet, you are doing yourself a disservice. The stadium, which has been refurbished since its original opening in 2008, is gorgeous and worth attending a game for all by itself.  If the Saputo family had owned the Montreal Expos, baseball would have still been here for they would likely have built their own stadium here. Joey Saputo is as a dedicated a team owner you will find. His family poured $7.5 million alone for the construction and then came up with the countless millions necessary to enter the MLS.

As CTV’s André Corbeil shared with  me before the game, “this is just a great place to come sit down for a few hours with a friend, chat, watch the game and enjoy. And you will probably want to come back.”

The in-house entertainment are the Ultas fan club. They sit behind the net near the entrance to the stadium, chant en masse the entire game and even light flares at a certain point.

For this game it began to rain during the second half. Many of the seats are covered by overhangs so in the case of my group, we did not get wet at all.

I would like to see the Impact have a living human being sing the national anthems and come up with a way to enhance their physical presence in the West End of town where many, many potential fans wait to be courted.

Saputo Stadium is directly next door to Olympic Stadium. There is plenty of parking and a slew of restaurants to choose from along Sherbrooke Street East. One of those is the first Dallas BBQ franchise in the city. It is on the site of a former Scores and has a very similar format and menu. I urged the manager Tim, who resides in Snowdon,  to take a look at Sherbrooke Street West in NDG and some vacancies. A Dallas BBQ would look pretty good there.

The Impact’s next game is June 11 (7:30 p.m.)  when they host D.C. United at Saputo Stadium.

World Cup of Comedy coming to the West Island

Franco Taddeo

Why is it that the West Island does not have a regular dose of stand up comedy? Well, for two nights at least the Holiday Inn Pointe Claire will be the home to two extraordinary shows headlined by the one and only Franco Taddeo.  The Saturday,  June 21 program is sold out and it likely that tickets for the following evening won’t last long either.

 

The World Cup of Comedy will also feature TSN 690’s Tony Marinaro, Sébastien Bourgault.  “For years now I have had club, hall & location owners offering me their rooms to star  and  produce a show in,” Taddeo says.  “I have been too busy touring and doing shows for others. I felt now, the time was right. I wanted a theme show that was fitting for the time of year  and  created buzz. What's bigger and  engenders more passion than the World Cup? Having it on the West Island was just the icing on the cake - it is accessible,  always has parking and  is an under served comedy market.Win Win & Win!! Here is a YouTube preview.  Check the poster below.

Which players will not return to the Canadiens next season?

Members of the Montreal Canadiens can hang their heads high for an amazing playoff run.

So what can we expect next year? Who won't be back?

Peter Budaj has one more left on a contract which pay him $1.4 million as a backup. I cannot see how he can return in that role given the amazing performance of Dustin Tokarski. Look for him to be traded, put on waivers or possibly bought out.

Travis Moen

Travis Moen  represents one of GM Marc Bergevin's worst moves. Soon after Bergevin's arrival he handed Moen a four year, $7.4 million contract. He has two years left and I do not see too many takers for him.

Douglas Murray was brought in on a one year contract. He barely played in post-season play. Off he goes.

Francis Bouillon is 38 years old. Look for him to retire and be hired in some capacity by the organization.

Brian Gionta completed the final season of a five year, $25 million contract. He could return at a much lower salary. My guess is he will end up back in New Jersey to finish his career.

We are stuck with Daniel Briere for one more year at $4 million. Another questionable move by Bergevin.

George Parros is "gone, gone, gone." He was brought in to be a policeman, had an unfortunate accident in his first game when Colton Orr flipped him over on his head and onto the ice and he was never really the same again. 

Thomas Vanek is gone. Bergevin made a good move acquiring him. He helped in the playoff run, but tanked in the Rangers series.

Andrei Markov is a question mark. Will his asking price be too high?

Will prospect and former first round draft choice Louis Leblanc be released or traded?

Acquiring Dale Weise and Mike Weaver on waivers were Bergevin's best moves. They should be signed.

  

Nathan Beaulieu and Jarred Tinordi are likely to make the team for real next season.

The three Tramley siblings and their outstanding takeoff on Habs Rock The Sweater video

Rapper Annakin Slayd’s latest Habs video, Rock the Sweater, has already gone viral on YouTube.  It is inspired by Roch Carrier's classic cartoon The Sweater. 

As the Habs continue in post-season play (with perhaps one more game left), there are a number of new videos coming out using Slayd’s song. A case in point are West Island siblings   Elyssa, Pryor and Brynn Tramley, aged are 11, 9 and 6. Judge for yourself. This is a fantastic piece.

Steve and Desta minus their singing trio.

“My three kids put this together on their own,” says mom Desta Klemm. “This was.100 percent kid created, from choreography to editing. Elyssa was behind most of it I suspect. She takes competitive dance quite a few hours per week and loves to make up these videos with her dance and school friends. As you have seen, she also likes to perform with her brother and little sister. I was gardening that afternoon in the rain and and they came out to get a short clip of me with the dog. My husband was in our home office working when they begged him to come out and make an appearance. So they likely spent half a day on it.

“Pryor is a hockey player and is likely the Habs’ biggest fan and supporter. He was more than happy to take part in the production and supply props like the Stanley Cup and the flag. All three kids have watched every game of the playoffs to some degree. It has been so exciting to watch that it is getting harder and harder to get them to bed before 8  p.m on those school nights ! We at least picked a good one to let them stay up to the very end ....the last game in the series against Boston. This is what gave them inspiration to take their favorite song of the season and put together a video using Video Star. In the end it was a birthday  gift for their Uncle Ryan and cousin Reid. My husband Steve and I thought they did a great job on it. It is a Hallmark moment for us when the three of them cooperate and get along so nicely without us intervening in any way. We are lucky they get along so well and enjoy doing this type of thing. Hopefully it sends good vibes to the Canadiens, who we will be rooting for.”

Rock the sweater go habs go!

A few thoughts on the Montreal Canadiens going forward in the playoffs

Dustin Tokarski

TOKARSKI: I would love to see the Montreal Canadiens defeat the New York Rangers on Sunday and even the series up. Rookie goalie Dustin Tokarski is such a "feel good" story.  If he can pick up where he left off and keep the Habs in the rest of the games they play, then it is likely that Peter Budaj will be put on the trading block this summer."

Ryan White

REPLACING PRUST: I beg Michel Therrien not to "bore" us and put Michael Bournival in the lineup. We need some muscle to replace the suspended Brandon Prust and it makes sense to put Ryan White back on the ice or at the very least Travis Moen. Bournival had a good start of the season, but really did nothing more than skate around the rest of the way. For some reason Therrien likes him.

Marc Bergevin

MARC BERGEVIN: Forgive me for raining on Habs GM Marc Bergevin's parade. He has done an "okay" job since assuming the helm of the team two years ago, but I believe we need to look at his entire record: signing Travis Moen to a four year, $7.4 million contract; David Desharnais to  a four year, $14 million deal; acquiring defenceman Davis Drew Drewiske from LA and signing him to a two year pact, when he was not needed; acquiring George Parros as a so-called tough guy when that part of his game was long gone. I will admit that obtaining Dale Weise and Mike Weaver near the trade deadline represented good moves. Trading Cedric Desjardins back to Tampa for Tokarski now looks a "genius" move. Despite the fact he is sitting out most of the playoffs, defenceman Douglas Murray brought some toughness to the team. But GM  of the Year? Give me a break!

An Officer and a Gentleman: St. George's head James A. Officer receives fitting tribute

When Jim Officer told me a few years ago that he planned to retire as Head of St. George’s School of Montreal once he handed his youngest daughter,  Eugénie, her high school diploma, it was very obvious what the theme would be for his well deserved gala farewell. For Jim is indeed  “An Officer and a Gentleman,” and last Wednesday evening at Le Windsor several hundred people applauded his 40 plus years as a seasoned educator.

You remember the movie and  that famous scene from the 1982 motion picture  An  Officer and a Gentleman, where Richard Gere marches into a factory and carries Debra Winger out in his arms to the tune of the hit Joe Cocker-Jennifer Warnes song  Up Where We Belong? Well, Jim did not quite do the same last week with his wife Nathalie Bossé, St. George’s Assistant Head of  Curriculum and CLE, but he did wear a white tuxedo jacket – similar to the Gere navy pilot character's neat white suit.

James Officer and his wife Nathalie Bossé

Officer has headed  St. George’s for the past 21 years, working for the former Protestant School Board of Greater Montreal and at McGill University before that.

Attendees at last week’s gala were greeted by a pack of “paparazzi," who were in fact St. George’s senior students acting proudly as volunteers for the event. Inside the grand halls of Le Windsor, attendees were then  invited to take a cutout picture with the guest of honour in front of a “step and repeat wall,” replete with the St. George’s logo and crest.

In addition to his wife and youngest daughter, Officer was accompanied to the gala by his  other children Jordan (an established musician), Laura (a St. George's Elementary teacher) and Sara and his brothers Douglas and Ian.

Anthony Wolfe, wife Reesa and the Officer cutout.

“During my 21 years at St. George’s, I have met and been inspired by over 2,000 exceptional students, many of whom have made an impressive mark on the world, and most of whom speak fondly of their days at St. George’s,” said Officer. “ I have had the privilege of meeting and befriending their families and remain awed to this day with our parents’ level of engagement, their willingness to volunteer and their financial generosity. I have worked alongside eight different board chairs, each with their own strengths, styles and personalities, yet all of whom held firm to our school’s mission and values."

The Donny Kennedy Trio.

The evening  featured  spectacular raffle prizes (including a trip for two to Las Vegas), a live jazz ensemble featuring St. George’s music teacher Donny Kennedy, open bar during the cocktail and dance, a delicious three-course dinner with wine, a sweet table and live entertainment by Meredith Marshall, a finalist on the French language TV show “La Voix.”

Colleen Wicha, mother of St. George’s Grade 11 student Nicholas Wicha and dubbed “Lady Gala,” served as the chairperson of the Tribute Gala Committee, and worked with a dedicated team of parent volunteers and staff to plan this special evening. They included fundraising guru Don Belec, Kathay Carson, Howard Dolman, Jason Finucan, Pam Itzcovitch, Allyson Kassie Goldberg (class of '94), Patricia Klein (class of '88),  Patricia Lavoie, Natalia Obando, François Prénovost, and incoming Board President Cheryl Weigensberg-Wood, who will succeed Louise Anne Poirier.

Officer will be succeeded on July 1 by Sharon Klein, currently Deputy Head of Education at Queen Margaret’s School in Duncan, BC. A lifelong learner, she is passionate about education, has built a reputation for community building and is widely respected by her peers as a collaborative leader. Fully aligned with St. George’s vision and mission, Ms. Klein embraces inquiry and reflection in education. She is an advocate of progressive and research-based education, and is committed to whole-child approaches in rigorous learning environments. In addition to being a truly inspiring educator, Ms. Klein is an outstanding athlete. She strives to empower each individual student to become a passionate leader.

The gala served as the launch for the James A. Officer Legacy 21 Campaign, which will enable the school to expand and renovate the learning spaces in the high school.  St. George’s operates elementary and high schools about a mile apart from each other on The Boulevard. Already, $750,000 has been raised for this campaign towards a goal of $1.5 million. Allyson Kassie  Goldberg, from the class of 1994 and a present-day parent, is chairing this initiative and working alongside Maureen and Jack Dym, Andrew Molson and Mirko Wicha The stunning Natalia Obando, the  parent of a Grade 10 student, served as the emcee for the evening. A former Columbian teenage talk show host, her past experience in show business was quite evident as she moved the evening along nicely.

Kassie Goldberg was unable to attend the gala, but produced a fabulous video which included a cameo appearance by actor Robert Redford (the real Robert Redford). Beatrice Lewis,  who served as Assistant Head of School for the Elementary Campus, made an outstanding tribute to Officer and recalled the time when he was hired. “The year was 1993,” she said. “St. George’s was looking for a Head of School. There had been many changes of Heads in the 70’s and 80’s and stability and long-range planning were now priorities. The Search Committee, of which I was one of the members, compiled a list of job responsibilities and personal qualities felt to be crucial for a Head of School. Our wish list was endless. We wanted someone who was a visionary leader, a pedagogue, a person with experience in administration, recruitment, admissions, human resources, development, marketing, finance and building and grounds. The candidate had to have excellent leadership, management and communication skills and have outstanding personal qualities.....everything from being trustworthy, compassionate, flexible, creative, etc.  Many of us questioned as to whether such a person had yet to be born! St.  George’s was indeed looking for its Saint!”

Beatrice Lewis

Lewis noted how after a rigorous interview process  Officer was hired. “With a tenure that lasted 21 years, St. George’s certainly had the stability, the leadership and the professionalism we were seeking,” she said. “From day one on the job, Jim lived and breathed the St. George’s philosophy. His dedication to the school was unwavering, his work ethic was incredible and he was a man of many abilities."

Under  Officer’s leadership, St. George’s became a lead school in Quebec in the areas of curriculum development, the application of technology in education, the promotion of professional development and environmental initiatives. As well, partnerships with universities, the Montreal Neurological and other institutes were created. “Recruitment and admissions were areas in which Jim excelled,” Lewis noted. “For many years, he personally met with each family and each student applying to the high school. Jim’s passion for the school was contagious. It is not easy to get a 12 year old to open up during an interview, but Jim managed to make that personal connection with each student. St. George’s became the school of choice for many families.”

Officer is an extremely personable individual. And while this evening had a Hollywood theme, the guest of honor really showed his acting chops in a hilarious video spoof on the motion picture Ferris Bueller’s Day Off. It began with Director of Student Life Daniel Boyer getting a call from a seemingly ill Officer, stating that he could not come to work. “He bought it,” Officer said to the camera. What followed were a series of  sequences of him circulating around town on his bicyle and his car. Below is the actual video.

TB1

Adam Greenberg, known to listeners of 925 The Beat FM as TB1,  performed a special rap for Officer to the tune of Will Smith’s Fresh Prince of Bel Air classic. He was a graduate from the class of 2004. TB1 hosts his show on Friday and Saturday evenings and is a noted deejay.

Later Lee Haberkorn, a  2002 grad, did a tribute of his own. Lee is currently the managing director of the St. James Theatre in Old Montreal, director of communications at the Rialto Theatre and the weekend producer for the Virgin Radio morning show. He  shared an anecdote of how he once won a principal for a day contest and what a  good sport Officer was. “I showed up in a full suit, ordered pizza for the school and skipped a few classes,” he said, noting that conversely Officer stepped into the role of a student.

Hal Hannaford, the headmaster at rival Selwyn House, gave a very entertaining speech and spoke of his history with Officer at the level of the Canadian Accredited Independent Schools and the Quebec Association of Independent Schools.

Ken Salomon, a 1964 grad of St. George’s and chairman of the board from 1989 to 1994, introduced the guest of honour. He was seated at table with many of  his classmates from 50 years ago – a pretty smart idea for a high school reunion.

Following a prolonged standing ovation, Officer spoke. He emphasized how overwhelmed he was by the evening, which started with a surprise limousine ride to Le Windsor. “We are a great school because of a passionate and dedicated faculty, our exceptional students and their families,” he said. “We have remarkably connected parents.”

What will Officer do in retirement. He speaks fondly of his farm,  where he already spends a lot of time. For starters, he will oversee this summer’s activities of the hugely successful Explorations camp. The McGill program is moving from Royal Vale School to St. George’s. He will remain connected with St. George’s alumni affairs, their international programs and of course the Legacy 21 Campaign.

When all was said and done, Officer helped form a congo line and danced with friends, family and colleagues to the tune of the Pharrell Williams hit song Happy. There was no Joe Cocker/Jennifer Warnes song.

An Officer and a Gentleman indeed. Good luck Jim!