A warning for boaters to discard expired flares

L'Éntrepôt Marine Inc., located at 1285 boul. Arthur-Sauvé in Laval, will be the spot on Saturday, July 5 (9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.)  to dispose of expired flares.

Under the Boating Safety Contribution Programme (BSCP) the Federal Minister  of Transport Lisa Raitt  recently announced funding for a Safety Equipment Education and Pyrotechnic Flare Disposal for  Recreational Boaters. The purpose of this pilot project is to educate boaters on boating safety equipment, the care and maintenance of that equipment and how to safely and effectively use and to dispose of flares. 

If your flares have a manufacture date of 2010 or earlier they have or will expire this year. You can't light them, throw them in the water or in your household garbage.  Disposing of expired flares has been an ongoing dilemma for boaters across the country. To help boaters dispose of expired flares in a safe and environmentally responsible manner Canadian Power and Sale Squadrons (CPS)  and  Canadian Industries Limited (CIL) are hosting Safety Equipment Education and Flare Disposal Days. On these days you will be offered the opportunity to learn about required safety equipment and you can bring your outdated  flares to be properly disposed of, free of charge. 

In accordance with Transport Canada requirements, flares are approved for four years from the date of manufacture. Typically, this means that boaters need to replace their flares every third or fourth boating season. If they have a manufacture date of 2010 or earlier they have expired or will expire during this boating season, boaters are required replace them.

There are four types of flares: Type A - Rocket Parachute, Type B - Multi-Star, Type C - Hand-Held, Type  D - Smoke Signal. For further information on the different characteristics of each type, and the quantity  required for your vessel, log on to www.boatingsafety.gc.ca.

Walter Evans, a member of Lake St, Louis Squadron  based at the Royal St. Lawrence Yacht Club in  Dorval,  says that attempts  to get rid of outdated flares have been ongoing for years.  "We tried police stations and fire stations but no one wanted them," he said.   "This is a great opportunity for all leisure boaters to safely dispose of their unwanted flares.
The rules for usage are complex.  All vessels greater than   six  metres on Lake St. Louis must have flares on board. The number and type are determined by the size of the boat. Vessels under  six metres, including sailboards, paddleboats , watercycles,  personal watercraft  and  power pleasure craft,  must have either a watertight flashlight or three Canadian approved flares of type A, B or C. Flares are not mandatory if you can never be more than one kilometre from shore."
 

For a list of Safety Equipment Education and Flare Disposal Days and locations visit: www.cpsboat.ca or call 1-888-CPS-BOAT Canadian Power & Sail Squadrons. CPS is a community of passionate boaters across Canada who are committed to safety, boating  education, and having fun on the water. It is a national volunteer driven organization with a  long-standing reputation for offering high-quality educational courses.

With a 75 year plus history and a membership of over 24,000 in 150 Squadrons across the country, CPS has played a major role in boating culture in Canada and is the established leader for the training of recreational boaters. CPS  works co-operatively with Transport Canada, lndustry Canada, Fisheries and Oceans, Canadian Coast  Guard Auxiliary, and many other organizations involved in safe boating. For more information visit: www.cps-ecp.ca

David Lazarus let go after 30 years at the Canadian Jewish News

Journalism can be a lousy business. A year ago at this time the Canadian Jewish News  had just staved off closure.Folks I know in the Montreal office breathed a huge sigh of relief, especially veteran reporters Janice Arnold and David Lazarus.

At the head office in Toronto, a young new editor named Yoni Goldstein was hired and the look of the paper got an attractive facelift. However, over the last few months it was clear to readers here that there was far less Montreal content than before. I worried for my friends Janice and David.

 

David Lazarus

Well on Friday June 13 (yes Friday the 13th) David Lazarus was given his dreaded pink slip after 30 years on the job. "I am not taking it personally; it was all part of the ongoing 're-structuring' at the paper," David shared with me. "A day earlier Jeff Rosen in Toronto was also let go after 30 years in editorial. The only catch is that there now is only one full time English language reporter in Montreal in Janice, so she has to handle everything all by herself."
 
On his 30 years with the paper, he notes, "I have been writing and covering every imaginable sort of Jewish community story: hard news, features, sports, human interest, obituaries, analytical comment, community event publicity and coverage, tribute dinners and annual meetings. I have travelled to Israel, the U.S., Mexico, and elsewhere, most recently in November, 2012 to Ben-Gurion University for a series of articles." 
 

David Lazarus is an incredibly gifted writer and I hope he winds up working somewhere again soon, either in journalism or public relations.

Eggspectation serving up all-day breakfast at its new Ruby Foo's location

A few months ago I lamented on these pages how Montreal simply did not have enough restaurants  serving all-day breakfast. We may never relive the days of Picasso on St. Jacques, which served eggs, French toast and pancakes 24 hours a day. Regrettably, the likes of Denny's or IHOP are not coming to Quebec anytime soon. So, we search high and low and find places like Chez Nick on Greene Avenue in Westmount which will accommodate you through the early evening and Club Sandwich way out on St. Catherine Street East.

Enzo Renda and  Joseph Mendel.

Well three cheers for  Enzo Renda and Joseph Mendel for putting their heads together and bringing the hugely successful Eggspectation to the West End of Montreal. Renda is the CEO of Eggspectation, which has its foothold now in Canada, the United States, India and Dubai. Mendel is the managing partner of the Ruby Foo's property on Decarie Boulevard. They own the hotel, the adjoining building which houses a beauty parlor and a Jenny Craig locale and a corporate office building on the other side of the parking lot.

One of the many dishes served up at Eggspectation.

Eggspectation is the successor to Mahjongg Bistro de Chine, which closed a short while ago. It is open from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. and business is doing well following a soft opening. When I sat down with Renda and Mendel last week, my order came in five minutes: a delicious plate of eggs over easy, roasted potatoes and toast.  A big sign right at the edge of the parking lot on Decarie is coming. Renda is personally involved in this operation. Mendel handed them the mandate of handling all catering for the hotel, which is especially busy with meetings, conventions and social occasions. Outside groups are brought in, though, for kosher functions. 

The Ruby Foo's property began life in 1946 as an ice cream stand and eventually grew into a wildly popular 9,000 square foot restaurant which became world famous for its Chinese cuisine. There was also a 118 room motel attached.

By 1982, though, the restaurant had lost its lustre and closed.  Mendel and his partners stepped up and purchased  the property. In 1984 they converted the motel into a 198 room two storey hotel, constructed the office building next door and brought a restaurant back in the Atlantic Pavillion. That was later replaced by Tulipe Noire, Mahjongg and now Eggspectation. 

"In Eggspectation we have partnered with a highly successful operation," Mendel says.

Renda says that Eggspectation is known for the high quality of its products. "We use real maple syrup, not table syrup," he says. "We use mega eggs as well.  Our French toast is made with real French brioche bread.The fact is if I do not have quality food then I do not put it on the table."

There are actually more than 100 plus items on the Eggspectation menu, which you can see here. This place is a lot more than just breakfast.

Aalia Adam to get some experience doing Global TV morning weather

Aalia Adam has been attending "the school" of Global Television in Montreal since she was 17 years old.

"I started doing work with Global when I was attending Champlain College and I never really left," the now 24 year old reporter told me today as she shadowed the dynamic Jessica Laventure during a  Global Montreal Morning News broadcast.

Laventure, of  course, is the extraordinarily talented weather person on Global. But she does a lot more, including regular live reports from different events and activities and  of course her animal awareness features. As she prepares for some well deserved time off, Adam has been tapped to be her replacement for the next two weeks.  Over the course of the summer, Laventure will fill in for the dapper Richard Dagenais  at the news desk providing Adam with another four weeks of forecasts.

Jessica Laventure gets set to hand over the microphone to Aalia Adam.

"I am excited," said Adam, who has already been waking up at 3 a.m. and heading to the office as part of her training. "I am watching every weather forecaster I can, starting with Jessica, to pick up the lingo. Jess has started my training from zero and she is a great teacher. For instance, one of the tricks I have learned to really waking yourself up is to turn the music on in your car and sing really loud."

 Sign up for Aalia's fan page on Facebook:  https://m.facebook.com/Aaliaaadam

Adam will initially get her feet wet in the studio, but she hopes to go on location at some point this summer.

Stripped: A Naked Fashion Show aims to give a boost to sex education classes

The Sexual Health Network of Quebec (SHNQ) has come up with a very novel way to raise some funds to promote sex education in high schools and get everyone’s attention. On Thursday evening, June 26 (7 p.m.)  at Galerie 203 (227  Notre-Dame Ouest)  in Old Montreal they will present Stripped, a Naked Fashion Show aimed at showing the true beauty of real men and women who have bravely  volunteered to appear nude as for the cause. 

“We need to start a real conversation about the importance of sex ed,  which should incorporate critical topics like consent, readiness, body image, self-esteem and other  pressing issues beyond the basic fear-based tactics of STI’s and unwanted pregnancy,” says SHNQ  President and  the host of CJAD’s Passion,  Dr. Laurie Betito. 

The evening will include hors-d’oeuvres, an open bar, gifts from the sponsors, an  art exhibit and show clearly unlike something anyone has ever seen. For tickets, which are $125 a person,  log on to   http://shnq.ca. The SHNQ is a registered charity that is affiliated with the  Canadian Federation for Sexual Health. The SHNQ strives to advance sexual health through public education and awareness campaigns, the development of programs and services in Quebec, and the promotion of sexual education, with liaisons to local, regional, national and international organizations.

Valerie Claveau

I spoke with Valerie Claveau, who by day is the operations manager at a Montreal shipping company. She has agreed to be one of the nude models at the request of her friend Frank Mondeose. “My first reaction was to ask myself ‘Am I really going to do this?’ But Frank explained to me the cause, that there will be no cameras and how it is all about the beauty of the human body,” she said. “I asked my boyfriend. He was okay with it, so I agreed. I even convinced one of my friends to do it to.”

Claveau said there are no rehearsals and clearly no costume fittings needed. “We will show up two hours in advance,” she explained. “We are to wear no makeup , no jewelry and no nail polish. Just our smiles. I believe we need to provide more sex education to our teens. So I think this cause is a good one. I have two young children of my own and I am thinking of them as well.”

Mondeose says that  when the SHNQ came up with the idea they needed to first   find out if there was anyone daring enough to stand up and walk the catwalk for the cause.  “At first it's usually met with hesitancy,” he explained. “The fear of being naked and vulnerable in front of a room of strangers really strikes everyone. Then i ask them to recognize that fear and ask them if it is really acceptable to feel this way and why. Its only a naked body. We all have one and we all think we are imperfect Then i ask them to imagine what kind of message we send if 20 or so models all walk the catwalk together. At what point does the naked body just become another naked body? I address their desire to be leaders, paradigm shifters, and trend starters. With so much commercialism and materialism being promoted all around us, how cool would it be if together we can create a new trend: that of self acceptance and it all starts with breaking down the taboo of the naked body needing to be covered, adorned, or botoxed for that matter.” 

 

Frank Mondeose

Putting his money where his mouth is, Mondeose will be modelling nude himself.  “I tell them that I would love to have them walk with me,” he says. “That usually gets them in. No one wants to be used as a tool, but if the organizer is bold enough to come up with the idea and walk, well then it somehow makes it more appealing to them. They see the importance and that they don't have to be afraid to walk on their own This is definitely a team accomplishment and its only as a unit that we can accomplish passing the message.”

Mondeose says he hopes that the number of models continue to grow every year “until we have 50 or more models walking one day. Then the idea of watching another person model naked will just become another naked body. At that point our message will not only be made, but integrated in the psyche of the attendees. And that’s what we are trying to do. Show people that we are all the same when we are  stripped naked!"

Lyric Theatre's Forever Broadway is a real winner

After operating out of the Oscar Peterson Hall at the NDG Loyola Campus of Concordia University for many years,  the award-winning Lyric Theatre Singers have relocated downtown to the DB Clarke Theatre. I attended opening night of the 2014 production Forever Broadway! and there is no question that the group has another winner on its hands.

The show features a great set and costumes.

While I love the Peterson Hall, DB Clarke definitely seems like a better fit. Most noteworthy is the large screen with a rolling set of scenery to go with the different themes. Every seat  in this theatre is also a good one.

There are three more shows on June 13 and 14. They feature  a cast of 40 vocalists, backed by five musicians in a   high-energy musical revue!  Forever Broadway! is a tribute to the composers and creators of the musical theatre stage. It combines well known classics with favourite songs from today’s hottest shows.  The local Broadway dream-team of Bob Bachelor and Chris Barillaro, have compiled a crowd-pleasing,  eclectic mix of music that will captivate audience members of all ages. Long time collaborator,  choreographer Mary Sarli, rounds out the artistic team to put the Singers through their dancing paces! 

 

Numbers like this one are real crowd pleasers.

The audience thorougly enjoyed selections from Ain’t Misbehavin’, Guys and Dolls, Cinderella and Thoroughly Modern Millie,  along with ever popular songs from Little Shop of Horrors, Godspell, Avenue Q and Mary  Poppins.

Bachelor added some selections from the popular, but now cancelled, tv series Smash. He even came on stage and spoke about the show. Those three numbers were definite highlights of the evening.  “These songs are very special, wonderfully written and
are a perfect fit with the other material we have chosen for this show," Bachelor said.

Lyric Theatre is a well oiled machine, offering the type of quality musical entertainment Montrealers are not often exposed to.

Big numbers like this show what efforts go into putting this type of show on.

 

If you want to buy tickets here is what you need to know:

Remaining Show Dates and Times
Fri. June 13 8PM
Sat. June 14 2PM & 8PM

Venue
DB Clarke Theatre
Concordia University
1455, boul. de Maisonneuve, (corner Bishop St.)
Guy-Concordia Metro – Parking
Reserved Seating - Wheelchair Accessible

Tickets
$34 Regular
$30 Students / Seniors
$17 Children 12 and under
$28 “Student Friday”
$26 Groups of 15+

Box Office
514-743-3382
On-line: www.lyrictheatrecompany.com
Email: lyrictheatreboxoffice@gmail.com


Donations of non-perishable goods will be gratefully accepted for the NDG Food Depot.
 
 

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.